2023 MLB postseason thread

[mvp 78]

The Dodgers' rotation was in bad shape going into the playoffs, but that doesn't explain their offense's futility.

 

Maybe just some excellent pitching and game planning by Arizona.

 

Game 1: Kershaw got smoked

Game 2: Zac Gallen is a great pitcher and quieted the bats

Game 3: Lance Lynn puts them in a hole and DBags do the bullpen gimmick to keep the Doyers off balance

[Bellhorn04]

Battle of Texas coming up.

 

Go Rangers!

[moonslav59]

Battle of Texas coming up.

 

Go Rangers!

 

Living close to Houston has gotten me interested in the local teams.

 

I'm still a big Packers fan, but I like the texans and hope they win.

I dislike the Astros, and not just because of the Sox beatings and the cheating. They do run the team, nicely, but I am rooting for anyone but the 'Stros.

[Bellhorn04]

I dislike the Astros, and not just because of the Sox beatings and the cheating. They do run the team, nicely, but I am rooting for anyone but the 'Stros.

 

Amen to that.

[Old Red]

I've been trying to believe the playoffs are NOT a crapshoot.

 

Even more so in these days, and times. The Red Sox got in to the postseason on the last day of the season in 2021, and almost made it to the WS. That is why you never pass up a chance to get in.

[Maxbialystock]

Game 1: Kershaw got smoked

Game 2: Zac Gallen is a great pitcher and quieted the bats

Game 3: Lance Lynn puts them in a hole and DBags do the bullpen gimmick to keep the Doyers off balance

 

Dave Roberts should have done the same thing by having a good bullpen arm ready from the 2d inning on and maybe from the 1st inning on. As it was, no one was in the bullpen until the Diamondbacks nailed 2 and maybe 3 dingers in the 3d inning.

 

If the Braves lose, that means all four teams with close to 100 wins--Orioles, Dodgers, Braves, and Rays--will have been eliminated right off the bat. Rays in the "wild card" and the other three in the division series.

 

If you were one of the four teams with a bye in the wild card round, you had 6 days off. I think that's too many to maintain your edge. In 2007 the Rockies killed everyone in the postseason and had to wait 9 freaking days before playing the Sox, who needed 7 games to eliminate the Guardians. Sox swept the Rockies in the WS.

 

So far this year the Dodgers and Orioles have been swept, the Astros beat the Twins, and the Phillies are up on the Braves, 2 games to 1.

[Maxbialystock]

I've been trying to believe the playoffs are NOT a crapshoot.

 

The new format with 3 game wild card series means the 4 teams with byes--Orioles, Astros, Dodgers, and Braves--took 6 days off before their first games in the division series. That's too many if you want to keep your edge.

 

And that's especially true when you realize that the low-life "lucky" teams that barely got into the postseason won 5 1/2 out of every 10 games they played compared to the elite teams (with the byes--except for the Rays) who won just 6 of 10 games they played.

 

So, while I would love to say the new format is unfair to the best teams--by making them wait 6 days--I also recognize that even 100 wins doesn't make you that much better than 90 win team.

 

Here's a horrible, terrible thought. The Sox were absolutely dreadful this year, so bad that many on Talksox wanted everyone fired--Bloom, Cora, the coaches, other executives, you name 'em. Clean the freaking house out!!!!

 

But the Sox won 48% of the time or basically 5 out of 10 games compared to the fantastic Orioles, 101 wins, who won 6 out of 10 games.

 

In other words, the distance between the penthouse and the outhouse ain't nearly as great as Talksoxers believe it is.

[mvp 78]

Dave Roberts should have done the same thing by having a good bullpen arm ready from the 2d inning on and maybe from the 1st inning on. As it was, no one was in the bullpen until the Diamondbacks nailed 2 and maybe 3 dingers in the 3d inning.

 

If the Braves lose, that means all four teams with close to 100 wins--Orioles, Dodgers, Braves, and Rays--will have been eliminated right off the bat. Rays in the "wild card" and the other three in the division series.

 

If you were one of the four teams with a bye in the wild card round, you had 6 days off. I think that's too many to maintain your edge. In 2007 the Rockies killed everyone in the postseason and had to wait 9 freaking days before playing the Sox, who needed 7 games to eliminate the Guardians. Sox swept the Rockies in the WS.

