Baseball 2016---Season On!

[sinkspur]

If the Rangers make it past Toronto, they'll be the American League team in the World Series.

[GrouchoTex]

"Human sacrifice....dogs and cats living together....Mass Hysteria!"

...just like Bill Murray predicted!

[EasyAce]

They have the post-season experience that the Cubbies don't......and they've got Bumgarner.

Let's see . . .

* The 1960 Pirates didn't have the Yankees' experience (or as many future Hall of Famers) . . . and won a thriller
of a seven-game Series. (Buck Showalter, call your office: Casey Stengel made the same mistake, not going to his
shutdown closer Luis Arroyo in Game Seven---bizarre, considering that in 1949 Stengel went to his then-shutdown
closer Joe Page in the third inning to hold off the Red Sox the rest of the way, until the Yankees could
make a comeback to win the pennant on the last day---not to mention arranging his rotation so that Whitey Ford
only pitched two games, both shutouts.)

* The 1964 Cardinals didn't have the Yankees' postseason experience . . . and won a thriller of a seven-game
Series.

* The 1966 Orioles didn't have the Dodgers' postseason experience . . . and (with a lot of help from Willie Davis's three
errors in a single inning in Game Two) swept the Dodgers.

* The 1969 Mets (with future Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan) didn't have anybody's postseason experience,
never mind the Orioles' . . . and, after losing Game One, won the next four Series games against a club (with future Hall
of Famers Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer) that was supposed to smother them.

* The 1971 Pirates (future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente and a cast of several) didn't have the Orioles' postseason
experience (Clemente was the last man standing from the Pirates' 1960 World Series triumph) . . . and beat the Orioles
in seven.

* The 1972 Athletics had one less year's World Series experience than the budding Big Red Machine (one) . . . and beat them in
seven.

* The 1979 Pirates, a very different team from the 1971 world champions, had no postseason experience compared to the
Orioles (who still had a few holdovers from their 1970 winners) . . . and won in seven.

* The 1982 St. Louis Cardinals and the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers were teams with no postseason experience (the Cardinals were
a far, far cry from their 1960s teams) until they tangled in the World Series . . . and the Cardinals won in seven.

* The 1984 Tigers and Padres? Neither of those teams as then composed had much postseason experience (a different team of Tigers
lost the 1972 ALCS) . . . and the Tigers beat the Padres in five.

* The 1986 Mets, rebuilt from 1983 up, were in their first postseason against the Red Sox, rebuilt from 1982 up and in their first
postseason since the rebuild . . . and the Mets beat them in seven thrillers. (Well, Games Six and Seven were the real thrillers.)

* The 1987 Twins had no postseason experience (not this edition, anyway) to send against the Cardinals . . . and won in seven.

* The 1990 Reds---extremely different from the 1970s Machine---had no postseason experience compared to the A's . . . and
swept the bastards.

* The 1992 Toronto Blue Jays had no postseason experience since 1985 (and were a very different team by now); the Atlanta Braves
hadn't seen a postseason since 1969 . . . and the Jays beat the Braves in six.

* The 1996 Yankees were seeing the franchise's first postseason since 1981, and with an extremely re-made team to boot . . . and
beat the now-experienced Braves in six.

* The 1997 Florida Marlins were in their sixth year of life as a franchise . . . and beat the now-experienced Cleveland Indians in a
seven-game Series.

* The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks were even younger as a franchise . . . and beat the well-experienced Yankees in seven.

* The 2002 Anaheim Angels hadn't seen a postseason since a very different club lost the 1986 ALCS . . . and beat the Giants in
seven.

* The 2010 Giants were a different club (completely) to the 2002 edition . . . facing an equally postseason-inexperienced club of
Texas Rangers, and beating them in five.

* The 2015 Royals had only one postseason of experience in that edition, faced a Mets team completely overhauled from their 2000
World Series team and 2007-2008 pennant race collapsers . . . and beat the Mets in five games all of which the Mets could have won
but for their porous defense.

Postseason experience isn't always a guarantor of subsequent postseason conquest.

[Free Vulcan]

You do realize that if the Cubs win the World Series, this would bring about cataclysmic events that could change life as we know it (Hell freezing over, etc...)?

Seriously, I am with you and will root for the Cubs.

Like I joke with people - if the Cubs win the Series, I think it's in the book of Revelations that it will be the end of the world.

[Polly Ticks]

I don't like the wild cards, but you had to love Addison Reed pitching like he was pitching his way
up from the Grand Canyon with that bases-loaded third-out punchout!

What a great game!  Very fun to watch.

[EasyAce]

Like I joke with people - if the Cubs win the Series, I think it's in the book of Revelations that it will be the end of the world.

But what if the Serious comes down to the Cubs vs. the Indians? ;)

[GrouchoTex]

So let's root for the Cubs. We're not putting anyone in mortal danger. ;)

 

Why not?
It ought to be fun to see it happen, but there's still that thing in the back of my mind that thinks a giant stay-puff marshmallow will come out and destroy downtown Chicago.

My wife would be happy.
She grew up in Will county, south of Chicago, and one of her favorite memories was watching Cubs baseball with her father.
She used to be able to recite the Cubs 1969 starting line up (Banks, Santo, Kessinger, Billy Williams, etc....).
I haven't asked her in a while if she still remembers it.

You know what they say, if mama's happy, everybody's happy.

[dfwgator]

Well I see the Rangers decided to go ahead and choke early this time.

[EasyAce]

Well I see the Blue Jays decided there was no time like the present for revenge over the Rangers' end-of-regular-season-series
shenanigans.

Fixed!

In the immortal words of Chick Hearn, you can put that game in the refrigerator---the door's closed, the light's out, the eggs
are getting cold, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-Oooooooooooooo's jigglin'!

[dfwgator]

If the Rangers make it past Toronto, they'll be the American League team in the World Series.

And if my Aunt had........she'd be my uncle.

[sinkspur]

And if my Aunt had........she'd be my uncle.

That's why they play five games.

[dfwgator]

That's why they play five games.

Their staff is garbage outside of Darvish, and even he has been inconsistent as of late.

[dfwgator]

That's why they play five games.

In this case, more like three.

[EasyAce]

25 Rangers, one blowout. 10-1 your final, the Blue Jays committing the right kind of
police brutality.

[musiclady]

Tribe beats the Red Sox in game one 5-4!!


BELIEVELAND!!!

[EasyAce]

Tribe beats the Red Sox in game one 5-4!!


BELIEVELAND!!!

The running of the Indians' bulls

[musiclady]

The running of the Indians' bulls

Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!

The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.

We'll see if the new strategy this afternoon has the same results.  It would be nice to go to Fenway 2-0, but Boston's never easy.

(This is fun for me since I had an 8x10 glossy of Tito Francona when I was 11 years old, and he threw in the opening pitch last night.  I LOVE Cleveland!)

[dfwgator]

Meanwhile, the Rangers still suck.

[EasyAce]

Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!

The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.

It wasn't so much the Red Sox he schooled (the Red Sox have also been known to go to a bullpen stopper early
when need be) as everyone in baseball who still thinks it's just blasphemous to bring in your normally late-
inning stoppers as early as the fifth or sooner when you need a stopper. Casey Stengel with Joe Page at the end
of the 1949 season and Hank Bauer with Moe Drabowsky in Game One of the '66 Series set precedents there.
So did Gil Hodges in the 1969 Series when he brought in Nolan Ryan (then a spot starter and reliever) in the
seventh---after starter Gary Gentry tired as he walked the bases loaded with two out---and Ryan pitched the
rest of the way to save it for the Mets.

Ever since the advent of the single-inning closer it's become conventional wisdom to save him for that ninth-inning
lead. And it's bitten a few managers in the ass when they could have used those men an inning or three earlier
to stop the bleeding or protect leads. Tony La Russa learned the hard way in the 1990 World Series:

* He had a 4-3 lead in Game Two entering the eighth but wouldn't even think about bringing in his Hall of Fame
closer Dennis Eckersley.

* Nor did he think about bringing in Dennis the Menace when he had an even tighter 1-0 lead coming into the
eighth in Game Four. He'd have had a Series tied at two games each instead of losing in a sweep to the upstart Reds.

Then there was Davey Johnson, then managing the Mets, getting even crazier to win a key game during 1986, against
a different club of Reds: he brought in one of his two co-closers, Jesse Orosco, to pitch in the eighth inning . . . and
sent his other co-closer Roger McDowell to play right field. Then, he switched them back and forth into extra innings
until the Mets won that game. I think each man pitched about three innings each before it ended.

Two years ago the Giants looked like they had a chance of losing a hard-fought World Series to the upstart Royals.
They saw and raised both the Indians and Stengel, Bauer, and Johnson---they brought in Madison Bumgarner in
the fourth inning. On two days rest, I think it was. And watched him go the rest of the way while they got what they
needed to win the game and the Series. You don't win three Series in five years without being willing to throw The
Book to one side now and then. (Matt Williams blew a National League East he had in the bank because he was
too unwilling to throw The Book to one side when he needed to leave it in the safe in 2015. It wasn't the only
reason he lost his job but it was a huge one.)

