Redo: Sox-Stros Gamer I

Well, Daisuke's first start since returning from injury didn't go so well. Maybe tonight will be better, and the Sox can beat up on the terminally terrible Houston Astros (don't let any records fool you. Trust me. I live in Texas. They're terrible). The Yankees already got trounced by the Mets. A Sox win would make a good day even better!

Comment away!

Comments

[Atheose]

Strikeout for Daisuke! Good start.

[Micah-SF]

Two strikeouts!

Ath, my offer still stands to take A-Rod off your hands if you see someone on my team you want :P.

[Atheose]

Aaaaaand Im the only loser inside on a Friday night watching baseball. God I feel old.

[Atheose]

Micah! You're a loser too! I'm not the only one!

Let me take a look and I'll get back to you.

[Atheose]

Wow Dice-K is on.

[Atheose]

Micah, what's your user's name in the league?

[Micah-SF]

I'm at work still - damn LA time zone. But yeah, I'll keep watching when I go home. My girlfriend is a Padres fan and understands the whole "must watch baseball" thing.

This looks a LOT better than last time. Go Dice go!

[Micah-SF]

I'm Mike Lowell's Goatee.

[Micah-SF]

Infield single for Youk! That must have been funny to watch on TV.

[Micah-SF]

...

I was hoping we could clear the pitcher's spot, but the black hole of suck that is Julio Lugo strikes again! Most predictable GIDP ever.

[Atheose]

Micah, how about Pujols and John Lackey? Or Pujols and Ortiz?

ARod is getting hot: he's batted .400 with an OPS of 1.208. He's only going to get hotter. Pujols is coming back from the DL and is a big question mark (he struggled coming back from the DL two years ago), and so is Ortiz. Lackey is worth 11 points per start, which if you divide by 5 is only 1.5 points per game.

[Atheose]

Oh thank goodness that ball stayed in the park. The way he watched it I thought he had hit in 500 feet.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

How does JD go from being so hot to being soooooo cold? Overnight.

[Atheose]

Quick inning for Daisuke--26 pitches after 2.

[Atheose]

Sorry Micah, meant to say "ARod has batted .400 with an OPS of 1.208 in June.

[Micah-SF]

Lance Berkman is annoyingly good. Luckily, the rest of Houston, not so much.

Lackey is my best starting pitcher; given my team's major issues in that department, I don't think I want to give up both him and Pujols. And Papi is a huge question mark, but I can't justifiably give up both him and Pujols in the same trade.

How about Pujols and Brad Lidge - who would be a HUGE upgrade over Hoffman for you - for A-Rod and Vernon Wells? I could also use another outfielder in the rotation given my injury issues, and you seem to be pretty set in the outfield.

[Atheose]

A four-pitch walk is nice.

[Micah-SF]

Man is Pedroia hot all of a sudden. I am putting him back to active in fantasy next week for sure.

[Atheose]

Great job avoiding the tag by Pedroia!

AND THEN DREW HOMERS! That was a giant "F*ck you" to Bill.

[Micah-SF]

J.D. DREW STRIKES AGAIN!

[Atheose]

Micah, I think you and I have a deal. I sent the request to you.

[Atheose]

Nice doing business with ya, Micah. Lidge will be a massive improvement over Hoffman, who just can't figure it out this year.

[Atheose]

Daisuke looked very frustrated with himself there. Time for a DP.

[Atheose]

Perfect DP ball but Bourn is too fast for it. Two down.

[Micah-SF]

And I have accepted. Boy, am I glad I picked up Lidge and K-Rod now - having one of the best closers in the league sitting on the bench because we only have one relief slot has been pretty silly.

[Atheose]

Wow, Daisuke pulls back the bunt and crushed a ball about 20 foul down the left field line.

[sf rod]

third loser in on the party. can't believe you two worked a major trade here on the game thread. i need pitching.....

[Atheose]

Haha what's wrong with that sf? It's better than just proposing random stuff in the fantasy league.

Daisuke fails to get down a bunt and strikes out badly.

sf rod: Join the club. I'm going to see if I can turn Aramis Ramirez into a decent starter now...

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Just got done mowing the lawn, which I went to do after my last post, which I'd like to rescind.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Ath, that's a "f*ck you" I willingly accept!

