Monday Morning Winger

Hello from the land of "I can't believe that just happened?" What a weekend!

We'll start right where we left off on Friday night. I'm going to give the live-blogging thing a rest because C.C. has pitched like crap in my only two attempts. Maybe its me. Either way, the Tribe tied it up even though Fausto Carmona was equally terrible in game 2. The bullpen (minus Perez) came up HUGE and the bats came to life getting six runs through 9 innings and then SEVEN in the 11th.

That, however, was just the highlight to end the Saturday highlights. This is because LSU and Cal both went down and as a result, The Ohio State University has started the BCS poll ranked #1 in the land for a second consecutive year. Do I think we are the clear cut best team in the country right now? No. I'd be kidding myself if I did. However, this team is good and I'm proud of the way we've gotten out from under the shadow of Smith, Ginn, Gonzalez and Pittman. This offense is legit and the defense is arguably the best in the nation. I'm excited for five interesting weeks of Big Ten football to end the season.

Certainly not the most important part of my weekend, but perhaps the most surprising, my make shift fantasy football team actually won! We defeated the guy that was in first place and 5-0 entering our match-up. Here were the totals:

QB Brian Griese 27
RB Adrian Peterson 67
WR Randy Moss 11
WR Torry Holt 3
TE Dez Clark 4
R/W Earnest Graham 3
PK Matt Stover 16
DST Seattle 5
TOTAL 136

OPP 107

Not a bad sports weekend if you ask me. Even the Cleveland Browns fought back to .500 with a win over the now 0-6 Miami Dolphins. Could the Dawgs finish with a .500 record? With St. Louis, Arizona, the NY Jets, Buffalo and San Francisco still on the schedule, I would say 7 wins is very reasonable and 8-9 is attainable if things continue to go right. To think, if we hadn't blown that game against Oakland...and if things go as well as possible the rest of the way, we'd be talking playoffs this year. Okay, okay...I won't get ahead of myself JUST yet.

The big downer for me was that I was unable to start (or play at all) at my usual outside midfield (winger) position for Sting SC on Sunday in our second playoff game, this one against the Rhinos from the Major Division in the NSSL. We still have a slim shot at moving on to the quarterfinals with a win in our final match of group play, but we missed a tremendous opportunity to punch our ticket on Sunday when we lost 3-0. I stood in the pouring rain on the sideline with my street clothes on and was unable to help the boys out. Very frustrating. I'll miss the final game completely, messed up ankle or not, because of the Fire vs. Galaxy game on Sunday at TOYOTA PARK. Only if the team is able to pull it out and get some help from the rest of the league will I be able to play again this season.

Indians vs. Red Sox - Game 1

6:10 Here we go! Live blogging the opener of the ALCS...
6:12 Sizemore strikes out to start the game, not a good sign.
6:14 Joe Buck (puke) and Tim McCarver are your broadcasters tonight, this is going to be a trip.
6:15 McCarver says that Varitek is "flawless" calling games behind the plate. Asdrubal strikes out. Guess he's right so far.
6:17 Pronk goes yard. 1-0, Cleveland. Joe Buck tells the "Pronk" story. I guess Hafner loves his nickname.
6:17 Unfortunately, at this point in the game, I'm mid-commute instead of in front of the tv where I belong. My mother calls me to tell me that Mr. Hafner has hit the baseball. I yell "Pronk went yard already?!" and annoy some people on the train. My mother says "Who's Pronk? Hafner got the hit." Which one of us is the Indians fan again??
6:20 Beckettt strikes out the side around the Hafner home run. Man he looks tough. It also looks like a left-hander hitters night the way that ball carried. Good thing Boston only has one of those in the lineup. Bad thing, its Big Papi.

6:20 Middle of 1st, 1-0 Cleveland.

