Yet Another OOTP6 Dynasty: The Pale Hose

[dougaiton]

Yeah, I'll chime in now and say this is consistently excellent! Great read.

[cknox0723]

The compliments are much appreciated, so my thanks to both of you. It's somewhat frustrating to go so slowly and type everything out, especially with the, um, great team that we have, but I'm really enjoying it. I don't know how it'll be in August when we're 40 games out, but I'll still find plenty to write about, I imagine.

I do have CatoBase downloaded, based on all of the rave reviews, but I've never actually used it. I hope to, after this season, but so far as a website, I'm just some poor schlub trying to save up money for college. Combine that with my lack of computer skills (hence the lack of standings, pictures, and other nifty add-ons), and any site is, unfortunately, probably just a pipe dream.

But I'm glad that people have been able to enjoy this - it makes it much more rewarding, of course. Any more comments or suggestions, please feel free - as I said, I enjoy reading 'em.

EDIT: Apparently my typing skills rival my HTML skills.

Craig

[cknox0723]

13616 fans show up for the second game of our three game set. Egads, what has happened to this organization in the last two years? It's the OOTP version of the film Major League (and we've even got our own Roger Dorn!), without any Hollywood shenanigans in sight.

And that's true, if nothing else. It may be a different day, but it's quickly apparent that the result will be the same. One out in the top of the first, and Henry Mateo bounces a ground ball to Joe Crede. Two down, right? Wrong, because Crede promptly fires the ball well out of the Big Hurt's reach (though that isn't too difficult). Mateo moves to second. Mike Sweeney lines a base hit to right, and Mateo beats Magglio Ordonez's desperate heave to home. Just like that, we're down a run. Somehow, Esteban Loaiza then manages to retire Marty Cordova. That brings up David Bell with two outs. Bell went 3-5 yesterday. With first base open, most managers would have walked him. I didn't, figured that there's no point to walking David Bell. But OOTP only knows ratings. Oops. Bell rips a 2-2 pitch into left field, and we're down two-zip.

After Loaiza gets out of the inning, we're able to get a pair of runners on in the bottom half, but both Frank Thomas and Mike Piazza strike out to kill the threat. The Royals then add three more runs in the second, with the key blow being a 2-run double by Henry Mateo.

The ineptitude continues, but remarkably the score stays the same until the bottom of the third, when Dmitri Young steps up with two outs.

"Ritchie's fallen into a 2-0 hole to Dmitri Young. He stares in at Chad Moeller, blinks twice, and nods his head. Here comes the windup...and the pitch...fastball..swung on and driven to deep left field! Cordova turns and runs toward the wall, but stops and just looks up! That ball is outta here! An opposite-field solo shot for Dmitri Young, and the Sox are on the board for the first time this season, after being shutout in their first eleven innings! It's a 5-1 game..."

By this point, Loaiza has gotten into a groove, and he staves off the Royals through the fourth and fifth. This allows us to chip into the lead some more in the bottom of the fifth, when D.Y., Mags, and the Big Hurt string together consecutive singles. But any chance at further run-scoring is stymied when Mike Piazza weakly flies out to right to end the threat. I know it's very, very early, but Piazza really looks, well, like a 37 year old catcher.

The next inning, all the heart and intensity continues to show, or maybe it's the steroids. In any case, Joe Borchard absolutely crushes a Todd Ritchie fastball 405 feet to right-center, and we've cut the lead to two. We don't get another baserunner in the inning, despite pinch-hitting Brad Fullmer for Loaiza with two outs, but at least we're within striking distance. Of course, that assumes that we can actually hold off these guys.

And as fate would have it, we don't. Kiko Calero works through the seventh quickly, but gives up a double to Mike Sweeney to start off the eighth. Jon Adkins jogs in from the pen, and allows the inherited runner to score, but at least that was it. But Adkins gets hammered in the ninth, giving up three runs, two of them on an Eric Owens double. The offense never threatens, either, and we drop our second straight.

WP: T. Ritchie (1-0) - 6 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
LP: E. Loaiza (0-1) - 6 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Game ball goes to... - Mike Sweeney, who was 4-5 with 3 runs scored and 3 runs batted in. Say what you will about his salary and injury-checkered past, but the man can hit.

Craig

[cknox0723]

Well, if nothing else, we'll at least lose with someone I can root for in the third and final game of our first series with Kansas City. And Jorge DePaula is impressive in his first half-inning in the black and white, retiring Rich Thompson, Henry Mateo, and Michael Sweeney with relative ease. But we do nothing in the bottom half of the first, and Kansas City, of course, puts two runners on with two outs in the top half of the second. So I play my managerial card (there it is, G.H.!) and intentionally walk Miguel Cairo to load the bases. Risky, perhaps, but it all works out as DePaula strikes out his counterpart Jeremy Affeldt to dodge a bullet.

The game proceeds in similar fashion for the next few innings, with both pitchers working in and out of trouble. Eventually, though, someone was destined to score (It's that DRIPS theory), and the Royals do so, in the top of the fourth, when Rich Thompson singles home Miguel Cairo. But that's all they get.

As nice as it is to only be down by one DePaula has still been hittable and thrown a ton of pitches to boot. So it's no surprise when he loads the bases with one out in the fifth, but Chad Moeller hits into a tailor-made 4-6-3 double play.

