The Yankees had to love watching the Tigers and Twins bloody one another over the course of 13 innings last night knowing that the exhausted victor would have to catch a red-eye to New York to face CC Sabathia in Game 1 of the ALDS this evening. That victor proved to be the Twins, who won on a walk-off single by Alexi Casilla that plated Carlos Gomez in the bottom of the 13th after burning through eight pitchers. That victory was the Twins’ fifth-straight and the 17th in their last 21 games, but it’s worth noting that only one of those wins (the first) came against a team outside their division (the A’s), and that win raised their record at the time to 71-72. The Twins’ comeback was remarkable and capped off by a true classic of a 163rd game, but the Twins are not a good ballclub, they’re just better than the other stiffs and mediocrities that make up the American League Central.
Consider, for example, that the two players who combined for the division winning run hit .229/.287/.337 (Gomez) and .202/.280/.259 (Casilla) on the season. That’s not entirely fair as both have been relegated to the bench and Joe Girardi has announced his intention to start Jose Molina (.217/.292/.268) behind the plate in Game 2 of the ALDS, but I found it striking that the Twins were relying on hitters of such pronounced ineptitude in such a significant situation.
The flip side of Gomez and Casilla is, of course, Joe Mauer, who won the slash-stat triple crown this year and should be the unanimous choice for MVP after hitting .365/.444/.587 as a fine defensive catcher. Right now, Mauer is the best player on either team, but he represents the sole advantage the Twins hold over the Yankees, as the following position-by-position comparison shows. (Note that when dealing with the starting nine, I prefer to do my position-by-position comparisons by batting order position rather than defensive position, as I think it presents a fairer apples-to-apples look at the relative strengths and weaknesses of the two offenses in question.)
Leadoff:
Derek Jeter (.334/.406/.465, 30 SB @ 86%)
Denard Span (.311/.392/.415, 23 SB @ 70%)
This is closer than you might think. Span’s sophomore season looks a lot like the final three months of his rookie campaign (.297/.393/.449) minus some power (though he did lead the league in triples), but it was no match for the Captain in one of his finest campaigns.
2nd:
Johnny Damon (.282/.365/.489, 12 SB @ 100%)
Orlando Cabrera (.284/.316/.389, 13 SB @ 76%)
Cover up the batting averages and this one isn’t close. Damon has 100 pints of slugging over Cabrera, nearly 50 points in on-base percentage and wasn’t thrown out stealing all year. It’s worth noting Damon’s splits, however, as 17 of his career-best-tying 24 homers came at the new Yankee Stadium and his resulting .533 slugging seems to have contributed to a spike in his walk rate in the Bronx (one every 7.4 plate appearances vs. one every 11 PA on the road). Still, even the road Damon is clearly superior to Cabrera at the plate, posting a .284/.349/.446 line.
3rd:
Mark Teixeira (.292/.383/.565)
Joe Mauer (.365/.444/.587)
This was a hot topic a month ago, but what was obvious to many of us then seems to have finally become obvious to all now. Teixeira’s first season in pinstripes was excellent–he led the league in homers (tied with Carlos Peña at 39), RBIs (122), and total bases (344)–but Mauer’s season was historic. The only catcher since the 1880s to have a season rivaling Mauer’s was Mike Piazza in 1997 (.362/.431/.638), and Mauer was by far the best of hitter in the American League in 2009 at any position.
Cleanup:
Alex Rodriguez (.286/.402/.532, 30 HR, 100 RBI)
Jason Kubel (.300/.369/.539, 28 HR, 103 RBI)
Again, this is closer than one might expect, but consider that Rodriguez not only has a big lead in on-base percentage, but compiled his counting stats in fewer plate appearances. Also, Kubel hit just .245/.301/.347 against lefties this year, which could be problematic for the Twins given that the Yankees will start CC Sabathia in Game 1 and a potential Game 4 and Andy Pettitte in Game 3. Of course, the flip-side to that is that Kubel crushed righties (.323/.398/.613), making Phil Coke and Damaso Marte important considerations when Kubel shows up in a big spot in the middle innings.
5th:
Hideki Matsui (.274/.367/.509, 28 HR, 90 RBI)
Michael Cuddyer (.276/.342/.520, 32 HR, 94 RBI)
This might be the closest fight in the two line-ups. Again, Cuddyer had more playing time to accumulate his counting stats and Matsui’s advantage in OBP is greater than Cuddyer’s in slugging. Going to the advanced stats, Godzilla has a slight edge in Baseball Prosepectus’s adjusted total-offense rate stat EqA (.307 to .300 prior to Tuesday night’s game). That Matsui hasn’t played the field all year while Cuddyer moved in from right field to replace Justin Morneau at first base is not relevant here as I’m only comparing their production at the plate, but Cuddyer’s abysmal UZR in the outfield this year just might negate that advantage anyway.
6th:
Jorge Posada (.285/.363/.522, 22 HR, 81 RBI)
Delmon Young (.284/.308/.425, 12 HR, 60 RBI)
The team’s resident hot-heads. The playing time here is similar, and Posada, who had one of the greatest seasons by a 37-year-old catcher in the game’s history, wipes the floor with Young, who is 14 years his junior. Young finished strong, but even his line over the final two months (.308/.326/.522) lacks Posada’s ability to get on base and his matching slugging average over that span was more dependent on an inflated batting average, which is true even if you limit the sample to his red-hot last few weeks. All of that said, Young is a threat in this series, both because he’s coming in hot, but also because he’s a lefty-killer.
7th:
Robinson Cano (.320/.352/.520, 25 HR, 85 RBI)
Jose Morales (.316/.386/.368)/Brendan Harris (.302/.348/.403 vs. LHP)
Morales is a 26-year-old who started the season as the third-string catcher and is now the strong side of a DH platoon with stone-gloved journeyman infielder Brendan Harris. Morales was a career .289/.340/.383 hitter in the minor leagues, had just three extra-base hits against right-handed pitching in the majors this year (in 113 PA), and has yet to hit his first major league home run. The platoon is a solid attempt to make lemonade out of lemons, but comparing it to Cano is almost unfair.
8th:
Nick Swisher (.249/.371/.498, 29 HR, 82 RBI)
Matt Tolbert (.228/.301/.306)
The 27-year-old Tolbert has hit .306/.343/.452 since taking over third base for an injured Joe Crede in mid-September and is a career .280/.341/.404 hitter in the minors, so his season line above is a bit misleading. Still, the divergence between these two lineups in the bottom third is striking. Swisher could hit fifth in either lineup. Tolbert’s lucky to be in the major leagues, let alone starting on a playoff team.
9th:
Melky Cabrera (.274/.336/.416, 10 SB @ 83%)
Nick Punto (.228/.336/.285, 16 SB @ 84%)
Punto is the Twins’ Miguel Cairo, a scrappy, hard-nosed, dirty-uniform player who is so harmful to his team’s chances of winning that broadcasters and columnists constantly feel the need to explain how valuable he really is. He isn’t. Melky didn’t need to have his best major league season to best Punto in this comparision, but he did anyway, so good on him. Melky may not be the Yankees’ long-term answer in center field (heck, he may not even be their current answer in center as Brett Gardner is a vastly superior fielder, a nearly unstoppable basestealer, and better at getting on base in the first place), but he was two wins better than last year per VORP and an almost exactly league-average center fielder (major league centerfielders hit .267/.334/.414 in 2009), which is just fine for the nine hole.
Game 1 starters:
CC Sabathia (3.37 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 2.94 K/BB, 34 GS)
Brian Duensing (2.73 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.20 K/BB, 9 GS)
Because of their arduous journey to the division title, the Twins are starting rookie Brian Duensing in Game 1. Duensing is a 26-year-old lefty with unexceptional stuff who ran off an impressive string of six starts from late August through mid-September before stumbling a bit in his last two turns. His last start was a four-inning loss to the Tigers in the nightcap of last Tuesday’s double-header. He faced the Yankees in relief in early July and walked four in 2 2/3 innings while facing every Yankee regular except Jorge Posada and Melky Cabrera. Duensing is starting tonight because Scott Baker, Nick Blackburn, and Carl Pavano are unavailable. Only one of those names scares me, but not the way the owner wants it to. Tuesday night’s playoff game forced Minnesota to burn Baker, meaning the Yankees could sweep the Twins without having to face their best starter.
CC Sabathia, meanwhile, has something to prove. Despite winning the AL Cy Young in 2007, dominating the National League in the second half of 2008, and reaching the postseason both times, his last quality start in the postseason was his first, way back in 2001. One could blame his poor performances the last two Octobers on exhaustion. In 2007 he threw nearly 50 regular season innings more than he had in 2006 and in 2008 he surpassed that total by another dozen frames while making his last three starts on three-day’s rest. This year, he finished the season at 230 innings, 11 fewer than in 2007, and had at least one extra day of rest before each of his last four starts (good work by Joe Girardi and Dave Eiland there). In the ten starts prior to his season finale stinker, CC posted a 1.62 ERA with a 0.90 WHIP and a 4.21 K/BB. Given his lighter workload he has no excuse for not delivering this year.
Relief aces:
Closer:
Mariano Rivera (1.76 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 6.00 K/BB, 44 SV, 2 BS, 6.032 WXRL)
Joe Nathan (2.15 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 3.95 K/BB, 47 SV, 5 BS, 4.828 WXRL)
Nathan might be Rivera’s primary rival for the title, but at age 39, Rivera proved that he’s still the best closer in the game.
