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MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Wally Bunker <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Wally+Bunker' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 8, 2019, 12:05 am

It looks like every playoff team has had a few problems except the Yankees. I know the Cardinals and Braves would rather play Washington than the Dodgers, but the Nationals do have very good starting pitching. My best guess is that the Dodgers will play and take the Braves in 6 games to advance to the World Series. I wouldnt be willing to bet more than a few dollars on that though. I still see Houston beating the Rays and the Yankees, but if the Yankees win i also wouldnt be surprised. No team today hits like the Yankees. In the end Houston takes down the Dodgers again.
Could the Cardinals play and beat Tampa Bay in the World Series?? Absolutely, its not likely but it could happen.
Astros World Champions, Carlos Correa, MVP of series.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Wally Bunker <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Wally+Bunker' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 9, 2019, 12:15 pm, in reply to "MLB Playoffs."

Atl -107
Stl -103

LA -168
Wash +151

TB + 234
Hou -265

This is how the Vegas odds makers see things.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Palin 2020 <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Palin+2020' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 9, 2019, 11:27 pm, in reply to "MLB Playoffs."

You’ve already missed 100% of the National League and 50% of the World Series.

What an authority.

A stopped clock is right twice a day.

You? Less so.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Ya, and you may have also, but thats your little secret. Im good with St.Louis, i like free money. Now they get t play the Nationals. Maybe Tampa Bay will come out of the AL after all.
PS i didnt pick the Blues either, but i did pick the Rapters at least.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I dont remember making any guarantees, but in the future maybe you can show us who to pick.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Rene <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Rene' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 9, 2019, 11:40 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

this was the Braves game. they just didn't come to play

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Nobody asked, but that doesn’t stop you.

Here was your prediction:

“ ...the Dodgers will play and take the Braves in 6 games to advance to the World Series.”

Waldo is batting .000 so far on playoff prognostications.

I’d ask who you think will win the 2020 election, but my ribs hurt too much already.

Better luck tomorrow.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

St.Louis winning is hardly a shock, but Washington winning is a bit of one. If either NY or Houston lose now that will be a big surprize.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

you can always tell when it's a teams year. and I thank that team is Washington

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Rene, they can pitch, well until the 9th any way. Both underdogs win, and Washington was a big underdog. Lets see how the AL plays out.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

After the way things have been going, Houston better be worried. The Yankees are the only favored team that took care of business. Yes the Braves Cards series was almost a toss up, but Atlanta was a slight favorite. I joked about Tampa playing St. Louis, the only thing crazier would be Tampa playing Washington two wild cards. St.Louis is a small favorite over Washington and damn happy not to be playing the Dodgers. If Houston loses tonight the top two teams will be gone.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Good pitching beats good hitting every time.

The Nationals have two guys that have the ability to combine for a total of four shut outs in a 7 game series.

The Dodgers have Walker Buehler, the ghost of Clayton Kershaw and a highly combustible bullpen.

You believe that the Nationals, who also have the best hitter in the National League, are the preferred foe of the Cardinals?

The Cardinals also have a history of working over Kershaw in the playoffs.

Do you ever think about what you write, or do you just log in and write the first thing that passes through your mind?

That’s a rhetorical question, by the way. I’ve got it figured out.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I think Kershaws best days are behind him, and the Dodgers were crazy to overpay him. I also believe most teams would rather play a Wild Card team over a team that won 106 games and that was in cruise control for a while at the end. Do you think the Yankees would rather play Tampa Bay or Houston?? I hear what you are saying with the Nationals pitching as i am sure you saw, but the Nationals BP is a little sketchy even after the deadline moves. I think Scherzer is dinked up also. I think St.Louis will beat Washington in 7 games, and if they get lucky will be playing another wild card team for the WS. Now just in case Houston does win, all bets are off. The Yankees would be a slight favorite over either the Nats or Cardinals and the Astros a little bigger favorite over either NL team. I guess you are referring to Soto as being the best hitter in the NL. Well he is pretty damn good, but im not sure he is the best just yet. Lets wait until two teams remain and make picks. St. Louis can make money for me, but id have a few concerns picking them or anyone else to beat Houston. I did pick Houston when they beat the Dodgers a few years ago and i did think those two would be the final two this season. One thing about sports is it is a lot harder picking the winners before the game than it is after. Fantasy league baseball has me liking my players and not as much liking a single team. I still quietly like the Orioles (but its not easy) but im starting to shift ever so slightly to becoming a Bombers fan, being another AL East team and all. Ive never changed teams, but the Orioles owner just wont die so i may have to soon.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Kershaw being diminished is a reason you want to play the Dodgers.

