The MLB Thread

what a home run!


I don't think the Cardinals had a chance once Molina went down….classy of Matheny not to even hint at it as an excuse..


so we get a World Series between the two Wild Card teams….where they the top finishers in their respective Wild Card standings?

It really does come down to who plays best in October.

Matheny,  when asked about not using Rosenthal in the 9th,  said "we can't use our closer in the 9th,  in a road game"  -  amazing.  He managed for the save stat,  and not to win a game that ended up being the last game of his season.

hutch wrote:
what a home run!


I don't think the Cardinals had a chance once Molina went down….classy of Matheny not to even hint at it as an excuse..


so we get a World Series between the two Wild Card teams….where they the top finishers in their respective Wild Card standings?

It really does come down to who plays best in October.

Royals 1st Wild Card, Giants were the 2nd wild card.

giants and pirates ended up tied though, so its not like the giants were way out of the playoff hunt and only lucked out cuz of the second wild card

They lucked their way into the Series

no they outplayed all their opponents and did all the right things at the right time, just like they did in 2010 and 2012. credit where its due, no luck involved.

Lucky

gaaaaaaaaah wrote:
no they outplayed all their opponents and did all the right things at the right time, just like they did in 2010 and 2012. credit where its due, no luck involved.

+1


also, Bochy has to be the best manager in baseball… that doesn't hurt….it just seems like every move he makes works…

I'm happy for Morse…it made me sad when the Nats let him go…He was giddy last night!

vansmack wrote:
Matheny,  when asked about not using Rosenthal in the 9th,  said "we can't use our closer in the 9th,  in a road game"  -  amazing.  He managed for the save stat,  and not to win a game that ended up being the last game of his season.

Olbermann made the point, quite convincingly, that Matheny was lying.  Because the truth was his relievers stunk it up all series, but he wasn't going to come out and say that.  So he took the hit.

Shemp wrote:
Olbermann made the point, quite convincingly, that Matheny was lying.  Because the truth was his relievers stunk it up all series, but he wasn't going to come out and say that.  So he took the hit.

WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE!

So his alternative was to use a right handed guy who hasn't thrown a pitch since Sept 26, and has only thrown 16 2/3 innings since June 17?

OK, fine.  But after the lefty Belt was walked, with another lefty coming up, you stick with the guy despite his obvious control problems?  You have two lefties in the pen and the weak hitting Ishikawa at the plate!  And your closer!

Matheny definitely takes the loss, and I can't fault him for trotting Wacha out there to start the 9th, but at some point you have to win or lose with what got you there, and he didn't do that.

He can take "the hit" and he should because it was his stupid idea.     

he couldnt say "I dont' trust my bullpen and this was do or die"

didn't work out…..Cards were going down anyways… even if he had put in Rosenthal or whoever I have a feeling the Giants would have won that game…

you have to wonder just why he had to take out wainwright….he was under 100 pitches not that in that situation it really would matter to me if he was at 125… people are saying that its because wainwright is hurt.. its hard to buy into the "didn't have anything left" when he struck out the side in the 7th….

The starters for the Giants in games two through four had a combined 24-39 record. When was the last time that happened?

I'm going to stand by my assertion that the "3" team in a 2-3-2 series format is the one with the advantage.

And why were the odds makers making Wild Card KC a favorite over two time (in the last four years) champion SF?

Because the team that hasn't faced adversity is clearly the better one!

Last night was depressing. It was like watching the Giants/Nats series all over again. I still think the Royals can adjust. They weren't going to go undefeated.

I enjoyed watching the Royals lose. I hope they keep losing.

I don't sound bitter at all!

Peavy just looks so hittable…most of his pitches seem like scared…way outside.. or in the dirt… then he throws a fat one down the middle…

James wrote:
I'm going to stand by my assertion that the "3" team in a 2-3-2 series format is the one with the advantage.

Well, you're standing on shaky ground.

Since 1980 teams that have been able to force a return to their home park for a Game 6 - even if they have been trailing in the Series - have a 22-4 Series record. 

Where are you getting your numbers from? This would seem to contradict them (?)

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1811052-is-mlbs-2-3-2-postseason-format-fair-for-the-favorite

Shemp wrote:

James wrote:
I'm going to stand by my assertion that the "3" team in a 2-3-2 series format is the one with the advantage.

Well, you're standing on shaky ground.

Since 1980 teams that have been able to force a return to their home park for a Game 6 - even if they have been trailing in the Series - have a 22-4 Series record.