Today: Pirates-Padres, 9-27-08

Go Jimmy go.  Is any one home tonight on this blog?

@mad--As always I am lurking.

@mad--I am around got 4 rugrats destroying my abode as I type.

Poor JB going up against a Pirate Killer...This one may be over in a hurry.

i'm here!  I took a bit of a break from this box, but I'm here.

I still wish they were sending at least one game home...I understand why, but I don't like it.

4 rugrats?  Good luck with that, BK.  ;-)

Been a while since i posted anything and its nice to be back.

On the whole FSN thing, my guess is they figure that the Pirates won't be playing important baseball in September so they could care less about that as is the same with some Pirates fans. But i wish sometimes when they play teams like the phillies or cubs or brewers that ESPN would televise it because following the pirates on MLB gameday with only a few video highlights every now and than is as boring as watching grass grow.

G-Man -- About the TV / movies thread last night.  I don't think I started.  I was replying to Maz about old TV shows and mentioned that my wife and I buy DVDs of old shows to watch at the end of our day.

Then everybody started making suggestions and we started talking about movies -- I may have done that -- but it was just fun.

You and I must be about the same age, Supermanwas on when I got home from school, about 2nd or 3rd grade.  Let's see if I can remember how it goes.

Faster than a speeding bullet.

More Powerful than a mighty locomotive.

Able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Look!  Up in the sky, it's a bird.

It's a plane.

No, it's -- it's Superman

Yes Superman.  Strange visitor from another planet, who disguised as Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for a great metropolitan newspaper, fights a never-ending battle for truth, justice and the American way.

OK?  I suppose I could have googled it, but wanted a memory check.  

Please bear with me tonight, noticed a slight fever after Iowa lost, and it's shot up to 101.2.  My apologies for any fever-induced ravings, though they might not be noticed in this group.  Will be around til Mrs H takes her laptop away from me.

Can anyone tell me how to set a picture from google as your avatar?

It's no fun being a Pirates fan in Johnstown on a night like tonight.  Here I am, 65 miles east of Pittsburgh, with no way to listen to the game unless I sit in my car and tune in XM -- which would be the Padres broadcast.

No TV is bad enough, but the Johnstown radio station is carrying Penn State football.  Last night they carried high school football, which was over by 10:00, but didn't pick up the Bucs after that anyway.  I was told before by the station (during the SF series) that they "can only carry one or the other."  How ridiculous!  Even when they don't overlap?

I can't pick up the flagship station in my house due to the hilly terrain around here.

Somehow, watching play-by-play unfold on cnnsi.com doesn't have quite the same drama as listening to it.

DK--On the TV thing,you are right I would much rather watch the PBC instead of some Best Damn Sports rerun or the 2007 WSOP rerun. Having worked a tiny bit on the broadcast side all FSN would need was to buy/rent the feed, patch in the radio boys (pay a fee to 104.7) and shoot it back to the studio for broadcast (that is the simple version) but there is not much more to it than that. The radio crew is there, the SD camera's are there, the Sat truck is there. The major costs would be shared feed from the SD Padres TV network and the Satellite feed to Pitt. The only thing really missing would be the hometown "feel" from the camera's, but who cares it would be just like a nat'l televised game with our broadcast crew...FSN=CHEAP  If FSN doesn't understand the term POOL, have them call me. I will explain it in great detail.  

oops -- should have been strange vistior from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men.

CT -- click your gray avatar -- under shared feeds choose edit profile.  Enable your avatar.  Download it.  Be sure and click save down at the bottom.  It will take a little while.  If it hasn't shown up after about ten minutes delete your temporary internet files -- or the equivalent procedure for your browser.  HTH

@Minor Leaguer--Have your wife stand on the roof of your house, point her left leg South, Get 2 metal coat hangers and cut each of them along thier axis fold each side upright so they look like Football goal posts. Here comes the tricky part. With duct tape tape each "antenna" to her head by placing the J shaped end into each ear hole. get a long piecs of wire and tie it to her big toe on her left that is pointing south, tie the other end to your radio antenna or plug into the slot on your stereo for FM radio antenna....<GRIN> You should be able to pick up the BBC as well.

@Mad Turk

Just saw your post about the guys that eat for a living.Thanx,never thought I'd see that again.Kinda reminds you of Mean Joe Greene(takin the kid under his wing)Ain't youtube great!

