Brandon Inge, What?

The original plan was for no posts today, since the mood yesterday's game put me in made me question a couple things. First off, why was I really upset about a game in April? And second, do I care too much? Of course, the answers were "Because they got their asses beat" and "Hell no", respectively.

Basically, what I'm having here is an Al Pacino in The Godfather III (which never happened) type of moment- once I think I'm out, they pulllllll me back in. It's hard to not say anything when your team, once again, fights off a sweep (at home, no less) on some big hits late in ball games.

Brandon Inge came through today like he hasn't since Game Two of the ALCS last year. Granted, that's only like 30 games, but either way, it's definitely his biggest game of the season so far. Absolutely one of the weakest home runs ever, but thank God for the bullpen fences. Maybe this will give him a spark so he can get up above the Mendoza line some time in the month of May, which be a great shock and surprise to all of us who have watched him over the first part of the season so far.

Mike Maroth pitched a pretty good game today, especially countering Johan Santana. He went run for run with him and got the quality start and no-decision. After my (maybe unwarranted) worries the other night about the bullpen virus getting to Joel Zumaya, he comes out and gets out of the jam Maroth left with in the sixth, leaving after allowing a triple. Sure, Zoomer walked the first guy but after that it was four straight outs to hand the game over to Todd Jones, who pitched a spotless ninth.

For those of you still on the Magglio watch, another big game for him. Homering the opposite way to drive in Gary Sheffield in the third (who is really starting to come around, he's already up to .193!) and going 2-3 on the day. Marcus Thames also had a big day, playing most of the game at first base and homering to make it 3-2 in the fourth.

The View From The Light Tower would also like to send its condolences to the family of Josh Hancock, the St. Louis Cardinals reliever who was killed today in a car crash. It's sad to see anyone from the baseball family go, let alone someone who was just entering the prime of their career and had so much ahead of them. My thoughts are with the Hancock family.