Standing for something

[Edgy MD]

Francisco Rodriguez on for the ninth for the Brews with a four-run lead. Yadi starts off with a single.

[Edgy MD]

Wong follows with a base hit of his own, and the tying run is on deck.

[Edgy MD]

Bourjos goes down hacking at ball four.

[Edgy MD]

Descalso grounds to first for the fielders choice at second. Two away.

[Edgy MD]

And AJ lines a soft one to left. Brewers end the losing streak.

K-Rod gets pissed at somebody, benches clearing to get his stupid hot head back to the dugout.

[Edgy MD]

Atlanta clubbed, 11-3, by the Marlins and lose their share of the last Wild Card spot.

Philly goes up 8-7 in the eleventh over Washington.

We're finished in Colorado. The Pads fall to the Rox, 3-0. Mets pass both the Redlegs and the Friars in one evening.

[Edgy MD]

Pretty durn good night. Woulda been better if Milwaukee kept losing. Right now, that's the key to the whole shebang, and it's out of the Mets' power. But catching two teams in one night is pretty excellent. It's been weeks and weeks since they did that. And it's high time they reached out and caught some Fish. If they merely do that, it's a meaningful step forward.

I've added two new columns in the Wild Card standings, allowing us to view team's games back and net games back behind the first Wild Card Team and the same behind the second Wild Card team.

I've also added the two "heat" columns on the right of both sets of standings, demonstrating the teams' records in their last 10 games and their current streak. Amazing how most teams, no matter how dire or rosy things look in the moment, tend to be 4-6, 5-5, or 6-4 in their last 10. Anyhow, adding the current streak to the number of wins in the last 10, the Mets join the hard-charging Giants as the two hottest teams in the league, with heat factors of 9. GO METS!

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	NGB	L10	STRK
Washington	79	60	.568	�	�	4-6	L1
Atlanta	73	68	.518	7.0	7.0	5-5	L1
Miami	68	71	.489	11.0	15.0	4-6	W1
YOUR New York Mets	67	74	.475	13.0	21.0	6-4	W3
Philadelphia	65	75	.464	14.5	27.0	7-3	W1

Team	W	L	PCT	GB1	NGB1	GB2	NGB2	L10	STRK
San Francisco	77	64	.546	�	�	+3.0	+3.0	8-2	W1
Milwaukee	74	67	.525	3.0	3.0	�	�	1-9	W1
Atlanta	73	68	.518	4.0	5.0	1.0	1.0	5-5	L1
Pittsburgh	71	68	.511	5.0	6.0	2.0	3.0	4-6	L4
Miami	68	71	.489	8.0	15.0	5.0	12.0	4-6	W1
YOUR New York Mets	67	74	.475	10.0	23.0	7.0	20.0	6-4	W3
San Diego	66	74	.471	10.5	25.5	7.5	22.5	6-4	L3
Cincinnati	66	75	.468	11.0	28.5	8.0	25.5	3-7	L4
Philadelphia	65	75	.464	11.5	32.0	8.5	29.0	7-3	W1
Chicago	64	76	.457	12.5	40.0	9.5	37.0	6-4	W3
Arizona	59	82	.418	18.0	89.5	15.0	86.5	4-6	L1
Colorado	57	84	.404	20.0	109.5	17.0	106.5	4-6	W2

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: Philly goes up 8-7 in the eleventh over Washington.

They've got enough of a lead to where it almost certainly won't matter in the long run (esp w/Atlanta reeling) but what a brutal loss for the Nats.
- Up 5-0 against the last place club w/Strasberg on the mound, Matt Williams pulled him after 6 IP/95 pitches only to see the Phils chip away against four relievers to get things to 7-4 in the 9th
- closer Soriano then blows the 3-run save via a 2R HR by Ruiz on an 0-2 count, then a 2-out, game-tying HR by Ben (1 HR in my entire 2,000 AB career) Revere
- then Philly's game-winning rally in the 11th starts when Harper runs into Denard Span on a routine fly ball putting the leadoff batter on 2nd. Span did not look happy with young Bryce.
Phils go on to score twice with both runs unearned thanks to the OF gaff, before Papelbon does the 1 walk + 2 hits save act, finally getting Harper for the final out w/2 on

Between the blown leads, the game-losing error, the Eight relievers who couldn't close out what was looking like an easy cruise, and the 4-1/2 hour game time on a hot night, that could not have been a happy clubhouse afterward, even with the comfortable lead and Braves loss.

