Open Thread and Ichthyomancy: Marlins at Astros (9/13)

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 1:15 PM EDT in News and Rumors

The Fish enter tonight's game with the Wild Card lead. However, whoever wins tonight's game will end the night with the lead (and the Phillies could jump into the mix here too if the Fish lose and the Phils win; the Phils would trail the Astros in that case, but they'd be ahead of the Fish).

Josh Beckett starts for the Fish tonight. Since the game hasn't started yet, we don't know if we'll get good Josh or bad Josh.

Working in the Marlins favor is that the Astros are starting Wandy Rodriguez tonight. As has been well documented, the Marlins have never lost to a starting pitcher named Wandy. In fact, no Wandy has ever even recorded an out against the Fish - not just this year, but in the franchise's entire history. This surely bodes well for the Marlins.

Oh, and Cool Standings still likes the Astros playoff chances.

It's once again time for ichthyomancy. If you've been playing all season, please make your picks today. If you've never played before - start today. It doesn't cost anything, it's fun, and it's free.

Here's today's ichthyomancy pick table:

Person	Player	Attendance	AAB
Carolina	Pierre	30,000	Beckett: 7.0 IP
Colombo259
Craig	Pierre	32,233	Pierre: Cycle
Danielfred1235	Easley	28,000	Cabrera: 2 HR*
Dex
Double B	SP
Fishfan24	Cabrera	24,024	SP: No hitter
Jsprt05	Beckett	30,000	Rodriguez < 4 IP
Seamusfurr	Lo Duca	30,005	Marlins: 5 HR
StrandedX02	Beckett	26,527	Conine/Cabrera/Delgado: Consec. RBI 1B
Wiggins	Beckett	36,452	Beckett: HR

Make your picks and discuss...

Tweet Comment 105 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Picks

Beckett
26,527
Conine/Cabs/Carlos: 3 straight RBI singles

Cause all we know is falling...

by StrandedX02 on Sep 13, 2005 2:12 PM EDT reply actions

Picks

Beckett (good Beckett shows up again)
36,456
Beckett hits another one out (to be cool like Dontrelle)

by wiggins on Sep 13, 2005 2:37 PM EDT reply actions

picks

Pierre
30,000
Beckett lasts exactly seven innings.

by Carolina on Sep 13, 2005 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

Also on Cool Standings

a 67 percent chance that Cleveland will get the AL wild card. pretty cool.

by Carolina on Sep 13, 2005 2:48 PM EDT reply actions

F the Yankees

Yes, that's encouraging, but the Yankees odds are still too high for my liking.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Picks

Beckett 30,000 W. Rodriguez = less than 4IP

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 13, 2005 3:38 PM EDT reply actions

pix

LoDuca
30,005
Marlins: 5 Homers

"I'm not as deep and complicated as people think." -Mike Tyson

by seamusfurr on Sep 13, 2005 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

Picks

Jacinto.

28,000.

Wandy learns the meaning behind the expression "Fear the Mig, he doesn't suck" when the Mig leaves the park twice, precisely one of which hits the train tracks.

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 13, 2005 5:35 PM EDT reply actions

Delgado in History

"Delgado needs one home run to become just the ninth player in history with at least 30 home runs in nine straight seasons."

Wow... that's pretty nice I think.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 7:30 PM EDT reply actions

More cool numbers

These are all from a Joe Capozzi article

Willis is batting.259 with 11 RBI, which leads all pitchers in the majors. His 13 runs as a pitcher also lead the majors.

Willis has 45 career victories, tying Greg Maddux for second most wins by pitchers before their 24th birthday. His winning percentage (.643, 45-25) is tops all-time among Marlins pitchers.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 7:33 PM EDT reply actions

I think the best statement

that captures Dontrelle's great pitching season and his hitting prowess is that the D-Train's batting average (.259 ) is higher than his ERA (2.49)

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 13, 2005 7:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Gammons elaborated on

about his statement concerning the Marlins losing money if they dont make the playoffs on ESPNEWS earlier today.He said 3 or 4 other owners know that Loria will lose at least 30 million....Gammons said the Marlins are still no where near a stadium deal and that the word "contraction" may be popping up soon if the organization continues to operate in the red...Gammons said there is a 75% chance that Delgado will be traded in the offseason if the Fish don't make the playoffs because the organization wants to sign Miguel and Dontrelle to long-term contracts.

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 13, 2005 7:43 PM EDT reply actions

I Still Think...

... he's talking out his ass anyways, so I don't put much weight in what he says.

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 13, 2005 9:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Are you kidding me?

I walk in to see Adam Everett homer. Tie game.

Everett looks like he should be working in one of the libraries that one of you college students should probably be studying in.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 9:35 PM EDT reply actions

He got all of that one

it just barely crawled into the front row of the Crawford boxes.

That area is normally reserved for home runs from relief pitchers

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

I'm fairly sure I could throw a ball into those seats from home plate.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 9:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Wouldn't be surprised

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 9:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Way to go, Carlos

your last AB set the all-time season record for being HBP for the Marlins.

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 9:46 PM EDT reply actions

30 homers

Delgado got his 30th homer of the year tonight. As Fishfan mentioned earlier, that's a heck of a feat (nine years in a row).

What amazes me more is that Giambi hit his 30th of the year tonight too.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 9:49 PM EDT reply actions

Giambi

I didn't think he would break 15 for the year.

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 9:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Giambi is more amazing

I can't believe how well he started hitting.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Words I am tired of hearing..

from the opposing teams announcers talking about their fifth starter:

That was his best outing of the year.

I'm tired of it, I tell ya.

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 10:08 PM EDT reply actions

Things I'm sick of

I'm tired of hearing about the Marlins announcers talking about the benefits of a new ballpark and the great attendance everywhere the Fish visit.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm tired of saying this

Phillies won

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions

At least they're beating the Braves

Maybe they'll make this race even more exciting than we thought it would be.

But no, you're right. It sucks that the Phils are winning too.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Lo Duca

goes Yard!

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 10:09 PM EDT reply actions

That tater was such a big hit

Like... really big.

Damn the Dodgers must often miss him if only for that. With all of his health problems this year and lack of power, The Duke has a penchant for the big hit (or at least it seems like he does)

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions

It does

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions

My guess

I think the Dodgers miss LoDuca's bat as much as we miss DLee's glove. That play by Cabrera would have been Top 10 worthy if Lee was over there. But with Delgado at first it's just another infield hit.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Probably true

Not that one has a whole lot to do with the other... but true. (Pudge has more to do with us having Lo Duca than Lee does I think).

The Mig made a nice play? I wish I had time to actually watch... instead I waste time posting here :-)

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

He made a diving stab at a ball and threw from his knees.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

When?

I want to try and watch it on MLB.com... What inning was it? Remember?

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 14, 2005 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions

Also...

Delgado still does not suck... as he is demonstrating today. Yeah, Lee is better (wow, did I ever think I would say that? Nope), but Delgado does not suck.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I know

Note that I said we miss Lee's glove. Lee might be having a better year at the plate, but in the long run I'll take Delgado's bat.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions

That brings up a great question...

Do you think that Lee's year is a flash-in-the-pan? Not that he'll start sucking (he has never/rarely sucked), but that he'll become human again? It looks like he's more human now already, but his #'s are so sick. Where do you think they'll go from here?

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Not a flash in the pan

I think it's two things: 1) he's in the prime of his prime and 2) his numbers are (slightly) inflated by playing in Wrigley instead of at JRS.

If Delgado was playing for the Cubs and Lee was still down here, I think we'd be more hung up on Delgado's power numbers right now.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

I watched Qualls give up late inning HRs

all year. I'm glad he finally found the right time to apply his talent.

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 10:11 PM EDT reply actions

Is it just me?

Or is it odd that during "Hispanic Heritage Weekend" that the Saturday giveaway is Miguel Cabrera Russian nesting dolls? The giveaways the rest of the weekend seem appropriately themed.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:31 PM EDT reply actions

Jerk

We'll all just assume that you discriminate against Russians.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:38 PM EDT up reply actions

Horosho

No I don't. Trust me. I never discriminate against Russians.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions

Ha

Sold yourself out.

I had you pinned as Craig (sorry, Craig).

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:40 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant to

I just wanted to try the anonymous thing... especially since it's called anonymous "hero"... how could I turn down that chance to be called hero.
Didn't even notice my writing in Russian btw.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah - that slipped past me.

I'm not sure why it's "Anonymous Hero" and not just "Anonymous".

