mstar1

Each to his own as far as umpires go--maybe we should get Lifted Up in this conversation (if he still lurks)-- I know they could refine it ultra tight if they decided to but I dont trust the boxes all that much either the way they are set up now...they can be selective in their own right and get you to believe them when they dont necessarily give the exact picture. The one on my station is based on a skewed view of the plate. (about 50 feet off center from the centerfield camera) maybe its accurate --maybe its not-I have a tendency to think that its not, as pitches in the same spots are called the same by different umpires night after night even though they appear to be out of the box. Thats not to say that an umpire wont miss a few pitches per game, but there is something about the uncertainty on a close pitch and my right to bitch, yell and moan and hold my breath about it that would get lost if it were all computerized. and FWIW I just read an article this morning (too lazy to hunt it down) that steroid enforcement is working through all levels... we got a damn rainout tonight---Im hoping Tom will show and give me an update as the last I heard his stRangers were getting no hit through 6 against the Rays--- -now is time for the rangers to erupt for 17--go rangers! Edit: I was just pokin around looking for some Rays/Rangers info..(because Im bored and enduring a rainout) I found THIS radio broadcast of the 7th game of the 64 World Series that Im listening to -- Bob Gibson vs Mel Stottlemyre that some of you might like to listen to...Its pretty cool... Joe Garigiola and Phil Rizzuto announcing.

Honestly thats my fear...that they'll start out with homeruns,..then fair or foul balls---then it will move to close plays..then something else .then eventually they will use 'that little box' and too soon (15-20-25 years)there wont be any real need for umpires on the field anymore..The human element, no matter how maddening it is, is part of the game. If a certain umpire has a wide or narrow zone on a particular night its up to the players to adjust. Thats my two cents--but Im an old fashioned kind of guy Oddly the same thing happened with Brian Giles and the Red Sox who claimed him earlier in the week. You'd think that everyone on a last place team would want to go to a contender especially at this time of year, but its not necessarily so. If i was making $9.5Million, living in the San Diego weather and had minimal pressure I might not want to move to a madhouse like Boston either. I sort of assume that every ballplayer would do anything for a ring but the older I get i think some are just content to play in the big leagues, do their time, and collect their check. I dont know who Byrd had on his no trade beside yous guys, but he seems happy to be here and in the midst of a race...We get to see what he has tonight--he'll have his hands full --he's facing Roy Halladay. o--and waiting in an office today I got to read agood article on Kinsler in SI-theyre promoting him as MVP. (Ill see if i can dig up a link) Edit: Just checking the paper--Seems to be some interesting pregame activities tonight..

Blind Willie Johnson--Dark was the night, cold was the ground Blind Willie Johnson died penniless of pneumonia after sleeping bundled in wet newspapers in the ruins of his house that burned down after he was refused admission to a hospital to treat his burns This track by Johnson was chosen by NASA to be put on the Voyager spacecraft and was launched into space in 1977. It left our solar system on December 16, 2004.

Changing things in the middle of a season? Im not sure how I feel about this. I suppose they're doing it to gear up for the playoffs which always seems to have at the very least one or two controversial plays... I 'spose its alright for what they are using it for--my real concern is that the genie will be out of the bottle and it will slowly and eventually be used for every call. ...... I see Manny finally got a haircut, although I honestly cant tell which one The Adventures in Mannyworld continue

Wow---Is it like this all the time for you guys? Hunter is just laying it right in there, and when he got to the weak part of the order he walked Varitek, Hit Cora, and Coco popped up but Vasquez elected not to chase after it and it fell in....leaving the gates open for a 9 run inning (so far).... Damn when you talk about frustration I'll understand a little clearer now--- looks like another wild night

Yea I heard They had a little girl last night--(presumably with no tattoos ) He seems like a great guy.. In similar news (i.e. alot different really) I heard today Varitek is getting a divorce which might account as some reason for his .192 since June.. anyway.... just got tonights lineups Red Sox 1. J.D.Drew RF 2. Dustin Pedroia 2B 3. David Ortiz DH 4. Kevin Youkilis 1B 5. Jason Bay LF 6. Jed Lowrie 3B 7. Jason Varitek 8. Coco Crisp CF 9. Alex Cora SS SP -- Matsuzaka Texas Rangers: 1. Ian Kinsler 2B 2. Frank Catalanotto LF 3. Michael Young SS 4. Milton Bradley DH 5. Marlon Byrd CF 6. Brandon Boggs RF 7. Chris Davis 1B 8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia C 9. Ramon Vazquez 3B SP -- Tommy Hunter Good seeing your guys--talk to those schedulers and come more often, I enjoyed it! Dont bother cleaning We'll get the broom and sweep up :)

I suppose there is a whole art to signing. I know the RS go overboard to know every little nuance on and off the field and 'persuade' some signers with perks and considerations that have little to do with baseball plus they take time to project the image of being an organization that players want to play for by doing alot of little things. I can understand its frustrating-- an aside question --I really didnt follow the draft--but in the situation that y'alls are in there were no pitchers available at number 11? You already have hitters out of the wazoo