And in the bottom half of the inning, it appears we'll finally make some headway on offense. Joe Borchard leads off the inning with a single, and then Joe Crede follows suit, and Rich Thompson's misplay allows the runners to move up. Juan Uribe's groundball allows Borchard to score, tying the game, and I then pinch-hit for DePaula, whose pitch count was up near 120 (through five innings!), with lefty-mashing Brian Buchanan. He drew a free pass, which put runners at first and second with Julio Lugo due up. Not wanting to see the Hacktastic One end the inning with a double-play, I brought in the left-handed bat of Jeremy Reed. Lefty bat against a lefty pitcher, you're wondering? Yes, left-handed, but with no discernable platoon split, so trust me - it makes sense. Really. It does. It makes even more sense when Reed is rung up by home plate umpire Ed Montague on a 3-2 fastball on the outside corner. D.Y. then flies out, and that whirling noise (whoosh...) is the sound of our threat going down the drain...

Joe Roa, making his first appearance of the young season, cruises through the sixth, as does Affeldt. But Roa puts Henry Mateo on third with one out in the seventh, but gets out of the jam with a couple of groundouts. The good guys do nothing, and I head into the eighth fully expecting Mr. Zero to blow the lead. He doesn't, and we move on to the bottom of the eighth inning still tied. After Brad Fullmer, "pinch-hitting" for Takatsu, pops up, Jeremy Reed (remember him?) digs in.

"The veteran Tom 'Flash' Gordon toes the rubber, and here comes his 1-1 offering to young Jeremy Reed. Oh boy...hanging curve...swung on and belted to deep right! Back goes Stairs, he turns and looks for the wall, he leaps...SEE YA! A solo home run for 24 year old Jeremy Reed, and the White Sox have their first lead of the season, 2-1!"

After D.Y. laces a single, Magglio Ordonez steps up. He works the count full, fouls a pitch off, and then looks fastball all the way. That's what Flash throws him, and Mags laces it to deep right...but he pulled the trigger a bit too quick, and the near-home run goes five rows right of the foul pole. But two pitches later, Ordonez gets his revenge by waiting, waiting, waiting on the big hook and hammering it to the same spot...ten rows to the left. We've got a 4-1 lead, and the score ends that way, as Rule 5 Pick P.J. Bevis gives up a leadoff double to Carlos Febles in the ninth, but retires the next three in order, capping off his first major league save with a strikeout of Michael Jack Sweeney. And for one day, at least, everything's gone according to plan. The hitting, the starting pitching, and best of all, the bullpen. I can almost imagine, based on this one game, how it feels to be Kenny Williams or Ozzie Guillen, but if they actually had half a brain in their heads. (Sorry Goodsox!) What's most satisfying of all, though, is that we finally have a tally in the 'W' column.

WP: S. Takatsu (1-0)
LP: T. Gordon (0-1)
S: P.J. Bevis (1)

Game Ball Goes To... Jeremy Reed, who completely changed the state of the game with one swing. Like I said in the season preview, I've got to find a way to let him play.

Craig

[Tavarin]

Hurrah! A win!

Very nice game recaps

[Goodsox]

Originally posted by cknox0723
[I can almost imagine, based on this one game, how it feels to be Kenny Williams or Ozzie Guillen, but if they actually had half a brain in their heads. (Sorry Goodsox!) What's most satisfying of all, though, is that we finally have a tally in the 'W' column.

Hey, I made it into your dynasty That is a first. I love your write-ups and I am actually beginning to enjoy this more than playing OOTP.

[cknox0723]

Originally posted by Goodsox
Hey, I made it into your dynasty That is a first. I love your write-ups and I am actually beginning to enjoy this more than playing OOTP.

I was hoping you'd see that - I'm glad when anyone takes the time to comment, so I figure I ought to reciprocate. As always, appreciate the high praise, and hopefully I'll continue to be able to make reading this as enjoyable as it is to write it.

Immediately after our first win of the year, we hopped on a charter flight to sunny California, where we will commence a three-game set with the Halos. They're undefeated, surrendering just 7 runs in three games with Baltimore. Normally I'd be worried, but I'm still rather euphoric over our incredible clutch win over the Royals.

Also, we've got the back end of their rotation, and Chris Bootcheck and Jarrod Washburn aren't that frightening. Their bullpen is still just as dominant as present-day, though, and their lineup is very strong as well.

Besides featuring Vlad the Impaler, Garrett Anderson, and The Good Alfonso (not the overrated former Met), they've got some very interesting names - stud prospect Dallas McPherson (who, as Baseball Prospectus says, has one heck of a name), statheadzz favorite Jack Cust (hey, I like him too!), and The Amazing, Fence-Straddling Future Commander-in-Chief. They've also got last year's Rookie of the Year winner in Justin Leone, a Scott Rolen-type at third, just with less power, and the President of the Card-Carrying Utility Men's Club, Denny Hocking.

Man, what an interesting team. I wish we were this interesting. Instead, I've got to make Jon Rauch exciting. At least he's tall, though.

I don't think I'll be able to play out this series until tomorrow - but maybe I'll be able to get the first game in, and see if we can get a winning streak going. I sure hope so.

Craig

[NYJuggalo45]

good to see you guys get a W under your belts. good move PH for the hacktastic one as you described lugo, and putting Reed up there. That should earn him a start or 2 next series.
Unfortunately sounds like you guys got a tough task ahead vs the Angels, especially with Jon "I would have made a great NBA PF" Rauch leading the charge.

[cknox0723]

Originally posted by NYJuggalo45
good to see you guys get a W under your belts. good move PH for the hacktastic one as you described lugo, and putting Reed up there. That should earn him a start or 2 next series.
Unfortunately sounds like you guys got a tough task ahead vs the Angels, especially with Jon "I would have made a great NBA PF" Rauch leading the charge.