Gentleman, thank you for posting and making the group what it is.  I started following following the Pirates in 1979 (I was six) and thought that it would always be like that, pre-drugs and Pre-free agency too.  I still have my "World Champs" 1979 pennant hanging.  

Best quote I've seen yet : "Napalm" Hanson (although I'm a little too young to fully know what Napalm is (I know, but not until college)).  

Just a thought, but Hank Blaylock is most likely going to cost as much as Adam LaRoche...  If we don't have to give up the number 4 pick, do you go after and Sign Blaylock?  

Not sure if your cable systems offer it, but I'm watching the Pirates game on Mlb extra innings with the SD announcers.  

Keep up the good cheer.  

DK- I'm curious. I get the impression that it's the Pirates that limit FSN's number of games. How does this benefit the PBC? I would think that it would be the Pirates benefit to broadcast all the road games. If you want to broadcast only x amount, fine. But if you want to broadcast x+6 we'll waive our fee for the +6.

@JH

thank you for that, i didn't see the save button at the bottom

CT -- We see your avatar.

Super JH to the Rescue!

@BK -- I ran that by my wife.  Would you please call 911 for me?  Fast!!

@WhyStan--Welcome to the asylum. We are glad to have aboard. Jump right on in the waters fine.

@Minor--I am LMAO, you are on your own. :)

It is a conspiracy folks on TV--over the past 40 years TV and radio technology has advanced greatly.  By now we should be able to buy a cheap plate that can pull in any radio or TV station in world--something like what a shortwave radio has been able to do for decades.  Technology should be to make sure with fine tuning they do not interfere with each other.  I remember when I was growing up that we usually got the Pittsburgh stations but sometimes, when certain things were happening in the atmosphere (like sunspots) we would get a station from Denver.  If we could do that but accident it can't be that difficult.  But we are prisoners of the cable companies and Direct TV and such.  So if FSN is not televising the game we should be pull a San Diego station or such.

Figured I would give the conspiracy group something new :)

@Minor--Since that idea didn't go over well, do you have any children with braces?

@JAL This one is for you and your theory.

www.youtube.com/watch

@JLP -- great avatar...I'm with you, buddy.

@maz--Speaking of avatars, you are the only "card carrying member" of the blog w/o an avater. Why?

Do we miss the days of broadcast on KDKA?  Before coming back, I used to pick up KDKA in about 3 rooms in my house in Fredericksburg.  Also listened to it in Massachusetts on e summer.  My middle school history teacher told us he could pick up KDKA and listen to games on clear nights when he was stationed in Alaska.

@BillyKidd

you on the meds?  You are on a roll.

@Maz you are welcome second one on youtube under the Alka Seltzer search.

Any advice dealing with these loony pHily fans that keep setting off fireworks near my house?  I'd set off the good stuff, but with my luck the wind would blow my fireworks back into the house and burn it down.

How in gods name do you not trade Benson for Howard?  Wade isn't the GM he thinks he is (now with Houston, formerly with Phillies).  I like the NH moves that are essentially free talent (Yates, DD, Michaels), The Nady trade will look good in 09 and beyond, the Bay trade looks awful right now.  

BK - Maybe just trying to keep the avarage number of avatars used lower to balance out the frequent changers!

@Cave - from morning links:

"I have your avatar framed and hanging on my wall in the study.  I bought it during a trip to Pittsburgh."

I guess we have similar tastes - once I decided on the FFM handle, I went out on the web to find a suitable avatar, & this is what I came up with!

In reference to the FSN broadcast or no broadcast.  "It is about contract and money"  Just once I would like someone do something for the fans. If it's cheaper ? go with the shared feed like Billiy stated.

@BK not very internet savvy.I get irritated easily.see PA!!

@BK -- Update: my wife can't go up on the roof...she's going to be watching the Penn State game!  

No kids at home...I do have a cat that has a collar with a bell on it, if you think that would work.

@BK--Thanks--I just heard where PA will starting his pro career

www.youtube.com/watch

@mad--I wish.

@Minor -- Thanks. I try not to be very political. But, that talking piece of gristle Glenn Beck doesn't like him so he's got my vote.  

@BK

After watching Iowa lose today I went out and rode the mountain bike 15 miles till I cooled down.Too bad the Bucs play so late at night or I'd be giving Armstrong a run for the money in Tour de France

@MnrLegr--Oh I feel sorry for you. We all now know who wears the Levis in your humble abode.   ;-)

No cat's do not work they end up looking like ACK!! the cat the first time they break to go to station ID

@BK

My avatar is "THE SHADOW" (yuk yuk)

Barthmaier vs Young -- seems like a forfiet out of the gate, but who knows until they play the game.  

