I generally like how Thomson manages the Phillies, and I understand things are different in the playoffs (although sometimes it seems like overmanaging but it's certainly not just him). However, I was questioning the bullpen moves during the game, and I still question them after the game even though it worked out. By using Domiguez (5 pitches - 3 batters) in the 6th then taking him out in the 6th after a 2 out hit (a little questionable) for Alvarado who then got wild in the 7th and had to be replaced by Kimbrel who finished the 7th but couldn't get through the 8th, he had to go to Soto to finish the 8th even though he had not been used much in the playoffs and had been shaky at times late in the season.

While most of that seemed ok at the time, the biggest question I had was keeping Soto (a lefty who can be wild) in to start the 9th with 3 righties coming up. Because Soto only faced 1 batter in the 8th, he would have to face at least 2 in the 9th. He also had Strahm (a lefty who is also pretty good against righties) and Hoffman (a righty who had warmed up earlier and has been used in more late innings than Soto recently) available. Either probably would have made more sense to start the 9th than Soto who walked the leadoff hitter then gave up a soft single to right to make it first and third. Strahm then came in to get out of it and finish the game (fortunately).

I don't know if Thomson was asked after the game why he decided to keep Soto in the game, but there's no reason I can think of that makes it the best move considering who else was available. A manager's job is to put his players in the best situation for them to succeed then hope that they do. In this case, I don't see why he would think Soto in the 9th was the best situation for success. Turns out it wasn't, but Strahm was able to come in and bail him out to win the game.

Predictions for the next round? I'm hoping for Phillies in 6. In the AL, I think it depends on if Scherzer can pitch. If he can, I think Rangers have a shot to win in 7. Otherwise, Astros in 6 to set up a World Series rematch which hasn't happened since 1977 and 1978.

Astros in 6, Phillies in 6.

But I am rooting for Arizona and my boy Corbin Carroll all the way

Rangers remain unbeaten in the playoffs and take home field advantage away from Houston. I'm hoping the Phillies can give Arizona their first playoff loss tonight.

uh oh.....Astros could be in trouble.

Houston finally on the board but still down 3 early. If they can't find a way to win this game, series could be over.

Rangers immediately got the run back.

Rangers up 2-0 and going home for the next 3 games. Doesn't look good for Houston.

Anyone who thinks the first inning doesn't matter as much as the ninth (all those closer discussions), see today's game.

Just like wins in April count the same as wins in September, runs in the first count as much as runs in the ninth. Sometimes it seems like early runs can count for more if you put a team into an early hole that makes them get into their bullpen early or start pressing at the plate to try to get back into the game quickly.

Dodgers would have been better off starting their Closer instead of Kershaw and Miller:

Phillies looking STRONG!!

If.....and a big IF right now but if the Phiiles and Rangers both sweep, they both go into the World Series:

Phillies 9-1
Rangers 9-0

that's a combined 18-1

in the Playoffs, that would be pretty cool.

You could do worse than have Scherzer starting for you at home. But baseball being baseball, he'll probably get shelled early.

Hopefully he will be shelled since he has been a shell of himself:p

Which ex-Met(s) gets a Ring this year?

Wheeler & Taijuan Walker-Phillies
Scherzer & deGrom-Rangers
Verlander-Astros
Pham, Miguel Castro & Paul Sewald-D-Backs

Travis d'Arnaud-Braves
Kevin Pillar-Braves
Brad Hand-Braves
David Robertson-Marlins
Mark Canha-Brewers
Amed Rosario-Dodgers
James McCann-Orioles

Ideally none of them:confused:
But in reality I hopee Scherzer and Degrom get it(they are the least deserving since not pitching and/or pitching poorly. But their Team is well built and is actually a likeable team IMO and they are well balanced.
The most deserving is Wheeler and Walker based on their contributions and performance. But I do not ever want to see Philly win anything so I hope not them.
Verlander has been pitching really well but I would not want him to win it since it means that Houston would be the winner and I despise them since the cheating scandal and that team seems to come across wrong.
Arizona I have no real opinion about so if they won that would be fine. But they do not look like a Championship Team during the season or this playoff round

Hoping for Wheeler and Walker. We'll see if Walker ever pitches in the postseason for the Phillies. Maybe game 4 of the NLCS will be his first appearance.

Has Taijuan Walker even appeared in a playoff game? I honestly forgot he was on the Phillies roster.

AZ sure looks like toast, so I'll be rooting for the ex-Met Scherzer, although I don't anticipate him being very effective in this coming start.

So far, Walker has not pitched for the Phillies in the playoffs, but they will need a 4th starter against Arizona so it will probably be either him or their other starter who has yet to be used, Christopher Sanchez.

As I was saying.

Great starting pitching in game 3 for both teams. Phillies have named Christopher Sanchez to start game 4.

Be nice if the Astros can hang on and take this game to even it up.


We need at least one Series to go the distance.

Astros and Rangers will at least go 6. So far, no wins for the home team.

In the Phillies and Diamondbacks series, so far no wins for the visitors. I'm hoping the Phillies can change that in game 4.

Two very good series. Good baseball, for those who can get past their team not making it.

Turning into 2 good series I agree.

Especially enjoying the Texas/Houston Series

Rangers are 2 innings away from salvaging a win at home and going up 3-2.

I know they do it to eliminate travel, but I'm not a fan of the 2-3-2 format in 7 game series. I don't think the team with home field advantage should ever be in a situation where they've played more games on the road than at home.

I agree. Seems especially silly with the Rangers and Astros considering their proximity

The schedule is set before they know which teams are playing in each round so it doesn't matter how close or far apart teams are.

Benches just emptied in Arlington after Rangers batter who homered to give them the lead is hit in his next at bat.

The only reason they do it this way is to cut down on the travel.

I know that's the reason since it would add 2 travel days to a 7 game series, but it doesn't make it right. Of course, there's plenty of other complaints about the current playoff format in this thread and another one on this board so just thought I'd add one more.

Wow. Astros just took the lead in the top of the 9th on a 3 run homer by Altuve.

Call me a dinosaur, but I kind of think Garcia deserved it after his post-homer display.

He definitely took a long time walking halfway down the first base line before slamming the bat and starting to run, but given the situation, it's hard to really fault him. I also can't believe the Astros really wanted to hit him in the 8th given the game situation.

Rangers got their first 2 runners on base in the 9th for the top of their order but couldn't score. Great game to send the Astros home up 2-2. Still no wins for the home team in the series.

What a job by Pressly, 1st & 2nd no outs in the 8th AND 9th and gets out of it both times with no runs.

Nationals Astros 2019.

puts it in the F#$%ing pool!!!!!!!!!!


wow

What a game.

Yes, but for me, 16 pitchers in one game is just too many. I don't love this new model.

Phillies actually used a real starter but pulled him very early.

If your premise is correct, will Altuve become the most vertically challenged Hall of Famer?

Maybe second after Wee Willie Keeler, but has to be the smallest (or right there) in modern history.


...and no "if", first ballot no brainer. To do what he has done at his size in this day and age, just incredible...and pretty sure only he and Bregman have been there for all 7 of their runs.


Pedro Martinez, and he's never wrong, said greatest 2nd baseman of All Time......not sure if that is true, but still only 33, and no signs of slowing down. So very well could be when all is said and done.

Gone are the days where you can just pitch your Ace every other game like Hershiser and Bumgarner (who could get a 4th Ring if AZ takes it all).

Altuve is listed as 5' 6" which is the same as Phil Rizzuto. Willie Keeler is listed as 5' 4".

I'm not sure what the Phillies do after last night's bullpen implosion. They need Wheeler to give them a lot of good innings in game 5 because most of their relievers have now pitched in 2 straight games and almost never have gone 3 in a row. There's no way they can use Kimbrel, and of the others, I'm not sure who I really would want to see in a game anyway. That's what happens when you pull your starter in the third inning even though he's pitching ok. The offense needs to bail out the pitching for the rest of the series which won't be easy since the Diamondbacks top 2 starters are going in games 5 and 6.

