O-Dog: Choking Up and Going to RF

SPENCER @ FISH

A classic low scoring, close affair between two of the original owners/teams, with philosophically different managing styles; one who slows down the pace of play by bunting and subbing every at-bat , and one who lives by a steady defense and stable lineup.

GAME 1 (A. Wainright @ J. Hammel)

I believe Fish was using a spot starter with Jason Hammel, he will have to elaborate. Spencer got on the board first in the 2nd inning on 3 straight singles from Killer Mike Cameon The Mexican Masher and Adam Wainright. 1-0 Spencer. Spencer would add a AAA insurance run in the 3rd inning as Scott Rolen doubled home H.J. Upton. 2-0 Spencer. Fish would score his lone run in the bottom of the 3rd when Ryan “Restauranjewer” Braun singled home The Michael Bourne Triolgy. No one threatened the rest of the game. Adam Wainright scattered 4 hits with 9K’s. SPENCER WINS 2-1

Batting Stars: Adrian Gonzalez 2-3, bb Ron Belliard 2-4

W – Adam Wainright 8.0, 4h, 1er, 2bb, 9k
L – Jason Hammel 6+, 9h, 2er, 2bb, 3k
S – Pedro Martinez 1.0, h, k


GAME 2 (Clifford “Big Red Dog” Lee @ Jason “No Nickname” Marquis)

Once again debunking yet another PTP myth concerning left-handed starters, Spencer trotted the left-handed Cliff Lee to the bump against the PTP Jedi Fish. Fish would take a quick 1-0 lead thanks to the “The Resteraujewer” Brauny’s solo blast in the 1st inning. 1-0 Fish. Spencer would take the lead back in the 4th on an O-Dog Hudson RBI double and Killer Cam SAC Fly. 2-1 Spencer. Fish would collect just one more hit the rest of the game (I only had two). SPENCER WINS 2-1.

Batting Stars: O-Dog 2-4, 2B, RBI, K Braun 1-4, HR, RBI, R

W – Cliff Lee 8.0, 3h, 1er, 2bb, 5k, 1hr
L – Jason Marquis 7.1, 6h, 2er, 3bb, 5k
S – Jose Valverde 1.0, bb


GAME 3 (Ross “The Golfer” Ohlendorf @ Tommy “Gunn” Hanson)

Little more scoring in this one, not much though. Spencer kick things off quickly as H.J. Upton singled to lead off the game. He would score to batters later on an Adrian Gonzalez 2-run swat. Spencer leads 2-0. Fish scored a run in the 3rd (Nick “The Dick” Johnson RBI single) but charged ahead in the 4th inning. Omir Santos popped out to lead off the inning but Furcal walked, Tommy Gunn singled, The Michael Bourn Trilogy tripled them home, then scored on a “Fast” Willy Harris Sac Fly. Fish leads 4-1. The O-Dog homered in the top of the 6th and smacked a RBI single in the 8th inning, but the scoring stopped there. FISH WINS 5-4 SPENCER TAKES SERIES 2-1

Batting Stars: O-Dog 3-4, HR, 2B, 2RBI The Mike Bourne Trilogy 2-4, 3B, 2r, 2RBI

W – Tom Gunn Hanson 8.0, 7h, 4er, 2bb, 7k, 2hr
L – Ross Ohlendorf 7.0, 7h, 5er, 4bb, 1k
S – Jeremy Affeldt 1.0, k

PNC or Coors? It's up to you Butler...

...and by that I mean who do you want to have home field advantage in the Spence v. Torto  playoff matchup?  Your last series with Rockwell could be the key to who advances from the first round.

Win one game, and the series starts at beautiful Coors Field with their cool mountain breezes, thin alpine air, and exciting +40' carry.  Get swept, and the series tilts in favor of Spence and starts out in sooty, grimey Pittsburg, with its preponderance of bridges, the filthy Allegheny River, and its boring -5' carry.

How do I know this?  Because our Commish informed me that Spence and my 3-3 tie this season is broken by total runs in the 2 series, which Spencer led 26-24.  That means if Spencer sweeps out Butler, he takes the #2 overall seed. 

Don't let this happen (begin humming the 'Battle Hymn of the Republic').  It's been said by others that "Torto making the playoffs is good for America".  And if that is true, doesn't it stand to reason that "Torto going deep into the playoffs is even BETTER for America"?  I think so.  Getting Torto homefield advantage in the first round is therefore crucial in improving our Great Nation.  So first and foremost, think about how America DEMANDS that you not allow Spencer to sweep you in this last series. 

