Where is everybody?

It looks like a "match-ups" day, which means I'll be needing emotional support.

I've never been a fan of the wildcard, but I have to give baseball credit for one thing -- having all fifteen games playing at the same time makes for some serious drama. It would be great if the Yankees could get some runs here, but it's fun tracking the other scores.

Exhibit 7637 on why Boone must go:

Yesterday he left Montgomery to give up 7 runs without even warming up a pitcher. Today, Tallion is pitching great. No runs, not many baserunners and low pitch count and like clockwork he yanks him in the middle of an inning.

As aside, Yanks once again not being able to hit Wacha who has been garbage this year against everyone else in a must win game is beyond frustrating. Savage in the box is such a distant memory

Love that first-pitch hacking, Gio. In a getting-late-early scoreless huge game, with your leadoff man on, why, like, work a count or anything?

[4] I think he shut down the Astros recently.

Oh man. Match-ups is gonna kill me today.

Holy shit -- that's a Jeterian play right there by Urshela.

Of course Gio is the hero 30 seconds after I gave him shit.

Warrior spirit. Well done. Hope he’s okay.

[7] Yes. I was thinking the same thing.
Wakes them up?

At least Gleyber brought his hitting pants.

Angel Fucking Hernandez is behind the plate. Of course.

What would make this team competitive again? I mean division-winning competitive?

Boone needs to go, but that won't change much.

[12] Most teams would be pretty happy with 90+ wins. I think the Rays are just really good.

[11] Michael Kay actually mentioned this on Friday night. They were going over the umpire alignment, and Kay said sarcastically, "That means Angel Hernández will be behind the plate on Sunday, and that's always fun."

[13] Agreed.
But... we had several *really* bad stretches this season. I don't think the manager has much to do with that, but maybe something could be done? Added? Subtracted?

[15] I agree that they are really streaky. That is not good for long term success. I think they need to have some more young guys (sorry Brett).

The Nats have had a lot of baserunners today... and they finally cash in, as Alex Avila (batting .184) doubles off the woeful Red Sox bullpen.

[13] Yes the Rays are good, but with the resources this team has, they should be going for 100 wins. They should have be spending like the Dodgers.

Okay, not a crazy move -- let's hope this pays off!

At least Boone is managing with a sense of urgency.

Boatzilla, I saw a graphic the other day that the Yanks and Rays had the exact same record this year when their games vs. The O's were not included.
Disclaimer: no numbered comments on my android! Bollocks!

Noice. Although, it was frightening to see him take that one-handed.

[20]. True. He seems to have a plan today. Now some runs, please.

Already the 7th? Should’ve woke up earlier..I’m confused with the WC scenarios, do we need to win?

[21] Interesting.

[24] Ohayo, Jazz!
Not necessarily, but shouldn't this team be trying to win all it's games?

Gruesome! JFC!

That's how to catch a pop up. I remember Jeter doing that once, essentially running over the 2nd base man.

[26] Ooops. "Its." It's early.

(28) You up way early too Boat!
Sox and M’s both losing..

[24] It looks like we can sneak in, or at least get a play-in game, with a L.
But, as Boat intimates, that would be... less than satisfying.

Hey, maybe we could just settle for a tie! Half a game in the standings, that would do it!

Arozarena… (31) All this for a wild card game..not sure I dig it

[33] It's not supposed to be easy. If you want easy, win your division.

It's funny, I keep forgetting that this isn't a tense situation for the Rays at all!
They should just relax, play around a little, be goofy on the base path, let the pitchers bat...

Somewhere there are casual Yankee fans who don't even know there's a game on right now, whose stomachs aren't in knots. Wonder what that would be like. Excellent work, Loaisiga!

Have the Yanks made it to 2nd base yet?

[35] I was thinking that same thing. The Nationals probably enjoy playing a meaningful game, but the Rays are probably amused by it all...

[36] "Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright..."

[37] Just Torres to first a couple of times. Nothing else.

It would be really nice if Robertson could do us a solid for old times' sake.

Holy shit! Dave Robertson!

