Wow wow wow... and it gets better... Papelbon blows it. If the Rays win after being down 7-0 late... just wow...
UNF'NGBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never seen something like this... insane finish in both the AL and NL. Longoria is a superhero right now.
I've never enjoyed a night of baseball this much when I wasn't a fan of any of the teams that were playing for something. Orgasmic stuff.
If you don't mind seeing suffering Red Sox fans, skim through this thread: http://www.overthemonster.com/2011/9/28/2457048/the-did-that-really-just-happen-overflow-thread#comments
How fitting that Crawford couldn't come up with that catch, ensuring that his former team makes the playoffs... what a huge disappointment he was this season. Amazingly, a couple of years ago, some folks around here were clamoring for us to sign him when he hit the market. Even when he is playing at his peak, he isn't that good, forget that we were a team inevitably heading toward our current state of rebuilding.
IF/When Crane takes over, he should hand a blank check over to Andrew Friedman and tell him to fill it out...guy has built an incredible organization in Tampa. Those fans don't deserve something so great.
Great night. Barely kept up with baseball this season, but glad I decided tonight. I can almost stomach the Yankees winning it all just to see the Red Sox collapse the way they did.
He was great this year though for the most part. How about Crawford not making that catch that could have been just an ounce of redemption after his super miserable first season in Boston under his fat, new contract? How about all of the starters collectively sucking this month? Plus, even if they won, they would have had to turn around and face the Rays in TB for the one-game playoff and I believe Lackey was scheduled to take the mound along with his historically bad ERA. Sure, they could've still pulled it off, esp. with the Rays having to play extras and burning up arms, but I would blame a lot of other players before Papelbon, who I happen to think is a complete douchebag, not that it matters.
Here's a nice article from earlier today before the games about exciting finishes to seasons in the wild card era (the Astros mentioned a few times): http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/9/28/2455456/wild-card-races-memorable-game-162-wild-card-era Reading that refreshed my memory of some other great finishes but tonight (last night) along with the end of the 1995 season were probably the most exciting since the inception of the wild card. On a side note, there have now been 2 recent Astro closers to have perfect seasons with their new teams - perfect in terms of not blowing a single save in a full season (plus postseason in Lidge's case).
A lot of people say Friedman wouldn't leave his job in Tampa but I disagree. I think Sternberg really wants to buy the Mets. And if that's true I could see TB front office looking for new jobs. Wouldn't it be something to have Gerry and Friedman running this organization?
By the Astros not re-signing Berkman and letting him go to Cardinals as a free agent, they basically gifted the wild card to the Cardinals. Don't get me wrong...the Cardinals earned it with a strong comeback. But, Berkman is one of the major reasons why they were able to do so. I just knew letting Berkman get away like that would come back to haunt. And, it had to end like this with the Cardinals celebrating clinching a playoff spot in Houston and partying it up in the Visitors clubhouse. Definitely the worst season of Astros baseball ever and the worst way to end the season if you are an Astros fan. It was like slathering a big lump of sh_t with Cardinals' urine at the end there. I wouldn't blame any Astros fan for wanting to bail on the team at this point and find another team to root for. My prediction is this team loses at least 100 games for the next two seasons and maybe three.
why blame someone for an entertainment choice? I root hard for all things Houston, even down to the Cougars, Rice, and even HBU. But I don't expect everyone else in H-town to feel the same way. Who can blame someone for losing interest in a team that's become this nauseatingly incompetent? It's so sad. Sad indeed. Dammit. Go Astros!!!