2009 MLB Thread (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

And, don't forget: Ramon spelled backwards is...

 

[MarkHastings]

Mr. Garcia and Mrs. Para would know.

 

[TonyD]

Holy Jeez, Raul Ibanez
21 homers and 58 rbi's

beats the Mets with a 3 run dinger tonight.

 

[Ockeghem]

That was some bottom of the eighth inning for the Red Sox tonight. I thought they were dead in the water, the way Sabathia was pitching. But three runs later, they have the lead (4-3), and Papelbon has a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to nail it down for ... Saito?

Penny pitched fairly well (he didn't give up any runs in six innings). But he was a bit shaky in places. Sabathia, on the other hand, was really good from about the third inning onward, his only mistake coming at the hands of Ortiz an inning earlier. His control got better, and he really seemed to be settling into quite a nice groove. Thank goodness for Green, Bay, Pedroia, and Drew. And Papi had another home run (an opposite field smash), which was good to see.

 

[Ockeghem]

True enough.

And if you take the R off of Ramon's name (as in 'trade it away' = Ruth), and replace it with D as in Bucky Dent, you get Damon, as in....

 

[Mike Frezon]

A lot of announcers seem to think it's good that Ortiz is hitting the ball to left and left-center. Frankly, in this particular slump, I'm not taking great comfort in that. To me, it just seems like he's late on everything.

I just think he is slowly getting his confidence back. And, he is above the Mendoza line at .203 tonight.

 

[babybubs]

As much as I disagree with any use of PED's, and do not think what Manny Ramirez did is okay.... And being that I'm a huge Yankees fan and hated him while he was with the Red Sox absolutely killing us each night.... I miss being able to watch him hit. The guy, PED's or not, has one of the best swings I've ever seen. I don't think that any type of supplement or steroid or PED can help you mechanically hit a baseball with any type of consistency, only hard work and muscle memory type drills can produce that - and his swing is pretty much flawless. Just watching his swing you can tell how hard the guy has worked at his craft. Again, I don't agree with the substances he's been caught ingesting, but the guy can swing it.

 

[Walter C]

I know, just unbelievable. Glad to see them take 2 out of 3 at Citi Field. Now only hoping they can improve their play at home.

Also, a major coincidence today - Tigers play the Pirates, and Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Red Wings and Penguins.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And the one thing about Manny...

Even though suspended for 50 games, you can be sure he's taking hundreds of swings each day...keeping his skill honed. He'll be ready to hit when he steps back onto the field.

 

[Ockeghem]

And hopefully he'll become mired in a slump so bad that it will make Papi's slump look like a triple crown performance by comparison.

 

[LewB]

I found it a bit ironic that the Boston crowd was chanting something like 'You take steroids' at A-Rod (which I have no problem with). While the only thing that separates them from the other current steroid poster boy (Manny) is the fact that Scott Bore-Ass needed to make some commission money and engineered Manny's exit from Boston.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Boston fans have never let reality get in the way of a good anti-Yankee chant. The fact their default chant is "Yankees Suck!!" proves that (pre-2004, that is).

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've said before that one of the coolest things for me is that I never have to hear that blasted "nineteen-eighteen" chant ever again.

I'm starting to hope that the case continues to build that Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS was the nexus of a sea change in the NY/Boston relationship. While I suspect I will always have doubt (because of my history with that particular relationship), I am starting to actually wonder if there has been some kind of shift in the balance of power between the two worlds.

Starting this season 8-0 in the season series is crazy. The Yanks will have to go 9-1 in the remaining 10 games (7 of which are at the Stadium) just to bring it even. It has been even or near-even in most recent years.

 

[MarkHastings]

I hate when they chant that!! I realize where it's coming from, but it doesn't help when you're trying to defend that Sox fans aren't as obnoxious as NY fans have been my whole life. :frowning:

 

[Jeff Gatie]

The very moment when the world righted itself upon its axis. Frozen for all eternity, along with the "Oh shit he's gonna make it" look in Jeter's incredibly calm eyes.

 

[Ockeghem]

Lew,

Yeah, I heard that chant last night. Had I been at the park, I wouldn't have taken part in it for a variety of reasons.

It's interesting that A-Rod got the hit that almost won the game for them. He had been slumping in the series.

My problem with Manny isn't his playing. For the most part (and when he tries), he's excellent. My disdain for him is how he behaves off the field. I don't think bad behavior ought to be rewarded.

Mike,

You could be right about a shift in the balance in power. Here's hoping you are.

 

[TonyD]

Joe Blanton has been flirting with trouble every inning.

 

[Brian Perry]

Milton Bradley continues to be one of the worst signings ever. Can't hit worth a lick, multiple injuries again this year (what a surprise), baserunning blunders, hostility to fans and media, and today's piece de resistance: with one out, he catches a fly ball, strikes a ridiculous pose, and then tosses the ball into the bleachers (with runners scoring and advancing).

Makes me wish that teams could implement performance-based punishments.

 

[TonyD]

Howard ties it up.
this could go on for awhile.

 

[Bob Graham]

According the Boston Globe, the last time the Sox started a season 8-0 against the Yankees was 1912.