Open Thread: Go O’s

September 19, 2011 by Mike Axisa 258 Comments

I feel dirty saying this, but I’m pulling for Buck Showalter and the Orioles tonight. Baltimore already beat the Red Sox this afternoon, and they’ve got the second game of their doubleheader tonight. After all the stupid stuff Showalter has said this year, after all the “disrespecting Flanny” nonsense, I’m in your corner Buck. Now put your money where you mouth is.

Here’s your open thread, folks. If you want to watch said Orioles-Red Sox matchup (Matusz vs. Lackey), it’ll be on MLB Network. You also have Monday Night Football in New Jersey for the Giants and Rams. Pretty good night for sports. Talk about whatever you want here, have at it.

http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig

Trivia Question of the Day: Who were the 10 Japanese pitchers to debut before Ichiro made his?
- Wil Nieves Number 1 Fan
  
  Yu Darvish. I don’t know the others.
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    Yu Darvish is in the majors? Huh
- The Constant Gardner
  
  Hideo Nomo
  Shigetoshi Hasegawa
  Mac Suzuki
  Kazuhiro Sasaki
  Hideki Irabu
  Masato Yoshi
  
  …. who am i missing?
  - Nihon Ichiban
    
    There was some long-ago guy with SF… Murakami? And Ohka with the Sawx.
    - Paul O’neill’s Batting Helmet
      
      Shinjo on the mets. thats all i got.
Tom Zig

So if the Orioles win tonight, the magic number for both the division and the playoffs will be at 4.
Mike r

What’s our magic number to clinch? Can’t believe Boston is finishing the season like they started.. Smh
- Tom Zig
  
  5 for the division. 4 for a playoff spot.
Delaware – Ralph

http://www.boston.com/sports/b.....csort=desc

Maybe I am a total jerk right now. I am sitting in my theater night class (I am a business major – this is torture) but reading the sky has fallen comments is making class a little easier.
- Delaware – Ralph
  
  “It’s time to call it. Sox DOA 9/19/2011. Move over Yankees we have the biggest chokers in baseball history. What a debacle. I’ve been a Sox fan for 30 years and lived through 86′, 03′ and everything in between. This is the most disappointed I’ve ever been with a Sox team. One that just folded and went home with a month left. Bunch of soft, quitters. I’m rooting for Detroit in October.”
  - Kramerica Industries
    
    And, of course, if the Sox hold on and somehow make a fine playoff run, that writer will be one of the first to apply revisionist history and act like that never happened.
    - http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
      
      is it the same guy who wrote the Sux would challenge the ’27 Yankees for Greatest team of all time?
      - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
        
        Actually it’s not. I’m not sure if you were being sarcastic or not. But a guy named Eric Ortiz wrote it, the Sux being compared to the ’27 Yankees. I’m sure that Ortiz has forgotten all about baseball and is ready to watch the Pats go 14-2 again and lose their first playoff game.
        
        http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
        
        Nice!
  - Jimmy McNulty
    
    Did they forget 2006? I mean they’re still leading the Wild Card, and they have six games left against the Os and the Rays have seven left against the Yankees. This isn’t exactly rocket science.
Kramerica Industries

Matusz vs. Lackey

Open the floodgates.
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  Yep. Lackey’s gonna have to out-suck Matusz.
  - Rookie
    
    I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to outsuck Matusz this year.
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    Well, 4-3 Sox after 1. I have a feeling Lackey won’t hold the lead.
Karl Krawfid

nice start for da O’s
Delaware – Ralph

“I don’t think its Gonzales surgically repaired shoulder that has weakened…I think it is testicles that shrunk to the size of a pea from the pressure of the stretch run for the post season…..this guy completely went away after the all star break when he had like 85 RBI’s and he finishes with what 115…whats up with that…at least crawford was consistent and stunk all year……”
Karl Krawfid

1-0 O’s
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

haha 1-0 O’s already!
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  2-0 on a Vlad sac fly
Tom Zig

