Brad is right about the Nats season long funk and it is only getting worse. Nats are 2-7 since the All-Star break with both wins coming on walk-off miracle Hr's. The offence has basically collapsed, having score more than 2 runs only twice in those 9 games and their ace pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, has a neck problem which has rendered him largely ineffective in 6 of his last 8 starts. Nats are no threat to catch Atlanta as things are currently going and unless something drastic changes, they are going to have to fight just to finish .500. -- Al
Baseball 2013 (5 Viewers)
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Tillman is now 13-3 and is the best kept pitching secret in baseball. Doesn't seem to be the best at anything he does but manages to be good enough to win. Davis has been in a slump since the All-Star game but Jones has stepped up. Still a lot of baseball left in the AL East and there is a good chance it will come down to the season ending 3 game series between the O's and Sox in B-more. -- Al
jazzeum
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I wonder if they're still recovering from the playoff collapse. Hate to say this but maybe they need to change managers. He's retiring anyway and maybe the players have stopped responding to him.
Warrior
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Great, can't wait to see that train wreck unfold............just like the 1972 season, Sox went into Detroit a half a game up in the division,lost two out of three including the last game to finish 1/2 game out of first.
Why 1/2 game out you ask; there was a strike that year and the geniuses who run baseball decided not to make up the games, so the Red Sox played one less game that year than the Tigers did.
Morons.
Quite true on both counts, Brad. There has been season long criticism of Johnson for announcing his retirement too early for the exact reason you mention. Johnson's leadership, for whatever reason, has been uninspired with very little response from the players. The playoff collapse, despite the Nats denying it, has had a very definite impact on the team, especially the bullpen. When Soriano was brought in as the new closer, the former closer, Storen, was left with a unspecified set-up role and was unable to adjust. He was just sent down to the minors yesterday after his latest meltdown in the 9th inning of game 1 of the Mets doubleheader. But, as mentioned, the biggest problem seems to be the lame-duck manager has lost the ear of his players. -- Al
Rubbermatch this afternoon, if it doesn't rain. Should be a good game as neither listed starting pitcher is having a stellar season. Hits and runs could be the order of the day. Now watch it go 1-0.:tongue: -- AlRed Sox whipped my O's tonite..maybe big Pappi should break a few more phones for the Sox!!
Well, Sox take the series from the O's and get 1st place back thanks to the return in NY of Soriano (4 for 5, Hr, 3 rbi's including the GW) and Jeter (2 for 4, HR). If Soriano and Jeter jump start the Yanks, we are back to a 4 team race. Oh goody, everybody is invited to the AL East shootout.:wink2: -- Al
sammy719
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Reality (check) please
...if my orioles depend on other teams to lose rather then taking care of business then not much of a race for the O's...not jumping ship yet but this was a real test at home and we got our biscuits whipped ...sammyPanzer ace
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Does the acquisition of Jake Peavy by the Red Sox make them the favorite in the AL East even though they are a half game back right now?
jazzeum
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The Halos have signaled that they're giving up by trading Scott Downs to the Braves and Albert Callaspo to the As. With Pujols likely gone for the year and beyond it's see ya next year. Their pitching was never strong enough so they need to make a deal. One possibility is trading Trumbo to the Mets for pitching. Mets need a big bopper in the middle and have young pitching to part with. They could include that slug Ike Davis in the deal since Halos will need a first baseman.
Warrior
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They got him for Iglesias and no prospects in their top 20; a very good trade for a guy who wants the ball in tough situations.
I'm happy with the deal, but at the same time, if Buchholz wasn't on the DL for two months with a sore neck, they wouldn't have had to make this deal.
That said, they got him for a guy who is going south batting wise, .167 the last month or so, plus they've got a kid penciled in from AAA for his spot already.
I'll take my chances with Lester/Lachey/Dempster/Peavy against anyone in the AL at this point.
Peavy is a huge pickup for the Sox.
Look at Pittsburgh. Hot and staying that way. Playing inspired ball.
Speaking of hot, could Tampa Bay get any hotter? They have gone 23-4 over the last 27 games and are 9-2 since the break. Good thing it took them half the season to get going. Now if only more than their 6 fans in the city knew about how good that team is. Florida really is not a good baseball state.:rolleyes2: -- Al
Look at Pittsburgh. Hot and staying that way. Playing inspired ball.
