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Lookout Landing

10/8: Open Playoffs Game Thread


Bronson Arroyo

#61 / Pitcher / Cincinnati Reds

6-5

195

R

R

Feb 24, 1977



Roy Oswalt

#44 / Pitcher / Philadelphia Phillies

6-0

190

R

R

Aug 29, 1977



Tommy Hanson

#48 / Pitcher / Atlanta Braves

6-6

220

R

R

Aug 28, 1986



Matt Cain

#18 / Pitcher / San Francisco Giants

6-3

245

R

R

Oct 01, 1984



Brian Bocock

#7 / Short Stop / Philadelphia Phillies

5-11

185

R

R

Mar 09, 1985



1 recs  |  371 comments

Comments

Woooooooooooooooooooooo!
That was quick.
Matt Cain is making me uncomfortable.
Matt Cain is in a foreign country, trying to find his way to the train station using directions from a non-English speaker
Apologies if this is a tired comparison

but holy crap is Matt Cain ever John C. Reilly!

He sort of has a Benjamin Button thing going on.

If I didn’t know who he was, I couldn’t tell if he was 12 or 40.

It's almost a a computer-generated image of what we think the boy looks like now, 20 years after he was kidnapped.
Brian Bocock is as surprised as you are.
Is Arroyo sporting a mullet?
I don't know exactly what it is, but I know Arroyo is saying "Oh no you di'n't!"
I think all his hair is fairly long.

It’s not just a party in the back.

It's Bill Bavasi!
Bavasi made it to the playoffs.
Giants?
Giants!
I think you mean GIANTS!!
I think you're right.
I think the Giants might pass the 08 Rays as my favorite bandwagon team of all time
I think I am more excited about the Giants than my friends who are actually Giants fans
I am not as excited as them, but I am definitely it in to win it.
To quote the esteemed Bruce Bochy:

“Today it’s all decks on hand.”

That 'Born Free' song they keep playing is really quite annoying.
Could be worse

THIS IS OUUUUURRRR COUNTRY!

Thanks for that.
I was just curious to see the attendance numbers for the playoff teams.

Cincy: 2,060,055 (12th in the NL)
Philly: 3,777,322 (1st in the NL)
Atlanty: 2,510,119 (9th in the NL)
San Franny: 3,037,443 (5th in the NL)

NYY: 3,765,807 (1st)
Min: 3,223,640 (3rd)
Tex: 2,505,171 (5th)
TB: 1,864,999 (9th)

Seattle’s final tally: 2,085,630 (8th)

Just something I was curious to find out about.

Cincinnati's numbers are surprising to me.
We beat the Reds!

Woo Woo!

What's weird to me about that...

is that the Reds have an affiliate, also in Ohio, that has sold out 704 consecutive games, or roughly ten home seasons and then some. So that franchise has been able to create an incredible ballpark experience (on the cheap too) for a team that on average finished third or fourth, while the big club wins their division and no one seems to care.

The Tampa thing is also kind of mind-blowing, but maybe people there are going to a lot of Florida State League games instead. I don’t know.

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
So, Reds need to finish this out and beat Cole Hamels and then they'll have a shot in game 5.
Wow - The Reds really snuck up on me this season.

I had no clue they were going to be this good.

I love Arroyo's leg-kick

Cleesesque.

While looking into the Reds, I just noticed that Homer Bailey has a pretty solid pitchface.

And most of them are like that too.

It’s like throwing a baseball either causes a) him to age rapidly and then snap back or b) his face to collapse in on itself in response to the force exerted by his arm.

And this is the photo they have on his player profile on the Reds site.

I don’t even understand how this happens.

Hmmm.. that looks like Danny Herrera to me but I could be way off.
It really doesn't look like the other photos of Bailey.

But Herrera’s a southpaw, so it can’t be him.

Holy shit it's Blakey from On the Buses!

/Incredibly obscure reference.

It looks like he's hitting some serious G's there.
This is a new category of pitchface, surrealist/cubist pitchface.
Goddammit Reds
Two fielding errors to help load the bases?

That’s pretty awful.

This is problematic.
Stubbs you idiot
Well, Drew Stubbs sure looked foolish on that pick off.
Arthur Rhodes is now pitching
I haven't used ML:B's at bat/gameday in a while, but their player renderings looks like graphics from High Heat 2002.
PUT CHAPMAN IN ALREADY
So he can kill somebody?
SWEENDAWG: CONCERNED
Right in the ear hole.
THROW STRIKES!
Jose Contreras is still playing?
Heisey looks like Bobby from King of the Hill.
Chapman!

Looking forward to the PitchFX speed readings.

Meh, just 100 mph.
Aroooooooldis.
He throws a smooth 100 mph.

Sexy.

I don't think that hit him.
Utley is a fucking pansy.
Not even close
He seems to be 78% limbs.

Also: Utley’s a wimp.

Speeds in this AB

100,87,101!

Chapman vs. Howard is not a matchup fans have been dying to see.

Pujols, sure. Howard? He’s over-matched.

This is a lot of fun.
Howard looked old.
The crowd is doing that oooooing and awwwwing Jeff was talking about.
"Well, sometimes you have to cheat a little outside the rulebook." - Chase Utley.
I like that it was referred to as a Derek Jeter moment.
99,98,99,100,100,99
Out by a mile.
I like how the first replay TBS showed was the widest possible angle.

“Let’s get a farther look.”

WHAT THE FUCK.
MY FOUR YEAR-OLD COULD HAVE CAUGHT THAT.
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT
WHAT THE FUCK
WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK
Jesus fucking christ!
Wow.

Pathetic fielding all the way around.

100 MPH by the way
The Phillies have had unbelievably good luck in this game.
Anyone else think now's a good time for a speedboat to Cuba?
Just let it go

He’s the Royals’ problem now.

Looks like a cerrtain someone has found a new team to follow!

Obviously Aroldis Chapman can't handle the pressure of playing in the playoffs.
100,100 in Ibanez at bat.
That was sadness.
MILLIONS OF ERRORS!
Does anyone else hear an infernal, high-pitched whistling before every pitch?

It makes me want to sodomize every Phillies fan with a vuvuzela.

And blow?
WHatever you do, don't inhale.
99,97(slowest fastball so far),87
So...

Utley to first pretending to be hit by a pitch, Utley then called safe at second incorrectly, Bruce loses ball in the lights allowing Utley to score, Phillips then drops the relay throw allowing Werth to score. Hm.

I'm pretty sure he was hit by the pitch.
Replay says otherwise.
You forgot that Utley may not have touched third base.
Oh and Utley misses third and gets away with it!
Well, then you didn't forget. My mistake.
Utley also may or may not have touched third base when he scored.
I thought the one thing Sweeney was supposed to have was power. That was a weak hit.
Good job you stupid commie.
Suddenly it's so obvious why he chose the Reds.
I think the nick name, "Cuban Missile" is unfortunate and penetrates the hearts of compatriots everywhere
This has been an remarkable wonderful year for Sweeney.
I like Nick Masset's name.
In many ways, I am glad we traded Sweeney

Because now look where he is.

I'm glad we traded him because I don't like him.
That's too bad. He's probably the most likeable guy in the world, really
You should hear how he feels about babies and unicorns.
Or snitchin' motherfuckers.
Except for the teammates he threatened to fight this year...
He also beat the crap out of a pitcher, once
...and then Raul Ibanez and Mike Sweeney got hits
Lost in the white towels?
.

I love that they tired the dick towels into the boat episode.
Dennis' speech about 'the implication' is mind-blowing
Yeah that whole conversation was fantasic.
Come on Rolan, you fucktard.
Philly fans booing Rolen is like Mariner fans booing A-Rod.
Except A-Rod is a douche
My point still remains.
Actually, he's a total pimp, and what a sharp dresser!
Well, the ladies do love a douche, I guess
Yes

That's his Dominican sister.
I'm not sure if she's Domincan
You can't hear her accent in the picture.
Holy shit.

It’s like the fucking Keystone Kops out there.

That is such a bizarre Scottish accent in the Sounders-Celtic FC friendly commercial.

He almost sounds like he’s trying to do a Cool Runnings accent.

Mock cheers are the best.
Holy geez Sandoval is a fat fuck.
He's not called Fat Ichiro for nothing!
But Worth is better than Howard.
$125M contract doesn't start till 2012!
So the Reds are boned.
Fuck this.