8th inning:
Phil Hughes (1.40 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 5.00 K/BB, 18 H, 3 BS, 3.843 WXRL, 44 G)
Matt Guerrier (2.25 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3.36 K/BB, 33 H, 3 BS, 3.518 WXRL, 78 G)
Note that the adjusted win-expectancy-based stat WXRL is cumulative and that Hughes has a higher total than Guerrier in just more than half as many games.
This year’s match-up is the third ALDS between the Yankees and Twins. In the first two, Johan Santana beat Mike Mussina in Game 1 at Yankee Stadium, then the Yankees swept the next three to advance to the ALCS against the Red Sox. I’m expecting a similar result this year, minus the loss to Santana.
There are a few things missing from this preview: the full rosters, mention of the Twins' advantage in left-handed relievers, comparisons of the other starting pitching matchups, and looks at the bench and middle relief options for both teams. Baby duty and that 13-inning playoff game cut into my time too much, but I'll have more in my preview for Game 2. You'll have to settle for the 1,800 words above for now . . .
Holy Shit... youz guys did it to me again!
Very cool !!!!!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xapplh_get-ready-for-the-showdown_sport
I especially like the dugout scenes.
(they got me too, this one is in response to the discussion about the tv rights to the playoff games)
Remeber back in the mid-90’s when they tried to schedule the playoff games at the same time using the “Baseball Network” regional broadcast fiasco? It was the worst idea ever. Not only did they not show Game 2 of the ALDS (the extra inning game from 1995) in my area, they didn’t even have the common courtesy to switch over to the game (which went 15 innings) after the other games were over. I remember having to check the ESPN bottom line to get updates on the game (didn’t have internet back then). Consequently, I missed one of the greatest Yankee games in history (and Mattingly’s homer)…and I’m still upset about it. Of course, 14 years later with all the technology that we have, I still can’t watch *every* Yankee game (thanks to the guys at FOX) no matter how much money I’m willing to spend.
[1] Cliff, I demand a refund!
Seriously, thanks. Looks good. Let's go Yankees!
Shaun,
I think you're exaggerating when you say OBP and SLG are "not remotely close". I agree with you that OPS does treat them equally. So, yes, OPS is not an ideal statistic, but there are real problems with the alternatives (for instance, wOBA may be a better predictor of total runs -- in almost has to be -- but it's extremely opaque and the coefficients on the factors are completely illogical: why on earth would getting hit by a pitch be more valuable than drawing a walk???).
Oh..... and excellent write-up Cliff.
Reading it, it's actually a little closer then I would have guessed.
I still believe this first game is pretty-damn-close-to-a-Must-Win.
27 minutes and counting.
Cliff, what do the percentages mean for the first two in the lineup comparisons?
Butterflies are chirping. I hope C.C. goes 8 strong and Duensing doesn't see the 3rd. Let's go already.
why on earth would getting hit by a pitch be more valuable than drawing a walk???
I think it's the randomness associated with a HBP. Studeman had an article on what a batted ball was worth that addressed this.
[7] I'm assuming it is stolen base success rate.
LET'S GET READY TO RUMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBLLLLLLE!!!
It's time! It's time! I feel like the kids in Halloween III listening to the Silver Shamrock song, putting on my mask (hope the result for me is a bit different than those kids though..)
Go Go, C-C!!
Nick Punto and his .285 slugging%..I mean, really??
So who's throwing out the first pitch?
The winds are coming from Canada straight through to the South Bronx... specifically, in fact...
MP, what exactly did you have for dessert last night?
[10] Yes, it's SB%
"UPDATE, 6 p.m.: Admiral Eric Olson, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, just threw out the first pitch. We’re minutes away. "
Via Sam Borden.
That third pitch was a strike...
full-count double..it's all over...
Lead off double? Panic time!
Right down the pike on the double...
Just keep throwing it there, CC; they're too tired...
Am sure I just heard the Japanese anouncers say guys like CC don't get nervous because of their extra bulk...
The meathook!
Oh, ffs!
Hey, Team, turns out I have access to the game from where I am! A pleasant surprise.
Well that's just great. We don't have to worry about our pitchers, per say...
OK, just walk Mauer and blow away the next two guys.
It's good he brought the hook today...
[26] Or not.
Well done, CC.
[26] Maybe not?
Nice.
Good job, big guy!
Sweet. Phfewwwwwww.
Houdiniesque
It is nice having a pitcher like CC in game 1.
George Lopez is... meh.
Lead-off poke, Derek!
Attack!
I'll take it!
Yay Cap'n!
Jeter!! Awesome..what a year he's having
Here we go, boys!
Vrooooom-vroooooooom. Fire up that Score Truck.
Oooh. Tough pitch to take.
Quiet here for a playoff game. Is everybody at the game? Still at work?
Good Johnny...make him work...
Hey all!
I had to endure the Span double from John Sterling. But all is well now.
Ahh, damn.
It's drive time, probably people are still on their way home...
[46] Welcome, RI!
[44] Hey Reggie! Work? Subway home? At the Stadium? I predict 800+ comments
I have saved my triumphant return to the Banter for the playoffs. Let's go Yankees!
Damn. He's keeping us pretty off-balance.
Yay, mehmattski!
[51] Hooray!
+1 Joe Girardi...
[50] Didn't you also predict the Yanks would be no-hit through 5? : D
Help me out. Who are these TBS clowns I'm listening to?
Ok, he can't do this the second time through, right? We'll begin to hit him hard then. Meanwhile, drive up the motherfucker's pitch-count. Foul off as many balls as possible.
Hitting him hard now; hitting them through later...
Ok, it's A-Rod time.
[57] Darling and Carey.
[57] Chip Caray and Ron Darling. C'mon A-Rod!!
[61] Oh, that's Ron Darling. Kind of a dope.
[56] Crystal ball through the time change makes things cloudy..must be another game where that happens..
The Score Truck obviously is caught in that drive-time traffic.
Ugh.
Okay, I'm still confident.
That must be some wind if it knocks down homers in right field
Dang, loud out.
That seemed like it only nicked his bat and he still drove it out to right. I'm not worried about Alex...
He went with the pitch too, so hopefully he stays with that mentality.
[57] "Well it's Darling/Caray, RI..." dehduh deh-DUH dehduh deh DUH-deh...
[71] Oh, more sound effects.
There. That's the good CC. He's here. Whew.
Mow 'em down Big Fella. 1 more.
Whoo, if he can do that for the next six innings...
[72] Haven't figured out how to generate musical notes on the Mac. Do you recognize the song?
I predict a CS here.
CC is throwing a *tad* too many pitches, especially if he slated to start again on short rest. Hopefully the Score Truck makes it through traffic and renders this small concern "mute".
Why did I remember the playoffs being more fun than this?
[62] Chip Caray and
Ron DarlingJames Woods.I have an irrational fear of shitty players coming up big. Just sit down Tolbert.
wOBA
http://www.insidethebook.com/woba.shtml
The name (weighted On Base Average) is a little misleading, as it is more like a sophisticated OPS (weighted credit for singles, doubles, triples, HRs). The Number is equated to OBP (.300 sucks, .345 is average, .400 is studly), but again, it accounts for slugging.
I like it.
BR.com does not have it (or I couldn't find it) but FanGraphs does.
Career wOBA
Jeter: .375
A-Rod: 412
Pujols: .436
As you can see, Jeter is closer to ARod in wOBA then in OPS, but ARod's TB still has him well ahead.
[79] It was two years ago, after all. Long term memory plays tricks.
[79] You were younger, more naive. It was so long ago the memory is hazy. Or maybe that's the midges.
[76] Ummm.
Ohhhhh...
No.
It seems to be in 3/4 time.
Mr OK Jazz, little help?
[81] Hasn't Adam Kennedy and Mark Bellhorn haunted us enough to make that rational?
The Tigers played so well and their lead was so gutsy last night that they managed to miss the playoffs after leading by 7 in September. That does take guts... (")
Okay. Six run inning here.
I forgot about this guy and his suits.
[85] Darling Darling Baby by The Gap Band...
Big Pimpin' spending gees,
Craig Segars' big pimpin'
on tee vee...
Crafty left-hander.
Start Molina!!!
My heart doesn't need a close game. Or series for that matter.
OK, fill in your "Cano is Lazy" on your "dumb broadcaster talking points" bingo sheet.
PC-ST after 2 IP:
CC: 37-25
BD: 30-24
Not so good so far.
[90] Oh, man. Outa my league.
[94] Damn, don't have that one. But I did have "crafty left-hander"!
Has anybody seen the score truck? I ain't seen the score truck. I'm just tryin' to find the score truck. Where is that confounded score truck?
[94] I'll always remember the time I saw him lose a foot race to Todd Jones.
Jeez, that was a nice curve ball. Hey, do you think it would kill all the swells sitting on their fat asses at the park to make a little bit of noise?
[97] Someone poured momentum in the fuel tank. j/k
I think I have an ulcer.
Universe Towing... "We're bigger and better than Don-Glo... c'mon, we are!"
Don't walk Nick Punto
Where was that???
[97] :)
Don't do that either.
Where the hell's that pitch? boooooooo bullshit
C'mon...Nick Fuggin Punto. Bite me, man. Where was that 2-2 pitch!?
Piranhas.
Gritty players. Gutsy players. Piranhas.
I'm jealous.
Spending a lot of money.
Enough with the fucking payroll! For the love of God, don't you people get tired of yourselves?
Let's go, CC. Settle down.
