JJ Hardy with a big error. 4-3 Yankees, top 8

Yankees beat the O's.

 

Rays trying to close out the Blue Jays, and Rodney walks Vizquel to lead off the 9th.

Upton throws out Vizquel at home to end the game. Rays win 5-4.

After the A's beat the Red Sox again tonight, records with 30 games left:

 

Tex 78-54

NY 76-56

Oak 75-57

Bal 73-59

Sox 72-60

TB 71-61

Det 71-61

LAA 70-62

 

I wish the standings actually looked like this so we didn't have to play the same four teams 18-19 games a year, and we can stop pretending winning the AL Central is some type of achievement.

Edited September 2, 201213 yr by flavum

After the A's beat the Red Sox again tonight, records with 30 games left:

 

Tex 78-54

NY 76-56

Oak 75-57

Bal 73-59

Sox 72-60

TB 71-61

Det 71-61

LAA 70-62

 

I wish the standings actually looked like this so we didn't have to play the same four teams 18-19 games a year, and we can stop pretending winning the AL Central is some type of achievement.

 

It is with the additional wildcard.

 

Everyone is waiting for the Orioles and A's to fade. They look legit.

It is with the additional wildcard.

 

It's a manufactured playoff spot. If the AL Central winner gets in with 86-88 wins, while the two wild card teams have better records from better divisions, it's a big flaw in the system. I'd rather see no divisions, a more balanced schedule, and have the top 5 teams earn their spots with correct playoff seeding. Plus again, enough of 18 games against the same four teams.

It's a manufactured playoff spot. If the AL Central winner gets in with 86-88 wins, while the two wild card teams have better records from better divisions, it's a big flaw in the system. I'd rather see no divisions, a more balanced schedule, and have the top 5 teams earn their spots with correct playoff seeding. Plus again, enough of 18 games against the same four teams.

 

That sounds beyond boring. That punishes teams who might win a weak division and only injuries have kept them from winning more. I couldn't think of a better way to deteriorate the viewing audience of a sport where there is little or no attempt at parity. ESPN would like it.

 

That sounds beyond boring. That punishes teams who might win a weak division and only injuries have kept them from winning more. I couldn't think of a better way to deteriorate the viewing audience of a sport where there is little or no attempt at parity. ESPN would like it.

 

So teams are supposed to win divisions inspite of having no depth to overcome injuries?

 

MLB doesn't have parity? Look at how many teams have made the postseason, made the World Series, and won the World Series over the last 11 years. Even without a salary cap, they have a ton of parity.

 

I'd just rather see the Sox play every AL team 10 or 11 games, with a limited amount of interleague, and just have the top 3 make the playoffs, with the 4 and 5 seed playing to get in. You know, fairness. I'd rather see the Sox get the credit they deserve in the years they make the top 3, and not just have the AL Central be some consolation prize.

 

With the old format, you know that the wild card is the next best team, and possibly the second best team in the league. Now with two wild cards, you could have two teams better than a division winner playing one game to move on. Yes, you can justify it by saying, "They didn't win their division". But in real life observation, those teams can both be better than a weak division winner. I say make it a 15-team division, and send the top 5 to the postseason.

So teams are supposed to win divisions inspite of having no depth to overcome injuries?

 

MLB doesn't have parity? Look at how many teams have made the postseason, made the World Series, and won the World Series over the last 11 years. Even without a salary cap, they have a ton of parity.

 

I'd just rather see the Sox play every AL team 10 or 11 games, with a limited amount of interleague, and just have the top 3 make the playoffs, with the 4 and 5 seed playing to get in. You know, fairness. I'd rather see the Sox get the credit they deserve in the years they make the top 3, and not just have the AL Central be some consolation prize.

 

With the old format, you know that the wild card is the next best team, and possibly the second best team in the league. Now with two wild cards, you could have two teams better than a division winner playing one game to move on. Yes, you can justify it by saying, "They didn't win their division". But in real life observation, those teams can both be better than a weak division winner. I say make it a 15-team division, and send the top 5 to the postseason.

 

There is no parity in MLB. (See NFL, NBA.)

 

That idea sucks. Even Selig would reject it.

 

It's not the Tigers or Sox fault the rest of their division sucks.

 

 

 

There is no parity in MLB. (See NFL, NBA.)

