Don’t bunt late in a perfect game is totally one of the rules, but it’s generally only applied to a single-pitcher game, must be late in the game, and is usually only applied when the perfect game team has a solid lead that is not easily overcome. None of those conditions applied here.
I noted that this was strictly a fan reaction. None of the players/managers involved had any problem with it. Hence, the lack of ‘retribution’.
Brewers second baseman Brice Turang has stolen three bases so far tonight against the Mets, putting him at 50 for the season. He’s only been caught stealing 6 times (89% success rate), and he’s only the fifth player in franchise history with 50 steals in a season.
As a Guards fan I’m cool with it. Bullpen game. Our team does anything to win so I don’t hold it against any team that does. Even if it’s the Twins.
Doesn’t matter. Twins fans absolutely hate us and we love it.
Friedl did that leading off the 7th and then came around to score. Next inning, the Reds scored another run to tie the game at 2-2 before Cleveland scored 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th and won the game. Sounds like a heckuva baseball play by Friedl to help manufacture a run for his team in a close game.
That was the Tigers, who clinched a wild-card spot tonight.
I just read this on ESPN regarding the Twins, who were eliminated tonight:
At their high-water mark of the season on Aug. 17, the Twins were 70-53 and had a five-game cushion in the wild-card race. Since then, they are 12-25.
That is quite the turnaround for both teams.
Dodgers have the top seed almost assured by now; any Phillies loss or Dodgers win from this point on would seal it.
Guardians need the Yankees to slip up. Not sure who holds the tiebreaker.
In a similar vein, what happened to the Mariners? Weren’t they leading their division by about 10 games a couple months ago?
Yankees have the tiebreaker over Cleveland. Currently, the Yanks have a one game lead over the Guardians, so any Yankee win or Cleveland loss gives NY the #1 seed.
AL field is set. Only things unsettled are the #1 seed (see above), and the last two WC seeds. Detroit will play at either Baltimore or Houston, and KC will play at wherever Detroit doesn’t.
Correct. Dodgers and Phillies will both get first-round byes. Brewers have the #3 seed. Padres clinched the top wild-card seed last night. Braves, Mets, and D-Backs are all tied for the remaining two wild-cards; Arizona loses tiebreakers to both teams.
I can’t find the day-by-day standings, but on June 18, Seattle was 44-31, which appears to be their high-water mark of the season. Also on June 18, the Astros were 33-40, which I believe would be ten games behind the Mariners on that day. Seattle started to slide at that point, and Houston started to climb. By the end of July, the two teams had about the same record, and the Astros pulled away during August. I am not at all sure what happened to the Mariners, other than they were good for a while, and then they weren’t.
The Mets and Diamondbacks are in a tight race to see who can back out of the last NL playoff spot.
My money would be on N.Y. to eliminate itself with the help of Atlanta on Monday.
Interesting matchups in that the Mets, D-Backs, and Braves are all playing playoff teams today and tomorrow. All three opponents (Brewers, Padres, and Royals) have clinched their playoff spots and have little to play for in the remaining games. The Royals will be either 2nd or 3rd AL wild-card, while the Padres and Brewers are locked into their playoff positions.
What that means as far as competitiveness, I have no idea.
The Brewers were locked in as the #3 seed before last night, I believe, and they still thumped the Mets, 8-4. They started all of their regulars, hit two home runs, and stole six bases on the evening. They, at least, don’t seen to be phoning it in yet.
Great point. But I would now expect the teams to manage their pitching so as to get their staffs rested and ready for the playoffs. For instance, I wouldn’t think that any starter will go deep into a game. (Of course, I know next to nothing about managing a major-league team!)
Milwaukee does seem to be doing that. They used one of their regular starters (Frankie Montas) last night, but only let him pitch for four innings. Today, they’re starting Jared Koenig (primarily a reliever, though he does have five starts this season), and I imagine that they’re working things so that their best starters (Peralta, Rea, and Myers) are cued up for the wild-card round.
The Royals starter for tonight is Undecided, and, although they haven’t yet announced a starter, I would guess that he’ll be on the mound tomorrow as well. Padres appear to be starting their #4 and #5 starters tonight and tomorrow.
It will be interesting to see if the other regular position players take a day or two off.
Jose Ramirez of the Guardians hit a home run and got a stolen base today and is sitting at 39/41. He needs a home run tomorrow to be the seventh member of the 40/40 club and no one seems to care. It’s obvious why it’s overshadowed but come on.
Jose Ramirez is a great player. The stolen base stat has become a joke, though.
OK if that bores you, how about Ohtani being close to a Triple Crown? He easily has the most home runs and RBIs and is close in batting average. He is at .310 and Arraez of the Padres is at .314. Arraez sat out today but both will be playing tomorrow.
Actually Josey started the game with 38 HR, 38 2B and 41 SB. He hit a homer and got a double and is now at 39/39/41. No SB tonight.
I was at the game. So exciting!! He hit that double after a ton of pitches and some sort of temporary injury and in the pouring rain.
He’s the most underrated player in baseball. An MVP votegetter every year. Will likely retire in Cleveland. He just goes out there and plays fantastic baseball year after year.