Sports: Football, Baseball, Bball, Hockey, Etc. Vol. II

[Lyle (Mooska)]

I was looking at the standings this morning and noticed that Boston
has been staying ahead of the Yankees for quite awhile, but by only 1/2
or 1 game. But i noticed that Boston has played 60 games and the Yankees
only 54. I wonder why that is? The Yankees have played the fewest amount
of games of any team. I wonder if that's because of rainouts, because I also
noticed their game against Baltimore today is being rained out, so they aren't
adding on any games played today.

I was also very pleasantly surprised to see a different team than the usual suspects
in first place in their division today:

The SeattleMariners!

Boston is playing the Houston Astros ( ) and they won. Seattle has
won three in a row. Can't say that Houston in 2nd place wasn't a joy to
see...today anyway. Go Boston and Seattle!

Fritz, your Nationals can be back in 1st place today if they beat those Braves!
I hope so...I was going to just write "but so far it's 1-0 Atlanta in the 3rd," but
the score just popped up and says "2-1 Washington in the 4th!"

Now it's Top of the 7th and still the same score. As long as DC is ahead!

[fritzkep]

Hope!

[fritzkep]

Darn. 2-4.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Yeah, darn!

Sweep!
The Dodgers swept the series from the Rockies, who were in 1st place, in Colorado,
for the first time in over 20 years, so they've got to be happy about that.  But every
other team in our division's been winning this week, too, so we can't get past anyone
toward the top. We're off to Pittsburgh today and then we play Atlanta. One of those
Atlanta games is on Dodgers LGBT Night.

C.C.
I hate to say this, but Charlie Culberson has helped win 4 of Atlanta's recent games by
hitting a walk-off home run. He was on the Dodgers last fall and did really well during
the World Series. We traded him during the off-season. I hope that doesn't happen
when he returns here next week.

Reciprocation!
Nationals are playing Tampa for two and then play San Francisco, so we'll try to help you
out with Atlanta if you'll help us out with San Francisco, Fritz!

[fritzkep]

We'll do our damndest!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

   

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Good news for Fritz!

The Nationals are back in 1st place due to one of our Western Division rivals helping them out, although you have company there.

Last night the Dodgers played the Pirates in Pittsburgh. At the start:
         W   L
LAD  30-30
PIT   30-30

Unfortunately afterwards it was:
         W   L
LAD  30-31
PIT   31-30

I'm having a lovely morning here, though, because the Dodgers are playing early;
they started at 9:30 PST and I'm listening to it on the radio while I do my chores.
I have to leave for an appointment later, so hoping we win the game before I do.
Halfway through it's looking good so far!  Our pitching staff is so bad off that we
called up someone from the minor leagues to start today and for reasons that the
radio announcers don't even know, they were informed he wouldn't be starting and
no word as to why so far. So the manager is having to use the bullpen and so far it's
been one different pitcher per inning. This cannot keep happening. (I've mentioned
4 of our regular starting pitchers are on the disabled list!) The broadcaster this morning
said the pitching has been managed like those circus performers balancing the plates
on poles, trying to keep them in the air, and hoping they don't fall.

Sheesh! And I Just heard one of the announcers say one of our bullpen pitches was put on
the disabled list this morning. WTF?

This Western Division is really struggling en masse, but that means it's all competitive:
                                     W      L      GB
Arizona Diamondbacks   32     29     -
Colorado Rockies            32     29     -
San Francisco Giants      31     31     1.5
Los Angeles Dodgers      30     31     2
San Diego Padres           29     35     4.5

To get to the WS you only need to be in first place to advance, no matter how many games you've won!

Fritz: After today (for most teams) only 100 games to go!  LOL!

[fritzkep]

Only! 

[fritzkep]

The All-Star game is on 17 July, at which point I'll be out of town, gone for several weeks on my first post-retirement vacation!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

You'll be away and it's in D.C.!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Yikes!

When I left for my appointment, the game was in the top of the 8th and Dodgers ahead of the Pirates 8 - 3.
It seems in the bottom of the 8th the Pirates got 3 runs and in the bottom of the 9th they got another, so
it ended up being 8-7.  Too close! And we used 9 pitchers! A couple didn't even last a better or two.

         W   L
LAD  31-31
PIT   31-31

Now the standings are even closer:

                                    W      L      GB
Arizona Diamondbacks   32     29     -
Colorado Rockies            32     29     0.5
Los Angeles Dodgers      31     31     1.5
San Francisco Giants      31     31     1.5
San Diego Padres           29     35     4.5

[fritzkep]

You'll be away and it's in D.C.!

Yeah, darn, but I couldn't have afforded to go anyway.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Plus, who will I talk to here!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Congratulations
to
the

[fritzkep]

YAY CAPS!!!