12/21/24
August 22, 2007
Texas 30 - Baltimore 3: ... wasn't an NFL preseason matchup but the rather the Rangers posting the highest major league run total in 110 years. I guess there is no mercy rule in the MLB.
Uh, dude, it was the first game of a doubleheader. They had four position players on the bench -- two catchers (including their Game 2 starter, Laird), regular first baseman Brad Wilkerson and Sammy Sosa. How exactly were they to appease the baseball gods? By subbing Sosa in?
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 08:56 PM on August 22, 2007
The amazing thing is that Texas only scored runs in 4 innings. Good to see Texas still pouring it on with 8 of their 9 starters playing in the 9th inning. That's classy and sure to be rewarded by the baseball gods. I think this would be a little more egregious if this wasn't the first game of a double-header. From what I can see on the boxscore, Texas is playing three players in the nightcap who didn't start the first game. Excepting the third catcher (who carries three catchers?), that only leaves at most one additional position player who won't have played in one of the two games. On edit -- TCS to the rescue.
posted by holden at 08:56 PM on August 22, 2007
An inning with fourteen batters, an inning with twelve batters, and an inning with ten batters... I'd love to see somebody's scorecard for that one.
posted by Amateur at 09:05 PM on August 22, 2007
I'm amazed that a) the O's got through the game using only four pitchers, and 2) all four of them spit the bit. Never does even one Orioles pitcher go south like that when they face the Yankees. Shuey threw 68 pitches in two innings. Yuck.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 09:06 PM on August 22, 2007
Considering the rangers aren't playing for much this season this was a small bright spot for them. I'm glad I got to see it live.
posted by puke & cry at 09:20 PM on August 22, 2007
Oh also, they had the "sonic slam" 6th inning where a fan would win $25,000 if someone hit a grand slam in the 6th. Tonight is the only night I've ever seen it happen.
posted by puke & cry at 09:47 PM on August 22, 2007
all i have to say about this is DAAAAAAANG. nice football score. side note, end of the 5th in game 2, Rangers are up in that game 6-5, giving them 36 runs on the day. So far. I believe that ties the ML record for runs by one team on one day (the one game record from 1897 was 36) or something like that. they just keep coming.
posted by boredom_08 at 09:52 PM on August 22, 2007
Ah, didn't know it was a DH. Thanks guys. TCS, I'm with you. What the hell? Cabrera dominates the Yankees... then shows up with this?
posted by Bernreuther at 11:42 PM on August 22, 2007
Rangers took the 2nd game, 9-7.
posted by puke & cry at 12:00 AM on August 23, 2007
So you're an O's fan and you head out to the park with your hard (?) earned tickets in hand fighting the dozens of other fans at the game. Sure, the game seems to be a laugher by the 6th inning, but what the hell, you're a fan, you stick it out. But what in the name of Cal Ripken's blue eyes keeps you in the stands once the score is 20 to 3? I mean this goes beyond being transfixed by the "car wreck" type syndrome. This would be more akin to watching a family member in a car wreck. I, personally would have been so overcome with grief and sorrow that I would wail like those poor souls in the war torn middle east upon attending the funeral of a loved one. Ok, maybe that's over stating it just a wee tad, but UGGHH!! How masochistic do you have to be to watch your home town team so thoroughly dressed down in this fashion? I would be so accustomed to booing that I'd forget how to speak english. And who the hell shows up for the second game?!!! Why??!!
posted by THX-1138 at 12:02 AM on August 23, 2007
Well, once the hits started pouring, I imagine there were people there just to see how far it would go. Hell, by the last hit of the game the fans were cheering the rangers. And I imagine you'd like to be the guy that grabbed that last homer ball.
posted by puke & cry at 12:12 AM on August 23, 2007
Brother, I mean no disrespect whatsoever. But I point to the irony in your screen name and my suspected reaction to this debacle.
posted by THX-1138 at 12:31 AM on August 23, 2007
Kind of makes you wish that for a mercy rule in pro ball. That had to be painful to watch and I'd imagine painful to play in for both sides.
