Phillies 5, Braves 3

Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies – Box Score – September 21, 2010 – ESPN.

Well, that’s just lovely. The clearly out-of-gas Mike Minor only went 2 1/3 — and was lucky to get that far — and when it looked like the Braves might make a game of it, the bullpen finally cracked, Mike Dunn giving up his first two runs at just about the worst time.

Minor somehow got through the first two innings without allowing a run, despite allowing two baserunners in each, but with one out in the third allowed a three-run homer to Jayson Werth. After he gave up a double to Raul Ibanez to finally get chased. Cristhian Martinez got out of a big jam — an intentional walk followed by a Martin Prado error — by striking out the next two, and he and Kyle Farnsworth kept the game reachable as the Braves tried to claw back.

Alex Gonzalez doubled leading off the fifth and went to third on a Rick Ankiel single, scoring on a fielder’s choice grounder by Eric Hinske, but that was it for the fifth. Prado singled leading off the sixth, and Brian McCann followed with a double. Derrek Lee‘s flyout scored Prado, but Brian got himself thrown out trying to go to third, and that killed that threat.

Dunn got the first two in the sixth, but after a walk and a single allowed a two-run double to Ibanez to give the Phillies needed breathing room. Freddie Freeman‘s first homer, with two out in the seventh, made it 5-3. The Braves got the leadoff man on in both the eighth and ninth, but Jason Heyward was erased on a McCann GIDP, and Lee just stood there while the next three went quietly. Season on life support.

97 thoughts on “Phillies 5, Braves 3”

  5. The difference between the Braves and Phillies now is immense. I never had any sense the Braves would win this game. Minor never had a chance. Braves are running on fumes. Hanson probably has a better chance tomorrow but I am not overly optimistic. But the Rockies are behind 3-0.

  6. Yeah, it’s weird. Something has happened to the Braves over the past month, and to the Phillies during that span as well, that left me feeling like the Braves were lucky just to be in the game at all.

    Or maybe it was just the pitching matchup.

  9. Freeman had better start tommorrow. How could he possibly be any worse than Derek “Forrest Gump’s Back Pitied Me” Lee? I mean I know he hit a grand slam the other day but he’d need the final two weeks to recover from that swing.

  11. In 2001 the Phillies collapsed in September while a team with more than twice their payroll–the Braves–took the division. Sometimes baseball is funny like that.

    Right now the Braves just need to right the ship and get into the postseason. Just because they’re surrendering the division doesn’t mean the wild card is out of reach. The Rockies are down by three while both the Padres and Giants are tied. The Wild Card is very doable, especially as those teams will start playing each other soon.

  13. I realize how lopsided the pitching matchups were the past two nights, but the Braves are just not playing sound baseball. The atrocious defense, the baserunning blunders, the endless string of GIDPs. How in the hell does Mike Minor not know he’s supposed to bunt?

  15. #9 – what? Lee is probably the hottest hitter on the team right now. He’s had 4 straight multi hit games. In sept .298/.394/.474/.868….I dont think Freddie would be able to do much more

  16. Yeah, right on Adam for pointing out Lee’s stats. i’m thinking, what is this guy ‘DownEaster JC’ talking about? Lee is heating up!

    This road trip, i feel like Lee is getting his shit back and it won’t be long (ie, after we stop facing super-aces every game) before he starts winning games with his bat (oh yeah, he actually already did on sunday).

    Y’all need to chill out. Mac, you too – ‘season on life support’, calm down, it’s ok. I know Braves fans aren’t really familiar with it, but there’s this thing called the wild card now. It’s ok that the Phillies look a lot better than us right now. They are really good, remember? We still pending these night games, have the second-best record in the NL.

    We have 10 games left, and we just have to be better than those NL west teams. Then we can get into the tournament, and maybe draw a first round series with the Reds. Not ideal, and yeah we wouldnt have home field advantage, but what the hell? We can enjoy the ride. Maybe we get past em and then who knows. Is it the Phillies again in the NLCS? OK, well maybe we are on a roll then and we take ’em? I mean, both of these games have been 2-run, close contests. If we’ve got Hudson against them, and the Good Lowe, and Prado and Infante on hot streaks?

    I mean, the season is seriously not on life support. We just need to offer Tommy Hanson our support, and see if we can’t go into the nation’s capital 4-2 on the road trip with a chance to really start a streak.

