Hey Yankees and Rays!

We're the same now!

THE SAME!

The Red Sox announced that they will hold a moment of silence before today's game for George Steinbrenner

Really?!

And they think they can pull this off without a hitch?

St. Petersburg is a tough place to play? Really?

Per the AP story on yesterday's Red Sox/Rays game, this from Boston manager, Terry Francona: "This is a tough, tough place."

Really? It is tough to play in St. Petersburg? Is it?

I note that the announced crowd last night was 20,823. As to how many were actually in the seats, who knows. I did catch a portion of the game the night before between these two teams and it is safe to say that attendance was sparse with a very healthy number of Red Sox fans in the crowd. It just did not strike me as a very intimidating place to play for the Red Sox. Maybe they don't clean the visitors clubhouse or just keep generic cola in the Coke machine, I don't know.

Those catwalks above the field are kind of weird but they shouldn't intimidate anybody as long as they are bolted firmly in place. I do see that the their fans waive around cowbells there but I don't think a professional ballplayer would much be bothered by that. Tampa does have a pretty decent team but not the type that would make you shake in your boots so I don't know if it is that either.

So what is it that makes St. Petersburg this unique house of horrors for Terry Francona? I don't get it.

Maybe he doesn't get out much.

He should go over to Europe and wear the visitors colors at a game in one of those dilapidated soccer stadiums. He might find that tougher than St. Petersburg.

Better yet, he should go play the White Sox at their place when the shirtless guys are there and charging the field. They are out of jail now, you know.

I bet then he wouldn't think that St. Petersburg is so bad.

Jose Contreras usually does not disappoint

With the Tigers being 3 1/2 games up on the White Sox in the Central Division coming into the home stretch, for the last 3 weeks or so, Computer Boy has been closely following both the Tigers and White Sox games hoping that the Tigers can maintain their lead to the end. I don't follow the race that closely but I really do not have to as he updates me practically hourly on the scores of the games involving these two teams.

Yesterday before the games started, Computer Boy asked me how I thought the White Sox would do against the Red Sox that night. I told him that I didn't know but asked him who was pitching for the White Sox and he told me Jose Contreras. I told him that things would not be looking good for the White Sox as I explained Contreras is basically done as a major league pitcher and is easily hittable now. I also explained that nobody really knows how old he is and he could be ancient and he pitches like it. I also advised that the Tigers also had Justin Verlander pitching in their game so there would be a decent chance that the Tigers would extend their lead over the White Sox.

He was satisfied with the explanation but then I got to thinking that I would look pretty stupid if Contreras miraculously pitched a good game and of course, then all my credibility with Computer Boy would be blown.

Well anyway, the White Sox and Red Sox played their little baseball game last night. This was Jose Contreras third inning: single, out, out, walk, hit batter, error (by Contreras), walk, wild pitch, home run. Chalk up six for the Red Sox.

The White Sox went on to lose 12-8.

Per AP, this is Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen's thoughts on Contreras after the game: "Jose's going to be in the bullpen and I don't know who's taking his spot. I think enough's enough."

Too late, Ozzie. Too late.

How can Kevin Youkilis possibly hit that way?

So I am watching the Red Sox/Yankees game tonight and every time I see the Red Sox play, I am perplexed at how Kevin Youkilis has ever gotten one hit at any level of baseball including t-ball.

Look at the way he holds and grips the bat. The batting stance is quite contorted but that in itself is not too much of a problem as there are other guys that are even more twisted up. No, it's the bizarre way he holds and grips the bat.

First, he's got the bat held at an almost 180 degree angle. Then, he deliberately puts his right hand several inches up the handle of the bat almost into the barrel doing what I have no idea. As the pitch is delivered, he slides his right hand down the handle meeting his left hand and then properly grips the bat and if he does this successfully, then he can consider swinging at the pitch if he likes it. What the heck is that?! How can he possibly hit that way?

That is just too much work if you ask me. He is multi-tasking WAY too much here! Hitting a major league baseball is hard enough without all that extra work.

Obviously it is working pretty well for him so you know don't change a thing but this is really a mind-bender.

(That pitch from Beckett to Matsui on his second home run in the 8th inning was pathetic)

How did he ever get through the minor leagues? Surely, more than once, he had a batting coach in the system take him aside and say "Son, we need to talk. I don't care how well you are hitting now, you will never ever make it past this level of ball holding the bat like that. Where in the world did you learn that? I want to see you real early tomorrow at the cages."

(He's up right now. I asked Computer Boy what he thought of it and he said it is messed up. Belaboring the point, I know but still...)

Hey Youkilis! Ever look at the big picture?

You and Porcello both get suspensions. Porcello pitches once a week and will miss a start. You, on the other hand, will miss.......well all those games.

You are 5 1/2 games behind the Yankees and we are getting into late August. Your GM went out and made all those moves for the stretch run and you go out and get yourself suspended. Classic buffoonery.*

*Plus when you went out there, you got thrown like a rag doll. Not impressed.

Not buying it

You know, sometimes baseball games go long. Really long. Extra, extra innings. Someone has to win.

ESPN is turning last night's game into some epic and historic game just because the Yankees and Red Sox played into extra innings.

Not buying it.

Sorry.

Memo to David Ortiz

You should really refrain from this kind of stuff when there are steroid allegations surrounding you.

It just doesn't look good.

