Marty Lurie Talks San Francisco Giants Baseball
//

Sunday Morning Muse


The Angels have the rally monkey, now the Red Sox are inspiring the fans with a video from Kevin Millar’s high school days showing the first baseman “trying to dance” to a Bruce Springsteen song.

Another day at the park.

Jose Contreras comes off the DL for the Yankees today and will start against Eric Dubose and the Orioles.

The Yankees still hold out hope that Contreras will be their eighth inning righty in this years postseason. I think he is versatile enough to to do the job.

With two more homers (34 on the year) yesterday, Frank Thomas now is squarely in the MVP race if the White Sox win the Central.

And that’s the way it should be because it is crunch time and the big players stand up.

Scott Sullivan is a great bull pen pick up for the White Sox. He already threw two scoreless innings picking up lefty Neal Cotts, who has kept the Sox in his last two starts.

The A’s need to take some heat off the bullpen and could use another big league starter.

Click below and I’ll tell you my choice.He is a former Cy Young award winner and pitches for the Baltimore Orioles, Pat Hentgen. He is smart, seems to have command, and more importantly can go 6 innings regularly without trouble.

It is asking a lot of Rich Harden, Ted Lilly, Mike Wood, or John Halama to do that down the stretch. I’d go for a solid major leaguer for one month to fill one of the starters roles.

Adam Melhuse can swing the bat and should be used more off the bench in tight games. The A’s might be better off with another back up catcher, this way they wouldn’t be afraid to bring Melhuse into the game more often.

John Thomson, on the block because Texas most likely won’t sign him, will be watched closely today as he throws against the White Sox and Jon Garland.

How about Marlin manager Jack McKeon pulling Josh Beckett with a 3-1 count on the batter in the eighth inning yesterday? It worked, but how many managers would be secure enough to do that?

The best teams in baseball come into Pac Bell Park and see their offense disappear. If the Giants can get Jason Schmidt, Sidney Ponson, and one more starter on track, they become very dangerous once again in the playoffs.

The A’s will see the Orioles Rodrigo Lopez shortly. The righty went nine against the Yankees Saturday before 54,397 fans and shut the Bombers down with two runs and ten strike outs.

In 1978 Ron Guidry was absolutely unhittable. He deserved to have his number retired just based on that one season alone.

Joe Mays is back in the Twins rotation, but only could last into the fifth inning Saturday. What happened to him? He pitched a great game against the A’s in the playoffs last fall, but has lost the magic this season.

Johann Santana is the best the Twins put out on the hill now and he goes against Kevin Appier today in Minnesota. Somehow the Royals are still there and it is their offense which keeps them in this race. They never are out of the game.

Ryan Franklin, good one game and bad another, tries to stem the losing tide in Boston today for Seattle against sinkerballer Derek Lowe and the rest of the Sox bull pen.

Are the A’s really seriuos about the possibility of bringing Cory Lidle back for the September run?

Now that would be interesting.

Carlos Zambrano deserved a no hitter Friday night, the umpire missed a call at first by a good half step, and then Zambrano gave up a couple of hits in the ninth ending up with a three hitter. Zambrano just might be the ticket to the playoffs for Chicago if Kerry Wood ever gets his act together. The Cubs starting pitching could rule in September very easily.

Houston misses Roy Oswalt big time from its rotation.

Who was the only Yankee to lead the team in homers without hitting one in Yankee Stadium?

Bobby Bonds because the Yanks played a season in Shea Stadium in 1975 while Yankee Stadium was being rebuilt. Bobby hit 32 in his only year as a Yankee, leading the team.

He stumped me one morning in Scottsdale with that question.

He was one heck of a baseball player.

Too bad to go so young.

0 comments

1 Anonymous { 08.24.03 at 10:42 am }

Hey Marty,
You’re right on about the A’s need or another reliable starter. On top of what you said, I’ll add that Zito doesn’t seem like he is able to handle extra pressure right now. He looks like he is looking for an indentity out there. Beane and Co. need to make a move. I liked Lidle last season. But he seems to have trouble with pressure.
And great comments about Melhuse. They should use him off the bench more. I know they sent down Johnson cause his offense was poor. Did they not like his defense or how he called games as well? With the offense picking up, maybe Johnson can come back with minimal negative impact in terms of not being able to hit.
-Mike

2 Anonymous { 08.24.03 at 8:02 pm }

Marty

I hadn’t thought of Hentgen but your suggestion that the A’s get him is a very good one as he has veteren and playoff savvy, knows the league, and has made a nice comeback this season. I would hate to see the A’s bring back Lidle (chokes) or get Escobar (wild).

Reno Bill

You must log in to post a comment.