MLB Playoffs

[Ref]

I like the graph where it keeps track of the pitches a pitcher is throwing to the batter during an at bat.

You get to see the sequence of the calls and see what they do the next time a pitcher faces the same hitter.

 

[Mothintoflame]

Hard to choose who to cheer for between yankees and astros, yikes!

 

[The Oracle]

And the Yankees win......The Yankees win!!!

Jeff Blair on the Fan590 said before the series that he wouldn't be surprised if they got swept,lol.

That guy is such a loser......I didn't know if they were going to win but I knew they weren't going to get swept.

I can't see them beating the Astros though......4-1 Houston is my call. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[K Douglas]

Anybody but the Yankees. Please!!!

 

[princekwekua]

This is not brotherly love. Aaron Nola was on the mound for the Philadelphia Phillies in their Game 2 NLCS matchup against the Padres. His senior brother Austin Nola started at catcher for the Padres and batted ninth. He came to the plate in the fifth inning with his Padres trailing 4-2. Austin hit an 0-2 sinker off his brother into right centerfield scoring a run from first. It opened the floodgates for the Padres who scored 4 more in the inning. Ouch

 

[K Douglas]

Good results yesterday. I def want to see an Astros/Padres WS.

 

[Toronto Passions]

Good results yesterday. I def want to see an Astros/Padres WS.

Houston up 3 nil. Bye bye pinstripes.

Philip

 

[princekwekua]

Phillies down 4-0 at the top of 1st inning. They battled back to score 3 of their own bottom of the inning with Rhys Hoskins (who?) delivering a 2-run dinger. Later tied it up. Down again 6-4 in the 5th. Battled back again to tie bottom of 5th with Rhys Hoskins doing the damage again with another 2-run dinger. Bam, bam, Phillies 10 Padres 6. The raucous scene of Phillies players and fans infectious. Loving that team

 

[The Oracle]

Astros sweep my Yankees and take the American League pennant. Very deserving.

They were the best team the junior circuit has all year. Great all around pitching and defense.

Prediction.....Astros down the Phillies in 6 to win the World Series.

 

[tml]

Astros sweep my Yankees and take the American League pennant. Very deserving.

They were the best team the junior circuit has all year. Great all around pitching and defense.

Prediction.....Astros down the Phillies in 6 to win the World Series.

I'd like to see the Astros sweep. Since I don't have a rooting interest, it would be interesting to see baseball history with a team winning 11 steaight playoff games.

What do your Yankees do during the off season, Oracle?

 

[K Douglas]

I believe the Phillies were the worst team (record) to qualify for the post season yet here they are standing 4 wins away from a World Series championship. The only time I ever cheered for the Phillies was when Roy Halladay was pitching for them when they won back in 2008.
I don't see a path for them beating this Astros team which doesn't have a weakness. Their pitching staff is deeper than the Mariana Trench and they have a true murderer's row with Bregman, Alvarez and Tucker. I'd be surprised if it goes 6 games.

 

[The Oracle]

What do your Yankees do during the off season, Oracle?

The big question is do they resign Judge? This years regular season stats plus his professionalism on and off the field say yes but at his age and size when is he going to start to decline? If he's asking for 10 years and 40 million per I think he's gone. Word is that the Giants are beckoning. Yankee fanatics are going to crap themselves if that happens. They're already mad that NY is one of the richest organizations in baseball but Hal Steinbrenner is seen as a flat out penny pincher. But they freaked when Robinson Cano left and in hindsight that was a wise decision.

Brian Cashman the GM is the real problem. The Donaldson deal didn't work out. He's shot. Still great ''D'' but no stick at this point in his career. Hicks is finito as well. Chapman gave up on the team. He's history. Frankie Montas their deadline acquisition was bad then got hurt. Benintendi their other deadline acquisition wasn't lighting it up before he got hurt as well. IKF isn't a shortstop, we saw that with his defensive play all year and in the playoffs

They have some talent coming up though. Three middle infielders. Oswald Peraza ss, Anthony Volpe ss and Trey Sweeney ss. All are within one or two of the big club. We saw Peraza at the end of the season and he didn't disappoint. Jasson Dominguez cf is a 20 year in AA who is a top rated prospect in all of baseball. As well as Catcher Austin Wells in AA. So they have a lot of talent coming. In past years they would have traded this off for established stars on the back end of their careers and adsorbed an inflated payroll. But their business model has changed under Steinbrenner junior.

