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Three (or Four) More Starts

MooseHaas has been doing a great job keeping us updated on the pitching matchups for the remainder of the season, especially since they've been changing almost every day.

Friday

Even now, things are up in the air.  The only certainty seems to be that Suppan will start today.  Yes, the same Jeff Suppan whose ERA has gone up a half-run in the space of four starts and who coughed up 11 runs (only eight earned, though!) last time he faced the Cubs.

I guess all we can hope for is that Dale really keeps on managing like it's game seven, holds Suppan on a very short leash, and Seth McClung is on the other side of that leash.  (Yes, I know, I might've pushed that metaphor a bit too far.)  I certainly hope that either Suppan or McClung brings their A game tonight, because everybody else worked last night.

Saturday

An even bigger concern is tomorrow's matchup.  There are three possibilities:

  • Sheets is 100% healthy (or close enough) and he pitches.
  • Sheets is not 100% healthy, and he pitches anyway.
  • Sheets is not healthy enough to go, so Dave Bush pitches on three days rest.

It's pretty obvious which outcome is best, but it's equally obvious which one is least likely.  This is the game I'm most worried about.  As much as I like Bush, I don't trust him on three days, and I'm not sure I want the ball in his hand against the Cubs under normal circumstances.  And Sheets...well, he might go out there, and a semi-healthy Sheets seems to me just as likely to give up a first-inning five-spot as Bush.

Sunday

In a perfect world, we'll win two, the Mets will lose two, and we'll have clinched the postseason spot before Sunday's game.  Then, for all I care, Counsell can start.

Much more likely, though, is that we'll have a one-game lead at best; at worst, it could be a must-win.  If it's a must-win, Sabathia gets the ball, no questions asked.

If, however, we're up by one game, it's a tough call.  The worst that could happen is being forced into a one-game playoff, probably with the Mets.  The best is that a Villanueva/Parra/whoever bullpen start gets us the W anyway.

At that point, it'll be a matter of choosing to throw Sabathia to try to lock down the WC spot, or saving Sabathia for the one-game playoff.  It's an impossible decision to predict right now, since so much of it (including the alternatives, which depend on Sheets's health) rests on the events of the next 24 hours.

One Thing Is Certain

Whoever pitches Sunday, his batterymate will not be Mike Rivera.

0 recs  |  Comment 32 comments

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Comments

Display:

so...what you're saying is

no sunday lineup on Sunday?

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:34 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Free Tim Dillard!

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Sep 26, 2008 1:41 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

I know i'm getting ahead of myself, but,

If we clinch on Saturday, can they bring up a minor league kid to pitch the game, just to give the guys some rest?

by tcyoung on Sep 26, 2008 1:43 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

that's 15 of 'em

8 to field, 2 backup batters and 5 pitchers

unless we aren’t using a full 40-man, in which case one less pitcher!

But with Soup pitching today and Bush on short rest yesterday, unfortunately sunday might be meaningless for a different reason.

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:55 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

err..

bush on short rest tomorrow….

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Give me the ball..

I’ll pitch, and the one days MLB Min league salary would be awesome!

by SgtClueLs on Sep 26, 2008 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Too bad it's not a road game

You’d get $89 in meal money on top of the salary.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Sep 26, 2008 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

They'd have to add him to the 40-man

The only pitcher who’s healthy, on the 40-man, and not with the Brewers is Luis Pena who, in addition to being bad, is a reliever.

jeff: but i shudder to think of the bullpen analogy to sending the runner

by battlekow on Sep 26, 2008 4:46 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

can he have a mysterious ailment

putting him on the 60-day?

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 5:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

We may not even know what to do Sunday

With the weather forecast the way it is we could have a one game lead with the mets still having to play three games that day. What do you think Dale does then?

by pjpaulus on Sep 26, 2008 1:51 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Debbie Downer here

if the Mets were up by one then…can they elect to not even bother playing?

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:57 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

or...if they're up by 1/2 a game

(that would require them playing a game and us 2 by then)

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 1:58 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

no.

they have to play out the season as long as it has an effect on somebody. The only time games aren’t made up is when both teams are out of contention. (and it’s rare even then.)

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Sep 26, 2008 2:01 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Like Florida and Washington last night.

They obviously want to play the games for the $$$, but there is no where to make it up this late and neither team is in contention, so its canceled.

by grant76 on Sep 26, 2008 2:28 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I just saw a bit

where the Mets would have to ask the players’ association’s permission before being allowed to play any makeup games, as they’ve already played their maximum allowed without permission makeup games.

Is that just a formality, or could the players’ associate cockblock the mets or the brewers somehow?

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 2:54 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Isn't that related to day-night doubleheaders?

I saw it mentioned that the Mets would have to play back-to-back games instead of day-night, because they’d exceeded their limit of day-night doubleheaders. I never knew there was a limit.

by Marty McSuperFly on Sep 26, 2008 2:56 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

fifteen's my limit on schnitzengrĂĽben

Situational Signature (8th/9th inning only): pleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendallpleasenotkendall
--NoahJ

by PagsBrewCrew on Sep 26, 2008 3:03 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

it might also be related to days off

there’s some maximum number of consecutive days w/o days off — maybe 20ish. Of maybe number of consec. days with games scheduled — the Mets have had that going back to 9/12.

