Frayed Knot

With Darvish + Kershaw + Jansen available for tomorrow, momentum definitely just shifted towards LA.

Not only are the Astros NOT coming back against Jansen tonight but, with only 10 pitches to get the first four outs, they're not taking him out of tomorrow's game either. oe: Now five outs on just 15 pitches

d'Kong76 wrote: I put the whammy on this game at the 10:14 mark. You forgot about the fact that seventh innings are when games get the brakes slammed on.

How horrid would it have been if they flagged the Houston runner for taking out Utley on that slide and reversed the call?

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Big sac fly there. Yeah, but off the bat I thought it was going to be bigger.

If the minor leaguers (3) the Astros gave in the Verlander trade go on to win 9 MVPs, this trade will still be worth it.

Kitaen is her actual name. Tawny, not surprisingly, is not (Julie). Looking her up thru IMDB, she had two kids with Chuck Finley and both had links to their own IMDB pages so I clicked thinking, let's find out what they've done in the acting world. Turns out that both of their credits consist solely of being on 'Celebrity Rehab'. Can't say I'm surprised.

41Forever wrote: I know that Flexen was rushed and was needed to fill the rotation hole, but he had a fair number of starts in the majors. Seems like he had nearly as much time on the roster as Smith or Rosario. What makes him still on the prospect list, but not the other two? Is it because Flexen will likely head back to the minors and the other two are likely staying in New York? No, it's purely based on what has happened (ML time) not what might. For pitchers the threshold might be 50 innings, Flexen had 48

BA is first out of the blocks as they're starting with the NL East this year. 1 - Andres Giminez - SS 2 - David Peterson - LHP 3 - Justin Dunn - RHP 4 - Pete Alonso - 1B 5 - Thomas Szapucki - LHP 6 - Mark Vientos - SS/3B 7 - Marcos Molina - RHP 8 - Desmond Lindsay - OF 9 - Chris Flexen - RHP 10 - Luis Guillorne - 2B/SS The individual write-ups are behind their pay wall so there's not a lot of details to be found there aside from the idea that the system is currently in a downward trend following the numerous 'graduations' over the last few seasons and specifically of Rosario (1), Smith (2), and Nimmo (5) this past year. STRENGTHS: The Mets used recent first-round picks on college lefthanders Anthony Kay and David Peterson, who pair with Thomas Szapucki to give the club southpaw depth they haven't seen in years. The Mets' international program continues to funnel prospects through the system, particularly projectable Latin American shortstops like Andres Gimenez, Ronny Mauricio and Sebastian Espino. WEAKNESSES: After graduating the likes of Michael Conforto, Steven Matz, Amed Rosario and Noah Syndergaard (and trading Michael Fulmer) in the past three years, the system lacks blue-chip prospects. In particular, the Mets are short on power bats (aside from Pete Alonso) and top-of-the-rotation-type arms.

Still haven't really decided how I'm rooting here except for my usual preference for a long series which, at this point, has already happened. Instead my rooting interests tend to vary with each game, like pulling for the Astros in Game 5 because I didn't want to see the Dodgers sitting on a 3-2 lead with both remaining games at home. Now it's Houston with a chance to close it out and Verlander serving for the win so maybe I'll find myself leaning LA's way tonight even though I'd probably be happier if the Astros eventually prevail. And then, in order to avoid another 1:40 finish, I'm rooting for fewer mound conferences.

"That Game Was So Long" ... that the early innings of the IGT had posts from LF, WIDE BEEGEE, HOT CORNER, HOLY CHICKEN, SI METMAN, SWAN SWAN H, ROTBLATT, JOE TUNDRA, BIG RALPH, and the GIANT SQUIDLIKE CREATURE

Not all that surprising. His biggest problem as a spare outfielder is that, while his OBP is good, he doesn't play particularly good defense and doesn't hit for power. And, yeah, I was the one who suggested they go out and get him in the first place but that was right when they essentially lost four outfielders within a two week span and were desperate for warm bodies. Oh yeah, and he turns 36 right after New Years Not quite sure of the difference mentioned in that article over releasing him vs simply non-tendering him as that pretty much gets you to the same place. They also have the option to re-sign him without the money constraints of the arbitration process. Of course now they have to compete for him with the rest of the league but that doesn't figure to be a hot market.

