FanGraphs Dodgers/Braves NLCS Game 3 Chat

October 19, 2021

5:02	Luke Hooper: Welcome to the chat! Should be a fun day of baseball. Thanks for joining us!

5:04	Paul Sporer: Hey y’all, day baseball for one of the last few times of the year!!

5:04	Belli Flop: Do you ride Buehler as long as he’s effective today? Or try load management?

5:05	Paul Sporer: Absent a substantial lead, you gotta go with him IMO.

5:06	Luke Hooper: They could certainly use some innings out of him and they know that.

5:07	Henry: It is wild that the Dodgers don’t have home field advantage after 106 wins

5:08	Luke Hooper: Wild, or dumb? Both.

5:07	Paul Sporer: Right? I mean they could’ve gone home after 1 gm w/that W count, too. Crazy how good they & SF were

5:07	Paul Sporer: Not fun to be down 2-0, but a series doesn’t start until a home team loses and ATL simply held serve

5:07	Fex: How would you rate Justin Upton’s career on the 20-80 scale?

5:08	Paul Sporer: 55-60

5:09	Luke Hooper: Yea he feels like a classic 60 to me. Really good career.

5:11	Paul Sporer: 20th in batter WAR from 2008-18

5:11	Tiger Fan: Does Adam Duvall have another level? He’s one of 7 players with a 9.8 BB%, a 111+ MPH max EV, and a sprint speed faster than 28.5f/s… yet only put up ~3 WAR. His peers include Acuna Jr, FTJ, Arozarena… what’s next?

5:12	Paul Sporer: I doubt there’s another level, espec. at age-33. I don’t believe that’s his BB%, either. 6% this yr w/both MIA & ATL, 7% career

5:12	Paul Sporer: But he’s a legit pwr source w/more defense than this power-focused profile generally has

5:13	Belli Flop: Pitching rematch of last year’s World Series Game 3. I’m excited. Let’s do this.

5:13	Paul Sporer: Two studs dueling in the LA sun

5:13	Tiger Fan: That’s humiliating on the BB%… whoops. Thanks Paul

5:14	Luke Hooper: Freeman finally gets something hard away and drills a base hit.

5:14	Paul Sporer: No no, I wasn’t trying to expose you. Just a slip up. But overall, Duvall is a solid “is-what-he-is” guy. Miiight be able to finagle a 2-yr deal this offseason, otherwise it’ll just be year-to-year the rest of the way

5:14	Paul Sporer: Bad base running by Eddie Rosario… weird

5:15	Belli Flop: 8-6 double play!

5:15	Luke Hooper: Rosario has been so aggressive on the bases, and it’s been working out. Bad mistake there.

5:15	Tom G: What changed for Charlie Morton in Houston/Tampa Bay that led to the best years of his life?

5:15	Paul Sporer: Getting away from Pittsburgh’s 2 seamer-focused system was key

5:17	Paul Sporer: So he started throwing fewer heaters, throwing it as hard as he could when he did throw heat, and then really dove into his secondaries

5:17	Chris H: Twins fans were waiting on Rosario to screw up on the basepaths

5:17	Paul Sporer: Now we await the defensive blunder (though to his credit, he made some nice plays last gm)

5:20	Luke Hooper: Morton’s four seamer and curve mirror each other beautifully.

5:21	Luke Hooper: https://gfycat.com/snappyplaintivecanvasback

5:23	TStats: How did this Luke fellow use a reply function?

5:23	Luke Hooper: It’s something we have in our interface on the backend. I learned it from Jay. It’s very handy!

5:23	Paul Sporer: I’m not SURE if it’s available on the front-end

5:24	Belli Flop: SEAGS

5:24	Luke Hooper: 444′ WOW

5:24	TStats: Does anyone see bias in having TBS do Atlanta postseason games…?

5:24	Paul Sporer: lol no, but I hadn’t realized that

5:25	Fire Ken Tremendous: SEAGER SMASH

5:25	Henry: Kyle’s brother!!

5:25	Chris H: @TStats yeah, they show the crowd doing the chop 😛

5:26	Paul Sporer: I’ll try to use commercial breaks for non LAD/ATL-related stuff. We have some good Qs in queue related to other team offseasons

5:26	Quarantino Martinez: Anything more than a cold streak behind Trea’s post-season struggles?

5:26	Paul Sporer: Awful luck. He has scalded the ball multiple times for naught

5:27	Cito’s Mustache: The Braves bullpen has been incredible this postseason. Dave Roberts probably wishes his bench included better hitters than Beaty, Souza, and Barnes, huh.

5:29	Paul Sporer: How many benches are that much better, though? And at least 2 of the 3 are set up to handle their best RPs: Matzek/Smith

5:29	Henry: My wife calls Justin Tuner Snuffleupagus

5:30	Quarantino Martinez: Is it just coincidence or truth in longstanding biases that the NL games have been low scoring/small ball and the AL ones slugfests?

5:30	Paul Sporer: I’ve also heard him compared to someone from He-Man named “Gwildor”

5:30	Luke Hooper: I think it’s some of both. All four of the NL teams had great pitching, while the Stros and Sox lean more on hitting.

5:30	Luke Hooper: Alright, gonna have to look up Gwildor now.

5:30	Paul Sporer: Tend to agree w/Luke, though in HOU’s case I think they were force-shifted to more hitting this series w/McCullers being out and then Garcia & Urq getting smashed

5:31	Quarantino Martinez: There’s also Pujols!

5:33	Luke Hooper: This does feel like the Dodgers worst bench in years (not saying much as they always have great benches) but they also have their best lineup in years. Less room or need for a platoon type bench.

5:31	Steve Nebraska: Gwildor, that’s great, I can see that… Haha

5:31	Fire Ken Tremendous: Beaty < Pedersen and Souza < Hernandez

5:31	Paul Sporer: You weren’t keeping Enrique to simply be a bench bat so he’s not comparable to Souza IMO

5:32	Paul Sporer: and Pederson would get destroyed by Matzek & WSmith

5:32	jj: 5 batted balls so far and each has been over 95mph

5:32	Belli Flop: JT also reminds me of Gritty

5:32	Henry: I wish Acuna was healthy. Would make this Braves team a lot more exciting.

5:33	Paul Sporer: If we turned off injuries, the DOdgers would get Muncy back, too (they aren’t the same, but it would cut the advantage ATL got by magically erasing injuries… plus Kersh for LA)

5:33	Steve Nebraska: Looonnnggg first inning for Morton, yikes

5:34	Paul Sporer: 2 pitches from the red line: 30 pitches

5:34	TStats: Morton cant find the zone at ALL

5:34	Charlie Morton: Where’s the zone? Why can’t I find it?

5:34	Luke Hooper: I’m still confused why Bellinger is seeing so many breaking balls lately.

5:35	RTJ: the simple fact of not having a DH must account for some measurable decrease in scoring anyway

5:35	Paul Sporer: Also helps, of course, in terms of the disparity

5:37	TStats: so who is eating innings for the braves today, morton only getting about 90 pitches (3 innings)

5:37	Paul Sporer: Jesse Chavez?

5:37	Luke Hooper: He’s kind of living with zero pitches right now. Two whiffs on 32 pitches!

5:38	T: Is this gonna be a multi inning Smyly game

5:38	Belli Flop: J. Chavez warming

5:38	Paul Sporer: Either could work, yeah

5:38	B’Ryce Hammer: Jesse Chavez feels like he’s been pitching since I was a kid

5:38	Paul Sporer: Depending how old you are, he has… he started in 2008

5:38	B’Ryce Hammer: no belli bomb, but a belli walk is no belli laugh.

5:38	Quarantino Martinez: The Salt is losing some flavor

5:38	Luke Hooper: Wow, huge out there. Felt like the game was deteriorating quickly for the Braves.

5:39	Paul Sporer: Yeah to get away w/just 2 runs is big

5:39	Paul Sporer: 33 pitches is still damaging, but it’s a body blow instead of a knock out

5:39	Tiger Fan: I wanna see Detroit play in October 2022… does Story (6/$160M) and ERod (4/$45M) get ’em there? Is that even a possible winter?

5:40	Paul Sporer: I prefer focusing on Correa, tbh!!

5:40	Guest: Fun historical fact to kill time between innings: Jim Hegan made five All-Star games while accumulating 4.6 Baseball-Reference WAR in his career. Can you think of anyone else who has managed to accumulate more AS appearances than career WAR?

5:41	Paul Sporer: But SS is a must. It makes too much sense to put up the money for one of a few of these premium SS. I feel like E-Rod might cost more than that, especially if he continues to pitch well in October

5:41	The Real Tucker Barnhart: There’s no chance I start 2022 in Cincinnati right? Seems like I either get bought out or traded somewhere else…

5:41	Al Avila: Tigers need a catcher, but FA is pretty lacking… who can we trade for that won’t take a huge prospect haul?

5:41	Paul Sporer: Meant to do the Al Avila one first bc the Barnhart one answers it…

5:42	Paul Sporer: Barnhart wouldn’t be a bad scoop to be the primary w/Haase backing up & Dingler developing

5:42	Belli Flop: True or false: the Tigers need an entirely new ‘pen to succeed next year.

5:42	Paul Sporer: Likely true outside a piece of two

5:42	Steve Nebraska: I’ll take the over everyday on that Rodriguez contract…

5:43	Paul Sporer: Yeah E-Rod feels like a $17+ mil per yr kinda guy easily, right?

5:44	Luke Hooper: I think a number of teams want him. He’ll get way over 45

5:43	Paul Sporer: re: the more AS appearances than WAR, a guess:

5:43	Grant: LaHair maybe??

5:44	Mister Puppy: Bryan Lahair!!

5:44	Mister Puppy: 1 appearance, -0.2 career bWAR

5:44	Farhandrew Zaidman: Julio confirmed starter for game 4…are the Dodgers stretching their starters just a tad too much?

5:45	Paul Sporer: Yeah I first-guessed that move. I just didn’t like it regardless of result and of course then it went sour

5:45	Henry: I don’t want to root for the Dodgers but I also like so many of their players

5:45	Paul Sporer: They have a lot of fun players, it is hard to hate ’em if you’re not a Giants fan or your team is facing them in the playoffs. As a neutral observer, I enjoy watching them play

5:45	Guest: What your predictions for the WS matchup?

5:46	Paul Sporer: I was HOU/LAD preseason. Switched SFG before the playoffs just bc I was really digging them (I have no stake in either pick), so now I’m just back to the preseason HOU/LAD, even w/where their series both are

5:47	B’Ryce Hammer: I don’t care who wins this series, I just want to see the AL team obliterated in four games in the WS

5:48	Paul Sporer: I’m still so suspect of Boston’s pitching overall, but there is a lot of coverage for it when you obliterate the ball like that

5:49	Henry: Buehler also almost to 30 pitches with only 3 outs

5:49	Paul Sporer: With a rest. It’s about 30 pitches in a single inning.

5:50	T: Buehler isnt looking too hot either

5:50	Luke Hooper: Only 1 whiff so far too. It was a huge one to Riley, but yea he’s not look too sharp.

5:50

Shaquille Oatmeal: What’s worse: resigning Buster, Crawford, and Belt…or not resigning them? Even the Giants cheap controllable guys are in their 30s. That front office thanks everyone for their service, and spends that money elsewhere, right? They were counting the days til Longo, Cueto, Crawford, Belt and Posey were free agents. Now…they really doing it again?

5:50	Paul Sporer: They re-signed Crawford already.

5:51	Paul Sporer: 2/$32

5:52	Luke Hooper: Posey has an option for next year which will likely be picked up. Belt is the big question mark in my eyes. I think the Giants want him back but their might be some stiff competition with how good he’s been the past two years.

5:51	Belli Flop: 643 = 2

5:51	Chris H: Even with the huge amount of payroll flexibility the Twins have this offseason, how in the hell do they fill the gaping holes in their starting rotation while still getting a quality shortstop?

5:54

Paul Sporer: It would take some real growth from some of their current pitchers to get there. They wouldn’t find it all in market. Not sure you can really bank on anyone besides Ryan and Ober right now so it’d likely require someone of the Strotman, Duran, Balazovic, Thorpe group to breakout and maybe even another to be useful for 100+ IP. A Buxton trade could go a long way, too, as they’d definitely get multiple pieces

5:55	Luke Hooper: Morton immediately coming out and throwing 2 balls to Buehler isn’t a great sign.

5:57	Chris H: Please no Buxton trade. My heart couldn’t take it.

5:58	Luke Hooper: Massive lead for Betts at first!

5:58	Paul Sporer: They seem a good bit interested in it if they can get a huge haul

5:58	B’Ryce Hammer: Seager is gonna look good in Pinstripes next year

5:58	Paul Sporer: He’d be so nasty in Yankee Stadium!

5:59	T: This feels like a game where the Braves will eventually have a big inning or will be stuck in RISP limbo

5:59	Cam: I genuinely feel like the odds of Seager leaving LA are above 50%

5:59	Paul Sporer: I think it’s like 95%

5:59	Paul Sporer: I’ve never really considered them keeping him, tbh

5:59	Paul Sporer: Which might be foolish on my part

6:00	Luke Hooper: Yea seems like it. Which feels crazy. He’s so good and they have the money.

6:00	Paul Sporer: I could also be looking at it too much from a fantasy light wherein they have “too many” players, but that is kinda their design so they always have high caliber players to fill-in for injury

6:01	Fire Ken Tremendous: Why wouldn’t they keep him with an eye toward moving him to 3B at some point?

6:03	Paul Sporer: Yes, I could see that. I guess I just figured w/Trea and Lux (and even Taylor), Seager felt like an abundance they didn’t need bc he won’t be cheap

6:03	Luke Hooper: The Dodgers might not like his injury history, and they know those details more than anyone. Also lots of teams will be throwing money Seager’s way. If I were a Dodgers fan I would desperately want them to bring him back.

6:06	Paul Sporer: What price are you thinking for him? 5/$125?

6:04	Farhandrew Zaidman: Are there restrictions on how many QOs a team can issue in one offseason? Kershaw and potentially Taylor are candidates for the Dodgers this offseason.

6:04	Luke Hooper: Nope, offer away. As long as the player hasn’t received one before and he was on the team all season.

6:05	Belli Flop: From this Dodger fan’s perspective, I’d much rather they keep Kersh, Taylor, and Kenley than Seager. But that’s just me.

6:06	Paul Sporer: I wouldn’t want to pay Kenley Jansen

6:07	T: Let’s say the Braves aren’t able to bring back Freeman, what do they do? Any chance they could go for a splashy signing at 3B and move Riley to 1B?

6:07	Paul Sporer: What would be splashier than just paying Freeman?

6:07	Luke Hooper: Signing Seager to play third!

6:07	Farhandrew Zaidman: Seager HAS to be asking for Lindor money, right?

6:07	Paul Sporer: Can he get 10 years?

6:09	Paul Sporer: Lindor had several full seasons to bank on, Seager has 2 and they were 2016-17

6:10	Luke Hooper: I think Seager could get over 5 years pretty easily. He’ll be 28 next year. I think Seager and Correa can get 7 years and will end up with similar deals.

6:09	B’Ryce Hammer: I wish I could be like Paul and Luke, with that whole r”espond to a message thing…”

6:09	Paul Sporer: I imagine it’s to curb potential negativity between chatters

6:09	Smiling Politely: Kevin Goldstein said in his chat he thought the Dodgers would keep him, and I was curious why since, while I’d prefer him to stay in LA, I figured they’d be outbid by someone else. Does the Bellinger injury shift their focus though?

6:10	Paul Sporer: I’m softening on my stridence that they won’t. But I’d still lean 65/35 no.

6:10	Corey Seager: Paul, that 5/$125M better not be for Seager… he probably gets double that cash for 8-9 years right?

6:10	Paul Sporer: I’m just not sure he’s getting >7 with his track record

6:11	Smiling Politely: The CBA negotiations make predictions tricky all around

6:11	Russ: Backtracking way back to the first, have been arguing with a friend who was at fault on Rosario’s baserunning double play: I say him, he says Wash as 3B coach.

6:11	Paul Sporer: Rosario. It’s always Rosario.

6:12	Luke Hooper: Once a runner breaks off like that there’s nothing the coach can do. He’s almost better off letting him go because going back wouldn’t have worked.

6:14	Smiling Politely: He and Chris Taylor can get together about it

6:15	Luke Hooper: I’m digging Roberts in those shades

6:17	Luke Hooper: Morton is definitely grinding away here. He’s got his command back under him.

6:18	dom pusa: lets go

6:19	T: As a Braves fan, I know it’s sacrilege to say this, but I wouldn’t be all that bummed to see Freddie leave. As good as he is, I don’t really think who he’ll be for the next 5 years is irreplaceable? Am I off base here?

6:19	B’Ryce Hammer: Freeman is amazing, and underrated

6:21	Correa: After reading Paul’s prediction on Seager, I’m scared for my own contract! I haven’t been the picture of health either.

6:21	Luke Hooper: Re: Freeman. No real sign of decline, and at his age you probably won’t have to sign him for too long. 4 years might do it. His talent doesn’t grow on trees and the Braves are trying to win now.

6:21	Paul Sporer: He’s a year younger with fewer questions about moving off SS and 500 more PA

6:23	Smiling Politely: After the last month or two, I’m thinking Lux is a starter for LA next year, maybe in a CT3 type role (CF/middle IF)

6:23	Luke Hooper: He’s the everyday 2B if Seager leaves.

6:24	Paul Sporer: I’m not great a guessing contracts, btw. So I might be off, but I’ll be curious to see what he gets

6:25	Luke Hooper: Yea btw, I suck too.

6:25	cuee: Freeman’s heading into his age 33 season. He seems like way too big a name to settle for just 4 years, but maybe that could actually get it done. I’d still bet on 5-6 though.

6:28	B’Ryce Hammer: Oh man! Soooo close!

6:28	Mrs. Phanatic: Phillies have any shot at Seager/Correa?

6:28	Paul Sporer: Oh for sure. In the end, money will talk as it alwaysssss does

6:28	cuee: My bad. 2022 will be his 32 season. Freeman’s a September birthday

6:28	Smiling Politely: uf, maybe not lol

6:29	B’Ryce Hammer: Stop talking about the offseason, and lets focus on this game, eh!? #grumpybaseballfan

6:29	Paul Sporer: In fairness, this is our first bit of action in a bit and we’re not ignoring comments about the game – there just aren’t any

6:29	B’Ryce Hammer: *just kidding, btw, you guys are awesome

6:29	Paul Sporer: No no, I didn’t think you were being rude, just wanted to give the behind the scenes a bit

6:30	Paul Sporer: Ohhh that’s a strike!!!!

6:30	Luke Hooper: Yea the queue really dictates what we talk about.

6:30	Paul Sporer: Mannnn, ump has to get that one right

6:30	Belli Flop: Alright that was strike three.

