So, how did YOUR team do today?

i think, perhaps, the jays defeat was just as bad. 7-0 loss to de-fucking-troit - shame¡

Is there any greater feeling than listening to your team on the radio? Especially when Bob Uecker gets a little tips' like J-Kwon and starts free-associating?

Note to NESN & WSBK - MORE SEAN MCDONOUGH PLEASE!

I don't understanding batting Patterson 2nd, but hey if it works that is good with me.

The Reds are going to suck this year. They should hit pretty good, especially if Jr. can stay healthy, but their pitching staff looks like something out of the American Association.

Grudz/Walker should be a pretty decent platoon tandum, if they can both deal with neither having the job outright.

-- David R. (ilxo...), April 6th, 2004.

instead of more mcdonough maybe they should bring back bob montgomery. my favorite monty moment was when he described a hurler as a "muchlier improved pitcher". i stopped listening to games on tv after that.

I THINK Patterson is not the regular leadoff hitter because of his lack of plate discipline / low OBP. But I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have in that Cub line-up lead off, and I'm not sold on Grudz doing it. Regardless, I thought Dusty would be gung-ho to have a speedster setting the table.

also, rays as shorthand for devil rays = classic, d-rays = dud

that being said, schilling looked awesome on tuesday and lowe looked pretty damn good for most of his outing.

how about captain caveman? yeesh...sort of an all or nothing kind of guy, huh?

Robert says:
tom goodwin is up
Robert says:
tom will work teh count
mattbot says:
better pinch run with kerry wood
Robert says:
yeah
Robert says:
goodwin is taking pitches!!11
Robert says:
2-1 the count
Robert says:
I am excited
Robert says:
titilated in fact
mattbot says:
he'll k looking
Robert says:
2-2
mattbot says:
expect the worst
Robert says:
expect the best!!!1
mattbot says:
you are not a cubs fan yet
Robert says:
:(
Robert says:
but goddy never fails
Robert says:
oh damn
Robert says:
he just grounded out
mattbot says:
like i was saying

check out cornejo's k-rate last year.

Seriously, I don't think they have a chance. But what the hell, dude, don't blame the players for whatever sins you want to attribute to the management. You're anti-Podsednik? Anti-Spivey? You would actually hate on Chad Moeller?

Miller Park was a bond-fueled election-approved issue in Milwaukee County, and it would have failed except for a lawmaker who rather mysteriously changed his vote at the last second. The voters were all pissed off and recalled him, but it was too late. 'Round here, though, it was seen less as "Selig bribed him" than "suburban Republicans pressured him and he caved."

Anyway, Miller Park (I was saying all this to teeny on AIM earlier!) is an architectural wonder more than it is A Great Ballpark. And people love it. And it's not like County Stadium was all that to begin with...that place was a (semi-lovable) DUMP. MP is awesome.

Jake Peavy walked Bonds on 4 pitches, nothing even close to the strike zone, but get this: with an 8 run lead... not once, but TWICE. While that's great and gives him his shut out, I hope someone lays down a bunt single if Peavy ever gets good enough to take a no-hitter into the ninth inning.

And did he walk Pedro Feliz on purpose too right after Bonds the first time, throwing the same pitches in the same spots, just to piss you and Barry off too? I think the second walk was probably intentional-ish, but the first one is unfairly characterized as "nothing even close to the strike zone," the ball was breaking wrong outside for him that whole inning. And it was only with a seven-run lead. So there, nyah nyah.

(Watch, now g! will pull some compelling stats out of his arsenal to ruin my argument.)

wrt: the strikeout
the second and third strikes on the first at bat (and granted i didn't have the proper vantage point) looked low (below the knee) which I'm okay with. If an umpire calls a low strikezone... so be it, just so long as it's called all night to both teams. i don't think Peavy (nor Schmidt) got those pitches called the rest of the game.