 

So far this year the Dodgers and Orioles have been swept, the Astros beat the Twins, and the Phillies are up on the Braves, 2 games to 1.

 

Just reduce the timing between the end of the season and the divisional series. No reason the Wild Card can't be the day after the regular season and the ALDS/NLDS the day after the Wild Card (ignoring ticketing). It's the only way to really make it harder on the Wild Card teams.

[Bellhorn04]

The new format with 3 game wild card series means the 4 teams with byes--Orioles, Astros, Dodgers, and Braves--took 6 days off before their first games in the division series. That's too many if you want to keep your edge.

 

And that's especially true when you realize that the low-life "lucky" teams that barely got into the postseason won 5 1/2 out of every 10 games they played compared to the elite teams (with the byes--except for the Rays) who won just 6 of 10 games they played.

 

So, while I would love to say the new format is unfair to the best teams--by making them wait 6 days--I also recognize that even 100 wins doesn't make you that much better than 90 win team.

 

Here's a horrible, terrible thought. The Sox were absolutely dreadful this year, so bad that many on Talksox wanted everyone fired--Bloom, Cora, the coaches, other executives, you name 'em. Clean the freaking house out!!!!

 

But the Sox won 48% of the time or basically 5 out of 10 games compared to the fantastic Orioles, 101 wins, who won 6 out of 10 games.

 

In other words, the distance between the penthouse and the outhouse ain't nearly as great as Talksoxers believe it is.

 

Reductionism at its finest.

 

The Red Sox finished 23 games behind the Orioles. It's absurd to suggest that's not a big gap.

 

Winning 6 out of 10 instead of 5 out of 10 might not seem like a big difference. But when you multiply by 16 it gets big.

[Maxbialystock]

Just reduce the timing between the end of the season and the divisional series. No reason the Wild Card can't be the day after the regular season and the ALDS/NLDS the day after the Wild Card (ignoring ticketing). It's the only way to really make it harder on the Wild Card teams.

 

Yes, but I think MLB is set on more games and therefore more accumulated ratings. My guess is that the Yankees vs the Dodgers would draw the most, but that's just the WS.

 

Shirley three game wild card series for eight teams, followed by five game division series for eight teams, followed by seven game, etc--will increase TV revenues regardless of who makes it to the World Series.

[moonslav59]

Yes, but I think MLB is set on more games and therefore more accumulated ratings. My guess is that the Yankees vs the Dodgers would draw the most, but that's just the WS.

 

Shirley three game wild card series for eight teams, followed by five game division series for eight teams, followed by seven game, etc--will increase TV revenues regardless of who makes it to the World Series.

 

Same amount of games- just less time off for WC teams and a shorter wait for the bye teams.

[dgalehouse]

There should be a maximum of one wild card in each league. That would solve the waiting around issue. The expanded playoffs are strictly a money grab , just like Amazon Prime, AppleTv+ and Peacock games. The Lords of baseball are among the greediest people on earth.

[mvp 78]

Yes, but I think MLB is set on more games and therefore more accumulated ratings. My guess is that the Yankees vs the Dodgers would draw the most, but that's just the WS.

 

Shirley three game wild card series for eight teams, followed by five game division series for eight teams, followed by seven game, etc--will increase TV revenues regardless of who makes it to the World Series.

 

I'm not saying to do away with the best of 3 series, just to get rid of the days off.

[mvp 78]

There should be a maximum of one wild card in each league. That would solve the waiting around issue. The expanded playoffs are strictly a money grab , just like Amazon Prime, AppleTv+ and Peacock games. The Lords of baseball are among the greediest people on earth.

 

You can't unring that ball once you're are too far down the rabbit hole by putting the toothpaste back in the tube of crossing the rubicon.

[dgalehouse]

You can't unring that ball once you're are too far down the rabbit hole by putting the toothpaste back in the tube of crossing the rubicon.

 

You could, but regrettably they won't.

[moonslav59]

There should be a maximum of one wild card in each league. That would solve the waiting around issue. The expanded playoffs are strictly a money grab , just like Amazon Prime, AppleTv+ and Peacock games. The Lords of baseball are among the greediest people on earth.

