2021 MLB Postseason: AL & NL Division Series Games

[Eye Black]

Down to 8 teams remaining. Use this thread to discuss the ALDS and NLDS games.

 

Just like during the regular season, we will have a separate thread for each game involving the Brewers.

 

 

DIVISION SERIES

Best-of-five

 

Thursday, Oct. 7

• White Sox v. Astros, Game 1 (FS1, 3 p.m. CT)

• Red Sox v. Rays, Game 1 (FS1, 7 p.m. CT)

 

Friday, Oct. 8

• White Sox v. Astros, Game 2 (MLBN, 1 p.m. CT)

• Braves v. Brewers, Game 1 (TBS, 3:30 p.m. CT)

• Red Sox v. Rays, Game 2 (FS1, 6 p.m. CT)

• Dodgers v. Giants, Game 1 (TBS, 8:30 p.m. CT)

 

Saturday, Oct. 9

• Braves v. Brewers, Game 2 (TBS, 4 p.m. CT)

• Dodgers v. Giants, Game 2 (TBS, 8 p.m. CT)

 

Sunday, Oct. 10

• Rays v. Red Sox, Game 3 (MLBN, 3 p.m. CT)

• Astros v. White Sox, Game 3 (FS1, 7 p.m. CT)

 

Monday, Oct. 11

• Rays v. Red Sox, Game 4* (FS1 or MLBN)

• Astros v. White Sox, Game 4* (FS1 or MLBN)

• Giants v. Dodgers, Game 3 (TBS)

• Brewers v. Braves, Game 3 (TBS)

 

Tuesday, Oct. 12

• Giants v. Dodgers, Game 4* (TBS)

• Brewers v. Braves, Game 4* (TBS)

 

Wednesday, Oct. 13

• Red Sox v. Rays, Game 5* (FS1)

• White Sox v. Astros, Game 5* (FS1)

 

Thursday, Oct. 14

• Dodgers v. Giants, Game 5* (TBS)

• Braves v. Brewers, Game 5* (TBS)

 

* - if necessary

[MrTPlush]

Hoping for:

 

White Sox over Astros

Red Sox over Rays

Brewers over Braves

Dodgers = Giants

 

I know people probably want the Rays to win, but I really dislike their lack of regular season attendance and I think the way they run their team is a bit overrated. I will refrain from picking in the other NL match-up because it just seems a bit silly to start hoping for your NLCS opponent before you even make it there yourself. I just hope we get there to face either of them.

[pacopete4]

I want the Rays in the WS just so tickets are cheaper.

[TURBO]

I hate the Giants, I hate the Dodgers. We have a better chance at beating the Giants, so I'm going for them.

Hate the Red Sox, hoping TB embarrasses them!

Rooting for the White Sox over the Astros.

Obviously the Brewers over the Braves

[Nola Beery]

As much as I miss the rhythm of the season....

[imagine I posted Flounder of Animal House saying "Oh boy, this is Great!]

Epic tech failure at posting a gif, image, or video, but you get the idea....

 

Edit: Feel free to succeed where I have failed, if you feel moved to do so.

[ReverendBrewmeister]

Bringing over a partial quote from the Wild Card Game Thread:

 

In all seriousness, though ... that was a pretty awesome baseball game. Proof positive that it's all about pitching in the playoffs. Thankfully the Brewers have a little bit of that.

What makes the Dodgers such a tough out in the playoffs is their roster full of players who can produce the "one-man rally" home run or capitalize after getting a runner or two on base. Couple that with several starters who can give up one or two baserunners in an inning but shut down the opposition before they can get a hit with RISP.

 

But the Giants have a 10-9 record against the Dodgers this year with a -2 run differential: 78 for/ 80 against. That makes for a good matchup.

 

Looks like two good series for the NLDS. Should be typical October Baseball with all its usual drama.

 

My Preferred Outcomes:

MIL over ATL (obviously)

SF over LA

CHW over HOU

TB over BOS

[Nola Beery]

I can't say I like any of the AL teams, but ranked from most disliked to least disliked they are :

 

(tie) Houston - I pretty much dislike everything about the city and the state, and I'm still mad about the cheating. On the other hand, how do you not like Dusty Baker?!

(tie) Boston - I was glad when they finally won that WS years ago to break their streak, and at least they knocked off the Yankees. But now they can go away with the Yankees.

Chicago - Meh.

Tampa Bay - At least it would be a win for a team that didn't spend a gazillion dollars on players .

 

But as long as one of them loses to the Brewers in the WS, it's all good.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

Strongly prefer to face the Giants if we're lucky enough to make another LCS. I just can't see us beating the Dodgers 4/7.

 

AL, don't care really. I guess the White Sox if that's who drives up the market for 1-2 WS games I inevitably won't be able to make. The AL field have all been successful recently and Tampa would have to have fans before they could be suffering.

[dlk9s]

My dad was a Milwaukee Braves fan, so I guess I need to root for the Braves.

[PinaMadness]

Whom should I root for? A bunch of cheaters or the biggest scumbag to manage in MLB?

