With the site down I didn't see anything about Saturday's game. It had to be the most nerve-wracking win I've attended this year. The crowd was great and really into every play, every pitch. I'm not a real big LeBatard fan but this article sums it up well.

 

Herald - LeBatard

 

IN MY OPINION

Win symbolizes amazing season

By DAN LE BATARD

dlebatard@MiamiHerald.com

 

The Florida Marlins didn't win a wonderfully tense baseball game Saturday night as much as they slalomed on one ski in a panic through a treacherous field of land mines, bear traps and bottomless wells. The only way this night could have been more difficult for Florida is if a fire had raged out of control in the first-base dugout throughout and closer Joe Borowski had to get the last out by wrestling an alligator and a bear.

 

Marlins 4, Phillies 3.

 

It was only the single most important game of this hypnotizing Florida season.

 

So, just for fun, the go-go Marlins took it to extra innings.

 

Lose and the Marlins feel dead, with too much to overcome even for a team that has been as good as any in the league at overcoming. As it is, Florida has 20 games remaining and will have to win about 15 of them to sneak into the playoffs and . . .

 

(We interrupt this column to point out how absurd it is that the Marlins are playing meaningful games in September. Are Joe Borchard, Wes Helms and Alfredo Amezaga really ahead of Roger Clemens, John Smoltz and Ken Griffey Jr. in the standings, or are you holding the newspaper upside down?)

 

This game was a microcosm of Florida's season. The tiny, 165-pound Amezaga beating out a routine grounder to first base by sprinting hard, head down, the entire way. Josh Willingham diving face-first into the grass to make a game-saving catch with the bases loaded in the ninth.

 

FRUSTRATING THE PHILS

 

Here's what kind of night it was for frustrated Philadelphia: Menace Ryan Howard doubled, singled and walked four times and didn't score once. Poor Pat Burrell stranded nine runners all by himself. Even though it would seem to be a mathematical impossibility, there were times that Howard was batting with 14 Phillies on each base, stacked on each other like a cheerleader pyramid.

 

Sixth inning? Bases loaded, no outs. The Phillies didn't score. Seventh inning? Runners on first and second, one out. The Phillies didn't score. Eighth inning? Runner on third, no outs. The Phillies didn't score. Picture a man in a Marlins uniform at the edge of a cliff, arms cartoonishly flailing his arms in backward circles to keep from falling on his face. Philadelphia kept trying to push Florida out of the picture. But Florida somehow keeps regaining its balance.

 

Manager Joe Girardi managed this as if it were a World Series game, pulling his starter in the fifth and making his two best relievers throw too many pitches. He was desperate, and it showed. Up one run in the ninth, he walked Howard intentionally to push the tying run into scoring position with one out. That's usually a no-no, but you can't blame him for taking the bat out of Howard's hands when he has hit eight homers against Florida this season.

 

The Astros walked Howard intentionally in the ninth earlier this week when he was the winning run to lead off an inning. The Reds walked him in the 14th with runners on first and second and no outs to load the bases. Howard leads the league in making pitchers and managers wet their uniform pants.

 

(We interrupt this column again to point out how unfathomable it is that the youngest team in baseball history and the cheapest team in baseball this year is playing meaningful games in September. Cody Ross had the game-winning hit Saturday? Eric Reed scored the winning run? Who are these people?)

 

A LITTLE HELP

 

The 71-71 Marlins got a little lucky Saturday, but you need some of that. Chase Utley missed his third home run of the night just foul, and Randall Simon had another ball go foul off the wall by a mouse whisker. There were a number of times Philadelphia could have broken Florida's season with a bloop or a fly ball, or merely with contact.

 

Yes, the National League is unfathomably bad. Yes, there is the real possibility that not one, not two, but three undeserving teams will make the playoffs in this league. The last two Marlins teams before this one, disappointing ones, would be going to the playoffs this year.

 

But the Marlins still have a reasonable playoff chance with 20 games to play in this astounding season.

 

And that's just about the most unbelievable thing in the history of South Florida sports.

I really love LeBatard's writing, even if I don't agree with him all the time.

I really love LeBatard's writing, even if I don't agree with him all the time.

 

Geez, I thought I was the only one. The guy gets on my nerves big-time but even when I disagree with him I can't help but like his writing style. Some of my favorite Marlins articles (including postseason) were written by him.

I really love LeBatard's writing, even if I don't agree with him all the time.

 

Geez, I thought I was the only one. The guy gets on my nerves big-time but I even when I disagree with him I can't help but like his writing style. Some of my favorite Marlins articles (including postseason) were written by him.

 

Yeah, definitely.

That was a good article.

This should get some of you of his back......great piece....

good read. thanks.

I feel totally the opposite. I can't stand LeBatard's writing.

 

Now Berardino, on the other hand--you might regularly disagree with him, but you can't deny that he's a very good writer.

A lot of times I don't agree with Le Batard and he doesn't come across as a likeable guy, to me anyway, but I think he's a great writer.

 

Berardino is the best of the local baseball writers.

Berardino is possibly the worst local writer. He does pay attention, but has lost all contact with the team - they cut him off when Torborg was fired and he never regained any insider contacts. I think of him as Ken Rosenberg's local lap dog.

 

Mike was OK up until he started a weekly show with Goldberg about 4 years ago. Fat Hank turned him against us, and he's been Debbie Downer ever since.

 

Yeah, the Herald's writers are not so great, but occasionally Cote (or even DLB) will write a fair, balanced, positive piece.

 

Bob Rubin used to be great, but he's long gone.

I love Le Batard's writing style, but usually disagree with that he says. As opposed to Cote, who I usually agree with, but who is a terrible writer.