And the last I saw Buck Showalter still hadn't found Zach Britton . . .

[andy58-in-nh]

Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!

The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.

We'll see if the new strategy this afternoon has the same results.  It would be nice to go to Fenway 2-0, but Boston's never easy.

(This is fun for me since I had an 8x10 glossy of Tito Francona when I was 11 years old, and he threw in the opening pitch last night.  I LOVE Cleveland!)

My father-in-law is a huge Cleveland fan (my wife grew up south of Cleveland), so he's happy today.

As a Sox fan, I am not. Francona is a terrific manager and IMHO, it was a huge mistake for Boston to let him go. 

[musiclady]

My father-in-law is a huge Cleveland fan (my wife grew up south of Cleveland), so he's happy today.

As a Sox fan, I am not. Francona is a terrific manager and IMHO, it was a huge mistake for Boston to let him go.

But we're thankful they made that mistake.  ^-^

[andy58-in-nh]

But we're thankful they made that mistake.  ^-^

What you should be thankful for is that the entire middle of the Sox' batting order has decided to go into a batting slump at the same time.

[musiclady]

What you should be thankful for is that the entire middle of the Sox' batting order has decided to go into a batting slump at the same time.

Ah, yes.................. but those are some scary dudes in there, and it isn't wise to be comfortable that they will continue slumping.   ^-^

[musiclady]

Nice second inning for the Tribe.   

[Wingnut]

Just a Note:  Cubs still sporting the best Record in MLB.  18-6.

I ain't afraid of no Billy Goat curse.
 

What Goat you say?   

[musiclady]

KABOOM!!!!

Cleveland SHUTS OUT Boston 6-0!

And the Cavs were there cheering them on. 

[TomSea]

If anyone can challenge the Cubs, it looks like the Giants can. Cubs 1 0 Giants but the Giants had 6 hits versus 3 from the Cubs.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/scoreboard/

Today's games.

Dodgers at Nationals
Giants at Cubs.

[TomSea]

Dodgers at Nationals game postponed because of rain, they are scheduled to play tomorrow.

[musiclady]

Indians WIN the ALDS, sweeping the Red Sox!!!!

(And making their fans EXTREMELY nervous in doing so!)

[EasyAce]

[TomSea]

Cubs will be in the World Series, they are indeed super; nothing will stop them. SF was a very good team. Perhaps no one will challenge them as the Giants did.

I don't think the AL has anyone that will be able to overcome them.

I saw some article the other day, how when the WS comes around, Cubs fans would always be watching the Cardinals in the WS; and the Cardinals, they don't go every year but they go very often and have for the longest times.

So, this year, we could well see Cardinals fans watching the Cubs in the playoffs. I don't know why the writer was making that point, but he was.

[TomSea]

Go Indians! I found this article that some Canadians may even find the name "Indians" offensive. And of course, they are playing the Bluejays.

Go Tribe.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37639638

[EasyAce]

Both sides threw the kitchen sink at each other but the Dodgers won---with
Clayton Kershaw (of all people) nailing the save in the ninth . . . the third
pitcher in MLB history to bag a save in a postseason series-clinching game
on a single day's rest. Come to think of it, I wouldn't have been shocked to
see any pitcher throw a kitchen sink up to the plate!

On to Chicago. The Dodgers now will have the honour of getting their tails
waxed by the Cubs . . .

[Machiavelli]

Dodgers beat Nationals to reach NLCS after pulling out all the stops

Bill Plunkett
Orange County Register
October 14, 2016

It will be a team of destiny facing a team of density, the Dodgers having packed their roster so thickly with heroes that a closer was hiding in their starting rotation.

The Dodgers used every bit of that and more Thursday night – a closer pitching in the seventh inning, tag-team starting pitchers, backup catchers pinch-running and pinch-hitting – and finally turned to Clayton Kershaw to close it out after Manager Dave Roberts said he would “absolutely not” do that, not even for one batter.

They somehow managed to both come-from-behind and hold on for their dear lives, beating the Washington Nationals, 4-3, in Game 5 of their National League Division Series.

The Dodgers advance to the NLCS for the second time in the past four years and fourth time in the past nine. This time, they will face the Chicago Cubs starting Saturday night at Wrigley Field.

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[TomSea]

I'm an American League guy in general, I probably wouldn't cheer on the Yankees but most of the other teams are okay,

If the WS is Cleveland vs. Chicago, I'll be fairly neutral; though Cleveland had a very good year, I do know, they went through some weak spots in the schedule this year, perhaps all of the teams do in that; so Cleveland is certainly no shoo-in to go to the WS; but are probably big favorites.

[Polly Ticks]

I'm an American League guy in general,

I'm sorry to hear that.  Maybe one day you can come to appreciate watching REAL baseball ... 
 

(I'm KIDDING!  Mostly.)

[Machiavelli]

MLB: The 5 Greatest Shortstops to Ever Play the Game

Michael Laurila
The Cheat Sheet
October 14, 2016

While he’s no longer rocking pinstripes on a regular basis, it’s hard to think about the New York Yankees and not turn your attention to the great Derek Jeter. Even after his retirement from Major League Baseball in 2014, the captain of all captains continues to remain a permanent fixture in the city with which he spent his entire career. And really, that shouldn’t be a surprise. That’s usually what happens when you’re an all-time great shortstop.

Throughout his incredible career, Jeter showed himself to be one of the greatest shortstops to ever step on a diamond. While there have been better offensive shortstops, and better defensive shortstops, no one equaled his impressive balance of offense and defense. Which is why we feel the need to compile this particular list. Therefore, with that in mind, here’s a look the five best all-around shortstops to ever play the game from the bottom to the top, taking into account more than any single facet of the game.

More

BTW, this seems to me to be a clickbait site.

5. Ernie Banks
4. Ozzie Smith
3. Cal Ripken Jr.
2. Derek Jeter
1. Honus Wagner

For a contrasting view, please see the Shortstop JAWS Leaders ratings at Baseball-Reference.com.

[TomSea]

I'm sorry to hear that.  Maybe one day you can come to appreciate watching REAL baseball ... 
 

(I'm KIDDING!  Mostly.)

It was a bit of the coming of Cable TV, it existed before but in the '80s; all of a sudden we had the Braves via WTBS, Mets via WOR, Cubs via WGN, I watched Harry Caray a lot, I still have a very clear memory of the "Holy Cow".  And before that, we got plenty of games of the Dodgers and Angels; so all of those except the last team were National League.

The Cubs were the lovable losers, we'll see.

I don't think they should have moved the 'Stros to the AL or the Brewers to the NL; I think that is how that happened. But it's not that important I suppose.

[musiclady]

Indians beat Toronto in first game - 2-0!  Keep it up Tribe!!

[musiclady]

Indians win game 2 against Blue Jays, 2-1.

Gotta say it...... the BULLPEN is AWESOME!!

GO TRIBE!!!

[Free Vulcan]

I'd love to see a Cubs/Indians series. One hasn't won in decades, the other in a century.

[musiclady]

I'd love to see a Cubs/Indians series. One hasn't won in decades, the other in a century.

Unless I am now 100 years old, the Indians have won in less than a century.  ^-^

But that WOULD be a fun series.

We're only 2 games away from doing our part!

[Free Vulcan]

Unless I am now 100 years old, the Indians have won in less than a century.  ^-^

But that WOULD be a fun series.

We're only 2 games away from doing our part!

I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.

[EasyAce]

I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.

And, considering the combatants (the Cubs, in the 108th year of their rebuilding effort; the Indians, who haven't won a
World Series since around the Berlin Airlift), the national anthem would change from "The Star Spangled Banner" to . . .


The Rolling Stones, "19th Nervous Breakdown"

[EasyAce]

Indians win game 2 against Blue Jays, 2-1.

Gotta say it...... the BULLPEN is AWESOME!!

GO TRIBE!!!

ALCS Game Two: Now, it's Miller time

[Machiavelli]

I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.

Chicago Cubs - last Pennant won: 1945, last WS won: 1908

Cleveland Indians - last Pennant won: 1997, last WS won: 1948

[Machiavelli]

Pedro Baez's glacial pitching pace led to avalanche of Twitter jokes

[Wingnut]

Chicago Cubs - last Pennant won: 1945, last WS won: 1908

Cleveland Indians - last Pennant won: 1997, last WS won: 1948

Networks hate a Midwest fly-over county series.     This might be an execption to a ratings bonanza.

[EasyAce]

Networks hate a Midwest fly-over county series.     This might be an execption to a ratings bonanza.

Are you kidding? If the Cubs and the Indians end up in the World Series against each other, the
networks will go batsh@t nuts with the storylines and the long, long, long World Series ring
droughts each team has, not to mention the calamities each team's dealt with over the years, on
and off the field. (Not to mention the prospect of the Indians having to try to win a Series
against the team everyone and their proverbial twin brother had winning this year's Series when
spring training was still two weeks from finishing . . . )

[TomSea]

Cardinals are in the World Series often, they can be counted in the Midwest region.

If one means to talk about the upper MidWest or however,  Tigers, Whitesox, Royals have all had their moments in recent years, maybe I'm missing some team?