The Three Stooges Have To Go

post from LADodgerTalk.com - Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully, Andre Ethier and the Dodgers on 18 July 2012 11:02:51 PM. © LADodgerTalk.com - Matt Kemp, Clayton Kershaw, Vin Scully, Andre Ethier and the Dodgers

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Game 90 Overflow Thread #2

post from Royals Review on 18 July 2012 11:02:44 PM. © Royals Review

Game 90 Overflow Thread #2

Lead down to 1 run. Royals up 7-6

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Game 90 Overflow Thread

post from Royals Review on 18 July 2012 10:01:23 PM. © Royals Review

Game 90 Overflow Thread

Royals up 3-1

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Return of Retired Players, Long Games, &
Catcher Interferences - Rob's Mailbag, Episode 10

post from Beyond the Box Score on 18 July 2012 09:02:43 PM. © Beyond the Box Score

Return of Retired Players, Long Games, & Catcher Interferences - Rob's Mailbag, Episode 10[...]

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-games-amp-catcher-interferences-robs

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The Yankee beat: bad trades, no trades, and the
lottery

post from Bronx Baseball Daily on 18 July 2012 08:16:10 PM. © Bronx Baseball Daily

[...]

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Pirates 9, Rockies 6: Failure to Capitalize on
Good Start, Trade Values Diminish

post from Purple Row on 18 July 2012 08:02:18 PM. © Purple Row

DENVER, CO - JULY 18: Dexter Fowler #24 of the Colorado Rockies celebrates as he crosses home plate after hitting a home run off of starting pitcher James McDonald #53 of the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at Coors Field on July 18, 2012 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)

The Rockies offense got to Pittsburgh starter James McDonald early. In the first inning, home runs from Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez put the Rockies up 3-0. In the second inning, Jordan Pacheco scored on a Marco Scutaro bunt ground out. Later, Andrew Brown (who was an offense bright spot today out of the cleanup spot) would knock in Josh Rutledge on a slow roller back top the pitcher. Brown would later single in Scutaro in the fourth, but the Rockies' offense would fail to appear again.

Jeremy Guthrie is one of several players being scouted today that likely lost some trade value, also including Matt Reynolds and Ramon Hernandez. The pitcher still seems unable to contain the ball in Coors Field. The pesky Rockie-killer Pedro Alvarez took Guthrie deep in the second inning, but the real damage was done in the third, with a three-run homer from Garrett Jones beginning an inning that would end with the Pirates tying the game, and Jim Tracy removing a shellshocked Guthrie before facing his opposing pitcher.

Though reliever Matt Reynolds retired McDonald to end the inning, he would end up getting his first loss of the season in an ugly fifth inning, in which homers from Casey McGehee and Rod Barajas gave Pittsburgh the three run lead they maintained until game's end. Mike Ekstrom, Rex Brothers, Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt all pitched clean junk innings.

Thankfully for the pen, the Rockies are off tomorrow, while they travel to San Diego. In the upcoming series against the Padres, who have passed the Rockies for fourth place in the standings since we last played them, the Rockies will face a trio of interesting starting pitchers, including former Rockies Jason marquis and Kip Wells, plus the man who spawned this:

Ross_medium

Mr. Ross Ohlendorf himself.

20120718_pirates_rockies_0_20120718183443_live_medium

via www.fangraphs.com

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Fergie Jenkins 1973 Topps Baseball Card
AUTOGRAPHED!!!

post from 30-Year Old Cardboard on 18 July 2012 07:54:55 PM. © 30-Year Old Cardboard

Fergie Jenkins 1973 Topps Baseball Card – AUTOGRAPHED!!! I feel like I got a great steal with this one – a 1973 Topps baseball card signed by Fergie Jenkins!!! I found it on Ebay, and was shocked to see that … Continue reading →

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Game 90 Open Thread - Seattle Mariners at Kansas
City Royals

post from Royals Review on 18 July 2012 07:01:35 PM. © Royals Review

Starters:

Millwood (3-7, 3.71 ERA) vs Chen (7-8, 5.50 ERA)

Feedback from today's competition draft:

Poll

Best part of the results from the competition draft?

