The Odyssey of Super Joe

[Valadius]

I feel terrible for Joe McEwing. His Kansas City Royals have just lost their 19th straight game. For somebody who puts so much effort into his game, he must really feel terrible. We feel your pain, Joe!

[Guest SI Metman]

Barry Zito going for Oakland this evening.

Can the folks in KC count to 20?

[Frayed Knot]

I feel bad for KC in general although not neccesarily Supra Joe in particular. I'd like to see them bust their losing streak ... just not while they're playing a NYY WC rival.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Valadius wrote: We feel your pain, Joe!

Thankfully, we dont have to feel it for real

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I'll start rooting for the Royals the minute they leave Oakland.

[Valadius]

KC leading the Zito-led A's in the bottom of the 6th 2-1, despite two errors on their part.

However, now the A's have runners on the corners with one out.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

The Royals have their first win of the month of August, beating the A's 2-1.

[Valadius]

The Kansas City Royals have broken their 19-game losing streak, besting the Oakland A's, 2-1. Super Joe and Co. must be partying like they won the World Series.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I wonder if Bell would let them party or be pissed. They won but they only got four hits and allowed six walks.

Bell used five pitchers to muddle through.

[Guest SI Metman]

Looks like I called it wrong.

Congrats KC, but given their schedule, it looks like another double digit losing streak could get started on sunday.

[Valadius]

How 'bout them Royals?

They compile a 2-game win-streak, beating the A's, 5-4, in 12 innings.

Former Met Terrence Long sac flied former Met Joe McEwing in during this game for the Royals. They faced fellow Mets alumni Jay Payton and Marco Scutaro going for the Elephantine A's.

[Frayed Knot]

Oakland, btw, took a 3-0 lead today into the 8th ... until their bullpen gave up 4 late runs

In LA today the Angels pen coughed up 5 runs (some inherited) in the 8th to Boston in what had been a scoreless game.

Meanwhile the Cubs lost a 1-run led when their pen allowed the Rox to score 3 times in the 8th

The Giants held on to win despite giving up 2 late runs, which beats the hell out of yesterday when they allowed 5 9th inning runs (the last few w/2 outs) to lose the game they had led 4-zip

Cincy had a 7-0 lead but still allowed 2 runs each in the 6th, 7th & 8th innings against the D-Backs. Fortunately for them they Arizona pen was getting hammered for 6 runs themselves


All of which reminds me of the day last week when someone on Detroit hit an extra-inning grand-slam ... in a game they lost because their pen had allowed 7 in the top half of the inning. Only the 4th time in history that somone had hit an x-inning GS in a losing effort. Think about it, that's tough to do!

Plus the game the other day when Atlanta also gave up a 5-run extra-inning.






Are you beginning to get an idea about why saying that we should find middle-inning help is a lot easier said than done?