OoTIGT, 9/27

[Guest Edgy DC]

Lots of interesting shit out there tonght.

Boston has lefty Erik Bedard, (5-9, 3.50) going for them against Baltimore rookie and fellow lefty Zach Britton (11-10, 4.44 ERA). Bedard's record relative to his ERA tells you that Terry Francona doesn't like to pitch him deep into games, and he in fact averages only five and a half innings per start. With Boston's desperation and their collapsing bullpen, we'll see if Francona wants to push his starter's weak knee. (I think he should paint some blood on it.)

Britton has been up and down, but he's been up of late.

Both Jason Veritek (kneee) and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (collarbone) are hurt, so the Sawx are carrying two other hard-to-spell catchers even as both of those guys announce their intention to answer the bell.

The Rays are pitching rookie Jeremy Hellickson (13-10, 2.90 ERA) against Bartolo Colon (8-10, 4.02 ERA) who hasn't given the Yankees much the second half. Girardi says he's playing his reg'lars.

In a game with real meaning, Ryan Braun faces this guy, going for the Pirates.



That's Ross Ohlendorf and his 8.29 ERA. Let's get it on.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Gerardi in the Snooze this morning made a point to cry and complain about how baseball is giving him "only" one day to rest all his guys prior to postseason opening at the same time two others in the tourney may not get any rest due to a win-or-go-home playoff.

Shut up, Joe.

Meantime, if the Sox somehow come out of this with a playoff berth I imagine it may be a real relief for them and maybe less pressure/expectations in the 1st round. The last playoff team with as bad a September as Boston were the '98 Padres (9-15) who upset Houston and Atlanta before losing to the MFYs in the series.

[Frayed Knot]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Gerardi in the Snooze this morning made a point to cry and complain about how baseball is giving him "only" one day to rest all his guys prior to postseason opening at the same time two others in the tourney may not get any rest due to a win-or-go-home playoff. Shut up, Joe

Forgive Joe. He just can't understand why all playoff set-ups aren't like they were in 2009 when the Yanx played 15 games over a 34 day period allowing them to easily use and re-use only their top 3 starters.
He believes all post-seasons should be designed with the Yanx' thin pitching in mind.

Meantime, if the Sox somehow come out of this with a playoff berth I imagine it may be a real relief for them and maybe less pressure/expectations in the 1st round. The last playoff team with as bad a September as Boston were the '98 Padres (9-15) who upset Houston and Atlanta before losing to the MFYs in the series.

And then there were those 13-17 (although 5-15 to end the month) 2000 Yanquis.
I don't remember how they did that year.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That was the year the World Series was canceled.

[Frayed Knot]

Boston down 1-0 after 2

And check out this lineup for the Beantowners
Ellsbury - Pedroia - Ortiz (OK so far) - then Jed Lowrie and his 6 HRs hitting clean-u[ for the first time ever) - Adrian Gonzalez (slumping badly lately) - Ryan Lavernaway (30 ML ABs and first ever start at C) - Darnell McDonald - Crawford ($20mil/yr used to buy a middle of the order hitter) - Scutaro



And Ellsbury hits a 2R HR

[Frayed Knot]

That would be Russell Martin with your routine 5-4-3 GiTP in St. Pete.
He even topped it off with a (futile) head-first slide into 1st.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Tampa takes a lead on the Yankees and the Sawx have an improbable 7-4 lead of their own.

[Frayed Knot]

Sawx head to bottom 9 up by 2. Papelbon in to essentially save their season for another day.

Rays have already won.

[Frayed Knot]

And Papelbon's given up singles to two of his first three hitters.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Sox win

[Frayed Knot]

Sox survive 3 runs on the cards of Bard & Papelbon.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

And in the NL, the Cards come back from deficits of 5-0 and 6-5 to take a 13-6 decision over the Astros... and knot the Braves for the Wild Card lead.

Koo-koo-ka-razy night.

[ashie62]

Reminds me of a less dramatic, but still great fun, version of the 1967 AL Finish.

[Willets Point]

Is there a tie-breaker for the Wild Card or would they go to a playoff game if still tied.

[Frayed Knot]

Willets Point wrote: Is there a tie-breaker for the Wild Card or would they go to a playoff game if still tied.

Playoffs baby. One gamer on Thursday.
StL & (I believe) Tampa won a flip for home field should it come to that.

They only go to tie-breakers to determine seeding among teams already in the post-season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Remember, the Mets participated in a Wild Card playoff game against Cincinnati in 1999.

[Willets Point]

Frayed Knot wrote: They only go to tie-breakers to determine seeding among teams already in the post-season.

Which is a good and honorable thing, but you never know what "innovation" Bud has up his sleeve. Thanks.