2009 MLB season discussion*

[Stiker]

Rangers just signed El Duque to a minor league contract...uh wat?

From the Newberg Report:

Just announced on the Ben & Skin Show – which should be credible if for no other reason than they air on 105.3 The Fan, the Rangers’ radio flagship station: the Rangers are signing Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez to a minor league contract.

The 39- or 43-year-old righthander last pitched in the big leagues in 2007, when he went 9-5, 3.72 for the Mets in 24 starts and three relief appearances, holding opponents to a .206 batting average. After October 2007 surgery to repair a tendon on a toe on his right foot, Hernandez logged 15.2 innings at three levels of the Mets farm system in 2008 while working toward a big league comeback. His rehab work was cut short in July as he needed follow-up surgery to remove a bunion on the same foot.

While this is a non-roster deal, it’s clearly an effort to see what Hernandez has left with an eye toward calling on him as a reinforcement for the big league staff at some point.

[Pringles]

Love Girardi. Finally get up in the 7th and he puts Sabathia back out in the 7th and 8th once he's reached well over 100 pitches...and single and walk but yet still keeps him in...then takes him out after a run scoring single. Go from being 3-1 to 4-3 in a matter of minutes.

I wonder if parents will want him couching his kids little league teams after he gets fired this year.

And yes I know he was sticking with his Ace, whose a work horse etc etc. But know who else did that. Grady Little. And look where that got him... ugh we're destined to never win against Boston this year

[Headspace]

Fucking Reds. Milwaukee loses to Colorado again...YOU GOTTA CAPITALIZE ON THAT

[Viq]

And yes I know he was sticking with his Ace, whose a work horse etc etc. But know who else did that. Grady Little. And look where that got him... ugh we're destined to never win against Boston this year

Are you really comparing a game in June to game 7 of the ALCS? Wow...

[Pringles]

I'm comparing it now when there was no need to put him back out there when there are perfectly good relievers he can replace with in the bottom of the 8th inning. If he makes those kinda of moves now, he's going to be making those kind of moves throughout the entire season. Yes I know it's not the same thing, I'm not an idiot. It's just basic managing I'm not understanding on his part. Statically Sabathia doesn't have the best record at Fenway, he gets a lead in the 7th, holds onto it in the top of the 8th. He's at 103 pitches, no need to put him back out for the bottom of the 8th in a park he's not known to be the best in, even if he had kept it a 1 run game the entire night. There's Coke and Aceves readily available and Rivera as well for two innings of work.

After he gave up the first hit in the 8th, he should have been taken out of the game from a nonjudgmental point of view. Any fan would expect that after their starter went 8 innings, thrown over 100 pitches and the game is in their favor 3-1. My comparison is overblown, I agree, but he really needs to manage the pitching slightly better. CC says he can pitch, he always says that cause he likes to pitch. But to keep him in that late isn't a smart decision, and is rather dumb.

[Cephius]

Doesn't matter, our joke of a bullpen would have blown it any way you slice it.

[Pringles]

Guess you're right on that Cephius. As I said earlier this year, Boston is a better team, and still is.

In other news:

BOSTON -- The Yankees will give Chien-Ming Wang one more chance to prove he belongs in the starting rotation, sending the struggling right-hander back to the mound on Wednesday against the Nationals.

That start, to take place at Yankee Stadium, comes with one major caveat. Wang is carrying a 14.34 ERA after losing to the Red Sox in his last outing, on Wednesday, and though the Yankees are trying to see positive signs, his chances are not unlimited.

"As I told him, it's important that he has a real good start," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He needs to show us that he's back and that he's fully back. At some point, production is important. We told him that it's a very important start."

"This is not a developmental league, so it's important that you step up," Girardi said. "I want to be fully honest with the players, and we expect him to be himself."

Looks like we may not be seeing Wang as a starter after Wednesday.

Stakes high for Wang's next start | yankees.com: News

[Cephius]

He'll be facing the Nationals but... they can hit the ball. I guess we'll see.

[Ensam]

I love the hatefest Girardi has gotten since going to the yankees. The dick sucking he got while managing the Marlins in '06 was retarded. Just because they played way above expectations doesn't mean that he was a good manager. The only good thing he did all year was his physical confrontation with Scott Olsen (Because any confrontation with Scotty-O is awesome). Meanwhile he helped put 3 starters that year on the disabled list.

Fuck him.

[Trichocyst]

RAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUULLLLLLLLLL!

Viddler.com - Raul Spanish Call - Uploaded by meech

[Bregor]

I love the hatefest Girardi has gotten since going to the yankees. The dick sucking he got while managing the Marlins in '06 was retarded. Just because they played way above expectations doesn't mean that he was a good manager. The only good thing he did all year was his physical confrontation with Scott Olsen (Because any confrontation with Scotty-O is awesome). Meanwhile he helped put 3 starters that year on the disabled list.

Fuck him.

Seems like he graduated from the Dusty Baker School of Managing a Rotation. It wouldn't surprise me if Dr. James Andrews was paying him under the table.

Two straight walk-off hits for Geoff Blum... seriously, Cubs bullpen, GEOFF BLUM? I told myself I wouldn't panic until the All-Star break, but four teams within 2.5 games of each other in the Central has me worried. The trade deadline should be tons o' fun again.

[Headspace]

Reds better try to get a DeRosa or something.

[Trichocyst]

Phillies going into extra innings for the third straight night. They're playing a lot of close games lately. It's exciting.

[Cephius]

Latest Chapter in the "Joe is worse than Dusty Baker" tale:

Yanks-Mets. 7-7 game. 8th inning. Phil Coke is in, gets the first two hitters to pop up. Beltran up, switch hitter batting right. Joe comes out, brings in Mariano, turning Beltran around so he can aim at the short porch. In a tie game. At home. In the 8th. Fuck the heck? You HAVE to be kidding me with this guy.

EDIT: And he promptly gives up the lead. Pro managing right there.

[Gregorio]

Bullshit why wouldn't they at least look at that?

[Headspace]

Latest Chapter in the "Joe is worse than Dusty Baker" tale:

Yanks-Mets. 7-7 game. 8th inning. Phil Coke is in, gets the first two hitters to pop up. Beltran up, switch hitter batting right. Joe comes out, brings in Mariano, turning Beltran around so he can aim at the short porch. In a tie game. At home. In the 8th. Fuck the heck? You HAVE to be kidding me with this guy.

EDIT: And he promptly gives up the lead. Pro managing right there.

I know people say Dusty is bad, and I question a lot of shit he does. But I've been through worse.

But lol at Girardi though ahha

[Trichocyst]

Missed a walk off by inches.

[Soa]

That ball was fair, they just showed the replay like 15 times and it went behind the foul pole. They should have at least reviewed it, no idea why they didn't.

[Headspace]

Wow, KC pitched a complete game, allowing run and only throwing 80 pitches. I'm fucking embarassed.

Never thought I'd miss Dunns 8-10 pitch strike outs.

[Gregorio]

Haha wow yankees win HILARIOUSLY