caulfield12

Whether you’re overweight, have a gambling problem or haven’t won a baseball game in 12 attempts, this piece of advice applies: “You didn’t get in trouble in one day. You ain’t gettin’ out of trouble in one day, either.” This bit of wisdom was given to me by the Pittsburgh Pirates’ manager, Clint Hurdle. Hurdle’s point was that you can’t rush the process — the longest journey begins with one step. The Royals took a step Wednesday night. They will have to take another Thursday afternoon. Thinking big, wanting things to happen right now often brings disaster. The game of baseball requires you to play it one pitch, one inning, one game at a time. The Royals have a long way back to respectability, but ya gotta start somewhere. Know you know I’m sitting on my couch, feeling the pressure build as the game goes along. I’m hoping Royals starter Luke Hochevar holds it together. I’m nervous about the possibility of the Royals going into the bottom of the ninth inning with only a two-run lead and Jonathan Broxton coming out of the bullpen. Sound familiar? And we’re only sitting on our couches in the comfort of our living rooms. The players are the ones who have to perform in the clutch. So how does a clutch performer get it done? I was lucky enough to take batting practice once a week with George Brett the winter before he retired from baseball. (The pitching machine kept clogging. George had me stand at the other end of the batting tunnel and unclog it.) I asked George a thousand questions that winter, and one of them was, “How did you perform so well in the clutch?” “Because some people can’t forget that the tying run is on second, it’s the bottom of the ninth and it’s the World Series,” he told me “When I’m going good, I can.” Was there ever a moment in Wednesday night’s game that you weren’t aware that the Royals were trying to end a long losing streak? That’s why he’s George Brett, and you’re not. When your mind is on matters that don’t affect the situation at hand, bad things happen. Read more here: http://royals.kansascity.com/games/362/#storylink=cpy

Only found this for three-way ties...maybe this will give some clarity, or not Three-way tie for the division or wildcardIf the three teams have identical records against each other in the regular season, the office of the commissioner conducts a draw with the teams designated as teams A, B, and C. First, team A plays team B with team A as the home team. The following day, the winner of the that game plays team C with team C as the away team. The winner of the game on the second day advances to the playoffs. The team designations are determined as follows: If the teams do not have identical records against one another, and one team has a best record against both other teams, and another team has a winning record against the final team, the first team shall get the first pick of their team designation, the second team gets the second pick, and the last team is assigned the remaining designation. If one team has a better record against both of the other teams, and the two other teams have the same record against each other, then the first team would get the first pick for team designation, and the other teams would draw lots. The winner of the draw would get the second pick, and the loser of the draw would be assigned the remaining designation. If two teams have the same record against each other, and both have a better record than the last team, then the first two teams draw lots, with the winner choosing their designation first, the loser of the draw picking their designation second and the final team being assigned the remaining designation. If each team has a winning record against one other team in the three team group, and a losing record against the other team in the three team group, the priority for choosing designations shall be chosen based on overall winning percentage within the three team group, any ties in winning percentage within the three team group will be broken by drawing lots. "Mixed" three-way tie The situation may arise that two teams from the same division are tied for the division championship, but they are also tied with another team from a different division, with that team not having the best record in their division, but having a better record than all of the other non-division winners. In this case the two teams in the same division play a one game playoff, with the winner declared the division champion. The loser of the first game earns the #2 wildcard slot, and travels to the stadium of the team outside their division for the Wild Card Showdown.

THOME AGE 35=42 AGE 36=35 AGE 37=34 AGE 38=23 AGE 39=25 AGE 40=15 Paulie's 36 now. The evidence from this trendline would seem to suggest we should ride out his current contract and cut ties after that. Arguably, at age 38, he's going to be a season or season and a half from 500 homers, and pretty much automatic enshrinement in the HoF if he can produce three more years of 30+ homers and 100+ RBI's and a .280-.310 average. But all of these extrapolations are BIG IF's at this point.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-leag....m3xPA9KiE5nYcB It's too soon to talk about another Konerko contract extension or 500 homers. So many things could change between now and then. Eventually, his age and degenerative hips have to turn against him sometime, don't they? Is he really going to be one of the most anomalous statistical figures in baseball history, like Omar Vizquel or Julio Franco or Jamie Moyer?

