Day: September 28, 2004

last used
SERGIO       11
Clement      7
Leicester    4
Remlinger    4
Wuertz       2
Dempster     3
Hawkins      3
Mercker      1
Kyle         1
Wellemeyer   1

Someone tell Dusty: Wuertz hasn’t given up a ML run since May 29th. It’d be more impressive over more than 14 innings, but I’ll take it. (This is how you get an ERA down from 10.03 to 4.56)

Trying to remember: is Mitre hurt? I know they’re kinda desperate to rehab Farnsworth before the post season, but you’d think they’d give Mercker a day off and let Mitre pitch if he could. Maybe it’ll all work out like last season, and Mitre will get to start the last game. Hope so.

Sometime things work out okay: Matt’s left the time to be there for the birth of his child. He probably would’ve missed the start Rusch is taking his place for anyway.

CHC 88 68 — 6 79.35 Maddux v CIN Hancock
SFG 87 69 1.0 6 12.96 Backe v STL Haren
HOU 87 70 1.5 5 9.22 Schmidt @ SDP Lawrence
SDP 85 71 3.0 6 1.28 Lawrence v SFG Schmidt

Remember how it looked like 90 was going to win this? Not so much any more. Funny how, without any big swings of on swing action, the Cubs have suddenly pulled away in this measure.

– The Padres are eliminated from the NL West with a loss and LA win. They really have to sweep the Giants to have a shot, and if the Cubs sweep even that won’t save them.
– I wish MLB would explain why the standings say Anaheim isn’t eliminated from the AL Wild Card while the MLB.com news says Boston’s clinched. (Oh, wait – here is is – if the Red Sox lose out and the Angels win out, the Angels would win the AL West instead, and the A’s would be worse than the Red Sox)
– Cubs NLDS tickets will be put on sale Monday, assuming they’re still usable after Sunday. 4 to a person. Whoever buys them has to show up with an ID and the credit card they used, so keep it it mind when you have eight people trying to get you tickets.

In the “weird stats with fake importance”, Maddux is going for his 16 win in 8 straight seasons.

While LA (+3) plays the Rockies this week, do you root for or against the Dodgers?

For: Seem like a flakier team than the Braves and a slightly easier first round opponent, so it’d be good if they pass them. Would like them to be playing well going into their series against the Giants. Avoid them backdooring the NL Wild Card somehow if they just win the NL West.

Against: If they win, they could end the NL West race quicker and mail in the last couple of games, helping out the Giants. A tight NL West race means they play hard the whole way, and the Cubs can pull away from the loser. Probably not going to pass up the Braves, and if they did, a team that hot wouldn’t be good to play