Let's go Pa-Dres!

[JeeberD]

*Clap Clap...Clap-Clap*

Astros sweep the Cards and are now 1/2 ahead of the Cubbies in the NL WC race. Now we just need the Pads to come back and beat the Giants and we'll be all alone in the lead!

Been a long, crazy year for the Astros...

[kingfc22]

2-0 Giants.

:D

[JeeberD]

It's early still...

[clintl]

Go Giants!

[Sharpieman]

Go Giants

[Cuckoo]

Oh Cubs... :(

[SackAttack]

Aurilia with the bomb, Padres down by 1.

[Cards4ever]

Go Giants!

[SackAttack]

Now, what I can't figure is, do the Cardinals fans really want to face the Giants rather than the Dodgers in the first round, or do they just really NOT want to face the Cubs or Astros in the 2nd? :)

[Cards4ever]

Gonna have to play good baseball to beat anybody in the postseason, I want to see the fallout in Chicago if the Cubs don't make the playoffs.

[Crapshoot]

Go giantsQ!!!

[JeeberD]

Fudge, another Giants run... :(

[Crapshoot]

wow- Bonds struck out on 3 pitches- havent see that much.

[JeeberD]

Tie game!!!

[Crapshoot]

FVECKING HERNADNESQ$

[Crapshoot]

Yes, Yes, I hate baseball. that is certain.

[kingfc22]

Damn bullpen. Always getting into trouble.

[SackAttack]

bases loaded, 1 gone, Aurilia at the plate. C'mon Pads!

[kingfc22]

Give me a groundball...

[kingfc22]

Yikes. What is that ump looking at?

[kingfc22]

YES!!!

[Sharpieman]

Jim Brower is my hero!

[SackAttack]

How 'bout a pair of pansy-ass strikeouts? Gah!

[ISiddiqui]

Wow... amazing relief work by Brower!

[Hurst2112]

Can't believe I am actually watching this game. I was just waiting for Sportcenter, but after the Padres last home run, I have been watching closely.

[Crapshoot]

The Giants are going to single handedly be responsible for my blood pressure problems - and Im 21.

[MrBug708]

Brazoban!

[Crapshoot]

The Dodgers are losing again- lets hope the Rockies can hold, this time.

[MizzouRah]

Damn Stros, wtf happened last night? Did you see that shitty call on Sanders?

It's all your fault Jeebs! :)

I'm glad I'm going home tomorrow, my team needs me home. Can't even get a Cardinal game here in Colorado.


Todd

[Cards4ever]

Wow... amazing relief work by Brower!


Got to love former Gophers!

[JeeberD]

It's not your fault, Todd. Nobody has been able to beat the Astros at The Juicebox lately. Fifteen straight wins and counting...

*knock on wood (or bbor's head, whichever is handier)*

[ISiddiqui]

Yikes... hate to see it end that way (with an injury)

[MizzouRah]

Yikes... hate to see it end that way (with an injury)
Me too... looks painful.


Todd

[bbor]

It's not your fault, Todd. Nobody has been able to beat the Astros at The Juicebox lately. Fifteen straight wins and counting...

*knock on wood (or bbor's head, whichever is handier)*

Hey now...you trying to sneak a cheap shot into a thread i have no interest in?? :)

[kingfc22]

Aggghhh. Errors again kill us. They killed us in the Dodger series and now tonight it costs us one of our platoon OF's.

[kingfc22]

How long is it going to take to get a cart or an ambulance out onto the field?

[JeeberD]

Yikes... hate to see it end that way (with an injury)

What happened?


Hey now...you trying to sneak a cheap shot into a thread i have no interest in?? :)

You know I love ya, big fella... :D



Woot!!! Go Astros!!!

[Vince]

Mohr caught the ball in the bullpen, and tripped on one of the mounds. It looks like he tore up every single ligament in his knee.

[JeeberD]

Ouch...did the winning run tag up and score while he was down or something?

[ISiddiqui]

Yep.

[Radii]

Crappy injury, but even with a throw that could possibly be made, wouldn't you consider letting the ball just drop foul there?

I simply cannot believe how badly the Cubs have imploded vs the Mets and Reds. Depressing :(

[Buccaneer]

I have changed my WC preference slightly:

1. Pads, of course
2. Astros
3. Giants
587. Cubs

I had the Giants as #2 but with the surge of the Astros, I wouldn't mind seeing them in the playoffs if the Pads don't get lucky and a lot of help.

[Cuckoo]

As a Cubs fan, and looking at it from that perspective, here are my thoughts on the final stretch:

All of the teams control their own destiny, which is amazing really if you think about it. It also makes for some fantastic drama.

