The baseball playoffs thread 2018

[Gary A.]

Boston is very very good. So far, better than the Dodgers, not purely by the final scores, but their ability to score on two outs is amazing and their pitching ... so far ... is awesome. I've never seen a club who waits until two out to play ball.

 

[waday]

I watched the first game! Granted, it was because my hotel roommate wanted to watch it while I worked, but I still watched it! First World Series game I've watched in a very, very, very long time.

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

Boston is very very good. So far, better than the Dodgers, not purely by the final scores, but their ability to score on two outs is amazing and their pitching ... so far ... is awesome. I've never seen a club who waits until two out to play ball.

They have almost 50% of their post season runs scored with 2 outs which is an insane percentage.

I guess Roberts is going with the match ups/analytics for his line ups but in the AL park, with that bench and the chance to have a DH in the line up, the LAD could be a dangerous offensive team. What do the LAD fans think of him sticking with the formula that got them this far?

Wondering if JD turning that ankle will have a big impact on the line up for the NL park Friday night. Seemed to be nursing it a bit when he was running last night. I read somewhere this week that his numbers at Dodger Stadium are unreal so I would think they would stick him in rf if at all possible and we may even see Mookie at 2B at some point...

 

[jcdeboever]

Boston is very very good. So far, better than the Dodgers, not purely by the final scores, but their ability to score on two outs is amazing and their pitching ... so far ... is awesome. I've never seen a club who waits until two out to play ball.

They have almost 50% of their post season runs scored with 2 outs which is an insane percentage.

I guess Roberts is going with the match ups/analytics for his line ups but in the AL park, with that bench and the chance to have a DH in the line up, the LAD could be a dangerous offensive team. What do the LAD fans think of him sticking with the formula that got them this far?

Wondering if JD turning that ankle will have a big impact on the line up for the NL park Friday night. Seemed to be nursing it a bit when he was running last night. I read somewhere this week that his numbers at Dodger Stadium are unreal so I would think they would stick him in rf if at all possible and we may even see Mookie at 2B at some point...

JD will more than likely be in there. I would think if his ankle isn't broke, they can get him ready to play. He played through some injury when in Detroit, so I know he is tough enough. You knew Betts was going to start hitting, he is to good not to. Boston is running on all cylinders. I could see a sweep here. Dodgers can't muster the big hit, its killing them.

 

[Gary A.]

Hopefully Dodgers are a warm weather team ... their bats need to defrost for some hitting. To me, the Dodgers are more handicapped defensively than offensively. They need to stop all those two out hits/runs ... how hard can that be?

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

Hopefully Dodgers are a warm weather team ... their bats need to defrost for some hitting. To me, the Dodgers are more handicapped defensively than offensively. They need to stop all those two out hits/runs ... how hard can that be?

Machado has been great defensively. Not sure who made that throw to get Kinsler out last night from left (Taylor?) but that was a great play. Puig is playing too deep in right for Fenway.

Going from one extreme to the other weather wise. I think they said 89 degrees on Friday???

How did he get from here where it looks like it is almost past him,

to here? What a pretty ballet leap!

and he made that adjustment on landing so he didn't hit the wall!!! Amazing. In a post game interview Mookie said that he (Benny) has practiced that move many times.

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

 

[Gary A.]

Roberts, (bless his heart), is managing with the formulas that got him to WS. But Boston is playing outside the box. He needs to think outside the box. For an extremely successful manager, it is hard to ignore the formulas that got you to the WS. He needs to roll with what is working, not with what got him there. Roberts has the pieces ... he just needs to play them differently. Can Roberts learn to play Boston Ball in a few days ... I don’t think so. Consequently, the Dodgers are pretty screwed. (But, when the Dodgers started playing “Billy Ball”, short balls, swinging for hits, bunting, they were competitive. It is just soooo hard to throw away an entire season, 163 games of Roberts’ Ball.

 

[jcdeboever]

Wow, pretty harsh words for a real good manager. The series ain't over yet. The bottom line so far is that he has put his players in a position to win but they don't execute. Boston's are.

 

[Gary A.]

Wow, pretty harsh words for a real good manager. The series ain't over yet. The bottom line so far is that he has put his players in a position to win but they don't execute. Boston's are.

Just calling them as I see ‘em. I think Roberts has his thinking cap on ... and maybe, come tomorrow, Roberts will show a different formula.

PS- Roberts is a great manager, he brought the Dodgers back after the team was whittled with injuries. He’s in the WS ... his deeds speak loudly and attest to his skill. Now he needs to win the WS.

 

[jcdeboever]

Wow, pretty harsh words for a real good manager. The series ain't over yet. The bottom line so far is that he has put his players in a position to win but they don't execute. Boston's are.

Just calling them as I see ‘em. I think Roberts has his thinking cap on ... and maybe, come tomorrow, Roberts will show a different formula.

I don't know. I get your logic but he really hasn't done anything to hurt them. He will be the fall guy though if they don't win. The players are just not executing up to this junction.

 

[SquarePeg37 8]

The talking heads here have been killing Roberts for not playing his hot bats and for taking out pitchers who are not in trouble. The funny thing is, Cora has done almost the same (not playing Holt after his 4 hit game, pinch hitting Nunez, pulling Eovaldi for Kimbrell to close) but, since it’s worked out for him so far, no one mentions it as a flaw.

 

[grrr8scott]

The Dodgers can get two strikes on Boston’s hitters, but can’t get the out. They can get two outs, but not the third. Boston has done a great job in those situations - that’s the difference in the series.

 

[jcdeboever]

Wow, pretty harsh words for a real good manager. The series ain't over yet. The bottom line so far is that he has put his players in a position to win but they don't execute. Boston's are.

Just calling them as I see ‘em. I think Roberts has his thinking cap on ... and maybe, come tomorrow, Roberts will show a different formula.

I don't know. I get your logic but he really hasn't done anything to hurt them. He will be the fall guy though if they don't win. The players are just not executing up to this junction.

The players will be bummed big time if Robert's gets fired for not winning the WS. At the end of the day, it will be on them and they know it. Not sure the temperature of the fan base but in most major markets, they will want a change. Baseball is an interesting sport, wouldn't surprise me at all if LA wins 3 straight.

 

[jcdeboever]

Wow, pretty harsh words for a real good manager. The series ain't over yet. The bottom line so far is that he has put his players in a position to win but they don't execute. Boston's are.

Just calling them as I see ‘em. I think Roberts has his thinking cap on ... and maybe, come tomorrow, Roberts will show a different formula.

I don't know. I get your logic but he really hasn't done anything to hurt them. He will be the fall guy though if they don't win. The players are just not executing up to this junction.

The players will be bummed big time if Robert's gets fired for not winning the WS. At the end of the day, it will be on them and they know it. Not sure the temperature of the fan base but in most major markets, they will want a change. Baseball is an interesting sport, wouldn't surprise me at all if LA wins 3 straight.