There are four basic steps to rebuilding a ballclub. First, trade your marketable stars and veterans for prospects, retaining only the core, team-controlled players around which you plan to build. Second, evaluate your new assets to determine which will hit, which will miss, which might benefit from a position or role change or a particular mechanical or coaching fix, and identify what holes are likely to remain on your roster once those players have graduated to the majors. Third, once those players are established at the major league level, compliment them with one or two big free agent signings and perhaps another trade that target the remaining holes. Step four: win.
It’s not that easy (not that it sounds easy), but that’s the plan. The Indians are currently in Stage Two. Beginning with the trade that sent CC Sabathia to the Brewers in July 2008, Cleveland has traded CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Casey Blake, Franklin Gutierrez, Rafael Betancourt, Ryan Garko, Kelly Shoppach, Ben Francisco, and Mark DeRosa. That’s a pair of Cy Young award winners, more than half of their 2008 starting lineup, an ace set-up man, a productive back-up catcher, and their 2009 Opening Day third baseman.
That has left them with a core of center fielder Grady Sizemore, 27, middle infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, 24, (both, cruelly, on the disabled list at the moment with injuries that could keep them out for a significant portion of the season), right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, 27 and the team’s best hitter for the last two seasons, and right-handed starter Fausto Carmona, 26. Travis Hafner, Jhonny Peralta, and Jake Westbrook are still around, but Hafner is tied down by a bad contract, the market for Peralta dried up last year when he moved to third base and stopped hitting, and Westbrook was frozen in place by his June 2008 Tommy John surgery.
To that core, the Indians have added these young players and prospects via trade:
2B – Luis Valbuena (from Seattle for Gutierrez)
SS – Jason Donald (from Philadelphia for Lee)
C – Lou Marson (also for Lee)
C – Carlos Santana (from the Dodgers for Blake)
OF/1B – Matt LaPorta (from Milwaukee for Sabathia)
OF – Michael Brantley (also for Sabathia)
RHP – Mitch Talbot (from Tampa Bay for Shoppach)
RHP – Justin Masterson (from Boston for Martinez)
RHP – Chris Perez (from St. Louis for DeRosa)
RHP – Jess Todd (also for DeRosa)
RHP – Carlos Carrasco (also for Lee)
LHP – Scott Barnes (from San Francisco for Garko)
RHP – Nick Hagadone (also for Martinez)
RHP – Bryan Price (also for Martinez)
RHP – Rob Bryson (also for Sabathia)
RHP – Jason Knapp (also for Lee)
RHP – Connor Graham (from Colorado for Betancourt)
RHP – Joe Smith (from the Mets in the Gutierrez deal)
LHP – Zach Jackson (also for Sabathia)
RHP – Jon Meloan (also for Blake)
Valbuena, Marson, LaPorta, and Brantley were in the Indians Opening Day lineup at second, catcher, first, and left, respectively. Talbot and Masterson are in their rotation. Perez was their closer while Kerry Wood was on the disabled list. Donald is now their starting shortstop with Cabrera on the DL. Santana is expected to be called up in June to push Marson into a backup role. Of those 20 players, only relievers Jackson and Meloan are no longer with the organization (both were throw-ins that yielded no lasting value for the team).
Of the eight pitchers not mentioned in the previous paragraph, Jason Knapp, a big, hardthrowing righty from New Jersey, has the highest ceiling, but is among the furthest away from the majors as a 19-year-old who hasn’t pitched above the Sally League and has yet to return to action this year following minor offseason shoulder surgery. The top prospect overall from the 20 above is Santana, who could be the next Victor Martinez and is on the Stephen Strasburg plan, due for an early-June arrival. That is made all the more impressive by the fact that they got him from the Dodgers for Casey Blake, a player they picked off the trash heap in 2002.
For now, however, the Indians have the look of a team that’s been gutted, something the injuries to Sizemore and Cabrera have only exacerbated. The defensively-challenged Valbuena is beginning to look like a bust at the keystone and is losing starts to 40-year-old Mark Grudzielanek, who didn’t get a major league opportunity last year. That could open up the position for Donald, who is getting a look at shortstop in place of Cabrera but is probably better suited for second, though many think he’s ultimately just a utility man.
