The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

The National League picture is slightly more clear than the AL, but not by much.  Let's start in the areas that I feel are pretty well wrapped up. 

Chicago has an eight game lead in the NL Central over the Brewers and won't be caught. 

The Dodgers have opened up a 3.5 game lead over Arizona on the NL West and I'm pretty confident that they have this division wrapped up as well.  The Dodgers have ten games left and a pretty cushy ten games at that:  Pittsburgh tonight, three at home against San Fran, three more at home against the Padres and three to close it out on the road with San Fran.  If you're Arizona and looking at that schedule, things are not in your favor.

Arizona, meanwhile, has a tougher 11 games to finish out their season - and quite honestly they haven't played all that great lately.  Up until Sunday they had lost 8 of 9 before rattling off three straight.  They finish up a series tonight against San Fran and then get Colorado for three in the Rockies, St. Louis for four on the road and return home for three with the Rockies.  Arizona is nine off the chase for the Wild Card so the division is their only hope of getting into the playoffs.

I'm not liking their chances at all.

Now let's talk about the division that is up for grabs.  The Mets own a half game lead right now over the Phillies and 5.5 over the Marlins.  The Marlins are going to play a major factor in this divison race.  Unlike the west, there are key head to head matchups here.  The Marlins get Philly at home for three starting tomorrow and then three on the road at New York to end the season.  In between they have a single make up game against the Reds on the road and three at Washington. 

That stretch is pretty vital.  The Marlins and Phillies are both 7-3 in their last ten games while the Mets are 5-5 and continue to experience a record setting bullpen meltdown.  While I don't think they can overcome a 5.5 game deficit with 11 to go, it helps when you have three head to head with both teams that you are trailing and cupcakes wedged in between those three.

The Mets are picking a bad time to watch that little fade away.  On the road for one more with the Nats tonight, three roadies against the Braves and then home against the Cubs and Marlins.  The Cub series should prove to be very interesting.  Chicago has all but locked up home field throughout the playoffs and have a chance to get their rotation in order.  The one saving grace the Mets have in this is that they'll be facing a Cubs team with nothing to win and everything to lose if they empty the tank against the Mets on the road.

The Fightin' Phills have the clearest path, in my opinion.  At Atlanta tonight before a key three game set in Miami.  Then they close it out at home with three more with the Braves and then the season finale with the Nats.

Which brings us to the uber confusing Wild Card status within the National League.

The Brewers are a half game out of the Wild Card with the fading Astros four games out and the Marlins at five.  The Cardinals are sitting on the outside looking in on this, trailing at six games.  I think that will be a little too much to overcome with only ten to play. 

The Brewers might have the best path here with games left against the Cubs, Reds and Pirates.  The Astros get Florida, the Reds, Cubs and Braves.  Where the Cards fate might be sealed is a four game set against Arizona.  They also draw the Reds and Cubs to close it out.

Oddly enough I think that the Marlins might have an upper hand here.  Now this is a massive long shot.   Five games out with ten to play.  But if you look at the head to head match ups the Marlins can gain ground very quickly while the Brewers and Astros could potentially fall off the chase.  I wouldn't put my mortgage money on the Marlins in this case, the smart money is on the Brewers. 

Looking over schedules and trends, my thoughts are the following:  Chicago locks up best record and coasts.  I think LA will wrap up the West by this weekend and eliminate Arizona's chances.  I don't think the Mets will hold off the Phillies and I expect them to not compete for the Wild Card.  I believe that the Wild Card will come down to the Brewers and the Marlins.  I have this weird feeling the Marlins are poised to take it.  Don't be shocked for them to close out the season 8-2 and in that hunt.

You might want to double check those standings- My Fightin Phils have the lead over the Mets, not the other way around ;)

That's actually what I meant...lol...

Marlins are 7-3 in the last 10 but have won 7 in a row and 9 of the last 12.  They haven't really played cupcake teams, either, beating the Phils and 'Stros twice each in that stretch, around a sweep of the Nats.

