PHILLYQ

I bought that one many moons ago, great disc.

IF Thome can still play some first he might be a hedge against Howard's injury.Otherwise it's strictly pinch hitting.

Since game logs are easily available on baseball-reference, we have both the averages and every game box score and stats. So one can easily look at this stuff and see that variation is such that surprise surprise, the averages do indeed show what a typical game was like. Yes, there are instances where in his wildest year as an Angel (when he averaged 6.1 walks per game) where he'd only walk 2 and others where he'd walk 8. But in 18 games out of 37 starts he walked 6 or 7. That's pretty much your typical average. If you were to go to the ballpark it was a coin flip that he'd walk 6-7 rather than some other number. But if that sort of thing bothers you, the logs are at your fingertips, and they can fun to look at if you're feeling nostalgic or are withdrawing from no baseball being played. It boggles the mind sometimes to look back at how pitchers were allowed to go so deep into games before the relief specialists came about, even when you remember this being the case. Forget your garden variety complete games, 3 times he went into extra innings that year. An 11 inning with 7 walks and "just" 11 Ks. 10 innings against the expansion Blue Jays with 5 walks and 19 Ks. Just look at the end of April to the end of May. Following a game he lost in the 10th he isn't allowed to finish the last out in the 9th. After that a run of complete games for May. Your arm will hurt if you check out the game logs of other aces in first years of the DH from '73 to the end of the '70s, be it the hall of famers or guys like Mickey Lolich. The attitude was "if you don't ever have to bat for the pitcher, then let him pitch." As far as great starters of the past 40 some years, Pedro Martinez had 6 years out of 7 (1 lost due to injury) where he ruled the world. Just because 1 year of greatness happened in Montreal is no reason to forget this, nor is his odd "I don't want to be like Walter Payton in the Super Bowl" World Series moment in 2004 a reason to discount it either (or trying to take The Gerbil's head off.) There was a game he pitched against the Yankees that was one of the most dominant pitching performances I've ever seen. He gave up one hit(a HR by Chili Davis), walked none and struck out 18! A ground ball was a moral victory for the Yanks in that game.Pedro was pitching at 97-98 over the corners and the ball was wigglin'. Absolutely amazing.

I'm wary of the Yu Darvish sweepstakes because of the Kei Igawa fiasco. Dice-K wasn't exactly brilliant as a Bosock either.If the Yanks can get Oswalt on a 1 or 2 year deal and if his back is OK... Buerhle may be an interesting signing, as long as it's not long-term.

How about a V.S.O.P. tribute band? The Nels Cline/Greg Bendian disc was a tribute, but they did the music differently, with different instrumentation and a fresh take on the music. That's OK by me, it's the slavish imitation/recreation that doesn't float my boat.

Tribute concerts are all the rage now(marketing hook?).There's so much rehashing of what was that we lose sight of what is.

Do you recall when a bunch of Cowboy players had cocaine problems and they were known as 'South Americas team'? That still makes me laugh.

Rumors of Jose Reyes interest by the Giants. Not a big bat, but he might be a good sparkplug. I'm curious to see what happens with C.J. Wilson. He did nothing to enhance his standing in the playoffs and World Series.

From what I was seeing this week in the sports pages in NYC the Rangers are actually in very good shape for the present and future. They have a deep farm system, good attendance, no onerous contracts(Cubs still have Soruiano and Zambrano making BIG $$, Mets have Santana & Bay)and people in charge who have a clue. They look to be a contender for awhile.

I'm a Yankee fan and I'd like to see him not win- he always seemed so damn smug. He can hit, though. LaRussa is another I can't take a liking to- he acts like he invented baseball and the sporting media genuflect whenever he speaks. If any other manager caught a DUI they'd be calling for his heaf, but LaRussa slides.

Think you are right on Feliz. Plus, he is only 23, in the biggest game of his life. Folks have to remember, the bullpens are GASSED! This isn't like 1975, this year starters are going what, 3-4 innings, and the first hint of trouble, the manager has to take the starter out, or he will be fired, basically. And as Smoltz has said in the past, the post season pitches are a lot more draining than those in a regular season game...and I imagine most pitchers right now have not pitched this deep into the post season, certainly after being in game after game, after game.... Neftali has had a rough year...they tried to stretch him out as a starter during Spring Training, couldn't get the breaking ball going consistently, so back to the pen, only with that "killer closer mentality" not right, which resulted in a string of blown and near-blown saves the first few months of the season. He'd get it back together in spurts, sometimes sustained spurts, but still would have, and still does have, as witnessed last night, spells where he just can't find the strike zone on a consistent basis. Often he gets out of it unscathed. Last night, he did not. And yes, he is still a young man. He's said to be somewhat highly driven, but also highly sensitive to failures. Reports out of the Rangers locker room last night described him as being "a mess" after the game. We all were, but I just hope he can put it behind him and move on. He seems like the type of guy who keeps a lot of stuff inside. No more Donnie Moores, ever. As for Ogando, hey, the guy's just done, period. He's done so much this year...wish he had an inning or two of gas left, but even after you reach down and find all the extra you have, at some point you just run out, period. I think he''s there now.God bless him for giving as much as he's given for as long as he has. Pretty remarkable season for him. Agreed about Ogando, he looks fried. I was wondering, since this is for all the marbles tonight if Washington is considering using Holland for an inning if the situation arises. Sure, he gave up a dinger last night, but he seems to be pitching well and he'll have months to rest after tonight.