In the outfield, Brantley struggled and was optioned out when Russell Branyan came off the DL forcing LaPorta to left field, and LaPorta has since lost his job to Austin Kearns, who came to camp as a non-roster player. Behind the plate, Marson’s days are numbered with Santana on his way. In the rotation, Masterson, who was so valuable in a middle-relief/utility pitcher role for the Red Sox, is 0-5 with a 6.13 ERA. Mitch Talbot, acquired from the Rays for Shoppach, is 6-3 with a 3.73, but he has walked as many men as he’s struck out.
The net result is that the 2010 Indians are a terrible team. They’re scoring fewer than four runs per game and allowing nearly five, and their overall record is better than only those of the Orioles and Astros. Cleveland has won just four series all year, one against the Orioles, one against the Royals and, curiously, two against the White Sox (both of those coming in April).
Fausto Carmona, who faces Phil Hughes tonight, has been the Tribe’s best pitcher this season, finally gaining control over the wildness that plagued him the last two years. Not that he’s suddenly become a control pitcher. He’s still walking 3.6 men per nine innings against just 4.7 strikeouts. He’s also getting fewer ground balls, though a lot of those “flies” are actually infield pop-ups. Still, better is better, and that’s big considering Carmona is one of the few players the Indians decided to keep.
The Yankees decided to keep Phil Hughes, and it has payed of both this year and last, though Hughes will look to pull out of a tiny two-start slump while facing the punchless Tribe tonight. The Yankees also opted to keep Kevin Russo with Curtis Granderson coming off the DL tonight, so Randy Winn has been designated for assignment having hit .213/.300/.295 as a Yankee and 0-for-11 with four strikeouts and no walks against left-handed pitchers.
Granderson bats second tonight, Russo rides pine, Brett Gardner moves back to left field, Alex Rodriguez gets a day off, and Chad Moeller makes his first start since returning to the team producing a bottom five of Nick Swisher, Juan Miranda (DH), Gardner, Ramiro Peña, and Moeller. So much for putting some punch back in the lineup.
Cleveland Indians
2010 Record: 17-28 (.378)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 18-27 (.400)
2009 Record: 65-97 (.401)
2009 Pythagorean Record: 73-89 (.451)
Manager: Manny Acta
General Manager: Mark Shapiro
Home Ballpark: Jacobs Progressive Field
Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-100, LH HR-91
RH Avg-95, RH HR-96
Who’s Replacing Whom:
- Russell Branyan replaces Ryan Garko and Mark DeRosa
- Jason Donald replaces Asdrubal Cabrera (DL)
- Trevor Crowe is filling in for Grady Sizemore (DL)
- Austin Kearns replaces Ben Francisco and Michael Brantley (minors)
- Lou Marson replaces Victor Martinez
- Mike Redmond replaces Kelly Shoppach
- Mark Grudzielanek replaces Jamey Carroll
- Shelley Duncan is filling in for Andy Marte (DL)
- Jake Westbrook (DL) replaces Cliff Lee and some of Aaron Laffey’s starts
- Justin Masterson inherits Carl Pavano’s starts
- Mitch Talbot replaces Jeremy Sowers and Anthony Reyes (DL)
- Fausto Carmona reclaims Carlos Carrasco’s starts
- Chris Perez inherits Rafael Betancourt’s innings
- Hector Ambriz replaces Jensen Lewis
- Jamey Wright replaces Tomo Ohka
1B – Russell Branyan (L)
2B – Luis Valbuena (R)
SS – Jason Donald (R)
3B – Jhonny Peralta (R)
C – Lou Marson (R)
RF – Shin-Soo Choo (L)
CF – Trevor Crowe (S)
LF – Austin Kearns (R)
DH – Travis Hafner (L)
Bench:
L – Mark Grudzielanek (2B)
R – Matt LaPorta (OF/1B)
R – Shelley Duncan (OF/1B)
R – Mike Redmond (C)
Rotation:
R – Jake Westbrook
R – Fausto Carmona
L – David Huff
R – Justin Masterson
R – Mitch Talbot
Bullpen:
R – Kerry Wood
R – Chris Perez
L – Tony Sipp
L – Rafael Perez
L – Aaron Laffey
R – Jamey Wright
R – Hector Ambriz
15-day DL:
CF – Grady Sizemore (bone bruise in left knee)
3B – Andy Marte (“non-baseball medical issue”)
60-day DL:
SS – Asdrubal Cabrera (broken left arm)
RHP – Anthony Reyes (Tommy John surgery)
Typical Lineup:
S – Trevor Crowe (CF)
L – Shin-Soo Choo (RF)
L – Travis Hafner (DH)
R – Austin Kearns (LF)
L – Russell Branyan (1B)
R – Jhonny Peralta (3B)
R – Luis Valbuena (2B)
R – Lou Marson (C)
R – Jason Donald (SS)
I think Justin Masterson broke SIERA and QERA. Broke them dead.
