Unfathomable and Undeniable: Francisco Lindor’s Grand Slam Sends Mets to NLCS

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

NEW YORK — As Francisco Lindor stepped in against Phillies reliever Carlos Estévez with the bases loaded, one out, and the Mets down a run in the sixth inning, the Citi Field fans were still singing his walk-up song:

When it’s cold outside, I’ve got the month of May.

The Mets shortstop called time, retreated, and regrouped. The singing continued.

I guess you’d say,
What can make me feel this way?
My girl, my girl, my girl
Talkin’ ‘bout my girl, my girl

They punctuated their sweet serenade with three letters, shouted repeatedly in succession. “M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!”

Lindor returned to the batter’s box, tapped the outside edge of the plate, then the inside one. Now, he was ready to break the game open. Read the rest of this entry »


All Relievers, No Runs: Dodgers Force Game 5 With Blowout Win

David Frerker-Imagn Images

Who would you pitch in a pivotal Game 4? Let’s say, just for the sake of argument, that your best starter is available on three days’ rest, and he didn’t throw a full complement of pitches in his last start. He could pitch tonight’s game – or he could pitch a potential fifth and deciding game on full rest. But if resting him and letting him go in the next one seems like the obvious answer, let’s add another wrinkle: There’s no one else available to start. If your ace doesn’t go, it’s all bullpen, all the way.

The Padres and Dodgers both faced that decision Wednesday. They chose differently – the Padres sent Dylan Cease to the mound, while the Dodgers countered with reliever Ryan Brasier. The decision wasn’t exactly identical, but it was nearly so. The Dodgers used three relievers in Game 3, while the Padres used four. The relievers San Diego used were better – but then, their bullpen is better overall. Both teams had good full-rest options for Game 5 even if they opted to use their aces on Wednesday, with Yu Darvish set to take the ball for the Padres and Jack Flaherty available to do so for the Dodgers if Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched Game 4 on short rest. (Dave Roberts said after the game that he has not yet settled on a Game 5 starter, with everything from Yamamoto, Flaherty and another bullpen game on the table depending on how everyone is feeling after Thursday’s workout.)

Cease came out with what seemed like the kind of adrenaline you’d expect from a guy trying to knock the Dodgers out of the playoffs. His first fastball to Shohei Ohtani was 99.6 mph. The slowest fastball he threw in the first inning was 97.5 mph, half a tick faster than his average fastball this year. His slider had more hop. His sweeper had more sweep. Oh yeah – he also hung a fastball middle-middle that Mookie Betts launched for a solo home run.
Read the rest of this entry »


Shouts & Murmurs: Padres Down Dodgers in Loud Game 3

Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Do you have a favorite flavor of baseball? Maybe you enjoy a crisp, clean pitching duel, or maybe you prefer the luxurious mouthfeel of a decadent slugfest. But if what your tastebuds really crave is yelling – the sharp, mouth-puckering tartness of unbridled emotion and constant, heartfelt screaming audible through the on-field microphones – then Game 3 of the National League Divisional Series between the Dodgers and Padres was the contest for you. The San Diego fans screamed pretty much all game long and the players screamed whenever anything big happened, which is to say often.

With the series tied at one coming into the game, drama was the watchword of the day. The Padres had roasted the Dodgers, 10-2, in Game 2 on Sunday. The fans threw things at the San Diego players. Manny Machado threw a ball into the Los Angeles dugout. Dave Roberts asked the league office to investigate the throw, which, he said, was directed at him with “something behind it.” When Zapruder-esque video of the toss surfaced online, that something was revealed to be petulant but ultimately harmless. Tensions were high enough that before the game, the Padres released a statement reminding their fans that throwing things at the Dodgers is frowned upon. So rather than throw, the fans just screamed. For hours.

The game featured plenty of action, all of it stuffed into the span of one inning. The teams combined for 10 runs in the bottom of the second and the top of the third, and then, when it looked like the onslaught might never stop, the bats went cold and the game turned into a one-run nailbiter headlined by unhittable bullpens. If you had Walker Buehler surrendering six runs on your bingo card, congratulations on having a bingo card full of extremely probable outcomes. If you had him getting through five innings, then you lucked out. But if you somehow had both of those outcomes, you should probably upgrade from bingo to the Mega Millions, because fortune is smiling upon you. Meanwhile, the Padres started Michael King, who ran a 2.95 ERA this season and threw seven scoreless innings in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series. What looked for all the world like the world’s most lopsided pitching matchup ended up as very nearly a draw.

