Athletics Nation

It's working!

Mmm strep

what’s the anti-biotic for you?
and what Co-pays does the AN health plan have – mine are killing me.

MobiusKlein - October 17, 2009 reply

Azithramyacine

Yummy.

Allergic to . . .

Penicillin?

OaklandInvader - October 17, 2009 reply

No, my doctor just felt this would be a better choice

hello Mr. Streptastic

I had it many times, and once it even became mononucleosis!! Liver damage and I didn’t even get any nookie like you’re supposed to to get that… WTF? I am owed nookie.

Let’s watch the ball drop, good one, I LOLed all over my lunch here. How come the Sleglets never clam 3 errors vs. us? I mean a sulk-off gift once every few years isn’t enough, I want full on Bad News Halos material, you listening Johnny Mathis?

Although I will say that reading HH when those guys lose is priceless, like I feel I should be paying the Rev for the laughs. Whatevs, Revs, you’ll get ’em tonight with the Colonel.

you learn something every day

I’m watching the Fox TV broadcast. One of the announcers explained that the radar gun marks the speed at which the baseball leaves the pitcher’s hand, not the speed at which it reaches the plate….for example, the Yanks’ starter threw a ball clocked at 93 mph, but by the time it crossed the plate it was at 86 mph.

Anyway, I’m just glad any baseball is on TV — I spent all day working.

I can confirm that with the Pitchf/x stuff.

It measures two speeds per pitch—start and end. They seem to lose 8-10 mph along the way to the plate.

Smack.

Quiet in here- here- here.

I'm following in gameday

Was that 3B by Cano another Toriifaiil?

Pow

God I hate Jeter, but it breaks the yawn- fest.

That Jeter is a handsome, handsome man.

But Damon has that precambrian charm

ew.

how can you bring yourself to type such things?

whiteshoes40 - October 17, 2009 reply

I despise him, so it's easy.

don’t ask.

mmmmkay.

whiteshoes40 - October 17, 2009 reply

Johnny Damon with a hit.

Hey, Johnny, isn’t Jeter handsome?

Who's under a rock?!

OaklandInvader - October 17, 2009 reply

I was abot to ask that...

missing a "u"...sigh...

My mother just called me to tell me that she thinks Swisher is handsome

I think she’d fit in fine here.

Depends.

What’s her opinion on Travis Buck?

Good field but no bat

injury prone but nice head of hair.

you're mom's a scout?!

My mom dosen't know a bean ball

from a Billy Beane. She hates the Giants because Barry Bonds is a cheating bastard. My dad is a Giants fan…so you see how this plays out…

I'm with your mom.

I mean…um…

All of these close plays are going against the angels. My family is pissed.

drmmerchk - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

Mighty lively game thread going on here.

Ahem.

Dont tell me the Yanks are going to the Series...

Not looking good.

Go Dodgers, then?

Or Phillies? Or that swarm of locusts?

Would have loved a Rockies/ Twins

But anything but Jeter pls.
Glad Boston’s gone though.

I logged on just to say that I hate Derek Jeter

he owes so many HRs to the short porch in right field.

Fark theYankees!

Woot!

314 is a joke.

Just like 911

By the time I get to Arizona, it won't

MobiusKlein - October 17, 2009 reply

JETER HIT ONE 911 FEET????

I’m not at all surprised.

I can't decide what to have for dinner

pizaa maybe?

well last weekend I couldn't decide and I didn't have pizza

and LB chastised me. So I’d get pizza if I were you.

well

I don’t want LB to chastise me so I guess I will have pizza.

(smiles down upon AN)

Always a hit.

Next comes the burger.

Action!

Angels score

nice

I feel so dirty rooting for the Angels.

Honestly I don't hate them

but I don’t like them either.

I like Morales-

I’m pretty meh on everyone else.
I miss pants-ing them.

Can dream or Alice

drmmerchk - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

34HR/ 108RBI nice.

me too

but the yankees need to lose

Oof bad move.

Halos need to wake the F up here

Tired of Yankees being only team in these games so far.

Okay, so it's taken me a bit to decide,

but I think I’m rooting for the Angels.

And if I gotta root for my nemesis, I’m rooting for what just happened—lots and lots of HBPs.

Heh

it looks like abreu is laughing everytime he talks a ball

hello ball.

feel better nico

p.s. hoarse voices are sexy

Battle

Crap...

crap

how did the runners not tag up?

Base hit base hit base hit, c'mon.

so why was the ball dead?

cuz it went in the stands?

Yup.

I hate the Yankees.

this inning is taking forever

Heh!

Tied!

yes!

I still hate the Yankees.

This

that bring me joy.

thank you.

tie game

Burnett trying to set the record for wild pitches in this game

and Tim McCarver keeps his job for another five years

people still think he’s some kind of genius for calling that bloop off Rivera in 2001.

That has to be the first time ever that

Tim McCarver and genius were so close.

At least in football, the despised Joe Buck is tempered by the dullard Troy Aikman. McCarver makes me want to hear the other one talk, then Joe Buck talks and I want the other one to talk, then McCarver talks and I want them both to die slowly.

poor doggie, can't sleep.

peace out for now guys

going to Trader Joes to get Humus and pita chips for a pot-luck tomorrow.

Question: Had Figgins swung at the pitch that hit him,

is the ball dead, Figgins out and Aybar can’t advance? (As opposed to Figgins being able to run to 1B on the wild third strike, and Aybar being allowed to go to 3B.)

I think so.

I think he’s out and Aybar cannot advance. It’s a dead ball.

Vlad .262 RISP 2009

Matthews .358
Kendricks .320

What gives?

he's been hurt and old all year.

No good.

Jeter Fail, YAY!

more like an ump fail

but yay!!

HUGE!

No video.

What happened?