Nope, 7-6 Boston escapes unscathed with a 9 inning game. All the damage was done in that one inning, mostly against Buchholz. The Red Sox could actually pass us in the standings this weekend if they swept the 4 games, amazingly enough.

If Reed can keep his fastball in the 95-97 range, I think he's okay. If he's 93 or 94, unless he has pinpoint control, it's more questionable. The last time he pitched in SEA, he was dominant, but that's SEA and OAK we're talking about, not the Tiggers, Yankees or Rangers, or even the Red Sox. His slider is supposed to be his bread and butter pitch, but it has been hit and miss so far this year. Sometimes it looks good, other times it's not there, like Gavin's curveball or Peavy's slider/cutter.

Ummmm....this is the same team that's currently in first place in the AL Central. Should Detroit also send half of its roster to the minors? If not, then they're either underachieving or we're overachieving, based on expectations....which one is it? Detroit just lost a game to the Mariners at home, a team we just swept on the road. And McGrad, if half of our roster was in the minor leagues, then you'd only be b****ing/moaning/whining complaining about the minor leaguers who replaced them, right? Beckham, Morel, Viciedo, Escobar, Stewart and Santiago, you can argue they should be in the minors, sure. Same with Flowers and Lillibridge, I guess, if you want to push the case. They would be replaced by Tyler Kuhn, Dallas McPherson, Dan Johnson, Jordan Danks/Conor Jackson, Dylan Axelrod/Terry Doyle and Eric Stults/Brian Bruney. That's the team you'd prefer to see out on the field against the RED SOX, REALLY?

QUOTE (Cerbaho-WG @ Apr 25, 2012 -> 10:20 PM) It's clear as day that Reed should be the closer. If you've given up 4 HR in 6.1 IP your ass should be in the minors. It's a f***ing joke that Santiago is the closer. So you blame that on KW or Ventura?

Included with the two White Sox Cubans are Monsieurs Morel and Beckham. Of course, I'm guessing the Angels might want to trade their inane Pujols deal for Cespedes, too.

Brandon Allen sighting for the Rays. Walked to load the bases, still 0 for 7 on the year MR. Pujols, 0/3, BB, down to .222 average

Player A/B/C/D 0.191 average (235 at-bats), 9 2B, 3 HR's, 13 RBI's, 2 SB Salary (combined) $8.6 million Player A 0.273 average (66 at-bats), 3 2B, 5 HR, 18 RBI's, 4 SB's Salary $6.5 million

http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?s...chraaa_gwiaaa_1 Charlotte out in front 7-0, homers from Conor Jackson and Golson BIRM OFF http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?s...potafa_wswafa_1 W-S with a huge win, 14-0, 3rd homer for Trayce Thompson...Miggy Gonzalez with 3/4, 5 RBI's, Blanke with two doubles, Buch and relievers combine for a 2 hitter with 12 K's http://www.milb.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?s...kanafx_augafx_1 Kannapolis, Pangilanan with a double, K. Smith 2/4, K.Walker 1/3, Ravelo 0/2 with BB/RBI

Boston all over the Twins again. Not sure who's worse off, will go with the Royals for now. Boston up 6-1 already in the 3rd.