I'm looking forward to this weekend's series against the Phillies.  I'm going to the game Saturday night, and I have a pretty good record as fan attendance goes. 

I had written off the Marlins post-season hopes a few weeks ago when they dropped to 7.5 back for the division, but their recent late-season push has me excited again.  I think the Wild Card is within reach, and if miracles happen and they can sweep both the Phillies and Mets coming up, maybe they can make a run at the NL East crown!  Let's go Fish!

Nothing would be cooler than watching the Marlins make a strong push and snatch that wild card... My early-season dream of a Marlins-Rays world series is technically still alive. ;)

^ That would be freaking awesome  ;D

The Marlins' Cameron Maybin looked reeeeally good tonight, in just about every facet of the game. At the plate, it's hard to do better than 4 for 4. He also flashed those sweet wheels on the basepaths, twice going from 1st to home on doubles by John Baker. In the outfield, his speed was on display in the 3rd inning when he took what I initially thought was an extra base liner by Tejada in the left-center gap, and ran it down for the out.

Very impressive showing by the 21 year old rook...I'm looking forward to seeing him as the every day CF for the Fish next season.

I can't remember who it was - but when the Maybin deal happened someone on this site poo-poo'd it a bit and said that my praises of Maybin were unwarranted.  Then we he struggled to start the season and was demoted to the minors the person piled on again.

The kid is 21 freaking years old, give him some time.  Future bonafide superstar.  Stroke and I don't jump up and down and jizz in our pants over any prospect.  This is the type of guy that we love because we know he'll be featured on the cover of video games and hoisting MVPs some day.

Maine, I'll fess up - that was probably me.  I remember being annoyed that we got 3 "nobody's" for Dontrelle and Cabrera. 

That said, I take it all back.  After watching Maybin play last night, I am friggin thrilled to have this guy on the team.  I had hoped he'd have been called up before September, but Cody Ross filled the gap admirably and let the kid develop in the minors.  I am excited from what I saw last night.

However, Jeremy Hermida looked good in his first game out, too, and he's been less-than-stellar lately.

I think that the last three prospects I've actually gotten gooey over as rookies are Cole Hamels, Hanley Ramirez and Ian Kinsler...

The latest batch of prospect to rookies and prospects you'll hear about soon that have me worked up are Jacoby Ellsbury, Clayton Kershaw, Wade Davis and Nick Adenhart.

I got gooey enough on Kershaw as well, I guess...Lil_B and I dedicated about 20 minutes one show talking about Kershaw and Reds' rookie Jay Bruce.

Great.  Thanks for calling and letting me in on that action.  I see how it is.

Excuse me?  Wait...one more time...'Scuse me?

Not only do you have an open invitation "every" Saturday, but you didn't even show last Saturday when you said you'd be interested in talking about the playoff picture.

::)

Maybe you should listen to the radio show! ;)

Hey!  HEY!!!  I have a very good excuse....ERRRRRRRRRRRRR...re ason for my no show!

If it wasn't an allnighter with three asian midget contortionists, I'm sure it isn't a good enough excuse.

Every Saturday night from 8 PM ET to around 9-9:30. Call in number is always 646-200-0114. ;)

Actually - my very good excuse is that the sound card on my computer suddenly isn't working.  I can't figure out why, either.

You got a cell phone, You can hear the show,on yor cell phone when You call in....Excuse problem solved...Worse case Scenerio,You call in Stroke Puts on the air.... :D

I'm curious to see the last week ofe the season...I'd like to get on a roll here at the end of the season..Today wasn't encouraging....I'm hoping it was a errr Trap game....Knowing that It was important to put out foot on the throat of the Brewers...

Philly, are you biting your nails a little bit here or what?

Cameron Maybin's looking really good right about now.  You think they might make his call-up permanent?

