jack, you must have missed the post I made about 3 minutes later making it clear I don't actually think southerners are any worse than the rest of us.

Insufficient. Now you have to get down on your knees, beg forgiveness, and confess that all southerners are morally and physically superior to everyone else. (If there were any doubt, Texans are not southerners)

Pete Kozma sounds like he's been popping valium between innings.

Clean out your lockers, dust off the golf clubs, and save a seat for Larry at Hooters, tomahawk-choppers; you're done.

I take it this is your way of saying you didn't want to face the Braves.

Well, gee, SF, I've never actually watched a game before. What an idea.

Tell me if I've missed anything in the chaos.
Conradian Play [ X] (Chipper)
"Come on, this train!" [X]
Dramatic HR, 7th inning or later [ ]
Baserunning Gaffe [ X] (Andrelton Simmons)
Strikeout of Side [ ]
Double Play [X ]
Stolen Base [X ]
Caught Stealing [ ]
Intentional Base on Balls [ ]
Play at the plate [ ]
Replay review [ ]
Umpiring Gaffe that means there will be cries for expanded replay [X ] (AND HOW!)
Umpiring gaffe eliminates a team from postseason [X?] (nobody will ever know what would have happened, but certainly a possibility)
1-2-3-4-5-6 inning [ ] (both ends of an inning are perfect)
"This could be Chipper's last game" [X] (I'll get this out of the way)
Movie Ads: Argo [ ] Wreck-It Ralph [ ] Skyfall [ ] Here Comes the Boom [ ] Cloud Atlas [ ] Lincoln [ ]
Mention of how this year's ALDS and NLDS will be 2-3 format [ ]
Non-Pitcher bunts [ X]
Cardinals bunt with man on second and no outs [ ]
Tomahawk Chop [ X]
Mention of 1996 Olympics [ ]
Game 6 of the 2011 WS flashback during NL game [ ]
Hank Aaron pointed out in crowd [ ]
Bobby Cox reference [X ]
Stan Musial mentioned [ ]
Mark McGwire referenced [ ]
Bad pun made on the name "Medlen" [ ]
Pujols is mentioned [ X]
David Freese picks up where he left off last October [ ]
Image of Brian McCann sitting in dugout [X ]
Dave Duncan mentioned [X ]
Brian McCann gets in the game [X ]
Flashback to Braves' loss in 2011's 162 [ ]
Matheny honors Tony LaRussa, uses 4 or more pitchers in one inning [ ]
Game 6 of the 2011 WS flashback during AL game [ ]
At least one member of Bush family at Rangers game [ ]
Jeff Maier flashback [ ]
Tony Fernandez flashback [ ]
1983 WS flashback [ ]
Cal Ripken actually says something critical from the booth [ ]
Rangers' Antlers-thing []
Flashback to Hamilton's 4-HR night [ ]
Josh Hamilton FA talk [ ]
Jim Thome retrospective [ ]
Orioles' extra inning victory streak mentioned [ ]
Matt Wieters does something good [ ]
Ron Washington goes nuts in the dugout [ ]
Mention of all of the Ex-Rangers with the Orioles [ ]
Michael Young called "great teammate", "classy" etc. [ ]
Orioles bullpen comes into play before Rangers bullpen [ ]
Nolan Ryan is interviewed at any point of the game [ ]
Mention of Japanese media coverage of Yu Darvish [ ]
Yu Darvish's life story recapped for people who only pay attention during playoffs [ ]
Game goes past midnight [ ]
"We're deep in the heart of Texas..." [ ]
Reference to Josh Hamilton's HR Derby performance a few years back [ ]
Reference to the Dallas Cowboys [ ] (Reference to Baltimore Ravens [ ])
Hamilton's error from Game 162 [ ]
Teagarden shows up []
Mention that Mike Maddux is Greg Maddux's brother [ ]

Everybody, next time you attend a game in person (not watching on TV, cuz they won't show all the umpires during a play), watch how the infield fly is called.

I don't think I've ever noticed it being called. I imagine that's because most of the time, when the umpire thinks a ball is easily catchable, it actually gets caught.

It isn't called while the infielder is still running to get under the ball.

He had called for it, but he was still trying to get into position.

I doubt that an infield fly rule that late in the ball's flight with the fielders in those positions has been called in the last 40 years of major league baseball.

The 3-0 gift is one of the most annoying things in baseball.

I was very happy to see Cespedes take a rip on 3-0 in Oakland's Game 162. Single to left!

esseff - I'll just say that Giants announcer Dave Flemming tweeted after the call that he too has seen plenty of infield fly calls done when balls were going to the outfield and players were still getting into position to catch the ball, but never has he seen one called that late.

actually, SoSH, we can dispute that. It says, "when it seems apparent that ... " if you wait until the infielder is under it, it no longer seems apparent. it IS apparent.

