striketwo.net: Current Discussions

Cubs: Best Start In 21 Years [wrigleyville23 + 19 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 19:15:56 PDT

Chicago Cubs

Cubs: Best Start In 21 Years
Posted 5 hours ago at wrigleyville23
The 1987 Cubs also started 26-16. Unfortunately, it was their high water mark and they went 50-69 the rest of the way to finish last. That sucked. Update: I see that Another Cubs Blog has something more extensive on the history of 26-16 starts. Whatever.

Video Win: Chicago Cubs Batting Stances
Posted 20 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: Chicago , Cubs , NL Central , MLB Video I don't know who you are, internet Youtube Cubs fan dudes, but -- and I say this as a Cubs fan that giggled at every single imitation -- you just won for best internet video ever. Seriously....

Game 42: Cubs 7 Pirates 4
Posted 7 hours ago at Where have you gone, Andy Van Slyke?
It's not often that I'm going to sit back and tell you that one player won or lost a game for the Pirates. There's so many factors in baseball that affect the outcome of each game that it's almost always impossible to pin a win or loss on one player...

Through 42 games
Posted 8 hours ago at Another Cubs Blog
DJ asked in the comments of the previous thread when the last time the Cubs got off to a start as good this season (26-16). I had actually already done the research (what little there was) this morning in case they did win today. The...

05/16/08: Alfonso Soriano homers twice, leads Cubs to 7-4 win over Pirates…
Posted 8 hours ago at CubsHub
Alfonso Soriano is using the Cubs’ latest homestand to show that he’s ready to contribute to the majors’ best offense. Soriano belted 2 homers to help rookie Sean Gallagher earn his 1st big league win as Chicago beat Pittsburgh...

EXST A's walk-off HR stomps Cubs at Papago Park
Posted 10 hours ago at The Cub Reporter (TCR) | A Chicago Cubs Blog -
RHP Robert Hernandez, serving a 50-game prohibited substance suspension, threw four shutout innings (70 pitches, 3 H, 2 BB, 6 K), but RHP Harol Tolentino surrendered a game-winning three-run walk-off HR in the bottom of the 9th, as the EXST A's...

Pirates vs. Cubs, 16 May 2008
Posted 13 hours ago at Bucs Dugout
Tom Gorzelanny vs. Sean Gallagher at Wrigley. Sorry for the late game thread -- the Friday afternoon game took me by surprise. This one starts now, at 2:20. Here's the box.

Game 42 Thread / Pirates @ Cubs (1 of 3)
Posted 14 hours ago at The Cub Reporter (TCR) | A Chicago Cubs Blog -
Game Chat | Press Pass | BR Preview SP *Tom Gorzelanny SP Sean Gallagher 3-3, 5.97, 21 K, 29 BB, 34.2 IP 0-0, 6.48, 7 K, 4 BB, 8.1 IP .

Better tools than Jeter, huh?
Posted 12 hours ago at Fire Dusty Baker
Meet the next "can't miss" prospect . "a man amongst boys" "his catch and release was ... a textbook example" "blazing fast" "his arm, ... is also clearly big league" "better tools at his age than (Derek) Jeter did back in the early 90s" ...

Ex-Cub updates
Posted 12 hours ago at Fire Dusty Baker
Jacque Jones cleared waivers yesterday after being released by the Tigers. Former can't miss prospect Mark Prior is having his shoulder re-examined and will probably miss the Padres target return date of June 1. Addition by subtraction.

Open Thread: Cubs vs. Pirates, Friday 5/16, 1:20 CT
Posted 18 hours ago at Bleed Cubbie Blue
Next Game Pittsburgh Pirates @ Chicago Cubs Friday, May 16, 2008, 1:20 PM CDT Wrigley Field Tom Gorzelanny vs Sean Gallagher Complete Coverage > ...

Pirates at Cubs open game thread
Posted 15 hours ago at Another Cubs Blog
B-REF PREVIEW | GAMEDAY | WEATHER | ACB CHAT ROOM Tom Gorzellany vs. Cubs hitters : .326/.404/.516 in 95 at-bats Sean Gallagher vs. Pirates hitters : 1-6, 2B, 2 BB, K 1:20 pm on WGN. Low to mid 60s, sunny, wind blowing...

Game Thread: Pirates at Cubs 2:20 Easter, 1:20 Central
Posted 15 hours ago at A League of Her Own - Front Page
After an excellent 3 games against Arizona and a good four game series against the Padres the Cubs finish this homestand with three against our favorite opponents, the Pittsburgh Pirates (or as the fans call them the best farm team in baseball) ...

Sweet Uncle Lou’s Friday Roundup: The “Whatever Jim Says” Edition
Posted 17 hours ago at Hire Jim Essian!
Did anyone catch my press conference before Wednesday’s game? It was pretty awesome, if I do say so myself. Someone asked me if I thought the signing of Jim Edmonds was a low-risk, possibly high-reward transaction. I laughed and said,...

Game 42: Pirates at Cubs
Posted 19 hours ago at Honest Wagner
The Pirates draw Chicago for six of the next nine games. The Bucs are 0-for-6 against the Cubs this year, so now would be a good time to figure them out. Today they will play the second of four consecutive day game. The starting pitchers will be...

Cub Town: Winning: It's What's For Dinner
Posted 17 hours ago at Cub Town
That's 6 of the last 7, folks. Home is where the wins are, I suppose.

Game #42 Pirates at Cubs
Posted 22 hours ago at Pittsburgh Lumber Co.
Friendly Confines | 2:20 | Gorzelanny vs. Sean Gallagher | Box Pre-Game Thoughts The Pirates are once again threatening to reach .500. A win today would do it. As unfamiliar as that would be, the opponent in today’s contest is also...

GameDay #42 at Cubs
Posted 28 hours ago at Raise the Jolly Roger!
Pirates (20-21) at Cubs (25-16) 2:20--Wrigley Field, Chicago Tom Gorzelanny (3-3, 5.97) vs. Sean Gallagher (0-0, 6.48) [ GameTrax ] Well, this will certainly be a test. It's a good thing the Pirates are hot. The Bucs have failed in both tries to...

Owners Meetings: Drug Agreement, Cubs Sale, More
Posted 43 hours ago at The Biz of Baseball
Meeting in Milwaukee, the quarterly owners meetings will commence today, with one thing certain: ratification of the newly adjusted Joint Drug Agreement will be forthcoming. The new agreement dissolves the Health Policy Advisory Committee (comprised...

Cub Town: One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other
Posted 40 hours ago at Cub Town
These two things happened last night:

New York on Hold [Baseball Musings + 11 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:35:22 PDT

New York Yankees

New York on Hold
Posted 8 hours ago at Baseball Musings
Rain postponed the Mets-Yankees game tonight. Both teams have Monday off, and the Mets don't need to travel that far as they head to Atlanta. No annoucement yet, however....

Santana, Mets cross town to visit Yankees in another subway series
Posted 9 hours ago at Most Valuable Network

Let’s play two in a gimmick way in June
Posted 7 hours ago at River Ave. Blues
Instead of dealing with media blackouts and questionable May weather, the Yanks and Mets are going to send their stadiums out in style in June with a two-stadium, one-city double header, date TBD. The Yanks will skip Darrell Rasner’s start, and...

Yankees and Mets Postponed for Rain
Posted 5 hours ago at YanksBlog.com
The opener of the Subway Series tonight was postponed due to rain. Peter Abraham says that the game will "almost certainly be part of a two-stadium doubleheader on June 27, 28 or 29."

Nothing To See Here, Game Post Poned
Posted 8 hours ago at Hot Foot
Tonights Mets Yankee game at Yankee Stadium has been rained out, no word yet on a make up date. Share This ShareThis

Crosstown Traffic: Mets-Yanks Gamer I
Posted 9 hours ago at Yanksfan Soxfan
Pete says that despite the rain, they are going to try and get the game in, but it is likely to be a delayed start. It's fitting that the first game of the subway rivalry will feature Johan Santana for the Mets, and perhaps equally fitting that...

Mets at Yankees Postponed; No Make Up Date Scheduled Yet
Posted 8 hours ago at Take the 7 Train
Tonight’s Subway Series opener at Yankee Stadium has been cancelled due to rain. Michael Kay told me on My9 that the game will NOT be made up Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. There has not been an announcement yet as to when the game will be...

Game #43 - New York Mets @ New York Yankees (Postponed)
Posted 9 hours ago at Pinstripe Alley
NEW YORK METS Jose Reyes, SS Marlon Anderson, DH David Wright, 3B Carlos Beltran, CF Ryan Church, RF Moises Alou, LF Carlos Delgado, 1B Brian Schneider, C Luis Castillo, 2B ...

Game 43: Mets at Yankees
Posted 9 hours ago at The Bronx Block
New York Mets (20-19) vs. New York Yankees (20-22) Johan Santana (4-2, 3.10) vs. Darrell Rasner (2-0, 3.00) May 16, 2008 @ 7:05 p.m. @ Yankee Stadium 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Mets &nbsp .

Bronx Banter: New York Mets
Posted 11 hours ago at Bronx Banter
I'll get to the Mets in a moment, but first, since I've been out of commission this week due to a business trip, here are some thoughts on what ails the Yankees . . .

Tonight's Soggy Lineups
Posted 9 hours ago at My Pinstripes
Just in case, here are tonight's lineups courtesy of John Delcos and Peter Abraham. SS Reyes DH Anderson 3B Wright CF Beltran RF Church LF Alou 1B Delgado C Schneider 2B Castillo Damon LF Abreu RF Jeter SS Matsui DH Giambi 1B Cano 2B Cabrera CF...

Game 43 Preview: Mets at Yankees
Posted 10 hours ago at Scott Proctor's Arm
New York Mets (20-19) New York Yankees (20-22) Jose Reyes SS Johnny Damon LF Marlon Anderson DH Bobby Abreu RF David Wright 3B Derek Jeter SS Carlos Beltran CF Hideki Matsui DH Ryan Church RF Jason Giambi 1B Moises Alou LF ...

Are The Mets Indifferent to Willie Randolph? [FanHouse - %CategoryName% + 15 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:45:00 PDT

Willie Randolph

Are The Mets Indifferent to Willie Randolph?
Posted 15 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: New York , Mets , NL East Have you seen A Bronx Tale ? If so, you'll likely remember the scene where 'C' asks Sonny if it's better to be loved or feared. Sonny answers that it's nice to be both, but it's difficult. He preferred to be...

Listen: Agitated Willie on WFAN
Posted 10 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
Willie Randolph talked with WFAN’s Mike and the Maddog today. To listen to Randolph’s entire interview, go to WFAN.com . ShareThis

Note: Wally Backman and the Mets
Posted 12 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
In a post to Brooklyn Met Fan , Adam gives a quick review of Playing for Peanuts , a documentary, television series, which is airing on SNY. The show is about Wally Backman ’s return to managing in the independent league for the South Georgia...

Read: Sherman on Randolph
Posted 13 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
In a very insightful post to his blog for the New York Post , Joel Sherman points out that while Willie Randolph is not disliked in his own clubhouse, his players may be indifferent towards him. According to Sherman, “There is not a...

Willie Randolph's Approval Rating Plummets Amid Omar's Vote Of Confidence
Posted 7 hours ago at Mets Merized Online - Get Metsmerized - New York Mets
Before todays rained out contest, Omar Minaya reiterated his support for Willie Randolph during SNY's pre game coverage. When asked if Randolph's job was on the line he replied, “Absolutely not, I am very supportive and will...

Mets Chat Room: Team has own chat room.
Posted 9 hours ago at The LoHud Mets Blog
Manager Willie Randolph said he called this afternoon's team meeting. Randolph said he was ``disappointed'' in how his 20-19 Mets were playing. GM Omar Minaya said the same thing and when asked whether the manager's job was in jeopardy, said: ``No.''...

A few thoughts as it rains …
Posted 16 hours ago at The LoHud Yankees Blog
A few things: * It’s raining in New York. Here at blog headquarters in Westchester, it’s pouring. I’ll post the info on the game as soon as I get it. Please stop e-mailing, I don’t know what they’re going to do. They...

Feisty Willie On WFAN
Posted 10 hours ago at Hot Foot
Willie Randolph spoke today to WFAN’s Mike and the Mad Dog. I usually give some quotes but I think today it would not do this justice. Now, don’t get me wrong there is nothing over the top or extreme here but Willie’s tone is...

Firing Willie Solves Little
Posted 12 hours ago at Hot Foot
There has been growing discontent within the Mets fan base regarding Willie Randolph , somehow making him solely responsible for the mediocre play by the Mets over the last 100 or so games. While Willie has had a hand in some of the reasons why the...

ATD: Luck, Lazy, Alka Seltzer, Apology, Tights
Posted 17 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
Eric Simon of Amazin’ Avenue determines the Mets offense could use a bit more luck. Over at Faith and Fear in Flushing , Jason says the firing of Willie Randolph has gone from ‘if to when’ due tot he Mets ‘moronic’ and...

Willie in the cross hairs …
Posted 12 hours ago at The LoHud Mets Blog
The Mets are a very uninspired 20-19 and 2 1/2 games out of first place in the NL East. They are a hot week away from turning things around. But, will they? I'd like to believe they can and it wouldn't surprise me in the least if they were to...

Willie Randolph will coach NL All Star team
Posted 15 hours ago at The 'Ropolitans
From a MLB Press Release : Clint Hurdle has asked New York Mets manager Willie Randolph and San Diego Padres manager Bud Black to join him as the N.L. coaches. The Colorado coaching staff - pitching coach Bob Apodaca, hitting coach Alan Cockrell,...

Gary Cohen On Willie, Reyes, Hustle and Flow
Posted 14 hours ago at Mets Merized Online - Get Metsmerized - New York Mets
Mets announcer, Gary Cohen, weighs in on some Mets issues this morning on WFAN with Joe and Evan. For the complete interview go to WFAN . Willie Randolph When the team underachieves it falls to the manager, and it stands to reason that...

Do Something
Posted 18 hours ago at Faith and Fear in Flushing
I wish I could share my co-blogger's pluck, his acceptance, his relative calm . But I can't. The only comfort I can take from yesterday's disaster is that Willie Randolph's firing may have gone from an "if" to a "when." But how much agony do we have...

Note: Polls, Willie and Missing Comments
Posted 42 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
…i am constantly being accused of only posting polls following a win, or a positive moment… …for the record, i post the Willie Randolph poll on Monday , win or lose, and i post the Confidence Rating poll on Wednesday , win or lose…it has alway

ONE BOURBON, ONE SCOTCH, ONE BEER……….
Posted 41 hours ago at Kranepool Society :: A New York Mets Blog
I’m hanging out at 30 Rock with my favorite anchor woman Sue Simmons, who is a big time Mets fan. While I’m mixing a Highball for Sue and myself to enjoy while watching our favorite baseball team, she starts screaming “THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING”!!!!

preGame: Mets at Yankees (Game One) [MetsBlog.com + 11 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:24:55 PDT

New York Yankees

preGame: Mets at Yankees (Game One)
Posted 10 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
The Game: Weather permitting, the Mets (20-19) open a three-game series versus the Yankees (20-22) tonight at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, starting at 7:05pm EST. The Lineup: SS Jose Reyes DH Marlon Anderson 3B David Wright CF Carlos...

Gameday: Mets @ Yankees Game 1
Posted 9 hours ago at Hot Foot
If you’re a big fan of the subway series, you’re in for a treat. If you hate it…well, I hope you have something else to do this weekend. Mets. Yankees. Yankee Stadium. One last time before they blow the place up. Assuming its nice...

Open Thread: Mets vs Yankees, 5/16/2008
Posted 9 hours ago at Mets Geek
Johan Santana vs Darrell Rasner ( Baseball-Reference.com Preview )

Open Thread - Game 40: Mets vs Yankees
Posted 9 hours ago at Amazin' Avenue
W-L G GS CG SHO SV BS IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP 2008 - Johan Santana 4-2 8 8 0 0 0 0 52.1 45 19 18 8...

Wet Bronx
Posted 9 hours ago at Scott Proctor's Arm
The weather in the Bronx does not look good for tonight's Subway Series opener. Looking at this, I'd be shocked if they played. It is expected that there will be a day-night doubleheader tomorrow if tonight's game is rained out.

Game #40: Mets at Yankees
Posted 11 hours ago at The LoHud Mets Blog
METS SS Jose Reyes DH Marlon Anderson 3B David Wright CF Carlos Beltran RF Ryan Church LF Moises Alou 1B Carlos Delgado C Brian Schneider 2B Luis Castillo LH Johan Santana

Game 42: Yanks vs. Mets
Posted 11 hours ago at Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog
Regular Season Game 42 Yankees (20-22) vs. Mets (20-19) Yankee Stadium - Bronx, NY Game Time: 7:05 p.m. TV: MY9 - MLB.TV | Radio: WCBS 880 - XM Radio Here are the lineups: YANKEES Johnny Damon LF Bobby Abreu RF Derek Jeter SS Hideki Matsui DH...

The Opposing Viewpoint: New York Yankees
Posted 10 hours ago at Take the 7 Train
Welcome back to The Opposing Viewpoint , the place to learn more about the Mets’ opponents from the bloggers who write about them. Coming off an embarrassing series loss at home to the Nationals that culminated in a 1-0 heartbreaker and a...

Top 5 things that can help improve the Yanks offense
Posted 14 hours ago at River Ave. Blues
Lots of shouting going on in the IPK thread . I think it’s a bit overblown. He threw more strikes this time, did a decent job of keeping the ball on the ground, and got through innings with fewer pitches, which is an improvement over his starts...

Game Preview: Mets @ Yankees
Posted 11 hours ago at Mets Merized Online - Get Metsmerized - New York Mets
Change is a good thing. Many experiments over the years have shown that change leads to an increase in productivity. The Hawthorne Experiments in the 1920's showed that when the lighting was changed in the Hawthorne plant, their workers productivity...

Bronx Banter: If You Didn't You Wouldn't Be in Here
Posted 13 hours ago at Bronx Banter
As we wait around for what Banterite Sliced Bread calls the Schlubway Serious...

Jason Giambi And The Yankees Sing The Thong Song
Posted 16 hours ago at Deadspin: Baseball
Remember how in Bull Durham , when Nuke LaLoosh wears a garter belt to help relax him on the mound? Well, apparently, Jason Giambi has a similar slumpbusting technique ... though it's perhaps one he shouldn't share with the world. Giambi told...

Prospectus Hit List: Strange Times by Jay Jaffe [Baseball Prospectus + 12 others]

Thu, 15 May 2008 17:00:00 PDT

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Prospectus Hit List: Strange Times by Jay Jaffe
Posted 31 hours ago at Baseball Prospectus
The Rays are in first place, the Yankees in last, and the Cubs occupy the top spot on the Hit List. Which of those three have the best chance of continuing?

Rays for Real
Posted 31 hours ago at Baseball Musings
So far this season, the Rays have played three teams that were considered competitive for playoffs coming into the season; the Red Sox, Yankees and Angels. (I also thought the Mariners would be competitive, but that hasn't been the case.)...

Devil Rays Look To Dig Even Deeper In Busch
Posted 33 hours ago at Bugs & Cranks
As fans of the team with the best record in the American League, Devil Rays Town has to be a little disappointed to only take 3 out of 4 at home from a lowly, lackluster, last place team like the once-storied New York Yankees. Still I suppose...

Yanks In Cellar Where They Belong!
Posted 30 hours ago at A Red Sox Fan From Pinstripe Territory
The Rays beat the Yanks 5-2, as Ian "Sure to be awesome because we say so, oh, also, so are all the other pitchers we didn't trade for Santana, just so you know. Fear us." Kennedy was shelled again. The Yanks fall into last place. The Rays, meanwhile,...

Offensive
Posted 28 hours ago at Bleeding Pinstripes
So let's paraphrase Mahatma Gandhi. Hey BPS, what do you think of the Yankees offense. Well, sir, we'd be in favor of it. ...

(No Title)
Posted 28 hours ago at Pending Pinstripes
Scranton’s game was rained out. The bullpen-ravaged team will play a double header tomorrow. Trenton beats Portland, 7 to 2. Jason Jones pitched 7 strong innings, allowing just 1 earned run and no walks. He struck out 3. If the Yankees...

May 15th @ The Rays
Posted 32 hours ago at WasWatching.com
If you wanted to pick one game, and use it to depict the Yankees season to date, this would not be a bad choice. New York’s kid starting pitcher allows one run for every inning pitched. Bomber batters, for the most part, fail with runners in...

Dissecting Kennedy’s return
Posted 33 hours ago at River Ave. Blues
The Yanks and Devil Rays are still slugging it out, and the three of us will all be out for the evening by the time this game wraps up. As the Yanks trail the Rays, though, we can talk briefly about Ian Kennedy’s return from the Minors. On...

Kennedy Still Looks Bad
Posted 29 hours ago at Yankees Blog
YANKEES 2 RAYS 5 Thursday afternoon, the Yankees lost yet another series, falling to the Rays 5-2. Ian Kennedy made a return to the starting rotation, and pitched just as badly as he was pitching the first time in the rotation. Kennedy gave up...

RAYS 5, Yankees 2: Do you believe yet?
Posted 32 hours ago at Rays of Light
(Box Score)Because, if not, you definitely should. The Tampa Bay Rays are for real. Just ask the New York Yankees.To be fair, this New York Yankees team we’re talking about is now in last... To read the rest of this story, visit...

Six runs in four games
Posted 32 hours ago at Scott Proctor's Arm
That's really all there is to say. The Rays' pitching isn't that good.

In Progress: Yanks-Rays Gamer VII
Posted 35 hours ago at Yanksfan Soxfan
Shockingly, the Yanks are struggling against Scott Kazmir. He's pitching a no-hitter through three.It's not like I'm jinxing it or anything. But he is only six innings away from a no-hitter. The Yanks do not have a hit and it's the bottom of the...

Game #42 - New York Yankees @ Tampa Bay Rays
Posted 36 hours ago at Pinstripe Alley
NEW YORK YANKEES Johnny Damon, LF Melky Cabrera, CF Derek Jeter, SS Jason Giambi, DH Shelley Duncan, RF Morgan Ensberg, 1B Robinson Cano, 2B Alberto Gonzalez, 3B Jose Molina, C...

Game 43: Mets at Yankees [The LoHud Yankees Blog + 12 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 12:46:25 PDT

New York Mets

Game 43: Mets at Yankees
Posted 12 hours ago at The LoHud Yankees Blog
YANKEES Damon LF Abreu RF Jeter SS Matsui DH Giambi 1B Cano 2B Cabrera CF Gonzalez 3B Moeller C Rasner RHP Darrell Rasner against the Mets hitters. "> "> " target="_blank">Johan Santana against the Yankees hitters. Back later with...

Links: Q&A, Prayer, Predictions and Stats
Posted 13 hours ago at MetsBlog.com
In a post to Mets Today , Joe Janish talks with Alex Belth from Bronx Banter in advance of the Subway Series. At Always Amazin , Matt Artus says a prayer for the Shea faithful, in their effort to beat the Yankees. In his blog for Newsday , Ken...

SNY: Salfino: Mets, Yanks face off in shabby shape
Posted 14 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Before this train reaches the next station it will become the scene of the most spectacular Mets hijack ever attempted!Why do both teams, given their high payrolls, have such weak benches? Shouldn’t all that extra salary buy you some depth? The Mets..

Yankeeschickography: LET'S SCORE SOME RUNS
Posted 12 hours ago at Yankees Chick
The Mets-Yanks series starts TODAY, munecas mias , and a sweep against the cross town rivals would be fantastic not just for their sub-.500 record but for their seemingly faltering confidence. Can they hack it against the Mets' strong pitching? At...

Coming To MetsWalkoffs at 7PM
Posted 12 hours ago at Mets Walk-Offs And Other Minutiae
"A live demonstration of my brain function..." OR "How I spent my night watching television..." In other words, I'm not liveblogging the game, because you can't do that (something about "expressed written consent"), but if you're looking for tidbits...

Subway Series: Battle of Expensive Mediocrity
Posted 12 hours ago at Archie Bunker's Army
When was the last time the Mets faced the Yankees with the Yankees in last place in the AL East? Never. Whilst Mets fans can bemoan Willie's ongoing inability to form his team into one of discipline, togetherness and success, whilst they can ridicule...

The series ahead
Posted 15 hours ago at Scott Proctor's Arm
The New York Yankees (20-22) begin a three-game series against the New York Mets (20-19) at Yankee Stadium tonight. The pitching matchups are: Tonight - 7:05 p.m., MY9 Johan Santana - LHP (4-2, 3.10 ERA) vs. Darrell Rasner - RHP (2-0, 3.00 ERA) ...

Our List Includes a Desi, But No Lucy
Posted 15 hours ago at Mets Walk-Offs And Other Minutiae
A Super-Express Versions of Things I Learned While Looking For Weird Notes On the Mets and the Yankees Rivalry * The Mets all-time leader in Subway Series batting average is Richard Hidalgo , who hit .524 with 5 home runs in 6 games against the...

A Prayer for the Shea Faithful
Posted 17 hours ago at NJ.com: Always Amazin'
Almighty Umpire in the Sky, In the name of all that is holy, please give the Mets the strength and intelligence to beat the Yankees this weekend. I know the Amazin's haven't done much lately to promote the faith or...

About Yesterday …
Posted 19 hours ago at The LoHud Mets Blog
Sleeping on it hasn't changed anything. The Mets still lost three of four from Washington, a team they should smoke. They are playing with the same malaise they did last year during their collapse. This is a team that's playing uninspired baseball....

Mets Mailbag: Will Mets ever retire Piazza's Number?
Posted 38 hours ago at Mets Merized Online - Get Metsmerized - New York Mets
Isn't it unfair that the Mets have to play the Yankees six times every year, while the other teams in the division play lesser teams? In one word, YES... However the problems with scheduling since the insertion of Interleague play and the 3...

SNY: Head to Head: Subway Series debate
Posted 42 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Oh, shiit, stay out of all NY bars!...The bogus “SUBWAY SERIES© ® ™ £” is back! Steve Lombardi & Matthew Cerrone take it on.Lombardi: Actually, the Mets other starters will present problems for the Yankees as well. Lefties have only b

May 2008 Survey Question #1
Posted 42 hours ago at WasWatching.com
Please consider taking the following poll: n How Important Is It That The Yankees Play Well Against The Mets This Weekend? Extremely Important It's Important ...

Rays Beat Yanks, Take The Series [Outs Per Swing + 12 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:29:17 PDT

New York Yankees

Rays Beat Yanks, Take The Series
Posted 11 hours ago at Outs Per Swing
That’s more like it. The Rays beat the Yankees 5-2 last night in front of nearly 20,000 fans to win the series 3-1 and lower the New York to last place in the AL East. It was the Rays sixth series win in their last seven chances. Inside...

Devil Rays Haiku Contest
Posted 22 hours ago at Bugs & Cranks
Naturally, the way our beloved American League-leading Devil Rays have embraced their destiny has served for many as an inspiration for artistic expression. SideSalad’s Jeff The Chef * sent me a link this morning to no less than 8 Devil Rays...

Subway Series Preview
Posted 15 hours ago at Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog
Yankees - Mets @ Yankee Stadium (3 games) Both teams are stumbling into this series. The Yanks are in last place in the AL East, and sit 4.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays who just took three out of four from the Yanks in Tampa. The Yankees...

Rays Take Three-Of-Four From Yankees
Posted 18 hours ago at The Game of Baseball
Shawn Riggans smacked a two-run homer and scored twice as the red-hot Rays downed the Yankees, 5-2, in the finale of a four-game set at Tropicana Field. Akinori Iwamura hit a solo shot, and B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford each plated a run for Tampa...

Bronx Banter: The Sorrow and the Pity
Posted 18 hours ago at Bronx Banter
Ian Kennedy was filled with big talk before his recent start in Triple A. Last night, he felt there was improvement in his return start for the Yankees but the results were not splendid--five runs in five innings. The Yankee offense, dubbed "the Dead...

Girardi psyched for series
Posted 20 hours ago at Yankees baseball blog
- Joe Girardi is well-acquainted with the Subway Series. He participated in the inaugural Yankees-Mets series in 1997, then again in 1998 and 1999, and served as the Yankees' bench coach in 2005. Yet managing the Yankees in this weekend's series will...

Surging Rays drop Yankees into last place with 5-2 win
Posted 20 hours ago at Yankees baseball blog
- The Yankees were hoping Ian Kennedy would return from his 10-day banishment to the minors with a renewed confidence and a new approach to his game. Three pitches into his start against the Rays, things looked pretty much the same. Kennedy served...

Getting used to the view
Posted 23 hours ago at Rays from across the Pond
So it wasn't quite a sweep of the Yankees this week, but despite losing on Wednesday, last night's win makes it three straight days that the Rays have been looking down on the rest of the AL East. And you know what, I like the view. So, it might not...

Rays Blast 2 HRs Off Kennedy, Beat Yanks 5-2
Posted 25 hours ago at Sliding Into Home: A Yankees Blog
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E N.Y. Yankees 0 ...

Guess Who's in the AL East Basement?
Posted 27 hours ago at The Mighty Quinn Media Machine
Yep, it's the New York Yankees, who find themselves in last place today after losing to the first-place Tampa Bay Rays, 5-2, on Thursday afternoon at the Trop. But wow, the first-place Rays? They are one game in front of the Red Sox as I write this,...

Rays Take Three Of Four From Yanks
Posted 27 hours ago at Depressed Fan
If you're looking for negativity tonight, you won't find it here. I'm tired of it, so this post will focus only on the positives we can take away from this game , as Yankee fans. Here goes: The Bullpen stood tall, yet again. 9 batters faced by...

Where Will The Promotion Train Strike?
Posted 27 hours ago at Pending Pinstripes
So, the journalist exemplar George King was wrong yet again. Dan McCutchen is not on his way to Scranton. Still, Scranton needs to replace Heath Phillips in his rotation before Scott Strickland decides that being that horse in a western that gallops...

Kennedy's Woes Continue as Rays Take Three of Four
Posted 27 hours ago at Green Pinstripes
This script is getting a little old. Ian Kennedy didn't transform into a new pitcher and the offense continued to frustrate as the Rays downed the Yanks 5-2 in St. Petersburg. Tampa scored at least one run in four of the five innings Kennedy...

Werth Goes for Four [Baseball Musings + 4 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 18:20:08 PDT

Jayson Werth

Werth Goes for Four
Posted 6 hours ago at Baseball Musings
Jayson Werth is due up third as the Phillies go to the bottom of the seventh. He'll come to the plate with three home runs and nine RBI under his belt with a three-run, grand slam and solo shot. Update:...

Jayson Werth Hits Three Home Runs, Thinks Baseball is Crazy
Posted 8 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: Philadelphia , Phillies , NL East Regular playing time is suiting Jayson Werth well. Last season Werth, in part time duty, hit eight HR's. This season, he's got nine taters thanks to the three he hit tonight off of the team he broke...

A Story Werth Telling?
Posted 5 hours ago at WasWatching.com
Jayson Werth had a big game for the Phillies tonight: Three big flies and eight ribbies. Why is this news in Yankeeland? Well, it’s not. But, it’s a good excuse to tell a story. Jayson Werth is the son of Kim Schofield and a former NCAA...

SportsTicker: Phillies CF Werth enters team record book
Posted 6 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Jayson Werth tied a franchise record with eight RBI by blasting his third home run - a solo shot - in the fifth inning of Friday’s interleague game against the Toronto Blue Jays.Werth, 29, also belted a...

Werth the Price of Admission
Posted 8 hours ago at The700Level.com - Philly Sports & Minutiae
Pardon the title pun, but I couldn't resist. The Phillies are putting on a great show for the rain-soaked masses at Citizens Bank Park tonight, up 8-0 in the third. And no, Brett Myers isn't pitching for the Blue Jays. Jayson Werth has a 3-run...

Ideal Lineups [GoatRiders of the Apocalypse - + 11 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 09:49:26 PDT

Chicago Cubs

Ideal Lineups
Posted 15 hours ago at GoatRiders of the Apocalypse -
Like most baseball fans, half my time thinking about baseball is fantasizing about Things Yet To Come. With the recent addition of Jim "Aw, God, Why?" Edmonds, the ideal Cubs lineups may look something like the following: 2B Mark DeRosa...

Cub Town: Blame Not The Puppet, But The Puppeteer
Posted 13 hours ago at Cub Town
It's been hard to think clearly about Jim Edmonds, what with the sound of the collective gnashing of teeth roiling through the city. The constant rumbling of it, as if IDOT had decided to simultaneously repave all of the pothole-ridden roads in town,...

Cardinals Punk Cubs Again (No, This Is Not the Jim Edmonds Signing Post)
Posted 38 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: Chicago , Cubs , Cardinals , NL Central , MLB Fans , MLB Video , St. Louis Sure, the Cardinals-Cubs rivalry is dead to the rest of the country. But those charming Midwesterners still think that their hatred of each other is endearing...

