Game 160: Just a tune-up

October 1, 2010 by Mike Axisa 478 Comments

Mariners Red Sox Baseball — (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

The Yankees are technically still alive in the AL East race, very much alive in fact, because both they and the Rays sport 94-65 records. Since Tampa won the season series and holds the tiebreaker, the Yanks need to win one more game than them this weekend, a tie is as good a a loss. Since the Rays are playing the frickin’ Royals, that’s not likely.

Either way, this weekend’s series against the Red Sox is really nothing more than a tune-up before the playoffs. The pitchers have to get some work in, the batters make sure they stay sharp at the plate, and most importantly everyone needs to stay healthy. It’s been raining all day in Boston, so the game is likely to be delayed a bit, but please, for the love of Mo, no one slip on the wet grass. Especially Andy.

Here’s the lineup, which makes me smile…

Jeter, SS
Granderson, CF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF
Posada, C
Berkman, DH
Gardner, LF

And on the bump, it’s Andy Pettitte.

Like I said, it’s been raining all day and the game probably won’t get underway until 8-8:30pm ET or so. Whenever it does, you’ll be able to watch on YES My9 locally or MLB Network nationally. If you’re looking for something to kill the time, the Mets are running out the clock on the Omar Minaya/Jerry Manuel era against the Nats, and there’s also some preseason hockey going on (Rangers-Senators). Enjoy.

Will (the other one)

So once his reign of terror is over, will Minaya drop back down to a scouting role, or will he (blindly) hold out for another GM job? If it’s the former, I wonder how he’d get along with Billy Eppler.
first time long time

isn’t it on my 9? and since we have the “A line-up” tonight, do we get the scrubs out there tomorrow?
- larryf
  
  Scrubs only if we lose tonight and Tampa wins next 2 games.
larryf

Joe playing for the division for as long as he can. A little nervous about outfield slippage.
http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath

A relaxing game against the Red Sox. Who knew that would be possible?
CS Yankee

Pettitte should be pushed back to tomorrow’s game…run out superNova or Brackman.
- Yanksontop
  
  I agree 100% no need to risk a slip and pull
Dream of Electric Sheep

Gintober ! Where Buster Posey will smite his opponent with impunity and There will be no mutiny when Cain toes the rubber!

Tonight is the night!
first time long time

ok which would you guys rather for tonight: pettitte goes 7 ip 1 er and the yankees lose ot pettitter gives up 7 runs in like 5 inning but the yankees win?
- first time long time
  
  or** not ot. sorry i really gotta proof-read
- http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath
  
  Hmm hard…Im gonna go with number one.
- bonestock94
  
  The former bodes well for our playoff run, so definitely that.
  - first time long time
    
    true…of course the ideal situationwould be pettitte 7 ip 1 er with the yankees scoring 10 off dice-k lol
- CBean
  
  I just want Andy to have a good outing to get him feeling good going into the postseason. I also want to win but that’s still secondary.
- poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
  
  # 1 eleven times out of ten (though I’d be reasonably pleased with number 2 also, not gonna lie).
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Andy feeling good.
- Chris
  
  I think it would depend on how the runs were scored. If he went 5 innings, 2 runs, then melted down in the 6th and 7th, I wouldn’t be too worried and would like to get the win.
Jose the Satirist

The Padres-Giants game should be fun. A do or die game for the Padres.
- http://ballcraft.blogspot.com Zanath
  
  Is that game on MLB Network? I kinda wanna flip back and forth.
  - Jose the Satirist
    
    The guide says at 10:30 pm: San Diego Padres @ San Francisco Giants or Arizona D-backs @ Los Angeles Dodgers (subject to local blackout)
- Carlosologist
  
  San Diego needs a freaking miracle if they expect to go to the postseason. The Giants have been on fire all month and they’re throwing their second best pitcher out there.
  
  San Diego: Done. Biggest collapse since the 2007-2008 Mets.
  - first time long time
    
    “San Diego’s got to be one of, if not the best team out there. I have a feeling this is San Diego’s year. I would honestly fear them the most in the post season. They just do not lose! Ever! I definitely think they’re gona walk away with the NL West, maybe even the best record in the NL.”
    – Mike Francesa LITERALLY the day before they started their 10 game losing streak and pretty much melt down.
    No joke.
    - Jose the Satirist
      
      If you called him up he would deny every saying that or claim that everyone believed what he was saying and everyone got it wrong.
      - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        Heh, to be fair, I thought, before that crazy losing streak, all of that, just a little more moderated. Though I didn’t think it was “their year” or what have you .This was before Philly started never losing games, too.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    No way is San Diego’s collapse worse than the Tigers’ last year.
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    In the words of fabled Mr. Green:
    
    They are who we thought they were.
bonestock94

Cool, new commenting features. The only thing this place lacks are some formatting buttons…bold, quote, italics, strikethrough, etc. I fail at using tags, and they’re not as convenient anyways.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  <b>I am the master at using tags.</b>
  - Pete
    
    How did you do that?
    - Jose the Satirist
      
      ¿ɔıƃɐɯ uı ǝʌǝılǝq noʎ op
      - Jose the Satirist
        
        In all seriousness, I use HTML codes that represent the parts of the tags instead of actually writing the tag out. That way the tags aren’t parsed by the website and displayed in their intended way. They are called HTML entities.
- whozat
  
  I disagree. I read the comments here because the content is interesting. Colors and fonts just distract.
  - Jose the Satirist
    
    I need all my comments to be written in Comic Sans. That way they look more professional.
    - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
      
      http://deadspin.com/5651995/dan-gilbert-is-out-of-the-font-closet-and-proud
  - bonestock94
    
    Well no shit, but bolding and quoting is convenient.
poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag

I’m k9ind of surprised you find this so hopeless. We only need to win one more fucking game. So they’re playing the Royals; not lke they’ve been playing well lately anyway.
- poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
  
  Ugh, that 9 in the middle of kind bothers me.
http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena

Beltre is out for the weekend due to the birth of a kid.
- first time long time
  
  wooooOOOoooo!!
  - Henry
    
    Kid will be made if you take his helmet.
first time long time

does anyone know if they happened to mention how long the rain delay would most likely be? and do they still start Pettitte even though there is inclement weather? not quite sure if it would be the best for his back, you know?
- pat
  
  They’ve probably known for a while it will be postponed. I bet he has adjusted his pregame preparations accordingly.
- Ben
  
  Girardi said (via the lohud blog) that Pettitte will begin the game once the delay is over.
- first time long time
  
  cool. thanks guys
  - Ben
    
    No problem. No update on a start time apparently.
    - first time long time
      
      yeah im sure itll be a awhile though. kinda good that its not a rain delay in the middle of like the 3rd inning, because then wed have to use the bullpen everyone would be out of a rhythym, etc.
Big Stein

Is it better to win HFA and face cliff lee or to win the wild card face the twinkes, who are 2-14 versus the Yankee during the past two years?
- first time long time
  
  2-14 against us…well they gotta win sometime right? kind of an advantage for them if you think about it. my vote: neither. just skip to the ALCS cus we’re that good.
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    just skip to the ALCS
    
    Couldn’t his question have applied to the ALCS?
    - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
      
      If they face either in the ALCS, that means their biggest competition and worst matchup is eliminated.
      
      In that case, assuming the Yankees win their series, I’ll take Texas/Minnesota without a second of thought.
      - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        Well, it’s still who would you prefer of those two. My answer: depends on Hamilton. If he’s feeling the effects of injury/time off, I’d rather face Texas. If he’s playing like himself, I’d rather face Minnesota.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    well they gotta win sometime right? kind of an advantage for them if you think about it.
    
    Errrr, not really.
    - Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Blog
      
      Exactly. Although, IMO, the 2-14 record from the past has no bearing on this year either.
    - first time long time
      
      they way i was looking at it is kinda like this: if a guy vs pettitte is 0-14, then you think of it this way: 0-14? well he’s gotta get a hit sometime right? kinda like its easier to break a losing streak or break a winning streak than extend either one, you know?
      - Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Blog
        
        You mean, like if you flip a coin and get heads 10 times in a row, odds are you’ll get tails the next time?
        
        first time long time
        
        exactly
        
        Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Blog
        
        Please tell me this is sarcasm.
        
        first time long time
        
        no its not actually sorry. i mean technically the odds are exactly the same: 50/50 chance its heads. its just that it SEEMS liklier, because you had heads so many times that your like “wow, its gotta be tails soo right?”
        
        first time long time
        
        soon*
- https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
  
  Why do people always mention Lee in regards to Texas, and not Liriano in regards to Minnesota?
  
  Though Liriano certainly isn’t going into the playoffs pitching at peak form.
  
