July 27, 2011

The Breaking Point

You just can't please some people
Bochy expects the fans to have plenty in their lungs for him tonight. It’s been theorized by the media and fans here that Bochy intentionally pitched Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee for multiple innings in the All-Star Game to wear them down. Bochy can’t believe anyone would reach that conclusion. In his view, neither guy exceeded 20 pitches. He figured Phillies fans would consider it an honor to see their guys. And he’s signaling his respect for both Halladay and Lee in choosing them to help win the game and home-field advantage for the National League.

Instead, he got heckled as he left the team hotel.

“It’s no-win,” Bochy said. “If I’d have pitched my guys, they’d be on me, too. Whoever wins the (pennant) will be happy we won the All-Star Game, and those guys deserved to be out there. … I’m very surprised. I’d think they want to see their ptichers out there. I’m very surprised that (people think) I had this hidden agenda or conspiracy theory.”

The theorists might think something is amiss with Lincecum, too.

Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee was quoted earlier this month as saying he “has his opinions” about Bochy’s All-Star decisions. But when Bochy approached Dubee to tell him that Lincecum had been scratched, the Phillies coach didn’t bring up the All-Star matter.
What does the Colonel have to think about this?

"Does it really surprise you a bunch of Philly assholes can't be happy?" says the Colonel. "Have you ever been in that city? You won't find a more wretched city in America filled with the most vile vermin. I mean each city/fanbases have their assholes, but pretty much every Philly fan is a giant asshole."


"I would compare Philly fans to women," I say. "They're never happy. You buy a big house for them to live in. They want a bigger one. You just can't make them happy. Philly fans would have no reason to live without complaining"

"I'm sticking to them just being assholes," says the Colonel. "It's not our fault you live in a shit city like Philadelphia!"
Moving along tonight. The Colonel is off early today because he wrapped up his case. I'm off early because the Giants are on the east coast and are playing at 4PM here. So I went to work early for I could get off early to watch this game at the Mos Eisley Cantina.

Besides Bochy running Halladay and Lee into the ground at the all-star game the other big story tonight is Lincecum sitting out this start because he is sick with the flu. That means erratic Barry Zito starts tonight which means this game can go two ways. The Giants/Zito shut down the Phillies, or he walks seven guys and gives up eight runs. It can only go one way or the other.

And sure enough it goes the bad way. After the Giants scrapped hard to take a 1-0 lead after the top of the first inning, Zito gives up four runs with two outs no less in the bottom of the 1st!

"I hope Bochy leaves Zito in the game till at least the seventh inning. Screw the pitch count," an ever increasingly bitter Colonel says. "This fucking guy is going to screw up the entire bullpen if he can't get to at least the fifth inning."

Zito then promptly has a smooth second inning.

"Zito's problem is when he's in the stretch," I say. "Did you see what happened after Howard doubled? He was afraid to go anywhere near the strike zone against Victorino and then hung a curve to Ibanez. He just can't pitch in the stretch."

"I'm just going to say this," says the Colonel. "Zito is reaching Armando Benitez level of hate from me. He keeps his mouth shut after blowing games so he doesn't quite reach Benitez level but he's close."

"I just ignore his starts now," I say. "He's too the point in his career with the Giants that if he pitches a good game, it's a plus. Bad game and you just move on."

By the look in his eyes, we better just move on. And needless to say we barely said anything the rest of the night. Just another wonderful evening at the Mos Eisley Cantina.

P.S. The Colonel isn't the only one tired of Zito and wishing he would go away. Grant of McCovey Chronicles is at his breaking point with Zito as well.

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