Damn, I am really looking forward to the Nova start! Wow! I didn't expect this, but I'm psyched. He's really fun -- somehow without all the big expectations, he's delivered, he's likeable, and with no pressure these days I just have a good time.

[1] yes, i feel the same way - i really look forward to a nova start.

Well, blech, that's a lousy beginning.

The Red Sox just turned a triple play.

I blame you both! [1][2]

;-)

[5] Ugh.

Uh oh, this might be one of those nights ...

Nice bounce back inning from Nova.

Sox down 3-1.
Their triple play is on highlights.

There.
RBI Robbie.

What I miss?? How is Nova looking?

hi team!

i liked this Nova quote, from espn-ny:

“I think I just throw it with more confidence,” Nova told Ian Begley on Sunday. “When I was in the minors, it was the right time to practice it. I wasn't sent down because I was pitching bad, I got sent down because they needed a roster spot. So why not spend that time working on your technique? (I worked on) pitching inside, working on my slider. And now you see how it is.”

c'mon Andruw!

sub-optimal.

[11] Lousy first. Looked excellent in the second.

[12] Yeah, we were enthusing about him, up top!

Well that was a nice fat pitch, and Russ knew what to do.

Mussell Coltrane!!!

[15] that's why i went back and found the nova quote! : )

had read it earlier today...

Eduardo Scisoorhands. He's kind of the anti-Rob.

captain facemask w/ a solo job. 3-2 tampon.

Gardner butchered that one.

pujols reached 30 homers...again.

verlander well on his way to his 18th win...

and there goes the lead. ugh.

and there goes the tie. ugh.

Ivan Nova is KC's bitch.

weird.

I cannot accept home runs by the Royals..they should be playing artificial turf, Willie Wilson small ball.

btw, the braves have already called up 20 yr. Arodys Vizcaino. he's had a few relief appearances and has done pretty well. he was the 'prized prospect' we gave up in the javy deal...

jesus, leche. he's having a great year...

Ugh, didn't bp end a few hours ago?

[20] Tek homered earlier -- Ellsbury made it 3-2.

I think.

If Nova had pitched like this ten days ago... he'd be in Scranton now.

[27] i always dug willie wilson when i was a kid. sooo weird that he ended up playing with both the A's and Cubbies, at the end of his career...

[28] D'oh!! Hurts losing Arodys..and for Javy Vasquez!!!

[31] ellsbury is ridiculous this year. pisses me off...

[27] i'll never forget looking at the back of willie wilson's card when i was a kid and marveling at the eye-popping 705 AB's. that was such a HUGE number.

now, i'd be frustrated that he was allergic to walking and had a sub-par OBP... ; )

Oy.

jesus christ.

it's extra base hit heaven for the royales.

[35] Ells has more homers this year than he had in his whole career before this year. But there hasn't been one word of suspicion, not one. Interesting. He doesn't have a bulky build.

[38] Of course not, gritty hard work only! Not a word on the $300+ dollars the genius spent in offseason either..

Damn, Carl Crawford stinks.
I mean, this is what I expected from him, but it's still jarring.

Sure, Brett, now. Not with the bases loaded and two out in the second inning.

i'd love the captain to hit it into the waterfall here and now...

No way!
Isn't that Derek Jeter? It is!

i'll take that!

[42] Will that do?

[45] yeah, sure!

see [44]

We have good hitters.

that'll really do!

[47] by "we," if you mean you and me, here at the banter, then...yeah, we do. ; )

and now arodys vizcaino is pitching in the 10th inning. good braves-giants game going on...

a double steal would be kinda fun...

Yost ejected? What happened?

4-2 tampon

arodys gets miggy tejada to ground into the dp. bottom of the 10th here in the Atl. i'm soooo happy to be back home, yaaaaaayyyyy!!!!!

[49] Well, us and Mr. OK.

wow, epic ab. robbie wearing the kid out. 7 fouls in a row.

here comes pitch #12!

Oh, Robbie, YOU DA RIPPER, MAN!!!