Maz -- got sick after the Iowa game.  Hope it was something else.  Go ahead try an avatar, if you can find a pic you like (I'd suggest a *.jpg or *.gif) the worst thing that can happen is that it won't work and we'll never know the difference.

JoseLind- Anyone who picks a VP that helped my neighbor get her car out of the snow, gets my vote (it doesn't snow too much in Delaware).  

Maz, I play lots of Xbox and that releases my aggravation.  I was up until about 3 a.m the other night after say to my relatives, "please don't a slider to Braun".  

@JAL--Is that before or after Instructs in FL?

@Maz--the shadow would be fine except there are more than one at times :)

@BK--That's before to get him ready for instructs :)

@maz--yeah tough loss by Iowa saw the in-game updates. Sorry.

Yeah what JH said..give the avatar a shot...Anyone here will help. You are a regular member you should  "show your colors".

OK. One political statement.

I will vote for anyone who promises to hunt down and kill those guys in the Viva Viagra commercials.

@JLP--I think there is a waiting list for people who want to do away with them :)

@JLP--Did you ever think of going into stand-up/Improv?

maz,

I just made the picture.  What you do, is find a good picture on the internet, right clink on the mouse, save as (you would then type in the filename".  Then, retun to the blog, click on your name.  It will then go to you and you can edit your profile from there and browse to add your picture.  

@maz--are you going to take that from a rookie/newbie to the blog. He has challenged you to put up an avatar...<grin>

HEY EVERYONE FIGHT FIGHT

As for baseball--who wants the last remaining playoff spots?  mets won, Brewers lost so they go to game 162 tomorrow with identical records.  In the Al the twins, after taking 3 from the White Sox, lost agin to the Royals and the White Sox are down 4-1 to Cleveland in the 5th. now 6-1

@JAL--What is the tie breaker? A one game playoff between the two?

Avatars have been used fighting in games for years so why have not an avatar fight?

DK -

The Pirates are not locked into the 4th overall pick.  If the Pirates sweep this series and Baltimore loses out, the Orioles will finish with 67 wins and the Pirates with 68, which would give them the 5th overall pick.

So no one can say this game isn't important!  The difference between picking 4 and picking 5 is like the difference between Danny Moskos and Matt Wieters.

JHadar -

Yes, we must be about the same age. I remember coming home and watching Adventures of Superman shortly after school. You're memory is pretty decent; you left out a couple of phrases but had the rest down pat. Here it is:

www.youtube.com/watch

Forbes Field Memories -

Welcome to the asylum. I, too, have your avatar in my collection although it is not framed. A few years ago, the PG offered a whole series of old FF photos for sale. I think it was my late Mom who got them for me. I do have one framed one - the shot of Maz in 1960 just before he touched home plate in Game 7.

WhyStan -

Welcome to the blog. I love your handle. I assume it is asking why Leyland picked him to pitch against the Braves that fateful night in 1992. While most blame Barry Bonds, I had screamed at the TV when Belinda was brought in to pitch. He had not gotten anyone out all series long.

Don't mess with Gumby.

Personally, I'm rooting for the Mets in the brewers/NY mets fight.  Hear me out.. if the Mets make it to the NLCS, and the Phillies do as well, lots of fisticuffs in the stands.  

Thus, the Mets go home losers and a bloody nose!

@BK--Yes, one game playoff Monday in NY--and guess who pitches for the Mets tomorrow-Oliver Perez.

Kudos to maz for refusing to use an avatar/icon.

I also like the fact that he has a  telephone with a rotary dial. And an icebox.

;-)

Billy-- No. But thanks. I'm glad some folks enjoy my ramblings. Speaking of which: Somebody requested I make available all the stuff I've found out about DK. So, I rounded up what I could find via Google and put it in my Bio.

Gman you are correct.  The stage was too big for Belinda at the time.  Essentially, with the 3/4th delivery Belinda is about as good as a latter day Chad Qualis or Dan Wheeler.  good Stuff for a Middle guy, not a closer.

I'm sure great managers could look back and do things a bit differently.  Torre going to Kevin Brown in the 2004 game 7 NCLS, Leyland in that game and Joe Morgan not pulling Buckner for defensive purposes in 1986.

