Another Saturday night drinking with the scouts at the Barleymoe

          Tonight Elijah Craig is joined by Jim Beam, Johnny Walker, and George Dickell

Elijah: Fellas we are at the all-star break. What do you think is going to happen in the American League South?

George: Well Elijah, Houston has the first challenge after the break. The Dropouts have 4 at home against the league leading Duoz.

Jim: Louisville has the best road record in the division and Houston is going to have to win at least three games to stay with Louisville.

Elijah: Johnny what do think of Houston's chances not in that series but for the duration of the season?

Johnny: In their first meeting  Houston beat the Duos 2 games to 1; and now they get the Duos at home. If they can win 3 games liked Jim said, then they should be able to hang with the leaders until the roster expansion, October 28.

Elijah: And the roster expansion is important to Houston--why?

Johnny: This season the average team has had 10 blown saves, in the American League it's 9. Houston has 14 already. Their Triple-A bullpen has been great. They can bring up Carl Gibson who has been a star quality closer converting 15 of 16 save opportunities. Also earlier Houston demoted reliever Alexi Chantres to Triple-A. The triple-A pitching coach, Allan Smalley, has straightened Chantres out. In 19 games since his demotion Chantres has an ERA of 1.82.

Elijah: So your point about Houston's playoff aspirations is that if the pitching gets better they have a chance?

Johnny: This season they have scored the fifth most runs in the American League; if they pitch better then I think they are in the playoffs.

Elijah: So Jim what do you see for the Duos the rest of the season.

Jim: Obviously the 4 game series in Houston will mean great deal about momentum in the second half of the season. The Duos do go to Houston on a three game winning streak. They have the second best offense in the American League in the runs scored category and have the best road record in the American league. I think the Duos are in a long dominant ride to the playoffs.

Elijah: George what can you say for the second place Herd.

George: The Herd are streakiest team we have had in several seasons. They have had 1 eight game winning streak , 2 five game winning streaks and 2 four game winning streaks. So if they play Houston or Louisville while they are on one of their torrid winning streaks they could catapult past both teams and ease into the playoffs. Comparatively their batting seems to be about the league average but their pitching is well above the league average.

Elijah: I asked Jose to come tonight and talk about Little Rock but he couldn't make it. Little Rock is only 6 games back in the division and if I'm correct has scored the most runs in the American League. Maybe they acquire some pitching  at the trade deadline and make us all look like jackasses. Someone call the uber it time for us to let the Barleymoe close.