Yes, Reed will certainly start somewhere, sometime, somehow. And I'm glad you brought up Mr. Rauch - he is going to be up in the majors, since "Girly" Mark Buerhle is still nursing that stiff shoulder. What a wussyboy! Anyway...I'm either going to send down Ryan Meaux or...well, there aren't too many other guys with options. So much for that plan. Got to love those new roster rules! Thanks Marcus keep up the good work!!11!!

Craig

[cknox0723]

Before the first game of our three-game set with Anaheim, I decide to place two end-of-the-bench guys, Brian Buchanan and Chin-Feng Chen, on waivers. I'll pull them back if someone claims them, but I'm really banking that they go unclaimed, because both are out of options, but I need to be able to have the flexibility to send them to the minors. Right now, if someone were to get hurt for any extended amount of time, just about the only guy we could send down is Ryan Meaux. There's nothing wrong with that, but I'd like to be able to some roster swapping if I want to, so this move might be able to allow just that.

OK, enough of that, it's game time in sunny Anaheim. The attendance is nearly 45000, or over twice the number of folks that showed up for our game on Opening Day. I blame the weather.
Moving on from that, though, it's quite a pitcher's duel at the beginning; well, in the first inning, at least. Chris Bootcheck and Jon Garland both breeze through their respective lineups, but while Bootcheck easily retires our luminaries in the second, Garland, of course, runs into problems. He starts off the bottom half of the second by walking Vladimir Guerrero, and then gives up a two-run moonshot to Garrett Anderson, presumably on one of his patented hanging breaking balls. Thanfully, Garland quickly settles down, and it looks like we'll cut into that deficit in the third when Hacktastic Julio and D.Y. both manage to get on. But with two outs and two strikes, Magglio Ordonez is rung up on a 90 mile per hour fastball on the outside half, and we're still in that same 2-0 hole.

I soon begin yearning to be down by merely two, however, as Bad Jon starts struggling again in the third, walking Denny Hocking (Why?) with two outs, and then giving up consecutive singles to Jack Cust (Statheadzz rejoice, he's up to a .143 batting average! Yeah, yeah, sample size, I know.) and Vlad the Impaler. Since there's two outs, even Denny Hocking is flying around the bases, so Vlad's single makes it 3-0. Garland then walks Garrett Anderson to load the bases, but is saved when Julio Lugo makes an excellent stop on a hard-hit Alfonso Soriano grounder. We continue to do nothing at the plate, going down one-two-three in the fourth, and then Brian Freaking Schneider leads off the bottom half of the fourth with a home run. I'm getting the feeling that this is going to be a long day.

I could have pinch hit for Garland in the top of the fifth, but there were two down, so I decide to make him suck it up and take one for the team. Predictably, he makes an out, then goes out and gives up another run (as well as a bunch of hits) in the fifth. 5-0. Wonderful. But in the sixth, Julio Lugo draws a leadoff walk, and after Dmitri Young stares at strike three, Magpipes belts a two-run shot to right, so that at least ends the shutout. And with only one out in the inning, and our fourth, fifth, and sixth hitters due up, we should score some more, right? Amazingly, the answer is yes. After Frank Thomas weakly grounds out, Mike Piazza steps up, and finally belts out a hit, after an 0-13 start to his Pale Hose career. Surprisingly enough (or not), it's a solo home run, and we've got a pulse - the deficit is down to two.

Somehow, Garland manages to get through the sixth without giving the Halos any more free runs. It helps to face Desi Relaford, the pitcher, and Denny Hocking, though. In any case, we enter the seventh still facing Chris Bootcheck, who immediately gets Joe Crede to bounce to second base...except The Fonz bobbles the ball, and we'll have the tying run coming to the plate. In the form of Juan Uribe. So I bring in the Clutch hero of yesterday's win, Jeremy Reed. He hits a high fly ball to right-center, and my heart sinks (since I know no one else on the team can hit)...but apparently it gets caught in the swirling winds from the Pacific Ocean, because Desi Relaford ends up catching the carom off the fence. When the dust settles, we've got men on second and third, no one out, and the lead run striding up to the plate in the form of Brad Fullmer. He grounds out to Denny Hocking at short, but Joe Crede is able to cross the plate, and we've still got the tying run at second with the top of the order coming up. Brendan Donnelly (oh boy...) is summoned in from the 'pen, and I decide to leave the hot bat of Julio Lugo in the game.

"Here's the 0-1 from the right-hander Donnelly...split-finger, up in the zone, and Lugo lines it into the left-center field gap! Reed will round third and score easily, and Relaford's strong throw can only serve in holding Lugo to a double! It's an extra-base hit for the 30 year old Chicago shortstop, his second hit of the game, and the White Sox have stormed back from a 5-0 deficit to tie this game up at five!"

I'm still wondering whether or not Pedro Cerrano did something to the bats, but I quickly forget that when Dmitri Young lines a base-hit to right. I hold Lugo at third, not wanting to test the laser of Vlad the Impaler. And that brings up Magglio Ordonez, with the complete gamut of possiblities open: an inning-ending double play, a base hit to give us the lead, a three-run home run to make the citizens of Chicago crazy, a strike out to bring up the Big Hurt. Of course, he avoids all of this, but it's fine that he did, because he hits a 325-foot fly ball to right that easily scores Julio Lugo and gives us the lead, 6-5. The Big Hurt then weakly grounds out (he's, umm, not hitting too well right now), but we've got the lead, and it's Kiko time. Against the heart of the Angels' order.

