Friday: Got a game of your life in ya, Hokie Joe?
IMAGINE FOR A SECOND THAT YOU’RE FORMER HOKIE JOE SAUNDERS. It’s been a pretty good life so far. You had a great career pitching at Virginia Tech, became a first round draft pick and, at age 31, have earned more than $16 million playing baseball.
And tonight, you can become the toast of an entire city.
IT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE REMARKABLE NATURE OF THIS ORIOLES SEASON that Saunders, a guy who was acquired August 26 for a so-so reliever (Matt Lindstrom) and a player to be named later, is pitching the most important game of the year tonight against Texas. On paper, this matchup stinks for Baltimore. Saunders is a fly ball pitcher. The Rangers have hit 200 homers — fourth-most in the AL. Saunders has a 6.48 ERA in 11 career starts against the Rangers, including a 9.38 mark in six games in Arlington.
Then again, paper’s meant nothing this year.
MY PAL WES MCELROY, A RADIO HOST IN RICHMOND, ASKED ME AN INTERESTING QUESTION IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. Knowing that I grew up an Orioles fan, and with the Orioles looking like they were going to stick in the race for the duration, Wes asked me what Baltimore would have to do for me to be satisfied with this season.
“Are you kidding?” I replied. “They’ve already done it!”
Yes, meaningful games in August are all I’d wanted for some time now. These O’s not only did that, but they delivered meaningful games in September and made the postseason. This team has provided indelible memories and countless hours of entertainment. I’m truly happy regardless.
But even if you’ve been rolling points for 3 hours at the craps table, it always stings when the seven comes out. There’s always the “what if,” that fantasy profit of just a few more rolls.
So let’s revise the hopes. The one thing I really want to see is Charm City decked out in orange, roaring for every pitch, like only the postseason can do (unless we’re talking about San Francisco Giants fans; those people roar from game 1-162; impressive). To get there, the O’s will have to win tonight as a 2-to-1 underdog against a pitcher (Yu Darvish) who closed the regular season with eight straight quality starts.
Best of luck, Hokie Joe.
CARDINALS-BRAVES
-I’ve been going back and forth on this game. Kind of hard to pick against Atlanta starter Kris Medlen, who hasn’t lost since May 26. Then again, Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse went 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA and is one of the most laid-back dudes in the game. Braves are an 8-to-5 favorite; this feels like a coin flip to me. Game starts at 5 p.m. on TBS, with O’s-Rangers to follow.
OTHER STUFF
-Here are Robert’s predictions on tonight’s high school games.
-Here’s Robert’s feature on Glenvar quarterback Levi Mullins.
-Tech running back Tony Gregory is listed as doubtful for tomorrow’s game at UNC. We’ll have the live blog here as usual.
-Virginia wideout Tim Smith is listed as doubtful for the Duke game.
-Red Sox fire Bobby Valentine.
-NHL cancels two weeks of season because of lockout.
-Miami AD Shan Eichorst resigns to take the same role at Nebraska. Blake James will be acting AD.
-Rams beat the Cardinals in the Thursday nighter.
-No. 13 USC rallies to beat Utah, 38-28.
-Tonight’s games are Pitt-Syracuse (7 p.m., ESPN) and Utah State-BYU (10:15 p.m., ESPN).
NAME THAT TUNE
Can’t we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can’t we give love that one more chance?
Why can’t we give love give love give love give love
give love give love give love give love give love
‘Cause love’s such an old fashioned word
And love dares you to care for
The people on the edge of the night
And loves dares you to change our way of
Caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves…
October 5, 2012 - 8:46 AM
Will be interesting to see what happens if Texas loses to Baltimore tonight. ESPN already speculating that Ron Washington may get the axe. Partly because of blowing the division and partly due to bad decisions in the World Series last year. They also speculated he could be replaced with Terry Francona. Friday night football you have to love it. USC continues to look very mediocre. What was all that preseason hype about?
I mentioned this on yesterday’s thread, but wanted to re-post here too. When the Hokies have gone no-huddle, the offense has clicked (heard it on ESPN radio, but it makes sense based on what I’ve seen too…I just hadn’t fully formed the thought). LT doesn’t have time to think with that pace, and they move the ball effectively. Why they don’t go no-huddle more, I don’t know. It’s not as if the ball-control style is really helping keep the D off the field as it is anyway. So, if you’re going to have short drives in terms of time off the clock, why not get some points out of them, rather than repeated 3-and-outs, or turnovers?
