AL Wildcard Play-In Game Thread
By
(AP)
Remember back in 2009, when the Yankees finished with the best record in the AL but had to wait until the Twins and Tigers played Game 163 before they knew who they would play in the ALDS? This wildcard play-in game is kinda like that. The Yankees again finished with the best record in the league this year, but tonight’s game will determine their opponent come Game One of ALDS on Sunday night. It’ll also tell them where they’re traveling tomorrow since they open on the road.
Based on this morning’s poll, the vast majority of RAB readers would prefer to see the Yankees face the Orioles in the ALDS. On today’s podcast, both Joe and I said we’d rather see the Rangers advance to the ALDS. I don’t think there’s a right answer here, both Texas and Baltimore are good teams and will be a tough matchup in a best-of-five series. Either way, we should all be rooting for about 20 innings tonight. Here are the lineups…
Baltimore Orioles
LF Nate McLouth
SS J.J. Hardy
RF Chris Davis
CF Adam Jones
C Matt Wieters
DH Jim Thome
1B Mark Reynolds
2B Ryan Flaherty
3B Manny Machado
LHP Joe Saunders (9-13, 4.07)
Texas Rangers
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Elvis Andrus
LF Josh Hamilton
3B Adrian Beltre
RF Nelson Cruz
1B Michael Young
DH Mike Napoli
C Geovany Soto
CF Craig Gentry
RHP Yu Darvish (16-9, 3.90)
Tonight’s game is scheduled to start at 8:37pm ET and can be seen on TBS. Enjoy.
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Anyone regret Yankees not going after Darvish?
not really, he was walking like 5 guys per 9 for half the season he’s been better but if he proves that wildness is a thing of the past I might be a little envious
Only when he pitches well.
LOLRIOLES.
first pitch of the game leads to an error (and as I’m typing this, the catcher throws the ball into CF) has the entire postseason robbed everyone (that includes umpires) of the ability of how to do their jobs?
Worst announcers ever?
They’re doing the Yankees games.
Fwiw the wiki page for the ALDS says it’s only for Game 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2.....ion_Series
It was announced today that game 1 & 2 are on tbs and one of the beat writers tweeted that this announce tm is doing both games. It would make sense since they’re doing the game that decides the yanks opponent.
Not Hawk Harrelson, but pretty bad
I disagree with the people who want these WC games to be best of 3. But what happened in braves gm could actually change things.
Brutal.
Somewhere I read a suggestion that they play a double header. Top WC needs to win one, bottom WC needs to win 2
The one issue with this is that there is a meaningful disadvantage to being the 2nd WC vs being the 1st WC, so if the two WC’s tied, they would have to play a tiebreaker to determine the order before then doing the doubleheader. That would amount to a 3-game series.
Actually, doesn’t that work out?
In a strange way, it might.
My dad used to play in a softball league where the playoffs were 2 of 3 on one day.
rosenthal says bottom two (of five) teams play wildcard, even if one is a division winner. it doesn’t fix everything but it’s better.
Michael young making his presence felt early
where is everyone see the game? I’ve got post game on TBS.
TNT
TNT until they switch back.
I’m confused…I’m watching TBS, but they’re still doing post game for the NL game? What am I doing wrong?
Other game is on TNT until first game coverage ends.
Just found it on TNT.
Nevermind, they switched. Kind of pissed they took their sweet time showing the Cardinals celebrate and analyzing the crap on the field while they missed half an inning though. How did the run score?
Error, stolen base, RBI single.
Thanks dude.
Game’s starting on TNT, will move over to TBS eventually.
Anyone still find it totally insane how the Orioles only got better, the more injuries they sustained?
Seriously, Hammel was re-injured and Markakis as well against the Yankees, and they went on as if nothing happened. Sickening, actually.
The prospects in the farm were better than most of the so called major leaguers
So who do we want to win? I am completely undecided, though today’s podcast has me leaning Rangers. Still, the line up scares me more than the O’s. Who wants to convince me one way or another?
october yanks can beat either team.
Oh I agree. I’m just looking for something/someone to root for besides a 30 inning game with multiple hamstring injuries.
of course a thirty inning game would end in an o’s victory.
I really want Texas. It sounds crazy. And its probably mostly because they’ve pissed me off so much this season. But from what I hear the Texas rotation isn’t that strong, and they’ve lost like what, 9 of their last 13?
