The Official 2021 MLB Postseason Thread

[pilight]

Today the talking heads were all about how the Astros bats had finally come alive. I imagine tomorrow will be about how their "unstoppable" lineup can't possibly have consecutive games like that. None of them will credit Atlanta or predict a Braves series victory.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I am no longer amazed at the statistical history that today's sports databases can mine and produce; I am sure, for example, that they could tell you how many times baseball players have spit while on the field throughout history (it must be in the quadrillions by now).

But I am amazed by some of the things still being unearthed after all this time. I just read that, in all the games that have been played in 117 World Series, Jorge Soler's blast was the first time in Series history that the first batter of the game homered.

Previously, four others had hit leadoff homers in the bottom half of the first inning: The Dodgers’ Chris Taylor (2017), Kansas City’s Alcides Escobar (2015), Boston’s Dustin Pedroia (2007) and Baltimore’s Don Buford (1969). But none in the top half of the first inning. Fancy that.

Yesterday's first:

Facing the prospect of back-to-back bullpen games, Atlanta asked the rookie Dylan Lee, who had only two regular-season relief appearances this year, to start on Saturday.

Lee became the first pitcher to make his first major league start in the World Series. Unsurprisingly, he sputtered.

[Westheim]

Good thing the next season will be wiped out by a strike. That will save me hearing Gary Cohen going "At [Baseball Place], the New York Mets play the Atlanta Barves, who won the World Series last year" 19 times a year.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Westheim

Good thing the next season will be wiped out by a strike. That will save me hearing Gary Cohen going "At [Baseball Place], the New York Mets play the Atlanta Barves, who won the World Series last year" 19 times a year.

Uh-oh! Remember the last time you did something like this (Red Sox).

[Westheim]

Yes, I did throw in the towel after the Duvall slam. The Astros then spent nine innings and as many runs trying to shove it back into my paws.

[monkeyman576]

The truth is probably that there will be a strike, but I have a hard time believing it will be very long. So much money and fan trust was lost after the 1994 strike, and there aren't going to be steroids this time around to help rekindle things. While the egos involved may say strike, I have a feeling in the end cooler heads will prevail and the amount of money that will be lost, especially after covid, will force them to come to an agreement. The fans and sponsors really don't care who wins they just want to see baseball.

[swoboda]

Astros in 7.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by swoboda

Astros in 7.

We have a Lamborghini for batting but it's on a set of bald, chinese made tires for the pitching that's about ready to have a blowout with the finish line just in sight.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

The Astr*s are the bane of our existence. I fluctuate: Sometimes I feel that they are God's punishment for our mistreating the game of Baseball. Sometimes I see the continued success of the Astr*s as His cruel sense of divine humor. Sometimes, in darker moments, I see reason for doubting His existence altogether.

Perhaps there is a fourth theory: Once again, God has punished the Astr*s in the most effective and terrible manner possible. How much more could He make them suffer than by bringing them to the brink of success and then denying them the Promised Land in the most public manner possible? Losing the World Series in a shutout must be frustrating as hell, and millions were on hand to witness their demise. Justice is served. It is enough to assuage my animosity.

[andyhdz]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Perhaps there is a fourth theory: Once again, God has punished the Astr*s in the most effective and terrible manner possible. How much more could He make them suffer than by bringing them to the brink of success and then denying them the Promised Land in the most public manner possible? Losing the World Series in a shutout must be frustrating as hell, and millions were on hand to witness their demise. Justice is served. It is enough to assuage my animosity.

Naw God doesn't give a rats ass about who wins or loses in baseball and assigning any kind divine intervention or retribution over a little game played with a stick and ball sounds rather silly.

[ThatSeventiesGuy]

Hail to the cheater beaters. Got a friend who’s been a Braves fan since the Dale Murphy days, happy for him.

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by ThatSeventiesGuy

Hail to the cheater beaters. Got a friend who’s been a Braves fan since the Dale Murphy days, happy for him.

Happy for Freddie, myself.

[monkeyman576]

Seattle Mariners: AL West 2022 Division Champs!

[Izz]

Trevor Plouffe predicted this exact result (down to the games) back on 31 March and is of course super excited he was right: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0N7Bbu66fk

Yet did OOTP get a single prediction right this postseason?

I think we've shifted into an alternate universe

[ThatSeventiesGuy]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Happy for Freddie, myself.

Same. Nice to see one of the good guys get a ring.

[pilight]

What non of the talking heads onn ESPN will say today is that Snitker outmanaged Baker, even though that's exactly what happened

[Déjà Bru]

Originally Posted by pilight

What non of the talking heads onn ESPN will say today is that Snitker outmanaged Baker, even though that's exactly what happened

Perhaps. I am more inclined to attribute the Braves win to the adage of good pitching defeating good hitting.

[cephasjames]

Glad the Braves won. I much prefer teams that haven't won in a bit to win over teams that seem to be in the mix almost every year.

[thehef]

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

Happy for Freddie, myself.

It was easier than I thought to root for the Braves. Not just Freddie, but several others seem like good guys. Fried, Swanson, Riley, Pederson, Rosario. And Snitker.

One thing that made me shake my head in wonder though... I realize this is no longer my grandfather's game, my dad's game, or even my game. But still, Fried is dealing last night. 6 innings of shutout ball, a 6-0 lead, and only 70 pitches thrown. Why take him out? I guess in today's game, if he were at 90 pitches and/or it was a 2-0 lead, then I get it. But I just don't see the logic of taking him out in that situation... (true, it did not hurt the Braves. But with a 6-0 lead, the safest move is to stick with the guy who is 100% in shutdown mode, vs. the uncertainty of a reliever - no matter how lights-out that reliever has been in previous games)

Originally Posted by Déjà Bru

I am more inclined to attribute the Braves win to the adage of good pitching defeating good hitting.

That, and it's good to play your best ball in October. That's what the Braves did. Decent starting pitching, ace relief pitching, and timely hitting. (Contrast to the Dodgers, who had three of the best starting pitchers in the game who each flamed out - to one degree or another - in the postseason; and whose hitters - with a few notable exceptions - picked the worst time to fail to get hits in key situations.)

[Westheim]

Barf.