So I'm half-watching this Astros/Braves game ...

[Frayed Knot]

which means I'm missing a lot because I've got the sound down (listening to the weekly Springsteen Hour on the radio) but what I'm catching is both wild ...and freakin annoying.

- Astros scored 5 runs early were up like 5-1 when I flicked it on
- Soon the Braves started adding runs to their ark two by two and it's 5-5, 7-5, and eventually 9-5 (another Teixeira HR - his 2nd so far - was part of that).
- But then the Brave bullpen fell apart again, Raphael Soriano mainly, and Houston tied it on a Mike Lamb Grand Slam (hey, that even rhymes).
- In the meantime, Renterea looks like he rolled his ankle and was taken out. Chipper's playing SS
- So then Houston puts across 2 in the 12th
- ... only to have Brad (I'm the closer again) Lidge serve up a game-tying 2R HR to Matt Freakin Diaz w/1 out in the bottom

So we're on to inning #13.
Houston got the leadoff guy on - but bunted him over and never got him in (rinse and repeat) so we're onto the bottom of the inning.


Meanwhile, since TBS is an official MLB partner starting with this playoff year, they keep breaking in to show Barry NOT hitting HRs from the left coast.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Houston wins in 15 on an RBI pinch-single by Jason Jennings. Yay!

Philadelphia passes Atlanta (Lohse > Teixeira!) but the Mets remain 4.0 games up.

[Frayed Knot]

"(Lohse > Teixeira!)"

-- Except that Lohse left his first Philly game early after taking a liner off his arm

Phils also lost two OFers the other day as Victorino and (his replacement) Bourne went down in the same game. Not sure of the status of those two.

For the Braves; Renterea was limping badly as he left the field last night to the point where he might have to miss the series next week.
Of course if that happens I'm sure the Braves will just bring up some spare part from A-ball who'll hit .650 until E.R. is ready to go.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Well, it's not like I mean that. I think Atlanta got the best deadline reinforcements in the big leagues and Philadelphia is kidding themselves. It's just that, you know, the games still have to be played.

This is a fascinating position for the Mets right now. Beltran's injury is awful, but if they play solid ball without him, this experience for Milledge could be a godsend.

Edited August 3, 2007 by Guest

[Elster88]

Frayed Knot wrote: Meanwhile, since TBS is an official MLB partner starting with this playoff year, they keep breaking in to show Barry NOT hitting HRs from the left coast.

The one good thing about Bonds breaking the record will be not having to see any more of his at-bats.

[Guest Iubitul]

Elster88 wrote: ="Frayed Knot"]Meanwhile, since TBS is an official MLB partner starting with this playoff year, they keep breaking in to show Barry NOT hitting HRs from the left coast. The one good thing about Bonds breaking the record will be not having to see any more of his at-bats.

A career ending injury would serve the same purpose, and would be more pleasing...

[G-Fafif]

The snippiness in Skip Caray's voice describing the Mets beating the Cubs today is worth the cost of basic cable.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

I'd rather a career ending federal indictment. Iubie ... I'm surprised you'd
wish harm on another for pleasure ...

[Frayed Knot]

One thing that's happening with this Bonds "chase" is that ESPN2 feels obligated to carry all his games - something I suspect is so that when it does happen they'll have their announcers on the call which they can then re-play more often than the Russ Hodges/Bobby Thompson call (to the exclusion of any local calls of course) and therefore feel as though they can claim to "own" that moment. I'm almost shocked that Chris Berman isn't being air-lifted in since we all know that any moment he is part of automatically becomes that much bigger.

The good thing about it all is that it's more late-night baseball available.
The bad is that they're treating it exactly as you'd expect they would: as the Bonds record chase being interrupted by a silly baseball game. At several points during the game they're filling non-Bonds ABs with split-screen, talking head statements by various folks about Bonds -- with talking head inset much larger than picture of on-going game of course.

[Guest Iubitul]

Kid Carsey wrote: I'd rather a career ending federal indictment. Iubie ... I'm surprised you'd wish harm on another for pleasure ...

You're right Kase - this thing with Bonds has brought out the worst in me. I'm sick of the constant coverage of this cheater on the verge of breaking the record of, by all accounts, an honorable man. It's just not right.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

I was just funnin' with ya, I wish he'd hit a few homers and go shrivel up
somewhere and get it over with.

[DocTee]

I think it's funny that ESPN will interrupt another baseball game to bring you a Bonds AB live, but only give you a "ticker" across the bottom of the screen--detailing balls and strikes, but with no video--during the X Games.