Game chat: Race for NL East goes down to the wire

Comments

[J. Weitzel]

Let's go, Phillies!

[BloodStripes]

Its do or die.

DO it Phillies!!!

[EastFallowfield]

It's do or die or root for the Marlins and/or Brewers to spoil them too.

[BloodStripes]

Phillies!...........Oi

Phillies!...........Oi

Phillies! Phillies! Phillies!

Oi! Oi! Oi!

[BloodStripes]

Moyer and Willis.

The Final Solution.

Oi

[clout]

Jason is really getting into the graphic design elements. Good stuff.

[Andy]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here:
IMHO the Phils have to run the table.

Nice design JW.

Oi Oi Oi

[Andy]

BTW: I love how you show Bergmann throwing a fastball while Jamie's about to toss a change. Perfect.

[J. Weitzel]

Thanks. It's nice to step away from the writing a little and enjoy this.

[clout]

If the Padres win today, it guarantees the Wild Card comes from the West. Either they or the D'backs will be division champ with the other team winning the WC because no other teams can get to 90 wins.

If the Padres lose, then all kinds of crazy things can happen. You could have 4 teams finish with 89 wins, setting up the scenario mentioned on the prior thread.

It's going to be an interesting day. Buckle your seatbelts.

[J. Weitzel]

Andy: Nice observation. You'll also notice Moyer is slightly higher than Glavine, highlighted by the upward accent of the sign, Bergmann's arm angle and D-Train's posture. Glavine is also staring right at Moyer, while Moyer is focused on the task at hand.

In other words, I chose a subtler approach than, say, drawing a mustache, devil horns and an arrow through Glavine's head.

[diggitydave]

i know we've gone over this before in previous threads and whatnot, but what happens if San Diego loses, but Colorado, New York, and the Phils win? that would have us and the mets tied for first in the east, but also tied with the pads and rockies for the wild card.

i had thought that we play the mets while SD plays the Rockies, the winner of our game is the division winner, and then the loser of our game plays the winner of the other game for the wild card??

[Grumpy Gramps]

JW, now I know why I feel confident about today, it was the subliminal message you just explained to us. Nicely done, those graphics harken back to a Louis vs. Schmeling heavyweight fight.

[limoguy]

I provided a limo for someone connected to MLB and he provided me two tremendous tickets for today's game. This is easily the biggest game ever played there and also my first time inside CBP. To say the least, I am excited.

[Grumpy Gramps]

Diggitydave, my understanding is the Division gets decided first and the remaining 3 play a round robin for the WC.

[diggitydave]

and jason - my compliments on the graphics. the one at the top is great and already getting me excited for the games today!

[Andy]

Jason - how 'bout just one devil horn?

Oi Oi Oi
(I love that 'stripes - we should make it mandatory for every poster to say type it at least once today: everyone together:
PHILlies, PHILlies, Oi Oi Oi!)

[75]

if the Padres win and we win the east we're playing the Pads, and we're playing with home field advantage i think, cause we won the east.

Dontrelle Willis usually beats the Mets. I trust Moyer to win. Glavine gets pounded of right handed hitters. Looking forward to seing the Marlins beat the Mets, more after the brawl. Hanley Ramirez is playing.

Let's go Phils, Let's go Fish, Let's go Brew Crew!!!

Nice design. i went a little mad yesterday. sorry bout that. the posters we're very cool, but this is philly sports. these teams are such a tease.

[Sam Fan]

Full details on the 4-way tie scenario, from ESPN:

...if the two teams tied in the NL West finish second...the Phillies and Mets would play Monday in Philadelphia to sort out the NL East.

• The loser then would then move on to a three-team wild-card tournament that would work the way we laid it out above. But here is how baseball would decide which team would get the option of one road game or two home games

• In an Arizona-San Diego-New York three-way: Diamondbacks.

• In a Colorado -San Diego-New York three-way: Rockies.

• In an Arizona-San Diego-Philadelphia three-way: Diamondbacks.

• In a Colorado-San Diego-Philadelphia three-way: Rockies.

from http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3038686

[Andy]

Hanley was quoted in our paper today as saying "{expletive deleted" the Mets." He doesn't sound like he's gonna mail it in today.

