Big league front offices are, for the most part, populated by cowards. They say they want to win, but what they want most of all is to keep their jobs and not get yelled at. OK, maybe I came on too strong. That’s not cowardice, that’s just life under capitalism. A clever observer might note that one of the major sources of “getting yelled at” for major league GMs is the media — i.e., people like me. Maybe I should be nicer.
Two decades after the sabermetrics revolution shook up baseball’s norms, 30 GMs and/or Ps of BO have converged on a new conventional wisdom: You can never have enough pitchers.
During the regular season, sure. The 162-game slate is a siege by design. Teams play six times a week for six months, and most of the innings of most of those games are pretty pointless. Let’s say the average team plays about 55 defensive innings per week; the team’s top three starters and top two relievers might combine to throw, what, 25 of those innings? Read the rest of this entry »
Welcome to our first Members Open Game Thread. Only Members can participate, and unlike our usual game chats, your messages will be posted immediately.
Our Member community is made up of thousands of incredibly knowledgable baseball fans, and we think this could be a great way to follow a game with like-minded baseball enthusiasts. We might even have some FanGraphs Staff drop in and join the fun. Please be courteous to your fellow Members, or you may find your chat privileges revoked. This is a bit of an experiment, so we’ll see how it goes and potentially make adjustments or even add features as needed. And we certainly welcome your feedback!
Sadsoxadmin edited
Who the **** thought it was a good idea to give Cam Schlittler a breaking ball
reasonablysober
Go Cubs, Phillies, Astros, and Red Sox.
PC1970
Members Only thread..much better than a Members Only jacket.
David Appelman
A FanGraphs Members Only Jacket prototype does exists….
Seuss2004
What a time to be alive
Sean Dolinar
Hey all! Like we said, we're trying something new. We'll have staff pop in and out today. But you get to drive the conversation today.
Doug Lampert
I'm at work with this on my second screen, so I'll need a play by play if I'm going to follow the games.
Seuss2004
Since June 14th (19 starts!) Sanchez has an ERA over 4 and a higher FIP than Tyler Mahle. I have concerns.
Daniel –
trust the xfip brother
drplantwrench
not sure if its smart to give me the ability to post immediately…
Sean Dolinar
there's some trepidation here, too.
Doug Lampert
I find the delay on normal threads annoying. Giving members a revokable right to instant post would be a nice perk.
Jon Becker
You should be able to click the settings gear in the top right and adjust your delay
Don Glickstein
Great interview today in the Seattle Times with John Stanton, the Mariners' chairman, about why he's keeping DiPoto and why the M's refuse to sign aging stars.
war2d2
All right! No safety net! Who’s gonna be the first to end their career with a screenshot
wenz
Baseball is awesome, but I have to admit that I'm having a tough time choosing between following this game and taking a post-lunch nap
Jonathan Vander Lugt
I'm in the same boat after just getting back from hot pot with my day job colleagues
Doug Lampert
Roster Resources has Roman Anthony projected to play for the Red Sox today, anyone know what the problem was yesterday?
wenz
Hand soreness
Jon Beckeredited
We don't make individual edits to lineup projections on the Scores page, we just use the Go-To Starting Lineup that shows on the RosterResource page. So as long as Anthony's on the roster he'll show as projected to play, but we have no idea on his availability today.
Sean Dolinar
A few features to note:
– you can delay the incoming messages up to 3 minutes to using the gear in the top right corner.
– you can reply to a message by hovering over it and clicking in the top right corner.
Amos
Is there any way to “pop out” the chat as its own window/tab? On my phone, the extra real estate (and not accidentally scrolling the browser instead of the chat) would be really nice.
drplantwrench
very cool work, sean!
Sean Dolinar
Infield in already!
Sonny L
Look at Philly playing small ball
lzfreak
What's the deal with flipping Bohm and Stott last minute?
Seuss2004
And no TOOTBLANS through 3 batters, astounding
Jon Becker
Wasn't really last minute, got announced about an hour ago
Jon Becker
Stott-Bohm was initially a clerical error
drplantwrench
phillies dinking singles around, like we all expected
Sonny L
There ya go Suess
Doug Lampert
I didn't see the play, but does being thrown out at home on a ball in play really count as a TOOTBLAM? I admit it wasn't a force.
Sonny Ledited
Ehhh, without a wide angle to see if Harper broke too early thinking it was through hard to call it a bad read. There was going to be an out somewhere on that play.
Seuss2004
Ah well nm
lzfreak
Kinda feels like the Phillies need more than 1 here
drplantwrench
suddenly braves have momentum again
Ben Clemens
I thought it was pretty weird to see the Braves with the infield in in the first. I guess they're very open to the possibility of a low scoring game
lzfreak
I've always been curious on the effectiveness of playing the infield in, in general. Is this the kind of thing we have data on in a way to analyze?
alexp
I feel like Weiss was quick to pull the infield in all season
Ben Clemens
I was thinking about this last half inning. I think the existing data could probably be manipulated to at least come up with SOMETHING. We don't have perfect infield positioning data, but we do have distance from home plate, so there's enough to do some approximating. Offseason project?
Don’t think I’ve ever seen a batter with a knee guard like Acuna is wearing.
SPArn
Is Marsh a non tender candidate? Considering they just paid Bohm 10.2 in his final year, probably not, but that 2nd half wRC+ says 31!
Jon Becker
I would be very surprised if he was NTed
SPArn
(If anyone is lurking both here and in the Rates and Barrels discord, I'm sorry you're seeing me posit this twice)
Sean Dolinar
I appreciate that you are here.
Jim Parks
Bad baserunning by Acuna there.
SPArn
@Ben Clemens any publicity is good publicity for UVA re: Bennett Sousa? He's spoiling all of Ernie Clement and Josh Sborz's postseason goodwill!
Ben Clemens
we'll take it
Sonny L
Didn’t Marsh hurt his hand or wrist around midseason? Might be the reason for that severe a drop
Benny The Jet
With the state of the Phillies bullpen, feels like every 15+ pitch inning by Sanchez is a win for the Braves
lzfreak
Acuna is hyped
Seuss2004edited
Lefties with a .391 OPS on the season vs Sanchez. Which is really, really bad, but as Olson just demonstrated, not .000
maximus74
is this what happens with no moderation? everyone too afraid to talk, or is my chat broken?
Doug Lampert
I think there just aren't many people on. I keep seeing the same names.
Seuss2004
I mean i'm over here trying to do my job, we can't all be content creators
tjcook87
Same, and…I just don't have anything to say. Silence better than noise.
antihustle
I'm one of those people who types out half a comment before deleting it and staying silent. Is that a millennial thing?
brewersbibliophile
Millennial here, I do that quite often
snapper
I find it really annoying that the playoff graphics online and on TV show players stats from the current series, rather than their regular season stats.
Sean Dolinar
Fear. Everything is working. And only one person got put into auto moderation because of a swear word.
lzfreak
How available do we think Duran is? Lotta pitches yesterday but you'd think he could go an inning today or tomorrow. But since you need to win both, if you can only throw him one more time in the series, why not wait until tomorrow when he's better rested?
Hazmat Corntail
It’s gotta be all hands on deck so at least a couple of batters, I’d think.
Rich Hill's Fastball
Sean, thanks for the incredibly fast turnaround on that chat delay feature I asked about yesterday! Helped me avoid spoilers given my cable package
Sean Dolinar
No problem! It wasn't too hard, because all we had to do was add X many seconds and filter base on that just in your client. No reason to wait to implement.
wenz
Is this the most boring series judged solely by uniforms? Red and blue vs. red and blue
TKDC
Acuña did not have only four stolen bases this year, no matter how many times they repeat that.
lzfreak
Yeah this has really been throwing me off. Do they not have fact checkers?
Sonny L
Philly needs to win because I’m not ready to lose Kruk this year. Man is delightful in the booth
Benny The Jet
Beating a dead horse a bit, but Votto is just really good at this- especially at pushing back on some of the other announcers
Moate
Some people are charming in ways you just can’t teach, and dude has it.
tdmoc
so far this series feels like it's wasted on the WC round
jaysohm
we should just be happy that not all baseball is a blowout
Rich Hill's Fastball
Sox-Yanks too. That shouldve been a 1-game or a CS.
jromero
despite limiting damage how concerning is Sanchez's pitch count?
Alex Remington
Not extremely, I'd think? All he needs is a 10-pitch inning and he's right back on track to go his usual 6-7.
Klubot3000
Sean, the nested replies are so good visually! Kudos!
Sean Dolinar
🙏
Alex Remington
My concern with Mahle is, really, does he have the weapons to get through the lineup more than twice? His splitter's been working quite well but the rest of his stuff just doesn't feel playoff elite.
Jon Becker
Getting through the lineup exactly twice is more than enough for all but a handful of starters in these playoffs, IMO
Klubot3000
His 4S and FC are both pretty decent
tdmoc
yeah, relievers casting from HP in the playoffs is the standard at this point
TKDC
I’d let him pitch to exactly one hitter a third time.
Alex Remington
I'm sorry can you please translate "casting from HP"? I feel I'm losing nerd cred by even asking
tdmoc
casting from hit points – I just mean they don't need much more from Mahle because bullpens get pushed to the brink as a matter of course in the playoffs
maximus74
for anyone that was here yesterday around this time, how do the numbers compare to the non-Members only chat?
Sonny L
Until they start spitting on the split let him keep going. Problem is if it’s a close game you might find out too late they’re not chasing it again.
Klubot3000
Think there were about double for much of yesterday's game? Maybe a bit more at peak
Jimmy
I finally have my seat at the cool kids table here that is definitely not just a bunch of nerds
Doug Lampert
You just keep thinking that.
beanbong
Mahle's probably only going to see Turner three times, Lee/Dodd likely come in to face Schwarber/Harper/Bohm/Stott
Alex Remington
Leaning on Lee is going to take a pretty big leap of faith. He was absolutely torched in the second half and the Braves barely pitched him in September. Maybe they're confident he's cleaned up his pitch-tipping, but he gave up runs in two of the four appearances he made over the last two weeks of the season.
Klubot3000
Did they come out and say it was pitch tipping? He really was incredible to start the year and the late slide was concerning
The peripherals weren't nearly as bad as the ERA. You've gotta trust Lee, he's the best lefty in the pen
Klubot3000
Thanks. Lee didn't get many whiffs yesterday, but nice to see the velo up at least
Alex Remington
Atlanta's great hope for this whole series is to get into the pen as early as possible. But Sanchez is getting stronger as he goes.
beanbong
Really baffling to me that they keep putting Kim in the lineup. It's hard to imagine more of an automatic out on any team that made the playoffs
Fun-Hating Dork
The Phillies are right there and have Marchan and Stubbs on their roster.
whatmonster
Is it just me, or are more players wearing the 90s-style skinny pants? Look how tight Acuna’s pants are around the calves. Looks great.
Seuss2004
Phils radio crew is just despondent over the walk
lzfreak
He's not the guy you want to walk
Doug Lampertedited
He's been hitting like a pitcher this year, except I'm pretty sure back when the braves had Madox/Glavin/et al, their pitchers were better than that.
Edited to add: And after walking Kim he strikes out Acuna. Baseball.
beanbong
Max Fried was a much better hitter than 2026 Kim
lzfreak
I wonder if the bye team (in this case the Dodgers) get together to watch these wildcard series. Or if they're just taking a few days off to rest
Rich Hill's Fastball
Several players have mentioned the team has watch parties set up.
Smiling Politely
If I'm Shohei Ohtani, I'm inviting everyone over to my 2800 sq ft hot tub to watch the game on my 2km long tv
TKDC
I’m guessing they give Rushing the wrong address.
antihustle
Hoping to hear Matty V say "Oh and he botches it!" at least once this postseason
Bacterunedited
Okay, just finished enough work that I can turn the game on and coast for the rest of the day, what did i miss!
antihustle
The first inning definitely had me thinking things could get out of hand, but the pitchers have locked in!
Bacterun
Millennial here, I to do that
antihustle
I don't know how it is for everyone else, but it's almost like I got all the social part of social media out of my system with Myspace/early FB and now it's a mix of not being able to quite articulate the thought I'm having, fearing negative comments, worrying it isn't going to meaningfully add to the conversation. My urge to even delete this comment is high, but I'm going to resist!
Bacterunedited
Ya exactly, I got rid of most of the social media stuff years ago (use bluesky for science since im a microbiologist and its good for that) and just struggle with the idea that anyone gives a schlitt about random things i have to say (or most of the time not say lol)
antihustle
I totally get what you mean. Awesome that you're a microbiologist btw
drewcorb
I really like Bluesky for following researchers and science news too. plus pretty much all my preferred baseball writers are there too
antihustle
Love a ground ball pitcher
drplantwrench
looks like playing IF in in the 1st inning has been a smart idea so far
Joe Savarese
Can the White Sox actually make the World Series??
maximus74
with 1.5 usable SP, that would be reminiscent of the 2006 Cardinals
Joe Savarese
Since my Tigers let me down ..
