2019 MLB (Non-Twins) Postseason Discussion Thread

[Mike Sixel]

Because they rebuild without tanking? Or they've averaged 90.5 wins for the last 20 seasons?

Self righteous unwritten rules whiners.

[SwainZag]

 

His statement after the game was a list of why he deserved to be hit... So, 100% yes. It's the Cards, no doubt at all.

 

Flaherty gave a statement why Acuna deserved to be hit? 

[Mike Sixel]

Flaherty gave a statement why Acuna deserved to be hit?

https://twitter.com/jmjones/status/1182104030669131776?s=19

[KirbyDome89]

 

https://twitter.com/jmjones/status/1182104030669131776?s=19

He isn't apologizing for hitting Acuna, but that statement isn't a declaration of why he deserved to be hit either. 

 

Maybe Flaherty is an evil genius and worked the count into his favor to make it less obvious but a 1-2 with 2 outs and a runner on seems like a really odd time to throw at somebody. Add to it that the Braves, with literally nothing to lose, didn't retaliate or really even make a peep.  

 

 

[USAFChief]

 

Self righteous unwritten rules whiners.

i wish the Twins would pitch inside with purpose way more often. And if a few self-aggrandizing jackwads get one in the ribs, much the better.

 

Hitters need to have a smidgen of fear, or at least respect, for pitching to be effective. It's the nature of the game. 

 

Side bonus is, maybe the game can restore some of the dignity and respect for your opponent that used to help distinguish it from the NBA and NFL.

 

This game needs more Flaherty's, not fewer. Bring back Pedro Martinez and Bob Gibson, while you're at it.

 

 

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wow, two very interesting games yesterday, in very different ways!

 

Lost in the shuffle of the Nationals comeback over the Dodgers, Patrick Corbin redeemed himself a bit with a very nice relief performance.

 

Hopefully Kurt Suzuki is okay after taking a pitch off his wrist.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Thursday, Oct. 10

 

Another winner-take-all game today! Starts relatively early too, so it might make for good evening viewing.

 

6:07 pm CST

Rays at Astros (ALDS Game 5, series tied 2-2)

TV: FS1

[snap4birds]

 

Nevermind that Yadi took the opportunity to further his a-hole reputation everywhere but Cardinals fans and his own clubhouse. Great teammate, horrible competitor. He'll do anything to defend "his guys", but he's also easily irked by anything that he sees as disrespectful or upsetting to "his guys".

I don't know, I bet Nelson Cruz likes Yadi.

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/nelson-cruz-gets-his-photo-taken-with-joe-west-by-yadier-molina----in-the-all-star-game/c-241792582

 

But you go ahead and bash him all you want.

[Mike Sixel]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/10/10/did-mlb-supply-a-different-ball-for-october/

[Mike Sixel]

i wish the Twins would pitch inside with purpose way more often. And if a few self-aggrandizing jackwads get one in the ribs, much the better.

 

Hitters need to have a smidgen of fear, or at least respect, for pitching to be effective. It's the nature of the game.

 

Side bonus is, maybe the game can restore some of the dignity and respect for your opponent that used to help distinguish it from the NBA and NFL.

 

This game needs more Flaherty's, not fewer. Bring back Pedro Martinez and Bob Gibson, while you're at it.

Well never agree that celebrating is wrong.....i have no issue pitching inside. I have issues with intentionally hitting people with baseballs.

[biggentleben]

 

I don't know, I bet Nelson Cruz likes Yadi.

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/nelson-cruz-gets-his-photo-taken-with-joe-west-by-yadier-molina----in-the-all-star-game/c-241792582

 

But you go ahead and bash him all you want.

 

He has some fans for sure around the game, but I've been told by more than one Latin player in the game that the thing nobody will put their name to for a quote is that Yadi is beloved, even made an idol in St. Louis and by national media, but he's a cheap and dirty competitor that really cannot take what he dishes out. I've always been of the opinion that the early 2010s saw three generational talents behind the plate in Mauer, Posey, and Yadi. Concussions moved arguably the best of the bunch, and you could make plenty of argument over who's been better between Buster and Molina. When I was told that comment by the first Latin player, I brushed it off, but after hearing it from one that had played with Yadi in the WBC, I started watching, and it's very, very true.

