MLB 2009 Part 3

[Hewson]

Priceless

 

[2861U2]

Looks like no ballgame tonight.

 

[Imperor]

Congratulations to local boy Phillyfan26 and his illiterate brethren on creating a worthy followup to "Why Cant Us:"

 

[phillyfan26]

I leave Philadelphia for two months and people starting making these T-shirts, humping reporters, and falling off taxis. The city needs me more than it thought it did.

 

[Imperor]

Ugh. Jeter completely boots it... and it flops right to Cano on second for a fielder's choice. Because a lucky out was made, there's no mention of how horrendously he played the ball by the ball-washing Buck and McCarver.

 

[Imperor]

Jesus Christ, Kazmir.

 

[phillyfan26]

... And Anaheim's infield pisses the game away.

 

[Dalton]

Dave Dombrowski just called and asked about the availability of Scott Kazmir.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

THE KAZ!

Goddamn, that was an ugly toss.

 

[Dalton]

ARod is the new Tebow.

 

[Dalton]

And can I just say if you've got more money than God, are a professional baseball player, live in NYC, you should at least be dating a woman with tits.

 

[MrPryck2U]

And can I just say if you've got more money than God, are a professional baseball player, live in NYC, you should at least be dating a woman with tits.

Did you ever see You, Me and Dupree? Check out Kate in the scene where she's in the bikini.


Phils/Yanks- Should be a slobberknocker.

 

[Hewson]

So how do Indians fans feel about watching Cliff Lee face Chunky Chunky Sabathia in game 1 of the World Series?


Phils in 6.
Utley MVP.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

is there any chance of a sudden labor strife causing an unforseen cancelation of the world series?

the phillies and the yankees are in the world series and omar minaya and jerry manuel still have jobs. fuck. me.

 

[phillyfan26]

Game 1 - LHP Cliff Lee at LHP C.C. Sabathia
Game 2 - RHP Pedro Martinez at RHP A.J. Burnett
Game 3 - LHP Andy Pettitte at LHP Cole Hamels
Game 4 - LHP C.C. Sabathia at RHP Joe Blanton
Game 5 - RHP A.J. Burnett at LHP Cliff Lee
Game 6 - RHP Pedro Martinez at LHP Andy Pettitte
Game 7 - LHP Cole Hamels at LHP C.C. Sabathia

Your probables for the series.

 

[speedracer]

Why on earth is Pedro pitching game 2 in Daddy Stadium instead of the left-handed Hamels???

 

[phillyfan26]

Because Pedro threw seven shut-out innings and Hamels has yet to get past five innings, I imagine.

 

[NotBono]

the phillies and the yankees are in the world series and omar minaya and jerry manuel still have jobs. fuck. me.

Stars definitely didn't align for the Mets fans this year

 

[Hewson]

Why on earth is Pedro pitching game 2 in Daddy Stadium instead of the left-handed Hamels???

I question that as well. Pedro should pitch at home.

Game 2 is gonna be a 12-10 affair.

 

[Hewson]

speedie, The Boston Herald's Michael Silverman agrees with us:

Phillies send Pedro Martinez to relive Bronx tale - BostonHerald.com

Phillies send Pedro Martinez to relive Bronx tale
Oh no, daddy’s back
By Michael Silverman / Baseball
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 - Updated 33m ago

NEW YORK - Charlie Manuel is either going to look like a genius or like Grady Little for deciding to go with Pedro Martinez in Game 2 of the World Series here tomorrow night.

What exactly is it with Martinez pitching in the Bronx in October that makes managers abandon common baseball sense?

Major League Baseball, Fox, the Yankees and their “Who’s your daddy?”-adoring fans definitely love the way Manuel thought out this move.

But there’s nothing to love about it from a Phillies’ perspective.

Little stayed with Martinez too long in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS, a decision that led directly to both the Red Sox losing that series and Little losing his job.

Six years later, Manuel decided to pull a Little reverse, only in a funhouse mirror sort of way. Rather than stick with Martinez for too long, Manuel is calling on Martinez too early. Rather than pitch his struggling but still immensely talented left-hander Cole Hamels in a stadium where left-handed lineups salivate at the sight of the short right field porch, Manuel decided Martinez is his man to face a lineup featuring six left-handed bats.

Again, just like Little, Manuel seems more impressed with Martinez’ indisputably brilliant career - including six scoreless innings in the NLCS against the Dodgers - than his actual track record.

Here’s his reasons.