I figure that the Astros would have to be considered the favorite right now, believe it or not, based on how they've played at home and the fact that they play Colorado for their final three. In my opinion, they have a very good chance of sweeping, and at the very least forcing a one game playoff.

The Giants have a rough fight ahead of them. The Padres are all but eliminated but are taking a lot of pride in that series, and the Dodgers have all the reason in the world to play their best in the final three. I can't see the Giants winning out, but I think if they can lose only one of the rest, they'll still have a shot.

The Cubs are a mystery. They have one more with the Reds, but they've proven that nothing is certain for them, not even when you have two outs in the ninth. :(
That said, the Braves will almost certainly be preparing their rotation for the playoffs in the final series and giving a few guys a day off. That, combined with the fact that it's in Chicago, could really help the Cubs. With what they've show so far, though, I also can't see them sweeping the remainder. They'd need a little help from the Rockies.

If the Astros do what they can do, it's all over. If not, it's going to get very interesting.

My prediction: San Fran beats SD today but drops two of three to L.A. The Cubs beat the Reds today and win two of three against the Braves. The Astros win two of three to the Rockies, and we have a one game playoff at Minute Maid between the Astros and Cubs. Just a guess, but who the heck knows...

[Cards4ever]

That's probably the best scenario Cuckoo, of course all it takes is for one of those series to go one game different and we end up with a different winner.

Should be a interesting weekend of baseball.

[Cuckoo]

That's probably the best scenario Cuckoo, of course all it takes is for one of those series to go one game different and we end up with a different winner.

Should be a interesting weekend of baseball.

Yep. And as upset as I've been at the way the Cubs have played, I have to keep reminding myself that this is still a great time and incredibly fun as a fan to watch. Tension... drama... it's all there... :)

[Cards4ever]

Yep. And as upset as I've been at the way the Cubs have played, I have to keep reminding myself that this is still a great time and incredibly fun as a fan to watch. Tension... drama... it's all there... :)

I don't know how many times it takes to learn that Hawkins is a better fit for setup and if you are going to use him as a closer, you are going to get what you have been getting. The Twins tried him as a closer with the same results.

And of course lets not forget about the AL West race this weekend too.

[Bomber]

I think he probably should have let it drop and then hope for an infield play to go for two or at least home, but at the time it looked like it was going to be fair up until the moment he caught it. Its also kind of weird that they have those mounds out there, can't they afford to build a proper bullpen, seems like those being positioned there is just asking for injuries.

[MizzouRah]

I think he probably should have let it drop and then hope for an infield play to go for two or at least home, but at the time it looked like it was going to be fair up until the moment he caught it. Its also kind of weird that they have those mounds out there, can't they afford to build a proper bullpen, seems like those being positioned there is just asking for injuries.
That and the stupid hill out in Houston. If that mound wasn't there and the runner would have tagged up, I would think he would have been thrown out, but they probably would have held him.


Todd

[Crapshoot]

I hate baseball. That is all.

[rkmsuf]

Who builds a hill into a perfectly good outfield.

[Bomber]

That and the stupid hill out in Houston. If that mound wasn't there and the runner would have tagged up, I would think he would have been thrown out, but they probably would have held him.


Todd

I was going to mention that stupid hill. I hate watching SC and seeing guys fall and drop balls on that damn thing.

[Cuckoo]

I hate Minute Maid park. And the hill isn't even the part I hate the most. In fact, I don't even mind the hill so much except for injury concerns.

[Radii]

Should be a interesting weekend of baseball.


Interesting, yeah, that's a good word for it. So "interesting" that I better go pick up a couple of bottles of Pepto to keep with me during the weekend series with the Braves.

I agree with the comments abuot Hawkins. The Cubs have blown 2 games in the 9th inning in these 4 recent losses, this really shouldn't be much of a race by now, but, alas, I will be suprised if Houston doesn't pull it out at this point.

[JonInMiddleGA]

That said, the Braves will almost certainly be preparing their rotation for the playoffs in the final series and giving a few guys a day off.

I'm not so sure the Braves will be resting too many people in the series, at least not until the WC is decided. Unlike most teams this week, the Braves have today (Thursday) off, so that get's them a little break. And both LF & 1B are platoon spots anyway, so that leaves 7 regular starters. Chipper is still chasing the 100 RBI's so he's likely to play through, and the offense has struggled over the past couple of weeks so they're hoping to get into a little better groove for the post-season.

