IGT 8/3/06 - Mets (Pedro) at Marlins (Dontrelle)

[seawolf17]

I hate the Marlins. I feel like we go 4-15 against them every season.

[Elster88]

Actually it was in his throwing hand.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Not for nothin, but this'd be gravy time had Alpaca Boy not put us behind the 8-ball two nites ago.

[Gwreck]

The ball was never in the glove -- it was in LoDuca's hand, which he put temporarily in his glove but he tagged the runner with the ball and it came loose after the tag.

Ump was positioned badly. Bad call. Even worse that nobody bothered to argue.

[Elster88]

It was the right call. He knocked it out of his hand. He's safe.

[seawolf17]

I always thought "Billy Wagner's Llamas" would be a good name for either a band or a rotisserie team.

[seawolf17]

Can the Marlins sneak D-Train through waivers and send him north? They can have Heilman.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

="Gwreck"]The ball was never in the glove -- it was in LoDuca's hand, which he put temporarily in his glove but he tagged the runner with the ball and it came loose after the tag. Ump was positioned badly. Bad call. Even worse that nobody bothered to argue.

But how often has LoDuca failed to hold onto a throw at home plate? I can thionk of 3 or 4 he missed vs. that one nice block he made a week back or so.

That's a difficult play to make but that's why they're catchers.

Anyway, I miss Nady and really miss my boyfriend Duaner.

[seawolf17]

How about when the Padres are in town, we trick them into leaving Piazza behind? We'll sneak LoDuca into a PADRES 33 jersey and stick him in the visiting clubhouse, and stick the Mr. Met head on Piazza and sneak him out the back door.

[nymr83]

seawolf17 wrote: How about when the Padres are in town, we trick them into leaving Piazza behind? We'll sneak LoDuca into a PADRES 33 jersey and stick him in the visiting clubhouse, and stick the Mr. Met head on Piazza and sneak him out the back door.

eh..a better idea would be to stick Trachsel in a Padres Jersey and steal Peavy.

[Frayed Knot]

Not a good play by LoDuca who got caught in mid-transfer between glove hand and bare hand ... but it was an awful throw by Reyes who had all day to nail Jacobs and two-hopped a throw from just behind 3rd base.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I can take a lot about this. Not executing throw-and-tag plays drives me nuts. It nuttens me.

It was something I couldn't get out when we were trying to phase out Piazza and phase in Jason Phillips. Phillips stunk those up, and LoDuca's giving me the miserables too.

Ah, whatev.

[Guest Edgy DC]

For what it's worth, I always stunk catching and tagging with a runner bearing down on me also.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: For what it's worth, I always stunk catching and tagging with a runner bearing down on me also.

Which is why you don't catch for the Mets.

[seawolf17]

Elster88 wrote: ="Edgy DC"]For what it's worth, I always stunk catching and tagging with a runner bearing down on me also. Which is why you don't catch for the Mets.

I thought it was because Edgy's agent, Bean Stringfellow, demanded a no-trade clause and a merchandise tent.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Regarding Franco's scratch from the starting lineup:

How could it be the flu?

I think too many little ailments get mislabeled as "the flu."

I've had the flu twice in my life, and it knocks you out for a week. But you frequently hear about players missing one game because of "the flu" even when it's August and there's no flu going around.

I figure it's a euphemism for "diarrhea" or "hangover" or "menstrual cramps" or something else that a player doesn't want the public to know about.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Usually, in those situations, it's labeled as "flu-like symptoms."

He could have an actual dose of the flu, but perhaps a smaller one. Or he may yet be out a week.

Plus these guys have the old cuttin'-edge medical care.

[Elster88]

http://www.getalifealready.com/cpf/avatars/Gooden.jpgThough I'm not sure what medical care can do for the flu.

Edit: I'm Doc!!!

[Guest Edgy DC]

Congratualtions on 9700 freaking posts.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

During the telecast, the Marlins' version of Chris Cotter interviewed a 100-year-old Marlin fan celebrating his birthday in a luxury suite at the ballpark. The old guy was wearing a Marlins jersey and cap. (He didn't say much other than that he enjoys watching baseball because he loves the game. His voice wasn't all that strong.)