Is CC over-amped?
[108] I have an irrational dislike of scrappy, banjo-bat infielders who get excessive praise..a pox on you, Nick Punto!
[101] Chip Caray is about to do that to me...
I really, really hate these announcers.
Sweet Rob.
Much better
Bravo, boys, bravo!!!
Atta way, boys!
Lazy Cano... >;)
Dopely turned. Alex does a helluva lot better when he fires it over there quicklly.
Come on, boys, we're trying to play some Dumb Announcer Bingo here. Repeating the payroll thing isn't helping anybody.
1.6 Billion. With a B.
As opposed to 1.6 million (with an M), the payroll of the other 29 teams.
[114] Not sure. I was just responding to the 2-1 count.
Now, 2-0 count.
"Play the game the right way."
Everyone who has "Chemistry", get ready, we're very close getting that one.
[126] "Team full of ball-players"
C'MON BLUE!
Where the hell was that pitch?
Fucking Hell.
Um.... Is gritty and gutsy in any way related to BFOG?
Shite. I dislike Orlando Cabrera.
First pitch to Mauer, borderline too.
"That always-important first run."
He's right. It's very important. Over 80% of the time, a team that fails to get that first run is going to lose.
Damn, I'm missing things due to kids. How bad was the call?
[132] Its a cousin of spunky.
Ok, CC, you can do this. Bear down.
Saw that coming, huh?
That guy's good at hitting.
This is not good.
Ouch. CC is PeePee
CC looks too strong. He's really laboring. Bear down big fella
Wheels are coming off.
Oh, goddamn.
Crud.
Dammit. That particularly sucked, that Cuddyer bloop.
Cano should spend the Winter with Mauer. Is it me or does Cabrera seem tentative in center? That''s the 2nd one in the the gap where he looked shitty. FUCK
Jeezus fucking christ.
I'm not liking this.
Nice hitting.
Fuck.
Someone tell Orlando Cabrera to shut the fuck up.
ARGHHHH.
OH, WHAT THE MOTHERFUCK!!!
THAT'S THE SECOND TIME!
FUCK!!!!!!
Atta boy Posada.
FUCK! What is going on with Posada????
Jesus Christ Posada. If you're going to pout, don't fucking do that.
Frakkity frak-frak!
Start Cervelli!
OK, I am going into radio silence mode until this team stops playing like shit.
Why is CC just jogging in to cover home?
WTF??
Take your time Jorge,
TERRIBLE
And I'm late to the show, with an inauspicious first few pitches. Evening, all.
Dear lord, what is happening with this inning?
Oh, thank God.
Come on, fucking sticks!
Just make them back.
Posada and CC were both HORSESHIT on that play. The twose of them.
[163] Evening! Sloppy fielding, poor pitching, quiet bats. Other than that, the quest for 27 off to a fine start..
Lame. That's reason #1 I don't want Posada behind the plate with A.J. Ferchrissakes.
Holy Shit. CC at 64 pitches.
Hey Banterers,
Just got home from my geologic field methods class, and I'm already pissed about this game :(
Did Posada let the passed ball happen twice?
Did they forget that there was a runner on third? Or runners on base at all?
I'm not worried.
[171] Yes.
[173] I'm worried, but still feel reasonably good. Not worried about CC. When do we start pounding BRAIN UNSIGNED?
[171] Yep. Not worried. Not in denial either.
Okay, two runs for the Twins and THAT'S IT.
The sad thing is that Jorge is silencing all those who wanted him catching AJ. Has anyone said clearly what went on there? Was he crossed up twice? IF it is a crossing up, it is less his fault, I suppose, but as Alex says, they both lazed that play at the plate.
In a playoff? Jeez. And Sabathia's at 65 pitches for 3 innings.
we will score runs. and more than 5.
Another basehit out. DOUCHEBAG.
Oh, this is going to be one of those games.
[177] Twas a FB that hit Jorge's glove and got past. Didn't look like a cross-up.
A base-fly ball. Is TBS that hard up they have to use Chip Caray? Just because grandpa was Haray Caray doesn't mean you can announce.
Given that CC is struggling, I'm not dumping on Jorge.
Passed balls: not just for Posadas anymore!
Okay, man on second one out, let's bring one home this inning, willya hah?
[177] It has not silenced me. If Posada's problem with past balls outweighs his offensive advantage, then he shouldn't start no matter who is pitching. This is an independent issue from whether AJ pitches better when Molina calls the game.
Hey, Mauer missed a catchable ball...but of course it is ruled a WP.
YAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!
OH HELL YES!!!! Fresh delivery from the score truck!
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Hot fucking damn Captain.
De-rek Je-ter! Picking up his boy Jorge. Take that.
Ah, Derek Jeter, postseason HR in Yankee Stadium. Somehow that just feels right.
THAT S WHAT I'm TALKING ABOUT
You go, Derek!!!
Derek fucking Jeter, ladies and gentlemen!!!
HAH AH AHA HA HA !!!!
I'm not worried >;)
the CAPTAIN!!!!!! Yeah, Fuck You gritty, small market "ball players"!!
Yay! And Jeter christens the new Yankee Stadium for the post season.
Wait. Did Derek Jeter just PULL a Home Run? With authority? I don't understand!
Yay...Jeter as brought me back in [159].
Wow, Jeter really PULLED that pitch.
[185] Come on, Alex, show some ambition!
Thanks alot MLB.tv for picking the right spot to go out.
Between TBS and the MLB.tv feed, I'm already hating this postseason's coverage.
Mauer did not look good on that play. He may be too big to block pitches with his chest.
JETER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A deep HR? 340 ft deep? Carey is just too bad.
That was awesome.
I'm concerned that Derek may have killed a big rally, though.
That one actually *was* a base hit!
Way to go, Team, pour it on!
I thought Young was going to catch that, but he backed off.
(Told you we'd get this guy second time through.)
You don't stop these Bombers the second time through..I feel another tater coming from someone soon...
[198] Its postseason Derek, a slightly different incarnation than regular season Derek.
[206] Yeah, I think you're right. I thought it'd be caught too.
[202] It was shot, no doubt about it.
[204] You are such a downer, man. But oh so correct.
The great thing about Jeter is whether he is doing well or not he always looks like he's trying his best. Unlike say Posada.
My hands are already tomato red from clapping too hard.
What a lazy-ass play!
Oh my God, they both dogged it!
David Eckstein would have made that double play.
Luck...Now, A Rod! Let's go, Papi
OK..... Bad play.
ARod....... MAKE THEM PAY!!!!!!!!!!
Ragged defense by the Twins this inning,
[209] I like this one.
Wait, my feed is wrong. It mistakenly showed an error by the Twins, which we know to be impossible.
The commentators are dreadful. Worse than Buck and McCarver.
[213] I just got scolded for scaring Mr. OK Jazz Jr after that Jeter shot..and now got to head out and miss some of the game!
[215] Hey, yesterday I pointed out that Nick Punto is the new Eck!
[219] You're safe...no error (can't assume a DP).
Does anyone think one of these announcers sounds like James Woods? Which one is that? And then who is the other guy?
[220] They are hideous in a different way. Their own, special way.
[224] It's Ron Darling, and the other guy is Caray. (I had to ask too.)
[224] see [80]
Hello gang. Man, I'm so, so happy to have postseason baseball back in NY.
[220] Ron Darling is actually really good, I think - at least he does a great job in the Mets booth. But yes, Chip Caray is... UNACCEPTABLE.
[223] Aha! So my broadcast wasn't scrambled after all.
fucking-A-rod.
Grrr...A-Rod. You are better than this.
Um, does A-Rod look as bad on TV as he does on GameCast?
[232] I don't know, but he's looking pretty bad on my TV.
Big Fella needs some economical innings.
ARod is pressing. He doesn't swing at that pitch in September.
He looked fine in the first at-bat, but that was dreadful.
[228] Agreed. He's particularly good as the straight man to Hernandez.
Christ, its 4 innings in and I'm already a nervous mess.
Why can't David Cone get a TBS gig for the playoffs?
[234] That was economical.
As talented as ARod is, his DDF (BFOG+ / wGaG) is only 0.817.
[237] Yes. And you, Chip Caray, are no Keith Hernandez!
We need CC to work a nice, quick inning here. Six or even seven innings is not out of the question.
BD after 3: 48-37
[239] He's busy shotgunning beers with Bob Lorenz at the Yes network. He DID cover the pre-game.
Wow, if I were not a Yankee fan, that Jeter-plays-the-right-way speech would have made me puke.
Whoa...that ball fooled me off the bat.
Derek Jeter: Plays the game the way it was meant to be played.
That is, with a bat and a ball.
Unlike all those other guys. They've been using dodecahedrons and badmitton rackets.
The worse part about these A-Rod at-bats is that it feels like an eternity till his next one. I want this to be the year A-Rod breaks this vicious cycle. Not going to hate...
....at least not yet
[246] Yeah, but he's about the only Yankee who gets this treatment, which balances out the Puntos, Ecksteins, etc. for other teams.
Derek: you cannot hit two more home runs tonight.
[248] Heh heh.
the final score will be 6-2 bombers.
Lazy.
Robinson Cano.
Nice inning, boys.
Rev up the score truck.
[240] Economics 101. I demand. Big Fella supplies. Or something like that. : )
Let's get our big guy some runs, he's hungry
The Win Expectancy in this situation is 59%. This makes me feel better for some reason.
Don't worry, I will resist updating the WinExp constantly.
