MLB League Championship Series Thread

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

They also tried to dump Todd Helton for twenty cents on the dollar to the Angels and Red Sox in the offseason and he turned out to be a big reason why they made it this far. Sometimes you just luck into things.

 

I know there's a difference between being "hot" and winning 20 out of 21 games, but the whole notion of momentum and destiny is ridiculous. They've played well, caught a few breaks and ended up winning a bunch of games. I still don't think they have enough talent to beat the Indians or Red Sox in a seven game series, but I guess anyting can happen in a short series.

[Slayer 0]

Surely having the best defense in baseball has to count for something

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Surely having the best defense in baseball has to count for something

 

 

How sure are you that they have the best defense in baseball? I know they have some good defenders on their team like Helton and Tulowitzki, but most sabermetricians will admit that Coors Field has a way skewing defensive metrics even worse than it does hitting.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I'm happy for the Rockies. Unlike the other 1993 expansion team, the Marlins, there's a real sense that this franchise has at least paid some dues to get to this point. As in none of this "Let's buy a bunch of high priced talent, win it all, then dismantle" crap.

 

I agree with you, and it's one of the reasons I feel that the Marlins had been failing in South Florida. It will also helpfully keep them a strong team for years to come.

 

I'm fairly ecstatic about this, even as an admitted fairweather fan. Then again, I didn't care much about baseball in general the last 10 years, either, aside from the 04 Sox and the last couple seasons where the Dodgers actually looked like they'd do something, getting my friends from back home all in a tizzy then disappointed again, much like the Lakers. This is the closest thing to a favorite team of mine doing anything noteworthy in sports in about a decade as well, so that's nice.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

The Rockies are for real. This team had a ton of talent in the minors, it was just a matter of when they would contribute. As it turned out, the kids came up much earlier than we anticipated.

[cabbageboy 0]

So is it your feeling that the Rockies can keep contending for years to come? Cause to be honest while I'm digging this team they do seem like a team on the fluke jobber roll of a lifetime.

 

The best case scenario for them is to end up like the NL version of the Angels, whose 2002 run was slightly similar (albeit not as unexpected or dominant). As in not getting to the WS every year but at least in the playoffs.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

So is it your feeling that the Rockies can keep contending for years to come? Cause to be honest while I'm digging this team they do seem like a team on the fluke jobber roll of a lifetime.

 

The best case scenario for them is to end up like the NL version of the Angels, whose 2002 run was slightly similar (albeit not as unexpected or dominant). As in not getting to the WS every year but at least in the playoffs.

 

I'll be interested to see what Al has to say on the subject, but they don't strike me as a future powerhouse in the NL. It's a team with a strong enough core that they can continue to compete in the division and for the wild card and I guess that's all they really have to do to be an actual contender. I don't think this roll they are on is indicative of them being the class of the National League, however.

 

Looking at the roster, Matt Holliday is a stud, but I wouldn't expect him to put up these kind of numbers every year. Brad Hawpe has the career trajectory of a future platoon player and Willy Tavarez is okay as a stopgap in center, but he's not a long-term solution.

 

As for the infield, Tulowitzki is the rock in the middle, but nothing else is that inspiring. Garret Atkins is a nice player, but let's see what they do with him now that top prospect Ian Stewart is knocking on the door (2B maybe?). Helton is on the downside of his career and Matsui and Torreala are filler. Ianetta is the likely catcher of the future.

 

The pitching side is strong, with tons of young talent. I don't know how many of these guys are future stars. Oftentimes with young pitching the future years are filled with injury and diminishing marginal returns instead of improving results. It's the nature of relying on young hurlers.

 

Their future success lies in the how the pitching develops long-term and how well the system can keep supplying them with adequate players.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

On the pitching side the Rockies have Jeff Francis (26), Jason Hirsh (25), Ubaldo Jimenez (23) and Franklin Morales (21). Francis isn't a free agent until after 2010, and they have the other three for 5-6 more seasons. Hitting wise they have Troy Tulowitzki (22), Ian Stewart (22), Chris Iannetta (24). Matt Holliday is a star. Brad Hawpe's trajectory I couldn't comment on, but he's been great at the plate the last two years and he has the best throwing arm in the Majors.

