What do I know from tonight’s games? I don’t know dick, frankly, because The Wife was watching “Dancing with the Stars.” But I followed along on the computer, at least to check the scores, and saw some of the video highlights. What I learned was that Russell Martin was thrown out of the game while behind the plate for arguing balls and strikes. I know that the Yankees caught two runners stealing in one play and that Desmond Jennings made a spectacular catch in left field. Oh, and I learned that aside from Robinson Cano’s two hits, including a first inning home run, James Shield had his way with the Yanks. He lasted until two outs in the ninth, walked Eric Chavez and our old chum Kyle Farmaduke got the final out.
Final Score: Rays 5, Yanks 2.
I also know that Josh Beckett spit the bit, giving up six runs–an inside the park home run was the icing on the gravy–and now the Sox and Rays are tied for the wild card with two games left in the season.
Whoa, Daddy.
Huh. I seem to remember some folks saying flat out the Rays would not catch the Sux.
Honestly, I thought both wild card races were locked up. Didn't think the Rays or the Cards had a chance.
Now the Rays and Sox are tied.
The Cards are half a game back of the Braves. They're tied in the 9th. If they win, the NL wild card is tied, too.
[1] Almost EVERYONE said that. They didn't count on the "Biggest Collapse Of All Time".
And trying to hold the line for Astros against the Cards: their closer, one Mark Melancon.
And trying to hold the line for Cards against the Astros: Octavio Dotel.
[3] It is such an Epic Collapse (TM). This will fuel the whine from Doucheachusetts for years to come. I guess it was difficult to predict for people who do not know the true essence of the Sux.
I lived through the EPIC COLLAPSE of the 2000 Yankees, I'm pretty sanguine about jumping to conclusions about the "true essence" of a team ...
Cards lost, because Octavio Dotel can't field to save his life.
They're one back in the WC.
Mark Melancon gets the win. His wife is in the hospital giving birth to their first child tonight.
[8] Oddly, Josh Beckett's wife was in the hospital tonight for the same reason.
Just goes to the point about jumping to conclusions about the "true essence" of things ...
At least Melancon will be able to tell his kid he was winning a baseball game when he or she was being born.
Beckett will have to tell his kid he was losing a game and flushing his team's postseason hopes down the toilet. ;-)
Trying to be a non-homer here and be objective. SweetSpot at espn has Dusty McPuppyBark as their 2B of the year, citing his edge in .OBP (.381 to .351) and much better D. Are 30 points of .OBP enough to outwiegh Cano't edge in Slugging %, HRs, XBH?
[10] Beckett will be there in October to help with the baby. Daddy's home to stay.
Only the greatest team evah can have the biggest collapse evah. Nice that the O's picked up Proctor and the Yanks.
But it's still not over, and we can look forward to a one game playoff on Thursday?
I couldn't watch most of the games, but I did see Martin get thrown out. Very strange, Martin was basically smiling at the Ump when he got tossed. There was no face to face communication before he got the thumb. Never saw it quite like that before.
I don't think I've ever been so happy seeing the Yankees lose.
Let's NOT go YANKEES!!!!
[14] That's a first.
Whatever the outcome, I feel vindicated that we had to listen to an entire year of ESPN and the Fox folk, you know who you are Joe Buck, creaming over the Sox like adolescent boys. Greatest team evah on paper doesn't mean squat. So there!!
I didn't get Martin getting thrown out at all. He was still crouched. Must've said something "interesting." Still.
[11] Are 30 points of .OBP enough to outwiegh Cano't edge in Slugging %, HRs, XBH
Isn't SLG a measure of HRs and XBH, so it's redundant to list them as separate categories.Or if you're going to do so, you should really frame the question like: Does Pedroia's advantage in OBP, hits, walks and not-outs outweigh Cano's advantage in SLG, HR and XBH?
But let's keep it simpler: does Pedroia's 30 point advantage in OBP outweigh Cano's 67 point advantage in SLG?
I seem to remember the old rule of thumb that OBP = 1.4 x SLG (or thereabouts). According to that, the answer would be no. Advantage Cano!
[16] Arigato, Professor! Always good to have the stats to back up my argument. :)
So Boston is really starting Bedard tomorrow..?
yanks lose and that's okay. weird.
shit sox lose and that's all kindsa awesome! (as always...)
halos eliminated.
braves still just 1 game up. atl faces philthy, cards face houston. yikes...
ozzie is outta chi-town. headed to miami.
melkman reached 200 hits in a pretty stellar season. should finish over .300. i hope the captain does. he's needs a coupla hits the next 2 games, though he'll probably just play tomorrow...
russell got thrown out for telling an awesome joke to the ump! check out lohud for details.
Below, from Boston.com HAHAHAHAHAHAHH!!!!
This late season collapse proves one thing very clearly. The Red Sox desperately need a legitimate ace in their rotation. With that in mind, would a package of say Lester, Youkilis and Iglesias be enough to pry Felix Hernandez from the Mariners? The Sox could then sign C.J. Wilson or Mark Buherle to fill Lester's spot. This would give them a front four of Hernandez, Buchholz, Beckett, and either Wilson or Buherle. I also think since Crawford's salary makes him virtually untradeable, why not see if the Dodgers would deal Matt Kemp for Ellsbury straight up? This would give them a legit righthanded power threat (without sacrificing speed -- Kemp has 40 steals) as well as someone who can actually throw people out from center field.
Mark, Lynn,Mass.
Russel Martin is so cool. What a great addition to this team.
Regarding Ozzie. That's the first time a manager has been traded in what, 25-30 years?
[20] wasn't sweet lou "traded" more recently? maybe went he went from seattle to tampa, iirc...