LeMahieu and Rizzo are still quality players but the wear and tear are showing on their bodies. Trevino played over his head for most of the season and dropped off quite a bit in the last 2 months. Is Holmes a true closer? He's was great then he wasn't.

Staring pitching is a plus though. Cole, Cortes, Severino, Taillon and German are deep. So that's a plus. Bader is a blanket in centre and showed good power in the post season. Overall their bullpen when healthy is a plus as well.

Could we see Don Mattingly coaching the Yankees next year? He's got the expierence and is loved in the big apple.

 

[Toronto Passions]

The big question is do they resign Judge? This years regular season stats plus his professionalism on and off the field say yes but at his age and size when is he going to start to decline? If he's asking for 10 years and 40 million per I think he's gone. Word is that the Giants are beckoning. Yankee fanatics are going to crap themselves if that happens. They're already mad that NY is one of the richest organizations in baseball but Hal Steinbrenner is seen as a flat out penny pincher. But they freaked when Robinson Cano left and in hindsight that was a wise decision.

Brian Cashman the GM is the real problem. The Donaldson deal didn't work out. He's shot. Still great ''D'' but no stick at this point in his career. Hicks is finito as well. Chapman gave up on the team. He's history. Frankie Montas their deadline acquisition was bad then got hurt. Benintendi their other deadline acquisition wasn't lighting it up before he got hurt as well. IKF isn't a shortstop, we saw that with his defensive play all year and in the playoffs

They have some talent coming up though. Three middle infielders. Oswald Peraza ss, Anthony Volpe ss and Trey Sweeney ss. All are within one or two of the big club. We saw Peraza at the end of the season and he didn't disappoint. Jasson Dominguez cf is a 20 year in AA who is a top rated prospect in all of baseball. As well as Catcher Austin Wells in AA. So they have a lot of talent coming. In past years they would have traded this off for established stars on the back end of their careers and adsorbed an inflated payroll. But their business model has changed under Steinbrenner junior.

LeMahieu and Rizzo are still quality players but the wear and tear are showing on their bodies. Trevino played over his head for most of the season and dropped off quite a bit in the last 2 months. Is Holmes a true closer? He's was great then he wasn't.

Staring pitching is a plus though. Cole, Cortes, Severino, Taillon and German are deep. So that's a plus. Bader is a blanket in centre and showed good power in the post season. Overall their bullpen when healthy is a plus as well.

Could we see Don Mattingly coaching the Yankees next year? He's got the expierence and is loved in the big apple.

You make some good points about everything. The Mets seem to be the team these days with the bottomless financial pit. Imagine if Judge went to the Mets? Oooh The team in Queens shows up the team north of Harlem, just across the bridge. The thought of that happening is crazy..

I for one would like to see Mattingly as the Yankees manager.

Josh Donaldson needs to grow a beard again. He looks weird so clean shaven. Is it just me, or did he used to look like he had more of a plan at the plate? It almost feels like he’s not even looking for a pitch anymore. Ability to drive the ball is still there. He still has opposite field power. Can still find the gaps. Just no goddamn plan.

Philip

 

[The Oracle]

You make some good points about everything. The Mets seem to be the team these days with the bottomless financial pit. Imagine if Judge went to the Mets? Oooh The team in Queens shows up the team north of Harlem, just across the bridge. The thought of that happening is crazy..

I for one would like to see Mattingly as the Yankees manager.

Josh Donaldson needs to grow a beard again. He looks weird so clean shaven. Is it just me, or did he used to look like he had more of a plan at the plate? It almost feels like he’s not even looking for a pitch anymore. Ability to drive the ball is still there. He still has opposite field power. Can still find the gaps. Just no goddamn plan.

Philip

If you watch JD's hands he does this load move when the pitch is coming. I've studied this close. I feel at his age. I believe he is 35. He just doesn't have the bat speed to adjust to what he is seeing anymore. He's going to have to rework his swing like Matt Carpenter did. Cause if he didn't have some sort of undisclosed ailment that might excuse his demise at the plate I feel he will be out of the league next year.Which means the Yankees will be on the hook for 25 million. Yikers....

