Almost forgot this feeling. Seems longer than five years ago.

Game five tonight

Can't come soon enough
Hard to focus on work
Leaves scurry through the wan October light
Everything feels like weightlessness and waiting

Game five tonight

C'mon guys.

So Straz is starting after all for my Nats. dreaming of a Nats/ Yankees WS

Crummy weather in Chicago. Probably crummy weather later in Cleveland.

Crummy weather from Chicago through Cleveland. I'm stuck in the middle of it.

Cheat Sox canned Farrell.

About this question have already been solved a lot of times.
Be careful and do not flood
here is the weblink http://red-rooster.biz/the-differing-types-of-essays-that-on-line-essay-2/

(5) Spam Alert!

Wow, grand salami off Wade Davis.

MICHAEL A TAYLOR!!!!Grand Salami

Wow.

Hmmm, don’t want to put Cubbies on base

A decade from the midges game. This time I'm rootin' extra cuz my team's slugger's playoff ABs only happen if the team from da Bronx advances. He's a photographer for Japanese TV. He rakes.

bunting on the first pitch really pissed me off

Love me some Didi!

Didi!

Didi!

Are you kidding me? Didi!

SIR DIDI!!!!!!

GO DIDI GO!

didi playing o'neill's role from the most important game of the 1998 run

Let me tell you how much I love these words:
“In play, run(s).”

[19] As a fellow GameDay-er I heartily endorse that sentiment.

Nice to see CC throwing strikes with different pitches.

Yes!

i hope they keep the strike zone graphic off. that thing is way too aggravating in a game like this.

[23] nope, it's back

Couldn't ask for a better inning.

Good start, CC

Nice. That one caught Frazier. Phew.

[27] yeah it looked like it skipped a bit right as he got it, good play

Ok, more runs, please

Amazing.

Ha, another CI!

Ellsbury, you sneak you.

Ellsbury is a waste

all the catcher interference is fine but maybe he'd be a better hitter if he didn't lean so far back when he's taking a swing?

By which I mean Holliday should be the DH.

[35] i would have liked to see holliday get a shot. ellsbury and headley are hitless, right?

Right

Why?

I'd much rather see Torreyes.

CC!!!

Sometimes a crafty old pitcher can out duel one in his prime. This may not be Rickwood Field, but back in 1931, 43 year old Ray Caldwell -- 10 years removed from the big leagues -- won such a contest, 1-0, against Dizzy Dean of the Houston Buffaloes in the Dixie Series. 20,000 people attended the game in Birmingham 10,000 seat ballpark. Channel your inner Caldwell, CC...

[38] and dh castro? i'd have taken that, too. i just don't see why we would keep playing headley or ellsbury when they've both looked lost.

[42] I just don't think Holliday should even be on the roster. It's a complete waste.

[42] if he never plays, yeah

I like how the white biz shows that the umps are right. Sometimes.

[42] Yeah, he's really cooked. A shame, had a great start but the injury seems to have done him in.

CC for 5 innings today? Get that and be happy I think.

Masterful

wide and high zone by blue. ok for CC

Nasty pitch. Atta boy, Big Fella! White box above.

C.C. looks great!

one of the reasons why i hate this stupid strike zone graphic is that we have absolutely no idea whether the upper and lower boundaries are accurate. the upper boundary in particular may not be the rulebook upper boundary. i don't know how statcast does it, but pitchf/x used 4" above the belt, which is not even close to midway between belt and top of the shoulders. someone just decided to use an arbitrary line because umpires weren't usually calling strikes up in the zone - never mind that the same could be said for in, out and down.

[45] Wasn't it Epstein-Barr rather than an injury, I just don't he's ever recovered.

Oh lord, time for another flailing strikeout from Judge ...

Wham! Good rip!

[51] Yeah, something viral related. That stuff can linger for sure.

Judge just can't make contact at the moment..

Sigh

Hit the fucking ball to right field, Judge!

If Judge can't move Gritner over, then fucking steal a bag. We have to be aggressive and get 3 runs and run Kluber's count up, IMO.