I really hope the NHL gets going this year. Winter is long to begin with, dull with no hockey. At least the VT team has about a dozen games at the RCC this year though, that will help some.
Not surprised about Bobby V getting canned. I told my cousin, a huge Red Sox fan, that they just need to blow it up, and start from scratch the way the A’s and O’s have. Keep a few good pieces they already have, pull in some solid AAA prospects, make a couple trades for some good, but not high-priced talent, and get a really good manager in there who can make it work. Have the veterans work with the rookies and other young players, and change the culture in the locker room for the better. I think, if done right, it’s a 2-3 season process…but it can be done, and needs to be. They also need to shed a lot of their current roster. Dice-K stinks and needs to never come back. Aceves has a horrible attitude and needs to go. Bailey is not a closer. The starters are putrid at best, the lowest ERA for a starter was over 4.50, most were 5+, with Matsuzaka at 8.28 through 11 starts. Franklin Morales was turned into a starter for 9 games and did post a 3.77 ERA, the best of anyone who did start games during the season. Offensively, they were producing, until they mailed it in. Too many bad attitudes there too. Not sure how much of the attitude problems were related to Bobby V being one of the worst fits for a manager and team ever. I heard they were going to bring in Sam Adams and Colonel Sanders for next season though…
Like the Hokies, the song is Under Pressure by David Bowie
Song nailed by Kevin. Officially the artist is Queen, but it is Bowie on lead vocals, so it counts.
I heard the same broadcast as Shaun and I just think that was a B.S. broadcast. It sounded to me like they were trying to create a controversy where none exists.
I really like Joe Saunders as a guy and wish him well. I wrote this some years ago. Saunders was tossing kids shag balls at Fenway and in some cases went over and personally handed them over. I have a VERY LOUD and distinctive voice. I got his attention by calling his uniform number and told him he was doing a class thing (and that he should get Guerrero – who was shagging next to him) to do it too. He decided to throw me a ball and after a few tries I actually got one. My son martin (the baseball player) had to tell me who he was, what kind of year he was having and that he was a hokie because I didn’t know. I saw him on the field two nights later in the old Yankee Stadium – got his attention – he remembered my voice – and pointed out my VT-Yankee T-shirt. It cracked him up that I was a Hokie. I got him to do a Hokie-Hi.
Best to him. Great guy. Represents himself and VT well.
Bobby V. was a dead man walking the day Sox named him manager. The fans booed him from day one, the players disrespected him and management offered only tepid support. He’s the fall guy for an organization that needs to rebuild. O.J. is right on. Blow it up.
AMac’s right, on paper Saunders vs. Darvish is bad news for the Os. That being said, I felt good about Saunders starting the moment I heard about it. He’s got valuable post-season experience on a young staff. If he’s on, then he can eat some innings and keep them in the game. I’m feeling kind of good about tonight too, because the Os should be loose and the Rangers not so much. Despite the two losses to Tampa, the Os are just happy to be there. The Rangers on the hand are in the midst of second-guessing and that can’t be good for their mental state going into the game. Football guys always talk about “intangibles.” For AL wild card game, I’d say they go to the Os and will tip the balance in tonight’s game. I just hope I get home from the HS football game to catch most of the game.
Don’t rule the Hokies out of this one; as I said earlier, if VT can run the football and stop UNC from running it, they have a chance. I am tuning in to this game mainly to see Bud Foster and what he does after the game. Will be interesting to hear the comments of Sid Roth and Mike Burnip in the post game show. Realistically, UNC 24 – VT 14.
Good story, Zman.
Cool story, Zman. My uncle (by marriage) was a pitcher. He was drafted in the first round in 1970, and spent his career mostly with the Giants, but he spent a year with the Astros and a year with the Blue Jays at the end of his career in the early 80′s. Super nice guy, as have been most baseball players I’ve met in my life. He finished with 96 career saves, a 3.65 ERA, 455 strikeouts, and a record of 43-52. But, despite all that, he’s still best known for being Billie Jean King’s younger brother…he’s enjoying retirement in Arizona.