Ben
I would much rather be able to watch the playoff games with the MLB.tv subscription that I pay for every year…but the fact that the little field view on Gameday shows the little box position players doing grounders and throws to first while the pitcher is tossing warmup pitches is kind of delightful.
Joe Savarese
Is that Maddux out there today–lol
jaysohm
Votto is so good at this. Avoiding nonsense and providing actual analysis of Schwarber mid-at bat
lzfreak
I love Votto completely ignoring the dumb question
antihustle
Dealing!
Rich Hill's Fastball
Harper just has one of those swings, man
Klubot3000
Gosh that sequence was good from Mahle
riibett
Whats the deal with that philly fan's costume? Is that supposed to be the Phanatic? Is this a Philly-Florida Gators Crossover?
hb31
Mahle carving up the Phillies, as expected
beanbong
3.32 FIP since the trade and 1 ER over 13 innings in his last two starts against Philly. Braves have made adjustments to his mix that have yielded results
lzfreak
So do you bring Mahle back for the 6th facing the middle of the order a third time? Or say that 5 innings is a job well done and turn it over to the relievers?
antihustle
I struggle with that, any time a SP is looking good I want them to come back out
Klubot3000
Definitely let him start the next inning
lzfreak
He's looked good but guys are good until they aren't sometimes
riibett
Think philly's offense has been so anemic you can push him a bit with a short leash
Klubot3000
Philly 28th in baseball v. RHP this year
antihustle
Backstreet Boys on the organ, love it!
Klubot3000
Braves' organist is very fun!
antihustle
What a fun job that would be!
Rich Hill's Fastball
Organist a fan of the Backstreet Boys?
lzfreak
A Braves Dodgers series would be pretty epic for organs
Rich Hill's Fastball
Dieter Ruehle (Dodgers and LA Kings organist) is one of the best, yes!
antihustleedited
I will never not be upset when there is an in-game picture-in-picture ad
Fun-Hating Dork
Any in-game alteration of the video — including showing stupid mid-game interviews — is terrible.
riibett
mattingly's got the look of a man that's about to let sanchez throw 800 pitches today
Seuss2004
[Hooded Kermit meme] do it.
antihustle
pleeeeeease
jonmberra
Mattingly is at least partially responsible for playoff Kershaw.
antihustle
Agreed!
lzfreak
Kruk is having a hilarious and great series
drplantwrench
and theres the play that will haunt the phillies
drplantwrench
sike just kidding hehe
lzfreak
What an awkward play
jonmberra
The Phillies defense is frustating.
antihustle
Pitcher deflection messing up a play is always so frustrating, you can't blame them for reacting on instincts
Seuss2004
This is peak Phillies baseball
antihustle
Woooooooow
jonmberra
Maybe I spoke too soon on the Phils defense
Seuss2004
Crowd got silent REAL FAST.
lzfreak
Another win for infield in
Benny The Jet
Wow
lzfreak
Or at least a little in
Fun-Hating Dork
The ever famous 3-2-3 double play!
beanbong
At some point you would've thought someone would tell Michael Harris he can take a pitch
lmb2020
Just how they drew it up
whatmonster
Sanchez must feel like an impossible matchup if you’re Harris.
Klubot3000
Harris is pretty good v lefties tbh
whatmonster
I was about to ask if we’re talking about the same Harris but I looked up his splits again – increased his OPS vs lefties by 150 pts this year. So not as bad as he used to be.
whatmonster
Mahle back out for the 7th, surprising.
Seuss2004
Just like I always say, Phillies are all about defense.
Klubot3000
I think these are his last 3 hitters
riibett
yeah if it gets to schwarber a lefty is definitely coming in
Sonny L
First 2 splits to JT were nkt well located
jonmberra
I know Mahle was way better with the Braves but I was not expecting a playoff start this good.
whatmonster
Man 7IP 1ER from Mahle is better than anyone even dreamed of in this game
Ben Clemens
I feel like if I were Votto I'd only be saved from tearing my hair out watching this game by the lack of hair
lzfreak
Man, Mahle facing 28 batters and giving up only 1 run is an enormous win for the Braves
Ben Clemens
Like, Mahle has one move. And he's already showed them that move TWICE in September.
Klubot3000
55 splitters! Massive
Ben Clemens
And they keep being like 'wait what, a splitter? what is this?'
lmb2020
It's one thing when it is a reliever spamming one pitch (idk why but Tommy Kahnle's changeup is what I think about for this archetype) but I feel like you aren't fully prepared if you let a starter throw that pitch mix
Ben Clemens
(I'm recapping this game, this is going to be a focus of my writeup)
Klubot3000
Way more than he's ever thrown before
Klubot3000
So even if you're 'ready' for it, going that far above his previous high is ballsy
whatmonster
If it ain’t broke don’t fix it mentality
Sonny L
The ump view on the splits made it look really difficult to pick up that spin in daylight.
Sean Dolinar
🎶Take me out to the ballgame
Take me out to the crowd
Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks
I don't care if I never get back🎶
David Appelman
Can we get some sort of animation and midi music?
lzfreak
Is it too late for the Phillies to sign Votto to take an ab? He's probably the guy in the building most capable of taking those splitters
Ben Clemens
Votto said he was getting Braves playoff nervousness from his 2020 trip there, so maybe he's too out of the game to do it. BUt otherwise, yeah, their lefties were not really up to the task today.
Seuss2004
"They didn't need the Pope, they had Cam Schlittler"
Seuss2004
God bless you Franzke
lzfreak
How can Sanchez be the "pitcher of record" in a tie game?
beanbong
Listening to the radio call and not being able to see the actual pitch makes these ABS reviews much more dramatic
Klubot3000
I really wish they'd take away the K zone
Ben Clemens
yes please!
jonmberra
Is this game gonna be the end of the Phillies window?
Seuss2004
I think the starting pitching is too good for that, the floor is fairly high. But the position player age and cost is concerning for sure
drplantwrench
please break it open now braves
riibett
Great day from murphy, walk, double, 3 (I think?) abs overturns
snapper
How do you let Kim bat here? Have they no bench?
Anon21
Mattingly has no good options here, but this is a highly risky decision, assuming the intent is to leave him in to face Acuña for a fourth time.
lzfreak
Oh man bad decision there
Benny The Jet
oh noooooooooo
drplantwrench
now THIS is the play that will haunt the phillies
riibett
crazy going to second there
Anon21
The throw wasn't horrendous, but you can't go to second there unless you're *sure* you'll get him!
ncphl
Once that ball is past you, it makes no sense to go to second
antihustle
I find watching baseball so much more enjoyable when there is no k zone overlay
Anon21
Killer non-challenge on the 0-1
snapper
If they just take the out at 1st, things are looking much better here.
Turduckenfrank
if they take the out at 1st, do they just walk acuna, and they're in the same spot anyway?
snapper
You can't walk him there, IMO
snapper
Even if they get 1, you're still in the game. Have to prevent a big inning.
antihustle
Is Country Roads the Dolly Parton of songs?
antihustle
Nooooooooo waaaaaaay
whatmonster
No, that’s the one that will haunt them
Sonny L
Oooooooof
antihustle
That's a clown play
drplantwrench
now THIS is the play that will haunt the phillies
Benny The Jet
oh noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
spnchiang
holy bad defense
lzfreak
Harper about to be a meme
Klubot3000
LOL
Turduckenfrank
unbelievable
Klubot3000
LOVE THAT PHILLIES DEEEEEEEEE
Ben Clemens
Bryce Harper with those deck-of-cards hops
Ben Clemens
That was not great
lzfreak
Maybe they shouldn't have moved him to the outfield in the middle of the season
Benny The Jet
Arraez isn't even on the roster, what is he doing out there
Benny The Jet
I feel like I just watched a car crash
antihustle
slo mo
Sonny L
Check in on the Phillies fans in your life
drplantwrench
should baldwin be that pumped up for an error
Sonny L
Yes
Barves Gotta Barve
Potential series winning run scoring? Yes?
drplantwrench
(im being facetious if thats not clear)
whatmonster
(Handshake meme) Acuna – Harper – misplays in RG that allow a run
Seuss2004
I hate how few things are recorded as errors these days
whatmonster
That wasn’t an error???
drplantwrench
it was an error whether it was recorded or not
antihustle
That should have been the "Oh and he botches it!" call
twelvejones
Cannot think of a worse way for the Phillies to potentially lose an elimination game
McColin
I mean, last year Kerkering, but yeah
Sean Dolinar
When I played RF in rec league softball a few years back, that's pretty much how I played fly balls.
antihustle
I played kickball a few times a couple years ago and I could not believe how hard of a time I had tracking those fly balls!
Sean Dolinar
One time, with the sun in my eyes, I somehow got under a fliner, scared me a little when the ball landed in my glove.
lzfreak
Is there wind?
jonmberra
It is insane to leave Sanchez in here
whatmonster
Sanchez at 115 pitches
jromero
i expected the Phillies defense to be bad but this plus the wrist hit yesterday seem more like pure flukes or nerves then bad baseball
antihustle
hooooooo weeeeeee
lzfreak
Do the Braves go Suarez/Iglesias from here then?
beanbong
Probably Fuentes next unless they want Lee for the lefty/lefty
Antonio Bananas
Ive said this in every thread ever since defense wasnt mentioned at all in the preview article, but PHI's poor defense is a story. A better CF than Hill catches Ozzie's triple, a better IF gets Harris, and most RF catch that go-ahead flyball.
Turduckenfrank
not to mention bohm's play on the bunt
antihustle
I'm sorry, how was that ruled a hit?
Anon21
So silly. You can't even give the usual excuse that he never touched it.
antihustle
That was my thought!
Turduckenfrank
A batted ball with an xBA of .08 that hit the fielder's glove on the fly when they had ample time to catch is like the textbook definition of an OF error, but I guess I'm not an official scorekeeper
Sonny L
Nelson Cruz flashbacks on that one. Sorry Bryce (and Rangers fans)
TKDC
As a Braves fan, I lack the imagination to conceive of a more enjoyable way to take a lead in a crucial game.
riibett
seconded
Anon21
Let's not jinx it, lest Philly find a way to have an equal and opposite heartbreaking lead change
beanbong
21.7% change in WPA after the Harper drop, really hate to see it happen to such an intelligent guy
TKDC
My bad. 😞
maximus74
can't watch at work, but saw the replay of that flyball….big OOF
Anon21
Schwarber bunt?? Nah, he's just goofin'
campam9
On the one hand, this series has been far too weird that I expected game 2 would continue as it was. On the other hand, there's still 2 innings left for another twist to happen.
Antonio Bananas
Guessing a solo shot here and then Iglesias causes drama in the 9th
Seuss2004
Lotto numbers plz.
lzfreak
Are you from the future
Antonio Bananas
Im from the land of "watching the Braves all season"
Turduckenfrank
did the writers leak the script to you
Jacquehammer Jones
a prophet
antihustle
I mean you can do that too
Antonio Bananas
Knew it
drplantwrench
schwarber shouldve bunted
Hazmat Corntail
I think I just heard that ball ounce off the front of my place here in Philly
cashgod27
I think Dylan Lee would've rather made a different pitch
TKDC
Ok, I’m done here
whatmonster
Well this is less fun
Hazmat Corntail
Oops the drama came an inning early haha
spnchiang
wowwwwww
jonmberra
Philly needed their dudes to be dudes and they delivered.
drplantwrench
HAHAHHAHA
tjcook87
lmaoooo
jzmaxson27
Well that was fun!
lmb2020
Ah well. We'll call that a wash
Anon21
dear god
cashgod27
I was literally thinking "The Phillies have six outs to save their legacy" and they didn't even need one!
Russell
i just opened the broadcast and thought it was just really behind lol
Turduckenfrank
harper is too relieved to even celebrate
ruddurball
Is he tipping again? They’re unloading
Alex Remington
I hate being Cassandra on this, but I typed this an hour and a half ago: "Leaning on Lee is going to take a pretty big leap of faith. He was absolutely torched in the second half and the Braves barely pitched him in September. Maybe they're confident he's cleaned up his pitch-tipping, but he gave up runs in two of the four appearances he made over the last two weeks of the season."
antihustle
I do remember this comment, props to you
Sonny L
Baseball rules
Russell
are they booing stott, or the braves?
Seuss2004
They're saying Boo-urns
cashgod27
I think they're saying Boo-raves!
