This Week in Baseball 9/8 - 9/14

[the max 0]

Thanks to FSN: Florida for deciding to go with Marlins v. Phillies instead of an actual fight for first place in Rays v. Red Sox. Wouldn't want to see that, what am I thinking?

I'd rather Rays/Red Sox, but it's not like Phillies/Marlins is a nothing matchup.

 

I'm currently watching the game live on stupid gamecast. I'd rather watch a big 3 game series for the AL East lead than Phillies/Marlins where the Marlins are 8 games out. Especially since they always seem to do this. We have FSN: Florida and FSN: SunHD, two different channels, with the same feed of Phillies/Marlins.

Honestly, would you expect the SD and HD channels to show completely different programming?

 

My big screwjob comes this weekend. Fox has Phillies and Mets in separate matchups. I have Fox affiliates in New York City and Scranton available. Watch both pick up the same game.

 

They've done it before where the HD has the Marlins and the SD has the Rays.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

Thanks to FSN: Florida for deciding to go with Marlins v. Phillies instead of an actual fight for first place in Rays v. Red Sox. Wouldn't want to see that, what am I thinking?

I'd rather Rays/Red Sox, but it's not like Phillies/Marlins is a nothing matchup.

 

I think it's decided in advance though. ION (whatever that is) has tonight's game.

 

ION affiliates carry MLB? Here ION just has lame family type shows. They used to have the Wonder Years re-runs, not sure if they still do. Also, on the local cable here, their feed quality is just awful. Oh well.

 

 

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Oh, they also have Extenze infomercials. Those too.

[Guest דניא&#15]

ION affiliates carry MLB? Here ION just has lame family type shows. They used to have the Wonder Years re-runs, not sure if they still do. Also, on the local cable here, their feed quality is just awful. Oh well.

I think it's just St. Petersburg's ION affiliate carrying Rays games, not their network. I've wondered that too, because their website used to say that Devil Rays games were on PAX. They weren't. They should be using that station's call letters for television listings, not the affiliation. It's a bit misleading.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Those Reds are sure pesky now that they're out of the race. With that loss, the Phillies are now just three back of the Brewers in the Wild Card.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

That also means the Astros are only five out. They have a pretty soft schedule down the stretch, too. Man would that be awful.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Those Reds are sure pesky now that they're out of the race. With that loss, the Phillies are now just three back of the Brewers in the Wild Card.

That four game series this weekend sure looms large. Brewers @ Citizens Bank Park.

 

Last night they made a point that the Mets have two off days this week. That is true, but after Thursday the Mets have no days off the rest of the season. I think the point is a bit overwrought though. With 40 man rosters, there is no reason that players need to be overworked.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

That also means the Astros are only five out. They have a pretty soft schedule down the stretch, too. Man would that be awful.

Longshot, but if it happens columnists around the country need to line up and kiss Ed Wade's ass.

[naiwf 0]

Pudge and Hunter nearly got into a bit of a scrum at home plate and Pudge threw the bitchiest of slap attempts I've ever seen in a baseball game. The Angels don't need to get into this BS since they're actually going to the postseason and the Yankees aren't.

[Guest Smues]

Apparantly the new season of Frank TV starts in late October. Yeah, the post season is going to be painful to watch again this year.

[Posada20 0]

Pudge and Hunter nearly got into a bit of a scrum at home plate and Pudge threw the bitchiest of slap attempts I've ever seen in a baseball game. The Angels don't need to get into this BS since they're actually going to the postseason and the Yankees aren't.

 

Although Pudge's slap was bad the same could be said about Hunter, pushing someone from behind.

[naiwf 0]

That whole exchange was weak from Pudge's "elbow", to the pussy shove from behind by Hunter, and was then capped off by the slap attempt. I don't know why baseball players ever act like they're going to fight when it's pretty clear that 99% of them can't throw/take a punch anyway.

[sfaJack 0]

So John Smoltz says he's willing to pitch elsewhere next year. Any thoughts on where he might end up if the Braves don't want him back?

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

If he's cheap, the A's.

Maybe the Yankees. They could always use more pitching.

