Title: MLB Final Stretch 2005 Discussion:
Description: September through 1st week of October
Description: September through 1st week of October
Scrooge McSuck - September 1, 2005 02:57 AM (GMT)
You know the drill. Only about 31 games left for every team, and several teams still have a chance at the playoffs, unlike last years AL Wild Card completely dominated by the BoSox and the NL being a Chicago/Houston frenzy.
Scrooge McSuck - September 4, 2005 01:07 PM (GMT)
... Aaron F'N Small.
| QUOTE |
| OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- The bad news about the New York Yankees' starting pitching staff kept piling up: injuries, ineffectiveness, questions about who would pitch the next time through the rotation. Then Aaron Small of all people gave the Yankees the start they desperately needed. Replacing the injured Mike Mussina, Small pitched his first career shutout to help the Yankees move back into a tie for the AL wild-card lead with a 7-0 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday. ``He's become someone you rely on,'' Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``We started the season with the starters we had and we certainly didn't foresee this. You have some bad surprises with the injuries, and you can have some good ones like this.'' It's been a long journey for the 33-year-old Small to this point. A 22nd-round pick by Toronto in 1989, Small took five years to make it to the majors. He made three starts in 1996, 118 relief appearances the next two seasons and then pitched only eight times in the majors the next six seasons. Small signed a minor league deal with the Yankees in January but figured to get few chances to start since New York had Mike Mussina, Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown and Jaret Wright in front of him. But Pavano and Brown went down earlier in the season, Mussina acknowledged Friday that he might miss the rest of the season and Wright was hit by a line drive in the neck Thursday that put his next start in jeopardy. Al Leiter then got knocked out in the first inning of a 12-0 loss Friday, putting pressure on Small to deliver. ``It really hasn't sunk in yet,'' Small said. ``To do it at this level, with this team, in this kind of race we're in. I'm just glad I could help this team. They gave me an opportunity. They had the faith to bring me up here.'' His first shutout at any level since 1996 with Triple-A Edmonton moved New York into a tie with Oakland (76-59) atop the wild-card standings, with Cleveland (75-59) and AL West-leading Los Angeles (76-58) playing later Saturday. Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer, Hideki Matsui drove in New York's first two runs without a hit and Alex Rodriguez added a two-run single in a six-run seventh inning as the Yankees responded following two straight losses and yet another team meeting called before the game by Torre. The Yankees began the day 3 1/2 games behind Boston in the AL East, providing a sense or urgency for the final four weeks, but Torre insisted after the meeting that ``my team is fine.'' ``We're in a pennant race, but the mentality is more of a postseason situation where every game is important enough to win right now,'' Torre said. ``We can't be thinking long term.'' Making his first start since Aug. 10, Small (6-0) struck out three, walked two and didn't allow a runner to reach third base. After going nine years between major league starts, Small is 4-0 in five starts this season. The A's have been shut out an AL-worst 11 times this season and have lost three of four overall, scoring just one run in the losses. ``He used all his stuff on both sides of the plate,'' Oakland's Jason Kendall said. ``We had a good game yesterday. We didn't swing the bats well today.'' While the end result was a blowout, the game was tight early as Kirk Saarloos (9-7) held the Yankees in check through the first six innings. But New York then broke through with a big seventh. Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano led off with singles and advanced on a bunt by Bubba Crosby. After Derek Jeter was intentionally walked, Ricardo Rincon relieved and got Matsui to hit a hard one-hopper to second baseman Mark Ellis, who nearly started an inning-ending double play. Matsui narrowly beat the relay from shortstop Marco Scutaro, scoring the second run of the game. Justin Duchscherer walked Gary Sheffield before allowing Rodriguez's soft single to right field that made it 4-0. Giambi then hit a drive into the right-field seats for his 26th homer. ``I tried to waste a few pitches with him,'' Duchscherer said. ``I got one up and in and he made me pay.'' The Yankees scored their first run in the third after Cano and Crosby opened the frame with singles. After Cano was thrown out at third on a double-steal attempt, Jeter singled to put runners on first and third. Matsui then hit a sacrifice fly to center, but the Yankees almost didn't score on the play when Jay Payton nearly threw out Jeter at second just before Crosby crossed home plate. Notes Matsui reached 100 RBIs, joining Rodriguez and Sheffield in triple figures for the second consecutive year. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time three Yankees drove in 100 runs two years in a row, was in 1936-37 when Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Bill Dickey did it. ... Saarloos failed to strike out a batter for the sixth time in 23 starts and has one or fewer Ks in 12 starts. ... Wright played catch before the game and plans to throw a side-session Sunday to determine if he can start Wednesday. ``I'll know more tomorrow. As far as today, it went all right,'' he said. |
Scrooge McSuck - September 5, 2005 01:09 AM (GMT)
So... Orioles are matching their record from 2004, eh? I'll say it again, watch out for Tampa Bay, Baltimore. They're winning again. :D
Real F'n Show - September 5, 2005 03:12 PM (GMT)
How the Indians have hung around relying on bats alone I'll never know. The Twins just took 2 of 3 from them though, good news. Liriano and Baker are both up now, and they really bolstered the pin with Liriano, as Mulholland and Romero both suck.