Russell
surely it's that
Seuss2004
I think I just heard Smelly Cat on the organ
antihustle
Justice for Sanchez
Benny The Jet
May all of us be blessed with the same opportunities for redemption that baseball inherently provides
eandy
Preach
eandy
Sanchez doesnt deserve justice. Poor performance even though Harper hurt him
Eshan Mehere
dylan lee didn’t give up a homer to a LHH all season lol
antihustle
Love baseball for these kinds of things
Eshan Mehere
Everything goes out the window in october. It’s awesome
Seuss2004
BuT it's NoT oCtObEr
eandy
So technically it's still in the window then
antihustle
I want to see some reactions from Philly of the defensive miscues followed by the homers
Sonny L
Philly fans in the group chat probably pulled a muscle 180’ing so hard on Bryce Harper
antihustle
Painter, what a great last name for a pitcher
Seuss2004
Mattingly giving Painter the ball in relief is giving Chevy Chase in Caddyshack: "Don't worry about this one. If you miss it, we lose."
Jos
surely painter isnt the best option for the phillies here?
Seuss2004
He *is* the best option. And don't call me Shirley.
Jos
lol
it worked!
lzfreak
Painter trying a little too hard to paint here
Antonio Bananas
Do we have any analytics on how much afternoon shadows actually impact the game?
Eshan Mehere
is there a reason painter is in this game
Hazmat Corntail
The Phils pen is a travesty of a mess
antihustle
Beautiful
whatmonster
Harris has been rough this series
beanbong
bad game today for 3-3 yesterday.
lzfreak
Good mound visit
jzmaxson27
Props to the kid.
carter
I’m also shocked by painter here. I mean it worked but seems like a weird ass time to bring him in.
lzfreak
I hope we get some good extra inning games this postseason. Such a treat to not have the nonsense ghost runner ruining it this time of year.
tjcook87
I walked away at the mound visit to check on laundry. I came back and there were 3 outs. For the sake of Philly, I should just…leave work, i guess.
TKDC
Hey TJ, your boss just texted me and said you need to stay late.
Benny The Jet
Torn between wanting extra innings, and wanting the Phillies to score to ensure another game of this tomorrow
Russell
screw it, extra innings *and* the phillies win
Benny The Jet
Works for me!
Seuss2004
Ugh, feel bad for Sosa
antihustle
Ok, while I AM generally anti-hustle, if you're going to hustle and get hurt, that is probably the time to do it
Nathaniel
username checks out
antihustle
Sucks to sacrifice yourself physically only to have the pinch runner get out at 2nd right after
Russell
Not to sound insensitive, but what's the point of checking on him on the field when you know he's coming out either way?
Russell
i'd think you would just bring him into the dugout
antihustle
Fair question
lzfreak
Now that time going to second was smart
antihustle
Yeah, you expect the fielders to have a good sense of when to do it
TKDC
Bohm should have changed course when he had to awkwardly field it. It really was more inexcusable than Harper’s play, which was just a classic misplay.
Benny The Jet
Wonder if Bohm being relatively new to 1B was a factor here- at least anecdotally it seems like 3B moving to 1B are sometimes overly aggressive at first
Hazmat Corntail
Bohm’s played an entire season’s worth of 1B in MLB, he’s just not that good a fielder in general
Russelledited
so what exactly was the point of the bunt? are they more concerned about p(scoring at least one run) vs run expectancy?
carter
Steal a base instead guys, blah
JU Jazz Hands
RE Russel: yes. It's a tie game in the ninth. One run is kinda important
Russelledited
based on data I could find, it increases the probability of at least one run by 1.3%. That seems bad, given the drop in expected runs
edit: other data says 1% drop
jzmaxson27
You're in too deep, pull up!
carter
Teams always get too conservative in the playoffs but even if only 1sb etc etc who cares. Rp very rarely hold guys on well. Hill can run, why attempt to move him over. Better imo running and Crawford likely puts the ball in play. Blah
TKDCedited
Nevermind!
Matthew Spence
Womp womp
eandy
I love your imagination
Antonio Bananas
Yaz*
whatmonster
coward Walt to take the bat out of HSK hands
whatmonster
*Ronnie?
Matthew Spence
We can edit??
viceroy
bring back the hit and run!
appstore
I really want old-school extra innings! Glad its gone in the regular season, but love it now.
antihustle
lol easy there
TKDC
Chip Carey vibes
Matthew Spence
Phillies in extra innings on the road what could go wrong
lzfreak
This has been a fun game
Benny The Jet
Is Jonathon Bowlan alive?
Hazmat Corntail
Hasn’t pitched in two weeks because of a groin thing
Benny The Jet
Gotcha, thanks!
Russell
this announcer has no clue what a home run looks like
antihustle
I kind of wish that kind of fake out call would be in MLB The Show, that'd be funny
Turduckenfrank
he's only been announcing baseball for 30+ years, gotta give him some slack
Russell
so true, my bad
Antonio Bananas
Vasgersian got my hopes up
lzfreak
There seems to be no correlation today on his enthusiasm level for the call and how likely the batted ball is to be a homer
Anon21
Well at least we'll have real extra innings baseball…
jzmaxson27
Ooof, that was your pitch Schwarb.
Benny The Jet
Every other major change they've made to baseball in my lifetime I have felt somewhere between positively to relatively ambivalently about, but, man, I miss old school extra innings
eandy
I like the Manfred man for regular season because it adds more excitement and keeps the games going fast. Like I have work the next day, I cant be up till midnight watching a 13 inning game. The playoffs already have a ton of excitement and it's worth the time
antihustle
Vasgersian was born Vasgerdsian and later it was changed. Fascinating!
jonmberraedited
The Phillies still can't hit a splitter
antihustle
Woooooooooow
Benny The Jet
Hard not to feel like this is Philly's best shot, with the top of the line up due up and a thin bullpen to lean on…
Hazmat Corntail
Hahahahaha
Seuss2004
AAHAHAHHAHHAHHA
lzfreak
That ball had way more carry than I realized
cashgod27
One of the most out-of-nowhere homers I can remember. How the heck did that happen?
Seuss2004
Did they not just say he hadn't given up a HR to a righty all year
Turduckenfrank
absolutely did not look like a homer off the bat
Russell
perennial mvp candidate alec bohm
antihustle
It was the thermals
Benny The Jet
Postseason baseball is the best
Benny The Jet
Why did Matty V sound more excited on the Albies flyout
antihustle
Guess he didn't want to make the same mistake twice
Russelledited
whoops, wrong thing to reply to
jzmaxson27
Is Duran hurt?
lzfreak
Don't think so but he pitched a lot yesterday and will likely need to pitch tomorrow
Hazmat Corntail
My guess is they think Painter is settling in and would rather have him keep going as long as he can.
Hazmat Corntail
De la Cruz has been a quiet find for the Phils this year. Him and Hill have made Dombrowski look smart
antihustle
Any reason to take out Iglesias after only 9 pitches?
Russell
not a must win game for them, maybe?
ruddurball
Trea turner has crushed him.
Alex Remington
Apparently because Turner has killed him, in a small sample.
Hazmat Corntail
Yeah I believe they said he’s 5/11 with 3 HR against him
antihustle
Or is that just a hindsight 20/20 thing
cashgod27
I just checked Statcast Search – that's the fastest pitch a righty has ever hit for an oppo homer in that zone of the plate. Absolutely unreal swing.
antihustle
Wild
jonmberra
Come on Painter, I want more of this drama.
Russell
andrew "3.63 BotERA" painter has got this
jonmberra
I realized this didn't necessarily imply he has to get the outs.
antihustle
I like being in a live game chat without a ton of people, there's time to respond to people and actually read all the comments
lzfreak
Yeah this has been fantastic, more chat type stuff Fangraphs team!
Russell
yes! would love more of these
Russell
that auto insurance ad was horrific omg
antihustle
I have my mute button on the ready for ads
antihustle
How would you want to see Olson pitched to? Pitch around and accept a walk?
lzfreak
I feel like walking the tying run to first is to be avoided
JU Jazz Hands
No. Go get him. Don't give a free base
Sonny L
Don’t not walk the lead off hitter
antihustle
Crazy!
tdmoc
holy smokes
antihustle
Painted it!
lzfreak
Painter painting
Turduckenfrank
insane call by the ump
Benny The Jet
Meanwhile Yordan in LF started off with a misplayed ball on the first hitter
jonmberra
Playoff challenge system is so dramatic. I adore it. Please no full ABS.
antihustle
But please remove the strike zone overlay!
Russell
I absolutely adore the challenge system and have 0 interest in full ABS
jonmberra
Agreed
Benny The Jet
White Sox up 1-0 on Hunter Brown two batters in
Russell
i mean, they've got the pope, astros have no shot
antihustle
Yes please
viceroy
This has to be below replacement level managing. Leaving Duran in so long to give up the homer after bouncing ball 4 yesterday. And now leaving a rookie starter in for 3 inning save.
If Mattingly trusted Painter here, why not yesterday?
Hazmat Corntail
I go back to what I said before, I think that they feel that he’s getting into his regular game flow and is settled in.
viceroy
I stand by this. It worked today, but Mattingly needs to figure out his bullpen pecking order ASAP. Not having a real answer to lefties is going to bite them eventually
antihustle
I think umps should be encouraged to chirp back when the calls stand
Nathaniel
is yellow an unofficial 4th color for atlanta?
Benny The Jet
What is Bowlan doing on the roster if you can't trust him here?
Sonny L
This is the Andrew Painter I pictured based on scouting reports
antihustle
Who gives a better series against the Dodgers?
Russell
i'd think the braves given 2021
jzmaxson27
Not that it's the be all end all, but Dodgers went 4-2 versus the Phils and 1-5 versus the Braves this year.
antihustle
Drama
Sonny L
The ominous Michael Harris soft single….
Benny The Jet
Astros put Yordan in LF to get Nick Allen in the infield at 3B, now Yordan has misplayed a ball and Allen has made an error in the 1st inning
antihustle
Only time I want to hear turn down for what is watching Valerie and Ricky on SYTYCD
antihustle
A comment for no one but that's ok
antihustle
Love the catcher/pitcher combo challenge
Matthew Spence
What a performance by Painter
Hazmat Corntail
LMaO
JU Jazz Hands
A few middle middle pitches by Painter that haven't been blasted
Turduckenfrank
the first-pitch middle-middle changeup to baldwin should've been destroyed
antihustle
Imagine if they had used up their challenges!
Antonio Bananas
How anti climatic
Russell
omg what an ending
lzfreak
Yeah I don't find that to be great theater tbh
Russell
i think it would get a home crowd pretty hyped, but the braves fans aren't exactly enthused
Hazmat Corntail
Phillies just became a trivia question answer.
tjcook87
3-0 Sox, still top of the first, #wildthrowoffense
eandy
ABS is sick
Jacquehammer Jones
starting Nick Allen (not at shortstop) in an elimination game is certainly a choice
Benny The Jet
What a close, tense game, hope we get more of those- now to check in on HOU-CWS…
Russell
i'm impressed that hunter brown has done this with only 21 pitches
Russell
incredibly efficient pitches/run
cashgod27
I feel embarrassed for picking the Astros to win this series. They've been outclassed in every which way by a team that's truly just happy to be here. I can hardly blame Jim Crane for blowing everything up after this.
Fun-Hating Dork
I refuse to believe the Astros are eliminated until the game is completely over. They're like Jason or Freddy.
tdmoc
yeah the prognosis is pretty bad, but I've seen many teams piss away a four-run lead with the whole game ahead
lzfreak
Do we know the possible start times for Braves Phillies game 3 tomorrow? Presumably if some of these other series end today they'll move it later in the day, but are there specific conditions for a time change?
Fun-Hating Dork
MLB put up the whole list of combinations on one of the articles about where to watch the game.
lzfreak
Ah found it. Not the way I'd do it that's for sure
ncphl
Just switched to the Astros game. Why are Hunter Brown's pants so dirty?
drplantwrench
back from an hour long meeting sure hope i didnt miss any insane endings to the phillies game and terrible starts to the next game!
tdmoc
I'm seeing double! four Montgomeries
jzmaxson27
I am having a hard time getting over the notion that the White Sox legitimately may play in the ALCS. Absolutely crazy.
Russell
socktober
Jorge Fabregas
33 pitches
drplantwrench
in retrospect, braves could be out of the playoffs if not for unlikely hero austin riley. wild to think about
Spoon Uptown
Big HRs from Austin Riley, and Alec Bohm, two players their fanbases have made into pariahs. Now we need Volpe to HR
Seuss2004
Elite take.
Jorge Fabregas
Brown is down
JU Jazz Hands
Where is Brown? There is Brown. Mr. Brown is out of town.
jzmaxson27
He just wanted to see him face the full 9, for funsies.
