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
It happens: Philadelphia blew leads of 8-2 in the eighth inning and 8-6 with two out and the bases empty in the ninth, losing to Atlanta and falling a half-game behind the Dodgers in the National League wild-card race.
A victory tonight would put Los Angeles within two games of the wild-card lead. Colorado, hosting San Francisco later this evening, could move within three games of a playoff spot.
Remember when the Dodgers' biggest problem was runners left on base? Now it is runners getting thrown out on the bases. This too shall pass ... to make way for another problem to overcome. It's baseball, folks.
* * *
Update: Russell Martin is not starting tonight. From Inside the Dodgers:
(Martin) went for a precautionary MRI on his left knee because of the way he went into home plate yesterday, but we still have no results. From what it sounds like, no one seems terribly concerned, but since Grady was planning for an off day tonight, it made sense to make sure everything is ok in there.
Without explanation, Shea Hillenbrand is batting sixth.
Update 2: I have to say, I am having nervous thoughts about Martin. I'm glad the Dodgers are having the MRI instead of just wondering about the knee, but I don't feel it's really in their history to run an MRI unless there's more reason for concern then they're letting on. Just have to hope.
Update 3: Randy Wolf did have a frayed labrum, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com reports. The good news is that it wasn't detached.
Disabled pitcher Randy Wolf underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder Wednesday, and doctors debrided frayed labrum and cleaned scarring on the bursa. The bursa scarring was anticipated. The labrum issue did not show up on previous MRIs, however, it is relatively minor compared to detached or torn labrum. Frayed labrum is usually trimmed, but detached or torn labrum requires anchors or sutures and a longer recovery.
"It's good news for Randy because nothing was structurally wrong," said Conte. "It's the best scenario for what we thought. He'll start rehabilitating in a week, and it should be six to eight weeks. He should be fully competitive by the beginning of Spring Training."
Where Wolf will be in Spring Training is an unknown. The Dodgers have a $9 million option on Wolf that can be bought out for $500,000.
* * *
Tonight's 5:05 p.m. game:
Hey, some of these guys are pretty old...
I guess what I'm really asking is, if any of the above happened, will Tony Jackson still find something to complain about?
We have a fairly rested pen. I think we can suffer through a lousy Stults game as long as we can put up some runs.
We have an opportunity to game a game on the WC regardless of who wins in AZ. The Braves big win makes it even more enticing. Tonight is a big game, I hope we show up for it accordingly.
As far as baserunning goes, everyone has to remember Kemp has not cost us one win with his blunders. Zero. He has learned a lot and the price has been small.
vr, Xei
When asked this question, David Wells and Luis Gonzalez both replied in unison "Depends".
So much for lawyers not having a sense of humor.
That's NL Player of the Month for August, Mark Texeira.
Fastballs are his specialty.
But it does, at times, feel like a day care center, I must confess. The oldest of our six younglings is 7.
For some reason I thought the potty Hurdle was also something I read on Mark's Bad Altitude blog once, too.
Good luck and be careful.
As I write this it will probably be posted.
1. Kuo's home run and bat flip
2. Repko cutting the legs out from under Furcal.
3. Kemp's DT bomb
Hopefully we can get at least 10 memorable moments.
>>Stults was officially promoted for the fourth time this year on Tuesday for this start, although he never really reported back to Las Vegas. Instead, he actually went home to Indiana, gathered up some friends to assist him in throwing a simulated game, then drove to Chicago and rejoined the club Tuesday. He's never faced the Cubs.<<
vr, Xei
In case it's just memorable:
Brad Penny calling out Shawn Green
Brad Penny's 14 k's against the Marlins
That's all I got.
2. The Heavyweight Championship, Broxton vs. Fielder.
3. Beimel striking out Bonds over the weekend by the Bay.
4. Shea's Big Day
5. Well's Drags the Dodgers to a win
Kemp and Loney getting called up within a day of each other. That was the moment that ensured a winning record.
Don't forget the Boom Boom. One of those pinch hits had to be memorable.
