the nl east and the nl west will be a RACE down to the wire.

[Chris_]

still, joe torre deserves a great deal of credit for starting ethier over pierre on opening day.  not too many managers would have started a kid over a $44M bust that the GM signed, and undoubtedly wanted to see in the lineup every night.

Nothing succeeds like success.

yeah, but success can't succeed if he never gets an at bat. :-)

You lost me.  But I am in EDT, so it is > 1:00 AM here...

you only visit EDT.  I live in it. :-)

(I thought you were speaking of ethier's success . . . )

Yes -- bouncing from PDT to EDT is so much fun.

Let me tell you what I consider to be a great story fragment -- I had the pleasure and thrill of hearing Vin Sculley call the big hits in the last game. 

I cannot begin to tell you the huge emotional response I had.  Vin IS Summer.  The classiest guy to ever sit behind a microphone.  He has been the voice of baseball (not just Dodgers) since I was born.  When I hear his voice, I am 10 years old again, sitting on the porch with a transistor radio hearing Vin (along with the late Jerry Doggett).  And as much as Vin loved and loves the Dodgers, he wasn't a local rooting squad.  He sees the game through the lens of a baseball lover -- and a very, very serious student of the game.

If you get a chance, check out his induction speech into the Hall Of Fame.

The rest of baseball may have wins, Series, stadia -- we have Vin.

We win.

[BlueStateSaint]

Pedro got off to a bad start at Shea, but he held the Mets in it for six innings, leaving the game in the seventh with two on and one out.  Ricardo Rincon comes in to face rookie Micah Hoffpauir, and Hoffpauir put the first pitch off the scoreboard in right.  Cubs up 6-3.  At this point, I was disgusted and turned off the game.  Went to bed.  I flip on the 'puter this morning . . . The Mets scored one in the seventh, two in the eighth to tie it (and a heluva "slide" from Ryan Church), and Carlos Beltran scored Jose Reyes with the winning run, on a hit off the aforementioned Micah Hoffpauir's glove, to win it in the bottom of the ninth. 

One game back of the Phillthies.  Tied with the Brewers.  Gonna be a heluva weekend.

[thundley4]

This years Dodgers are much like last years Cubs team.  They hung around close in second place until the last few weeks before making a charge for first.

The D-backs helped them out a bit by deciding to SUCK the last month and a half.

No offense to the Dodgers or WE. LOL. 

The Brewers did that last year also. They couldn't put together a win streak in the last month in '07. 

The Cubs have a chance to knock the Brewers out and let the Mets take the wildcard this weekend.

[Wretched Excess]

This years Dodgers are much like last years Cubs team.  They hung around close in second place until the last few weeks before making a charge for first.

The D-backs helped them out a bit by deciding to SUCK the last month and a half.

No offense to the Dodgers or WE. LOL. 

The Brewers did that last year also. They couldn't put together a win streak in the last month in '07. 

The Cubs have a chance to knock the Brewers out and let the Mets take the wildcard this weekend.

are the real cubs playing, or are they starting all of their call-ups? 

[Wretched Excess]

Pedro got off to a bad start at Shea, but he held the Mets in it for six innings, leaving the game in the seventh with two on and one out.  Ricardo Rincon comes in to face rookie Micah Hoffpauir, and Hoffpauir put the first pitch off the scoreboard in right.  Cubs up 6-3.  At this point, I was disgusted and turned off the game.  Went to bed.  I flip on the 'puter this morning . . . The Mets scored one in the seventh, two in the eighth to tie it (and a heluva "slide" from Ryan Church), and Carlos Beltran scored Jose Reyes with the winning run, on a hit off the aforementioned Micah Hoffpauir's glove, to win it in the bottom of the ninth. 

One game back of the Phillthies.  Tied with the Brewers.  Gonna be a heluva weekend.

I am watching your game, BSS.  I have told you before that you turned me into a part-time mets fan this season with your
great posts about your team.

[Wretched Excess]

I shouldn't have said anything.  pelfrey can't get an out.

