Game chat: Phillies finish up in South Florida

The Phillies can strengthen their division lead to three games if Roy Halladay (18-10, 2.44) can lock down the Marlins tonight in Miami.

Preview: Start after start, Halladay has savaged the NL East, going 11-1 with a 1.46 ERA against division foes, including a 1.13 ERA and a perfect game against Florida. Meanwhile, Jorge Sosa (2-2, 5.82) will start in a by-the-committee game for the reeling Fish, so the Phils are set up to walk out of Sun Life with the sweep. Washington helped the Phils by chopping down the second-place Braves 4-2 this afternoon. The Phils go with the same lineup as last night, with Shane Victorino setting the table. Vic is hitting .432 with five stolen bases and four walks in 11 games since sliding into the leadoff spot. (AP Photo)

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Comments

[Conshy Matt]

the aptly misnamed "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" has a new season premiering tonight.

meanwhile, even with a 3 game division lead w/ 15 to go it's never sunny on beerleaguer.

flip, flip, flipadelphia!

[Call me Ishmael]

awh - sorry I missed your dig with the parody quote. That's your one for the day.

[Tray]

Yes, isn't saying that someone has to have the worst RISP numbers and this year it happens to be Werth like saying that someone has to have the highest ERA in baseball and this year it just so happens to be Adam Eaton?

[Fatalotti]

Think we've got players on our team not doing their jobs:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_heyman/09/12/monday.scoop/1.html

Figgins, Broxton, Pena, Utpon(s), Burnett, Shields, Beckett...

Talk about guys not living up to their deals and reputations.

[Willard Preacher]

You know when guys are making up screen names as a direct piggy back of your's (clout-apotamus), that you're doing your job. clout stirs the pot better than Colin Cowherd. I love this site, ESPECIALLY on off days!

I'd like nothing more than to see Jeter get plunked next time TB throws a pitch in Yankee stadium. Not because of what he did, but because MLB has been lacking in a good rivalry with bench clearning brawls for a few seasons. Used to be that you could BET on a brawl every time Tampa and the BoSox stepped on the field together.

[Shane]

On Jeter:

Watched that live, by chance, with the wife and father. That ump must be deaf. Unless Jeter's hand is made of yellow pine, it clearly sounded like he bunted. Then when the slo-mo replay came and we saw that Jeter remove his hand well before the ball got there, then watch the ball hit off the knob, that made my wife furious. (school teacher so naturally anti-cheat. I asked her if she thought stolen bases were wrong. :) ) I would not be surprised if the Rays knocked him down next game.

On Yankee bush-league-ness:

This team is not as good as the late 90's team, but have the same expectation to win-it-all every year. So they do _EVERYTHING_ they can to win. Even stoop to being bush-league. It pains me to know that it was our Phillies that let them get a ring when we could have stopped it. The only reason people think the Yankees have any "class" at all is because A) they win a lot and B) they have a hair-cut policy.

[Call me Ishmael]

yo new...wait, crap.

[Will Schweitzer]

That famous Jeter integrity isn't all it's cracked up to be.

[awh]

sifl....clout, you're ridiculous.

I am now forced to read the bottom of a post first, to see who posted it.

I will be skipping yours.

[c13]

The main thing I see holding the Phils back right now is they don't have an effective LOOGY, and it's too late to get one from anywhere. Either Romero or Bastardo have to step up, and neither one looks like they can do it. The second thing would be JRoll's health.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

The Jeter thing doesn't bother me although, I get the point about delaying the game for 5 mins. while the trainer checks him out. But, what's he gonna do? Once you fake it, the trainer's coming out. Gotta roll with it. I watched a game earlier this year where he did essentially the same thing, sans the big production. The announcers watched the replay and showed he didn't get hit and, it was obvious that hte ump didn't know if he got hit but, because it was Derek Jeter, the ump awarded him the base when he continued to wince in faux pain. Now that he has admitted that he is an actor, maybe he doesn't get that call anymore.

[Willard Preacher]

The thought of David Price (or whomever) winding up and drilling Jeter square in the small of the back with a 96 mph heater, then the ump telling Jeter to get back in the box because he didn't try hard enough to get out of the way, would be a simple and hilarious way to end it all.

[CJ]

If San Diego loses tonight to St. Louis, the Phillies will have at least 3 game lead on Atlanta, Cincinnati, San Diego and San Francisco. If San Francisco loses to LA, we'll have a full 4 game lead for the final playoff spot (should the wild card become important again).

