Baseball 2016 (1 Viewer)

[lancer]

Disaster averted by the O's as a late Hr gives them a 5-3 win over the Jays. 3 games back. Got a good start from Jimenez, giving the O's a chance to win late. Now a little bit of optimism creeps in. Maybe Gallardo can step up like Miley and Jimenez and keep the O's close in the rubber match tomorrow. :wink2: -- Al

 

[lancer]

The aggravating thing, to me, is that I believe this position is because of the inadequate starting pitching. The O's have hung in with basically 1 starter worthy of the title for most of the season and now with 2 others starters proving themselves big league pitchers, but we are still saddled with no effective #4 or #5 starter. The front office built a terrific hitting team, and a terrific defensive team, with a very good bullpen, but left out the main ingredient, effective starting pitchers that will go 6-7 innings a start. I believe the front office depended on luck, hoping that Gonzalez (now gone), Jimenez, and Gallardo would produce, or at least be marginally effective, and they haven't been, not at all. None of the stop-gap pitchers tried as starters were really effective either. It is plain as day that the O's MUST upgrade the starting pitching this off-season. They don't have to sign Cy Young, but they need to spend enough money to get at least 1 pitcher (preferably 2) to go into the rotation with Tillman, Gausman, and Bundy. The hitting kept the O's in 1st or 2nd place most of the season but it is simply not enough, as is now proving out. Perhaps the 3 starters mentioned can keep the O's in it, and I hope they can, but I fear the season long mess that was the starting rotation is going to cost the O's in the end, as all those losses because of lousy starting pitching will now come back to haunt them. Hope I'm wrong. -- Al

Just to further belabor my point about the O's starting pitching problems, their ace, Tillman, has 15 wins. No other starter on the staff has more than 6 wins (Gausman) and 2 have 5 wins (Jimenez and Bundy). Bundy has 7 total wins, including 2 in relief. The O's do have a pair of 8 game winners, but they are both strictly relief pitchers. It really is remarkable that Buck has the team in the race. -- Al

 

[sammy719]

Just to further belabor my point about the O's starting pitching problems, their ace, Tillman, has 15 wins. No other starter on the staff has more than 6 wins (Gausman) and 2 have 5 wins (Jimenez and Bundy). Bundy has 7 total wins, including 2 in relief. The O's do have a pair of 8 game winners, but they are both strictly relief pitchers. It really is remarkable that Buck has the team in the race. -- Al

Good win, also got to give credit when credit is due, both Ubaldo, Miley actually pitched solid in both of their last 2 starts after the train wreck again the Stros 2 weeks back, Tillman said he's feeling much better, who knows?? this has been a crazy season so maybe this crazy team will make another run??...Sammy

 

[lancer]

Bad 1st inning by Gallardo put the O's behind the 8-ball and they couldn't quite cover the gap, losing 5-3. Lost the series 1-2 but it only cost them 1 game in the standings, not as bad as it could have been. The O's starting pitchers actually did a decent job to keep the O's alive. On the other hand, with this being such a huge series, how could the O's only draw a little under 46,000 in total attendance for the 3 games? That's pretty bad for a big pennant race series. I don't get it. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Nats swept the 3 game series with Phillie in what turned out to be a well-pitched series by both teams resulting in 3 close games, 4-0, 3-2, and 2-1. Not much hitting but some sharp pitching. 29 games to go. -- Al

 

[lancer]

SF is going to be 1/2 game behind the Dodgers after LA drops 2 today. They put that on the line in a huge 4 game series with the Cubs starting tomorrow. This as LA draws the Padres. :rolleyes2: SF needs to bring it because I don't think SD will be much help. I'll tune in Saturday for sure because of the pitching match-up, Mad Bum vs Jake. It should be a great game and a great series. -- Al

 

[jazzeum]

Mets have made progress this week, jumping over Marlins and Pirates and are only 2 behind Cards but injuries are going to kill them. They've now lost Walker for the season with back surgery coming up for him. They've lost to injury all of their starting infield except for SS, their right handed CF and part of their starting rotation. Prior to tonight their starting pitchers were Gsellman, Montero and Lugo, not DeGrom, not Matz, not Syndergaard. However, these three guys acquitted themselves.

 

[Panzer ace]

SF is going to be 1/2 game behind the Dodgers after LA drops 2 today. They put that on the line in a huge 4 game series with the Cubs starting tomorrow. This as LA draws the Padres. :rolleyes2: SF needs to bring it because I don't think SD will be much help. I'll tune in Saturday for sure because of the pitching match-up, Mad Bum vs Jake. It should be a great game and a great series. -- Al

Al:

The NL West has been strange ever since the All-Star break. When the Giants were in first they played terrible baseball. Now that the Dodgers are in first they are playing terrible baseball. It is as if no one really wants to win it?

