mikevan1818

Awesome story! Sounds like it was quite the experience. BF.net just keeps expanding its talents! During one of the shoots you should have just busted out, "These pretzels are making me thirsty!"

Don't worry, George Kottaras will save us. Are you talking about this game? Or the Mayans 2012 prediction?

I adminttedly have not listened to many game on the radio this year, but I swear that EVERY time I've tuned in even for a short while Joe Block is talking about Jamie Moyer and how he could be the oldest pitcher to win a game (or now that he IS the oldest). Is that just me? Or does he talk about ti every game?

It may not focus on him, but I do see that my favorite 3TO boy gets a shout out!

The reason we went there was cuz it was featured on travel channel or food network. I'll try to look into this and get back to you, unless someone else knows what. I think it's called the Shake Shack or something along those lines.

According to this article his Dad said he isn't home because he's at Spring Training helping out with testing: Link: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BBN_BRAUN_DRUG_TESTING?SITE=KMIZTV&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT From article:

Agreed. Didn't post as an arguement, just an observation.

The article I'm seeing has a picture of him in Brewers shorts. I'll try to post, but I dont know if it'll work. Don't know if a Cubs fan would be wearing those....

Theres was a whole article about this guy in the Kenosha News (unrelated to the Braun story). Link: . Seems to me to be a religious family man. Not the kindof person who would be employed for many years and then one day decide to tamper with a sample. Edit: Sorry the link doesn't work. I did a Google search and was able to view the article. When I click on my link now it says for paying customers. My bad.

Don't know if anyone posted this, but I found a few tweets by Jimmy Rollins to be pretty interesting: Rollins (JimmyRollins11): I hope Braunies initial test is not upheld.... Random Dude(StlCards314): nobody's ever had it overturned. Just upsets me that players alwasy deny first, then apologize and admit much later. Rollins: never been overturned is "technically" correct. I know of a case that no one will hear about. Doesn't really mean anything, but I found it an interesting POV.

I was actually looking for tickets to this game as well - I'll go ahead an put my name in for that. Pedro - you are too kind.

To argue for Nate82 - i think this would have to do with the "pull-happiness" of Hall. There is almost zero chance Bill Hall is going to get a triple no matter where he hits the ball in left field. The fielder would have to make an awful play - or the ball would have to take some funky bounce. Even then - Hall probably doesn't have the speed to make it. Hitting more balls to right field would give him more of a chance for a triple. The throw is much longer and a minor mishap in the field can create enough time for a triple. Just because the FACT is that Hall does not have a lot of triples - does not mean it is FACT that he isn't hustling. I do not see how you can argue that triples are not MOSTLY luck for players that are not speed-demons. Sans the fast players - almost every triple I have ever seen has either 1.) a bad play in the outfield 2.) a funky bounce of a wall or stadium structure or 3.) the ball heading into some strange formation of a certain stadium (i.e. the hill in Houston). It is completely possible that Player A who hustles less than Player B of the same speed and base running ability could have numerous more triples based on nothing but luck. In fact, I would be willing to bet it happens more often than not.

I guess I probably shouldn't have quotes around what I wrote because it's not word-for-word, but I went back rewound my DVR and tried to get as close to what he said as possible. It's faily close. The way I took it was that Santana doesn't "earn" the runs. I can understand a pitcher who is slow coughing up a few runs because a defense is on it's heals - but I don't really understand how that translates into run support. I don't see how it is Santana's fault - and there was no explanation as to how he could earn the runs?

So I'm sitting here watching the Mets-Braves game on ESPN and the announcer (who I believe is Steve Phillips) is making some comments that I wanted to throw out there and have someone explain to me if it makes any sense. Santana pitched 6 1/3 innings and only gave up one unearned run on an error in the 2nd or third inning. He left after 107 pitches. The announcers were talking about run support and Steve Phillips says something along the lines of: I believe that pitchers often times earn their run support. I was in the front office for 13 years and while sitting and watching every game you could start to feel the pattern of the game for starting pitchers. Over the course of the season/time it always seemed that the same guys seemed to get runs and the same guys didnt get runs because of the pattern of their game. The other announcer asks You're saying Santana has a bad rhythm/pattern to his game? He goes on: I think it's the feel of his game. I think it's not a conscious thing, but the players know it he is the ace of the staff and it's going to be a low scoring game and he isn't going to give up much - it's just the rhythm of the game he has. Steve Trachsel had one of the slowest games and he never got any run support - and I don't think he earned it. So he is basically saying it is Santana's fault that he doesn't get runs because he has a slow style - so he doesn't earn/deserve runs? To me it sounds like a fairly ridiculous thought - but I don't claim to be as wise in baseball as many here. I wanted to see what some of you think about those comments and if there is any validity to a pitcher not getting runs because he has a slow style of play? The other announcers didn't seem to understand either - but the conversation kind of trailed off and I was left hanging. Anyone else hear this - or anyone able to enlighten me? Note: as I typed the Braves scored 5 in the 7th - so Santana may have a loss and 1 ER. Edit: Removed quotes because they aren't exactly what Philips said, but very close.

Brenly is really going at Braun today. In his first at bat he says something to the effect of "Braun is becoming public enemy #1 for Cubs fans. Not only because of all the big HR's he has hit, but also for the antics after he hits those HR's." And then his second AB with runners on 1st and 3rd and 2 outs with the lefty Fielder on deck his partner asked him "What would you do in this situation? He says, "Well what I would do and wht you should do are two different things. There is a way to put Braun on with out throwing 4 pitches - if you know what I mean." Can you say sour grapes?