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Reds choke it away for good, 73-76
Cubs are almost there, 61-89
POTG: 2B Ryan T. Riot (2 HR, 3 H, 3 R, 2 RBI)
Runner Ups: SP Z! (7 IP, 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K, QS, W [15/63]; HR [5]), CF Juan Pierre (2 H), 3B A Ram (HR, 2 H, R RBI), RF Jacque Jones (HR, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 R), 1B Hank White (3 H, 2B, R, RBI, hitting machine), SS Ronny Cedeno (HR, 2 RBI, R)
Wind: 17 MPH, Out to LF
Should they just not pitch Eric Milton on days with unfavorable conditions to fly ball pitchers? I mean, there’s no way anyone should be as bad as he was here, but he probably didn’t have a chance of winning as soon as he stepped out there, and it’s kinda a game where the Reds had to win. I mean, I’d like to think the Cubs were on today, but I tend to question the abilities of opposition pitching any time Cedeno hits a home run.
Can Z win the Cy Young? Naaaah. Not unless we start to factor in the HRs.
W-L ERA Playoffs? Carpenter 15-6 2.79 Yes Webb 16-6 2.92 No Oswalt 13-8 3.06 No Arroyo 14-9 3.17 No Z!! 15-6 3.38 No Penny 16-8 4.04 Yes
These aren’t necessarily the stats I’d use, but these are the stats that are going to be used. What would it take for to Z to win? Maybe getting three starts, winning them all, while no one else gets 17. He could still get his ERA under 3 – but it’d take 25 straight innings of shut out baseball. So that’s probably not going to work.
With the Reds tanking it, this series against the Phillies is the last meaningful one of the year. Too bad for us (and great for them) that we’ll have no decent starting pitcher thru the series. Hopefully, they steal one.
I’m still amazed Milton didn’t give up 60 home runs last year, especially pitching at Great American.
Is there any real difference between “stealing” and “taking by force?” Because I think the latter’s what happened tonight.