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...apparently the bat boy doesn't warrant a special jersey...

You are giving way more credit to the Gold Glove voters than they deserve; didn't a nearly full-time DH win a GG just a few years ago? (I looked it up; Palmiero won the GG in 1999 after playing a whopping 28 games at first that year.) They mostly vote for the guy who won it last year, as long as they're still hitting well.

Great outing by Fiers; could not be happier for the guy than to see him come back and out-pitch one of the best in the NL. (Makes me feel that much better about DVR-ing the Packers game.)

It's in the notes at the end of the Kintzler story.

"I never know where I'm going to throw, but it's to the point that's what I deserve," Kintzler said, "because apparently a three-something ERA isn't [good enough]." At least on that point, he and I agree. If his ERA were a run lower - like it was last year - and he still couldn't get a shot in close and late ballgames, then I think he would have a right to be upset. By all appearances though, he feels as though having a consistent role (in hold situations, presumably in the 8th inning) was the reason for his outstanding performance last year; it is pitching well that put him into the consistent role he seems to be looking for. I don't really mind it when guys have a chip on their shoulder, when they can use it for motivation. Kintzler just seems to be venting his frustration that he's not pitching as well as he's capable.

It's too bad Braun no longer has the power to pull a pitch.

I guess where I take issue with the classification of St. Louis as a 'small market' team is that their regional base extends well beyond the city limits...especially the historical range of their broadcast affiliate (KMOX), which covers most of the central US and is the source of a lot of their generational fan base.

How exactly do the Cardinals get a competitive balance pick (right before Milwaukee)?

Not even Darwin could survive and thrive in Wrigleyville.

...there is that guy whose currently rehabbing his 11.12 ERA, almost entirely accumulated in games the team had already let get away. Might be skewing the aggregate totals a bit.

Someone really should have told the Brewers Twitter account.

Cal Ripken Jr. was named the MVP of the 2001 ASG. In the first inning, A-Rod (the starting 3b) directed Cal to play shortstop - his classic position - instead of Third. In his first AB, Ripken homered off the first pitch he saw from Chan Ho Park. Fortunately, for all of us, Park was smart enough not to tell reporters that he didn't mean to give Ripken a pitch to hit....then immediately try to take it back in a manner that only served to give it more attention, because it was in front of the same national audience that was still watching the game. 13 years later, it's barely a footnote. (This wouldn't be a news story had Wainright not shot his mouth off to a reporter...or if he hadn't given up extra base hits to the next two hitters. That's what makes it fun to rip the guy.)

How is he supposed to explain that to Chris Carpenter's kids?

...Times like this, I hate that I care this much.

I'm sure someone will know, but have the Brewers ever had 3 starters in one ASG? (Molina's injury-aided...but a start is a start!)

Considering the next-best team in the AL for that 2nd wild card is Toronto at 48-44...why wouldn't the Mariners see themselves as "in it?" My only hang-up with the deal is that Estrada would seem to be as good - if not better - an option for the Brewers bullpen this year than Ramirez. He pitched well coming out of the pen back in 2011, which is how he earned the chance to join the rotation. Ramirez is younger and (assumedly) cheaper, and has an option to be sent down to AAA, but I don't know that he makes the Brewers better this year....which is my usual metric for contending teams making a move. Would adding a replacement-level utility player (Willie Bloomquist as the second coming of Craig Counsell) who could back up all of the infield positions improve the bench, in conjunction with the Ramirez swap? (Not sure he's better than the bad options we have, but he equals out the salaries, and targets a position where the Brewers could be looking for an upgrade.) As a straight player-for-player deal, this one just seems a bit unusual to me; makes me think there has to be another part of any possible move.

Warm up the Wang!

Safe to say, it's not Taylor Green.

Dragon Age Origins is currently $9.99 as part of the Steam Sale. (It was $7.49 a few days ago as part of a daily deal, but not anymore.) If your computer can play a 4-year old console RPG, it's worth that price. Edit: Back to 75% off for the next 8 hours! Buy it! (Sale's done, as of 6/26.)

You're talking to a guy who used to run Molten Core in the Vanilla WoW days as a holy paladin; I still find myself switching over to Wynne if I see the tank getting a little too low on health for my liking...or to prevent having to restart when someone else gets KO'd. (In longer fights, I also have to keep an eye on the healer's mana bar; I could set a tactic for lyrium potions....but she quickly ran through my inventory when I actually tried that.) I agree that there's always going to be one healer and one tank, so long as the game is designed so that squishy characters die quickly. There are 3-4 characters who could be built into the tank (I'm trying the Dwarf in that role now; just added him to my party, as I went to the Dwarf area last), and only 2 spellcasters in the mix, and only one of them starts out with any healing spells. All of the characters can deal damage; Sten is a towering death-dealer in Juggernaut armor, and I even have a spellblade for Wynne to get a few stabs in when she's not healing. Maybe I'm not seeing the utility for having a rogue because I always have my main character around (he kills mages before the mages kill the rest of my party), but I would think you could get by without that class....so long as your main character puts enough points in to cover lockpicking. Of course, my rogue wears plate mail...so I'm not following all the rules of how you're "supposed" to build your characters. (It seems a waste to include so many nice sets of armor - especially with all the DLC - and not being able to equip them on the main character.) He's basically a more balanced warrior with the ability to stun and stealth.

I did the Circle of Mages tower quest already, so I know the healer character of which you speak. She's been a fixture in my party ever since, which means that 'healer' and 'main character' (a rogue) are a constant half of the foursome. The 3rd spot needs to be a Warrior (tank - to use the MMO term), leaving me one spot where I'm free to alternate between 2/3rds of the cast. Since I know that a good deal of the fun in the game is the dialogue between these characters, it's slightly disappointing that this playthrough is so constrained by my party's options. (Going back to read through the DA:O discussion now; thank you for highlighting it.)

Not sure if he knows something, or is just reading the expected consensus, but was surprised to see the use of possessive language in McCalvy's tweet.

E3 has come and gone for another year, and my wallet's a little lighter....or it will be once my White PlayStation 4 pre-order hits. Add in the ongoing Steam Sale, and I'm going to have a ton to play in the next two months while waiting for the new console. Yet, I'm not playing any of the games I picked up in that sale; I've been playing through the copy of Dragon Age: Origins I bought a few years back for $10 on clearance and never got around to playing. I'm not going to dig through the 30+ pages to find out who it was, but I seem to remember someone on here recommending it. Really enjoying the play-through (although I wish I had picked a Mage...since needing a full-time healer really limits my party's options).

Some wins just feel better than others....this was one of the really good ones.

How come you left out the 'Wranglers' part of the Wranglers and Rappers trip? WCW in a horse costume is disappointed with you.