The run that Arrieta is on since the All-Star break is simply unbelievable. Including last night's playoff masterpiece, Arrieta has started 16 games, gone 13-1, has pitched 117.1 innings, allowing just 59 hits (only 2 of which were Hr's), has walked 23 and fanned 124, but the incredible stat is the mere 9 earned runs allowed, leaving his ERA at 0.69 since the break. It is unfortunate for the Cubs that Jake can't pitch every game, because once past Arrieta, the Cubs are unimpressive in regards to starting pitching. The next biggest winners on the Cubs are Lester, at 11-12, and Hammel at 10-7. No one else has more than 8 wins. Cub opponents need only work around Arrieta in the rotation. Even so, the Cubs did manage 97 wins, so they do have something other than Arrieta going for them. We'll soon see how far Jake can take them. -- Al
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sammy719
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not wanting to add more time for scheduling but how much does it suck to play all year and make it in as a wild card then it's a one and done if you lose??? maybe the best 2 out of 3 format??? just seems as the first round is best of 5 then best of 7 for championship round, so give the wildcard guys a fighting chance at least...Sammy
jazzeum
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The system is working perfectly. The premium is on winning the Division and the system emphasizes that. The WC gives you a way in but a difficult way in and that's the way it should be. As Steve Phillips on Sirius' MLB program said, next time they need to figure out a way to win the division.
A best two of three makes no sense because then you're elevating it close to the Division. Moreover, do we want to be playing baseball until mid November. That would be ridiculous.
There are many situations where it may not seem fair but those are the breaks. Remember when Atlanta and the Giants were in the same division and both won 100 games or over but Atlanta won a couple more so the Giants went home. Those are just the breaks. No one ever said it would be completely fair.
A best two of three makes no sense because then you're elevating it close to the Division. Moreover, do we want to be playing baseball until mid November. That would be ridiculous.
There are many situations where it may not seem fair but those are the breaks. Remember when Atlanta and the Giants were in the same division and both won 100 games or over but Atlanta won a couple more so the Giants went home. Those are just the breaks. No one ever said it would be completely fair.
sammy719
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Disagree with you here Brad, a best of 3 is not infringing on the division winner, most folks I talk to understand that a one and done series is a toss up and isn't a true series, at least if one team has to win 2 games (like series are done all year) it makes for better baseball, and what the Hell?? we're already close to playing to Thanksgiving what's another day going to mattter??...Sammy
jazzeum
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Quite a bit. For example, the divisional series is not starting until Thursday and Friday. The division winners have to sit around long enough as it is and get stale. To have a best of three would push that back into Saturday and Sunday. It's not fair to them as they won the division. If WCs want to avoid the situation, let them win the division.
Warrior
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No playoff system is perfect, the more they mess with them, the worse they get.
The NL Central was stacked this year, it is what it is. The Cubs and Pirates were a combined 13-0 vs the NL East division winning Mets and while the Mets and Dodgers feasted on weak teams in their divisions, the Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs banged heads with each other all season long.
The Pirates got the short end of the stick having to face the probably Cy Young winner in the NL in the play in game; again, thems the breaks.
It hurts the Cubs now as again, Arietta will only go once in the next round short a rain out here or there; otherwise, him having to pitch last night lessens the Cubs chances of beating the Cardinals, who have their rotation all lined up the way they want it.
Lester got paid a dump truck full of money and he shot his mouth off about wanting to bring a WS to Chicago ( yeah right; the fact that the Cubs were the highest bidder for his services had nothing to do with the decision to go there), so now it's time for him to sack up as he'll be going in games 1 and 5; it's all on his shoulders whether the Cubs advance or not.
Should be a great series, as should the Mets/Dodgers; frankly, neither AL series interests me in the least.......................
The NL Central was stacked this year, it is what it is. The Cubs and Pirates were a combined 13-0 vs the NL East division winning Mets and while the Mets and Dodgers feasted on weak teams in their divisions, the Cardinals, Pirates and Cubs banged heads with each other all season long.
