May 25, 2008

G53: Athletics 6, Red Sox 3

Red Sox   - 100 020 000 - 3   7  3
Athletics - 101 200 20x - 6 11 0
Johnny Vander Meer's record remains safe. Jack Hannahan singled on Lester's fourth pitch of the afternoon, one of seven hits Oakland collected off of the Sox lefty in five innings. The A's also received two walks.

Boston cut the A's 4-1 lead to 4-3 in the fifth, after Blanton walked the bases full and Manny Ramirez (3-for-4) wrapped a hard single to center.

Optimism was in the air, but with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Javy Lopez was called upon to retire Jack Cust with a man on base. Cust drove Lopez's first pitch over the wall in left-center for a two-run dong. And that was the ball game.

Tampa's 5-4 walk-off win over the Orioles puts the Rays in first place in the East. Boston is now .5 GB.

***

Jon Lester (3.41, 128 ERA+) / Joe Blanton (3.87, 99 ERA+)

Gordon Edes, re Lester's last start:
Brian Rowley is an optometrist who lives in Santaquin, Utah, about 20 miles south of Provo. He has been to two Red Sox games in his life. The first was Clay Buchholz's no-hitter last Sept. 1 ... The second was Jon Lester's no-hitter Monday night.

166 comments:

allan said...

Work calls, so have at it ...

(Washburn/Wang at 1)

Benjamin said...

So is he attending tonight?

allan said...

I believe so.

allan said...

Sea 2, NYY 1 (top 4)

TB 1, Bal 1 (top 3)

SoSock said...

There is a vast conspiracy going on to keep me from being around for a agme. Actually, I might catch the 1st few innings before I have to leave for a while. If the "new and improved" game times keep up I'll never make it back for the end.
Spent yesterday evening at a cookout thrown by a transplant from Long Island, East Islip to be exact. Great guy, Mets fan. His family was down for the holiday. I caught some serious grief about my hat, but most of them were of the "better that than a Yankee fan" opinion :)

Sarah Haendler said...

I'm not entirely sure I understand the desire for short games. Seems like longer games are better both at the park and on tv, from a revenue perspective. More beer & more commercial sales.

allan said...

More baseball > Less baseball

allan said...

SEA - 001 200 -- 3 4 0
NYY - 001 01 -- 2 4 1

BAL - 010 0 -- 1 3 0
TBR - 014 0 -- 5 8 0

Joe Grav said...

Nice snag by Beltre to keep the lead for SEA. I'm flicking between that game, softball, and the Indy 500. Good day.

Meanwhile, I'm also doing all sorts of stuff with the www.nsnavs.com website (it looks a lot less sucky than it once did)

allan said...

Oatmeal from Oakland:

Jacoby Ellsbury, CF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Manny Ramirez, LF
Mike Lowell, 3B
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
J.D. Drew, RF
Jason Varitek, C
Julio Lugo, SS

Sarah Haendler said...

Did you guys see this?

Traded for bats...

allan said...

Santana velocity down?
Olney: "He is short-arming the ball more than he has in the past -- and this is after some red flags appeared in the physical examination he underwent before signing with the Mets."

Joe Grav said...

Oh those wacky independent leagues.

allan said...

Sarah: Wasn't a player traded for some catfish a few years ago?

allan said...

Yep. 1998.

Kenny Krahenbuhl -- traded for 10 pounds of catfish.

allan said...

Gotta love the Google!

laura k said...

Did you guys see this?

Traded for bats...


That's classic. We will sometimes say a player is traded for a ham sandwich, but that's just an expression. This really happened!

Sarah Haendler said...

Hahaha - I'd totally forgotten about the catfish trade.

Mmmm... catfish...

laura k said...

Catfish! Even better. (Hadn't gotten that far down the thread yet.)

Have fun, all. I'll be listening from work but not threading much.

Joe Grav said...

It's not looking good for Danica Patrick at the Indy 500. She's running 8th and appears to be falling off.

Joe Grav said...

Meanwhile, the Mariners still lead the Yanks 5-2 in the 8th.

steeplechase3k said...

I still prefer the player who was traded for himself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Chiti

allan said...

FUCK -- my mlbtv isn't working.

It was fine yesterday, but today it says I don't have silverlight -- which I sure as fuck do have.

SHIT!

Joe Grav said...

MLB.com = worst website ever

allan said...

wait wait wait --

using the old player -- which should not work, according to mlb and my past experience -- looks like it may work.

