Patrick

Thanks for the recs. Who knows, maybe some of this stuff will be too out there for my ears. Worth experimenting at this price. I pullled the trigger on McPhee, Eskelin, Ortega, Konitz, Grossman, Portal, Harrison, Lloyd, Shipp and Jorgensmann (Snijbloemen). Anyone familiar with this Shipp (By the Law of Music), and how it compares to other items in his catalog?

All tied up after the Pedroia blast in the 6th. You've got the great bullpen. No problem.

Any recs from this list for someone that has never tried a Hat on?

When does Wolverine hoops start?

The Red Sox have to be the favorites at this point, but it's understandable if Red Sox Nation is not breathing easily right now. Dan, quite clairvoyant regarding tonight's disaster at Camden Yards. I watched that long third inning. Dice K couldn't get a fastball over to save his life. He looked completely gassed in the third inning. It was hot and humid (I think 90 degrees at first pitch), but based on his recent string, would it make sense to skip him once (or give him an extra day) and let Buchholz spot start? Life is still good (...though not as good as it could be). Meanwhile after two losses in LA, including a tough extra inning affair in which Ryan Garko hit a ninth inning homer to send it into extras, C.C. Sabathia pitches a complete game 5-hitter (5 singles, one walk, 4 double plays). Bullpen gets a night off before the rookie Laffey goes tomorrow night. Given Laffey is a 5/6 inning guy at most, this is good. Hopefully Tribe bats will get to Weaver and they will get out of LA with a respectable split. Would have been nice to close some ground on LA, though they're only two games apart right now. Tribe will need every game of their current 5 game lead over Detroit. Besides a 3 game series at Cleveland, Detroit only plays one game against a team with a winning record the rest of the way (Toronto). Tribe still has a 4 game series in Seattle.

Fine to place a marker there, but they oughtta also have a classic hardbop CD vending machine nearby. Gotta move product. Bu wouldn't want it any other way...

Forgot about Drew--he would be at the very top of a short list of under-contributors (though he did make a great catch in the corner last night). I would be inclined to give him a few days off as well when Manny is back. In Cleveland, they finally gave up on platooning Trot Nixon in right, and are letting the kid Franklin Gutierrez play every day. I think it finally dawned on decision makers that Trot does not cover much ground in right, does not have much of an arm, isn't exhibiting much power or average, and won't be around much longer. At this point, he supposedly contributes clubhouse leadership, and is the main instigator of the pie-in-the-face for whichever Indians hero gets interviewed by the tv announcers post-game. [i know, extremely valuable...] Gutierrez average has dipped from around .300 down to .260 with a very large home/away difference, but he's great in right field, reasonably fast, and has excellent upside.

I don't read the NYT much, but this opening is lame. From the notes for Abbey's great You Gotta Pay the Band: "Bird Alone", which has nothing to do with Charlie Parker, was found by her [Lincoln] in Japan in 1973: "I was hanging with Miles Davis for a minute, and I heard this song. At first I thought it was about him, but it was about me. I was truly alone over there. Sometimes you get a chance to show how big and bad you are, and then sometimes you fly low where everybody else is, and those who fly low are the ones who sing in the night." Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Does big and bad apply to portions of NYT??

Given what Peter Angelos did to block DC getting a team (after DC allowed the Orioles to move to Baltimore way back when), I'm not too upset about their lack of success. Great ballpark but I'm not sure I need to go back there for a game anytime soon. And maybe Leo Mazzone is not quite the genius he once was--ton of Indians retreads there (Danys Baez, Paul Shuey, Jaret Wright, Jeremy Guthrie, now Fernando Cabrera). Only Guthrie has performed well. And he probably should be shut down. Forgive me if I'm a little less enthusiastic about cheering for the Tigers just now, though all props to Granderson for hitting 20 doubles, 20 triples, and 20 homers in one season. But I am sympathetic to the anyone-but-NYY-vibe. I know you have to remain more than slightly paranoid about things, but man the Red Sox are really deep and really playing well. [Of course, I'm watching local broadcasts against the O's.] Pedroia will be ROY, why does Jacoby need to be so good? Papelbon is awesome, why is Delcarmen solid (does he get more innings while Okajima rests some?)? Lester, Buchholz, ...Getting contributions from just about everywhere (except maybe not so much from Captain Curt). Not really missing Manny that much (of course they need him back, but...). Life is good.

