Other Teams Playoffs Thread

[TonySoprano]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I dislike Harper.  Always have. 

I liked him with the Nats.  They won the Series the next year after he left; call it the "Mike Mussina NY effect."   Philly is on a mission it seems, led by Harper and others, while Arizona may be content they got this far.

Of the 4 remaining, I'll take Texas.  One, because at least the Orioles were knocked out by the eventual champs.  Second, Texas was once the Senators team I grew up with until Bob Short happened.

With my luck, it'll be a rematch of last year.   Pass.

Edited October 13, 2023 by TonySoprano

[bpilktree67]

This is why teams make trades even when many people think they are out of it because even if your team is flawed and other teams are clearly better you never know.  You just have to get in and anything can happen in 3-5-7 game series.  

[bpilktree67]

MLB teams that won 91 or more games this season went 1-13 in the playoffs. Teams that won 90 or fewer games are 21-9.

[bpilktree67]

8 hours ago, EddeeEddee said:

As scary as Atlanta was their surprising Achilles heel the second half of the season was their pitching.  It just wasn't very good.  

But they lost manly because they couldn't score.  The only guy in that lineup that did anything was riley with two homers.  

[BobP]

The Phillies 90 wins are misleading compared to the team they are now. Harper began the year on the DL and struggled at the plate when he 1st came back and was also DHing. In addition to finding his bat later in the season, he was also able to play 1B which increased the Phillies ability to win by getting Schwarber out of LF (which is a disaster). Turner was an absolute liability until August and is now back to the MVP caliber player they thought they were getting (even though his D remains awful). Nola was just ok but has pitched well in the post season. Signing Turner also moved Stott to 2B where he may be the best in the league. This team is light years better than last years that lost the World Series. Say what you want about Philly fans, but they are the most passionate in baseball and love this team. Also CBP is underrated, it does sit in a massive parking lot and stole much of its design from OPCY but its seating and site lines to watch baseball is excellent. Also the city embraced the ugly parking lot by letting people tail gate all day and during the game making for an incredible atmosphere. The fans also love the owner because he's at the games and talks to the fans (and spends money). I am a die hard O's fan and always will be but live in Phillies country and its hard not to like what they are doing.

[Morgan423]

MLB.com: Nick Castellanos swats two home runs in Game 4, becoming the first player in postseason history with back-to-back multihomer games

I didn't watch this game, but it begs the question...  HOW?

If he homered multiple times in Game 3, and he's hotter than the surface of the sun, I'm just going to pitch around him, or point to first, every time he comes up.  Especially with the bases empty.  Especially especially if he's also already hit that first homer in Game 4. 

I know the book says pitch to him, but the book is correct only in a contextless vacuum, and is dead wrong when it comes to guys that are THAT locked in.  You'll never convince me otherwise, I've seen the results far too many times. 

[EddeeEddee]

4 hours ago, bpilktree67 said:

But they lost manly because they couldn't score.  The only guy in that lineup that did anything was riley with two homers.  

They couldn't score because the Phillies starters dominated them.  Suarez, Wheeler and Nola were nearly perfect in their approach and dominated one of the best lineups ever.  As they say good pitching beats good hitting.  The Phillies maintained their good pitching, but the Braves staff had a pretty lousy September, partly due to injuries, which carried into October.  Only Strider looked pretty good against Philly.

[kaj21206]

1 hour ago, EddeeEddee said:

They couldn't score because the Phillies starters dominated them.  Suarez, Wheeler and Nola were nearly perfect in their approach and dominated one of the best lineups ever.  As they say good pitching beats good hitting.  The Phillies maintained their good pitching, but the Braves staff had a pretty lousy September, partly due to injuries, which carried into October.  Only Strider looked pretty good against Philly.

The Phillies have played six games in ten days and used three starting pitchers.  What would there record be if they played six games in 6 or 7 days and had the use the back end of the rotation?  MLB really needs to cut down on the amount of off days during the post season.  

Edited October 13, 2023 by kaj21206

[rm5678]

6 hours ago, Morgan423 said:

MLB.com: Nick Castellanos swats two home runs in Game 4, becoming the first player in postseason history with back-to-back multihomer games

I didn't watch this game, but it begs the question...  HOW?

If he homered multiple times in Game 3, and he's hotter than the surface of the sun, I'm just going to pitch around him, or point to first, every time he comes up.  Especially with the bases empty.  Especially especially if he's also already hit that first homer in Game 4. 

I know the book says pitch to him, but the book is correct only in a contextless vacuum, and is dead wrong when it comes to guys that are THAT locked in.  You'll never convince me otherwise, I've seen the results far too many times. 

They couldn't pitch around both Harper and Castellanos.

[Just Regular]

Bad news for Milwaukee as Brandon Woodruff underwent shoulder surgery, and is likely out all of his final year of Club control (with hetfy late Arb price tag if he is even tendered).

I might be missing some of the finer points, but with our concern about brain drain, here's what I think has happened over on BrewersHangout the last odd year.

Ownership denied Mets permission to hire David Stearns (their Elias) away.

Though still a young man, Stearns stepped away from the GM role because he wanted more family time or some such.

It took about 4 seconds once the regular season ended (whereupon I believe Stearns contract expired) for the Mets to hire him.

Successful manager Craig Counsell was not extended, and his contract reportedly expires 10/31.

[Jagwar]

10 hours ago, baltfan said:

Yeah, my university should revoke my degree in Mathematics.  

Interesting... I have a degree in Mathematics too. Nerds of the World Unite!

[Frobby]

On 10/13/2023 at 8:21 AM, Ohfan67 said:

I empathize. But he's a hell of a ball player. 

So was Jose Bautista.  Doesn’t mean I have to like him. 

[baltfan]

Castellanos is the type of professional hitter the Orioles need. Dombrowski likes guys like this for the playoffs.  In Boston he had JD Martinez.  With the Marlins, it was arguably Alou. 

[drjohnnyfever1]

On 10/12/2023 at 2:56 PM, Uli2001 said:

All of the suggested chances sound good, until the Orioles are the WC.

I think this format doesn't work for baseball. Go to eight teams in the playoffs in each league, same rest for all teams.

For the first (WC) round, have 5-game series, but make the WCs play all games in the higher seed stadiums.

This.  Winning the 162 game season and the pennant is still meaningful because it earns the ticket and the highest seed.  But after two days off at the end of the season, the Playoffs should begin with no breaks, other than winning your series quickly, until the WS where there's a travel day inserted before it begins.  In this way the dynamic of the regular season is somewhat preserved.  It also eliminates the idea that the extra days are harmful or helpful.

...but the reality is anything can happen in a short series playoff.  Yet, I still like the above idea over how it is now.

[Chavez Ravine]

Aside from who won, the games this year have been pretty lackluster so far. The Phillies-Braves series was fun—particularly game 2–but otherwise it hasn’t felt like a battle of titans.