Monday, May 25, 2009

Memorial Day

You thought I was going to talk about baseball, didn't you? Well, you were right!

Haven't heard from Chuck lately, but right about now he's probably coming close to tearing out what little hair he has left on the top of his head. His team, the Cubbies, is faring the worst of our 'club' as far as this past week's results go. You thought you had it bad, Steven, with your Jays losing six in a row? Chuck's team has lost seven in a row, so stop bemoaning your team's 'annual fate' and saying, "I told you so!"

The only thing worse than a sore loser is a strutting winner, and we've got almost a prime example of a preening peahen in Tammy. Altho both of her teams lost yesterday, at one point very recently her Yankees had won 9 in a row, I think. Right now, they are half a game behind the Blue Jays in the American League East, who are a half game behind the Red Sox. Now that's a tight division!

The Red Sox are my son-in-law's team. Yeah, this is the same person who says he's a big fan but didn't even know when 'Opening Day' was this year and pays very little attention (other than in passing) to baseball until the World Series. To me, that's not a fan at all, but I have to include him in our club anyway because he's 'family'. Family has to be included, right?

Speaking of family, a few years ago when it appeared as tho there was a chance that the Red Sox and Astros would meet in the World Series, my daughter quietly made plans to buy us side-by-side tickets to one of the home games. That would have been fun, wouldn't it? I've never seen him at a baseball game. I wonder how he is? I'm fairly quiet during the games, usually, altho I don't know how ladylike I would have been had that actually occurred. I would probably have been obnoxious as all get out.

Meanwhile, Patrick's team (Braves) has been steadily hanging in there, winning every game they could since the Marlins' sizzling start of over .900 ball and hoping that their efforts would pay off. Sure enough, they're currently tied with the Mets and only one and a half games back of the Phillies for first place in the National League East. Another tight division.

The division I pay most attention to, of course, is the National League Central. That's where my 'suckin'' Astros play. Ho, boy! We're starting a three-game set with the Reds today in Cincinnati. Both teams are 4-6 in their last ten games, but that's where any resemblance ends. The Reds are three games over .500 and the Astros six games under. Unbelievable, eh what?

Do you know who the hottest team in baseball is right now? The San Diego Padres, that's who (National League West)! They're 9-1 in their last ten games, but still seven and a half games out of first place. That honor belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had their own torrid streak earlier this month.

---------later----------had almost a 3-hour delay there while my son-in-law came over to try and see what he could do about my printer problems (am not at all sure those are solved - we'll see - was working on-off-on-off-on for him), install my scanner and show me how to work it, plus "we" (mostly "he") did some yard work ... ... sawing off dead branches, weeds and 'suckers' and shaving off some of the old rotted wood from my gate so that the electric company has a little easier access to my back yard ... also, he showed me how to remove that part of the faucet that is either dripping or surreptitiously spraying water everywhere but straight down - was having problems both in the master bath and in the kitchen ---------

ANYhoo, have (since he left) tried to scan a neat photo and had to call him (twice!) because I had not taken good enuf notes when he was here. Have I got the world's best son-in-law, or what? Man, oh man!

Btw, I had him read the first part of this post, and he seemed to think that I had cut his Red Sox short on mention. (So much for being not more than passingly interested, huh?)

Okay, so what's going on today? Well, all of the National League Central teams are playing each other. We are currently getting beaten up on by the Reds (So what else is new?) - a rain delay there in Cincinnati, however, in the 6th inning. St. Louis and Milwaukee are duking it out 0-0 in the 7th, and the Cubs and Pirates are scheduled to play later this evening.

Except for the Blue Jays, who are at present on the low end of a 2-1 score in the 7th at Baltimore, the other teams of interest to our club are all playing outside their division ... same league, but different divisions.

Have a wonderful and relaxing Memorial Day, everyone, and I'll talk atcha later!

8 comments:

steven said...

jays - seven losses in a row - i'm lyin' low on baseball talk for a while!!!!
steven

Goldenrod said...

Hey there, Steven!

God bless your heart ... ... even tho it's not much (if any) consolation, please know that you are not all alone up there. Tell you the truth, tho, I'm really not that familiar with your team. What I seem to remember hearing just a short while back was that your Jays had one pitcher extraordinaire who could at least be counted on every five days (normal pitcher rotation) to help produce a win. Is he (whomever he is) now injured? Hope not!

We have been without both our closer and setup guys for going on three weeks now. The bullpen has FInally stepped up to the plate, thank goodness, to try and fill in the gap. (Better late than never?) One of our bigger disappointments danged near this whole early season long has been Lance Berkman's prolonged batting slump.

It's not looking very good for my Astros, I'm afraid. And, as I said, I really don't know that much about your Jays, so I can't comment with any sort of facts (or even gossip) to try and back me up.

Try and hang in there, OK?

Tammy said...

I have to admit, I'm QUITE enjoying following some baseball this year!

I'm also enjoying that link you gave us. Isn't it amazing what just one game (win OR loss) will do to a team's placement? I am just blown away with how it all changes so quickly.

Goldenrod said...

Morning, Tammy!

Yeah, that's a good link, and it is fun to watch daily/weekly/whatever, particularly if you're interested in one or more divisions, to see how the various teams interact with each other. Last week's action was particularly interesting. We've just passed the quarter pole mark for the season, I think, so there's a long ways to go yet.

Those Padres are continuing to win (now 10 in a row), we've just lost our 5th in a row, Steven's team 7 and Chuck's 8. Chuck has to be about to go berserk up there in Chicago. He's a fairly rabid fan. I used to be that way (before the strike in '94).

The National League Central's landscape will change dramatically these next couple of days, because all of the teams are playing against each other. I would expect that Steven's team (the Jays) will pull out victories in these next two games, as they're playing against the Orioles (same division). If they don't, he'll really develop a sour disposition towards baseball. He's really much more of a hockey fan, but he's trying. He's the one in our club that I'm most worried about.

Chuck can take care of himself, altho I imagine he's giving Ellen grouchy fits right about now. Haven't heard from Patrick yet this year, but his Braves are right in the middle of the action at the top (NL East). His team and your Yankees are playing against teams outside their division right now.

My son-in-law and I poked each other and exchanged one or two snide remarks when he was over here yesterday. My daughter laughed and laughed when she read my blog.

You probably won't see another post from me on baseball for awhile ... that is, not unless something dramatic happens (like the Astros, Cubs and Jays start winning and the Yankees and Cards start losing).

Am tickled that you're having such fun following baseball this year.

Tammy said...

What does "playing against teams outside their division right now" mean? I thought teams always played within their divisions. ???

Tammy said...

Curious on one other thing that I am betting you know the answer to. Cardinals and Yankees are both 26-19. However, The Cardinals are ranked 3 and the Yankees are ranked 7. Why is that?????? I would have thought 3 and 4.

Crimony, those Dodgers are doing well. They are not a team I follow at all, but I can't help looking at their ranking each time peek in on that website! Poor little Nationals...13-31. I'm pulling for them to win a game soon. :)

steven said...

goldenrod, what's killing the jays is their bats - or lack of bats. the poor pitchers are layin' down the law and the bats might as well be toothpicks for all the good they're doing!!! it's gettin' mighty ugly . . . . .
steven

Goldenrod said...

I can certainly identify with the 'toothpick bats', Steven. Frustrating, to say the least!