Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
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TV and more ...
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
Yep, that's what happens.
Manny Ramirez's 400-foot-plus drive in the first inning gets in one run but stops just short of being a two-run homer.
Shane Victorino's extra bit of hustle forces Rafael Furcal to hurry himself into an error.
The Phillies knock two out of the park; the Dodgers hit two drives in the ninth that don't quite have enough.
And by slim margins like those, Game 1 of the National League Championship Series goes to Philadelphia. The Dodgers had their mini-victories; the Phillies had a few more.
Derek Lowe had two odd things happen to him tonight - a collision at first base with Victorino, and a bad swing that might have tweaked his right hand. Whether those were factors in taking down what had been another smooth, groundball-filled start, we'll have to rely on whatever he might say in the postgame to find out. (As commenter BHSportsguy pointed out, the preamble for the Phillies' three-run sixth was when Lowe gave up two-out hits to the Nos. 8 and No. 9 hitters in the fifth.)
Cole Hamels weathered a rougher first few innings than Phillie fans might have liked and, like Lowe in the NL Division Series, outlasted his 2-0 deficit. Citizen's Bank Park did not play like a bandbox when the Dodgers were batting, and you can bet Hamels had something to do with that.
The Dodgers did do a lot that was right tonight, and even if they're mulling that Furcal error that might have cost them the game, they should still feel good about themselves. I still believe Game 1 was one the Phillies needed more than the Dodgers. So much for that luxury, though. Friday's Game 2 isn't do-or-die for Los Angeles, but things are a whole bunch of serious now.
Thanks Jon but again, I don't relish being right, I'll wonder if Blake wishes he would dived for Ruiz's ball, would have been a spectacular play but still.
Nah, I doubt that had much of an effect. I think the big play was Victorino's dash to first. It made Furcal hurry his throw, plus Utley and Burrell are GREAT power hitters.
I don't feel worried or anything. I guess if I am worried about anything it's how Manuel apparently has Manny figured out. That is, if "hitting 2-4 with an RBI Double that could have been a 2 run HR" is "figuring him out."
As I wrote the last thread:
I'll hang out here while I wait for Molly to get back to DT and bring us her account of the experience today. I can't say I'm disappointed tonight per se, especially since LA held the Phils to 3 runs. That's not easy to do! I was impressed by our staff tonight.
Lowe was fine. You cant expect him to throw a shutout at that ballpark, vs that lineup.
It was a well played game on both sides.
Tomorrow's winner will win the series IMO.
Seriously, man. You see either of them at Citizens Bank Park and then hold on to your hat!
2
Tonight certainly doesn't prove that theory. I thought it was interesting how both FOX and Vin Scully brought it up. Imagine... six more inches to the right and we'd into free baseball!
When I saw Maddux was in I had to hold my breath - we know that hitters' parks aren't that friendly to the old man nowadays and this is Philadelphia.
I was pretty upset about the loss (I'm unreasonably emotional when it comes to sports...) but seeing all the optimism here has cheered me up a little. Bills will get 'em tomorrow!
Don't worry Ice Cream! I'll be there for you soon!
If that's the margin on their home field, I like where we are.
POST-season! Logikreader, you doofus!
Game 1, 1988 NLCS
NL East Champ 3, Dodgers 2
I've been meaning to ask about that. If the Improbable/Impossible Dodgers were the big underdogs in '88, how'd they wind up with a better record than the Mets? I believe LA had home field advantage in the LCS.
Crazy... just looked it up on B-R. The Dodgers had a worse record than the Mets and they still had Home Field. Confusing.
Back then, home field rotated between divisions (and leagues) for each playoff series year by year. Until the wild card came into play.
They just alternated home field back then.
In 1995, home field was set up ahead of time. They changed that rule after Cleveland never got homefield edge in any round of the playoffs despite them going 100-44.
The NFL used to have locked in homefield. Check out the Dolphins sites for playoff games in their undefeated season.
Crazy!
And they lost.
I started to really think the NFL was inherently unfair then.
Then the Rams played the Vikings in subsequent years.
That's when I sent away for the "My First Grudge Obelisk" from an ad in Ranger Rick magazine.
I'm playing single parent for a few days so I didn't get to really sit down and listen closely to Buck and McCarver, but they seemed a little less self-aggrandizing than usual. The best part about the move to Fox for me is that I get Fox in HD but not TBS; baseball in HD is really an entirely different viewing experience.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neNtMX-v2eY
Right before last year's playoffs (the day of the 1st game I believe) Time Warner added TBS HD, just as TBS was to begin broadcasting the playoffs. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything else broadcast in HD on TBS. Was My Boys in HD? I'm not sure.
You are right though, baseball (or any sport) in HD is the way to go.
Without clicking, I'm guessing that's "Far From Over."
It pays to know your Frank Stallone!
I didn't think Seinfeld was even made in HD! Ahh, the wonders of technology.
Right you are! Let's counter Rocky with his brother!!
I think the usual consensus is why worry about defense - you're one run down if you don't score then the game is over (plus you have both Berroa and Ozuna whose only value is defensive replacement anyway). If it was one out, than I would have assumed DeWitt would hit. But with two I was bit surprised that Nomar wasn't used, since you run the risk of never getting to him, which of course is what happened. It wasn't one of those obvious situations where I curse the manager for being foolish, mostly I was just surprised that Torre would take a chance that Nomar wouldn't get a shot at tying up the game.
It's very funny I hear.
Ahh, October...
That's likely the reason that Torre didn't use Nomar. With Kent already used, it would have been Pierre. Not a bad option if you need only a single with two outs (and Ozuna in to run), but much less appealing if you need an XBH.
The Sharks power-play already looks better than last year.
We got beat, pure and simple, because we couldn't scratch out enough runs against their best starter and their killer bullpen. They, however, were able to eke it out with crossed-up Lowe CBP longball.
Those guys are good. Hamels is quite good. What can you say? -- sometimes you just get beat by good players. I always comfort myself with these sorts of thoughts after a tough -- but not ignoble -- loss:
How often in the past did fans say things like "That doggone Willie Mays did it again!" or "How does that darned Babe Ruth do it???" "Grrr! Roberto Clemente!" "What's up with that Stan Musial guy???" "Oh no, not Hank Aaron!"
Probably a lot. Good players are good. They can beat you. Try to get them on your team instead of the other side, so they won't kick your muppet when it matters.
36 Btw, although it never would have happened, Kuo has displayed power and plate presence in his limited ABs. I recall Torre using him as a pinch hitter I think at least twice. But no, not against Lidge...
''It was definitely intense out there,'' Utley said. ''It gave us that little extra Adrenalin.''
Adrenalin: apparently you can buy it over the counter now from Pfizer.
The Dodgers were just using adrenaline, it's cheaper generic equivalent.
The other question will be will the hot Brett Myers show up tomorrow, or will the erratic, hittable Myers show up.
I expect more than 2 runs from LA tomorrow.
Btw, I really feel they played a very solid game. Their defense separate from Raffy's one error was terrific. They were just facing a mostly lights out pitcher, and Lowe lost it in one inning. I'm sad they lost but I don't feel that torn up about it.
Also, anyone catch Bill Murray on SNL's special?
Not yet, which can't be a good sign.
Just heard from njr, aka my son, who went to the game with his friend Zak and Molly K. He said they were okay, but pretty crushed by the Phillies come-from-behind win. "We had them," says he.
He had to get off before I could ask him about the Phans.
He and his buddy are staying at a scuzzy Econo-Lodge tonight, complete with waterbugs in the blankets. Yeesh.
Now I'm hearing from ESPN about how Manny should have been on 3rd with that big drive in the first inning. That seems like a reach. Do any of you think the same thing?
Put the number in brackets.
61 + [ ]= 61
I know they were saying how he was watching his ball coming out of the box, but I still do not think he was going to make it to third.
Er, anyway, thanks for the report though!
62 No way. I think he should have hustled more to 2nd but I don't see how on that carom back to the centerfield, who has a great arm, and Manny is not quite Matt Kemp when it comes to bursts of speed.
>>Takashi Saito learned before the game he was being left off the NLCS roster, and to add insult to injury, he was heckled by a Phillies fan while giving an interview discussing the situation.
"How do you spell (stink) in Japanese?" the fan yelled.<<
It's spelled "Taguchi"
Yes. I still have nightmares. I don't want to talk about it. I will never be quite the same. I am not kidding.
awesome
oh man....
This was a tough loss. We got almost all the breaks against the Cubs (and also played brilliantly, of course) and this time they went the other way. I have a lot of faith in Bills and think we are looking at another tight one tomorrow
Adrian Beltre needs to sign with us for a decent three-year deal.
Utley had been struggling in the post season going into this game, 2-15 in the NLDS. Personally I say you gotta take your chances. If you saw how that home run traveled, it would be an out in a lot of parks. It found just the right spot to qualify as a HR.
This is so unlike me, playing the optimist.
got it. see you sunday
I love It's Always Sunny.
Seinfeld was filmed on, well, actual 35mm film, which has a much higher resolution than HD television. The original episodes were actually cropped down to 4:3 for broadcast back in the nineties.
A little late, but just sayin'.
Over on my site, LOCKS of the Week (linked on the right sidebar here on DT [Thanks Jon!!]), I've selected a pretty neat place over in SF.
Enjoy everyone! Let's go get 'em tomorrow!
I did my best to entertain them after that, but all I could think of was "I hope Jon has something to calm me down before bed." Always the proper medicine, so thank you again.
I'll be pure DT and Gameday tomorrow at work--may sneak away to a pizza place near work that has TVs to catch an hour of the game, I just don't know which hour.
Dodger Thoughts: Providing Warm Milk Since 2002
Never had pizza from there before. I really need to go to Zachary's in Berkeley. Always go to Berkeley and always everyone is too messed up to make it there.
The Dodgers are 7-5 all-time on October 9.
The Dodgers, heading into Game 2, are 6-3 on October 10.
Just something I used to do a lot in my insomnia-laden thesis days on other online communities.
It was nice meeting up with kachang, Molly, and Zak before the game. It was a bit intimidating walking into the bar among the sea of red. We did see Andre Miller there, wearing a Dodger hat. That gave us some solace.
The game was tough. I haven't read through the game thread, but BH's comment referenced in this post is right on. Lowe looked completely dominating until the 5th. He was keeping everything at the knees and nothing was really hit hard off of him.
Off the bat, I really thought Utley's homer was going to be an easy fly ball. Burrell's homer was a blast. I thought a key to the game was Kemp's DP in the 6th. We seemed to be on the verge of knocking Hamels out of the game by running up the pitch count. I can't blame Kemp as it was pretty well hit.
Oh well, we'll get them today.
"Long drive, could it beeee...OUTTA HERE!!! HOME RUN PAT BURRELL!!!!!"
Compared with Joe Buck's "drive to left, home run for burrell", I've gotta wonder what it would take to get someone calling these baseball games that actually enjoys watching baseball games??
"Dodgers aren't panicking as Phillies play it cool"
Yahoo Sports picks up the story and runs it, with a slight change in the headline:
"Dodgers are panicking after Game 1 loss"
http://tinyurl.com/4y6hy8
At that point in the game, Lowe was no longer cruising: he'd given up hits to the 8th and 9th hitters in the Phillies lineup the previous inning. Victorino had reached 2nd on an error with nobody out. At that point, with Utley coming up, I believe that Torre needed to pull Lowe for a lefty, of whom there were three well-rested specimens in the Dodger bullpen.
Not because Lower couldn't have retired Utley, but because he didn't offer the best odds of retiring him, and couldn't in any event be expected to pitch another inning or so. That was an extremely high-leverage situation, with at least two good bullpen options available. Replacing Lowe with a rested lefty specialist was the clearly correct decision, not in hindsight - or rather, not just in hindsight - but at the time.
Torre then compounded his error with another, by leaving in Lowe after he surrendered the Utley home run. By then, Lowe was very obviously on his last legs - definitely tired, perhaps a bit rattled by the situation and crowd - and should not have been in there against Burrell.
Many things contributed to last night's loss, but when it came time to make tactical decisions at the most critical point in the game, Torre erred.
Game could have gone either way...good pitching and an untimely error. You win that way sometimes, sometimes you don't. A split in Philly is a good thing.
And yet, I still might have done it.
The only reason I totaly agree with you is because Lowe has a track record of messing up when things like Furcals error happen.
We know that but did Torre know that?
I think the game has been rehashed enough so I'll just comment on the Phillie fans.
Sam was right, it was nerve-wracking walking into chickie and petes, a 10,000 sf bar full of red, searching for a couple of dodger fans. I've never seen a place so one-sided and where everyone looks at you as if to say, "what in the world are you doing here with that blue hat on?". Maybe it also had to do with the fact that I was the only asian around for miles ... well other than Park, Kuo, and Stink (taguchi).
Inside the stadium was not that bad at all though. I got good natured heckling while walking around and going to the bathroom was not fun. The fans were good at repeating so and so sucks. And the intimidating looking 300 lb fan sitting next to me was in the end, a nice guy who discussed the game and players with me.
Lot's of chanting, moaning and groaning. I have to admit they are passionate fans. I've never heard so many heavy sighs after their pitcher throws ball 1. In the first inning!
Definite home field advantage there. I've never been to Dodger stadium for a playoff game, but I'm not sure I've heard a louder stadium than when they hit those two dingers in the 6th.
The only negative was when I was leaving the through the parking lot. I crossed paths with some drunk fans who were chanting, "Screw those F-ing Dodgers" and then one of them gave me a weak elbow shove after seeing my LA cap. I was walking out with my cousin who's from England and he laughed it off, comparing it to English soccer matches.
Very much looking forward to Chad today. I think the team looks solid (especially the pen) and I think we've got a great shot.
Go Dodgers!!!
Home: 3.01
Road: 6.21
116
I purposely didn't watch The Office because I was not in a very good mood after the game.
I kind of like the early start today. Let's get that bad taste out of our mouths quickly and start this series (Doug Collins-style). This reminds me of the 1988 NLCS, because Game 4 ended after midnight on October 9, and was followed up by a noon start the next day. Of course, 4pm eastern time isn't really that early, but relatively speaking this is as close as we're going to get to following up a closing shift with an early one.
Let's go, Lord Chadwick!
I thought the Office was hilarious last night.
1) Kuo looked good. He had good velocity and movement. Not a bad outing after not pitching for a while
2) DeWitt had a couple nice fielding plays -- the two 4u-3 double plays and the nice range to get Rollins (??) in the 3rd.
Lowe made two mistakes in the game at that point, the hit to Hamels, and Utley's bomb, he didn't really look done at all.
I don't know if Charlie Manuel has Manny figured out, but he may think he does.
Manny's never liked being busted high and tight under the chin. When he was younger--when Charlie Manuel knew him--it used to take him out of whole at bats. Manny's learned to deal with it as he's gotten older, but I'm guessing Manuel still thinks he can get at him that way.
The Phillies couldn't do that last night because Hamels is a lefty, but with Myers today, as Vin would say, "we'll see."
When Manny was on the Red SoKKKs, he had people--Pedro Martinez, Josh Beckett, and even Curt Schilling--to look after that for him.
Hopefully today, someone on the Dodgers--that's you Billz--will man up and do the same.
And it's not that Lowe was done - it's that he didn't offer us the best chance to get out of that inning, relative to the available bullpen options, and he wasn't going to pitch that much longer anyway. In the playoffs, you have to put side regular-season usage patterns. This means that in late inning, close-game situations, you use your bullpen aggressively to get the outs you need to get.
The cost of pulling Lowe too late far exceeded the cost of pulling him too early.
I don't think now is the time to risk suspension or ejection since its usually the 2nd guy that gets ejected in a beanbrawl.
The options to face Burrell were Wade or Broxton. Broxton wasn't coming in, and I trust Lowe more than Wade.
I think it was reasonable to expect Lowe -- who was at or around the 80 pitch mark before facing Utley -- to pitch at least through the 7th.
It's hard to take a guy out just because Furcal's throw went haywire.
He was talking about Lowe being pulled before Utley.
But I don't want to think about Game 4 just yet. We have a Game 2 to win.
I understand that Lowe is not injured and that if anything, he just needed another 15 minutes to fully shake off the affects of being jammed. Or, maybe, he merely just hung, if you will, a sinker. That happens.
I also thought it was around .750, so I'm kind of covering for that.
They're two different things.
(A shot across the the bow vs. a direct shot, for lack of a better analogy.)
Bret Saberhagen was 20-175 when he started Game 2 of the ALCS against Kirk Gibson's Tigers.
http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/j9gQ
It would be interesting to have a game featuring the 2nd oldest starter (Moyer, 2nd to Jack Quinn) followed by a game with the 2nd youngest. Moyer is already the 2nd oldest starter thanks to his Game 3 start in Milwaukee.
Oldest list: http://www.bb-ref.com/pi/shareit/kT9E
--
I didn't think The Office was flat last night, though there were some forced parts and it was no classic. I laughed and squirmed enough for me to find it an acceptable episode.
--
I'm glad the Dodgers play earlier today, too. Let's get it going, fuhgedabout yesterday.
And that's the only time I ever want to mention a Dodger pitcher and Tommy John in the same sentence.
As you were.
Kuo only threw 10 pitches; unless they are playing it cautious with him I would imagine he's available today. But a lot will depend about how his arm feels today, the day after.
Even worse, there's that broken heart icon, sitting there taunting you and shouting your failures to the world.
Look at Utley's hit.
Back
And to the right.
Always watch out for Roger McDowell behind the bushes.
Thanks. I did not know that.
Dodgers:
Furcal, SS
Martin, C
Ramirez, LF
Ethier, RF
Loney, 1B
Kemp, CF
DeWitt, 2B
Blake, 3B
Billingsley, P
Phillies:
Rollins, SS
Victorino, CF
Utley, 2B
Howard, 1B
Burrell, LF
Werth, RF
Dobbs, 3B
Ruiz, C
Myers, P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REWZU5E7mMg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUJrmcLQ0sk
I don't understand posts like this. Is the end result the only thing that matters and not how it occurs? I could understand if you are a gambler and the final score is the only thing of importance but if you are a fan what good is it to win if you didn't get to enjoy the high of the win. A box score you didn't get to enjoy is just a bunch of empty numbers.
Unless lurkingdodger is Neo of course.
I was trying hard to find a clip of the classic tune played in most of those videos, which is impossible to describe without audio.
1981 WS: Dodgers lost first two on road, won series (in 6)
1981 NLDS: Dodgers lost first two on road, won series (in 5)*
1978 WS: Dodgers won first two at home, lost series (in 6)
1965 WS: Dodgers lost first two on road, won series (in 7)
1956 WS: Dodgers won first two at home, lost series (in 7)
1955 WS: Dodgers lost first two on road, won series (in 7)
*5-game series
It's the playoffs. Comebacks happen.
Don't forget - the reason we want to get to the playoffs is to enjoy the thrill of them. If the goal is only to read about them afterward, the Dodgers have many world championships you can learn more about in the upcoming book, "100 Things Dodger Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die."
Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel's mother died just this morning.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3636366
That's awful news.
That sucks. I was reading some profiles of Manuel before the series and he sounds like an interesting guy. He was never a big star in the US, but he was great in Japan and he learned a lot from playing there.
Walter Alston tabbed him as a future manager when he was in spring training for the Dodgers in his final years in the U.S. when he was pretty much just hanging around to qualify for his pension.
I hope everyone understands that when I said "Bad news" I meant bad news for the human condition, not "bad news for the Dodgers' chances to win."
Losing a loved one is so tough, and no less so for a MLB Manager. My thoughts are with both Charlie and his family. :(
Man, that is rough. I really enjoyed last nights game no matter what. I mean it was the NLCS for crying out loud. I didn't even expect this team to make it to the playoffs this year, so I am just going to enjoy the ride.
Oh, did anyone catch the SNL skit last night? The question about the Cubs was hilarious.
When I came back, it was 1 out and Brox already had 2 strikes on the batter. I still didn't breathe until the game ended, even though he was in control the whole way.
Of course, I thought that he would be toast during game 1 against the Cubs when his defense failed him and he fell behind early, but he battled back there.
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