Mlb 2024 (3 Viewers)

[jazzeum]

George:

Like you said a few years ago, small payroll teams like the A’s, Rays etc. make great storylines but they never win it all.

MLB is a rich man’s game since it does not have a salary cap.

-Jason

Mets, Yankees and Dodgers are top 3 while Cleveland is third from last.

 

[Combat]

The Dodgers seem to have a established clear pattern now. If their starters can get beyond the 3rd inning without being shelled, they are going to win. If they give up 6 or more runs in the first three innings, they are going to lose.

 

[Warrior]

I wonder if the home run Ohtani hit last night has Wifi, asking for a friend.

Kept waiting for him to break out; if he gets hot, adios muchachos.

You know you're screwed in a game when the corpse of Kiki Hernandez crushes one; saw a stat that he has as many post season home runs (15) as Babe Ruth.

The Mets must win today or else.........................

 

[jazzeum]

I wonder if the home run Ohtani hit last night has Wifi, asking for a friend.

Kept waiting for him to break out; if he gets hot, adios muchachos.

You know you're screwed in a game when the corpse of Kiki Hernandez crushes one; saw a stat that he has as many post season home runs (15) as Babe Ruth.

The Mets must win today or else.........................

I think we’ve reached the “or else” category.” Offensively, LA is superior to the Mets. It took them awhile to get there and it’s going to take the Mets awhile to get there but they are on the right track.

Oddly, Ohtani is not hitting with the bases empty but when someone is on base he’s a terror.

I think (hope) the Mets will win today. If they don’t win one of these two games, it’s get ready for 2025.

 

[Combat]

I wonder if the home run Ohtani hit last night has Wifi, asking for a friend.

Kept waiting for him to break out; if he gets hot, adios muchachos.

You know you're screwed in a game when the corpse of Kiki Hernandez crushes one; saw a stat that he has as many post season home runs (15) as Babe Ruth.

The Mets must win today or else.........................

It's odd that Ohtani is the leadoff hitter when he is an RBI machine. I would have Betts bat first then Ohtani. That HR was a moon shot. Can't imagine why anyone still pitches to the guy. The Dodger starting pitchers are holding them back, though. Some decent performances, but they have also been shelled. You never know what you are going to get. The bullpen has been lights out.

 

[Combat]

The Mets have the most fatalistic and depressed looking fan base outside of a Kamala Harris rally that I've ever seen. The fans are like the love child of Woody Allen and the Son of Sam.

 

[Warrior]

The Mets have the most fatalistic and depressed looking fan base outside of a Kamala Harris rally that I've ever seen. The fans are like the love child of Woody Allen and the Son of Sam.

When they were showing crowd shots as they were in the process of getting blown out, it occurred to me how even though the fan bases are from the same city, MFY and Met fans both look completely different.

Speaking of the MFY's; October 17th, 2004, they blow a lead in the 9th inning, go on to lose the game on a walk off 2 run home run in extra innings................October 17th, 2024, they blow a lead in the 9th inning, go on to lose the game on a walk off 2 run home run in extra innings.

With the MFY's, some things never change.

Rough day yesterday for baseball fans in the city that never sleeps.

 

[Currahee Chris]

A lot of people question why Ohtani is hitting first given his obvious power. I asked my son's college coach why teams do that and he laid out a lot of reasons as a lot of schools are doing that in college, MiLB and MLB.

1- It's a metrics thing- the first batter gets cycled through the lineup more than anyone- they have $700M tied up in the guy- they want him at the plate as many times as possible for performance and economic issues- Ohtani sells.

2- If he's first in the lineup, teams are more likely to pitch to him figuring they can make up a run if he blows the first one out of the park. If he's at the 3 or 4 slot and there is a baserunner or two, teams are more hesitant and they walk him- so both his power and scoring potential/talent is lost as the opposing coach will walk him and go after the next guy who is maybe less explosive- a tough challenge given the Dodgers lineup.

3- Playoff ball, a lot of the difference comes down to which teams can crush the long ball and who can't. The Mets are a great example of this and what they did to the Brewers and the Phils. Home runs are the flavor of the recent post season. Roberts is beating teams with the long ball to cover the performance issues on the mound- he's happy to shoot it out with teams and win from there- he's betting his guys can crush more out of the park than the other team can.