And would you believe a one, two, three inning? It was as roundabout as you could get - Jack Cust led off with a single, but they pinch-ran, and everyone in the stadium knew that Jamal Strong was going to try to steal. Except Calero held him on well, and Mike Piazza unleashed one of his missiles to second to nail him. Bad Vlad then hit a rocket right to Frank Thomas, and Calero, rejuvenated, struck out Garrett Anderson to get us through a very critical inning.

We do nothing in the top of the eighth, and I leave Calero in to face the bottom of the order. He freezes Alfonso Soriano on a hook and gets Brian Schneider to fly out for the first two, but then Desi Relaford doubles into the right field corner, and scrappy David Eckstein marches up to the box with the tying run in scoring position. I call on Mr. Zero, and the Japanese folk hero makes his homeland proud by inducing a bouncer to Enrique Wilson.

In the top of the ninth, Anaheim calls on knuckleballer Trever Miller, and he quickly retires the first two batters, but then gives up consecutive singles to D.Y. and Magglio. The Big Hurt, who destroys lefties, then steps up, but one of Miller's knucklers gets away from him, and Thomas takes one for the team to load the bases for Mike Piazza.

"One ball and two strikes to Piazza. Miller steps off the rubber and wipes the sweat off his brow. He takes a deep breath, and now he toes the rubber. Here comes the 1-2 pitch...it's a beautiful knuckler right down the middle and Piazza can only gape at it in awe. It's strike three, and Miller and the Angels dodge a bullet as we head to the bottom of the ninth."

I call on the veteran Joe Roa in the bottom of the ninth to face the top of the order.

"The count is full to young third baseman Justin Leone, with the Halos trailing by one here in the bottom of the ninth. Here's the payoff pitch from Roa, swung on and hammered to deep center field! Reed is back...to the track...to the wall...but he'll only be able to turn and stare! A moonshot for Justin Leone, his first of the season, and it ties the game up at 6!"

Roa retires the next three batters in order, and Troy Percival comes in to pitch the tenth. He retires Enrique Wilson and Joe Crede with minimal effort, and that brings up everyone's favorite fourth outfielder.

"Percival's fallen behind one-and-oh to Jeremy Reed, who entered the game back in the seventh inning and is one for two today. Percival kicks and delivers his offering. It's a changeup, and Reed waits on it...and it's driven deep into the left field corner! Anderson turns and runs toward the wall, he leaps desperately...but that ball is OUTTA HERE! A solo home run for Jeremy Reed, his second in two days, and the White Sox have taken a 7-6 lead with two outs in the top of the tenth!"

I pinch-hit Chin-Feng Chen for Roa, but he's retired, so I bring in P.J. Bevis to try to get the final three outs. And he promptly gives up a leadoff double to Garrett Anderson. I very nearly decide to intentionally walk Alfonso Soriano, but don't want to put the winning run on base. So I tell Bevis to pitch around him, and he does just that, forcing a meek pop-up from him on a 2-2 slider. Left-handed hitting catcher Brian Schneider stares at a fastball right on the inside corner for the second out, and that brings up Desi Relaford with the tying run at second.

"No balls and two strikes on Relaford. Bevis looks at Anderson at second, turns toward the plate, and looks back Anderson once again. Now he turns toward Mike Piazza and stares in for the sign. He shakes him off once and then twice, but finally nods his head in agreement. Relaford digs in, Piazza pounds the glove, and here's the 0-2 delivery from Bevis...slider...on the outside corner, and Relaford is punched out for strike three! The ball game is over, and the White Sox hand the Angels their first loss of the year in a thrilling 10 innings! The final score, White Sox 7, Angels 6! Drive home safely, folks!"

I'm at a loss for words, but I know that the number two holds some significance. That's the number of wins (and losses) that we have, the number of games by which we trail undefeated Cleveland, the number of home runs for both Magglio Ordonez and Jeremy Reed, and the number of saves for P.J. Bevis. It's also the minimum number of times that I thought we had lost this game. It's still hard to believe that we were trailing 5-0 after 5. Wow. Uh...Thanks Markus...keep up the good work!

WP: J. Roa (1-0) - also his first blown save
LP: T. Percival (0-1)
S: P.J. Bevis (2)

Game Ball Goes To... Jeremy Reed. The kid is clutch, and no one will ever change my mind about that.

Craig

[Goodsox]

Great game and as always great writing. In my solo league I love playing Reed. He always does seem to be Mr. Clutch.

[cknox0723]

Thanks for the reply, GS - I thought it was one heckuva game, too, and was sort of disappointed that there weren't more replies.

I suppose it means something that The Hero of our Last Two Games still hasn't started a game, and with the soft-tossing Nate Cornejo on the hill, we're going to need all the defense we can get, so Joe Borchard will roam center field yet again. Maybe we should send Reed down to AAA so he can get some regular playing time...at second base. I think I'm developing a hatred Juan Uribe.

Here is probably a good time to mention that c.f. chen (By the way, the lower-case letters were intentional, like e.e. cummings? It gives chen more international flavor.) was claimed off waivers by Cincinnati, so he's been pulled back and is apparently destined to be our sixth outfielder. It's got to be a great deal for him - he gets charter flights and gets to see the big cities in the country (and what foreign tourist wouldn't want to do that?), instead of riding buses through second-rate Midwestern towns. The pay isn't bad, either, especially considering that all he's really doing is watching.

