Anyone who has been watching my site for awhile has seen this graphic before. However, I think it’s time to update it for the 2008 season. I would like to think this applies. While you’re at it, take a listen to this wav file from the Simpsons. It too applies.
No time to write about this game, got too busy with other projects.
No time to write about this game, got too busy with other projects. I will add this picture, though.
No time to write about this game, got too busy with other projects.
Nope, I think the team still didn’t find it’s way to Baltimore, and the same imposters that were playing in their uniforms were out at Camden Yards getting mashed by the Orioles on Saturday night.
Unconfirmed rumors that the team was at the Aquarium in the Inner Harbor at game time could not be confirmed.
I’m not sure exactly what time the Rangers’ charter plane took off from the Metroplex on Thursday night for their destination in Baltimore, but apparently, the Texas Rangers team wasn’t on it. Oh, some guys were in Oriole Park wearing the Rangers’ uniform, but the actual team did not appear to be there. Whoever was wearing the uniforms were lethargic, they didn’t pitch well, and just generally looked like they were half asleep.
The guys wearing the Rangers’ uniforms got just six hits against Jeremy Guthrie. Two were by the guy wearing #22. The lone run was from the imposter wearing “Metcalf” on his back. Not much to talk about offensively here at all.
Pitching wise – We got bad outings by the guys wearing #46 & #57. The third guy who happened to be wearing #60 wasn’t all that great, either, but nowhere near as bad as 46 & 57.
Blah. Hopefully the Rangers can make the secondary flight and be there in time for Saturday’s game. They certainly weren’t there for Friday’s game.
As per my policy of the last few years, I don’t write about losses to the Yankees.
Although I will say this. Anyone else watching this game have flashbacks to the 1998 & 1999 playoffs? This game felt a LOT like those two games in our ballpark. The feel was exactly the same for me.
As per my policy of the last few years, I do not write about losses to the Yankees.
You know, after the euphoria of last night, I didn’t know what to expect out of Marlon Byrd tonight. Sometimes after a night like that, you get a flat 0-4 or 1-5 or something like that. But tonight, Byrd continued his positive vibe from last night into this game. Marlon was 3-4 with a walk, and three runs scored. He also stole two bases. It was quite the night offensively for him. No big grand slam or anything, but he was definitely felt. One of the runs scored was a gamble shot – he was almost thrown out by Bobby Abreu. Nice night again for Byrd.
As good as Byrd’s night was, it was positively awful for CJ Wilson. I know I’m jumping ahead (I generally tend to do my commentaries in game order). A lot has been said about CJ in the last few days. We’re hearing quotes like “He’s still our closer”, and “we’re going to work on a few things and get him back out there”. These are not real strong votes of confidence. Of course, he’s not helping himself. There’s talk that he might be hurt a little, but he doesn’t have that air of “closer” at the moment. Tonight’s performance certainly didn’t help things. 0.1 innings pitched, 1 hit batter (Arod), two walks, and one hit. A big one – a grand slam by Richie Sexson. Ugh. It was announced after the game that CJ Wilson was going to go on the disabled list. This could explain things, but he just hasn’t that “swagger”. Guess it’s Guardado time for awhile.
We had another efficient night at the plate. Rangers had eight runs, and we had only eight hits. Three of them were Marlon Byrd, two were David Murphy, and the other three were one each by Hamilton, Boggs, & Crush Davis. We actually were held mostly in check, but Yankee pitching gave up eight walks. That is NEVER good, and it’s hard to win when you give up that many walks.
One of the best performances of the night was Rangers starter Matt Harrison. Facing some of the best hitters in the league, he was fantastic. 6.1 innings pitched, five hits, two earned runs. Now *THAT* is a quality start. Great job by Matt. Hope those keep coming.
One of the greatest bits of the night was the fact that Alex Rodriguez hit into two 5-4-3 double plays (including the one that ended the game). He also was doubled off on a 5-4 line drive out. Gotta love that.
The Rangers are now six games over .500, and have won three in a row. We’re now only a game and a half behind the Yankees in the Wild card race. We still would have a lot of work to do on Wed & Thursday, but if we by some chance sweep the Yankees, we’ll pass them in the standings. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves quite yet on that one.
