OOTS - Labor Day Weekend

[Gwreck]

Lots of interesting series this weekend. In order:

1. Cardinals at Pirates
Cardinals have a one game lead in the Central division.
Just started listening to this game on the radio a little and the Pirates broadcasters describing the crowd as "ready to explode" in the first inning. I am pulling hard for Pittsburgh here. It's a great town, a great stadium, and -- I've always felt -- great fans. They deserve it.

2. Tampa at Oakland
The two teams leading the AL wild card race. Tampa 2.5 back in the AL East behind Boston.

3. Indians at Tigers
Tigers are up 6.5 in the division and could pretty much sew it up with a sweep. Or they could let the Indians back in again. Indians are four out of the wild card.

4. Orioles at MFYs
Baltimore is 3.5 out of the Wild Card. MFYs somehow only 5 out. Time for the MFYs to go away. Let's go O's.

[Frayed Knot]

* Pirates roll over Shelby Miller and the Cards for their 78th win of the season.
That city is due for a mini-celebration after 3 more wins. In the meantime, it's a dead heat atop the Central


* Yanx/Os was a quick pitchers duel for the first few innings, then the game reverted to form meaning each team scored in every half-inning for a while and the Orioles lost in a game that took over 3 hours.
Yanx now half a game behind Balt, have essentially caught Cleveland (they'll lose as soon as it stops raining in Detroit) and are guaranteed to gain a full game tonight on the Rays/As loser out on the west coast.
I'm not liking this trend.

[Lefty Specialist]

The game was on MLB Network, and it was nice to see the Pirates with a full house and the stadium rocking. They've had to endure a lot of crappy baseball for the past 20 years.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pirates up the auntie oakley -- get Justin Morneau from Twins.

Bad day to be Alex Pressley, he's the guy they traded (along with a PTBNL)

[Frayed Knot]

That's a lot of potential pop Pitt has added in the last few days.
Morneau showed up mid-game last night but didn't play and wasn't needed as they stomped the Cards again to take over sole possession at the top.
btw, Byrd is 5 for 16 w/3 XBHs since the deal, Buck is 3 for 3
Byrd is wearing #2 which looks a bit odd on a bulky guy like him



Dodgers, who finished August 23-6, added Michael Young from Phils for a minor league arm

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

LOL MFYs. Leading 3-0 going into the 7th, Pettitte and 3 relievers combine to give up 7, O's still batting...

[Frayed Knot]

The O's managed to toss up that 7-spot in the 7th inning in spite of Buck Showalter IMO - bunting Manny Machado with 2-on and none out right in the middle of that rally!! Manny popped out the bunt right in front of Adam Jones hitting the 2nd 3R HR of the inning. At the time, the only out the Yanx had in that inning was on account of the bunt, and that wasn't even the first questionable bunt by the O's in this series. There was one the other day that bugged me too although I forget the exact circumstances.

Showalter reminds me of Scoscia in that they're both obviously good managers who command of ton of respect but both drive me nuts with their in-game strategies at times. If, by some odd set of circumstances, either one were to wind up in Queens in the near future I think their small ball ways would have some here campaigning for Terry to come back.