MLB Post Season Thread

RJM posted:

Texas 2 Sons posted:

Astros all the way!!!  It would be nice to see Hinch not panic so much and make knee jerk reactions like he's done the 1st 2 series. We should be able to at least split in LA and then finish at home. Once you get past Kershaw, I'm not too impressed with the rest of their starters.

I'm not seeing where the dodgers supposedly have a defense advantage. 3rd-Bregman over Turner, SS-Correa over Seager, 2nd-Altuve over either, 1st toss up between Gurriel and Bellinger, C-slight edge to Grandal, CF/RF both teams are very good, LF advantage Dodgers.  I would say slight edge to Astros overall.

Maybe you’re not seeing through your bias. Fangraphs has the Dodgers rating 5th in fielding. The Astros are rated 29th. In just straight up fielding percentages the Dodgers are 12th. The Astros are 20th. Fangraphs has Gurriel, Springer, Gonzalez and Redddick in the top fifty of worst defensive players in baseball in 2017. The Dodgers have three in the top fifty of best defensive players. The Astros have none. 

So Springer makes 1 error all year and he's top 50 worst defensive players in baseball???

Astros- C-.995, 1st-.992, 2nd-.982, SS-.978, 3rd-.968, OF-.996, .982, .976

Dodge- C-.995, 1st-.993, 2nd-.982, SS-.979, 3rd-.969, OF-.996, .972, .967

Fielding % for both teams..explain the Dodgers-12th and Astros-20th again. Fielding% pulled from CBS for starters that are playing in WS.

Really?  Fielding percentage?  You could put a 75 year old in center field and he'd never make a single error!

3and2Fastball posted:

Really?  Fielding percentage?  You could put a 75 year old in center field and he'd never make a single error!

I was just responding to what he said about "straight up fielding %".  Last time I checked stats like fielding% and batting avg are still used and judgements are made from them. Batting titles and Gold Glove awards still use them to help determine winners. No one is giving out top WAR or UZR awards that I'm aware of.

Speaking of Gold Gloves, the Astros have 3 players who have won at least 1. The Dodgers have 1-Kershaw.

I do think the Astros have a better defensive infield.  It blows my mind how over rated Seager is, Turner is OK defensively.  Bellinger is pretty good.  While Correa is not Andrelton Simmons he is better on D than Seager.  Bregman is a lot better on D than Turner.

Neither team seems defensively elite.  The Astros starting pitching needs to go deep into games and (obviously) they need to hit...if they can jump on Kershaw early and take the crowd out of the game that would be great

Great matchup, two powerhouses. I had doubts until I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. I saw the sign!

Go44dad posted:

Great matchup, two powerhouses. I had doubts until I saw the sign. It opened up my eyes. I saw the sign!

Go Stros!!!

LSU is all in!

HR for former Tiger!!

Astros showing off that D, but Kershaw is FILTHY!  Gonna be a good series I think. 

I was saying yesterday to pitch anybody against Kershaw and give him his 2 wins. Save Dallas for games 3 and 7. Kershaw was ridiculous tonight. Too many Astros hitters guessing and taking pitches right down the pipe. Got to win tomorrow..get verlander another win!

2:28.  At least it was fast...

Texas 2 Sons posted:

I was saying yesterday to pitch anybody against Kershaw and give him his 2 wins. Save Dallas for games 3 and 7. Kershaw was ridiculous tonight. Too many Astros hitters guessing and taking pitches right down the pipe. Got to win tomorrow..get verlander another win!

Problem is that that pushes anybody back a day and then might mean you lose a start or at least rest days. if you start a random guy that means either verlander or keuchel have to start at game 3 meaning you lose a start or have to pitch on very short rest.

I still think verlander on day 2 is smart. keuchel is good but verlander is the ace of the staff and by avoiding kershaw you give him a better Chance to win two games. still the astros Need to win at least one of the 3/4 starter game.

Its adjustment time for the Astros.....Lead off hitter (Springer) is not getting on base and striking out way too much.  He swings like he's a blindfolded 8 year old at a birthday party chasing a pinnata.  They need to move somebody up who can make contact and get on base, and move him down.

Tonight is the Astros best chance of winning behind a hot Verlander.  They have to win it.  I'm sticking with my Dodgers in 5 prediction.

JMO.

Overreaction Wednesday:

Kershaw is the greatest postseason pitcher ever but just three weeks ago he was a choker.

Obviously, neither are true but it’s typical of how people overreact after ONE game.  It’s one game and somebody had to lose but...

fenwaysouth posted:

Its adjustment time for the Astros.....Lead off hitter (Springer) is not getting on base and striking out way too much.  He swings like he's a blindfolded 8 year old at a birthday party chasing a pinnata.  They need to move somebody up who can make contact and get on base, and move him down.

Tonight is the Astros best chance of winning behind a hot Verlander.  They have to win it.  I'm sticking with my Dodgers in 5 prediction.

JMO.

   

" He swings like he's a blindfolded 8 year old at a birthday party chasing a pinnata."

HAHA-best and funniest analogy I've seen in a long time!!  George wearing the Golden Sombrero!!!

The only thing they could do is just move everybody up 1 and slide him in toward the back where the other 2 strugglers (Marwin & *******) are. ******* had a hit last night, so maybe he's coming around..but with 3 out of the 4 starters being lefty it's going to be tough.

Kershaw was on point, sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.  He made a lot of guys look silly last night,  Keuchel did a good job as well. But when you have to warm up in 103 direct sun, have to hit, I am gonna give him a break.

hshuler, GREAT response! 

TPM posted:

Kershaw was on point, sometimes you have to give credit where credit is due.  He made a lot of guys look silly last night,  Keuchel did a good job as well. But when you have to warm up in 103 direct sun, have to hit, I am gonna give him a break.

 

Totally agree on Kershaw. When he’s on like he was last night - good luck. 

The margin for error is razor thin in these games. Keuchel wishes that he could have two pitches back and then it would be Dodgers’ fan who would be suicidal. LoL 

Yes and honestly all the runs were given up on three pitches. Kershaw missed trying to get inside on Bregman, and Bregman is a great inside fastball hitter. I watched that for 3 years. Keuchel looked to groove a first pitch and it got hammered. The pitch to Turner was a good pitch in a good location I thought. Like TPM said, sometimes the other guy is just better in a given at bat. 

younggun posted:

Yes and honestly all the runs were given up on three pitches. Kershaw missed trying to get inside on Bregman, and Bregman is a great inside fastball hitter. I watched that for 3 years. Keuchel looked to groove a first pitch and it got hammered. The pitch to Turner was a good pitch in a good location I thought. Like TPM said, sometimes the other guy is just better in a given at bat. 

Saw a breakdown where after getting beat up and in during the first two at bats, Turner switched bats. Maybe a 1/2 shorter or lighter but it worked. 

YOUNGGUN is right, a couple of pitches make the difference in the game. If Kershaw would have given up a HR after the error, we all would be talking about how bad Kershaw is in 7th innings right now...

The momentum has swung to the Dodgers, now the Astros have a chance to grab it back. It is going to be hot again today and the ball will carry more at Dodger Stadium, which will make Hill vulnerable if he is not on. If he hangs a couple of breaking balls look out.  

Verlander will be on tonight so the Dodgers will need to grind him out of the game, can they do it, will their bullpen hold up, the Astro's need to get a few on the board and quiet the crowd down,  will Redd ick break out of his slump, so many story lines... The drama continues, love it!

