DLD / 9[30]08 - Hosiery vs. Metropolises

by JLaff on Sep 30, 2008 11:49 AM PDT Comment 30 comments

Thanks to Alexi Ramirez, we still have regular season-ish baseball to play.

Ramirez's grand slam helped vault the White Sox to an 8-2 victory over the Tigers, forcing a one-game playoff this afternoon.

"Tomorrow, 162 games mean nothing. It's only about one game and that's great," White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen said. "A good feeling."

When Guillen told Ramirez to relax before batting with the bases loaded, the 27-year-old infielder made a promise.

"I told Ozzie to have confidence in me. I'm going to go out and get these runners home somehow," he said.

Tonight...

versus

The White Sox are going with the overdone and ineffective method of a "blackout" for tonight's game.

Now it's up to those same White Sox fans to take this enthusiasm a step further by becoming the men and women in black. The Twins had a deafening home crowd behind them for three games at the Metrodome, and the South Siders hope Tuesday's "blackout" leads to a playoff berth in the AL Division Series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"It's a better idea than white because that would make it tough to see the ball," said a smiling White Sox team captain Paul Konerko, who has witnessed the whiteout in person at Phoenix Coyotes game. "It will be cool.

Feel free to use this as an open thread for the game. I'll try to post lineups after I get back from class.

Pitching matchup:

MIN: Nick Blackburn (11-10, 4.14), CHW: John Danks (11-9, 3.47)

Twins: Blackburn will take the hill for Tuesday's one-game tiebreaker in place of injured right-hander Kevin Slowey. Blackburn started the year 9-6 with a 3.60 ERA but he is 2-4 in his past nine starts with a 5.74 ERA. He's only gone more than five innings in four of those nine starts. However, he received the win in the Twins' 3-2 victory over the White Sox on Wednesday when he gave up two runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings. Blackburn is 2-2 with a 5.67 ERA in five starts against Chicago in 2008.

White Sox: Danks will be pitching on short rest, but he did not work very long on Friday against Cleveland, lasting four innings and allowing seven runs on seven hits. He threw 80 pitches in that game, which means he should still be relatively fresh come Tuesday. He's struggled since late August, posting a 4.91 ERA over his past seven starts. He earned a win in only one of those starts. Danks is 1-1 with a 7.91 in four starts against Minnesota this season.

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In case anyone cares...

Oakland A’s fan (A’s employee?) pointed out that the A’s have made the “Anthem” soundtrack available for download.

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 30, 2008 11:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Mercury News on Beane’s end-of-season chat with the press
SuSlu’s view of same includes hope for resigning Ellis and more international scouting, yay:

The club has redoubled its efforts in Latin America and this winter might add players from Asia and/or Australia.

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 30, 2008 12:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 30, 2008 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

From Slusser's piece

though hitting coach Ty Van Burkleo is popular with the players and the rest of the staff, the team’s major-league-low .242 average and AL-worst 646 runs could make him a target for dismissal.

I don’t know, I guess I don’t understand the job of major league hitting coach. I don’t think he’s supposed to teach guys how to hit; they’re already supposed to know that when they get to the majors. I think he’s supposed to prepare hitters for the pitchers they’re facing and maybe occasionally spot a flaw (“Why are you holding your hands higher?”). Seems that a guy who “is popular with the players” works better in a position like that than a dictator-type.

If the A’s expect somebody to take Jack Hannahan and turn him into a .300 hitter, maybe they should ditch the position of hitting coach entirely and hire an alchemist instead.

by Soaker on Sep 30, 2008 12:29 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with your overall point

But I think Daric Barton forgetting how to hit and Van Burkleo being unable to fix that reflects poorly on him. I don’t know if it’s Van Burkleo’s fault or anything, but I’d think “helping young, talented players adjust” is one of the jobs of a hitting coach.

by thejd44 on Sep 30, 2008 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Haven't the A's fired their hitting coaches like four years running?

Maybe four of the last five years. But A’s hitting coach is approach Spinal Tap drummer levels of predestined doom.

I'm a street walkin cheetah with a heart full of napalm.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Sep 30, 2008 12:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They’re trying to keep up with Al.

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Sep 30, 2008 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 30, 2008 2:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

wasn't that Wash?

