Open Thread: Heading home on a high note
By
Frank Thomas once hit .353/.487/.729 in a full big league season. True story. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
Kinda hard to believe those two runs held up today, isn’t it? Well I’m glad they did, the Yankees needed to go back home on a high note. In fact, they’re on their way back to the Bronx right now to start their longest homestand of the season, a ten gamer that will feature visits from the A’s, Blue Jays, and Orioles. Perfect opportunity to get fat before crunch time.
Tonight’s ESPN Sunday Night Game is relevant to the Yanks, with the Rays taking on the Red Sox in Tampa (Shields vs. Lackey). Who do you want to the win? I wish there was a way for both to lose, but since there isn’t, I’m pulling for Tampa. Bury the Sox and secure a playoff spot first, then worry about winning the division. Anyway, I think the Emmy’s are on tonight as well, though I could be wrong. Not my cup of tea, but to each his own. Anyway, use the thread as you see fit.
359 Comments»
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The Mason Williams Watch
Maybe some sort of bizarre phenomenon will occur and they will both lose. That would be cool.
Great win. However, the captain is making my bold prediction (him finishing the season with a .295-.300 ba) look foolish…
Oh i forgot to ever mention this to you guys, but i passed all four parts of the cpa exam back in may, so i have been drinking heavily this summer! So glad that’s over with
Congrats
(Drinking heavily is always a really good idea)
As long as you’re at home.
If you drink heavily and intend to drive, I’d rather you didn’t.
Very true.
haha yeah i kept it safe fo sho!
Frank Thomas is a man.
I think he actually IS 40, as well. /MikeGundy’d
42.
So do people think Manny’s going to the White Sox?
I do.
If he does, I demand they record every Ozzie/Manny encounter ever.
I don’t know about anyone else, but ‘a guy like Nova’s stuff looks pretty good to me, not to mention his poise.
But it’s only two starts, so I’m thankful he locked himself into a 5th starter-type ceiling a year ago in AA so I don’t bother to get my hopes up for anything more.
If Keith Law says it, it has to be true.
Not really making a point here, but just a question out of curiosity: When Chien Ming-Wang was in AA and AAA, what did they project his ceiling to be? Maybe it’s just because I wasn’t following the Yankees’ minor league system back in those day, but I don’t remember hearing anything about him until he actually came up. Then he wins 19 games over two seasons and was looking pretty darn good until that foot injury totally derailed his career. I was just wondering if he was someone people were actually really high on (and I just don’t remember) or if he kinda was thought of as “fluke”-y back then.
Another 0 fer with DP and K for Jeter! He needs an extended rest. Sure wouldn’t pay him going forward after this year.
Frank Thomas once hit .353/.487/.729 in a full big league season. True story.
HOLY.
SHIT.
That is legendary. Too bad it happened in 94.
I think it’s still in-bounds to say this: DoTF will be good tonight.
Whenever people get upset (as it’s their right to) that a good surprise has been ruined for them in regards to DoTF, it always reminds me of when Angela from The Office said, “I hate being titillated.”
Cervelli had a nice day at the plate today, but that should really not overshadow the core problem at hand. Unless of course you think this is a sign to come from Cervelli, but that is hard to believe suddenly this late in the season. Especially since someone in the game thread stated his OPS is below .500 since I believe May.
His defense has regressed so badly behind the plate it is hard to believe how well regarded he was defensively in the minor and how good he looked last year. He is a completely different player back there to the point where at the moment anything he has done in the past is essentially meaningless.
He is incredibly lazy behind the plate, particularly with his footwork. His throwing mechanics are completely different than they were last year. That one CS he had today is the only glimpse of 2009 Cervelli we have seen in a long time in terms of his throwing mechanics. He is far too often showing up the umpire and costing the pitcher on the mound. Finally, he really has become a terrible receiver. He is constantly moving behind the plate, not giving a set target, and doing a terrible job framing the ball calmly for the ump to see. He cost Nova several strikes today and does that basically every time out.
His defense is not major league quality any longer. Whatever the reason for that is, whether he is tired, does not matter at all. What matters is fielding the best team right now. Sadly, fielding the best team means playing Moeller over Cervelli. He is a solid defensive catcher and knows the pitching staff. He may actually even outperform Cervelli offensively with how bad he has been. Certainly will defensively.
I have been very patient with Cervelli, more than many and it looks like I was wrong for that. The final straw was him jumping up and showing up the umpire today. He simply is not learning and showing no improvement this season in even the simplest things like those ridiculous antics. It is too late in the season to expect improvement.
I think the effect of a catcher framing the ball is overstated at times. Also, the pitcher plays a large role in controlling the running game, and while Cervelli would be fine if any opposing runners ever treied to steal center field, some of the SBs he’s allowed aren’t entirely his fault.
Also, how does Moeller know the pitching staff? He’s played in 4 games with the Yankees, and hasn’t seen extensive time in Triple-A either where he could have worked with Nova and Moseley.
I understand Cervelli has been very disappointing and frustrating this year, but there are plenty of faults to highlight without making stuff up.
I also think that people were sucked into the player he was when he first came up, and ignored the fact that there was nothing in his professional history to indicate he’s be a usable major league piece.
Many of the things you said in this post were not even in direct response to what I said.
When did I talk about Cervelli’s CS%? I spoke specifically about his throwing mechanics and lazy footwork which the pitcher has no control over. His movement behind the plate is not just about framing pitches. It is about giving a solid target to the pitcher to focus on, which Cervelli has become very poor at. He is constantly moving. You hear a lot of positives about catchers being “silent” behind the plate. Cervelli is the opposite of that. If you are a pitcher that can be very distracting.
I said Moeller is familiar with the pitching staff. He obviously does not know them inside and out, but familiarity is all you can ask for in a pennant race. Bringing in a brand new catcher can be an issue this late in the season. Moeller has a more than adequate understanding of the pitchers up here and the coaching staff up here. That is not making stuff up. That is what happens from being in the system and up and down here and there the past couple years.
