Deathwatch, Day 10

Gotta hand it to the idiots at ESPN. There are games with playoff implications all over the place (Royals/Tigers, White Sox/Twins, Blue Jays/Yankees, Astros/Braves, Reds/Pirates - these are just the 4pm start games), so it makes perfect sense to leave the Phillies/Marlins game on while the Phillies cling to a 13 RUN LEAD. What was the point of this - to see if Ryan Howard would get a hit (he didn't and was lifted for a pinch runner in the 7th)? To see if Shane Victorino would get 6 hits? WTF? I guess Bill Pidto needed the work on his short-burst delivery.

(Now we interrupt Eric Karros because he has nothing intelligent to say to get an update from the Studio - BILL?

Thanks fellas - Roger Clemens is still taking bows in Atlanta after leaving the game in the 6th inning. Word has it the press box is LINING UP to blow him after the game. Back to you.

Shit, I'm missing that. Here in Miami, Philadelphia is still blowing Florida out of the building. There's more compelling baseball out there, but screw you, we're not showing it. Rick, continue telling us about the toe jam removal assistant's job.)

To today's game:

Starts off just like 5 of the last 7 games - the opponent scores a run in the first inning. And in just as exacerbating a way - Weaver has Jenkins 0-2, can't put him away, and ends up giving up the single to left that plates Graffanino. God dammit. Can't make a quality pitch when it's needed, the hallmark of a mediocre team.

Jeff did settle down, helped by DP balls in the second and fourth, to pitch pretty well. Considering he'd been shellacked at Neo-Busch since he was signed, it was nice to see him pitch almost competently. For once.

Preston Wilson put the boys in Red up to stay with a 2-run dinger in the second. And for once, the Cards found a way to hit a left hander. I need to do a search for the Cardinals' record against lefties for the last 30 years. I swear they are the meal ticket for every junk throwing, overweight, designated for assignment left hander in the business. I sometimes wonder if I could throw 3 scoreless innings against this team. Set it up like Brewster's Millions. What the hell?

Anyway, this game quickly turns into a rout, just like last night's did for the other team, capped off by AP hitting another 3-R bomb, to center this time. Cards 10, Brewers 5.

AND.....Houston was shut down by Atlanta, 4-1. So here's the scoreboard:

- Cincinnati won, they're still 3 back with 3 to play. One more Red loss, or a Cardinal win tomorrow, and they're out.
- Houston falls 2 back in the loss column with 2 to play. One more loss, coupled with a Cardinal win, and they're out.

Padres lose 3-1. Dodgers win 4-3 (on a passed ball. Nice job, Gigantes). Nothing's solved, no playoff slots filled, just another day in the wacky NL.

WHERE would this team be without this man in the middle of the lineup? (Don't answer that).