I've read where the Mets ownership have even deeper pockets than the Yankees. That doesn't bode well for the pinstripes. The general consensus is that he'll go home to the bay area though. If he leaves. They're going to offer him a 8 year deal. His agent wants 10. Personally I wouldn't budge if I owned the team. I keep on thinking how did the Pujols deal work out for the Angels? Yeah Albert had a bounce back campaign this year but the last 5 or so were not what they thought they were getting.

 

[tml]

If you watch JD's hands he does this load move when the pitch is coming. I've studied this close.

Sometimes I worry about you, Oracle. Soon we are going to have to take you to a club to get back in touch with reality.

 

[ETH]

I believe the Phillies were the worst team (record) to qualify for the post season yet here they are standing 4 wins away from a World Series championship. The only time I ever cheered for the Phillies was when Roy Halladay was pitching for them when they won back in 2008.
I don't see a path for them beating this Astros team which doesn't have a weakness. Their pitching staff is deeper than the Mariana Trench and they have a true murderer's row with Bregman, Alvarez and Tucker. I'd be surprised if it goes 6 games.

Doc pitched for them in 2010, following a trade in the offseaon. He never played on their 2008 WS team. But he did pitch a no-no in his first ever postseason start.

Doc was a legend

 

[ETH]

To me the best comp for Judge is Stanton. Almost the same size in height and weight, with Giancarlo 2 years his senior, and already breaking down with injury problems. Judge is 40 pounds heavier, 1 inch taller than Stanton, and already has a history of injuries... I wouldn't sign him to a long-term deal

 

[The Oracle]

Sometimes I worry about you, Oracle. Soon we are going to have to take you to a club to get back in touch with reality.

I prefer yesteryear.......

 

[Toronto Passions]

If you watch JD's hands he does this load move when the pitch is coming. I've studied this close. I feel at his age. I believe he is 35. He just doesn't have the bat speed to adjust to what he is seeing anymore. He's going to have to rework his swing like Matt Carpenter did. Cause if he didn't have some sort of undisclosed ailment that might excuse his demise at the plate I feel he will be out of the league next year.Which means the Yankees will be on the hook for 25 million. Yikers....

I love it. You study this the way I study pitching mechanics and velocity. Goddamn guns are juiced. No more speed of crossing the plate (classic ray gun). Now it’s the speed of when it leaves the hand. The 1990s and before, I truly believe the readings were 6 to 8 miles per hour less than what they are doing today. Today’s 97 mph, was 90 in 1990. This means in 1986 when Roger Clemens was being gunned at 98 mph, today that same fast ball would’ve been anywhere from 104 to 106. I truly believe that. In the Guinness Book, how it used to say (not sure what it says now) Nolan Ryan was the record holder 100.7 i think it was…. that same fastball could’ve been anywhere from 106 to 108 today. Mark Wholers at 96 in 96, would’ve been well over 100 today.

etc etc etc

Hell even Vida Blue and a young Bob Welsh threw absolute gasoline. OK just ignore me lol once I get started on this, I can go on forever. I was a pitcher when I was younger that never quite got my mechanics in order. But I know what was working and when and why it was working.

Philip

 

[The Oracle]

I love it. You study this the way I study pitching mechanics and velocity. Goddamn guns are juiced. No more speed of crossing the plate (classic ray gun). Now it’s the speed of when it leaves the hand. The 1990s and before, I truly believe the readings were 6 to 8 miles per hour less than what they are doing today. Today’s 97 mph, was 90 in 1990. This means in 1986 when Roger Clemens was being gunned at 98 mph, today that same fast ball would’ve been anywhere from 104 to 106. I truly believe that. In the Guinness Book, how it used to say (not sure what it says now) Nolan Ryan was the record holder 100.7 i think it was…. that same fastball could’ve been anywhere from 106 to 108 today. Mark Wholers at 96 in 96, would’ve been well over 100 today.

etc etc etc

Hell even Vida Blue and a young Bob Welsh threw absolute gasoline. OK just ignore me lol once I get started on this, I can go on forever. I was a pitcher when I was younger that never quite got my mechanics in order. But I know what was working and when and why it was working.

Philip

A friend of mine told me a little while ago about the disparity between measuring the velocity of the ball coming out of the hand and crossing the plate. And of course what is being sold to us as the absolute truth of what we are being informed on how hard a pitcher throws.

Long before there was Nolan Ryan there was Bob Feller. https://www.espn.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/57040/tbt-how-fast-was-bob-fellers-fastball