 

That idea sucks. Even Selig would reject it.

 

It's not the Tigers or Sox fault the rest of their division sucks.

 

Oh I know it'll never happen, because they want teams to finish "First" so they can print t-shirts and have less travel.

 

But let's not kid ourselves--the AL Central is a f***ing joke, and the playoff format is more flawed than ever.

 

And you're just wrong about the parity in baseball. But whatever.

Edited September 2, 201213 yr by flavum

A's are 15-2 the last 17.

 

Oak 76-57

Bal 74-59 -

TB 73-61 1.5

Det 71-61 2.5

LAA 71-63 3.5

A's are 15-2 the last 17.

 

39-15 since July 1. Amazing. And that includes a series loss in KC of course.

Oak 76-57

Bal 74-59 -

TB 73-61 1.5

Sox/Det 72-61 2.0

LAA 71-63 3.5

Edited September 3, 201213 yr by flavum

Oh I know it'll never happen, because they want teams to finish "First" so they can print t-shirts and have less travel.

 

But let's not kid ourselves--the AL Central is a f***ing joke, and the playoff format is more flawed than ever.

 

And you're just wrong about the parity in baseball. But whatever.

 

I see you figured that out. Your idea is very logical and would be great with a shorten regular season but the owners wouldn't buy into it.

 

 

In a MLB model Indianapolis doesn't keep a Peyton Manning for long. Also early draft position doesn't improve a team dramatically. If the Buffalo Bills have a great player, no one says "soon to be a Patriot" but when it comes to baseball it's "soon to be a Yankee".

 

Rays beat the Yankees. Orioles won too.

 

AL East:

 

NY 76-58 -

Bal 75-59 1

TB 74-61 2.5

 

Interesting.

AL Best Record:

 

Texas

NY Yankees -4

Oakland -4

Baltimore -5

 

AL Central:

 

SOX

Detroit -1

 

AL Wild Card:

 

Oakland +1

Baltimore

Tampa Bay -1

Detroit -3

LA Angels -3½

 

9/4 Games:

 

NYY @ TB 7:00

CLE @ DET 7:05

BAL @ TOR 7:07

MIN @ SOX 8:10

TEX @ KC 8:10

LAA @ OAK 10:10

Edited September 5, 201213 yr by HickoryHuskers

135 - Game records (what they did the last 27):

 

Tex 80-55 (17-10)

NY 76-59 (13-14)

Bal 76-59 (19-8)

Oak 76-59 (18-9)

TB 74-61 (18-9)

Sox 73-62 (13-14)

Det 72-63 (14-13)

LAA 72-63 (14-13)

 

Orioles, Rays, and A's really did great the last month.

 

27 left.

AL Best Record:

 

Texas

Baltimore -4

Oakland -4

NY Yankees -4

 

AL Central:

 

SOX

Detroit -1

 

AL Wild Card:

 

Baltimore/NY Yankees

Oakland

Tampa Bay -1½

LA Angels -3½

Detroit -4

 

9/5 Games:

 

MIN @ SOX 2:10

LAA @ OAK 3:35

CLE @ DET 7:05

BAL @ TOR 7:07

NYY @ TB 7:10

TEX @ KC 8:10

Edited September 6, 201213 yr by HickoryHuskers

And just like that, the Angels sweep the unbeatable Athletics in Oakland

Yankees beat the Rays. Orioles lose too. That was fun while it lasted.

Yankees beat the Rays. Orioles lose too. That was fun while it lasted.

 

I can't believe Kuroda moved from the NL West & Dodger Stadium to the AL East and has the exact some numbers.

AL Best Record:

 

Texas

NY Yankees -4

Oakland -5

Baltimore -5

 

AL Central:

 

SOX

Detroit -1

 

AL Wild Card:

 

Oakland

Baltimore

Tampa Bay -1½

LA Angels -2½

Detroit -3

 

9/6 Games:

 

NYY @ BAL 7:05

TEX @ KC 8:10

 

9/7 Games:

 

NYY @ BAL 7:05

TEX @ TB 7:10

KC @ SOX 8:10

DET @ LAA 10:05

OAK @ SEA 10:10

Let's hope that Texas whoops up on KC tonight and exhaust their bullpen.

David Price scratched from Saturday's start with left shoulder soreness.