MLB Thread menage a trois: The Stretch Run

[phillyfan26]

Good lord. The white sox bullpen is horrific.

The Phillies bullpen for 9 innings vs. the White Sox pen for 9 ... final score 53-52.

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

^ That sounds about right.

the only guy I remotely trust is Thornton. MacDougal is okay too but the rest just frighten me.

I was at the game friday night and wanted to:

a.) punch Bobby Jenks in the face

b.)kick Ozzie in the balls for not going to get him after the second double AND after AJ looked to the dugout twice, once after warm-up and after the second double.

c.)Kiss AJ when he hit the walk off HR. I was at the Dodger game last year when he did the same thing.

 

[Numb1075]

man, those Tigers are sinking fast.

 

[pub crawler]

See you next year is right, cause the Angels have not been in contention since March. At leats the Sox were competetive through July.

Actually, from July 1st through present, the Angels have the best record in baseball. So, I'd say they're slightly competetive. Slightly.

The Sox are without a little more than Manny and Ortiz currently:
Manny
Ortiz
Varitek
Wakefield
Nixon
Wily Mo Pena
Lester
Clement
Gonzalez


Lets see how the Angels perform without Guerrero, Anderson, Cabrera, Salmon, Erstad, Napoli, Colon, Escobar and Santana. [/B]

Anderson has been playing injured all year and only got productive a month ago. He's dh'ing a lot 'cause he can barely walk.

Orlando Cabrera is playing with a hand injury. His average has dropped.

Salmon has a reconstructed body, is past his prime and has hardly played this year.

Erstad has been injured most of the season, has bone spurs and is only used as a late-inning defensive replacement.

Colon is done till sometime next year.

Oh, and most significantly, the guy who was supposed to be starting at 1st and who was going to provide consistent defense and hit for power and average -- Casey Kotchman -- has been out all year.

Yep, injuries are a bitch.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

"Don't get me wrong -- [Jeter's] a great player, having a great season, but he's got a lot of guys in that lineup ... Come hit in this lineup, see how good you can be."
-David Ortiz

Come hin in a lineup without the greatest RBI man many of us will ever see hitting directly behind you, see how good you can be."
-Headache in a Suitcase

 

[Numb1075]

I liked Jeter's response to Big Papi: Something to the effect of "I'm not concerned w/ the MVP choices. We're here to win the world series"

Zing that Big Poopi !

 

[Hewson]

I think Ortiz is getting a bit frustrated that last year he was denied the MVP cause he's a DH and this year, the team's fall from contention will cost him the award, whereas he was a lock on Augst 1 if the season had ended.

In each case its really through no fault of his own.

That being said, as a Red Sox fan, I'll say this: Stop squawking about the damn MVP award and do your job.

 

[phanan]

Speaking out about it certainly doesn't help his cause.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

ding dong, the braves are dead... officialy eliminated from division title contention last night with the mets victory over the marlins.


a look back, courtesy espn.com

1991 The Braves win the NL West by one game over the Dodgers, becoming the first team in NL history to go from worst to first. Terry Pendleton is named MVP. Glavine wins the Cy Young Award. Cox is manager of the year. The Braves beat Pittsburgh in the NLCS and lose to Minnesota in World Series.

1992 In last place on May 27, the Braves finish the season with a 78-37 run to beat Cincinnati by eight games for their second straight NL West title. The beat Pittsburgh in the NLCS on Francisco Cabrera's two-out, two-run single in the ninth inning of Game 7. They lose to Toronto in the World Series.

1993 The Braves rally from 10 games down on July 22 to beat San Francisco. Atlanta goes 54-19 after the All-Star break, finishes with 104 wins and edges the Giants on the last day of the season by a single game. Maddux wins his second straight Cy Young in his first year with the Braves. The team draws a franchise record of nearly 3.9 million, but the season ends with an upset loss to Philadelphia in the NLCS.

1994 The Braves move to the NL East as part of baseball's realignment to three divisions. Six games behind Montreal when a strike wipes out the season Aug. 12. Kent Mercker pitches a no-hitter. Maddux wins his third straight Cy Young, second in Atlanta. Fred McGriff is the All-Star Game MVP.

1995 The Braves cruise to their first NL East title by 21 games over the Mets. Maddux claims his fourth straight Cy Young Award. The Braves defeat Cleveland in six games to win the first World Series title in Atlanta history. Glavine was named World Series MVP, combining with Wohlers on a one-hitter in the deciding Game 6.

1996 The Braves become the first NL team to win five straight division titles, winning the NL East by eight games over Montreal. Smoltz goes 24-8 to give Atlanta its fourth straight Cy Young winner and fifth in six years. Mark Wohlers sets a team record with 39 saves. The Braves lose the World Series to New York after winning the first two games at Yankee Stadium.

1997 Moving from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to Turner Field, the Braves win their sixth straight division title to break the major-league record. They finish nine games ahead of Florida. Denny Neagle wins 20 games, and the top four starters all finish among top 10 in NL ERA. After beating the Marlins easily during the regular season, Atlanta loses to the wild-card winner in the NLCS.

1998 The Braves set a franchise record with 106 wins and win the NL East by 18 games over the Mets. Free-agent signee Galarraga leads the offense with 44 HRs, 121 RBI. Andruw Jones becomes youngest 20 homer-20 steal player in baseball history and wins his first of eight straight Gold Gloves. All five starting pitchers win at least 16 games. Glavine leads the league with 20 wins and wins his second Cy Young. The Braves lose to San Diego in the NLCS.

1999 Chipper Jones captures the MVP as the Braves win the NL East by 6½ games over New York, breaking up a close race by winning five of six against the Mets in late September. Jones hits .319 with 45 HRs, 100 RBI. After beating the wild-card Mets in a thrilling NLCS, the Braves are swept by the Yankees in the World Series.

2000 Andres Galarraga returns after missing a year because of cancer and hits 28 HRs with 100 RBI. Furcal makes the jump from Class A to win rookie of the year. Tom Glavine leads the NL with 21 wins as the Braves win the NL East by one game over New York. But Atlanta is swept by St. Louis in the division series, and the wild-card Mets go on to play in the World Series.

2001 Atlanta becomes the first team in professional sports history to win 10 straight division titles. Winning only 88 games, the Braves hold off Philadelphia by two games in the East, clinching on the final weekend. Maddux sets the NL record by not allowing a walk over 72 1/3 innings. Smoltz moves to bullpen late in the season after missing all of 2000 following elbow surgery. Atlanta loses to Arizona in the NLCS.

2002 After two close calls, the Braves run away with the East by 19 games over Montreal. They clinch the title on Sept. 9, the third-earliest date since division play began in 1969. Smoltz converts 55 saves in his first full season as closer to set NL record. Sheffield sets a team record by reaching base in 52 straight games. The Braves are eliminated in division series by Barry Bonds and the Giants.

2003 The Braves take the East by 10 games over Florida and set numerous offensive records in the process, scoring 907 runs and hitting 235 homers. Six players hit 20 homers, led by Lopez with 43. Sheffield, with 132, leads four players with 100 RBI. Five players score 100 runs, including Rafael Furcal with 130. Russ Ortiz wins 21 games and Maddux becomes the first pitcher with at least 15 wins in 16 consecutive seasons. For the second straight year, the Braves are knocked out in division series, this time by the Cubs.

2004 The Braves win the NL East by eight games over Philadelphia despite losing Javy Lopez, Greg Maddux, Gary Sheffield and Vinny Castilla as free agents. Cox is named manager of the year for the second time. It's another quick exit in the playoffs as the Braves lose the division series to Houston.

2005 Using 18 rookies, including 12 making their big-league debut, the Braves pull out their 14th straight division title by two games over Philadelphia. Andruw Jones finishes second in MVP balloting with 51 HRs and 128 RBI. John Smoltz returns to the starting rotation. Bobby Cox wins another manager of the year award. The Braves lose in the first round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year, falling to Houston in 18-inning final game, the longest in postseason history.

so where does the braves run go down in sports history? will they be rememebered for the amazing 14 straight titles? or will they go down as the buffalo bills of baseball, great regular season success, unable to get the job done when it matters most?

 

[Hewson]

Since they did win one WS, they won't be the BaseBills, but theye certainly will be remembered for not winning enough titles during the run.

 

[Numb1075]

Da Bills

 

[Numb1075]

Headache, who is your #3 starter for the Mets in the post season?

I give it to Maine. Trachsel won't be any good coming out of the bullpen being a creature of habit and taking too long to warm up. I say we don't need him then.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

that's easy...

12-3 with a 2.55 era in his post-season career.


maine vs. trachsel as a 4th starter is up for debate... maine has been better, but trachsel, as you said, would be awful out of the bullpen because he takes so long to get warmed up.

if they are both on the roster, then it would depend on matchups and situations IMO.

i don't like to leave a guy who's been there all year off the post-season roster, but if i were willie i'd probably lean towards leaving trachsel off the roster in favor of roberto hernandez

 

[Numb1075]

You are correct. El Duque will earn a spot in the rotation. And yes, he has been clutch in his post season career. But for some reason, he scares me this year. He's either lights out or gets bombed.

 

[Numb1075]

ESPN.com has him at age 36 but baseball-reference.com has him turning 41 this October.

 

[Hewson]

Liriano left his start today for the Twinkies with more elbow issues.

 

[Numb1075]

that does not sound good for the Twinkies chances for post season birth.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You are correct. El Duque will earn a spot in the rotation. And yes, he has been clutch in his post season career. But for some reason, he scares me this year. He's either lights out or gets bombed.

i think he knows that he's only got so many innings left in his arm and tends to just show up in the big spot.

until further notice, his post-season resume' speaks for it's self

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

minnesota should have brought him out of the bullpen first and not rushed him back into the rotation... bring him back slow.

they've been without him for almost a month now and haven't tailed off yet... i don't think it'll be that big a let down. they have to be shaking in their panties about his future, though.

 

[Numb1075]

panty shaking


I think w/ a healthy Liriano, Santana, and Radke, the Twinkies would make some noise in the playoffs.

 

[popacrobat]

the twins will make noise in the playoffs regardless since they will have a chance to dominate two games of a five game series with santana being able to go twice- should they make it.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the twins will make noise in the playoffs regardless since they will have a chance to dominate two games of a five game series with santana being able to go twice- should they make it.

unless they play the yankees... who've had santana's number in the playoffs.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

bah... fucking braves can't do anything right.

guess the NL East coorination cermony will have to wait at least one more night.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

liriano = done for the season

 

[Numb1075]

let's bring the champaigne to Pittsburgh.

Nice come back win against a really scrappy Marlins team.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

phillies play tonight against atlanta... they best loose.

the mets play pittsburgh tommorow at 7:05, and philly is in houston at 8:05... i want a win to clinch it not a loss later in the night, darn it

lol... i was 7 going on 8 the last time the mets won the division. cut me some slack.

 

[Numb1075]

Francisco Liriano's MRI shows no new structural damage to his left elbow, two sources told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Liriano's MRI results were very similar to the results from early August, which showed a mild tear of his ulnar collateral ligament.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

one more game

 

[zoney!]

I think w/ a healthy Liriano, Santana, and Radke, the Twinkies would make some noise in the playoffs.

You forgot Boof Bonser

 

[Hewson]

Wasn't there a movie in the 50's starring Ronald Reagan and a chimp: "Bonzo goes to the Metrodome?"