What he hell happened to Bumgarner he just completely derailed at age 27 after looking for all the world like a HOF pitcher.

Same thing happened to Lincecum.

OH NELLIE!!!!!!

The Phillies have awakened

I can sleep better tonight. Wheeler gave them 7 that he needed to do since the bullpen was spent and shaky. We'll see what happens Monday with Nola back on the mound.

Big time start. Old fashioned baseball. It goes better without the parade of journeymen.

He only threw 99 pitches and just gave up a solo home run in the 7th. Phillies scored 2 in the first which probably helped Wheeler out being able to pitch with a lead from the start.

Wheeler has been a phenomenal pitcher this post seasons 34 strikeouts in 26 innings and only 2 walks.

Who will the Rangers throw at if they are down big late?

I still find it hard to believe that Houston was intentionally throwing at someone in the 8th inning of game 5 of the ALCS with the series tied and losing by 2 runs. There's plenty of opportunity for retaliation next season. No reason to give the Rangers another base runner late in a game that you're trying to come back in to avoid going down 3 games to 2.

Agreed, that's what spring training is for, settling old scores

What the hell is up with the road team winning every game?

Has it happened any other times other than the 2019 World Series?

This is a bit dated, but....

"The baseball playoffs are the most challenging to make among the four major pro sports, simply because the fewest number of teams get in—only 10 in total. Hence, there were 70 postseason series and two wild-card games from 2003 through 2012.

Amazingly, the team with home-field advantage won only 37 of those matchups, which translates to 51 percent overall. Basically, home field holds no advantage in baseball."

......but yah to happen in 6, maybe all 7 games pretty odd/flukey.


edit to add:
Football postseason (not counting neutral site SB) is 59% Home Team wins
Hockey postseason 59%
Basketball posteason 67%

I'm hoping it's the only game 7 and the Phillies can finish the Diamondbacks off in 6 so both series end tomorrow.

So, Garcia hits a bomb and like so many other players watch it as they approach first base.
Then he gets plunked in the ribs his next at bat.
Then he hits a grand slam to put game six out of reach.
Got to love the sweet revenge. I only hope Garcia hits 4 home runs in game 7.

Now I ask, is what Garcia did strolling down to first base any different than what Hector Neris did to Julio Rodriguez during the season. It just seems the pitchers now a days can dish it out but can't take it. My dream for game 7 is for Garcia to it a bomb off Neris in the 8th or 9th innings for the game winner........a walk off would have been nice but they are in Houston.

Man, I really hope we don't end up with a Houston Phillies rematch.

The Phillies can't possibly choke this Series away can they?

I'm all for Game 7's so don't mind if they lose today, but who the hell are they pitching tomorrow if they don't come back in this game?

Let's go Diamondbacks! If there is a game 7 it might be bullpens on both sides...

If it's Diamondbacks Rangers 7 people who don't live in Phoenix or Dallas might watch.

...forgot about Ranger Suarez. Should be a good one.

Texas already scored?! Wow

Pouring it on in the first!

3 spot,,,,and still only 1 out WOW is right!

The only thing Houston has going right now is Scherzer still has to pitch.

Odds at beginning of season to win the World Series
 

MLB World Series Odds
Houston Astros: +600
Atlanta Braves: +750
Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees: +800
New York Mets, San Diego Padres: +900
Toronto Blue Jays: +1200
Philadelphia Phillies: +1600
Seattle Mariners: +1800
St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Rays: +2000
Cleveland Guardians: +2500
Milwaukee Brewers, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota Twins: +3500
Los Angeles Angels: +4000
Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants: +5000
Boston Red Sox: +6000
Baltimore Orioles: +6600
Chicago Cubs: +8000
Miami Marlins: +10000
Arizona Diamondbacks: +12500
Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Pittsburgh Pirates: +20000
Cincinnati Reds: +25000
Colorado Rockies: +30000
Washington Nationals, Oakland Athletics: +50000

This will be the first game 7 the Phillies will play in the playoffs. They better be more awake for it than they were in game 6.

He turned it on this game, that's for sure. I think I'd still rather face him than Schwarber or Harper though.