MLB 2022

[ElJavi76]

11 minutes ago, KCCubano said:

Can someone explain why the WS is not starting until Friday? Seems like it should start on Wednesday at the latest. Has to be somehow $$$ related but what? Is it so no game on Sunday to accomodate Philly/Eagle fans?

Back to all the messy parts of this new format in the post season. I would think that reseeding should be considered although it could affect divisional rivalries. It’s sexier that divisional rivals get to play in the ALCS or NLCS but still, best team should play lowest seed. Not a bracket based schedule. The way this is going it could make for a horrible WS weather wise. If they’re playing this deep into the year they might have to consider playing the WS on neutral ground like the Superbowl. Houston has a dome but the Phillies play in the northeast and the weather has been atrocious lately and the fall rain could affect things. MLB should invest in a series of stadiums that they own and thru the reg season they fill out the schedule there with games. Do revenue sharing of some kind. They can possibly be flexible about the scheduling at these venues based on weather to avoid rainouts or even snowouts in early spring in Colorado. Maybe having all teams play at least one series there during the year could help to avoid the chattering and complaining. 
I dunno if that’s the answer but it would open some markets up to see baseball from outside the area and help fix some of these weather related issues. Part of the flexibility should be to move games up in events like we’re seeing now. Both teams sitting for 4 days in between games for no good reason. 

[LLC]

Not sure I have a strong rooting interest in either team but agree it would be good to see Dusty win a WS. Only a few teams have gone undefeated going into the World Series and none of them ended up winning the WS. 

[Ford2112]

2 hours ago, KCCubano said:

Can someone explain why the WS is not starting until Friday? 

Money

[Namisgr11]

I believe the World Series schedule and its associated ballpark and television commitments were made before the league championship series were completed.  With the two series going only 4 and 5 games, there's the four day gap with no baseball.

It seems bad planning to me, especially this year with the season ending having been unusually late, pushing the World Series to the very end of October and into November on the calendar.

[KCCubano]

Nola vs Verlander tonight. Great matchup. Phillies need to get to Verlander early b4 he has a chance to get settled in. Looking forward to it. Got a 2019 Dip 2 in the bullpen ready to go! 

[BigGuns]

Let’s go Phillies. I’m stoked that the Dodgers have some representation here, at least!  Joe Davis had the unenviable task of following the irreplaceable Vin Scully as the LAD play-by-play caller (for tv) and has been universally welcomed, accepted, and loved (so far as I know). Good to hear a familiar voice as I torture myself watching two teams battle in the WS with nary a speck of blue on their god awful unis. 

[Ford2112]

Pitching decides this series and I think Houston has the edge there. Astros in 6.

[BigGuns]

6 hours ago, KCCubano said:

Phillies need to get to Verlander early b4 he has a chance to get settled in.

So much for that!  Dude is locked in and his stuff is nasty tonight. 

[Ford2112]

Phils are fightin. It's a game. 

 

Side note: The Giants beat up on Verlander in game 1 of the 2012 world series. Panda hit 3 home runs in that game. We went on to sweep the Tigers. We won in 2010 2012 and 2014. These guys are trying to say the Astros are a Dynasty. Cool. Your. Jets. 

Just wanted to throw that out there ⚾️ 

[rolaand]

Man i hope this series keeps up like this

[Ford2112]

It's amazing how these 2 can call the game with their mouths full of Philly. Paid shills.

[KCCubano]

Great start to WS. Now Astros are in somewhat of a must win situation. Dont want to go to Philly down 2-0. Phillies are so resilient. 

[JohnS]

To be 5-0 down in Game 1 of the World Series, and on the road, and to comeback to win in those circumstances was simply phenomenal. The chances of success for the Phillies were very low but they came through. All credit to them for persevering and ensuring victory only after extra-innings in the 10th.

[MossybackR]

5-0, “So What?”, said with a Seattle accent.

[JohnS]

The old saying in baseball that it's a 'game of inches' certainly proved true in Game 2. Again Houston got out to a 5-0 lead but the Philadelphia offense couldn't get those fly balls to quite clear the fence or the foul pole. Heck, Kyle Schwarber came close twice! In the end, Game 2 played like Game 1 without the Phillies heroics in rallying. Bryce Harper went 0-4 and Jose Altuve actually got hits this postseason.

I think what was interesting about Game 2 was Framber Valdez's use of the sinker and curveball as against Zack Wheeler's reliance on his fastball, which the Houston hitters pounced on in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. I think the Phillies hitters have not had as good contact this postseason with breaking balls at the plate and so I'd be interested to see if Lance McCullers continues this trend of off-speed pitching mainly in Game 3. I'm also interested to see how Noah Syndergaard will pitch in his first call-up to start a game in the postseason this year in Game 3 too.

[KCCubano]

2 hours ago, JohnS said:

The old saying in baseball that it's a 'game of inches' certainly proved true in Game 2. Again Houston got out to a 5-0 lead but the Philadelphia offense couldn't get those fly balls to quite clear the fence or the foul pole. Heck, Kyle Schwarber came close twice! In the end, Game 2 played like Game 1 without the Phillies heroics in rallying. Bryce Harper went 0-4 and Jose Altuve actually got hits this postseason.

I think what was interesting about Game 2 was Framber Valdez's use of the sinker and curveball as against Zack Wheeler's reliance on his fastball, which the Houston hitters pounced on in the first inning to take a 3-0 lead. I think the Phillies hitters have not had as good contact this postseason with breaking balls at the plate and so I'd be interested to see if Lance McCullers continues this trend of off-speed pitching mainly in Game 3. I'm also interested to see how Noah Syndergaard will pitch in his first call-up to start a game in the postseason this year in Game 3 too.

McCullers has normally been a slider, curveball and sinker pitcher. Has thrown all three equally. That may not bode well for Phillies hitters!! 

[MossybackR]

#UnSafe #Cheaters

 

[KCCubano]

14 hours ago, MossybackR said:

#UnSafe #Cheaters

 

Yes. They banned that type of maple bat but players were grandfathered in depending on date. It was for safety concerns and nothing to do with competitive advantage. They still allow upgraded maple bats. Maldonado was not grandfathered in due to his start date in MLB. Im surprised it wasn't caught earlier to be honest. 

[MossybackR]

19 minutes ago, KCCubano said:

It was for safety concerns and nothing to do with competitive advantage.

Yeah, I was just “riffing”. Interesting sidenote is the decade-long decline in ash trees traditionally used in bats. Sorry, I don’t have the link at moment.

[KCCubano]

I was just watching ESPN. Eduardo Perez says Harper and Schwarber will see a good dose of curveballs from McCullers tonight. I wouldnt expect him to challenge them with fastballs

[TroutBum]

Is anyone neutral fan actually cheering for the astros?

[Ford2112]

1 hour ago, TroutBum said:

Is anyone neutral fan actually cheering for the astros?

I was rooting for Dusty Baker but it seems the Astros aren't that hungry for it. And I have no dog in this fight

[LLC]

Watching the game now and wow 😮 

[TroutBum]

Me either though based on where you are in the world pretty sure the last time my dog was in the fight we got swept by your dog😂

[Ford2112]

10 minutes ago, TroutBum said:

Me either though based on where you are in the world pretty sure the last time my dog was in the fight we got swept by your dog😂

That happened...