6:30	B’Ryce Hammer: That was a strike for sure

6:30	B’Ryce Hammer: Joctober! (just in case)

6:30	B’Ryce Hammer: Joctober! Please?

6:31	Luke Hooper: the low outside corner has been available. Not the inside one. Huge missed call.

6:31	Paul Sporer: Joctober continues in earnest!

6:31	Paul Sporer: Those close ump calls are so magnified in October

6:32	Paul Sporer: Of course hundreds of ’em happen night-to-night, but they’re so crucial in these games

6:32	Chris H: That run is on the ump

6:32	Joctoberfest: Yes please.

6:32	Henry: Joctober!!!

6:32	B’Ryce Hammer: Joctober!

6:32

cuee: ugh

6:32	B’Ryce Hammer: Yeah!

6:32	cuee: at least not a hr

6:32	Smiling Politely: Was it that close, though?

6:32	Chris H: LOL there’s the make-up call

6:32	Chris H: A plate appearance too late

6:32	B’Ryce Hammer: Clutch stepout by Joc

6:32	Belli Flop: Wash finally held someone!

6:33	B’Ryce Hammer: makeup strikes crack me up

6:33	Bunk: Washington has hit all the right buttons this series it seems

6:33	Luke Hooper: I don’t think that was a makeup strike, actually. The bottom of the zone has been funky all game.

6:33	Paul Sporer: I don’t think the Rosario send was that good, but it worked.

6:34	Guest: Who makes sense as a landing spot for Pederson in the offseason?

6:34	Paul Sporer: Goes back to that DH question. Changes everything for him

6:34	Belli Flop: If we (LAD) lose this game, I blame the sun

6:34	Russ: Let the record show that in game 2 the Braves ALSO tied it up at 2 in the fourth after an early Corey Seager home run.

6:34	Rain: In the bottom of the first Morton looked toast but all series the Braves really do have this knack for hanging with it

6:34	B’Ryce Hammer: Alright, now we have a ballgame again!

6:35	Paul Sporer: Love that Mark Prior is thriving as a pitching coach

6:36	Paul Sporer: Still feel we haven’t seen Swanson’s best season

6:36	Paul Sporer: There’s a 5-WAR season in there

6:37	Paul Sporer: Wash really has that yellow light on

6:37	Mister Puppy: This… could be the series, right? Stakes feel that high?

6:37	Belli Flop: F*&#

6:37	Chris H: Man, Dodgers don’t mess around when it comes to defensive leaks… when they go, they go all out

6:37	Cam: And again, Seager’s glove is exposed. Yikes.

6:37	Paul Sporer: Gotta think Duvall was gonna be safe, right?

6:37	T: Wow that was an easy run

6:38	Russ: NOW HE HOLDS HIM?!

6:38	Luke Hooper: Yea haha bad move. His wave arm is sore.

6:38	Paul Sporer: Wash has been infected by Rosario

6:38	Mister Puppy: Why is Morton hitting???

6:38	Paul Sporer: I don’t love this, tbh

6:38	Paul Sporer: Yeah just taking the K to avoid the GIDP

6:39	Paul Sporer: Do we think they’re looking for 2 more IP from Morton?

6:39	Paul Sporer: He’s at 69 pitches

6:39	Henry: You already have Chavez ready to go, this at bat seems way to big to leave Morton in

6:39	Guest: is Ron Washington getting the yips?

6:39	jj: If they PH for Morton Buehler comes out right?

6:39	B’Ryce Hammer: Shoulda bailed and whaled

6:39	Cam: universal dh now please

6:39	Cam: Gotta say it’s a terrible 2 minutes of baseball. Ball goes off Seager’s glove, to a ball he probably should have got to (or would of if he had some range), 3B coach holds a sure run, and ATL misses a big chance to pinch hit and open the game up.

6:40	Henry: You’re just giving up an out with bases loaded to get maybe one more inning for your pitcher!?

6:40	Paul Sporer: Yeah that’s what I’m saying. If you’re doing that for 1 inning, it’s awful. For 2… maybe

6:40	Cam: I’ve just been convinced about the DH

6:40	bosoxforlife: If there ever was a AB that showed why there should be a DH in the NL that was it.

6:40	jj: but if they take morton out, they have no real good PH in that sitch

6:40	Paul Sporer: Anyone is better than Morton and it’s not like he’s DIALED IN on the mound

6:40	Mister Puppy: If the Dodgers end up winning, we might look back on the hold at third/no pinch-hit as a huge tipping point

6:40	jj: leave it to Rosario

6:40	Cam 2: How tired is the braves bullpen?

6:41	Paul Sporer: Not so much that they couldn’t survive a Morton pull

6:41	Luke Hooper: They are basically saying they want Morton to go through the heart of the order again.

6:41	Paul Sporer: You can’t walk Rosario

6:41	Paul Sporer: You cannottttttt

6:41	Belli Flop: I can feel the season slipping away…

6:41	Matt: Pathetic stuff from Snitker

6:41	Cam 2: Yeah bad reasoning imo

6:41	Fire Ken Tremendous: Narrator: In fact, he did

6:41	Paul Sporer: So brutal

6:41	Cam: As good as Walker is (and he is very good), he has these moments where he completely goes off the boil. I don’t know if it’s mental, but he loses the strikezone and looks lost at times.

6:42	Paul Sporer: I’m not sure it’s a him thing. Outside a very few legends, has any stud SP really avoided this in October? It’s hard, they fail sometimes

6:42	Paul Sporer: I don’t think it’s any deeper than that

6:42	bosoxforlife: Four pitch walk. Hard to believe he throws another pitch.

6:42	T: I called a big inning coming

6:43	jj: maybe leaving morton in gets Rosario up to bat vs Buehler otherwise a LHRP is in and they have a LH PH who kind of sucks then Rosario and they have a lower prob of scoring.

6:43	Thomas: One thing about the braves bullpen is I think they are planning on a Bullpen day tomorrow, and after the de-facto bullpen day in game 2, doing 3 defacto bullpen games in a row is tough

6:43	Paul Sporer: Good point, they did say tomorrow is a penner

6:43	Russ: Braves getting five outs this inning, but as a fan I’m not going to complain.

6:43	Luke Hooper: Now look how much game talk is going on!!

6:43	Paul Sporer: Just needed the game to bear fruit

6:43	Henry: Yikes. I’m going out on a limb to say that might be Buehler’s only 4 pitch walk with bases loaded ever.

6:43	T: C’mon Freddie, make me look stupid

6:43	Farhandrew Zaidman: Josh Donaldson has some opinions on playing Lux in CF… Josh Donaldson @BringerOfRain20 Isn’t that guy an infielder? Analitics🤨 Fans will blame the player you got two MVP’s that play center and you put a second baseman out there!!! The stupidity of smart people. 19 Oct 2021

6:44	Cam: There’s a lot of baseball left in this game, but man there are some talking points. Starting with Roberts throwing Lux in CF in a huge spot when he has very little experience there. Especially with the sun out. If Lux makes that catch, this inning is completely different.

6:44	Bunk: The way this game started I was not expecting Morton to outlast Buehler

6:44	Eno Sarris: Did someone say beer fruit?

6:44	5 Run Homer: Analitics lol

6:44	bosoxforlife: The Dodgers season hangs on the next batter.

6:44	Rain: this just really compounds the dodger’s sp problem between urias and scherzer looking gassed, and now beuhler looking vulnerable

6:44	Paul Sporer: Kinda what Houston is dealing with. McCullers already out then Urq and Garcia melt

6:44	5 Run Homer: Dave Roberts seems to be over-managing a lot this year, more than in past years

6:45	T: Or hit a weak fly ball on the first pitch

6:45	T: Know of any baseball players that’ve pulled a Ben Simmons? Basically sabotaging themselves and the team in order to get traded

6:45	Paul Sporer: Derek Bell: Operation Shutdown

6:45	Paul Sporer: But he was washed by then

6:45	jj: I was for leaving Morton in and am happy with the results. The Dodgers could have (should have) pulled Walker for Rosario, but it felt like they would leave him in with 2 outs.

6:45	Nathan: Sheffield with the Brewers? he claimed it was, at least

6:46	Luke Hooper: I haven’t really seen anyone talking about Bellinger being at first and Lux in center. Until now, obviously. Like they have a ready-made stud CFer in the lineup.

6:46	Paul Sporer: I’m inclined to take him at his word there given his history

6:46	5 Run Homer: Has Bellinger’s fielding been worse this year? He’s a great CF, feels like that’s enough to put him out there

6:46	Paul Sporer: Is it protection for the shoulder?

6:46	Farhandrew Zaidman: I’ve been screaming this from the rooftops…defensive alignment should be LF Taylor, CF Belli, RF Mookie, 3B Seager, SS Trea, 2B Lux, 1B JT

6:47	Luke Hooper: He’s played lots of center this year. I know originally there was shoulder talk but that doesn’t seem to have stopped them in the second half.

6:48	Nathan: Would this inning have been any different, really, with a true CF in the outfield? What could possibly have been different in that critical inning?

6:48	Paul Sporer: Bellinger could’ve caught that ball. What do you mean?

6:48	Cam: It makes zero sense. Righty is on the mound, so it’s a start Bellinger game…but at 1B? Hell, I’d have AT LEAST put Taylor in CF and move Lux to LF. Or even Mookie! That’s three guys (not even counting Treat) in this lineup alone that should be playing CF ahead of Lux.

