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NL Playoff Matchups

Gwreck Sep 27 2014 02:56 PM

Pirates/Reds go to extra innings this afternoon before the Pirates give up a grand slam in the bottom of the tenth. Cardinals' magic number to clinch the Central is now 1. Accordingly, barring a tie for the Central (one-game playoff would be at St. Louis on Monday) the matchups are going to be: Giants at Pirates for the Wild-Card game; winner plays at Nationals. Cardinals at Dodgers.

Frayed Knot Sep 27 2014 08:06 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

NL WC game will be 8PM Wednesday on ESPN

Mets – Willets Point Sep 27 2014 09:16 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Gwreck wrote: Cardinals at Dodgers. At least that means that one loathsome team gets knocked out early.

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2014 02:05 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Pirates lose, so the Cardinals game just starting now becomes irrelevant. East = Nationals Central = Cards West = Dodgers Pirates host Giants Wednesday night for the WC tilt, winner heads to Washington Cards head to LA

bmfc1 Sep 28 2014 02:07 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Great break for STL because they can sit Wainwright.

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2014 02:12 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

1st game for them won't be until friday which will be his regular day anyway so I assume he's pitching anyway today (game just starting). They'll probably just pull him early. Give him the old 'Five and Fly'.

Zvon Sep 28 2014 02:18 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Pshew, that's gonna be a tough road for those Bucs.

bmfc1 Sep 28 2014 02:19 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

STL already yanked their Wainwright. Wainwright v Kershaw on Friday.

Frayed Knot Sep 28 2014 02:21 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Weird in my mind that they'd prefer to have him on ten days rest rather than just get a couple innings in today, but they're there and I'm not.

d'Kong76 Oct 01 2014 08:31 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Not looking good for el buccos!

Zvon Oct 01 2014 08:51 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

What happened to my Bucs? They Sux! 7-0? Damn.

Zvon Oct 01 2014 08:58 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

8-0. Jeeze. Out with a whimper. Bummer for the Buccos. Well, they have a chance. But I don't see no royal comeback here.

Frayed Knot Oct 01 2014 09:22 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

They got Bumgarner'ed

Zvon Oct 01 2014 09:25 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Well, that sucked. Royals in the AL. Switching to...Dodgers I guess, NL. And I hope Trout does troutly things. Yea, gj by The Bum.

MFS62 Oct 01 2014 09:42 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Ouch! I can only root for an NL team. But the Bucs are gone, and I can't bring myself to root for either of the teams that fled New York. And who can like what the Nationals did to the Mets this year? So, it has to be the Cards. Grudgingly. Later

bmfc1 Oct 02 2014 05:31 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Come on Giants! Do it for your long suffering fans. No? Then do it for me, especially on Saturday night when I attend break fast (it's a Jewish thing) at the home of a Nationals season ticket holder.

Lefty Specialist Oct 02 2014 06:11 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

MFS62 wrote: Ouch! I can only root for an NL team. But the Bucs are gone, and I can't bring myself to root for either of the teams that fled New York. And who can like what the Nationals did to the Mets this year? So, it has to be the Cards. Grudgingly. Later Ick. Screw the Cardinals. Anything but them and their 'best fans in America'. I can live with the Nats winning it-once. But I think the Royals would be awesome. It would give hope to long-suffering fans everywhere (looks in mirror).

Mets – Willets Point Oct 02 2014 06:40 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

The teams that last won a World Series in 1983, 1984, and 1985 are all in the playoffs this year. That should give some hope to the fans of the team that last won a World Series in 1986.

sharpie Oct 02 2014 08:36 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Giants or Nationals, fine. No to the Cards or Dodgers.

sharpie Oct 02 2014 08:38 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

sharpie wrote: Giants or Nationals, fine. No to the Cards or Dodgers. Anybody but the Angels in the AL.

