MLB 2009 Season

[papsrus]

Pettite and the Yanks took Halladay tonight, and Boston's up 2-1 over TB in the 8th...man, this weekend's Bosox-NY series is gonna be huge!

Tough start for Boston, losing in the 13th when Longoria jacks one out for the win. This might be a very difficult week for the Red Sox Nation.

That was one wacky game. Nice pitching duel for the first six-seven innings, then BoSox rip through their entire pen, including two innings from Papelbon. Rays empty their bench and leave all kinds of runners on base, including bags loaded with nobody out. Opportunity after opportunity. Then that weird, wild throw into the Rays bullpen with a runner halfway home and another on the way, but the umps (correctly) call a dead ball when the ball lodges in an equipment bag, forcing the base runners back to the pads, where they're stranded. The Rays announcers were going bonkers on that one, with the rule books flying and visits to the booth from some umpire supervisor guy.

Then they give Longoria something to hit in the 13th?

[Dan Gould]

Seriously, is there any fucking doubt that they are done?

Make your plans now: Yankees - Tigers and Rays - Angels in the ALDS.

[Matthew]

Seriously, is there any fucking doubt that they are done?

Make your plans now: Yankees - Tigers and Rays - Angels in the ALDS.

...and Boston just went down by 4-1

[Dan Gould]

Final bit of proof they don't stand a motherfucking chance to make the playoffs:

The Red Sox just signed PAUL FUCKING BYRD.

That's their fucking answer to Brad Penny and Clay Buchholz and John Smoltz.

Paul Byrd.

I AM done now.

[ghost of miles]

Well, glad to see the Yanks taking a 2.5 game lead into the big series--but they have yet to solve the Bosox this season, and Mitre had another dismal outing tonight. With luck we'll be able to stretch out Joba's starts & innings, so the lack of a good 5th starter shouldn't hurt us in a playoff situation--but could be a big problem in a division race down to the wire.

[Matthew]

On the bright side, Seattle will only be six games out of the wild card spot.

[Big Al]

Well, looks like the wait for the annual Rangers free-fall is finally over, after having dropped three in a row to the A's.... ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

[Matthew]

Well, looks like the wait for the annual Rangers free-fall is finally over, after having dropped three in a row to the A's.... ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

It doesn't look all that bad for Texas. I don't see any team running away with the wild card spot, Boston & Tampa Bay cannot seem to break off a big winning streak, so -- you never know. It would be nice to see someone other than Boston or Tampa Bay get that spot, heck, Seattle is only 6.5 games out of the wc spot.

Re: Boston. If they don't at least split the Yankee series, their season is in serious trouble.

[papsrus]

Well, looks like the wait for the annual Rangers free-fall is finally over, after having dropped three in a row to the A's.... ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

It doesn't look all that bad for Texas. I don't see any team running away with the wild card spot, Boston & Tampa Bay cannot seem to break off a big winning streak, so -- you never know. It would be nice to see someone other than Boston or Tampa Bay get that spot, heck, Seattle is only 6.5 games out of the wc spot.

Re: Boston. If they don't at least split the Yankee series, their season is in serious trouble.

Tampa's got three at Seattle and three at the Angels coming up. And six games left with Texas, including a three-game series at Texas in late September.

[Matthew]

Well, looks like the wait for the annual Rangers free-fall is finally over, after having dropped three in a row to the A's.... ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

It doesn't look all that bad for Texas. I don't see any team running away with the wild card spot, Boston & Tampa Bay cannot seem to break off a big winning streak, so -- you never know. It would be nice to see someone other than Boston or Tampa Bay get that spot, heck, Seattle is only 6.5 games out of the wc spot.

Re: Boston. If they don't at least split the Yankee series, their season is in serious trouble.

Tampa's got three at Seattle and three at the Angels coming up. And six games left with Texas, including a three-game series at Texas in late September.

I think that Tampa Bay is the one team that capable of playing outstanding baseball, in fact, they seem to be getting better now. In terms of quality, they, of course, far out shine either Texas or Seattle, those two teams are just happy to have good years. My brain tells me the wild card will be Tampa Bay, but hope springs eternal for those of us who follow other teams with a shot.

Edited August 6, 2009 by Matthew

[Quincy]

Well, looks like the wait for the annual Rangers free-fall is finally over, after having dropped three in a row to the A's.... ah well, it was fun while it lasted.

You've been playing without Kinsler the past week as he's been out with a bad hamstring. Getting him back adds punch & (depending on how healed the hamstring is) speed back to the lineup.

It's kind of weird to have a bit of wild card hope out in the West, longshot that it is. But it's a good kind of weird.

[Dan Gould]

Has their embarrassing shit convinced anyone else that I am right?

Smoltz ranks as one of the all-time worst signings in the free agent era. Can they be fucking stupid enough to allow him to pitch again? Why the fuck would they do that? He's not getting better, he's getting worse, and he was awful to begin with. That high strike out to walk ratio was obviously the anomaly, not the results. What happened today? When he wasn't throwing meatballs over the plate, he was missing horrendously. A seven era goes even higher.