Randy was a great relief pitcher, I remember him well. Also, I left out the great Jim Northrup in my earlier post on the older Tigers. I used to work some in the Dearborn area.
Zman, that’s pretty cool. I have only met a famous person once, Dr. Land (Southern Baptist president), but I don’t know if folks consider him as famous.
Anyway, I have two upset alert picks to announce. Miami over Notre Dame, and Georgia Tech over Clemson.
Sure, Miami’s defense is as porous as Swiss cheese, and Georiga Tech is as shaky as a mouse on a raft. Both are seeking for an empathic win to boost their standings. However, if Clemson spanks Georiga Tech, I would expect to hear Al Groh’s firing reach a cresendo by Monday. As for Miami, I don’t know how they are going to beat the Domers considering they are led by a very stingy defense.
It’s going to be a hell of a weekend.
Zman if not for stirring up controversy and hyping different athletes and teams of their choice how else would ESPN stay on all those channels 24 hours a day? I actually have had quite a bit of fun rooting against whatever team ESPN has been promoting lately.
CARDINALS WIN ! Key to the UNC game is the DL in general and the pass rush in particular. DB’s have not shown up in past games and I don’t see that much improvement in a week.
Blimney, this blog has slowed down considerably. Do I need to stir up the hornet nest?
Hokies need to put 100% effort and creativity into their defensive schemes, their defense is the only thing that can win this one. Even if they have to use Logan Thomas on defense, Marcus Davis on defense, whatever it takes. It is like when you are down to the last pitcher and it is the last game of the Series and you use everyone. The game tomorrow is that big.
Miami will beat Notre Dame, Stephen Morris is playing as well as Geno Smith of WV and Notre Dame has a weak secondary. Georgia Tech will upset the Clemson Tigers, the Jackets are up and down and this is an up-week. I wouldn’t even rule out NC State pulling a fast one on FSU; a crazy day in football tomorrow.
Baseball….Who cares…..just a space filler until football starts. UNC goes down 45-10….book it! maybe bet it!
Agreed Shaun, ESPN reminds me of what happened to MTV when you started seeing less and less actual music videos and more garbage. I used to watch Sportscenter for the game highlights but it might take them 45 minutes to to get to the game you want to see. Less Tebow please. As far as ESPN radio goes, I loved Dan Patrick and I am glad he is doing well for himself on another network. Really they went downhill when Greg Roberts left. hahaha Just kidding on that last statement.
Interesting article from ESPN regarding OSU 3rd string QB who is quoted as saying “…we ain’t come to play school, classes are pointless.” I figure Tressel assured him he would not have to attend classes and he’s PO’d because Meyer is making him. Wonder how long until he becomes “former 3rd string QB”?
http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8466428/ohio-state-buckeyes-cardale-jones-tweets-classes-pointless
Beamer-Best-All-Time———last year I might have agreed with you on a 45-10 VT win over UNC; it will not happen this year, VT just does not have the players to pull it off. They have the desire and will have good focus, at least in the beginning but it will all wane. You might be bankrupt if you wager much on the Hokies; bet your pocketbook and not your heart. It looks Miami already has this Coastal thingie wrapped up.
Scott, I read that article on my iPhone. I was laughing and shaking my head at the same time, mostly from reading the comments on the article. A lot of folks apparently upset it is a 3rd string quarterback making news on the front page of ESPN.
Places like Boston,New york ect. are smoldering fires when things are quiet. Hiring Valentine was like throughing gas on a fire.
In looking at last year’s contest between UNC and VT, it appears several calls went the way of VT that were very questionable; Ron Cherry has never been a UNC fan. Even some honest Hokie fans admitted after the game that VT was a benefactor of at least 2 calls.
“Little did I know, these matchups were only part of the story. Both teams were at best erratic both with execution and effort. The officiating was horrendous, even though it almost universally benefited Virginia Tech, with three huge calls (Highsmith catch, Wilson fumble, and the pass interference on Boykin) all going Virginia Tech’s way, even though both reviewable plays clearly showed a catch and a fumble. Neither team protected the football well, and both offensive coaching staffs let the defenses off the hook with uber-conservative playcalling.”
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