posted by budman13 at 12:42 AM on August 23, 2007
Oh also, they had the "sonic slam" 6th inning where a fan would win $25,000 if someone hit a grand slam in the 6th. Tonight is the only night I've ever seen it happen. That is awesome. Listening to random games on XM, there are so many oddball infinite-odds contests like that, and of course nobody ever wins. It's great to hear about somebody finally beating the odds. If you look at the guys who drove in runs, cumulatively they had barely driven in 30 before tonight. Two of them are still in single digits and one drove in four to reach 10. The game featured several of the Rangers' trade-deadline acquisitions -- Gabbard (from Gagne) started the game (and, uh, won), Murphy (from Gagne) had 5 runs and 5 hits, and Salty (from Texeira) had 5 runs, 4 hits, 2 homers, and 7 RBIs. I guess that's called sending a message about the future to your fan base. The fact that Littleton got the save is awesome. Easiest save of all time. As far as the torture of watching the game as an Orioles fan... it looks like things happened late and fast. Lots of multi-run homers and such. Yeah, it wouldn't be fun, but once you register that a victory is probably out of reach, how much can you really be emotionally invested in the game? At that point, I guess you kind of have to turn off the competitive juices and just laugh it off.
posted by The Crafty Sousepaw at 01:04 AM on August 23, 2007
When i first saw the score, i got excited, as i have Michael Young in my fantasy league. Imagine my horror to find out he was one of only two players with zero rbi's. I couldnt believe it. Oh well, that's what i get for having a Ranger on my team, lol. Just picked up Jeff Keppinger of the Reds, who is on fire. So if you are thinking of picking him up in your leagues--don't, since i just cursed him too.
posted by jagsnumberone at 03:59 AM on August 23, 2007
"Its the same old story its the same old song and dance my friends" I love the Rangers because (a) its a Texas thing,(b) they always have been a big stick no pitch team(like Texas small ball is an alien concept) and dammit they are loveable losers ala the Cubbies and Stengal's Mets.If they ever were to get some consistent great pitching with these sticks and they didn't choke themselves to death ala late 90s they would easily be World Chaamps. Ya think?
posted by sickleguy at 06:37 AM on August 23, 2007
I've played in games like that (both on the winning and losing end). Sometimes, you just can't help but laugh at the absurdity of it. Playing in the Belgian Cup - a national tournament where all the teams from all divisions are split into pools and often sees Division 1 (the highest level) teams playing Division 4 teams (the lowest level - imagine being 18 years old and learning how to throw). A couple years back, I played on a D1 team against a D3 team. To try to make things fair, for each level difference, the lower level team got 3 runs added to their score (so the D3 team had a 6 run bonus). We ended up winning the game 49-6 (the 6 came from their bonus) in 5 innings. There was a mercy rule in place (20 runs after 5 innings) and after we got up by 20, we tried to make outs to get the game over with. It didn't matter what we did - righties batting lefty, using old wooden bats, intentionally hitting grounders - they couldn't get us out. On the flip side, when my team had just won promotion from D2 to D1 for the first time, we ended up getting put in the same pool as the top team in the country. Going into the 7th, we were down 12-6 when we have the inning from hell. We couldn't seem to make a defensive play to save our lives. 1 out, man on 1st, easy roller to short - the ball takes a bad hop and hits the SS in the face. Runners on 1st and 2nd. Next pitch, a high chopper to the 2B and it bounces right over his head. Run scores men on 1st and 3rd. Next batter walks. First pitch, the 8 hitter "crushes" a grand slam to left center 250' away (shortest power alley anywhere). The inning went on and on. Eventually, we got 2 more outs but not before we gave up 17 runs and the mercy rule kicked in. At the end, even the other team was getting embarrassed and just wanted the game over. But at least we got to drink beer after.
posted by cabuki at 08:18 AM on August 23, 2007
TCS, I'm with you. What the hell? Cabrera dominates the Yankees... then shows up with this? Cabrera allowed (only) 6 earned runs in 5 innings - not great, but typical for him. It was the bullpen that made history.
posted by bperk at 08:27 AM on August 23, 2007
My thoughts: -- How many times will the Cowboys score 30 points this season? -- Bad news for me: I don't have any Rangers hitters on my fantasy team. -- Good news for me: I don't have any Orioles pitchers on my fantasy team, either.
