Well, it ain't <i>beisbol</i>, but I'm gonna post it anyway...

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...ory?id=2528450

Wjen I first read this, I laughed. Then I said to myself "Self...whatinthehell are you laughing at?". That just ain't right. The horse shoulda bitten his damn head off.

Twins have won something like 32 of their last 40 and the Tigers are still 8.5 up on them. Looking pretty good out there, Mick!

Chuck,
It's kind of you to notice, but the Twins have invited the Tigers to Minnesota for a bit (3 games 7/28,29,30), after April games of 3 of 3 [Detroit] and May games of 4 of 6 [Detroit].
Back then the Twins (I think) hadn't discovered Liriano [1.93]. And, Santana is still a bad boy [3.04].
It would be cool to see Liriano and Verlander [both rookies] take turns in the same game. :)
mick

How sad is Prior's season? He is throwing a no-hitter and has to be pulled in the 6th because he just isn't in shape to go deep into games at this point.


The match-ups for Detroit @ Minn :

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="20%"> Fri, Jul 28</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=left width="20%"> 8:10 pm EDT</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="58%"> Z. Miner vs. F. Liriano</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD noWrap width=3> </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="20%">Sat, Jul 29</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=left width="20%"> 7:10 pm EDT</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="58%"> N. Robertson vs. B. Radke</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD noWrap width=3> </TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="20%"> Sun, Jul 30</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap align=left width="20%"> 2:10 pm EDT</TD><TD class=yspscores noWrap width="58%"> J. Bonderman vs. J. Santana</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Was it a matter of being in shape, or just a matter of pitch count? I think I heard that he was already over 100 pitches in the 5th. I realize that Dusty doesn't care much about pitch counts, but it seems reasonable to me to take Prior out at that point.

Minnesota 34 of last 40
Detroit 30 of last 40

Harold Reynolds fired from ESPN
 

a couple of different links:

http://thebiglead.com/?p=714

http://www.deadspin.com/sports/top/w...axe-189733.php

my brother has witnessed first hand HR's fondness for the ladies, so that reputation does hurt his credibility in a case like this.............but like most of what I've read, my brother says Harold Reynolds is a really, really nice guy

His pitch count was at 103 when he was pulled and that is exactly what I meant by not being in shape. He is just considered too fragile to let him throw 130-140 pitches anymore. Remember back early in his career when Dusty would leave Wood and Prior out there for those kind of numbers? People were saying back then that he was burning out their arms.

Isn't just about everybody too "fragile" to throw 140 pitches in one outing?!?! I don't think that reflects at all on whether he's in shape or not. 120 is a high pitch count, 110 is a maximum for a lot of starters. 100 is a safe number, generally. 140 is pretty much considered insane nowadays, I think.

And they were right. Why do you suppose that those two guys have had serious arm problems every year? One reason is that they were abused in their early years.

Abused? Maybe I'm just old, but I remember pitchers going the distance regularly. In fact, there was a mention recently on ESPN radio where one of the hosts was recounting an interview he had with Bob Gibson. The host was talking about specialization in the bullpen, and how that wasn't the case back in Gibson's day. The host mentioned that the average pitcher today has about 3-4 complete games a season. And Gibson said to him, "3-4? That would be a <B>bad</B> year for me. I averaged <B>15</B> complete games per season." And in 1968 he had 28. How many pitchers these days have even close to 28 C.G. for their career? My guess is the more players are conditioned to have pitch counts from their Little League days on, the more likely they'll need them later on as well. Plus, I'm sure the number of breaking balls also plays a factor. Besides, how many breaking balls did Gibson throw?

As far as "abusing" Wood and Prior, I'm not really in that camp. It's probably more likely in Wood's case, because almost all of his injuries seem to be pitching-related. But I would have to stick up for Prior; his injuries have not always been pitching-related. This year it was a strained oblique muscle after taking batting practice. Last year he was out after taking a line drive off his elbow. I believe 2 or 3 years ago he was on the DL after trying to jump over the Pirates' second baseman while running the bases.

It's just all part of the soap opera I've had to endure all my life.
(organ music = on) "These are the Days of Our Cubbies" (organ music = off)

Pitch Counts
 

Bruce Sutter talks.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseb...y-sutter_x.htm

He's a smart guy.

Good timing, eh mick?

Ouch! Another 19-run game for the Yankees. And against the Devil Rays this time.

Sox win in extras with an opposite field grounder from David Ortiz, beating the shift! Love it!! Love it!!!!!

This morning, SportsCenter said that it was only the 5th start in Randy Johnson's career with zero strikeouts. Ouch.

The Yankees get Abreu and Lidle for.....who?

Kinda like this one.:D