In which I join the macro fad. It is not a large image, so I am forgoing the cut.
But he's totally not gay, you guys!
But he's totally not gay, you guys!
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I just watched the clip of Tito getting ejected last night, and holy shit. No wonder the Red Sox radio announcers sounded so amazed while it was going on. Terry has never once gotten that angry in his entire career with the Red Sox. There was none of the flamboyantly sarcastic body language that I so love to see when he starts yelling at an ump. There was just tense, red-faced, screaming fury. Francona was not fucking around out there. If this was a bar brawl, he'd be shattering a beer bottle against the bar and going for Iassogna's throat with the jagged end.
The funniest part of watching it was that the clip on MLBTV is from the A's feed, so the announcers are all, "Yup, Francona's having his say out there" and I'm going YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA.
Why are my teams cursed with all the stupidest umps lately, anyway? I really am going to have to start keeping a literal list of umps I hate and why and because it's starting to exceed my memory capacity.
The funniest part of watching it was that the clip on MLBTV is from the A's feed, so the announcers are all, "Yup, Francona's having his say out there" and I'm going YOU GUYS HAVE NO IDEA.
Why are my teams cursed with all the stupidest umps lately, anyway? I really am going to have to start keeping a literal list of umps I hate and why and because it's starting to exceed my memory capacity.
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Yesterday's Red Sox/A's game summed up, courtesy of BB from the comments at Surviving Grady: "Lenny Dinardo - the win? Embree - the save? Where the fuck planet am I on?"
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Oh, man, Mientkie, please be okay. I don't care if you wear pinstripes now, I still love you.
And you, Myglowl, need to quit breaking other teams' players. First Piazza, now Mientkiewicz. Cut it out. It's rude.
And you, Myglowl, need to quit breaking other teams' players. First Piazza, now Mientkiewicz. Cut it out. It's rude.
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FOX may suck ass when it comes to everything baseball broadcast, but I have to say I enjoyed this past half-inning's installation of the A-Rod is a Douche Show. Because, A-Rod is a douche.
FOX or not, though, I love having baseball on my TV. MLBTV is really handy, but the blackout restrictions make it really hard to keep up with the Red Sox as well as I can keep up with the Tigers, Astros, Yankees (in theory, anyway), or even the A's. I live right smack in Red Sox Nation territory and I know more about what the Tigers have been doing lately. Sheesh. I miss having cable during the baseball season.
But! Speaking of the Red Sox Nation, check out this baby name popularity tracker. Go through the 2004 team roster and plug in some of their names. A lot of them have a nice little spike or a bump at around 2005. It doesn't really work for the names that are popular anyway, like David or Jason, but names like Bronson and Pedro have a noticeable spike at around the time that Red Sox fans would be giving birth after the World Series. Red Sox fans are crazy people.
And while we're on the topic, does anyone have any idea why the name Huston would have been popular from about 1900 to 1920ish? Was there a famous politician or writer or someone by that name in that time? Because it comes almost out of nowhere to spike for about twenty years, and then drops off the charts never to be seen again. At least not until A's fangirls start giving birth.
Ooh, now my TV has Astros on it. This was supposed to be a short post, so I'm gonna go watch them now. Go Astros!
FOX or not, though, I love having baseball on my TV. MLBTV is really handy, but the blackout restrictions make it really hard to keep up with the Red Sox as well as I can keep up with the Tigers, Astros, Yankees (in theory, anyway), or even the A's. I live right smack in Red Sox Nation territory and I know more about what the Tigers have been doing lately. Sheesh. I miss having cable during the baseball season.
But! Speaking of the Red Sox Nation, check out this baby name popularity tracker. Go through the 2004 team roster and plug in some of their names. A lot of them have a nice little spike or a bump at around 2005. It doesn't really work for the names that are popular anyway, like David or Jason, but names like Bronson and Pedro have a noticeable spike at around the time that Red Sox fans would be giving birth after the World Series. Red Sox fans are crazy people.
And while we're on the topic, does anyone have any idea why the name Huston would have been popular from about 1900 to 1920ish? Was there a famous politician or writer or someone by that name in that time? Because it comes almost out of nowhere to spike for about twenty years, and then drops off the charts never to be seen again. At least not until A's fangirls start giving birth.
Ooh, now my TV has Astros on it. This was supposed to be a short post, so I'm gonna go watch them now. Go Astros!
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Aaaaand five.
Tell me, seasoned fantasy baseball players - is losing five players to the DL in the span of two weeks in any way unusual, or is it just par for the course? Because it seems a little excessive to me.
Tell me, seasoned fantasy baseball players - is losing five players to the DL in the span of two weeks in any way unusual, or is it just par for the course? Because it seems a little excessive to me.
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You have got to be absofuckinglutely shitting me.
Why, yes, that IS another member of my fantasy team biting the dust, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
I give up. I really do.
For those fo you keeping score at home, that's four. Four in two weeks. No wonder I have so many A's, because I AM THE A'S, BECAUSE EVERYONE ON MY FUCKING TEAM ENDS UP ON THE DL. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK.
. . . yeah. I'm just gonna go get ready to go out and see the game.
What the fuck, man.
Why, yes, that IS another member of my fantasy team biting the dust, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH.
I give up. I really do.
For those fo you keeping score at home, that's four. Four in two weeks. No wonder I have so many A's, because I AM THE A'S, BECAUSE EVERYONE ON MY FUCKING TEAM ENDS UP ON THE DL. WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK.
. . . yeah. I'm just gonna go get ready to go out and see the game.
What the fuck, man.
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IT IS THE DAY OF RIDICULOUS COMEBACKS, PEOPLE.
I still do not know what even happened in the ninth inning of that A's/Indians game. Lessee. The A's were down by two. And then there we two outs. And then there were two strikes on Eric Chavez (on my fantasy team! Got a homerun earlier! Woo!). And then Chavez said, "Fuck you guys, I'm getting on base," and he did. And then Milton Bradley said, "Check this out," and tied it with a homerun. And then Dan Johnson said, "I am KEEPING my hitting streak, goddammit," and got his first hit of the game. And then Bobby Crosby wanted to play too, because he knew damn well who was on deck.
Jack Cust is - okay, here's the thing. The kid's been in the majors for a week. He was brought up and stuck in as DH after Piazza's injury. And before today's game, he had five homeruns to lead the AL in homers for the month so far. In a WEEK. This kid is obscene.
So as he comes to the plate, the A's announcers are having this conversation: "Do you think this is too much to ask of Jack Cust?" "No way! Let's be greedy!"
Two pitches later, they are saying, "No way did that just happen. No way did that just happen." (As opposed to my more profane, "Oh my god, no fucking way did that just happen.")
Because Jack Cust? Got the three-run homer. And it was just way too perfect. Not only did I not expect it, I fully expected the opposite, to the point where my eyes informed me that Sizemore had caught the ball, and continued to insist that he had several seconds after my ears announced otherwise. And thus the A's not only won, but won 10-7.
First the Red Sox overcome a five-run deficit after eight innings of being shut out. Now the A's aim their loaded rookie at the Indians and say, "Make my day." What next?
I still do not know what even happened in the ninth inning of that A's/Indians game. Lessee. The A's were down by two. And then there we two outs. And then there were two strikes on Eric Chavez (on my fantasy team! Got a homerun earlier! Woo!). And then Chavez said, "Fuck you guys, I'm getting on base," and he did. And then Milton Bradley said, "Check this out," and tied it with a homerun. And then Dan Johnson said, "I am KEEPING my hitting streak, goddammit," and got his first hit of the game. And then Bobby Crosby wanted to play too, because he knew damn well who was on deck.
Jack Cust is - okay, here's the thing. The kid's been in the majors for a week. He was brought up and stuck in as DH after Piazza's injury. And before today's game, he had five homeruns to lead the AL in homers for the month so far. In a WEEK. This kid is obscene.
So as he comes to the plate, the A's announcers are having this conversation: "Do you think this is too much to ask of Jack Cust?" "No way! Let's be greedy!"
Two pitches later, they are saying, "No way did that just happen. No way did that just happen." (As opposed to my more profane, "Oh my god, no fucking way did that just happen.")
Because Jack Cust? Got the three-run homer. And it was just way too perfect. Not only did I not expect it, I fully expected the opposite, to the point where my eyes informed me that Sizemore had caught the ball, and continued to insist that he had several seconds after my ears announced otherwise. And thus the A's not only won, but won 10-7.
First the Red Sox overcome a five-run deficit after eight innings of being shut out. Now the A's aim their loaded rookie at the Indians and say, "Make my day." What next?
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Holy shit, what a game.