Sarah Haendler said...

Hooray! Second cable box is up and running!

Benjamin said...

Mariners still striving to give the game away.

allan said...

I got the TV36 station, but at least I got something.

Sarah Haendler said...

AND I've got NESN. Dave is contentedly watching some true crime nonsense in the living room. Could life be better?

(Answer, yes, we could WIN. And I could not feel like poo.)

Amy said...

Hi all. I will be checking in and out. Way too gorgeous out to sit inside. But I'll be listening anyway.

Joe Grav said...

5-4 M's

Sarah Haendler said...

Wow - now I'm annoyed by the hummer greenwash commercial I just saw.

Benjamin said...

Why does Putz have to be such a putz?

Joe Grav said...

Tie game in the Bronx.

Sarah Haendler said...

Phil, these are just mysteries of the universe.

Joe Grav said...

6-5 Yankees.

allan said...

Once a Putz ....

Benjamin said...

Shite.

Patrick said...

PUTZ you jerk! The Red Sox were counting on you.

Sarah Haendler said...

For a minute there I thought Sweeney was going to catch that gull!

Patrick said...

TIZ!!!!

Sarah Haendler said...

Papi DONG!

allan said...

you ain't catching that one.

Benjamin said...

Papi!

Joe Grav said...

papi hit a dong? NICE!!!

Joe Grav said...

Time for the bats to wake up folks

Sarah Haendler said...

Well, don't say that with such surprise, Joe! He IS Papi.

Benjamin said...

It's nice to be a dong's length ahead. Especially Papi's, since his is always the longest, unless Manny wants to show us his dong too.

Patrick said...

LESTER WE LOVE YOU!

Patrick said...

That's ok. We like it messy too.

Benjamin said...

At least he can get the nohitter off his mind, or something.

Joe Grav said...

Booo, someone crashed into Danica on pit road

Joe Grav said...

Lester, Lester, Lester, Lester!

Joe Grav said...

M's down to their final strike.

Joe Grav said...

Yankees win

Patrick said...

I hadn't noticed Baltimore came back! 4-4

Patrick said...

WHEW! That man scares me.

Benjamin said...

Maybe he used up all his strikes last week?

Benjamin said...

Crap.

Sarah Haendler said...

Damnit Brown.

Patrick said...

No prob. Here we go...

laura k said...

Does anyone know why I'm getting commercials on both home and away stations today? I thought MLB audio only had commercials on home games. Bah.

laura k said...

Did I scare everyone away...?

Benjamin said...

Yes. You only have yourself to blame.

laura k said...

*hangs head in shame*

Benjamin said...

Lugo... walked?

Benjamin said...

BAL - 010 012 000
TBR - 004 000 001

Looks like we'll have to get it done ourselves today.

Benjamin said...

MLB.com: "A's squash no-hit drama early against Lester."

Stay classy, MLB.com.

allan said...

Fuckin' Rays!

Sarah Haendler said...

Laura, if there's one thing I know, it's thst you can never count on any consistency from any MLB product.

laura k said...

Good point, Sarah.

My bad for forgetting such a basic premise of life: if MLB can fuck it up, they will.

allan said...

Got work - so just listening to the A's tv.

Benjamin said...

Ummm, what happened there?

Benjamin said...

Bleh.

Sarah Haendler said...

Drat.

Dear bats, I love and miss you...

Joe Grav said...

Come on Jon

Benjamin said...

Phillies up 15-6. Spare a run, brutha?

allan said...

cannot listen to the A's guys.

in talking about the sox playing long games, they mentioned games against the yankees and said the umpires in those games don't know whether to call a pitch a ball or a strike because here are the two best teams and they each make and pay a lot of money.

wtf?

Joe Grav said...

It's amazing how some people have jobs

Benjamin said...

What's even more frustrating about these games is we're not having long at-bats. That and the losing part.

Joe Grav said...

One of these days, when the Revolution happens, there will be all kinds of idiotic out-of-work broadcasters, offering to provide inane sports commentary for food.

allan said...

One of these days, when the Revolution happens

Couldja hurry that up, pls?

laura k said...

Come on Joe, after the revolution, no one goes hungry. (But still all the people must be off the air!)

Benjamin said...

This is going to be one of those games, isn't it.

Joe Grav said...

No, this will not be that kind of Revolution. This will be one of the vengeful kinds of Revolution

Benjamin said...

