Last Place - LIVE!

It's Penultimate Day!!!

We're here at the Pickled HQ enjoying what we hope will be our last few hours in last place in BABI. We started the day, again, 8 points down to the Falkuhns, 36-28, and we immediately lost a ratio point to the Old Rips thanks to Randy Wells giving up only 3 hits and a walk in 7 innings.

Johnny Cueto is through 5 in Cincy, as the Reds hold a 5-1 lead over the Bucs. Cueto, who we hope will prove to be keepable next year as an $8 11X contract, has given up an earned run, 3 hits and 3 walks through 5. Completing the last inning allowed us to pick up an ERA point from the Pounders, and brought us within 0.0001 in ratio of the Rips. One more clean inning (of course, he hasn't actually had one yet) will get back that ratio point.

And of course should he complete the win, it will tie us with the Falkuhns in wins. That is a 2 point swing. On Sunday we'll have three starters going - Jonathan Sanchez, JA Happ and Tim Hudson, while the beloved fantasy hurler Jason Marquis starts for the Falkuhns. We have great hopes for another 2 point swing in wins as we actually pull ahead.

As I write this, Cueto has given up a single and a walk (our own Brandon Moss' 3rd walk of the game). Oops...Delwyn Young, 3 run ding dong. There goes the ERA point. At the end of the BABI draft we had a buck left for an outfielder. We took Greg Norton over Delwyn Young. Young started fairly hot, at least after the Dodgers traded him to Pittsburgh. He's cooled off - he's really not very good, but Norton - oh, my, as in 0 for. Mendoza isn't even in sight for him.

Keep hope alive!

Daily Update - THE Race

There was a short schedule of games on Thursday as we head into the last roundup. Neither the Falkuhns or the Pecklers had many players active, though the Falkuhns had a sudden power surge, with homers from Ryan Braun (Larry regrets the trade of Lincecum, he says) and Andres Torres, resulting in a net pickup of 3 RBIs, increasing the lead to 6 RBIs.

The Pecklers got a clean inning from Todd Coffey, while the Old Rips; Rafael Soriano and Latroy Hawkins each gave up 2 hits in one inning each, so we picked up that close ratio point.

The Pecklers have 4 more starts schedule this season: Cueto on Saturday and on Sunday Happ, Hudson and Sanchez. We picked up 3 wins from these guys a few days ago, but it was an ugly ERA and Ratio day. Their performances will likely determine whether the great last minute comeback will be successful or not. We still expect to pick up the RBI point, but it may come down to the win point.

The Race (for last) Continues

We're down 9 points with 4 days to go. Unlike the Giants, we are not mathematically eliminated, and we're keeping hope alive.

The Falkuhns have 36 points, but they are going to lose 3 pitching points, as they are 96 innings short with four days to go. So let us assume they are at 33.

The Pecklers are back down to 27, having briefly hit 30 before a semi-disasterous pitching day in which we got two ugly wins, but gave up tons of runs, hits and walks among three starters and a blown save by Huston Street.

We are, at this moment:

1 homer behind the Bums
0.0002 in ratio behind the Old Rips
0.0113 in ratio behind Any 9
0.012 in ERA behind the Pounders

So that is 4 potential points.

Meanwhile, the Falkuhns are 0.0001 ahead of the EB Padres and 0.0008 ahead of the Busch Leaguers in batting average. That's two more potential points.

Additionally, we are now only 1 win and 3 RBIs behind the Falkuhns. The RBI point is a given, and we've got 6 more starts to go. Each of these stats could be a 2 point swing.

So the Pickled Ones could finish as high as 33 points, and the Falkuhns could finish as low as 29.

It's a race! Stop being bored. And check here for updates.

We're in this thing!