The Phillies reached a milestone!

I still can't believe that the Mariners (the team I support) are only half a game back in the Wild Card race. But seeing as they've been known to fall aprt in other races this decade (losing the division lead to Oakland in 2000, missing the playoffs entirely despite 93 wins in both 2002 and 2003), I wouldn't count on them playing a game after September 30. Still, one can hope...

I still can't believe your Mascot clipped Coco, we'd have to start Willy MO

bette yet; shoulda let willy mo have a swing or two at the mascot.

He'd miss.

I'm rarely one (in baseball) to see we were robbed by the umps. But there was some very questionable calls last night.

The only play that I thought was questionable (I was tuning in and out throughout the game, so I didn't see everything) was that fair ball double off of Schilling in the 7th. It was close enough so I can't really blame the umpire for making that call, but on replay it sure as hell looked to be on the left side of the line. If he doesn't reach, it's only 3-2. And if that ball Ortiz hit doesn't take an unbelieveable beneficial bounce for the Angels, it's a 3-3 game. But, that's too many if's.

As for Manny though, he swung. And even if he didn't, it was insanely dumb of him to get tossed out in the 4th inning. The offense has already been struggling as of late, we didn't need another bat out of the lineup. The lack of offense is why we really lost last night, because Schilling pitched extremely well.

swing with his FIST

If Willy Mo would only swing at fastablls hed bat .400 with 20 homers and 80 rbis and about 200 walks. He gets out all the time cause they pitch him like hes Barry Bonds only he swings (and misses) at the balls thrown to him. He needs to go to a place like KC where he cna dh everyday


And hell yes, those umpires were so bad. The ball clearly bounced with Lowell and they wouldnt even check it. The ball was foul off Schilling, Manny's argument was understandble; and he got tossed for no reason. That was Francoona argument. All Manny said was to check with the other umpire and he said no; is there any reason?

the umps werw aweful. W/E, I ma sure their getting some fines now so look for calls to go the sox way tonight.

And I thought schilling did pretty good.

The one that got me was where Lowell and Tito wanted them to check with the 2nd base ump after Lowell was called out for tipping to the catcher, because they thought it hit the ground first, but they wouldn't do it. The 2nd base Ump was the only one with a clear view, but the 3rd base ump with a obstructed view called him out. Yeah the foul ball was pretty bad as well, but in baseball there are always too many if's to say if that had been called the other way the other team would have won, that's why I don't like to call the umps out unless the make a lot of mistakes.

Sox sign Bobby Kielty to a minor league contract. Didn't see that one coming.

who?

Former Oakland A's outfielder who must have been injured throughout most of this year, because he's barely hitting above .200 and doesn't have a single home run or RBI.

He was one of the names mentioned at the trade deadline as a possible replacement for Willy Mo.

tonight was a great example of that. first at bat walks on 5 pitches doesnt swing at 1; 2nd at bat it's 2-0, rips a foul, gets to 3-1, BOMBS the ball off the right center wall. Get him playing every day and his consistency will go up times 10.

We really need to keep him around an get him playing everyday. We need a bat and Drew clearly isnt it; why not give Willy Mo a shot? He's 25 and could develop into a spectacular hitter, he just needs to play. Screw J.D. Drew, Willy Mo should be the starter, and I mean that. I haven't felt a hitters talent this much such watching Ryan Howard when he was a rookie 2 years ago.

Willy Mo's a superstar waiting to happen, a future Manny Ramirez who has immense power to all fields. If he got Mannys discipline he could be just a good. Thats why his statistics arent that great; his huge size make pitchers always pitch around him and he wiffes. Get some discipline and hell be a star slugger in 3 years. Dont get it, hes the next russel branyan.

How many curve balls did he get?

Everything he crushed was a fastball. That's the only pitch he knows how to hit. That saying, he's looking better than Drew at the moment. But, I think the only thing that can save Willy Mo from leaving the Red Sox next year, is if he goes on a (However many games are left) hitting streak.

more than half were curve balls. i was kinda surprised he didnt swing and miss.

