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MLB 2008 Post Season thread

post #1 of 442
9/28/08 at 6:20pm
Thread Starter 
National League
Phillies vs Brewers - Hamels vs ???
Cubs vs Dodgers - Demster vs Lowe

American League
Angels vs Red Sox
Rays vs Twins/White Sox

BUT

We still have atleast one more regular season game left plus a possible White Sox/Twins play in game Tuesday.

Did the Phillies ever get lucky. I wish the Cubs got the Brewers. The Game 1 starter for the Brewers will be a joke, Sheets is hurt, and CC Sabathia threw 122 pitches in his 3rd straight start on 3 days rest.

The Rays also look to have an easy road out of the ALDS as the Twns and Sox seem to suck under pressure.

Oddly the top teams in each league have the tougher opponent.

Predictions
Phillies over Brewers 3-0
Cubs over Dodgers 3-0

Angels over Red So 3-1
Rays over chokers 3-0

LCS will be much better.
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post #2 of 442
9/28/08 at 8:57pm
The key for the Red Sox will be Beckett. If he can regain his dominant postseason form, then that one two punch will be trouble for the Angels, who don't seem to have a real ace. Then again, as solid as the Angels staff is top to bottom, I can see them being the team that has a pitcher or two step up and pitch over their heads... which often seems to be the difference between a championship run and going out early. I don't mean to count out the Rays, but they're not my pick.

In the NL, it's certainly the Cubs to lose. I'm a White Sox fan, but most of my family are die-hard Cubs fans. I'll be rooting for them once my guys are inevitably eliminated.
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post #3 of 442
9/29/08 at 11:46am
If the Red Sox can get their guys all patched up, if they do go down in the ALDS, it won't be for lack of trying. But their injuries kept them second fiddle to the Rays almost all season long. To mention nothing of them getting thoroughly trounced by the Angels while in LA. But, they do have considerable experience during the post-season and players seem to come alive during October.

I think Lester will replace Beckett as the dominant post-season pitcher for the Sox. But can we get some more consistent middle relief? It's like watching the damn Mets sometimes! (Ooh...too soon?)

Cubs are getting to the series barring some epic collapse. The sports-writers and networks are salivating, just thinking of ways to work in the whole '100 years since their last Series win' into advertising.
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post #4 of 442
9/29/08 at 12:50pm
Cubs over Dodgers
Phillies over Brewers
Angels over Sox
Rays over whoever
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post #5 of 442
9/29/08 at 1:17pm
The key to the Brewers is whether they're gutsy enough to start Gallardo in Game 1. Suppan will get shelled in that ballpark if they go in that direction.
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post #6 of 442
9/29/08 at 1:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilTwin View Post
The key to the Brewers is whether they're gutsy enough to start Gallardo in Game 1. Suppan will get shelled in that ballpark if they go in that direction.
I think Gallardo/McClung is the direction they would go in, logically. Save Soup for Miller Park.
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post #7 of 442
9/29/08 at 2:27pm
A round of applause for Ben (Mr. Glass) Sheets everybody.
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post #8 of 442
9/29/08 at 3:10pm
Rich Harden would love to have Ben Sheets' "durability", but Sheets sure picked the worst time of the year for his yearly injury. Still, the Brewers don't make the post-season without Sheets, especially with how he pitched in the first half.
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post #9 of 442
9/29/08 at 3:12pm
"In the NL, it's certainly the Cubs to lose. I'm a White Sox fan, but most of my family are die-hard Cubs fans. I'll be rooting for them once my guys are inevitably eliminated."


Am I the only one here that thinks its going to be the Dodgers over the Cubs?
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post #10 of 442
9/29/08 at 3:24pm
Nothing will please me more than a World Series Game 7 loss of the Cubs.
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post #11 of 442
9/29/08 at 4:02pm
I think the Cubs are pretty easily the best team in the NL. However, that means nothing in the playoffs, and Zambrano will have to get his shit together and fast. They're still the team to beat, though.
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post #12 of 442
9/29/08 at 4:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonBaseNick View Post
Am I the only one here that thinks its going to be the Dodgers over the Cubs?
I'm picking the Cubs, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Dodgers take it. If Manny tears it up and the rotation does well, they could walk right to the Series.
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post #13 of 442
9/29/08 at 7:54pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilTwin View Post
Rich Harden would love to have Ben Sheets' "durability",
The durability that got him a career high 13 wins. Atleast Harden is ready for the post season.

match ups are out for some of the games
Bos/LAA
1-Lester vs Lackey
2-Matsuzaka vs Santana
3-Saunders vs Beckett

Chi/LA
1-Lowe vs Dempster
2-Billingsley vs Zambrano
3-Harden vs Kuroda

Becket getting injured hurts the Sox.

