MLB 2020

[danielmak]

Bullpen is horrific. They signed some good players last year but a few were hurt and didn't seem to recover. David Robinson being one.

Dodgers scored 6 runs in the top of the 7th and went on to win. As I told a friend of mine, I think the Dodgers scored 6 runs during the same time it took Robbie Cano to finish one at bat.

White Sox clinched today, which is exciting. I don't think they have the pitching to get far in the playoffs. The AL is a mess. Astros stars have been hurt or under-performing (or injuries leading to poor play). Yankees can't stay healthy. As hot start finally leveled off. Twins sticking with their yo-yo seasons, although not as bad as normal. This is really the year for the Rays to get back to the final if they can keep rolling.

[danielmak]

The current playoff scenario in the NL has two teams making the playoffs under .500 (Reds and Giants) with the two top wild card teams under .500. This is another reason I am not in favor of expanded playoffs more generally. Again, I get that MLB wanted to try to appease various partners this year and to inject more competition into a 60 game season. But going forward, a team under .500 should never be in the playoffs. That level of mediocrity should be saved for money-hungry universities and the NCAA with their bowl games.

[Hot Pepsi]

College football doesn't allow sub .500 teams to be in bowls.

[ursus arctos]

Though that rule will apparently be waived this season, lest some bowls go dark

[Hot Pepsi]

Indeed. And I think they have found a way around it in years when there are not enough .500 teams for all the bowls.

But bowl games are not playoffs. Nobody confuses them - especially the pre-Christmas ones - as "Championships" of any kind.

[ursus arctos]

Quite

Just give the top seed(s) a bye if the lowest seeds are below .500

[danielmak]

Well, that college bowl rule must be somewhat new because I could swear I've seen teams with crap records in bowl games--not the top bowl games. But the older I get, what constitutes a few years ago is often 10 years ago. Haha.

[ursus arctos]

For nearly a century, bowl games were the purview of only the very best teams, but a steady proliferation of new bowl games required 70 participating teams by the 2010–11 bowl season, then 80 participating teams by the 2015–16 bowl season. As a result, the NCAA has steadily reduced the criteria for bowl eligibility, allowing teams with a non-winning (6–6) record in 2010, further reducing to allow teams with outright losing records (5–7) to be invited by 2012. For the 2016–17 bowl season, 25% of the bowl participants (20 teams) did not have a winning record.

[Southport Zeb]

I'm pretty sure that bowl eligibility was only allowed for teams with a winning record until the early 2000s. Eligibility was extended to teams with a .500 record when the regular season was increased from 11 to 12 games. This was the same time that the number of bowl games really started exploding, and so there have been seasons when have been not enough "bowl eligible" teams to fill all available places. In this case gaps are filed by awarding them to 5-7 teams with the best acacdemic progress rate (because occasionally the powers that be remember these are theoretically students). I think there was also one season when a bowl spot was awarded to a side that had somehow reached (and lost) their conference championship game (Pac 10/12?) despite a losing record.

[San Bernardhinault]

While I obviously think the idea of an expanded playoff is horrendous, it does at least give teams in the NL West who are not called Dodgers a chance which generally is unavailable when the play-offs are at the correct size.

[danielmak]

I'm glad UA's post tells me I am not losing my mind, which seems to happen more often these days.

While I obviously think the idea of an expanded playoff is horrendous, it does at least give teams in the NL West who are not called Dodgers a chance which generally is unavailable when the play-offs are at the correct size.

Yeah, my beginning of the year predictions are often off. Sometimes slightly and sometimes way off. I predicted before the playoff change but I thought the West would be better although thought the East would be the powerhouse in the NL with the Braves young and adding experience, the Phillies improving, the Mets having a solid starting staff and good pen (minus the questions surrounding Diaz as a closer), and the Nats being a mystery team given the normal slump that follows a WS win. The Padres record shows that they would be set in the old system but a wild card game sucks for a team that is better than first place teams in other divisions.

Barring major injury, it is hard to see the Dodgers being surpassed anytime soon because they aren't like the Red Sox and Yankees historical approach to loading up on high-priced free agents. Every starting pitcher is home grown or came in a trade before the pitcher was major league ready. I don't count Wood because he hasn't locked down a starting spot and won't. Mookie is the only high priced major leaguer to come via trade (and then extension). Muncy, Turner, and Taylor were castoffs. And the stars, Seeger and Bellinger, were home grown.

[Patrick Thistle]

Padres are in the close season. As things stand they would play the Marlins in the first round and are in the same bracket as the Dodgers before reaching the Championship series.

[danielmak]

If the playoffs started last night the Dodgers would start against the Reds. That's not good. I'd rather get the Phillies or Marlins.

[ursus arctos]

Best two out of three is a dice game no matter what the opposition

[danielmak]

Best two out of three is a dice game no matter what the opposition

But Reds have Bauer, Castillo, and Gray (if healthy). Mets with Degrom but then big drop off. Phillies and Marlins are basically the same. And these two have starters mostly untested in playoffs.

I was talking with some friends about this and they're all pissed about 3 games. I don't love it but I don't want playoffs running until Christmas.

[ursus arctos]

Different dice games have different odds.

All are games of chance rather than skill.

[Flynnie]

Can Daniel say the Giants are shit again? We really need this.

[danielmak]

Can Daniel say the Giants are shit again? We really need this.

Well, you're just outside the wild card spot. It's hard to see the Marlins hanging on given last 6-7 games against Yankees and Rays. Phillies bullpen is horrible but they have shown an ability to string games together. Rockies can't seem to put together a run. And I have no idea how the Giants have won enough to hover around .500 because you guys sometimes look like the Bad News Bears. That seems to be a kind and gentle way to say that the Giants are shit. Haha.

[jason voorhees]

I'm happy with the 8 NL vs 8 AL.

Two straight divisions, everyone plays everyone home and away (interleague a la NPL,) and the top 8 in the playoffs.

I'm widdit.

[Flynnie]

Well, you're just outside the wild card spot. It's hard to see the Marlins hanging on given last 6-7 games against Yankees and Rays. Phillies bullpen is horrible but they have shown an ability to string games together. Rockies can't seem to put together a run. And I have no idea how the Giants have won enough to hover around .500 because you guys sometimes look like the Bad News Bears. That seems to be a kind and gentle way to say that the Giants are shit. Haha.

Works every time! Can you say we’re shit again tonight?

[danielmak]

Works every time! Can you say we’re shit again tonight?

You've got the Padres coming to town so this is make or break time for you guys, I think. It seems like the Giants are outside the wild card because of some kind of tiebreaker but I don't know how that tiebreaker is factored. Currently Brewers, Reds, and Giants are all tied with Phillies a game behind. Cards could drop back (more on that in one second).

Phillies have Rays next, Giants have Padres, and Brewers play Cards. I'd expect the Reds to take one of the spots since Brewers and Cards might beat each other up.

Dodgers clinched the West last night with a victory over the As. It was a strange game. May was laboring a lot but Dodgers mashed, May only gave up 2 runs, and bullpen cruised.

[Hot Pepsi]

#raysup

[ursus arctos]

It is a great shame that they don't have more games against the Mets

[danielmak]

It is a great shame that they don't have more games against the Mets

Do you go see the Cubs when they come to town? I can't remember the last time they were at Yankee Stadium but obviously in a normal season you might have a few options for Cubs games.

[ursus arctos]

I try to, but don't always succeed.

I have never seen them against the Yankees, though they have played in the Bronx since the 1938 World Series