I actually got to watch most of this one (I hardly ever get to see Red Sox games because I don't have cable and I'm in the blackout area for MLBTV - I've probably seen more of the A's than the Red Sox this season, sadly enough). But today we had a family gathering at my grandparents' house for Mother's Day, and of course the game was on.
We left in the middle of the ninth. My mom and family were driving me home, since I don't drive, and as we drove along, the game got very interesting indeed. We got to my house just after Varitek got his hit, and my stepfather said,
"It's because we're listening in the car. If we'd stayed and watched, they would have gone one-two-three."
My mom, silly unsuperstitious woman that she is, scoffed, but it sounded logical to me. Hell, I was wary of getting out of the car until the inning ended, but they were in a bit of a hurry.
But I guess that worked out okay.
Wow. Shut out through eight innings, then scoring six in the ninth to win it. Absolutely incredible. (Oh, and thanks for that bad throw, Kebmillah. I knew you still loved us!)
I wonder what the Tigers are going to do tonight. This upcoming series could be even more interesting than I've been expecting.
I actually got to watch most of this one (I hardly ever get to see Red Sox games because I don't have cable and I'm in the blackout area for MLBTV - I've probably seen more of the A's than the Red Sox this season, sadly enough). But today we had a family gathering at my grandparents' house for Mother's Day, and of course the game was on.
We left in the middle of the ninth. My mom and family were driving me home, since I don't drive, and as we drove along, the game got very interesting indeed. We got to my house just after Varitek got his hit, and my stepfather said,
"It's because we're listening in the car. If we'd stayed and watched, they would have gone one-two-three."
My mom, silly unsuperstitious woman that she is, scoffed, but it sounded logical to me. Hell, I was wary of getting out of the car until the inning ended, but they were in a bit of a hurry.
But I guess that worked out okay.
Wow. Shut out through eight innings, then scoring six in the ninth to win it. Absolutely incredible. (Oh, and thanks for that bad throw, Kebmillah. I knew you still loved us!)
I wonder what the Tigers are going to do tonight. This upcoming series could be even more interesting than I've been expecting.
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WHAT THE FUCK BASEBALL GODS. WHAT DID MY FANTASY TEAM DO TO YOU.
Less than two weeks ago, Mike Piazza goes down with a sprained shoulder and is out for to six weeks.
TWO DAYS LATER, Joel Zumaya manages to destroy the tendons in his finger in the bullpen, requiring surgery. Three months out. (And yes, I am focusing entirely on the damage to my fantasy team so that I don't REALLY freak out on this one.)
And NOW, Roy Halladay has fucking APPENDICITIS, and will be out four to six weeks following the surgery to have that stupid useless piece of crap organ REMOVED.
And don't even get me started on Nick Swisher's fucking hamstring or Bonderman's shiny new blister.
I went with PITCHING when I drafted, people. I'm ALREADY in fifth place of six. I did NOT need to lose my best hitter, a relief pitcher, AND A STARTER in the space of TWO FUCKING WEEKS.
Now imagine how pissed I'd be if my fantasy team were more than a fun little diversion for me. You'd be able to see the caps FROM SPACE.
If this keeps up, I'm clearing my roster and drafting a bunch of players I hate.
Less than two weeks ago, Mike Piazza goes down with a sprained shoulder and is out for to six weeks.
TWO DAYS LATER, Joel Zumaya manages to destroy the tendons in his finger in the bullpen, requiring surgery. Three months out. (And yes, I am focusing entirely on the damage to my fantasy team so that I don't REALLY freak out on this one.)
And NOW, Roy Halladay has fucking APPENDICITIS, and will be out four to six weeks following the surgery to have that stupid useless piece of crap organ REMOVED.
And don't even get me started on Nick Swisher's fucking hamstring or Bonderman's shiny new blister.
I went with PITCHING when I drafted, people. I'm ALREADY in fifth place of six. I did NOT need to lose my best hitter, a relief pitcher, AND A STARTER in the space of TWO FUCKING WEEKS.
Now imagine how pissed I'd be if my fantasy team were more than a fun little diversion for me. You'd be able to see the caps FROM SPACE.
If this keeps up, I'm clearing my roster and drafting a bunch of players I hate.
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How in everloving fuck did I not notice that Alan Embree is with the A's? Seriously. I have approximately thirty-four A's on my fantasy team for some ungodly reason, so I keep an eye on them. You would think I would NOTICE a familiar name on the ROSTER. Nuh-uh. I thought he was still with the Padres.