Yeah, I can deal without the batter's box drama too. He was probably pretty upset at himself. It's not like he can't take a low and outside pitch out of the strikezone pretty deep (659 against Roy Oswalt). It still doesn't excuse the desire to throw pure garbage with a 7- or 8-run lead though. Peavy was getting it rough from the hecklers.

strike two looked like a blown call by the ump but strike three was on the black and was definitely going to be called a strike if the ump called the other one a strike.

Batting: The Giants are 26th in OBP (.328) and 26th in Runs Scored.
Pitching: The Giants are 29th in ERA (5.44), 30th in WHIP and 28th in Ks.

Things can only get better right? Didn't the Angels start out 3-11 in 2002?

This one day after giving up 4 runs in the 10th to blow a game they started 4-0.

Winning Ugly Part Deux!

6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3K, 74 pitches.

But don't look at this season's numbers to make that judgement. As is his habit, it took Dotel a good three weeks to reach his full velocity, which led to some ERA-inflating innings early on.

Lidge has just been filthy nasty since day 1, though.

Cincinnatti's bullpen last week went a long way towards becoming the worse in the state of Ohio this weekend, which is saying something. I think they blew four leads last week, which is two worse than Kyle Farsworth.

BTW, Texas = thee suck. Boo hiss boo hiss.

FYI, Griffey left in the 3rd inning with hamstring problems. I hope it's nothing too serious.

Cliff (Teacup) Floyd allegedly returns tonight.

Heck, even Ryno looked like he could cover some ground on that infield.

The Cubs and Reds have both tagged the Dodgers hard in last week, LA only winning one out of six games. The Cubs swept the Padres last weekend. The Pirates swept the Giants last weekend. (Sorry Gygax.)

All of the NL Central is still over .500 except the Pirates, which are one game under.

For as sorry a start as the Phillies have seemed to have, they are still 19-17 and 1 1/2 out of first. (Jimmy Rollins is about up to the Mendoza line at around .212)

Oakland seems to be heating up.

Both the Twins and Angels are winning while having many key players on the DL. Can they stay there?

*Colorado beat Philly again on Monday.

The Pirates were 1-9 and had the 2nd worst record in baseball before sweeping the Giants at home. The Giants even made Josh Fogg (0-4 and 8.68 ERA prior to the SF trip) look like Sandy Koufax.

Herges coming in to "nail" this one down. *gulp*

Cincinnatti 26-18, first NL Central:
They are coming off a four game sweep of Houston and have been very hot the past couple of weeks. Their pitching has been better than expected and Danny Graves seems to have regained his form back in the closer spot. Will it hold out? I doubt it, the Reds have gotten off to decent starts the past few years and the pitching completely collapses like Junior's legs in the second half. Paul Wilson is probably the new Elmer Dessens. Sean Casey has been a freak so far this year, his contract must be up.

White Sox 25-18, tied for first AL Central:
They are quietly putting together a pretty good season and would be up a few more if not for some blown chances by their bullpen early in the season. The Big Hurt is off to a good start and Paul Konerko seems to have regained his bat. They are hitting .280 as a team. I haven't seen them play, but going by the stats, they seem to be a decent all around team and could win their division.

For as bad as things have been this year in Atlanta, they are still only a game below .500 and only 3 1/2 out of first place in the NL East.

Reds, 26-18, 211 runs scored, 211 runs allowed (0)
Cubs, 25-18, 210 RS, 163 RA (+47)
Astros, 24-20, 238 RS, 186 RA (+52)
Cards, 23-21, 214 RS, 197 RA (+17)
Brewers, 22-20, 207 RS, 209 RA (-2)
Pirates, 19-21, 182 RS, 185 RA (-3)

I think we know how this Cinderella story ends.

Since I'm going to Cincy for the SABR convention in mid-July, I'm hoping the Reds hang in til then.

As far as run differential, the Reds were -10 a few days back, so maybe they're making progress.

Where the hell is Claussen, BTW?!?!?!

Schilling / Hudson tonight on ESPN, I believe. Should be good stuff.

but i successfully executed the hidden ball play at first!