Ah, my Cubbies! Excellent game last night against the Astros, and did y’all catch that catch that Edmonds made? Almost makes me happy we have the rat-sucking Cardinal bastard on our team now!
They also replayed a catch he made in Center as an Angel years ago that I had never seen before. Probably one of the all time greatest catches I’ve ever seen anyone make, laid out diving AWAY from home plate, catching a ball going over his head, then sliding onto the warning track. Amazing. Compared to that catch, last nights over the wrong shoulder basket job while starting up the hill in center field was a piece of cake.
See, now this just goes to my point about Cubbie fans getting all cocky and happy, I swear there’ll be no living with them. One of my Cub fan friends called me last night to tell me this is their year. Of course, they manage to crush his spirtit every year, so the natural order of the universe is eventually restored.
Did you catch the size of the bruise on Edmonds ankle after fouling that ball into himself last night? Jeez, that looks like it smarts a little. But you’re right, it didn’t seem to hamper him scrambling up that stupid berm that the Astro’s have in center field. Edmonds might just be the extra little something that gives us the big push over the playoffs.
But the real story last night for me was Geovany Soto’s inside the park homer. Damned if that kid doesn’t have some wheels on him too, he positively flew around those bases. Geo, I’m sorry that I said it looks like you wear eyeliner. You’re alright in my book.
A no hitter and an inside the parker on the same night? Baseball is a gift to us all.
The surprising thing is that Alberto Callaspo almost never strikes out. I was very much not expecting him to do that to end the game. But Lester was just on fire last night.
From what I’ve always understood (and from what I’m reading on MLB’s site right now), there aren’t supposed to be any blackouts for the gameday audio. You’ve got me baffled. I see where it applies to you for TV, but not for radio.
Just to be clear, I’m talking about subscribing to MLB Gameday Audio, not listening to streaming audio through your local radio station’s website.
Yeah, it sucks. I’ve never bothered with the audio, but i still think it’s ridiculous that a subscription video service like this is blocked in the home market. I mean, how many viewers would it really drag away from the cable stations and the networks that show baseball? It really pisses me off.
On a brighter note, the Orioles just crushed the Yankees 12-2, helped by a 7-run first inning that came on the back of a crucial two-out error by Jeter. Mussina was out after two-thirds of an innings, giving up 5 hits and 2 walks, although only 1 earned run.*
Daniel Cabrera went 7 innings, giving up 5 hits and no walks. Over his last 8 starts, he’s averaged fewer than 2 walks per start, and a total of 3 walks in his last 4 starts. I’m really starting to believe he might have fixed his biggest problem.
The first inning was a perfect example of how poor an indication the Earned Runs statistic sometimes is. While Mussina was only charged with 1 earned run due to Jeter’s error, he gave up a walk, a double, a single, and a triple AFTER the error. I don’t care what the official scoresheet says, some of the runs that scored after the error were down to Mussina.
Just out of curiosity, why would a Blue Jays game not be on TV in Ontario?
I almost posted here on Sunday to say that pounding the Yankees was tinged with a hint of melancholy because of the sinking feeling I had that it could easily be looked back upon as the season’s high point. So then they lost 2 to the Braves. And get dominated by Glavine. Oy.
Not that I would have wanted to see it. They got 16 runners on base, not counting the leadoff home run by Wilkerson, and stranded them all. They loaded the bases in the eighth AND ninth innings, no runs. Even their own radio station is making fun of them; the comment this morning was “Gilligan’s Island didn’t strand as many as the Blue Jays.”
They’re now hitting .220 with runners in scoring position. This is not an insignificant data sample; it’s pushing 500 plate appearances, about the equivalent of a player’s entire season.
Doug Davis is scheduled to return to the D-backs this Friday. Since it seems to be a good week for cancer survivor pitchers, I think he should toss a no hitter!
It’ll take them awhile to get as low as the Blue Jays. The Royals are batting .279 with runners in scoring position.
The Royals have scored 12 runs fewer than the Jays, but in 2 fewer games, so really they’re about 6 runs or so worse… but the Jays have had sixty-one more men on base.
A Jay baserunner is less likely to come around and score than a runner for any other American League team (30.9% of Jay runners score.)
Joba pitched two last night to close out the victory. This is officially in prep for him joining the Yankee rotation within a month.
A-Rod has been red hot since coming back, if he fuels the beginning of the turnaround for the Yankees, the fans are going to finally fall in love with him. (At least until he strikes out in the 9th to end the game again )
Rasner has been not good but great. This so-called AAAA player is finally healthy and contributing like he looked like he would two years ago before all the freak injuries. He won’t stay this good, but he is a legit 4 or 5 pitcher who is not afraid to throw strikes and throws fast, efficient games.
Now I wonder if Karstens can ever stay healthy. He is another guy that I think is a legit 4 or 5 guy.
Well there were of course rumors of David “Boomer” Wells as this years blast from the past, but the White Charger that they used for Rocket, took one look at Boomer and said, “Nope, no way, he’s getting on my back in full shining armor.”
I think the Rocket is finally done, at least I sure hope so.
Hughes will be back eventually and Chase Wright is looking good in AA and is a lefty to boot if I recall correctly. There is also Jason Jones at 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA.
Soon to be 27 year old Steven White is the best guy in AAA currently at 4-2 with a 3.55 ERA. His last outing was poor.
On a rehab start Alan Horne is getting better. He might contibute in a pinch before the year is out and will be either serious trade bait or competing for a 5 spot next year IMHO. He is a real hard throw that racks up over a K/IP.
I agree with the ultimate assessment, but Rasner has been pitching great for the short time he’s been up. 3 wins in 3 starts <2 ERA and a 0.84 WHIP He hasn’t given terribly much length, but he’s also not really been asked to give more, they seem to be deliberately keeping his pitch count down.
I also am having a hard time believing the new Joba Rules were the plan “all along”. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but I never heard a peep, not a hint that Joba would transition to Starter during the season. I note two things, #1 Hank complaining about Joba not being a starter, and suggesting a change needed to be made mid-season (and being called a meddlesome idiot for it) #2, Cashman asked Joba whether he wanted to be a starter this season. Why ask if it was the plan all along?
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