[biggentleben]

 

Well never agree that celebrating is wrong.....i have no issue pitching inside. I have issues with intentionally hitting people with baseballs.

 

Not to mention, again, that Flaherty missed glove side if he missed at all with his two-seamer whether throwing it inside, outside, up, or down throughout the game before that pitch. He went arm side, in AND UP to Acuna.

 

Pitching a guy inside to back him off the plate is one thing. Hell, even plunking a guy to some degree I can handle as old school and part of the game, but the guys who did it intentionally would do it with an off speed pitch and aim for the midsection or butt. Even Bob Gibson has said over and over that he wishes some of today's technology was around when he pitched because he feels he got an unfair reputation.

 

When you go inside AND up, that's going toward a guy's head. That's out of bounds. When you do so with a 90+ MPH pitch, you should be given a suspension.

[biggentleben]

 

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/10/10/did-mlb-supply-a-different-ball-for-october/

 

Frankly, this is yet another strike against Manfred. Doing things like this unilaterally has cost him big with some of the biggest owners in the league (specifically the Dodgers, who had this happen to them in the 2017 postseason as well) while making changes to the game unilaterally has cost him big with the MLBPA. We're headed for a major work stoppage that will likely require removal of the commish to resolve.

 

The real thing about this is you have teams that built and designed their teams around the regular season ball and won over 300 games among them (Braves, Dodgers, Twins) that saw major changes in how both their pitching and hitting performed in the postseason. One team slumping is one thing. It's pretty obvious when it's pitchers and hitters both struggling. Add in the Astros potentially as well if they're eliminated tonight, and that's a bad, bad look for MLB.

[snap4birds]

 

He has some fans for sure around the game, but I've been told by more than one Latin player in the game that the thing nobody will put their name to for a quote is that Yadi is beloved, even made an idol in St. Louis and by national media, but he's a cheap and dirty competitor that really cannot take what he dishes out. 

LOL  We all know players that you love to have on your team, but hate to face.  Why don't you ask some managers and GM's how much they'd love to have Yadi.  If any of them say they don't want him, then you know which ones are incompetent.

[Squirrel]

3-0 Stros, bottom 1st, no outs

[Squirrel]

4-0

 

I’m enjoying these games far more than the Twins’ post-season games.

[ashbury]

4-0

 

I’m enjoying these games far more than the Twins’ post-season games.

Really remarkable start to the bottom of the inning. They had to have some clear expectation of what pitches were coming, no? Odorizzi throws the four-seamer above the strike zone, and it fools the batters. That one thrown to (was it?) Bregman by Glasnow was just jumped on. Everything by the first four batters was tattooed. I know the first thing I'd have done - switch the signals so that low-outside is high-inside, and let the Astros know that sign-stealing isn't something to get complacent about.

[Squirrel]

The Rays fires back with one ... so game is still within reach.

 

It’s just nice to actually enjoy a baseball game without having a horse in the race. Baseball for baseball’s sake. Doesn’t get better than that.

 

Okay, it would be better than that if the Twins had managed to beat the Yankees.

[Squirrel]

https://mlb.nbcsports.com/2019/10/10/did-mlb-supply-a-different-ball-for-october/

Frankly, this is yet another strike against Manfred. Doing things like this unilaterally has cost him big with some of the biggest owners in the league (specifically the Dodgers, who had this happen to them in the 2017 postseason as well) while making changes to the game unilaterally has cost him big with the MLBPA. We're headed for a major work stoppage that will likely require removal of the commish to resolve.

 

The real thing about this is you have teams that built and designed their teams around the regular season ball and won over 300 games among them (Braves, Dodgers, Twins) that saw major changes in how both their pitching and hitting performed in the postseason. One team slumping is one thing. It's pretty obvious when it's pitchers and hitters both struggling. Add in the Astros potentially as well if they're eliminated tonight, and that's a bad, bad look for MLB.

There’s an article out on this now. You can discuss this here:

 

http://twinsdaily.com/topic/35224-front-page-despite-research-that-shows-otherwise-mlb-insists-there-were-no-changes-to-postseason-baseballs/

[ashbury]

Heck of a nice play by Adames, and just as good a stretch at first base by Choi.

[nicksaviking]

In a vacuum, I’d probably cheer for the Nats to win it all. Since we’re not in a vacuum please tell me which of my two reasons they are the LAST remaining team I want to win the WS is most shallow:

 

1. I don’t want them to have enough steam to feel compelled to work something out with Strausburg.

 

2. I’ll be damned if another long suffering team who hasn’t won the WS since the Twins last did in 1991 wins it all before my Twins do.

[Mike Sixel]

In a vacuum, I’d probably cheer for the Nats to win it all. Since we’re not in a vacuum please tell me which of my two reasons they are the LAST remaining team I want to win the WS is most shallow:

 

1. I don’t want them to have enough steam to feel compelled to work something out with Strausburg.

 

2. I’ll be damned if another long suffering team who hasn’t won the WS since the Twins last did in 1991 wins it all before my Twins do.

They aren't letting Strasburg go easily. No chance. It's a very good team, why would they?

[ashbury]

Astros score in the bottom of the first and the bottom of the eighth. Doesn't look like there will be a bottom of the ninth.

[Squirrel]

Astros score in the bottom of the first and the bottom of the eighth. Doesn't look like there will be a bottom of the ninth.

Was that a jinx?

[nicksaviking]

They aren't letting Strasburg go easily. No chance. It's a very good team, why would they?

I’d guess they’d be favorites to retain him, but I don’t think there’s a long history of teams keeping a guy who opts out their current deal. Anyway, I’d think winning it all increases those odds.

[ashbury]

Was that a jinx?

Without an emotional investment in either team, I tend to think it's not.

[ashbury]

Really remarkable start to the bottom of the inning. They had to have some clear expectation of what pitches were coming, no? Odorizzi throws the four-seamer above the strike zone, and it fools the batters. That one thrown to (was it?) Bregman by Glasnow was just jumped on. Everything by the first four batters was tattooed. I know the first thing I'd have done - switch the signals so that low-outside is high-inside, and let the Astros know that sign-stealing isn't something to get complacent about.

A-Rod, in the post-game show, states that he's 100% sure ("well, 99%") that the Astros "knew" those pitches in the first inning. He was careful to say he wasn't accusing anyone of anything, but....

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I’d guess they’d be favorites to retain him, but I don’t think there’s a long history of teams keeping a guy who opts out their current deal.

A-Rod, Sabathia, Kershaw, Cespedes, and Upton all opted out and re-signed with the same team (or agreed to an extension in lieu of opting out). 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

In a vacuum, I’d probably cheer for the Nats to win it all. Since we’re not in a vacuum please tell me which of my two reasons they are the LAST remaining team I want to win the WS is most shallow:

1. I don’t want them to have enough steam to feel compelled to work something out with Strausburg.

2. I’ll be damned if another long suffering team who hasn’t won the WS since the Twins last did in 1991 wins it all before my Twins do.

Those are both very shallow -- impressive! 

 

I think your reason #2 is also quite petty. Since Minnesota took Washington's team once upon a time, I think the least we could do is root for them now. And honestly, would you rather see St. Louis, the Yankees, or even Houston win yet again?

 

I'd put the Twins chances at Strasburg at near zero anyway, so #1 should be a non-factor.

[Squirrel]

A-Rod, in the post-game show, states that he's 100% sure ("well, 99%") that the Astros "knew" those pitches in the first inning. He was careful to say he wasn't accusing anyone of anything, but....

The announcers of the game said something like that during the first inning. Noticed a group of them in the dugout huddled and talking and commented how they knew something. I don’t remember exactly how they said it but indicated they knew what was coming.