I love how they cite all these "scrappy" Yankees. Yup, that Mariano Rivera, and Jorge Posada, scrappy guys. Also the greatest relief pitcher ever and a borderline hall of fame candidate. But you know, scrappy!
...backing in the Score Truck as we speak...
No no no groundzilla
Well that one-pitch-one-out grounder did not help the cause.
Patience Matsui. WTF!
Jeez, Posada...not only do you make pitchers worse, you clog the bases.
Molina could never do that.
YES!
I want to see Cano tear the cover off the ball for the next month. Starting now.
Robbie's taking huge hacks so far.
I don't like Cano's approach so far
I know it's not important and all, but the many, many empty seats really stand out.
They didn't even show Craig Mack this time...
The Shining at first base will getcha every time. C'mon Swish.
Man, all this pot is making me hungry
Ok.... dodecahedrons? Now you're just showing off.
A polyhedron with 12 faces... I looked it up.
(Hold on while I look up polyhedron...)
YES YES YES YES YES
[274] ;-) It was the first thing that came to mind I swear!
Swisha-house!
Sweet. Very sweet.
Circle-change-that-bitch.
YES!!! MUTHA SKUNKS!!!
HELLS YEAH. GREAT SEND!!!
Wilson Betemit, we love you!
Swishalicious!
Oooh, hustle! Me Like.
Nice job there Swisher. Cano bust it home.
good aggressive call by the 3B coach--gotta force teh defense to make the play with 2 outs. Good gamble.
[258] WIN EXPECTANCY NOW PLEASE!!!!!!
Nice Hack Conan.
Melky thinks he's Manny.
[286] Yeah...Melky swing big club.
Swisher is such an ass clown. LOL
Good inning. shut'em down now, CC.
Nice AB by Swish there, coming back from 0-2. And nice running from Cano although better throws would have got him at the plate I think...
[285] Oh, right. It was 70% when you asked, but now down to 68%.
[291] Perfect throws would have. Good send, though, no?
Big frame for CC--he can avoid Mauer and company and push into the 6th if he keeps his act together.
[293] Yep, an accurate throw gets him easily, but you have to push it there with two outs, IMO.
where was that?
[274] "My angles are many,
My faces not few;
I'm the Dodecahedron,
Who the hell are you?"
>;)
"It's the inside I really like about CC Sabathia."
Eww.
[273] HAH! Favorite comment so far.
[293] Willie would have sent him with more flair and controversy...
[293] Yep, good send. This year's Twins don't have the defense they used to...
So far, so good.
I just want to watch the hi-def feed, CC looks so fat on non hi-def
Dammit.
I officially hate Orlando Cabrera
Why just the Spanish players, Darling?
Damn you Cabrera. Damn you to hell. You and all your winning ways. Bleh.
I must be in a goofy mood, but Cabrera looks like some weird cross between Mo and Cano.
Hey all. Unlike the Angels and Shit Sox (H/T thelarmis), the Twins are a bit harder to hate, but I absolutely despise Orlando Cabrera.
I officially loathe Orlando Cabrera. He reminds me of Chone Figgins.
Posada's throw got caught up in the wind
Man on 2nd. How about a battery meeting? So the ball doesn't wind up at the backstop a few times.
Robby Cano, don'tchaknow!
Smooth Robbie, smooth
Smooth, that's what I am.
Good job, Cano
[312] Yer a freaking genius. Just Fair for Manager!
Word. A-Rod's inining. right? RIGHTI!!!!!! Oy. It's not even the 6th inning. : O
[310] Chone's a Yankee killer for sure, but I've always heard that personally Orlando Cabrera is an absolute Grade-A Asshole of the AJ Pierzinski variety.
Assuming the score holds, do you push CC for a seventh inning, or go with a quicker hook? If so, who pitches the all-important seventh inning?
Win Exp has crept up to 74% (and the calculator doesn't know about Mo or Phil).
I like that Corona commericial
[319] Damn, I didn't know there were going to be hard questions.
I'm very tempted to hook him early. How about Hughes for four outs, maybe five? Then Cokey for some random lefty?
Hello all!
I turned the game on just in time to see Swisher's double to take the lead. Has the Score Truck been parked in the garage? I expected at least 5 runs on the board by now.
Wow, Mantle with 1.5 HR/postseason series.
I do think that there's something to the "it's in his head now" belief that Arod's (and Bonds's before him) postseason struggles are not just chance and sample size. His Last AB, when he struck out, he looked like he would swing at absolutely anything, so he seems to be expanding the zone.
But I also think that he's going to get a big hit this series and all this head case, can't hit in the clutch, can't hit in the postseason in a meaningful situation, isn't a true Yankee bullshit will be put to bed once and for all and then he can relax a bit.
[323] BRAIN is pitching well, actually. The three runs seem pretty good. The defense and early pitching were kind of worrisome.
PC-ST after 5 IP: CC: 87-56
PC-ST after 4 IP: BD: 68-52
[323] I'm not worried.
[319] He's at 89 pitches, so if he labors a bit in the 6th, I say use Coke and Marte vs lefties as needed, then go to Hughes ASAP in the 7th.
Of course if he cruises through the 6th, of course CC pitches the 7th.
[322] If the score truck swings by again, we may be able to avoid the tough questions. Otherwise, I agree--quick hook today and get ready for the second start on short rest (if necessary).
Goddam. He's just a step above mortal men. Ice water.
[328] Ditto, Chyll. Just surprised.
I look forward to seeing the soft, meaty underbelly of the Twins' bullpen soon though!
[330] Why would he need to start on short rest? But yeah, I was thinking of his next start.
[325] I'm not in the biz of psychoanalysis, so I won't add too much to your commentary. I'm just holding out hope for his next at-bat. As long as he has an at-bat, then I'll take my chances. I'm rooting for him!!
[333] I don't know. for some reason I had it in my head that his second start would be on short rest, because of the schedule chosen (and the fact that they are using only three starters).
[332] Chyll is our Alfred E Neuman nominee for the game.
Girardi +2.
[319] My vote would be for Joba in the 7th. Hughes 8th.
Damn, JD hit that one well.
Com'on Tex
well, comes down to Alex ... always comes down to Alex, doesn't it???
Teix took a page out of the Matsui's offensive playbook.
[335] I wouldn't be surprised if he makes a short rest start some time this month, but not in this series.
Yes, Nick Punto is one of Ron Gardenhire's ballplayers. Good call, Ron Darling!
[334] Yeah, I am absolutely rooting for him...I just think it will come faster if he can take a walk or two and not expand the zone. But I do think it will come......
Tex popped up there with a runner on second so he's clearly NOT a True Yankee
;o)
The Yankees were 7-0 against the Twins this season. Minnesota has not won a game in the Bronx since 7/4/07. The twinkies won't ever win in Yankee Stadium, they just do not have what it takes
Come on Alex, you can do it!
Vamo A-Rod, ahora!!!!
HA!!!!
Eso eh!!
YES!!! Take that clutch postseason jinx monster or whatever!
Gee. That. Seems. Like. A. Big. Hit. In. A. Meaningful. Situation.
Hooray for Arod!!!!!!!
HA!
Hmm. That was a weird looking strikeout with runners in scoring position.
YAY-ROD drives the SCORE TRUCK!!!
Finally. Now shut up about Alex, okay?
That a BOY, A-Rod!!!
HA!
[325] Good call, Evil E - maybe not a really big hit, but the monkey's off his back!
Keep breathing through the eyelids, Alex. YES!!!!!!
[343] I definitely didn't mean to imply you weren't rooting for him. I knew you were. Good results, about time.
Wow... ARod saw that pitch pretty good.
I guess he doesn't need Phacoemulsification, eh mehmattski
[352] mehmattski! Long time no see!
How's life?
Hit for A-Rod? I knew that would happen when I went to the head.
Onions for A Rod!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay, motherfuckers
You go Kate Hudson's BF. She gets all the credit for his attitude change this year.
who's that TRUE YANKEE standing on First?
[361] awesome, Alex.
[354] The next part of this story is that he tore up the Twinkies in 2004, so if he has a good series against the Twinkies in '09 then the story will be that he can't do it against the big market teams.
I'm just taking it one bat at a time with the Rod
[357] Yeah, LOL, if I'd known that me posting that would have changed things, I would have posted that back in game 4 in 2004.
Hey, Team. Back from putting the kids to bed.
I heard the Swisher hit on the radio; how'd we score the fourth run?
So, not to interrupt the A-Rod love-fest, but is this the right move by Gardenhire? I think not -- UNSIGNED didn't look tired or anything.
[361] Onions? Why? Is he going to tie them to his belt? Did he learn that from Angel Berroa???
Ah, I see from upthread that Alex did something.
That's nice.
[367] You're gonna like this answer.
[368] I guess he's going lefty-lefty or something chess-like. But the kid only had, what, 75 or 80 pitches, and A-Rod didn't hit that all that hard.
MATSUI
HELLS BELLS. YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Matsui-san!!! Godzilla!
Wow! 6-2! Who would have thunk it?
GODZILLA!!!!!!!!
Holy COW!!!
Hideki!!!!
Man, did that thing carry!
It just kept going!
I didn't think that thing was going out!
Score truck express!
GODZILLA!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh no, there goes Minnesota.
Matsui hops in the driver's seat. Boo ya!
Beast Commercial!
Godzilla!
Ah, there's that soft meaty underbelly I was so looking forward to!!
How do you say "Score Truck" in Japanese?
