NL Wild Card

[A Boy Named Seo]

I turned that damn game off in the top of the 9th when the Dodgers gave up 3 and looked dead. I'm watching the replay on FSW right now. Amazing.

[MFS62]

]Elsewhere: - Phils lost - Giants got stomped on by the Rox - Reds lose to the Astros - Braves win - and, oh yeah, the Marlins lost to someone

Anyone know for sure what the magic number is for the total elimination of the Braves from playoff contention?

Later

[Valadius]

It's 8 according to MLB.com.

[Frayed Knot]

Pads & Dodgers show (once again) how this "momentum" thing is usually a bunch of hooey.
Coming off their dramatic win Monday night, LA lays an egg vs the Pirates, while the Padres get a 3R HR from Mike Cameron and a non-dramatic save from Trevor Hoffman to drop the D'Backs and re-take 1st place by 1/2 game in the West.

- Philly beat the Cubs and are sitting 1 game behind the Dodgers for the WC lead.

The remainder of the teams are essentially on life support at this point:
- The Giants (4-1/2 games out of WC) dropped their 4th straight and have given up 32 runs to the Rox over the last 2 games
- Cincy (5) and Houston (6-1/2) have been knocking each other off for the last two nights
- Marlins (5) have dropped 4 straight
- and Atlanta (6) needs to go 7-3 over its last 11 games just to finish at .500

[Frayed Knot]

- Dodgers & Padres lose
- Phillies win and tie LA for WC lead
- SD leads NLWest by 1/2 game
- Giants 3-1/2 back of WC, Florida 4 out, Braves & Reds 5, Astros 5-1/2

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I wonder if the Giants can get back into this. They'll need a lot of luck.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Luck's name is "Bonds."

[Willets Point]

Frayed Knot wrote: - Phillies win and tie LA for WC lead

Go Phillies!

[Frayed Knot]

Dodgers finally tally a win (and Pitt finally loses), Padres win, Giants lose, Phils had the day off:


Padres lead the NLWest by 1.2 game
Cardinals lead the NLCentral by 6-1/2 (that's ovah!) and the Padres for better record by just 1/2


At the start of the day Friday:

TEAM	RECORD	PCT	GB
DODGERS	80 - 73	.523	---
PHILS	79 - 73	.520	1/2
MARLINS	76 - 77	.497	4
GIANTS	75 - 77	.493	4-1/2
BRAVES	75 - 78	.490	5
REDS	74 - 78	.487	5-1/2
ASTROS	74 - 78	.487	5-1/2

Remaining Games:

Padres: Pitt (3), @ StL (3), @ Arz (4)

Dodgers: Arz (3), @ Col (3), @ SF (3)

Phillies: Fla (3), @ Hou (1), @ Wash (3), @ Fla (3)

Marlins: @ Phil (3), Cin (3), Phil (3)

Giants: @ Mil (3), Arz (3), LA (3)

Reds: Cubs (4), @ Fla (3), @ Pitt (3)

Braves: @ Col (3), Mets (3), Hous (3)

Astros: StL (3), @ Phil (1), @ Pitt (3), @ Atl (3)

[MFS62]

Where will those last three games between Philly and Florida be played?

Later

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

MFS62 wrote: Where will those last three games between Philly and Florida be played?

In Miami.

[metirish]

Joe Girardi not returning to the Marlins?

] Marlins reportedly won't bring Girardi back Story Tools: Print Email Blog This FOXSports.com Posted: 2 hours ago Joe Girardi just might win the National League Manager of the Year award. But he is not likely to return for his second season as the Marlins' manager, according to a report in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The newspaper, citing an unnamed source close to the Marlins' front office, reported that Girardi's chances of returning to the team as its manager as "zero" on a scale of one to 10. "I don't think there is any chance," the source reportedly told the Sun-Sentinel. Girardi has two years left on his current contract and would be owed $1.5 million if he is not hired by another team But Dusty Baker could soon be fired as the Chicago Cubs manager. And Girardi, a Windy City native and Northwestern graduate, could be a strong candidate to replace him. The Marlins, meanwhile, have reportedly identified a few third base coaches who could emerge as candidates to become the Marlins' next manager: Fredi Gonzalez (Atlanta), Joey Cora (Chicago White Sox) and Manny Acta (New York Mets). Why is Girardi likely gone? He and owner Jeffrey Loria have had a frosty relationship this season. In fact, Girardi was nearly fired after an Aug. 6 game vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he and bench coach Gary Tuck reportedly scolded Loria for yelling at umpires from his field-level seat. Girardi and GM Larry Beinfest reportedly "barely speak." And they do not talk about team moves on a regular basis. "His introverted behavior and lack of people skills have caused most of the problems," the source said of Girardi, who spent one season as the Yankees' bench coach after a 15-year playing career. "Both sides are at fault." But the Sun-Sentinel's source says the Marlins' front office is pointing to some on-field decisions, which could lead to Girardi's firing. The source reportedly described Marlins management as "shocked" that Girardi (in a battle for a potential wild card berth) brought back rookie pitcher Josh Johnson after an 82-minute rain delay on September 12 against the New York Mets. Johnson, a right-hander, left the game four innings later with cramping in his forearm and was later lost for the season due to a strained ligament. Girardi also was criticized for inserting reserve outfielder Reggie Abercrombie as a defensive replacement in an 8-7 loss to the Braves on Sunday. Florida's 10th-inning collapse was aided by two Abercrombie errors that opened the door for a five-run inning. Despite these recent woes, the Marlins have emerged as one of the season's biggest surprises. With a payroll of just $15 million and 22 rookies, Girardi has the Marlins (still) battling for a playoff spot � four games behind the Dodgers in the NL wild card race with nine games left.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

If his chances are zero, they didn't really have to say it was on a scale of 1 to 10.

Zero out of 10 is the same as zero out of 3 or 0 out of 40,000.

[metirish]

We need to ask Mr.Zero about this.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Let's ask him ten times.

[Guest Edgy DC]

I'll say this for Joey People Skills, he hasn't played in three years and he still looks like a player in that dugout.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

Wow, if the Marlins sweep the Phillies, they're right back in it. Big time.

[metirish]

Clemens has apparently pitched his last inning again,in the game tonight he went to the mound for the top of the sixth then Garner came and took him out....on normal rest he should have a start next weekend in Atlanta but the guys in the booth are saying this could be it...but as Morgan says if he wins tonight he'll have 349 wins so 350 would be a nice number to go for.........

[Willets Point]

We should make a top ten list of Clemen's best last games ever.

[MFS62]

Willets Point wrote: We should make a top ten list of Clemen's best last games ever.

Let's let the fans of some other team do that.
But that was funny

Later