at. YANKEES, 10/02

<center><b><FONT SIZE="+3"><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">B</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">a</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">l</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">t</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000">i</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">m</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">O</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000">i</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">l</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">s</FONT></FONT>

@

<FONT SIZE="+3"><FONT COLOR="#1c2841">N</FONT><FONT COLOR="#2a354a">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#394153">w</FONT><FONT COLOR="#474e5c"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#565b66">Y</FONT><FONT COLOR="#64686f">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#737478">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#808080">k</FONT><FONT COLOR="#747679"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#686b71">Y</FONT><FONT COLOR="#5b6069">a</FONT><FONT COLOR="#4f5561">n</FONT><FONT COLOR="#424959">k</FONT><FONT COLOR="#353e51">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#293349">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#1c2841">s</FONT></FONT>

Game 3 (3:05)

<IMG SRC="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kRA0kohlwpI/TIQSBQQ2KRI/AAAAAAAADmY/_KuXbW6jxfg/s1600/Orioles+-+baby+bird+2009.gif" HEIGHT="80" WIDTH="80" BORDER="0"> |=======| <IMG SRC="http://jeffstrong.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/hat_render.png" HEIGHT="80" WIDTH="80" BORDER="0">

* - wild card standings

Team Records

88-73 |=======| 84-77

T-2nd, +1.5* |=======| 4th, -4.0E*

Streaks / L10

-1, Won 6 of 9 / 6-4 |=======| +1, Won 5 of 6 / 5-5

Team Offensive Rankings (AL)

BA: .256 (9th) |=======| BA: .252 (10th)

OPS: .761 (3rd) |=======| OPS: .720 (13th)

Runs: 724 (7th) |=======| Runs: 665 (12th)

HR: 247 (1st) |=======| HR: 181 (11th)

Last 7 Days

BA: .226 (12th) |=======| BA: .249 (7th)

OPS: .665 (12th) |=======| OPS: .704 (9th)

Runs: 19 (14th) |=======| Runs: 32 (7th)

HR: 9 (4th) |=======| HR: 10 (3rd)

Team Pitching Rankings (AL)

ERA: 4.26 (10th) |=======| ERA: 4.16 (7th)

WHIP: 1.37 (12th) |=======| WHIP: 1.26 (3rd)

BAA: .258 (9th) |=======| BAA: .248 (4th)

TB: 2263 (5th) |=======| TB: 2268 (8th)

Last 7 Days

ERA: 1.94 (2nd) |=======| ERA: 3.95 (8th)

WHIP: 1.11 (4th) |=======| WHIP: 1.52 (12th)

BAA: .215 (2nd) |=======| BAA: .252 (9th)

TB: 75 (1st) |=======| TB: 105 (9th)

Starters

ERA: 4.80 (13th) |=======| ERA: 4.41 (9th)

WHIP: 1.42 (13th) |=======| WHIP: 1.30 (4th)

BAA: .268 (11th) |=======| BAA: .261 (7th)

TB: 1492 (7th) |=======| TB: 1555 (10th)

Relievers

ERA: 3.39 (1st) |=======| ERA: 3.71 (8th)

WHIP: 1.29 (9th) |=======| WHIP: 1.19 (2nd)

BAA: .243 (6th) |=======| BAA: .225 (1st)

TB: 771 (9th) |=======| TB: 713 (3rd)

NEW: Quality Start minimum requirements

* - Game ERA must be 4.00 or less with at least six innings pitched

Kevin Gausman

(8-12)

3.66 (1.28/.262)

171K / 46BB, 27HR

QS: 14

</b>

After his hot streak in late August through mid September, he has reverted back to mid-season form the last two starts allowing nine runs on 17 hits in 12.1 IP including four home runs allowed. He is the best Yankee killer the Orioles have, so this is a good matchup for him. Gausman has not allowed an earned run against the Yankees in two starts; he allowed nine hits and two walks in 13 innings with 17 strikeouts.

Splits & Sits

323 vs. left: .228/.270/.359, 10HR

404 vs. right: .290/.347/.428, 17HR

Bases Empty: .301

RISP: .201

RISP w/2 outs: .231

Men on w/2 outs: .195

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .167

2016 Away (17 starts)

(2-10) 4.47 (1.43/.282), 17HR

Career vs. NYY (10 starts, 6 relief)

(5-3) 1.87 (1.01/.220), 6HR

Career @ Yankee Stadium (5 starts, 3 relief)

(2-2) 2.36 (1.05/.220), 2HR

vs. Batter

Jacoby Ellsbury (27 AB) .148, 2B

Brett Gardner (25 AB) .280, 2 2B, HR, 2RBI, 7K

Brian McCann (24 AB) .167, 2RBI

Didi Gregorius (20 AB) .150

Mark Teixeira (19 AB) .211, HR, 2RBI, 6K

Starlin Castro (14 AB) .214, 2 2B, 7K

Chase Headley (11 AB) .273

Aaron Hicks (11 AB) .273, 2B

Ronald Torreyes 2/7, 2B

Gary Sanchez 2/6

Rob Refsnyder 1/5, BB

Aaron Judge 0/4, 3K, BB

Billy Butler 2/3, RBI

VS

Luis Cessa

(4-3)

4.18 (1.13/.241)

40K / 14BB, 15HR

QS: 3

Cessa hasn't been all that bad for the Yankees in his rookie season and has a 4.18 ERA in September. He has allowed two runs in six innings in each of his last two starts. All of his September starts have been against AL East teams; two against Boston, TB and one against Toronto. He pitched well in his only start against the Orioles this season, but the 15 home runs in 64.2 innings is downright awful. Fortunately for him, 10 of them were solos.

