10:13 PM
And Prado ground out. On to the 13th, and I'm going to bed.
*****
10:10 PM
Hayward goes to third base on a wild pitch.
*****
10:05 PM
Hayward singles to open the bottom of the 12th for the Braves, and Jack Wilson bunts him over. A single should win this game for Atlanta and would send them into a one-game playoff tomorrow.
Now two out, Martin Prado at the plate.
*****
10:00 PM
Phillies do nothing in the top of the 12th inning, so the Braves can end it in the bottom of the 12th.
*****
9:57 PM
St. Louis-Houston was the last game of these four to start, and they've been done for a half-hour. Two games in extra innings, and it looks like they're finally going to get started again in Baltimore.
*****
9:54 PM
And Tampa Bay and the Yankees go to the 10th inning.
*****
9:44 PM
Phillies have runners on first and second and two outs. They're also taking out their regulars at a rapid pace -- no reason why not; this game means nothing to them, and they're better off tiring out the Braves and Cardinals anyway -- so Atlanta will have every chance to win.
And Tampa just tied the Yankees at 7.
*****
9:40 PM
Yankees don't score in the ninth inning, so going to the bottom of the ninth, they hold a slim one-run lead. They've also used nine pitchers, which may have seemed clever earlier but won't be if the game goes 14 innings or more.
*****
9:29 PM
Great catch by Michael Martinez of the Phillies in deep center off Chipper Jones. Martinez misses it, the game's over. On to the 11th inning in Atlanta, still tied 3-3.
*****
9:26 PM
I'm back. Because Tampa Bay has scored six runs in the eighth inning. Meanwhile, Michael Bourn singles to open the bottom of the tenth for Atlanta. They need him to score, because St. Louis won their game.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Live Blogging Baseball 9/28/11
9:10 PM
Extra innings.
*****
9:08 PM
Atlanta has one out in the bottom of the ninth. Yankees and St. Louis still up 7-0. If the Braves game goes to extra innings, I'll switch to television (which means no more blogging).
*****
9:02 PM
Medlen does the job in Atlanta -- Michael Martinez pops out to end the inning. But it's now 3-3 going to the bottom of the ninth inning.
*****
9:00 PM
Kris Medlen is in for the Braves, for his second game of the year. Seriously? Well, okay, Atlanta, keep your fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, Yankees still lead 7-0 over Tampa Bay, Cardinals still lead 7-0 over Houston, and it's still raining in Boston.
*****
8:59 PM
And now Hunter Pence walks. Kimbrel's out, but since Atlanta's already used O'Flaherty and Venters (the other two-thirds of their bullpen trio), this may not help.
*****
8:56 PM
Sacrifice fly by Utley. Tied at 3.
*****
8:54 PM
Rollins walks. Bases loaded, one out, Chase Utley coming to the plate. Atlanta fans are probably a wee bit nervous.
*****
8:54 PM
2-2 on Rollins. Make it 3-2. Kimbrel is going to be the Rookie of the Year, but he won't be popular in Atlanta if he punts this.
*****
8:51 PM
Ben Francisco draws a walk. Tying run is at second base, go-ahead run at first base, one out. Jimmy Rollins at bat.
*****
8:49 PM
Carlos Ruiz at the plate for the Phillies. And he strikes out. One down.
*****
8:47 PM
Placido Polanco singles to open the ninth. Philadelphia trailing, 3-2. They have a direct stake in the outcome -- if the Braves win the wild card, they get either Milwaukee or Arizona in the first round; if the Cardinals win the wild card, they get St. Louis instead.
*****
8:45 PM
Atlanta does nothing in the bottom of the eighth inning. I'll switch to that game to listen to the top of the ninth to see if Philadelphia can score.
*****
8:43 PM
No change in the scores. I'm listening to the Tampa Bay broadcast, and they're sounding a little mournful. Yankees bringing in defensive replacements, which may be offset by the fact that they've brought in A.J. Burnett to relieve.
*****
8:34 PM
And it's raining in Baltimore. Tarp's on the field.
*****
8:26 PM
Late start. Here are the scores:
Boston 3, Baltimore 2, top of the seventh inning
Yankees 7, Tampa Bay 0, bottom of the sixth inning
Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 2, top of the eighth inning
St. Louis 7, Houston 0, top of the sixth inning
So if the games ended this way, we'd have Boston winning the AL wild card outright, and a one-game playoff tomorrow between St. Louis and Atlanta.