[54] It's the same goddamn thing he was doing in his slump, trying to pull every fucking pitch.

I could strike him out right now.

Breaking balls away, occasional fastball up and in.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Holy moly!

Didi Didi!

SIR DIDI!

SIR DIDI!!

SO SWEET, I HAD TO SAY IT TWICE!!!

Glorious Gregorius!

Holy shit sir Didi!!!

[62] NICE!

DIDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sir Didi is gorgeous

That's the stupidest freaking thing I've ever heard - as if a bunch of Yankee fans still pine for Jeter.
Oh, and by the way, SIR DIDI!!!!!

[64] Much obliged

Didi's gotten me off the couch quicker than anything 2x tonight hooting and hollering. Hot Damn!

Time to promote Did from "Sir."

Baron? Duke? Viscount? Some Anglophile help me out here.

[67] We're a pretty irrational bunch. :)

I'll keep the Did dingers, though, ya know, out of courtesy.

if didi swings through that pitch they'd be talking about what a great pitch it was

King!

[70] Grand Vizier?

Aw hell, Emperor Didi

Get 'em back on the field, CC! 1,2,3!

Thanks.

cc looking distinctly pettitteish

Take that Perez, you little shit.

CC dashes towards home and slides on knees to grab a botched bunt on the fly!

Heh

Nothing good happens from allowing the 9 hitter on with with 2 outs. Yes!

Excellent, CC

Fist pump! Thank you Carsten Charles.

Charles In Charge!

Ok, this is almost certainly no longer relevant, unless the Yankees stop scoring and Cleveland tightens things up, but I'm going to say this anyway:

Kluber's top pitch count performance was 120. He had 8 other games at 110 or more, and 12 more at 100 or more, and he averaged 102 per game. I am not as focused on his pitch count anymore, but FWIW Kluber is now at 53 pitches. While I believe he could go to 120, if he didn't give up anymore hits, we're probably looking at 45-50 more pitches.

Let's get some walks, foul some pitches off, and get this guy outta there.

[86] let's chase him here

I really wish our players would wipe the grins off their faces and be stone faced. Francona is too good a manager to let his team get shut down at home in an elimination game.....Remember game 7 last year and remember Friday night. Bear down Yanks. Stand on their necks.

That's not a strike.

[88] Heck yeah, load 'em up, and make them put in Miller for 2 innings.

[89] i see what you're saying but loose is better than uptight. and francona can't will his team to score

Ball 5.

Wrong part of the park for Hicks

[85] Ouch. You be illin'.

Adios, dude.

Aw, Klubotted

I've been keeping quiet (jinx fears), but this is fun.

what?? i was not expecting that. this is good

[95] Wonder whatever happened to Scott Baio..

so much for pitch counts :)

The wife was yelling at me for screaming during the first DiDi HR, so I had to hold it in on the second. Grrrr.

let's get to Miller

[100] RIP Joanie.

[100] no politics but let's just say he went off the deep end

[104] Really??? Hadn't heard that.

[105] Had a quick google..Oh My!! I'll...refrain from commenting on that.

Ha. Ain't that the Modamm truth.

Damn, a hit

You happy now, Smoltz? ya dipshit.

[105] No doubt about it. Joanie, definitely does not love Chachi.

Next, a DP please

The little slide piece.

That’s acceptable

Castro almost put that in the 1st row.

Siddown!

CC!

Please, get tossed Edwin

Ray Caldwell would be proud of that pitch, CC.

Wooo-HOOOOO!

CC!!!!!!!!

Turning back the clock!

haha toss him! these guys have some nerve complaining when they know they should have lost game 2

C.C. really dealing. 8 strikeouts thru 4!

Mame him work, Brett!

Please, sir, could I have some more?

Miller's top pitch count this year: 35 and 30 or more 5 other times. It's not unreasonable to think he'll be ineffective after that.

I'm glad we signed CC in 2009 and then put him into a time machine dialed to 2017. This is a great end to a contract.

Miller tastes too good to hurry though...

"through"

Ooof.

Judge is just painful to watch.

