pitchleague

I'm not picking on you since I've seen comments like this all over the sight, but I just don't see him slowing down. He's now in his second MLB season playing like this (although he did fall off in the second half last year). He's 28 years old, so young-pup nerves aren't going to get to him. His minor league numbers were absolutely nothing special, but he obviously has the talent in the big leagues. Maybe he is one of those overachieving, get under your fingernails, scrappy players that goes all out in the majors because he doesn't want to get sent back down type of players. I hope he does fall back down to earth. But what does that mean? .280 rather than .320? That's still better than what we've got. Heck, in 2006 his OPS was .934 so maybe last year was the abberation. I like the guy and I'd love to have a guy like that on our team. Kind of like Bill Hall in the super-utility role a few years back. I bet alot of the league (especially Cincinnati) hated Hall a couple of years ago like many do with Theriot. Maybe it's because I'm a small overachieving kind of guy, too. I had to go out and definitely earn every AB, putout, stolen base, you name it when I played and go all out doing it because I couldn't hang with the "bigger" boys on the baseball team. They could play the game relaxed, I had to go max effort. The David Ecksteins, Craig Counsells, and Ryan Theriots of the baseball world--I relate to them. I know what they are going through.

any chance that Lincecum could be "off" today due to his bout with the flu this week? Sure would be nice if we caught a break like that.

yeah, but I saw it on highlight shows. I can understand whining about it this afternoon, but complaining about it now is not going to change anything. We all knew coming into the season that FSN was not going to be broadcasting every game. This was one of those games. Come on, the television package is light years ahead of what it was just 3-4 years ago (not quality, of course, but quantity.) I still remember some years where we were lucky to get half the games on television. When I was a kid, the only times they were on TV was on channel 18 or the NBC Game of the Week or ABC Monday Night Baseball.

I'll just say that I survived with no tv broadcast. We won, we didn't miss any historical event.

well, I know many of my classmates in college brown-nosed their profs big-time and it helped them land good cushy jobs right out of school. I was not a brown-noser, so I sat unemployed for 2 years after college. I'll tell you now, it is DARN hard to get a job fresh out of college in the midwest as a teacher. They are always looking for experienced teachers (unless you were a brown-noser, or know a principal/administrator first hand that can get you into their district.) And they don't want experienced teachers who are just anybody--they want the cream of the crop. My advice to you is be open to leaving the midwest, probably for a couple of years, if you want any chance to get a job in the midwest. My problem was that I stayed here too long before looking to go back to WI. My roots were pretty deep in the desert soil by the time my wife and I started looking for jobs up there, and now it is next to impossible because we'd go so deep into debt (wouldn't likely sell our house very easily) not to mention that our job situation has grown into probably the perfect situation for us. We doubt that we could do better--except for pay. Be prepared to not make much money out of the midwest, though. Because they pay very poorly in many states (Arizona, ahem, especially--but it's getting better. Luckily, cost of living isn't that bad here.) If I could do it all over again, I'd be prepared to make serious plans with my wife (she was still just the girlfriend back then) to move back to Wisconsin when I was only here for 2-3 years and she 5-6 years. It's too late now, I think. Unless some district would hire us, pay our moving expenses, plus give us raises compared to what we're making now. Good luck! There are other teachers here. I hope they contribute. I plum reckon my wife will at some time.

craig, I know what you're getting at. However, for anyone to say, "c'mon, it's the Cubs. They'll blow it," is the same thing as saying, "c'mon, it's the Brewers", "c'mon, it's the Rays,", "c'mon, it's the Pirates," or "c'mon, it's the Nationals" for all these years that we've been saying it. The Cubs fans have just been saying it longer than everyone else. I don't buy the jinx, curse, or whatever. Personally, I'd welcome the Cubs and Brewers both into the post-season because that would be one HECK of a NLCS.

wow, that would be an awful lot to get rid of for Durham, Taschner, and a PTBNL. Unless the PTBNL ends up being another Carlos Villanueva. The Giants wouldn't do that twice, would they? As for a Weeks vs. Durham thing, I would hope that the true competition would kick Weeks in the butt and get him going. I'm not a fan of Durham but he's an upgrade at present.