6:23 Captain Cheeseburger Sabaconpants "sizzles" strike one in there. Like the "Baconator" at Wendy's. Mmmmmm.
6:24 WHAT A CATCH on a line drive back at C.C. That could've been ugly as it almost took his head off.
6:25 The crowd is VERY quiet. Had I had time to get home and do some "keys of the game," I would have said that the Indians scoring first and getting the crowd out of it was one of them.
6:27 Good analysis on why the Indians aren't completely shifted around on Big Papi. With as hard as Sabaconpants throws, left handed hitters won't necessarily be able to pull the ball.
6:29 Maybe they should have, Papi singles up the middle. Two on, one out for Manny.
6:30 This seems like a good time to mention my disdain for Manny Ramirez. We always knew he was a giant douche. One of those guys that I really hate that we let go, but I'm kinda glad because I don't like the dreads, the pine tar on the helmet looks dumb, and he's more of a space cadet then Cher from "Clueless." I swear this guy hits so well because he's too stupid to think about how a pitcher is going to throw to him. He doesn't "make adjustments." See ball. Hit ball.
6:32 Shit. Here we go. Three straight singles. Tie game. C.C. is getting ahead of everyone, but can't put them away. This is not good.

6:35 Double play. End of the 1st, tied 1-1.

6:36 Just before that pitch, they showed Red Sox GM Theo Epstein, the wonder kid. Hardly a wonder kid if you ask me. When you have the second highest payroll, you SHOULD be in the ALCS. That actually reminded me of an article I read today on ESPN.go.com (its part of the go network.) Theo is the only GM of the final four teams that is NOT part of the John Hart "family tree." For those that don't know John Hart, he's the architect that built the Indians from 1991-2001. Genius if you ask me.
6:39 McCarver reminds me that "the Indians are doing THIS year what they were supposed to do LAST year." Thanks for that. I know we shit the bed in 2006.
6:40 Two ground outs to third to start the second. We learn that Eric Wedge is receiving the Sporting News "Manager of the Year" award. Nice.
6:41 Ramirez makes a nice catch in left on a Lofton deep liner that was over his head.

6:41 Middle of two, still 1-1.

6:44 The Captain strikes out Kielty to start the second. Kielty got the start today for this reason: J.D. Drew is 0-3 with 3 K's in his career versus C.C. and Kielty is 9-29. However, what Francona failed to mention is that Kielty is 2-14 in the last four seasons against him. Nice.
6:46 Back to back K's, which is nice because I took the over for walks plus strikeouts on C.C. tonight at 7.5. Now Coco Crisp is up, another former Indian.
6:48 The Captain strikes out the side on 11 pitches. Threw 8 straight strikes to start the inning. Wow. Looks like he settled in a little more in the second. Almost halfway to my over in two innings.

6:49 End of 2nd, 1-1.

6:52 They tell us that Franklin Gutierrez was part of the Milton Bradley deal. Mark Shapiro really DID know what he was doing. Even when he had good young talent, he went out and found better talent that isn't completely off the charts bat shit crazy.
6:55 First two batters are retired quickly. Beckett is working quickly and painlessly.
6:56 Jesus Christ. Five strikeouts for Beckett. That was WAY too quick of an inning.

6:57 Middle of 3rd, 1-1.

7:01 Lead off double for Julio Lugo and he's sacrificed over to third by Pedroia.
7:03 Fox does a stupid little "Papa Loves Mambo," Perry Como ditty as Papi comes back up after Sabathia walks Youkilis on four pitches.
7:05 Sabathia is losing it. He just hit Papi. The idiot Boston fans boo as though Sabathia did it on purpose. Have I mentioned how annoying Red Sox fans are?
7:06 I'm perturbed. Its like every other pitch, Sabathia is unhittable. But the next pitch he's wildly out of control. We need a strikeout or a double play grounder right here.
7:08 Mrs. Sizemore walks in and immediately starts talking trash. I don't feel good about this at all.
7:09 Fucking Shit. He starts off 0-2, and then four straight balls to walk in a run. What the hell is wrong with Sabathia in the playoffs this year? At least I added another BB+K to the over total. We're at 5 for C.C.
7:09 I walk in, and am convinced that my Sawx cap is good for the team. Boston has recovered a run, sorry about your lead, Cleveland. Someone isn't wearing their Indians cap, and it's obviously disrupting the team's chi. Manny's up. C.C. throws some pitches that make me wonder if he's had too many cheeseburgers this week, and Boston pulls ahead.
7:11 Well, Sabathia might not hit that over after all for me. He's getting knocked around like he's married to Bobby Brown.
7:15 Finally out of it. Not good.

7:16 End of the 3rd, 5-1 Red Sox.

7:20 I feel like I'm going to throw up. Chinese food will help, right?
7:21 Red Sox Idiots (fans) groan as Beckett throws a two strike pitch a foot outside. You think that's a strike? Wow. Dumb.
7:21 Another K for Beckett. Beautiful, just beautiful. Cleveland, are you enjoying your visit to lovely Fenway Park? (Cap refers to Fenway as a dump. Blasphemy.)
7:22 They interject with more Manager of the Year talk. They say that Wedge gets the edge over Francona because he did it with 1/3 of the payroll. Good point.
7:25 I'm losing my mind. Another K. This time Pronk.

7:26 Middle of 4th, 5-1 Red Sox.

7:30 Mrs. Sizemore buys me Chinese food as a consolation prize for our suckitude tonight.
7:32 Three quick outs for C.C. for a change. No K-BB though, we're stuck on 6 for the Captain.

7:33 End of 4, 5-1 Red Sox.

7:35 Ryan Garko, the Tribe record holder for "Hit by Pitch" in a season, gets plunked by Beckett.
7:36 Joe Buck says, "For the first time tonight the Indians have their leadoff man aboard. Let's see what they can do with it."
7:37 Fucking Assbag. GIDP.
7:38 Two out double for Lofton. The only Indian with two good swings.
7:38 Stephen King is a Red Sox fan. It's October. Are you scared yet, Cap? (If not, take another look at the scoreboard.)
7:41 Joe Buck redeems himself as he cracks on TBS for the Frank TV commercials. "I don't know if you heard, but Frank Caliendo has a new TV show." HA.

7:44 Middle of 5th, 5-1 Red Sox.

7:46 Cap makes a violent gesture in my direction. A Red Sox fan wouldn't do that.
7:52 I hit the over as C.C. gives up a single and two walks to start the 5th. This is terrible. C.C. is not the ace of this staff. That would be Carmona.
7:53 I'm calling it now. Sox in less than 6. I don't care if your pitchers make dealings with Satan.
7:54 Cap apparently felt it necessary to hunt down his Indians cap. It's obviously not doing any good, because the score is now 7-1.
7:55 This game is over. Two run double by Bobby Kielty. Some fucking Cy Young candidate.
7:57 There's a Levitra commercial on. I'm not going to say that Cleveland could use a little bit of help...oh wait, yes I am.
8:03 Sabaconpants, where did you go? I don't have a funny nickname for Lewis.
8:05 For those that haven't noticed yet, I allowed Mrs. Sizemore to interject her comments in italics. She may be finishing this live blog alone as I'm about to puke. I honestly feel almost as nauseous as when Florida ran up the score on the Buckeyes last January.

8:06 End of the 5th, 8-1 Red Sox.

8:08 "Cleveland is still trying to figure out Josh Beckett" They're not going to figure him out because they're swinging the bats like a bunch of minor leaguers.
8:10 Grady Sizemore is up. He would be so much more attractive in a Red Sox uniform.
8:12 Chinese food arrives. Cap stops watching the game and the Indians score.
8:16 "Cleveland Rocks" is playing as they cut away to commerical. How about Cleveland is getting rocked? Isn't there a song with the lyrics, "C.C. Sabathia just crapped his pants?"

8:16 Middle of 6th, 8-2 Red Sox.

8:22 "I'm going to bring this up because we need something to talk about..." Buck makes me laugh and Cap starts yelling. Buck postures that we don't even know how big of a lead Boston is going to run in this game. Seriously? Is this NESN? Nope, still Fox. I'm a Sox fan and I think that's biased.
8:26 Extended coverage of us getting fucked in the ass.
8:28 Looks like Sabaconpants might have a chance to redeem himself in Cleveland. Extra day of rest. Y'all could use that.
8:29 The following exchange occurs:
Pussy.
Did you just call Manny Ramirez a pussy?
I sure did. No grand slams in the postseason. He's a pussy.
How many grand slams do you have in the postseason?
Same as Manny.
8:32 Cap needs to remember that oh-so-classic line: "There's no crying in baseball."
8:35 Chris Meyers is giving a report in front of the Sox dugout which leads me to the following thoughts:
1. Look at the Red Sox fans giggling behind him. They're acting like they know they're on camera, but they want to look like they don't know they're on camera. Morons. Red Sox fans drive me nuts. Would I still be so annoyed with hem if we were winning? Me thinks yes.
2. Our country was kinda founded up in the Northeast, right? So why the heck is it that people from up there talk like a bunch of construction workers with 3rd grade educations? Did Washington and Jefferson sound like idiots too? I suppose they sounded like Brits, huh?
3. Man do we suck tonight.

End of 6, 10-2 Red Sox.

8:45 Ryan Garko hits a lazy pop fly behind short and the wind blows the ball all the way to center field. Base hit. Should be an error because Lugo and Ramirez are MORONS. They just watched it go and made little effort to get there. Granted, a 10-2 lead will give you that option I suppose. Manny being Manny.
8:45 That was a joke. Is this little league again? Is Manny a 6-year-old who hasn't yet realized that he's supposed to catch the ball instead of just watch it go up and down? We might be ahead, but that's lazy.
8:48 Joe and Tim have spent the better part of the last two innings arguing about whether or not to bring Beckett (and/or Sabathia) on short rest to pitch game 4. I guess in a blowout you kinda have to pick fights with each other to have something to talk about. Under no circumstances would you bring Beckett back if you're up in the series. Also, why would you want Sabathia to pitch again after his last two performances?

8:52 Middle of 7, 10-2.

9:04 I'm finished for the night. Time to get drunk and forget about the Cheeseburger. Parting thought for Eric Wedge while I'm on my soapbox. It was obvious C.C. didn't have it, why even bring him out to start the 4th after he got pounded in the 3rd? Isn't that why Cliff Lee and Aaron Laffey are on the roster? Stop the bleeding and not waste the bullpen? I'm not saying we were going to win this one, or even that Lee and Laffey wouldn't have gotten pounded too. I'm just looking ahead to tomorrow in case its a close game and we need Lewis and Mastny again.

Good night everyone. Let's get pissed.

This is hardly my fantasy

I've pretty much avoided fantasy football like the plague over recent years. I found it to be a monumental waste of time and I looked at all the nerdy guys that were perplexed over their teams and spent hours on them and I thought to myself, "Self, don't get roped in."

This year my dear friend Mrs. Miami, who most of you know as the girl I dated in college, at Miami, asked me to help her out. She was entering a fantasy football league with her boyfriend and his friends and family and she didn't want to look like an idiot. As I'm the one real sports junkie she knows, she trusted my advice. I gave her some pointers, but she was doing a live draft, so I wouldn't be able to help her much on that day. When she came to me looking for more help after losing her week one game, I didn't know what to say at first.

"Dude, I'll pay you to do this for me."

I agreed.

Her roster looked good enough, so I thought I was going to have it easy. In fact, had she made two changes to her opening day starters (Peterson and Moss) she would have won going away. I really thought this would be easy money. Here is a list of the team she drafted and what has happened since.

QB Mark Bulger - LT Orlando Pace went down, Bulger got broke, released after week five
QB Vince Young - Filled in twice for Bulger, 5+ one week, -6 the next week, benched
RB Frank Gore - Started slowly, has become a great #2 back
RB Adrian Peterson - started on bench in week one with her at the helm, is now the #1 back
RB Warrick Dunn - released before week two
RB Marshawn Lynch - still around, but hasn't played much
WR Randy Moss - on bench for week one with her at the helm, best player on team now
WR Torry Holt - has been mediocre, still starting despite injury and not playing much
WR Lee Evans - released before week six, has been a disaster
TE Chris Cooley - played well for a few weeks, released during bye week for Dallas Clark
PK Matt Stover - starter
DST Miami - released before week two

We've been bouncing around to different defenses depending on the match-up and haven't exactly been successful at it. We currently only have two WRs on the roster and we're without a good QB. Through our different player acquisitions and releases, and accounting for byes and injuries, our roster for this week looks like this:

QB Brian Griese
RB Adrian Peterson
WR Randy Moss
WR Torry Holt
TE Dez Clark
R/W Earnest Graham
PK Matt Stover
DST Seattle

BN Vince Young
BN Frank Gore
BN Dallas Clark
BN Marshawn Lynch

The plan calls for releasing Dez Clark and picking up a 3rd WR after this week to fill the upcoming byes of Holt and Moss in weeks 8 and 9. We will likely also drop Griese and pick up someone else after the Bears get by the Vikings 30th ranked pass defense. Dropping Graham is also likely in the event we find another RB or WR to fill the void.

Here's the thing that bothers me the most. I just wrote a fucking blog post about my fantasy football team. I've become everything that I hate. Somebody shoot me.

Another Yankee Headline

ESPN.com: "Goodbye, Bronx?"
CNNSI: "Bronx Bummer"
Yahoo! Sports: "The end game"
ESPN.com: "Jobless Joe?"

Hell, even the Cleveland Plain Dealer had the headline: "Bye-Bye New York!"

Did the Cleveland Indians even play last night? My God people. I know its New York, and the Yankees, and the ridiculous East coast media bias. But still. The Evil Empire didn't lose this series, the Indians won it.

We won it with dominant pitching and timely hitting.

We won it with our fourth starter, Paul Byrd, taking on a Cy Young candidate in Chien-Ming Wang despite the fact that everyone in America felt we should bring back our ace on short rest. Why? Because it was Byrd's turn to pitch.

We won it with our back-up catcher doing what he's done all year, always catching Byrd. he came through with two doubles and a run.

We won it with a 40-year old left fielder in his third stint with the franchise going 6 for 11 in the first three games and going 4 for 4 in those games with runners in scoring position. Despite being 0 for 5 in game four, he finished with a .375 batting average.

We won it with Fausto Carmona outdueling Andy Pettitte and not getting rattled by the midges like Joba Chamberlain did.

We won it with Joe Borowski shutting the door for his 46th save of the season despite making it interesting like he always does.

We won it with a bullpen that only allowed two runs (off two solo home runs) in the entire series. Both were in the deciding game four.

We won it despite seeing Mariano Rivera for 4.2 innings in three games and not scoring a single run off him.

Don't make the same mistake the media is making. PTI just led off with the Yankees and talked about the Indians afterwards. Please, when you talk about this year's ALDS, remember that Indians won this thing. They did it with their players playing the way that they have played all year. They did it with a manager who knows his club and doesn't cave to public pressure. They played Cleveland Indians baseball and they dominated the New York Yankees. Bring on the Sox.

Wayne Rooney is amazing!

Check out this Nike Football commercial from England. I love it. With the exception of "el Cuauh" I don't think a single Fire player could do this in less than 20 takes. Amazing.

Sorry for the quick soccer post, but I had to counter that long ass boring night of baseball after the Indians masacre of the Yankees (see below.) Man are the Cubs horrible. I can't even watch them, they are just terrible and uninteresting.

Indians vs. Yankees - Game 1

Just got home from work, I'll be taking some notes here....a minor league attempt at a live blog. "Minor League." Kinda like the National League. All four AL teams finished at least four games ahead of the BEST NL club. And they did so against inferior competition. Quite sad. Anyways, I figured I'd give this a shot since I'm at home alone watching our first step toward a World Series title. I missed the beginning of the game, but listened in the car on the way home from work. We pick things up in the bottom of the 3rd with nobody out.

6:49 Asdrubal Cabrera goes YARD! I love this kid! What a great August call up. And what a great first batter of my live bloggin career. "You know, they say you can tell alot about a ball club from the first batter of the season." Who needs a trade deadline when you have farm system like this?
6:51 LeBron James is being interviewed with a Yankees hat on by Craig Seger. Some Clevelander. I swore off the Cavs a long time ago when Jerry Reinsdorf was paying my bills, but I was warming back up to my hometown team because LeBron is the real deal and the Bulls, while good, just aren't that exciting. Well, now he's saying he was a Bulls fan as a kid and he's a Cowboys fan too. What a prick. I'm done with King James...unless they trade him to Chicago, of course.
6:53 Chien-Ming Wang retires two in a row after the homer and around the Bron-Bron interview.
6:54 Ryan Garko is 2 for 2, he just dropped a bloop single in for a two out hit.
6:55 I'm already enjoying the TV broadcast on TBS more than the radio broadcast on ESPN 1000. Dusty Baker was on with John Miller, who I actually enjoy, but man does Dusty sound like an idiot. Every time I hear him talk I'm even more convinced that his time as a manager was over about half way through his tenure with the Cubbies, if not earlier.