In the end, the Padres pulled out a 6-5 victory, and they now have a chance to end the Dodgers’ season on Wednesday night. If they do, it will mark the third straight time that the Dodgers have won the division but failed to make it to the League Championship Series. Read the rest of this entry »


Riley Greene Is Getting Turned Inside Out

Junfu Han/USA TODAY NETWORK

Riley Greene has never seen the ball like this before. You never know how someone will react to their first postseason experience – players have been known to press or freeze up – but Greene has done no such thing. He’s chasing pitches outside the strike zone about as frequently as he did in the regular season. Meanwhile, he’s locked in when pitchers challenge him. He’s swinging at 85% of pitches in the strike zone, up from about 66% during the regular season. And when he gets one right down the middle, he’s going for it: He’s taken 13 swings at 15 such pitches, also an 85% swing rate, up from 73% before October.

Just one problem: Greene is hitting .133/.278/.200 in the playoffs. He’s walking at about the same clip, and his strikeouts are barely down. Meanwhile, his power has completely disappeared. He has one extra-base hit, a double. He hasn’t barreled up a single ball. His bat speed is down two ticks from the regular season, and down nearly 2.5 mph from his second-half mark. He’s making more weak contact and less hard contact. These things don’t quite make sense together. Are we looking at a fluke of batted ball luck or a trend?

Now, let’s be honest with ourselves. It’s probably at least partly a fluke of batted ball luck. We’re talking about four games here, 18 plate appearances. You’re not supposed to read too much into samples that small, and if you do, you should focus on the most stable indicators you can find. On-base percentage? Slugging? Heck, strikeout rate? We haven’t seen nearly enough to take those at face value. But I do think something’s wrong, so I thought I’d dig a little deeper. Read the rest of this entry »


Job Posting: New York Mets – Associate Analyst

Associate Analyst, Player Development Analytics

Location: Citi Field – Queens, New York

Job Description:
The Associate Analyst, Player Development Analytics is responsible for helping to drive development plans for one or multiple minor league affiliates.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Perform thorough research analysis on Mets players to help Player Development build and maintain individual Player Plans

  • Communicate analysis on players’ biggest opportunities for improvements to coaches and Player Development leadership

  • Serve as the main liaisons between Player Development and Baseball Analytics

  • Execute research on topics pertaining to Player Development

  • Develop systems that allow staff to efficiently come to good conclusions consistent with organizational philosophy

  • Construct models and tools that will help the organization how to understand the effects of developmental drills and environments

  • Drive growth of Mets coaches through continued education

  • Provide feedback to the rest of Baseball Analytics and Baseball Systems on reports, models, and tools that relate to Player Development

  • Work with the other analysts to help improve each other’s coding abilities and quantitative abilities

  • Interpret and integrate data and model-based results from internal reports and websites to help coaches use the information to work with their players

  • Ad hoc requests from Baseball Analytics and Player Development in line with these job responsibilities

  • As time permits, analysts will be assigned additional coding and/or statistical modeling projects relating to Player Development

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

  • Bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field or equivalent experience

  • Experience with baseball technology, including but not limited to Blast Motion, Hawk-Eye, KinaTrax, and Trackman

  • Significant experience in R, Python, or similar, as well as proficiency in SQL

  • Statistical modeling experience is a strong plus

  • Fluency in Spanish is a plus

  • Must be able to travel domestically

  • Must be able to work unconventional hours

The above information is intended to describe the general nature, type, and level of work to be performed. The information is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for this position. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The individual selected may perform other related duties as assigned or requested.

The New York Mets recognize the importance of a diverse workforce and value the unique qualities individuals of various backgrounds and experiences can offer to the Organization. Our continued success depends heavily on the quality of our workforce. The Organization is committed to providing employees with the opportunity to develop to their fullest potential.

