ALCS: Tigers/Athletics Series Thread

[a700hitter]

How are the A's choking when the Tigers pitchers are shutting them down? Good pitching shuts down good hitting all the time. This is nothing new.

Underdogs don't choke, unless they blow a big lead. They are expected to lose. The Tigers were favored against the A's, and the A's are getting trounced like the odds makers expected. If they were blowing big leads it would be a different story. The Yankees were favorites to win it all. They choked.

[jsinger121]

The yankees never choked. They got outplayed. maybe if they were up 2-0 and ended up losing 3-2 but the tigers were in control of this series from the 2nd game on.

[example1]

Underdogs don't choke' date=' unless they blow a big lead. They are expected to lose. The Tigers were favored against the A's, and the A's are getting trounced like the odds makers expected. If they were blowing big leads it would be a different story. The Yankees were favorites to win it all. They choked.[/quote']

 

I guess I'm disappointed that the ALCS is such a blowout. For me its a choke, as one would hope that a team could get to the big stage and at least make it competitive. The A's aren't really competing with the Tigers right now.

 

Tigers pitching is great. Don't get me wrong. Much like the White Sox last year, Red Sox of 04 and the Marlins of 03. Obviously the team with the hottest pitching in the playoffs tends to have success. The sox pitching looked like it was dominant in the 04 WS, but to me it seemed much more a factor of the Cards not getting hits when it matters. The same seems true of the A's: they havent delivered when they had the chance.

[a700hitter]

The yankees never choked. They got outplayed. maybe if they were up 2-0 and ended up losing 3-2 but the tigers were in control of this series from the 2nd game on.

The Yankees had the most talent of any team in the playoffs and they were huge Vegas favorites to win. The greatest lineup of all-time made pitchers that they had raked in the regualr season look like Koufax and Drysdale. The Yankees beat the Tigers like a pinata in the regular season. You can call it what you want, but I call it choking.

[ORS]

I guess I'm disappointed that the ALCS is such a blowout. For me its a choke, as one would hope that a team could get to the big stage and at least make it competitive. The A's aren't really competing with the Tigers right now.

 

Tigers pitching is great. Don't get me wrong. Much like the White Sox last year, Red Sox of 04 and the Marlins of 03. Obviously the team with the hottest pitching in the playoffs tends to have success. The sox pitching looked like it was dominant in the 04 WS, but to me it seemed much more a factor of the Cards not getting hits when it matters. The same seems true of the A's: they havent delivered when they had the chance.

That last part can be said of every pitching dominated series. If the pitching is good, the bats look like crap and they waste opportunities. If the pitching isn't good, like in tonight's NLCS game, runs are scored in bunches.

[riverside sluggers]

Game 4 Info:

Date: Saturday, October 14, 2006

First Pitch: 4:35 pm ET

Venue: Comerica Park

TV: FOX

Starting Pitchers:

http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_429717.jpg http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_425827.jpg

 

#24 Dan Haren 1-0, 3.00 ERA

#38 Jeremy Bonderman 1-0, 2.16 ERA

 

--

Dan Haren (3 games vs Detroit, 0-2 record with a 5.31 ERA---Career at Comerica Park in 2 games, 0-2 record with a 7.43 ERA)

Curtis Granderson, 2 for 10 (.200 avg) 4 Ks

Craig Monroe, 1 for 6 (.167 avg) Double, 2 Ks

Placido Polanco, 5 for 12 (.417 avg) Double, 2 RBIs

Magglio Ordonez, 2 for 10 (.200 avg) Double, RBI

Carlos Guillen, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) Double, 2 Walks, K

Ivan Rodriguez, 4 for 10 (.400 avg) Double, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks

Omar Infante, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) K

Neifi Perez, 2 for 5 (.400 avg) 2 Doubles, Walk

Brandon Inge, 3 for 8 (.375 avg) Double, HR, RBI, 2 Ks

///

Marcus Thames, 0 for 6, 4 Ks

Vance Wilson, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) HR, RBI

 

Jeremy Bonderman (7 games vs Oakland, 3-3 record with a 3.77 ERA---**Career at Comerica Park in 63 games, 22-23 record with a 4.81 ERA)

Jason Kendall, 2 for 7 (.286 avg)

Mark Kotsay, 3 for 15 (.200 avg) Triple, SB

Frank Thomas, 1 for 9 (.111 avg)

Milton Bradley, 4 for 10 (.400 avg) Double, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Walks,2 Ks, 2 SBs

Eric Chavez, 6 for 15 (.400 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, 6 Walks, 2 Ks

Jay Payton, 3 for 4 (.750 avg) RBI, Walk

Nick Swisher, 1 for 6 (.167 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks, K

Marco Scutaro, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

D'Angelo Jimenez --

///

Dan Johnson, 1 for 8 (.125 avg) Double, RBI

Bobby Kielty, 1 for 8 (.125 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks, 2 Ks

Adam Melhuse, 4 for 7 (.571 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs, Walk

[schillingouttheks]

Series over. Bonderman has proved he's one of the better starting pitchers in the league (on his way to an elite one, at that) and Haren's been horribly inconsistent.

 

http://www.seasite.niu.edu/thaidict/thailex1/picture/sweep.jpg

[Youk Of The Nation]

Ordonez walkoff homer! Tigers are going to the Series!

[yeszir]

That was a pretty intense home run. Congrats to the Tigers.

[ORS]

Something about the Tigers right now. When the A's had 'em juiced after 12 straight balls by Jason Grilli, I just knew they'd get out of it. They have that "it" factor right now. And, given their enthusiasm and the pure baseball joy of their fans right now, I can't imagine rooting against them. Good stuff all around. I love baseball.

 

Now, if this NLCS goes 7 games, that could work against them. The best thing in the world for the Tigers right now would be the Series starting on Monday.

[The Monster is my Mom]

The World Series starts next Saturday night no matter what happens in the NLCS

[ORS]

Yeah, I know, but their opponent won't be dealing with a week layoff like they will be. That was my point. They'll be fresher, but their NL opponent will be sharper.

[MANNYHOF24]

I think its good for the tigers so they can get Zumya healthy.

[ORS]

And Casey too. The time off is definitely good in some ways, but there is always the possibility of losing that "it" factor when there is a break. That's all I'm saying. When the breaks are going your way and you are hot, you don't want time off.

[The Monster is my Mom]

oh, I see your point. I am a little worried about that, though it will be nice to get Zumaya healthy.