All-Purpose 2005 Stretch-Run Thread

[Guest Edgy DC]

How about the Marlins heading into the ninth the other day with a 2-0 win and giving up four errors and ten runs in the ninth?

How about them coming back and winning the next day?

[Guest sharpie]

How bout those seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" winning every day.

[smg58]

I don't want to think about what would have happened if the Mets did something like that in Shea Stadium.

Is Ensberg coming back for Houston? He's critical to the Astros' chances.

[smg58]

sharpie wrote: How bout those seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians" winning every day.

I'd love to see Cleveland beat the Yankees out of a playoff spot. Once again though, we're reduced to taking solace in the Yankees' misfortune.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

If the Yankees fail to reach the playoffs, I'll consider this a successful season.

[Guest Edgy DC]

The Mets have already exceeded last season's win total. If I have to give an underwhelming nod to this modest accomplishment, and offer interested attention to the rest of the league, while still rooting for the Mets to win out the rest of the run, I can do that.

Go Indians. I knew that Juan Gonzalez deal would pay off for them.

[Frayed Knot]

One previously unforseen snag in the Indian run is that they still have 6 remaining w/the reeling ChiSox - so if Cleveland continues to run the table it will automatically push the Pale Hose down to the Yanx's level giving them one more option to beat out for the WC.
In August the ChiSox had a 15 game lead on the seriously, I just used a racist word when I really meant "Guardians". It's down to 3-1/2 now.

The two remaining teams in the West look like they're going to fight it out amongst themselves and not affect the WC race at all. They have 3 heads-up games left - at Oakland - in the penultimate series of the season.

[Guest Edgy DC]

If the White Sox go down, will their fans surpass those of the Red Sox and their crosstown rivals as America's loveable enduring saps?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I was wondering just how much the Mets September swoon has cost them.

The Mets, so far in September, are 4-13. What if, however, they had gone 10-7 during those 17 games? That wouldn't have been a red hot pace by any means. It would have been roughly the rate at which they won in August.

Of course, to see how the standings would have been affected, I had to decide how the Mets' extra six September wins would have been distributed.

Here's how they actually played against their opponents in September:

PHL 0-1
FLA 1-2
ATL 2-4
STL 1-3
WAS 0-3


It wouldn't have been unreasonable for them to have had these results instead:

PHL 1-0
FLA 2-1
ATL 3-3
STL 2-2
WAS 2-1


If that had happened the standings, instead of looking like this:

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Atlanta	85	65	.567	-
Philadelphia	80	70	.533	5
Florida	79	71	.527	6
Washington	77	73	.513	8
New York	73	76	.490	11.5

WILD CARD

Houston	81	68	.544	-
Philadelphia	80	70	.533	1.5
Florida	79	71	.527	2.5
Washington	77	73	.513	4.5
Chicago	74	76	.493	7.5
New York	73	76	.490	8
Milwaukee	73	76	.490	8

Would have looked like this:

NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST

Atlanta	84	66	.560	-
New York	79	70	.530	4.5
Philadelphia	79	71	.527	5
Florida	78	72	.520	6
Washington	75	75	.500	9

WILD CARD

Houston	81	68	.544	-
New York	79	70	.530	2
Philadelphia	79	71	.527	2.5
Florida	78	72	.520	3.5
Washington	75	75	.500	6.5
Chicago	74	76	.493	7.5
Milwaukee	73	76	.490	8

Much more promising, to be sure, but still a tough road ahead, with the Mets needing to gain two games on Houston over the last two weeks.

So that, for what it's worth, is more or less the cost of the September swoon.

[Guest sharpie]

What hurts more, a September swoon or an August swoon?

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I'd rather it happen in September, if it has to happen at all. That way, at least you get to enjoy August.

An August filled with meaningless games is pretty dismal.

[Elster88]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: I'd rather it happen in September, if it has to happen at all. That way, at least you get to enjoy August. An August filled with meaningless games is pretty dismal.

Me, too. Then September sucks too, if in a less painful way.
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This post had the designation 151) Glendon Rusch

[Guest Rotblatt]

I agree. I'd much rather have a September fade.

I'd like us to finish the season at .500. It's ambitious (we need to go 9-4 over the rest of the season) but it's doable.

7 of them are at home, where we have a .580 W%, and of those game, 4 are against a team with .324 Away W%. Our series in Philadelphia & Washington are going to be tougher, but Washington STILL isn't a very good team and we've played well against the Phillies this year (9-6).

[Guest sharpie]

I'm with you, Rotblatt. .500 or bust.

[Frayed Knot]

- Yanx beat O's on a walk-off by Bubba Freakin Crosby

- BoSox lose to DevilDogs as fat Wells doesn't survive the 3rd.
Craig Hansen - St John's RP & 1st round pick - makes his ML debut w/a scoreless 6th (2 Ks)

- Cleveland notches 2 in the 8th plus 1 in the 9th for a 7-5 lead over the ChiSox. Bob Wickman trying to close out bottom 9 ... and Konerko pops out w/2 on to end the game.

- Oakland leading 5-0 in the 5th over Mini-soda



- Astros & Clemens (5.2 IPs, 6R, 4 ER) get smacked by the Pyroots (on talk like a pirate day)

- Sandy Eggo trying to maintain a .500 record leads the Rox by 1 heading to the 9th

[Valadius]

Well, we already improved on last year.

[Guest sharpie]

]Well, we already improved on last year.

Which was an improvement on the year before. WWSB has bested Art Howe.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Baltimore coming back in the Bronx, now down 10-6 at the stretch.

Boston up 15-2 on Tampa Bay. McClung was McHung for seven rus in two innings. Even more thrilling for Boston is that Schilling went seven, with seven strikeouts.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

="Edgy DC"]Baltimore coming back in the Bronx, now down 10-6 at the stretch. Boston up 15-2 on Tampa Bay. McClung was McHung for seven rus in two innings. Even more thrilling for Boston is that Schilling went seven, with seven strikeouts.

One of Tampa's only 2 runs, another Cantu home run.
Talk about someone who's been flying under the radar in Tampa Bay. 23 year old 2B, hitting .290 with now 27 home runs and 109 RBI. He's been insane. Absolutely incredible.

[Guest Edgy DC]

They've never really had anybody like that either.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Edgy DC wrote: They've never really had anybody like that either.

Its almost frustrating watching that franchise knowing that if they'd just make a couple of moves for actual big leauge talent, whether it be FA or a trade, they could actually look like a team. Cantu, Lugo, Gomes, Kazmir (argh!), Baez, Crawford, with Delmon Young destroying the minors. How can you NOT try to add a few vets to that and let them play. Its inexplicably cheap.

[Guest OlerudOwned]

Pads gave up 15 runs in the first 3 innings at Colorado, and the Gigantors won in Washington (Bonds and Alou homered). Hopefully there will at least wind up being a tight race out there to make up for the godawful collective suckiness.

[Frayed Knot]

Cleveland scores in the top of the 9th to tie it.
ChiSox load the bases in their half but Juan Uribe flies out and we're going to the 10th.

[Frayed Knot]

Joe Crede hRs in the bottom of the 10th and the Sox temporarily halt their slide.

[smg58]

]Its almost frustrating watching that franchise knowing that if they'd just make a couple of moves for actual big leauge talent, whether it be FA or a trade, they could actually look like a team. Cantu, Lugo, Gomes, Kazmir (argh!), Baez, Crawford, with Delmon Young destroying the minors. How can you NOT try to add a few vets to that and let them play. Its inexplicably cheap.

They have enough talent that filling their big holes with even serviceable players would make them very competitive over the next couple of years. I don't think it was dumb holding onto guys they still have control over for next year unless somebody gives up their best prospect (hell, the strategy worked once before). Huff is perfectly capable of bouncing back, and Baez is a solid closer. Getting a couple of adequate starting pitchers could make them .500 next year, and that shouldn't be too hard to do.

[Elster88]

I'd really like to watch that last weekend series between Boston and the Yanks, but Dish network doesn't get YES. I'm hoping they put them on ESPN or something.
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This post had the designation 149) Willie Mays

[Frayed Knot]

The Saturday game will be a day game on FOX, and Friday night probably on NYC's channel 9 (most Friday NYY games have been).

For Sunday's game you're likely SOL without YES or NESN. By then that game could either be for all the marbles or totally meaningless.

[Elster88]

If that game means something I'm hoping one of the ESPN channels will pick it up.
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This post had the designation 148) George Stone

[Guest sharpie]

What, and cut in to one of their football analysis shows?

[Guest Edgy DC]

FX Healy is reporting that Lou Pinella is going to accept a buyout offer from the Devil Rays at the end of the season.