People just can't accept that they're a dogshit, 82 win team that finished 3 standard deviations above where they should've. Even these vaunted bullpen guys basically suck. Brian Matsusz? Really?

I mean it's baseball and dice roll in a short series, etc etc, but if I wanted to watch the finest in near average big league talent, i could go to a Piates game.

Yeah, that was really embarassing when they punched the ####### texas rangers in the mouth and sent them back to hell where they belong.

"When you leverage-adjust every play, the Yankees have now been the luckiest ####### team in baseball this year."

That's emotion talking dude. As are your comments about Jeter, a first ballot Hall of Famer. It's amazing what the Orioles have done. But THEY are the luckiest team in baseball.

Were Mota and Phillips in the Expos organisation at the same time? I think so.

Overheard: Martin hasn't smashed something that pretty since Alyssa Milano.

HAH! The Orioles chased Fatty McTubbybutt from the game. Take that, Yankees!!11!!11

Andy, sometimes you just get really lucky. Come on, man, you've watched a lot of baseball, you're telling me these relievers have good stuff?

It's the ALABAMA HAMMER.

NAIL IT DOWN.

Did someone just talk #### based on the outcome of a one game playoff? Really?

Did the Orioles end up outscoring their opponents on the season?

Dusty's sending up pinch-hitters to save further Giants' embarrassment.

When you're the ALABAMA HAMMER ... EVERYONE LOOKS LIKE A NAIL.

Give Arroyo a big ballpark and a lineup that only has a couple of dangerous lefties, with the Reds defense, he can work wonders.

Were Mota and Phillips in the Expos organisation at the same time? I think so.

Almost parallel times, too. 1999 through 2002, although Mota had a number of stints bouncing between organizations back then.

Aubrey Huff pinch-hitting for Blanco? But...what if this game goes extra innings??? They'll miss his defense.

#902,

Yes, of course. It's a game thread, so don't expect my finest work.

All of that dink-and-dunk didn't matter, anyways. The game was over when Martin homered.

Even though Los Gigantes are losing 9-0 going to the top 9th inning, I'm getting one of my last few chances to enjoy Jon Miller calling a game for this season.

When baseball is over this season I'm just going to stare out the window and wait for Spring.

Andy, sometimes you just get really lucky. Come on, man, you've watched a lot of baseball, you're telling me these relievers have good stuff?

Don't ask me, ask all those hitters they've been shutting down all year. You don't succeed like they have on smoke and mirrors and expanded strike zones.

Did the Orioles end up outscoring their opponents on the season?

Barely. But in the second half they easily outscored their opponents, and in September they did so by 153 to 103. At this point I'm trying to figure out whether you're just playing an irritated Pythagorean scholar or if you just had some big money on the O's tonight and are understandably p.o.'d that they collapsed in the ninth.

The game was over when Martin homered.

Being that this is BTF, there probably aren't too many Yankee fans here, but of the ones I know, I don't know a single one of them who'd rather see anyone play the hero role more than Russell Martin. That guy has to be the most valuable .211 hitter who's ever worn God's pinstriped pajamas.

Replacing your 2-4 guys is pretty bold in a postseason game, even if you're up by 9

Sandoval keeps Giants' hopes alive!

Runner to 3b on a wild pitch. The Giants' refuse to give in!

They might even score a run here. Wouldn't that be something?

The last strike?

'This one belongs to the Reds', as Marty Brennaman puts it. Gosh, did it ever.

Nothing like padding one's post count in the last inning of such a game, though.

Meh.

Being that this is BTF, there probably aren't too many Yankee fans here, but of the ones I know, I don't know a single one of them who'd rather see anyone play the hero role more than Russell Martin. That guy has to be the most valuable .211 hitter who's ever worn God's pinstriped pajamas.

I don't know, there seem to be quite a few Yankee fans.

More to your point though I agree on Martin. It's probably selective memory but man he seems to get a LOT of big hits for this team. It seems that every time I'm watching Yankee highlights if it's a close game you get the announcer doing the ol' "and here's Martin, he's 0 for 4 and has looked completely inept...THERE'S A LONG FLY BALL..." routine.

i know wpa isn't regarded positively but wouldn't it act as a crude instrument for assessing martin's 'clutchness'?

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4616&position=C

Anyone else find the MLB TV guys grating in the A's/Tigers game yesterday? The main play-by-play guy would be very calm and collected, and then just about anything meaningful would happen and he exploded in screaming. Crisp's misplay: SANTA MARIA! Reddick's HR: "a long fly ball and IT IS A HOME RUN OH MY GOODNESS" or something. I get being excited, especially during a tie game. There's tension. But in Game 2 of a five-game ALDS series? I don't get it.

Being that this is BTF, there probably aren't too many Yankee fans here, but of the ones I know, I don't know a single one of them who'd rather see anyone play the hero role more than Russell Martin. That guy has to be the most valuable .211 hitter who's ever worn God's pinstriped pajamas.

I don't know, there seem to be quite a few Yankee fans.

Well, in absolute terms there are a fair number, but in most cases on BTF they get overwhelmed by what's left of the tattered remains of Red Sox Nation and by Yankee haters in general.

Not that there's anything wrong with that, mind you. Those people are marginally human and have a provisional right to exist as God's Goofs, though they're probably not going to find their afterlives too appealing.

More to your point though I agree on Martin. It's probably selective memory but man he seems to get a LOT of big hits for this team. It seems that every time I'm watching Yankee highlights if it's a close game you get the announcer doing the ol' "and here's Martin, he's 0 for 4 and has looked completely inept...THERE'S A LONG FLY BALL..." routine.

Harvey's links show that Martin's slightly below average, but man, he sure picks the right spots to come through. Walkoff against the Mets, a walkoff in that Oakland game where Soriano blew the save, and that shot last night just when it looked as if the Yanks were about to enter the Inner Circle of Hell known as extra innings against the Orioles. Add to this the fact that the expectation level isn't very high for a .211 hitting defensive mainstay, add further his overall blue collar aura, and it's all the more reason that his highlights are so easily remembered and cherished.

Anyone else find the MLB TV guys grating in the A's/Tigers game yesterday? The main play-by-play guy would be very calm and collected, and then just about anything meaningful would happen and he exploded in screaming. Crisp's misplay: SANTA MARIA! Reddick's HR: "a long fly ball and IT IS A HOME RUN OH MY GOODNESS" or something. I get being excited, especially during a tie game. There's tension. But in Game 2 of a five-game ALDS series? I don't get it.

Matt Vasgersian was the play by play guy. I wasn't familiar with his play by play work prior to the game but I liked him a lot. I thought he was appropriately enthusiastic without overwhelming the moment. If you go back to the early part of this thread we talked about him a fair bit and I think most folks liked his work.

Also liked the Matt-Kitty combination a lot.

Harvey's links show that Martin's slightly below average

Harvey's link shows that Martin had a positive WPA on the year despite a negative WPA/LI, and did the same thing last year. Which would indicate that his good performance has been slightly weighted toward more important situations, which is what people were saying.

So is there going to be a new Division Series Day three Omnichatter thread, or will we just continue to use this one?