[Wretched Excess]

wow.  there is down the to wire, and then there is down to the wire. 

the NL wild card comes down to the last day of the season.  milwaukee puts the seemingly unbeatable CC Sabathia on the mound against the cubs and zambrano, while the mets put their future on the back of ollie perez.

THIS is down to the wire.  I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to a head to head one game playoff.

[Red October]

Brad Lidge:  It's not just a save, it's an adventure.  Comes in with a two run lead to close out the Nats.  K's the first guy, then screws around and gives up hit after hit with a walk for good measure until it's a one run game, bases loaded with one out.  After being PERFECT all year!    And now Washington's best player is at the plate.  Lidge lays it in and Zimmerman smacks one hard to Rollins' left... and Rollins makes a great dive in the grass to snag it and turn two.  We'll take that save.    And the division, if you please.   

[Wretched Excess]

Brad Lidge:  It's not just a save, it's an adventure.  Comes in with a two run lead to close out the Nats.  K's the first guy, then screws around and gives up hit after hit with a walk for good measure until it's a one run game, bases loaded with one out.  After being PERFECT all year!    And now Washington's best player is at the plate.  Lidge lays it in and Zimmerman smacks one hard to Rollins' left... and Rollins makes a great dive in the grass to snag it and turn two.  We'll take that save.    And the division, if you please.   

congrats on the division championship.  I really didn't think it would turn out the way it did, but I was pretty focussed on my own race.

so, if the mets win the WC, it's LA/Philly and Chicago/NY.  and if milwaukee wins the WC, it's LA/Chicago and Philly/milwaukee, correct?

[Wretched Excess]

let's see if LA can actually win one at SF.  they haven't exactly been playing their "A" team for the entire game
since they clinched, but I am really, REALLY glad that this series doesn't matter.

and I will only hear vin scully say, "it's tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime for dodger baseball" one more time this season.

on edit : I take it back.  tomorrow's game is being broadcast by the giants' satellite feed on the extra innings package.  I am getting
vin for the last time this season tonight.

[jendf]

I should be totally gracious and congratulate you guys on your teams' division wins and what not.

But instead, I would just like to say...

I HATE YOU ALL AND I HATE BASEBALL!!

 

[Wretched Excess]

I should be totally gracious and congratulate you guys on your teams' division wins and what not.

But instead, I would just like to say...

I HATE YOU ALL AND I HATE BASEBALL!!

 

I feel your pain, jen. 

[Wretched Excess]

if furcal is healthy for the playoffs, that could seriously change things.  I don't expect him to be in the same form that he was in april, but this changes the batting order significantly.

[Wretched Excess]

LA wins 2-1. the crowd was chanting "beat LA, beat LA" from the 3rd inning on.  thanks God we didn't have to sweep this series to win the division.

[BlueStateSaint]

Congrats, Red.  The Phillies definitely earned it.  Though, the fact that Lidge has not blown a save all year should be a tad troublesome.  Means that he'll blow (a critical) one in the playoffs, and it just might snowball.

Johan Santana has justified the Mets' expenditures this offseason, in his last two critical starts.  The jury's still out on the Twins' end of the deal, but they are playing for the AL Central Division crown today.  Carlos Gomez has been passable for them.  Humber has not done too well in Rochester, and neither has Kevin Mulvey.  Haven't heard a word about Deolis Guerra.

Ollie Perez goes today, and he tends to respond well in big-game situations.  Ollie's going on three days' rest, and I don't know how well he's done with three days' rest in his career.  If the play-in game is needed on Monday, Pedro Martinez is scheduled to get the start.  For the Brew Crew, CC Sabathia is scheduled to go with three days' rest for the third straight start.

[Red October]

Thanks guys   I love you too, jen      C'mon, you guys won a ring with my man Curt not too long ago.  Wanna trade places?

What a year it's been.  Congratulations to everyone who made the big dance, especially Tampa Bay.  Welcome to the Show!