    Just sayin’,
    Troy

  19. I used to hear the birds’ song, a sweet concerto of chirps in the meager verdure of the metropolis. I used to see shining faces lit by human generosity, every moment a private miracle. I used to believe in the limitlessness of the human spirit and the unending possibility of the American experiment. I used to live, and love.

    Now I am a bittered husk of a man, bereft of mirth and blind to hope. For me there is nothing: no color, no light, no joy, no future, nothing but the banal horror of the present.

    I really hope we don’t get swept tomorrow.

  20. The season is not on life support. Our chances of taking the wild card are good. I’m honestly starting to get disappointed in how pessimistic people are about this team. This team is 20 games over .500. Everybody needs to chill. When we have people saying we’re on life support while two games up in the wild card, when all of those teams play each other a lot down the stretch, it’s getting ridiculous. We just swept the Mets and have just lost two games to a superior team, on the road, with the front of their rotation facing the back of ours. Oh my God, the horror!

  21. And by the way, unless we play like total crap the rest of the way and get in by everyone else playing like total crap (and really even then), we will not be “sneaking in” to the playoffs. We will absolutely deserve it.

  23. My heart wants to believe . . . but my head says, “Uh-uh.” The Braves will be swept tomorrow–I’ve seen nothing from them in this series to make me expect otherwise–then they have to go to Washington, where they traditionally play like crap. Then home for the Marlins (who are playing well right now and are usually tough on the Braves) and the Phillies, who will swagger into the ATL after manhandling their “rivals” this week. Even if the Padres (who are winning comfortably tonight) and the Rockies struggle, if the Braves struggle too, it won’t make any difference. They will be up in the WC by the thinnest of margins after play ends tonight. Oh, and Jair Jurjjens might be on the shelf for the rest of the season.

    What is there to feel optimistic about, exactly? “Season on life support” sounds about right to me. And I would add: call in the priest.

  24. These last two games have felt like watching a March Madness game were it’s a 2 versus a 15.

    And we ain’t the 2.

  25. Season on life support, really ? Quite frankly, I’m surprised the first two games have been as close as they have been. Had a shot to tie or win the game the last two nights when the Braves have gotten into the bullpen, that’s really I think all anybody could ask for the first two games.

    Tommy needs to eat up some innings, the bullpen has to get somewhat of a breather tomorrow.

    To put things in perspective on how big of an underdog the Braves were tonight, the Braves were +206 underdogs compared to Joe Saunders and the home DBacks (+123) against de La Rosa and the Rox.

    The Phillies scored their runs off of a rookie making his eighth major league start who is so clearly out of gas that he shouldn’t make another start this season, and the fourth (4th!) best lefty in the bullpen.

  26. Given the mound matchups, no, the last 2 games didn’t feel like fair fights.

    Let’s get a win tomorrow & beat up on the Nats. Say, 3 of the next 4.

    FWIW, D. Lee was 6 for 13 (with a coupla walks) in the Mets series, too.

  27. We just swept the Mets, who are better than the Nationals and about the same as the Marlins. We should win those series. And there’s not a whole lot of reason to believe we won’t, frankly. You many think there is, but then you think the Braves are a complete mess that is going to lose the majority of the rest of their games. Us totally collapsing and winning two games the rest of the way is not a likely scenario, and unless we win almost no games the rest of the way, the Padres and Rockies struggling means we’re pretty much guaranteed to be in the playoffs. I hate to burst your bubble, but we’re not a freaking sub .500, no hope team. I think maybe you should start listening to your heart over your head more often…it appears that your heart is the more logical instrument, in your case.

    The overwhelming negativity about the Braves right now (not just here…but pretty much everywhere) is stupid, and if the Braves make the playoffs (and they likely will), it will probably result in about 10,000 empty seats, because everyone will be convinced they have no chance in a series against whoever. And if that happens, I will be so pissed off, I won’t be able to see straight. Support your freaking baseball team. Stop wallowing in self-pity after every freaking loss in a game you predicted we didn’t have a chance to win, anyway. I realize a lot of it is as a result of the general meme of this site, which is why it took ’til now for me to get really pissed off by it, but a lot of it is not. Purported fans of the Braves actually think they are going to lose series to the Nationals and Marlins next week. They believe this to their very bones. And it pisses me off. Traffic on this site (or at least comments) has seemed to be going down markedly recently. People are actually giving up on this team when they are currently holding a playoff spot. The absurdity of this cannot be understated.

