⚾ The MLB Thread

[InCali]

So, the Los Angeles Doggers won game 2 against Philly despite the fact that their manager is an idiot (but a rather decent guy as far as I can tell). Going into the 9th with a 3 run lead, he put in a guy who has a proven track record of blowing leads....and so it continued.

Fortunately for the Doggers, they had Maxy Munks (yes, that was his real name....and is pictured in my Avi) on 3rd and he made a tremendous play to nail the runner at 3rd base on a bunt or else Roberts would have been the goat (not GOAT, but goat as in BAAAHHHHHHHDDDDD..... BAAAHHHHHHHDDDDD) of the playoffs.

These Doggers have consistently been bailing out their manager.

 

[InCali]

Not a Yankee fan so I wasn't real happy about their comeback against the Jays. They are still down 2-1 so all is not lost.

I don't see how the Cubbies can come back against the Brewers. They're a good team, but there's a reason they came in 2nd. The Brewers also have very solid starters

I still have hope for the Tigers. IF they can somehow manage to win game 4, they will have Skubal on the mound for the deciding game in Seattle.

I thought the Phils had the best chance of knocking off the Doggers because of their pitching, but their prospects are looking pretty bleak in spite of Dave Roberts trying to throw the series their way. They've got to sweep the next 3 games against Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Ohtani. I just don't see that happening. Any of the Doggers first 4 starters could be the ace on a lot of MLB teams.

 

[InCali]

Yanks are gone. I don't think they are really a team built for the post season where you see more quality pitchers on a day to day basis. They don't really put a lot of hits together so if they aren't hitting the long ball, they tend to not score. The Doggers, who won their series are a bit like that, but have a lot of good contact hitters up and down their lineup and have WAY better starting pitching right now.

As far as the Doggers go, Their starting pitching is unlike anything I can think of since the Maddox, Smoltz, Glavine, and Avery Braves. I like the Phillies and thought they had a shot at winning that series. In the last game, they were lucky it was that close of a game, but they can thank their defense for that. Dave Roberts seems intent on mishandling his pitching staff in his attempt to give away games. Why do I say this, you might ask? Well, he pulled Tyler Glasnow after 6 inning of scoreless ball during which he gave up 2 hits and struck out 8 while throwing just over 80 pitches. The reliever promptly gave up the Phils only run. Roki Sasaki has been SPECTACULAR as the closer and is a guy who can easily go 2 or 3 innings. He seems to have really found his rhythm and confidence after having control issues early in the year. His fastball has been around 102 and that splitter is just filthy.

I'm really rooting for the Cubbies in the NL (although the odds are they lose their game in Milwaukee) because their fans have suffered over the years; although they did get a WS win awhile back after an over 100 year drought.

 

[blueharvest]

 

[InCali]

Dave Roberts has decided to take out Blake Snell after 8 innings of 1 hit ball with a 1-0 lead. I don't know how this is going to turn out, but this is freaking stupid. Sasaki has been great in relief, but Snell looks like he's throwing to grade schoolers. The one guy who got on was on a bloop off the end of the bat and got picked off. Snell faced the minimum over 8 innings and the Brewers have had no chance against him. They lead the league against lefties in BA and are hitting about .040 against Snell. This is a bad move, but Roberts made the call anyway.

EDIT: Dogger's win again in spite of Roberts not knowing how to handle his pitchers.

EDIT2: I can promise you that every, single person in the Brewers dugout was really, really happy that Roberts pulled Snell.

 

[InCali]

The home field advantage in the MLB playoffs......hasn't been.

 

[InCali]

The Jays beat the Mariners at home for the 2nd time in a row to even up their series. I think they are the much better team and I see them beating the Doggers in the WS. They will have the home field advantage and I just can't see LA keeping up the pitching performances they've been having. At some point you have to come back to earth.

I think an argument can be made that the Doggers have the 4 best pitchers remaining in the playoffs, but I just don't think they can continue pitching the way they have.

Jays in 6 or 7...

 

[Dr.]

