Baseball in the Daytime: Six Packs and Kittens

We, the House of Georges staff, love two things: day baseball and pussy. On the rare occasions that we can combine those two things, well, just call it utopian. It's like barbecue on your chicken, relish on your dog. The peculiar thing about the cat on the field at the K last night was all of the running it did. Most cats I know would've just laid down and looked around for something to eat. What we couldn't see from the cameras must've been folks approaching it. It was pretty amazing considering all of the entryways any kind of creature would have to get past to actually make it onto the field at a professional baseball game.

Now, I took in my first T-Bones game a week ago today, and I could've walked in there with firearms clipped to my belt and a bag of cocaine hanging from my neck with 14 cats in tow and nobody would've said a word. Anyway, it's almost lunch time, so let's crack open today's six pack and peep who's on the diamonds across America, just after the jump.

Minnesota @ Cleveland, 11:05 Central: Some good old A.L. Central gets us underway as the 8-5 Nick Blackburn has just delivered his first pitch. The right-hander's E.R.A. is pushing 10 through his last three starts, but not to worry: his righty counterpart today is Fausto Carmona, who has perhaps been the biggest starting-pitcher surprise/disappointment over the last two seasons. Now, he's been hurt, and he plays for Cleveland, but come on. He's 2-6, with a 7.13, and +10 over his last three. Minnesota could use the win, currently three and-a-half back of first-place Detroit. DirecTV would love you to join them on channel 721. XM's more impartial: crank it to 176 if you feel like it.

Florida @ Washington, 11:35: Half an hour later, two more righties'll go at it. In this tilt at Nationals Park, Chris Volstad gets the nod for the visitors while Craig Stammen shows his stuff for the worst team in baseball. Volstad looks for win number nine, which would help the six-games-back Marlins. If the Nats log the W, they'll be under five games away from handing the title to the Royals. Seven twenty-two and 723 are your DTV digits. XM keeps it cool and easy with some 183.

Colorado @ Philadelphia, 12:05: In the city of brotherly steak and cheese, the defending champs look to both help the San Francisco Giants and distance the Florida Marlins. That is, the Colorado Rockies refuse to be put out of the race in the West -- just half a game behind S.F. -- and they're not interested in losing today, either. Aaron Cook's on the mound. He's looking for win number 11, but new Phil Cliff Lee seeks his 10th. I have a feeling these two teams might meet up in the first round of the post-season, but I'll have to check with October-baseball expert Dane Cook to see what his crystal ball reveals. Anyhoo, catch this hot N.L. action on DirecTV 213, or on the fancy MLB.TV. If you're just listening, it's XM 184.

Baltimore @ Detroit, 12:05: Same time, different zone, the Tigers and the O's will grapple for some mid-day ball. Righty Rick Porcello takes the hill for the home team, while righty David Hernandez goes for B'more. Porcello has put together a quietly impressive season, going 9-7, 4.36, especially considering Detroit doesn't exactly score a ton of runs. Hernandez, on the other hand, isn't having a bad rookie campaign himself. He's 3-3 with an E.R.A. just over three, and hoping to give last-place Baltimore another reason to think that they just might turn the corner next year. Catch today's righty-on-righty matchup on DirecTV 724, 725, or put an ear to the play-by-play on XM 177.

Los Anaheim @ Chicago, 1:05 Speaking of run support, Ervin Santana will gladly take two helpings of that in an effort to bury his miserable season thus far. He's been hurt, his E.R.A. is a lofty seven-plus, and he's lost double the starts he's won, all for a team that's four runs shy of plating 600. Jon Danks, however, has cruised to a 9-7 mark with a cool four even in the earned-run-average category. The Angels aren't quite at that sail-on-in-to-the-division-title spot yet, but if they can knock of Danks and the pesky OzzieGuillens today, it'll be one more step in that direction. DirecTV has this one on 727 and 728, while XM says "We like our Anaheims grilled, with some 185 sauce."

Texas @ Oakland, 2:35: Last but not least, it's the club that's chasing the Halos: the Texas Rangers. They're four and-a-half back, a solid 12 wins over .500 and they'll send out righty Tommy Hunter for pitching duty in today's game. The other California team gives Trevor Cahill the nod, and like his teammates, he's got his work cut out for him. The A's do have a three-game winning streak going, but they'll need some good stuff from the 6-10 Cahill today, whose E.R.A. is at five and rising. Hunter's gone 2-1 with an even three over his last three starts, and you can learn more about both of these guys -- like what they look like -- on DirecTV 729, or at least listen about them on XM 178.

And that's a wrap. Another sixer of Thursday ball in the books. Please enjoy your day baseball responsibly.