Top 6- Tigers 2 White Sox 1
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post #14 of 442
9/29/08 at 8:30pm
Correction: 6-2. I want to give up on them, but it's hard not to get excited by that slam. Ramirez has really been one of the few bright spots for the Sox this year. Good for him.
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post #15 of 442
9/29/08 at 8:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel View Post
The durability that got him a career high 13 wins. Atleast Harden is ready for the post season.
Weak sauce there. Let me know the next time Harden a) stays healthy for a full year and b) pitches into the 7th on a consistent basis. Heck, just because the stats are so lopsided

Harden
2003 74.7 IP
2004 189.7 IP
2005 128.0 IP
2006 46.7 IP
2007 25.7 IP
2008 148.0 IP

Sheets
2003 220.7 IP
2004 237.0 IP
2005 156.7 IP
2006 106.0 IP
2007 141.3 IP
2008 198.3 IP

There's not a year gone by where Harden has been more valuable than Sheets.
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post #16 of 442
9/29/08 at 8:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by halofan1 View Post
Nothing will please me more than a World Series Game 7 loss of the Cubs.
my god the city of Chicago would burn to the GROUND....

I second your dream
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post #17 of 442
9/29/08 at 8:52pm
I'm cautiously optimistic about my Phils. After all the excitement last year, getting swept in the first round was gutwrenching. Granted I'm a bit biased, but I still believe that on paper, the Phils are the best team in the NL. Unfortunately paper doesn't mean much when it comes down to it. But I'm gonna say Phils over Brewers 3-1.

I'm not hedging any bets on the Cubs, Manny hasn't had any problems carrying the Dodgers for the past couple months, don't see why he can't do it for a few more games against Chi-town. It'll be an interesting series. If I had to pick I'd say Cubs in 5.
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post #18 of 442
9/29/08 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonBaseNick View Post
my god the city of Chicago would burn to the GROUND....

I second your dream
Yeah, because we’ve seen the furious anger of the Cubs’ fan unleashed upon the city every season for the past 100 years. Look, regardless of what happens this October, I’ll continue to be a Cubs fan and so will all the other true fans. I hope this is our year, I really do, (knocks on wood) but if the Cubbies don’t make it, I can guarantee I won’t be actively rooting for any other team to lose, I love just love watching the game. Taking such joy in a possible Cubs loss, unless they’re playing your squad, is just plain cold. Stop hating and enjoy the story, it'll do your heart good!

*rant over.
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post #19 of 442
9/29/08 at 9:16pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilTwin View Post
There's not a year gone by where Harden has been more valuable than Sheets.
Except this year.

Ben Sheets is one of the most overrrated players in baseball. Whether he is on a good or bad team he can't get wins.

Can't wait till Suppan, Para, and the rest of the shitty Brewers pitching staff relive that 4 game sweep a few weeks ago. It's gonna be ugly.
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post #20 of 442
9/29/08 at 9:20pm
Hawk is saying there will be a blackout tomorrow at US Cellular. Cuz that worked out really well for Georgia last weekend.
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post #21 of 442
9/29/08 at 9:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonBaseNick View Post
my god the city of Chicago would burn to the GROUND....

I second your dream
You don't talk to many Cubs fans, do you? Shit, the vast majority would be smiling ear to ear that they saw the Cubs in the World Series; something that hasn't happened in 52 years, something they thought they might never see. If they lose, they'll just shrug and say "We'll do it next year." Like we always do.

And the dream of an all-Chicago World Series gets one step closer.
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post #22 of 442
9/29/08 at 10:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel View Post
Except this year.

Ben Sheets is one of the most overrrated players in baseball. Whether he is on a good or bad team he can't get wins.

Can't wait till Suppan, Para, and the rest of the shitty Brewers pitching staff relive that 4 game sweep a few weeks ago. It's gonna be ugly.

Anyone who uses wins as the meaningful metric by which to measure pitchers is outing themselves as a stupid pile of fuck. But that should be no surprise given your posting history and general lack of intelligence.
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post #23 of 442
9/30/08 at 1:41am
Wins, that's so 19th century.
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post #24 of 442
9/30/08 at 11:34am
Quote:
Originally Posted by EvilTwin View Post
Wins, that's so 19th century.
Are we really going to defend Wins as some end all be all statistic? Ben Sheets can't stay on the field, and though that can be seen in his Win totals, it sure as hell doesn't tell you the difference between Cliff Lee and Brandon Webb this past season.

