"Turd Throw" and other stories from the rancid NLC.

[PTanner]

Turd Throw took the AAA assignment, where he'll close games.

Gag-Me just got dropped from the closer's role.

This could be legendary.

[Waco Kid]

Dusty vs. Ned; the ultimate Brain Cramp Death Match. Today's point goes to Dusty:

Though Corey Patterson was supposed to be at the plate, David Ross batted out of order in the ninth inning of an 8-3 loss to the Mets on Sunday.
What is this, Little League? Per MLB rules, Ross has to complete his at-bat to be ruled out, and the outcome of his at-bat is then discarded with no runners allowed to advance. The Mets allowed him to do so, and since he lined out to right there was little harm done. Ross was the batter listed in the order after Patterson, so he was forced to come back to the plate for his 'real' at-bat and Patterson was charged the out. Ross singled after returning to the batter's box. There's almost too many jokes here for us to enjoy. Corey Patterson making outs even when he's not at-bat is just one of them. As if their wasn't already overwhelming evidence that Dusty Baker is a horrible manager, this just adds more fuel to the fire.

I fucking love Dusty Baker.

[LoneStarCubFan]

Dusty vs. Ned; the ultimate Brain Cramp Death Match. Today's point goes to Dusty:

Though Corey Patterson was supposed to be at the plate, David Ross batted out of order in the ninth inning of an 8-3 loss to the Mets on Sunday.
What is this, Little League? Per MLB rules, Ross has to complete his at-bat to be ruled out, and the outcome of his at-bat is then discarded with no runners allowed to advance. The Mets allowed him to do so, and since he lined out to right there was little harm done. Ross was the batter listed in the order after Patterson, so he was forced to come back to the plate for his 'real' at-bat and Patterson was charged the out. Ross singled after returning to the batter's box. There's almost too many jokes here for us to enjoy. Corey Patterson making outs even when he's not at-bat is just one of them. As if their wasn't already overwhelming evidence that Dusty Baker is a horrible manager, this just adds more fuel to the fire.

I fucking love Dusty Baker.

He fucked up the line-up in a game when he was here too. The only reason I remember it is because he actually got upset enough to get tossed when he went out to argue about it. C.B. Bucknor was the plate umpire that day.

[TJ]

He screwed up a double switch. Ramon Martinez hit a go-ahead double but was called out for batting out of order. Baker apparently tried to explain the double-switch by "pointing" to Martinez and then to the pitcher from the dugout. CB Bucknor mysteriously did not understand. The Cubs wound up winning late on back-to-back HRs by Sosa and Alou, I believe.

[Chuckosan]

He screwed up a double switch. Ramon Martinez hit a go-ahead double but was called out for batting out of order. Baker apparently tried to explain the double-switch by "pointing" to Martinez and then to the pitcher from the dugout. CB Bucknor mysteriously did not understand. The Cubs wound up winning late on back-to-back HRs by Sosa and Alou, I believe.

Yup/  That was the game when Chip Caray told us that we had to fall in love with the 2004 Cubs.  I guess it takes a turd to know loving a turd.

[Kerm]

He screwed up a double switch. Ramon Martinez hit a go-ahead double but was called out for batting out of order. Baker apparently tried to explain the double-switch by "pointing" to Martinez and then to the pitcher from the dugout. CB Bucknor mysteriously did not understand. The Cubs wound up winning late on back-to-back HRs by Sosa and Alou, I believe.

I was at that game.  It was actually a fun one.  I believe Mitre started, and an inning or two before the Sosa-Alou [Santo]BACK-TO-BACK JACKS[/Santo] Hollandsworth hit a bomb to tie it or put the Cubs ahead or something.  That was early enough in the year that I didn't hate that team.

Wasn't that also the same series when Wood got tossed after bitching about the non-called strike three against Dunn, followed by a bomb?

[Mike Douche]

He screwed up a double switch. Ramon Martinez hit a go-ahead double but was called out for batting out of order. Baker apparently tried to explain the double-switch by "pointing" to Martinez and then to the pitcher from the dugout. CB Bucknor mysteriously did not understand. The Cubs wound up winning late on back-to-back HRs by Sosa and Alou, I believe.

I was at that game.  It was actually a fun one.  I believe Mitre started, and an inning or two before the Sosa-Alou [Santo]BACK-TO-BACK JACKS[/Santo] Hollandsworth hit a bomb to tie it or put the Cubs ahead or something.  That was early enough in the year that I didn't hate that team.

Wasn't that also the same series when Wood got tossed after bitching about the non-called strike three against Dunn, followed by a bomb?

Yes, but I think it was double off the bat of Wile E. Moe Pena that did 'em in.  Sean Casey started the rally by hitting one through the box that Kerry lazily tried to "backhand" and  Wood later got all petulantly entitled because the ump wouldn' give him his nibblin' shit off the corner to Dunn.

That whole series was an indicator of the unneccessary overdramatization that was 2004.  Everyone--team, fans, media--were acting like it was October, and it was the season's second weekend.  I think it was at that point that I started to hate everything about the Cubs.

[Dave B]

I concur. I was thinking of that series as an example of what could have happened this year if the Cubs had gotten off to a smilar slow start. The panic level hit DANGER for fans at Wrigley that weekend and things got out of control.

[LoneStarCubFan]

I concur. I was thinking of that series as an example of what could have happened this year if the Cubs had gotten off to a smilar slow start. The panic level hit DANGER for fans at Wrigley that weekend and things got out of control.

For me that season went off the rails when Mercker, Bako and Farnsworth conspired to blow that big lead against St. Louis on a night they were poised to move into a tie for first. Happened in late June as I recall.

[Mike Douche]

I concur. I was thinking of that series as an example of what could have happened this year if the Cubs had gotten off to a smilar slow start. The panic level hit DANGER for fans at Wrigley that weekend and things got out of control.

For me that season went off the rails when Mercker, Bako and Farnsworth conspired to blow that big lead against St. Louis on a night they were poised to move into a tie for first. Happened in late June as I recall.

Indeed, LoneStar.  The night before, Rammy blasted a gap double to right-center off of Isringhausen for a comeback win in Game 1.  I was in Bowling Green, KY, for the next night getting my drink on at some Ruby Tuesday's when Mercker and Farnsworth and such blew a big lead and Mercker went into a speed-induced freakout on the umps, blaming them, apparently, for his inability to not suck, yielding me with an Eyre-like hangover the next morning. The next night I was driving back to Chicago when Cesar Izturis made 7 errors and hit into 18 double plays.  The Cubs never drew that close to the Tards again.

Can we lock this thread?  2004 was the shittiest season, from beginning to end, in my life.  Shittier than 1997 because they dragged us all the way to the finish line before kicking us in the nuts.

[TJ]

I concur. I was thinking of that series as an example of what could have happened this year if the Cubs had gotten off to a smilar slow start. The panic level hit DANGER for fans at Wrigley that weekend and things got out of control.

For me that season went off the rails when Mercker, Bako and Farnsworth conspired to blow that big lead against St. Louis on a night they were poised to move into a tie for first. Happened in late June as I recall.

Indeed, LoneStar.  The night before, Rammy blasted a gap double to right-center off of Isringhausen for a comeback win in Game 1.  I was in Bowling Green, KY, for the next night getting my drink on at some Ruby Tuesday's when Mercker and Farnsworth and such blew a big lead and Mercker went into a speed-induced freakout on the umps, blaming them, apparently, for his inability to not suck, yielding me with an Eyre-like hangover the next morning. The next night I was driving back to Chicago when Cesar Izturis made 7 errors and hit into 18 double plays.  The Cubs never drew that close to the Tards again.

Can we lock this thread?  2004 was the shittiest season, from beginning to end, in my life.  Shittier than 1997 because they dragged us all the way to the finish line before kicking us in the nuts.

It was Alex Gonzalez who made 85 errors vs. the Cards. Cesar was busy molesting Dodgers.

[Andy]

Nope.  It was Rey Ordonez.

He made three.  And cried in the clubhouse.

[CT II]

Nope.  It was Rey Ordonez.

He made three.  And cried in the clubhouse.

He kicked an inning ending double-play ball with one out in the bases loaded (4 runs scored after that, the only Cardinals runs of the game).

And then I believe he hit into one (possibly two) one-out, bases-loaded double-plays himself.

He was right to cry.

[Mike Douche]

Yes.  My bad.  It was Ordonez.  All of those shitty shortstop blend together after a while.  I think they've all come through town.

[Taylor2]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AsWnEW0aE1Gc6ayXJUXZJPURvLYF?slug=ap-brewers-gagne&prov=ap&type=lgns

MILWAUKEE (AP)—Two days after pronouncing himself unfit to close games for the Milwaukee Brewers, Eric Gagne says he's ready for another shot at a save.

He's just not sure when his next chance will come.

"I want to go out there as soon as I can," Gagne said before Monday's game against St. Louis. "That's the way I am. That's what I know. I know how to close. That's the only thing I know how to do."

Brewers manager Ned Yost hasn't committed to a specific role for Gagne, tied with Cardinals reliever Jason Isringhausen with a major league-worst five blown saves this season.

It would be nice to see him go back to closing blowing games.