Mr. Jason Butler - I daresay it is your patriotic duty to take down Spencer and his squad, in this, your last NL series of the season.  And so, before you get your hands on that Joe Mauer 2009 card and its gaudy 0.444 OBP and 1+ OPS, take a stand and defend the Homeland.   BEAT SPENCER!

Galarraga gets jobbed.

Once again, the Tigers get completely jobbed by horrific umpiring, although at least this time didn't involve the Tigers in a play-in game and Brandon Inge getting hit by a pitch with bases loaded in a 12th inning tie game.  I don't mean to come off as a whiny Tiger fan, but this is twice in the last 9 months when big moments (either historic - First Perfect game by a Tiger pitcher ever, or post-season dependant - Inge getting HBP) have been taken away from us.  I can live with the Inge HBP, since that was actually a close call, but this more recent one?  Well - read on.

If you didn't hear, Wednesday night Armando Galaragga pitched a near perfect game at Comerica Park, against the division rival Indians, but it was "broken up" after 8 and 2/3rds, by an apparent infield single.  Check the vid here at MLB.com.  You'll see it wasn't even freaking close.  What the hell!?!?

It is pretty amusing to hear the Tigers FSN Detroit TV duo of Rod Allen and Mario Impemba vocalize their disbelief though.  Rod Allen continuously asking "Why is he safe?" will ring in my ears for years to come.

Also worth a look is Austin Jackson's over the shoulder catch to get the 1st out of the 9th.  Outstanding play there.  Ahhwwwww JACKSON! (good old Rod Allen again...)

But back to the main point of this post - Screw you Jim Joyce.  

Fish, Nick - what was it you were saying about having robots ump the games?  I may be coming around to your point of view...

Oh, and in case you were wondering.  The 'Armando Scream' pic I borrowed, was one of many brilliant pieces of photoshop and original artwork a Tiger blogger Samara Pearlstein throws up on her terrific D-Tigers Blog 'Roar of the Tigers'.  Its worth a look, even if you couldn't give one rip about El Tigres, just for her artwork alone.  Here's one of my other favorite samples from when Gerald Laird got arrested for assaulting a security guard at a Phoenix Suns game during the offseason (this is helping me vent...haha, that's funny - now I feel better), with Paws and GM Dave Dombrowski picking him up from the clink.

Thunder Thigh Billingsley - Finally doing good things: Torto @ Carlo - Series Update

Another series update with Carlo, this time with the team actually being managed by Carlo.  And, after losing 2 out of 3 at home to Carlo's Nick Ewoldt led-squad, I was hungry to at least tie up the 6-game set.   Rolling dice on a beautiful Memorial Day weekend in the Starin Park pavillion, the only thing that could have made the setting better would have been the absence of that near-nude starving artist/homeless dude sunbather and that nosey cop.  So here are the results...

Game 1 (C.Billingsley @ R.Nolasco)
This might have been one of the quickest PTP games ever.  After nabbing a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a Toddfather Helton RBI single and then by a base clearing triple by the Panda, my squad added another run in the top of the 2nd on a 2-out RBI single from the ageless Miguel Tejada.  With a 3-0 lead at his back, the C-Bill cruised for the complete game, yielding only a 485-foot solo HR to Casey McGehee.  Other points of interest included Ryan TheRiot getting ejected for arguing strikes in the 6th. Not much to say beyond that.  Young Mr. Billingsley looked sharp for 9 innings.
WP - C. Billingsley
LP - R.Nolasco
HR - C.McGehee
Player of the Game - Chad Billingsley, CG, 6H, 2BB, 8K, 1 ER
Torto wins 3-1

Game 2 (R.Dempster @ J.Blanton)
More excitement in this one, but all at the end.  I jumped out to a 7-1 lead on the strength of 3-run shots from Helton and Werth, and a Pedro Feliz RBI-single.  Come the bottom of the 7th, Carlo's bats finally came alive.  He scored 2 on a Ryan 'Lutheran' Church pinch hit double, cutting the lead to 7-3.  Then in the bottom of the 9th, on the suggestion of Fish and Nick, Carlo pinch hit with Ianetta the Beretta with 2-men on.  He didn't disappoint, delivering a 3-run blast off of Huston Street, and cutting the lead to 1.  Then Carlo's top of the order proceeded to ground out to end the rally.
WP - R.Dempster
LP - J.Blanton
Sv - H.Street
HR - T.Helton (5), J.Werth (13), C.Ianetta
Player of the Game - Todd Helton, 1-4, HR, 3 RBI, 2 R
Torto wins 7-6

