MLB 2008

[Dan Gould]

Our catcher/pitcher ratio is 10/1!

I think they've been worrying so much about Hank Blalock's return (breaking news: Blalock sneezed! He's back on the 15-day DL again!) that they forgot about the other players.

Good, trade us Salty -- we *need* a catcher... oh captain, my captain is *done* (don't be fooled by that shot last night).

Dan, now that's Lowrie's had a few games, are you still thinking he's an adequate solution? I've been busier than a hooker at a firemen's convention and haven't caught any games since the break (lame, I know).

I haven't watched too much myself, because of the late starts, and a birthday party I had to attend Sunday. But what I've seen, he's a much better bat and I haven't seen any egregious fielding errors. I remember reading that he's been told "your glove will get you to the majors, your bat will keep you there" - meaning, if your glove is good enough, your bat will make you valuable. I see a kid who who is patient, gets on base, and hits line drives. What's not to (still) like?

[Tim McG]

And how 'bout the Dodgers ringing up 8 runs in the top of the first at Colorado ... Yoikes!!

It's now 16-8, Dodgers, in the ninth inning........and only ONE home run!

16-10 was the final and the Dodgers think they're going somewhere...?

[Noj]

First place in the worst division isn't exactly promising, Goodz. The Dodgers rarely give up a lot of runs, they've had a lot more trouble scoring them. However, the offense has surged since Mattingly took over as hitting coach. This team may yet go somewhere!

[BFrank]

Go Giants/Dodgers/Cubs!!!

[zen archer]

Our catcher/pitcher ratio is 10/1!

I think they've been worrying so much about Hank Blalock's return (breaking news: Blalock sneezed! He's back on the 15-day DL again!) that they forgot about the other players.

Good, trade us Salty -- we *need* a catcher... oh captain, my captain is *done* (don't be fooled by that shot last night).

Dan, now that's Lowrie's had a few games, are you still thinking he's an adequate solution? I've been busier than a hooker at a firemen's convention and haven't caught any games since the break (lame, I know).

I haven't watched too much myself, because of the late starts, and a birthday party I had to attend Sunday. But what I've seen, he's a much better bat and I haven't seen any egregious fielding errors. I remember reading that he's been told "your glove will get you to the majors, your bat will keep you there" - meaning, if your glove is good enough, your bat will make you valuable. I see a kid who who is patient, gets on base, and hits line drives. What's not to (still) like?

I have watched the games and Lowrie looks very good . The other night he made a very nice (difficult) catch and he is hitting, so far he has 10 RBIs in limited playing time.

[Neal Pomea]

Nationals sign Cristian Guzman to a 2-year deal ($16 mil is a "bargain") and trade closer/set up man Jon Rauch to D-backs for our second baseman of the future, Bonifacio. Guess it's good by Felipe Lopez!

Those are probably good moves.

It's not easy being a baseball fan in DC. Sports radio spends more time on Redskins-Wizards-Mystics-United coverage even at the height of baseball season, and Nats scores appear in the Washington Post sports section beneath the fold, especially when there's a big time golf story like Michelle Wie getting disqualified for not signing her scorecard (sic) etc.

Edited July 23, 2008 by It Should be You

[jlhoots]

Brewers beat St. Louis again.

Cubs lost again.

[jlhoots]

Sabathia pitches another complete game shut out.

Brewers 1 game behind Cubs.

Brewers - Cubs series next week in Milwaukee.

[papsrus]

Sabathia pitches another complete game shut out.

Brewers 1 game behind Cubs.

Brewers - Cubs series next week in Milwaukee.

That'll be HUGE!

[BERIGAN]

Sabathia pitches another complete game shut out.

Brewers 1 game behind Cubs.

Brewers - Cubs series next week in Milwaukee.

That'll be HUGE!

That's the truth! The Cards I think are starting to see the smoke dissipate and mirrors crack ...

[Big Al]

Sabathia pitches another complete game shut out.

Brewers 1 game behind Cubs.

Brewers - Cubs series next week in Milwaukee.

That'll be HUGE!

