3 run HR from Ryan Church! Braves up 9-5 in the 13th.

What a great comeback. They really need this one.

I'm still pissed at that asshole who ran on the field. Doubly pissed now, actually.

I think they might ask for something in return but, in the end, they will surrender him just to shed the terrible contract. Maybe they'll get a scrub or two back, just to make it look like they didn't give him away for free (to the common fans, at least).

Talk about a crazy opening half-inning. Torres gets an out, then walks 3 straight batters to load the bases (including something like 10 straight balls) and finds enough control to strike out 2 to escape the jam.

WOW! Yankees win AGAIN over the BoSox. After not being able to beat them before this series, that's 3 in a row and opening up a lead of 5.5 in the standings . The Yankees are REALLY on a roll, winning 6 straight and before this game, 21 of their last 30. And now Tampa is 2 games back of Boston.

Great work by Kawakami after some walks and a real bitch move by Escobar on an attempted steal by the Dodgers.

Sox don't have what it takes this year to get anywhere. Be shocked to see them get the wild card at this point TBH.

Questionable rotation after Beckett and Lester, and they're (not) hitting like a bunch of little leaguers. Too much age in the lineup and way too many easy outs.

I'll believe it when I see it (although two things I definitely see what you're looking at and agree with, and that's that the Red Sox are shockingly poor in the rotation in comparison to years past, and that the Rangers--with some legit pitching for once--actually do have a chance of catching the BoSox).

Been a weird year. Take my Angels for instance. Traditionally pitching strong and weak offensively. This year, they're #1 or #2 in many key offensive categories in the AL--and the pitching is easily the worst it has been in the past decade.

Yes.

That statement made no sense.


Can we just play Baltimore again already? I liked the illusion that we had Major League hitters on our team.

I don't think the rotation is worse than years past (and better than 05/06) - it just looks exacerbated this past week because we're seemingly cycling through every AAAA filler pitcher for long relief and our 5th starter spot is where all the drama comes from. Beckett and Lester (post-May - both have ERA's of ~2.00 since) are easily our best 1-2 combination since 2004. Tim Wakefield is the same Tim Wakefield - seriously his ERA+ has been between 100 and 114 for the past 7 seasons and he's on the DL again in August like clockwork. Brad Penny isn't exciting anyone, but Julian Tavarez started 23 games 2 seasons ago. Buchholz is scuffling, but he started 15 games last year and did worse then. In addition we had 7 other guys start last year in an attempt to find that last starter, guys like Paul Byrd (who we just re-signed apparently), Bartolo Colon (who actually disappeared with 2 months left), David Pauley, Charlie Zink. Check back in a month when we meet the Angels and our rotation will probably look as formidable as ever. It's definitely the 3/4 combination that they're missing. Youk has replaced Ortiz but trading Manny is still killing us - we have 5 #5/6 hitters but no true star who can overcome the rest of the teams ineptitude on nights like the last 2 and kickstart the offense.

I'll say this much for Javier Vazquez, he's as advertised, a definite innings eater. He's thrown at least 98 pitches in all but two starts this season.

Great finish to the series for the Braves. They take 3 of 4 from the Dodgers after a crushing defeat in game 1.

Just got back from that game. Vazquez looked very good.

Wow! Bottom of the 7th, 0-0 between Yanks and Sox and A-Rod goes deep to break a scoreless tie again. A towering shot!

Real men wait until the 9th.

And Martinez comes back with a 2 run blast! :eek:

And Damon comes right back and slams a HR to tie it up at 2!

HOLY SHIT! Teixiera with a back-to-back off of Bard and now it's 3-2 Yanks! :eek:

And Tex gives the Yanks the lead. What a game. Mo in the 9th for the sweep!

hate world. Revenge soon.

If I had any energy I would go Fozzie on a tree at this point. Has there ever been a flyout to right in that new stadium?

REDSOX SUCK!
REDSOX SUCK!
REDSOX SUCK!
REDSOX SUCK!

