2023 MLB Postseason

[Ken]

What's the obsession with "big market coastal teams?"

I don't know what ESPN's obsession is, but my point is clear. If this was the Dodgers vs the Yankees we wouldn't be having this discussion. Seems obvious. Not because the Yankees are good (hint they aren't), but because the talking heads want them to be.

The flyover states don't get much airtime, I get it. That has nothing to do with the teams though.

Baltimore would have been great.

Wait what? Baltimore? They have been terrible over the last decade? I thought you didn't want teams that have been bad?

The Cubs would have been fine. The Rays would have been fine.

All those stars in Chicago and TB that aren't in TEX and AZ.

Both the Rangers and D'backs had marginal regular seasons but extremely hot post-seasons.

They have teams built for the playoffs. Top end starting pitching, good defense, good lineups.

When teams like that get in, it makes for a disappointing (and usually forgettable) WS and questions the validity of such a large post-season.

Disappointing for who? Not for baseball fans.

Let's see if stating it's the "most exciting" matchup will show up in the TV ratings.

Wait is that the bar we are going for here? This is baseball forum I thought we were looking for exciting baseball matchups not the random bandwagon joe blow who couldn't name a player on the all star team this year.

So yeah, neither team plays in New York or LA. There aren't as many fans of these teams because they don't play in those 2 cities.

Thank goodness we don't have one of those overhyped boring series again with one of those cities that thinks highly of themselves and no one else!

[madducks]

I haven't had a chance to watch Corbin Carroll yet. So, I am looking forward to watching him and more of Josh Jung and Evan Carter.

[DMT]

Game 1 a classic

[rhd]

Well, game 1 certainly was exciting!

[madducks]

Well, game 1 certainly was exciting!

I just came here to say the exact same thing. Game 1 was indeed exciting.

[onejayhawk]

Texas pulls out a down two in the 9th, Ouch.

[onejayhawk]

HRs are the dominant stat in postseason play, but opponents pitch count is worth noticing. A key moment in the game was a bases-loaded walk to Mitch Garver--8 pitches.

I must admit that the Ranger's DP combo reminds me of Whitaker and Trammel 40 years ago.

That team won a title but only one.

[onejayhawk]

Adolis Garcia with a walk-oof shot in extra innings.

How big will this legend get?

[DMT]

Nice to see AZ take back momentum after gut-wrenching game 1.

[Ken]

I was reminded of this thread when reading an article today:

To everyone who carped about how this would be a low-rated series because Arizona and Texas are wild-card teams with relatively few big-name players outside their fan bases, congratulations, geniuses. Welcome to modern baseball.

And modern television.

Ratings have been declining for baseball, and for any broadcast TV show that isn't an NFL game, for years. Thanks to streaming services and other technological advances, TV viewing has become more fragmented. Baseball in particular has become more of a regional sport than a national one.

Look for a lot of chest-thumping and finger-wagging among the I-told-you-so set. And while it's certainly true that if LA or New York or Boston were playing, audiences would be bigger. And if frogs had wings, well, you know how that goes.

What happened to rooting for the underdog? Granted, this is a contest between two underdogs. David vs. Goliath is probably a little more appealing than David vs. David. But these teams deserve to be here because they got here. If the "is it good for baseball" bunch wants to sit it out, let 'em.

Their loss.

https://www.azcentral.com/story/entertainment/media/2023/10/30/diamondbacks-blow-world-series-game-3/71316348007/

[revo]

Mild oblique strain for Adolis, but that probably knocks him out for at least a few games, if not the rest of the series

[madducks]

Mild oblique strain for Adolis, but that probably knocks him out for at least a few games, if not the rest of the series

That really sucks. Adolis has been the most exciting player to watch this post-season.

edit: Reportedly, he participated in the pregame workout. So, maybe the Rangers are just playing it safe here for a game or two.

[revo]

Adolis Garcia & Scherzer were removed from the WS roster, so both are officially out for the remainder of the series

[madducks]

Adolis Garcia & Scherzer were removed from the WS roster, so both are officially out for the remainder of the series

Now it officially sucks.

[onejayhawk]

Marcus Simien, who could not buy a hit for three series, has 5 RBI in three innings--2 run triple and a 3 run bomb.

D-backs finally score in the 4th. Currently 10-1

The D-Backs get six runs late but cannot overcome a 10-run deficit, losing 11-7. Rangers up 3-1..