Would you believe Mitch Williams does the post-game for the Phillies?

Basically was Drabek out of gas in that game?  I never saw the game again.  

Odd question.. If the mets make it to Monday, do you bring in Santana to close the game against the Brewers?

The mets pen makes JVB look good.

Maz, Why did you quit using the root cellar?

If Mets and Brewers both win or both lose tomorrow they will tie and play Monday.  If one wins tomorrow and the other loses--the winner goes to the playoffs.  AL Central may go even longer because the White Sox have only played 160 after tonight so they might have to play the makeup Monday and if that is for a tie then one game against the Twins for the playoffs.  Of course, both races may end tomorrow with no extra games needed.  

WSB--go here to read an account of that fateful 9th inning

community.foxsports.com/.../15_Years_Later_Game_7_Loss_Still_Stings

WSB-Interesting question.  I read a story on today's game that asked if Santana can pitch on no days rest. Would they use him, I would not be surprised but if they do then he will probably only be able pitch game 3 or 4 of the first round .

@JLP--That is why I asked. I went out to your home page and could not stop laughing at your great posts.

What did you use as a search word for google?

@JAL:

Wow. The egregious spelling and grammatical errors are almost as painful as the memory of the game.

Just Googled my screen name enough times and came up with the three.

@JLP-thanks.

Cocktails--It is a painful memory.  Did anyone at the time think the Pirates would not be back in the playoffs for over 16 years?

Cocktails--And the writing would not receive a good grade in an English class.

@DK--< Andy LaRoche has been given a rigid workout regimen for this winter>

Thank you very much for answering my question from the previous thread.

Man I'm not sure what to pick now that you all put me on the spot.Better be good.And original.Good thing Fearless Leader(DK) is gonna keep this chugging along

@BK--Maybe Andy is going to that camp :)

@Cfor2--Well excuse us for not being half in a bottle when we type---oops maybe we are when we type,

video.aol.com/.../1340206836

That would be Camp Granada of course

@JAL--He and a few others should be going.

Isn't Young an exPirate?

Let's Go Bucs !!!!!!!!!!!

Dejan~the images you post prior to game time are much appreciated. I now know to hit that lil' hill next time I am in San Diego.. .. & So' .. 2 more. ... 2 More Left. I'm really looking forward to watching the game here soon.. was hoping to see & feel the FSN Burgh side of things, as mlbtv now offers both home and away feeds .. oh well - IT IS all about money & that kinda blows .. .. Right Now > Watchin' Indians @ White Sox WGN. ...The constant crowd noise is so nice to hear. ... The 16th 'final weekend' in a row with little if any. ... ..  noise. ..

Let's Go Bucs !!!!!!!!!!!

Dejan~the images you post prior to game time are much appreciated. I now know to hit that lil' hill next time I am in San Diego.. .. & So' .. 2 more. ... 2 More Left. I'm really looking forward to watching the game here soon.. was hoping to see & feel the FSN Burgh side of things, as mlbtv now offers both home and away feeds .. oh well - IT IS all about money & that kinda blows .. .. Right Now > Watchin' Indians @ White Sox WGN. ...The constant crowd noise is so nice to hear. ... The 16th 'final weekend' in a row with little if any. ... ..  noise. ..

Snell is swell, a bit of a loner he seems to be.  Some guys names lend themselves to rymes and some guys names lead to prose, which is which I suppose,  knowing this is the key.

the key to snell is he is so serious nothing can roll off ones tongue about an AKA.  He is the team personality that we want to borrow from another team down the street.  There was mad dog and mean joe green, but there was also Franco's italian army and gerellas gorillas.

I think Ian best fits the mold of a guy who should have a fan team orientation to his new recognition.  

so, Snell is swell, buthere in pgh. we are all

IANS BEINS

when he pitches he needs to feel our support.

So Lanny can start his radio intro by saying, friends, tonight on the mound we have Ians with his beins to face....  .

We can be a voice in his mind, throw inside throw inside  keep it low, dont waste time. well be little energy pops for him  little beins jumping around his brain, in a good way of course.

Ians Beins

all of us kins

looking for wins

no shananigans

I hope our intended encouragement hasn't chased Maz away.  Or if we have, he's out looking for an avatar.  

