# MLB: The Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [September 30, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185 "2011-09-30T18:45:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/321 "2011-10-13T22:42:17Z")
Tigers will not go gentle into that good night. ---
**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 13, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/322 "2011-10-13T22:47:28Z")
Four straight batters leading off the inning: Single. Double. Triple. Homer. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Wonder when lhat happened most recently. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/323 "2011-10-13T22:49:29Z")
The first four batters in the Tigers’ 6th just hit for a natural cycle. Single, double, triple, home run, in order. The first time ever in the playoffs (says **ZenBeam** with no actual knowledge, just playing the odds :)). (Shakes fist at **Ulf**.) ---
**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 13, 2011, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/324 "2011-10-13T22:59:38Z")
Hi, **ZenBeam!** 🙂 A little research – the A’s did it against Tampa Bay earlier this year (in a game they eventually lost). The article says it was the only time the A’s had done it since moving to Oakland in the sixties: > **[Rays 10, Athletics 8](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/6814029)** > > Oakland's offense staked Rich Harden to a five-run lead in the first inning, and the right-hander did enough to make it stand up. Just one data point, but call it 50 years of 150 games each, 7500 Oakland games in all, one set of four batters pulling it off–yup, I’d tend to agree with you about it never happening in the postseason. ---
**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 13, 2011, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/325 "2011-10-13T23:12:04Z")
From [http://www.vegasbettinglines.com/MLB-Betting-Odds-Minnesota-Twins-vs-Oakland-Athletics\_A4269.html](http://www.vegasbettinglines.com/MLB-Betting-Odds-Minnesota-Twins-vs-Oakland-Athletics_A4269.html) the Rockies were the previous team to do it, in 2008. Obscure stuff. But fun. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/326 "2011-10-13T23:50:55Z")
According to Fox, it’s the first time it happened in a post season game. ---
**Author:** ![Crawlspace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Crawlspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crawlspace)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/327 "2011-10-14T04:47:11Z")
The Tigers were lucky that their hitting was able to pick them up from another mediocre start from Verlander. Pitching does win championships, though it’s likely it’s just as often as hitting does. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/328 "2011-10-14T05:27:33Z")
Nope, pitching shuts down hitting. Sherzer goes next,. If he wins then Fister on Sunday. Hope is not over. ---
**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 14, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/329 "2011-10-14T05:34:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Nope, pitching shuts down hitting. Except when it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/330 "2011-10-14T12:27:27Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > Nope, pitching shuts down hitting. Sherzer goes next,. If he wins then Fister on Sunday. Hope is not over. Man that Nelson Cruz is a really good pitcher. Not to mention Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Albert Pujols. All dominate moundsmen. You know it is okay to give your pitchers a little credit for performing well. You really don’t need to demean your pitchers’ accomplishments by claiming any success was preordained. ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/331 "2011-10-14T13:04:39Z")
> [@Hawkeyeop](#): > > Man that Nelson Cruz is a really good pitcher. Not to mention Miguel Cabrera, Ryan Braun, Prince Fielder, and Albert Pujols. All dominate moundsmen. I’ll tell you who the really good pitchers are. Halladay, Lee, Sabathia - they’re all unbeatable. They are so dominating that the TV announcers said there is no way their teams are going to lose in the playoffs. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/332 "2011-10-14T13:46:13Z")
> [@Tully\_Mars](#): > > I’ll tell you who the really good pitchers are. Halladay, Lee, Sabathia - they’re all unbeatable. They are so dominating that the TV announcers said there is no way their teams are going to lose in the playoffs. 🙂 Look, we all know what happened when the best pitching staff in the NL faced off against the best offense. The best pitching staff… er, is now on the golf course. Hey, wait a minute. Getting back to actual baseball, Nelson Cruz, holy shit. - Is there anyone who’s just frickin’ STRONGER than Nelson Cruz in baseball today? Delmon Young is pretty strong, but Cruz is ridiculous. The way he crushes the ball without looking like he’s trying. I thought Carlos Delgado was strong, but he actually looked like he had to try a little to hit a home run. Cruz looks like a man who’s taking it easy with his 3-wood. - Cruz is the only Ranger who has hit a home run in this series. Home runs; Detroit Tigers 9, Nelson Cruz 5, Every Other Ranger 0. - Cruz is the first player to ever hit five home runs in a league championship series. It’s been done in other series though. Reggie Jackson and Chase Utley both hit five dingers in a World Series, and Ken Griffey Jr. and Juan Gonzalez both did it in a division series. - Cruz has also already driven in 11 RBI. That tied the LCS record and is just one short of the record for any playoff series, which was set in 1960 when Bobby Richardson drove in 12 runs in the World Series; Richardson’s team lost, though. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/333 "2011-10-14T13:58:48Z")
Cruz has six hits in this series - five home runs and a double. What’s his batting average in the ALCS right now? I saw at one point yesterday it was under .200. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/334 "2011-10-14T14:07:51Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Cruz has six hits in this series - five home runs and a double. What’s his batting average in the ALCS right now? I saw at one point yesterday it was under .200. .333, six for eighteen. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/335 "2011-10-14T15:49:29Z")
His average must’ve been .294 then - 5/17 - and I didn’t see the screen clearly. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/336 "2011-10-14T16:34:01Z")
Average a homer a game, and the batting average details don’t matter. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/337 "2011-10-14T17:14:36Z")
> **[Pitching will be primary target as Yankees seek to upgrade roster](https://nypost.com/2011/06/03/pitching-will-be-primary-target-as-yankees-seek-to-upgrade-roster/)** > > Perception vs. reality. It feels like the Yankees offense and bullpen have underachieved this year and that the rotation has been central to success. Yet, at the exact one-third-of-the-season mark,… The management knows what to do. Get pitching. The Yankees have a bigtime team of hitters. Their season is over. They know what it takes to win in the post season. Hitting is good TV though. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/338 "2011-10-14T17:17:03Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > The Yankees have a bigtime team of hitters. Their season is over. The Phillies have a bigtime team of pitchers. Their season is over. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/339 "2011-10-14T17:23:09Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Average a homer a game, and the batting average details don’t matter. 🙂 True. I just thought it was interesting if he was murdering the ball and hitting below the Mendoza line. Not so much now, since a guy who’s hitting .333 and slugging the ball like that is having a great series by all measures. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/340 "2011-10-14T19:09:23Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > The Phillies have a bigtime team of pitchers. Their season is over. Yep lost last game in a hitting display 1 to 0. > **[2011 MLB postseason schedule](https://www.espn.com/mlb/playoffs/2011/story/_/id/7022803/mlb-2011-major-league-baseball-postseason-schedule)** > > Full schedule of all 2011 MLB playoff games including the division series (ALDS and NLDS), league championship series (ALCS and NLCS) and the World Series. i am not saying hitting never wins a game. it does. But pitching wins the series. Hitting will get you to the playoffs, like the Yankees. But then you have to throw the ball. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=18)