Final game of the World Series. Johnson, Mathewson, Cy Young?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

Walter Johnson. Not close.

All of your postseason sample sizes are too small to predict postseason performance in a single game better than a career's worth of regular season performances do.

It's the only thing I ever blogged about other than sex:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog...-base-and-more

I completely disagree with your hypothesis and conclusions. I don't think it is a matter of anyone playing better. It is some great players who play at their normal high level while others are not able to maintain their's. That results in superior performance from those "clutch" players. It is natural for people to freeze or shrink when put under pressure. Some it doesn't effect. Some can overcome it with experience or at times. Some are Clayton Kershaw. Sorry, but postseason games are different than regular season games. Regular season performance doesn't necessarily predict postseason performance, see Clayton Kershaw.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by rats60

I completely disagree with your hypothesis and conclusions. I don't think it is a matter of anyone playing better. It is some great players who play at their normal high level while others are not able to maintain their's. That results in superior performance from those "clutch" players. It is natural for people to freeze or shrink when put under pressure. Some it doesn't effect. Some can overcome it with experience or at times. Some are Clayton Kershaw. Sorry, but postseason games are different than regular season games. Regular season performance doesn't necessarily predict postseason performance, see Clayton Kershaw.

I'll be happy to make a public wager with you if you honestly think Kershaw won't have a sub-3.00 postseason ERA over the years 2017-2025. Quite likely you could win the bet given how small the sample will be, but probably you won't, given that regular season performance is the better predictor of postseason performance.

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

I'll be happy to make a public wager with you if you honestly think Kershaw won't have a sub-3.00 postseason ERA over the years 2017-2025. Quite likely you could win the bet given how small the sample will be, but probably you won't, given that regular season performance is the better predictor of postseason performance.

rats60, if you're out there, you have until Kershaw's first pitch tonight to consider the offer. In honor of great postseason pitchers, let's say a T206 Mathewson (Good-VG, any pose, any back).

[oldjudge]

I’ll take Babe Ruth (3-0, 0.7ERA). Even if he had an off day he might win the game with his bat.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by rats60

I completely disagree with your hypothesis and conclusions. I don't think it is a matter of anyone playing better. It is some great players who play at their normal high level while others are not able to maintain their's. That results in superior performance from those "clutch" players. It is natural for people to freeze or shrink when put under pressure. Some it doesn't effect. Some can overcome it with experience or at times. Some are Clayton Kershaw. Sorry, but postseason games are different than regular season games. Regular season performance doesn't necessarily predict postseason performance, see Clayton Kershaw.

Kershaw has had what, 15 or so post season starts, and his stats are just dramatically different from his regular season ones. I am not sure I could defend it mathematically, but that feels like enough to say that at least so far, he does seem to have an issue with post-season pitching. 6 starts by Johnson, or 10 by Mathewson (in which he was 5-5 by the way, and yes I know the ERA) don't feel like enough to draw a meaningful comparison. I'm still handing the ball to Johnson, although I would feel pretty good about handing it to Mathewson or Young or Alexander too.