OT It's almost September; time to talk about the baseball postseason

[bigbonzo]

FOUR Cleveland Guardians win Gold Gloves in 2022!

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Ugh, big game Lance absolutely did not show up tonight. He seemed to be tipping his pitches in the first two innings and gave up four runs on three homers, then another two-run in the JFC AS I’M TYPING THIS HE GIVES UP HIS FIFTH GD BOMB OF THE NIGHT.

This is simply not our night. The offense looks atrocious too. Hopefully we come out ready to play tomorrow.

 

[redbeard]

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Last night was a winnable game but tonight will be a must-win. We can't waste a start from Javier by giving him no run support, especially against Nola. Chasing Nola early and forcing them to use their best arms before their bullpen day is an absolute necessity. It's an incredibly tall task even with our success against him in game one.

We got to Nola early in game one but Verlander's meltdown (aided by Dusty's refusal to pull his starters when they're clearly struggling) gave him an opportunity to settle down and stay in the game, sparing their bullpen for an extra four outs while their lineup erased a five-run deficit.

I don't understand Dusty's management of the starting pitching. Verlander and McCullers were both very obviously struggling and neither time did Dusty get anyone up for long relief. We have two starting pitchers in our bullpen for this very reason and he's utilized them in the most head-scratching situations. In game one he put Garcia in for the 10th rather than a reliever (and of course Garcia should have started the fifth inning at a minimum), and then last night he didn't get Urquidy up until McCullers had been through the order three times and given up five home runs.

Dusty is managing like it's August, not like there's something on the line. He has no sense of urgency. It's insane.

 

[bigbonzo]

Don't ya think the "must win" phrase is way overused?

 

[lossforgain]

Geez, am I the only one here rooting for the Phillies?

 

[redbeard]

lossforgain I am in Philly sports hog heaven.

 

[TheElectricCompany]

I am an intensely cynical and sarcastic person, but I'm going to break with my tendencies and be positive.

Javier is going to pitch a great game tonight. I know he can get through the lineup three times with far better results than Verlander and McCullers. The offense is going to look much more like its regular self and the Astros are going to even the series.

Verlander will get his first World Series win on Thursday.

Framber at home will be special.

In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "This things I believe."

 

[Sinclair]

He seemed to be tipping his pitches in the first two innings....

The offense looks atrocious too.

He's tipping his pitches? I don't know how. More than that he left much of his stuff over the plate and the Phillies bats finally got something going. Harper set the tone for the game and everyone got on board.

As for an atrocious offense...chalk that up to Phillies pitching. Even the bullpen looked good. The Asterisks backs are against the wall tonight with a must win situation. They're a good team and I expect them to respond, but right now all the momentum is with the Phillies. If they can score first it could be a long night for the Cheaters.
(of course no offense meant by the pet names)

 

[Sinclair]

And respond they did! Wow.

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Baseball is just unbelievable.

The Phillies are no-hit the night after setting a World Series-record five home runs.

Verlander goes in game five with a chance to take a lead back to Houston in what’s now a best-of-three series. I like Houston’s odds, but goodness, has this been a wild series, or what? There’s no telling what happens next.

 

[Sinclair]

On paper the Asterisks are a superior club, the Dodgers even better but look how their season ended. You must win on the field. After the Phillies onslaught in game 3 who would have guessed they'd be no hit in game 4. Baseball is the greatest game ever invented. Things still happen that haven't happened in over 100 years of playing.
Tonight the Phillies are in a must win game. Maybe they'll pull off something else that hasn't happened in 100 years.

 

[Christopher]

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Headed to the bottom of the fourth and I would be really surprised to see Verlander back out. He’s had a lot of traffic and has not looked sharp. We can’t let him see Schwarber again. We have the lead again and I think it’s time to put it in the hands of the bullpen and go inning to inning. Not doing so burned us twice already this series.

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Man, I don’t know squat. That was unquestionably JV’s best inning.

 

[TheElectricCompany]

Verlander gets his first World Series win and I died no less than three times during the game. What a game. What a series. Just one more. Just. One. More.

 

[lossforgain]

No, you’ve got the math wrong — it’ll take two more for Phillies to win.

 

[bigbonzo]

Has the World Series started?

 

[goodcat1337]

I think Houston wrapped it up with that win last night. TBH, I felt like they did it with the no hitter, and last night solidified it. I'm sure the Phillies won't give up in game 6, but I think the Astros will be too much for them.

 

[Sinclair]

Too bad. The Phillies were a fly ball away from tying the game in the 8th and had another chance in the 9th. They just couldn't get the hit when they needed it, and the late error didn't help either.
The Asterisks will wrap it up at home and win the WS....without even cheating!