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BS5_RED

By BS5_RED
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awbb

awbb

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I'm more than happy to talk irrelevant sport!

It's the postseason... the year is an even and Madison Bumgarner is unhittable...

Giants to win for the fourth even year in a row? Surely not. I can't see them being able to ride a solitary pitcher to the World Series again, even if he is outstanding in October.

The Cubbies are clearly the best team in Baseball so almost inevitably they won't win the post season crapshoot. If any team can beat them in the play offs, though, it would be the Giants.

Being a Nationals fan (sigh) means I fully expect to be routed by the Dodgers, probably in 3. Clayton Kershaw will suddenly click how to pitch in the post season at some point and all the Nationals are slumping or injured with honourable exception to Trea Turner. The Dodgers are horrible away from home though and can't hit left handed pitching.

This means a MadBum shutout in the NLCS for the Giants if they get through. The Cubs will merely be too good in a 7 game set.

In the AL, the Blue Jays appear to thrashing the Texas Rangers at the moment. Which is probably the way I would like and expect that series to go, Texas have limited pitching and a hitter friendly ballpark.

Indians to beat the Red Sox, after spawning their way to the title in 13, again the Sox have questionable depth at starter (Rick Porcello is their number 1 fer crissakes). The stars are aligned for a deep Cleveland run too after what happened in the NBA!

As for David Ortiz... he's a Designated Hitter... he's not even a real baseball player! :shifty:

So, taps nose... Cubs or Giants (whoever wins that NLDS series) to beat Dodgers in NLCS and win it all probably against the Jays (or maybe the Indians).

We can have a good laugh at that in a couple of weeks about how completely wrong I was.

Let's go Nationals... oh no.

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BS5_RED

BS5_RED

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22 hours ago, awbb said:

I'm more than happy to talk irrelevant sport!

It's the postseason... the year is an even and Madison Bumgarner is unhittable...

Giants to win for the fourth even year in a row? Surely not. I can't see them being able to ride a solitary pitcher to the World Series again, even if he is outstanding in October.

The Cubbies are clearly the best team in Baseball so almost inevitably they won't win the post season crapshoot. If any team can beat them in the play offs, though, it would be the Giants.

Being a Nationals fan (sigh) means I fully expect to be routed by the Dodgers, probably in 3. Clayton Kershaw will suddenly click how to pitch in the post season at some point and all the Nationals are slumping or injured with honourable exception to Trea Turner. The Dodgers are horrible away from home though and can't hit left handed pitching.

This means a MadBum shutout in the NLCS for the Giants if they get through. The Cubs will merely be too good in a 7 game set.

In the AL, the Blue Jays appear to thrashing the Texas Rangers at the moment. Which is probably the way I would like and expect that series to go, Texas have limited pitching and a hitter friendly ballpark.

Indians to beat the Red Sox, after spawning their way to the title in 13, again the Sox have questionable depth at starter (Rick Porcello is their number 1 fer crissakes). The stars are aligned for a deep Cleveland run too after what happened in the NBA!

As for David Ortiz... he's a Designated Hitter... he's not even a real baseball player! :shifty:

So, taps nose... Cubs or Giants (whoever wins that NLDS series) to beat Dodgers in NLCS and win it all probably against the Jays (or maybe the Indians).

We can have a good laugh at that in a couple of weeks about how completely wrong I was.

Let's go Nationals... oh no.

As a Cardinals fan I'm predisposed to loathe the Giants (they've knocked us out of postseason play the the last 3 even years....) but MadBum is an utter machine in October. Despite being 2nd in the NL West this was down to a horror period for about a month after the All Star break. They think they should have taken the div this year.  Either way VERY dangerours and I'm sure the Cubs are very nervous about playing them.

Talking of the Cubs - I agree completely - they are the best in baseball by a distance.They traded prospects for some short term superstars this year (esp Chapman) so I really think this could be the year. However.....its the Cubs......

Your right about the BoSox - I really don't see that they are that good this year (As good as big Papis been - he is about 107). Blue Jays are exciting to watch - if they can avoid the team being suspended for fighting with the Rangers again.

Nationals were better a few years ago - the year you cocked it up against us in the playoffs in 2012 you were especially good. Suffered from some lame as on field management. I'm not gonna predict your series tho - both sides are very flaky in the playoffs.

I saw Kershaw pitch live a few years ago Wow. That curveball is a thing of beauty. Bit early to call - but surely he's a hall of famer?

