Wednesday, November 19, 2008
BARB Championship Series: Darwin Vs. Las Vegas: Game 2
Kazmir Vs. Jared Weaver! Kazmir gives up 2 hit but no runs in the first. Top 4th, Matt Holliday Solo Bomb! 1-0 LV! Gordon with a bases loaded hit would score 2, and a Hunter Pence hit would plate another 4-0 Vegas! Kelley Johnson would Greet reliver Chad Billingsley with a RBI double making it 5-0 and it would be 6-0 before the threat ended.... 2 runs for Darwin in the 6th to make it 6-2. Tim Wakefield pitching well in relief of Kazmir. Darwin in the Bottom of the 9th got a 3 run SHOT from Hamilton to knock Weaver out of the game 6-5 with none out... Clement singled off Rivera and the Pitch Runner Wigginton would be doubled off and Doumit would ground out 5-3 to end it, Series tied 1-1!
BARB Championship Series: Frostbite Falls Vs. Lexington: Game 2
A Lefty pitchers dual on tap, Johan Santana for Lexington and Frostbite counters with Cole Hamels. Bottom of two and, again, Lexington would strike first, a Bengie Molina Solo shot! Top of three and a 1 out double from Rentaria would but a good 2 out play by Hardy would not allow Frostbite to answer back. With Granderson on third and Bruce on second, Santana Saftey squeezed in Granderson and Eckstein would suicide in Bruce! 3-0 Rebels after 4! In the 6th Frostbite would tie it up afet a 1 out Pujols singles Ordonez and Hart hammered back-to-back souveniers to the cheap seats! Michael Young would flash the leather in the bottom of the frame after the lead-off double from Granderson, Young would get a liner from Jay Bruce and double him off second!!! Lexington will retake the lead in the 7th with a 2 out double by Wright to score Upton and Gonzalez! 5-3 Rebels!!! In the 9th Pena pitch-hitting for Longoria would walk, Brad Hawpe would single hitting in the pitcher spot, Encarnacion pitch ran at first, Rentaria put one in play to score Pena, Encarnacion to second. and BELTRAN TIES IT WITH A BASE HIT TO CENTER!!!! With a shut down 9th, we go EXTRA FRAMES!!!
Frostbite would threaten in the 10th but the Rebels would get out of it. Rentaria LEADS OFF THE 11TH with a TRIPLE!!!!! Off of Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez would K Young, Beltran would attempt the suicide squeeze and roll it foul, the line out to Eckstien. Derek Lowe would come in to and get Ordonez to end the threat! Leading off the 14th Carlos Beltran HIT A BOMB OFF LOWE!!!! DEAD CENTER FIELD!!! 6-5 Frostbite!!!! A Pujols double and a fly ball getting him to third would set up the squeeze for Hart, 7-5 haeded to the bottom! Walks to Delgado and Hermida would set up the Hardy base hit to load the bags with no out. Springer would K Upton, get a line out by Gonzalez and with 2 out Wright HIT ONE DEEP TO LEFT BACK....BACK... CAUGHT AT THE WALL, BALL GAME!!!! 2-0 series Frostbite!
Frostbite would threaten in the 10th but the Rebels would get out of it. Rentaria LEADS OFF THE 11TH with a TRIPLE!!!!! Off of Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez would K Young, Beltran would attempt the suicide squeeze and roll it foul, the line out to Eckstien. Derek Lowe would come in to and get Ordonez to end the threat! Leading off the 14th Carlos Beltran HIT A BOMB OFF LOWE!!!! DEAD CENTER FIELD!!! 6-5 Frostbite!!!! A Pujols double and a fly ball getting him to third would set up the squeeze for Hart, 7-5 haeded to the bottom! Walks to Delgado and Hermida would set up the Hardy base hit to load the bags with no out. Springer would K Upton, get a line out by Gonzalez and with 2 out Wright HIT ONE DEEP TO LEFT BACK....BACK... CAUGHT AT THE WALL, BALL GAME!!!! 2-0 series Frostbite!
BARB Championship Series: Frostbite Falls Vs. Lexington: Game 1
Lexington scores in the first on a Curtis Granderson leadoff triple, RBI single from J.J. Hardy, who was caught stealing immediatly after. A Walk to Pujols would yield the tying run in the top of the fourth. Haren comes in to face Martinez in the top of the sixth with runners on the corners and one out. V-Mart would pop out and Haren would get the K to end the top of the frame. The Frostbite-ians would go to Carlos Marmol in the seventh. Joey Devine would allow the Squirles to get another run making it 3-2. Huston Street wold come in and get two outs, then walk Aki Imawura to bring up the go-ahead run in Brad Hawpe and Hawpe would..............BLAST ONE DEEP FROSTBITE WITH ITS FIRST LEAD OF THE GAME IN THE NINTH!!!!!! Joe Nathan would come in and get a fly out and then two K's to close down the Rebels.
Series lead to FF 1-0
Series lead to FF 1-0
BARB Championship Series: Darwin Vs. Las Vegas Game 1
In game 1 of the play-offs Las Vegas was defeated by the Darwin Finches 3 to 1.
Darwin got a Quality start from former Pottsylvania innings-eater Gil Meche, twirling a 2-hit preformance into the ninth. Overall allowed the hard hitting Luchadores only 3 hits and was pulled in the ninth in favor of J.J. Putz who would allow a run on a Chipper Jones error. Brian Bannister Taking the 8 inning loss for the visiting Vegas-ites.
Darwin got a Quality start from former Pottsylvania innings-eater Gil Meche, twirling a 2-hit preformance into the ninth. Overall allowed the hard hitting Luchadores only 3 hits and was pulled in the ninth in favor of J.J. Putz who would allow a run on a Chipper Jones error. Brian Bannister Taking the 8 inning loss for the visiting Vegas-ites.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Draft Review #3: the Nomads
In this, the long-awaited third installment of The B.A.R.B. Wire's draft review series, Edgar and Chauncey discuss the selections of the (now) Lexington Rebels, who finished second in the West last year and drafted 7th overall.
Chauncey: Well, that's something you don't see everyday Edgar.
Edgar: What's that, Chauncey?
C: Ronald Melkonian out-thinking himself.
E: Oh, I don't know about that, Chauncey. Everytime Ronald thinks he out-thinks himself.
C: Edgar, Ronald doesn't think that often.
E: You're right. He does most things on impulse. That impulse contributes to his itchy trigger finger.
C: That's the finger that dealt a ton of talent and a top pick for a very good lefthanded starting pitcher and sent one of the best shortstops in the game to Pottsylvania just before the draft.
E: Too bad they didn't acquire the one thing they needed in either of those trades: a pill to stop the impulsive trading you just talked about. Maybe something that causes relaxation.
C: Lexington went into the draft with a very good rotation and lineup, some talented prospects and tons of salary room.
E: They picked up some good arms for the pen and a few good rookies. Good talent, but not much depth. And it can be said they traded Jose Reyes for Joba Chamberlain.
C: Yeah, Chamberlain's good. But James Shields would have been a better pick at this time-- and he still would have had Joba at #4. Ronald continued to shore up the 'pen with Joakim Soria, Jensen Lewis, Yorman Bazardo and Francisco Cordero. Edgar, what other good picks were made?
E: Rich Harden could be a good selection if he makes more than 20 starts for the team. He has the talent, but he can't stay on the mound. Wieters was highly-regarded, and I'm sure at least eight other teams wanted him. Fernando Martinez and Nick Blackburn are both good picks if they pan out.
C: But Martinez has had some attitude issues with the Mets this season. I think the jury is still out on Harden. Let's label that pick "good" or "bad" after the season.
E: So were the needs satisfied?
C: Apparently Trader Ron is still unmedicated, so I'll say NO. And it became apparent after the draft that depth was a major problem-- especially at catcher. What do you think of the trades, Edgar?
E: Again, Reyes for Chamberlain (the #1 pick) was questionable. Or maybe he did it just to have the first selection? That's three or four first overall picks for Ron's team.
C: Yeah, I'm sure you could get a member of his family if you offered him Alex Cintron. You know, the talent of his picks deserves a B+ or an A-, but only getting 9 players and not getting a catcher who can play now drops his grade to B-.
E: Sounds good.
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Bullard Baseball history fact #1: At least two of the first four head coaches in Bullard's history graduated from Roosevelt High (Bob Bennett and Tim Thiessen, and it is not known where the first head coach, Bob Steele, went to school). No Bullard grad was head coach of his alma mater until Todd Johnson was hired in 2000.
Chauncey: Well, that's something you don't see everyday Edgar.
Edgar: What's that, Chauncey?
C: Ronald Melkonian out-thinking himself.
E: Oh, I don't know about that, Chauncey. Everytime Ronald thinks he out-thinks himself.
C: Edgar, Ronald doesn't think that often.
E: You're right. He does most things on impulse. That impulse contributes to his itchy trigger finger.
C: That's the finger that dealt a ton of talent and a top pick for a very good lefthanded starting pitcher and sent one of the best shortstops in the game to Pottsylvania just before the draft.
E: Too bad they didn't acquire the one thing they needed in either of those trades: a pill to stop the impulsive trading you just talked about. Maybe something that causes relaxation.
C: Lexington went into the draft with a very good rotation and lineup, some talented prospects and tons of salary room.
E: They picked up some good arms for the pen and a few good rookies. Good talent, but not much depth. And it can be said they traded Jose Reyes for Joba Chamberlain.
C: Yeah, Chamberlain's good. But James Shields would have been a better pick at this time-- and he still would have had Joba at #4. Ronald continued to shore up the 'pen with Joakim Soria, Jensen Lewis, Yorman Bazardo and Francisco Cordero. Edgar, what other good picks were made?
E: Rich Harden could be a good selection if he makes more than 20 starts for the team. He has the talent, but he can't stay on the mound. Wieters was highly-regarded, and I'm sure at least eight other teams wanted him. Fernando Martinez and Nick Blackburn are both good picks if they pan out.
C: But Martinez has had some attitude issues with the Mets this season. I think the jury is still out on Harden. Let's label that pick "good" or "bad" after the season.
E: So were the needs satisfied?
C: Apparently Trader Ron is still unmedicated, so I'll say NO. And it became apparent after the draft that depth was a major problem-- especially at catcher. What do you think of the trades, Edgar?
E: Again, Reyes for Chamberlain (the #1 pick) was questionable. Or maybe he did it just to have the first selection? That's three or four first overall picks for Ron's team.
C: Yeah, I'm sure you could get a member of his family if you offered him Alex Cintron. You know, the talent of his picks deserves a B+ or an A-, but only getting 9 players and not getting a catcher who can play now drops his grade to B-.
E: Sounds good.
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Bullard Baseball history fact #1: At least two of the first four head coaches in Bullard's history graduated from Roosevelt High (Bob Bennett and Tim Thiessen, and it is not known where the first head coach, Bob Steele, went to school). No Bullard grad was head coach of his alma mater until Todd Johnson was hired in 2000.
Monday, May 19, 2008
A name suggestion for 2009
A New Name for the Nomads?
by Duhn Ewsguy
The December 2007 edition of Popular Science magazine has provided this journalist with a name suggestion for Ronald Melkonian's 2009 team: The Moscow FOABS.
Yes, it is partly a play on Eric Caskey's Brooklyn MOABS (of New York, I believe). The Russian military has come up with the "father of all bombs," "the world's largest-ever non-nuke: an eight-ton fuel-air explosive purportedly four times as powerful as America's Massive-Ordnance Air Blast, the previous record holder."
The FOAB can send shock waves up to 990 feet from the central area of impact. Video footage showed a "giant explosion that flattened a building within seconds."