It's okay, Sox will sweep the Tigs. We can't win in Fenway.

Yesterday, the Red Sox had 8 of them.

Prince Fielder's hissy fit in the hallway to the Dodgers clubhouse...

I've been really impressed with him the times I've seen him. Pounds the strikes zone and has good stuff. I need to watch some more before making this statement definitive, but he's one of the best young pitchers I've seen in a long time.

SI

Those were all pop-ups. Cano should have had them :)

Date	Video	Path	Hitter	Hitter Team	Pitcher	Pitcher Team	INN	Ballpark	Type/ Luck	True Dist.	Speed Off Bat	Elev. Angle	Horiz. Angle	Apex	Impact Due To:			Std. Dist.	# Parks
															Wind	Temp.	Alt.

08/09/09

Video

View

Teixeira, Mark

NYY

Bard, Daniel

BOS

8

New Yankee S...

PL

357

99.5

42.3

61.4

144

37

2

0

317

0

Go Rangers :)

They don't look like they have enough but it would be cool if they did

SI

Good to see the Royals making a run at the #1 draft pick. Only 3 1/2 back of the Nationals now. At least they got a win for Greinke.

Lots of gold in this one:




And my personal favorite



SI

We were at that game (Greinke) over the weekend. My wife won the designated driver contest :)

SI

How'd you like the stadium? Fantastic, no?

I'll have a little writeup when I get a chance- actually, I think I should do that for all 5 stadiums I've been to in the last month.

We got there early and got to see the HOF- definite plus. And the stadium looks completely different- the outside has the 'fishbowl' look of the Sprint center for some reason but the inside looks completely new, like a whole new stadium but not really.

SI

I haven't actually been out to see the HOF since it opened up. We have a family friend (Larry Gura) that is in there, so I need to get out there and see his new display.

White Sox got Rios. No trade, just a straight claim so they'll eat the entire salary.

Good that Toronto got that mistake of a contract corrected. But I don't hate this move for the white sox. Rios is still decent and has some upside. Plus they are in a different situation than Toronto, so for them I think it is a fine move as well.

Apparently Reinsdorf is deciding now its ok to spend all his damn money, with all the Phoenix deals, and now spending 100 mil + on Rios and Peavy.

I'm really fucking questioning Kenny Williams brain right now. But I hope it works out.

Dola, but you know what, If he doesnt care about spending the money? why not take a flyer on this kid, maybe he will show some promise still. No one wants to play in Toronto.

The thing is, the Rios of the previous couple of years is well worth the money he has left on his contract. It's just a question of whether his decline this year is an aberration or the start of a trend. The main difference in his batting this year is a drop in his BABIP and a drop in his line drive pct, which are probably related.

*looks at 2005, Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin*

Yeah, despite the whole Frank Thomas fiasco, I'd say KW's earned the benefit of the doubt.

Not that I see us winning the Series again this year or anything, but here's to hoping we win the Central. :)

Please let this happen. :D

I don't know, I still liked Rios. Just dump everyone JP, you should've been gone last year.

The more I'm thinking about it the more I like it.

With that contract, I was fine with Rios being gone, but not at the price of getting absolutely nothing for him. Keeping him probably wouldn't work either, though. So I'm not sure. I think this was a call your bluff situation and his bluff got called and he realized he had to let the kid go.

But no way he did it intentionally.

I'm so sick of JP. But this season's suckage should solidify that he'll be gone for good. Finally.

Good guys vs. the Bums on right now.


Hey JIMGA, Can I join the lynch Bill Hohn club? The SOB just called a guy who was safe by a yard out because... well, I don't know why. Jon Miller is calling it a "not very good call by major league standards", and he is basically the nicest guy in the world.

Bill Hohn is a fucking awful umpire. Two straight fucking blown calls.

Were the Braves playing? :D

Troy Tulowitzki hit for the cycle and went 5-for-5 with 7 RBI tonight. He's a stud.

Fixed. ;)

Welcome aboard, still good seats available although it does seem to be filling up faster & faster.