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Monday, August 18, 2008

MLB Headlines Week 20

Barring games where injuries occur, I can't think of a Twins win that felt more like a loss than the wins on Saturday on Sunday. I mean seriously. On Saturday you're leading 5-0 and end up needing 8th and 9th inning heroics to win 7-6. On Sunday you're leading 8-0, I repeat, 8-0, and you end up with one of the games best hitters in Ichiro representing the tying run for the Mariners? Luckily Nathan gets the Twins out of the jam but having to win that game 11-8 is just unacceptable.
The problem is I don't see this getting any better. As the starting pitchers continue to fail to get into the 7th inning the more the bullpen has to be used. The more the bullpen has to be used the more they wear out and the more they suck. The more the bullpen sucks the more relievers need to be brought out to replace the sucking relievers. Thus tiring out the bullpen even more causing them to suck more...am I making any sense? Let's just say it's a vicious cycle that will inevitably end with a Twins game that simply won't finish. The Twins relievers will be so bad that they can't get anybody out and the opposing team will just keep on batting...for eternity! Unless Bud Selig calls the game off.

www.mlb.com Headline of the Week:
Mets get their Maine man back in the rotation

Not sure there's much to comment about on that one. Let's get to our headlines:

Dr. Bitz:
August 17th, 2008 - Brewers 5 Dodgers 7
Los Angeles dodges devastating loss with walk off homer in bottom of the ninth

August 17th, 2008 - Blue Jays 15 Red Sox 4
Mark up a win for Marcum as Blue Jays beat up on Boston

August 15th, 2008 - Mariners 3 Twins 9
Seattle's Silva sucks...shocking!

Teebore:
August 15th, 2008 - Mariners 3 Twins 9
No Silva lining for Carlos in his return to the Dome

August 17th, 2008 - Orioles 16 Tigers 8
Detroit says "no Mora" as Orioles third baseman tears two homers and six RBIs en route to a 16 run victory

August 17th, 2008 - Blue Jays 15 Red Sox 4
Rios dances on the sand with five hits to help the Blue Jays blast Beckett and the BoSox

Well either this bit is getting stale or Teebore and I did a particularly bad job last week. We ended up tying in votes one a piece. I'd say that that just mean Teebore and I voted for ourselves...but I think I forgot to vote as well....oh well, voting to your left.

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1:09 PM: I'm getting started a little late today. I gave blood to the Red Cross this morning then came home and slept. Then I ate. I know this is incredibly exciting to you all. Here's how it looked coming into the day:
R HR RBI SB AVG W SV K ERA WHIP
Me: 31 8 28 0 .259 3 3 40 5.31 1.47
Him: 25 4 25 5 .275 4 2 47 2.65 0.92


My Saturday sucked. I had three starting pitchers and none of them got a win. In fact, Albert Pujols' two home run game is the only thing that redeemed the day. Anyway, my opponent's pitching has been phenomenal, so most of those categories are hers. If I had to predict, I'd say I'll end up losing this week 2-8. I'll only win Runs and Home Runs. But I'm a pessimist.

1:15 PM: OK, let's check where things are at. Things are surprisingly positive! Alex *Expletive Deleted* Rodriguez hit a 3-run home run. Off of my opponent's pitcher no less. In the second inning, Jason Giambi's Mustache hit a grand slam off my opponent's pitcher. I'll have Brian Bannister's full line for the day coming up. Aside from that, Rookie Phenom Mike Aviles has a single and a run. Which is good, since I've been debating whether to put in Aviles or Miguel 'Spicy' Tejadas. Yahoo! suggested Aviles yesterday which was a slight mistake. Aviles went 0 for 6, while Tejada only went 0 for 4. (I had A-Rod and Aviles in a 12 inning game and they went a combing 0 for 11 with a run. Awesome.) Anyway, Joe Mauer is up for my opponent (who I traded to my opponent along with Milton 'Mouse Trap' Bradley for A-Puj). Let's see what happens. I'm happy with whatever!

1:21 PM: Mr. Glass walks! That's good all around. Speaking of Mr. Glass, why can he suddenly play day games after night games after I trade him?

1:22 PM: Brian Bannister's official line for the day: 1.0 Innings Pitched, 90 ERA, 13 WHIP. My opponent's ERA ballooned to 4.33. If I get great starts from Randy 'I hate pigeons' Johnson and Rookie Pitching Phenom Clayton Kershaw, I may take ERA! Not likely, though.

1:25 PM: Edgar Renteria stole a base to rub my lack of steals in my face. What a bastard. I won't forget this!

1:26 PM: The Twins take a quick 3 run lead. Let's not have the bullpen blow it this time!

1:27 PM: I was contemplating picking up Glen Perkins for today. I went with Kershaw instead for the strike outs. But with a 5 run lead, I have to question my decision.

1:34 PM: Alex *Expletive Deleted* Rodriguez gets an RBI but is thrown out trying to stretch a single into a double. I like the hustle, but is a 7 run lead a time to try that? Did A-Rod break some sort of ancient Baseball player 'code'? Perhaps we should check the Baseball Tome buried deep within the catacombs of Cooperstown.

2:11 PM: Big Poppi Nick Punto just hit his second double of the game. Maybe I should pick him up? Yeah right....

2:13 PM: Uh oh, Tejada is 2 for 2 and not in my lineup. Mike Aviles is only 1 for 3. Looks like I chose wrong again.

2:20 PM: Kenji Johjima flied out. I only bring it up because I can't say his name without imitating Dr. Evil. I know, it doesn't make sense to me either.

2:25 PM: Carlos Beltran hit a home run for my opponent. He's trying to make today interesting. If I lose home runs I'll be pissed. By the way, my opponent currently has a .353 batting average. I doubt I'll be winning that category.

2:29 PM: Well, my opponent gets a home run, but I get one right back. Brandon 'Remember me?' Phillips makes a cameo with a 3 run homer.

2:31 PM: According to Yahoo! the Twins are only winning 4 to 0. The Twins have 6 Runs. It's a conspiracy, I tell you! Or Yahoo! is just lame.

2:34 PM: The Twins are actually tacking on runs to their big lead instead of blowing them. What a novel idea! Of course 3 wild pitches makes tacking on runs a bit easier.

2:35 PM: Make that 4 wild pitches in an inning.

2:26 PM: Oops, make that 3 wild pitches and a passed ball.

2:28 PM: Now it's 4 wild pitches and a passed ball.

2:44 PM: Abreu had an RBI double and scored for my opponent, but then Alex *Expletive Deleted* Rodriguez singled in Abreu and then scored on a Ransom (who?) home run. So everything negates itself, I guess.

2:48 PM: Haven't even noticed that Randy Johnson is pitching. He's pitched 5 innings, given up 3 runs, and has a disappointing 3 Strike Outs. Unless the Diamondbacks score 4 runs quickly, it looks like no Win for him either.

2:53 PM: What the heck is "Professor" Xavier Nady doing at first base? Just a random thought...

2:54 PM: Why can't the Twins just take care of the Mariners is orderly fashion? Leading 8-0 in the top of the 6th, now the lead is 8-4 thanks to 3 Mariner home runs. Come on Perkins.

3:01 PM: Well Morneau tries to answer the Mariners back with a solo home run. It's big to gain even one run back after a bad inning.

3:43 PM: Bittersweet two run homer by Quentin. I'd rather see the White Sox lose.

3:45 PM: And Dye homered. Which is fine, I guess, but it's as the Mariners cut the lead to 3. Which means Nathan will probably come into the ninth and get a save for my opponent. Or the Twins lose. I don't like either option, really. But I'd rather Nathan get the save.

3:55 PM: Kershaw with a strike out to get the lead in the category. The week is now tied at 5-5.

3:59 PM: So Joe Nathan comes into the game in the bottom of the 8th, two outs, bases loaded, Twins now only leading by two. My prediction? Bases clearing double.

4:01 PM: Honestly my second guess was a strike out. I didn't say it because it wouldn't make for much of a prediction. But Nathan does get a strike out which means strike outs are tied once again.

4:12 PM: Quentin hits a 2 RBI single. He now has the fake grand slam, because his line says 1 Run, 1 Home Run, 4 RBI. My team has 14 RBI today. Yowza.

4:32 PM: So the Twins win and Nathan gets the save...barely. I'll probably state my opinions on the game in the opener, but let's just say I ain't happy. Up 8-0 in the 6th and the go ahead run is on base in the top of the 9th? That just isn't good baseball. But Joe Nathan gets the save to tie the category. I'm down to hoping 'Everyday' Eddie Guardado gets a save in the night game to win Saves.

4:34 PM: Kershaw gets a strike out to take the lead in that category again. But Saves are tied now so I'm losing the week 4-5.

4:43 PM: So Jermaine Dye is pinch hit for by Brian Anderson. I understand that with a big lead you take out guys for rest and defensive reasons, but why take out Dye right before he hits? Wouldn't it make more sense to wait for him to hit and then take him out the next inning in the field for defensive purposes? Then again, knowing what Ozzie Guillen is thinking is downright impossible.

6:39 PM: Back from goofing off. It looks like Kershaw had a good outing of 6 innings 1 run ball, but Chan Ho Park comes in the ninth and gives up 4 runs to tie the game and cost Kershaw the win and most likely giving the Win category to my opponent. Awesome.

6:40 PM: For the night game it'll come down to two things. First, Marlon Byrd vs Milton 'Guess Who?' Bradley. It's all about average, really. So let's hope Marlon Byrd goes 7 for 7 with 7 steals while Milton Bradley goes 0 for 7. Also, if Eddie Guardado can get a save for Texas, that would give me the win in the category. We'll see what happens.

7:42 PM: Milton 'Crossfire' Bradley is on the bench, so Marlon Byrd just needs to get a couple of hits. Since I'm ahead by 16 Runs, 7 Home Runs, and 14 RBI, I don't suspect any pinch hit shenanigans again.

10:14 PM: Marlon Byrd singled in the 8th, but that only makes him 1 for 3. It doesn't look promising. However, Texas is rallying in the ninth and Marlon Byrd is on deck. Another hit MAY get me average. But there's two outs. So he probably won't even get a chance at another at bat.

10:16 PM: Well there's something you don't see every day. Josh Hamilton was apparently intentionally walked to get to Marlon Byrd. It's time to make them pay for that indignity!

10:22 PM: Byrd struck out swinging...of course. So here's how the week ended:

R HR RBI SB AVG W SV K ERA WHIP
Me: 40 12 42 0 .274 3 3 51 4.84 1.46
Him: 34 5 28 6 .279 4 3 49 4.14 1.20


Some big Run, Home Run, and RBI numbers for me, but not as big as Teebore's this week. But no matter, they were enough for me to win those categories this week against my opponent. Overall, I simply managed to gain half a category on Sunday, but still lost the week...thanks to the fact that Twins can't close out games very well.

Nemesis of The Week:
Hate to do it, but I think it ends up being Joe Mauer. 6 Runs, 1 Home Run, 4 RBI, 1 Stolen Base, and .444 batting average. I think it's the home run and stolen base that annoy me the most. He only had like 3 home runs in the time I had him, and I can't ever recall him stealing a base for me. But it's good for the Twins, I guess.

Savior of The Week:
Brandon Phillips made a run at it with 4 Runs, 3 Home Runs, and 7 RBI, but his .217 batting average ain't impressing anybody. So, despite the broken record aspect of it all, the honors go to Alex *Expletive Deleted* Rodriguez. 6 Runs, 2 Home Runs, 7 RBI, and a .292 batting average. You know what? Executive decision time. A-Rod, you're NOT that Fantasy Savior of the Week. The honors go to Carlos Quentin. 5 Runs, 2 Home Runs, 5 RBI, and .467 Batting Average. Eat it!

The Moral of this week's story is karma's a bitch. I figured by giving blood today I was a shoe in to get at least a couple more categories and win the week. But it was not to be.

1 comment:

  1. Seriously, even though we swept the Mariners, I feel like we lost 2 out of 3.

    I was at B&N Saturday night, and had to do some shrinkwrapping in the back room. So of course I timed it in such a way that I could hopefully catch the end of the Twins game on the radio, which I was excited to do because when I got to work, they were up 5-0 and Baker was cruising along.

    Imagine my rage and frustration when I turned on the radio to find us down a run in the 8th. Seriously guys? You blew another Seattle lead?

    At least I got to hear Kubel's exciting game-tying single and Buscher's exciting walk-off sac fly, but really, it never should have come to that.

    And then they dance the same dance again on Sunday. Yeesh.

    I think that the Twins' bullpen might deserve a co-Nemesis of the Week award. After all, if they were able to hold leads, then Nathan wouldn't have had to come in, thus giving your opponent two more saves then she would have had otherwise.

    ReplyDelete

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