Monday, August 16, 2010

Hide Your Kids, Hide Your Wife


There are few things in life more satisfying than taking two out of three from the California Angels. While the soft underbelly of my fandom is frequently exposed by all manner of benign American league foes, the Angels are one of the few clubs that still feel my rancor.

I hate the Angels. I strongly dislike Mike Scioscia and his Mike Scioscia face. I don't like Erick Aybar or anything named Izturis. I like Mike Napoli mostly because Scioscia clearly doesn't. First K-Rod and now Fuentes. Hate.

Which makes it all the most satisfying when Ricky Romero strolls into his home park, mere hours after doing right by his parents, and shuts their sorry asses down. It's great stuff.

Just like the great stuff Marc Rzepcynzki had on Friday night. As per a request in the comment section, I'm going to take a closer look at what made R-Zep so awesome that night. Hopefully in time for his next start.

If I could veer off-topic for a brief moment, I just want to take the opportunity to say how proud I am of the comments and commenters who frequent Ghostrunner on First. From the amazing insight added by radar in the previous post to the "support" shown when a rare hater wandered into our midst. It is pretty rare that the like minds who congregate around here get to have our fun pretty much by un-interrupted by trolls. There might be some changes afoot but I have faith that nothing will change in that department.

I just want to give a big thank you to everyone who comments and contributes to this site. From the long-time guys like Ian, Navin, Joanna, and The Ack; to the Mattts and Gils and Tys and everybody else. Thank you. It means a lot.

AP image of the loud-mouthed boob from Daylife.

20 comments:

  1. It is, as always, my pleasure to read this website on the daily.

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  2. I always look forward to a new GoF post.

    I know Cito is criticized quite often for his 'swing away all the time' approach and his apparent disinterest in small ball, and I can understand why this is so.

    However, Friday night's game made me glad that we have Cito and not Sciosia. With LA down by 3 in the 8th inning, I couldn't grasp why they would try to bunt repeatedly. Out #1 was a failed bunt attempt (can't remember what Out #2 was), they got a slap bunt single and then Out #3 came on a bunt attempt.

    Why oh why would you try to bunt for a base hit with 2 outs, a man on first, in the 8th inning when you are down by 3?

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  3. Never comment, but always read. Keep up the good work

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  4. That's the million dollar question. Or, put another, smarter, way by someone very wise:

    When you play for one run, that is exactly what you'll get.

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  5. Your hatred rarely comes to the fore; enjoyed it. I'm with you: fuck the Angels, and fuck smallball. We swing for the fences in Toronto. Like men.

    I'm with Archi; GoF is bookmarked, son.

    Keep writin'.

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  6. Also: when I saw that picture, the first thing that came to mind was Joe West telling Scoscia: "And you can run and tell dat, homeboy!"

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  7. I find that the posts here (from Drew and other commenters) usually do one of two things: perfectly articulate exactly what I'm thinking, or make me think of something I never would have thought of on my own. Both are awesome and humongously appreciated.

    Also, I don't know if maybe it's old news and I was just late to catch up on it, but was anybody else's mind blown when Francisco Rodriguez came out of the Angels bullpen, but for some reason was a middle reliever, and Mexican?

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  8. I guess Francisco Rodriguez is to the Angels what Alex Gonzalez is to the Jays?

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  9. I agree with Archi,TY and eyebleaf. Your insight is thought prevoking and makes me go hmmm.
    Thank you for the kind words (I'm blushing) but I can't take the credit.Your words made me think and I had to go to someone who's been there.I got to learn something new and had a great conversation, thanks to you.
    Keep up the good work.

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  10. http://tdotsports1.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/keeping-roy-halladay/

    Solid read...

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  11. The blog is SMART, Drew. Its not that Tao or Hum and Chuck or any of the others are dumb, but its always smart, intelligent, insightful.... which makes it something worth reading every time.

    Thanks for all your work,

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  12. Aww, you so smushie. I'm pleased to be considered a long time guy. Even though I'm not SMART. Not that I'm dumb.

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  13. they said the rays sort of emulated the angels.

    i only believe that now.

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  14. @Jayszone:

    That article makes no adjustment from NL East to AL East. It also makes no mention of what the weighted average of all of our 5th starter guys (the people who would not have been in rotation if Halladay was here).

    Without those 2 items I don't know how you can draw any conclusions on how we would have done this year if we still had Halladay.

    If I had to guess, I would say 5 games out of the WC, but I have nothing to back that up with.

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  15. Love the blog, my favourite Jays blog out there.

    Back tot he Jays, don't know who heard Jayson Stark on the Fan, but he had great things to say about our Jays, AA and Romero.

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  16. This blog is one of the reasons I have the internet. I don't comment often, but coming here is always a pleasure.

    Interested to see what changes are coming.

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  17. Always great discussion at GRoF, and always great thought-provoking artices that do get the gears turning.

    And I don't doubt that AA traded to get Fred Lewis after he read your post, Drew.

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  18. I read your blog all the time, never comment, but love it. I like DJF but for a baseball blog where you want hard to find info presented in an interesting way with humor sprinkled throughout, GROF is the best.

    Guess I just wanted to say thanks. Hope you keep doing what you do for awhile.

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  19. @Matt_CC

    I don't know about Halladay and the top of the rotation, maybe the bottom is really a soft spot. The other day (I think Rzep's most recent start) the opposing broadcast flashed a graphic that starters 1 thru 4 for the Jays were 13 games over .500, but the 5 hole was only 6-13. If the fifth guy was a little more productive, maybe the Jays might be in a better place. Of course, I don't know where they got these stats or how they compare to the competition's. I would like to see how the Jays' #5 compares against the rest of the AL East.

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  20. I want to join the GROF love in! Keep it up, Drew. We need you.

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