2010 MLB Season

[WorldB3]

I think Dan's a good guy. He just gets a little wound up from time to time.

Over what exactly? The Red Sox were the most successful team of the decade as far championships and playoff appearances go. If they need something they have payroll to get it like giving 18 million a year to Lackey to be their 3rd starter, not number 1 starter but 3rd!. If I am supposed to feel sorry for Dan because he thinks the Red Sox are gods chosen team and should win 162 games and a World Series every year my sympathy for him on a scale of 1 - 100 is minus 75.

Dan can start earning some points here if he starts congratulating fans of other teams on here when they beat his Red Sox. Until then he is a classless hot head.

[ghost of miles]

Man, good thing the Yanks took 2 of 3 from Tampa Bay earlier this month, as TB seems incapable of losing to anybody else so far (and they're currently batting in the top of the 9th with a 7-0 lead over the Red Sox at Fenway, meaning they'll likely end the day tied with NY at 9-3 atop the AL East). Pettitte looked great today for NY, and it was nice to see Gardner (batting lead-off!) and Pena (filling in for Jeter, who has a cold) make important contributions. Gardner racked up three infield hits yesterday and is a menace whenever he gets on... not bad for the guy who normally bats 9th. Beginning to wonder if we should eventually move him or Granderson into the #2 batting slot at some point this season... Nick Johnson has piled up a lot of walks so far, but little else. He's hitting .176, but has a .429 OBP! Crazy...he's also K'd a lot so far (11 times) and has no speed. Hopefully he'll start to get a few more hits. Speaking of slow starts, Tex finally hit a HR today. Overall, NY looks very, very good so far--certainly off to a much better start than last year. Age and the wear and tear of a long season obviously concerns for NY, but we've got two very good back-ups (Cervelli, who's proving to be a dynamic battery-mate for CC, and Pena) to spell two of the vets (Posada and Jeter), so that helps. But man, Tampa Bay is looking awfully good, and Boston's sure to bounce back sooner or later. Going to be quite a firefight in the AL East this year!

On another note, here's a NY Times article about former Yankee Alfonso Soriano's struggles with the Cubs so far this season. Whatever Soriano's issues, anybody else wonder if the blog/twitter/non-stop 24-7 sports coverage cycle is provoking fans and journalists to jump the gun more and more on making trade-'em/fire-'em, he's-all-washed-up speculations?

[Matthew]

On another note, here's a NY Times article about former Yankee Alfonso Soriano's struggles with the Cubs so far this season. Whatever Soriano's issues, anybody else wonder if the blog/twitter/non-stop 24-7 sports coverage cycle is provoking fans and journalists to jump the gun more and more on making trade-'em/fire-'em, he's-all-washed-up speculations?

I've seen a number of Cub games so far -- Soriano's is flat out awful. I think, for Cub fans, you have to go back to Dave Kingman to find someone else who is as inept as Soriano in the field.

[WorldB3]

Congrats to the Orioles for breaking the losing steak, wish it came against another team but I will take the 3 out of 4. Yankees come in on Tuesday so will know more about my team after that.

Giants lost a heart breaker but you can't blame Zito who was great. Bochy made the right call to bring in Romo who has had a good year and good career numbers against Manny. Sometimes one bad pitch will beat you.

Edited April 19, 2010 by WorldB3

[ghost of miles]

Congrats to the Orioles for breaking the losing steak, wish it came against another team but I will take the 3 out of 4. Yankees come in on Tuesday so will know more about my team after that.

Will be interesting for sure--in the first game you guys are going up against Vasquez, who's been one of the few weak links for NY so far, and in the second game against Phil Hughes, who had a pretty decent outing in his first start, but who's still certainly a bit of an X factor in NY's starting rotation. I'm hoping he develops into a solid-to-very-good starter, as Andy Pettitte can't keep pitching forever (and is probably a good bet to retire after this season).

[Tim McG]

If Zito wants to win the heart of Giants fans he needs to beat the Dodgers on Sunday.

He did.

Romo coughed up the two-run tater on an inside fastball to an inside fastball hitter. I guess this guy dosen't study the game much.

Ruined a Zito pitching gem.

Grrrrr

[JETman]

At the risk of turning this into a political thread, let me just say that I like Ike!

[WorldB3]

Congrats to the Orioles for breaking the losing steak, wish it came against another team but I will take the 3 out of 4. Yankees come in on Tuesday so will know more about my team after that.

Will be interesting for sure--in the first game you guys are going up against Vasquez, who's been one of the few weak links for NY so far, and in the second game against Phil Hughes, who had a pretty decent outing in his first start, but who's still certainly a bit of an X factor in NY's starting rotation. I'm hoping he develops into a solid-to-very-good starter, as Andy Pettitte can't keep pitching forever (and is probably a good bet to retire after this season).