However, there's times that make me wonder if maybe he, or someone, shouldn't be playing more. Despite our prolific output over the last few games, this still appears to be an offense that will struggle the lion's share of the time. Then I look at a team like Anaheim, starting luminaries like Denny Hocking, and I realize that every team has its weaknesses and flaws. The key is either ignoring them or accentuating the positives.

I try to do more of the latter, but it's tough when Vladimir Guerrero is hitting two-run home runs in the first inning. It's ironic, too, because the initial frame started similarly for both Jarrod Washburn and our man, Nate Cornejo. One of the first two men got on, and with two outs, the cleanup hitter stepped up. But before Vlad the Impaler deposited the ball into the bleachers, Frank Thomas had already tapped out to third to end our threat. Yes, I do know how early it is, but both Thomas and Mike Piazza look very, very old. We don't have enough bats to ignore that.

But if we pitch well enough, it won't matter much, or so I can try to convince myself. And despite Nate Cornejo's early struggles, he settles down enough throughout the second and third innings. Sure, he puts some runners on, but that comes with being Nate Cornejo. It's the same as knowing what you're going to get, third-person referrals and all, when you sign Rickey. Anyhow, the game proceeds with nothing in the way of scoring until our half of the fourth, when Magglio Ordonez deposits a shot into the rocks in left-center field. It's his third of the year, and the deficit is cut in half. After the shot from Ordonez, it seemed like the threat would quickly be quashed, but both Joe Borchard and Joe Crede got base-hits, bringing up The Out-Sucking Machine with the tying run at second and two outs. And I knew that I was being Stengellian when I decided to pinch-hit Miguel Olivo for Uribe. But Olivo hadn't played yet this season, Piazza, whom he'd replace, was struggling (1-18 this season), and most of all, Uribe sucks. But Olivo flew out to left, and that's another data point for the camp that believes that managers don't do much.

In the fifth, after quickly eliminating the bottom of Anaheim's order, Nate Cornejo gets on for the second time in two plate appearances, with this occurance by way of a single. And for the second consecutive time, The Hacktastic One, Julio Lugo, raps into a double-play. Have I mentioned that we really, really, really need someone that can turn the pivot and hit their weight? Again, any chance of scoring is killed.

But we're hanging in this one, despite Cornejo's best efforts, at least until the sixth. With two out and Alfonso Soriano in scoring position at second base, I decide to intentionally walk eighth place hitter Desi Relaford to bring up the pitcher's slot. I smile, thinking "Man, this AI really does need to be fixed", when Jarrod Washburn is announced as the batter. When I see that Cornejo's 84 mile per hour offering was "well-hit", I'm not surprised, but when Joe Borchard doesn't "settle under it" and instead it "clears the wall", yes, my smile's gone. Yeah, "pitchers aren't supposed to do this", but by 'this', I'm thinking more along the lines of grooving lousy fastballs. Oh well.

With the game probably out of reach, I decide to let Cornejo at least get the final out of the inning, since I'd have to pinch-hit anyway in the top of the seventh. Of course, he promptly loads the bases (still two outs btw!!11!!), but Vladimir Guerrero pops out on a 2-0 pitch. Guess he's mortal after all.

As too are we, despite the fact that we all but held the Halos in check the rest of the way but for the first home run of the year for stathead favorite Jack Cust. Our offense, as can happen (especially in Chicago), just didn't show up. Well, that's not entirely true - we got two men on after there were two outs in the ninth inning, but as luck would have it, Julio Lugo then came up, sealing our fate. Good thing we didn't start printing out the playoff tickets too early or anything.

CHW 1 ANA 6
WP: J. Washburn (1-0) - 7 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 1-3, 3-run HR (1)
LP: N. Cornejo (0-1) - 6 IP, 8 H, 5 ER, 6 BB, 2 K

Game Ball Goes To... Washburn, whose second career long ball put us in too deep of a hole to try to scratch out a win. Oh, and he pitched well, too. As Don Larsen proved, any pitcher can catch lightning in a bottle for one start. This wasn't one for the record books, but it was Washburn's day, and as small an accomplishment as that seems, it's something to be proud of.

Craig

[Vris]

Craig, excellent writing. I think I found another favorite dynasty.

Your nicknames are brilliant. Your writing style is superb. I hope you have as much fun writing it as I did reading it.

As for the team, well. There's only so much you can do with the White Flops. Especially with Piazza and Thomas a collective 600 years old, and Uribe and Lugo (Uribe and Lugo???? It's like a who's-who of who never made it in the big leagues) manning the middle infield.

Oh, and don't sound so optimistic. There must be something wrong with your team!

Keep up the excellent work, as I will be checking back often.

[cknox0723]

Thanks, Vris - you're one of the more insightful posters around here, and I enjoyed your E.S.B.A. dynasty back in the day, so I really appreciate the kind words. Your comments are spot on - I've thought the same thing about my wonderful middle infield. In fact, I'm looking to trade back for Mike Caruso as we speak. And yes - I really do enjoy writing this.

The rubber match of the three-game set (what a fantastic expression) features our banged-up ace against their not-so-banged up ace. John Lackey doesn't invoke memories of other Texas natives like The Rocket or, heck, even Andy Pettitte, but he did have a 2.95 ERA last year, with the peripherals to match. Basically, combine that with my desire to restrict Mark Buerhle to 90 or so pitches, and the results of this one could resemble yesterday's real fast. But at least Jeremy Reed will get his first start of the year, pleasing the masses.

