Fast Food for Thought : CBSSports.com Blogs

Interleague all year long next year? Yeah!!

Tue, 19 Jun 2012 7:56:41 EDT

June 18:

Yanks sweep gNats, after sweeping Braves and Mets - all good NL East teams. Starters have been tremendous, going deep into games and not allowing runs. You can't be much hotter over 4 weeks.

Last 24: 20-4

And they are still due, as the hitting w/Risp hasn't kicked in yet, still 40 points under the basic batting average, and it *will* climb as with all teams that number circles nearer the BA. The streak hasn't included a few of those typical games with double digit outbursts. The games with the gNats were close - no laughers.

Who needs runners on base?

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 13:00:29 EDT

Amazing that when the Yankees can't seem to hit with runner on, their starters step up for the last 2 weeks and carry the team to the top of the AL East. Robertson is due back in a few days, but Gardner keeps having setbacks and isn't expected until mid-July. The team's ERA has improved from 22nd to 10th in MLB over the last 3 weeks, while they won 14 of the last 18 or so.

The Rays and O's continue to hang around and the O's look for real. Jays? Not so much, with Brabdon Morrow injured.

The Red Sox continue to struggle - so much so Bobby V. is asking for automated umps.

The standings... and why:

Bard hits everything but the plate

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:34:07 EDT

June 4

AL East: Era Starter-Pen, OPS GB

Tampa Bay (31-23) 3.37 - 3.52, 709

Baltimore (30-24) 4.49 - 2.37, 742 - 1.0

Watch Andy Pettitte

Tue, 29 May 2012 9:51:25 EDT

Will Pettitte handle the slugging LA Angels tonight in his 4th start since his impressive return? If NY hits, he looks like the ageless help NY has gotten these last few years. Keep the ball in the park, Andy.

Past week, Jays fade, Sox and Yanks improve. Still the brutal AL East.

AL East: Era Starter-Pen, OPS GB

Baltimore (29-20) 4.31 - 2.33, 749

Josh opts for Buckett of balls with sore lats

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:43:33 EDT

Andy Pettitte rejoined the Yanks staff on Mother's day after 2 years away and pitched as expected - let's see the next few.

Orioles continue to surprise everyone. especially skeptics of their starters. Stood up against Texas.

Jays hang around; Rays and Sox rebound but 4-6 over last 10.

Beckett stumbles after the golf stint, fans booing. Missed start, prefering to play 18 as rehab. Really?

No out, 2 on, and the DH is pitching...

Mon, 07 May 2012 13:50:22 EDT

17th inning, pens are out of gas. Odds on one of your best hitters?

Adrian Gonzalez struck out against Orioles DH Chris Davis on three pitches. That's almost impossible to fathom, isn't it?

AL East: Era Starter-Pen, OPS

Baltimore (19-9) 3.56 - 1.41, 759

First Month - AL East is a 5 team race

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 9:12:30 EDT

April 30th

End of April, and the O's and Jay's aren't fading. The O's are living on starters and a pen (and Buck Showalter), but need some hitting. The Jay's look weaker all around.

The 3 initial favorites struggle in different ways: the Rays have won 7 of 8 on their starters - no pen - and hitting 31 points lower with runners in scoring position than overall BA. Once this improves, watch out.

The Yanks have the pen, but must keep slugging to try and outrun no starters. The Red Sox starters are better but suspect along with a pen out of ink, so slugging away has saved them for now. Dice-K is due back... is that a good thing? If the O's and Jay's hang in, a tough division limits any one of these five teams total wins.

Fenway is wicked old

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 8:01:28 EDT

Its two weeks or so into the 2012 baseball season. By the end of the weekend we'll be 10% along the way to playoffs. Here's how things stand:

The O's and J's insist they'll compete in the toughest division in the majors and they are, so far. Both riding ok starters, so-so hitting but good on base averages. Can they hang come August?

The Sox and Rays are struggling as their slugging can't overcome weak bullpens. Sox starters have yet to gel and the hangover from the end of last year looks to be still hurting the chemistry. Dusty tells Bobby V that's not the way we do things around here... airing barbs with the media. Bobby V knows no other way or he's looking to rally teamates around Youk. Not working so far.

The Yanks starters have been shakey - CC still rounding into form and Kuroda looking great one start, corroding in another. Nova shines, Hughes can't challenge hitters inside. Garcia? bet the over.

Be My Valentine

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 4:27:09 EDT

The Top Ten Advantages of Bobby Valentine being the new Red Sox manager:

Bobby V...

