MLB Postseason Thread

[KABrother88]

2013 Playoffs begin tonight with the Cincinnati Reds visiting the Pittsburg Pirates in the NL wild card game

[KABrother88]

Pittsburgh beat Cincinnati 6-2 last night behind Francisco Liriano's 7 strong inning. They now advance to play the St. Louis Cardinals in the best of 5 NLDS starting Thursday. The Los Angeles Dodgers face off against the Atlanta Braves in the other NLDS, also starting Thursday.

 

 

Tonight the Tampa Bay Rays will try to keep their momentum as they travel to also red-hot Cleveland for the AL Wild Card game. Winner will take on the Boston Red Sox Friday night to being the ALDS. The other ALDS matches up the Detroit Tigers against the Oakland Athletics beginning Friday night as well.

[eagle eye]

There was a nice debate on Mike and Mike this morning on whether or not it was good or fair deal to have only a one game winner moves on game for the wild card spot. Technically, both teams are wild cards and it's a one and done to decide which wild card team moves on to the division series. Should the wild card game be a 3 game series?

[KABrother88]

I can see both sides of that argument. The one game playoff is better for the division winners so they don't have a week long lay off before their first game while waiting for a wild card winner. On the other hand, a 3 game series in more than likely gonna be won by the better team (theoretically). Personally I think MLB got this right for a change...it puts more emphasis on winning your division to ensure you at least get a 5 game series.

[KABrother88]

Tampa Bay beats Cleveland 4-0 to advance to face Boston in the ALDS. Alex Cobb scattered 8 hits in 6.2 innings to get the win. Cleveland's young Danny Salazar started for Cleveland in what was just his 11th Major League outing. He looked very good to start the game throwing upper 90s into the triple digits with a very fluid motion...he even struck out Wil Myers, James Loney, and Evan Longoria consecutively to end the 1st/start the 2nd inning. Delmon Young smacked the 1st pitch of the 3rd inning 400 ft to provide all the run support Cobb and the Tampa Bay bullpen would need.

 

Tonight Pittsburg will take on St. Louis at 4:00 to start the NLDS. The Dodgers vs. Braves NLDS will follow at 7:30.

 

 

An intersting topic I heard on Mike & Mike this morning was the payroll of teams in the playoffs...only 3 top the top ten payrolls made it to the playoffs this year (LAD - 1; DET - 4; BOS - 5). The other 7 playoff teams were (CIN - 12; STL - 14; ATL - 16; PIT - 19; CLE -23 ; OAK - 27; TB - 28). So as many teams in the bottom 10 in payroll made the playoffs as teams in the top 10. Shows a steady flow of young talent can lead to success...then you could have some extra money to land a missing piece in FA...something Tampa can't do cause their attendance sucks even when they are good, but Houston knows they can pack the stadium as long as their winning...may have to get the Rangers to fall off a bit to get some of our "fans" back for that though......

[eagle eye]

Don't sell Houston fans short and don't think that fans won't flock back to the the Juice Box when the Astros start playing well. Evidence of this was the 37+K fans that turned out for Andy Pettitte's last start. There just hasn't been much to get excited about for a couple of years. I get that but better days are coming and tickets won't be so easy to come by.

 

The payroll thing is interesting because for years the running joke was the Yankees bought their championships. They did have some pricey free agent signings but the nucleus of the club, guys like Jeter, Jorge Pasada, Pettitte and Rivera anchored the team but now they are all gone except Jeter and his best days are in the rearview mirror.

Speaking of payroll Boomer and I were talking about the Astros payroll and Boomer was saying he was disappointed in the Astros overly low payroll. It is my opinion that the Astros saw no reason to pay big money for free agents on a team not realistically able to compete for a playoff spot. Heck, few expected them to even approach .500 which they didn't. Why spend a lot of money for a team likely to lose a lot more than they won. Houston isn't in the game for a quick fix. That's why they got in the predicament their in because they sold the farm (system) chasing a World Series. Jeff Luhnow and Jim Crane seem to have a plan, that is working based on the success the minor leagues enjoyed the last couple of years, to build from the ground up and it doesn't include wasting money on free agents that won't make a difference. Now it seems the Astros will spend some of the money saved this year in 2014. Like I said, better days are ahead.

