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
I said earlier this week that it would be peculiar if a bad performance in the Padres series became a watershed moment for the season. Only one win in the three games was expected given that the series was on the road against a top NL team (yes, San Diego now has the NL's best record), and the Dodgers came within an inning of that. And despite what others have written, yes, even good teams can collapse once in 162 games.
This weekend, though, against a sub-.500 Toronto Blue Jays team that can only pitch Roy Halladay once, two out of three would be nice, and another embarrasing sweep would be cause for concern.
Of course, I'm told they only play them one game at a time.
* * *
Tonight's game:
Dodger Stadium will mean the Jays play without Frank Thomas, although that might not mean so much given the mediocre year he's been having.
Mike Cameron Alert!
Shawn Green Alert!
Carlos Delgado Alert!
And I have nothing else to say.
That could have been our home run.
I look forward to that split squad game.
"If you think you'd like a hand
at buying a Chevy today,
come on down to discount land
Cormier Chevrolet...
The dealership pronounces it "cor-MEER"
The three months of misery have officially begun.
Can Jones play first base?
$375,000 is the reported sale price.
Can Garciaparra? My case is rested.
The Fighters are the defending Japan Series champions and after a slow start are in second in the Pacific League and have won 14 straight, 12 straight in interleague play.
I refuse to explain the meaning of the name of the reigning Japan Series champion ever again.
That's about it. Quick interview.
Just hit a 3run HR for Boston.
you would think someone would talk to him about walks . . .
Penny 8
McGowan 18
And Jason Phillips is starting.
The Blue Jays have too many guys with short names.
Vin Scully: "I can't remember a team playing the infield in during the first inning."
Sparky lives in Thousand Oaks I believe and has for quite some time.
/start smart aleck remark/
Nomar bats third because that's where they write his name on the lineup card. If the batted somewhere else, the team would be batting out of order and it would be really messy.
/end smart aleck remark/
Wells was at normal depth, Gonzalez crushed it. Same thing with Martin.
Yes?
29 pitches in 3ip.
It makes sense. Dodger fans get to see live the DH in action (Frank Thomas), and Torontans (?) get to see their pitchers hit.
When I was a little kid, my best friend at the time moved to Thousand Oaks. Around the same time, I got a pack of baseball cards with a Sparky Anderson in it. And his home town was listed as Thousand Oaks and then I kept hoping that I would run into Sparky when I visited over in T.O.
In a bio of Sparky I read, he mentioned that he and his wife had lived in a fairly modest home in T.O. for a long time. When Sparky was managing, his wife would work at a drug store as a cashier to keep herself busy.
First ballot. People forget how good this guy was in the early 90s. He was Bonds-ian before Barry got hold of the flaxseed oil.
Piazza had been the only representative the previous two years.
60 pitches 6ip.
Knew I should have started him on my fantasy team. He always hits well in Arizona it seems.
This isn't pitchers duel
because our offense has no fuel
till Betemit
will get a hit
then we'll take them to school
That was needed.
I sure wish I could see more of both.
Well Brad, there's your lead.
McGavin: Just stay out of my way or you'll pay, listen to what I say.
Gilmore: Hey, why don't I just go and eat some hay. I can lay by the bay, make things out of clay, I just may, what'd ya say?
Penny needs his complete game now.
I believe Nomar Garciaparra has been assigned new "burn in effigy" status behind Juan Pierre who now has a self-sustaining burning effigy.
Sort of like JFK's grave.
I'm tellin' mom.
He'll get so mad he'll throw a beer can at the TV, only to have it miss high and outside.
And you're single.
He's only at 87 pitches.
Penny was dealing.
Penny should be finishing this one. I can't figure out Little's bullpen patterns at all.
Oh well, time to boost Broxton's confidence by getting this 1 out.
"Broxton, more comfortable in his familiar 8th inning role,..."
Grrrrr!!!
Plus, if you use Broxton in that situation, perhaps Brox isnt available tomorrow when he might actually be needed.
I've never heard of such a thing. Four shortstops, I've heard of.
I think Vin has enough goodwill in the bank, though; I'll let that one slide.
I think that Little saw something in Penny's eyes when he looked at the scoreboard and realized that he was in the middle of the 8th inning.
Adrian Beltre, sac bunting in the 9th of a tie game---pops out.
And we don't have Martinez to stick in at 2nd. I guess they'll leave Kent in for the 9th.
Thank you, Jim Tracy!
Only Cleveland (4) has fewer.
That was a hanging curve.
Edgar Martinez
Harold Baines
Maybe Saenz. I've heard the term used for him. I've also heard it used for Lenny Harris, but let's not get ridiculous!
Jim Tracy would say that someone like Coomer "was always capable of coming up with a professional at bat."
Way to cash in on those 1996 gold medals so soon.
I believe Eddie Murray is widely regarded as something that would be considered a Rule 1 violation.
Easy DP ball.
Thats a hit?
It's not race. Eddie Murray is just not a likeable person.
Although I would be surprised if Vin actually had any animus toward him. If he did, then Murray must really have done something bad.
Have you ever heard otherwise? I think some fans may think that to be true but I've never heard coaches, teammates, etc say anything but praise.
Thankfully, it didnt work and Russ Martin gets to hit.
That's just plain wrong.
How about Eddie Murray is perceived to be an unlikeable person.
The Jackie Robinson mention, I don't get. Was he a jerk, or was he "fiery"?
Careful-- when the Hendrickson is frightened he will off lose command of his stuff.
Part of the Tomko, Erickson, Mel Rojas, Alan Mills, Terry Mulholland family of beasts.
