BASEBALL

[Destiny]

Congrats to the Jays who won over NYY 2-1 and The Tribe won over KC 9-4.

Also the rehab assignments, in Martinez's first (Sunday) as a DH he hit a homer (first of the season) at AA Akron, Then tonight at AAA Buffalo as catcher he went six innings he was 1-2 with a walk, single and sacrifice fly, knocking in two RBI and scoring a run. Travis Hafner also on rehab hit Monday at AAA Buffalo, it a double and a single in three plate appearances. Josh Barfield also at AAA Buffalo, was 0-2 with a Sac Fly knocking in one RBI. - They figure if all goes well these three will be up and ready to go by around the first of September. The problem is that there is going to be such a jam in the roster, that Andy Gonzalez who can play any position but Pitcher and catcher will be sent down, then comes the problem. You will a mess they are going to try and make work.

The mess comes like this if I can get it right. Those who can play what position..
C: Shoppach, Martinez, Fasano
1B: Garko, Martinez
2B: Barfield, Cabrera, Carroll
3B: Marte, Carroll
SS: Peralt, Cabrera
LF: Dellucci, Francisco
RF: Choo, Gutierrez
CF: Sizemore (and if he gets a day off), Gutierrez
DH: Hafner, Martinez

But both Gutierrez and Choo can play LF, and Francisco can play RF, Dellucci can play all three positions he is mostly kept to LF. So basically you have your regular players, extra players, utility player. Thats fourteen players, they have to rotate, its your basic audition of sorts since we are not in contention. But problem is this, Francisco is a good player but he is still not adjusting to the pitchers while they are or have adjusted to him.
Then you have my one pet peeve, a player has a strong arm this is good, but when they (specifically Francisco and Choo) purposely miss the cut off man to get to home plate 99.9% of the time they are off the mark and trouble happens. Dellucci, Gutierrez and Sizemore all hit the cut off man and to the catcher, sometimes they get it, sometimes not. I would rather be close with the cut off, then off and the ball gets away and more then one possible run can score.

Another problem is that Choo must serve in the South Korean military for two years its part of the culture, the only way out and this has to be done by 2010, is to become a U.S. Citizen, or win any type of medal in the Olympics, the last he couldn't do as MLB players can not go to the olympics and he is out of options to be sent to the minors who went to play for team USA (now if he would have gotten to the olympics he would have only had to serve four weeks). So he either serves, or becomes a citizen, he hasn't said one way or the other what his plan is, his family (wife and kids) are in the U.S.

I don't know what the plan is for this team but its gonna be wild.

Go T & J !!! :bolian: :shifty: :bolian:

 

[Destiny]

Okay I know I am not past the edit time but ^^ is a bit long...

Jays 1 - NYY 5: Ouch okay they can get them tomorrow.

Tribe vs KC: Well they got on the board first, then we took the lead, then they took the lead by 2, then their lovely closer got jacked. He let choo reach, walked Sizemore, with one out, then with two on went after Franky G. who promptly parked it in the seats which put us in the lead for good. Score Tribe 8 - KC 5. We have the Series, now will we get the sweep?

BTW Zach Jackson didn't get the win, though he did managed to hit a batter unfortunitly in the ear flap of the helmet, that bounced and hit him around the cheek or nose. After that he was so shaken he gave up the lead we had and this ticked me off, NO ONE went out to talk to him to try and calm him down, they talked to him MAYBE when the inning was over and he was in the dugout. This guy just came up from the minors it was his second outting and you can tell he was shaken.

 

[Destiny]

Did I call it or what, I told you the Jays would get the yankees and the series. Jays 14 - NYY 3.

The Tribe continues to amaze me, Cliff Lee got his 18th win, and they got the sweep of the Royals. Tribe 10 - KC 3

Okay tomorrow or rather today lol we play Texas again, in Texas something tells me these next three games are going to be a long night lol.

Probable pitchers:
Game 1: Carmona vs Matt Harrison
Game 2: Sowers vs Brandon McCarthy
Game 3: Reyes vs Vicente Padilla

Go T & J !!! :bolian: :shifty: :bolian:

 

[DJRideout]

First off, I tip my hat to both the Jays and the Tribe..they seem to be playing good ball. What I want to know is, where are all these high scoring games coming from with the Jays lately? Not that I am complaining, but where were the bats earlier in the season..? LOL...it's great to see that they are finally showing that they still have some fight in them. Vernon Wells popped 2 over the fence today in a 11-0 win over the Sox and it was nice to see such a good crowd out for the game. Were they there to see Jason Bay play or because the Jays are playing good ball?

With the acquisition of Jose Bautita (or however its spelled) now playing third, where will that lean the ailing Rolen?

