How's about Dees Nats?
 

Still hanging on to first place almost halfway through the season. Setting all kinds of team records......23 runs in two games (at colo ya know), they found another rookie who can really play (Tyler Moore), mlb record - lead off a game with rookies hitting B to B HR's on consecutive pitches (Lambardozi/Harper) and a pitching staff with four starters with a combined ERA's under 3.0, attendance at home and away is way up, and (drum roll please) they may have several legitimate All Stars - and MLB may not have to "choose there annual Nats rep." A fun yr and fun team so far!!

Got tix for several more games! Waitin on ya LCUBED!!

Go Redbirds!!
 

Yeah, I'll be there in all Cardinal Red.

Mad Bum throws a 1 hit, complete game shut out (the fourth in a row for the Giants) and the Dodger's lose. First place, hummm baby! :D

Kind of surprised it took this long:

Miami Marlins' Ozzie Guillen erupts in profanity-laced rant after loss - ESPN

Who would've thunk it?
 

Who would've thunk it? At the All Star break, the Nats and the Pirates are in first place, and the O's and the Indians are in second. All have records north of .500.

Go Cardinals!

For a small part of MLB it is business as usual. NY Yankees are in 1st place with the best record.:D

Hey Chuck, please check your PMs.

Here's a baseball rarity in the modern game. Zack Greinke of the Brewers became the first player since 1917 to be the starting pitcher for his team in three consecutive games.
He started on this past Saturday, but was quickly ejected after throwing only four pitches, so the team brought him back to the mound for Sunday.

Then the All-Star break occurred from Monday through Thursday, so Greinke came out on Friday and started again.

I know that Chuck will like this! ;)

Greinke ejected for spiking ball; Brewers fall to Astros ? USATODAY.com

Milwaukee Brewers' Zack Greinke to start day after fast ejection - ESPN

Brewers' Greinke is set to play three - Philly.com

Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Recap - July 13, 2012 - ESPN

I do indeed! It even got a mention on PTI last week (Friday, I think).

Bump.....
 

Why can't the Braves just go away quietly - like the rest of the National League East?

PS - I guess it took about half a yr, but Albert Pujols has apparently figured out AL pitching! :eek:

Sox are on fire! They're back to .500 and only 4 out of the wild card. Watch out, they're on their way, baby!

(Didn't I make this same post about 3 weeks ago? Eeesh :( )

You don't want winning the division to come easy do you?
Or, maybe you do? :p

Little League?
 

The Astros are 4 - 31 in their last 35 games. Wanna know how you get there?

The Nats scored the winning run, in extra innings, with a player on first scoring on a ball that was popped up and didn't even go 25 feet!

Baseball Video Highlights & Clips | WSH@HOU: Bernadina scores go-ahead run on two errors - Video | MLB.com: Multimedia

If you were a little league coach, you'd be chewing these guys out!

As the announcer said, "On one of the worst plays you'll ever see."

To whom it may concern
 

Get some wins now. The Redbirds are comin' to town!! :D

You Mean the Team that Lost 15-0 Last Night?
 

I am actually going to the Cards vs Phils game tomorrow night in Phila. I'll let you know how they look! ;)

PS - they're expecting rain! :(

And they sure are smarting after the thumping the Giants gave them last night. :eek:

Rays starting pitching back on track. They even got double digit hits tonight.

Ouch!!
 

That would unfortunately be true - especially for this fan.

Ouch!! #2
 

Yes, the one and the same team. The tail feathers were dragging a bit.

Rays up 12-4. Wish they could have scored one on Sunday during regulation time.

Yeah, but look at the HUGE crowd in Houston to see the game :rolleyes: (I've been on vacation and didn't see that play on "Not Top 10". Wow)

And, no, I'm not talking about the Red Sox at all for a while. Yeesh.

Attended Cards vs Phils last night at Citizen's Bank Field (my first time there - spent many a day at the ole Vet). Halladay and Lohse hooked up in quite a good pitching duel much of the night until they gave way to the bullpens. WHACK - Utley went deep in the eighth to end it.

