vivalaultra

This thread's quickly becoming a cacaphony!

The Decemberists'-"Picaresque" First line: If not for you babe, I couldn't find the door. Last line: Father of whom we most solemnly praise. Edit: And Edwin's gonna scoop me.

The Beatles "Abbey Road" I'll go with an equally pretty easy one. First line: "I won't deny ya, I'm a straight ridah. You don't wanna fuck wit' me." Last line: "Heaven ain't hard to find."

Carlos Lee just knocked a 2-run homerun off of Jorge Julio and then proceeded to ride a stick horse through the dugout. It was great. I love baseball.

So, the shooter was a guy named Cho Seung Hui, a V-Tech senior. He was in a playwriting class. Here is a link with a couple of the plays that he has written. I'm currently reading 'Richard McBeef'! Thanks Cho Seung Hui Plays

Is Encarnacion still benched? What was benched for again? Not running out a popup or something?

OPS? Pshaw! I'm talkin' about intagibles. That Darin Erstad...he's a baseball player, I tells ya. The 'Stros/Fish game just started. Hanley Ramirez led of the game with what shoulda been an easy triple, bounced off the wall in left center, back into left field, Chris Burke had to race to go get it. Hanley decided to ignore the 3rd base coach and try for the inside-the-park-homerun. He was thrown out at home by about 5 steps. That's what ya gotta love about the Marlins...a buncha young guys making heady, jumpy plays but always with the idea that they can do em. It was exciting in any event.

What about intagibles? What about grit and determination? What about heart and what about hustle? What about...Darin Erstad?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I'm not sure if this is a rhetorical question or not, but it's easy to convince someone as long as they have an open mind about the game. Once they get their head around the idea that the goal of baseball is to not get out, it's fairly easy. Eschewing the importance of OBP and SLG opens the entire world of statistical analysis. I agree with the idea that it's important not to make outs, but what about the importance of guys that sacrifice (both bunt and fly) and move runners over with grounders to the right side of the infield? Aren't they also a pretty integral part of the game?

I bet he was swinging at the pitch when it hit him. There's been alot of pretty major injuries so far this year. Couple that with the strange weather and this season's off to a weird-ass start.

Who was a worse racist-Ty Cobb or Cap Anson?

I think one of the reasons that there are fewer minorities in baseball as opposed to basketball or football is because the time it takes to actually get to the major leagues in baseball is infinitely longer than compared to football or basketball. If you're going to be a baseball player and try to make a living doing it, you're gonna have to LOVE it to spend 4 or 5 years or more in the minor leagues before you even get to the point where you're making something close to what a first year NFL or NBA player is making. And with all of this fanfare for Jackie Robinson, I certainly hope that Roberto Clemente gets similar treatment in a few years on the 40th anniversary or his passing. And another thing, if you look at the African-Americans that are in baseball, they're some of the best and most respected players in the game: Dontrelle Willis, Jimmy Rollins, Barry Bonds (for better or for worse), Torii Hunter, etc.

Yeah, I forgot about Lofton and Ellison hasn't been with the Mariners very long so I missed him. Milledge isn't on the 25-man roster, so I didn't count him because the 'Stros have African-Americans in the minors, too. Also, I'm pretty sure the Yankees don't have any African-Americans. Seriously, though, I respect the Hell out of Jackie Robinson and all that he did for the game of baseball and for humanity in general, but it just seems like they're taking this a bit too far, especially with Hank Aaron and Joe Morgan prattling on for 45 minutes about wondering why there aren't more minorities in baseball and how they're going to investigate it and all that. I abhor racism and I also abhor reverse racism. I love baseball, but my game wasn't on today so I'm ornery.

I heard that Joe Morgan, in his commentary, called out the Astros for being the only major league without an African-American player. In my quick research a few minutes, I found that this...is not true. I didn't see an African-Americans on the Mets, Braves, or Rangers. I'm pretty sure the Mariners don't have any, either. I wonder if I just misunderstood Joe Morgan's comment or if he's a moron. Ok, so the 'Stros might mainly just have a buncha whitebread guys on the team, with the exception of Carlos Lee, but, come on...they signed Preston Wilson...and he sucked! That's why he was released. Joe Morgan irks me.

I hear that even though the 'Stros-Phillies were cancelled today, they're still planning on doing the entire team wearing 42 thing when they make up their game in a few weeks. They should just have everybody permanently wear 42 for every game all year long.

To be different, I'll say Clint Hurdle, but that won't happen. So...yeah, Ol' Charlie.

Actually, that quote, though attributed to Twain, is not authenticated. It's origins are sketchy. No one knows for sure that he said it, although it's attributed to him.

Yeah, but it's Woody Williams...he of the 85 mph upstairs fastball. I almost feel compelled to comiserate about the Phillies, though. They should be better than this, huh?

Carlos Lee has found his power stroke. 3 homeruns tonite, a solo shot to left, a grand slam to right, and a 400+ footer to dead center in the bottom of the 8th. Good stuff...crazy game.

And to continue the debacle in Philly, a fan jumped onto the field, broke a tackle and slid into second. When he ran back into left field, other fans started throwing bottles at him. This is great. Oh, and is there any way that the entire Lou Pinella post-game tirade can be posted? I'd...be interested in hearing it.

So things aren't happy-happy in Chicagoland, eh?

Sloppy game in Philly continues. 8-6 'Stros in the 5th. Phil Garner just got chased. The HP ump's been giving shitty calls all nite. Roy Oswalt was particularly pissed at a few of em. Then, with 2 outs in the bottom of the 5th, runners on 1st and 3rd, Roy stepped off the rubber, toward third and threw over to the base. The HP ump called an erroneous balk. I thought all 5'9" 175 pounds of Roy Oswalt was gonna jump on his ass. I've never seen Roy Oswalt that visibly pissed off. Anyway, a big yelling match ensued and Garner got chased. Roy walked 6, a new career high. I think Lidge might come in for the 6th. God help us all.

Geez, I might have to take back my prediction of the Phils going to the WS. They were up 3-0 after the first inning with Bret Myers on the mound. It is now the 4th inning and after a grand slam by Carlos Lee, 5 walks by Myers, a call to the bullpen for Jon Leiber, and a 3-run shot from Ensberg, the 'Stros have taken an 8-3 lead.

Houston! Good weather, and I'm pretty sure I've heard good things about the biotech. industry in Houston, but I'm not quite sure what exactly biotechnology is, but, yeah...Houston!

Carlos Lee just hit a monstrous grand slam to give the 'Stros a 5-3 lead against Philly in the 3rd. It's been a pretty shitty game for pitching so far. I think both Myers and Oswalt have each thrown about 70 or so pitches already.