DAMN!!! I'm gonna be in Chicago next week! How cool would that've been if the series was being played there instead of Brew-town?

Maybe take a day trip up north.....

[jlhoots]

Sabathia pitches another complete game shut out.

Brewers 1 game behind Cubs.

Brewers - Cubs series next week in Milwaukee.

That'll be HUGE!

DAMN!!! I'm gonna be in Chicago next week! How cool would that've been if the series was being played there instead of Brew-town?

Maybe take a day trip up north.....

Only seats left for the Brewers - Cubs series are scattered singles, obstructed views & SRO.

[Soulstation1]

25 years ago today

The Pine Tar Game

[Big Al]

25 years ago today

The Pine Tar Game

Probably the funniest take on this I ever saw was this video, which I just happened to watch the other night when I was explaining to my son what the whole "Pine Tar Incident" was all about. Still just as funny!!!

[BERIGAN]

C.C. Sabathia, Prince Fielder Keep Imagining Each Other As Giant Talking Hot Dog, Hamburger

[Quincy]

C.C. Sabathia, Prince Fielder Keep Imagining Each Other As Giant Talking Hot Dog, Hamburger

Pretty goofy! The Onion hasn't done it's research though as Prince made a big deal at the start of the season about becoming a vegetarian.

[Dan Gould]

C.C. Sabathia, Prince Fielder Keep Imagining Each Other As Giant Talking Hot Dog, Hamburger

Pretty goofy! The Onion hasn't done it's research though as Prince made a big deal at the start of the season about becoming a vegetarian.

That doesn't mean he doesn't think about hot dogs or hamburgers.

[jlhoots]

Gagne pitches an inning.

Brewers still sweep Cardinals.

[Soulstation1]

George Brett owned The Goose

[papsrus]

I always saw the Brett meltdown as a bit of staged theater, (is it obvious?) much like a Piniella tantrum. A little too over the top (a lot over the top, actually) to be taken seriously. Brett was a great player, but this has become his most memorable moment, for many. I wonder how he feels about that?

[Dan Gould]

I always saw the Brett meltdown as a bit of staged theater, (is it obvious?) much like a Piniella tantrum. A little too over the top (a lot over the top, actually) to be taken seriously.

I don't understand that belief at all. The man had just hit a clutch home run in the ninth inning, with two outs, on the road, against the best closer in the game, and on a ridiculous technicality, had been called out and his team went from being ahead to being the losing team.

I don't think any reaction could qualify as "over the top" in that situation. I think that situation might have seen the same reaction from Manny Being Manny, which would be as far from "over the top staged theater" as you can get. I see nothing but an expression of total rage and frustration and disbelief. Absolutely nothing theatrical or over the top or Piniella-like whatsoever.

Papi is back, and the Sox are in a virtual statistical dead heat for first place. 56 days, I believe, and we actually went from a game back to even with Tampa. And something to consider: Papi was scuffling in the early part of the year due to a lack of stability in his base, his legs. His knee surgery was not fully rehabbed, and he felt weaker because of it, but couldn't take time off to let it calm down (the "car wreck" at first base in Tampa didn't help either). A big benefit of this injury was that his knee is now 100%. That means there's a pretty good chance that Papi is Big Papi right out of the chute, and that's a dangerous thing thing for the competition.

Now, if Tito will make the smart move and drop Ellsbury down to seventh or eighth and go with Pedroia/Drew or Pedroia/Youk at the top, I think the offense would really get moving.

[papsrus]

I always saw the Brett meltdown as a bit of staged theater, (is it obvious?) much like a Piniella tantrum. A little too over the top (a lot over the top, actually) to be taken seriously.

I don't understand that belief at all. The man had just hit a clutch home run in the ninth inning, with two outs, on the road, against the best closer in the game, and on a ridiculous technicality, had been called out and his team went from being ahead to being the losing team.

I don't think any reaction could qualify as "over the top" in that situation. I think that situation might have seen the same reaction from Manny Being Manny, which would be as far from "over the top staged theater" as you can get. I see nothing but an expression of total rage and frustration and disbelief. Absolutely nothing theatrical or over the top or Piniella-like whatsoever.