  I think the Twins are a better overall team and home field is always a plus, especially since Texas is the worst road team in the AL playoffs, and as bad as that sweep earlier this month was, remember Ron Washington will not be able to use 15 guys in the bullpen this time around. That, and the Yankees can’t possibly match their 5-30 (or was it 6-30?) mark with RISP. If Texas pitching is as bad as it was in those first two games come the playoffs, the Yankees will ROLL the Rangers. Historically, the Yankees have done well against the Twins, but in a five game series in the playoffs where they have the HF edge, anything can happen. Even with Cliff Lee, give me Texas.
  
  That said, I expect a Yankees/Twins ALDS. Not the end of the world either.
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    Why do people always mention Lee in regards to Texas, and not Liriano in regards to Minnesota?
    
    Because Lee has pitched well against the Yankees in the playoffs. That’s the only reason. Most Yankee fans only know/care about what happens in games the Yankees are involved in.
  - first time long time
    
    fun fact: the last time the yanks faced the twins in the ALDS they won the world series.
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      and the time before that, it was… COVER YOUR EYES… 2004!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
      - first time long time
        
        people that still hang on to 2004 and are scared should look at it this way: THIS IS NOT 2004! the odds of that happening again are extremely slim, and best of all, im pretty sure this team is stronger than the 1004 yankees. although i could be wrong, because i never watched them in 2004. this isnt directed at you by the way just a comment in general.
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        Not only was 2004 a freak thing, let’s face it: it only hurt/s so much because it was the Red Sox. That cannot possibly happen this year. \o/
        
        first time long time
        
        hahahaha i like your thinking!!!
        
        BigDavey88
        
        I fondly remember those gritty 1004 Yankees. One of the best teams I’ve had the honor to watch.
        
        first time long time
        
        lol i meant 2004 my bad
        
        Big Stein
        
        1004 yankees led by Lefty Rubble were pretty good.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Because Liriano doesn’t have Lee’s rep.
    - Ben
      
      Lee also isn’t going to give away many free bases. Liriano’s BB/9 is almost two full walks higher than Lee’s. With the Yankees’ patience, I’d much rather face the pitcher that may have some control issues.
Ben

Boston just announced the Buchholz isn’t making his start tomorrow because of back issue. It’ll be Wakefield instead. Nice little break for the Yankees.
- first time long time
  
  woooOOOOOOooooo!
- http://www.or.ly JM
  
  That’s two breaks that we needed. Maybe the Yankees WILL win one more game than TB.
  - Jose the Satirist
    
    Never give up. Anything can happen.
    - http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig
      
      Goonies never say die
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  So they are minus their best hitter in an already heavily depleted lineup, the weather/team should make the crowd a non-factor, and they are throwing out Dice-BB, Wakefield, and Lackey.
  
  …..
  
  Are we sure Tampa has the easier matchup this weekend?
- Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Blog
  
  I don’t believe it. I think Francona just wants to try to screw up some Yankees’ swings by having them face a knuckleballer.
  
  /sarcasm’d
Dominik

So, while we wait for this baby to start up (I live 2 miles from Fenway, and it’s only a light drizzle, so I’m optimistic), can anyone help with some fantasy advice I’ve been stressing over? I have 8.1 IP left in my league, and have about 7 SPs slated to go tomorrow for when I blow out my innings (day you go over, doesn’t matter if you go over by 1 IP or 30). I have Cain going tonight. If he goes over 8 IP, I’m toast. Would you guys risk losing the great start to have the guys available tomorrow? Basically, question boils down to what do you think odds are he goes over 8.0 IP tonight. Even if everything goes right tomorrow, it’ll be close in some categories, which is why I’m analyzing it so hard. Thanks guys.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  I don’t think the Padres will go down quietly tonight. I don’t think he goes over 8.0 IP
- Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Blog
  
  Man, you couldn’t have made up a worse scenario. 2 mostly bad hitting teams, with a good pitcher. I guess the odds are with any pitcher that they won’t go more than 8. Depending on what you need to gain this late in the season, I’d roll the dice that he wont go more than 8.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Good for AJ.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees/post/_/id/10439/aj-i-was-garbage-this-year?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

on his season:
“Rubbish,” he said. “That’s how I would describe it. I’m here for a reason and I ain’t done crap to help this team this year. Yeah, Rubbish, man. That’s my own opinion and that’s how I feel but I don’t sit and dwell on it. I know the season’s not over but in my mind, I’m moving forward. every start I try to move forward.”

and on if a 2009-WS-Game-2-esque performance in the postseason would erase that:
No chance,” he said. “We ain’t erasing nothing. I know that.
- http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig
  
  To me, if he comes through and puts up a couple big starts in the postseason, I’ll forgive but not forget about the 2010 regular season.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  He then proceeded to start wrestling Joba.
- http://twitter.com/cephster Ross in Jersey
  
  He seems to be a genuinely nice guy, though with the amount of money he’s making it’d be nice if he could stop getting unraveled so easily on the mound.
  - first time long time
    
    i feel the same way. like if its all mental i would to meet him and get it through his head that hes not a “.500 pitcher” that when hes on hes a great pitcher and he has the potential to on 3/4 times in stead of 1/2 the time.
- Dream of Electric Sheep
  
  Meh, more self deprecation from AJ.
  
  Just pitch a good game…
- Henry
  
  Like I say, it’s all mental with this guy.
- poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
  
  I approve.
vin

The Yankees have Robinson Cano hitting 5th. The Braves have Melky hitting 5th. Yikes. At least hit Alex Gonzalez 5th.
- first time long time
  
  awww melky lol
Kit

So I officially felt bad for the Padres today. Late to the pity party: me.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  I’ve felt bad for them for a while. I’ve talked to some Padres fans on Twitter though, and though they’re disappointed in the final result, obviously, they don’t feel like this season was in any way a failure. I mean, no one, themselves included, thought they’d do ANYTHING this year.
  
  Also, Mat Latos’ comments about the Giants made me super roll my eyes and not feel so bad for the Padres any more. Cry moar!
  - Kit
    
    What was the Latos comment?
    
    And I just felt bad because they were like 6.5 up on their division and now they’re kind of really out of it, unless a miracle happens. I don’t think their season was a disappointment, it’s just unfortunate, so I felt bad.
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      Latos on the Giants:
      
      “Baseball works in funny ways. The only way I could honestly put it is, we could be like the Giants and go and change our whole lineup, put guys with ‘San Francisco Giants’ across their jerseys. We didn’t. We added two guys (Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick). We’ve been the same team all year. We haven’t just gone and grabbed guys from other teams.”
      
      Like I said, cry moar.
      - Kit
        
        The hell is his problem?
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        He’s very young so I’m just going to assume he’s a bit immature. There were “anonymous Padres” that slammed his response, too. But yeah, it’s really stupid to say.
        
        Kit
        
        Yeah. He made himself sound like a huge douche there…
      - first time long time
        
        goodness how stupid can you get? i mean really lol. but seriously that sounds just so unprofessional and a but ignorant, considering thats how baseball, a business, works.
    - Carlosologist
      
      He essentially said the Giants were a bunch of hired guns.
      
      Here’s the story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/detail?entry_id=73447&tsp=1
      
      And to make Latos look like an idiot, his closer, first baseman, second baseman, shortstop, center fielder, right fielder, and three out of his four rotation mates all came from different organizations.
- Carlosologist
  
  I did not pity the Padres because to be honest I was tired of the media overhyping them in July and August.
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  If this is a pity party, allow me to be the asshole everyone hates. I’m glad the Padres fell apart. Their lineup sucks, they play the most boring style of baseball possible, the thought of playoff games being played in a stadium with walls a mile deep makes me shudder, they have no exciting personalities, hell, even their uniforms bore me. There, I said it. Good riddance, dads.
  - Carlosologist
    
    (high fives Dirty Pena)
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Heh, I was watching a Padres game and I realized they played like the mid-2000s Angels. But because they’re new and cute and scrappy and not managed by Mike Scisocia, I can deal with it.
    - first time long time
      
      i dont get it. why is the media and all of baseball in love with Mike Scocia? i mean, hes not terrible but he isnt exactly casey stengal you know?
  - Kit
    
    I can honestly say I know squat diddly about the Padres line up (other than their uniforms being so ugly). Like I’ve said before, I have no actual allegiance to a NL team. I just thought it was unfortunate for them to have really been ahead of their division and suffer a massive collapse that has them 3 games back now.
- Jerome S
  
  At the times when I begin to the Padres, I think back to the time that they had a .600 record and I was almost scared of them.
  - Jerome S
    
    whoops, when I pity the Padres. My bad.
- Mariano’s Pimp Hand
  
  The Padres’ success in the first half kept Adrian Gonzalez from going to the Red Sawks at the trade deadline.
  