Highlight for me (get ready all you gray beards) was before the game the Phils inducted Mike Lieberthal into their Hall of Fame - Good player? Yes. Great? No. Better than that for me, was who was there to welcome him.....Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Gary Maddux, Greg Luzinski, Larry Bowa, Tony Taylor, Dallas Green, and a few more - NICE! :cool:

That is a huge reach. Phillie Hall of Fame? smh

I Guess That The Philles Hall Of Fame Needed A Catcher ???
 

Michael Scott "Mike" Lieberthal (born January 18, 1972, in Glendale, California), nicknamed Lieby, is a former Major League Baseball catcher. He batted and threw right-handed. In a 14-year career, Lieberthal played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1994–2006) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (2007). He compiled a career batting average of .274, with 150 home runs and 610 runs batted in. During his career he won the Gold Glove Award, and was twice an All Star. His 1999 season (.300, 31 home runs, 96 RBIs, Gold Glove Award) was arguably the best ever of any Phillies catcher, and he caught more games in his career than any other Phillies catcher (1,139). His career 149 home runs at catcher were the most in team history. Lieberthal had a .310 batting average, a .381 on base percentage, and .510 slugging percentage lifetime against left-handed pitching. (Wikipedia)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

You can't play if you don't have a catcher. Hey, you Philles Fanatics out there in Forum land, can you suggest another catcher to induct into the Phillies Hall of Fame? Bob Boone, Tim McCarver, Darren Daulton ???

Both Daulton and Boone were also there last night and are both already in the Hall of Fame.

Living much of my life in Pa, I watched a lot of these guys growing up. Good fun.

The Orioles are unveiling statues of their all-time greats at their stadium this season (Palmer, Robinson, Weaver, Ripken, etc.).

Others doing this kind of marketing too?

Should Be Both ???
 

Frank, or Brooks?

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...83670d815c74a8 http://ts4.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...50a98503c5d7a8

Spitters Hall Of Infamous ...
 

I was listening to the Red Sox game on the radio on the way home from church. They're in Cleveland. The Indians are inducting Gaylord Perry into their Hall of Fame today.

Frank. Brooks is later this summer. (So is Cal actually. I was premature with that one).

They gave Eddie Murray his statue today.

Looks like 6 in a row for the Rays.

Is it for his portrayal of a cop in Beverly Hills?

I think you have him trading places, snaqs.

You guys know that was Eddie MURPHY, right?

I know that. But snaqs has trouble sometimes. Just ask him.

Felix Hernandez of Seattle just finished the 3rd Perfect Game in MLB this season. :eek: There have only been 23 in the history of MLB.

Fire Up The Flux Capacitor, Back To 1969 ...
 

Guess it's time to lower the pitching mound again.

Could be that lowering testosterone levels of the hitters was enough to push us back to the baseball of 1969.

David Price is the stopper.

Here Ya go Chuck......
 

A feel good moment for ya! :p

Clay Buchholz throws ?immaculate? inning, strikes out three Orioles with nine pitches | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports

baby steps baby steps...better than "death therapy".

Thoughts?
 

Heard what I thought to be an interesting point from Mike Wise the other day on Sports Radio.

He brought up the fact that home field advantage for the World Series this year goes to the National League......as determined by this year's All-Star Game MVP - Melky Cabrera - now suspended for being juiced.......

Is the system Fair or Foul? Does it matter? Stupid idea? Get rid of it?

The whole idea is stupid in general. Let's have players from the Astros or the Twins have a direct hand in who attains home field advantage.

:( Because Bud says so, that's why. :(

Stupid Communist All Star Game ...
 

Agree. Might as well use spring training winning percentages to determine World Series home field advantage. Or how about Home Run Derby results? Or let the mascots fight it out? The Racing Sausages, Phillie Phanatic, Wally the Green Monster, Mr. Met, and the rest of the mascots, can slug it out until a winner is declared.

Picture of typical Red Sox fan.
 

Shirtless Fat Guys at Baseball Games - Mandatory


MTD, Sr.

Break Up The Team, If You Can Call It A Team ???
 

I'm a really pissed off Red Sox fan today. Pissed and embarrassed.

Red Sox skip out on Johnny Pesky’s funeral - BostonHerald.com

(And I was never pissed at Billy Buckner.)

Forget the shirtless guys. The news in Boston is that Adrian Gonzales and Josh Beckett both got dumped onto the waiver wire today, and were both claimed by the Dodgers.

Beckett has 5/10 status and veto the move, but he's gotta want out of Boston at this point. I'm more surprised about Gonzo. He hasn't been spectacular, but he seems to be productive. Scoring runs isn't the problem for the Sox.

Maybe he really did send that text to ownership. . .

What say you Chuck?
 

I'm Not Chuck, But ...
 

Adrian Gonzalez: He will be missed. Good bat. Good glove. Good attitude.

Josh Beckett: Good riddance. I assume that he'll be taking his bloated contract, Popeye's chicken, Bud Light beer, golf clubs, bad back, and bowling ball, with him.

Carl Crawford: Never really got to know him. We will lose a lot of speed, but who knows which Crawford will return after Tommy John surgery. Maybe he'll come back hitting like Tommy John? At least it's nice to say, "Bye bye", to his contract.

Nick Punto: Backup infielders are a dime a dozen, plus we've got Pedro Ciriaco, who can play all the infield positions, and is learning to play the outfield.

$12 million in cash: Chump change. A bargain. After all, it was a fire sale.

A long day......
 

LCUBED came up from Richmond today bringing oppressive heat and the HOT hitting (again) Cards who strolled away with a 10-9 victory over my Nats (34K in attendance). 3 1/2 hrs. 24 Hits - including four HR's (no pitchers duel today). It was NOT boring!

Nice meeting you Leonard, we'll have to do it again sometime! Safe travels!

The feeling is mutual, oh kind sir. The drinks were cold, but the Baggo competition was hot along with the weather, of course. That's a pair of fine young men you have.

My attendance prediction was 33,500. Do I win anything?

My Huskies of NIU lost late (18 -17) to the Hawkeyes.

You gave us quite a scare, though.

Congrats on the W. However, moral victories are like kissing your sister. Yuck!!

I believe that NIU suffers from mid-major complex in scheduling. The Huskies lost big time on offense from last year so it will take some time to jell.

I like me some Cubbies pitching.......
 

Nats have scored 20 runs, with 12 homers, and 32 hits in the last two games!

Great to have expanded rosters too! :rolleyes:

Wait until next year!!
 

That's the annual (since 1908) cry from the northside. :o

Someone Please Put Us Out Of Our Misery ...
 

ChuckElias and I have been walking around looking exactly like this for several months now.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/7...a965a31d_m.jpg

Hey Look, Macaulay Culkin Is All Growed Up Now ...
 

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbn...5ad833a9fc46cc

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8179/7...a965a31d_m.jpg

Little League, Or Major League ???
 

My daughter's high school softball coach always had the middle infielders back up the throw from the catcher to the pitcher. In thousands of throws, they never once needed the backup. It just seemed like a waste of effort. Maybe not?

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...olmlb_atlmlb_1

Ok, so Nostradamus I'm not! :p

And now for a serious comment #2
 

Kudos to the Nats and their fans. They are both enjoying a wonderful and meaningful season. Let'em enjoy it. Plus,the fans were extremely pleasant to a certain fan from another team that also dresses in red several weeks ago.

And, the O's too!!!

Congrats to Grunewar and all the other Nats fans for the Nats ending 79 year's of missing out of the postseason last night.

Wasn't the Nats missing out on post season play since 1933. It was the city of Washington D.C. itself that hasn't been in post season play since the Seanators in 1933. Of course D.C. didn't have baseball from 1973-2004 but thats beside the point:). Anywau the Nats DID make the postseason in 1981 as the Expos and lost a tough 5 game series to the Dodgers in the NLCS(LCS was a best 0f 5 affair back then)

Hoorah!
 