[39] Lol. I was just counting batters until the Mighty Judge comes to bat.

D-Rob! Always trusted him & his high socks

[44] Me, too. Make him pitch strikes, though.

And there's your reminder that Franco is twenty years old.

Heh. [46] But man is he good.

Frickin Rays.
Just relax you bastards. Meaningless game, don't dive.

Nice AB by Sanchez, but.....

[48] A while back I remember folks suggesting the Rays wouldn't take these games seriously after they had clinched. Ha!

Choi the Yankee Killer!
Finish him!

I can't think of a Yankee closer who has made me more nervous than Chapman -- or, I should say, 2021 Chapman.

Sox rally.
Gotta get this W.

Boston just tied it up.

Yeah baby.
Okay let's score!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Probably need four walks.

[55] Maybe HBP?

[52] I wish they would use Loaisiga as the closer.

Respect to the pitchers today!

Eight innings. Four baserunners. One hit.

One more please

[56] Our MVP is Willy Wild Pitch, but we need a man on 3rd for him to come up.

Are the Rays ‘really’ this good? Or did they just beat Baltimore so many times to get to 100 wins?

I ACCEPT THAT BLOOP SINGLE!

Oh god. I have this bad feeling that Wade is gonna be CS.

Argh! NO PLAYS! NO PLAYS!

That was a stupid ass play.

Okay whew.
Why didn't he steal first???

lol.

Kenny rooting in the booth. "Tag up." Lol...

They said, if only Aaron could but get a whack at that...

Ara: yeah, that was cool, he kinda whispered.

Why did they hold him?!?! He would’ve scored!

[70] He would have, but only because the throw was bad.

Well, Judge won't get to swing... will he???
The Rays don't do things like everyone else. If they're gonna IBB him, why not do it before going to the bullpen again?

Dang, he coulda scored on that. Fucking Phil Nevin.

[68] I see what you did there, but that poem doesn't end well for us...

I don't have a problem with Wade's being held. You had to gauge whether or not the ball would get through in the first place. Let's just have Stanton make this discussion meaningless. Oh, wait -- Judge!

They'll pitch to him!
That actually makes sense, probably the right move!

Pitching to Judge!

Sweet!

Nice.

Judgie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I ACCEPT THAT WALKOFF DRIBBLER!

Yes!

Note if the same ball goes into play the same way with Rizzo still at first, DP and extras.

(And yes Michael Kay I know about the fallacy of the predetermined blah blah blah.)

Yayyyy!!

My only quibble -- wouldn't it have been nice for Judge to have gone deep to end the season with an even 100 RBIs?

That'll do, Judge. That'll do.

[73] I was just riffing off "somewhere," and folks being relaxed, but yeah, you are correct.

Well... I hate to call this going to the Post Season when we have a 1 gamne playoff... either Boston, Toronto or Seattle. Boston losing today would be very helpful.

Devers hit a bomb, Sox now up in the 9th..

[87] Yeah looks like we'll play in Fenway.

And so on to Fenway...

Winning 2 of 3 vs. Toronto looking huge now.

Ok so Boone having used a bunch of pitchers today for no good reason, I hope if Cole is pitching well he'll let him go as long as he is effective and then have Severino go as long as he is effective and ideally that would be it.

[91] I didn't see the game, but I thought Boone handled the bullpen Ok other than taking out Tallion kind of early.

I think he handled it well. This was a pretty important game, and he managed it that way -- not desperation, but close. He managed with the understanding that he couldn't allow any runs, and that's exactly how it turned out. All of that maneuvering earned him a day off, so the bullpen should be in good shape on Tuesday. By using so many arms, not one of them was overly taxed, so I'm guessing everyone in the pen will be a full go in Boston. I suppose you could argue that he'd have been up against it for a Monday game had they ended up losing, but they didn't. He managed to win, they won, and now he's set up perfectly for Tuesday. Kind of hard to be critical of that.

Oh, and he also rolled the dice by not starting Cole on three days rest. Instead he'll have his best pitcher going on five days rest in the most important game of the season thus far. Tell me again why any of this is a problem?