Posted August 15, 200520 yr comment_3176620 Tonight's big game might just be Kansas City at Seattle. Runelys Hernandez battles 19 year old phenom Felix Hernandez. The Royals are looking to snap a 15 game losing streak, one that has shattered a franchise record. The American League record is held by the 1988 Baltimore Orioles, who lost their first 21 games. The modern major league record is a 23 game losing streak from the 1961 Phillies. Jaret Wright returns to the mound tonight at Tampa Bay. The Yankees have been scraping the barrel on starting pitchers, so they could really use a strong comeback from Wright. Other games of interest include Washington @ Philadelphia, Chicago Cubs @ Houston, and Toronto @ Anaheim.
August 15, 200520 yr comment_3177456 I think Felix Hernandez has a shot at a no-hitter. Seriously, if the Royals wouldn't have had their hot streak when Buddy Bell was hired, they'd have a shot at losing 120 games this year. They look frighteningly similar to the 2003 Detroit Tigers on the field.
August 15, 200520 yr comment_3178187 If the Mariners can some how sweep the Royals, Kansas City has a legit shot at breaking the modern losing streak record. Their next three series are against Oakland, Boston, and New York.
August 15, 200520 yr comment_3178968 I don't know if it deserves it's own thread or not, but here's a fascinating article on baserunning, featuring minor leaguers, from Baseball America: http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minor...50812pulse.html
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3182485 Instead of talking about the Cubs game, I'll just post this and you can draw your own conclusions: Top 8TH B:1 S:2 O:1 Neifi Perez grounds out, third baseman Jose Vizcaino to first baseman Mike Lamb. Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:1 Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Todd Hollandsworth replaces Aramis Ramirez.
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3182866 On a more positive note, barring some miraculous comeback, the Royals will drop their 16th in a row. Right now, they're getting pwned by Hernandez, who's struck out nine men through six (he actually did it in five), walking no one and only surrendering a hit. I can't wait to see him against a team that isn't lousy offensively, but he definitely looks like the real deal. Too bad he plays for Seattle.
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3186796 I was bored and checked out the pitch tally for the Cubs hitters... 144 Total Pitches faced... - 56 were Balls - 23 were Strikes (Swinging or Looking) - 33 were Fouls - 32 were Put in Play I do have to say though...mad props to Jose Macias for battling in the 7th inning. 13 pitches faced and the guy draws a walk out of it. That's getting into Kevin Millar battle territory there. How the hell do they go from a 1st inning where they faced 35 pitches and saw 14 balls to a 2nd and 3rd where they saw a combined 19 pitches and only 7 balls? *just shakes head*
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3187230 I was wondering the same thing. When they broke the 30 pitch mark, I thought to myself, "well, at least they'll get into the pen early at this rate." Unfortunately, they reverted to their old ways and started to swing at crap. Aramis Ramirez didn't help the situation, grounding into a pair of DPs after Lee had gotten on base, one of which came on the first pitch. The god-awful pitching is what did them in, though. Seven walks and 12 runs isn't really excusable for a team that got shut out back-to-back games against the Pirates this past weekend.
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3189166 I have a feeling the Sox are going to have a REAL bad road trip over the next few weeks. I'm talking 2-8 here, with the two wins coming against KC. The pitching is just too bad right now; Arroyo sucked last night and Schilling is no better than Foulke was in the closers role. You HAVE to have at least a three run lead for this guy it seems, because he's going to give up at least a run in every appearance.
August 16, 200520 yr Author comment_3190175 Instead of talking about the Cubs game, I'll just post this and you can draw your own conclusions: Top 8TH B:1 S:2 O:1 Neifi Perez grounds out, third baseman Jose Vizcaino to first baseman Mike Lamb. Top 8TH B:0 S:0 O:1 Offensive Substitution: Pinch hitter Todd Hollandsworth replaces Aramis Ramirez. Now that I've had a chance to review that inning, it's quite easy. Dusty realized the game was realistically out of reach and decided to rest his starters.
August 16, 200520 yr comment_3190296 True they weren't likely to win, since Lidge would've been brought in had it gotten too close. It's just funny that two of the Dusty Boys were brought in to the game back-to-back. Your ridiculous story of the day involves the fan who caught Livan Hernandez' glove in the stands last week. Apparently he wants season tickets for next year, playoff tickets for this year (uh, okay), and $18,000. Any of those demands on their own is excessive since it's just a glove, but all of them together is akin to a hostage crisis.
August 17, 200520 yr comment_3192546 Royals hang in there tonight, keeping it 3-3 most of the way. But a single is parlayed into the go-ahead run for the Mariners in the bottom of the eighth and the Royals go quietly in the top of the ninth, dropping their 17th in a row.
August 17, 200520 yr comment_3194869 Boston manages to tie the game in the top of the 9th with a solo HR by David Ortiz. Come the 10th inning, the Sox explode and put up 7 runs to lead 10-3. Of course, the Sox had to give up a grand slam in the bottom of the 10th to add drama but they still won 10-7.
August 17, 200520 yr Author comment_3198145 The Kansas City Royals look well on their way to losing their 18th straight game.
August 17, 200520 yr comment_3198583 I caught the bottom of the eighth, and Jesus Christ. It's disgusting. On a comebacker with the bases loaded, the pitcher threw the ball way over the head of the catcher since he didn't step forward to throw. If you've ever seen the Sandlot, just think of Smalls' throw when he first plays baseball. Terrible.
August 18, 200520 yr comment_3198863 And it looks like Nomar is hurt again. You have to be shitting me.
August 18, 200520 yr comment_3199499 So even though the Astros loaded the bases in the ninth without a hit and the Cubs only got one out from two doubleplay chances, the Cubs hang on to win the game. With the Phillies' victory, there's now a tie between them and the Astros in the WC race.
August 18, 200520 yr comment_3201031 We took 3/4 from St. Louis and 2/3 from Houston. This can mean only one thing. Swept by the Rockies.
August 18, 200520 yr comment_3201179 The scuttlebutt around here is saying Craig Hansen might be called up to the big time for the Kansas City series next week. I'm....not too sure if I like that or not. He's only pitched four professional innings after all. Still, Hansen and Papelbon in the pen beats the holy hell out of Remlinger.
August 18, 200520 yr comment_3205985 And it looks like Nomar is hurt again. You have to be shitting me. He left with back pain. Must be the weight of knowing that Neifi Perez is nipping at his heels like a bloodthirsty rottweiler at the end of his chain. Oh, and Arizona should play in Busch every game of the year.
August 19, 200520 yr Author comment_3208076 It's my turn to make the weekly Jeremy Hermida appreciation post. .293/.457/.523 in AA Carolina, with 108 walks and 22 steals in 24 attempts. I wonder if we would have noticed a player with a .293 batting average, 18 homers and 22 steals as much before the big fuss about Moneyball made everyone pay attention to walks. Hermida leads all of AA in OBP, and only two players rank better in the hitter friendly PCL.
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