I don't buy that one bit. Otherwise I might as well pack it in right now because, you know, "same ol' Brewers." I will be very impressed if Dempster does not have a small collapse toward the norm for the rest of the season, based in his innings count. As for the team, I totally expect the Cubs to make the post-season one way or another. It's the Cardinals that has me waiting for the other shoe to drop.

nice win today. Was glad to listen in and hear them not give in when they were trailing against Sheeter, who, it seems was a bit off today on the "short" rest. Don't be happy with a series win, though. Gotta win tomorrow.

Chad Guadin in. Come on Astros, pour it on! Don't become weak--go for the jugular!

never heard of this before but I watched anyways. i didn't really laugh at all, but the music was pretty catchy. As a music teacher, I appreciate musicals probably a lot more than other people. This was well done. I kept flashing back to "Little Shop of Horrors" all the time, though.

man, this was a heck of a game to sit outside on the patio watching the game with some beers in hand and the cockroaches crawling on the windows to take a peek at the action. Great start to the road trip! I can't believe we have a 1-2 punch for 4 games on the trip. Makes things a bit easier, in theory.

Sure--for you guys that live in the midwest they do. I'm thrilled because I can finally sit out on the patio and watch the game tonight without frying my fanny while doing so. Then, about mid-way through the game, the sun will set and I can light my citronella torches and continue to sit out on the patio and enjoy the cool 85-degree night.

Two places that I love here is In-n-Out Burger and Del Taco, which completely blows apart Taco Bell. Their burgers and fries are pretty good, too. Plus, their commercials are pretty funny. As for Whataburger, you mean "Where'stheburger?" One of their stores opened in our town about 7 years ago and we tried it once. I got something that was supposedly on the more "deluxe" menu but the burger was so small it was like having a lettuce and tomato sandwich. I vowed never again. When we go back home to Wisconsin, we usually hit up a Hardee's. I grew up with that stuff so I love it. Thankfully, we have a Carl Jrs. here in town, so I get some of the Hardee's menu here but not all of it, hence the reason we usually go there once per trip. I hate Culvers. I am probably one of the few on this board that has this sentiment. We always seem to go there and I try to find the most appetizing thing on the menu, which is usually a cup of water. **shrugs shoulders** Don't know why but it's just not appetizing to me.

yeah, I heard about this on the radio on my way home from the doctor. Good for the Phillies! They needed somebody. Unfortunately, Blanton going to a serious offense-minded ballpark could totally backfire. But he's a heck of a pitcher.

I was there for that, too. Wasn't that the game in which the lights went out and delayed the game for a good 20 minutes?

I don't believe they have ever worn an "all-star" jersey for the actual game. It has always been their own team's uniform.

sure they didn't do well at the plate, but when was the last time that Milwaukee Brewer players had 6 at-bats in an all-star game? Oh, yeah, never. So, I'm happy that they got some exposure.

actually Guzman wasn't all that bad when he was on the Twin, back in his hey-day. Didn't he have like 20 triples a couple seasons? It was a lot, I know. edit: I looked it up. He had 20 in 2000 and 14 the next year, plus another year of 14. He hit .302 one year of those years, too. But otherwise his numbers weren't anything special. So although he "wasn't all that bad" (my quote from above), he wasn't all that good either.

well, Corey will be in the highlight reels forever. Pretty good throw, just a bit off, though.

I have no problem with every team having an all-star. No problem at all. I think they'll change the rules to include pitchers that pitch on Sunday will be named to the team but not pitch and then will be given a "replacement" selection by the manager. That way you don't have a bunch of pitchers that can only go an inning due to pitch count 2 days earlier. edit: vgmstr, I had that same idea about 20 minutes ago talking about it with my wife

yep, russ, it's kind of sad that a close all-star game is decided by the reserves and "only on the team because every team needs one" kind of guys.

I gotta think this has to be it. Kazmir likely won't go another inning. I wouldn't think.

How about they just replay the game tomorrow! Or play a second all-star game later this season or push the playoffs back a few days to get it in. I'm glad they're still playing though.

you know what this thread needs? http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n116/pitchleague/cheese.jpg