2012 MLB Playoff Thread

[Taz]

Big win for the Nats.

 

Considering the relative inexperience in terms of post season, it was so important to get a win in this first game - especially that it was so tight and having to come from behind late on. If anyone had any doubts about their pedigree, they may have to re-evaluate what these Nats can do. This win not only means at at worst they will head back to Washington with at least 1 W under their belts, it will re-inforce the belief within that clubhouse that they can really kick on from here.

[jung]

Just been sitting in on a Yanks board to see what is happening. Pretty funny...it is so much like our game threads...complaining about ump calls....complaining that the announcers are not complaining about ump calls (one thing we don't do)....complaining about how lucky the O's are.

 

They really do know their Yankee team very well though....and very realistic about their performance...again pretty much like we are about the Sox. Really riding AROD for his usual post season fail-a-thon.

[Station 13]

O's wasted a lead off 2B in the 8th. Two productive outs gets the go ahead run in. Maybe they want walk off style.

[Divinity]

I wouldn't count on it, Yanks got this one in the bag.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

The O's suck, why can't we witness the Rangers knocking out the Yankees again

[Station 13]

Johnson choked.

[Palodios]

f***.

[Taz]

Fckn Wankees... bust it open in the 9th! http://www.talkceltic.net/forum/images/smilies/47.gif

[The Village Idiot]

That pitch Johnson served up to Russell Martin was a cookie. Unforgiveable to throw that pitch in that spot. It's one thing if a guy just outhits you on a tough pitch, but Jim Johnson just Joe Nathaned that top of the 9th for his teammates; I'm surprised Buck kept him out there so God damned long! Channeling his inner Bobby V.....

[jung]

Terrible pitch to Martin. CC just had a great night as much as anything else. O's just could not match him. Had their chances and just had some really Sox like at bats in big spots.

 

Can't count the number of 1st pitches the O's swung at....some that were not even strikes, let alone good strikes...how familiar does that sound.

[Taz]

The Cards are building a commanding lead over the Nats in the 4th, 6-1 in G2 of their NLDS. Still 5 inn to play, so this one is far from over.

[jacksonianmarch]

The Nats did their job. They split in StL and now have a 3 game series at home. They're sitting pretty. The A's need to sweep at home and will get Verlander at least once more. The home thing is nice, the Verlander thing, not so much. The Giants are f***ed needing to sweep the Reds at Cincy. And the Yankees are in a good spot knowing they have to lose at least twice at home to lose the series

[Bellhorn04]

The Nats did their job. They split in StL and now have a 3 game series at home. They're sitting pretty.

 

The Nats are not sitting pretty, man. You are way overrating the home field thing. St. Louis has Carpenter back for Game 3 and Carpenter has been a superb big-game pitcher with a 9-2 postseason record. Plus their bats just caught fire.

[jacksonianmarch]

ARod and Swisher coming up small in big spots again. Pettitte pitched his heart out, but it wasnt enough. We still go home with effectively a 3 game series, winner take all. I like our chances

[Divinity]

A-Rod sucks, all he does is strike out.

[jacksonianmarch]

ARod needs to be dropped to the 8 slot again. He sucks

[The Village Idiot]

ARod and Swisher coming up small in big spots again. Pettitte pitched his heart out, but it wasnt enough. We still go home with effectively a 3 game series, winner take all. I like our chances

 

"I like our chances."

 

When have we heard that before from Yankees fans?

[redsoxrules]

A-Rod sucks, all he does is strike out.

 

and getting paid 30 MIL to do so

[Bellhorn04]

If the Yankees want better production from A-Rod they better get Kate Hudson back on the case. When A-Rod was banging her back in 2009 he suddenly turned into Mr. October.

[jacksonianmarch]

I still like our chances. We have a 3 game series in Ny with arguably our best pitcher going in game 3, and they'll have to beat CC in a game 5 if we take one of the next 2. The O's have been unimpressive so far, and if we could actually hit to situations, both games wouldn't have been close

[Bellhorn04]

I still like our chances. We have a 3 game series in Ny with arguably our best pitcher going in game 3, and they'll have to beat CC in a game 5 if we take one of the next 2. The O's have been unimpressive so far, and if we could actually hit to situations, both games wouldn't have been close

 

The O's are unimpressive, except for the results.

[jung]

ARod is only one of the problems in that Spanks lineup. Granderson, Mr. K, 195 K's on 596 AB's in 2012, Swisher drags his 1-33 RISP to the plate, Tex dragging one leg to the plate and ARod who is just plain terrible no matter how you cut it. Depending on where Ichiro bats, the highlights are the two pop guns, Jeter and Ichiro and then Cano. All downhill from there. Jeter has his seeing eye, inside out swing and Ichiro has his semi-bunt "swing" which is actually hard to call a swing and then Cano....an actual hitter still young enough to employ his estimable talents. Obviously, the Skanks really miss Gardener.

 

While Orioles pitching is not on the same level as Yankee pitching, they might be good enough against the geriatric crew that the Yanks send to the plate these days. The thing I would be looking forward to if I were cheering on the Yanks was a return to Matchbox Stadium. There, you add the cheap HR's component to Jeter and Ichiro's cheap hit techniques and shazam.....you have something of an offense.

 

There at least there is a ghost of a chance that somebody other than Cano might drive in a run on purpose against an Oriole starter, especially a RHer. Even in NY though, who might that be? Mr. K, Granderson comes to mind, if he fills that hole in his bat and actually puts the ball in play.....slumping Tex, maybe Martin?

 

So the Yanks can hang their hopes for the most part on a return to Matchbox Stadium, more RH pitchers in the Orioles rotation and Cano as far as scoring is concerned. I think they will find a way to win one of the first two on the strength of that and this ends up a game 5 showdown to move on.

 

The only way I see that changing is if the O's win the first game in NY and that big apple starts getting caught up in Yankee throats.

[redsoxrules]

Chapman is a beast

[SoxFanForsyth]

Oh Coco....

[jung]

Actually didn't it look like the Oakland runner's foot got the bag before the tag in spite of what the TBS broadcast crew just claimed. Obviously to hard to really tell but if I had to bet, without seeing multiple replays, I would bet the runner beat the throw to second. Not sure if the tag was maintained as the runner lost contact with the bag but thought he initially beat the throw.

[jung]

I swear to God, hitting is almost a lost art in MLB these days. Swinging is what they do now and that passes for hitting. Doesn't even seem to occur to them that while good pitching will always beat good hitting, good pitching will just destroy swinging. That is what we are being treated to game after game after game with little exception this post season.....ala Cespedas in the 8th inning tonight.

[jung]

Wow did the A's ever pitch their asses off tonight. Anderson on twenty days rest pitches out of this world.

[jung]

Interesting thing about A's-Tigers is that if not for that Coco error in game 2, A's would probably be in the driver's seat tonight......another testament to the power of pitching. A's second half is truly about seeing their hitting come around but at the end of the day, the A's live or die on their pitching.

[Taz]

Another 12+hr marathon of post season ball lined up today

 

Cards @ Nats already underway

[jung]

Wow...Jackson picked a bad time to barf up an ugly start for the Nats. He is not only serving up "hit me please" pitches he is serving up "make me go yard" pitches against Carpenter no less.