Well for you guys who play on the surface of the sun--yeah--I dont know the stats but Ive said afew times this year the sox are two teams --one at home one on the road this year...This year the schedule --at least September seems to be favoring us--There were some very difficult stretches early on that eventually count just as much--but im glad thats all behind at this point.......Id love to be a fly on the wall during the scheduling, trying to keep 30 teams happy, and make all the logistics work over 162 games--thats gotta be areal hair puller. ...regarding pitching--A few years ago I heard an interview with Theo and he mentioned that free agency was an incredibly inefficient way to build a team. I had never really thought too much in those terms before or heard it put so simply, but it stuck with me and has made sense---especially after watching the stream of quality guys who yearly come up through the player development system. Nolan's not stupid, hopefully he'll be able to wrest some power away from Hicks so your younger investments will pay off. Where's Simon? Its a good time to be a Cubs fan.... although a month or 6 weeks from now may be a good time to invest in anti anxiety medication in Chicago though

HERES an article from 06 on the schedule makers. That has got to be one interesting but very difficult job..

Alright-- get post number 4000 in this thread joining Ty Cobb and Pete Rose in the 4000 club... We'll see about that little b'tard tick and how it plays out--I may have to go on the DL <_ < Schedules all balance out in the long run--The Sox started with that darn Tokyo series and have had the more difficult parts of the schedule already, it just happened that way. I actually read a story last winter on one couple someplace who actually figures out the whole thing for all of MLB--that would be one interesting and strange job figuring all the flights and days off etc. ---cant please everybody. It is incredibly strange to me that in the last year of Yankee Stadium that they finish the year on the road and not a home game against the Red Sox----that was seriously a bad mistake. i wont be crowing about anything just yet---there is still 6 weeks just to get to the post season and anything can happen between now and then

We've gone round and round about ARod here over the years, everyone knows what i think--true to form I recently read he is hitting somewhere in the .220's with runners in scoring position...--although it may have been interesting for the Manny/Arod trade to have gone through in 03-04 Im very glad it didnt--It has played out just fine. The Sox have 16 out of 24 at home in September (with 3 days off during the month),Which looks easier than the rays.... We'll have to see how the Rays adjust to Crawford and Longoria being DL'ed and Kazmir not really being Kazmir lately. Byrd could be big here, I'd expect Sheffield to the Rays (if he gets that far)...and of course you never know what call up could really change the whole thing ( a la Ellsbury last year, or KRod for the Angels in '02) Right now Im liking the Sox position, although losing Lowell isnt easy--are their any infielders out there?? This is all getting good --The NL East AND West is all tied up, , most divisions are still more or less up for grabs, and there are still a few others within long shot shootin distance.

I thought this was an interesting picture seems that some of the poorer neighborhoods in Beijing are literally walled off and these garden scenes put up

way Damn I hate flippin ticks--I got bit by one about as big as this period ( .) two weeks ago and now to stay up through a game is near impossible... I was out like a rock by the third inning last night... little @#$%ers Probably serves me right for enjoying the plague of locusts the Yanks had in Cleveland last year in the playoffs.. Watch out for those little b'tards they're brutal.... anyway-yea I am amazed at the Rangers lineup-Its downright scary especially at the top Kinsler, Young, Hamilton, Bradley and now Marlon Byrd tearing everything up.....-I still dont totally get the lack of pitching though. It doesnt even have to be great--just adequate--for the texans to be a real contendah---Maybe they should hire some people out of the Twins organization who always seem to land on their feet pitching wise and develop pitchers the way the chinese develop gymnasts.....whereas you guys are more like Eritrea .... Heckuva team to watch though Seems to be a lot of guys going on waivers that Im hearing about--Sheffield, Raul Ibanez, Jarrod Washburn---It'll be interesting to see how everyone squares up in the next few weeks for the stretch run...I know the Red Sox are doing a lot of shuffling behind the scenes everyday, -----I think the schedule slightly favors the Sox in this division but one never knows...Its still a long way to October... tension is starting to build and all games are looking and feeling just a little more important

We'll probably see a 1-0 game scratch that --it s 1-0 as I type Your lineup is formidable, scary even --but defense ---its been a little sloppy

Wow while Ive been focussed on this series and yesterdays game seems Hank Steinbrenner SAID that the Yanks 'will win it all next year"--seems like a little early to chuck in the towel just yet.. but if thats the case --its fine with me...