  29. I think we’re all over-reacting a little bit. Let’s be honest, the Braves as a team aren’t playing well right now, but this is typical for any baseball team to have stretches like this…while at the same time the Phillies are on fire. The Braves are still the likely Wild Card winner…if the Phillies have clinched the division by the last home series, then you would think that they would be resting their starters by then. Also, those are home games.

    We just started 2 pitchers who at most were considered emergency call-up starters 2 months ago, against 2 of the best starters in the league. Neither of these guys would be on the putative playoff roster. (Kawakami should have replaced Medlen instead of Minor, but that’s another story.)

    If we were to meet the Phillies in the NLCS, we’d be starting Hudson, Hanson, and Lowe/Jurrjens and obviously I think we’d have a better chance. Hell, how many times did the Braves have an obviously inferior postseason opponent and lose?

  30. I agree with basically everything Nick said. Are people honestly comparing losing a division lead to a RED HOT Phillies team to what the Mets did? We just lost to the best LHP in the NL and one of the top 5 pitchers in MLB overall. We sent out an emergency starter essentially from AAA and a slightly-less-emergency starter who’s only here as an injury replacement. These results were neither disasterous nor shocking. Hell, the Braves were in both of the games! If the hits get strung together a bit differently, a couple of line drives don’t go right at Werth or Ibanez, we might’ve won vs. Halladay! Getting swept tomorrow would really suck, but Hanson vs. Oswalt’s a better matchup, and I’m encouraged by what I’ve seen so far. Oh, and Derek Lee is finally hitting. Do you know how awesome it’ll be to have a 1B who hits???

    It’s been rough lately, but the Braves still lead in the wild card, and once you make the playoffs, anything can happen. I’m focusing on the WC and making the playoffs. After all, QQing about the division isn’t going to help.

  31. Purported fans of the Braves actually think they are going to lose series to the Nationals and Marlins next week

    We just lost a series to the Nationals and before that the Pirates. Everything is in play, there are no sure things.

    As far as the negativity…the Phillies blew buy us, then the Giants, now the Rockies are drafting us and looking like they are next. Starting pitchers are dropping like flies. What exactly is there to be positive about?

  32. Good comments.

    Regarding the playoffs… anything can happen in a short series.

    Let’s get them tomorrow. Go braves!

  33. San Francisco “blew by us”? Check the standings. They’re behind us. ESPN playoff qualifying percentages to the minute: PHI and CIN 100%, ATL 79%, SF 67%, SD 44%, and COL 10%.

    Tons of pessimism. The Mets could use more fans. Check ’em out.

  35. I expected the Braves would lose the first two games based on the match-ups so that softened the blow for me personally. It’s the fact that they’re playing such sloppy baseball that sticks in my craw. We’re dropping balls all over the place. Minor not bunting and the slowest man in baseball trying to advance to third on a fly to center are profoundly stupid plays. I would rather the Phillies beat us fair and square 10-2 than lose 5-3 in a game where we gave up baserunners and allowed more than one 4-out inning. Losing and not knowing how to win are two separate things.

    That said, let’s turn this around and win 7 of our next 10.

  36. I’d like to echo the comments of some others and say I’m pretty happy with Bobby’s bullpen management the last 2 series. My one beef was not pinch-hitting for Beachy in the 4th with a RISP, but the 2 runs allowed the following inning weren’t really Beachy’s fault. Otherwise, I’ve been pleased, especially with him having the quick hook on Minor before letting it getting out of hand. That was a big reason it was 5-3 with a chance to win instead of the 10-3 score it felt like. Nothing about this recent stretch has been Bobby’s fault.

  37. San Francisco “blew by us”? Check the standings. They’re behind us.

    My apologies. Check back tomorrow.

  38. The Phillies are better than the Braves in hitting, fielding and starting pitching. The Braves might have a slightly better pen. Is it negativity to state the obvious? Sure, the Braves might make it to the playoffs as a WC, but the Phillies are a much better team, period.

  39. The Phillies have done the fundamentals well and rolled out two aces against our #6 and #7 pitches and still we’ve had shots to tie the games late.

    I think the work our bullpen has shown they can do against the lineup shows that they aren’t the unstoppable force people would have you believe.

    It’s never as good as it seems when we’re winning and it’s never as bad as it seems when we’re losing. This is just the latter being in effect. In short, calm down, people, it’s not anywhere near time to panic yet.