The sentiment part of me wants a Cubs v Cleveland World Series. The Cardinals fan in me would be happy with that.....as long as the Cubs lose on a walk off home in Game 7 hahaha

Glad to see you are proper baseball fan who hates the DH.  Bloody American League muppets! 

I'm that old fashioned though - I don't really like interleague play at all unless its the world series. I get the appeal of letting you play your cross-town rivals a  few times a year (Nationals/Orioles is very feisty for example) but we had to play away in Oakland this year. OAKLAND ffs!

And finally - do you have the MLB at Bat app? My god its good. What value for money!!

 

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awbb

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12 hours ago, BS5_RED said:

As a Cardinals fan I'm predisposed to loathe the Giants (they've knocked us out of postseason play the the last 3 even years....) but MadBum is an utter machine in October. Despite being 2nd in the NL West this was down to a horror period for about a month after the All Star break. They think they should have taken the div this year.  Either way VERY dangerours and I'm sure the Cubs are very nervous about playing them.

Talking of the Cubs - I agree completely - they are the best in baseball by a distance.They traded prospects for some short term superstars this year (esp Chapman) so I really think this could be the year. However.....its the Cubs......

Your right about the BoSox - I really don't see that they are that good this year (As good as big Papis been - he is about 107). Blue Jays are exciting to watch - if they can avoid the team being suspended for fighting with the Rangers again.

Nationals were better a few years ago - the year you cocked it up against us in the playoffs in 2012 you were especially good. Suffered from some lame as on field management. I'm not gonna predict your series tho - both sides are very flaky in the playoffs.

I saw Kershaw pitch live a few years ago Wow. That curveball is a thing of beauty. Bit early to call - but surely he's a hall of famer?

The sentiment part of me wants a Cubs v Cleveland World Series. The Cardinals fan in me would be happy with that.....as long as the Cubs lose on a walk off home in Game 7 hahaha

Glad to see you are proper baseball fan who hates the DH.  Bloody American League muppets! 

I'm that old fashioned though - I don't really like interleague play at all unless its the world series. I get the appeal of letting you play your cross-town rivals a  few times a year (Nationals/Orioles is very feisty for example) but we had to play away in Oakland this year. OAKLAND ffs!

And finally - do you have the MLB at Bat app? My god its good. What value for money!!

 

And low... it came to pass that the playoffs last night were actually predictable last night (to me at least). That rarely happens!

Nats  - Dodgers (despondent). Kershaw had his normal postseason wobble (100 pitches in the 5th) but it didn't matter. Max Scherzer give up 2 bombs (on bad pitches) to lose the game by the 3rd. Was nice to see some sort of fightback to get it back to 4-3 though... but we went 1-10 with runners in scoring position. YeGods. Saw enough to think it might not be the sweep I feared but feeling Dodgers in 4 now. The late season injuries and form slumps have done us.

Re: Kershaw - I think the bust in Cooperstown is already sculpted! 3 Cy Young's already and was well on course for a 4th this year (more than 60 strikeouts to 2, yes 2, walks) but for 10 weeks out with a back injury. Barring some PED allegations, he's a lock, even if he retired tomorrow I'd say.

Cubs - Giants - Not a lot to say there - Pitching duel which meant the Giants really had to win to have a chance in the series and they didn't. I still don't expect the sweep though (Bumgarner in game 3). Cubs in 4.

As for the AL - as you point out, awful clubs... awful baseball. 

Indians - Red Sox - I don't think Boston are that much different to when they won in 13, to be honest (which you no doubt refuse to remember), they have form for being lucky since they lifted the curse of the Bambino in 2004 as well. However, I honestly think the Indians match up well and will see it home, again, probably in 4.

As for the Rangers and Jays. I can see the Jays finishing the job in 3 in the Sky Dome tomorrow.

Agree with you regarding interleague. Facing the O's just continually rams home how iniquitous the Nats TV deal is. Forcing the Cards to go to the Coliseum is just a lesson in torture! 

Re Cards - most fun World series I can remember was them beating the Rangers in 2011. Game 6 of that series was about the best game of baseball you could ever want to see. Rangers needed 1 strike to win, twice!

I downloaded At Bat, but never bothered to use it. May investigate it next season if it's as good as you say it is!

