MLB 2009 y'all

[mattstick]

http://taoofstieb.blogspot.com/2009/08/were-beginning-to-grow-apart-from-doc.html

It's about a decade or so in the rearview mirror now, but the memory of the two weeks that we spent living with our our ex after we'd broken up is still pretty vivid. Palpable, even.

We spent those two weeks just trying to get along well enough to make things tolerable, understanding that at some point, we'd go our separate ways, and that this misery would subside (and be replaced with a completely different misery).

In some ways, that's how we've started to feel about Roy Halladay.

We understand that this might seem cheap and convenient to bring this up on the morning after Halladay's worst start in a year. But after weeks of emotional turmoil, waiting for the other shoe to drop, and now waiting even longer for it to finally drop (In the winter? Next July? After 2010?), we're left with this oddly detached feeling whenever we watch Halladay. It used to be that every Doc start was a Festival of Awesome, and a Celebration of This Precious Moment With the Greatest Pitcher Alive. And now, we just feel a bit numb.

We should probably shake it off and savour the moments that we have left with Doc, because it's gonna hurt like hell when he finally leaves. But it is the knowledge that the hurt is coming that makes us wish that we didn't have to bide our time and wait for it.

Speaking of waiting...
We had the iPod on shuffle this morning, and a Bruce Cockburn tune popped up. There are a couple of lines in that song that we figured Blue Jay fans could relate to right about now.

Somewhere out there is a place that's cool
Where peace and balance are the rule
Working toward a future like some kind of mystic jewel
And waiting for a miracle

[antelope19]

You clearly didn't watch his first big league starts.  Kid was awesome.

1 start means nothing in this game.

No, but 3 great starts is promising.  Again, whatever scouting reports you're reading are wrong - he was very, very good before his DL stint.  If the kid was a Yankee you'd have a major boner (except that you've probably forgotten the feeling because the Yankees don't produce young talent - oh snap!).

After you see what the M's get for Bedard later this year I wonder if you'll still feel like you "fleeced" the Mariners - Sherrill is somewhat serviceable, Adam Jones looks good but the M's could get a signifigant haul for Bedard from a team looking for an ace.

Mariners transferred LHP Erik Bedard from the 15-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list.
Bedard is out for the rest of the season and likely the first month of 2010 as he recovers from a torn labrum and inflamed bursa. The Bedard trade has been nothing but a disaster for Seattle since the day the trade was made.

Lets see, yup, still feeling pretty good about this trade.   :-D  We def. fleeced the M's. 

[art vandelay]

yo dudes, ive been too busy watching cliff lee suck to keep up with this thread.  whats up?

[mattstick]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Roy-Halladay-still-hanging-over-Cliff-Lee-s-perf?urn=mlb,184108

Roy Halladay still hanging over Cliff Lee's performance in Philly

By 'Duk

As you read this, there is likely another Philadelphian crafting a MLB-a-Culpa to Cliff Lee(notes) over his morning TastyKake.

And why wouldn't there be? After being initially greeted like an Atari 2600 on a Christmas morning that was supposed to bring a Nintendo, Lee has more than earned the current shower of  "my bads" from the Philly faithful.

In his four starts since coming to the Phillies, Lee has earned four decisive victories and pitched two complete games, including a masterful 8-1 win over Arizona on Wednesday night. After 33 innings logged, Lee has posted 0.82 ERA, a 0.72 WHIP and 34 Ks for the Phils and elevated a starting rotation that seemed destined to prevent a successful title defense.

Considering that, all of the standing Os for Lee's growing legend are well-deserved.

However, I'm inclined to say that Philly fans shouldn't feel the need to include Roy Halladay in all of the Lee tributes or, worse yet, put his considerable talents down and act like it was a blessing in disguise that they didn't end up with him at the trading deadline.

OK, so yeah, I know that J.P. Ricciardi spent a month of everyone's life trying to lure the Phillies into trading their farm system for Toronto's ace.

And I know that Halladay's performance since the deadline — 2-3 with a 3.41 ERA — hasn't come close to the unworldly effort that Lee has put forth.

And I know that most Philadelphia fans aren't quite wiping their brows and acting like they dodged a major bullet by not getting talked into Halladay ... at least not yet.

But if anyone wants to draw the natural connection between what might have been (Doc) and what actually is (Cliff), I'll just ask you to remember that it was Lee who 1) received the fortune of being sprung from a non-contending team, 2) was placed in National League and 3) actually now gets to pitch for a general manager who didn't make a big show of putting him on the trading block only to not do anything once he was there.

