Well, I’m out of my live-blogging rhythm but I’m willing to try it tonight!
I’m preparing some of it pre-game so I know what (well, in this case WHO) the hell I’m writing about! 🙂
Lineups tonight – courtesy of Boston.com:
Indians:
Grady Sizemore-CF
Asdrubal Cabrera-2B
Travis Hafner-DH
Victor Martinez-1B
Jhonny Peralta-SS
Kenny Lofton-LF
Franklin Gutierrez-RF
Casey Blake-3B
Kelly Shoppach-C
Paul Byrd-P
Yankees:
Johnny Damon-LF
Derek Jeter-SS
Bobby Abreu-RF
Alex Rodriguez-3B
Jorge Posada–C
Hideki Matsui-DH
Robinson Cano-2B
Melky Cabrera-CF
Doug Mientkiewicz-1B
Chien Ming Wang-P
Bob Brenly, Chip Caray and Dick Stockton are our friendly TBS announcers with Craig Sager (he of the having the balls to call LeBron James a ‘frontrunner’) in the stands!
Is Tony Gwynn in the mix somewhere? I’ve missed too much baseball over the past few days. Oh well, I’ll update it when I find out for sure. Honestly, I haven’t a clue who our announcers are going to be. I’m just positively giddy knowing they won’t be Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, Chris Berman or Joe Morgan.
Ron Darling is on the pre-game show and he sounds like he’s doing a bad Brando impression.
(Okay, after checking in over at "Awful Announcing" – and eventually I’ll will put that up as a link – I see I was right in wondering about Tony Gwynn. For it won’t be Dick Stockton making the call, but huggable Tony Gwynn. All right then.)
Here’s a question, Cal Ripken just admitted to ‘not knowing’ about the Rockies. Tony Kornheiser is notorious for this as well. I don’t get it. Since when is Todd Helton a ‘nobody’? Since when are there so many teams in MLB that people PAID to cover it can’t keep up with each team?
(Derek Jeter is hitting .083 in this series according to "EJ". Why is it that all I keep hearing about is how ARod is continuing his poor post-season performance? Does Jeter not hitting mean nothing to this series?)
I don’t mind telling you that I’m torn about this series. In the name of not seeing another "Evil Empire v Red Sox Nation" drama dredged up by Fox – and because I just want to revel in their losing – I don’t want the Yankees to win. On the other hand, dragging this out five games and wearing out the players and, especially, the pitchers, would make me very happy. Add to THAT my belief that the Sox would probably have less trouble with the Yankees than they would with the Indians, well….
Aw screw it, I want the Yankees to lose. Who do I think I’m kidding?
7:38 – And here we go…strike one.
7:39 – "Track, wall and GONE! A lead-off home run for Grady Sizemore!" Wang must hate Torre.
7:40 – Cabrera is out and Hafner is up. I have no idea what happened with Cabrera as my phone immediately started ringing the minute Grady’s home run left his bat. 🙂
7:42 – Wang just tried to take off Hafner’s elbow. S’gonna be a fun night.
7:42b – Pronk doesn’t need two elbows, he gets a base hit right by third. Hellooo!
7:43 – "Wang could be one pitch away from getting out of this inning" says Chip. Foreshadowing?
7:45 – So much for that. Ground ball out to first. Here comes Jhonny Peralta. Any time I type Jhonny’s name, I add an ‘h’ to his last name as well. His mother should have thought of that before she spelled his name wrong.
7:46 – Chip Caray was talking about Bob Sheppard and started to say that he worked 121 games in a row, but I thought for a moment he was going to say Sheppard was 121 years old. Have I mentioned I’m taking cold meds right now that have me, in a word, wired?
7:49 – WOO-HOO!!!!! Jhonny hits a single that brings Hafner home!!! 2-0 with 2 outs!
7:52 – Kenny Lofton ends the inning, but 2-0 is a nice way to start the game.
Slight pause while I share a picture I uploaded for my sister tonight. I write enough about Madison here. Well here she is in her Halloween costume. "Hippie Chick". I tell you, she’s her aunt all over! 🙂
7:54 – Johnny Damon grounds to short…one out. We only have 26 more outs (give or take) to hear about Paul Byrd’s "funny" delivery.
7:55 – Hey, Jeter got a hit! And, much to my surprise, they showed his parents in the stands. Has there EVER been a Yankees game where they didn’t show Mr. & Mrs. Jeter in the stands? Isn’t it odd that your average baseball fan, even if they aren’t a Yankees fan, probably knows what Jeter’s parents look like?
