EVIL~! alkeiper

You would if you were evil and got to abuse your modding powers on a messageboard.

A couple notes. One, the game was already delayed 90 minutes by rain before it started. The third inning saw a 41 minute rain delay. It was Howard Johnson who hit the home run in the 13th inning for the Mets, and Terry Harper hit one in the bottom of the 13th for the Braves. The game ended a little after 3am, after which the Atlanta Braves proceeded with the planned post-game fireworks. The neighborhood was not very happy with that one.

The Sox needed 98 wins because the Yankees collected 101. 93 wins is usually a good expected dividing line between the postseason and going home.

Ok, It is Branyan, with an N. The next person to say "Brayan" is getting suspended for a day.

Want Jose Offerman? It's depressing to see a team's plan for the ninth inning include letting both Tomas Perez and Jose Offerman hit. Especially when Jason Michaels, Ryan Howard and Mike Lieberthal are on the bench. How much longer before the Phillies realize Offerman is washed up?

Victorino's doing well and all, but it is still very early to know for sure how good he can be. He looked god-awful on Monday when I saw him last, but he did well yesterday. And Cartman, Shoppach is indeed good. Since the Sox have Varitek, I've been dreaming up trade scenarios to get him to Philly.

Who doesn't get clutch late inning hits now?

I'm actually attending the game myself. Just keeping an eye out if any fellow TSMers would be around.

As an aside, are any Phillie fans on this board attending tomorrow's game?

Cheered. The Philly fans always loved Schilling.

They're wrong all the time. The Yankees pitching sucked last year despite great peripherals.

Honestly, there is not that much bitching from Perez. Yes, he is dissatisfied about the lack of playing time, but what player is not? It is not like he pulled a Derek Bell and announced "Operation Shutdown." And I think a manager needs to make decisions regardless of what shows up in the papers. Without that article, Perez still starts today. And while we're talking Phillies, I love the latest promotional technique. Announce all three games against the Red Sox are "sold out," and then continue to offer tickets in a package that requires you to buy tickets to six other games.

The pitching blew up, and by the time it was close, the Mariners had already taken Ichiro, Olerud and Edgar Martinez out of the game.

Wasn't that the Lewis/Akinwande fight? Akinwande never fought Michael Grant. And if you think that's bad, apparently Akinwande is still fighting, and scheduled to face a 7' Russian named Nicolay Valuev in July. I've heard of Valuev many years ago in the last 90s, but he has yet to face a name opponent, and is now 40-0. As for a boxer, how about Shane Mosley? He looked like a possible great before losing twice to both Vernon Forrest and Winky Wright.

With a lefty pitching for the Brewers and a groundball pitcher on the mound for the Phillies, Polanco should be starting anyway. And of course, he rewards the decision with a solo HR. Pratt starts at catcher because Lieberthal caught last night at eight, just thirteen hours ago. It is customary to use your backup catcher in a day game following a night game. That leaves Utley, Perez, Offerman, and Ryan Howard. And Perez has the best statistics against lefties of that group. Of course, we could always get creative and play Jason Michaels at first, but I guess that kind of outside the box thinking is why I'm not a manager.

Don't listen to what Manuel says in this situation. He needs to keep Perez comfortable and appease the media. I would worry that Ryan Howard is going to sit on the bench if he does not start hitting soon. I just wish the Phillies would realize Todd Pratt is their best 1B option against lefties.

Of note to Sox fans, I'm going up to see Pawtucket play the Red Barons tonight. Abe Alvarez is the Red Sox's scheduled starter.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B06080PHI1989.htm The Phillies give up a ten spot to the Pirates in the first inning, and come back to win. Steve Jeltz, with a career total of two home runs in 1,452 at bats, homers from both sides of the plate.

Ozzie was never any good, really. People who though he was any kind of prospect were just fooling themselves.

From ESPN.com.... The way this team is going, the best position the Royals could offer is starting catcher.

Ramon Martinez? He won 123 games for the Dodgers! Pedro Astacio had very unimpressive peripherals in the Dodgers' farm system, and I am surprised he turned out as good as he did. Offerman I could see. In fact, for most of the baseball players mentioned in this thread, I haven't seen high prospects for any of them, save Rafael Soriano. And Rsssh, I'm surprised you didn't mention Ryan Anderson.

It's not like that. If Giambi goes to AAA, the Yankees save money they would had paid to Major League Baseball, via the luxury tax. Giambi is paid the same either way. I think he means it in the way that, it will show Giambi will NOT go down to AAA and improve, and that he'd rather sit on the bench, serve no use and collect the same $. I don't think that's entirely fair. There's a world of difference between AAA and the Majors and besides, it is obvious that this move is little more than a cost cutting measure for the Yankees. Right now Giambi is 7th on the Yankees in OPS, ahead of Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, John Flaherty, Tony Womack, Robinson Cano, Bernie Williams, Andy Phillips, and Bubba Crosby, all of whom do not seem to need to go to Columbus to work on their hitting. Giambi is also second on the club in OBP, behind only Derek Jeter and Rey Sanchez (16 at bats).

It's not like that. If Giambi goes to AAA, the Yankees save money they would had paid to Major League Baseball, via the luxury tax. Giambi is paid the same either way.

ESPN.com They would save money. Fair enough. That's downright scary that they would save around $5 million just in the luxury tax.

Read that in an article about the whole situation on espn.com. I didn't know that. The anti-Yankee in me hopes he refuses to let them option him, especially because it would save them money, and I want them to have to eat every penny of that contract. I could be wrong, but the Yankees would not save money by optioning Giambi to AAA. They would simply gain use of the roster spot.