It’s not crazy, it’s a legit stance. They’re burning Darvish tonight, so he can only pitch once. The rest of their rotation outside of Harrison is pretty “meh”. And has Harrison ever pitched on short rest before? I dunno. But the line up is what has me stopping short of full-on rooting for the O’s.
Yea, totally agree – Texas is supposed to be the best offense in baseball. Its like Tex said, be careful what you wish for. But the O’s have messed with me so much that I just can’t help root for the rangers, lol.
The Rangers offense wasn’t so good in the last week or so fwiw. We’ll only have to split in Texas for me to feel really good about our chances.
Yea, you’re absolutely right. I would say they were just swept by the A’s (to demonstrate just how BAD the Rangers have been), but in light of recent events… it might be more that the A’s are just that good.
Either way, they’ve lost 9 out of 13 like I mentioned up above. I’ll take my chances with a subpar Texas.
Mark Reynolds.
Reply fail.
Rangers just because I fucking hate the Orioles and want them out as soon as possible.
Fair enough. I’m sick of their fans already, being in the general area. Thank Mo the Nats are good this year, or I would imagine the O’s fans would really be coming out of the woodwork.
I’m basically in the same boat as you. Texas offense aside, I just REALLY want them out. They’re just so unpredictable and have messed with our heads too much this season.
Protest denied already. Unsurprisingly.
Primarily because nobody know what would have happened if MLB were to agree.
No chance that protest would have been upheld in any situation. Can’t protest umpires judgement (or lack thereof).
Hearing that you can call the infield fly rule on an outfielder. It has to do with the ease of the play rather than the location of it.
On an outfielder if he is stationed in the infield.
MLB Network Radio
Former Umpire Supervisor Jim McKean also told our @MikeFerrinSXM – ” It was the proper call, even if the signal was a touch late.”
It was the proper call and the guy didn’t come within 5 feet of the ball? He couldn’t have turned a double play even if he intentionally wanted to drop the ball.
Also Paul White of USA Today is saying it was a good call. Here’s what he says.
Rule 2.00 (Infield Fly) Comment: On the infield fly rule the umpire is to rule whether the ball could ordinarily have been handled by an infielder — not by some arbitrary limitation such as the grass, or the base lines. The umpire must rule also that a ball is an infield fly, even if handled by an outfielder, if, in the umpire’s judgment, the ball could have been as easily handled by an infielder.
Watch replays closely and you’ll see that Holbrook, the left field umpire, watches as shortstop Pete Kozma backpedals into left field. As soon as Kozma waves his arms to communicate that he’s ready to catch the ball, Holbrook’s raises his arm to signal an infield fly.
In other words, the umpire waits until he’s certain it’s a play the infielder can make. Kozma apparently thought it was a play he could make.
Whatever caused him to suddenly peel off – was it when, amidst the stadium noise, Holbrook accompanied his signal with a verbal call of “infield fly?” – Kozma suddenly changed direction, as infielder as taught to do when they believe they hear the outfielder calling that he can make the catch.
This is just a case of umpires sticking together. The spirit of the rule is to prevent double and triple plays being turned. The rule should NEVER be called if this type of thing is not a possibility, as was the case here.
Kind of like the pine tar rule.
Absurd, the ump made a poor judgment call, period. The key word is judgment, the intent is to prevent the double play which was not even remotly possible, absurd absurd comment, it was a horrible call and I’ve been a basketball official at the varsity level for 35 years and always side with officials when reasonable. The bottom line is officials make bad calls, it happens and it happened here, just admit it.
Jim McKean has lost all credibility in my eyes.
In fairness, he didn’t come within five feet because he moved out of the way. He was in position to field it until he thought he was called off and moved. I agree he likely couldn’t have turned the double play, but that isn’t a condition for the call in the rule.
It’s all judgement, so there’s really nothing you can do, but the whole point of the rule is to stop double plays. If the rule as written really does allow calls to be made when no DP is possible, the rule needs to be rewritten.
It’s all about judgment not the letter of the rules, that’s why the best umps get the playoffs not because they know the rules best but because they have the best judgment. He made a bad call and has to live with it, defending it is absurd. At this level the best umps get the games not the ones that can read the rulebook best. It proves that even the best umps make bad judgment calls and it happened here, period.