Finally, I don’t care at all who Cervelli was when he came up or what he was projected to be. I said all that matters is how he is playing at this moment. Expectations, projections, whatever don’t matter in a pennant race. It is about performance and it is not there.
I have been reading your posts and it gives the impression you have a significant animosity bordering on hate for Cervelli.
He is a solid back up catcher who is loved by the pitching staff. I can assure you that if they were unhappy with what you call “constant movement at the plate that costs the pitcher some strikes”, they would have made him aware.
Stop looking at everything negative about him and try to be a bit fair.
A very young 23 year old catcher with just his second year in the big leagues deserves a break, particularly from people who just spill venom.
Hate or animosity?
I have defended Cervelli for several months. I have no problem with Cervelli nor does this have anything to do what he will do in the future. I actually have said several times on this board that he will have a fine career as a backup.
None of that stuff matters though. It is all about winning the division now so any other factors are put to the side. Too late in the season to give people “breaks.”
Also, of course they would make him aware of his movement. That doesn’t mean Cervelli would change or have the ability to.
Go Red Sox tonight!!
I don’t understand this thinking at all (unless you’re a Sux fan).
IMO, it’s always better to be in a 2 team race than a 3 team race, so the sooner a non-Yankee team can be eliminated, the better. In this case, that would be Bahstan, so I’m rooting for TB.
No way. Boston is already 5.5 gam,es back, but we’re tied with Tampa Bay. I want to be in first place.
I actually completely agree with Mike’s logic. If the Sox win, they’re still on the fringes. They aren’t an imminent threat, but they aren’t dead either. I’d rather see them fall off, and then worry about the division. The Yankees still have seven games to decide things with the Rays. What happens tonight will not dictate which of those two wins this division. But what happens tonight can dictate whether both teams can start amping up their playoff promotions.
1 game is 1 game for both the Rays and Red Sox.
As said in the game thread, first place on August 29 is meaningless, particularly when it’s a 1 game lead against a team you have to play 7 more times.
The sooner Boston is out, the better. A Boston loss tonight means the Yankees could go .500 the rest of the way, and Boston would have to go 22-9 to tie them. That’s pretty near impossible. Yes, so would be going 21-10, but the less margin for error Boston has, the better.
It would only be a one game difference in standings if the Sox lose.
I consider the Sox dead already, and thus I am focused on Tampa Bay. The Sox are just another playoff wannabe that annoyingly gets in the way of playoff teams.
I acknowledged it would only be a one game difference. You may consider Boston dead, I don’t. Not yet, not fully so. I want them to be dead by the time the Yankees play them again, so I don’t have to worry about them.
Right now, since Tampa is closer to us, and since it’s only one game anyway, I’d rather gain a game on Tampa Bay.
7 out of 32 games left with Tampa, all before they play Boston again.
That’s where you gain games on Tampa.
Why? I’d rather be up by the time we play them.
I want to be in first place.
I said this in the previous thread: The only day 1st place matters is the last day of the season.
The only day being seven games up matters is the last day of the season so?
1 game doesn’t magically change the Red Sox from alive to dead. They’re already dead. One game is one game.
I’m focused on Tampa Bay.
Well, no, if you’re seven games up with six to play, that matters, because the other team is dead.
The sooner, the better.
Plus if they eliminate the Sox early, the last six against them (in the last nine games of the season) are still intense for the Yanks, but slightly less so for the Sox. 2006 is not a good counterexample, as there wasn’t a 3rd team in the race. When the bottom dropped out for the Sox, the race was over, and the Yanks took the last two weeks of the regular season as a siesta. And the last 3 games of the ALDS too, for that matter.
i agree – go rays
I was going to root for the sox but then I saw sosh floating proposals like Navarro + Reddick for Napoli on their waiver claim.
I want TB to go Ivan Drago on them.
a ten gamer that will feature visits from the A’s, Blue Jays, and Orioles. Perfect opportunity to get fat before crunch time.
By all means, a situation coming up for the Yankees to really help themselves. I expect at least seven wins on the homestand. That said, the A’s have some good pitching (and ideal matchups: Moseley/Cahill tomorrow, Burnett/B.A. tomorrow) and the Jays have been a thorn in the side all season. Oh, and another Brandon Morrow sighting. (on a sidenote, can anyone guess the last time C.C. faced Toronto?)
Neither of those teams are having bad seasons either. Neither are contenders, but it’s easy to envision a scenario where they do better than they should this week. Regarding the O’s, I couldn’t care how well things are going with Buck in town. I expect them to sweep a home series against them.
They better fatten up, because it gets tough after this homestand. 15 of last 22 on the road, all against above .500 teams save for three games in Baltimore.
(and ideal matchups: Moseley/Cahill tomorrow, Burnett/B.A. tomorrow)
Burnett/B.A. on Wednesday you friggen douche.
Funny you should mention Morrow. Because there won’t be another sighting.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=5509758
I heard Morrow’s getting shut down after he faces the Yankees, sigh
Huh. I totally misread that. Shit. I thought for sure when I read the article, it said that they haven’t announced who’s taking his place for the start against the Yankees.
My stupid eyes and stupid aging again.
No worries.
I’ve seen that guy make about seven/eight starts this season. Four against the Yankees, and at least three against the Rays. Every time, I’ve been impressed with what he has. The 17K game against the Rays was really an incredible game to watch.
His next start, naturally, is against the Yankees. I guess they’ll at least avoid him in the last week of September.
I do find it funny how it almost always seems like the same pitchers everytime the Yankees and Jays meet. The C.C. question was posed because he quite literally has only started one game against Toronto since the start of 2009…that start came in the first series last year. He has not faced them the nine times since. Meanwhile, AJ has 7 starts. Mitre/Gaudin had 6 combined last season, and those came in August/September alone. Oh, and Romero has started God-knows how many times.
Time for those guys to each dirt.
I know the Blue Jays have missed CC every stinkin’ time this season so I’d assume the last time he faced them was sometime last season.
By comparison, I know off the top of my ahead that in 2008-09, the Yankees faced Doc 11 of 12 times, only avoiding him from 8/10-8/12 of last season.