Thanks Ghost. Hopefully they get the game in tonight, lots of rain last night and more in the forecast. I have no illusions that the A's will win this series but I am looking to see them compete and show improvement. Tonight will be interesting as I think Gio Gonzales is the best 5th starter in the AL, he is young with great stuff so it will be interesting how he handles a full house and the pressure of facing the world champs. Ben Sheets, who knows? he needs to be on, you don't win games against the Yankees by battling through it. Dallas Braden goes Wednesday and he is a great kid and inspiring story of coming out of the projects in Stockton. If the A's can get any offense they can pull one out.

[Neal Pomea]

6th save for our man Capps (the Washingnut Expose), and an 8-inning pitching performance by Stammen. Lowest fan turnout since returning to town. The Post would rather talk about off-off-off-season pro football.

[Brad]

At the risk of turning this into a political thread, let me just say that I like Ike!

That makes two of us! An auspicious debut. Thank goodness they offloaded Jacobs.

[papsrus]

Don't know what to say about the Rays' sweep of the BoSox. The Rays played solid, aggressive. Starters went pretty deep in all four games, which is a good sign. But the Sox were awful in the last two games of that series, although playing a little shorthanded in the outfield -- and it showed. Couldn't hit, couldn't field, couldn't throw out any base runners at all, and the pitching was more than a little shaky. (When Burrell starts banging it around, you know something's up).

I like the way the Rays are coming out of the gate so far, but that sweep feels like it has more to do with the wheels coming off in Boston than anything else.

Dan?

[WorldB3]

^ I don't know, I said it before and I will say it again the Rays are really really good. They would run away with any other division in baseball except the NL East.

The window is closing though, I hope they make it to the post season and go deep.

[Dave James]

More bad news for the Red Sox. Mike Cameron has an abdominal tear, better known as a sports hernia. He'll be out anywhere from a month to six weeks. Not that he was playing all that well, but Boston doesn't appear to be in a position at the moment to absorb an injury to one of their core group of starters.

[Chalupa]

F'ing Ryan Madson. Coughs up not one but TWO homers w/ 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th blowing Kyle Kendrick's 8 inning shutout. Now it's on to extras. Really wish Atlanta had kept Heyward down for another season.

Edited April 21, 2010 by J.H. Deeley

[Chalupa]

Jesus H. Christ!!

:rmad: :rmad: :rmad:

:rmad: :rmad: :rmad:

[BERIGAN]

:excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited: :excited:

After hearing that Kyle Kendrick, he of the 17.25 ERA(I think) kept the braves scoreless for 8, with Halliday pitching tomorrow, I figured the braves had a good chance of being swept by the Phils. Still might lose 2 out of 3, but at least the Filthies know the Braves will put up some sort of a fight for the NL East!

EDIT: forgot to mention I was out most of the night, heard the comeback in the 9th, and just walked in to see Nate McClouth, who has been in a terrible slump all year, hit the game winner. Never have seen a team all run into the clubhouse, a great moment with him coming into the dugout, and no one there!

Edited April 21, 2010 by BERIGAN

[ghost of miles]

EDIT: forgot to mention I was out most of the night, heard the comeback in the 9th, and just walked in to see Nate McClouth, who has been in a terrible slump all year, hit the game winner. Never have seen a team all run into the clubhouse, a great moment with him coming into the dugout, and no one there!

McLouth's walkoff: Game over, team gone!

[ghost of miles]

One way to avoid getting tagged by the catcher at home plate:

Leap over him!

Edited April 21, 2010 by ghost of miles

[BERIGAN]

One way to avoid getting tagged by the catcher at home plate:

Leap over him!

Wasn't that amazing????

[ghost of miles]

Yankees-A's going into the bottom of the third, and Nick Johnson has already walked twice--bring his season total to 18 BB with NY playing its 14th game tonight. If NJ maintains that pace he will end the season with 208 walks total.

[BERIGAN]

Yankees-A's going into the bottom of the third, and Nick Johnson has already walked twice--bring his season total to 18 BB with NY playing its 14th game tonight. If NJ maintains that pace he will end the season with 208 walks total.

That's up there with Barry Bonds (232 is his highest) Perhaps if he starts juicing, the record will be in his reach!

[Big Al]

It's never too early to give up on the Rangers. Especially since it appears they have yet to show up this season....

[ghost of miles]

Yanks finally dropped one today, but they still took the series from the A's--first time since 1926 that they've won the first five of the season. Impressed that Oakland was able to pretty much shut down the NY lineup over the past two games, even though we won last night, mostly on the strength of Phil Hughes' great outing (man oh man, if he pitches well out of the #5 spot in the rotation all year...look out! ). CC had a good enough game today, just gave up too much in the first inning via two walks and a HR to Suzuki (who definitely has NY's number, based on the stats I've seen). If nothing else, Posada and Granderson got a day of rest, Rivera and Chamberlain stayed in the pen, Tex finally uncorked another HR, and NY turned its first triple play since 1968.

[Chalupa]

The Brewers beat the Pirates today by a score of 20 to 0. OUCH!

[WorldB3]

and NY turned its first triple play since 1968.

Some interesting names in that one from 68. Roseboro hitting the 1-5-3 TP from pitcher Dooley Womack to third baseman Bobby Cox (yes, that Bobby Cox) to Mickey Mantle.