Russell
it's okay, at least the astros have an elite bullpen
cashgod27
So the Astros need 25 outs from their bullpen that stunk it up yesterday and they need to outscore the White Sox by 4 runs across those 25 outs, assuming they get out of this jam. How hard can it be?
tjcook87
Tell 'em, Wash.
Nathaniel
Yikes, Roman Anthony is out for the rest of this series and likely the ALDS (in the vanishingly small likelihood the Sox go that far) with a recurrance of his mysterious hand injury…
cashgod27
By rule he can't play in the ALDS since he's been removed from the roster
Jorge Fabregas
Is it a mystery? He was out with a hand injury before and it's some kind of flare-up, right?
Nathaniel
Well, it was a wrist injury, and then it was a tendon injury in his ring finger, and now it's a strain of "several muscles" according to Tracy, and no one seems to know how to fix it
L. Ron Hoyabembe
It was a partial tear of the tendon that connects the ring finger to the wrist
Fun-Hating Dork
At this rate, he might not have a right hand by Christmas.
drplantwrench
final score of this game will be 36 – 22
Russell
I forgot that the white sox still have to pitch in this game
tdmoc
Cue: "did Burke get cold on the bench?????"
antihustle
Will Yordan get his Harper moment to redeem his blunder
Jorge Fabregas
Burke often has lower velo early in the game.
antihustle
Just realized no strike zone overlay on the broadcast!! So nice
Sean Dolinar
They must have read this chat thread.
antihustle
I heard "hit the dirt" and was soooo confused
Spoon Uptown
Paredes is used to hitting beams and catwalks in his home ballpark
Fun-Hating Dork
Gameday had a weird fit. It put up "in play, out(s)" then blinked a few times and changed it to a foul ball.
cashgod27
Anthony officially off the Red Sox roster, Curtis Mead (!) is in. Anthony will be ineligible for the ALDS should the Red Sox advance
Jorge Fabregas
Mead redemption would be fun.
Sonny L
Both Mead and Sanchez showing out today would be fun
Seuss2004
36 minute first-inning. Looking forward to the Yankee-Red Sox game starting in the bottom of the 5th.
JU Jazz Hands
At least Blubaugh didn't have to wait around to never get into this game
JU Jazz Hands
This was not a good joke. And I'm not sure how to pronounce his name
Spoon Uptown
In my head it's pronounced Blu and then the sound Orson Welles makes in that champagne commercial, not sure if I can post a Youtube link here
Jorge Fabregas
Blubaugh way better today so far. Pitched 96 innings in relief, horrible September, bad yesterday, and I assumed he was toast until next year.
antihustle
Everyone throws so hard nowadays. Who are some of the best pitchers in 2026 that don't throw hard at all
Seuss2004
Ranger Suarez
drplantwrench
brent suter
Spoon Uptown
Tyler Rogers, Alex Vesia, Logan Henderson to name a few
Seuss2004
Is Blubaugh the first pitcher ever to appear in the first inning of consecutive playoff games?
norcalblue
Weiss went “all in” in today and Phillies look to be in an excellent position to close it out tomorrow. Mattingly has an ace for tomorrow and his best pen arm rested. Weiss has neither.
drplantwrench
only 48 more runs until my prediction was right
Fun-Hating Dork
Nick Allen clearly understood the assignment and…popped out immediately.
Sean Dolinar
Hey all, I think we are going shut down this game thread for the day. I think a lot of people left work or are eating dinner now. This worked out pretty well, and we are going to try more things like these in the future.
Seuss2004
Will there be something for the night games?
Sean Dolinar
Not for today. We usually peak around 4PM ET then it's downhill after that. But hopefully, for other days.
Defensive metrics take a long time to stabilize. As such, I’ve been waiting for a few months to write this article. But the season is over. We’ve gotten as much information as we’re going to get, and Seiya Suzuki is still grading out as one of the best fielders in baseball. His 8 FRV is tied for 12th among outfielders, his 14 DRS is tied for seventh, and his 1.4 DRP ranks 33rd. To illustrate how surprising that is, let me show you what those numbers have looked like over the course of his MLB career:
Wait, sorry, that graph didn’t include the numbers for the 2026 season. That’s my bad. Let me just add them back in real quick:
Yeah, that’s much better. Suzuki certainly looks like a whole new defender out there. As is the case for many players, the three advanced defensive metrics have rarely agreed about Suzuki’s performance. DRP, by far the most conservative, has generally graded him as slightly above average, while Statcast has almost always been the low man. However, there are some general points of consensus here, the biggest being that Suzuki graded out very badly according to all three metrics last year, and then, in his age-31 season, experienced a miraculous reinvention. He’s been consistent, too. Statcast credits him with at least one fielding run in each month of the season. What is going on in right field at Wrigley? Read the rest of this entry »
“He’s not coming out of this game” was the comment from NBC play-by-play announcer Dave Flemming while the broadcast lingered on a shot of Padres Game 1 starter Michael King as he sat in the dugout looking through a notebook during the bottom of the sixth inning. “He’s not reading War and Peace either,” added color commentator Mark Grant. “He’s studying hitters.”
But that’s not to say King and the Padres wouldn’t find certain aspects of War and Peace relatable. Speaking in reference to his own work, Leo Tolstoy acknowledged that War and Peace defies conventional attempts at classification, saying it is “not a novel, even less is it a poem, and still less a historical chronicle.” Comparatively, analysts have struggled all season to properly define the 2026 Padres. If Tolstoy had scripted the Friars, he might have said they are “not a playoff team, much less a contender, and still less a club in the midst of a rebuild.”
Instead, the Padres were a team that went 30-20 in its first 50 games, 19-31 over the next 50 games, and then finished out the season by going 42-20. On July 22, their odds of making the playoffs bottomed out at 7.4%. Then they went on a run, and just one month later, their odds had surged to 68.9%. But rather than continue that upward trajectory en route to clinching a playoff spot, they first endured a backslide that shrank their odds to 39.2% as recently as September 2. It would have been logical for San Diego to sell at the trade deadline, but Padres POBO A.J. Preller was born without the specific bit of genetic code that allows humans to understand selling as a strategic concept. Instead, they added starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Casey Mize and finished the year as the top-seeded Wild Card team in the National League. Read the rest of this entry »
The 2027 Free Agent Tracker is now live! There are currently 244 players on the list, with more sure to be added after the postseason concludes and teams begin to clear space on their 40-man rosters. The Tracker will be updated regularly throughout the offseason as qualifying offers are made (and then accepted or rejected) and free agents find their new homes.
Unlike in previous years, we’ve included players with pending contract options or opt-outs on our initial list of free agents. To avoid any confusion, there is an Option Type label displayed next to each player’s name, as well as a separate “FA Likelihood” column (my assessment), making it easy to filter out unlikely free agents like Ronald Acuña Jr. (the Braves have a club option, putting him in the “Not Happening” group) and include players like Nick Martinez (with a mutual option, he’s in the “Probably FA” bucket).
“Not Happening,” “Probably FA,” “Probably Not FA,” and “Tossup” are the “FA Likelihood” column categories. Any questions regarding these determinations can be sent to me on Twitter or Bluesky, or via email. I’ll be happy to discuss my assessment.
You can filter the Tracker by status (signed/unsigned), previous team, and signing team, and export the data for your own analysis. You can also sort by a player’s handedness, age, and 2026 WAR. Shortly after the postseason ends, projected 2027 WAR will be added to the Tracker, as will the results of our annual contract crowdsourcing project, which include median contract total, years, and average annual value estimates:
NEW YORK — Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice may be Massachusetts natives, but the two Yankee stars did nothing to help the Red Sox during Tuesday night’s Wild Card Series opener against their archrivals. In a start reminiscent of his performance in last year’s do-or-die Game 3 between the two teams, Schlittler, the fireballing 25-year-old righty from Walpole, dominated the Red Sox hitters, throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings and striking out 10 while allowing just two hits. Rice, the 27-year-old slugger from Cohasset, picked up the slack for the injured Aaron Judge by going 4-for-5 with two homers and six runs batted in as the Yankees waited out Red Sox ace Payton Tolle, then broke the game open against the bullpen en route to a 9-0 romp.
This was the sixth time in 363 days that Schlittler faced the Red Sox, dating back to the aforementioned Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series. At that point, the baby-faced rookie — a seventh-round pick in 2022 out of Northeastern University with just 14 major league starts under his belt — turned in eight brilliant shutout innings, striking out 12 without a walk and allowing just five hits, all singles. In his first full season, while leading the league in ERA (1.95) and WAR (6.2) and making an overwhelming case for the AL Cy Young Award, Schlittler started four times against the Red Sox, putting up a 0.74 ERA in 24 1/3 innings while striking out 27. Those numbers conceal a few minor blemishes; he did allow four unearned runs in five innings in a loss on June 25, the only time in those six starts that the Yankees were defeated, and he walked five in 5 2/3 shutout innings on August 28. But so far, the Sox have yet to solve him.
They certainly didn’t on Tuesday night, though they did make Schlittler work hard enough to run up his pitch count early and to throw a career-high 117 pitches. Though Schlittler struck out three in the first inning, he needed 22 pitches to complete the frame thanks to a 10-pitch at-bat by Adley Rutschman that culminated in a soft single to left-center. His next three innings were spotless and included five more stirkeouts, but he needed 44 pitches for those, then another 23 for a fifth inning in which he yielded a two-out, seven-pitch walk to Jarren Duran, and 18 for a 1-2-3 sixth that included two more strikeouts. The pesky Red Sox fouled off 24 of his pitches in all, including 14 with two strikes. Read the rest of this entry »
Sometimes you have to go with a bullpen game. It isn’t exciting, but it’s just the reality of modern baseball. With the White Sox and Astros each battling right to the end of the season for their respective division titles, it set up a Game 1 matchup of poorly-rested pitching staffs without full, conventional rotations. Both managers looked at the starters they had available on full rest (nobody), looked at the starters they’d already used on short rest in the last week (plenty), and each settled on a bullpen game. And that’s how we ended up with a lengthy, disjointed contest where the outcome felt decided in the first hour.
Will Venable and the White Sox pitching staff put their best foot forward to open Game 1. Hagen Smith might get a playoffs-opening start as a full-time starter before his career is over; the fifth overall pick in the 2024 draft, he ripped through the minors and looked amazing in a multi-inning relief role down the stretch. When people talk about playoff pitching as nine innings of closer-level stuff, they’re imagining guys like Smith handling short stints. He came out fully gassed up, throwing a tick and a half faster than he had all season and ripping off electric sliders at the drop of a hat. He max-efforted his way through three innings of work. Perhaps most impressive, he went after Yordan Alvarez both times he faced him, including with a runner in scoring position, and won both confrontations. Read the rest of this entry »
A high-stakes game between two archrivals, featuring two of the best left-handed starters in the league against two extremely top-heavy lineups: It was always going to come down to fine margins. One pitching change, one missed call, one baserunning mistake.
In Game 1 between the Phillies and Braves, those margins were physically perceptible, as the two teams traded jabs for seven and a half innings, before Austin Riley bounced a game-winning three-run homer off the top of the right field wall at Truist Park. The Braves, 5-3 winners in the postseason curtain-raiser, are now on the verge of a date with the Dodgers in the NLDS. Read the rest of this entry »
I'm very excited for today. These 4-game blocks are great as a way to hype up the start of the playoffs
Dan Szymborski
Gotta get used to the whole new chat interface; I'm so used to Jotcast
Connor Mitchell
Joe Musgrove???????????
Dan Szymborski
I imagine they'll be careful with the situations they bring him in.
Hazmat Corntail
I was already scheduled to conduct a HIPAA training for work today starting at 2 (of course), so I’ll be watching with it on mute for most of it
Michael Rosen
when are the steamer 2027 projections out…
Dan Szymborski
Dunno, gotta ask Jared on that one. Meg, if you're still lurking around, are you aware?
robertobeers
I could go for a Schmitter right now…
Seuss2004
Provided he feels okay and is not getting shelled, Luzardo needs to be left in the game as much as possible, right? The Discussion makes it sound like he'll be limited to a couple innings and I'm honestly terrified of what early moves Donnie Baseball might make.
Dan Szymborski
I'd certainly want to. He seems to really want to go back to normal quickly, and it feels like the Phillies are trying to push back on that
Dan Szymborski
And I'm sorry, but he's not as threatening as Max Scherzer so it's not as scary to tell him no
Rich Hill's Fastball
Stanton?
Ben Clemens
I get why the Yankees are giving him a shot. Obviously incredibly high vol here, but I can see why. Without Judge, this is not a fun lineup against a bunch of lefty pitchers.
Dan Szymborski
Scherzer's blue eye sees the day you die.
eccentricatlfan
Not a playoff-team note, but while the “Patrick Corbin as a reliever” stint didn’t last long due to injury, it’ll be interesting if he’s willing to make a full-time switch in 2027. He was still solid against lefties in 2026 with a 2.90 xFIP against them, and while righties battered him, both his changeup and slider were better than average at catching righty bats out in front of the plate, so there’s at least some path to improving against them.