Good start for the Orioles.
Karl Krawfid

3-0 LOL!
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

haha Red Sox FAIL.
Cy Pettitte

LOL Lackey

the ship is sinking, and it’s sinking fast.
Tom O

Jason Varitek winning the lead glove award this series.
SevenAces

LOL @ Bossux! This is hilarious.
FachoinaNYY

Not a bad start O’s
Kramerica Industries

LOLckey.
smurfy

Oh, shit, the hilarity is bubbling up and I can’t contain it. That’s what Lackey said, oh shit, after his heroic throw, just at the same time as me.
FachoinaNYY

Wow Lackey/Lackey’s contract is the only thing that makes Burnett/Burnett’s contract look good.
Zanath

It’s the battle of the suck! Who will suck less: Matusz or Lackey?
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

The only bad thing about that inning is at this rate Lackey will be out of the game in the 3rd and I wanted his suckness to provide length this evening…
- CBean
  
  i don’t know, they used up a lot of relievers the last game.
  - http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
    
    tru dat, but he threw 30 pitches in the 1st – could end up being a full blown Suck Hemorrhage
FachoinaNYY

Its so frustrating that we have to play the Rays so many times over the rest of the season… Its going to be really hard for them to pull this off.
- mbonzo
  
  Sweep the Red Sox?
Guest

I think AJ owes Lackey a christmas present, or at least a thoughtful card.

Nobody in the majors has done more to make AJ look better…
Icebird753

Be careful what you wish for…the Rays are easily more of an October threat than is Boston, especially with their pitching staff…
- Guest
  
  This is definitely true.
  
  Lester/Injured/Beckett/Injured Bedard/Lackey/Wakefield/Weiland not quite Shields/Price/Hellickson.
  - Brian S.
    
    Beckett isn’t injured anymore and Bedard is pitching tomorrow. People who think the Rays are a tougher matchup are high.
    - JimIsBored (Jim S)
      
      True, but counting on Bedard is never really a comforting thought.
      - Brian S.
        
        And wanting to play a team with a team wRC+ of 117 instead of one with a wRC+ of 100 is foolish.
- Rookie
  
  Amen. Tampa Bay’s pitching right now — since the All Star break — is nothing anybody should want to face. They might be at a big disadvantage in a five-game series against Detroit having to face Verlander twice. But they would appear to be a nightmare of an opponent in a seven-game series.
  
  And if Beckett and Lester pitch to form, Boston wouldn’t be a walk in the park — even if Bedard doesn’t surprise.
  
  The best scenario for the Yankees, I think, is for the Red Sox to win, but to not be able to line up their pitching or rest their players. Then, whether the Yankees face Boston or Detroit in the LCS, they’ve got a 50/50 shot anyway — although they should probably be big underdogs in the games pitched by Lester and Beckett or Verlander and Fister.
  
  Just my two cents worth.
  
  But I agree with your point. I think Tampa Bay would be a nightmarish opponent at this point.
  - JimIsBored (Jim S)
    
    I don’t think Tampa would be any worse than Texas/Detroit, but yeah, I’m not sure whether I’d want to face Boston or Tampa at this point.
    - Rookie
      
      I don’t think Texas or Detroit would be a walk in the park — especially not Detroit in a five-game series probably facing Verlander twice. (And why do I expect Texas to run circles around the Yankees like they’re a bunch of geriatric patients in the post season if they play each other?)
      
      But go to ESPN and check out the stats on Tampa’s pitching after the All Star break. It’s truly nasty.
      
      Again, Beckett and Lester are no walk in the park either. But you can hope that Bedard won’t rise to the occasion, that Crawford won’t remember who he is, and that Youklis, Gonzalez, and possibly even Ortiz will continue to play (or not play) like they’re banged up, injured, or exhausted.
      
      I think Tampa is the scariest of the alternatives in a seven-game series — with Detroit or Boston probably being the scariest in a five-game series.
Champagne_whores

The formula
Win two in the next rays series
Beat boston two Al east winner
Lay down to rays for final series = rays wc BOSTON DEAD.
LOL
jay h

lol the comments on overthemonster’s game thread are great.
Karl Krawfid

FLANNY
Ron

Agreed Icebird753. At this point the RS starters are such a cluster-f@&$ id rather see them get in.
Kramerica Industries

Matusz trying to give it back.

