Weekend O-o-T-S

[Frayed Knot]

Some highlights from around the league


* The now 2nd place Phillies play host for 3 games to the Chipper-less, Hudson-less, Smoltz-less, Glavine-less, Hampton-less Braves (not to mention Andruw-less & Furcal-less).
Some rumors see this as a make-or-break deal for Atlanta to the point where a sweep or even a bad two-losses-of-three could push them into 'Sell' mode (read: Teixeira) before the deadline.

* Florida (2 GB) got started in Chicago yesterday by losing the first of a 4-game set. Kerry Wood just put on the DL.

* DBacks (50-51) and Dodgers (49-52; 1 GB) get supposedly easy opponents (Giants & Nats) in an attempt to see if someone actually wants to win the NLWest.

* Brewers, who have passed StL (just swept 'em) and are on the Cubbies' tail (1 GB), ride their 10 game winning streak into Houston


In the AL:
* 2nd place (by pct pts) Boston gets the 3rd place (3 GB) Yanx for 3 -- Chamberlain, Pettitte & Ponson match up with Beckett, Wakefield & Lester.
Posada back to the DL, Ortiz coming off.

* Rays try to re-right their ship in KC

* Detroit (52-49; 3rd place; 5.5 GB) hosts 1st place ChiSox in a test to see if their mid-season resurection can continue.

[Elster88]

someone beat me to my post.

[Frayed Knot]

* McCann's 2 HRs dumps Phils

* Florida comes back on Cubs and tie Phils for 2nd (2 GB)
Cubbies used this pitcher Samardzija - the Notre Dame wideout they paid big bucks to lure out of a potential NFL career - in the 7th inning of a 1-run game for his MLB debut. He gave up the tie with 1 run over 2 IPs. Hermida then hit a 9th inning PH HR off of Howrie for the win.

* Houston killed the Beermakers' winning streak - so all three top Central teams lost and stay the same in relation to each other.

* Both the Dodgers & DBacks won. Snakes back to .500



* MFYs win 1-0 in Boston on a cheesy hit by G-I-am-bi, something John Sterling tried to tell his audience was intentional as if he meant to hit a 45-hopper to the abandoned spot near SS.
Joba "accidently" buzzed one at Youkilis's head for at least the 4th time in his short career (conveniently during the last inning he'd pitch). Normallly you'd think that Damon/Jeter would have to be on their toes during the opening ABs of today's game except the Sox are almost unarmed with Wakefield going today, but if they get a lead and a hard-throwing reliever out there ...

* Rays won so they have a 1-game lead back. They're no doubt hoping to beat up on the Royals while the other two kick the shit out of each other.

* Tigers were up by 1 until Todd Jones served up a 2R-HR to Jermaine Dye with 2 outs in the 9th. Oooh that's gotta hurt.

[soupcan]

Hampton scheduled to toe the slab -v- Hamels today.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

soupcan wrote: Hampton scheduled to toe the slab -v- Hamels today.

From Shysterball:

]I have no idea what's gonna happen tomorrow, but my suggestion is to take any malady from the first list, and match it up with any body part from the second, and you'll stand a pretty decent chance of being correct: List 1 Strained Pulled Torn Dead Gooey Ruptured Lazy Swimmer's Racked Twingy List 2 Elbow Spleen Butt Pectoral Achilles Quad Solar Plexus Groin Nards Ear

[Guest AG/DC]

If you had a case of Swimmer's Spleen, you wouldn't be laughing.

Seriuosly, if Hampton performs, he could end up right back on the trading block. It's the last guaranteed year of his ridonculous contract, Atlanta could cover a chunk of his remaining salary, and Colorado already has guaranteed to pay his 2009 buyout. He could get one more start in before the deadline to re-assure the gun-shy, everybody in the NL west are desperate and the Dodgers are rich, greedy, and kinda stupid, like Daffy Duck.

[Guest Vince Coleman Firecracker]

AG/DC wrote: Dodgers are rich, greedy, and kinda stupid, like Daffy Duck.

Daffy Duck is rich?

[Guest AG/DC]

[Frayed Knot]

Elmer J. Fudd is rich.
He's a millionaire who owns a mansion and a yacht.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Phillies jumped out to a 3-run lead today, but Hamels has given up six so far in the fourth; Braves still batting with two on and one out.

Meanwhile, Marlins defeat Cubs in 12 innings.

[Zvon]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The Phillies jumped out to a 3-run lead today, but Hamels has given up six so far in the fourth; Braves still batting with two on and one out. Meanwhile, Marlins defeat Cubs in 12 innings.

PHABRAAM!

Teixeira with a 3 run dinger makes it 9-3.
WOOT!

[Benjamin Grimm]

And look who's pitching for the Braves: Mike Hampton!

[Guest KC]

FOX should run another one of the games they have on any given Saturday
on FX. There are too many times on a Saturday afternoon when I'm just
sick and tired of watching the Yankees and/or listening to Joe/Tim and would
much rather be watching a National League game of importance.

[Frayed Knot]

Atlanta's 9 run 4th is followed by a 7-run 5th by Philly and it's 10-9 Phils in the 7th.

[Benjamin Grimm]

And that's a final in Philly: Phils win 10-9.

Sheesh.

[Frayed Knot]

Marlins at Cubs is the Sunday afternoon TBS game of the week.
Soriano's 3R HR (off Vanden Hurk) just tied up the game at 5, answering Mike Jacobs' earlier 3R HR (Marquis)

Cubs start the day tied with the Brewers in the Central.
Fish 1 game (now 1-1/2) in back of the Mets.

[Zvon]

I'll tune that in.

Phils game has not been called yet and I'll keep an eye on that too.

[Frayed Knot]

* Phils stage a big comeback again (they were down 5-0 at one point) and win another CBP special 12-10.
McCann knocked loopy by 2 seperate home plate collisions - the 2nd one was on the receiving end of a helmet-to-helmet from Victorino. He's out with "slight concussion" (that's what we first heard about Church)

* Florida loses their slug-fest in Chicago. 2 Mike Jacobs HRs and another by Uggla were topped by ones from Soriano & Lee and finally a bases-clearing 7th inning PH double by Mike Fontenot. The rookie Samardizjia got the save in his 2nd outing.
They split a 4-game series

* Brews lost 2 of 3 in Houston.
Cubs have 1 game lead over Brews as the teams will meet for 4 in Milwaukee starting tomorrow.

[Fman99]

I am enjoying watching the MFY's flail about in Beantown against the Sawx. It helps that Joe Morgan is off this week to be in Cooperstown. ESPN has former Mets Orel and Steve Phillips in the booth in his stead.

[Frayed Knot]

The Yanx have been walking on eggshells with Ponson since he got there. He was giving up close to 2 baserunners an inning for a while and managing to win anyway. We let that fat bastard off the hook in our game too.
Nice to see him finally getting his ass kicked tonight (7-0 in the 4th).

[metirish]

Fman99 wrote: I am enjoying watching the MFY's flail about in Beantown against the Sawx. It helps that Joe Morgan is off this week to be in Cooperstown. ESPN has former Mets Orel and Steve Phillips in the booth in his stead.

Did you happen to catch the BBTN studio when they sent it over to Fenway to talk to Phillips , Miller and Hershiser? , the camera was on them from a high angle looking down as the three of them crowed into the booth , the funny thing was when they cut to Hershiser to talk about Lester his face looked really weird as he talked. It could have been the camera angle though.