Running baseball thread part VIII

Need is an interesting word....

I previously stipulated that for every win after 18, I would spend an additional week away from here.

 

The Braves' starting rotation after Smoltz and Hudson still includes Chuck James, Buddy Carlyle and JoJoReyes. The fat solb Wickman is still the closer.
As a Mets fans, I remain unconcerned about the Braves' ability to win the NL East.

 

Wouldn't be too shocked to see the Braves swing a post-waiver deal for Matt Morris. The Pirates clearly don't intend to keep him on the payroll for long.

And Wickman will remain the closer only until his next blown save, at which point Dotel gets the job.

Still, the Mets are the team to beat, particularly if Pedro has anything in the tank.

 

Matt Morris? Ooh, that's the guy who going to decide the N.L. East race.

That said, the reason the Mets won't win the division is Willie Randolph and his fucking mismanagement of the goddamn bullpen.

 

I'm not saying Morris is the difference-maker, but he certainly would be an upgrade as their No. 4 or 5 starter (and maybe No. 3 if James doesn't prove he can go deeper than the fifth inning).

 

You mean the Chuck James who went 7-1 in his last 10 starts last year? The Chuck James whose ERA had gone down in four straight starts before last night (a game he won)? And do you mean the Buddy Carlyle who has decreased his ERA down to 4.25 after being at 6.11 on June 20 (when he allowed seven runs to the Red Sox)? The Buddy Carlyle who has won three of his last four starts?

I'll give you Wickman and Reyes, but underestimate Chuck James and Buddy Carlyle at your own risk.

 

HB....Willie learned from the best, Joe Torre.

I'm amazed the Yankees actually traded away a bullpen arm......I was sure they'd acquire one or two arms for the bullpen, even Mariano thought they needed bullpen help. as a Sox fan I like it.

 

National League pitchers must be the biggest pussies since the Vichy Police Softball Team lost to the Hitler Youth Team in 1943, Barry Bonds is 13th on the active hit by a pitch list. Why he isn't drilled in his Iron Man costume is a testament to lack of balls by major league pitchers.

 

With apologies to spnited and HB, I must reiterate, the Mets will lose this division due to that bullpen of theirs. And while I'm not necessarily in love with Willie Randolph, what else could he have done last night. He used the arms at his disposal and they sucked.

 

The battle of futility between the Mets' bullpen — which aside from the 10th, was seemingly was in trouble from the 7th inning or so onward — and the inability for the Brewers to cash in on its baserunners was the most farcical immovable object vs. irresistible force battle ever joined.

 

What's a young prospect to do? The Braves have cut Julio Franco.

 

And thank you for those three runs, Oliver Perez.