24-07-2005 07:07									#1
	The triumph of mediocrity and the American League Increase Your PM Length

As of 10PM tonight, there are a grand total of three teams in the American League that have a sub-.500 record: Seattle, Kansas City, and Tampa Bay. All of them are at least 10 games below .500.

There are also three teams 10 games above .500: the division leaders of Boston, Chicago, and LA.

That leaves no less that eight teams hovering between .500 and eight games above .500. Eight teams clustered together for the Wild Card, the last among them (Detroit) only 4 games behind the leaders (Minnesota and New York).

What the hell is going on the AL? And exactly how bad will the eventual Wild Card get toasted in the playoffs?

And how can we all sit back and remain calm when the DETROIT TIGERS ARE ONLY FOUR GAMES OUT OF A PLAYOFF SPOT AT THE END OF JULY?!

	24-07-2005 07:09									#2
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I just wish that Roy Halliday was playing. Esteban Loaza and Chris Carpenter all came out of the Blue Jays system, and it's a pleasant surprise to see them still competitive with the rest of the division.

	24-07-2005 10:01									#3
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The Tigers will win their first playoff berth in 18 years not by being a good team, but by dragging the whole league down with them. Absolutely brilliant

I think Detroit infected the league with Detroitness at the All Star game. Its all over now. Trammel's evil plan is working perfectly.

	24-07-2005 10:25									#4
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RED SOX!

	24-07-2005 10:27									#5
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Esteban Loser. Good riddance to that useless *****.

	24-07-2005 11:01									#6
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Well, the Tigers dropped the second game of a doubleheader with the Twins. So they are now a game under .500, and 5 games out of the playoffs.

Which is still totally ****ed up.

	24-07-2005 11:03									#7
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What's more ****ed up is that the Phillies are 4 games out from the division lead, and the Mets 4.5 out... how in the Hell did that happen?

	24-07-2005 11:04									#8
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I don't know.

I'm not a religious man, but I'm not gonna take any chances. I'm going to spend the rest of the night praying to every deity that has ever existed in the minds of human beings to spare me in the coming apocalypse.

	24-07-2005 11:05									#9
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No, I think the apocalyse won't be coming yet. The Nationals are fading fast. There can only one sorry ass team which has a real shot at the playoffs at a time I think .

	24-07-2005 12:30									#10
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they won the all star game.

'nuff said.

	24-07-2005 22:36									#11
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quote: Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui What's more ****ed up is that the Phillies are 4 games out from the division lead, and the Mets 4.5 out... how in the Hell did that happen?

The Nats went on a losing streak that lost them their 5 game lead over Atlanta and their 10 game lead over the Mets. No hitting.

	24-07-2005 22:54									#12
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And everyone predicted that would happen

	24-07-2005 23:05									#13
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Any baseball season includes several streaks, and the Nats have had their share of both winning and losing streaks. So it takes no talent to predict that they will have more.

The key for them is to pull out of their losing streak quickly enough to stay in the race. We shall see. They have strong pitching, which suggests that they will still be somewhere in the hunt come the end of Summer. And they'll have their best hitter back shortly.

	24-07-2005 23:08									#14
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No, Dan. The problem was that they couldn't sustain their luck. They have fewer runs than runs allowed. Their pythagorian record is under .500. They were playing way over their heads.

	24-07-2005 23:14									#15
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After 90 games, the luck has already long been wrung out of the records.

	24-07-2005 23:23									#16
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Nope, that's why they play 162 games rather than 90 .

The Nationals have been extremely lucky. They are now coming back down to Earth. If they are smart they'll get some hitters before the trade deadline so that they aren't giving up more runs than they score.

	24-07-2005 23:27									#17
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The Nationals are being Expoed.

	24-07-2005 23:27									#18
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They play 162 games because they can sell tickets to 162 games and the players can do that many games without undue injury.

	24-07-2005 23:34									#19
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It also tends to minimize luck, as the Nationals have experienced in the first half of the season. They probably will end up at or above .500, but they aren't making the playoffs.

	24-07-2005 23:36									#20
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We shall see. Certainly, you and I don't have any special insight into how they will do.

	24-07-2005 23:40									#21
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American League isn't real ball.

I'll give a **** when they drop the designated hitter rule.

	24-07-2005 23:47									#22
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quote: Originally posted by DanS We shall see. Certainly, you and I don't have any special insight into how they will do.

Yes we shall, but if the Nats don't hit, they won't be going anywhere.

	24-07-2005 23:51									#23
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Well duh, dude.

	24-07-2005 23:52									#24
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Imran, where can you find each team's Pythagorean record?

	25-07-2005 00:08									#25
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quote: Originally posted by DanS Well duh, dude.

Seeing as how they have't been hitting (LAST in the NL in runs, second to last in OPS) and how much faith you have in them, you'd be wise to remember the 'duh'

Guy:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/stand...rder=false&st=2

Look at the last column (ExWL). That's based on the Pythagorian record.

	25-07-2005 00:21									#26
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Hmmm... so the Tigers would still be four out of the playoffs, only trailing the BoSox, as the Blue Jays (!) would be in first in the AL East. Interesting.

	25-07-2005 01:25									#27
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The Blue Jays are a better team than most folks think. They had no hitting for a long part in May and June, and are just starting to get their hitting back.

If they had Halliday, they'd be in contention.

	25-07-2005 01:26									#28
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quote: Good riddance to that useless *****.

Interesting to see how much better the pitchers do when pitching for a real team. Just look at Carpenter now.

	25-07-2005 01:26									#29
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Dude, they are only 5 games out. What do you think 'in contention' means anyway!

	25-07-2005 01:29									#30
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First or second in their division, and not fourth...