d'Kong76 Oct 03 2014 08:30 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

San Francisco at Washington When: 3:00 PM ET, Friday, October 3, 2014 Where: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia SportsDirect Inc. After being reduced to a spectator during his team's postseason run two years ago, Stephen Strasburg makes his playoff debut Friday as the Washington Nationals host the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of the best-of-five National League Division Series. The 26-year-old fireballer was held out of the 2012 postseason by Washington in a bid to protect his surgically repaired right elbow. Fast forward to the present, and it's full steam ahead as the East champion Nationals breezed to the NL's best record of 96-66 and also won five of the seven meetings with the Giants this season. San Francisco won its eighth consecutive postseason game dating to the 2012 NLCS and a trip to Washington after cruising to an 8-0 rout of Pittsburgh in Wednesday's wild-card game. Brandon Crawford provided an unlikely jolt with a grand slam and portly Pablo Sandoval added two hits, two runs and an over-the-railing acrobatic catch in the lopsided victory. Sandoval is hitting .330 in 106 at-bats in his career versus Washington and .317 this season against right-handers, but 3-for-12 with five strikeouts against Strasburg. TV: 3:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jake Peavy (7-13, 3.73 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (14-11, 3.14) Peavy overcame losing his first three outings since being acquired from Boston by winning six of seven before settling for a pair of no-decisions to end the regular season. The 33-year-old seems to have put his penchant for surrendering the long ball on hold, allowing just three in 12 outings (78 2/3 innings) with the Giants after permitting 20 in as many appearances (124 innings) with the Red Sox. Peavy was blitzed for three homers and six runs in 5 1/3 innings in his last appearance against the Nationals on April 9, 2013 while with the Chicago White Sox. Strasburg finished the season with a flourish, tossing 20 shutout innings over his last three starts while posting victories in six of his last seven decisions. The former top overall pick wasn't as fortunate in his last meeting with the Giants, allowing five runs on eight hits in four innings before escaping with a no-decision Aug. 24. That contest was in San Francisco, but Strasburg has pitched far better in 18 starts at home - securing a 9-3 mark with a 2.56 ERA. WALK-OFFS: 1. Denard Span's 184 hits were the most by a Nationals player since the franchise moved from Montreal. He is 7-for-20 with five doubles in his career against Peavy. 2. San Francisco C Buster Posey is batting a league-best .354 after the All-Star break and has enjoyed sparkling success versus Strasburg (.385 in 13 at-bats) in his career. 3. Washington rookie manager Matt Williams was a third baseman for San Francisco during his 17-year career. ************************************* St. Louis at LA Dodgers When: 6:30 PM ET, Friday, October 3, 2014 Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California SportsDirect Inc. The Los Angeles Dodgers look to exact revenge for last year's postseason dismissal when they host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of their National League Division Series on Friday. The NL West champion Dodgers were ousted by St. Louis in six games in the 2013 NL Championship Series, ending their bid for their first pennant since 1988. St. Louis went on to lose to Boston in the World Series in six. Los Angeles claimed its second straight division title this season, finishing two games behind NL East champion Washington for the best record in the senior circuit. It rolls into the postseason with a five-game winning streak and an 8-2 mark over its final 10 regular-season contests, while St. Louis held off wild-card recipient Pittsburgh to capture its second consecutive NL Central crown. The Cardinals have made the playoffs five of the last six years and reached the World Series two of the last three seasons. TV: 6:37 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (20-9, 2.38 ERA) vs. Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (21-3, 1.77) Wainwright had another sensational season, posting at least 19 victories for the fourth time in five years and matching his career high of 20 originally set in 2010. The 33-year-old ended the campaign with a five-start winning streak, allowing a total of two runs and tossing two of his five complete games over his final four outings. Wainwright has posted a 2.90 ERA in 14 career games - 11 starts - against the Dodgers but owns only a 4-5 overall record and a 1-3 mark at Los Angeles, where he suffered a 1-0 complete-game loss on June 26 in which he allowed just five hits. The only thing likely to keep Wainwright from capturing his first NL Cy Young Award was the incredible 2014 performance by Kershaw, who led the major leagues in wins, ERA, complete games (six) and WHIP (0.86) while finishing second in opposing batting average (.196). The 26-year-old, who is ticketed for his third overall Cy Young Award and second in a row, closed the season by winning each of his last seven starts - working eight innings six times and yielding fewer than two earned runs on five occasions. Kershaw has been ordinary against St. Louis over his career, going 5-5 with a 3.46 ERA in 14 outings, but struck out 13 over seven scoreless innings in a victory at home June 29. WALK-OFFS: 1. Dodgers LHP Hyun-Jin Ryu, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 12 due to a sore shoulder, threw a 45-pitch simulated game Wednesday with hopes of starting Game 3. 2. St. Louis C Yadier Molina is a .294 career hitter in the postseason, but .239 in the NLDS. 3. The Cardinals are 3-1 versus the Dodgers in the postseason, winning NLCS matchups in 1985 and 2013 as well as the 2004 NLDS. Los Angeles swept the 2009 NLDS showdown.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 03 2014 01:55 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

All noughts in the top of the third in Washington for the Giants and Nationals. Is Jake Peavy really the Giants' second best starting pitcher?

Frayed Knot Oct 03 2014 02:33 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Is Jake Peavy really the Giants' second best starting pitcher? Probably not. But in an era where Zito is gone, Matt Cain is injured, and Lincecum is nothing like his former self, he's closer to 2nd best than SF is likely comfortable with. And at the moment he's no-hitting the Nats (thru 3).

Mets – Willets Point Oct 03 2014 02:50 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I've just not been paying enough attention. It seems that just a few months ago, Lincecum was throwing his second no-hitter. I missed his demotion to the bullpen. And of course, now that I've questioned Peavy's credentials, he's only allowed one baserunner over four innings.

Frayed Knot Oct 03 2014 04:53 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Mets – Willets Point wrote: I've just not been paying enough attention. It seems that just a few months ago, Lincecum was throwing his second no-hitter.. It was. It's just that the good games for little Timmy have increasingly become the exception rather than the rule over the last few seasons.

Frayed Knot Oct 03 2014 08:39 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Nice little pitcher's duel out there in LA

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 07:00 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

