The veterans turned in the big plays tonight. Ken Griffey made a superb throw to cut down the Twins only chance for a run at the plate, and Jim Thome lauched a ball over everything in centerfield for the only run of the game. Two of the great home run hitters getting the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:59 pm | Division Races | Permalink | 3 Comments
September 30, 2008
Top of the Ninth
The Twins have three outs to score at least one run. It’s piranha time.
Update: Jenks comes on to pitch. Kubel pinch hits and leads off.
Update: Kubel strikes out swinging. Span is up.
Update: Span grounds out to Swisher at first. It’s up to Alexi Casilla. He flares one to center, and Anderson [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:52 pm | Division Races | Permalink | 1 Comment
September 30, 2008
Better Coach
Mickey Hatcher praises Mark Teixeira for teaching the Angels to be more selective. Too bad Mickey, the hitting coach, couldn’t do that.
Posted by David Pinto at 9:46 pm | Offense | Permalink | 1 Comment
September 30, 2008
Another Twin On, Another Twin Killing
Harris picks up a one-out single in the eighth, but Punto grounds into a double play to end the inning. That’s the third double play turned by the White Sox this game, but the first GDP.
Posted by David Pinto at 9:41 pm | Division Races | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Offense Takes the Night Off
The Twins and White Sox just reached the seventh inning stretch. Chicago collected two hits so far and the Twins one. Danks is at 93 pitches, Blackburn at 71. With no score, it looks like the bullpens won’t be needed much tonight unless the game goes into extra innings.
Update: Harold Reynolds makes [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 9:16 pm | Division Races | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Costly Punch
The Padres are trying to recover some on Khalil Greene’s salary:
Greene broke the fifth metacarpal bone in his left hand in punching a Petco Park storage cabinet after his 100th strikeout of the season. The injury caused Greene to miss the season’s last two months and nearly a third of the Padres’ scheduled games.
On a [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:58 pm | Injuries | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
No Danks
Through three innings, the Twins have yet to collect a hit off John Danks. He’s walked two and struck out two. The game is still scoreless going to the bottom of the third.
Update: Danks retires the Twins 1-2-3 in the fourth, striking out Mauer again. He’s down to .329.
Update: Michael Cuddyer leads [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:21 pm | Division Races | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
CC on the Side
Sabathia really is an iron man!
A “bored” Milwaukee Brewers team had ace pitcher CC Sabathia throw a 180-pitch side session Tuesday to help pass some time, a day before the team takes on the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series.
…
“After about 100 pitches, they asked me to throw 40 curveballs in a row,” [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:12 pm | Humor | Permalink | 3 Comments
September 30, 2008
Get Back
Pat Burrell suffered back discomfort Tuesday afternoon. It’s not clear if he’ll be able to play in game one of the Brewers/Phillies series on Wednesday.
Posted by David Pinto at 7:56 pm | Injuries | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Tiebreaker Underway
John Danks walks the leadoff hitter, but a line drive on a hit and run erases him in a double play. Mauer strikes out to end the inning, but his BA stays at .330.
Update: Blackburn gives up a leadoff single, but gets Wise to ground into a reverse force GDP. No score after [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:43 pm | Division Races | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
NLDS, Dodgers Versus Cubs
The following table compares the 2008 seasons of the Dodgers and Cubs, opponents in the NLDS.
NL Ranks
2008
Dodgers
Cubs
Runs/Game
4.32 (13th)
5.31 (1st)
Batting Avg.
.264 (5th)
.278 (2nd)
On-Base Average
.333 (6th)
.354 (1st)
/Slugging Pct.
.399 (13th)
.443 (1st)
ERA
3.68 (1st)
3.87 (3rd)
Strikeouts/9 IP
7.4 (5th)
7.8 (1st)
Walks/9 IP
3.0 (2nd)
3.4 (7th)
HR/200 IP
17.0 (1st)
22.1 (6th)
The Cubs led the majors if run difference, outscoring their opponents by 184 runs. The Dodgers [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:10 pm | League Division Series | Permalink | 3 Comments
September 30, 2008
Cash for the Cashman
River Ave. Blues alerts me to this Kat O’Brien story indicating a three-year, $6 million deal for Brian Cashman. I wonder if GM contracts are guaranteed?
Cashman deliberated over the decision about whether it was time to move on after 11 seasons as GM, but gave the Yankees an affirmative answer this afternoon. In the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 4:45 pm | Management | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Trade Complete
The Padres received two minor league pitchers to complete the trade for Greg Maddux. Both are very young. Eduardo Perez is still at Rookie Ball at age 20. Michael Watt is just 19. Both post high strikeout rates, low walks and low home runs allowed.
Posted by David Pinto at 3:41 pm | Trades | Permalink | 2 Comments
September 30, 2008
The L’s Have It
Brad Lidge and Cliff Lee win Comeback Player of the Year in the NL and AL respectively. Two excellent choices, although Mike Mussina should be up there as well.
Posted by David Pinto at 1:38 pm | Awards | Permalink | 5 Comments
September 30, 2008
Quote of the Day
The Soxaholix on Manny’s interview about his time in Boston:
TAKE YOUR STINKING PAWS OFF ME YOU DAMN DIRTY FANS!
