Over the Cliff

I can’t figure out what was more awesome this afternoon…

Cliff Lee throwing a complete game in his first ever playoff start.

Cliff Lee getting a base hit in his first ever playoff start.

Cliff Lee getting a stolen base in his first ever playoff start.

Or that he did all of it wearing the bad ass blue hat uniforms.

Either way, a good start for the defending champs

Strange scenario that will never happen but fun to think about

OK, let's say the Twins win the Division and face the Yankees in the playoffs.

That would mean the Twins would start Carl Pavano against New York. 

How awesome would it be if Pavano stops the Yankees?

It won't happen, but isn't that worth asking a genie for?

Maybe the Yankees would offer him a 4 year contract afterwards.

This has been fun... but let's go Tigers

As a person who is neither a Twins nor a Tigers fan, you can't ask for anything better than this.

The Twins and the Tigers have played 161 games to a draw and go into the last day of the season tied without the safety net of a Wild Card.

Cool.

Now here comes the Red Sox fan and Yankee hater coming to the surface:

I want the Tigers to win and win today.

The scenario I came up with, Verlander winning two games and A. J. Burnett choking, can only work if the Tigers win.

And as likable as the Twins are, there is NO WAY that team is beating the Yankees.

So let's see a happy Jim Leyland and have a Tigers team on an emotional high with nothing to lose going into the Bronx.

Again, the Tigers need to know they are playing for petty Red Sox fans!

Congrats Dodgers... I think

The Dodgers won the NL West last night as they took their first lead since blowing that 3 run to Pittsburgh.

They are the NL West champs with homefield throughout the National League playoffs.

That's great, right?

That also means they will play a rested and ready St. Louis Cardinals team with two aces and the MVP.

And the Rockies will play a Phillies team with a decimated bullpen.

That's a reward?

Shame on Jim Riggleman

That's right Riggleman. You had better hang your head.

You took over the worst team in baseball and they are indeed going to finish this season as one of the worst if not the worst team in the game.

That's not why you should hang your head.

We are at the end of the season.
The Nationals have only 9 games left.
They've already lost 101 games.
Needless to say they don't have a lot of meaningful games left.

Yet the Nats find themselves in the middle of a pennant race. Maybe not for themselves, but they are playing the Braves 7 out of the last 10 games of the season.

And with the Braves now only 3 back in the loss column for the Wild Card, each one of these games affect Atlanta and Colorado.

They also affect who plays whom in the Division Series. A Braves Wild Card would mean the Dodgers would play Atlanta in the Division Series while the Phillies and Cardinals would face off.

A Rockies Wild Card would mean the Dodgers and Phillies would meet in the Division Series and the Cardinals would go to Colorado.

These games could affect the balance of the NL playoffs.
These games could affect which teams would be resting starters and which ones would be going at full speed in the last week of the season.

So what did Riggleman do today?
He is resting Ryan Zimmerman!

The Nationals are practically fielding a AAA line up and just about the only hitter who could make any difference on his roster is taking a breather... a week before he takes a 5 month break.

Um... WHAT IS HE RESTING FOR?

Shouldn't he put a lineup on the field that, I don't know, could beat the Durham Bulls?

In a game that could have a chain reaction affect on the National League playoffs, Riggleman said "You know, now could be the day to give Pete Orr some at bats!"

This is a disgrace and if baseball actually had a commissioner, then he would have been fined.

Hey Rigs!
The Nats play the Mets next week. Those games will be played in front of friends and family and won't even affect the Nats nor the Mets.

You can send Zimmerman to Bermuda for those games.
How's about he plays in the games that matter?

Well MY night has been made easier

When Hunter Jones is pitching in the third inning for the Red Sox, it is time to turn the radio off and spend time with the family.

No need to watch the Yankees blow out the Red Sox.

Besides, in about a week and a half, the playoffs start. I had better store up as much good will as possible before parking my butt in front of the TV and get hooked on a Dodgers/Phillies game.

OF COURSE Joba is lights out the same week I compared him to Matthew McConaughey!

Rangers - Tigers... is this a playoff preview?

Both teams are in first place... and it is about to be Memorial Day Weekend, the first marker for determining who is a contender who just had a decent April.

Rangers - Tigers... that would be a big ratings grabber!

Hey Fox Sports Executives... better get on that ledge NOW!