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

[GoBlue41]

13 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Just saw a podcast vid with Pierzynski and Max Muncy, Max says IKF’s lead was fine. He also talked about how him and Will Smith discussed (during the pitching change) a possible back pick on IKF there if he got too far off the bag.

So boom I was right about the possibility of a back pick. It was probably in the scouting report and factored in to IKF’s leadoff

That would definitely be a risky proposition for the catcher. Would hate to make a crappy throw and lose the World Series because of it. That had to be running through his head as well, no matter how good he is. 

[Stangstag]

16 minutes ago, GoBlue41 said:

That would definitely be a risky proposition for the catcher. Would hate to make a crappy throw and lose the World Series because of it. That had to be running through his head as well, no matter how good he is. 

Yes but they literally discussed doing it so the possibility is there, and it wasn’t a small chance. As Muncy said, its a play they’ve done fairly often.

[GoBlue41]

9 minutes ago, Stangstag said:

Yes but they literally discussed doing it so the possibility is there, and it wasn’t a small chance. As Muncy said, its a play they’ve done fairly often.

Without a doubt. You gotta discuss it. Who knows if Smith was prepared to actually throw it and not just talk about it. World Series was ACTUALLY on the line. I don't care how many times they did it in the past. That kind of situation and pressure is a whole different animal.  I guess we will never know. 

[SeranthonySantander]

AJ P-ski did say on his podcast from a few days ago that I posted here, he was a catcher for nearly 20 years and played in game 7s, World Series etc.  He did say no catcher is ever making that throw in that situation.  I don't know though, maybe they are just trying to be good sports about the whole thing realizing how much hate IKF was getting and the threats.

I don't know if anyone can find stats on Will Smith back picks at 3rd for the last couple years and success rates, I can't find it.

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, Stangstag said:

Just saw a podcast vid with Pierzynski and Max Muncy, Max says IKF’s lead was fine. He also talked about how him and Will Smith discussed (during the pitching change) a possible back pick on IKF there if he got too far off the bag.

So boom I was right about the possibility of a back pick. It was probably in the scouting report and factored in to IKF’s leadoff

The lead was fine, after seeing the back view. It just is what it is.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Jomboy did a video on the tail end of game 7. EFF me that was not a fun watch.

Anyways, he had no issue with IKF's lead. He dug up tons of comparables and every single one of the runners was forced out at home when the ball was hit directly to the 2B and he didn't bobble it or mess up the throw.

He also showed a ton of examples of runners getting back picked at 3B because they took too big a secondary lead and the defending team put a pick play on. There was even one where Clement got picked off vs the Rockies and McMahon was more than twice as far off the bag on that play as Muncy was and they still got Clement. Could you imagine the backlash if IKF was taking too big of a secondary and got picked off in that scenario? 

Jomboy did mention that he didn't thin IKF should have slid though, and if he hadn't he might have beaten it out because of how Smith's foot lifted off the plate for a split second before IKF slid in.

Phucking hurts man.

[Olerud363.354]

3 hours ago, Eat My Shatkins said:

Phucking hurts man.

It hurts but basically Jays were a good but flawed team and in the end they were not resilient to bad luck because flaws got them.  

1.  Their two best relievers by fWAR (Little and Fischer) were not trusted in leverage.  

2.  Their worst reliever by fWAR was trusted.   Not saying this was wrong, just pointing out they didn't have a lights out bullpen.

3.  Their 2nd starter (Bieber) was recovering from Tommy John and couldn't effectively go with 4 days rest.

4.  Their 2nd and 3rd best hitters were injured and bench players ended up subbing for them in critical spots.

5.  Their "ace" was a 10-11 3.50 ERA guy.    Not dissing Gausman at all.  But how many posters here always argue that to win in the Playoffs you need a "true" number one.  LA had that.  Jays had a great pitcher but not at the same level. 

Another thing, that isn't really a flaw, but just something that happened.  Is LA hit for power late in games.  Jays didn't.  I think LA out-homered Jays 7-0 7th inning and later.  Nit-picking all the little plays is overshadowing this.  But ironically the tripes "need power to win in playoffs" and "need an ace to win in playoffs" actually factored in this time...  but it should be pretty obvious that a scrappy contact hitting team without an true Ace could win too. 

