no worries alex.

and getting close

You bet. Hey, I just read the Verducci piece on Mo. Good stuff. Some really nice quotes in there.

Alex, what the hell is that? Are you going through a Blue Period? >;)

[2] since i still get si (even though they haven't billed me in i don't know how long) i'm going to wait until i get it - usually comes weds, thurs the latest.
i'm looking forward to reading it.

i caught the tail end of the pre-game ceremonies and watching mo with his family was touching.

"(Is it October yet?)"

Easy, pardner.

[5] damn, you aren't ready for october yet hawk?

Last game for Pete Abe. No matter which team wins the game tonight (by the way, who cares?), we lose.

We'll miss you baby. Good luck, good bye....

That Verducci article is absorbing. (I don't really like hagiography, but this would be my one exception.)
I had no idea that Mo taught Halladay the cutter. Posada: "Every time we have to face him, we go, 'Thanks, Mariano!'"

[6] I'm ready but somewhat anxious. October could be over in three games, god forbid.

Where is this Verducci piece on Mariano?

[10] http://tinyurl.com/yeh3uyu

Or at your local news stand.

[8] somehow i'd heard that mo taught halladay the cutter before - the po quote is funny

[9] yeah i hear you. i really don't think so, but sterling has something to say about baseball and predictions.

I think the article is good, not great. Some nifty quotes in there though.

Will, that's my man Richard Diebenkorn, a California painter. I thought the blue, the Royals, and just went with it.

LOL

That is one sweet cover shot of Mariano.

Hey, thelarmis mentioned this the other day I think but..what ever happened to Tennesee PJ, sumo fan and golf master?? Was he banned at some point??

I am unable to watch this game or the Tigers/Twins. My mlb.com feed cuts out after a few seconds. I can reload it, but it just cuts out again. I suspect this is a problem at my end, maybe with my ISP. But is anyone else having a problem?

[15] i don't know - thelarmis and i have been wondering (a little worried) about him for a couple of months now

in and out of this game, but it is nice to see that aj seems to mostly be in a groove

Might be time to pull the regulars

Like I was just thinking, we need a pinstriped homer to fire up the troops.

[19] Tying the game, and the AL HR lead.

Actually, I think this is one of the easiest years to pick the MVP and Cy Young, John.

[21] definitely. i don't know about flash sometimes

[13] Heh-heh, what's it called? "Da Ship Be Sinkin'"? >;)

No action in the bullpen. I'm surprised. AJ has thrown 97 pitches.

Verlander at 100 pitches through six

[25] Now that's what I like to hear. Let's all send our thoughts to Leyland:
"NO REASON HE CAN"T THROW 200 PITCHES. CY YOUNG DID IT. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT GAME OF THE YEAR."

[22] Has anyone else used the word dull in terms of Flash? Maybe even occasionally terse...

Hopefulyl Verlander throws 120 pitches today and 120 more on Sunday.

OK .... I missed the pre-game stuff. .... they bestowed all sorts of stuff to Derek ... why?

[27] His voice is extremely dry and sleep-inducing..
[17] Yeah, hope the guy is allright..maybe the Banter powers can chk via email with him..

[27] dull captures the lad quite well

[29] the honored several individual achievements before the game - melky's cycle, mo's 500th save, derek's franchise hit record - they each got various gifts

[30] yeah i hope he is okay too

we are probably stuck with flash since coney participated in the ceremonies

There's something to file away for future use. Coke can't field a bunt.

Oh, Cokey.

[33] or make the throw off a comebacker

We've seen this act before on comebackers ...

[33] Or throw to second.

I'll bet AJ is just thrilled right now.

Is that a Yankee specialty or is it just me? Lame.

[35] [37] That was just an error. Shit happens and shit. He looked very awkward trying to field the bunt though, which could (probably won't) come up again later.

Hey Coke. booooooo

Okay, he's really not very good at this, is he?

not cokey's finest hour

Coke is in no danger of winning a GG.

It amazes me that a team in a pennant race is fielding a lineup with Matt Tolbert, Nick Punto and Carlos Gomez.

[44] (et al)

Ways in which Phil Coke is Not Like Mariano Rivera

#37 Does not field well.

[46]

Jim Kaat (he of the 16 or so GGs) is probably sighing somewhere in the MLB studios.

Wow...3-run HR for Diaz and the Braves tie the Marlins at 4.

