MLB Game Chatter Thread

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Yeah I know. You have the Yanks and the Sox playing each other to the death over here, and over here you have the Twins and.....the White Sox? Hey I'm sure we can work in the Royals at some point.

I'm sure the Yankees didn't mind playing the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Devil Rays 19 times apiece. The combined winning percentage of the Yankees' division rivals (INCLUDING the Red Sox) was .482. Does that demean the Yankees' accomplishments?

[Guest Staravenger]

The Orioles are once again, a very under-rated team because of their lack of experience in pitching. I guess beating the Red Sox 10 times this year doesn't count as being good. Or the fact the Yankees lost 2 of 3 to the Blue Jays in Yankee Stadium a few weeks ago, and that the Devil Rays AREN'T an overall bad team.

[Guest GreatOne]

Yeah I know. You have the Yanks and the Sox playing each other to the death over here,

In a race that means nothing because of the wild card.

 

and over here you have the Twins and.....the White Sox? Hey I'm sure we can work in the Royals at some point.

And, once again, the Yankees and Sox spend 1/3 of their season fiercely entangled with the O's, Jays, and Rays. What's your point? It's pretty much a wash in the end.

They're still playing each other, taking a lot out of each other. You're gonna tell me that the Twins are just as drained from playing the Indians, Tigers, and White Sox than the Yankees are the Red Sox and, to a degree, the Orioles?

 

And Yankee/Red Sox fan isn't over here boistering about how great they did in a series in August as proof of their belonging.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Has anyone ever given a flying fuck about NFL division winners?

 

Look, the playoffs in MLB haven't been entirely watered down as they have in the other major sports.  Making the playoffs is an accomplishment itself, and the fans of the teams want to celebrate, they are more than entitled to it.

Oh look it's Mr. player-worship, never-do-wrong, stupid-announcers-they-should-sit-back-and-be-homers trying to lecture me again.

 

12 teams out of 32 make it in the NFL=37.5%

8 out of 30 make it in baseball=26.67%

 

Slight advantage to baseball, but not by a hell of a lot.

I'd say a 10% difference is a HELL of an advantage.

[Guest GreatOne]

With a difference of two teams in each league mind you.

 

Nevermind the fact that more teams occupy MLB currently as nothing more than tax write-offs.

[Guest Anglesault]

Yeah I know. You have the Yanks and the Sox playing each other to the death over here, and over here you have the Twins and.....the White Sox? Hey I'm sure we can work in the Royals at some point.

I'm sure the Yankees didn't mind playing the Orioles, Blue Jays, and Devil Rays 19 times apiece. The combined winning percentage of the Yankees' division rivals (INCLUDING the Red Sox) was .482. Does that demean the Yankees' accomplishments?

No, because the Yankees had to beat out a real team to win the division.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Just for fun, I took the pythagorean records of the AL East opponents, and AL Central opponents.

 

AL East (w/o Yankees): .489

AL Central (w/o Twins): .475

 

Over a 162 game season, that works out to 2 wins. And that includes the Red Sox and Royals. Is the Yankees schedule really more difficult?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

With a difference of two teams in each league mind you.

 

Nevermind the fact that more teams occupy MLB currently as nothing more than tax write-offs.

And a difference of four teams in the playoffs. The numerator is much more influential than the denominator.

 

As for the second point, what do you call the Arizona Cardinals?

[Guest Staravenger]

When a team can get in the playoffs with an 8-8 (.500) record, I would say it's a better advantage for the NFL.

 

But if we're gonna argue what division sucks more, look at the NL East. The Braves, who were pretty much given very little chance of even being playoff contenders, are the division champs AGAIN, the Phillies were barely a Wild Card threat, and the Marlins dropped off in the last few weeks, but weren't close to catching the Braves. Then you have Montreal and NYM....I have nothing to say about them, because I'm sure everyone knows they suck.

[Guest Smues]

And after leading all day Atlanta is trying to throw it away in the 9th. Come on Kevin.

[sfaJack 0]

But if we're gonna argue what division sucks more, look at the NL East. The Braves, who were pretty much given very little chance of even being playoff contenders, are the division champs AGAIN, the Phillies were barely a Wild Card threat, and the Marlins dropped off in the last few weeks, but weren't close to catching the Braves. Then you have Montreal and NYM....I have nothing to say about them, because I'm sure everyone knows they suck.

True, but then no one's talking about the NL East are they?

 

But if you want to really get technical on this, the NL East had three teams in contention for playoff spots late in the season, the AL East had only two. By your weird logic, that makes the NL East a tougher division.

[Guest GreatOne]

As for the second point, what do you call the Arizona Cardinals?

 

Same thing you call the Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Montreal/Washington Nationals, Milwaukee Brewers

 

Just for fun, I took the pythagorean records of the AL East opponents, and AL Central opponents.

 

AL East (w/o Yankees): .489

AL Central (w/o Twins): .475

 

Over a 162 game season, that works out to 2 wins. And that includes the Red Sox and Royals. Is the Yankees schedule really more difficult?