[st]

they don't need a loogy. starters will go 6-7. madson can't face lefties with that changeup in the playoffs in innings 7-8

[st]

sorry I meant can not can't

[phillyinnnyc]

The Bra's play the Mess this weekend? Any chance the that JERRY Manual & can at least win 1 of the 3 from the well supported team from Atlanta?

How many gms do you think we would have to be ahead in the NL east before the firm of Dubee & Manual, LLP; decide to give Doc a well deserved rest. (I mean after he wins his 20th)

[st]

uhh, we'd have to clinch the division before halladay is done for the regular season. and that's the way it should be. you don't just skip him. that's absurd

[CJ]

No... we have to clinch best record in the NL before Halladay gets a day off.

[Spitz]

Beerleaguer today: Halladay needs a day off. Halladay's arm will fall off unless he skips a start. Halladay's arm will be good as new as soon as he gets a day off!

Beerleaguer if Halladay skips his last regular season start: Will Halladay be sharp to open the NLDS?

[Spitz]

Nyjer Morgan had his appeal and will be missing the series against the Phils.

[Call me Ishmael]

It looks like BL ran out of steam...the vitriollercoaster-ride is over. (see what I did there? I'll be here all week. Tip your waitresses.)

[Willard Preacher]

Remember when Metsblog.com posted their NL East standings, complete with Magic Number to clinch the East a few years back, jinxing the team, causing them to surrender a 7 game lead with only 17 games left to play, beginning a complete and utter meltdown of their site to the point that they had to pre-screen posts, and effectively ruined an otherwise (nationally) respected blog?

Those were good times....

JW, under no circumstances should a standing graphic depicting the East standings or any mention of a Magic ever be considered for BL. We have enough bad ju-ju here as it is.

[Old Phan]

The Phillies needed the day off. So does Beerleaguer.

[shipsass]

@Willard - the Metsblog regulars swore it was the picture of the Philly Phanatic behind Mr. Met that cursed them. When they brought it back in 2008 and started their second September swoon, the regular posters convinced the blog owner to switch it to a Mets t-shirt. But by then, the damage was done.

[cut_fastball]

Phan -- You are the man! Seriously, we might all need a time out.

[philwynk]

I know Halladay's within his career norms and all, but he really looked tired yesterday, and I mean dog-tired. He's not well, or he's overworked, or something. He does need a little rest.

I suspect the playoffs will revive him somewhat, on the other hand.

[Oliver]

I looked this up and it made me very, very happy:

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=c&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=250&type=6&season=2010&month=0

[Jim]

What Jeter did was what Manu Ginobli does everytime he goes to the hole, or what soccer players do all the time, or what quarterbacks are doing now to get those awful roughing the passer calls....do I think your a bitch? yea, but at the same time I don't blame a guy doing whatever he can to help his team win, especially a guy that can't get on base like Jeter...

The issue here has nothing to do with Jeter it has to do with the men in blue....this is another example as to why baseball needs to expand instant replay....some would argue that a baseball game takes long enough, but anytime a play like this happens the manager argues for 10 minutes, gets kicked out and then argues for another 10 minutes, as fun as that is to watch, if you allowed a manager two challanges and could challange a play like that, Jeter would be standing back in the box faster than the next hitter was after Joe Maddon was done arguing...

It's a simple solution each manager gets 2 challanges, on any play except for balls and strikes....and a team would get an extra challange should the game go to extra innings....it easy..

I love when I hear people say about the human element of the game, shouldn't it be about getting it right so a team doesn't lose a game on a bad call.....last time I checked the only thing that actually matters in sports is who wins and losses the game, everything else in between is just how we get to the finish..

[Fatalotti]

From Crashburn Alley:

"If the teams split the six head-to-head games and the Phillies go 5-4 over the other nine games, the Braves would have to win eight of their nine games."

The Phillies are in a really great position.

[The Truth Injection]

The Giants are about to move into first place out West. That would make the Braves, Giants, and Reds all 83-64. If the Braves win the Wild Card we need the Giants to overtake the Reds in the standings and then we'd start with the Reds and not the Giants. However, the Giants don't scare me quite as much as they do some. I think Lincecum and Cain are beatable in Philly and Sanchez I have a feeling will come unraveled in a post-season start. He is already prone to wildness and I can see him getting himself all nervous and further being unable to control his stuff.

Still though I'd rather the Padres find a way into the playoffs against us in the first round because I think they are ripe for the taking. Although if they got in now it would be because they got hot in the last two weeks of the season.