It's just something we do. It's not something we like. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 30, 2008 3:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't blame the hitting coach for Barton, I blame the Video guy, apparently when Daric

asked to watch his tapes over the previous offseason, the video guy gave him Dan Johnsons videos instead

by theblackpearl on Sep 30, 2008 8:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

poor kid might be going

through identity crisis haha

Andy Bernard does not lose contests. He wins them. Or he quits them. Because they're unfair.

by BigTuna on Sep 30, 2008 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Odd arrest and mugshot story of the week

Woman dons cow suit, chases neighbor kids, pees on porch.

A Middletown woman is accused of being disorderly in public — while wearing a cow suit.

A police report filed about the incident said Michelle Allen allegedly chased children in her neighborhood while wearing the suit on Monday evening.

Allen also urinated on a neighbor’s front porch

I'm a street walkin cheetah with a heart full of napalm.

by FreeSeatUpgrade on Sep 30, 2008 12:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

That's udderly ridiculous!

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 30, 2008 12:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Moooove over Nick Nolte, this is the best mugshot ever.

by thejd44 on Sep 30, 2008 12:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We're going to milk this for all it's worth.

But he came back. And there was much rejoicing.

by Jennifer on Sep 30, 2008 12:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So were those functional or merely decorative?

Don't blame me, I voted for Bill King.

by Englishmajor on Sep 30, 2008 2:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am now so PROUD TO BE BLACK!!!!!!

{holds back tears of joy}

by theblackpearl on Sep 30, 2008 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nico's now even prouder to be a bovine-American

It's just something we do. It's not something we like. @('.')@

by monkeyball on Sep 30, 2008 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

John Sickels prospect retro: Justin Duchscherer

http://www.minorleagueball.com/2008/9/28/623717/prospect-retro-justin-duch

by thejd44 on Sep 30, 2008 12:27 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Beg to differ Paul

If black will make the ball harder to pick up than white, why do they use a black screen behind the pitcher to help the hitter pick up the ball? and just in general, contrasts would seem to help and….why do I care?

by mikedaviswhereareyou on Sep 30, 2008 12:41 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

He said black was better than white

And white would make it tougher to pick up the ball.

Bring back Hammer.

by OaktownPower on Sep 30, 2008 12:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

since when don't the playoffs start on Tuesday?

I woke up geared up to watch the Brewers today. I thought the playoffs always started on Tuesday?

"All managers are losers, they are the most expendable pieces of furniture on the face of the Earth."- Ted Williams

by Gaijin_Suketto on Sep 30, 2008 12:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Rotoworld

Mentioned Mike Lamb as a possible 3rd base candidate. His name hasn’t appeared in any of Nico’s posts, but I figured he’d be a “Nico Guy.”

Enjoy the game

by DCinWC on Sep 30, 2008 12:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

It’s the farm animal DLD!

I'm here to talk about the past.

by 67MARQUEZ on Sep 30, 2008 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Sun rose in the east this morning

Also, this has finally happened.

"However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night." - Brad Ziegler, 8/7/08

by doctorK on Sep 30, 2008 12:58 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I have major issues with this.

He’s pulling a Shannahan, no good will come of it.

by lynnzgal on Sep 30, 2008 3:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Post Season Awards

from SI.com

Tom Verducci – WIN!

NL Cy Young

1. Tim Lincecum
2. Johan Santana
3. Brandon Webb

Lincecum was exactly what the award is designed to honor: the best pitcher in the league, not the pitcher with the most wins. He was the toughest pitcher to hit (.221, as compared to .232 for Santana and .242 for Webb) while giving up just 11 home runs, only four of which came in the 402 plate appearances against him with runners on. And oh, those strikeouts. Lincecum fanned 10.5 batters per nine innings. Only five other pitchers ever struck out batters at that rate while throwing at least 220 innings: Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Nolan Ryan and Sam McDowell. Fast company.

Jon Heyman – FAIL!

NL Cy Young

1. Santana. Gets edge over CC for ERA title and for being in the NL all year.

2. Sabathia. Sheer second-half dominance.

3. Lidge. Though tough to leave out Webb and especially Lincecum (18-5, with a league-leading 265 strikeouts) in this year with at least five deserving candidates. (Edit: WTF, Heyman, Lincecum is not in the top three in the NL?)

Heyman also gets a FAIL for giving K-Fraud the AL MVP award (gag me). Somebody needs to revoke this moron’s BBWAA card now. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if he were to not vote for Rickey for the HoF this winter because Rickey’s career BA was “only” .279.

"However, at Elias, I think they keep track of the amount of sunflower seeds spit in a dugout each night." - Brad Ziegler, 8/7/08

by doctorK on Sep 30, 2008 1:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs