MLB Divisional Series Thread

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I think Cal and Ernie are okay in the studio, but Frank Thomas is just horrible. Not only is bad in front of the camera, he's afraid to say anything because he still has to face most of these guys next year.

 

I know everyone is down on TBS so far, but I see some promise in their coverage. I think with more time to work out the kinks they'll be able to put out decent to above average coverage.

[The Man in Blak 0]

I really like the TBS coverage, vanilla commentary be damned. I never imagined how refreshing it would be to have a broadcast that didn't have graphics constantly moving around with steam noises, stupid camera angles (batter's box cam, angst-ridden home team fan cam), Scooter, or Tim McCarver.

 

Obviously, there are some things that need to be improved - I do agree that they need to set up some better coverage of the crowd noise for the standard signal, Frank Thomas shouldn't be anywhere near the studio, and Don Orsillo really doesn't appear to have any discernible personality whatsoever. But, in my opinion, this is leaps and bounds above Fox as a pure baseball broadcast, and the extra stuff that TBS presents through the Hot Corner on MLB.com is a nice touch as well.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I feel much the same way. There are some obvious problems here, but I easily prefer it to the MTV-style baseball we get from FOX & ESPN.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

To me, I rather watch teams like the D-Backs and Rockies, a new fresh team, earn their way in as opposed to having the Cardinals back in, just because they have been in the league longer and have a couple bigger names.

The Cardinals have nothing to do with this, though. They hadn't been in a position to back in all year long, seeing as they spent the season

1) totally out of contention,

2) making a run to seize the NL Central from the Brewers and Cubs not unlike what the Rockies ended up doing,

3) totally out of contention again.

 

Furthermore, you're setting this up as if the West teams have rocked the pretty little world of the National League by winning 90 games unlike those dastardly Cardinals who "back in," even though the Cardinals won 205 games and a pennant over the two seasons before their championship-winning 83-win campaign, with basically the same Jocketty/La Russa/Duncan/Carpenter/Pujols/Edmonds/Rolen organizational/roster core. Way too much has been made about the 2006 Cardinals. I never want to hear about them again. No, it wasn't ridiculous that an 83-win team won the World Series, and no, it doesn't mean that now that they did it, anyone can do it.

 

Yeah, Cardinals were probably a bad example. I was just saying I enjoy new, fresh match-ups and sometimes I feel like people just don't want to see new teams, so I threw the Cards in there because of their solid fan base, even though they weren't in the picture this year. I really wanted to see the Brewers get in this year too. I just like shaking it up and don't think it's right if people discredit teams just because they haven't been in the league X amount of years. I get what you are saying though, I just don't think it's fair for anyone to discredit a surprising season from the D-Backs.

[geniusMoment 0]

There's the Kyle Loshe we loved in Cincy. Gotta love Loshe.

[CanadianChris 0]

You know it's just not your day when you give up a grand slam to Kaz F'n Matsui.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It was really a questionable decision. The Rocks loaded the bases against Kendrick but one was an intentional walk and another was a swinging bunt single. The Phils simply did not trust Kendrick in that spot and they got burned.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Mesa. Shit.

[treble 0]

Never fear, Jose Mesa is here.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

How do you say offseason in spanish? M-E-S-A.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I don't understand why Mesa's pitching in the playoffs, let alone a close playoff game. Where's Alfonseca?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Well, can't say we didn't see that coming. Mesa has sucked for YEARS. Why is he pitching?!

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

Did Mesa pitch yesterday? He might get to end the year with a postseason ERA of #DIV/0!

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Man, that is BRUTAL. Good thing I've always heard Mesa's an ass, so I don't feel that bad. But wow. Charlie's apparently the only guy who thinks using Mesa's smart.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

manager of the year

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Keep in mind TBS does NOT have the crowd miked.

[the pinjockey 0]

To be fair, who else was there to use? Condrey? Six Finger McGee? After using the big three yesterday, I doubt any were available for a two inning stint.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

To be fair, who else was there to use? Condrey? Six Finger McGee? After using the big three yesterday, I doubt any were available for a two inning stint.

A company somewhere in Philadelphia regularly prints a book full of pitchers better than Jose Mesa. It's called the phone book.

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Thanks, Trevor Hoffman! I knew facing Colorado was going to be bad.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Thing is, I really like this Rockies club. Homegrown players, better pitching staff than you think. I wouldn't be bored watching them later on. It's not like the D'backs where they already won a World Series recently.

[Slayer 0]

It'd be scary if the Diamondbacks echoed the Marlins' success to a tee... winning their first WS with a veteran staff, unloading and then winning a second WS six years later with a young club

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

It'd be scary if the Diamondbacks echoed the Marlins' success to a tee... winning their first WS with a veteran staff, unloading and then winning a second WS six years later with a young club

At least they've been the best team in the division over that span. Actually since their inception in 1998, the Diamondbacks have won more division titles (four) than any other NL West club.

[Precious Roy 0]

I'm loving the D-Backs and Rockies shaking things up in the NL. And they sure as fuck aren't boring, both teams are full of exciting young players getting their first chance at the national spotlight, and as a baseball fan that's awesome. As far as the argument that it sucks because the franchises are so young, well everyone has to start somewhere, right? What's better these teams never going to the playoffs and never winning and being a blackhole of suck ala the Tampa Bay 'Rays, or them starting to carve out a legacy? And yes, the D-Backs have won a world series, but it was a veteran ballclub, this is the first homegrown Arizona team to make noise. Ditto for the Rockies who built around veterans early on to help build a fanbase. I can understand a Cubs fan or Phillies fan or a fan of some other longsuffering team being a little bitter/jealous, but y'all should lighten up.

 

I'm loving TBS coverage too. Reminds me of when CBS used to do the playoffs. No frills, just actual game based coverage. It's not perfect but it's a million times better than FOX or ESPN.

[the pinjockey 0]

Sadly, the Phillies being successful would shake things up more than the D'Backs.

[Slayer 0]

I still don't get Frank Thomas doing studio analysis

 

What's next... Albert Belle as dugout reporter?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

No bitterness here, just disappointment.

[mike546 0]

With Ted Turners money, you'd think TBS could get some more cameras. That was the worst replay ever.

[Guest Gym Class Fallout]

It'd be scary if the Diamondbacks echoed the Marlins' success to a tee... winning their first WS with a veteran staff, unloading and then winning a second WS six years later with a young club

If you deploy the search engine or your AIM logs, and nobody does it better, I called this.

[Slayer 0]

Sabathia's already at 30+ pitches and we're not even done with the 1st inning

[mike546 0]

Hey Wang, cut the shit with all these sliders.