Scouts: Only a handful of games today, which is a blessing for this guy as there were several, separate multiple-car pile ups on the way into work today and I’m running massively behind. Today marks the 123rd post on the season for Prof and I, and quite frankly this blogger is ready for a break. So let’s get into it shall we?
Phillies 2, Nationals 7 – Prof: Three is a magic number, yes it is. It’s a magic number. You don’t need Schoolhouse Rock to tell you this; only follow the Washington Nationals’ playoff chances. With this defeat of Philadelphia, the Curly Dubs got ever closer to a wild card berth. Adam Eaton, Yan Gomes, and the Treat Urner all homered – one per inning.
Orioles 10, Blue Jays 11 F/15 – Scouts: Toronto really didn’t want to lose this game. They scored 2 in the 9th to tie, ince in the 12th, and then finally Anthony Alford picked up his first career homer in the 15th to send them all home. A total of 20 pitchers were used in this game. Only two pitchers pitched longer than 2 innings. Gotta love September baseball.
Red Sox 4, Rays 7 – Scouts: Boston jumped out to an early 4 run lead, but Tampa was having none of that, and responded with a 6 run 4th that propelled them to stand alone for the final Wild Card spot. Ji-Man Choi, Brandon Lowe, and Willy Adames all homered for the cause.
Marlins 8, Mets 4 – Prof: Meet the Mets, meet the mess. Watch as Miami beats the Matz. What little chance New York had went away like dust, as they are now five games back of Milwaukee. The Mets would have to be pretty much perfect to get into the postseason. For the Feesh, this victory was hard won off the bat off Jorge Alfaro, who hit two dingers.
Cardinals 9, Diamondbacks 7 – Scouts: St. Louis lowered their magic number to three, and hit 4 homers in the process, including Paul Goldschmidt’s 32, and Yadier Molina’s 10th on the year.
Fan Interference 
Nats Twitter was all a-twitter yesterday afternoon, when word came from one of the beat writers that the clubbies had already hung plastic sheeting in the locker room in anticipation of the team clinching a playoff berth at some point during the last week of the season. The sheeting wasn’t covering the lockers, mind you, but rather rolled up and tied above the lockers for easy deployment should the time come.
Many concerns were expressed about fates being tempted, potential for embarrassing collapse, etc., but those look to be unfounded this morning, as any win by the Nats in the next four will put the last nail in the Phillies’ coffin, two wins eliminate the Mets, and a combo of three Nats wins and Cubs losses finishes it off. With a day/night doubleheader against the Phils today, it all could be over by tonight, depending on how the Cubs do, but we’ll see.
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It’d be nice if your boys could wait to this weekend to clinch against the Clevelanders, although that probably won’t be necessary.
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Well, if they did that, I’d worry that my boys might now seal the deal.
Also, eliminating the Philadelphia Harpers is worth it, ya know?
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I could live with them clinching home field for the wild card playoff against the Clevelanders.
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I mean there’s getting superstitious and there’s just being silly. If they entirely decked out the locker room, I could get their point, but simply storing plastic on the strong likely hood that they will win 1 game in the next 4 is just being practical. It’s bad enough the poor locker room attendants have to clean all that mess up, let them make their lives a little easier by storing the plastic covering nearby.
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Yeah, I agree.
I think the main reason they did it is because there is a chance that they might clinch today, and the clubbies weren’t going to have time to hang the plastic between games of the day/night doubleheader they’re playing today.
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They probably will. The Cubs are going nowhere. It’s basically all over but the shoutin’.
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