Hah, time to buckle in…
Karl Krawfid

Poor Brian.

All those innings last year have caught up with him.
pop up teixeira

final score will be 12-10 orioles
JimIsBored (Jim S)

We think we have it bad with Hughes. I can’t imagine how O’s fans feel about Matusz.
- Jimmy McNulty
  
  They’ve never felt success so they really don’t know what they should be feeling. To them this isn’t worse than how they feel any other time they lose a game.
  - JimIsBored (Jim S)
    
    Don’t really agree. Matusz pitched extremely well last season and gave a team with no hope some (false)hope. To have visions of happiness dashed for seemingly no reason has to be awful.
    
    Plus I sort of lied. I live near Bmore, i know darn well how depressed the fans(there aren’t a lot who talk about the O’s anymore) are about Matusz specifically. They’re resigned to lose games started by people like Jo Jo Reyes and Tommy Hunter, but when their young players suck, it hurts more.
Jimmy McNulty

Matusz blows so I wouldn’t be surprised if the Boston comes back, they’re only down two. Hell he could give it back this inning.
- Zanath
  
  And there it goes.
Tyrion Lannister

Buck’s gotta pull Matusz. I don’t know why they keep trotting him out there.
- Jimmy McNulty
  
  They blow and don’t give a shit as long as they get to rain on someone’s parade.
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

AJ>Lackey>Matusz
CBean

Matusz might win the suckiest pitcher contest.
Kramerica Industries

Yep.
Brian S.

Can they not have this dead-armed giraffe looking motherfucker pitch against Boston? What a joke.
Karl Krawfid

Dude has one pitch.

One pitch.
- http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
  
  Mo?
  - Karl Krawfid
    
    Didn’t say he could command the one pitch.
    - http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
      
      ah
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

Far cry from Palmer-Tiant.
Zooboy

Matusz = buzzkill.
pop up teixeira

oh well, so much for the lead
theyankeewarrior

Brian Matusz is absolute garbage. I hope they shut him down for the season because he has no shot to help the O’s vs. this lineup.
Kramerica Industries

Matusz has given up at least 5 ER in his last six games. Only once did he not have an ERA over 9 for an individual game.

How can the O’s not see that something is clearly wrong with him?
- Brian S.
  
  He has a dead arm and they still have him pitch every five days. They are very cruel.
  - DERP
    
    This is his first start in two weeks. He should be shut down though.
- Rookie
  
  It’s hard to imagine they don’t see it. Maybe they don’t think that they have an alternative.
  
  But if you’re saying that they should shut him down and figure out what’s wrong with him, I agree 100%.
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

LOFL
DERP

I wonder if Mike is still a Matusz fan. I do feel bad for Matusz though.

He had (has?) the potential to be something special.
Andrew

Am I the only one that would prefer the sox backing into the playoffs over the rays rolling in?
- Rookie
  
  Definitely not. I’m with you 100% Andrew — as are Icebird and Guest. No one in their right mind would want to face the pitching of Tampa Bay right now. The only team I know of that I think would have the upper hand against that team right now on paper would be Philadelphia with its three or four aces.
  - Brian S.
    
    Good think the ALCS is a month away. I think it would be stupid to want to face Boston and their offense; and Becket, Lester, Bedard is almost as good as what the Rays are throwing out there.
    - Andrew
      
      I think our offense can match boston’s and our weak pitching outside of CC would fare better against the rays.
    - Rookie
      
      In terms of Beckett and Lester at #1 and #2, I agree with you Brian.
      
      But beyond that, Bedard is a complete unknowable. He could be great or he could be awful. And the Red Sox don’t have a #4 they can count on or a super strong long man beyond Aceves.
      
