State Of Grace

I imagine that this is what purgatory must be like … playing out the string in August and September, watching brilliant outings by Dillon Gee and opposite field home runs by Ike Davis mean little except to send the Washington Nationals straight to hell. It isn't even like it's all that much fun to spoil the Nationals' fleeting playoff hopes. I mean, #Natitude is ridiculous, but spoiling the Nationals is nowhere near spoiling the Braves and Phillies (or the Marlins if they ever get to a point where we can spoil them again … although I guess the Mets could keep them from the number one draft pick by losing to them four more times.) Besides, I still like Davey Johnson … though I guess keeping Tyler Clippard out of the playoffs is the schaudenfreude that I'm going to have to settle for in 2013.

Luckily, the Roman Catholic church defines purgatory as "the state or place of purification or temporary punishment by which those who die in a state of grace are believed to be made ready for the Beatific Vision in Heaven." First off, our purgatory has lasted a good four years now, so forgive me if this doesn't seem so temporary. Second, they officially died in 2009, which was pure hell … but 2009 was no "state of grace", I'll tell you that much. Third, the Beatific Vision in Heaven? What does Pedro Beato have to do with all this? Does he perform the purification with his surgically repaired arm?

But let's take a moment to acknowledge LaTroy Hawkins, who got his sixth save Friday night despite the fact he doesn't like pitching the ninth inning. He has now tied Gene Garber for 20th on the all-time appearance list, so let's all tip our caps to Hawkins for a solid career that has lasted 18 years.

Eighteen years … or 3 Dice K starts.