Baseball Update:
The Cubs clinched the best record in the NL, guaranteeing them homefield advantage through the NL playoffs with their 9-5 bashing of the Mets. Cubs pitcher Jason Marquis had a grand slam and drove in five runs in the win. The loss places Milwaukee a game behind New York in the Wild card as the Brewers start a three game sereis with the Pirates and the Mets continue their four game series with the Cubs.
The Phillies magic number was reduced to four after Pat Burrell broke open a two run tie with a three run homer in the eighth inning. The Phils went on to beat the Braves, 6-2.
The Rays may already have clinched a playoff spot, but they are just four games away from clinching the AL East title after beating the Orioles, 4-2.
The Red Sox once again failed to clinch a playoff birth after falling to the Indians, 4-3. Don't worry, I'm sure the champagne will taste just the same a day later.
Because it took place on Saturday, I didn't really make mention of the brawl between the Indians and the Tigers. (Video here) The fracas cost Indians pitcher Fausto Caromna six games and Tiger slugger Gary Sheffield four games. Good thing neither team is in contention for much of anything.
The Tigers spent a lot of money in the off-season and look where it got them 71-84 and 15 games behind the White Sox...so about nowhere. With these results in mind, manager Jim Leyland says not to expect any big name signings this off-season.
With their 4-3 edging of the Rangers, the A's have moved into second place in the AL West, a distant 22 games behind the Angels. In other Oakland news, they will not make up their rainout with the Orioles since it is not relevant to the playoff chase and frankly 161 games were painful enough for both teams fans to sit through without the horror of an additional game.
Speaking of the Angles, Francisco Rodriguez picked up his 61st save of the season as LA rallied past the Mariners, 2-1.
Brandon Webb's 22nd win could not come at a better time, putting the Diamondbacks just two games behind the idle Dodgers with six more games to go.
With a week remaining the season, their are four races remaining for a playoff spot. Of those spots, one could be decided by Thursday as the Twins battle the White Sox in Minnesota. The Twins trail the ChiSox by 2.5 games going into this series and a Chicago sweep could put an end to Minnesota's dreams of postseason glory.
Cooperstown will be filled with a few mementos from the final game at Yankee Stadium including Jose Molina's spikes he wore as he hit the final homer there and the bat Johnny Damon used to hit the second to last homerun, which was actually Xavier Nady's so I hope he doesn't mind.
While Cooperstown got a bunch of pieces of the Stadium to share with the public, the 18 people who tried to take thier own mementos got booked on possession of stolen property instead.
Nascar Update:
Brad Keselowski will attempt two Sprint Cup races for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.
AJ Allmendinger will be replaced in the #84 car by Scott Speed. I think this is a bad decision. A) Allmendinger was put into his seat too early and was not given the equipment to make races and gain experience and has been really improving this season and B) I don't know how long Speed will stay around Nascar if given the opportunity to go elsewhere.
Sitting 210 points out with eight races remaining, its easy to understand why Kyle Busch feels that his Championship hopes are done. But I'm saying not so fast my young friend. It's not going to be easy, and it's highly unlikely, but a former teammate of Bucsh's Jimmie Johnson could prove to be a very good role model in times like these.
News&Notes: PIMC fave, Jeremy Shockey will be out 3-6 weeks because of a sports hernia...Never have I heard of so many spleen injuries. First it's Chris Simms, then it's Sean Avery and now it's Al Harris who suffered a torn spleen and will be out for the remainder of the season...Lane Kiffin still has a job but if it were up to Tom Ford, Jr. Lions head coach Matt Millen would not...The Knicks Stephon Marbury era could soon be over.
Check this out: The TV season kicked off yesterday with the premiere of Heroes, How I Met Your Mother, Dancing with the Stars and CSI: Miami. Tonight the networks bring you premieres of NCIS, The Mentalist, Without a Trace and Law & Order:SVU. And while this show is premiering tonight, I ask that you give Privileged a shot. It maybe on the CW, but it has heart, it's funny and very sweet. Plus Joanna Garcia is rebounding nicely from the weird CBS sitcom she was in last year. Check it out at 9 PM/est! And click here to watch the first two episodes.
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