The Rangers' Magic Number for winning the AL West is seven.
The Rangers' Magic Number for clinching a playoff spot is four.
On Sunday, the sixteenth, right before the Wife and I left
The A's lost that day as well, knocking two off the Magic Number to fourteen. The A's and the Rangers both had the next day off, so I figured what would be the likely outcome for the upcoming week. I anticipated that the Magic Number would be cut in half to seven by Sunday the twenty-third. I expected the Plucky A's to go two and four at Detroit and New York. And, the Rangers to go three and three at Los Angeles Angels of Disneyland and Seattle. The A's went two and four (four off the Magic Number) and the Rangers went three and three (three off the Magic Number, adding up to seven total).
And, that is where we are.
The A's and the Rangers open a four game series tonight in Arlington. The A's then fly home and finish the regular season in Oakland. They will play Seattle this weekend and then play three with the Rangers, starting a week from today, October first.
The Rangers play three against the annoying, "We refuse to go away" Los Angeles Angels of Disneyland this weekend. The meat, if you will, between the two aforementioned Oakland A's "buns".
The A's series with the Yankees was an absolute September Classic. All three games were decided by one run, and the first two, both of the Yankees' wins, were decided in the last at-bat of extra innings. The A's on Saturday took a four run lead on three home runs in the top of the thirteenth, only to lose in the bottom of the fourteenth on a fielding error. And, then Eric Chavez said some stupid stuff to Murdoch's New York Post, instead of just being grateful for such a thrilling crazy win. Athletes, right?
But, the A's rebounded yesterday and snuck out of the Bronx with a five-four victory.
Meanwhile, the Rangers do not have to see the Seattle Mariners again until next Spring. Hoo-ray! The lowly M's have given the Rangers fits all season, and it was touch and go, nail-biting time yesterday right around four o'clock, as Joe Nathan got the save, and the Rangers avoided being swept by Seattle. (In fact, when the Rangers lost the first two of that series, it was the first time the Rangers had lost consecutive games in over a month.)
The Rangers are getting very good pitching right now, but can not hit a lick again, quite suddenly. Josh Hamilton has some bizarre ailment that no one can diagnose, and we do not know when he will return. Adrian Beltre has been battling his own illness issues lately, too, and apart from a majestic, magical ninth inning, game winning home run against the Angels last Thursday, he has not done much, either. Kinsler, Cruz, and Elvis are all struggling, too. Only Napoli, Craig Gentry, and David Murphy are hitting right now.
I am hoping that getting some home cooking this week will wake up some bats. And, you know the A's have got to be wiped after that epic Yankees series.
I expect the A's and Rangers will split their four game series, getting the Magic Number down to three with six games left. But, the A's need to worry about the Angels, as well. The Angels are three back in the loss column for a playoff spot, chasing the A's. The A's magic number for a playoff spot is eight.
There was a funny moment in yesterday's Rangers game, when Soto hit a two-run home run. Soto was convinced he had popped it up, and slammed his bat on the ground, not realizing it had left the park until he looked up after rounding first base. That "pop up" home run was the game winning hit, it turned out.
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I do not know if it is because I have watching, following so much of the pennant races lately, or, because I have just devoured all seven seasons of the deliciously rude English series, Peep Show, but I am obsessed with The Fratellis right now. Their glam-y, yobbish, naughty football terrace hits; Flathead, Chelsea Dagger, etc, ... just seem to be perfect for me right now.
I dare not post their videos here, but you can find them v easily on YouTube. It is basically the band "playing" whilst surrounded by girls wearing lingerie.
The Fratellis are not a good group, really. They are certainly a guilty pleasure for me. And the singer really milks his accent to a very annoying degree, but, you do have to respect their knack for writing "hits".
Peep Show, meanwhile, is bloody good fun. It breaks no fresh ground, but is mean-spirited and fun, and hilarious, in dozens of very good ways. Plus, I love Olivia Colman, who plays Sophie. Peep Show prob is not for everybody, but Renee and I truly enjoy it.
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Mittens is in such a world of hurt right now. He is hurting so bad that he even did a Friday news dump of his 2011 taxes, and hired some lackey to write a report about the previous ten years of tax returns that basically said, "Well, you folks, the forty seven per cent, the help, can not actually see Mittens' tax returns, but I have looked at them, and everything is okay, so, would you kids just shut up about all that now?"
Plouffe and Axelrod, of course, have already created a sharp commercial about all this, that is airing in Ohio right now, as Mittens and LL Cool P will be sailing in a corrical (h/t In the Loop) throughout the Buckeye state for three days this week.
And, up in Massachusetts, we are seeing the real Scott Brown, at last. Ms Warren is slowly but surely beginning to connect with voters, and is stretching out her slim lead. The drug store truck driving man, that won a few years ago is long gone, and has been replaced but a whinging cry baby of the worst kind, that is holding his breath on account that Elizabeth Warren does things like call Brown a Republican, and what not. What a witch, right?
And, that is all I got for today,
Love you all,
Ardent
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