Sunday, July 31, 2011

THE-E-E-E YANKEES WIN!

Am I the only one who hates that call? The only good thing is that John Sterling used it in the 2nd inning of the second game.

***THE YANKS SWEEP THE DOUBLE-HEADER***
They won the first game 8-3. Bartolo Colon struggled thru 5 innings, just enough to get the win. Girardi was in full panic mode after losing Friday's game to the Birds. Ahead 8-3 in the 9th inning, and he had Rivera warming up in the bullpen. Hard to believe the Yankee announcers were praising Girardi on how he 'handled' his bullpen.
The 2nd game was a laugher, 17-3. After the game Girardi was heard to say, "We threw the ball okay, but without A-Rod, our ground game is weak." Baltimore manager, Buck Showalter said after the game, "I was proud of our guys. Down 12-0 after the first inning and they were still trying, still throwing strikes. Well, they would have been strikes if they ever reached the catcher."
As is typical in split doubleheaders, both teams brought up minor leaguers to pitch the second game. Unfortunately for the Orioles, they had a slight miscommunication and brought up a batting practice pitcher instead.
Nick Swisher had an amazing day getting 6 hits including a double and 2 homers in the 2 games while driving in 5 runs. After the game, he was so happy, he told reporter Kim Jones, he was ready to go 4 or 5 more. Hopefully, there are still some hits left in the Yankee bats.


***THE TRADING DEADLINE***
ESPN and other sports reporters make a bigger deal out of this every year. ESPN has a countdown clock at the top of their MLB screen, right down to the second. I suppose that's okay when you get big names like Carlos Beltran and Ubaldo Jiminez being traded, but they look kind of silly trying to make the trades of Zachary Walters, Koji Uehara, Chris Davis and Tommy Hunter look like exciting news. Tommy Hunter must be thrilled, going from first place Texas Rangers to last place Baltimore. On the other hand, after watching the Oriole relievers yesterday, with his 2.98 ERA, he's got to be thinking, "I'm going to own this town."

There was speculation that Derek Lee was also going to moved, when he wasn't scheduled to play in the 2nd game for the O's yesterday. But the Orioles denied it vehemently, saying he was only being given a day off. He was then traded to the Pirates.
That's right, the Pirates went out and acquired a player who makes more than the league minimum. Usually, the Pirates are holding their annual fire sale, when for a month or so, the players don't have numbers on their back. They have price tags.

The SF Giants, who rank 28th in runs scored, went out and got a big bat, Carlos Beltran, to help maintain their lead in the NL West. In his first three games, Beltran has one hit in 14 at bats with 6 strikeouts, and the Giants lost two of the games. Apparently, Carlos is still a Met at heart.

The media is starved for some big splash, but the Yanks and the Red Sox are uncharacteristically quiet. ESPN has taken to lighting votive candles and picketing outside Yankee Stadium with signs saying, "Please! Trade someone! Anyone!" In the meantime, Brian Cashman and Theo Epstein are sipping Pina Coladas in Martha's Vineyard and laughing their butts off.


***THEY SAID IT***
"The Seattle Mariners have lost a franchise record number of consecutive games. It’s made the 7th inning stretch different. Instead of “Take me out to the ball game”, the organist plays “Taps”. -- Alan Ray


"The Dodgers are so broke, their third base coach is just a mirror reflecting the image of their first base coach." -- Seth Meyers


"McDonald's has added apple slices to their Happy Meals. Then an hour later, McDonald's added cheese and beef to their apple slices." -- Conan O'Brien


"RCMP in Quebec have seized over 7,400 pairs of counterfeit-label running shoes, fakes of brands like Nike and Adidas. At last report, their chief suspect is still afoot." -- RJ Currie


Carmen Berra, , on being married 61 years to her Hall of Fame husband: "It's like Yogi says, 'We get along well together, even when we're not together.' " -- St Paul Pioneer Press

"On Thursday, the New England Patriots acquired Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco. An hour later, Bill Belichick called Michele Bachmann to inquire about migraine cures." -- Brad Dickson
CP-

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