[359] Life is very busy. Research has picked up to the extreme. I'm hoping this October that the Yankees provide me many good excuses for study breaks.
GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!
Score Truck!
Matsui-San!
[368] Um. Not a good move.
[376] Tocho is seizing the nostradamus mantle in the absence of thelarmis...
I don't think I've ever seen Hideki so happy!
Wow, Fransisco Liranio has really fallen off a cliff.
[386] High five.
Gardnehire sucks. We have a huge Manager advantage in this series.
[387] nostrlarmis isn't here? Oh wait, that's right, he has his class to teach.
I think he'll be happy when he gets back.
The CF took a crazy route on that ball...is the wind swirling?
[388] Matsui is a big porn buff, he might've had a few very happy private moments.
Two out Scoretruck am my favorite.
[388] Yeah that was a lot of emotion to see out of the guy. It must be really fun to hit postseason home runs!
[382] Igawa
[368] unsigned?
Oh, hey, too bad Mr OK Jazz had to leave. Damn, he would have thrown kenji all over us like AJ throws pie.
That was a terrible, terrible call. That ball was half a foot high!
[390] Agreed very much.
[383] I hope you get many, many breaks all throughout the month - perhaps even into November.
[396] UNSIGNED is an anagram for DUENSING.
It's a Diane thing.
[392] Likely so, judging from Matsui's shot.
Huh, game day called the strikeout before I saw it on TBS.
[402] The fix is in.
[399] I would be okay with exactly eleven breaks, all the way until November 1.
Nothing better than a 1,2,3 after a Score Truck delivery.
Weeping, the fourth run was the one you would have really enjoyed. Jeter walked, took second on a hit-and-run ground out, then Alex laced a pretty single. The place went nuts.
[400] WOW that's cool.
Iwaga is "SCORE TRUCK" spelled backwards in Japanese.
[407] Yeah, BRAIN UNSIGNED.
松井
(That's really for Mr. OK, but you can borrow it.)
407 I thought Igawa was how you hailed the score truck in japanese. You know you yell "Igawa" and the truck makes a delivery.
is this the first 1,2,3 inning for CC?
Michael Kay just told a party of zero that A-Rod has trouble catching pop ups. Good on ya Big Fella!
The camera cut away...how many of you think Damon managed to get that ball to the stands?
Ooooooh. Most efficient inning yet.
I think he should start the seventh, for sure. We aren't saving the bullpen, because of the day off, but another dozen pitches for the big guy is nothing.
[406] Ahhh, very nice! How 'bout that Derek, eh?
And of course, way to go, Alex!
I like where things are headed so far, knock on wood.
95 pitches for CC...usually I am a let-them-pitch guy, but with a nice lead, I think I would pull him here.
Nice to see Jeter ribing ARod on that popup.
[413] Yes, absolutely, but with what kind of leash?
[415] I say let him go 120+ but that's just me.
[415] I haven't been around, but he looks to be cruising; why fool with things?
It won't last, but a 7th, 8th, 9th of Joba, Phil and Mo is like almost too good to imagine.
Props to that!!
[419] Only to save him for short rest starts later in the post season. Plus, you KNOW that he is not going to pitch the eighth-ninth in any case. So we are really only talking about the seventh inning.
[420] Is 7th inning really the plan for Joba? He's proven himself as a setup man before, but hasn't proven much this year
I can't believe this game is in the sixth already. I haven't seen a Yankees game in a while, but I remember them lasting longer...
[420] Where did you go?
[424] It is a remarkably fast game.
[414] "How about that Derek"
He's the new Mr. October, for sure.
Speaking of which: I do hope Ms. Oct gets here before Mo time.
[424] A little under 2 1/2 hours after the 6th. That's about par for the course.
Well, it's CC to start the seventh.
[427] definitely. I even threw out a 'Beast Commercial' in her honor.
[425] Looking for big words to impress mehmattski, who, by the way, has a head that is a bit infundibuliform.
"I would personally like to see him go eight against this scrappy bunch only down by four runs."
Where do they get these clowns???
I can't believe the topic of C.C. being pulled is before the 7th was even broached. Espcially after all the Girardi is too formulaic complaints. im (humble)O
[433] To be fair, pulling him at 95 pitches after 6 would have been exactly not formulaic.
[431] Ohhhh.
You should get in touch with Diane. She's got some sesquipedalians that will make your eyes pop.
It took CC 3 innings to get past the adrenaline rush.
[425] Who, me?
[437] No, Old Yanks Fan. He disappeared for a while.
Come on, CC, squint, you can see that tiny strike zone!
[434] Win now. The big man has it in him. If A.J. implodes on Friday the whole bp gang will be feeling good.
Nick FUCKING Punto.
Ouch, that was weird.
Christ. FU Punto. Cripes and Bollocks.
Big batter for CC here.
CC now at 108. Don't want to push it too much,
[439] The BP will feel good in any case, with the extra day off. But generally I agree with you.
.
.
.
Of course, CC is having a rough inning here.
The reason the game seems to be going so swifty is because the game started 2 hours earlier than we are used to.
Relax. Bear down. Not good hitter. Destroy them.
[435] This is a family banter, dammit.
[431] Watch it, or you're fixin for a defenestration.
I call last hitter for CC.
[446] Wow, if you're right about that, then we're a lot dumber than I thought.
Ahead of him 1-2, PUT HIM AWAY CC
People directly behind home plate furiously sitting on their hands.
#3 for Jorge.
Jorge, you have to go after the ball. That's twice now.
I can just hear Molina in the dugout now...."Hmmmph....I hope we win"
Jorge: which way did he go, which way did he go?
Cock n Balls SWISH
That's right, you go NOWHERE against the Swish!
[454] His third WP? Because that was the way it was called.
Way to go Nick. That's a Swish stop.
Joba or Hughes? Hughes, right?
It's Hughes!
Hughes?
Oh, this is Joe Girardi's best game ever.
{standing applause in my living room}
Yes, I'm watching postseason.tv and Phil is standing on the mound.
Ok, quick out here, then . . .
who pitches to Mauer in the 8th? CC for him, then Hughes? Or just go right to Huesh? Phil is good against lefties too, right?
[460] Red ass that he is, I wouldn't be surprised at all if Posada has the AJ/Molina thing in his head.
It's got to be Hughes. This is his role now. Joba is lucky to be on the roster and needs to earn it in a low risk spot or two before raising the bar to high leverage situations.
Meh. Let him finish the inning. But.....
LET"S GO PHIL!!
[460] Yeah, I figured it would be a WP, but really to me Jorge lost that ball. I assumed he called for a 55 foot curve and just lost where it went. And I'm one of those who wants AJ to deal with pitching to Jorge. Just not a good night for him behind the plate.
Anyone nervous here?
[467] Um. You're behind the rest of us, Shaun.
[466] [467] Or just go right to Hughes now?
AWESOME.
See that, Gardenhire? That's how you manage a bullpen!
[471] I am totally charged!
Orlando Cabrera is the LAST guy I want to see right now, but the #1 guy I want Hughes to strike out.
But who will pitch teh eighth?!?!?one!
Oh, right, also Hughes.
Make Cabrera look stupid please. He's tops on my Twins Douche-List.
WOW, got away with one on the 1-1 pitch...fastball or does he come with the hammer?
[472] Everytime I hit submit, my computer slows down to sub-Molina speed. Don't know why . . .
Fastball...fouled off.
Another fastball, foul.. DUDE, Drop the hammer on him.
Can't the crowd make some more noise???
Fastball up and away, now 2-2.
I hate Orlando Cabrera
A nother fastball, another foul.
DROP.
THE.
CURVE....!
[470] I guess...it just seems like some are piling on Jorge. That was a tough pitch and he blocked it well. Plus the Twins runners broke almost immediately. I'm not "finding the wild pitch" is a skill that any of the Yankees catchers have or should be expected to have. It just looked like a freak play.
The two PB? That's another story, though the real question is who was at fault for the cross-ups.
Great battle. Don't give in, Phil!
Only if Coke is facing Mauer with men on will I be nervous. Throw summpin nasty, Phil!
Fuck.
ANOTHER fastball. No way he throws the curve now.
SHIT
Another fastball away, another foul.
I REALLY don't want to see Phil Coke pitch to Mauer with the bases loaded...
[485] I think maybe it's too late for that now. It might just speed up his bat.
YES!
OH, HELL YEAH!!!!
Huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuughes!
I love Phil Hughes!
Sit Your Asshole Ass Down Orlando!
Curveball??? He don't need no steeenking Curveball!!!
B.A.L.L.Sj.
Like I said, Stick with the heater SON
That was such good location, down in the zone.
Wow.
[501] :)
Can I open my eyes yet?
Country hardball on the black. A 'ting o beauty....
Yes, Philthy!
[486] Good point. Though to me if someone's having a rough game I tend to blame them for all the screwups.
Ok, so now Phil gets the 8th right? I hope Girardi isn't going to bring in Coke and either mix and match or put Joba in now!
Of course, If Joba came in and blew everyone away I'll be the first to jump on the bandwagon and exclaim that all Yankee games end in the 6th inning with Phil/Joba/Mo or Joba/Phil/Mo
Jesus. That was exhilarating. I'm still juiced up.
Time for drinks! What is everyone having?
10 pitches for Phil, I guess he can do the 8th, but I'd have Joba & Coke ready.
[508] Dark and Stormy!
[508] Vodka & cranberry, I'm getting over a little cold or some such thing so I need the vitamin C.