But apparently it doesn't please Mark Buerhle, because after we quickly go down in order in the first, David Eckstein (David Eckstein?) takes Buerhle's second pitch into the bleachers. Anaheim gets a thousand other men on base, but Buerhle manages to get out of the inning unscathed but for the Eckstein (Isn't he two feet tall?) blast. And he's only up to 16 pitches, despite facing 6 batters. Saying nothing about his effectiveness, the man is very efficient. Doc Halladay-efficient.

We hit a whole bunch of line-drive shots in the second, but odd things can happen from time to time when you combine Denny Hocking and flying baseballs. And we threaten again in the third when The Out-Sucking Machine singles and moves to second on a sacrifice, but Lackey retires both Julio Lugo and Dmitri Young to end the threat. Buerhle then got himself in quite a pickle in the third, giving up a leadoff single to Denny Hocking and then walking Vlad, but seemingly bailed himself out when The Fonz rapped into a 3-6-3 double play. But Jack Cust (those darned numbers!) doubled into the corner, and we found ourselves, like always, in a 2-0 hole.

And, as always, we threaten (in this case, in our very next at-bat), but, as happens far too often, come up empty. This go-around, it's an around-the-horn, 5-4-3 double play hit by Mike Piazza that was the rally-killer.

And then, as always, we score when it seems we won't. Two outs in the fifth, and the pitcher's slot up. I almost pinch-hit for Mark Buerhle, but I didn't want to force the bullpen to go five innings. So I let him bat, and whaddya know? A line-drive single to center. That brought up the Violently Hacktastic One and...oh, what the heck...whaddya know?

"Lackey's ahead of the shortstop Lugo, with the count at 0-1. He checks Buerhle at first and stares in at Schneider. A quick nod, and Lackey starts the slide step and here's the pitch...hanging slider, swung on and driven to deep left-center! Back goes Hocking, now he turns and stares! It's a 2-run home run for Julio Lugo, his first of the year, and it's a new game, folks! We're all tied up at two!"

But Buerhle gives it back in the fifth, and considering it was the middle of the potent Angel lineup, I should have seen it coming. But I doubt many could foretell a control artist walking two straight hitters, then giving up a two-out single to a left-handed batter. But that's what happened, and another lefty, Brian Schneider, came up with the bases loaded and two outs. He lined a single into right-center, and all the efforts of the previous inning sank...into the mud, I guess.

Everything sinks further when Joe Roa brings his suckiness with him from the 'pen. It takes him a trip through Anaheim's order just to get three outs, and by the time he's done that, the Halos are up 9-2, and we don't have the kind of club to come back from that. Predictably, we don't, and I spend much of the last two innings wishing I was getting ejected instead of watching Anaheim celebrate their fifth win.

CHW 2 ANA 10

WP: J. Lackey (2-0) - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K
LP: M. Buerhle (0-2) - 5 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 BB, 6 K

Game Ball Goes To... Vladimir Guerrero, despite the fact that all he managed was a single. He did walk four times and score twice, but this is really just a vain attempt to not recognize the three hit day of Denny "I'm a Career Utility Man So That Obviously Means I Should Get Regular Playing Time At Age 36" Hocking.

We hop on the next flight and get out of sunny California as quick as we can. Next stop? Detroit, for a three game set. Time to refer back to that trusty preview I wrote at the beginning of the year. Don't have it handy? Don't worry...all you've got to know is that we've got a chance. And something about Mother Goose.

Craig

[NYJuggalo45]

great writing as always...tough couple of games, but anaheim's offense will do that to a staff. It's a shame Thomas and Piazza can't pull a "last gasp hope for a ring" and use whatever they have left in their tank. They both seem contend to drift off into the HOF as "great players who never won a championship"

[cknox0723]

Ah, Detroit. This is a bad organization, a fact that my fine preview (that you're all familiar with) made clear. Even their prospects are pretty lousy - aside from 22 year old Jon Connolly, who gave up 6 runs in his first AAA start - there's not much in terms of upside, and everybody's old (and seemingly underdeveloped). Heck, Rule 5 pick Justin Jones is the team's number four starter...and number eight prospect.

But enough of that. Right now, we've got to worry about the Ferocious Felines led by, at least today, Mark Redman. Fortunately, we miss Tiger ace Rich Harden by one day.

I was going to go through my typical spiel here, saying something like:

"Unfortunately, it doesn't matter who we're facing, because we just can't hit, as our one-two-three first inning attests."

And it's happened every game before this, or so it seems, so why not, right? But alas, not today. I finally have something to back up all that optimism that Vris and others accuse me of having. Of course, we still can't really hit, because we score two runs in the top of the first - on one hit. How? Walks to D.Y. and Magglio, a wild pitch, and a two-out Mike Piazza single. But golly, if it means we're not getting shut out, I'll take it.

Ah, yes - random tangent #2. I'm sure part of the reason that so many modern-day dynasties on these here boards fail is because of the whole "OOTP only knows ratings, not names" jag. Heck, it throws me for a loop to see Eric Knott (another Mogul guy, by the way) as the Cerulean Kays' set up man. I'm trying to tie this together now, bear with me...that's the beauty of the game, though. And who the heck knows how things will shake out, anyway? Case in point: Esteban Loaiza. Now, his success last year may have been due to DIPS luck (it wasn't) or a new pitch or new arm angle or deal with the devil or whatever. But you see that name (at least I do), and you immediately think: "Four runs in seven." An innings eater, sure, but average at best, last year's excellence notwithstanding. So when Nook Logan, part of that colloquial triumvirate in the outfield, laces a single and steals second with one out in the first, I immediately think that we're going to blow our lead, and the pessimist in me (see? where's the optimism now?) says that we'll never win again. Amidst all that inner turmoil, Loaiza fans Adrian Beltre, and induces Rondell White to hit a little tapper to The Hacktastic One. Only ratings, baby.

