Non-Pirates Baseball Thread

[Idoit40fans]

Great pitchers duel in TB... Price and Sabathia each throw 8 scoreless.

And my roster is illegal...with Sabathia getting 2 starts this week. I love it.

[MWB]

Crawford got tossed in the bottom of the ninth arguing balls and strikes. Funny seeing Maddon try to get out there before he got thrown out, but he couldn't make it.

[Draftnik]

Hockey season can't start soon enough. The NYY TB game might be the most I've watched a regular game in more than a decade. At least it ended on a crazy play.

[MWB]

Fitting that the guy who replaced Crawford after he got tossed hit the walk off HR. Last night's game was also pretty good with TB scoring 7 runs in one inning to take the lead but losing in extras. A playoff series between these two teams would be good.

[beerman]

Carlos Gonzalez is hitting .382 since the All-Star Break and .472 in 14 games this month. Josh Hamilton has hit .392 since the ASB.

The Twins could make a serious push for Homefield throughout the AL Playoffs, they're currently a 1 1/2 back of the Yankees and 1 back of the Rays for the top spot. The Twins have a better home record than both this season and have a fairly easy schedule only 5 of 18 remaining against teams over .500. The Rays schedule is the same 5 games against teams over .500, all against the Yankees though and the Yankees have 14 of their remaining 17 against teams over .500.

Since August 3rd the Orioles, 24-15, have the best record in the American League East by 2 games over the Yankees and 3.5 over TB and Boston. The only team in the entire AL better during that stretch is Minnesota at 27-10. Philly (27-13), Houston (by % pts, 23-14) and Colorado (24-14) are also better.

[Rocco]

So can they start playing "Holy Diver" for Derek Jeter's walkup music?

[npv708]

So can they start playing "Holy Diver" for Derek Jeter's walkup music?

Well, Jeter saw Crosby's home run and figured since Sid was doing what Jeter does for a living, Jeter would do what Sid does for a living.

[pittsports87]

So can they start playing "Holy Diver" for Derek Jeter's walkup music?

Well, Jeter saw Crosby's home run and figured since Sid was doing what Jeter does for a living, Jeter would do what Sid does for a living.

[SolidSnake]

Torre to leave the Dodgers

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=334102" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cmon Pirates *fingers crossed*

[MWB]

Glad to see Mattingly get a shot. I always wanted him to succeed Torre for the Yankees.

[Physical_Graffiti]

Bautista's a beasta

[npv708]

50 for Bautista...

seriously, I still can't believe this one.

[pittsports87]

Steroids are a heck of a drug.

[MWB]

Only one week left in the season. The only thing left to decide in the AL is who is the WC and who is the AL East champ. In the NL, looks like the Rockies are probably out of it, leaving Atlanta, San Diego and San Fran battling it out for two spots. I think the AL is going to be wide open in the playoffs, but Philly will be tough to beat in the NL. Halladay, Oswalt, and Hamels is a ridiculously good group of starters.

Despite only 12 wins, King Felix should get the Cy Young. The NL is a toss up between Halladay and Wainwright. AL MVP... probably Cabrera. He's got great numbers, his team just sucks. I'd say Votto in the NL.

[Sam's Drunk Dog]

As much as I hate to say it, I think the Phillies are going to win the World Series this year.

[Point Breeze Penguins]

It will be a repeat Yankees-Phillies series with a different winner.

[Troy Loney]

I like the phillies, i really wanted them to win last year. i'll probably root for the playoff teams in this order.

1. Rays
2. Twins
3. Phillies
4. Rangers
5. Giants
6. Braves/Padres
7. Reds
8. Yankees.

[beerman]

I think the Twins have a really good shot to win it if Mauer can stay healthy. I'll root for them, Texas and anyone who comes out of the NL West. I'm really bummed that Colorado just shot their playoff chances in the ass by getting swept in Arizona.

If I had to put money on any one team though it would unfortunately be the Phils, they're coming together at the right time. Hitting well, pitching well all at once they're scary good like this.

[MWB]

Is there better evidence that some players can't perform in high pressure places than Javier Vazquez? He was a Cy Young candidate last year, and won't even make the playoff roster this year. His two years in NY have given him his two highest ERA and walk years, and his lowest strikeout and IP years.

[Troy Loney]

Is there better evidence that some players can't perform in high pressure places than Javier Vazquez? He was a Cy Young candidate last year, and won't even make the playoff roster this year. His two years in NY have given him his two highest ERA and walk years, and his lowest strikeout and IP years.

maybe the yankees should stop acquiring him.

[beerman]

The playoff field is just about set, all AL teams are locked in and the NL is just about there as the Padres are barely clinging to one last ray of hope.

AL, Minnesota will host the wild card winner either NY/TB. The AL East winner NY/TB will host Texas. NL, Philly will host wild card but since that's looking to be Atlanta they'll host Cincy. While WC winner, I'm presuming Atlanta will go to NL West winner, barring a collapse, San Fran.

Both AL matchups should be good ones, Min-TB & NY-Tex would probably be the better matchups but should be pretty competitive if it's the other way.

Philly should destroy Cincy but Atl-SF could be a great series.

[Troy Loney]

The playoff field is just about set, all AL teams are locked in and the NL is just about there as the Padres are barely clinging to one last ray of hope.

AL, Minnesota will host the wild card winner either NY/TB. The AL East winner NY/TB will host Texas. NL, Philly will host wild card but since that's looking to be Atlanta they'll host Cincy. While WC winner, I'm presuming Atlanta will go to NL West winner, barring a collapse, San Fran.

Both AL matchups should be good ones, Min-TB & NY-Tex would probably be the better matchups but should be pretty competitive if it's the other way.

Philly should destroy Cincy but Atl-SF could be a great series.

Don't care who wins the atlanta-SF series, will probably root for the phillies over the reds, I like every team in the Al except the yankees, so i'll be happy as long as one of those three advance. And i'd like to see the phillies again in the WS.

[MWB]

Is there better evidence that some players can't perform in high pressure places than Javier Vazquez? He was a Cy Young candidate last year, and won't even make the playoff roster this year. His two years in NY have given him his two highest ERA and walk years, and his lowest strikeout and IP years.

maybe the yankees should stop acquiring him.

Yeah, I wasn't that excited that they traded for him this year, but at that price, thought it was worth a shot. I'm just surprised he was even worse this time than the first time.

[MWB]

The playoff field is just about set, all AL teams are locked in and the NL is just about there as the Padres are barely clinging to one last ray of hope.

AL, Minnesota will host the wild card winner either NY/TB. The AL East winner NY/TB will host Texas. NL, Philly will host wild card but since that's looking to be Atlanta they'll host Cincy. While WC winner, I'm presuming Atlanta will go to NL West winner, barring a collapse, San Fran.

Both AL matchups should be good ones, Min-TB & NY-Tex would probably be the better matchups but should be pretty competitive if it's the other way.

Philly should destroy Cincy but Atl-SF could be a great series.

The starting pitchers in all the AL series are pretty much a mess. Each has an ace, but then a lot of questions after that. Should be interesting.

[Idoit40fans]

Is there better evidence that some players can't perform in high pressure places than Javier Vazquez? He was a Cy Young candidate last year, and won't even make the playoff roster this year. His two years in NY have given him his two highest ERA and walk years, and his lowest strikeout and IP years.

maybe the yankees should stop acquiring him.

I remember laughing a lot when Braves fans were mad he left. Both because I knew he'd not repeat last season no matter the team and because those same people would be thrilled he left when they saw the year he put up.