Random Dodger game callback

June 2, 1899

Trailing 10-3 after seven innings at home, Brooklyn rallied to score seven runs in the eighth to tie and a run in the ninth to win a dramatic 11-10 win over the Cleveland Spiders. Brooklyn was now 30-11 and three games ahead of Boston in the 12-team National League.

Brooklyn and Cleveland represented opposite ends of the biggest problem in baseball in 1899, syndicate ownership. Owners were allowed to control more than one team. Brooklyn's ownership group, which included manager Ned Hanlon, also owned the Baltimore Orioles. And in 1899, Hanlon decided that he wanted to do business in the more lucrative Brooklyn market. So Hanlon packed up himself and several of his best players, including future Hall of Famers Willie Keller and Joe Kelley and moved to Brooklyn. The results were impressive as Brooklyn finished 101-47 and won the National League, while the Orioles finished in fourth place.

But the situation was even worse for the Spiders. They were owned by the Robison brothers, who also owned St. Louis. And the Robisons had no use for Cleveland. So as the season went on, any player on Cleveland who was remotely good went to St. Louis, while essentially a minor league team was left over in Cleveland. The Spiders finished a staggering 20-134, 84 games behind Brooklyn. Brooklyn won all 14 meetings against Cleveland and only four of the games were played in Cleveland as the Spiders played most of the second half of their season on the road.

Brooklyn was an offensive power in 1899, scoring 892 runs in 150 games, just under 6 runs per game. The team batted .291 and had an OBP of .368. Keeler finished fourth in batting at .379. Three different pitchers won over 20 games: Jack Dunn (23), Jim Hughes (28) and Brickyard Kennedy (22). Doc McJames had 19 wins. Brooklyn batters got plunked 125 times that season. Hughie Jennings got hit 12 times in just 51 games.

1899 may not have been the most honorable pennant that the Dodgers franchise has to its name, but it's unlikely that anyone is going to throw it back.

Thanks to the NY Times, BaseballReference.com and Retrosheet

So, who the heck was closing for the Spiders?

Jon, based on the year, the result, and his current age I think Scott Erickson must have pitched that eighth inning...

Thompson has a better ERA than Sheets. Appropriate sample sizes are overrated. Go Dodgers.

Totally off subject: What percentage of headlines referencing a game in which Derek Lowe played a major part DIDN'T use his last name to form a pun?

I'll give you guys a few minutes to come up with an answer.

Cleveland started a guy named Kid Carsey who went 1-8 with a 5.38 ERA.
He was relieved by Jim Hughey. He was the workhorse of the Cleveland staff.

He went 4-30 with a 5.41 ERA.

Other Cleveland pitchers that year: Crazy Schmit, Harry Colliflower, and Highball Wilson and the great-grandfather of Armistead, Harry Maupin.

The Cubs had a .500 record before they met with the Dodgers. The 25-27 Brewers could very well be on their way to a .500 record after meeting with the Dodgers.

The Brew crew has some solid young/new talent in the field too, with Bill Hall (.286,.338,.476), Lyle Overbay(.293,.432,.507), and Brady Clark (.342,.404,.482). I guess Clark (32) isn't so young, but its great to see a small market team have some success like they've had this season.

Tonight: Ben Sheets (3.62) vs. Derek Thompson (3.60)

I will lay the 0.02 runs and take Sheets tonight.

I'll take the over since this guy's name isn't Erickson, Weaver, Alvarez, or Houlton.

The over/under on XF posts this evening is 57 1/2. Gentlemen (and ladies, if you're out there), place your bets.

Highball Wilson. What a perfect name for a pitcher, or alcholic.

Brady Clark, 32
7 year minor leaguer
.306/.398/.468

Mike Edwards, 28
10 year minor leaguer
.293/.385/.440

Clark played his first pro game at 24 accounting for their difference in age. He must have gotten shot by some demented lady in black.

Highball's next appearance in the majors wasn't until 1902 and he got to play on the pennant winning Philadelphia Athletics.

Then he got sent to Washington, where his teams finished last in both of his seasons. In 1904 his Washington team finished 38-113.

Highball appeared on two team that went a combined 58-247.

We just don't give nicknames like we used to. There is something so humorously simple about "Crazy Schmit."

Vin relayed a story the other night about "Sad Sam" Jones, a pitcher from the teens to the thirties. Another name you'd never see today.

It might be a fun exercise to come up with old-fashioned nicknames for some of our current Dodgers.

How many Los Angeles Dodgers had nicknames? I don't mean like Fred McGriff who got his nickname on another team, but a player who got his nickname from the local media here. Ron Cey/Penguin is the only one I can think of.

Wilson Alvarez has tendinitis and will be replaced by D.J. Houlton this Saturday according to Charlie Steiner on TV.

