From The Baltimore Sun:
"Friends from around baseball bombarded Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts with text messages after he hit his first home run of the season Wednesday.
"It was like the first time I've ever played the game," he said. "[Texas Rangers outfielder] Kevin Mench asked me if I was on the home-run-a-year program."
Roberts had a breakout power season with 18 homers in 2005, but the catastrophic elbow injury he suffered in September kept him from strength training in the offseason. He has had no trouble keeping his average over .300 this year, but he hadn't been hitting the ball with much lift before he pulled a pitch deep into the left-field stands against the Philadelphia Phillies.
"My arm is feeling 100 times better than it did two months ago," he said. "I've gotten stronger and I've been able to lift. The guys here, [hitting coach Terry Crowley] and our strength coach, said, 'Man, your swing looks a lot better now than it did in April.' Not just my swing, but just being able to drive balls. The ball has been jumping off my bat more."
Roberts said he's having the rare experience of getting stronger as the season progresses. Until recently, for example, he couldn't bend his arm back far enough to hold the weight bar so he could do squats...."
Seriously? It's stories like these that make me want to wrap in him in protective bubble wrap, feed him pudding laced with percoset and roofies and love him 'til I'm dead.
As much as I am dying to see Russ Ortiz's first start in an Orioles uniform (OMG pitching event of teh year!1!!1), I'll be in a Maine with the Merrill Clan for the holiday weekend, so probably no blogging or watching of O's for me over the next few days. I will be drunk, though. Very, very drunk. I will theoretically return next week, provided I don't drown in the lake, blow myself up with fireworks or end up decapitated in some freak beach volleyball accident.
You all try to do the same.
Friday, June 30, 2006
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
In case you missed it...
Not everyone is as unemployed as I. Therefore, if you missed it - this is pretty much what happened in the 1st game of the double header today....
Top of 1st:
Bedard? Back to back walks in the 1st? You haven't pitched much lately, buddy. Take it down a notch.
Bottom of 1st:
-Roberts falls down going into 3rd and looks gimpy when he gets up. I have a coronary.
-1st and 3rd. No outs. And no scoring. Color me surprised.
Hey, it's gonna be Orioles Beach Towel night soon. My family still has some of our totally thread-bare O's beach towels from the 80's. Who wants to go get me a new one?
Top of 2nd:
-Bedard's at 1-2 against Victorino. Let's see if he can do anything about it. OH, he can hit the batter. THAT's what he can do. Good plan.
-There are about 7 people at this game. I don't think I'm exaggerating.
-HI SAL!! I love this guy. Always have, always will. Look at that FuManchu, man. LOOKATIT!! And look at that strikeout! That's the Sal Fasano I remember.
-This is followed by a 5-3 groundout because the Phillies also enjoy the "stranding runners on base" game.
Bottom of 2nd:
-JEFF CONINE HIT A TRIPLE. HOLY SHIT. WE GONNA DIE.
I realize it was a triple because of Abreau's tomfoolerly in the outfield but still - that ain't something you see every day.
-Patterson scores him with an RBI groundout.
-MILLAH with an double. Markakis will surely do something stupid now.
-Hee. Palmer describes Hamels as "Bruce Chen with better stuff". Yeah, it's not too hard to have better stuff than Bruce Chen.
-Markakis grounds out. I. AM. SHOCKED.
GO AWAY, GREY HAIRED GUY. YOU ARE A TALENTLESS HACK AND NOBODY LIKES YOU. YOUR PISS POOR SINGING AND AWKWARD DANCING DOES NOT MAKE ME WISH TO BUY A FORD VEHICLE.
Top of the 3rd:
-There is a runner on first. I don't remember why. I was still yelling at the grey haired man.
-Chase Utley. You own a sailboat, don't you? And you play LAX in the offseason. Admit it. And you've grounded out. Go back to the dugout and read your J.Crew catalog.
-Miggy complete and total lack of range to his left affords next guy a base hit.
