Rockies 2, Padres 1: As you've heard, this game went 22 innings and lasted 6 hours and 16 minutes. That's a full 13 minutes longer than your average Red Sox playoff game. Jayson Stark's research staff will no doubt bring you a 37 bullet point list of all of the fun facts surrounding this game later today, but until then, know this: pursuant to official PETCO Park policy, beer sales were suspended after the 7th inning.Mets 3, Nats 2: 14 innings and 4:45. Amateurs.
Reds 9, Cubs 2: Joey Votto (2-5, 2B, HR, 5 RBI) was the offensive hero and is currently sporting a .946 OPS, but did you know that he hasn't walked once this year? Not a single time. In case you're curious, the lowest walk total for a starting first baseman who qualified for the batting title in the last 80 years was Lee May who walked 17 times in 590 plate appearances in 1974. If Votto can get himself traded for the modern equivalent of Joe Morgan, hey, he can hack all he wants. Until that happens, he'd better learn to take a pitch, because he won't hit .350 all year.
Braves 8, Marlins 0: Atlanta decides to let the grown-ups take care of things. Chipper: 4-4, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, BB; Smoltz: 5 IP, 0 ER, 10K. Bobby Cox, liking the flashback to 1996, scratches his chin and wonders if Greg McMichael and Mark Wohlers are busy.
Red Sox 7, Yankees 5: Manny Ramirez laughs at the concept of "decline phase," smacking two homers off of Mike Mussina, who has embraced the concept with both arms, nuzzled his head under its chin, and has begun picking out paint samples for the Florida room.
Phillies 10, Astros 6: Miguel Tejada goes 1-2 with a double. Yes, I realize that the box score says he put up bigger numbers than that, but if Ed Wade doesn't care about the truth, why should I?
Orioles 6, White Sox 5: The Sox blow a 5-2 lead in the eighth and go on to lose in extras. Orlando Cabrera steals his second base of the season. It's also the team's second stolen base of the season. Somebody help me out here, because I don't follow the White Sox all that much: are they still claiming to be playing "smartball," or did that end in 2005?
Indians 11, Tigers 1: Add Justin Verlander (5 IP, 7H, 5 ER, 1 K, 4 BB) to the list of putative aces having putrid seasons. Not that he was the worst pitcher in the game. His relief, Zach Miner, gave up the cycle +1 -- double, triple, homer, single, single -- to five consecutive batters in the sixth inning. He also walked a guy and somehow -- somehow -- managed to get three outs as well. Of course, it could have been worse.
Mariners 8, A's 1: Carlos Silva (7 IP, 1ER) is this year's Gil Meche.
Brewers 5, Cardinals 3: Prince Fielder, while still a vegetarian, must have disclaimed his PETA membership, because he obviously no longer believes that knocking the horsehide around is cruel.
7 comments:
When the Braves offense turns it on, boy do they turn it on. 15 hits last night -- 4 singles. They didn't hit their first single till the 5th, after they'd already launched 4 homeruns. On the other hand, when the Braves offense doesn't turn it on, boy do they stink.
Yeah, they've been feat or famine for a long, long time, haven't they? I get most of my recaps of Braves games from Mac over at Braves Journal, and he has long noted how much trouble the Braves have scoring runs when they're not hitting bombs.
Could Wohlers and McMichael really be any worse than Resop?
I don't even think 1998-99 Wohlers would be worse than Resop.
Votto's had pretty good walk rates his whole career and works hard at waiting for his pitch. At least he used to. I'm afraid Dusty might have his hand in getting him to swing more. Yikes.
APBA Guy-
I think BB is right about Dusty's influence on Votto. Remember during Spring training, all of Dusty's comments about hitters being too passive? Those remarks were aimed at Votto: ie, start hacking or get on the AAA bus. While Votto won't hit .350, he might hit .320. He's good enough, especially in the Smallpark.
On another subject, I'm not sure how intense the ethics classes were at Bani (DR) Sr. High, but we all remember the large number of guys in the late '90's coming from the DR with age adjustments. I think Miggy was doing what everyone else was doing, only his paperwork was better.
Besides, one look at him now and you can see plainly that his metabolism has slowed. The Oakland Miggy had about 3% body fat. The Houston Miggy looks like he spent the off season at the Dunkin Donuts training table.
There are only 2 seasons left on his big deal that he signed with Baltimore. In 2010 he'll be 35 and a DH somewhere. Meanwhile, he's loving that short proch in Houston.
The White Sox have given up on Smart Ball until Jerry Lee Owens returns from his Pods like groin injury. Until then the incredibly swift Nick Swisher (413 obp) is leading off. Oh, Owens: http://www.baseball-reference.com/o/owensje01.shtml
Also, in bizzaro news, Thome (173/271/404) and Konerko (176/328/333) have forgotten how to hit.
Hopefully when they start packing bats for those two again, they'll stay away from smart ball.
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