TWiB 9/4 - 9/10

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I'm not getting the game, but I read Wrigley's looking pretty empty tonight. Who wouldn't want to see the battle for the bottom of the NL Central?

[Guest Felonies!]

No he didn't. He was a mess, what with the weight gain, asthma and depression over a dead parent. He was never gonna get it together. I never wrote him in for me to be able to write him off. I wish him the best, though; maybe he'll flourish under the radar and closer to home in Oakland.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Jason Bay's already got four RBI and two homers in two at-bats. He can smell fifth place!

[CanadianChris 0]

The Yankees won in 1996 because Baltimore did them the favour of beating the Indians, who had the best shot at preventing New York from getting to the World Series, and because the Braves straight up choked.

 

They won in 2000 because they had the best top-to-bottom pitching staff in the majors.

In 1996, the Yankees were 9-3 against the Indians during the regular season. The Yankees always played well against the Indians during the mid to late 1990's. I honestly thought that if the Yankees had beat the Mariners in 1995 they would have beat the Indians in the ALCS. The only reason why the Yankees lost to the Indians in 1997 is because Rivera gave up a fluke homerun to Sanday Alomar Jr. in game 4.

I don't put much stock in the regular season. Regardless, the Indians would have given the Yankees a much sterner test than the Orioles did. This was basically the same team that went to the World Series the previous year, and should have WON the World Series the following year.

 

The 2000 Yankees were a very funny team. They had a horrible September and backed into the playoffs winning only 87 games for the season. That was by far the lowest victory total for any Yankee team during the Joe Torre era. Lets not forget that the A's had the Yankees on the ropes that year and the Yankees had to win a game 5 in Oakland.

There was only one other team that won more than 91 games that year, though, which was an odd occurrence. And that one team was the Chicago White Sox, which hadn't been to the playoffs in seven years and wouldn't be back for another five. There was no one team that was heavily favoured, and the Yankees rode their superior pitching to the title, which couldn't have been that unexpected at the start of the playoffs.

[Guest NYankees]

You make very valid points CC. It's just that I have watched so many games back in the 1990s that I feel that the Yankees would have beat the Indians in 1996. There was a reason why the Orioles beat them in what 4 games. I dont know if the 2000 Yankees were the odds on favorites due to them backing in the playoffs and having a horrible month of September.

 

 

Red Sox are playing the role of spoilers as they have beat the White Sox in the first 2 games. White Sox are in a bad little stretch after losing 2 out of 3 in KC and the Twins have taken the lead in the Wild Card.

 

It's funny how the Yankees make 4-10 pitchers with an era of 7 look like Cy Young this year.

[mike546 0]

Red Sox are playing the role of spoilers as they have beat the White Sox in the first 2 games. White Sox are in a bad little stretch after losing 2 out of 3 in KC and the Twins have taken the lead in the Wild Card.

 

The Sox are 4.5 (I think) out of the WC now. I wouldn't call them spoilers at this point, especailly with them getting everyone back now.

[CanadianChris 0]

Fuck the Jays' bullpen. Halladay leaves with a 2-1 lead after seven, and Gibbons falls asleep and leaves Accardo in to allow FIVE runs.

 

Halladay hasn't won a game since I bought his jersey at the Jays/A's game two weeks ago. Lovely.

[mike546 0]

The Yankees aren't making Del Rosa look like CY Young, their just hitting the ball right to fielders every AB. Their hitting every ball hard.

[Hawk 34 0]

The Reds game was short tonight, I believe exactly 2 hours. Which is probably the shortest game I've seen in awhile. Has a full game ever ended eariler then 90 minutes?

[Vampiro69 0]

With the Twins victory and the White Sox losing the Twins now have a 1 and a half game lead in the Wild Card.

[Vern Gagne 0]

3.5 behind Detroit. With a four game series at Minnesota coming up.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it took a lot of hard work and close to $100 million, but thanks to a Ryan Dumpster wild pitch, the Cubs have sole reign on last place and are on the verge of being swept by the Pirates for the second time in a week tomorrow.

 

EDIT: Wait for it; Gameday said Blanco made it an out, but now they're saying he's on first. Freddie Bynum's hitting, so this shouldn't take long.