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions

Something new

We have a new function that we can test out for a little bit here: anonymous commenting.

I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not, but it's worth a shot. You'll notice now that when you comment there's a "post as" box at the top. You can see your usual login name and also "anonymous hero".

It makes more sense (to me at least) to continue to use your regular name. The idea is to make it easier for newbies to start participating in the site.

Oh, and if it turns into anonymous "girl" fights, I'm turning the feature off.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:34 PM EDT reply actions

BL Bonds

Giants game just starting. Giants batting in the bottom of the first.

If you're as Barry obsessed as I am, you may want to tune in.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:41 PM EDT reply actions

scheisse

Inning looking scary

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:44 PM EDT reply actions

I hate to say it

But I don't like the idea of moving Cabrera to the OF mid-game. I'm not sure that he can get his head around it quick enough.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

No worries

Knowing Jack he'll be out for Aguila any minute

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Ugh

Ok, that's worse. Way worse.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Bring in Todd

Please...

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:46 PM EDT reply actions

Wow

Have I told Todd lately that I love him?

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Jones

Stranded was a day early with his extended save pick for Jones. But it looks like Jones will need five outs tonight (not the 4 Stranded called for last night).

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions

At least he got a 2-4-1

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow

Conine shifts to first and turns a really slick 3-6-3 double play. Nice.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:47 PM EDT reply actions

Nice catch

Biggio makes a nice over the shoulder, sliding catch in the OF to retire Easley to start the 9th.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:50 PM EDT reply actions

Great game so far....

Dont look now, but with a Braves loss the Fish only sit 5 games back in the division (im being hopeful)

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 13, 2005 10:55 PM EDT reply actions

Big 9th

Luckily Jones has the 5th, 6th, and 7th hitters due up.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 10:56 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah but the 7th hitter was

Adam "Big Fly" Everett

He's got Crawford front row power

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Todd Jones

gets the Save!

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 11:00 PM EDT reply actions

Ballgame

Wow. George Steinbrenner must feel ill each time Jones closes a game. The Yanks (or anyone) could have had Todd for cheap before the season started.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions

What would the Braves have given

If the had known at the start of the season what they know now

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

It's amazing isn't it?

Dan Kolb was more highly regarded coming into the year than Todd Jones.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions

At this point in the season, it's unbelievable

by craig on Sep 13, 2005 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Points

Attendance was 31,512, so Craig gets the attendance point tonight.

Beckett (Double B, Jsprt, Stranded, and Wiggins), Delgado (none), and LoDuca (none) were point worthy tonight.

Carolina just missed an AAB point by one out (Beckett lasted too long).

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 11:04 PM EDT reply actions

I get one

I picked LoDuca. We missed him when he was out.

"I'm not as deep and complicated as people think." -Mike Tyson

by seamusfurr on Sep 14, 2005 2:07 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe I'm over-reacting

But the Fish still have six games left with the Braves.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 11:11 PM EDT reply actions

We can doooo it!

They literally control their own destiny. You have to like that.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions

Although

Gotta say... I'll take the post-season any way I can get it. Remember who we face the next two days.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 13, 2005 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

And the Phils are no pushover this weekend either. It's going to be a heck of a finish.

by mike42 on Sep 13, 2005 11:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Mike

You going to the game on saturday? It should be a dandy....Dontrelle vs. Eude Brito

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 13, 2005 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Nope

I'll be in South Carolina at the UM - Clemson game.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Blogad Problem

Is anyone else still having trouble with the site? I'm still finding this place slower than molasses going uphill in January.

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 14, 2005 12:08 AM EDT reply actions

I'm not having a problem tonight

Yesterday, at times, I couldn't connect to the site.

by craig on Sep 14, 2005 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Hmmm...

I'd almost rather have sporadic regular-speed access than my current continuously super-slow access. Any idea what's wrong (other than it being a Blogad thing)?

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 14, 2005 12:23 AM EDT up reply actions

I think/thought they got the Blogad's dns problem

fixed this afternoon. I haven't had a problem since.

I'm not sure what the problem is, perhaps you have something running in the background that is causing interference.

Since I'm not having the same problem, I have no guess.

I am very sorry, Daniel.

Is anyone having the same problem as Daniel?

by craig on Sep 14, 2005 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Late to the party

watching a good movie this evening - but I am having no trouble with the site anymore. Glad to see the boys are doing well - hope it continues!