That doesn't really counter what I wrote. The rulebook doesn't require the call be made immediately upon the ball being struck, but immediately upon the umpire determining the sitaution calls for an infield fly. It's not the same thing (and again, I'm not saying Holbrook's judgment was correct, only disputing Roger's interpretation of the immediate portion of the rule).

After seeing Kinsler grab that ball, I am sure that there is no way in hell that the Orioles are going to win this.

Dang it Kinsler!

If you can't make the call until the ball is 20 feet from the ground and 50 feet into the outfield, that means that it wasn't ordinary effort. Pretty much by definition.

Nice catch by Kinsler.

Off to bed. Hope i haven't been too irritating tonight. Had a good year.

You're all aces in my book. Except for those of you who are deuces. :)

Heads up!

That Kinsler snag looked nice, sure. But it seems pretty obvious to me that it was an infield fly. So there was really no need for him to catch it. I mean, sure, it was a line drive and there was no one on base. But what does that have to do with anything?

Ah he broke his hand

Reynolds!

Who is the color guy who isn't Smoltz?

You're all aces in my book. Except for those of you who are deuces. :)

... and anybody named "Trey."

Wow. Oh, crud, no runs though, and Saunders is coming out again. (GRABS OXYGEN)

Who is the color guy who isn't Smoltz?

Cal Ripken Junior. Perhaps you've heard of him.

Cal Ripken Junior. Perhaps you've heard of him.

Well, the man who ate Cal Ripken, Jr.

Cal Ripken Junior. Perhaps you've heard of him.

Billy Ripken had a brother?

Billy Ripken had a brother?

I know, shocking.

Cal Ripken Junior. Perhaps you've heard of him.

Ah, the famous frozen hamburger magnate.

Billy Ripken had a brother?

They call him "S### Face."

Just now, Holbrook to reporters: "When I said Motte, they thought I said Infield Fly Rule."

Phew. This game is going to kill me.

#703- sorry, didn't mean to be insulting. Just meant to concentrate on umpires' mechanics rather than ball and fielders to see if it isn't pretty much called the same way. I do and normally see the umpires waiting a fair amount of time to make the call, though not necessarily this long.

extra inning streak mentioned [x]

And here comes Saunders again. (GRABS OXYGEN)

(And thanks JJ)

Oh god, here it comes.

That looked pretty Conradian.

Every inning Texas doesn't score multiple runs feels like a victory for Saunders.

Joe Saunders is vicious!

Every inning Texas doesn't score multiple runs feels like a victory for Saunders.

The later the Orioles have this game tied or are in the lead while Saunders is still in, the better their chances. Maybe. I don't know anymore. Everything crazy. Orioles in postseason, Infield Flies being called in the outfield....

Back. Had some goat curry.

So.... did I miss anything?

Back. Had some goat curry.

So.... did I miss anything?

Oh, nothing much, only mass hysteria.

I like Ripken as an analyst. First time I've heard him.

Of all the great hitters the Indians had in the mid-to-late 90s, Thome always scared me the most (as a Red Sox fan).

Uh oh, here comes Saunders again. (REACHES FOR OXYGEN)

Okay, another reason they put the word "immediately" in the infield fly rule is to restrict it to obvious cases. This was clearly not obvious. I am not letting go on this one.

No chance to get him, but really nice throw to third.

Oh god, here it comes. Here comes Napoli to bust this open.

More importantly, Michael Young for MVP.

Cal seems to have quite the mancrush for Soto.

OK, I just got home and turned the game on. Why is Soto playing? Is Napoli suffering from a water-borne parasite? Is Napoli DHing? I thought they had lots of potential DHs. Hey! he just GIDP.

MLB has denied the protest because they are gutless pussies. Which is a shame because it wouldve been awesome tO watch.

Cal seems to have quite the mancrush for Soto.

That's why I have "Cal actually says something critical" on the checklist. He certainly is knowledgeable, but he seems to be "too nice" and too much with an eye for a possible future in the game to really be mean to anybody.

OK, I just got home and turned the game on. Why is Soto playing? Is Napoli suffering from a water-borne parasite? Is Napoli DHing? I thought they had lots of potential DHs. Hey! he just GIDP.

They're going with an 8-righty lineup. The other possible DH's/1Bmen are all LHH.

They're going with an 8-righty lineup. The other possible DH's/1Bmen are all LHH.

Do the Rangers have a 3rd catcher on their roster, or is their choice if Soto comes up against a righty reliever letting him bat or losing the DH?

Okay, here comes more Saunders. (GRABS OXYGEN)

OK, I just got home and turned the game on. Why is Soto playing?

Darvish has had success with Soto catching.

The Orioles' radio broadcast uses The Replacements' "I Will Dare" as lead-in music...

2-3 mentioned.

Everytime a runner reaches base, I have to wonder what the hell Buck Showalter is doing.

This is vintage Joe Saunders.

The Orioles need to score. Soon. Saunders isn't going to keep the Rangers from the big-fly forever.

The Orioles' radio broadcast uses The Replacement's "I Will Dare" as lead-in music...

I wanted to make a Luis Polonia joke, but apparently he was arrested before he was an Oriole.

"We're Comin' Out" might be a better song given the the umpiring today.

My God, the Orioles need someone in the bullpen now. Saunders looks as bad as a pitcher can possibly look while giving up just 1 run in 5 innings. I would not let him start the 6th inning. He cannot keep getting bailed out like this much longer.

That JJ Hardy hit fell really dead instead of bouncing to the RF. Or maybe I'm just confused.

The Orioles need to score.

Maybe Saunders isn't the SP that needs to be removed.

I thought it was just Cruz doing his normal splendid job of taking routes to balls.

Okay, but a one-run lead isn't enough with Saunders in.

Small Oriole Ball Magic Continues.

They need six umpires to allow the interpreter out?

If we've learned anything today, it's that six umpires aren't enough to adequately do anything.

I would have thought all of the translator rules would have been figured out a long time before this.

Derek Holland is warming up. Wonder if Darvish will be done after this inning....

I rarely notice a player's number, but it looks very odd for a pitcher to be wearing #11.

Does BB-ref agree? Maybe.

The Orioles only have a one-run lead and Saunders is still in. (GRABS OXYGEN)

What a pitch for strike three.

Buck . . .

Ex-Rangers [X]

I rarely notice a player's number, but it looks very odd for a pitcher to be wearing #11.

Darvish wore #11 his entire career in Japan. Masaichi Kaneda, the winningest pitcher in NPB history, wore four numbers in his career, but #11 was one of them.

Well you gotta tip your cap to Joe Saunders for somehow surviving that.

At least Gamingboy doesn't have to keep reaching for the oxygen.

Oh, thank god, Saunders is leaving with a lead somehow. But... THE RANGERS STILL ARE ONLY DOWN BY ONE! (GRABS OXYGEN)

It's O'Day O'Clock.

Hell of a performance, Joe!! Now, let's see if the bullpen saved some magic for the postseason.

does josh owe a bookie?

my gosh has he looked awful the last few days

I'd like to point out post 76:

"The last time I expected "Above Average" Joe Saunders to get shelled, he threw 5 2/3 innings of perfect baseball and finished with 6 1/3 innings and no runs allowed"

I was only off by 2 outs.

I second Harvey's question about Hamilton. Every time I've seen him recently, he's looked awful, like "get him to an eye doctor" bad.

Wow, there ARE seven former Rangers on this Oriole team. That really tells you what a grab bag this team is. I don't know if the Rangers have seven players who've played for a team other than the Rangers.

Are there any former Orioles on the Ranger team? Yes, Uehara.

Okay, as good as the Orioles bullpen is, they still desperately need more runs. One bad pitch and the game is tied as it stands now, and there are plenty of Rangers who can take advantage of one bad pitch.

I want the Yankees to have the toughest road to the WS possible, but I also want the Orioles to keep on winning.

So conflicted.

I second Harvey's question about Hamilton. Every time I've seen him recently, he's looked awful, like "get him to an eye doctor" bad.

Jarrod Parker made him look pretty terrible, but Parker was having a darn good day.

I'm a Cards fan.

It was an awful call.

The people throwing bottles are hoosiers.

Cards were still the overwhelming favorites even if the correct call was made.

The David Ross HR call was also infuriating to Cards fans and it made a much bigger impact.

I want the Yankees to have the toughest road to the WS possible, but I also want the Orioles to keep on winning.

O's played the Yankees as tough as anyone in baseball this year.

Yeah, but they're the O's. The Rangers are better at almost every spot on the roster.

For a team that would be deemed unbelievably disappointing if they don't make it to the ALCS, the Rangers are starting a lot of people with sub-.320 OBPs in this game. Plus Josh Hamilton who has been dead for three months.

Yu Darvish is out of the game. He pitched well other than a few pitches.

Just got back in from Turner Field. Interesting times.

The Rangers are better at almost every spot on their roster.

On the other hand, the Rangers are managed by Ron Washington.

Just got back in from Turner Field. Interesting times.

Did you throw anything? Did anybody hit you with thrown objects? Spill.

In the early days of uniform numbers, it was traditional to give the starting position players the number corresponding to their batting order position (thus Ruth getting #3 & Gehrig #4) and the pitchers got #'s 11 thru whatever. Carl Hubbell, being the Giants' #1 starter, got #11.

Thus begins the yearly ritual of Washington overmanaging.

Holland continues a bad day for Honkbal.

Team. Of. Destiny.