You're strong than me, Alex. I gave up being positive about this team long, long ago. It probably makes me a bad fan,but it has also made the season a lot less frustrating.

Romine scratched, still has concussion symptoms (per Lohud.)

I've written the season off long ago, but it's still fun to watch them battle and not give up.

[2] Exactly, I decided a while back they probably weren't going to reach the post-season (and wouldn't go anywhere if they did), but this team has really endeared itself to me with their complete refusal to collapse in the face of never-ending injuries.

Well, I decided they almost certainly weren't going to make the post-season, but then I kind of changed my mind. And now I've changed it back.

But for some reason I still enjoy watching. Especially when Rob gets a hit.

I'm kind of hoping Reynolds doesn't swing.

Ah, what the hell, go for it!

Curses.

Damn.

Ah...fuck.

[4] The strange thing is, I rather like this team. They're not all great players, but they almost all seem like professionals (cough, Joba, cough) and there's been no drama and they just keep grinding and trying to come through.

Plus, it seems that everyone has had their moment to shine ...

On a good note, I just cut a peach in half, put it in the toaster oven for 10 minutes and then put some honey on it and a pinch of maldon salt. So I'm happy.

9) I'm with you. They might not be a team we'll remember in years to come but frustration aside they've been fun to watch.

I know he probably doesn't hit enough to stick around but I really enjoy watching Ryan play short.

[10] Mmm. I have a serious cold, couldn't taste it if I made it.
Might just have the honey! Okay, tea and honey.

The sins of this team are on the front office and not the players ...

[11] [9] I derive zero pleasure from watching 433 PAs from Vernon Wells, among other professionals™. But then I pretty much stopped watching long ago, so again, frustration has been minimal.

That being said, perhaps I'll treat myself to a brewski and catch a few innings tonight, since the game is being broadcast up here.

Hey, Curtis!
Man, Dickey is at 50 pitches. (Michael thinks it's 20 pitches an inning. No sir. Ah, he corrects himself!)

[14] Yawn.

Watching A-Rod break out of the box is... well, it's kind of disgusting.

[16] Seriously, you find watching used up old cast-offs fun or interesting? If you do, more power to you. I'll dedicate my beer to you!

[17] Dude should be using a walker ...

Goddam.

In case it's a tie, base runners is the first tie-breaker, and we're well ahead. Pitch count is the second tie-breaker, and it looks like we're running away with that one too.

[18] Not interested in Reynolds, but I do like Soriano. I take 'em case by case, myself.

[21] Yeah, Soriano is kinda amusing, partly because I still have a vague emotional attachment to him, but mostly because from an aesthetic standpoint he's fun. I mean, he swings a huge bat really hard, so that's at least somewhat interesting.

[18] No, I find rooting for players that try hard and don't quit and, in the face of continual and never-ending obstacles, never stop coming and are still, somehow, in the hunt for a playoff berth with 12 games left in the season (with plenty of comeback wins and signature moments throughout the year) plenty worth watching.

More than half the teams' fans in MLB have to find a way to enjoy every season without the playoffs even being likely. This is NOT a homily about how spoiled we are, because I'm happy with the traditional lot of the Yankee fan and would like to get back to "normal" soon, thank you. But still.

More plays! More strategy!

[24] Yeah, but we're different. That's the thing.

Dang, Rajai Davis has just clocked the ball twice. Once at Ichiro, once at Soriano.

Ichi-THROW!!!

Andy gets out of it!

[29] Did you read the final Geo Quiz comment?

{23] That they are in the hunt for a playoff spot---if by that we mean having around a 10% chance of making the playoffs, plus r minus, for several weeks now---is largely a product of additional playoff spots. In any other era this plucky team would have been long eliminated from contention. So if we root for anyone on that account, it's Selig. As for not quitting, I *expect* professional athletes not to quit. The Blue Jays are shit awful, but they seem to me to try hard.

I get what you're saying. But I guess what I value, what I find interesting, from sport is at least a little different from you. I have very little emotional attachment to this team, because I have little emotional attachment to most of the individual players. The Yankees suffered a ton of injuries, to be sure, and to this they responded by plugging holes with boring cast off players. They have managed to leverage their enormous financial advantage to collect enough professionals, combined with residual talent collected in years gone by, and a hot start (they were 12 games up on May 25,and currently are 7 up) and a little luck (negative run differential) to tread water for the bulk of the season and sniff at the periphery of the second WC spot. *That* to me is the *yawn*.

Anyway, different strokes for different folks. I'm having some König Pilsener from Duisburg, a pleasant choice. It's no Radeberger, but one can do worse.

O for gods sakes.
All that trouble to work Dickey's pitch count up, and then an inning like that!

Colby Rasmus is one funky looking dude.

[30] Just did. :-)

Hoo boy.

Damn, now our tie-breakers aren't so important.

[34] Good -- I threw you a Toledo reference, which I didn't want to be wasted.

[31] Again, your problem seems with management, not with labour.

Also, I'd drink imported German beer if I lived in Canada as well.

Since I don't, I don't.

[37] Yes, my problem is with management. But where we differ, I think, is that I can't "forgive" the players the sins of management, inasmuch as what pisses me off about the management is giving me this kind of team to watch. I don't find Vernon Wells and Co. interesting or fun. I know it's not his fault, but that doesn't make me any more interested.

I don't find Canadian beer so bad, but beer is so goddammed expensive here, if I'm gonna spend all that money, I might as well get some quality stuff. That and I miss Germany fiercely!

[30] So the final answer is Central Park West in 1890?

[39] Yup.

[39] Oh yeah, I didn't actually say that, did I?

Wow, that was an impressive catch.

Nice catch by Grandy!

Andy survives again!

[38] Man, Vern really must have pissed in your Cornflakes ...

Damn shame Andy isn't getting a W.

[37][38] There is no excuse to ever NOT drink German beer. Two bottles of Paulaner Dunkel Weizen in my fridge for this evening.

[37] 'Labour'? I hear Tony Blair is quite the 'rounders' fan..

Well, that worked out well.

[45]

.218/.248 /.412/.660/84
.230/.279/.403/.682/90
.242/.289/.362/.650/78

Just Vern bein' Vern, and we get an encore next season! But at least he didn't piss in my sweet, sweet German pilsener.

[47] There is no excuse to ever NOT drink German beer.

We disagree on many, many things. This is not one of them.

So now we're down to our fourth string catcher.

[47] No Ks or walks in rounders.

Lawrie is a jackass, but he can pick it at third.

[51] But at least you got to see Vern!

[52] Remember: there is no 'K' in 'rounders'.

[54] Oh, yay, grounder to third.

[50] You'd love the year-round 'Oktoberfest' festivals here in Tokyo. They run from March to November. And only US$15 for half-a litre 'stein', such a bargain!

[52][55] Me no compute..oh well, work calling. Hope they come back!

[57] Never been to one. Actually, for some reason, I've never even been interested. Never even been to a sake fest. I guess I prefer cozier venues.

Lyle!

May have got the benefit? Lyle clearly missed the tag. Holy homers.

I think crafty veteran Lyle Overbay sold that one.

Whistles past the graveyard

Too much topspin.

Damn. That was perfect. Huzzah!

Wow, what a throw.
Exactly as planned!

Eh.

I've had German beers in bottles.

I've had German beers on tap.

I've had German beers on tap ... from kegs flown fresh from Germany for Oktoberfest.

I've had German beers on tap *in* Germany.

I'll stick with my microbrews and it's not particularily close*

*and this isn't some "USA, USA, USA" thing, I'll gladly take French or Italian wines over their American counterparts

[67] Don't forget Belgian ales. Have a Chimay in the fridge waiting for Saturday night and Too Cute.

