# MLB: Post-Season 2019 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 30, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046 "2019-09-30T14:37:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/401 "2019-10-25T14:37:21Z")
Very interesting, the Nationals plan to have noted Trump critic and celebrity chef Jose Andres throw out the first pitch for game 5, the World Series game that President Trump was planning to attend. > **[José Andrés, a Trump critic, to throw first pitch at World Series game Trump...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/25/jos-andrs-throw-out-first-pitch-world-series-game-if-there-is-one/)** > > The restaurateur and humanitarian has sparred with President Trump for years. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/402 "2019-10-25T14:51:01Z")
Are the Astros trying to steal the “team everyone hates” title from the Yankees? I used to like the Astros too, I respected them for going through a harsh rebuild and using it to become great. But now, ugh. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/403 "2019-10-25T14:57:55Z")
All I know is the Astro’s H star logo is kinda goofy looking. I think it’s the old-west font. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/404 "2019-10-25T15:03:16Z")
RickJay: > [@](#): > > Games 6 and 7 make sense to me, but 1-5 aren’t generally what I would call marquee matchups, especially Game 2, as the ratings data I am pulling is only the USA, and the massive Canadian audience isn’t being counted. Maybe it’s just a reflection of what else there was to watch on TV that night? It’s probably telling that none of those games were on a Monday Night (when Monday Night Football rules the ratings) and the only one of them that was on a Thursday (which was ruled by NBC sitcoms in the 80’s and early 90’s) was the game which would be the series clincher for a team in the second-largest city in the US. None of them were on weekends either, when people tend to go out for entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/405 "2019-10-25T16:21:58Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Very interesting, the Nationals plan to have noted Trump critic and celebrity chef Jose Andres throw out the first pitch for game 5, the World Series game that President Trump was planning to attend. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/25/jos-andrs-throw-out-first-pitch-world-series-game-if-there-is-one/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/25/jos-andrs-throw-out-first-pitch-world-series-game-if-there-is-one/) Will not happen. No game five. Nats will sweep in four. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/406 "2019-10-25T16:29:41Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > RickJay: > > Maybe it’s just a reflection of what else there was to watch on TV that night? It’s probably telling that none of those games were on a Monday Night (when Monday Night Football rules the ratings) and the only one of them that was on a Thursday (which was ruled by NBC sitcoms in the 80’s and early 90’s) was the game which would be the series clincher for a team in the second-largest city in the US. None of them were on weekends either, when people tend to go out for entertainment. Yeah, I vaguely remember that the networks would usually air reruns during the World Series or else disease of the week movies which isn’t going to overlap the World Series demographics too much. It made sense since the new TV series would often start right after Labor Day, so by mid-October or so, it was time for a rerun before November sweeps. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/407 "2019-10-25T16:51:29Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Half assed denials are even worse than intentional walks in blowing up in your face. Tru dat. Great line! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/408 "2019-10-25T17:06:28Z")
Teams that lost the first two games of a World Series at home in the 2-3-2 format are 3-22 all time in coming back; the 1985 Royals, 1986 Mets and 1996 Yankees all did it. 12% doesn’t seem that bad to me. The Astros are a great team, I’d bump them up to one chance in six. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/409 "2019-10-25T17:24:15Z")
> [@Wilson](#): > > Oh, why not be wrong publicly? > > A’s over Rays > Nationals over Brewers > > Yankees over Twins (4) > Astros over A’s (5) > > Braves over Cardinals (5) > Nationals over Dodgers (3) > > Astros over Yankees (6) > Nationals over Braves (6) > > Astros over Nationals (5) Exceedingly accurate except for the last Braves win and the last Astros win. ---
**Author:** ![Wilson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/96bed5/32.png) [@Wilson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wilson)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/410 "2019-10-25T17:39:03Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Exceedingly accurate except for the last Braves win and the last Astros win. Eh, I got the A’s / Rays game wrong as well. Not all that great of a bracket, but I guess the best of the limited number that were posted back on page 1. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/411 "2019-10-25T18:08:09Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > I suspect that if the matchup had been Dodgers vs. Yankees, those figures would be higher. > > Were I not a Nats fan, I would have shut it off and gone to bed. That broadcast team is insufferable. I mean, it’s the second inning, and they’re talking about football and their golf game. I’m gonna try to find a simultaneous radio broadcast tomorrow night. How is Joe Buck STILL doing this? Noone who knew his dad is running anything anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/412 "2019-10-25T19:36:27Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > How is Joe Buck STILL doing this? Noone who knew his dad is running anything anymore. I thought this was funny: > **[Joe Buck had an excellent response to Astros fan's 'Joe Buck Sucks' shirt](https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/10/joe-buck-shirt-sucks-response-astros-world-series-alcs-mlb)** > > Well played. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/413 "2019-10-25T20:02:18Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Very interesting, the Nationals plan to have noted Trump critic and celebrity chef Jose Andres throw out the first pitch for game 5, the World Series game that President Trump was planning to attend. > > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/25/jos-andrs-throw-out-first-pitch-world-series-game-if-there-is-one/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/10/25/jos-andrs-throw-out-first-pitch-world-series-game-if-there-is-one/) Trump to appear before a crowd that isn’t limited to sycophantic members of the cult? I’ll believe it when I see it. More likely, he’ll cancel with some lame excuse. If it does happen, any chance of ‘impeach’ or ‘lock him up’ chants? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/414 "2019-10-25T21:24:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Something that I find endlessly fascinating is how big, purportedly professional organizations keep screwing this up. Half assed denials are even worse than intentional walks in blowing up in your face. When a company is hit by a PR torpedo, it is ALWAYS better to take a breath, spend a day or two doing a real investigation to be fully acquainted with the facts, and then take complete responsibility and apologize profusely. When you deny deny deny no one believes you anyway and it’s ten times worse in the end. > > The Astros are now on their third different statement in less than a week and the apology in the third statement now rings hollow because everyone thinks, justifiably, that it was wrung out of them, and the Astros are now regarded as a bunch of goddamned assholes. Had they shut the hell up for a day or two (or said “We are looking into this”) and then published one clear statement apologizing for what happened and stating specific corrective action, they would look like professionals and could have cast Taubman as a lone wolf. Instead, millions of fans think less of them, MLB is pissed at them, and they’ve lost the trust of the sports media. Apparently the a-hole reputation is longstanding within the industry: [Taubman saga exposes longstanding questions about the Astros’ culture under Jim Crane and Jeff Luhnow - The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/1317907/2019/10/25/taubman-saga-exposes-longstanding-questions-about-the-astros-culture-under-jim-crane-and-jeff-luhnow/) It’s behind a paywall but the gist is that the culture of the Astros’ front office is notoriously cutthroat, secretive, and full of itself, their employees are paid poorly aside from a small favored inner circle, and there’s high turnover and a culture based on fear and lack of communication. Luhnow often doesn’t tell employees when other teams reach out with promotion opportunities, which is not technically against the rules but is regarded as generally unacceptable and very poor form. It’s the worst of the investment banking culture, brought to MLB. They’re riding high now but eventually it will self-correct because the true rising executive stars won’t want to work for them. Investment bankers put up with a lot of crap and slave hours because they’re well-compensated. The Astros are trying to do that without pay or perks. Eventually, the star will burn out. One quote from the article: > [@](#): > > Executives in baseball ops and public relations with other teams unanimously rebuked everything about the Taubman incident in conversations with The Athletic, echoing the outcry from media and many fans. > > “It’s the most Astros thing ever,” said one general manager. Yeah, that’s not a good look. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2019, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/415 "2019-10-25T23:25:22Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Trump to appear before a crowd that isn’t limited to sycophantic members of the cult? I’ll believe it when I see it. More likely, he’ll cancel with some lame excuse. If it does happen, any chance of ‘impeach’ or ‘lock him up’ chants? 😃 I’ve never been to their stadium, but since it’s a newer one, I’d imagine they have a bunch of luxury boxes where Trump will be isolated. It is funny he picked game 5, why not the first WS game back in DC since the Great Depression? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/416 "2019-10-26T00:11:06Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’ve never been to their stadium, but since it’s a newer one, I’d imagine they have a bunch of luxury boxes where Trump will be isolated. > > It is funny he picked game 5, why not the first WS game back in DC since the Great Depression? According to the Presidential schedule, [he was in Columbia, SC this afternoon](https://factba.se/topic/calendar) and was scheduled to return to Washington this evening, then to go straight to Camp David for the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/417 "2019-10-26T02:27:44Z")
Nats leaving a lot of men on base, this isn’t the way to win. 8 LOB after 5 and they’re losing 3-1 ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/418 "2019-10-26T04:06:34Z")
This ump’s call noises are driving me insane. “HOO-HAAAWWWW!!!” “HEY-HAAAAAAAAAAH!!” “NAAAAAOOOOOWWWW!!” ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/419 "2019-10-26T04:12:43Z")
Did the Nats all celebrate Game 2 by getting totally fucked up yesterday and passing out in an alley? They played like total pigs today, really horrible showing. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2019, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046/420 "2019-10-26T05:14:54Z")
Home teams are 0-3 thus far in this Series. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season-2019/841046.md?page=22)