OoTSB 5/21/06

[A Boy Named Seo]

Kazmir outdueled Dontrelle in Tampa, leaving with a 3-0 lead after 8 innings, 4 hits, 1 walk, and 11 K's. He's now 7-2 with an ERA of 2.39, 67 K's, 21 BB's. How's that for a swift, yet powerful kick in the balls?

In Philly, the Phillies behind 2 Bobby Abreu RBIs and a Ryan Howard HR lead the Sawx 5-3.

The Nats are leading the Orioles in today's Beltway Series installment. Braves and Tim Hudson go up against AZ later.

[Gwreck]

Phillies have run that lead to 10-5 in the 8th.

Tigers won again (9 of 10) and will go a game up on Chicago again if the Cubs can hold on (up 4-2 in the 9th).

[A Boy Named Seo]

In LA, Nomar's 1-2 with another RBI double and the Dodgers lead Anaheim 5-0. Garciaparra's currently making Ned Colletti look really freaking smart, as he's now hitting a cool .360 as I type this, and entered the game hitting .357/.423/.643 (1.066 OPS) with 5 HR, and now 26 (now 27) RBI.

[Gwreck]

Grady Sizemore: Golden Sombrero...but also the walk-off single. Indians top Pirates.

Atlanta wins 2-1, but Chris Reitsma was pulled in the 9th after allowing the tying run to reach second on a double.

[Guest GYC]

Braves blowing a lead, kind of: Had a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th, but Arizona scored a run. Now, it's 2 outs with runners on 1st and 2nd for Luiz Gonzalez.



Edit: He struck out. Braves win, 2-1.

[Frayed Knot]

Early returns on 2006 Interleague play shows the (by most accounts) "superior" AL going 20 - 22 this weekend.

[Guest Rotblatt]

Frayed Knot wrote: Early returns on 2006 Interleague play shows the (by most accounts) "superior" AL going 20 - 22 this weekend.

Impossible! Everyone knows the AL is the greatest!

[Gwreck]

Rotblatt wrote: Impossible! Everyone knows the AL is the greatest!

Early returns show that that was a mistaken prediction. I only count 3, maybe 4 good teams: Boston, White Sox, MFYs, (Tigers). Hardly the superior league.

[DocTee]

]I only count 3, maybe 4 good teams: Boston, White Sox, MFYs, (Tigers). Hardly the superior league.

How many good squads you see in the NL??

I got Houston/St.Louis--Mets-- maybe Cincinnatti and Philly?

[Frayed Knot]

There's usually not more than 3 or 4 good teams in any one league in any year (that's one reason why going to 4x4 divisions/per is a bad idea but that's a seperate thread).

I still suspect the AL is deeper this year (as it was last year) but I just don't think it'll be as lopsided as some predicted. The Angels are looking bad despite being considered one of the "good" teams pre-season. Minnesota to some degree also although they might still turn in around.


NL has the very slight edge over 9 years and I don't think either league has ever won more than 55% in any one season.

[Gwreck]

Mets, Houston, St. Louis all definetly.

Cincinnati, Philly.

Colorado as the surprise team. Milwaukee. Plus can't forget Atlanta.

[DocTee]

If "you can't forget Atlanta" you gotta remember Anaheim (and Minnesota, too).

[Gwreck]

DocTee wrote: If "you can't forget Atlanta" you gotta remember Anaheim (and Minnesota, too).

Ehhhh....Atlanta is at least .500. Anaheim is 10 games under! Minnesota 6.

[Guest Rotblatt]

It's early, but Kazmir could win a Cy Young this year.

64 IP, 7 W, 2.39 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 9.42 K/9, 3.19 K/BB

His WHIP's kind of high, but he's improving--over his last 5 starts (including ones against the White Sox & the Red Sox--pretty good offensive teams), it's been 0.95, with a 6 K/BB ratio.

Sick. Shades of Petey in his prime.

Forget what he would mean to our chances of winning this season--I wish I had the chance to watch him pitch more often.