Pay Rate: $18.15-$25.00 hourly

For technical reasons, we strongly advise to not use an .edu email address when applying. Thank you very much.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the New York Mets.


Job Posting: Oakland Athletics – Sports Science Analyst and Minor League Video Assistant

Direct Links (Please see full job postings below):

Sport Science Analyst
Minor League Video Assistant


Sport Science Analyst

Department: Baseball Operations

Reporting to: Sr. Director, Sports Medicine and Performance

Job Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Full-time Location (City, State): Mesa, AZ

About the A’s:
The A’s are a baseball team founded in 1901. They have a rich history, having won nine World Series championships and 15 American League pennants. The A’s are known for pioneering the “Moneyball” approach to team-building, which focuses on using statistical analysis to identify undervalued players.

In addition to their success on the field, the A’s also have a positive and dynamic work culture. They have been recognized twice as the Front Office Sports, Best Employers in Sports.

The A’s are defined by their core pillars of being Dynamic, Innovative, and Inclusive. Working for the A’s offers the opportunity to be part of an innovative organization that values its employees and strives to create a positive work environment.

Description:
The A’s are hiring for a full-time Sport Science Analyst to work alongside the Sports Medicine and Performance team. This position will assist in numerous organizational priorities, including the creation and distribution of reports, metrics, and statistical models pertaining to player health and performance. Additionally, the role will act as a key liaison among the Major League Team, Baseball Operations, Player Development, and Sports Science staff. This position is primarily based onsite in Mesa, AZ.

Responsibilities:

  • Produce statistical analysis and reporting for Sports Medicine, Performance, Sports Science, and Player Development staff. 
  • Conduct research projects with a focus on player tracking and biomechanical data.
  • Work closely with Lead Sport Scientist and Biomechanist to establish objective measures and workload-based reports.
  • Utilize statistical and data analysis techniques to identify patterns, trends, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to assist in workload management.
  • Effectively collaborate and communicate with Sports Medicine, Performance, Sports Science, and Player Development, and Front Office Staff.

Qualifications / Requirements:

  • A graduate degree or equivalent experience in an analytical field, such as statistics, computer science, applied math, or engineering.
  • Foundational knowledge in performance science disciplines, including biomechanics, sports medicine, exercise physiology, and athletic training.
  • Strong proficiency in statistical programming and familiarity relational databases. Experience with time series data and analysis is strongly preferred.
  • Ability to communicate effectively to all members of Baseball Operations, Medical, and Performance staff. 
  • Availability to work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

The A’s diversity statement:
Diversity Statement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are in our organizational DNA. Our commitment to these values is unwavering – on and off the field. Together, we continue to build an inclusive, innovative, and dynamic culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates belonging and amplifies diverse voices. Combining a collaborative and innovative work environment with talented and diverse team members, we’ve created a workforce in which every team member has the tools to reach their full potential.

Equal Opportunity Consideration:
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Minor League Video Assistant

Department: Baseball Operations

Reporting to: Manager, Minor League Technology & Development

Job Classification: Seasonal

Full-time Location (City, State): Multiple Locations

About the A’s:
The A’s are a baseball team founded in 1901. They have a rich history, having won nine World Series championships and 15 American League pennants. The A’s are known for pioneering the “Moneyball” approach to team-building, which focuses on using statistical analysis to identify undervalued players.

In addition to their success on the field, the A’s also have a positive and dynamic work culture. They have been recognized twice as the Front Office Sports, Best Employers in Sports.

The A’s are defined by their core pillars of being Dynamic, Innovative, and Inclusive. Working for the A’s offers the opportunity to be part of an innovative organization that values its employees and strives to create a positive work environment.

Description:
The A’s are seeking a seasonal Minor League Video Assistant for the 2025 season at each of the minor league affiliates. The ideal candidate will be available to work home and road games traveling with a minor league affiliate team while handling video charting and other technical matters.