Most people would rather have the team that coasted in versus the team that’s battle-hardened and had to fight to the end.

It matters absolutely zero what you’ve done in the regular season once October rolls around.

The Yankees would absolutely rather face the Rays. Three reasons: Verlander, Cole, Greinke.

Rendon is the best hitter left in the playoffs in 2019. He’s a member of the Nationals.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

So winning by a large margin is a minus? The Dodgers are a better team than Washington and the Dodgers would have been the home team in a 7 game series against St. Louis. That game seven at home does matter.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

The Dodgers had the best team in the NL, but the best team does not always win. I think most of the time id rather play a team that didnt even win its division over the team with the best record in the league. Washington has some confidence now, so they wont be a pushover but they still arent as good as the Dodgers.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

The Dodgers lost to the Nationals.

The Nationals advanced by beating the Dodgers.

The Dodgers clearly weren’t what you think they are.

Maybe If baseball had an electoral college, you’d have had a result satisfactory to your misunderstanding of how the playoffs work.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I know exactly how the playoffs work. The Blues won the stanley cup, it was the greatest thing ever, but they werent the best team in the league. Sometimes things just fall into place like Tampa Bay losing in the ist round. The best team doesnt always win, but they do win more than they lose.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

NY VS Houston, some people see that as being the real World Series. I think the Yankees are beatable since they have average starting pitching, Houston may be almost unbeatable.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

You’ve proven to be quite the soothsayer.

As long as the team with the most wins in their division advances, you’re absolutely right.

If they don’t, you have a zero percent success rate.

I look forward to your March madness picks (not reading them).

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Its not that hard to pick the favorites, but this playoff season hasnt always been kind to that way of thinking. The league wanted Houston and NY, and they wanted St.Louis LA. Well they got half that wish.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

No foolin’ it’s not hard to pick favorites. That’s why you’re getting pilloried for doing it by me.

Explain how “the league” wanted the Cardinals in the NLCS. What have they done to move that along?

“The League” wants the four biggest TV markets it can get in the championship series.

I look forward to your fact-based refutation of this fact.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Usually i dont like picking favorites, but damn. St. Louis and LA would be a marquee matchup. On ESPN they talked about the AL delivering the prize matchup, with the NL's largest market team getting taken down. It happens. At this point the Yankees Cardinals seem like the most wanted finals. I doubt they would have much trouble selling that. A Washington, Houston final might be great baseball, but a television nightmare.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Taylor played that sure out into a double, but that was about all the drama this game had late. Its hard to win when you cant score any runs, but Washington doesnt look like a juggernaut either to this point. Maybe the Yankees and Houston really is the World Series after all. I still think the Cardinals can come back, but they need to start hitting the ball and it has to be against Strassburg in the next game. Scherzer is a really good pitcher, but Sanchez is an average number 4 starter if that.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by 3Dee <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=3Dee' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 12, 2019, 6:23 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

These bouts of non-productivity have cost the Cardinals and if they're not careful, they will get mired down by heavy laden contracts.

It's interesting that Fowler has finally found his stride....

But then there's one totally useless player who at best would be a third-string designated hitter...because he can't field and most of the time can't hit. The Cardinals will be eating a lot of Salsa for the next two years, with a $37 million price tag.

There's another useless outfielder, but the price to eat those tots is substantially less.

But Molina....still worth every penny.

Joe Biden is YOUR President!

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I dont think Dexter is worth the money he makes, but Carpenter and that new contract is a back breaker. Bader is just another over rated prospect which every team has, but at least hes good defensively. Dex is 2 for 12 this series, but he has had had plenty of help at being bad to this point. Some said todays game was a must win, but for damn sure game 3 is, and against Strassburg it wont be easy.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Rene <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Rene' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 12, 2019, 7:30 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

Like I said the other day it's Washington's year. although I am surprised the Cards didn't when this game

