One More Question...

"Yeah, you know, this team is still going in the right direction.  We just played a good team.  Could one of you guys put ice in this cup?  I still haven't figured out how to do that yet.  Anyway, any more questions?"

"Yeah, numbnuts, I got one.  How did your fucking 'rest strategy' work out this week?  Would you say your plan was a good one?"

"Tommy, is that you?  Hey, I didn't know you were here.  Look, everyone, it's--"

"Don't look at me, let's look up to the front at Donny Yankees!  Get a good look at the guy who's managing the ball club.  He said all of our best players needed extra rest for this series.  And after he practically threw the game in Denver, he--"

"Tommy, we try to win every game."

"YOU fucking don't.  I'm talking here, dunce.  So then you start this fucking plan...we go into Cincy, a hot town.  And I would know, I ate a gallon of this shit you call 'chili' and never got full.  How did that work?  You were lucky just to get two guys to hit the fucking ball each game!  All this rest, and no run production!"

"Well, the Reds have great pitching and...you know, I'm happy the way we played.  We battled.  Um...(looks at notes) we have pitching and I'm, uh..."

"Don't fucking look at me."

FUBB

Those long time readers of the blog back in its old form (read: ME) remember this acronym.  That stands for

Fucked
Up
By
Bullpen

Folks, it was a shit weekend in Atlanta for the Dodge, and while the hitting was all over the place (mostly not for a hit) this is all on Donny Yankees and the bullpen.  Atlanta is a good team...don't think I expected the Dodgers to steamroll the Braves, but LA lost all 3 games; Atlanta was merely the beneficiary.

Our need for solid bullpen performances and a manager who knows how to manage pitchers becomes more evident by the day.

Friday
Bottom of the 6th, Dodgers lead 4-2

Ryu has thrown exactly 100 pitches.  He didn't bat in the 6th, but that doesn't matter.  The rulebook Joe left for Donny says, unless it's Kershaw, yank 'em.

Grrrrr gets an out, gives up a hit, Crawford commits an error.  He is relieved.

Rodriguez throws a walk, gives up a 3 run zonk, throws a walk, then gets the remaining 2 outs. 

It only got worse - Belisario gives up 2 runs thanks to a Crawford error and the usual pitching.

Donny, Carl, and the bullpen take the defeat.

Saturday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 1-0

Chris Capuano, he who is out of gas and should be in New Mexico, is pitching out of his mind.  It's a rare treat, one that might (well, not really, but maybe) turn things around for him.  Motoring through, he gets 1 out in the 8th and gives up a hit.  He's not even at Donny's magical 100 pitches...and the recap says Cap tells Donny to be prepared to take him out because his calf is hurting.  Why then?  Why not after the inning?  If you ARE going to take him out, why have him bat in the top of the 8th?  We'll never know.

Jansen comes in, gives up a 2 run zonk, then for good measure, a solo home run.

Dodgers get 1 run on 2 hits.  McSteroid, Donny, and Kenley take the defeat.

Sunday
Bottom of the 8th, Dodgers lead 2-1

Matt Magill, through 5, is looking good.  1 run, 4 hits, 8 strike outs.  But you knew it.  I knew it.  It was a matter of time until someone in the bullpen let the magic fly.  For dramatics sake, it was crunch time...

Jansen, remaining in the game (stunning that Donny would keep a bullpen pitcher in multiple innings) loads the bases, complimented by an error in the infield.  Let's see...bases loaded, 1 run game, no outs.  Who do I turn to?

Here comes Mr. Helper!

League gives up a single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), single (run scores), sac fly (run scores), a walk, and then thankfully a strike out.

I'm out of words.

Dodgers get 2 runs on 3 hits.  McSteroid, Kenley and Mr. League take the defeat.

I'm out of mad Tommy pictures.  I'm losing interest in this team, and the mismanagement therein.  A team with "pinch hitters" who can even bat .100.  Pitchers removed from the game when they're hot.  Fielding from the North Valley Little League.

Ned and Donny.  Always on the sunny side.  Always optimistic.  Always "seeing good things" and "improvements" after being swept by better teams.

Prove me wrong.  I'd love to be wrong in this situation.  But the way you're doing things...   

Collapse Like No Other

Ok, sorry to Tommy and friend, but this needs front page treatment.

When you score 13 runs in a game.... when Justin Morneau hits a grand slam and a three run homer IN THE FIRST THREE INNINGS, when your "staff ace" is on the hill, when your bullpen has been pitching actually quite well recently, and when you play the THIRTY EIGHT AND FUCK FIFTY TWO ATHLETICS...

YOU

SHOULD

WIN

THE

GAME

Let's just see here: Blackburn gives up seven runs in 5 innings. That's horse-piss. Nick Punto bats second, which is a good spot if you can, you know, GET A HIT IN FIVE AT BATS WHICH HE CANNOT BECAUSE OF HIS STUPIDNESS. And then that bullpen... Keppel and Mijares just run it right down their leg in a 7 run 7th, culminating in a grand fuck slam to tie the game.

Oakland's starting pitcher, one Gio Gonzalez... you ready for this? 2.2 INNINGS PITCHED. TEN HITS.

ELEVEN EARNED RUNS.

He gets a no decision out of that.

I've gone through a lot this year, ups downs, strikes, gutters, but this one is the worst loss of the year by far, just awful. Just a dogshit performance, a complete muck-up of a game that should've ended with Morneau breaking the Twins record for RBI in a game. Instead it ends with a loss to Oakland and a further slip in the standings.

I'll say it again right now, just like I said it last year: I cheer for this team. I want them to have success. But they DO. NOT. DESERVE. to win the central division. If they are in the race, it's only an indicator of how horseshit the Tigers and Sox are.

It's last year, all over again.