Umpire indiscretions, Sabathia's advantage, more

World Series Coverage   Monday John Donovan: Rox, Sox built to last Albert Chen: Ellsbury an unlikely hero Joe Sheehan: Scenes, notes from clincher Red Sox celebrate World Series victory Sunday Sox clip Rockies 4-3 to win World Series John Donovan's Report Card for Game 4 Jon Heyman's 15 Greatest Mr. Octobers Lowell takes home Series MVP honors Dynasty in the making for Red Sox? Clock strikes midnight for Rockies' ride Time.com: Red Sox are the new Yankees Saturday Red Sox down Rockies 10-5, take 3-0 lead John Donovan's Report Card for Game 3 Tom Verducci: The Sox are superior John Donovan: The Coors Field factor Jon Heyman: Four keys to Game 3 Friday Melissa Segura: Corpas gets his wish John Donovan: Rockies' lumber slumber Jon Heyman: How the Sox got Beckett Joe Sheehan: Electric night at Fenway Thursday Schilling, bullpen shut down Rockies 2-1 John Donovan's Report Card for Game 2 Tom Verducci's five cuts for Thursday Albert Chen on the Red Sox's bullpen John Donovan: Rockies turn to a rookie Joe Sheehan: Postseason drama lacking Tale of the Tape: Rockies vs. Red Sox World Series Fungoes Joe Lemire on Rockies-Red Sox Schedule/Box Scores Game 1: Red Sox 13, Rockies 1 Game 2: Red Sox 2, Rockies 1 Game 3: Red Sox 10, Rockies 5 Game 4: Red Sox 4, Rockies 3

1. It's been a tough postseason for umpires. The shaky October for Tim McClelland, for instance, continued when he missed Todd Helton getting hit by a pitch in Game 1 of the NLCS -- with no help from other umpires. But second base ump Larry Vanover made the correct call when he ruled that Justin Upton interfered with Kaz Matsui on a hard slide into second base, essentially killing Arizona's rally. Upton's slide was fine until he raised up to intentionally throw a forearm into Matsui. And shame on Diamondbacks fans. First they can't even sell out the NLCS opener. Then a bunch of yahoos throw garbage on the field to protest Vanover's call. Disgraceful.

2. The Rockies continue to win games by any means possible. This time they dinked Brandon Webb into a defeat. Webb, Al Leiter (1999 Mets) and Pete Schourek (1995 Reds) are the only NLCS starters to go at least six innings and not give up an extra-base hit -- and lose. At 28, Webb is the oldest of the four Game 1 LCS starters this year. The last time the four Game 1 starters were that young in LCS play? You have to go back before these four aces were even born, to 1978: Burt Hooton, 28, of the Dodgers, Dennis Leonard, 27, of the Royals, Larry Christenson, 24, of the Phillies and Jim Beattie, 24, of the Yankees.

3. The ALCS Game 1 pitchers, Cy Young Award contenders Josh Beckett and C.C. Sabathia, didn't have seasons as similar as you might think. Sabathia's advantage of 40 1/3 innings is huge, leaving 121 fewer outs for his bullpen to pick up. Sabathia threw 241 innings with a 3.21 ERA. Only one AL pitcher in the six-division format has thrown that many innings with such a low ERA: 1997 Cy Young winner Roger Clemens. Sabathia, too, deserves the Cy for his workhorse season.

4. The Lake Erie midges provided the turning point of Cleveland's Division Series win over New York. Postseason games shouldn't be played in those conditions, but as long as this one was, the Indians showed greater resolve than the Yankees. In fact, the Indians, a source said, laughed when they watched Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez allow themselves to be blatantly distracted by the bugs. It gave Cleveland even more motivation to show they wouldn't be bothered by the infestation.

5. Yes, Cleveland closer Joe Borowski is unusually shaky for a postseason closer. Only one other team ever made the postseason with a closer who saved 30 games with an ERA worse than 5.00: the 1996 Rangers, with Mike Henneman. And Boston's active players have a .333 average against him in 30 combined at-bats. But Borowski did join select company with his save in Game 4 of the ALDS (even if it did include an upper-deck homer): he became only the fourth pitcher to save an elimination game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The others: Steve Howe of the 1981 Dodgers, Will McEnaney of the 1976 Reds and, most famously, Pete Alexander of the 1926 Cardinals, all in World Series play.