 

[Destiny]

Congrats to the Jays for handing the bo-sox their tushes on a platter, wow!

The tribe fineally managed to finish the game tonight it was a one hour fifteen minute delay due to rain and we got the series. Game one: Tribe 7 - Tex 5, Game two: Tribe 8 - Tex 7. Tomorrow (err today) is the last game with them, then we move on to detroit for three, then they are back home.


Go T & J !! :bolian: :shifty: :bolian:

 

[Jacquie]

First off, I tip my hat to both the Jays and the Tribe..they seem to be playing good ball. What I want to know is, where are all these high scoring games coming from with the Jays lately? Not that I am complaining, but where were the bats earlier in the season..? LOL...it's great to see that they are finally showing that they still have some fight in them. Vernon Wells popped 2 over the fence today in a 11-0 win over the Sox and it was nice to see such a good crowd out for the game. Were they there to see Jason Bay play or because the Jays are playing good ball?

With the acquisition of Jose Bautita (or however its spelled) now playing third, where will that lean the ailing Rolen?

Right now Rolen is on the DL with an tired shoulder. I've not read or heard nothing but the Jays may shut him down for the rest of the season.

Shawn Marcum was optioned to Syracuse yesterday. He's not been pitching well.

Knowing the fans of Toronto baseball they were probably there to see the Red Sox and Bay play. Fans don't come out to support the Jays like they used to in the early 90's. If they were a consistently better team you would get 40,000 a game but until then......I myself have not been to a game in years. And the reason is the strike of 1994. It's too expensive to go to a game and even though I enjoy baseball, I don't think the players should be making the money they do. No athlete, in my opinion, is worth $25mil a year.

Why are the Jays playing better. Hey it's coming to the end of the season for them and basically they are out of the playoffs. So they have to play well to be the spoilers for other teams

 

[Destiny]

Well the tribe left the brooms at home, we brought the vaccumes instead, thats right they just swept the Rangers, Game one: Tribe 7 - Tex 5, Game two: Tribe 8 - Tex 7, Game 3: Tribe 4 - Tex 3.

We have won the last 7 games we have played, were doing really well, though I know it can't continue but we sweep two teams back to back and took the series from the angels, which for the tribe is well Next were on to play the kitty-kats for three.

Probable Pitchers:
Game One: Zach Jackson vs Armando Galarraga
Game Two: Cliff Lee vs Chris Lambert
Game Three: Fausto Carmona vs Justin Verlander

Okay tonight (well the whole series but tonight) was so wierd but and it shouldn't be funny but I had the giggles, because the Rangers catcher Laird got hit in the ummm private area with a pitch that was just a touch wild needless to say it took him a while to get feeling :lol: to continue catching, only to have one of our guys foul off a pitch which hit the ground and bounced up and sort of glanced off that same area. If that wasn't bad enough Kelly Shoppach was in the first at bat when the first time happened and he has had that happen to him once, and he was trying so hard not to laugh, and they panned to the ranger dugout and they were trying not to laugh (after they found he wasn't seriously injured) and their PITCHER was hiding behind his glove trying not to laugh. Needless to say when he continued in the game, you could have probably stole any base off him he was a little slow in moving.

Rick Manning one of the guys with STO calling the game, first said ouch he was hit in the toe, then Matt Underwood said, "Umm I don't think that was his toe" then asked Rick basically if he flunked atamony. :guffaw:

 

[Destiny]

Okay well we have the series against the tigers, tomorrow will it be a sweep? This means Cliff Lee is a 19 game winner, and the Tribe have won nine straight. Tonight Jamey Carroll got his first HR of the Year. There was a debate on who would get it first Jamey or Victor lol. Also Congrats to Grady Sizemore who Monday became a 30/30 guy only the second in indians history with 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases (he actually has 31 HRs and 34 SBs). Okay outcome of the last two games.. Game one: Tribe 4 - tigers 3, Game two: Tribe 10 - Tigers 4.

For those who have teams playing on Thursday this might interest you if you haven't heard. Limited instant replay debuts Thursday - Basically it will deal with only HR's and whether or not it was the type that hits a railing, if there was fan interference that made the HR look like it was/wasn't, and whether or not a ball is a HR or a foul ball.

 

[Jacquie]

The Jays beat Tampa last night 6-2. Doc finally got a win against them He had lost his 3 previous starts against them. For some unknown reason Tampa is one team the Jays struggle against. And it's just not this year with Tampa in first place it been ever since Tampa came into the league.

And don't even get me started on the instant replay :scream: is all I will say.

 

[Destiny]

Congrats on the win.

As to IR I am only for it in the cases of the HR ball, Fair or foul HR ball, and fan interference. There have been to many blown calls when it comes to them, I know there was something like 9 in one week I believe. Some doubles were called HRs, some HRs were called doubles, same with fair and foul HR poll. Hopefully by doing this now, they can work out the kinks and bugs they might have and it would be ready in 2009. I am not for it if it means Bases, strikes, etc calls.

ETA: last time we played the tigers we were on a ten game losing streak, which is why it seems strange that by sweeping them tonight 9-7 we are on a 10 game winning streak. Tomorrow is a day off. I still have to absorb the fact that we swept KC, Texas, and Det. Back to back to back.

 

[Destiny]

Okay tonight is full of surprises, Welcome back Victor Martinez he has been activated from the DL today and will be at first base tonight. Though I still think he should have went to AAA Buffalo, but Indians designated infielder Andy Gonzalez for assignment.

Tonight we play Seattle, Probable pitchers

Game One: Jeremy Sowers vs Felix Hernandez
Game Two: Anthony Reyes vs Jarrod Washburn
Game Three: Zach Jackson vs Carlos Silva

EDITED: So the streak ends game one Tribe 2 - Sea 3.

GO T & J !!!

 

[Jacquie]

The Jays play their last game at Yankee Stadium this afternoon. Doc is on the mound for the Jays while the Yankees counter with Pettitte. The Jays lost the first game in the series on Friday 2-1 but came from behind yesterday to win 7-6.

In other Jays news Matt Stairs has been traded to the Phillies. Other than the Phillies paying Stairs his $1millon for 2009 I couldn't find any other details. The Jays may also unload a infielder before today's trading deadline. It appears the Angels are in need of a shortstop and the Jays have an extra player or two at that position at the moment.

Cleveland has dropped their last two games to the Mariners. 3-2 on Friday and 4-3 in 10 on Saturday. Today's pitchers Rowland-Smith for the Mariners and Jackson for the Tribe

Go Jays and Tribe

eta The Jays have traded David Eckstein to the Diamondbacks. The Jays get minor league pitcher Chad Beck

Eckstein traded to Diamondbacks

Oh yeah the Jays won today 6-2

 

[Destiny]

Congrats the the JAYS! The tribe was swept today by the mariners 6-4, I have a feeling I know what happened but people will think I am crazy. They [the tribe] were on a roll, but then they activated Victor for game one and we lost, he was out of game two we were starting to come back, they put him into game two as a pitch hitter and we lost, he was playing today game three, and hmm we LOST! color me crazy but if he doesn't play say tomorrow, but then the next day and we win the first and lose the second, will I be crazy then?

Yep orginially Carlos Silva was suppost to go today for the mariners, but he is on the 15 DL. Hence the reason I didn't know until late last night and I feel asleep before I could put up the changes.

Okay next three games for the tribe Welcome September, expanded rosters and CWS.

Probably pitchers:

Game one: Cliff Lee (looking for game win 20) vs Clayton Richard
Game two: Fausto Carmona vs John Danks
Game three: Jeremy Sowers vs Javier Vazquez

Okay so it might not be Victor himself, its the fact that the rest of the team has become patient and vic is aggressive, as if he is trying to catch up with the rest of them and striking out alot more. The other problem is that when they were on the winning streak everyone knew who was basically going to be where, now you have martinez in there and he is either going to be DHing, first, or catching, its back to the rotating door, and if they get Hafner up here when they are thinking, its going to be worse.

 

[Jacquie]

The Jays are off today and they open a three game series with the Twins on Tuesday.

Now some interesting facts about the Jays and there play at Yankee Stadium:

MOST-LY JAYS
All-time Blue Jay numbers at Yankee Stadium:
Team record: 100-124
Most hits: 75 (Vernon Wells)
Most HRs: 12 (Carlos Delgado)
Most RBIs: 42 (Carlos Delgado)
Most games: 70 (Carlos Delgado)
Most at-bats: 240 (Vernon Wells)
Most wins: 8 (Jimmy Key)
Most saves: 14 (Tom Henke)
Most innings pitched: 121.1 (Dave Stieb)
Most strikeouts: 81 (Roy Halladay)
Most complete games: 7 (Dave Stieb)
Most starts: 16 (Stieb 6-4 and Halladay 7-4)

 

[Destiny]

Game one Tribe takes down the Cws in a 5-0 game.
This wasn't just a shutout game, it was a complete shutout game.
Cliff Lee is now a 20 game winner (20-2) with an era of 2.32 - "becoming the first Indians pitcher in 34 years to win 20 games in a seaon. - Gaylord Perry was the last Tribe pitcher to win 20 games when he went 21-13 in 1974." Congrats to Cliff Lee on this milestone.