Baseball Thread Number 8: Cal Ripken says the playoff hunt is fun

SHHHHHH. The Sox might hear you.

 

Always?

 

We don't talk about them much at all, actually.

 

Scotty Pods still in the AL, and therefore still in the race to finish 11th in the MVP voting behind Derek Jeter, Mark Teixiera, Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Johnny Damon, Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera and Joe Mauer.

 

Kawakami pitched very well for Atlanta (6 IP, 6 H, 1 R), but the Braves won because of what he did at the plate: specifically, his 10-pitch at-bat in the 6th inning when Josh Johnson was working on a no-hitter. He finally grounded out to SS, but Diaz broke it up a few pitches later. In the 7th, the Braves jumped on Johnson and took the lead, eventually winning 5-2. All goes back to Kawakami working him for 10 pitches there.

Oh, and Hudson makes his '09 debut tomorrow against Anibal Sanchez.

 

I don't know how Vlad hit that second one out. What a shot.

 

I'm used to Terrible Towels, so by all means, this should be an easy transition for me (save two possible Greinke starts, in which case, I have to root for a Cy Young) ...

 

You think Mauer's better than Podsednik? You are DREAMING.

 

Word. Pods steals more bases.

 

Plus, he has to actually STAND during the other team's at-bats. Mauer's all wussy and crouching. Pshaw.

 

Make that 12th. You forgot Mariano Rivera.

Come to think of it, Andy Pettitte has been really sharp in the second half. And Joba Chamberlain's numbers may not be good, but he's JOBA....

 

According to Ned Colletti, Thome isn't going to play first base. He is going to be a pinch hitter.