Wow. Just wow.

Guess I'll go do some laundry.

Joe Grav said...

uh oh

Joe Grav said...

son of a bitch

Sarah Haendler said...

Well, this game's in the crapper

/umbrella theory

allan said...

As Don said recently: "Lester back to being Lester"

laura k said...

No, this will not be that kind of Revolution. This will be one of the vengeful kinds of Revolution

Same thing. :)

Joe Grav said...

Wake up, bats.

Joe Grav said...

Rally Heidi?

Joe Grav said...

PAPI, KILL

allan said...

we could use some "good times" from flo.

Joe Grav said...

LET'S GO MANUEL

allan said...

MBM -- GS #21?

laura k said...

man-ny

man-ny

man-ny

Joe Grav said...

it had to be said, huh

Joe Grav said...

MANNEH

laura k said...

quarter dong? we'll take it!

allan said...

I like that.

allan said...

Manny drilling the ball up the middle and going 3-for-3 = :>)

laura k said...

manny > almost anybody

Sarah Haendler said...

What's with the youKKs? I'm not a fan.

Joe Grav said...

the high K

Rob said...

Afternoon, chaps. Typical start-after-a-no-hitter from Lester, eh? I've always wondered what the opponent batting average, ERA, average innings pitched, are for all the pitchers' next game after a no-hitter.

allan said...

Andy:
"If they show a lady with a NESN sign i am like 10 ft from her."

***

laura k said...

You don't think that would be coincidence? There would really be a pattern?

Amy said...

Checking in. I see we are losing. Must be an away game. Sigh.

laura k said...

Come on, Amy, look at the standings and cheer up.

(Something tells me we've been behind in home games too?)

allan said...

(Something tells me we've been behind in home games too?)

Yeah, but only for a total of like 9 minutes all aseason.

Amy said...

I am not down on the team, just hate losing after winning all those games. It's hard to adjust my expectations again.

allan said...

And down by 1 ... with 3 innings to go?

This W is in the bag.

Sarah Haendler said...

I've got a great idea... Let's have some of that late inning magic!

laura k said...

No need to adjust your expectations. We're down by 1 run in the 7th. No biggie.

Amy said...

Yeah, you're right. It's only the 7th. What is wrong with me? :)

Joe Grav said...

BELIEVE! We CAN win a road game. I think I can I think I can I think I can I think I can I

Rob said...

Well, if the Celtics can win a road game, I think the Red Sox can.


It just took me 15 minutes and a pair of plyers to untie a knot in an older pair of shoes I have.

Amy said...

Oh, shit.

Rob said...

......


...I can has cheezburger?

allan said...

shit on a biscuit

laura k said...

crap

allan said...

LODGY?

... Lefty One Dong GuY?

Joe Grav said...

wot the fock

laura k said...

lodgy :>)

that one will live

laura k said...

i got truped on that one, thanks to A's radio

allan said...

yook has hit about 4 deep drives out there this series.

Amy said...

My level of optimism about this game has returned to what it was an hour ago. Timlin in, three runs down, and one more inning for us to tie the game.

allan said...

Who'll-E-o

laura k said...

fuckety

sometimes the worst part of losing is confirming the expectations of the negative fans!

laura k said...

NOT that we've lost yet, of course...

Amy said...

I don't think I am a negative fan, but today I think I just didn't feel the vibe.

laura k said...

i don't know if you're a negative fan, but when we're behind on the scoreboard, you seem to think we will lose.

that's what you say anyway. maybe it's just the feeling at that moment and doesn't mean that much.

allan said...

Nice work from Old Yeller (he says putting the shotgun back on the shelf, but still keeping it within easy reach).

Joe Grav said...

This is not good. At least Seattle sucks. We're gonna beat them, right?

allan said...

I know that vibe. It is often right. But I had it strong with 2 outs in the 8th of one game (down 4? this year and was proven very wrong.

laura k said...

I better leave before I start arguing with everyone. Lose a couple of games and everyone's crying.

grumble grumble

allan said...

Tek v Street

1-for-4: 3 K, 1 HR -- + BB

Amy said...

Not true. I don't usually think we will lose when we are behind. However, I worry about losing. I am always hoping for the best and preparing for the worst. In baseball and in life.

Joe Grav said...

Well, I'm a fan. Win a couple games and everyone is crapping rainbows. Lose a couple games and life sucks. That's just the way it goes. :P

allan said...

when he's not hitting, tek looks as bad as a hitter can look.