Word. This pretty much sums it up. Making that play in no-man’s land between the OF and IF, in a sudden-death playoff game with the home team screaming as loud as hell, is not what any reasonable ump would call “ordinary.” Just own the bad call dude. It’s either the Blue Wall of Silence or there is something in their CBA against badmouthing Selig.
A touch late? It’s supposed to be called right away. That ump waited until the SS was moving away from the ball before he put his arm up. The call itself wasn’t that bad as the SS could have caught it but it was called WAY late, not a touch late.
It’s supposed to be called immediately when it is apparent that it will be called an Infield Fly. It wasn’t apparent until the SS settled under the ball and called for it (if it ever should have been called at all).
If he had called it a ground-rule double, I bet it would still stand. There needs to be a higher authority or something that can fix, on the spot, an obvious mistake when the umpires make it.
McKean is covering up, letter of the law maybe a stretch, but judgment is the issue and Halbrook used poor judgment, period. I’m friends with Jim Burr a top NCAA basketball official for 30 yrs at Division 1,16 Final Fours, 5 Final games. I remember a piece of advise he gave me about odd calls or calls late in games. He said, they’ll never remember the call you didn’t make. Think about that, would anyone be crying about that call if Holbrook had the courage to see the whole play through and leave his whistle in his mouth, the answer is nobody wouldn’t even know why there would be a complaint. So for all of you including the umps that thought that massacre was the right call think of it that way. Had he called nothing nobody’s talking about anything, and that’s a fact.
It can be anywhere in fair territory, but it has to be judged to be ordinarily and easily able to be fielded by an infielder.
if it’s a judgement call the hangtime has to be taken into account. the rule exists to keep fielders from turning double plays on easy flyballs. in a million years koz couldn’t have let that drop then turned two.
You can call it on an outfielder if it’s a routine play for an infielder. I’m not convinced that was a routine play for the shortstop. And you’re supposed to call it promptly, not when the fielder has started to give up on the ball.
Could Hammel have started today for the Orioles?
Wow, Hamilton looks terrible.
Hamilton continues to not really get the job done.
the Mysterious Force always gets the job done
Will Saunders make it through the lineup twice? Buck better have that pen ready.
Lets go fighting showalters
why is sam waterson doing the play-by-play?
laughed.
I’m not one to root for injuries…but if the O’s ended up winning, it wouldn’t be terrible if Reynolds was out.
I’m only rooting for injuries for the winning team of this game.
there is no karma.
In fact, I will decide which team to root for based on which gets more injuries!
Mark Reynolds stealing bases?
I thought he might have been out, actually. It was close as hell, given where the tag was applied. Hard to tell though, apparently TBS doesn’t believe in freeze cams.
Also, I was pouring myself another drink, so I may have missed something.
You might be right. That’s how I saw it. Of course, I’m never right.
Definitely safe.
Just found out about the postseason package on mlb.tv… coolness.
I have heard it’s pretty bad because they don’t show the real game video with commentary, just random camera angles, but I could be wrong.
I’m getting the commentary. I do have to select the camera but I just keep it on the center field camera. Pretty good all-purpose angle.
Hmm. Good to know. Seems a worthwhile invest then if you can’t watch on tv.
Yeah, it’s pretty cool. You can select what camera angle you want. Or you can pick the “quad” option and the screen gets broken up into 4 different views.
I do like the quad camera.
So what inning does tex explode for 6?
fifth
Seems like it’s bound to happen with the way Saunders is throwing. I’m going to say the 4th.
Os are going to lose
They aren’t wearing the bird? That bird is lucky.
Bowden says protest already denied. Heyman says no decision made yet. Haha
Naa poo leee oh he struck out.
Saunders taking advantage of the Rangers’ agressiveness
good lord, they have IT again.
I’m really tired of IT.
What horrible thing occurred in the St. Louis-Atlanta game?
Oooooh, I read about it. So how bad?
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......8;c_id=mlb
Fredi Gonzalez killed a guy. With a trident.
things really got out of hand, did you see that guy on fire?
It sure made for a rich and compelling story didn’t it?
it was a glass case of emotion
Mind-bottling.
worse than the time the raccoon got trapped in the copier
Poorly called infield fly rule drama became a rally killer in the bottom of the eighth.
Worth checking out the video when you get the chance.
Here’s the video: http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play......d=39411232
Not sure if it shows the ten minutes of Braves fans throwing bottles on the field afterwards…
Well that was an easy inning.
Come on, Fighting Bucks, get his pitch count up!
by constantly striking out they are
What is that? 5 errors today?