4- Ohtani scores- if you look at last nights game- I went to bed after Betts crushed his homer- at that point Ohtani had a solo shot and three BB's- yet he scored 4 runs. The Mets were unintentionally/ intentionally walking him after that yet he still scored. It's a gamble and the mets got smoked on it. The Mets gambled on their ability to stem the tide, but last night it didnt work.

I do recall Ohtani was in the 3 or 4 slot at times in the regular season but found his grove as the leadoff. I think the Yankees sort of did this with Judge a couple years ago hitting in the 2 slot but it didnt quite work out. The man set the stage with the 50/50 season so it does appear as if metrics are proving out- or his sick talent- or a combo of the two.

A few years back I went into the metrics to see why managers don't adjust their starting lineups to reflect highest to lowest batting averages. The metrics say a club that does that will win 1.7 more games a season than if they don't. I guess it's human nature to finese things outside of the metrics and go with your "gut".

 

[jazzeum]

When they were showing crowd shots as they were in the process of getting blown out, it occurred to me how even though the fan bases are from the same city, MFY and Met fans both look completely different.

Speaking of the MFY's; October 17th, 2004, they blow a lead in the 9th inning, go on to lose the game on a walk off 2 run home run in extra innings................October 17th, 2024, they blow a lead in the 9th inning, go on to lose the game on a walk off 2 run home run in extra innings.

With the MFY's, some things never change.

Rough day yesterday for baseball fans in the city that never sleeps.

Great day in Queens. No way we were going to let them celebrate on our field.

A song for Flaherty

We like our backs to the wall and they will be again as we head to la la land but I like our chances of getting to game 7; and if we don’t it’s been a hell of a fun ride, most fun as a fan in a long time.

LGM.

 

[Currahee Chris]

If there is any justice in the world, Lindor would be the league MVP. I have just loved watching him play throughout his career and this post season hasnt disappointed at all. He doesn't have the record setting Ohtani performance or the fear actor of Judge but his glove is just a symphony in action and his offensive numbers are on par with the elite players of the league. His slam against the Phils will be part of Mets lore for the ages. The crowd rising to their feet to sing My Girl everytime he comes to bat is so much fun. He just seems to be such a balanced player and has all the intangibles that makes the game historic.

On another note- it's a small world after all- my son played his last 6 years for the same travel baseball team as Anthony Volpe- he still follows the team on social media and it's been fun to watch the boys get excited when Volpe gave a reaction- seems like a great kid who will do great things for the game. Also- Dave Roberts and I were both born at the same military hospital in Naha Okinawa 3 months apart back in 1972.

 

[jazzeum]

If there is any justice in the world, Lindor would be the league MVP. I have just loved watching him play throughout his career and this post season hasnt disappointed at all. He doesn't have the record setting Ohtani performance or the fear actor of Judge but his glove is just a symphony in action and his offensive numbers are on par with the elite players of the league. His slam against the Phils will be part of Mets lore for the ages. The crowd rising to their feet to sing My Girl everytime he comes to bat is so much fun. He just seems to be such a balanced player and has all the intangibles that makes the game historic.

On another note- it's a small world after all- my son played his last 6 years for the same travel baseball team as Anthony Volpe- he still follows the team on social media and it's been fun to watch the boys get excited when Volpe gave a reaction- seems like a great kid who will do great things for the game. Also- Dave Roberts and I were both born at the same military hospital in Naha Okinawa 3 months apart back in 1972.

The way they now award MVP has changed; it’s become the best player award. The Dodgers would be where they are without Ohtani but the Mets would now be sitting home without Lindor; he sets the tone.

 

[Panzer ace]

The way they now award MVP has changed; it’s become the best player award. The Dodgers would be where they are without Ohtani but the Mets would now be sitting home without Lindor; he sets the tone.

Brad:

Great post.

Teams can pitch around Lindor, while they have to pick their poison with Ohtani as he is protected by other big bats.

Plus Lindor plays one of the most important defensive positions in baseball.

-Jason

 

[Warrior]

Great day in Queens. No way we were going to let them celebrate on our field.

A song for Flaherty

We like our backs to the wall and they will be again as we head to la la land but I like our chances of getting to game 7; and if we don’t it’s been a hell of a fun ride, most fun as a fan in a long time.