Oh, the picture has nothing to do with tonight's game. It's the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.
Extra innings.
*****
9:08 PM
Atlanta has one out in the bottom of the ninth. Yankees and St. Louis still up 7-0. If the Braves game goes to extra innings, I'll switch to television (which means no more blogging).
*****
9:02 PM
Medlen does the job in Atlanta -- Michael Martinez pops out to end the inning. But it's now 3-3 going to the bottom of the ninth inning.
*****
9:00 PM
Kris Medlen is in for the Braves, for his second game of the year. Seriously? Well, okay, Atlanta, keep your fingers crossed.
Meanwhile, Yankees still lead 7-0 over Tampa Bay, Cardinals still lead 7-0 over Houston, and it's still raining in Boston.
*****
8:59 PM
And now Hunter Pence walks. Kimbrel's out, but since Atlanta's already used O'Flaherty and Venters (the other two-thirds of their bullpen trio), this may not help.
*****
8:56 PM
Sacrifice fly by Utley. Tied at 3.
*****
8:54 PM
Rollins walks. Bases loaded, one out, Chase Utley coming to the plate. Atlanta fans are probably a wee bit nervous.
*****
8:54 PM
2-2 on Rollins. Make it 3-2. Kimbrel is going to be the Rookie of the Year, but he won't be popular in Atlanta if he punts this.
*****
8:51 PM
Ben Francisco draws a walk. Tying run is at second base, go-ahead run at first base, one out. Jimmy Rollins at bat.
*****
8:49 PM
Carlos Ruiz at the plate for the Phillies. And he strikes out. One down.
*****
8:47 PM
Placido Polanco singles to open the ninth. Philadelphia trailing, 3-2. They have a direct stake in the outcome -- if the Braves win the wild card, they get either Milwaukee or Arizona in the first round; if the Cardinals win the wild card, they get St. Louis instead.
*****
8:45 PM
Atlanta does nothing in the bottom of the eighth inning. I'll switch to that game to listen to the top of the ninth to see if Philadelphia can score.
*****
8:43 PM
No change in the scores. I'm listening to the Tampa Bay broadcast, and they're sounding a little mournful. Yankees bringing in defensive replacements, which may be offset by the fact that they've brought in A.J. Burnett to relieve.
*****
8:34 PM
And it's raining in Baltimore. Tarp's on the field.
*****
8:26 PM
Late start. Here are the scores:
Boston 3, Baltimore 2, top of the seventh inning
Yankees 7, Tampa Bay 0, bottom of the sixth inning
Atlanta 3, Philadelphia 2, top of the eighth inning
St. Louis 7, Houston 0, top of the sixth inning
So if the games ended this way, we'd have Boston winning the AL wild card outright, and a one-game playoff tomorrow between St. Louis and Atlanta.
Oh, the picture has nothing to do with tonight's game. It's the old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.
Game 162
Good news -- most of the games we'll want to see are on ESPN tonight. Boston at Baltimore on ESPN, Philadelphia at Atlanta on ESPN2, and ESPN2 will switch to the St. Louis/Houston game once the first game is complete.
St. Louis did beat Houston last night, so there is a tie for both wild-card positions going into tonight's games, the last of the regular season.
Should one or both of the wild-card spots end in a tie, the one-game playoff times are set. The games would be in Tampa Bay and Atlanta, and TBS has broadcast rights to both games, so virtually anyone in the country with cable access should be able to see them.
I'll try to live blog as much as I can -- my son has tae kwon do tonight. (Priorities!)
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Live Blogging Baseball 9/27/11
9:43 PM
Jones grounds to third. Game over, and we're tied for the AL wild card going to game 162.
Meanwhile, St. Louis leads 9-6, and I'm shutting down for the night.
*****
9:42 PM
Full count, 3-2 to Adam Jones. 26 pitches for Papelbon this inning.
And one more. Foul ball. Still 3-2.
*****
9:41 PM
And a foul ball. Still 2-2.
Meanwhile, the Mets and Reds are tied in the 11th. Yeah, I know; no one cares but me.
*****
9:39 PM
1-2 on Adam Jones, and the Sox announcers think the home plate umpire should have called strike three on the last pitch. According to the MLB graph, he should have, but what are you gonna do?
Ball, outside (this one really was). 2-2 count.
