Thanks for the clarification and correcting me.

For all practical purposes, the National League division races are all but done. The Giants are 7.5 games ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West, while the Reds are 11 ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central & the Nationals are 8.5 ahead of the Braves in the NL East. That being said, we all remember where St. Louis was a year ago at this time.

Chris Carpenter has recovered.

Will start Friday against the Cub.

_________________
1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

So far the Reds are the only team to clinch the playoffs.

Nationals clinched with their win tonight.

_________________

Ok - I DVR'd Was/Dodgers. You just added time on to my life.

Whoops.

Sorry.

_________________

Not at all. That's my problem. On games that I care about I stay off Twitter, the board and the internet in general. You litterally saved me time. I'm hoping the Nats will lose so the Reds can finish with the best record in the majors, but it's probably not that important.

Good foresight . . . Not finishing with a winning record seemed highly improbable when they were 16 games over .500

The Pittsburgh Pirates are now under .500 after being swept by Milwaukee.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-l ... --mlb.html

By Kevin Kaduk

Of all the ways a baseball team can disappoint its fans, it's hard to think of a crueler gut punch than the felonious beating the Pittsburgh Pirates are administering to their loyal supporters right now.

OK, well there's the century-plus of futility that the Chicago Cubs have foisted upon the North Side. But when it comes to a professional troll job, this year's Buccos team can compete with almost any squad in baseball history. Once poised to end a 19-year streak of losing seasons and possibly compete for a playoff spot, the Pirates now look destined to hit losing season no. 20 in the worst way possible.

The worst part is that no Pirates fan is going to disagree with me here. I can feel confident saying that after Thursday's 9-7 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, a defeat that let the Crew leave town with a sweep and dropped the Pirates record to 74-75. It's the first time they've been under .500 since they were 24-25 on May 29. With 13 games to go, do you really think they can go 8-5 to reach the 82 victories necessary to end the ugly 19-year streak?

They're probably not going to do it and even if they do, it'll be hard for Pirates fans to celebrate considering where they once were. The morning of Aug. 8 had them sitting at 63-47, a season-high 16 games over .500 and 3 1/2 games in front of St. Louis for the NL's second wild card spot. They were the resurgent story in baseball with many camps — including this one — figuring the Pirates had more staying power than Oakland and Baltimore.

Since then the Pirates have gone 11-28 with only the Cleveland Indians posting a worse record in that time frame. A wild card spot is now 5 1/2 games away, Andrew McCutchen's bid for his first MVP is effectively over and manager Clint Hurdle sure looks like he could serve as the scapegoat once the season ends. While there are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Pirates future in 2013 and beyond, there's only way to describe this stunning and complete collapse in 2012.

It's an absolute shame. Something you wouldn't wish upon any fanbase

Unreal.

and the indians, who were in first place for decent amount of time early in the year, are going to finish with 90 losses

Eh, I dunno about that. I wouldn't mind seeing the Packers or Yankees going thru that sort of stretch.

_________________

That would be glorious.

_________________

and quite unrealistic


Isnt it enough that the Yankees are in the middle of a 2 year drought?

_________________

Just read a really good piece on the cardinals incredible run last year, a look at the (Reds/Cards') remaining schedule, and an interesting analysis of what the Cards would have to do to win the Central Division title this year.

In short, as of last night, they'd have to win every home and away game on their schedule and (while doing that) hope that the Reds lose all of their games.

Last year's run notwithstanding, that seems like a very tall order.

So what was inevitable for a month happened Saturday. The Reds clinched the NL Central. You can stop the fake cynicism now.

Barring a miraculous Milwaukee comeback, the Cardinals will start tonight's game with a 3-game lead in the WC. Hoping they can hang on!

_________________
-- source

Dude...



...you got this, aight?

I have never saw someone rub in a victory so poorly. The whole fake worry about a collapse was valid about a month ago. Not so much with 10 games left.

_________________

No shit. Celebrate and stick it up my giggy for a bit! Though I guess quoting me in his sig counts for something. Then again, the Reds will not represent the NL in the World Series.

_________________
-- source

The part in bold might make a new sig for someone as well.

_________________

I'm looking forward to the ruining of Atlanta's season 2 years in a row...

_________________
1926-1931-1934-1942-1944-1946-1964-1967-1982-2006-2011

Better hope Medlen isnt pitching.

He's the Parker Lewis of this MLB shit

He's lined up to...Braves shuffled the deck so that he would pitch the WC game and Hudson would pitch games 1 and 5 of the NLDS...

The Braves are off today and I think their magic number for the first NL Wildcard is 2. They host soon-to-be unemployed Ozzie and the bumbling Marlins tomorrow at Turner Field. As for the Cardinals, they're in Houston tonight and lead the Brewers by 2.5 games, while Milwaukee wraps up their series in Washington this eve.

Milwaukee lost today, SHARK. The lead is 3 games for St. Louis.

_________________
-- source

Thanks, Redskingreg. It could be 3.5 for the Cardinals if they win tonight in Houston.

3 run walkoff HR for the A's.

What a season!

In theory the Yankees could drop down to the wild card and then have to play the A's in the play-in game. I think the St. Louis Cardinals are going to send Bud Selig a Christmas card for getting them back in the playoffs.

_________________
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Here is Clay "The Jerk" Buchholz' line from tonight:

1.2 Innings pitched
6 hits
8 earned runs
3 home runs

Way to mail it in, Jerky.

_________________
1923-1927-1928-1932-1936-1937-1938-1939
1941-1943-1947-1949-1950-1951-1952-1953
1956-1958-1961-1962-1977-1978-1996-1998
1999-2000-2009
----------
XXI - XXV - XLII - XLVI

Here is an interesting fact. The third place teams (Devil Rays and Angels) in the American League East and West have more victories than the Detroit Tigers.

_________________
1923-1927-1928-1932-1936-1937-1938-1939
1941-1943-1947-1949-1950-1951-1952-1953
1956-1958-1961-1962-1977-1978-1996-1998
1999-2000-2009
----------
XXI - XXV - XLII - XLVI

Unfortunately for the Rays & Angels, StoneRoses, they won't be going to the MLB Playoffs. In Mike Scioscia's case, the fact Anaheim won't be going to the playoffs could cost him his job as manager, too.