What A September This Should be

[RJ]

My Tigers pulled out the second game last night with a two out three run homer -- with Mariano Rivera on the bench, I guess because he threw a dozen or so pitches in the afternoon game. Couldn't figure that one out. No way, do we have the division in hand. There are clearly three teams fighting for two spots. Boston is done. We have a lead, but not enough quality hitting for me to be comfortable that we win the division, or even make the playoffs. Seems like most of our wins came from this type of dramatics. We just don't have the big RBI/MVP type guys, or if we do they are not producing regularly. Seems like the bottom third of our lineup drives in as many runs as the middle third, and we are paying Ordonyez a huge salary of around $15 Million to bat clean-up. As with you guys, very few of our players have any playoff experience, or even experience of being in a pennant race this late. I hope we have enough pitching to make it thru, but too often we lose when our staff gives up four or less. Just can't do that. We only gave the Yankees five runs in the doubleheader and had to have a miracle finish to split.

It's gonna be fun. I'm hoping for Tigers-Twins finishing one-two. In that order, of course.

[genegodawa]

RJ,

Yes indeed, it is setting up to be quite a finish. I'll take your prediciton on one-two in the standings.

And as to the bottom third producing, I think that is great to be so balanced.

I also for the most part disagree with all that "experience" talk that gets thrown around. The only impact I can see is that inexperienced players may not be as used to the hype/press which I suppose puts more pressure on them, but that is all off-the-field stuff.

[Spinner1]

Should be good RJ. I'm really hoping nobody backs into the playoffs. (i.e. I don't want to see the division winner play a .450 stretch run and the also rans .300)

[friendlyfisher]

With the resent state of our pitching staff, Chicago should be embarassed that they have not run away with the wild card. Now that liriano is going to pitch again and we are still in the race, I think we have a 55% chance of winning it. Chicago likes to fold like a cheap suit under this kind of pressure. friendly

[8-Ball]

Did I miss something? I have not heard that Liriano is for sure coming back into the starting rotation.

[basssmasher*]

timetable for Liriano is a couple of weeks yet with a minor league start mixed in there

[friendlyfisher]

I never said he would be in the starting rotation. But I do believe he will. If the twins are in the hunt still when he strts pitching, they will have no choice but to put him in. They swore that garza would not pitch in the big leagues this year untill we really really needed him, then they said, "we think he is ready and can handle it". They will do what they can to win this year. friendly