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Maybe it is Washingtons year after coming up short for so many seasons. I thought Wainwright against Scherzer was a tough matchup, but i thought Mikolas would beat Washingtons number starter. Im not so sure that winning this series is going to be all that joyful with either the Astros or Yankees waiting in the wongs. Who knows though the way things are going, St. Louis may take this series in six and then sweep the Astros. I doubt it, but you never know.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

they will go to the series, but like you said they probably will get beat. kind of like the 2006 world series Cards beat the Tiger's in 4. or they could shock the world just like the 2019 blues did. so who knows

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Randy Karraker just said 15 minutes ago that talent wise the Cardinals were the 6th best team. No, not the 6th best team in baseball, the 6th best team in the National League. I think the Dodgers, Braves, Brewers, and Nationals have better overall rosters, but i think the Cardinals are ahead of the Cubs. They are still good enough to beat most teams in a 7 game series, if things fall the right way.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by bob <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=bob' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 12, 2019, 11:22 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

I can't tell if the Nationals' pitchers are that great or the Cards are just making them look that great.

If you don't read the papers, you're uninformed. If you read the papers, you're misinformed. - Mark Twain

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Ya, my predictions were not very good were they? I also wasnt exactly jumping up and down and saying they would be either. In fact i said i wouldnt be surprised with just about any outcome. You may not like me, or even worse, but most of the time im not really known for being wishy washy like i was with those predictions. I know you got every one of them right, you just forgot to tell us, so Good Job.
I actually did quite well with the elections, i got most of them right, but i missed on Trump. When they made all that fuss about Trump accepting the election results i had a feeling the fix was in, and i wasnt sure he could win anyway because the MSM said he didnt have a chance in hell. And yet we all see who in the end just could not accept the results.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Scherzer is elite, Sanchez is a junk throwing number four starter with a high ERA. If the Nats try to pitch Sanchez against the Yankees if they win, i dont like his chances of taking a no hitter into the late innings much.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Just Mike <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Just+Mike' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 13, 2019, 7:52 am, in reply to "MLB Playoffs."

The Cards are not going to go much farther if they can't get their hitting issues fixed. There's no way a team can only score one or two runs and make it to the World Series. They're occasional outbreaks of big run innings show they have the ability, but for whatever reason it's not happening on a consistent basis...

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I know anything can happen but watching the Astros and Yankees play makes me think whoever loses the NL series may be getting the better deal. Just watched C.C. get oe out and he looks like a 50 year old slow pitch softball player. Stanton is out of the lineup again, what a disaster that signing has been for the Yankees. He misses more games than he plays.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Correa has a lot of hotdog in him, but he sure ended this game.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Well, this game is about over.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Did the Cardinals play tonight??? Hell even the bars were dead on a playoff game night. Even the biggest homer in baseball, John Rooney waited until the fourth pitch before bitching about balls and strikes. All the gloom and doomers are on the Cardinal sites, and a couple of them have even broken the Golden Rule and trashed Molina a little bit along with Schildt, Dejong, Ozuna and Dez. A few even claimed Schildts rant has created bad karma for the team and that why they are getting F'D up. Well a lot of teams would love to be playing tomorrow down 3 to nothing like the Braves and Dodgers. People that couldnt name three players on the team are yapping about how bad they suck, its a joke.
This team has overachieved, so anything they do is a bonus. I think they will win tomorrow.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Rene <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Rene' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 14, 2019, 11:27 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

Of course they will win tomorrow. 2006 world series 4-1

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Im not a big Corbin fan, but its difficult to sweep a good team. Washington i think has an edge in talent but not a 4 game sweep edge. No team in this situation that i know of started a seven game series losing the first 3 including 2 at home and came back to take the series. One day it will happen though.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Damn, this is like watching a khoury league team.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Some clown on this thread thought playing the Nationals was more favorable than playing the Dodgers.

Clearly, their perception of reality is perverted.

Any idea who that was?

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Palin, most people understand that a team with by far the best record in the league is normally a better team than a team than a team that failed to win their division. You understand that right?? Washington has very good starting pitching, but Sanchez the guy that damn near no hot them is basically a 500 pitcher with not so good ERA. But the brilliant Palin, why that guy knows how to wait until the games are over before commenting.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Im typing one handed, and i can barely type with two.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

My position: good pitching beats good hitting every time - is well-established.

I also provided reasons as to why this was not a favorable matchup.

Then you prattled on about how you felt reality didn’t apply.

This is what you get when you don’t analyze anything and pop off nonsense on all topics.

