In one way you have to admire The Genius. There he was yesterday, sitting at a table, holding a press conference in a game that his team absolutely coughed up. The Cardinals had blown a six run lead, had abused their “ace” pitcher by throwing him into the fire in a relief stint just two days after throwing 112 pitches in another loss, and The Genius was trying to think of ways to change the subject.
He went with the “mean Cubs pitchers are throwing at my players” angle. I don’t admire his argument or the reasons behind it, but you have to admire the sheer “what the hell?” way he just threw it out there to see if the media would bite.
Of course, they did.
”It’s dangerous, and nobody takes it. When you see a lot of buzzballs, everybody has a problem with that. If we throw a lot of balls up and in, Dusty is going to be upset. Whoever does it, it’s a problem and not acceptable.
”Whoever the pitcher is, and even if we do it, that’s always a bad issue for any team that has to deal with it. The up-and-in ball has bothered me ever since I managed. Always. We have never tolerated a pitch up and in. Never.”
What the hell is a buzzball?
The real reason that The Genius is mad is that Kerry Wood punked Matt Morris repeatedly on Tuesday night. Morris kept trying to bunt, and Kerry kept zipping pitches up and in to make it tough for Matt to bunt. Given that Kerry’s control from time to time is shaky, it was dangerous. But you notice that Tony didn’t have Morris try and retaliate against Kerry. First, Morris would have gotten tossed and the Cardinals couldn’t afford that. Second, Kerry was liable to put Morris on the permanent DL in the resulting scrum.
”If you can find any pitcher of mine I have ever had that says differently, I’ll give you whatever you want that I can afford. It’s too scary. That’s a real dangerous shot, and no one tolerates it. It can be corrected by just getting the ball down.”
Oh, so it’s OK to drill a guy in the leg. Well, then it must be OK when Kerry drills Fernando Vina repeatedly in the knee. Heck, Fernando swings at most of those, anyway.
The Genius then said that somebody (The Troll, who else?) told him Kerry enjoys hitting guys. “I’ll tell Dusty who told me, and he can go to that guy and straighten it out if he wants to. He says [Wood] likes to hit people because he likes to scare them.”
Yeah. That’s kind of the point.
Who was the greatest pitcher in Cardinals’ history?
A guy named Bob Gibson who used to plunk guys in the head if they even thought about getting a hit off of him. That’s what makes this whole thing just that much more absurd.
This is The Genius’ way of warning the Cubs not to do it again. But he knows that today’s starter, Shawn Estes, can’t hit anything he throws at. Remember last year when he somehow missed Roger Clemens’ ass? So the point is moot. Tony acts tough and then doesn’t have to worry about it. But since Estes will likely only be around for an inning or two, it’d be nice to see The Farns come in and plunk somebody and give them the Paul Wilson Treatment.
Speaking of Estes, just why the hell is he starting today? I know it’s “his turn”, but sometimes the music stops and there aren’t enough chairs. Today there should be chair left for Shawn.
Alas, given that Juan Cruz is needed to start tomorrow night in Milwaukee, what were the other alternatives? Felix Sanchez? Uh…no. Todd Wellemeyer…he’s had his moments and he can’t be worse than Estes. But we’ll see plenty of Wellemeyer today, anyway. How about Sergio Meat Tray?
OK, as long as this is the last time we see Shawn, I can live with it. I guess.
Oh hell, no I can’t.
Today on the Score, John Dewan, the stats geek formerly of Stats, Inc., was on and the discussion was is it better to be the Sox and finish up with a tough schedule, including 14 games with the teams closest to you in the playoff race, or the Cubs, with an easy schedule and one remaining game (today) with teams in the race?
How long should this discussion have taken?
It’s the easy one! Besides, we’ve discussed this before. The Cubs have the easiest remaining schedule of the three NL Central contenders because they’ve played the toughest schedule to his point. The Sox have the toughest schedule of the three AL Central contenders because to this point they’ve played the easiest schedule of the bunch.
It all evens out.
Yesterday’s Cubs game was one of the best in recent memory. Given the stakes and the opponent and the fact that it was the fourth game in three days between the teams, it might have been the biggest win in these parts since the Wild Card game in 1998. Every championship season has a win that you look back on as the tipping point. In 1984 it was the Sandberg-Sutter game. In 1989 it was the ten run rally in the last three innings against the Astros. In 1998 it was three Friday sequence in which Brant Brown had three walk off homers.
In 2003 it was the Moises Alou five for five game. You’ll be telling the grandkids about that one.
Think of all the stuff that happened.
-Danny Haren got drilled in the hand by Matt Clement. That was funny.
-Matt Clement got drilled in the leg by Danny Harren. The subsequent argument between The Genius and Dusty was a lip reader’s dream.
-Ramon Martinez got thrown out at home by Albert Pujols and it wasn’t Wendell Kim’s fault. What were the odds?
-Felix Sanchez made his MLB debut a memorable one why serving up a grand slam to Albert Pujols.
-Jeff Fassero came in and threw gas all over the lead.
-E-Ramis hit a game turning homer to stop the bleeding.
-Moises hit one to continue the hope.
-Alex Gonzalez continued to eat the Cardinals for lunch with a homer to make it 7-5.
-Fernando Vina tripled to lead off the eighth and the Cardinals didn’t advance him one foot.
-Woody Williams began throwing up in the bullpen. I mean, started throwing in the bullpen.
-Woody came in, fresh off a 112 pitch performance on Monday and had nothing. He gave up the lead with a triple to Mark Grudzielanek and the game with a single to, who else, Moises.
-Regular Joe came in and finished things off by striking out the most evil of the Evil Satanic Red Fowl, Jim Edmonds.
A good time was had by all.
[Today’s Dose is a work in progress. The links to come.]
