Monday, July 5, 2010

Six runs; one earned run

Everything you need to know about Sunday’s game can be explained with Gallardo’s line:

Yovani Gallardo
2.2 IP (left game with strained left side muscle)
5 H
6 R (Alcides Escobar had some serious problems)
1 ER
2 BB
2 SO

This game should have been a pitchers duel. Instead, it was a Cardinals blowout—and it could turn out to be something much worse if Gallardo did anything other than mildly sprain his oblique muscle. My fingers are crossed. Doug Davis is no Yovani Gallardo. In fact, Doug Davis struggles to be Chris Narveson.

Cardinals 7, Brewers 1
Game played 7-4-10


On Sunday, the 2010 All-Star teams were announced. The fans vote on the starting eight position players, while the players, coaches and managers select eight pitchers and one back-up player for each position. The team manager then selects the remainder of the 33-player roster. Finally, the fans select one remaining player (from five selected by the team manager) through on-line voting. Replacement players are also selected by the manager. There are a few rule changes for the All-Star game this year. The rosters have expanded from 33 to 34 players; the DH will be used every year, even in national league parks; there is a re-entry rule, and pitchers who start the Sunday before the All-Star break will not be replaced on the roster but will still be recognized as All-Stars.

Got that? Pretty soon you’ll need a degree in abstract algebra to figure this out. Remember that the winner of the midsummer classic gets home field advantage in the World Series. The irony of this fact was not lost on me as I voted 25 times per e-mail account. Why use something like overall record, when you can rely on internet-based fan voting? I’ll rant more about this when my pain meds wear off.  

Ryan Braun was voted to start in his third straight All-Star game, while Corey Hart was voted in by the players as a reserve. Yovani Gallardo was selected by manager Charlie Manuel. Braun collected 2,972,525 votes. I like to think I am somewhat responsible for about 500 of Braun’s votes. Where would he be without me? 

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