2008 MLB Playoffs thread (1 Viewer)

[ZacharyTait]

I don't think anyone outside of Dodger Nation thought that the Dodgers would be up 2-0 on the Cubs. Now the Cubs have to do what only one other team has done (2001 Yankees vs. A's): Come back from a 2-0 deficit in a best of 5 series. Saturday night is going to be one long tense night in Cubbie Nation.

 

[Walter C]

And it shows, making every moment count, after wasting away in Pittsburgh.

And the Cubs won't come back, but they should win 1 game in LA, since it looks like Lowe will be pitching on 3 days rest. Then again, I'm not too sure about Harden and Lilly are up to the task.

The Phillies up 2-0, and they can close it out at Miller Park. If they make it to the NLCS, hopefully they will go with a 4-man rotation. We can pretty much say that Sabathia is spent.

 

[nolesrule]

That was a fun game. I was sitting just to the foul-side of the left-field pole, so those Longoria bombs (and the White Sox homer in the 9th) came down not too far from me.

It was a hell of an atmosphere. I've never seen anything like it at a baseball game. Very football-ish crowd (we tske football seriously in Florida). Every single 2-strike pitch was treated by the crowd as if it was for the final out of the game.

 

[Patrick_S]

I'm as big a Cubs fan as there is and I know they won't comeback. ALthough I did buy my NLCS tickets today anyways. LOL

By the way, you are incorrect in that the 1984 Padres cameback from a 2-0 deficit to win a best of 5. (It was against the Cubs.)

 

[nolesrule]

So, how about those Rays? Kaz had a shaky first inning, but really straightened out after that. Nothing this team does surprises me anymore. It was great to see Upton, Crawford and Baldelli getting back into form.

Hopefully Pena's eye injury will be healed by Game 3.

 

[bugmenot]

Unless you are refering to the fact that the cubs and yankees both started the series off at home then you are mistaken my friend. The redsox were the first to do so when they came back from two down to beat the indians in 99 with the spectacular perdro performance in game 5.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Yes I was. I forgot to put that distinction in there.

From ESPN's recap of Cubs/Dodgers Game 2:

Chicago became the 23rd major league team to lose the first two games at home in a best-of-five playoff series, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Only one has come back to win -- the 2001 New York Yankees against Oakland.

 

[ZacharyTait]

Way to go Cubbies. :frowning:

100 seasons and counting.

Wait till next year......

 

[Brian Perry]

The Cubs thoroughly embarrassed themselves in this series. And knowing that overpaid choke artists such as Soriano and Zambrano are locked up for years is depressing.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Sam Zell fire GM Jim Hendry tonight.

 

[Ray Chuang]

Here's the problem with the Cubs: they have the wrong manager.

Lou Piniella is just too "wound up" psychologically to lead this team in a playoff situation, as witnessed by the losses in the playoffs this year and last year.

What the Cubs really need is a manage that either posesses the calm demeanor needed to deal with the team's history of losing in the past (read: Terry Francona) or just oblivious to the whole "curse" thing (read: Ozzie Guillèn). Piniella, alas, can't seem to do either. :rolleyes

 

[Brian Perry]

There may be something to that, though the previous manager, Dusty Baker, was as laid back as they come. On the other hand, at least Dusty won a few playoff games.

 

[TonyD]

Phils move on with the Dodgers

 

[Mike Frezon]

Francona and Torre sure seem to have set a new model for successful managers in the free agent era. It sure seems a better fit in these days of high-priced athletes than the Billy Martin/Lou Piniella "kick dirt on the umpire" in-your-face style.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Go Phillies!

Is it just me or are the TBS broadcasts better than they were last year? The pre-game stuff is pretty embarrassing, but the in-game commentary is better than the woeful stuff from last year. Still not ESPN quality, but a step up from most local broadcasts.

 

[James_Kiang]

I am an Angels fan, but watching them in the playoffs the last few years has been painful. Fortunately they pulled out the victory in game 3 and will hopefully do well tonight. I know the pundits say that Howie Kendrick has a ton of potential and could even be a batting champion one day, but man he has aggravated me throughout this series.

Looking ahead just a little, I would hope they cut ties with Garrett Anderson, unless the guy is willing to come back for half what he makes now. Frankie...I think the guy is gone, though they will make the usual Angel attempt at re-signing him just to say they tried. I doubt they will bring back Jon Garland, but I do hope they can do a deal with Texeira. If ManRam like Los Angeles, I wonder what he would think of the OC?

(while I would obviously love a player of his caliber on the team, I doubt they will even be involved in that)

 

[Jason Seaver]

Heck of a series between the Angels and Red Sox - lots of one-run games decided late and good pitching. As a Red Sox fan, I felt sure that they should win this series: Lackey's complaining after the game aside, the Red Sox are a better team, outscoring their opponents by 151 versus 68 for the Angels, while playing in a much harder division(*). Still, if the Angels had been less sloppy, it could have gone much differently.

(*) Looking at The Hardball Times's team stats, I think the AL East is going to be even more of a beast next year - Toronto underperformed more than any other team this year. If you think that sort of thing is more a variation that will even out than something intrinsic in the way teams run their clubs, then there are likely to be four very good teams in the division next year, once the Yankees get done reloading. It is going to suck to be an Orioles fan, more so than it already does.

I'm expecting more of the same in the ALCS - the Sox and Rays are arguably probably the two best teams still playing, and their games during the regular season were generally fantastic. I think the Red Sox will win it, but figure it'll happen in St. Pete, as the series almost has to go six or seven games.

I figure on the Dodgers in the NL - Manny seems to have changed that team for the better. That'll set up Fox's dream (which will quickly turn into our nightmare, because Buck, McCarver, and company will ride the "Manny vs. The Red Sox" story as hard as they ever rode CHB's curse).

 

[Mike Frezon]

I'm really surprised by all the noise the ESPN talking heads are making about the play at third in the top of the 9th in last night's Sox/Angels game.

Dave Campbell is calling it a botched call...one that "at least the umpires should have gotten together and conferenced it." In Campbell's mind the only reason that didn't happen was because the crew chief made the call.

In the article linked by Jason above:


But I think the unidentified player was talking about Scoscia calling for the squeeze in the first place.

Anyway, I thought it was a pretty clear-cut play. Even Scoscia seemed to think it was a simple judgment call on the part of the ump.

 

[Walter C]

First, Vlad's base running error, and now, the pinch runner tagged out after being chased by Varitek. I knew it... the Angels were doomed from the start. So much for regular season series, when the Halos won 8 of 9 meetings against the Red Sox.

I got 3 out of 4 in my prediction. Let's go Phillies!

I am biased, but my pick is the Phillies over the Dodgers in 7. If it goes the same way as the regular season, the home team should win every game.

The Rays should win over the Red Sox in 7 games as well. Somehow, I feel like the Rays will be that team that the networks don't want around, very much like the Marlins in 2003.

I can see this season that both LCS won't overlap. Friday and Monday will have one of the LCS games in the afternoon.

For those waiting for Manny to return to Fenway... sorry folks, wait until interleague play.

 

[Steve_Tk]

True, the networks do not want to see a Rays/Phillies world series. They want a Red Sox Vs Torre/Manny (I do to by the way

)

 

[nolesrule]

I'll take any Series that doesn't involve the Red Sox, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a Rays fan.