Sheets will shut us down for 7 and then Los Angeles Angel castaway Matt Wise will finish the job and we lose 9-0. The Brewers have done a great job of finding ex Angel pitchers to fill out their bullpen.

I'm even throwing out my tickets tonight and staying home I'm so sure we going to stink. The last time I did that is when Willis was pitching against us and we killed him. I'll sacrifice a night at the park for a win. I think they are 0-10 in my last 10 games and now I'm starting to feel like a KC Royal fan. I'm depressed but not giving up unless the Brew Crew sweep us. When Olmedo Saenz is your best hitter things are a bit gloomy.

Does anyone remember the nickname that the 1981 Dodgers bullpen gave itself?

The present day Yankees are headed closer to the .500 mark also unless they rally in KC. They are down 4-2 in the 6th.

You think we're upset getting swept by the Cubs. This would be the Yankees getting upset by the 2005 equivalent of the Cleveland Spiders!

And if the Yankees lose, I would advise Steve to go trademark "FJT" so Yankee fans don't grab it.

Tee-hee.

Hey, Bob, I'm glad you're back. I'm sorry about the other night. As usual, my "mouth" runs away with me.

We had "The Stuntmen" in '88, but I'm a bit young to recall the nickname that the '81 bullpen gave themselves.

Don't worry Steve. It was just me personalizing stuff that I didn't need to. It was unrelated to anyone here.

Carl Pavano gave up back to back home runs to Matt Stairs and Terrence Long and then gave up the first major league hit to a guy named Shane Costa.

Let's just say that the 1981 bullpen performed at Woodstock.

Badger State Guys:
Clark
Cirillo
Jenkins
Lee
Hall
Spivey
Helms
Moeller
Sheets

Golden State guys:
Izturis
Perez
Drew
Kent
Ledee
Werth
Choi
Phillips
Thompson

Wavy Gravy?

Big Brother and the Holding Company might have been a baseball fit. Who was the closer in '81?

I thought Mr. Burns was really Wavy Gravy.

How soon we forget Steve Howe.

The key was that most of the bullpen threw hard: Howe, Stewart, Niedenfuer, and Pena.

I forgot Steve Howe (figuratively, anyway) after about the third cocaine bust.

Do I have to go Google the concert? ;)

When Dan Kolb is blowing up, it's like the world is at peace again. Things are as they should be, and order has been restored to the universe.

Oh, ok. How about Canned Heat?

http://tinyurl.com/8braw

Wavy Gravy! Boy, thinking of that guy's pipes makes me cringe even now.

Eric, should see your newest sometime this week. Looking forward to it.

Bob, glad to see you back. Games are a lot more fun reading your posts.

Sheets must be getting white in the face knowing he'll have to face the trio of Ledee/Werth/Choi after he gets Kent to chase all those pitches outside of the zone ala Beltre. With Saenz sitting it looks like the odds of a shutout just went lower.

Are you guys getting the game tonight on FSNW2? I'm getting "The Sports List." I called Time Warner Cable and they claim that it is a FSN problem.

I'm getting it out here in mid-Pacific just fine.

Yes, it was Canned Heat. As far as I remember. i was listening to "On the Road Again" on the way home.

And not the Willie Nelson version.

I apologize to every one for being churlish. I was angry about something. It wasn't Dodgers-related. Finally figured it out. Vented to someone.

Feel free to complain about Jim Tracy.

I assure you that I am getting the Dodger game on my dish network. The Sports List is on West 1 though. Blame your cable company.

Atlanta scores 4 in the Top of the eighth, and Washington comes back and scores 5 in the bottom, off of the pitching firm of Dan Kolb & Associates.

I sat amongst Canned Heat on a flight to Atlanta when I was twelve. Well, not Big Bear Hite...he was in first class. Got a neat Canned Heat comic book with the band drawn up as different animals. Sat directly behind harp player Alan Wilson. One month later, he was found dead in his sleeping bag...

I should also add that I am in Southern CA to my last post.

I still maintain that Joplin's backup band would be a good nickname for a relief corps.

Sounds like the band Canned Heat and Steve Howe had some hobbies in common.

Gryboski, Grabowski. Hmmmm . . .

And Cristian Guzman has two hits and almost a third just now tonight . . .

Excuse me, got to go check the moon.

Did I just see a strike out? Are my eyes deceiving me?

Though it was Jeff Cirillo.

Meantime, back in the Ravine, Thompson has retired two on seven pitches.

#14, I wrote a blog post bemoaning the lack of nicknames in April of 2003.

http://tinyurl.com/8rasf

... and the side on 11. Good deal, kid.

35 -- if you're going to be blocked from seeing a Dodger game, there are worse ways to pass the time than watching Summer Sanders...

