MLB - 2006 Season! Continued!

[Ming]

Now now guys... play nice

[Stuie]

Ah, once again the Phils are going to take us to the brink and push us in. Hmph.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Damn.. Pedro looked horrible tonight . Not good for the playoffs.

St. Louis won and the Astros are in the 13th Inning against the Pirates... this is exciting stuff

[asleepathewheel]

As a cards fan, I was hoping they would lose one more, thus having 3 8 game losing streaks during a season without falling out of first place, then with 1/2 game lead, win out and beat the giants in the make up. That, I would imagine, would be painful for Astros nation. haha

[Apocalypse]

Astros win again.

[Arrian]

As did the Cardinals, however. Still tight, anything can happen.

The Yankees broke out the full monster lineup last night, with rather predictable results against Baltimore. Bam! Pow! Zoowie! Boom!

Wang pitched ok. He left some pitches up in the 6th and paid for it. Didn't matter last night, but he needs to be better in a week.

Pedro... ouch.

-Arrian

[Ming]

Last night might be the turning point for the Cards... they were down again, it was looking grim... and then in the bottom of the 8th, they pulled it out. If they had lost the game, I'm thinking they probably would have been toast for the year.

Now they have new life, and I don't think Houston can catch them now.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Looking through the stats page at ESPN today for the first time in a bit, I noticed that while the MVPs are up in the air, the Cy Young's seem to be an obvious choice.

In the American League, Johan Santana leads the league with 19 wins (tied with Wang) and in ERA with 2.77. Roy Halladay with 3.19 is next closest in ERA.

In the National League, Brandon Webb (yes, Brandon Webb) is tied for the lead in wins in the NL with 16 (YES, 16 wins is the lead for the NL... absolutely incredible) and in ERA with 2.88. Oswalt is second in ERA with 3.07.

What sticks out, though, is that 16 wins is tied for the lead in NL wins (Webb, Derek Lowe, Carlos Zambrano, and Brad Penny each have 16 wins currently). And there is a very good chance that MLB will NOT have a 20 game winner this year. I don't think that either Santana or Wang are pitching until the playoffs.

[Arrian]

Indeed. Santana has the AL Cy all locked up. He's clearly the best and his only real competition is out with injury. He has 19 wins and *could* pitch again, but will not, AFAIK, to make sure he starts game 1 of the ALDS. Thus, no 20 for him.

Wang just won #19 last night. He's done for the regular season, also set to start game 1 of the ALDS. I have to say, I love Chien-Ming, but Wang v. Santana isn't the greatest matchup ever for the Yanks. Of course, anybody v. Santana is problematic. Gotta hope for vintange "Worm Killer" Wang and the Yanks can run up Johan's pitch count early, maybe scratching out a few runs.

Webb probably should win the Cy in the NL. Dunno if he will. Does Oswalt pitch again? Say he throws a shutout to get the Astos into the playoffs... he could nab it.

-Arrian

p.s. The other guy who worries me on that staff is Bonser (the man's real name is BOOF? Are you kidding me?). The Yanks haven't seen him. He's pretty good. This combination could spell serious trouble.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oswalt, though has 14 wins. He could make it 15, but unless he gets another win, I don't think he takes it. Cy Young voters like wins (or winning percentage and Oswalt has one more loss than Webb).

[Arrian]

They also like "pitched his team into the playoffs" Imran.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Nah... it isn't the MVP award. They are perfectly willing to give the Cy Young to a non-playoff picther. They just like wins, which a lot of times pitchers on playoff teams get.

For example, there is the 2003 Cy Young Awards, won by Eric Gagne of the Dodgers (obviously wins didn't play a part there ) and Roy Halliday of the Toronto Blue Jays. Neither team made the playoffs.

[Arrian]

Oy. Do you ever say "fair point, that"? EVER? Friggin' lawyers.

I grant you all of the above. But he could help his case by pitching a great game (provided he has another start) to get his team into the playoffs. With only 1 less win and a fairly close ERA (a great start would likely drop his ERA to right about 3), he could take it. Not he WILL take it. He COULD take it.

Yeesh.

-Arrian

[Imran Siddiqui]

Eh... I just don't think Oswalt will get it. Perhaps a no-hitter, but aside from that, I think Webb has it fairly locked up.

[OzzyKP]

Just found this: