MLB 2019

[ursus arctos]

There are thousands of empty seats in the upper deck

We are convinced that they changed the levels in the middle of the first, as the crowd reaction to the Rays' homer wasn't as loud as that for the strikeout in the top of the inning.

[Hot Pepsi]

Yeah, the first game was sold out, I read. This one is well-attended by Rays standards but looks about 70%. My brother and nephew are in the upper deck behind home plate.

[ursus arctos]

Don't want to jinx it, but this is shaping up to be a memorable night for the club

[danielmak]

I'm sure if I look back to last year's playoffs, there was somebody playing for the Dodgers or Yankees that was driving me nuts (perhaps Bellinger), but if I compare the Rays' Choi to Pollock, my frustrations with Dave Roberts only increases. If I saw the number correctly last time he batted, Choi is hitting .093 in this post-season. Yet, he continues to draw walks and is making really impressive plays in the field (esp. for a big man). Pollock has done nothing spectacular in the field and has only avoided striking out twice. If Roberts starts this idiot tomorrow night...

Meanwhile, the Rays are doing what they need to do. Amazing relay to stop Altuve from scoring and the Astros from gaining some momentum. And the ball just seems to find Rays' gloves so far. It's still early in the context of this run-scoring environment, but the Rays are looking good for a game 5. I'd like to see the Rays add a few more runs to create more of a buffer. 4-0 isn't really safe if the Astros have a good inning. And I'm excited by a Glasnow/Snell v. Cole matchup in game 5 even though I won't be home to watch it.

[ursus arctos]

.093 average - .694 OPS

i love the guy

[ursus arctos]

Well done Rays

[ursus arctos]

This escalated quickly

[Incandenza]

It's the Devil Birds, but seeing this happen to Atlanta is most enjoyable.

[ursus arctos]

Exactly

[Greenlander]

What's the issue with the Braves, St Louis have a massive sense of entitlement, that's why they're reviled right.

[ursus arctos]

The Braves revel in disgusting racist stereotypes and abandoned the city for Newt Gingrich land because many of their fans have an issue with people of colour.

The Cardinals also have more troglodyte supporters than the average team.

[Janik]

What is the record margin in a deciding game?

[danielmak]

I got home from work and it was 11-0. I was stunned.

Meanwhile, I was elated just to see that AJ bleepin' Pollock was not in the lineup and better than that it's already 2-0 Dodgers with no outs. It's early so this can all go pear-shaped but I'll take this start for sure.

I don't know who the Dodgers left off the roster among the outfielders. I just saw Verdugo on the bench and don't know why he would have been left off over Pollock. Hopefully Dodgers are through, Pollock is off in the NLCS and WS, and then traded in the off-season for cash or a bucket of balls.

[ursus arctos]

What is the record margin in a deciding game?

This is an interesting question and I don't know the answer.

The one that comes immediately to mind for someone of my age is Game Seven of the 1985 World Series, in which the Kansas City Royals beat their cross-state rivals the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0.

[danielmak]

This is an interesting question and I don't know the answer.

The one that comes immediately to mind for someone of my age is Game Seven of the 1985 World Series, in which the Kansas City Royals beat their cross-state rivals the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0.

Had to Google it. It seemed like today's game was going to be in the running since I honestly can't remember anything like this. It felt like the Red Sox squashed the Yankees a few times last year but the final scores ended up closer than the feel of the game.

• 1996 NLCS Game 7. Braves 15, Cardinals 0
• 1985 World Series Game 7. Royals 11, Cardinals 0
• 1999 ALDS Game 4. Red Sox 23, Indians 7

[ursus arctos]

I have zero recollection of that 1996 game, which makes me wonder if I was out of the country.

And I wouldn't count the 1999 game, as while it was decisive, it wasn't deciding, as the Indians would have needed to win another one to take the series.