“I wanted to split my lefties (Game 1 starter Cliff Lee and Hamels) up and also I felt like Pedro was the ideal guy to go in between them because of what type of pitcher he is and his command, how he can change speeds, and the fact that he’s been here before,” said Manuel yesterday. “And I think this is going to be a real big moment for him, and I think, like I said, he’s used to it and he’s done it before and I think he’s the guy that’s more apt to handle it good. I think this is the perfect setting for him.”

Oh. We know Martinez is used to big moments and big results, but he has not handled those big moments in the “perfect setting” of the Bronx real well.

In the postseason at Yankee Stadium, Martinez has made two starts, plus one inning in relief in Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. His record is 0-1 with a 6.28 ERA with 10 runs allowed in 14 innings. His postseason record against the Yankees is 1-2 with a 4.72 ERA in five starts and six appearances.

Contrast that with his postseason career: 6-2, 3.13 ERA. He pitched mainly on the road in the playoffs, making 11 of his 14 appearances somewhere other than Fenway Park but his road record in New York in the playoffs is a far cry from the 5-1, 3.13 overall road mark.

Even Martinez acknowledged yesterday that Yankee Stadium has not been that kind.

“I don’t think Yankee Stadium has been my biggest success, to be honest,” Martinez said. “I’ll pitch here like any other field and I’ll take a lot of pride and a lot of joy in doing it but I don’t think this is my house.”

Maybe Manuel has never gotten over how in 1999, when he was the Indians hitting coach, an injured Martinez threw six hitless and scoreless innings in relief at Jacobs Field to kick Cleveland out of the playoffs.

Maybe Manuel is so concerned about the “struggles” of Hamels this season that he looks at the lefty’s better home record (7-5, 3.76) than on the road (3-6, 4.99). But that means he’s ignoring Martinez’ better performances in Philadelphia (2-0, 1.88) than on the road (3-1, 5.66).

Pedro Martinez is still capable of making Manuel look like a smart man.

There’s just no reason to expect that to happen.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

honestly... as much as i despise both of these teams... when it comes to straight personel there really isn't anyone on the yankees who i hate, where there's a slew of phillies on that list, topped off by darth douche himself shane victorino.

i suppose that means i'm rooting for the yankees to win. their fans are already smug douchebags... what's one more? but the phillies winning back to back championships... that would be just too much to take. shane victorino, jimmie rollins and charlie manuel going down as all time clutch performers? ugh... i just threw up in my mouth a little bit at the thought.

 

[phillyfan26]

What's there to dislike about Victorino? I've never, ever, at any point, understood the dislike for him. LA fans out of nowhere last year hated him, seemingly just because he didn't take it well when LA deliberately threw at him.

I don't get it.

I find this Phillies team incredibly likable aside from Hamels, who is a whiny bitch. How can you hate Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, or Chooch Ruiz?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it's the dual flap helmet, really.

i like chase utley, and i have no feelings, positive or negative, towards howard. i do think hamels is a whiny bitch as well.

 

[phillyfan26]

I question that as well. Pedro should pitch at home.

Game 2 is gonna be a 12-10 affair.

I disagree. Hamels has left Manuel with no choice. Pedro's stepped up, Hamels hasn't. Also, I think it's much more important to have Hamels at home than it is to have Pedro at home at this point.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I've never seen Cliff Lee pitch before, but I really enjoy how cool he is under pressure. It's like the World Series atmosphere doesn't affect him at all.

And Chase Utley, two HRs -- wow! Go Phillies!

 

[lazarus]

Winning Game 2 would be about the best vindication ever for Pedro. And as a long-time fan of his, I will be cheering him on.

 

[Imperor]

Burnett looked like dog shit in the ALCS. Pedro dealt in his only appearance so far. I like that matchup if I'm a Phils fan.

But then again, he tipped his cap and called the Yankees his daddy. So who knows?

 

[phillyfan26]

I do like that matchup, certainly better than a Burnett-Hamels matchup.

Chase Utley came through. The greatest man alive.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I hope this thing goes 7.

 

[John Lackey]

This thing is over. Phils in 5.

The Phils beat the Yankees' best pitcher and he threw 113 pitches. Have fun with those 3 Sabathia starts, Yankees. Burnett is very beatable and I think Pettitte is vastly overrated. Hughes has been struggling and the Yankees don't seem to want to give Robertson much late inning work so all you've really got in the bullpen is Rivera.

Jeez, this is gonna be a quick one.