 

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BS5_RED

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Well it looks like your Nationals are a huuuge chance! Think Kershaw is very risky off non full rest. (Here comes a no hitter hahahaa)

If the Cubs can knock off the Giants - then all of the "bad" guys are out. Year of the underdog? (Yeah I know I'm stretching underdog with with Dodgers but they haven't won a WS for ages!)

The App itself is great for results, highlights etc. Where the value for money is the Premium option. For about $120US a year you get access to all the games (162 * 30! plus playoffs!) both live and on catch up. You cab watch multiple games - even get the home or away feeds and have the radio broadcast audio if you want.  Fantastic value for money - I wish that football did something similar.

That Cubs/Giants game last night was mental. Those bloody Giants will not lie down and die.

As much as we slate the AL - you have to say this was pretty good:

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/46880692/v1205256183/clebos-gm3-papi-bids-farewell-to-fenway-faithful

But cant beat NL pitchers hitting dingers!!

http://m.mlb.com/video/v1205401083/must-c-crushed-arrieta-belts-a-homer-off-bumgarner/?affiliateId=clubMEGAMENU

 

 

 

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awbb

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@BS5_RED To be frank I was absolutely bricking it last night! 4-3 up going into the 9th and suddenly we made it look easy, against Kenley Jansen no less, as well. Always satisfying to get an elite closer pulled after 1 out and 4 runs (queue inevitable choke later on from Mark Melancon just to even things up).   

It took nearly 4 and a half hours to play 9 innings of baseball last night, 17 at bats went to full count. God knows how many were fouled off with 2 strikes as well. Compelling baseball but that is too long! I am really not sure how I am going to manage tonight. Bed at 2am last night and we're starting an hour later tonight to cap it off. I really should have taken a siesta!

I think this is Roberts playing his desperation hand. Kill or cure. They have to win and Kershaw is phenomenal generally, he's also fabulously fit so if anyone can pitch on short rest with no discernible difference, it's probably him. Not only that, the Dodgers bullpen have pitched a lot so might be feeling it and Kershaw is the only Dodger starter that appears capable of getting at least 5 innings under his belt too (as he did at Nats Park in game 1). The Nats were always going with a Ross/Lopez 1-2 tonight since Ross is probably only good for 60-70 or so pitches as he's still coming back from injury but looks like he could be pretty special if he can avoid injury (we got Ross and Trea Turner for Steven Souza! Haha!).

I am very nervous already, and to be honest, I should expect a thumping tonight and take the supposed advantage of Scherzer on the hill in game 5 probably against Rich Hill who would be on a days less rest... but knocking the Dodgers out at Dodger Stadium with Clayton Kershaw pitching? You gotta hope! 

@Dark Wood Covert I suspect the Cubs will win it all barring something strange happening. Like MadBum starting tonight, winning and then starting and winning game 5 as well (not impossible)... or one of your own fans knocking a catch in foul ground away from your Left Fielder. But let's be serious. That would never happen!

I certainly expect the Nats to fold pathetically if we somehow muddle through to the NLCS to play you! I am a City fan firstly, after all. In always expecting the worst it helps with the inevitable disappointment!

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Eugh. Nats. Horrible. Quite possibly the worst send-to-home call by a 3rd base coach I have ever witnessed... no scratch that, comfortably the worst and then Baker compounded it by bringing in a semi-warm righty to Justin Turner who is on FIRE who smacks a triple to drive in two. Game. Series. Depressingly familiar for me.

It's hard to say whether I will watch anymore of the post-season this year. Depressed. Hope City can turn it around my funk tonight.

Anyway, at least I called the Championship series (sort of). Indians/Jays and Cubs/Dodgers. Jays magic to fizzle. Dodgers only just beat a beat-up and slumping Nationals outfit. They have Playoff Kershaw (who is merely good rather than is regular season "light's out") and the aforementioned Justin Turner and that is it.

Indians in over 6.5. Cubs in under 5.5.

 

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BS5_RED

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4 hours ago, awbb said:

Eugh. Nats. Horrible. Quite possibly the worst send-to-home call by a 3rd base coach I have ever witnessed... no scratch that, comfortably the worst and then Baker compounded it by bringing in a semi-warm righty to Justin Turner who is on FIRE who smacks a triple to drive in two. Game. Series. Depressingly familiar for me.

It's hard to say whether I will watch anymore of the post-season this year. Depressed. Hope City can turn it around my funk tonight.