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

Struck out Damen w/ a runner at third two outs. ;)

TY

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

Anybody listening to the radio?

Are you sick to death of Jon miller calling molina " bengie". That. Is. Not. His. Name!!!

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

Jon Miller's on the radio?!

That would be so preferable to these two ASS HATS. Jesus, I hate Joe Buck. Despise him. I hate the announcers. I hate both these teams. WTF am I watching this?!

you've summed up my night

I like the call - but just don't get why he can't get the name right@

Bad part of the radio feed – Joe Morgan

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

but Joe Morgan is with him

boo!

Quietly not mentioned:

Jeter with two atrocious throws (saved by Teixeira) to go with a clutch 1-6-3 DP. By the way, Saunders, any time you want to get rid of the ball to Aybar…Really, anytime.

Of course not.

He IS the saint of the post season after all

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 via mobile reply

I also realized ARoid is batting so well because its actually still Sept as he missed all of April.
Lets hope it ends soon.

Going to watch the last few out of the house, night all.

damn, it's tied. focus focus focus

Ca-YES!

Hello all

I just watched Campy, Blue Moon, Vida, Gaylord Perry, and Bill “Spaceman” Lee from a front row seat in San Jose Municipal Stadium. So this is a bit of a comedown. but still glad to be here with all of you.

and the occasion was?

I sure hope it wasn't a out-of-town preview of the Oakland Ballet's production of The Nutcracker...

The inaugural MLB Legends Vintage Base Ball game

The “Legends” played one of the local vintage base ball teams, the Santa Clara Stogies, according to 1886 rules and in vintage-style uniforms. The score after the first inning was Stogies 11, Legends 0, but after the Stogies substituted a less good pitcher in what appeared to be a possible contrivance, the final was Legends 16, Stogies 15. Lots of fun.

JLaff was there and will have some excellent pics, and I'll have some lousy ones

It's SO COOL you got ot go!

I’m excited to see photos.

I think it's the first annual (assuming this went well)

So maybe by next October you’ll be back here, LB!

Wasn't it a fundraiser of some kind?

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Yes, for kids' sports clinics

I think it’s going to be on ESPN at some point too.

Were the fielders allowed to soak baserunners?

Jeff Kent, running between second and third, took the opportunity to kick the ball into the outfield

One of the Stogies stole first and second — as in, picked up the bags and ran away to third with them.

wow...I had no idea this was today

I had to work, so just as well…sounds great!

I don't think they did a great job promoting it

Stadium was only 2/3 full.

Spaceman was in town

and no one called me?

He wasn't on the list of players they expected

But he was great — pitched the first inning, giving up the 11 runs, and then played second base for the rest of the game. Also came in as a pinch-runner for Vince Coleman, who pulled a hammie.

I would have liked to see

Bake McBride throw a frozen rope to Dick Green after chasing down a Jay Johnstone Texas Leaguer.

Nico, that question about a swinging strike 3 on a HBP?

I’d be surprised if that’s never happened to Vlad.

I think Vlad has aged about 5 years since the start of the season.

Nice pitch

why does Joba have Yayo all over his ballcap?

Due credit: That play (decision) Jeter made on Hunter's chopper

is exactly what Crosby didn’t do, and needed to do, in that fateful 9th inning vs. LAA the day before the ASB 2 years ago (when Aybar scored from second).

Conclusion: Derek Jeter is better than Bobby Crosby.

Well except for THAT play

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

granted

David Crosby would make better decisions than Bobby, and that’s loaded on dangerous psychedelic drugs.

Jeter sure clammed that one there though. Maybe ESPN can CGI it so he got the DP and saved a stranded puppy simultaneously.

If I had the choice of sending up, as a pinch hitter in a key situation,

Bobby Crosby, or David Crosby’s liver, I’d opt for the latter.

Dave's liver

has to lay off the slider away, it’s too old and slow so it just takes those.

And it really can't handle Bailey

remember that pitcher Jung Keun Bong?

Dave hits that guy righteously, every time.

"It's got to be an error on Derek Jeter"

I’m sorry, I don’t understand how those words can exist in the same sentence.

Is it some kind of baseball koan?

Those who koan do

Those who koan’t, teach.

F U Jeter

Trainman - October 17, 2009 reply

Lovely "E" by St. Derek

as for the TV commentary that Gary Matthews has “evolved into a high priced bench player”

sounds more like DE-volution to me.

If you saw the at bat...

Ew. Just, ew.

I did see it

apparently, I saw more of it than Matthews

Maybe this is just me, but I say

“Go ahead and swing at the fastball down the middle.”

try another one

We are not men

We Are DEVO

some unhappiness over at Halos Heaven

they wanted Kendrick (kills the Yankees) and not GMJ to hit for Napoli, or no pinch hitter at all. Now they are stuck with Johnny Mathis catching and they hate that.

so chances are....

Heh

I was thinking more about their nuts roasting on an open fire, but yours is better.

heh, and the hala haven gang felt as helpless as a kitten up a tree too.

Jeter. LOL.

If it weren't for the HR, he'd be having kind of a Crosby-level sucky day.

And I mean Blake.

Buck says that Jepsen is a rookie with "electric stuff"

imagine my disconcerted reaction

when 1050 AM went to the Warriors’ pre-season game in the middle of this ALCS game, I was a li’l confused until I shifted to 680.

Now, someone needs to do something about Joe Morgan, he makes Vince Cotroneo sound like Ernie Harwell.

Fire Joe Morgan NOW!!!

