CC is my favorite Yankee.

Don't you mean "pants pissed"? Wheeeeeeeee.

Reacting to every game must be exhausting. What's their winning % since the break? Over 60, isn't it?

It is exhausting, I wish I was normal but this is who I am.

It'll be fine, bro. Accept this pat on the back from 60 miles away.

I hope so. This is excrutiating.

I made the comment earlier about this being a remarkably boring season, within the context of playoff-bound seasons.

The reason I say that is highlighted by how I feel after last night's game:

1) I don't think this 2017 team is that good. The 2017 AL is unusual, in that the only five teams with a positive run differential are...the five playoff teams. (The Angels are close, and could still move to the positive side of the ledger with a good last two games.) There are an unusual number of mediocre teams in the league this year - a lot of teams that will end up with 70-something wins. And even the 5th playoff team, Minnesota, will end up with only about 85 wins. There are two really good teams, CLE and HOU, and NYY are probably better than BOS at this point, too. They've outscored BOS this year by a comfortable margin, and they are playing very well.

2) The stakes of this final week aren't that high, certainly not compared to most of my lifetime of being a baseball fan. When MLB decided to move to the current format, they made a trade off, and I'm not criticizing it. Basically, they traded the less-frequent, but extremely intense, drama of the sprint at the end of a marathon (like the 1978 BOS-NYY, 1991 ATL-SF, etc.) that left more teams out of the drama; and in exchange, they have more teams that have a chance every year of experiencing some late-season drama, though with lower stakes.

In 2017, if the Yankees and Red Sox were fighting for a "win the division or go home" stakes, I'd have been hanging on every pitch last night, today, and maybe tomorrow, too. It would be appointment viewing. But Minnesota fans would have long turned their focus to the Vikings or something.

Instead, I check the score once an hour while running family errands, because the best case for me (Red Sox fan) is that we are the #3 seed, starting next week in a best of five, probably at Houston. My worst case scenario is that I have to win a home game against Minnesota in order to start a best-of-five on the road, probably at Houston. (If we lose the division, it's because Houston swept us, so they have a good shot at the #1 seed. If we win the division, it's probably because Houston lost enough to end up the #2 seed. So, whatever, on the playoff matchup.)

I get that the odds of winning the World Series - which is what it is about for Boston fans, at this point - are better if we win the division this weekend. However, the chances of beating (probably) Houston and Cleveland on the road, then either LA or Washington, are really low. In a situation like that, you just want to make the tournament, and we'll see what happens.

I am happy Minnesota fans get to experience the playoffs, and that makes it worth Boston or NYY fans getting less drama in 2017 (or whoever else in other years). But it is a trade off.

I am happy Minnesota fans get to experience the playoffs, and that makes it worth Boston or NYY fans getting less drama in 2017 (or whoever else in other years).

Still time for plenty of drama - just need a little cooperation from the Red Sox and there could be a Game 163. Who wouldn't want that?

They aren't cooperating.

It's over.

55 degrees, raining, Houston down 5 and counting. No comeback today, sorry.

95. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick Posted: September 30, 2017 at 07:39 AM (#5541959)
I was pissed tonight but right now I'm strangely confident that tomorrow is the day. I liked that they rallied today. I think Saturday is the day.

It sure as hell should be, given that Lance McCullers hasn't even had one of those watered down "quality starts" since June 8th, and when you look at his game logs, you have to wonder why he's even pitching today with the Astros still in the mix for the best AL record. It's almost as if they'd rather play the Red Sox in the DS.

As Nostradamus weeps......

It's over.

Smite him, Baseball Gods! Smite him!

Well, the good parts of the bullpen are well-rested as there's been little need for them recently. *eyeroll*

And that is that. See ya in the playoffs.

Congrats to the Red Sox. They deserved it.

WOOOOOOOOO!

My GF is a New Englander, so after that Mets season, I finally have a reason to actually pay attention to the playoffs.

Boston Britches Bathed and Besodden: with Bubbly!

Smite him, Baseball Gods! Smite him!

Ha, I missed this.

If baseball gods existed you'd have to relive 1967 every year.