Yeah, I still remember the newscast (heard it just as we were walking out the door to go to Yosemite. It was an overdose of Nembutal.

Link, that's a great idea!

Hey! Derek Thompson!

Jim, join me on the "over" and let us dance and celebrate when DT goes seven two-hit innings, restoring my faith in humanity!

In other news, Octavio Dotel's trade value just went from low to zilch:

http://tinyurl.com/c78dg

Speaking of being blocked, I was thinking of going to tomorrow's game. Looking for a single ticket on Ticketmaster, I could get one of the seats in the new blue seats. But,
A) It's $100
B) It's section 36. Isn't that the cursed section?

The LA Business Journal had an article a couple of weeks ago about how the Dodgers are going to have to reconfigure that section. I believe the design firm the Dodgers hired had some personnel changes. It seemed like nobody knew what they were doing.

And it will likely cost the Dodgers more to reconfigure the seats than it will to start from scratch.

Ambiorix Burgos in to save the game for the Kansas City Yankee-killers.

Gotta admit, Steve, I was so rattled when I saw you take the over I completely forgot to post. Over it is!

I warned the Yankee fans at BTF about trademark infringement Steve.

My favorite comment by a Royals fan is "20 more like this and we'll be at .500!"

#51: I'm with you Steve. I'm coming to this a little late, but I'll take the over. This kid can pitch, and he's decided to throw strikes tonight.

I don't think I've ever rooted so hard for a 24 year old with dead guy parts in his knees. Perhaps DT is not the guy to hang my hat on, but he's the only guy I've got.

Tracy said that the Dodgers had three center fielders in Bradley, Drew, and Werth.

That did not apply to right fielders however.

I watched an Eric Karros fly ball tip out of Sammy Sosa's mitt for a HR a few years back. Sosa gave his glove the same look Werth just did.

And Bernie WIlliams with a chance to tie it against Ambrx Brgs.

Bill Hall is a smarter base runner than Miguel Tejada.

So, how about that Dan Kolb huh? Man, did the Brav-os screw that one up.

#16: Do you know if Alvarez is going to hit the DL? I'm happy with Houlton getting thenod; I hope I'm just as happy on Sunday.

That's one way.

Rough defensive inning for Thompson. If just one of those two plays gets made, he gets out cleanly. I wonder if he'll call everybody out after the game :).

Very clever walking Helms to get Spivey in position for that double . . .

Did folks see the sneak bunt-for-a-hit that Renteria dropped down in the ninth inning of the Red Sox game? Just fooled the bejeebus out of the Orioles -- not even a throw to first.

Now I'm getting the Arm Wrestling Championships on FSNW2...

#53 Bob T. My firm seats used to be in Asile 36, Row CC. We gave those seats back to the Dodgers two weeks ago. I would not pay $10 never mind $100 to sit there. I would think you could do much better for that kind of money. As for what they are going to do, when I met with a ticket rep to negotiate new seats they told me they are goign to remove 1 or 2 rows and elevate a few rows. They may also sink the field which I understand in not as big a deal as it sounds. (Werth, that's how you are supposed to catch that ball.) As for the construction, I inquired about who was responsible becasue I saw it worthy of a lawsuit. The ticket rep told me McCourt used someone from Boston that had done construction for him before but did not stadium experience.

Eeek -- 3-1 to Sheets!

I think the seats were Section 36, row CC! I didn't buy one.

I could get a seat behind home in Aisle 3 for $75. I'm going to dig up some of the article.

Yeah... at least he got the K.

And bears down for the K!

LAT 69: shoulda called HOK Architects. Construction probably isn't as important as architecture.

Nesting Dolls ! What the hell is that? What kid wants nesting dolls? When I was a kid I would have put M-80s in them.

How soon is too soon to start jinxing what Sheets has going through two? Does it work when the jinxing is intentional?

2 run double by Burnitz in SD!

What amazes me it that no one from the organization took sight lines into account.

Hey, LAT...remember Bangsite?

The LABJ article isn't available in my database for a couple of more weeks.

It was in the May 23 issue.

Jim, no. What is bangsite. Was there an expolsive I missed growing up.

Anyone else not getting the game on FSN2? I have Time Warner cable and live in the south bay. Time Warner is awful!

Time Warner in South Pasadena/San Marino is having no trouble.

I hope this doesn't become a Bar Question:

"Scrooge McDuck hires the construction firm of Dewey, Cheatem, and Howe to construct a new section of high-priced seats for various friends and political cronies. McDuck has used Dewey before, and knows that while Dewey has no experience with stadium building, he will get a 10% long-time client discount. Dewey makes no representation to McDuck regarding any specialized knowledge in sports arena construction, but draws up all the plans, according to specifications he has often used in similar construction projects he has undertaken. McDuck did not come to the stadium at all while the project was ongoing, figuring that the project was in good hands. However, on Opening Day, many people complained that they could not see home plate, and demanded their money back. McDuck was forced to pay $100,000 in refunds, as well as hire a new firm to fix the problem. Please discuss any liabilities and defenses the parties have."