San Francisco at Washington When: 5:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 4, 2014 Where: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia SportsDirect Inc. The San Francisco Giants attempt to extend their postseason winning streak and put a stranglehold on their National League Division Series when they visit the Washington Nationals for Game 2 on Saturday. San Francisco, which advanced to the NLDS by trouncing Pittsburgh in the wild-card game on Wednesday, built a three-run lead in Friday's series opener before holding on for a 3-2 triumph. Joe Panik, Brandon Belt and Buster Posey each delivered an RBI single while Jake Peavy yielded two hits over 5 2/3 scoreless innings as the Giants posted their ninth straight playoff victory. NL East champion Washington made a late comeback attempt, with Bryce Harper and Asdrubal Cabrera belting solo home runs in the seventh inning, but was unable to gain the upper hand in the series. The Nationals, who finished with the best record in the NL during the regular season, look to avoid being pushed to the brink of elimination in the best-of-five series and hope to head to San Francisco with the matchup even at one win apiece. Giants veteran Tim Hudson makes his 10th career playoff start as he faces Jordan Zimmermann, who enters with one postseason start - a loss at St. Louis - under his belt. TV: 5:37 p.m. ET, FS1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Tim Hudson (9-13, 3.57 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (14-5, 2.66) Hudson struggled down the stretch, losing each of his last four outings to extend his winless streak to six starts. The 39-year-old, who hasn't pitched in the postseason since 2010 while with Atlanta, has surrendered three or more runs in five straight starts and at least five in three of those contests. Hudson improved to 18-5 in 31 career turns against the Nationals franchise on Aug. 22, when he allowed two runs - one earned - over 5 1/3 innings at Washington. Zimmermann is coming off the best performance of his career as he tossed the first no-hitter in Nationals history on Sept. 28 against Miami. The 28-year-old won each of his last eight decisions during the regular season, ending the campaign with a 13-start unbeaten streak after losing at Philadelphia on July 11. Zimmermann raised his career record versus San Francisco to 5-2 on Aug. 23 as he yielded only two runs while striking out eight in as many innings. WALK-OFFS: 1. San Francisco 3B Pablo Sandoval enters Saturday with a club-record 12-game postseason hitting streak. 2. Three of Washington's six hits in the opener went for extra bases, as OF Nate Schierholtz - a former Giant - delivered a pinch-hit double. 3. The Giants went just 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position in Game 1. ******************************* St. Louis at LA Dodgers When: 9:30 PM ET, Saturday, October 4, 2014 Where: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California SportsDirect Inc. The Los Angeles Dodgers look to shake off a disappointing loss and even their National League Division Series at one win apiece when they host the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. NL West champion Los Angeles appeared on its way to victory in Friday's opener as Cy Young Award favorite Clayton Kershaw was staked to a 6-2 lead after six innings. But St. Louis touched the 21-game winner for six runs and six hits during an eight-run seventh and held off a late comeback attempt to emerge with a thrilling 10-9 triumph. Los Angeles outhit NL Central champion St. Louis 16-10 but went just 4-for-14 with runners in scoring position and stranded 11 while the Cardinals left just one runner on base. Matt Carpenter belted a solo homer and put St. Louis ahead with a three-run double during the huge seventh inning while Matt Holliday capped it with a three-run blast. A.J. Ellis highlighted a 4-for-5 performance with a two-run homer and Adrian Gonzalez added a two-run shot of his own for the Dodgers, who hope to avoid falling into an 0-2 hole in the best-of-five series. TV: 9:37 p.m. ET, MLB Network PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Lance Lynn (15-10, 2.74 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Zach Greinke (17-8, 2.71) Lynn ended the regular season with a four-game winless streak but produced quality starts in each of his last nine outings. The 27-year-old hasn't allowed more than three runs since June 28, when he was tagged for seven - six earned - over two innings in a loss to Saturday's counterpart Zach Greinke at Los Angeles. Lynn is 3-1 in five career starts against the Dodgers but owns a hefty 4.50 ERA. Greinke finished the 2014 campaign with an eight-game unbeaten streak that included five victories. The 30-year-old former American League Cy Young Award winner allowed more than two earned runs only twice during his run and yielded fewer than two on four occasions. Greinke fell to 9-4 in 14 career games - 12 starts - against the Cardinals on July 19, when he surrendered four runs on six hits and five walks over 5 2/3 innings at St. Louis. WALK-OFFS: 1. Kershaw is the first pitcher in major-league history to surrender at least seven runs in back-to-back playoff starts. 2. Los Angeles LF Carl Crawford enters Saturday with a club-record 11-game postseason hitting streak. 3. The eight runs in the seventh on Friday were the most allowed in a postseason inning by the Dodgers since St. Louis also scored eight in a frame during their 1985 NL Championship Series.

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 07:02 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Last two Clayton Kershaw post-season outings, both vs the Cardinals: 10-2/3 IP; 15 ER; 24 H -- Dodgers lose 9-0 and 10-9 The one prior to that, also against the Cards, was 6 innings of 1 (unearned) run/2 hit ball -- Dodgers lose 1-0 Go Figure

Zvon Oct 04 2014 02:27 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Gotta feel for Dodger fans after last night. A big lead with Kershaw on the mound. Ouch.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 03:41 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I don't feel anything, except maybe a little giggly... 1. Kershaw is the first pitcher in major-league history to surrender at least seven runs in back-to-back playoff starts.

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 06:23 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Whoa! No way would I be yanking Zimmermann here (2 outs in 9th after a walk).

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 06:28 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Told ya so Matt Williams. I wouldn't overturn this based on what I'm seeing.

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 07:02 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Nats are getting awfully pissy over a couple of, borderline at worst, ball/strike calls. First Harper, then Cabrera, and now mgr Williams.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 07:44 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Bottom of the 12th ... 1-1. I think the pissy gnats will win it this inning.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 07:53 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

What the hell are they chanting?

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 07:58 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On to the 13th

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 08:00 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

d'Kong76 wrote: What the hell are they chanting? I think it might be WILLLL-SOOOON when Wilson Ramos is up. A play on the Tom Hanks/Wilson reference from CASTAWAY perhaps?

Mets – Willets Point Oct 04 2014 08:05 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: d'Kong76 wrote: What the hell are they chanting? I think it might be WILLLL-SOOOON when Wilson Ramos is up. A play on the Tom Hanks/Wilson reference from CASTAWAY perhaps? It's from a Phish song. Seahawks fans originated this as a sports chant. [youtube]yRnueJP2k9A[/youtube]

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 08:11 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Players don't do the good fade-away slide like they used to. Had that be me running instead of Posey on that 9th inning hit the Giants would have won the game. Just throw your body towards the 1st base line and scrape the base with your toe. The catcher would have had nothing to tag.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 08:12 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Cool, thanks WP

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 08:22 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

So I guess the Seahawks fans do it for Russell Wilson and Nats fans copped it from them. Not surprising. Washington fans haven't shown themselves to be very inventive so far. They even have an organized N - A - T - S Nats Nats Nats! chant whenever the team scores. Haven't seen Fireman Ed anywhere on the premises though.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 08:28 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I forgot there's another game on, I ain't even looking at it if this ever ends.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 04 2014 08:34 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

d'Kong76 wrote: I forgot there's another game on, I ain't even looking at it if this ever ends. Ditto.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 08:39 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On to the 15th

themetfairy Oct 04 2014 08:43 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I had been flipping between the Giants/Nats game and the Rutgers game. Now I can flip between the two NL games.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2014 08:50 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Petit is rocking it. Doing the Delgado trade proud.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 04 2014 08:53 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

It says something about the length of the game when your late-inning pinch runner has his second at-bat.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 08:58 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On to the 16th

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 09:09 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

[youtube:10u7zyra]xMaE6toi4mk[/youtube:10u7zyra]

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 09:17 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On to the 17th