6:48	Mister Puppy: I love the old school guys saying Houston needs “more starting pitching” and that bullpens don’t work. As if… the Astros didn’t have great starting pitching all year? They’ve just been bad in the playoffs

6:49	Paul Sporer: LOL as if they planned to give up 12 grand slams and use 338 relievers

6:49	jj: Operation Shutdown, one of my all time favorites. I think the Pirates were like ‘fine dude, see ya’

6:49	Paul Sporer: lol don’t let the door hit ya

6:49	Sharps: Could Lux be a 3B?

6:49	5 Run Homer: Teaching two cornerstones new positions is tougher to explain than teaching one underachieving guy a new one

6:53	Russ: Lots of talk about overthinking by putting Lux in CF, but am I the only who thinks that wasn’t that hard of a ball to catch? Mistakes happen.

6:53	Luke Hooper: It wasn’t an easy play. But for a CFer in their home stadium it should absolutely be caught.

6:53	Paul Sporer: Could’ve lost it a bit in the sun, too

6:54	Paul Sporer: It’s not that someone else would’ve definitely caught it, but probably would’ve been a better chance at it

6:54	T: Dodgers are really gonna need Urias to go 6+ tomorrow huh

6:54	Paul Sporer: Ideally, of course

6:54	Scuffy mcgee: Wouldn’t Taylor in cf make more sense with Lux in LF?

6:54	Cam: That’s a pretty damning number – only the 10th career start in CF for Lux. And he is arguably the 5th best CF in the lineup today. If the Dodgers exit this series, the calls for Roberts head will be loud

6:54	Nathan: sorry, that was intended to be sarcasm. Bellinger catches that ball basically every time.

6:54	Paul Sporer: My bad, Nathan!

6:55	Underwater Johnson: Seems very much like the sun was a factor.

6:55	Cam: Positive thinking – the stage is set for Lux to drop a 3-run bomb in the bleachers and redeem himself

6:55	Underwater Johnson: I doubt it was Roberts’s call

6:56	Fire Ken Tremendous: I believe they said they liked Lux in center instead of a corner because he could read the ball better in CF

6:57	Luke Hooper: Yea when the sun is like it is, taking your eye off the ball to check the wall is a bad move.

6:57	J: Can we all agree the belli / yeli commercials caused a curse?

6:57	Paul Sporer: I really liked them 🙁

6:57	Enlightening Round: Paul is Bellinger going to be my fantasy “I wish I could quit you” guy? I freaking love watching him swing and yes the results sucked this year but he was sooooooo good

6:57	Luke Hooper: Oh boy, I forgot about those ads. Good stuff.

6:57	Paul Sporer: It’ll definitely depend on the price as always, but I’m feeling like he will be an easy buy in ’22

6:57	Mister Puppy: This Dodgers offense… just…. How is there nothing here?

6:57	jj: Morton refuses to get Betts out.

6:58	Luke Hooper: Everybody refuses. He’s squaring up everything.

6:58	Luke Hooper: Betts looks as healthy as he has all year.

7:01	Johnny J: So like, what’s the postseason BB record?

7:01	Paul Sporer: Team or Player?

7:03	PJ: not the record but Ankiel comes to mind

7:03	Underwater Johnson: In three games, LAD starters have combined for 8 IP

7:03	Dylorama: Are starting rotations just, like, not relevant to postseason outcomes anymore? This feels weird.

7:04	Underwater Johnson: Not sure what the fuss is about leaving Morton in with a lead, the bases loaded, and one out. It’s only the fourth inning – I’d much rather have Morton for 2-3 more innings than burn a PH and 2-3 arms the next few innings for a 25% chance of breaking the game open.

7:04

Luke Hooper: That was a huge opportunity to score runs. Bench bats exist for opportunities like that. Plus, Morton has not looked very good. If you get 3 more innings out of him that’s one thing. But he had looked like a guy that wasn’t going to get through the heart of the order again. So far it’s worked out for the Braves, but I think it was definitely a move worth discussing and debating.

7:04	Paul Sporer: It’s kinda been like that for a while. It’s obviously not BAD to have a good rotation (obviously), but it’s also not a pre-requisite for success

7:05	Luke Hooper: check out Jay’s article on that https://blogs.fangraphs.com/the-incredible-shrinking-postseason-starte…

7:05	Johnny J: Either

7:06	Underwater Johnson: I bet back in the day when starters threw a lot of CGs, someone walked 8 or 9.

7:06	Paul Sporer: Bob Turley 8 in ’56, Jim Palmer 8 in ’71

7:06	T: I think its time to put Scherzer in there

7:06	jj: Is the game just starting? Knebel is pitching…

7:07	Paul Sporer: Oof, another brutal call v. Joc

7:08	Underwater Johnson: The world is Joc’s oyster

7:08	Underwater Johnson: Missed the target too much

7:09	Paul Sporer: I don’t think that’s reasonable rationale for missing a pitch

7:09	Cam: Everything breaking against the Dodgers at the moment. When it rains, it pours. Can’t get calls, can’t get outs

7:09	Russ: Something silly like an “umpire” calling “balls and strikes” is going to get in the way of Joctober.

7:09	Underwater Johnson: I thought you were talking about the ump missing the call

7:10	Paul Sporer: I was, I just don’t think the C’s target should play a role in whether he calls it right or not

7:10	Cam: Lux caught it! Just an inning too late

7:10	Luke Hooper: What a game so far! Need to grab some snacks!

7:10	bender: Dodgers are making mistakes, but people are forgetting that the Braves have a .420 xBA so far. And Riley’s hit was a .550 xBA barrel. Dansby’s hit was a .680 xBA hit at 107 mph

7:10	Rain: Betts has been pretty excellent all postseason but he hasn’t been able to singlehandedly carry the Dodger’s offense with the way some people are slumping

7:12	Luke Hooper: That’s pretty much what he did in the NLDS.

7:11	Underwater Johnson: I mean, isn’t that what framing is all about? I’ve never been back there wearing the tools of authority but I bet it’s really hard.

7:11	Paul Sporer: Oh I know it’s hard, there is no doubt

7:13	Cam: Lost in all the shuffle is Trea’s poor postseason so far – .457 OPS with 0 walks and a 25% K rate. He needs to get going

7:15	Paul Sporer: Also some loud outs that were more than singles and 2 XBH can totally change a postseason line given how small they are

7:15	bosoxforlife: It’s getting late early for the Dodgers as a great baseball mind once said.

7:15	Farhandrew Zaidman: Well this game has gone just about as poorly for the Dodgers as it could have.

7:15	Paul Sporer: Massive DP there to keep it at just 1

7:16	Mister Puppy: I have a bunch of Nats fan friends and they have loudly pointed out Trea Turner’s career .550 postseason OPS

7:17	Paul Sporer: It’s certainly underwhelming in the 161 PA, but I don’t think the moment is too big for him or anything

7:17	Underwater Johnson: My big thing about these bullpen games is that if you send 7 or 8 guys out there, you’re much more likely to run across a guy who doesn’t have his good stuff. It doesn’t seem sustainable to me, especially when you wind up having to use so many guys in back to back games.

7:18	Paul Sporer: I know a lot of us don’t love a lot about Smoltz’s analysis, but this is one of his points that I’ve liked re: the more guys you throw, the more likely someone doesn’t have it. And for HOU and LAD, they just can’t seem to get away from it right now

7:19	Luke Hooper: Yea agree there. But also, these teams aren’t really doing it because they think it’s better than having a stud starter go 7 innings. Those are hard to come by. Even when you have studs.

7:18	Wire Fan: Have fans and announcers underestimated the effort a starter uses during a single high stress inning vs a “throw day”? Do the dodgers really need to be using their starters to pitch in relief? (Especially Urias in game 2)

7:21	Luke Hooper: I’m sure they are aware of the increased stress and mental exhaustion of a real outing versus a bullpen day. It’s kind of hard to know who can handle that and how often.

7:20

Paul Sporer: It has certainly been more normalized and thus I’m sure some fans might not fully get the difference between ’em. Didn’t love the Urias move there bc I didn’t see it as a necessity. I like the strategy overall of using SPs in key spots, but the stakes have to be high so in the first 2-3 gms of a 7-gm series seem unnecessary to me

7:20	Mister Puppy: @underwater I hear that all the time and I think it’s kind of flawed. Like, sure, some starters might be on for 7 innings. But some could deal for 4 and then fall apart, too. It’s not just “all deal” or “no deal”

7:20	Wireless Joe Jackson: Is there any actual evidence that using more relievers increases the risk that someone “doesn’t have it” versus using the same pitcher for more innings?

7:21	Paul Sporer: No study I am aware of

7:22	Luke Hooper: That would be something I would read fervently.

7:22	Paul Sporer: Me too

7:23	Paul Sporer: It’d probably end up that neither strategy has a distinct advantage in the aggregate, but rather it is a case-by-case basis

7:23	Whitty: After that 1st inning labor, I did not have Morton going 5 today. Good for him.

7:23	kyle: Not resigning Morton may have been Luhnow’s second biggest career blunder.

7:23	Luke Hooper: I’ve said a couple times that I doubted Morton would get through the heart of the order again. He just did.

7:23	T: No way he goes 6 right

7:23	Paul Sporer: No shot at 96 pitches

7:23	jj: Morton is set up for the “W”

7:23	jj: but the samples would be so small it would take a lot years of data to be meaningful

7:23

Just wondering…: If the Red Sox make the World Series and the Dodgers don’t, will anyone recant their ranting over the Mookie Betts trade and how the Red Sox were willingly choosing to be uncompetitive? Or are we just going to pretend the baseball journalist world didn’t spend weeks ranting that the Sox had committed a crime against humanity?