The new bomb has a few possible flaws, though. As a fuel-air weapon, it is "notoriously difficult to build." Also, wind can blow away the fuel cloud before ignition, which leaves the target unharmed. Third, the explosives inside the bomb can be unstable and give the bomb a shelf life as short as a few days (compared to decades for a TNT bomb).
Ironically, there are many similarities with Ronald's team. The General Manager has a full-of-air head, and everyone thinks it should be difficult to build the teams he does. Most of the time, the wind from Ronald's trades blows away any chance of his team being dangerous. And the uniforms for the players on the now-Rebels have very short shelf lives.
Military experts are concerned about the reliability of Russia's new bomb, but they say it can be devastating if they can perfect it. In the same way, opposing GMs have realized Ronald's team always has a ton of talent that can win anything if it can be consistent and reliable.
So, Mr. Melkonian, how 'bout the Moscow FOABS?
by Duhn Ewsguy
The December 2007 edition of Popular Science magazine has provided this journalist with a name suggestion for Ronald Melkonian's 2009 team: The Moscow FOABS.
Yes, it is partly a play on Eric Caskey's Brooklyn MOABS (of New York, I believe). The Russian military has come up with the "father of all bombs," "the world's largest-ever non-nuke: an eight-ton fuel-air explosive purportedly four times as powerful as America's Massive-Ordnance Air Blast, the previous record holder."
The FOAB can send shock waves up to 990 feet from the central area of impact. Video footage showed a "giant explosion that flattened a building within seconds."
The new bomb has a few possible flaws, though. As a fuel-air weapon, it is "notoriously difficult to build." Also, wind can blow away the fuel cloud before ignition, which leaves the target unharmed. Third, the explosives inside the bomb can be unstable and give the bomb a shelf life as short as a few days (compared to decades for a TNT bomb).
Ironically, there are many similarities with Ronald's team. The General Manager has a full-of-air head, and everyone thinks it should be difficult to build the teams he does. Most of the time, the wind from Ronald's trades blows away any chance of his team being dangerous. And the uniforms for the players on the now-Rebels have very short shelf lives.
Military experts are concerned about the reliability of Russia's new bomb, but they say it can be devastating if they can perfect it. In the same way, opposing GMs have realized Ronald's team always has a ton of talent that can win anything if it can be consistent and reliable.
So, Mr. Melkonian, how 'bout the Moscow FOABS?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Draft Review #2: Black Mesa
In this, the second installment of The B.A.R.B. Wire's draft review series, Edgar and Chauncey discuss the selections of the Black Mesa Anomalies, who finished third in the West last year and drafted 5th overall.
Chauncey: Well that's something you don't see everyday, Edgar.
Edgar: What's that, Chauncey?
C: Reed Johnson being picked before Corey Hart, Josh Hamilton, Rick Ankiel, Kosuke Fukudome, Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Bourn, Mike Cameron, Carlos Gomez, Austin Kearns, Ryan Church and Jason Kubel.
E: I don't know, Chauncey. Johnson did hit .319 in 2006.
C: 12 homers that year in 134 games. .236 with 2 HR in 79 games last year. Not quite what you want out of a corner outfielder.
E: The Anomalies went into the 2008 draft with a new owner, salary issues and lots of aging talent, so they needed to pick up a lot of prospects and young established guys.
C: They actually do have a good number of top prospects on their AAA roster. Ian Stewart, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Dustin Pedroia, Brent Lillibridge, Adam Miller, Nick Adenhart and Homer Bailey. Their established roster going into the draft wasn't as bad as you said. Justin Morneau, Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Jonathon Papelbon and John Maine.
E: You have a point. All of those guys have bright futures. Still, there wasn't much at the catcher's spot or in the outfield (other than Hideki Matsui). And they lost Maine.
C: OK Edgar, what were the good draft selections?
E: Kevin Youkilis is a much cheaper (and more reliable) option than Scott Rolen. Yuniesky Betancourt is a great defender and adequate with the bat.
C: What about Jason Varitek? He is definitely an upgrade over Bard and Mirabelli. And Maddux could bring veteran knowledge to the pitching staff.