Combine those things with a) baseball etiquette of not slacking too much when playing playoff contenders and b) the Cubs are the WC contender that the Braves seem least likely to want to face in a 5 game series, and I don't think they'll be cutting any noticeable lineup slack this weekend.

[bbor]

In case y'all did'nt know.The Blue Jays are eliminated :D

[JeeberD]

Tal's Hill rocks, y'all... :)

I'm worried about this series with the Rockies. Hictorically, the Astros haven't fared very well against the Rox, plus the Astros also have a history of tanking at the end of the season. Remember last year against the Brewers? Hopefully the Astros will take care of business, though, and get into the playoffs...

[MrBug708]

Let's go Stro's, lets go. I wantthe Cubs and Stros to finish the year 3-0. We get to face Houston then!

[JeeberD]

Bring on the Dodgers, we ain't skured...

[Cuckoo]

I'm not so sure the Braves will be resting too many people in the series, at least not until the WC is decided. Unlike most teams this week, the Braves have today (Thursday) off, so that get's them a little break. And both LF & 1B are platoon spots anyway, so that leaves 7 regular starters. Chipper is still chasing the 100 RBI's so he's likely to play through, and the offense has struggled over the past couple of weeks so they're hoping to get into a little better groove for the post-season.

Combine those things with a) baseball etiquette of not slacking too much when playing playoff contenders and b) the Cubs are the WC contender that the Braves seem least likely to want to face in a 5 game series, and I don't think they'll be cutting any noticeable lineup slack this weekend.

You could be right about the position players and probably are about their approach to the series, but if I'm not mistaken (and I very well could be), Bobby Cox has already said that he was going to be setting his rotation for the playoffs and thus not pitching his top two guys (Wright and Ortiz?).

[Cuckoo]

Tal's Hill rocks, y'all... :)

I'm worried about this series with the Rockies. Hictorically, the Astros haven't fared very well against the Rox, plus the Astros also have a history of tanking at the end of the season. Remember last year against the Brewers? Hopefully the Astros will take care of business, though, and get into the playoffs...

And I'll say this much as an addendum to my earlier postseason thoughts: If the Cubs don't make it, I really hope the Astros do, and I'll root for them above all others. Despite the whole Roy Oswalt thing and the Berkman acting job thing, I'm not sure if I can think of two players I'd like to see win more than Bagwell and Biggio.


Edit - Oops, typed the wrong name.

[SackAttack]

The Braves may well set their rotation for the playoffs, but until they clinch that #2 seed, they've got every reason to keep playing hard, as well. If the Astros or Cubs win the WC, whoever the #3 seed is gets the Cardinals. I know I've said I think the Cards are more vulnerable in a short series, and to that I hold, but that's still a daunting matchup any way you look at it. Better to win out and have the possibility of getting a more flawed wild card team as your first round matchup.

[Cards4ever]

The Braves may well set their rotation for the playoffs, but until they clinch that #2 seed, they've got every reason to keep playing hard, as well. If the Astros or Cubs win the WC, whoever the #3 seed is gets the Cardinals. I know I've said I think the Cards are more vulnerable in a short series, and to that I hold, but that's still a daunting matchup any way you look at it. Better to win out and have the possibility of getting a more flawed wild card team as your first round matchup.

Let alone get slapped around by the Cubs this weekend and then have to play them again next week.

[Cuckoo]

Pitchers duel right now with the Reds/Cubs. Prior has 13 Ks in six innings and has given up only two hits. Unfortunately, he has come to bat twice with the bases loaded and failed both times.

[Fouts]

Jerome Williams hasn't pitched in 2 months (starts tonight). Ray Durham was removed in the 9th inning last night, dunno why. Dustin Mohr trips over the bullpen mound but holds the ball.

Things aren't stacking up well for the Giants. I'll be watching each game this weekend though. I'm hoping the division comes down to Gagne pitching to Bonds with the bases loaded.

[Fouts]

Sosa just homered. Meanwhile, MVP candidate Vlad Guerrero has homered twice today (38), but Angels trail Texas 5-3.

[Cuckoo]

Ugh - Kearns just homered - 1 to 1

[JeeberD]

Woot! Nice job, Austin... :)

[Radii]

15 K's through 7, amazing, Cubbies better score some damn runs and put this one away.

[Cuckoo]

Meanwhile, through seven innings, Prior has 15 strikeouts and under 100 pitches thrown. Now if the stinking offense can do something.

[Cuckoo]

Radii beat me to it. :)

[Sharpieman]

Wow 17 K's

[Cuckoo]

What a game for him! PLEASE DON'T WASTE THIS CUBS!!!