HSHULER,

Really?  You think my suggestion of moving him down in the lineup is an over reaction?  Again, I look at it as an adjustment to a player that has been struggling during the whole post season.   Springer's had some really bad at bats and his team is down 0-1.   I agree it was Kershaw last night and that is a different level.  However, if I'm AJ Hinch I'm really thinking hard about what I can do to get this offense jump started in some way.  Springer isn;t the only one struggling (although he is batting leadoff) and I think they were fortunate to walk away with a game 5 (home filed win) against the Yankees.   Adjustments are needed against the Dodgers.   Whether or not that is Springer moving down in the lineup or not, I'm not sure.  However it is worthy of consideration to get the Astros competive.   JMO.

fenwaysouth posted:

HSHULER,

Really?  You think my suggestion of moving him down in the lineup is an over reaction?  Again, I look at it as an adjustment to a player that has been struggling during the whole post season.   Springer's had some really bad at bats and his team is down 0-1.   I agree it was Kershaw last night and that is a different level.  However, if I'm AJ Hinch I'm really thinking hard about what I can do to get this offense jump started in some way.  Springer isn;t the only one struggling (although he is batting leadoff) and I think they were fortunate to walk away with a game 5 (home filed win) against the Yankees.   Adjustments are needed against the Dodgers.   Whether or not that is Springer moving down in the lineup or not, I'm not sure.  However it is worthy of consideration to get the Astros competive.   JMO.

Fenway - You’re good with me, brother. Remember, you picked the Dodgers.

My post was mostly in reference to media and a coworker (Astros fan) who thinks that the world ended last night.

If it means anything, I thought that he should have gone Bregman, Altuve or vice versa in the one-two holes in game seven.

Lots of media pundits think that tonight is a must-win for the Astros but I don’t think so. Obviously, I could be wrong but this postseason has been about the unexpected. 

This is all for entertainment purposes only...at least for me it is. 

My official pick is Astros in six. :-)

My only preference for the Astros is so they won’t be hungry next year. But I believe the Dodgers will win. First the Sox took their coach. Next is take their pennant.

I felt like the Astros had a tremendous amount of bad AB just based on Kershaw pitch selection. I haven't looked at the stats but it felt watching the game, especially early they were behind constantly taking pitches...I know everyone wants a fastball but Kershaw was 0-1, 0-2, 1-2 all night it seemed.

Interesting tidbit that I saw on twitter.

29 of 50 active WS players played college baseball.

39 members of the Astros and Dodgers 40 man rosters were once NCAA student athletes.

11 SEC, 5 ACC, 5 PAC 12, 3 Big West, 3 D2, 4 OTHER NCAA D1, 2 American Athletic Conference, 2 other BIG, 2 C-USA , 2 D3

fenwaysouth posted:

HSHULER,

Really?  You think my suggestion of moving him down in the lineup is an over reaction?  Again, I look at it as an adjustment to a player that has been struggling during the whole post season.   Springer's had some really bad at bats and his team is down 0-1.   I agree it was Kershaw last night and that is a different level.  However, if I'm AJ Hinch I'm really thinking hard about what I can do to get this offense jump started in some way.  Springer isn;t the only one struggling (although he is batting leadoff) and I think they were fortunate to walk away with a game 5 (home filed win) against the Yankees.   Adjustments are needed against the Dodgers.   Whether or not that is Springer moving down in the lineup or not, I'm not sure.  However it is worthy of consideration to get the Astros competive.   JMO.

Springer is not moving down.  No matter what.  He has been terrible this postseason, but he is not moving out of lead-off.

Looks like if a pitcher throws up and in, he could get hit in his right ear.

We’ve got free baseball... I’m loving it!

Jose “freakin” Altuve!!!!!!!!

Go Stros!

Stros in 6 baby!!!!!!!!

I promise y’all that’s not me in the Stros bullpen.... 

Again, go Stros!

brball posted:

I promise y’all that’s not me in the Stros bullpen.... 

Again, go Stros!

Had to be a Yankee fan?

Oh well

Be honest. How many folks were screaming for Hinch to bunt Springer? LoL 

Oh hell yea! 

First world series win in Astros history. 

Who was suggesting bench Springer and Gonzalez?

What an incredible game.  Wow!

That was fun!

Just heard that there had only been 17 extra inning HR’s in the 108 previous WS. Five extra inning dingers tonight. #INCREDIBLE

Man what a game. Felt like I was watching one of the Rocky movies..Both teams throwing 1 hay maker after another. 1st ever Astros WS Win..Yeah Baby!