      But again, I don’t think facing Boston would be a walk in the park. I don’t think ANY team the Yankees are likely to face in the post season this year looks like a push over — not with the Yankees’ pitching beyond CC being what it is.
Jimmy McNulty

I just saw a picture of Lindsay Lohan and her mom making out.
- Jesus Freak
  
  post a link
- Jesus Freak
  
  Found it. yuck.
http://www.twitter.com/ngoral Jake LaMotta’s Left Hook

I don’t know if I should feel sorry for Matusz, or pity the Orioles organization. If I was Matusz though, I’d want to get the hell away from the Orioles and possibly the AL altogether.
- mbonzo
  
  Verducci effect.
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

Hah Hah, now I hope the Sux lose by only 1 run.
http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig

What’s the general rule of thumb when it comes to playoff gear? Sure, people wanna go out to get “AL East Champions 2011″ but it’s wasted if they lose in the first or second round. Personally, I only get merchandise if they make it past the ALDS and am in no rush. Why bother with an AL Champions shirt? You might as well get a shirt that says “Second Place Champions!”
theyankeewarrior

I think I would have rather seen any other MLB pitcher face Boston tonight than Matusz and his 12 era.
- Rookie
  
  Amen. I think I’d rather see just about any MINOR league pitcher face Boston tonight other than Matusz.
Sheepmeister

Personally, I don’t think it will matter who wins the Red Sox and Rays WC chase. The Yankees wouldn’t face either of them until the ALCS. By that time, they already won 3 out of 5 and may have gotten on a hot streak. No matter who the Yankees face on their way to the WS championship, it won’t be easy.
- Rookie
  
  Agreed, Sheepmeister. With the Yankees’ pitching staff being what it is, I think they’ve only got a puncher’s chance in the post season.
- mbonzo
  
  I really only want to see the Rays win the wildcard because I hate the Red Sox and it would be fitting considering how writers were boasting about how good they were this offseason. The Yankees could beat either team, and I don’t care who makes it, but fuck Eric Ortiz and all the other writers who wrote off the Yankees.
  - pop up teixeira
    
    Yes agreed
Karl Krawfid

okay I can turn this off.

Why didn’t the O’s just start Jobabosskus?
ItsATarp

Matsuz might be the worst pitcher in the league
- Rookie
  
  MIGHT be?!
  - MannyGeee
    
    AJ is still in the league…
Karl Krawfid

Anyone see that home run Mike Stanton just hit.

Jesus Christ.
- Karl Krawfid
  
  Both of them lol
- pop up teixeira
  
  Mike Stanton might be or is the strongest hitter in baseball who will have planty of 30-35+ homeruns a year from this year on
I Collect Brett Gardner Cards

ok lets trade the 3 game Red Sox series to the Rays for BJ Upton & one of the 3 games vs Toronto.

Fair trade. But if they want Mitre as well, I won’t argue.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  How about we trade A.J Burnett straight up for Dice K, and Dice K will walk away as a FA after this year. That’s a fair trade for both sides, right?! RIGHT?!?!
  - http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
    
    In that scenario, I’d be saying Konichiwa to Dice K in a heartbeat.
Rookie

I think that’s a good question, Karl.

I think the only good answer is that he’s not stretched out. But doing anything at all to avoid pitching Matusz seems like it would be a good idea.
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  Why don’t you just use the reply button?
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    It’s because he’s a rookie!
    Get it? Get it?
    Hahaha
    
    Ok I’ll stop…
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

Lackey starting to revert to form.
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  Yep. he gives up a 2 runs single to cut the Sux’s lead to 6-5.
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    I didn’t notice that, that’s still pretty hilarious.
    - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
      
      Epic reply fail. I meant to reply on a different comment.
Bill

Don Orsillo’s bland voice is annoying.
CBean

it’s ok, Lackey is still Lackey. He can blow this yet.
http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Hahahaha this Orioles/Sox game is priceless.
Lackey mows the first two, then he strikes out Vlad, but old man Varitek fails to throw the ball to first in time so Vladdy reaches. A single, Vlad goes from first to third (!!!) a walk and a bloop 2 RBI hit. It’s only the third inning and I’m lmao.
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  Vlad got to 3rd on the single because Buck sent him on a 2-2 count. That in itself is lmao-worthy.
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    I didn’t notice that, but that’s still pretty hilarious.
https://twitter.com/TheRealJeromeS Jerome S.

Classic meltdown.
The Constant Gardner

This is too funny to watch.
https://twitter.com/TheRealJeromeS Jerome S.