The Pirates got the short end of the stick having to face the probably Cy Young winner in the NL in the play in game; again, thems the breaks.
It hurts the Cubs now as again, Arietta will only go once in the next round short a rain out here or there; otherwise, him having to pitch last night lessens the Cubs chances of beating the Cardinals, who have their rotation all lined up the way they want it.
Lester got paid a dump truck full of money and he shot his mouth off about wanting to bring a WS to Chicago ( yeah right; the fact that the Cubs were the highest bidder for his services had nothing to do with the decision to go there), so now it's time for him to sack up as he'll be going in games 1 and 5; it's all on his shoulders whether the Cubs advance or not.
Should be a great series, as should the Mets/Dodgers; frankly, neither AL series interests me in the least.......................
I have no problem, in terms of fairness, with the way the playoff system works. The WC is basically a gift for the teams involved. Without the WC, those teams are home watching on tv anyway, so a one and done is to their advantage. Win or lose, they're lucky to be in it at all. Winning the division is the goal, squeaking into the playoffs via the WC is backdoor. If a WC gets hot and runs the table, so be it. That's just the way the system works. If anything, the WC system is unfair to the division winners by putting another team into the mix that the division winner wouldn't need to face. Rank the division winners by record, #2 plays #3, winner plays #1 for pennant. The WC is a pure gift for the teams that qualify. -- Al
jazzeum
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Cespedes has thrown the gauntlet down, saying he thinks the Mets starting pitchers are better than the Dodgers one. Everyone talks about Kershaw and Greinke but once you get past that, the talent falls, plus deGrom and Syndergaard are flamethrowers themselves so there's not much dropoff there, if any. Dodgers bullpen isn't impressive but then again neither again is the Mets' although Addison Reed has stabilized the 7th inning. Lineup for Mets is better, the caveat being they looked like crap the last week. Closers are probably equal.
Combat
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Kershaw has consistently under performed in the playoffs. I'm not sure what the postseason problem is for him except maybe playing better teams. Whenever I think of a Dodgers-Mets playoff series though it reminds me of the movie "Bad Lieutenant" with Harvey Keitel. The classic bad cop movie where he is betting on the Mets-Dodgers series.
I see David Price is off to his usual post-season melt-down again. This is another pitcher who absolutely dominates during the regular season, but can't buy a win in post-season. I know it's only 2-0 in the 3rd, but still...:rolleyes2: -- Al
Just for the info, Price is 1-5 post-season, as is Clayton Kershaw. Two surprises are 2 of the more accomplished pitchers of the last 25 years: Greg Maddux had an 11-14 postseason record, while teammate Tom Glavine was 14-16. Two deserved HoFers who were mediocre in post season. Go figure. -- Al
Price takes the loss and is now the first pitcher in MLB history to lose his first 6 post-season decisions. His one win was in relief. -- Al
Panzer ace
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One of the guys in our office is from Toronto and I asked him last night what he thought about the Rangers. His answer? "I think we are playing the Canadians tonight and the Blackhawks actually play the Rangers".
mikemiller1955
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Astros are getting hot at the right time...
2 playoff road wins in a row...
one of the announcers said...
"in the last couple of years...in the 5 game series...the winner of the 1st game has won the last eight series"...
they strike out a lot...but seem to score...
hard to believe their best hitter is 5'6"'s tall...2nd baseman...Jose Altuve...
in fact...I think he was last years batting champ...
2 playoff road wins in a row...
one of the announcers said...
"in the last couple of years...in the 5 game series...the winner of the 1st game has won the last eight series"...
they strike out a lot...but seem to score...
hard to believe their best hitter is 5'6"'s tall...2nd baseman...Jose Altuve...
in fact...I think he was last years batting champ...
jazzeum
Four Star General
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All the road teams in the playoffs so far have won so far. Let's hope this continues through tomorrow night.
Combat
Brigadier General
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Temps near 100 in LA. Larry "the crypt master" King might have heat stroke. I actually thought he was already dead until I saw him sitting behind home plate at Dodger Stadium in the playoffs last year.