[Edgy MD]

Milwaukee back to their strategy of getting punched in the face repeadely, losing 9-1 to the Cardinals this afternoon. If the Pirates can hold on to their 10-4 lead over the Cubs (currently in the eighth), then they leapfrog the losing Braves and the Brews for the lead in the second wild card.

[Edgy MD]

OK, San Francisco finishes the evening with a loss to Detroit, knocking all the Wild Card wannabes a half game closer to the lead. The Mets finish the weekend with the Redlegs and the (now plummeting) Padres behind them, leaving you free to root for both teams, although they both play division leaders this week, rather than anybody who sits ahead of the Mets.

I added a Games Remaining column, and you see that one advantage the Marlins have over the Mets as they try to stay ahead is that they've played two fewer games. Essentially, the Mets have lost two games the Marlins haven't played yet.

One thing I haven't added is a Playoff Pct. column, because no matter who calculates it --- MLB, Baseball Prospectus, whoever --- they all seem to be a day behind with their numbers, but checking today, and the Mets suddenly had a 0.1% chance at the Wild Card. That might have been there for a few days, but... YES!

All they have to do is win like wild animals.

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	NGB	L10	STRK	Games
Washington	80	61	.567	�	�	5-5	W1	21
Atlanta	74	69	.517	7.0	7.0	5-5	L1	19
Miami	69	72	.489	11.0	15.0	4-6	W1	21
YOUR New York Mets	68	75	.476	13.0	21.0	6-4	W1	19
Philadelphia	66	76	.465	14.5	27.0	6-4	L1	20

Team	W	L	PCT	GB1	NGB1	GB2	NGB2	L10	STRK	Games
San Francisco	78	65	.545	�	�	+3.5	+3.5	8-2	W2	19
Pittsburgh	74	68	.521	3.5	3.5	�	�	6-4	W3	20
Milwaukee	74	69	.517	4.0	4.5	0.5	0.5	5-5	L1	19
Atlanta	74	69	.517	4.0	4.0	0.5	0.5	1-9	L2	19
Miami	69	72	.489	8.0	16.0	4.5	12.5	4-6	W1	21
YOUR New York Mets	68	75	.476	10.0	24.0	6.5	20.5	6-4	W1	19
Cincinnati	67	76	.469	11.0	29.0	7.5	25.5	3-7	L1	19
Philadelphia	66	76	.465	11.5	32.0	8.0	28.5	6-4	L1	20
San Diego	66	76	.465	11.5	32.0	8.0	28.5	4-6	L5	20
Chicago	64	79	.448	14.0	52.0	10.5	48.5	5-5	L3	19
Arizona	59	84	.413	19.0	97.0	15.5	93.5	4-6	L3	19
Colorado	59	84	.413	19.0	97.0	15.5	93.5	6-4	W4	19

Marlins play the Brewers next, putting us in the awkward position of having to root for the Marlins, even though they're still ahead of the Mets. Mets get one more chance at the Fish in a three-game series next week.

[Edgy MD]

Mets gain on Milwaukee and Atlanta. Philadelphia rally falls short and Pittsburgh hangs in there as the second Wild Card holder.

David Buchanan, who has been pouring in nothing but quality starts through the second half the season, goes tomorrow against Endison Volquez. GO PHILLY!

[bmfc1]

http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/lad/video/topic/11493214/v36082859/must-c-curious-padres-score-on-three-errors/?game_pk=382688
All 4 calls are worth hearing.

[Ceetar]

bmfc1 wrote: http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/lad/video/topic/11493214/v36082859/must-c-curious-padres-score-on-three-errors/?game_pk=382688 All 4 calls are worth hearing.

Awesome. Didn't like the 4th one too much, seemed to have a anti-Puig bias. but the "That was pathetic" soundbyte is worthwhile.

Wish I was home. That disgusted Kershaw ball-flip is gif worthy (I bet it's out there)

I need to listen to Scully more.