Furcal
Pierre
Kemp
Kent
Ethier
Hillenbrand
Loney
Lieberthal
Stults
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/features/264668.html
Good luck Dodgers, we'll try to take the Rockies down with us if we can...
As for Hillenbrand starting today, well, whatever - I hope Andy isn't in the doghouse but I'm pretty sure he's not. As long as he gets MOST of the starts from here on out I'm happy.
Thanks again, Windmill
(C'mon Lieberthal!)
He's a double play magnet.
So's Hillenbrand!
Oh, you meant on defense. ;-)
What explanation could there be? "We didn't pick him up so that he could sit on the bench"? Or how about "We're just heading off any clubhouse-cancer-like behavior before it starts"?
http://tinyurl.com/2ohv7t
It's like she can't be lucky in love on screen and off screen at the same time.
Marlins pitcher Sergio Mitre gave up three runs in the bottom of the first, including walking in two. With two outs, he went to 2-0 on the pitcher and Fredi Gonzales pulled him.
*No pun intended.
In other news, Randy Wolf underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left shoulder, and they cleaned up a scarred bursa and fraying in his labrum.
So I guess, Randy was right though I am not sure how much that impacted his ability to pitch.
Tony Abreu declared his strained abdomen 90-95 percent and had this to say about the team's not believing he was injured more severely: "I would like for them to understand, but they're not inside of me."
Sounds like things are kind of okay.
Is that stat ever indicative of anything?
Hope that amounts to something.
What about your husband -- when did you realize he was the one for you?
We were dating, and I was taking a bath. All of sudden I realized, "I'm never going to leave him. Never going to leave him. Huh." So I knew either we'd get married, or he would break my heart.
Did you tell him about that feeling?
Yes. I said, "I'm not leaving you. So it's kind of in your hands." We didn't date for long before we got engaged, only 4 months.
http://tinyurl.com/2wem35
There are people who think that?
Continuing the last answer
I get frustrated because he's a practical nightmare -- he once sat in his dark cave of an office for a month because he didn't want to fix the lights -- but none of that is a big deal when I can look at him and know he is my person. This is not a man who will let me say "I'm sad" and ignore it. He'll focus on me and say, "Why are you sad?" He's not afraid to go there, ever. I'm very lucky.
Eric, I hope you just pulled that interview from a google search otherwise I will wonder how you came across that publication.
Not too shabby. Brian Pilkington and Joel Guzman are featured in articles.
That is all.
What a scare. I thought I wasn't getting the game until I remembered ESPN. Whew.
Yes, the Jacksonville 5 have arrived with Kemp taking the place of Joel Guzman.
Who knew the kid at Vero Beach would be the best of the bunch.
Okay, that is hyperbole since we are talking Martin, but Kemp is mighty good.
I remember when Lilly was among our prospects, who were all dealt by Lasorda in a hopeless bid during the nineties.
Yes, we have bunted our way to all those runs in the last couple of games.
Well, that is some redemption.
I think they said 11.
9 or 10, I am guessing.
Good thing Aramis swings at the first pitch.
Then I see who is playing third.
Oh this announcer can be annoying. Who he?
If it is ESPN, it is Orel and Steve Phillips along with Dan Shulman.
He wasn't thinking that's the problem, & to top it off he makes that weird face when he does something bone headed.
They deserve to lose for doing that, although one could say the same re the Dodgers with Hillenbrand/LaRoche.
In line with their "rap". if you act and sound like an a- , how long will you be an announcer?
cedeno hit 359/422/537 in AAA this year. He deserves some more major league ABs.
I was just gonna say Stultsy can hit!
Yeah, but if wants to be one of the guys, he's going to have to try and steal home!
basically.
Huh? Please explain.
"If it wasn't for bad luck,
wouldn't have no luck at all..."
Why, he asks rhetorically?
Do you get WGN?
i think its on WGN too.
Steve Phillips seems to think differently.
Now I have to cushion this with the hope of new medical technigues. It is now thought that labrum damage can be repaired, even in pitchers. Wolfs report was obfuscated in as much optimism as possible.
We can hope.
Now Boom boom up with two on in an tie game.
Only much cooler.
