Depends how one looks at it.
You can have a better record due to scheduling and division. Another team can have a lessor record due to tougher scheduling.
I actually like the idea of awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, gives it a purpose to watch and the players to play.
Texas should remain on top of the division next year as well, as well as years to come, with the addition of Houston, another 90 plus wins will be unattainable.
Sure hope someone feeds the Rally Squirrel over the winter. :-)
quote:I actually like the idea of awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, gives it a purpose to watch and the players to play.
I hate it! As biggerpappi said; home field advantage is huge (too big to rest upon the results of one midseason exhibition game) in a short series and played to the advantage of both the Cardinals this year and Giants last year. The "rain cancellation" of game six certainly was big allowing Carp to pitch game seven for the Cardinals.
I like the ideal of awarding the league team with the best season long winning record, perhaps a bye in the first round??
The ALL
Cardinals pitchers surprised me last night. Getting the last 26 outs without a run was a great team accomplishment.
I started the night with low expectations for what Carp could do on 3 days rest, and I was in full "Man, I hate being right" panic mode in the first inning.
Of course, Carpenter proved me wrong by settling down and taking control.
42 year old Arthur Rhodes and 37 year old Octavio Dotel were awesome as they came in and smothered the opportunity presented by Murphy's lead-off double in the 7th. Perfect time for TLR to trust his most experienced relievers.
Then TLR handed the 8th inning to Lance Lynne, who a) is a rookie with less than 50 career innings experience, b) had had his worst outing of the post season in game 6, and c) probably wasn't fresh since he had thrown 32 pitches the night before. I thought TLR had lost his mind. Naturally, the tired, ineffective rookie from game six was brilliant in game seven. Who knew? Oh yeah, Tony knew.
Finally, TLR called on Motte to close it out. Motte had been the other least effective pitcher in game six, giving up two runs in his first four pitches of the tenth inning. Also, Motte had a lot of four-out saves during the season, but he had thrown two innings the night before. How much gas and how much confidence could he have? Again I doubted the move. Again I was wrong. Motte was solid.
The performance of the bullpen to retire all nine batters they faced in just 34 pitches was an overlooked story last night.
I don't know the technicalities of how much to trust the strike zone illustrator. Maybe the Rangers fans have a gripe about ball 4 to Molina; maybe they don't. In general, it seems that pitchers are more likely to get close calls when they're throwing strikes and less likely to get them when they're struggling with control. I thought a huge difference in the game was that the Cardinals relievers came in, threw strikes, and made the Rangers batters swing. The Rangers relievers didn't do that.
I also wonder what would have happened if C.J. Wilson had been allowed to start. TLR said he started Carpenter because he knew he'd use him at some point and figured it was best to give him his usual pre-game routine. Wilson didn't get his usual pre-game routine, and the only mistake he made was his first pitch. After that RBI HPB, he was brilliant. What could have been if he had started? He might have handed a 2-0 or 2-1 lead to the bullpen in the 6th or 7th, and the Rangers might be celebrating.
I started the night with low expectations for what Carp could do on 3 days rest, and I was in full "Man, I hate being right" panic mode in the first inning.
Of course, Carpenter proved me wrong by settling down and taking control.
42 year old Arthur Rhodes and 37 year old Octavio Dotel were awesome as they came in and smothered the opportunity presented by Murphy's lead-off double in the 7th. Perfect time for TLR to trust his most experienced relievers.
Then TLR handed the 8th inning to Lance Lynne, who a) is a rookie with less than 50 career innings experience, b) had had his worst outing of the post season in game 6, and c) probably wasn't fresh since he had thrown 32 pitches the night before. I thought TLR had lost his mind. Naturally, the tired, ineffective rookie from game six was brilliant in game seven. Who knew? Oh yeah, Tony knew.
Finally, TLR called on Motte to close it out. Motte had been the other least effective pitcher in game six, giving up two runs in his first four pitches of the tenth inning. Also, Motte had a lot of four-out saves during the season, but he had thrown two innings the night before. How much gas and how much confidence could he have? Again I doubted the move. Again I was wrong. Motte was solid.
The performance of the bullpen to retire all nine batters they faced in just 34 pitches was an overlooked story last night.
I don't know the technicalities of how much to trust the strike zone illustrator. Maybe the Rangers fans have a gripe about ball 4 to Molina; maybe they don't. In general, it seems that pitchers are more likely to get close calls when they're throwing strikes and less likely to get them when they're struggling with control. I thought a huge difference in the game was that the Cardinals relievers came in, threw strikes, and made the Rangers batters swing. The Rangers relievers didn't do that.
