2009 MLB Season Thread

[Cujo]

Pittsburgh is becoming Arizonas little toy, last 3 times they have played the Diamondbacks are shutting them out. With Pittsburgh, and Washington the next 5 games, the Diamondbacks can get to six games back of .500

Not to mention last night's near no-hitter that was almost tossed by the D-Backs fifth starter, probably not even starting if Brandon Webb isn't on the shelf.

Bud can go ahead and do to the Pirates what he was gonna do to Montreal and Minnesota a decade ago -- put 'em out of their damn misery.

[The_Admiral]

Once you're six games under .500 in a division with the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies, well hey, sky's the limit.

[BBTV]

J.A. Happ, making perhaps his final start, adds to his case for ROY with his second complete-game shutout of the season, fanning 10 Rockies in the process.

[cjzilligen]

Just for fun:

Haha go Cubs

[BrySmalls]

Once you're six games under .500 in a division with the Dodgers, Giants, and Rockies, well hey, sky's the limit.

Speaking of six deep, the Marlins are 6 back of the Phillies, courtesy of the Nats.

[raysox]

Big 2 game "sweep" over the BoSox for the Rays. Game one ended in the 13th on a Longoria home run, even though he had 4 Ks that game.

But darn, I was hoping the Jays could take one from the Yanks, but NooOOOOooo.

Big road trip out west vs Seattle, and LA...of A. Also I'm hoping for a split series between the Sox, and Yanks, that'd be nice.

[CC97]

Does anyone know why the Yanks had to have the pitchers spot come up a few times through the lineup today? I didn't watch the game and only caught the boxscore on espn.com

[HedleyLamarr]

I almost felt sorry for the Mets earlier this evening.

First, in last night's game (I think), Luis Castillo injures his ankle.....while walking down the steps into the dugout. Then, Gary Sheffield re-injures his leg today while running out a base hit. Lastly, their starting pitcher today injures his leg while making the stretch to catch the ball at first base. He tosses one practice pitch to see if he can continue, and goes down like somebody shot him. And if I read the ticker on ESPN correctly, he's now done for the season.

But then, I remembered that this is the Mets, and I don't feel sorry for them at all....

[HedleyLamarr]

Does anyone know why the Yanks had to have the pitchers spot come up a few times through the lineup today? I didn't watch the game and only caught the boxscore on espn.com

A-Rod started the game as the DH, then switched over to 3rd base later in the game.

[WJMorris3]

Looks like they pinch hit for Hairston, their third baseman, with Matsui. They then moved A-Rod from DH to third, which means the pitcher has to bat.

[cjzilligen]

That's sad news for the Mets. Looks like they could be doomed the rest of this season; Philly's taking the div. lead and running with it, the Marlins aren't too far back.

Owell, Mets fans. There's always 'next year'

[STL_Ian]

I almost felt sorry for the Mets earlier this evening.

First, in last night's game (I think), Luis Castillo injures his ankle.....while walking down the steps into the dugout. Then, Gary Sheffield re-injures his leg today while running out a base hit. Lastly, their starting pitcher today injures his leg while making the stretch to catch the ball at first base. He tosses one practice pitch to see if he can continue, and goes down like somebody shot him. And if I read the ticker on ESPN correctly, he's now done for the season.

But then, I remembered that this is the Mets, and I don't feel sorry for them at all....

The real sad part is despite all of that the Cards got swatted today.

[JayJaxon]

Looks like the Phillies are about to have the best problem a team can ask for: Too much good pitching. That game by Happ was great.

[NJTank]

That's sad news for the Mets. Looks like they could be doomed the rest of this season; Philly's taking the div. lead and running with it, the Marlins aren't too far back.

Owell, Mets fans. There's always 'next year'

Hopefully there will be a New GM and a new medical staff

[cjzilligen]

That's sad news for the Mets. Looks like they could be doomed the rest of this season; Philly's taking the div. lead and running with it, the Marlins aren't too far back.