Reds and Nats......What was the Vegas line on those two being the first one's to make the playoffs? Nevada? ;)

Let's hope we make the playoffs more often now. I mean in 79 yrs I'll be......let's just say I'll be passed my 30th wedding anniversary! :)

I was just coming in to congratulate you on Washington having a team in the post-season for the first time since 1933!!

How's that blockbuster trade looking for the Dodgers?!?!? :eek:

Lost Season ...
 

Can you believe that back in the spring the only thing the I was worried about was who was going to replace J. D. Drew in right field for the Red Sox? Man, those were the good old days.

Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey gets his 20th win for the Mets, but to me, the pitching performance of the day belonged to Doug Fister of Detroit:

Detroit Tigers pitcher Doug Fister sets AL mark with 9 straight Ks - ESPN

9 straight Ks. Wow.

And now for something completely different......
 

Bizarro........Consult ESPN Highlights!
 

Here's one for you Chuck:

Top of the first inning, Nats vs Cards. Bases loadad, Michael Morse at the plate. He hits a deep ball that appears to go over the 8' fence and hit a wall behind it for a HR. Umps unsure as the ball hit the wall and is now on the field. Morse gets thrown out between first and second as he was jogging the bases as if it was a HR. Harper scored, but Zimmerman and LaRoche stay on their respective bases (third and second).

Umps go to the back to review the replay......the umps come back and declare it a HR. Here's the kicker. The Umps send everyone back to the their original bases and send Morse back to the plate where, without a bat, he fakes like he's hitting the ball over the fence, and now everyone scores as they recreate the play without a bat or ball. Nat's lead 4-0.

Never seen anything like it. Wild.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?co...yamlb_tormlb_1

It's True, It's True ...
 

According to the NFHS, beginning in 2013-14, all correctable errors in basketball games will be decided by replaying the error without using an actual basketball.

NL East Champs
 

Congrats to Grunewar and all other Nats fans for your team winning the NL East.

Cards starting to play very well at the right time....have won 11 of 14 going into tonight's action at home versus the Reds. Will clinch a playoff berth with a win and a LAD loss.

Carp vs Latos tonight.

They have a very potent lineup. As I recall when they were in town not too long ago, six of their first seven batters were hitting over .300......and the one that wasn't was in the high .290's!

Nat's don't want to see them again that's for sure!

Of course my team is not playing terribly well at the moment. I think the pressure is getting to them. :( Hope I'm wrong.

The Redbirds have indeed finished on a high note. Now, it's on to Atlanta and the Bravos. One game at a time.
As far as the Nats are concerned, I think that now that they've clinched the pressure is off.

Excellent. That one gave me a laugh. :)

Now I'm hoping that the O's win, the Yanks lose, and the A's win. That would cause a one-game play-off for the AL East, which I would hope that the O's win, forcing the Yanks and Rangers into a one-game Wild-Card play-off.

Imagine the A's and O's sitting back waiting while those two have to play! :eek:

When Striking Out Is A Good Thing ...
 

Marlins? Adam Greenberg strikes out in first MLB at-bat in seven years - thestar.com

(He's a Connecticut kid.)

Teddy wins, Teddy wins, Teddy wins
 

It's finally over! Go Teddy!!

Teddy wins! Nationals mascot finally ends 525-race losing streak - Yahoo! Sports

How about that finish in the AL West? The A's came from 13 games back at one point and after the last day, stand alone on top.

I saw that on SportsCenter. Very strange. I guess there had been some concern that one of the runners had passed another runner in the original confusion? So instead of possibly counting a run erroneously or having to call the guy out, they did the pantomime routine. I really hope that they didn't require him to act out the swing. I'm guessing he did that part on his own. Either way, like you, I've never seen anything like it. Kind of funny.