BUT EVEN BETTER. I was just recently observing to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
maggiesox that Embree does, in fact, still suck. Did I think I had magically flipped over to a Padres game while I wasn't paying attention or what?!
Guys, seriously, don't get ADD, because you will regularly have moments when your severe FAILURE in the powers of observation department leads to you being so confused that you spend the next hour unable to trust anything your brain tells you.
. . . damn, it only took two pitches for Huston Street to blow THAT save. I'm impressed. (This is still better than watching the Tigers struggle to catch up to the Royals. The ROYALS, you ASSHOLES. Ugh.)
BUT EVEN BETTER. I was just recently observing to
maggiesox that Embree does, in fact, still suck. Did I think I had magically flipped over to a Padres game while I wasn't paying attention or what?!Guys, seriously, don't get ADD, because you will regularly have moments when your severe FAILURE in the powers of observation department leads to you being so confused that you spend the next hour unable to trust anything your brain tells you.
. . . damn, it only took two pitches for Huston Street to blow THAT save. I'm impressed. (This is still better than watching the Tigers struggle to catch up to the Royals. The ROYALS, you ASSHOLES. Ugh.)
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I blame you, Myglowl.
But that's FINE. I didn't want the BEST hitter on my fantasy team ANYWAY. I was COMFORTABLE in last place and finding myself in the penultimate slot was confusing and a bit scary. SO THERE, MYGLOWL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY HARDER TO UPSET ME.
. . .
*snf*
But that's FINE. I didn't want the BEST hitter on my fantasy team ANYWAY. I was COMFORTABLE in last place and finding myself in the penultimate slot was confusing and a bit scary. SO THERE, MYGLOWL. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TRY HARDER TO UPSET ME.
. . .
*snf*
(Thanks to ayrdaomei for bringing this to my attention.)
So, you guys remember my smartass Piazza poll?
Check out my psychic powers.
Several lockers down, packing for a trip he never imagined he'd be making at this stage of his career, catcher Adam Melhuse was feeling a very different emotion. To clear room on the 25-man roster for Johnson, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list, the A's optioned Melhuse to Triple-A Sacramento.
"Yeah, definitely shocked," Melhuse, 35, admitted. "I thought these days were over for me."
And then there was Mike Piazza. After 15 years as a catcher in the National League, he signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal in the offseason to replace Frank Thomas as Oakland's exclusive designated hitter. Yet in announcing the latest roster moves, A's manager Bob Geren, who actually dissuaded Piazza from doing much work to stay sharp behind the plate this spring, said Piazza is Oakland's No. 2 catcher for the time being.
"Isn't that funny?" Piazza said. "The irony?"
Melhuse and Piazza: the only two people on the planet who didn't see something like this coming.
ayrdaomei for bringing this to my attention.)So, you guys remember my smartass Piazza poll?
Check out my psychic powers.
Several lockers down, packing for a trip he never imagined he'd be making at this stage of his career, catcher Adam Melhuse was feeling a very different emotion. To clear room on the 25-man roster for Johnson, who was activated from the 15-day disabled list, the A's optioned Melhuse to Triple-A Sacramento.
"Yeah, definitely shocked," Melhuse, 35, admitted. "I thought these days were over for me."
And then there was Mike Piazza. After 15 years as a catcher in the National League, he signed a one-year, $8.5 million deal in the offseason to replace Frank Thomas as Oakland's exclusive designated hitter. Yet in announcing the latest roster moves, A's manager Bob Geren, who actually dissuaded Piazza from doing much work to stay sharp behind the plate this spring, said Piazza is Oakland's No. 2 catcher for the time being.
"Isn't that funny?" Piazza said. "The irony?"
Melhuse and Piazza: the only two people on the planet who didn't see something like this coming.
Phrase I will never get sick of:
"Back to back to back to back."
Hooooly shit.
Pieces of trivia gleaned from the Red Sox radio broadcast: That was the fifth time in MLB history that four homers in a row have been hit, the third time in the AL (with the last being in 1961), and the first time the Red Sox have done it. One Tito Francona was a hitter in one of the previous times, as was Hank Aaron. Also, we did it against the YANKEES and how super fucking cool is that?
"Back to back to back to back."
Hooooly shit.
