(Not) the playoff watch - Dirty Dozen edition

the heart says playoffs, the head says golf course

Last night...
Flippers 12, Nats 1

I'm dumbfounded right now, very ecstatic just because of how my teammates felt for me today. They were pulling for me," said Willis, who got a celebratory beer poured on his head by closer Todd Jones.

Braves 4, Mets 3 (10 innings)
Tim Hudson on Ryan Langerhans

"For a guy -- especially a young guy -- to come up with big hits in back-to-back innings, you hardly ever see that. I'm glad I got to see it on our side."

Several members of the New Orleans Fire Department attended the game. They received a standing ovation from the crowd when shown on the video board between the fifth and sixth innings.

I know they need down time, but shouldn't they be back in Louisiana?

Texans 8, Phailers 6

"That's the first time I've ever faced Billy," Biggio said of his close friend and teammate for eight years in Houston. "He threw me a fastball in, then inside again. The last pitch was 99 mph, so I could have popped it up."

Biggio bops a 3-run bomb off Phils’ closer.

Wild card: Biggio
Busted flush: Washington pitching staff (honorable mention: blogging Todd Jones. Oh, okay, England soccer team as well.)

At the start of play today:

                W  L  GB GL
  Houston      75 64  -- 23
  Florida      74 65 1.0 23
  Philadelphia 73 67 2.5 22
  Washington   72 68 3.5 22
  NY Mets      70 69 5.0 23

On the hill today:

- Josh Beckett goes against John "ND" Patterson in the fourth and final game of the Fish-Good Guys series.
- Zambrano, V goes for the Metsies against Cards' 20-game winner, Chris Carpenter, as they open up a 4 game set at Busch.
- 'Stros and Philly off day.

Best case: simple equation - pick up a half game on idle Houston
Worst case: break out the golf clubs