Fuck the Orioles. I don’t really buy playoff matchups, so I just want the Orioles out, because I REALLY hate those fuckers.
I’m sick of about twenty of my friends posting a picture of an angry looking Buck Showalter after every. single. Orioles win.
I don’t care for the Orioles, but I also don’t want to see Ron Washington doing his impression of a guy who should have gone to the bathroom two hours ago any more than absolutely necessary.
So did I just hear John Smoltz refer to Mark Reynolds as a “good fielder” overall?
Between the NLWC and this game, this night has been some of sloppiest baseball I’ve seen this year, if last year’s game 163 was the most exciting baseball night, this is the least well played
I will say, one reason to root for the Orioles is so we don’t have to see a shot of Ron Washington’s antics every 15 seconds.
Or camera pans to Nolan Ryan’s scowls.
JJ:
Nice win on the Bobby Valentine bet, speaking of teams that won’t be playing any further into October… we need to connect off-RAB so we can set up my paying off…
I really, really would have sworn gutting the team was a precursor to letting Valentine make it over in his own image.
You can’t predict baseball.
Now that the Jerry Meals game has proven not to have a major effect on the Yankees’ postseason aspirations, can we start thinking of it as the game in which the Orioles lost Nick Markakis?
Rah, rah, lesser of the two teams playing tonight.
Haha! I totally got your logic, I just really thought a bigger head would roll. Just too much controversy there, I guess the big trade was just step one of blowing the whole thing up.
If you wanna connect off RAB, you can hit up my email: jlemoine@gmx.com
I don’t mind throwing it out there. I’ll just block the shit out of unwanted emailers. I look forward to that beer
Got it. So connected. And yeah, me, too!
Start building that thirst. My advice to you is to start eating pretzels heavily.
I will be going grocery shopping tomorrow. Will be sure to add pretzels to my list.
Well, I’m fine with those because it would mean that the Yankees are winning. Like after that great comeback in game 1 in 2010.
I feel like he just always scowls regardless though.
http://mlb.sbnation.com/2012/1.....ve-you-mad
Hard to watch this game
I hate both these teams
I just realized we’re going to deal with the worst PxP announcer in the playoffs (EJ) and the worst TBS analyst of the playoffs (Smoltz) for the third straight year.
Gee, I’m excited now…
I can almost guarantee they’ll call the Yankees series, especially if Texas wins.
All the TBS announcers are bad except for Dick Stocton and Bob Brenly IMO. I guess Orsillo’s pretty good, too. At least it’s not Buck and McCarver.
Orsillo is awful. Just listen to him on NESN sometime. He’s almost Harrelson with his homerism.
I disagree, but to each their own. I think Jerry Remy brings him down some.
He has an orgasm whenever a Red Sox player hits a home run, especially Pedroida, and an opposing home run sounds like a grounder to second.
ernie needs kenny and charles up in there.
“that infield fly call was turrible, just turrible.”
He’s OK as a studio host, but terrible as a play by play guy.
Wicked splitter come on birds hammer the soft stuff.
Slowest guy on the team or its two.
#toomanypopups
We definitely don’t want this to be a crisp, quick game. Slow it down guys! Walk more guys! Hit more batters!
Did anyone else notice Chipper Jones not run out his last at bat? I haven’t see him play much recently but I doubt he’s that slow.
Oh, jeez, here comes the Michael Young dick-sucking.
Did anyone else notice Chipper Jones not run out his last at bat? I haven’t see him play much recently but I doubt he’s that slow.
Yea, he must have figured he was out. Very strange. Perhaps the actions of his fans just upset him.
It was pretty disgusting. Not Chipper, the fans. I mean, I get that they thought it was a really shitty call. I would have been pissed too. But all that shit on the field….I’ve never seen that before in my life. Unacceptable.
You ever see what Yankee fans did after Don Mattingly hit his one and only home run in the playoffs? Piniella had to pull the Mariners off the field twice!
Just a bit before my time. I’m 24, so not so young. But Donnie Baseball’s last year is one or two removed from my baseball consciousness.
It was pretty funny, truth be told.
Just read through the play-by-play sometime and try to imagine it. This was the first playoff game for many of us in our lifetime that we could really appreciate. Imagine living and dying with every pitch and watching a guy like Mattingly, who was the sole heart of the team for so many terrible years, finally getting his chance.