  That is enough for me.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

I’m rooting for the Padres to sweep the Giants this weekend, and the Phillies to take 2/3 from Atlanta. This creates a MASSIVE TIE SCENARIO!!!! and then there’s not one but TWO one-game playoffs. Awe.some.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  Wouldn’t that result in only a one game playoff?
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    San Diego would need to play San Fran to determine the NL West winner. The loser would then play the Braves for the Wild Card.
    - Jose the Satirist
      
      They wouldn’t go by head to head for the year in determining who the NL West winner is?
      - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        Nope, that tiebreaker is only the rule when both teams are going to make the playoffs regardless.
      - Chris
        
        No. Tie breakers are only for seeding and because the loser of the tie breaker (or play in game) could be out of the playoffs, they make the teams play.
      - Jose the Satirist
        
        I’m an idiot that would only apply to seeding, not whether a team is in or out.
- first time long time
  
  never root for phillie. EVER. i forbid it
- http://www.or.ly JM
  
  In a perfect world…
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  It almost happened in 2008. Philly, the Mets, and the Brew Crew were all within a game of each other with three to play.
- Chris
  
  Too bad the Rockies fell out of it and the Phillies pulled away from the Braves. I would have loved to see a 5 way tie for NL East, NL West and NL Wild Card.
first time long time

so does everyone have a national league team they like to root, just for the fun of it? for me, i like the giants and braves. anyone else?
- Jose the Satirist
  
  Natinals Fever – Catch it.
  
  /tsjc
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  For me, the Nats (having gone to college in DC), the Braves (my good friend likes them and that’s grown on me), and the Rockies have grown on me the past few years.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Rockies. I also have a soft spot for the Astros because I love their bad ’80s uniforms and there is some leftover rooting for Pettitte.
  
  …ialsodontmindthephilliespleasedontkillme
  - first time long time
    
    lol….i just lost a little respect for you on that last line, not gona lie. lol may i just ask you why? im not trying to be rude or anything because i respect your opinions, im just honestly curious as to why you like the phillies, thats all. in case you haven’t noticed i have an irrational hatred towards them and their fans lol.
    - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
      
      …The hatred towards their fans is perfectly reasonable. The second most annoying fan base easily.
      - Carlosologist
        
        The most annoying?
        
        Three way tie between Yankee/Red Sox/Mets fans.
        
        /YeahIsaidit’d
        
        first time long time
        
        lol cant say i disagree with you there.
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        Totally DISagree. philly fans are way less classy thn Yankees fans, at least. Can’t speak for Red Sox and Mets.
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        Philly fans are way less classy but they’re also less panicky and spoiled in general than Yankee fans. Mets fans are kind of hilarious, even if some are really annoying in their Yankee hate, and Red Sox fans… well, the pre-2004 ones are generally fine, if neurotic, but the post-2004 bandwagoners are pretty much the worst baseball fans out there.
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        One of my theories is all fans are the same, we just suspect them to have certain biases because of their team and we fit our view of them to our preconceived notions.
        
        I’ll takes “class” over “spoiled and panicky” any day, BTW. I’d rather be an idiot than a dick.
      - first time long time
        
        first annoying being…? and yeah i hear there are always fights going on at their turf and stuff. kind of unclassy. they seem pretty arrogant and obnoxious too
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      I don’t like their fans much (my friends who are Philly fans aside), but I went to college in PA a few hours from Philly. My friends and I took a few road trips there over the time I was there, and we went to Citizens Bank Park a few times. I just had a really fun time at all the games I went to.
      
      I don’t like Rollins for what he said in the WS last year, and Werth looks like he smells, but I have no real problem with the rest of that team.
      - first time long time
        
        “werth looks like he smells” haha thats hilarious. he is extremely disgusting though.
        
        and ok those are valid reasons. i respect that.
  - poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
    
    Sorry, Bex. I didn’t give 2 shits about the Philies until Jimmy Rollins opened his mouth andstarted talking about the Yankees.
    
    Now I hate those arrogant NL jerkasses.
    - poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
      
      Dammit I can’t get used to this spellcheck button.
    - Kit
      
      I think Rollins learned his lesson. It’s time to forgive until he says something stupid again.
      - poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        …No?
        
        Sorry. He never apologized to my knowledge, so why on Earth should we forgive him?
        
        (Not saying he even necessarily should have apologized, but I tink Yankee fans have excellent grounds for disliking Jimmy Rollins a great deal.)
        
        first time long time
        
        though i dont know him personally, it seems to me like Jimmy Rollins is a bit cocky and should learn to keep his mouth shut.
        
        Kit
        
        You don’t have to forgive him, I really don’t care what you want to do with that, but he hasn’t done anything this year and has mostly been injured, so I think karma has repaid him for all the douche bag.
        
        first time long time
        
        yeah but im one of those irrational fans that hates almost every player that doesnt play for the yankees…although there are a select few that i root for regardless of what team they play on.
        
        Kit
        
        And by “anything” I mean “not much”. And my apologies for sounding snippy in that first sentence, wasn’t my intention.
        
        first time long time
        
        lol its no big deal, really. you were that snippy to be honest.
        
        first time long time
        
        omg WEREN’T im sorry lol
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        And yet…
        
        I really am still pissed at him for the Yankee comments though. Arrogant douche.
        
        How’d that six games prediction work out for ya, Jimmy?
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        He really figured out Rivera too!!!
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        THINK. Not tink. Ugh.
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      Hah, totally fair. I used to flat-out like the Phillies. PLEASE DON’T KILL ME. Now I’m just kind of “I don’t mind them.” What Rollins said during last year’s WS was stupid and assy, no doubt. I don’t like him much at all.
- Carlosologist
  
  San Francisco mostly because of AT&T Park. The pitching is amazing out there too.
  - first time long time
    
    yeah thats why i like them too, their ballpark. other than that i know nothing about them. lol
- poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
  
  Pittsburgh. I don’t give a shit about the perpetual losing, they’re just an old, established franchise that for some reason I’ve taken a shine too. Their ballpark’s great too.
  - first time long time
    
    yeah i like their ballpark too. i really have a thing for ball parks near the water that have that “splash count” thing for the homeruns, you know?
- Kit
  
  I don’t actually have any sort of allegiance to NL teams, but I watch any Phillies games on TV when I’m in the mood for zen baseball. Don’t want them to get to the WS at all, but they’re a generally good team.
  - first time long time
    
    i honestly hope they get swept the first round…thats how much i cant stand them.
    - Kit
      
      I doubt they’ll get swept, or not make it for that matter, but I would be extremely pleased if they don’t.
- Jerome S
  
  SF, Mostly because of Willie Mays lol.
- https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
  
  Absolutely the Rockies for me. I don’t mind the Marlins, but given what happened in 2003, I could never consider myself a fan of theirs in any capacity.
Ben

Chen retires the side in order in the first. Nice start.
- first time long time
  
  wooOOOOoooo!!! K.C. is the place to be!!
Ben

Wow, the Rays should have had a triple play. Instead KC leads 1-0.
- first time long time
  
  lol what happened?
- Cy Pettitte
  
  Rays have been so sloppy against KC
  - Ben
    
    Actually, the Rays did nothing wrong in this case. First and second, nobody out, for Billy Butler. Runner from second breaks on the pitch, and Butler hits a grounder back to the mound. The Rays turn the 1-6-3 DP, but the runner on second tries to come all the way around to score. Pena was ready for it, and made a good throw to the plate. Shoppach missed the tag, but the runner (Blanco) missed the plate, and was called safe even though Shoppach tagged him afterwards.
Kit

So I barely ever contribute to rain-delay fun, so I thought this might be a nice fun game (I could be wrong though, don’t kill me):

If you were a baseball player, what would you pick as an AB song /warm up song?

My choice: Mobb Deep’s – Shock Ones Part II because I randomly enjoy gangsta rap and the lyrics, “you’re minor, we’re major you all up in the game and don’t deserve to be a player don’t make me have to call your name out your crew is featherweight” amuse me (and remind me of Tampa because I’m mean).
- Kit
  
  *Shook ones
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  “BOB” by Outkast. I just love the beat.
  - Kyrnan
    
    i’d have to agree. that song pumps me up every time i hear it.
  - Kit
    
    Can’t say I’ve heard it. Not really an Outkast fan, but I’ll check it out.
- first time long time
  
  Beggin’ – Madcon, i just like that song. its one of those songs that just gets you pumped, you know?
  - Kit
    
    I love the original version better, but it is a generally good song.
    - first time long time
      
      who sings the original? i dont think ive ever heard it
      - Kit
        
        Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
        
        first time long time
        
        that ones pretty good. i like it. the madcon one seem a little more upbeat though
        
        Kit
        
        I just hate the unnecessary rapping in Madcon’s. I feel like it ruins the original, but I might just be smug about it.
        
        first time long time
        
        yeah i know what ya mean
- poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
  
  Wow, good question…uh…
  
  Beethoven’s Ode to Joy from Symphony no. Nine just to blow people’s minds.
  - Mariano’s Pimp Hand
    
    LOL, I was just going to say Pachelbel’s canon in d major.
    - poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
      
      Oh, I like that one even better.
      