Responsibilities:

  • Arrive several hours prior to each game to set up cameras and input rosters and lineups.
  • Be available before games to film bullpens, batting practice, early work, and help players and staff with any video/technology related requests.
  • Chart each home game using Trackman software.
  • Review pitch/game data for any errors at conclusion of game and upload data to TrackMan system.
  • Review questionable pitches with the video to make sure the data going into our system is as accurate as possible.
  • Communicate with support and the Athletics front office about technical issues that may come up.
  • Import video from cameras into editing software (BATS) to sync and cut up the game’s video.
  • Upload video to the A’s proprietary scouting software.
  • Work with and assist the coaching staff and players with video and technology requests.
  • Manage various technologies to assist with Player Development.

Requirements:

  • Must be organized and have strong attention to detail.
  • Have a basic familiarity of Microsoft Office and Various Web Browsers.
  • Ability to effectively communicate and problem solve IT or other technical issues.
  • Prior experience with Trackman or other computerized scoring software is preferred, but not required. 
  • Flexibility to work extensive hours including nights, weekends, and holidays, as required by the minor league baseball season.
  • Ability to attend Spring Training in Mesa, AZ facilities.
  • Ability to work at one of the Athletics’ minor league affiliates for the minor league season at one of the following affiliates (Las Vegas, NV; Midland,TX; Lansing, MI; Stockton, CA; Mesa, AZ; La Victoria, Dominican Republic).
  • Travel as necessary based on the affiliate team’s schedule.

The A’s diversity statement:
Diversity Statement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are in our organizational DNA. Our commitment to these values is unwavering – on and off the field. Together, we continue to build an inclusive, innovative, and dynamic culture that encourages, supports, and celebrates belonging and amplifies diverse voices. Combining a collaborative and innovative work environment with talented and diverse team members, we’ve created a workforce in which every team member has the tools to reach their full potential.

Equal Opportunity Consideration:
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, gender identity, marital or veteran status, or any other protected class.

For California based positions only: In adherence to California’s Pay Transparency Act (SB 1162) and in compliance with California minimum wage, the starting compensation for this role is $18.00 / hour.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Oakland Athletics.


Job Posting: Cincinnati Reds – Baseball Operations Trainee and Baseball Analytics Trainee

Direct Links (Please see full job postings below):

Baseball Operations Trainee
Baseball Analytics Trainee


Baseball Operations Trainee

Department: Baseball Operations
Reports To: Coordinator, Baseball Operations and Coordinator, Baseball Operations and Player Development
Job Purpose: Provide support to all members of the Baseball Operations Department in a wide range of both administrative and baseball-related tasks and projects.

This posting will be used to recruit both full-year and summer-start candidates.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Perform qualitative and quantitative research and analysis in support of salary arbitration, roster management, player evaluation, player development, amateur draft, and trade deadline efforts.
  • Introductory level player evaluation, including scouting and writing reports on assignment.
  • Assist in preparation of advance scouting documents and video for players and coaches during season.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Independent judgment and ability to multitask is required to plan, prioritize, and organize diversified workload.
  • Strong work ethic and willingness to work long, flexible hours including weekends and holidays.
  • High level of attention to detail.
  • Must be trustworthy and comfortable with managing sensitive information.
  • High level of interpersonal skills and be able to effectively communicate with wide range of departments, seniority levels and personalities.
  • Understanding of typical baseball data structures, plus knowledge of current baseball research and traditional baseball statistics and strategy.

Experience, Education, and Licensure:

  • Bachelor’s degree or pursuit of degree or equivalent experience in a quantitative field, such as statistics, mathematics, engineering, and/or economics preferred.
  • Experience playing/working in college and/or professional baseball/softball preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience and proficiency with:
    • Database querying (e.g., SQL) and statistical software (e.g., R, Python) preferred.
    • BATS video system preferred.
    • Microsoft Office Suite (e.g., Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) required.

Requirements:

  • Spoken and written fluency in English.
  • Ability to travel within the United States and internationally.
  • Willing to relocate.

Expectations:

  • Adhere to Cincinnati Reds Organization Policies and Procedures.
  • Act as a role model within and outside the Cincinnati Reds Organization.
  • Perform duties as workload necessitates.
  • Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
  • Meet department productivity standards.
  • Willingness to learn. Open to new methodologies.

Equal Opportunity Statement:
The Cincinnati Reds are an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Cincinnati Reds to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or creed, sex, age, military or veteran status, disability, citizenship status, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disclaimer:
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. The above description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Additional duties, as assigned, may become part of the job function. The duties listed above is, therefore, a partial representation not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.


Baseball Analytics Trainee

Department: Baseball Analytics
Reports To: Baseball Analytics Leadership
Job Purpose: Assist Baseball Operations decision-making through the analysis of various sources of baseball information. The specific day-to-day responsibilities of this position will vary depending on current needs from our stakeholders along with the baseball calendar but will revolve around analyzing various sources of baseball data.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Learn and communicate analytical products across departments.
  • Build upon analytic initiatives by creating new statistical models, applications, and reports.
  • Introductory level player evaluation, including scouting and writing reports on assignment.
  • Iterate on existing products and processes already established by the Baseball Analytics Department.
  • Present analysis and research results to stakeholders with various levels of analytic knowledge.
  • Conduct ad-hoc research projects when requested.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

  • Independent judgment and ability to multitask.
  • Strong work ethic and willingness to work long, flexible hours including weekends and holidays.
  • High level of attention to detail.
  • Creative approach to problem solving
  • High level of interpersonal skills to effectively communicate baseball analytic concepts with a wide range of departments, seniority levels, and personalities.
  • Knowledge of current baseball research, data, and technology.
  • Strong technical and statistical acumen.
  • Passion for the game of baseball.

Experience, Education, and Licensure:

  • Bachelor’s degree or pursuit of degree or equivalent experience in a quantitative field that emphasizes technical and analytical problem-solving skills such as statistics, mathematics, engineering, and/or economics preferred.
  • Specifically seeking diverse candidates who bring a unique perspective and thoughtful, creative problem solving.
  • Understanding of advanced statistical techniques is strongly preferred
  • Demonstrated experience and proficiency with Database querying (e.g., SQL) and statistical software (e.g., R, Python) is strongly preferred.
  • Ability to learn other programming languages as needed.

Requirements:

  • Spoken and written fluency in English.
  • Willing to relocate to Cincinnati, OH during the summer/baseball season.

Expectations:

  • Adhere to Cincinnati Reds Organization Policies and Procedures.
  • Act as a role model within and outside the Cincinnati Reds Organization.
  • Perform duties as workload necessitates.
  • Demonstrate flexible and efficient time management and ability to prioritize workload.
  • Meet department productivity standards.
  • Willingness to learn. Open to new methodologies.

Technical Questionnaire:
The Baseball Analytics Department of the Cincinnati Reds requires all applicants to complete a technical questionnaire hosted on Coderbyte to be considered for this role. The technical assessment has a time limit of 2 hours. Many prior applicants complete the assessment in 1 hour.

The URL to complete the required technical assessment is listed below (Please copy/paste into a new tab): https://coderbyte.com/sl-candidate?promo=cincinnatireds-sqyjd:sql-assessment–4p1f-hlojtad&invb=userweij5h2w

Equal Opportunity Statement:
The Cincinnati Reds are an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the Cincinnati Reds to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion or creed, sex, age, disability, citizenship status, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by law.

Disclaimer:
The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the employee in this position. The above description is only a summary of the typical functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all possible job responsibilities, tasks, and duties. Additional duties, as assigned, may become part of the job function. The duties listed above is, therefore, a partial representation not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of a person in this position.

To Apply:
To apply, please follow this link.

The content in this posting was created and provided solely by the Cincinnati Reds.


Effectively Wild Episode 2228: Clear and Convincing

EWFI
Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the latest home run predictions (by Carlos Estévez and Lawrence Butler), top closers blowing leads, the compelling, competitive postseason, highlights of recent games, broadcasters invoking momentum, replay controversies, and Padres-Dodgers bad blood, plus follow-ups on green screens (or the lack thereof) on baseball broadcasts, fun-fact qualifiers, and the Reds and the Selig Rule, and closing banter about the Brewers and Willy Adames.

