This Week in Baseball 6/9 - 6/15

[naiwf 0]

If only they gave saves and victories when you were one out away from closing out the game. He blew a 2 run lead on Sunday and wasted Pelfrey's best performance ever. I'm so glad Wagner is the anchor of our bullpen considering what he contributes as a team leader on top of his fantastic ability to stop losing streaks.

[garfieldsnose 0]

Bet you were voting him to the All-Star Game a week ago.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

If only they gave saves and victories when you were one out away from closing out the game. He blew a 2 run lead on Sunday and wasted Pelfrey's best performance ever. I'm so glad Wagner is the anchor of our bullpen considering what he contributes as a team leader on top of his fantastic ability to stop losing streaks.

So do what do you attest these failures to?

[devo 0]

If the Mets could score runs properly, they wouldn't be in that position in the first place.

 

That's a little unfair considering they had Brandon Webb to deal with tonight, and that they scored six runs on the night of Wagner's last blown save.

 

Don't take that as defense of the "Billy Wagner sucks" position, since I'm still extremely glad he's this team's closer. With a lesser pitcher in that slot the Mets would be in an even worse position right now.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

wheelbarrow of horseshit

 

That made me laugh out loud.

[jwest27 0]

Yeah, I admit that was pretty funny. Especially since one of the guys that would probably fall under that category (Braden Looper) just threw a shutout.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Soriano has a fracture in his hand. Maybe this will mean Micah Hoffpauir getting called up to play left. More realistically, though, this probably means DeRosa in left and Fontenote at second. Or even worse, Johnson in left and Edmonds in center.

[naiwf 0]

Bet you were voting him to the All-Star Game a week ago.

 

Uh no. I have no faith in Wagner as a pitcher. If the game matters he will find a way to blow it. Until he proves otherwise he's just another guy who crumbles under pressure that cannot get it done in NY. He's also up there with Roger Clemens on top of the smarmy asshole meter for me.

[Guest Smues]

John Smoltz blew all his save opportunities this year. All one of them. Therefore I've decided he's a shitty closer. Hopefully the Mets think Wagner is useless too and trade him for a bag of magic beans.

 

Oh, and clearly him blowing saves is because he stole Rivera's closer music. Right?

[Brett Favre 0]

You can't deny that he hasn't exactly been Mr. Calm under pressure.

[Fartsauce 0]

I'm really getting tired of the Jays lack of offense. Marcum has another strong performance ruined by the no-bats. Really, if Roy Halladay demanded a trade tomorrow I wouldn't blame him. He deserves so much better.

[devo 0]

Well, a win's a win. Nice work, Carlos.

[naiwf 0]

John Smoltz blew all his save opportunities this year. All one of them. Therefore I've decided he's a shitty closer. Hopefully the Mets think Wagner is useless too and trade him for a bag of magic beans.

 

Oh, and clearly him blowing saves is because he stole Rivera's closer music. Right?

 

Smoltz had shoulder surgery this week, but during his career he has accumulated 200+ wins, 150+ saves, a Cy Young, a championship ring and a dominant postseason record. Wagner. . . throws real hard, and gets taken DEEP when someone catches up with it. The ratio at which said player smokes a Wagner offering goes up when the game matters. Anyone who disputes that obviously doesn't root for a team he has pitched on.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

You can't deny that he hasn't exactly been Mr. Calm under pressure.

If he's walking guys, that's crumbling under pressure. A two-strike home run isn't quite that. It's probably bad pitch selection. That I can understand, Wagner never seemed like the brightest bulb.

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

Yeah, I admit that was pretty funny. Especially since one of the guys that would probably fall under that category (Braden Looper) just threw a shutout.

Probably? He's on the cover of the book.

 

Soriano has a fracture in his hand. Maybe this will mean Micah Hoffpauir getting called up to play left. More realistically, though, this probably means DeRosa in left and Fontenote at second. Or even worse, Johnson in left and Edmonds in center.

I think Hoffpauir will be called back as soon as he's eligible, which he may be already; I'm not sure. I think Lou likes him more than Edmonds. Any scenario mentioned is adequate for at least a little while. Reed's due for a hot streak. I just hope he's not out for more than 40 games.

