NL Wild Card Scrum

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

For news and notes and opinions and shit on the NL Wild card race.

This morning (9-10):

Leader. San Diego*
1. Philly 2 GB
2. Los Angeles 2.5 GB
3. Colorado 3 GB
4. Atlanta 4.5 GB
5. Chicago* 5 GB

* -SanDiego is 3 GB of the NL West lead (Arizona)
**Chicago is 1 GB of the Central division lead (Milwaukee). St. Louis is 3 GB of Milwaukee and 7 GB of the WC.

This week:
Colorado @ Philly
San Diego @ Los Angeles (starts Tuesday)
Atlanta @ NY Mets
St. Louis @ Cubs
Milwaukee @ Pittsburgh

I don't know about yous, by I'm gay for the Rockies in this race. Hopefully they can help us put away Philly for good while we beat the crap out of Atlanta. Then we can sit back and watch it.

That doesn't mean I'd prefer to see the Rockies in the 1st round, necessarily. They beat us handily last time through you might recall and gave us a olot of trouble on theoir way through earlier this year. Just that I sort of prefer them in a matter of taste to the others and note we just hafta beat who the schedule tells us to beat.

Who's your:
a) rooting interest (if any)
Preferred WC opponent?

[nymr83]

Colorado is my preferred wild card opponent.

[DocTee]

I'd like the Dodgers to get in.

[Willets Point]

Phillies. I want to watch the Mets trounce them in the NLCS.

Actually I'll go the extra mile and pick all the teams I'd like to see in the postseason of the teams that still have a chance.

AL EAST: Boston
AL CENTRAL: Cleveland
AL WEST: LA of Anaheim
WILD CARD: Detroit

NL EAST: New York
NL CENTRAL: Milwaukee
NL WEST: San Diego
WILD CARD: Philadelphia

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd like the first round opponent to be the NL Central winner. For that to happen, though, the NL West winner will have to have a better record than the Mets, or the Phillies will have to win the Card.

Assuming that the Mets play the WC in the NLDS, I prefer the Dodgers as the opponent.

As for rooting interest (if the Mets weren't in the equation) I'd like to see Milwaukee win the Central and Colorado win the Card.

[TransMonk]

I don't really have a rooting interest in the wildcard. As far as matchups go for the Mets, I would like to see them play a team from the NL Central in a short series in the NLDS, which means the Phillies would need to win the WC. I would feel very nervous about facing San Diego's starting pitching in a 5 game series. LA or Colorado would be OK, but tougher than the Brewers.

[Gwreck]

I'd much prefer that San Diego take the division, giving us Arizona in the first round. I'd like our chances better against San Diego in the 7 game series rather than the 5 game series.

The only way we could play an NL central team would be if the Phillies got the wild card. I don't really want that to happen.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Gwreck wrote: The only way we could play an NL central team would be if the Phillies got the wild card. I don't really want that to happen.

We'd also play the Central winner if the NL West winner had a better record than the Mets and the Wild Card came out of the West.

The Diamondbacks are about a game behind the Mets (last time I checked), so that could very well happen.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

We have the DBaggs by 2 games in the loss column. They play at San Fransisco this week, I should have said.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: ="Gwreck"]The only way we could play an NL central team would be if the Phillies got the wild card. I don't really want that to happen. We'd also play the Central winner if the NL West winner had a better record than the Mets and the Wild Card came out of the West. The Diamondbacks are about a game behind the Mets (last time I checked), so that could very well happen.

Oops, that's wrong. (I'm not thinking too clearly today.)

If that happened, Arizona would play the Central winner and the Mets would play the Wild Card team.

[Guest sharpie]

In today's Cubs-Cards game Tony LaRussa is up to his old tricks: Joel Pineiro is batting 8th, David Eckstein 9th.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

You're only saying that because you hate the Cardinals.

[metirish]

sharpie wrote: In today's Cubs-Cards game Tony LaRussa is up to his old tricks: Joel Pineiro is batting 8th, David Eckstein 9th.

Pineiro has a career 0.86 batting average,obviously L aRussa is going by his gut here....hold on ....in day games he's got a .154 BA......plus overall he's got a better BA hitting 8th....


http://www.baseball-reference.com/pi/bsplit.cgi?n1=pineijo01

I knew I would find data to back LaRussa up.

[Gwreck]

In all fairness to LaRussa, didn't somebody recently do a study that there is a potential benefit to having a real hitter 9th -- and that the downside of having the pitcher's spot come up slightly more often is negligible? I can't find it via search but thought I read it here...