7:57 – Bobby Abreu loves Joe Torre. He hits a single. We have men on first and second with one out and Alex Rodriguez up. Now, ARod had an amazing season. But it was another season peppered with getting booed by his ‘fans’. Now they’re chanting "MVP". I wonder how many of them know the meaning of the word "ironic"?
8:00 – ARod strikes out. Sit down, Dora.
8:01 – Posada is hitting .100 in this series. After the amazing season he had. There’s a sloth joke in here somewhere.
8:03 – Kenny Lofton makes a pretty fabulous sliding catch to make the third out. Yanks leave 2 on. 2-o Cleveland at the end of 1.
8:07 – Franklin Gutierrez hits a lead-off single. Yankee Stadium is, predictably, fairly quiet.
8:09 – I don’t get this "Lead off line" stuff. Who cares how far off first the runner is? How does this enhance my baseball-watching experience???
8:10 – While I rant, Casey Blake gets a hit. Two on, no outs and old friend Kelly Shoppach is up.
8:11 – While Shoppach tries to bunt, Wang hits him. I seethe…
8:12 – Ah, now the umpires gather to see if he bunted or he got hit. Truthfully, it looked to me like he was trying to bunt and got hit. Bob Brenly says that makes it a foul ball. Based on the boos, they are saying it was a hit by pitch (hey, TBS has an angle that makes it look like he WAS trying to get out of the way. GO figure.).
8:14 – So now the bases are loaded, no outs and Grady up at bat. Not so incidentally, Mike Mussina is warming in the bullpen. Hell, not only is he in the bullpen, but he’s coming to the mound as Torre is pulling Wang out. (Man, that looked wrong the moment I typed it!) The Yankees fans are either still booing the Shoppach call, booing Torre for taking Wang out, booing Torre for leaving Wang in too long or booing Wang for sucking.
It’s tough to tell with that crowd.
8:18 – So now here’s Mussina already with a 2-1 count on Sizmore.
8:19 – Mussina gets his coveted ground ball for a double-play. Two outs, one on and one in. 3-0 Cleveland.
8:21 – "And now the moose calls", says Chip Caray. Yay.
8:22 – Sonofabitch he got a hit. Cabrera is on first and another run scores. 4-0 Cleveland. I say "sonofabitch" because I really thought Mussina was going to get him out. What the hell do I know?
8:24 – Here comes Pronk.
8:26 – And there goes Pronk, walking to first. Two outs, two on and Victor Martinez up at bat. I like.
8:29 – Inning over. 4-0. Sweet!
8:33 – Matsui wants ‘catcher’s interference’ called on Kelly Shoppach. Alas, he isn’t getting it. Kelly Shoppach = the new face of the enemy for Yankees fans.
8:34 – Byrd went into his ‘double wind-up’ and Matsui stepped out. Byrd is not happy; Yankees fans boo.
8:36 – Byrd ends up walking Matsui. 28 batters in over 120 innings, we’re being told, is how often Byrd walked someone this season.
8:38 – He now has a 2-1 count on Cano. And then gives up a hit. Two on, no out. Man, it’s going to be a long night!
8:40 – Melky helps out Byrd by popping out. Doug "My name isn’t as hard to spell as some pretend" Mientkiewicz is up. Strike one.
8:42 – Two on, one out, 1-2 count to Mientkiewicz. Ah, and it starts to rain in the Bronx. It wouldn’t surprise me to see frogs come out of the sky.
8:44 – Okay, I’m warning y’all now. If there’s a rain delay, the live blog for tonight is kaput. 🙂
8:45 – Bruce Froemming says Mientkiewicz didn’t swing when he obviously did. He then proceeds to walk the bases loaded with Johnny Damon up. So Yankees fans can stop bitching about the other teams all getting the calls from the umps, because they just got a doozy of a gift.
8:47 – Demon isn’t the hero tonight as he pops up into foul ground. Two outs. The Captain cometh.
8:48 – Well, thanks to Bruce Froemming, it’s 4-1 on a Jeter infield hit. Again, Yankees fans can all STFU about how the umpiring always goes against them. Luckily, they only got one run. Get it done, Byrd.
8:50 – How is it possibly only the bottom of the second inning? Does time move more slowly in the Bronx?
8:52 – On a 1-2 count, Bobby Abreu flies out to end the second inning. Sweet, yet again. 4-1 Cleveland.
8:57 – Jhonny Peralta walks to begin the inning. Come on, boys, get that run back.
8:59 – Not quite what we were looking for. One out.
9:02 – And it’s only the top of the third with one out and one on.
9:03 – Franklin Gutierrez strikes out looking.