Waldo’s streak of being wrong continues.

It’s the one thing we can count on in these turbulent times.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

The Dodgers have good pitching also, and by the way i agree pitching is important. Scherzer has been a little off his game after missing time and the Cardinals have had success in the past with Strassburg. But when you let a number 4 pitcher beat your number 2 that kind of sets the tone i would say. The Cardinals could have beaten the Nationals, they just didnt. They are talented enough just as the Braves could have beat the Cardinals. The best teams dont always win. Next time dont be so generic, anyone can parrot a cliche and say good pitching beats good hitting. Anibal Sanchez is average to below average pitching.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Heres my World series prediction. Good pitching beats good hitting. Wow, such insight.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Pretty ballsy calling a guy that’s managed to stay in the Major Leagues for 14 years with a sub-4.00 era “below average”.

He’s also thrown a no-hitter and that wasn’t the first time he’d carried one deep in the playoffs.

In your wisdom, and I’m sure your playing credentials were impeccable, who do you consider to be “average” by your standards?

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Damn, when i said he was a 500 pitcher, i didnt realize he was just that, a 500 pitcher. 108 Wins 108 losses, in other words a 4th starter, who by the way this season which is the one currently in progress had an ERA of well over 4. Yes for his career he did some good things, hes a number 4 pitcher, not a total bum. His ERA was a fraction under 4 which is ok, but nothing special.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I noticed the Astros beat the Yankees today by a count of 4-1.

You’ve gushed about how the Yankees bash the baseball.

How would you characterize how the Astros (Gerritt Cole, in particular) won that baseball game?

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

An ERA of nearly 4 and a half runs a game would generously be described as average to below average.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

It is.

However, Anibal Sanchez had an ERA of 3.85 this year.

These stats are easily available at baseball-reference.com.

You’ve always had a funny relationship with numbers and facts, though.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Gerrit Cole is a monster, but he looks a helluva lot better on Houston than he did in Pittsburgh. The Yankees can hit, they set a record for the most games missed with players on the DL and just kept on winning with not the best pitching. Stanton has been on the DL more than he has played and yet the team is still one of only 3 teams left. Other stars have missed nulous games, something that would have ended the season for most teams. The Yankees have a killer BP, but the starters are a little weak as a group. The ASTROS are more balanced and probably better overall than any team in MLB.
Maybe you didnt know this, but a team can be a great hitting team and lose a game and not hit well, just like a team can have great pitching and lose 10 to 0. Sorry, i figured you already knew that. Dont take my word on the Yankees hitting, its pretty common knowledge.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

I don’t take assign any value to your word, don’t worry.

Anibal Sanchez had a 3.85 era this year. Almost 7/10 of a run better than league average.

Which is decidedly different than the mid-4 you claimed.

You’ve always had a funny relationship with things like statistics and facts, though.

I’m neither an educator nor a member of the schoolboard. I am also not an appointed or elected local official.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Im going to give you the 3.85 because the site i looked at they had vs righties verses lefties. Hes still a number 4 pitcher, and the Cardinals are more than capable of mashing him, Scherzer and Strassburg ok, Sanchez, who throws 88 on a good day and who is a 500 pitcher is just a guy. In todays game 3.85 is ok, its even better in the A.L. but this guy dies not fall into the category of good pitching beats good hitting. If you want to say average 500 pitchers beat struggling hitters i would be forced to agree with you.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Ill make this bet with you if you think Anibal is so great. Ill say if he faces the Yankees lineup he wont see the 6th inning. Hes not Greg Maddux, hes more like Mike Maddox.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Baseball reference .com, nice. Great is Cole, Strassburg, hell Flaherty is approaching great. 108 AND 108 is not great, it in the definition of average.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Posted by Rene <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/GraniteGossip/info/user=Rene' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on October 15, 2019, 11:04 pm, in reply to "Re: MLB Playoffs."

as I said it was the Nat's year to go to the world series, but history is against them because they have to wait, but knows maybe they will break that History and actually win. also if it rains tomorrow in New York and they have to play 4 games back to back whoever maybe very tired.

Re: MLB Playoffs.

wins

Re: MLB Playoffs.

Its been the Nats year for a while. I think they have a fighters chance, but not because of Anibal Sanchez. Im one of the old school guys though that dont believe a team that couldnt win its own division should even be paying in the world series. i get why they do it, i just dont like it.

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