BTW, if you want some entertaining posts, check out the Yankees forums on mlb.com. After both games, there’s a ton of posts calling Girardi every name you can think of, wondering why they have Arod, you know. The kind of dumbass remarks you see on call in shows. It’s almost as amusing as Cowboys forums after one of their losses. Calling Matt Harrison a nobody or a “bum” I can understand. HOWEVER, the Yankee fans do show some real tastelessness with several remarks about Josh Hamilton. Specifically junk like this. Or like this. And ESPECIALLY this one. I had almost forgotten how dominant Yankee fans can be in the category of jerkoffs. I was blinded by the meteoric rise in jerkoff Red Sox fans the last few years that it clouded the original jerkoffiness of Yankees fans. Thanks for restoring my faith you twonks. Sigh.
Oh yeah, SUCK IT AGAIN, YANKEES!
Early on in this game, Vicente Padilla looked like he was really being squeezed by home plate umpire Andy Fletcher. It seemed like it to me. Especially in the first inning when there was a pitch that really should have ended the inning. It didn’t, and led to a run scoring that really shouldn’t have.
But that wasn’t the really interesting part. That came in the fifth, when at that point the score was 3-2 Yankees. Padilla was called for two straight balks in a row, and while I’m no balk expert, I find it unlikely they were both legit. That aside, Ron Washington came out and argued the second one, and got himself ejected. The second balk led to the one run the Yankees did get that inning. It really was a strange inning, but as odd as that seemed, the bottom half of the frame had a stranger play.
Ian Kinsler was up after a Ramon Vazquez single. Kinsler hit a ball that was initially ruled fair, and Pudge threw to second for an easy double play, because Kinsler didn’t go anywhere. There was a discussion, and the umps conferred, and ruled it was a foul ball. Replays showed that the ball hit him around the knee. He was ruled to still be in the batter’s box, but it was a real close shave call. He might have technically been in the box, but he was definitely on his way out when it happened. Kinsler ended up walking, and he was shortly followed by a three run home run by Michael Young – something that’s been missing again for the second straight year – Young’s power stroke.
This all followed the two run home run that David Murphy had in the fourth inning – a line shot that cleared the wall in right. So at this point, we’re up 5-4. It stayed that way for awhile until the top of the 8th when the Yankees tied it up on a solo home run by Xavier Nady, making it 5-5. It was a weird feeling then – the Yankees have always been known as a team that will beat the Rangers. Yet, that feeling was tempered by the feeling we have in 2008 of the team coming back an awful lot. So I wasn’t sure what to think at that point.
Before I get to the end of the game, I wanted to say something about the pitching. Padilla’s line was OK. Not great, but I think part of that was him being squeezed. His overall line was six innings, eight hits, one walk, and four earned runs. Struck out five. His last inning was the sixth, and his last few batters he had some extra gas in the tank. Padilla seemed to be at his best when he came out. He also threw 111 pitches, which in 100 degree heat, couldn’t have been any fun. So Padilla comes out, Jamey Wright pitches a scoreless inning, Frank Francisco pitched one inning, giving up the Nady home run. Eddie Guardado pitched the ninth, but in a non save situation.
Eddie ended up getting the win due to what happened in the bottom of the ninth. Domaso Marte (the other pickup from the Pirates on the team besides Nady) had pitched in the eighth, and didn’t allow any runs. You don’t use Rivera on the road in a tie game, so I guess Girardi decided to let him pitch the ninth, figuring they’d use Rivera in the 10th. Anyway, Milton Bradley led off as a pinch hitter; his first action in several games. He walked. What a shock. Was immediately replaced by Travis Metcalf as a pinch runner. Gerald Laird & Josh Hamilton also walked, surrounding a couple of outs made by Ian Kinsler & Michael Young. However, Marlon Byrd came up, and jacked a home run ball into Section 50 of the ballpark. This plated four guys – a walk off grand slam to take the game 9-5.
It was quite a cool shot watching Marlon get all kinds of excited. One always loves the big jumping pile of players (or the Flesh Pile as coined by Eric Nadel), but I got a kick out of watching Marlon Byrd high fiving people in the stands, almost knocking down Jim Knox in the process. Really laughed when Marlon stood there doing the bird wave to the fans in the stands. Loved that moment a lot.
Interesting that all nine of our runs came on three home runs. A two run shot (Murphy), a three run shot (Young), and a grand slam (Byrd). As for the Yankees? Screw ’em. They can lose, and miss the playoffs. Given that the new Steinbrenner running the shots seems to have inherited his dad’s penchant for foaming at the mouth, it ought to be interesting if/when the Yankees don’t make the playoffs. Will LOVE that.
One thing I totally forgot about when writing this article was that we FINALLY got to give games over .500 for the first time all season with this win. It also broke a ten game losing streak against the Yankees in Arlington.
And oh yes, SUCK IT, YANKEES!
