SPENCER TAKES REMERRSWAAL DIVISION CROWN!

• Even though I'm not in the division, technically I won it. I am the #2 seed......

• Good Luck Torto. We always have great managerial battles. It's like Bobby Cox v. Jimmy Leland or LaRussa v. Lasorda or Yost v Riggleman. Clearly we are two of the three greatest PTP minds in the group.

And with the number one overall pick...

I am open to fielding trade offers for the number 1 overall pick in the upcoming American League draft.

Some how I messed around and drafted the worst team in the history of Pursue The Pennant, I could blame it on whiskey, the brutal heckling of Spencer, poor rolling technique, mismanagement of my all lefty bullpen, injuries. Maybe it is because I talked shit before the draft and put a few people at risk of losing employment via emails filled with profanities. Maybe I deserve the title that comes along with being the worst G.M. ever.

I have a few highlights through out my PTP career. Two world series appearances...record for most consecutive strikeouts by a pitcher...and thank Allah that I had witnesses for the 30 runs I put up in one game because I don't know where the damn score sheet is for that game. So while I reevaluate my draft procedures I make no promises of sobriety, keeping my foul language in check and whatever else comes to mind.

So if anyone would be interested, please throw me an offer. If anyone feels the need to make a Keith type of offer I'll sick the dog on you.

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.