-Jason

 

[Panzer ace]

SF is going to be 1/2 game behind the Dodgers after LA drops 2 today. They put that on the line in a huge 4 game series with the Cubs starting tomorrow. This as LA draws the Padres. :rolleyes2: SF needs to bring it because I don't think SD will be much help. I'll tune in Saturday for sure because of the pitching match-up, Mad Bum vs Jake. It should be a great game and a great series. -- Al

And before the ink is even dry on my previous post, of course, the Dodgers make me wrong once again.

 

[maddadicus]

Bad 1st inning by Gallardo put the O's behind the 8-ball and they couldn't quite cover the gap, losing 5-3. Lost the series 1-2 but it only cost them 1 game in the standings, not as bad as it could have been. The O's starting pitchers actually did a decent job to keep the O's alive. On the other hand, with this being such a huge series, how could the O's only draw a little under 46,000 in total attendance for the 3 games? That's pretty bad for a big pennant race series. I don't get it. -- Al

I am loathe to jinx my NYY, but I am amazed at their resilence and how Girardi does not allow them to quit, even though most pundits were not blaming them if they did after unloading all their stars...Michael

 

[lancer]

And before the ink is even dry on my previous post, of course, the Dodgers make me wrong once again.

And that's why they play 9 innings. I wrote that LA had dropped 2, but wrote that before the 2nd game was finished, officially. It was 8-2 Rockies, after 7 innings when I wrote it and, fool that I am, I figured the game was over. Wrong. LA scored 8 over the last 2 innings to win. As much as I watch baseball, and as often as I have seen similar comebacks, I still assumed an 8-2 lead after 7 was a win. At any rate, it should have been. Rockies should fire the bullpen.:rolleyes2:^&grin -- Al

 

[lancer]

I am loathe to jinx my NYY, but I am amazed at their resilence and how Girardi does not allow them to quit, even though most pundits were not blaming them if they did after unloading all their stars...Michael

Michael, what the NYY's have done this year is amazing. Considering what they started the year with, and what they will finish the year with, Girardi has done an Manager of the Year job. I am of the belief that Buck Showalter is also a MotY candidate and that his accomplishments in keeping the O's at or near the top are incredible, but Girardi may actually have done the more impressive job with what he has had to work with. The NYY's have never given up and have continued to be a factor in the AL East. It has been a most impressive job. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

And that's why they play 9 innings. I wrote that LA had dropped 2, but wrote that before the 2nd game was finished, officially. It was 8-2 Rockies, after 7 innings when I wrote it and, fool that I am, I figured the game was over. Wrong. LA scored 8 over the last 2 innings to win. As much as I watch baseball, and as often as I have seen similar comebacks, I still assumed an 8-2 lead after 7 was a win. At any rate, it should have been. Rockies should fire the bullpen.:rolleyes2:^&grin -- Al

Al:

Before last night teams were 1-448 this season when trailing by 6+ runs in the 8th or later. The numbers were on your side.

-Jason

 

[lancer]

Al:

Before last night teams were 1-448 this season when trailing by 6+ runs in the 8th or later. The numbers were on your side.

-Jason

Jason, a classic example of the exception that proves the rule.^&grin -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

The Giants are up 4-3 against the Cubs in the 7th inning. So far so good.

 

[lancer]

The Giants are up 4-3 against the Cubs in the 7th inning. So far so good.

Crud. The bullpen didn't get it done, but the starter didn't either. SF will have to do better tomorrow, and get more than 4 innings from their starter. Come on, boys. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

Crud. The bullpen didn't get it done, but the starter didn't either. SF will have to do better tomorrow, and get more than 4 innings from their starter. Come on, boys. -- Al

Al:

That is a perfect summation. Your bullpen has got to be stronger, especially against a team like the Cubs.

-Jason

 

[Louis Badolato]

Michael, what the NYY's have done this year is amazing. Considering what they started the year with, and what they will finish the year with, Girardi has done an Manager of the Year job. I am of the belief that Buck Showalter is also a MotY candidate and that his accomplishments in keeping the O's at or near the top are incredible, but Girardi may actually have done the more impressive job with what he has had to work with. The NYY's have never given up and have continued to be a factor in the AL East. It has been a most impressive job. -- Al

I completely agree about Girardi doing a fantastic job. It is so much more fun watching him manage a team with young hungry coachable players. I doubt they will make the playoffs, but as one of 5 teams within 3 games of the last wildcard spot (Detroit and Baltimore, tied for the spot, Houston one game back, the Yankees 2-1/2 back, and Seattle 3 games back), they should at least be playing meaningful games late into September, which is all I could ask for this season.

 

[Panzer ace]

Bad news for the Giants, it looks like the Dodgers will be getting Kershaw back soon.

 

[jazzeum]

Looks like DeGrom may be hurt. If so, join the line. That would just leave Syndergaard and Colon as your frontline starters. You can't win like that. They weren't probably going to win this year anyway.

None of the WC contenders are very good. The Giants are not that good, the Cards have been hit by the injury bug, same issue for the Mets, and the Pirates are struggling. No one is going to beat the Cubs anyway. It will be a shock if they don't make it to the WS.