Gom

You know what...if the Guardians overtake the Angels in the standings, we got Cleveland rather than the Angels. Man, I root harder for the Guardians these days then I do my own team, lol. Having the Red Sox and Angels play each other in the first round is a dream come true for Yankee fans. I wonder who the Sox would play if the Angels and Guardians tie for second best record.

I want to ask you guys something, since I haven't actually really seen him pitch of late [the only game I watched was his last outing, and that isn't much]. Is the league catching up to this guy, or is his velocity down/location off? I'm just curious.

Go O's! I don't understand why you'd sit Payton. What a clueless organization the Orioles have become under Angelos.

I've said this before...we need to be within 2 games when we face the Sox for the opener if we are to have a shot at the division. I doubt we will make up 3 1/2 games by Friday, lol.

I meant to say Buchholz will be a mid-rotation starter, brain fart there. I don't think he'll be an ace, but I think he will be better than the most over-hyped prospect since Generation K, that lazy POS Hughes. I hate that guy. Every year, I have to find a Yankee to hate. Last year, Pavano. This year, Hughes. f*** him. If he starts throwing 98 and hitting his spots, then I reserve the right to love him. That is all.

The MVP race was over in April. With all due respect to Mags and Vlad, there was no chance Arod wasn't winning it. Arod could sit out the rest of the season and he still wins in a landslide. He has had as remarkable a season as I have ever seen. Enjoy it Yankee fans. You booed the best player we had since Babe Ruth out of town in three weeks.

No it was the NESN feed. I unlock the Boston channels to get NESN on Dish.

This announcer is garbage. I don't know his name. On the 3-2 pitch that was low he says "That was not a strike earlier in the inning, nor is it a strike now. It was a strike last night though". So basically what he's saying is that last night's umpire had a lower strike zone than tonight's umpire, and tonight's umpire has been consistent. Michael Kay, you have competition in Boston when it comes to idiocy.

Well written. I would agree if not for two things. 1) Papelbon's injury history. This guy more than likely will be done by thirty. I hope I'm wrong, because I like hard-nosed players. Chamberlain will be more durable in the forseeable future. 2) Let's not forget that Chamberlain is going to be in the rotation next year, and starters are more valuable than relievers. It's not like he's Kennedy, or Buchholz, non-overpowering pitchers who rely on guile and deception. No matter how often you see a 99 fastball followed by a 90 mph slider, it's still hard to hit. Joba throws harder, and his ability to locate is about the same. On pure stuff, Joba's better. On being around more, Paps get the call. They are very similar either way. However, due to the fact that Papelbon is a constant risk of injury and very limited in his usage, and Chamberlain is a starter, on this one, I have to disagree. Buchholz is not that great. Don't put his guy in Cooperstown just yet. He will be a back of the rotation starter at best. He doesn't have a great fastball, and his curveball is decent, not great. Good location so far, but he hasn't shown great stuff, just a great start so far. Hughes is the most overrated prospect in the last 10 years in baseball. He has back of the rotation stuff, and at best, will be a number 3 pitcher. He will never be a star pitcher. Ever. I call it a push, but if I had to give an edge, it would be to Buchholz. Agreed.

Can we keep the focus on this thread on Joba and Harlan, and not the YES Network? Don't ruin a good story fellas.

Tonight's game had one of the most touching moments I have seen in baseball. Harlan Chamberlain, Joba's father, has been disabled since he was 9 months old with polio. The family was extremely poor. He has no ability to use his left arm, deaf in his left ear, and needs a scooter to get around. Because of his disabilities, he has never seen his son pitch in the major leagues. Tonight, he made the three hour trip from Nebraska to see his son pitch. When Joba trotted out in the 7th, Harlan burst into tears.There wasn't a dry eye amongst anyone who watched the game tonight at the bar where I watched the game. Sometimes, in moments like these, we remember the true bond baseball formed for nearly all of us. The one between us and our fathers. Thank you Harlan and Joba.

The latest on Hughes, from Buster Olney's column: One AL executive says he's starting to feel sorry for Phil Hughes -- because he may never be able to match all the hype that was laid on him before he arrived in New York. "I think he's going to wind up being a No. 3 starter, and that's not bad," the exec says. "But people were led to believe he'd be more than that. It's going to be really hard for him to ever live up to all his expectations." He won't even be that. Should have traded him when the value was high.

Shouldn't have been there to begin with. This kid pitches well enough to lose. Location is s***, fastball is below average, I really can't see how he will be any good. What pisses me off about him is that we are blowing games in "trying" him out when we are fighting for the wild card.

Doesn't excuse a meatball to Ibanez. Umpiring is part of the game, and the calls are not that different from what I'm seeing.

Nice meatball Hughes. If this kid is in the rotation next year, I will throw up. 2-0 Mariners.

I hope I'm wrong about Hughes, I really am, but we should have traded this guy at midseason when we had a chance.

Gagne.

We'll get in. If we can beat the Angels in the first round, the Guardians or Red Sox will be a joke after them.

How can you possibly call this guy an enigma? 2005 8-5 in 116 IP, 4.02 ERA 2006 19-6 3.63 ERA 2007 17-6 3.68 ERA Has anyone actually been more consistant? The fact that he annoys you by throwing one pitch 80% of the time is irrelevant. There is another pitcher on the Yankee staff who made a career out of throwing one pitch. His name is Mariano Rivera. Maybe you heard of him.

The list, as listed, is much more talented on the Yankee side. Wang alone, is more valuable than the whole Red Sox list. It would have been much better if you listed Beckett as Wang's counterpart. Kind of useless comparison, though. If you pick and choose who to add, you can skew any list in any team's favor.

Hughes pitches today. Mariners win the series. f***.

I've been at the games. It's over. Congrats Sox fans on your division. I just hope the Guardians sneak past you for best record. I do not want to see the Angels in the first round.

Andy Phillips was out, bad call by the umpire...but a break for us..1-1 now.

Like ORS said....momentum is the next day's starting pitcher. This is the only pitching matchup of the series you lose.