Joe Grav said...

Well, that was a lucky break. c'mon boys

Joe Grav said...

Get on Jacoby man

Joe Grav said...

fucking !@#########DFAWER@$#!@#

allan said...

2nd place.

Sarah Haendler said...

Bummer. Ah well, we'll put the hurt on the Mariners tomorrow.

Amy said...

And so it goes.

Benjamin said...

Shitty.

Rob said...

I lost interest in this game early. I was watching REAL motorsports (Indy 500) and then went on a short bike ride. I'd love to have a glass of Oakland water because it's about as clean as it can get.

You know it's bad when Allan starts to sound like Yogi Berra.

tim said...

FJM has me in tears....the section that starts with "Bra. Seriously, bra."

Joe Grav said...

Reds 9 Padres 9, bottom 18

Bronson Arroyo has a pinch-hit in the game

allan said...

Padres 12-9 in 18.

Reds used 10 pitchers. Also, both teams scored 2 runs in the 11th.

SoSock said...

Boo, Hiss.
Thanks for that link to FJM Tim.
I'll bookmark that, it's one of the best and funniest comebacks to idiotic opinion spewing I've heard in a long time.

allan said...

FJM is essential reading.

Hat Guy, Joe Morgan's ESPN chats, "clogging the bases", fuck the heck, Gritty McDirtstein ... all gold!

tim said...

Thanks for that link to FJM Tim.
I'll bookmark that, it's one of the best and funniest comebacks to idiotic opinion spewing I've heard in a long time.


Cool. Yeah, I'm a constant reader now thanks to finding the link on Joy here. I've got the RSS feed for FJM in my "Links" bar on firefox, so I just click on it and it brings a drop-down menu of the latest posts. Makes it easy to check for new content...do the same with Extra Bases.

Hat Guy, Joe Morgan's ESPN chats, "clogging the bases", fuck the heck, Gritty McDirtstein ... all gold!

heh, I get all those references! But you can't forget "food metaphors"!

Jack Marshall said...

FJM wasted its time rebutting that idiotic article on why baseball was boring. Anyone who really thinks baseball should be played once a week should just be told to shut up.

allan said...

rebutting that idiotic article

Errr, that is the whole point of the site.

tim said...

Yup. And I don't see why you would care what other people do with their time. You don't like it? Fine. Don't read it.

tim said...

Ken Tremendous really is in fine-form. Today he had another great post.

Jack Marshall said...

Err, some articles are self-evidently stupid and rebut themselves.

And I really love the "if you don't like it, don't read it" retort, the equivilent of "why don't you marry it?" and "if you hate this country so much, why don't you leave it?" Pretty lame, Tim.

I thought Ken's article was a waste of time for him to write AND for me to read: So sue me (that's another one. You can use it sometime.)

laura k said...

Pretty lame, Tim.

Tim's comment was far from being lame. It was completely appropriate.

There are few things more irritating than readers telling bloggers not to waste their time writing what they're writing.

As Tim said, if you don't like it, don't read it. Say you don't like it if you must. But don't say it was a waste of the writer's time. That's just arrogance.

allan said...

And I really love the "if you don't like it, don't read it" retort, the equivilent of "why don't you marry it?" and "if you hate this country so much, why don't you leave it?"

I don't think these are equivalent at all.

Avoiding an article (or television show or movie or book) is easy, way easier (obviously) than moving out of the country. And it makes more sense. If you hate CHB or Michael Moore or nature shows, don't read or watch them.

Applying "love it or leave it" in this case would sound like: "if that article bothers you so much, why don't you simply stop reading".

Or suggesting your friend get a divorce if he doesn't like 100% of the things she does.

Whereas if someone annoys you, you can usually not spend time with that person.

laura k said...

Err, some articles are self-evidently stupid and rebut themselves.

Isn't the entire point of the Fire Joe Morgan site to rebut stupid stuff in the media?

Nothing actually rebuts itself.

allan said...

FJM wasted its time rebutting that ... article ... Ken's article was a waste of time for him to write ...

I criticize the sports media too, Jack -- though I'm nowhere near as clever or humorous as Ken T. or Junior.

Nevertheless, the next time I do, I will await your judgment on how I spent my time.

allan said...

Ken Tremendous really is in fine-form. Today he had another great post.

"... the brain-having industry ..."