The Stanford Showdown
Here’s one guess for how you don’t want to enter a road series against a red-hot Janquis team: having lost 14 of your own last 19. Yet that’s exactly the position in which the Orioles find themselves tonight, as it’s one Stanford alum versus another in the form of Jeremy Guthrie and Mike Mussina.
Guts is 1-1 against the Yankees for his career in four starts, three of which were (surprise) Quality. His last start in the Bronx, however, didn’t go so well as he gave up six runs in 4.2 innings.
In what may be the stat of the game going in, Brian Roberts owns Mussina. He’s gone 19-40 (.475) with six doubles, a triple, and three RBI for his career.
With the DC Cab and a big question mark coming up next, things don’t get any easier. Tonight’s the night to steal one.
On another note, I’m curious as to how folks feel about the Yankees these days, especially in comparison to the Sox. While both are clearly loathsome, does one have an edge?
With the Yankees, the same thing happens to me every time. I think about them and I kind of think, “Hey, you know.. these guys aren’t as bad as the Red Sox these days. Their team kind of sucks, and their fans haven’t been as annoying in Camden Yards in comparison to PSN.”
And then I see them on the field.
And the hatred returns.
No matter how annoying the Red Sox become, nothing compares to seeing those damn pinstripes and seeing that butt ugly stadium, and the whole aura of entitlement that goes along with those bastards.
And just when you thought maybe the Yanks would be a normal baseball team with George stepping out of the lime light, we get a new, fresh, George in Hank Steinbrenner. The cycle of hatred rolls on.
I fucking hate the Yankees. When they play the Red Sox, I root strictly Boston. I really can’t stand half the players (Giambi, Mussina, Jeter, Rodriguez, Ponson, Damon…all loathsome), and half of their media guys (of whom only Peter Abraham and Ken Singleton are solid gents).
When I doubt myself, I think of two people to get white hot all over again. Maier, Mussina. Fuck you guys.
I do have a certain respect for parts of their fanbase, though. And you have to respect the team’s abilities, of course. So I really hope we can steal 2 of 3 here, but I think perhaps tonight is our best and only shot at a decent game.
There’s no way Moose is winning this one.
Well I feel pretty good so far. For whatever reason, we just beat up Moose a ton in the past couple of years. He’s already at 50 pitches, so let’s hope we can knock him out by the 5th and expose the Yankee pen some. They already got a workout yesterday when Sir Sidney Ponson pitched like Sir Sidney Ponson. So this would be a great opening statement.
Also Guthrie has to keep shutting them down. I have never felt comfortable with any lead against the Yankees, honestly.
I think the best way for me to distill my feelings towards the Sox and Yankees are: Boston = annoying, NYY = HATE.
Yankees, their management is beyond hubris and just absolutely crass in hiring mercenaries.
Red Sox, John Henry. Quiet and professional, steadily restocking a farm system to put Billy Beane’s to shame.
Yankees, ugly-ass stadium, but at least with history. So what do they do? Tear the sumbitch down and build a cheap looking reproduction right next door so they can cram more people in than necessary.
Red Sox, keeping Fenway. Thank God.
I guess if you want to condense it even more you could say: Red Sox = Classy Management & (prone to being) Trashy Fans, Yankees = Trashy Management & (silent majority of) Classy Fans.
I know I’m painting with a friggin’ epically broad brush, but I think it works.
PS
MURDER THE MOOSE
WTB
We’re letting Mussina and the Yerks bullpen off the hook with this first pitch swinging juink. Damn youse guys, make him work.
Ah, Captain Clutch doing his clutchy clutch thing there with the clutch double play. That was awesome.
If Jeremy Guthrie doesn’t get hurt or retire suddenly or some freak thing like that, he will have a no hitter at some point. He looks really, really good most nights against some great competition. Guy can bring it.
Millar is a streaky sumbitch, man. But boy is he a Yankee-Killer.
Ramon: Ka-ching! +5 trade value points.
A-Rod: 0-2.
WTB
Roberts is 11 doubles away from 50. What a ballplayer, man.