Fireworks and bobbleheads in San Diego, JR says the pitching has been better -- especially the starters -- of late.  Not to put too fine a point on it, but yeah we've been getting beat instead of blown away.  Maybe it's a burr under my saddle, but it seems like one of the reasons our pitching has been so bad is that we stay with guys too long when it's obvious to everyone in the park, watching on tv or radio (-: or the internet that they don't have it.

Trying to figure out why they do it.  Vote of confidence?  Think it will right itself?  Make 'em pitch out of it to teach 'em a lesson?  

JR is a former catcher, so he should know better than anybody when his pitchers are not ready.  

The positive that I've seen, but only for a couple of weeks, is that the starters -- at least a few of them are not falling behind in the first inning.  

Don't know what to make of the Andrews interview this morning, but Maholm helping Snell turn it around was some more good.

And have I said get Mientkiewicz signed, yet today.

Just in from espn.Lee scratched with stiff neck.Bullington will start tomorrow

@G-Man:

"Welcome to the asylum. I, too, have your avatar in my collection although it is not framed. A few years ago, the PG offered a whole series of old FF photos for sale. I think it was my late Mom who got them for me. I do have one framed one - the shot of Maz in 1960 just before he touched home plate in Game 7."

I was a student at CMU in 1960 (Then Carnegie Tech) and a bunch of us watched game 7 on the dorm commons room TV - when Maz hit the dinger, a bunch of us ran all the way to FF and then out onto the field where a wild celebration was under way.  After a while, the crowd left FF and went all the way to downtown on foot and many of us spent the whole evening there.

I don't remember a lot of the details, but what I do remember was that the crowd, while being quite exuberant, was really quite well behaved, especially in contrast to more recent examples of such celebrations!  I don't remember ever being afraid that violence was going to break out.  

Nah,my son and his fiance are here.I keep sneaking upstairs to check out the blog.Waitin for them to tell me to sit still

Maz - Yes, Young is a Littlefield trade victim (Matt Herges).

For future reference, this is almost as painful as mentioning Matt Wieters.  So, unless we score 5 runs off of him, please refrain from the reminder.   :)

JHadar-- "Make 'em pitch out of it to teach 'em a lesson?"

I think you nailed it.

From the unbelievable. Jamie Moyer won his 16th game this season...He will be 46 in November

Any chance Littlefield saw the name Young and thought he was trading Kevin?

I haven't participated for a while now in this blog as my interest in these final games has diminished starting with the trades of Nady and Bay. After that it's been mostly spring training and seeing what talent is left. Andy has not fared well and hopefully he can figure something out by the end of next spring training. I've liked what Nyjer has brought with his speed and ability to get on base. Duke and Snell have started to come around and even Pearce has looked good lately and I'm glad he is getting a chance. A lot of question marks. Glad they got Alvarez signed. Mainly I wanted to show my avatar since there is a lot of talk of avatars. It is a picture of a North End baseball team circa 1915 or so and my grandfather and his brother are on the team. I don't know anything about the team, only that they played in Pittsburgh, and I am very grateful to my cousin for e-mailing it to me. I have the names of all the teamates if anyone thinks they have a relative on the team. Beat 'em Bucs.

Invitation to speculation -- if Morgan can't play in Mexico does that free up a spot for Alvarez?

jose and JHADAR, there is no other baeabll expanation for these repeated moves.  I dont think at this time of year with only that last week or even longer to judge if you want to make any decisions on what a guy will do.

I think you would want to pull him the moment he troubles to keep the success fresh and make him work to go longer next time will do just as much in teaching him a lesson and it will also keep the ballclub in the game, hopefully.

@JAL--I never asked, do you have the MLB package, how do you get the game?

If Snell and Ohlendorf could pitch like Jamie Moyer they would be almost unhittable.  Moyer getting swings and misses on 80MPH pitches.  You don't need a mid-90s fastball to win but it should make winning easier.  

Jersey Joe -- I was just speculating on why they keep leaving these guys in, not approving it.  I think it's destructive to a pitcher's confidence to let him get clobbered, for whatever reason.

BK:

Priceless! ~applause~

@BK--I don't get the game except for what I can get over the web for free or those rare times when the Pirates are TV here--such as when they play the Nats.  Mostly I just follow the score on ESPN or MLB

Jimmy B may not make it past the 2nd inning.

walks will come back to bite you.

jhadar, yes i know and I was just agreeing.

@Cfor2--My pleasure.

This is the very situation I've been describing.  How long before he's finally out and the game is out of reach?

Pearce can hit the fastball no doubt about that.