Are Jackson and Meloan any relation to Jackson Melian?
This is at least the second time Pena is starting at not-SS in place of Russo. Annoying.
Cliff thanks for this tremendous analysis. I look forward to an easy series for the Yankees (fingers crossed). I hope Granderson is the fuse we expected.
[0]
Thanks for this gem of a write-up.
So much for the possibility of Shin-Soo Choo being granted military service exemption for winning with the Indians...I wonder if being named an All-Star would be considered worthy?
[3] Excellent point.
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5227531
[7] Encouragingly intelligent approach to Hughes' workload, and an interesting note about the Wang/5th starter problems last year negatively impacting their ability to be similarly smart with Joba. So the question then becomes, could Vazquez create a similar problem re: Hughes.
[7] I'm happy to hear that they're thinking and talking about it.
Shouldn't the rules, if any, be called "Phil Rules"? Sounds better than "Hughes Rules" anyway.
Ah, Grandy's back! Fabulous!
Please hit now, Curtis. (Soon, anyway.)
Oooh, Phil's pitching! Yaay! (I thought it was CC.)
[8] I just don't trust them.
How 'bout that slider.
Nice.
[13] Yeah, I wonder if that might become his strikeout pitch.
That's two little Indians.
Well, that was fun.
Where are the rest of my Banterers, though?
'Aight Jetes, get it going!
Hafner averaged a 165 OPS+ over 3 years, and then around 110 the next 3 years. I know he was injured, but is steroid withdrawal part of the problem?
Wow, 24 games? It's been that long?
God, Teix i's so off-balance.
Carmona looks as good as I remembered. I thought he'd been struggling.
HUUUUUUUUGHES!!!
[22] Not this year ...
I was at the game when he hit the restaurant
Haaahhhh!!
Damn!
HUUUUUGHES!!!
Holy fuck.
Good job, Phil.
Oh, too bad!
I mean, there was no way he'd strike everyone out, but it was a good daydream.
How the hell did he beat that out?
He didn't, that's how.
Phew. Nice to see them blow a call in our favor for once ...
[30] :)
Fuckin' A!!
Clobbered that motherfucker!
Nick The Stick ... with the BIG STICK!!!!
So, there ya go.
We needed someone to step up, esp. with A-Rod out of the order.
Look at that batspeed!
So savage.
[36] Really good to see that Nick has conquered the bad NYS juju that he suffered from last year ...
Oh goody, the Ramiro Pena Experience ...
Why wasn't Gardner stealing there?
I mean if having Gardner on 1st with the Ramiro Pena Experience and Chad "Fuzzy" Moeller due up *isn't* the time to put some sort of play on, then when the fuck is?
Ohhhhhhhh.
Hello All,
Hughes Do's!
Swish has dialed it up this year, and this game so far feels like it should.
For those watching Yes, didn't Jeter look like someone's kid brother on that tape of his first hit?