And then multiply those feelings by a thousand or so. That was that game.
And I was showered by beer in my right field seats that night!
The reggie candy bar game comes to mind also. 30.000 fans throw candy bars all over the field.
can’t remember who it was, but the tv guy made a great call on that homer. something like “hold into the roof!!!”
don’t forget ruben sierra!
it was definitely bad behavior. but that night was magic.
oh, and jim leyritz!
That was typical behavior in the 70s. Yankee fans would pelt change at Reggie in right field every game.
And batteries at dewey evans and the rest of the boston outfielders. Lol
But then again oneill had to dodge whiskey bottles being thrown at him in fenway.
I was wondering about that too. Reminded me a bit of Joe Montana sliding on either his last play or one of his last plays when he could’ve taken the hit and likely would’ve earned a first down.
Who had 4th inning as the blowout inning?
I did, and I’m glad to say I was wrong.
Kei igawa
The reason yankees didnt go after Darvish hard.
I think you have that backwards.
Not if your playing Jeopardy!
Years ago darvish and cepedes would have been yankees
Since Hal has strapped up the payroll even though with YES the team can afford to spend the money
But no 180 thats the limit Why?
$$$$$$$
(though I’m still skeptical they actually get under 189M for 2014)
189 is the limit for a pretty significant reason. If you’re a big enough Yankee fan to post on this site, you should know that by now.
Given the supposed limit (which may or may not happen, given how things have played out so far), spending tens of millions on unproven commodities isn’t exactly crazy.
Penaties and draft picks
Tell that to LA and the Angels ,Tigers Phillies,etc
What? Those teams aren’t over 189.
They’re also not paying Arod and Tex $50m per yr.
What do the Angels, Tigers, and Phillies have to do with anything?
Well over 189 in 2014
Based on?
Angels have only been over the threshold once (2004).
Phillies have never been over the threshold.
Tigers have only been over once (2008).
None have even been over $180M before.
Even if they did exceed 189M in 2014 (unlikely), they stand to benefit much less from staying under the threshold than the Yankees stand to benefit.
I think one thing we might all be able to agree on is that none of these managers are outside-the-box enough to truly optimally manage this type of winner-take-all game.
imagine what larussa would do: he’d carry 14 pitchers (6 lefties) and use them all
i’m calling it: 2-1 orioles in 15 innings
/dreaming
I really want the Rangers to have to use Harrison in this game.
How the hell has Saunders lasted this far without imploding?
The Mysterious Force has penetrated his blood.
Plus the Rangers have struggled on offense recently
The Rangers offense, especially Hamilton, has been really bad of late.
The Rangers are playing right into the Orioles’ hands.
the rangers know in their hearts they’re going to lose by 1 run
or in extra innings.
probably both
And now, here come the Orioles.
Nice any chance we see some small ball here.
Darvish hurt? Go Rangers.
Okay, now I’m rooting for the Rangers (to score one run). I decided that I can’t decide. I am rooting exclusively for a deep, extra innings game. One that will include hamstring and oblique injuries on both sides.
Nothing major, I’m not a complete dick. Just something to keep the Beltre/Hamilton, Jones/Weiters of the world out of the ALDS.
They toned down craig seegers wardrobe
Yea, it’s definitely conservative for him.
MLB probably got sick of the lawsuits resulting from all the seizures his suits have caused
Craig Sager is impeccably dressed.
Not including you here, but haters gonna hate…
What a moron let him pitch come on thorme
Thorme?
Viking version.
Wow made thome look bad.
Damn, that was a beautiful pitch.
Buck’s going to have an even quicker hook now that he has the lead.
If they can just get it to johnson
The NY writers that are gushing over Buck and how he “knew” Saunders would do well are the sames that would have bashed Girardi for doing the same.
And I have to say,jsut from what I see..I would rather face the Rangers then the O’s..not only will they be able to line their starters up but the Rangers look like a mess,pitching and offense wise.
i think this rangers lineup would fail against freddy right now.
And here comes O’Day
Joe Saunders allowing 1 ER in 5.2 innings.
#OriolesMagic
MOre like Texas showing how they managed to blow their 13 game lead in the first place. They were swinging at everything and anything. Saunders was doing the same thing he did against the Yankees in 09,only he didn’t get away with it there.
He got away with it in Game 2, when he threw, like, 7 innings of 2 run ball.
If the Yankees had lost that game, that would be looked at with disdain for years to come from us. And ARod was the last chance in the 11th, so that was very nearly a probability.
The Orioles and their magnificent ‘pen are only nine outs away from the real playoffs.
Unreal.
Their bullpen is why they are where they are. Just like with the 2011 Cardinals.
Just like the 1996 Yankees. Weathers, Boehringer, Lloyd, Nelson, Rivera and Wetteland.
Yup…I’d also be blunt..Texas tonight showed exactly why they are where they are. Hamilton can’t hit squat right now and they are swinging at every thing.
You forgot Mike Stanton
Stanton wasn’t on the team in 1996.
Beltre is good at playing 3B.
You forgot Mike Stanton
Stanton wasn’t on the Yankees in ’96
ANother reason I want to play the Rangers..their pitching rotation won’t be set up the ways the O’s will be.
And Ron Washington fails.
CC would have gotten the out there.
Nate McLouth.
Could the Orioles have gotten any luckier with that schmuck?
It really is amazing. And once again,Ron Washington shows how dumb he is.
We have to take the O’s down..I can’t stand the gushing over Buck that will ensue if that happens.
+1
Takes too long to pull the starting pitcher, then goes for a matchup, runner gets to 3rd because of a wild pitch, then run scores. Frustrating to watch and wouldn’t be an issue if the offense actually showed up and did something besides hack at everything.
In other words, feels exactly like a Yankees game.
…or, plenty of other team’s games.
BUck and the O’s have done that as well in the past couple of weeks..one of the reasons why the O’s are in this do or die game.
I know we were 9-9 with the O’s but we can and should be able to beat them.
3-1 Like it.
Looks like we’re heading to Baltimore. Hard to believe the Yanks will be on the road after a three day layoff while Baltimore will have its pitching set up and get the home field. MLB is really messed up. This 1 game wild card is a joke. The winner stays hot keeps playing after just a 1 day layoff and plays home, who could have possibly thought that up.
Maybe people who want to drum up interest in baseball in cities not named New York and Boston.
What better way to sell tickets to a playoff game, right after a dramatic wild card win…
To be honest, I would rather the team go to Camden Yards than to Arlington.
I guess Cal is on TBS top announcing crew, but was it really the brightest idea to have him on an Orioles-Rangers play-in game?
And with the Braves disaster, Smoltz is going to be as bitter as ever.
Yeah, a Yankees-O’s ALDS promises to be fun, from the guys talking on TV.
Buck has managed circles around Washington, I just hope he doesn’t do the same to Girardi. Washington is a clown who should be fired. The Os will have their pitching set up. The Yanks play well in Camden Yards so maybe it’s not a bad thing they start there. They just need to take 1 of 2.
I wonder if they’ll still be the same Yankees crowd at Camden Yards.
There’s about 5000 tickets left on stubhub but the prices are very high. I think we will have a presence, but nothing like regular season games before this season when it sometimes seemed like a home game.
Let’s go Rangers!
I was talking about this at work today…who the fuck decided 2-3 was even remotely fair?
The team with “home field advantage” could be potentially playing an elimination game in their first home game. That’s fucking absurd.
The same people who decided to rush this new wild card system instead of expanding replay.
Which is also fucking absurd. This is exhibit A for “Bud Selig sucks”.
I understand Mike’s point about him being good for growing the game abroad, but this post season is a joke in the structure. That is unacceptable to me. As far as I’m concerned, make the game, and it’s structure, sound at home. Then worry about expanding abroad.
Bud did. They should have said, if we have to play till November 5th then so be it because it’s the right and fair thing to do. The good thing is all we have to do is take 1 of 2 and it swings greatly in our favor.
Really unfair from a business standpoint. The Nats might only get a days rent from having the best record in baseball while the Yanks will only get a days revenue before the ALCS.
no way washington sweeps the cards.
Read slower…Cards might sweep them.
i don’t see that happening either, sir.
Well, I wanted to use a possibility on how this format can ruin it for the best teams and I couldn’t use the NYY in the sense, now could I.
But, I’m half hoping that it happens so Bud can catch shit for doing this stupid-ass 2-3 format. The other half doesn’t like the Cards and is neutral on the Nats…but to he’ll with Bud, go Cards and get sweeped by either SF or Cinn.
It gets worse. If the Yankees go to 5 games in the DS, there is no off day before the LCS. DS Games 3, 4, and 5 and LCS Games 1 and 2 on five consecutive days. That’ll do wonders for your four-man playoff rotation.