Assistance please

Anyone got the MLB Gameday Pitch by Pitch up and running?

Joe -- my bad, fever back under 100, but still a little delerious, just read it wrong.

I am used to seeing the Speed Break and Pitch...I am not seeing that tonight...Is anyone? Do I need to turn something on or off?

BK -- I'm on gameday, what assistance do you require?

Walks certainly will bite you and Pirate pitchers give up too many

BK -- they are gone here, too.  I thought it was because I was using my wife's computer (XP) instead of my Vista machine.  (I'm not real fond of Vista, BTW)  I'm not seeing the red and blue lines from the pitcher's mound either.

@JH--Ok thanks I thought it was just me being me.

@BK

I am not seeing it either, nor did I last night.  However when I switched to another game last night, it was fine there?!?  Maybe MLB is trying to send a message about how unimportant this series is??

@JH--As DK pointed out earlier

Contracts and money

@Jhadar--when I got my latest computer it had Vista--I am not too fond of it either.

BK:

Gameday not showing pitch paths here, either.

DK: Making out with Oprah Winfrey?

@BK--I do not se any of that either--just where the pitch was and ball or strike--speed and type are blank

@FFM--Possibly...But that is BS if that is their reason.

Baltimore won so I think the Pirates are locked into the 4th draft pick

Chris Young's wheels are looking a little woobly

JAL -- try to connect a Vista machine to a win2K3 server with static addressing if you really want to have fun.  I'm finally getting the hang of it, but they rearranged the file structure and when you get it hooked up MS tells you that there are known compatibilities between their server and their OS.  

DK--Feeding the animals at SD Zoo;  having a colonoscopy;  testifying before a Senate Committee

DK...something else Barthmaier would rather be doing than pitching...watching U of Georgia football(they are losing to Alabama 41-30...and it hasn't been THAT close).

JHadar--I think I will pass on that--you can represent everyone the blog for those tasks :)

@BK

I was just kidding - but if I somehow got it right, you are ABSOLUTELY right!!

@Thunder--Having taught at UGA during the Herschal Walker years I can imagine what the mood in Athens will be tonight and tomorrow.

Barthmaier would rather be pitching to 6 year olds at the Field Day STH event held today.  Andrews told him we was getting the start on Saturday.  Barth had no idea the game was in San Diego as he was standing on the mound at 8am prepared to mow down the 6 year olds.  Turns out he was knocked from the game after three batters.  They called in one of the girls from the Cannonball Crew to complete the rest of his start.  

True story, well some of it.  ;o)

Jimmy would rather be sitting at the drive thru at McD's

Just came back. Damn med pass. You guys are stealing my material.

But since it's late on a Saturday; I'll work blue and add my own. Abe Vigoda's Fluffer.

My son and I watched Bama put a whipping on the "dogs" and I gotta say the Tide looks great.Left em in the Hedges!

DK-I know you have said you are on your own for travel but do Lanny, Greg, Steve, Bob travel on the PBC Charter?

Another thing JB would rather be doing.  Watching a start on Sunday by John VanBenschoten that lasted 1/3 of an inning after 3 hits and 4 walks.  First guy out of the pen is Yoslan Herrera to get the 2nd out of the 1st inning after giving up another 4 hits and 3 walks.  To finish the inning (barely) our old friend Osoria minimizes the damage by limiting the Padres to 5 hits, a walk with the bases loaded, and a grand slam.

Someone else can give the play by play for the 2nd inning in the season finale.

@DK:  ... being, erm, how to phrase this delicately, indecently assaulted by an ibex.   For a picture, look here.

www.treknature.com/.../photo33481.htm

When does the Paul Newman marathon start?

Why is there any mystery about why the games are not on TV? The team is dead and buried. and there aren't a lot of people who will be watching with two 10:30 starts and then going against the NFL on Sunday. It isn't cost effective. FSP has been cutting budget for 2 years now.

@JLP--Oh no you didn't! My eyes!!!

Listening to John Russell's version of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds.

A few more:

Trying out for Olympic Javelin Catcher

Giving Tours of Hog Confinements

Taser Tester

Sitting through an Ohio Express Concert

Dinner with Lucretia Borgia

Thru 4:

JB: 67P, 37S, 30B -- CY 74P, 49S, 25B

Barthmaier would rather be sitting in traffic on I-95 out of DC

Both games started at 1005 by the way.

