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!