Blue, Lidge came a little too close to comfort to blowing his first save a few times this month, but he's either pitched out of it or our defense bailed him out.  ESPECIALLY yesterday... Rollins defense won the game for us, Lidge only "techinically" saved the game.  Mr. Ligths-Out Lidge was just terrible yesterday.  But just read through our Shakespearean tragedy of a sports history, and you'll see we're rightly due some karma points.

Now lets hope Bradley Lights-Out has gotten all his suckage out of his system, and Mr. Whole Camels can benefit from an extra days rest on Thursday.  I'd really rather face Milwaukee first.  I know CC's a horse, but the way they're beating his arm into the ground lately should help us.  But if we have to face LA, so be it.  We've handled everyone who came our way in the NL this year except the Mets.  I remember people promising me Milwaukee and Chicago were gonna come into CBP late in the year and show us what's what.  Uh-huh.  What happened, again?    We'll take on all comers except the Mets.  At home, on the road... doesn't matter.  We'll set 'em up and lay 'em down except the Mets.  Bring.  It.  On.  Except the Mets.

[formerlurker]

Thanks guys   I love you too, jen      C'mon, you guys won a ring with my man Curt not too long ago.  Wanna trade places?

What a year it's been.  Congratulations to everyone who made the big dance, especially Tampa Bay.  Welcome to the Show!

Blue, Lidge came a little too close to comfort to blowing his first save a few times this month, but he's either pitched out of it or our defense bailed him out.  ESPECIALLY yesterday... Rollins defense won the game for us, Lidge only "techinically" saved the game.  Mr. Ligths-Out Lidge was just terrible yesterday.  But just read through our Shakespearean tragedy of a sports history, and you'll see we're rightly due some karma points.

Now lets hope Bradley Lights-Out has gotten all his suckage out of his system, and Mr. Whole Camels can benefit from an extra days rest on Thursday.  I'd really rather face Milwaukee first.  I know CC's a horse, but the way they're beating his arm into the ground lately should help us.  But if we have to face LA, so be it.  We've handled everyone who came our way in the NL this year except the Mets.  I remember people promising me Milwaukee and Chicago were gonna come into CBP late in the year and show us what's what.  Uh-huh.  What happened, again?    We'll take on all comers except the Mets.  At home, on the road... doesn't matter.  We'll set 'em up and lay 'em down except the Mets.  Bring.  It.  On.  Except the Mets.

Excuse me? 


 

[Red October]

Thanks guys   I love you too, jen      C'mon, you guys won a ring with my man Curt not too long ago.  Wanna trade places?

What a year it's been.  Congratulations to everyone who made the big dance, especially Tampa Bay.  Welcome to the Show!

Blue, Lidge came a little too close to comfort to blowing his first save a few times this month, but he's either pitched out of it or our defense bailed him out.  ESPECIALLY yesterday... Rollins defense won the game for us, Lidge only "techinically" saved the game.  Mr. Ligths-Out Lidge was just terrible yesterday.  But just read through our Shakespearean tragedy of a sports history, and you'll see we're rightly due some karma points.

Now lets hope Bradley Lights-Out has gotten all his suckage out of his system, and Mr. Whole Camels can benefit from an extra days rest on Thursday.  I'd really rather face Milwaukee first.  I know CC's a horse, but the way they're beating his arm into the ground lately should help us.  But if we have to face LA, so be it.  We've handled everyone who came our way in the NL this year except the Mets.  I remember people promising me Milwaukee and Chicago were gonna come into CBP late in the year and show us what's what.  Uh-huh.  What happened, again?    We'll take on all comers except the Mets.  At home, on the road... doesn't matter.  We'll set 'em up and lay 'em down except the Mets.  Bring.  It.  On.  Except the Mets.

Excuse me? 


 

What?  Would you rather it be New York again?

[formerlurker]

Thanks guys   I love you too, jen      C'mon, you guys won a ring with my man Curt not too long ago.  Wanna trade places?

What a year it's been.  Congratulations to everyone who made the big dance, especially Tampa Bay.  Welcome to the Show!

