Frayed Knot

So was that result better in the long run than if they closed out the 9th all clean and easy? I dunno. I would have opted for the easy way even if Yanx wind up more demoralized by it all in the end.

Now here is where the Granderson switch-out comes into play. If Swisher gets on (well, he didn't as I type) then you've got essentially the worst HR hitter on the team in Gardner as the tying run instead of your best HR hitter. Just thought that was an odd play is all.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Well, hey, maybe the folks behind the dugout/in left field/everywhere in the stadium DID know what they would eventually miss. Derek Jeter's last game, apparently. Yikes. Couldn't tell what that was, but it didn't look good for the home folks. Ankle maybe?

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: This is gonna suck Not sucking at the moment. Of course things could change at any time.

If the Tigers can get either or both of these runs in I give them an even shot at winning the game.

Wasn't the move to PR for Granderson a bit ... odd? I mean, since when did Granderson require a runner?

Is Soriano going to read the inside of his fucking hat and write something into the ground between each pitch? No wonder these games take 5 hours.

The only real surprise is that it's the same fuckin' guy each time - and that he's 65 years old. Usually when you've got a bench that goes 13 deep with guys who can hit 20+/yr they simply take turns.

So what do you think, this game about a 50/50 toss-up at this point?

Good thing the Tigers got those two late runs because I don't trust Valverde as far as I can throw him ... and nobody can throw that big load very far.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: POP QUIZ: What percentage of MFY "fans" watching this are verbally expressing a wish to have Jackson instead of Granderson right now? How many of those have no idea that their team traded Jackson to get Granderson? And how many are complaining in part because Granderson doesn't play enough "small ball" to suit them, as if they'd somehow be better off it they could trade in his 40-whatever HRs for more bunts and fewer Ks? And remember also about that trade that Phil Coke was the throw in. And then there was Ian Kennedy who wound up in Phoenix by the time the whole thing was done.

bmfc1 wrote: This is your head and not your heart. My head doesn't work in situations like this.

I'm betting that Austin Jackson is the only MLer ever to have his name consist of two state capitals. Unless there was like some native american from a bunch of years back named Little Rock Tallahassee or something. Why yes, I am in need of serious professional help.

Fister going on another one of his K barrages. That's four in a row now on the heels of the 9 in a row he had a month ago against KC. Helps that he's not getting screwed on the calls like he was earlier in the game. oe: and there goes the streak as I'm typing.

Not that I trust that 'Pitch Box' that TBS uses constantly to be complete accurate, and not that Fister hasn't created some of his own problems all by himself ... but jeez have the Tigers gotten one borderline call yet tonight?!? Just sayin'

GAME 1 ARod in lineup, batting 6th. All other news shrinks in comparison Pettitte vs Fister Fister?, I hardly kn .... Fister [28 y/o; 10-10; 3.45; 1.19] faced the opponents once this year and pitched to a ND on August 9th. The opponents won the game after Fister was removed when (say it with me folks) they hit back to back HRs in the 8th (Teixeira & Chavez) Pettitte [40; 5-4; 2.87; 1.14] did not face the Tigers this year.

HahnSolo wrote: You know, as crushing as the bullpen meltdown is, if I were a Nat fan I'd be irked that Gio couldn't give me more after being staked to a 6-0 lead. Plus they were lucky to have won the first game he pitched. In the end it was the worst of both worlds for them: not having Strasburg AND having the de facto #1 behind him (who actually had a better season overall) stumble trying to fill the role.

Swan Swan H wrote: Boy, am I sorry I missed the end of this one. I went to bed assuming the Nats had won and woke up to see this. The highlights cannot do it justice. You could almost see it creeping up on them as Gonzalez started laboring and getting a bit wild: 29 of 46 strikes in innings 1-3; but only 25 of 53 in innings 4 & 5 Then when the Cards got single runs in the 7th & 8th to close within one it looked like it was really on then. But, even then, they missed some opportunities to get more, and when the Nats tacked on a 2-out insurance run in bottom 8 you figured they were safe - Then Beltran doubled to start the 9th ... Storen followed that up by getting the next two outs ... but then came the two straight killer walks on 3-2 pitches ... and then the two straight 2-RBI singles which changed the stadium from real loud to real quiet real quickly In all Storen had I think it was 8 different 2-strikes counts where the next pitch could have ended the game in favor of the Nats without defense, chance, or bad luck even getting involved. Obviously he converted none of them. The 'Win Probability' numbers at BB-Ref had the Cards at 7% when the inning started. It jumped to 16% with Beltran's double, but then fell to 9% & 4% with the first and second outs. The walks then sent it to 8% then 14%, and the singles to 50% then 92% And (not sure if the hi-lights showed this) I don't want to say that Harper was a bit over-anxious in the bottom of the inning, but the 3rd strike he swung at for the 2nd and penultimate (I love that word) out in the game was about a foot over his head.

The on-field mikes just caught some fan yelling; "Gotta get rid of Drew [storen]" I wonder if Kozma gets called "Kramer" by any of his teammates? Nah, they're probably all too young.

Wow! What a kick in the gut for the Nationals.

Top of the order for the Nats, just like it was for the Cards in the top of the inning.

Who do the Nats think they are, the 2007 Mets? Get a big lead early then try and sit on it for the final six innings. Shit, after all the runners the Cards left on the bases over the middle innings, the Nats are lucky not to be down by more at this point.

Time to start rooting for that Giants-Tigers WS

Thole Shit!!

[u:10y6b5o3]Game 5[/u:10y6b5o3] Gio, handed a big lead early off a bevy of Nats XBHs, is getting walk-happy again and is in danger of giving it all back with the game not yet half over. No way can we give this bozo the CY award. oe: gets out of potentially worse trouble. 6-3 Nats, mid-5th