[Cuckoo]

I'm just watching the GameCast rather than TV, but I only see 16. Has he struck out the 17th?

[Sharpieman]

Oh I guess it was 16, I'm watching the gamecast too

[Cuckoo]

DOLA

It's just 16 through eight, I think.

No way to tie the record now, but still a fantastic performance from him.

[JeeberD]

Waste it, Cubbies. Waste it!!!!

[Cuckoo]

Waste it, Cubbies. Waste it!!!!


Who invited you to this party? :p

[JeeberD]

Lance Berkman did... :D

[Cuckoo]

Lance Berkman did... :D


Ahh, okay. How's his head...? ;)

[JeeberD]

Fine and dandy, thanks for asking...

[Radii]

Interesting, yeah, that's a good word for it. So "interesting" that I better go pick up a couple of bottles of Pepto to keep with me during the weekend series with the Braves.

Should have picked this bottle of pepto up for the last Reds game too, huh?

[Cuckoo]

And now Prior walks the lead-off guy in the ninth - his first walk of the game... I'm getting that sinking feeling.

[JeeberD]

:eek:

http://www.coastalflow.com/images/astrosws.JPG

[Cards4ever]

Wow, predicting a World Series already huh? Of course you realize that Florida has 2 WS championships in 1/5 of the time that Houston has even been in the League.

[JeeberD]

I'm not predicting anything, I just saw those tickets on a different site and they threw me for a loop...

[Cards4ever]

And now Prior walks the lead-off guy in the ninth - his first walk of the game... I'm getting that sinking feeling.

It's a natural feeling, you are a Cub fan, just wait and see what happens before you say stuff like that!

[Cards4ever]

I'm not predicting anything, I just saw those tickets on a different site and they threw me for a loop...


How so?

[sterlingice]

Tal's Hill rocks, y'all... :)
Oh, c'mon, Jeebs. You can't tell me you like the Astros playing half their home games on a field with an anklebreaker in center?

SI

[JeeberD]

How so?

I've never seen anything with both the phrase "World Series" and "Houston Astros" on it before. It's new and exciting, especially after the kind of year we've had so far...

[JeeberD]

Oh, c'mon, Jeebs. You can't tell me you like the Astros playing half their home games on a field with an anklebreaker in center?


I think it's unique and neat, though watching Craig Biggio run out towards it made me cringe. Automatic triple whenever that happened...

[Fouts]

Bases loaded, bottom 11, 2 outs, Barrett up....

[JeeberD]

Barrett struck out swinging... :)

[Cards4ever]

I've never seen anything with both the phrase "World Series" and "Houston Astros" on it before. It's new and exciting, especially after the kind of year we've had so far...

Really? Never seen Phantom tickets before?

[Cards4ever]

Cubs lose 2-1 in 12

[SackAttack]

How the hell do you waste a game like that from Prior? I thought the Dodgers wasting Perez's start last night was harsh, but good Lord.

[Crapshoot]

Cubs= whew.

Goddamn Houston is on goddamn fire though.

[JeeberD]

Really? Never seen Phantom tickets before?

Nope. At least not ones related to the Astros...

Thank god for the Reds, they've really helped us out a lot. Hopefully the Pads can keep on keepin-on and help pad our lead... :)

[General Mike]

This has to be said.

Jesus hates the Cubs.

[Buccaneer]

Sheesh, we have a thread titled 'Go Padres' and we end up getting Cubbies shit all over it.

[kingfc22]

Sheesh, we have a thread titled 'Go Padres' and we end up getting Cubbies shit all over it.
Cubs suck.

[kingfc22]

Glad to see that Ray Durham is healthy enough to play. He wasn't even in the starting lineup until he went to talk to Alou before the game.

And now he just tied it at 1 with a HR to right field.

[Sharpieman]

all of a sudden 4-1

[Crapshoot]

Woo HOO!

[kingfc22]

I am very impressed by the outing from Jerome Williams tonight. I can honestly say I did not expect him to look this good, but this is great news because they now have 4 guys that could start in the post-season as of right now (Schmidt, Tomko, Lowry, Williams).

[Buccaneer]

Well, I think this may be the last nail in the proverbial coffin for the Pads.

[Cards4ever]

Pretty much, they'd need a miracle now.

[SackAttack]

Padres didn't help us out much, only took one out of three, but LA managed to take 3 out of four. Gave us a game and a half in the standings, and the magic # to clinch the West is 1.

[Bad-example]

Nice set up for the final Giants-Dodgers series. If the Dodgers want the NL west they will have to take it from the Giants. It would be mighty sweet to see S.F. run the table and steal the division.

