Sunday, April 29, 2007

Slow start hampers Spurs

The Spurs know they will be in a fight to make a playoff run this year and going just 17-14 at home during BK-1 didn't help any. "It's like digging a hole and the more you dig the more dirt falls back in the hole making it harder and harder to get the dirt out", stated skipper Red Robbins. When asked at the daily press conference, "What does that have to do with your BK-1 record"? "Nothin', I just like that saying", the skipper said. Travis Hafner is picking up where he left off last year hitting .318 with 9 dingers and 30 ribbies. The good news is DFW has a team batting average of .290, the bad news is the team era is 4.88 and they have been out homere 43-37.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Are The Chows Sellers?

Being in the cellar of the Tastes Great East has forced Illinois to consider themselves sellers.

“We did not expect or dream we would be in this position. When we picked Thomas in the 3rd round we thought it made us good enough to compete. We really thought we would be in the thick of it all year,” said GM Brad Sherlag.

Given the alarming start – the following players are On the Block. However, Sherlag plans to be very cautious in making deals. “I really don’t think I will get anything done until close to the end of Block I or potentially after Block II. If I am getting someone back that will help next year – I want to scout them as long as possible to make sure I believe they will help next year.” Translation: Sherlag wants to see as much of the players stats as possible to make sure they will have a good chance of success in 2008.

Players that will be dealt (barring a Block II turnaround and no deals made left):
Frank Thomas
Juan Cruz
Kiko Calero
Matt Thornton
At Least one Corner Outfielder though probably not Dunn or Teahen (see list below)

Players that could be had:

Adam Dunn
Mark Teahen (3B this year, RF CF next year)
Josh Willingham
David Dellucci
Austin Kearns
Brian Giles
Josh Johnson
Adam Everett

Players that may become available

Justin Speier
Bob Wickman

My Needs:

1B
2B
3B
Closer
SP
Draft Picks
Invitation to play in The TG South

Sherlag did want to say, “We are not in panic mode. We aren’t determined to deal. If nobody knocks our socks off we will see how it guys in Block II. A lot of guys underperformed their normal levels in Block I.”

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Shields vs. Uggie - Update

Well, it looks like Uggie was able to make good on Ozzie Guillen's threat. While behind bars, rumor has it that Urbina was the mastermind behind the recent attack on the much maligned VFS setup man, Scot Shields.




This photo was purchased by the blog (outbidding US Weekly and the now defunct NASBL Times), it clearly shows the damage done to Shields' arm. Wait, what's that? Uggie's uglies missed their target. The mangled arm in the photo is clearly the glove hand of Shields. Where was this picture taken? Certainly not in the Sioux training room. The background has the look of a seedy middle-man warehouse distribution center run by Johnny Sacks. Note the cheap office furniture and shag carpet, those items are clearly below the standard set at Sioux nation.


When asked about this SNAFU, Uggie hid this scrawled message for us in the prison laundry cart, "The left arm, the right arm, I do not take care of. When do you swing a machete the objective always is not struck, but the result desired is achieved."
Now that Shields can't hold a glove, what does the future hold for him in the Sioux rotation. Sioux GM Justin Rabidoux opined in choppy French-Canadian-English "The Scotsman renounces only doubles and dingers, therefore this is not as if he needs the glove to receive his position. This "injury" will not relieve Scotsman its duties, call me when there is the blood."

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Roadkill run for the playoffs or the hills?

Having just completed a sub .400 Block I but still in the race for a TG South division title the Roadkill front office do not know what direction to take. It's unlikely they will throw everything including the kitchen sink after another title but would not rule out some mid-season trades if the club is still in the hunt (anything is possible in the TGS this year).

Roger Clemens & Jermaine Dye have been discussed with a few playoff contenders but we have not been able to pull the trigger on a deal. With the hot start Aaron Hill is having with the Blue Jays this MLB season Ray Durham has found himself expendable as well.

