This will be the 12th tiebreaker in the history of the majors.
1946 - The Dodgers and Cardinals were tied with two games left in the season. They both won on the last Saturday of the season and then both won on the final Sunday to force the first tiebreaker playoff. The Cardinals won 2games to none.
1948 - Cleveland led both the Yankees and Red Sox by one game with two to play. On the final Saturday (October 2), the Red Sox beat the Yankees 5-1 to eliminated New York as Cleveland won. Boston forced a tie on the final Sunday with a 10-5 win over the Yankees and Cleveland lost to Detroit 7-1. Cleveland won the one game playoff at Fenway, 8-3.
1951 - Branca pitched to one batter in the 9th
1959 - In a weird and wild pennant race, the Dodgers and Braves both passed up the Giants in the final week. The Braves caught the Dodgers on the final Saturday (September 26), and both teams won on Sunday, with the Dodgers beating the Cubs 7-1 at Wrigley and the Braves beat the Phillies, 5-2 in Milwaukee. The Dodgers won the playoff in twogames.
1962 - The Dodgers led the Giants by 1 1/2 games with two to play. The Dodgers lose both games (to the Cardinals) while the Giants won three games, including a doubleheader sweep, against Houston. Giants win the playoff in three games. Three very, very, very trying games.
1978 - HR: Dent (5,7th inning off Torrez 2 on 2 out);
1980 - The Dodgers come into the final weekend down three games to Houston with three to play against the Astros at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers win all three in dramatic fashion. And then lose the tiebreaker on Monday in incredibly undramatic fashion.
1995 - The Mariners lead the Angels by two games with two left and lose both to Texas while the Angels win two against Oakland. The tiebreaker is ... not exciting.
1998 - The Cubs and Giants are tied on the final day. The Cubs lose in Houston, 4-3, in 11 innings. The Giants blow a chance at a playoff spot when Robb Nen gives up a game-ending home run to Neifi Perez at Coors Field. The Rockies win 9-8. The next day, the Cubs survive a 3-run ninth by the Giants in a 5-3 victory.
1999 - On the final day, the Astros lead the Reds by one game in the Central. The Reds are tied with the Mets for the wild card. Houston beats the Dodgers 9-1 to win the Central. The Mets beat the Pirates 2-1 on a game-ending wild pitch by Brad Clontz. The Reds wait out a lengthy rain delay in Milwaukee to win 7-1. Al Leiter of the Mets throws a 2-hitter against the Reds at Cinergy Field in a 5-0 win.
2007 - The Rockies are in first place for only one day, April 6. They don't move into a tie for playoff position until the last day of the season, September 30, when they catch the Padres. The Rockies outlast the Padres, 9-8, in 13 innings at Coors Field. The Rockies use 10 pitchers in the game, with Ramon Ortiz getting the win, the only win he ever had as a Rockie.
Now that the Twins have made it this far I'm rooting for the White Sox. Loved the comeback yesterday and yes I'd like to see Junior play in the postseason.
The NL West may have been weak but when I see the lineups for these two teams I have no doubt the Dodgers would have done some serious damage in the AL Central.
9 - yeah, you have to wonder. I have read that one of the big calling cards of sporting events is that they encourage their viewers to watch live while the ads are going, which sets them apart from scripted programming.
3 - speaking as an Angels partisan in the AL, I'm torn; I hate the White Sox for 2005 and their annoying fans (sore winners!), but the Twins play in an Astroturf park, which is hard on knees (hullo, Vlad).
12 - white sox fans weren't nearly as annoying as the other sox fans after finally breaking through. and i suspect they will be much better than the south siders, if they ever break through.
I don't mind ChiSox fans. My reasons for rooting against the Sox are: Hawk Harrelson, and Ozzie Guillen. Which are pretty thin reasons, frankly. Plus the Twins are season-long underdogs.
15 - Hawk: worst announcer of any major-market team.
Ozzie: I have actually made my peace with him. But his idiocy WRT Javier Vazquez three starts ago got him to game 163 IMO. Not a very smart managers. If your players suck, shut up and deal.
If you don't take Hawk seriously he's kind of fun. He's such a caricature that he's almost cartoonish. I always liked him as a kid when he was a ballplayer because he pissed off Charles Finley who I couldn't stand. And then he had a big home run year for the Red Sox when I was a big fan.
25
I lost to my oldest brother. But mainly because my 11-year old nephew had four pitchers going on the final day and they all threw gems and I got passed by him in WHIP.