Anyway, at least I called the Championship series (sort of). Indians/Jays and Cubs/Dodgers. Jays magic to fizzle. Dodgers only just beat a beat-up and slumping Nationals outfit. They have Playoff Kershaw (who is merely good rather than is regular season "light's out") and the aforementioned Justin Turner and that is it.

Indians in over 6.5. Cubs in under 5.5.

 

WHAT a game of baseball. Enthralling. Proper old school National League baseball right there.

I'm with Keith Law on this - Dusty Baker is a terrible terrible manger. How he keeps getting big league jobs is beyond me. Roberts made some odd calls as well (#bunt) but Baker as usual made some bonehead calls - the pitching change to Turner being the main one. Awful.

As a neutral to see the change in momentum from the send to home fail to the Dodgers HR on the very next pitch.

And the silence after Kershaw got Murphy to pop up was so so confronting. It was like the whole crowd just went "season over". Everyone knew the Kershaw curveball was coming...and it did.

I understand the funk. Horrible way to go home. I think these playoffs have a bit more to offer just yet tho....

I THINK the Cubs beat Cleveland in 6. I WANT Cleveland to sweep the Cubs - but I'm biased :-)

PS - Thats a balk on the throwoff to Harper, no? How did the umps miss that?!? Not reviewable then?

 

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18 hours ago, BS5_RED said:

WHAT a game of baseball. Enthralling. Proper old school National League baseball right there.

I'm with Keith Law on this - Dusty Baker is a terrible terrible manger. How he keeps getting big league jobs is beyond me. Roberts made some odd calls as well (#bunt) but Baker as usual made some bonehead calls - the pitching change to Turner being the main one. Awful.

As a neutral to see the change in momentum from the send to home fail to the Dodgers HR on the very next pitch.

And the silence after Kershaw got Murphy to pop up was so so confronting. It was like the whole crowd just went "season over". Everyone knew the Kershaw curveball was coming...and it did.

I understand the funk. Horrible way to go home. I think these playoffs have a bit more to offer just yet tho....

I THINK the Cubs beat Cleveland in 6. I WANT Cleveland to sweep the Cubs - but I'm biased :-)

PS - Thats a balk on the throwoff to Harper, no? How did the umps miss that?!? Not reviewable then?

 

I wrote a reply on my iPhone last night while lying in bed, still fuming about it all. Then it wouldn't submit. I couldn't copy and paste it either, so really, that was probably someone somewhere encouraging me not to post!

Baker. Sheesh. Bonkers calls appear to be the name of the game nowadays, especially in the NL! It's not just the big league jobs it's the fact that he gets the gigs for post season contenders, time and time again!

As fans we in the internet age we have access to basically everything, traditional stats and sabermetrics break everything down into pretty straightforward numbers that we can understand - one of which is that, even though Justin Turner is a right handed batter, he generally hits right handed pitching better than left handed pitching. I just get the feeling that the real old school managers still like to think that fans don't know what they know and can't do what they do, and as a result, no one outside the closeted world of the MLB and it's affiliates should ever second guess their decisions.

The thing is, however old school Dusty might be: Bruce Bochy (who is about the best current manager I can think of) would not have made that call. He'd have known the splits and said "I have my best LHP reliever on the mound already. What will be will be.". Even if Turner gets one through off Solis, no one will blast him, as the percentage call is made. Baseball is a game of failure. Most batters succeed 1 in 4 attempts, even the very best only slightly better than 1 in 3 a managers job is about making life as difficult as possible to make your odds better! Baker did the opposite of that.

The Nats had a bit of a sick clubhouse last season. Dusty is a well known guy for bonding and stuff, so that's partly why he was brought in. There was always hope he could sort out his life long post-season management issues. Sigh.

Both the send to home and the balk pick off were killers that though were mostly the fault of the non-playing participant (Nats 3rd base coach for one and 1st base umpire for the other) a certain amount of blame has to laid at the door of the Nats players. Werth is a veteran. Trusting a notoriously appalling 3rd base coach is one thing, but it's not like he didn't have chance to glance into left field on his 2nd to 3rd run to see what was going on. 

It was clearly a balk, why the umps didn't check it out themselves I have no idea, whatever MLB rules are that should have happened (I'm still sulking, clearly not over it yet). Had Urias been called for one at any point during the season? I am sure the Nats would have called for the review if they had the chance. But Harper should not have had that lead off - he took 12 feet and scraped home once... then he took the same again when he got picked off! Bone headed arrogance. That's Bryce Harper. After that, they obviously told Urias not to attempt his "drifter" pick off again (not that his other pickoff move was bad!) since the umps would probably call him on it. Too late for the Nats then!