Michael Baumann
They say baseball is the American pastime, but ball games have been played in the Americas for more than 3,500 years. Today, like the mythical Maya heroes Hunahpu and Xbalanque, we stand on the precipice of Xibalba, the Underworld, the Place of Fright, and present ourselves for divine judgment.
The victors will receive immortality. The defeated will envy the dead.
Hi, I’m Matt Vasgersian for NBC Sports, alongside C.J. Nitkowski, John Kruk and Joey Votto, and it is our pleasure to welcome you to the concrete Xibalba of unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia, for the National League Wild Card Series.
Dan Szymborski
Other pitchers have survived this way. It wouldn't be the craziest thing ever if Corbin hung on
drplantwrench
ive heard from non baseball fans talk about the postseason starting (after months of rolling their eyes at me for talking baseball). seems like that baseball playoffs enjoy some of the biggest boosts to viewership. any unbiased theories why?
Ben Clemens
I have some theories about why the other sports don't get the same kind of boost, though not a strong one about baseball specifically.
Basketball doesn't get a boost because be honest, have you ever watched a first round NBA playoff game? There are too many teams in the playoffs, the games don't get good for a month
Football doesn't get a boost because interest is already very high. There are always playoff implications in the last game of the year and it flows smoothly into the playoffs with the same interest. Whereas in baseball, many teams are just kinda getting ready for October for the last two weeks to one month tahnks to how long the season is
TKDC
The 2pm start time is so stupid. The number of people trying to watch 11 hours of baseball on a Tuesday has to be in the triple digits, a few thousand max.
Ben Clemens
It's true, I wouldn't mind two sets of two instead of four sets of one. But I do love having all four games on the same day.
beanbong
really not a fan of the midday midweek playoff games, forcing me to discretely watch in a minimized window at the office
I've got Tampa Bay over Milwaukee. A shocking number of my colleagues (6) agree with you though
Benny The Jet
I firmly disagree, I take one week off a year and it is this week- a full day of postseason baseball, there is just nothing like it!
Dan Szymborski
Afternoon Bau-Bau chick chicka-chicka!
Smiling Politely
Dan! Happy Baseballing to you! I saw your "mea culpa" brewers/zips post has re-emerged under "Trending." I'm curious how you feel about it now. Is it just a short term blip in history where MIL is just going to be that team that exceeds (in the way the Mets will chronically underperform because they are the Mets)? Or is there more work to be done on assessing playing time per org? (no criticism here; i dunno how the brewers keep winning so many games either)
Dan Szymborski
Honestly…I'm not sure. Anything that can't last forever won't. If I knew the answer, I'd have figured out the Brewers, and I haven't figured out the Brewers!
Ben Clemens
"The Philadelphia Phillies have to attack right away" is the kind of meaningless, non-falsifiable thing I'd expect to open a baseball series
lzfreak
Dan did you run Yankees odds with and without Judge in this series? How much does his absence move the needle on their win probability?
Dan Szymborski
I haven't actually! Mainly because I had to update everything Sunday night *and* write a piece, so I didn't do any extra stuff. The current ZiPS probs are him NOT being in the games
Ben Clemens
I hope that if the Phillies don't score in teh first but win the game, we'll get a lengthy mea culpa
Seuss2004
Was first pitch supposed to be 2, or was that just the TV start time? Or has time been altered irrevocably due to an 81-win team making the playoffs?
Ben Clemens
TV start time, but they certainly didn't make it obvious if you didn't look closely
Michael Baumann
I'm marveling at the thinness of the needle the Phillies had to thread to 1) make the playoffs while 2) fielding a lineup with Derek Hill hitting fifth in Game 1
Dan Szymborski
The whole Phillies bench except Sosa is guys I wouldn't be quite sure were still in baseball if you demanded an answer at gunpoint
Michael Baumann
I think the most damning thing about this roster is they've carried two backup catchers who can't hit for most of the year and their triple-A depth is such that yeah I don't know if it's hurt them that much
Rich Hill's Fastball
The broadcast crew for this first game should be an absolute joy
Rich Hill's Fastball
Ben, what's for lunch?
Ben Clemens
Since it's four straight games, I have leftovers from last night's takeout. October is a time for simple food that I don't have to cook, basically 🙂
drplantwrench
we cant prove time *hasnt* been altered due to the astros though either
TKDC
On the tv time, I saw one Instagram post with 2:15 on it, but even espn had 2:00 which they usually only pull that trick for their own games.
beanbong
if Truist is in a concrete exurb (barely a mile and a half from the Atlanta city limits) then what is Citizens Bank and its expansive fields of surrounding parking lot amidst an industrial park
Dan Szymborski
Quick start
Ben Clemens
Trea Turner was very aggressive early. Three straight swings for a strikeout. I assume that will earn him plenty of praise from the announcers.
Ben Clemens
Oh man, Votto's into it too! Love it
Ben Clemens
That's about the most gentle way you can push back on your colleague. "Well, it's Philly's job to be aggressive by taking bad pitches". It's true!
Dan Szymborski
I wonder if the Phillies will ever get the notion that maybe you don't want Turner getting the most or second-most PAs in every game.
lzfreak
Did we ever figure out what's wrong with Trea Turner? Feels like his career was cruising until this year where his numbers are down across the board. Aging? Injury? Some combination plus variance?
Dan Szymborski
I thought the season a couple years ago was a blip. but this has been a BLUMP
sammysamsam
Rowdy Tellez is on a playoff roster in 2026
Dan Szymborski
Feels weird to see Luke Williams on a playoff roster, though at least he's faster
Dan Szymborski
I wish Rowdy Tellez were better, but he LOOKS like a guy who can hit, but isn't actually one
cameronkear
Why doesn’t MLB re-seed? I imagine this will come up in CBA negotiations
bosoxforlife
I can't think of any player who comes close to Schwarber's profile. He is Rob Deer but actually has value.
Ben Clemens
This is going to sound weird because the game has changed so much, but I looked for players with similar K%+'s, so era-adjusted strikeout rates, and I have some comps for you. Jack Clark. Bob Allison. Troy Glaus. Harmon Killebrew. Ralph Kiner.But when you combine how many strikeouts the league just has overall now and the fact that he's a walks-whiffs-homers guy, the raw numbers get crazy.
Dan Szymborski
I think there's too much Other Stuff to worry about that
Ben Clemens
Yeah I'm with Dan. Like, they're going to be arguing about billions of dollars, and re-seeding is not really a monetary edge for anyone. Who will push for it?
Ben Clemens
If you think of the CBA negotiations as a way to make baseball better, you'll get misled. Because while in many cases that does happen, it's an adversarial bargaining for money between two parties.
Michael Baumann
What Ben said a million times
Dan Szymborski
Yeah, that's the problem. It's something that's just better, but it doesn't matter for either of the parties
beanbong
what's the minimum amount of pitchers a team could carry for a 3-game series? Will we ever see the Guardians carry 3 good starters, half a bullpen, and just run an entire lineup of platoons?
Ben Clemens
I think it's probably still like 11. Because having a full bullpen is pretty important. I think you'll see like 2 starters and even more bullpen before 3 starters and not much bullpen.
Rich Hill's Fastball
Chat function idea, if it's possible: a "delay chat by x seconds" button. For anyone whose stream is behind.
beanbong
Harper has looked absolutely hopeless the last couple games facing Sale, curious to see if he's figured anything out
Klubot3000
I know someone said this already, but this is really a good crew for this TV broadcast
Ben Clemens
yeah. Great one. Loving Votto so far.
drplantwrench
which series do you think is going to be the least fun to watch?
Dan Szymborski
White Sox Astros?
Ben Clemens
Hot take: Yankees Red Sox
Ben Clemens
Not because it's not inherently interesting, because of the 'narrative'
Michael Baumann
I don't think we're close to solving pitcher usage and roster construction for a best-of-three series. Everyone's too afraid to buck roster norms because if you lose you look like an idiot
Ben Clemens
I'm kinda pumped for the White Sox honestly. I want to see 20k, 5hr games and whatnot
cameronkear
I think they should just seed playoff teams by record
Seuss2004
CBP is just over three miles from City Hall and straight down Broad. Trust is 10 miles from Downtown Atlanta and easily accessible by multiple 8-lane highways.
Michael Baumann
Yeah you can get from Temple's campus in North Philly to CBP in like 15 minutes on the subway, whereas Truist is…OK, for people in Marietta and Cumberland, there's this thing called a "subway"…
fincampbell05
Ben, the Yankees are only carrying 10 pitchers! I also would have said 11-12 until I saw that.
Ben Clemens
Wow nice
Nathaniel
You know it's the playoffs because the homeplate ump is wearing a little camera on his head! LETS GOOOOOO!!!
Ben Clemens
That's a new low.
Eltneg
I've never said anything bad about Alec Bohm in my life
Sean Dolinar
We could probably add a custom delay to chat. Might have that ready for later today.
bosoxforlife
I cannot see having more than nine pitchers on a roster for a three game series. No team is going to use their last three or four bull pen arms in a game and the back end starters don't usually make good middle men.
Ben Clemens
The counter to this would be that the 17th position player is probably not adding much either. But teams seem to carry more long relievers than they need, I think I agree.
Eltneg
A 3-game wild card series after a 162-game regular season is ridiculous and unfair until it's my team making it into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth and embarrassing a division winner
Dan Szymborski
I used to get angrier. I've moved beyond thinking of the playoffs as tryign to determine the best team. Now I focus on the chaos and drama and sadness and triumph
Benny The Jet
Re-seeding kills the ability to fill out brackets before the playoffs too- obviously not a huge baseball thing, but I remember MLB pushing it for a while (if they aren't still)
Michael Baumannedited
The NHL made a big deal about filling out brackets when they went to division-based playoffs a few years ago and no one cares about the brackets and the NHL playoff format suuuuuuucks.
That said, I'm OK with no reseeding in baseball. We just lucked into a really lopsided bracket this year because there are 2 1/3 good teams in the entire AL. The most tiresome thing about the MLB playoffs is every year everyone wants to change the whole system to fix idiosyncratic one-year problems.
Doug Lampert
That or reseed after the wildcard. Rays playing the winner of Red Sox-Yankees as their "reward" for number one seed is insane.
drplantwrench
i was thinking this series might be the least fun to watch (and i mean this as a compliment)
sammysamsam
The playoff structure will be way better after expansion and realignment as long as they move back to a two-division-per-league system. Really bugs me when the "divisional" round is totally separate from winning the division title
Dan Szymborski
They won't. We'll have eight four-team divisions.
Benny The Jet
Do the Braves almost have to win today? The pitching gets thin behind Sale, while Philly has Sanchez and Wheeler waiting the next 2 days…
Michael Baumann
This is germane to my favorite playoff fun fact, which I just posted on Bluesky: The Phillies are 15-7 all-time in playoff series after winning Game 1 but 0-9 after losing Game 1. So really, both teams have to win today. In fact, whoever wins let's call the rest of the series off and go to the bar
drplantwrench
the fact that anything can happen in a baseball game is what makes it chaotic and fun. i appreciate recapturing that in the playoffs as well, let hot runs lead a dismal team to the WS
Ben Clemens
I think this too. I would actually say that the bset way to make the playoffs feel more fair is to make the regular season title feel more impactful. Celebrate it more, that kind of thing. Soccer does a good job of clearly delineating between playoff stuff (Champions League, very importnat, people really care) and regular season (people still really care). Baseball just makes the playoffs the only thing that matter to such an extent that these things like 'short series mean bad teams can win' feel bad to people. If you acknowledge that this is a tournament, feels different to me.
Benny The Jet
By then we'll probably have 4 wildcards per league
bosoxforlife
I'm already at the bar of the country club.
Dan Szymborski
2:38 isn't too early to drink!
Ben Clemens
Edmundo Sosa asking for the appeal himself and then being disappointed, hilarious
Dan Szymborski
Playoffs = Eagle Rare 12
illpod
Go full chaos and make the playoffs interleague. "oh but tradition" shut up I just wanna see what happens when the Dodgers and Padres have to play a World Series
Doug Lampert
The sun is always under the yardarm somewhere.
Worm Burner
I've never been clear on Kruk's true value as an actual analyst but he is usually entertaining in the booth. Who might you say has the biggest difference between the value they bring explaining the game versus their pure entertainment factor?
Ben Clemens
I feel similarly. The all-time greatest at this is Bill Walton, I believe.
bosoxforlife
A cold one after a round of golf is always appropriate.
Dan Szymborski
Or during!
drplantwrench
i personally cant stand matty v, whos your dream announcing team?