Audio intro: El Warren, “Effectively Wild Theme
Audio outro: Beatwriter, “Effectively Wild Theme

Link to FG playoff coverage
Link to Estévez prediction piece
Link to his previous prediction
Link to Estévez prediction pod 1
Link to Estévez prediction pod 2
Link to Estévez prediction pod 3
Link to Butler interview clip
Link to story on Butler and Harris
Link to player predictions wiki
Link to Carpenter homer
Link to hardest-hit balls vs. Clase
Link to Clase 3-run HR fact
Link to Carpenter leaderboard 1
Link to Carpenter leaderboard 2
Link to Carpenter career platoon splits
Link to Rosen on Carpenter vs. Clase
Link to Clase pitch-type splits
Link to Sam on closer flops
Link to FG reliever projections
Link to SP cruising study 1
Link to SP cruising study 2
Link to momentum study 1
Link to momentum study 2
Link to momentum study 3
Link to momentum wiki
Link to Sam on the 2014 Royals
Link to Paine on 1-1 ties
Link to ZiPS odds
Link to Ben Clemens on weekend games
Link to Nate Silver post
Link to replay reviews breakdown
Link to MLB quotes about replay
Link to Dodgers-Padres Athletic recap
Link to Dodgers-Padres breakdown video
Link to Roberts quote
Link to Machado video 1
Link to Machado video 2
Link to Rosenthal on Machado
Link to dugout sides
Link to Simpsons clip
Link to Lux quote
Link to green screen photo
Link to Ortiz photo 1
Link to Ortiz photo 2
Link to virtual replacement ads info 1
Link to virtual replacement ads info 2
Link to virtual replacement ads info 3
Link to Alonso fun fact
Link to Carpenter fun fact
Link to Francona hiring article
Link to Heyman tweet
Link to Brewers postseason streak
Link to Gandalf book quote
Link to Gandalf movie quote
Link to triple crown question 1
Link to triple crown question 2
Link to triple crown question 3

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 Email Us: podcast@fangraphs.com


The Phillies Get Caught in Sean Manaea’s Crossfire

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mets fans have their narrative: Sean Manaea was remarkable in Game 3 of the NLDS, keeping the Phillies in check over seven-plus innings and leading his club to a resounding 7-2 victory. Phillies fans have their narrative, too: The NL East champs played uncompetitive baseball all evening, pushing them to the brink of elimination. The former narrative gives the Mets all the agency (they won because they played well!), while second gives the Phillies all the blame (they lost because they played so poorly!), but that doesn’t mean they both can’t be true. The Mets were firing on all cylinders in Game 3, and the Phillies didn’t do much to stop them.

Entering play on Tuesday, all four Division Series were tied up 1-1. That effectively turned each series into a three-game set – and a three-game set in which the lower seeds held home-field advantage. It’s no secret the Phillies love playing at Citizens Bank Park; their 54-27 (.667) record at home this season was the best in baseball, while their 41-40 (.506) record on the road was tied for 13th. However, the Phillies still had an ace up their sleeve as they packed their bags and left for Queens. They only had to win one game at Citi Field and they could come back home to another Zack Wheeler start at the Bank. That’s a big reason why they came into tonight’s game with a 61% chance to advance to the NLCS, as well as the highest World Series odds among the eight remaining teams. Read the rest of this entry »


Maikel Garcia Has Earned the Favor of the BABIP Gods

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals have a great starting rotation, a bullpen that’s come together nicely over the past few weeks, and a lot of team speed. The offense? Eh, it’s not great. Let’s not underestimate the impact of Bobby Witt Jr., who was the best normal-sized player in the American League this year, and should count as two All-Stars. They’ve got a couple big dudes to drive in Witt, but Salvador Perez is 34 going on 50, and Vinnie Pasquantino is working with a barely healed right thumb. That’s no small issue — the thumb is what separates us from the apes.

I was going to break out the old cliché about bringing a knife to a gunfight, but there have been times when manager Matt Quatraro was probably looking around and thinking, “You know what, I would settle for some cutlery right about now.”

Nevertheless, the Royals cooked the Orioles in the Wild Card round, and split the first leg of the ALDS at Yankee Stadium, coming very close to winning both games. That’s because, in his search for a barely survivable amount of offense, Quatraro is pushing all the right buttons. Read the rest of this entry »