That's really fun. It makes me wonder if that was their plan all along (to have him win when the Nats finally won the division, even if it took 20 years), or if somebody just had the thought, "wouldn't it be a great time to break the streak?".

Who was the character that took out the other three Presidents? At first, I thought it was the Philly Phanatic, but it's clearly not him. His nose fell off!!

No mention of the Triple Crown? I know in this sabremetric era, RBIs aren't supposed to count for anything and OBP is more important that batting average, but come on! Nobody has won all three categories in 45 years!!

Congratulations to Miguel Cabrera. This has to get the MVP, right? I know they like to talk about Ted Williams winning it twice and not getting the MVP, but look who he lost to. (Although one of those times, a NYC writer left Williams completely off his ballot, which was indefensible. He was just trying to rig the voting for DiMaggio, and it worked.)

And while it pains me to see somebody overtake a Red Sox legend in the record books, at least I can think about Yaz's great '67 season and the Impossible Dream team, instead of this year's pathetic excuse for a team.

If only it was covered in the media with the same fervor as last year's Chicken and Beer fiasco. Texas has pretty much gotten a pass nationally for the last month, although now there will be plenty of "Huh?? What happened?" analysis.

I'm actually really looking forward to these one-game play-ins tomorrow. While on a philosophical basis, I'm against diluting the field of playoff teams, I'm glad that they've come up with a way to reward the division winners. It should be harder for the wild cards to advance in the playoffs.

And I would also love to see an O's/Nats World Series.

BTW, can anybody believe what Dan Duquette -- former Boston GM, and then out of baseball completely for about 10 years -- has done with the O's. I'm amazed that he's been successful after being away from the game for so long. I'm sure he wasn't completely cut off from baseball information, but still. . .

Bye bye Bobby.

No surprise there. And the right thing to do, imho. But then again, I've never been a BV fan.

Shocking news! :eek:

Boston Red Sox fire Bobby Valentine as manager after one season - MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN

I wonder if this means that the ownership team will actually allow their GM to do his job this time around. . .

Impossible ???
 

Yaz carried the Sox after Tony Conigliaro got his face smashed in by a pitch. He went seven for eight the last weekend of the season to help the Sox win the pennant. He didn't realize that he had won the Tripe Crown until someone told him the next day. I was hoping that either I would die, or Yastrzemski would die, before someone won the Triple Crown again, but, hey, records are made to be broken, and Cabrera had a hell of a year. I tip my Red Sox cap to him.

The only thing better than the Sox season actually being over is that there is playoff baseball this afternoon! I'm actually looking forward to these 1-game play-ins. I think it'll be fun!

Say The Secret Word ...
 

Goodbye Bobby. We never really got to know you.

http://ts2.mm.bing.net/th?id=I.46697...h=155&c=7&rs=1

Do you think Bobby V. will be back working for ESPN? :confused:

The Buck Truck !!!!!!!
 

O's get a W last night !!!!!!!!

Time for everyone to get on the Buck Truck !!!!!

Hey Grun - We are waiting to here you yell GO NADS !!!!! Or are your NADS shriveling up and dying !!!!!!!!

Ahem......
 

Things are NOT looking too good! :(

Age and experience are beating youth and enthusiasm so far!

For those on the East Coast who turned in early and missed it, the A's went completely nuts and scored 3 in the bottom of the 9th to beat Detroit and tie their series at 2-2.

Two Game 5s today! :)

Fortunately for the Cards, your worries are proving to be accurate. :)

I went to bed with them down....all of my friends in the Bay Area were going nuts about it.

The Giants prove they are not going quietly into that good night. Let's see if the Nats and O's can do something similar.

A tough way to end a good season. It was electric around here the last week.

The pitchers gripped the ball too tightly, were nervous, over-amped and anxious - not used to the moment. Most of em couldn't find the plate with both hands.......and Stephen Strasburg watched it all unfold.........

The Cards - patient and experienced, battled back, were not over-anxious, and seized the moment.

It was certainly fun while it lasted.

Some people would call a T on your signature btw.

Congrats to the Nats for a fine season!