I also wonder what would have happened if C.J. Wilson had been allowed to start. TLR said he started Carpenter because he knew he'd use him at some point and figured it was best to give him his usual pre-game routine. Wilson didn't get his usual pre-game routine, and the only mistake he made was his first pitch. After that RBI HPB, he was brilliant. What could have been if he had started? He might have handed a 2-0 or 2-1 lead to the bullpen in the 6th or 7th, and the Rangers might be celebrating.
quote:Originally posted by Prime9:quote:I actually like the idea of awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, gives it a purpose to watch and the players to play.
I hate it! As biggerpappi said; home field advantage is huge (too big to rest upon the results of one midseason exhibition game) in a short series and played to the advantage of both the Cardinals this year and Giants last year. The "rain cancellation" of game six certainly was big allowing Carp to pitch game seven for the Cardinals.
I like the ideal of awarding the league team with the best season long winning record, perhaps a bye in the first round??
The ALL
Prime I don't disagree however the way I see it this game is a marathon, and anything can happen during a season to hurt your record. Things outside of your control as well (injuries). In the past AL teams usually came out with the better record, largely in part due to the DH.
Home field advantage is big, but I am not sure it would have mattered to the Cardinals at this point, they were the hotter team going into the series, they had more vets to lead the clubhouse, keep in mind that they beat the Brewers and the Phillies, both had home field advantage.
I actually beleive the outcome of game 6 could have been different, a two day lay off this time of year isn't always the best, the adreneline stops flowing, players slow up. Probably why it made that game one of the most exciting in WS history.
I personally feel that Tony relied too much on Lynn, but keep in mind that he had been out for awhile (with an injury not arm related). Calling upon experienced Dotel and Rhodes is what TLR does, some don't like him for it, but that is what he does.
Carp settled in nicely and let his experience take over, Tony knew what he was doing.
Home cooking is home cooking.50,000 fans cheering and booing on pitches that are a fraction of an inch in or out of the strike zone.
In retrospect, I wonder if the "Wash" has any regrets for not letting Holland finish game 6.Pretty sure he's going to be holding onto that one for awhile.
In retrospect, I wonder if the "Wash" has any regrets for not letting Holland finish game 6.Pretty sure he's going to be holding onto that one for awhile.
I'm not buying the whining about home field advantage.
First, baseball offers the least home field advantage of any sport. [Late addition after TPM quoted: Each team had a road win in this series. The Rangers lost two of their three home games in the 2010 world series. The Cardinals closed out both Philadelphia and Milwaukee on the road. If you're complaining about home field, you are desperate for excuses.]
Second, before MLB started awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, it rotated year by year, which is why the 85-win Minnesota Twins had home field advantage over the 95-win St. Louis Cardinals in the 1987 series, which is the ONLY World Series in which the home team won all seven games.
Third, if the 96-win Brewers had won the NLCS and a coin flip to have home field advantage over the 96-win Rangers, the same fans would be complaining about strength of schedule because the Brewers got to play so many games against the Cubs, Pirates, and Astros.
Finally, it ignores the reality of the many things the Rangers could have controlled to win the World Series, such as a) making the play on Freese's catchable fly ball in the ninth inning the night before, b) not setting a record for most walks allowed in a world series, and c) getting their leadoff hitter picked off in the first inning and thereby failing to land an early knockout blow before Carpenter found his stuff.
First, baseball offers the least home field advantage of any sport. [Late addition after TPM quoted: Each team had a road win in this series. The Rangers lost two of their three home games in the 2010 world series. The Cardinals closed out both Philadelphia and Milwaukee on the road. If you're complaining about home field, you are desperate for excuses.]
Second, before MLB started awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, it rotated year by year, which is why the 85-win Minnesota Twins had home field advantage over the 95-win St. Louis Cardinals in the 1987 series, which is the ONLY World Series in which the home team won all seven games.
Third, if the 96-win Brewers had won the NLCS and a coin flip to have home field advantage over the 96-win Rangers, the same fans would be complaining about strength of schedule because the Brewers got to play so many games against the Cubs, Pirates, and Astros.
Finally, it ignores the reality of the many things the Rangers could have controlled to win the World Series, such as a) making the play on Freese's catchable fly ball in the ninth inning the night before, b) not setting a record for most walks allowed in a world series, and c) getting their leadoff hitter picked off in the first inning and thereby failing to land an early knockout blow before Carpenter found his stuff.
quote:Originally posted by Swampboy:
I'm not buying the whining about home field advantage.
First, baseball offers the least home field advantage of any sport.
Second, before MLB started awarding home field advantage to the winner of the AS game, it rotated year by year, which is why the 85-win Minnesota Twins had home field advantage over the 95-win St. Louis Cardinals in the 1987 series, which is the ONLY World Series in which the home team won all seven games.
Third, if the 96-win Brewers had won the NLCS and a coin flip to have home field advantage over the 96-win Rangers, the same fans would be complaining about strength of schedule because the Brewers got to play so many games against the Cubs, Pirates, and Astros.
Finally, it ignores the reality of the many things the Rangers could have controlled to win the World Series, such as a) making the play on Freese's catchable fly ball in the ninth inning the night before, b) not setting a record for most walks allowed in a world series, and c) getting their leadoff hitter picked off in the first inning and thereby failing to land an early knockout blow before Carpenter found his stuff.
I agree with the above, I forgot it was a rotation and what would they have done if the Phillies had won.
Another thing is that LaRussa has all of his roster ready to play at any given moment, that's what he does, there is no such thing on a 25 man roster as a starter or sub, everyone is the same, not sure if that philosophy is often practiced by other managers. It's part of why some players love Tony and why others don't.
To be honest, the whole run really shocked me, it's just crazy, this was not anything that I expected, and neither did most fans. The bottom line is, the better team at that particular time and place, won. I would feel the same regardless of who it was.
As I texted son last night, coming from behind, being the underdog, winning it all, this is truely what "dreams" are made of.
If you say home field advantage cost your team a seven game series, aren't you basically admitting your team isn't discernibly better than the other team?
quote:Originally posted by Swampboy:
If you say home field advantage cost your team a seven game series, aren't you basically admitting your team isn't discernibly better than the other team?
Did somebody say that home field advantage was the key factor in World Series victory? I believe as much has been said about the team with momentum; hot pitching and hitting heading into the post season as factors versus home field.
We all know that "baseball Karma" really determines who is going to lose or win. Didn't you see how this was gonna end despite what Texas did? The win for St. Louis was in the cards early; the team of destiny .... this year?
I hated to see St. Louis win it because of shills Buck & MCarver who will put down or ignore the NY Yankees & Football Giants and will put them down at any opportunity. Notice when Mcarver reluctantly brings up any record involving the Yankees and Buck shuts up like a clamor continues to talk about something else.
This was the worst thing that could happen was to have the Cardinals win it. Not a good day for Yankee fans.
This was the worst thing that could happen was to have the Cardinals win it. Not a good day for Yankee fans.
quote:Originally posted by zombywoof:
I hated to see St. Louis win it because of shills Buck & MCarver who will put down or ignore the NY Yankees & Football Giants and will put them down at any opportunity. Notice when Mcarver reluctantly brings up any record involving the Yankees and Buck shuts up like a clamor continues to talk about something else.
This was the worst thing that could happen was to have the Cardinals win it. Not a good day for Yankee fans.
Well, for me personally, I am glad because I am so sick of hearing about the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Red Sox, etc. Hopefully, we here on the east coast may get to see some of the central and west coast games played on TV from time to time.
quote:Well, for me personally, I am glad because I am so sick of hearing about the Yankees, the Red Sox, the Yankees, the Red Sox, etc. Hopefully, we here on the east coast may get to see some of the central and west coast games played on TV from time to time.
I don't mind about nationally televised midwest games from time to time but knowing Buck & McCarver are Cardinal homers who put down the Yanks at any chance is kind of annoying when trying to watch the game. Watching thse tools when the Yankees play on national TV is tough to deal with and Fox won't fire them. Buck is just as bad when the football Giants play. Any neutral broadcaster who has a clue is better than these two.
Does anyone else think Cruz may have misplayed Freeses's triple?
quote:Originally posted by RJM:
Does anyone else think Cruz may have misplayed Freeses's triple?
Oh yeah. He coasted on that thing like he had it all the way, then it shot over his head.
I'm not sure he could have caught it but it shouldn't have rocketed off the wall back towards the infield like that.
bottom line for me---larussa outmanaged wash
quote:bottom line for me---larussa outmanaged wash
Hogwash. 41 walks by Ranger pitchers was the difference.
My wife is still upset about the effort or lack thereof on that ball to Cruz. To me, Cruz despite all the Hr's is just like Holliday-- a player with limited abilities once he's not in the batter's box. As we saw with Holliday's one man effort to lose the game for the Cardinals these guys have a couple of ML tools each but are rather uninteresting to me as players otherwise. Holliday can hit for average and power(most of the time anyway) and Cruz can hit for power and throw. But when the money was on the table, their weaknesses glare like a beacon. This is why the five tool guy is so valuable and rare.