Frayed Knot Oct 04 2014 09:19 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Those rectangular POSTSEASON logos that are on the units, the hats, the field, and just about everywhere else this week, aren't getting' it done. For starters, the word POSTSEASON is too dorky to build a slogan around. And then logo itself is just plain and boring.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 04 2014 09:23 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Edgy MD wrote: Petit is rocking it. Doing the Delgado trade proud. From Baseball-Reference.com: Petit is the 1st pitcher with 7+ K in a postseason relief appearance since Pedro Martinez (8) on October 11, 1999

Zvon Oct 04 2014 09:26 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Those rectangular POSTSEASON logos that are on the units, the hats, the field, and just about everywhere else this week, aren't getting' it done. For starters, the word POSTSEASON is too dorky to build a slogan around. And then logo itself is just plain and boring. Agreed. I'll start with rectangle? and stop right there. 17th inning? 1-1!? Some good games this post.

d'Kong76 Oct 04 2014 09:29 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On to the 18th (and I've run out of beer)

Edgy MD Oct 04 2014 09:35 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

[bigpurple:3t3fre5h]BELT![/bigpurple:3t3fre5h]

Zvon Oct 04 2014 09:36 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

d'Kong76 wrote: On to the 18th (and I've run out of beer) Ew, that sucks. I got Doctor Who at midnight. Missed the first run. I like the TV stations that run like a movie theater with 2nd & 3rd showings :). OO, kaboom, some SF guy. 2-1 Giants.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2014 09:42 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Ah, they took Petit out!

Mets – Willets Point Oct 04 2014 09:57 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Edgy MD wrote: Ah, they took Petit out! I remember him when he was a wee lad.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2014 09:59 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Werth is the winning run with the tying one on beis. Gah!

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 04 2014 10:02 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Suck it, Nats.

Edgy MD Oct 04 2014 10:03 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Typical six-hour, 23-minute game. A long time to wait to get the wind knocked out of you.

Frayed Knot Oct 05 2014 06:44 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Typical six-hour, 23-minute game. Unfortunately, yeah. This one didn't have nearly the back and forth as either of the other long post-season games of (semi) recent vintage: - Braves/Astros (Gm 4, NLDS 2005; 7-6 Astros - 18 innings/5:50) or - Mets/Astros (Gm 6, NLCS 1986; 7-6 Mets - 16 innings/4:42) ... although we all thought that one was a marathon at the time This game was actually headed for a sub-3:00 finish (as a 1-0/8.5 inning game it bleedin' well ought to be) until the pitching change + Giants rally in top 9 + the Nats being forced to hit in the bottom of 9th pushed it to just over 3 hours of regulation. So the "second" 9-inning game took right around 3:15-3:20 despite just 1 run scored on a total of just 5 hits and 6 walks (2 intentional), where 3 of those 11 base-runners were erased on the paths and there was just one in-inning pitching change. That all points to nothing but slow pace, and particularly to relievers who tend to work much slower than starters no matter what the game situation.

smg58 Oct 05 2014 08:14 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Whoa! No way would I be yanking Zimmermann here (2 outs in 9th after a walk). All for trying to paint the corners too carefully against one batter when he was otherwise unhittable. There's definitely a tendency to micromanage in the playoffs, and this one came back to bite the Nats big time.

Frayed Knot Oct 05 2014 09:29 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

According to what Williams said after the game, they decided before the inning began to pull Zimmermann if he put someone on base. Sometimes that type of pre-decision gets you into trouble if you're not willing to reconsider it based on the circumstances. I think they were also spooked a bit by that loud foul ball on the 2-0 count on the way to that walk. And even though Storen had been real good since replacing Soriano in the weeks leading up to the end of the season, I still just hate replacing the known with the unknown in that type of case. Soriano, meanwhile, who had fallen out of favor to the extent that he was a surprise even to make the post-season roster despite the big contract and that he was the closer from the beginning of of 2013 until around late August, tossed a 1-2-3 inning in the 16th: K, Pop-up, Pop-up Nat bats have now scored just 3 runs in essentially 3 games (27 innings) against good, but aging and recently shaky, pitchers, now have to go cross country and face Bumgarner. Things not looking too good for the team who was the popular favorite coming in.