[KABrother88]

St. Louis used a 7-run 3rd inning sparked by a 3-run Carlos Beltran HR to beat Pittsburgh 9-1 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of 5 NLDS. Adam Wainright went 7 innings only giving up 3 hits and one 1 with 9Ks and 0 walks. All 7 runs in the STL 3rd came off PIT starter A.J. Burnett, he was pulled after allowing those 7 runs without recording an out...his final line reads 2 innings, 6 hits, 7 runs (all ER), 4 walks, 0ks

 

Los Angeles took a 1-0 lead after a 6-1 win over Atlanta. Clayton Kershaw did his best...well Clayton Kershaw impersonation. Kershaw went 7 strong giving up 1 run on 3 hits with 12Ks and 3 walks. Atlanta started Kris Medlen gave up 5 runs on 9 hits in 4 innings of work.

 

Full schedule of playoff games tonight. Tampa and Boston start their ALDS at noon, St. Louis and Pittsburgh play game 2 of their NLDS at 2, Atlanta and Los Angeles also play their game 2 at 5, and Detroit will take on Oakland at 8:30 to start the other ALDS

 

 

After Dusty Baker's Cincinnati Reds team lost in the NL Wild Card game he has been fired

[Big T]

Lets get it done Pirates!

[eagle eye]

How many of you remember Carlos Beltran was an Astro? He was a really good player at the time and he still flashes that talent from time to time.

 

I guess that's what happens when you almost win. Dusty Baker is a good manager and maybe he didn't deserve to be fired like he was. At least he didn't get the Lane Kiffin treatment.

[KABrother88]

Lets get it done Pirates!

 

+1

[KABrother88]

How many of you remember Carlos Beltran was an Astro? He was a really good player at the time and he still flashes that talent from time to time.

 

I guess that's what happens when you almost win. Dusty Baker is a good manager and maybe he didn't deserve to be fired like he was. At least he didn't get the Lane Kiffin treatment.

 

I certainly do...he was as exciting as a player can be and was the real spark plug to get Houston into the postseason that year...and when we got there his legend only grew more...I was disappointed to see him go but he didn't earn his money in New York...and I think Willy T did just fine the next couple years lol

[Big T]

I loved Willy T! I haven't though of him in ages. Never was all that good, but I will never forget that 30 game hitting streak he had. It was something like 10 of the hits came from bunt singles. The guy had electric speed and was a great fielder with a rocket arm.

[eagle eye]

There's another former Astro in the playoffs. Unfortunately, Bourn and his Cleveland Indians lost the play-in Wild Card game to the D-Rays. Remember Michael Bourn? Talk about an electric player in center field. He went to the All Star game in 2010 and won the Gold Glove Award in 2009 and 2010 while with Houston. Bourn, a Houston native, came back home in the trade that sent Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett to Atlanta in November of 2007. Bourn struggled in 2008 but he had outstanding years the next two. He led the National League in stolen bases in 2009 and was right near the top in 2010. When it was clear Houston was rebuilding Ed Wade traded Bourn to Atlanta in the summer of 2011. The trade is notable in that Houston got a lot of value for Bourn in some future players that the Astros are looking to step up to the bigs soon. They got Jordan Schafer, Brett Olberholtzer, Paul Clemens and Juan Abreu. Schafer had injury issues and Houston put him on waivers after the 2012 season and he was picked up by the Braves and he is enjoying being in the playoffs right now. Abreu, a pitching prospect pitched in 7 games for Houston before being released. He signed with the Blue Jays organization and played in their AAA club before he was released and he signed with the Dodgers organization but has yet to play due to an injury. Olberholtzer and Clemens were hits for Houston and both have shown promise as they pitched pretty well for Houston in September and look to be factors in Houston's future. Funny how things go round and round.

