Ok, final day

Can't wait for this weekend and the start. Relatively confident that we can give a better demonstration of ourselves this year than two years ago because we're not up against the vaunted Phillies like then. That said, the last two World Series winners are in the mix and both have talent to burn. I believe Zito (who is likely to start their series opener) is on an 11-game winning streak so that would be a concern. Our pitchers have to be a bit tired, seeing as they've pitched all but one game this year (that one being a Sunday afo double header) so it will be tough. I dont' think anybody fancies us because we have no star names in our rotation and only a couple in the lineup. If we don't win the pennant I'll be hoping the Nats do, seeing as neither of us has tasted success in decades.

On the AL front. Could be very interesting and I'll be cheering on the Orioles and A's, in that order. Be great to see the former do something as was mentioned earlier in the year and if they win the division tonight I'm pretty sure it'll be the first time that the Yankees will have surrendered a six game lead in their history. That's an amazing fact in itself. I understand the Yankees are going full out with a regular lineup to win tonight which could be very interesting if they do win as those potential division series match-ups in the AL are very tasty e.g. Yankees v Rangers or Tigers would be an epic first rounder.

Very exciting climax coming.

Well they couldn't quite manage it. They couldn't have won the division as the Yankees won but a win would have earned them a home wild card game against the Rangers. Intstead its a trip to Arlington to face (probably) Darvish, which will be tough. The O's haven't named a probable starter yet but as Tillman pitched last night and Hammel is still injured my guess would be Chen.

As dissapointing as a loss in the wild card game would be (especially given that we finished with a record 5 games better than the AL central winning Tigers) the O's have had an amazing season. Nobody (myself included) gave them a chance at the start of the season and midseason Bobby V called us lucky presumably to try and detract attention away from how hard his Sox were failing. Machado has been a fantastic call up at 3rd and all reports are that Dylan Bundy is an even hotter prospect as a pitcher so with just a couple of off season additions next year should be just as good if not better.

Been some good games so far. Glad to be at home for the next three, not least because it means I won't have to stay up beyond 6am to watch the games. We could clinch tonight but Homer Bailey, as good as he's starting to look, can be dodgy at home (I think there's about a two run differential between his home and road ERA). I'd be delighted to clinch to give Cueto some rest time, which reminds as to how good Saturday was for the Reds. Lost ace pitcher after eight pitches and then Latos puts his hand up to go in. Hero stuff. Sunday night was the biggest Reds postseason win ever I believe too.

Interesting Reds playoff stat. Seven of the last eight postseason series the Reds have been involved with have been sweeps, going back to 1976 when The Big Red Machine went undefeated through the playoffs (still the only playoff team not to drop a game since the division formats were introduced).

If we get through I definitely fancy our chances more against the Nationals than the Cardinals but part of me wants the latter because the atmosphere would be electric. It'd be like Saints-Wigan over seven games, except with American childish bitterness thrown in (we have healthy grown-up rivalries over here you see). The Cardinals though have that big game experience but I suppose, if you want to get that yourself then sometimes there's no better place to start.

We'll see anyway. If we close off the Giants then that's a move that's as big as beating the Cardinals and should send a warning that this isn't the naive Reds of two years ago.

I can sense a big finish in cincy. The Reds have come back from 6-0 down already this season against the Dbacks.

Not looking good at the moment. Anything can happen if we keep them to just three runs but I wouldn't put money on it.

Got to say the tension has been unbearable. As soon as the ball came off Posey's bat you just knew and I could feel a thousand hearts sink. Horrible it was. Not quite as bad as Kevin Iro scoring after two minutes in 1989 but comparable. Tuesday's game was epic. To have Grand Final tension stretched out for over an hour is exceptionally exciting.

Well it wasn't to be. I think that game 3 was the turning point. We were dominant but had a few bad breaks in that game and couldn't get going after that. I think the fact that we lost Cueto after eight pitches (when no pitcher had missed a start all year) and then being swept for the first time at home this season, is probably a bigger indicator of what happened. Unsure on what they should do about Baker. Me? I love the guy. I get his record in the playoffs and that he favours veterans over the youngsters but perhaps that will change next year. We're still a young team, choc full of talent with only a couple of positions that need strengthening next year i.e. rotation should be good for another year, Frazier to replace Rolen and another year older for the likes of Cozart, Bruce and Heisey. We still need another left-handed bat coming off the bench but we might stick with Paul. Centre field is a minor concern as Stubbs doesn't appear to be able to shake his trigger happy swing.

So it's back down to cheering for O's and Nationals now. New names on the trophy would be great. Anybody but Cardinals though.

Game 5. Lets do it.

Here's one for you. On this day in 1975, Red Sox pitcher Liant threw 163 pitches to level the World Series 2-2.