Ohtani, the Greatest Shoh on Earth, just had the greatest game in baseball history

“We’re watching something we’ve never seen before,” Dave Roberts said. Here are seven reasons this was the single greatest game of all time.

www.nytimes.com

archived: Ohtani, the Greatest Shoh on Earth, just had the greatest game in baseball history

 

[InCali]

Ohtani, the Greatest Shoh on Earth, just had the greatest game in baseball history

“We’re watching something we’ve never seen before,” Dave Roberts said. Here are seven reasons this was the single greatest game of all time.

www.nytimes.com

archived: Ohtani, the Greatest Shoh on Earth, just had the greatest game in baseball history

Yeah.....down this way, he's called "The Big Sho(h???). The Dodgers have been winning without him and Andy Pages (83 regular season HRs between them) during the playoffs, but Ohtani was a monster yesterday. He hit one shot OVER the right field bleacher roof. I think a ball has only been hit out of Dodger Stadium 4 or 5 times in the history of the ballpark (about 65 years). The second he hit it, the pitcher turned his back on rightfield and didn't even glance at the ball. There was an OMG shot of Freddie Freeman whose jaw was hanging down around his chest.

The Dodgers starters, in general, have been completely lights out and moving Sasaki to the closer role has worked to perfection. Against the Brewers, the WORST outing was by Tyler Glasnow. He gave up 1 run, 3 hits, and had 8 strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The ERA for the 4 starters against the Brewers (who are a damn good hitting team) was 0.63 over 28 or so innings.

Snell - 8IP, 10K, 1H, 0ER
Yamamoto - 9IP, 7K, 3H, 1ER (Complete game)
Glasnow - 5.2IP, 8K, 3H, 1ER
Ohtani - 6IP, 10K, 2H, 0ER

Oh yeah.....and the last guy went 3 for 3 with a walk (1.000 BA 3HRs, 3RBI, 5.000OPS). Not bad for a pitcher.....


All that being said, I don't see how the Dodgers keep this up. There's a concept in statistics called regression to the mean, which means this team (9-1 in the playoffs) might come back down to earth. IF the Jays can get into the WS, I think they can win it. I give Seattle a little bit less of a chance in a head to head matchup against the Dodgers, but they have a better chance of facing them after winning game 5 to go up 3-2.

 

[InCali]

I got a hundred bucks on the Jays. It's almost a 2-1 shot and I think it's worth it. I don't really gamble ever, but thought I'd throw a benji at this one. I "think" the longer layoff "might" hurt the Dodgers, but who knows......

 

[InCali]

Having grown up when baseball was king, I'm a huge fan. I'm not as familiar with the Jays pitching staff b/c I live in LA and even though I'm not really much of a Dodger fan, I am familiar with their lineup.

Here's how I think they need to align their pitching staff:

Friday - Snell
Saturday - Yamamoto
Sunday - Off
Monday - Glasnow
Tuesday - Ohtani
Wednesday - Snell (4 days rest)
Thursday - Off
Friday - Yamamoto (5 days rest, but prefers a full week)
Saturday - Glasnow (4 days rest)

Now, the last two starts are the ones where I think there is some play. Maybe you go with Glasnow on 3 days rest. He's pretty rested and I don't think it would be a big deal to go with him and have Ohtani with a couple days off and Sasaki in the bullpen to back him up if needed. Yamamoto has been virtually unhittable and seems to have really found a groove. If you need a game 7 guy, I really like him. If you look at the pitchers going Mon-Wed, it's no sure thing this is even going back to Toronto and I'm out $100. The reason the Dodgers are so tough in these post season series is that they keep throwing true aces at you day in and day out. There are 5 games left and Toronto has to win 3 of them against 4 guys who could be Cy Young candidates (or even win it) in any given year.

The Dodgers have been winning with, for them, well below their normal offensive production. If they get on any sort of roll, it's probably over.

 

[blueharvest]

It's the end of the 14th Inning and the game is still going on.

 

[InCali]

I've been telling everyone since the 8th that the Jays are gonna win this one and the series. I'm in LA and am quite unpopular, but, hey, being omniscient is never easy.

EDIT: What I meant to say was "semi" omniscient.

EDIT2: I do not see how Ohtani can pitch today (but he will). Even with being the DH, the dude was on base NINE times last night. After his first 4 ABs (2 HRs and 2 doubles), they just said "screw this" and intentionally walked him 5 times.

His stat line was pretty good

4 for 4 with 2HRs, 2doubles, 5 walks. BA 1.000, OPS 4.000, but down slightly from his 3 for 3 night with 3 HRs, BA 1.000 and OPS of 5.000. The Blue Jays manager says their strategy of not pitching to him will extend beyond game 3. Those are just head shaking stats and I'm not liking my money on the Jays much at this point......