The Marlins debuted only 13 years ago, when the man was 87 years old. I can't imagine picking up a rooting interest in a baseball team at the age of 87. I can't even imagine doing it now. My interest in the Mets is a remnant of my childhood that I haven't let go of. I don't anticipate ever becoming a fan of anyone else.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Yeah, it seems strange, but I imagine living in a town with no team makes you a little more open to adopting a favorite team late in life when your city finally gets a big-league team.

There were reports of Babe Ruth's daughter, retired in Arizona, rooting aggressively for the Diamnondbacks in 2001 World Series, over the team associated with her father's legacy.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Good for her!

[Centerfield]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: During the telecast, the Marlins' version of Chris Cotter interviewed a 100-year-old Marlin fan celebrating his birthday in a luxury suite at the ballpark.

Poor guy hasn't seen a World Championship since he was 97.

[Elster88]

Edgy DC wrote: Yeah, it seems strange, but I imagine living in a town with no team makes you a little more open to adopting a favorite team late in life when your city finally gets a big-league team. There were reports of Babe Ruth's daughter, retired in Arizona, rooting aggressively for the Diamnondbacks in 2001 World Series, over the team associated with her father's legacy.

Might have been as much about the Yankees treating her father like shit as the nearness of the Snakes.

[stevejrogers]

Elster88 wrote: ="Edgy DC"]Yeah, it seems strange, but I imagine living in a town with no team makes you a little more open to adopting a favorite team late in life when your city finally gets a big-league team. There were reports of Babe Ruth's daughter, retired in Arizona, rooting aggressively for the Diamnondbacks in 2001 World Series, over the team associated with her father's legacy. Might have been as much about the Yankees treating her father like shit as the nearness of the Snakes.

Or just a general blase feeling about her father. This is Julia right, not Dorothy?

[Guest Edgy DC]

Marlins trying to keep this series from being their last hurrah.

Marlins hold 90-minute meeting after lost weekend

Associated Press

MIAMI -- The Florida Marlins' latest team meeting may have set franchise records for length and intrigue.

When the Marlins open a nine-game trip Tuesday at Washington, they'll test anew the tenuous theory that clubhouse speeches help. Manager Joe Girardi kept the doors closed for nearly 90 minutes after Los Angeles completed a sweep of Florida on Sunday.

Girardi said he spent most of the time talking to his young team. He termed the meeting a "learning session" rather than a scolding or pep talk, and players described his tone as positive.

But there was speculation about a possible rift between Girardi and owner Jeffrey Loria, who was in the clubhouse much of the time it was closed.

"We talked about things," Girardi said. "He's an owner who really wants to win."

Through a spokesman, Loria declined to comment Monday.

Alas for the Marlins, the series sweep by Los Angeles likely doomed their slim prospects in the NL wild-card race. After trailing by only four games as recently as Friday, they began this week six games back, with eight teams between them and wild-card leader Cincinnati.

Not only did the Marlins lose three in a row to streaking Los Angeles, but they looked bad doing it. Worst in the majors in fielding, they committed five errors that led to four unearned runs. They went 3-for-25 with runners in scoring position and were outscored 23-7.

The sweep was the first the Marlins have endured since May 19-21, shortly before beginning a midseason surge that has made them one of baseball's most surprising teams.

"The way we played the last three days was awful," closer Joe Borowski said.

Still, even at nine games under .500, Florida has exceeded all expectations. Baseball's youngest, lowest-paid team was widely projected to lose more than 100 games, and when the Marlins started 11-31, there was even talk that they might rival the storied 1962 New York Mets for ineptitude.

Instead, from May 23 through Thursday the Marlins went 40-26, the best record in the National League during that span.

But young teams are prone to late-season fades.

"A lot of these guys haven't played through September," catcher Matt Treanor said. "Usually in the middle of August, guys are starting to think about offseason planning. But we've got a ways to go, and we're in the hunt.

"Having everybody count us out early in the season, it would be great for us to finish near the top of our division and carry that over to next year."

That was the thrust of Girardi's comments at the team meeting: Shrug off the frustration of the weekend, and gear up to defy expectations for another eight weeks.

"It's the dog days of August," he said. "Obviously we had a setback, but Tuesday's a new day. I think guys are excited about our road trip and what's in front of us."

The speech to the team was Girardi's first since July 30, after Florida lost a doubleheader in Philadelphia.

"The next day we scored 15 runs," he said. "I hope the same effect happens."