Carlos Freaking Pena!!!!!!!!

What an amazing game. Rays pulled it out in 21 innings I think, 7-4. The hero? Carlos Pena of course, who else? Every other regular starter is on the DL. I'm so proud of them, as if they were my own kids. Of course they probably could be, none of them are old enough to drink or drive or walk or anything. My guess? All the players spawned from Percival's extramarital affairs. Seriously, it's a bunch of rookies, Pena, Percival and Floyd who are like 45. "Cliff Floyd is such a G." Yeah, if G is for Grandpa.

Anyways, this game is noteworthy not only because the Rays extended their AL East lead to a robust 2.5 games (I've always wanted a pennant race to be decided by half a game, and see two teams go at it mono y mono for four and a half innings. Never works out that way), but also because this game was chalk full of nuggets. Unlike the NBA playoffs, which had no Nuggets. ZING.

*David Ortiz just entertained me in general. First of all with that beard he looks like some sort of hybrid between Greg Oden, Orlando Pace, and Deebo. Second of all, that bunt, when's the last time he sac bunted? And it kept Stuart Scott from singing "Big Poppa" on Sportscenter. But topping them both would be his 3-0, fake-bunt-Usain-Bolt-sprint-toward-the-dugout-take on the ball four pitch. Almost looked like a Heisman pose. Classic, I actually laughed.

*This game lasted over 5 hours. I started watching in the 6th inning. Within that time period, I: worked out, had an hour-long phone conversation, did homework, BLOGGED, used facebook, proposed two fantasy football trades, ate dinner, made my bed. Didn't miss a second of the game.

*Rick Sutcliffe might have won a Cy Young but he sure ain't winning any [whatever the award for being a good comedian is].
PBP: "If the game last night was their most important victory of the year, what is tonight?"
George Carlin of Baseball: "Well in 11 minutes it won't be called tonight."
Hahaha. Except the time was 11:39. Not the Pythagoras of the baseball world either, I suppose. Rick is to math what Emmitt Smith is to English.

*And while I'm thinking about it, Sutcliffe also uttered his spiel about CC's Cy Young chances: "I think you have to factor in what he did in both leagues. His overall numbers don't say Cy Young winner to me." I'm paraphrasing but not exxagerating. Wait a sec. If I remember correctly, Rick won a Cy Young after switching leagues midseason. Well I'm sure his OVERALL numbers were pretty good, lets check out what he did in Cleveland, before he got traded:

94.3 IP, 46:58 BB:SO Ratio, 1.66 WHIP, all good for a 4-5 record with a 5.15 ERA.
After he got traded to Chicago aka took his Gas-X, he did go 16-1 with a 2.69 ERA. Let's check CC:

122.3 IP, 34:123 BB:SO Ratio, 1.23 WHIP, good for a 6-8 record with a 3.83 ERA
Post-trade: 9-0, 1.42 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 20:94 BB:SO ratio

Rick Sutcliffe saying CC doesn't deserve a Cy Young is like GWB telling Yale not to accept legacies. "That isn't....ain't...right." You tell 'em Emmitt.


*In addition to their great record, the Rays have a top-tier team in terms of coolest names. Rocco Baldelli? Rock on. Ben Zobrist? The Z is just magic I guess. Z as in Scott KaZZZZZmir or Matt GarZZZZZa. Akinori Iwamura, who is Japanese. Only like a C+ for Japanese standards though, not as good as Sasaki or Suzuki or Sushi or Chiropractor. I'm pretty sure they have a minor leaguer named Blitzkrieg too. BJ Upton.... I'm not gonna touch that one, not actually that cool. And the most unfortunate name, relief pitcher Grant Ball4 (I think it's actually spelled Balfour. Still, a cruelly ironic name for a pitcher.)

So I guess they don't have that great of a name game team. But Boof Bonser is a free agent, as is Benny Agbayani. There is hope.


Sorry for that long post. I've also been working on a sweet playlist, I'll post it tomorrow for the benefit of the four people who read this blog. Including my mom. Yes, I made my bed, mom.