As interesting as this format is, it was stupid to implement it at the last minute like they did. Should have waited so that they could get the TV schedule lined up as well.
Absolutely. It angers me to no end that this system was pushed throw for financial reasons, while Selig and Co. doesn’t seem to give a shit about how it affects the game in the short term.
And the ironic thing is: if they hadn’t done it, Texas and Baltimore would still be playing a Game 163, and they wouldn’t have to deal with the infield fly fiasco as that game would never have happened.
And the 94 win Braves wouldn’t have their season go down to one games when worse teams like the Giants and Tigers get free passes.
I do like the concept of divisions, but I am slowly but surely moving into the “just seed the entire league” camp.
That’s why I’m hoping that this postseason is filled with bad calls like in the Braves-Cardinals game. (As long as they don’t go against the Yankees, of course!)
i’ll tell you what new system did for us though, and it’s huge.
no five game series against the tigers. huge.
So, if this score holds (which it sure looks like it might), I’m thinking:
Yanks get off to a ten-game division lead
The Orioles charge hard down the stretch, but the Yanks hold them off
The Yanks then meet the Wild Card Orioles in the playoffs
Deja 1996 vu?
Os pitching Bah Yankees sweep.
Question: at what point do sideburns stop being sideburns and start being a really weird beard?
Anything below the nose makes you look like a gang-banger, homesteader, or mid-70′s porn star.
……or you just live in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The Mysterious Force has really outdone itself tonight.
Rangers down to 6 outs sweet!
Buck or Bush? Can’t stand either of them but Bush won’t be in Yankee Stadium. More satisfying to beat Buck.
Ichiro will come up big this October.
Book it.
Agree 100%
And gardner too
Dare i say Nunez
This lines up great
Beat baltimoe and As or Tigers
Get to WS
Beat ?
Reds
/thatwouldmakeitbeatred
Don’t we have a better record against the O’s at Camden Yards?
6-3 at Camden and 3-6 at YS. It doesn’t really mean much, though.
The Yankees do.
This year, yes.
6-3 at Camden Yards
3-6 at Yankee Stadium
O’Day still in there?
Suits me. Wear him out.
FU Hardy
Where is strope this inning doesnt he set up johnson
It’s not too late for an asteroid to hit and wipe out both these teams.
I am so tired of the 2012 Baltimore Orioles.
Well, look who it is. You showed up before enough Bacardi entered my system to put me to sleep. I am impressed.
Hahaha.
Actually got out to dinner and drinks tonight. That’s what happens when you actually have other family around.
Fair enough. Hope you enjoyed yourself!
For me..this is what happens when the only person you know in the city you live in outside your coworkers is your ex-girlfriend. So…Bacardi and Baseball it is!
I’m not complaining. It’s fun watching do-or-die games as a neutral fan.
Uh oh. Is #OriolesMagic starting to sputter a bit?
Is the horse shoe slipping out of Showalters ass?
Hard to know who to root for. I don’t like either team.
4 outs away
Could be the last at bat for Hamilton as a Ranger
If so, what a weak one it was.
Matsuz owns him…0-10 now with 6 K’s
Will Hamilton swing at the first pitch? Has he looked at a pitch yet?
Enjoy your winter vacation hamilton lol
Three pitches, three strikes.
Gotta wonder if that’s how Josh Hamilton’s Rangers career ends.
to a chorus of boos, no less.
of course the same fans boo arod, WHO WAS TRADED.
Hamilton looked like he wanted to get out of there. No passion or care in that at bat
#Mastersdegree
Exactly.
He would have more energy if they gave him a Snickers bar and a cup of Joe…them bastards.
Johnson to close it out ron washington in tears coming up
all this orioles magic is starting to scare me. it seems like the team is overachieving. Yankees rarely fare too well against overachieving teams with lots of momentum.
Except the Minnesota Twins
You just figured out that a team made up of sticks, glue, and a handful of actual good young players is overachieving?
well specifically their rotation. with that being said, I guess their no longer the O’s that we beat up on to pad our division lead.
I just have such an irrational hatred of the Orioles…. you’d think even a slumping offense could take care of Baltimore. Ugh.
Eat a shitburger dallas er ranger fans
Don’t forget the Cowboys.
Thank god for Tony Romo the gift that keeps giving.
