Baseball In The Daytime: 5-1-08
After the game previews, We'll also dissect the strength of Cecil's fantasy baseball team and why he's kicking the shit out of me this week. So advance past first and smoke 'em if you got 'em...
LA Dodgers @ Florida, 10:10 Mountain I watched quite a bit of the Dodgers-Marlins game last night (please don't ask me why) and I noticed that while very empty, Dolphins Stadium was not quite as barren as usual. Have these still-barely-first-place Fish captured the hearts of South Florida? Or have years of training in Vero Beach left a core of local Dodger fans? We may never know. Don't expect attendance records today, what with the early getaway start time and Burke Badenhop on the mound (Hiroki Kuroda goes for the Dodgers).
Tampa @ Baltimore, 10:35 Baseball is all abuzz with the ascendancy of the Bay Rays, and with good reason. This team has never been relevant in any fashion. The '08 version has the requisite young position player talent, including future All-Star Evan Longoria. But the big difference has been in the pitching staff--the rotation has been solid and the pen spectacular, and ace Scott Kazmir has yet to throw a pitch in anger (he'll come off the DL this weekend). Matt Garza, obtained from Minnesota in the Delmon Young trade, seeks a win today, a win that will be contested by Brian Burres of the O's.
Kansas City @ Texas, 12:05 The wheels have come off in KC, and all we're waiting for is the annual Posnanski column signaling the end of the Royals' season. On the plus side, that piece has normally already run by now--improvement! The odds are good we can wait another day for the Poz obituary, as Sir Sidney Ponson, the Rangers' obese Aruban gas can, gets the nod this afternoon. Opposing His Royal Highness is your Royal starter Zach Grienke.
Milwaukee @ Chicago Cubs, 12:20 Finally, at the Friendly Confines, we wrap up the series between the Cubs and the Brewers. While well-paid monster starter Carlos Zambrano (Big Z, in the parlance of the times) represents the North Side nine, Milwaukee turns to young Yovani Gallardo. Gallardo has pitched well this season (0.64 ERA in two outings), yet his teammates with bats tend to hang him out to dry (1 run of support in said outings).
Fantasy Update Gallardo and Greinke are also starting today for the Fort Meast Blood Badgers, the fantasy baseball team of your favorite writer and mine, Cecil. I'm somewhat less of a Cecil fan this week, as his Badgers are absolutely devouring Making Noises for Moises--my club. Cecil's boys are leading this head-to-head league with a stellar .705 winning percentage, and it's not hard to see why. It's the sticks.
Fort Meast leads the Ted Williams Frozen Head league in runs scored, homers, batting average and OPS--even after trading slugger Pat Burrell to me. Now while many of his hot starters most likely won't last (Nate McClouth, Carlos Quentin, Geovany Soto), his high picks have failed to bust (Brian Roberts, Aramis Ramirez, Carl Crawford). Cecil leads the league in free agent transactions and has effectively rounded out his roster with gems like Erick Aybar, but it was his low-round picks of Conor Jackson and Longoria that have paid off the most. Asshole.
The pitching staff is impressive, just not as dominant. The big score is Ervin Santana, who ran his record to 5-0 last night. While the bullpen has not put up huge numbers, it should improve with Joba Chamberlain, Doug Brocail and Scott Downs (holds count in this league, so middle relievers are valuable).
Cecil has never made the playoffs in the Ted, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary. He's a serious threat this time around, with a good draft and a tremendous amount of hustle and research. Is he ready to take the next step? It's a long haul, but all you can do is hit the yard everyday and Play Ball!
12 comments:
Thank you...thank you (accepts flowers).
I'd just like to say thanks to the Angels fan that frequents this blog who dropped Ervin to the waiver wire after about two weeks. Did you two have an argument in line at In-N-Out Burger?
You're welcome? Errr, I never owned Ervin. I believe the fool that dropped Santana was the guy 7 said was so old, he owned Willie Mays on his plantation.
I don't think Ervin eats at In-N-Out either, unless you're referring to another man's bum. Just sayin', he's verrrry metro.
The Kordell Stewart of Orange County.
More like OC's Gerardo, but with oiled men in banana hammocks dancing around him, instead of those hot latinas.
Aha. Even better, it was the Methuselah of Masonville.
Why'd I think it was you? Did it have to do with Ron Paul?
While he's a staunch baseball fan, I don't believe Ron Paul supports Ervin's extra curricular activities. I think he's more of a Nolan Ryan candidate, you know, a common sense, limited government type of guy.
Speaking of The Ted Williams Frozen head League... I'm not so sure Rustoleum's pick up, Nick Adenhart, was such a wise decision. He wasn't very effective tonight.
Why does Ron Paul hate Robin Ventura so?
And is this suspicion about Ervin grounded in any actual info? Did you see him shopping for Hummels wearing a cardigan?
The Santana thing is all hypothesis, grounded on the chronic manscaping, girlish giggles, hands on teammates ass ratio, and hip wink every third or fourth stride. Oh yeah, and he rolls around town with a convertible 6 series BWM full of half clothed oily dudes.
Ron Paul hates Ventura because he doesn't obey the constsitution, and he supports George Bush's "War of Terror".
Robin Ventura is the biggest enemy of freedom since Ed Kranepool.
True indeed. Ed, a teammate of Ryan's in that magical year, 1969.
All Mets, ex- or otherwise, should be immediately deported.
No sir, long live Nails Dykstra!
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