Interesting quote from the Cashman on ALDS roster construction. Specifically, on how you don't know how regular-season starters who will not be used out of the bullpen might "mentally" handle being left of the roster. You know, so you can fill the spot with a bona fide BUC or lefty reliever.

I'm looking at you AJ. Your multi-million dollar contract doesn't insulate you from this kind of insecurity? You have to be useless and high-maintenance? Or you just don't understand why a 5+ ERA over 100+ innings doesn't translate into confidence in you taking the mount in high-leverage situations?

I can't wait to see Betances tonight!

ooh, and Jesus is behind the plate tonite!

wish i could see it on tv. i'll be watching the other 3 wild card games...

[3] Do you have a computer?

Will you be online?

Then you can watch the game.

ESPN3 is showing it.

the A team only gonna play 3 innings or something?

[4] what's a computer? be on what line?

oh, cool. i'll watch us on espn3 and flip between the other 3 games on the idiot tube.

lohud has the lineup. i shant post it here for fear of ruining teh game thread! ; )

[5] I'd bet 5-6.

Get everybody 2 at bats and then send in the clowns ...

murdoch will play the whole 9.

[6] Fear is the mind-killer ...

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Robinson Cano DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Jesus Montero C
Eduardo Nunez 2B

Good to see teh Jesus behind the plate to catch Betances.

[5] betances is just going 3...

is brooklyn in the house?

well, my mom's from brooklyn. i'm from queens...

but what i do have in my house - and just found - is:

Dellin Betances 2007 Bowman "1st Card". it's pretty cool. he's pitching in full NY Yankees pinstripes and interlocking NY cap. he's super skinny here. pristine, mint condition card.

Al Leiter sitting in on the Marlins broadcast today.

He's way more animated than he is in the Yankees booth.

That's some pretty weak sauce Reyes taking himself out of the game today. Dude apparently told his manager that once he got a hit he wanted to be taken out of the game. So he bunts for a hit in the first, and comes out. Braun's got to go 3-4 to win the batting title. Think Reyes' agent had anything to say about this move?

Nice way to celebrate the anniversary of the Ted Williams Balls of Steel Doubleheader, ass-munch. Go Ryan Braun.

[13] reyes is even having a party at his house this evening to watch the brewers game and root against braun.

disgusting.

strasburg is pitching a nice game.

4 innings, 7k, 1 bb, 2 hits, 0 runs.

59 pitches, 38 strikes.

[16] now up to:

5 1 2 9

He's a beast, let's hope his arm and shoulder hold up for a few years.

Reyes is a punk. What fucking bullshit!

[17] Strasburg: Yes, I do hope so, because he doesn't pitch in the AL. :-)

This is awesome. I love this use of Game 162.

Seat-of-the-pants prediction: Betances is good, we lead, the Rays come storming back to beat the crappy relievers and B-team line-up at the end.

Meanwhile, Jon Lester (14-0 career vs. O's) against Simon. Who? But, Lester on short rest, which he hasn't done but once (with weak result).

Ace says he's ready to go. He's already pitched three straight games, multiple innings in each. He's Keith Foulk.

[19/20]

l'shana tova!

i hope betances is good and jesus receives him well!

simon is the dude who was wrapped up in murder charges this spring. randomly fired a gun to break up a fight and shot his cousin. or something like that. i would hope he has bad karma. but that the baseball gods will shine on him tonight!

the catching Jew gets another start behind the dish on the New Year.

and...

THANKS!!! your CD is in the mail : )

Shana Tova Umetukah!
And excellent, I wondered when you'd notice!

Wow, Lavarnway catching, not what I expected. Verrrrrry interesting.

Reyes is just being honest Think of how many "hamsting" and "sore backs" acted up in the past for guys in the batting title race.

So it's Betances!! Wow...

