Blue Jays-Dodgers World Series Game 7 Thread: Max Scherzer vs Shohei Ohtani

[Olerud363.354]

18 minutes ago, SeranthonySantander said:

It’s about being competitive and is there to give you hope, which is meant to be crushed.

We are into offseason 2026 and every single good thing that happens is just a potential bad thing that will crush your sole. 

I remember off-season leading into 2013 was so exciting.  Soul was crushed basically in April when Reye's got injured it was apparent Dickey was not going to ever repeat at Cy Young level.  Jays were 9.5 games out on April 28th.  Late April 2013 in my opinion was one of the most soul crushing times in Jays history.   So much excitement for 2013 and not a single good moment, while watching John Farrell win a World Series. 

That was brutal.  Soul was crushed early October 2022 with Mariners dancing in Rogers Center after 8-1 comeback.

Soul was crushed mid October 2015 with 2 iconic Bautista homeruns made meaningless (agree the Bo homerun will be a foot note, but the Springer-Dinger like the bat-flip will live forever).

Soul is always crushed in painful ways just very late and sharp this time.   I've always said fan reactions follow the probabilities so going from 95% chance of winning World Series to 0 is pretty crushing.  At same time still 100% chance of AL East and American League Championship and Ernie Clement hit record, so total endorphins for season highest ever, but loss of endorphins fastest and most dramatic ever. 

Sometimes like maybe 2019 -- not really crushed because no expectations and just excited for future.  But most years soul crushed.  

[Ball4Life]

7 minutes ago, Olerud363.354 said:

We are into offseason 2026 and every single good thing that happens is just a potential bad thing that will crush your sole. 

I remember off-season leading into 2013 was so exciting.  Soul was crushed basically in April when Reye's got injured it was apparent Dickey was not going to ever repeat at Cy Young level.  Jays were 9.5 games out on April 28th.  Late April 2013 in my opinion was one of the most soul crushing times in Jays history.   So much excitement for 2013 and not a single good moment, while watching John Farrell win a World Series. 

That was brutal.  Soul was crushed early October 2022 with Mariners dancing in Rogers Center after 8-1 comeback.

Soul was crushed mid October 2015 with 2 iconic Bautista homeruns made meaningless (agree the Bo homerun will be a foot note, but the Springer-Dinger like the bat-flip will live forever).

Soul is always crushed in painful ways just very late and sharp this time.   I've always said fan reactions follow the probabilities so going from 95% chance of winning World Series to 0 is pretty crushing.  At same time still 100% chance of AL East and American League Championship and Ernie Clement hit record, so total endorphins for season highest ever, but loss of endorphins fastest and most dramatic ever. 

Sometimes like maybe 2019 -- not really crushed because no expectations and just excited for future.  But most years soul crushed.  

Soul was also crushed missing the playoffs the last day of 2021 thanks to f***toyo.

[hanton]

Love this, he doesn't need to be told to swing away.  3 - 0 green light

[hanton]

That ain't no ball 4.  lmfao

[hanton]

and even if it';s a bit off the plate, Vlady takes these the other way all the time

[Terminator]

15 minutes ago, Olerud363.354 said:

We are into offseason 2026 and every single good thing that happens is just a potential bad thing that will crush your sole. 

I remember off-season leading into 2013 was so exciting.  Soul was crushed basically in April when Reye's got injured it was apparent Dickey was not going to ever repeat at Cy Young level.  Jays were 9.5 games out on April 28th.  Late April 2013 in my opinion was one of the most soul crushing times in Jays history.   So much excitement for 2013 and not a single good moment, while watching John Farrell win a World Series. 

That was brutal.  Soul was crushed early October 2022 with Mariners dancing in Rogers Center after 8-1 comeback.

Soul was crushed mid October 2015 with 2 iconic Bautista homeruns made meaningless (agree the Bo homerun will be a foot note, but the Springer-Dinger like the bat-flip will live forever).

Soul is always crushed in painful ways just very late and sharp this time.   I've always said fan reactions follow the probabilities so going from 95% chance of winning World Series to 0 is pretty crushing.  At same time still 100% chance of AL East and American League Championship and Ernie Clement hit record, so total endorphins for season highest ever, but loss of endorphins fastest and most dramatic ever. 

Sometimes like maybe 2019 -- not really crushed because no expectations and just excited for future.  But most years soul crushed.  

You guys are missing the point.

Yes, almost every year ends in defeat. But having a bad April in 2013 isn't even close to blowing a World Series victory in Game 7. It's not even in the same stratosphere. 

And this isn't your average Game 7 World Series loss, it's much worse given how it happened. This is the kind of pain almost no sports fans have ever experienced before.

