The Swamp

Ha! Good things happen when you Move The Runner Over

Walker Buehler remind anyone else of Tim Lincecum with size and mechanics?

That wasn't a bad pitch to Rendon at all. The one to Soto was as bad as you can throw.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 10:33 pm That wasn't a bad pitch to Rendon at all. The one to Soto was as bad as you can throw.

It worked out well for the Red Sox last year but I generally don't like the strategy of using starters out of the pen in the postseason. Especially since the Dodgers have a competent pen. I'm more understanding of the Nationals doing it, since their pen was a disaster all season.

Shoulda used another starter ; P

Washington heroes: Kendrick, Rendon, Soto and Kershaw.

Dave Roberts taking managing lessons from Buck Showalter. Leave that fresh closer in the pen, you know, just in case.

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 03, 2019 8:52 am Rooting interests ranked, from "Please no not them again" to "Sure why not (which begins at #6)" because that's about as much juice as I can muster this postseason.

8. Cardinals
7. Yankees
6. Nationals
5. Braves
4. Twins
3. Rays
2.Astros
1. Dodgers

Just get Kershaw his ring so I never have to pull for the Dodgers again.

Looking forward to the next round!

Not feeling the big Nats postseason excitement in DC right now. When the Caps got to the playoffs there is lots of Rocking the Red, lots of people talking about it (until they get dumped out), but don't see lots of W hats on the street, co-workers are not constantly talking about it (could be the late first pitch time). Maybe after last nights dramatic win changes things, but interesting to see if thing pickup in the next round.

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:08 am Not feeling the big Nats postseason excitement in DC right now. When the Caps got to the playoffs there is lots of Rocking the Red, lots of people talking about it (until they get dumped out), but don't see lots of W hats on the street, co-workers are not constantly talking about it (could be the late first pitch time). Maybe after last nights dramatic win changes things, but interesting to see if thing pickup in the next round.

I think it’s a rule of thumb that people will use any excuse to wear a hockey sweater though (they make for a solid choice when you need to wear layers, too).

Give it a day or so. Transient-ass DC will come around to support the third iteration of an MLB franchise.

EnochRoot wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:32 am

wlu_lax6 wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 7:08 am Not feeling the big Nats postseason excitement in DC right now. When the Caps got to the playoffs there is lots of Rocking the Red, lots of people talking about it (until they get dumped out), but don't see lots of W hats on the street, co-workers are not constantly talking about it (could be the late first pitch time). Maybe after last nights dramatic win changes things, but interesting to see if thing pickup in the next round.

I think it’s a rule of thumb that people will use any excuse to wear a hockey sweater though (they make for a solid choice when you need to wear layers, too).

Give it a day or so. Transient-ass DC will come around to support the third iteration of an MLB franchise.

Well not a huge baseball fan, but will stick with my 1983 Orioles hat and refuse to buy curly W gear...but do kinda like this team...but not Baby Shark as walk up music

The solution is an Ecpos hat.

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 11:56 pm Looking forward to the next round!

Same. Will root for the Astros if they win for TT/Giff's sake, but otherwise this season is done for me.

The fuck?

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:57 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 11:56 pm Looking forward to the next round!

Same. Will root for the Astros if they win for TT/Giff's sake, but otherwise this season is done for me.

The Astros are no longer the scrappy little up-and-comers you once knew.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 11:24 pm Shoulda used another starter ; P

In retrospect, the right play was to start the 8th with Maeda. But I can understand wanting Kershaw for Rendon and Soto, even though it could not have worked out any worse. However, leaving Joe Kelly in to wilt in the 10th is hard to justify in any way. It’s like Roberts’ brain shut down after Will Smith’s fly ball died on the track.

Some people are just always drawn to the heavy favorite

EnochRoot wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:06 am

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:57 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 11:56 pm Looking forward to the next round!

Same. Will root for the Astros if they win for TT/Giff's sake, but otherwise this season is done for me.

The Astros are no longer the scrappy little up-and-comers you once knew.

You're able to pay more money for players when you're living rent free in ones head.

Joe K wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:10 amIn retrospect, the right play was to start the 8th with Maeda. But I can understand wanting Kershaw for Rendon and Soto, even though it could not have worked out any worse. However, leaving Joe Kelly in to wilt in the 10th is hard to justify in any way. It’s like Roberts’ brain shut down after Will Smith’s fly ball died on the track.

Joe Kelly was indefensible. Why is he pitching multiple innings when the starters weren't *and* why is Jansen, even a post-peak Jansen, just hanging out in the pen but able to come in once they're fucked? You're either fully going for it where you're burning everyone for a short burst, which means Jansen starts the 10th (if not the 9th) or you're trying to ensure no bad pitchers are throwing which means Maeda (and even Kershaw, it was one bad pitch) goes longer. Fireable night.

