Friday, July 22, 2005
Bad Zamby
Victor Zambrano has been a victim of poor run support this year, but today, he just plain sucked. He looked a little like the old Zambrano who walked everyone in sight, but today, those walks were replaced with 10 hits. He left after just 4.2 innings, having allowed just 6 runs.
I figured the game was over, so I left the TV and came downstairs. After about a half hour, I gave in to impulse and checked the score on Sportsline. And...wham! Carlito smacks one out and it's 6-5.
Being a Met fan for 8 years now, you get to know certain things. One being when you're going to lose a ball game. On the phone with my dad today, I told him the Mets were losing tonight, and tomorrow. Even though Carlos gave us false hope, I knew better.
Yet, I was disappointed when the Mets squandered an oppurtunity in the seventh and went down without a peep to the likes of Alvarez, Schmoll, and Brazoban in the last two innings. Hell, we got Pedro tomorrow against a rookie. We should win. (Although I predict a loss.)
One thing about the broadcast today: Dave O'Brien wouldn't stop praising Yhency Brazoban. When he was in the bullpen warming, O'Brien said "Brazoban has done quite an admirable job for Jim Tracy's Dodgers in Eric Gagne's absence...", or something to that effect. And then, when Brazoban entered the game, O'Brien called the rookie closer "a revelation." Huh? Yhency entered tonight's game with a 5.87 ERA and four blown saves, plus five losses. Granted, Brazoban shut the Mets down in the ninth, but he certainly hasn't been all that in Chavez Ravine come 2005.
AL East
Boston won the opener in Chicago, 6-5, on Thursday. After Curt Schilling blew a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, Manny Ramirez got that run back with a long shot to left in the top of the ninth. Schilling returned to shut down the Chisox in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second win on the year after blowing a save. Curt was able to throw 39 pitches without tiring, which is encouraging.
Unfortunately, they got blown out tonight by a 6-run sixth that included two three-run home runs off of Tim Wakefield; one by AJ Pierzynski, the other by Juan Uribe.
The Yankees lost a nice one last night. Taking a three-run lead into the seventh when Randy Johnson had to leave with an apparent injury. Tanyon Sturtze was unavailable, so Joe Torre has to go to Scott Proctor and Buddy Groom instead and they promptly loaded the bases. After Darrin Erstad was retired by Groom, Torre summoned Tom Gordon to face Vladimir Guerrero. And in the immortal words of John Madden...
...boom. Vladi goes yard, Angels go up 6-5 and hold it to defeat the Yanks.
Tonight, Al Leiter looks like the guy who pitched for the Marlins this year, throwing tons of pitches and giving up even more runs. Too bad the Yanks can hit the livin' shit out of the ball, so no lead is safe. Alex Graman is warming in the bullpen...his ERA with the big club last year was 19.80 in two starts. Good luck, Alex!
The Duke of Pittsburgh, Part II
Zach Duke has been favorably mentioned here before. Yet, he won't stop dominating.
After outdueling Greg Maddux at the Wig in his last start, Duke went back home to Pittsburgh and picked up where he left off. He allowed just an unearned run on eight hits, four walks, and five strikeouts, going seven innings for his third win in four major league starts. He lowered his ERA to a stellar 0.93.
Dukey's still very young at 22, but we'll keep track of him as this heralded prospect tours the majors. The Pirates have a keeper.
I figured the game was over, so I left the TV and came downstairs. After about a half hour, I gave in to impulse and checked the score on Sportsline. And...wham! Carlito smacks one out and it's 6-5.
Being a Met fan for 8 years now, you get to know certain things. One being when you're going to lose a ball game. On the phone with my dad today, I told him the Mets were losing tonight, and tomorrow. Even though Carlos gave us false hope, I knew better.
Yet, I was disappointed when the Mets squandered an oppurtunity in the seventh and went down without a peep to the likes of Alvarez, Schmoll, and Brazoban in the last two innings. Hell, we got Pedro tomorrow against a rookie. We should win. (Although I predict a loss.)
One thing about the broadcast today: Dave O'Brien wouldn't stop praising Yhency Brazoban. When he was in the bullpen warming, O'Brien said "Brazoban has done quite an admirable job for Jim Tracy's Dodgers in Eric Gagne's absence...", or something to that effect. And then, when Brazoban entered the game, O'Brien called the rookie closer "a revelation." Huh? Yhency entered tonight's game with a 5.87 ERA and four blown saves, plus five losses. Granted, Brazoban shut the Mets down in the ninth, but he certainly hasn't been all that in Chavez Ravine come 2005.
AL East
Boston won the opener in Chicago, 6-5, on Thursday. After Curt Schilling blew a one-run lead in the top of the eighth, Manny Ramirez got that run back with a long shot to left in the top of the ninth. Schilling returned to shut down the Chisox in the bottom of the ninth to earn his second win on the year after blowing a save. Curt was able to throw 39 pitches without tiring, which is encouraging.
Unfortunately, they got blown out tonight by a 6-run sixth that included two three-run home runs off of Tim Wakefield; one by AJ Pierzynski, the other by Juan Uribe.
The Yankees lost a nice one last night. Taking a three-run lead into the seventh when Randy Johnson had to leave with an apparent injury. Tanyon Sturtze was unavailable, so Joe Torre has to go to Scott Proctor and Buddy Groom instead and they promptly loaded the bases. After Darrin Erstad was retired by Groom, Torre summoned Tom Gordon to face Vladimir Guerrero. And in the immortal words of John Madden...
...boom. Vladi goes yard, Angels go up 6-5 and hold it to defeat the Yanks.
Tonight, Al Leiter looks like the guy who pitched for the Marlins this year, throwing tons of pitches and giving up even more runs. Too bad the Yanks can hit the livin' shit out of the ball, so no lead is safe. Alex Graman is warming in the bullpen...his ERA with the big club last year was 19.80 in two starts. Good luck, Alex!
The Duke of Pittsburgh, Part II
Zach Duke has been favorably mentioned here before. Yet, he won't stop dominating.
After outdueling Greg Maddux at the Wig in his last start, Duke went back home to Pittsburgh and picked up where he left off. He allowed just an unearned run on eight hits, four walks, and five strikeouts, going seven innings for his third win in four major league starts. He lowered his ERA to a stellar 0.93.
Dukey's still very young at 22, but we'll keep track of him as this heralded prospect tours the majors. The Pirates have a keeper.
# posted by Dave @ 10:58 PM 