With Nix making the roster i wonder if Nunez will DH against lefties?
I think that’s been the plan for about a week now.
Where are the close ups of Nolan Ryan this game?
Joe Nathan struggling in the postseason. I am stunned
“Most closers get it done with two pitches”
But the best get it done with one.
magic, schmagic. this is good for us.
Aura and Mystique >> Magic
Unless girardi totally shit the bed
We should beat baltimore in three or four.
Why not a PR for Thome? Insurance runs FTW at this point.
I’d give a testicle and a half for Texas to tie this up in the ninth, then win this in extras.
Why on gods green earth wouldn’t Showalter pinch run for Thome. That’s just awful managing. Slip your mind Buck?
I don’t know – I agree with the announcers. The guy has a pretty fucking good record in these kinds of games. I’d say he might actually know what he’s doing.
No, it worked out but was real stupid…highly unlikely you need him to DH in the 11th inning but another run is like gold.
I agree that it seems stupid, but at some point you look at the scoreboard (i.e. his record in the EXACT same situation) and shrug.
Machado just broke the Rangers’ back with that hit.
Put the fork in the Rangers season , hand the crying towel to Washington and the spoon to Hamilton as they are done.
Frank Zappa looks pissed in the ranger dugout.
As a guy who lived for five years in MD, I’d hate to play the O’s. Orioles fans are the worst. They spent the past 10 years cheering for the Red Sox over their own team. If the Orioles win, I’ll never here the end of it. If the Yankees win, everyone in MD will go “Who cares? I don’t even like baseball. Ravens, baby!”
That’s what they do in Tampa Bay as well.
I don’t live in MD but I’ve dealt with O’s fans. In the beginning of September, we were “choking the lead” because we’re a “bunch of overpaid old chokers”. But if we win against them in the ALDS, they’ll just blame payroll. So stupid and annoying.
They’re not the only fanbase to have sold their souls to the Red Sox over the past decade. Though people aren’t doing that anymore. I wonder why….
But they are the only fanbase whose home field was known as “fenway south” until the last month of this season
Where are all the texas flags and idoits running around on the green in cf for the rangers
There’s Nolan
Is it just me, or is Nolan Ryan looking more and more like Senator Palpatine as he became the Emperor?
I laughed.
2012 Texas Ranger RIP
No third WS to lose
I want the Orioles to win so the Yankees can have the chance of eliminating them from the Play-Offs!!
2 to go lol
Napoli
Off the roids
Hamiton needs a joint
if i’d told you in april we’d be playing the o’s in the lds….
Bye bye assholes where are to cute hand signs now
A home run here pre-ties the game.
Rangers not dying easily.
Who knows now.
Done!!!!!!!!! FU Rangers
ORIOLES WIN!!!!!
Bring on the Orioles.
Get Jeffrey Maier on the phone and lets go to Camden Yards.
this has been a very good day (on paper) for the yankees
You can hear a pin drop in that staduim
Now I’ll have to deal with my Sox fan buddy rooting for the Orioles since she’s dating a guy from Baltimore instead of just letting her move on to the Patriots. Argh.
I dated an O’s fan for four years, before I met my wife, and I just spent the entire four years playing the foil and busting on the O’s. I still give Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen the finger if I ever drive by it.
Yanks will beat them so badly it’ll wake Flanny.
The Yankees and Orioles battled for first place the entire month of September, with the margin almost never being higher than +1 for the Yankees (I think the largest lead was, like, +2.5 for the Yankees, and that was for one day).
Yankees ended up winning the division, Orioles beat the Rangers, and gained the wild card.
And now the Orioles get two guaranteed home games to start off the ALDS.
So, who really got the better end of the division race?
Screw you, Selig.
Not right but Cano, Jete & Teix hit like mad men in Camden. CC on the bump, followed by Pettitte…I like our chances.
And don’t forget that the Orioles didn’t even use their ‘number one’ starter (if they have one) tonight.
But I think all we have to do is take at least one game in Camden.
Mystique and Aura >> Magic
you word you want is “thrive,” joe
Between a healthy lineup and a solid rotation you’d think we’d have this next series all wrapped up. I am still ever so slightly nervous. This is what an intense pennant race has done to me.
I hope we win this series very quickly
Watch the media try to play up Buck managing and trying to exact revenge against his old teams….Really not excited to hear EJ, Smoltz and Cal Ripken try to undercut the Yanks at every moment’s notice.