2008 Pennant Races

[BillD1984]

Yankees still in it, barely, the Red Sox fall to the Tribe tonight 4-3.
They had men on 2nd and 3rd with 2 out and could not get them in.

Jimbo

Yup, the Yankees live ANOTHER day.

AL WILDCARD
Boston...........................91-65......................-
New York.......................85-71......................6

Both teams have six games remaining.


Meanwhile, the Rays reduced their AL East magic number to 4, with their win over the orioles.

 

[BillD1984]

Phillies win, Mets lose, Brewers were idle.


Phillies magic number to clinch the NL East is now 4.
Phillies magic number to clinch a playoff berth is now 3.

The Mets magic number to clinch a playoff berth remains at 6.

NL Wildcard
New York.......................86-70....................-
Milwaukee.....................85-71....................1

Both teams have 6 games remaining (all at home):

Mets: Cubs (Tu-W-Th) and Marlins (F-Sa-Su)

Brewers: Pirates (Tu-W-Th) and Cubs (F-Sa-Su)

 

[Jimbo]

Phillies win, Mets lose, Brewers were idle.


Phillies magic number to clinch the NL East is now 4.
Phillies magic number to clinch a playoff berth is now 3.

The Mets magic number to clinch a playoff berth remains at 6.

NL Wildcard
New York.......................86-70....................-
Milwaukee.....................85-71....................1

Both teams have 6 games remaining (all at home):

Mets: Cubs (Tu-W-Th) and Marlins (F-Sa-Su)

Brewers: Pirates (Tu-W-Th) and Cubs (F-Sa-Su)

Haven't been paying close attention to the NL that much, does this mean either the Brewer's or the Mets get in regardless.

To bad, neither team is playing worthy of the playoffs.

Jimbo

 

[BillD1984]

Haven't been paying close attention to the NL that much, does this mean either the Brewer's or the Mets get in regardless.

To bad, neither team is playing worthy of the playoffs.

Jimbo

I agree Jimbo, but unless BOTH teams totally tank it AND Houston gets hot again, it looks like it will be EITHER the Mets or Brewers. Looking at their schedules going forward, I have to favor the Brewers right now.

 

[BillD1984]

The Cubs clinched the NL #1 seed with their win tonight.

 

[BillD1984]

The D-Backs won tonight, so the Dodgers magic number to clinch the NL West remains at 5.

NL West
Los Angeles........................81-75........................-
Arizona...............................79-77........................2


Both teams have 6 games remaining:

Dodgers: San Diego (Tu-W-Th) and @San Francisco (F-Sa-Su)

D-Backs: @St. Louis (Tu-W-Th) and Colorado (F-Sa-Su)


The Dodgers clearly have the edge with the 2 game lead and the schedule.

 

[SabresRule]

Cubs will likely play the Mets.

HOWEVER, if the Mets choke and the Brewers get the wild-card, who'd the Cubs play in the NLDS?

 

[BillD1984]

Updated Tragic (elimination) numbers:

AL East
TB### (Magic number: 2)
BOS- 2
NYY, TOR, BAL- Eliminated

AL Central
CHW (Magic Number: 5)
MIN- 5
CLE, DET, KC- Eliminated

AL West
LAA .........................DIVISION CHAMPS
TEX,OAK, SEA- Eliminated


AL Wildcard
BOS.........................CLINCHED PLAYOFF BERTH
NYY- 1
MIN, TOR, CLE, DET, TEX, OAK, BALT, KC, SEA- Eliminated

###-TB- has clinched a playoff berth
************************************************** *************************************
NL East
PHI*** (Magic Number: 4)
NYM- 4
FLA, ATL, WSH- Eliminated

NL Central
CHC..............................DIVISION CHAMPS
MIL, HOU, STL, CIN, PIT- Eliminated

NL West
LAD (Magic Number: 4)
ARZ- 4
COL, SF, SD- Eliminated

NL Wildcard
NYM- (Magic Number: 5)
MIL- 5
HOU- 2
FLA, STL, ARZ, COL, SF, CIN, ATL, PIT, SD, WSH- Eliminated


***- PHI- Magic Number to clinch a playoff berth is 3.

 

[SabresRule]

Bill, I would NOT worry about the Yankees.

They, like the Cards, have an elimination number of one.

 

[BillD1984]

Cubs will likely play the Mets.

HOWEVER, if the Mets choke and the Brewers get the wild-card, who'd the Cubs play in the NLDS?

IMO, that's the BIGGEST thing about the NL wildcard race.

The Cubs are in as Central champs, lets assume the Phillies win the East, and the Dodgers win the West.

NLDS IF the Mets win the wildcard: Mets/ Cubs and Dodgers/ Phillies


NLDS IF the Brewers win the wildcard: Dodgers/Cubs and Brewers/Phillies

 

[BillD1984]

Bill, I would NOT worry about the Yankees.

They, like the Cards, have an elimination number of one.

I've already thought about this tonight.

I'm not worried now.

I'd be a little worried if the Sox lost and the Yankees won on Tuesday.

I'd be sh#ttin' bricks if the Sox lost and the Yankees won on Wednesday.

I'd be borderline suicidal if it happened again Thursday.

Can you imagine if the Sox had a 3 game lead on the Yankees going into Friday with the Yankees coming into Fenway for the final 3 games???!

 

[Mets82]

That's what I was thinking. That's all we need, more Yankee magic. I'm surprised people haven't held out hope for the Yankees to win.

Speaking of someone Sh#@tin bricks what if the Mets choke again? I'll tell you I'm at a defeatest attitude with this team. It's almost like you have to pray for a miracle for them to win it. This would be unbelieveable if they choked again. This was a tough loss tonight. There's nothing left to say. We just have to keep playing better. We could hit the ball but our damn bullpen keeps blowing games and it's just so frustrating.

 

[salsadancer7]

That's what I was thinking. That's all we need, more Yankee magic. I'm surprised people haven't held out hope for the Yankees to win.

Speaking of someone Sh#@tin bricks what if the Mets choke again? I'll tell you I'm at a defeatest attitude with this team. It's almost like you have to pray for a miracle for them to win it. This would be unbelieveable if they choked again. This was a tough loss tonight. There's nothing left to say. We just have to keep playing better. We could hit the ball but our damn bullpen keeps blowing games and it's just so frustrating.

Hate to do this to ya METS, but the scenario is set AGAIN just like last year. The Marlins come into Shea, METS need to win in EITHER a sweep or 2 out of 3....

....this does NOT bode well for the Metropolitans.....

 

[Ramy]

Cubs will likely play the Mets.

HOWEVER, if the Mets choke and the Brewers get the wild-card, who'd the Cubs play in the NLDS?

They would then play the West division winner, because you can't play a division foe in the Division Series.

 

[KCK_Halo]

L.A. Story

Fine article re: the state of MLB in SoCal from today's L.A. Times. Even if you aren't from the area, as a baseball fan you will enjoy it.


In L.A., Dodger blue turns Angel red invisible - Los Angeles Times

 

[HD MM]

I've already thought about this tonight.

I'm not worried now.

I'd be a little worried if the Sox lost and the Yankees won on Tuesday.

I'd be sh#ttin' bricks if the Sox lost and the Yankees won on Wednesday.

I'd be borderline suicidal if it happened again Thursday.

Can you imagine if the Sox had a 3 game lead on the Yankees going into Friday with the Yankees coming into Fenway for the final 3 games???!

Bill, the Indians are the hottest team in baseball right now. This team is doing everything to get back at the Red Sox for souring our opportunity last year.

BTW, Carmona is expected to appeal his suspension. How does this affect you?

Cliff Lee is pitching tonight (Tues) against Wakefield.
Fausto Carmona is pitching Wednesday against Byrd. (That'll be fun!)

Lee and Carmona are our two best starting pitchers. Your best in Beckett went yesterday and we beat him. We won't have to face Matsuzaka in the series either. This may indeed get interesting...

 

[HD MM]

Go Brew Crew!

Here in Cleveland, the Indians have a vested interest in how the Brewers finish this year....

As part of the Sabathia trade, the Indians received in return: Matt LaPorta (OF/1B), Robert Bryson (LHP), Zach Johnson (RHP) and a "player to be named later."

Turns out, this PTBNL will be determined by whether or not the Brewers make the playoffs this year. Apparently there are 5 prospects that both teams have decided upon. If the Brewers make the playoffs, the Indians get to chose from the pool. If the Brewers don't make it, they get to chose the PTBNL.

I thought that was quite interesting........

 

[SabresRule]

Lee and Carmona are our two best starting pitchers. Your best in Beckett went yesterday and we beat him. We won't have to face Matsuzaka in the series either. This may indeed get interesting...

Even if Cleveland did the unthinkable, the Yankees HAVE to sweep Toronto, and that is not happening.

If the Yankees somehow made it to the playoffs, this would be bigger than last year's Mets or the 1964 Phillies.

However, that ain't happening.

 

[BillD1984]

Bill, the Indians are the hottest team in baseball right now. This team is doing everything to get back at the Red Sox for souring our opportunity last year.

BTW, Carmona is expected to appeal his suspension. How does this affect you?

Cliff Lee is pitching tonight (Tues) against Wakefield.
Fausto Carmona is pitching Wednesday against Byrd. (That'll be fun!)

Lee and Carmona are our two best starting pitchers. Your best in Beckett went yesterday and we beat him. We won't have to face Matsuzaka in the series either. This may indeed get interesting...

Yes, this could get very interesting!

As far as Beckett goes, if there's a MUST game- that absolutely had to be won- I'd want him on the mound. However, he's been the Sox third best starter this year behind Lester (who's turned into the stud everyone thought he would pre-cancer diagnosis) and Dice-K.

Also, it's funny you should bring up Carmona, because I was going to ask you what you thought about the Tribe appealing his suspension. Wouldn't it benefit the Indians more if Carmona took the suspension now? That way the Indians would have his services at the beginning of next season (please don't misinterpret my motive for asking this question . I was just curious about this from an Indians fan's perspective).

 

[HD MM]

Yes, this could get very interesting!

As far as Beckett goes, if there's a MUST game- that absolutely had to be won- I'd want him on the mound. However, he's been the Sox third best starter this year behind Lester (who's turned into the stud everyone thought he would pre-cancer diagnosis) and Dice-K.

Also, it's funny you should bring up Carmona, because I was going to ask you what you thought about the Tribe appealing his suspension. Wouldn't it benefit the Indians more if Carmona took the suspension now? That way the Indians would have his services at the beginning of next season (please don't misinterpret my motive for asking this question . I was just curious about this from an Indians fan's perspective).

Bill, read my thoughts on the suspension in the Indians/Tiger Fight thread. Basically, if Carmona appeals and pitches Wednesday, there are still 4 games left in the season. The Indians can then move Carmona into the 3rd spot in the rotation at the begining of next year.