He was a tough ol' bird. One of his signature moves following an inning-ending strikeout was to roll the ball back towards the mound but always on the opposite side of the infield from the other team's dugout. This made sure that the opposing pitcher would have to walk an extra 10-15 feet to pick up the ball and then the extra 10-15 feet back before he could start his warmups. It's obviously more a psychological thing than a real physical advantage but I'm not sure he ever failed to do it anyway.

His post game ritual will be to go home and tell his wife a joke. I guess for road games he'll have to call her, but will he wake her up after west coast games?

Phils to hire Gabe Kapler as their next manager. The muscle-man/OFer played for six different teams over 12 seasons from 1998 to 2010 Most recently he had been in the Dodgers front office TEAM MANAGERCONTRACTSTATUSANGELSMike Scioscia2018 ASTROSAJ Hinch2018ATHLETICS Bob Melvin 2019Signed ext for 2019 on 9/28/17BLUE JAYS John Gibbons 2019 + 2020 OptionBRAVESBrian Snitker 2017 + 2018 OptionOption for 2018 picked up on 10/5/17 BREWERS Craig Counsel 2020CARDINALS--- Mike Matheny 2020CUBS Joe Maddon 2019DBACKSTorey Luvello 2019DODGERS Dave Roberts 2018 + 2019 OptionGIANTSBruce Bochy 2019INDIANS Terry Francona2020MARINERS Scott Servais2018MARLINSDon Mattingly 2019METS [crossout]Terry Collins[/crossout] 2017Hired Mickey Callaway on a 3-year deal - Oct '17 NATIONALS[crossout]Dusty Baker[/crossout]2017Hired Dave Martinez to a 3-Year Contract - Oct '17ORIOLES Buck Showalter---2018PADRES Andy Green 2021Signed Extension Aug ‘17 PHILLIES [crossout]Pete MacKanin[/crossout] 2018 + 2019 Option ---=#0000FF]Gabe Kapler signed to a Three-Year ContractPIRATES Clint Hurdle 2021Signed 4 year extension - Sept ‘17 RANGERS Jeff Banister 2018 + 2019 Option RAYS Kevin Cash 2019 RED SOX [crossout]John Ferrell[/crossout] 2018Hired Alex Cora on a 3-year contract - Oct '17REDS Bryan Price 20182018 Option exercised - Sept ‘17 ROCKIES Bud Black 2019 + 2020 Option ROYALS Ned Yost 2018 TIGERS [crossout]Brad Ausmus[/crossout] 2017Ron Gardenhire hired - Oct '17 TWINS Paul Molitor 2017WHITE SOX Rick Renteria 2019YANKEES [crossout]Joe Girardi[/crossout]2017Will Not Return in 2018

The 10th inning pre-empted the network's 'Fox and Friends' morning show The last LA vs Houston football game had fewer huddles

And something less than 5:17 would be a better running time. Think Dave Roberts' bullpen might be feeling some effects from his 'formula' where he preemptively pulls effective starters after 4 innings?

And sometimes the pitching matchups you expect just don't materialize. On the downside ... it's taken them nearly two hours to play 4 innings.

[fimg=500:3bj4pj3c]https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/17796541_10155175952074253_1296781441171003126_n.jpg?oh=ad71f0a5afc0d9f4a301bf048a74e5d4&oe=5A61F36F[/fimg:3bj4pj3c] Not a great shot, but you can see the lack of pigmentation on the right side (our left) of his mouth. And those were the same spots that were similarly discolored in his beard. My father had two-toned hair. A patch right up front and center was basically pure white against his otherwise dark hair but seeing as how he never went bald nor shaved his head (that I know of) I don't know if the skin underneath was similarly off color. It also didn't start growing like that until he was 8 or 9 years old so who knows what triggered it, I only know that many of his friends used to tease me about when my very light-colored childhood hair was going to sprout a dark patch.

Edgy MD wrote: [*]Jerry Grote, as we've previously discussed, had a couple of spots on his face that had no pigment. This would become more pronounced as the summer wore on and his face would tan but these spots would just turn pink. And even more pronounced in his retirement when those sections of his beard came in pigment-less too.