Michael Baumann
There's never been a mechanism for all three of these guys to work together but: Jason Benetti, Kyle Peterson and (don't kill kill me, I think he's great on TV) AJ Pierzynski
Benny The Jet
I think part of the dissonance is that when the playoffs featured the "best" 2-4 teams from each league, it felt more fair, where as now with just a dilution of the playoff field, it is much more common to see 81 win teams eliminate 100 win juggernauts in short series
Ben Clemens
Dallas Braden is up there for me. Not always a big fan of his opinions, but man, for whatever reason he's a fun listen for me. And while I often think Keith Hernandez's takes are antiquated, he's just SO delightful to listen to
Dan Szymborski
Yup, so the major choice become accepting MLB playoffs are just a really damn fun bonus or getting constantly annoyed. At least as I see it.
Ben Clemens
Great challenge by Albies, respect.
Michael Baumann
I think if you have a three-person booth you need a pitcher and a hitter. That's part of why Ron and Keith (or KP and either Eduardo Perez, Jess Mendoza or Chris Burke; or Pierzynski and Wainwright) works
Ben Clemens
short guys getting those high strikes called on them must LOVE abs
Ben Clemens
Totally agree, Mike. Hitter/pitcher/pbp is great
jonmberra
I’m biased but I want more Adam Wainwright in the booth. He just seems appropriately excited baseball, unlike some others.
Michael Baumann
Same. I think Wainwright's terrific in the booth, and he's a good straight man for Pierzynski
juan pierres mustache
still not getting over "mauricio dubon, playoff cleanup hitter"
bosoxforlife
I doubt if many would have ever predicted, 10 years ago, that Mauricio Dubon, a very valuable player, would, some day, be batting clean-up in a playoff series.
Ben Clemens
Yep, concur with you guys. I think that Pierzynski needs a foil, too.
Ben Clemens
What a play by Luzardo there. Having the presence of mind to not just chuck it to first but stop and make sure no run scores? Marvelous
Nathaniel
maybe they should just make bats without knobs? a new inefficiency to exploit?
Dan Szymborski
Oh the fan casualties
Klubot3000
Bunting is SO DUMB! WHY ARE WE STILL DOING THIS IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD TWO THOUSAND AND TWENTY SIX
Dan Szymborski
Bunting is pretty good if it's not intended to be a sacrifice.
Eltneg
Didn't realize how bad Riley's been this season, did anyone figure out what's happened to his career last few years?
Dan Szymborski
I haven't figured it out. There have been so injuries, but none to cause this
Ben Clemens
Yeah, sometimes people just get worse, I guess
Michael Baumann
"How much pine tar would you need to hang on to a bat without a knob?" would've been a great Mythbusters episode
jromero
I wish bunting played a bigger part in the modern game it can make for some interesting plays and decisions that we don't see very often
Klubot3000
Fair fair, Dan, but that wasn't what Harris was doing. He's arguably the Braves best hitter vs lefties!
bosoxforlife
Did Weiss start Yaz left on left, because he knew Luzardo was just an opener and didn't want to waste him early?
Ben Clemens
Probably.
bob
Is anyone else almost 70 and wish game 1 started at 10 am?
Rich Hill's Fastball
PFPs!
Dan Szymborski
Not me, I'm 48 and am still kinda waking up at 10!
Michael Baumann
J.T. Realmuto might've ended his oh-fer, Matty, but I'm afraid that "real rough stretch" is still ongoing
Dan Szymborski
If this is the Realmuto in 2026, I'd hate to see the generic knockoff <rimshot>
Dan Szymborski
"He's having a tough mid 2020s"
bosoxforlife
I'm 84, on the east coast, and plan to watch the Cubs-Padres to its conclusion.
Ben Clemens
Realmuto is a great poster boy for how hard catching is. It has just worn him down.
Michael Baumann
a literal back-foot slider!
Dan Szymborski
Had a damn good peak. Hope he gets a few stray Hall votes
Ben Clemens
'who knows anymore?' John Kruk says about check swings. Aside from 'anymore' I totally agree with him
Klubot3000
The minor league check swing automated check is weird, and very different to the current interpretation from umps, but at least it's consistent
Ben Schneider
I think check swing challenges will be a good thing, but as Eric wrote earlier this year, the 45 degree line is waayyyyyy too far
Ben Clemens
Yeah I really agree with both the system and the fact that the line needs to change from what they're testing. It's not fair to ask umpires to do this. It's an impossible ask.
Eltneg
Does Yaz have the best career of any hitter to debut as late as he did, excluding Negro leaguers, Japanese pros, and Cubans? There's Hoyt Wilhelm for pitchers, but is there another case of a hitter coming up at 28 and being a 3-win player for 8 seasons?
Michael Baumann
No idea, though I'm gonna spend the next couple innings looking it up. I love this question because getting to the majors early is such a massive determining factor for a player's career, and it goes unnoticed by a lot of people
jromero
as much as I want the phillies to be the bad guys that was an accidental hit on kim right?
Ben Clemens
Yeah, for sure. They can still be villains without literally punching the other guys. (I don't think the Phillies are the bad guys, to be clear, but I respect your decision to do so)
Ben Clemens
Like, that is a very normal slide, Kim's head was in kind of an unexpected spot
Michael Baumann
I don't, tbc
Dan Szymborski
Socks Seybold and Ed Charles had more WAR than Yaz
beanbong
Kim somehow uses his whole body to put down a tag and it's burned him several times this year
Ben Clemens
Interesting! I had not noticed this.
SadaharuWhoa
I'm 37, in the Midwest, and plan to watch the Cubs-Padres until I get too sleepy or bored.
Dan Szymborski
10 PM still kinda early for me! I keep the hours of a club kid without the partying
Anonymous Member #46
Eltneg, the position player poster child for late debut legend is Edgar Martinez.
Dan Szymborski
Ah, but I was only counting debut age. The M's screwed around with him for a few years, he debuted younger
Anonymous Member #46
Boy, Trea Turner isn't playing well enough this year to be able to afford TOOTBLANs.
Gunther042
Hey gang, who at MLB can I contact to complain about the Cubs/Padres 9p central start time? For context, live in Iowa, work at 7am, have 2 kids under age 3. Who did this?
Ben Clemens
I think for this one, you probably need to blame whoever made the earth so dang big that time zones were necessary. Like eh, they have march madness games this late, it's the only first-round game on the west coast, that kinda thing. That said, why not let them overlap A LITTLE? Like, this should start at 9:30 ET, not 10ET, imo
Eltneg
Phillies have done Realmuto absolutely no favors by refusing to get a passable backup for his entire time here, he was so good and so durable for so long they could pretend they didn't need one and now the decline's brutal
Dan Szymborski
Gunther042, if MLB cared about complaints, then you probably wouldn't be in a state that has six blackout teams.
Eltneg
Yeah I'm only interested in debut age, guys who bounce around for a while before exhausting rookie eligibility late like Christian Walker or Pat Wisdom are a diff story to me.
juan pierres mustache
if you add together the batting lines this season of the two backup Cs on the phillies roster you get .252 / .352 / .318
shakersamman
Trying to figure out who in this game I’d most want to see in a roadtrip movie with Kruk, a la Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Harper could be fun.
Dan Szymborski
I think someone that would get exasperated with Kruk constantly. Like Doolittle or maybe Paul O'Neill?
Michael Baumann
if you lower the age threshold to 26 or 27 you get some fun answers. Earl Averill is the U.S.-born late debut king but before that he was playing the PCL, which was basically a major league at the time. Eddie Stanky debuted at 26 and had 37.0 WAR in the next nine seasons. Don Buford had a cup of coffee in his age-26 season and had 33.4 WAR over the next 8 years
Klubot3000
Since we've got little Mike Baumann in the chat, is there any precedent for a three-way negotiating group: MLB owners, MLB union, and fans? In a monopoly like MLB, should regulators step in on behalf of the customers at the negotiating table?
Dan Szymborski
How about Kruk/Maddux?
Michael Baumann
1) Nope, that's not how labor unions work and 2) There absolutely should be an independent regulation for all industries, especially a legal monopoly like pro sports, but unfortunately the U.S. gave up on government regulation forever in 1981
Ben Clemens
"First ever bullpen game in a game one in postseason history"
ehhhhhhh, that doesn't really sound interesting enough to me
Michael Baumann
I shudder to think what a federal Ministry of Sport would look like now, anyway
Ben Clemens
to get a mention. Like, there are plenty of glorified bullpen games in g1's. burning the whole team on the last day to make the playoffs is a time honored tradition
Ben Clemens
The ump cam/pitch trajectory overlay rocks, wow
Eltneg
Thanks for looking it up, Baumann. Never heard of Ed Charles before, looks like he was blocked by Eddie Matthews. If we're bringing up guys named "Socks Seybold" who debuted in the 19th century as comps it really shows how wild Yaz's career has been.
Ben Clemens
OOTP Perfect Team legend Socks Seybold! I have an irrational liking for that guy because there was a good version of him in the game one year.
Michael Baumann
Not all old-timey baseball nicknames were PC, but the fact that there's no one in the majors named Socks tells me we threw the baby out with the bathwater
tjcook87
Realistically, how many innings for Luzardo? Feel like the Phils with try and get 5, but that might not be safe or realistic with no ramp-up.
Michael Baumann
I'll level with you: If I were Don Mattingly, I would've taken 3 innings, 44 pitches and one earned run from Luzardo if you'd offered it before the game
shakersamman
Kruk/Walt Weiss would be fun too imo
josdawg
Don Mattingly's never seen a left-hander he didnt think he could leave in the game longer than advisable
bosoxforlife
Please come up with a way to get the check swing out of the umpires hands. It is awful and completely different with every umpire.
Dan Szymborski
Gotta get balls and strikes fully out first! This is a much harder one
HappyFunBall
Every inning they can get from Luzardo is an inning they can use later to cover for Nola
Ben Clemens
I *think* I understand why the Phillies ran out Nola on short rest in their pursuit of the playoffs. But uh…. 'Aaron Nola on short rest' also sounds like a cautionary tale to scare rookie managers with. I'm sure they'd be happy to give Nola as few innings as possible this series.
Ben Clemens
Oh man, Votto with the truth bomb. "Don't you think that excuse-me swing jam job might have had some luck to it?"
Klubot3000
Baumann, are you going to write about the college sports bill? Or save it till this lockout?
Michael Baumann
Probably not. It's not going to be as big a deal for baseball as for other sports and I'm not knowledgeable enough on the particulars to try to write about it freelance somewhere else. If you're interested in money and (especially college) sports and have a couple bucks a month to spend, Matt Brown's Extra Points newsletter is where you want to go for this.
Dan Szymborski
I'm surprised they're throwing Luzardo this much and not even sweating it now
Phillip Denny
Did anyone have "Luzardo pitches 4 IP" on their bingo cards?
Michael Baumann
I don't think 4 innings from Luzardo was that crazy coming in, but given all the traffic the past couple innings I wouldn't push it any further
josdawg
Do yall think teams approach to ABS challenge use will be different (meaningfully or otherwise) in the playoffs compared to regular season?
Ben Clemens
My prior is that they won't change much aside from more aggressively spending the last of them in the eighth/ninth
Ben Clemens
Like, if you go home with a challenge in your pocket in the playoffs, that feels worse than in an 8-1 August game.
Michael Baumann
I'm just going to assume the Phillies have at least two relievers warming up right now, because this is a baseball game being managed by Don Mattingly
Benny The Jet
I know I'm late but how is the Yaz trivia possible- in the age of Marlon Byrd and JD Martinez going from AAAA guys to superstars, not one anonymous 28 year old minor leaguer made a swing change to salvage a career?
Ben Clemens
I think the tricky part is how lastingly good Yaz has been. If one swing change can salvage your career in a lasting way, you might have found it earlier. I think of a poker saying: "If you start with a worse hand, even when you improve, you're likely to improve to second-best"
Phillip Denny
Oh Michael, Mattingly is old hat at leaving the SP in past his turns into pumpkin date. *Wallows in Kershaw*
Michael Baumann
That was more than 10 years ago! Mattingly's evolved! He's finding completely new ways to mismanage his pitching staff now!
Klubot3000
Broadcast just said no one was stirring with 2 on in the 4th, so maybe Mattingly is gonna run him back out for the 5th?
Dan Szymborski
Gotta think that was the plan if you had a dead bullpen with two guys on, even with two outs
Benny The Jet
Is it because MLB teams are that good at evaluating young talent? Attrition? Just a refusal to give a 28 year old a real look even if he hits 35 bombs in AA?
Dan Szymborski
Teams are way better than they used to be. Ken Phelps All-Stars aren't really a thing anymore. Pretty much anyone will eventually get a chance now
bosoxforlife
The ABS system has been a home run, pun intended. Does anyone see any chance for any alteration to get more early game challenges?