[Stangstag]

4 hours ago, Jimcanuck said:

I keep going back to Vlad swinging at ball 4 in a 3-0 count to lead off the bottom of the 9th.  He takes that pitch, Jays win (in all likelihood).  Just a terrible swing decision at a critical moment.

Maybe part of the reason he was crying in the dugout long after the other players had left.

Ah yes, we’d rather have our best hitter take a walk so IKF can get a chance to hit, rather than smash a 3-0 pitch (which he almost hit out to win the game)

Are some of yall really this stupid?

EDIT: Bo was still in the game at that point, not IKF. But it still stands, i’d want Vlad to swing if he likes the pitch. He was extremely close to ending the game. Bo is liable to be doubled up

[Stangstag]

26 minutes ago, Spanky__99 said:

You mean the one that he barrelled up at 100.5 MPH with an expected batting average of .470 lol... there's a reason he swung at it, he saw it well and crushed it, s*** happens. If Hoff gets Rojas out in the top half the Jays win. 

Seriously some of these guys are reaallly showing their lack of ball knowledge.

Just because Vlad takes a walk there does not mean all subsequent events happen the same. 

I want my best hitter crushing a 3-0 pitch if he likes it 

[Laika]

I also blame Vlad. Not for swinging. How do you get a hanging changeup right there and NOT hit it out? 

[Olerud363.354]

Just now, Terminator said:

Yes, almost every year ends in defeat. But having a bad April in 2013 isn't even close to blowing a World Series victory in Game 7. It's not even in the same stratosphere. 

It honestly depends how you view life and probability.  A bad April with injuries moves the World Series odds from say 5-10% to almost 0.  It moves playoff odds from say 70% (if expected to have a good team) to 5% or something.   It takes away 5-6 months of contending baseball in the summer months.     

What happened Saturday moved World Series odds from 93% to 0 in an hour or so.  Totally get how crazy painful that is. 

The level of pain people are experiencing I think it depends how important the ring is to fans compared to other accomplishments   After Saturday you still have an American League Championship and one of the greatest homeruns ever in the Springer Dinger. 

Part of this must be cultural.  I became a baseball fan in 1988 but that was only 19 years into division play.  So it was like 2006 and Troy Glaus is to now.  The American and National League pennants were historically almost as important as the World Series because you never even saw the National League and for most of baseball history the Pennant was a result of a season's worth of work, and then even the 1969-1993 period Pennants were really important.  There weren't multiple rounds of playoff series and no interleague play so winning your league in the ALCS had more importance.  Like when American League and National League were really distinct, winning the League was more of a thing, and I think I still feel that vibe.  

[SeranthonySantander]

12 minutes ago, Terminator said:

You guys are missing the point.

Yes, almost every year ends in defeat. But having a bad April in 2013 isn't even close to blowing a World Series victory in Game 7. It's not even in the same stratosphere. 

And this isn't your average Game 7 World Series loss, it's much worse given how it happened. This is the kind of pain almost no sports fans have ever experienced before.

We are going to get mocked forever.  Just like the rangers in 2011

I wish Ortiz didn’t egg Vladdy on to do the Yankees lose bit.  Vladdy would never have done that if it wasn’t for Ortiz.  

[bluejaysinternNo5]

It definitely is the worst kind of pain. I don't think anything could ever top it. Which in a way is good? All of us are hardened for the future. No matter what happens, nothing will ever be as bad as this loss. It's all up from here!

[Olerud363.354]

Like there will be a cool Blue pennant, next to the Wild Card pennants saying "American League Champion".  Maybe when people see the 9 flags together, some AL East only, the 2 world Series, the ALDS flags, the Wild card and one "American League Champions", that one will seem more special than it does right now. 

[Stangstag]

1 minute ago, SeranthonySantander said:

We are going to get mocked forever.  Just like the rangers in 2011

I wish Ortiz didn’t egg Vladdy on to do the Yankees lose bit.  Vladdy would never have done that if it wasn’t for Ortiz.  

Nah I love that Yankees bit and would’ve been content if the season ended in the ALCS.

I just hate the way we got SO close and lost 

[Olerud363.354]

24 minutes ago, Terminator said:

And this isn't your average Game 7 World Series loss, it's much worse given how it happened. This is the kind of pain almost no sports fans have ever experienced before.

ALCS 2003 game 7? Especially for those fans who remember 1986.  2011 Rangers.  2016 Indians.  

Literally speaking 2 outs a way, 1 inch away this was the closest ever and not getting it. 