Comcast in JT's hometown is showing the game.

81: bangsite is a trade name (in the toy biz) for calcium carbonate. IIRC, add water and it releases acetylene, which explodes nicely inside a toy cannon.

82. I'm in the same boat (see #35) also in the South Bay. I called them, and they claimed it was an FSN problem. You can call them and if they give you the same line, tell them that they are liars!

81: I am nearly correct, it turns out. It's calcium carbide:

http://www.ray-vin.com/mus/bangsite.htm

Bangsite was kind of an exploding goop that came in a tube and was meant to be used in Bangsite model cannons. Loud bang, lots of smoke...lots of fun for budding demolitionists!

They have FSN2 in Hamilton, Ohio? :)

Thanks Scareduck, sounds almost has fun as a brick of firecrackers bought at an Orange County corner fireworks stand.

Now I get it. Steve, you are an attorney are'nt ya.

87- they said the same thing. I called about half an hour ago. They are clueless. They kept telling me it was on the channel that Comedy Central is on. They aren't even located in the south bay! Ridiculous!

His adopted hometown? When do hometown allegiances change? If they don't, then Comcast in the hometown of Tracy's offspring is playing the game.

Thanks for that, Rob...guess it wasn't so much goopy as granular.

Would some please tell Werth to use TWO hands.

How many big league outfielders actually use 2 hands?

I'm taking the bar next month. Therefore, I am obligated by the rules of professional responsibility to note that I may not give advice of a legal nature. Or something like that. I think I'm required to walk around with a disclaimer stamped on my forehead.

I wonder if Snoop is watching tonight.

#96 Not many, but then most did not commit what was really an error two innings ago.

Well, that was no fun at all.

What a great great play

Bob,
Nice to see my preseason predictions are all coming in line (with the exception of San Francisco. Leave it to them to further disappoint)

Who was it that said that Arizona, to improve on their record from last year......

Never mind! New York is cold and damp--AGAIN. Can't wait to get home.

He's in the other room right now, but I'll let him know you asked after him. He's a big FJT fan, by the way. Don't be surprised if you get a shout-out on the next album.

He wouldn't even have had a glove on the ball if he would have used 2 hands on that play.

Wow. Even though he was safe at first, that was a thing of beauty.

Helms fell on the inside of the foul line. Couldn't Choi have tagged him out?

Plus, on the replay it looked like he may have missed the bag.

The Dodgers, unless more injuries hit, will finish with a better record than Arizona.

#96, I'm pretty sure Milton Bradley uses two hands on every fly ball.

Same problem we've had since Day 1. Two strikes, two outs, and they just put the ball in play. At least the ball is staying in the park though.

That was maybe the weakest attempt on a third strike I've ever seen by Sheets right there. It looked like he was trying to bunt.

#108: Yeah, keeping the ball in the ballpark is key. I still feel good about DT. I haven't gotten that eerie feeling in my stomach that I get when Weaver is facing the opposing pitcher.

Marty -- gameday says he was trying to bunt.

Darnit, Vinny. When you get caught chuckling, share the joke.

Eric, I know he could not have made that catch with two hands but he should have made it. So on the routine fly balls I would feel better if for, at least, the next few he used two hands. So many little things are going wrong these days I just want to guard against as many as we can.

Vinny doesn't work "blue". It's likely he and the crew were trading old jokes from Redd Foxx albums.

Bob, how often do you get these Aflac trivia questions? Who is Ted Higuera?

maybe if we start talking perfect game will jinx Sheets....crikey this is really depressing. can anyone on this team hit? according to game day Perez just struck out on a ball that bounced off of home plate! rgds, will

I don't mean to be a pig but can't we ever do that with men on base

Well, at least the Dodgers are on the board.

well, see? that worked pretty well didn't it? LOL rgds, will

Jinx!

I think it's Kent we have to worry about, not Drew.

Never mind!

Well, well.

Wow, two in a row. As Jack Buck said, I can't believe what I just saw!

Well, it's about time Kent did something good.

Snoop just shouted: "Yeah bizzle; oh yeah!" Well, sort of. I had to clean it up a bit, but that was the gist. Anyway, he must have tuned in.

Now that's what 3/4 hitters are supposed to do!

Ricky, let's get the hat trick

Never mind

SCSR promo: "Is it fair for Jim Tracy to be on the hot seat?" Is this the power of FJT or T.J. Simers at work?

