Hitting back in postseason
As the Anaheim Angels smacked hit after hit in the seventh inning of the ALCS's game five, I watched in awe and excitement. Every time Barry Bonds has been up to bat in the postseason, the intensity grows exponentially, as so often he has either come through himself or seen those behind him get the big hit. I have giddily watched this postseason, realizing that, finally, the bats are back. Sure, for years people have complained that hitting has gotten too easy, and that baseball is trying to increase scoring. But for too long, pitching has dominated the postseason. With the likes of Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling and others, powerful hitters have only starred in the regular season spotlight. Too often in the last dozen years, postseason baseball has provided us with low scoring pitchers' duels that eliminated an exciting element of the game. It's not that I don't appreciate solid pitching and the importance of dominant hurlers, but the change of pace is what I will enjoy. This year, the strategy won't be so much of "should the reliever come in now, or wait until the next inning," as it will be "should they pitch to Bonds here, considering how well Benito Santiago has hit behind him in the lineup."