[owbc]

I know Lance Lynn had a good season but he's more of a regular season workhorse than someone who is going to win you game 1 of a playoff series.

 

I feel the same way about Charlie Morton.

[willie key]

Am I the only one who didn’t see the hype over the white Sox for these playoffs

 

 

People,were picking them to win it all

[Joseph Zarr]

I haven't seen it with the White Sox all season, to be honest. Decent team, sure. But, a threat to win it all? No way in my book. Pains me to see LaRussa taking it on the chin. Pains me.

[sveumrules]

Am I the only one who didn’t see the hype over the white Sox for these playoffs

 

 

People,were picking them to win it all

 

Pitching supposedly wins in the playoffs & the White Sox surrendered the fewest runs in the AL this year.

 

On the flip side, the Astros scored the most runs in the AL this year.

 

Somebody's gotta lose.

[sveumrules]

I know Lance Lynn had a good season but he's more of a regular season workhorse than someone who is going to win you game 1 of a playoff series.

 

I feel the same way about Charlie Morton.

 

Since the start of the 2019 season Lynn & Morton are 4th & 5th in FIP based WAR. By runs allowed based WAR they are 3rd & 10th.

 

I would say they are both legitimate #1 quality starters, though not quite "ace" level.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I've heard lots of talk about the very down AL Central and the White Sox lack of success against good teams.

 

Their lineup is very, very good, but they haven't had to face good hitting very much. I know the Brewers made the AL Central look good, but playing half your games against that collection of lineups would make a lot of pitching staffs look good.

[willie key]

Dusty still wearing the wristbands with his face on them

 

Hahahahaha

[young guns]

I find it mildly amusing that fox is basically competing against itself with Thursday night football on fox and the ALDS on FS1

[Fear The Chorizo]

Am I the only one who didn’t see the hype over the white Sox for these playoffs

 

 

People,were picking them to win it all

 

Pitching supposedly wins in the playoffs & the White Sox surrendered the fewest runs in the AL this year.

 

On the flip side, the Astros scored the most runs in the AL this year.

 

Somebody's gotta lose.

 

As a team, the Astros don't strike out and force teams to play defense.

 

The white Sox defense is pretty bad...I doubt they win this series unless their lineup just mashes, and they are a bad match up against Astro starters because they don't hit offspeed stuff near as well as velo, and Asto starters throw a ton of breaking stuff/offspeed.

 

Not a good start for the southsiders

[jason21nl]

Tampa’s stadium is an absolute joke. However that ball was crushed

[DuWayne Steurer]

Hoping for:

 

White Sox over Astros

Red Sox over Rays

Brewers over Braves

Dodgers = Giants

 

I know people probably want the Rays to win, but I really dislike their lack of regular season attendance and I think the way they run their team is a bit overrated. I will refrain from picking in the other NL match-up because it just seems a bit silly to start hoping for your NLCS opponent before you even make it there yourself. I just hope we get there to face either of them.

 

 

Since 2008 the Rays have 7 playoff appearances and eight 90 win seasons, with 2 WS appearances.

 

In the Brewers 50 year history we have 7 playoff appearances and nine 90 win seasons.

[pacopete4]

One sleep.

[MrTPlush]

Hoping for:

 

White Sox over Astros

Red Sox over Rays

Brewers over Braves

Dodgers = Giants

 

I know people probably want the Rays to win, but I really dislike their lack of regular season attendance and I think the way they run their team is a bit overrated. I will refrain from picking in the other NL match-up because it just seems a bit silly to start hoping for your NLCS opponent before you even make it there yourself. I just hope we get there to face either of them.

 

 

Since 2008 the Rays have 7 playoff appearances and eight 90 win seasons, with 2 WS appearances.

 

In the Brewers 50 year history we have 7 playoff appearances and nine 90 win seasons.

 

OR

 

Brewers since 2008 = 6 appearances

 

Rays since 2008 = 7 appearances

 

We have 8 postseason appearances in our franchises history by the way.

 

World Series appearances, cool, that's more a virtue of luck and timing of getting hot. Yes...how a team is built can help them make a deeper run...but really it is about getting lucky/hot. Hence why the top team rarely comes out on top. Every other postseason appearance they have tapped out in the ALDS. From a business model it is somewhat impressive. Be cheap, but somehow stay competitive in a tough division. I just think they are made out to be this ungodly amazing franchise that everyone should want to be like...I don't really feel they are that amazing.

 

I mean they basically have the same amount of success since 2008 and I would hardly call us anywhere near some blueprint example on how to be amazing. We just haven't quite had the luck to push us to a World Series appearance.

[willie key]

We still don’t have a playoff roster yet?

[sveumrules]

If the Rays aren't amazing, who is?

 

Since 2008 they've won the 4th most games (1,181) in baseball playing in the toughest division (NYY is 2nd with 1,238 & BOS is 5th with 1,178 wins) while having a rock bottom payroll, a front office/management structure so strong that LAD & CHC had to poach their GM/Manager to win their Worlds Serieses, and a player development system that churns out so much talent they end up having to trade away legit guys because there are only so many MLB spots.