To finish out the Yaz discussion from earlier, I guess my point is just that it's really rare for you to hang around THAT long without ever happening upon something that spikes you up to the majors. And then have this one thing lastingly make it work. People have one-off good seasons, sure, but Yaz has been good for a very long time after a late start, and that combo (unproductive/unexciting enough that even with natural tinkering you don't hit the majors until 28, then lastingly good after) is just really unlikely. It's like a population or sampling bias or something.
Dan Szymborski
It does not
Klubot3000
It does open though, Dan. What is it showing?
Dan Szymborski
Oh, just projected wins vs. actual
Phillip Denny
This might have been discussed before, but why is Sale's slider not labeled a sweeper other than Sale likely being a red ass about it?
Ben Clemens
So, by convention (I guess?) 'sweeper' is about the induced break. Sale's pitch moves left to right a lot, but that's because of his arm slot. It doesn't really have much horizontal break to it, if that makes sense. He just throws it sideways. Whereas a 'sweeper' is one that diverges a lot from the flight path. It's kind of a distinction without a difference thing, though.
Benny The Jet
Always felt like one of the last true "slurves" to me
Dan Szymborski
I find slurves still quite effective in MLB the Show at least!
Rich Hill's Fastball
Safe to say that Yaz is the exception proving the rule?
Ben Clemens
Yeah for sure. And to Dan's point, I do think there were more Ken Phelps type guys avialable in the past. I don't think a hitter like Yaz would stick around until 28 without a debut anymore, either. It's kind of striking that the O's never gave him even a cup of coffee.
apeloton
Not a playoffs question but a comment for fg consideration – chats like this don’t show up on the app. I wish they did – they’re reliably excellent and it would be nice if they were in the same place as everything else
Ben Schneider
Dan Wilson was the only manager let go at the season's conclusion. Do you think we will see any other managers or executives get fired in the coming weeks?
Dan Szymborski
OOps, i responded in teh chat window lol
Dan Szymborski
I'm not sure – some of the guys who were on the precipice were axed in season
Dan Szymborski
I actually thought John Schneider might get fired
Dan Szymborski
Weird, now I haven't seen *anyone's* answer in this window since Ben at 3:19
thevenin
How is it possible that Chris Sale can be throwing harder than ever at age 37. I can't think of a single physical task I'll be better at when I'm 37 than I am now.
Ben Clemens
This is probably an unsatisfying answer, but without knowing anything about you, you're less of a crazy person than Chris Sale. Less than almost any pro athlete, really. I haven't met Chris Sale, and yet I feel very confident that he is basically maxing himself out trying to get better at baseball at all times. I agree it's kinda nuts to see him throwing this hard, but on the other hand, he's a 1-of-1 outlier guy in his physical mechanics and whatnot, and baseball as a whole is getting much better at throwing harder over time. Pretty cool that he's improving by enough to offest aging.
bosoxforlife
It would be more appropriate to fire Vlad Guerrero .
henrywilson
I wonder if the near World Series win last year earned Schneider a chance at one more season to turn things around.
Ben Clemens
I would assume so.
Michael Baumann
Also if you are more of a crazy person than Chris Sale, please get out of this chat
Klubot3000
And @thevenin, you've got to believe in yourself a bit more. I was way better at tennis at 37 than I was at 27!
Ben Clemens
actually yeah! I PR'ed in the half marathon at 37 38 and 39 (didn't run one at 40, but honestly I probably have topped out now)
Benny The Jet
Looking at this Phillies roster it is striking how effectively Dave Dombrowski has recreated the 2013-14 Tiger's roster shape (both complementary and derogatory)
illpod
I'm going to go back in time and fire Jeff Hoffman and save everyone the discussion
Phillip Denny
Don't forget, Sale was going to retire after the 2024 season!
Phillip Denny
5 of the 8 G1 starters are lefties. Just goes to show, all things equal, it's better to throw with the funny arm.
Ogbert
Lunchtime at work, so finally here to join the party. Happy playoffs, all!
Ben Clemens
Happy playoffs!
Ben Clemens
Okay, so Votto just said "Kyle is not thinking 'I'm gonna homer you.'"
I totally believe that hitters are being sincere when they talk about just trying to take a good at-bat and if the homers come they come. But um, I'm sorry, do people say "I'm gonna homer you?" Like, homer as a verb that way?
Rich Hill's Fastball
"Queen Latifah played second base for me one day" he's a national treasure
Michael Baumann
Kruk's been on his best behavior all day and I was so delighted he couldn't keep that one in
Ben Clemens
Oh man, I misjudged that one. Thought it was out for sure.
Dan Szymborski
Hmm, closing my browser completely and reconnecting still leaves everything frozen at 3:19
Rich Hill's Fastball
The entire park thought that was gone
bosoxforlife
I was certain that was gone.
Ben Schneider
That sure looked like a homer off the bat
henrywilson
That ball must have had some crazy spin on it to get foul!
richwp01
I hope Dan and Ben are wrong, and Michael is right about the White Sox. I want to see them win, and beat Cleveland.
Ben Clemens
There's no rooting in the press box, of course. But I'm not in the press box, and I will definitely be rooting for all the underdogs in the segmented part of my brain that isn't neutral for objective coverage.
Dan Szymborski
You have to make them more special, which they won't do
Dan Szymborski
I root in order: Orioles->Chaos->Underdogs->Non-Yankees->Yankees
Benny The Jet
Chris Sale's longest career postseason start? Really?
Dan Szymborski
Yeah, I double taked there too and am alreayd checking
Phillip Denny
Vasgersian definitely baited us on the call.
Michael Baumann
I thought it was foul off the bat and he immediately went Full "THE GIANTS WIN THE PENNANT" and startled the hell out of me. Man got so hyped to do his big home run call he couldn't hold it in
Ben Clemens
Dan I'm pretty similar overall. I also root for all the teams that have never won a WS in general.
angryyankeesfan
I didn't realize until the pre-game that Sale hasn't been very good in the postseason.
Michael Baumann
How quickly everyone forgets the near-Kershaw-level Sale Playoff Discourse of 2018
Dan Szymborski
But it's true. Sale's longest start was 5 1/3 innings. Probably because his ERA is 6.35
Dan Szymborski
Actually Sale's first playoff appearance since 2021
Benny The Jet
Tigers fan here- willing to accept a temporary armistice with White Sox fans if they can take down Cleveland for us
tjcook87
Sale not having a ton of postseason starts makes sense, cuz it's Sox, 2018, injured essentially.
Ben Clemens
Good reminder that postseason reputations aren't a straight accounting of how you did. Matters a lot what people remember. We're all so surprised by Sale's lack of postseason pedigree because he seems like such a bulldog.
Phillip Denny
Hey look, another reliever I've never heard of who throws 99!
Ben Clemens
No no, now we just call that "a reliever". Throwing 99 is redundant these days
Michael Baumann
My pet theory is that 95% of Clutch Discourse is nothing but phrenology. People decide whether an athlete's clutch based on what his face look like
Ben Clemens
Harris's hit there was a great example of why hard fastballs away are generally not adored. It's easier to be late on them and yet punch it through.
Ben Clemens
I totally agree with you, Baumann
Dan Szymborski
phrenology would at least be a consistent bad approach. clutch is typically used just as an excuse to say whatever you want to say about a guy anyway without a mean old stathead standing in your way
Dan Szymborski
Derek Hill slid like it was a wet bathroom floor
Ogbert
Dang, actually overreached for that ball and it got him on the wrist
Ogbert
Did he actually knock that back in play?
Chad Young
Hi everyone! Couldn't be here for the full game, but I am here now and should be able to stick around for the start of the next game, as well. Got the TV on just in time to see that Albies triple. Sorry, Phils fans. Might be my fault.
Ben Schneider
Is there wind blowing we haven't heard about? That also looked like it went further than expected
Phillip Denny
Might be a Jay question, but Sale is a blank cap HOF dude? I could make the case for White Sox but neither the Cy nor WS happened there.
Ben Clemens
I understand that play's hard, but a lot of big league center fielders make it. I don't think he knocked it back in, I think if it hit his glove he would have, but his arm didn't appaer to be over the wall.
Dan Szymborski
I bet Sale goes in with a Braves cap
Benny The Jet
What a phenomenal half a play (the jump and route looked great), and what an awful half a play
Dan Szymborski
Is Riley just deciding to swing or not before the pitch is even thrown?
Rich Hill's Fastball
I should change my name to "Derek Hill's balance"
angryyankeesfan
From Reacher season 4, episode 1: "Phillies have a kid who throws 100. I want to see him before he blows his arm out." He was clearly referring to Alex McFarlane.
Dan Szymborski
BREAKING: Riley isn't comfortable against pitches.
bosoxforlife
Whom would you rather have on the mound, Chris Sale throwing his 7th inning or Alex McFarland throwing his first pitch?
Ben Clemens
Well now I'll take Sale :). No, I would have probably taken Sale anyway.
Rich Hill's Fastball
Because it looks bad on it's face but is deceptively quite good!
Michael Baumann
Shout out to Ozzie Albies for crushing a ball off a righthander, I didn't know he could do that
Dan Szymborski
Man, I've gotten almost ALL local commercials on this one. MLB having trouble selling the national ones? Remember that year it was Lowe's/Home Depot (forget which) every single break?
Michael Baumann
Thought the Phillies were home free once Albies was done facing lefties for the day
Dan Szymborski
OH wait, this is peacock, not mlb.tv
drewcorb
TKDC: "The 2pm start time is so stupid. The number of people trying to watch 11 hours of baseball on a Tuesday has to be in the triple digits, a few thousand max.
I cannot relate to this. I love 12 hours of baseball even if I can't watch it all
Michael Baumann
I'm with Drew. Nothing I love more than a wall-to-wall Sports On TV day, and the first week of MLB playoffs is up there with the first weekend of March Madness, the Olympics, the group stage of the World Cup…
drplantwrench
local fangraphs member represents unbiased sample who loves 12 hours of straight baseball
Rich Hill's Fastball
Seen a lot of discourse about Tolle's reverse splits? Isn't this just sampling bias because only the best LHHs actually face him?
Ben Clemens
Interesting, and surely part of it. That's part of a lot of platoon splits, though. Like, in general, you get tougher matchups of your own handedness as a pitcher. It's also a small sample size thing. And also I kind of think Tolle might be a neutral-platoon guy b/c he's weird and throws fastballs.
Ben Schneider
I'm watching real NBC, and half the ads are for candidates in New Hampshire
Ben Clemens
So kind of a little of column a, little of column b
henrywilson
The ability to only watch half the games because they are happening at the same time would be much stupider.
Benny The Jet
We have 89 people in this chat alone so
Ben Clemens
There are dozens of us!
Ben Clemens
"I get why Bryson is bunting here" wait I don't!
TKDC
The number of people who really want to watch right now but can’t is far larger than the number trying to watch all 11 hours.
Phillip Denny
Of the top of your head, does the bunt percentage meaningfully increase in the postseason?
Ben Clemens
This is not a bunt spot! They're down and they need to not sacrifice outs. Pinch hit for him if you must.
bosoxforlife
One of the best parts of the 2026 season has been the return of the offensive bunt.
Ben Clemens
Kruk needs to flame Stott for not bunting there to be consistent.
Dan Szymborski
Hit for butters
Phillip Denny
baseball gods be like "ball don't lie"
Ben Clemens
I like to think the baseball gods rewarded De La Cruz for making an actual effort to get out of the way of that slider.
turquoiseyoshi
The political ads that you get for these sorts of games are fascinating. I guess there's nothing seriously contested in PA or GA right now
Michael Baumann
PA's got a gubernatorial election this year. I've gotten a couple ads but the density is nowhere near what I've seen in other years. I guess no one credible wants to run against Josh Shapiro after he [REDACTED]
richwp01
Anyone think White Sox are crazy enough to let Hagen go 11 batters, to get Yordan twice?
Ben Clemens
I think this would be a VERY poor decision given that Yordan crushes everyone about the same
Dan Szymborski
See the lack of fear a manager has pulling Sale? Scherzer makes a manager wonder if he's risking his life
Ben Clemens
they have eight trillion lefty relievers, too, if they just MUST have a lefty against him
Benny The Jet
My local station is now kicking the game for the local news…
lzfreak
This is one of those fun situations where Sale could theoretically get the win, the loss, or no decision
Ben Clemens
That said I might bring in Grant Taylor for the second time through, lol
Phillip Denny
RE for 1– ,1 out is 0.48. RE for -2-, 2 out is 0.31. BUT maybe we're spending too much time thinking about run expectancy and should instead consider fun expectancy.
richwp01
Jim Margalus from Sox Machine noted: "With Yordan Alvarez coming to the plate in the first inning and weaker against lefties as of late …
First half vs. LHP: .286/.346/.551 over 110 PA
Second half vs. LHP: .234/.324/.391 over 74 PA"
Ben Clemens
At FanGraphs, we're not allowed to quote 74-PA platoon splits.