d'Kong76 Oct 06 2014 05:00 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Washington at San Francisco When: 5:00 PM ET, Monday, October 6, 2014 Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California SportsDirect Inc. After recording a National League-best 96 victories during the regular season, the Washington Nationals will need one on Monday just to remain alive in their best-of-five Division Series versus the San Francisco Giants. Winning Game 3 will be tough against host San Francisco, which secured its NL-best 10th straight victory on the strength of a ninth-inning rally and Brandon Belt's homer nine frames later in a 2-1 triumph on Saturday. "Who'd have thought we'd have come here and won the first two?" Giants hurler Tim Hudson said after the 6-hour, 23-minute marathon. "Everybody in America probably didn't think we had a shot. But everybody in this locker room knew that we did." What the NL East-champion Nationals know is their task on Monday will be a difficult one against Madison Bumgarner, who struck out 10 and scattered four hits to lead the Giants to an 8-0 rout of Pittsburgh in the wild-card game on Wednesday. Doug Fister will provide the opposition on Monday but has allowed Pablo Sandoval to record four hits in five career plate appearances. The sizable Sandoval certainly came through on Saturday as he delivered an RBI double with two out in the ninth inning to improve to 21-for-57 during his club-record 13-game postseason hitting streak. TV: 5:07 p.m. ET, MLBN PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Doug Fister (16-6, 2.41 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (19-10, 2.86) Fister answered a three-game losing streak by winning his final four starts of the regular season - in dominating fashion, no less. The 30-year-old scattered three hits and struck out nine in a complete-game gem versus Miami on Sept. 26. Fister, who has yielded four earned runs on 15 hits in his last four outings (28 2/3 innings), suffered the loss against San Francisco on Aug. 22 after permitting four runs in six frames of a 10-3 setback. Bumgarner won five of his final six decisions of the regular season but suffered the tough-luck loss in his lone meeting with Washington in 2014. The 25-year-old permitted two runs on eight hits in seven innings en route to a 2-1 setback on June 10. Bumgarner owns a 2-3 mark with a slim 2.60 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in seven career starts versus the Nationals. WALK-OFFS: 1. San Francisco C Buster Posey is 4-for-10 in the series and 6-for-15 in the postseason. 2. Washington 3B Anthony Rendon, who is 5-for-11 over the first two games of the set, is 3-for-5 with a double in his career versus Bumgarner. 3. The Giants dropped the first two contests at home in the 2012 NLDS versus Cincinnati and rallied to win before going on to capture the World Series title. ******************************** LA Dodgers at St. Louis When: 9:00 PM ET, Monday, October 6, 2014 Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri SportsDirect Inc. The St. Louis Cardinals attempt to gain the upper hand in their National League Division Series when they host the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 3 on Monday. NL Central champion St. Louis pulled off an improbable comeback against Los Angeles ace Clayton Kershaw and posted a 10-9 victory in the opener and rallied to forge a tie in Game 2 before Matt Kemp led off the eighth inning with a homer to give the Dodgers a 3-2 triumph. Zach Greinke pitched a whale of a game, allowing two hits over seven scoreless frames before being replaced after initially taking the mound to start the eighth. Los Angeles will need to find a way to control Matt Carpenter, who belted a solo homer and a three-run double in the opener and hit the tying two-run shot in Game 2. The Dodgers have a pair of hot hitters themselves, with one being very unlikely. Kemp is 5-for-9 over the first two games while A.J. Ellis has recorded five hits in eight at-bats (4-for-5 in Game 1) with a homer, two RBIs and four runs scored. TV: 9:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (14-7, 3.38 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH John Lackey (14-10, 3.82) Ryu will be making his first start since Sept. 12, when he was battered for four runs and five hits in one inning before exiting with shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old South Korean lost two of his last three decisions but allowed more than three runs only once in his last nine starts. Ryu is 1-1 in two career regular-season outings against the Cardinals, losing at St. Louis on June 27, but scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings en route to victory in Game 3 of last year's NL Championship Series. Lackey was a hard-luck loser to the Cubs in his final regular-season start, allowing just two runs over 6 2/3 innings at Chicago on Sept. 24. The 35-year-old, who went 3-3 with a 4.30 ERA in 10 outings after being acquired from Boston, yielded fewer than three earned runs in seven of his last eight turns. Lackey is 5-3 lifetime with a 1.93 ERA against Los Angeles in the regular season and 6-5 with a 3.03 ERA in 19 career postseason games, including three relief appearances. WALK-OFFS: 1. Los Angeles RF Yasiel Puig has struck out in each of his last five at-bats, including all four in Game 2. 2. St. Louis won all three home games against the Dodgers in last year's NLCS. 3. RHP Dan Haren is tentatively slated to start Game 4 for Los Angeles on Tuesday, while RHP Shelby Miller makes his first career postseason start for St. Louis.

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2014 09:00 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Washington at San Francisco When: 5:00 PM ET, Monday, October 6, 2014 Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California 5:07 p.m. ET, MLBN PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Doug Fister (16-6, 2.41 ERA) vs. Giants LH Madison Bumgarner (19-10, 2.86) Fister answered a three-game losing streak by winning his final four starts of the regular season - in dominating fashion, no less. The 30-year-old scattered three hits and struck out nine in a complete-game gem versus Miami on Sept. 26. Fister, who has yielded four earned runs on 15 hits in his last four outings (28 2/3 innings), suffered the loss against San Francisco on Aug. 22 after permitting four runs in six frames of a 10-3 setback. Bumgarner won five of his final six decisions of the regular season but suffered the tough-luck loss in his lone meeting with Washington in 2014. The 25-year-old permitted two runs on eight hits in seven innings en route to a 2-1 setback on June 10. Bumgarner owns a 2-3 mark with a slim 2.60 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in seven career starts versus the Nationals. What a shitty report, the guy doesn't even mention how stunning it would be if the Giants complete the sweep!!

smg58 Oct 06 2014 12:44 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Mets – Willets Point wrote: Edgy MD wrote: Ah, they took Petit out! I remember him when he was a wee lad. Petit is an interesting case. Plenty of high-upside, raw talent prospects get it quickly, and plenty fall by the wayside, but I don't know (perhaps it's just perception) of that many players who started playing up to their talent level well after their prospect luster wore off. Of the top of my head, I can think of Carlos Gomez and Brandon Phillips. Can anybody think of others?

Lefty Specialist Oct 06 2014 01:51 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

The sizable Sandoval I guess they didn't want to use 'The Ponderous Panda'.

Zvon Oct 06 2014 04:59 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Not finding the Nats game on TV.

themetfairy Oct 06 2014 05:05 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

It's on the MLB Network.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 06 2014 05:11 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Plating three in the seventh, behind Fister, the Nats are looking like they'll extend the series. This might be the first year in a great many moons in which I'd much rather see either AL contender take the flag over our circuit. (The alternative being to root for the Cards, Doyers, Nats, or the ever-increasingly-irritating Giants.)

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2014 05:51 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Now let's see if Storen can avoid blowing his 3rd straight post-season game (going back to 2012). And seeing as how he's been given a 4 run lead here, this would be a major disaster if he can't close it out. oe: And he quickly starts off 1B - 2B

Frayed Knot Oct 06 2014 05:59 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

But Storen survives. Hey, a sub-3:00 playoff game! Wasn't sure if those were permitted these days.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 07 2014 07:52 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

We're a heartbeat from an all-California series. As if they need more reason to be insufferable.

MFS62 Oct 07 2014 08:02 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Mets – Willets Point wrote: We're a heartbeat from an all-California series. As if they need more reason to be insufferable. Do what I do when those teams meet, root for the meteor strike. Later

Ceetar Oct 07 2014 08:04 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

MFS62 wrote: Mets – Willets Point wrote: We're a heartbeat from an all-California series. As if they need more reason to be insufferable. Do what I do when those teams meet, root for the meteor strike. Later statistically speaking you probably want to root for the earthquake.