Anyway, The Tribe are 1 up but that was Kluber's game and the rest of their rotation is a bit banged up. Still feeling good about an Indians walk off in a 7 game series there.

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BS5_RED

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Oh my lord.  Those scenes at Wrigley were amazing.

The roar for the final out was like a goal roar.

Gonna be a great World Series (utter utter heartbreak for whoever loses it tho).
 

- 4:07 onwards for the final out.........

 

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On 16/10/2016 at 02:47, awbb said:

I wrote a reply on my iPhone last night while lying in bed, still fuming about it all. Then it wouldn't submit. I couldn't copy and paste it either, so really, that was probably someone somewhere encouraging me not to post!

Baker. Sheesh. Bonkers calls appear to be the name of the game nowadays, especially in the NL! It's not just the big league jobs it's the fact that he gets the gigs for post season contenders, time and time again!

As fans we in the internet age we have access to basically everything, traditional stats and sabermetrics break everything down into pretty straightforward numbers that we can understand - one of which is that, even though Justin Turner is a right handed batter, he generally hits right handed pitching better than left handed pitching. I just get the feeling that the real old school managers still like to think that fans don't know what they know and can't do what they do, and as a result, no one outside the closeted world of the MLB and it's affiliates should ever second guess their decisions.

The thing is, however old school Dusty might be: Bruce Bochy (who is about the best current manager I can think of) would not have made that call. He'd have known the splits and said "I have my best LHP reliever on the mound already. What will be will be.". Even if Turner gets one through off Solis, no one will blast him, as the percentage call is made. Baseball is a game of failure. Most batters succeed 1 in 4 attempts, even the very best only slightly better than 1 in 3 a managers job is about making life as difficult as possible to make your odds better! Baker did the opposite of that.

The Nats had a bit of a sick clubhouse last season. Dusty is a well known guy for bonding and stuff, so that's partly why he was brought in. There was always hope he could sort out his life long post-season management issues. Sigh.

Both the send to home and the balk pick off were killers that though were mostly the fault of the non-playing participant (Nats 3rd base coach for one and 1st base umpire for the other) a certain amount of blame has to laid at the door of the Nats players. Werth is a veteran. Trusting a notoriously appalling 3rd base coach is one thing, but it's not like he didn't have chance to glance into left field on his 2nd to 3rd run to see what was going on. 

It was clearly a balk, why the umps didn't check it out themselves I have no idea, whatever MLB rules are that should have happened (I'm still sulking, clearly not over it yet). Had Urias been called for one at any point during the season? I am sure the Nats would have called for the review if they had the chance. But Harper should not have had that lead off - he took 12 feet and scraped home once... then he took the same again when he got picked off! Bone headed arrogance. That's Bryce Harper. After that, they obviously told Urias not to attempt his "drifter" pick off again (not that his other pickoff move was bad!) since the umps would probably call him on it. Too late for the Nats then!

Anyway, The Tribe are 1 up but that was Kluber's game and the rest of their rotation is a bit banged up. Still feeling good about an Indians walk off in a 7 game series there.

Called it bang on the stats. If those of us watching the game can figure out the metrics then there is no excuse for those at the top.

Maybe Dusty is a great guy.  But he's probably suited to bringing together teams that are rebuilding rather than contenders. And thats the politest way of putting it.

Still can't believe they got away on that balk.

 

Still - onto the WS.

The tribe's rotation is broken but I'm assuming they'll have to run out Bauer - drone damged finger and all. If they can win with him and Kluber, and the other starters can bridge to that bullpen - maybe, just maybe they are a shout.

Can't see it tho. Cubs bats have woken up.

Reserve my right to die laughing tho if they do choke. :-)

Talking of laughing - I see the Cubs are in the hole for $134M on Jason Heyward over the next 6 years. Cardinals dodged a bullet there :-) (Just as they Angels still owe Albert Pujols owe $140M over the next 5. :laugh:)

Did you see who Cleveland want to throw out the first pitch?:

 

 

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There is a ton of these going around (Bill Murray haha) but this is a good one.

What a game of baseball. I was convinced Cleveland would win it after the Davis HR but the rain delay allowed the Cubs time to regroup. Well done Theo Epstein and all of the Cubs.

Now go back to losing please :-)

 

 

 

 

aa.jpg

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