Dilemma: I gave blood yesterday (to gain karma?), and was rewarded with Mets' tickets for today (cheap seats of course) (are there any other kind at Shea??); knowing that I cannot get them to mike nutter in time, and understanding that even I cannot get there by game time, should I??
a) burn them
b) tear them into itty pieces and send them to LoDuca
c) send them to Jason for a post-game scan
d) hold onto them so that I can chuckle for years to come.

[James Wilkinson]

Go Phils!

And tickets for a possible Monday tie-breaker are on sale NOW.

Go buy 'em online, show up, be LOUD. There's gonna be some New Yorkers coming down, we need drown 'em out! Support the team! I bought 4 for row 34 of section 110!

Let's hope on Monday I get a refund and instead watch the Phils on TV!

... Goddamn TBS.

[Reed]

Biggest game in Citizens Bank Park history and it's a Sunday, where they are playing at a great clip...almost .800 I think.

Me and the Mrs. will be there. The staudium will be crazy. Hopefully the boys shake the nerves and feed off the crowd. One thing would help: A 1-2-3 top first by Moyer and 3-spot in the bottom. A negative or positive could be that the Mets game starts 25 minutes earlier.

[kells]

Great Headline Jason.
Willis seems to thrive in big game situations opposed to having 300 people in the stands in Florida. He's 11-3 with a 2.49 ERA in 18 career starts against the Mets, and he's 5-0 at Shea Stadium. Benchclearing situation was a huge mistake yesterday by the Mets. Fish will be fired up.

[Reed]

...Mets could be fired up too.

[Reed]

the lineup has to be patient today. Bergmann is a 6 inning guy. Make him throw pitches! JRoll, Vic, Uts, Howard, Rowand, Bureel, Dobbs, Ruiz/Coste (prob Ruiz) - make him throw strikes!

Here's a ream important question - should I go will my powder blue Utley retro jersey or should I wear my red Dykstra shirt?

[Reed]

ream = real

[Andy]

Reed - as long as it's not a Wagner shirt it's all good.

[clout]

Interesting. The Pads are NOT starting Peavy today. Want to save him for 1-game playoff or division series. They hope to clinch with Tomko. Risky.

[Andy]

clout - the planets are aligning

[Reed]

Speaking of Wagner, wouldn't it be fitting if he blew his game and we won ours. That would put the cherry on top.

[75]

The Pads have the bullpen to hold on if Tomko leaves early..
Well, they blow it yesterday. Law of averages i guess.

[Reed]

I realize that he has been on the back of a milk carton recently, but with Ruiz's mental mistakes yesterday, does Coste get the start? Also, Abe starts when Moyer does...does Dobbs get the start with the righty on the mound, or does Cholly do with Abe?

[Andy]

@75 around here we don't call it "law of averages;" we call it "reverting to career norms."

as in "When he was a puppy, the dog used to s**t on the floor all the time; he hasn't for a while, but he did today. *I guess he's reverting to career norms.*"

or

"When he was a Phillie, the Rat used to lose his composure in key situation and whine about it afterward. He's been pretty lights out for the Mets this year. *But down the stretch he's reverted to career norms.*"

It's a beerleaguer thing.

[joe l]

Reposting from last night...

1 - Anyone watching the game in Boston and where?

2 - JZ asked the same for Morristown, NJ.

[Tim B.]

http://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=PST&linkID=phillies&shopperContext&caller&appCode

Purchase tix Phillies fans! Mets are getting them all!

[mw217]

Joe, I'm in Boston and I'll most likely be watching the game on MLB.TV, but I know they've shown CSN Phillies games at the Whitehorse Tavern in Allston.

[Tim B]

Phillies Tie-breaker game tickests!

Purchase them Phillies fans!

[attytood will]

Has it been explained anywhere why ESPN or ESPN 2 apparently isn't showing the games today. I don't know about last year, but I know in the past that any games on the last Sunday with pennant race bearing were televised. Looks like they're showing fishing and stuff today.

Is this part of their recent spitefest with MLB?

It's pathetic that with all the sports on TV, there's no room on national TV for the BEST thing in all of sports, the last day of a pennant race.

[Malcolm]

"There's one thing I want you to do for me."

"What's that?"

"Win. Win!"

[Jazzcat]

The last time I felt this excited about the Phils was in October 1980 - with my less than one month old daughter sitting on my lap ....My now veterinarian daughter will be over today to recreate the moment-
Attytood Will - you are absolutely correct about ESPN, but fortunately we don't have to suffer this year thru Zelasko/Kennedy et al at Faux Sports for the Division Series..