[Edgy MD]

And Miami takes another chunk out of Milwaukee. Waiting on the late games to do an update, but pretty much the best of all outcomes tonight, with every team in front of the Mets in the race for the second Wild Card slot losing, except Miami, who are perfectly welcome to help the Mets pick teams off until they meet head-to-head next week.

[Frayed Knot]

btw, Mets now = 5.5 games out of playoffs -- Yanx = 5.5 games out of playoffs

This comes two days after there was no obvious article on the Met game in the Daily News on-line edition. Only after clicking on to general purpose article about speculation for next year was there an 'oh yeah, and they won last night' link to a game summary. Today they at least slipped deGrom's performance last night into a shared headline with the Wright news.
I mean I know they've essentially marketed themselves as the MFY pr house organ but maybe keeping the ratio of articles down below about 6-1 might not be a bad idea with the two local teams about even in their chances these days.

[Edgy MD]

Sort of why I'm agitating for Wright to keep wiping on the eyeblack. If the Mets are acting like the season is over, how can they expect the media and fans to do otherwise. They're playing some very good ball!

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: And Miami takes another chunk out of Milwaukee.

That game was tied heading into the 9th when Frankie Rodriguez came in and, after getting the first two outs (Yelich and Solano), went: Walk, SB, HR, HR (Stanton, McGehee & Ozuna). Bad, Frankie, bad.
Brews got two on in the bottom half off Cishek but couldn't cash any in.

That's now 1-13 over the last two weeks for the Brews and just 3 games over .500

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Frayed Knot wrote: btw, Mets now = 5.5 games out of playoffs -- Yanx = 5.5 games out of playoffs This comes two days after there was no obvious article on the Met game in the Daily News on-line edition. Only after clicking on to general purpose article about speculation for next year was there an 'oh yeah, and they won last night' link to a game summary. Today they at least slipped deGrom's performance last night into a shared headline with the Wright news. I mean I know they've essentially marketed themselves as the MFY pr house organ but maybe keeping the ratio of articles down below about 6-1 might not be a bad idea with the two local teams about even in their chances these days.

Actually, the Snooze has been steadfastly in the Wilpon's corner while the Times and Post have delighted in skewering them. Every rag is on the MFY Bandwagon, there's just too much lucrative special sections in the Jeter thing not to go for it. And it's not unusual for the tabs to cut back on game-story stuff in September though I agree if we do make some hay this weekend it will look too early.

The Snooze's problem IMO is their staffing. Tracky Martino has become a sort of a Jeff Pearlman type -- means well, but liable to go half-assed after vague populist trend of advocacy journalism; and beatwriter Ackert just hasn't brought a whole lot of engaging writing or scoops, plus is a sloppy twitterer.

[MFS62]

That said, I noted that there was no Mets article in the print edition, either.

Later

[Edgy MD]

You couldn't have asked for more breaks around the league last night for a Mets team that sorely needed them. Miami taking down Milwaukee, Washington nicking Atlanta, and most considerately, the Phils closing out their win over Pittsburgh. Look at the swollen NGB column shrink. It's beauteous, I tells ya. Go, Phillies!

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	NGB	L10	STRK	Games	E#	DIV%
Washington	82	61	.573	�	�	6-4	W3	19	�	99.5
Atlanta	74	71	.510	9.0	9.0	3-7	L3	17	10	0.5
Miami	71	72	.497	11.0	13.0	6-4	W3	19	9	0.0
YOUR New York Mets	70	75	.483	13.0	19.0	7-3	W3	17	6	0.0
Philadelphia	67	77	.465	15.5	29.0	6-4	W1	18	4	0.0

Team	W	L	PCT	GB1	NGB1	GB2	NGB2	L10	STRK	Games	E#1	E#2	WC%
San Francisco	79	65	.549	�	�	+4.0	+4.0	7-3	W1	18	�	�	79.7
Pittsburgh	75	69	.521	4.0	4.0	�	�	5-5	L1	18	15	�	52.8
Atlanta	74	71	.510	5.5	7.0	1.5	1.5	3-7	L3	17	13	17	24.8
Milwaukee	74	71	.510	5.5	5.5	1.5	1.5	1-9	L4	17	13	17	20.6
Miami	71	72	.497	7.5	11.5	3.5	7.5	6-4	W3	19	12	16	0.8
YOUR New York Mets	70	75	.483	9.5	19.5	5.5	15.5	7-3	W3	17	9	13	0.1
Cincinnati	68	77	.469	11.5	29.5	7.5	25.5	3-7	W1	17	7	11	0.0
Philadelphia	67	77	.465	12.0	32.5	8.0	28.5	6-4	W1	18	7	11	0.0
San Diego	67	77	.465	12.0	32.5	8.0	28.5	3-7	W1	18	7	11	0.0
Chicago	64	81	.441	15.5	60.5	11.5	56.5	3-7	L5	17	3	7	0.0
Arizona	59	85	.410	20.0	101.0	16.0	97.0	3-7	L4	18	E	3	0.0
Colorado	59	86	.407	20.5	106.0	16.5	102.0	6-4	L2	17	E	2	0.0

I'm not sure I even want to include that %WC and %DIV. Han Solo had the right idea with regard to odds. But at least we have odds. Hottest team in the league.

[Ceetar]

Frayed Knot wrote: btw, Mets now = 5.5 games out of playoffs -- Yanx = 5.5 games out of playoffs .

Yankees E# is 14 and the Mets 13 though, fwiw.

[Edgy MD]

So how did baseball's hottest team do last night, while enjoying their first evening without their marquee player and learning of their COO and executive VP's possible doom? Well, not as good as the day before. They won, and that's crucial, as they lose a quart of blood at this point with every loss, but every team in front of them in the race for the second wild card won also, with the exception of the Marlins. But the Marlins' role in this was to keep battering down the Brewers, until the Mets get them next week.

On the bright side, they gain a game in the division, for what that's worth, and pull within a game of the Fishies, and double their post-season probability from one in a thousand to one in five hundred, so, you know, PAR-TAY! But most of that gain comes at the expense of the Marlins, and it's the Pirates we want to be stealing glory from. And in that spirit, ou know who's your best friend tonight who's not on the Mets? A.J.F. Burnett, trying to steal a series win for the Phils going up against the Bucs' red-hot Francisco Liriano.

Also notable: Did you know we eliminated the Rockies from any mathematical hope last night? Well, we did! See what you get, Warriors? See what you get when you go up against the Orphans?!

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	NGB	L10	STRK	Games	E#	DIV%
Washington	82	62	.569	�	�	5-5	L1	18	�	99.7
Atlanta	75	71	.514	8.0	8.0	4-6	W1	16	10	0.2
Miami	71	73	.493	11.0	14.0	5-5	L1	18	8	0.1
YOUR New York Mets	71	75	.486	12.0	17.0	8-2	W4	16	6	0.0
Philadelphia	67	78	.462	15.5	31.0	5-5	L1	17	3	0.0

Team	W	L	PCT	GB1	NGB1	GB2	NGB2	L10	STRK	Games	E#1	E#2	WC%
San Francisco	80	65	.552	�	�	+4.0	+4.0	7-3	W2	17	�	�	74.4
Pittsburgh	76	69	.524	4.0	4.0	�	�	5-5	W1	17	14	�	51.1
Atlanta	75	71	.514	5.5	7.0	1.5	1.5	4-6	W1	16	12	16	25.0
Milwaukee	75	71	.514	5.5	5.5	1.5	1.5	2-8	W1	16	12	16	18.2
Miami	71	73	.493	8.5	14.5	4.5	10.5	5-5	L1	18	10	14	1.9
YOUR New York Mets	71	75	.486	9.5	18.5	5.5	14.5	8-2	W4	16	8	12	0.2
Cincinnati	69	77	.473	11.5	28.5	7.5	24.5	4-6	W2	16	6	10	0.0
Philadelphia	67	78	.462	13.0	37.5	9.0	33.5	5-5	L1	17	5	9	0.0
San Diego	67	78	.462	13.0	37.5	9.0	33.5	3-7	L1	17	5	9	0.0
Chicago	64	82	.438	16.5	65.5	12.5	61.5	3-7	L6	16	1	5	0.0
Arizona	59	86	.407	21.0	106.0	17.0	102.0	3-7	L5	17	=#FF0000]E	1	0.0
Colorado	59	87	.404	21.5	111.0	17.5	107.0	5-5	L3	16	=#FF0000]E	=#FF0000]E	0.0

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

See what you get, Warriors? See what you get when you go up against the Orphans?!