 

 

[Olerud363.354]

4 minutes ago, Olerud363.354 said:

3.  Their 2nd starter (Bieber) was recovering from Tommy John and couldn't effectively go with 4 days rest.

People will probably give the "you smoking crack again Olerud" thing for this one... but it was a small thing that effected the series.  If Bieber is not recovering from TJ he probably goes game 3 and 7.   Butterfly effect so you don't know how exactly that works, but a healthy Bieber gives a slightly better chance of winning those games (Scherzer was fine obviously, but at the same time only went 4 1/3 each time, so more stress on bullpen those games)., 

[mphenhef]

That would be a risky play.

Edited November 6, 2025 by mphenhef
didn't like what I said.

[Laika]

I think criticism of IKF's slide is not really fair

If you watch it in real time he didn't slow down at all to slide. It was more of a foot first lunge, if that makes much sense. Not sure sprinting through the plate helps at all. 

[Stangstag]

3 hours ago, Laika said:

I think criticism of IKF's slide is not really fair

If you watch it in real time he didn't slow down at all to slide. It was more of a foot first lunge, if that makes much sense. Not sure sprinting through the plate helps at all. 

I also feel he was not sure about sprinting through since WILL SMITH WAS IN FRONT OF THE PLATE WHILE WAITING TO FIELD THE THROW.

[Spanky__99]

5 hours ago, Olerud363.354 said:

It hurts but basically Jays were a good but flawed team and in the end they were not resilient to bad luck because flaws got them.  

1.  Their two best relievers by fWAR (Little and Fischer) were not trusted in leverage.  

2.  Their worst reliever by fWAR was trusted.   Not saying this was wrong, just pointing out they didn't have a lights out bullpen.

3.  Their 2nd starter (Bieber) was recovering from Tommy John and couldn't effectively go with 4 days rest.

4.  Their 2nd and 3rd best hitters were injured and bench players ended up subbing for them in critical spots.

5.  Their "ace" was a 10-11 3.50 ERA guy.    Not dissing Gausman at all.  But how many posters here always argue that to win in the Playoffs you need a "true" number one.  LA had that.  Jays had a great pitcher but not at the same level. 

Another thing, that isn't really a flaw, but just something that happened.  Is LA hit for power late in games.  Jays didn't.  I think LA out-homered Jays 7-0 7th inning and later.  Nit-picking all the little plays is overshadowing this.  But ironically the tripes "need power to win in playoffs" and "need an ace to win in playoffs" actually factored in this time...  but it should be pretty obvious that a scrappy contact hitting team without an true Ace could win too. 

 

 

Gausman was 10th in MLB fWAR, if that's not an ace than I don't know what is?

[ComeTogether]

 

 

[Olerud363.354]

3 hours ago, Spanky__99 said:

Gausman was 10th in MLB fWAR, if that's not an ace than I don't know what is?

He led AL in innings so gets a bit of a boost in fWAR compared to guys who pitched a little less or some a lot less (like Snell and Glasnow).   Also as close to Sonny Gray (17th) as he is to Hunter Browne (9th) on that fan graphs WAR list.

You consider him at a level with 92 Guzman?  Yamamoto?   

Not even trying to diss Gausman here.  Truth is he is 1-6 in his playoff starts for us.  No fault of his own some tough match ups and tough luck.  Don't really consider him a true 'ace' is all.  Maybe I'm wrong here. 

[Terminator]

1 hour ago, ComeTogether said:

 

 

Ok this is actually real lol

He was pretty funny in the interview, self-deprecating and ultimately made the right choice

[Omar]

I (we?) can't move on until this thread has run it's course.

Please stop.  

[Spanky__99]

1 hour ago, Olerud363.354 said:

He led AL in innings so gets a bit of a boost in fWAR compared to guys who pitched a little less or some a lot less (like Snell and Glasnow).   Also as close to Sonny Gray (17th) as he is to Hunter Browne (9th) on that fan graphs WAR list.

You consider him at a level with 92 Guzman?  Yamamoto?   

Not even trying to diss Gausman here.  Truth is he is 1-6 in his playoff starts for us.  No fault of his own some tough match ups and tough luck.  Don't really consider him a true 'ace' is all.  Maybe I'm wrong here. 

sighs... 5th in IP and that's a good thing.  Whatever floats your boat, man?!