For the record, I gave up the grand slam to the Genuis’ other Boy Toy – J.D. Drew.
Now that I’m no longer a general manager, I have to say that this series does remind me of the Cubs-Mets 4 game series at Wrigley in August 1984. I zonked Keith Moreland, and Zonk zonked me out. That was the first of about 39 brawls, including the one where the Mets first base coach tried to go over the dugout to attack some fan in the stands.
Ah, it was great.
I predict a hockey game will break out sometime in this game.
Funny how The Genius waited till he knew he didn’t have to face Prior, Woody, or Zambrano anymore this season before he started his "buzzball" retaliation.
Don’t bet against that goof Joe Girardi as the one who allegedly told LaRussa about Woody’s intimidation. He has everyone claiming he’s going to be a manager soon, so he’s probably still the same ass-kisser that he’s always been in order to stay in the bigs this long.
Also, until proven otherwise, I wouldn’t bet against Wavin’ Wendell giving Ramon Martinez the verbal go-ahead sign while holding up his hands in an attempt to dupe Pujols.
And another thing: I’ll bet if Jim Edmonds played T-ball as a kid, he bitched and whined to the umpire that where the tee placed wasn’t a strike.
Hey, Tony LaRussa! Yeah, you. Remember when you coached the White Sox and you were the least competent coach in the city? Yeah, it was me, Jimmy Frey (or Lee Elia), Stan Albeck (or Kevin Loughery or Doug Collins), Willy Roy (the old Sting coach), Denny Green (the NU coach before he was knocking up Vikings secretaries), Ray Meyer (or Joey Meyer), Orval Tessier, whoever the hell was coaching Loyola, Rich Falk, and then, um, you.
One more thing, buddy:
Did you notice how things changed once I arrived at the ballpark?
I do know a few things about winning a championship at Wrigley Field.
That’s me on the left in the second row.
Let’s see, I have three Super Bowl rings, and an NFL championship. What have you won?
Hey Ditka–
That lifetime of drinking hasn’t just affected your droopy pecker–it’s affected your memory. I was the coach of Loyola you bastard. I took ’em to the Sweet 16 in 1984-85 with Alfredrick Hughes, Andre Battle and Carl Golsten.
See you soon–you’re one grabber away from joining me. Probably from one of your Levantra experiences, or whatever you call that stiffening drug you’re schilling.
You’d think LaRussa would have more important things than "buzzballs", like maybe keeping his trauma unit of an outfield intact, or deciding which 200 year old bullpen pitcher to trot out next. Buzzballs, hmm, I think that maybe Tony got confused and was thinking of that time when Jim Edmonds gave Edgar Rentaria a special "haircut".
I like Tony. He and his dogs always gave me good "buzz".
Just thought I’d supply an old memory of my reign as Sox GM, when I axed LaRussa.
Tony: You gone!
WOOF!
ok, I’m an idiot. YESSS! You can put that on the board.
Here’s another try as I give you an old memory of me as Sox GM when I did the noblest thing ever and canned Tony LaRussa.
A ‘buzzball’ is LaRussa’s equvalent to a ‘tea bag’. Next thing you know he’ll be ranting about Donkey Punches.
He certainly didn’t complain about Felix "Dirty" Sanchez serving up a meatball to Nancy Drew.
Actually, I’m a huge fan of the New Jersey meathook. The donkey punch is a Rolen thing. No shock, Edmonds loves the dog in the bathtub. And that, my friends, is how Renteria got hurt in the shower.
Hey, Cubs fans! It’s a pleasure to ruin your fall.
But I had A dime on the Cards today, so I had to toss Sosa.
There I am. Yes I am a disgrace to society.
Hey guys! I’m doing a gamecast over at Chicagosports.com because Adam Caldarelli’s busy writing premium content on the Bears…
Come join me.
http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cs-030904cubscardscommentary,1,7574987.story?coll=cs-home-headlinesAccording to my CSI deduction of Renteria’s injuries, it was a clear cut case of a Cajun Hot Stick gone bad. There’s even evidence to suggest an Eiffel Tower, which would mean a third person was involved.
Girardi practicing being a "player’s manager" perhaps?
Bill Hohn = Joey Crawford.
Ya, come on. What the hell. That was TOTAL bullshit. When a guy squares around to bunt – I don’t care if it’s a pitcher at bat or not – YOU THROW UP AND IN!!! That’s what your taught to do as a pitcher! It makes damned near impossible to get the bunt down. You either pop up and out, or it fouls off. THAT’S WHAT YOU DO!!!
So, that’s what Wood did against Morris. And that’s what Clement did against… whatever the hell that guy’s name was.
THAT was not intentional! Not to mention that, if memory serves correctly, the Cards already had a man on base. Ya, Clement is going to TRY and hit the PITCHER to put two men on base for the top of the Cardinals’ batting order. Uh-huh… Sure thing, Tony. That makes sense… Buzzballs…
Dumb ass.
Anyhow, their pitcher threw not one but TWO balls right on Clement’s legs/knees. They were CLEARLY intentional. Their pitcher should’ve been tossed immediately! And so should the Genius!
At least when Clement plunked their pitcher, (a) the situation dictated throwing up and in because he was trying to bunt, and (b) the fact that there was already a man on base and it was the pitcher at bat would lead you to say "No good reason why a team in the thick of a pennant race would TRY and plunk this guy…"
The home plate ump should’ve been thinking that, if Clement gets up to bat and there’s nobody on base yet and their pitcher throws a pitch (OR TWO!!!) that are trying to hit him, then, as another fellow member of the Dumbass Society would say, "He Gone!"
I hate you Tony. Please keep doing the Cubs the favor of putting Jeff Fassero on the mound as often as possible. Worthless…
To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise: for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them: but they fear it as if they know quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know? by free online poker