DK any chance you will print the comments out and hand it to Jimmy in your post game interview?  Might make for interesting reading over the winter or for a scrapbook of his rookie year.

How about he'd rather be tied to a chair watching paint dry...maybe while listening to replays of every badly pitched inning from this past season.

Too much?  ;-)

@FF--<who will be watching with two 10:30 starts>>

Fans

@JLP--My Ears!!!

I'd be watching...baseball trumps football for me anyday.

He did seem to settle down pretty well after the 1st inning.

@DMac...if Jimmy listened to every badly pitched inning from this season...he'd still be listening when spring training starts.

Now it getting bad again--40 strikes and 38 balls

DK -- "Someone should pick a winner..."

I nominate Bay when he gets home from the pizza wars.

Barthmaier would rather be getting his fingernails clipped by Edward scissorhands.

Listen to the school nun rake her nails across the blackboard to get attention.

Be a terrorist prisoner at Guantanamo

let get JImmy B a fun thing to do.  How about hanging out on Correnado Island at the Hotel Del Correnado?  

Or..  trying to find the trees in a the mad mad world?

My eyes too--getting blurry--time to call it night.  Everyone have a good night.

DK--Hope you get some good stories from the game.

night JAL

Dejan,

Bullington is pitching tomorrow's huge Sox/Indians game.  How do you envision that start working out?

Duckworth goes for KC and Ollie goes for NY.  Three guys that were with us (one very briefly), but still pitching in huge game circumstances with the playoffs on the line.

What ESPN isnt going to show the 43rd installment of the Yanks/Red Sox tomorrow night?  Figured since there is a 735pm make up game, they'd be all over that to close out the season.

A last one before I shut down--having dinner with OJ's current girlfriend

@FF--<who will be watching with two 10:30 starts>>

Fans

Yes, HUNDREDS of them.

The Andy laroche one is too easy.. pirata13's dance class.

@MAZ

My new avatar is dedicated to you.

IT Reads

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This persons picture is too cool to display!

For Andy

Being back in the dodgers minor leagues.

Goodbye Jimmy Barthmeier. You made your country proud son. Now run down to In-N-Out and get us some burgers.

Hello, June, I'm home.

@Maz once it uploads of course...

Two on no outs rally time!

OOohhh...JLP!  You HAD to mention Inn-N-Out!  I SO miss their burgers and fries!

Same with Carls' Junior...

Crap we get nothing.  Later gents and ladies.

I don't think those two look that bad at the plate the first part of the year.

Now, DMac, where are you living now? We've got Carl's Junior down here in Texas ...

Reasons Andy LaRoche has stunk.

Had that freecreditreport song stuck in my head.

Trying to remember if I asked my neighbor to feed Kitty.

Adam told me told take a couple month off to make it look like a hereditary thing.

Can't stop thinking about Julie Bologna.

Suspending my play until there's a Bailout Plan in place.

I ate at Dingbats last Saturday and I've still got the Gary Glitters.

Trying to remember the formula for figuring out an isosceles triangle.

I've not been paying attention tonight - watched Butch Cassidy instead.  ONe actor in there - plays a bank manager:  Francisco Cordova!  Probably not the same one who pitched...

I'm in the Burgh now.  But my dad was in the Navy, so we lived up and down the Golden State, and I went to college in Riverside CA

@PopsBay--There you go.

I keep my hair very short so I can't pull it out during PBC games - sigh!!

diehard - That's so strange ... I was thinking of watching Butch Cassidy tonight, too, in honor of Paul Newman. Great, Great movie.

DMac - Yeah ... we have one of those Carl's Juniors on the way to Dallas, on this conspicuous little exit ... kind of reminds me of Hardees a little, best I recall.

Hold your breath here comes Walkem Jesse

Bay - Yeah, it was a good way to spend the evening.  It took about 2 minutes after the movie ended for my wife to fall asleep, so here I am!  Just in time for Michaels' triple.

Hardees along Maryland/De coast (owed by Carl Jr ). I want my $6 burger now

@JLP--What is your avatar

More Andy:

I can't figure out if Tony lived or if that guy that went into bathroom, came out and wacked him.

I've been worried about my WaMu shares.

Thinking about Dejan in the Speedo.

Training for career as trainspotter.

Neil Walker has been holding My Aunt Lorraine hostage.

Red Bull just isn't doing it for me anymore.

1 pitch, 1 strike.  Whew.  And due up this inning.  I think jesse is done.

