G&T

I guess Ozzie has been right about the pitchers.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 8, 2006 -> 09:30 PM) I, as well, feel strangely confident in MacD. MacDougal has shown nothing to me since he's been here. I see a guy with a ton of stuff that has never pitched a game that mattered in the bigs. I can't trust that.

QUOTE(Jake @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 09:31 PM) Mark was screwed several times by the ump in that inning, not to mention whatever happened with the balk. I don't agree. None of those pitches had been called all night and he kept throwing them in the same spot and got the same result. That's Mark's fault. As for the balk, I have no clue. He's a lefty so he had to know where PK was. I don't get that.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:40 PM) What happened to the extra velocity he had last year? 2 mph can make all the difference between a broken bat grounder or a rocket single. With that velocity at the end of last year, Contreras was able to throw that sinker in on the hands of righties, and they could only hit it to Crede. Now, we see #8 hitters like Aaron Hill hitting rockets to left field to score two runs. He was still dominant at the beginning of the year. It wasn't until the back injury that his velocity dropped.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:37 PM) At the end of last season, Contreras' fastball was in the 95-97 mph range, and he typically only threw that and his forkball. I watched the highlights the other day of his amazing Twins start towards the end of the season, and he looked like a completely different pitcher than he is now. Contreras also had the back problem, but he can still get it up there 93-95.

QUOTE(rafacosta @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:29 PM) If we had a f****** lead off hitter...get Pods out of the leadoff spot...go with Mack or anybody that can at least try to get on base and don't K looking too much...crap... Unless Mack was gonna jump real high and catch those homers, he wasn't going to help tonight. I don't disagree with your premise in general, it's just not doing anything tonight.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:24 PM) That was a long time ago, and the steroid era gave everyone more strength/stamina than they have now. The Braves have seen their pitching deteriorate almost every season for quite a while now. However, they also had the advantage that two of their starters are soft-tossers...and future HOFers. It wasn't that long ago...and the Btaves pitchers simply got old. These guys aren't old. And there's no proof that any pitchers on either team were on steroids. Not that it means anything, but there's no proof.

QUOTE(fathom @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:18 PM) General managers would be wise to look to break up the starting pitching rotation/bullpen if their team had a long postseason run the season before. It's amazing how many guys seemingly lose their stuff from one year to the next in these situations. The Yankees won 3 WS in a row. The Braves won 15 consecutive divisions. I'm not buying it.

QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:17 PM) HAwk should have complained on that pitch. Hawk has missed complaining about quite a few strikes that weren't called when the Sox were batting.

QUOTE(CWSOX45 @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:14 PM) I just got off work.....how long did Buehrle go? Someone please tell me that Ozzie pulled him before he imploded....then again I wouldn't be surprised if he kept him in too long.... I think you can tell by the tone of the thread.

QUOTE(sircaffey @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:12 PM) I can't figure out whether I like that or not. Should I be rooting for Detroit or Minny? Doesn't matter. If the Sox don't win they won't make the playoffs. If Minny doesn't make it, New York or Boston will.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:09 PM) Does this team and its manager have a clue that we dont have a 15 game lead to blow this year. I really don't think Ozzie knows that.

Solid double play

QUOTE(RockRaines @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 08:04 PM) Blame Ozzie all you want. Mark f****** sucks. His whole performance over this last month and a half f****** blows. He has s*** for pitches, tips every time he throws a change, and thinks that 4 inches off the plate is the corner. Here's my problem with this: when a guy is going bad, a manager has to work with the knowledge that something bad is probably going to happen. Just like with Vazquez, Ozzie doesn't seem to get it.

This is ridiculous. Ozzie is an idiot. Hawk stop that stuff.

QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 07:56 PM) The first pitch/Curve ball sure looked like it caught the plate to me. I thought it went around the plate. At any rate, MB best come up with something here.

Those don't look like strikes. Am I wrong?

oh god. don't pull a Freddie.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 07:52 PM) I meant with the camera. They tend to be off on stretch's and what not. Ah. Well on a side note, MB is done.

QUOTE(Heads22 @ Aug 7, 2006 -> 07:50 PM) I just figured it was 4-2 right there. Camera on the crowd. Fans standing up. Hawk and DJ oblivious. DJ called it right actually.

bad camera work there.

Joe Clutch.

Come on Joe... can't let this slip away.

Don't help him out.

Yeah Paulie.