Is well rested (He hasn't coached in a few years)

Is conversant in archane languages like Bahsdinese (from his time in Japan, Queens... and Texas)

Lost Perspective - some examples

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 16:33:12 EST

The judge who set Jerry Sandusky return home without paying any bail and without an ankle monitor after being arrested on 40 counts of child sexual assault charges was a volunteer at Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile.

Christopher Mallios, an attorney with AEquitas, part of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, said that having unsecured bail is extremely unusual for a defendent charged with a high number of serious crimes.

"The fact that it's unsecured at all, we are dealing with pretty serious crimes. If the allegations were just involving one victim, it would be unusual for a defendant to get unsecured bail. But with multiple possible victims and ongoing investigations and out of state investigations, I'm shocked," Mallios said.

Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 9:03:06 EDT

Yanks lose game 5; Season over; ARod chokes, Tex , others.

Not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Arod, Swisher. Others, too. Lots of chances, zero clutch hits. Heartless. Team looked dull. No fire, no drive, no wanting it.

e.g.: up 3 balls no strikes, watch 2 cookies mid plate at the belt, K - null and void.

In the end, Ohhhh - innuendo

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:34:41 EDT

Wk 26: Down to the last strike... season ending. Heartbreak only remains.

The incredibly improbable? or the cruelest version of an old script? Cursed fate rules.

New York Yankees (96-61) --> (97-65) wk 1-4

Tampa Bay Rays (87-71) --> (91-71) wk 4-0 6

Wrinkled Sox, Ray of hope

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 22:42:30 EDT

Week 25: Wilted Sox, Ray of hope

Sox get X'd by O's, NY. Yanks help by taking Rays.

New York Yankees (91-59) --> (96-61) wk 5-2 + sunday, 97-62

Boston Red Sox (87-64) --> (88-69) wk 1-5 89-70

Wk 24:Sox wilt under hot Rays, help Yanks clinch.

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 8:21:46 EDT

Wk 24: Sox wilt under hot Rays, help Yanks clinch.

Shades of April? Sox droop in Sept under Rays, wild card at risk. Boston fans are rooting for the Yanks (!) to slow Tampa. But it's looking like a spectacle for their last series.

as of sunday, 9/18/11:

New York Yankees (87-57) --> (91-59) wk 4-2 + sunday, 91-60

Rays sweep, Yanks snoozed, Sox neatly folded

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:05:07 EDT

AL East, Week 23: Rays sweep, Yanks snoozed, Sox neatly folded

New York Yankees (84-53) --> (87-57) wk 3-4

Boston Red Sox (84-54) --> (85-60) wk 1-6 3.5

Tampa Bay Rays (75-63) --> (80-64) wk 5-1 7 (3.5 back of WC)

Wk 19: One half game, short division.

Wed, 17 Aug 2011 9:04:58 EDT

Wk 19: Who wants the Division?

Road trips next week or so - Sox hit less well there. Both NY and Sox party with Royals (no Pippa, sadly), then NY plays with Twins >> Texas re-arRangers Sock drawer?

Boston Red Sox (73-45) --> (73-46) wk 0-1

New York Yankees (72-46) --> (72-46) wk 0-0 1/2

Wk: 18: Welcome back real baseball

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:44:12 EDT

Wk 18: Let the games begin...

New York Yankees (63-42) --> (68-42) wk 5-0

Boston Red Sox (65-40) --> (68-42) wk 3-2 - 0

Tampa Bay Rays (55-51) --> (58-52) wk 3-1 - 10

Wk 16: Streaking because...

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 11:57:33 EDT

Wk 16: Streaking because...

...They have blisters from laying the lumber. Who needs pitching when you drown opponents in runs? Wood floats.

In July:

Boston Red Sox 16-3 - BA: 296, OBP: 374, OPS: 886

Wk 15: CC is my shepherd

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:34:43 EDT

Wk 15: CC is my shepherd.

Red Sox take lead in run differential. Padding the stats. Jenks on DL? Fans cheer.

Boston Red Sox (55-35) --> (56-36) wk 1-1

New York Yankees (53-35) --> (54-37) wk 1-2 1.5

Wk 14: The Few-Stars break

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 8:29:11 EDT

Wk 14: The Few Stars break

I turned it off... who was ahead, the NL or the DL? And the Warning Track Derby. Sign Cano's Dad. Fun to watch the kids knockng each other down to catch a fly ball. Gold balls? And a fan almost fell out of the stands - how slow a learner do you have to be? Ortiz had a good time with his team. Very nice to see him in another setting than charging the mound. When Heath Bell sliding into the mound is called "stealing the show", you know there isn't much of a show to steal. Always a luxury for a manager to use up someone else's pitchers.