LET’S GO GIANTS

Are the Giants on TBS too?
They'll start on TNT, then move to TBS when the Phillies are done.
TNT for the moment
Thank goodness for Ted Turner's ego.
"The Phillies just do not let you up for air." Ew.
GIANTSSSSSSSSSSS
Let's Go Braves, just so that we have at least one series that goes past 3 games.
I don't remember what channel TNT is

::sigh::

You should get the internet.
My local listing lists TNT as the channel that is actually FSN
Ahaha they're walking Ibanez to face Ruiz.
Looks like they're walking Ruiz, too.
Those two women behind home plate are the most annoying bandwagon fans ever.
OK, I'm officially on the Giants bandwagon.
Welcome!
Count me in. Fuck the Phillies.
Jason Heyward or Buster Posey?
For RotY? Or "Would you rather..."? What do you mean?
Who is better?
Heyward is better.

But positional adjustment might make Posey more valuable.

Wouldn't that make Posey better?
OK, you can stay on the bandwagon
What kind of animal is pulling the wagon?
No.

Heyward is a much better athlete and is 2 years younger. However, you don’t find too many catchers who hit like Posey, making him more valuable.

I believe the question was mainly in jest, intended to root out whether or not Decatur got to stay on the Giants bandwagon
This game is already worse than last night
COMMUNICATE YOU IDIOTS
Falling down is funny.
That's about 500 pounds of mass between the two colliding.
Uh... you can HEAR Posey call for it
Stupid Reds.
I will not be pleased if all these series end up in sweeps.
But Giants.
GIANTS!!
I totally want the Giants but goddamnit, all playoff baseball should always be at least 4 of 5. The season is almost over. :(
It might cause Selig to have a coronary, which might be cool.
If they do, Lincecum/Halladay might be the most anticipated playoff matchup since Johnson/Clemens.
Giants win 1-0 on Lincecum solo homer in the sixth
I dunno, Roy was the one with the RBI in his start.
His career ISO is .020
I actually had to wonder for a second if that was higher or lower than Josh Wilson's
It's such crap that Freddy Sanchez gets to put three time All-Star on his resume
And that Felix didn't make the All-Star team this year
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
IT'S LIKE DAVID HASSELHOFF COMING BACK AND STARRING ON THE BEST SHOW ON TELEVISION
I wonder how they'd work him into season 6 of The Wire.
Oh right.

Because Facts of Life isn’t on anymore.

The Rays must really be kicking themselves right now.
Because they are down 0-2 and couldn't even get no-hit by Roy Halladay?
URIBE!
UUUUU
(You're supposed to say "RIBE!")
I supposed that you were grunting in assent.
Haha not quite, it's a popular AT&T chant.
Wouldn't the properly spelled start to this chant be "YOUUUUU"

I’d just eff it up by blurting out the name of Yunel Escobar or somebody.

The properly spelled start of this chant would be "ooooooo"
I feel like knowing the chants would push me a little too far past bandwagon status.
Holy shit yes PLEASE argue that play.
Bobby Cox ejected?

/surpriseface.jpg

No matter what happens, they cannot eject Bobby Cox in an elimination game
Would sum up his career perfectly, though.
If anything, it would be fitting for Cox's last action as a Manager is to be ejected.
This ejection will give Bobby Cox more time to do the things he enjoys in life, like beating up his wife.
I honestly think Huff's foot was on the base. What about you?
That was pretty close, but I don't think it was.
I want to see another replay.
It looks like he kept his toe on long enough for the catch, and then slipped off.

But – bias.

From the angle the umpire was looking at, being 1-inch off the base would be difficult to see.

He wasn’t on the base, but I can’t argue with the call.

It looked to me that he held the bag until the ball was in the glove.

Then he was pulled off before Gonzalez crossed the bag so it looked to him like he was pulled off.

Yes, they intentionally walked him last night.
I thought Melky was supposed to be a decent fielder. The form of that throw was Ibanezque.
Yankee hype.
FUCK YEAH MATT CAIN
It blows my mind Matt Cain is only 26 years old.
I remember when him and Felix both came up, there were some people who actually compared Cain to Felix.
FUCK NO MATT CAIN
Cain owned Tommy Hansen even more than Abel.
Sure hope there aren't any Braves supporters 'round here
Not a Brave supporter per say, just a don't want to see all sweeps supporter.
This is a mind-numbingly boring game.
It's not THAT boring, but it's not gonna hold my attention all night.
Yeah, it is pretty boring.
Has there ever been a post season wherein every team swept their DS?
Nope.