The Roadkill need prospects at CF, 3B, C and SP and of course high draft picks.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

DFW @ TRY

Dallas Fort Worth came to town as the crack Haymakers IP group finally gets their Net-play up and running. (Also many thanks to Steve for the consult!) The Haymakers drop 3 of 4 but three of the games were nail-biters. (Check out the boxscores below)
So as the Haymakers vlose out thier homestand for the first block, much can be said about what the team has learned so far. They can't win with Vernon Wells hitting .211 in the 3rd spot of the lineup and Chris Carpenter cannot start every game. Some good things is that so far Scott Olsen is pitching better than expected and Macier Izturis has done nicely at the bottom of the order (probably contributing to Crawford being second on the team in RBI's!)
I have had a bunch of fun so far and look forward to playing a lot more games on net-play. (now that I got it working) All I know is I'm much better than HAL!

Game 1:
The Haymakers win 5 to 4 thanks to the bull-pen and Carl Crawford going 3 for 4 with 2 ribbies.

Game 2:
The Spurs win 4 to 2 on some late socring opprotunities by Dallas Fort Worth. The Haymakers jumped to an early 2-0 lead but couldn't hold it as Guillen hit a big solo shot in the 8th inning to take the lead. Guillen ended up 2 for 4 with 3 RBI's. The Spurs scored a ninth inning run to win 4 to 2.

Game 3:
The best game of the series where Kenny Rogers bested Scott Olsen in a masterful pitching duel. Olsen pitched 8 innings giving up only three hits, although unfortunetly for the Haymaker fans one of them was a solo home run to Travis Hafner. Rogers and Rincon both combined for the shutout, scattering 8 hits and 1 walk between the pair.

Game 4:
A blowout by the Spurs where they won 10 to 2. Bonds went 3 for 3 with a homer and 4 RBI. Jason Jennings pitched a complete game giving up only 9 hits and 1 walk. Utley hit a home run and a double in the loss.

Saturday, April 21, 2007

MSU Block 1

Mystified on why his team plays so well at home and Horrendous on the road, MSU Manager Jim Bessinger has vowed to investigate why his team plays soo poorly on the road. When asked why his team is so bad on the road, Bessinger replied " HAL SUCKS!!! "

Friday, April 20, 2007

Ozzie to Scot - Run & Hide

As Vermont Fighting Sioux reliver Scot Shields continues to struggle, http://nasbl.com/2007NA/pplayer.html?VFSS.Shields, 3rd base coach Ozzie Guillen has this message to send along, "You look better at its back, my small compadre Ugie is ready to bust and put a cover in its burro."



vs.
Who you got????
I'll take the machete wielding lunatic vs. the meatball throwing soon to be waived hurler.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

VFS / LCC live blogging

5:15 - Rabidoux shows up on time with beer, an obvious ploy to disable LCC's decision-making.
5:17 - Beard discovers Rabidoux brought a 9-pack. The decision-making playing field is now level, at least.

Live NASBL Blog Event - The Vermont Civil War



Burlington, VT-
A NASBL first, brought to you by the genius that is Steve Beard. Today we have the privilege of live-Blogging the series between the streaking Vermont Fighting Sioux and the venerable Lake Champlain Cannibals.


It's NASBLtastic, grab your routers and scoot to the edge of your barcenloungers.
The Sioux roll into LCC's home stadium, NEEDCO, with a full head of steam having just taken 3 of 4 on the road from division rival Pocono and have a stable of Cy Young canidates in this young season.
LCC, is well LCC. They will mash their way to victory behind Papi all the time playing the station-to-station game that Earl Weaver invented and Beard perfected.
When asked if he feared the likes of E. Santana, Lackey, Liriano, Myers, Wagner, etc. Papi spouted (through an interpreter) "That Justin Rabidoux is a piece of excrement, and its boys will be hanging and they will be eviscerated as this first season I-89 roadkill. "
Huh, what does that mean??? Tune in and find out.


Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Fw: Vermont New York@Pocono

> [1]VERMONT AT POCONO
> Fighting Sioux.. 0 0 5 1 1 0 5 0 0 - 12 15 1
> Chin Music...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 7 1
> Win:Lackey(2-0) Loss:Arroyo(3-3)
> Homeruns- A.Pujols(4th)
>
> First baseman Albert Pujols had 4 hits and 4 RBI and
> John Lackey pitched a
> complete game shutout at Thunderdome as the Vermont
> Fighting Sioux, running
> on all cylinders, ripped the Pocono Chin Music by a
> large 12 to 0
> margin.
>
> Pujols provided much of the offense. He clubbed a
> three-run home run (his 4th
> of the season) in the 3rd inning, stroked a single
> scoring a run in the 5th
> inning, stroked a base-hit in the 7th inning and
> lashed a one-base hit in the
> 8th inning. Vermont finished with 15 hits in the
> victory.
>
> Lackey(2-0) went the distance for the shutout. Bronson
> Arroyo(3-3) was the
> losing pitcher. He was not very effective,
> surrendering 5 runs in 2 and 2/3
> innings.
>
>
> [1]VERMONT AT POCONO
> Fighting Sioux.. 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 6 0
> Chin Music...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 1 6 1
> Win:Liriano(1-0) Loss:Smoltz(2-3) Save:Wagner(2nd)
>
> Francisco Liriano reeled off a total of 11 strikeouts
> as the Vermont Fighting
> Sioux outscored the Pocono Chin Music 2 to 1.
>
> Liriano(1-0) contributed a very nicely pitched game.
> He was stingy on the
> mound, allowing just 4 hits and no walks in 7 innings
> reducing his ERA from
> 4.05 to 2.63. Pocono had a chance to come back in the
> 9th but they came up
> short.
>
> Liriano got help from Billy Wagner who earned his 2nd
> save. John Smoltz(2-3)
> suffered the loss. Liriano was humble when questioned
> about his performance,
> 'Well, I felt pretty confident in my pitches tonight.
> But, I had great
> support behind me and I just threw what was called.
> That was an extremely
> well called game!'
>
> [1]VERMONT AT POCONO
> Fighting Sioux.. 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 - 1 10 0
> Chin Music...... 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 4 0
> Win:Shields(1-0) Loss:Haren(0-4) Save:Wagner(3rd)
>
> Scot Shields(1-0) blanked the Pocono Chin Music at
> Thunderdome. The Vermont
> Fighting Sioux scored managed just one run for the
> victory.
>
> The game was won by Vermont with a run in the top of
> the 8th inning. Robinson
> Cano lined a single. Derek Jeter was next and he laid
> down a sacrifice bunt.
> Albert Pujols then laced a base-hit scoring the run.
> Pocono was out-hit by
> Vermont, 10 hits to 4.
>
> Billy Wagner earned his 3rd save. The loss was
> charged to Dan Haren(0-4). He
> gave up 8 hits and 1 walk in 7 and 1/3 innings.
>
> [1]VERMONT AT POCONO
> Fighting Sioux.. 0 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 - 4 12 0
> Chin Music...... 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 - 5 11 2
> Win:Hoffman(2-1) Loss:Shields(1-1)
>
> Catcher Kenji Johjima had 3 base hits and 3 RBI as the
> Pocono Chin Music
> rallied impressively to win in dramatic style over
> Vermont Fighting Sioux, 5
> to 4.
>
> Pocono came through with the game-winning runs in the
> 9th inning scoring 2
> runs using 4 hits. Johjima started the inning off
> right when he slapped a
> one-base hit. Chris Shelton was next and he smacked a
> single. Mark
> Grudzielanek then laid down a sacrifice bunt. Rich
> Aurilia was up next and
> he delivered a base-hit bringing in a run. Orlando
> Cabrera came to the plate
> and banged out a single resulting in an exciting win
> for Pocono and a raucous
> post-game celebration by the home town fans. Pocono
> managed 11 in their
> victory.
>
> Trevor Hoffman(2-1) went 2/3 of an inning allowing no
> runs for the win. Scot
> Shields(1-1) was tagged with the loss in relief. He
> surrendered 2 hits and
> no walks in 1/3 of an inning.
>
> [1]NEW YORK AT POCONO