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I believe that it has been argued here by some that the order in which hitters bat has little relevance in the productivity of the offense.

Personally, I don't buy into that theory. I firmly believe that high OBP guys, preferably with some speed, need to bat in front of the power guys that are expected to drive in the runs.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

I'm sure a study would show differences are minimal -- infinitely smaller than the decision of which 9 guys you put in the lineup. However I don't see the strategic advantage short or long term of putting the pitcher before a guy who can hit.

[Guest sharpie]

Pineiro is already gone after giving up 6 runs in 3.1 innings. Only got one at-bat. Made an out. Cubs leading 6-1.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

I really don't care who the Mets face in the playoffs, though I agree that I would prefer to avoid the Padres in a 5 game series in which they can set their rotation. Facing Peavey - Young - Maddux with Peavey and Young to follow if need be is a daunting task for any team.

[HahnSolo]

Young hasn't been anything to write home about the second half of the year, and Maddox's overall postseason record, and the Mets pounding of him in last year's NLDS, makes me think they can be had.

[Willets Point]

Whatever other team wins a place in the postseason, I say "Bring 'em on!" The other teams should be shaking in their boots about facing the Mets. A rotation that includes Perez, Maine, Hernandez, Martinez, and the Almighty Glavine is nothing to sneeze at, especially in a short series.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Friday morning, 9/14:
Leader: San Diego*
T1. Los Angeles 1.5 GB
T1. Philadelphia** 1.5 GB
3. Colorado 2.5 GB
4. Milwaukee*** 4 GB
5. Atlanta 4.5 GB

*-4 GB of Arizona for West lead
**-6.5 GB of Mets for East lead
***-0.5 GB of the Cubs for Central Lead

So this week's series saw San Diego lose a game to LA and a half-game to Philly & Colorado, while Chicago & Milwaukee switched places. Atlanta gained no ground and of course lost time.

This weekend:
San Fransisco @ San Diego
Arizona @ Los Angeles
Philly @ Mets
Florida @ Colorado
EDIT: Reds @ Milwaukee
Cubs @ St. Louis

I wonder how much extra innings would cost for the rest of the year.

[HahnSolo]

^^^
Milwaukee's actually home for Cincy this weekend.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

You are correct. Will fix

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

The Rockies cannot be stopped. They just beat LA for the third straight time, coming from behind in late innnings again. They may not make the playoffs but have a good chance to have their winningest season ever.

[Willets Point]

Does any one else see NL Wild Card Scrotum every time this thread comes up?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Do we have a list somewhere of all of the possible home field advantages for the tie-breakers?

I'm curious about where a game would be played if the Phillies ended up tied with the Padres.

But beyond that, it's also possible (although unlikely) that there could be a five-way tie for the Wild Card between the Mets, Phillies, Padres, Rockies, and Cubs. What would happen THEN?

(Mets go 2-5, Phillies 4-2, Cubs 6-0, Padres 4-2, Rockies 5-1.)

If the Mets and Phillies end up with identical records, the Phillies would get the division title based on head-to-head play. But if they were also tied with the Padres, let's say, would the Phillies get a bye? Or would they have to enter a three-way playoff? The rules changed a few times, so I'm not sure where it's at now.

Back in 1999, as I remember, this is what would have happened in that scenario: The Mets and Phillies would have played a one-game playoff for the division title, and the Padres would have been the Wild Card, because they'd have a better record than whichever team lost that game.

[metirish]

WOW

] Bradley out for rest of season Ken Rosenthal What started as just another Milton Bradley outburst has turned into something far more serious, not to mention damaging to the San Diego Padres' postseason hopes. A major-league source told FOXSports.com that Bradley suffered a torn ACL in his right kneee while being restrained by Padres manager Bud Black from going after first base umpire Mike Winters during Sunday's loss to the Colorado Rockies. The injury will sideline Bradley for the rest of the season � and the playoffs, assuming the Padres can hold onto their tenuous wild-card lead � and will require surgery. Bradley was ejected and then hurt his right knee when Black spun him to the ground in an attempt to keep him from going the an umpire. The Padres were livid, claiming that Winters baited Bradley in the eighth inning, leading to a confrontation that overshadowed the surging Rockies' 7-3 win and an impressive three-game sweep of the wild card-leading Padres. Bradley, whose volatile temper has overshadowed his talent during his career, called it "the most unprofessional and most ridiculous thing I've ever seen." "It's terrible. And now, because of him, my knee's hurt," said Bradley, a second-half catalyst for the Padres who was in his third game back from an injury that sidelined him for nearly two weeks. "If this costs me my season because of that, he needs to be reprimanded. I'm taking some action. I'm not going to stand pat and accept this because I didn't do nothing wrong." The punchless Padres retained their half-game lead over Philadelphia, which lost 5-3 to Washington, while the Rockies pulled within 1 1/2 games by winning their season-high eighth straight. San Diego stayed 2 1/2 games behind first-place Arizona in the NL West with seven to play. Colorado is four back of the Diamondbacks with six games remaining. An inning before Bradley was hurt, the Padres lost center fielder Mike Cameron after Bradley stepped on his right hand while the two pursued Garrett Atkins' inside-the-park home run. As Bradley walked to the plate in the eighth inning, he and umpire Brian Runge talked for about 25 seconds. Bradley singled, then said something to Winters. Later on in Kevin Kouzmanoff's at-bat, it escalated into an argument, with Bradley going toward Winters. First base coach Bobby Meacham began to restrain Bradley and Black came running out. Bradley got away from Meacham, but Black grabbed him by the jersey. Bradley was attempting to get free and, after a few seconds, Black spun Bradley around and the player collapsed. Bradley immediately grabbed his right knee and eventually had to be helped off the field. "I was trying to pull Milton away from the argument," Black said. Runge said that after Bradley struck out looking to end the fifth, he "flipped the bat about 5-10 feet in front of me." Bradley said Runge asked him in the eighth if he threw his bat at him. "I said, 'Are you kidding me? That's ridiculous.' He said, 'Well, it was reported to me by the other umpires that you threw your bat at me.' And I said, 'That's completely ridiculous. I've done a lot of things. I'm trying to turn it around. I would never harm anybody."' Once on first base, Bradley asked Winters if he told Runge he threw his bat. "He goes, 'Yeah, you did.' I go, 'Are you kidding me? That's completely ridiculous. If I strike out and the inning's over, why are you looking at me? Everything's always about me."' Then, a fan heckled Winters. "I pointed to the guy in the crowd, affirming it," Bradley said. Bradley said Winters responded with a string of expletives. "That's when I went at him and he kicked me out," Bradley said. Crew chief Bruce Froemming wouldn't allow a reporter to speak with Winters. Froemming said Bradley "got grumpy with Mike Winters. Winters told him to knock it off and he continued it. There is no covering up what he did. He had to be physically restrained. We're not going to put up with it if he wants to talk." One batter later, Black ran onto the field after third-base umpire Hunter Wendelstedt called a checked-swing strike on Adrian Gonzalez and was ejected. "In 26 years of baseball, I can honestly say that's the most disconcerting conversation I have ever heard from an umpire to a player," Meacham said. "It was almost like he wanted to agitate the whole thing. He wanted to get Milton boiling for some reason. Milton, he held his cool. I was just appalled." Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, a former general manager and president of the Oakland Athletics, said he'd never seen a player injured like that. "But as far as I'm concerned, it was necessary," he said. Alderson used to work in the commissioner's office, where one of his duties was overseeing umpires. "We're not going to sit by and see an umpire bait a player," Alderson said. He added that if the commissioner's office concludes the situation was handled appropriately, "I'll be shocked." The Associated Press contributed to this report.

[soupcan]

]"...I didn't do nothing wrong."

Well there you go - he just admitted it.


Seriously folks - Milton Bradley is blaming an umpire for his injury? Hey Milton, how about if you would have just shut the fuck up when you got to first base or at least not become a complete out of control raving maniac?

Think maybe you'd be playing today?

[Guest Edgy DC]

]Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, a former general manager and president of the Oakland Athletics, said he'd never seen a player injured like that. "But as far as I'm concerned, it was necessary," he said.

What does that mean?

[Guest Mendoza Line]

Willets Point wrote: Does any one else see NL Wild Card Scrotum every time this thread comes up?

Actually, I see NL Wild Card Scum.

="Soupcan"]Seriously folks - Milton Bradley is blaming an umpire for his injury? Hey Milton, how about if you would have just shut the fuck up when you got to first base or at least not become a complete out of control raving maniac?

I really, really hope that someone sits Milledge down and makes him watch a film of the argument. Particularly since he doesn't have anything better to do until Wednesday.