But there’s no way the Mets get a playoff spot w/o playing 162 games.

Also, cheese.

by Jeff Sackmann on Sep 26, 2008 3:04 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

Article V, Section C of the CBA deals with scheduling

I think these are the relevant bits.

Paragraph 1:

(1) Split doubleheaders shall not be scheduled in the original schedule. Provided that neither of the Clubs involved in the proposed rescheduled game already has played or has been rescheduled to play a total of two split doubleheaders in that championship season:

(a) each Club shall have the right to reschedule any postponed game as a split doubleheader when ticket sales for the game at the time of postponement exceed, in any respect, the number of comparable tickets available to be exchanged by the Club for the balance of the championship season, and both the postponed and rescheduled game occur in the last regularly scheduled series between the two Clubs at the Club’s park; and
(b) when there is no practical alternative to doing so, the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs shall have the right to reschedule a postponed game as a split doubleheader to be played in, respectively, Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, even if the criteria set out in subparagraph (a) above are not met. Scheduling a postponed game as part of a conventional doubleheader will not be considered a practical alternative.

The Association shall have the exclusive right to approve the additional rescheduling of postponed games as split doubleheaders in circumstances that are not automatically permitted by subparagraph(a) or (b) above.

I like that they don’t say what the difference between a “split” and a “conventional” doubleheader is. I would guess it means split admission.

Paragraph 10:

No Club shall be scheduled, or rescheduled if practicable, to play more than 20 consecutive dates without an open day, or 21 consecutive dates if necessary to accommodate the Hall of Fame Game. A rained-out game may be rescheduled to an open date in the same series, or to an open date at the end of the same series, if (a) the open date is a road off-day for the visiting Club, and (b) the rescheduling does not result in the home team playing more than 24 consecutive dates without an open day, or 25 consecutive dates if necessary to accommodate the Hall of Fame Game.

Paragraph 17 of the same section:

(17) With respect to the rescheduling of any game, except for games rescheduled as split doubleheaders as set forth in Section C(1), any scheduling or rescheduling rule set forth in this Article V may be waived by the secret ballot vote of a majority of the Players on the Club(s) that would be in violation of the rule. Separate votes shall be required with regard to each game for which a waiver is sought. A waiver granted pursuant to this provision, as well as a waiver granted by the Association pursuant to Section C(1), shall not constitute a precedent with regard to future waiver requests. With respect to the rescheduling of any such game, and all games rescheduled pursuant to Section C(1), the Club(s) shall consult with the Association concerning the actual date and time of such rescheduled game. The Club(s) shall use best efforts to notify the Association in advance of notifying the Players on the Club(s) affected.

You can download the CBA here or ambush Brewers player representatives Craig Counsell and Dave Bush for more info.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Sep 26, 2008 3:23 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

It's going to be an interesting weekend

They moved the hurricane games out of houston because they didn’t want to push the playoff schedule back. If mlb wants to keep that philosophy, they NEED to get those games in. The only solution would be to move the mets/marlins games to milwaukee. They’ll just play them in the afternoon before the brewers games.

by tcyoung on Sep 26, 2008 2:02 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

The good thing

That almost ensures a potential playoff wouldn’t be played on Monday, if we have to burn Bush and Sheets can’t go. I don’t need Clung starting a one-game playoff. If it was Tuesday, that’s, well, four days from yesterday, and that guy could pitch…

Sat: George 2 (37, missed catch, fielding) Fri: George (35, throw) Tues: George (34, throw)

by Jordan M on Sep 26, 2008 2:58 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

that metaphor doesn't make any sense

Also, the image of Suppan on a leash…um, no.

I wish DiFelice had been used more often so he’d be stretched out a bit , but he was off and on the DL for most of July and August so that didn’t do him any good either.

by morineko on Sep 26, 2008 2:20 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Time heals all Sheets

I think by Sunday Dale will know two things, when the tie-breaker would be played and if Sheets is ready to go for that game. I think that Sheets may be ready to go by Tuesday, and if the Mets have their schedule trashed so badly that they are finishing the season on Monday Dale will know whether he needs to ‘save’ CC for that day or if he can try to win the WC outright on Sunday and use Sheets on Tuesday. I’m guessing that if CC pitches on Sunday it is because Sheets is ready to take the ball when needed next week.

by Getting Yosted on Sep 26, 2008 3:06 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Hardy's in

It’s the Sveum RHP lineup tonight

by Marty McSuperFly on Sep 26, 2008 3:28 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Hardy Hardly Hurting?

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Sep 26, 2008 4:05 PM CDT up reply actions   0 recs

I know Bush has been decent

But why not go to McClung rather than rush Bush on three days rest? That is a recipe for disaster if ever there was one.

Ryan Braun: He loves it.

by SRB on Sep 26, 2008 3:34 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

Sheets

Apparently he’s good enough to go tomorrow, though Bush is on standby until game time.

Obscure baseball records and more at my blog, Recondite Baseball.

by TheJay on Sep 26, 2008 4:56 PM CDT reply actions   0 recs

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