Bruiser Chong

Yeah, how's Beckett doing, by the way?

The latter. It's extreme.

Well, I feel I hit a low point today. I got tickets for a game at Wrigley the day they went on sale. After failing to getting any of the marquee match-ups, I opted to pick up three for one against the Mets. As some of you will recall, I went to the Cubs/Indians series a few weeks back (June 19-21). Apparently that was enough to throw me off on when the Cubs/Mets game was, since I'd been telling my two friends it was July 21. I knew they were playing today, but thinking they were at Wrigley next weekend, I figured they had to be in New York THIS weekend. Nu-uh. I turned on the game about an hour into it to see them in Wrigley and to my horror, I realized the game we had tickets for was today. I'm trying to console myself by the fact that they were getting spanked and now they're in a rain delay, but I can't believe nothing tipped me off on the game being today and not next Friday. I'd hate to add up how much I've spent this year on baseball tickets I didn't wind up using.

How did they not plate Martin after he doubled to leadoff? I left while Ramon Martinez was trying to move him over and assumed they'd get him in.

Maybe he should.

TavEras can steal bases and play centerfield. Ensberg can take walks, fly out, and play 3rd base. Unfortunately for Ensberg, Aubrey Huff can also play 3rd base and hit 3-run homers. Mike Lamb can also play 3rd base and hit homers and draw walks. The only reason Taveras is in and Lamb's not is because it's a lefty. Tomorrow there'll be Berkman, Lamb, and Huff in the lineup. I know Ensberg's line looks decent, but it's because he hasn't started back to back games in ages. The only way he's going to get regular playing time is if he learns to play shortstop or centerfield. Damn, I thought I had done well by not spelling it "Tavarez." Mark Teixeira, you glorious son of a bitch. I'd probably be beating myself up if I'd had him benched.

Still no reason Ensberg shouldn't be in there and Tavaras is. Liriano's getting rocked for once.

Rangers have a run, but no hits. Something you don't see too often.

Ponson to the Yanks. Should be interesting. I recall Michael Kay ripping on him constantly when he was with Baltimore.

If this is all it took to snag Kearns, then the Cubs and a few other teams should be kicking themselves right now.

Jesus Christ, the Reds are stupid.

Boo. This can't end well.

I get tired of people defending Ausmus for his defensive credentials. The guy's thrown out a handful of runners this season and the Astros are in the middle of the pack when it comes to ERA. With the starters they have, I think they could upgrade to an offensive catcher and not be all that affected with the pitching.

The antics are understandable. My precious Bruins crashed and burned last year and I felt the same way that Bruiser feels. It's not even because they're a bad team, anymore. It's them starting to resemble the New York Knicks that's irritating.

Gary Gaetti's out as hitting coach for the Astros. Here's an instance of a coach playing the scapegoat role. Is it really his fault Willy Tavarez isn't that good, Craig Biggio continues his decline and the Astros continue to regularly start the offensive black holes known as Adam Everett and Brad Ausmus?

And for reference, the weekly baseball threads have been non-stop Bruiser bitching about the Cubs moreso than any Red Sox fan who happens to bring something up. But I wouldn't expect you to know that. You'd actually need to have a grasp on what you're talking about to know that. That's all quite easy to say when your favorite team's in first place. Have the Sawx go 20 under and see if Red Sox Nation is still so complacent.

It could be read last night without having to register; not sure why it's changed. Ah well. Plaschke just continues to dwell on the trade from 2004 that sent away precious Paul LoDuca. He says the trade took the Dodgers from a powerhouse team to a club that can't even stay in first in a weak division. He adds laughable ideas that the trade also has a correlation with Eric Gagne's career being up in the air. You see, when they sent away Mota in that deal, they traded the gap to Gagne. Gagne became the gap to Gagne! He pitched a horrifying three innings in one game and two+ shortly there after. This extensive abuse surely led to all of the injuries he's had since. Plaschke overlooks what Al pointed out: Gagne pitched as many innings in 2004 as he did in both 2002 and 2003. He still hasn't explained how the Dodgers managed to make the playoffs in 2004, despite trading away LoDuca and that LoDuca didn't help take the Marlins to a postseason in his time there. No one could've helped last year's Dodger team, which was just eaten alive by injuries. The Mets are probably en route to a postseason appearance, which is almost definitely because of LoDuca. It has nothing to do with Glavine, Pedro, Wagner, Delgado, Wright, Reyes or Beltran.

Dusty stays. It's unreal how short-sighted and out of touch this organization is.

Rays should've pulled the trigger two years ago when they could've really gotten something for Huff.

And he doesn't address Mota being awful in the two seasons since he last pitched for the Dodgers.

Bill Plaschke is one of the dumbest mainstream sports writers out there. The never-ending dwelling on LoDuca's alleged value to the Dodgers was annoying, but now the bit about Gagne defies logic.

Buck has that strong announcer's voice. I don't care for the way he's a corporate shill, but the voice makes most things seem important and he isn't afraid to be critical, even if it goes against the grain.

This pitching match-up almost seems like a joke.

I wonder sometimes if moving Zumaya to the closer's role would be a good thing. Eventually it'll be the right move, but I've seen him save so many games in the seventh and eighth inning that if you move him to the ninth, you just give Jonesy a chance to blow it earlier.