Scrooge McSuck - September 5, 2005 09:34 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE |
| OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 3 - Brad Fischer, the bullpen coach for the Oakland Athletics, took a check to Ron Washington on Saturday. "When you see this," Fischer told him, "you're never going to believe it." Washington, the longtime A's infield coach, who lost his New Orleans home to Hurricane Katrina, looked at the check. It was from the Yankees' Jason Giambi, his former pupil. It was for $20,000. "I left out of here and ran over there, and got him outside in the hallway," Washington said in the A's clubhouse Sunday. "I broke down and cried a little bit. I don't cry. My wife says there's something wrong with me. I hold it in. But it was hard to hold it in yesterday. That really touched me." Washington, a former major league infielder, said he was now the only provider for more than 40 family members who were displaced by the hurricane. Everyone is safe, Washington said, and a brother who lives in Houston has taken in some family for now. But their jobs and homes are gone, Washington said, and he planned to deplete his savings to help. Then Giambi made his gift, and the current A's players have collected $12,000 for him. Washington said he would use the money for apartments for his family. "I told them when they were doing it, I can take care of my family," Washington said. "But they insisted. I realized, when I talked to other people about it, they said, that's all you can do is say thank you. You can't have no pride with something like this." Giambi called Washington a great man and compared him to family. "I've known Wash probably longer than most of those kids in their clubhouse," Giambi said. "I just felt it was a little something I wanted to do." Yankees outfielder Gary Sheffield did not have a personal connection to the hurricane, but he donated $10,000 to relief efforts Friday. Sheffield, who has lived through hurricanes in Tampa, Fla., said he could not watch footage of the devastation on television and not help. "To happen in New Orleans, being so close to Tampa, it could have easily been me or my family," Sheffield said. "I just thought, how could I sit and flip the channel and watch a football game and go on with my average day when people are out of homes and everything they've got? To turn my back on it would be a tragedy in itself." As for Washington, who was born and reared in New Orleans, he was eager to visit his home after the season. It is underwater, he knows, and he will have to rebuild or relocate. But he wants to stay. "If it looks like New Orleans won't be coming back, then we're going to have to move somewhere else," Washington said. "And I have no idea where that's going to be." |
eStragand - September 6, 2005 05:36 PM (GMT)
This Sunday, the (Denver) Rocky Moutain News ran a center spread, 3-page printed blowjob, errr...story about Shawn Chacon. They left out the important part: that the Rockies, and Clint Hurdle in particular, completely molested the guy's 4-year career in Denver.
It's official: the Pittsburgh Team is now tied for the worst record in the NL. They'll most likely grab the undisputed title sometime this week. To think that they were at .500 and looking good until that blown double play call in New York cost them the game and ultimately, their season.
It's official: the Pittsburgh Team is now tied for the worst record in the NL. They'll most likely grab the undisputed title sometime this week. To think that they were at .500 and looking good until that blown double play call in New York cost them the game and ultimately, their season.