MFS62 Oct 07 2014 08:17 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Ceetar wrote: We're a heartbeat from an all-California series. As if they need more reason to be insufferable. Do what I do when those teams meet, root for the meteor strike. Later statistically speaking you probably want to root for the earthquake. The meteor could hit the field with minimal collateral damage. But if you're going after the "insufferable" fans as well, rooting for the San Andreas Fault is ok. :) Later

d'Kong76 Oct 07 2014 08:30 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

LA Dodgers at St. Louis When: 5:00 PM ET, Tuesday, October 7, 2014 Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri SportsDirect Inc. The Los Angeles Dodgers turn to their ace in an effort to stave off elimination when they visit the St. Louis Cardinals for Game 4 of their National League Division Series on Tuesday. Clayton Kershaw gets the start on short rest as NL West champion Los Angeles finds itself down 2-1 in the best-of-five matchup after dropping a 3-1 decision in Game 3. The Dodgers received a strong six-inning effort from Hyun-Jin Ryu and forged a tie on Hanley Ramirez's RBI double in the sixth before Kolten Wong belted a two-run homer off Scott Elbert a frame later. Matt Carpenter continued his offensive onslaught with a double and a solo blast as he improved to 6-for-12 with three doubles, three homers and seven RBIs in the series. The NL Central-champion Cardinals have had their way with several Los Angeles pitchers, pounding Kershaw for eight runs in the series opener while reaching the relief trio of Elbert, J.P. Howell and Pedro Baez for a total of six runs in 3 1/3 innings. With a victory Tuesday, St. Louis advances to the NL Championship Series for the fourth consecutive year. TV: 5:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Clayton Kershaw (0-1, 10.80 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Shelby Miller (2014 regular season: 10-9, 3.74) Kershaw gets the chance to redeem himself on three days' rest after imploding in the seventh inning of his series-opening loss. The overwhelming favorite to win his second straight Cy Young Award and third in four years, he entered the frame with a 6-2 lead but allowed hits to six of the eight batters he faced before being lifted and ultimately was charged with eight runs in 6 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old Kershaw also pitched on three days' rest in last year's NLDS, yielding two unearned runs and three hits over six innings in a no-decision against Atlanta. Miller will be making his first career postseason start after allowing three runs over 4 1/3 innings in three relief appearances over the previous two years. The Houston native, who is three days shy of his 24th birthday, has not lost since Aug. 11 - going 2-0 over his final eight starts of the regular season. Miller, who made his only relief appearance of the campaign against the Dodgers on July 20, fell to 1-1 in five games - three starts - versus the club after surrendering six runs over five frames in a loss at Los Angeles on June 29. WALK-OFFS: 1. Ramirez collected three of Los Angeles' seven hits in Game 3. 2. Carpenter, who hit eight home runs in 158 regular-season contests, is the first player in franchise history to homer in three straight games of the same playoff series. Albert Pujols went deep in three consecutive contests spanning two series in 2004. 3. Dodgers CF Yasiel Puig has struck out eight times in his last nine at-bats, ending a string of seven in a row with a sixth-inning triple Monday. *********************************** Washington at San Francisco When: 9:00 PM ET, Tuesday, October 7, 2014 Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco, California SportsDirect Inc. Bryce Harper has provided the fireworks while Anthony Rendon has been far more consistent during the Washington Nationals' first three contests of the postseason. The duo will need more of the same if Washington hopes to stave off elimination when it visits the San Francisco Giants for Game 4 of their National League Division Series on Tuesday. Harper belted his second solo homer of the set to put an exclamation point on the Nationals' 4-1 win on Monday while Rendon added two singles to improve to 7-for-15 in the postseason. When considering playoff success, look no further than Pablo Sandoval. The Giants' mammoth star ripped a pair of singles to extend his postseason hitting streak to 14 games, which is one shy of the NL record set by Atlanta's Marquis Grissom (1995-96) and three short of Hank Bauer (1956-58), Derek Jeter (1998-99) and Manny Ramirez (2003-04) for the major-league mark. Sandoval is just 1-for-10 in his career versus Tuesday starter Gio Gonzalez, while Harper has struck out four times while going 1-for-8 against San Francisco's Ryan Vogelsong. TV: 9:07 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1 PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (10-10, 3.57 ERA) vs. Giants RH Ryan Vogelsong (8-13, 4.00) Gonzalez finished the regular season with a flourish, winning four of his final five starts - highlighted by a 3-0 triumph over the New York Mets on Sept. 25 in which he allowed one hit and struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings. The 29-year-old recorded a 2.48 ERA in September, which is over a full run less than the mark he posted this season. Gonzalez owns a 2-2 career record versus the Giants but did not face them this season as he missed the series in June due to shoulder inflammation while his turn in the rotation didn't come to pass during the three-game set in Washington from Aug. 22-24. While Gonzalez excelled in the final month, Vogelsong limped to an 0-4 mark with a 5.53 ERA in September. The 37-year-old permitted four runs for the third straight outing en route to a 4-1 setback to San Diego on Sept. 26. Vogelsong was blitzed for six runs in as many innings of a 9-2 loss to Washington on June 9 before receiving a no-decision after allowing three runs and four hits in 5 1/3 frames on Aug. 24. WALK-OFFS: 1. Washington 2B Asdrubal Cabrera, who recorded an RBI single on Monday, has gone 1-for-4 in each game of the series while posting the same numbers in his career versus Vogelsong. 2. San Francisco 1B Brandon Belt is 7-for-17 during the postseason and has hit safely in each of his last eight contests. 3. Should the Nationals emerge victorious, they'll send RHP Stephen Strasburg to the mound against Giants RHP Jake Peavy in Thursday's decisive contest in Washington.