LGM.

That's great, you'ze guys shows them who's the king of Queens.

And hope is the mother of all men; or, hope in one hand, wish in the other and we'll see what happens in game 6.

And I finally figured out the Mets/Yankees fan base thing; Mets fans look like a bunch of guys waiting for their corned beef on rye at Katz' deli, while Yankees fans look like a bunch of guys waiting for a pie from Sal's Pizzaria.

Or better yet, Mets fans look like a bunch of fellas waiting for the train out of NY to Long Island after a hard days work, while Yankees fans look like a bunch of guys hanging out in the yard on Ryker's Island during exercise hour looking for a guy to shank.

 

[jazzeum]

That's great, you'ze guys shows them who's the king of Queens.

And hope is the mother of all men; or, hope in one hand, wish in the other and we'll see what happens in game 6.

And I finally figured out the Mets/Yankees fan base thing; Mets fans look like a bunch of guys waiting for their corned beef on rye at Katz' deli, while Yankees fans look like a bunch of guys waiting for a pie from Sal's Pizzaria.

Or better yet, Mets fans look like a bunch of fellas waiting for the train out of NY to Long Island after a hard days work, while Yankees fans look like a bunch of guys hanging out in the yard on Ryker's Island during exercise hour looking for a guy to shank.

One of the advantages of going to CitiField is that it’s in Flushing, which is home to a sizeable Chinese community, and has tons of great Chinese restaurants so instead of buying overpriced stadium food, it’s only one subway stop away to get some great food before the ballgame.

 

[jazzeum]

Brad:

Great post.

Teams can pitch around Lindor, while they have to pick their poison with Ohtani as he is protected by other big bats.

Plus Lindor plays one of the most important defensive positions in baseball.

-Jason

Until yesterday I thought that Jason might be right about LA winning it all and he still might be. The firepower on that team is beyond scary; as you can see from yesterday no lead is ever safe. Interesting that no game in this series has been a nail biter although game 2 made you a bit nervous.

 

[Combat]

The Dodgers mantra is that if you are going to lose, lose big and do it in the first three innings. Same pattern for every loss. The starter gets shelled in the first three innings and gives up 6 or more runs. But I'll take two out of three on the road. And heading back to LA.

 

[Currahee Chris]

The Dodgers would be where they are without Ohtani...

Not sure I agree with that- without Ohtani they would have been swept by the Padres in a convincing fashion. I still stand by Lindor as Ohtani is one dimensional this season and just has to focus on hitting but his bat is lethal and just his presence in lineups changes how teams approach the Dodgers- but especially this post season with Freeman walking wounded (Roberts needs to address this sooner than later) Ohtani is critical. I also think Ohtani's presence has lifted Betts game considerably- especially here in the Post season.

I still standby my pick for Lindor as MVP but Ohtani is certainly worthy of it.

My son called me the night he passed the 50/50 threshold and said it was the greatest game in Dodgers history- respectfully disagree as I still remember laying on the couch at my house watching Gibson (speaking of walking wounded lol) take Eck to the house but I know there are other Koufax games as well that rank high in Dodgers history. Still, the man went 6-6 with 10 RBIs that day so that was pretty special.

Good bad or indifferent, last night was October 18th- the anniversary of Mr. October shelling us for 3 homers- it's a day for NY to be better than LA. The Dodgers never stood a chance l

 

[Panzer ace]

Until yesterday I thought that Jason might be right about LA winning it all and he still might be. The firepower on that team is beyond scary; as you can see from yesterday no lead is ever safe. Interesting that no game in this series has been a nail biter although game 2 made you a bit nervous.

Bard:

Tip of the cap, you really know baseball. As always I enjoy reading your insights.

I’ll reiterate that I think the Dodgers will win it all but I hope I am wrong.

Best,
Jason

 

[Warrior]

I heard today's potential clincher is a bullpen game for the Dodgers?

So they don't have another starter to go to?

Baseball sure has changed.

And not for the better.

 

[Combat]

I heard today's potential clincher is a bullpen game for the Dodgers?

So they don't have another starter to go to?

Baseball sure has changed.

And not for the better.

If the Dodgers win out and get to the WS, they are in a world of hurt with the Yankees. That might be a sweep with the pitching woes.