Hell, the Yankees still draw Doc even when he’s in a different league.
MLBTR reports that the Red Sox claimed Mike Napoli, but the Angels are likely to pull him back and try and create a market for him in the offseason.
Good move by both teams.
Frank Thomas was amazing, great career and seems like a cool guy. The 2006 season, which at age 38, he put up a .270/.381/.545 line with 39 bombs is just crazy.
I don’t know if anyone else has MLB Extra Innings but listening to the White Sox announcers this weekend has been brutal. I get that every team’s announcers are homers but shouting “He gone!” every time a Yankee struck out and “Line ‘em up” after a Yankee ground into a double play, along with actually cheering White Sox runs were a little too much for me.
You have obviously never been acquainted with Hawk Harrelson before O_O
Is that their announcer? I hate him.
Yes, yes it is. Honestly I find him kind of entertaining but I think if I was a White Sox fan I would have shot my TV a long time ago.
I’ll give him his passion for the game.
Other than that, I find nothing about him appealing. Not sure if you ever read Rob Neyer’s Big Book of Baseball Blunders, but he devotes an entire chapter to his tenure as White Sox GM in 1986, where he moved Carlton Fisk to LF and fired Tony LaRussa, amongst other things. It’s also prefaced by an overview of his playing days where it’s pretty obvious he was nothing more than a me-first headcase.
I didn’t read that, but it doesn’t really surprise me that he’s a crazy person all around.
Heh, can anyone imagine MICHAEL KAY as GM?
A team full of Kyle Farnsworths–who cares if they suck, they throw 98+
I have Extra Innings, being that I live in PA, and there was a time when we would only be able to hear the other team’s announcers on road games, but now I can still get YES/My9 for every game, so I didn’t have to be tortured.
You have heard Hawk Harrelson previously, right?
No, first time.
Wait, you get the Yankees’ broadcast for every game? I live in PA too but only get it for home games.
I have Extra Innings (I’m in NY so I don’t get any Yankee/Met broadcasts on there, home or away, though) and sometimes I get the home game feed. Sometimes I get the away game feed. It varies by game to game in series, sometimes. It’s weird.
Who’s your provider? I have DirecTV.
You don’t enjoy the ‘Put it on the Board!!! Yes!!! We’re right back in it’?
Does anyone else remember when Ken Harrelson used to do Yankee games? It was back in the late 80s, I believe. Did he have all those dumb catch phrases back then too? I can’t seem to remember. I must’ve been only about 9 or so.
Just asked my dad, he said he does not recall him doing any of them.
I was too young to remember him doing Yankees games, I guess. I only remember Bill White and Phil Rizzuto, then I remember Jay Johnstone and Tom Seaver and then, of course, Bobby Murcer.
From Wikipedia: “During the 1987–1988 seasons he was the play-by-play man for New York Yankees games on SportsChannel New York.”
If I remember correctly, SportsChannel was a premium cable channel back then, so people had to pay extra for it.
Yes, and we didn’t have it that I recall. I was 6-7 at the time. I always saw my games on WPIX. Moving the games to MSG nearly killed me. I was living here in PA by the time and we couldn’t get that network, being the pre-satellite days.
Yeah…we only had that SportsChannel for one season, if I remember. The other years we just suffered. I can remember “watching” a few games with my older brother on a scrambled television.
I love the Hawk, but that might be because he is the only play-by-play guy I’ve ever heard who literally will try and WILL foul pop-up out of play.
No joke. It was a week or so ago when the Sox were playing the Twinkies in the first game of their series in Minny. 5-5, 9th inning, 1 out, “Sacks packed with Sox” and Paulie at the plate, and he popped one up first base side, with which Hawk immediately yelled “get out of here…IT WILL!”.
I’ve liked him since well before that. That simply added to my likedness for him.
::head explodes::
Frank Thomas really does seem like a class act/awesome guy.
http://sports.espn.go.com/chic.....id=5509719
Glad to see White Sox fans still booed Terry Bevington. He was a disaster.
Also nice to see the White Sox organization and Thomas rather quickly put away the bad breakup they had following the ’05 season. I had assumed they’d wait until after he was in the HOF, and essentially be forced, to do this.
The Little League Pledge begins with “I Trust In God”?
Can’t believe someone hasn’t bitched about that yet.
I suppose it’s considered a private organization, so therefore they can do as they please.
Personally, I don’t care for that, but I remember similar wording in Cub Scout/Boy Scout pledges.
Flip flop flyball is a wonderful site..
http://www.flipflopflyin.com/f.....logos.html
I remember Mike posting that last year, it has some GREAT STUFF!!!!!
oh and guess what! a certain prospect in the system has 2 home runs tonight… I’ll leave you guessing who that is
Oh I already know buddy. Sometimes my milb.tv subscription comes in handy.
Plus the formerly jinxed ‘Watch’ has already been updated.
Oh, it’s definitely still jinxed. Jesus is just that awesome.
I’m hoping it’s a massive run-scoring explosion and both pitching staffs get ground to fucking dust!
I’m hoping for three bench-clearing brawls, with the suspensions to match.
Let’s hope for a 15-15 tie when the teams head into the 17th inning.
Question: if Nova’s stuff was so good, why has he been talked about as a kid with a ceiling of #3/4 starter? Also, is his stuff better than Hughes? It seems so – more velocity, a lot better secondary pitches.
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh boy.
I’m getting the Cervelli sweats.
…is this the Betsy?
Dammit, beat me.
Are you the lohud Betsy? Just out of pure curiosity.
It is Lohud Betsy!
“Good” is relative.
(waves)
Did you base this off today?
I disagree vehemently about rooting for Tampa over Boston. I’m much more concerned about the team tied with the Yanks in the standings than the one 5 1/2 back and saddled with injuries. I think we should be setting our sights on bigger and better things than a safe route for the Yanks to limp into the playoffs.
GO BOSTON
I agree.
Agreed. But: UGH!!
Why can’t Miller pronounce latino players’ names correctly, and must insist on his annoying idiosyncratic pronounciation?