[Atheose]

Don't feel bad Bill, it was the classic reverse-jynx!

[sf rod]

uh oh bill. what did you go and do now?

[Atheose]

Nice play by Daisuke!

[Micah-SF]

Dammit, it signed me out AGAIN. That last post involving Aramis Ramirez was mine.

Dice settling in nicely, it looks like.

[Atheose]

How does JD go from being so hot to being soooooo cold? Overnight.

Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Friday, June 27, 2008 at 08:41 PM

9 minutes later Drew hit a 3-run homer.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

I posted this:
"How does JD go from being so hot to being soooooo cold? Overnight.

Posted by: I'mBillMcNeal | Friday, June 27, 2008 at 08:41 PM"

And then went to mow the lawn.
Guess what happens while I was outside?
I love it!

[Atheose]

You know who else is really cold? Manny. He sure won't hit a home run this inning.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

TB 8, Pitt 5, bot 6.
TB HRs from Longoria, Hinske and Crawford.
Former Sock Sanchez homers for Pitt.
How the eff does Hinske have 13 homers?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Ath, I was thinking the same thing.
He's sooooooooooo cold.

[Atheose]

Astros Poll Question of the Game:

Which Boston team are you sick of hearing about most? Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots or Revolution?

Wow, other cities really suck at life if they're reduced to this.

[Micah-SF]

Absolutely. Manny's going to strike out on three pitches.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

But Kazmir gone after 5; he threw 103 pitches; allowed 4 earned runs.

[Atheose]

SO cold, Bill. I've never seen Manny so cold.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Jealousy is one thing, but obsessive hatred? What's up with that?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

He's the Iceman.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Not many better at fouling off pitches that Petey.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

By the way, I never got a chance to comment on it, but Cash's at-bat with the homer the other night, what a great, great at-bat.
You could see he was dialed in, waiting for the right pitch.

[Atheose]

Great at-bat by Pedroia, despite the ultimate fly out.

[sf rod]

micah- where in los angeles are you? i'm in long beach.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Strikeout for Manny?

[Atheose]

Manny's so cold he's going to strike out on the next pitch... and the count is 3-1. That's how cold he is.

Aaaaand he flies out. Damn. Soooooo cold.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

That oughta be it for RoonElvis.

[Atheose]

Whew, Daisuke got ahead of him 1-2 and then gave up a very hard hit ball to right.

[Atheose]

Damn ump... that was a good f*cking pitch.

[Atheose]

And Daisuke walks him. That's lame after being ahead in the count 0-2.

[Atheose]

Crap, a little bloop hit falls in front of Drew. Need a DP real bad right here.

[Atheose]

Erstad strikes out, good time for that since it's Daisuke's first since the first inning.

[Atheose]

DAMNIT that last pitch looked pretty good.

[Atheose]

Whew, pop up ends the inning. 87 pitches after 5.

[rootbeerfloat]

Gotta say when I heard "Lugo's taking charge", my stomach did a little flip.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Are Yankee losers welcome too? I've been running a monologue on teh Y anks game for the last 40 minutes or so...what's the score here?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

3-0, Boston on a 3-run Drew homer.

[rootbeerfloat]

You're always welcome IH. I'm flipping back and forthe between both games on Gameday since my second grader just turned on the A's Giants game. Sox are ahead 3-0.

[Atheose]

Hey IH, you're more than welcome to be a loser with us! Sox are up 3-0 thanks to a Drew homer, which BIll reverse-jynxed 9 minutes before it happened.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Who's pitching for NYY?

[IronHorse (yf)]

Thanks Atheose. I guess that means Drew is still burning up June? I have not been following...

[IronHorse (yf)]

IBM: Sidney Ponson. And since I throw up in m mouth every time I say or type that name you owe me a drink.

And some mouthwash.

[Atheose]

Daisuke out after only 87 pitches? I would have given him a one-baserunner leash.

[Atheose]

Hansen's slider is a thing of beauty. Wow.

[Atheose]

How the hell has Ponson not given up a run in 5 innings?

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Anyone notice how far to the third-base side of the rubber Hansen stands?

[Atheose]

8 pitch inning from Hansen.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

8-pitch inning for Hansen.
Wow.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

jinx

[IronHorse (yf)]

Atheose: My theory is that he has built of lots of good karma by doing everything stupid under the sun off the field so that things work out nicely for him on it.