*****
9:35 PM
Back in Baltimore, the Red Sox catch a break and get an out on a nubber. Now it's 8-7 (Hardy scored on the play). Tying run on second, two out. I guess they pitch to Adam Jones, but don't give him anything good to hit -- a base hit ties the game, a home run wins it.
*****
9:35 PM
Ryan Theriot just hit a triple. Cardinals lead, 8-6.
*****
9:32 PM
Vladimir Guerrero has a base hit. So runners on first and third, one out. And the O's are pinch-running for Guerrero. If the runner on first (Matt Angle) steals second, do you walk the winning run to fill the bases?
*****
9:30 PM
Five foul balls in a row on a 3-2 count. Yeah, I know there's no action in baseball. If you can't deal with it, go watch a soccer game. 95 percent more action, 93 percent of which is meaningless.
Okay, Markakis out at first, Hardy moves to second.
*****
9:27 PM
Cardinals have tied up their game on a single by Berkman and a double by Allan Craig, whoever he is. In Baltimore, J.J. Hardy singled, and Nick Markakis has worked a full count. Still nobody out. I'm surprised they haven't pinch-run for Hardy, who isn't very fast, but I guess the logic is the next guy has to be the speedy one, anyway.
*****
9:22 PM
Bottom of the ninth. Let's see if the Red Sox can hang on. Wait, J.J. Hardy has 29 home runs? When did that happen? (I've got to start following the American League more closely.)
*****
9:12 PM
I'm surprised Houston's staying in this; they have an awful, awful team. And they'll probably be awful for the next couple of years. The good news is they're in a major market (6th in population overall in the U.S.), so they should be able to dig their way out of the hole a little quicker. Nobody talks about this much, but perpetual losers like Pittsburgh and Baltimore are very small markets -- and Baltimore's right next to Washington, DC and Philadelphia, which doesn't help.
*****
9:08 PM
Side retired in the eighth inning, Boston still leads Baltimore by two, 8-6. It's nice listening to the Red Sox radio broadcast, too. I spent a lot of time listening to Mets games this summer (I got the MLB radio package over the internet, which for twenty bucks is totally worth it), but I didn't take advantage of the other teams. Quick note: if you get this during spring training, don't get frustrated -- most teams don't broadcast games over the radio in the spring. All of the regular season games for every team are available.
*****
9:04 PM
Braves have already lost their game. But St. Louis is somehow losing to Houston again. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have given up two runs in the bottom of the eighth to Baltimore.
I guess I'd prefer to see the Red Sox make the playoffs, just to avoid the endless "collapse/choke" stories. But I don't dislike the Rays, and since they've won again tonight, they aren't going away. As for the NL, I'd definitely prefer the Braves. I spent two years in North Carolina, and became sort of a Braves fan by osmosis. I know the Braves and the Mets are rivals, but the Mets had a rivalry with St. Louis in the 1980s -- and I can't stand Tony LaRussa.
*****
8:50 PM
One reason why the Yankees are so tough -- every player on their team is willing to take a walk. Three players have 75 or more. I would be willing to bet that leads the league.
*****
8:48 PM
Red Sox are finally playing a decent game, but Tampa Bay is winning as well. Atlanta is being pounded by the Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals were tied with Houston at last check. Possible to have two ties for the wild card when the season ends tomorrow?
Jones grounds to third. Game over, and we're tied for the AL wild card going to game 162.
Meanwhile, St. Louis leads 9-6, and I'm shutting down for the night.
*****
9:42 PM
Full count, 3-2 to Adam Jones. 26 pitches for Papelbon this inning.
And one more. Foul ball. Still 3-2.
*****
9:41 PM
And a foul ball. Still 2-2.
Meanwhile, the Mets and Reds are tied in the 11th. Yeah, I know; no one cares but me.
*****
9:39 PM
1-2 on Adam Jones, and the Sox announcers think the home plate umpire should have called strike three on the last pitch. According to the MLB graph, he should have, but what are you gonna do?
Ball, outside (this one really was). 2-2 count.
*****
9:35 PM
Back in Baltimore, the Red Sox catch a break and get an out on a nubber. Now it's 8-7 (Hardy scored on the play). Tying run on second, two out. I guess they pitch to Adam Jones, but don't give him anything good to hit -- a base hit ties the game, a home run wins it.
*****
9:35 PM
Ryan Theriot just hit a triple. Cardinals lead, 8-6.