Because he’s Jon Miller and he’s a HOF announcer.
I guess I have no argument with this but the “GO BOSTON” made me want to throw up a little in my mouth. Honestly, as long as the Yankees win, IDGAF.
I agree! The Sox are irrelevant. I don’t know why people are saying but a 2 team race is better than a 3 team race! It’s already a 2 team race and we should want the 2nd place team tied with us to lose more than the 3rd place team 6 games back.
Is the camera at Tropicana a little more offset than in most ballparks? Seems like a different angle to me.
i’m rooting for the sox…. ugh
John Lackey in HD. Hot.
(barfs)
Honestly, though, the Rays’ uniform colors look really nice and sharp in HD though. It’s enjoyable to watch, actually. Same with the Dodgers’.
Greatest pro sports team branding overall evah
So…Lupica wrote an article today about Girardi’s answers to the Cubs question. Being that I despise Lupica now, I only read the first page.
Olney weighed in by saying that if it comes down to money only, and the Cubs outbid the Yankees, that’s the only way the Cubs get Girardi. I don’t see that happening, mostly because I doubt the Yankees want to be outbid by anyone for a manager.
So let’s suppose Girardi does leave. Who gets interviewed, not hired, but interviewed for the job? So far I have the following list of potential candidates:
Tony Pena
Trey Hillman
Don Mattingly
Willie Randolph
Bobby Valentine
Any other names you could see being interviewed? Also, since my dad asked, does anyone think there would be a problem with the fans accepting a minority manager?
lol this isnt alabama in 1963, fans for the most part usually dont care about the race of the manager
I only asked because I’m curious and because that person would have to hear all the “first African-American” or “first Hispanic” mananger stuff that would inevitably be thrown around.
There have been plently of both in MLB already.
or plenty
Joe Torre.
BOOOOOOOOOOM
…And no, I see a -500% chance of New Yorkers giving a shit that it’s a minority manager. Seriously.
I doubt there would be an issue, since this is New York we’re talking about. As long as you win, fans will like you. If you’re inept, you’ll just be treated like Jerry Manuel (who I feel really bad for). I actually like your list of candidates. I think Tony Pena and Mattingly get a good second look. I’d like Donnie Baseball as a manager, but I’m worried about him studying under the Joe Torre School of Managing, then again, so did Girardi, and that’s gone alright (and before anyone kills me, I said “alright”, not “amazingly”).
I think we talked about Mattingly in another thread fairly recently. I don’t think he has anything to gain, at all, by managing here. For one thing, I want someone with at least some managerial experience – just the way I am. Secondly, and probably more importantly, Mattingly already has a legacy here in New York. Unless he’s the second coming of Earl Weaver or something, given the way fans love to tear managers apart for pretty much anything, that legacy’s going to take a hit.
That’s very true. I didn’t necessarily think of that, I was just thinking of someone who has had some success as a coach/manager in NY, but that was mostly as a hitting coach in ’03 and a bench coach in ’06. Tony is my second choice for similar reasons, but like I said, I like Pat D’s list. I have my doubts about some of those people, but Pena and Mattingly were my choices. I’m not exactly skilled at assessing managers.
Fredi Gonzalez
Nice crowd at the Trop. It’s almost capacity for a high school gym.
I laughed.
A shame 2/3 of them are Sox fans
I keep cheering Shields Ks. I just can’t root for Boston. >.<
I can’t decide who I hate more right now, so me trying to cheer for either team just makes me nauseous.
Plague of locusts outside (well, it is Nebraska). Might as well root for the Red Sox.
I wonder how many years it will take Kendry Morales to live down breaking his leg during a walk off celebration.
Is it bad that I watched that video 5 times in a row laughing really hard?
If that’s wrong I don’t want to be right
It is not. I was also amused and watched it several times. I wouldn’t wish that kind of injury on anyone, but he had to go and ruin everyone else’s fun by breaking his leg.
I wonder if any teammate stepped/jumped on it as well during the celebration…
Didn’t look like it. It just looked like he jumped too high and then landed badly. I think they were crowding him a bit, but I doubt anyone actually stepped on him.
Kendry has been a Yankee killer but not this year…
Let’s hope ARod hits a big walkoff but doesn’t jump down on that calf……in October
In 24 PA against the Yankees this year, he hit .524/.583/1.000/1.583
http://www.baseball-reference......;t=b#oppon
I haaaaaate him (not seriously)
GO RED SOX!
:vomits onto laptop:
Ooh, hope you have the protection plan.
I listened to a few innings on XM/Sirius to the White Sox announcers and they were brutal as well. Total homers and rooters during pitches etc. Didn’t get the names but one was an ex-white sock…
“The Yanks get all the calls etc”
Nova is tremendous. Good command of 3 pitches and ahead of most hitters and no wild pitches. Yanks are so tough without AJ out there.
The TBS guys were saying the same thing. There were two strike calls that caught the edge and corner respectively, and Smoltz felt that the calls shouldn’t have been given to Nova cause of the situations. I enjoy his insight but he definitely gives fans of sabermetrics headaches.
But of course if Smoltz were pitching, those would have been perfect strikes. That is, given the situation. The situation being Smoltz on the mound.
I actually look forward to commercials when Joe Morgan is commentating.
Rooting for Red Sox is like some sort of mortal sin. ewwwwwwwwwwww I feel so dirty.
(Goes to take cold shower)
It is a mortal sin.
Here’s your penance:
100 Our Fathers
200 Hail Marys
20 Rosary Prayers
Perform Stations of the Cross and stay up there for 2 days
That stuff the murderous Albino monk did to himself in The Da Vinci Code
It’s funny how there’s so much talk about Francona for AL MOY but no talk of Charlie Manuel for NL MOY. If the Red Sox don’t make the playoffs, I’d rather Cito Gaston get the non-contender votes because people thought the Blue Jays would be Orioles bad when they’re not (which is the reason Bud Black is pretty much a lock for MOY).
Not that I think managers make that much of a difference.
Doesn’t Ron Washington have it locked up?