In the second, Joe Crede leads off with a walk (wow!) and The Aliens Inhabiting Juan Uribe's Body work in conjunction to line one into center field (wtf is going on?). That leaves a situation that even most statheadzz would sacrifice in, and Loaiza executes perfectly. But then The Festering Suck of Julio Lugo grounds it right to Adrian Beltre. Absolutely brilliant. Two outs now, and a reasonable chance that Mark Redman can escape. Of course, D.Y stands in his way, and guys that go by initials are always dangerous.

"One ball and one strike to Dmitri Young, with two outs here in the second. The southpaw Redman takes a deep breath, kicks and delivers. It's a high fastball, Young checks his swing but loops it...over Spivey's head and into right-center for a base hit! Crede will score, Uribe will score, and an excuse-me check swing from Dmitri Young plates two here in the second to open up a 4-0 lead for the Sox!"

Loaiza is seemingly cruising in the bottom of the second (how is it still the second inning?), but hangs a curve to Junior Spivey, and his cut does well to cut our lead to three. Whatever. We're on autopilot, as we add another run in the third, courtesy of a Frank Thomas double eventually being followed by a Joe Crede single. By the fourth inning or so, it's become painfully evident that Mark Redman is either hurt or throwing the game. Even when we're not hitting the ball hard, we're, as the French would say, giving off the air of hitting the ball hard. Mercifully, he gets the gate in the fifth, with a final line that I hope you'll see below. Franklyn German comes on and gets them out of the inning, and then continues to bring his filthy, 97-Octane-type stuff in the sixth.

But by this time, Esteban Loaiza, who's crying out for a nickname, has settled into his own filthy, sinker-and-slider mode where he induces a thousand groundballs and the occasional pop-up to shallow center. He seems to give a single every other inning or thereabouts, so he didn't have any of those stretches of 10 consecutive batters retired that you'd normally hear about. But he was that dominant, and while you can do a lot to statistics to make them prove your point here, I don't have to do much here. It's evidence in itself that aside from the Spivey home run, only Nook Logan got a hit off of Loaiza (I'll give him his credit, too, as he had two singles and a double).

For all of this dominance, though, this is still the team that we're all painfully aware of. But instead of blowing the lead in the eighth, we explode for four runs off of poor Nelson Cruz, and also tally our first stolen base of the season (courtesy of -- who else? -- Jeremy Reed). And after all of the hitting from D.Y., Magglio and the rest, I'm confident enough to bring out Joe Roa to replace Loaiza in the eighth. It must be one of those days, because even he pitches a scoreless inning. Ryan Meaux gets crushed in the ninth, but we can't even give away a 9-run lead in one inning. Like I said, it just doesn't matter who we face.

CHW 10 DET 5

WP: E. Loaiza (1-1) - 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K, 90 pitches
LP: M. Redman (0-1) - 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 4 BB, 1 K

Game Ball Goes To... D.Y., who quietly went 3-4 with a double, two runs scored and two batted in. But more importantly, he's been swinging a very hot bat early this year. However, now the whole world knows about his .444/.531/.593 line. So much for trying to be quiet, but I have a feeling D.Y. can hit regardless of the noise he makes while doing it.

Craig

[cknox0723]

Originally posted by NYJuggalo45
great writing as always...tough couple of games, but anaheim's offense will do that to a staff. It's a shame Thomas and Piazza can't pull a "last gasp hope for a ring" and use whatever they have left in their tank. They both seem contend to drift off into the HOF as "great players who never won a championship"

Appreciated, as always, NYJ. And I agree - part of the "logic" behind my off-the-cuff preview was that both Thomas and Piazza would hit this year. The evidence is slowly starting to mount up in favor of a .250 or so batting average and 20 home runs for each. That's not spectacular, but it is something. And one quirk with our team seems to be that we can absolutely destroy left-handed pitching. If that holds true, and The Big Hurt continues to struggle, maybe Brad Fullmer (remember him?) might get some more time at first base. He's sure not justifying it as a pinch hitter, but the talent's there somewhere.

As for a catcher, I have no idea. It's all on Piazza's shoulders, because the less said about Miguel Olivo, the better.

I guess I'm more optimistic after our last game.

Craig

[cknox0723]

I guess if there's one thing to remember this early in the season, it's that the sample size is too small to think 'World Series' or 'Juan Uribe sucks because he's hitting .211' (he does, but that's not the point) or anything else. But hopefully we can take something out of this early part of the season. For example, our offense didn't do much for the first few games. It's probably just the Tiger pitching, but we did swat the ball around the yard yesterday.

So when I see that Josh Fogg is on the mound, I fully expect double-digits in the 'R' column once again. Well, not really - we are, after all, the same old Sox - but the fact that we tally a run in the first isn't that surprising. It's how we do that amazes me. First, Julio Lugo, of all people, leads off with a single. I guess it's not a great sign that I'm surprised that our leadoff hitter got a base hit. Why is The Hacktastic One leading off, exactly? Anyway, with Lugo actually on base, I figure that D.Y., who's been hitting the snot out of the ball, would probably pick just this time to go cold. So I tell third-base coach Dan Pasqua to pat the chest and tug the cap, Lugo takes off, and D.Y. takes a mighty cut...and wouldn't you know it, hits a grounder to third base. But instead of the old double play, it can only go Beltre to Pena, and we avoid the rally-killer. Then Magglio Ordonez lines a single into center, Lugo scores uncontested, and we've got the lead. Thomas and Piazza scarcely put the ball in play, but that can't erase the tally (number four, for those who aren't counting) in the "Vaunted Managerial Skills" column.

