MLB: Postseason 2015

[Barkis_is_Willin]

@dalej42

Not at all happy that David Ross intends to return to the Cubs. Schwarber needs to catch and carrying 3 catchers is silly. Schwarber can’t play outfield so he needs to be at catcher often

Ross is pretty much Lester’s personal catcher, was in Boston, too. And I think if you don’t have to catch Schwarber you get more ABs out of him.

[Folacin]

@Spoons

I agree, Locrian. For a team that was regarded as “also-rans” at the start of the season, the Jays performed admirably.

Is there any sport where pre-season predictions bear so little resemblance to final outcome? The Royals were generally picked to finish third in the Central, and the team of my youth (Twins) were universally picked last.

And the Royals make their straight WS, and the Twins were in the wild-card hunt right up to end.

[Colibri]

@Folacin

And the Royals make their straight WS,

Second, unless you know something we don’t know.

[Folacin]

@Colibri

Second, unless you know something we don’t know.

Well, it *was *against San Fransisco last year . . .

@Larry the Cable Guy

Lord, I apologize for that one there, and please be with all the starving Pygmies down there in New Guinea! Amen!

[RealityChuck]

@Folacin

Is there any sport where pre-season predictions bear so little resemblance to final outcome? The Royals were generally picked to finish third in the Central, and the team of my youth (Twins) were universally picked last.

And every prediction of the NL East had the Nationals winning it (except for one person who picked the Marlins).

[Hawkeyeop]

@RealityChuck

And every prediction of the NL East had the Nationals winning it (except for one person who picked the Marlins).

The AL predictions were particularly terrible this year. Red Sox, Tigers, and Athletics were all considered way more likely to finish first than last. Baseball is weird.

No matter. Mets are in the World Series and life is good.

[ISiddiqui]

@Club_33

My comment was primarily concerning offense only, Consider for a moment how many more wins Grienke and Kershaw might have had, for example if the offense had given them more than two runs of support in so many of their starts. In the post-season, our offense was non-existent.

You don’t believe that improved defense helped contribute to Grineke and Kershaw’s wins? It’s not like defense doesn’t matter when it comes to wins - after all, preventing runs is part of the game. Kemp’s offensive gains would have been for naught considering his defensive liabilities.

[ISiddiqui]

@RealityChuck

The issue is that NYC is a Yankees town, and thus Jeter got all the press and more high profile adulation. Wright is loved by a smaller number of people in NYC. Among Mets fans, though, he’s beloved; indeed, one of the criticisms of Sandy Alderson’s regime in the past was that Wright was forced to waste his talent on inferior teams.

I don’t have the Phillies call, but Howie Rose, the Mets radio announcer, said exactly those words after the home run. Gary Cohen, their TV play-by-play man said, “David Wright brings himself back into the lineup with thunder.” Not as good a catchline, granted, but certainly a sign of reverence. Here are Cohen and Rose calling the HR.

Yep… as a Mets fan, we’ve always thought incredibly highly of Wright. And refer to him as the Captain. If you look at his career, he’s been a very consistent high quality 3B. The last two seasons he’s been getting older and more and more injured, but as the last few months showed, he can still reclaim that magic.

[RickJay]

@Hawkeyeop

The AL predictions were particularly terrible this year. Red Sox, Tigers, and Athletics were all considered way more likely to finish first than last. Baseball is weird.

We are in an era of both considerable parity and a great deal of player movement.

[Tom_Scud]

Getting a prediction in before the game starts: Royals in 5 because:

(1) they had a better record against a more challenging schedule.

(2) they have home field advantage

(3) their lineup full of fastball hitters should match up well with the Mets’ pitchers.

[harmonicamoon]

I want 7 games. More the better. Cuz after WS, there is no baseball until the spring.

[Thing_Fish]

Just turned the game on. Did I miss anything exciting in the first inning?

[Thing_Fish]

@Barkis_is_Willin

Ross is pretty much Lester’s personal catcher, was in Boston, too. And I think if you don’t have to catch Schwarber you get more ABs out of him.

Lester hasn’t been good enough as a Cub to get to insist on having a sub-Mendoza bat in the lineup every time he pitches. I’m hoping Schwarber can learn to play the outfield, and just catch on days Montero needs a rest.

[leftfield6]

Can we just stay with the International TV feed? Watching a World Series game without the voice of Joe Buck is so pleasant.

[leftfield6]

Well damn. I’m the kiss of death. He’s back.

[VarlosZ]

Buck’s not just back, he went into the booth for the international feed and kicked them out. I don’t care if that wasn’t his idea, that seems like a dick move.

[Barkis_is_Willin]

I’ve got sound now for the final innings. Seriously, Joe Buck is not good. He talks way too much.
And I love how the Royals never hit home runs until they reeve reeeeally need one.

[Peremensoe]

I’ve had Mets radio on all night.

[eschereal]

Well. Is this going to go the full 16?

[Locrian]

@harmonicamoon

I want 7 games. More the better. Cuz after WS, there is no baseball until the spring.

They started game two 5 innings ago.

I love this. Both teams earned their way, AFAIC, and it’s gonna be one o’ those series.