Game 3 (C.Zambrano @ D.Haren)
All kinds of no-hitter jinxing in this one.  With a 2-zip lead in the 4th inning (on a Martin Prado 2-RBI single), and my squad hitless, Carlo started up with the no-hitter talk.  Haren was lights out until he pitched 6 and a 1/3rd.  Then he walked the Panda, and J-Werth cracked a single, followed shortly after by a Angel Pagan base clearing triple to tie the game 2-2. From here to the end of the 9 frames, no one could get an advantage. Haren soldiered on past the 9th, while I went to my bullpen and pinch hitters.  Finally, in the top of the 9th, the bottom of the order came thru, finally tiring the marathon man Haren with on a Hank White (Henry Blanco) lead off single, and a pinch-hit walk to Gary Sheffield.  After an old Skippy Schu fielders choice, and a Haren wild pitch, Tejada drove in the go-ahead run on a sac-fly.  Brandon Medders (yes, I said Brandon Medders) came in for the save in the 9th, and brought down the heart of the order 1-2-3.
WP - R.Franklin
LP - D.Haren
Sv - B.Medders
Player of the Game - A.Pagan, 1-4, 3B, 2 RBI
Torto wins 3-2 in 10 innings

Torto wins series 3-0
Another great series against Carlo's squad, all games close once again. Good defense and rangey-ness.  And TONS of deep drives, but Petco Park's mammoth dimensions and -15' carry kept nearly all 'deep drives' in the park. My team did some good things at clutch moments.  Stay tuned for the series update from Fish, where my team did not do good things most of the series.

Record Book Alert! All-time single season hit record approached by Panda

As the unofficial PTP League Record Book Keeper, I was perusing the league record book last night, as I do everytime a couple series go down.  I noticed that the all-time single season hit record, set by Fish while rolling on the Johnny Damon card during the AL 2006 season is being approached by my own Pablo Sandoval card.  Damon's record stands at 67 hits in a 42 game season.  Sandoval has 60 hits thru 36 games this season (and a 0.400 average).  It surely won't be easy to get 8 hits in 6 games, but its not completely out of reach, given the way he's been mashing the ball all season. 

The real questions to be answered are:
1)  Will Spence suddenly claim that A-Gonz already has the record this season (doubtful, since I think he walks a lot more than the Panda)

2)  With 3 of the final 6 games against Fish, will he intentionally walk the Panda to keep the record as his own?  Given the 14 RBI Sandoval put up in the last series vs. Fish, it could be a real possibility...

3.)  If the Panda and A-Gonz can keep their average at 0.400 or above this season, would we have our first 0.400 hitters in a season?  Or has this milestone already been achieved?

Josh Willingham - Not that boring: A Carlo(Nick) @ Torto series update

Carlo boldly handed the reigns of his team to Nick last week, despite the fact that Carlo is in the running for a playoff spot, and Nick is not.  The games were played in happening downtown Minneapolis, the morning after a horrific drubbing of the Brewers took place at the new Target Field.  The results?  Read on.

Game 1 (U.Jiminez @ C.Zambrano):  Still intoxicated from the evening before, and fresh off his Hennepin Avenue sidewalk extrication by Torto a little after midnight, Nick managed to hold on to Carlo's cards and cobble together a lineup to face my division leading squad.   With the heart and soul of my team, the Big Z - Zambrano on the mound things would be tough for Carlo's manager by proxy. Ubaldo Jiminez was no match for the worlds most expensive setup guy on this day.  I opened up the bottom of the first with 3 consecutive singles for Schumaker, Tejada, and the Toddfather, and in the end all 3 scored before the inning was up.  Carlo's squad fired back with a 2-run Josh Willingham blast in the 2nd, but that was all he could muster.  El Toro locked it down from there, going a full 7 IP, scattering 5 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 10.  Fist pumping abounded.  My boys tacked on two more insurance runs in the 5th and 7th, on Angel Pagan and Randy Winn RBI doubles, respectively.  Street held down the 8th, while Franklin closed out the 9th.
Torto W 5-2
WP - C.Zambrano
LP - U.Jiminez
Sv - R.Franklin
HR - J. Willingham
Player of the Game - Big Z - 7 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 10 K