Scrooge McSuck - September 7, 2005 04:06 PM (GMT)
Pittsburgh fires their manager, but it's too little too late. They just better watch out for those Royals in the "Worst Team of the Year" standings.
eStragand - September 7, 2005 04:21 PM (GMT)
Pirates 0-1 in the new era. The Pete Mackanin Watch is ON
S.T. Strickler - September 7, 2005 05:34 PM (GMT)
Daniel Cabrera came back from the DL last night, and struck out 10 in 7 innings.. And uh, that's about it.
dynamite kido - September 7, 2005 07:13 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (eStragand @ Sep 7 2005, 10:21 AM) |
| Pirates 0-1 in the new era. The Pete Mackanin Watch is ON |
Oh, it's World Series time. They got rid of the only thing holding them back.......
Here we come in 06 Buccos.....
eStragand - September 7, 2005 11:52 PM (GMT)
Speculation is that Pirates ownership will sell the team after 2006. That way they will have made enough money off of the 06 All-Star Game. Not sure if it's Bucco Fanboy winky stroking, but Mark Cuban has been mentioned as a possible new owner.
There was also speculation that ownership would pull a lame duck and simply wait around to fire McClendon at the end of '06. GM Dave Littlefield was brought in for 2002, and McClendon was hired in 2001 by the previous GM (Cam Bonifay), so the Lloyd Watch wasn't anything new. The team also showed a surprising about-face when they demoted Josh Fogg to the the minors, so some of the younger guys could get more starts. For the past 13 years they've tried to mix in veterans (Mike Benjamin, Mike Kingery, Pat Meares, Joe Oliver, Derek Bell, etc.) with their half-assed prospects.
Unless they go 29-0, Pete Mackanin will not be the manager for '06. Ken Macha, Jim Leyland and even Bob Frickin' Walk (!) have been rumored as possible new managers. The latest rebuilding plan has been an obvious failure, but with the nucleus of Brad Eldred, Chris Duffy, Ryan Doumit, Oliver Perez, Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and even Jose Castillo, they'll make some sportshacks cream their pants in 2007.
But make no mistake, the playoffs are still a LONG ways away.
...and that's probably MORE than you ever wanted to know about the state of the Pirates. You're welcome.
There was also speculation that ownership would pull a lame duck and simply wait around to fire McClendon at the end of '06. GM Dave Littlefield was brought in for 2002, and McClendon was hired in 2001 by the previous GM (Cam Bonifay), so the Lloyd Watch wasn't anything new. The team also showed a surprising about-face when they demoted Josh Fogg to the the minors, so some of the younger guys could get more starts. For the past 13 years they've tried to mix in veterans (Mike Benjamin, Mike Kingery, Pat Meares, Joe Oliver, Derek Bell, etc.) with their half-assed prospects.
Unless they go 29-0, Pete Mackanin will not be the manager for '06. Ken Macha, Jim Leyland and even Bob Frickin' Walk (!) have been rumored as possible new managers. The latest rebuilding plan has been an obvious failure, but with the nucleus of Brad Eldred, Chris Duffy, Ryan Doumit, Oliver Perez, Zach Duke, Paul Maholm and even Jose Castillo, they'll make some sportshacks cream their pants in 2007.
But make no mistake, the playoffs are still a LONG ways away.
...and that's probably MORE than you ever wanted to know about the state of the Pirates. You're welcome.
Scrooge McSuck - September 7, 2005 11:57 PM (GMT)
HA HA!
Scrooge McSuck - September 8, 2005 06:18 AM (GMT)
Please God, end this season soon. I can't stand the races in either league... who am I kidding, all I care about as the american league. Come on God, do something right for once. Give the entire Oakland lineup gengreen, or have the Indians crash onto a deserted island for 4 weeks.
S.T. Strickler - September 8, 2005 01:07 PM (GMT)
As an Orioles fan, I'm enjoying the heck out of this. Watching the Yankees NOT make the playoffs is a dream for the league.
Scrooge McSuck - September 8, 2005 02:32 PM (GMT)
And watching the Orioles fuck up this badly makes me laugh my balls off. 1st to Worst! 1st to Worst! 1st to Worst!
TehDoct0r - September 8, 2005 02:34 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (S.T. Strickler @ Sep 8 2005, 07:07 AM) |
| As an Orioles fan, I'm enjoying the heck out of this. Watching the Yankees NOT make the playoffs is a dream for the league. |
Problem is, we're ahead in the wild card by half a game, and we even have enough games with Boston where we could conceivably catch them. So it's not like we're out or anything.
Scrooge McSuck - September 10, 2005 03:20 AM (GMT)
How in the hell is Aaron Small doing so good?! Another solid performance if you over look the few runs allowed in the 2nd inning, improving to 7-0.
jamiegeist - September 10, 2005 04:42 PM (GMT)
Dudes, baseball sucks. Football is starting now, so we no longer have to pretend to be enjoying a discussion about "America's" boring ass pasttime.
And will baseball never end. Good god the season is like 11 months long.
And will baseball never end. Good god the season is like 11 months long.
Scrooge McSuck - September 10, 2005 04:54 PM (GMT)
Pipe down before I find out where you live and stick a baseball up your butt. Of course, I can't even find my local 7-11, so that shows my navigational skills.
Scrooge McSuck - September 11, 2005 12:23 AM (GMT)
I'm writing off the Yankees for 2005. Go Boston I guess. None of my teams are in playoff contention, so I don't care.
S.T. Strickler - September 11, 2005 01:41 AM (GMT)
New York is gonna have a hellish offseason.
Scrooge McSuck - September 11, 2005 01:47 AM (GMT)
I say keep guys like Wang, Chacon and Small and fire the collective asses of Randy "The Vulture" Johnson, Kevin "I Can't Throw Worth a Shit Anymore" Brown, and every other over-the-hill and over-paid pitcher. As for the lineups...
Bernie? Sorry, but you're too old to be productive and your defensive skills have gotten horrible. I say give Bubba Crosby a considerable amount of game time to show us if he's worth enough to keep around.
Sheffield? Keep
Matsui? Keep
Tino? Bench player if he stays for his option in 2006. Shouldn't get significant playing time now that Giambi is doing good, but he's a great choice for defensive replacements.
Giambi? Keep
Womack? Gone. We don't need him and never did.
Cano? Keep of course.
A-Rod? Obviously Keep!
Jeter? See A-Rod.
Posada? I'd look to downsize his playing time and hire a new #1 catcher.
Flaherty? He's got a good glove, but his offense is drizzling shit. I say get rid of him, and put Posada in his role, except a bit more playing time.
Bernie? Sorry, but you're too old to be productive and your defensive skills have gotten horrible. I say give Bubba Crosby a considerable amount of game time to show us if he's worth enough to keep around.
Sheffield? Keep
Matsui? Keep
Tino? Bench player if he stays for his option in 2006. Shouldn't get significant playing time now that Giambi is doing good, but he's a great choice for defensive replacements.
Giambi? Keep
Womack? Gone. We don't need him and never did.
Cano? Keep of course.
A-Rod? Obviously Keep!
Jeter? See A-Rod.
Posada? I'd look to downsize his playing time and hire a new #1 catcher.
Flaherty? He's got a good glove, but his offense is drizzling shit. I say get rid of him, and put Posada in his role, except a bit more playing time.
S.T. Strickler - September 11, 2005 02:01 AM (GMT)
Knowing the Yankees, they'll go out and buy some more players like they always do. I bet they don't know the concept of developing their own players anymore.
Scrooge McSuck - September 11, 2005 02:13 AM (GMT)
Exactamundo. When looking back at their 1996 World Series team, you would question how the hell they won a World Series. Jim Leyritz? Luis Sojo? Mariano Duncan? Charlie Hayes? Sure, we had O'Neill, Bernie, Boggs, and Tino, but Boggs was past it and Tino was never "great" other than the 1997 season.
Starting Pitchers: Jimmy Key (a.k.a my arm is falling off), Andy Pettitte (2nd year and homegrown), David Cone (career-threatening surgery at the time), Kenny Rogers (sucked in NY).
Bullpen: Graeme Lloyd (blech), Brian Boehringer (Blech), Jeff Nelson (inconsistant), Mariano Rivera (before he was Mariano Rivera), and John Wetteland (awesome... and we lost him).
Starting Pitchers: Jimmy Key (a.k.a my arm is falling off), Andy Pettitte (2nd year and homegrown), David Cone (career-threatening surgery at the time), Kenny Rogers (sucked in NY).
Bullpen: Graeme Lloyd (blech), Brian Boehringer (Blech), Jeff Nelson (inconsistant), Mariano Rivera (before he was Mariano Rivera), and John Wetteland (awesome... and we lost him).
S.T. Strickler - September 11, 2005 02:19 AM (GMT)
The only players I can think of that they developed over the last few years are Jeter, Rivera, Bernie Williams, Posada.... That's all I can think of.
Scrooge McSuck - September 11, 2005 02:21 AM (GMT)
If he was still around, Pettitte too. DAMN YOU STEINBRENNER! YOU SHOULDVE KEPT HIM!
TehDoct0r - September 11, 2005 07:19 PM (GMT)
| QUOTE (S.T. Strickler @ Sep 10 2005, 08:19 PM) |
| The only players I can think of that they developed over the last few years are Jeter, Rivera, Bernie Williams, Posada.... That's all I can think of. |
I love how you say "only" when Jeter, Rivera, and Williams carried the team on their backs for the big run of World Series rings.
Scrooge McSuck - September 11, 2005 07:45 PM (GMT)
Don't forget Paul O'Neill (Cincinnati) and Tino Martinez (Seattle) were major contributors from those 5 big seasons (1996-2000) too. :)
Like you mentioned though, Bernie was a big fucking deal in his prime, Posada has been one of the best catchers in Yankee history (offensively speaking), and Rivera is considered 1 of the greatest relievers/closers of all time.
Like you mentioned though, Bernie was a big fucking deal in his prime, Posada has been one of the best catchers in Yankee history (offensively speaking), and Rivera is considered 1 of the greatest relievers/closers of all time.
TheGreatWhiteChoate - September 12, 2005 07:07 PM (GMT)
*Ahem
Cardinals own j00!
Cardinals own j00!
Scrooge McSuck - September 12, 2005 07:10 PM (GMT)
ahem...
They'll blow it in the playoffs again. :)
They'll blow it in the playoffs again. :)
Scrooge McSuck - September 17, 2005 03:24 AM (GMT)
New York almost managed to blow an 11-3 lead, but held on to win it 11-10. Still only 1/2 game behind Cleveland, and depending on Boston, we'll be either 1/2 or 1 1/2 back of them in the AL East.
jamiegeist - September 17, 2005 10:10 PM (GMT)
How can you stomach watching/following every day of baseball. If they played about 30 games, I'd be very interested. The season is too long. Games don't matter enough until about 2 weeks from now.
Scrooge McSuck - September 17, 2005 11:12 PM (GMT)
I won't bother arguing, because I can tell you're a "Football Faithful", the type that bad mouth baseball, but love watching a million 2 second plays all day and allows about 600 teams into the playoffs.
Oh well... I like baseball because it's an enjoyable 3 hours. I obviously can't stand watching games like Colorado vs. Pittsburgh, unless it's the Devil Rays playing another crappy team. Since I can only watch them and whatever ESPN/FOX gives me, this year I'm more interested, because I'm not watching a million games a year anymore.
Oh well... I like baseball because it's an enjoyable 3 hours. I obviously can't stand watching games like Colorado vs. Pittsburgh, unless it's the Devil Rays playing another crappy team. Since I can only watch them and whatever ESPN/FOX gives me, this year I'm more interested, because I'm not watching a million games a year anymore.
eStragand - September 18, 2005 03:29 AM (GMT)
It's a "working man's sport" and plays everyday. First time I flipped over a baseball card, I thought "162 games" HAD to be a misprint.