The final score of this game is definitely going to be like 14-13 or something like that.
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

They would’ve had Lowrie if Tatum didn’t make a Varitek throw.
Kramerica Industries

Lackey vs. Matusz

Sometimes, you CAN predict baseball.
- http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
  
  True, but Politics and Baseball still make for strange bedfellows.
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

Walter Matthau must be fuming on the bench.
JobaWockeeZ

At least someone is our division also sucks at developing pitchers. Except they always get top 5 picks.
Kramerica Industries

O’s reciprocating the two out, multi-run rally.
Jesus Freak

Baltimore is doing everything they can to give the game away.

Lackey is doing everything he can to give the game away.

It’s a titanic struggle at suckatude.
Chen Meng Wang

Good evening everyone…idk if anybody’s watching the Giant game but Eli’s gotta do a better job of looking off the safety on that throw.
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  The decision was fine he just threw like a 5 year old girl.
  - Chen Meng Wang
    
    I agree it was the right decision, I also agree that he put to much air under it but if he at least looks at the otherside of the field the safety has to stay honest.
CBean

Wow the O’s are really terrible.
Kramerica Industries

Red Sox might score 30 runs tonight.

O’s will come up about 10 runs short.
The Constant Gardner

Yeah, the O’s totally have this one in the bag. Might as well start warming up Kevin Gregg.
https://twitter.com/TheRealJeromeS Jerome S.

The O’s couldn’t buy an out.
tom

1) Between Lackey & the Boston bullpen, this game is still not locked down.

2) Letting Tampa get within one loss, with this many games left, means the damage has been done today, regardless of how the second game ends. And Boston can hardly say to itself, “Well, we’re back in the saddle”, simply because they manhandled one of the worst pitchers in baseball. They’ve still got to look at their ongoing suckitude, and realize that, the way they’re going, every single game is a looming loss. They’ll be playing scared right to the end.
Rey22

Wow, I leave the game for 30 minutes, it goes from 4-3 Sox to 11-5. This lead is even Lackey proof I’d say. Oh well, at least they won game 1.
Chen Meng Wang

Hakeem Nicks is a beast.
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  Saved Eli’s ass.
Esteban

As bad as Burnett is, he’s no John Lackey, and we should be thankful for that.
JFH

The O’s pitching staff was not this generous with us recently.
Esteban

Giants defense not looking good so far
- Chen Meng Wang
  
  I heard a great quote about Sam Bradford earlier today…I think it was Drent Dilfer “Sam’s a good quarter back 20-20 but a great quarter back is made in the Red Zone, and he just hasn’t done that yet.” So far once we’ve gotten inside the 20 we’ve shut him down.
JFH

MASN sportscasters just took a pot shot at the Yankees. Jealousy breeds enmity.
Chen Meng Wang

Good challenge by Tom :)
Sarah

What are the odds we see a Lackey v. Burnett match up this weekend? Could be epic.
- Chen Meng Wang
  
  That game would last at least 5 hours.
  - Zanath
    
    Underselling it. Would easily be 6.
  - Sarah
    
    True statement.
Chen Meng Wang

Manningham’s gotta catch that ball…
Karl Krawfid

O’s are showing heart.

I am shocked.
JFH

11-8. Lackey out.
Tyrion Lannister

LOL Lackey! 11-8 now!
Tom Zig

8 ER by Lackey. Yikes
Jesus Freak

Lackey getting boooed as his comes off the field.

LOLZ
Sarah

Who is taking over for Lackey since Aceves pitched this afternoon? Albers? Someone else terrible?
JFH

Does the WPA graph change when Lackey is removed from a game?
Kramerica Industries

Lackey is incredible.

It takes a bulldog to keep letting the O’s back within a striking distance – until their failpen gives up six runs in the bottom half of the inning to put it back out of reach.
Guest

I know its fun to watch the LOLsox implosion, but, being that we are Yankee fans first…we HAVE to root for the Sox to keep the Rays out, right? Again, you never want to wish for an opponent b/c that opponent just may jump and beat you (see ’06 Tigers and ’07 Indians).

But after Lester (who has not been great recently), they have a hurt Beckett and absolutely nothing else. I mean, Lackey is their game three starter unless both Beckett and Bedard are healthy. Lackey. Game three.

And the odds of both Beckett and Bedard being healthy at the same time are…slim.

Given this, we have to root for the Sox to keeps Rays out, right? (And yet I find myself rooting for the O’s to come back tonight.)
- Brian S.
  
  No, they are not slim. Bedard is pitching tomorrow and Beckett is pitching they day after that.
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

According to Jerry Remy, Marianah Rivura got his 602nd save today.
- Chen Meng Wang
  
  I wonder if Mariano Rivera knows somebody tied his record already =P
Chen Meng Wang

OMG this game is only in the 5th?!
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  11-8 with Lackey and Matusz starting pretty much explains it.
  - Chen Meng Wang
    
    Still though. Thats pretty insane.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  And this game is definitely not Joe West approved.
Sarah

Orioles reliever sucking.
http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig

Quick question. How many hours should a full-time college student work?
- Chen Meng Wang
  
  In a perfect world, 0. If you have to have a job though I’d say no more than 20-25…I tried full time school and work, it’s tough.
- Sarah
  
  Is there some sort of rule of thumb for this? I would think it depends rather widely on the financial situation, class schedule, course load, etc.
  - http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig
    
    I pay for my own education (roughly $2500 for 15 credits worth, 5 classes. Yes, it’s a community college.) But my issue is my boss always puts me on for 30+ and I get other workers to pick up my shifts to which point my management gets pissed at me, yet they know I’m in school.
    - Sarah
      
      I’d look for a different job. Easier said than done, I realize.
    - Chen Meng Wang
      
      I’m in basically the same situation you are…and it’s tough. Life’s different for everybody obviously but what I’m doing is taking a semester off, working full time and saving, so I can afford to go to school while only working 20hrs a week.
      - http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig
        
        That’s a nice concept, but considering I slacked off my whole senior year in high school it’d be VERY hard to get back into study mode from there on out for me….
        
        Chen Meng Wang
        
        I hear yah, and getting back into the studious mode is very hard but I’ve done it before. Since your in community college have you ever thought about doing school part time, taking three or four classes instead of 5 or 6?
        
        http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig
        
        I’ve considered it, but I’m not a fan of summer and winter classes really- Also, I want to get my credits and move up the college ladder so to speak….I know someone who went to community college for 5.5 years (!!!)
        
        Chen Meng Wang
        
        As sad as it is that’s much more common than you’d think…I’ve been in for 3 years and I’ve only got 36 credits to my name..when your paying for yourself it can take a while.
        
        http://twitter.com/#!/czm93 Craig
        
        Ugh….here’s hoping to the future looks clearer. I just wish someone would hire me knowing I’d work for at most 20 hrs
        
        Chen Meng Wang
        
        Find a pizzaria or something around you (assuming you have a car) and explain to them your situation, most of them are off the books, straight cash, and most of their drivers are high school/college students anyway so they’d probably be willing to work around your school schedule.
        
        http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
        
        any way you can get a job at the school? that might make it easier.
        
        Wooderson
        
        i’m with both of you guys. where do you guys go to school?
        
        Chen Meng Wang
        
        Wooderson: Bergen Community College. Also known as Paramus University when people ask me where I go to school.
        
        Wooderson
        
        me too, man. im going to bergen to transfer somewhere else. i live in paramus so it’s really convenient.
        
        Chen Meng Wang
        
        Fuck bro, we live literally a town away from each other lol. I’m in New Milford.
Rey22

My God, what the hell happened to John Lackey? I didn’t expect him to be Cy Young when he signed with the Sox, but something around a 4.50 ERA sounded reasonable for him. Has there been a worse starter in the bigs this year? He’s made AJ look good.
- Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
  
  Has there been a worse starter in the bigs this year?
  
