Potentially the most unpredictable Playoffs ever
 

As we head down the home stretch with the Playoffs about a month away, right now it has the making of potentially the most exciting Playoffs ever, in my opinion.

I don't recall 2 Heavyweights like the Braves & Dodgers in one League in a long time. Both with recent WS titles under their belts, both just dominating all season long. Will they meet? Who will prevail?

One of those 2 will also have to face the Phillies who are on fire right now, and the defending NL champs.

So some big time matchups hopefully coming in October.

Over in the AL you have 3 teams who can potentially top the perennial AL Champ Astros, but won't be an easy task.

3 (Baltimore, Texas, Seattle) new and exciting teams with some outstanding matchup potentials as well. I'm really hoping for a Battle of Texas at some point between the Rangers and Astros.

Still a long way to go, but can't wait. The beer is on ice!

I agree that the playoffs should be great to watch this year, but the Dodgers and Braves were both pretty good last year and were joined by the Mets to have 3 100 win teams in the NL (although the Mets were going in the wrong direction at the end). In the AL, Houston had over 100 wins and the Yankees had 99 so that's 5 out of 12 teams which probably meant the playoffs were a little more top heavy last year.

There does seem to be more balance among the likely teams this year which should make for some great series. It all depends on who gets hot at the right time. Last year, I didn't think the Phillies were getting in since they struggled the last month but turned it on once the playoffs started.

....but the problem with last years is too many sweeps and not enough Game 5's in the early round nor Game 6 & 7's in the later rounds. 4-1 & 4-0 in the NLCS & ALCS, dats a no good.


I think this year it just seems more even. I see a lot of Series going the distance, to the final and decisive game of the Series.


We'll see.

Dodgers v Braves could be epic. As a fan, I'm hoping Ohtani joins the Dodgers. Then that playoff matchup could be epic for at least another year or two before people start leaving for the Mets and Yankees.

Every year I hope for epic matchups and 7 game series.

This year definitely has the potential with some really strong teams.

And I agree would love to see Atlanta vs LA and alll the stars going at it.

You never know what will happen in the playoffs. Last year, it looked like both LCS series would have been very close but Houston swept the Yankees and the Phillies beat San Diego in 5. Personally I hope for the Phillies to sweep and for whoever they play next to have a series go the distance. :)

Braves and Dodgers start a 4 game series tonight.

Who is leaving the Braves or Dodgers to go the Mets or Yankees?

I was just making the joke that at some point everyone leaves for a big paycheck from the Yankees or the Mets.

I root for a bunch of losers: Reds, Guardians, Mariners, Rockies, Twins. After my teams all exit early, and the anxiety goes away, the playoffs become very enjoyable every year.

But! I do hope Ohtani goes somewhere competitive next year. I would like to see him win. Fingers crossed for the Mariners, but that would likely hamstring them financially and return them to obscurity.

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Reds and Mariners could be sneaky good if they make it to the postseason.

Mariners could be very good, but I wonder if they peaked to soon. Reds will not be good. All the pitchers are maxed out.

Mariners rotation could have been much better, but Emerson Hancock is out long term.

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would love to see Texas vs Houston.....winner goes to the World Series.

Braves Dodgers could be epic. Acuna, Olson, Betts, Freeman, plus all the pitchers.

If the Donnie Baseball curse holds true, the Marlins should be in line to win it all this year.

I did not see Texas crushing Tampa like this.

1st epic battle could be Phillies and Braves. Re-match of last years Round 2.

But yah if we get Braves Dodgers and Astros Rangers....that would be ideal. But still 2 rounds to go to get there.

Astros Orioles wouldn't be too shabby either, but hoping first for the Battle of Texas.

1 run in two games that is surprising.

Twins sweep the Jays and it's off to Houston

Carlos Correa going home.

Boy that Mets contract falling apart worked out for him.

The Braves will face the Orioles in the WS the Braves will prevail.

Fear the Bird.

Worst year of his career. 1.4 WAR and .230. What happened? I had him on my HOF potential list.

Definitely not a great year for him. Still only 28, but yah he better redeem himself in the Playoffs or come back strong next year or his HOF chances will dwindle.

