2011 MLB Season

[Chalupa]

Something unimaginable has happened. The Phillies have a 4 game losing streak. Jesus H. Christ our hitting sucks! Get us a right handed bat Ruben!

[Chalupa]

Phils win!

[ghost of miles]

Yanks-Orioles game has now gone so long that A.J. Burnett just entered the game... as a pinch-runner.

[MartyJazz]

Following the Yankee-Oriole game on the net. Seems like Girardi has overmanaged again. Colon had them shut out through 8 innings on only 87 pitches. So why not let him pitch the 9th? Rivera as great as he's been has blown a couple of saves this year, and sure enough, blows this one as well. Unless Colon asked to come out or indicated he was bushed, he should have been allowed to close out the game. It's criminal how little the Yanks have supported him this year. He's been the best starter we have by far.

One last point, who's Noesi? Whoever, he obviously did a great job, 4 innings of shutout extra inning ball.

[Dave James]

Game over. Yanks win 4-1. A-Rod goes 4-7 and both Texiera and Jeter get two hits. Is this the start of something big or just another tease? A great, near dominating performance from Bartolo Colon. Only downside was another blown save out of Mariano Rivera. All things considered, I'll take it.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Dave James

[ghost of miles]

Marty--I don't have MLB.TV, just the radio package, so I couldn't watch the game, but some posters at PA felt Colon did look like he was beginning to tire after 8 innings, and that normally it's just a no-brainer to give the ball to Mo in the 9th (especially a rested Mo). (OTOH somebody claimed that Colon hit 97 MPH in the 8th inning.) Others thought Colon should've been allowed to start the 9th, with Mo on reserve in case a baserunner got on. Tough call, I guess, for Girardi... you'd never think it would be a tough call to bring Mo into that kind of situation.

DaveJames: Yes, A-Rod certainly seems to be back in the groove, and he nearly ran over Tex in the 15th inning coming home on that hit by Cano. Also regarding the Yanks' larger dilemma: Same stability that built NY dynasty now undermining it

Jsngry: I know Feliz gave up a game-tying homer in the 9th, but the back-to-back pickoffs that followed were pretty cool.

All AL fans: I'm struck by what seems to be a rough parity in the American League so far, at the 1/4 mark of the season. Take out top W-L team Cleveland (at .650) and bottom W-L team Minnesota (.325) and the remaining 12 teams' W-L percentages range from .415 to .537.

Edited May 19, 2011 by ghost of miles

[JSngry]

Yeah, those pickoffs were sweeeet. but Nefti's still not in that Nefti groove. Don't know if it's psychical, mental, Some resolution awaits, hopefully.

Otherwise, though, the Rangers played a gritty game, the kind you wish they wouldn't be in the situation to have to play, but once you are there, hell yeah, play 'em gritty and grit'em out until you win. Kinlser made some successful dives at balls that said GRITTY, David Murph7y & ChuckChris Gentry made some putfield grab that were indicitive of a mental gtittiness that hit the spot like the man who ran over the dog.

And Adrian Beltre's face after getting the go ahead hit in the 11yh, hey, everytime I see that smile in that situation, I get happy, because I don't see ego or show, I just see somebody who's happy to have done the right thing in the right way at the right time, and I don't ever get tired of seeing that type thin. And yeah, this guy GOT some glove. Oh yes he do!

but oh by the way....OGANDO!!!

[skeith]

Damn

The Indians are kickin' butt!!!!!!!!!!

Damn straight!!!!! Go Tribe!!!!!!!!!

[Dan Gould]

And Adrian Beltre's face after getting the go ahead hit in the 11yh, hey, everytime I see that smile in that situation, I get happy, because I don't see ego or show, I just see somebody who's happy to have done the right thing in the right way at the right time, and I don't ever get tired of seeing that type thin.

Have Rangers fans been treated to the look on Beltre's face when someone tries to touch his head yet? High comedy hijinks ensued whenever Victor Martinez did that to him in the Red Sox dugout last year.

[JSngry]

It's becoming an ongoing tradition, but only certain people get to play.

