Frayed Knot

The only good thing about this game is that can't officially go into the books as a loss until it ends and, at this rate, I don't think it's ever actually going to end. 2-1/2 hours / 5 innings. This sport is committing (very) slow speed suicide.

Roger McDowell '86: 14 wins, 22 saves

bmfc1 wrote: Quote from Dusty Baker: ... “And they’re pulling out all the stops.” Says the man who at one point had three pinch-runners on base at the same time. P.S. they all got stranded

On April 30th last year, Conforto, hitting out of the 3rd slot, had racked up a .365/.442/.676 slash line [1118 OPS] and I pronounced him to be not just good but 'special' The next day he faced Madison Bumgarner, struck out three times, and went into a tail spin resulting in a demotion to AAA and a .161/.234/.313 line [547] from May thru the end of August (214 PA), a funk that he only sort of started to come out of by September and even then only as a part-timer. His K-rate spiked from some 17% in April to nearly double that. That's not rolling down hill, that's falling off a cliff. But, as the financial people all tell you, past performance is no guarantee of future results so at this point the only way he should come out of the starting lineup is if someone or some thing forces him out and he has it totally in his power to make sure that doesn't happen. As for where he hits in the lineup, my only answer is 'often' and don't particularly care which exact slot. With no one else remotely suited to the leadoff spot at the moment, Reyes's mini-surge notwithstanding, I'd just as soon leave him there for now. Granderson is the obvious choice to start seeing more bench time once Duda and Cespedes come back.

Benjamin Grimm wrote: He should have refused the MRI! Because then it wouldn't have shown the tear and his knee would be fine!! Suxx for Eaton but you knew that didn't look good as soon as it happened. Tough for the Nats too as they gave up a lot for him -- Lucas Giolito plus one other promising pitcher. On the other hand, I hadn't realized that Eaton was one of those guys the ChiSox signed two years ago back when they (and the Padres) were trying to spend their way into 1st place in the course of one off-season. So the Nats inherited a rather team-friendly contract and have him signed at reasonable (although escalating) rates thru 2019 and even then have team options on him for 2020 & 2021 so it's not like they went all-in on him for just this year. Now all Chisox have to do is find out why Giolito suxx so bad this year at AAA Charlotte just one season removed from being the best pitching prospect in baseball. The other guy, Reynaldo Lopez, not doing so well either. As the boys at Baseball Prospectus say: TINSTAAPP (there is no such thing as a pitching prospect)

Six more of those tack-on runs and I might just start to feel a little more comfortable.

I can't hear the name Kelley/Kelly without hearing it in Robert Shaw's voice from THE STING

Edgy MD wrote: All three pitches to Ryan Zimbalist were middle in. It was not a healthy place to be pitching. Except that that's exactly what Ronnie has been advocating all day. Except now when he's conspicuously silent on the matter. Zimmerman was obviously sitting on that inside pitch. Mets have scored in five different innings over these two games, and have given back runs in the bottom half of those same innings four times.

Dusty should know that you can't just throw Enny old left-hander up there against Conforto.

That's right guys, the umpires indicates obstruction but allows the play to play out and then makes a call based on whether he thinks the obstruction mattered. It WAS obstruction but that doesn't make it a free base. Even Angel Hernandez got this one right!!

Not only is that two come-backer/GiDPs from Harper in the last four ABs, but then the really strange part ... Met pitchers fielded and threw both of them without fumbling it!!! I'm not sure that's happened on this team in a long time.

Gary: "I don't think there are any circumstances that will get Conforto out of the lineup again" Was he not paying attention last May and June?

But even if it's 'Obstruction', Ronnie and Gary, that doesn't mean Werth gets a freebie. The whole idea is that it's the ump's judgement about whether or not he would have gotten to the next base without it. Worth would have been out by 45 feet thanks to Walker backing it up.

Or maybe somewhat greater than zero.

Good thing we got Adam Eaton out of there. There's like zero chance this leadoff walk-single doesn't come back to bite Wheeler in this inning.

First thing I noticed in Friday's game was that Angel Hernandez was umping at 3rd base Second thing was the realization that it meant he wouldn't get the plate in this series.

To no one's surprise, the Nats place Adam Eaton on the 10-day DL and recall speedster OF Rafael Bautista from AAA Syracuse. Well maybe that Bautista was the replacement is a surprise but not the part about Eaton. That one looked like it could be a couple months. One would suspect that Michael Taylor will be the mostly everyday replacement.

Edgy MD wrote: So, even taking one of three will be a moral victory. Taking two would be an outrageous upset. Three would be a season-saver. One - Check Two - Check Three - ? And the remaining game is the one where we (theoretically anyway) have the pitching matchup on our side for the first time in the series.

2nd O-o-T-S interruption -- while we were busy [crossout:rysnda5d]celebrating[/crossout:rysnda5d] sweating out the Mets win, the Orioles were blowing a 9-1 6th inning lead in the Bronx, and eventually lost it 14-11 in the 10th. Buck's crew is missing their closer Zach Britton (although that certainly isn't their only problem) but I really think this is punishment for Buck for not using Britton in last year's Wild Card game when he should have.

Chad Ochoseis wrote: Ron, I don't give a damn about the closer's cahnfidence. I'd like to see the Mets win this ballgame. YUP! You don't want to get pulled out of the game then don't give up three straight hits. Nice K of Turner though.

I wasn't whistling past the graveyard there. I was at least 99% sure we were going to lose that game and was probably 50/50 at best when the inning started.

TERRY'S A FREAKIN' GENIUS!!!!

This is how this season has gone, on the day we get good starting pitching and actually score some runs both Reed AND Familia can't get anyone out.

Rockin' Doc wrote: I receive the Braves games by TBS and the Cubs on WGN, but I can't get the Nationals games. I used to receive the Orioles games via cable, but that stopped a few years ago. A little frustrated that I find my account blocked so often, but at least I can get the radio feed for the games. It is the first time I have broke down and ponied up the money for MLB.com coverage and I am getting frustrated oer being blocked so often. I doubt I will pay the cash to MLB.com again. Likely a first and last time. Try contacting MLB. The Orioles and Nats share the same network so your area may be on their 'list' as being covered by MASN because you once were. But as long as it's not available and you are simply choosing not to pony up for Nats games, you shouldn't be blocked. Zvon was talking about that the other day. He's in the Philly sphere but was also being blocked out of Pirates and Orioles games but got them to end that.

This is NOT going to end well.