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

it's also on 1440 AM

at least in Novato, CA

not bad, Damon

take a picture, Abreu

it’ll last longer

I think Scioscia should go to Fuentes here

If it goes extras, the Yanks don’t have Rivera so it’s not as brutal not to have your closer, you have the heart of the order coming up, and you really want Teixeira batting RH. Darren Oliver makes sense, too, but in an inning where if you give up one run you’re down 2-0 in the series, I opt for my closer.

dunno

I hear ya but Jepsen looked tough in the 8th, threw no pitches and the Yankees haven’t seen much of him. I don’t imagine Tex & A-Rod & Godzilla have any lack of familiarity with Fuentes.

If you hold back Fuentes here and Jepsen gets the Yanks out, they have him to close out the bottom of an extra inning and Mo Rivera is nowhere to be seen, he’s gone from the game.

although again

Rivera only threw 13 pitches to his batters in the 8th & 9th, so the Angels will see him in any 10th inning anyway, hmmm.

wtf

no fuentes or oliver?

Did anyone see Mariano

walk off the diamond after making the LAAAA 1-2-3 hitters look like 5 year olds?

HEAD STRAIGHT DOWN.

Thanks that d-bag K-rod, we’ve forgotten how fucking awesome the emotionless closer is.

so true

Rivera can save the 7th game of the WS and not go through 1/1000th of the BS histrionix K-Clod goes through when he saves a meaningless regular season game.

I wish that would rub off on Jaba the Fat

That's why you cant hate on Rivera. Class act all the time.

Agreed. He's one of the least contemptable Yankees in the bunch.

That was actually an outstanding play by Mathis

Plenty of opportunity for confusion between him and Jepsen or for panic. Well done.

yep Jon Miller

was very impressed with Mathis (a former shortstop in addition to being a somewhat-effeminate 1960s crooner) on that play, it didn’t sound routine.

I bet the HH patrons over there almost peed themselves as that play happened LOL

that was close

more baseball!

Vlad, up without the chance to strand 3 more runners!

at least tonight's game is better than last night's game

Anyone else listen to the team talk shit on the Fielding Bible?

They were trying to say Jeter was outstanding defensively despite “what some people” put forward a few years ago….meaning Dewan and his people and that incredible essay he wrote about Jeter’s D.

The comment “I dont know any manager who wouldnt want Jeter at SS handling the ball in a playoff game”…

Then…like clockwork…Jeter blows the double play ball. Brilliant.

awesome

nice one Vlad

why couldn’t you do that with runners on base?

I find myself actively rooting for the Slegs

in this game, such is my overwhelming hatred of the Bronx Beetches.

Bad, I know.

I have the same problem in reverse

I actually heard myself saying “Come on, Derek, just a little hit!”.

WHAT HAVE WE BECOME??!??

[[facepalm]]

Whoever loses, the schadenfreude will be sweet

Almost takes the suspense out of the game, actually.

yes, there is the schadenfraude

It’s a toss up: get to peruse the Hieronymous Bosch painting that is Halos Heaven when the Slegs lose a big game, or watching ESPN struggle to find a way to proclaim Derek Jeter the greatest man ever to breathe air even tho the Yankees lost the game.

Same here.

I feel so goddamn dirty, rooting for Slegathor.

ugh this thread is gross

I cannot fathom why A’s fans would hate the Yankees more than the Angels.

I was born and raised in NYC

that’s my only excuse

[[hangs head]]

I don't have any particular reason to hate the Angels

in a field of teams that doesn’t include the A’s. I have every reason to hate the Yankees, and what they stand for, no matter what.

so did I

but I was raised a Mets fan, so I have no problem hating the Yankees.

As baseball fans,

we have a sworn duty to hate on the Yankees at all possible times.

+1110000000000000000000000000000000

well, let's see.

The Yankees represent everything that’s wrong with baseball right now and pretty clearly represent the antithesis to small market. They seem to think that it’s their birthright to sign every big league free agent that comes down the pike. Their salary is regularly three times our salary and has been for a solid 10-12 years now.

Yes. Except you left out "and everything that's wrong with America."

+∞

And rec’d.

when they sign Eric Chavez to a hideous contract,

they eat it and go buy the next available free agent OR talented player from the Kansas City/Pittsburgh two-tiered caste system the Yankees have perpetuated through their greed and avarice. When we sign Eric to the same contract, we pay painfully for three years.

well what about when the Angels owner says outright

“I want my team to be seen like the Yankees, I want to be the Yankees of the west?”

more despicable, imo.

but they aren't yet

they couldn’t resign Tex.

When was this??

He is under the mistaken impression that that is a GOOD thing…

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Uhh, Jeff? WFT was that?

I love small ball.

ARod was obviously not playing way back

or he wouldn’t have almost collided with Rivera. If he’d been conceding a bunt single, then it’s fine. But unless Mathis lays down a perfect bunt, he’s just sacrificing the runner to 2nd with 2 out and Izturis up next. Bizarre.

These fuckheads taking baserunning lessons from the A's?

it's very annoying

is it the cold weather? I want the Angels to play like this, bunting shit up in the air and all this, when we play them.

they've been playing small ball for about seven years now.

You’d think they could lay a bunt down without popping it up twenty feet.

Hi! Good game, huh?

Heart in throat in the bottom of the ninth.

I find myself, after much reflection but now somewhat spontaneously, rooting for the Angels. Not that I care so much who wins, but beating the Yankees is obviously a very difficult thing to do, and I think I would root for anyone to try to win against them. (See my “always root for the underdog” post from a few days ago.)

It was you!

Yes, I like that plan very much.

I'm rooting against both

I cheer when the Yankees are humiliated, and I cheer when the slegnA are humliated.

Can’t lose this way…

That's the spirit!

actually, it's kind of fun

I looked up from the computer screen,

saw an Angel watch a ball drop for a single, and started to cheer inside before realizing my mistake. I’m so conditioned to root against Slegna that I can’t help myself.

Boo.

Grrr... Everyone always pulls off the bag...