And don't fucking tell me he'll help in the bullpen. Eventually he won't fool anyone, not even in the first inning. And why even use him there? The whole fucking reason he was signed was the FANTASY that a 42 year old with major shoulder surgery could come back and be an ace starter in October. What a fucking dream that is.

Even Superman dies eventually.

Its going to be fascinating to see what that fucking asshole says after this. He should be released, immediately. The asshole gets thirty five thousand dollars a day to suck donkey dicks. That's two million coming to him between now and the end of the season? That's another reason why he should be released. They don't need a 42 year old piece of shit in the bullpen.

Release Smoltz. Call up Bowden. When the deficit is 12 games on August 29, send Penny away to someone who might think he could help.

They really should fucking finish behind Toronto, too, and I don't think its impossible.

[Matthew]

Sad end to a great career for Smoltz, poor guy, he just doesn't have it anymore. It could have been worse if Posada didn't make such a mess of it, standing up going into home plate.

[Chuck Nessa]

Just doesn't seem the same around here since Dan left.

[Matthew]

Just doesn't seem the same around here since Dan left.

You can hear the crickets chirping in the night, the Red Sox Nation is so quiet today.

[Dan Gould]

Smoltz DFA'd

Thank God.

They've also brought up the impressive young Japanese pitcher, Tazawa, and I am really curious if its the Red Sox who put in the claim on Alex Rios (its been reported there was a waiver claim made). Rios' contract is atrocious, but he's a terrific Fenway hitter - OPS way over .900 at Fenway in 80+ games. And to take that horrible contract, which goes to 20 million plus for several years, ought not to cost hardly anything. I know his trend line is terrible for a couple of years now but if there's anywhere for him to revive his bat, its gotta be Fenway.

[Matthew]

Heard about Smoltz as I was driving around town. He looked is bad shape in the dugout after he was pulled from the game. He knew it was over for him. That must be a tough feeling for someone who pitched at such a high level. Baseball is a tough game....

[Patrick]

and in other news, Tribe deals Carl Pavano to Twinkies for Toby Namedlater. Pavano can beat AL Central foes, but not much else. No idea who is on the list of minor leaguers from which the Tribe chooses.

Cliff Lee, Carl Pavano, Rafael Betancourt, Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko, Mark DeRosa, and Ben Francisco all traded away--pretty impressive housecleaning for a team that thought it would contend this year and next.

Watch out in 2011!

[Matthew]

and in other news, Tribe deals Carl Pavano to Twinkies for Toby Namedlater. Pavano can beat AL Central foes, but not much else. No idea who is on the list of minor leaguers from which the Tribe chooses.

Cliff Lee, Carl Pavano, Rafael Betancourt, Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko, Mark DeRosa, and Ben Francisco all traded away--pretty impressive housecleaning for a team that thought it would contend this year and next.

Watch out in 2011!

John Kruk had them in the World Series this year as his prediction on ESPN.

[Patrick]

and in other news, Tribe deals Carl Pavano to Twinkies for Toby Namedlater. Pavano can beat AL Central foes, but not much else. No idea who is on the list of minor leaguers from which the Tribe chooses.

Cliff Lee, Carl Pavano, Rafael Betancourt, Victor Martinez, Ryan Garko, Mark DeRosa, and Ben Francisco all traded away--pretty impressive housecleaning for a team that thought it would contend this year and next.

Watch out in 2011!

John Kruk had them in the World Series this year as his prediction on ESPN.

I forgot to mention that Kerry Wood is still available. Anybody?

[ghost of miles]

F*&#in' A!

F*&#in' A-ROD!!!

Lord, that was an epic.

Edited August 8, 2009 by ghost of miles

[PHILLYQ]

F*&#in' A!

F*&#in' A-ROD!!!

Lord, that was an epic.

WOW!!!!! That was some game!!! I spent a few innings standing up in my living room because the tension was too great. Great pitching by both sides and it came down to Francona having nobody left, so he has to put in some kid making his MLB debut.

[Soulstation1]

Cool

The Indians move a game closer in the WC race

[ghost of miles]

F*&#in' A!

F*&#in' A-ROD!!!

Lord, that was an epic.

WOW!!!!! That was some game!!! I spent a few innings standing up in my living room because the tension was too great. Great pitching by both sides and it came down to Francona having nobody left, so he has to put in some kid making his MLB debut.

That was Tazawa, the promising guy Dan referred to several posts up the thread... man, tough game and environment to make your debut in. Amazing catch by Drew in the 14th, btw, to keep the Bosox alive.

I'm also really impressed that the NY pitchers limited Boston to only 4 hits over 15 innings. The bullpen seems a lot more solid than it did earlier this season. Did you see any of the postgame, btw? Again, this strikes me as the loosest Yankee team I've seen in years. I mean, even A-Rod seems to have finally found his place and fit in...I was glad that it was Jeter on base when he hit his walk-off.

[Brad]

F*&#in' A!

F*&#in' A-ROD!!!

Lord, that was an epic.

My sentiments exactly. The Sox should be thankful Tampa Bay lost.