7:24	B’Ryce Hammer: help me out folks, where can I find a definitive article to explain to my buddy that bunting with no outs is a BAD idea for atlanta in that last half inning.

7:26	Paul Sporer: Probably can just show them a run expectancy matrix and explain why giving free outs always kneecaps your run upside

7:26	Steve Nebraska: Left work, got home and shocked that Morton is still pitching… Gutsy

7:26	B’Ryce Hammer: Morton is old. They can totally send him back out there for another inning. Pitch count be damned. He knows how to pitch

7:26	Cam: Are we at the point of “if Justin Turner isn’t hitting extra-base hits, he isn’t doing anything”? He’s not a good fielder, he’s a liability on the bases..

7:27	bender: Braves going to bring in a lefty next inning so makes sense to pull Morton. Two lefties coming up for LAD

7:27	sadtrombone: Justin Turner traditionally has gotten a lot of extra-base hits, though.

7:27	Lunch: If you want to know what being an atlanta sports fan is like, it’s considering the idea of being up 3-0 and that causing a proustian memory attack of 28-3.

7:28	sadtrombone: Every day gets us closer to the early-20th century Boston grudge match we deserve. Braves vs. Red Sox. Nuff ced!

7:28

bosoxforlife: As an 80 year old fan of the game since the 50’s I absolutely despise yanking a starter when he is cruising. Teams have an irrational fear of the third time through the lineup situation. An ace, even if he losing a little bit, is still better than the guy replacing him. Morton is cruising now and should stay in until he shows signs of losing it.

7:29	Luke Hooper: Wow, Swanson really chokes up.

7:29	Paul Sporer: It always just depends on the situation. I thought Snell was pulled early. I have absolutely zero issue pulling Morton here

7:31	Luke Hooper: Yea I wouldn’t say it’s possible to be cruising after walking 6 guys in 5 innings.

7:31	Russ: If Lux we’re playing RF he catches that ball. (sarcasm)

7:31	Paul Sporer: lolololol

7:31	B’Ryce Hammer: Thanks Paul, just sent the fangraphs re24 matrix to my friend. If he can’t read it, he doesn’t deserve to understand

7:32	Paul Sporer: lol exactly!

7:32	Joe: Crazy that of all the possible worlds, we live in the one where Dansby Swanson is underrated

7:32	Paul Sporer: Like I said, there’s a 5-WAR season in there

7:33	Wire Fan: Morton was also due up 2nd this inning. That probably was a factor too. Guve up that AB for potentially one extra inning(best case)?

7:34	Guest: What does the Braves outfield look like next year?

7:34	Luke Hooper: Tough call. Gotta imagine they have some interest in bringing back some of Soler, Rosario, Pederson. They also would love to see Pache or Waters prove that they are ready. I think Soler is the most likely to return.

7:36

Underwater Johnson: The bottom line with Mookie and the Sox was that he had made it clear that he was going to test the market and take the absolute highest bid. He performed all the way through his walk year and he earned it and good for him. It came down to either pay Mookie or spread that money to ERod, Bogaerts, Devers and others over the next few years. Once that became obvious, so did trading Mookie while you could still get something back (not to mention flushing Price).

7:38	Matt: I’d love to see Soler in Right and Rosario in left, but I might be greedy

7:39	Braves OF: Michael Harris will be in the OF by September 2022. Waters is a nonfactor.

7:39	Luke Hooper: That’s some serious Harris confidence!

7:40

Guest2: Fans want them to sign Soler, and he has looked like the best of the deadline pickups (not just power, better OBP and defense than expected). Duvall has a dual option, but if he declines that, the Braves can take him to arb. They might bring Pache up as a 4th OF, but he didn’t hit all that well at AAA and may be slowing down as he bulks up. Depending on Soler’s cost, Rosario might be the next choice.

7:44	Joe: sure seems like Freeman reads fangraphs

7:44	Underwater Johnson: Sure hope Kelly has his good stuff…

7:45	Underwater Johnson: A homer here would add a run to three different pitchers’ lines.

7:45	Cat Latos: I feel like the game plan itself is bad, not just the execution

7:47	T: Harris is the best braves OF prospect

7:47	bosoxforlife: Pache is looking like Leody Taveras in a Braves uniform. He may never rise above the Mendoza Line.

7:47	Russ: I’ve loved what Rosario has done as a Brave, but it’s still funny to me that he can go 32 HRs and 109 RBI with 1.2 WAR.

7:47	Joe: Woof 3-1 was a meatball

7:48	Luke Hooper: 3-2 was a hanger too

7:48

Braves OF: Harris is incredibly well-rounded, and the Braves org loves him. He’s a Georgia kid, making him especially easy to root for. He performed really well for a 20 year old in full season ball, and the arc of the season was really encouraging – coming on strong in August after the league adjusted to him; displaying no negative handedness tendencies; etc. He hasn’t fully tapped into the power in-game yet but the swing is there, and we know that can be the last tool to show up in-game. This is a 20 HR 30 SB batter who can play a nice CF.

7:49	Luke Hooper: It was him being their outfielder next year that had me shocked. He’s in high A ball.

7:49	Underwater Johnson: Five curveballs and a slider

7:50

Roach: One thing that I’m curious if it will get talked about:

I know everyone likes to talk about players “elevating and rising to the occasion” in the playoffs, but it always felt a little…hooey.

Like, Walker Buehler has pitched amazingly in the playoffs. But he’s now had 2 out of 3 games where he hasn’t looked that sharp.

7:51	Luke Hooper: I think health and what’s left in the tank, typically plays a bigger role in October for starters than the hooey that you speak of.

7:52	Underwater Johnson: The players are human, even the stars. They’re not robots.

7:53	Luke Hooper: I’m not saying hooey plays zero role.

7:53	Mister Puppy: Humans are always looking for narratives because we need to identify patterns.

7:54	Paul Sporer: Alright I’m back, had a quick radio spot

7:54	Cito’s Mustache: Dan’s neural network once generated the nickname Joe “Lipstick” Kelly and now that’s all I ever think about when he pitches.

7:55	Guest: Who has the most left in the career tank: Greinke, Kershaw, or Kluber?

7:55	Paul Sporer: LOOOOOL I know Kelly isn’t pitching right now but that’s hilarious

7:55	Luke Hooper: Kershaw, easy.

7:55	Paul Sporer: Jesse Chavez has thrown a whole ass game in the pen

7:55	Paul Sporer: Ya, Kershaw by a mile

7:55

Mister Puppy: Remember the other day when one of the TBS broadcasters said that d’Arnaud won a SS last year bc he “went the other way more.” Took me two seconds to look up and confirm that, no, he actually pulled the ball more in 2020. Broadcasters just look for narratives, at least the bad ones do.

7:55	Paul Sporer: It’s soooo bad when it’s something like that. Like what did you research to get that?! Were they just given that? Either way, bad job by the production

7:56	Luke Hooper: I don’t think research led to that haha

7:57

Paul Sporer: I thought Brian Anderson played the batter-v-pitcher stuff well earlier by pointing it out (it was 4-8), acknowledging it was a small sample, and saying there are so good memories to draw from. It puts it out there – bc you know ppl are wondering what the BvP is – without giving it undue weight even when HE’S HITTING .500!

7:57	Underwater Johnson: Probably the announcer called a Braves game that season, d’Arnaud had an opposite field hit and then he won the SS. Done and done.

7:57	Luke Hooper: I like Brian Anderson quite a bit.

7:58	Mateo: One of my favorite unimportant baseball things is the Dodgers’ organist playing the theme from Twin Peaks when the count is 2-2 with 2 outs

7:58	Cito’s Mustache: Snitker not going to a righty with Albert up here.

7:59

Roach: Oh, I agree. But there seems to be this narrative of “So-and-so rises to the occasion” and it feels like narrative nonsense.

Everyone talks about MadBum’s performance in the Wild Card game and the World Series while ignoring he’s rather pedestrian in the Divisional and Championship rounds.

Clayton Kershaw and David Price were chokers in the playoffs…until their performance won their team the World Series.

Walker Buehler and Julio Urias are young studs who don’t lose in the playoffs…and both have and have not looked sharp doing it.

7:59	Paul Sporer: The problem is making more of it than the game or series in question and making who that player is. It’s just a fundamental misunderstanding of small samples initially and snowballs from there

8:02	Russ: Love the looks of agony from the Dodgers fans like they haven’t won a World Series in the past 12 months.

8:02	Roach: Then again, you have guys like Joc Pederson or Pablo Sandoval who somehow always find a second gear so what do I know

8:02	Luke Hooper: Nasty stuff there. What a changeup.

8:03	Paul Sporer: Yeah there will be outliers for sure

8:04	Cito’s Mustache: Speaking of bad stats, the TBS International broadcast just posted Pujols’ career stats vs the Braves. My guess is 90% of that was from when he was with the Cardinals 10+ years ago.

8:04	Paul Sporer: LOL yiiiiikes

8:04	kyle: in a chat earlier this week, KG said that he believed there is something to “stars performing in the postseason”

8:05	Luke Hooper: Key word probably being “something”

8:07	nat: fun fact: Pablo Sandoval played in the majors this very year

8:07	Luke Hooper: And can we even trust KG? He says OPS as if it’s a word (like hops or cops), not an acronym.

8:07	Paul Sporer: lol

8:08	Daniel: That OPS thing was the craziest baseball thing I have heard in years. Madness.

8:09	Divcoman: How many times are they going to show Lux in the dugout? Leave the guy alone!

8:09	Russ: Guys get hot, guys get cold for week(s) at a time for six months. Makes sense that it keeps happening into month seven.

8:09	mybloodyballantine: wOBA should definitely be pronounced

8:09	Paul Sporer: whoa-buh

8:10	Mister Puppy: The nice thing about this game taking forever is that now we have two games to talk about!!

8:10	Luke Hooper: Craig Goldstein @cdgoldstein Stats you say as words: BABIP, ISO, wOBA, SLG, FIP, WHIP, WAR Stats you say the letters of: OBP, OPS, ERA, DRA, wRC+, DRC+, RBI, any defensive metric (UZR, DRS, OAA, FRAA) This is all common sense 19 Oct 2021

8:10	Luke Hooper: Uh oh, I hadn’t even realized the other game was starting!

8:11	Shaquille Oatmeal: What’s worse: KG turning OPS into a word, or announcers pronouncing RBIs “Ribbies”?

8:12	Paul Sporer: No I like Ribbies.

8:12	Paul Sporer: I’m definitely partial to that bc my dad said it lol

8:12	Luke Hooper: Haha yea I’m mildly pro-ribbies

8:12	RTJ: Greinke over/under 2 innings

8:12	Paul Sporer: Over. I think he drops 5.

8:13	Paul Sporer: Maybe it’s just hope so we don’t have to watch another 298734723 pitchers for HOU

8:13	Luke Hooper: Drops 5 runs in 3 innings?

8:13	Russ: Same. “Ribbies” is part of my childhood basically.

8:13	Paul Sporer: lol Luke

8:13	Rain: interesting, I say ISO as the individual letters otherwise I 100% agree

8:13	Chaz: I’ve always pronounced UZR as “oozer”

8:13	Luke Hooper: I kind of like Oozer

8:13	Paul Sporer: Shut upppp LOOOOOOL

8:14	Paul Sporer: Never say oozer

8:14	T: Just make sure you get your ribbies vaccine

8:14	mybloodyballantine: Are they muting the crowd at Fenway? Seems quiet

8:14	Paul Sporer: Fake fans 🙂

8:14	Paul Sporer: BOOOM BREGMAN

8:14	Luke Hooper: Alright, apparently I need to find a second screen.

8:14	Luke Hooper: Or third screen.

8:14	Paul Sporer: iPad coming in clutch right now

8:15	Mateo: The only reason I want to see Houston advance is to watch Greinke take hitting very seriously

8:15	James: No way Greinke goes more than 4. Best case scenario Greinke and Javier combine for 6.

8:16	Cito’s Mustache: Ribbies is fine but then it morphs into rib-eyes and then steaks and some announcers just get silly.

8:16	Shaquille Oatmeal: I tried to concince my friends to call Randy Aroazarena “Rozie the RBI’ter” (Pronounced like Rosie the Riveter” earlier this year. Didn’t take off. Gonna try again next year.

8:16	Paul Sporer: LOOOOOOOL

8:16	Dylorama: Is MLB cannibalizing its viewership by having these games overlap? I know they scheduled them to have one start just as the other ends, but playoff games simply don’t last anywhere close to three hours anymore.

8:16	Paul Sporer: I hate it so much I love it

8:16	Luke Hooper: Nah, there’s no way around it. People were already complaining that a Dodgers game was starting while the west coast was during work hours.

8:17	Paul Sporer: ^

8:17	Underwater Johnson: A lot of players call them steaks

8:17	Luke Hooper: Ooof, huge out from Matzek.

8:18	Phil: Last night the field mikes at Fenway were picking up lots and lots of non-family-friendly language.

8:19	Cito’s Mustache: If players called games using their own slang I’m fairly certain the casual fan would have zero idea what was going on.

8:19	Phil: Do you guys have sufficient authority to declare that the Eddie wristpoint doesn’t matter? Boston media lives for this kind of thing and I am so tired of it.

8:22	Luke Hooper: I don’t have any issue with E-Rod doing that. I also don’t really have an issue with what Cora did. If you’re still worrying about Corea’s watch-move days after it happened then it probably was deeper in your head than it should’ve been.

8:19

Underwater Johnson: Just listened to the Red Sox radio pregame show and a great take from Rob Bradford: Something lost in last night’s game was Cora’s very public and paternal chastising of ERod after he pointed to his wrist while coming off the mound after the 6th inning. Something you are used to seeing, for example, from Mike Krzyszewski to an 18-year-old kid but not really in MLB from a manager to a grown-ass player… and the player accepting it and apologizing. Cora’s point was that if you’re thinking about the other guy’s celebration, you’re not getting your motivation from the right place.

8:21	Shaquille Oatmeal: While we are talking about combining multiple letters into awesome words, the greatest celibrity couple wasn’t Bennifer. It was when Ben Zobrist and Lorenzo Cain batted 2-3 on the Royals, and combined to form BenZoCain.

8:21	RTJ: I’m not sure where it lands with respect to player/team performance, but as a fan I’d love to see more, not less, taunting in professional sports.

8:22	Paul Sporer: I’d say I prefer celebrating, not taunting so much. Escalating stuff to the point where baseballs will be thrown at one another is silly

8:22	Paul Sporer: But celebrating within your team is great!

8:23

Gary G.: Do you guys know the average game length this postseason? I’m watching the NBA’s opening night because I just can’t invest 4.5 hours in a bunch of pitching changes. If they want to keep me as a viewer, it’s not about fiddling with pitch clocks, they need to shorten these games by like 40% and I’m not sure how that happens.

8:23	Paul Sporer: The pitching changes are a big part of it. Just draws the pace to a complete halt

8:23	Paul Sporer: Massive K by Matzek

8:23	Phil: I like celebrating! And I can tolerate taunting if it’s genuinely funny (as Eddie’s was, I thought). I don’t like overhyped media narratives.

8:23	Luke Hooper: Pitch clocks do help that a ton though. Also post season commercial breaks are longer.

8:24	Paul Sporer: And to Correa’s credit, he had literally zero issue with it. If teams can rib each back n forth and everyone keeps their emotions in check, I’m all for it

8:24	Paul Sporer: But feelings get hurt quicklyyyyy

8:24	T: So why was Matzek out of MLB for 5 years

8:24	Paul Sporer: Bc he’d have walked me

8:25	Paul Sporer: His minor league/Indy ball numbers didn’t suggest this comeback was in there, but to his credit he never gave up. It’s an AWESOME story!

8:25	Cito’s Mustache: Matzek had the yips, didn’t he?

8:26	Paul Sporer: Yeah, he was just completely lost on the mound

8:26	mybloodyballantine: X gonna give it to ya

8:26	Phil: And Xander gets the lead right back.

8:26	Underwater Johnson: Greinke seemed to be pitching around Devers there…

8:26	Clem: BOGAERTS!

8:26

Roach: With Alex Bregman, his xWOBA has been trending down for the past couple of seasons. Obviously, he was hurt in 2021 (and 2020 was a relatively small sample), but you start to wonder if he’s following a Kris Bryant trajectory (going from an MVP type player to a solid contributor in the span of a couple years).

8:27	Paul Sporer: It’s really hard to maintain an MVP-caliber. Simply being very good all the time is definitely OK

8:27	Rain: Greinke just threw an eephus there to Verdugo, 69 mph

8:27	Guest: Is Joe Buck really doubting whether Greinke is a Hall of Famer?

8:28	Paul Sporer: I didn’t hear it, had ATL/LAD volume up. But I think he makes it

8:28	Guest: Does this headline work for the ALCS? “Cart before the Horses: Red Rely on Homerun Cart, not Starting Pitches.”

8:28	Paul Sporer: That’s great

8:28	Luke Hooper: That is something haha

8:29	Underwater Johnson: Well, he hasn’t been great the last few weeks…

8:29	Paul Sporer: Who, Bregman?

8:29	Underwater Johnson: Greinke

8:29	Underwater Johnson: Wasn’t HOU the best defensive team, statistically in the regular season?

8:29	Paul Sporer: Well yeah, but that isn’t deciding his HOF merit

8:29	Wire Fan: Roll with Matzek for one more inning? Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow (with potentially a 3-0 lead)?

8:29	Paul Sporer: I’d try

8:30	Luke Hooper: Looks like 2nd best defense in OAA for Houston. Need to check Oozer though.

8:30	Paul Sporer: lol NOO

8:30	Underwater Johnson: Right, it was sarcasm. Sometimes doesn’t come across…

8:31	Paul Sporer: Dammit, my bad lol

8:31	Russ: Not to mention he told the team he wants them to wash their hands after going #2. At least second ballot stuff there.

8:32	Molina Mo Problems: is this gonna transition to sox / astros after dodger game or nah?

8:32	Paul Sporer: I will be done after ATL/LAD, not sure about Luke

8:32	Phil: Great at-bat for JDM–overcame a terrible call by Diaz.

8:32	Sharps: does greinke even get 3?

8:32	Sharps: Dear fangraphs chatters, use the /s for sarcasm. Good enough for Reddit, good enough for us.

8:33	Luke Hooper: Yea we’ve got to call it quits after the first game. Been a blast though, as always.

8:33	Russ: We should strive to be better than reddit, at the very least.

8:33	Underwater Johnson: What’s reddit?

8:33	selling jeans: does greinke even get 2?

8:33	Roach: Phillips wanted nothing to do with Rosario.

8:35	Roach: Or he’s just lost his control, given how that at-bat for Freeman went.

8:35	Underwater Johnson: Renfroe has three career homers off Greinke

8:35	Underwater Johnson: Raley up for HOU

8:35	Underwater Johnson: Greinke must not be right.

