Baseball 2011 (6 Viewers)

[jazzeum]

Parnell continues to show he's not capable of handlling the Mets closer role. Blows a 4-2 lead in the ninth and this from a pitcher who tops the radar at 100 mph. In spite of him, they still pull it out in 12. I doubt there were less than 1,000 people watching the game in Sun Life Stadium in Miami.

 

[lancer]

The Nationals pitcher Super Strasburg returned to the majors last night after a year recovering from "TJ" arm surgery. He looked great. Threw 5 innings of 2-hit shutout ball and left with a 3-0 lead after 5. Bullpen promptly blew the lead and the game but at least a big beam of light is back in play for the Nationals.{bravo}} -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

Yankees must have been DESPERATE to get that game in last night. Waited out the rain and then started playing in a downpour anyway at 11pm. What insanity. Conditions were horrible and people could have gotten hurt. Should have waited and played 2 today. Well at least Hughes pitched ok and the Yanks won, but still.... -- Al

It wasn't the Yankees decision. On the last visit of a team to a venue, Major League Baseball, not the home team, controls whether to postpone a game or play through the weather. Since Baltimore did not have a day off on the one day off the Yankees had left, MLB directed the Umpires to play the game. The Yankees, however, being a class organization, are giving tickets to a game next year to anyone who had tickets to last nights game.

 

[lancer]

The NYY's Triple A line-up almost beat the O's but thanks to "Iron hands" Nunez, that didn't happen. I am willing to forgive a certain amount of sloppiness in this game because of the conditions under which the game was played (under water), but I sure hope Jeter can keep playing for about another 10 years, or at least until Nunez figures out how to use a mitt. NYY had Jeter, Grandy, Tex, and Cano on the bench to start the game. That is half their Hr and RBI production for the year and still the Yanks should have won. Oh well, no harm, no foul. -- Al

 

[lancer]

The Brewers are acting like they don't want to clinch as they have suddenly gone 8-7 in the last 15 games. Still have a big lead though and it should be enough. Now, I don't know how much help Nijer Morgan has been for the Brewers but they certainly don't need his attitude problems like he exhibited last night. He was a pain during his time with the Nationals and evidently he hasn't changed. -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

The NYY's Triple A line-up almost beat the O's but thanks to "Iron hands" Nunez, that didn't happen. I am willing to forgive a certain amount of sloppiness in this game because of the conditions under which the game was played (under water), but I sure hope Jeter can keep playing for about another 10 years, or at least until Nunez figures out how to use a mitt. NYY had Jeter, Grandy, Tex, and Cano on the bench to start the game. That is half their Hr and RBI production for the year and still the Yanks should have won. Oh well, no harm, no foul. -- Al

And the best part of it from my perspective is the reason the Yankees did not get Cliff Lee at the trade deadline last year (and thereby win their 28th Championship) is that Cashman refused to give up Nunez. As far as I'm concerned, Nunez is a light hitting utility infielder who makes an inordinate amount of errors. How did Cashman value giving up Nunez over getting a top 3 in the major leagues Ace like Cliff Lee? I know I am hard on Cashman, but it seems like every major decision he makes is a disastrous error.

 

[jazzeum]

I thought Montero was one of the reasons the Lee deal didn't get made last year.

 

[Louis Badolato]

I thought Montero was one of the reasons the Lee deal didn't get made last year.

No, when the Rangers jumped in on the agreed to deal, the Mariners came back and requested the Yankees add Nunez to the deal. Cashman refused, and the rest is history.

 

[Warrior]

It's been loads of fun the last 10 days or so watching the SS BostonRedSox take on water; funny in a pathetic Titanic/Hindenburg/Battle of Stalingrad from the German perspective sort of way.

In the meantime, the Tigers have really caught fire, passing the Rangers for the second best divisional record so if the season were to end today, the SSRedSox get them while the onpacetowin100gameswithastartingrotationofCC/Burnett/Colon/Garcia/Hughes Yankees get the fading Rangers, who may still blow the division to the Angels.

Football season starts tonight.

Thank God.

 

[lancer]

It's been loads of fun the last 10 days or so watching the SS BostonRedSox take on water; funny in a pathetic Titanic/Hindenburg/Battle of Stalingrad from the German perspective sort of way.

In the meantime, the Tigers have really caught fire, passing the Rangers for the second best divisional record so if the season were to end today, the SSRedSox get them while the onpacetowin100gameswithastartingrotationofCC/Burnett/Colon/Garcia/Hughes Yankees get the fading Rangers, who may still blow the division to the Angels.

Football season starts tonight.

Thank God.