[Reed]

think JRoll called his buddy Dontrelle?

[KidCarnivore]

Anyone hear what time the potential Monday game would be? I just got tickets, and I haven't heard anything about the time.

[Ed K]

I *need* to get somewhere on my damn dissertation today, badly, but the temptation to find a bar, have some beers, and share the anxiety (which would have been if they were still a game up) is palpable. Anybody going anyplace near center city for this?

[Ed K]

er, which would have been *excitement* if they were still a game up...

[clout]

Chico's win yesterday meant that no Nats pitcher either won or lost 10 games or more. That is the first time in history that a team had neither a loser or winner of 10 or more games.

[Matt]

According to the Phillies site: "In order to prepare and plan, the Phillies are announcing that tickets will go on public sale once the tie-breaking game has been deemed necessary."

How are people already buying tickets? Is everyone sure that "Tim B"'s website is legit? If so, how to you get to it by starting with phillies.com (to ensure you're not on a phony site). I don't see anything about tickets, except
this article saying they haven't gone on sale yet:

[KidCarnivore]

I received an email from them yesterday allowing me to buy tickets for tomorrow.

[Ed K]

Ugh is it insane to feel like buying tickets for a possible playoff before the games where, if the stars align, the playoff could be avoided, is just karmically not a good thing to do?

[kdon]

I can't believe that it is 2007, and we have to root against Tom Glavine...again!

With Joe West behind the plate no less.

And Joe, I'll be watching in Boston too, but not leaving the apartment. If you want an insane scene (NL East race, WC races, NFL football) try the Sports Depot in Allston.

[Andy]

Ed K - the stars, planets, moons and asteroids are aligning, right now.

(But there are always refunds.)

[Matt]

Kid Carnivore - gotcha. My concern is folks going to Tim B.'s site, which might be just a very good replication of the MLB ticket site.

There are way too many good seats available on that site for it to be legit. It'd be sold out by now (if tickets were on sale), plus Tim seems a bit too interested in all of us buying them.

Buyer beware...

[mike]

Tickets here:

http://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventList?groupCode=PST&linkID=phillies&shopperContext&caller&appCode

They are legit. I bought them, got the email, and have already printed them out.

[KidCarnivore]

I'm just worried about the start-time now. The last time I used a sick day for the Phils was in April, for Eaton's first start against the Braves....yeah, I was really sick that day.

[elliott]

mike, if the one game playoff(s) are not played, do you get a refund?

[mw217]

anybody know who the home plate ump is? (please not bucknor...please not bucknor...)

[curt]

Hamels v. Peavy Wedsnesday!

I like Moyer here. I like Willis. I like Jimmy for his 20th 3B. I like Howard for another blast. I even like Nunez for a hit. I like the stars. (Optimism and the Phillies - a sign of mental illness?)

[curt]

"He's ticked - ticked to the highest level of tickdom - that Charlie Manuel took him out in the third inning yesterday.

"I didn't know I had that little margin of error," Eaton seethed after the Phillies kicked away their oh-so-brief lead in the National League East."

Talk about a guy lost in fantasy land. If he weren't the $24 million man he wouldn't even be on a ML roster right now.

[mike]

I dont know if you get a refund if the game is not played. I looked briefly but couldn't find the issue addressed anywhere. I hope so. For now, I don't care.

[Grumpy Gramps]

Curt, Phillies and optimism in the same sentence is an automatic ticket to the looney farm. I know, I'm a charter member.

GO PHILS

P.S. Hit by Nunez was really going out on the limb.

[liz]

Go Phils!!!

Can't believe it's all coming down to one game. I have confidence in Moyer and our offense.....but those fans can't get down & quiet like they did yesterday. Come on Phils!

[naylman]

This is the most excited/anxious/nervous/optimistic/scared/hopeful/pumped up that I have ever been an hour and half before a Phils game. That being said....

LETS GO PHILS!

[Tim B.]

Matt, these tix are legit from what I can tell. I know my brother just bought them. I'm angry that no Phillies' site is actively linking to them.

metsblog.com has the link featured prominently on their site. Mets fans are eating them up.

Obviously, I hope it doesn't come to a tie-breaker tomorrow. But in case it does, I want the stadium filled with Phillies fans!

[kylej]

Phils scoring first in this game is key

[Rusty E]

Listening to 610 on-line:

Just reported the lineup

Rollins
Vic
Utley
Howard
Rowand
Burrell
Dobbs
Ruiz
Moyer

Intersting in the fact that Nunez has played 3B in many, if not most, of Moyer's starts

[Spitz]

No Nunez - They got Dobbs starting and hitting 7. I like getting his bat in there. Hopefully we can get a big lead by the 6th and put Nunez in.

[curt]

Dobbs. Uh oh. So much for one of Cholly's very few smart moves this year. Smells panicky.

[Sam Fan]

From the confirmation email:

Unplayed Tie-Breaker Game Tickets purchased over the Internet,will have a refund applied to the credit card used in the original ticket purchase. Please allow 10 days for refund.

[bay_area_phan]

Bold prediction: Mets lose. Phillies are down 3-2 in the bottom of the 9th. With 2 outs, Ruiz singles, to bring up the pitcher's spot against Chad Cordero. Phillies win the NL East on a walk-off pinch hit homer by Pete LaForest.

[elliott]

Does anyone see where on the Phillies site it says you can buy these 1 game playoff tickets? I bought mine to both games via the link provided above (much appreciated), but how did you even find out they were on sale? i'm just curious.

[Grumpy Gramps]

BAP, your ticket to the looney farm is in the mail. I need to mention that there are no refunds on the Looney Farm tickets.

GO PHILS

[mike nutter]

how could the phils lose? the nats can't keep the bats wuiet two straight days. we have moyer who has been shakey, but then we have kyle kendrick ready. i believe in d-train. he has had a rough year, but he can do it.

[Ribbies]

On my way down to the Bank. SRO tickets. Kinda nervous, but I actually think we have this. We played awful yesterday and still had a chance. Go Phils!

[elliott]

i just called the phillies....these links are only being sent to select users (season ticket holders, etc.).....they said it wouldn't work otherwise....but i logged in, as did my girlfriend, and we got 4 tickets to each game. i just hope they're work.

[diggitydave]

i know it's getting close to gametime, but i want to find a place in boston where we can go watch the game.

boston people - where are you guys watching the game, and are you interested in going to a bar??

[Grumpy Gramps]

This is called stating the obvious, but the pressure today is equal on both the Phils and Mets, both have to win or lose to advance to an extra game.

The Mets have been around a .500 team since they took 1st place in mid-May.

The Phils are or are close to the best team in the NL since April 21st.

I would not trade our offense for the Mets offense.

Glavine is a HOF pitcher, Moyer has had his share of experience in big games and is difficult to rattle.

Would you rather be facing Willis today or Bergmann?

Based upon yesterdays results with the offense of both teams, I would expect them to revert to "norms." [sorry, had to throw that in.]

Advantage Phils, bring it home.

[Malcolm]

Boys, who knew that we'd be staring at the most important Phillies game in 15 years.

Every sports movie comes down to one game. Here we go.

Root, root, freakin' root. Give it your all.

GO PHILS!

[kdon]

On Eaton:

He actually might have a case. If he was going to be on such a short leash, there was no real reason to start him in the first place. You can't put a pitcher in the position where if he gives up a few hits, he's gone.

My thinking was you either sit him completely, or at least allow him to work through his troubles (and I *much preferred the former!).

[kdon]

Oh, and Dobbs had to start. It would be a complete dereliction of duty if Manuel had started a player with a 559 OPS against RHP in the team's most important game in 14 years.

[Mike H.]

Awesome poster! Better than the Phils marketing department!

That is the bread and butter lineup.

Let's do this.

[Grumpy Gramps]

kdon, maybe the rationale was that just maybe he'd come out as a really fresh arm and shut them down. Was his performance yesterday in his limited appearance in any way indicative that he was not going to give a normal Adam Eaton outing? Maybe his margin of error was based on the teams margin of error. Either way, it was really the offense that lost it yesterday.

[diggitydave]

@GG:
definitely, the offense that lost it yesterday. just as the nats were playing against adam eaton, we were facing Matt Chico, who, although seems like warren spahn in comparison to Eaton, also has had an extremely high ERA in his own right (around 5.00 all year long).
scoring only 1 measly run against a pitcher like him in 6 innings is pathetic. also, for today, it is absolutely imperative we get a lead early, because the nats bullpen is definitely their strong point, and it is extremely hard to come back against them.