[22] nice. my hebrew is super rusty. i can still read it though. i'm all about the swedish now!

i, obviously, had not noticed last night during the thread! i wasn't on email... really nice surprise when i checked it today; made my day!

thanks again : )

[22] Really, after he hit 2 hrs last night?

Anagram for Dellin Betances

"TB Can See Ill End"

stras is done:

6 IP, 10 K, 2 BB, 1 HIT, 0 R

79 pitches, 54 strikes.

really impressive!

CSNNE.com's Sean McAdam reports that the Red Sox have "given up" on trying to find a last-minute starter.Jon Lester will take the mound on Wednesday night against the Orioles. If the American League Wild Card then requires a tiebreaker, the Game 163 starter will come from within the Red Sox organization. Bruce Chen was a target for Boston, but he'll be a Type B free agent this offseason and so the Royals decided to keep him

From ESPN.com:

"An emotional [Mets manager Terry] Collins, fighting tears during his postgame media conference, said he worked hard in his first season at the Mets' helm to earn his players' respect and did not want to jeopardize it by not adhering to Reyes' wishes."

Wow, the inmates are running the asylum over there in Queens. I'm not sure which is more pathetic, crying in your post-game news conference or doing whatever dumb shit your players ask.

And later, Reyes says: "One thing I do all the time is give 100 percent on the field."

You know, unless I don't feel like playing any more and order the manager to take me out.

Truly unbelievable.

[28] Can you imagine the outcry if they had managed to pick up a starter from elsewhere on the last day of the season?

Just read the Moneyball-takedown by Alan Barra..interesting. Havn't seen the film but did not really enjoy the book as much as I had hoped.

[30] I know, it's absurd. At the very least the Rays should have been able to block the trade by putting in a waiver claim -- or however it works at this point in the season.

[25] Yeah, because it's unlikely he'll hit two more :-) and it's a little surprising that they'll trust Lester with him, if you see what I mean. Or maybe I mean, that they'll trust him with Lester.

[29] http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/9/28/2456223/jose-reyes-batting-title-mets-news

I think Teddy Ballgame was the exception in this, as he was in so many categories!

I'm going to miss the first several innings, Go Go Betances!

yeah, i might miss the 1st inning, or so, myself.

gonna run out, grab some grub, recycle, etc. be back soon.

lohud pre-game notes are up...

[31] Well, they could have, back when Chen was passed through waivers.

They chose not to.

Oh well, it all worked out in the end.

[30] Billy Beane should have never written that book ...

[35] Wait, is "cult of basebaal" Spanish for Ken Tremendous?
Catch youse all later, Go Go Betances!

[30] The approximate reaction to the Barra article on the BBTF thread:

11. Dayn, Moral Champion Posted: September 28, 2011 at 02:17 PM (#3941251)
When did Allen Barra start sucking. I used to really enjoy his stuff.

Just listened to Ryan Braun on PTI. If he's 3-4 and gets a fifth AB, he's going to bat. Hope he goes 4-5.

Is it so wrong to root against Betances his first start? I was hoping Girardi would run Swisher out there to the mound tonight.

[39] Just have A.J. Relieve.

[38] If he goes 3-for-4 and comes up again, the Pirates should IBB him. Or plunk him :-)

[39] Root for him to pitch four perfect innings and then be lifted. The Rays will beat the daylights out of Proctor & Co. Best of both worlds!

[40] I got some AJ Relieve for my cough. Took it before going to sleep last night. What was I thinking? Of course, I crapped the bed.

Wow, Curtis, way to make him work.

[18] Reyes is a punk? Why, because he wants to win the batting title? Sounds more like he's competitive. This kind of event is common throughout the history of batting titles. Check back.

The Mets have nothing to lose or gain. It's a perfectly sound baseball decision. Read Braun's quotes regarding the issue. He really sounds like a gentleman. His focus is on winning the game.

In any other kind of job, whether it's window washing or writing a magazine article. When you finish enough to satisfy the requirements of the job and also meet your own (or the client's) quality standards, you stop working.