EVIL~! alkeiper

I find that I avoid lines at the doctor's by scheduling my appointment between 8-9 am. Do your shit while every other lazy asshole is still in bed. Same principle works for Walmart and other stores. Little wait, few rif-raff, no hassle.

Seven instances in 21 at bats. Only two batters got three balls on him, and one of those was a four pitch walk. If you put stock in strikeouts swinging versus missing, all seven Ks were swinging strikeouts.

Alberto Gonzalez got pulled in the seventh inning tonight, often that's a precursor to a call-up. Wonder if Derek Jeter is DL bound. For Reds fans, Homer Bailey looked impressive at times tonight. He struck out seven, hitting 95 mph on his fastball at his best.

He did. I'm glad the O's are starting off well actually. They are a sentimental favorite being somewhat within range yet small market. And almost no city can claim a better heritage of baseball.

The Mets picked right up on last year's ineptitude, turning a double play ball into a two-run error.

Agreed. It's quite a sight out there.

The 8pm Sunday Night start time is static. If a west coast team plays that game, it's 5pm PT, or 6pm MT. The only thing that irks me with Yankee national coverage is that I already have the YES Network. The ESPN game is blacked out, so I end up receiving fewer national games overall as a result.

Agreed.

Another year of baseball is finally here. Who cares if it is too cold to reasonably enjoy the game? April 1, Lehigh Valley @ Reading (exhibition) A cold front threatened this game. While every place in eastern PA got drenched, the rain somehow avoided Reading entirely. We were treated to a 66 degree gametime temperature, fantastic conditions. This game pit the Phillies' top two minor league affiliates against each other to benefit Baseballtown charities. I can not stress enough how terrific a place First Energy Stadium is. The staff puts together a tremendous gameday experience, prices are good, concessions are reasonable. Plus, you can see Jason Donald take a wizz in the dugout! Lehigh Valley won 6-2. April 3-5, Lehigh Valley @ Scranton/Wilkes-Barre The first official games for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. Less said about the games, the better. As much as Reading puts into their gameday experience, Scranton does the opposite. No promotions, no excitement, barely any information for the fans. And that nice weather? Gone. Saturday was particularly fun. Afternoon game, bound to be a bit warm, right? 41 f'n degrees. And my dumb ass brought a short sleeve shirt. Put on a brave face though. Considered a sweater at the gift shop, but if someone bet me I couldn't make it through the game for $38, I'd take the bet. Next week: Three games at Scranton, against the Louisville Bats.

I just finished up Joe Posnanski's "The Soul of Baseball," his book about traveling with Buck O'Neil. Absolutely splendid, probably the best new baseball book I have read in the last two years.

The Film Room stuff with Brisco is very good. You get a match with Dory Jr., a tag match with Dory Sr. and Paul Jones, and a match against Johnny Valentine.

I don't. Believe me, Chris had very little resembling a career.

Basically he was the youngest brother of Kerry, Kevin Von Erich. He was only about 5'3", had the least athletic ability of the bunch but also the most desire to be a professional wrestler. He had a brief career, was really unable to be a pro wrestler. He was only 21 when he committed suicide.

From 1956 on, the most was Jim Maloney of the Reds walking ten while no-hitting the Cubs. Maloney needed to pitch ten innings to get that one.

Well, in fairness Bourn is crazy fast.

What ground can you add to the Benoit story that has not already been covered?

Bob Brenly just claimed that at a game in Candlestick Park, they had to use two pitchers in the outfield. I'm curious to see if this is the case (during Brenly's playing career). Brenly is spot on. Here is the game. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SF...198609280.shtml

Starrcade had attempted the two arena concept first in 1985. Remember the primary source of national viewers in the era was still closed circuit television. Fans would come to the arenas both for live matches, and to see the other arena's matches on closed circuit. I think WWE in using three arenas was simply trying to one-up Jim Crockett. With Pay-Per-View, you need a full card of live matches to draw fans into the building. I don't think you can entice them with 2/3rds of a card on a big screen.

Nope, never happened to me.

Why don't you often see teams move a pitcher to the field and back? There are a couple of problems with the move, one being that you have to take a hitter out of the lineup to do it. Since it is a corner outfielder, it is usually a good hitter. Second, teams carry five man benches, and seven man bullpens. In that scenario, pitchers are much more expendable than hitters. Heck, Charlie Manuel NOW can't get through a nine inning game without burning his bench.

I haven't been able to get into MLS on a meaningful level. With a team moving into Philadelphia in 2010, that will certainly change. It's a couple years off, but I can't wait to check it out.

One more, Les Lancaster. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CH...199006131.shtml

It's worth mentioning that it occurred due to necessity. The Mets had several players ejected and were out of position players.

Let me see if I can find some examples. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BO...199307150.shtml Jeff Nelson pitches, moves to LF and then pitches again. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/LA...199110010.shtml Roger McDowell pulls the trick for the LA Dodgers.

IronPigs laid an egg tonight, one hit all night in a 4-0 loss. I did get to meet the Phillies' president David Montgomery briefly. Very pleasant individual.