What is it that makes Terry Francona insist on batting Drew 5th in the lineup, especially with Ortiz out of the lineup tonight? He's proven that he's anything but a #5 guy this year and yet Francona continues to bat him there, and in front of someone who almost has twice his numbers in Home Runs and RBI's.

If Lester doesn't settle down soon, this is going to be another long night.

Lowell sucks in the 2nd half. did last year and is this year. drew just made a nice catch but now ist 3-0...lester really needs to get his shit together soon. far as im concerned, lugo and drew always need to be 8-9 or 9-8...i know tito likes to stick with his guys but these guys are taking forever to come around...


look for a big night for willy mo

If they keep swinging at the first and second pitches, this game will be over in an hour (Unless the Angels keep pounding the ball).

Manny needs to do something here, especially with J-clutch on deck.

Edit:
Double Edit: J-CLUTCH!

The Angles have to get Mosley out of there. The Sox are taking everything to the gap and it's working wonders.

uh, damn

I stop watching for 10 minutes and Lester implodes again. Come on!

I knew there was a good reason why the Mariner Moose was still hanging around. Too bad we weren't playing San Francisco last weekend.

Oh God, Red Sox fans... Please tell me you know who won the World Series in 1986! (I shit you not, at a Mariners/Red Sox game-in Seattle- that I went to last weekend, a bunch of "diehard" Red Sox fans- most of them admitting they were from Seattle- around me were bragging about how the 86-year Curse of the Bambino was broken in 2004, and in a between-innings trivia game, one of the questions was "Who were the 1986 World Series Champions?" and these "hardcore Boston fans" were saying- straight-faced- that it was the Red Sox. I shit you not. A guy who sat in front of me on the Sunday game was wearing a Johnny Damon jersey and asked- again, straight-faced, why Johnny Damon wasn't in the lineup.)

So until the next time the Yankees come to Safeco and *their* fans annoy the holy hell out of me, I'm wary of Sox fans, and of course, the chant "Let's Go Red Sox!"

They needed tonight's win badly, which is saying something since they have the best record in baseball. The bats (Without Ortiz) got going again tonight and the bullpen held up when it needed to. Hopefully this will carry over into Baltimore and they can take some games there, while the Yankees play Cleveland.

I was watching the Yankees telecast on YES tonight. A point was brought up by Al Lieter that the next 18 games (He said 17) are important for the Yankees, because now they start playing some very good teams. With the loss tonight they were 20-8 against teams that were below .500, in their 28 game stretch of playing below .500 teams. Now they have 15 of 18 with teams above .500. They have the Indians coming up in Cleveland for 3, followed by three against Baltimore in NY, four against the Tigers in NY, and then seven on the road against the Angels and Tigers, before they come back home against the Sox at the stadium. So that's really 17 of their next 20 against teams above .500.

I went back through all the games (Since not one wesbite would tell me what their record is against .500 teams) and figured what their record is against .500 teams and teams below .500.

Against .500 and above - 29-29 (58 Games)
Below .500 - 34-22 (56 games)

For comparison, here are the Red Sox stats

Against .500 and above - 42-30 (72!!! Games)
Below .500 - 27-15 (42 Games)

Both teams have the exact same winning percentage against .500 and below teams. However, the Red Sox have faired much better against teams with above .500 records. So in order for Lieter's point to work out, both teams are going to have to start playing in the opposite direction of what they've been like all year.

It should also be noted that the Sox have more games against .500 and below teams than the Yankees do for the rest of the year.

It should also be noted that in the 12 games the Sox and Yankees have played against one another this year, the Sox have won 7 of the 5. With six games left to play against one another, you've got to figure that it's going to play out in the same way - both teams taking three each, or one winning four. If it plays out like that, the Sox only lose one game to the Yankees in the standings.

Didn't you say they were bragging about the win in '04 after the 86 year drought?