# MLB: The Playoffs **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [October 2, 2023, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989 "2023-10-02T04:45:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/21 "2023-10-04T16:11:50Z")
He hit home runs in his first two postseason at bats, joining Evan Longoria (2008) and former Twin Gary Gaetti (1987). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/22 "2023-10-04T16:35:36Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Philadelphia 4, Miami 1 > Zack Wheeler was way too much for the light-hitting Marlins. Good for him! The Giants had Wheeler. They’d drafted him in 2011 (first round) but then in July traded him to the Mets for Carlos Beltrán, a brief rental. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/23 "2023-10-04T16:42:33Z")
Great comment from someone: “An intentional balk is really an awesome thing because since no one really knows what a balk is there’s like a 80% chance this wouldn’t have worked.” ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/24 "2023-10-04T18:00:52Z")
Not that one. That was a clear balk. And had it not worked, he could always try again. The runner on third should have responded by stealing second. It is against the rules to steal backwards to make a travesty of the game, but this would not have been doing so. But attempting it would have been a huge risk that the umps would declare it so. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/25 "2023-10-04T18:05:43Z")
> [@OldGuy](#): > > The runner on third should have responded by stealing second. Now that’s something I’d like to see! It would certainly surprise the defense. ---
**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 4, 2023, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/26 "2023-10-04T18:16:07Z")
Wouldn’t using pitchcom be the actual smart move here? ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/27 "2023-10-04T18:17:30Z")
for some reason they were using ptichcom for the first pitch suggestions, but if he shook it off, they’d go to the old way. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/28 "2023-10-04T20:00:59Z")
I was wondering about that too. Why use old fashioned fingers instead of pitchcom? ---
**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 4, 2023, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/29 "2023-10-04T21:02:53Z")
Last year I heard they were having trouble hearing the pitchcom when the crowds were large and loud (as sometimes happens at playoff games). ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/30 "2023-10-04T21:36:04Z")
The Nats may have awful broadcasters, but at least on the telecasts they show you who is pitching, who is hitting, and how many on base and what the count is in a legible size. Unlike these playoffs. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/31 "2023-10-04T21:37:06Z")
Huh? Are you talking about TV or radio? Because the tv score bug I’m looking at has all that. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/32 "2023-10-04T21:38:08Z")
TV. Everything is in teeny tiny type. Maybe you have a 54" screen, but I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/33 "2023-10-04T21:47:34Z")
… and that’s the ballgame. The Rays are eliminated, losing today 7-1. They just couldn’t get anything going yesterday or today. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/34 "2023-10-04T21:54:22Z")
Heh - I didn’t catch the “legible size” part. I do have a 55”, so I can see how it could be pretty hard on a smaller screen. I was rewatching the 2014 AL Wild Card game over the weekend, and there wasn’t ANYTHING on the screen for pitcher or batter - it was truly the Stone Age. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/35 "2023-10-04T22:14:30Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > the 2014 AL Wild Card game That’s a great game to watch. Again and again and again! ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/36 "2023-10-04T22:18:27Z")
Vlad pulls an oopsie. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/37 "2023-10-04T22:30:48Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > I was rewatching the 2014 AL Wild Card game over the weekend, and there wasn’t ANYTHING on the screen for pitcher or batter - it was truly the Stone Age. Growing up, the few televised games per week (generally weekend afternoons) showed runs, hits, and errors for a few seconds before each commercial break. You had to figure out the rest by watching the game. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/38 "2023-10-04T23:02:13Z")
It’s the most Blue Jays game ever: - Lots of baserunners and no runs - A Little League baserunning mistake - A ridiculous managerial decision that was clearly dictated by the front office They’re shaping up to be one of the greatest wastes of talent since the Expos of the 80s, or arguably the 90s Braves (who did in a World Series but it sure seems they should have won more.) ---
**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 4, 2023, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/39 "2023-10-04T23:06:54Z")
What was the managerial decision? Thanks. I know the current score but that’s about it. ---
**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 4, 2023, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989/40 "2023-10-04T23:36:11Z")
The starter, Berrios, got in a fourth inning jam and the manager pulled him. ETA: I missed the beginning of the inning. It looks like Berrios walked one guy and got yanked. Kikuchi came in and gave up two runs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mlb-the-playoffs/990989.md?page=3)