Late Innings

Wow, thanks to the Orioles and their shitty September play, I’m now an alcoholic. I actually came up with a new drink which I’ve called “The Jamie Walker“. Ironically it has no Johnnie Walker, but it has a strong shot of whiskey in it. When watching the Orioles play, if you ever want to make a “Jamie Walker” do the following:

1. Take a bottle of Miller Lite.
2. Pour in a shot of Chivas Regal.

Bam motherfucker! Before you know it, after a few of these you’ll be watching good baseball, regardless of whether you’re watching the Cubs or the Nationals. And on the good side, you’ll be going through fewer cases of beer. Speaking of good baseball… I’m watching the Brewers and the Pirates play right now. At any other point of the season, this game would be a yawn-fest, however it’s a good one tonight.

So the Brewers made the oddball move and decided to start Yovani Gallardo. I honestly thought he’d be in the bullpen, but then again these are the Brewers. They’re tied at 1 with the Pirates in the eighth. Meanwhile, the Cubs are tied with the Mets in extra innings. The Astros are also winning, but after tonight should have zero chance of making the playoffs whatsoever. The Philies are off.

On an aside Gallardo looked rock solid. He struck out six of his first seven, and pitched four innings of one-run ball. That’s exactly what the Brewers were expecting. So now they can put Ben Sheets and his crutches on the mound on Friday, C.C. Sabathia pitching on two days rest on Saturday, and have Cal Eldred come out of retirement to pitch the finale on Sunday in that final crucial series against the Cubs. Yes these are the Brewers. They do good, choke, then do good again. And for some reason I still see none of these teams making the playoffs.

I wish I had a healthy Gallardo on my fantasy team, at least one of them (I think my best team will finish fifth this season in the one CBS Sportsline league I’m in.) My strategy year in and year out is draft starters early and often. Good hitting can be found on the waiver wire as the season progresses. I’m partially right. On average my teams were hitting .280 (good), but we were pitching to an ERA of 4.20 (bad) with a WHIP of 1.40 (worse.) I’ll try to get a new strategy for next year, however I’m a huge fan of Gallardo.

Earlier on this season, I said that Gallardo would post similar numbers to Tim Lincecum. Does that mean that Gallardo’d have 17 wins, a 2.60 ERA, chance at Cy Young, dead arm and case to file a claim of abuse on his manager like Lincecum does? Not exactly. However if healthy, he’s good. He’s very good.

A healthy Gallardo will mitigate the blow of Sabathia and Sheets leaving as free agents this offseason. He’s got ace potential. Seriously. If you’d take his 2008 numbers (over 4 starts) and pattern them across a full-season’s worth of starts (35 starts), you’d have the following line: 0-0 record, 1.88 ERA, 175 strikeouts in 210 innings, with a solid 1.25 WHIP.

(Note to Late Innings readers: the author is currently wasted.)

Soon to crack the Brewers rotation: Yanni Gallardo.