9:04 – Casey Blake strikes out swinging. 4-1/middle of the third.
9:07 – Here comes Slappy…
9:08 – There goes Slappy, taking strike 3.
You know, generally speaking, I’ve enjoyed TBS’ coverage. Admittedly, though, this is the first Yankees/Indians game I’ve watched this closely and for this long. Do ALL broadcasters get told if they’re calling a Yankees game that they need to ballwash the entire team?
9:09 – Sid the Sloth hits a one-out double that Chip Caray, seemingly, wishes was a home run. Sorry, Chip.
9:10 – Matsui pushes Sid to third while making the second out. We haven’t heard much from Bob Brenly. You think he’s cheering for the Yankees? Were I a betting woman, I’d say ‘no’.
9:11 – Sid stranded at third. 4-1 Indians at the end of three.
Three. I might not make it to nine at this pace.
9:15 – 56,315 in Yankee Stadium tonight. I was just about to write that they usually don’t announce that until much later in the game, when Tony Gwynn points out this very thing. They implied that it’s because of how long it’s taking this game to be played. I think it’s because they want the number out there when the stands are empty in the seventh inning.
9:17 – Holy cow, Kelly Shoppach just hit a double that with a smidge more oomph would have been a home run! Way to go, Kelly! No outs, man on second.
9:20 – Grady making Mussina work. 3-2 count.
9:21 – Make that 4-2. Grady takes first. Here comes Cabrera.
9:23 – Cabrera with a pretty sweet sac bunt. Everyone moves up and Cabrera takes his seat in the dugout.
9:24 – Pronk is intentionally walked to bring up Victor Martinez. I get the whole, put a guy on first to get the double play, but still.
9:26 – "We have yet to see a 1-2-3 inning from either pitcher tonight", says Chip Caray. No shit, Chip. No shit.
9:27 – Martinez gets a hit throw the gap between short and third. Two runs score. TWO RUNS SCORE, BABY! 6-1 Indians with Jhonny Peralta up, two on and one out.
9:29 – As they show the faces of dejected Yankees fans I’m hoping Joe Torre spent the morning updating his resume.
9:29b – Peralta hits a double play ball to ARod. 6-1 going to the bottom of the fourth.
9:33 – Melky gets a hit to lead off the home half of the fourth. Crowd goes wild.
9:34 – Mientkiewicz pops up to Peralta. One out, one on. Demon up to bat.
9:36 – Byrd iams up Johnny and we have out number two.
9:37 – Captain Intangibles lines out to Casey Blake. That’s probably the closest we’ve gotten to a 1-2-3 inning.
9:41 – Mussina gets a quick out.
9:44 – Three outs. I’m fading folks, this cold medicine only lasts so long. 🙂 (Hey we got a 1-2-3 inning!)
9:48 – ARod’s one with one out. Woo.
9:49 – Three outs. 6-1 at the end of five!
9:55 – Whoops, I’m slipping. One out, should be two but they called Grady safe.
9:57 – Two outs, and Pronk is up. I was just about to write how (relatively) happy everyone should be with Mussina, and here comes Torre to pull him.
10:01 – Ron Villone ‘was not pleased’ with being left off the ALDS roster. That’s interesting. I’ll need to Google him to see if there’s a quote out there.
10:03 – Three outs. 6-1 middle of the sixth.
10:07 – Robinson Cano leads off with a home run and, surprisingly, doesn’t pump his fist ala Jeter.
But where is the curtain call dammit!???!???
10:08 – Eric Wedge is taking out Paul Byrd. Slight pause whilst I give the man (Byrd) a standing ovation.
10:10 – Jon Bon Jovi just said it’s tough to watch the Yankees struggle. No, Jon, it really isn’t.
10:11 – Rafael Perez is in to pitch and already is behind in the count 1-0 to Melky. Oops, 1-1 now.
10:12 – Casey Blake throws out Melky. Bottom of the sixth, 1 out, none on, 6-2 Indians.
10:14 – Shelley Duncan is in for Mientkiewicz with a 2-0 count and Shelley gets a base hit. Or, as Chip Caray calls it, "gives the Yankees life".
10:15 – This, of course, brings up Johnny Damon, who Perez throws a first pitch ball to. Congratulations, Yankees fans, on waiting six innings to get into the game.
10:16 – Damon gets a hit, puts men on the corners with one out and Jeter up. Yeah, looks like taking Byrd out was a brilliant move.
10:18 – 1-0 count on Captain Intangibles.
10:19 – The count is 2-1. Suddenly the crows quiets. Until the "Day-O" starts playing.