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Astros Drop Rough One to Padres, Trail Series 2-1

July 18, 2012; San Diego, CA, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Brandon Lyon (37) pitches against the San Diego Padres during the sixth inning at PETCO Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-US PRESSWIRE

A "rough one" was probably sugar coating it a little bit, but I didn't want to be all doom and gloom in the headlines. The fact is that the Astros are really in a funk (the rotation, bullpen, offense, and even the defense chimed in today), and judging by the gamethread comments it's taken its toll on the fans. Injuries aren't helping anything right now as the Astros are without their best offensive player, and also without one of their hottest hitters currently. Speaking of Jason Castro, it looks like he could be out longer than originally expected, and that surgery word was even thrown around in an Brian McTaggart article today. Could things get any worse? On to the game.

Pitching

Wandy was unhittable for three innings and looked very sharp, but then the fourth inning happen. Things just slowly started to deteriorate that inning. Amarista led off with a soft single, that was followed by a walk, and that was followed by an infield single to Marwin Gonzalez on a close play to load the bases with nobody out. For those that held out hope that Wandy had a hat trick up his sleeve, no such luck. He threw a wild pitch in the dirt to allow the first run to score, and then walked the next batter to keep the bases loaded with nobody out. Yonder Alonso put the knife in Wandy's back with a double. When the dust settled the good guys were down 5-0, and Wandy's day was done. Wandy's final line was 4 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, and 4 SO's.

After Wandy left Enerio Del Rosario entered, and the results weren't a whole lot better. EDR committed a costly error on a pickoff attempt that was followed by another costly error on an errant throw from Matt Downs. You have to figure that EDR's time with the club is getting closer to coming to an end.After EDR was Brandon Lyon who had an equally rough time though he only gave up one run in his 1.2 innings pitched. Lyon allowed one hit, two walks and one earned run while striking out no one. Rhiner Cruz was the only Astros pitcher to end the day without allowing a run by pitching a perfect 8th inning and also recording a strikeout.

To sum it up, rough day on the mound for Astros pitching.

Offense

The Astros scored four runs, all of them which were driven in by Matt Downs. Downs hit a 3-run homer in the 6th, his seventh of the year. That would be all of the scoring until the ninth inning when low and behold Matt Downs hit another homerun. As a group the offense only had one walk on the afternoon, which was a pinch hit walk by Jordan Schafer in the ninth. Justin Maxwell and J.D. Martinez both had two hits apiece (both singles), Bixler had a double, and Matt Downs went 3-4 with two homeruns and four RBI's. That is all.

Defense

Three errors on the evening, and two of them were on the same play courtesy of Enerio Del Rosario and Matt Downs. J.D. Martinez had the other attempting to try and throw a runner out at the plate.

Lucas Harrell gets to try his luck tomorrow as he takes on Edinson Volquez at 9:05 PM CT. Go Astros

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ail-series-2-1

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Open Thread 7/18: Braves vs. Giants

Mike Minor vs. Ryan Vogelsong

Chipper not in the starting lineup. DOB tweeted that Fredi assumed it was a knee problem again, but I guess we'lll know more later.

Vogelsong has pitched into the seventh inning in 15 of his 16 starts this year, and in only five of those 16 did he allow more than three runs; he has been more hittable in road games, though (46 hits in 47.2 innings, 19 ER). The Giants had to place catcher Hector Sanchez on the DL after he suffered a left knee sprain yesterday; they recalled Eli Whiteside from the minors.

Let's not get Bryce Harper'd again, please...especially by Melky.

Start another winning streak! Go Braves!

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http://www.talkingchop.com/2012/7/18/3165555/open-thread-7-18-braves-vs-giants

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