Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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1) using profanity or any euphemisms for profanity
2) personally attacking other commenters
3) baiting other commenters
4) arguing for the sake of arguing
5) discussing politics
6) using hyperbole when something less will suffice
7) using sarcasm in a way that can be misinterpreted negatively
8) making the same point over and over again
9) typing "no-hitter" or "perfect game" to describe either in progress
10) being annoyed by the existence of this list
11) commenting under the obvious influence
12) claiming your opinion isn't allowed when it's just being disagreed with
The 2008 Dodgers might not hit a lot of home runs, but Matt Kemp (37), Andre Ethier (36) and James Loney (34) are poised to become the first trio of Dodgers with 35 or more doubles in franchise history. Kemp and Loney each had doubles tonight.
* * *
All my best to those affected by tonight's train collision in Chatsworth.
Also, looking at the numbers, holy good gawd, Kemp is only 23?
He keeps gaining experience all the time.
While I expect Martin, Loney and Ethier to improve a bit with age(and now DeWitt),Kemp
could keep growing dramatically!
Impressive job by Kevin Roderick at LA Observed pulling together news and updates on the Chatsworth crash yesterday/last night. I poked around the big news sites and other places for a while but there really was no where better to go for a clear and thorough take on the unfolding tragedy.
His 2008 numbers thus far?
.300/.351/.452
Guess I underestimated the guy.
Even Sweeney among the Nightengales or Jones would have been a better choice. Rumor has they have hit balls deep on occasion. I think it would have been a nice slot for A.J. Ellis.
Maybe he could have stolen Loney's thunder and banished Ardoin to Albuquerque for next year.
http://www.metsmagicnumber.com/magicnumber/Dodgers/index.html
The lead is growing Zak...
It will be great to find a way to win today as it is my birthday, today. However, knowing Coors Field reputation for flattening out curve balls and the fellow Toaster's recommendations here that Kershaw skip this Colorado start that I concur with, that I feel a birthday win is against the odds. At least the day before will have to do unless the Dodgers tear it up offensively tonight and we get one of those old Coors Field 14-11 type games.:)
Not that I'm going to say he should play even when he's hurt but... why would a team sign any player to a $15 million a year contract when he's so injury prone?
"Grandmother's funeral"...? Likely story...
"Hey, University of California: wake up!"
They're awake in Merced now!
Jason Johnson, anyone?
Minute Maid Park came through Ike in good shape, but most of Houston doesn't have power.
I actually think that the Martin/Kemp/Ethier/Loney group helps us win by allowing us to sign an expensive FA to complement them. We just have a General Manager that is unlucky(Schmidt, Furcal) and a terrible FA talent evaluator (Jones, Pierre, Loaiza).
Overall, I think that the Cubs have proven this season that you can buy your way to a winning team if your GM has a decent sense of which guys to sign. If I am not mistaken, their payroll is basically the same as ours...
Merced students must find it hard to sleep anyway, knowing that they're the nation's "first public research university to be built in the 21st century".
http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_10450792
Its just as likely that either Greg Miller, or Justin Orenduff suffer a mysterious injury that forces them on the 60 man DL.
Are you saying that Loney has reached his peak... at age 24?
Candidates to get 60 man DLed.
Greg Miller, Justin Orenduff, Lucas May, Xavier Paul.
I expect at least two of these names to go on the 60 day DL to make room. Sure its an horrible abuse of the rules, but its not like we're the only ones doing it. The Rays just DLed two guys on their 40 man roster just to bring up Price and make him eligible for the post season roster.
Only 11 strikeouts to go with at least two starts left. He might have 3 starts left, but rotation shuffling may be in order.
And yeah, get some caffeine flowing on the sidelines, stat!
Aren't you tailgating at the "Insert Name Here" Coliseum?
If so, how do you do?
Possibly.
I wish I was there, but at this moment, I'm in my apartment in San Diego. I a few hours, I will drive to Orange County to watch the game with my brother. I'll probably get to his house around halftime of the UCLA-BYU game.
I think the fans who sit through both games are going to be the only people in Ohio who don't like football.
Perhaps it will only be made up if it affects the postseason.
Christina Kahrl: I think Andy, but I don't mean to slight Adam in saying so. I think it's fine to keep both, because it doesn't look like Steven Pearce is necessarily the (alternative) answer at first base. OTOH, once somebody loses on the Teixeira sweepstakes this winter, it will make good sense to shop LaRoche around, because anybody who might want Nick Johnson might instead prefer to have someone more likely to play 150 games.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=520
Geez, that was a huge hit on Best.
Javid Best did not violate Rule 13 there.
Yikes, that was... nasty.
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51 I was wondering about that. If both teams had the same bye week I assume they could play then instead. But, alas, they do not. That'll be a pain. Doubleheader anyone?
My guess is that Baltimore and Houston will play their game at a neutral site on Monday. Or even Tuesday.
The game was originally going to be shown on "The Mountain" network only.
So, I'm thinking the answer is no unless there is an ESPN PPV option.
I wonder at what point people will actually start to look at Andy's performance in MLB.
The Texans may be road warriors this year.
If things go as they have been going, it looks like it will be a good year after all, despite all of the ups, downs and injuries.
So, who would get your vote, or votes for saving our butts this year? I'm thinking about those that we couldn't have counted on when the team broke from spring training. For me, outside of Manny and Blake, it would have to be DeWitt and Wade.
Count Kuo in the "saved our butts" category too. We didn't know what to expect from his injured left wing coming into the year.
Does the Kuo/Wade/Manny/Blake/Park/DeWitt butt-saving level offset the carnage that was Andruw Jones this year? It looks like it should for now..
Wade and Ethier gets love from today's ESPN Inside Edge's column.
Bills did everything I expected him to do. I thought he was out best starting pitcher from opening day. His year hasn't surprised me a bit. Same goes for Loney, Ethier, Kemp and Martin. Their contributions were not unexpected.
It definitely helped when Berroa started hitting and fielding with more competence (though his throws are once again looking a little high for my taste). I wouldn't say he saved our butts but that he was at least a better option than Nomar.
Meanwhile, Cal scores a TD at last. And then promptly gives up a TD right back, looking half-asleep on defense again after a dumb onside kick. Next!
I swear, the football gods have decided that they don't want me playing fantasy football or even paying more than passing attention to the NFL.
I have a feeling this is going to be like FreshDirect.Com, where everyone I knew had been using it for years and declined to fill me in.
Anyway, if you're a numbers geek, go check it out!
the part on Wade just talks about his ability to throw strikes, and how little innings he pitched above A-Ball. (47 2/3 innings)
Wade throws 70% of his fastball for strikes, but he has an tendency of throwing it down the middle, and hitters are clipping his fastball for a .300 BA, and a .540 Slugging.
His money pitch is the breaking ball, which can induce a ground out 59% of a time, and hitters are only batting .113 against him on the breaking ball.
Quick summary:
1) Ethier is hitting well because of his improved patience, and increased ability to hammer the high fastball
2) Wade's success has been largely due to amazing control, first-pitch strikes and pitching ahead in the count. Also, because of his control, his fastball is often in the happy zone but his quality curve and change, coupled with pitching in pitchers' counts has allowed him to succeed.
Is Oregon/Purdue being televised in LA (I think it's being nationally televised)?
USC is going to roll over Ohio State.
Molly, if it makes you feel any better I had never heard of Mint.com until just now. Thanks for passing it on (I was going to say "pay it forward" but that was such an awful movie.)
The 150:1s look to make hay as the Red Sox have already lost and the 150:1s lead the Yankees 7-0 in the 7th against an A-Rod-less Bombers team.
I think Griffin would have won anyway. That's just the way college football was in those days.
That may be true, but it helps me to build up my Buckire for tonight's game. There's nothing quite like revenge for a perceived slight.
Happy afternoon all!
I was all excited until it calculated my net worth. Then I reached for the whiskey in the bottom drawer of my desk.
I haven't used it yet, but I hope it uses a minus sign rather than bright red for negative numbers when calculating net worth! :)
21-0! Go Irish!
Martin, C
Pierre, CF
Manny, LF
Loney, 1B
Blake, 3B
Kemp, RF
DeWitt, 2B
Berroa, SS
Kershaw, P
http://insidethedodgers.mlblogs.com/
Looks like it. Its kinda hilarious that Pierre's batting right in front of Manny. I just hope Martin gets on base a couple of times, or Manny's going to look at a lot of IBBs today.
Ask him about that time he cut his hand on a glass at a bar and had to miss the playoffs or whatever. That was fun.
Ask Joe who the biggest cut-up in the bullpen is, besides himself.
Ask him if he'll grow dreadlocks to get around the haircut rule...
And ask him who he thinks is the toughest lefty to face?
You should marry an Indian doctor.
I know there a lot of this oh, how come we are not prepared stuff and the turnovers don't help but why should the score itself matter, its a loss, chalk it up to the lack of experience and talent that no coach can make up for.
Dunno. Football sucks.
This mostly speaks to Raiders. Tennessee win already made my season for UCLA.
You'll have to try Flurry Curry next time.
lol
1. Cornmeal-Crusted Alaskan Halibut on
Baby Artichokes "Barigoule" with
Rose Gold Potatoes, Yellow Wax and Fava Beans,
Grainy Mustard Emulsion
2. Grilled Alaskan King Salmon in Lemon-Crab Vinaigrette on
Chanterelle Succotash with Apple Bacon & Herb Salad
I thought you don't eat meat aside from fish?
Grainy Mustard Emulsion
Does it make me immature or repressed that this sounds dirty to me?
I generally don't. Are you referring to the Apple Bacon? If so, that (and the crab vinaigrette) are the reason I'll probably get the halibut instead.
Yes, the bacon. Congratulations on the anniversary!
Thanks. I strongly recommend getting married in the year 2000, as it maximizes the ease of remembering the anniversary number. Those of you who missed 2000 may want to wait for 3000, or if you can't wait, get a job as a pizza delivery person and make a delivery to a cryogenics lab and accidentally fall into one of the tubes that will freeze you (though presumably not in carbonite) for another 992 years.
Dang, back to stupid RPG ad.
Another touchdown.
Curry Express was pretty good, but not GREAT. Their naan was tasty, but the sauce tasted too marinara-ish for me to be blown away. Still, for $10--and having it brought to you in ten minutes--it's hard to beat.
Marinara like sauce?
I sure wish I could get various foods delivered to me aside from pizza.
If the Dodgers make the playoffs this year, I want to go that bar and perform a curse exorcism before the first game.
Move over by Icaros. I'm pretty sure he can get all kinds of stuff.
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This has to be one of the Pac 10's worst days in a long time. At least Oregon's making a good game of it, and there's still USC.
City-wide delivery! Thanks for the recommendation.
175 Expect a real long wait. Service isn't their strong suit but it's worth it.
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/09/seach_for_victims_ends_in.php
http://www.insidesocal.com/dodgers/
Prediction: Baby Ethier won't be named Ned or Jeff.
Not surprising, Indians are always late.
Running joke in our family to invite people an hour earlier than you want them to come.
I'm going with "DeAndre".
Nomo Ethier.
Sweet D.
You have to love the Mets bullpen.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80ac4273&template=without-video&confirm=true
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