MLB Playoffs Thread

[CrusaderKing]

Fasten your seat belts, folks. It's that time of year again. It's October, so that means playoff baseball. For those of us with a horse in the race, it should be an exciting time. For those general fans of baseball, the first round offers some potentially good matchups.

American League Division Series

Texas Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Rays
For the Rangers, this is the first trip back to the playoffs since 1999 as the American League West champions. The Rays were AL champions in 2008 and are the AL East champions for the second time in franchise history. The Rays host the Rangers in the best of five series. Cliff Lee, who early in the season looked to be a legitimate Cy Young Award candidate, takes the hill for the Rangers in Game 1. Cy Young Award candidate David Price will pitch the opening game for the Rays. This series will feature some of the best young talent in the game, including the Texas outfielder Josh Hamilton.

My pick: I expect the Rays, with their solid pitching staff, to be able to silence the Rangers. The Rangers had a losing record this season against the Rays.

New York Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins
The Yankees were division leaders until their fortunes ebbed near the end of the season. The defending World Series champions have plenty of question marks heading into the postseason, but their Game 1 starter CC Sabathia isn't one of them. He had one of the best seasons of his career and has been the reliable rock of the Yankee rotation. This will be a rematch of last year's ALDS for the Twins, but they host Game 1 this time around. Game 1 starter Francisco Liriano had a much improved 2010 campaign this season.

My pick: The Yankees usually dominate the Twins. The Yankees had a winning record against the Twins this year, but they haven't played each other since May. Once you get past Sabathia, the Yankee rotation is suspect. I pick the Twins to win this series.

National League Division Series

Cincinnati Reds vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Not much needs to be said about the Reds this season. They were the class of the weak NL Central this season. They feature a roster built on solid players, including MVP candidate Joey Votto. The Reds however, face a veteran Phillies roster that has peaked at the right time. They overtook the Altanta Braves for the lead in the NL East and haven't looked back. The Phillies rotation is something to be feared with Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. The Reds aren't lacking in starting pitching. Johnny Cueto will get the ball for Game 1 for the Reds and Bronson Arroyo (remember him) has had a good season too.

My pick: I'll give the edge to the Phillies. They're the two time defending National League champions, which should tell you that this group is capable of getting it done in the postseason.

Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants
The Braves kept their postseason hopes alive and claimed the Wild Card. The NL West champions surged at the right time to overtake the struggling San Diego Padres. Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain will form a devastating one-two punch for the Giants on the pitching mound. They also have one of the best closers in the National League. Postseason veteran Derek Lowe will get the ball in Game 1 for the Braves, who aren't hurting for good pitching and opportune hitting. There's no doubt that the players want to win one last one for Bobby Cox, who will be retiring after the conclusion of this season. Tim Hudson and Tommy Hansen add to the legitimate threat for Atlanta's pitching rotation.

My pick: The Braves and Giants played .500 ball against each other this season. Atlanta is the better offensive team. This promises to be a good series. I pick San Francisco, but this one should go five games.

Postseason coverage begins on the afternoon of October 6 on TBS with Game 1 between Texas and Tampa Bay.

Anyone else interested in some good baseball? What are your picks for this round?

 

[broken_one]

This seasons' postseason is so lame compared to other ones.

Go Yankees, I guess.

 

[HotRhymez]

Booo Yankees....go Twins!

 

[Sketcher]

I'm rooting for the Rays to go all the way, but if the Rangers pull it off, I'll be rooting for them. The Yankees will be a tough team for anybody to get past. The Twins will choke again. I can't cheer for the Twins anyway.

I'm an AL fan, so I don't care so much about the NL. But I think the Phillies have the best chance of making it back to the Series. I'd like to see the Giants make the pennant, considering where they were a couple of years ago.

 

[crishmael]

I really only follow the Rangers so I say Go Rangers!

 

[K9_Trainer]

Go Giants!!!!!!!

 

[Im_A]

GO RED! SCREW THE PHLLIES!

Where I live you would understand and no I don't live in Philly.

My home team will always be the Reds but now I have extra energy to root for the Reds because its all about the Phillies here because of how bad the Pirates are so screw the Phillies.

 

[Deacon]

I follow the Cardinals, and I can't stand the Reds, so I probably won't even follow the play offs this year.

 

[MehGuy]

Booo Yankees....go Twins!

L O L

 

[Deacon]

I'm rooting for the Rays to go all the way, but if the Rangers pull it off, I'll be rooting for them. The Yankees will be a tough team for anybody to get past. The Twins will choke again. I can't cheer for the Twins anyway.

I'm an AL fan, so I don't care so much about the NL. But I think the Phillies have the best chance of making it back to the Series. I'd like to see the Giants make the pennant, considering where they were a couple of years ago.

Why not watch real baseball instead of fast pitched softball...only girls need a DH

 

[Gwenyfur]

Twins, Reds, Rangers, Giants

so much for the mathematical chance the Royals had of making it...
maybe if they didn't have a VP of WalMart as an owner...

 

[Gwenyfur]

I follow the Cardinals, and I can't stand the Reds, so I probably won't even follow the play offs this year.

The gentleman I've been seeing took me to a Cards game this year...
Nice stadium...even though they lost the game it was a lovely night at the ball park.

 

[Deacon]

I went to my first ever big league game, had gone to Triple A Redbirds here in Memphis a lot, but I have never been a professional sporting event....so I went in April...Busch Stadium is hands down one of the most gorgeous stadiums built, but that's because I am being bias...but no seriously...it's what a stadium should look like. Not these bandboxes like CitizenBank Park and Yankee Stadium.

 

[Tylorick]

Go Rangers!

 

[Sketcher]

Why not watch real baseball instead of fast pitched softball...only girls need a DH

The designated hitter rules allows for both better pitching and better hitting. You can't really say it's fast pitched softball when AL pitchers have to go out another couple of innings every start against tougher lineups. The only people that really have it easier in the AL because of this rule are the bench players, since they'll be sitting down more often.

 

[broken_one]

The designated hitter rules allows for both better pitching and better hitting. You can't really say it's fast pitched softball when AL pitchers have to go out another couple of innings every start against tougher lineups. The only people that really have it easier in the AL because of this rule are the bench players, since they'll be sitting down more often.

It's more that they wanted higher-scoring games to pad stats and bring people out to the games.....people after the "Golden Age" wanted to see home runs, not good pitching. Hence the DH. And steroids.

 

[Sketcher]

It's more that they wanted higher-scoring games to pad stats and bring people out to the games.....people after the "Golden Age" wanted to see home runs, not good pitching. Hence the DH. And steroids.

That's why they brought in the DH, but an unintended consequence was that the pitching got better. You don't have a "gimmie" out by pitching to another pitcher. If you're in a close game (say you went down 1-0 in the first but then your starter settled down and has taken care of business ever since) you don't have to take him out in order to stimulate the offense. You can let him pitch another good inning or two. Or in the case of a reliever, you have the option of giving him another couple of hitters, and leaving him in until say, a lefty comes up to bat. It is no surprise to me that more often than not, when a pitcher goes from the AL to the NL, he shines more than it usually is the other way around. Yes, there are exceptions (hello, Edwin Jackson) but more often than not AL pitchers have their way with NL lineups.

 

[broken_one]

That's why they brought in the DH, but an unintended consequence was that the pitching got better. You don't have a "gimmie" out by pitching to another pitcher. If you're in a close game (say you went down 1-0 in the first but then your starter settled down and has taken care of business ever since) you don't have to take him out in order to stimulate the offense. You can let him pitch another good inning or two. Or in the case of a reliever, you have the option of giving him another couple of hitters, and leaving him in until say, a lefty comes up to bat. It is no surprise to me that more often than not, when a pitcher goes from the AL to the NL, he shines more than it usually is the other way around. Yes, there are exceptions (hello, Edwin Jackson) but more often than not AL pitchers have their way with NL lineups.

Pinch hitting adds to the strategy of the game and displays the skills of the manager. It adds an entirely new dimension compared to the solely offensive-minded AL.

As for the AL to NL switch, it has to do with money and the state of baseball right now. 20 to 25 years ago, people could say the same thing in reverse. The AL was weak, and the NL was strong. Plus right now the major money clubs are mainly in the AL, and the few that are in the NL are still extremely good pitching and hitting teams (Phillies and Braves, anyone?). The other teams have mainly developed their pitching from the ground up, case in point the Padres and the Giants. Hitting you can't really keep, so that's why all the good hitters are mainly in the AL (minus a few big-market exceptions and the few who teams were able to somehow hold onto....Adrian Gonzalez and Joey Votto come to mind). Only the Rays have really stood out in the AL as a team that isn't big-market that has good players and pitching, and that is due to the fact that they have such a good farm system.

