Milkman delivers

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 09:53 PM) Just like Jon Garland in 2004 really isn't it. Hopefully we can see the same improvement in Javy that we saw with JG in 2005. It's not like Garland was about 7 years younger at that point than Vazquez is now.

Vazquez pitched in a pretty big park in a division that, for years, only had one good team (the Braves). Oh, and in the NL. He had no pressure on him, and he was in a pretty good position to succeed, IMO. Comparing Vazquez to Contreras is almost a slap in the face of the Count.

QUOTE(Jake @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 09:43 PM) Have you seen how many times runners have chosen not to attempt an extra base on him this year as well? Well, I guess you got me there. I don't know of any stat that can tell us one way or the other. We just have to go with our eyes. Your eyes tell you he's a threat to baserunners. My eyes tell me he's nowhere near the defender he used to be. He's painfully slow and I have seen too many runners go 1st to 3rd and 2nd to home on him.

QUOTE(DBAH0 @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 09:35 PM) To pick up his option. We'd be insane not to, considering what he could get on the open market. Oh, ok. Yes, of course. His offense has been spectacular this year. QUOTE(Jake @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 09:37 PM) Jermaine sucks. He can't throw out runners remember? Have you seen how many times runners have advanced an extra base on him this year? It's happened quite a lot. He doesn't seem to get to the ball fast enough, or he doesn't come up firing when he gets there. And he's extremely slow out in RF this year.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 09:21 PM) Jermaine's making the decision pretty gosh darn easy too. What's the decision?

One of the ugliest wins you're ever going to see. But, a win's a win. We sure needed it.

And just like that, we're looking good. 1 more out.

If we do lose, I'd just say this isn't our year.

Grand, leadoff walk.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 07:15 PM) Some bad luck on that vicious rocket by Dye. It's ok though, we had two bloopers benefit us that inning. Mackowiak is better in every single possible aspect right now. He really is. Defense, arm, average, OBP, power. He can even swipe a few bases at a decent clip.

Why can't Mackowiak get at least a few starts out in LF this year? Just see how it works out. He can't POSSIBLY do worse than Pods does.

This really is a seesaw type game.

I'm still trying to figure out what Pods does to warrant a spot on this team.

My Lord, Dye is slow.

With the haircut, I think Crede resembles Widger. I thought that was a bad omen. Way to come through.

I think, even with Anderson in CF, it's still just decent to good. Like fathom said, they can't throw runners out, especially at home, to save their lives. Pods is obviously a butcher in every sense out in LF. He does nothing well. I'm also very disappointed in Dye's defense this year. He seems to be running in quicksand, and I often feel that a lot of balls fall in front of him that he used to get to. Not to mention how many times it seems that runners move from 1st to 3rd on him on singles. He just doesn't seem to get to the ball fast enough or get ready for a throw to third.

There is something new wrong with this team in every game. If it's not the hitting, it's the pitching. If it's not the pitching, it's the fundamentals, or the defense, or the managing, or the situational hitting. There's just something in every game, and they never all click at once.

Well, that's acceptable. Cotts has definitely lost most of my confidence he built up last year.

Well, there's that wild pitch. Absolutely perfect.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Hawk just said Ozzie is hoping that Vazquez will give him a whole lot of innings tomorrow. Don't know if he meant it to be funny, but it was.

QUOTE(fathom @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 06:22 PM) Of course they should. Like you said, Cotts has been really bad recently. He's fallen in love against with his high fastball, and when your velocity is down a few mph, it's a lot more hittable. Cotts lose velocity, too? Has every single one of our pitchers from last year lost a few mph?

Cotts is not nearly the pitcher he was last year.

I know he's out now, so I'm coming a little late, but I have very little faith in McCarthy as a reliever. He just doesn't fit that role well at all.

Please explain.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jul 29, 2006 -> 11:47 AM) I don't know the exact numbers but I'm almost positive that the Marte-Cotts comparison ain't really that close. I think Neal has allowed about 30 percent of inherited runners to score this year, while Damaso allowed a ton more than that last season. EDIT: And by numbers I just mean the inherited runners to score since that is what Damaso did so poorly with last season. I pretty much mean that Thornton is the go-to lefty now. The guy we want out there in a pressure situation, the one I trust more. Didn't mean that Cotts is anywhere near as bad as Marte was last year. I pointed out about a month ago that it seems like Ozzie trusts Thornton more than Cotts, and I stick by that.