*****
9:32 PM
Vladimir Guerrero has a base hit. So runners on first and third, one out. And the O's are pinch-running for Guerrero. If the runner on first (Matt Angle) steals second, do you walk the winning run to fill the bases?
*****
9:30 PM
Five foul balls in a row on a 3-2 count. Yeah, I know there's no action in baseball. If you can't deal with it, go watch a soccer game. 95 percent more action, 93 percent of which is meaningless.
Okay, Markakis out at first, Hardy moves to second.
*****
9:27 PM
Cardinals have tied up their game on a single by Berkman and a double by Allan Craig, whoever he is. In Baltimore, J.J. Hardy singled, and Nick Markakis has worked a full count. Still nobody out. I'm surprised they haven't pinch-run for Hardy, who isn't very fast, but I guess the logic is the next guy has to be the speedy one, anyway.
*****
9:22 PM
Bottom of the ninth. Let's see if the Red Sox can hang on. Wait, J.J. Hardy has 29 home runs? When did that happen? (I've got to start following the American League more closely.)
*****
9:12 PM
I'm surprised Houston's staying in this; they have an awful, awful team. And they'll probably be awful for the next couple of years. The good news is they're in a major market (6th in population overall in the U.S.), so they should be able to dig their way out of the hole a little quicker. Nobody talks about this much, but perpetual losers like Pittsburgh and Baltimore are very small markets -- and Baltimore's right next to Washington, DC and Philadelphia, which doesn't help.
*****
9:08 PM
Side retired in the eighth inning, Boston still leads Baltimore by two, 8-6. It's nice listening to the Red Sox radio broadcast, too. I spent a lot of time listening to Mets games this summer (I got the MLB radio package over the internet, which for twenty bucks is totally worth it), but I didn't take advantage of the other teams. Quick note: if you get this during spring training, don't get frustrated -- most teams don't broadcast games over the radio in the spring. All of the regular season games for every team are available.
*****
9:04 PM
Braves have already lost their game. But St. Louis is somehow losing to Houston again. Meanwhile, the Red Sox have given up two runs in the bottom of the eighth to Baltimore.
I guess I'd prefer to see the Red Sox make the playoffs, just to avoid the endless "collapse/choke" stories. But I don't dislike the Rays, and since they've won again tonight, they aren't going away. As for the NL, I'd definitely prefer the Braves. I spent two years in North Carolina, and became sort of a Braves fan by osmosis. I know the Braves and the Mets are rivals, but the Mets had a rivalry with St. Louis in the 1980s -- and I can't stand Tony LaRussa.
*****
8:50 PM
One reason why the Yankees are so tough -- every player on their team is willing to take a walk. Three players have 75 or more. I would be willing to bet that leads the league.
*****
8:48 PM
Red Sox are finally playing a decent game, but Tampa Bay is winning as well. Atlanta is being pounded by the Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals were tied with Houston at last check. Possible to have two ties for the wild card when the season ends tomorrow?
Monday, September 26, 2011
Live Blogging Baseball Tonight
8:29 PM
Yankees do nothing in the seventh inning. St. Louis has tacked on a run in the fifth inning, but they're still losing to Houston, 4-2.
*****
8:26 PM
Listening to the Red Sox radio broadcast -- they're obviously frustrated, but they're not homers, either. Which is as it should be. I'll never get used to listening to baseball broadcasts in the Midwest, where the announcers root for the home team. You never hear that on the East Coast, or the West Coast (the influence of Vin Scully and Russ Hodges when the Dodgers and Giants moved west).
*****
8:23 PM
And Robert Andino hits a three-run inside-the-park home run -- I missed part of it; it popped out of someone's glove when they hit the fence. 6-2, Orioles.
*****
8:20 PM
Baltimore takes the lead on Boston on a double by Chris Davis. Davis has two RBI on the night.
*****
8:19 PM
Philadelphia does nothing in the top of the seventh against Atlanta. I have no fear of anyone in the Phillie lineup; it's the pitching staff that would worry me. Milwaukee would appear to be the biggest obstacle for the Phillies to overcome, but I have to say I don't know the Diamondbacks very well.
*****
8:16 PM
Shall I ask why Baltimore is batting Mark Reynolds, who's hit 37 home runs, seventh in the lineup? Yeah, he's struck out over 190 times, but he's still probably one of their best hitters. There are reasons, I suppose, why Buck Showalter's managing his fourth team.