 

That ain't happening. Too much money- not only in more playoff games, but more teams staying in the race longer into the season.

 

More likely, they will have 8 teams make the playoffs in each league with no byes, or go back to one game play-ins.

[Maxbialystock]

Reductionism at its finest.

 

The Red Sox finished 23 games behind the Orioles. It's absurd to suggest that's not a big gap.

 

Winning 6 out of 10 instead of 5 out of 10 might not seem like a big difference. But when you multiply by 16 it gets big.

 

I am more than happy to agree that the Sox were way, way, way behind the Orioles this season.

 

But my math is dead right because the 162 game season magnifies the difference between winning 6 out of 10 games and winning 5 out of ten games.

 

Exactly as you say, 10 games for each team is just 1/16th of a season.

 

But 10 games is almost the entire postseason.

 

For example, in 2004, 2007, and 2018, the Sox won the WS and played, each time, 14 games in the postseason. All three years the Sox had to win the ALDS, the ALCS, and the WS. When the Sox lost to the Astros in the ALCS two years ago, they played a total 11 games: 1 vs. the NYY, 4 vs. the Rays, and 6 vs. the Astros.

Edited October 12, 2023 by Maxbialystock

[Maxbialystock]

You can't unring that ball once you're are too far down the rabbit hole by putting the toothpaste back in the tube of crossing the rubicon.

 

Simply stated, and yet so profound.

[mvp 78]

That ain't happening. Too much money- not only in more playoff games, but more teams staying in the race longer into the season.

 

More likely, they will have 8 teams make the playoffs in each league with no byes, or go back to one game play-ins.

 

MLB is probably excited that people are TALKING about the division series even if there is controversy. Baseball is so far behind other sports that not many people care anymore.

[notin]

You can't unring that ball once you're are too far down the rabbit hole by putting the toothpaste back in the tube of crossing the rubicon.

 

What if I have a paper tiger with two left feet of clay?

[harmony]

Over the past 14 seasons the American League has been represented in the World Series by an AL East team three times, an AL Central team four times and an AL West team seven times.

 

At what point are samples large enough to draw conclusions?

[moonslav59]

Over the past 14 seasons the American League has been represented in the World Series by an AL East team three times, an AL Central team four times and an AL West team seven times.

 

At what point are samples large enough to draw conclusions?

 

In 140 more years?

[redsoxrules]

That ain't happening. Too much money- not only in more playoff games, but more teams staying in the race longer into the season.

 

More likely, they will have 8 teams make the playoffs in each league with no byes, or go back to one game play-ins.

 

Oh please no. I find more the more playoff team they add the less it values the regular season.

I find they had it perfect when they had just the 3 divisional winners plus one wild card. That way when you made the playoffs you really earned it. Now you can make playoffs playing barely above 500.

[redsoxrules]

And the Braves are done. That high powered offense couldn't do much in this series.

[notin]

Over the past 14 seasons the American League has been represented in the World Series by an AL East team three times, an AL Central team four times and an AL West team seven times.

 

At what point are samples large enough to draw conclusions?

 

So rewarding cheaters?

 

And it’s really not the AL West. You’re largely just counting the Astros…

Edited October 13, 2023 by notin

[Jasonbay44]

So rewarding cheaters?

 

And it’s really not the AL West. You’re largely just counting the Astros…

And why 14 years? because if we used 15 it would've resulted in another AL East team making it in the 08 Rays? 16 years and it would've counted the 2007 Red Sox?

[moonslav59]

Oh please no. I find more the more playoff team they add the less it values the regular season.

I find they had it perfect when they had just the 3 divisional winners plus one wild card. That way when you made the playoffs you really earned it. Now you can make playoffs playing barely above 500.

 

I agree. Make them all 7 game series and that would add some games.

[moonslav59]

So rewarding cheaters?

 

And it’s really not the AL West. You’re largely just counting the Astros…

 

And, if you are counting the whole division as champs, then are they all cheaters, too?

[Bellhorn04]

And why 14 years? because if we used 15 it would've resulted in another AL East team making it in the 08 Rays? 16 years and it would've counted the 2007 Red Sox?

 

harmony's objectivity has been exposed as a sham.

[moonslav59]

harmony's objectivity has been exposed as a sham.

 

LMAO!