MLB Playoffs, who ya got

MLB Playoffs, who ya got?

I got bupkis.  I'm keeping the day job.  Thankfully our little exercise doesn't involve money because I would have lost my shirt by now. 

Insert gratuitous Mathew McConaughy shirtless picture here for the ladies:

Hey Fenway -- Your Royals over Angels upset pick is looking pretty salty about now!   Royals are my team... But I didn't go with em all the way to the LCS... Shame on me.  Those boys are fired up, making the Halos look all that much more flat by comparison.

The two highest scoring games have been Kershaw-Wainwright and Lester-Shields.  The Angels are looking in deep trouble opening with two loses at home. It's been overcome before. But not often.

These are the playoffs, anything is possible. I believe that Wainwright is hurt. He has had too many iffy outings. Kershaw was just in too long, but this is the playoffs and you cant go to your bullpen until you must. Plus Carpenter owns him.  Some players just dont do well in playoff mode (can you say Alex Rodr

As I said it is about teammates steppin up, the starter has a rough time you better get some runs, that I do believe is what can make you or break you.

Been offline awhile, after JP took a fastball to the wrist that we learned much later actually caused a fracture and deep bone bruise. Tough summer. But it's October now, and as a Cards fan, I've been fascinated by the 'tipping pitches' storyline. While I have no idea whether CK was or wasn't, this article about just how subtle it can be was enlightening to me.

http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/j...ers-cardinals-100414

Absolutely gut wrenching game last night between the Nats and those pesky Giants.  Nats are my national league team and my heart goes out to Jordan Zimmerman who pitched a gem into the 9th inning with 2 outs. 

Our family went crazy as we were divided over pulling Zimmerman with 2 outs in the top of the 9th.  Zimmerman walked a batter at 100 pitches, and the umpire squeezed him on a 2-1 pitch.  Half the family was yelling at Manager Matt Williams for pulling him, and the other half yelling at reliever Storen for not executing better pitches.  I expect this will be discussed further today at the dinner table.   

We stayed up to watch the longest playoff game, and it didn't go the Nats way.  They are down 0-2 and it ain't looking good.

One word to describe the game....brutal.

I always root for underdogs, the low budget Royals will be my team this fall.

Crazy, crazy game last night. Even rooting for the winners was a brutal experience.  Lots of interesting angles in the story of that game, but to me it's all about Yusmeiro Petit.  What an amazing performance. And what a weapon to have on your staff.  The Nats are in deep caca now, and it sure looks like the two wild cards are going to beat the two favorites,  but you never know.   That's baseball.

Edit to say, a FB friend of mine just posted this link. Nice writeup on the game.  Posey says Petit's performance was one of the best ever.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/playoff...ating-nationals-loss

Am a lifelong fan of SFG, when they moved there in 1958, so the only time I might root against them is if my son ever gets a chance to compete against them.  The Nats are a really good team and that game last night is one that was well played by both teams.  After the 13th inng, I was figuring it'd be a single home run that would win it for whichever team got it.  I can't believe I sat through 18 innings, but it for me it was well worth it.

I'm not a big fan of Petit and the longer he was in the more I was in effect biting my fingernails.  With that great performance by him, he sure has won me over, though we'll see if he can keep producing solid performances.

Count me as one who would have left Zimmerman in after the 9th inning walk with two outs.  I know Matt was playing the odds, but this is the playoffs. not the regular season.  The 9th inning heroics by the Giant swung the momentum in their favor.  The Nats really never recovered.  I was more nervous when Soriano was pitching.

Just bought tickets for the Orioles-Royals on Saturday night...and determined that if the O's advance, a World Series game will have to stay on my bucket list...tickets right now are in the low $600's and trending up. We compromised and are spending their inheritance by taking our boys and their wives to the Saturday ALCS game...at less than half of the going World Series rate.

Camden Yards was the loudest I've ever heard it when Delmon Young doubled in 3 Friday afternoon. What a great atmosphere!    With the first 2 games at home, I like the Orioles chances. The Royals have their own magic going so it should be a fun series for the American League Champonship.

Brandon Belt is local kid.  I'm glad to see him doing well. A very nice young man!