[Jim]

Take care of business against Washington, don't look ahead, and don't take anything for granite and they will be fine...

I'm with you truth the only team in the NL that scares me at all is the Braves....The Giants pitching can be great, but you only have to score 3 runs max to beat them in any game...

[awh]

Alden gonzalez (is this Sir Alden?) weighs in on mlb.com about the Phillies. It pretty much sums up his perspective on the debate that's been going on on this thread.

Lesson learned: Don't doubt the Phillies

[Unikruk]

I prefer to take things for limestone, much easier to change a position that way.

[Going Pigeon]

The Phils didn't play tonight, but Comcast re-aired Roy Halladay's perfect game.

I had some time and I couldn't resist.

Visit my site and check it out!

[Old Phan]

Unikruk, I think he's from New Hampshire, so he can't help it.

[Jim]

Wow didn't know a spelling mistake could cause so much fun for everyone!!!!

[Spitz]

Best scenario, in my opinion, would be that the Phils get the 1 seed, the Giants and Reds get the 2 and 3 seed, and the Pads are the wild card. Thoughts?

[Jim]

@Spitz

That is my best case scenario for them as well, and the Reds beat the Giants just to avoid the Giants pitching eventhough I am not as scared of the Giants pitching as others are...The Giants remind me of those Oakland teams, they had the great pitching that could get tham in the playoffs, but the team isn't overall good enough to do much in the playoffs...

[Spitz]

Jim, I'm much more concerned about the Giants pitching in a 5 game series rather than a 7 game series. Flukey things can happen if you only need to win 3 to win a series.

[Jim]

@Spitz

I would rather face the Giants in a 7 vs. a 5 for that same reason, I hate the 5 game first round series, I know they don't want to play more games and have the season go longer, but every series should be the same length...

I am hoping for SD to be the WC, because other than Latos that team has nothing...but the Phils are the only team in the NL that can say if they play well they will go to the series again!

[DH Phils]

I've been reading Beerleaguer for a while - Going Pigeon is without question the weirdest poster I've seen here.

[universale]

:regarding the Jeter HBP...

You can see on the slow-mo replay from the side that the ball hit Jeter's elbow pad first and then ricocheted into the bat. It changes direction BEFORE getting to the bat.

[Jim]

The ball never hit his elbow pad!

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Those last two posts illustrate one of my principal objections to widespread use of instant replay. In practice, in football, it doesn't end the arguments. It just creates arguments over whether the replay was correctly interpreted. I used to know a catch when I saw it, until I saw 300 of them slowed down and parsed, frame by frame for ten minutes apiece while NFL games are stopped to "get it right". How dramatic.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Anonymous Braves fan posting on a Yahoo story about Nyjer Morgan's suspension:

"The Braves should be pissed. The Phillies just had an easy three game series with the Marlins, during which the Marlins players were serving their suspensions. At the same time, the Nationals were playing the Braves with no National Plyers Serving their suspensions. Now the Nationals are playing the Phillies with suspensions finally being served.

Maybe the Phillies don't need this additional help, but they sure have been getting it and continuing to get it.

It seems corruption exists in the Commisioners Office as well as with some of the umpires"

It's all a conspiracy, I tell you. (the timing did work out pretty well)

[sdphillie]

Time to make the donuts....

[Jim]

It's a nice little break for the Phillies.......i will take it!!

@hugh

A. I am not sure what the guy is talking about, all you need to do is see that play one time and it hit his bat, he is the first person I heard say that the ball hit his elbow bad, even Jeter himself said the ball hit his bat.

B. Don't you think it is best in any sport to get the call right? If the technology exists it should be used....I can see how Lance Barksdale missed that call, and I can see how refs/umps miss calls all the time, it is a tough job to do.....if you give managers challanges it will take less time than their argument, and you only reverse the call if it is conclusive just like in the NFL and NHL.

[CJ]

Stark writes:

Just to make sure, I asked their GM, Ruben Amaro Jr., this week whether there was any chance the Phillies wouldn't choose [the longer first round option] if they win the No. 1 seed.

"Clearly," he said, "if we can put ourselves in position to do that, we'd want to do that. We even did it that way against the Braves [lining up those three so they could face Atlanta in all six regular-season games those two teams have left]. It's pretty logical. It's pretty simple."

Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels are 9-0, with a 2.26 ERA, in September. And since Oswalt arrived on July 30, they're 17-6, 2.42. And the Phillies have run up a scary .741 winning percentage (20-7) when those three have started since then.

No other NL contender had more than 11 wins from any set of three starters in the same period. So that battle for the No. 1 seed in the NL is about much more than home-field advantage. It's about potential domination.

[Jim]

@CJ

So if they choose the longest series, they could skip Blanton in the NLDS, and go with the Game 1 starter in Game 4 on normal rest?

[CJ]

Call me crazy, but I'm hoping the Mets win every game the rest of the way (except the Phils series). That would get them to at least 86 wins on the season and have them finish strong. Why do I want this?

1) It might present just the smallest of possibilities that Jerry Manuel and Omar Minaya avoid getting fired.
2) It will hurt their draft position.

Now I hope someone on Metsblog reads this... then runs back to their blog to say how much Phils fans are obsessed with the Mets.

Of course, I don't think any Mets fans are paying attention anymore, so it probably doesn't matter.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Jim, that's easily the tenth time I've read, or heard, someone claim it hit his elbow, first. I'm open to the idea of expanded replay and, your two points are the two I find worthy of consideration - if you can get it right, do it, and, the arguments take alot of time, anyway. But,I don't trust them to get it right (i.e., eliminate disputes, in more than 70% of cases) even with replay and, as for the second reason, you're proposing to build 4 arguments into every game where there isn't one long argument in a week for an average team. My strong feeling is that it will negatively impact the overall aesthetic value of the game without meaningfully improving results over a 162 game season.

[Jim]

Plus, the Mets then would probably look to give Reyes a long term extension at insane money, they probably won't look to shop Beltran (which they should) and think that R.A. Dickey is a viable number 2 starter...because the Mets are that dumb!

[Hugh Mulcahy]

You guys are obsessed with the Mets! I'm merely highly amused by their misfortunes.

[Jim]

@Hugh....not that I am saying anything negative towards you, but wow that ball never hit his elbow bad, he even said that, but that really isn't your point...

Your points are common as to why people don't want replay expanded in baseball...

But can I ask you what aesthetic value will be impacted by getting a call right...

Perfect example, and I am a diehard Phillies fan, but if the Phils happen to win the division by a game, you could easily look back at that game against the Marlins knowing that would have been a walk-off win if the ball was correctly called fair and see where one call greatly impacted the standings.....sure I will take it, but is that right, when replay showed the ball showed have been called fair..

I am sure that Braves have benefited by a call or two over the course of the season, but that was a blantant missed call...

Plus it prevents players from tricking an umpire....like the Jeter play, or a play earlier this year when Posada tug a runner at home with his glove when the ball was in his bare hand, or the play last year in the playoffs against the Rockies where Utley fouled the ball off his foot, a call that was almost impossible for the umpire to see, a play that led to the Phillies game winning run in that game. All tough calls to make, and it is easy to see how they got the calls wrong.

Now I am not killing umpires here they have a hard job and have a spilt second to make it, so it is only human nature that mistakes are going to be made from time to time, so when we have tools out there to help them make the call, then why not use it?

[Jim]

@hugh.....I just want to see them be bad for the forseeable future!!!!!

[CJ]

Jim: Correct. If the Phils get the #1 seed, they'll choose the NLDS series with the extra day off which will enable them to avoid using Joe Blanton as a starter.

[Jim]

That's not a bad thing, and with having 3 aces it makes it a nice luxury to have another ace to go game 1 of the NLCS, if it takes 4 games to advance...

[EastFallowfield]

Speaking of the Mets, they announced that all tickets for last night's game, including the free tickets that they've been giving out, can be redeemed for another game (due to weather).

It's amazin' how desperate they are to get people in the stadium and how fruitless their giveaways have been.

[EastFallowfield]

I am sure that Braves have benefited by a call or two over the course of the season, but that was a blantant missed call...

An umpire apologized for his missed call that got the Braves a win. Don't know if it was blatant enough, though.

Gary Cederstrom acknowledged he erred when he called a third strike on Johnny Damon that ended the Atlanta Braves' 4-3 win over the Tigers on Saturday night with the bases loaded.

"It was a sweeping pitch, going away from Damon," Cederstrom (said). "It looked good coming in, then broke late."

Tigers manager Jim Leyland said...the umpire said, "'I kicked it. I knew it right away.'"

Balancing out

[CJ]

Here's what I'm rooting for... the Braves, Giants and Padres to finish with identical records, all behind the Phillies. Would that lead to two 1-game playoffs? SF vs SD for the division then the loser plays the Braves for the WC?

