Masterbather

Don't walk the number 9 hitter and don't give up at bats just because you have a big lead. I didn't expect Gausman to go much beyond five innings today because he has a certain reputation in big games, but hopefully he can give us five.

Not to nitpick but just because you got a big hit and you have a big lead early, it doesn't mean you sell the next two at bats the way Barger and Clement just did. Long way to go in this game still. Composure.

I would prefer IKF over Barger against the lefty and Lukes over Straw despite the lefty. That's a left-handed heavy lineup by the Rays. Caminero has been crystal clear that he's chasing the Rays home run record so I hope they factor that into how they pitch to him. I think he will be excessively aggressive swinging today.

Cleveland is the classic example of how the better team doesn't always necessarily win. Sometimes a team gets white hot and another team gets ice cold and that's all it takes. Cleveland is a great story, it's a lot of fun, but I didn't hear suggesting they were a playoff caliber team a few weeks ago. I certainly didn't hear anyone suggesting they were better than Detroit (although I've said before I'm not totally enamored with that Detroit team and I never felt they were one of the best two or three teams in the AL).

That's fine, if you think the Jays are the better team you're welcome to that opinion. I just don't understand people flipping out over the notion that the Yankees, the team that made the World Series last year, might be better. I've stated my reasons why, you and others have yours, no problem. I do think the Yankees quick strike power plays better in the postseason for sure compared to the way we score runs.

I'm not saying you said different, but if you're comparing teams you don't just compare the hitters you have to look at the pitching too. Besides, like I said, I think they did a better job of filling their gaps at the deadline then most teams did including us. I think they're overall more complete team and a more talented team even if they aren't a perfect team or an all-time team, which they aren't.

I know it seems petty considering the season he had but I have never been able to let go of that loss because of Semien's completely unnecessarily lazy throw to first base. It was so obviously lazy. That team should have been in the postseason.

Yeah, to have fallen completely out of the postseason would have been a collapse that might have stood for the rest of time.

I don't know if I find it pretty easy to cheer for the Reds, especially if it means the Mets suffer the indignity of one of the more humiliating meltdowns in Major League baseball history. Theirs wasn't as sudden as the Tigers. More of a slow, agonizing burn. But at least Detroit made it to the postseason.

Okay, fine. What would our run differential look like without that historic Series against Colorado? Besides you're missing all the rest of my points.

No I never said they were unbeatable, nobody is unbeatable. Well, Kevin Durant's Golden State Warriors were truly unbeatable when healthy. That's about the only team I would give that title to that I've seen in my lifetime. If I'm a betting man, and I'm not, Yankees would be my pick, but it's tough only because I think Seattle will have an easier path assuming the Red Sox stay on our side of the bracket. Edit: I will say a truly healthy and firing on all cylinders Dodgers team comes pretty close to unbeatable. But they haven't been healthy most of the year and firing on all cylinders.

How's that a hedge? Okay if you need me to spell it out, I didn't literally mean they can magically wave a wand and score runs, I was being facetious, but nobody scores runs easier than they do. Okay? I promise to only be literal from now on.🙄

I'm not just focusing on run differential (and f*** Michael Kay). But there's a reason it is what it is. The other issue with season long statistics is they don't necessarily tell the story of where a team is now. The Yankees did a good job of fixing some of their holes at the deadline. They have a closer they trust, they improved their left side defense and roster flexibility and got one of the better base stealers in the league in the event that they need to steal a run late. They still have the Judge/Stanton defensive issue to deal with, but then again we have Springer, Santander and Bo situation potentially to deal with defensively. We got a starter that we needed, we got a couple of decent bullpen arms, but we still don't have a closer that we trust nor did we get more power, which we don't have enough of, mostly because of Vlady's disappointing power. And our starting rotation situation is super thin. Theirs isn't. They aren't perfect, but neither are we. But I still think they're better, and they've been there before. Doesn't mean we can't win a series against them, doesn't mean anyone can't win a series against them. But that's just the way playoff baseball is.

So if the Red Sox lose tomorrow then they guarantee themselves a series against one of the central teams instead of the Yankees? Is that right? Looks to me like they're going to do everything they can to not win tomorrow. The Tigers surely are not going to pitch Skubal with the playoff spot locked up. It doesn't even matter if they can still win the division, with no first-round bye on the line, you'd rather risk losing the division and having Skubal pitch in what you know will be a wild card series for you. There's just not enough benefit to him pitching tomorrow when you have a series starting Tuesday.

What about pitching? By any objective measure they have been the better team. They score way more runs and they allow fewer runs. They have a run differential of almost 100 runs better man, come on. At some point you just can't keep ignoring that. You can still root for the Blue Jays while admitting that the Yankees have a more talented team. They did make the World Series last year, there's no shame in that.

Besides you don't want to clinch the division while losing the game. Win the game either way.

Actually I don't talk about the Yankees game while the Blue Jays game is on, other people do. So I guess you don't know everything do you? Also, can you not come up with your own original insults instead of being a mirror for other posters. Are you that desperate for love and attention? Get a puppy.

162 it is!

It's also important because our starting pitching situation is a bit of a mess right now. I don't think anyone needs it more than we do.

Yeah I think bullpen would be our game one starter. I was surprised that Dan thought that was such an unusual thing to do. Is it really so crazy in the year 2025 to have bullpen games in the postseason?

He hit a couple of really good cricket sixes foul a couple days ago.

Not even close.

Their trust in Hoffman is just as bad, actually worse.

Umpire has been ass but I'll take it.

Kirky!