The Mets are going to need a temporary replacement for Wagner and Smoltz could fill that role.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'm headed to Scranton for Game One of the Governor's Cup playoffs tonight. Durham has top pitching prospect David Price on the mound.

[devo 0]

The Mets are going to need a temporary replacement for Wagner and Smoltz could fill that role.

 

That's not a bad idea. 'Course, Glavine might have gotten in his ear by now that people actually attend Mets games and they aren't exactly prone to forgiveness.

[jimmy no nose 0]

I knew the Angels had an enormous lead in the division and have most of the year, but I didn't realize their number was down to 2. An Angels win and a Rangers loss today (or any other day really) means the division is already officially theirs.

[NYU 0]

We don't need another pitcher coming fresh off surgery and not coming close to matching what he was before. Between Pedro and El Duque and Duaner Sanchez...I don't think I can stomach John Smoltz being added to the list for 2009. The Mets need to find a new closer in the market or, if necessary, try developing Brian Stokes in the closer spot for next year. He's already looking like he might have some crisp stuff that, with the right amount of work put in, could really pay off.

[treble 0]

I want to talk AL Cy Young.

 

Joe Sheehan has article up showing how the competition Roy Halladay has faced has been much better than Cliff Lee's. Basically saying that Lee has put his numbers up against lesser opponents than Halladay. Unless he implodes in the last few weeks (which looks unlikely, considering who he'll be starting against), Lee will probably win based on his W-L record, but I think too many people are overlooking Halladay because of that.

 

Or, of course, Dice-K.

[Smartly Pretty 0]

Aren't the Mets grooming Eddie Kunz to replace Billy Wagner? Fuentes and K-Rod both have sorta herky-jerky motions and want lots of money over a long time, I figure either one of those guys gives you one or two more lights out years and then breaks down. Just let Eddie Kunz start next year as the closer. If he can't do it, he can't do it, fine, Stokes can close or Ayala can close, or a different guy in the minors can close. Maybe they sign a guy like Joe Borowski as a Kunz backup plan.

[devo 0]

Wild game at Shea tonight. 7-7 in the bottom of the fourth with several lead changes - five of the Nationals runs came after a Tatis error which immediately summoned the presence of Meltdown Ollie.

[NYU 0]

Scott Boras can take his demands for a huge contract for Oliver Perez in the offseason and plead his case to the Yankees. The Mets need somebody way more consistent -- SEVEN earned runs to the Nationals in four innings?!

[garfieldsnose 0]

The NL East is stealing the show tonight. Two fucking crazy ass games.

[devo 0]

Carlos y Carlos go back to back - that's Delgado's second shot of the evening and his fourth in two days. Dude's just unstoppable right now.

[Cartman 0]

I want to talk AL Cy Young.

 

Joe Sheehan has article up showing how the competition Roy Halladay has faced has been much better than Cliff Lee's. Basically saying that Lee has put his numbers up against lesser opponents than Halladay. Unless he implodes in the last few weeks (which looks unlikely, considering who he'll be starting against), Lee will probably win based on his W-L record, but I think too many people are overlooking Halladay because of that.

 

Or, of course, Dice-K.

Dice-K isn't even the second best Starter on his team...

 

Yes I know his numbers are better than Lester and Beckett but let's be real.

[jimmy no nose 0]

Dan Johnson's big year at Durham carried on over to his first at bat as a Ray. Huge homer to tie things in the 9th.

[UZI Suicide 0]

The Dodgers deserve to lose tonight for starting fucking Andruw Jones.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Get ready for another Czech rant. Cards have the winning run at second (courtesy of a balk) with no outs. Cubs are content to never score more than three runs in a game, apparently.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I'll be with Czech on this one. Losing a game in the ninth on a fucking CHECK SWING from Cesar god damn Izturis.

[treble 0]

So, the Jays win their 10th in a row and with the Boston loss are 7 back in the wild card. The only reason they even really have a pulse right now is that they have 7 games left against the Red Sox, but they probably need to win at least 6 of them to have any sort of shot at catching them for the wild card. Oh well, considering how shitty things looked in June, I guess I'll take it.