Speaking of hot, could Tampa Bay get any hotter? They have gone 23-4 over the last 27 games and are 9-2 since the break. Good thing it took them half the season to get going. Now if only more than their 6 fans in the city knew about how good that team is. Florida really is not a good baseball state.:rolleyes2: -- Al
jazzeum
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Mets other phenom, Zach Wheeler, had a no hitter going for 6 1/3 last night but then gave up a hit, which ultimately led to Marlins tieing the game but Mets managed to pull it out in 10.
Harvey and Wheeler. You're going to be hearing about that duo for a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long time.
Harvey and Wheeler. You're going to be hearing about that duo for a verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry long time.
Warrior
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They've got that many?
I have a friend who lives down there and he tells me people don't attend the games because it's a 30 minute drive from Tampa, too much of a hassle for them.
I thought he was joking, but he's not.
Fenway is a nightmare to get to during the week, you're fighting rush hour traffic trying to get there from every direction, not to mention there is zero centralized parking, you park where you can; for me to go to a 7:00PM weekday game, I'd have to leave here at 5:00PM, that's two hours before game time.
Yet Fenway draws millions of fans every year.
Tampa doesn't deserve a good team. When they went to the World Series back in 2008, they couldn't sell out WS games till the last minute, you could walk up on game day and buy a ticket, that's pathetic.
And Al is right; down there, it's NFL football, College football, High School football.
George, I've always been puzzled by the inability of the MLB franchises to draw in Florida, well, more by Tampa than Miami. But I would think that with the built-in fan base of the spring training leagues that have been there forever, more fans would be willing to carry their interest to the regular season. Evidently not. But they do love their football. :wink2: -- Al
Warrior
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Al,
Did you see where MLB is about to drop the hammer regarding suspensions in the latest PED scandal to hit the sport and Arod is on the list?
He has a choice; either take a suspension for the rest of this year and all of next year, or fight it and face a lifetime ban.
The Wyle E Coyote super genius that is Arod is rumored to be fighting it.
And he'll lose.
And he'll be banned for life.
Prior to his trade to the MFY's, he was a sure fire first ballot HOF lock; short of the whopping one WS title the MFY's have won since his arrival, it's been a complete and utter train wreck for him and the Yankees.
He's gone from a HOF lock to a punchline.
And to think I was torked off in 2004 when the MFY's swooped in and traded for him right out from under the Red Sox's noise; after the way 2003 ended and Aaron @#$%ING Boone, I thought for sure the curse would last another 86 years.
Talk about the trade you DIDN'T make working out for you..............:wink2:
Did you see where MLB is about to drop the hammer regarding suspensions in the latest PED scandal to hit the sport and Arod is on the list?
He has a choice; either take a suspension for the rest of this year and all of next year, or fight it and face a lifetime ban.
The Wyle E Coyote super genius that is Arod is rumored to be fighting it.
And he'll lose.
And he'll be banned for life.
Prior to his trade to the MFY's, he was a sure fire first ballot HOF lock; short of the whopping one WS title the MFY's have won since his arrival, it's been a complete and utter train wreck for him and the Yankees.
He's gone from a HOF lock to a punchline.
And to think I was torked off in 2004 when the MFY's swooped in and traded for him right out from under the Red Sox's noise; after the way 2003 ended and Aaron @#$%ING Boone, I thought for sure the curse would last another 86 years.
Talk about the trade you DIDN'T make working out for you..............:wink2:
Sure is hard to find a more complete fall from grace than A-Rod. Rose is the obvious answer but A-Rod is even more shocking, to me. NY is probably hoping he does fight the suspension, and loses. Lot of money to be saved. There are several names on the suspension list. I heard speculation that Detroit SS Peralta is one, which is why the Tigers picked up the Red Sox SS on the backside of the Peavey deal. Someone might be leaking info.:rolleyes2: -- Al
Warrior
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The names are being leaked today; several have ties to the MFY's, wonder how many on that 2009 team were experiencing better results from chemistry, no doubt Arod led them down the path to his supplier.
And yes, he's right up there with Rose regarding falls from grace, only I think his is worse if that's possible........
And yes, he's right up there with Rose regarding falls from grace, only I think his is worse if that's possible........
O's got starting pitcher Bud Norris from the Astros for a minor leaguer. Now this can only help the O's but right now the O's 5 starters were going pretty well. So who gets the boot from the rotation? Probably Jason Hammel, who has struggled a good part of the season and hasn't been able to reach the potential he showed last season. At least that's my guess, as the other 4 starters are all winning. -- Al