The Angels Blogosphere is rampant today with claims of Mariano Rivera using a spitball. Many seem to suggest that this is how Rivera has been so successful over the years.
This douchebag takes screenshots of the game that suggest that Rivera spit directly on the ball. He goes on to suggest that FOX is in cahoots with Rivera.
Evidence offered: a "spit halo" on top of the baseball after it's been "spit upon":
Of course that's during the fade-in to Scioscia, where you can clearly see this "spit halo" is the fucking Magestic logo on Scioscia's jacket.
I would say this is pretty conclusive evidence of why Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera is able to throw only one pitch that has unpredictable, yet precise movement.
He has mastered the Angels so far in the ALCS but has Major League Baseball gotten a look at how he "warms up" for his appearance on the mound? You be the judge...
With a tie game in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees bring in Rivera.
After warming up, he has his back to home plate so the home plate ump can't see.
He looks down at the ball, then up to see if the 2nd base ump is watching.
He then looks back at the ball and appears to spit on it.
And when he tests clean for steroids they say he is not a cheater.
Total and complete nonsense. First of all, Rivera wouldn't look down at a baseball and drop spit directly from his mouth onto it. Secondly, he'd have to have been doing this for 15 years, and nobody noticed until now. Thirdly, baseballs get changed out so often, he'd have to do this 5-10 times per game.
Absolute nonsense, and even though the Angels won, total sour grapes by their fanbase.
By the way, here's a slowed-down video of the incident, which clearly shows the spit travels past Rivera's hand and the ball and travels to the ground. Funny that the Angels blogs decide to show misleading screenshots rather than the entire video:
Can people stop calling Mike Scioscia a genius now please for "using the running game" and "moving runners" and "putting pressure on the defense" and "playing small ball" and "not waiting for the 3 run homer"?
The Angels were eliminated last night because Scioscia tried to prove that he's smarter than everyone else.
You have a runner on third with one out and a 2-0 count in a tie game - an elimination game - in the 9th inning. A fly ball will score the go-ahead run and then you can bring in your closer to bring the series back home.
Under no circumstances should you attempt to run yourself out of the inning.
Besides a sac fly, a weak pop to left can bounce off that amominable wall out there to also score the run.
But remember, the genius is smarter than the rest of us. Scioscia won't get fired, but hopefully the media will stop cradling his scrote a little.
The local radio stations here in Southern California have been all over this completely unsubstantiated trade rumor for a couple of days now.
It involves Alex Rodriguez (of course) to the Angels, and Arte Moreno extending A-Rod's current deal by 3+ years.
Halos Heaven seems to believe there's more to it than just more idle spring musings, however:
After reheating the A-Rod to LAA rumor mill yesterday, what is shocking is that neither outlet is putting 2 and 2 together: Moseley is getting the start over Carrasco as part of an audition for a trade to the Yankees. Stoneman and Cashman have reportedly agreed on a three-tier wait-and-see:
1. Audition Moseley
2. See if the boo-birds flock on A-Rod and how Boras then responds to a trade proposal (as Rodriguez can ultimately veto it)
3. Assuage Boras by adding Jered Weaver to the deal, as WTY in Yankee Stadium = Visions of future big bucks to tempt Scott B.
4. Yankees get Weaver, Moseley and Jose Molina for A-Rod.
Dustin Moseley, Jose Molina and Jered Weaver? Well I can say I've heard (a lot) worse offers proposed, but as far as I can tell, none of those guys can play third base and the Yankees don't exactly have a ML-ready prospect to fill in. Cashman is waiting to see if people boo A-Rod in order to trade him? I can't possibly imagine Cashman ever doing business in that manner. Besides, the Angels are absolutely loaded with SS/3B prospects. If this deal were legitimate, you can bet one of them would be involved.
I really can't wait until the season begins, and we can put all of this trade nonsense behind us. Until July, at least.