posted by TheQatarian at 10:36 AM on August 23, 2007
-- Good news for me: I don't have any Orioles pitchers on my fantasy team, either. If you're fielding Burres, Bell, or Shuey on your fantasy squad, your problems started well before last night ;) Littleton's got the best stat line in the game, IMO. How many times do we see a 3-inning save, let alone a save in a game that ultimately had a margin of (opposing roster X 3)?
posted by MKUltra at 10:47 AM on August 23, 2007
Watched the Rangers for a long time. Never in my wildest dreams did I think they were capable of such a thing. If they had any sort of decent pitching, then they might be more fun to watch.
posted by Mickster at 10:55 AM on August 23, 2007
prompting THIS little story from ESPN. Gotta love #27
posted by Ricardo at 12:49 PM on August 23, 2007
The Rangers-O's game ranks #8 on their list. Sure it rewrote some MLB history but the game covers 1/162th of a season and involves teams that won't even make the playoffs. It's kinda like saying "High School Musical" has more musical significance and history than "A Hard Day's Night."
posted by NerfballPro at 01:12 PM on August 23, 2007
But you can't ignore over 100 years of no other team being able to pull this off.
posted by Ricardo at 01:26 PM on August 23, 2007
86. Darren McCarty versus Claude Lemieux. Probably my personal favorite.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 01:31 PM on August 23, 2007
And on the same night the red sox score 1 against 4 pitchers with an average ERA of 5.35. Brings a tear to the eye, and not in a good way.
posted by justgary at 01:46 PM on August 23, 2007
Sort of reminds me of the 1988 season when the O's lost their first 21 games. That's right, 0-21 to start the season, unmatched in MLB history. After a certain point you just have to laugh. I heard the O's radio play-by-play guy interviewed and he said the Rangers did the right things, the coaches were stopping guys at third who maybe could have scored. Texas left 19 on base. Makes you wonder how bad it could have been. Ah, well, maybe one day we will have an owner that gives a damn about winning. That would be nice. Of course with the Senators down the road and the novelty of Camden Yards long gone, Peter Angelos may have just about ridden this pony into the ground. Hopefully one day soon he'll grab his profit out of the franchise and crawl back under his rock.
posted by gradioc at 06:26 PM on August 23, 2007
"You don't want to be the one to make the out. You feel like you have to get a hit every time up," [Marlon] Byrd said. Knowing it's a double-header, you would think the Rangers would also eventually want to get the game over with. At what point do you purposely swing and miss just to get the hell out of there? An old roommate is from Baltimore. I was going to call him, but the Phils lost 15-3.
posted by SummersEve at 08:12 PM on August 23, 2007
Some of the posts on that particular discussion board were pretty sick. "The #4 turn at Daytona vs. Dale Earnhardt" "Eddie Griffin vs. the train" you get the picture. I had to chuckle at #'s 13, 15, 20, 33, 41, 50, 62, 71 and 76. Best comment had to be from some guy who wondered why "Harlem Globetrotters vs. Washington Generals" was left off the list. I might disagree with the list but it was still pretty fun to read.
posted by NerfballPro at 09:36 PM on August 23, 2007
Muhammad Ali over Sonny Liston. The most iconic boxing picture EVER. The best thing ESPN did in recent memory was that whole month (November '06 I think) they spent showcasing classic Ali moments.
posted by HATER 187 at 11:31 PM on August 23, 2007
Littleton's got the best stat line in the game, IMO. How many times do we see a 3-inning save, let alone a save in a game that ultimately had a margin of (opposing roster X 3)? Well, here is a list of at the first two hundred cases where a pitcher got a 3-inning save (since 1957). Wes Littleton's occurance was the 4664th time it's happened since 1957. In the end, not that rare. In terms of score differential, in the last 10 years: Willie Banks got a save in a 22-4 game. Roger Pavlik got a save in a 20-4 game. Ron Villone's save came in a 24-12 game. Stan Belinda's save was in a 22-3 game.
posted by grum@work at 03:44 PM on August 25, 2007
Good to see Texas still pouring it on with 8 of their 9 starters playing in the 9th inning. That's classy and sure to be rewarded by the baseball gods.