I know you probably could have broken that bat before all of the drugs but still....

Why this interest in Bronson Arroyo by teams at the trade deadline?

It is noted that the AP story of last night's Reds/Padres game indicates that there were scouts from 5 different teams at the game watching Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo as their teams may have some interest in him before the trade deadline. Some very quick additional research indicates that the Yankees, Angels and Rockies may be teams that have some interest in Arroyo.

I find this is kind of strange.

Bronson Arroyo has 5.17 ERA and 1.48 WHIP this year. I could look up his career stats but I feel very confident in saying that he has had his share of bad years and his "good" years are probably better classified as just "ok". I do know that when he pitched for the Red Sox, when I would hear that he was pitching against the Tigers at Comerica Park, one thought that would usually come to mind is whether there were any tickets available as the game was probably going to be a slugfest. To top it all off, he makes $9.5 million this year and is scheduled to make $11 million next year.

Why would any team be interested in adding him now? I know Wang just went down again for the Yankees but this is Bronson Arroyo who we are talking about here as a replacement. Think about it. If any other team would be willing to assume all of Arroyo's salary, I bet the Reds would let him go for a bag of balls and a year's supply of lineup cards. Well, they should anyway but then again they did hire Dusty Baker so who knows.

This reminds me of a little anecdot. I won a signed Bronson Arroyo card off of ebay some time ago. It is a replica of the card above.* I am not a Bronson Arroyo fan but I thought the card was colorful and nicely framed and accentuated his high leg kick. I am not home when the mail comes and I have an agreement with Computer Boy that he can open up envelopes with cards in them if he can be careful and he always is. Anyway, he opened up this envelope with the Bronson Arroyo card and he was ready for me when I got home.

"Why did you buy a Bronson Arroyo card?" he said waiving the offending card.

"Well it is colorful, framed nicely, blah blah blah"

"Yea, so. It is Bronson Arroyo."

Who am I to argue?

*I try to refrain from posting ebay scans of cards and I think I have only done it once before. In this case, I am not near my scanner now to scan the actual card and I cannot find the card through a search engine so I (shamefully) have posted an ebay photo of the card here. I an not ashamed though to say that I got my card for less than 15% of the "buy it now" price for this card.

Bad News Bears vs Kansas City Royals - Who wins?

In last night's 15-9 loss to the Red Sox, it is noted that the Royals made 4 blunders in the first inning.

Per AP: "David DeJesus misplayed Dustin Pedroia's triple, then Tony Pena misplayed Jason Bay's grounder and failed to force out David Ortiz at second allowing Kevin Youkilis to score and Ortiz to advance to third. Jacoby Ellsbury then hit a deep fly to left and Jose Guillen thought it was the final out and initially began running in before remembering that Ortiz was tagging up at third. Catcher, Miguel Olivo made the final mistake when he was charged with a throwing error."

I bet the beer was flowing really well at Fenway after all that.

Later in the sixth inning, the Royals loaded the bases however Miguel Olivo who was on third base was forced out on a one-hop hit to right field. (Our little leaguers, "The Wolves" can routinely score on this play; even the kids who struggle with what direction to run)

In the seventh inning, Trey Hillman was ejected by home plate umpire, Todd Tichener but it doesn't say for what.

I can't really blame Hillman. I would be looking to get as far away from that as possible too.

Forget that "going down with the ship" stuff.

Kevin Youkilis sure seems to argue with umpires a lot

The above is a photo from last night's Red Sox/Rangers game of Kevin Youkilis and Terry Francona arguing with an umpire over a disputed hit by pitch call.

Maybe it is just me or maybe it is just the Red Sox games that I happen to watch (and in fairness I did not see yesterday's game) but it seems to me that Kevin Youkilis complains and argues with umpires more than any player I know. From what I have seen, he seems to argue about anything but in particular, he likes to argue balls and strikes while at the plate.

I think most major league batters understand that each umpire's strike zone is somewhat subjective and it just does not make sense in the long run (or even the short run for that matter) to argue balls and strike calls in the middle of an at-bat. Of course, from time to time you will see a batter give the umpire the "stink eye" after a call or even mutter a word or two to them but that is usually as far as it goes. Youkilis not only does this but on more than one occasion, I have seen him flat out argue balls and strike calls in a whiny fashion with the umpire while in the middle of an at bat. I know on quite a few occasions, during these and other type arguments by Youkilis, I just want to say "Come on Kevin, just play. This is counter productive and also just makes you look bad. A big guy like you complaining?"

This reminds me of an interview with Youkilis I read about a year ago (and frankly I forget the source) where the interviewer advised Youkilis that among other major league players, Youkilis seemed to be one of the most unpopular players and he asked Kevin's opinion on that. As I recall, Youklis responded something like "Yea, I know and I don't know why."

I think I know why.

On the disputed hit by pitch ball yesterday, apparently Youkilis was in fact hit by a pitch in the left elbow but the umpire did not award him a walk as he was of the opinion that Youkilis made no attempt to avoid being hit as the rules require. Frankly, it is quite rare for an umpire to make this call even though quite a few players do not attempt to avoid a pitch thrown right at them. You see this call maybe once every 2 or 3 years as again the umpires usually just simply award the base regardless of whether the batter tried to avoid the pitch or not. There are probably only a select very few players for which an umpire would make this rather technical call against and obviously Kevin Youkilis is one of them.

I think I know why.