And That Happened

Fourteen teams get a day off after they just had three days off. That’s like calling in sick the day after Memorial Day.

Phillies 4, Marlins 0: Man, old people love Florida. Moyer: 7 IP, 1 H 0 ER; Ibanez: 2-4, 2 HR 3 RBI. Manuel: hit the early bird special before the game, found a nice close spot to park the Buick.

Indians 4, Mariners 1: Cliff Lee spun a gem (CG, 9 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, K) and, while it’s still nothing to write home about, he got at least a little run support. While randomly surfing I found this Indians’ notes column that went live just as the game was ending. In it, Eric Wedge gets the quote of the day: “Regarding when the Indians might recall recently-demoted relievers Rafael Perez and Jensen Lewis, Wedge said, ‘We need to let them pitch down there.'” I presume that the reporter merely cut off the part where Wedge added “mostly because it’s not up here.”

Cubs 6, Nationals 2: The Jim Riggleman Era begins much like the Manny Acta era ended. I could probably say a few words about Rich Harden pitching well, or Derek Lee going 3-4, but I’ve decided that this is the point in the post where I complain about the fact that my wife wouldn’t let me watch “Ghostbusters” on the big TV downstairs last night because she had recorded something else and wanted to watch it just then. And because I’ve seen it 150 times and, after each time I see it, I quote the Rick Moranis lines for three straight days which annoys her to no end, I can tell you. Still, very weak on her part.

Brewers 9, Reds 6: Reports of Homer Bailey’s resurrection have been greatly exaggerated (5.1 IP, 6 H, 7 ER, 4 BB). Oh, and Prince Fielder would like you to know that there is nothing to that post-HR Derby falloff theory (1-3, HR 3 RBI).

Braves 5, Mets 3: Welcome back, Jeff Francoeur! What with the hitting into a double play, striking out, and grounding weakly to shortstop — not to mention your seeing 14 total pitches in four at bats — it’s as if you never left!

Angels 6, A’s 2: Given how he’s been rollin’ lately, we couldn’t have necessarily expected Ervin Santana to pitch eight innings of one-run ball. But he did, and if he’s better post-break than he was pre-break, the Angels have a big leg up on Texas in this thing. As for the A’s, this might be the most depressing paragraph I’ve seen in quite a while:

Oakland looked sluggish as it kicked off a grueling stretch of 28 games in as many days and 34 in 35. Nomar Garciaparra is scheduled to get the start at first base on Friday night for the A’s, and manager Bob Geren plans to use him once a series in place of the struggling Jason Giambi to keep Giambi fresh.

Rockies 10, Padres 1: Aaron Cook is just livin’ right, I guess. You must be if you give up eight hits and walk four guys and come away with it only giving up one run. Oh, and when you’re a pitcher and you walk with the bases loaded, which as Pinto notes, is happening an awful lot lately.

Astros 3, Dodgers 0: Forget Manny, it was Wandywood in L.A. last night (6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER). Um, OK, that’s stupid, but say “Wandywood” a few times. It’s fun!


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Rob Moore
14 years ago

What, do you follow her around the house all day saying, “I am the key master…?”

lar
14 years ago

“During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you! “

(you have no idea how much I love this movie…)

YX
14 years ago

David, I bet that ain’t Japanese, since donkey and ass don’t compute there.

Ben2009
14 years ago

“Gee, I think all I got is acetylsalicylic acid, generic. See, I can get six hundred tablets of that for the same price as three hundred of a name brand. That makes good financial sense, good advice…”

TimberLee
14 years ago

I’m pretty sure Piniella called Fukudome one or the other.

David
14 years ago

YX,

Yes, it’s unlikely that “donkey” and “ass” are synonyms – and the latter a homonym – in Japanese as they are in English.  But the crux of the statement would remain intact, regardless of that.  For example, you can substitute “dog” or “snake” and the expression holds up, albeit without much humor.

I could very well be wrong about this, but I think I first read it in the Jay McInerney novel ‘Ransom’, and I also ran across it once in another place, too.

Anyway, thanks for taking the time to read and consider it.

APBA Guy
14 years ago

There might have 11,000 at the Mausoleum last night, as the official attendance suggests, but I think it was closer to 8,000. And for the first time this year there were significant numbers who came to boo.

The booing was at first tentative, exploratory, as if the few advanced booers were seeking permission to vent thusly.

But when the hand of Billy Beane did not reach down and smite the unworthy, and a few more beers were drunk, the booing became lusty and pointed. Giambi, presumably fresh after the all-star break, looked overmatched. Boo him they did.

And Dallas Braden, entering the game with a 3.12 ERA, threw so many change-ups even my girlfriend knew when one was expected. He generously left several of them belt high in the middle of the plate as well. He was booed.

Unfortunately Bob “Everything is Beautiful” Geren was not booed sufficiently. As Beane’s yes man, he has his team playing as lethargically as a last place beer-league team 3 outs from beer. Let’s swing at everything and hope the ball hits the bat. Bunt for a base hit? No way, that’s for sissies like Chone Figgins and Erick Aybar, who happened to notice that Adam Kennedy has to play third and can’t make that throw if he is the least off balance.

The A’s have competition for worst team in the AL, but not for most embarrassing team.

David
14 years ago

There’s an aphorism (I think it’s Japanese, and I’m paraphrasing from memory here) that says that a donkey can travel a thousand miles, but it’s still just an ass.

Similarly, the Nationals can fire their manager but they’re still just the Nationals.  Last night, two costly errors, a runner picked off at first base, and four meager hits against the Cubs. 

In the apt words of Peter Gammons, they’re “One of the worst constructed teams of all time.”  But we dare not blame Jim Bowden!  For he hated the union – as we’re all taught to do, as well – and he’s still treated like a baseball prodigy by the mainstream media. 

(And for the record, I personally think that firing Manny Acta was a totally necessary move.  I just thought that it was funny that their first game under their new “hard nosed” manager was so typical of every game under Acta.)

J.W.
14 years ago

Wandywood. Wandywood. Wandywood Wandywood Wandywood. Hey! It IS fun.