Game 109 Open Thread: August 5, 2006

reyes sheets
2-5, 4.56 2-3, 4.58

pressed for time this a.m.; a quick saturday roundup:

• the cardinals are now dead even in runs scored / allowed, at 527 apiece, yet their chances of making the playoffs (per baseball prospectus) remain at 63 percent, making them the league's 2d most likely postseason entrant. by contrast the phillies, who just finished kicking the cardinals' asses, have a nearly identical run differential (minus 5) but merely a 12 percent chance of playing in the postseason; the rockies, whose differential (+22) is much better than the cards', have just a 21 percent shot at october baseball. and pity the white sox, who have outscored their opponents by 89 runs this year -- the 3d best differential in baseball -- yet have a mere 36 chance of getting into the playoffs.
  
• st louis came into this homestand with the league's best home record; after 4 consecutive losses they're now third in the league in that category.
• their home era of 4.14 is 4th best in the league; on the road they are next to last, at 5.09.
  
• danup to reyes: ignore the coach. tonight's game is way too important . . . .
  
• brew crew ball has a win-expectancy chart and table for last night's game.

in the midwest league last night, adam daniels turned in another stellar performance -- 7 shutout innings, 6 ks, 7 hits, 2 walks. he left with the score tied 0-0; quad cities busted it open in the 12th inning with an 8-run outburst. daniels over the last month has gone 3-1 with a 0.89 era, a 1.08 whip, and a 7-1 k-walk ratio. he has cracked hte top 10 in league era (2.82) and strikeouts (101); quad cities is now in 1st place by half a game.

remind me: why do we love this game again?