Safe at second? What the hell?

That’s right there.

There's the neighborhood play issue again, just like with Ellis towards the end of the season

and here's a nother good reason to hate the Yankees.

Umps on the payroll, along with everyone else?

perhaps not, but WTF?!

WHY on god’s green earth do you wait until the bottom of the 10th to start being a stickler about that?!

He was way closer to the bag than ELlie when he got THAT call from the umps.....

are you serious?? You either have to do it ALL the time or none of the time. Not just when it might be a critical play in a close game…..

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

But honestly

Either give them the ‘in the neighborhood’ play every time or none of the time. None of this ‘well, I won’t call it this time’ crap.

Clearly in the rules.

Not that umps fault that the others dont pay attention. If someone missed homeplate, then everyone would care.

And if they're calling it all night and then don't there?

They weren't.

okay,

then call it in the third when he did the exact same thing. And the fifth, and the sixth and the eighth and the ninth.

right?

According to McCarver, the SS or 2B has been on the bag for every other DP this game.

he's wrong.

He claims that their production people just checked the replays

I mean, someone could be utterly wrong or just lying, but I don’t have the replays in front of me and I wasn’t watching that carefully before, so I can’t say that he’s wrong.

Maybe they’ll show us the replays so we can see for ourselves.

according to McCarver

Rickey Henderson is the 3rd best basestealer of all time behind Lou Brock and… Carl Crawford.

If my life depended on the veracity of the statements of Tim McCarver, I would have died years ago watching him attempting to call the Mets games for WOR-TV in 1986

I didn't think I'd ever say this...but I love you.

awwwwwz

yer not so bad yerself, Bloom [[hug]]

I hate McCarver too

but read my comment above.

good points

missed most the game. however, it is the rule. whatever discretion the umpire uses is in question.

Here's the reason for the neighborhood play

Runners are allowed to attack the player turning the DP — essentially, to try to break his legs by barreling into him. As long as a runner slides in such a way that some part of his body can touch the bag, umps have no problem.

If you’re going to let runners do that, you need to let SSs and 2Bs protect themselves by staying a short way off the bag. The only alternative is to have 2Bs start throwing the ball as hard as they can right in the face of a runner or 2 to deter them. Which seems like an undesirable outcome.

But he stood behind the bag.

Right. He's behind the bag, where he has more time to get out of Cabrera's way when he tries to take him out with a hard slide

With his feet spread wider than the base itself, it’s much harder for a hard slide to hit him squarely in the leg and destroy his knee.

So he was right near the bag

His footwork was off and timing was off. Better off sliding out but he milked the time he had to make the throw.

Infielders do this ALL the time and you only ever see it called out a small fraction of the time

I don’t like the neighborhood rule but I understand it’s allowed as a way of protecting the infielder a little bit from a hard slide.

The problem is when the umpire chooses not to allow it.

I’ve been taken out plenty of times, but I take it to make a solid throw. Aybar had plenty of time to slide out, step on the bag and move back or even step through the bag and jump after throwing.

And btw, umps never ever call the rule for a slide that cant touch 2nd. I’ve had my share of arguments on that.

I've seen the slide called

at least a half dozen times in the last 10+ years.

I've seen it called as well, definitely

That is not very good.

Reminds me of Kendall’s dirty slides. Spikes up, legs up.

Yankees get it handed to them on a neighborhood play?

In the playoffs?

This is sad.

"It's not a call on which a game of this importance should turn."

I love listening to the radio announcers.

Sorry

But if you NEVER touch the base, you should never get the out. You have to at least prove that you can be touching the base before the neighborhood play should be given. That’s assuming you believe it should ever be given, which I don’t, but you still need to touch the base.

just be consistent with the call.

He was

In the other chances, he did actually touch the base. Dumbass even confirmed it.

you and I are watching different games, then.

I don't particularly care either way

But my personal feeling is, yes, be consistent. But if the SS doesn’t touch the base to prove the point, before playing off the bag, really, what possible argument does he have? Oh, I was “close enough”. To me, that’s just lazy. You don’t have to stand there like a dope and take it in the back from the runner, but you do have to put in the effort.

Okay

Then make the point in the first or second inning, not the bottom of the 9th of a tie game.

You're assuming that he never touch the bag on those plays too.

I'm not just talking about this game, though

It’s in general. Basically the neighborhood play leaves too much leeway in the eyes of the umpire to decide whether or not he’s close enough, with his judgment the only real factor. Is a foot enough for one? Half a foot for another?

Oh absolutely

I get the rule, but I hate it too. It shouldn’t be a discretion call, but an actual, spelled out rule IF they’re actually going to allow it. But they shouldn’t. They don’t do anything like that for a catcher. They don’t do it in any form to protect the runner either. It’s an at-risk play.

I hate the fact that Joe Buck and McCarver are on my side,

that I’m thinking of admitting I’m wrong and joining DMOAS and Nick on this one.

lol

Scary isn’t?

Yeah, it does kind of leave one feeling filthy

(Bottom of the 10th in this case)

It's kind of like a referee making a statement in a game (like soccer) to be sure the teams

play cleanly. Games have a way of getting out of hand if the tone is not set early (see also substitute teacher).

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

OK that's enough of those analogies, young lady.

But I thought McCarver is never right about anything

McCarver no

But their crew is the one who actually re-watched it.

I'd like to see the replays of the rest first

Oh, me too.

If they can pull them up AND spend countless minutes over judging the umpire’s “wrong” calls in super dooper slow-mo. Then they sure as hell better prove the point when the umps are correct. Plus it makes for a better viewing experience.

I'd like to see it because I didn't see all of the others

yup.

and not trust the Fox “crew” who may have a rooting interest.

They'd better watch out for the internet people who like to put shit like that on the interwebs.

