# MLB: Post-season **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 29, 2014, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860 "2014-09-29T14:06:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/141 "2014-10-02T21:48:17Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Just got tickets to my first ever baseball playoff game! 🙂 > > Game 2 in Washington. Go Nats! I can’t say good luck (Go Giants!) but have fun. One of my fondest sports memories is being at the last game of the 2002 NLCS that sent the Giants to the WS, on a 9th inning walk-off. Freakin’ awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/142 "2014-10-02T21:51:11Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Not long now until the first ALDS game. > > Scherzer (3.15) against Tillman (3.34). > > The Tigers have averaged 4.67 runs per game this year, while the Orioles are at 4.35. > > Defensively, the Tigers have given up exactly the same as the Orioles have scored: 4.35 per game. Baltimore had the third-best runs-against number in the AL this year, at 3.66 per game, with the bullpen being a huge factor in their run prevention. > > _ **Let’s Go O’s!** _ I’m rooting for the Orioles to win the AL, because I think it would be a great thing to have an **Orange and Black World Series**. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/143 "2014-10-02T21:53:05Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > So now that I officially have the tickets in hand, I can brag that by the grace of the baseball gods, I managed to win tickets to all 3 (potential) home games for the Dodgers-Cardinals series. And I was only in the running for this because of being lucky earlier this season when I got to throw out the first pitch. > > In 2014, beisbol been berry berry good to me. Congrats, Chico! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/144 "2014-10-02T21:54:17Z")
Hooray! Here we go! AL: BALTIMORE ORIOLES (96-66) vs DETROIT TIGERS (90-72) Baltimore really does not have a terrifying starting rotation, but they have a terrific bullpen. Even without Manny Machado, Baltimore is an outstanding fielding team, while Detroit is… uh, well, they do try their best, so there’s that. Along with the better bullpen, and being a better team in terms of straight up and projected W/L anyway, every indication is Baltimore should be considered a favourite here. Still, Baltimore’s lineup is injury-ridden and includes a lot of guys who can be struck out, so it’s not impossible they might put up a lot of goose eggs against an experienced rotation. ETA: Of course, then Nelson Cruz hits a home run in the first inning while I’m tying this. ETA 2: Nelson Cruz has now hit 15 home runs in playoff games, seven of them against Detroit. Cruz is now tied for tenth for the most playoff homers in a career. LOS ANGELES ANGELS (98-64) vs KANSAS CITY ROYALS (89-73, 1-0) The Angels led the AL in run scoring, finished way ahead of KC, and are picked by many to win the World Series, so I predict that if anyone is going to pull an upset it’s Kansas City. Crazy though this might seem… I dunno, I just like the Royals. They are a far better defensive teams and the front ranks of their bullpen have been devastating this year. They lacked power, but I have to think Eric Hosmer and a guy whose nickname is “Country Breakfast” really have more power than their 9 homers each would suggest. Anaheim/LA does not present a good third starter, so if KC can split in Anaheim they have a chance to kill it in Game 3 and take a lead. I just don’t feel great about the Angels, don’t like the makeup of the roster, and I’d give even money here. NL: SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (88-74, 1-0) vs WASHINGTON NATIONALS (96-66 The Giants of course have quite a bit of recent experience in winning playoff series, while it remains kind of amazing to me Washington has a baseball team. Still, it’s very hard to find anything about the Nationals not to like. They have no discernible weaknesses. They have a slew of hitters who get on base and hit homers, they run the bases, they catch the ball, and they basically have no weak pitchers on the roster, save Jerry Blevins but he’s the LOOGY. The Giants are a better hitting team that their numbers superficially suggest, but they are not actually blessed with all that fantastic a pitching staff, and being unable to use Madison Bumgarner in Games 1 and 5 is a significant loss for them and Exhibit #1,817 of why winning your division matters a lot. I’m inclined to think the Nationals will bear them to death with bats. ST. LOUIS CARDINALS (90-72) vs LOS ANGELES DODGERS Maybe it’s just that I’m getting tired of this, but frankly it’s kind of obvious the Dodgers are the easiest pick in the first round. No guarantees here but I’d say they’re 75% likely to win. St. Louis just is not a sensational team, and they can’t start Adam Wainwright every game. Clayton Kershaw can beat Wainwright anyway, and the Dodgers scored 99 more runs than the Cardinals did. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/145 "2014-10-02T21:57:38Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Chris Tillman had the adrenaline going in the first. Three strikeouts, and his fastball in the mid-90s, which is about as fast as he gets. > > He’ll probably need to settle down a bit if he wants to put in six or seven innings without blowing up his arm. That penultimate pitch to Cabrera, the curveball, was so pretty. SO PRETTY. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/146 "2014-10-02T22:35:32Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > What about 2007? We won that year too. Yes, but we didn’t play the Cardinals. '04 and '13 were the years of tension in the fachverhousehold\* (my wife is a native St. Louisan). \*I am deeply ashamed of this word. Humblest apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/147 "2014-10-02T22:58:36Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > On the other hand, I’m a Red Sox fan. I’m constitutionally incapable of optimism. Yes, for a long time, being a Red Sox fan was like being a Cubs fan in that it prepared one for life. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/148 "2014-10-02T23:22:02Z")
Tillman made it out of the 5th with a 3-2 lead, and with 105 pitches under his belt. His high fastball is very conducive to lots of foul balls, which drives the count up. I doubt that we’ll see him back out there. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/149 "2014-10-02T23:23:44Z")
Great game to watch for a Giants fan yesterday. Probably not so great for anyone else. The reward, however, is a trip to Washington to face the Nationals. Even if the Nationals didn’t own the Giants, which they do, it would be looking grim. Hudson is in a tremendous slump and Bumgarner can only pitch once (unless they go for something crazy). Incidentally, with only a single wild card Bumgarner would have been burned in the last few regular season games and the Giants may well have lost the tiebreaker game, so no complaints here. The Nationals are my second favorite team in the playoffs thanks to Matt Williams, so if they get past us I’ll be rooting for them the rest of the way. Interesting stat I just saw: the Giants and Royals are currently tied for the all time MLB record of 7 straight wins in postseason elimination games (been a long time between wins for the Royals). ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/150 "2014-10-02T23:50:33Z")
Fuck1 I thought that was going to make it over the fence for a home run, and then it turned into an out at second. Pearce wasn’t even close to making it. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/151 "2014-10-02T23:52:01Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Fuck1 I thought that was going to make it over the fence for a home run, and then it turned into an out at second. Pearce wasn’t even close to making it. The only thing that was missing was a Kevin Millar slide. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/152 "2014-10-02T23:55:45Z")
Mr. Pearce needs to run to first, not trot. Should’ve been an easy double… ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/153 "2014-10-03T00:07:14Z")
That helps. For a second, I thought that was going to stay in, too. ---
**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 3, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/154 "2014-10-03T00:07:22Z")
> [@Ulf the Unwashed](#): > > Mr. Pearce needs to run to first, not trot. Should’ve been an easy double… He thought it was out of the park. But yeah, run, and if it goes out, the first base coach will tell you. Speaking of out of the park, there goes Hardy. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/155 "2014-10-03T00:07:46Z")
J.J. Hardy homers. Woot!!! ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/156 "2014-10-03T00:26:49Z")
And good for the Orioles that Kinsler was going…as Cabrera goes deep himself. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/157 "2014-10-03T00:31:59Z")
Best-timed double-play ever! It could have been 4-4 or even 5-4 if that hit-and-run had worked. Three more outs! I’m biting my fingernails here. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/158 "2014-10-03T00:41:43Z")
Huge missed play at shortstop allows De Aza to score. 5-3. And now 6-3 with a Jones steal and a Cruz single. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/159 "2014-10-03T00:43:18Z")
The error was bad, but that was some heads-up baserunning there by De Aza. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860/160 "2014-10-03T00:44:23Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > The error was bad, but that was some heads-up baserunning there by De Aza. A good call by the third-base coach to send him, too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-post-season/699860.md?page=9)