BoSox Pitching

I don't follow the American League to closely since I'm a Reds fan (plus the DH is the devil's creation). However, statistically the Indians had the best starting rotation in the league I believe as well as two of the best five starters according to ERA. Beckett has been great for the Sox this year with the most wins and 6th in ERA, and they have one of the best closers in Papelbon.

Now that I checked the stats, I see that Boston had the best team ERA in the AL (Indians were 3rd), so their bull pen was better than Cleveland's this year. The Indians relievers have pitched fairly well thus far, though. And don't forget, the Indians were 2nd in all of baseball last year in runs scored and 8th this year, so they can put up runs too.

Baseball question

So I don't normally follow baseball (too many games to keep track of, etc) but I watch the Indians occasionally at the bar if they're on. And I've been watching postseason (much easier to keep track of). So here is my question for you who know better. Is Boston's pitching really that bad? As far as I can tell the Indians pitching has smoked Boston, but like I said I really have no idea. I admit Boston's offense is crazy-stupid good. But pitching-wise they have failed to impress me at least.

And I love both The White Stripes and Casey Blake. But that's just hangover talk.

Wow!!!!!

Thanks for that Kris. Butt rock made my morning.

Butt rock 4 lyfe!

This is the most fantastic buttrock video I have ever seen. It is 7 minutes of pure, longhaired, tight-pantsed, awesome rock. Enjoy.

NP

Al Gore wins Nobel prize: SC rules in favor of Bush.

Nick:

I expect a rough outline sometime next week. And shame for discussing anything Arnold-related without a mighty picture!

Re: I like some of these guys

Me too! That list is dumb. You can legitimately criticize lyrics for being stupid, vapid, or ridiculously over-the-top, and every lyricist is going to be guilty of those over the course of many, many songs and albums. A better way to go about it would be to highlight the repeat offenders and list their songs.

Scott Stap definitely belongs there... almost every Creed song is laden with a fake and generic spirituality that made them a Christia-rock cross over. Dream Theater, a band that I'm really fond of as you well know, is capable of some remarkably awful (and sometimes whiney) lyrics. For every "Don't Stand so Close to Me" there's a "Synchonicity," and Peart's hit-to-miss ratio is incredibly high, says I.

Oo, random thought. There should be a Terminator Musical, with music by Rush and lyrics by Peart. In fact, there's already quite a few Rush songs you could use in it! Better yet, construct the plot of a Terminator Musical around pre-existing Rush songs. I'm a genius!

I like some of these guys

Apparently Blender is releasing a list of the worst lyricists of all time. Wonder where Elton ranks?

Guess I missed it,

but the UN denied Taiwan's membership. The China/Taiwan debate is one I've just started learning about and it is fascinating to hear different perspectives from both Chinese and Taiwanese people.

On baseball, I wish I liked it enough to say semi-intelligent things about it. But I don't, so I'll just let Eric and Bert go to town. I'll just stick to snarky comments and Casey Blakes obvious awesomeness.

MLB TBS commentators

All I know is that Tony Gwynn got really fat. Really fat.

End communication.

Baseball question

This is a really ticky-tack question, but it bugged me the whole time I was mowing lawn today. Based on what I know from watching MLB on TV, starting pitchers who have the day off sit in the dugout, while relievers sit in the bullpen. Now, pitchers who are normally starters get called to relieve in rare circumstances, such as game 7 of the Series. My question is where those guys sit during the game. If they're in the dugout, they'd have to run across the field to get to the bullpen to warm up. But they wouldn't already be in the bullpen, unless the manager anticipated them being used, right? Is there a secret tunnel connecting the bullpen with the dugout/locker room?

What we've all been waiting for....

Here ya go....I have a boner. From this.

Tribe, GRE, and more

1. I love how that scrotum pustule on TBS (not Brenley, not Gwynn...the other guy) couldn't stop drooling over the Yankees (i.e., gleefully saying the Yankees were sending the "winning run" to the plate in the eighth inning!).

2. Borowski scares the hell out of me, but what can we do? Rafael "Right" and Rafael "Left" are needed to set up, and Lewis ain't a closer. As unimpressed as I am that Borowski "...let the league in saves!" (I don't have the numbers, but I wonder where he ranked in blown saves), I guess you gotta dance with who brung ya.

3. Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner on the GRE thing, Sifo. (Nick?) The thing I remember being most annoyed by were the Old English translations ("According to the passage, which of the following best describes Breorthgrath's feelings about Thraefthrar's theft of Aethergrog's wooden mace?"). I hope you did well.

4. Um. I don't have any more, I guess.

Re: Game 2

Um...Seeing as how they have Leonidas playing 3rd, I don't see how you could be concerned. Whoever gets the ball will play like a man and die like a Spartan!

Wait....his wife's named Gorgo? What the hell...and she's played by Headly Lamar?

Did you miss game 2?

One thought, or question actually. Should Borowski get the ball in a close game in the ninth?

Go Tribe!

Congrats to the Indians for making it this far. Still, none of the games were as exciting as the thursday night rout. And Casey Blake still looks very manly with his beard. Predictions/thoughts?

Hooray!

Drinking a couple of beers a day may be good for your memory!

Sifo is...

... a font of wisdom and counsel.

Fear you not the Doomheralds' Herald of Doom, yet?

Oh, and I'm taking the GRE LIT on Saturday morning. Any tips, Eric?

Just checking....

Who is Sifo? I'm an idiot....

Bonds

John, I'm entirely opposite from you on this. If I had my way, he would be banned from baseball and his stats entirely wiped from any record books. Despite the lack of a conviction, there is a preponderance of evidence that approaches OJ levels that Bonds was involved with performance enhancing drugs. Yes, much of this is Selig's fault for being slow to act and then acting impotently when he did.

You used to argue (maybe you still believe this, I dunno) that using such drugs would not actually help a baseball player hit a ball, only allow them to hit it farther. But new studies and personal accounts from players, not to mention the rise in Bonds' overall batting average during a time when most players fall off, contradict this view. The reaction time, the speed with which a player can turn on a ball, in addition to overall power, are all improved by these drugs.

And it scores you no points to argue that Ruth was an alcoholic womanizer and Ty Cobb a dick--none of these things has a direct impact on the game as it is played. The game changes and none of the external conditions are ever the same. This isn't science. But Bonds has been allowed to persist in his pursuit of the game's most cherished record in spite of the evidence surrounding his use of substances to achieve precisely that goal. Frankly, I wish that more people would have stood up to him, ala Curt Schilling. I wish that as he approached the record pitchers would have refused to pitch to him. He is a shameful disgrace, and his presence in baseball diminishes the game each time he plays.

As much as I think A-Rod is a douche, I'm rooting for him to surpass Bonds and take the all time home run leader record.

(And for the record, I do think that it is a vicious double standard that Bonds bears the brunt of all the steroid talk and Roger Clemens gets none, despite the fact that he is also huge and experienced is huge improvement in his stats in the later years [starting with his time as a Blue Jay], when most pitchers are falling off.)