The more I read fan reactions I do become a bit more worried.  Like is this bad enough that they need to reconfigure the team?  Trade Varsho and Hoffman.  Don't resign any of our own free agents (but still spend equivalent money), just get some new guys in the clubhouse who didn't experience this. 

Very close equivalent pain has been experienced before.  Especially some of the tough LCS losses where the teams never got the World Series even.  Life went on.  However is this so extreme that special care has to be taken when preparing the team for next year?

[Terminator]

14 minutes ago, bluejaysinternNo5 said:

It definitely is the worst kind of pain. I don't think anything could ever top it. Which in a way is good? All of us are hardened for the future. No matter what happens, nothing will ever be as bad as this loss. It's all up from here!

I appreciate the sentiment. I am also trying to find ways to cope.

But commiserating in how brutal that World Series loss was is not something I am looking forward to. Feels like we are the Buffalo Bills of MLB, and that's not exactly the club I wanted to join.

[Jimcanuck]

19 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Seriously some of these guys are reaallly showing their lack of ball knowledge.

Just because Vlad takes a walk there does not mean all subsequent events happen the same. 

I want my best hitter crushing a 3-0 pitch if he likes it 

I'm well aware of that.  Don't assume I don't.  Do you understand the meaning of "in all likelihood"?

[Terminator]

Just now, Olerud363.354 said:

ALCS 2003 game 7? Especially for those fans who remember 1986.  2011 Rangers.  2016 Indians.  

Literally speaking 2 outs a way, 1 inch away this was the closest ever and not getting it. 

The more I read fan reactions I do become a bit more worried.  Like is this bad enough that they need to reconfigure the team?  Trade Varsho and Hoffman.  Don't resign any of our own free agents (but still spend equivalent money), just get some new guys in the clubhouse who didn't experience this. 

Very close equivalent pain has been experienced before.  Especially some of the tough LCS losses where the teams never got the World Series even.  Life went on.  However is this so extreme that special care has to be taken when preparing the team for next year?

We had so many moments in both Game 7 and the series on the whole that if you combined all of the games/events above, then you probably hit the same level of devastation.

This is maybe like the Bills losing 4 Super Bowls in a row? It's almost unprecedented.

[Jimcanuck]

24 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Ah yes, we’d rather have our best hitter take a walk so IKF can get a chance to hit, rather than smash a 3-0 pitch (which he almost hit out to win the game)

Are some of yall really this stupid?

EDIT: Bo was still in the game at that point, not IKF. But it still stands, i’d want Vlad to swing if he likes the pitch. He was extremely close to ending the game. Bo is liable to be doubled up

Nah, what happens is the Jays have the bases loaded with NO outs.

Sure he almost hit it out, just like many players almost hit one out every game.  Still a bad swing decision.

[newhere]

11 minutes ago, Terminator said:

You guys are missing the point.

Yes, almost every year ends in defeat. But having a bad April in 2013 isn't even close to blowing a World Series victory in Game 7. It's not even in the same stratosphere. 

And this isn't your average Game 7 World Series loss, it's much worse given how it happened. This is the kind of pain almost no sports fans have ever experienced before.

This is it right here. I've never felt like this about sports defeat in my life. Been a Jays fan since the late 80s, so I've experienced some disappointing defeats and obviously some exciting victories. But this is different. Not being dramatic, I've had the misfortune of losing a few people close to me, and this feels similar. It's real grief. On top of that, there's some guilt for having similar feelings over a game as with the loss of a loved one. Ugh!

[Jimcanuck]

42 minutes ago, hanton said:

That ain't no ball 4.  lmfao

Yes it was, not a pitch to swing at in a 3-0 count.

I'm not getting on Vlad's case, just pointing out another of a long list of plays that would have changed the game in the Jays favour.

 

 

[Olerud363.354]

16 minutes ago, bluejaysinternNo5 said:

It definitely is the worst kind of pain. I don't think anything could ever top it. Which in a way is good? All of us are hardened for the future. No matter what happens, nothing will ever be as bad as this loss. It's all up from here!

What if we go 104-58 next year with a 300 run differential.  However they slump at the wrong time and go down 3-1 in an ALDS with fluky but not totally gut-wrenching losses and the 14 next playoff games never happen. 

What I mean is would some scenario where a really good team goes out early be worse?  

People still feel a lot of pain from 'what could have been' for the 2021 team (more than 2022 and 2023 it seems). 

 

[bluejaysinternNo5]

2 minutes ago, newhere said:

This is it right here. I've never felt like this about sports defeat in my life. Been a Jays fan since the late 80s, so I've experienced some disappointing defeats and obviously some exciting victories. But this is different. Not being dramatic, I've had the misfortune of losing a few people close to me, and this feels similar. It's real grief. On top of that, there's some guilt for having similar feelings over a game as with the loss of a loved one. Ugh!

