Game 8 Open Thread: April 10, 2007

Leach says that Spiezo who is not feeling good will play.  At least it is the Pirates.

I rooted for him last season... He had a real nice minor league career and wanted to see him do well.

Not so much today, though.

According to (old school link for those who don't like the new one) today's gameday, Rolen IS starting at third, Miles at 2nd, SnoCones behind the plate... And to the pleasure of others and myself, Duncan's in left.

duffy cf
wilson ss
sanchez 2b
bay lf
nady rf
laroche 1b
paulino c
bautista 3b
gorzelanny p

cards

eck ss
dunc lf
AP 1b
rolen 3b
wilson rf
bennett c
miles 2b
gooch cf
keisler p

hate the lineup. i thought someone said rolen was out. edmonds wont be happy about this one tonight either. john rodriguez for right field!!

Great stuff, as usual.

With Bennett and Miles starting, it sounds like Tony is definitely treating this game as the bonus "getaway day" game even though it's only #2 out of 3.  Might as well put So in center and Wilson in right and make it official.

Nice grab, Gooch.

If you did miss it, you might not know that "there will be a lot of teams involved in deciding who goes to the playoffs this year."

I have a feeling that people are sending in questions just to bait the guy, now.

What's up with all the jinxing tonight?

Edmond fouls a liner just past LaRoche's glove. Hrabosky says, "If he were a right-handed 1B, that might have been a double play."

Next pitch is lined to LaRoche, who doubles off Miles.

izzy-perfect 9th

real:
6 ip, 2 er, 5 hits, 1 bb and 3 so

That was a good at-bat, too.

Brad Thompson... He can pitch a few innings, if need be. Just keep it on the ground, Wonderbrad.

If I were a Pirates fan, I'd be complaining about Eldred not being pinch-run for.

'course, that walk will help, at least a bit.

That foul ball was close to being caught. Too close.

...especially if you're hitting .138?

And the game ending double play was turned just as close as the rest of the game.

In Albert we trust.

by Mr Redbird on Tue Apr 10, 2007 at 06:20:07 PM CDT

And I'm happy about it :)

I had to share this because quite frankly I can't believe what I am seeing.

My hitting tonight...

20-40, .500 BA, 2 runs, 0 HR's, 0 RBI's, 0 SB's, 1 walk

My opponents hitting...

2-38, .052 BA, 5 runs, 1 HR, 9 RBI's, 1 SB, 6 walks

Why oh why do I put myself thru this torture every year?  

Nice win for the boys tonight!

but looking at those pitchers they belong chained up in Igors basement.
Yeesh

If the Snakes can come back (down 4-3 to the Reds) and the Marlins hang on, our beloved Cardinals will be sitting at .500 and tied for the division lead.

Its a topsy turvy day when Pujols goes 0-5 and JD Drew is your hero...

6/23 2r, 1hr, 5rbi, 0sb, .704 OPS

and everything was done by Drew (except 2rbi)

see you romorrow. good night.

Earlier, I watched Jason Marquis pitch one of those typically frustrating games where he survives 5 innings, runners on base constantly, but gamely pitches just well enough to lose. (and made Santo groan loudly in the booth)

Bottom line: Cards win / Cubs lose

The Pirate faithful is ready to kill both Torres and LaRoche for their terrible (early) play.

Albert seems off-balance at the plate, having seen it up close now.  He's got his legs seemingly further apart this year and when he strides, he doesn't merely pick the toe up and put it back down, he is lunging at the ball.

Still, thought he ended that game in the Top of the 9th.

Speizio and Pujols are lucky the Pirates didn't Butcher Boy there on the bunt for Eldred to 3rd because both were past the pitcher's mound before the ball was even thrown.  It looked like a break out play with all the infield shifting and such.

The fireworks were just one of the many post night game fireworks shows the Pirates provide, but it got pushed REALLY late because of the extra innings.  This, I believe, is the second year in a row that a fireworks game went extra, extra innings.

As far as Rolen and Speezer, didn't both have back spasms and the flu this time last year when in Pittsburgh?

Surprised that no one else was playing it, I had to buy that song myself after the Cards won the WS last year.

Sorry, Pirates.

Weaver (L, 0-1)

Innings: 2.0

Hits: 7

Runs: 7

ER: 7

BB: 2

SO: 1

HR: 1

ERA: 31.50

Looks a lot like last year, i.e. before the trade. (By contrast, Marquis's got a 3.23 ERA. Give him time; he'll come around too.)

Who would have thought?