Owell, Mets fans. There's always 'next year'

Hopefully there will be a New GM and a new medical staff

True. You can only go up from here. Can't see how this could get any worse than it already is

[HedleyLamarr]

That's sad news for the Mets. Looks like they could be doomed the rest of this season; Philly's taking the div. lead and running with it, the Marlins aren't too far back.

Owell, Mets fans. There's always 'next year'

Hopefully there will be a New GM and a new medical staff

I've asked you before to play GM for the Mets, and what you would (in realistic terms) do to improve the team. You seem hell-bent on whining about the team, yet haven't made one single post about what you would do to improve the team.

Entering the offseason, the only weakness you felt the Mets had was the bullpen, and they addressed that with the player you coveted most. Can't blame the GM for making the moves you believed the Mets needed to do, right?

What all are you expecting out of Minaya....to make a trade every time a player gets hurt and spends time on the DL?

[NJTank]

I expected him to be a conduit to talent from Latin America and instead the Mets have no prospects and the minors are a mess. The injuries are bad and the medical staff is a joke, Omar should have resolved that. I expected him to get some better reserves, he could have added Erik Hinskie, Mark DeRosa and Julio Lugo cheap instead he gives us Angel Berroa, who is a joke. I will say the Franceour trade was a good one, I think Frenchy is going to find himself with the Mets, but I am just sick of Omar's management style. We need a better judge of minor league talent, who will hire a better player development coordinator who will have more major league ready players, and not players who seem lost when it comes to fundamentals as many Mets call ups seem to be. The Mets also need a leader, Omar has failed for three years to replace Cliff Floyd's leadership and grit, instead we have Jose Reyes' clowning which needs to be reigned in. But it cant come from the Coaching staff it needs to come from a veteran leader. Last year he failed to fix the pen, this year he had a team unprepared for injuries. Then he attacks a reporter. Omar has done a million things to get fired.

[CC97]

Does anyone know why the Yanks had to have the pitchers spot come up a few times through the lineup today? I didn't watch the game and only caught the boxscore on espn.com

A-Rod started the game as the DH, then switched over to 3rd base later in the game.

Thanks, the last boxscore I saw listed both A-Rod and Hairston as 3B only, I assumed there was a lineup card error ala Tampa Bay earlier this season.

[The_Admiral]

Cliff Floyd's leadership and grit

Gritty badness.

[BBTV]

Looks like the Phillies are about to have the best problem a team can ask for: Too much good pitching. That game by Happ was great.

I'm not really sure how you can say that. If the problem really was "too much good pitching", then they would just let Pedro go and not worry about it, or there would be a clear #5 that they could demote.

The problem is "too much mediocre pitching".

Jamie Moyer should probably be released, except that they consider him a valuable presence to have around the young pitchers. He can't pitch out of the bullpen, and he's ineffective as a starter anymore (except against Florida), and he won't be in the playoff rotation, so he's pretty much worthless... yet he's going to remain in the rotation.

Cole Hamels has been dissapointing all season. He strung together four good starts recently, but has been shelled twice in a row since. He keeps saying not to worry, that these games don't count, etc., but I am worried, and these games do count.

JA Happ is a rookie, and still hasn't proven that he's up to the task of pitching in October. He has pitched some great games, but he still hasn't faced many teams more than once, and it's pretty risky to have to depend on someone like that. Still the most likely candidate to be demoted to bullpen, because he's proven that he can do it well.

Pedro Martinez is... well, who knows. Right now, he's a pitcher that can't pitch more than 5 effective innings, leaving the other 4 in the hands of a bullpen that currently has 3 members on the DL - probably due to overwork, courtesy of Jamie Moyer.

Joe Blanton has been solid for a couple of months now - hopefully his horrible start is behind him and he can be depended on. Right now, he's the clear #2, with Hamels being the #3 (though the way Uncle Cholly will set it up, Hamels will be #1 no matter what.)

Cliff Lee was great in SF, we'll see how he does today in his home debut. He should be fine, we'll just have to see.