The cocaine thing will probably cost him some votes
I figured Manuel was getting praise left and right since I don’t watch/listen to many NL games. I mostly read articles and track games on Gameday, but that’s really surprising to hear.
Did Jersey Johnny get banned? I thought I saw him post “You can suck on my nuts, Mike.” Then I thought it got deleted. Am I going crazy?
Yes, then he cursed me out via email.
Wow.
He sounds like a nice stable guy.
HAHA Jersey Johnny aka Internet Tough Guy
I’d love you know what his email said!
“Fuck you.”
That’s exactly what it said, word for word.
Got what he deserved then.
I would like to see what Jersey Johnny said. But I can understand why you wouldn’t want to post it.
The Red Sox have the biggest shift on for Pena. He took that and said FUCK YOU.
Ain’t no shift for that, Boston.
Carlos Pena (fans self)
Daniel Nava is 27 years old.
He’s not that young.
In baseball terms. 27 years old is still very young.
Isn’t that considered the beginning of the prime for most players?
27-28 is a reasonable age to say peak years.
http://www.insidethebook.com/e.....ve_age/#17
it is if you’re Bret Gardner and Robbie Cano…
Was anyone else hoping for the Yankees to claim Napoli? I was a little upset when I found out the Red Sox claimed him.
Very much so but I knew Boston would never let him fall to the Yankees. You also have to wonder why the Mariners didn’t claim him.
Rays might have claimed him if they could.
I was a bit upset too. Napoli would have been a legit upgrade over Cervelli.
Maybe a little. But at the end of the day, The Sawx aren’t getting him either (according to reports) so I don’t care.
It seems like the Red Sox always score after the other team takes the lead.
And vice-versa. They’ve blown the most 3+ run leads in all of baseball.
Is that true? Can’t say I’m surprised, but still.
According to MLBN.
You mean MLBN actually listed a negative stat about the Red Sox? *gasp*
MLBN is actually pretty fair, IMO.
Depends who they have on.
True enough. It was on Quick Pitch though, which never annoys me with its bias or anything like that.
Yeah Quick Pitch is always a safe bet.
Out of curiosity is that mostly bullpen (read: Papelbon) fail or are the starters a huge chunk of it too?
It sure feels like half of it should be credited to Papelbon.
I know their bullpen is mostly a lolpen but I think the starters have something to do with it too, probably. I’m sure there’s some way to check on BB-Ref Play Index but I don’t have that, bah.
Playing the Twins > playing the Rangers. Boston is non-factor trash.
I want the Yanks to make the playoffs and I hate Boston, therefore GO TAMPA. Not sure about the people rooting for the other side on this thread.
The thought of cheering for either is making me physically ill so I’m cheering for the Trop roof to collapse on them.
Root for bench-clearing brawls and suspensions. \o/
Or a bench clearing brawl that results in multiple season ending injuries to multiple key players on both teams. This way we can laugh and won’t be criticized for laughing.
That would be awesome. The thought of both Boston fans and all five of Tampa’s fans being completely crushed would make me very happy.
Just imagine the Yankees stomping a Tampa Bay “AAA team” in the post season, sure it would be a boring one sided fight…
BUT sadistic fans like me would enjoy crushing the hopeless opposition.
Maybe, but we’d also be facing all pitchers we’d never seen.
You mean unseen pitchers that throw…*gulp* change-ups?
Ohhhhhh yeah.
…on second thought, leave the pitchers out of it!
This music ESPN is playing…it’s so strangely inappropriate.
Durham is pretty good. They beat Scranton to win it all last year.
Just sayin’
That would be lovely.
A friend of mine likes to call games like this a “Pat special.” He came up with that term after repeatedly asking me about any game involving two teams that I don’t like as to who I’d rather see win.
My response: “I’d like to see the stadium explode.”
This really only applies to football, but I guess in a game like this it’s applicable.
James Shields has a 5.25 ERA against Boston, a 4.95 ERA against the Yankees, and a 5.27 ERA against Minnesota. He has handled the Angels pretty well (3.16 ERA) but shouldn’t being lousy against three perennial contenders mean you shouldn’t have a nickname like “Big Game James”?
It’s the most inappropraite nickname since they called that asian kid Long Duck Dong in Sixteen Candles. Yes I just made a Molly Ringwald reference on RAB.
Your facts are fucking with the narrative. Leave.
/kidding’d
I thought he’d earned that nickname in the minor leagues, no? I may be misremembering.
Earning the nickname “Big Game” in the minor leagues is probably worse than earning it undeservedly in the major leagues.
I may be completely wrong, but if I’m not, it may explain why it’s an inappropriate nickname. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’m wrong though.
I’d guess you are right. It can’t come from anything he’s done at the major league level, other than being named James I guess.
Funny thing, Shields’ nickname. He has been called that for years, since a minor-league teammate named Chris Flynn — a fan of Lakers forward “Big Game” James Worthy — hung it on him. No one in Tampa Bay noticed for a while, however, perhaps because the Rays of old didn’t play big games.
And there we have it. He got it in the minor leagues but not because of any big game, just because he had a Laker fan for a teammate.
I read something about him in April, and I cannot believe I actually remembered that he got his nickname in the minor leagues.
And what an idiotic teammate.
That is amazing. Good research. I was trying to find that out myself. Wikipedia failed me.
He beat the Phillies in a WS game. He is a big game pitcher.
And he’s a tattooed headcase.
Oh, you’re not talking about A.J. Burnett?
Big Game Allan James
I laughed a little. And then felt bad again.
Not much exciting rhymes with James. And you try to rhyme something with Shields.
how about…
“Big Shame” James?
“Big Lame” James?
/trying hard
I have the TV muted. Is there any reason ESPN keeps showing replays of Victor Martinez striking out?
talking about Shields using the curve and how Jaso is calling pitches – he’s giving signs high up at his waistline and hitting his glove on the ground before the pitch
I’m in the airport on the way back from Vegas. Let me tell you two nights is about the limit for how long you should spend here.
Sounds like you lost a lot of money at the Roulette table.
Noooooooooooo
Yeah, go Crawford!
