Author Topic: 2022 MLB Post-season (Read 12149 times)

nfotiu · « **Reply #225:** October 17, 2022, 11:21:41 AM »

I can't help but think there is a pretty big advantage to playing a few playoff games and getting some flow and momentum going, vs taking 5 days off, especially for hitters.

Slateman · « **Reply #226:** October 17, 2022, 11:57:45 AM »

Quote from: welch on October 17, 2022, 10:58:59 AM

The Yankees have one ace and a few pretty good starters. They have a thin bullpen. They have some good fielders, but they have built a team around hitting home runs. That makes for dull baseball and losing playoff baseball.

Throughout the season, Cashman has been criticized for enforcing obedience to analytics down to in-game decisions. Boone manages a game with "standard decisions" at every moment. Robot-like.

Yankees had the third best pitching in all of baseball. Third best bullpen. Guardians have an ace and then nice pitching. It isnt like McKenzie or Quantrill are dominating Yankees hitters.

You say losing playoff baseball, but the Mets and Dodgers both have higher batting averages than the Guardians.

Yankees have played poor defense, Boone has made some pretty poor decisions, and Judge has gone ice cold. Despite that, they were one meltdown 9th inning away from closing out last night. Which is only because of MLB's crappy scheduling.

Elvir Ovcina · « **Reply #227:** October 17, 2022, 12:07:22 PM »

Quote from: nfotiu on October 17, 2022, 11:21:41 AM

I can't help but think there is a pretty big advantage to playing a few playoff games and getting some flow and momentum going, vs taking 5 days off, especially for hitters.

There's actually a decently easy (and fair) fix for this, if it's a problem at all. After the playoff seeding order is determined, let each team determine which spot in the bracket it actually wants to play in. So a #1 seed can play an extra series if it really wants to, and it can pick which set of dates it gets for its second round series.

I personally didn't like the 3 game opening series. But then again, I mostly view the extra Wild Card as an attempt to prevent either the Yankees or Red Sox from missing the playoffs entirely. It didn't work on that score either.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #228:** October 17, 2022, 12:26:07 PM »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on October 16, 2022, 10:16:15 PM

Still have one more game.

That actually sounds fun. The Evil Empire versus the Evilest Empire.

Saddam vs. Khomeini

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #229:** October 17, 2022, 12:33:39 PM »

Quote from: welch on October 17, 2022, 10:58:59 AM

They have a thin bullpen.

A lot of injuries has their C bullpen now their "go to" As. Chad Green, Zach Britton, Michael King, Scott Effross who they traded for because of the other injuries . . .

welch · « **Reply #230:** October 17, 2022, 04:25:03 PM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on October 17, 2022, 12:33:39 PM

A lot of injuries has their C bullpen now their "go to" As. Chad Green, Zach Britton, Michael King, Scott Effross who they traded for because of the other injuries . . .

That's it. They needed a closer on Saturday night, but Boone decided to rest Holmes in the 9th. Tonight could be painful for the Yankees, but really ugly for Cleveland. Kiner-Falefa should stay benched, but that means Hicks in the OF, and Hicks????

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #231:** October 17, 2022, 04:29:09 PM »

Ikf makes that defense. Another injury that hurts is Benintendi. They never got to play Beni in left with Bader in cf and Judge in right. That was what Cashman wanted. At some point, injuries have to be built into your expectations for an older lineup

Slateman · « **Reply #232:** October 17, 2022, 05:03:29 PM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on October 17, 2022, 04:29:09 PM

Ikf makes that defense. Another injury that hurts is Benintendi. They never got to play Beni in left with Bader in cf and Judge in right. That was what Cashman wanted. At some point, injuries have to be built into your expectations for an older lineup

Makes it ... bad?

They have two professional outfielders on the bench. Yet the prospect SS who has maybe 100 innings in LF is still in the game with a lead.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #233:** October 17, 2022, 05:59:55 PM »

Quote from: Slateman on October 17, 2022, 05:03:29 PM

Makes it ... bad?

They have two professional outfielders on the bench. Yet the prospect SS who has maybe 100 innings in LF is still in the game with a lead.

IKF is stud defender. The bat isn't much, but the glove can play.

Slateman · « **Reply #234:** October 17, 2022, 06:05:27 PM »

Quote from: JCA-CrystalCity on October 17, 2022, 05:59:55 PM

IKF is stud defender. The bat isn't much, but the glove can play.

https://twitter.com/mike_petriello/status/1575879662722461697

He was until he got to NY.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #235:** October 17, 2022, 07:51:38 PM »

Better than Torres in any case.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #236:** October 17, 2022, 09:30:13 PM »

So are they going to play?

Slateman · « **Reply #237:** October 17, 2022, 09:58:21 PM »

Quote from: Natsinpwc on October 17, 2022, 09:30:13 PM

So are they going to play?

Tomorrow. 4pm

nfotiu · « **Reply #238:** October 18, 2022, 09:40:23 AM »

Quote from: Elvir Ovcina on October 17, 2022, 12:07:22 PM

There's actually a decently easy (and fair) fix for this, if it's a problem at all. After the playoff seeding order is determined, let each team determine which spot in the bracket it actually wants to play in. So a #1 seed can play an extra series if it really wants to, and it can pick which set of dates it gets for its second round series.

I personally didn't like the 3 game opening series. But then again, I mostly view the extra Wild Card as an attempt to prevent either the Yankees or Red Sox from missing the playoffs entirely. It didn't work on that score either.

Well, it is only an advantage to the team that wins. The team with the bye is going to have the best odds of the 3 teams, but not necessarily better odds than the team the winner of the 1st round. Even when the Nats were good, they never looked sharp after 2-3 off days for rainouts or what not. Playing after 5 days off against a hot team is going to be tough. This all just makes the playoffs even more of a lottery. Maybe a best of 7 for this second round would help.

JCA-CrystalCity · « **Reply #239:** October 18, 2022, 09:48:32 AM »

Here is a weird idea: Do a mini-tournament among the top 2 in each league in parallel with a 5 game WC round, maybe like a NCAAA regional. If the winner of the top team mini tournament doesn't win the WS, they get to play the WS winner in a 2 out of 3, neutral site (Omaha). Basically, this becomes a double elimination for the top 4 teams.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #240:** October 18, 2022, 10:20:43 AM »

Quote from: nfotiu on October 18, 2022, 09:40:23 AM

Well, it is only an advantage to the team that wins. The team with the bye is going to have the best odds of the 3 teams, but not necessarily better odds than the team the winner of the 1st round. Even when the Nats were good, they never looked sharp after 2-3 off days for rainouts or what not. Playing after 5 days off against a hot team is going to be tough. This all just makes the playoffs even more of a lottery. Maybe a best of 7 for this second round would help.

The days off is just an excuse for teams and pitchers that don’t perform. The teams with the bye get to lien up their starting pitching and rest their key bullpen guys. I think the best of 7 for the division series makes a lot of sense. Of course the longer you go the more bad weather will play a role.

Slateman · « **Reply #241:** October 18, 2022, 11:20:18 AM »

Yep. Funny how the time off didnt affect Yordan Alvarez or the Astros.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #242:** October 18, 2022, 12:19:47 PM »

Did the NY media whine this much in 2001 when the 95 win Yankees upset the 116 win Mariners. By adding more teams to the mix you increase the odds of upsets. The owners voted on this and the players agreed. Just celebrate the upsets as they do with March Madness.

Ali the Baseball Cat · « **Reply #243:** October 18, 2022, 12:30:42 PM »

My guess is that the NY media were a bit distracted at the time. Well, that probably didn't stop them

nfotiu · « **Reply #244:** October 18, 2022, 12:32:40 PM »

It doesn't bother me at all that the Dodgers, Braves, Mets and maybe Yankees are done. The path is easier for the bye teams, but I'd guess if they continue this long term, there will be a lot more big division series upsets going forward.

Upsets are fun and all, but MLB has sure moved away from the sport that did the best job of crowning the best team the champs (pre-any wildcards) to having the biggest crapshoot post season of any sports.

Natsinpwc · « **Reply #245:** October 18, 2022, 12:49:49 PM »

The Dodgers have made it an annual tradition to be upset in the post season. No matter the format.

nfotiu · « **Reply #246:** October 18, 2022, 01:21:17 PM »

One thing becoming more clear is that building a team with an aim of getting to the post season every year is a better bet to win a championship than trying to build a short window uber contender.

hotshot · « **Reply #247:** October 18, 2022, 01:24:34 PM »

Nestor Cortes, late-developing NYY 36th round draft choice, on the mound today. Though I detest the NYY, gotta give them a big edge today because of Nasty Nestor.

Cortes was a Rule 5 pick from the Yankees by the O's, who ended up returning him to NY. Then traded to Seattle for Intl Bonus Pool $$, only to later be released.

Back to the Yanks and the rest is history. Be nice if we had a story or two like that!

Elvir Ovcina · « **Reply #248:** October 18, 2022, 01:33:28 PM »

Can they play this freaking game soon so that I can stop seeing the same open-mouthed shouty image of Harrison Bader any time I try to read a baseball site?

Elvir Ovcina · « **Reply #249:** October 18, 2022, 01:35:45 PM »

Quote from: nfotiu on October 18, 2022, 09:40:23 AM

Well, it is only an advantage to the team that wins. The team with the bye is going to have the best odds of the 3 teams, but not necessarily better odds than the team the winner of the 1st round. Even when the Nats were good, they never looked sharp after 2-3 off days for rainouts or what not. Playing after 5 days off against a hot team is going to be tough. This all just makes the playoffs even more of a lottery. Maybe a best of 7 for this second round would help.

My point was a bit tongue-in-cheek. Nobody is going to choose to play an extra round. But if they want to make the "warmup" aspect of it come with a sharp downside, play those three games over two days immediately after the season ends and then have the next round start the next day. Lessens the time off for the waiting team and means the first round winner is less warmed up than it is fatigued.

But this issue is a big part of why I don't like the awkward number of teams.