[Big T]

Pirates are one win away from advancing to the NLCS. Those fans deserve this.

[KABrother88]

Just a quick run through of the weekend

 

Friday - NLDS - Pittsburg beats St. Louis 7-1 to tie series at 1

Atlanta beats Los Angeles 4-3 to tie series at 1

ALDS - Boston thumps Tampa Bay 12-2 to take game 1

Detroit scores 3 in the first and makes it hold up winning game 1 against Oakland 3-2

 

Saturday - ALDS - Boston takes a 2-0 lead on Tampa with a 7-4 win

Rookie Sonny Gray goes pitch for pitch against Verlander and Oakland walks off in the 9th 1-0, series tied at 1

 

Sunday - NLDS - After St. Louis tied the game at 3 in the top of the 8th, Pittsburg scores 2 in the bottom half and win 5-3, Pittsburg leads 2-1

Los Angeles downs Atlanta 13-6 to take a 2-1 series lead

 

 

Another full slate of playoff action today...Oakland at Detroit at 12, St. Louis at Pittsburg at 2, Boston at Tampa at 5, and Atlanta at Los Angeles at 8:30

[eagle eye]

Every seems to be pulling for the Pirates and they are definitely in a great place with the Cards trying to save their playoff lives on the road. Pittsburgh up 2-1 plays at two.

 

The A's and the Tigers are playing now. The media hasn't been kind to the Tigers but they are tied in the series at one and tied at 3 in the fifth.

 

The Braves are pushing the Dodgers in this series, moreso than many thought. But after being drubbed 13-6 last night the Dodgers are looking good heading into tonights game holding a 2-1 series lead.

 

Boston seems to be putting a big boot heal on the D-Rays Cinderella post season. Up 2-0 play resumes in Tampa at 5 o'clock this evening.

 

Update: The A's have taken a 4-3 lead in the top of the 5th and are still batting.

[KABrother88]

Only one of 3 teams that could clinch a berth in the LCS did so.

 

Los Angeles handed the ball to Clayton Kershaw on short rest and got 2 Home Runs from Carl Crawford and an 8th inning go-ahead 2-run HR from Juan Uribe to win the game 4-3 and the series 3-1. Kershaw went 6 innings allowing 3 hits and 2 runs while striking out 6 and walking 1.

 

With their playoff lives on the line, St. Louis turned to rookie righthander Michael Wacha. Last time out he went 8.2 no hit innings before giving up an infield single to Ryan Zimmerman on the last day of the regular season. What would he do for an encore?...goes 7.1 innings before giving up a hit (solo HR by Pedro Alvarez). The 2 run HR by Matt Holliday of of Pittsburg starter Charlie Morton proved to be enough to win the game 2-1 and play another day.

 

The other potential close out game happened in Tampa/St. Pete. Boston was up 2-0 in the series but down 4-3 going into the top of the 9th Boston tied the game at 4 with an RBI ground out by Dustin Pedrioa. Jose Lobaton came up in the bottom of the ninth and 2 out and delivered a walk off HR to keep the series alive. It was Lobaton's first AB of the game after RF Wil Myers left in the 8th and Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon gave up his DH to move his current DH to RF...so after mixing and matching a little bit Lobaton becomes the hero.

 

Oakland used 3 HRs to take a 2-1 series lead with a 6-3 victory in Detroit. In the bottom of the 9th Victor Martinez hit a foul and things got a little exciting as he started jawing with A's closer Grant Balfour...benches and bullpens cleared but nothing more as Martinez flew out to right and the next three batters went strike out, walk, fly out to right to end the game.