-Burrel up now. He's 0-13 and now he is 0-14. Bedard makes him look silly.
-RYAN HOWARD. I fear him. He is good. This time he harmlessly grounds out 4-3, though.
I don't know how I feel about BRob's walkoff against the Yanks last June being on a lottery commercial.
BOBBLEHEAD AD. They show "the move" about 10 times in slow mo but I still haven't figured it out. My father has been informed multiple times that if he doesn't go on July 15th to get me the BRob half of the pair, that he will no longer be my father.
Bottom of 3rd:
-Roberts gets a bloop single and then promptly steals 2nd. Sortof. Close enough.
Mora flys out. BRob thinks about tagging up and going to 3rd but changes his mind and amlmost falls down again. WTF, Brian? You drunk? Wearin the wrong shoes?
-MIGGY RBI SINGLE YAYYYY.
-WOAHHHHHHHHHHHH RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNN
BIG 2 run homer and GOOD GODDAMN I LOVE HIM.
4-0 O's now. Against a lefty! That's like, 8-0 against righties.
-Javy K's again. Sit down and just look pretty, Javy. I guess that's what you're best at lately.
-Niner flies out. Yup, that's more like the guy we know. No more of that triples crazyness.
Top of 4th:
-Scarface Rowand is at bat and Palmer's being a know-it-all again about the Aflack Trivia Question. We get it, Jim. You know a lot more about baseball than we do.
Scarface grounds out 5-3
-Conine, showing some range (??) snares a liner for the second out.
-David Bell K's. Bedard looks goooood. Not ridiculous like his last outing, but good.
Bottom of 4th:
-Hah!! Palmer got the Trivia question wrong.
-Hamels strikes out Patterson for the 1st out.
-Millah misses a home run by about 2 feet.
-Kakes, free from the pressure of seeing base runners in front of him gets a single. Look at him getting a hit off a lefty!!
-BRob at bat again.
BRIAN MICHAEL ROBERTS HAS HIT HIS FIRST HOME RUN OF THE SEASON
AND IT WAS FROM THE RIGHT SIDE
OFF A LEFTY
A! 2! RUN! HOMER!
/THROWS PARTY.
-Melvin made an out I don't know how. I was too busy celebrating.
Top of 5th:
-K by Bedard. Pretty.
-Jimmy Rollins' speed + bunting + crap infield defense = single.
-FUCK. Patterson misreads a ball and now there's runners on the corners with one out.
-Nice Double Play Gentlemen! This is how we play the game of baseball!
It remains 6-0 O's
Bottom od 5th:
-I think I hurt my throat screaming about the BRob homer.
-Miggy gets a double with an assist by Abreau. Miggy slid into 2nd weird and now he is still on the ground. Seems to have twisted his ankle. Trainers are out therem but he'll stay in the game.
-Ramon gets hit on the first pitch. He's ok.
-The Phils have a bullpen guy who's number is 00?? What? Seriously, his number is 00.
- Javy, if the pitch is wild enough to allow the runners to advance, why are you swinging at it?
-Jeff Conine is getting intentionally walked. Again, what?
-Patterson up with the bases loaded and one out. He pops out. No one scores.
-Let's go, Millah. Did you know you hit .383 with the bases loaded? And he works a walk! NICE. 7-0 O's
-Aaannnd Markakis flys out to end the inning after missing an RBI double by about a foot foul.
Top of the 6th:
-Pat Burrell is STILL 0-game. Millar makes a surprisingly nice grab.
-SIT DOWN RYAN HOWARD. YOU HAVE STRUCK OUT.
-Bedard can even field his position! A nice, 1-2-3 inning.
BOBBLEHEAD AD AGAIN. I WANT IT. I WANT IT NOW. I AM A SLAVE TO YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN, ORIOLES. I ADMIT IT.
Bottom of 6th:
-Rick White of the 00 number is in the game now. He has apparently picthed for every team in the majors.
-BRob is up again. Replay of the homer. Happy. 4-3 groundout. Less happy.
-Melvin grounds out.
-Miggy flies out.
-Not an exciting inning.
There is seriously no one at this game. I know I already said that but Jesus - it is EMPTY.
Top of the 7th:
-Bedard still in the game. He's thrown 95 pitches, 2 walks, 4 hits, 6 Ks
-Runner on 1st with 2 out. Birkins is warming, Bedard over 100 pitches now.
-Bedard gets his 7th K of the day to end the inning. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Bottom of 7th:
-Ramon grounds out. I guess he can't hit a homer in every at bat.
-Javy...is 0-4 now. At least this wasn't a strike out.
-Conine hits a comebacker to the numbmberless pitcher. And beats it out. Will the wonders never cease? This maybe scored an error on the pitcher. We'll see.
-Patterson almost beats out his grounder to the 1st baseman. Almost.
Top of 8th:
-Birkins in the game now. 1st pitch strike. Next pitch is a single.
-I really like Birkins. I especially like that he's one of the 11 home grown guys on the 25 man roster right now. And also that he has been really good since he came up out of nowhere. Like just now when he struck out Bobby Abreau.
-Highlights of the '83 world series! Sqeuee!
-Pat Burrell is 0-15 with like, 11 K's. That is a slump. AND NOW IT IS NOT. 2 run homer to straight away center. WTF.
-Ryan Howard up now. I am hoping he can't hit a 5 run homer. Shift is on. So is Birkins. Strikeout swinging. Fooled. Sit down.
-Aaron Rowand fouls a ball of his foot. Ouch. Grounder to Miggy, he makes a weird throw that pulls Millar off the base. Scored a single.
-ANOTHER 2 RUN HOMER WTF. IT IS NOW 7-4 JESUS CHRIST. I DON'T LIKE BIRKINS. I TAKE IT ALL BACK.
-Hawkins in. Hooray.
-Roberts makes a nice play to end the inning.
-I'm just going to say this once. If we lose this game, I will never, ever stop being angry.
Bottom of 8th:
-Millar with a broken bat single. That Bum Matos is pinch running.
-Sac bunt by Markakis moves That Bum Matos to 2nd.
-4 pitch walk to Roberts. That was easy.
-A single would be nice, Melvin. Lots of speed on the basepaths right now.
-He grounds out, but the runners advance. I predict Miguel will not score them.
-Miguel does not score them.
Top of 9th:
-Ray in the game. And he promptly strikeouts Delucci on a perfect low and away fastball. Jim Palmer sez "David Delucci, you've just been pitched to". Hee.
-Rollins. 3rd strike looking. Back to back strikeouts. WHAT's UP, CHRIS RAY?
-Fly out to Patterson. Chris Ray's pimp hand is strong.
GAME OVER. O's WIN 7-4
Top of 1st:
Bedard? Back to back walks in the 1st? You haven't pitched much lately, buddy. Take it down a notch.
Bottom of 1st:
-Roberts falls down going into 3rd and looks gimpy when he gets up. I have a coronary.
-1st and 3rd. No outs. And no scoring. Color me surprised.
Hey, it's gonna be Orioles Beach Towel night soon. My family still has some of our totally thread-bare O's beach towels from the 80's. Who wants to go get me a new one?
Top of 2nd:
-Bedard's at 1-2 against Victorino. Let's see if he can do anything about it. OH, he can hit the batter. THAT's what he can do. Good plan.
-There are about 7 people at this game. I don't think I'm exaggerating.
-HI SAL!! I love this guy. Always have, always will. Look at that FuManchu, man. LOOKATIT!! And look at that strikeout! That's the Sal Fasano I remember.
-This is followed by a 5-3 groundout because the Phillies also enjoy the "stranding runners on base" game.
Bottom of 2nd:
-JEFF CONINE HIT A TRIPLE. HOLY SHIT. WE GONNA DIE.
