nextyear

Are you saying that we shouldn't be rooting for a bunch of extremely rich athletes, or that it is more than just a game?

I hope everyone remembers that this is just a game. Even if the Blue Jays go on to sweep and win the World Series it isn't going to significantly change anyone's life, likewise if they lose tonight. I am just happy that the Blue Jays beat the Yankees to win the AL East, anything else is gravy. I can remember how frustrating it was to watch the Blue Jays just before the All Star break and now they are in the ALDS.

I completely agree with the decision to go with Navarro. That is who Estrada prefers. I also have more confidence in Navarro to come through with the bat tonight than I do Martin. I think it could be the same as putting Colabello into game 2 over Smoak. There is so much negativity on this board tonight that it is getting me down.

I guess I am not really sure what you meant by "something up with Price" - I thought that maybe you meant muscle soreness or the like.

I don't think so, since both Price and Stroman are available tonight if needed: I assume it will be the same if game 4 is needed. I have faith in Dickey, he has pitched well as of late.

I absolutely agree. That was an illegal slide in my opinion and amounted to interference so both runners should have been called out.

This is a good point. If the Blue Jays come out with bats ablazing then who pitches tonight probably won't matter.

It is such a tough decision. In Dickey's last 7 outings he has given up 0, 2, 2, 5, 1, 1, 3 runs - http://www.fangraphs.com/statsd.aspx?playerid=1245&position=P so there is a good chance that Dickey will have a good outing. I have changed my mind, this is sports entertainment and I think I would get the most entertainment from watching Dickey throw his knuckleball.

I absolutely agree with Estrada starting tonight. However, if it were Dickey then I would agree with that choice also. It is a tossup in my opinion.

As much fun as that would be, I am not going to hope for something and then be disappointed. My hope right now is that the Blue Jays will play a good game tonight and hopefully win.

I am starting to like the Dickey/Price option, although I share the concerns of Martin catching Dickey, especially if Dickey has a nasty knuckleball working (which is what we would want) so nasty that Martin has a tough time catching it and the Rangers are swinging wildly trying to hit it. Truthfully, I actually prefer Dickey (in spite of what I said in a previous post) since it is a lot of fun watching the opposition swinging wildly through air as the ball sails under or over their bats. If they do go with Dickey, and he has a good game, going say 7 - 8 innings, then the next question would be who would start game 5 - Price or Stroman . Personally I would prefer Stroman but it is a tossup.

I think they should go with Price in game 4. Especially since Thole isn't available to catch Dickey and Martin usually looks bad catching Dickey. It is a tough decision though, since Dickey has pitched well over his last 7 outings, with the opposition only scoring 14 runs in the 47-1/3 innings (2.66 ERA) that he pitched - http://www.fangraphs.com/statsd.aspx?playerid=1245&position=P In comparison, the opposition scored 13 earned runs in the final 7 regular season outings that David Price pitched in (44 innings) for a 2.66 ERA also - http://www.fangraphs.com/statsd.aspx?playerid=3184&position=P. In the playoff game # 1, David Price gave up 5 earned runs in 7 innings - http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2015_10_08_texmlb_tormlb_1#game=2015_10_08_texmlb_tormlb_1,game_state=Wrapup,game_tab=box (but 1 hit and 2 runs in the 3rd inning were a result of a Martin-called pick-off play that drew Goins out of position, no one is to blame but it resulted in 2 runs) ERA, as we all know, is a team stat not just a pitcher stat, however when comparing pitchers on the same team with the same defense it seems legitimate to compare ERA.

Hopefully a change of scenery will do the Blue Jays some good. The weather should be pleasant at start time with temperatures around 88°F and cooling as the game proceeds - http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/arlington-tx/76010/hourly-weather-forecast/331134?hour=41 Hopefully this won't be the last game of the season for the Blue Jays. Regardless, there is one more game to look forward to.

I guess if Martin is ok with the strike zone then fans should be also: http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/umpire-carapazzas-strike-zone-befuddled-everyone/

Tepera to replace Cecil: Tepera has good stats against LHH even though he is a right handed throwing pitcher - http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-add-tepera-to-roster-in-place-of-injured-cecil/ Here are his stats - http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10291&position=P. He has had some good outings this year and some no so good outings.

Thank you very much. I appreciate the explanation, and understand the charts now.

If you believe the charts. I have a question about it because one ball out of the strike zone that I vividly remember isn't displayed. Why not? You said in another thread that you don't mind having Tulowitzki hit number 5. He went 0 for 6 in game 2, and 0 for 4 in game 1, why do you want him batting #5?

The strike call on Tulowitzki in extra innings was a good 3" inside and I don't see it charts(?). Shouldn't it be a red square box well outside the strike zone for the RHH chart? The TV broadcast showed an overhead view that showed how far inside it was. I just wonder how these charts are created and how accurate they are?

Of course it is a non-issue, whether the roof is open or closed didn't affect the outcome. But poor umpiring did.

I saw a Texas Ranger player get peeved by a perfect strike in the lower outside corner but I didn't really see Ranger players getting angry about the strike zone throughout the game, in fact most of them were smiling throughout the game. Kevin Pillar gave a good interview yesterday after the game and was very careful in what he said. Obviously, having an inconsistent strike zone is going to have a negative impact on hitters who succeed by having a good eye at the plate. Tulowitzki didn't seem happy with the called strike on him that was shown to be well off the plate inside. Bob Costas said the umpire was having a bad game (he seemed dumbfounded by how bad some calls were). This umpire shouldn't call another game.

Is it the umpire that makes that decision? I thought it was the MLB, meaning the commissioner's office.

I think what is really unfortunate on that play was the poor throw from Bautista. A slightly better throw would of had him easily.

Reference please (link) - that a player can push someone off the base with a tag?

Thank goodness, the following will never happen in baseball! Forget about Pete Rose and the Black Sox, these things will never happen again in the MLB. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3509440 http://www.breitbart.com/sports/2014/04/24/crooked-nba-ref-emerges-from-prison-a-sports-handicapper/

So you are saying there is no difference between playing the Texas Rangers, who were just as hot in the 2nd half of the season as the Blue Jays, and the Houston Astros who were not? Was there really torrential rain in the 2nd game of the double hitter in Baltimore?