10:20 – Things get a tad more quiet when the Captain of Fistpumps grounds into a double play!!! 6-2 at the end of six!
10:23 – Kyle Farnsworth is in for the Yankees with a 2-2 count to Victor Martinez.
10:26 – Martinez is out, Peralta singles.
10:31 – They show Joe Torre and Chip Caray says ominously, "I wonder what HE’S thinking?".
10:32 – Lofton makes the second out. Peralta is still on first.
10:34 – Three outs. Why do all the National broadcasts find it necessary to show up "God Bless America" in the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium? I mean, truly, is there anything more forced than everyone gazing in awe at Ronan Tynan singing the 17 minute version of this song? We get it. Steinbrenner thinks he’s the most patriotic man in America. Good for him. Get back to the game.
10:40 – Dane Cook reminds us that "there’s only one October". Now I need to see the Frank TV guy as Pacino asking "Are there people who think there are TWO Octobers?".
10:42 – "Abreu down on strikes". Poetry.
10:44 – Tony Gwynn "I don’t think you can blame JUST ARod…this time."
10:46 – Slappy hits a solo home run while Caray talks about the last home run ARod hit against the Indians. Surprisingly, no curtain call.
10:47 – That’s, by my count, the second time Posada broke his bat and made an out. 6-3 Indians with two outs and no on in the bottom of the seventh and Matsui up.
10:51 – Perez walks Matsui with Cano coming up.
10:55 – So much for that rally. 6-3 end of 7.
10:57 – Jose Veras is in pitching for the Yanks. They have 11 hits and 3 runs versus the Indians’ 10 hits and 6 runs. Blake, Shoppach and Sizemore up in the inning.
10:59 – Blake strikes out. 1 down in the 8th.
11:00 – Shoppach nails another one off the wall for ANOTHER double. WTG, Kelly!
11:01 – Here comes Joe to pull Veras and bring in Mo??
11:02 – Not yet…but soon.
11:04 – They intentionally walk Grady and NOW Joe is bringing in Mo. Two on, one out.
11:08 – Jeter can’t turn the double-play, so men are at the corners with two outs and Pronk up at bat.
11:10 – Crap. Mo gets two ground-ball outs while Hafner argues about "catcher’s interference". Good luck with that Pronk. I’m guessing we’re staying at three outs and going to the bottom of the eighth.
11:12 – And I’m right. 🙂 6-3 Indians going to the home half of the 8th inning.
11:14 – Rafael Betancourt v Cabrera, Giambi (in for Duncan) and Johnny Damon.
11:15 – Melky to Jhonny. One out.
11:17 – Giambi pinch-hits his way to the second out of the inning. Demon is up.
11:19 – Damon has a 2-2 count while the TBS dudes opine about the future of Torre, Posada, Rivera and ARod.
11:20 – 1-2-3 inning for Betancourt. Indians lead 6-3 with six outs to go in the game.
11:23 – Victor Martinez hits the first pitch of the ninth for a single. Let’s pile on here, fellas.
11:25 – On their way to piling on, Peralta gets a hit as well. Two on, no outs.
11:27 – Lofton hits into a double-play that wasn’t. One out, men at the corners. Franklin Gutierrez is up.
11:29 – Franklin Gutierrez strikes out. Two out while Chip Caray tries to convince us that we want to watch the NLDS because the Rockies and the D’Backs are ‘exciting’. He’s used ‘exciting’ at least four times in this short period of time.
11:30 – Johnny Damon catches a fly ball and you’d think he jumped over the wall to do it by Caray’s OVER-reaction. Middle of 9, Indians up 6-3. Three more outs, folks.
11:33 – Jeter v Borowski. Chip Caray is quite excited about this.
11:34 – Jeter popped up. If the Yankees don’t come back tonight, how much grief will he get in the New York papers and from Yankees fans for his performance in this series?
11:36 – Wow. Bobby Abreu hits a solo home run. 6-4 with one out. Well, that certainly woke Yankees fans up. ARod up and the obligatory, melodramatic "Is this the last time we see Alex Rodriguez in pinstripes?" from Chip Caray.
11:39 – ARod pops it up to Franklin Gutierrez!!!!! One out to go, fellow babies, one out to go. And here comes Sid the Sloth.
11:41 – Sid strikes out swinging!!! 6-4 is the game!!!!! Yankees go down, baby, and the Sox get to play the Indians starting Friday in Boston!
Congratulations to the Cleveland Indians (and, tonight, especially Paul Byrd!)! It should be quite an eventful ALCS!!! It won’t be easy, but it’ll be fun!
Thanks for stopping by, folks!
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