And shouldn’t be batting #2

Judge is swinging at air

Fail. So balls are now called "it didn't register in the srike zone."

Reg-gie, Reg-gie...

Since it's turn back the clock night

13 S/O’s

Didi. Is. Awesome.

Only a single, Didi? Demoted from Emperor to mere king

okay judge has had a humongous strike zone this series, but my god he looks lost. if you can't hit a curve, don't swing at it

[130] Yeah, it sucks right now. But we forget he's (technically) a rookie. Guys like Soriano and Cano had the same problem early on with expanding the zone. I think he's going to be very good for a long time.

oh well, at least Miller is at 27 pitches...There's no way he'll exceed 40.

Oh, lovely ... my cable just went completely out.

Grrrrrr....

Man it looks c-c-cold in Cleveland. It's 75 at 10:45 in Tokyo.

This is the inning that either gets it safely to the pen or sees the wheels fly off.

[141] If it's Spectrum you have my sympathies. I literally cancelled it because it was out for game 4 and game 2 and it was apparently only my TV. It is working tonight.

Dialed in.

Balls up like that tell me "tired"

Rats.

One more runner means bullpen action methinks.

[148] yes please

[144] Cox.

Bizarre. It's not a "pay your bill" problem ... which happens time-to-time with my roommate ... it's a nothing's connected ... which I've never seen before.

Roll it up roll it up

DP, DP, DP, please

Fuck

Fuck.

Hamma time

thanks CC but it's bullpen time

I didn't think this was going to be easy.

Hang in there....we knew we weren't blowing them out. Our pen is rested and ready. Just bear down, CC, and get 1 out.

Balls up is right

Wheels off.

Mofuckingdammit

Good work big CC. Go Bullpen.

Shoulda happened after the 2d hit

That's what Judge should be doing.

JoeyJoeJoe...has really not been on the ball this series..one batter too many.

Stop praising the Indians, you putz!

Two…

[150] that's what happened to me. The station was simply off. Spectrum wouldn't help me.

honestly he should have gone to the pen as soon as there were 2 on. it's the 5th inning already

There it is. Now get those runs back

Uh oh. That may be way too close. Like safe.

FUCK Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. Houdini strikes again.

all right, we have a huge advantage here in the bullpen game. let's get miller out of the game and score some runs.

Did gets ya comin' and goin'.

[171] Quick, snap the ball. Oh wait ---

I sit corrected.

Miller migbt throw 50 pitches tonight.

i know holliday hasn't hit in forever and has been terrible, but i'd much, much rather see him pinch hit against miller than headley

The Francoma is woke!

wow okay, that works

Great strategy if you're trying to win a 7 inning game, but it seems to me that Francona is painting himself into a corner.

D-Rob for the 6th, Kahnle for the 7th and 8th, and Chappy for the 9th? I'll take my chances.

Big dudes coming to bat.

Rats

Momentum shift?

headley sucks

D-Rob and Kahnle? Chapman for 8th & 9th?

I need freak out control.

[187] I hear Colorado is good for that, like John Denver sang..

D-Rob! If an Indian made that play the booth would be going nuts.

[186] So Greeny is out of The Circle of Trust?

[186] I look to Kahnle to go 2 innings, not Chapman, but I bet it will be one of those GD 5 out saves.

Don’t forget Green and Warren. Monty in long relief (hopefully not needed)

I lived there. I know!

[190] Need someone in reserve in case of extras.

[190] Greeny, Betances, and Sonny are the extra inning pitchers.

Keep this clown frustrated! Yes!

Can 'O Corn tribers..

I pitch D-Rob in the 7th.

Robertson for another? I would. Not sure what Joe would do.

"...And Aaron Hicks settles under the ball and fucks up the Fox Sports narrative for now."

green should definitely be up next

Who's the guy with Smoltzie. He's a dickhead and a half.

[198] Possibly, but someone has to be throwing behind him to START the inning if that's the case.

Mr. Robertson for the 7th. He threw like 9 pitches.

[198] He barely threw at all in the fifth

[198] "What would Joe do?"

Make these suckers work.