And the funny thing is that at least 3 of those hits in that inning were on screwballs or offspeed pitches. That stupid ball by Reddick drops and the whole inning falls apart. Otherwise, it's a solo homer and we've won the game but still lingering questions about Santiago's homers surrendered count. After all this craziness, somehow we'll still be heading home in a tie for first place...but 11-7 would have been much nicer after the way the trip started out. (So we go 1-2 to 5-2, then lose 4/5, win 4 in row and lose 2 consecutively). At least we're proving to be consistent in putting together streaks. If we lose tmrw, Peavy will get to stop a losing streak for the fourth time this season and keep us over .500 yet again. That is, if the Royals don't blow another game. They had a 4-0 lead in CLE and the Indians had a chance to tie it at 4-4 in the bottom of the 7th but they stranded the tying runners at 2nd and 3rd. Still two more innings for the Royals' losing streak to continue, though.

QUOTE (winninguglyin83 @ Apr 25, 2012 -> 07:12 PM) Reed. that's four bombs Santiago has given up in 6 1/3 innings. He's blown two two-run leads. time to spot him to build his confidence back. Reed has better stuff -- and better results. make the move Robin. and while you're at, sit Morel. But sit Morel for who? Lillibridge? Escobar? Kuhn? McPherson? This will get Balta all riled up, again. None of those guys are long-term solutions at the hot corner, either.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 25, 2012 -> 06:06 PM) we were in "win now" mode last year and this year's team is better. Besides how does signing Gonzalez do ANYTHING detrimental to this team's future? As soon as you see McPherson/Lillibridge at 3B, Lillibridge/Kuhn at 2B and Fukudome playing everyday instead of Viciedo....then you can start talking about Mike Gonzalez. Otherwise, they're going to stick with the plan. The only alteration to it might be sending Santiago down to the minors as a starter again. But that still gives them two lefties in the pen, they don't necessarily have to carry 3. P.S. Not only did Balta jinx the win by calling us out, he singlehandedly brought Hosmer and Alex Gordon to life, too. So, of course, when we do play the Royals, they'll look nothing like the current team that just lost 12 in a row.

Or Linebrink/Dotel in more recent years. No thanks. Sometimes veterans make the worst closers. I'd probably go with Reed and pray, because if he flops...well, then you have Jones, lol. Then Crain, then Thornton. Long season.

QUOTE (Marty34 @ Apr 25, 2012 -> 06:57 PM) Think they'll kick the tires on Mike Gonzalez after today? NOPE. We're not in "win now" mode. Rebuilding year. He's not going to be a part of any future with the Sox...why bother?

Feel sorry for Paulie that his homer will get lost a little bit in how the game ended, on the road, etc.

At least we're contributing to Cespedes' All-Star numbers. You'd have to say there's about a 90% chance he's the selection for Oakland. Feel sorry for Kansas City...about the worst possible year for them to host it with how their season has started. The only way it could possibly have ended up in a worse fashion for the White Sox would have been if Manny Ramirez was on the active roster and he hit the walkoff right after Cespedes tied it.

QUOTE (kjshoe04 @ Apr 25, 2012 -> 06:37 PM) Really? You think pulling a rookie is going to ruin the clubhouse. I think it's worse if he doesn't. Matt Thornton should be closing. It has to be Addison Reed.

Santiago to the minors and we keep watching Beckham, Morel and Viciedo fail? Okay. But Santiago should be tried as a starter, anyway. That will be the FLIGHT FROM HELL coming back home, though. And the Red Sox will be coming in with a 3 game streak...we win four in a row, twice now, give it right back. Once again, the perfect game or no hitter ends up having a bounceback effect on the team.

We picked the wrong Cuban and the wrong closer, lol. If we weren't stuck with those Peavy/Rios/Dunn contracts, we could have had a legit run at Cespedes at least.

Thanks to Balta for jinxing the win, lol.

Sure, it doesn't matter if we win this game at all. No biggie. Send Santiago to the minors to work as a starter. Reed promoted to closer, etc. It's funny though how we're already throwing Santiago under the bus and Morel and Beckham get years to prove themselves. We criticized Santiago for getting beat on the fastball and 3 of the hits this inning are "waiting in the weeds" offspeed pitches for hits.