#117: The ball that Perez struck out on did indeed bounce at the plate.

What was the question anyway? I was out cooking my dinner.

Spaghetti!

Ted Higuera was pretty good for a few years.

#130: Other than bloggers, I don't know where they get the idea that Tracy is on the hot seat. They're probably citing Simers as their source.

"You know, honey, I think Kent's gonna hit one too."

"What are you talking about?"

"The Dodger game -- I bet we get back to back home runs right here."

"This is the Cubs game."

"I've got it on the computer -- HA! we did get back to backs."

really.

#132: Other than Colborn, who were the other two Brewers pitchers who won 20 or more games?

#84 Please discuss any defenses and liabilities he parties have.

Steve, let me guess that your answer would be to fire the manager, Jim Tracy who's poor game management blinded all parties to the construction defect.

If it helps, refer to the rule in Shelly's case in all your essay responses, it worked for me 20 odd years ago.

Scott Erickson warming up in the pen is like those old Batman episodes where the death trap is slowly coming together.

133: Can anybody at Fox even spell blog? It's Simers.

Derek Lee just reached base for the third time tonight and -- I think they just said --the eighth time in a row.

Higuera and Caldwell?

LOL, Rob. Good point to make on Spelling Bee Day.

Wow, a correctly executed pickoff.

Phew. One more out we don't have to get from Erickson.

#130 Jon, you seem suprised DT is days ahead of the curve

And Burnitz is three for three batting behind him. Clearly, San Diego needs to find a way to maneuver him into a bunting situation.

Liability: Jim Tracy

Theory: Res Ipsa Loquitor

Affirmative Defenses: Consent; non-compliance would be more dangerous than compliance; But is Jim Tracy's managing a manufacturing defect or a design defect?

Good job DT! They didn't deserve that baserunner anyway.

I wish DT could go another inning, but 89 pitches suggests we see Erickson or Carrara.

Derek Thompson, you are officially budding. May you wilt rarely and blossom freely.

#140: Correct. It's good to know someone can answer the trivia questions. Maybe my problem is that I started watching baseball in the mid-80s.

I was in a TGI Fridays tonight, and they had the both the Mets and Yankees games on. I have got to tell you all, New Yorkers (Mets and Yankee fans) are clueless to what is going on outside of Yankee and Shea Stadiums. Even in Newsday and the Daily News, as far as baseball is concerned, unless they catch Joe Torre in a tutu, nothing is better in this workd then the Yankees.

It disgusts me.

138 -- Terry Bradshaw can't spell blog.

I've got to get wireless. Because otherwise, Dodger Thoughts has ruined watching a game for me. I'm standing in my living room, then racing to the office to type some comment, then racing back to the living room to see what just happened. I'm too old for this!

I'm sure this is all part of Jon's master plan ARRRGHHH!

Lee reaching base 8 straight times puts him only HALFWAY to the record.

Not surprisingly, it's Ted Williams who did that.

In 1998, Barry Bonds got to 15. I believe Park struck him out to end the streak. Olerud hit 15 in 1998.

Williams streak consisted of 2 singles, 4 home runs, 1 HBP, and NINE walks.

#148 Damn, too slow, although my lahman DB gives these guys:

Ralph Michael
Teodoro (Valenzuela)

Terry Bradshaw can't spell his own name...

151 - I'm suffering the same way.

Alex Cora would have caught that ball in his armpit.

At lease Choi looks like he is making good contact again.

Sorry, just figured out that those were only first names. Ignore that last post.

Thompson now has a better ERA than $12.25M worth of starting pitchers (Odalis Perez and Jeff Weaver).

Meet Hee Seop Choi, unluckiest man alive.

I gave up fantasy baseball in 1991 when I got into a dispute over disabling Higuera and acquiring hotshot rookie Cal Eldred.

Cubs up 4-0.

Dodgers are hitting the ball hard off Sheets now

#132, Bob I'm making (actually just boiling) shui mai, Chinese pork dumplings. Just boil em up, add some soy or balsamic vinegar and you're good to go.

My cat just did something that would be our reaction to Scott Erickson coming in the game. I'm on cleanup duty.

The Kid Stays In The Picture.

Is there really a difference between Jason Phillips "stopping" and Jason Phillips "running"?

Mike Edwards gives us a reason not to send him down.

To exapnd, Cubs up 4-0, 2 out, 2 on (1st and 2nd), and Glendon Rusch (!) just drew a walk off Rudy Seanza to load the bases.

Dang, Marty. Eating large for me means Stouffer's lasagna or an avocado sandwich.

First pitch....

#167 Funny

164: damn that sounds good. I'd better get home to the wife before it gets too late for dinner (am working, sort of).

I knew it, we had reached our quota of consecutive good things happening without a bad thing.

Jim, you just need to live next to an ever growing Asian population like me. There are some amazing Asian supermarkets in the San Gabriel valley. It's so easy to eat really good, pretty cheap Asian food at home here.

Neifi! grounds out. I didn't know he could do that.

Hah! That time Vinny let loose with a `Holy Mackeral' off mike.

All done. I washed my hands before typing again.

Wow, that was the first time my cat actually ever did that on the plastic I laid out.

Once Carrara came into the game instead of Erickson, she took a nap.

Not to mention the asian restaurants here. It helps that I had a Chineses girlfriend for awhile, but there is quite possibly the best Chinese food to be had here outside of China itself.

Some alien is inhabiting Neifi's body this year.

Make that "Chinese". I hate typos

You know, this is where you want to see Gio. In the sixth, with no one on...

Then who is inhabiting Geoff Blum's body? Waiting for that guy to cool down.

180: Eric, Neifi hits well in sunlight, not elseways. I haven't looked at his career numbers but I wouldn't be surprised if this held up throughout. Translated: he's extremely well suited for the Cubs, who play the huge majority of their games in daylight.

Hot dog!

Neifi has a day OPS of 747 and a night OPS of 652.

Am I the only one who feels like we just robbed a bank?

187,
Is this a bar exam question too?

Wow. Someone got paid money to make that Del Taco commercial.

Marty, sounds great!

Dodgers seem to be playing with a bit more spark tonight. I realize it's mainly because they've tied the game, but it's nice to see.

#187: No. Anytime Carrara pitches a scoreless inning, somewhere a fairy is sacrificed.

Everything is right now.

YAY! Carrara trying to vulture again!

Drew unstiffs.

But if Drew had bunted there, I think we all would have been a lot happier wouldn't we?

welcome back, jd!

Is Gio gonna vulture another win?

Oh my! Two dingers from Drew?? There's hope yet!

Steve beat me to it.. ah well...

191: There's a joke about West Hollywood in there somewhere, but I'm not going there...

I never lost faith in you, J.D.

Wow. That split screen of Drew's two homeruns was eerily similar.

Anybody remember the line from `Band of Brothers' where Cpt. Winters says "A dell? Like where fairies live?

Cubs up 5-0. D. lee just singled again.

Cool splitscreen. Same pitch for both homeruns.

Another hit for Lee in SD.

My Fantasy League vetoed a trade of mine yesterday where I gave up Edmonds for Drew. They obviously thought I had lost my marbles, but I certainly hope that Drew proves them wrong. If Drew starts on a tear, we can hopefully get by if Milton loses significant time, which seems likely now.

WWSH

It's "old friend" Brian Falkenborg relieving!

The Cubs have apparently given up on the strong pitching staff idea and will try to win each game with otherworldly hitting from Lee, demonic possession of Neifi and a gang of unknowns in the bullpen.

#207: I picked up Drew from waivers in a public league I'm in. Why someone would drop him is beyond me.

Hypothetical question that likely has no bearing on reality: If you could get either Zambrano or Prior for Gagne, would you do the trade and who would you take?

heard on sat. radio (Dibble's show) that the Dodgers have reportedly offered Ghame Over for Chipper. Interesting.

Does ESPN Classic ever show classic baseball, or am I missing the concept?

And why wouldn't they be showing some classic George Mikan tonight? I'm all for classic boxing (Jake Lamotta right now), but it does seem to monopolize the ESPNC airtime.

Does ESPN Classic ever show classic baseball, or am I missing the concept?

And why wouldn't they be showing some classic George Mikan tonight? I'm all for classic boxing (Jake Lamotta right now), but it does seem to monopolize the ESPNC airtime.

211 -- done and done.

I am familiar with a case of someone dropping David Wright for Chad Tracy.

hmmm . . . don't know what I did to cause that.

#214: Agree, but begs the question as to whether we can compensate for our pitching by stacking our lineup.

ESPN Classic shows a lot of old baseball games.

I doubt there is any television recording of a game that Mikan played. When Mikan played, the NBA was not much more popular than Arena Football.

Re: 211 Does anyone know if the Braves really would be willing to do this deal, or some version thereof? It's not my impression that their offense is terribly loaded, and although Kolb has been a disaster, giving up Chipper is quite a bit. Would they be that set on shedding his contract?

WWSH

If the Braves want to give up Chipper, they must really think their pen is a disaster and that Wilson Betemit is the real deal.

Just checked in...great game for JD. Obviously he won't hit 2 HR every day, but we've been missing the big hits. Even when the team was hitting better as a whole, we were getting a bunch of singles and not much else. Nothing will cure a team's ails like a few home runs. (as many teams have learned by playing against us during The Slump)

Another respectable performance from Derek Thompson, too. I wonder if he's solidifying his grip on a spot in the rotation, moving forward into the season.

216 -- Understanding that this is fantasy rumorville and Jon is probably breaking pencils right now just for talking about it, I just can't imagine getting better value for Brazoban, regardless of where Chipper plays. Chipper is a vet that I think has some life in him. And you can call up the guy with the funky name from AAA.

I think a big factor in the deal could be the development of Andy Marte. Larry is currently in Marte's position, and the only way he can come up now is as an outfielder. Unfortunately, they already have Kelly Johnson, Jeff Franconuer and Ryan Langerhans to fill that. Trading Chipper would probably be good for the long term plans of the Braves, but I doubt they could survive this year without him.

And if Larry were to stick around and start messing up Guzman or LaRoche's emergence, you can stick him in LF and trade Werth.

Derrek Lee singles in the ninth to cap another perfect night.

Derrek Lee again.

I think the cooling of the Padres has begun in earnest.

Maybe DePodesta is willing to give up Ghame Over just so JT will have to use Game Over every time the game is 2 runs or less in the late innings.

A case of taking the proverbial scissors from the running child. Of course, if that were the reason, it'd make more sense to DFA Cararra and Erickson instead...

227 -- he did it to Mota

How about Derrek Lee for Braz and Hee Seop Choi? :)

Those two pitches to Hall had nice movement on them.

Ghame Over was the last guy to get Lee out.

Bill Hall looking for arbitration stats.

Screen camera is a target tonight.

A break in the game for a little history.

Re:#74 HOK Architecture

Chiura Obata was the founder of the Fuji Athletic Club, the first Japanese baseball club on the U.S. mainland. He played and taught the game to his son, Gyo. In 1942 Chiura was teaching art at Cal where his son was a student. When Executive Order 9066 went into effect Obata prepared his family for internment. But Gyo refused to go. It was unfair and unconstitutional, he said. His fathered told him that if he could find a school outside of California that would accept him he could leave. Not many colleges took Japanese-Americans during WWII but Washington University in St. Louis agreed to accept Gyo as a transfer student. There were also many travel restrictions and Gyo needed special permission just to go from Berkeley to San Francisco for a hearing where his request for a travel permit to Missouri was denied. A friend and former student of Chiura's who was a lawyer helped Gyo get another hearing at which his request was finally granted, but only if he left the state by midnight that day. The banks were closed, so Chiura and friends of the family put together all the cash they had and Gyo made it out of California. The rest of the Obata family went to the Tanforan Assembly Center in San Bruno before being sent to a camp in Topaz, Utah. There Chiura taught and practiced art and watched the younger men play baseball, the most popular pasttime in the internment camps. After the war Chiura resumed his post at Cal and Gyo returned to his family. Eventually, Gyo recieved his degree in architecture and went on to be a founding partner in Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum. HOK became one of the largest architectural and engineering firms in the world, designing many ballparks including Camden Yards, SBC Park and soon, a new stadium in Washington D.C.

I'm sorry for the legnth but it is a favorite story of mine.

Pads Lose, Giants Lose, D-Backs Lose.

Had to go out and run an errand. Listening to Vin for 5 innings at home and then Monday in the car. Few things have such wide ranging contrast.

if ghame over were to be dealt, who assumes the s/u role? osoria?

#233,
That wasn't a long story at all. I think I set a lines used in one comment record today.

There was supposed to be some musical presentation about Manzanar at Royce Hall tonight or tomorrow. Kent Nagano was the producer and composed some of the music.

Way to go Drew. 2 HRs and an Olney.

217 -- I believe it because you say it, Bob.

233 -- thanks for dropping that in here; hope it's OK that I passed your tale along to some friends here in DC.

Home runs kill rallies.

Trading Yhency would make all of our t-shirts about as valuable as Homer Simpson's "Stockdale for Veep" shirt.

What's an Olney? I must have missed that.

Okay, nice RBI but who is going to play LF?

241- Bob, I learned the hard way to never buy jerseys with player names on them.

I was all set to really enjoy my Minnesota North Stars Mike Modano jersey...

Mike Edwards

While I do approve of that move, who's going to play left field next inning?

243: maybe edwards

Good call. A Perez in LF? I was going to ask the same question.

Edwards already hit.

Edwards was already used as a PH.

If there were a broadcast of a 1950s era basketball game that was complete it would be really weird to watch.

We'd barely recognize the game. Guys pulling up for two-handed set shots. Narrow keys. And incredibly rough play. For a while the NBA had a rule that any foul away from the ball would be one shot. No matter how many you made.

So if you're behind, it was pretty easy to do the math. There were lots and lots of foul outs back then. Oh, and they let guys play with plaster casts on their hands that they turned into clubs.

But it would be fundamentally sound!

Stick Saenz out there just for kicks, then.

Brazoban could move to left. He was a converted something or other, wasn't he?

What finger was Bradley's injury on, and what hand? Maybe he can field but not bat?

Gotta be Perez in left and Saenz at third.

What's an Olney? I must have missed that.

A productive out, named after Buster Olney of ESPN.

More info at: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=olney_buster&id=1670649

With the way A. Perez is hitting, I'd put Chipper in left. Gotta admit, Kent, Drew Jones would be pretty sweet

For all you Grabowski fans, in 24 ABs in Las Vegas, Jason is now hitting .417/.563/.625. He's definitely earned his shot at reclaiming his left-handed pinch-hitting role from Oscar Robles.

What finger was Bradley's injury on, and what hand? Maybe he can field but not bat?

Right ring finger.

When I went to John Wooden Basketball Camp (c. 1977-79), they showed all kinds of films of basketball players taking underhanded set shots from 20 feet. It was in that sped-up oldtimer way that is so compelling.

That was before my growth spurt. I topped out at about 4-foot-8 back then.

Hate this goofy camera thing Fox does now when EG comes in.

Nothing like a makeshift defense in a relatively close game... interesting.

251 -- Would love to see that, actually. Did the NBA have a color line/was it broken by 1951?

it's like they told some film intern from USC to have some fun with it

257 -- Bradley will come back, and then Larry would have to play third.

Between Nakamora and Grabs we have the best minor leauge-worst major leauge hitters in baseball

We're giving them a chance to succeed.

No, then Werth either gets dealt or rides the pine.

okay, gagne STILL doesn't have his A+ heater back yet. is there a timetable for me to really be worried that it's gone forever?

I tribute tonights win to Steve's bout of optimism :)

Make that Nakamura, Grabowski, and Repko, our all AAAA team. Repko was hitting .393/.393/.607 in 28 AB before tonight's game, where he went 1 for 3 with a HR.

I have an idea, why don't we move the Dodgers up here to Salt Lake, and everyone can hit .500 and you all won't have to worry about the offense anymore.

We ain't won yet.

grrr . . . my gameday is petering out. either something complex happened or, I don't know what. What's going on??

91 mph -- Vishal, I think your panic clock should have started awhile ago.

Hey, Dana DeMuth is back. Do you remember why we hate Dana DeMuth?

OK -- it's catching up. Yick. 2-2 to Clark right now . . .

Two on, two out Sam.

Uh oh.

Never in doubt.

That was weird. Ump looked like he called time out on 0-1.

Three straight changeups to Geoff Jenkins.

I don't know that he's throwing more of them than he used to, but his change is clearly more effective than his fastball.

well, i was worried from the start, but willing to chalk some of it up to gagne being rusty and recovering from injury. but he's been back a while now.

280 - I think that was an optical illusion. I think that was a fan right behind the umpire waving. But I had the same reaction.

I think your right, Jon...either that, or the is a Motie.

...ump is a Motie.

Well, Jim, I don't care if the Over/Under on Weaver tomorrow is two, I'm going to take the under. But it was nice to be on the side of the angels for a night.

Well, the latest promo says that Mark Gubicza will explain why Jim Tracy is not to blame for the Dodgers' recent problems.

Steve, Gubizan (sp?) is about to explain why Tracy is not to blame for the Dodgers' problems. If I could type like a court reporter I'd do a transcript for you but as you may have noticed I type like a blind, two fingured Oscar Madison.

Well, Simers already established that it's because he's such a nice guy, so I don't know what else there is to say.

I might go to tomorrow's game which means that I would see Weaver for the third time. I'm a glutton for punishment.

I may go Saturday also. Get some of that quality DJ Houlton pitching!

Understand perfectly, Steve...but I'm convinced Weaver is due :)

You know, we lost the over/under tonight, and yet, somehow, I feel as though we won.

Over/under on the number of times Charlie Stiener will screw up JD Drew and DJ Houlton on Sat. = 3

Bob, you either get to 3-4 or you're oughtta here!

I'm going to take the over on Houlton too. I'm so desperate to see something other than what we've been seeing, I'm just going to blindly root for the new guys. Alvarez not making that start on Saturday is the best news I've heard all week.

Absolutely agree. It was clear Alvarez wasn't the solution by the 2nd inning of his first start.

I'm only tentatively going to the games. I may get a better deal.

I have tickets for Saturday (in the dreaded pavilion), but I don't think I am gonna go. My personal life has been hell the last 10 days or so (don't need to get into details, obviously). My bro and I went last night (Thursday) cause it would be a crime to pass up on a Cesar bobblehead.