MLB 2008

[surfer]

Jack Cust sets Oakland A's record for Ks in a season, 176 and counting.

[psychedelic tickle]

But ... but ... he hits homeruns!

[surfer]

Definitely the only legit power threat in our lineup.

[Borat Pri Hagafen]

He's the only A with a slugging percentage over .400 in more than 25 AB this year. Yikes.

Mr. Cust does have a higher OPS than Derrek Lee, Torii Hunter, Alex Rios, Carlos Guillen, Beltre, Atkins, Kemp, Rollins, etc.

.368 OBP makes those K's a little more tolerable.

[Harold Baines]

Arte moreno just added a couple of zeros to that offer.

Weird game I attended last night: Pitchers' duel into the eighth, and then the gates opened. I thought Thornton would get out of bases loaded-one out in the eighth. He struck out Adam Lind, but Overbay got him with two strikes for a two-run single.

I wish they'd just drill Marco Scutaro. That guy kills the White Sox.

And Swisher, despite the dramatic home run last Saturday, is coming up a MAJOR bum in this stretch. With the big boppers dropping, he's under the Mendoza line in the last six weeks. I can't even recall how many third strikes he's taken with men in scoring position. Bad, bad stuff. His (kind of) swinging K in the ninth last night was particularly pathetic.

[surfer]

I wish they'd just drill Marco Scutaro and Swisher too.

Good to see all the ex-A's out there being relevant and stuff.

Besides the Angels, I think there might be an ex-A on every potential playoff team:

Milwaukee: Kendall
Cubs: Harden, Gaudin
Rays: Dan Johnson (!!!!) huge walkoff a few days ago
Rouge Sox: Kotsay
Mets: Ricardo Stinkon, heh, hard to believe he's still in baseball
DBacks: Haren
Twins: none

[crawjo]

Ex-Orioles on the playoff teams:

Rays: Chad Bradford, Al Reyes
Red Sox: Mike Timlin
White Sox: None
Angels: Gary Matthews, Jr.
Mets: Fernando Tatis, John Maine
Cubs: Mike Fontenot (from the farm system)
Brewers: None
Dodgers: Jason Johnson

[jon abbey]

so, I guess Carlos Zambrano is healthy.

[Mo Noyz]

Glad I checked out for a few months. It did the body, and mind, good.

But, someone just hipped me to this Posnanski article from the KC Star. It makes keeping up with the Royals interesting again.

Top quote:

The Royals have played lackluster baseball. They have gone backward defensively. They are so unfocused that Hillman last week made a point to say they’re catching pop-ups better.

Hahahahahaha.........


http://www.kansascity.com/180/story/785522.html" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick= "window.open(this.href);return false;

[Harold Baines]

Don't know how much more this ol' heart can stand, but the Tigers got what they deserved for intentionally walking Mario Mendoza, er, Swisher in the eighth. These days, you do not want to face Orlando Cabrera instead of Nick Swisher.

[MRS]

Ned Yost shitcanned

[Harold Baines]

Ned Yost shitcanned

Yep. Dale Sveum interim honcho. http://www.madison.com/tct/mad/breaking_news/304989

[Borat Pri Hagafen]

Good news for anyone hoping the Brewers would make the playoffs. He's awful.

[MRS]

Yeah, all doubt was removed late last year when they were duking it out with us, Yost proactively headhunting/retaliating with two weeks to go. Mensa.

Oh, and inserting the pitcher in the 8 spot, intimating publicly that the choice was independent and peripheral of LaRussa.

[faster]

Juan Pierre (1)

Maybe a 3-5 day with a jack is enough for the Pirates to try to trade for him haha

[MRS]

With that countenance in the post-game pressers, you'd figure he'd take in a movie or something with his night off...

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hjHf ... wD937GJ701

[Harold Baines]

Reinsdorf gets a lot of crap, but he's incredibly loyal to those he has employed. That LaRussa would sit with him really points that out.

Now, beat Pettitte tonight.

[surfer]

After his 30th start on Saturday, the Giants were running neck and neck with San Diego for last in the league in runs scored. And yet Tim Lincecum has only 3 losses.

[Borat Pri Hagafen]

Lincecum and Cliff Lee are a combined 39-5. In all other decisions, those 2 teams are 102-152.

I'd vote for both of them for the Cy Young.

[surfer]

Team payrolls of playoff teams (six of the top 8 made it):

3. Mets $138,293,378
4. Red Sox $133,440,037
5. White Sox $121,152,667
6. Angels $119,216,333
7. Cubs $118,595,833
8. Dodgers $118,536,038
13. Phillies $98,269,881

(15. Brewers $ 81,004,167)

29. Rays $43,820,598