  Brian Matusz
  - Rey22
    
    Well, yeah, but I meant overall throughout the season. Matusz hasn’t pitched enough innings to be THAT harmful for the Orioles. I can’t think of someone who’s been given so many innings and has pitched so poorly.
    - SDM
      
      Matusz can’t get out of the 2nd inning, he digs his team into such a hole in his starts that the team is usually done before they get a chance to bat.
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    Bronson Arroyo has been pretty shitty too in a much bigger sample size.
Chen Meng Wang

The Giants have converted one third down ONE(!!!) to this point in the season…
Rey22

Well, if nothing else, even if the Sox make they playoffs their bullpen has been overworked a lot, especially lately. Can’t see them making it past the first round. (Of course, in the playoffs anything can happen if a team gets hot at the right time.)
- JobaWockeeZ
  
  Most of the overworked people are nobodies. They won’t pitch in important situations. Bard and Papelbon are fine…
  - Rey22
    
    Aceves and Bard have been used a lot lately, they’re certainly not nobodies. Bard’s actually been very hittable lately, probably due to fatigue. Papelbon’s fine though, they’ve hardly had reason to use him :P
    - JobaWockeeZ
      
      http://www.baseball-reference......;year=2011
      
      He’s fine.
Chen Meng Wang

What is Vlad thinking there?!
http://deleted Total Dominication

WTF Vlad?
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

what the fuck was Vlad doing?
http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

WTF was Vlad doing?
Sarah

11-9! Let’s go Os!
http://deleted Total Dominication

This game is the meaning of predictable baseball.
Chen Meng Wang

Jason Veritek: Not good at baseball.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  But he’s teh captain!!!11!!!1!!
  - Chen Meng Wang
    
    such a great Field General…
- okay…
  
  a bit harsh …
  - Chen Meng Wang
    
    http://www.baseball-reference......ja01.shtml
    
    I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves…I’ve got no problem admitting Red Sox that I hate are great players…Pedrioa for example, awesome player I just hate his face and uniform.
Rey22

I am going to die laughing if the Orioles manage to win this game. Creeping closer…
Chen Meng Wang

Mario Manningham: Rocks for hands.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  Eli’s gotta go to Stokley more, granted it’s his first week with the team.
  - Chen Meng Wang
    
    I haven’t really seen him on the field much honestly.
Chen Meng Wang

Dominick Hixon Just saved an under-thrown ball and turned it into six for the G-men.
ESPN Color Commentary

I have to say, Buck has “hit the right buttons” with his bullpen, completely shutting down the Red Sox for the last three innings, “putting his players into positions in which they can succeed”. This is the sort of gritty managing that Baltimore has been searching for.
Sarah

This double header is burning through the bullpens of these teams.
- http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
  
  this makes me so distraught
  - Sarah
    
    I know. I’m sorry to be the bearer of such distressing news.
    
    Here’s more distressing news: Kimbrel and Venters are imploding as well for ATL. Apparently someone did not attend the Joey G. School of Bullpen Management.
    - http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
      
      You know, first it was the nip in the air, then the flipping between baseball and football, and now finally watching a well played game like this, has me truly primed for postseason baseball.
http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

Fuck, Jacoby Dingleberry with an inside the parker…

Best center fieldah evahhh
/Sox fan’d
mbonzo

This is the worst defense I’ve seen this year. Orioles are ridiculously bad.
- Sarah
  
  Worse defense than the Brewers?
  - mbonzo
    
    Yes, but I just remembered the Mets were a major league team. Ok so the Orioles are the worst AL team defensively.
    - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
      
      Oakland is pretty bad too.
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

Only the Orioles…
http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse

So much for this Orioles comeback…..
I blame Buck…
Foghorn Leghorn

Boston is going to win this game and their stupid fans will see it as a gritty, come from behind victory…the stuff champions are made of…
Foghorn Leghorn

where the hell did ellsbury get this power? he’s hit at least twice as many dingers this year as his entire career.
- http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh
  
  Power is the last tool to develop…especially if the player is a tool.
  - Foghorn Leghorn
    
    that makes sense.
- https://twitter.com/johnsc2000 JohnnyC
  
  I’m sure David Ortiz will get the answer to that soon. Probably something to do with a one-armed man.
  - Foghorn Leghorn
    
    right…he’s been too busy finding Nicole’s killer ever since OJ’s been in the clink.
    
