Who is the Better Matchup in the Playoffs

[a700hitter]

I think that we match up better against LA than Cleveland.

[TheKilo]

I think that we match up better against LA than Cleveland.

 

Agreed.

 

Sabathia and Carmona scare the hell out of me. Lackey and Escobar not so much.

 

Plus I think Cleveland's lineup is better.

[BSN07]

We def play better against LAA.

 

Who do we get if we finish 1st and who do we get if we are WC? Id like the division I really would, but Playoffs are Playoffs and aslong as we are in we have a chance.

[jacksonianmarch]

right now, Cleveland and the Angels are tied for 2nd best record in baseball, one half game behind the sox for best record. The sox are in danger of falling out of the top spot tonight and if so, this jockeying around for Division vs WC could be moot in terms of home field.

[mosox]

the Sox play well against the Angels at Fenway. Home field advantage is very important.

[jacksonianmarch]

Homefield is more important for the sox IMO. As much as the yankees love the friendly confines (and even have a better home record than the sox) Fenway park is its own advantage in that it plays differently than any other park in the game. And in that the sox lineup is built towards that advantage.

[Ray10]

I think i'd rather take on the Angels then the Guardians in the playoffs. Something about Cleveland is just more intimidating then the Angels.

[TheKilo]

Homefield is more important for the sox IMO. As much as the yankees love the friendly confines (and even have a better home record than the sox) Fenway park is its own advantage in that it plays differently than any other park in the game. And in that the sox lineup is built towards that advantage.

 

That's horseshit. The Red Sox are 43-34 on the road, good for the second best record in all of the MLB. Fenway's rep as being an offensive park has been waned over the last few years as the park factors are becoming more neutral.

 

The Yankees, on the other hand, are 38-37 on the road, and have a run differential of +97 at home compared to away, while having only played one more home game. The Yanks are an ungodly 49-27 at home.

 

The Sox have scored only scored 63 more runs at home, while playing two less home games. Their record is also very good, at 47-28.

 

Seems the Sox are more consistent home/away, while the Yanks perform better offensively at home. Isn't Wang's ERA like 2 runs lower at home than on the road anyways?

[Gom]

That is correct Kilo. Part of the reason that the Yankees are really pushing for the division is that if we win the W.C., we will only pitch Wang in game 3.

 

Believe it or not, as a Yankee fan, I would rather face the Angels. We may not play well against them, but I think our bullpen is better than theirs, our pitching matches up well with them, and we blow them away at the plate. Sabathia and Carmona scare me. I'd rather you guys take care of them.

[jacksonianmarch]

Gom, aside from his last start against us, Lackey has owned us. But with the angels, they run 3 deep in terms of top notch pitchers. Lackey, Escobar and Weaver are one sick trio. And I dont care if Shields is struggling now, that guy completely owns us. And Franky Rodriguez isnt bad either. Our advantage over most every team is our ability to wear a pitcher down. For anaheim, they get through 6 with their starter and they have the last 3 innings locked up. For Cleveland, we knock out Sabathia in the 6th, who do they go to? Perez is pretty good, but other than that? betancourt? borowski? Their pen blows. That is where we make our hay. I would much rather see the Guardians.

[Cocos Disciples]

right now' date=' Cleveland and the Angels are tied for 2nd best record in baseball, one half game behind the sox for best record. The sox are in danger of falling out of the top spot tonight and if so, this jockeying around for Division vs WC could be moot in terms of home field.[/quote']

 

All emotions aside, the last 10 games of the year are going to be really exciting. I mean, the difference between homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and the wild card is just a few games. When was the last time the final 4 teams were so tightly packed together?

[jacksonianmarch]

All emotions aside' date=' the last 10 games of the year are going to be really exciting. I mean, the difference between homefield advantage throughout the playoffs and the wild card is just a few games. When was the last time the final 4 teams were so tightly packed together?[/quote']

 

last yr

[redsoxrules]

last yr

 

beat me to it

 

EDIT: 2005 as well

[Cocos Disciples]

f***ers.

 

Fine, it's still exciting though.

[redsoxrules]

[ARod2212]

Obviously the Yankees seem to play a little better against Cleveland than Anaheim. But really, let the chips fall where they may and play who they put on the schedule. I think it's about f***ing time we beat those guys in LA.

[jacksonianmarch]

I want LA in a 7 game set. They have proven to be masters of the 5 gamer against us as they stack their pitchers and only go three deep. A 7 game set forces them to use a 4th starter and also forces their #3 pitcher to go in the deciding game if it gets that far. But regardless, I'll take watching the sox flatten LA while we flatten CLE and have a battle royale on the east coast again.

[schillingouttheks]

I don't care. Either of the teams is going to be tough. If you can't beat them all and have to sneak your way around an opponent, you don't deserve to win.

[jacksonianmarch]

The sox have now lost home field.

[schillingouttheks]

The sox have now lost home field.

 

At this rate, I don't even care. I mean, why should I? The manager is content with losing the division lead and just making the playoffs. He said it himself. Check out Kilo's post in the "grace period" thread.

 

Like Kilo said, if Tito doesn't win the world series after losing the division, he should be fired.

[Rdsxmbnt]

I don't care. Either of the teams is going to be tough. If you can't beat them all and have to sneak your way around an opponent' date=' you don't deserve to win.[/quote']

 

QFT

[a700hitter]

If the Guardians and the Angels end up with identical record, how would the matchups be decided for the first round?

[a700hitter]

From today's Boston Globe answering my question. After reading this, I think that I'd rather play the Guardians.

 

Straightening out ties

Major League Baseball sent a release explaining the potential playoff ramifications in the event of ties based on where things stood entering play yesterday.

 

The Angels and Guardians were tied for the best record in the AL. If the Angels and the Guardians finish in a tie for the best record, the first tiebreaker is the season series, which is tied at 5-5. The next tiebreaker is division record. The Guardians are 46-23 (.667) vs. the AL Central and the Angels are 29-19 (.604) vs. the AL West, meaning the Guardians would have the top seed.

 

If the Angels, Guardians, and the AL East champion all finished tied, the top seed will go to the team that has the best record against both of the other division champions.

 

The Red Sox went 5-2 vs. the Guardians and 6-4 vs. the Angels.

 

The Yankees went 6-0 vs. the Guardians and 3-6 vs. the Angels.

 

The Guardians went 2-5 vs. the Red Sox, 0-6 vs. the Yankees, and 5-5 vs. the Angels.

 

The Angels went 4-6 vs. the Red Sox, 6-3 vs. the Yankees, and 5-5 vs. the Guardians.

 

Thus, if the Sox won the AL East and tied the other division leaders for best record, they would have the top seed.

 

If the Red Sox and Yankees tie for the AL East title and both make the postseason, the Yankees will be the division champion because of their 10-8 advantage in the season series and the Red Sox will be the wild card.