Last year there were three sweeps and a four-game series and that’s the closest it’s been.

Baseball reference says in 2007 there were 3 sweeps and a 3-1 (Indians-Yanks) series.
Yep, missed that one at first glance.
Aw they scored :(
... The tying run is at the plate?
"Posey, Buster Posey. He's going home for Game 3. He's from Georgia, where he... grew up."
I think Pat the Bat just hates the AL.
Buster Posey, at least in this series, has been the better rookie.
Ross almost ran into that hit trying to avoid it
Wilson for a 6 out save?

Interesting

Brian Wilson reminds me of Neil Fallon.
'Oh, this burning beard, I have come undone'
Brian Wilson needs to grow the beard out more.

Then CM Punk would approve.

I bet Wilson could cut a killer promo.
Wilson couldn't possibly come to the Aardsma level of fastball useage.
Let's not make this too interesting, now.
Wait Pablo Sandoval is playing third?!
Why the fuck are you bunting Cox?
Results based analysis says it was a good move!
And I forgot Cox was ejected earlier.
WOOO

FUCK BRIAN WILSON

I NEVER REALLY LIKED THE BEACH BOYS ANYWAY
Let Lincecum close, obviously.
That facial hair can't be real.
Craig Kimbrel's gameday photo makes him look 14.
Kimbrel is a fucking monster.

40 Ks in his first 20 MLB innings!

And 5 Ks in 7 batters tonight!
Who in the blazes is this fellow?
This Kimbrel guy is pretty good.
That was the scariest warning track fly out I've ever seen.
Krukow on the radio

“McCann just got AT&T’d!”

Hell of a way to end a career for Wagner if the Braves get swept.
That's gotta hurt.
Keep going, Farnsworth!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Gutsy decision.
This is some bullshit.
Oh shit

That was actually a pretty awesome homerun

Wow-gotta root for anything Rick Ankiel does.
Ok, I drop the rellies off, and turn on the radio to finally get some baseball today

and Chris Berman (Chris Berman?!?!) tells me Billy Wagner got hurt (what happened?) and implies Bobby Cox and a bunch of others are gone as well?

what happened?

Chris Back Back still sucks at announcing baseball, Wagner pulled something on a pitch, Bobby Cox snapped a radish and got tossed-that's all I know.
You have Jon Miller doing radio for the postseason

and you don;t assign him to the Giants game?

really?

THAT"S WHAT I SAID!
Wagner appeared to hurt his oblique originally running after Renteria's bunt base hit to start the 10th.

It wasn’t until after he fielded the sacrifice by the next hitter that it really started to hurt, and he came out without protest.

Cox was tossed in the second inning on a close play at first.

Sort of appropriate :)

thanks.

I’ve been having withdrawal.

Now let Ankiel get the save!
That would be the most awesome thing ever.
I still remember watching him pitch in that exhibition game vs the Ms in 2001

painful.

I still remember him pitching in the 2000 playoffs. Infinitely more painful.
Yup. 2001 was in person, though.
The glasses that The Professor wears in his gameday photo are amazing.
What the duce?

Like I was saying....
LATE
It's like...

he should be wearing a nametag, and a brooch, and perhaps have a small beehive hairdo underneath his hat to complete the ensemble.

I will give you $12 if you wear that for Halloween.
Maybe one of these years....
You'd look good in a beehive.
I think those were the glasses I picked whan I made my Mad Men avatar
Bummer.

At least they won’t all be sweeps.

Yay! No sweep, more baseball!
That will make the guy I saw downtown wearing the McCann jersey happy
Holy shit, Roy Oswalt and Bronson Arroyo are the same age?

Seems like Oswalt has been around for a million years.

Arroyo has been around longer, actually, I'm pretty sure.

Just not relevant as long as Oswalt has been.

Arroyo played about 3 seasons of borderline crap in Pittsburgh before he went to the Red Sox and really started his career, if I remember correctly.

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