[CJ]

Already found my answer... the scenario I described would happen. An even better scenario is SD, SF, Colorado and the Braves all finish tie. That means there would be three 1-game playoffs right before the playoffs begin.

[Atlanta Phil]

Looked ahead and we have H2) going for Braves series. Would really like to see if Halliday could get some extra rest after we clinch. It looks now as if Padres, Giants and Reds could be playoff teams.

[CJ]

Atlanta Phil: Yeah, H2O is lined up to face the Braves in both series if needed. The key to getting any of those pitchers extra rest will be clinching best record in the NL.

[GreysFan]

I'm all for rest, but at this time of the year most pitchers for contending clubs are probably getting tired. What makes a great pitcher is not just great stuff, but the ability to win a game, or at least put your team in a position to win, even when struggling. Both Halladay and Hamels demonstrated exactly that ability this week.

[GBrettfan]

CJ, didn't CO have a 1-game playoff in 07? If I recall correctly, that was the year & game when Matt Holiday never touched home plate (Guess I just reminded Jim another example in support of instant replay) - Anyway, it didn't seem to hurt the Rockies to have that extra game to play.

[The Truth Injection]

I'm so sorry I missed the sifl/clout debate yesterday. If only because I could've posted something and been referred to as clout's fanboy again by sifl. You know because he's not a bully on here and he values what people say.

On the Jeter thing- He outright admitted that it never hit him. I can respect that.

[CJ]

GBrettfan: Are you suggesting that there's no way a 1-game playoff could hurt a team... just because the Rockies happened to succeed after playing in one?

Any team forced to use their ace in a 1-game playoff is at an immediate disadvantage. Just because the Rockies happened to overcome that disadvantage doesn't mean the disadvantage doesn't exist.

[EastFallowfield]

BP Postseason odds go up a smidge, even though a buncha teams had the day off. 95.4%.

[EastFallowfield]

A one game playoff might not hurt a team as much if they end up playing a team that opts for the 8 day NLDS schedule.

[Bubba]

One game playoff hurts the team that loses.

Silly to argue that there is no harm to the winning team since you have an even chance to be the loser

[Joe Cowley]

":regarding the Jeter HBP...
You can see on the slow-mo replay from the side that the ball hit Jeter's elbow pad first and then ricocheted into the bat. It changes direction BEFORE getting to the bat."

I believe there was a plume of smoke from the grassy knoll, then several police officers running to the scene...the question is how can the ball richochet off of his elbow, change directions, and hit the bat? There had to be a second baseball, and only instant replay will confirm this.

[GBrettfan]

Of course I'm not suggesting there's no way a 1-game playoff can hurt a team! Just suggesting that it's not a given.

[Fatalotti]

If I read the standing correctly, the Phillies have a 3 game lead on EVERYONE!

Everyone has 64 or more losses, while the Phils have 61. That is awesome.

Phils are in great shape to get the #1 seed, and get a chance to rest some guys the last series. Let's hope they go for the throat against Atlanta this upcoming series.

[CJ]

GBrettfan: Never said it was. But it certainly has a much greater chance of negatively affecting them than not.

EastFallowField: Regardless of the length of the NLDS, any team that plays a 1-game playoff wouldn't be able to bring back the starter of that game until Game 2.

[philwynk]

San Diego lost again last night, continuing their slide into mediocrity. Colorado is only 2.5 games back in the wild card race. With Atlanta having to play the Phillies six times in the remaining few games, and with San Diego folding before our eyes, I'm predicting that the playoffs will be the Phillies, the Reds, the Giants, and the Rockies. Philly would play the Rockies in the division series, and if they win it, most likely the Giants in the league series.

Of course, the Rockies play the Giants three games this month, and if they sweep, then the order gets reversed -- we play the Giants first, then the Rockies.

And of course, if we completely munge those two series with the Braves, none of this happens. But I'm expecting at least .500 against them, and probably better.

[Fatalotti]

How can it NOT be a disadvantage if a team has to play a game between the last game of the series and the NLDS?

Nothing's guaranteed. The Phils could start every series by having KK pitch game 1, and still COULD win the series. But, bet your arse, they'd be at a serious disadvantage doing such a thing.

[philwynk]

About the only surprise left in the American League is whether the Yankees' fold continues apace. We've all been expecting the Yankees, the Rays, the Rangers, and the Twins pretty much all year... but if they continue to suck at the current, prodigious rate of suckage, the Yankees just might get replaced by the Boston Red Sox.

I'd love that, personally, since the Red Sox have been playing solid ball all year, and are only outside the Wild Card race because they're in the AL East with the Yankees and the Devil Rays. Plus, all the AL games would be broadcast on TV here on Cape Cod if Boston's in 'em.

[Fatalotti]

If the Phillies play the Braves in the NLCS, by chance, they'll need a 4th starter for that series.

Kyle Kendrick vs. the Braves this year:

15 IP, 1 ER

Just sayin'

[Fatalotti]

philwynk, I was skeptical about your above post, but then I looked at the Yankees schedule:

Bal 3 times (who've been playing better with Schowalter), TB 4 times (wouldn't be surprised to see TB take3 of those), Bos 3 times, Toronto 3 times (no slouches, can hit the ball out of the park just as well as NYY), and Bos 3 times.

With the Yankees lack of pitching depth, Boston could take 4 of those 6 games, and if the Rays and Jays do them some favors, might actually have a legit shot.

Either way, the Yankees' game nowadays won't play too well in the postseason. Only having one good pitcher, and a shaky bullpen doesn't translate to postseason series wins, in my opinion.

[Kutztown Fan]

If he Yankees are the wild card team, they'll play the Twins, right? I see a Twins win, possibly a sweep, if that happens. Although I'd LOVE to see a Yankee collapse.

[Hugh Mulcahy]

Yanks will look better in the post-season with Pettite back. But, if ever a team with a 6 game lead with 16 to play was vulnerable, they look like that team.

[Fatalotti]

I can't believe I was once hopeful that the Phillies would go after A.J. Burnett.

Kyle Kendrick has been better than Burnett this year. Kyle freakin' Kendrick!!

I can't believe Burnett shut us down in game 2 of the WS last year.

[jason.tp]

The Yanks are weaker this year, so bring them on! I hope they sweep out the AL playoffs and have the whole world loving them, and then the Phils come in and dismantle them.

[c]

I agree, Hugh.
Pettitte is starting on Sunday.
Yanks will be ready when the bell rings in Oct.

[GBrettfan]

I'd love to see a Yankee collapse, too. Except that I think I'd rather face them than the Rays. Being the team bent on not losing the second time around to them, rather than playing the team bent on not losing a second time around to us. Plus I just think the Rays would be tougher to beat.

But that's really putting the cart before the horse on my part.

[RK]

Personally I am rooting for a Yanks Phils WS.

[Kutztown Fan]

If the Phils face the Yanks in the WS, I will only be satisfied with the Phils winning in 4 with all games being shut outs, one of which is a perfect game. I don't care who throws the perfect game, though. I'm easy.

[Fatalotti]

I'm rooting for a Phils/Twins WS.

I'd love to see Mauer, Thome, Young, Liriano, and possibly Morneau on the big stage. They deserve a shot, as far as I'm concerned, especially Thome.

Also, the Phils would be the major draw in that series, so it'd be a neat gauge of our national perception.

Lastly, I'm sick of the AL East being in every cot damn WS. I'm sure people will be saying that about the Phils, should they make it this year, but since the mid 90s, I'd venture that 85% of WS participants have been from the AL East, if not more.

[Fatalotti]

Since 1992, 11 of 17 World Series have included a team that is currently in the AL East.

65% (yeah, 85% was a little high, so what, wanna fight about it?)

I want a larger distribution of the AL in the WS.

[GBrettfan]

On the MLB Network a day or two ago, the discussion was of the NL West, when the question was posed: "Are they just playing for the right to lose to the Phillies?"

It was pretty cool to hear our Phillies spoken of with such esteem! And I know they've earned it, but it was still good to hear.

(The answer, by the way, was "Not necessarily. Anything can happen in a 5-game series. It gets a lot tougher in the 7-game series, however.")

[Iceman]

I'm so sick of the damn Rockies. No more baseball in the snow, please. At this point, I think I might rather play the Giants.

[Fatalotti]

With a name like Iceman, your aversion to snow is puzzling, to say the least.

[Conshy Matt]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/jon_heyman/09/14/wednesday.scoop/index.html

good read.

[Lincoln Hawkes]

Fatalotti, I wouldn't pick a fight with a guy who has a 7th level Thetan as a wingman.

[Conshy Matt]

yo, new thread! (really!)

[Fatalotti]

Also Lincoln, he's an Omega Level mutant.

I should tread carefully.