Game 2 (R.Nolasco @ R.Harden)- With last night's booze quickly wearing off, and hangover rapidly setting in, Nick buckled down for game 2.  Josh Willingham homered again in the top of the 2nd to break the scoreless tie, and Nick manufactured a run in the top of the 4th to take an early 2-0 lead.  My squad fired back with a Juan Pierre RBI single in the 5th, and a 3-run 6th inning, highlighted by a Kung Fu Panda RBI double. With the score now 4-2, I felt comfortable to get the always iffy Rich Harden off the mound after 5 decent innings and turn things over to the pen.  Big mistake.  In the 7th, after a lead off single, Brandon Medders struck out Juan Uribe, and then proceeded to walk the next two batters leaving the bases loaded for the dangerous Andre Ethier.  Ethier did what he does - and crushed the ball for a Grand Slam, taking a 6-4 lead.  Stunned by this turn of events, my team turtled up, and couldn't muster a hit the rest of the way.
Carlo W 6-4
WP - T.Clippard
LP - B.Medders
HR - J.Willingham, A.Ethier (GS)
Player of the Game: A.Ethier - 2/3 with 4 RBI and a HR

Game 3 (J.Blanton @ J.Vasquez)- Time running short, Nick and I decided to postpone Game 3 for Sunday morning, giving me plenty of time to think about the last loss.  I decided that having Javy on the mound for the last game of the series would be all the edge I needed.  Wrong again.  Apparently the 2010 Javy Vasquez showed up for this start.   Despite an early 6-1 lead for my squad (capped by a Jayson Werth 3-run deep drive blast to left for 440 feet), Javy began to melt down beginning in the 5th.  Vasquez yielded 2 in the 5th on a Big Puma base-clearing double, and then two more in the 6th on a Beretta Ianetter 2-run shot.  With the lead down to 1 and Javy tired, I turned it over to my middle relievers again.  Ugh.  In the 7th, Mitch Stetter gave up a 3-run blast to Willingham (after getting 2 quick outs against the meat of the order), and yielded the lead 6-8.  My squad scrapped back in the bottom of the 8th with a lead off Juan Pierre single and stolen base, followed up by back-to-back doubles by Tejada and Helton (Tejada was 4-4 in the game with 3 2Bs and 3 RBI).  Score tied 8-8, I decide to hold back my closers, in case the game became a marathon.  Top of the ninth, Ryan TheRiot (of 'D' power) eeks a deep drive off Guillermo Mota over the fence in right field to take a 9-8 lead.  The Coors Field +40 carry worked against us this day. Stunned, my guys had no answer in the bottom frame.
Carlo W 9-8
WP - K-Rod
LP - G.Mota
HR - J.Werth, J.Willingham, R.Theriot
Player of the Game - Josh Willingham - 3/3 with a 2B and HR, 2 R, 3 RBI

Carlo takes the series 2-1
Good stuff, and a nice dramatic series.  Josh Willingham homered in every game of the series - Record?

Have you guys peeped the Hanley Ramirez video (where his leisurely jogs after a LIVE ball during a LIVE game)?

If not, check it out here:
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100519&content_id=10194024&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

If so, you know what I am talking about.

As a Hanley owner this season, I have found that this video-Han-Ram is the Han-Ram I apparently drafted. He is all about his stats! He has been non-clutch when I need him and huge when I don't. In blowouts, he's going 4x5 with 3 rbis, in one run games he goes 0-4 with 2 ks. So, despite the fact that we just roll dice and recreate real baseball scenarios, I guarantee that is how Hanley played this year for my team. Infected everyone else too...

Just a little life impersonating PTP (or vise versa) ...PTP is baseball...baseball is PTP

Carry on and play some friggin games!!!

Boring Guys Doing Things

Here are examples of two guys who did things in the Reds-Padres series that no one in their right mind really gives a rip about. (Not pictured: Brendan Ryan, Bronson Arroyo)

Reds at Padres (Late Season Action)

As baseball fans, we all know there are those series, late in the season, that have absolutely no impact on any other teams. These series are played because the rules state each team must complete a full season. This, friends, was one of those series.