And you know what, by Friday night's Mets loss, I was almost rooting for the Brewers to win the Wild Card. The Mets weren't a team that could do much damage in the playoffs by the end of the season, and the Brewers, on the other hand, are a likable team that hasn't sniffed the playoffs in so God damn long it's hard to root against them.
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post #25 of 442
9/30/08 at 11:41am
Mike Golic on Mike and Mike this morning was complaining about how the White Sox and Twins have played 18 games against each other during the season and none of that is used to break the tie between them. It's not even used to at least give Minnesota the home game tonight (they won the season series vs. Chicago). And the hypocrisy is if the Sox and Twins were both in the playoffs, they wouldn't play the play-in game, they'd use head-to-head record to see who won the division and who was the wild card.

The play-in game is a charming relic that needs to be done away with. The Sox and Twins played 18 games this season, but we're supposed to buy that that tells us less about the two teams than one game tonight?
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post #26 of 442
9/30/08 at 12:04pm
I wouldn't have a problem with a head to head tiebreaker. The thing is, the Twins won the season series 10-8, I believe, and there were 144 other games... 144, and they ended up dead even. To say that one play-in game is an inherently flawed measure to break the tie after 162, but the one game that made up the difference in the season series is a completely logical way to break the tie makes very little sense. Both are totally legit ways to decide a deadlock.
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post #27 of 442
9/30/08 at 12:34pm
But that's the point -- they have the same record in 144 games against other teams, but when they met each other, the Twins won more of the games. So everything else being equal, the Twins were the better team.
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post #28 of 442
9/30/08 at 12:37pm
They have the same record overall... which means the Sox had the same edge vs. the league that the Twins had vs. the Sox.
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post #29 of 442
9/30/08 at 12:51pm
So two wins against against the Mariners in May matter just as much as two losses to the team you're tied with? That doesn't wash.

Football does it. Basketball does it. Hockey does it. And the last two play a large number of games as well. It doesn't make sense that baseball does it.

Hell, at least let the Twins have home field by virtue of the head-to-head instead of tossing a coin.
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post #30 of 442
9/30/08 at 1:00pm
I agree with Dickson on the play-in game. They can be fun like last year Padres/Rockies game but I'd prefer it to be done away with.
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post #31 of 442
9/30/08 at 1:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
So two wins against against the Mariners in May matter just as much as two losses to the team you're tied with? That doesn't wash.
You said that the Twins have the same record vs. the league and a better record vs. the Sox
Quote:
they have the same record in 144 games against other teams, but when they met each other, the Twins won more of the games.
which was wrong. I was merely correcting you.

Look, you can argue the merits of head to head, as it is the most direct tiebreaker. I'm not disagreeing. But over the course of 162 games, you can't say the one game that made the Twins 10-8 vs. the Sox as opposed to 9-9 is necessarily of more value than the one game that breaks the tie in overall record. And if the Sox win today they will have a better overall record. I don't disagree about the home game thing, but that is decided in advance by a coin flip so that they can have the game the very next day. Luck of the draw
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post #32 of 442
9/30/08 at 1:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Dickson View Post
The Sox and Twins played 18 games this season, but we're supposed to buy that that tells us less about the two teams than one game tonight?
And why should we buy 18 games over the entirety of a 162 game season? Your argument is sample size after all. In the end, when two teams are tied after 162 games, any sort of method for determining the better team is flawed. Why is it inherently better to disqualify a team due to some archaic system of tiebreakers, than to give both teams the opportunity to win the division on the field?

What would happen if the Twins and the White Sox were tied 9-9 and it came down to higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games*? Would that have been more satisfying then a play-in game tonight at 7:30?

I don't see how.


*Actual tiebreaker.
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post #33 of 442
9/30/08 at 2:15pm
Beyond today, the Brewers have decided to go with Gallardo in Game 1 and Sabathia in Game 2. Really, the only sensible choice.
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post #34 of 442
9/30/08 at 11:25pm
Hell yeah!!! The White Sox are flying to Florida soon, and it has nothing to do with the great golf courses out there.
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post #35 of 442
10/1/08 at 12:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Brasky View Post
Yeah, because we’ve seen the furious anger of the Cubs’ fan unleashed upon the city every season for the past 100 years. Look, regardless of what happens this October, I’ll continue to be a Cubs fan and so will all the other true fans. I hope this is our year, I really do, (knocks on wood) but if the Cubbies don’t make it, I can guarantee I won’t be actively rooting for any other team to lose, I love just love watching the game. Taking such joy in a possible Cubs loss, unless they’re playing your squad, is just plain cold. Stop hating and enjoy the story, it'll do your heart good!

*rant over.
good rant, I'm not hating, I'm just a Dodgers fan :-) So if the Cubbies beat my Dodgers, then all the best to them, I'll keep watching them! but untill this series is over, I'm not a Cubs fan :-)
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post #36 of 442
10/1/08 at 12:26pm
About last night's game: the reason they flip a coin for home field is so that every contending team can make potential tiebreaker plans a few weeks out.