First time on this site in ages. Easy win in the end for the Giants. Pleased for them as they're okay and always good to see the lower wage bill win. Think something like seven out of the top eight payrolls are in the AL and yet we've snatched the past three.

Seeing the Giants win demonstrates just how fine a line there is to tread in baseball. There's a cracking read about that game three in Cincinnati and how the game turned on three pitches. [url=http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/reds-vs-giants-tales-of-three-pitches/Reds vs Giants: Tales of Three Pitches[/url. Great analysis of how close the game can be. Definitely have a read if you love baseball because it's a great insight into the game.

www.miaminewtimes.com/2013-01-31 ... ames/full/

www.miaminewtimes.com/2013-01-31 ... ames/full/

never knew that stat. Still piissed at the writers not electing anybody to the hall.

Aye. Think I stand with the writers who didn't vote for Clemens etc. I know the argument for his and Bonds' stats before the steroid era but for me, when you take performance enhancing you are cheating the public and other professionals out of the true drama of sport. For that reason I can see why they've done it especially when I would suggest that level of cheating is far more serious and damaging than what keeps Pete Rose out of the Hall.

I think Maddux will be a first-timer next year and Glavine will go in eventually. Not sure on some of the others. Think the writers may sit out the Clemens and Bonds stories to see if anything surfaces in the future.

The HOF is full if cheats and racists already though. Hardly the home of the pure.

There's a difference between PEDs and pushing the game to its limits. Who are you thinking of who is a bigger cheat than the PED bods?

Gaylord Perry was one. Many pitchers have cheated for centuries through putting stuff on the ball.

Not really sure that's the same as injecting yourself with artificial stimulants that enable you to perform at a higher physical level than you are able to normally.

Catchers and pitchers report, here's to another great season at Wrigley.

Anybody interested in Fantasy Baseball this year? I'll sort a draft out. Is Sunday night good for everybody or shall we look at a midweek date? Season starts on 31 March this year so was thinking of either Sunday 17th or 24th.

I usually do an espn one. How do you think choo will transtion to centre field? I hear Bruce has offered to shed some pounds to make the switch if needed.

Excellent. I think there was four or five of us a couple of years ago and I can pick up some more RL fans who follow baseball on Facebook to fill us out.

As for Choo. Don't know how he is defensively as I usually only get to see Reds games and postseason action. I know we definitely need his bat for leading off. I don't know how well up any of you are on the Reds but we have had a succession of players try to lead off with zero success. Billy Hamilton (he of the minor league stolen bases record) it is hoped will come up next year so we needed a stop gap (also Hamilton needs to work on his OBP).

Last season we tried seven different guys at lead off producing a ..208/.254/.327 split which ranked dead last in the majors. Those batting splits are actually lower than the Nationals average hitting from ninth i.e. pitcher, which gives you an idea of how bad it's been. They combined for 83 runs from that spot which is second lowest in the majors. The position has been a problem for several years and yet in two of the past three we've won the division.

I know what will happen this year. We'll get run production but our pitching staff won't hold out. They went injury free until the eighth pitch of the postseason lol. I can't see them repeating that although the rotation does look good even without Chapman. Don't know if he'll make it as a starter but if he does that's one hell of a starting five.

Choo is key though on offense as is Votto's return from injury. He can still hit but after that knee injury he didn't hit a home run and if we lose his 30hr/100rbi that's a lot especially as he just signed a ten year deal.

In case you didn't know, the Reds are kind of notorious among their fans for being slightly pessimistic because of numerous false dawns. Very passionate fans but bear more than a passing resemblance to the average depressed RL fan. I remember when we signed Ken Griffey Jr for his homecoming that was mega, except a guy who dinged at least 40 homers in six of the seven years before he joined (the year he didn't he only played 70 odd games), managed just one season of that in nine years (his first when he hit .271, his lowest ever season average up to that point). Then came the injuries a year into this nine year mega contract which effectively crippled the club for that decade.

[url=http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/8945988/milwaukee-brewers-ryan-braun-shows-additional-document-clinic-linked-major-league-baseball-ped-investigationRyan Braun's name turns up on Miami doping clinic documents[/url. Also A-Fraud's name pops up too.

I think there is something int the Braun thing, we foget that he only just escaped a ban last year on a stupid techinality.

Excellent [url=http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/qa-ryan-hanigan-underrated-red/Q&A with Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan[/url. Also MLB article on his unsung contribution to our recent success. cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/art ... 0&c_id=cin

Excellent [url=http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/qa-ryan-hanigan-underrated-red/Q&A with Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan[/url. Also MLB article on his unsung contribution to our recent success. cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/art ... 0&c_id=cin

I will pop into a fantasy league. Let's go Astros

mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... b&c_id=mlb

mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... b&c_id=mlb