[PHILLYQ]

Marty--I don't have MLB.TV, just the radio package, so I couldn't watch the game, but some posters at PA felt Colon did look like he was beginning to tire after 8 innings, and that normally it's just a no-brainer to give the ball to Mo in the 9th (especially a rested Mo). (OTOH somebody claimed that Colon hit 97 MPH in the 8th inning.) Others thought Colon should've been allowed to start the 9th, with Mo on reserve in case a baserunner got on. Tough call, I guess, for Girardi... you'd never think it would be a tough call to bring Mo into that kind of situation.

I watched tne game last night and it didn't look to me that Colon was tired at all. He regularly hit 97 in the eigth and struck out the side(IIRC, two were looking on on some nasty pitches).he had one walk, but the walk looked like the ump was a little tight. He had only thrown 87 pitches, so it looked to me that he should have started the 9th and if any trouble bring in Mo. In this case I think Girardi went too much by the book and ignored what was right in front of him.

[Dan Gould]

I hate this silly second-guessing. Colon had zero room for error. If it was a two or three run lead then you can afford to let him try to close it out. But if he allowed Colon to try to finish the game and he blew it the same way, say on one misplaced pitch deposited over the fence, everyone would have screamed at the top of his lungs "MARIANO FREAKING RIVERA WAS SITTING IN THE BULLPEN, THE GREATEST CLOSER IN HISTORY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THINKING COLON CAN FINISH THAT GAME?"

Girardi can't win when this sort of thing happens.

And the fact is they won anyway so the only person who should care is Colon, who probably thinks he could have recorded a shutout at the age of 37 and should have gotten the win.

[Neal Pomea]

Question about the DH from a National League man here.

We will be playing interleague with Baltimore this weekend, and using a DH. Can we have our hot hitting pitcher bat but DH for a slumping regular? Or can the DH ONLY be use in place of the pitcher? I would bat Marquis (pitcher) and DH for LaRoche (first basement) right now.

Moot question, I know, because no manager would ever pull a move like that.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Neal Pomea

[JSngry]

DH can be used in lieu of any position.

If you got a hot hitting pitcher, you could DH him in every game that he's not pitching in.

That's in theory, of course. But there's no law agin' it!

[Quincy]

Question about the DH from a National League man here.

We will be playing interleague with Baltimore this weekend, and using a DH. Can we have our hot hitting pitcher bat but DH for a slumping regular? Or can the DH ONLY be use in place of the pitcher? I would bat Marquis (pitcher) and DH for LaRoche (first basement) right now.

Moot question, I know, because no manager would ever pull a move like that.

Billy Martin used Rick Rhoden as a DH in '88, the first time it had been done since the rule came into being. As a hitter he was good "for a pitcher," and better than some pre-steroid era infielders and backup catchers.

You can also forfeit the right to use a DH. You could almost think of this as the George Brett's brother (Ken) rule, though he wasn't the first to have this done for him.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Quincy

[Neal Pomea]

Thanks for the info on the DH! Makes me think our manager might do something funny this weekend with the DH. We have had pitchers pinch hit to bunt.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Neal Pomea

[MartyJazz]

I hate this silly second-guessing. Colon had zero room for error. If it was a two or three run lead then you can afford to let him try to close it out. But if he allowed Colon to try to finish the game and he blew it the same way, say on one misplaced pitch deposited over the fence, everyone would have screamed at the top of his lungs "MARIANO FREAKING RIVERA WAS SITTING IN THE BULLPEN, THE GREATEST CLOSER IN HISTORY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING THINKING COLON CAN FINISH THAT GAME?"

Girardi can't win when this sort of thing happens.

And the fact is they won anyway so the only person who should care is Colon, who probably thinks he could have recorded a shutout at the age of 37 and should have gotten the win.

I'm old school. When a guy is pitching a shutout, and a dominating one at that, and has only averaged 11 pitches an inning through 8, he deserves to be allowed the opportunity to finish it. One walk or base hit, bring in Mariano, otherwise, Girardi severely overmanaged and cost his best starting pitcher to date a well-deserved win.

[Neal Pomea]

Our team has scored ONE run in support of Livan Hernandez's last 4 games on the mound. Incredible. He'd have to be throwing shut outs all the time to win any of these games. Today's 1-0 loss to the Mets, in which Hernandez himself broke up a no-hitter by no-name pitcher Gee in the sixth inning, really alarms me, though I tend to be among the most optimistic of Nationals fans.