I sure was hoping that Maybin could set the Marlins' record when he came to the plate last night looking for his 9th straight base hit. You can see such a dramatic difference in this kid at the plate right now...spending the year in AA working on his hitting sure looks like it was the right move.

To answer your question, Tommy...unless Maybin backslides a little bit between now and spring training, I can't see him starting next season anywhere but with the parent club. Florida will be going for their third world series next season, and they'll need all the talented bats they can get.

Question.... and if you can't answer this, maybe Maine can:

When a minor leaguer is called up at the end of the MLB season, does he get a prorated major league salary for that portion of the season?

I knew that was going to happen last night. A buddy and I were talking yesterday about how good Brett Myers has pitched since his little stint in the minors. He had only given up 10 runs in his last 7 starts and had pitched lights out. Of course since we talked about it, he gave up 10 runs in one night!

Ironically, the same thing happened a few weeks back when Moyer pitched against the Mets. He had been something like 7-0 aginst them, with like a 2.something ERA. Of course since we talked about it, he got lit up that day!

The Marlins would like to invite you to talk to your buddy about the Phillies, Mets and Brewers every day between now and the end of the regular season. Thanks!! ;)

Woohooo..Cubs...Clinch.....Go Cubs Go...Go cubs Go...Hey Chicago Whadda say...Cubs are gonna win today....


Ok...Enough Time to get back to work..... :D

They are paid the league minimum, pro rated, in 99% of the cases.  The MLB league min for 2008 is $390,000.

Most prospects, no matter the level, are paid the league minimum when they are pressed into action on the MLB level.  That's usually very significant over the amount they were making in the minors.  Generally the real money these kids see from the beginning is in the form of their signing bonus and then their annual salary is pretty small - which is why you see most players opting to play year round.

Some higher level prospects have two way contracts, they've already negotiated something slightly higher than the MLB minimum for times that they are called up.  This is usually done in the stages when a team is trying to sign the player and keep them from opting back into the draft.  Example is the Red Sox #1 pick in '08, Casey Kelly.  He had already agreed to a free ride to play QB for Tennessee, which is why a lot of teams didn't pick him.  Boston offered him a huge signing bonus and something like 9% above league minimum for call up duty.

AA players are paid $1,500 a month during the season until they have one year experience at that level.  Then no less than $1,500 a month.  AAA is $2,150 until the player has one year experience at that level and then no less than $2,500 a month.  They also get $20 a day meal money while on the road.   Jacoby Ellsbury is another good example, he didn't spend one year time in the minors at any level but had negotiated a different bonus amount based upon promotion date to the MLB level.  I think he received an additional $750,000 when he made the opening day roster this season in addition to his salary (and post season pay outs from last year).

Marlins were eliminated with their loss last night. The Phillies magic number is 4 to win the division, 3 to secure a playoff spot.

The Marlins were only eliminated because the other teams in the NL fear them too much. Yeah, that's the reason... ;)

if you can't beat the Reds, you don't deserve playoff consideration, IMO.  Too bad, it was a good run.  Maybe next year when Kevin Gregg doesn't cost us like 12 games.

They should send his ass packing.  He's like Braden Looper. 

Did you say that to piss me off?  We love Loop.

He's like Braden Looper except that he sucks.  I'd take Looper back any day of the week over this bum.

Of course, Gregg will go play somewhere else and become an All-Star.  That's just how it goes.

Looper blew a shitload of saves back in 2002.  I remember he blew a 6-2 lead once in the 9th inning. 

That was 2002.  This is 2008 and Looper is a starting pitcher.

I'm shocked that he's even pitching in the majors. 

Looper is much better than his 12-14 record...The Cards didn't do him any favors behind him at times...

Much like Dempster,the Closer role back to starter taught them to be better pitchers IMO...who would have thought in April Ryan Dempster 17-6,and Ted Lilly 16-9 would have more wins than Carlos Zambrano 14-6....