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2018 MLB Postseason Discussion Thread

Otto von Ballpark

By Otto von Ballpark
in Other Baseball

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Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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Last night (Tuesday Oct. 2), the Rockies beat the Cubs in the NL wild card game.

 

Former Twin Drew Butera came into the game on a double-switch in the 7th, and was almost a goat on a catcher's interference call which prolonged that inning for the Cubs, but he was bailed out.

 

Former Twin Randy Rosario came on in the 8th and issued a leadoff walk to Butera, but baserunner Butera was later erased in a double play.

 

After the walk, Butera went 0-for-2 before being lifted in a double-switch himself in the 12th, and his replacement at catcher, Tony Wolters, wound up singling in the eventual winning run in the 13th inning.

 

Seems doubtful that Drew would make the Rockies NLDS roster.

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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Tonight (Wednesday Oct. 3), AL Wild Card Game

 

Oakland Athletics at New York Yankees

 

Time: 7:08 CST

TV: TBS (and MLB.TV for international viewers?)

Radio: ESPN or MLB At Bat

 

New York is starting Luis Severino, same as last year's wild card game.

 

Hat tip to TD user "old nurse" for the news about Oakland's starting pitcher (or "opener"), Liam Hendriks:

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/24871988/oakland-start-liam-hendriks-wild-card-game

Mike Sixel GOAT

Mike Sixel

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Hendriks showing just how good an idea it is to move mediocre starters to the bullpen......good for him. 

 

The Rockies and the Brewers......both went out and got legit MLB players this off season, even if we question some of the specific moves, they didn't try to find bargains, they tried to find good to very good players. 

 

I'm guessing the Yankees win pretty handily today, but we'll see. The A's lost a huge number of starters to injury, and are still in the playoffs.....

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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Hendriks showing just how good an idea it is to move mediocre starters to the bullpen......good for him. 

Actually, Hendriks has been a pretty mediocre reliever too. 104 ERA+ the last 3 years with Oakland, although his FIP has been better. Average leverage usage. He was even DFA'd, cleared waivers, and outrighted midseason this year by Oakland.

 

But he came back to be an "opener" for September and was effective in that role, although not particularly dominant by modern reliever standards (only a 20.4% K rate for September).

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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More on Oakland's pitching plan: not only are they starting a reliever in Hendriks, they have only 1 starter (Edwin Jackson) on their roster for this game:

 

https://www.mlb.com/athletics/news/as-release-2018-al-wild-card-game-roster/c-296960116

 

Presumably Jackson is there in case it goes to extra innings.

 

So it looks like it will be more like a bullpen game, rather than the more "traditional" opener followed by a starter that the Twins employed late in the season.

 

Meaning we should expect to see former Twin Fernando Rodney at some point too, perhaps fairly early in the game.

Mike Sixel GOAT

Mike Sixel

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Actually, Hendriks has been a pretty mediocre reliever too. 104 ERA+ the last 3 years with Oakland, although his FIP has been better. Average leverage usage. He was even DFA'd, cleared waivers, and outrighted midseason this year by Oakland.

 

But he came back to be an "opener" for September and was effective in that role, although not particularly dominant by modern reliever standards (only a 20.4% K rate for September).

 

which I'd assume was better than his odds of being good as a starter.......but sure, he wasn't great. I think opener is probably easier to prepare for, because you know what is coming when......and you kind of know you are getting 20-30 pitches....1-2 innings. But sure, anyone can have a good streak....

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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By comparison, the Yankees have 4 starting pitchers on their roster for this game. Severino will start, but they also have Tanaka, Happ, and former Twin Lance Lynn. (Although Lynn did make 2 appearances in long relief for the Yankees this year.) Tanaka has never appeared in a MLB game in relief.

 

https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/aaron-boone-previews-al-wild-card-game-roster/c-296903758

Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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which I'd assume was better than his odds of being good as a starter.......

Agreed.

 

Perhaps I should have instead quibbled with you calling Hendriks a "mediocre starter" -- that appears quite generous! Only a 69 ERA+ over parts of 4 seasons as a SP, never higher than 76.

 

But to your general point, bad starter to average reliever is a good trade-off too.

jimmer Wichita Wind Surge

jimmer

Verified Member
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Last night (Tuesday Oct. 2), the Rockies beat the Cubs in the NL wild card game.

 

Former Twin Drew Butera came into the game on a double-switch in the 7th, and was almost a goat on a catcher's interference call which prolonged that inning for the Cubs, but he was bailed out.

 

Former Twin Randy Rosario came on in the 8th and issued a leadoff walk to Butera, but baserunner Butera was later erased in a double play.

 

After the walk, Butera went 0-for-2 before being lifted in a double-switch himself in the 12th, and his replacement at catcher, Tony Wolters, wound up singling in the eventual winning run in the 13th inning.

 

Seems doubtful that Drew would make the Rockies NLDS roster.

Drew also made a great head up defensive play in the game stopping Biaz from gaining 3B. Huge play.
Mike Sixel GOAT

Mike Sixel

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Agreed.

 

Perhaps I should have instead quibbled with you calling Hendriks a "mediocre starter" -- that appears quite generous! Only a 69 ERA+ over parts of 4 seasons as a SP, never higher than 76.

 

But to your general point, bad starter to average reliever is a good trade-off too.

 

I was trying to be nice.......I think we agree here...

Mike Sixel GOAT

Mike Sixel

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How Oregonian of you?

 

heh......they both suffer from surface niceness, frankly. Very similar people and culture.....and suffer being a bad word. I like the surface niceness, I'd like it more if it was deep niceness and more open.....

jimmer Wichita Wind Surge

jimmer

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Which play was that? I may have missed it, I went to bed as it went to extra innings.

when he sprinted down to cover 3B.
Otto von Ballpark All-Star

Otto von Ballpark

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Speaking of catchers, Bobby Wilson never got in a game for the Cubs. He was active for the last 3 games of the regular season, plus game 163 (but not the wild card game).

 

I guess we won that trade! Although it's a shame that Chris Gimenez's streak came to end -- his teams had made the postseason in each of the last 3 years (2015-2017, although he was left off the roster in 2016).

Danchat Minnesota Twins

Danchat

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Shockingly, the opener fails.

Well, Hendriks has been a mediocre reliever, so I'm not surprised. Why would you open a playoff game with a 4.10 ERA reliever? I don't get it.

Danchat Minnesota Twins

Danchat

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Oakland isn't employing an opener tonight. Straight bullpen game.

Weird, I had heard people saying Edwin Jackson was going to be the primary pitcher. That's an interesting decision...

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