5 G, 8 IP, 24 H, 19 R (18 ER), 6 BB, 3 K, 4 HR
Huh?
A-Rod gets paid 25mm/year, and hits only 50 homers (roughly). Our 3b makes only 1mm (I'm guessing), yet has already slammed out 4 home runs. Based on my analysis, Shea is twice the value A-Rod is.
Unfortunately, a similar analysis on our CF is less encouraging.
Geovany Soto singles on a line drive to left fielder Andre Ethier, deflected by center fielder Juan Pierre. Geovany Soto advances to 2nd, on missed catch error by center fielder Juan Pierre.
See Pedro Feliz.
I think Jon just did the survey for fun.
Whoa--In light of that, I guess old Hillie really is awful.
Even so, while performing my research I came across this quote from Dave Bismo: "(Hillenbrand) is a heck of a ballplayer."
It should have been more. But we really need to get into that "soft underbelly", and we know it is soft.
Actually, it's 9-2 Yankees now.
A-rod is payed nearly 23K for every point of OPS, while Hillenbrand is compensated only a paltry 11K for each point of OPS.
It appears that Hillenbrand really is the poor man's A-Rod.
By the way, Kemp at least has a heck of a gun.
vr, Xei
Beautiful play, and the announcers are going on about youthful mistakes!!
Playing this game with Shea and certain others in the line-up is like playing with both arms tied behind your back.
Listening to these announcers, and Orel is being rather quiet, is like playing with both feet tied behind your back.
It's making my life very uncomfortable.
And I am not blaming Matt Kemp but I think we are quick to blame some and more easily forgive others.
He hit the net.
Are you getting back pain because of it Bob?
Of course we are. Tend to forgive better players for their faults.
I don't have AppleCare.
I was hoping she would, as she's my only hope for beating the evil Justine.
Unlike Juan Pierre, who apparently has a clause in his contract that he has to start all but one game a year, I don't think Shea held a gun to Grady's head and demanded to play nor did he give an interview to a reporter saying that he should play ahead of some kids.
I just think Grady was going to play some guys today and some guys tomorrow and that Shea will play today and LaRoche will play tomorrow.
vr, Xei
I guess it's time to buy a mouse for this thing.
No. This computer is about three years old. It's done some good work in its day. It may become time for it to become the second string computer. I've turned the sensitivity of the trackpad down all the way.
HA!
When the throw came in, he was standing a few feet in foul ground halfway between home and third. That's not the right place for him to be in this case. With a runner on second and a single into the outfield, the pitcher is to backup home plate in a direct line from the outfielder. Not to play the "who's to say" game, but if Stults is standing in the right spot, who's to say the runner on third tries to score or the batter-runner goes to second?
they were actually kind of really high.
Meroom or something.
Even better, you could say "Ironically, Seanez is imploding." That would get a lot of us grammar/syntax/vocabulary mavens ticked off.
From the comments: "Very considerate of the Mariners to get out of the way and not distract anyone from Seahawks games."
it sure is frustrating watching him do that.
Don't tell me if this match was actually played this afternoon.
It wasn't. It's live.
The Dodgers seem to intentionally withholding the MRI results until the game is over. Which makes me paranoid that they have a DL announcement ready. I sure hope I'm wrong...
Federer just won the tie break. (Of course.)
It's Wrigley Field the kid probably was a little nervous, I'm glad Grady pulled him out, you don't want the rookies confidence shattered in a big game, nice call by Grady.
i understand that and i agree with grady pulling him, i just dont think meloands stuff looks all that good as its been hyped up to be.
What brand of chewing gum are you using to hold that thing together?
Victory was just a mirage. But I think there is a substance in there that makes it sticky.
I'm assuming that spraying WD-40 on a computer keyboard is contraindicated.
They've moved from the baserunning challenge (Kemp won) to the erratic throwing competition.
The computer keeps deleting what I'm typing without any prompting by me. It's like it's taken over.
My keyboard has the same problem. It also goes back a few spaces, so I look up and I am missing half a sentence all of a sudden.
Well, if the Dodgers can come back and win tomorrow to take 3 of 4 from the Cubbies, tonight's loss will be a very short-lived memory.
ps I'm kind of ashame to admit that.
