(recount! recount!)
If you’re wondering how Willie Randolph only managed to get 6% of the vote, well, Aaron Heilman was only allowed one ballot (link courtesy Hot Foot).
If only Sports Illustrated had loyal readers moonlighting as copy editors like CSTB, they’d not be claiming Eric Wedge is the manager of the Chicago White Sox. Or that Dusty Baker manages the Giants.
Newsday’s Wallace Matthews notes the warm reception for Alex Rodriguez of late, and takes a shot at Mets fans in the process.
Yesterday, Mr. September had two home runs against the Twins, one of them a bomb that landed in that area beyond the centerfield fence the players like to refer to, ominously and pretentiously, as The Black.
He knocked in five of the Yankees’ 10 runs and, under mild prodding, took his third curtain call of the past four days for the largest regularly assembled group of hypocrites in the history of sports. (The second largest holds its meetings across town at Shea Stadium, chanting “MVP!” for Carlos Beltran, last year’s punching bag.)
Wally is overstating things a bit. Some of the fans who were riding Beltran in 2005 aren’t amongst those showing him the love in 2006, simply because good seats aren’t as easy to get this year.
At the risk of having anything in common with Michael Kay, Philadelphia’s Cole Hamels is PITCHING A PERFECT GAME through 5 1/3 innings against Houston. Hamels has struck out 7, compared to 5 K’s for Roger Clemens. The Phillies scored the game’s lone run when Clemens plunked Jeff Conine with the bases loaded in the top of the 4th.
(UPDATE : Charlton Jimerson, recently promoted from Round Round, broke up Hamels’ bid with a two-out, solo shot to right in the top of the 6th. Jimerson will miss the PCL playoffs against Nashville later this week, but he’s probably happier about having hit his first big league home run).
(UPDATE DOS : Phillies 2, Astros 1, bottom of the 6th.
Ryan Howard just sent a Russ Springer fastball into outer space for his 53rd HR. Maybe the Phillies can fly the Maris family to the year’s final homestand.)
(UPDATE TREY TO STOP ME : Phillies 3, Astros 2, 10 innings. Huff homered off Hamels in the 8th to tie the game, Utley hit his 25th HR of ’06 to rightfield off Dave Borkowski in the 10th. Matt Smith, acquired by Philly in the Bobby Abreu trade, pitched a scoreless 9th. Aside from snapping a 12 game losing streak to the Astros, Philly moved into 2nd place in the NL Wild Card hunt, 1 game behind San Diego, a half game ahead of Florida.
Jimerson pinch hit for Clemens in the 6th, the Rocket reportedly suffering from a strained groin).
Again and again, CTSB comes up with the fitting image. I was at the game today and Howards Hags were in the next section over from me. I would have to give yesterdays Howards Homers crew (a bunch of guys with Homer Simpson masks) their due and todays Hags were an exuberant crew. Ryan Howards HR today had to be the hardest hit ball I have ever eyewitnessed. I was in sec 139 (LF line field seats), had a panoramic view and Howards blast left the playing field too quickly for the human eye to follow. It hit the upper deck facing on an upward arc and trust me Philly readers, it there was no grandstand, that ball would have probabaly fallen to earth somewhere around 7th St. I am thankful that the ball did not maim a Phan. This was a huge, huge, monkey-off-the-back win that would have been a bitter loss had they not pulled it out.. I am very happy the slumping Utley rocked that walk-off and very proud and pleased that Cole Hamels outlasted Clemens. Good times today.