Octavio, we could sure use a save. Here's a 2-run lead.

Whoops!

None of the 7:00 games seem to be worth following. There is Baltimore/Boston, but with the Red Sox at a 99.8% chance of making the playoffs...also, Philly/Florida have no chance, really, at the wildcard, so I guess I have to do "something other than baseball" from 7 to 10.

And the Yankees clinched today with their 7-3 win, in case anyone didn't know.

Rob, I was going to say it more along these lines:

Yankees Clinch Playoff Spot
26-Time Champs In Line For Another Crown

26-time Champs in Line for a First Round Exit

... would seem to be more like it

Robert, honestly, until recently I would have agreed with you. But right now ... even after yesterday, the massively unlikely 1-2 punch of Orlando Hernandez and Jon Lieber have me thinking "just get it to Quantrill and Gordon, and we're headed to Wrigley ..."

Not really a playoff note, but Jeff Francis had the following line this afternoon in Coors against Arizona:

(W 3-2) - 6 IP, 7 H, 1 Run, 1 ER, 0 W, 8 K, 25 BFP, 99 pitches

The commentators noted that Francis wasn't a hard thrower and so needs to change speeds and locate exceptionally well. It's very likely he will start next year in AAA.

Hasn't Quantrill pretty much sucked since July, though?

Q in August:

7.2 IP, 2H 2R, 1ER, 1BB, 2K, 1,17 ERA

He has anti-sucked, actually.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?statsId=4894&type=pitching&year=2004
Hm, what?

ESPN has him at 16 IP, 23H, 13 R, 3BB, 4K, 6.19 ERA

RL's numbers are correct.

Quantrill post all-star:

35 games, 35.1 IP, 56 hits, 28 Runs (26 ER), 4 HR, 7 W (1 IW), 11 K

Quantrill's ERAs by month:

April - 2.70
May - 5.51
June - 1.04
July - 3.44
August - 6.19
September - 10.00

As I recall, he hurt his knee in Japan, in the very first game of the year. And he's pitched 82 times anyway. That was probably not wise...

Q pitched a scoreless 9th today (his first scoreless outing since 3 September.)

So if today's standings hold up, the playoffs would start like this:

Oakland at New York
Boston at Minnesota

NY and Boston should be able to set up their rotations anyway they want. So can the Twins, unless they decide they want to fight it out with Oakland for the privilege of HF against Boston. But these aren't your 1987 Twins - this is a good teamaway from the Dome.

Twins payroll this year: $ 53.8 million (19th overall, just behind Oakland)

Highest paid player: Brad Radke $ 10.75 million

And the NL is too close to talk about. What happens if the Cubs and Giants tie for the WC? A one-game playoff? Coin toss for home field?

If there's a tie there'd be a one game playoff.

I heard in one of the broadcasts yesterday that Giants GM Brian Sabean has won the coin tosses for all potential one-game playoffs.

Coach,

what do you think of the idea of the Jays focusing on talent from the BC area much in the same way the Braves focus on talent from the Georgia area?

what do you think of the idea of the Jays focusing on talent from the BC area much in the same way the Braves focus on talent from the Georgia area

Well, nobody asked me, but I think it's a lousy idea. B.C. has produced one good big-league player in all of history. If the Jays are going to scout high-school-age players, I'd rather they scout warm-weather places anyway, rather than cold-weather places. Florida, Texas and California are always the best place to start, and have the added advantage of being close to the best college talent as well. Two birds with one stone, which is important when resources are tight.

Scouting extensively in Canada is not really a good use of resources.

1 good player?

Rich Harden, Justin Morneau, Jason Bay, Jeff Francis... clearly a trend is developing.

San Francisco, behind Jason Schmidt, is poised to sweep the Astros. They have a 3-0 lead in the top of the 7th.

Los Angeles sprinted out to a 7-0 lead, but the Padres have cut it to 7-4 in the 5th. This is a virtual must win for the Padres.

The Phillies edged the Marlins in extra innings to sweep the Marlins wildcard hopes away. With the Cubs' sweep of the Pirates, both NL East clubs are all but eliminated.

The Braves mounted a comeback in the 9th but fell a run short. It would have been a division clinching victory: their magic number is 1.

As I write, Klesko tries to score on a 2-out single but is easily cut down. It remains 7-4 Dodgers.

The Red Sox mounted a 9th inning rally, but David Ortiz (who was the winning run) hit a fly just shy of the rightfield warning track for the final out. B.J. Ryan with the save for the O's.

The Cardinals became the first team to reach 100 wins this season with a win over the Brewers. Interestingly, every Cardinals club that has won 100 or more has made it to the World Series. Only one of those lost in the Fall Classic: the 1985 version.

The Angels have the night off, but must be happy with the Athletics losing. Both the Rangers and Angels sit 2 games back of Oakland with 10 games to play. The most compelling finish to the pennant race should be the AL West.

The great thing is that all remaining games are intradivisional. The Seattle are poised to be uber-spoliers: they have 6 games left against Texas and 4 against Oakland.

The full schedule:

Anaheim (vs Oakland 3, at Texas 4, at Oakland 3)
Texas (vs Seattle 3, vs Anaheim 4, at Seattle 3)
Oakland (at Anaheim 3, vs Seattle 4, vs Anaheim 3)

After scratching out singletons in the 7th and 8th, Houston, on the strength of Lance Berkman's towering flyball to right have taken the lead. The three run shot makes it 5-3 Houston, none out in the top of the 9th.

Cora and Izturis turn a beautiful DP to blank the Padres in the 7th. Still 7-4 Dodgers and it's nearly Gagne time.

Three singles (with a failed sac bunt mixed in) and a perfect suicide squeeze nets the Astros 2 more runs, making it 7-3.

In San Diego, Gagne is in the start the bottom of the 8th.

After scratching out singletons in the 7th and 8th, Houston, on the strength of Lance Berkman's towering flyball to right have taken the lead.

You neglected to mention that Dustin Hermanson threw his next pitch at Jeff Kent's posterior, netting him an ejection.

A note for all those in Red Sox Nation:

Boston is 5-5 in their last 10 games after going 30-10 starting on August 1st.
Derek Lowe is 0-2 w/ a 8.31 ERA (12 ER in 13 innings) in his last 3 starts.
Tim Wakefield is 0-3 w/ a 9.45 ERA (21 ER in 20 innings) over his last 4 starts
Pedro Martinez is 0-2 w/ a 8.18 ERA (10 ER in 11 innings) over his last 2 starts

Combined these 3 pitchers are 0-7 w/ a 8.80 ERA (43 ER in 44 innings )in their last 9 starts

That's awful news, Kevin. I hate to hear that. Do you think Pedro will rebond in time to go 27-4 in pinstripes next season?

I don't want to see Pedro in pinstripes - I'd much rather see him end his career in Tampa or Detroit....

As a die hard BoSox fan, if Pedro signs with Yankees, I'll end his career with a tire iron, that's what I'll do!

My assasins failed miserably when Rocket demanded trade to hated Yankees, but this time I'll take things in my own hand.