[Ben Keeler]

I like the Dobbs move. Hopefully it doesnt come back to bite us.

Surprised Barajas isnt catching. Just trying to lighten the mood. We got this one.

[Sam Mc]

I am usually very calm before any phillies game, but being 16 and never seeing the Phils this into the race and having a real chance, I am near going to the bathroom in my pants.

[Rick]

Ack! My local pub doesn't have MLB Extra Innings - anyone here know a good place in NASHVILLE to watch the game?

Help a lonely Phillies phan south of the M&D...

[Eugene Mauch]

Triple your fun...Mets win, Phils lose and then the Giants beat the Iggles tonight. Even lowly West Point (NY) got in on the Philly fun yesterday by smacking down Temple.

10,000 losses and counting...

[Ben Keeler]

Rick, gonna be tough to find a bar playing the game today outside of Philly on an NFL sunday

[diggitydave]

i don't want to bait the troll, but if all of that happens, i seriously won't be OK

[Mike H.]

No baiting the trolls! None!

[RSB]

I think most of the baseball world will be rooting for the Phillies today. I'll tell you one thing, I don't really like their chances against Martinez if it came down to a playoff, so cross your finger that the stars align today. (By the way, would that be an afternoon game on Monday? Anyone know?

Dobbs at 3B is the right move. You need to be on the offensive here, quite literally, not guard against potential errors. They might have a hard time putting runs up against Bergmann and they don't need an extra out in the lineup.

[RSB]

Feel free also to cross more than one finger.

[IceMan]

Reed -- I can almost guarantee you Rollins has talked to D-Train. I think the Marlins will give them a fight today.

Jason, excellent poster/headline/whatever. I woke up this morning with a hangover and a feeling of resignation to our fate, but I read all of these posts here and now my hopes are up again. I think they can do it, and I think they will do it.

The Dobbs start worries me, however, as it does seem to stink of desperation. Hopefully it won't come in to play. I'm with those who think Moyer will be good today, if not great, giving our bats a chance to win.

LET'S GO PHILS!

[DPatrone]

WIN! WIN! WIN!

14 years! we've been waiting 14 years. We get beat by Matt bleepin' Chico yesterday. A guy hho shouldn't even be in the majors. A win would have meant no pressure today. We he to hit, hit, and hit some more. I don't care if there's a 1-game playoff or not. I just want a chance. That's all I'm asking for.

All of you I've been very critical ths year and with good reason. But I live and die with this team. We deserve a chance. I hope we win in a romp, and Glavine gets pounded. LET'S GO PHILS AND MARLINS!

[kdon]

"maybe the rationale was that just maybe he'd come out as a really fresh arm and shut them down."

Grumpy, it was this very rationale (or, more likely, rationalization) that I am critical of.

It was delusional to think Eaton would have a quality start. The only reason to start him is that you thought he could give you 4 or 5 innings to save the bullpen, but Cholly didn't even give him a chance to do that.

[diggitydave]

@RSB:
pedro would be pitching on 3 days rest tomorrow in the event of a one game playoff.
still don't like the phils chances??

[Ed K]

Um, what our troll doesn't seem to remember is that Temple football is the non-military equivalent of West Point football anyhow. Who cares about that. LOL

[bathtubhippo]

i totally disagree, kdon. i loved the move, pulling eaton yesterday before it got messy. loved it. what cholly did was take away eaton's chance to give up a huge, self-destructive inning. great move to pull him before it got ugly, and you can't say it didn't work. the pen w/ lohse kept them in the game.

[Cacks]

Ice, Reed, in the Inquirer, Rollins said he wasn't going to call Willis, "I don't need to call him," Rollins said. "They got into a fight today, so I guarantee that both teams are going to be ready. But who cares? We've got a game to win."

[Grumpy Gramps]

DDave, nope don't bait him. Philadelphia has a proud baseball tradition and with 10,000 losses [not even considering the A's] we're still a baseball town. I won't live long enough to even see the Mets play 10,000 games so they are pretty new to the game...opps forgot the Giants and Dodgers had bailed out of New York in the 1950's, so they did have some NL history.

[kdon]

Bathtub, the problem is that Eaton should not have been in there in the first place.

Basically, starting Eaton and then pulling him after only giving up one run shows an inconsistency in logic.

If you have him on that short of a leash, just start someone else.

[Malcolm]

I have the Mets game on. Here we go, boys.