A couple of months ago I posted a topic to your attention.  Inside it said, what about them O's.

My heart has gone out to you year after year and I remember this year you mentioned that your O's didnt do much in the off season to improve (I think that was recently).

You wanna repeat that?  

Hubby took son to a Heat playoff game this season, the tics were ridiculous, and the evening cost about 1200 for just the two of them.  Husband is very happy he spent the money, as this would be the last time seeing James in a Heat uni. He was glad he spent the money.  

So go for it, you only live once!

They predicted an O's win if it went to the bullpen. They have bullpen issues.

The Angels shocked me, I really expected at least one win, but as I said the Royals got some serious Mojo going.  

Dave pitched against Hosmer in a Texas L playoff, he did the same thing, he earns his money in the post season!

It should be a great series hokieone.  Enjoy.  I had an opportunity to go the first Orioles/Detroit home game through work....they bought up tickets for a customer event.  I'm slightly kicking myself for heading home to VA and not sticking around.

I'm very happy for MLB and all of baseball that the Royals and Orioles get to square off for the ALCS.  I tried explaining to my kids that these two teams dominated baseball 30 years ago.  They looked at me like I had three heads.

I attended all seven games of the 1985 W/S as a big Royals fan. For the St. Louis games, my father had box seats behind the first base dugout through the railroad. That was great. For the KC games, I bought all tix through scalpers. The seats were nosebleed, but I don't remember paying more than $60. Of course, that was before the internet. I can't imagine what it would cost now from a scalper.

As a Royals fan in the seventies and eighties, I could never have imagined that it would be this long before I had anything to get excited about again.

Getting ready to head over to AT&T park for game 3. Postseason baseball at its best, sunny & 75 degrees.Check out the aircraft carrier right behind left field. I think it's the USS Hornet in town for fleet week! There is no better ballpark, especially on a day like today. Go Giants! Fresno State Alum Doug Fister vs Mad Bum.

who would have predicted a KC / Baltimore ALCS - awesome! i am actually torn here but will be rooting for whoever wins to go the whole way! Kind of have to lean Baltimore due to the East Coast thing...but that is a pretty thin reason.

How cool is it to have KC and the Orioles as the last 2 standing in the AL?  The payrolls aren't huge (yet), and both have gotten where they are by playing good sound baseball, with a dash of luck occasionally. When Oakland cracked open their wallet, I thought they were the prohibitive favorite...then when Detroit got Price to give them 3 #1 pitchers, I thought they were a lock...and now both are watching. 

     With both teams carrying more karma than I can recall anyone having in recent years, it should be quite a show....and has Buck Showalter made a bad decision all year?  I want him to pick lottery numbers for me.    

Giants are actually the highest ranked team remaining in regards to payroll, coming in at #6.  The Nats are #9, Cards #11, O's #14 and KC #19.  Love it. 

Wait.  On second thought, that just gives my Indians front office yet another excuse not to spend any money.  Shoot.

Yeah, but anything can happen in the playoffs.   #1 and #4 won their divisions.

Of the $149,000,000 Giants payroll, $44,000,000(Cain, Pagan, Scutaro & Morse) is on DL and Lincecum @$17,000,000 is in the pen. 

Should be fun series coming up. Go Giants!

They also have Bochy, Righetti, etc managing through each inning and  game in ways which are second to no one. They really play 2 games in one.  The first is 6 innings and the goal to be up by one. Given a one run lead after 6, for the last 3 Bochy is the master with his bullpen, match ups, double switches and focus. The ability of each player and pitcher to execute the game plan based on advance scouting is pretty remarkable. That team has a mental toughness which is second to none. Now Joe Panik has stepped in at 2B with Peavy on the mound and once again they are doing what most everyone said they could not.

I thought the post-game interview with Vogelsang was amazing. He talked about how he and the team focus on these games. He also talked about working with Righetti for the last 10 days studying film and seeing how his mechanics eroded.  He went from 87-89 to 94-95 last night with command of nearly every pitch.

Despite those who are on the DL, none of them are from the bullpen where most of these same guys did the job in 2010, 2012 and again in 2014. When this team wins the first 6 innings in a playoff game, they rarely lose the last 3.