SHIFT THAT!
The Grandyman looked like he was going at about 80% on that one ...
That's right, walk Robbie. The Stick awaits.
Damn.
Good pitch.
[9] "hughes rules" sounds MUCH better. it's all about the rhyme!
[3] great point. i'd like to see russo in the infield, where he's more comfy...
[48] No, that sounds worse. It doesn't rhyme. The vowel isn't even the same. What do drummers know from rhyme, anyway? If I have a question about rhythm, I'll ask.
It turns out that most of my injuries are also "non baseball medical issues."
What the hell happened there??
Lost his command.
Come back, command, and immediately please.
[49] i'm a poet. and i know it. hope you don't blow it.
Whassup, Gang? Shut 'em down, Phil!
[51] how the hell should i know, i can't see the game. i'm guessing, he lost his...rhythm!
[55] I'll take your word for it. Rhythm you know.
FUCK.
Dammit. Yeah, he can't hit his spots now. Dammit.
[53] I'm a writer a poet a genius I know it
I don't buy cheeba I grow it
Courtesy of the Beastie Boys. Hope you've heard of them. : )
[57] of course, i've heard of them! even got the gatefold vinyl of 'licensed to ill' the day it came out! : )
cheeba though, that's a different story. never been stoned before. that stuff sickens me...
[56] in all seriousness, i am a writer/poet/lyricist and take it very very seriously. i study it like drums...
Better.
Okay.
Now let's see if Fausto's deal with the devil extends to the fourth inning.
Good ol' Uncle Charlie. aka The Buckler.
That's probably my favorite strike out pitch right there...
Oh, you think it's a curveball, so it's going to land in the dirt? Oh, but I have a surprise for you... yerrrr out!
professional hitter just gave the shit sox a 3-run lead again...
6 k's for hughes (ruze)
[58] Hm. Well, okay. (So how come you thought "Hughes" and "rules" rhyme, then? It's not some weird southern drawl you've picked up, is it? I mean, you still talk New Yawk, right?)
evening folks!
[62] Wakey is giving them back, though.
Holy fuck!!
FUCK!!!
[63] Poetic License. I was trying to teach that to my students just this week. They could not quite wrap thier heads around that one.
Nice catch.
sizemoresque!
Jesus Christ, that was miraculous.
Evening, Diane.
Did you see the first couple of innings?
Miranda was all like "Double!"
But then he ate Crowe,
[67] Their. D'oh. Super bugaboo.
Royals have scored two, and have the bases loaded, all with nobody out.
[70]
I heard that Hughes was dominant, and Swish hit a dinger ... that's about it
[74] Yep, that should do it.
Phil struck out the first five Indians.
Then in the fourth, not so good. Let's see what happens now.
[63] is it NOT an exact rhyme. but it's close. lyrical.
i definitely DON'T have any southern drawl, but i don't have my thick NY accent anymore. i purposefully got rid of it after about 3 years in Pennsylvania. it still comes out pretty regularly and there are certain words that always sound VERY new york, coming out of my mouth. but i just sound...american.
[73] this makes me happy. jose guillen popping out to 2nd, does not....
Did we observe a moment of silence for the 47 game NYY career of Randy Winn?
KC ties the game on a 2 out, bases loaded, wild pitch.
I wanna call Trevor Crowe ... Trevor Rabin .... maybe because he's on YES right now?
[79] I thought Wake was going to get out of it.
Easy peasy. Look how you can conserve pitches when you're not being fascist.
Holy shit. Yuniesky salami!!!! Monster seats.
GRAND SLAM AT FENWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KC up 9-5!
(As the Sox deploy the pitching/defense first game)
Thelamis, have you ever tried Yuniesky salami? I've heard it's made with turkey.
[83] Fucking people from Rhode Island!
:-)
[84] [83] Too slow, my friend. But the home run call from Remdog was pretty damned quiet, huh?
[85] No......... Chicken! (with apple chunks)
[80] nice!
[83] nicer!
[85] in that case, i'd try it...