 

OK how about this? The Mariners were 19-24 against the AL Central, as opposed to 13-30 against the AL East. Both stats equal the other, which also means they're as meaningful (or less) as the other.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

While I'm looking over statistics, the Yankees had a better record against the East (.657) than the big, bad Central (.625). Remove the Red Sox, and the Yankees played .741 ball against the rest of the East.

[Guest Smues]

fuck 5-4 and only 1 out

[sfaJack 0]

And, once again, the Yankees and Sox spend 1/3 of their season fiercely entangled with the O's, Jays, and Rays.  What's your point?  It's pretty much a wash in the end.

I'm not sure how two legitimate challengers in the East is equal to one in the Central

And again...who gives a shit? The Sox won the wildcard, thus rendering the great division chase utterly meaningless.

[bob_barron 0]

I hate Chris Retisma

[Guest GreatOne]

While I'm looking over statistics, the Yankees had a better record against the East (.657) than the big, bad Central (.625). Remove the Red Sox, and the Yankees played .741 ball against the rest of the East.

And the Yankees have played 73 games against the AL East as opposed to 32 vs the Central. So the point is.........

[Guest Smues]

Hooray strikeout. 2 outs, runner on first. 5-4 Braves. No one in the bullpen for Atlanta so it's all on Grbosky to get Lee out.

[sfaJack 0]

I hate Chris Retisma

I hate the Cubs for getting me all excited in the ninth before falling short again.

[Guest Smues]

Phew and a ground out ends the game. Atlanta clinches the #2 seed and homefield in round 1, plus they avoid St. Louis if the wildcard comes out of the Central. Huzzah.

[Guest Anglesault]

And, once again, the Yankees and Sox spend 1/3 of their season fiercely entangled with the O's, Jays, and Rays.  What's your point?  It's pretty much a wash in the end.

I'm not sure how two legitimate challengers in the East is equal to one in the Central

And again...who gives a shit?

::raises hand::

 

Besides that the Wild Card is an embarassment, I happen to like the idea of home field all throughout the playoffs.

[Guest Staravenger]

So did Grbosky get Lee out?

 

Edit: Nevermind, found out.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Well, at least they showed some life, but too little too late. Kinda sad when their bench can string together three hits and then the leadoff man and number two hitter can't get shit done.

 

But then, that's the type of season it's been. If I grouped together Ben Grieve, Jose Macias and Todd Walker and then Sammy Sosa, Corey Patterson, and Derrek Lee, which group do you think would get three hits and which would make three outs in an inning? Ugh.

[sfaJack 0]

::raises hand::

 

Besides that the Wild Card is an embarassment, I happen to like the idea of home field all throughout the playoffs.

Oh, I'm not saying the wild card doesn't suck. I'm opposed to the wild card, actually. I'm just pointing out that the fact the Sox are in the playoffs, too. You should know from last year that all that matters is that you get in.

 

And I think I posted the stats on "home field advantage" from the 2000-03 playoffs before, but I'll do it again.

 

Home teams are 71-67 in playoff games, which is an insignificant advantage. The only series it even seemed to really matter was the '01 WS.

[sfaJack 0]

Phew and a ground out ends the game. Atlanta clinches the #2 seed and homefield in round 1, plus they avoid St. Louis if the wildcard comes out of the Central. Huzzah.

The Braves should be cheering hard for the Astros to win it, because we all know what happens when the Astros and Braves hook up...

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

While I'm looking over statistics, the Yankees had a better record against the East (.657) than the big, bad Central (.625).  Remove the Red Sox, and the Yankees played .741 ball against the rest of the East.

And the Yankees have played 73 games against the AL East as opposed to 32 vs the Central. So the point is.........

That the Yankees won a greater percentage of their games they played versus the East, compared to those in the Central. Is that hard to comprehend?

[Guest Staravenger]

And once again, think back to last years Game 7 ALCS. If the Sox were at home when Boone hit the home run, they could've come back to win. Instead, it was at Yankee Stadium, and it won the game.

[Guest Anglesault]

.

 

And I think I posted the stats on "home field advantage" from the 2000-03 playoffs before, but I'll do it again.

 

Home teams are 71-67 in playoff games, which is an insignificant advantage. The only series it even seemed to really matter was the '01 WS.

The Yankees also have several pitchers who pitch more effectively at Yankee Stadium, and last year's ALCS really showed me the importance of last licks in a game 7

[sfaJack 0]

And once again, think back to last years Game 7 ALCS. If the Sox were at home when Boone hit the home run, they could've come back to win. Instead, it was at Yankee Stadium, and it won the game.

First of all, having last licks doesn't mean you're always going to come back.

 

Secondly, the Sox had just as many outs as the Yankees did. I really don't see how it's relevant that Boston didn't get to bat again--they already had their turn.

[Guest Anglesault]

Secondly, the Sox had just as many outs as the Yankees did. I really don't see how it's relevant that Boston didn't get to bat again--they already had their turn.

Teams play different games when they are tied in extra innings as opposed to losing by a run or two.

 

Obviously, the Sox biggest concern was scoring, but they also knew that if they just wore Rivera out, He whose name must never be spoken could have come in and shot everything to shit a week early.