[kingfc22]

This could get messy in a hurry. If the Giants sweep the Dodgers they would be tied for first. And there is the possibility that the Astros and Cubs could end up with the same record as the Giants and Dodgers. Yikes.

I know that the Giants and Dodgers would play for the division, but what then?

[SackAttack]

Nice set up for the final Giants-Dodgers series. If the Dodgers want the NL west they will have to take it from the Giants. It would be mighty sweet to see S.F. run the table and steal the division.

Needing one out of three to clinch is having to "take it" from the Giants? I'd say if anybody is in the position of "they will have to take it," it's the Giants. They have to sweep if they want the West, and they may even need to sweep to make the playoffs, with the Astros getting ready to tee off on that Rockies' bullpen.

[MrBug708]

Nice set up for the final Giants-Dodgers series. If the Dodgers want the NL west they will have to take it from the Giants. It would be mighty sweet to see S.F. run the table and steal the division.

It'll be even sweeter for Dodger fans to see the Dodgers clinch at home vs the hated ones.

[Sharpieman]

It'll be even sweeter for Dodger fans to see the Dodgers clinch at home vs the hated ones.
Yea, for the first time in a LONG time. :p

[Cuckoo]

This has to be said.

Jesus hates the Cubs.


I was gone all last night and didn't find out about the score until late. Instead of coming back to the board, I mourned. I mourned for a long, long time. The conclusion to which I came had already been posted by the General... :D

Ahh well, it couldn't be too long before the "Wait 'til next year" philosophy was forced to reenter my mind. After all, I am a Cubs fan.

[Bad-example]

Needing one out of three to clinch is having to "take it" from the Giants? I'd say if anybody is in the position of "they will have to take it," it's the Giants. They have to sweep if they want the West, and they may even need to sweep to make the playoffs, with the Astros getting ready to tee off on that Rockies' bullpen.

Yes, the Dodgers need to beat the defending NL West champion Giants to win the division. Sure they only need one victory, but the title still belongs to SF until and unless LA can take it on the field.

I just knew Brian Sabean would regret not acquiring some relief help for the Rockies.

[SackAttack]

Yes, the Dodgers need to beat the defending NL West champion Giants to win the division. Sure they only need one victory, but the title still belongs to SF until and unless LA can take it on the field.

Sorry, I don't agree. LA just needs to win one of four. The pressure is on the Giants to sweep. LA can lose three times, but if they win the fourth, it doesn't matter. The pressure isn't on LA to take it. The pressure is on SF to defend it and make the wild card irrelevant to their postseason hopes.

I just knew Brian Sabean would regret not acquiring some relief help for the Rockies.

Brilliant. :D

[Bad-example]

Sorry, I don't agree. LA just needs to win one of four. The pressure is on the Giants to sweep. LA can lose three times, but if they win the fourth, it doesn't matter. The pressure isn't on LA to take it. The pressure is on SF to defend it and make the wild card irrelevant to their postseason hopes.

Ah, my point is that if the Dodgers want to be NL West champs, they will have to defeat the Giants to do it. The Dodgers are in a superior position, but they still have to beat the defending division champs if they want to take the title.

I hope this goes down to the last day.

[SackAttack]

I don't. I'd rather be able to win it tonight and let some of our key guys (Beltre, Gagne) rest and get healthy (or healthier, at least) for the playoffs. Plus, then I don't have to have a heart attack when Ishii takes the mound on Sunday.

[Crapshoot]

its 3 games- not 4.

[SackAttack]

No it isn't, Aadik. Giants have to beat us four times to win the West outright, because if they sweep us, there's still the one game playoff in San Francisco on Monday.

[Crapshoot]

Actually- no. if Houston loses a game and the Giants sweep- than the Giants win the division due to a better head to head- and the Dodgers take the WC. its only if both the Giants and Houston sweep that a 4th game might be neccessary.

[Crapshoot]

Basically, a 4th game will be neccessary only if Houston, Sf, and LA end up with the same record.

[JeeberD]

I need to get SkyDog to change the title of this thread to "Let's go Do-Dgers!"

:D

[kingfc22]

Actually- no. if Houston loses a game and the Giants sweep- than the Giants win the division due to a better head to head- and the Dodgers take the WC. its only if both the Giants and Houston sweep that a 4th game might be neccessary.
This is correct. Sweep LA! Sweep LA!

[Radii]

I need to get SkyDog to change the title of this thread to "Let's go Do-Dgers!"

:D

And Rockies. :D