WeekEnd HaloLinks: Halos fly by Astros

Winning is fun. Winning against a major thorn in our side is even more fun. Winning behind some surprising pitching performances and an ancient bat is the funnest.

Consider: J,C. Ramirez was with the Cincinnati Reds until they dumped him to the waiver wire in June. Ricky Nolasco was with the Twins until Billy Eppler picked him up as nice-to-have baggage in August. And Andrew Bailey? Well, Bailey was a Phillie until last month, when they dumped him altogether, he was picked up as a Free Agent off the scrap heap of ex-big leaguers. Those three combined for 9 innings, 8 hits, 6 strikeouts and only 1 walk. ZERO runs allowed.

Yeah. Nobody saw the possibility of this back in May.

Congratulations to Albert Pujols for creating separation with Frank Robinson and taking over sole possession of 20th all-time career RBI leader. And Congratulations to Andrelton Simmons, who is now a mere.004 points away from his career-best Batting Average.

By the way, last night we were mathematically eliminated from having any shot at the #1 pick in next years entry draft. Tanking now can deliver to us no better than pick #2.

Have some Harvest Season Links:

(14 years ago today the public got it's first look at the Mozilla Firefox browser.)

Everywhere In Baseball

Daddy's back. Kole Calhoun returned to the lineup as a pinch hitter last night, and will be back in right field tonight. And, since he is in Houston and his wife and newborn-will-no-sleep-through-the-night-newborn-son Know is not, Kole will totally enjoy his hotel room. And he will totally never live down this weekend...........

This Andrew Bailey dude might be a keeper. Look at his game logs since he joined the Halos. Including last night, Bailey has been in 9 games, pitched 8.1 innings, is carrying a WHIP of 0.84, has walked only 1 guy, has a Batting Average against of only.200, and has not given up an Earned Run in 8 of those outings...........

This is going to be one of your homework assignments over the Thanksgiving break. Write a 5-paragraph essay as to what the Angels should do with Yunel Escobar. Just asking the question will receive a F grade. And, no, I do not grade on the curve. It IS possible for all of you to fail...........

I had no idea defeating a team that has won only 69 games all season was such a big deal. I mean, they have already lost 84 other times...............

Apple releases their iPhone7. The Orioles immediately respond by releasing their oRtiz1..........

Pirates smuggle Coke into Pennsylvania. Not a big deal, I was just dying to write that............

I've got a feeling that Steve Clevinger is going to have a tough time in the clubhouse up there in Seattle...........

You may not realize it, but the WBC has already begun, starting with the qualifying rounds. Brazil took on Pakistan and won 10-0. Pitching in that game for Brazil, in international competition, was one Eric Pardinho. Pardinho is only 15 years old............Great Britain played Israel in Brooklyn. Before journeying to the stadium, Team Britain took to Time Square to sing God Save the Queen....Israel won anyway, 5-2...........

It's pretty well known that Erick Aybar has a severe allergy to bases on balls. This is true even when somebody tries to walk him on purpose. Even the baseball knows to stay far away from Aybar............

The Cub are not just incredibly good this year. They are historically good. lethally good. Their team BABIP alowed is the lowest in 40 years............

Finding the joy in observing unusual fail in baseball is the thing that Jeff Sullivan does best over at FanGraphs. This one, about the worst strikes batters have flailed at this season, has all sorts of fun at the expense of Jose Abreu. Oh, and it throws a little shade at Mark Trumbo, too............

This is fantastic! The Twins and Tigers were forced to play a make-up game as part of a double-header, and almost nobody showed up for the first game. One of the handful who did show, was an SBN contributor, and their experience was surreal...........

And here we were slobbering over Mike Trout yesterday. High Heat was busy canonizing Adrian Beltre as the Greatest Of All Time...........

Something we have overlooked from our perch way down here in baseball's basement. There are decent odds that we will have multi-way ties for playoff slots. Mostly in the National League, but a chance worth thinking about in the American League, too...........

Chase Utley with the ultimate no-look pass..........

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