2020-2021 Hot Stove League (3 Viewers)

[lancer]

Dodgers knew what they were doing when they traded for Mad Max. He is 5-0 in 7 starts with LA, averaging 13.2 K's per 9 innings, and most impressively, an ERA of 1.05 (he now leads MLB with a 2.28 ERA overall). He should get another 5 starts and if he continues at this rate he is going to get Cy Young votes. The man is just the ultimate competitor. -- Al

Max stepped to the front of the Cy Young race today with a near-perfect game that was broken up in the 8th. He is now 6-0 with LA, allowing 5 ER's in 51 innings and 72 K's. Dropped his MLB leading ERA to 2.17. And SF just keeps marching on, as well. -- Al

 

[Combat]

Max stepped to the front of the Cy Young race today with a near-perfect game that was broken up in the 8th. He is now 6-0 with LA, allowing 5 ER's in 51 innings and 72 K's. Dropped his MLB leading ERA to 2.17. And SF just keeps marching on, as well. -- Al

Max is a beast. What a weapon in the playoffs where he might start two or even three games in a seven game series. If you can put two games in the bank in a seven game series, you only have to win two out of the other five. The Dodgers ran that table with Orel Hershiser in '88 with an otherwise very weak team. He was dominant that season.

 

[Panzer ace]

Max, Clayton, Betts, Turner (x 2) etc.

Yet the Giants are the first team in MLB to clinch a playoff spot.

 

[Combat]

I don't pretend to understand the MLB playoff format but saw an article that says either the Giants or Dodgers will have to play in a one game wild card elimination game. Unreal. The team with the second best record in baseball could be eliminated from the playoffs in one game.

 

[Warrior]

I don't pretend to understand the MLB playoff format but saw an article that says either the Giants or Dodgers will have to play in a one game wild card elimination game. Unreal. The team with the second best record in baseball could be eliminated from the playoffs in one game.

Yes they will.................if say the Dodgers finish second, they will play either the Cardinals or the Padres.............the winnner gets the Giants, so the Dodgers and Giants, the teams with the two best records in MLB, play in the first round.

These sort of things happen from time to time, nothing you can do about it.

 

[Combat]

Yes they will.................if say the Dodgers finish second, they will play either the Cardinals or the Padres.............the winnner gets the Giants, so the Dodgers and Giants, the teams with the two best records in MLB, play in the first round.

These sort of things happen from time to time, nothing you can do about it.

Ugh. I never understood why every sport places so much importance on winning a division. I can see giving the division winner a playoff berth but playoff matchups and home field should be determined based on records.

 

[jazzeum]

Ugh. I never understood why every sport places so much importance on winning a division. I can see giving the division winner a playoff berth but playoff matchups and home field should be determined based on records.

I believe the NFL works the same way; the WC, if it prevails in the first game, will face the team with the best record.

 

[Warrior]

I believe the NFL works the same way; the WC, if it prevails in the first game, will face the team with the best record.

What both sports should do is after the WC round, reseed the teams based on record, but then the problem becomes a team that wins a division should be rewarded for that, but then again, if a WC team has a better record than a division winner, why should they be at a disadvantage.

 

[lancer]

OK, I made fun of those awful SF Giant orangesicle uniforms as the worst I've seen, but the Boston uniforms, some yellow and blue nightmare combo, takes over First place as the ugliest things I've seen on a baseball field. What's the story behind these and where did the red sox go? -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

The Giants really really (really) needed that win last night.

 

[mikemiller1955]

lots of drama from the ESPN crew in just 2 days...
guess they gotta come up with headlines to thrill baseball fans...

this story 2 days ago...

Ohtani could be sidelined for season as pitcher

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani won't pitch Friday for the Los Angeles Angels because of a sore right arm that could sideline him as a pitcher for the rest of the season.

this headline the next day...


Angels' Ohtani throws bullpen, to pitch Sunday

Shohei Ohtani threw a bullpen session Friday, and his sore arm felt good enough for him to return to the mound against the A's on Sunday.

it's a miracle...he's okay...
one day the season is over...
the next day he's okay...lol...
reporters...^&grin

 

[lancer]

OK, I made fun of those awful SF Giant orangesicle uniforms as the worst I've seen, but the Boston uniforms, some yellow and blue nightmare combo, takes over First place as the ugliest things I've seen on a baseball field. What's the story behind these and where did the red sox go? -- Al