Oh my, Johnny Damon.

That was horrible.

Sweet! Pop ups rule!

Tex for all the marbles

one of the toughest outs alive, yikes.

omgihatethemotherf'ingyankees

just had to get that off my chest

I'll take

“What are things I say everytime I see the Yankees for $200, Alex.”

Is it the camera or is it pouring pretty decently out there?

All right, Tex, how about hitting it out of the park here!

OMIGOD I am rooting for Darren Oliver

what have I become???

If K-Rod was still with the team,

I’d truly be at a loss.

if he was

I couldn’t do it, not even with the poor dead kid Adenhart and that whole thing.

a Yankee hater

just like me.

yep

I grew up in Queens a Met fan, my only hope of an excuse.

To me, the reason it was a bad call at 2B

is underscored by the fact that a good ump is one you don’t notice. If Lane calls the out at 2B, Girardi doesn’t even argue, end of story. The neighborhood exists precisely for DP balls with runners coming in.

yes, I agree

It’s also raining pretty hard, and a collision could really affect the outcome of the series too. I am fine with calling it but you can’t call it in the 10th and not the previous innings.

it would be more fun if that was snow coming down

In related news

the NBA has officially decided to allow travelling.

Intersting that they formalized this...

Does it mean they’ll now allow three steps? That’s not mentioned in the article.

Ha ha, but what is mentioned is this: Walt Frazier says,""Those few years when the Knicks were good [the early 1990s] — that wasn’t pretty basketball."

That was my favorite Knick team. Not so pretty, but they got the job done. Almost.

Yeah -- if the rule says "2 steps" does that REALLY mean 3?

They probably just need to make the court a good deal bigger. Back when they set all the dimensions, players were way smaller than they are now.

Let's hope they can count to 2!!

I can see a Monty Python-ish joke here. And ye shall count to three – neither one nor four….etc

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

NO one expects the Basketball Association!

Our chief weapon is traveling…traveling and dunks…dunks and traveling…

Hahahahahhaha.................

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Good AB there

Now let’s see some Angels small ball.

there you go

now, can you tell them to score

Score, you Angel bastids!

thank you!

Has Hughes pitched yet?

yeah I think he pitched in the 8th, right?

yes

i think

LOL at that being a strike

Does the ump realize how tall Chone is?

I don't know if that's a strike on Randy Johnson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Gaedel

Seriously

LOL at Scioscia mouthing "well shit!" in the dugout.

Dang I missed THAT

had to get my internet up an running again – instead of bogarting my neighbors crappy signal

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Hahaha.

Did they get wise and put a password on it?

Nope I was using it b/c I didn't want to go up in the middle of the exciting part of the game

but I had to anyway. Their signal is terrible and fAdes in and out.

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

0-2 pitch looked borderline to me

Ahem.

I had a good feeling about Chone's prospects there

Also, a not good feeling about Johnny Damon's arm

He makes rubber band arms look like cannons.

Damon's arm

makes the kid who threw out the first pitch from the Cancer Foundation look like Roberto Clemente.

Damon's arm makes Barry Bonds look like he has a cannon

Damon's arm is so unthreatening it makes Ronald McDonald look like John Wayne Gacy.

Wayne Brady makes Bryant Gumbel look like Malcolm X

is Wayne Brady gonna have to choke a bitch?

That was a legendary skit for very, very good reason.

I love Wayne Brady.

Everything about that skit was awesome

maybe

the best 9 minutes of TV comedy in this decade.

Damon's arm is so weak

That when he warms up between innings, he can’t reach the guy in the bullpen so he has to throw the ball back and forth to himself.

At home

he has the fans help by throwing it for him. Occasionally it’s embarrassing since he sometimes can’t get it over the wall.

FIGGINS

that was SO THOROUGHLY panther I cannot tell you.

need some panties on that panther pronto

I don't think he actually touched home plate.

He was in the vicinity

He was in the neighborhood

lol

Neighborhood run then.....

Let’s get a petition going to change the rules

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

You know, the equivalent at the plate

might be the catcher holding the ball with his bare hand inside his mitt, and tagging a runner with his mitt. Technically, I’m not sure that’s a legitimate tag, but nobody bothers about it. And that’s not even a safety issue.

Yeah, here's the definition of a "tag"

A TAG is the action of a fielder in touching a base with his body while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove; or touching a runner with the ball, or with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove.

The way I see it, if a catcher is holding the ball in his right hand, which is inside his mitt, and touches the runner with the mitt, that’s not a tag. But it’s called a tag, every single time.

Well, the catcher is holding the ball inside the mitt to guard against it being knocked loose on a collision...

…or slide into the glove. There’s definitely a reason for that.

And there's a reason for the 2B not to stand right on the base on a DP

My point is that the neighborhood play isn’t the only situation in which umps don’t follow the rules to the letter of the law. Technically, if you’re holding the ball in your bare hand you need to tag the runner with the bare hand to record an out.

The main issues are predictability and consistency.

How is that not following the description of

“with his hand or glove holding the ball, while holding the ball securely and firmly in his hand or glove”?

I think he's talking about one or the other and not both at once

Because he's not touching the runner

with “his hand or glove holding the ball”. The hand holding the ball is inside the glove, and he’s touching the runner with the glove (which isn’t holding the ball). The rule doesn’t say that’s an out.

But if the hand and the ball are in the glove it's considered together, not separate

I know umps consider it that way

the same way that umps consider being in the neighborhood of 2B on a DP to be an out. But the rule clearly defines a tag as touching a runner with the hand/glove that’s holding the ball (unless there’s some other, special rule for plays at the plate or something, but I haven’t found one like that).

As far as I've understood it there's never been a question about the ball being held with both hands

The contact is being made with both hands and the ball secured in them. No real question about that.

I'm not talking about holding the ball in the mitt

and putting your bare hand on the ball. I’m talking about actually holding the ball with the bare hand, and cradling that hand in the catcher’s mitt, which also happens. And technically, according to this rule, that’s just not a legal tag.

I can't say I've seen any plays close enough to tell just how often that actually happens

Are you saying the hand holding the ball cradled in the mitt isn’t actually touching the mitt?

Of course it's touching the mitt

but the rule doesn’t mention a Russian doll method of tagging a runner. It’s very, very specific that you have to tag a runner with the hand/glove that is holding the ball. If the glove isn’t holding the ball, you can’t tag with the glove.

But the glove IS holding the ball AND the hand.

The glove is not holding or controlling the ball

The glove/mitt isn’t securing the ball — it’s shielding the hand (which is holding the ball) so that the collision with the runner doesn’t knock the ball loose.

If the glove is controlling the hand controlling the ball

the glove is logically controlling the ball. If, in this position, your glove moves one way, both the hand AND the ball move that way too.

But there are instances probably when the ball is in the hand NOT in the mitt

and then the tag would ahve to be with the bare hand – right?

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Yep

If the ball is held by the bare hand inside the mitt, it is not in question as to whether it’s an out or not.

If it’s not a force play you can’t tag someone with an empty mitt while holding the ball in your bare hand.

Here’s an example of the latter:

Incidentally, I took this one of the same play:

lol

That’s really bad if he actually thought he was making the play.

What's even better is Art Howe argued the call

But it was right after the play and I’m sure he was convinced by his catcher (Vance Wilson if I remember right) that it was a tag.

If the ball is in the hand but the hand is not in the glove

you have to tag with the hand, not the glove.

TY - just wanted to be sure I was interpreting the discussion correctly

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Okay, then I disagree with your interpretation of the rule

Because if the one you’re going by is what you quoted a few comments up, it does not make clear that you can’t tag someone with the ball in both your hand and the glove together. It seems like you’re reading it like it has to be with either the glove or the hand, but not both. I don’t think that’s the rule unless there’s something I’m missing.

Here's an okay example

If the catcher here end up tagging the runner with his right hand, it’s an out.

If he tags the runner with just the (empty) mitt, it’s not a tag.

But if he puts his right hand (holding the ball) inside the mitt, and makes a two-handed “tag” before the runner touches home, the ump will call him out.

And I’m saying the rule technically says that that’s not a tag, because the right hand is the one that’s actually holding the ball.

I can see where that could open it up to some questioning

That’s a lunging tag and could result in not keeping both hands firmly together compared to a bracing type of tag where you’re holding your position.

Or are you talking about the hand around the ball and the hand basically punched into the pocket of the mitt?

Because that’s a legal play as far as I understand it.

Yes, that's what I'm talking about

And my point is that a) everyone knows that that’s a legitimate tag, and no runner or manager would argue about that; and b) according to the rule itself, it’s actually not a tag.

That’s why I said that this was the home-plate equivalent of the neighborhood play — it doesn’t follow the letter of the rules, but everyone accepts that it’s legit.

Even being held by the hand

the ball is touching the glove, it’s a case of within, within.

If it's held in the mitt it should be legit.

I actually saw a game between the Mets and Royals in KC end on a play similar to that where the catcher had the ball in his bare hand, tagged the runner with the empty mitt (runner may have been safe anyway) and it was called safe. Right away I knew it wasn’t a legal tag but it seemed the catcher didn’t understand it.

As long as the ball is firmly in the glove while the tag is made

even if it’s being secured even firmerly by the hand, to me that’s a tag. It’s technically within the confines of the glove. The whole empty glove thing, if you play baseball you really should know better.

Agreed

And if you play baseball you also know

that being close to 2B counts on a DP, too.

I've found in playing baseball

that it’s the umpire’s discretion for the neighborhood play and you’d better touch the stupid base.

Today's call was different from the neighborhood play

Aybar never touched the bag to begin with

I'll laugh if Hunter homers

too bad he didn't

because then I would be playing video games right now instead of watching this.

You could be playing video games though

I would miss you guys too much

I ♥ this

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Aww.

it feels really wrong cheering for the angels

i’ll need to take a shower after this game

This is why I wanted Fuentes for the 9th

Just get past Rivera and the Angels have a good shot.

but Jepsen got them out

and now the Slegs have Fuentes for the last inning, no?

you really want Fuentes out there?

against Arod

good call

Shark Man - October 17, 2009 reply

Yup -- it works out well for the Angels,

but only because the winning run got to 3B, not home, in that inning.

yes it barely worked out, but it did

not that I am Mr.Faith-and-Assurance in Fuentes anyway, he isn’t all that awesome, IMO.

yankees fans still cheering

impressive. it helps know their offense is good but still.

Note -- coming up for the Yankees it's

A-Rod
~~Matsui~~ Guzman
~~Swisher~~ Gardner

I hate A-Rod

1 more reason to hate the yanks.

I hate Derek Jeter

Reason #2.

That should be #1

Furking slegnA will be extra happy if they win this since they get

to face Andy Pettitte next game which is advantage slegnA

Trainman - October 17, 2009 reply

Come on, A-Rod, just a little poke now, son

ARGH! Stop me!

quiet you!

:-)

like that?

Shark Man - October 17, 2009 reply

That's not a "high strike."

The one to Figgins was.

LOL FUENTES

Exactly

Just imagine how unhappy slegnA fans are now. Think of how pissed off Scoscia is!

think the slegnA miss k-Fraud?

Fuailtes

Groan

Not A-Fraud.

I hate that ballpark and that team

oh jeebus

That porch is so short, my grandma could hit it out of there, oh fuckaliciousness.

OMGIHATETHEMOTHERF'INGYANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I want this ame to be over!

