2021 Postseason Discussion and Game Thread

[Otto von Ballpark]

I wonder if they could automate check swing calls, along with the automated zone? Just detect if the bat is ever fully parallel to the front of the plate?

Worth remembering that Flores helped put himself in that 0-2 hole (took strike 1 right down the middle, then fouled off strike 2 in the zone too).

Likewise, in the previous at-bat, I know Wade is known for his patience, but you can't take a 2-2 strike 3 looking in that situation either.

Crawford put his 0-2 pitch in play to start the inning -- a soft liner that hung up for the LF -- and Bryant swung at the first pitch and put it in play down the 3B line.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wow, the Astros ALCS roster doesn't include Lance McCullers Jr, after he exited his game 4 ALDS start with forearm discomfort.

Astros ALCS roster

I guess that opened a spot for Odorizzi, to join former Twins Pressly and Castro.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Red Sox ALCS roster

Ex-Twins still included are Hansel Robles, Martín Pérez, and Danny Santana.

[cHawk]

Today’s game:

ALCS Game 1
Boston Red Sox vs. Houston Astros
SP: Chris Sale (Red Sox) vs. Framber Valdez (Astros)
Venue: Minute Maid Park, Houston
Broadcast: FOX
Odds: Astros -120, Red Sox +140

[Otto von Ballpark]

Tonight's ALCS game 1 is actually on regular ol' broadcast FOX, not cable FS1. Free to watch if you have an antenna and a signal!

Saturday's game 2 is listed as both FOX and FS1, whatever that means.

After that, the rest of the series will likely be on FS1, before the World Series shifts back to FOX as usual.

[Nine of twelve]

7 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I've disliked them since long before then. 

I really hated how back in the day ESPN made it seem like everyone had to pick a side in the Yankee/Red Sox rivalry. They made a lot of people think that if you didn't like the Yankees (duh, who would) naturally you had to cheer for the "underdog" Red Sox, who didn't have as high of a payroll.

It was higher than every single other team OTHER than the Yankees, but still.....

I always resented that manipulation; maybe because it seemed like most people I knew fell for it.

The Red Sox are the Yankees with beards.

[Longdistancetwins]

7 hours ago, Otto von Ballpark said:

Tonight's ALCS game 1 is actually on regular ol' broadcast FOX, not cable FS1. Free to watch if you have an antenna and a signal!

Saturday's game 2 is listed as both FOX and FS1, whatever that means.

After that, the rest of the series will likely be on FS1, before the World Series shifts back to FOX as usual.

Thanks, Otto, for this tip.  I can watch while I fold laundry.  I don’t hate the Red Sox, so it’ll be okay.

[Longdistancetwins]

This Kike Hernandez show has been fun, especially since the TV cameras capture his facial expressions.

[tony&rodney]

Carlos Correa postgame stated that tonight was a great game for baseball fans. I agree - amazing skills.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Atlanta NLCS roster

Featuring ex-Twins Eddie Rosario and Ehire Adrianza

Also ex-Twins minor leaguer Huascar Ynoa

[cHawk]

Odo on the mound for Houston

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Did we win yet?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Red Sox. Can't even get a 3rd grand slam...

 

Slackers.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Wait, did Rosario just create a run out of nothing to start the game?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Is Atlanta the smallest market still represented?

Good job.

[cHawk]

Tonight’s game

NLCS Game 2 (Braves Lead 1-0)
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Atlanta Braves
Time: 6:38 PM Central Standard Time
SP: Max Scherzer (Dodgers) vs. Ian Anderson (Braves)
Venue: Truist Park, Atlanta
Broadcast: TBS
Odds: Dodgers -190, Braves +160

[Brock Beauchamp]

9 hours ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

Is Atlanta the smallest market still represented?

Good job.

Technically, Atlanta is slightly larger than Boston in overall market.

Obviously, in baseball terms, Boston is the larger baseball market.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_metropolitan_statistical_areas

[Nine of twelve]

On 10/15/2021 at 10:37 AM, Nine of twelve said:

Three of the teams left are three of my four least favorite teams. The fourth team is one whose management I disagree with regarding the team mascot/nickname. I hope my attitude regarding the rest of the postseason can improve to the level of mere indifference.

Hearing the chant from the Atlanta fans last night makes me dislike that team even more. I wish there were a way for all four teams to lose.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

7 hours ago, Nine of twelve said:

Hearing the chant from the Atlanta fans last night makes me dislike that team even more. I wish there were a way for all four teams to lose.

They lost the all-star game, if i recall. Does that count for anything?

[sampleSizeOfOne]

On 10/15/2021 at 11:37 AM, Nine of twelve said:

Three of the teams left are three of my four least favorite teams. The fourth team is one whose management I disagree with regarding the team mascot/nickname. I hope my attitude regarding the rest of the postseason can improve to the level of mere indifference.

Would it be better if they were the artful dodgers?

[mickeymental]

eddie rosario still gettin it done.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

29 minutes ago, mickeymental said:

eddie rosario still gettin it done.

I read this post as gameday says he comes to bat with a runner on 2nd and 2 out, bottom of 9th in a tie game...

[sampleSizeOfOne]

In play, run(s).

 

How'd you know?

[mickeymental]

39 minutes ago, sampleSizeOfOne said:

In play, run(s).

 

How'd you know?

in a different time zone.

[cHawk]

Tonight’s game:

ALCS Game 3 (Series Tied 1-1)
Houston Astros vs. Boston Red Sox
SP: Jose Urquidy (Astros) vs. Eduardo Rodriguez (Red Sox)
Venue: Fenway Park, Boston 
Broadcast: FOX
Odds: Red Sox -120, Astros +100

[Otto von Ballpark]

Tonight's ALCS Game 3 shifts back to FS1.

The next free game on broadcast FOX would be ALCS Game 7 if necessary on Saturday Oct. 23. Beyond that, the whole World Series will be on broadcast FOX too.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Wow, Eddie Rosario.

The focus is on the walk-off hit in the 9th, but that was a heck of a sequence in the 8th. Complete video here:

Rosario's trip around the bases

Down 2 runs, Rosario hit a leadoff single (off a LHP, no less). Tags up and advances to second on a fairly routine fly to left. Then scoring from second on a one-out single to right, with a great slide at the plate.

Baseball logic says he shouldn't have attempted to tag or score on those plays. But he did both, successfully, and it proved to be the difference, really.

[Otto von Ballpark]

Of course, the flip side of Rosario's trip around the bases is that the Dodgers messed up defensively twice -- an offline throw from left on the tag, then a two-hopper from shallow right on the score.

The Dodgers also likely messed up the next play, when Albies scored the tying run. Betts had a little bobble in center, then the relay throw beat Albies to the plate but was a little too far up the line for the catcher to handle, I guess. (Albies didn't even touch the plate on his initial slide, but rolled over and touched it after the ball had squirted past.) Video here:

Austin Riley's game-tying double

None of the plays individually were terribly glaring defensive miscues -- nothing booted, no crazy overthrows, etc. --  but they all combined to give away the Dodgers lead in the 8th, setting up Rosario's walk-off in the 9th.

[Mike Sixel]

I have no idea what the Dodgers are doing with their pitching staff this series. Bizarre, imo.

[sampleSizeOfOne]

Folk here postulate Buxton being the next David Ortiz are off the mark...

Per the mlb game summary for last night: 

 

"Rosario became the first player with four-plus hits and a walk-off knock in a postseason game since David Ortiz in 2004."