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...

Colby Rasmus: Ice Cold Killa

With his season in the balance, Nick signs top-tier prospect Colby Rasmus for the remainder of the year. The injury to the struggling Nate McLouth opens a spot for cocky Colby to produce immediately. To make the playoffs, Nick must go 6-0 in his final six games. Nick is the winner of the NL Championship just a year ago, has appeared in two world series and has never missed the playoffs, so this development is shocking the entire league to its core.

Stay tuned!

Evan Turner doesn't have anything on PTP

Carlo and I hooked up for a Saturday morning tilt on the Southeast side of Janesville. A playoff atmosphere was apparent, with all games very tightly contested:

Carlo at Fish

Game 1: J. Johnson vs. C. Carpenter
Chris Coghlan continues frustrate the Astros as he had in the previous series. He leads the game off with a lead of single and scores in the 1st with a Brian McCann sacrifice fly. In the bottom of the second, Derrick Lee hit the longest home run (solo) in Minute Maid Field, a 500 ft (and then plus 10 with carry) home run over the hill in center field, landing on the train tracks. However, Carlo would keep chipping away with runs in the first five innings to drive Chris Carpenter from the game. He put the game away with a three run home run in the top of the eight from Casey McGehee.
Final Score: Carlo 8 – Fish 4
Winning Pitcher: J. Johnson
Losing Pitcher: C. Carpenter
Home Runs: Lee, Furcal, Hawpe, McGehee

Game 2: U. Jiminez vs T. Hansen
The Astros came out with bats in hand, scoring 4 in the bottom of the 1st with contributed by a base hit from Bourn, walks from Castillo, Lee, and a three run double from Brad Hawpe. Tommy Gun Hansen was pitching a gem until the 5th inning, when his arm started to fall off – he gave up 4 runs in the frame, including a three run blast by Brian McCann. Furcal scored in the bottom of the 5th after reaching base on a Prado error, which proved costly. Carlo would score again in the top of the 7th, however Trevor Hoffman would be able to close out the one run game in the ninth.

Final Score: Fish 5 – Carlo 4
Winning Pitcher: U. Jiminez
Losing Pitcher: T. Hansen
Save: T. Hoffman
Home Runs: McCann

Game 3: R. Nolasco vs. R. Oswalt
The game started out well for the Astros in the first inning with a leadoff double from Michael Bourn and was drove in on a Derrick Lee triple. Roy Oswalt was cruising into the 4th inning, when Carlo’s team opened up the flood gates – 6 hits and five runs, with nearly everyone in the order getting a hit and/or scoring a run. Carlo added another run from the Beretta Ianetta, solo run job in the top of the 6th. Then, in the bottom of the 8th, after Nolasco gave up back to back singles with no one out, Dan Meyer entered the ball game to face a pinch hitting Cody Ross, who went yard for a three run shot. Another run was added in the frame to tie the game going into the 9th. Carlo was able to score a run in the top of the 9th off of Hoffman, when McCann walked and was driven home by Coghlan. However, in the bottom of the 9th, after lead off hits by Bourn and Castillo (who advanced on a fielder’s choice), Cody Ross hit a ground ball to Theriot who booted it to allow both runners to score.

Final Score: Fish 8 – Carlo 7
Winning Pitcher: T. Hoffman
Losing Pitcher: D. Meyer
Home Runs: Beretta Ianetta, Ross

That's Some Hot Shit

After starting the season slow, Andy McCutcheon is now one of the hottest players in the league. That, and I've been biding my time to post his pic since this blog started...

Fish at Keith: Molinas Collide!

Greetings boys. We had a doozy up in Madison this evening - here's the details for you hard-core mugs still following along:

Game 1: Oswalt vs. Gallardo
Well-pitched ballgame...for awhile. Ryan Braun's two-run job in the 3rd put Fish up 2-0 until the bottom of the 5th, when Andy McCutchen came in following a leadoff triple to make the score 2-1. Things got real bad after that, as Fish drove in 7 runs in the final four innings to drub Keith 9-1. Mid-season pickup Willie Harris led the way for Fish, surprisingly, with 3 RBI's.


Fish wins 9-1
WP - Oswalt
LP - Gallardo

Game 2: Kuroda vs. Cueto
Here's a couple of pitchers who won't be getting a call from the Hall of Fame anytime soon. Fish jumped out to a 3-1 lead after 3, scoring a run in each inning - highlighted by a Benji Molina solo jack to lead off the 2nd. My squad warmed up from there, however, knocking in 3 runs each in the 4th and the 5th led by Ryan Zimmerman (HR in the 4th, 1B in the 5th) and the red-hot Andy McCutcheon (3B in the 4th, HR in 5th). Kuroda fell apart, Ryan Madsen came in and was promptly shelled.

Keith wins 8-5
WP - Cueto
LP - Kuroda

Game 3: Hammel vs. Santana

I know we hate lefties, but you had to like Santana going into this one. He pitched well, but things got weird before it was all said and done. Keith took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 2nd on a Zimmerman double, a Hunter "is he wearing any under-" Pence triple and a Yadie Molina RBI. A Pujols "don't forget about me" solo job in the bottom of the 6th gave Keith a 3-0 lead before Fish raised hell in the top of the 7th, driving in 4 runs to take the lead by one. Keith came back with three more runs - both teams playing station-to-station NL baseball at this point - sending it to the top of the 8th 6-4.

Things got nuts in the 8th, with Fish bringing in 2 runs in the midst of a punches-thrown, bench-clearing brawl ignited by Yadie Molina and Brad Hawpe (both ejected). The two runs was enough to tie the game, however, and fans got themselves a little free baseball after neither team was able to score in the remainder of the 8th and throughout the 9th.

Rubber bands, glue and mirrors allowed this game to go 15 innings, despite Fish leaving Furcal on 3rd in the 11th, Hammel (yeah, his 6th pitcher) on 3rd in the 13th, and Keith having Pence gunned down at the plate and leaving Ibanez on 3rd in the 13th. The game finally ended, 7-6, with Brendan Ryan driving in Ibanez in the bottom of the 15th.

Keith wins 7-6
WP - Moylan
LP - Thatcher

Keith wins series 2-1