 

 

Today Oakland looks to take the series against Detroit at 4:00 and Boston looks to do the same at 7:30 in Tampa

[eagle eye]

Did the Pirates exit kill interest in this post season? It's unimaginable to think baseball fans can't be excited about the best matchups in both LCS series in years. Storied franchises banging heads the way they have done so far have made for must-see-tv. Both series are headed back to the home fields with the home teams leading 3-2 needed to win one of the next two games to advance to the World Series!

 

Boston leads Detroit but this has been a knockdown dragout fight all the way. Imagine being Detroit's Justin Verlander giving up one run in his only ALCS start and LOSING the game. Unreal, but that's exactly what happened in game 3. Don't forget that he will have one more shot if the series goes seven games. Game six is tomorrow with the Tigers Matt Scherzer going against Boston's Clay Buckholtz. You gotta give the Tigers the edge in this match up. I'm sure that Boston would prefer to close it out in six rather than face Verlander again.

 

The Cardinals opened the series with two close one-run wins in St Louis and they were able to take game 4. That means the Dodgers took game 3 in which Hyun-Jin Ryu outdueled Cards ace Adam Wainwright. Both went 7 innings with Ryu giving up O runs on three hits and Wainwright giving up just 2 runs on six hits. Game 5 was do-or-die for LA and they broke out the whoopin' sticks jacking 4 homers in a 6-4 win behind a nice effort by Dodgers starter Zack Greinke. The Cardinals rolled out Joe Kelly and he just couldn't hold the Dodgers lineup in check. He went only 5 innings and gave up 4 runs including homers by Adrian Gonzalez, who hit two long balls in the game, and Carl Crawford. The Dodgers held a 6-2 lead going into the ninth but yesterdays closer Kenley Jansen made things interesting by giving up two runs on four hits before finally recording the final out of the game. Game 6 is in St Louis with a heckuva matchup against game 2 opponents Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers and Michael Wacha for the Cardinals. The Cards won that game in a terrific pitchers duel that saw Wacha come out on top winning 1-0. Kershaw gave up 2 measly hits in his six innings of work and gave up the one run of the game. Wacha went 6.2 innings scattering 5 Dodger hits. Should be a good game to watch which could be the NLCS clincher for St Louis. If not they will go to a game 7 with Ryu and Wainwright facing off again.

 

I know people wanted Pittsburgh to win but baseball couldn't have hand picked two better matchups for the LCS's. It's too bad many people are ignoring these series. Heck, even the season premiere of "The Walking Dead" smashed the baseball playoffs in the ratings. Too bad, folks are missing out on a great pair of series and the World Series win be a gem too no matter who prevails. These are definitely the best 4 teams in baseball going toe-to-toe and it's been awesome.

[eagle eye]

In both LCS series it only took 6 games to decide the respective leagues' representatives in the World Series. The Cardinals bombed Clayton Kershaw on offense and the newest phenom Michael Wacha stymied the Dodgers taking the series finale 9-0. Wacha is amazing and he's hitting his stride at just the right time. IMO the Cardinals have the edge in pitching going into the series and with the Series not starting until next Wednesday both teams will be able to set up their pitching rotation just how they want to. The Cards go in starting Wainwright, Wacha and Lackey putting a lot of pressure on the Red Sox bats to try to overcome a murderer's row of pitching.

 

The Red Sox looked beaten against Matt Scherzer until the 7th inning. With a hit, a K and a walk to Xander Bogaerts begin the inning that was all for Scherzer. Drew Smyly came in for Scherzer and gave up an infield hit because of an error by SS Jose Iglesias which loaded the bases. Our old Astros closer Jose Veras came in for Smyly to face Shane Victorino. After getting ahead on two good curve balls Veras 0-2 pitch was also a curve which wasn't nearly as good as the first two and Victorino went yard over the Green Monster to erase a 2-1 deficit and gave the Sox a 5-2 lead and the ALCS. The Red Sox will have home field advantage and it should help as the Sox attempt to win the Series for the first time since 2007.

