The Swamp

mister d wrote:In Olney's defense, Cleveland's run diff torched the rest of the league. Gap b/w 1 and 2 was wider than the gap b/w 2 and 6.

Right but the Yankees also had a damn good run differential, while playing in a better division. So I don't buy the suggestion that this is a historic upset.

Deadspin has a post up titled "Aaron Judge Looks Lost". Aaron Judge doesn't look lost. He's swinging and missing a lot right now because he's a swing and miss hitter facing top pitching (or Trevor Bauer) almost every PA, but he's not fishing and he's consistently running deep counts. This is bad results Judge, but its not lost Judge.



(Truly "lost" in the playoffs was Alfonso Soriano chasing breaking stuff in the lefty batter's box every time its thrown there.)

Fun Fact

Wapo wrote:The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Taylor joined his manager (Dusty Baker) among the four players who have hit a postseason grand slam after entering the at-bat without an extra-base hit or RBI in their playoff careers. The other two: Troy O’Leary for the Red Sox in 1999 and Eddie Perez for the Braves in 1998.

Joe K wrote:Eh, I could point to several significant errors that Maddon made in Game 7 of the World Series (pulling Hendricks too early, bringing in Lester mid-inning, etc.), so using one inning or game isn't exactly fair.

Roberts won 90+ games last year, despite an insane number of injuries, and had the team on pace to challenge the all-time wins record this year until they had that nightmare 4 week stretch. And if we're strictly looking at postseason performance, he was great in the NLDS vs. Washington last year.

Oh, I wasn't meaning to claim Maddon was tactically better than Roberts. Just point out that Roberts made some really *really* dumb tactical moves in that game last year.

That said, I will defend Maddon's decision to pull Hendricks and put in Lester. The Cleveland batters swung at Hendricks' pitches 26 times. They put the ball in play 23 of them. They had only swung and missed twice, and had hit only one foul. And they had hit several balls at more than 100 mph. And they were starting the third time through the order. And Lester is a fucking good pitcher and was ready to go. And in fact Lester pitched very well - it was a fluke that Cleveland scored that inning.

But Maddon has made enough other questionable decisions that I will not claim that he is a tactical genius.

wlu_lax6 wrote:Fun Fact

Wapo wrote:The Elias Sports Bureau notes that Taylor joined his manager (Dusty Baker) among the four players who have hit a postseason grand slam after entering the at-bat without an extra-base hit or RBI in their playoff careers. The other two: Troy O’Leary for the Red Sox in 1999 and Eddie Perez for the Braves in 1998.

Fun!

Espn has an article titled something like "G5 win was for Joe", which starts with a bunch of Frazier quotes and it s not even fucking mentioned anywhere that without Frazier's atrocious G2 start (2 E and an inning-ending CS), maybe none of that shit happens because CC has a bigger lead with a smaller pitch count. Not even one "i'm glad for myself too because I fucked up pretty hard " quasi apology from Frazier. No, just "Joe was sure criticized". Yeah, Lucky for you, pal !
Thumbs down indeed.

Hendricks looked okay the *first* inning though ...

Waiting to see where that ranks in terms of highest pitches hit for HR this season.

mister d wrote:Waiting to see where that ranks in terms of highest pitches hit for HR this season.

Aaron judge says that was waist high.

Man, I hate the strategy of bringing starters out of the pen on short rest. For the few times it's succeeded (Randy Johnson, Bumgarner), there seem to be multiple debacles.

Joe K wrote:Man, I hate the strategy of bringing starters out of the pen on short rest. For the few times it's succeeded (Randy Johnson, Bumgarner), there seem to be multiple debacles.

Looked good when he got the first 2 outs. Then the wheels fell off.

They should have brought in a relief catcher.

duff wrote:They should have brought in a relief catcher.

The Wieters play happened after Scherzer already gave up 3 straight hits and the lead.

Joe K wrote:

duff wrote:They should have brought in a relief catcher.

The Wieters play happened after Scherzer already gave up 3 straight hits and the lead.

I agree mostly but he should have eaten that ball.

courtesy baseball-reference.com regarding that ridiculous top-5th sequence:

"None of the 2.73m half innings in our db have even had all 4 of these events. 22 w/ 3. Only 5 games had all 4."

MaxWebster wrote:courtesy baseball-reference.com regarding that ridiculous top-5th sequence:

"None of the 2.73m half innings in our db have even had all 4 of these events. 22 w/ 3. Only 5 games had all 4."

Well is it none or is it four?

ETA: Nvm. I see it's games versus innings now.

Can we conclude that Dusty Baker is cursed? He loses the strangest games.

degenerasian wrote:Can we conclude that Dusty Baker is cursed? He loses the strangest games.

Nobody lost shit yet homeboy.

A_B wrote:

degenerasian wrote:Can we conclude that Dusty Baker is cursed? He loses the strangest games.

Nobody lost shit yet homeboy.

It's Dusty. You'll see.

degenerasian wrote:

A_B wrote:

degenerasian wrote:Can we conclude that Dusty Baker is cursed? He loses the strangest games.

Nobody lost shit yet homeboy.

It's Dusty. You'll see.

After that challenge I'm with you.

This has been kind of a lengthy ballgame.

This Cubs thing is somehow already old.

This was the stupidest baseball game ever.

Yeah...I’m still waiting on the angle that shows conclusively that Rizzo’s glove was on Lobaton’s leg when it came off the bag. Because that was what’s needed to overturn the call.