Im sure if we had em reversed Id love Kinsler too We just have the midget and he is awesome! i dont think he realizes he is tiny and would probably fit it at the LLWS and not stickout too much --if he shaved Its amazing how close they are is the only reason i posted that. You know from watching what Kinslers like---numbers wise they are near carbon copies... Its amazing that you guys can field a competitive team at all given that list. 9 SP's on the DL? Dang you didnt even have any to begin with! Yikes. I dont know what will happen tonight, Hopefully Jon Lester who has transformed himself into a real frontline pitcher this year will be throwing first pitch strikes, bring everything somewhat back to normal, silence some bats and go a strong 7 or 8 innings to rest the 'pen all while we are crossing the line on Mendoza

I'll definitely do some studying of that! i found THIS game this morning.. Cubs-Phillies at Wrigley back on May 17, 1979. The Phils scored 7 in the top of the first, only to see the Cubs bring in 6 in the bottom half. Philly then scored 10 unanswered runs to take a 17-6 lead after just 3-1/2 innings. The Cubs got 3 back in the bottom of the 4th, but Philly scored 4 in the top of the fifth to make it 21-9 ... Then the unthinkable happened -- the Cubs ALSO scored 10 unanswered runs to make it 21-19 game with 3 innings still to play. Philly added a run in the 7th, but the Cubs responded with three in the bottom to tie the game at 22. A solo homer by Mike Schmidt in the top of the 10th was the game-winner. We got to see a real rarity last night--the replay is on in a few minutes here..They normally edit them down to teo hours--i have no idea how they are going to do that. and Just an aside on the Pedroia /Kinsler discussion I checked the stats --as of this am Kinsler .320 159 Hits Pedroia .319 157 Hits you dont get much more even than that. O and some other oddities Im remebering Mike Lowell (who has had a serious hip injury for a few weeks and sometimes I wonder if he can walk) stole third in the early innings. Youkilis who didnt have an error at one point for almost two years had two last night. Mustve been something weird in the water last night. well the bullpens are now pretty much blown out by the first game--lets see what goes the rest of the way!

That was one for the ages---I knew id like seeing your guys up close lets do it again tonight! what a strange game , a great illustration of why you always keep playing until the end... So who is the pick for MVP of the game? Dustin Pedroia, who went 5-for-6, scored five times, hit the key two out RBI double to tie the game in the 8th and then came around to score the go-ahead run on the Youkilis HR-- or Kevin Youkilis, who went "only" 2-for-5 with a walk, but the 2 hits were a 5th inning 2 run HR and the big 8th inning go ahead 3 run HR (also had the ignominious accomplishment of striking out twice in the first inning); or David Ortiz, who homered twice in the first, doubled in the sixth, walked twice, scored four times and drove in six. It's really a tough call. Between the three: 10-for-15, two doubles, 4 HR, 11 runs scored and 13 driven in. Too may strange things to count---Ive never seen that intereference called ever before at center in Fenway... the "drop" by Coco,.... Laird failed to advance from second on a clean single to left in the 5th, I've never seen that, either. i cant count em all A One once in a lifetime night at Fenway--I wish i could find the clip of Don Orsillo on Youks HR in the 8th YOUVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! Everyone was thinking exactly that.. I love baseball....

ha lemme give this a shot most of the time (92.3% ) I pronounce it App uh lay shun and just once in awhile app uh latch uhn. The trail is 99.99% the first one in my parts, Occasionally someone in a musicology context will go with the second--but not always. If I hear the second it usually indicates to me that they are probably 'studied' in musicology or i get that feeling anyway---of course maybe they're just from someplace else. I'll go either way on music but almost always (again 99%) prefer the first. ...or else i just call em fiddle tunes There. is that all confusing enough? :) How do they say it out in Minn uh so tah ?

From me -yesterday at 4:07 I certainly got my wish :)

I havent heard of him but Ive met all sorts of people on "walks", a few years ago a group of Buddhist Monks went through town on their way to the west coast who were walking for peace, about a year later I met a guy who was carrying a cross who had been carrying it around the world for 20 years. Two 20 somethings I know are circumnavigating the globe, I get email updates every few days --they are somewhere in Scotland at the moment, and I also live right on the Appalachian Trail which everyday brings people around who are walking from Georgia to Maine. most people that I get a chance to talk to seem to have one reason or another why they are doing it but to all of them it generally is a life changing event and rearranges their priorities in a good way

WOW!! They dont make games like that every day um.... so what were we comparing a few days back....... wasnt it pitching woes?

Im really surprised the Yankees didnt grab him .. anayway--you always talk about your pitching but I had no idea--6 of the first 7 batters have reached and its 5-0 ---1 out in the first--thats gotta be frustrating ..of course im not minding Edit;6-0 Feldman is hanging everything up in the zone... Re Edit: multihit game for Pedroia and we're not out of the firat 7-0 now Holy sh!t 10-0 Ortiz 6RBI's in one inning sorry friend--hope nobody is kickin TV's down in Texas--I sure would be-----welcome to fenway

thats the question for Bob Melvin to answer, hopefully he already had this conversation with the Front Office and they have a plan in place. Dunn can also play first if necessary. I think its a good fit because he has 32 HR's and always a near .400 OBP--from a distance anyway you guys look like you could use some extra pop in that lineup. Sox just picked up Paul Byrd who's been 4-0 since the allstar break as another starter ...I havent seen him since last year, I'll be looking forward to see if he still has the 1930's style double pump delivery

Damn Geo beat me to it... If not Barnum then Elmer Gantry From Wiki Link: