The Dodgers fielded a AAA club today and got beat like one by the Rockies. It was so bad the they ended up pinch hitting for 3 of 4 hitters in a row (admitadly one was the pitcher) with Joc’s 216 as the one they left in.
There were also several weird events like an umpire interference call where the defense still made the out. There were enough things I may watch the game again tomorrow just so iI can figure out what the hell happened.
No sleep for me tonight, Arietta perfect game in progress. NL Cy Young winner
The Yankees are screwed if they play the Astros in the wild card game. They’ve faced Dallas Keuchel twice this season:
16 IP 9 hits 0 runs 1 walk 21 Ks. Yikes.
Masahiro Tanaka is still out with a hammy strain and might not make another regular season start, which leaves 21 year old Luis Severino as the best option. Or maybe Michael Pineda.
Even though the Yanks are probably screwed, I like the wild card game, but it would be even better as a short series (if the season was a bit shorter.)
Advantageously, the WC game is probably going to take place in New York. It’s very unlikely any of the remaining candidates could surpass the Yankees. What is unclear is who it’s going to be, since the Angels and Twins are right in there.
Toronto is now 40-14 since the Tulowitzki trade, which is ludicrous.
If it’s not too early to talk about awards, I find the NL MVP question fascinating. I guess Donaldson might as well make room on his shelf for the AL MVP, but I am really interested in how the NL vote will go. Whenever Bryce Harper’s name comes up it’s often in conjunction with “likely MVP” (or “strangled by idiot relief pitcher”) but it’s been a REALLY long time since an MVP come from a non-postseason team (2004, Barry Bonds, and his team missed by one game) and Washington, specifically, is a huge disappointment.
So will they give it to Harper anyway?
I’ve been hearing that players are kind of fed up with Harper’s attitude, which is unfortunate. Seems many of them think someone should have done what Papelbon did a long time ago, and probably that someone should have been Matt Williams, who is almost certainly going to be fired at season’s end.
With all due respect, please do not attend any more games this season. 
What a ridiculous weekend. If we can’t clone Kershaw and Greinke, I don’t see how the Dodgers get past the first round (assuming they still make the playoffs, at this rate).
I’m thinking of flying him out here to San Francisco and getting him a ticket to all four games. 
On a totally unrelated note, I’m off to do some research on how to simultaneously add someone temporarily to the no-fly list and have them banned from AT&T Park…
Yeah, but who else would they give it to? While the taboo against giving the MVP to pitchers is over, I think the voters would rather give it to a position player. And there really isn’t any postseason position player even close to Harper. From baseball-reference, the closest one is Jason Heyward and he’s 4.3 WAR back. Heck, there isn’t even another position player from a non playoff team that’s close (Goldschmidt is #2 among position player WAR in the NL and he’s 1.9 WAR back of Harper).
It’s got to be Harper. The only other option I can see is, maybe, Arrieta (they won’t give it to Grienke because the Dodgers also have Kershaw).
Of course it should have been Williams. Along with filling out the lineup card, this is pretty much the thing that is most unambiguously part of the manager’s job.
I’m not sure what attitude, or lack of hustle Harp’s guilty of this year; he’s leading the team in runs (by 44), hits, doubles (by 11) home runs (by 22!), and also leading the National League in batting average, on-base, slugging, and wins above replacement. He is personally responsible for 17% of the entire team’s offense.
Personally, I’d be glad to see Williams, Rizzo and Pabelbon all get out of DC (and take our mayor Muriel Bowser too, but that’s another thread).
Hopefully it’ll take you longer than four games to do that.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/jonathan-papelbon-bryce-harper-fight-current-ex-players-support-pitcher-long-time-coming-092715
Harper rubs anonymous current and former players the wrong way.
When those anonymous players start to hit the way he does, they can talk.
Well, Hell, if the Nationals players don’t want him, I’ll be very happy if he’d like to join the Mets :).
I’m reminded of Bill James’ line (anyone know exactly where from?) about bad organizations tending to blame their best players for their failure.
First the Senators, now the Blue Jays. This has been a year for absurd playoff runs for us, hasn’t it?
Weirdly, Harper is the only guy who’s a huge runaway by statistical standards. You might be right about Donaldson, but Trout is right up there with him statistically and might drag the Angels into the playoffs (If forced to, I’d put my money on the Halos right now). I’m still with Greinke for Cy Young, but Arrieta is very very close and would be a reasonable choice. And Keuchel and Price could hardly be closer in innings/won-lost/ERA, though for some reason ESPN has Keuchel at 7.3 WAR and Price only at 6.
Win/Loss record doesn’t factor in at all, because it’s mostly meaningless. The biggest factor that likely makes up the difference is fielding and park factors. Comerica is incredibly beneficial to its pitchers, Minute Maid is a hair better than average. And defensively, the Tigers have helped out Price more than the Astros have for Keuchel. Both of those are obviously tied to each other.
I think Trout actually may be the odds on favorite if the Angels get the 2nd Wild Card. Why? Well…
Even though Tulo hasn’t necessarily been that great, people will focus on the fact that the Jays got Tulo and Price and that’s why they are in the playoffs (rightly or wrongly). That minimizes Donaldson’s achievements and opens it up for Trout.