Football, indeed. Went to watch the NFL's opening game and BOOM, a thunderstorm knocked the cable out and I missed the ENTIRE game. How's that for karma? Back to baseball. ^&grin -- Al

 

[lancer]

Inside 20 games remaining and some teams are just spinning their wheels. The Yanks and Bosox can't gain any ground on each other and Tampa keeps creeping closer. Detroit has put their division away leaving the only real "up for grabs" playoff spot as the one between the Rangers and Angels. The races in the NL all seem to be over except the wild card where Atlanta has the definite edge with the Cards and the Giants 6.5 & 8.5 games back, respectively. The Brewers have a 7 game lead over the Cards for the NL Central title but are currently headed in the wrong direction, having played sub .500 ball over the last 17 games, allowing the Cards to shave 3-4 games off the lead. Still, even playing .500 ball the rest of the way should give it to the Brewers as .500 forces the Cards to go 16-2 to tie or 17-1 to win. Not very likely for the Cards. Arizona seems to have a lock as all they need to do is win 8 of their last 17 games. This would force the Giants into needing to finish 17-1 to tie or 18-0 to win. Not going to happen for the Giants. It seems then that only the AL has any real suspense with the Rangers and Angels. Even so, the games still have to be played and strange things can happen, but it looks like the teams are set with the exception of the AL West. Still like the Phillies to take it all (but hope for the Yanks). -- Al

 

[lancer]

LOL! The AL East is beginning to look like a disaster seeking a place to occur. The Bombers don't want to clinch and the Bosox don't want to catch them and on the fringes Tampa is closing in. Meanwhile, the Brewers still headed down and have now blown 4 games off their once 10 game lead, in just the last 4 games! Texas better look out as the Angels are closing fast. Things getting interesting. And on a side note, the O's blew another game when their bum closer Gregg once again couldn't close. Don't know how Gregg keeps his job as the O's could run a beer vendor out to the mound and get better results. -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

Thanks to a 2 run, 3 base error by the Angels centerfielder (who also had one hit off his glove earlier in the game that was generously called a double) the Yankees squeeked one out today, ending their 4 game losing streak.

I'll say one thing about the Angels. They scored at least 5 runs in this series in innings where they never got a ball out of the infield. A lead off walk, bunt single or Baltimore chop infield single, followed by a stolen base, sacrifice bunt, and RBI groundout just about every time the Angels got a leadoff runner on.

Meanwhile, the Yankees get a lead off double from Jeter yesterday and couldn't get him to third. How is it possible that Granderson and Teixiera, both batting left handed, could not pull a ball and move Jeter to Third? Why is it the Yankees never take the RBI groundout when the other team has the infield back and a runner on third with less than two outs? When the Yanks have first and third with one out, the next batter inevitably seems to ground into a double play, when all that is needed to score a run is sacrifice fly. The Yanks have to be the worst team at situational hitting I have ever seen. Its very fortunate that Girardi is so good at handling the pitching staff, especially the bullpen, because his managing of the offense flat out stinks.

I would kill to have Scocia as the Yankees manager. He understands how to win, how to manufacture runs, when to run, when to pitch out. He has a team which, other than the 3 top starting pitchers a couple of guys at the end of the bullpen, has absolutely no all star caliber players, and yet he wins the AL West almost every year, and is in the pennant race this year.

 

[lancer]

Well at least the NYY's didn't lose ground to the Rays today. And the Brewers righted themselves and didn't lose ground, either. Now the AL East has 3 teams within 7 games of the lead or the wildcard but with only 17 to play time is running out. Bad time of year for a tailspin as NY and Boston have left the door open for Tampa. Haven't liked the NY starting pitching of late and as Louis mentioned, the NY clutch hitting has been wanting of late. Runners on 1st and 3rd with less than 2 out should all but guarantee a run. Teeth grinding time. -- Al

 

[Peter Reuss]

It wasn't all that long ago that the Brewers and Braves were tied...meaning that the Cards were well behind one for the division and the other for the Wild Card. The Braves have fallen worse than the Brewers, so the Cards are only 4 1/2 back for the wild card.

What's up with so many leading teams falling apart??

By the way, anyone see Casey McGehee's play on Saturday night? He absolutely blew up the Phillies catcher on a play at the plate. Unbelievable! One of the more impressive plays at home I've seen.

 

[Peter Reuss]

For some reason the Cardinals can't get their act together when playing the bad NL Central teams...they have struggled of late against the Cubs, Houston, Reds...last night it was a loss to the Pirates.

Only a complete collapse will keep the Brewers from the Division title...now to worry about the Diamondbacks and home field advantage!

 

[jazzeum]

With the Rays machine churning on, is George starting to sweat? :wink2:

 

[Louis Badolato]

With the Rays machine churning on, is George starting to sweat? :wink2:

The way the schedule plays out, I think that George may find himself routing for the Yankees, as we have two series left with the Rays!{eek3}

 

[jazzeum]

Yes, somebody noted that on WFAN, which will probably make it difficult for the Rays.

Assuming everything stays status quo until the weekend, Rays need to win three out of four at Fenway to make it interesting. They also just called up a prospect named Nat Moore who's supposed to be one of the best prospects in all of the minor leagues. I wonder if 1978 is starting to swirl through every Beantowner's head {eek3}

 

[Warrior]

I wonder if 1978 is starting to swirl through every Beantowner's head {eek3}

Not after 2004 and 2007.

If they hadn't won those two World Series, then yes, people would be lining up at the Tobin Bridge right about now, but recent success has spoiled people.

I have no doubt the Rays will catch the Red Sox because in baseball, it all comes down to pitching and with Dic K out for the year, Buckholz out since June, Beckett now hurt and Lackey sucking all year, their pitching is in shambles...........