Dusty Hughes, if you willlllll.

[45] They play the game the right way.

KC has their Hughes pitch the seventh inning! No wonder those fools are so bad.

How I love our pinch stand theres.

Mauer up, two on one out as the tying run

Mauer up with two on.

... and now a WP advances the two into scoring position.

Dusty/Phil Hughes .... The Hughes Corporation ... which one will Rock The Boat (yes, I know it was "The Hues Corporation) :-)

5-4

I've switched over to the Twins game ...

[58] Joe Mauer..that guy right there, he's a baseball player..(Who was the football annoucner that always said that? Had to be Madden, right? or do they all say that..)

5-4 bottom 8th ..... Cuddyer grounded out to end threat.

The blackhole that is the Twins bottom third up in the ninth.

6-4

Well, maybe Verlander will have to throw 130 pitches or something. Moral victory.

[63] He's at 129

Welcome back, Dave. Stay healthy. Granderson is fun. I enjoy wondering how he'd fit in pinstripes.

[64] Oh, cool. How about 145, then?

So, anyone beat out Teix for GG at 1B in AL this year?

Dear Mr. Flaherty, its not all about the WINS!!!!!

Do you think Meineke Mufflers would like Zack Greinke to do ads for them? He could do a thing about why their names don't rhyme.

Beat the Greinke Hankie ... ?

No Verlander in the ninth! Damn.

When I see a closer like Fernando Rodney, it makes me so grateful that Mo signed that special deal with God, allowing him to live and pitch forever. Whew!

[72] Remember the vocal minority that said we should have let Mo walk after 2007 because we had Farnsworth?

「69」 Oh, that's excellent...how about David Aardsma with AAMCO?

[73] NO! That was before my Banter-time..no one actually said that, surely!

hey friends!

so...AJ looked good, huh?! i'm glad his pop is okay.

Bruney instilling some confidence. me likey!

I've never seen a team with as many crappy middle infielders as the Minnesota Twins

[73] Yeesh. No. I don't really have memory space for things like that.

[74] (a) Good! We can line up car repair joints galore. And (b) how did you do that cool corner bracket thing???

Granderson butchered a fly ball. 6-5 Detroit

[77] I know. You'd think two would be plenty. But I assume you're including Nicky Punto.

i'm sure it was mentioned earlier in the game thread - i'll catch up soon/later - but Laptop Buttholz gave up FIVE homeruns!!! i know it's not Chase Wright "4 in a row" to the arch rival, but still, that's *crazy*!!!

Tigers win

Ah, well.
With any luck, the Twins can still force another high-pressure Verlander start, at least.

[80] but...but...but, punto's a piranha!!! ; )

hopefully minny will take the next two...

Go Braves!!!

Go Brewers!!!

[81] I wasn't following. That's awesome!
The general feeling here in RSN recently has been something like, "Yeah, okay, the Yankees win the Division, but it doesn't really matter and we have teh awesomest pitching!"
I'm hoping to enjoy a little twinge of panic tomorrow.

[80] I'm being generous and not counting Cabrera.

That leaves

Punto
Tolbert
Harris
Casilla

Does one team really need four of this player?

Hughes working on a little 'stache ...

[88] it's getting more atrocious by the day

[88] Its not flattering

「78」 It's a jazz thing man, krazy kool kats are always a little off-center...(or maybe I just have funky things on this Japanese keyboard)..

If the Twins somehow make it to the playoffs I will hhave to avoid all previews (except the one here), don't think I could take all the glorification of scrappiness that is sure to come..

「81」　FIVE home runs?? wow..

[86] i heard it on the radio on the way home. they've given up 6 longballs tonight, but had a big inning late (of course) and are only down a run. here comes the bottom of the 9th. hopefully they lose!!!

Bruney pitching well frightens me

Yay

Good thinking. I've been wanting to see something like thaf for a long time.

[91] yeah, Laptop Buttholz gave up 5 homers, 4 of which were solo jobs. Lind - who has 3 homers, 1 off Saito - had a 2-run blast.

Lind, Hill, Millar, Bautista

Lind now has 35 on the year. Hill, 36.

1 out in the 9th...

i love leadoff walks by our relievers. love 'em.

[91] ...such a tease >;)

Did Kay mention .... pie????
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCG0KkTuxqk&feature=player_embedded

Kay can barely hide his joy at seeing Kyle Farnsworth pitch