For example, once Chicago held homefield over Minnesota, the Twins could plan on how they were getting there, where they were staying, etc. etc.

It's a crappy set-up, but it makes some logistical sense.
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post #37 of 442
10/1/08 at 3:45pm
Rooting for the LA teams and the Rays... I hate every other team in the playoffs esp. the Red Sox and the Cubs.
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post #38 of 442
10/1/08 at 4:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Muharulz View Post
I hate every other team in the playoffs esp. the Red Sox and the Cubs.
They hate you too.

Quote:
For example, once Chicago held homefield over Minnesota, the Twins could plan on how they were getting there, where they were staying, etc. etc.

It's a crappy set-up, but it makes some logistical sense
Except divisional teams tend to travel 2-3 times a year to the same cities. They could easily wait till the last minute. Non divisional teams the coin flip is the way to go.
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post #39 of 442
10/1/08 at 4:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by MoonBaseNick View Post
good rant, I'm not hating, I'm just a Dodgers fan :-) So if the Cubbies beat my Dodgers, then all the best to them, I'll keep watching them! but untill this series is over, I'm not a Cubs fan :-)
Good luck to your squad...should be an entertaining series at the very least!
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post #40 of 442
10/1/08 at 8:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Anyawatchin Angel View Post
Except divisional teams tend to travel 2-3 times a year to the same cities. They could easily wait till the last minute. Non divisional teams the coin flip is the way to go.
This doesn't make any sense. The Twins, for instance, do travel to Chicago a few times per year. This does not mean that they have permanent residence at the Chicago hotel of their choice. It doesn't mean that they have a plane waiting to take them to Chicago at a moment's notice. I wasn't referring to the difficulty of travel, but the pure practicality of it. These things need to be planned for.

Flipping the coin in advance allows them to plan for this, and thus whisk their team away the moment the Sox win that game on Monday (or Sunday, if they traveled early in anticipation).
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post #41 of 442
10/2/08 at 11:23am
mmm...I do so love that post-season smell. Very shocked that the Dodgers took the Cubs to the cleaners. Come on, tiny bears, I don't want Torre or Manny to have the satisfaction of advancing to the next round.
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post #42 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by flyarz View Post
This doesn't make any sense. The Twins, for instance, do travel to Chicago a few times per year. This does not mean that they have permanent residence at the Chicago hotel of their choice. It doesn't mean that they have a plane waiting to take them to Chicago at a moment's notice. I wasn't referring to the difficulty of travel, but the pure practicality of it. These things need to be planned for.

Flipping the coin in advance allows them to plan for this, and thus whisk their team away the moment the Sox win that game on Monday (or Sunday, if they traveled early in anticipation).
Stop talking sense, flyers. Anya's still predicting a 3-0 sweep for the Cubs. AND the White Sox are only chokers. AND they suck. AND the Cubs are marching towards the World Series.
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post #43 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:20pm
So the Sox are starting Javy tonight? That would be my choice... risky as it is. I hate pushing guys on three days rest constantly, playing desperate. If they're going to win, they are gonna have to rely on Vazquez at some point... might as well be now.
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post #44 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bailey View Post
So the Sox are starting Javy tonight? That would be my choice... risky as it is. I hate pushing guys on three days rest constantly, playing desperate. If they're going to win, they are gonna have to rely on Vazquez at some point... might as well be now.
I'm not against it, either. I'm hoping Tampa comes out tight. Tampa's stadium doesn't have nearly the same history with the the Sox as the Metrodome, and I'm feeling as good as any Sox fan can feel about our chances. This is the playoffs. Everything's earned, and every time the Sox have had their backs against the wall, they've responded.

This team's got heart.
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post #45 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:29pm
Have Tampa's crowds grown this year? I'd be interested to see how many people turn out for a Devil Rays playoff game at 2:30 pm on a Thursday.
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post #46 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:34pm
They sold out the series. I'm hoping there are a lot of Sox fans there, though. They usually have a big following cause they used to have Spring Training nearby for years.
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post #47 of 442
10/2/08 at 12:40pm
Not many people likely followed the afternoon game yesterday, but it's worth noting: Cole Hamels is really good.
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post #48 of 442
10/2/08 at 1:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill Brasky View Post
Good luck to your squad...should be an entertaining series at the very least!
damn good pitching, and that grand slam was pretty good as well :-) Now this will be a good series.
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post #49 of 442
10/2/08 at 5:28pm
Yeah... not loving the Vasquez start right now. They really needed to get the other guys rest though.
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post #50 of 442
10/2/08 at 6:49pm
Well done, Rays. A very good debut for the post-season.
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