MLB Postseason

[madducks]

I thought Counsel would stick with Pomeranz in the 8th since he didn't allow a base runner in the 6th or 7th. Then you only use Hader for one inning instead of two and have a more rested closer for the division series. So, Hader ends up giving up 3 runs on the Soto single and blows the save in the 8th. The terrible HBP call in the Taylor at bat didn't help though. And the Nationals advance to the next round.

[Judge Jude]

"The terrible HBP call in the Taylor at bat didn't help though."

I thought that for about 3-4 replays, but the last one I thought had it a millimeter hand before bat - and definitely not overrulable.

Pomeranz batted in the 7th but did not pitch in the 8th, iirc. wtf

how is that even possible in a 3-1 game? in a 1-game playoff, how many pitchers did the Brewers have, anyway?

for those of us who didn't care who won, the Nats' Big Three SPs are infinitely more interesting than the Yelich-less, "no one is allowed to pitch 5 innings" Brewers. now we have 4 NL teams with a real chance instead of 3.

[Sharky]

Fair, JJ. But I hate rooting for the Nats. Easy to find a little love for the Brew Crew.

[madducks]

Yandy Diaz, just activated on the final day of the regular season after spending 9 weeks on the DL, goes 3-4 with 2 solo HRs to help the Rays beat the A's 5-1 in the AL Wildcard.

[madducks]

Tyler Glasnow gets the nod over Blake Snell to start game 1 of their ALDS against the Astros on Friday.

I hope that Glasnow K's 15 batters while Meadows hits 3 homers and Pirates owner Bob Nutting is so embarrassed that he fires GM Neal Huntington on Saturday lol.

[madducks]

After Friday's gem, here is where Verlander ranks in all-time post-season history:

WINS
1. Andy Pettitte 19
2. John Smoltz 15
3. Justin Verlander 14
3. Tom Glavine 14
5. Roger Clemens 12
6. Greg Maddux 11
6. Curt Schilling 11
8. Whitey Ford 10
8. Dave Stewart 10
8. CC Sabathia 10
8. David Wells 10
8. Chris Carpenter 10

STRIKEOUTS
1. Justin Verlander 202
2. John Smoltz 199
3. Andy Pettitte 183
4. Roger Clemens 173
5. Clayton Kershaw 169
6. Mike Mussina 145
7. Tom Glavine 143
8. Jon Lester 133
9. Randy Johnson 132
10. Greg Maddux 125

[Hornsby]

BTW, when the hell did Daniel Hudson get this nasty? His stuff was off the charts good...

And why didn't the Twins take a shot at him?

[Judge Jude]

Postseason ERAs of the top 5

WINS
1. Andy Pettitte 19................3.81
2. John Smoltz 15..................2.67
3. Justin Verlander 14.............3.05
3. Tom Glavine 14..................3.30
5. Roger Clemens 12...............3.75

[madducks]

Good pitching beats good hitting unless it's Alex Bregman.

Bregman has 9 career post-season home runs. Here's who Bregman has homered against in the post-season:

Chris Sale (2 times)
Trevor Bauer
Clayton Kershaw
Corey Kluber
Kenley Jansen
Blake Snell
Stephen Strasburg
Fernando Rodney

note: One of these is unlike the others.

[madducks]

Wow! Osuna almost wasted a great pitching performance from Cole. But Will Harris got the final two outs with the bases loaded.


Gerrit Cole is the seventh pitcher to strike out 15 or more batters in a postseason game.


Cole's 33 swings and misses breaks the postseason record since pitch tracking began in 2008.


Cole's 116th pitch of the game was clocked at 100 mph!

[madducks]

You know that your team is stacked when Carlos Correa bats 7th in your lineup and Zack Greinke is your #3 starter!

[madducks]

And Greinke gives the Rays hope by allowing 6 er in 3.2 ip.

[TranaGreg]

I haven't been able to see much of the postseason but there are some great storylines - the Cards pushing Atl to Game 5 with a great comeback, and the Max&Stras show going back to LA for Game 5 ... good stuff.

[B-Fly]

Thrilled to see the Rays win one handily over the Astros while the Yankees swept with their pitchers performing as well as their hitters. It's giving me a lot more hope, whereas I previously thought the Astros had to be viewed as big favorites for the pennant.

[TranaGreg]

elimination games today:

Flaherty vs Folty ... could easily see Atl eliminated here (wow!)
Strasburg vs Buehler ... could easily see the Dodgers eliminated here (again, wow!)

and tomorrow:

Glasnow vs Cole ... both have been spectacular, it could just be one lucky swing of the bat