MFS62 Oct 07 2014 08:41 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

That "post season" hitting streak of Hank Bauer was accomplished only in World Series games. That is lost on many of the current sportscasters who like to use stats like that. For a Mets tie-in, Bauer was a teammate of original Met Gene Woodling. Later

Mets – Willets Point Oct 07 2014 10:48 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I was referring to the insufferability of Californians in general.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 07 2014 10:52 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

On the upside, it's nice to have an excuse to listen to Vin Scully. If only the producers at KLAC would tone down the music and sound effects between innings.

Edgy MD Oct 07 2014 02:36 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

A lot of chatter out there about Yasiel Puig being benched.

d'Kong76 Oct 07 2014 02:45 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

He's not in the starting lineup.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 07 2014 05:33 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Kershaw gets touched in an ill-timed bad way, for a three-run-go-ahead jobber from Matt Adams*. I don't know how to feel about this. *Lefty-lefty, no less!

d'Kong76 Oct 07 2014 05:36 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Adams could show just little more HR exuberance!

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 05:44 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

All these StL HRs in this series have been lefty-lefty That was an awful lot of strutting down the 1st base line by Adams for a HR that cleared the fence by about 18 inches

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 06:08 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Puig as a pinch-runner could work to the benefit of either team depending on how things go.

Edgy MD Oct 07 2014 06:20 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Cards again.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 07:02 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Edgy MD wrote: Cards again. GAH! If it ends up Cards/SF I don't even think I can watch. And Cards/Nats would be worse! I guess Kershaw wants to wear that post game loser tag. Again, cruising along and BAM! I was impressed he stayed on the bench after being pulled. Everyone seems to agree that sitting Puig was a good move. I not only disagree, I am shocked people aren't all over this. Sure, he was having a shit series but in a game of this magnitude how do you put his potential on the shelf? Was the triple last night him coming out of his funk? We'll never know.

d'Kong76 Oct 07 2014 07:08 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

[fimg=450:34bqld4t]http://www.trbimg.com/img-5434344b/turbine/la-puig-20141007/750/750x422[/fimg:34bqld4t] I'm gonna be a true Yankee one day.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 07:20 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

d'Kong76 wrote: [fimg=450]http://www.trbimg.com/img-5434344b/turbine/la-puig-20141007/750/750x422[/fimg] I'm gonna be a true Yankee one day. He and Harvey, huh? *ducks

Zvon Oct 07 2014 07:47 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Things are getting interesting and....he walks in the first run? Fooooor shame. 1-0 SF

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:01 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Whoa! What a catch by Pence. *snore

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:05 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Pence does everything in this game well ... and looks good doing absolutely none of it!

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:10 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Edgy MD wrote: Cards again. Y'know what the annoying thing about the Cards is? (among the annoying things anyway) -- it's that their RS/RA +/- this season (+16) was barely distinguishable from ours (+11)

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:16 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

If the next round is Posey VS. Fat Ass I'm gonna have to pass. Maybe the Nats wouldn't be so bad. Fuck it, I'm just gonna watch the Royals.

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:20 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Matt Williams a bit trigger happy with the (first) pitching change? ... I kind of thought so. Pulling the starter, who had given up 2 runs (none earned) and very few well hit balls, as early as the top of the 5th so you could PH in a 2-out/runner on 2nd situation down by only 1 ... seemed like a bit of a panic move to me. And in doing so you bring in the 5th starter which gives you the ability to stick with him for multiple innings ... but then pull him before the inning is out. Plus there were 2 LHBs leading off (who both got hits off Roark). They danced out of it so it's tough to say that it was the wrong move, but they still have (at least) three innings still to cover.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:21 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Woooooooow

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:24 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Harper does not have long to go to get my respect as a ball player. If he does stuff like this in the post, I'll tip my cap to him. That was some homer, but he ain't there yet. Maybe he'll jog to first next ground out and take two steps backwards IMB (in my book).

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 07 2014 09:29 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

"That was a clown fastball, bro."

MFS62 Oct 07 2014 09:29 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Harper's a jerk. But he's the kind of jerk I could root for in this series. Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 07 2014 09:45 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

I know we've been watching them all year, and I KNOW he actually exists, but it still totally feels like "Aaron Barrett" is a guy the Nats had CGIed just before the playoffs started.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:46 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Holy Schmoly! Sloppy play u nasty Nats.

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:46 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Panik at the 'Cisco !!

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:47 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

If they call this obstruction at home, I'm done with baseball.

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:48 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Zvon wrote: If they call this obstruction at home, I'm done with baseball. I wouldn't go that far, but there's no way I'd reverse this. (and they don't) Yeah he was in the lane BUT HE HAD THE BALL!!!

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:49 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

You can't expect a pitcher on a play like that to be worrying about giving a lane.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr Oct 07 2014 09:50 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

WHAT HUH WHAT FAKE WILD PITCH WAIT WHAT

Zvon Oct 07 2014 09:54 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

And the announcer just says that non-catchers also have to leave a lane--and that makes the guy safe. Gah, this is all screwed up. But IMO they got it right this time.

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 09:57 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Zvon wrote: You can't expect a pitcher on a play like that to be worrying about giving a lane. Well whether he intends to or not, if he prevents the runner from getting to the plate before he has the ball then I have no problem flagging him for it. Being a pitcher doesn't make him exempt. It's just that earlier in the year they were flagging guys for being there as the runner was still only half-way home.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 10:06 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Zvon wrote: You can't expect a pitcher on a play like that to be worrying about giving a lane. Well whether he intends to or not, if he prevents the runner from getting to the plate before he has the ball then I have no problem flagging him for it. Being a pitcher doesn't make him exempt. It's just that earlier in the year they were flagging guys for being there as the runner was still only half-way home. I still don't like that on a bang bang play @ home with a pitcher. It should not fall under the rule. But that's me.

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 10:16 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Can't blame Desmond for being pissed on that one

Zvon Oct 07 2014 10:18 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Can't blame Desmond for being pissed on that one Cripes these umps.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 10:21 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Good at bat Brycee. Made him throw alot of pitches. It's up to Ramos.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 07 2014 10:24 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

i feel like the Nats have a better shot than the Giants of knocking off the Cards but if they can't there, they can't get there.