[btw, trevor rabin, is a fellow tribe member. i believe of south african descent]
Ummm ... isn't it supposed to POUR tomorrow?
[88] well, i do like apple sauce! : )
[71] Props on that entry :)
Trevor Crowe .... Trevor Rabin .... Russell Crowe ... Russell Branyan ...
(yes, I'm tired)
Grandyman!
Way to use the ballpark, Phil!
Hughes is back in control.
Had it all the way. Good inning.
hi team.
curtis looked pretty good tracking that ball down.
89 pitches thru 6.
now, some offense please!!!
I'm gonna watch basketball for a while. Someone let me know if Mephistopheles shows up to escort Fausto out.
If Fausto Carmona pitched to Angel Pagan . . .
that's a (pretty) good start.
[101] fausto carmona, sounds like a boxer from brooklyn.
please take advantage of this situation here boys.
All right, time to read them your rights, Juan!
c'mon juan miranda.
you have the right to hit a grand slam!!!
Look ... its Carmona Miranda!
looking through the lohud posted, it looks like swisher homered at 7:36pm - i predicted this morning the score truck would show up at 7:42pm - that is pretty damn close if i do say so myself.
wow that was a mile off the plate.
very nice.
at least 3 of those pitches were in the box on gamecast. what gives?
anyway, go-go gritner. clear them bases!
Carmona has this weird arm action where it whips back from the follow through until it's back all the way over his head. Very strange; it's kind of bothering me.
Hey!
I told you guys to let me know if Mephistopheles showed up. One favor, that's all I asked.
(Dwight Howard is taking over the game. He just caught a ball off the top of the backboard and slammed it.)
[112] it is tough trying to keep an eye on both games.
[110] All game the pitch inside to righties has been called a strike, and the outside edge called a ball. That is, the strike zone is shifted a few inches to the catcher's left.
That's okay Ramiro, you get a lollypop for trying ...
[114] thanks.
that was some ab for el nino.
that's prolly it for fausto.
i do wish we scored more than 2 w/ bases loaded, no outs. but i'll take it...
[115] He may have cost Carmona an inning.
[116] Me too, but after all it was Pena and Moeller.
Not a good basketball game. It's badly officiated, and the play is very sloppy. Howard was eye-popping for a while. Damn, Rondo is good, great pass on the fast break. But in general not playoff caliber.
Strong like bull, Mr. Branyan is ...
well that pitch was not in a very good spot at all
Ugh. Very bad pitch. Damn.
hey everyone.
just got home in time to see branyan's HR. should I turn off the TV and go back out?
[123] Nah, it looks like Phil will survive your arrival.
Arrival survival.
[124] whew.. that's one bear I don't want gettin fangry at me.
Girls like length from their starting pitchers .... :-)
[124] everyone's a poet.
Star that one.
[127] I've always preferred the feminine.
Attaboy! Thanks, Phil, see you next week.
As I've said.... if Teix can fall on it, he will catch it.
Another Yankee call at first. It's nice to be home.
33. cult of basebaal
May 28th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Phew. Nice to see them blow a call in our favor for
oncetwice …great game phil!
let's hope for good joba/mo
oh, lohud says robertson is warming up...
If Sipp pitches to Swish, then all we would need is for someone to spit, and we'd have a dentist's office in the ballpark.
[135] Paging Dr. Scott Levy!
I thought this pitcher might be a rookie, but it seems that his cup of coffee was more than just a sipp.
I'd hate to be sitting next to Weeping right now.
[137]
(wiping spit off my keyboard) :-)
well-played, Mauer
Excellent.
This is why we don't want Girardi putting in plays.
[140] huh?
c'mon Teix, swing at STRIKES dammit!
[141] He wanted Granderson to bunt, right? And that would have been worse than a double, right?
There's no doubt in my mind that at least 75% of the time Girardi puts a play in, it's worse than if he'd just done nothing. That's why I don't get upset when he does nothing.
did I miss some news today? I've been away from my internet-box. What's all this spit news?
That's a mistake by Jeter.