Now, how he deals with non-reporters, I have no idea.
I'd be more hard line as an official scorer. Errors right and left!
He gladly signed it.
I knew Murray had a rocky relationship with reporters, but from afar I chalked it up to not liking to deal with the Simers types. But, for Murray to act was you described, Jon, is not cool.
I need to do some soul searching and see if Murray is still my favorite player of all-time now.
241 James Baldwin is also of this family of mammal, as well as being classified as Midseasonus Floppus
David Wells, who is starting for the Padres, was featured in a very strange dream of mine last week. It was quite disturbing. Wells was wearing his Padres uniform in the dream.
May we also include Kevin Tapani?
260 Dang it, will my thirst for head goo remain forever unquenched?
Two straight nights of defense and bullpen blowing it.
I still have faith though. Baseball's a streaky game and the Dodgers are a streaky team, that's for sure.
Kent needs either a bigger glove or to not be so quick to close it up.
The four days have driven me to go hide in the mountains for a week or so. Maybe the Blue's fortune will have turned around by then...
I wonder if there is a place to go to find out who is on commercials?
Scully, in the end, is a reporter and I assume that Murray didn't make his job easy and that is likely his problem.
He is intensely private and incredibly friendly and good to those he trusts. He doesn't trust reporters (with darn good reason) and doesn't want any part of what they do. You can argue that that's his job. That's fine. But to assume that he is an "unlikeable person" is way off base.
258- There are a hundred examples of reasons for him to be one of your favorites. Listen to Ripken's induction speech and I'm sure you will be reassured.
Shortly before that trade, Nomar went big fly off of him.
"You really need a better haircut."
Nice AB Abreu.
"Did you make sure we had enough quarters for the store?"
Oh yeah, and the Saenz walk-off. Professional Hitter, indeed.
That was like a line drive over the wall.
YAY!
Makes the game so much easier.
Too awesome for words.
And funny to think that just a few moments ago I almost typed - but then refrained out of respect for the jinx - "I seem to recall this Accardo guy stinking on ice when with the Giants" and felt a little more confident at seeing him in there.
Then he did.
"I just baked a bunch of cookies. Do you want some?"
Nobody should forget Tony Abreu's very Mike Davis like walk. (Even if it wasn't exactly Eckersley out there)
Let's not overlook Abreu's excellent at-bat to get the tying run on base.
And yeah, good AB by Abreu.
And the Padres and DBacks both lose. Suddenly this evening went from sour to sweet.
Night all!
meanwhile in SF...
A's in the top of the 10th and you can hear the fans chanting "Let's Go Oakland."
FREAKING AWESOME
312 yeah although i enjoy the detail after a win like this lets hold off on the landing leg stuff
This game is crazy.
Who was the last one, Bob? Mattingly?
Klesko is going behind the plate.
Double-switching with your catcher: probably a bad idea.
So who is behind the plate, Klesko or Feliz?
Keep us updated!
The Dodgers had it happen although the catcher was ejected. Trenidad Hubbard finished the game.
The Rockies lost their last catcher to an injury in a game against the Angels and Don Baylor had Neifi Perez catch and the game ended on a wild pitch.
Winn - 3B
Lowry - RF
Lowry's due up 3rd in the bottom of the inning.
This is excellent. The Dodgers could easily be the only team in the NL West that wins today. Gain on everyone!
I personally don't think it really makes a difference.
picture this. fly ball. thomas at third. throw to the plate. pierre catching.
We gained on everyone!
great win tonight but the fact that grittle can't get half a clue and understand that this pathetic offense needs a change in order worries me. Why does he keep trotting pierre leadoff and nomar third? Furcal seems to not hit when he's in the two spot which makes this lineup even weaker than it is...anyone think there is ANY chance of a significant lineup change? (Pierre to 8th, Nomar down, Martin 3rd, etc etc)
That was like a line drive over the wall.
I saw that thing live & i still can't believe it. It was a lacer shot!.
http://www.linkmeister.com/blog/archives/002416.html
1. Brad Penny was dealing, 7K and no walks and not a lot of foul balls. Never really had a rough inning at all.
2. That was so strange to see the infield in after Pierre reached third in the first inning. It worked out (twice though Ethier smoked a liner in the second inning.)
3. Again, both pitchers were in a good rhythm so it wasn't surprising to see both offenses struggle.
4. Gonzo hit two balls well tonight, his double in the second was low liner that flew over Wells head.
5. Glad to see Broxton go to the slider, he really needs to use that pitch more.
6. Saito probably just needed a game to get back in the swing.
7. Two things I never would have thought happen in the bottom of the 10th did, Abreu's walk after being down 1-2 and then the pitcher throwing a second fastball, he hit so hard, I thought it was going off the wall and not over it.
8. Parking situation, worked out fine and got out really fast even though we were still in our seats when the Tomato juiced that ball over the wall.
Nice to get back on the winning side, hope it sparks a nice homestand.
As a fan of the team, it's frankly embarrassing.
(Toronto Globe and Mail)
http://tinyurl.com/32eh2c
...in which Vin says "phooey" to Jon by expressing concerns that Martin may be overworked.
(Toronto Star)
http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/223500
"How can I say this? I don't want to sound egotistical when I say this, but I don't really have any, like, weaknesses."
Ned, that's who.
You and me both, brother!!! We're goin' all the way!!! Go Blue!!!
one thing from the yahoo game notes though: "Dodgers RHP Jonathan Broxton, booed by the home crowd of 52,173 for blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning Thursday night and walking home the winning run, relieved Penny and retired his only batter."
the dodger stadium crowed booed broxton? was that really called for?
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