E: Veteran knowledge, but probably not good statistics. I'd put him in the category of questionable pick for a team that should be focusing on youth.
C: There were bad picks this time, though. Namely, Reed Johnson.
E: I still have a bruise on my cheek from where I slapped myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming when I heard that pick.
C: Do you know what's worse? Nick used the pick to PULL HIM BACK! It wasn't even a new selection! He pulled back a player who wouldn't have been picked off by ANY team.
E: It wasn't the worst pick ever, though. That title goes to Kevin's first pick in 2004, Tim Worrell. An aging reliever from another team with the first pick in the draft. OUCH. Any surprise Kevin only lasted a few months?
C: Edgar, what should Nick pick up in free agency?
E: Get as much youth as possible. Guys you might be able to bring up to help this year but will definitely help in the future. I do want to say, though, that it would be an anomaly (yes, pun intended) if the Anomalies came close to the playoffs.
C: That was bad, Chauncey. I'll be generous and give the draft a C-.
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MLB history fact #1: Two different Fresno High School graduates hold franchise strikeout records of Major League teams. Jim Maloney struck out 1,592 batters while in a Cincinnati uniform from 1960-1970, and Tom Seaver K'd 2,541 opposing hitters for the New York Mets from 1967-1977.
Chauncey: Well that's something you don't see everyday, Edgar.
Edgar: What's that, Chauncey?
C: Reed Johnson being picked before Corey Hart, Josh Hamilton, Rick Ankiel, Kosuke Fukudome, Ken Griffey Jr., Michael Bourn, Mike Cameron, Carlos Gomez, Austin Kearns, Ryan Church and Jason Kubel.
E: I don't know, Chauncey. Johnson did hit .319 in 2006.
C: 12 homers that year in 134 games. .236 with 2 HR in 79 games last year. Not quite what you want out of a corner outfielder.
E: The Anomalies went into the 2008 draft with a new owner, salary issues and lots of aging talent, so they needed to pick up a lot of prospects and young established guys.
C: They actually do have a good number of top prospects on their AAA roster. Ian Stewart, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Dustin Pedroia, Brent Lillibridge, Adam Miller, Nick Adenhart and Homer Bailey. Their established roster going into the draft wasn't as bad as you said. Justin Morneau, Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Jonathon Papelbon and John Maine.
E: You have a point. All of those guys have bright futures. Still, there wasn't much at the catcher's spot or in the outfield (other than Hideki Matsui). And they lost Maine.
C: OK Edgar, what were the good draft selections?
E: Kevin Youkilis is a much cheaper (and more reliable) option than Scott Rolen. Yuniesky Betancourt is a great defender and adequate with the bat.
C: What about Jason Varitek? He is definitely an upgrade over Bard and Mirabelli. And Maddux could bring veteran knowledge to the pitching staff.
E: Veteran knowledge, but probably not good statistics. I'd put him in the category of questionable pick for a team that should be focusing on youth.
C: There were bad picks this time, though. Namely, Reed Johnson.
E: I still have a bruise on my cheek from where I slapped myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming when I heard that pick.
C: Do you know what's worse? Nick used the pick to PULL HIM BACK! It wasn't even a new selection! He pulled back a player who wouldn't have been picked off by ANY team.
E: It wasn't the worst pick ever, though. That title goes to Kevin's first pick in 2004, Tim Worrell. An aging reliever from another team with the first pick in the draft. OUCH. Any surprise Kevin only lasted a few months?
C: Edgar, what should Nick pick up in free agency?
E: Get as much youth as possible. Guys you might be able to bring up to help this year but will definitely help in the future. I do want to say, though, that it would be an anomaly (yes, pun intended) if the Anomalies came close to the playoffs.
C: That was bad, Chauncey. I'll be generous and give the draft a C-.
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MLB history fact #1: Two different Fresno High School graduates hold franchise strikeout records of Major League teams. Jim Maloney struck out 1,592 batters while in a Cincinnati uniform from 1960-1970, and Tom Seaver K'd 2,541 opposing hitters for the New York Mets from 1967-1977.
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