 

You have a team with as much young pitching talent as any in the league, and enough position players to tide them over. I really like this club for now and the future.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

On the pitching side the Rockies have Jeff Francis (26), Jason Hirsh (25), Ubaldo Jimenez (23) and Franklin Morales (21). Francis isn't a free agent until after 2010, and they have the other three for 5-6 more seasons.

 

You have a team with as much young pitching talent as any in the league, and enough position players to tide them over. I really like this club for now and the future.

 

My only concern, as I pointed out earlier, is how the pitching talent develops in future years. It doesn't take long for good young pitching to turn into always hurt mediocre flameouts.

 

As a case study, look at last year's Florida Marlins. The top four pitchers were Dontrelle Willis, Scott Olsen, Josh Johnson and Anibal Sanchez, all between the ages of 22 and 24. Their ERA+s ranged from 107 to 152 and one could argue that staff was superior to the current Rockies'. A year later and Willis is a mess physically with all his peripherals headed in the wrong direction. Scott Olsen is a head-case who is punching himself a ticket out of the league and Johnson and Sanchez are in injury limbo. Who knows what they come back as. There's just no way to predict what these young guys have in their future.

[Precious Roy 0]

I certainly wouldn't refer to Matsui as "filler". He's played out of his mind since he got to Colorado, and people act like it's a fluke because he was a disappointment for the Mets. He's 32 so he isn't a future cornerstone, but he's been one of the biggest catalysts for the Rockies' success and should certainly be capable of helping them out for a couple more years.

 

The Rockies are loaded with positional talent, the question for me is the pitching. Is this a fluke? Is it lightning in a bottle? Whatever it is they're performing right now, but I'm going to have to see that pitching staff do it over a whole season before I'm sold on them.

[CanadianChris 0]

Why, look, it's another game I probably wont see the end of.

 

I think Francona made a big mistake not bringing Beckett back on short rest. I think starting him three times gives the Sox the best chance at the pennant. As it is, he'll only pitch once more in the series, and the Sox would have to rely on Matsuzaka for Game 7. Not an enticing prospect.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Evidently someone from Fox also subscribes to SABR-L.

 

Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:34:18 EDT

From: David Vincent <[email protected]>

Subject: Kenny Lofton's homer

 

Here are the oldest players to hit a home run in post-season.

 

 

Julio Franco 43.059 10/21/2001 NLCS

Dave Winfield 41.009 10/12/1992 ALCS

Dave Winfield 41.004 10/07/1992 ALCS

Eddie Murray 40.231 10/13/1996 ALCS

Harold Baines 40.206 10/07/1999 ALDS

Enos Slaughter 40.162 10/06/1956 WS

Willie Mays 40.150 10/03/1971 NLCS

Kenny Lofton 40.137 ALCS

Joe Morgan 40.025 10/14/1983 WS

Joe Morgan 40.022 10/11/1983 WS

[Cartman 0]

1 Hit through 4 innings. I guess Francona made the right decision.

 

As for Game 7, Dice-K starts and is on an incredibly short leash with Wake in relief if necessary.

[Broward83 0]

Just a quick question: With the roll the Rockies have been on, has a team swept the entire post-season?

[Hawk 34 0]

Just a quick question: With the roll the Rockies have been on, has a team swept the entire post-season?

 

'76 Reds, if we're only talking multiple round sweeps.

[Slayer 0]

'76 Reds did it back when there was only the LCS, and the LCS was only a 5 game series, but they are the only ones to do it since the inception of the LCS

 

No team has swept through since the 7-game LCS expansion or the Division Series expansion

[CanadianChris 0]

1 Hit through 4 innings. I guess Francona made the right decision.

Sopke too soon. Red Sox are in deep trouble now, with another starter failing to get out of the fifth. I think they win Thursday behind another Beckett CG, but they're not winning this series now.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

I certainly wouldn't refer to Matsui as "filler". He's played out of his mind since he got to Colorado, and people act like it's a fluke because he was a disappointment for the Mets. He's 32 so he isn't a future cornerstone, but he's been one of the biggest catalysts for the Rockies' success and should certainly be capable of helping them out for a couple more years.

