Frayed Knot

"if he were to take the penalty on Thursday and then the first game of the DH on Friday, would he be allowed to play the 2nd game of the DH? " Yes -- it's two games, not two days.

About what I was expecting. I don't think they'll risk going that long without a legit backup, although I'm not sure who's on the 40-man (I doubt Sandy Almoar is). No word yet on whether or not he'll appeal. He couldn't play tonight (or tomorrow obviously) if he doesn't and players frequently do appeal these things if only to either time the suspension better or to get his version of the story on the record. I suspect he'll have some choice things to say about the ump evne though there's almost no chance that he'll get the sentence reduced.

Well, that's what happens when Igawa doesn't make it out of the 5th on Friday (the game they won), then have to go 13 innings on Saturday, and then have Mussina last only 5 on Sunday. They actually had Clemens warming up on Saturday but chose not to bring him in, before using him for the one inning on Sunday.

Maine - 3.8 Reyes - 1.7 Gomez - 1.3 Valentin - 1.7 Easley - 1.0 Beltran - 0.5

]because they boast of every fucking thing the Yankees have ever accomplished, whether or not anyone else has accomplished it, and whether or not it’s an extraordinary achievement, or even worth accomplishing. The reason being that MFY fans are generally unaware of what else goes on with other teams since they view those teams as sort of satellite businesses (Michael Kay refers to Yankee stadium as "the home office for Major League Baseball") who only purposes are to provide sacraficial opponents for the chosen team and occasionally develop prospects for the Yanx to then acquire through one-sided trades or free agency. Just as an example of the above, I remember a bunch of years back when the Yanx beat Oakland with back to back HRs in the 9th. Isringhausen was their closer trying to protect a 1-0 shutout until David Justice hit the 1st pitch of the inning over the fence, then Bernie hit the 2nd for a dramatic win. So that game prompts a WFAN listener to call in the next day to crow about the win and declare it to be an example of "yankee magic" and something "you won't see in Queens" or anywhere else. The kicker to the whole deal was that this all occured just a few days after that Met 8-run 8th inning against Atlanta culminating in the Piazza PH-HR. The host - Russo to his ever-loving credit - at least had the recall to bring that game to the caller's attention as a way of showing that dramatic wins aren't neccesarily the sole property of pinstripers from the Bronx. The caller had no knowleadge of the Met comeback, a game that had happened in his very city only days earlier.

Be an interesting decision ... how long they're willing to risk going with only 1 catcher. 1 day maybe is my guess. Anything more than that you've got to get someone up here. Not even sure who the call-up would be (might depend on who's on the 40-man) or who the emergency guy would be from the current crew if the unthinkable did happen and there was no backup on the bench.

Cust giveth, and then taketh awayeth.

Told ya so, told ya so ! (not that that was entirely Cust's fault)

Ooooh, hit it to right field !!

You don't get to replace a suspended player. You just play a man short on that day(s).

Good thing they got rid of that Benitez guy ... SF Giants, looking to protect a 1-run lead in the 9th, turned to Brad Hennessey (the guy they traded Armando for) and the lead lasted all the way until the 3rd pitch which ARod deposited about 440 ft away in dead center. Giants eventually won in the 13th btw, Mr. 'can't hit in the clutch or in New York' is now 11 for 20 in 9th innings this season, including 7 HRs, 5 BBs & 18 RBIs. 2 of those HRs were walk-offs, another was a (on the road) game-winner, while this latest one tied a game.

OHernandez - 4.7 Wright - 1.4 Castro - 1.4 Beltran - 1.0 Wagner - 1.0 Feliciano - 0.2 Heilman - 0.3

Bonds hits 749, now needs 7 to tie, 8 to break. - So I hear about this via this morning's SportsCenter, which leads off their telecast with that game (big surprise) with the tease that Bonds had hit another HR and "It was a big one!". So I'm thinking that maybe he hit a late-game clout which brought the Giants back from their early deficit after I had gone to bed ... only to find out that it was a relatively meaningless solo shot narrowing a 6-2 NYY lead down to 6-3.. Sheesh! Also, Baltimore puts Miguel Tejada on the DL breaking his 5th longest ever consecutive games played streak. Tejada had taken a pitch off his wrist 2 games ago and was pulled from the game. However he played the next day taking only a 1st inning AB where he tried to bunt his way on and was then replaced in an obvious attempt to keep the streak going. Turns out, however, that the wrist is broken and the streak is over.

Rockies, owners of MLB's best record in June and having closed to within a couple games of the NL West lead, get 2 in the top of the 10th to take an 8-6 edge over Toronto. In comes closer Brian Fuentes to close it out: Frank Thomas pops out Matt Stairs singles Aaron Hill singles Curtis Thigpen singles - bases are loaded John McDonald singles: - Thomas scores; - the throw home to get Stairs is late and he score the tying run; - then the return throw to get Hill going to 3rd goes into the OF and he scores the winning run Wonder if that was a BIG game?

Glavine - 4.9 Green - 2.2 Beltran - 1.3 Delgado - 0.8 Reyes - 0.8

Fast game ... slow board.

Well crucify the insincere tonight Well make things right, well feel it all tonight Well find a way to offer up the night tonight The indescribable moments of your life tonight The impossible is possible tonight Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight

Florida hurler Anabel Sanchez out for the season (shoulder). Just typing that I realize how long it's been since we've seen anyone in the NL East. Just that one Philly series about 3 weeks ago.

Haven't read the linked articles, but yeah, he was a two-way threat in HS (as are a number of top players) although I remember all the talk was about drafting him as a SS. It was also a bit of a 'signability' pick. He was a local kid who agreed to a bonus before draft day even came around. Sucks to blow those #1 overall picks. Especially when it comes 1 slot ahead of Justin Verlander (2 ahead of Humber)

Pitching Matchups: Friday - Glvaine v DiNardo (L) 15 games, 4 starts, 2.21 ERA, 1.18 WHiP Saturday - Hernandez v Blanton ® 7-4, 3.43 ERA, 1.10 WHiP Sunday - Maine v Kennedy (L) 2-4, 3.62 ERA, 1.42 WHiP

- Rox now own MLB's best record over the last few weeks - Clemens actually gave up 3 runs, not 2 like I said earlier. He also became an answer to a trivia question when he singled after failing to get down a bunt: Oldest Yanqui ever to get a base-hit

Clemens only gave up 2 runs - both on solo HRs - but still somehow managed to throw nearly 100 pitches despite only going 4.1 IPs. That seems like it's going to be his major problem this year; not that he can't go 100+ pitches but that he's going to get there and the game's still only going to be half over. - Couple more hits from Matsui - Jeter oddly thrown out on the basepaths twice

]didn't Girardi refuse to interview for the Cubs' job last winter? I don't remember that (doesn't mean it's not true - but I think they had their eyes set on Lou all along). He did turn down the Nationals.

Edgy DC wrote: You say it's rare, but that's a 22-year-old precedent, only 33 games into the season, to a team in the opposite league, not a potential rival in midseason. I'd want compensation. Well it's the first example which jumped into my head - and this would be to the opposite league and a non-contender too. Can we come up with any examples where a team took it upon themselves to premptively prevent a coach-to-manger move? I doubt compensation would occur.

Teams will rarely prevent a coach from steeping out to a job that's a clear promotion as opposed to just a lateral move. See Valentine, Bobby circa 1985