There's no situation for which this quote isn't completely appropriate to whip out.

[Vic Sage]

Washingtonnn,
come out to play-ay...

Washingtonnn,
come out to play-ay...

Washingtonnn,
come out to play-ay!

[Lefty Specialist]

Well, this is where this temporary blip of competence comes to a screeching halt. Nats aren't screwing around these days, and the Mets couldn't beat them even when they WERE screwing around earlier this year.

[Edgy MD]

That's the HOTTEST-TEAM-IN-THE-LEAGUE Mets, Lefty Skepticist.

[Lefty Specialist]

If they sweep the Nats I'll dare to believe.

[Edgy MD]

I think the DA has agreed to refrain from indicting fans under the McGraw Act until then.

[Edgy MD]

Miami loses! Mets in third place for the first time since July 23!

Texas beating Atlanta in the eighth. Milwaukee tied with the Reds.

[Edgy MD]

Times are dire. You see, not only are the teams at the top of the standings doing what they're supposed to do (winning), the teams at the bottom are, alternately, losing. Not only did Wild Card leaders San Francisco and Pittsburgh won four and three in a row, respectively, but the race's top trailer, Milwaukee, is suddenly finding a way to rebound and has won three in a row themselves. Last nights Mets victory helped them gain on fourth place Atlanta and catch fifth place Miami.

The division may be beyond even reckoning, but the Mets gained on all three teams there. Worth noting also is that, while the Mets now technically lead the Marlins by a few decimals in the ten thousandths place, they have a lower elimination number (in both races), based on having played more games.

Go Mets! And go other teams! Mets in particularly need the Cubs to slow down the Pirates. Chicago goes with Boston washout Felix Doubront. Pirates counter with Jeff Locke, who's been good when healthy, but not always healthy. He's also escaped the taint of a weird gambling scandal.

Team	W	L	PCT	GB	NGB	DIV E#	DIV%	L10	STRK	GMS
Washington	83	63	.568	-	-	+9	99.7	5-5	L1	16
Atlanta	75	71	.514	8.0	8.0	9	0.3	4-6	W1	16
YOUR New York Mets	72	76	.4865	12.0	16.0	4	0.0	8-2	W1	14
Miami	71	75	.4863	12.0	16.0	5	0.0	4-6	L3	16
Philadelphia	68	79	.463	15.5	30.0	1	0.0	5-5	W1	15

Team	W	L	PCT	GB1	NGB1	WC E#1	GB2	NGB2	DIV E#2	WC%	L10	STRK	GMS
San Francisco	82	65	.558	-	-	+12	+4.0	+4.0	+9	60.7	7-3	W4	15
Pittsburgh	78	69	.531	4.0	4.0	12	-	-	+14	56.4	7-3	W3	15
Milwaukee	77	71	.520	5.5	7.0	10	1.5	1.5	14	21.0	6-6	W3	14
Atlanta	75	72	.510	7.0	11.5	9	3.5	5.5	13	12.0	3-7	L1	15
YOUR New York Mets	72	76	.4865	10.5	25.5	5	6.5	14.5	9	0.1	8-2	W1	14
Miami	71	75	.4863	10.5	25.5	6	6.5	14.5	10	0.0	4-6	L3	16
Cincinnati	70	78	.473	12.5	37.5	3	8.5	24.5	7	0.0	4-6	L1	14
San Diego	68	78	.466	13.5	44.5	3	9.5	30.5	7	0.0	3-7	W1	16
Philadelphia	68	79	.463	14.0	48.5	2	10.0	34.0	6	0.0	5-5	W1	15
Chicago	64	83	.435	18.0	84.5	=#FF0000]E	14.0	66.0	2	0.0	3-7	L7	15
Arizona	59	88	.401	23.0	134.5	=#FF0000]E	19.0	111.0	=#FF0000]E	0.0	2-8	L7	15
Colorado	59	88	.401	23.0	134.5	=#FF0000]E	19.0	111.0	=#FF0000]E	0.0	5-5	L4	15