He loaded the bases in the 2nd and 3rd with no outs and one out respectively and somehow made it through. He has been around the plate most of the night and hit corners, but he was definitely playing with fire. Since those innings though he has settled down.

[Atheose]

Yeah Bill, it gives his slider more movement against right-handers to pitch on that side.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Looks like the Mets burned too brightly in Game 1.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Was Dice-K great tonight or lucky or both?

[Atheose]

Well that's certainly good for the Yanks, IH. Maybe he can pull a Bartolo and find some power left in the tank.

[Atheose]

Both IH. He struck out the side in the first inning and had a 1-hitter going into the 5th, and then gave up a hit and two walks to load the bases thanks to a tiny strikezone by the ump. He got out of it though.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Atheose: No way. I know this guy. I watched him a lot when he played for the O's (I had a partial season ticket package when I lived there for a decade in the pre-Nats days) and he will always, always give you one - MAYBE two - good games followed by at least two terrible (not just bad) games. They got him on a good night tonight and my only regret is that it probably means they'll hold on to him and he is certain to let them down. I'd prefer they just count their blessings and show him the door, but it won't happen.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Crap. Gameday audio is all effed up tonight. Not working at all right now.

[IronHorse (yf)]

I didn't watch any of his games, but Dice-K was racking up the wins early and had a great ERA before getting hurt if I remember correctly. Perhaps he is the real thing...d*%n.

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Ponson has always been one of those guys with great potential but no ability to do anything with it.
I'm with IH. The Yanks should pull him now, count their blessings and waive him.

[Atheose]

That sucks. Look on the bright side: Cano just homered, which helps my fantasy team!

[I'mBillMcNeal]

Has Manny ever been colder?

[Atheose]

Yeah IH, as long as he keeps his walks down he's the real deal. He only gave up 2 hits tonight, but he walked 3.

[Atheose]

2-0 count to Manny. He's gunna strike out on this pitch cause he's so cold.

Boooo, he hits it hard but right at Carlos Lee.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Cano's HR was an 0-2 off balance swing that I would have predicted might barely clear the infield. I have no idea how it went that far.

Michael Kay just noted that the last 6- inning (or more) shutout start for Ponson was in September of 2004. Case closed. We caught a break. Let's not push our luck!

[IronHorse (yf)]

What inning is it in the Sox game??

Jeter up with the bases loaded, which gives me the opewning to say I was in the stands for the only grand slam of his career. Yeah for me.

[Atheose]

Well it's about time he started doing something right. I swear he's sucked on purpose just to piss me off. That'll teach me to draft a Yankee.

[IronHorse (yf)]

Atheose, I am willing to bet that if you hold on to him he will tear up the second half for you. He is streaky as hell.

[Atheose]

Sox are in the bottom of the 7th, 4-0 now. The ump just gave us a gift on a call at 1st base.

[Atheose]

He had better IH. At this point I'm holding onto him like 1000 shares of stock that has hit rock bottom. There's nowhere to go but up, right?

[IronHorse (yf)]

A 9-0 lead and Kyle Farnsworth walks the lead-off man on 4 pitches. That is not even remotely excusable. I am not concerned about the game getting out of hand, but what the f*%k??? Throw the ball underhanded to the plate if you have to!

[Atheose]

Yeah it's pretty sad when you can't throw strikes with a 9-run lead. Think of it this way: maybe he's getting all of his suck out of his system, to save up all the awesome for a close game.

Farnsy does have some awesome in him, right? A little?

[IronHorse (yf)]

Yeah - about every other appearance Kyle is on.

Looks like we'll both head into the weekend happy, though I could have done without the 15-5 shellacking earlier today.

I'll probably crash soon. Two little kids make Saturday mornings a much earlier affair than they used to be...

Thanks for entertaining some YF talk on the Sox thread and congrats on the game (jynx...jynx...)

[Atheose]

Haha, nice talkin to ya IH. Have fun with the kiddies. As a 22 year old college student I'm headed to the beach tomorrow ;-)

[Atheose]

Aaaaaaand Oki makes it a save situation. Im gunna pretend he did that on purpose to help Paps pad his stats.