And can we do everyone a favor and euthanize the Orioles. Absolutely brutal. As summarized in a Thomas Boswell column in the Washington Post this morning, in their previous 15 games the Orioles have been outscored 149-66. Basically losing 10-4 every day for two weeks. No team in history has given up that many runs in a 15 game span. Losses include 30-3, 11-3, 15-8, 10-0 (and no hit), and 17-2. Several of these games were against the Devil Rays. Tonight's 4-0 loss to Boston sets a Camden Yards record 11 straight losses at home. Their last home win was a Bedard victory against Texas. Overall 4-17 in their last 21 games (home and away). Daniel Cabrera has some natural talent, but he is a complete head case. He's in his 4th season, and should be beyond this by now. In tonight's loss, Crisp induced a balked in run by dancing around at third. Full story not yet available, but something upset DC (Palmer and Hunter suggest it may have been yapping from the visitor's dugout). He then hits Pedroia high, a baseball non-fight breaks out (complete with the bullpen choruses running on stage) and Cabrera wants to go after somebody. He gets tossed and likely will miss his next start due to a suspension. Just plain stupid. Overtaxed and underwhelming bullpen pitches 5 1/3 innings and gives up just one run. [ultimately probably wouldn't have mattered given how well Lester pitched.]

. Now, it's going to be stupid cold if you get a Mets vs. Red Sox World Series. ...or a Cubs/Indians World Series. After getting snowed out in Cleveland to open the season, I think that would be a great way to finish the baseball season.

Otto Klemperer Werner Klemperer Robert Clary

Ditto for Paul Byrd's complete game shutout against Chisox. Impressive. That Bucholz curve is nasty! Boy have the Orioles been abused in the last month (the 30 run game, losing nine in a row at home, blowing late inning leads to DRays,...). Last night the Twins starter had a no-hitter broken up in the ninth, tonight Bucholz was successful. Both nights ESPN broke into live coverage of the first week of college football to show the ninth (or parts of it). I like it.

Nice story Al. ...Somehow I don't think one gets the same experience at NFL or NBA contests. Last night's Indians/Mariners game. In the bottom of the ninth inning of a now tied game (blown save #6 for JoeBo!), Seattle has already used Sean Green, George Sherrill, Brendan Morrow out of their pen. Eric O'Flaherty starts the ninth, and after retiring Hafner, puts on Martinez and Garko. At this juncture, the only arms left in the Mariner pen are all-star J.J. Putz, reclamation project Rick White, and lefty Ryan Rowland-Smith. Manager McLaren puts in White who retires Peralta for the second out, but then walks Gutierrez and Lofton for a walkoff walk. Question: your team is in a tied game on the road, do you always save your ace to pitch after you've taken the lead? Hindsight is often 20/20, but I'm a little surprised that McLaren went with White (of the 6+ ERA in limited work) with 2 on and only one out. Putz has pitched more than an inning in other games, Mariners may not get to the next inning (like last night), and if/when Mariners take the lead it may be by more than one run (making the need for your closer less vital). Whaddaya think?

Meanwhile the Tribe is finally on a bit of a roll--five straight (admittedly against KC and Minn, but both of those teams have been scrappy rather than crappy recently), and KC is beating Det. Last night I went to the Sabathia/Santana game at the Jake. 4 Tribe runs in the bottom of the first, didn't score after that. Carmona and Sabathia now have each beaten Santana twice this year (Santana also has a no decision against Cleveland). Sabathia was good, but not great--probably better in all of his previous 4 starts (which earned him 3 losses and a no decision thanks to the MIA offense). Finally a bit of offense (just enough as it turned out)--homers from Asdrubal Cabrera (who has Josh Barfield remaining on the squad only to pinch run) and Victor Martinez. JoeBo put the lead/tying runner on in the ninth, but Martinez made a great diving catch behind the plate, and (the defensively challenged) Ryan Garko started a nice double play to end it. Mariners in town for last makeup game at Jake (last makeup game gets played as part of a doubleheader out in Sea at end of season--how lame is that? Bud Selig is still a knucklehead), and then the White Sox are in town.

Cecil Cooper was a favorite when he was on those bashing Brewers teams (and the Avalon Hill baseball game--he had a great card one of those years). Hopefully he'll have some success in Stroland. Mussina looks like he's hurt. That was brutal tonight. How did the Tribe only manage 2 runs against him in mid-August?

