Baseball Thread Rated X -- Mature Audiences Only

You channeling JR, huh?

 

Tigers claim Matt Stairs off waivers.

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060915&content_id=1663974&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det

Not eligible for playoffs obviously, or would the Tigers be able to get around that since they have someone on the 60-day DL?

 

Turns out Papelbon will be done for the year, which was suspected. But it sounds like the Red Sox already have him plugged into the 2007 rotation.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2589493

 

Yeah.... that's the cure for arm trouble... become a starter.

 

The Red Sox certainly think so ...

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=157788

 

It's interesting that Smoltz was starting to get beset by arm injuries a few years ago and went to the closer's role.

Less need to throw so many breaking balls.... fewer actual pitches.

Now he is starting again and seems fine.

Interesting.

 

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/diamondbacks/articles/0916dbgonzomain0916.html

Didn't spend a ton of time with Luis Gonzalez during his career, but always noticed how friendly he was, especially to visiting reporters. One of the true gentlemen in sports, who did not deserve the smearing his own ownership gave him this season. He was very much the face of the franchise for years.

 

That's a good read, Vic. Thanks for sharing.

(But damn, that makes me feel old. I remember watching Gonzo come up with the Astros back in the day. Those guys were fun to watch develop. Easy to forget how many longtime stars were on those terrible late-'80s/early-'90s teams in Houston: Bagwell, Biggio, Gonzo, Finley, Schilling, Harnisch, Lofton, Caminiti, Kile ...)

 

Christ.... almost all of those guys are all still in the majors... or are dead,

 

Yeah, just bad timing on the part of the 'Stros ... they had all that talent before it ever developed, so they never got a chance to take advantage of it. Too bad.

Glad Bags and Beej were still around to make the Series last year, though. Doesn't matter that they lost. They deserved to win a pennant, get their due.

 

Poor Johnny Smoltz.

Gutting out this groin injury, he had a man on third with two out, scoreless game.

Cabrera grounds to Renteria. Renteria bobbles it and the throw is late.

Marlins take the lead.

Moron scorer calls it a hit. Some of you would have scored it a hit, that's how obviously an error it was.

But, more inexcusably, Smoltz gestures angrily to the scorer at the end oif the inning.

Pretty selfish act for a classy guy.

EDIT: Great, great performance by Smoltzie. One of my favorite players ever.

Now, Marlins must win 6 of remaining 8 of road trip to have any shot, I think.

Fork is still lodged between their shoulder blades.

 

Yankees magic number is down to four. I would also like to add Brian Bruney to the bullpen discussion thread. I know he is mainly unknown, but he has been absolutely dealing for the Yankees:
G IP R ER BB SO ERA
13 14.2 1 1 8 23 .61