Posted by David Pinto at 12:30 pm | Players | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Game of the Day
The Twins and White Sox finish up the regular season tonight as they play a 163rd game to decide the AL Central winner, the team to take on the Rays in the ALDS. Nick Blackburn matches up against John Danks. Both sport eleven wins on the season although Danks ERA stands over 0.6 [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:41 am | Matchups | Permalink | 9 Comments
September 30, 2008
Remembering Grich
Cardboard Gods remembers Bobby Grich. I drafted Bobby for my 1979 Strat-o-Matic team, then traded him to the NL for Bob Watson and Bill Madlock. Grich and Watson went on to win the league MVPs.
He was Bobby Griiiiiiccchhh when we announced him coming to bat. We always thought that last name sounded [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:31 am | All-Time Greats | Permalink | No Comments
September 30, 2008
Wright for Rodriguez
Bugs and Cranks suggests a New York trade involving their two third base stars, David Wright and Alex Rodriguez. I was talking to my friend Jim Storer about this yesterday, more sarcastically than anything else. (I think the conversation started with, “David Wright is no Scott Brosius.”) I’m guessing the Yankees would jump [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 10:00 am | Trades | Permalink | 3 Comments
September 30, 2008
NLDS, Brewers Versus Phillies
NL Ranks
2008
Brewers
Phillies
Runs/Game
4.63 (7th)
4.93 (2nd-T)
Batting Avg.
.253 (12th)
.255 (10th)
On-Base Average
.325 (10th)
.332 (7th)
/Slugging Pct.
.431 (5th)
.438 (2nd)
ERA
3.85 (2nd)
3.88 (4th)
Strikeouts/9 IP
6.9 (9th)
6.7 (12th)
Walks/9 IP
3.3 (5th-T)
3.3 (5th-T)
HR/200 IP
24.0 (12th)
22.1 (7th)
This series pits a great offensive team versus a great pitching team. The Brewers rank as high in preventing runs as the Phillies do in scoring runs. They are not [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 5:12 am | League Division Series | Permalink | 3 Comments
September 30, 2008
Penultimate Update
The Day by Day Database is up to date.
Posted by David Pinto at 4:35 am | Statistics | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Tiger Talk
The Detroit Tigers Weblog reviews Dave Dombrowski’s talk with reporters. Edgar Renteria won’t be back.
Correction: Fixed the link.
Posted by David Pinto at 11:45 pm | Management | Permalink | 1 Comment
September 29, 2008
Back in Black
Bud Black remains the manager of the Padres:
The Padres announced late Monday afternoon that Black and most of his staff will return in 2008. The Padres finished 63-99, 21 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Padres say they won’t renew the contract of bench coach Craig Colbert. Last week, hitting coach Wally Joyner resigned with [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 11:28 pm | Management | Permalink | 2 Comments
September 29, 2008
Lackey’s Side
Halos Heaven reports from John Lackey’s side session.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:31 pm | Pitchers | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
On to the Ninth
The White Sox score twice more in the eighth to extend their lead to 8-2. The offense supplied the pitchers with a hefty lead to protect, which is always a good thing.
Update: D.J. Carrasco strikes out Jeff Larish for the first out of the inning.
Update: Matt Joyce strikes out swinging, then Granderson flies out [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 8:17 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
The Gall!
Yovani Gallardo gets the call for game one of the NLDS as the Brewers face the Phillies. He’ll be followed by CC Sabathia and then either Jeff Suppan or Dave Bush. It looks like Yovani got healthy at just the right time. Manny Parra appears to be out of the team’s plans.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:06 pm | League Division Series | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Three Outs to Go
Scott Linebrink gives up a single but strikes out three in the eighth inning. The White Sox still lead 6-2 and are three outs away from a one-game playoff tomorrow.
Posted by David Pinto at 8:00 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Wild Sixth
Four walks and three wild pitches plate a run for Chicago, tying the game at two. Gary Glover comes into the game with the bases loaded and one out. He can really use a double play or a strike out here. He’ll face Alexei Ramirez.
Update: Glover gives Ramirez a phat pitch, up [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 7:23 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Wet Ball
Miguel Cabrera doubles in the sixth. With two out, Raburn nubs one in front of the mound. Gavin Floyd fumbles the wet ball, then throws it over the head of the first baseman, allowing Cabrera to score from second. The White Sox now trail 2-1. It was one of those situation [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:52 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Single and a Double
Raburn singles and steals, the third swipe by the Tigers. This time, however, Inge hits a long fly balls that causes Wise to smash into the wall, leaving him hurt on the ground. Raburn scores easily from second, and would have scored easily from first. The game is tied, and the the [...]
Posted by David Pinto at 6:25 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
September 29, 2008
Settling Down
After a rough start, Freddy Garcia has allowed just two hits through four innings. After throwing 13 pitches for ball in the first inning, he’s only thrown 11 since.
Posted by David Pinto at 6:23 pm | Games | Permalink | No Comments
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