[205] (Checks Binder...)
'He'd check the Binder.'

[201] Matt Vergasian, From MLBN, usually good in studio, but they want the Indians ending their curse narrative

how does this guy have an era in the 3s? he looks unhittable

Nice. C'mon, Judge. For the love of Mo!

[208] Shitting on the Yankees will always play in Peoria.

Gritty!

C'mon Aaron ... do SOMETHING else.

How about stealing a bag?

Pick a fat one.

[207] awesome

Nice take.

That was a fucking ball

Take the pass, Aaron

Eat fucking shit, blue. You miserable fucking Asshole.

Now he runs???

Fucking plays.

Fucking Judge.

Judge getting some horrific calls...

that was dumb

What the hell, that was ball four?

That was not a strike.

[213] nevermind.

Yeah, don't replay that pitch

(Wait, I can)

That was a fucking ball.

Another ball strike 3 for judge.

I go D-Rob batter to batter here...I want Kahnle to finish the 8th.

i have never seen a strike zone as big as the one called on judge this series. that pitch was outside and low.

I'll be shocked if they show a replay and hear any commentary about Judge being robbed of a ball clearly low.

They have Judge so spooked about breaking pitches that he's freezing on fastballs now.

That's one thing. That's what Smoltz said. Fuck you, Smoltz.

1 down.

Finally they show it. Fuck you Smoltz, that wasn’t a pretty good pitch, that was a ball, at least 1.5 inches off the plate

[230]. No, he "took a pretty good pitch." Dicks

Where's Chad Green? On the back of a milk carton?

i think he meant it was a pretty good take, not a pretty good pitch. because then he said "but" it turned into a double play

[211] You think they got a directive to do that? Sure sounds like it. Of course, I'm not anywhere near objective.

If Joey Joe Joe can navigate these last three innings I give him a psss on game 2.

2 out.

Feeling a lot like it's going to take at least one more run to sneak this one across the line. Hope I'm wrong

[236] Good one!

If Joe tries to pitch Chapman for 2 innings like these announcers are saying he should be canned.

(239). Agreed

I hate jay bruce.

[243] agreed. i still think green should be next out. i know kahnle has been untouchable lately but green has been our stud

[238] Likely. Not with explicit malice, but around some conference table someone said, "okay, boys, what's our story angle here?"

There is another blown fucking call!

FUCK YOU BLUE, AFTER ALL THE FUCKING BULLSHIT STRIKES YOU'VE CALLED?!?!!?

[243] Or cained.

It's not a tough fucking take it's the ump clearly missing a curveball right down the fucking middle.

Blue fucked D-Rob on that third ball.

You know what, with two outs, give the big slow dummy his base. Rather that than another dinger out of him. Hope saying that doesn't bite me in the ass.

You know, it’s hard to watch a game when the home plate ump is on an acid trip.

okay, this series has convinced me that the robots have to take over for human umpires. humans are bullshit

Phew ... C'mon HAMMMER!

GET THIS LAST ONE!

[254] Ha! That would make a good comedy.

Hammered

Phew

I like the way DRob fields his spot, too.

Thanks. 3 out. Now score some runs!

C’mon Didi. One more time!

HAMMER!!!

I HEART THE ALABAMA HAMMER!!!

HAMMERED!

ROLL TIDE, D-Rob!!!!!!!!!!!!

i want a run here

[254] It's Doc Willis starring in "The Naked Gun 5."

[263] If Coach Saban was watching the game, and not drinking yesterday's coffee and eating little Debbie cakes as he watches film on Arkansas, he'd heart him too.

Incidentally, check Youtube and type in Alabama Hammer and you'll see a plaintiff's lawyer with the worse ads ever.

Insurance, please

Break up the rhythm. Get some guys on base ffs.

shows how fucked our country is that a student loan consolidation company can have an ad behind home plate in the playoffs

Sigh.

Christ on a fucking crackers guys ... STOP SWINGING AT SHIT!!!

Swinging at ball fours. Taking ball fours called strike 3. Oi!

fuck. frustrating but that actually was a pretty good pitch

well, thank goodness Shaw is gone.