      (I feel so high class now that I’ve found classical music, like, a week ago.)
      
      Oooh, just thought of a great one. How about Linus and Lucy?
- Jerome S
  
  Imperial March from Star Wars.
  - Pat D
    
    Good choice.
- Carlosologist
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGXzlRoNtHU
  
  I’m (hopefully) going to make it big one day, deal with it. :P
  - Kit
    
    I wish you the best of luck then, kiddo. I’ll be rooting for you.
- leo
  
  nice question
  
  for me it would be cool change – streets of the bronx (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKmgXcs-bqg), guess i’m the sentimental type
  
  either that or something like amon tobins proper hoodidge (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHoppKY00zc)to get me pumped up
- leo
  
  i’d like to see cc come up to this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv_d4fWZpB4
first time long time

any word on when the games probably gona start?
first time long time

ok heres a fun game: if you could date any 3 current players in the MLB or minors, who would they be? [if theres an awkward age difference, pretend you are his age]
- Pat D
  
  OMG! This board has been overrun by females who should be talking about shopping and not baseball!!!
  
  /Dibble’d
  - first time long time
    
    lol who is this dibble character that everyone talks about here?
    - Kit
      
      He gave us one of the best memes of the season because of this: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/08/rob_dibble_amazed_by_women_at.html
      - first time long time
        
        HAHAHAHA as a girl i should probably be offended, but thats hilarious! he sounds so dumb too lol
        
        Kit
        
        Well, the girls (myself included) who post here were offended because we’re probably smarter, more informed, more well-read and more knowledgeable about baseball than good ol’ Rob “Shut up and pitch” Dibble who no longer has a job because he suffers from chronic diarrhea of the mouth.
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        You’re a girl? Would’ve never, ever suspected that.
        
        first time long time
        
        uhhh not sure how how i should respond to this one lol
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        It’s not a bad thing, I just (like most people :/) assume people posting here are generally dudes and you’re not running around shrieking about Pettitte or whatever like I am.
        
        first time long time
        
        hahahaha no its ok im not mad at you or anything. no i agree with you on that assumption. and as for running around about pettitte…not really my type…however dont get me started on melky cabrera [2009 edition anyway, right now hes growing a beard, put on a little weight, kinda a turn off lol] hahaha
- U Thant
  
  Alyssa Milano, Natalie Portman, and Blossom’s friend Six.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Andy Pettitte (of course), Alex Rodriguez, Joe Mauer
- Hall and Nokes
  
  Well age is not the part that would be awkward.
  
  But I’d still date Robbie.
  - first time long time
    
    ahahaha. cano? yeah cant disagree with you there. lol
- first time long time
  
  mine:
  1. jesus montero
  2. david robertson
  3. felix hernandez idk why him though just something there, ya know?
- UWS
  
  Robertson
  Swisher
  Mike Mussina (yes, I’m aware he’s not a current player)
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Oh Moose is a good choice.
    - Pat D
      
      A friend of mine from Notre Dame got to interview him once. Said he was very cold and unfriendly.
    - Kit
      
      Moose always looked so tired. When he was on TV I’d actually try to talk to him like he could hear me. “You need a nap, Moose? I have a nice comfy bed right here.”
      - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        I have no idea if you meant it in that way or not but this made me laugh out loud. (Yeah, Moose did always look tired and annoyed.)
        
        Kit
        
        It was meant to be amusing. A friend of mine would chime in with “That would just make him more tired. Stop your shit, dude.”
- Kyrnan
  
  nick swisher, curtis granderson, derek jeter.
  - Kyrnan
    
    honorable mention: melky cabrera.
    - first time long time
      
      definitely cant disagree on that one hahaha
- Kit
  
  My choices would be Robbie, Sizemore, and a younger Ichiro because at some point in my life, I thought he was secretly a ninja.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    No lie, when the Grady Sizemore sorta-nudes leaked last year, at first I thought they were talking about Grady Little and I was HORRIFIED.
    
    …then I realized who they were talking about and it brought some sense back to my world. Oh, Grady. I miss you being non-broken.
    - Kit
      
      Seriously. I always wondering how he’s doing and I remember he’s been beat up for a while. Unfortunate for him. At least he’s still pretty.
      
      And yeah, Grady Little semi-nudes would be horrifying.
      - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/pimg/GettyImagesInc/GettyImagesNews/2008/11/06/_FILE__Grady_Sizemore_Wins_Gold_-14053.largeslideshow.jpg
        
        OMG so pretty *_* (SFW, don’t worry it’s not the kinda-nudes)
        
        Kit
        
        He’s all “Come hither…also, hold my gloves.”
        
        first time long time
        
        yeah hes cute
Hall and Nokes

Can’t the Phillies all pull their groins as they inexplicably send out the A team against Atlanta?
- Carlosologist
  
  It pisses me off that the Phillies are the best team in baseball.
  - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
    
    The 2008-09 offseason must’ve been torture.
    
    At least you aren’t a Giants fan, in that case. The Eagles beating the Giants in the playoffs a few months later would’ve sent a youngin like you off a cliff.
    
    /overstated’d
    - Carlosologist
      
      Haha, I didn’t really start devoting my time to baseball until this season. But that offseason must have been hell, considering the Yankees had missed the playoffs and the controversy surrounding the New Stadium and whatnot.
      - IOI
        
        An offseason where your team signs the three best free agents is never “hell”
        
        Carlosologist
        
        My favorite lines from that offseason:
        
        “CC wants to hit and stay on the West Coast!”
        “Teixeira is a Red Sock, no doubt about.”
        “BURNETT OVER LOWE!!!!1″(in retrospect, neither would have worked out)
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        I remember being in a taxi in NYC when the radio reported the Tex to NYY news and I almost shrieked out loud. Then when I got out of the taxi I was basically like, dancing around, and I saw a person in a Yankee hat (of course I did) and I wanted to run up to him and yell “WE GOT TEX!!!!” but I did not. Haha.
- first time long time
  
  is the atlanta game on tv by any chance?
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    It’s on MLBN (and Extra Innings if you have that, presumably).
  - Ben
    
    MLB Network.
  - first time long time
    
    cool thanks guys
Carlosologist

Apparently Dallas Braden will be providing “analysis” on MLBN during the postseason.

…

I can’t wait to see what he has to say about A-Rod as he pummels the best pitching in baseball.
- Hall and Nokes
  
  He’s running too close to my booth!
- first time long time
  
  dallas braden is so cocky. i mean could you imagine if, say, phil hughes reacted the way he did to someone running across his mound? the media would do the exact opposite: bash hughes while not making a big deal out of someone running across the mound. so dumb
  - Big Stein
    
    this has to do with the media’s hate of ARod.
    
    If Braden had done that to Youklis or Pedroia the media would have freaked out and painted Braden as a loon, instead of some sort of hero.
  - Kit
    
    I think the reactions were more a mixed bag than anything else. Some applauded him, some just thought it was amusing (which was the right reaction, IMO).
    - first time long time
      
      yeah i feel he acted like a clown, especcially when he was on letterman and what he said about arod…i mean just drop it you know? i think arod acted appropriately though, didnt really say anything kinda just “waved him off” and went about his business
wifi guy

KC up 3-0 on Rays :D
- Kyrnan
  
  james shields wind-up with a man on first-base irritates me.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    I HAAAAATE Shields’ wind-up
Big Stein

Any word when the game starts?
tom

OK, I say call the game. It’s too late already, with no guarantee it won’t be hours more; the Yankees have had nothing but bad luck on these rain-delayed nights; there’s no way the field’ll be anything but hazardous till tomorrow, putting multiple players (esp. one Andrew Pettitte) in jeopardy.