 

I bet they won't call up Felix Pie.

[TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0]

Billy Wagner did it again.

[Annabelle 0]

tigers sweep the central leading white sox.

 

verlander pitches complete game 4 hitter yesterday.

 

cabrera hits walk off homerun.

 

all is well in tigerland again

 

...for this series.

[naiwf 0]

Billy Wagner did it again.

 

Three in a row bay-bee!

 

The Mets starters now need to go 9 shutout innings if we want any chance to win games.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

What a bizarre game in Chicago. The black and white first two innings with limited camera angles and no replays, Lou letting Carlos hit with the tying run on second in the seventh and two outs, Jim Edmonds hitting the tying homer in the ninth and then the Cubs winning with a bases-loaded Reed Johnson HBP.

[Guest Vitamin X]

What the hell? Jim Edmonds hit the tying homer?

[Guest Epic Narcissism]

Yeah. Len channeled Jack Brickhouse for the call and everything. It was pretty sweet. Also, I liked the monochrome innings at the beginning of the game. Those camera angles weren't half bad.

[strummer 0]

The Mets and Braves almost having the same exact record is why baseball will forever be unfair. Looking at run differentials, the Braves have played *much*better.

[naiwf 0]

All that means is that the Braves are much worse at the close games (3-17 vs 6-8). If you guys could win games decided by a run you'd be right up there with Philly since you're 29-17 otherwise.

[strummer 0]

actually I'm a Met fan also and just pointing that out that as bad as they've played they still have the same record as the Braves

[naiwf 0]

That would make me feel better if Philly wasn't already going to be double digits up on both teams by the AS break. At least this season died a lot earlier than last year's did and there's not that punch to the gut then kick to the groin feeling about it.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Yeah. Len channeled Jack Brickhouse for the call and everything. It was pretty sweet. Also, I liked the monochrome innings at the beginning of the game. Those camera angles weren't half bad.

 

The camera angles were a nice touch, but I don't think I could've stayed with the game if they'd continued. The only reason I knew Frenchy homered was because Len said so. I saw the ball go off the bat and then I didn't see it again.

 

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Yeah. Len channeled Jack Brickhouse for the call and everything. It was pretty sweet. Also, I liked the monochrome innings at the beginning of the game. Those camera angles weren't half bad.

 

The camera angles were a nice touch, but I don't think I could've stayed with the game if they'd continued. The only reason I knew Frenchy homered was because Len said so. I saw the ball go off the bat and then I didn't see it again.

Was it a kind of technology throwback game? Some stations have done that as a gimmick, advancing the camera as the game goes on. I'd like to see it once.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

With Met fans in the toilet, Atlanta sinking, and the NL West in the pits, how likely does a Cardinals playoff appearance look?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Chris Coste is away from the team, celebrating the birth of a child. Jayson Werth, who last caught in 2002 with Syracuse, is the team's backup catcher for the time being.

[Guest Vitamin X]

With Met fans in the toilet, Atlanta sinking, and the NL West in the pits, how likely does a Cardinals playoff appearance look?

 

Let's see what happens when Chris Carpenter comes back, and if anything shakes up in the NL West. I think right now though, it looks pretty likely. It looks like it's going to be Philly, Chicago, Florida/St. Louis (can't forget the Marlins, even though I know you want to dismiss them already, they are 36-29, not that far from St. Louis, especially with Pujols out for a while), and then whoever comes out of the NL West.

 

And speaking of the NL West, it really is just about anyone's to win right now. I know it looks like they're way out of the division race, but the Rockies came out of nowhere last year also, and they've been playing much better as of late- hell they're 14 games below .500 and only 9.5 games behind Arizona for the division lead! Tulo and Barmes should be coming back before the All-Star break as well, hopefully, so that would be a huge boost since Spilboroughs and Stewart have played well in their place as well, giving them some much-needed depth.

 

I really, really hate the fucking D-Backs, so here's hoping L.A. or ColoRADo comes out instead.