Blue, Lidge came a little too close to comfort to blowing his first save a few times this month, but he's either pitched out of it or our defense bailed him out.  ESPECIALLY yesterday... Rollins defense won the game for us, Lidge only "techinically" saved the game.  Mr. Ligths-Out Lidge was just terrible yesterday.  But just read through our Shakespearean tragedy of a sports history, and you'll see we're rightly due some karma points.

Now lets hope Bradley Lights-Out has gotten all his suckage out of his system, and Mr. Whole Camels can benefit from an extra days rest on Thursday.  I'd really rather face Milwaukee first.  I know CC's a horse, but the way they're beating his arm into the ground lately should help us.  But if we have to face LA, so be it.  We've handled everyone who came our way in the NL this year except the Mets.  I remember people promising me Milwaukee and Chicago were gonna come into CBP late in the year and show us what's what.  Uh-huh.  What happened, again?    We'll take on all comers except the Mets.  At home, on the road... doesn't matter.  We'll set 'em up and lay 'em down except the Mets.  Bring.  It.  On.  Except the Mets.

Excuse me? 


 

What?  Would you rather it be New York again?

No, I would rather Tito played his starters and act like the WS champions they are to take the division.   

Of course, Tito decided to phone it in instead.

[Red October]

No, I would rather Tito played his starters and act like the WS champions they are to take the division.   

Of course, Tito decided to phone it in instead.

So you gotta play the Angels first.  Big deal.  You'll smoke them.

[BlueStateSaint]

The Angels are going to have their hands full with the Sawx, and vice versa.  As I might have said in this thread, I'm rather interested in who wins the AL Central. 

In Shea, Ollie tried to make a bare-hand save against a Dan Uggla grounder.  Needless to say, he didn't.  But, he did just shoo away the trainer and Jerry Manuel when they came out to check on him.  He threw a pair of pitches, and said, "Go back to the dugout."  Gotta love that stuff.

[formerlurker]

This just in: the Mets have canceled the winter break to get advanced training in the heimlich maneuver. 







 

 

[BlueStateSaint]

This just in: the Mets have canceled the winter break to get advanced training in the heimlich maneuver. 







 

 

The worst part is that the Mets will not make any real changes.  Sure, Ollie Perez will jump ship to the highest bidder, and Pedro Martinez will retire, and Moises Alou will as well, and Orlando Hernandez, and Billy Wagner will be gone, but the new guys they bring in won't make a heluva lotta difference.  They really should package Aaron Heilman (who's had a bad knee, supposedly, all year) and Luis Castillo up and move them, putting Argenis Reyes/Ramon Martinez at 2B for next year, and Danny Murphy/Nick Evans in LF.  Bobby Parnell should be in the bullpen.  Eddie Kunz needs to get some time in the pen, as well.

I'm thinking third place in the NL East next year.  I really should have jumped to the Royals like I wanted to do last year.

[Red October]

This just in: the Mets have canceled the winter break to get advanced training in the heimlich maneuver. 







 

 

 H5!

[formerlurker]

This just in: the Mets have canceled the winter break to get advanced training in the heimlich maneuver. 







 

 

The worst part is that the Mets will not make any real changes.  Sure, Ollie Perez will jump ship to the highest bidder, and Pedro Martinez will retire, and Moises Alou will as well, and Orlando Hernandez, and Billy Wagner will be gone, but the new guys they bring in won't make a heluva lotta difference.  They really should package Aaron Heilman (who's had a bad knee, supposedly, all year) and Luis Castillo up and move them, putting Argenis Reyes/Ramon Martinez at 2B for next year, and Danny Murphy/Nick Evans in LF.  Bobby Parnell should be in the bullpen.  Eddie Kunz needs to get some time in the pen, as well.

I'm thinking third place in the NL East next year.  I really should have jumped to the Royals like I wanted to do last year.

You know as sure as I am typing this that k-rod will be a Met next year.     You have no worries (aside from the playoffs that is).