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TWiB Notes -- Sep 16-22

Frayed Knot Sep 16 2019 05:23 PM

So while we're out getting on our Rocky Mountain high, here are the important other series that may or may not affect our fate. - Nats head out to St Louis for a three-game set starting tonight - Cubs host the stumbling Reds for three - Brewers host the Padres for a four game set - Phillies head to Atlanta starting tomorrow And, btw, BB-Ref is putting on their standings a tiny skull-and-crossbones image next to teams that have been eliminated from post-season. In the NL it's only Miami, Pitt, and the Rox so far, but more than half the AL has the S&C on their line: TOR, BAL, CHW, KCR, DET, TEX, SEA, LAA which clearly reflects the unbalanced nature of the AL (really good teams but lots of really bad ones). Also, the NL long ago clinched the season IL season series, 158-126 to date (.556 win pct). This translates to the NL winning inter-league games this season like a 90-win team while the AL is the equivalent of a 72 win game.

Frayed Knot Sep 18 2019 08:19 AM Re: TWiB Notes -- Sep 16-22

The sons also rise -- Mike Yastrzemski HR'd for the Giants in his 2nd ever AB vs Boston on Tuesday night. It was the first Yastrzemski HR in Fenway Park since July 31st 1983 -- Cavan Biggio wasn't even guaranteed any more ABs in Baltimore last night. He was scheduled to hit 6th for the Jays in the 9th inning of a tie game where he'd get introduced with that most annoying of announcer cliches: 'Just a triple short of a cycle'. So after a two-out single followed by a 9-pitch walk to Bo Bichette got Biggio his 5th AB of the game ... he tripled. The Biggios join Gary & Daryle Ward as the only father/son duo to hit for ML cycles.

Edgy MD Sep 18 2019 08:51 AM Re: TWiB Notes -- Sep 16-22

Frayed Knot wrote: Also, the NL long ago clinched the season IL season series, 158-126 to date (.556 win pct). This translates to the NL winning inter-league games this season like a 90-win team while the AL is the equivalent of a 72 win game. Put a skull and crossbones next to the American League. Also, Gary Ward was a total badass. He was like Eddie Murray with a lifelong beef.

Frayed Knot Sep 18 2019 11:17 AM Re: TWiB Notes -- Sep 16-22

The AL is a mess this year. It's unbalanced the way it was back in the '80s where several real good teams and several bad ones left the league all stretched out, as opposed to the NL in those days which was much more scrunched towards the middle. This year the AL is back to that spread out scenario which, when added to the IL ass-kicking they're getting, it's like the worst of both worlds and leaves them no 'middle class'. Two teams have already lost 100 (DET, BAL), one more is almost sure to (KC = 96) with a fourth still possible (TOR = 91), while there are two teams (NYY, HOU) sitting at 99 with four more at 89 and above. It's like someone started a baseball season and the NBA broke out. In this year's NL, only the Marlins (currently 98) will lose 100, while the Dodgers (98), and possibly the Braves (93), are not only the only ones who will/might get to 100 wins, they're the only ones assured of reaching 90 In the middle class, ten NL teams currently sit between 69 & 88 wins, but in the AL only BOS (79) and TEX (73) do

Frayed Knot Sep 20 2019 03:32 PM Re: TWiB Notes -- Sep 16-22

Maybe the team with the biggest say in the NL WC race is ... the Cleveland Indians. They'll be home to Philly starting tonight for a three game set. Then they'll go on the road for the remainder, starting with three at the ChiSox followed by three at Washington. And, of course, Cleveland needs these games as much as the Natiphillies do. They currently sit tied with Tampa for the #2 WC slot, 2.0 games behind Oakland