chw42

Here comes another bullpen meltdown

It sure feels pretty over for the Tigers

They don't even need a good closer, just a bang average one. If you can get a discount on a guy coming off a down year like Devin Williams or Ryan Helsley, it's absolutely worth paying them on a short term deal to try and stabilize the bullpen next year. You can't keep blowing 20 games a year because Jerry can't spare $10 million. There's no point in tanking next year when you're not gonna get a top 10 draft pick anyhow.

Edwin Diaz got 6 outs last night and the Cubs really weren't all that close to even getting on base. There's no way that any manager would play matchups to get the last outs of the game if they had a guy like that at the end of their bullpen.

That's even worse than our almost collapse in 2005. We were up 7.5 games to start September and up 9.5 games on September 4th. We did have a 15 game lead to start August though.

LA is only 1.5 up on the Padres, their magic number is 3 though. That LA bullpen is very sketchy. There's no way Tanner Scott should be their de facto closer in October. Every time I see them blow a game, he's in there.

Getz loves crafty lefties as relievers. He's got the market cornered on them.

The Venable special.

I understand using your high leverage guys to get the top and middle of the lineup out, but I don't think the plan should ever be using your 4th or 5th best reliever to close a game out. I don't care if they're facing 789, closing a game is always harder.

Taylor should have just went all in on catching that. You're not getting Judge at home if it lands.

I don't think they wanted Judge to get intentionally walked. It happened anyways though.

You just can't have a guy like Eisert trying to get the last 3 outs against the Yankees. We need an actual closer next year badly.

Is Wilson going to get the 9th?

Scoring 3 without hitting the ball out of the infield is so Guardians.

If the Tigers can't win with Skubal starting they're hopeless.

Poles could have had Ollie Gordon in the 5th. Or maybe even Skattebo if he didn't trade out of the 3rd. But I guess Ruben Hyppolite and Zah Frazier were too good to pass up when you have one of the worst RB rooms in the league. Hell Javonte Williams could have been had for 3 million in free-agency and he ran his ass off yesterday. I understand that the draft board didn't fall their way for running backs, but that doesn't mean you can't be more aggressive later in the draft to grab one. It's like they waited until the 7th to realize, "oh s%*# we need another RB" and grabbed Monongai.

They still need an identity on offense. It's tough to get one when you can't consistently run the ball. Hopefully that 19 play TD drive is the start of them finding the run game a little bit.

Caleb made around 5 elite throws today and was more or less mistake free. A few misses here or there, but that's normal for just about every QB in the NFL. I would be feeling great about the game, then I saw just how bad Russ looked against a real defense on SNF and that guy put up 450 yards on Dallas last week. Alas, you play the team that's on your schedule and the Bears really needed a game like this to get right. I think today's game puts us out of the bad team category and at least confirms that we'll be mediocre this year. But I wouldn't go on thinking we can win more than 8-9 games until they can show us performances like this on a consistent basis against better competition.

The Diamondbacks are only a game back too and they sold at the deadline.

With Detroit and Cleveland playing each other, the Astros probably get in by default because of that. Plus they're playing the A's.

Just saw the play that ended the Mariners game. What a catch by Robles and what terrible base running by Houston. The runner that got doubled up wasn't even the tying run. Can't be doing that.

Houston missing out on the playoffs would be great.

Cleveland is tied for the last playoff spot with Houston now.

Tigers are so cooked. They need Skubal to start at least one game against the Guardians.

The Guardians still have a negative run differential on the season. They haven't been all that good this year, but they're getting hot at the right time.