I assume part of the reason for hesitating in cancellation is the damn Fox game tomorrow, meaning if they played a double-header, it’d run real late. (Later than this?) But why not put it off till Sunday? That way, if the Rays have mathematically clinched the division, Joe can play a SWB roster in Game 2.
- Ben
  
  I think they’re waiting it out because I doubt either team wants to play a DH at this point. LIke you said, I think the DH would be Sunday, and not Saturday.
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  I assume part of the reason for hesitating in cancellation is the damn Fox game tomorrow,
  
  Or the fact that the Red Sox don’t give a shit about the Yankees related problems you’ve presented.
Ben

KC (Betancourt) really let Shields off the hook there.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  Yuni Betancourt: Bad at baseball.
  - Ben
    
    That he is. Not the guy I wanted up for the Royals in that situation.
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      He has more grand slams in 2010 than Jeter and Pete Rose have/had in their careers, combined. What the eff.
      - http://www.pileofwit.com The Doctor
        
        #YCPB
first time long time

whos worse: tim mccarver or joe morgan? i think mccarver only because i can tolerate joe morgan going on obsessively about robinson cano lol.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  McCarver. I maintain that Miller is worse than Morgan (though both are awful).
Hall and Nokes

Are they going to play this or not? I’ll be honest, I’m not too enthused about having to play a doubleheader with the Sawx right now.
- Pete
  
  I am. That’s like a Brackmonster guarantee
Kyrnan

people here at my job are saying the yanks are purposely trying to lose so they don’t have to play texas. do you think there’s any truth to this. i think it’s b.s. if anything the rays seem like they’re the ones trying to lose lately.
- FIPster Doofus
  
  Of course there’s no truth to it. Every AL playoff team has sputtered recently. Plus, they’re the Yankees; they fear no one.
- first time long time
  
  i dont think they’re “trying to lose” i just think they’re kinda relaxing that way they’re rested for the playoffs at least. a true championship should be able to defeat whomever they face in the postseason. there should be no preferences.
- Carlosologist
  
  Texas is the weakest of all four AL playoff teams. They have to start on the road, where they’ve been among the worst in the AL. If the Yankees play against them, I’m banking on the Yanks winning 3-2. Lee beats them in Game 1 and 4, and the Yanks win Games 2, 3, and 5, with the do-or-die game in the Bronx.
  - Ben
    
    In all probability Lee is not going to be starting on three days rest. Ron Washington left the door open, but he seemed relatively certain at the same time. Based on what happened in the WS last year, and how quickly Washington changed his mind about the three man rotation, I’m guessing Lee just isn’t comfortable doing it.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    It’s been confirmed Hunter’s their Game 4 starter, not Lee on short rest
    - Carlosologist
      
      Good, so we beat them on their home turf and laugh like we did in 96, 98, and 99.
    - FIPster Doofus
      
      *Licks chops*
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    Question: This isn’t directed specifically at you, so anyone can answer, but why does every potential Cliff Lee start get chalked up as a win for Texas? I mean I realize he’s excellent, but last I checked, he’ll be facing someone who’s, at worst, close to Lee.
    - Carlosologist
      
      I think the Game 1 of the World Series is still stuck in my mind, but then I remembered Game 5 and two of his three starts against us this season. So he’s not exactly a guaranteed win, as we’ll probably be throwing Sabathia in Game 4.
    - Kit
      
      Lee is generally a good pitcher. He doesn’t give up many walks or runs because he has great control. He’s not a guaranteed win all the time, but let’s face it, when he sucked it was because he was injured (and we may have been the team that injured him…) The only games we lost in the world series last year were his doing and he out-pitched CC in one game and then AJ in the other.
poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag

4-0 KC
first time long time

anyone else watching the jersey shore after hours right now? is it just me or does it look like vinny’s wearing lip gloss? lol
Operation Killer B’s

Anyone else see the Chop threw 3 perfect innings tonight while striking out 6 against the marlins in relief of Dan McCutchen
Hall and Nokes

Seriously, can any of you believe that Melky is hitting 5th in a playoff contender’s lineup?
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  I look at some of the NL contenders’ lineups and wonder how the eff they score runs. Heck, I do that with the Rays sometimes too.
  - first time long time
    
    seriously how do the rays have so many runs though? they have like 3 “stars” and im pretty sure only 2 or 3 players have over 20homeruns and most of their hitters are hitting like .250 if i say those names and their stats id say it was a lineup of scrubs. but i get they have good situational hitting and thats what counts i guess
    - Jerome S
      
      Worst hitting Rays team in franchise history, no joke. They’ve gotten by on pitching and defense, I guess.
      - Kit
        
        And the suicide squeeze!
      - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        Do you mean just BA-wise? I know most of the problem with the abysmal Rays teams was their pitching, but I can’t imagine they’ve got the worst triple slash in TBR history.
      - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        This may be the worst offense in Rays history, but there’s absolutely no way it’s the worst offense if you include the Devil Rays. Not even close.
        
        http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/TBD/1998.shtml
  - Jerome S
    
    Haha Yankees fans are so spoiled by our elite, $200+ million lineup. I’ll admit everyone else looks like crap to me.
Yo Quiero Montero (formerly LarryF)

Watching Rays game. Rays lead baseball in walks and strikeouts. Last to do that were the 2002 Yanks.

The Royals Cf’er Jarrod Dyson might be faster than Gardy.
first time long time

this waiting around is driving me nuts
- Scooter
  
  Sadly, this image popped to mind:
  http://www.philben.net/images/blog/RobotChicken2.jpg
  
  Looks like a few more showers on the radar – then clearing.
  - Kit
    
    Amusing picture. My favorite Robot Chicken sketch is “Black Stallion.”
dkidd in sunny los angeles

big game james proving once again that nicknames are silly
- Kit
  
  Especially when you haven’t earned said nickname and got it from a minor league teammate who loved the Lakers.
  - Kyrnan
    
    who was that?
    - Kit
      
      The roommate? I have no idea. I just know James Shields got his nickname from a Lakers fan.
      - Kyrnan
        
        interesting isn’t it…the things we remember?
        
        http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        It’s from “Big Game” James Worthy.
        
        Kit
        
        I’m not quite understanding what that has to do with anything. I just don’t think the article that mentioned where he got his nickname gave the roommate’s name.
        
        Kyrnan
        
        relax, i’m just kidding.
        
        Kit
        
        There’s nothing to relax over since I was already relaxed. I just honestly didn’t get it.
Jerome S

The heavy biblical rains are over now in Boston, and they’re not returning. What, you can’t play in a light drizzle?!
- Kit
  
  Rain doesn’t work well with their run prevention strategy. In fact, the sun doesn’t either.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    run prevention, more like playoff prevention, amirite
    - Kit
      
      Haha…you’re so right.
  - Jerome S
    
    Literally every time I’ve been to Boston it’s poured. Seems like a miserable place. The Sox should be used to it, by now.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Supposedly the game’s starting at 10. Uh…
- Yo Quiero Montero (formerly LarryF)
  
  Not when Bill Maher is on. C’mon!
  - WaRRioR86
    
    really?! Hope you are just kidding Yo Montero. If not enjoy that quality, qitty and non-hateful Maher rhetoric ;-)
- Carlosologist
  
  If it starts at 10, then in Yankee-Red Sox time that’s the bottom of the first with one out.
FIPster Doofus

Bruce Chen: True Ace
Jerome S

Bruce Chen one-hitting the Rays??
- Carlosologist
  
  Everybody and their mother has one hit the Rays.
  
  /hyperbole’d
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

The Royals are doing the Yankees an incredible service thus far in their series.

9 outs to Soria, a variant of my favorite game within each game.
- Carlosologist
  
  Soria has a career ERA of 1.95. O_O
  
  Fun fact: Joakim Soria has 254 IP in his whole career, spanning four seasons. King Felix has 249.2 IP, this season.
  
  #startersarebetterthanrelievers
- https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
  
  Just to play off this, how many here love to say in the later innings “x outs till Mo”?
  
  I know I can’t be the only one.
  - first time long time
    
    the way hes pitching right now…no. but in general yeah i love that =]. i remember doing that in the world series last year lol
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    I do that in the playoffs, a lot. Haha.
    - tom
      
      After Game 5 in Oakland in 2000, Tino said he started thinking it a couple of innings ahead. He added, “You hate to do this, but..” — that was an excruciating game.
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    Every single time since 1996 that the Yankees take the lead in a playoff game.
- Hall and Nokes
  
  Do you think that Soria realizes that this whole time, he’s being groomed to replace Mo?
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

It’s pouring again at Fenway and no one’s in the bullpen, including Andy. So… probably not 10.
- Scooter
  
  There’s a final band of showers, then clearing:
  http://www.wunderground.com/radar/radblast.asp?ID=BOX&lat=42.37046814&lon=-71.02747345&label=Boston%2C+MA&type=N0R&zoommode=pan&map.x=400&map.y=240&centerx=400&centery=240&prevzoom=zoom&num=6&delay=15&scale=1&showlabels=1&smooth=0&noclutter=0&showstorms=0&rainsnow=0&lightning=0
  
  The big question is – how will Fenway drain? There’s no way I’d put the starters (including Pettitte) on a wet field.
mustang

Does anyone have any idea if and when they will play?
- Jose the Satirist
  
  10 PM
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

The Rays sure are playing like shit in all facets.

For most of the year, it looked like they were going to post their best record in franchise history. If tonight’s score holds, 2008 can take a sigh or relief, since the Rays of 2010 couldn’t possibly match their record then.
tom

I just want to put in the record that, once he heard there were potential rain issues tonight, Girardi should have pushed Pettitte to tomorrow. The guy’s already dealing with a vulnerable back. Having him out there on a rain-soaked field is asking for trouble.

If Nova’s supposed to pitch a game anyway, why not tonight?
- Henry
  
  You also don’t want to re-injure that groin.
- Scooter
  
  There’s a chance that Pettitte WON’T pitch tonight – can’t imagine he ever warmed up.
  
  In the pregame, Suzyn talked to Eiland. As of tonight, Hughes was going to pitch 1-3 innings out of the pen tomorrow – subject to change if Sunday’s game means something.
- mustang
  
  I kind of agree.
http://www.metroflats.com Zanath

So is 10 the official start time?
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Tarp is back on the field, almost definitely not :/
  - http://www.metroflats.com Zanath
    
    At this point they should just call it then :-/
  - Scooter
    
    Mark Feinsand just tweeted:
    http://twitter.com/BloggingBombers
    
    If they wait for that band on the radar to clear Boston entirely, you’re looking at around 11.
    - http://www.metroflats.com Zanath
      
      Ugh, 11? Just play a DH on sunday IMO.
      - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        Why?
    - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
      
      Speaking of Feinsand:
      
      just asked a great question: What’s worse? Paying a guy $16.5M that stinks, or having a guy named Big Game James that stinks?
      
      Tremendous!
      - WaRRioR86
        
        Easy. The former El Stinko has help pitch his team to a wrold series title on 4 great performances. The latter did not keep it up in his team’s WS run in 08.
        
        Plus, AJ is not dumb or arrogrant enough to keep a nickname like “Big Game” as humilates himself nearly every night.
        
        Question- Does anyone know Shields’ numbers without his impeccable games againt the yanks? Gotta be far worse than A.J’s right ?
Jose the Satirist

Rollins hit a GS against Mike Dunn.
- Accent Shallow
  
  I thought there was a non-zero chance that Dunn turns into Billy Wagner. (He still might)
  
  I was bummed to swap him for Logan (I was wrong there. Even if Dunn eventually figures it out, Logan has been very useful)
Scooter

Update from KC: 5-0 Royals, bottom of the 6th. Chen has a two-hitter
- Little Bill
  
  Tampa is in bad shape. Girardi needs to go all out to sweep this series and get HFA.
  - Scooter
    
    All I want from this weekend:
    – no injuries
    – Andy Pettitte throws 5 solid innings
    – AJ is solid
    
    And it’s now 7-0 KC
    - first time long time
      
      aj is prone to meltdowns in Fenway. i remember: my first memory of AJ was watching that infamous start at fenway in august last year where he gave up like 8 runs and made it appear that he was yelling at jorge. oooh the memories. lol
      - Kit
        
        Yelling at Jorge seems like a bad idea in all way, shapes and forms, so I chose to think that AJ has some sort of self-preservation instincts and knows enough to avoid getting into a fight with our angriest player.
        
        first time long time
        
        i never really understood that incident though. was he yelling at himself or at jorge?
        speaking of jorge being angry,, my favorite memory of last year other than the playoffs was the brawl between the blue jays lol
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        He was yelling at himself but he was apparently saying “Why would you throw that pitch?!” so people took it to mean he was mad at Posada.
        
        first time long time
        
        i see. i still wouldnt get angry at jorge though. guy looks scary lol
        
        Kit
        
        I wasn’t aware of that, but I always knew AJ had self-preservation instincts. Good job, AJ.
        
        Chris
        
        Of course, asking Jorge why he would throw that pitch would be pretty stupid, since AJ is throwing all the pitches… Jorge is just calling them.
        
        Kit
        
        That Blue Jays fight was so stupid. I hate bench clearing brawls where the Yankees are involved. It just leads to injuries/ejections and fines, and I’d rather not have it. That being said, the Blue Jays learned a valuable lesson there.
        
        About the AJ/Jorge incident, I don’t know who AJ was yelling at but it seemed to be their “falling out”. Still don’t understand what happened there, but I’m sure they resolved it.
        
        first time long time
        
        yeah everyone in the clubhouse seems to get along really well, or it appears that way at least.
        
        anyway as for the brawl, i agree with what your saying but i found it to be very entertaining, especially because of how much i hate that stupid team with their stupid players and stupid country. lol
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        That Jays fight was so dumb. I love Posada to absolute pieces and brawls are always entertaining, but I don’t know why he did that. The Yankees all but had the division won at that point, and the Jays were TOTALLY out of it, and he basically just risked someone getting hurt.
        
        Kit
        
        I can’t even remember who the Jays pitcher was that day, but I remember that huge bruise on his head and I was just thinking, “What the hell are you doing, guys? This is pointless.” Tex looked angry as hell and I was kind of “Swoon!” though, not going to lie.
        
        first time long time
        
        it was some “nobody” but i remember he threw a pitch either inside at jorge, behind his back, or actually hit him and jorge was furious. kinda a pointless brawl but still entertaining. the best part was the way michael kay was doing the play by play. “and jorge scores. and now he has something to say to [insert pitcher’s name here] AND NOW THEY’RE GOING AT IT!” or something like that. still funny though
  - whozat
    
    I’d rather have Swisher’s knee in better shape than “go all out” and play him in the field for the next three days. I’d rather have Andy pitch 5 healthy innings tomorrow than send him out in the cold and rain after a 3 hour delay tonight.
- tom
  
  As bad as our guys have been of late, Tampa almost seems to want the division less.
  
  All the people giving credit to the Red Sox for not completely disappearing in the standings — they’d have to have been Royals/Mariners level bad to have lost ground in the last two months. That they couldn’t get closer says they really haven’t been worth much.
first time long time

story that relates to why pitcher win-loss is a bad statistic:
i asked a friend one day why he hated brian bruney so much (i had no idea who bruney was at the time lol) and he said something along the lines of how the yanks were winning by like 2 or 3 runs, bruney comes in and gives up the lead putting the yankees down by like 1 or 2. next half inning, the yankees score some runs and end up winning. Brian Bruney ended up getting the win.

exactly why win-loss says nothing about pitcher’s ability
Jerome S

Two consecutive nights without baseball?!
http://www.nooooooooooooooo.com/
The offseason is going to be tough.
- Carlosologist
  
  The offseason is always shorter when the Yankees win the World Series.
first time long time

lol post game show should be on in 7 min and game hasnt even started ye tlol
http://www.metroflats.com Zanath

7-0 Rays.
- Carlosologist
  
  You mean Royals?
  - http://www.metroflats.com Zanath
    
    Oops, yeah. They both start with an R. That’s a good enough excuse, right?
blazer

So is this game happening or what? And 7-0 KC is awesome. Game 7 ALCS here I come!
- first time long time
  
  that wont be necessary…yanks are winning in 5
  - first time long time
    
    just kidding…i really dont wanna pull a jimmy rollins and get too cocky and jinx anything
  - blazer
    
    That would be cool too, but I’m somewhat biased towards it going 7 games since I have tix to game 7.
- mustang
  
  Wow! Home field advantage just handed to the Yankees.
  - blazer
    
    As well as the ALDS and 3 of the first 6 games of the ALCS. I’m feeling optimistic.
first time long time

not sure if ive asked this before but do you guys think that robertson has the potential to be a closer?
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  Yes, he certainly has the potential to be a closer. For the Yankees? Unlikely, but possible. His BB rate is too high.
  - first time long time
    
    his walk rate for his career or this year? cus some of his stats are inflated from the dreadful start he had this year
    - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
      
      Career. I don’t think his walk rates ever got inflated, and even if they did, they are now right in line with his 08 and 09.
      - first time long time
        
        oh ok. hes still young though and can develop id like to see him as our next closer
      - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
        
        That being said, I see no reason he couldn’t reach Armando Benitez levels of success as a closer.
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

I hope Big Game James enjoyed his final start of 2010.
http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena

Can someone explain why they want the game called? Do people have plans at 2 AM that they don’t have at 1 AM?
- first time long time
  
  ietc
- Carlosologist
  
  I do need to make a few calls to certain people at 2 AM…
HotCarl

Odd sidenote; Javy is 25 ks behind Moyer for the active leader (Andy is third). Javy, Andy, CC and AJ are all in the top 13.
- Accent Shallow
  
  Somehow, I doubt he’s getting there this year. :)
Reggie C.

