The Official 2021 ALCS Thread

[dgalehouse]

Dave Roberts will always have a place in the hearts of Sox fans , but I think he leaves something to be desired as an in -game manager.

[moonslav59]

2010-2015 were very crapshooty.

 

2016-2020 were not crapshooty.

 

yes!

[dgalehouse]

Everything could be falling into place for another parade. Atlanta upsetting the Dodgers would certainly make things easier. When you're hot , you're hot.

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

That requires a bit of detail.

 

Platooning a guy like Joc Pederson as they did made sense. He mashed RH pitching and was helpless against LH pitching.

 

Ya, but if I was a Dodgers fan I would've been livid. Bellinger played all 162 games that year and was MVP in the NLCS! Come on. And Muncy led the club with 35 bombs and was second in WAR; I noticed after his walk-off in Game 3 he was in there no matter who was throwing.

 

This October, I think we can agree that Verdugo -- with the way he's delivered at the plate and in the field -- has earned a regular daily spot in the lineup. If he was still in LA, his energy might be wasted in the dugout on cheerleading, depending on what arm the opposing pitcher was using.

 

It's not all about stats. That's the point.

[moonslav59]

Ya, but if I was a Dodgers fan I would've been livid. Bellinger played all 162 games that year and was MVP in the NLCS! Come on. And Muncy led the club with 35 bombs and was second in WAR; I noticed after his walk-off in Game 3 he was in there no matter who was throwing.

 

This October, I think we can agree that Verdugo -- with the way he's delivered at the plate and in the field -- has earned a regular daily spot in the lineup. If he was still in LA, his energy might be wasted in the dugout on cheerleading, depending on what arm the opposing pitcher was using.

 

It's not all about stats. That's the point.

 

Yes, it's not all stats, but the others' NLDS and NLCS were great, too- Taylor & Freese especially.

 

Two had spectacular playoffs numbers to get the Dodgers to the WS.

 

OPS in NLDS/NLCS

1.833/.962 Taylor

.833/1.083 Freese

 

Kike went nutty in the 2017 playoffs.

[Bellhorn04]

Everything could be falling into place for another parade. Atlanta upsetting the Dodgers would certainly make things easier. When you're hot , you're hot.

 

Let's not count our chickens and duck boats just yet.

 

Atlanta was up 2-0 and 3-1 last year on the Dodgers.

[mvp 78]

Let's not count our chickens and duck boats just yet.

 

Atlanta was up 2-0 and 3-1 last year on the Dodgers.

 

Best WS Subplots:

 

Dodgers VS Red Sox (Betts return to BOS, Kiké and Verdugo return to LAD)

Dodgers VS Astros (Dodgers face off against WS rival that cheated them)

Braves VS Red Sox (Interleague Rivalry, digging up some old fans who remember seeing the Braves in Boston)

Braves VS Astros (2005 NLDS revenge??? IDK)

Edited October 18, 2021 by mvp 78

[moonslav59]

Best WS Subplots:

 

Dodgers VS Red Sox (Verdugo return to LA)

 

I fixed that for you.

[Maxbialystock]

Best WS Subplots:

 

Dodgers VS Red Sox (Betts return to BOS, Kiké and Verdugo return to LAD)

Dodgers VS Astros (Dodgers face off against WS rival that cheated them)

Braves VS Red Sox (Interleague Rivalry, digging up some old fans who remember seeing the Braves in Boston)

Braves VS Astros (2005 NLDS revenge??? IDK)

 

Neat!

[Maxbialystock]

I went back and read/reread some of the early pages and comments. This has been a really good thread.

[Yaz Fan Since 67]

Also, as good Seager is, geez, you have to knock that ball down as priority number one. If you knock the ball down and the guy is safe at first, who cares, you still have two outs with runners on first and third, but to let that ball trickle into CF was unacceptable.

 

The Seager play was amusing to me because a play or 2 earlier he made a very good short hop catch on a force play. Now it was a good play but Darling said "99% of the time that play is not made" or however it was worded. IMO 80% of the time a major league 2nd baseman makes that play too.

