Howdy, folks. First things first, today is my birthday. Do you know what the number one song in America was the day I was born? It was “My Sharona” by the Knack. At least it’s a good song that was number one and not some terrible, forgettable novelty tune.
Speaking of good things, we have a very good pitching matchup in tonight’s play-in game. The San Francisco Giants will face off against the New York Mets at Citi Field to see who has the honor of going forward in the playoffs. Our starters this evening will be Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard.
MadBum vs Thor. Oh boy, what a duel.
On paper, people will think that MadBum has the edge, but if my stats are right (and they might not be, I will defer to our stats guys here like Lefty and Badhair) MadBum might not be the pitcher we think he is going to be. I know his general October performances are stellar, but not on the road. If I remember correctly, he doesn’t have a great road record during the playoffs. Thor, on the other hand, is fantastic at Citi Field. So we have a guy who is usually lights out but not on the road, against a guy who is lights out at home.
Oof. Who the heck do you choose in this?
The Giants backed into the playoffs, this is true. And the Mets flirted with the top spot in the NL East for most of the season before the Nats got hot and grabbed the crown from them.
Giants have been there are done that; they know what it’s like to play in the postseason and have the pedigree. Buster Posey, Matt Cain, MadBum, Hunter Pence, BCraw, Brandon Belt, and the rest know what it takes to power through and get to that next level. Plus, if you’re superstitious, it’s an even year.
The Mets are young, a very good team, and hungry. They were the NL Champs last year and the team isn’t much different than it was when they won that title. Thor, Bartolo, Yoenis, and the Grandyman can make all the right moves. However, they are missing some important pieces that made their team so powerful last year. Their pitching has been robbed of important pieces due to injury, and they are also missing an important role player in Neil Walker.
Much like the game yesterday, these two teams are quite honestly very evenly matched. It will come down to the pitching, and whether or not the heavy hitters on the Mets can slug a few when needed. Also, Hunter Pence will have to drop a ball, but I honestly don’t know if he will. He’s a different guy in October.
Anyway, it’s a coin toss for me. I don’t know who in the world could possibly win. I want the Mets to win, for my own weird reasons. But of course, Go Cubs Go, and all that.
Who ya got?
Fan Interference 
I’m wearing my lucky shirt (tattered, filthy fear the beard shirt, ca.2010) that won the 2012 playoffs. (Cue Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”).
And yes, I know, it didn’t work in ’11, ’13, & ’15.
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Is there any way both teams can lose? I personally don’t like either one. The Gigantes have Madison Avenue, the redneck asshole, and the Mets have Jose the wife beater.
But the Mets also have Bartolo The Beast. And the Gigantes have The Deer Hunter.
Do the good ones outweigh the bad ones? Nah. They’re both entirely unlikeable.
OG, stay safe and dry down there. Looks like a really nasty storm headed at ya.
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Danke. Yeah, a great big ugly swirling maelstrom of wind and rain, also known as “the rent on paradise.”
Shutters closed. Yard furniture and loose ends stacked in the den. Generator oiled, fueled and ready to go. Huge thirty sixpack of Zephyrhills bottled water on the kitchen counter. Eating all stored ice cream and sorbet by midnight. What else can you do?
Here’s what:
Take three or four scoops of acai sorbet or pomegranate frozen kefir and nuke for 15-20 seconds in microwave, Dump into blender. Add three or four tablespoons of goat or gruyere cheese and a teaspoon of honey. Blend smooth. Pour into muffin cups in a muffin tray. Freeze. Serve with a tablespoon of port wine.
Then hunker down.
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I’m a more basic kinda guy. I’ve got 2 bags of venison jerky, 3 lbs of smoked mullet and a bottle of MacAllans finest.
Let the damned winds blow.
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Oddly enough, I’ve also got a couple of packages of Taku Smokeries’ finest king salmon jerky here. Might as well get some omegas while I hunker, y’know?
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First off, Happy Birthday!
Second:
Poltifact disagrees with you (Ok Baseball Reference). Craig beat me to it in his wildcard thread but have we forgotten already:
* 2010: 8 stellar innings at Arlington, Giants win 4-0
* 2014: 10K complete game shutout performance at Pittsburgh?
* 2014: 8 stellar innings at St. Louis, winning 3-0
* 2014: 7 stellar innings at Kauffman, winning 3-1
* 2014: 5 stellar innings IN RELIEF on two days rest sealing the World Series Championship, at Kansas City.
What does this man need to do in order to be described as stellar on the road!? Cure cancer?
Why depend on memory when you can look at his post-season logs:
44.2 IP, 3 ER (THREE! and 2 of them came against Atlanta way back in the 2010 NLDS) good for a 0.60 ERA and a 38/7 K/BB ratio. And for those who care a W-L of 5-0.
What more does this man have to do in order for him to have a great road record?
He did suck in the 2012 postseason but he never pitched on the road in that one.
No, we have a guy who is usually lights out ESPECIALLY on the road, against a guy who is lights out at home.
Bad Tina Fey! Bad!
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A common affliction among baseball fans. The searing memory of one bad performance blots out the joys of about ten good ones.
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I have to take a few days away from Baseball, but this looks to be one of the best matchups of the playoffs. Should be a lot of fun.
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Best wishes for a speedy recovery. We’ll be eagerly awaiting your return.
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Happy b-day to you Prof! I’ve ordered a lock of Dansby’s hair for you.
No rooting interest in tonight’s game as I don’t like either team. In the interest of my fellow fans, I just hope it matches the drama of last night without the beer can throwing.
With all the music fans we have, here’s a little trivia tidbit about the Knack. Back in the early 90’s you may remember a guy named Jack Kervorkian who became famous for physician assisted suicide. The lawyer who represented him, Geoffrey Fieger, is the older brother of the Knack’s lead singer, the late Doug Fieger.
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Happy Birthday, Professor.
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Definitely pulling for the Mets tonight.
Would be nice to get a shot at a bit of revenge for last season….but more importantly, I’d rather face Syndergaard once in a 5-game series than Cueto+Bumgarner 3 times.
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Holy shit! That anthem rendition was awesome.
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