[59] I know what kind of 'cozier venues' you enjoy..ahem..

[67] :( And I though we could be Yankee-Film-Fan-Beer buddies...

I've tried a lot of microbrews from the US recently, very good but a level below. And the obsession with IPS's baffles me..way, wayyy too 'hoppy'.

Yankees are going to lose. Against these bums. Yeesh.

Well, I'm busy this October so. . .

I celebrated pay last Thursday by buying a 6 pack of Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA. Yummy. And the wife came home from the grocery yesterday with a four pack of the their Punkin Ale. Also yummy. Speaking of..........off to to fridge.

Boooooo.

Fuck the blue jays.

[68] Chilled Chimay? Not *too* cold, I hope.

I do like a briskly played ball game.

[68] Well, the Belgians are fucking madmen. Nobody quite matches them in that. But the reality is, they just don't have the breadth to be the best. They're like Mo, they're the best ever in their niche, but they're a closer, not a starter and there's no way around that handicap.

[67] I'm with you on that.

Also, American microbrews pretty consistently win international blind taste competitions, so I think we're in good company.

[69] I like IPA! But I agree there's a little too much attention paid to it.
I could live off stout, though.

Snip.

[78] My fridge is 80% fille dwith stouts. Some Tecate and DOS XX for the sweltering summer here. Japanese big brewery beer is mostly garbage, sadly..though the microbrew scene here has exploded and lots of great regional beers on sale no.

[78]Or a good Porter. One good thing about living here you can turn around and trip over a micro brewery wherever you go.

[78] I do find that American companies, including microbrews, just can't make a good pilsener, though they do just fine with other varieties. If you like Belgian ales, have you had anything from the Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown? Their Abbey Ale is just a touch lesser than Chimay, but for a fraction of the cost.

[80] There are English microbrews now, it's a pretty big thing. Maybe it will come to Japan soon.

My favorite stout ever is Cadillac Mountain. Made by Bar Harbor Brewery, of all places. Atlantic Brewery makes a porter called Coal Porter, which I also like a lot.

[80] Which Dos Equis? Tread carefully, else we shall be Benemies from here on out!

[82] I can take or leave pilsners, actually. Nothing against, just not usually what I want.
I have not, but I go to Cooperstown approximately once a year so I'll have to stop in! I think I've heard of Abbey Ale. (Not to be confused with The Abyss, which is a stout from Oregon.)

[83] I drank a Rasputin Imperial Stout recently that made me stand and applaud after finishing. Strong though!

[84] At the local import mart I get the Dos XX 'Amber' quite cheaply, Mrs. Jazz likes that one. I prefer Tecate though for my 'arrive home drenched in sweat in the summer' nightly ritual. Light & breezy lager.

[86] Amber.

Ok.

You can go free.

The Amber is decent stuff.

The lager is the piss of Satan's venereal-diseased lackey.

Where I come from, Tecate is considered a good "desert beer"; it's a favorite at Burning Man and desert camping trips for its innocuous (and water filled) nature ...

[85] Oakshire makes some pretty tasty stouts. An Oatmeal and an Espresso stout to name a couple. Not sure if they are available back east yet. Haven't been back to RI for several years.

[87] Hah! I think Corona is much more urine-like than Dos XX actually..the fact you need a lime in it to make it drinkable should tell people something.

Here's that Rasputin: http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/north-coast-old-rasputin-russian-imperial-stout/680/

Damn, now I HAVE to get back to work, just when the beer talk is flowing..(is the game over? not paying attention today..)

[89] Had the Rasputin, it's not bad.

It's available in supermarkets around here.

At the local "Total Wines" there's probably 10-15 Imperial's available at any given time.

Best IS I ever had was Rogue's version, at the Great American Beer Festival back in '91. That might just be the finest beer I've ever tasted.

damn. i missed the beer thread. and i'm sick, so i can't drink beer.

i miss beer...