2008 NLCS: The Todd Helton Appreciation Society?

As I lounged in the BYB hammock earlier today, thinking of creative ways to keep this blog pumping during the off-season, I realized that both of the ideas I'd come up with - inspired by conversations with Mike McClary - probably weren't going to fly with the people.  Upon reading that yesterday was Placido Polanco's birthday, my first idea was a series of sitcom-like short stories featuring Polly in various off-season misadventures.  Wouldn't it be funny if the guy who went a whole season without committing an error was a total klutz back home?  Hilarious, right?

"Placido, could you pass the salt-- Dios Mio, why must you drop everything?!"

The other idea was casting 30 Rock with the Detroit Tigers, since Mike and I have sometimes imagined that Gary Sheffield carries himself like Tracy Jordan.

"I'm gonna turn this whole clubhouse into my bathroom.  Spread the word.  Where's that Head-On for my shoulder?  You were supposed to go to the Rite-Aid for me, Cameron Maybin!"

But other than giving Mike Ilitch the Jack Donaghy role and casting Brandon Inge as Kenneth the Page, I'm kind of lost.  Who would be Liz Lemon?  Dave Dombrowski?  Jim Leyland?

Okay, maybe those still need some work.  Or maybe I should just write about the NLCS starting tonight.

As Rox Girl put it at Purple Row, everyone wants to be a Rox and Roll star.  Judging from the decisive (though hardly scientific) poll results in the right-hand sidebar, you, the people, are rooting for the Colorado Rockies.  And judging from most of the newspaper coverage I've read online today, Todd Helton seems to have been unofficially anointed as the "Boy, wouldn't it be great if this guy finally won a championship?" sentimental favorite of the 2007 MLB playoffs.

To which I say, where's the love for Eric Byrnes, man?  For one thing, we should all be happy that the Diamondbacks' post-season run has kept Pepper Brooks Byrnesie out of the TBS or ESPN studios during the playoffs.  But the man's an animal lover (who should maybe keep his dog away from water), a (should-be) spokesperson for the wonders of hair conditioner (and a pair of scissors... or a comb), and has no problem planting his face into turf to make a catch when it's probably not necessary.  Maybe TBS can have him miked throughout each game of the NLCS.

"Dude!  Did you see that catch I just made?  Wasn't that awesome?"

Of course, if no one's there in Arizona to see the catch, did it really happen?  Is Chase Field going to sell out for Game 1 of the National League Championship Series or what?  Is it that the 3-2 Cardinals so good that the Phoenix area has the "bird flu" (hmm... I should make some t-shirts with that) and doesn't care about a possible World Series team?  I know, I know - I'm sure The D-Backs will get enough walk-up sales (or a big last-minute buy from Alice Cooper) to fill the ballpark.

You're welcome to comment on tonight's game, open thread style.  And check out SB Nation brohams AZ Snakepit and the aforementioned Purple Row for the hometown views.