Same for me. I felt the same way about Tomko too.
McLane has said that Ng will not be considered, but he's willing to interview Ed Wade?
Anyway, this loss doesn't bug me all that much because it was hard not to feel they'd probably lose it with the matchup, the Cubs extremely hungry and so on. Bummer to see Meloan struggle a little bit though I was glad to see Grady call on him.
Ah well. I'll be thrilled with 3 out of 4.
---
Good that Tomko is true to form, too.
Move 'em to Portland!
"Martin OK
Russell Martin has what was revealed to be a mild knee sprain. He is day-to-day."
Now the cat lovers on this site are going to heckle you too.
My nomination for Dodgers quote of the year.
Also, isn't there another left-handed reliever in the minors to call up? I can't see Hendrickson being put into a close game during the late innings with runners on base.
If the other team promised not to bunt, I'd be tempted to paint a number on the pitching machine and roll it out to the mound rather than have to put Roberto into another game.
Grady! Ned! It's time. Please put him out of our misery. And if anybody still thinks that we won't non-tender Big Bird, you need to ponder the meaning of life a bit more. Big Bird will be lofting "pitches" for some other sucker next year.
All in all though, if we can't score more than two runs, we weren't going to win tonight. However, if we had a 4-2 game going into the ninth and Ethier led off with a hit like he did, I think Shea doesn't get his last at-bat, we'd see Sweeney or LuGo or even LaRoche.
Get well SOON Russell. And be optomistic Jon, we don't know anything yet.
428 I forgot about Hamulack being on the roster, I thought he was hurt. If not, why isn't he up with us again? We used Beimel early and then were forced to use Big Bird. I liked that Meloan got a call in a clutch situation, but you can't walk two guys in a row. He walked the bases full in his first appearance after getting the side out in order in his first inning of work. He has good stuff, he just needs to find a way to pitch and not think about it being the big leagues. Easy for me to say...
How is Hamulack not on the DL? Because he was at AAA?
http://tinyurl.com/2pd3ob
"for there's a man inside me, and only when he's finally out, can I walk free of pain."
I am not one of them.
But you stole all the dimes in my apartment.
I buried them near Mac Court. Let me know if you want the treasure map.
Er. Yes.
It's the first week of school for my kids. Don't know about Arizona, but I don't know if this period is the best time to judge attendance.
Twenty-eight thousand for a first-place battle royale (with cheese) isn't very good no matter when it is.
I've never once been to Dodger Stadium on someone else's dime. I'd be happy to be treated to seats next time I'm in town, but more likely I'll buy seats for Bob and his girlfriend. Bob works for a library, and his girlfriend never gets paid by the school district, so I can see why they don't go unless someone treats them.
Bob also paid cash for his Prius.
That was from all the pennies, dimes, and nickels he saved up from library fines.
http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/boatandbeach/hourbyhour/USIL0225?from=36hr_topnav_boat
I have to believe they do everything in their power to get this game in. They wont want to make it up at the end of the season.
Furcal, SS
Pierre, CF
Kemp, RF
Gonzo, LF
Martin, C
Loney, 1B
LaRoche, 3B
Abreu, 2B
Lowe, P
Abreu up for Kent. Gonzo's turn to be designated old vet instead of Ethier.
http://ussmariner.com/2007/09/05/youth-again/
.263 (5 for 19)/1 HR/.300 OBP/.474 SLG
(If he isn't hiding an injury.)
.421 (8 for 19)/0 HR/.450 OBP/.579 SLG
Abreu will play in his place, probably a scheduled rest day anyhow for Kent.
great observation Scooplowe
Will be fun to see Abreu in there. (I agree, he's partially in there for some added defense behind Lowe.)
Marquis' one of those pitchers who always seems so hittable and yet the Dodgers seem to have had some struggles against him, at least in my own memory they do...
Not the case. There didn't need to be a roster move for Nomar because the roster was already expanded to 40.
Kuo was for Valdez. Tsao, Brazoban, and Wolf were for Meloan, Hu, and Moeller.
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