all pics and logos c/o mlb.com

 

vs

 

Projected Starting Pitchers

Jason Simontacchi & Phenom Josh Beckett

 

*WQAM, FSN, at 6:05*

 

Ramp's prediction: 11-5 Marlins

Pitchers Duel: 2-0 Marlins. 16 k'S BY BEeckett :mischief

No doubt!!! I am sure Josh and the Marlins will get the win tonight!!!!

We need a win to stay close to the top of the division!!!

 

However I like the Cards and the tonight game is quite special for me!

Our fav Marlins vs. the "Italian" Jason Simontacchi.

 

Yes, Jason was born in US (in California, if I remember well!) but he did play (and very very well!!) for the Italian national team for some games (cannot remember where, Olympics or WC!)

 

In a interview he had last year for the italian tv he said he spend a lot of time struggling in the minors and finding just few great time: he had even started thinking about retiring from baseball.

THEN he was called to play for an Italian team, Rimini, the team which won the league and had in CF the original Fish Chuck Carr last season!!.

He had an incredible season in Rimini and was called back from US to sign a contract (not sure if immediately with the Cards in major)!!

Well, last year he had great season and most of his games were televised on the italian paytv!!

He surprisely became quite popular.

He got many interviews and italian newspapers gave him a lot of space!!

 

That was unbelievable considering that when the italians think of baseball think of Joe di Maggio and none else!!

Here baseball was famous in the '60 (my dad played 1st base in the Milan team winning 4/5 leagues and wearing national team jersey for a couple of years!!): the game-level was very good at that time (miles away frommlb standard however!!).

Nowdays Italy is still leading Europe with Holland and more recently Russia (!!!) but game lever is so low!!!

Unwatchable!!!

Tv coverage is just limited to mlb on paytv (thank God!!) and few minutes a month for the italian league (again thank God!!)

Jason last year gave newspaper something to talk different from soccer!!!

 

Simontacchi is not pitching well this season at all!!

Simply hope he can get better soon (but not tonight!!!!) and keep a very little piece of Italy in mlb!!

Ciao

Luca

 

LET'S GO FISH

DT's prediction: 3-2 Marlins

I think we light up Simontacchi, and Beckett pitches like he does against the Mets, and we KILL them.

 

My prediction: 8-3 Marlins over Cardinals

I think we get the sticks going tonight. My prediction is 9-5 marlins

2 K's for Beckett

 

Bot 1st 0-0

Marlins 6-4. Josh Beckett will be forced to pitch over 100 pitches. Torborg will have a thin bullpen since he will not want to put recently called up RP in a close game. Beckett will have pretty good stuff but, is facing the best lineup in the NL. He will pitch around some of the power in St. Louis lineup. May have 5 BBs. Though, I believe when getting behind in a count sometimes you are better off walking a power hitter than giving up a 2B or a HR. He will probably go 7+ give up 4 runs, 3 earned. Simontacchi will match his performance and then the St. Lou bullpen will lose it. Marlins really need this one.

3 up , 3 down..Marlins offense does nothing in the 1st

Top 3rd..0-0

 

Marlins have no hits yet....Bats are snoozing this series

Beckett has 5 K's thru 3

 

0-0 Bottom 3rd

 

No hits for Fish yet... :banghead

STILL NO HITS FOR FISH...

 

TOP 4th 0-0

CARDS 1 FLA 0

 

Bot 4th

 

No hits for Marlins off a guy with an ERA over 10 coming into this game...

Pierre walks, Castillo singles, Pudge grounds out, advances both runners

 

2nd and 3rd, 1out

Encarnacion lines out...

 

 

Pudge has been hitting quite a lot of ground outs lately

Lowell pops up...

 

Marlins FAIL TO SCORE with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 1 out...

 

:angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry :angry

PITCHING STATS

 

 

Josh Beckett

 

IP: 5

H: 3

R: 1

ER: 1

BB: 1

SO: 6

HR: 0

PC: 77 (51 for strikes)

ERA: 3.48

 

 

 

Jason Simontacchi

 

IP: 4

H: 1

R: 0

ER: 0

BB: 1

SO: 0

HR: 0

PC: 53 (35 for strikes)

ERA: 8.44

the Marlins have a habit of making crap pitchers look like all-stars.

Where is the offense again...

 

Typical, get near .500 and then play like crap and go on a major losing streak...Marlins are good at that

If the Marlins screw up again this year.. I think it's time to bring in new players... including a new manager...

Just great..throwing error by Beckett...2nd and 3rd, 1 out for the Cardinals..

 

Game over

 

 

Marlins offense is a no-show again...

Whoa..Beckett pitches out of jam..and Lowell Homers (#5)

 

2-1 Cards

Lee singles, Gonzo flies out...

 

 

Now would be a good time for a HR Hollandscrap

BANKS replaces Hollandsworth at the plate....

 

 

I'M STUNNED!!!!!!!!!

Torborg is learning! :arms