It's an old Pittsburgh band called The Affordable Floors. Thanks for asking.

Bummer DD could not save the day.

Two more for Andy:

I thought this was AAA.  (ouch, sorry)

Boy, spring training has been really long this year.  When does the season start?

Game later today will probably wrap up in about 90 mins.  Both of these teams cant wait to get this over with.

@ Bay:

Hardees / Carl's Jr. = same company.

@Baywatch...Yeah, I think Hardees and Carls merged awhile ago.  We had those sporadically in Nebraska, but I haven't seen on here.

I'm signing off...catch you all tomorrow.

I am out for the night...Gandy Dancer for pre brunch cocktails and then the Grand Concourse for brunch...Catch everyone late morning early afternoon. Half way to a food coma.

As usual you all are the best. Thanks.

Dejan:

Do you mean what's more painful for Andy, or for ~us~ having to watch him?

More garbage:

FC: Dan, I want to thank you for applying for the Chief Marketing Officer position. We do have one other candidate. So just relax and answer these questions as honestly as you can. Okay?

DK: It's pronounced DAY-un. Oh, never mind. I shall do my best.

FC: Great let's get started. Why do you feel your the most qualified for this position? And please don't answer because your the only one to endure 150 Pirate games a year we're not paying.

DK: Well, I can give you two reasons. One. I don't know if you've read my blog but I have a pretty good feel for what the fan base is craving and I know who really killed Sam Sheppard's wife.

FC: Let's focus on the first one. Can you expound on what you mean what the fans crave? Is it omelets? Because we've been talking about putting an omelet bar next to Manny's.

DK: No. I think what they really want is more wins. But, since that probably won't happen. Maybe we could try to get the players more involved with the fans.

FC: How? Because we're really big on the omelet thing.

DK: Well, how about we have John Russell play beer pong with a lucky fan in between innings. Or, instead of shooting hot dogs into the stands, Matt Capps as a human cannonball and we shoot him into the stands?

FC: Okay. Those are definitely doable. Any others?

DK: How about Try On Jimmy Barthmaier's Shoes Day? I can think of at least one guy who would come for a Nyjer Morgan Stirrup promotion. And do you remember how on April 15th games they used to have a tax preparer at the games? How about we have lawyers come to a Sunday afternoon game and they can help fans file phony lawsuits against Scott Boras?

FC: Boy. You are totally nailing this. You know I've always thought of you as just the guy in the Speedo. There's more than just a hot bod to you. Eh? Okay now; We need to find a slogan to replace We Will... the Let's Go Bucs  thing just isn't generating enough excitement. Any ideas on that?

DK: Yes. Pittsburgh Pirates 2009 High On Glue.

FC: I'm not sure I follow that one. But we can work on that.  Any other promotions you might have in mind?

DK :For Skyblast we could reunite The Affordable Floors. Friday Nights are for the wives but Saturdays are for the mistresses? Everyone's an Usher Night? County Drink Tax Exemption Night?

FC: Now this part of the interview is going to be a little more existential. If you could have dinner with any three people living or dead, who would they be?

DK: That's easy. Skeet Ulrich, David Schwimmer, and Carson Daly.

FC: This next one comes from the master. Bernard Pivot

FC: What is your favorite word?

DK: opprobrious

FC: What is your least favorite word?

DK: Pompeani

FC: What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

DK: The Garden Weasel

FC: What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

DK: Jose Lind's Pants

FC: What sound or noise do you love?

DK: Eight Hundred - Five Eight Eight - Empire

FC: What sound or noise do you hate?

DK: Perry Como

FC: What is your favorite curse word?

DK: Romulo

FC: What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

DK: Cat Burgler

FC: What profession would you not like to do?

DK: Riverboat gambler.

FC: If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?

DK: New Order are playing in the grotto.

FC: OK. We'll make a decision later this week.

Good night, everyone! I'm going to read back over the posts from since I went to work ... then crash myself.

 I can't seem to find Andy Laroches numbers broken out since the trade. What is his BA, Sulugging percentage and RBI totals. And he had hte grounder to Sabathia rules as a hit. I would guess he is below .150 witha significant number of AB's.............pathetic. He isn't just on a scholarship, He is at USC, living rent free in a home by the beach, driving a Benz, eating at Lawry's every night, banging a USC song girl twiwe a day and it is all gratis. That is the type of scholarship this guy has been granted.