Splits & Sits

109 vs. left: .235/.284/.450, 7HR

154 vs. right: .245/.294/.416, 8HR

Bases Empty: .221

RISP: .277

RISP w/2 outs: .150

Men on w/2 outs: .182

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .167

2016 Home (4 starts, 4 relief)

(2-1) 5.12 (1.14/.233), 9HR

Career vs. Baltimore (1 starts)

(1-0) 6 IP, 5H, 3ER, 2HR, 5K

vs. Batter

Manny Machado 2/3, 2HR, 3RBI

Hyun-soo Kim 1/3, K

Chris Davis 1/3, K

Pedro Alvarez 1/2, 2B, K

J.J. Hardy 0/2, K

Nolan Reimold 0/2

Jonathan Schoop 0/2

Mark Trumbo 0/2, BB

What a game this was. Wade Miley looked to be crusing for another fantastic start having allowed two runs through six innings, but Buck makes another one of his "genius" decisions and sends Miley back out for the seventh and that pretty much changed the entire game. Miley allowed the first two guys on base ultimately leading to the Yankees tying the game in the seventh inning since one of them got on VIA a home run. The game was then blown open with a four run eighth inning off of Brach who didn't have it at all and came unglued in the inning along with the rest of the team. The Yankees scored in each of the last four innings of the game and the Orioles did not score after the third inning. However, this loss falls squarely on the shoulders of Buck Showalter for once again not having a clue as to when the right time was to pull the starting pitcher. The Yankees looked dead in the first game of the series and for the first four innings of game two, but came to life in the fifth and the Orioles did not squash it out. Just a horrible loss for the Orioles here. Things could be real interesting after the other three teams play. The momentum is in the Yankees' corner going into this final regular season game.

This is a very good matchup on paper for the Orioles due to Gausman's success against the Yankees, but he has reverted back to his usual self this season with back to back bad starts with four home runs allowed. Cessa has pitched all of his September games against AL East teams and has done pretty well. He allowed three runs in six innings against the Orioles in his only start against them. He may just make this interesting especially if Gausman's recent struggles continue.

Seattle's season is over. Their bullpen just couldn't hold the game and the M's offense did all they could to keep up, but ultimately lost in the 10th inning by one run and they had a man on second with nobody out and neither Cano, Cruz or Seager could get a hit to tie the game again. So, now Detroit must win tomorrow and in their make-up game against Cleveland and the Orioles must lose against the Yankees to force a DET/BAL tiebreaker game. If Toronto loses instead of the Orioles, it would be Toronto and Detroit in the tiebreaker game and if both Toronto and Baltimore lose on Sunday and Detroit wins both their remaining games, there would be a three way tie. If I understand it correctly, the make up game is only worth half a game so the Tigers can only gain 1.5 games and only if one of the other two teams loses their last regular season game.

The Tigers have their work cut out for them after losing on Saturday. They even had the bases loaded and nobody out in the eighth inning and couldn't score. Cabrera struck out swinging and J.D. Martinez swung at the first pitch and grounded into a DP. Martinez struck out three times in the game and was swing happy all night long. So, the Orioles and/or Blue Jays can clinch a wild card spot by winning their final game of the season. If both win, Detroit is eliminated. At least, I think I have all that right.

Wild Card Standings

*Baltimore --

*Toronto --

Detroit -1.5

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PN8tSwgn-as" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Stars...

I like Bourn batting first in the line up. Looks like Buck is willing to play small ball. Bunt, stealing, hit and run. You can't always live or die by the home run. I think we're going to see a low scoring game.

I like Bourn batting first in the line up. Looks like Buck is willing to play small ball. Bunt, stealing, hit and run. You can't always live or die by the home run. I think we're going to see a low scoring game.

I don't know about that. Who in this lineup is going to bunt or steal other than Bourn?

NYY starting their recent regulars other than Castro (and no Headley):

B. Gardner, LF

J. Ellsbury, CF

G. Sanchez, C

B. McCann, DH

M. Teixeira, 1B

D. Gregorius, SS

A. Hicks, RF

R. Torreyes, 3B

D. Solano, 2B

I don't know about that. Who in this lineup is going to bunt or steal other than Bourn?

Well maybe not steal. In order to move a runner over we're going to have to bunt. That's a lot better than striking out which our team does way too much of. Let's also keep in mind I'm buzzed right now. The waiting is killing me. So I could be talking out my ass.

I don't mind Bourn at the top of the line up but why is our best OBP guy hitting 8th?

I don't mind Bourn at the top of the line up but why is our best OBP guy hitting 8th?

Kim should be batting second. Jones has been in a terrible slump and should be batting fifth or sixth.

Kim should be batting second. Jones has been in a terrible slump and should be batting fifth or sixth.

:agree:

I am ready. All jinx causing O's paraphernalia is buried deeply away in my closet, I have my pacing shoes on, and the beer is about to be cold. Let's do this!

Lets not get carried away here. We have a ball game today. There will be more. I hate the Yankees. Let's beat em today.

:agree:

I like Kim then Bourn at the top. Kim gets on more than anyone else we have. With a runner held at first, Bourn uses that RF gap better than anyone else we have and can stay out of the DP better than anyone else we have.

Then Machado, then the low-average sluggers (including Jones), then either Schoop Hardy or Hardy Schoop.

I like Bourn batting first in the line up. Looks like Buck is willing to play small ball. Bunt, stealing, hit and run. You can't always live or die by the home run. I think we're going to see a low scoring game.

I like him leading off too! Just this minute saws Weams' lineup.