League Conference Championship Series
What has happened, and how did we get here? 5 vic simin

Two weeks have already gone by in October and it seems like this has been the fastest two
weeks of my life. But that’s usually the case with October baseball.

When the Fall Classic started two weeks ago, we started with the Boston Red Sox, the
Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Tampa Bay Rays in the
American League; in the National League, it was the Chicago Cubs, the Milwaukee Brewers,
the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. As of right now, we are left only
with the Red Sox, the Rays, and the Phillies. But how did we get here? I'll start with the
National League.

The Chicago Cubs looked set to win the World Series. They were up against a
rejuvenated Los Angeles Dodgers team who had acquired Manny Ramirez at the trade
deadline. Ramirez had a mind boggling 17 home runs and 53 RBIs in 53 games with the
Dodgers, numbers rarely ever seen post-trade deadline by a new acquisition. The series
started in Chicago, with the fans ready for their first championship in 100 years, but their
dream ended in disappointment with Los Angeles’ triumph. The Cubs were swept for the
second consecutive year, looking terrible all the while.

The Milwaukee Brewers were playing their first playoff game since 1982, an absence
of 26 years. After acquiring C.C. Sabathia, the Brewers bolstered their pitching rotation and
they also had enough fire power in their lineup to contend for a championship. With Ryan
Braun and Prince Fielder both having strong seasons, the Brewers were confident, but they
faced an even more confident Phillies squad; with a pitching rotation anchored by Cole
Hamels, a bullpen anchored by Brad Lidge, and a lineup anchored by Ryan Howard, the
Phillies were too much for the Brew Crew, as the Brewers managed only one win at home,
and lost the series three games to one.

Let’s move on to the American League...

The Boston Red Sox were trying to repeat as World Series Champs, but they were
playing against the best team on paper, and in practise. The L.A. Angels of Anaheim had
three aces in Lackey, Santana, and Saunders, had a Saves record-breaking closer in K-Rod,
and a lineup bolstered by Vlad Guerrero and Mark Teixeira. After losing game one in a

pitcher’s duel against Jon Lester, and game two off of an 8" inning home run by J.D. Drew,
the Angels managed to win in the 12" inning of game three...only to lose walk-off style to
the Red Sox in the bottom of the 9" at Fenway, off of a hit by Jed Lowrie.

Finally, the surprise-of-the-century Rays were taking on the White Sox. The White Sox
had a strong season, including beating the Twins in a one-game playoff, but weren’t a strong
favourite—especially without Carlos Quentin. The Rays had a strong bullpen, a strong core
of pitchers, and a lineup of young, highly-skilled and talented ball players, including B.J.
Upton, and probable Rookie of the Year, Evan Longoria. After an overall lacklustre series,
the Rays came out on top three games to one.

Since then, the National League Championship Series was wrapped up with the Phillies
winning the pennant on Cole Hamels’ second win of the series. Even though Ramirez hit two
home runs, it wasn’t enough: the Phillies are headed to their first World Series since 1993.

The American League was also a nail biter going on for the Red Sox; the Sox have lost
games two, three and four, including two so far in Boston. Not only have the Sox lost, they
have gotten destroyed, losing game four by a final of 13-4 and game three 9-1. The Red
Sox have been known to make comebacks when facing deficits in the ALCS, whether it was
down 3-0 to the Yankees in 2004, or down 3-1 to the Indians last year. The Red Sox won the
championship both years.

I know everybody was looking forward to a Manny Ramirez return to Boston, with a
Red Sox versus Dodgers World Series, but after the Dodgers elimination, chances of that
happening are probably slim to none. All I know is, if the Red Sox get eliminated, I’m
rooting for the Phillies. Go Sox!

 

Royals clinch second place in BC, look to settle things in last

week of regular S€aSON », cesirtensnn

Wit only one week left in the BCCAA regular season, the Douglas College Royals
Men’s Soccer team has its playoff fate set: a semi-final matchup with the Thompson Rivers
University Wolfpack from Kamloops. It can be a difficult spot for a coach: do you rest

your starters in order to have them ready for playoffs in Nanaimo, do you risk playing stale
players who have not played in two weeks, or do you play your best to keep them sharp and
work on strategies that will be useful for playoffs, but risk an untimely injury?

The answer might be obvious to a coach who has already lost his top scorer for the
season, but for Joe Ormerod and the rest of his coaching staff, no opponent is taken lightly.
Every minute will be needed to prepare his boys for the playoffs. With several players given
minutes outside their normal positions, these last two games will be crucial to solidifying
their new roles.

The biggest surprise for the Royals this season has come from a player who has
had to step into very large shoes. Jag Gill, a third year player out of Guildford Park, has
moved from midfield to forward in relief of Ivan Estrada, who had his year cut short after

a hamstring injury suffered in game seven. After potting just two goals in the first seven
games, Jag has since exploded for eight in his last five games. This gives him the sole spot
of third in the scoring race. His new scoring touch will be relied upon if the Royals want to
battle for a provincial championship, something they have not captured since being crowned
national champions in 2005.

In coach Ormerod’s eyes, though, one of the biggest keys to their success so far this
year is the play of keeper Gyrish Kaniah. The workhorse from Queen Elizabeth is in his third
year and has not missed a minute of it. He has played all 1080 minutes, and has allowed a
measly 11 goals, giving him a league-leading goals against average of 0.92. He can also
boast his earning of six shutouts, twice as many as his nearest rival. Gyrish’s outstanding
play to date earned him BCCAA Player-of-the-Week honours in week three, when he shutout
both UNBC and TRU on the road.

 

 

 

AO

 

Edler contract extension good for
the FUTULE 5, cas sicsins

, Canucks General Manager Mike Gillis made the best move of his managerial career so far when he
signed third-year pro defenseman Alexander Edler, one of the franchise’s best young players, to a four-year, $13
million contract extension that will pay him $3.25million per season.

Edler, 22, is beginning his third year with the Canucks, and his first full one after playing parts of the last two
seasons with Vancouver’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. Edler was chosen in the third

 

A

Continued pg20 19