Not-So-Obnoxious Baseball Thread

I thought the first game of the series was a really good game. The second game, we couldn't hit a thing that Hellickson threw. He was on fire! Last night was a different story though. Last night we were pretty dang good.

 

Well, it looks like you can count SF out of the post-season. Offense just ain't getting it done, even with some amazing pitching like Vogelsong threw today.

*le sigh*

 

Well we are back at it today (texas v tampa bay). Hellickson threw yesterday, so you won't be seeing him again (he threw a complete game 4-hitter in 97 pitches!). Today you get Shields

 

Well it seems Shields pretty much took care of us too! Dammit!

 

So with tonight's loss, SF is officially out of the post-season...

 

How bout them Tigers?

 

Nice run they've been on. Didn't look too hungry yesterday though. Fister has been pitching awesome and held up the offense though. I know they are due for a 3 or 4 game swoon though. It would be nice to see if they can finish with a better record than whoever takes the West and get home field advantage over whoever get's the wild card. Some very interesting ball to be played yet.

 

Here's hoping they can keep it rolling and if they lose, at least lose a single game now and again. I know how you are feeling though. You got the gut instinct that says, "It's coming..." and then before you know it, it's a 4 game skid.

But they have been blowing out and pulling out close wins both. I'm so glad the rest of the pitchign staff has taken it up a notch and the hitters are connecting when they need to.

 

Well it's not so much a gut feeling as it is just how baseball play's out through a year. You are going to come into a time when fluke hit's happen, some role player goes on a hitting streak, the other team makes a couple great defensive play's... etc. Right now I am hoping the Indians go on a 3 game win streak against Texas. CWS have a losing record at home and are due to win a few games.. Avila needs a rest, that guy is a human ball magnet behind the plate.

 

Phillies. That is all.

 

Tigs are fantastic. Might want to have cabrera and verlander wear helmets outside the park, wouldn't want anything to happen to them.

Remember when Cleveland was so far ahead? Man, what happened there?

 

Phillies are a great team but I am rooting for the D'backs in the National league. Just because they Have Gibson as Manager with all his ties to Michigan. I always thought that the Tigers should have made Gibby the manager and Trammel the coach when they managed in Detroit. I'm glad to see a little vindication to my theory.

 

Tigers are really playing good ball right now. They are gonna screw the Rangers home field advantage if they keep it up. Although, we're still not out of the woods yet. Fairly easy schedule coming up, but still...For intensity and pure "nail-biting" baseball, it would be great to be tied with the Angels when we play the last 3 games of the year. But from a "stress" standpoint, I sure hope we have clinched it before then!

 

I don't know if anyone else saw the Tiger game tonight. I thought Verlander looked a little sharper . I know he appears to be a lock for the Cy Young but the last couple games he hasn't been in his earlier form. I liked his post game interview, he knows he has some work to do and I think he will be ready for the playoffs...Martinez was awesome again... when will teams learn not to walk Cabrera when Martinez is on deck?

 

Looks like the D'back's Ian Kennedy is out of it after letting 4 runs go in the first.

At least they still won. UNfortunately my Rays didn't, but the big series is coming up tomorrow. GO RAYS!

 

Wow...I'll be eating crow for thinking SF was completely out of it after tonight. Atlanta loses, AZ loses, we get 6 games in a row, as well as hit the magic 6 games back.

Anyone care to join the crow BBQ? (Bring beer.)

 

Phillies magic number is 1 game. Braves fall once again, but this time to the Mets. Clenched the playoff spot already, but what the hey, lets clench the division.

 

Rangers blew a chance to make it a 4.5 game lead last night. Oh well, the magic number is still 9. Our schedule is pretty easy, at least on paper!

 

Ok, magic number is 5, with 10 to play. I am feeling much better now. But won't completely relax until that magic number is down to zero.

 

On paper you got an easy schedule...5 games against the Mariners and 3 against the Athletics... but you never know with the expanded rosters, a pitcher is facing guy's he never saw or heard of. These new guy's will make defensive plays that are great or stupid. I'm not sure what is more dangerous a known or unknown. I am not a fan of the September expansion call up.

 

It should be an easy schedule, but you're right, you just never knkow. Good win last night. Magic number is 7 with 10 to play. I'm feeling pretty good right now.

 

Cardinals need a great final push. Still not out of it.

 

Same for Rays.

 

With another LAA loss last night we hold a 5 game lead with 9 to play. Three against Oak, 3 against Sea. We should be able to keep that lead! Then the last 3 against LAA may not matter at all!

 

Boston's doing their best to leave the door open for my Rays. We have only one more in the loss column than they, so with a little luck we will soon be in control of our own destiny.

Unfortunately, that destiny means plowing a path through 7 games with Yankees and 3 with Toronto. Argh.

 

Yeah well with the Phillies rolling over for them that certainly opened things up for them. What's up with that? They go into Milwaukee and put on a clinic, then in Philly they can't hit their way out of a paper bag? Grrrr. I don't think the Cards will catch the Crew, but I hope they don't catch the Braves, either. I don't want the Crew to have to deal with LaRussa in the postseason.

 

This is all so maddening. 2.5 out for the wildcard with an easy (well supposed to be easy) schedule for the last 9 games. We just might pull off the wildcard.

Don't worry Bernie, TLR will make 15 changes in a game were he needs to make 2 to "put his stamp on a game" and we will lose.

 

I've given up on catching the Brewers, did that awhile ago, but the Braves are clearly in our sights. The Cards are playing some determined baseball right now, let's hope it's enough.

 

If St. Louis wins out the Wild Card do we host the NL West assuming we have the better record? (I am a displaced Brewers fan...)

 

Wild card hosts 2 games if it goes 5 ....and they go against whoever (in the NL ...Phillies) has the best record in the leauge. Unless they are in the same division... example.. Boston , Tamps Bay, would not play Yankees in the first round.

 

If ATL gets the WC and MIL beat out ARZ it would be: ARZ @ PHL and ATL @ MIL.

If ATL gets the WC and ARZ beat out (or tie) MIL it would be: MIL @ PHL and ATL @ ARZ

If STL gets the WC and MIL beat out ARZ it would be: STL @ PHL and ARZ @ MIL.

If STL gets the WC and ARZ beat out (or tie) MIL it would be: STL @ PHL and MIL @ ARZ

 

That is what I thought, but wasn't positive. Great Run down, you deserve a beer!

 

After the day I have had, I think I deserve a few lol.

 

Especially after watching the Crew pi$$ another one away against the Chubs. Need to win three out of the last six at home. Can't hope for any help from the Cards,

 

If STL wins the division...if SFG wins the division..... it's not over till it's over.

 

Some AL East math: If Rays keep suckin', no chance.

 

It is certainly possible!

 

Sorry passedpawn... but the Ray's fan support really sucks...there are two reasons I root for Boston... the fans are great....and I fear the Redsox less then the Ray's pitching staff. It was embarrassing to watch the games when the Tigers were in town a couple weeks ago... no fan's in the stands and your team was the 3rd best in the leauge.... it sucks that they have to play in the East.

 

^ I am always amazed by how few people are in those stands when the Yankees play there. It's pretty sad. I've been to KC, which is like a no-mention team pretty much and the stadium was packed! Oddly enough, that game was against the Rays.

 

I see that the Tigers are going to pitch Fister tonight in relief instead of his normal start tomorrow... he can grab a couple innings.. this sets up the rotation for the AL playoffs, Verlander in the first game, Scherzer or Fister in the second..Good move Leyland.game starts in 20 minutes