It's raining right now.

Impossible, Ken. It never rains in California.

[2] But man, it pours.

Really? This is Eric Chavez' first game back at the Coliseum since he left the A's? He better get a standing O.

Rain, rain, go away.

Yeah, Chavie was a really nice Oakland A, huh?

Lester and the Pink Sox getting their asses kicked by TB, 7-1, after 3.5 innings. Lester yields 3 HRs so far.

[5] And Swisher too, right?

Wow.... Detroit is 4 games inder .500 in the AL CENTRAL. That is really bad.

[6] 3 HR off Lester, and one of them was Matt Joyce's fourth career salami. That guy is money with the bases loaded.

Aw my gawd, Lestah!

It's been written up in a few Blogs already, but if you haven't already, check out these numbers.
http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/profile.asp?P=mark-montgomery-1

[9] I am going on field trip to Cape Cod Wednesday for a whale watch. I am pretty psyched. Never been up that way before. My colleague already told me if I have my Yankee hat on I'm going to catch shit from the Captain. : )

[11] Catch shit? You will be Whale bait.

Sox on their way back...now down 7-4.

Ugly is just as obnoxious when he's not batting vs. the Yanks. I am shocked! Shocked!

[11] Great time of year for Cape Cod. You are a naturalist, right? A botanist maybe?

Still 7-4 after 8.
I guess we're rooting for the Rays, huh?

"I guess we're rooting for the Rays, huh?"
What.... you on the pipe?

Anybody see AJax's numbers this year?

Two opposite field hits.

I like that.

[15] 5th grade teacher for this past year, anyway. I do like my naturalism, though. Botany, not so much. lol...
[12] I'll let you know next week.

This fucking field is a piece of shit.

[19] Shhh. Ken Arneson might be looking.

[19] You shall be cursed for that comment.

Bench-clearing hoo-hah in Fenway.

Double play!

Good job, Ivan.

Now listen to me, Ivan, you sit your ass on that bench in the interim and you see that tall guy over there? #46? You just sit your ass next to him and learn all he cares to teach you about pitching, you two have a lot in common.

Few things are less dignified than two armies of baseball players scrumming about blathering tough words signifying nothing.

Luke Scott. What a bunch of douches. Morales too (beaned Scott). Now the douche-bag fans are getting involved. And BJ Upton.

Sooooo classy.

No ejections. Surprising.

Papi was trying to play peacemaker.

The Rays beaned My Little Pony earlier.

Anyway, back to the game -- and soon I'll watch the Yankees, really.

[21] Ok, how about if I just say "All that foul territory is an abomination and makes a mockery of baseball?"

You got Coliseumed two innings in a row.

[28] So that's what it's called, huh?

Pony strikes out swinging, Papi lines out, ballgame.

Nova looks good. About as good as usual, I guess.

Hey all. I have my eye on the Rangers/Devils game (Hockey for your purists). It's 2-2 after regulation. On the site that Alex got the images above was this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bQ1ZHS78s

Not sure if it's been on the Banter before. Happy Birthday to Bob.

I kinda have a soft spot for the Coliseum. I won $1000 on a lottery scratch off at a gas station just outside the stadium after a game or concert. Can't remember. The lottery had just started in Cal.

Derek looks terrible up there.

Devils win at the start of overtime. The Rangers are O U T.

Damn, that thing must have had some top spin.

Holy Smokes! It lives!

Even Teix's dingers don't look too good.

That swing didn't look very compelling to me.

Tex getting right in Oaktown? That's an odd homerun line.

Great hockey game.

Damn, you can play two man baseball, half field, self pitch, run to second to be safe; on the foul territory here.

[40] I know! On the other side of each line is a second field!

Go Kings! Playoff hockey should be required viewing. Just sayin'...

Nova could be great. It looks like he has occasional lapses of concentration.

[43] He certainly could be.

Uh, oh. Risp.

I missed Chavez' first AB. Did he get a good ovation from the crowd?

Well that was worthless.

Well that was doubly worthless. God this team is killing me.

Love a good straightaway shot. Robbie!

Nice work, Teix. Excellent base running.

I'm speechless!
How many times are we going to do that????

{50] He broke the cardinal rule, but didn't seem like that was an easy triple? Only the perfect throw got him.

Raul ain't not slouch at the dish.

Break up The Yankees!

Ross was pitching BP to the Yankees this inning. I'll need to turn this game off soon...confidently.

Curtis ran a long way for that one.

Curtis catches everything that been caught.

that can be

[57] Seems that way to me. I don't understand why he gets some defensive criticism.

[59] Defensive metrics? I don't pay attention to those. He looks fine to me.

Nice grab, Swish.

[60] He's better than fine, he's exceptional. He literally catches everything that can be caught. Have you ever seen him in the vicinity of a ball and not catch it? It never goes just over his head or just to his left, etc. like with other outfielders. If he's there, he catches it. He's gifted at tracking balls and of course has the speed to run them down.

[62] You're preaching to the choir. I love Granderson. But I do recall him having some defensive issues his last couple years with Detroit. He's been nothing but exceptional for the Yanks as far as I'm concerned.

[63] And having the two of them out there together?

Nothing drops.

Not awe inspiring stuff from Nova but it'll do.

[64] I miss Gardner. I'd never thought I'd believe it but I do. His first at bat might piss me off but he knows what he's doing in left.

Boooooooooooone!

Alex has the jimmyleg of late.

It's nice that Alex can still steal a bag.

How about Derek?

Bollocks, Teix!

I'm just going to say that I haven't seen any of the games this year (that's what having a West Coast job that *doesn't* let you work from home will do to your Yankees fanship) but that I watched just about every game Granderson has played prior to this year, and ... I guess I'm in between.

There's no way that he's as bad as the advanced metrics say he is, but, he's also not an upper tier CF.

He's a bit like Bernie was: he has the speed to outrun his false steps and bad reads, but I've seen him make a lot of them.

A Granderson/Gritner outfield would absolutely be improved by swapping the two players ...

A 9th inning wind up. Does not compute.

Good win.