2017 Playoff Thread [World Series: HOU vs. LAD]

[homer]

Good lord.

[trwi7]

Totally awesome that the play that cost the Nationals is a strikeout and awful throw to 1st by Wieters.

[KeithStone53151]

That call was absolutely embarrassing. Even the split screen view isn't convincing. Maybe the tag was there, is it definitive? Absolutely not. I've been tracking comments and it's a fairly universal opinion that the call was crap

[trwi7]

That call was absolutely embarrassing. Even the split screen view isn't convincing. Maybe the tag was there, is it definitive? Absolutely not. I've been tracking comments and it's a fairly universal opinion that the call was crap

 

Yeah, there has to be another angle. They came back from commercial with that split screen and I'm like, this is it? This is the angle you used to overturn the call?

[KeithStone53151]

That call was absolutely embarrassing. Even the split screen view isn't convincing. Maybe the tag was there, is it definitive? Absolutely not. I've been tracking comments and it's a fairly universal opinion that the call was crap

 

Yeah, there has to be another angle. They came back from commercial with that split screen and I'm like, this is it? This is the angle you used to overturn the call?

 

If you needed more evidence that ratings matter more to mlb than a level playing field...exhibit A. On a cubs writers Twitter, a guy commented something like "I can't believe they overturned it, but ill take it."

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I thought Lobaton was out by the rules. Bigger problem is it's a stupid rule. Lobaton was safe in spirit just as Sogard was in game 2 of the four-gamer against the Cubs. I really think MLB needs to have a discussion about this. It's tough to keep full contact with the bag when you're being tagged and trying not to get stepped on.

 

I have no problem with a Bryce Harper K to end the game, though, even if it means the Cubs advance to the NLCS for the third straight year. I think the Cub window will be closing as the Brewer one opens. Go Crew.

[KeithStone53151]

I thought Lobaton was out by the rules. Bigger problem is it's a stupid rule. Lobaton was safe in spirit just as Sogard was in game 2 of the four-gamer against the Cubs. I really think MLB needs to have a discussion about this. It's tough to keep full contact with the bag when you're being tagged and trying not to get stepped on.

 

I have no problem with a Bryce Harper K to end the game, though, even if it means the Cubs advance to the NLCS for the third straight year. I think the Cub window will be closing as the Brewer one opens. Go Crew.

 

I think watching the split screen view, there's a pretty good chance he held the tag on. In what world is "a pretty good chance" worthy of overturning a call. Replays call for "convincing" evidence. I hope the Dodgers destroy the Cubs in 4 games and cost mlb 3 games worth of revenue.

[Baldkin]

They also blew the call on the passed ball, where Weiters got hit in the mask on the follow through. That is supposed to be a dead ball.

 

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I thought Lobaton was out by the rules. Bigger problem is it's a stupid rule. Lobaton was safe in spirit just as Sogard was in game 2 of the four-gamer against the Cubs. I really think MLB needs to have a discussion about this. It's tough to keep full contact with the bag when you're being tagged and trying not to get stepped on.

 

I have no problem with a Bryce Harper K to end the game, though, even if it means the Cubs advance to the NLCS for the third straight year. I think the Cub window will be closing as the Brewer one opens. Go Crew.

 

I think watching the split screen view, there's a pretty good chance he held the tag on. In what world is "a pretty good chance" worthy of overturning a call. Replays call for "convincing" evidence. I hope the Dodgers destroy the Cubs in 4 games and cost mlb 3 games worth of revenue.

 

I mean, we can disagree about how clear the split screen is and whether MLB has a better view and financial interest and all that (it's admittedly not a good look to have replay reviews occurring in what's essentially a black box, with no one really knowing exactly which angles they have in Chelsea). I just think the fact that we'd be disagreeing over whether Lobaton's foot came off the bag for half a second while Rizzo is tagging him is kind of silly. That play is just not meant to be an out to me. The runner is back to the bag in time. It takes a super-human eye to even detect the out, and getting that micro about it seems to violate the point of replay. No baserunner gains an advantage by being able to pop off the bag briefly in the course of a slide. Replay has given defenders an advantage on plays like that that feels pointless. The tag is late. The runner is back to the bag before the defender completes the play. Yet, the runner is still out, despite making no attempt to advance to the next base. Why that runner should be out is a mystery to me. It's making a fetish out of the base as physical object when it's really just supposed to represent a point in space.

