# 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:** 21
**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 17, 2011, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/401 "2011-10-17T00:54:27Z")
5-2, and it’s only the second inning. These games are beginning to look like the baseball version of the West Coast offense. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/402 "2011-10-17T00:57:35Z")
There goes another. 5-4. I don’t remember seeing anything like this in a playoff game before. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/403 "2011-10-17T00:58:49Z")
A pitching duel this ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/404 "2011-10-17T00:58:56Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > 5-2, and it’s only the second inning. 5-2? 5-4. A quick hook by LaRussa might be entirely appropriate tonight. But still, geez, whoever wins, their bullpen is going to be shot. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/405 "2011-10-17T00:59:53Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > 5-2? 5-4. > > A quick hook by LaRussa might be entirely appropriate tonight. But still, geez, whoever wins, their bullpen is going to be shot. I think the WS starts on Wednesday, so if the Cards survive, that shouldn’t be a major issue. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/406 "2011-10-17T01:07:43Z")
Anyone putting money on total HRs before this game is over? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/407 "2011-10-17T01:11:14Z")
> [@Asimovian](#): > > I think the WS starts on Wednesday, so if the Cards survive, that shouldn’t be a major issue. I dunno. Out of 45 innings so far, not counting tonight, the Cards starters have pitched 22 1/3, the bullpen 22 2/3. The Brewers are slightly better, but not by much. Even with a couple days off, and maybe only one day off, it doesn’t bode well for either team against a tanned, rested, and ready Rangers team. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/408 "2011-10-17T01:29:25Z")
I predict it’ll be 9-8 at the bottom of this inning. I have to get up early tomorrow and drive to Ohio, damnit! Let’s have some good pitching shutting down the good hitters! As I’ve been told happens. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/409 "2011-10-17T02:35:23Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > There goes another. 5-4. I don’t remember seeing anything like this in a playoff game before. [1993 World Series, Game 4.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI199310200.shtml) It was something to behold. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/410 "2011-10-17T02:42:07Z")
That Pujols play at the bag scared the crap out of me. > [@Marley23](#): > > I think the only thing that could happen in the NLCS that would surprise me is if the Brewers don’t make any more errors. Suffice it to say I am very not-surprised. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/411 "2011-10-17T03:19:29Z")
Boy oh boy, the Brewers are playing terribly. The color guy, who I believe is Ron Darling, just said that the difference in this series has been that the Brewers have not knocked down Albert Pujols. Is he watching the same game I am? The Cardinals would be winning even if Pujols wasn’t doing much. The Brewers can’t even catch. They’re really harping on the fact that Fielder may be batting for the last time as a Brewer. Assuming that’s true, where does he sign, ya think? I’d presume New York and Boston are out, since they’re set at first base and have guys to DH, too. ---
**Author:** ![Cell\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@Cell\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cell_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/412 "2011-10-17T03:31:58Z")
Everyone knows the path the Cardinals took to get to this point so I won’t rehash it. I can’t help but think of it, however, as I ponder this thought: Three outs to go. ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/413 "2011-10-17T03:50:53Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > They’re really harping on the fact that Fielder may be batting for the last time as a Brewer. Assuming that’s true, where does he sign, ya think? I’d presume New York and Boston are out, since they’re set at first base and have guys to DH, too. Toward the end of the regular season, I heard a lot of mumbling about the Dodgers acquiring Fielder (who is good friends with Matt Kemp) and either non-tendering James Loney or moving him out to left field (which he’s apparently said he can do and is willing to do). Of course, the McCourt saga makes me think there’s no realistic way this will happen, as much as I’d like to see it. ---
**Author:** ![jeredc1983](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed8c4c/32.png) [@jeredc1983](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeredc1983)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/414 "2011-10-17T04:06:58Z")
Congrats, Cards! My home team. St. Louis is going crazy! ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/415 "2011-10-17T04:15:10Z")
Apparently, starting pitching isn’t necessary to win a championship series. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/416 "2011-10-17T04:44:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > They’re really harping on the fact that Fielder may be batting for the last time as a Brewer. Assuming that’s true, where does he sign, ya think? I’d presume New York and Boston are out, since they’re set at first base and have guys to DH, too. I recall someone at SI speculating that Washington and San Francisco and (I think) Seattle might be in the mix. > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > Apparently, starting pitching isn’t necessary to win a championship series. Not if the other team pitches and fields like the Brewers did. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/417 "2011-10-17T12:08:53Z")
**RickJay** , thanks for the [baseball-reference.com](http://baseball-reference.com) site, I’ve bookmarked that. Interestingly, La Russa said the same thing in the 4th and that he felt for starting pitchers that get hammered like that after doing so much during the regular season to get you there. Always interesting to get a manager’s perspective, especially the best in baseball. Which also scares me going forward… La Russa is one place where the Cards have a leg up on the Rangers. This ought to be a very exciting series. Play ball. ---
**Author:** ![Parthol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Parthol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Parthol)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/418 "2011-10-17T15:01:59Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > [1993 World Series, Game 4.](http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI199310200.shtml) > > It was something to behold. I’ve only been in the stands for two World Series games in my life, and that was one of them. It was absolute pandemonium from the very first inning, with numerous lead changes. The feeling in the crowd was mostly of positive excitement, as the Phillies had the lead for most of the game. Still, with all of the crazy offense, I’ve never experienced such a collective pessimism from a crowd with the home team going into the 8th inning with a five run lead. “Wild Thing” Mitch Williams was like a walking, throwing heart-attack that season, and when he came in the game in the 8th, there was a giddy fatalism in the Vet, like everyone was ready to see history made, even if we were going to be on the wrong side of it. And of course, speaking of history, that game turned out to be a grim foreshadowing of Joe Carter’s similar abuse of the Wild Thing in game 6. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/419 "2011-10-17T19:16:38Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The Rangers simply hit. They batted .283 _as a team_, which in a league that batted .258 is pretty amazing, and were second in the league in homers. They just flat out mash the baseball. Last night their #9 hitter was a .301 hitter. Nelson Cruz, the guy who just hit six home runs in one series, is the #7 hitter, and the amazing thing is that #7 is pretty much where he deserves to hit in this lineup. Yeah–there was some chatter on the sports-talk radio shows about whether Wash would move him up in the order for game 6 after what he’d been doing, and the general consensus was (a) don’t screw with it when it’s working, and (b) who would you move down, anyway? I was amused to see Leland IW’ing Josh Hamilton to load the bases with _Michael Young_ on deck, and _Adrian Beltre_ in the hole. How can you look at those upcoming hitters and think that’s a good idea? OTOH, how can you think it’s a good idea to pitch to Hamilton with runners on second and third? There just aren’t any good choices sometimes when you’re facing a lineup like this one. Gonna be a fun Series. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185/420 "2011-10-17T21:56:55Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I’d presume New York and Boston are out, since they’re set at first base and have guys to DH, too. David Ortiz is a free agent who has not lately endeared himself around here. Odds are the Sox re-sign him (where else is he going to go?) but he may be part of the upcoming purge. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/598185.md?page=22)