> Knights......... 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 0 3 0 - 9 13 2
> Chin Music...... 0 1 0 6 2 0 0 0 0 1 - 10 16 2
> Win:Hoffman(3-1) Loss:Wainwright(1-1)
> Homeruns- T.Wigginton(1st), O.Saenz(1st),
> C.Shelton(3rd), J.Rivera(4th)
>
> Johan Santana struck out 12 batters at Thunderdome as
> the Pocono Chin Music
> beat the New York Knights in 10 innings by the count
> of 10 to 9.
>
> The game was deadlocked at 9 after nine full innings.
> Pocono won the game in
> the 10th inning. Mark Grudzielanek delivered a
> one-base hit. Two outs later
> David Bell came up and he was walked intentionally.
> Torii Hunter then
> doubled making Pocono the victors to the delight of
> the home town faithful.
> Overall Pocono out-hit New York 16 to 13.
>
> Trevor Hoffman(3-1) was the winner allowing no runs in
> 1 and 1/3 innings. Adam
> Wainwright(1-1) absorbed the loss in relief. He
> allowed 3 hits and 1 walk in
> 1 and 2/3 innings.
>
> [1]NEW YORK AT POCONO
> Knights......... 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 - 2 13 1
> Chin Music...... 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 6 - 11 13 0
> Win:Arroyo(4-3) Loss:Cain(0-1)
> Homeruns- O.Cabrera(1st), K.Johjima-2(5th)
>
> Catcher Kenji Johjima cracked 2 homeruns and had 3 RBI
> at Thunderdome where
> the Pocono Chin Music beat the New York Knights by the
> score of 11 to 2.
>
> The Pocono fans enjoyed the offense provided by
> Johjima. He hit a bases-empty
> home run in the 2nd inning and bombed a two-run dinger
> (his 5th of the
> season) in the 6th inning. Both teams totaled 13 on
> the night.
>
> Bronson Arroyo(4-3) picked up the victory, allowing 2
> runs in 6 and 1/3
> innings. Matt Cain(0-1) was given the loss. He was
> touched for 3 homeruns in
> his 7 innings of work.
>
> Pocono now has a record of 14-18. With the loss New
> York now has a record of
> 2-3.
>
> [1]NEW YORK AT POCONO
> Knights......... 1 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 - 5 11 0
> Chin Music...... 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 - 4 11 2
> Win:Willis(1-0) Loss:Smoltz(2-4) Save:Saito(1st)
> Homeruns- R.Aurilia(2nd), T.Hunter(11th)
>
> Designated hitter Bill Hall had 2 base hits and
> Takashi Saito finished
> beautifully as the New York Knights outscored the
> Pocono Chin Music 5 to
> 4.
>
> New York came up with 2 runs in the top of the 6th
> inning when they had 3 base
> hits. It was enough to earn the victory. Saito,
> after tossing a perfect
> ninth, was credited with his 1st save.
>
> Dontrelle Willis(1-0) allowed 4 runs in 6 innings, and
> picked up the victory.
> John Smoltz(2-4) was given the loss. He pitched 9
> innings allowing 11 hits
> and 3 walks.
>
>
> [1]NEW YORK AT POCONO
> Knights......... 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 - 3 12
> 0
> Chin Music...... 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 - 4 11
> 0
> Win:Benoit(1-1) Loss:Gregg(0-1)
> Homeruns- M.Cuddyer(2nd), P.Fielder(4th)
>
> Rich Aurilia had 2 base hits at Thunderdome where the
> Pocono Chin Music beat
> the New York Knights in 12 innings 4 to 3.
>
> The score was tied at 3 after nine. Finally, Pocono
> pulled the game out in
> the 12th inning. After an out was recorded, Aurilia
> delivered a base-hit.
> After another out, Prince Fielder stepped in and he
> drew a walk. Chris Coste
> then drew a walk to load the bases. Jeff Conine
> followed and he laced a
> base-knock resulting in a mighty exciting win for
> Pocono and the 39,721 home
> town fans in attendance. Pocono had a total of 11
> hits for the game.
>
> The victory was credited to Joaquin Benoit(1-1) who
> went 1 inning, allowing no
> runs. Kevin Gregg(0-1) was hit with the loss in
> relief. He pitched 1 and 2/3
> innings allowing 1 hit and 1 walk.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Test

Test post. Next test will be to see if we can use the Strat software's Blogger function to post boxscores to the Blog.