This Week In Baseball: 9/22-9/30

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Ryan Dempster will start Game 1 for the Cubs. I'm fine with this, though I might have considered Harden for Game 1. I think either way, given the numbers this season, it was important to have Dempster start one of the first two games.

[Matt Young 0]

They print those for everybody.

 

To clear up any Twins/Sox confusion, if the Sox finish plus-minus half a game of the Twins, they make up the Detroit rainout on Monday as #162. If the outcome of that game results in a tie for first, then the Sox play the Twins on Tuesday in #163, in Chicago, where the Twins can't win. Then whoever wins that will fly to St. Petersburg to play the Rays. No rest for the wicked, huh.

 

I thoguht that if they tied in overall record, the Twins won the division based on a 10-8 head to head record against the Sox.

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

No, they only do that for division winner/wild card, like when the Yankees and Red Sox tied but both were in the playoffs so it was just semantics. The Central teams are playing for one spot, so they need to win it outright, even if that means a one-game playoff. It's hard to say if either team controls its destiny, so to speak: Minnesota can sweep Kansas City this weekend and still not clinch if the White Sox do the same to the Tribe.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Don't worry. Cleveland will win two out of three and it'll be a moot point.

[treble 0]

The Indians might not pitch Cliff Lee in that series, too, because he has a stiff neck. I think some Jays fans think this is some kind of ploy to make sure that Lee still wins the ERA title (although, I don't know how bad he'd have to be for Halladay to pass him).

[Matt Young 0]

No, they only do that for division winner/wild card, like when the Yankees and Red Sox tied but both were in the playoffs so it was just semantics. The Central teams are playing for one spot, so they need to win it outright, even if that means a one-game playoff. It's hard to say if either team controls its destiny, so to speak: Minnesota can sweep Kansas City this weekend and still not clinch if the White Sox do the same to the Tribe.

 

Thanks for clarifying. I guess that, horrible though they may be, there's hope for the Royals winning since they've had a really good September. It's very unlikely, of course, but it's a chance.

[jimmy no nose 0]

The Indians might not pitch Cliff Lee in that series, too, because he has a stiff neck. I think some Jays fans think this is some kind of ploy to make sure that Lee still wins the ERA title (although, I don't know how bad he'd have to be for Halladay to pass him).

He's in position where they could easily pull him before he reaches the point where he would be passed. I think he could actually give up as many as 5 runs without even getting an out and still win the ERA title in the AL. There's a bit more realistic shot he could fall behind Santana for the MLB lead, but even that wouldn't be considered likely.

[Matt Young 0]

Sox 4, Indians 3

Royals 4, twins 0

 

Both in the top of the 4th. Let's hope things keep going the way they're going in those games.

[Matt Young 0]

Despite the fact that a Jermaine Dye homer cut it to a 3 run deficit, the Sox seem determined to choke it away after giving up 6 in the top of the 5th. This would have been the perfect time to take advantage of the Twins' seemingly inevitable loss, as they are getting raped by the Royals.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

Why are you surprised? Cleveland always do well against White Sox, like Minnesota does.

[Matt Young 0]

Why are you surprised? Cleveland always do well against White Sox, like Minnesota does.

 

Not this year. The Sox are 10-5 vs. the Tribe.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

When Cleveland is on though, The Sox rarely beats them.

[CanadianChris 0]

Prince Fielder has to be the closest I've ever seen to a real-life Pedro Cerrano. "I cannot hit curveball. Straightball I hit it very much. Curveball, bats are afraid."

[devo 0]

I didn't think it was possible, but this team is actually giving me a distaste for baseball.

[naiwf 0]

Fuck the Mets. Fuck the Mets. Step right up and fuck the Mets.

[Brett Favre 0]

You got two games left. Chill.

[naiwf 0]

You got two games left. Chill.

 

You do realize that even if they win them both that doesn't guarantee them a spot in the playoffs as long as the Brewers win because we choked away a 3 1/2 game lead in about 2 weeks? Two years in a row of the same bullshit means I'm not coming back for a third with the same bunch of punks and chokers in a shiny new stadium. This team has no heart and still almost won 90 games which means that adding talent doesn't matter. They will ALWAYS find a way to lose.

[Brett Favre 0]

It's not the heart that's missing. It's their bullpen. Maybe this year Minaya will FINALLY realize that Aaron Heilman can't be the setup guy.

 

I was at yesterday's game. Cancel and Martinez got some hits and Church put some moves on the catcher to score. They're playing hard.

[jwest27 0]

You guys should acquire David Eckstein in the off season. I heard that dude's got like 30 goddamn hearts.