[271] I noticed that..in front of $2000 seats as well. :(

[271] I had to Google Doosan. Their slogan, "Building Your Tomorrow Today." That's right out of Monsters Inc.

I need to ignore about 5 months of student loan payments to sit in the first row.

Just a bit outside

[277] That's not bad. If it were local it would be 'Building Youre Tomoroow Future For A Happy Today Time'

I'm a broken record, but will do it again. Cody Allen threw 32 and 31 pitches in two game this year, and most of his other appearances were in the 20s. He should be able to finish the game unless we get a couple hits this inning. Francona did a good job to get to him, I must admit.

If Blue is going to call that shit, you've got to swing at it ... Christ.

Six more outs

The offense has not done any favors tonight save Didi, obviously.

Chapie?

i say green. green! he's been our best or second best reliever all season

Please don't pitch Chapman now. Please, Joe, pretty pretty pretty please don't do this.

Kahnle struck out 5 guys with 6 outs on Monday night. Come on Joe.

Yeah, Green or Kahnle ... not Chapman ... yet.

About to get on the highway. I want green in the eighth and Chapman in the ninth.

Oh, my. Let's go, Chapman!

Keep stretching Chapman like this and they may as well start him.

And who comes after him now?

[291] Please tell me you have MLB Radio.

Oh Christ ... not Chapman ... not now.

This may work, but I'll state right now it's the wrong move.

If this doesn’t work, Girardi . . .

What if he needs 25 pitches this inning? Ugh.

Larry looks noivous.

Joe is definitely gambling his Yankee future.

One down, five to go

1 down. Chapman is always rather disgustingly sweaty...wonder if he's on any 'medication'..??

This whole thing feels very brittle right now.

Word press is yelling at me for duplicate comments. Bollocks!

Now Girardi has painted himself into a corner. Why in the HELL doesn't he trust the guys who got him here to pitch the 8th inning. Chapman may breeze through the 8th (let's hope so), but I'd rather him come in the 9th fresh.

[301] true dat.

Huge play!

Big!

Twodown, four to go

[305][306] y'all are ahead of my cable. I read Ara's post 2 pitches ago and thought, "why is a ball a huge play?"

That’s unfair

[308] We all seem to be on different wavelengths..I think the feed here may be the most immediate

Yes! Score some fucking runs! Please.

Have you noticed that the ball hits one electronic "spot" live and a different one on the replay?

Boom!

Three down, three to go! Insurance, please.

Here's one good reason, cartoon lady: because that's not what "vanquish" means.

(That ad has been driving me nuts all week, sorry)

She means banish.

This reminds me of pitching Mo in the 8th inning in Arizona in 2001. The 8th was easy. Unless Joe is planning on pitching Kahnle in the 9th, which would be an odd move, I'm worried.

Frazier made a clutch play and all the booth cares about is Chapman's hanger. Ugh.

Efficient. 13 pitches

[303] agreed. if this works out i'll forgive girardi for everything. but if chapman shows ANY signs of fatigue in the 9th, he has to be ready to go to green or kahnle

In 30 mins I'm either having a beer at lunch to celebrate or a beer at lunch to sulk...

[318] agreed and 2 of the better hitters are gone. Still.

Tilda Swindon reminds me of Brienne of Tarth.

[316] hey ee, i think we've been on the same wavelength most of this game, but bringing up THAT game is not cool

God Fucking dammit!

Cash him in!

pinch hit for Headley. Pretty please!

HEY JUDGE ... WERE YOU FUCKING WATCHING THAT SWING?!?!?!?

THAT'S HOW YOU HIT.

[320] in 3 seconds I’m going to sip a vodka tonic. Good thing I’m unemployed. Oh, wait.

Hicks

Timely flicks from Hicks' sticks!

Chase is due.

Score this runner, por favor.

To piss me off again.

Ugh, Chase.

Chase is doodoo

Um, close

There hasn't been a check swing called strike all night.

I was all set with my Blazing Saddles reference but Headdey let me down again.

I sense more hot garbage.

