SFG --- 39 (OFF) CHC 1.0 43 (Maddux @ MIL Capuano) SDP 1.5 42 (OFF) FLA 5.0 43 (OFF)
No scoreboard watching tonight. Which is fine. I wish we were going up against NL East teams, just so I wouldn’t have to wait to Midnight to find out how we did.
This is one of those Thursdays where many who had to play Monday gets today of, and those who played Monday get Thursday off. That includes the Giants and the Expos, which makes me wonder why the bothered to do a doubleheader instead of just using the offday. Maybe Felipe Alou had plans today.
I was pretty sure, as sure as one can be about these things, that the Giants would sweep the doubleheader yesterday, seeing as they only had one starting pitcher for two games and he got blown out last time.
I’m sure I’ll not think the same later, but Good Job Braves. Way to Wendell Kim it, Padres.
I *think* this might be the last game in Miller Park for the Cubs this year. Thank goodness. It’s a day game, it’s a get away day, and it’s a Maddux start; bet heavily on a game under 140 minutes.
Sports radio is already trying to respin Sammy moving to 5 in the order as a mystery: “Did Sammy REALLY ask to move down? Or is this elaborate cover up?!?!?” The best insane conspiracy theories are the ones that require a lot of effort for absolute no gain.
I’m pretty sure Sabermetric belief is batting order is largely irrelevant unless you start doing completely moronic stuff like batting your worst hitter first, your second worst hitter second and so on. I think Neyer has an ESPN.com Insider article about that and Sammy this week, actually. And I agree with the broad point that it doesn’t mean much over the course of a season, but in a short period of time and a close race, I believe you’ve got do those things of small significance in hopes to get a couple extra runs. A small sample doesn’t give time for things to even out.
Despite the lead being blown by the bullpen yet again (it wasn’t even Kyle! Notice they haven’t used him so far this series), it was nice to see Dempster and Mercker through excellent in there appearances. And, after I go out of my way to down play him, of course Clement’s gonna be awesome and strike out 13 (though I dug only 1 BB just as much.)
I don’t believe an announce team can campaign harder for someone to be resigned than Chip and Stone do for Matt. I hope they get a cut.
I didn’t realize Nomar would hit so many doubles. He does have two 50+ years, but I guess when you’re hitting .372 it just doesn’t come up as much. It’s cool.
It’s not proper to steal from those who’ve passed away, but someone needs to reset the Days:Hours:Minutes:Seconds till Bud Selig Leaves Office countdown.