Why is A.J. Pierzynski constantly in high-profile collisions? He's just one of Those Guys. Pretty much everyone else in the league, including often his teammates, wants to do him harm.
Are you using that neat website you linked us to yesterday?
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Good game so far! Random note:
You know, I just noticed U.S. Cellular Field has a frieze? It looks very good, and possibly better than the proposed "frieze" at the new Yankee Stadium.
43
Yes, I am. It's pretty cool. It takes about 2 minutes or so initially to "buffer", making you think it's not working. But after that, it works perfectly well, except that it's a bit behind.
If you want to try it, click on the little TV icon on the same row as the game. Then, click on one of the "Play" links to the right of one of the "TVAnts". (You'll probably need to install the TVAnts software, which you can do via the Software link at the top of the page).
68 Oh, I'm with you. I wasn't particularly an Elvis fan, but the Viagra ads have gotten even more annoying since they started that "Viva Las Vegas" ripoff.
Which isn't to say the Cialis ads are any better. Imagine if there were ads for feminine hygiene products on television.
Minnesota
Span RF
Casilla 2B
Mauer C
Morneau 1B
Cuddyer DH
Young LF
Harris 3B
Punto SS
Gomez CF
Blackburn P
White Sox:
Cabrera SS
Wise LF
Dye RF
Thome DH
Konerko 1B
Griffey CF
Ramirez 2B
Pierzynski C
Uribe 3B
Danks P
Ozzie: I have actually made my peace with him. But his idiocy WRT Javier Vazquez three starts ago got him to game 163 IMO. Not a very smart managers. If your players suck, shut up and deal.
http://www.baseballrace.com/main_raceList.asp
Are these teams pitching well or hitting poorly, I can't tell!
I ended up losing by a 1/2 point!
For the record, you can type "no hitter" or "perfect game" all you want here.
No... Oh, never mind. D'oh.
23 Did you lose to a person under the age of 15?
I lost to my oldest brother. But mainly because my 11-year old nephew had four pitchers going on the final day and they all threw gems and I got passed by him in WHIP.
26 , it's all about timing...as I learned unfortunately trying to post the 2001 AL West race during a Michael Phelps race over at Dodger THoughts...
Does "Brian Sabean thought very highly of him" count...?
He was once traded for Liriano, Nathan, and Bonser.
He has to be good!!
That would give the White Sox a distinct advantage then.
Are you using that neat website you linked us to yesterday?
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Good game so far! Random note:
You know, I just noticed U.S. Cellular Field has a frieze? It looks very good, and possibly better than the proposed "frieze" at the new Yankee Stadium.
Yes, I am. It's pretty cool. It takes about 2 minutes or so initially to "buffer", making you think it's not working. But after that, it works perfectly well, except that it's a bit behind.
If you want to try it, click on the little TV icon on the same row as the game. Then, click on one of the "Play" links to the right of one of the "TVAnts". (You'll probably need to install the TVAnts software, which you can do via the Software link at the top of the page).
I also thought Nick Blackburn was Australian.
That would take 4:24 to play in this day.
You thought you would get a special set of announcers to yourself?
Are those your announcers too...?
The original post also seems a tad deficient in the exclamation point department, but we have more pressing concerns.
There is only one feed to the game.
JIM THOME!!!!!!!
I've been using that site all season long.
It's great.
Except when they don't broadcast the Dodgers game.
I'm sure they will have the postseason games, I haven't checked the schedule.
From what I can tell, they seem to show most games.
I was wondering if you heard Harold Reynolds say, "That is a baseball play!"
I have the sound off now. I don't like it when the White Sox do good stuff.
Which isn't to say the Cialis ads are any better. Imagine if there were ads for feminine hygiene products on television.
Best thing about MLB on TBS: No Miller/Morgan
Orsillo is working the Brewers/Phillies series I believe.
http://retrosheet.org/BRO19511001
The Giants win the tiebreaker! The Giants win the tiebreaker! The Giants win the tiebreaker!
http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2008/03/05/GJm5FAjT.jpg
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN199308220.shtml
Sad people like me.
Now go get swept by the Rays!
What would it be? The El series? The Ryan Expressway series?
Thanks for the Orsillo update, Bob!
I had to look for the condom.
You should have just yelled, "Sinners!!"
Then slammed the door shut.
I've also heard the Red Line Series, but the El Series is shorter.
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