8:35	Guest: does greinke get out of this inning?

8:35	Paul Sporer: if he pulls the right string here… wrong string and it’s 5-1

8:36	Paul Sporer: What a stab!!!!!

8:36	selling jeans: yes barely

8:36	Underwater Johnson: There’s that good D…

8:36	Paul Sporer: Bregman came to play!

8:36	Wire Fan: Gonsolin is an interesting call. I guess saving Jansen and Treinen?

8:37	Paul Sporer: I don’t mind it here. See if he can have a good outing and be someone they can actually look to for innings

8:37	Luke Hooper: Uh oh, parking lot cam!

8:37	Cito’s Mustache: 110.7 mph off the bat wow.

8:37	Paul Sporer: It spun Bregman

8:37	Guest: Breg gonna take it from ya

8:37	Underwater Johnson: Go get ’em next time, Hunter. Of course, Greinke is unlikely to be out there next time.

8:37	Russ: Dodgers fan leaving in the 8th inning of an NLCS game 3 like they HAVE won a world series in the past 12 months.

8:37	nat: do managers have agents to negotiate their contracts?

8:38	Paul Sporer: Yes

8:38	selling jeans: dodger fans already heading for freeway

8:38	Joe: Don’t underestimate how hard it is to get out of Chavez Ravine

8:38	Roach: No need to expose Jansen and Treinen more than you already have.

8:38	Underwater Johnson: Well, Bregman’s bad throw kept that inning going and cost Greinke 10 or 15 pitches…

8:38	Paul Sporer: Ooh I missed that letting the dogs out

8:39	Mateo: the real question is whether agents have agents to negotiate their contracts?

8:39	Paul Sporer: lololol

8:39	Wire Fan: Who sees more innings – starting pitchers of LAD fans?

8:39	Luke Hooper: Ouch

8:40	Roach: I bet Scott Boras’ agent gets PAID

8:41	selling jeans: If these two series only go 9 games– which seems very possible if not likely– will produce the most unlikely WS– in terms of how it happened– in a long long time

8:42	Luke Hooper: We might not have weekend baseball…

8:42	Guest: How often does a team in a post-season series win the run differential but lose the series?

8:43	Luke Hooper: I don’t have this answer but I don’t think it’s all that rare. I will look into this more.

8:43	T: oh god, this is finally gonna be the game will smith blows isn’t it

8:44	Guest: Did any Fangraphs writers have the Red Sox or Braves in the World Series?

8:44	Luke Hooper: No one had either them in the world series. Either of them!

8:44	Russ: I remember watching the night Acuna got hurt, feared it was an ACL, and all but wrote off the Braves in 2021.

8:44	Paul Sporer: No matter how many times we see a best player’s injury NOT end a team’s season, we still can’t help but feel that way

8:45	bender: Only 2 of 28(?) had the Braves beating Milwaukee

8:45	Luke Hooper: Don’t come to us for predictions!

8:46	Paul Sporer: I think we’re at a point where we don’t dismiss a team for NOT having a great rotation, but we still overrate teams that have it as if it will fix all

8:46	Roach: There’s the infamous Yankees-Pirates World Series where the Yankees outscored the Pirates by a factor of 2 but lost.

8:46	John Thacker: It’s not that rare. In 1996 the Braves even outscored the Yankees 26-18 despite losing in six games.

8:46	Phil: The Mazeroski series is famous for being an extreme case of runs vs. wins–maybe the record, I vaguely remember?

8:47	CJ: I never thought I’d be rooting for ‘stros just to have some weekend baseball, but here we are

8:47	Cam: I miss Kershaw

8:47	Roach: Does anyone know what’s going on with Justin Turner? He went from hitting a home-run against Adam Wainwright to being a goose egg against the Giants and Braves. Is there something the pitchers have been exploiting against him?

8:47	Farhandrew Zaidman: JT seems just a liiiiitle late on everything.

8:48	Underwater Johnson: I had the Red Sox in the WS. I have a William Hill 30:1 ticket to prove it. I really liked Chaim’s off-season.

8:48	Underwater Johnson: Pivetta not sharp so far

8:48	Paul Sporer: Thoughts from every 5th day

8:48	bender: To be fair, the Milwaukee pitchers did their job. The batters just couldn’t score. And almost all Braves fans thought the Dodgers would take out the Braves

8:48	Paul Sporer: That’s what I mean by it doesn’t fix all. they couldn’t will runs across for the Brewers no matter how well they pitched

8:50	Russ: I was having a great night until T said that.

8:51	nat: huge out for pivetta there. Does he come back next inning?

8:51	Paul Sporer: Were they warming anyone up?

8:51	CJ: Would it be ironic if Roberts gets fired, but Boone (apparently) keeps his job?

8:51	Paul Sporer: Why did so many believe he’d get ax’d?

8:52	Paul Sporer: I guess he could’ve been a fall guy, but I didn’t really see it

8:52	Luke Hooper: Let’s see how many fastballs bellinger gets.

8:52	Russ: Why is there even one person that thinks Roberts is on the hot seat? He just won a world series then won 106 games.

8:52	Paul Sporer: I don’t think it’s blazing hot, but isn’t it always simmering for him?

8:53	Underwater Johnson: No way Roberts gets fired. He does everything the FO tells him to do and takes all the flack when it doesn’t work out.

8:53	selling jeans: Roberts managed a brilliant Game 5 v Giants– give him some slack

8:53	Paul Sporer: Yeah I’m not sure he wears this if they lose

8:53	Fex: He had that Jackson Pollack line ready for a long time

8:53	Paul Sporer: I kinda dug it lol

8:54	Paul Sporer: LET’S GOOOOO

8:54	Luke Hooper: And he did it on a fastball!!

8:54	selling jeans: OMG

8:54	Guest: Redemption!

8:54	RTJ: Caught up to that fastball

8:54	Cito’s Mustache: Bellinger was SITTING on that high fastball. Holy smokes.

8:55	Jackson: BELLINGER!

8:55	Cam: Biggest AB of the season

8:55	Farhandrew Zaidman: LET’S GOOOOO

8:55	Mateo: The Bellinger DFA thought experiment is over, I reckon

8:55	Quarantino Martinez: Cody!!!!!

8:55	T: bahaha luke jackson. If it wasn’t gonna be will smith, it was gonna be him

8:55

CJ: YES

8:55	nat: this makes me feel better about the slider that Doval threw to Bellinger

8:55	Fex: Maybe the Giants don’t have to feel so bad about that slider now lol

8:55	CJ: @Cito’s Mustache I dig your handle. Brings me back

8:55	Russ: (Russ has left the chat.)

8:55	Mister Puppy: Good luck getting him cheap next year Paul lol

8:55	Wire Fan: Shoulda stuck with Matzek… Who was dealing.

8:55	Quarantino Martinez: Maldonado is oddly easy out in 2021 AL baseball

8:55	selling jeans: Scratch the narrative WOW

8:55	Cam: BELLI BOMB

8:55	Daniel: COOOOOOOOOODY

8:55	Lzfreak: Oh man

8:55	Mister Puppy: LIFE

8:56	Luke Hooper: That was a perfectly placed fastball too. Exactly what he wanted to do.

8:56	selling jeans: bet that sounded great to all those “fans” on the 110

8:56	RTJ: Love when a team ties it up after some of their home fans leave for the day

8:56	T: Jackson should not be a high leverage reliever

8:56	Guest: If you had to guess now, who wins the LAD-ATL series?

8:56	Farhandrew Zaidman: Cody hasn’t hit that pitch all year. Literally he was incapable of hitting it.

8:56	Quarantino Martinez: Is there just going to be a late-inning tie and then walkoff every game this series?

8:57	Wire Fan: Can TBS fire up parking lot cam to see if folks are turning around?

8:57	Luke Hooper: Yea I need to see the people turn around and come back.

8:57	Shaquille Oatmeal: Should .160 hitters be pimping it around the bases?

8:57	Paul Sporer: I’m going to assume heavy /s for you

8:58	nat: does dodger stadium allow reentry?

8:58	Paul Sporer: To spare you any potential embarrassment

8:58	Russ: No re-entries.

8:58	Shaquille Oatmeal: yes. LETS GOOOOOOO

8:58	Kosch: I need a Fangraphs article with the heat map of the Astros pitches, seems like a ton non-competitive pitches and over the heart of the plate pitches, can’t seem to locate the corners

8:58	ghost of 1996: Getting real Mark Wohlers to Jim Leyritz vibes

8:59	Molina Mo Problems: cant believe he hit that

8:59	Don: .160 hitters should do it the most. Don’t really have to worry too much about that been there done that talk

9:00	Underwater Johnson: Greinke’s done

9:00	RTJ: getting my Chavez Ravine puns lined up, just in case

9:00	What A Series: @ghost of 1996 You shut your mouth!

9:00	Russ: I was saying that as a joke to Dodgers fans bailing. I don’t actually know for sure.

9:00	Cam: Despite how badly the Dodgers have been perceived to play…they’ve been one half of a pretty incredible series so far. Two walk offs and a game-tying, possibly season saving 3 run homer. That’s good watching

9:00	Paul Sporer: That’s the thing, there’s this perception they’re getting worked and I understood what fuels it, but they’ve lost 2 walkoffs. Atlanta held serve. It’s not panic time.

9:01	Underwater Johnson: Four games, 6.2 IP for HOU starters.

9:01	Russ: Anybody who leaves a baseball game and then wants to come back is no friend of mine anyway.

