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Sunday, May 17, 2009

Brief Thoughts About Baseball (5/11/2009 - 5/17/2009)

1. Sometimes it pays to look beyond the box score. Sure, you look at the Thursday's Twins game and you see that Justin Verlander pitched awesome but the Tigers' bullpen fell apart and the Twins won 6 to 5. What you miss is the fact that Verlander went back to the hotel early the night before during the Wednesday Twins game. The hotel clerk got the score wrong when Verlander asked and thus he went to sleep thinking that the Tigers won. Only when he took a taxi with team mate Curtis Granderson did he find out the Tigers actually lost...awesome!

2. The Angels' stud pitcher John Lackey came off the disable list and pitched for the first time this year. His start was auspicious...or is it inauspicious? Either way, you can see his first start of the season in it's entirety here. (Don't worry, it won't take long.)

3. I looked it up, the correct term would be inauspicious. Which would describe Thursday for Boston fans...finally. Red Sox and Celtics lost and the Bruins got knocked out of the playoffs. Yes, I have a bad case of schadenfreude.

4. Walk off grand slams are awesome!

5. Your team losing to walk off hits three days in a row isn't awesome.

6. The problem with following a team with a bad bullpen is that the losses are heartbreaking. But I've realized that any tied game that goes into the 8th inning and beyond for the Twins should be chalked up as a loss.

7. Is there any doubt that the Yankees are looking at the success Mauer and Morneau are having in Yankee stadium (combined 9 for 23, 5 home runs, 6 runs, 5 RBI) and are just waiting for them to become free agents?

8. Steve Phillips, ESPN analyst, said Monday night during the Met's game that the reason Johan Santana gets so little run support from the Met's offense is because his pacing on the mound somehow lulls the Met players to sleep. Ummm...yeah...and he used to be a General Manager!?

9. Did you know that rookie phenom pitcher for the Natinals Jordan Zimmerman's name rhymes with Gordon Fisherman?

10. Remember kids, even in baseball it pays to be detail orientated. The Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon accidentally listed a third basemen twice in his official lineup card. Because of magical baseball rules mumbo jumbo this meant that the DH was lost and the pitcher had to hit in place of MVP candidate Evan Longoria. Despite being forced to play a better, purer form of baseball, the Tampa Bay Rays still beat the Cleveland Indiands. Pathetic, Cleveland.

11. Brandon Morrow, now ex-closer for the Mariners, blew back to back saves against the Texas Rangers taking the loss in both games. He is now an ex-reliever on my fantasy team.

12. On Saturday the Cubs' closer came into the 9th inning with a 4 to 0 lead. He gave up 4 runs without recording an out. In the bottom of the 9th Houston's closer came in and gave up a run in 1/3 of an inning to lose the game. Teebore has both the Houston and Cubs closer. I guess that evens things out regarding Brandon Morrow.

1 comment:

  1. 1. When I read "look beyond the box score" is it sad that I heard it in Chris Hadaberry's voice? Also, the Verlander story=hilarious.

    4. Agreed.

    5. Agreed. Grumble grumble...

    6. Friday's loss was probably the most heartbreaking, just because it was Nathan. And you're right. Especially if we're playing an away game.

    7. Which is why the Twins need to lock up Mauer now.

    9. Actually, it's Gorton Fisherman, but yes.

    10. I was explaining this incident to Mrs. Teebore last night, and I'm fairly certain the words "magical baseball rules mumbo jumbo" were actually used at one point.

    My favorite part was how the pitcher not only had to bat, but bat third. And then hit an RBI double at one point.

    12. And, arguably, cost me the ERA/WHIP categories for the week (though Kazmir certainly didn't help on Friday).

    ReplyDelete

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