The 85 game was a massive buzzkill for anyone who wasn't a Royals fan. Kansas City had won Game Six with two runs in the bottom of the ninth following Dave Denkinger's blown call at first base, and there was huge expectation for Game Seven and the matchup between Bret Saberhagen and John Tudor (who had gone 20-1 in his last 21 decisions, had a sub 2.00 ERA for the season and had already beaten KC soundly twice).

Tudor just didn't have it; the Cardinals were down 5-0 in the third and televisions all over the country switched to alternative programming.

[Hot Pepsi]

The Braves revel in disgusting racist stereotypes and abandoned the city for Newt Gingrich land because many of their fans have an issue with people of colour.

The Cardinals also have more troglodyte supporters than the average team.

But that’s mostly because they have more supporters than the average team, isn’t it? They had a monopoly on a huge part of the country for a long time and not much local competition for attention.

I’ve heard St Louis has good aspects, but it seems to be pretty damn racist, even by US standards.

The Cards, however, are a generally an extremely well-run organization. As a Reds fan, it’s annoying. But the Spikes are affiliated with them now and that’s been a more fruitful relationship than the one they had with the Pirates.

[ursus arctos]

Yes, they have more fans than most other clubs and those fans tend to be drawn from a particularly reactionary and racist part of the country.

[danielmak]

I didn't read the original question clearly and so only searched for blowouts in the playoffs, but interesting that 2/3 were deciders.

Seeger is starting to drive me nuts as well. He seems to want to hit a home run every time he is up. Even Bellinger with his swing and miss rate, is just trying to get a hit. If Seeger would attempt to do the same thing, I think this game would be out of reach by now.

On that note, I watched MLB Central on Tuesday morning and Mark DeRosa was talking about some hitter's problems. He said that his dad always asked him why he kept swinging (and always missing) sliders in the dirt. DeRosa said he didn't do it on purpose; he just couldn't track those pitches.

[ursus arctos]

In some ways, it is amazing that anyone can track a major league slider. I wonder if the minuscule portion of the population who can do so is larger than that that who can throw one.

[Hot Pepsi]

Yes, they have more fans than most other clubs and those fans tend to be drawn from a particularly reactionary and racist part of the country.

Perhaps. But I’m continually amazed at how widespread the bigotry and ignorance is.

[ursus arctos]

As am I, as am I

[danielmak]

It seems like a somewhat standard pitch among the top pitchers but I've also read that it is really brutal on the arm and perhaps one of the main reasons why there are so many Tommy John surgeries (the other being kids not playing multiple sports and putting constant pressure on the elbow when they could give the arm a break by playing another sport during a normal off-season).

As Kershaw warms up and Roberts seems gung ho on bringing Kershaw into the game versus going with trusted relievers, I would love to know if there are stats about starters' successes out of the pen in the playoffs. It seems like the percentages are high but I generally don't see the advantage of the move except with a true lights out guy like a Verlander and if a pen is shaky. The Dodgers are bringing in Kershaw with two on, he's not the Kershaw of the past, his playoff record isn't so hot, and Maeda has proven to be excellent out of the pen. Plus the Dodgers won 106 games with the pen they have. Other than Joe Kelly they have been pretty solid. The general reason why I don't like this move is that a manager with a trusted pen has guys who are used to coming in with men on base, used to coming in in the middle of a game, and the move burns out a starter. I get that a game like tonight is win or go home and Ryu will be ready if the Dodgers advance, but I'm still not sold.

EDIT: Of course, then Kershaw does the job with a three-pitch strikeout. That's why I talk to the TV and Roberts manages the team. Haha.

[ursus arctos]

"Top pitchers" are an infinitesimal portion of the population

[danielmak]

Where is Inca to commiserate on this? I should have never made that EDIT. Haha.

Honestly, for me it was time to remove Buehler so that's all good. But I would have gone Maeda, Baez (if needed), and then Jansen. I would have needed to hope for at least a 2 run lead because Jansen is good for a solo home run here and there (and tonight is probably a here).