TWi(NL-WC)B Notes: This Week in (NL-WC) Baseball

[Frayed Knot]

In SD, Hunter Strickland (SF) just struck out Hunter Renfroe (SD) with Hunter Pence in RF
And while I was wondering if it was the first dual Hunter AB in history, it turns out that there are [u:16nqcl4t]Seven active[/u:16nqcl4t] Hunters in MLB in 2016 (five first names, two last names), the three in this game plus four others who have played at some point this year.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Padres up 1-0 over the Giants in the second inning in San Diego.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Giants have scored three runs in the third and they're still batting. Giants 3, Padres 1.

[MFS62]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The Giants have scored three runs in the third and they're still batting. Giants 3, Padres 1.

The Pads left the bases loaded in the first (according to the SNY post game show).

Later

[bmfc1]

SFG loses. STL plays tonight.

Edited September 25, 2016 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

GIANTS LOSE!!!!

[Benjamin Grimm]

[Benjamin Grimm]

Mets magic number over the Giants is 6, still at 7 over the Cardinals, pending the outcome of tonight's game. GO CUBS!

[Frayed Knot]

Cubs playing their 'A' lineup and with Jon Lester on the mound, so credit to them even after their clinch.

[Benjamin Grimm]

The Cardinals next play the lowly Cincinnati Reds, in St. Louis, so they may not lose again for a few days. It would be really nice if they can get a loss tonight. The Giants will have a day off tomorrow and then will host the Colorado Rockies for three games.

So for the first series of the upcoming week, the Mets will have the tougher opponent, although it's hard to say what kind of condition the Marlins will be in. For the final series it's advantage Mets again. They'll be in Philadelphia. The Giants will be at home against the Dodgers and the Cardinals will be hosting the Pirates.

If the Mets win any one of the three games in Miami they'll clinch a better record than the Marlins.

[Fman99]

No score halfway through, just 3 hits total. Pitchers' duel.

[Centerfield]

2-0 Cubs.

[HahnSolo]

This Wrigley love affair with David Ross is a little much.

[metirish]

HahnSolo wrote: This Wrigley love affair with David Ross is a little much.

JUst saw that , they stopped the game for Ross? , wtf is that about?

[Frayed Knot]

It's his final (reg season) home game, so you take the guy out in mid-inning to get his own applause in a year when he's already announced his retirement.
The odd part is that he's been a Cub for only the last two of his 15 year career, but he's apparently been very popular there despite the short run and both the fans & players seem to love him ... so why not?

[Centerfield]

Cards threatening. 1st and 3rd. One out. Top 8.

Come on Cubs.

[metirish]

Yeah, I guess I don't think of him as a Cub and more of a Braves player......

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The Cardinals next play the lowly Cincinnati Reds, in St. Louis, so they may not lose again for a few days.

Cincy has been better in the second half, 'better' being a relative term but at least they've been within shouting distance of .500 since July as opposed to the 29-51 they started the season with.
They've also been 7-8 vs StL this year so maybe this series won't be a total walkover.


Rox have been about the same in the second half [4 games below Apr-Jun, 6 games below Jul-Sept], but no one has been as bad as the Giants post-ASB (25-41).

[Frayed Knot]

metirish wrote: Yeah, I guess I don't think of him as a Cub and more of a Braves player......

He's not a guy I ever associated with any one team. 15 seasons in total and never more than four in one place.
Ranked by plate appearances: Reds, Braves, Cubs, Dodgers, Red Sox, Pirates, Padres


But they seem to like him at Wrigley so who am I to say they shouldn't honor him however they want?

[Frayed Knot]

Maddon just had Heyward bunting with 2 strikes [1st & 2nd / no outs / up by one / bottom 8] and he K'd
Maybe you could say that Heyward's just had a bad year and was facing a lefty, but I saw him do the same thing with Zobrist a few weeks back.

I know we'd get pissed off here if Terry called for a bunt in a similar situation even with zero or one strike.

[Edgy MD]

Jason Heyward has had a bad year ... for a defense-first shortstop. As a corner outfielder, he's been a nightmare. He's the chink in the armor of a really sharp team. And he's signed through 2023.

Here's to that deal continuing to give.

[Frayed Knot]

All true, but that hardly explains Maddon's odd penchant for continuing to bunt, even after there are two strikes, at times that are questionable bunting situations in the first place.




CUBS WIN!!!!

Edited September 26, 2016 by Guest

[Fman99]

It's all done! Cards lose!

[Benjamin Grimm]

[Lefty Specialist]

Their fate is in their own hands right now. No excuses.

[Frayed Knot]

Tonight is San Fran's day off, so we'll be one ahead in games played to both other teams until our final off-day on Thursday evens things up again.

SF finishes things out at home: COL x 3, LAD x 3 - Late night starts Tues-Fri but the final two vs Dodgers will be afternoon games (4:15 / 3:15) so we all should be awake enough to follow along if necessary.

StL also home throughout: CIN x 4, PIT x 3 - also 4:15 / 3:15 for Sat/Sun


So in many of the cases the results of our game will precede the conclusion (and maybe even the start) of the others.
As mentioned around here somewhere, our game Saturday is now a 1:05 start
And, as with last year, they'll be doing all 15 final games on Sunday as simultaneous starts.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

We really need Cincy to step it the hell up. Can we trade them Bruce back? He's hot.

[Centerfield]

Kudos to Joe Maddon for trotting out his A lineup even after having clinched.

Not for nothing, but the playoff clubs probably want to see the Mets (and their depleted pitching staff) make it over the other two clubs no?

[Benjamin Grimm]

It's standard practice for teams already in the postseason to use their "A" lineup against other contending teams and use the games against non-contenders for resting their best players.

[Frayed Knot]

Cincy up 2-0 on the Cards, still in the 3rd inning, and they've got Wainwright up over 70 pitches already so he's not long for the game.
The only problem is that the Reds have left runners all over the place, they left one on in the 1st, 2 on in the 2nd, and just left 'em loaded in the 3rd. Could be a lot bigger.