The good news about Roberts’ terrible decisions is that by virtue of the Nats winning, there are now two weekend games in St. Louis and I’ll be going to at least one of them.

Giff wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:39 am

EnochRoot wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:06 am

Johnny Carwash wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 8:57 am

A_B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 09, 2019 11:56 pm Looking forward to the next round!

Same. Will root for the Astros if they win for TT/Giff's sake, but otherwise this season is done for me.

The Astros are no longer the scrappy little up-and-comers you once knew.

You're able to pay more money for players when you're living rent free in ones head.

Nah. I have no fucks to give about any single team. It has more to do with the fact that Crane Capital is a several billion dollar corporation that can pump as much $ into that team as any in the sport. They’ll need that capital, too considering Cole’s pending FA. He’s worth more to that team than any individual player in that lineup, IMO.

I would have strongly disagreed before the season and still might because pitcher vs hitter and age, but I won't argue it.

mister d wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 11:27 am I would have strongly disagreed before the season and still might because pitcher vs hitter and age, but I won't argue it.

Let me yell at you a minute. (O;

Cole’s an extreme power pitcher who had a 6.79 K:BB ratio this year. Whatever’s in the water in Houston, he’s taken to it. He’s the pitcher (and then some) he was forecasted to be when he got drafted (both times).

I just did a dive into bb-ref for a bit to look at Cole’s ‘19 season. It’s not measuring up in terms of WAR or WPA in regards to some of the all time great seasons. His WPA for 2019 is 287th all time. His 6.9 WAR doesn’t chart in the top 500 all time single season WARs either.

Is it WAR/WPA haven’t normalized for the league-wide HR rate (1.2/9)? The fact he tossed 212 IP and had zero CGs?

xFIP normalizes for league HR rate, so that might be the best metric for recent history (started post-2001):

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx? ... &sort=19,a

Also the highest SO% for a 200 inning starter in history:

https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx? ... 1&sort=8,d

Again, Cole's worth more to this team than *any* single position player.

*except altuve

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:01 pm*except altuve

Nope. While yes, it's easier to hit .350 at 5'1" than it is 6'8", Altuve's just a slick hitting 2B in the top half of the order.

Cole is a power pitching, shutdown SP with elite control.

This past season has been elite Pedro.

Yeah well I don’t know the exact timeline of your post but I posted right after altive hit another meaningful homer for the astros.

Cole is awesome. I ain’t disputing that. But he isn’t a true Astro like altuve yet.

A_B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 9:10 pm Yeah well I don’t know the exact timeline of your post but I posted right after altive hit another meaningful homer for the astros.

Cole is awesome. I ain’t disputing that. But he isn’t a true Astro like altuve yet.

Aint nobody sayin' Cole's got some kind of Bill Doran / Dickie Thon / Enos Cabell / Jose Cruz vibe going on...

But he's still the most important player on that team. And it aint even close.

Giff STATUS: Better than OK.

I’m at the NLCS game tonight. There’s a Nats fan Sitting near me wearing a Bryce Harper jersey where he taped over the “RPER” so it just says “HA.”

Joe K wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:58 pm I’m at the NLCS game tonight. There’s a Nats fan Sitting near me wearing a Bryce Harper jersey where he taped over the “RPER” so it just says “HA.”

Hope your team loses!

A_B wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 7:09 pm

Joe K wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 6:58 pm I’m at the NLCS game tonight. There’s a Nats fan Sitting near me wearing a Bryce Harper jersey where he taped over the “RPER” so it just says “HA.”

Hope your team loses!

I grew up in upstate NY so to the extent I have “a team” still alive in it’s the Yanks (not nearly the NYY fan I was as a kid, though). But I love seeing playoff games live. The intensity is way higher than in the regular season.

Why is Trea Turner wearing a balaclava around his neck?

Rex wrote: ↑Fri Oct 11, 2019 8:29 pm Why is Trea Turner wearing a balaclava around his neck?

Ha. It’s a little chilly here, but not THAT cold. When I saw the teams come out for warmups, I ID’d Turner and Wong as the two guys who are wearing way too much cold gear and are probably going to suck.

@BestFansStLouis gonna be hopping after that HBP.

The BFIBs at Busch are starting to get restless about the no-no possibility.

ETA: I’m apparently Anibal Sanchez’s good luck charm. I’ve now seen him throw 13 LCS innings in person, and he’s yet to give up a hit. (2013 ALCS Game 1 was the other game.)

A real ace gets the no-hitter there

No hitter broken with 2 outs in the 8th on a 3-2 blooper 

Would have been interesting if that had been walk instead. Does Sanchez stay in?

mister d wrote: ↑Thu Oct 10, 2019 11:27 am I would have strongly disagreed before the season and still might because pitcher vs hitter and age, but I won't argue it.

I have to admit here I was doing this against Correa and Springer and somehow forgot all about Bregman. Bregman is better / more valuable.