dont_do_it_doug. Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Heartbroken Braves fan. That is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 I'd be surprised if the Rays beat the Rangers, to be perfectly honest. They just don't score enough runs. I mean, they couldn't hit the likes of Betances, Kontos, Brackman, Valdes and Laffey last night. And I'm being nice if I leave out the fact they didn't hit Hughes or Burnett either. They only started scoring when we brought on Ayala and Wade to throw BP and Proctor for his (hopefully) farewell tour (aka the At Least Now There's No Doubt I Suck Tour). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 The Rays are on a tear. You can't read too much into one game (i.e., last night)... they have a lot of runs in them. C'mon you Tigers and c'mon you Rays! (Fingers crossed the winner of Diamondbacks/Brewers beats the winner of Phillies/Cards in the NL.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 PS: Proctor pitched ok, last night. He wasn't the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Fair enough re: Proctor. However, whenever he pitches it feels inevitable he'll surrender important runs. Re: the Rays and run-production. Obviously it is unfair to read too much into one game, but scoring runs has been a problem for them all year. They are 8th in the AL in runs scored, compared to the Yankees, Rangers and Tigers who are 2nd-4th respectively. They are second from last in batting average and 8th in OPS. They have, over the course of the season, relied too heavily on pitching and D. And as well as Shields and Hellickson has pitched, Hellickson is a rookie (as is Nova for the Yanks, mind you, but he'll most likely got better run support). Price got roughed up pretty badly by the Yankees in the last game too. I'm not going to write them off at all. Joe Maddon is a shrewd manager and they are probably brimming with confidence after a strong finish to the regular season. But I would be very surprised if they beat the Rangers, that is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Oh, I totally agree about their run production and reliance on their pitching this year. But they do have the runs in them if need be and, as you point out, they are probably full to the brim in terms of the 'feel good factor'. It would amuse me no end if the Yankees lost to the Rays in the ALCS... but hopefully the Yankees won't even get that chance Guess we'll find out come 5pm ET. Let's go Rays! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 I have to say the Tigers were the worst option for us, so I am nervous about the ALDS. AS much as I like what Ivan Nova has done this year, the prospect of Verlander vs Nova in a potential game 5 is not one I like. And Comerica isn't the best ballpark for our lineup either. However, as good as Verlander is his numbers at the new Stadium aren't THAT scary and if we can get to him in game 1 and start the series with a W I really like our chances. And IIRC Fister for game 2 is a bit of a flyball pitcher whose home/away splits bodes well for the Yankee lineup at the Stadium. Can't wait for tonight though. Will try to catch the Rays at Texas too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 Boy was I wrong? Tampa Bay already 6-0 up against a struggling CJ Wilson in Arlington. And Francona is finished at Fenway. "Mutual consent" accoring to mlb.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Feeling sad about Tito... but it was to be expected. Thanks for eight great years, Terry! The Rays destroyed the Rangers today. How good was Moore? There have been a few fairytales coming out of St. Petersburg, Florida in the last few days, none more than a guy pitching seven shut out innings in only his second Major League start to open the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted October 1, 2011 Share Posted October 1, 2011 Moore looked frightingly good, I have to say. And, yes, it was to be expected that Francona would have to walk. But shouldn't Epstein shoulder at least as much of the blame? Finally, I was gutted when the rain stopped game 1 at the Stadium. I had been looking forward to it for a while now. On the bright side though: might only have to see Verlander once if it goes to a full five games. He's pencilled in for monday's game 3 and according to Leyland he will not pitch on three days in the rest in the ALDS under any circumstances. The bad news is, now there's a good chance we'll see Burnett for game 4 :S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 And with the Yankees up 4-1 in game 1 with two outs in the sixth, Robbie Cano hits a grand slam. The Empire strikes first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I think it's going to come down to whether the Yanks can stop them tossers from Philly winning the WS. Though with the Yankees horrific pitching I just don't see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Horrific pitching? Not as good as the Phillies in terms of SP, sure, but horrific? Remember, we most likely won't use AJ Burnett should we get to the WS Above average SP that handled the AL East admirably and a lights out bullpen. You don't win 97 games with horrific pitching, and there is a significant difference between facing AL East lineups and NL lineups. Also, the Yankees have made the NL their bitch in interleague play. The Phillies are good but in no way unbeatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Yanks were in damn good form last night... Rays had a bit of a hiccup after going ahead early. Fingers crossed for some better results today (better for me, that is) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I can't imagine a worse World Series than Phillies v. Yankees... I'd end up going for the Phillies, but of the last eight teams, these are my two least favourite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtsimonw Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Horrific pitching? Not as good as the Phillies in terms of SP, sure, but horrific? Remember, we most likely won't use AJ Burnett should we get to the WS Above average SP that handled the AL East admirably and a lights out bullpen. You don't win 97 games with horrific pitching, and there is a significant difference between facing AL East lineups and NL lineups. Also, the Yankees have made the NL their bitch in interleague play. The Phillies are good but in no way unbeatable. Bullpen is good, starters aren't. CC is a true ace, but guys like Nova and Garcia are pretty average and AJ is absoloutely awful. Who is your 4th for the WS if not him? You do win alot of games, but you have to realise you have one of the best offenses in the league and a park that suits them. You were 1 of only 3 times to score 800 runs and you scored well over that. As for NL, it is easy to dominate when you get to play us 6 times a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Good result for Detroit teams in two different sports today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leviramsey Posted October 3, 2011 VT Supporter Share Posted October 3, 2011 Michigan and Michigan State also won in the Big Ten (which has 12 members, not to be confused with the Big Twelve, which has 10...) on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Bullpen is good, starters aren't. CC is a true ace, but guys like Nova and Garcia are pretty average and AJ is absoloutely awful. Who is your 4th for the WS if not him? You do win alot of games, but you have to realise you have one of the best offenses in the league and a park that suits them. You were 1 of only 3 times to score 800 runs and you scored well over that. As for NL, it is easy to dominate when you get to play us 6 times a year. Bullpen is more than just good. We probably don't need a 4th if we reach the WS. CC loves short rest. And Nova just refuses to be beaten. And I don't get the maths. Ace, average+ and average = horrific? Yes, we do score a lot of runs but we don't allow too many either. And again, that's against AL East lineups. So the combination of pitchers and fielders make for an above average defensive team. Add that to one of the best offenses in baseball, of course Yankees' pitching CAN beat the Phillies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NibblyPig Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 This past year, Major League pitching has had a shadow cast over it by one man and five syllables: Just-in Ver-land-er. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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