[garfieldsnose 0]

I want to know what changed from the 2006 Mets to the 2007 Mets and 2008 Mets? Is the bullpen ENTIRELY to blame? I haven't followed the team closely until the end of the last two seasons, so what exactly is different from 2006 NLCS Mets to today?

[naiwf 0]

A good team can win 6 of the final 10 and mathematically eliminate everyone chasing them for the WC when only 4 of those games are against playoff teams and the last SEVEN are at home. The Mets on the other hand have gone 3-5 and now possibly won't get in even if they end up winning the last two. This is the same team that found a way to complete the greatest collapse in the sport last year. The bullpen isn't responsible for them losing a bunch of games to the dregs of the division although if we had an adequate bullpen we would have 100 wins by now. They had men on 3rd and no out in 3 straight innings a couple of nights ago and couldn't lift a ball to the outfield, they got shut out by Odalis Perez and tonight they left another small village on base in the first two innings when the game was still in play. Even A-Rod laughs at the Mets and their inability to get a clutch hit/sac fly.

 

They need to get rid of Minaya and blow up the team already. The window is closed and it all started with Yadier Molina beating us in the 2006 NLCS. Only the Mets would find a way to lose that game after the Endy catch and considering the way the Tigers rolled over in the WS it was probably our best chance to win the championship since the late '80s.

[Bored 0]

TBS has picked up Marlins/Mets for Sunday but after tomorrow it might not mean anything.

[KingPK 0]

We're three outs away from "AL East Champion Tampa Bay Rays"

 

Wow.

 

EDIT: Fenway is so empty you can hear each individual catcall at the ump when the fans think a pitch is a strike.

Edited September 27, 2008 by KingPK

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I want to know what changed from the 2006 Mets to the 2007 Mets and 2008 Mets? Is the bullpen ENTIRELY to blame? I haven't followed the team closely until the end of the last two seasons, so what exactly is different from 2006 NLCS Mets to today?

 

Pretty much. If you check out the basic numbers, this year's team is actually on par or better than the 2006 Mets from an offensive standpoint. But if you look at the numbers for the relievers, you get an idea of the big difference. All of the relievers who made a significant amount of appearances in 2006 had ERAs in the twos or threes. This year's team has some threes, but mostly fours and up. The starting pitching in 2006 wasn't even that great. At a glance, it looks like this year's rotation might even be a bit better.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I want to know what changed from the 2006 Mets to the 2007 Mets and 2008 Mets? Is the bullpen ENTIRELY to blame? I haven't followed the team closely until the end of the last two seasons, so what exactly is different from 2006 NLCS Mets to today?

Technically it is the bullpen, but there are other factors at play. Last year they couldn't get their starting pitchers to go more than 5 innings, leaving them with too many innings from the back end relievers. It also managed to burn out their good relievers down the stretch. Any bullpen will look bad in this scenario.

 

This year the bullpen failed again, but it was because Wagner got hurt, Heilman lost his edge and the situational guys were shoved into roles they weren't equipped for. You cannot plan for that in the offseason.

 

I know every Mets fan wants Minaya's head, and I probably would too if I were a fan, but this isn't really his fault. Bullpens are the weakness of every team because relievers are just failed, shitty starting pitchers. They're erratic and unreliable. If you think some team's bullpen is good, it's only because they've managed to hide their flaws better than others. Trying to spend money to build a bullpen is a fool's errand.

[strummer 0]

The Mets are starting Johan Santana on 3 days rest on Saturday.

 

The Giants winning the Superbowl somewhat lessened the pain of this situation but I still almost curse the day I started rooting for this franchise

[jimmy no nose 0]

Assuming they don't get eliminated today the Mets plan to start Oliver Perez on 3 days rest. What in his history has made them believe that would be a good idea?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

My internet at the house went south, so I've been offline the last few days. No idea when that will come back on.

 

I'm heading to Philadelphia for today's game. Once again Jamie Moyer is the man who can clinch things. It may be an absolute disaster at the sports complex though. Flyers play at one, Temple at two and the Phillies at four. Of course this could have been avoided had the Phillies game started at seven. Thanks Fox!

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

Shouldn't have built a "sports complex." That whole thing looks like ass, even without Veterans Stadium.

[Mike wanna be 0]

Assuming they don't get eliminated today the Mets plan to start Oliver Perez on 3 days rest. What in his history has made them believe that would be a good idea?

The only other starting options, IIRC, would be Knight and "Maybe I dominate, maybe I suck" Niese. Or they could just throw the season and start Heilman, maybe this time it'll work.