NL East schedule favors the Phils. Mets have a nightmare couple of weeks ahead of them.
Meanwhile, the Yankees have made blowing 9th inning leads a fine art this year, and it happened again last night in Iowa. If they had won even half those games, they'd be leading the division!
born next door to yankee stadium so long time fan. im enjoying their resurgence this month but even with all the winning i find it impossible to stay tuned for even a full inning anymore. just takes s o l o n g and is s o s l o w. easiest solution would be for umpires to not grant so many timeouts for hitters to adjust their pads and pitchers to step off mound. and relief pitchers should only be allowed few warm up throws from the mound. pitching changes kill pace of the game and typical game has half dozen pitchers now.
Last night the Dodgers and Padres had one of the most unusual games ever. A nail biter for 15 innings. The Dodgers actually pitched a no hitter from innings 7-13. Guys run down between the 3rd and Home. Home run balls that fly out of the outfielder's mitts. Every batter seemed to get a 3-2 count. More men intentionally walked than any other game in history. The use of an INTENTIONAL balk! Then a breakthrough and the other team comes back. Both teams playing really well but with also a lot of weird plays and some luck. One of the most bizarre games I have ever seen.
Dodgers the hottest team in baseball right now. They are doing it with the long ball, great starting pitching, and an improving bull pin which I believe is due to the great starting pitching. But they are not really hitting that well. Most runs of late are home runs with no one on base. But they are coming from behind in late innings which is always a good sign. Its going to be a fight to the end to see who gets the pennant between the Dodgers and the Giants. Both have a 100% chance of making the playoffs.
As a Cubs fan, I usually avoid this thread like the plague because I have suffered through year, after year, after year....., of the Cubs losing. However, for a brief shining moment today, the Cubs played like they should. For only the second time ever in MLB, there were three grand slams in a single game (2 Cubs 1 Pirates). And before anyone brings up the errors, insane number of walks, and countless other Cubs failings today, just remember that we never sold a World Series, unlike that “other Chicago baseball team.”
John, until Covid, four of us (3 Phils fans, One Cubbie booster) made an annual pilgrimage to Wrigley for the Phils-Cubs series. We had 11 years in a row, sometimes late April sitting through sleet and a 34 degree wind, sometimes July baking our buns off, but we never had more fun. Took the EL to the game, had great seats in same section every year with Angelo the host. And man, did we see some bad baseball. Last series we saw was when Schwarber hit the "R" in the Budweiser sign to win the game.
My Dad took me to my first Baseball game. It was Wrigley Field. My Dad was a huge Cubs fan. I was probably 5. What I remember the most is walking into the stands for the first time and seeing the greenest grass I had ever seen, topped off with Ivy walls. I've been back many times but that first one still sticks with me. Wrigley is the most unique stadium in baseball. And you can imagine someone playing there in 1910. When we moved to Arizona we would go to see the Cubs play in Scottsdale in Spring Training. Once a Cubs fan, always a Cubs fan.
Well, there go the Yankees. After winning 13 in a row, they've returned to their prior form, losing 7 of the last 9. As before, either the hitting or the pitching (or both) doesn't show up; today it was both as the Blue Jays (who are still a factor) beat them 8-0. Fortunately for them, the Red Sox are also tending to stub their toes, as they did today, blowing a big lead to the Rays and losing in extras. I doubt if anyone is going to catch the Rays for the division title.
Meanwhile Rays draw around 7,000 at home on a good night. Phils bomb Brewers 12-0. Bad day for Uecker.
Putting a team in TB was a real head scratcher. If the Yankees didn't play in AL East, the Rays would probably never draw! [emoji2] T
Meanwhile, in the City of Brotherly Love, Phils blow their 30th save opportunity. 30. Leads the majors (they earned that distinction last year as well).