Now that my team is out, I'm hoping for a rematch of the 1985 World Series...KC/STL.  I really like Bruce Bochy, but there's no way I'm cheering for the "Hated Ones" from San Francisco.

bsbl247, if you think everyone in the Southern part of our State would like to give that LHP who "can't" win in the playoffs a new surrounding, my personal view is he would be stunning in AT&T and in black and orange.

Hope things are going well for Kyle as they are probably getting close to the start of Fall ball at UCI.

Easy Craig, your team beat themselves. I've never seen a bigger group of whinning millionaires. Love me some Kershaw, but the rest of the boys in blue, not so much. I'm sticking with  Bochy and the guys you hate. Didnt Boch use to coach in your back yard down there. Hahaha go Giants!

infielddad, I don't know what these idiots on sports talk show radio are thinking about Kershaw, he's still the best pitcher in baseball period, so No...your black and orange team can not have him. 
Thanks for asking about Kyle, he's been feeling good lately, and ready for Fall scrimmages to begin next week.

Hey Brian, I can't argue with you, they indeed beat themselves.  The Cardinals have owned the Dodgers in the playoffs going back to Jack Clark and Ozzie Smith walkoffs in the 80's.
I'm a huge Matt Kemp fan, and those pitches were outside, but you can't take pitches that close in the zone...period.  
And yes, Bochy was coaching 50 miles to the south of me before SD made a big mistake and let him go.
GO CARDINALS & ROYALS!!!  

I picked the Dodgers over the Tigers. That went well. I believe I said a four man rotation with Kershaw and Grienke would be too much for other teams to handle. So much for logical. Now I'm just going to be emotional and pull for the Orioles. A former teammate/friend's son plays for them. It was great to see his picture on the front of the Globe sports page when the Orioles won the last round. If you don't get the big hit, have your picture taken hugging the guy who did.

I hope the Giants win the NL. I love watching Peavy pitch. His mound behavior cracks me up. If the Giants win will he buy a cable car for his farm to go with the duck boat?

I'm taking a mulligan on my previous terrible Wildcard and Division Series picks.  For you smart guys out there, I would place a large Vegas bet on the exact opposite of my new & improved picks below!

Baltimore over KC - I really want to pick KC, but Baltimore plays so good at Camden  (home run derby) Yard.  If they were playing at a neutral field I would pick KC that is how much I like KC.

Giants over Cards - Giants are both lucky and good even though they are a slight underdog here.  I like the idea of two former catchers managing against each other.  The Giants have a lot of minor league talent that we've seen come through our hometown as Richmond Flying Squirrels.

World Series Winner - Baltimore. Showalter is manager of the decade.  Orioles fans get an added bonus as Angelos sells the team at its market value peak, and he is never heard from again.  There is much rejoicing and I don't have to hear complaints from O's fans & coworkers anymore!.  

I would really love to see an '85 World Series rematch... 1985 was a very good year!

But I'll go:

O's over Royals

Cards over Giants

O's over Cards

I want the Cards to win it all but for personal reasons I want Belt and Bumgarner to do well!

As an O's fan, we could only hope for a WS win AND Angelos selling the team.  Alas, I only think one is realistic.......

Wow.  Last night was the poster child for momentum shifts.  The O's just couldn't get that big hit when they needed it.  

Up until about the 6th inning I thought the home plate umpiring was exceptional....then all of the sudden the home plate umpire was off.  I was surprised the O's kept their closer in after walking 3 guys in a row.

I thought the Schoop nudged the KC base stealer (Dyson) off the bag.  Apparently, Joe West didn't see it that way and called him out (off the bag). 

It was a late night last night, and there are more to come.  

Still rooting hard for the O's. And the Giants. But I give up. Obviously the Royals are going to win the World Series. Probably the Super Bowl and the Stanley Cup too.

They are certainly hot, putting it together and firing on all cylinders.  I picked the O's because their talent is built for Camden, but that hasn't played out at all.  O's have the 2nd best away record in MLB.  They are going to need every bit of it to slow down KC.

Maybe the O's (behind 0-2) could channel their "inner George Costanza" and do the opposite of everything they are doing.....just a thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKUvKE3bQlY