  41. Negative attitudes suck. I don’t think it’s necessary to gloss over the Braves’ weaknesses and it seems obvious that the Phillies are a better team, but if you honestly think the Braves aren’t going to make the playoffs right now, then it wouldn’t bother me if you were banned from this blog. You can self-ban. Try it. It would make me a little happier. I mean, I’m not expecting posts about how Heyward shits rainbows or Freeman will cure cancer in coming years, but damn. In fact, let’s make it official: I am calling for Farnsworth to bean some of the folks on this blog. I won’t call you out by name, but if you’re afraid to step in against Professor Farnsworth, then some self-reflection may be in order.

  43. Can’t make the errors we are making against the best team in the NL and expect to win. A friend has let me watch the games using his mlb.tv. Egads, what was McCann thinking?

    Anyone else out there thinking Minor is the answer at 4th starter? There is still hope for him but last night he was going all Kyle Davies on us. Need Tommy to be a stopper tonight.

  44. We sent two rookies out against Halladay and a resurgent Hamels and lost, in Philly… NOT exactly a surprising outcome, and as we were in both games I’m not too depressed about our chances in a series against them if we were sending out Hudson, Hanson, JJ, Lowe to the mound instead of the guys we already sent.

    I actually think the tactical aspect of sending out the rookies against their aces MAY not have been a bad idea as that leaves our better pitches matching up against the lesser teams which should give us the WINS we need to hang on for the wild card instead of just giving us a chance to catch the Phils, but risk losing both WC & East chances in two series. Pit Hudson against Phils in Philly and you’ve then only got him once in the FL/Nats series, and no guarantee you’re going to overcome Hamels/Halladay… this way he gets to (hypothetically) easy wins for us against Fish and Nats, AND he’s available to go in that final series against the Phils in Turner field right?

    I can’t say I’m maintaining much real optimism here with a one game lead and 10 games to play (and with the Pads having 12 to go). The only thing not making it crushing despair that we’re DOOOOOMED is that the three other WC potential teams aren’t playing significantly better than we are. You can put me in the “not confident we’re going to take the WC, but not confident we’re going to lose it either” camp.

  46. The Prado sure looks like he could use a rest. “Running” out that first double play in the first game reminded me of the posts saying that he’s got ice packs on his knees after each game. He’s not Troy Glaus, but baseball is all about the legs. If you can’t trust your back leg, you can’t throw, you can’t drive the ball, and you can’t get out of the box.

  47. @ 18
    “Losers play for Wild Cards”

    In that case, a lot of “losers” have played in and won the World Series.

  48. @41

    Thanks for not calling me out by name.

    Yeah, I tend to over-react to the Braves’ tough losses during playoff pushes. But (in response to post 27) that’s a measure of my caring (i.e., “supporting”) too much–more than an adult male with a career, a family, and other interests should.

    But it’s all good. If I turn out to be wrong about this team’s postseason chances, I’ll stand in for a good beaning. It’s the least I can do for my team.

  49. Mark,

    Don’t sweat it, man. I didn’t have you in mind. I appreciate that fans care. I’ve found September pretty frustrating, too. The Braves are still in this thing, though. I think we should all remember that.

    Pitch well, Tommy.

  50. “Losers play for wild cards.”

    You mean like the Florida Marlins in 1997 and 2003? Or do you mean like the Boston Red Sox in 2004? Or perhaps the Houston Astros in 2005 or Colorado Rockies in 2007. All of these teams either won or went to the World Series.

    As bleak as things look, they might not be as dire as they appear. First, the Braves lost two games started by a rookie up from double A and a back of the rotation rookie who is out of gas against the best lefthander in the NL and the probably Cy Young winner. If the Braves win today (a big if admittedly) and win even one game in Washington, they would have a 5-4 road trip and likely still have a good shot at the wild card. Second, we only have to beat out two of the teams in the West so it doesn’t matter if, say the Giants get hot and put the division away. The Padres and Rockies are both struggling to some extent, although the Dodgers playing like they’re getting the divorce doesn’t help.

    The Braves obviously aren’t playing well, but many of the problems-such as the poor defense-they have had all year. Right now the Phillies are the best team in baseball and even at that, the Braves have held them down pretty well other than Werth’s home run.

    And, as others have pointed out, this is no collapse. The Braves are 9-11 in September; not good, but not Padre-like either. In many years, they would still have been able to hang on; unfortunately, the Phillies are playing at a superhuman level and, let’s face it, are a lot better team. Compare the two lineups; even without Jimmy Rollins (who I think is overrated anyway), the Phillies are much better.

  52. “Those teams were hot going into the playoffs. We are not.”

    True, but look at the 2006 Cardinals, who, although a division winner, almost blew a big lead and were helped into the playoffs by the Braves knocking off Houston. They won the World Series. For that matter, as I recall, San Diego in 1998 struggled in September but knocked off a much superior Braves team and went to the World Series.

    I’m not suggesting that’s going to happen with the Braves, but the point is, baseball is a game of streaks and you can’t really predict when teams will get hot or cold. For example, is it possible the Phillies are peaking too soon? No one can keep up their pace. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility that the Phillies hit a slump at playoff time. I’m not predicting it, just saying it’s a possibility. How many times did the Braves look like the best team entering the playoffs and lose?

  53. We would have 2 to 3 more wins at least if we weren’t playing the worst defense in baseball after the AS break. It’s interesting that Manuel was asked why the Phillies are playing so much better and he said the main reason was strong defense. I still think we win the WC, but if our defense doesn’t heal itself very quickly (not likely at this point), we won’t make it far in the playoffs.

  54. In 1998, San Diego went 9-15 in September and beat a 102 win team (Houston) with Randy Johnson and a 106 win team (Braves) in the playoffs (although they lost to a 114 win Yankee team in the World Series.

    I agree about the poor defense. I’m just astonished at the plays the Braves fail to make like the foul from Howard that McLouth botched last night. This team not only has limited range but don’t seem to have good hands. That’s one of the things that needs to be fixed for next year, but I’m not sure how they do it.

  55. I wouldnt necessarily call McLouth missing that one a botched play. Farnsworth throw to 1st, Infante’s throw to 2nd, Prado booting a DP grounder, Bmac making an awful throw that Lee bailed him out on, Bmac missing the strike that hit his glove, those are botched plays

  56. It would actually help us in the last weekend series with the Phils if they had clinched the division, as they would likely rest 2 of the top 3 pitchers to set up the playoff rotation (say start hamels on Friday night, then Blanton, then whoever on Sunday, giving Doc and Oswalt rest for a Tues/wed playoff starts.)

    Even if we lose tonight, if we take 2/3 in DC, 2/3 from Fla. and 2/3 in the season ending series, when Philly may only be playing out the string and we’re desperate to get Bobby one last playoff, then the pad would have to go 9-3 to pass us, and Col would have to run the table to tie.

    So, we’re not in terrible shape. We could be better obviously, but what do you expect from a gassed Minor and beachy? (Aside – I thought Beachy did a good job considering everything going on.)

  57. Also, in 1998, the Phillies were third, 31 games behind the Braves. Ah, the good old days. Sigh!

  62. The Braves lack speed, power, and defense. Other than that, they are a perfect team. They just don’t have very good defensive players at key positions; McCann is mediocre, Prado is ok but nothing special, and CF is sort of a wasteland. I think, despite the early mistakes he made, AAG has been good defensively and he is certainly better than the other positions.

    The Braves may well be the worst of the teams in contention for a playoff spot.

  67. sure, here is his quotes.

    BOBBY COX

    “We came right back against a real tough pitcher and a tough bullpen right now. We had a chance to win it. We just … we only got 2-1/3 innings out of our starter, and it’s hard to work around that. We held them except for that one inning, which is saying something against their club and the way they can hit. We need a well-pitched game tomorrow, for sure.”

    On McCann’s baserunning gaffe

    “He thought he could make it. That’s on his own. You don’t coach that.”

    On Minor, was he supposed to bunt?

    “Yeah, he was. For some reason he missed the sign. I have no clue [why].”

    On Minor’s pitching

    “He struggled in the first, second and the third. He struggled every inning.”

  68. The same people who are looking at the pas two games and claiming it was good we were even in it are delusional. This team is sucking wind. We have a losing record in the month against mostly bottom feeder teams. We aren’t beating the aces or the clowns of the pitching world. We got our asses handed to us by guys with ERAs over 7. This is a trend, not an anomaly created by unfavorable match-ups.

    In short, doomed.

  69. “The Braves lack speed, power, and defense. Other than that, they are a perfect team.”

    Sarcasm aside, this would suffice as good analysis in Bristol.

  73. #71 – id send the Lisp out there. Minor really needs to be shut down, he’s done. Im getting Jo Jo Reyes flashbacks with him and thats too much to handle

  75. “Sarcasm aside, this would suffice as good analysis in Bristol.”