AND THE HITS TO THE G-MEN KEEP ON COMING!

Mathias Kiwanuka has been diagnosed with a bulging cervical (in the neck) disk. Recovery takes 2-3 months. Kiwanuka lead the team in sacks. I’m really disappointed and i can’t lie … this is a big blow to the pass rush.

The JPP era will begin on Sunday. The rook better bring it.
- Scooter
  
  ugh…. just keeps getting better, doesn’t it?
  
  JPP and Joseph both need to step it up on the line – I know Canty can play a little DE, so Joseph could slide in at DT to clog it up against the run.
  
  O-line looks really bad and really old, too
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

Tip of the cap to Bruce Chen.

Simply superb tonight.
- http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
  
  Seeeeeeeriously. Well done and thanks, Bruce.
Jose the Satirist

Padres game started for anyone who cares.
- Carlosologist
  
  BEAT SD!
  
  …that doesn’t have the same ring as BEAT LA.
- https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
  
  Braves getting it handed to them tonight, so the Pads can stay well alive with a win…
  - Carlosologist
    
    But they’ll be dead men walking if they lose. :D
    - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
      
      I have no sympathy for the Pads. Hate their ballpark, hate their “NL style” of play.
      
      NL style of play is the biggest crock in baseball. It’s just a nice way of saying the style of play is boring as shit. Who’s been the best team in the NL since 2008? The Phillies. What style do they play?
      
      Exactly.
first time long time

anyone know if its still raining in boston? i dont think its raining that much in the tri-state area anymore
- Carlosologist
  
  A link above said that the storm system should pass through Boston at 11. I still think they’ll play.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/map/interactive/USMA0046
  
  That radar has a future button. Don’t know how accurate it is as a predictor.
  - Scooter
    
    The “Present” projects until about 2:30 AM – looks like light showers pretty late.
    
    Looking at the Weather Underground map, there’s rain down in Providence that could end up over Boston. The original forecast said clearing after midnight.
    
    I just don’t see why you bother playing tonight
    
    Chen is 2 outs away from…. HIS FIRST CAREER SHUTOUT
Scooter

8 shutout innings from Chen – he’s at 93 pitches
- Kyrnan
  
  chen is a beast!
- first time long time
  
  wooOOOoo
http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig

Where the hell did the real Bruce Chen go?
- Carlosologist
  
  Back to Panama?
  - Jose the Satirist
    
    TIL that Bruce Chen was born in Panama.
  - Kit
    
    Haha…when I first found out he was born in Panama I called bullshit and lost twenty bucks.
- Kit
  
  Tex owned him, so he thought he only rightly deserved to take him home and put him on the mantel as a trophy.
  
  (In all seriousness, thanks, Bruce, and good fucking job).
Scooter

Some WEEI guy just tweeted this:
http://twitter.com/Trags

If the Sox players have left the dugout, that sounds like the game will be called
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  I enjoy that he said the game would get “banged” because I am apparently 12.
- Jose the Satirist
  
  Maybe they forfeited?
- first time long time
  
  could they be in the clubhouse getting ready or taking bp by anychance?
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

Hah. Twinkie implosion in the 8th.

Jays finally get their token home run, #19 for Encarnacion. 6-2 Jays.
byron

i live in roxbury, just south of boston. it’s been drizzling on and off for a while now.
mustang

Its Friday near Fenway Park with the number of bars around that place this delay can go on forever or at least to 2am.

Wish I was there.
- Scooter
  
  At the Cask and Flagon with your Yankee stuff on at 2 AM? Yeah that would be fun
  
  I almost had a drunk woman take a poke at me in a bar in Beacon Hill b/c I had a NY Rangers jersey on
  
  2 out for Chen
Jose the Satirist

This Padres game is already insane.
- Kit
  
  I’m watching “The Crazies” on DVD, so fill me in, please?
  - Jose the Satirist
    
    Miguel Tejeda on 1B. Adrian Gonzalez doubled. Miggy tried to score. Called out, looked like he got his hand on the plate before the tag by Posey.
    - Kit
      
      Thanks. And unfortunate.
http://www.twitter.com/tomzig Tom Zig

Bruce Chen for Cy Young!
first time long time

ugh these people need to make up their minds. if there’s no game i wana go to bed but if they’re gona play ill stay awake. i dont wana stay awake for another hour only to find out that its postponed
Scooter

First complete game shutout for Chen… wow
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

First fucking place!
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

Game postponed. It’s gonna be part of a doubleheader tomorrow at 9:05 PM.
Scooter

Postponed, guys

DH tomorrow
http://twitter.com/soxanddawgs
Jon

jeez…2 hit shutout by Chen…anyway else think the rays might in way over their head right now?

Why isnt this game postponed yet?
- Chris
  
  It is.
first time long time

dh tomorrow…god i hope they win at least one. 3 losses to the sox in 1 day=brutal
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  Why are you so negative of late? You seem like a really good commenter in general. What’s up with that?
  - http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena
    
    Follow up question: How can they lose to the Sox 3 times in 1 day?
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      You didn’t hear? With all their injuries, MLB decided it was unfair that the Red Sox get eliminated so early. Each win against the Yankees will actually count as 1.5 wins.
      - Stratman9652
        
        That sounds so crazy it might just be possible…
    - first time long time
      
      meant to say 2 sorry
  - first time long time
    
    aww thanks. but for the negativity ehhh wouldnt really classify this post as negative, just the way i feel thats all. not been the best week for me, 2 losses to the sox in 1 day + having to deal with buck and mccarver = not fun at all.
- http://www.metroflats.com Zanath
  
  All I care about is that everybody comes out of the games healthy, and that Andy and AJ pitch well. I’d like to win but if we don’t it’s not the end of the world. Would it be nice to win first? Yup. But it’s more important the key players are healthy for Wednesday.
  - Sweet Dick Willie
    
    This.
    
    Going into the play-offs as the WC healthy >>>>>>>going in banged up and division winner. HFA is not worth risking injury.
    
    If Yanks win the division and Lee beats them in Game 1, they no longer have HFA.
    
    If they go in as WC and win either Game 1 or 2 in Minnesota, they then have HFA.
gargoyle

God do they really have to preserve the precious 4pm Fox game and start game 2 at 9pm?

I guess it beats playing 2 on Sunday.
http://twitter.com/dpatrickg Dirty Pena

First place baby!!!!!
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

So the Yankees go to bed tonight in first place.

The Rays go to bed tonight having fallen short of even matching their 97-65 mark of 2008. I get a really strange and probably unnatural satisfaction out of that.
http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama

So… who’s staying up for Padres/Giants? Ludwick takes a Matt Cain offering out of the park, 1-0 Fathers.
- Ben
  
  Yup. Heck of a play by Ludwick in the first to rob Burrell of a two run double, and then he homers.
- tom
  
  where are you watching this? I’ve got College FB on ESPN, HIgh School FB on ESPN 2, and Braves/Phillies on MLB.
  - Ben
    
    I’ve got MLB Extra Innings.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    MLB Extra Innings, but when the PHI/ATL game is over supposedly they’re switching it over to SDP/SFG.
    
    AdGon bomb, 4-0 Padres.
Jerome S

What would happen if three teams tied for first place in a division w/o a wild card spot for any of the teams?
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  http://www.baseball-reference.com/about/division_ties.shtml
  
  Pretty much all the rules are there, I’d think.
https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo

The Yankees divisional number is 2.

This means if they win both ends of the doubleheader, they can cap off a long, dreary day of baseball with more champagne.

How awesome that would be.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  The magic number for the division is three, not two. The Yanks have to sweep tomorrow and the Rays have to lose for them to clinch the division.
  - Ben
    
    Mike, what do you think – no way they have another clubhouse celebration, right?
    - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
      
      Oh, they’ll celebrate. They’ll celebrate like they’ve never won anything in their lives.
      - Ben
        
        Hmm, I don’t know. I really don’t think the veterans would allow two clubhouses celebrations in the regular season. They celebrated qualifying for the playoffs on Tuesday, and I think they would view that as enough. If the Rays won the division they would definitely celebrate, but I don’t see the Yankees doing it.
        
        It’s not quite the same situation, but there was absolutely no celebration when they clinched a playoff berth last year. They waited till they clinched the division, limiting themselves to one celebration.
        
