Brett Myers the hitter

Just a few days ago, I posted something about Brett Myers, a career .116 hitter, battling CC Sabathia until he wore CC out in the NLDS. Myers fouled off three pitches before Sabathia walked him. It seemed like Sabathia must have lost something, for a poor-hitting pitcher to battle him like that. Myers only had four hits all season, after all. Who could have known he was just finding his stroke?

Myers had three hits in today's 8-5 win over the Dodgers. If he'd pitched better, he might have gotten a fourth at-bat and could have, in one game, matched his hit total for the entire regular season. He scored two runs and knocked in three -- the latter number of which, you may note, was the margin of victory.

Our old friend Charlie Manuel managed the Phillies' win just hours after the death of his mother. According to Joe Torre, Charlie still talked to his mother "on a regular basis." I can't imagine anybody not talking to their mother on a regular basis, unless she's mental or something, but it had to be tough for Charlie to put that out of his mind. He didn't talk to reporters today, which is certainly understandable. You're in our thoughts, Charlie. (I'm sure he's a regular reader.)

Speaking of people with Cleveland connections, Manny Ramirez hit his 27th career postseason home run in a losing cause. Of course, Manny has played in four World Series, two each with the Indians and Red Sox; and since 1995, his team has reached the playoffs every year but two. And you can't compare players from pre-1969, who never played in more than one round of the postseason, with players of today, who play in up to three rounds a year. Still, it's an impressive number. And here's an arcane stat: Manny now has 27 career LCS RBIs, which ties him for second all-time with former Tribe teammate David Justice. I have no comment on that.