[eagle eye]

The 2013 World Series has been entertaining to say the least. The Red Sox got to Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright and won 8-1 in Boston. The Cardinals countered with Michael Wacha and won game two. I didn't hurt that the Cards broke out the bats in game that saw 11 hits and 3 errors and 7 walks and the Cards prevailed 4-2. Game 3 was in St Louis and Bostons Jake Peavy faced reliever Joe Kelly and Kelly actually did better than Peavy who only lasted 4 innings giving up 6 hits and 2 earned runs. Kelly went 5.1 giving up 2 earned runs on 2 hits but his defense committed 3 errors behind him. In the bottom of the ninth with the score tied at 4 3B Will Middlebrook was called for obstruction allowing Allan Craig to score the winning run. This had never happened in the 105 year history of the World Series. Strange but justified ending to a good game. Everyone has agreed that by the letter of the rule it was the right call. It seemed a ticky-tack but it was the right call. Game 4 was being dominated by Cardinals starter Lance Lynn but with 2 on and 2 out in the sixth inning Lynn was pulled and Seth Maness came in and faced Johnny Gomes whose bat was colder than an ice berg and Gomes promptly jacked a 3 run homer to give the Sox a 4-2 lead. Boston maintained the lead into the bottom of the ninth when Game 3 hero Allan Craig got a one out base hit. Kolton Wong came in to pinch run for Craig and after a pop up to 2nd base giving the Cards two outs with Carlos Beltran coming to the plate. Starter John Lackey came in the top of the ninth and he was looking to close the game out but he didn't have to take a chance throwing to Beltran because Lackey caught Wong too far off base and he picked him off at first to end the game. I have never seen two games end so oddly. It was crazy and I'm looking forward to the game tonight with Game 1 starters Jon Lester with go for the Sox against Adam Wainwright for the Card.

 

Interesting note: Tonight will mark the first time a World Series game and a Monday Night Football game will be played in the same city. On MNF Seattle is in St Louis to face the Rams featuring the first start of Kellen Clemens.

[Big T]

What a way to lose the game last night. That was heartbreaking for STL.

[eagle eye]

Good to see your back Big T. School must kicking your behind a bit this semester. Who are you rooting for?

[Big T]

After watching all the games where the Cards broke my heart in the NLC days, I just can't seem to pull for them so I'm saying Go Sox!

 

Yea this semester has been pure hell lol but I'm getting through it. I'm trying to wrap my degree up and graduate by next fall. That's what I'm hoping for at least.

[eagle eye]

If the World Series had ended last night with the Red Sox win I'm pretty sure David Ortiz would have won the series MVP. The guy has been nothing short of awesome at the plate in the series and absolutely nobody would disagree. At least some consideration has to be given to Red Sox pitcher John Lackey. All he's done is outduel Cards ace Adam Wainwright twice for wins in Game 1 and Game 5 but he's also pitched a scoreless eighth inning of Game 4 as a setup man for closer Koji Uehara. If Lackey comes back and pitches if there is a Game 7 Thursday night and wins he sure needs to be in the MVP conversation.

[eagle eye]

The 2013 season came to an end this past week with the Boston Red Sox victory in Game 6. It was sort of anti-climatic because the Sox dispatched the St Louis Cardinals 6-1 rather easily behind the pitching of John Lackey and the failure of Michael Wacka to keep his phenomenal post season streak going. Lackey becomes the first pitcher in MLB history to win the World Series clinching game for two different teams. The first was in 2002 when he became only the second pitcher in MLB history to start a Game 7 in the World Series while with the Los Angeles Angels. Big Papi won the MVP because of the previous five games in the Series because in Game 6 the Cardinals learned not to pitch to the big man while he was on such a torrid roll. In Game 6 he was 0 for 1 with 4 walks.

 

Congrats to the Sox and now it's time to think about what the Houston Astros are going to do at the Hot Stove meetings in December.