I cheered in joy. Just…can’t…root…for…Boston. :/
Eliminate Boston in the regular season ASAP.
Then eliminate Tampa in the postseason ASAP.
I hate that so many guys on the Rays are really, really hot.
/this is a typical bexy comment’d
Me too.
/notgayIswear’d
I think you are young and female. I am older and male. I have to ask a question. What is going on with this chin hair look like on Garza, Becket and others? I think it looks gross. My sister, who is also older thinks so too. Do young women find this attractive????
I think by attractive guys, Bexy means people like Carlos Pena, Matt Joyce and Evan Longoria, and some of the other clean cut looking guys. I can’t speak for Bex, but Garza and Beckett are pretty gross. in my opinion.
Just to clarify, yeah, you hit the nail on the head here. But Garza and Beckett would be gross even without the beards. It just makes them grosser. Looks like pubes.
Yeah, I am a relatively youngish (23) female and no, I certainly don’t find that attractive. In fact, I generally think beards like Garza and Beckett’s are disgusting. But I’ve also learned that guys my age or a little older think all kind of awful facial hair looks awesome. And plenty of Red Sox fangirls think Beckett is hot so… ew. (there’s probably a Rays fangirl somewhere that finds Garza hot?)
I hope to never meet that girl, because I would have to smack her.
http://twitter.com/mattgarzasbeard
It’s pretty funny.
Haha…my favorite: “Wondering how my Hall of Fame plaque will look. A wire extension to make sure my beard is properly captured would be best.“
I like to imagine all the stuff on that Twitter getting said in Garza’s voice. Makes me giggle.
<—- weirdo
That’s how I was imagining it. It makes me dislike him and laugh at the same time.
Thanks for the view from your perspective. If your view is typical, it’s just a disgusting guy thing. Another example of men being pigs I guess.
I didn’t mean to imply guys are pigs or whatever, just to clarify. Just that dudes, in my experience, really love their facial hair.
I’ve had a goatee since about 22 because I think I have a young-looking face.
Now that I’m approaching 30, I’m thinking about getting rid of it. Not because it’s graying, but just because I want to deny I’m not young anymore.
Funny story: I’m 6’4″ and my hair color would be considered dirty blonde/light brown/brown, depending upon how the light hits it. When I worked at Suncoast Video, and I was 24 at the time, a secret shop came back where I was the person shopped. The customer’s description of me: 6’0″, black hair, aged 30. Needless to say, I was not happy.
I’m not a chick, but I wanted to voice my disgust regarding the fuzzy chin hair.
Its like they shaved their pubes off, rolled it into a small ball and then glued it to their chins. DISGUSTING.
ietcvm
What is this “young” of which you speak?
I find it gross.
Now, some scruff or 5 o’clock shadow a la Andy Pettitte is fine.
Now, some scruff or 5 o’clock shadow a la Andy Pettitte is fine.
Yes, yes it is
Agreed. i was just asking if I was out of touch with some “cool” trend of younger people.
A lot of the people at my job are younger than me. I literally know of no one who wears facial hair like that. Maybe it’s a baseball thing?
Now, some scruff or 5 o’clock shadow a la Andy Pettitte is fine.
This is what I’m aiming to have in a year or two.
Hee. Don’t tempt me.
Crawford is approaching his career high in HR.
For every homer, it adds a couple zero’s to his next paycheck.
Damn Tampa just tied it up off Lackey. So bitter sweet, while I love seeing Lackey get shellacked, just not by the Rays right now. Go…Sox?
John Lackey is so friggin’ hideous
Hideously hot, right? Eh? Eh?
Totes. If you’re into giant moles on faces.
Maybe he’s still saving up on his meager salary to get it removed someday.
I wonder if he breaths really loud when he sleeps…
I bet he does. I hate how they keep zooming in on his face, forcing us to see his pimple.
I hate listening to him talk in after game interviews. He sounds like he is swallowing his tongue.
He looks like he only eats pastrami.
He looks like something you chain up in the attic.
http://mobile.tweetphoto.com/42274314
HOT
Is that considered NSFW?
I think so. Though I wouldn’t want to see that at home either.
Anything Lackey related should be labeled “NS”.
Getting cleated by a massive athlete going full speed cannot be fun. Shit used to hurt in little league.
Nice throw, nice catch, nice block. Now Victors hurt too, damn the Sox are banged up. I can’t believe their playing this good with all the injuries…something gotta give!
Eh, it looks like he’ll be fine. But it would have been nice! It also looks like Beltre is gimping around a bit, too.
Meanwhile, it seems like Manny is going to Chi-town after all. Thankfully this happened after we left.
As long as Manny and Ozzie are followed around by cameras while they’re speaking to each other (with closed captioning for our viewing pleasure), I welcome this.
The White Sox are grasping at straws. They’re not making the playoffs.
Oh I know. I’m just saying I’m glad we didn’t have to face Manny. I know he’s not the same player and all…but he even hit well against us this year when we played the Dodgers.
Agreed. For the record, I wasn’t directing my comment at you – just the situation in general. Manny’s for sure still a dangerous hitter, but he isn’t going to do enough to help the ChiSox overcome a 4.5-game deficit and knock the Twins out.
No worries. It’s really amazing to me how year after year the Twins manage to compete, even when they go through so much adversity.
Honestly, if they don’t revive The Club once Manny and Ozzie are ~united~, I’m going to spend so much time bitching and moaning about it.
It certainly ended fast enough for how much they hyped it. They better bring it back just for Manny.
Yeah, it ended way too abruptly. I was expecting them to follow the White Sox through the end of the season. So, for it to conclude at the non-waiver trade deadline was kind of disappointing.
Agreed. Did you watch it though? It was really good, I thought. Very interesting, just to see all the different personalities and what have you. Same with The Pen from last season.
I watched one episode. I think it was the one where they came to play us in NY. It definitely was well done, and what a perfect team for a reality show. That’s why it was so disappointing how short it was.
You would do that because you’re a stupid woman who only talks about the next big sale or whatever the fuck women talk about.
/RonDibble’d
Hey, hey, there it is!
Amen, he woulda loved to have had the opportunity to hit some more bombs against the Yanks! If you measured his skill & will, all the skill in the world, and when he has both skill & will working, lookout! IMO, he’s gonna be fun to watch the final month!
1 month for almost $5mil, I’m gonna laugh when they don’t make the playoffs
I thought he read he had a two year contract? Or are those option years?
I think this year was the second of two option years
Ah, ok.
$3.825 million remaining this year according to ESPN.
either way, that’s still a lot of money to bring in Manny for a month when their chances are pretty slim to catch the twins (imo)
I just looked it up in COTS Contracts. You might have been very close to correct because he gets a $1 million bonus if traded. I don’t know if clearing and being claimed on waivers counts toward a “trade” bonus.
And YES . . . it is a lot a cash for a team that has a slim chance to make it to the playoffs.
Cmon Marco, extra base hit!
Frank Thomas: Good at baseball. Yet, I’ve run across at least one person who’s not sure if he’s a Hall of Fame player. I hate people sometimes.
I just took a look at his numbers and they’re even more impressive than I expected. Over his 19-year career he had a .419 OBP, .416 wOBA and 156 OPS+. What a superhuman hitter he was.
That combination of contact, discipline, and power is just incredible.
Steroid era concerns? Remind everyone he was for drug testing way back when.
Other than him not being a plus defender, of which there are plenty of guys in the HOF who fit that description, I can’t see the argument against him.
Yes. Despite the “character” cluase in the Gall of Fame Criteria for voters, being a selfish, self-centered, disgusting pig isn’t going to keep him out. If it does, then Ty Cobb shouldn’t be in the Hall either.
being a selfish, self-centered, disgusting pig isn’t going to keep him out
Wait. Frank Thomas? I know there was that controversy after he left the White Sox but it’s pretty clearly been cleared up and he seems like a really good guy outside of that. Unless there’s something I’m missing.
Sorry. My bad. I was referring to Manny Ramirez. Put the comment in the wrong place.
Ahhh, gotcha. I don’t feel quite that strongly against Manny. And, IMO, the ‘roid stuff will be more damaging to his Hall chances than his attitude, because it’s accepted as “Manny Being Manny” and what have you.
Probably. I lived in Boston for twenty years and a lot of BoSox fans went from “Manny being Manny” to being totally fed up with him. I obviously agree.
I was talking with someone who compared Pujols to Thomas. They sent me this:
Pujols: 1525 Games, 6644 PA, 82.3 bWAR, 79.4 fWAR
Thomas: 2322 Games, 10074 PA, 75.9 bWAR, 79.1 fWAR
Everytime whats-his-name the announcer on ESPN talks about Ben Wah! I crack up.
(Invented hundreds of years ago, Ben Wa Balls were made to enhance sexual stimulation and to exercise the kegel muscles. Still popular to this day, Ben Wa Balls have been one of women’s favorite items to use.)
Wait a minute, why are we cheering for the Sox again? Why even worry about being 1 or 2 games up on the rays right now. The important thing is to GET INTO THE P.O. Why have the sox creeping around? Let the divison race be settled with the remaining rays-yanks games. No reason to let a team with 12 aces stick around in a pennant race.
And that is why I’m rooting for the Rays.
I see Tampa as the bigger threat. I may be wrong (I don’t think so) but feeling that way, I don’t want Tampa to have a single happy day. I want them ground down and disappointed as often as possible.
Agreed. But I can’t cheer for either of them. I’m cheering for the bench clearing brawl that injures everyone or the Trop roof caving in. Either one works for me.
I want them ground down and disappointed as often as possible.
Me too.
But uh, when they play Boston, I want Boston just a little more disappointed. Is that so bad?
Absolutely not.
The consolation in tonight’s game is that either Tampa or Boston is going to feel terrible.
Good times.
The Red Sox have no chance at the playoffs. It just isn’t going to happen. I’m cheering for the Red Sox just like I would cheer for the Blue Jays or the Orioles.
why even have them linger around? I know it’s a joke, but they DO have some decent pitching that can cause headaches coupled with the fact that they also have some games against the yanks, so their chances are little better than the jays and O’s.
unlikely, yeah. But first and foremost, it’s all about getting into the playoff, and the red sox are the only competition in the yanks path to clinching that spot.
so go rays.
I refuse to give them that respect. Obviously what I think has zero impact on reality but that’s what I say. I’d rather play the Twins over the Rangers, go Sawks. They suck so you’ll likely get your wish though.
I’d rather play the Twins over the Rangers
At this point their records are too close to say which team will be the team the Wild Card/ALE winners play. Plus both teams are very good, IMO.
I don’t buy the notion the Sox have had no chance at the play-offs, especially since their starting pitching gives them a chance every night. That’s actually why they’re still lurking about with all their injuries.
The were leading late into last night’s game, and were leading here into an inning or so ago. If they took both games they’d be only three games behind the Rays. That means they’re in the play-off hunt, and it’s better for both the Rays and the Yankees if we get this down to a two-team race as quickly as possible.
I’m happy to let the Rays hurt the Sox. We’ll take care of the Rays.
“Their not a good hitting team that can string together 5-6 hits together in a row.” -Joe Morgan…
They just fucken did, or pretty damn close. Does Joe Morgan understand he’s actually on television?
I don’t think he does.
He doesn’t care. He is totally oblivious.
Damn they do play some aggressive ball. Swing at every pitch and run every chance. This game could get ugly fast.
Who says Joe Maddon isn’t an original genius? Maybe Mike Sciosia stole this style of play from him, eh?
IBBing Carlos Pena with a lefty (albeit a bad lefty) on the mound
Um okay.
It worked but it’s still dumb. Carlos Pena doesn’t do well against LHP not named Andrew Eugene Pettitte.
Remember when Okajima was a dominant middle reliever.
Everyone woke up and realized they should just ignore his head jerk during his delivery.
That.
Listen to Joe Morgan talking about the Red Sox.