6:56 Innning over. End of the 3rd, 4-1 Cleveland.

6:58 Frank TV looks, well, interesting, but that guy certainly does some decent impressions. Is that the same Frank as Frank Caliendo? AKA Sunday Night John on Mac, Jurko and Harry? If so, I will need to check that out.
6:59 C.C. Sabathia has settled in. Today, through a collaboration of sources, I have decided that he will now be known as Captain Cheeseburger Sabaconpants. Speaking of bacon, I need this Baconsalt (http://www.baconsalt.com/) and I'm going to order a ton of it. I'll be taking orders once I get it in if you'd like some.
7:01 Strike out number four for 'Baconpants, he also has four walks though, which is WAY above his season average of less than one walk for every six innings. Pitch count worries me, it means we may have to see JoBo at some point.
7:02 The announcers tell us that the Yankees will never allow anyone to throw a 7-8 pitch inning.
7:03 Robinson Cano goes yard....I guess they were right. Pitch 10 = gone. I heard a really loud "YEAH!" in the background as it cleared the wall. I thought you weren't allow to cheer in press boxes? I've been in the sports business for seven years and that is the number one rule in sports media, or so I've been told.

7:04 Bottom of the 4th, 4-2 Tribe. Lofton to lead off the Indians' half.

7:07 Kenny Lofton is still my all-time favorite Indian. If you feel compelled to drop $250+ on me for no good reason, or maybe your reason is that you love me and want me to be happy, I would suggest an authentic Kenny Lofton Indians jersey. I like the alternate home blue uniform and I take a size M. Thanks in advance. If early 90s throwbacks are available, just as well.
7:10 Ron Guidry (Yankess pitching coach) makes excuses for Chien-Ming Wang and says that the offense is so good that all he needs to do is keep it close. He may be right, but I hate NY Yankee arrogance. Its almost worse than MY yankee arrogance.
7:11 Third walk of the night for Wang, Gutierrez aboard for Blake with one out.
7:13 AJob makes a decent play and gets the lead runner. I will take this moment to tell you how much I hate AJob. Cano bailed him out on a crappy throw. They joke that it was the best sinker thrown today. Cute. They love him.
7:15 He put up "video game numbers this season." Still gushing over AJob. How about talking about Sizemore and how all the lovey ladies of Cleveland are in love with him? Frankly, I like to think I'm confident enough in my sexuality to tell you if a guy is attractive and I just don't see it with Grady.
7:16 A week or so ago Jennithird made me a deal that if the Indians get to the World Series, she will get a "Grady's Ladies" t-shirt. Or maybe it said, "Mrs. Sizemore," I can't remember. I don't know what I have to do if Boston gets there. I'm worried. I hate them almost as much as I hate the Yanks and I don't think I could spend money on the Sawx without dieing a little inside.

7:18 End of the 4th, still 4-2.

7:20 I can't seem to find a single Indians t-shirt in the shop on their website that doesn't look like hell. Jersey me please. I'll trade you for a Cubbie alternate blue Mark Prior jersey! Ha. Talk about your bad decisions. However, Mark Prior's first game as a Cub was also the first Cubs game I ever went to, and he was the best pitcher in baseball when I bought it. Yeah, I'm making excuses now, aren't I?
7:21 Frank TV is, in fact, Frank Caliendo. I think I'll have to check it out. Love this guy. His impressions are flawless.
7:22 I really do like this announcing team, TBS did a nice job. Chip Caray, Tony Gwynn, and Bob Brenley...with Craig Seger doing the interviews. They are talking about the Yanks too much though. Seriously, Chip. Get a room.
7:23 NY has already made a switch, Doug Mientkiewicz comes out for Shelley Duncan, who apparently hit more homers in his first three days in the show than anyone in the history of baseball. Great. Single to right.
7:25 Pitch count already nearing 100 as the Cheeseburger walks his 5th of the game on four straight pitches. Two on, nobody out.
7:27 Conference on the mound as C.C. still can't throw a strike, now 1-0 to Jeets. I'll rant on him later, though I'm sure you've all heard from me how he is the most overrated shortstop EVER.
7:30 Crowd is starting to sound like the late 90s Jacobs' Field as the count goes full on Jeter. We hear again how patient the Yankees are. True tonight. 99th pitch of the night is a fly out to right. Runners hold.
7:32 Abreu hits an RBI double down the line, 4-3 Tribe. Intentional walk to AJob to load the bases.
7:33 Should have bet the over, it was set at 8.5 and we're already at 7.
7:34 Activity in the Tribe bullpen as Posada steps in.
7:35 I'm sick of the guy yelling "NO NO NO NO NO NO!" in the background with every pitch out of the zone as if the umpire needs help that it wasn't a strike. Keep the fans away from the microphones, especially the loud obnoxious New Yorkers. Thanks.
7:36 "Relentless patience by the Yankees." I should start tallying each time they mention it.
7:37 Straight heat, strike three. Two down. Matsui steps in.
7:38 Popped him up, Sabathia gets out of it only allowing one run. Thank God. 115 pitches for CC though, I think that'll do it for the night. I hope that our middle relief is as good as advertised.