Mex17 wrote: You have to figure that, if he left a job that he still had (bullpen coach for Cleveland), that there had to have been some sort of assurance that there would be a place for him in the Mets organization, don't you think? Not really. First of all it's not clear from that linked article that the job was still his and that he simply chose to walk away from it. He was likely on a one year deal (I suspect most 'lesser' coaches are) so when it says "they parted ways" that's more likely to be the club's decision than his. I'm not saying that Callaway could have guaranteed the pitching coach job for him, but maybe he said to Bere that he could get him an interview and that bullpen coach or minor league pitching coordinator would be on the table if they went in another direction for pitching coach. At the very least, my guess is that Callaway is vouching for Bere and Bere is going to interview for something. If Callaway recommended Bere then, sure, it'll probably help him land an interview with the Mets (although that the Mets will talk to him is merely speculation in the article). But he didn't have to preemptively leave Cleveland based on just that since they'd likely let him leave anyway for the promotion of the PC job and I doubt he'd dump one bullpen job merely for the possibility of a different one.

Centerfield wrote: If you really don’t know what that gesture means, and have trouble seeing it, even on replay, then I don’t know what else to say. Yeah, I'm aware of what the gesture means. I get out of my ivory tower every once in a while and read up on stuff like that before locking myself back in. What I'm saying is that if I was looking at it live I would have (and did) miss it, and even after being informed of what and where to look I still wasn't sure if that's what he was doing.

After hiring Matt Williams because he reportedly didn't want a recycled manager, Nationals GM turned to veteran Dusty Baker only to back out of that after just two years even though they produced 94 & 97 win seasons. Well now that team has turned back to another first-time in Dave Martinez. They had reportedly also interviewed hitting coach Kevin Long and recently canned Red Sox skipper John Farrell Born in NYC, raised in Florida, Martinez was a long-time player [16 seasons from '86 - '01 with the Cubs, Expos, Reds, Giants, ChiSox, Rays, Cubs again, Rangers, Blue Jays, and Braves] and since has been the bench coach with Joe Maddon on both the Rays & Cubs and a frequent managerial interviewer. TEAM MANAGERCONTRACTSTATUSANGELSMike Scioscia2018 ASTROSAJ Hinch???ATHLETICS Bob Melvin 2019Signed ext for 2019 on 9/28/17BLUE JAYS John Gibbons 2019 + 2020 OptionBRAVESBrian Snitker 2017 + 2018 OptionOption for 2018 picked up on 10/5/17 BREWERS Craig Counsel 2020CARDINALS--- Mike Matheny 2020CUBS Joe Maddon 2019DBACKSTorey Luvello 2019DODGERS Dave Roberts 2018 + 2019 OptionGIANTSBruce Bochy 2019INDIANS Terry Francona2020MARINERS Scott Servais2018MARLINSDon Mattingly 2019METS [crossout]Terry Collins[/crossout] 2017Hired Mickey Callaway on a 3-year deal - Oct '17 NATIONALS[crossout]Dusty Baker[/crossout]2017=#0000FF]Hired Dave Martinez - Oct '17ORIOLES Buck Showalter---2018PADRES Andy Green 2021Signed Extension Aug ‘17 PHILLIES [crossout]Pete MacKanin[/crossout] 2018 + 2019 Option ---Signed ext in May '17 -- Will not return in 2018PIRATES Clint Hurdle 2021Signed 4 year extension - Sept ‘17 RANGERS Jeff Banister 2018 + 2019 Option RAYS Kevin Cash 2019 RED SOX [crossout]John Ferrell[/crossout] 2018Hired Alex Cora on a 3-year contract - Oct '17REDS Bryan Price 20182018 Option exercised - Sept ‘17 ROCKIES Bud Black 2019 + 2020 Option ROYALS Ned Yost 2018 TIGERS [crossout]Brad Ausmus[/crossout] 2017Ron Gardenhire hired - Oct '17 TWINS Paul Molitor 2017WHITE SOX Rick Renteria 2019YANKEES [crossout]Joe Girardi[/crossout]2017=#0000FF]Will Not Return in 2018

d'Kong76 wrote: Personally, I think it should have been the two WS home games. Five games in April isn't a punIshment, it's a cop out. A longer suspension during the season, as opposed to two games now, hits the player harder but the team less, which I think is the right idea. Plus, since the players don't get paid per-game during the post-season in the way that they do during the season, the five-gamer hits him in the wallet as well (a shade over 3% of his pay). I'm OK with it.

The tabloid headline RASPBERRY BERE is just tailor made for his first screw up.