MLB offseason talk

[Knicks411]

Except that Houston's offense was historically great with the regular season ball. The WS ball has enhanced the advantage they brought to the series and diminished the Dodger's advantage.

This is not a complaint; the Astros are winning fair and square. I just think changing the ball like that is a very strange choice by MLB

Agree changing the ball is odd, I'm just saying in general one ball is no more fair than the other.

 

[Day2]

Agree. If it is the same ball and the ball is abnormal in such a way that it tilts the advantage away from the pitcher and toward the hitter, then it is the pitching/defensive team strengths away in favor of the hitting/offensive team.

And it's not just the ball. In Sunday night's game, the umpire was not giving the corners to the pitchers. It was a very hitter-friendly strike zone.

Minute Maid is also one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the league and the Astros teach launch angle.

 

[Knicks411]

Minute Maid is also one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the league and the Astros teach launch angle.

I think Minute maid plays as a pretty good pitchers park this year, fwiw. Park factor is around 91.

 

[jncuse]

Dave Roberts is making unnecessary bullpen changes.

Morrow gets 3 outs, gives up a single with 2 outs, and gets yanked for the lefty/lefty... and forces a double switch.

 

[Alsacs]

If I am Houston Justin Verlander doesn’t have a pitch count tonight.

Let him throw 200 pitches if he gets outs.

 

[jncuse]

If I am Houston Justin Verlander doesn’t have a pitch count tonight.

Let him throw 200 pitches if he gets outs.

This is in a NL park and you may require additional strategy at times. The tough choice for Houston will be if they have a runner in scoring position with 1 or 2 outs and Verlander comes up.

No doubt with their pen, he would be going all nine in an AL park.

 

[jncuse]

Verlander losing it very quickly. If Houston can hold it to 2 this inning, it will be good at this point.

 

[jncuse]

Verlander up 2nd in the top of the seventh. If they are down only 1, and he has 95 pitches to date, do you keep him in for an extra couple innings?

Tough call for Hinch.

 

[jncuse]

Verlander must be a crappy bunter... otherwise it would have seemed wise to use him as a semi productive out.

 

[OrangeDW]

I fear the Dodgers bullpen is tapped out. IMO we will need some more runs to win this. Hope not. These late inning leads were auto W’s for so much of the year.

 

[OrangeDW]

Whew. Great pick by Bellinger.

 

[Briancuse]

I fear the Dodgers bullpen is tapped out. IMO we will need some more runs to win this. Hope not. These late inning leads were auto W’s for so much of the year.

They might have to turn to Jansen for 6 outs here.

 

[OrangeDW]

Big knock, Joc!

He’s really been coming through in the series.

 

[OrangeDW]

They might have to turn to Jansen for 6 outs here.

He’s done it many times and very capable of it but he’s pitched a lot this series. But yeah, with Morrow already being used earlier...they might.

Maeda has been awfully good out of the pen and is a normal starter so he could maybe give them another. Tough call.

 

[OrangeDW]

Bellinger might want to think about changing the spelling of his name to Kody. Or KKKKKKKKKKKody. Jeez. He’s had some enormous hits this series, but how many friggin times can you whif in one series?

 

[Knicks411]

Bellinger might want to think about changing the spelling of his name to Kody. Or KKKKKKKKKKKody. Jeez. He’s had some enormous hits this series, but how many friggin times can you whif in one series?

He also saved them with a great scoop in maybe the 7th inning? It all blends together.

Game 7! I want to see Kershaw come in tonight.

 

[OrangeDW]

He also saved them with a great scoop in maybe the 7th inning? It all blends together.

Game 7! I want to see Kershaw come in tonight.

He certainly did. He plays a great first and has had a great season, but man. 14 K’s in 6 games is pretty crazy, especially when he’s the cleanup hitter who is frequently up in big spots. He came up with some huge hits a couple games ago after looking terrible the game before, so hopefully he can do that again.

 

[Knicks411]

He certainly did. He plays a great first and has had a great season, but man. 14 K’s in 6 games is pretty crazy, especially when he’s the cleanup hitter who is frequently up in big spots. He came up with some huge hits a couple games ago after looking terrible the game before, so hopefully he can do that again.

Oh yeah, his K rate is crazy. He's just as likely to go deep twice tonight though.

Houston's plan tonight is very interesting to me; are there any relievers they trust? Or do they try and get by with McCullers/Morton/Keuchal?

 

[OrangeDW]

Oh yeah, his K rate is crazy. He's just as likely to go deep twice tonight though.

Houston's plan tonight is very interesting to me; are there any relievers they trust? Or do they try and get by with McCullers/Morton/Keuchal?

Yeah, Dodgers too. Darvish couldn’t get out of the second inning last time he pitched. But he’s overall pitched very well for the Dodgers...with the occasional stinker thrown in. Wood is on 3 days rest, didn’t go too deep last time and pitched very well. Is he ready? Is he any good on short rest? Do they go Kershaw in a big spot? He came in on relief on short rest last year against Washington and got it done. Will be interesting. Hopefully Darvish is on and we don’t need to worry about any of it.

I can’t concentrate on work at all today. Game 7’s in baseball are so incredibly tense, in a different way than other sports due to the nature of the game and all these factors. In hoops, you roll out your best players like you always do, and just play them more. Baseball is a lot trickier.

 

[rrlbees]

Now you know how to make that last minute bet.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah, Dodgers too. Darvish couldn’t get out of the second inning last time he pitched. But he’s overall pitched very well for the Dodgers...with the occasional stinker thrown in. Wood is on 3 days rest, didn’t go too deep last time and pitched very well. Is he ready? Is he any good on short rest? Do they go Kershaw in a big spot? He came in on relief on short rest last year against Washington and got it done. Will be interesting. Hopefully Darvish is on and we don’t need to worry about any of it.

I can’t concentrate on work at all today. Game 7’s in baseball are so incredibly tense, in a different way than other sports due to the nature of the game and all these factors. In hoops, you roll out your best players like you always do, and just play them more. Baseball is a lot trickier.

I think Kershaw will almost certainly pitch. Wood was warming last night, he's gotta be available also. Jansen may only be good for an inning tonight? Of course, that's what Roberts said yesterday and he gave them 2. Morrow/Maeda may be gassed but they're also available, right?

I would be surprised if Darvish is good for more than 15 outs tonight.

 

[KaiserUEO]

FWIW: the AL won the All Star game, under the recent ASG rules, tonight would be in Houston...

 

[Alsacs]

FWIW: the AL won the All Star game, under the recent ASG rules, tonight would be in Houston...

The whole series would be flipped and Houston likely wins it tonight.

I can’t see the Dodgers losing tonight unless the Astros bats go crazy. Dodgers have the pitching advantage bigly. Not just starting pitcher but bullpen.

 

[Oráiste]

This is the best World Series I have ever seen. Every game has been competitive. Let's make it best of 11!

 

[Oráiste]

He certainly did. He plays a great first and has had a great season, but man. 14 K’s in 6 games is pretty crazy, especially when he’s the cleanup hitter who is frequently up in big spots. He came up with some huge hits a couple games ago after looking terrible the game before, so hopefully he can do that again.

A more experienced player would shorten his swing and just look to make contact, but Cody is looking to take it out on every swing.

Funny: if you had told me before the series began that one young Dodger would hit 3 home runs, and another would strike out 14 times but redeem himself with stellar defense, I (and most Dodger fans) would have said the first was Cody and the second was Joc.