OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post - Yet Another OOTP6 Dynasty, Year 2: One Flew Over the Pale Hose

cknox0723 · 07-18-2006, 02:46 PM

Jarrod Washburn, the 33 year old southpaw and career-long Angel in this universe, can certainly hit, at least when facing our shower of clowns. But carrying a 6-9 record this season with a chunky 5.00-plus ERA and terrifying home run rates, it's open question whether he's got anything left in the once-golden left arm.

A first inning long ball off Magglio Ordonez's big bat is a nice start, but Esteban Loaiza, "The Art of Suck", scourge of the earth and all those nice things, gives it right back. Garret Anderson singles home sweet-swingin' Justin Leone, who had doubled off the center field fence two batters earlier, and we're tied after one only because Dallas McPherson grounds out to second for out number three.

Second inning takes a nice turn after a Wil Cordero strikeout because Frank Thomas, getting a rare A.B., cracks an ordinary fastball into left for an all-too-rare hit, raising his average to .170 or so. Yorvit Torrealba smacks another nice, hittable pitch down the left field line and into the corner and now something else is being raised -- Thomas's heart rate, as he's chugging around second and heading for third, running through Dan Pasqua's stop sign and huffing and puffing, straining and pushing and finally...collapsing, halfway between third and home. Wil Nieves tags him out. Two down.

Two down in more ways than one, as Torrealba is writhing on the ground around second base. "P***ed something?" I'm wondering, since I was too busy marvelling at big Frank to know what the hell happened, but no one answers me. Miguel Olivo, Yorvit's backup, jogs out to second base to run in his place and in place, since Jack Wilson strikes out to end the inning.

Esteban's fine for an inning or so, but you remember the guy last year who would come unglued just enough to lose ALL THE ****ING TIME?

I have a bad feeling that after winning ten games in four months, "The Art of Suck" is rearing his ugly head again. Esteban serves up a solo home run ball to Garret Anderson with one out in the fourth inning, and backup backstop Nieves brings home another run on a groundout after a single and walk had put men on the corners. By the time our "dynamic" "revamped" "exciting" offense gets a man on second base, it's the sixth inning. Predictably enough, that manly man is one of the new guys, Podsednik, who singled to lead off the inning and then moved up on a scintilling hit 'n run groundout. Of course, superstar and former MVP Magglio Ordonez strikes out on three pitches, and proven cleanup man and RBI machine Vernon Wells pops out to left-center.

Esteban's fragile psyche can't handle that crushing blow, and he all but throws away the ballgame the next half-frame by giving up a few more runs. Again G. Anderson (.280/.357/.475 in 400 AB) catalyzes the run-scoring with an extra-base hit; this time, it was a double to right-center. The powerful Mr. McPherson, giving "Mad Vlad" a day off today, knocks a measly run-scoring single to right; after a fielder's choice and steal of second, Wil Nieves comes through with a base hit to left for his second run batted in. Julio Lugo (remember him?) ends the inning with his specialty, the ground out to second base, and he'll cap off a fine oh-for-four day by striking out against Wade Miller in the eighth. Too bad the right-hander had to face six other batters in the inning to get the other two outs.

Vernon Wells hits a meaningless home run to lead off the ninth inning, cutting the deficit to six runs for good and sending Washburn's home run rates northward just a little bit more. Big deal. The portsider's still got something left in that arm...at least when he's facing the Pale Hose.

CHW 2 ANA 8

WP: J. Washburn (7-9) - 8.1 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K
LP: E. Loaiza (11-6) - 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R

Game Ball Goes To... Nieves (two for four with three RBI), a 29 year old rookie carrying a .306 batting average in 144 AB this season despite a mostly undistinguished minor league batting record. His mate Brian Schneider had two hits in each of the first two games, so it was as good of a series for Anaheim catchers as it was a calamitous third game for Yorvit Torrealba (who got hurt) and "Miguel the Incompetent", his wonderful (and terrible) backup (who actually went two-for-three, but I didn't notice; I did notice his ridiculous eighth-inning throwing error trying to peg out basestealer Reggie Willits at second, though). The good news is that Yorvit is listed as day-to-day with some sort of horribly pulled muscle; the bad news is that maybe 90% of a journeyman like Yorvit Torrealba isn't quite enough, and should go on the disabled list.

07-18-2006, 02:46 PM	#815
cknox0723 All Star Starter Join Date: May 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 1,957	Jarrod Washburn, the 33 year old southpaw and career-long Angel in this universe, can certainly hit, at least when facing our shower of clowns. But carrying a 6-9 record this season with a chunky 5.00-plus ERA and terrifying home run rates, it's open question whether he's got anything left in the once-golden left arm. A first inning long ball off Magglio Ordonez's big bat is a nice start, but Esteban Loaiza, "The Art of Suck", scourge of the earth and all those nice things, gives it right back. Garret Anderson singles home sweet-swingin' Justin Leone, who had doubled off the center field fence two batters earlier, and we're tied after one only because Dallas McPherson grounds out to second for out number three. Second inning takes a nice turn after a Wil Cordero strikeout because Frank Thomas, getting a rare A.B., cracks an ordinary fastball into left for an all-too-rare hit, raising his average to .170 or so. Yorvit Torrealba smacks another nice, hittable pitch down the left field line and into the corner and now something else is being raised -- Thomas's heart rate, as he's chugging around second and heading for third, running through Dan Pasqua's stop sign and huffing and puffing, straining and pushing and finally...collapsing, halfway between third and home. Wil Nieves tags him out. Two down. Two down in more ways than one, as Torrealba is writhing on the ground around second base. "P*ed something?" I'm wondering, since I was too busy marvelling at big Frank to know what the hell happened, but no one answers me. Miguel Olivo, Yorvit's backup, jogs out to second base to run in his place and in place, since Jack Wilson strikes out to end the inning. Esteban*'s fine for an inning or so, but you remember the guy last year who would come unglued just enough* to lose ALL THE **ING TIME? I have a bad feeling that after winning ten games in four months, "The Art of Suck" is rearing his ugly head again. Esteban serves up a solo home run ball to Garret Anderson with one out in the fourth inning, and backup backstop Nieves brings home another run on a groundout after a single and walk had put men on the corners. By the time our "dynamic" "revamped" "exciting" offense gets a man on second base, it's the sixth inning. Predictably enough, that manly man is one of the new guys, Podsednik, who singled to lead off the inning and then moved up on a scintilling hit 'n run groundout. Of course, superstar and former MVP Magglio Ordonez strikes out on three pitches, and proven cleanup man and RBI machine Vernon Wells pops out to left-center. Esteban's fragile psyche can't handle that crushing blow, and he all but throws away the ballgame the next half-frame by giving up a few more runs. Again G. Anderson (.280/.357/.475 in 400 AB) catalyzes the run-scoring with an extra-base hit; this time, it was a double to right-center. The powerful Mr. McPherson, giving "Mad Vlad" a day off today, knocks a measly run-scoring single to right; after a fielder's choice and steal of second, Wil Nieves comes through with a base hit to left for his second run batted in. Julio Lugo (remember him?) ends the inning with his specialty, the ground out to second base, and he'll cap off a fine oh-for-four day by striking out against Wade Miller in the eighth. Too bad the right-hander had to face six other batters in the inning to get the other two outs. Vernon Wells hits a meaningless home run to lead off the ninth inning, cutting the deficit to six runs for good and sending Washburn's home run rates northward just a little bit more. Big deal. The portsider's still got something left in that arm...at least when he's facing the Pale Hose. CHW 2 ANA 8 WP: J. Washburn (7-9) - 8.1 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 6 K LP: E. Loaiza (11-6) - 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R Game Ball Goes To... Nieves (two for four with three RBI), a 29 year old rookie carrying a .306 batting average in 144 AB this season despite a mostly undistinguished minor league batting record. His mate Brian Schneider had two hits in each of the first two games, so it was as good of a series for Anaheim catchers as it was a calamitous third game for Yorvit Torrealba (who got hurt) and "Miguel the Incompetent", his wonderful (and terrible) backup (who actually went two-for-three, but I didn't notice; I did notice his ridiculous eighth-inning throwing error trying to peg out basestealer Reggie Willits at second, though). The good news is that Yorvit is listed as day-to-day with some sort of horribly pulled muscle; the bad news is that maybe 90% of a journeyman like Yorvit Torrealba** isn't quite enough, and should go on the disabled list.