Chicago Tribune: Edmonds patient while Cubs, fans adjust (RR)
Posted 28 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
When [Edmonds] ran onto the field in the first inning, he was cheered for being in Cub blue.When he struck out with the bases loaded in the fifth inning, he was booed as if he were still in Cardinal red.Has he ever had an ovation in Chicago...

Cubs Sign Edmonds
Posted 42 hours ago at MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com
The Chicago Cubs have signed Jim Edmonds to a contract for the remainder of the '08 season. Edmonds, who was released by the Padres last Friday , will make about $284K, the prorated league minimum. To make room on the roster, the Cubs demoted...

Cubs Fans Heads Explode
Posted 42 hours ago at Baseball Musings
Jim Edmonds signed with the Cubs Wednesday: "Hopefully Jimmy still has something left and it was just a bad start," general manager Jim Hendry said. Sure, three straight years of declining numbers are meaningless. Felix Pie joins the list of...

Guest Writer: Cubs sign Edmonds instead of dog sh-t
Posted 30 hours ago at Final Thoughts on Chicago Sports : Cubs Thoughts
This showed up in my inbox today: Cubs sign Edmonds instead of dog sh-t by Mike Byrne The Cubs signed former Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds to a contract for the pro-rated MLB minimum for 2008 after a similar offer was refused by a...

No One in the Cubs Has Seen Jim Edmonds Play Lately
Posted 44 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: Chicago , Cubs , NL Central , MLB Transactions That's really the only excuse for the debacle that is Jim Edmonds -in-pinstripes. When the signing was finalized, the only thing any reasonable observer could say was, well, apparently no...

Man: The Edmonds Thing Is Really Happening
Posted 37 hours ago at Deadspin: Baseball
Augh ... man, the Cubs really did sign Jim Edmonds . Other than Pujols or Willie McGee signing with those guys, we can't imagine our brains hurting more than they do to see this. And we're sure Cubs fans don't feel any better about it. Proceed with...

Miklasz: Edmonds in a Cubs uniform? The thought is mind-boggling
Posted 42 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
Bernie, Miklasz, Saddam Hussein, Jim Edmonds and Will Leitch...it’s a damn qualudfecta!And if this tryout lasts, we’ll see Edmonds at Busch Stadium on July 4, when the Cubs open a three-game series in St. Louis. What will Cardinals fans do? I...

At Least Edmonds Won't Be As Unpopular As Hundley. Right?
Posted 40 hours ago at wrigleyville23
Short of OJ Simpson, I'm not sure Jim Hendry could have signed anyone less popular with Cubs fans than Jim Edmonds . But Edmonds is going to have to work very, very hard to be the least popular player to play for the Cubs. That title belongs solely...

B126 #1B: Jim “I Wish You Were D”Edmonds
Posted 41 hours ago at Hire Jim Essian!
Congratulations, Jim Edmonds! You haven’t played a single game as a Chicago Cub. You haven’t pissed and moaned about a single called third strike in blue pinstripes. You haven’t taken a circuitous route and a completely unnecessary...

Izzy Hurt? [Baseball Musings + 5 others]

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:50:12 PDT

Jason Isringhausen

Izzy Hurt?
Posted 8 hours ago at Baseball Musings
Jason Isringhausen goes on the disabled list: The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last weekend that Isringhausen hurt his right hand striking a television set in frustration in manager Tony La Russa's office. There appears to be a disagreement about...

STL Post-Dispatch: Struggling Isringhausen is placed on disabled list
Posted 3 hours ago at BBTF's Baseball Primer Newsblog
The Cardinals placed their deposed closer on the 15-day disabled list Friday after team medical supervisor Dr. George Paletta found enough evidence to make the roster move of least resistance. Isringhausen, who made three appearances after delivering...

Jason Isringhausen's Year Just Got a Little Worse
Posted 10 hours ago at Beyond the Box Score
ST. LOUIS -- The St. Louis Cardinals put struggling closer Jason Isringhausen , who has an 8.00 ERA and six blown saves, on the 15-day disabled list on Friday because of a cut on his pitching hand. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last...

The Griddle: Cardinals find injury for struggling Isringhausen
Posted 11 hours ago at The Griddle
Erstwhile closer and setup man for the Cardinals, Jason Isringhausen has been placed on the 15-day DL with what is described as a right hand laceration.

Jason Isringhausen Is Still Blowing Leads
Posted 37 hours ago at FanHouse - %CategoryName%
Filed under: Pirates , Cardinals , NL Central , St. Louis While watching the first two Pirates/Cardinals games earlier this week, one of the main topics of conversation was Jason isringhausen . The Cardinal announcers constantly wondered how Izzy...

Isringhausen
Posted 32 hours ago at Cardinals GM
What do we do with him?