I infrequently listen to the commentary. If I really like the film initially, I sometimes will watch it again the next day and listen to the commentary. The most recent time I did this was for the excellent Breach--Chris Cooper was outstanding as Robert Hanssen. Commentary was provided by director Billy Ray and real life (former) agent Eric O'Neill. Ray spends a lot of time explaining how shots were set up, his tributes to favorite 70s films (like All the President's Men and Kramer v. Kramer), which scenes were reshot months later, etc. O'Neill explains a bit about how things really went down. Quite interesting.

That is what it looks like, esp with Shef on the shelf and Kenny Rogers unlikely to make much of an appearance. At least Granderson got a leadoff double off of Clemens. and now Maggs has gone yard in the first. Unfortunately, the Tribe appears to be right there with the Tigers. Another dreadful game against a weak sister in the AL. Sabathia pitches 8 solid innings against KC, giving up 2 runs. Tribe can only scratch a single run. Greinke gets pulled after 3 innings for some reason (injury?), and Tribe does nothing. It's been a long time since starting pitching has been the bedrock for the Indians and the offense has been so anemic. The collars are really tight around Sizemore, Martinez, Hafner, and all the rest (maybe excluding Garko). Wedge has done everything but call these guys out by name. They claim to have learned from fading in other years, but they are repeating it again. Thank goodness the Tigers are struggling as well. Sheesh. Nice doubleheader for the RedSox today. Beckett started off a bit shakey in the first, but settled down.

Middle of last year (while still with Tribe), Wick gave all indications that that would be his last year. It was a challenge for him to come back after his injuries, and he greatly appreciated the chance the Tribe gave him to come back (and all the paychecks he cashed while missing time). Change of scenery to ATL got him to start another year, but it appears that he is out of gas (physically and perhaps mentally). I don't recall any of this type of BS while in Cleveland--where the bullpen he was part of came under a lot of fire.

Jake Westbrook had another great outing for the Tribe in a pitcher's duel against Nate Robertson and the Tigers. Like Sabathia and Carmona he was rewarded with a no decision. In 5 August starts, Westbrook is 3-1 with a 1.50 ERA, averaging 7+ innings, 1.2 earned runs, 4.6 hits, 3.8K, 1.4BB per outing (opponents have been NYY, Det, TB, Chi, Tex). The loss was a bad one to NYY--hopefully Jake will continue to pitch well, esp against high quality opponents. This afternoon's was another tough game trying to score runs, but Tribe managed to get 3 in the 10th off of a somewhat erratic Zumaya. JoeBo once again made it real exciting in the bottom of the 10th after getting the first two out (double, single, double), but was able to retire IRod to end it. I wonder if he has more than one 1-2-3 inning for a save, and how often he gives up at least a run (like he did today). Race for the central crown looks like it will go down to the wire. Tribe and Tigers face each other only 3 more times (in mid-September). Their schedules the rest of the way are quite similar. Only differences (ignoring home/away distinctions) are Cle has (4 LAA, 2 Sea, 3 KC) and Det has (4 NYY, 1 Tor, 3 Tex). Yanks are at Detroit. Tribe goes to LA. Degree of difficulty a bit higher for Tribe, but they presently have a 2.5 game lead. Cleveland's penultimate series is 4 games in Seattle--could be very interesting for the Division and the wildcard. [...or maybe less interesting if Det continues to lose series the rest of the way while Tribe finds their misplaced bats ]

I only caught bits and pieces of the game, but at the end Palmer did remind everyone that Baltimore lead 3-0 after 3 innings. So Texas had 30 unanswered runs over the course of 6 innings--averaging FIVE runs an inning, for SIX innings. Wow. 30 - 3, that's not even a close football game...

And Ranger Wes Littleton earns a save in the 30-3 game by pitching 3 scoreless innings. I think even Joe Borowski could have converted that one...

Now 30 - 3. Modern baseball record. Break up the Rangers!!!

And the Tribe managed to get by Edwin Jackson (3-12) and the D-Rays. Got 12 hits but managed only to score two runs. Fortunately, that was enough for Byrd, Perez, Betancourt, and Borowski. And the Tigers lost, so Tribe back in first by a half game. Now if only the Chisox can get after the Mariners... Maybe Gagne should not pitch in the 8th or 9th until he demonstrates some ability to get more guys out than not...

Absolutely. And I will pull for all Yankee opponents once those Tiger games are out of the way.