 

And Baldkin's point about the "K" to Baez was an even clearer violation of the rules. Amazing how the luck of the Cubs has turned in the last three postseasons. I really hope nobody is giving Joe Maddon credit for this one either. That's like three times in huge, postseason games he's asked a guy clearly on fumes to get like 5+ outs. The fact that Chapman didn't cough up a run in the 9th in Game 7 last year and Davis somehow held on this time is a miracle, and dude's bullpen was totally empty otherwise. What a wild game.

 

EDIT: As I'm reading this piece: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/the-nationals-protest-case/ I'm reconsidering whether or not Baez making contact with Wieters was as clear-cut as I thought above. It's probably more complicated than it being a clear violation of the rules. Still, seems like the Nats would have a case that that call was wrong.

[Baldkin]

Smoltz talking about productive outs talk annoys the utter crap out of me.

 

The reason Houston is a threat to win it all isn't because they don't strike out very much, it's because their entire freaking lineup is good hitters.

 

The team has a 127 OPS+. THE TEAM.

[trwi7]

Smoltz talking about productive outs talk annoys the utter crap out of me.

 

The reason Houston is a threat to win it all isn't because they don't strike out very much, it's because their entire freaking lineup is good hitters.

 

The team has a 127 OPS+. THE TEAM.

 

Yeah and during that same time he was talking about how they got rid of Gomez, Valbuena and Castro and replaced them with Reddick, McCann and Beltran/Gonzalez. So they took two hitters that were completely terrible and replaced them with three hitters who are really good. This has nothing to do with productive outs, it has everything to do with the replacement hitters making far less outs.

[PinaMadness]

Dodgers announce SS Corey Seager not on NLCS roster because of back injury. Their late season slump coincided with his absence.

 

Gee whiz, the Cubs just catch break after break.

[jerichoholicninja]

To pile on Smotlz some more he said giving up runs with 2 outs counts 3 times more in the postseason. What the hell does that even mean?

[PinaMadness]

Throw Maddon's ass out!!!

[PinaMadness]

Get over it, Darling. "Whaaaa, it's a bad rule, whaaaa."

[trwi7]

Brian doesn't know what sidearm is if he thinks that Lackey pitch was sidearmed.

[trwi7]

Different angle of Schwarber jumping for Puig's home run.

 

[trwi7]

Can someone explain the appeal of Pedro Martinez? Because everyone in sports media loves him but I don't understand why.

[stoutdude04]

Im not sure either, most of the sports media guys who were former players suck, imo.

[KeithStone53151]

Get over it, Darling. "Whaaaa, it's a bad rule, whaaaa."

 

Without that rule, contreras gets destroyed by culberson... and he's probably safe anyways. Maddon should be thanking his lucky stars for that rule, or he might have been without a catcher the rest is the post season

[trwi7]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH TURNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[trwi7]

Also, giant thank you to Joe Maddon for really Showaltering that inning.

[OnTheBlack]

To pile on Smotlz some more he said giving up runs with 2 outs counts 3 times more in the postseason. What the hell does that even mean?

 

 

I think he's just not articulating his point very well. Playoff series come down to just a handful of sequences(not breaking news). Runs are usually harder to come by, guys don't give away at bats...and to the point about the Astro's manufacturing runs or having productive outs, yes, they have a great offense and that's clearly the reason their here, but being able to manufacture runs, get a guy, having him steal or moving him over and it does make a difference.

 

Playoff series with elite pitching is the only time I can stomach the "productive out" talk.

[MillerParkSouth]

Also, giant thank you to Joe Maddon for really Showaltering that inning.

I think his "genius" has been waaaay overblown and this series shows he's just a crusty old traditionalist like the rest of them. God bless Craig Counsell.

[trwi7]

https://deadspin.com/john-lackey-should-be-in-jail-1819503434