Frayed Knot

They wouldn't "by definition" be minor league players if transfered to the AL because it's not like those players were only picked for MLB jobs after the 28 teams had already filled out their rosters. The two leagues are taking their players from the same pool of talent, not separate ones, and would share in the take if two NL clubs were to suddenly disappear and their talent be dispersed throughout MLB.

NYDN's Bill Madden not only praises the non-call on that "neighborhood" play at 2nd but does so seemingly because it gave the Yanx an extra chance to win: After all the egregious blown calls that have plagued the postseason, it was refreshing last night to see veteran umpire Jerry Layne make a gutsy safe call at second base on Melky Cabrera because Angels shortstop Erick Aybar didn't have his foot on the bag after making a potential double-play relay to first. In making the call that is seldom made, Layne not only gave the Yankees another life in the 10th inning but enabled Cabrera to be in scoring position for the potential game-winning run. It all proved moot, however, when Angels reliever Darren Oliver retired Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira. http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/columnists/madden/index.html#ixzz0UIJBdOUX

You're not going to turn two there dingbat - so why not go for the sure out?!!?!? Like I said before, teams seem to put 'Be Stupid' on their game plan when facing the Yanx

I'm getting the feeling this (12th) will be the last inning tonight - win, lose, or draw.

The only good thing about this one is that he didn't know it was out immediately and so couldn't look into the dugout with his 'how wonderful was that' plea for self-esteem reinforcement as he trotted down towards 1st.

And the train-wreck post-season for closers not named Rivera continues.

My favorite words: 'and here's the throw from Damon ...'

I would have sworn that Oliver was at least 38 back when he was pitching for us however many years ago.

If I were Darren Oliver and knew that was my last inning of work for the night I'd be lighting into that 2nd base ump during the entire length of the commercial break until he had no choice but to throw my ass out and then I'd make a scene for another two or three minutes after that.

Y'know, it's one thing to argue that the theory about calling the game differently in the final minutes of a hoop game, 3rd period of hockey, etc., is stupid and shouldn't be done, but this is just the opposite; it's calling something in the late moments of a tight game that NEVER gets called even in the middle innings of a Tuesday night in May.

Oh you gotta be kidding me!!!!!!

If the Yanx keep getting these cheesy-ass hits then this isn't going to end well.

This could be the first game ever postponed on account of Jose Molina

How does Molina stay so fat with all those trips to the mound? Dude's gotta be working on a 10K just tonight.

Coincidently, 27 is also the number of fans the 'Black Eyed Peas' would have if Fergie didn't look like she does.

Yanx are going for their 27th ... mound conference of the game.

LWFS (from the ALCS thread): "In Cholly's postseason world, EVERYBODY's potentially an OOGY. (I can understand this with, say, Ethier and his massive L-R splits.)" Interesting (8th) inning to look at as each of Manual's moves is defendable by itself - although almost all them wound up blowing up on him even as almost no one hit a ball hard. CH Park pitching: - Blake singled off the glove of Feliz at 3rd (could have been fielded although not an error) - Belliard, trying to sac bunt, got on via a single (1st & 2nd) - Martin hits a sure DP-ball which Utley throws away (tie game). A much worse error than the similar Game 1 play which was only partially his fault Eyre replaces Park to pitch to the LH Thome - Thome singles hard to RF (1st & 3rd) Out goes Eyre, in comes Madson - Furcal walks (bases loaded) - Kemp strikes-out He then goes to Happ against the split-challenged LH Andre Ethier - Ethier walks on a full-count to force in the go-ahead run Manual brings in Durbin against Manny - Ramirez pops out on the first pitch 5 pitchers, 8 batters. 3 hits, 2 walks. 2 runs, 1 earned. I don't know how long that half-inning took but it had to be 30 minutes or more all by itself.

Sad that an 8-1/2 inning game with a total of 5 runs scored going "only" 3 hours 18 minutes is described as "relatively quick" but that's what it's come to -- and for a Yanqui game that's practically the equivalent of speed chess. The 8-1/2 inning 2-1 NL game clocked in at 3:05. That one was actually moving along quite nicely until the Phils trotted out 5 different pitchers for the bottom of the 8th

Amazing how often MFY opponents put 'Play Like Shit' into their game plans. Angels look so bad they could qualify as Twins. LFer made an error, CFer made an error, pitcher made an error, and the SS & 3B combined to make an error and every fuckin one of them contributed to a run.

P.S. Dodgers win mostly due to a Chase Utley error and a few walks along the way.

I've seen video of Harper banking HRs off the wall behind the back rows of seats of the Trop dome in Tampa. I don't know if that means they were 570' but they were pretty damn big blasts. Of course all that means is that he's a big, strong boy with a nice swing; none of it proves he's ready for MLB before he can legally vote or even before he's of age to buy a drink.

X Dodger v. X Phillie is what I think of. Other Xs in this series Park Bowa Wolf Thome Werth Also Philly coach Davey Lopes who refused to complete the 1970s foursome of LA infielders in yesterday's first ball throwing ceremony. Garvey, Cey & Russell were trotted out to do the honors but Lopes, who was obviously in attendance, didn't want to be cavorting with the enemy at this time.