Look, I'm not saying that Philly shouldn't be appreciating Lee's impressive debut — really, they should be going completely nuts — I'm just that there's no time for revisionist history down the stretch. No matter what happens over the final month, no matter what numbers either pitcher puts up, I don't think that anyone can act like Halladay wouldn't have done the same if given a reinvigorating chance at new playoff life. 

[mattstick]

More praise for a Jays rookie pitcher:

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/blog/roto_arcade/post/Closing-Time-Marc-Rzepcynski-represent;_ylt=AmUu9TiI8LjfhEUREBkSM9.5bZ8u?urn=fantasy,184470



Marc Rzepczynski has received a trial by fire in the rough-and-tumble AL East (six of his nine starts have come in division) but he's managed to keep his head about him and throw the ball well most of the time (3.65 ERA, no outing with more than four runs). The Halos managed just three hits and one run against the gangly lefty Friday night, while Rzepczynski struck out six (video here). "He was as billed," said an impressed Mike Scioscia. "You see a guy with good life on his fastball, good movement, who gets his slider under swings. He moved the ball around and threw a lot of strikes." The rook gets a home date with Tampa next week, an opponent he's fared well against (12 IP, 2 ER).

[mattstick]

http://www.bugsandcranks.com/landonevanson/baseball/sad-realization/

August 26, 2009 at 11:42 am ET

Sad Realization

One of my fondest baseball memories was my one and only trip to Fenway Park two years ago, being present for back-to-back-to-back-to-back home runs being clubbed by the Sawx against the hated Yankees.

Of course, I could have seen another one this year but was unable to make it to the great B&C Get-Together this summer. Still pissed about that, by the way.

Nevertheless, I can't help but think that my affinity for the Nation has dwindled to the point of disdain. Maybe it's been all the Manny controversy or the talk of Papi enhancement, or maybe just that Boston is no better than the the Bombers from the Evil Empire when it comes to hording talent.

Look, I understand that most fans already feel that way, but Theo Epstein and the Red Sox had almost always seemed to get the talent that was necessary, not just to have it, which has been the knock on the Yankees for a long time.

When they got Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, they needed them. When they got J.D. Drew, they needed him. When they acquired Pedro and then Curt Schilling, they were required to reverse the curse.

This year, though, has been a different story. True, Jason Varitek is a shell of his former self, but they don't just get a catcher, they get Victor Martinez, making the rich, richer. And with an already tremendous bullpen, Boston goes out and gets Billy Wagner. Now, believe me, as a Twins fan I completely understand that you can never have a deep enough bullpen, but the Red Sox already have four relievers with ERAs under 3.00, and Manny Delcarmen sits at 3.44. Nevermind that lefty Hideki Okajima is undefeated (4-0) with a 2.70 mark.

Though Billy Wagner will help the Red Sox if he can muster any semblance of his lights-out performance from the other night for the Mets on an even remotely consistent basis, but Wagner was not needed for Boston to compete. The Red Sox are already 72-53 and just six games out in the AL East, and with those five aforementioned relievers, it doesn't seem as though another lefty will help make that big of an impact.

Maybe this is just the whinings of a small-market fan who wishes his club could make such moves, or maybe it's just a fan who is fed up with the haves feeling as though they should snatch up all of the available talent and then actually call themselves a club.  There is no building of a team with such moves, there is just getting the best player possible to fill the position, with the absence of strategy because there is no worry with regard to budget.

The last Yankees teams that I could stomach were the Torre clubs from the late 90s and early part of this decade. And why? Because they had Tino and Scott Brosius, Chad Curtis and acquired situational relievers like Mike Stanton and Jeff Nelson because that was what they needed to do to dominate.

They had chemistry, and while they were incredibly difficult to defeat, they didnt' have the best players at each and every position, they just had solid players who knew their role. Even when the Yankees acquired Paul O'Neill, he wasn't an elite player, just a damn solid one. They won because they had the right players in the right spots at the right time.

Most teams that need a lefty reliever just go out and get someone who can help, kind of like Stanton, but the Red Sox don't have to worry about money, so they are able to get a once-dominant closer to be a set-up man in front of Jonathan Papelbon, and Okajima, and Takashi Saito, and Ramon Ramirez and Delcarmen.

Please know, I love Tek and Youk and Pedroia as much as any baseball fan, dirt dogs who play the game the right way. But here's the bottom line, while I still hate the Yankees and their fans because of their sense of entitlement, I've held out as long as possible on this and can't help but say it now — the Red Sox have not only acquired Wagner and Martinez, they have also acquired my disdain.