Patience is a virtue. Found out that the yellow and blue unis are a tribute to the Boston Marathon (must be the race colors?) and that they will later be auctioned off as game worn unis to benefit charity. A worthy cause, but still not a good look as a baseball uniform. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Max stepped to the front of the Cy Young race today with a near-perfect game that was broken up in the 8th. He is now 6-0 with LA, allowing 5 ER's in 51 innings and 72 K's. Dropped his MLB leading ERA to 2.17. And SF just keeps marching on, as well. -- Al

Max won again today, 0 runs in 7 innings. Now 7-0 in his 9 LA starts, with a 0.78 ERA. He hasn't even allowed an earned run in his 4 September starts. He's not doing too bad for a 37 year old pitcher picked up in mid-season. Be hard to pick anyone over Max as the pitcher in a one game winner take all scenario. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

Max won again today, 0 runs in 7 innings. Now 7-0 in his 9 LA starts, with a 0.78 ERA. He hasn't even allowed an earned run in his 4 September starts. He's not doing too bad for a 37 year old pitcher picked up in mid-season. Be hard to pick anyone over Max as the pitcher in a one game winner take all scenario. -- Al

It won’t happen but I’d love to see a winner take all Wild-Card game between the Dodgers and Mets with a healthy Jacob deGrom.

Scherzer vs. deGrom would be like a heavyweight championship fight……

 

[lancer]

Interesting stat for the O's tonight. Game #150 on the season and the O's beat Philly 2-0. It is the first game that the O's have won this year when scoring 2 or fewer runs. They are now 1-52 in such games. Wow. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Interesting stat for the O's tonight. Game #150 on the season and the O's beat Philly 2-0. It is the first game that the O's have won this year when scoring 2 or fewer runs. They are now 1-52 in such games. Wow. -- Al

Bummed out as the O's came within 1 out of their second consecutive victory over Philly. Leading 2-1 in the 10th, with a runner on 3rd, they walked Harper to pitch to Realmuto (pick your poison) who ripped a pitch into the RF corner, just inches out of the RFers reach. Harper, with his speed, scored from 1st base with the winning run as the swipe tag at the plate was a tic late. Oh, the agony, as another O's win would have just about buried the Phillies playoff hopes. Baseball is truly a game of inches. -- Al

 

[Combat]

Bummed out as the O's came within 1 out of their second consecutive victory over Philly. Leading 2-1 in the 10th, with a runner on 3rd, they walked Harper to pitch to Realmuto (pick your poison) who ripped a pitch into the RF corner, just inches out of the RFers reach. Harper, with his speed, scored from 1st base with the winning run as the swipe tag at the plate was a tic late. Oh, the agony, as another O's win would have just about buried the Phillies playoff hopes. Baseball is truly a game of inches. -- Al

Al-
You are a true fan to stick with O's this season. I used to watch them back in the day of Earl Weaver but watching a team that is 45 games out of first and have lost over a 100 games might be deemed cruel and unusual punishment in some penal institutions.

 

[lancer]

Al-
You are a true fan to stick with O's this season. I used to watch them back in the day of Earl Weaver but watching a team that is 45 games out of first and have lost over a 100 games might be deemed cruel and unusual punishment in some penal institutions.

The O's are miserable but it's mainly a failure of pitching. They actually have several good position players such as Mancini, Mullins, Mountcastle, Hays, and Santander. This is a good core but the pitching is really thin with only Means really being a front-line starter. Harvey, Lopez, and Akin are placeholders, nothing more. There are a couple of decent arms in the pen but lots of help still needed in all pitching areas. Wait till next year.:rolleyes2: -- Al

 

[mikemiller1955]

OK, I made fun of those awful SF Giant orangesicle uniforms as the worst I've seen, but the Boston uniforms, some yellow and blue nightmare combo, takes over First place as the ugliest things I've seen on a baseball field. What's the story behind these and where did the red sox go? -- Al

Al...

I thought you were embellishing a bit...:rolleyes2:
but I caught some of the Red Sox/Mets game on ESPN this afternoon...
a real nail biter...10-1 in the 5th...
those canary yellow jerseys...blue caps, yellow leggings and white shorts are not the best combo...
but...they seem to be on a good win streak wearing them...so...expect to see more of them I bet...

 

[Panzer ace]

Al-
You are a true fan to stick with O's this season. I used to watch them back in the day of Earl Weaver but watching a team that is 45 games out of first and have lost over a 100 games might be deemed cruel and unusual punishment in some penal institutions.

I have great respect for anyone who follows a team no matter whether they win or lose.

Beyond that, Al’s knowledge of baseball across the board, including every team in MLB, make his posts worth reading.