You're not alone, friend. That night I couldn't sleep until 3 am and when I woke up it was the first thing on my mind. I've never cried from sports before but laying in my bed watching the post game interviews of guys like Ernie Clement hit hard.

[bluejaysinternNo5]

I think the only thing that could absolve this pain is rematching the Dodgers in the world series next year and defeating them in an equally painful way. Maybe with Ohtani Yamamoto and Sasaki giving up handfuls of runs every game and leaving MLB in disgrace. 

[Olerud363.354]

8 minutes ago, Terminator said:

But commiserating in how brutal that World Series loss was is not something I am looking forward to. Feels like we are the Buffalo Bills of MLB, and that's not exactly the club I wanted to join

We are not the Buffalo Bills.  The Buffalo Bills lost 4 super-bowls at the same time we won two World Series.  They can't even get back to the Superbowl now and there nut-crunchers take place in earlier rounds. 

We are the New York Mets or the Boston Red Sox, or the Philadelphia Phillies or the Texas Rangers with now a particularly nut-crunching World Series story to tell, just like all of those teams (except the Mets) have to tell.

[newhere]

28 minutes ago, SeranthonySantander said:

We are going to get mocked forever.  Just like the rangers in 2011

I wish Ortiz didn’t egg Vladdy on to do the Yankees lose bit.  Vladdy would never have done that if it wasn’t for Ortiz.  

Nah, that was one of the great moments of the entire post-season. Pure joy and fun with a close friend. I can see Yankees fans getting annoyed with it in the moment, but anyone who takes 5 seconds to think about it can see Vladdy wasn't being a jerk or anything like that. Anyone who mocks over that is missing the point, and probably on purpose.

[SeranthonySantander]

10 minutes ago, Olerud363.354 said:

What if we go 104-58 next year with a 300 run differential.  However they slump at the wrong time and go down 3-1 in an ALDS with fluky but not totally gut-wrenching losses and the 14 next playoff games never happen. 

What I mean is would some scenario where a really good team goes out early be worse?  

People still feel a lot of pain from 'what could have been' for the 2021 team (more than 2022 and 2023 it seems). 

 

Nothing can be worse.  Being big under dogs makes it worse.

I have definitely tried to find the worst World Series losses and there is an argument this could be the worst one ever.

You have the rangers and red Sox in 86 but those were both game 6s

[Olerud363.354]

Happiness level (lowest 0 highest 100)

Texas Rangers beat Arizona Diamond Backs in joke world Series 4-1.  Fans Happiness 100 - lives perfect, go to church, clean state.  Remember so many legendary moments from 2023 World Series.  So happy.  Obey God.  Watch their 5 game win once a month or more.  Remember when we won 5-0 at Chase Field to win it all?  Remember when we held Gabriel Moreno, who was red-hot 0/3?  f***KK  WE RULE!!!!!!!  

Toronto Blue Jays lose nut-crunching random crazy s*** to 500 million dollar legendary best team ever Los Angeles Dodgers - Fan Happinesss 0!  Team hit majestic homeruns off Ohtani but just can't beat his friend and too much random bad luck.  Jays fans -- kill selves.  No reason to live.  Worst thing ever.  Please Mr. Texas Ranger fan can I touch your World Series victory hat you got after beating Arizona....

[Terminator]

24 minutes ago, newhere said:

This is it right here. I've never felt like this about sports defeat in my life. Been a Jays fan since the late 80s, so I've experienced some disappointing defeats and obviously some exciting victories. But this is different. Not being dramatic, I've had the misfortune of losing a few people close to me, and this feels similar. It's real grief. On top of that, there's some guilt for having similar feelings over a game as with the loss of a loved one. Ugh!

YES EXACTLY. Very well said.

And I know this is ridiculous (we all do), but when you lose a loved one there's a blueprint.

For something like this, because it's so ridiculous, there's really nothing you can do but white knuckle it.

If you tell any normies about it they'll think you're a psychopath.

So here I am, not being able to sleep and stewing over it for days on end now, and I don't know when I'll get over it. Feels like I never will.

[GoBlue41]

In all seriousness, this feeling may require meds. I literally can't function during the day and can't sleep at night because I can't stop thinking of the Varsho and Clement at-bats. Good grief! I know it's just a game and life will go on yada yada yada but getting over it seems to be extraordinarily difficult for my brain right now. I'm guessing I'm not the only one, but this can't be healthy. I appreciate all of you being here to help everyone else cope with the loss.