Best guesses don’t count, but yet somehow it did last night? Oh well.

Ryan wrote:Three more outs and all these Houston rain tweets go right in the garbage :(

Houston rain
Boston lost and Farrell took the blame
Houston rain
Dallas Keuchel on the mound again
Houston rain
Now the Yankees get to feel the pain

And also - how is it Baker didn’t get his old ass run from the game after that crap overturn?

I'll be researching this one all day unless someone tweets it first. We're left with the 4 biggest cities in America (by population, Jerls) for the first time ever?

I really doubt it. Would a DVD of the early 90's NBA count?

Also...the non-overturn on the Jay slide? It seems to me the very reason you have that rule to protect the middle infielders is for slides just like that. Jay's intent was to take the defender out of the play. The timing of the slide to when the player throws the ball is irrelevant.

Curious as to why the ump didn't call a dead ball on the bat hitting Wieter in the head, either. I think that's a case where the home plate ump didn't know his own rulebook..

No secret I've got no love lost for the Cubs but distaste aside, *old man yells at cloud* -- Shit like that replay on the pickoff play is what's ruining an otherwise fine sport.

I'm fully on board with the "did that fan grab an otherwise good HR" and even "did the catcher actually apply the tag at home before he touched the place?", but a review on a play where a guy is clearly safe by a mile and then subsequent overturn because 1.5 seconds into it his foot comes up off the bag a half inch while the 1B's glove is still on him? That's some weak shit right there. We're a year away from coaches running out of the dugout screaming for video review for whether or not a pitcher came absolutely fully set with the bases loaded on the 3-2 pitch and calling a retroactive balk.

Yeah, they’re going to have to wipe the fractional stuff out on plays like that and fielders staying on the base. Just give a window after touching where you’re still techinically safe/legal.

(Go for it, Rass.)

mister d wrote:Yeah, they’re going to have to wipe the fractional stuff out on plays like that and fielders staying on the base. Just give a window after touching where you’re still techinically safe/legal.

Especially if you're physically over the base. I get if you overslide second on a steal or something you're fair game, but that tickytack shit has got to go.

EnochRoot wrote:Also...the non-overturn on the Jay slide? It seems to me the very reason you have that rule to protect the middle infielders is for slides just like that. Jay's intent was to take the defender out of the play. The timing of the slide to when the player throws the ball is irrelevant.

Curious as to why the ump didn't call a dead ball on the bat hitting Wieter in the head, either. I think that's a case where the home plate ump didn't know his own rulebook..

Seems like there was a lot of stuff like that. It's hard to feel real good about winning that game. I'll take it, but it wasn't exactly a hard-earned achievement.

Steve of phpBB wrote:

EnochRoot wrote:Also...the non-overturn on the Jay slide? It seems to me the very reason you have that rule to protect the middle infielders is for slides just like that. Jay's intent was to take the defender out of the play. The timing of the slide to when the player throws the ball is irrelevant.

Curious as to why the ump didn't call a dead ball on the bat hitting Wieter in the head, either. I think that's a case where the home plate ump didn't know his own rulebook..

Seems like there was a lot of stuff like that. It's hard to feel real good about winning that game. I'll take it, but it wasn't exactly a hard-earned achievement.

You shouldn't have to be concerned with style points. A win is a win.

But if I'm a Nationals fan (I'm not) I'd be wondering how or why Baker didn't get himself ejected on any one of those three calls (particularly the last one where there simply wasn't irrefutable evidence to overturn the call. Most likely ≠ Irrefutable evidence. He should've gone ballistic there. He didn't. I think he needs to ask himself why he's actually a manager in the first place.

The damning one is the Wieters mask hit because it shows Baker doesn't know the rulebook enough to not accept it and walk away. Either you're losing your shit over the out you got cost or you're protesting the game (if applicable).



(Note 1: Seems like any Baker defense here just be a version of the Trump "You wouldn't have known what the 25th amendment was either" nonsense.)



(Note 2: Maybe he was a little nervous about protesting given the current political climate ha ha ha!)

Super glad I don't care that much about the Nats. Michigan shits the bed. USMNT shits the bad. Whatever the fuck that was last night in DC.

Joe K wrote:Man, I hate the strategy of bringing starters out of the pen on short rest. For the few times it's succeeded (Randy Johnson, Bumgarner), there seem to be multiple debacles.

Yep. The crowd cheered. I bit my nails. Seems like a great idea on paper...

A_B wrote:

Joe K wrote:

duff wrote:They should have brought in a relief catcher.

The Wieters play happened after Scherzer already gave up 3 straight hits and the lead.

I agree mostly but he should have eaten that ball.

He absolutely should've eaten that. My daughter continues to play pretty high level travel softball and I can't tell you how many times I'm swallowing my tongue when an infielder throws the ball when the runner is already hitting the bag. "Eat it!!!"

I'm not making any kind of "Nats were robbed" claim, but that play should've been dead. And the broadcast crew and obviously the umps simply blew it. If a batter hits the catcher with his bat, the ball is dead. Period. Not even a complicated call. I don't understand how that wasn't called last night. Maybe the strikeout complicates it? But that makes no sense to me. Dudes bat clearly hit Weiters in the head. Dead ball. Inning over.

I'm fine with using multiple starters. Every option isn't ideal, given you've got 15 outs to go, so I'll take my chance on short-rest Scherzer over either using your 5th-6th reliever in leverage work or trying for a one inning bridge then getting 12 outs between Madson and Doolittle.