Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Game 114 Thread: August 11 @ Phillies, 4p

Chad Billingsley (9-6, 3.82) vs. Roy Oswalt (6-13, 3.50).

COMMENTS: Wait a second here. The pitching matchup is Billingsley vs. Oswalt, and yet the GameThread leads with Josh S. vs. Mr. Customer? What gives? Well, here's the deal. Josh S. and Mr. Customer were the only two correct answerers of PCS Puzzle #10 (James and the Yellow Crayon) who could use the pair of tickets fro the August 18 Dodgers game vs. the Rockies. So they will duel to the death in today's matchup, based on these rules: If the combined number of hits by BOTH teams in today's game is an odd number, Josh S. gets the tickets; if it's an even number, Mr. Customer gets the tickets. (As if the advent of Assassin's Circle 2010 isn't competitive enough, right?) Anyway, this should be fun.

Who would have thought that these two gentlemen, civil with each other at SoSG Fest, would now be embroiled in a winner-take-all cage fight for a pair of free Dodgers tickets? (Matter of fact, now that I look at Mr. C a bit more closely, he does appear to have quite the smirk going on.) Best of luck, you two!

Oh yeah, and the game today. Oswalt was one of the few available pitchers at the trading deadline that the Dodgers coveted, but didn't get; he's started two games for the Phils since coming over and he has pitched 12.1 IP and given up 10 H and 6 ER (including one loss). Billingsley, on the other hand, has had his mettle questioned throughout his career by LA newspaper columnists who want to discard him; Bills has 3 ER in his last 27.2 IP (including a CG SHO in amassing 2 W and 1 L) and has looked pretty damn ace-like, if you asked me. I predict Bills rolls today (a prediction with which Dusty Baker agrees).

179 comments:

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Podsednik 8,
Theriot 4,
Ethier 9,
Loney 3,
Blake 5,
Gibbons 7,
Carroll 6,
Ellis 2,
Billingsley 1

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

JOE NO USE KEMP HE DUMB HAR HAR HAR XFIP!

Josh S. said...

Wait, so I don't have to actually DO anything? Even better!

Nostradamus said...

@Josh

I was just typing the exact same thing. Good thing for me it's not who can comment quicker.

Kyle Baker said...

JELLO WRESTLING TO THE DEATH!

Kyle Baker said...

I like the kind of competition where I don't have to actually do anything, and the outcome is determined by either a random set of circumstances (e.g., the roll of the dice) or a situation I have no control whatsoever of (e.g., a baseball game). Conversely, I suck at poker.

Josh S. said...

I think I just asked to get sabersmacked on Twitter.

rbnlaw said...

@Josh:
Naw. MSTI is too busy reading his own tweets.
MLASF,
Thought that was going to be your tweet yesterday.

(I do hate myself for using the term "tweet" twice in one post)

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I could go on and on about why Kemp is likely sitting in favor of someone like Gibbons or Podsednik, but that would only fuel the fire of every single stathead on twitter.

IT'S BEEN TWO FUCKING GAMES CALM THE FUCK DOWN

Kyle Baker said...

"JOE NO USE KEMP IN LINEUP HE DUMB STOOPID TORRE STOP BEING STOOPID OPS+"

That is beautiful, MLASF.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I have to say, Josh's line last night just keeps me laughing. I'm going to do my best to keep it alive.

Josh S. said...

And my point isn't that I WANT Kemp starting over Pods. Hell no! I'm just saying Kemp isn't lighting the world on fire, so it just isn't a big deal if he sits.

Plus, he's a bench weapon. Hooray! I forgot what those were like.

rbnlaw said...

I like the twitheads calling for a trade yesterday. I also liked MSTI posing a Cano/Kemp trade.

That got a laugh.

Josh S. said...

Kemp for Cano is so 2008.

Josh S. said...

@MLASF: Thank you, sir.

Jason said...

Here's sort-of-hoping the only men to reach base all game are via walk, HBP, error, interference, dropped 3rd strike or fielder's choice (reserved for James Loney only). Nothing like a divide by 0 error in a SoSG contest.

Paul said...

Shit I can't believe you Torre!

Starting Jay again. I have to leave work early again and drain my phone. Come on Red!

Paul said...

As I was tweeting to Josh and that Dusty guy. What a great story. He never gave up and now his hopes and dreams are a reality. He won't let this opportunity slip by him after all we know it might be his last. So just like I knew he came up big last night.

Yes I am talking about Matt Kemp: Pinch Hitter.

Paul said...

Castro up. Should I have a strong Daiqiuri in honor of the event?

Josh S. said...

Here's hoping Castro holds some ill will toward the Phiwwies for cutting him.

karina said...

My SoSG readers on Twitter are non fire! well played all of you!

If I could I'd give a standing ovation

karina said...

@Paul how about a "Cuba Libre"?

Off for a while, running time!

Nostradamus said...

^She's scouting a location for her ambush tomorrow, I fear.

MeanieBreanie said...

It's off to kickboxing class to brush up on my assassin skills. Catch you all later.

GO BLUE!

Josh S. said...

Let's doooooo this!