9:01	Shaquille Oatmeal: I’m so glad I don’t have to watch any more of the Red Sox and Astros than I have to. If this game goes 15 and I’m zombified at the office tommorow, I’d be okay with it

9:01	Rain: Oh yeah this NLCS has been incredible viewing for sure

9:02	Farhandrew Zaidman: Not sure that the Braves love using Chavez in a high leverage situation.

9:02	RTJ: At least the Braves can’t pull a walk-off tonight

9:02	What A Series: Jesse Chavez in on in the bottom 8th….he first warmed up in the bottom of the 1st.

9:03	Deathstar Graterol: so another 9th inning Braves walkoff right?

9:03	T: How many pitches do you think chavez has thrown in total today

9:03	Paul Sporer: at least 50

9:03	Luke Hooper: We’ve seen three different warm up sessions. That’s a lot.

9:03	Paul Sporer: even if you reduce their like “true arm tax” since they’re warmups, it’s still taxing bc of all the ups & downs

9:03	Mister Puppy: ^I’d totally bet the over on 50

9:03

Russ: 69.

9:04	bender: The key play in the inning was the ground ball that didn’t turn into a double play. Not sure why Atlanta wasn’t in the shift. They have been shifting a lot until that play

9:04	Mister Puppy: MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKIE

9:04	Paul Sporer: MOOKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

9:04	Wire Fan: Do you just IBB Betts here?

9:06	Luke Hooper: How about a fastball down the middle?

9:04	Paul Sporer: Let’s gooooo

9:04	CJ: Braves must be in shock

9:04	selling jeans: Jansen up now

9:04	Wire Fan: Never mind…

9:05	Luke Hooper: Still waiting for parking lot cam.

9:05	Farhandrew Zaidman: So I guess Mookie is finally healthy.

9:06	bender: Can’t walk Betts to face lefty Seager

9:06	T: Time for me to do the Dodger fan and dip, I know how this ends, thanks for the chat.

9:06	Deathstar Graterol: Yes, you do just IBB Betts. Why…

9:06	selling jeans: Sure you can hes their best hitter

9:06	Wire Fan: The issue was pulling Matzek. Even if he would be unavailable for game 4 (and 5), they had a chance to get a stranglehold on the series.

9:06	BostonFan: Seeing the cries of “Mookie!” in the chat made me think the Red Sox had scored 🙁

9:07	CJ: I’m half expecting Kershaw in the pen

9:07	Paul Sporer: Trea notching some insurance runs could turn his postseason in a hurry

9:07	Paul Sporer: Thought they were going to ring him

9:08	Paul Sporer: He’s getting there!

9:08	Paul Sporer: Infield single

9:08	Cito’s Mustache: Narratives are dropping like flies in this inning.

9:08	Molina Mo Problems: jansen is due for a BS

9:08	Luke Hooper: Jansen has looked so filthy lately.

9:09	Paul Sporer: Will Smith PA #2 this inning

9:09	CJ: Roberts must be dying for some extra runs

9:09	Mister Puppy: Man, a blown save would completely deflate the Dodgers.

9:09	Paul Sporer: It would be a massive gut punch

9:10	Luke Hooper: Braves definitely have power due up next inning.

9:10	Wire Fan: A blown save for Jansen would only setup a blown save for Smith.

9:10	bender: Dodgers with .320, .380, and .180 xBA hits this inning after not being able to get much at all until now. Crazy stuff

9:11	FannyGraphy: Why does broadcast keep showing Gavin Lux?

9:12	Luke Hooper: He dropped a fly that was a big part of the Braves 5-2 lead. They’ve been showing him a lot.

9:12	Ted: Lux is the honey shot in that dugout apparently

9:13	Luke Hooper: He’s had a very gif-able face all postseason.

9:12	Shaquille Oatmeal: Atlanta’s bullpen sucks huh.

9:12	Cam: If the Dodgers lose this series, I’m going with the terrible narrative of “the Braves didn’t win it – the Dodgers lost it” until next year

9:14	Cito’s Mustache: Win Probability at 88% for the Dodgers. I don’t question the calculation but man, it does not feel like that right now.

9:14	BettsBellingerCaruso: @Cam – kind of the same w/ last year’s NLCS from games 5-7 lol

9:14	Deathstar Graterol: This is exciting right here. Baseball!

9:14	Paul Sporer: Y’all ever seen that A-Rod clip where he ends it by going BAAASSEEEBBAAALLL!!!!

9:15	Paul Sporer: it’s impossible to find unless you know it bc how the hell do you google “A-Rod Baseball” and not get 729479324987329487324 results, but holy crap does it make me laugh

9:15	Deathstar Graterol: post link to said video

9:16	Luke Hooper: hahaha yea if you aren’t gonna post the link it’s never gonna be found.

9:16	Paul Sporer: I don’t have it. I simply have the sound of him saying it in an audio file for my StreamDeck

9:16	Paul Sporer: I know, I’m sorry

9:16	Paul Sporer: But I had to share in case someone knows of it… my twitch chat told me about it

9:16	Paul Sporer: As an announcer, at the end of an inning on a big play

9:16	Mister Puppy: What is the context? As a player? A promo? In the booth?

9:16	Luke Hooper: Well it’s a good sound bite for right now.

9:17	Paul Sporer: I was answering that Q, btw, lol

9:17	Paul Sporer: GOT EM ON STRIKES

9:17	Shaquille Oatmeal: Pete Kozma was released today. He joins Jesse Chavez, Alcides Escobar, and John Axford on my “Wait, he’s still playing in 2021?” list.

9:17	Ted: Man this game is nice after that so called postseason game last night

9:17	Underwater Johnson: Braves have been handed an opportunity to drive the stake a game early…

9:17	Paul Sporer: Here we go

9:17	Paul Sporer: Joctober in the 9th v. Kenley

9:17	Paul Sporer: We deserve this!

9:18	Cam: Riley was absolutely looking for something else there

9:18	CJ: Here comes Joc

9:18	Cito’s Mustache: Crazy to think the Jays traded Liam Hendriks for Jesse Chavez at one point.

9:18	Luke Hooper: More of that mustachio’d Dodger fan, please.

9:18	Phil: I like baseball too. I think this is literally the only thing I have in common with Alex Rodriguez. I might have been engaged to Jennifer Lopez at some point, can’t remember.

9:18	Deathstar Graterol: Yes, perfect matchup

9:19	Paul Sporer: Can he execute a good cutter here

9:19	Paul Sporer: Goes with a nasty slide piece!!!!!!!!!!

9:19	CJ: Joc missed his pitch

9:19	Deathstar Graterol: Joc’s swing style is a good counter for Jansen’s cutter I feel, with no data to back it up

9:19	Paul Sporer: He was not looking for that at all

9:20

CJ: WOW

9:20	Paul Sporer: BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!

9:20	Paul Sporer: 69% K rate for Kenley Jansen

9:21	Smiling Politely: gotta say, whatever happens at the end of the year, seeing Kenley regain his form has been a joy

9:21	CJ: I agree Smiling

9:21	Paul Sporer: Love peak Kenley

9:21	Mateo: sigh nice…

9:21	Lzfreak: Nice

9:21	Mister Puppy: we went “WOW” and “BOOOOOOOM” and every Dodgers fan 30 seconds behind had a heart attack

9:21	selling jeans: impressive one more and we’ve got a real series

9:21	Fire Ken Tremendous: Joc seems like the kind of guy who’d pull a “Moonlight Graham” here because he’d know how to get under Kenley’s skin

9:21	Paul Sporer: He is electric right now

9:22	John: Seems like kenleys stuff is there but the command a bit shaky

9:22	John: but evidently enough so far

9:22	Paul Sporer: A little command for velo trade off

9:22	Cam: Kenley playing himself into a new Dodgers contract

9:22	Paul Sporer: Filth

9:23	CJ: Come on now

9:23	Luke Hooper: Let’s get a check swing to end it

9:23	Paul Sporer: Steve Garvey in the cut

9:23	selling jeans: we’ll see you tomorrow night

9:23	Lzfreak: We’re gonna have Thursday baseball!

9:23	Shaquille Oatmeal: As someone who doesn’t watch NL baseball much, I hate that Jansen’s fake leg kick is legal. Balks are balks with no one on too

9:23	John: BAAAASSSEBALLLLLL

9:23	Paul Sporer: YES JOHN!!!!

9:24	Cito’s Mustache: That was incredible. This series deserves to go 7.

9:24	Russ: Well I’ve sure come down in the last 30 minutes. Good game, Dodgers fans.

9:24	Mister Puppy: Wow. This series was all but over 30 minutes ago. This is more fun!

9:24	Wire Fan: Wow what a comeback. Thx for the chat guys.

9:24	Mateo: my body is ready… for more baseball

9:24	Paul Sporer: Wow that was a great game

9:24	Paul Sporer: Thanks to everyone who came out, that was a ton of fun watching with y’all!!

9:24	Luke Hooper: Yea that was something else

9:24	Paul Sporer: Luke, great doing this with you!

9:25	Luke Hooper: Yea good stuff Paul! Have a good night everyone!

9:25	Paul Sporer: Stay tuned for our next playoff chat (I’m not entirely sure when that is, but that’s why you gotta stay tuned)!

BAL	CHW	LAA
BOS	CLE	OAK
NYY	DET	SEA
TBR	KCR	TEX
TOR	MIN	HOU

ATL	CHC*	ARI
MIA	CIN	COL
WSN	MIL	LAD
NYM*	PIT	SDP*
PHI	STL	SFG