And neither can the performance of Jorge DePaula. After all, I was the architect of the brilliant deal that brought him over here. So I'm just royally flushed when he sets down the Felines one-two-three in the first. And amazingly, after we fail to score in the second (no, that's not the amazing part!), DePaula does the same in the second, ending the inning with back-to-back strikeouts of Pudge and Carlos Pena. Is this really the same guy that needed 111 pitches to get through 5 innings in his first start in the Pale Hose?

I guess it is, though he sure doesn't appear so, even going so far as singling to lead off the top of the third. Of course, we do nothing after that, but it's no big deal to DePaula, who promptly strides out to the rubber and stikes out Junior Spivey and gets Tony Giarratano to hit a slow grounder. Of course, he then loses his perfect-game and no-hitter by giving up a double to the pitcher, Josh Fogg. But instead of imploding, he gets Reed Johnson to top one of his sliders, and it ends up as a 5-3 ground out.

And this just keeps going in, while I wonder if I somehow screwed with the league settings. Josh Fogg (yes, him) strikes out the side in the fourth, while DePaula continues to confuse the Tigers with his incredible arsenal of...changeups? Or maybe it's that looping slider?

Whatever the case is, we enter the bottom of the 5th still up 1-0, with DePaula having thrown a scant 40 pitches in the first four frames. It looks like that'll continue when Pudge hits a ground ball to The Violently Hacktastic One (yes, the nickname is back in full force), who boots it. Here's where things normally start to go downhill, and we appear even more doomed when I-Rod steals second. So I figure it's probably a good time to acknowledge both DePaula's general misery against left-handed batters and The Pudge-Man's newfound speed, I intentionally walk Carlos Pena to bring up Ernest Spivey, Jr. But I've got the nagging feeling that this could be a mistake...

"One ball and one strike to Spivey, here's the offering from DePaula...and the slider is swung on and lined through the hole into right field for a base hit. Rodriguez is being waved home, and the throw from Ordonez is well up the line. The run scores, both runners move up, we're tied up and there's still nobody out..."

I then decide to pitch to eighth place hitter Tony Giarratano, despite the fact that first base is open. My reasoning is that...well, he's awful. He should probably be in AA. But apparently he attends the Rafael Belliard School of Clutch Situational Hitting, because he lines a two-run single down the first-base line. DePaula manages to at least get the pitcher out, but then he walks Reed Johnson and then hangs a slider to Nook Logan, who puts it into the right field corner for extra bases. Folks, I think I've found our newest reliever. I was looking for a long man anyway.

Eventually, we get out of the inning (as if you expected it to drag on for eleven hours), but not before we'd fallen into a 6-1 hole. Shingo Takatsu, who "relieved" DePaula at some point in the fifth (I failed to keep track of exactly when, and you wouldn't have either), gives up another run in the sixth. By this point, I'm just waiting for a chance to argue a call so I can get ejected and forget this silly game. That doesn't happen, and I stare at the clay-covered concrete that the dugout steps are composed of until I hear noise. And as it would be, it's all 14843 Tiger fans half-heartedly booing Josh Fogg for giving up a solo shot to Dmitri Young. I'm still not interested, even when we manage to get a few guys on, since that only means that the bottom of the order is coming up. But with two outs, Jeremy Reed somehow manages to pinch-hit for Joe Crede (funny how those things work) with two men on, which put the tying run...oh, about five batters away. Nevertheless, every little bit helps, especially since Reed...flew out to right field? Well, I guess he, too, is human. As are we, as we prove yet again. We don't do a whole lot the rest of the way and it would be a bitter, disappointing loss if P.J. Bevis hadn't pitched two scoreless frames and if it, well, actually mattered. No difference between 81-81 and 80-82, is there? In this division, there just may be...

CHW 2 DET 7

WP: J. Fogg (1-1) - 7.1 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 7 K
LP: J. DePaula (0-1) - 4.1 IP, 4 H, 6 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 K

Game Ball Goes To... Tony Giarratano, the Detroit outfit's eighth hitter, whose 2-3, 3 RBI day caused me to add an expletive in between his first and last names. Tell me, Tiger fans, what was so wrong with Omar Infante?

Craig

[gordyhulten]

Another great game update.

Anyway, with Lugo actually on base, I figure that D.Y., who's been hitting the snot out of the ball, would probably pick just this time to go cold. So I tell third-base coach Dan Pasqua to pat the chest and tug the cap, Lugo takes off, and D.Y. takes a mighty cut...and wouldn't you know it, hits a grounder to third base. But instead of the old double play, it can only go Beltre to Pena, and we avoid the rally-killer. Then Magglio Ordonez lines a single into center, Lugo scores uncontested, and we've got the lead.

And such managerial skill! I'm in awe!

[cknox0723]

Originally posted by gordyhulten
Another great game update.

(...)

And such managerial skill! I'm in awe!

Just wait...one of these days, I might even call for a squeeze bunt with nobody on base. Now that (EDIT) would be (/EDIT) managerial skill.

One more update coming...



Craig