Agree/Disagree ?

Life of a Padre fan now: Getting almost no-hit by Tim Lincecum on Thursday, then getting no-hit by Jonathan Sanchez the following night. Oy.

I'm tired of seeing the Padres get no-hit again and again.

A certain pitcher has 2 innings pitched this year, and the stat lines are as follows: (copied from ESPN)

May 6 vs. Milwaukee: 1 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR (to Prince Fielder). 

July 6 vs. Philadelphia: 1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 grand slam (to Jayson Werth).


Just who is this mystery pitcher?

Cincinnati Reds infielder Paul Janish.

On May 6th, he came into a 10-3 game in the ninth and proceeded to give up five earned runs.

On July 6th, he came into the game when the score was 16-1 Phillies, and Werth hit a grand slam to seal the scoring at 22-1.

What is interesting about this?  (copied from ESPN):

He's the first position player to give up 11 runs in the same season since the aforementioned Willie Smith did it 45 years ago -- except it took Willie 11 appearances. And Janish was the first position player to give up five runs or more in two different outings in the same season, according to Elias, since Johnny Lindell (another pitcher-utility man) did it in 1953 -- but over 32 appearances, not two.


Just some tidbits.  Read the rest of Jayson Starks column here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=stark_jayson&id=4317512

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/11/the-dugout-the-most-even-trade-ever/

by Jon Bois

Filed under: Braves, Mets, NL East, The Dugout, MLB Trade Deadline

As we reported on Friday, the Braves traded an under-performing outfielder, Jeff Francoeur, to the Mets for an under-performing outfielder, Ryan Church. My theory? The general managers were just bored. Saturday's Dugout is after the jump.

 

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Dan Haren has just pitched one of the best games I've ever seen,rendering his ERA miniscule

EDIT:  Jonathan Sanchez has thrown a no-hitter tonight against the San Diego Padres.

Only a Uribe error prevented the perfecto.

Rowand made a leaping catch at the wall with 1 out in the ninth to save it.

 So a few days ago there was a play involving Derrek Jeter when he tried to steal third base.  It was an odd play, the third baseman tried to tag Jeter on the head while Jeter got his hands around the glove and touched third base safely.  However, the umpire called him out, and when Jeter tried to argue it he was told "the ball beat you there, therefore you were out."  I, personally, have never heard of this rule, and neither had Jeter, as he told the press later.  It appears that the umpire made a bad call, plain and simple, but he was too arrogant to admit it.

Several days after that I was watching the Cubs game and Kosuke Fukudome attempted to steal second, and was safe by a mile.  The announcers said it was the worst call they had ever seen.  Fukudome was all over the base before the ball even hit the infielders glove.  Once again, he argued, and Lou Piniella argued, of course, to no avail.  I don't know how the umpire could not know he made a bad call though, and I suspect once again he was simply too arrogant to admit it.  

For the first time I wish that baseball had a system like they have in football, where coaches can challenge calls and then the umpires HAVE to review it.  The human element of baseball is great, but there's something rotten in the state of Denmark when they get so full of themselves and their stupid pride that they can't admit when they know they made a bad call.  
Do you suppose such a system will ever be implemented in MLB, and have you any thoughts on it?

I watched PLATOON earlier this week. It was on, and I was having difficulty sleeping so there you go. I'd forgotten how good a movie it was, to be honest.

As an unfortunate side effect, I've had "White Rabbit" running through my head incessently ever since. I'm sure it's a sign of early-onset demmentia - and being inflicted with one of the single most bizarro songs of the 1960's isn't too horrible I guess.

I'm updating my Broken and Hearted Podcast more, because I have the Gear:

This episode deals with my gear and the gear used to make you a slave in the modern world... or just music.

Recorded the truck, a truckstop and its sounds. Talked about the gear we use to move stuff, eat food, make music. Featured: My Kenworth, a 50’s Martin acoustic, CBs, de-beaking machines.
More music and a good microphone this time, so it’s longer.
Boxcar Satan,
Rare: X, Keelhaul, Wino, Sonic Youth, Rush, Bowie, Devo+

I am driving a metric shit ton lately, so I guess I can afford more gear. But I am never home to enjoy non-trucking gear. I did get a bike stolen, then I destroyed the next bike within a week. I broke a gear.

This is good for my cars though. Neither have working AC, which doesn't really matter in Michigan, at least to a pseudo-Southerner. Can afford the V8 for the Fiero, but will have zero time to install it in the back.

Had a surprise birthday party thrown for me. Just glad I didn't come home naked, like I usually do.

Band hasn't practiced since the tour, but that gave me time to write and record three new songs about killing Billy Joel. One might be in 5/4. We do have a show soon, and I hope we get in a fistfight with another band playing. You know the band. We play really well angry.

We are the world's angriest party band.

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/10/the-dugouts-speculation-station-what-is-going-on-in-this-comme/

by Jon Bois

Filed under: Cardinals, MLB All-Star Game, The Dugout

Have you seen the commercial for this year's All-Star Game yet? If not, here's a brief summary. A hand comes out of the sky and pulls the Gateway Arch out of the ground. It turns out that the Gateway Arch is a magnet that can attract baseball players and fans to it. (A special magnet.) The hand moves it all around America, picks up a bunch of people, then dumps them all on the Busch Stadium turf while Albert Pujols stands there and scowls. It's amazing.

It takes a minute to watch, but an eternity to comprehend. Fortunately, The Dugout's Speculation Station is here to help. Your Dugout is after the jump, and so is the video.

 

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And now, for the first time ever, I'm totally jazzed about next season of MYTHBUSTERS.

I love the show, but I don't recall ever thinking "I want to see this NOW".

Tonight a pitcher got a win when he was not on the team when they won the game.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=290505120

Washington and Houston resumed a suspended game. Washintgon was batting in the bottom of the 11th when play was stopped. Between then and now, Joel Hanrahan was traded to the Pirates, but when Nyjer Morgan (whom Hanrahan was traded for - added wrinkle) scored the winning run, current Pittsburgh Pirate Joel Hanrahan was awarded the win, his 1st of the season.

I know there has been a time or 2 when a suspended game had a key moment involving a player that wasn't on the team on the original date, but could this be the first time a pitcher earned a decision in a game where he was no longer on the team?

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/07/09/the-dugout-winning-games-is-easy/

by Jon Bois

Filed under: Nationals, Rockies, The Dugout

On Tuesday night's game between the Nationals and Rockies, Alan Embree earned the win without even throwing a pitch. For one night, at least, he got to live the life of a fantasy baseball team owner.

The real story here, of course, is that the win statistic suddenly seems a little trivial. Baseball experts across the board have always agreed that wins are the definitive pitching statistic. ERA? WHIP? Maybe those nerds at the acronym factory are on to something, because a zero-pitch win just doesn't seem right. Then again, Embree was up against the Nationals, and everyone wins against the Nationals.

Wednesday morning's Dugout is after the jump.

 

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