He did make a very nice play to throw Bichette out at home.......and a great tag on a pick off play of Vlad Jr., and he drove the first run of the game in with a bases loaded single.........so not a bad to start to these Playoffs.


4 sweeps in the first round.


Let's hope the 2nd round gets a little more intense.

All sweeps in the first round was a surprise. As a Phillies fan, I was not expecting them to beat the Marlins as easily as they did, but Wheeler and Nola really stepped up with great starts. Wheeler wasn't a surprise, but Nola has not been great this year. Next up is Atlanta. I don't see how the Phillies can win this series, but I thought the same thing last year and they beat Atlanta in 4 games so hopefully they can find a way to do it again, but if I had to bet on it, my money would be on the Braves.

Hopefully this round is more competitive, but I could see the Braves, Dodgers, Orioles and Astros all winning pretty easily.

Jay, can you rank the 4 underdogs in Round 2, 1 to 4, with 1 being the best chance at an upset and advancing, to 4 being least likely to advance.

I would list them in this order:

1 - Rangers
2 - Diamondbacks
3 - Phillies
4 - Twins

For one thing plantar fasciitis, since about May. He can't run-- 30 GIDP-- and it likely affects his hitting approach also.

The Twins would be really tough to beat with a fully healthy Correa, Lewis and Buxton. Of course, a fully healthy Buxton is seen about as often as a unicorn.

Back to Correa and the key pickoff of Vlad.

"Sonny Gray said this was all Correa. Correa noticed early that the runners couldn’t hear the 3rd-base coach & told Gray about it early in the game."

None of my teams have ever won a WS: Reds, Mariners, Colorado, Twins, Cleveland.

Here are my picks. Twins, Orioles, Arizona. I want to see new blood win a WS. Sonny Gray is a former Reds pitcher. They are my #1 team.

I want to see a Baltimore-Arizona WS. So sick of the Dodgers and the Astros!

+1 and everyone not from Texas or So-Cal.

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It will be interesting to see how these series play out. 3 of the 4 home teams (that had long layoffs) lost game 1 which can be tough to come back from in a 5 game series.

I know you are too young to remember but the Reds won in 1919, and 1940; the Twins won in 1987 and 1991 (and in 1924 as the Senators) and the Indians won in 1828 and 1948.

I would to see the O's and D-Backs.

Reds won in1975, 1976 and 1990 also.

You are correct, I forgot these.

Now it's getting good.

4-3 bottom of 7th.

There is a chance at 4 upsets in the 2nd round.


WOW!!!!

DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What a hit......home run....I should say.

WOW!!!!!

I'm gonna say it now, that may be the hit that won the World Series!!!!!

I hope not, but the Phillies certainly had as good of an opportunity to go up 2-0 and let the Braves back in the series.

Phillies had em on the ropes.......bottom of the 8th 2 outs 2 strikes.

Definitely not over by any means, but they better win the next game.

I just want the Series to go 5 games, and then extra innings.

My first thought was, wait, the Little Bighorn was 1876, not 1828...

Of course, you meant 1920, with Tris Speaker and Joe Wood.

Thanks, my fingers got displaced and I seldom proof read but should:)

Speaker was great as usual but Smokey Joe was very much a non-factor. Jim Bagby Sr. and Stan Coveleski lied the way.

What were Bagby and Coveleski lying about?

About Smokey Joy being in his prime.

Cubman huh.....are you sure you are not Harry Carrey reincarnated?

Who the hell is Smokey Joy?

Austin Riley
 

For those of you who missed it

I can't decide between the TV guys or the Spanish broadcast being the best.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jeQroQqkF8

To clarify:

The Indians won in 1876, 1920, and 1948.


Bagby and Coveleski led the way but as far as we know, were truthful.

Wood was a happy enough fellow despite blowing out his pitching arm in 1913, but he was known as "Smoky Joe."

Jim Carrey is an actor (an over-actor in fact,) while Harry Caray was a baseball announcer.

The Battle of Texas is coming!!!!.........or The Lone Star Series, whatever you want to call it.

Good bye East Coast

Well at least you have the Jets, Giants and Patriots to keep you entertained until January 7th.

Someday I will learn to proof read and not rely on autocorrect.