World Series Game 2: BMFS live blog, installation 1

First off, I don't think I crapped up yesterday's installments of the World Series live-bloggery with too much filigree (contrast to that clause), but it was still very lengthy. So, like Archie Bell, I'm going to tighten up on tonight's goings-on.

Because, y'know, brevity is... um... like, "wit", or something.

Just put a three-wood in Jimmy Rollins' hands -- that's how he's swinging the bat right now. Pop-up to second, and James Shields records the first out of the game.

Werth smashes one to Longoria at third, who boots it but recovers in time to get the out. Werth still looks pretty dialed in nonetheless.

We get a "Davey" Concepcion reference from McCarver... I wasn't expecting that without "Sweet Pea" Morgan in the booth. It's like the worst of all worlds.

Baseball Prospectus' player page for Shields still lists him as "Jamie Shields." That makes him appear much less intimidating than he appears so far. His command looks excellent.

And "Bad Redneck" Myers* starts it off by walking Aki Iwamura on five pitches.

*This actually comes from a feature on pitchforkmedia.com in which Stephen Malkmus -- an avid roto baseballer -- referred to Myers as a "bad redneck." Strangely, Malkmus seemed to be unaware at the time that Myers had (allegedly) beat the stuffing out of his very diminuntive wife on a crowded Boston streetcorner. In other words, he was already a "bad redneck" before that.

Single to right, which Werth kicks, allowing both runners to advance. Bad Redneck Myers -- let's reiterate this several more times, Timmy -- has a 9-run ERA in the first inning this season. Of course, he had a 6-run ERA overall before the All-Star Break.* This is one case where it might be acceptable to cherry-pick stats from the last two months of the season, as they're a better representation of Myers' pitching right now.

*Actually 5.84.

Rays 1-0 on a groundout. Runner on third, still one out.

Rays 2-0 on another groundout.

Howard fields a grounder cleanly and hauls it to the bag himself. There's something to build on.

And Howard makes contact! Oh, he smoked a curve ball to dead center! Over Upton's head, one hop and off the wall for a double. I told you that routine play at first base was something to build on.

(Howard is a notorious swing-tweaker -- he claims that his mechanics are never a finished product, even if he's hitting a homer every third at-bat. My advice to Howard: don't work on your hitting at all for a couple months this offseason. It doesn't help. Just leave it alone and work on defense like a madman. Field 900 grounders every day. Throw to second behind the runner 500 times a day. Keep doing this until you are confident that you know what you're doing in the field.

Howard's defensive issues are purely from the neck up. If Howard's lack of fielding prowess was a result of pure physical limitations, he would be so uncoordinated that he would be unable to drive an automobile.)

Burrell works a walk and the Phils get crackin' on (1) getting back those two runs and (2) getting Jamie's pitch count up.

Newest addition to the BMFS Shit List: Victorino hacks at the FIRST PITCH and pops it up.

Jamie voluntarily sacrifices the runners over for Victorino by throwing a wild pitch. Then he strikes out Greg Dobbs -- tonight's DH -- without Dobbs taking the bat off his shoulder. Two out.

Feliz's liner hangs up for Upton in center and the Phils squander another opportunity. I know I'm sitting in the self-same spot, doing the self-same thing, as I was at this time last night, but it feels like I never left.

Rocco Baldelli is up. Let's take a moment to learn about mitochondrial disorders.

Giving back the blown balk call: The home plate umpire calls Rocco Baldelli out on strikes, then the first base ump -- who was never asked for an appeal in the first place -- signals "no swing". Baldelli has now not struck out, and is invited back to the batters' box to continue the at-bat. This has never happened in the history of baseball. This is a grotesque miscarriage of the rules; it's WAY worse than the no-balk call from Game 1.

Baldelli, of course, gets an infield hit and the bases are loaded with one out. The worst calls always seem to be the most costly in the end. I am expecting a grand slam. I am absolutely fuming. If the Rays score in this inning, I'm shuttin' this motherfucker down and pouring a scotch.

Base hit from Upton and the Rays lead 3-0. Baldelli is cut down trying to score.

Yet again the Phillies find themselves on the business end of a historic misfortune.

Rays 2, Umps 1, Phils 0.

Now Buck says that Carlos Ruiz is from Venezuela. In the past 21 hours, no one has notified these idiots that Ruiz is from Panama?

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