Butler's pathetic Reds visted my sickly Padres, dubbed "Los Padres" for the evening in honor of Cinco de Mayo and as a tribute of solidarity to San Diego's embattled friends south of the border. This series featured guys you don't care about doing things. Here's the details...

Game 1: Scherzer @ Harang

Harang has been a bulldog for me since Butts sent him my way in the Pujols trade, but he started shaky last night, giving up a 2-run blast to Aramis Ramirez in the top of the first. He would settle in after that though, giving up no more runs before leaving after six. Los Padres managed to drive in five runs in the game, highlighted by a Brendan Ryan solo job. The San Diego bullpen continued to frusterate the Reds for the remainer of the game.

Keith wins, 5-2
WP - Harang
LP - Scherzer
S - Cordero

Game 2: W. Rodriguez @ Arroyo

Bad pitchers. Wandy looked worse, giving away a leadoff triple to McCutchen to start the bottom of the first before eventually falling behind on a Hunter Pence three-run masterpiece. Los Padres added two more, one in the third and one in the sixth, with Ibanez and Razor Ramon Hernandez driving in Pence and Ibanzez, who both reached base on doubles. The Reds fought back, getting solo jobs from A-Ram and Joey Votto, respectively, before Bellasario came out of the bullpen to turn out the lights in the ninth. Arroyo pitched a strong eight, giving up only the two runs.

Keith wins, 5-2
WP - Arroyo
LP - Rodriguez
S - Bellisario

Game 3: Zimmerman @ Gallardo

Prince Albert (remember him?) led off Game 3 with a two-run bomb in the bottom of the first, came back in the 3rd to knock his buddy Andy McCutcheon in from 3rd (following his leadoff triple) and called it a day after collecting 6 RBI's when he drove in McCutcheon and Lopez in the 5th and Ludwick in the 8th. The Reds tried, scoring Victorino after a leadoff double in the 6th and getting 3 more runs following a Chris Dickerson bases-clearing triple in the 7th. Not enough though, as Betancourt and Co-Co closed out a game that appeared to be getting away from Gallardo.


Keith wins, 9-5
WP - Gallardo
LP - Zimmerman


Keith wins series, 3-0
Again, this thing was full of guys no one gives a rip about doing things. Butler is not tanking, I assure you, he's really that bad.

Ah Ah Ah Ah...stayin alive, stayin alive

Carlo and I hooked up last night for a fun little PTP Series. I won the closely fought series 2-1 and still have a glimmer of hope (I said glimmer) for the playoffs. True, Matt and Carlo would have to really fall apart down the stretch, but hey, stranger things have happened.

The potentially playoff-bound Carlo also lost his lead off hitter, Chris Coghlan, for 15 games (the remainder of the regular season). I am absolutely fed up with Chipper Jones...I benched him and won the last two games. He will not play the rest of the year, bahleed dat.

GAME ONE:
After starter Matt Cain pitched an excellent seven innings, Nick's quick-to-the-pen approach coast him another win. Casey McGehee and Andre Ethier each hit solo homers off Angel Guzman and his (2.95 ERA and 1.03 WHIP). In his first at bat, the lauded Colby Rasmus launched a homer for Nick. The youngster added another RBI later in the game on a base shot.
Carlo 4, Nick 3
WP - LeBlanc L - Guzman SV - Fogg

GAME TWO:
Hanley Ramirez went 3 for 3 and hit two homers to help Nick secure a 4-3 win. The Reverend Randy Wells went seven strong innings, striking out 8 batters, while securing the win. In the loss, Carlos Gonzalez and Casey McGehee (again) hit solo homers.
Nick 4, Carlo 3
WP - Wells L - Dan Haren SV - Broxton

GAME THREE:
Nick's statistically superior yet under-performing offense finally got loud in game three. Ryan Howard hit a two run shot, while Craig Counsell and Han-Ram each added two RBI and three hits apiece. John Maine went 8 strong, earning the win while giving up just four hits. After Coghlan went down with an injury, backup Josh Willingham bopped a dinger to score the lone run of the game for Carlo. In one of the weirder stat lines, losing pitcher Josh Johnson gave up eight runs in four innings yet he managed to strike out 8 batters.
Nick 8, Carlo 1
WP - Maine LP - Josh Johnson

That's all...

Let's keep this season rolling. I am only three games (vs Matt) from done...