Frayed Knot

The combo of Max Scherzer & Patrick Corbin once struck fear into the hearts of Nats opponents. Now those same two strike fear into the hearts of the Nats themselves. Game time is at 7:10 because Saturday afternoon baseball is now apparently illegal. Hijinx will ensue.

Looks like they've opted for Peterson to open the series and face righty Josiah Grey

Stuff like that is generally in the heads of fans. And even if accurate, it's not the handful of 'makeup' or 'get even' calls that are going to contribute to home field edge over the long haul. It's going to be the not even conscious yet slight long term trend that'll get the home pitcher slightly more borderline strikes, or fewer touch fouls on the hardcourt, or maybe one or two fewer whistles for questionable holding calls.

Those 16 K's came in 8 innings

It certainly wouldn't surprise me if that were the case. Even in the upper leagues (EPL, etc) where threats of violence, at least the on-field towards refs part, were not a factor, there's still the crowd effect which can, consciously or otherwise, nudge calls in favor of the home team.

=Gwreck post_id=106110 time=1662087558 user_id=56]There was a really good book called “Scorecasting” that came out about 10 years ago that analyzed it. IIRC, it was indeed basketball and soccer that had some of the highest advantages to being at home, and baseball was one of the lower advantages.

Yes, but the people producing those opt to put those out there so Iowa chooses a football field but not a corn field and Texas shows you a gridiron but not hundreds of miles of coastline. Shallow choices if you ask me.

=batmagadanleadoff post_id=106103 time=1662086324 user_id=68] Home field advantage in baseball is way overrated.

Both Iowa and Texas choose to represent a football field as a symbol of their state. Pretty sad if you ask me.

The next day some fans in Oakland went up to the last row seats where the 'action' took place with some inventive signs (and ones that pretty much let everybody know specifically what was going on). One had the Nike swoosh with the slogan JUST BLOW IT Another simply said: THESE SEATS SUCK

Willets Point wrote: So 4-3 against the Dodgers this season, FWIW. So that means we get home field in the NLCS iff'n the two teams wind up with identical records. Not likely, I know, but a girl can dream can't she?

Braves up 3-0 in the 6th

Well maybe not. There was another one of these, shall we say, 'incidents', in Oakland last week and that one was definitely real.

So I had kind of put my MFY collapsing fantasy on hold for a bit after our two losses there followed by their journey to the weaker sisters of the AL West. But after taking the first two of the trip they then dropped four of the next five to go an uninspiring (for them, not for me) 3-4 vs OAK & LAA which left them at 10-18 for August, their worst monthly record since back in 1991 Aaaaaannnd this is all happening while Tampa (18-9 in August) has gotten hot so that 15.5 game lead in early July that was whittled down to 8.0 more recently is now down to 6.0. Missing the playoffs entirely is virtually impossible but blowing that kind of division lead would be brutal. And better yet, the Yanx are headed to Tampa for three this weekend and then, following four at home vs Minnesota (yeah, I know, but they're a decent team this even though 7-195 vs the Yanx in recent years) they get Tampa again for three in the Bronx. So that's 10 straight vs playoff contenders including six vs their closest pursuer. iow, suddenly we might just have ourselves a ballgame here! They're also only 8 G up on Toronto so iff'n the Jays ever decide to stop being mediocre (13-14 in Aug) they could throw another wrench into the works. TBR took two of three when they last met in mid-August followed immediately by the Jays taking three of four. Yanx go to Toronto in late Sept.

If I do it'll be for dumbpth and/or poor effort. I rarely if ever treat poor results as if someone kind of personal insult.

=kcmets post_id=106077 time=1662076518 user_id=53] Tape delayed: bookadoodles!

Willets Point wrote: Willets Point wrote: n Going to my first Mets game since 2019 on Sunday, September 4. So with the US Open going on next door, just how early should I be aiming to arrive at Citi Field? Now.

Finishing up the 'killer stretch' of our schedule with a get-away game vs the Dodgers Most get-away games wind up as 1 PM starts but I guess since we're playing LA we're doing things on Pacific time LA's parade of lefties continues as it's Clayton Kershaw's turn (and we didn't even see Julio Urias) Kershaw is, as he seems to be a lot in recent years, fresh off the IL having not pitched since August 4th. Just 15 starts this season for the 34 y/o 15-year vet. His fewest ever, aside from the Covid year, is 21 So expect a short leash then lots of pen action, and maybe we'll actually get a hit off Jake Reed before this series ends. Chris Bassitt plays the party of the other part.

Braves win 3-2 Funny how the Braves and Dodgers effectively just switched closers this winter [Jansen and Kimbrel] and neither has been particularly good.

A 2-out 2R HR cuts the Braves lead to 3-2 in the 9th Funny how the Braves and Didgers effectively swapped top line closers and neither [Kimbrel, Jansen] has been all that good.

Wed 8/31: Braves leading 3-0 thru 7-1/2

Efficient and dominant!

T.T.'s really soaking his moment in the sun, eh?

Mookie B's one weakness is that he has the worst excuse for a beard in MLB

8-9-1 for Otto: Gallo, Bellinger, Betts, Turner Don't want to see any of those guys on, particularly Betts & Turner, cuz they'll start running wild.