Nostradamus said...

Wait, I'm not even supposed to be here to avoid bad juju, right?

Schleprock, out.

Josh S. said...

I think if you're a featured part of the game thread, you're allowed to stay.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

And stay out, at least until we have a six run lead.

Nostradamus said...

I probably ought to be, ya know, working anyway.

Loney Fan said...

Did anyone notice that it is up to James MacDonald to stop the Padres tonight?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Hah! Bills is ahead of Oswalt by three pitches! Where's your ace now, Philly? HUH? HUH?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Woohoo! Loney!

Josh S. said...

DOUBLONEY!

Josh S. said...

Wrong Roy, MLASF.

Loney Fan said...

The beard provides patience.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I'm confused. What wrong Roy?

Josh S. said...

You asked where their ace was. That's the other Roy.

Eh, nevermind. Not my best.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

That's a serious blow to GibbonsMania.

Josh S. said...

GIDPBBONS.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Oh, Halladay. I got you.

Paul said...

Crap.

Loney Fan said...

I don't understand. After Loney doubled, the MLB Gamecast told me we had a 58% chance of scoring a run.

Unknown said...

That inning was lost fast.

spank said...

Sit Down Phool!

rbnlaw said...

Finished yoga; no kids in the hizzy; wife at work.

Surly factor -3.

Need to practice my breathing for the circle tomorrow.

Josh S. said...

I don't know why Domonic Brown's parents didn't just go ahead and make that last i an o too. Why not?

spank said...

Just by watching that at-bat by D.Brown I can tell what kind of ballplayer he'll be.

All talk and no substance

Josh S. said...

Apparently (from a tweet I saw on At Bat), Phillies fans call Werth "Beard" too.

I am deeply, deeply offended.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Podsednik flips off the Dodger bloggers yet again.

Josh S. said...

And Theriot joins him. Double bird!

spank said...

Ethier, YOU BIG DUMMY

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

DAMMIT ANDRE

Josh S. said...

Surly factor: 3
Hungry factor: 5

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

The Cubs are just selling their middle infield away to the NL West. Giants get Mike Fontenot.

Josh S. said...

The Cajun MegaPowers explode!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Dammit Bills do not walk Oswalt!

Josh S. said...

Monday just told me Chad's pants are dry. Thank God, I was so worried.

Josh S. said...

Deadspin says it's fake, but if Kemp is benched because he showed his little bison on the internet, I may never stop laughing.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

How does Ross Gload look like the world's greatest 1B all of a sudden?

Steve Sax said...

Keep it together Chadley

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Oh this isn't good.

rbnlaw said...

I wish the action would stop so Lyons can tell me more about the Schofield family accomplishments.

rbnlaw said...

Fuck me with a bleeding ground ball.

rbnlaw said...

Surly factor back to 0

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Could've been worse I guess.

NicJ said...

I hate Ruiz so much.

rbnlaw said...

Is Eric Collins in the same stadium as the game?

Eric, look at the outfielder first, then get excited.

spank said...

Dead flesh sighting

Steve Sax said...

Could have been much worse

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

MS2B!!!

spank said...

Good ol' wide eyes

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Theriot, if you get a hit here, I will suspend my mocking of you for one whole week.

spank said...

Hate You

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

FUCKING THERIOT I FUCKING HATE YOU

Steve Sax said...

Quiet theRiot

NicJ said...

this just feels like a shutout.

spank said...

Bloody Hell

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Jeez Bills, what the hell?

NicJ said...

just need an out now.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Almost out of it...

Josh S. said...

Hee hee. No runs for you.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's a good thing the bullpen didn't fall to pieces yesterday, cause that would really leave us at a disadvan -

...

D'OH

spank said...

Right On. Thought we were screwed but homie came through.

NicJ said...

what gives? i thought dre was on fire.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

What the hell? I just saw three pitches delivered at once on Gameday.

NicJ said...

just make the dude throw some pitches please.

NicJ said...

oswalt is getting a more favorable zone than Bills. The ump must read the LA times.

NicJ said...

craptacular at bat, Loney.

Josh S. said...

It does seem a little shutty-outty in here.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Beard power, activate! Form of: competent player!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

What are the odds of Brad Lidge blowing up in the ninth? Please say likely.

karina said...

I came home to see that King James struck out.

@Josh I'm also deeply offended that Werth shares a moniker with OUR Beard.

NicJ said...

1-7 with RISP tonight, and the 1 was an infield hit.

Josh S. said...

And we're outhitting them too. I hate that.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

LINEUP SCORE NO RUNS TORRE DUMB HAR HAR HAR XFIP!

NicJ said...

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

no sympathy when my team is playing bad.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Seriously, what the hell are they putting in Gload's coffee the last two days?

NicJ said...

would of been nice if we were able to tag him out before he limped into second.

karina said...

Off topic: I sense fear in Mr C

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

No more Gload in the lineup, so at least the Phillies will stop scoring runs.

When the hell did Mike Sweeney join their team?

NicJ said...

bills is starting to get whacked around a bit.

why cant we get outs in this place?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

OH SONUVABITCH

spank said...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Steve Sax said...