The tune I heard on the sample was stuck in my head for hours, in a good way. Nice guitar playing!!!

As poorly as Feliz pitched in the 9th, once the Rangers got the lead in the 10th I would have stayed with Feliz. What I've seen of him in the playoffs and WS, he seems to be too amped up at first and then he settles down and pitches well. But that's just my opinion and I really can't fault Washington for going to Feldman as Feldman has pitched well except for last night. I kept thinking of Bobby Abreu on the triple Freese hit to rightfield that Cruz couldn't corral. Cruz seemed to be afraid to hit the wall to try and make the catch. If you make the catch the series is over, so GO FOR IT! Wild and crazy game, don't think I've ever seen such momentum shifts so quickly. For anybody who went to the game who was a Cards fan they have a lifetime sports memory thet will probably never be equalled.

Hannibal Hamlin Spiro Agnew Gerald Ford

I just sent you $10 via Paypal, good luck on the disc. I'm listening to a sample right now and it's really good!I ordered the disc before I listened to the sample, purchase amply justified already.

That was some gut check. That kid may not be able to grow much of mustache, but he sure came through in epic fashion. What a curve! I hope it leaks out what Washington was saying when he went out to get Derek Holland. During the post-game interview, Holland said that he basically begged Wash to let him stay out there, that if he couldn't get the next guy on a double-play it'd be okay to bring in Feliz but please please please PLEASE let me stay out here! That's why Wash kept shaking his head no. Holland went on to say that Wash said if Holland got on his knees & begged, he'd let him stay in. I guess that really IS the way baseball go! In all seriousness, major props to the Rangers for stepping up to the challenge and conquering it in Mavs-like fashion. Gonna enjoy the moment while it lasts because tomorrow's game is gonna be a major gut-check for BOTH teams, especially with CJ returning to the mound. All I know is this: the kid with the acne problem single-handedly saved this World Series for the Rangers. For now, anyway. Thank you, Derek Holland. Holland also saved the bullpen . By going 8 1/3, he lets the bullpen get a night of rest so they're fresh for tonight's game, then with the travel day they get another day of rest. Young man was DEALIN'! He had only three balls hit out of the infield- amazing aginst that lineup.

Crazy ending and glad I caught it. It looked to me like overtime amd I was about to tune out because I hate the way overtime is played in college games(shoetended field, no sudden death).

I have no connection to the seller, but someone has the Plugged Nickel set on sale at Hoffman for a pretty low price.

Some things he's done are, IMHO, wonderful, like the 'Spy vs. Spy', Naked City and the Masada stuff. Other projects just don't connect to me and sound like he's trying too hard to be that scene/music/idea instead of just being himself. I've seen him play a few times and the results were mixed.Saw the Dreamers group and they were fantastic, hard-hitting, swingin' and very electric. Another time he played at a benefit for some Karl Berger organization and he sounded like he was trying to shoehorn himself into what was being played- it was quite awkward.

Elvis threw a little 'Heartbreak Hotel' on the Cards last night. He started a teriffic double play(kudos to Kinsler, who made a great turn), saved a run the next inning with an amazing flip to Kinsler, and then did a great job of baserunning in the 9th(kudos again to Kinsler for the steal). So I'm in the car this morning and I have ESPN radio and I switch to WFAN, both stations talking WS and not a word about Elvis or Kinsler! Did they see the same game I did? Great game, had me on the edge of my seat and I have no rooting interest. LaRussa may have overmanaged his bullpen last night with bringing in Rhodes- I undertand the lefty/lefty angle, but taqke out a guy throwing 100MPH for 89MPH may have been enough for an injured Hamilton to get the sac fly.

She's the inheritor of the VV. I've seen those Uniqlo posters,billboards, etc EVERyWHERE. Where'd you see that one?

Pujols made a great defensive play to save a run. Beltre fouls a ball off his foot and the ump misses it. Either play goes the other way and we could have had a different result. Good game!

Interesting. I think that if I were a Cubs fan I'd be happy. Five years gives Epstein a chance to get the Soriano and Zambrano contracts off the books. They each get around 17mil a year for mediocre(and declining) results.

I saw him during this period with Abdul Wadud, Bobby Battle, Kelvyn Bell and Bob Stewart- excellent! I would love a live recording from this part of Blythe's career.

I think Fox was mighty ticked at the extra innings- they had the season premiere of 'House' on last night and I beleive that show gets pretty good ratings.