314 ft my a#&

Maybe they'll call it due to rain, soon...

One (ONLY ONE) good thing about that:

People are going to hopefully shut up about A-Rod in October.

Please they won't stop talking about how "clutch" he is in October.

That didn't even look like that good a swing

No, it really didn't. It was pretty poor contact, actually.

You got to hand it to A-Rod. He has the power to fist those over the wall.

314 ft to the wall

Oh geez.

314? Never mind, then.

granted it wasn't hit in the corner

but if it starts that short it makes the rest of the wall closer right? maybe just a sharper angle to CF

In the corner it's 314

or 311. I can’t remember which foul pole is closer.

Yankee Stadium used to be 385 to the RF power alley. I’m not sure what it is now. This season, there’s been some kind of jet stream to RF, though at this time of year the ball isn’t carrying.

They say the dimensions are exactly the same but that jet stream makes it play so much different

I don't think there's a hitters' jet stream

when it’s 42 degrees and raining in October, though.

I don't think it's really weather-related

I mean, this kind of stuff was happening back in April too.

But the ball hasn't been flying out of there this postseason

There were 2 HRs in their first game against the Twins

And 2 more in the second one.

None in the first against the Angels, but 2 more tonight.

is the jet stream warm air only?

or is it just the way the wind blows and travels through the ballpark?

The latter in this case

gameday says

314 RF (385 PA)
318 LF (399 PA)

And he didn't hit it down the line

To get from 314 to 385 in the power alley, it’s getting deeper at a pretty fast rate. That wasn’t like hitting the Pesky Pole in Fenway.

The power alleys in the Coliseum are nearly 20 feet closer to the plate (367, IIRC), though the wall is higher, of course.

yeah

I said something to that fact later on above. It still looks a lot closer on the gameday picture.

Pretty much every other ballpark, that's a routine out

if the Sleggles lose this game

Halos Heaven is gonna be something else tonight, oh man to see the inner TV screen of Rev Halofan right now, OMFG.

I think I've already seen that ball go over the wall a dozen times

what a joke

I hate this team

Folks, ARod is exactly who should hit that HR

For years and years Yankee fans have been pissing and moaning about how ARod “isn’t a True Yankee” and how he’s a choker and isn’t worthy to hold Jeter’s jock, blah blah blah.

Nothing will be funnier than hearing those same idiots talk about what a clutch player he is.

isnt that the 2nd game trying HR this postseason?

Yup

of Nathan with Tex on 1st. #2 tonight.

I think it would be more enjoyable to listen to them continue to bitch

And getting to rub it in Angels fans' faces.

“You got destroyed by…mr. shitty october?!”

Yep. This is a perfect scenario for me.

1. The Yankees don’t deserve Alex Rodriguez.

2. The game is lasting longer and longer and both teams will be tired.

mikev - October 17, 2009 reply

they're gonna reply that cheap piece of shite HR

like it was 500 feet for the rest of time, OMG come on Angels come back and win!!!

Did I just say that? OMG I feel like American Werewolf In London, aaaaarrrrrrrghhhhh run away!!!!!

Yeah, this is tough...

… it’s ok to root against the Yanks, but to have to root THIS DAMN HARD is pretty tough, against the grain.

ESPN is loving this crap

it's tied??? good gravy

That ultra-high FPS shot from the side with the rain slowly falling down

is actually pretty cool, FOX.

agreed

Fuentes had to know the Yankees had two pinch runners

batting after a homerun king. And he throws a high fastball 0-2? Unreal.

Can't believe he didn't at least try to throw junk one or two pitches and get him to chase

he has a good (at least it looked OK to the next batter) curveball

where was that? Pitch calling FAIL by catcher?

He has a very good changeup, which is what Guzman kept flailing at

just visited Halos Heaven

and if you had a dime for every “FUCK” you could buy the internet.

what's happening on the yankees site?

That's a lot of dimes.

Just one for me thx.

mikev - October 17, 2009 reply

Or in real life, I could have a stick of gum.

A-Fraud error coming up

I guess not

That was a very nice slider.

I wonder how much farther ARod can throw the ball than AK

100 feet? 150?

I'd say 75.

"Jeter made a routine play look tough."

“Jeter made a routine play look tough.”
“Jeter made a routine play look tough.”
“Jeter made a routine play look tough.”
“Jeter made a routine play look tough.”
“Jeter made a routine play look tough.”

He would be a great 2b.

"Jeter made a tough play look routine."

I think that’s what I’m used to.

Here comes Johnny Mathis

poor Angel fans, imagine if this guy was your backup catcher.
Thank the Lord for Landon Powell.

He looks good in...that color..

and he wears a silly grin

That iPhone commercial just made me realize that Dana Carvey is still alive.

Huh.

JOn Miller just said

that the Yannkees are down to starters and… wait for it…

Chad Gaudin!

Chad!!!

He looks so lonely in there.

the yankees have a heated waiting area for the bullpen?

that is weak sauce. (I’m sure the opposing team has the same room?)

yes

except it’s the bathroom behind section 132, where Mick the Prick’s season tickets are.

are you calling me a prick?

;-)

no this is another Mick

he sits next to Guido the Loon in section 132 there.

only AC

it is still warmer than being outside

but having AC seems almost worse to me (in the summer).

reason #3 to hate them

Yankee fans

SHUT UP. That ball was way outside.

Gary Matthews, Jr is SO GOOD AT BASEBALL.

well does get paid alot to play

I laugh every time I see that contract.

Five years, $50MM.

prays that the Angels get through this inning

just so we can behold Chad Gaudin in the next one.

I'm guessing Robertson gets another inning before they'd consider Chad

They totally wish they had Dan Giese back right now

good thing the Angels don't have him

otherwise the game would be over on a walk off HR.