When will people realize that the Red Sox’s rotation is just not that good. Bucholz (or however you spell it) is really their best pitcher right now. Lester is very good, too, but he has been merely good since the all star break. The rest of their pitchers are mediocre/bad. I think you need at least three good pitchers to be considered a scary rotation.
But we have been told that they have FIVE ACES!!
/unnecessary’d
jinx ;P
lol…simultaneous posting. I’m just helping you build the brand. #competedammit
Ummmm FIVE ACES.
(No, I agree with you. Though Lester’s post-ASB ERA is a bit inflated with a couple of GOD-awful performances mixed in with general excellence. I’ll still take him over Buchholz any day.)
That’s true, especially the Blue Jay game. And he’s a great pitcher, don’t get me wrong. But the media is way overboard with that five aces BS. I don’t think anybody would ever call Dice-K an ace, Lackey definitely isn’t. Beckett was borderline ace material in years past, but he’s been god awful this year (yeah injury played some role in that, but he was even bad before the back acted up).
Oh agreed. The FIVE ACES thing was actually more prior to 2009, when someone on BBTN said the Lester/Beckett/Dice-K/Penny/Smoltz quintet was “potentially the greatest starting rotation of all time.” Commence laughing here.
Lester is a real ace. He’s clearly one of the best pitchers in baseball. Buchholz has been great and I think he’s going to be a good pitcher, but he’s also been solid and his K/BB rate would scare me a bit going forward. Beckett can be great but he’s been hysterically overrated since 2007. Lackey… I didn’t think he’d be this bad, but he’s not amazing. Dice-K… no.
Definitely. Oh, and Morgan just reminded us the Sox are still in the race. In case we didn’t hear it the first time.
NO ONE CAN COMPETE WITH THEIR PITCHING! NO ONE!
That’s why they’re seven games back of a playoff spot. (Yes, I know, the division they play in, blah blah blah.)
but he’s been hysterically overrated since
20072003damn you okajima
wow ortiz seems to be getting quite a generous K zone
Sigh… wishing good luck to someone who had already passed away(Feller). Joe Morgan can’t help himself.
feller didnt pass away, though?
joe morgan cannot help himself when it comes to talking about himself, however
He may be stupid, but Feller is still alive last I checked. He has leukemia, but he’s still alive as of now.
And I’m referring to Morgan with the stupid remark, just to clear that up. I realized how that sounded the minute I posted it.
It seems as I’m listening to him too much since I was sure I had seen the bottomline ticker say he had passed… this is beyond a Joe Morgan failure on my part.
I must say listening to Joe Morgan is more intriguing than the actual great game that’s going on. He goes minutes without speaking than says some crazy shit. One knows all possible outcomes of a game or an at bat but no one has any clue when Joe is gonna sound like that one crazy uncle with dimensia.
I am actually laughing out loud at this
One knows all possible outcomes of a game or an at bat
ARE YOU SAYING YOU CAN PREDICT BASEBALL, SIR/MA’AM?!?!?
I meant there’s only so many things that can happen in a game, not very well articulated by my comment. Joe Morgan’s comments on the other hand…
i am sooo jealous of your admin powers, and this dog is hilarious and adorable
That song is so appropriate. That was enjoyable.
Ummm, I don’t think that shit’s legal in the continental 48…
Baxter! I told you I don’t speak Spanish! I’m not even mad, I’m impressed… a whole wheel of cheese…
Amazing.
A-freaking-mazing.
This is awesome.
And then the Rays lost the World Series. It both embarassed and amused the AL East.
By the time that series got to Game 7, I was so pissed. I was in college and surrounded by totally obnoxious pink hat Red Sox fans who kept mocking me for the Yankees being out of the playoffs. And the Sox had that ridiculous comeback in what was it, Game 5, and then they won Game 6 and I was just like “Aaaargh there’s no way the Red Sox lose this.”
Then they lost it. It was nice.
Yeah, I was also in college. I went to school upstate so I had to deal with a bunch of Boston fans as well, including my roommate. It was awesome when they lost. I was greatly amused by my roommate’s blatant hatred of the Rays that week. I was happy that the Phillies got it instead of the Rays, but I was like “How embarassed are you right now? ’cause I am.”
You think that’s bad? I was in college in Boston in 2004
That is bad. =(
YOU POOR THING eep.
I know. It was quite traumatic.
“the sox still have a shot if they can get on a long winning streak”
good insight there
Seriously. His brilliance astounds me.
“they also played the game the way they play it”
Absolutely brilliant.
HAHAHAHAHAHA the Rays are playing “Sweet Caroline” on the speakers. Or they did for a second.
They did, then they interrupted it to play whatever music they play after victories there, I think. Such a dick move but it amused me.
I remember in the 2001 World Series Arizona played a very quick clip of Sinatra’s New York, New York after the DB’s won game six. Torre heard it and took a quick, angry glare back at the field, before the DB’s played whatever junk they play at the end of the games.
If Frankie was alive, people in Arizona would have paid an unfortunate price.
I remember that. Jeter looked utterly pissed too. Like I said, it’s a dick move. Just amused me because it was against Boston.
/I am human I have biases’d
If
FrankieTorre was alive, people in Arizona would have paid an unfortunate price.If Frank Torre was alive, people in Arizona would have paid an unfortunate price.
See you in 2011, Red Sox. You’re done.
Fun fact: The 1998 Yankees clinched a winning season on August 7th. This was after beginning the season 1-4.
One of my favorite things to do is go back and look at where this team is in comparison to the 1998 team. The Red Sox won 92 games that season and still finished 22 games back.
The 2001 Athletics won 102 games and finished 14 games back
Joe Morgan, great baseball player. Joe Morgan, terrible announcer.
You know, I wouldn’t have terribly minded if they won, but when it comes to beating Boston, I can’t help but feel this way:
Good night, Boston.
Burnett is getting another start? Crap.
Yes, that about sums up what his start will likely be…
Put a fork in them, shit they’ve BEEN done. I seriously doubt the abilities of a 100% healthy 2010 Sox squad of cracking 2nd place let alone this AAA team. Stop listening to the mainstream media. Maybe next year.