Doctah Jones!
Huff: Gettin’ it done. 6-1.
Err… 6-0. Hahahaha
2nd infield single because of Jeter’s “All-Star caliber SS skills” [sic] … IN THIS INNING. May the Yankees die tonight of a thousand paper-cuts!
IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE???
DOCTAH JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS
GOOD LORD
That swing was Eddie Murray-pretty.
That kid’s ERA went from like 1.50 to 4.60
Jones is really looking good. My God, how exciting.
Wow, Sarfate’s gonna start on Wednesday.
We’re putting ourselves in a great position now, to win tomorrow. Burn up their bullpen, and with Rasner going, hopefully the hitting rides right through and we can get to him in 6 innings, and then they don’t have their middle relief. Excellent. Well played game all around.
Come on Lance. Dude can’t get an out…
Way to cough up 3 runs there, Lance. Good thing they decided to not let him start.
Ahhhhhhhhhhh christ get OUTS
Randor is the man.
Haha you cant throw Aubrey three straight sliders, Farnsworth.
so much for breaking into their bullpen…now we’re as deep as they are. UGH.
Eh.. we’re ok. Cormier doesnt matter, Bierd did fine, and Jamie only faced one guy. We have 13 pitchers for a reason haha
A double here could get Jones thecycle…
Shoot..
Hell of a win, hell of a win.
MILLAR.
JONES.
RAMON.
HUFF.
Q.S. GUTS
Whew. That was nice. It’s a shame about Cormier but you knew the Janquis weren’t going to get shut out at home.
Adam Jones isn’t technically a rookie, but if he was he’d have to be getting strong consideration as Rookie of the Year. The Bedard deal would have been a win even if he was all we got. Hell of a coming out party tonight.
You can say that again. Man, he killed that ball. Good, quick, confident swing to crank it out. I could get used to seeing that happen over the next bunch of years.
Anyone else think he looks like Michael Jordan?
Hell, I just realized we homered for the cycle.
!
Neal, I like what you’re saying about rookies, and I love Adam Jones…but he can’t hold a stick to Evan Longoria.
Here’s hoping we don’t suffer some sort of post-beating malaise. And here’s hoping that the Cabrera figures himself out. Hes been pretty good in Yankee Stadium most of the time (I feel like, anyway…maybe I’m wrong about that – well, only ARod and Giambi have good lines against him).
WTB
After chalking up 13 runs, here’s hoping there’s some ammo left in the bats tonight.
However, I’ve a strong feeling that Cabrera’s gonna pull off one of his all too rare sterling performances.
Glad about Sarfate getting a start. He should be a starter, and he’s the tools to be a good one. He simply needs to trust his stuff and go after hitters. The O’s defense is excellent.
Sure be nice to take two more from the Yanks!
Hank Steinbrenner’s almost as much of an arse as Larry David portraying his dad. A-Rod’s busy with Madonna (question is why? She hasn’t aged well. Perhaps he’s attracted to money. snicker snicker.) Their new stadium is a neo-classical monstrosity.
And yet… their fans annoy me far less than Red Sox fans do.
Why, you ask? Because I expect Yankee fans to be idiots. They’ve had 75 years to develop into the uncouth mob that they are.
Red Sox fans did it in one night. They should know better and thus have become what they have always hated.
It’s the devil you know, right?
Mmmm DigDug Jones.
When is management gonna get smart and give away Guthrie shirts? Or print Guthrie jerseys? He has to be the most unsung player ever to don the orange and black.
Dierkes @ MLBTR:
So far the Orioles have had no success trying to acquire shortstops like Erick Aybar, Alcides Escobar, and Reid Brignac for George Sherrill.
I really hope we keep him.
Old friend Ken Rosenthal says the Marlins are considering Ramon Hernandez, as well as Ryan Doumit, Gerald Laird, and Bengie Molina.
Curious, since I imagine that Ramon is the worst of the bunch. He’s also the most expensive. But hey! That means his price tag in a trade should be low. Keep on praying that the Marlins are that dumb.