Frayed Knot

Sometimes it only seems like it's always us. But last night the Nats, at home, lost 4-3 to the Padres in 12 innings despite out-hitting them 16-to-8, in large part by going 0-fer-16 w/RiSP - their 3 runs came via a Sac Fly and 2 solo HRs Their pain went right to the end when, following his leadoff double in the bottom of the 12th, Bryce Harper got doubled off on a line drive to end the game. Aaaaaannd, that loss moved us ahead of them in the standings. Nice to see that one coming so early in the season, particularly after the 3-game sweep that started it all.

Meanwhile, ex-Mets on the save front this year: F. Rodriguez - Milwaukee - 9 Saves [12 appearances, 12 innings, 12 games finished; 0.00 ERA; 5 hits, 3 Walks, 18 Ks; 0.667 WHiP] L. Hawkins - Colorado - 6 Saves [9 games, 8.1 IP; 1.08; 0.96]

That was nicely, nicely done.

He's already doing FOX's pre-game stuff for Saturday baseball -- it's been running on their FOX SPORTS1 cable outlet so far -- so, yeah, I expect there'll be some of that in the future too. Probably get one of the Saturday GotW for baseball (love it if they'd give him the top job and let Buck go back to preparing for football games in July) and game of the wherever in football. Hope he was able to keep his contract from committing himself to FOX's new found love of human cockfighting.

bmfc1 wrote: If Burkhardt ends up on "Fox & Friends", I'm gonna be pissed. Well, not 'Fox & Friends' (except maybe for a promotional appearance or two) but, to no one's surprise, Kevin will be leaving SNY when his contract is up at the end of this season -- see today's NY Post -- and has already signed a three-year deal with FOX TV starting in 2015, a deal which will include "various sports duties" including baseball, the NFL, and college basketball and will require him to relocate out to the west coast. Certainly not surprising. IIRC SNY already prevented him from leaving once although in recent years has been more amenable to 'lending him out' to do network stuff. I'm generally not big on sideline reporters (in any sport really) but he's probably the only one I ever thought added anything of significance that the average viewer couldn't have come up with on his own. SNY will obviously be trying out replacements as the season goes on, particularly as KB works fewer games due to growing outside gigs. Or maybe they've already settled on one, although if they have it's not going too well because I've quickly forgotten each and every one who's subbed in, including the ones just from the last week or two. They've seemed to steer clear of the babe route that many teams like to use, although if it's going to be someone who just gives you the routine junk, it might as well be a hot babe.

In a continuation of the same cold, windy weather as seen all over the east coast this week, Thursday's game in Fenway featured 6 errors (5 by the Sox), 4 wild pitches, 1 passed ball, and 2 HBPs SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T ALLOW PINE TAR?!?!!? Michael Pineda is clearly a man looking out for the good of the game.

Edgy MD wrote: I thought this was my baby. I thought we had talked about in-division opponents all being group projects due to the volume of them, but if you want to take this one and run with it, go for it. I was merely attempting to kick things off by pointing out that I DON'T know much about them.

Despite the Marlins being a division rival, I don�t really know the them too well. What I do know * Giancarlo Stanton & Jose Fernandez are REAL good - although we�re going to miss Fernandez in this series * somehow this year�s Marlins are 2nd in the NL in RS/G after not just being dead last in 2013 but so bad that they were behind the team in 14th place (Cubs) by the length of a Giancarlo Stanton HR (more than 1/2 R/G) * Erratic team so far in 2014: Won 5 of first 6, then lost 8 straight, then followed that by winning 4 of 5 * Just finished up losing 2 of 3 during a tough series in Atlanta: a 1-0 win via a 2-hit, 14-K game by Fernandez was sandwiched in between a 4-2 loss as the result of a 10th inning 2R HR by Evan Gattis, and a 3-1 loss due to an 8th inning 2R PH 2B by Evan Gattis * They got to enjoy a a Thursday off in NYC while the Mets & Cards were finishing up their business So what else do I need to know??

Well, the idea that he showed some flexibility in the era of being married to one closer is nice, although I suspect that has more to do with the fact Farnsworth hasn't had enough time to cement down the role than it does some sort of advanced thinking, "advanced" in this case means: going with the guy who you think might be best TODAY rather than whose "job" it is.

Hockey's system is probably the best specifically because it's the simplest and most limited. They review only goals, goals are fairly rare in today's NHL (5-6 per/game), and the schedule usually has an average of about 5-6 games per night. I've heard similar suggestions that baseball should also only review "scoring plays", but there's not a logical equivalent here. If a leadoff hit into the gap results in a catch/no-catch call then that call essentially IS a scoring play even though it technically is not. Again, the concept of trying to stay just a little bit pregnant applies here.

Before we go overboard on this stuff, I'm pretty sure Dice as closer is just because they're leery of using Farnsworth on back-to-back days - particularly if it's DGANG. Not saying it might not morph into this idea at some point--Farnsworth IMO is only slightly less likely to crash and burn than Valverde--but Terry's not there yet just because he was there today. Mets, btw, are already assured by the Parnell injury to have their 4th different saves leader in the last four seasons (F Rodriguez - Francisco - Parnell - ??) The Cards just leaving town and the Marlins just arriving are two others in the same boat.

Still not hitting at home (four game series = 20 runs scored by both teams total) but it's enough to take the 3-of-4

Rice & Dice are twice as nice!

Dice-K on for the "cookie" save (1 inning - 3 runs)

Terry's reasoning for bringing Dice-K back out after securing the final batter of the 7th in Wednesday's game: 'Because he's not by 8th inning guy - Torres is' Ugh ... that 'Ugh' being directed not at Torres but at the logic.

28 pitches to just four batters (two outs/two on) for Torres means he doesn't get to finish the inning. So it's Rice vs Adams as the tying run.

Generous scoring on that hit/RBI by Grandy--he hit it hard but essentially right through Ellis who had just come in on the double switch.

10 game suspension for Pineda -- aka: he misses 1 start then delays his next start by one day. Suspensions for starting pitchers often aren't as harsh as they sound.

Surprising, IMO, that Terry didn't get Abreu out of there after he made the final out of the 6th. I'd prefer 3 innings of better D out in RF at the expense of probably only 1 more AB (max). If this sounds like I'm paranoid about Abreu's defense that's only because I am.

If I had a set of girl & boy twins I might name them Lance & Lynn

Weird year so far for EYJ -- not hitting worth shit but still getting on base and usually something happens when he does.

Zvon wrote: I was wondering if Abreu could leg out a double. He can. An Abreu double is like the Kentucky Derby: the most exciting two minutes in sports.

As has Abreu

That wasn't a BOOM, that was a BOOM and a half.

And the K-ing Kontinues