In the end your points are valid, but they are extremely subject to change.

 

[Sketcher]

Pinch hitting adds to the strategy of the game and displays the skills of the manager. It adds an entirely new dimension compared to the solely offensive-minded AL.

As for the AL to NL switch, it has to do with money and the state of baseball right now. 20 to 25 years ago, people could say the same thing in reverse. The AL was weak, and the NL was strong. Plus right now the major money clubs are mainly in the AL, and the few that are in the NL are still extremely good pitching and hitting teams (Phillies and Braves, anyone?). The other teams have mainly developed their pitching from the ground up, case in point the Padres and the Giants. Hitting you can't really keep, so that's why all the good hitters are mainly in the AL (minus a few big-market exceptions and the few who teams were able to somehow hold onto....Adrian Gonzalez and Joey Votto come to mind). Only the Rays have really stood out in the AL as a team that isn't big-market that has good players and pitching, and that is due to the fact that they have such a good farm system.

In the end your points are valid, but they are extremely subject to change.

It takes a good manager to juggle those substitutions, sure. But people watch the game to see the players on the field. Sure, they want to see good hits and home runs. But they also want to see complete games, no-hitters, and spectacular catches and double plays. AL baseball delivers. And it matters on the field, too: Compare the World Series winners and the All Star Game winners over the last several years. If the AL managers are that much worse than the NL managers, then how do you explain all those AL victories. Yes, money was a major factor with the Yankees and with the A's of the 70's, but it was also a major factor with, as you mentioned, the Phillies and the Braves in their dominant years. Both leagues have big money teams who are willing to spend it in order to win the Series. Yes, the AL has more good hitters, but that is by necessity. Lots of DHs hit close to the cleanup position. Generally speaking, if you're going to DH somebody, you're going to maximize that slot. This is usually why veteran hitters who are slipping on defense get this position. Not only is it one of the harder things to do next to pinch-hitting, but these are proven and highly skilled hitters who can still hit the ball. What that means is pitchers have to cope with another good hitter every time they go out on the mound. This will also have secondary effects on the younger players, since there will generally be more veteran talent to listen to.

 

[broken_one]

It takes a good manager to juggle those substitutions, sure. But people watch the game to see the players on the field. Sure, they want to see good hits and home runs. But they also want to see complete games, no-hitters, and spectacular catches and double plays. AL baseball delivers. And it matters on the field, too: Compare the World Series winners and the All Star Game winners over the last several years. If the AL managers are that much worse than the NL managers, then how do you explain all those AL victories. Yes, money was a major factor with the Yankees and with the A's of the 70's, but it was also a major factor with, as you mentioned, the Phillies and the Braves in their dominant years. Both leagues have big money teams who are willing to spend it in order to win the Series. Yes, the AL has more good hitters, but that is by necessity. Lots of DHs hit close to the cleanup position. Generally speaking, if you're going to DH somebody, you're going to maximize that slot. This is usually why veteran hitters who are slipping on defense get this position. Not only is it one of the harder things to do next to pinch-hitting, but these are proven and highly skilled hitters who can still hit the ball. What that means is pitchers have to cope with another good hitter every time they go out on the mound. This will also have secondary effects on the younger players, since there will generally be more veteran talent to listen to.

The AL has better talent, which means that they will under most conditions beat the other team most of the time regardless of who is telling them to play where. It's like the Padres versus the Phillies. The Padres are better managed and have more "intangibles" that can give them many victories, but the Phillies simply have better players and therefore will still beat them most of the time. It's just how it is.

The AL has better players not by necessity but because it has the money to do so. The payrolls tip toward the Junior Circuit, so the talent often goes that way as well.

DHing actually simplifies the process. You only have to do one thing, and you do it every day. Pinch hitting requires you to basically come out of the stands and make a hit at the most important times. DHs just keep hitting, 3-4 times a day, every day of the week. It's just you're not fielding.