Who is your substitute team this October?

[Philip]

I didn’t have a particular dog in this fight aside from anyone-who-is-playing-Yanks-or-Dodgers, but I’ve kind of latched onto the Rays.

The series with the Astros will be fascinating, because it’s two teams with the same approach and similar unorthodox strategy.

(although I think the Astros will win handily)

so for me it’s Astros or Rays. What says the Populi?

[CynBeth]

I like the Astros but would be ok if the Rays won.  I want Twins over Yankees.  For the NL the Nats over the Dodgers and the Cards over the Braves.  

[Spy Fox]

I follow the Nats some and would like to see them succeed. But the Dodgers have been a great team for so long without a WS win that if they beat DC, I'll be rooting for them the rest of the way in the NL.

In the AL I would love to see the Twins win in the playoffs for once but I'm assuming the Astros are just going to destroy everyone, and that's ok. They're allowed one more championship before they earn root-against status for me. 

[Philip]

Boy, anybody who’s watching the postseason has got to be impressed by the quality of the pitching. It’s been really really good. Even the bad pitching performances are from guys who would fit in nicely on our squad.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Philip said:

Boy, anybody who’s watching the postseason has got to be impressed by the quality of the pitching. It’s been really really good. Even the bad pitching performances are from guys who would fit in nicely on our squad.

I would say so.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Whoever is playing against the Yankees or Nationals (yes I'm petty).

[scOtt]

I like the Rays. Don't know about their chances... but I like them. Yankee killers on a budget.

[scOtt]

3 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Whoever is playing against the Yankees or Nationals (yes I'm petty).

And that! ^^^^^

[scOtt]

7 hours ago, CynBeth said:

I like the Astros but would be ok if the Rays won.  I want Twins over Yankees.  For the NL the Nats over the Dodgers and the Cards over the Braves.  

I like the Cards too. Good smart team and their fans are true blue (red.) PAINT that stadium red! Wouldn't mind seeing them get hot and win it all.

[scOtt]

2 minutes ago, scOtt said:

PAINT that stadium red!

 

[Philip]

Well, after day one it sure looks like the Astros and Yankees are the cream of the American League.

I really want the twins to win, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen. It sure looks like the Yankees Houston ALCS, and then the Astros will go on to beat the Dodgers. Oh well.

[JR Oriole]

Braves, bc I live in Atlanta.

Pulling for Twins to beat Yankees, but the persistent failures of the Twins to even show up over a really big sample size does not bode well.

Since 2002:

Regular season Twins against NY: 35-87, .287

Regular season Twins against rest of majors: 1,439-1,356, .515

Postseason v NY: 2-14, .125

Those stats are absurd.

 

[Can_of_corn]

I don't see what relevance a matchup in 2002 has. 

Yes the numbers are absurd but I don't think it has much meaning.

[JR Oriole]

They are 21-46 against them in the regular season over the last 10 years.  .313.....a little better.  Lost every season series over those 10 years.  .479 against rest of majors.  

I think it is fascinating that no matter who is on the roster, the Twins just can’t beat the Yankees.    Maybe these current players don’t care about a history that they weren’t responsible for, but the longtime Twins fans have to be sick about 18 seasons of awfulness against the same team.  

This narrative is really old.  

[Philip]

Well, folks, the twins are doing us no favors today.