[inourdr]

He makes some good points... However he should look at his own teams unwillingness to spend any money. Pohlad was one of the richest owners in baseball, prior to his death, and was very stingy with his loot.

[mattstick]

http://www.walkoffwalk.com/2009/09/your-annual-miguel-batista-sop.html



Last year, we learned that Mariners pitcher Miguel Batista learned how to play the soprano sax and met Kenny G during spring training in Arizona.

    "He played for me," Batista said. "It was my favorite song, 'Alone.' Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

Koufax, Kenny G, and God. The triumvirate. Last night, Kenny G played the National Anthem at Safeco Field so the men had their big emotional reunion prior to the game. It is our duty at Walkoff Walk to alert you to every occurrence when these two gents get together. See you in 2010, fellas.

[mattstick]

http://www.bugsandcranks.com/tylermaas/baseball/midwestern-man-in-coma-since-march-wakes-fails-to-look-at-standings-is-totally-enthralled-by-brewerscubs-game/

Man in Coma Since March Wakes, Fails to Look at Standings, is Totally Enthralled by Brewers/Cubs Game

A suburban Rockford, Illinois man reportedly awoke from a coma sustained this past March in a construction accident. Upon his hospital release Thursday, the man, Vincent Westphal, 34, asked to be taken to the finale of this week's Brewers and Cubs series at Wrigley Field.

Neglecting to look at the standings prior to his arrival to the stadium, Westphal assumed he was in for an exciting mid-September contest, brimming with playoff implications. Instead, he would be watching his beloved Cubbies (75-70, 7 GB of Wild Card) take on the Brewers (71-75, 11.5 GB of Wild Card) in a near-meaningless battle for 2nd place in the NL Central.

"Wow, I can only imagine the show these two have put on while I was out," Westphal said. "I'm sure words can't begin to describe the kind of baseball they've been playing."

Still unwitting of the circumstances, Westphal was surprised when he easily obtained tickets behind home plate at below face value. Once in his seats, he marveled to see the stadium much less congested than usual. "I know it's a weekday game, but c'mon! There's a playoff race going on here, people," he said.

Seeing Brewers acquisitions David Weathers, Jody Gerut and Felipe Lopez warming up before game time, Westphal incorrectly assumed Milwaukee had added depth to assist the team in the NLDS and beyond. He also erred in his assessment of Alcides Escobar.

"I feel for [shortstop J.J.] Hardy," he lamented aloud. "The kid just can't seem to stay healthy. Hell, maybe they're giving him a day off after a breakout year or something."

Westphal also commented on Chicago's (now) starting pitcher Randy Wells getting the nod. Though posting respectable numbers, the hurler saw just 4 1/3 innings as a Cub in 2008.

"WELLS!" Westphal screamed, as others looked on confused to his dismay. "It's September, Lou. Put in Zombie!!!"

The Cubs' starting lineup proved equally odd to the recently-discharged patient. Near inaudible groans about Aaron Miles not starting and Milton Bradley hitting fifth – after Jake Fox (who was starting over Alfonso Soriano) could be heard from the likes of Westphal as the game began.

The game progressed with numerous other hilarious coma-based bits of misunderstanding and incorrect assumption, until Trevor Hoffman closed out the game for a 7-5 Brewers win and series split. At that moment, Westphal – previously oblivious to any stats, standing or fan chatter around him – overheard the announcer read both teams' records over the Stadium P.A. system. He was thrown into a frenzy.

"They're both shitty!" he screamed, tears streaming down his ever-reddening face. "They're both so shitty!"

Westphal reportedly fled Wrigley briskly and was last seen wandering helmetless at the site of his coma-inducing injury.

[inourdr]

Funny shit there!

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

Those who live in Glass Houses shouldn't throw stones.

Blue Jays'd.

[mattstick]

Dude, I didn't write it!

The Jays sucked but imagine how bad the Cubs or Brewers would've done in the AL East...

[fauxpaxfauxreal]

Totally.  The article really hurts.   :x  It's true, and it hurts.   :x

[Mr Minor]

Tigers.   

They are totally going to blow it and miss the playoffs because they are sucking it up right now.   

[Alumni]

Great start by Matsuzaka today. Too bad Francona basically conceded the game by starting Brian Anderson, Jed Lowrie, and Rocco Baldelli. One clutch hit and it's a tie game . . .  :shakehead: