Down the stretch - AL Style

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Dont count out the Angels

LAA now tied with Tampa for WC, 2.0 behind Boston
They picked up a cumulative 2.5 games on those two just today.

[bmfc1]

MFY fan in my office, to me this morning: "35 predictions on ESPN and not one picked the Yankees to win the AL East."

Scrappy underdogs, those Yankees:

http://www.readtheapple.com/2011/09/celebrate-underdog-yankees-miracle-run.html

[Frayed Knot]

bmfc1 wrote: MFY fan in my office, to me this morning: "35 predictions on ESPN and not one picked the Yankees to win the AL East."

I'm calling bullshit on that one - no way does ESPN employ 35 guys who pay enough attention to baseball to even make a prediction.

[metirish]

Totally of the subject here but talk of espn reminds me, last night while watching a Disney(not the actual Disney channel) channel with my son an espn anchor broke in to the programming to present the sports clips of the week, a great one handed catch in a Marshall game was # 1. I know they are the same company but come the fuck on espn.

[Ceetar]

MFY fan in my office, to me this morning: "35 predictions on ESPN and not one picked the Yankees to win the AL East." I'm calling bullshit on that one - no way does ESPN employ 35 guys who pay enough attention to baseball to even make a prediction.

it's correct. That doesn't make them underdogs. (or the ESPN guys experts) Nearly all of them picked the White Sox too. With only Six guys even picking the Tigers to make the playoffs. Most of them still had the Yankees in there.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview/2011/news/story?page=11expertpicks

That doesn't make Rivera's ego any smaller.

[ashie62]

Scampi Bay up 13-0 Halo 3-1 Sawx off...

[HahnSolo]

Angels and Jays tied at 3 in the 12th.

[Frayed Knot]

Ashie62 wrote: Scampi Bay up 13-0 ...

15-8 was your final.
Yeah, real clutch there Tampon Bay - way to show 'em.
The only good part I suppose, is that it looks like Bartolo Colon is turning back into a pumpkin again (albeit the world's largest) just as October rolls around.



Angels lost on a Edwin Encarnacion walk-off HR




WC = Boston with a 2-game lead over TB, 3.0 over LAA
Angels trail Texas by 5.0 (Rangers also lost). The one saving grave for LAA in the West is that they play Texas in the final three. Still means they have to make up two games this weekend and then sweep. Yeah ... not gonna happen.

[Ceetar]

Yanks going into the the playoffs with CC (who isn't his sharpest lately and supposedly admitted to being tired and was in favor of the 6 man rotation because of it), a rookie, and crossed fingers.

[Frayed Knot]

- stRangers clinch West
- Rays lose again a Price pitches well but makes two errors

WC:
Boston: 6 games remaining ... 3 w/NYY, 3 w/Balt
TB: -2.5 (5) ... 2 w/Tor, 3 w/NYY
LAA: -3.5 (5) ... 2 w/Oak, 3 w/Tex

[Frayed Knot]

Good God the Sawx Suck!!!

Lester is their one healthy & productive pitcher left (OK, maybe Beckett too) and he just got pulled in the 3rd already down 8-0
It's also weird watching a game in the Bronx right after one in Queens. Jeter up with one out and two-on* hits a fly to RCF and my first reaction was to consider whether it was deep enough to move the runner to 3rd ... I'm thinking No, except that the ball winds up six rows deep in the stands.


* right after Crawford failed to catch a bloop in front of him that would have been an easy DP.



At this point, the only good part about the Sox making it to post-season (assuming Tampa continues to blow too) is that they'd be an easy 3-and-out for whichever of the Rangers or Tigers they match up with which, in turn, means a rested and on-turn Det-or-Tex pitching staff for round 2.

[Gwreck]

Tampa won this evening, putting them 1.5 games back. Texas is +1 over Detroit for the second seed.

[Frayed Knot]

Sox trying to hang on to their now 1/2 game lead.
Tied at 4 heading to extras w/the Yanx after losing the opener
Papelbon just came in to K MFY catcher Austin Romine with the bases loaded to preserve the tie game.

Angels pulled a Cards move today - giving up 4 in the 9th to lose to Oakland and put themselves on the verge of elimination from WC (3.0 out w/3 to play if Boston wins tonight)

Edited September 25, 2011 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Geez Terry, bunting with Carl Crawford in the 10th inning?!?!?
I guess $140 mil doesn't buy what it used to. I remember when you could get an actual hitter for that price.
btw, he failed to get the bunt down on the first attempt and bunted into a force play (and almost a DP) on his 2nd.

I think the Yanx brought up like 47 call-ups during September because they're changing guys like every other AB.

[Frayed Knot]

So, after getting the leadoff guy on with Crawford, Pedroia, and Papi coming up, the Sox can't even manage to get the runner as far as 2nd in top-10


I realize as I'm watching the last two innings* here that I'm instinctively pulling for the Sawx even though I don't want them to even make the post-season this year.


* Kaat & Verducci on MLBN - better than 95+ pct of network announcing teams at probably 10% of the price.
Two guys calmly talking baseball who realize that you don't have to try to over-sell an exciting game.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

This shit's still going on. 14th.

[Frayed Knot]

I turned away from this for almost an hour ... and they're still tied and now are headed for the 14th (Gardner K'd with 2-on to end inning # 13)
Sox fans gotta be pulling their hair out over this (not to mention over the last three weeks).

Yanx now turning to their 8th pitcher of the game (I think they only have 6 or 7 left after this).

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Oooh, 3r HR for Ellsbury, 7-4 Sawx in the 14th

[Frayed Knot]

Ah yes, the Scott Proctor factor at work.

Jim Kaat: "Ellsbury just drove home two runners and about 10,000 fans with that shot"






Holy shitsky Ellsbury is having a great year!!!!
I honestly didn't think he a year like this in him.

[Frayed Knot]

If the Sawx can't win this one while they've got Beckett on the mound then they should probably just skip the next two contests.
2-2 end of 5 as Beckett got a 3rd out K with the bases loaded.

[Guest Edgy DC]

And... the Sawx are now down 6-2.

An inside-the-park-homer... in Baltimore... in a park without power alleys. Nice.

[ashie62]

Tampa Bay up in the 9th on MFY's

[Guest Edgy DC]

I hear they're going to replace Francona with Dale Sveum.

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy DC wrote: And... the Sawx are now down 6-2. An inside-the-park-homer... in Baltimore... in a park without power alleys. Nice.

Almost a GREAT catch by Ellsbury (actually caught it but then lost it crashing into the wall) who has been the Sox' best player over the 2nd half of the year as Gonzalez has slowed down.
Really should have been a triple + error as the relay throw beat him easily but skidded through Saltalamacchia's legs.



Either, the WC lead is GONE and it's dead even with two to play.
Sox relying on former Oriole Erik Bedard tomorrow. Yeah, good luck with that one.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Edgy DC wrote: And... the Sawx are now down 6-2. An inside-the-park-homer... in Baltimore... in a park without power alleys. Nice.

Andino: Same guy who screwed them with a bases-clearing, save-blowing dubble in Boston last trip.

[ashie62]

Tied...go Rays!!!!!!