I realize it was a triple because of Abreau's tomfoolerly in the outfield but still - that ain't something you see every day.
-Patterson scores him with an RBI groundout.
-MILLAH with an double. Markakis will surely do something stupid now.
-Hee. Palmer describes Hamels as "Bruce Chen with better stuff". Yeah, it's not too hard to have better stuff than Bruce Chen.
-Markakis grounds out. I. AM. SHOCKED.
GO AWAY, GREY HAIRED GUY. YOU ARE A TALENTLESS HACK AND NOBODY LIKES YOU. YOUR PISS POOR SINGING AND AWKWARD DANCING DOES NOT MAKE ME WISH TO BUY A FORD VEHICLE.
Top of the 3rd:
-There is a runner on first. I don't remember why. I was still yelling at the grey haired man.
-Chase Utley. You own a sailboat, don't you? And you play LAX in the offseason. Admit it. And you've grounded out. Go back to the dugout and read your J.Crew catalog.
-Miggy complete and total lack of range to his left affords next guy a base hit.
-Burrel up now. He's 0-13 and now he is 0-14. Bedard makes him look silly.
-RYAN HOWARD. I fear him. He is good. This time he harmlessly grounds out 4-3, though.
I don't know how I feel about BRob's walkoff against the Yanks last June being on a lottery commercial.
BOBBLEHEAD AD. They show "the move" about 10 times in slow mo but I still haven't figured it out. My father has been informed multiple times that if he doesn't go on July 15th to get me the BRob half of the pair, that he will no longer be my father.
Bottom of 3rd:
-Roberts gets a bloop single and then promptly steals 2nd. Sortof. Close enough.
Mora flys out. BRob thinks about tagging up and going to 3rd but changes his mind and amlmost falls down again. WTF, Brian? You drunk? Wearin the wrong shoes?
-MIGGY RBI SINGLE YAYYYY.
-WOAHHHHHHHHHHHH RRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNN
BIG 2 run homer and GOOD GODDAMN I LOVE HIM.
4-0 O's now. Against a lefty! That's like, 8-0 against righties.
-Javy K's again. Sit down and just look pretty, Javy. I guess that's what you're best at lately.
-Niner flies out. Yup, that's more like the guy we know. No more of that triples crazyness.
Top of 4th:
-Scarface Rowand is at bat and Palmer's being a know-it-all again about the Aflack Trivia Question. We get it, Jim. You know a lot more about baseball than we do.
Scarface grounds out 5-3
-Conine, showing some range (??) snares a liner for the second out.
-David Bell K's. Bedard looks goooood. Not ridiculous like his last outing, but good.
Bottom of 4th:
-Hah!! Palmer got the Trivia question wrong.
-Hamels strikes out Patterson for the 1st out.
-Millah misses a home run by about 2 feet.
-Kakes, free from the pressure of seeing base runners in front of him gets a single. Look at him getting a hit off a lefty!!
-BRob at bat again.
BRIAN MICHAEL ROBERTS HAS HIT HIS FIRST HOME RUN OF THE SEASON
AND IT WAS FROM THE RIGHT SIDE
OFF A LEFTY
A! 2! RUN! HOMER!
/THROWS PARTY.
-Melvin made an out I don't know how. I was too busy celebrating.
Top of 5th:
-K by Bedard. Pretty.
-Jimmy Rollins' speed + bunting + crap infield defense = single.
-FUCK. Patterson misreads a ball and now there's runners on the corners with one out.
-Nice Double Play Gentlemen! This is how we play the game of baseball!
It remains 6-0 O's
Bottom od 5th:
-I think I hurt my throat screaming about the BRob homer.
-Miggy gets a double with an assist by Abreau. Miggy slid into 2nd weird and now he is still on the ground. Seems to have twisted his ankle. Trainers are out therem but he'll stay in the game.
-Ramon gets hit on the first pitch. He's ok.