[143] Kay seemed to think that Granderson was doing the bunting on his own.
welcome back, curtis.
decent job, tex.
bases loaded, no outs...again.
i want more than 2 runs!!!
That's a beauty. Hot Damn!
[143] Looked like Grandy was bunting for a hit there, which likely meant it was his call, not Girardi's.
RIPPER!!!
fuck yeah! that's some SWEEEEEEET hittin!
Lazy Cano just refuses to run the bases hard!
Aww, now I'll have to watch Boone Logan pitch instead of JobaMo. Darn!
WOW! That thing got out of here in a hurry!
Now THERE'S the Score Truck!!!
hooooooo! hooooooooo!
[152] Hey, long time!
Also, it seems this Sipp has sailed.
Robbie Salami!
ROBBIE!!!!!!
[152] uhhhhh... boone logan still on the 25-man?
[152] No, Boone is long gone, mehmattsiki.
Here's to you Robinson!
Sipp sapped swish, asshole.
[157] doesn't rhyme. : p
but, you're learning. you're getting your poets permit.
[161] Montero loves him more than he will know.
[152] Even better, you'll likely get to sample the MeatTray ...
[152] nope. i think he was optioned to scranton...
[159] Nope. But, it's been a long time [155]. (hi weeping!)
ya gotta love swish wiping the gnat off his arm while trotting down to 1B. hehe
[165] neh. i would think he'll be saved for long relief...
[163] True. But, assonance. That's real poetry, Dr. Seuss.
kc has reached double digits!
You know, in my baseball video games, hitting the man after giving up a home run is an automatic ejection.
[170] assonance - then you shouldn't have commented about "hughes rules" before.
damn. celtics up big. : (
Man, Miranda's had a really good night tonite, but is going to come away with 2 fewer hits than he should have gotten ...
[173] Dude, you said it rhymed. I had to call you on that. If you were a bassoonist, I would have let you slide.
I mean, if you were a trombonist, I would have let it slide. Now that is poetry.
i agree riyank - this was not a well played basketball game - bos/orl bring out the worse in each other i think.
oh lord and now mk is spouting off about lebron.
[177]
How soon before we see a CenterStage: LeBron James
That hit was like a $1 steak. After someone dropped it in the street.
[178] probably soon.
i swear i saw an ad for centerstage with mike tyson.
[179] Mmmmmm. Steak.
[178] Kay can only wish. A lot has to happen first.
wow, krazy kyle threw/through 2 scoreless innings at the fens.
[176] yeah, in an assonance type of way. i didn't say "exact" rhyme. i thought it was obvious. similar...
before our boy robbie hit a 4-ribbie throbbie, I saw "spit" in more than one post.
Now I couldn't keep up with the news and the scuff, so I axe youse again: whole wheat toast?
[181] Perhaps served on a Tray?
[184]
see comment 135 ...
[183] I was just being a dick. You know me.
[184] It was Diane's idea.
I have a soft spot in my heart for the Unlucky One. I just don't know why? Dimentia, maybe.
[180] It's true, there was a centerstage with Mike Tyson
[169] Told ya!
=)
i somehow feel like i shouldn't be scoreboard watching in may - but gotta like what is happening as of now tonight.
huh, i guess it was orgies timer.
[185] A silver platter, baby.
[188] really? the unlucky one? huh?
[189] that must have been an interesting one.
[190] you be right!
[191] never too early. shaping up to be a good baseball night!
i'll enjoy sipping my suds later : )
[191] 3 1/2 and 7 1/2 would be an improvement on life.
[196] indeed.
Chad Moeller only gets doubles when it doesn't matter. So unclutch.
I'm not really concerned about the Sox catching up, but I do enjoy it when they get pounded by a crappy team. Okajima's turn to be embarrassed now.
[198] Speaking of which, it's pretty cool to score a pile of runs with A-Rod getting a rest and Chad Moeller catching.
There has been very little talk here on how well Miranda has been hitting. Not his BA per se, but he puts good wood on the ball almost every AB. Is he just trade bait, or is there room on this team for him?
oh man, bases loaded, nobody out...AGAIN!
i want double digit score truckin'!