[337] That’s Headley.

You’re welcome

Just pulling in. Game on radio...

Gonna run in after this AB

Solid at bat. C'mon, Brett! You can do it!

C’mon Gritner.

[337] [339] good job, guys. now let's get a hit.

Years ago I used to hate postseason announcing because they talked down to the non-fan viewers. "You know, Dave, that foul ball doesn't mean he's out, even with two strikes."

Now I hate them because they won't stop quoting numerical arcana to me. It's like someone invented a text-to-voice plugin for Excel. Shut up already.

Wait. Inning over?

Wrong station...

What are you waiting for!

What are you looking at???

Stick a shiv in them now!

C'mon Gritner!!

Evening Nostra ... seems like you're up to proper anxiety levels!

Start the merry go round as Kay would say.

Ugh. Ball 4.

I'm shitting a brick, cult!

Rather have Gardner swing at ball 4 than Judge start with pitch 1

(chewing fingernails..)
[353] Been any fallacies of predetermined outcomes this game?

I'm also dizzy hungry. I'm supposed to be eating slices, but I'm a mess. Got out of work a few minutes early and had to come home to be with you guys!

Dammit ... that was ANOTHER ONE!

Is Green warmed up? Kahnle?

That was ball 4!

Hommina hommina hommina.

Ball 6.

Ball 7

Holy fucking shit!

YES!!!!!!

Gritner! Woo hoo!

GRITNER!!!

FUCJ YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen ... I LOVE Brett Gardner.

Frazier goes DOWN!

I AM HERE TO ACCEPT THOSE EXTRA RUNS!

Shades of the 1996 Todd Zeile pump-fake

Reminds me of the 9th inning of Game 5 in 2000.
Missed ball lead to the insurance run then.

I have changed my mind about bruce. He's not so bad.

Sit chapman. Get green out there. Kahnle. Don't hurt chapman!

[371] Ooh, nice. Very nice.

Now if Brett had taken any of those six walks, Judge would have Kd with the bases loaded. Sorry but there it is.

I don't know if we're going to win this game or not, but there's something I've been thinking about all series long. I really wish Todd Drew could have seen this team and written about these kids -- Judge and Sanchez and Severino and Bird and Didi and others.

Some of you old time Banterers remember him. I got busy this season and didn't post much - I'm like the guy who shows up to church twice year -- but I'd like to think I'm still an Old Time Banterer; and it's times like this when we're either heading to a win in the 9th, or a painful ending and a long but hopeful winter, that I'm awfully glad to be here from time to time and talk baseball with you guys.

Anyway, based on my memories of reading Todd's blog, I think he really would've liked these guys; and I'd liked to have read what the guys who gather around Juan Carlos's coffee cart think of them too.

Let's Go Yan-kees!

[372] Late fee, share some of that fine Scotch you've mentioned in years past!

Man key insurance runs. Wow. Let’s do this!

That’s the coup de grace

now, all that time on the bench is great. but let's have green up behind him!

[379] Seconded.

[379] Never had the pleasure but hear, hear. Well said.

[379] well said old time banterer frIend!

[379] Hear, hear.

Pile it on.

[379] Aw. Yep.

[380] Well, I've stopped buying that Scotch. I was spending too much money on it.
I have some good Bourbon though!
You don't drink sake, do you?

I hear ya, EE

Can I point out that that was as easy a hop as you could have for Lindor on that throw. Just saying.

[379] no worries. Adding Todd is fine. I’m going to have to aggressivly pursue a job, so I might not be around after the WS.

Three more outs.

HAVE SOMEONE WARMING NOW!

NOW!!!

Don't send him back out. Green & Kahnle should be warm and ready to go.

[Director in TV truck] Dammit, where's that Emergency Narrative?

Sir?

The one where the Yankees are the heroes!

I think it's under that wobbly table leg, sir

Dammit!!

RIYank, have some fine northern Japan sake ready for this evening if we win.

I had no idea Frazier had such good wheels. Scoring on sac fly and now this!

[394] indeed

Mr Drew would have indeed liked this team. That's for the memories.