EVIL~! alkeiper

Citizens Bank Park is the only MLB park I've been to more than once. Minor league parks tend not to be terribly exotic in their fare. I love the food in Philly, lots of options and most of it is good. Only problem is that their concourses get much too crowded, they are slender and they put carts on the side in many spots, creating logjams. I can't judge any other park really since I've only had 1-2 menu items.

I honestly agree with the author. I think there's a difference between an authentic cheesesteak and something mass-produced for foodservice at a ballpark. In the main article though, the author mentions the "Schmitter" sandwich, which I wholeheartedly recommend.

The NY Times looks at ballpark food. Check out the entry for the Chicago White Sox. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/06...RK_GRAPHIC.html

Miami leads Arizona 11-7 in the 6th on ESPN. Miami needs to win to force game three, a loss would send the #1 nationally ranked team home.

Cantu isn't that impressive overall. He has pop but he's a hacker, and his defense is below-average. Joey Votto is hitting lefties fine this season, so no big loss to not have a platoon partner. As for the vs. team splits, they are free at Baseball-reference.com, and you can look them up either by year or by career. Your memory is faulty, Cantu did not hit a home run at all in the earlier series. Cody Ross hit two home runs in that series though, and he was briefly a Red.

That loss must have been a punch in the gut to Braves fans. Between the Phillies' tying run scoring on an error and the Braves' tying run getting thrown out at the plate. The Phillies increased their division lead to 3.5 games, the biggest lead they have enjoyed in seven years.

Sting vs. Cactus Jack - Beach Blast '92

I don't really have time to find pictures. Ricky Steamboat & Jay Youngblood vs. Sgt. Slaughter & Don Kernodle - Cage Match for the Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship. March 1983. A runner-up for PWI match of the year, and a fantastic battle.

Day two of the MLB draft is ongoing. You can listen or follow the draft tracker at MLB.com. XM Radio has the live feed on channel 188.

Five rounds of the draft are done. Here are draftees in the Super Regionals, sorted by MLB team. Reds: Yonder Alonso (1B/Miami) White Sox: Gordon Beckham (SS/Georgia), Kenneth Williams (CF/Wichita St.) A's: Jemile Weeks (2B/Miami), Preston Paramore (C/Arizona St.), Anthony Capra (LHP/Wichita St.) Mariners: Joshua Fields (RP/Georgia), Dennis Raben (RF/Miami) Tigers: Ryan Perry (RHP/Arizona) D'backs: Daniel Schlereth (LHP/Arizona) Twins: Carlos Gutierrez (RHP/Miami) Padres: Blake Tekotte (CF/Miami), Jason Kipnis (CF/Arizona St.) Astros: Thomas Steele (CF/Arizona), Jason Castro (C/Stanford) Cardinals: Scott Gorgen (RHP/UC Irvine), Brett Wallace (3B/Arizona St.) Blue Jays: Robert Sobolewski (3B/Miami) Mets: Issac Davis (1B/Arizona St.), Charles Doyle (C/Coastal Carolina), Sean Ratliff (CF/Stanford) Rockies: Kiel Roling (C/Arizona St.) Marlins: Peter Andrelczyk (RHP/Coastal Carolina) Giants: Buster Posey (C/Florida St.), Conor Gillaspie (3B/Wichita St.) Pirates: Tanner Scheppers (RHP/Fresno St.), Justin Wilson (LHP/Fresno St.) Dodgers: Anthony Delmonico (SS/Florida St) Yankees: Jeremy Bleich (LHP/Stanford) Indians: Robert Phelps (2B/Stanford) Red Sox: Bryan Price (RHP/Rice) Brewers: Jose Duran (SS/Texas A&M) Cubs: Aaron Shafer (RHP/Wichita St.)

Oddly, it took Blue Ridge Cable two days to update the system.

Ok, what the heck is the point in pulling the double-switch to get the platoon switch with the other team's CLOSER at the plate?

I don't think walking hitters is going to win anything. The guy's slugging under .400, you've got to challenge him.

I don't know if it's worth starting a new thread for the MLB draft, which kicks off at 2pm tomorrow afternoon. The draft is interesting because several of the players are still active in the college postseason. I'll try and put together a list together Friday morning of draftees in the Super Regionals and their respective teams.

The Phillies are up 2.5 games on the east. The last time they were so far in front was July 5, 2004.

This is the one Benoit match I might have taken. It's got some historical intrigue as well as being a great match.

Great to see Dan Giese pitch well tonight, even if for the Yankees. The guy pitched extremely well in AAA his entire career, he deserves an opportunity. Note for Yankee fans, at least they didn't lose it in the eighth inning!

The game was tied. Joba has only come into a tie game twice this season. The Yankees had seven games where they were tied in the eighth coming into last night, so the other five times a different pitcher got the ball.

Yunel Escobar with a home run to win the game. Marlins drop to 1.5 back of the Phils.

The Marlins had a shot to put away the Braves, but lost the lead on a wild pitch in the ninth with two outs. Both teams are blowing opportunities.

Since I may not get a chance tomorrow, there are rumors the Yankees will call up Dan Giese to their bullpen. Giese is 4-2 this season with a 1.98 ERA, 51 K's and 14 BBs in 59 innings. He doesn't have great stuff but he throws strikes and makes the offense beat him.

Holy shit, Chris Snelling came off the disabled list!

Shea Stadium!

Gary Majewski now coming in for the Reds with the bases loaded. From what I saw in the minors, he's toast.

The Phillies have been white-hot the last week and a half.