Zvon Oct 07 2014 10:24 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Crap. Nats suck. Giants move on. GO ROYALS!

Frayed Knot Oct 07 2014 10:25 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Well, best record in both leagues are GONE! No baseball until Friday with all the quick series. Four very flawed teams moving ahead.

Mets – Willets Point Oct 07 2014 10:36 PM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Four very flawed teams moving ahead. Four very flawed teams that eliminated four very, VERY flawed teams.

Frayed Knot Oct 08 2014 07:03 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

To the extent that all teams are flawed, sure. It's just that in this case I think that most of the flaw-ers are more flawed than most of the flaw-ees. The best record teams went out in both leagues winning a total of one game between them, and on the NL side the best two teams are out. Moving on are: - the O's minus what most would have said were their three best offensive players coming into this season (Weiters, Machado, Davis) and a no-name pitching staff, - the WC-survivor Royals with their last-in-HRs/last-in-walks offense, a bunch of total unknowns to most fans, and their track record of the last three decades - the Cards and their barely positive run differential and an offense that doesn't score as well as the Mets - and the WC-survivor Giants whose past pitching prowess now boasts of Bumgarner and a bunch of maybes. Meanwhile, present, past, or expected MVPs, CYs, and RoY's losing out in this year's early round include the likes of: Trout, Pujols, Cabrera, Scherzer, Verlander, Price, Harper, Hamilton, Kershaw, Greinke

Ceetar Oct 08 2014 08:08 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: Kershaw gets touched in an ill-timed bad way, for a three-run-go-ahead jobber from Matt Adams*. I don't know how to feel about this. *Lefty-lefty, no less! I believe I saw tweeted that this is the first Homer Kershaw has given up on a curveball to a lefty... ...ever.

Frayed Knot Oct 08 2014 08:17 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Cards lefty-on-lefty HRs in 2014: 8 HRs in 555 ABs Cards lefty-on-lefty HRs in this series: 5, including 2 off Kershaw (Carpenter & Adams). Also Carpenter off Ryu, Carpenter off Howell, and Wong off Elbert. Carpenter had 8 HRs all year, 2 vs LHPs

metirish Oct 08 2014 08:19 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Ugh, how I loathe the Cardinals......anyway, I know a lot of people don't like Harper but dammit he is fun to watch....didn't catch the end of this game...too freaking late

Edgy MD Oct 08 2014 08:47 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I know we've been watching them all year, and I KNOW he actually exists, but it still totally feels like "Aaron Barrett" is a guy the Nats had CGIed just before the playoffs started. Yeah, that guy totally took me by surprise. I endured a lot of dis-spiriting Mets-Nats games this season and that guy didn't leave a mark on my psyche at all.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Oct 08 2014 09:12 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Crazy how it seems every game came down to pitcher fielding foibles. I know crappy pitcher fielding practically torpedoed the Mets' season back in June or whatever, and there was plenty more of it here. PFP247

bmfc1 Oct 08 2014 09:13 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Good analysis of Matt Williams' handling of the bottom of the 7th: http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit ... pen-100814 Does anyone think that Terry would have acted differently (and not said "this is the way we've done it all year")? BTW, Aaron Barrett got the win on Opening Day (which I'd blocked out): http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/mlb/gameday ... 1&mode=box

Frayed Knot Oct 08 2014 09:16 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Edgy MD wrote: I know we've been watching them all year, and I KNOW he actually exists, but it still totally feels like "Aaron Barrett" is a guy the Nats had CGIed just before the playoffs started. Yeah, that guy totally took me by surprise. I endured a lot of dis-spiriting Mets-Nats games this season and that guy didn't leave a mark on my psyche at all. And the bigger question, why Aaron Barrett while Tyler Clippard never even gets out of his chair? And that onto why Matt Williams pulls his 4th starter - but then only uses his 5th starter for 2/3 of an inning Brings in the LOOGY Thornton - but then leaves him in to face Posey with a runner on base (which set up the go-ahead run) And not only did Clippard not appear in the close-out game but neither did whoever of Strasburg or Zimmermann (apparently Strasburg) wasn't slated to start game 5 Not a good week for the Washington bats obviously (9 runs in 4 games - 5 really counting the extra innings) but not a great week for their rookie manager either. oe: cross-posted with bmfc1

Frayed Knot Oct 08 2014 09:24 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

btw, how prescient did Smoltz sound talking, just before the two wild pitches, about Barrett getting tight and spiking his breaking pitches? I like Smoltz on the mike and on the occasional local games he does for the Braves he's the same only less restrained being off the network and therefore a bit goofier.

Edgy MD Oct 08 2014 10:16 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I know we've been watching them all year, and I KNOW he actually exists, but it still totally feels like "Aaron Barrett" is a guy the Nats had CGIed just before the playoffs started. Yeah, that guy totally took me by surprise. I endured a lot of dis-spiriting Mets-Nats games this season and that guy didn't leave a mark on my psyche at all. And the bigger question, why Aaron Barrett while Tyler Clippard never even gets out of his chair? Yeah, the Nats and the Dodgers were so locked into roles they both went down with their best cards still to be played. Dallas Green in 1980 --- he had a hot hand in Tug McGraw and pitched him whenever he needed him. Say what you want about Dallas Green, but he knew the playoffs were an opportunity that may never come again.

Edgy MD Oct 08 2014 10:18 AM Re: NL Playoff Matchups

Frayed Knot wrote: btw, how prescient did Smoltz sound talking, just before the two wild pitches, about Barrett getting tight and spiking his breaking pitches? I like Smoltz on the mike and on the occasional local games he does for the Braves he's the same only less restrained being off the network and therefore a bit goofier. The Braves games I saw suggested he didn't pay attention to any baseball he wasn't paid to look at, and only had references from his playing games. Didn't even seem to know his own team's roster that well.