This Week In Baseball: 4/14-4/20

[Guest Vitamin X]

I was watching part of this game at the bar earlier today. Peavy looked excellent out there, but I'm really excited to see how well Colorado's pitching rotation is working out for them so far this season. Jeff Francis actually had a stat line pretty close to Peavy's- 111 pitches to 70 strikes compared to Peavy's 113 pitches to 70 strikes.

 

That's definitely going to kill that Houston series, though. Shit.

[Dobbs 3K]

Hey Czech, just shut up. The White Sox are not for real but just let them enjoy themselves, alright? Even though they have a high payroll, they are definitely much more blue collar than your fuckin' Cubs.

 

Oh, the Cubs are the most white collar team in the NL Central, no doubt about it. They're basically the team of white collar executives and drunken frat boys.

[Boon]

This begs the question, would you rather watch a 9-inning marathon with shitty pitching and mound visits or a 22-inning marathon of offensive ineptitude?

[naiwf]

I'd rather watch a 22 inning 2-1 game than a 9 inning slugfest as long as my team wins the 22 inning game. There's nothing worse than the stomach punch of losing in the 15th+ inning.

[Guest Smues]

Into the 20th now. When its cracked midnight on the WEST coast you know the game has been going on awhile.

Yeah, and when it cracks midnight even where I live you know it's a marathon.

[Brett Favre]

I wish it took place in the east coast. I always wanted to see the sun rising up during a game.

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

I wish it took place in the east coast. I always wanted to see the sun rising up during a game.

The Phillies once won the second game of a double header at 3:55am Eastern. At home.

[Guest Smues]

The Tigers and (I think) Yankees played a game in Detroit last year that I'm pretty sure went past 4am local time because I think I remember watching it past midnight here on mlb.tv.

[Brett Favre]

Yep. I watched that game. It was so close.

[Bruiser Chong]

Ben Sheets left the game with a tricep injury. He almost made it to May.

[devo]

It's a shame that Wagner's performance is almost certainly going to be unappreciated, because he's been phenomenal so far. In six innings, not only has he not allowed a run, he hasn't even allowed a hit. Very small sample size, sure, but encouraging nonetheless.

[strummer]

Yeah Wagner's been great. Maybe pitching from the wind up has helped

 

I don't know what to think of Heilman though.

 

I think he may be tipping his pitches or the opposition has figured out his tendencies because the Phillies are *absolutely" sitting on his change up. Dobbs was just waiting for that pitch to come done when he hit that 3 run bomb in the 8th.

[strummer]

Tom Glavine is headed to the DL for the first time in his 22 year career

[CanadianChris]

Greg Maddux is getting absolutely shelled by the Diamondbacks -- 7 runs in 2 innings -- and Bud Black can't do a damn thing about it after last night's game.

 

Looking at the Padres' road uniforms, I can say that I don't think I've ever seen a beige baseball uni. It's a little disconcerting.

[naiwf]

That Phil Hughes guy certainly looks like he's on pace to win the 20 games/Cy Young some idiotic fans in NY were predicting this offseason when they decided he'd have a better year and/or career than Santana.

[Dandy]

Cueto!

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

Looking at the Padres' road uniforms, I can say that I don't think I've ever seen a beige baseball uni. It's a little disconcerting.

I've always described the Padres' road uniform color as "urine-soaked." The new Padres set--which they've had since 2004, so where've you been?--is almost pretty good, but has too many little misfires, like having one hat with the interlocking SD in plain white on navy and another with it in beige with white trim on navy, when only the latter is necessary. Also, the weird bowtie-shaped "San Diego" script looks really stupid and doesn't match the gentle-curvy "Padres" script. Furthermore, they wear navy shirts with khaki pants too often, which makes them look like waiters at casual dining restaurants near lakes.

 

Okay. ANYWAY. Does anyone have the audio of Marty Brennaman and Jeff Brantley getting righteously butthurt over the bleacher bums throwing too many baseballs on the field? Don't get me wrong, I think it was stupid, but this yielded

"This is why you never want the Chicago Cubs to win."

"Well, they never will! Because they're the Cubs, and they always find a way to lose!"

 

I mean, geez, guys. I lost respect for Marty (had none for Jeff) over this. Maybe he's bitter that the Cubs fired his son.

EDIT: Hear it is.

[CanadianChris]

The new Padres set--which they've had since 2004, so where've you been?--

Dunno. I don't remember seeing a Padres road game in the past few years. I'm only just now getting back into the National League.

[Brett Favre]

That Phil Hughes guy certainly looks like he's on pace to win the 20 games/Cy Young some idiotic fans in NY were predicting this offseason when they decided he'd have a better year and/or career than Santana.

 

Its early and I think Santana just gave up another home run.

[Bored]

I'm going to a Stockton Ports (A's high Single A affiliate) game tonight against Rancho Cucamonga as I wanted to catch one of their games early in the season to see one their four impressive pitching prospects (Brett Anderson, Fautino De Los Santos, Henry Rodriguez, Trevor Cahill) before any of them are moved to Double A. All had started well this season until Anderson and De Los Santos both got lit up in their last starts. I can't find the probables for tonight but I'm pretty sure it is Rodriguez's turn in the rotation which should be fun as he's clocked 100 mph on the radar gun in the past.

[snuffbox]

Goddam, Billy Hall is good against the Reds.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

Is it too early to say that the entire NL Central is much better now than it was in '06 and '07? Even the Pirates seem to have some promise with McLouth.

 

Brewers win, and gain a game on the Cardinals. Someone explain how they're in first place in...um...the first place.

[snuffbox]

Gagne has been pretty good so far. Maybe I was wrong about this bullpen.

[Guest Teal-y Dan]

I think all bullpens are dice rolls from year to year, to some extent, and Mota/Torres/Riske/Gagne just might work after all.

[NYU]

"You know, they say that to tack on runs is often the difference between winning and losing"

 

Quite the McCarverism there. I am so glad the Mets/Phillies game is on FOX.

[devo]

Consider yourself lucky. Up until the bonus coverage kicked in, I had to keep track with Gameday and online radio.

[tominator89]

Ryan Howard needs to stop striking out.

[NYU]

Wouldn't be a Mets/Phillies series without the Mets bullpen starting to implode upon itself.

[NYU]

Okay, I can't even begin to fathom why we would bring in Aaron Heilman with the bases loaded -- the same Aaron Heilman with a 5.56 ERA and the one that gave up a three run homer yesterday that almost cost the Mets the game.

 

And Angel Pagan misplays the fly ball. Defensively, they've been horrid in the field today.

[devo]

For Christ's sake, Willie. Wagner's a big boy. He can handle five outs.

 

Edit: Okay, that was a little short-sighted. Really nice work from Heilman.

 

And apparently I'm losing coverage again. Thanks blackout rules!