Is someone going to give Chad some support here?

NicJ said...

i think we can win tomorrow.

spank said...

COME ON THIGHBOY

NicJ said...

Dodger Killer up.

NicJ said...

wow, that was close.

spank said...

GEEZUS

karina said...

@Nic J we can win tonight.Let's watch.

spank said...

Minimal Damage

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Whew. That could have been so much worse. And yet, a 2-0 deficit feels like 10-0.

karina said...

but it is still 2-0

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Work the walk Carroll, just work the damn walk.

NicJ said...

make torre look stupid kemp.

Hit one out.

spank said...

come on cochino homerun

NicJ said...

well, he just make the blogger look dumb instead.

spank said...

KKEMPED!

NicJ said...

maybe we get two innings of crappy bullpen if we are lucky. More likely we are just getting lidge, which might be enough.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Hey, it's KJ!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

The Lucky Rabbit's officially out of the game, so it's now whack-a-reliever.

NicJ said...

yay!! oswalt is out!

NicJ said...

Sientate Dobbs!!

NicJ said...

i think gibbons is just slow enough to make his catches look spectacular.

NicJ said...

mission complete agent oranje.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Madson. Oh how I hate Madson.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Work the damn walk, Pods.

NicJ said...

god damn it that was almost out.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Woohoo! Scotty Pods with the leadoff double!

NicJ said...

will the dodgers waste another lead off double?

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It's that time again, Theriot. You get a hit and drive in Pods, and I will suspend mocking for a whole week.

MR.F said...

That works, too!

MR.F said...

@NicJ: Don't worry, this way it's not a rally killer.

NicJ said...

that is so bullshit, tthat was a ball alllllll fucking night.

spank said...

Still Hate You

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

C'mon Andre, get some magic going.

NicJ said...

i hate you andre.

NicJ said...

i think we can win tomorrow.

spank said...

Ethier you hack. you're only good every other day

NicJ said...

god damn you Pods for not hitting it out.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

FUCKING FUCK HOW THE HELL DO YOU WASTE TWO LEADOFF DOUBLES IN ONE GAME FUCKING FUCK FUCKITALL FUCK THIS SHIT FUCKING FUCK

spank said...

Loney's tapped out for the month already.

MR.F said...

We suck.

NicJ said...

umpire is fucking us over tonight with this strikezone.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Yeah, this zone is total shit.

karina said...

GameDay doesn't work, you're my eyes.

:(

MR.F said...

Yeah, I'll trust you guys.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Brad Lidge. Brad fucking Lidge.

If we can tee off on Lidge and get the win, I'll call this season a win.

NicJ said...

dodgers go 1-2-3 in this inning. I can feel it.

well maybe gibbons will do something.

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Josh S., leading coming around the far turn, into the stretch (13 hits total)

Neeebs (The Original) said...

Base hit, walk and a dinger for a 3-2 lead????

Anyone???

NicJ said...

good pitching beats terrible hitting.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Crap.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Two outs to go.

NicJ said...

two outs.

i think we can win tomorrow.

spank said...

Waning Gibbons

Josh S. said...

I don't want to win the tickets this way...

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

It all falls on the shoulders of Jamey Carroll.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

One last strike.

NicJ said...

it really sucks how you can just tell this team isnt going to score for the night in the third inning.

spank said...

Sorry Sacks o' Crap

NicJ said...

1-10 with RISP.

You think you would be able to score at least one run by accident with 10 RISP.

Josh S. said...

We will never sweep a series called by Eric Collins.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

This loss is clearly the result of Kemp not in the lineup. Stupid Podsednik, not being Kemp. Screwed this whole team.

Josh S. said...

I had this penciled in as a loss. They'd better win tomorrow.

GO J-MAC!

NicJ said...

i never really get the point in complaining about the manager sitting your best player. Why cant we complain about our best player playing like crap?

At some point you cant blame the manager for everything. Players gotta play.

Nostradamus said...

Fuck, it didn't work.

I declare "Waning Gibbons" the comment of the night, however. I laughed and cried at the exact same time,

Paul said...

My highlight lowlight was the free credit report stupid credit rating had an Angel logo instead of a Dodger logo.

NicJ said...

i hate the cubs for being the cubs.

rbnlaw said...

I take full responsibility for this loss, as I said we would be shut down after plating 15 last night.

Well, Frank and I take responsibility.

And Colletti.

And Torre.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Lousy Cubs.

NicJ said...

Oh dear god. Rex Hudler is on MLBN.


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NicJ said...

he still has that damn baseball in his hand too.

Paul said...

I will be doing back flips if the cubs can spit this series and the Dodgers win tomorrow

Paul said...

Are we getting any turds off the waiver wire?

Nostradamus said...

Damn. I had that he'd next be appearing on COPS in the pool. Seemed like a smart bet at the time.

Paul said...

However you will see Neeebs passed out in a kiddie pool with a bunch of floating natural light cans on COPS soon.

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

I thought Hudler would be calling baseball in Japan. They love giant phonies like Ultraman and Godzilla.

Steve Sax said...

PGT up. Boooooo