        However, I hope we get to find out.
        
        first time long time
        
        thats because last year wining the division was pretty much inevitable due to the way they were playing and their lead. or at least thats what i think anyway
        
        Ben
        
        I agree, which is why I acknowledged that the two situations are different. I still don’t think that the people making these decisions would be OK with two regular season celebrations, but who knows.
        
        first time long time
        
        sorry didnt see the “its not quite the same situation” my bad lol. but yeah idk im sure there would be, especially because they’ll be handed out shirts and hats and stuff
        
        Ben
        
        Haha it’s no problem. I was just reiterating my point.
  - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
    
    Then ESPN’s standings are a crock of shit.
    
    It says two.
- Ben
  
  The magic number for the Yankees to clinch the division is actually three (same as the Rays). Additionally, I’m pretty much positive that they would not pop champagne in the clubhouse if they win the division.
- Bob Stone
  
  That would be a dramatic and very satisfying end to the regular season, especially being at Fenway.
  - Bob Stone
    
    Of course the Rays have to lose as well.
- Stratman9652
  
  Love how now it seems everything is just miraculously falling into place. Certainly can’t complain. Would it be too much to ask for lights out AJ to show up out of nowhere and Andy to be, well, Andy?
bonestock94

My only real reason for wanting the Yankees to win the division is because game one will synchronize perfectly with my last test for a long time.
Kit

For anyone wanting to relieve some of the awesome from last year’s post-season, they’re giving Game 3 of the ALDS on YES right now.
- Kit
  
  And of course, I meant relive
  - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
    
    People were relieved once the Yankees finally decided to start kicking Carl Pavano’s bruised ass.
    - Kit
      
      I wouldn’t know. I was stuck in a biochemistry lab until late during that week.
- http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
  
  (cuddles Andy’s scruffy goodness)
- first time long time
  
  i wish theyd play game 2. that one was sweet. between the arod homerun, the robertson houdini act, and the walk off that one is more of a yankees classic in my opinion.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Seriously, as much as I love Mr. Pettitte, why do they play Game 3 of last year’s ALDS instead of Game 2? (And Game 6 of the ALCS/WS instead of Game 2 of the ALCS or Game 2/3/4 of the WS?)
    - first time long time
      
      because they were the clinching games. my favorite games from the playoffs were alds and alcs games 2 and for the world series, in this order,:
      1. game 6
      2. game 2
      3. game 3
      4. game 4
      
      the only reason 3 comes before 4 is that IIRC, 4 was a close game and 3 was more of an “easy” win, and close games make me too nervous lol
      - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
        
        But winning them is that much sweeter.
        
        ARod beat three closers last October. Friggen amazing.
        
        first time long time
        
        are you referring to the close games? yeah they are sweeter but think about it, if you lose thats a crushing defeat. thats all i can think about in those close games, “what if we lose?” but yeah i dont think my blood pressure can handle those close games. they give me heart attacks lol.
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    I remember jumping so damn high off my couch when Alex hit that homer. That was absolutely amazing.
    - first time long time
      
      i was literally in shock…i was like omg i cant believe that just happened. lol he hit a dramatic one in the 9th inning in one of the alcs games also right?
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        I don’t think it was the ninth inning, I think it was the 11th or some shit. The Angels took the lead in the top of the inning, A-Rod homered off Fuentes to tie it. I’m pretty sure it was two strikes, two outs too.
        
        first time long time
        
        ohhh yeah.i remember. aceves gave up the lead, arod ties it, robertson gets out of another bases loaded 0out jam, angels screw up next inning and we won. that one was fun too. i remember arod being up and thinking, “wow there is no way hes doing that again” and then he swings the bat…boom tie game. unreal. guy doesnt get enough credit
        
        http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
        
        It was an 0-2 pitch and there was nobody out, but the guys behind him were some combination of Guzman, Gardner, and other assorted crap
        
        first time long time
        
        “assorted crap” lol prob melky cabrera hahaha
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        THAT one made me jump and yell OH MY GOD HE TIED IT!!!!
        
        For the first one, it was a better overall game but in a way I had not given up on the game because I knew A-Rod was raking, so when he hit the HR it was AWESOME but not TOTALLY unexpected.
        
        The Fuentes HR was different. For whatever reason that night, I’d totally given up on the game and was giving the “can’t win ’em all” speech to my friend when A-Rod sneas the 0-2 pitch from Fuentes overall.
        
        Jump in the air, scream in absolute shock, and completely forget any thoughts of “being tired” and “just wanting the game to end one way or the other”.
        
        Thank you, A-Rod.
        
        poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
        
        Typos, man. I hate them.
        
        CBean
        
        I was on a bus on my way to Washington DC and the bus was supposed to have wifi and it didn’t, so I wasn’t going to get to follow the game. I was bitter. My two friends texted me play by play for the entire game. It took them forever to get out the Alex tied it text and I kept shaking my phone going, COME ON TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED. It was awesome.
      - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
        
        11th inning against Brian Fuentes, in the pouring rain, on an 0-2 pitch.
        
        With Freddy Guzman and Brett Gardner up after him.
    - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
      
      I was in the Bronx at a family friend’s house. When Alex hit that HR (and when Tex hit the walk-off) there were just a craaaazy amount of horns going off outside. Awesome.
poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag

Conceivably, we can clinch tomorrow.

This end to the regular season is so motherfucking awesome in so many ways. I’m loving this shit.
- first time long time
  
  if they clinch tomorrow, i will be the happiest person in the world. well maybe not, but that would be fantastic if they did though. would make me feel a lot better at least
- https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
  
  True, but I’m not sure much of anything can top how they clinched in 2009. Remember how much shit they clinched/accomplished by winning just that one game against the Red Sox?
  
  Division.
  100 wins.
  Best record in AL.
  Best record in MLB.
  Tied season series after starting 0-8.
  
  And they did it by sweeping the Red Sox right out of New York, after Ortiz said it would be great for the Red Sox to celebrate clinching the wild card in the visitor’s clubhouse at the new Stadium.
  
  They had to take that shit back to Boston instead.
  - http://youcantpredictbaseball.wordpress.com/ bexarama
    
    Yeah, I don’t think anything is going to top the way we clinched last year. That was freaking awesome, especially after Ortiz’s comments. Seriously, Papi, act like you’ve been there before.
  - poster on another computer who happens to be a deuce bag
    
    I disagree.
    
    This year it would be better for almost precisely the reasons you mentioned.
    
    This year, the division is a battle. It’s no easy win. We need to go into motherfucking Fenway Park and beat the Red Sox in their own house during the final season of the series just to have a shot at the division.
    
    How fucking awesome is that?
    - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
      
      Both are/would be awesome. I guess it still amazes me just how much that one win did last year.
      
      Seeing the Yankees go into Fenway to finish the season and coming back to win the division at the wire certainly has its own degrees of awesomeness.
http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Adrian Gonzalez is a man, he’s 40.
- bonestock94
  
  What am I missing here?
  - https://twitter.com/Carcillo_ Carcillo
    
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gundy#2007_media_controversy
  - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
    
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoMmbUmKN0E
    - Operation Killer B’s
      
      Gotta love Coach Gundy
    - bonestock94
      
      Oh yea, that, classic.
Beantown Bombers Fan

The Sox management should be ashamed of themselves with tonight’s debacle. It has rained hard pretty much all evening after EVERY forecast had said it would do that much. Instead of pushing back the gate opening time, knowing full well there was no way the game was gonna start at 7pm, they opened at regular time so that the fans would come in and “enjoy the atmosphere.” Fans instead got to sit around for ~4 hours, shopping, eating, spending money, etc… I understand that games get postponed, but this smacks of trying to make a quick buck off of fans. Spend, spend, spend! I’ve been to a few Yanks games where the same thing has happened. It really sucks as a fan to feel like you are getting jobbed.
first time long time

this entire season everyone has been saying “just wait until they hit/pitch on all cylinders” and they haven’t done that yet. but what if they finally do and its during the post season. HOW SICK WOULD THAT BE! WE’RE TALKING GOING 11-0 FULL ON REIGN OF TERROR!
- YankeesJunkie
  
  My pants would be wet!!!
- Sunil
  
  I could see that happening. AJ is such an integral part of this postseason. He didnt have a stellar postseason last year, but if he could repeat, they could haul ass
Beantown Bombers Fan

Just saw that the Sox flipped their starters for tomorrow’s games, so it will be Andy versus Shaky Wakey and AJ versus Dice-K. That evening game is gonna be brutal.
- Little Bill
  
  But we’ve gotta play the A lineup both games to sweep the series and capture HFA. Girardi has to go for the HFA now that the Rays have allowed us to control our own destiny.