Would it be too racy of me to say I'd like to make love to Phil Hughes?
I want Hughes in the 8th.
I do string theory for a living and Chip Caray just managed to confuse me with his definition of OBP.
Orlando tried to pull the ol' Ken Caminiti break-the-bat-over-the-knee routine but it didn't break.
Ouch.
[506] Ah, but your perception that he has had a rough game is informed by the assumption that he is to blame for the PBs. You're probably right...but it could be that CC fucked up the signs or location.
[508] Magic Hat #9.
[508] Beer. Too early for the really good stuff.
[501] Alex, you're fired up tonight! Its nice to have you here in the comments. ;)
Hughes for the 8th, for sure.
Way to go, Derek.
[517] Much respect. That's in my top 5, for sure.
[512] No. But any mention of mustache rides and you're crossing the line. : )
[520] Yummy yummy, no?
Good lord, he's on base again.
[514] Awesome.
[512] Nah. Playoffs, baby, playoffs!
Might not want your wife to read that one though. ;)
[514] I've managed to somehow not listen to a word he says, because he's even worse than I remember.
[521] Heh heh eheh heh!
Labatt Blue Liight. Nothing but the best. : D
[524] :)
[523] Yeah, how about saying, its the number of times you don't make an out divided by the total number of times you come to bat?
Jeter is pretty good, huh?
Okay, here's the tray, I hope I got everything right. (Dark n stormy is rum with ginger ale?)
Bourbon and soda for me.
I like Magic Hat #9 too, by the way.
Ahhh, you guys suck!
[508] Sharp's...I don't drink but I like beer...go figure.
[529] Pretty good at the baseball.
I divine a big inning.
This is shaping up nicely. Just in time for Mr. Stat Padder. : )
[523] I had the same thought. Jeter is crazy good tonight.
Oh, one Sharp's for Evil Empire.
Bottom's up!
Come on Tex, get your first TrueYankee™ playoff moment...
[522] Oh yes. Just went to the Durham World Beerfest on Saturday. My top 5:
1. Highland's Gaelic Ale
2. Duckrabbit's Milk Stout
3. Dogfishead's 60-minute IPA
4. North Coast's Brother Thelonius
5. Magic Hat's #9
And yes, North Carolina beer is awesome.
[516] Yes, but those are passed balls, which get charged to the catcher, just as the last is a WP charged to the pitcher.
Don't defense statistics suck?
Blast! I had to leave the room. What did Jeter do?
Swung at ball 4. D'oh!
[539] OMG! I N V U.
[541] Walked.
[530] Dark rum, like Goselin. And Ginger beer, which is different than ginger ale. I learned to love them when I was in Bermuda, where it is the offical drink.
Aw, fuck it!
Ouch.
[540] They are damnable!
[541] Base on balls.
I knew Teix should have bunted. : )
6'11"?
[537] They were out of St. Pauli's girl NA and Buckler....I hope NA beer is profitable for the beer companies, otherwise I'll eventually be fucked or have to start drinking again.
[544] Mmmm.
Have you tried any Atlantic Brewing Co. or Bar Harbor Brewery beers? My #1 is Cadillac Mountain Stout.
[549] :)
[552] Neither were at the beerfest, I'll have to check them out. Although I would find it impossible to say Bar Harbor without a Boston accent.
HOT DAMN, ALEX!!!1
FUCK YEAHHH!!!
Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Stat Padder HA!
Fuck Yeah, Alex
Is our long national nightmare over? FUCK YEAH!!!!
Man, you see that thing just hang there, as if on a tee?
Man, what an awful pitch.
NICE
Authority!
A-Rod driving in lots of runs against the Twins in the postseason?
That's so... 2004.
/Sorry
And he drives in his buddy again!
That's a True Yankee leading off first base Ladies and Gents.
[563] It's ok, I was thinking the same thing! :)
[563] You are hereby banned, exiled. What wrong with you? :)
Who is pitching the 8th? Hughes still?
This "Mariano" guy should be required to legally change his name.
So, mehmattski, the Edwards trade... your thoughts?
That's right, FEAR Godzilla, puny human!
Hit it out, Jorgie!
No mercy!
[569] Ha! It's true. Downright fraudulent.
Though in his defense he could very reasonably plead that there was zero chance of anyone getting confused.
Time to earn that .25 of a run or whatever the hell it is Jorge.
They should let the riff-raf in to see the game; these folks are all embalmed.
[573] Heh heh eheh heh. Indeed.
[570] I'm for it; get the top corner off of our best possession receiver, prevent the 8-men-in-the box attitude of opposing DCs, occasional home run play that doesn't involve Leon Washington. If Randy Moss can work in NE, Edwards can work in NY. Although Belicheck is much better at trading for WRs though, giving up only draft picks. I think it works out well.
[568] Better be.
[512] On Phils behalf, I'd like to ask if you are male or female.
And the 8th winner is......................Hughes. NICE.
[577] What mysterious language is this which you speak?
[574] Hasn't he already earned that and then some? CC's game ERA was 1.35. Po must have called a great game...he should be CC's personal catcher.
[580] Joe Girardi's best game, evah.
Wait, these guys are bringing up the Joba-starter-v.-reliever debate? That's so 2008. Everyone knows that Joba has to start because there is no spot for him in the BP, what with Phil Hughes solving the Eighth Inning Guy riddle.
Yammeryammeryammeryammer Joba yammeryammeryammeryammer Bullpen yammeryammer Rules yammeryammer starter...
I see that Joba is going with the John Wetteland look?
OT: Guys I'm in a suicide football league where I have to pick one winner a week. If I pick a winner I can't pick them again. So far I've used, the Ravens, Skins, Cowboys and Niners. Every other NFL team is open to me.
This week I was going to cash in and pick the Giants but I really hate to lose them for later in the year (though I had mapped out the season and would have been picking them in week 16). Anyway, the other game I'm looking at picking the Bills over the Browns (mainly because (1) I want to pick the worst home team that I have confidence in winning possible; and (2) while there are better games I'm saving the other teams for later in the year).
Is the Edwards trade Cleveland's way of telling the team to quit or are Cleveland's QB's due for a good game? Maybe I should just stick with the G-men.
[579] heh heh. The former.
Fucking Mauer.
Is it just me or is Ron Darling making sense here.
i'll say it again. Cano needs to spend the winter with Mr. Mauer.
[590] Blind squirrel. Nut. Borken clock. Correct time. Etc.
Come on, Phil, bear down.
[592] Broken clock.
Fuck.
Come on. Attack this motherfucker.
Phil throwing a ton of pitches here.
Phil actually not looking very sharp tonight; doesn't seem to have the breaking ball....
587 who is playing St Louis?
That's it, Phil!!
Fucik yeah!
[587] Giants have kind of a rough schedule the rest of the way, except for week 16 at home against the Panthers. Not gonna find a better match up than the Raiders.
Nice K, Phil.
597 Phil looks good to me. Mauer just a hell of a hitter.
[597] Ooooh, and the slider gets Cuddyer and lands right in MickL's mouth!
;)
Chess match!
I guess this means Rivera is pitching the ninth no matter what?
[597] I think the ONLY curveball he threw since he came in was whacked into center by Mauer. I think he was sticking with straight heat.
[587] "or are Cleveland’s QB’s due for a good game?"
I'm in Ohio these days, so all I can say is hahahahahahahahahahaha that's a real funny joke. Except to Browns fans. If you think Joba's been misused, then what's happening to the Brown's QBs is a crime. Starting with ownership.
[605] Why? What means that? What happened?
Am I wrong, or is the crowd quieter than one might expect?
Time to bring in Mo and count the borken bats?
Wait, we're going to Joba here?
Ok, is this wise?
I don't know about this.
I hope Mo's up; if Joba allows two baserunners, pull him.
Fuck, I'm nervous.
[606] No, he has the slider working. Not many, but good ones.
Not that there is really low-leverage in the playoffs, but this might be a good time for Joba, to ease the transition back to Setup Guy.
Oh, it's Coke.
Is that wise?
Does everyone like this move to Coke?
[609] It's pathetically quiet.
[510] Nope, not Joba...
[609] No, it's absolutely pathetic.
[577] I had to gulp a little in giving up Chansi, but what can you say? It's hard to argue against it.
[592] My borken clock says it's time to make quesadillas. I'll be back...
[609] You mean the crowd that is about 7,000 fans smaller than what we are used to in previous years?
I'd like to see Joba, Alex, but it's a five run lead so either way is cool.
Wow, Teix is so good
Fucking Teix!!
God, that was close.
Hey Lookie what I found here. Break for Coke and the Yanks.
Joba!
Oh, athletic firstbaseman.
This game may finally have borken the Twins' underdog spirit.
Now it's Joba.
All right, then.
Here Comes the CHUBBSTER
And here's Joba. Man if he does pitch well, then the Joba, Hughes, Mo bridge, with Marte, Aceves and Coke backing them up is pretty damn formidable
Cokey does his job, and the chess match continues.
This is fun. Bullpen experimentation with a five run lead, not the same as bullpen roulette.
Joba for the 9th to save Mo for tomorrow?
Mat...Ti...Gi.....Teix!!!. Joba. Hey, if not now, when?