    Can you tell me what’s inaccurate in my analysis? I’m not saying the Braves are a terrible team. They are a good team, primarily due to their pitching and, for most of the year, their high OBP, but they have significant flaws that they managed to overcome for most of the year. Power–which they expected to have–can compensate for some flaws. So can speed (to a lesser extent) and excellent defense. Unfortunately, the Braves are deficient in these areas, which I think should be fairly obvious.

    I make this point to emphasize what a good job Bobby Cox has done, not to denigrate the team.

  76. The Phillies have spent upwards of $60 million more than the Braves. That might have something to do with them being better.

  79. At this point in the season, I like to look at the standings and see if the Braves at least have a shot at making the playoffs. If the team is within a game or two of the Wild Card, I’ll be pretty excited.

  80. Also, when you look at the Wild Card lead, keep in mind that the Giants and Padres play each other three more times, and one team has to lose at least two of those. We actually have, at worst, a 1.5 game lead, since we’re a half game up on the Giants, and the worst case in that series is the team ahead in the standings losing.

  81. In Defense of Mike Minor: Not to pick on CSG individually, but to pick on CSG and Peter Hjort (who made a similar comment at CAC) collectively, the “Minor = Jojo 2.0” rhetoric infuriates me. Minor has mightily impressed in his first full season of pro ball, had outstanding peripherals through his first several games in the majors including some actual good results, and now happens to be pitching like someone with an arm more tired than he’s ever experienced, which makes tons of sense given that, again, it’s his first full season of pro ball. The man has exceeded all expectations this season, but now that he’s struggling in a situation that he shouldn’t have been asked to be in, he’s some kind of bust? Feel free to revisit the comparison if he’s issuing 5BB in 2.33 innings in May next year like the actual Jojo was so prone to do (hyperbole acknowledged), but for now realize that he was a major BABIP victim in his first few starts (the non-exhausted ones) and last night he had the privilege of being a Jeff Kellogg/really unfortunate defense victim. Yes he should be shut down because he looks absolutely gassed, but reports of his demise are greatly exaggerated.

  82. Pete, I was being sarcastic with that comparison. I, in no way shape or form, think Minor is the same as Jo Jo Reyes. I think the Braves are doing more harm than good right now with him. Minor said 4 starts ago that he couldnt feel his arm and that it felt tired. The braves should’ve shut him down then. Minor with tired arm, being gassed, is still better, IMO, than JoJO being fresh.

  84. Apologies CSG. I’ve developed something of a man-crush on Minor, and I feel an irrational need to defend him against threats real and imagined. I think it’s his kind face that so attracts me, but it could be his gentle eyes.

  87. I’m at least happy that we had meaningful baseball this summer. We could be the Mets. God, everything about that organization just sucks.

  90. Oh, umm, yeah. I guess I said too much… Anyway, strawman-beating acknowledged, Minor is not Jojo. Both had decent (fantastic in Minor’s case) minor league numbers, but over their first ~10 starts Jojo proved to be cut of AAAA cloth even while having good BABIP luck (6+ ERA with ~.290 BABIP and a negative K/BB ratio), while Minor looks like a pro, other than an ERA that’s clearly been inflated by bad luck (witness his ~.370 BABIP and his first start in which bloop singles were the order of the day) and exhaustion (witness his public comments, his lost velocity, and his career-high workload).

  91. JoeyT makes a great point about the Giants and Padres finishing the season against each other. Colorado losing last night was a big help putting them two behind us in the loss column.

  92. Is it disappointing to not be playing well in September? Of course. However it’s still fun to be figting for a playoff spot on Sept. 22. I got so tired of turning the focus to football in Sept. 2006-2009. I miss the playoffs. And the idea that we might get swept in the first round, so what’s the point is dumb. It’s always better to be playing baseball in October.

  93. Dix… he might have a man-crush on him if he likes the way he paints the corners… it might be a man crush if he likes the movement on his curveball… but if he likes his gentle eyes? It’s just a crush. (and do you REALIZE how difficult it is to come up with a baseball skill that could be man-crushed without it sounding like a euphemism?)

  96. BFed,

    I know there’s a new post but I’m not going to ruin that with a continuation of this discussion. However, this does remind me of the epic thread from a while back in which we sought to discover all baseball terms that work as sexual euphemisms. That was the best. Maybe I’ll hijack a future thread like that again.

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