 

Kaz Matsui had an OPS+ of 87 this year, which is actually lower than his first year with the Mets. He didn't play out of his mind at all. He was the exact same player he's always been, just aided by his numbers at Coors Field.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

How can the Red Sox' pitching blow up this badly in three straight games? I know it's not a great staff, but it's a good one and I've never seen them like this.

[Mik 0]

LOL at Manny. That was some all-world showboating after that homerun.

 

If he doesn't get plunked in his next at-bat I'll be shocked.

 

Back-to-back-to-back HRs for the Sox.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

Did I fall asleep and end up in 2003? What's with the no pitch, all power-hitting Red Sox?

[strummer 0]

I certainly wouldn't refer to Matsui as "filler". He's played out of his mind since he got to Colorado, and people act like it's a fluke because he was a disappointment for the Mets. He's 32 so he isn't a future cornerstone, but he's been one of the biggest catalysts for the Rockies' success and should certainly be capable of helping them out for a couple more years.

 

Kaz Matsui had an OPS+ of 87 this year, which is actually lower than his first year with the Mets. He didn't play out of his mind at all. He was the exact same player he's always been, just aided by his numbers at Coors Field.

 

 

Don't you know that Matsui is better than A-Rod!

 

Seriously, I love the playoffs and all but whenever someone has a hot streak like Kaz it causes people to make short sighted, rash, and downright insane comments.

 

As I mentioned in the comments thread I had a blow up with a poster at another board over Kaz who kept insisting that he was all of a sudden this great player who had an unbelievable year. When I pointed out his numbers I was met with "So what, he's been clutch in the playoffs and you know you wouldn't be saying this if he were still on the Mets!" I will never argue over "clutchness" again.

 

And we are 27 puts away from a Rockies/Indians World Series

[2GOLD 0]

 

I can only hope. The "Why should we care?" stories will be piled up around the block.

[Precious Roy 0]

whoa, I'm not making any insane statements like that, but he's clearly been a much better player in Colorado than he was for the Mets. Yes, his road/home splits show him to be more productive at Coors field, but so do the splits for practically every player on that team, Holliday and Helton included. And he was pretty awful in the field for the Mets, whereas he's been very solid for the Rockies. He was also a real threat on the bases this year, 32 steals in 36 attempts. I'm not saying he's a superstar or a sabermetrics stud, but he's clearly been a valuable player to this Colorado team and to call him 'filler' is ridiculous.

[Brett Favre 0]

He's been a pretty timely hitter for the Rockies.

[cabbageboy 0]

I wouldn't mind the Indians vs. Rockies at all. We have Colorado on a psycho run that no one has ever seen before going for their first WS title. Then there's Cleveland going for their first WS title since 1948. Let's face it, once the Red Sox won it all in 2004 seeing them back in the Series just doesn't hold the same intrigue if you aren't from New England.

[KingPK 0]

J.D. Drew: 3 of 11 (all singles), .273 OBP, .545 OPS

Julio Lugo: 2 for 14, .200 OBP, a fucking .414 OPS

 

This has to have been Theo's worst offseason in his tenure. All of his big pickups are flopping when the team needs them most. Plus, Pedroia's giving them nothing at the leadoff spot.

Edited October 17, 2007 by KingPK

[MFer 0]

I wonder how many times the media will reference past Cleveland/Denver encounters (from "The Drive" to "The Fumble" to the LeBron vs. 'Melo stuff).

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

J.D. Drew: 3 of 11 (all singles), .273 OBP, .545 OPS

Julio Lugo: 2 for 14, .200 OBP, a fucking .414 OPS

 

This has to have been Theo's worst offseason in his tenure. All of his big pickups are flopping when the team needs them most. Plus, Pedroia's giving them nothing at the leadoff spot.

I don't know if you can fairly assess an offseason based on one postseason series. The Sox certainly didn't lool too vulnerable during the division series versus the Angels. If the Sox made a critical error however, clearly it was leaving Clay Buchholz off the postseason roster in favor of underachieving veteran pitchers. While Matsuzaka and Wakefield fall flat, there's a hot prospect collecting dust the Sox could have used.

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Its pretty awesome..I was rooting for either Chicago/Cleveland or Colorado/Cleveland.

 

Indians curse (whatever the hell it is) lives..they'll lose to another 93 expansion team 10 years after losing to the Marlins.