Waino is due for a stinker or two, it's just the law of averages. I have zero faith that Lester can continue his recent good streak. The pen is such a hot mess I don't see any way they don't blow a few more. I fully expect a bumpy ride the rest of the way and I wouldn't bet one way or the other. Even if they do get in what chance would they have in the wildcard game against LA or SF? But it's baseball where anything can and does happen every year. All it takes is one swing at the right time to change a game and series. And it can come from even the least expected player. My interest has grown a little and I'll probably make an effort to watch the last few games.
It's Sept 15. Can they hold on? I won't be surprised either way.
- Thread starter oldroundballer
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Here's the crazy thing...If they can get in...The one game playoff could be a ridiculous combination of pitchers. Flaherty is due back late Sept. Dak made a good 5 inning start for Springfield the other day and is due to make another for Memphis later this week. The possibilities for arms in a one game set with LA or SF is intriguing if nothing else. I'd have next to zero confidence in Waino to make the start and go deep. I just feel he's doing it all with smoke and mirrors and think he'd be vulnerable against a lineup dialed in to do damage. BUT...Flaherty, Dak, Waino, Lester, Reyes, Gallegos, Cabrerra, McFarland all geared up for one game...that could be interesting to say the least.
They have to get in, obvi. Their schedule is favorable, not as favorable as the Reds but considerably more favorable than the Padres.
They have to get in, obvi. Their schedule is favorable, not as favorable as the Reds but considerably more favorable than the Padres.
Have a feeling that a couple of those 9th inning, big lead and then blown saves will come back to haunt them. Crazy thing about baseball obviously, they play 162 games and it can still come down to 1 game.
It is crazy that teams could be tied after that many games. But I do like what I'm seeing. The old pitchers are leading the way. The stars have picked it up. And the young guys are fired up to make stuff happen. It's a fun group right now. I still worry about the pitching though. But man the defense has been eyepopping lately and the offense has came alive. Hopefully that can keep it up for a couple weeks and who knows what might happen.
Win streak up to 15 and this team is playing as well as any team on the planet right now. They have smoked the ball all over, and out of, the park at a ridiculous rate lately. Today they pulled off the craziest DP I've ever seen to keep the Cubbies from tying the game. Granted the Cub's base runners ran themselves right out of the inning. I have no idea why the backend runner didn't stop at 2nd and till have the tying run there with 2 outs, but the Birds defense couldn't have handled it any better. Nearly everybody one on the team was in on the play or covering a base somewhere. Keep the steak alive as long as possible and roll into the playoffs with some serious momentum!!
It's just silly at this point. Even when things go against them.. like umpiring.. they still find a way to pull one out. Although the Cubbies helped out quit a bit over the weekend. I lost track at 3-4 runs the Cubs just gave them. Lol.
Speaking of umpiring, the 2B ump on Sunday had a bad day. That was Joe West like. Although Joe's are usually behind the plate. Apparently he made a bunch of new friends in the Yankee/Red Sox game yesterday. It's amazing at how some umpires/referees can be so bad and still keep a job.
Thinking back it seems like things started to turn around when the pitchers quit walking so many. There for awhile the entire staff was so bad nothing could overcome them. But when they cut that down and forced opponents to put it in play the defense started to shine then the offense did too. It's such a mental game. Now they think they can't lose. But they will of course. It's just a matter of time. The big thing is going to be how they respond after the streak is over. Losing in the wildcard game will be a big let down at this point. But, how many wildcard games are against the team with the 2nd best record in baseball. Lol. That team will likely have 20 more wins than the East division winner. How stupid is that!
Speaking of umpiring, the 2B ump on Sunday had a bad day. That was Joe West like. Although Joe's are usually behind the plate. Apparently he made a bunch of new friends in the Yankee/Red Sox game yesterday. It's amazing at how some umpires/referees can be so bad and still keep a job.
Thinking back it seems like things started to turn around when the pitchers quit walking so many. There for awhile the entire staff was so bad nothing could overcome them. But when they cut that down and forced opponents to put it in play the defense started to shine then the offense did too. It's such a mental game. Now they think they can't lose. But they will of course. It's just a matter of time. The big thing is going to be how they respond after the streak is over. Losing in the wildcard game will be a big let down at this point. But, how many wildcard games are against the team with the 2nd best record in baseball. Lol. That team will likely have 20 more wins than the East division winner. How stupid is that!
It's crazy how much easier baseball becomes, the less runners you put on base. Wild, huh? Lol. Such a simple thought.
I'd much rather have the Giants than the Dodgers. Want zero part of Mad Max. None.
In the end the umps got it right but they should have made it known that it was infield fly batter's out by yelling it out. The 2nd base ump didn't even know it had been called or he wouldn't have called the runner out at 2nd on the force out. Once the infield fly was signaled that took away any force plays since the batter was not allowed to go to 1st but the runners can advance at their own risk, it is not a dead ball. On the replay I saw the 3rd base ump signal it but I didn't see him yelling it out like he should have. At least it gave the pitcher a chance get it together and strikeout the last batter after not being able to throw a strike for a while.
The 3B ump blew that entire play. No one knew he had called it. That's why the runners ran, the Cards played force outs, the 2B ump called the runner out, and why he left the base. Every thing about that play was wrong. And it started with no one realizing the call had been made. Speaking of which, why does that call have to even be signaled. Why would it not be called ever in that situation? That whole play is always confusing.
All this was after the 2B ump blew runner interference earlier that ended up costing the Birds a run. The SS tackled the runner to keep him from advancing. And that play isn't reviewable. Which is a whole other topic that irritates me. Lol.
It's crazy that interference play couldn't be reviewed, but the umpires could have got together on their own and ask each one what he saw. The other umps had to see what happened, they didn't have anywhere else to be looking at the time.
Infield fly is supposed to be called if their is a reasonable expectation that an infielder will make the catch. They couldn't have expected Arenado to slip like he did, or overrun the ball like he did. But they absolutely should have called it out for everyone to hear. Seems like Goldy was the only one that knew what was going on, he was yelling at Edman to tag the guy that overran the base because there was no force out there but the 2nd base ump had already called him out on the force play so they let him have the base.
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