[notin]

Best WS Subplots:

 

Dodgers VS Red Sox (Betts return to BOS, Kiké and Verdugo return to LAD)

Dodgers VS Astros (Dodgers face off against WS rival that cheated them)

Braves VS Red Sox (Interleague Rivalry, digging up some old fans who remember seeing the Braves in Boston)

Braves VS Astros (2005 NLDS revenge??? IDK)

 

No Joe Kelly subplot?!?

[moonslav59]

The Seager play was amusing to me because a play or 2 earlier he made a very good short hop catch on a force play. Now it was a good play but Darling said "99% of the time that play is not made" or however it was worded. IMO 80% of the time a major league 2nd baseman makes that play too.

 

That ball was smoked, and it's hard to blame a defender for not trying to get in front of that ball, but in that situation, I think you need to make the play or knock the ball down

[moonslav59]

No Joe Kelly subplot?!?

 

Joe who?

[YastrzemskI]

That ball was smoked, and it's hard to blame a defender for not trying to get in front of that ball, but in that situation, I think you need to make the play or knock the ball down

 

He is treated like a big star out in LA. He needed to do better there. Either snag it or knock it down. That was the ball game. I wouldn't give him an error there but it wasn't a good play either. Far from it. Long story short.. the Braves are up two games to none and smell blood. Hopefully the Dodgers bounce back because if they don't it would make for a boring NLCS.. if you can call two back to back walk off victories boring.. maybe not. I'm happy for the Braves though. It's cool to root for the underdog, unless they play against the Red SoX.

[moonslav59]

He is treated like a big star out in LA. He needed to do better there. Either snag it or knock it down. That was the ball game. I wouldn't give him an error there but it wasn't a good play either. Far from it. Long story short.. the Braves are up two games to none and smell blood. Hopefully the Dodgers bounce back because if they don't it would make for a boring NLCS.. if you can call two back to back walk off victories boring.. maybe not. I'm happy for the Braves though. It's cool to root for the underdog, unless they play against the Red SoX.

 

I'd love to see us face the Dodgers, but I always pull for the underdog, unless the Sox are favored.

[vegasbob]

Over this century's world series winners

 

2000: Yankees won 87 games (8th among playoff teams)

2001: Diamondbacks won 92 games (6th)

2002: Angels won 99 games (4th)

2003: Marlins won 91 games (6th)

2004: Red Sox won 98 games (3rd)

2005: White Sox won 99 games (2nd)

2006: Cardinals won 83 games (8th)

2007: Red Sox won 96 games (T-1st)

2008: Phillies won 92 games (6th)

2009: Yankees won 103 games (1st)

2010: Giants won 92 games (5th)

2011: Cardinals won 90 games (8th)

2012: Giants won 94 games (T-4th)

2013: Red Sox won 97 games (T-1st)

2014: Giants won 88 games (T-8th)

2015: Royals won 95 games (3rd)

2016: Cubs won 103 games (1st)

2017: Astros won 101 games (3rd)

2018: Red Sox won 108 games (1st)

2019: Nationals won 93 games (8th)

 

Last year the Dodgers had the best record in the league - but let's set that aside for obvious reasons.

 

I notice the Red Sox are listed 4 times, but the Yankees not so much Surely must be some strange times , right Jackson ?

[jacksonianmarch]

Honestly, the team that has home field has to win their first two games. When they don't, you allow the "underdog" to gain momentum. I actually do think MLB should adopt the 2-2-1-1-1 approach. I wonder with Houston's SP injuries whether the sox will even allow this to go back to Houston

[oldtimer]

Best WS Subplots:

 

Dodgers VS Red Sox (Betts return to BOS, Kiké and Verdugo return to LAD)

Dodgers VS Astros (Dodgers face off against WS rival that cheated them)

Braves VS Red Sox (Interleague Rivalry, digging up some old fans who remember seeing the Braves in Boston)

Braves VS Astros (2005 NLDS revenge??? IDK)

 

I'm an old guy now but my dad was born in the 19th century and told stories of seeing the Braves play when he was a kid. He referred to it as being part of a knothole gang so I presume it was at the Old South Park where they played before moving to what is now Nickerson Field at BU. Dad went to fight in the 1st WW and returned to work for a Boston Newspaper and became an avid Red Sox fan. I was old enough to go to a Braves game then but we went to see the Sox instead.

[vegasbob]

I'm an old guy now but my dad was born in the 19th century and told stories of seeing the Braves play when he was a kid. He referred to it as being part of a knothole gang so I presume it was at the Old South Park where they played before moving to what is now Nickerson Field at BU. Dad went to fight in the 1st WW and returned to work for a Boston Newspaper and became an avid Red Sox fan. I was old enough to go to a Braves game then but we went to see the Sox instead.

 

My Dad did take us to see the Braves in 1951 & '52 before they moved on. I told him, I'd rather be at Fenway and see Williams

[notin]

Honestly, the team that has home field has to win their first two games. When they don't, you allow the "underdog" to gain momentum. I actually do think MLB should adopt the 2-2-1-1-1 approach. I wonder with Houston's SP injuries whether the sox will even allow this to go back to Houston

 

No sport should adopt the 2-2-1-1-1 format. The 2-3-2 is perfect. Each team has a benefit. The purpose of the location schedule is not to give one team an advantage.

 

Why not a simple 4-3?

[Bellhorn04]

No sport should adopt the 2-2-1-1-1 format. The 2-3-2 is perfect. Each team has a benefit. The purpose of the location schedule is not to give one team an advantage.

 

Why not a simple 4-3?

 

4-3, you're kidding?

[jacksonianmarch]

No sport should adopt the 2-2-1-1-1 format. The 2-3-2 is perfect. Each team has a benefit. The purpose of the location schedule is not to give one team an advantage.

 

Why not a simple 4-3?

 

Disagree. I think there needs to be an advantage for winning home field. If you win the first game in the series and have a chance to end it before it goes back to the advantaged team's home field, then I don't think that is right unless you sweep

[Maxbialystock]

My Dad did take us to see the Braves in 1951 & '52 before they moved on. I told him, I'd rather be at Fenway and see Williams

 

You bet.

[Bellhorn04]

Disagree. I think there needs to be an advantage for winning home field. If you win the first game in the series and have a chance to end it before it goes back to the advantaged team's home field, then I don't think that is right unless you sweep

 

I agree with your point. And in the best of 5 they use a 2-2-1 format. The only real problem with the 2-2-1-1-1 is the potential amount of travel required for the last 3 games.

[Maxbialystock]

Disagree. I think there needs to be an advantage for winning home field. If you win the first game in the series and have a chance to end it before it goes back to the advantaged team's home field, then I don't think that is right unless you sweep

 

2-2-1 is bad enough, but 2-2-1-1-1 is absurd.

[Bellhorn04]

2-2-1 is bad enough, but 2-2-1-1-1 is absurd.

 

It's not absurd if there's no travel issue.

[YastrzemskI]

My Dad did take us to see the Braves in 1951 & '52 before they moved on. I told him, I'd rather be at Fenway and see Williams

 

That is amazing. You were at a ball park in the 1950s watching baseball. We should start a new thread and talk about some of the nuances of baseball back then compared to today. I read a few books but nothing replaces being there.

 

BTW.. if anyone wants to recommend a great baseball book I am all ears but this is a topic for another thread. I managed to pick up a great coffee table book recently that compares today's ball parks to the lost ones. Shibe, Ebbets, Polo Grounds, etc... man... looking at some of the photos at these places is something else. People sitting on wooden fences watching post season ball.. people on roof tops across from Shibe Park. I hate that only two of these shrines remain. Fenway & Wrigley. Some People wanna lump Dodger Stadium in there. I've been there.. it's a nice stadium but come on.

[Kimmi]

I'd love to see us face the Dodgers, but I always pull for the underdog, unless the Sox are favored.

 

I do not want to face the Dodgers. I do not want to hear about all the 'subplots' all series long.

 

Go Braves!

[YastrzemskI]

I do not want to face the Dodgers. I do not want to hear about all the 'subplots' all series long.

 

Go Braves!

 

True. It does get sort of mind numbing to keep hearing all the Mookie Betts, Kike and Verdugo crap..