The standings reflect what most folks predicted: 2 teams at the top, 1 hanging close, 2 slipping away. Rays have more arms than bats, Jays the reverse.

Boston Red Sox (55-35)

Wk 13: Keep them doggies rollin'

Wed, 06 Jul 2011 8:25:38 EDT

Wk 13:

Taking care of business. Bats? check. Arms? check. And then there were 3.

New York Yankees (44-31) --> (50-31) wk 6-0

Boston Red Sox (44-32) --> (48-34) wk 4-2

Arrgh, Matey. Shiver me timbers, 1st in the East

Fri, 01 Jul 2011 9:49:24 EDT

Arrrrgh, Matey. Shiver me timbers. Keel hauled.

AL East wk 12:

New York Yankees (40-29) --> (44-31) wk 4-2

Boston Red Sox (42-28) --> (44-32) wk 2-4

AL East Wk 11: Ice cream rises to the top

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 8:15:43 EDT

AL East Wk 11: Ice cream rises to the top

Sox clean up, NY close, division spreads with only O's slipping.

In June, Sox 13-3, Yanks 11-6

Boston Red Sox (38-26) --> (42-28) wk 4-2 +1 sunday

Wk 10 AL East: Athletic Sox roll past rivals

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 9:14:20 EDT

Week 10 in the East: Athletic Socks roll past rivals

Boston Red Sox (32-26) --> (38-26) wk 6-0

New York Yankees (32-24) --> (35-27) wk 3-3 2 back

Tampa Bay Rays (30-28) --> (34-30) wk 4-2 4 back

AL East wk 9: Taking turns, Hot road - cold home

Sat, 11 Jun 2011 15:19:51 EDT

as of Sunday morning, June 5: Week 9

New York Yankees (27-23) --> (32-24) wk 5-1, last week 3-3 : Rebound out west

Boston Red Sox (29-22) --> (32-26) wk 3-4, last week 5-1: Feast or famine, 1 game back

Tampa Bay Rays (27-24) --> (29-28) wk 2-4, last week 2-3 : Treading water, 3 & 1/2 back

Taking turns in 1st - that's fair

Sat, 04 Jun 2011 13:26:04 EDT

AL East Week 8, as of Thursday morning, June 2: Taking turns in 1st - that's fair.

New York Yankees (27-23) --> (31-23) wk 4-0, last week 3-3 : Rebound out west

Boston Red Sox (29-22) --> (30-26) wk 1-4, last week 5-1 : Feast or famine, 2 games back

Tampa Bay Rays (27-24) --> (29-26) wk 2-2, last week 2-3 : Treading water, 2 & 1/2 back

Everyone can be in 1st... the world doesn't end

Fri, 27 May 2011 10:49:23 EDT

AL East, Week 7:

Everyone can be in 1st... and the world doesn't end.

The Rays stabbed by Marlins, make room in 1st for all. Red Sox roll as A-Gon pounds and Albers grooves. Yankees use all avenues. Jays stay close and Orioles nearby.

New York Yankees (20-17) --> (25-20) wk 4-3 +1 sunday Small ball or large, it's all good.

Everyone on a roll... the cheese stands alone

Sat, 21 May 2011 21:58:45 EDT

AL East Week 6:

Heat rises as everyone wins 4 of 6 for the week ... plus Sunday bonus. ..except the sleepy Yankees.

Tampa Bay Rays (19-14) --> (23-17) wk 4-2 +1 Sunday - Beats up on Indians

New York Yankees (18-13) --> (20-17) wk 2-4 - 1 Sunday - Snoozes vs. KC, Sox

What CBS doesn't want us to know... or do

Thu, 12 May 2011 12:49:34 EDT

=== What CBS doesn't want us to know... or do ===

Let's cut to the core of the matter:

The message board site code is a mess, many users have complained but CBS is in no rush to fix things... unless users push the issue.

Examples:

Spring Rays shine - Did Yanks bring spf 50?

Thu, 12 May 2011 11:14:04 EDT

AL East Status - Week Five : Shining Rays, quiet songbirds, and the Yanks tote lumber.

With 32 games played for most clubs, 20% of the season is enough to take stock of who they are so far. Grades at the one fifth point:

Rays: A

The Rays once again did what Boston wished for - another recovery week plus a day 5-2, now 6 over .500 and sharing 1st. Pitching is carrying the streak, Whip = 1.18, dropping both the Blue Jays and Orioles. And Longoria is back. Good balance of pitching with slugging. Tampa Bay Rays: 3.23 era / .399 slugging (20-14)