If the Yankees could play in the Central, they'd win 129 games.
[203]
... by the all-star break ...
mk just said "fordham" like 14 times. that's a lot of shots.
Fucking horrible.
[201] With our starting DH on the Nick Johnson Memorial 60-Day Disabled List, I'd say Miranda has a chance to stick in the Bronx for a while.
Teix just doesn't seem to know how to go the other way.
[201] I wouldn't mind having him as a bench bat. Maybe even DH against righties sometimes.
bollocks, tex.
snap out of it, man...
Wow, I'd better start drinking, the game's almost over!
It's over in Fenway.
Would anyone think KC was capable of a game line of: 12 20 0 ??
Only at Fenway I guess.
P.S. KC leads MLB in BA.
Oops, no, only the 8th inning is over!
[212]
No its not ... Bill Hall is on the mound for the Sox though...
[215] diane i think [211] and [212] may be correlated :}
[216] Cheers!
Take that, typo.
pepto pitching.
[211] i just finished playing thru my new composition on marimba. it's almost drinkin' time here! : )
clink
[217] no doubt :}
looks like the c's are going to close this thing out tonight.
Butch Davis... BOOO.
Hall goes a perfect 1-2-3, 3 groundouts.
[213] 20 hits? that's teh awesome!
Nicely done, Mr. Park.
I wonder if Chan Ho is related to Fenway. Think about it. They both small, both very friendly to hitters.
nice win team - good starting pitching, big scoretrucking, the pen was fine - i'd say a fine way to start this home stand and the memorial day weekend.
[225] they both have diarrhea. lots of diarrhea.
[215] and he pitched a perfect inning in only 11 pitches. damn!
yankees win!!!
celtics up hugh. : /
[221] Yeah.
Thelarmis, tell Atlanta we are sorry that their son Dwight couldn't pull it off.
jack curry looks a tad out of place doing on the field interviews.
8-2! How's it going peeps? what joyous evening has thus been brought upon us!
[227] Yes! Dirty water, very dirty.
[228] You mean Hughes. You know. Rhymes with stool.
Wow... a great Win and Bill Maher to come. Great night!
[229] yeah, it's a shame. hopefully kobe kan shut down the celts.
i'm watching the braves...
what should I watch on netflix instant stream?
[231] Could hardly be better, seamus. Phil was on -- couple of mistakes but mainly brilliant. And with A-Rod resting and Chad catching, the Score Truck still managed to barrel around the bases.
Well, that's the bottom of the bourbon. Just clinking ice cubes now.
See youse tomorrow, day game. Good bullpen, good pitching match up, so let's keep things rolling.
[236] that's so awesome! I love me some Hughes! Definitely impressive to dominate like that. And Cano with the grand slam? that's awesome! I was just admiring his pic over on lohud.
miguel cabrera hit 3 homers tonight, in a losing effort...
[238] yeah, that pic is awesome!
i'll be in philthy in a month. too bad it's the complete opposite side of the state from you. plus, i'll be busy over a quick wedding weekend there...
[235] Been watching Ken Burns' National Parks series myself. (There's also the Civil War and WWII series).
Alternatively, some Mystery Science Theater 3000 always brightens up the night.
muts & brew crew knotted at knuthin' in beerland. gallardo/santana pitchers duel.
speaking of beer...
[240] oh crap, when are you in state college? You said you'd be there at some point right??? still a bit of a drive but closer than Philly. Though I love Philly more than you can know.
YANKEES FRACK YEAH!!
[243] i won't be in state college, unfortunately. hopefully, next summer.
i'm not a big philly fan. but this'll be suburbs w/ old friends for a joyous occasion, so it's all good...
[245] Ah, but Philly rocks! Not the sports teams. They suck. But the city really does rock. And the music scene is beyond awesome. I really loved my time there. Plus I still have friends there and always a place to crash.
But holy bummer! no state college? oh well. Next time I guess.