Just a quickish entry here today, since I'm clearing the decks and heading off to a game, as mentioned earlier this week. I will not be attempting the triple-nine (nine dogs, nine beers, nine innings), due to insufficient warning of the game, resulting in inadequate training. That's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it.
Losing to the Giants is always annoying, and despite an almost full-strength lineup, we went down 9-5 yesterday, thanks largely to a five run second-innings where Halsey gave up six hits. Overall, he allowed eight hits, six runs and a walk in five innings, and his poor performance has definitely opened the door for Mike Gosling. A decent performance on Thursday, and I think the spot is his: Halsey may have started stronger, but it's who finishes better that is likely to decide things.
Elsewhere, Aquino and Lyon threw perfect innings, but Koplove continued his mediocre month, allowing four hits and three runs. Not much hitting to speak of - #1-3 (Counsell, Clayton and Gonzo) were a combined 0-for-11 - though Cruz and Tracy had a couple of hits each, with the latter knocking in three runs as well.
News on a trio of former Diamondbacks, the Diamondbacks announced Tuesday that Matt Williams has purchased a limited partnership in the team for $3m - $300K a year for the next decade. Isn't that almost as long as we'll be paying his deferred salary?
And Byung-Hung Kim may be coming a little closer to home, with reports suggesting the troubled submariner (TM) may be coming to Colorado from Boston. Part of the reason is the Sox picked up D'back reject Mike Myers for their bullpen, and they would also likely have to eat about 90% of Kim's salary. The Rockies also have closer issues, so we might see Kim striding out their in the ninth. Fingers crossed for a happy ending here.
Finally, Wil Baseballtopia Everts has become the first man to broadcast his blog entry into space. A reply from passing aliens was received late last night, and when decoded read, "Yankees suck!" :-) And with that, take me out to the ballgame...