-The Phils have a bullpen guy who's number is 00?? What? Seriously, his number is 00.
- Javy, if the pitch is wild enough to allow the runners to advance, why are you swinging at it?
-Jeff Conine is getting intentionally walked. Again, what?
-Patterson up with the bases loaded and one out. He pops out. No one scores.
-Let's go, Millah. Did you know you hit .383 with the bases loaded? And he works a walk! NICE. 7-0 O's
-Aaannnd Markakis flys out to end the inning after missing an RBI double by about a foot foul.
Top of the 6th:
-Pat Burrell is STILL 0-game. Millar makes a surprisingly nice grab.
-SIT DOWN RYAN HOWARD. YOU HAVE STRUCK OUT.
-Bedard can even field his position! A nice, 1-2-3 inning.
BOBBLEHEAD AD AGAIN. I WANT IT. I WANT IT NOW. I AM A SLAVE TO YOUR MARKETING CAMPAIGN, ORIOLES. I ADMIT IT.
Bottom of 6th:
-Rick White of the 00 number is in the game now. He has apparently picthed for every team in the majors.
-BRob is up again. Replay of the homer. Happy. 4-3 groundout. Less happy.
-Melvin grounds out.
-Miggy flies out.
-Not an exciting inning.
There is seriously no one at this game. I know I already said that but Jesus - it is EMPTY.
Top of the 7th:
-Bedard still in the game. He's thrown 95 pitches, 2 walks, 4 hits, 6 Ks
-Runner on 1st with 2 out. Birkins is warming, Bedard over 100 pitches now.
-Bedard gets his 7th K of the day to end the inning. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Bottom of 7th:
-Ramon grounds out. I guess he can't hit a homer in every at bat.
-Javy...is 0-4 now. At least this wasn't a strike out.
-Conine hits a comebacker to the numbmberless pitcher. And beats it out. Will the wonders never cease? This maybe scored an error on the pitcher. We'll see.
-Patterson almost beats out his grounder to the 1st baseman. Almost.
Top of 8th:
-Birkins in the game now. 1st pitch strike. Next pitch is a single.
-I really like Birkins. I especially like that he's one of the 11 home grown guys on the 25 man roster right now. And also that he has been really good since he came up out of nowhere. Like just now when he struck out Bobby Abreau.
-Highlights of the '83 world series! Sqeuee!
-Pat Burrell is 0-15 with like, 11 K's. That is a slump. AND NOW IT IS NOT. 2 run homer to straight away center. WTF.
-Ryan Howard up now. I am hoping he can't hit a 5 run homer. Shift is on. So is Birkins. Strikeout swinging. Fooled. Sit down.
-Aaron Rowand fouls a ball of his foot. Ouch. Grounder to Miggy, he makes a weird throw that pulls Millar off the base. Scored a single.
-ANOTHER 2 RUN HOMER WTF. IT IS NOW 7-4 JESUS CHRIST. I DON'T LIKE BIRKINS. I TAKE IT ALL BACK.
-Hawkins in. Hooray.
-Roberts makes a nice play to end the inning.
-I'm just going to say this once. If we lose this game, I will never, ever stop being angry.
Bottom of 8th:
-Millar with a broken bat single. That Bum Matos is pinch running.
-Sac bunt by Markakis moves That Bum Matos to 2nd.
-4 pitch walk to Roberts. That was easy.
-A single would be nice, Melvin. Lots of speed on the basepaths right now.
-He grounds out, but the runners advance. I predict Miguel will not score them.
-Miguel does not score them.
Top of 9th:
-Ray in the game. And he promptly strikeouts Delucci on a perfect low and away fastball. Jim Palmer sez "David Delucci, you've just been pitched to". Hee.
-Rollins. 3rd strike looking. Back to back strikeouts. WHAT's UP, CHRIS RAY?
-Fly out to Patterson. Chris Ray's pimp hand is strong.
GAME OVER. O's WIN 7-4
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