[Brad]

Dillon Gee may be a no-name but since he came up at the tail end of last year, all he has done is keep the Mets in the game and win almost all of the games he starts. I don't think he's had more than one bad starts. He's earned the right to be here.

[Dave James]

Dillon Gee may be a no-name but since he came up at the tail end of last year, all he has done is keep the Mets in the game and win almost all of the games he starts. I don't think he's had more than one bad starts. He's earned the right to be here.

I think you and I might deserve to be there given the Amazin's pitching woes. I'm 62, but I still throw a decent knuckler and I'm pretty sure that with a little work. I could get my curve ball in shape.

[Dave James]

Wow. Jason Giambi has hit a home run in each of his first three AB's against the Phillies tonight. It's the first time in his career he's dialed 9 three times. Set out a plate of the finest meats and cheeses in all the land for the Giambino.

[JSngry]

There will be no 1-0Rangers victories this year..

Feliz does not flop, but nevertheless folds, and Dammit Darren Oliver Dammits all up. Again. Dammit.

Both starters pitched real gems, neither got a decision, but your star closer holds a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 9th, always, or else he's your potential star closer.

To paraphrase a Don Cherry album, WHERE IS BULLPEN??

And even better - the all second string outfield took another hit this evening as Endy Chavez came out with a tight hammie, to be replaced by Andres Blanco, making his professional debut in an outfield position, at any level, ever. Mr. Blanco fumbled a single hit to him my Mr. Francoueur, who decided to stretch it into a double, only to be met by the waiting ball of Mr. Blanco's peg in from RF. Mr. Blanco, it seems, has throwing skills, skills which he quickly psycehd could be used anywhere on the field. Surprise, Mr. Francouer!

Mr. Francouer, otoh, has the satisfaction of driving in the game-winning run with a little bloop of a blip to center field at a time and a place where he needed to stretch nothing.

How the fuck do you play baseball without an even semi-reliable bullpen? Somebody tell me that. I dare ya'.

Edited May 20, 2011 by JSngry

[BERIGAN]

Our team has scored ONE run in support of Livan Hernandez's last 4 games on the mound. Incredible. He'd have to be throwing shut outs all the time to win any of these games. Today's 1-0 loss to the Mets, in which Hernandez himself broke up a no-hitter by no-name pitcher Gee in the sixth inning, really alarms me, though I tend to be among the most optimistic of Nationals fans.

Man, that's amazing! Always seems to be one poor sap per team that can't catch a break.

Seems like the whole NL east has forgotten how to score runs...Braves turned the Diamondbacks stadium into a pitcher friendly place, somehow...

Wow. Jason Giambi has hit a home run in each of his first three AB's against the Phillies tonight. It's the first time in his career he's dialed 9 three times. Set out a plate of the finest meats and cheeses in all the land for the Giambino.

2nd oldest to ever hit 3 in a game (Stan the Man did it at 41 I read today, err, I mean I always knew that about)

And Giambino hadn't had a hit since April 10th! I mean, he could have easily been released the way he played before last night. I'd like to see a 40 year old quarterback, or Center have his best game at this age. Shoot, are there any NBA or NFL 40 year olds right now? (Kickers don't count)

Edited May 20, 2011 by BERIGAN

[Dan Gould]

Thank the baseball gods the Sox stayed hot after reaching .500. I was sure they'd flirt with that level for a while before rising again. But they're now so desperate for depth with Dice-K and Lack(ey) on the shelf they signed Yankee cast-off Kevin Millwood whose fastball has declined to the can't-break-a-window velocity.

But all things considered I can't complain about a game-and-a-half out of first place status.

And, I hear that Dice-K's elbow ligament injury is often a precursor to Tommy John surgery - gives me hope that we won't have to deal with his jeckyl & hyde routine in the last year of his contract, which is the best outcome because with yet another injury this year he's got zero trade value unless the Sox pay almost his entire last year's salary, and even then it would be for a modest prospect, methinks.

[ghost of miles]

Old school: Cubs at Fenway for the first time since 1918