Kenny Albert Knows Dedication

Speaking from experience, I can say that pulling an all-nighter and not getting any sleep at all is better than only 2 hours of sleep. Hopefully for Kenny's sake, he was able to sneak in a nap or 2 before this afternoon's game otherwise he might find himself confused as to why Derrek Lee is playing for the Atlanta Braves.

Someone Tell Jon Miller The Puppet In This Disturbing Photo Is Not Bert Or Ernie

(Hat tip to the Twitter account of Jayson Werth's Beard)

Old School Live Blog: Phillies @ Cubs

It is a Friday afternoon, the Phillies are on, and I have nothing to do, so I figured why not put up an old-school AA-style live blog. The game is starting at 2:20 ET and can be locally on CSN Philly and CSN Chicago. For those out of market, you can take advantage of MLB Extra Innings' Free Preview week. I don't know about other cable outlets that carry it, but it should be 721 (CSN Philly feed) and 722 (CSN Chicago feeed) on DirecTV.

Joe Blanton (3-5, 6.41) and Ted Lilly (3-8, 4.08) are the starting pitchers. Translation: This game could set the season high for most runs scored in a game.

Good news for the Phillies: Chase Utley has had the cast removed from his thumb and should be able to resume baseball activities in 3 weeks. Placido Polanco can return to the Phillies as early as tomorrow or Sunday.

Live blog after the jump!

Soneone At ESPN Was Lacking A Brain Last Night

(Hat tip to Meech on Twitter)

Cubs Beer-Thrower: "I'm Sorry For What I Did"

Wow. What a night. First the announcement and confirmation that Michael Vick is indeed an Eagle (see below post) and now to cap off the other on-going story of the day in Philadelphia, the man identified as the beer-thrower at the Cubs game, Johnny Macchione, has apologized for throwing beer on the Flyin' Hawaiian. From the Chicago Breaking News Center

The Cubs fan believed to have thrown a beer on a Philadelphia Phillies outfielder during Wednesday's game was charged with two misdemeanors tonight after he turned himself in to Chicago police earlier in the day.

After bonding out, suspect Johnny Macchione of Bartlett said he was a Cubs fan and "I'm sorry for what I did. It was a mistake."

Macchione also apologized to Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino, his family, the Cubs and the club's fans.

"I'd like to apologize to Shane Victorino. It really was nothing against him," he said. "The Chicago Cubs, I'm sorry I disgraced you."

Macchione's face had been splashed all over the Internet and television today after the Cubs announced they had ejected the wrong man for the incident and were searching for the real culprit.

The Cubs and Victorino filed a formal complaint with the Chicago police following the incident. The 21-year-old Macchione, a college student, contacted police shortly after the announcement and said he wanted to come in to talk about the alleged battery.

"It's in their hands," Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney said of Chicago law enforcement.

Macchione has been charged with a count of battery and a count of illegal conduct within a sports facility, said Chicago Police News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.

And it all ends with a big hug! How nice! I know I've been all over the story like Basketbawful's roommate is with girls, but it's nice that we can all forget about the incident, law enforcement can do what needs to be done, and we can all move on with our lives.

Shane Victorino Has His Sights Set On Revenge

We all know about the now infamous beer throwing incident of last night, but there's another chapter yet to be written about it. Shane Victorino, not one to forgive and forget, is doing the right thing by filing a police report on the douche bag who spilled beer on him last night. From ESPN.com

A report for simple battery has been generated, and it's under investigation by Chicago police," CPD news affairs officer Michael Fitzpatrick said.

The Cubs will work with the police department to pursue the individual who threw the beer. The Cubs are utilizing all of their resources, including videotape of the incident.

"[The beer thrower is] probably at home laughing right now," Victorino said Thursday. "I just think he should be held accountable, that's it, nothing more than that. He should be held accountable, that's it ... but it is what it is. It's not like the first time I've seen it happen [at a ballpark]."

The Cubs talked to Victorino and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel after the game.

Cubs chairman Crane Kenney apologized in person to Victorino before the series finale. Cubs manager Lou Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry also offered apologies.

"That really ticked me off, to be honest with you," Hendry said Thursday on "The Waddle & Silvy" show on ESPN 1000. "There's no place for it. The Phillies are a good ballclub, and Shane's an outstanding player. It wouldn't matter who it is.

"You're risking a very dangerous thing here, if the beer splatters in his face and he misjudges that ball and it hits him in the head and broke his nose.

"It doesn't speak well for that man's behavior," Hendry continued. "We have great fans who come to the ballpark every day with a lot of enthusiasm, but something like that is inexcusable. We let Charlie Manuel and Shane know after the game we didn't think that was appropriate and certainly would look into pursuing whatever you could to sanction that kind of behavior for that young man in the future."

[....]

"If you think about how many years we've gone with no issues of any kind, including situations where we had our fans in some ways animated about our own players, or they weren't favorable towards them, [it's] an isolated instance," Kenney said. "We handled it the right way, we think, with the police.

"The Phillies have been great, we apologize to the Phillies. Shane's been terrific about it and he's cooperating, as we are with the CPD. We'll let them take it from here."

Kenney talked to Victorino about the incident.

"I said, 'Listen, sorry, it shouldn't have happened here. It's not a good reflection on our city or our organization and we're gonna do whatever we can to make sure that [the situation] is made right here.' He said, 'Listen, I know you are, and I appreciate your help.' "

Kenney said the fact the Cubs were losing 12-1 at the time was no excuse.

"It should never happen," he said. "I don't care if we're down 20-1. It's not right ever, and nothing excuses it."

Piniella also was unhappy with the incident.

"That shouldn't happen," Piniella said Wednesday. "It's not good sportsmanship. ... We apologize to Victorino and the Phillies for that."

It's about time we're going to see some accountability for douche bags like this at ball parks. And I would be just as happy if the jerkoff who shined a laser in the faces of Julio Lugo and Albert Pujols in Philadelphia get the same treatment, but sadly, it appears as if he got away as security never caught him and there's no video to find a guilty party as there is in this case. The point is, regardless of who it is, that kind of behavior is wrong and punishable by law, so why not do it. It's nice to see something a little more happening here than simple stadium justice which may not do a whole heck of a lot in the long run, whereas this might.

Shane Victorino, A Beer, And A Row Of Mostly Angry Cubs Fans

Victorino's been the center of quite a few controversies this week, although this one might be the funniest and the most memorable. I mentioned this story in the below open thread but it is definitley worth its own post. There is mega-idiocy, and then there is what you're about to see. A fly ball was hit deep to center and Victorino was there to make a catch when all of a sudden......



.....that beer came flying down from the front row and decked Shane Victorino! And while it was cut out of this video, the person who was initially escorted out by security was NOT the person who had in fact thrown the beer at Victorino. The person who did take the fall must have been pleading for his life as security came back down to that front row and immediately starting questioning the guy who did throw the beer, but he started instantly denying it (instant replay clearly showed this guy was guilty; something he obviously did not take into consideration when throwing the beer). And when everyone refused to point him out and when the guilty party would not admit his guilt, Chicago Cubs security made my day by escorting the WHOLE ROW out of the ballpark! And just because, it is fun to give faces to complete douche bags like this, thanks to Deadspin, you can now see for yourself, with the actual beer thrower and the guy who perpetrated this act clearly marked out by arrows courtesy of the aforementioned Deadspin.


Like I said numerous times before, all this was clear upon looking at a better quality replay. But alas, it must be said, stay classy, Cubs fans! Oh, and how about a 12-5 ass-whooping to go along with that?

Today Is Going To Be Quite The Day (Big Enough At Least That It Warrants This Open Thread)

Despite the fact that it appears that I am here online, I really am not. Even though you are seeing it now, at 1:00 PM ET, it is actually 12:54 AM ET and I am currently stuck in the hell hole known as the place that I work and chances are I am currently filing legal papers and am nowhere near a computer. Regardless, today is a big day for the sports world and should be one entertaining day. Therefore, even though I may only be here in the evening, I am setting up this open thread for not only do we have the United States looking to win it's first game ever at Estadio Azteca, but Pedro Martinez is making his pitching debut for the Phillies on ESPN. Yep, that's right, it's Pedro Martinez of the Philadelphia Phillies starting against former Notre Dame wide receiver Jeff Samardzija of the Chicago Cubs. Now there's a statement that 3 years ago I never thought I would say.

Your Mexico-U.S. soccer game will be on mun2 at 4:00 PM ET with Phil Schoen and Marcelo Balboa doing commentary.

Your Phils-Cubs baseball game will be on ESPN at 8:00 PM ET with (ironically, considering the above event and analyst) Dave O'Brien and Rick Sutcliffe on commentary.

Use this thread to document the action, leave Marcelo Balboa quotes, discuss the games, or just to scream "HOLY SHIT!" when something unbelieveable happens. Have a great time and maybe once I finish watching the United States and Mexico from my DVR without reading spoilers here, I'll join in for some convos about Martinez and Samardzija. This will (almost) be like the 2006 World Cup all over again; good times! Enjoy the games and leave comments!

Update: It may be poor quality and in Spanish, but for those that are not being fed mun2 and/or are watching baseball at this moment, here are your 1st half goals.



Update 2: For those who missed it, here is the game-winning goal for Mexico. And apparently it's brought to you by Piss Water, er, I mean Corona Beer. Yeah, that's it.

Song Of The Day: "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" By Sarge

Considering the Cubs tradition of having well known people occasionally sing Take Me Out To The Ball Game at Wrigley and that the Phillies are currently in town, there really is no better person to select to sing the song in the middle of the 7th than former Cub and Phillie and currently Phillies TV analyst for the 4th-6th innings, Gary "Sarge" Matthews. Ladies and gentlemen, accompanied by his grandson, here is Sarge singing "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" at Wrigley!



All things considered, it was not ear-piercing like I thought it would been, which illustrates more of my expectations than the actual performance by Sarge. At the same time though, I think that the kid is a much better singer than Sarge. He may have a future. As far as Sarge goes, I'd tell him not to quit his day job, but seeing as he's horrible at said job as an analyst, it really might be for the better if he decides to sing full time. Hey, you never know. After all, if Ashlee Simpson can get a song played all over the radio, anyone can do it.