[587] Minnesota...BUT there's two reasons I don't want to pick the Vikings:
1. They're a road favorite. I am trying to stick with home favorites
2. They're coming off a win on monday night and I can't stand monday night winners on short rest, particularly where there are emotional elements to the win over the Pack
3. I am saving the Vikes for a better matchup.
[600] Very true about the Giants. I was saving them for week #16 at home against the Panthers, but that may be a "rest the starters game"
This week the Giants play at home against Oakland. IF I take that game and they lose I can't bitch at myself for the pick (I can certainly bitch about picking the Bills).
[631] I wouldn't be surprised if Joba is just in for 1 out then 3 more pitchers will be used for the 9th.
[625[ The pitching changes and the related molasses-like pace of the game are breaking my spirit.
Joe is trying to get every rookie postseason work in a lowish pressure spot--this is either very smart or very dumb (if, say, Joba walks three straight guys and we have to use Mo to face the tying run......)
[629] Thing is, Gardenhire's chess set came with several extra pawns and too few of those horses and pointed-headed guys.
[627] Ha!!
I love that Girardi is breaking in the bullpen into the playoffs in a rather low leverage situation. Will help them get over any awe or uneasyness.
Joba for the 9th? or Mo with a 5 run lead?
[631] If Mo pitches tomorrow I will be very, very surprised.
I think we're going to have to come up with a new, postseason drink. Joba&Coke. Just don't serve in a borken glass.
Two pitches, one out. Sweet.
According to UZR, Tex will catch any ball he can fall on.
I'm choosing to look at this as Girardi saying to Joba, "Hey kid, we think you're awesome. Screw all that rules shit now, go kick some ass."
Or get a ground ball, that'll work too.
[631] Tomorrow? Not unless he has been traded. The Yanks don't play tomorrow. Ain't the division series scheduling grand?!
639, Good call. That makes sense. Do you keep Joba in to get the outs or is this automatic Mo time?
[628] Don't forget David Robertson....STRONG PEN is why we'll win!
[631] There is no tomorrow! Friday!
[637] And I'm pretty sure its missing a queen too.
One hell of a king in Nathan though.
[642] Oh, excellent.
I'll have an Eighth, please, with maybe a Mo chaser...
I'd be pretty surpised if Mo pitches tomorrow, too. Unless this games goes past midnight which would definitely mean bad news for the Toros. : D
G-Men are a 15.5 favorite and the Bills are a 6 point favorite...I'll stick with the Giants because there won't be many other chances where I want to use them.
[647] Either way, you can't go wrong. You could let Joba pitch with the net.
633 You're right about not wanting to waste Minny, but you could play Rams opponent every week, I don't think they win a game this year.
[651] Gives other teams a borken heart.
C'mon, Robbie. Get something on track for Friday night.
Let's Go Robbie.
Come on, Robbie, what was that shit?
Maybe not....
Yankees needed this game on so many different levels.
Why are these guys talking about Manny and the Dodgers? Hello, you aren't calling that game . . .
Sorry, dudes, I beat all the "we don't play Friday" razz with [641]. I rule the ironic roost with an iron fist.
[656] OK, OK...I'm happy to have provided y'all with more laughs. But this joke is turning into a borken record.
[648] Good point, I knew I was leaving someone off. Thanks!
End of the bat...
Not only is it playable, it's like ten feet shy of the warning track.
[654] I say that's what Joe does. Joba gets at least one more batter, if not the rest.
Though there's something to be said for letting Robertson get some work in too, particularly against the crappy bottom of the Twins' lineup.
HELL MUTHAFUKIN' YEAH!!!
We won't see Mo unless 2 runners get on. Joe will start with Joba and then break in Robertson.
Melky and Cano look like they're trying to impress their girlfriends. So far they are unimpressed.
[671] So, they're trying to impress each other?
These TBS teams are rough. Dick Stockton is a fine enough play by play guy, generic, but a great TV veteran. But Bob Brenly? Yowza.
ENTER SANDMAN!
Thelarmis!
We missed you, and you missed a whole lot of funky fun.
I'm betting Girardi goes by the numbers and throws Mo in the ninth, especially with the off day tomorrow.
[656] Really Dude...It's now a mute point.
I think we already mentioned this but this Papa John dude looks like the creepiest dude in history.
[672] : ) In any case, bad swings by both the hopping buddies.
[673] I kept reading, forget where, that Brenly is good in the (Cubs?) booth. Not sure how, I remember him being terrible on FOX once upon a time.
[669] Dude! Glad you're here! Now we just need ms october to show up.
[674] I'll be. So it is.
thealarmis! Welcome!
[675] thanks! i sure missed being here.
can't wait to find out what happened! why does it say CC gave up 1 ER, but they have 2 and we have NO errors? our relievers didn't give up any runs. color me confused!
[683] Ah. Passed ball. Though it was a good mystery!
Oh, hey, it's Mo!
[682] thanks for having me! : )
i'm jealous you got the #666 comment. i didn't even get the "neighbor" of the beast!
do we really need to waste Mo here?! i guess he hasn't pitched and tomorrow's a day off. prolly be better to let Joba get the work though...
My gosh, I am surprised.
[683] Passed balls/wild pitches. I'm still not sure what they were.
[683] Passed Ball by Posada, Mauer scored from 3rd. Ugly play, where Posada lollygagged to the ball and CC lollygagged to home plate to try and make the play. And you know what that makes them.
[676] And Mo it is.
Sigh.
Mo. Brendan Harris.
Fastball outside, fouled off.
Cutter, sliced to right, and foul. Harris didn't move and it came close to landing fair. Not too close but still...
Cutter, inside, swung over, missed.
One out.
Haaahhh!!!
Mariano Rivera, ladies and gentlemen.
[680] [682] Shaun - you created a monster! Alex Belth with the extra "a" - the'a'larmis. aaaahhhh!!!! : ~
These 'This is Beyond Baseball' commercials are beginning to make me sick. It's time for SNL to go to town on these.
"Poor little Petey Schmuckly was born deaf, dumb and blind, but he still dreamed of playing baseball....."
Robertson got awfully Panamanian since we last saw him...
Weeping, while you're having sex with Hughes, I'll be making out with Mo.
[691] i love when you do that!
[696] and i'll be doing unspeakable things to Kimberly Jones!!! : D
[688] Interestingly, Mauer lollygagged at third before eventually breaking home. An ugly play all the way around.
[695] It's working well for him, though. Never seen him this good.
I hate seeing those fatcat fucks just kicking back like that.
It's all so wasted on them.
[688] Lollygaggers?
[696] Mabye I'll have Posada drop my balls.
[696] And there goes dessert for the next month...
thanks guys for the 411 on the passed ball. sigh. no harm, no foul. let's WIN !!!
[696] Heh heh ehh eh he!!!
[695] Awesome!
[696] I'm pretty sure weeping said he wanted to make sweet love to Hughes. ;)
[693] What can I say, I'm influential! I did refer to you as "nostrlarmis" (notice no extra a) earlier tonigh.
[662] Don't make those of us listening to Chip jealous.
ha hah ah ah hh ah ah ah ah !!!!!
AAAAAAAAAHHH!!
wow. that was GORGEOUS!!!
Matt Tolbert.
Cutter upstairs for a ball.
Cutter low and inside, ball two.
Fastball, right over the plate, strike one.
Posada out for a quick chat.
Yuppies behind Yankee dugout looking bored.
Cutter fouled at the plater, 2-2.
Cutter inside again, fouled off weakly, 2-2.
Maybe the back door cutter now?...
Nope, another cutter, this one too far inside, ball three.
Full count.
Back door. Looking.
Two outs.
I think Tolbert walked away before the ball was caught.
Siiiigh.
Postseason Mo. Postseason Jeter. Man.
[701] Which ones? The ones sitting behind the great empty seats, or in front of the great empty seats?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/Playoffs_pitching.shtml
Look at all that Mo.
And Mariano Rivera is now only 2 strikeouts away from being in the top 10 all time strikeouts in the postseason. As a reliever.
[707] ah, cool! i have a TON of catching up to do later between here and LoHud. gotta go eat first though...
Dear God,
Please let Mo pitch until he's 50. I want my kids to watch him live and be able to remember it so they can tell their grandkids about it someday.
Two balls - he's just toying with 'em.
They're not even swinging the baseball bat!!!
713 Counting your blessings.
I'm cackling like a fucking pyschopath, screaming like a Roman in the Colosseum for blood!
[717] Amen.
[715] That is absolutely unreal. (Though admittedly strikeouts were far less common in the old, old days.)
TRADE HIM!
What?
Is that even allowed?
Nick Fuggin Punto.
Cutter, low and inside for a ball.
Fastball, low, ball two. Many empty seats behind home plate.
Fastball right down the pipe, called strike one.
Beautiful back door cutter, down the pipe, strike two.
Fastball ways...."juuust missed."
Fastball, outside again, emergency hack, fouled off.
Full count.
Nick Punto, c'mon.
Fastball too low. Ball four.
Nick Punto.
Nick Punto. Unbelievable!
I don't like Nick Punto
Nick Punto...you can only hope to contain him...
GODDAMNFUCKINGPUNTOONBASE3TIMES. UGH.
Well, you know this game also featured:
- Derek Jeter pulled home run.
- THREE Playoff RBIs by A-Rod
So it might as well also feature a walk by Mo.
Mariano Rivera, Nick Punto, Sterling's Law.
First career postseason start? Oh yeah . . . I always forget that Burnett was hurt and missed the 2003 postseason.
Nice short swing. Hats off.
Denard Span.
Cutter inside, ball one.
Single to center.
First and third.
Mo just wants to strike out Orlando, that's all.
C'mon Mo
[730] No, two RBI for Alex.
