Cliff Lee threw 2 full games (and wins!) in a row! A shining star in an otherwise gloomy season.
Don’t worry, RickJay - we only win 1 out of 5 anymore. You’ll get the next 2.
Nice back to back wins by the Rangers over the Red Sox. This is the second series this year the Rangers have won over the Red Sox. While the Rangers lost to the Twins last weekend, they did rally to win their Sunday game and didn’t suffer a hangover on Monday.
The Rangers don’t have a closer and Francisco is on his 3rd DL trip this year. They need some pitching. Street won’t be available as the Rockies look to be in it for a while. Qualls from the D-backs?
The D-backs made an effort last night and made the game interesting. Tonight they won as well. After the trade deadline, this could get ugly as I expect Davis and Qualls to be gone as well as a position player or two.
Everything is right in the world again. Balance is restored. (At least for today.)
When do you play the Red Sox again? How’s that season record against the Red Sox coming along?
Unfortunately I’ll miss the next Yankees series with the Rays since I’ll be out of the country. It is shaping into an interesting race with the two Goliaths battling for the top spot and the Rays trying to sneak up from behind.
It’s also been fun watching Jenks almost meltdown on Monday and then meltdown on Tuesday. That’s what you get when you go with funky facial hair.
Admittedly, there’s a concern there… but luckily, the standings are still based on overall record.
Ah, Reds, how you’ve broken my heart again. Another year mired in mediocrity.
Fuck.
My Braves are red hot right now. They’re even getting some recognition on ESPN!
Boston have picked up Adam LaRoche from Pittsburgh. Link
It was mildly out of necessity, but I think this lineup the Brewers have going right now is their best ever.
Corey Hart
Mike Cameron
Ryan Braun
Prince
Casey McGehee (ROY I’m telling you)
Pitchers spot
J. Kendall
Counsell (our regular lead-off hitter)
At the top of the order you have 4-5 legitimate HR hitters, with Cameron not being far behind. Then pitcher, then two very good on base guys in Kendall and Counsell. You can’t sleep on them at all.
Game isn’t over yet, but with this lineup the Crew scored 5 in one inning.
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Jason Kendall used to have a good batting eye, and got on base with great regularity. That was 4-5 years ago.
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When you have your pitcher batting 7th, your lineup is not one to be feared. The top of that order is excellent - I don’t disagree with that. But the defensive upgrade at the bottom of the order severely handicaps the offense.
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Kendall is batting .243 but his OBP of .328, so he gets on base still.
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The pitchers spot being in the middle was only because of the pitching substitution, so it’s not normally like that.
However I still want to say that I enjoy having a normal leadoff hitter hitting so low in the order, and it is probably just the way the cookie crumbled, but I would rather have Counsell down there near the bottom with Kendall than at the top.
.328 is a terrible OBP.
Actually, in this year’s National League, it is almost exactly average. I looked it up because my first inclination was to agree with you, but then i thought i’d check, just to make sure.
According to Baseball Reference, the league average OBP in the NL this year is .330, and there are nine teams whose team OBP is .328 or lower. Obviously, the pitchers bring that down somewhat, but even in the AL, overall 2009 OBP is .335, with 5 teams at .329 or below.
Is he going to replace Kevin Youkilis?
Seriously, is he just bench depth or do they have other plans for him? Maybe Boston is surreptitiously taking over the Pirates, one player per season.
Just bench depth - he’s here as a rental. But there has to be something else going on - they’re now overloaded at 1B/3B/DH, and don’t have reliable depth at OF.
Plus, we don’t know if Lowrie’s going to be a health problem, or if Boston needs to get Jack Wilson or Freddie Sanchez too.
Well, Mike Lowell is getting older, has hip problems, and has already spent some time on the DL this year. They might just be preparing for a situation where Kevin Youkilis will need to play more third base, and having LaRoche available as a left-hitting 1B is an improvement over Mark Kotsay.
LaRoche could also DH on days when David Ortiz is given a rest.
I think they’re panicking.
Boston also actually got somebody in trade for Lugo. A guy who’s actually produced at the major league level. Amazing.
I wish Duncan well. He seems like a good guy, and he’s played through a lot of pain and a lot of abuse from Cards fans. He’s had a rough couple of years, and right now he’s contributing just about nothing. Maybe going to Boston will be just what he needed. I really hope he does well in there (unless he meets the Cards in the World Series, in which case, screw that guy!).
I don’t know squat about Lugo. At a glance, he doesn’t look terrible, and I think Boston is paying the rest of his salary this year, so plugging him in is worth a try. Maybe this lets the team move Schmaker back to the outfield and deal Ankiel?
Curse you, Manny Ramirez!!!
:mad: