Frayed Knot

That looks like the sign that tells you where to catch the municipal bus.

So do I, but I also like the fact that there needs to be a trade-off if you want to keep one (or find a 3rd-string C who can contribute elsewhere). Tweaking rosters up early while pitchers are still ramping themselves up & then late to get a look at some prospects is OK with me, I just don't want it all year.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: The advent of the 12-man pitching staff has resulted in the five-man bench. I'd like to see the seven-man bench come back, and while I'd much prefer if it came through a return to the 10-man pitching staff and more complete games, I don't see that happening. So the 27-man roster is another way to get there. One of the good things about keeping the roster limited is that it rewards the all-purpose player at the expense of the specialists and I'm afraid that expanding things permanently is just going to result in 14-man pitching staffs and not expand the bench at all. IOW, more specialists and more 3-1/2 hour games (4-1/2 if the game involves the Yanx, the Sawx, or Tony LaRussa).

If they're going to keep it there definitely should be a limit, even if for no other reason that it's another loophole the richer teams can exploit over the budget clubs. Remember when MLB wouldn't let the Expos bring up anyone one September because it meant added salaries, travel, hotels, etc.? Now most teams aren't in that boat but it's still a consideration especially since the only theoretical upper limit is 40. 30 should be the ceiling and I'd argue for less. I've thought about the hockey-style rule where the roster is larger but only the set amount "dress" for each game. The problem with that is that the previous and following night's pitchers are going to be the most widely used to fill that quota. I think the idea sounds better than it would actually play out in reality. I'd be more in favor of a couple extra to start the year before reducing it week by week as was suggested and then fewer add-ons in Sept. I also like the idea of dangling this 'extra-jobs' carrot as an exchange for giving up the DH but I know that's just a fantasy.

Gee - 0.3 Tejada - 3.8 Duda - 1.7 Bay - 1.0 Paulino - 0.2 Evans - 1.0 Herrera - 0.3 Batista - 0.3 Byrdak - 0.3 Parnell - 0.2 Acosta - 0.3

Dickey - 4.8 Byrdak - 0.3 Tejada - 0.8 Duda - 0.3 Thole - 0.3

Capuano - 1.9 Wright - 3.0 Evans - 1.0 Duda - 1.3 Reyes - 1.0 Thole - 0.8 Tejada - 1.0

Y'know what's our biggest problem tonight (and many other nights): NYM pitchers have recorded 2 strikeouts. No one on this staff can put anybody away so the hitters just foul shit off until they eventually get something to hit (or get a walk, or we make an error).

Except that LaRussa doesn't need to bunt anyone over because we're just allowing them to simply stroll on down to 2nd.

Who's next to steal a base uncontested, Molina?

Nationals won the 2nd game of the DP too. So now that the Philly run at 108 is totally blown it would be OK if the Nats lost one or two along the way here. But, if we finish behind them we've got no one to blame but ourselves for that disgusting P.O.S. of a 4-game series.

No-tell Do-tel / Holliday ain't in (Say What?!)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I'm now convinced that Collins: A)... has (or is under the impression that he has) a sac-bunt quota he's got to meet before year's end, and is way behind pace ... Or has a MASSIVE side bet going with Tony LaRussa and Dusty Baker The thing is, he wasn't all that bad with it until like the last six weeks. Now he's morphed into Jerry by doing things like bunting into Tejada as well as with him.

Edgy DC wrote: Guys, tell me if it was a hit or not --- then tell me about Pujols' wrist. Hit. No injury. Wow, two successful sac bunts in a row. I think that makes it like two of our last 65

6 - 15 -- That would be the Red Sox record over the last three weeks (since Aug 30) 1 -- The number of wins during that same stretch when they didn't score at least nine runs 5 -- The number of games out of those 21 where they held the opposition to less than 5 runs ... and they lost three of those This team is in deep doo-doo folks. Especially pitching-wise. One-time prospect/trade-deadline pick-up Erik Bedard goes tonight v Baltimore.

bmfc1 wrote: The Mets first trip to St. Louis since April, 2010. The sad part about that is that MLB thinks this is progress.

We haven't seen these guys since July so they've pretty much been off our radar - which is odd considering how much they used to always be on it. - They lead the NL in runs scored per game, which isn't surprising since they lead in each BA, OBA & SLG (and, naturally, OPS) while sitting right around NL avg in most pitching stats (RA, ERA, WHiP) - The reports of Albert Pujols's demise were greatly exaggerated. He's having a much better 2nd half than 1st, including going approx .340/.420/.600 w/12 HRs since August 1 - Matt Holliday has been on the shelf off and on for the entire season including the last few days. Not sure what his status is right now. Most common recent set-up: C - Molina 1B - Pujols 2B - Schumaker or Theriot 3B - Freese/DeScalso SS - Furcal LF - Berkman (back to RF if Holliday is able to play) CF - Jon Jay (when he's not on the high court RF - Allen Craig (played pieces of this year & last) Tuesday: 8:15 -- Pelfrey v Edwin Jackson Jackson is the 28 y/o once-touted RHP prospect who tossed a no-hitter a few years back but has been oft-moved (LAD, TBR, Det, Arz, CHW) before being dealt to StL as this year's deadline. 12-9; 3.71; 1.41 overall this season, this will be his 11th start for StL [5-2; 3.32; 1.40] Wednesday: 8:15 -- Schwinden v Jamie Garcia Not as dominant as in last year's 3rd place RoY season, he's 12-7 with an ERA + WHiP that's up to 3.59 + 1.34 (from last season's 2.70 + 1.32) although his walks are way down. Thursday: 1:45 -- Capuano v Jake Westbrook Westbrook was StL's deadline pick-up last season who then re-upped with them over the winter. 12-9 in 31 starts with a 4.58; 1.52 ERA/WHiP (must get a lot of run support).

I forgot that the Yanx actually [u:275uj3ow]have 10 games left[/u:275uj3ow]: 4 w/Tampa starting tonight (DH on Wednesday), then 3 w/Boston before finishing with 3 [u:275uj3ow]in[/u:275uj3ow] Tampa

Red Sox won the nightcap of their DH w/Baltimore but, Geeeeeez, John Lackey still suxx. 8 earned runs over 4.1 IPs on 2 BBs + [u:1e6regu4]11 hits[/u:1e6regu4] - all of which pumps his ERA for the season up to 6.49 Fortunately for him and the Sox, the Boston offense hung up 18 off 8 different Oriole hurlers in a game that only took 3:55. The (separate admission) DH clocked in at a breezy 6:45 In all, the day dropped Boston to 5.0 back of the Yanx and kept them 2.0 ahead of the idle Rays in the WC Rays at Yanx for the next three days so Boston is going to have to win to keep from losing ground to someone. At this point you gotta figure that 'Red Sox Nation' are Yanx fans for the next few days. Yanx are going to have a big say in things as they finish with 9 games against Tampa-Boston-Tampa

- Braves tally 4 in the 7th to take a 5-4 lead against the Fishies in Florida, then go into their late game formula of O'Flaherty in the 7th, Venters in the 8th, and Kimbrel in the 9th. The first 8 outs of that rotation worked just fine ... then, with two outs, Kimbrel gave up an infield single followed by a walk-off 2R HR to Omar Infante (nice to know he hits against other teams too). - Phils also tally 2 in the 9th, but the Cards had enough foresight to go into that inning with a 3-run lead. Octavio Dotel eventually got the final out/save in the inning which featured a very LaRussa-ish 4 mound visits and 3 different pitchers. As a result the Braves WC lead, once looking oh so secure, is down to just 2.5 games over StL, 4.0 over the Giants. How ironic, Braves fans are now temporary Mets fans for the week.

Schwinden - 1.7 Igarashi - 0.2 Thayer - 0.2 Tejada - 1.2 Bay - 1.2 Paulino - 0.5

Pelfrey - 3.8 Batista - 0.3 Stinson - 0.3 Turner - 0.6

Sox lose while Yanx win - virtually ensuring the AL East to the evil empire unless Tampa runs the table. Oh, and that Mariano guy got his record-breaking save. Yawn.

Sawx down to Bal'mer 6-5 heading for the 9th in the first of a twin-bill (no one uses the phrase twin-bill anymore) at Fenway. Muga-bucks man Carl Crawford is sitting this one out with a "stiff neck" - something I'm sure will go over well with what must be now a twisted into knots Boston fan base & media In da Bronx, the Yanx handed AJ Burnett with an early 5-0 lead but he still couldn't make it through the 5th. 5-4 Yanx in the 6th -- make that 6-4

Benjamin Grimm wrote: And at Yankee Stadium. I think Topps figured that since most players come through New York during the course of the season, they'd save money on travel. I suspect some of them were super-imposed also. "Hey Joe, some team just sent me photos of some of their new players, get me that generic stadium backdrop outta the file would ya"