 

EDIT II: There we go. Bynum K's and Torres K's the side. Fitting a Dusty Boy is the one to make the last out that puts the Cubbies at the bottom.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Probably the worst part about that is Dusty lifted Cedeno, who was 2-for-4, to bring in Bynum. Way to show faith in the youth in an ultimately meaningless game, dummy.

 

So now that they've got the Bucs out of the way, it's time to focus on those Royals.

[Vern Gagne 0]

Cubs would be in line for the 1st overall pick in the 2007 draft.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

We'd just draft another one of those toolsy players that always turn out so well for us.

[Bored 0]

Of course I will competely ignore my own advice when the A's finally have a bad week and let he Angels back within in five games.

....

 

A's drop first series in over a month and the Angels have now shaved three games off the lead in four days.

 

I'm calm.

 

I swear.

[strummer 0]

Weird note as the Mets have ended their relationship with AAA affiliate Norfolk Tides. The Tides had been the Mets AAA affiliate for the past 38 years

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Weird note as the Mets have ended their relationship with AAA affiliate Norfolk Tides. The Tides had been the Mets AAA affiliate for the past 38 years

The Phillies are leaving Northeast PA. There's an excellent chance that the Mets pick up the affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

[Guest Felonies!]

I said earlier that the Norfolk team would end up with Baltimore or Washington.

[CanadianChris 0]

I said earlier that the Norfolk team would end up with Baltimore or Washington.

The Phillies are taking over Baltimore's AAA team, so that would seem pretty likely.

[devo 0]

Didn't realize until about two minutes before the game was set to start that the Mets were playing a doubleheader today. A conventional one, no less. Six hours of Mets baseball on my day off...what could be better?

 

I'm really pleased with the Twins' recent success and hope they make the playoffs one way or another. I was hoping that the Twins would capture the AL Wild Card while the Reds took the NL's, but Cincy's chances look pretty bleak at this point. I'd be pretty happy with the Marlins taking that spot, though.

[naiwf 0]

Is anyone else beginning to sense that the Tigers might just be completing the biggest chokejob this side of the Yankees lead the Red Sox 3 games to 0?

[jwest27 0]

I wasn't expecting much from Preston Wilson, but holy crap he's been awesome so far. 2 run home run in the 9th inning to give the Cards the lead.

[jwest27 0]

You can't out-blownsave Izzy, Chad Cordero!

[Just John 0]

Is anyone else beginning to sense that the Tigers might just be completing the biggest chokejob this side of the Yankees lead the Red Sox 3 games to 0?

 

The Tigers doing roughly the same thing the White Sox did last year--Racking up lots of wins through mid-August, then slacking off down the stretch towards the playoffs. Only difference being the White Sox didn't have two capable teams chasing them last year.

 

It'll only be a choke if the Tigers don't make the playoffs.

[naiwf 0]

Is anyone else beginning to sense that the Tigers might just be completing the biggest chokejob this side of the Yankees lead the Red Sox 3 games to 0?

 

The Tigers doing roughly the same thing the White Sox did last year--Racking up lots of wins through mid-August, then slacking off down the stretch towards the playoffs. Only difference being the White Sox didn't have two capable teams chasing them last year.

 

It'll only be a choke if the Tigers don't make the playoffs.

 

With 7 road games down the stretch against the teams chasing them, that's a distinct possibility.

[Vampiro69 0]

We'd just draft another one of those toolsy players that always turn out so well for us.

 

Well since you will end up with a high draft pick maybe you can land another Prior. Lots of potential ruined by Dusty Baker's horrible coaching skills.

[naiwf 0]

Shawn Green just buried the Braves for the year today. 6 hits and 2 HR in today's doubleheader *thumbs up*

[Annabelle 0]

holy shit the tigers dont want to make the playoffs. and for me, i don't see too much hope in sight. now only a 3 game lead over the twins.

 

the fucking mariners are owning them. this bothers me more than it should. fuck.

 

leyland needs to stand up now. blast them hard. wake them up. they need it.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Tigers losing out would be FAR from the biggest choke of all time. It shouldn't even register really.