From Sam Borden: "Nothing better than Metallica and Mo on a cool October night. "
A-yup.
Why does this ump want the game to keep going on? No hot date tonight?
[730] And by THREE I mean TWO. Counting is not necessary for biology graduate students.
[731] QED.
Again I say, Mo is just toying with 'em.
Though now I do recall PeteAbe's many posts about Mo's numbers in non-save situations, and they being less good than his numbers in save situations . . .
No mas, por favor.
Thanks be to Mo.
All rise. 1 down. 10 to go.
He was just toying with them
Orlando Cabrera.
Cutter outside, ball one. Span goes, takes second. Second and third.
Fastball, low, ball two.
Posada comes out.
Cutter outside, fouled off.
2-1.
Hard hit ground ball to Cano.
Game.
Wonderful.
Mariano Rivera, ladies and gentlemen!
Yaaayyyyy!!!!
One down, ten to go!!!!!!!
Bravo, Team!!!!!
Checkmate!
Praise be to Mo.
10 to go.
So - what are we going to do tomorrow? =)
i thought ball 3 before the walk was a strike. but i was on the phone.
picked up a jazz gig for friday night, but it's late enough for me to catch the 6pm game (11 'o clock gig)
1 down, 10 to go !!!
Mo knew how we would feel about OC making the last out : )
Hahaha the cameraman has Braylon Edwards syndrome.
What? YES doesn't even get a postgame?
Ah, ok, it's there. Good.
[748] Tomorrow: watch the Red Sox and Angels battle it out for the right to be embarrassed in the ALCS?
[754] Well yes, but until then? And then on Friday?
ooh, is Kate Hudson CUTE!!!! rrrrrrrrrrrr
Do I root for Joe Torre? On the other hand, I like the Cardinals.
[754] Hey, take it back, RI, the baseball gods don't much like the hubris.
[757] Of course root for Joe! It'd be great to meet him in the Serious, baseball gods willing.
[758] Confidence, arrogance, fine line.
These might turn out to be the best quesadillas ever. So, what'd I miss?
Yes, root for the Dodgers. The Cardinals are scarier, anyway, so we prefer the Dodgers to win.
[761] You missed like eleven relief pitchers. But no scoring.
[759] I neither rot for nor against Torre, but i am hoping for a "traditional" WS: Yankees v. Dodgers or Cardinals or Phillies.
[764] Root, not rot. But I don't rot for Torre, either.
yes, root for Joe and Mattingly. even Bowa. plus, Cards are better and i'd rather not face them...
that said, i don't think LA has much of a chance in this series...
Let's see what AJ's got....
[763] I thought Joe was gonna put the book down for the playoffs. Oh well...
I wish we had Chris Carpenter. Not for the pitching.
For the puns.
Ok the pitching would be nice too.
Man it's nice to win an opening game in a series...now we get 4 games to win 2...gotta win game 2 though...
Kemp just hit a 2 run bomb. Wowzers.
Dodger stadium sounds louder than Yankee stadium.
Wow, Matt Kemp just JUICED one.
MUCH LOUDER.
[772] That extra 6,000-8,000 fans make a difference?
i just cut 6 inches off my hair, but i still got Manny beat! : )
Missed the last 5 innings, all the trains stopped here due to high winds..finally made it to see the game is done! So CC was the man? A-Rod and Matsui were clutchity-clutch?? 700 + comments to go through, oh well it's worth it!
10 wins to go...
damn, i missed Kemp's shot, i was watching BBTN and Yankee highlights...
[776] I have never tasted hair. Realy!
[775] Plus it's the first inning, so half the crowd is still stuck in traffic.
Stockton: "Which Manny Ramirez are we going to see: the one who takes charge, like last year, or the one who struggled for much of this year?"
Is "take charge" a new euphemism for "sticking a needle in your buttocks'?
[777] yeah, i need to read Cliff's preview, all the comments and the game posts from LoHud. gotta go eat first. plus, i taped the game, but i think i'll watch it tomorrow...
[777] Very lucky comment!
Yes, I remarked that you would be sorry to miss the 松井 homer. It was monstrous.
[780] I don't know about that, but looking behind home plate there are far, far fewer empty seats at Dodger Stadium than at NYS.
[779] it goes great with broccoli !!! (not that i'd know...)
The Dodgers really building a rally here against Carpenter.
Sorry, I can't help it.
[783] dare you say, Godziller like?! can't wait to see it!!!
[783] Am sure I will see 松井san's tater tonight on the news about 16,000 times so it's ok. But A-Rod came through too after the early K? Great news!
Carpenter loses this game and the Dodgers will win the series I think..
[788] and Kate Hudson looked adorable in the stands!!! ; )
[764] I agree, I like a WS with historical trappings, i.e., one that involves the Yanks and anyone but the Rockies...the Yanks have played the other 3 before.
[788] It was deeply cathartic. Man.
And, Jeter was, well, he was Jeterian. He's just unbelievable.
[786] They're just hammering him. Drilling homers, driving pitches, nailing liners...
[789] Blonds, Sclmondes.. but maybe Yamada Yu counts as a blonde here?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5348vdxVNI
[789] Kate Hudson is pretty hot....and next to his ex-girlfriend, the Crypt Keeper, she's an 11
...Then again, the Dodgers haven't won a Serious in many years, and Yankee Stadium was rocking back in 96.
[794] the blonde we saw at Turner Field still wins. she was unbelievable!!!
and with that, i gotsta hit the pizza joint. i'm marvin' (starvin' that is. though i do have an uncle marv up in binghamton!)
What about Jay Z and his nerd get up?
[793] she's pretty frickin' HOT, dude!!!
i really hate watching pitchers hit. though i always dug Moose batting lefty! then again, i just dig the Moose! i miss Mike Mussina...
furcal roped that triple!
somewhere, standuptriple is smiling.
[798] Mrs. OK Jazz likes her so I can watch the you tube clips and not get in trouble..ladies funny that way..
I think the Yankees would crush the Dodgers in the WS btw..their pitching staff ain't...all that...
[799] Been saying that all year
[803] Do I have psychological problems because I am so thrilled we beat the "team full of ballplayers" in Game 1?? I mean really..I am THRILLED..it's not healthy..
[799] [803] Agreed. He should have been at the Jeter-Rivera thing.
I would rather face the Cardinals than the Dodgers - not only will that mean we miss the whole "Joe Torre vs the Yanks" angle that ESPN will ram so far down our throats, it will come out the other end - because I think the Cards are the crappier team. Yes, Carpenter and Wainright are very good, but I am less scared of their bullpen, less scared of their lineup - and we all know that National League pitchers have a much harder time vs the AL.
Brendan Ryan's mustache is uglier than Phil Hughes' attempt
IB to Pujols in the 4th inning? Not sure about that..
hi team - feels good to come home to a 1-0 lead
sounds look a good game, i take it cc settled down a pitched a nice game and jeter, matsui, arod were the big offensive forces/score trucck drivers
anyone elses tbs messing up or is that just time warner's bullshit?
How can this game possibly be in the fourth?
[809] 3 playoff games in one day, a blessing!
[808] If you are watching Dodgers-Cards, one of the announcers said something about technical difficulties with cameras or something
[810] It still started two hours ago.
[812] I don't know the answer, but I will admit to having a certain animus toward Jeff Weaver. Amazingly he was able to get out of that 4th inning jam without incinerating the game.
[811] thanks - tbs (and only seemingly tbs) for me keeps freezing, kind of annoying
just got finished watching the game on the dvr. woo hoo to 1-0!!! I am always nervous to see whether we show up ready but we looked good tonight. So i feels it.
Just got back from the game...contrary to how it seems to have come across on TV, I thought the crowd was pretty loud tonight. It wasn't 1995 ALDS loud, but certainly close to some of the more recent post season series.
wow. a HBP forces in a run. 5-2 Torre. Thome prolly coming up, Trever Miller coming in...
prolly not thome. woulda been cool to see him w/ the bases clogged...
it is indeed the paul bunyan guy!
wow. good AB. thome down swingin'...
Whoa, there's a ton of posts on this thread.
「821」and more to come! only 2:05 pm here, and I just finished reading all the game thread..easily get to 1000+ on Friday night/Sat morning..
thelarmis, going to a free jazz cafe this evening on the way home, lots of loud jazz, no customers talking!
Girardi: “I thought it was a great chance to get Coke in and get a chance to get Chamberlain in,” Girardi said. “But Phil Hughes is our eighth-inning guy.”
HAHA!!!
i just read thru the LoHud posts. really good stuff. those 3 guys are doing a terrific terrific job keeping that blog going. i'll be psyched to follow here, there and on the tube friday night!
now onto catching up on the banter...
[822] nice! i'll be playing loud jazz friday night after the game. btw, "loud jazz" is a GREAT john scofield record, though it's really a funk album, not jazz.
anyway, my turn to catch up on the banter. between cliff's preview and sifting thru the comments, i gather i won't be 'round much for awhile, as far as posts go...
[824] Yeah man, took me my whole lunch hour to read them all. Can't wait for Game 2 now, though tomorrow AM will be on here for Sawx-Angels.
Congrats on the friday gig!
wow, what a play by Pujols. good glove, man! and GREAT throw from his bottom!
ooh, Ankiel needed to swing at that pitch. broxton is freaking HUGE!
LA 1-0 over St.L
八二八 nice symmetry to being post 828..let's hope tomorrow that the Angels and Bosox play the first of 5 extra-innings games.