7:38 4-3 Indians as we go to the bottom of the 5th.

7:40 MMMMMMM Papa John's. Haven't had it since college since there is no cheap, fast pizza in this city. I miss the garlic butter on my crust. Commercials make me hungry. Guess they're doing their job. Is everyone happy to read something non-soccer related for a change?
7:42 Leadoff walk. We need a couple runs here from Pronk and Vic.
7:44 Pronk, for those of you who don't know, is the nickname of the beloved DH for the Tribe, Travis Hafner. It's a combination of his two original nicknames, "Project" and "Donkey," which were given to him in his early years due to how immature he was as a hitter, but the tremendous work rate he has. Out number one. There is even a candy bar named after him in Cleveland. Haven't had it myself. Anyone know if its any good?
7:46 They're interviewing John Adams. He's the drummer in center field that has been at every game for 34 years. Apparently he threw out the first pitch tonight on behalf of all the fans. That's actually pretty cool. Nice PR move by the Tribe.
7:47 GONE! No doubter for Victor Martinez. If an every day player had to be the team MVP, as opposed to Sabathia or Carmona, it would be this guy. What a year! 6-3 Indians.
7:49 Back to the interview. John Adams works on computer systems for AT&T and apparently he HAS missed some games. He can't come to the day games because his boss isn't that leniant. Come on man, don't you know who your employee is?
7:52 RBI SINGLE FOR LOFTON! Chien-Ming Wang has finally been knocked out of the game. I also checked the spelling, and I guess I screwed that up earlier. I'll fix later.
7:55 A report from the roamer interview guy, Craig Seger, is completely inaudible. Nice work on the sound by TBS on that one. One flaw in an otherwise good broadcast though. Nice change of pace. Just glad its not Brent Musberger and his Ohio hating ass.
7:56 Stolen base for Lofton. Wow I love this guy!
7:57 Some dude named Ohlendorf is in the game for New York and he gives up a two out walk to Gutierrez. Two on, two out.
8:00 Two run double for Casey Blake. He crushed it down the line to the opposite field. 9-3 Tribe. Some great stats from Chip just there. Indians are 4 for 4 with runners in scoring position and have five 2-out RBI already tonight. But he said RBIs, which drives me up a wall. "Run Batted Ins." Moron.

8:03 Sizemore flies out to end the 5th. 9-3 Indians.

8:06 Rafael Perez in for Cleveland. Kid has thrown 60.2 innings and has a 1.78 ERA. He apparently throws hard to both righties and lefties according to Brenley. Wirey looking kid.
8:07 Flash to Eric Wedge, the Indians manager, he has a bit of a playoff beard going. When did Cleveland get an NHL team?
8:15 Fairly uninteresting inning as Perez just flat out dominates the Yankees. Shelley Duncan strikes out to end it.

8:15 Bottom of the 6th, 9-3 Indians.

8:16 I was going to do one more half inning before I head to Messner's for a beer or two, but I think I'm going to roll now so I can enjoy this and rub it in some people's faces. If I still have any readers left, I'd love to know what you think. If I get some good reviews, I may try this again for an entire game.

Have a good night and GO TRIBE!