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks, my friend

What are you watching?

by craig on Sep 14, 2005 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Craig

FishStripes has been sooooo slow for the past 2 days or so.....so slow that i have been shying away from commenting because it takes so long.

Mmmm....Fish Sticks

by Jsprtold on Sep 14, 2005 6:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Am?lie.

And now I'm just mad that it took me so long to see it. Great film.

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions

Oh I loved that one!

I've seen it several times.

by Carolina on Sep 14, 2005 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah -

I may have to buy it now. I'll definitely be making all my friends watch it...

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 10:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow

The small amount of respect that I used to have for you is now gone.

I hope that you at least got some action out of watching that.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 10:43 AM EDT up reply actions

Heh.

You suck, jerk. Oh - and by the way...

Napoleon Dynamite sucked, too.

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, it was no Am?lie

But in my world (you know, as a straight guy), that's a good thing.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Well...

I guess I'll just have to learn to live with myself as I am, without your approval. Especially since I'm about to sit down and watch an opera right now, and I KNOW what you will say about that...

Oh, no! Whatever shall I do?

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Start an opera blog

And keep that filth over there.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

You know

it's perfectly acceptable for a straight man to like that movie.

by Carolina on Sep 14, 2005 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions

I hope that you some day meet such a guy

It's not me.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Out of curiosity

Did you see it?

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

No he hasn't

by Carolina on Sep 14, 2005 11:45 AM EDT up reply actions

I'll speak for myself, thank you

No, I haven't. That's two or three hours of my life that I still have.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Okay, then.

by wiggins on Sep 14, 2005 11:59 AM EDT up reply actions

IMO

It's a really good movie. I don't know why a film like that would be categorized as a "chick-flick". Is it for (a) starring a female who's not naked or (b) being in a foreign language?

I don't think that either qualifies it as being a chick flick, since it's themes are much more universal, and presentation much too creative and interesting to be put under such a category.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 14, 2005 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Sigh

I see there is no hope for you. Summer Wheatley has won.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 5:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually

It's funny because on our fist date one of the things we talked about was that movie... since I had seen it a long time ago and we found out that we both had a penchant for french films. We still watch them together from time to time. Amelie is by no means the best French film I've seen, but it's good. And it turned me on to a genre (I use the word loosely since it's not so much a genre as a nation of films) that I have since grown to love.

And yes, I know I sound gay, and I'm OK with that. C'est pas de problemme, parce que je sais qui je suis, et qui j'aime. J'aimes les filles et les femmes.

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 14, 2005 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Good movie

The only problem I had with it was Audrey Tautou is an expressive actress and I wanted to watch her face more closely. Unfortunately my french has degraded and I was forced to read the subtitles thus missing some of the qualities of her work.

by craig on Sep 15, 2005 2:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I have to admit

my French has always been horrible. It will get better as I sing it more, but I am not sure I would ever be able to watch a movie like that without sub-titles. My German is much better - Italian, maybe someday. French - no.

But I still enjoyed the movie.

by wiggins on Sep 15, 2005 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Mine's fine

Weird

Fear The Mig, Believe in the DTrain
They don't suck.

by fishfan24 on Sep 14, 2005 12:35 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks

by craig on Sep 14, 2005 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions

mine sucked earler today

But now it's fast as Marty Booker.

"I'm not as deep and complicated as people think." -Mike Tyson

by seamusfurr on Sep 14, 2005 2:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I Think I'll Try Rebooting

Maybe that will help.

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 14, 2005 5:14 AM EDT reply actions

As far as I know

Everything should be back to normal. I don't think we're having any site related issues.

by mike42 on Sep 14, 2005 8:42 AM EDT reply actions

Shows What You Know, Then

Looks like jsprt and I are both still having problems with the site. Granted, it's gotten slightly faster in recent days, but it's still slower than hell.

Eliminate and abolish redundancy!

by danielfred1235 on Sep 14, 2005 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Sounds like a personal problem.

Seriously, I'm getting mixed info. Some folks are saying it's all fixed. Others are saying we have a problem (I'm talking from the tech side - not us on the front end).

The latest word that I received is that the fix has been deployed and should be rolled out to each site within the next 12-18 hours. My guess is that if you're still having problems today that it should be fixed by tonight.