When was the last time any NFL game started on a Thursday afternoon at 1pm?
When was the last time a QB was removed from a game on a 2nd down in the 4th quarter, simply so the fans could cheer him?
Hank Williams Jr never sang an off-key SHOUTING version of a shitty song with forced rhyming lyrics about baseball. (Note to Hank: "Hittin" does NOT rhyme with "Television")
A defensive player has just knocked the ball lose and ran in for a touchdown!! Sweet! That's the coolest thing I've seen all.... oh wait, what I just saw DIDN'T HAPPEN, thanks to replay.
Most importantly: CBS Sports does not cover baseball.
When was the last time any NFL game started on a Thursday afternoon at 1pm?
When was the last time a QB was removed from a game on a 2nd down in the 4th quarter, simply so the fans could cheer him?
Hank Williams Jr never sang an off-key SHOUTING version of a shitty song with forced rhyming lyrics about baseball. (Note to Hank: "Hittin" does NOT rhyme with "Television")
A defensive player has just knocked the ball lose and ran in for a touchdown!! Sweet! That's the coolest thing I've seen all.... oh wait, what I just saw DIDN'T HAPPEN, thanks to replay.
Most importantly: CBS Sports does not cover baseball.
Scrooge McSuck - September 18, 2005 04:25 AM (GMT)
Back to the topic...
How the HELL did Chicago blow a 15 game lead in the AL Central?! Indians only about 3.5 games back now, and there' no sign of them stopping. Of course, playing shit teams like Kansas City this week gives them an edge a bit, but still, in the last 6 weeks, they gained nearly 12 games on them.
How the HELL did Chicago blow a 15 game lead in the AL Central?! Indians only about 3.5 games back now, and there' no sign of them stopping. Of course, playing shit teams like Kansas City this week gives them an edge a bit, but still, in the last 6 weeks, they gained nearly 12 games on them.
jamiegeist - September 18, 2005 09:18 AM (GMT)
But football is......just so much better.
Maybe its cause at my heart I'm an athlete and competitor. Football is a great sport because every play is all 11 men working together towards one common goal. Baseball is the laziest mainstream sport around, and I've thought it since I played rec ball back in 2nd grade. People say the hardest thing to do is hit a baseball. Well it should be hard, because for the other 3 hours you're either sitting on your ass, standing with the hands on your knees, or quite possibly running up to maybe 90 feet before going back to standing or sitting and doing nothing for another 45 minutes.
So yeah, I'm one of those guys.
Maybe its cause at my heart I'm an athlete and competitor. Football is a great sport because every play is all 11 men working together towards one common goal. Baseball is the laziest mainstream sport around, and I've thought it since I played rec ball back in 2nd grade. People say the hardest thing to do is hit a baseball. Well it should be hard, because for the other 3 hours you're either sitting on your ass, standing with the hands on your knees, or quite possibly running up to maybe 90 feet before going back to standing or sitting and doing nothing for another 45 minutes.
So yeah, I'm one of those guys.
TheGreatWhiteChoate - September 19, 2005 05:48 PM (GMT)
I like baseball and football. I get more excited about football season, but I also follow baseball pretty religiously.
Scrooge McSuck - September 20, 2005 07:58 PM (GMT)
And now the Chicago lead over Cleveland is 2.5 games. Ouch. The AL East seperates Boston and New York by 1/2 a game, and the AL West is still too close to call.
I love September baseball. :)
I love September baseball. :)
Big F'N Swigg - September 20, 2005 10:54 PM (GMT)
I like baseball more than football, but it's something I can't explain. Mostly because I don't like any pro teams as much as I do baseball.
And CBS DID cover baseball until Fox got the contract in the mid-90's
And CBS DID cover baseball until Fox got the contract in the mid-90's
Big F'N Swigg - September 20, 2005 10:58 PM (GMT)
And seriously, the Red Sox are going to kill me. The last three games of the season will determine who goes to the playoffs. Whoever loses sits at home as the Indians & White Sox will both go.