Pieces of trivia gleaned from the Red Sox radio broadcast: That was the fifth time in MLB history that four homers in a row have been hit, the third time in the AL (with the last being in 1961), and the first time the Red Sox have done it. One Tito Francona was a hitter in one of the previous times, as was Hank Aaron. Also, we did it against the YANKEES and how super fucking cool is that?
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[Poll #968583]
I totally just jinxed the shit outta Kendall, didn't I? And why did I know the A's catcher's name without having to look it up, anyway?
I totally just jinxed the shit outta Kendall, didn't I? And why did I know the A's catcher's name without having to look it up, anyway?
Hey, does everyone remember that game a couple years ago between the Tigers and the Red Sox where Nate Robertson was just killing the Red Sox, eighty-eight pitches through eight innings, striking out guys like Papi and Manny without breaking a sweat, the Tigers were cruising to an easy win - and Tram decided to bring Fernando Rodney in?
Yeah, why did that just happen again?
Okay, yes, vastly different situations - tenth inning versus the ninth, for starters, early in the season, not wanting to pile the innings on too soon, and okay, fine, I get it - but LEYLAND. Bondo's pitch count was FINE. And Fernando Rodney HATES US. And you had Jonesy warming before and oh dear god WHY have you driven me to advocate bringing JONESY into an extra-innings tied game? And Halladay came out for the tenth, dammit! And you do remember how we lost the division last year on the LAST DAY OF THE SEASON, right, so THEY ALL COUNT.
*deep breath*
Sorry, Smokey Jim. Most of that was probably residual anger from that other game. It still makes me angry and probably always will. (Yes, the Tigers did lose it. By a lot, as I recall. And this is against the RED SOX. Can you imagine how far the bits of my head would have flown if it had been a team I didn't like?) You are still my favorite manager.
(But Rodney?)
Yeah, why did that just happen again?
Okay, yes, vastly different situations - tenth inning versus the ninth, for starters, early in the season, not wanting to pile the innings on too soon, and okay, fine, I get it - but LEYLAND. Bondo's pitch count was FINE. And Fernando Rodney HATES US. And you had Jonesy warming before and oh dear god WHY have you driven me to advocate bringing JONESY into an extra-innings tied game? And Halladay came out for the tenth, dammit! And you do remember how we lost the division last year on the LAST DAY OF THE SEASON, right, so THEY ALL COUNT.
*deep breath*
Sorry, Smokey Jim. Most of that was probably residual anger from that other game. It still makes me angry and probably always will. (Yes, the Tigers did lose it. By a lot, as I recall. And this is against the RED SOX. Can you imagine how far the bits of my head would have flown if it had been a team I didn't like?) You are still my favorite manager.
(But Rodney?)
I have decided what to do about the problem with that guy I can't stand being on my team. I will refer to him as the Nameless DH. I think this will allow me to survive his at bats without having a coronary, and to cheer his successes without agonizing conflict.
So - we are currently at 1-0 Tigers, thanks to a homerun from the Nameless DH! Yay!
Ugh, heartburn . . .
sigh.
So - we are currently at 1-0 Tigers, thanks to a homerun from the Nameless DH! Yay!
Ugh, heartburn . . .
sigh.
Damn, the EEI announcers are making me all wibbly. Would anyone else like to join me in cuddling Zack Woobie Greinke?
Also, how come I could spell "Greinke" no problem, but I had to doublecheck "Zack?"
Also, how come I could spell "Greinke" no problem, but I had to doublecheck "Zack?"
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Hi, MLBTV,
I appreciate your thoughtfulness in trying to spare me a Sheffield at bat by going all wonky as soon as he came to the plate, but I did not enjoy missing that RBI that put us on the board. I am going to have to deal with this Sheffield thing, and while it was sweet of you to think of me, your enabling my denial will not help me in the long run. I am simply going to have to find a way to watch the Tigers without stewing in bitterness and resentment every ninth at bat.
Maybe if I pretend it's someone else who happens to be named Gary Sheffield?
I appreciate your thoughtfulness in trying to spare me a Sheffield at bat by going all wonky as soon as he came to the plate, but I did not enjoy missing that RBI that put us on the board. I am going to have to deal with this Sheffield thing, and while it was sweet of you to think of me, your enabling my denial will not help me in the long run. I am simply going to have to find a way to watch the Tigers without stewing in bitterness and resentment every ninth at bat.
Maybe if I pretend it's someone else who happens to be named Gary Sheffield?
.
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