I don't know ... he came flying out of that dugout as if someone had just shot his dog or something. I guess I just tend to take the antics of these athletes with a grain of salt. His rage may have been sincere, but if that's the case, I'm not sure I'd want to be around the guy when something happened that was really worth getting pissed about.

Funny, I had a co-worker say yesterday (in all seriousness) that he thought the Yankees should have been fined or somehow penalized for creating the whole incident in the first place. ... Might be a little Yankee-hating going on there.

Edited July 25, 2008 by papsrus

[papsrus]

Papi is back, and the Sox are in a virtual statistical dead heat for first place. 56 days, I believe, and we actually went from a game back to even with Tampa. And something to consider: Papi was scuffling in the early part of the year due to a lack of stability in his base, his legs. His knee surgery was not fully rehabbed, and he felt weaker because of it, but couldn't take time off to let it calm down (the "car wreck" at first base in Tampa didn't help either). A big benefit of this injury was that his knee is now 100%. That means there's a pretty good chance that Papi is Big Papi right out of the chute, and that's a dangerous thing thing for the competition.

Now, if Tito will make the smart move and drop Ellsbury down to seventh or eighth and go with Pedroia/Drew or Pedroia/Youk at the top, I think the offense would really get moving.

The Sox need to beat back the Yankees this weekend. If they take that series, I look for them to start kicking it into high gear. If the Rays don't make a move for a right fielder who can hit, they're toast. Hinske was falling all over himself against the Royals last night. Looked like a damn Little Leaguer.

[Dan Gould]

I always saw the Brett meltdown as a bit of staged theater, (is it obvious?) much like a Piniella tantrum. A little too over the top (a lot over the top, actually) to be taken seriously.

I don't understand that belief at all. The man had just hit a clutch home run in the ninth inning, with two outs, on the road, against the best closer in the game, and on a ridiculous technicality, had been called out and his team went from being ahead to being the losing team.

I don't think any reaction could qualify as "over the top" in that situation. I think that situation might have seen the same reaction from Manny Being Manny, which would be as far from "over the top staged theater" as you can get. I see nothing but an expression of total rage and frustration and disbelief. Absolutely nothing theatrical or over the top or Piniella-like whatsoever.

I don't know ... he came flying out of that dugout as if someone had just shot his dog or something. I guess I just tend to take the antics of these athletes with a grain of salt. His rage may have been sincere, but if that's the case, I'm not sure I'd want to be around the guy when something happened that was really worth getting pissed about.

To a highly competitive athlete, having just for all intents and purposes won a game against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium over the best closer in the game, that was completely worth getting pissed about.

You might have seen a more mellow reaction from, say, JD Drew, but I'm pretty sure that Brett was as driven by winning as any player of his era.

I don't know if you read Joe Posnanksi's blog (which is simply the best sports blog in the world) but he recently posted a piece about Stan Musial. Musial was one guy who probably would have taken it in stride. As the story goes, late in a game against the Dodgers, Musial hit a home run to take the lead which was waved off by an umpire who had called time because a ball had rolled on the field. Musial's manager and someone else came out to argue so vociferously they both got tossed, one after the other. Musial never said a thing. When everyone calmed down, he said to the ump, "It didn't count? Well there's nothing you can do" and proceeded to hit a bases clearing double on the next pitch.

Actually, the real story isn't quite as dramatic (Poz did some investigating on his own to find the truth) but the gist of it is true.

Funny, I had a co-worker say yesterday (in all seriousness) that he thought the Yankees should have been fined or somehow penalized for creating the whole incident in the first place. ... Might be a little Yankee-hating going on there.

In reality, Martin deserves a lot of credit. They had noticed that Brett used too much pine tar but they waited for the exact right moment to use it against him. And it worked - til the AL President did the right thing the next day.

[Dan Gould]

If the Rays don't make a move for a right fielder who can hit, they're toast. Hinske was falling all over himself against the Royals last night. Looked like a damn Little Leaguer.

Don't say that! After we beat back the Yanks and make our move, you've got to help keep the Yanks down!

Nobody wants another October with both the Sox and Yanks in.