No, its impressive, as any perfect game is. However, doing it against the Rays lineup doesn't make it any more impressive. When you have two perfect games thrown against you in 2 years, something sounds a bit off. I'm guessing there is a lack of focus in the clubhouse because this lineup has shown they can disappear, for the duration of an entire game. Twice. It's still an amazing feat, no doubt.
Tampa Bay has one of the better lineups in the big leagues. What devil is saying is that it's not like Braden did it against the Pirates or Nationals.
I don't know what is so difficult to grasp about the fact that they have been the victim of 2 perfect games in two years. It has nothing to do with their lineup's potency, it has everything to do with their lack of focus as a team once they realized they were about to be victim of the "Perfect Game." I can guarantee most of the players in the Rays dugout were shitting their pants when Braden got through the 5th inning unblemished and realized that it was happening to them again. I chalk this one up to Braden pitching a hell of a game, as much as the Rays shitting the bed at the end.... Baseball is 90% mental. I'm sure you already know this though...
two great performances. I don't agree that they're suddenly a team that is easier to no hit because it happened twice. They faced two pitchers who delivered incredible performances.
you could say any team that falls victim to a perfect game "shit the bed." They didnt put a man on base the whole game, that is the definition of shitting the bed. All this aside, Id like to see this guy just beat the piss out of gayrod the next time they meet.
I just thought a funny side note of the perfect game was that Evan Longoria, pitchman for MLB 2k10's stupid perfect game challenge, pulled a bitch move and tried to bunt his way on base to ruin it.
Yes they will. It's not about winning, it's about being able to afford him. Unless he takes a HUGE hometown discount (not entirely impossible) it would be stupid of them not to trade him. Teams in smaller markets can never hope to be consistently competitive with one guy taking up 1/3 or more of their payroll. If they keep winning they won't do it until the offseason, but that might be the worst thing for them long term, since they could get more for him at this year's deadline.
They can afford him though. The front office just didn't want to cough up a ton of money if they weren't going to win now. Obviously, they can win now. There's still a lot of time left in this season though, so things could change for them. If they start to crumble, A-Gon will more than likely be dealt at the deadline. A-Gon wants to stay in San Diego, so you're right about a "discount" not being impossible. The Pads wanted Buchholz from the Sox. The pitching's been great so far, especially from young guys like Richards, Webb, and Latos...part of that is because of PETCO, but Garland looks like he's back to his old self too.
Right now he is making right around $5 million. That's fine. But if his price goes up to the $20 million range, they cannot keep him and hope to be competitive. Their payroll has topped $70 million once in their history and has been about half that since the new ownership took over. Even if they up it to $75 million (more than they have ever spent) they would have one guy taking up about 1/3-1/4 of their payroll. That isn't a good formula for winning. If they are still in contention at the deadline (unlikely, as their pitchers are viciously overachieving right now) they won't trade him until after the season, but unless he signs a very club friendly deal (as in 60% or so of what he could get on the market) they will have to trade him.
The Phillies have been accused of stealing and using game signs from their bullpen using binoculars. When asked about it Charlie Manuel started talking about the Mets. LOL. He sounds really defensive and his response was a real sore-loser type thing to say. I hated the Phils but I always thought Charlie Manuel was a cool guy. He showed a lot of fucking class here. Manuel responded by telling reporters that the Mets were too busy during the game actually playing the game to be attempting to steal signs from the pen. Honestly this couldnt have happened to anyone better than those fucking stuckup, hypocritical, crybaby arrogant fucking homo Phillies, along with that fucking trash-laden scummy ass fan base. New York Times: Such a nice thing to read. I can't wait to stick this fuckery down the throat of any fucking Philly fan who decides to start talking shit. This with the Phils and Bellicheat/spygate with the Pats. Good shit.
Blazing fast game in San Francisco today. Four hits total and it's in the 9th, Padres up 1-0. Looks like San Diego is going to sweep San Fran barring late game heroics. 3.5 game lead in the NL West
Hell yeah! Mat Latos with the CG SHO. He was ALMOST perfect. That's two straight very strong outings for Latos. Also, Latos had the game's lone RBI. Sanchez really is getting terrible run support from the Giants. He's had to damn good games against the Padres and lost them both 1-0.