    Remember Ortiz’ press conference for the announcement? He shows up wearing a pimp suit. I swear to go I thought I was watching “Evening at the Apollo”
    - https://twitter.com/johnsc2000 JohnnyC
      
      Speaking of PEDS, anyone catch the guns on Joey Bats over the weekend? First time I’ve seen him without the undershirt on beneath his jersey. Shades of Sammy Sosa’s pythons. Yeah, just extra lifting in the gym, natch.
http://RAB Nuke LaDoosh

What the hell did Buck just write down ? (“We Suck!)
Foghorn Leghorn

Let’s see if Bard can hold this lead…

Conor Jackson..greatest platoon OF evahhhh!
Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat

Harold Reynolds on MLBN saying essentially that you shouldn’t swing 3-0 when you’re being no-hit.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  Is someone throwing a no-no?
  - Freddy Garcia’s 86 mph Heat
    
    yea Cory Lubke was and Mark Ellis hit a homer in an 8-0 game that broke it up and he went off on how you should never swing 3-0 in a game like that while being no hit and how it’s better to bunt in a game like that than swing 3-0
    
    (the big fail is that Ellis actually hit a 3-1 pitch out)
    - Chen Meng Wang
      
      I used to be a fan of Harold Renyolds but he’s basically just become a recurring fail whenever he opens his mouth…
      - https://twitter.com/johnsc2000 JohnnyC
        
        Reynolds has always been a caricature of an ex-jock trying to be an “analyst.” He’s also under the mistaken impression he’s a ladies’ man apparently.
    - Foghorn Leghorn
      
      that “unwritten rule” is bush league…the offense’s job is to get on base and score. just b/c a guy is no hitting you doesn’t mean you lay down and give up.
      
      sometimes baseball players cna be the biggest sissy bitches.
      - Chen Meng Wang
        
        If the Yankees were being no-hit and it was getting to be the 6th or 7th inning and Gardner is up. If the defense is playing back I think every Yankee and Yankee fan would be screaming for him to lay down a bunt.
        
        Foghorn Leghorn
        
        you’re goddamned right and that would be smart baseball. this ain’t the sissy bitch wusssbag league.
- Chen Meng Wang
  
  He also said the day before the trade dead line “There is no way, none, that the Yankees make the playoffs if they don’t make a big move before the deadline. I’m not talking a small time bench piece here, I’m talking a blockbuster move.”
Foghorn Leghorn

Jose Iglasias is in the game…I thought there was a rule that HOF players couldn’t play anymore once inducted.
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  I love making fun of Iglesias, but who was the person to overvalue him? Was it Gammons or K.Law?
- Tom Zig
  
  Hands of a safe cracker.
  Dancer’s grace.
Foghorn Leghorn

this game goes down as a loss for the Sox…give up 9 runs to the lowly O’s, your starter can’t hold a huge lead and get out of the 5th…and they have to use 5 relievers on top of the mess from game 1.
Kramerica Industries

Red Sox 3-5 on their home stand.

Run diff? +9

That’s what 18-6 and 18-9 wins will do.
- Foghorn Leghorn
  
  i don’t care how many you score…giving up 6 and 9 runs is not a good thing.
- Pat D
  
  And that’s why you can’t use run differential as a meaningful statistic, because you have a situation like that.
  
  /Joe Morgan’d
  - http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
    
    My God, did he really say that?
    - Pat D
      
      All the time in his old ESPN chats, he would bring up the fact that run differential was misleading because you could have a team win one game 1-0 and lose another game 10-0, but then their run differential is -9 and their record is 1-1, so it’s misleading.
      
      All that did was show how he didn’t understand it.
      - JobaWockeeZ
        
        It’s not that run differential is a great stat though…
Chen Meng Wang

Tom Coughlin is the best at Challenging plays.
mbonzo

Did the refs just call unnecessary roughness on one playfully tap-hugging another?
Pat D

Magic numbers now stand at 4, 5, and 7. Take (at least) 2 from Tampa and (at least) 2 from Boston.

Should be in good shape then.
Chen Meng Wang

How can they say “everything is up in the air” in the AL…The Yankees are a virtual lock to make the playoffs, and the Tigers clinched. The West is barely a race…the only thing that’s at all interesting is if the Rays are going to overtake the Sox as the Wildcard.