Our man Hiroki looks to stop his slump.
Brett Gardner CF
Derek Jeter DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Alfonso Soriano LF
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Vernon Wells RF
Mark Reynolds 1B
Eduardo Nunez SS
Chris Stewart C
Never mind the two previous beatings, Hiroki, go git ’em and:
Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Picture via This Isn’t Happiness]
Nice title on the post. Now I have an earworm. : )
Hiroki, it's not August anymore.
Nune6!
Oh Jesus Christ Eduardo Nunez.
Hiroki!
I'll take that
One, two, omygod.
By design or did Nunez get lucky?
Seemed a pretty clear play to me.
Think wells ever stole home before?
Now that's our Hiro.
Was it a steal, or taking advantage of ineptitude?
Jeter looked a little gimpy after that sprint to first. It seems that his legs are hanging by a thin thread.
Hiroki is tough, man. He had shaky stuff to start, not really smooth in second inning either, but now 2 good ones in a row.
[12] There's a difference?
Cano=Smooth Operator.
Cano makes the impossible seem easy.
[12] It was pretty much what you'd guess. Nuñez headed for second, Vern took a few steps toward home then took off on the throw and Nuñez stopped half way. The throw back home was not great and Vern slid in -- a very good throw would have nailed him.
[15] Is taking candy from a baby larceny?
[18] Thanks.
[17] It's true. All of us who have thrown a baseball know perfectly well that what he does is impossible. It's completely unrealistic.
Just don't tell Rob.
Thanks Mike for answering the question. No prior steals of home for Vernon. BTW, I have a great vacation house in Vernon nj.
WTF? Where the hell was that pitch? (Ball one to Beckham.)
[22] Inviting the banterites over for the weekend?
[19] I hope not. It's just good old clean fun.
Stop rubbing off on Cano, Nune6! Dammit!
De Aza got a face full of helmet there.
Few things are more infuriating than an eleven-pitch walk.
Fuggin Beckham, a great AB.
Glug.
PatadivingAlex and then Soriano butchered. Oi!
You say Pasta. I sat Pata. sigh...
Blergh.
Nunie!
Better.
That makes it a little better, but Ramirez looked safe back at third to me.
[30] [33] I challenge you to an eloquence contest.
Nunie again!
Two or more runs off Sale is a tough order. But lucky is good too Nunie!
[37] merphal
Rats!
Unbelievable.
I know it's his whole gestalt, but Brett sure does strike out looking a lot. At pitches straight down the pipe, too.
Atta boy, Robbie!
That's .06 WPA for Rob.
The game is still a long shot, but I like to see him rack some of that WPA.
Interesting. Why not Addison Reed here?
Can we cash this in?
Ayyyyyyyyyyyy!
Come on, Alex!
That was pretty cool.
+.16 WPA for Soriano.
YIKES!
That's one of the worst pick-off moves I've ever seen. Why even bother?
Too dang close Sori.
Whoo-hoo, Alex! Keep it going fellas.
Jesus. They're making this interesting...
10 years ago that would be a lead.
That was snakey from Fonz getting back. And now Arod earned a little. Big hit now from Granderson.
I guess they can't PH for Vernon, huh? I smell a GIDP.
They can!
Ahem [46].
And now Veal! Okay, Curtis, your brother is home... kill the fatted calf!
By the way, .17 WPA for Alex.
Come on Curtis. On the air and deep
[60] Don't care for veal.
I don't think Curtis sees this ball well.
'Donnie Veal'?
HELL YEAH!
Well enough!
Pound that veal!
Passing Curtis for Mark?
Grandy!
OOOOOOOH YEAH!
[65] I saw all these zanily named White Sox in the Cell last week.
[69] No way. Ventura likes platoon match-up chess, so he liked the match-up with Curtis. Veal was just trying to keep it away.
Poor Chris Sale.
[71] Is that park as bad as its reputation?
[72] No Sale win. No Hiro loss.
[73] Not at all. Nice place to watch a game.
Oakland Coliseum is nicer than you'd think too.
Stress inducing at bat.
Did Obi-Wan Kenobi come to bat? I saw the score was 4-1 in the top of the 8th and figured it was over.
Exciting game!
Send the runners on 3-2? No, of course not, Reynolds Ks too much...
Yep.
[72] No one beats the Chess Master!
Wouldn't you just love to have Ichiro up now? But I guess Nuñez has a shot at getting a big hit.
-.09 WPA for Reynolds.
Man, I'm sure glad I stayed and watched this game this far. I should be at work now. Woo-hoo.
Fucking lovin' it!! NUNEY!!!!!!!
Holy shit.
NUNIE! What a great comeback, and a cushion for Mo!
Nune2rbi!
[75] Oakland, really?? That looks awful in every way on TV! Though I hear they sell tacos and have $1 beer nights..
Wild Card ahoy! Can't wait for them to catch those criminal Rays.
.30 WPA for Nuñez!
That's an enormous plus in one AB. I think you'd almost have to have a walk-off shot to get more than that.
Mo time.
I was surprised that Ventura took out Sale; didn't realize he was up to 114 pitches.
Punch him out!
Jeez Blue, no hot date tonight?
That's better.
Yes! Legit, too. That was a real strike. Fuck yes.
[88]Oakland looks soooooooo awful on TV, but it really is a nice-ish small bark in person.
US Cellular is basically just a stadium, but thats not so bad.
Wrigley has some nice old school charm and some of the dirt ass worst fans I've ever seen.
AT&T is just gorgeous. Especially at night
two down. Another chair?
[91] Blame it on his ADD...
All Rise. Pure beauty. Praise be to Mo.
Boo-yaaaA!
Mo... !!!!
Thanks be to Mo.
[95] I heard Wrigley is a smelly dump with awful fans..but nice ivy and beer. :)
Just a great win
Man, that was satisfying. Amazing how much fun this team is now, thinking back...
[102] I went once: the game was called after four innings for rain so I didn't see an actual, official game. It's old and tired and smelly, indeed, but I liked it a lot.
Man, that was rich and satisfying. An all-natural, legal high.
[104] For the record, I did not see your post.
[102] Wrigley Field: The Crotchety Old Git of baseball stadiums.
[107] Who is the Crotchety Old Git of the Banter, I wonder... ;)
Work time!
Big BIg BIG. Don't know what's going to happen in the next month, but it sure will be fun to watch.
[104} I went with my family once too. We were able to go on the field during BP, and just seeing those old empty stands from the field was a top 5 baseball moment.
But, the fans were kinda rude during the game after a few beers.
[109] Huh. I had no problem with the Chicago fans. I was wearing a Yankee cap, too. But I was with three other guys and two of them are really big.
PHIL HUGHES IS OUT OF THE ROTATION.
[110] No problems personally, but I was with my wife and son who was 8 at the time and some loud mouths nearby were shouting some dumb profane stuff.