I'll bet the Angels wished they have Gio Gonzalez.

He could pitch 140 pitches from the 10th inning all the way to the 12th.

What a shock

He was in AAA the following Monday after that Seattle game

hishnik - October 17, 2009 reply

I'm surprised he wasn't in the emergency room.

That would be a nice bonus

CGI pandas.

Um…huh.

McCarver came so close to an on-air nose pick right there

he was in the neighborhood, definitely

Heh heh heh

Teehee.

he said he was out in the hall too, talking to some guys

heck, he wast taking a whiz.

this is the wrong buck

wow so Ervin Santana

too bad the Yankees aren’t us, he could get 54 outs in a row.

Angels don't call the ball.....that would have been a tough one to get.

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

oh noes

more classic “I got it! You take it!” crappy D from the Slegs, yucks.

Looked like Izturis could have been there.

Instead, Abreu came streaking out of nowhere, not in time.

I want pie too.

or cheescake

yum

dp please

DP or just hit Jeter

Either is acceptable.

Dropping the DP ball, however, is not

omgihatederekjeter!

Angels D sucks

WTFWTFWTFWTF

is it with Izturis and this weird, uncharacteristic Sleg defense, is it cuz it’s wet and cold and they miss their warm snuggly Orange County?

Weird, uncharacteristic...?

Huh?

they usually play tighter, more intense D than this

these 2 games they’ve looked like another team, another all-bundled-up team so I wonder if it’s the weather.

I'm trying to imagine a Sleg defense that DIDN'T suck.

I got nothing.

it isn't this bad

I mean they’ve dropped ball after ball and we haven’t even seen Howie Kendrick yet LOLOL

Damon is starting to look like lil' Babe Ruth

It would be funny for the game to end on a balk

Uh-Oh looking like bases will be loaded soon.....

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Please get A-Fraud out

this is going to suck

Strikeout

He’s not THAT clutch in October yet.

Or a popout

Wow - we just got the "THIS is serious" look from A-Rod

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

THIS is beyond baseball.

Where'd they come up with that?

wonder how much they paid for the campaign……if it WAS beyond baseball – I think the series would be easy ivey over?

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

A-Rod sucks in the clutch.

Why is he even on the postseason roster?

LOL

I bet there are a million Yankee fans who’ve already said that.

Cuz it comes free with his gigantic salary

That's the A-Fraud I know and loathe

An A-Fail

from A-Rod!

YAY

no cheap HR yer granny coulda hit there.

If Nico was dead, he would've rolled over in his grave with that walk.

capper3 - October 17, 2009 reply

Why yes, you're right! (See below)

Wow -- I did not agree with the "intentional" (oh come on, it was) walk,

but glad it worked out.

lots of humiliation for both teams

gotta love it

I was just about to say I was still hoping for a Yankee error

Now I just need to result in an Angels run.

Ok, this is totally insane...

5 hours, freezing cold, 13th inning, almost 1 a.m. in NY. These are not optimal conditions, it just doesn’t seem fair1

Guerrero is like 38 years old. Old guys like us, you know, we can like get pneumonia and die. Not fair.

where do those douchebags get taco bell in the middle of texas

and then WAIT to eat them when they stop on the side of the road.

CANO-E!

Great Yankee "up the middle" defense today.

Jeter

made a hard routine play look difficult yet easily routine earlier, dunno if you saw that.

It’ll be on ESPN later if you did, over and over again.

Oh is it BB opposite day?

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

It was raining pretty hard.

Tim McCarver said “Jeter made a routine play look hard!” as if it was some big “whoa” thing or something.

Robinson Can't-O!

Thanks Cano

you moron.

Trainman - October 17, 2009 reply

Chad Gaudin is the last man standing

it would be funny and painful

if the Angels scored 1 run and then the Yanks tied it in the bottom of the ing for more extras.

would Bud S call the game if they run out of pitchers??

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

no way

I wanna see Swish in there!!!

Oh yeah........I forgot about that.

I think someone foretold of that on a thread recently

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

was Gaudin on the A's at one point?

not only was he an A

he lived in Jack London Square, how Oakland is that?

in one of those condos?

yes

Hey, Andrew Brown

used to take BART to work.

who's andrew brown?

Huston chess partner

YEs

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

Posada was lucky that ball didn't get through

Night in the Ruts

doctorK - October 17, 2009 reply

the doc, always good for a subtle Aerosmith reference

Did Tim Mc just say

“if Gaudin comes in tonight he will probably start tomorrow”?

If it got postponed after he started pitching

Ah

that makes sense now.

I thought that's what I heard...but I didn;t know who he was talking about

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

More Jeter-swooning

doctorK - October 17, 2009 reply

Derek Jeter sees all!

I hate these announcers.

Yeah.....he's seein' things

hallucinating lines on the field……he needs some meds.

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

did you hear after Jeter's HR

when tim Mccarver said that people who said jeter was bad at defense were in hiding now because he is so good.

BuckCarver

Shut up about Jeter! Jeebus. It was a routine play.

to them

Jeter=Jeebus

God's Puppy

come on Vlad

pretend your knees aren’t those of a 97-year old man.

It's painful to watch him

you suck Vlad!

he is done

a steep decline, precipitous and irrevocable.

I feel bad for him

He used to be a monster.

Anybody know if the AL curfew rule is in effect?

No new innings after 1:00am.

doctorK - October 17, 2009 reply

It's just that time - I guess we'll see!

haven’t heard anybody say anything about that

BERRYJO - October 17, 2009 reply

it's good to see that none of you have man crushes on jeter

he is a good baseball player

quiet you

;-)

my video game playing time window is closing

my wife will be home soon. I’m ready for the game to be over, score Angels!

NEW THREAD OPEN

Here