I feel for the kid, but you can't stop Robinson.

[56] and THERE IT GOES!!!

That was my favorite AB ever.

[55] Mr. OK has warning track power, which is about 350 feet further than i can hit the ball. i'll be the speed demon, a la Willie Wilson. and, by William Hayward Wilson, i mean my man "Mookie"! : )

Robinson Fucking Cano.

The RIPPER!!!!!!!!!!

Sigh.

Robinson Cano.

I'm not gay.

yeah, gotta get the kid outta there.

we won't be URP'ed!

[60] wish i could've seen it...

[63] you're not happy? why?!

i hope Nova can get his shit together after this inning!

robbie and melky are gonna have some fun hangin' out after the game tonight.

rays up by a granny. still top 8...

[61] I met Mookie at my Little League year end dinner in 1987!
But no warning track power for me, I'm more Alvara Espinoza..

Huzzah for Cano!!

from the honorable chad jennings over at lohud:

Also, the Yankees have claimed LHP Raul Valdes from the Cardinals. He’ll report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Jeff Marquez has been moved to the 60-day disabled list to make room on the 40-man.

[68] nice! i actually got to meet him an awful lot, starting in 1982. my godfather was the VP of the Muts and Mookie was my fave player. i actually wore #1, played CF, batted first, (sucked) and was nicknamed Mook or Mookie.

i could beat out a weak squibber to 3rd, steal 2nd, steal 3rd and score easily. : )

now i can't even run to the next gate at the airport...

This guy Robinson Crusoe can hit

[66] I bet A-Rod will show up. "Hey, guys! What are we doin'?"

GI Joe shoulda pinch hit Jorgie for Andruw, let him get a few AB's in. lefties coming up, then A-Rod's back...

[72] yeah, that's right! they called him "Superman"

apparently, A-Rod got booed a coupla times tonight in Scranton for failing to catch a coupla foul pops to the 3rd basement side...

Alrighty, Ivan, time to get 6 outs!

the Snakes are for real. 1st place, + run diff, just beat Doc Halladay...

Arodys in to pitch his 2nd inning...

[72] Hysterical! Not sure how jumpin the KC scene is any more, not like it used to be.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyVNApGCeWE&feature=related

It will be interesting to hear the post mortem on Nova. Several really good innings, a couple of really bad ones.

[77] Awesome.
I've never been to KC. It seems like the kind of place I'd like.

holy crap. super quick 'n clean inning for nova!

prado with the walkoff hit for the bravos!

Excellent. Thanks, Rob!

Goodbye, Ivan the Terrible; hello, Supernova.

another great, quick 'n clean inning for Nova!

little pony boy midget fucker ends the game.

niemann with 10 K's, complete game.

let's win and go up a .5 game!

My Little 0-for-4 Pony flies out to end the game.
Jeff Niemann CG W.

1st victory for Arodys Vizcaino.

[84] [85] Cut that out.

woo hoo robbie!! oh vey, poor nova. at least he settled down. i guess even cc has bad games though...

Greetings Germs...
Not the best game for Nova, but I still like the kid (and he's cheap!).
Maybe it's good we didn't DFA AJ yet?

The first 3 1/2 innings of this game took about six hours. Then the next two blew by in fifteen minutes.

everyone has probably noticed cano's 1.159 OPS for august. mighty robbie!

seamus!!! what's up, man???

[90] yeah, i won't be able to stick around much longer. gotta get to the studio, then have tons of work to do. i start teaching college again tomorrow...

the larmis! what up! did you get to state college last month? sorry i missed you. work kicked my ass for a while there.

[92] Well, thanks for stopping by.

Hello, Seamus!

Hm, not good.
Boone, please.

[93] yeah man, it was a fantastic trip up 'ere o'er at the college. good times!

wearin' a new penn state t-shirt right now : )

howdy riyank! i saw you, thelarmis and mr ok were holding down this thread tonight! nicely done of course.

Sigh.

Too late, Joe. Damn.

[95] neh. DP coming right up!