Octopus Overlords

Aaaaand the White Sox are officially eliminated from the playoffs. On August 21...

What the hell did I click on to get a never-ending stream of Alex Cora articles in my news feed‽

Grimace is back! And Mets are bestowing a special purple seat

The Mets are unveiling a purple seat in their ballpark on Monday -- Section 302, Row 6, Seat 12 -- in honor of the McDonald's mascot, the team announced. Grimace, who has become the team's good luck charm this season, is returning to Citi Field for the occasion as the Mets open their final homestand of the year against the Nationals.

Grimace threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field on June 12 -- which is Grimace's birthday, hence the row and seat numbers. The Mets added that the seat is available for purchase -- when available -- for the team's remaining home games.

At the time, the Mets were 28-37. But after Grimace's first pitch, the Mets won that game -- and immediately went on a seven-game winning streak, sparking them on a run to postseason contention.

Padres are officially the hottest team in baseball, winning 8 of their last 10 to get to 90 wins, sweeping the lowly White Sox. Only 3 back of the Dodgers and they meet 3 more times, so catching them is not out of the question.

Wow, the Mets have actually overtaken the Diamondbacks in the Wildcard race and the Braves are only a game and a half back. The D-Backs were chasing the Padres for weeks and may now be facing an epic collapse.

WOW! The Padres beat the Dodgers with a triple play on the final play of the game to clinch a playoff berth. It rarely gets any better than that.

I'm starting to think that the Red Sox might not win the world series this year.

El Guapo wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2024 10:58 am I'm starting to think that the Red Sox might not win the world series this year.

There is always next year.

Scuzz wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2024 1:39 pm

El Guapo wrote: Wed Sep 25, 2024 10:58 am I'm starting to think that the Red Sox might not win the world series this year.

There is always next year.

The problem is that in 2019 John Henry decided to stop spending money on the team. Unless he's shamed into doing so, may be awhile before the team is truly competitive again.

Mets at Braves rained out on Wednesday and Thursday. It seems a good possibility they may have to play a double header (in a dome?) on Monday to decide the NL Wildcard race.

Tonight might be a good night to watch my first game of the season.

List of worst Major League Baseball season win–loss records

The 1899 Cleveland Spiders own the worst single-season record of all time (minimum 120 games) and for all eras, finishing at 20–134 (.130 percentage) in the final year of the National League's 12-team era in the 1890s; for comparison, this projects to 21–141 under the current 162-game schedule

Thank you Twins. Without you, this could have never been possible.

LordMortis wrote: Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:43 am Thank you Twins. Without you, this could have never been possible.

Same - Royals couldn't manage to beat the Barves but thanks to the Twins losing KC is in the playoffs!

Insane scenario is in for Monday's Mets - Braves double header:

Outcome: Both games will be played Monday. The winner of Game 1 is in. If the loser of Game 1 wins Game 2, it is in as well. If a team is swept, it is out and the Diamondbacks are in.

Was thinking I'd find an excuse to get out and be around people some evenings this week and watch the Tigers Astros games. All the games are a 1430 start. That's disappointing. The world continues to conspire against the notion of me going out. I still plan to go out and watch the Lions game tonight. So naturally, I woke at 0330 this morning and will probably be fast asleep or dead tired sleepy by the time game is on.

Wow, Braves meltdown in the eighth. Pressure will be on them for game 2.

Jaymann wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2024 3:25 pm Wow, Braves meltdown in the eighth. Pressure will be on them for game 2.

Or maybe don't wait until game 2...

Incredibly the Mets did their own meltdown in the bottom of the inning and now they are on the ropes.

Diamondbacks during game 1:

Also, :


Chris Sale scratched

Chris Sale, the Braves' scheduled Game 2 starter, has been scratched with back spasms. Atlanta saved Sale all weekend for their elimination game and now, when it finally comes, he's down for the count. An absolute gut punch for the Braves. Grant Holmes, who has made six starts and 19 relief appearances in the majors this year, will start instead. He threw 1 2/3 yesterday in the Braves' loss to the Royals.

Octavious wrote: Thu Apr 04, 2024 6:08 pm This is the worst Mets team I've ever seen. What a joke.

I like how the lowest win divisional winner drops down into the Wildcard morass. Creates motivation to keep playing for wins even after clinching.

Full slate of Wildcard games today. Padres get to face Braves with a depleted pitching staff. Sounds like a trap game.

Patricia and company try to claim the Lions success are in no small part based on what he built. Which is soooo much bullshit. OtOH, Avila really did seem to build something lasting the Tigers are pulling from that is just now seeing fruition. Avila never should have been a GM. He should have just stayed an exceptional head scouting. He really set Holland, Hinch, and Fetterer? up to get stuff out of these guys Avila and his various managers never could. I only started paying attention recently and I really have no idea who my team are aside from four or five core pieces and Hinch uses every single man on the roster... and he does it in almost every game, it seems. Talk about playing chess.

On paper, the Tigers have no business being in the playoffs and here they are closing on winning an away game in Houston.

They peaked at the right time for a late season surge.

Woohoo, the Padres ride a 7 inning, 12 strikeout shutout performance by Michael King to snag game one 4-0. I would think the chances of the Braves winning the next 2 games are fairly remote.

Woot, Tigers with a bases clearing triple in the eighth.

Jaymann wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2024 10:48 pm Woohoo, the Padres ride a 7 inning, 12 strikeout shutout performance by Michael King to snag game one 4-0. I would think the chances of the Braves winning the next 2 games are fairly remote.

The fact that the Braves made it all with all the injuries this year is amazing, but I do not expect them to get out of the first series. But anything can happen, I didn't expect them to win it all a few years ago, yet they did.

Jaymann wrote: Wed Oct 02, 2024 5:06 pm Woot, Tigers with a bases clearing triple in the eighth.

After having given up the lead the inning before. Pretty resilient group of cats.

(Hope they're still playing when MHS and I are in Michigan on 10/11!)

I am curious to see how far Tarik Skubal and hope can actually take Detroit this postseason.

3 of the 4 teams in the ALDS are AL Central teams. Their combined payroll is about $320M. The 4th team is the Yankees, with a payroll of $310M.

Miracle friggin' Mets!

Go White Sox! Oh, wait...

Where's the guy who said this is the worst Mets team ever. Is he on life support after that ninth inning home run?

To be fair, I'm pretty sure Octavious would be saying the same thing about the Mets as they closed in on a World Series sweep. The pessimism is strong in that one.

He's lurking and managing expectations