*****
8:13 PM
Houston now up on St. Louis 4-1, on a home run by Downs, who I've never heard of. It would pretty galling if St. Louis struggles to beat the only 100-loss team in the majors at the most crucial point of the season.
*****
8:07 PM
Houston pushes across two runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead over St. Louis. Meanwhile, Ozzie Guillen may be out as manager of the White Sox.
*****
8:05 PM
Red Sox go down very quickly in the top of the 6th inning. Alex Rodriguez leads off the top of the 6th for the Yankees -- only .276-16-62 this year? I know he missed a fair amount of time with injuries, but still...
*****
7:57 PM
Philadelphia takes the lead over Atlanta, 3-2, on a triple by Shane Victorino and a single by Raul Ibanez. I'd say Atlanta has a better chance of losing the wild card than Atlanta, given they're playing the Phillies (best record in the league) the last three games while St. Louis is at Houston (worst record in the league). Boston has a similar advantage; they in Baltimore while Tampa Bay hosts the Yankees.
*****
7:56 PM
I would be more impressed with MLB.com's Free Game of the Day if it weren't the LA Dodgers at Arizona -- a game with no playoff ramifications whatsoever.
*****
7:52 PM
Still two races yet to be decided.
Red Sox and Orioles tied in the bottom of the fifth inning, Tampa Bay beating the Yankees 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Red Sox hold a one-game lead.
In the National League, Philadelphia and Atlanta are tied 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning, while St. Louis leads Houston 1-0 in the top of the third inning. Atlanta holds a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Yankees do nothing in the seventh inning. St. Louis has tacked on a run in the fifth inning, but they're still losing to Houston, 4-2.
*****
8:26 PM
Listening to the Red Sox radio broadcast -- they're obviously frustrated, but they're not homers, either. Which is as it should be. I'll never get used to listening to baseball broadcasts in the Midwest, where the announcers root for the home team. You never hear that on the East Coast, or the West Coast (the influence of Vin Scully and Russ Hodges when the Dodgers and Giants moved west).
*****
8:23 PM
And Robert Andino hits a three-run inside-the-park home run -- I missed part of it; it popped out of someone's glove when they hit the fence. 6-2, Orioles.
*****
8:20 PM
Baltimore takes the lead on Boston on a double by Chris Davis. Davis has two RBI on the night.
*****
8:19 PM
Philadelphia does nothing in the top of the seventh against Atlanta. I have no fear of anyone in the Phillie lineup; it's the pitching staff that would worry me. Milwaukee would appear to be the biggest obstacle for the Phillies to overcome, but I have to say I don't know the Diamondbacks very well.
*****
8:16 PM
Shall I ask why Baltimore is batting Mark Reynolds, who's hit 37 home runs, seventh in the lineup? Yeah, he's struck out over 190 times, but he's still probably one of their best hitters. There are reasons, I suppose, why Buck Showalter's managing his fourth team.
*****
8:13 PM
Houston now up on St. Louis 4-1, on a home run by Downs, who I've never heard of. It would pretty galling if St. Louis struggles to beat the only 100-loss team in the majors at the most crucial point of the season.
*****
8:07 PM
Houston pushes across two runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead over St. Louis. Meanwhile, Ozzie Guillen may be out as manager of the White Sox.
*****
8:05 PM
Red Sox go down very quickly in the top of the 6th inning. Alex Rodriguez leads off the top of the 6th for the Yankees -- only .276-16-62 this year? I know he missed a fair amount of time with injuries, but still...
*****
7:57 PM
Philadelphia takes the lead over Atlanta, 3-2, on a triple by Shane Victorino and a single by Raul Ibanez. I'd say Atlanta has a better chance of losing the wild card than Atlanta, given they're playing the Phillies (best record in the league) the last three games while St. Louis is at Houston (worst record in the league). Boston has a similar advantage; they in Baltimore while Tampa Bay hosts the Yankees.
*****
7:56 PM
I would be more impressed with MLB.com's Free Game of the Day if it weren't the LA Dodgers at Arizona -- a game with no playoff ramifications whatsoever.
*****
7:52 PM
Still two races yet to be decided.
Red Sox and Orioles tied in the bottom of the fifth inning, Tampa Bay beating the Yankees 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Red Sox hold a one-game lead.
In the National League, Philadelphia and Atlanta are tied 2-2 in the top of the sixth inning, while St. Louis leads Houston 1-0 in the top of the third inning. Atlanta holds a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.
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