Ogbert
Kind of amazed Stott's hitting behind Derek Hill and BDLC
Michael Baumann
They've platooned Stott quite a bit in the past and both Hill and De La Cruz have hit lefties well this season. I don't know if I'd write the same lineup but it's less crazy than it looks just based on the names
Ben Clemens
or at least, I hope we're not.
Dan Szymborski
Don't need a crazy bunt hit rate to make a bunt worthwhile. Just not sure Stott is that guy
Benny The Jet
Pinch-hitter Justin Crawford is brutal
Ben Clemens
Yeah, woof
Sonny L
Big ‘I know what those words mean but not in that order’ energy on that PH
angryyankeesfan
They needed a ball in play and, well, they got it. Is Marsh better? I don't know.
Ben Clemens
Yeah, I'm not saying it's a bad decision. It just feels bad that it's their best option.
Michael Baumann
OH MY GOD REALMUTO GOT A HIT!
lzfreak
Do we think Fast Ronald Acuna is coming back or is he just done running now?
Chad Young
He stole 21 bases this year but was caught 8 times, which is a really low success rate by his standard, but 21 steals is the 4th most in his career, even with only 107 games played. Given the decreased success rate and the need to keep him healthy, I wouldn't be surprised if he runs a bit less, maybe? But I don't think he is going to stop. I would bet on 20-25 steals in a full season. 70 isn't happening again.
Dan Szymborski
Acuña did his own vaudeville skit there
lzfreak
Ben are you doing manager report cards again this year? Those are always a fun read.
Ben Clemens
We're teaming up to do them this year. Last year Dan grabbed some of them, but we're now going to break them up even more
angryyankeesfan
Would you hit for Realmuto here?
Ogbert
What is going on with that warning track? Do they grease it up for The Freeze?
angryyankeesfan
This is why I'm not a manager
Fangraphs Man
Some real bad handling of the wall in this game
Dan Szymborski
It's not like the PHillies have an exciting bench
richwp01
(I mean White Sox coverage grasping for something against a great hitter)
Ben Clemens
haha yeah, I agree that that's what is going on here. I'd just say focus on giving your pitchers the best matchups for them. Yordan is a force of nature. He happens to you, you don't happen to him.
Dan Szymborski
BTW – in ZiPS, a Braves win put them up 70/30, Phillies win puts them up 80/20
tjcook87
Two (2) more triples in this game so far than anticipated.
bosoxforlife
Shout out to Ben calling that one! The outside fastball that can be driven the other way.
Ben Clemens
Better lucky than good when it comes to predictions
Benny The Jet
Is Duran getting 9 outs?
Michael Baumann
If Duran's getting nine outs I'm probably going to be dead by the time the game ends, in which case, it's been a pleasure chatting with you guys
dpa28
Can Duran go 2 here? Should mattingly really trust Bowlan?
Ben Clemens
Ooh, this is a good question (and one many are asking). I am expected value pilled, and I would probably only want Duran for one inning to preserve optionality for the future but I'm pretty sure that's not going to be a popular take
Chad Youngedited
Triples were up across MLB this year vs. last, but XBH were down. 7,493 doubles is 252 fewer than last year and those are the two lowest doubles totals since the COVID year. Triples were up to 671 from 628. Is that why we got two triples today? Yes, definitely, that is why.
Jon Becker
Hello everyone, I'm not "supposed" to be here until CHW/HOU but Duran in the seventh has me pumped
Phillip Denny
Duran is certainly getting more than 3 outs imo, question is how much more than that.
Ben Clemens
Yeah, exactly haha. I do think I am right. I do not think that what I would prefer will happen.
Seuss2004
I like this pitching move by Don Mattingly.
Ben Clemens
I wouldn't mind Duran for the top of the order and then a low-lev guy at the end
Ben Clemens
like, I really do want him for Baldwin and co
Chad Young
I like going to Duran here – he is supposed to be available for more than an inning, and maybe you have to figure out the ninth, but if he is efficient…who knows?
Seuss2004
[Head explodes at this sentence]
Michael Baumann
My guess is Mattingly's going to try to get through the top half of the order at least, maybe as far as Albies if he gets through quickly. After that, Painter if it's a clean inning, Bowlan if not
Chad Young
If he can get you 7 and 8 and leave the bottom of the order for someone else, that's not a bad outcome. If he gets a couple of quick innings and the pitch count stays low, maybe he can get another?
Jon Becker
Atlanta's lineup drops off very quickly after the top three, IMO, so he's certainly getting four batters and to Baumann's point, getting through the sixth spot is in play if he's efficient enough
Ben Clemens
yeah. although they have to play tomorrow. and they'd probably want Jhoan Duran for that
Jon Becker
You run the risk of him being absolutely gassed tomorrow but a bird in the hand and all that
Ben Clemens
I really do like using him against the top though
angryyankeesfan
Just saw the Yankees starting lineup and Aaron Boone has Rosario at 3rd base. If we lose game 1 on a Rosario error I'm going to be pissed.
Ben Clemens
Just putting you on the record so you can say you called it if it happens.
Chad Young
Agreed with that, Jon – get the win now and worry about tomorrow tomorrow. You might be up 8 tomorrow, who knows.
Michael Baumann
Consider the lilies of the field, Becks
lzfreak
As a Twins fan I'm really nostalgic for that splinker
Jon Becker
Want to take the opportunity to call out Duran expanding his pitch mix even more this year, adding a sweeper to give him some east-west
Dan Szymborski
Hey Jon, Chad (sorry was in bathroom)
Eltneg
You think there's any chance MLB moves away from the balanced schedule and returns to placing more emphasis on divisional/league games, or is there too much money to be made by having the Yankees/Red Sox/Cubs/Dodgers visit every city?
Chad Young
I would be curious what others think about this, but I will say I kinda HOPE they go less balanced. I find the divisional rivalries fun and I think it makes post-season series more special. It also sets them up well for expansion, because the schedule will almost have to get less balanced at that point, I think.
Ben Clemens
I hear you guys saying you have to play like there's no tomorrow. My counter is that you're not adding that much win probability by having tired Duran go against the Braves' bad hitters compared to someone else. It's not liek if you take Duran out, you lose the game.
nuttingtolose
Isn't the leverage of an extra inning today likely to be higher than an inning in tomorrow's game?
Ben Clemens
Yeah. For sure. But like, okay, why not use Wheeler and Painter and Nola and have Duran throw the first 4 innings then? Like, it's all a tradeoff somewhere
Chad Young
Totally fair, Ben. And I am not saying he has to pitch the 9th. But by going to him now, you get him through the top of the order and potentially have the option to let him finish it out.
bosoxforlife
Is anybody else here old enough to remember Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage and Rollie Fingers and Mike Marshall and………?
Jon Becker
I'm old enough to know how to look on YouTube for highlights
Dan Szymborski
I do miss crazy closers
Ben Clemens
I think I'm just differently placed on the 'how much should we slam the closer' spectrum, and believe that extending guys this long has more carryover effects. But yeah, I think we're basically mostly in agreement here.
Ogbert
Just missed that one, Ronnie
lowreslotad
Oh man the sound off the bat fooled me there
Jon Becker
Every playoffs I forget how close the field mics are, on average, compared to the regular season
Ben Clemens
Dylan Lee is one of my favorite random major leaguers. He's great! And has been for a while. And you might not know who he is
Rich Hill's Fastball
iVB mentioned!
Klubot3000
Great tee up by Votto
Michael Baumann
Dylan Lee changed either his hair or beard but for a while he looked exactly like Leon Draisaitl
Ben Clemens
this booth has been quite good today imo
Sonny L
Phils getting one more run would go a long way towards the Duran question. Bottom of ATL’ lineup w a 2 run lead is a very different ask
Chad Young
For sure. The calculus changes a lot with another run, let alone if they are somehow able to break it open.
SpiderTribe
Am I the only one who thinks that this iteration of John Kruk sounds like Buck Martinez?
Dan Szymborski
Maybe then he manage too! Which would be highly entertaining
Sonny L
Votto and Kruk are amazing
Jon Becker
Took a while for the booth to gel — I think three guys up in the booth and one on the field is REALLY hard to coordinate and cue Votto in, but it's been awesome since the middle innings
Dan Szymborski
Actually, Votto/Kruk already would be a good Planes, Trains and Automobiles pair or a Road to… pari
Klubot3000
Oh cmon, NOBODY sounds like Buck
Ben Clemens
hahahaha "Somebody smart, wasn't Francoeur, was it?" and then someone in the booth even said "frenchy catching strays". Delightful to me.
Sonny L
Yeah they should lock CJ out tomorrow and let Votto in the booth
Jon Becker
CJ's been good too! Just not as ridiculous as Kruk, because nobody is. When you have 17 guys on the mic you gotta get a pitcher in there
kbm5088
The idea of pitchers possibly getting their first hold and save of the year (if it is Painter) is a little fun
Jon Becker
AJ Blubaugh led relievers in innings this year without a single start and he's starting G1 for the Astros. In the playoffs, up is down and right is left and red is blue
Dan Szymborski
I have to admit, what's fun broadcasting for me these days isn't what is best for most fans. I mostly like nonsense. Unless you're going to break down mechanics, I don't get much out of the playcall or the analysis
showerat
shadows mentioned!
Michael Baumann
You can see they're coming in almost parallel with the first base line instead of straight over the backstop. I love how they always play afternoon postseason games at the ballpark that's facing the wrong direction
Phillip Denny
Feels like losing Sosa's glove for the Crawford pinch hit will hurt. I imagine their ideal defensive sub lineup would have him at 3B
Jon Becker
The Phillies' ideal defensive lineup is still… not great, so I get prioritizing offense in that moment
Jon Becker
OH WOW what a catch
Dan Szymborski
Reminds me of that Jose Fernandez/Troy Tulowitzki play
Ben Clemens
"ball caught him" applies here
Jon Mozes
That Duran GIF of him catching his breath is gonna SLAP
Chad Young
Just defending himself…wow
Jon Becker
Okay we're now reaching the "Duran has thrown few enough pitches to get five outs where you start thinking about the ninth" territory
Michael Baumann
I also thought that hit him in the chest. Man, that scared him to death
Ben Clemens
That throw looks like something I'd do (derogatory)
Chad Young
That baserunner is interesting for the Duran question. If that chopper ends the inning, it's a 6 pitch inning and 19 total pitches through 2 IP. Makes a third seem less risky. Instead, we're still going.
Jon Becker
For all of the "players have great internal clocks" talk (and they absolutely do) I'm amazed by how many times you see throws made where the infielder is looking right at the runner he has no shot of getting
Chad Young
We're also one step closer to Baldwin getting another PA, likely against not-Duran
Ben Clemens
I'd be pretty interseted in running on Duran here
Ben Clemens
But eh, it's not really Atlanta's thing, so I get it.
Klubot3000
I'd be pretty interested in scoring on Duran here
Rich Hill's Fastball
Think Duran saw his life flash before his eyes?
Ben Clemens
Our interests are correlated
Benny The Jet
Probably an unpopular opinion, but I kind of love the shadows this time of year- feels like the manifestation of October subtly putting its finger on the scale
Ben Clemens
Good pickup by Kruk and Votto that Harper doesn't konw where to stand and is trying to get the dugout's attention. Probably won't matter, but those are the kind of observations that I would not pick up otherwise.
Phillip Denny
well 9 outs is probably out of the question now.
Chad Young
Yeah, I think that Harris grounder made it hard and the long Albies PA ended it.
Ben Clemens
"I guarantee you if it was bad to win the challenge, Atlanta wouldn't have challenged" well yeah….
Sonny L
6 outs isn’t guaranteed
Michael Baumann
Duran gassed in a multi-inning stint against the Dodgers last year, this is gonna be touch-and-go
angryyankeesfan
Ever heard of a challenge for a NON-hit-by-pitch?
Jon Becker
I see at least a few a year when a wild pitch would've scored a run
Chad Young
Oh wow
Ben Clemens
Hey guys, I don't think Duran is going nine.
Dan Szymborski
Man, now I feel bad for ragging on Riley earlier
Phillip Denny
Man I was JUST about to slander Riley too. Great swing.
HappyFunBall
And just like that, Austin Riley's entire season is redeemed
Ben Clemens
What a swing.
Jon Becker
Riley has never been a good fastball hitter and has been especially bad against them this year, but when you put it there…
Ben Clemens
To be fair, Duran is beyond gassed and threw him a mid-mid spinner
Dan Szymborski
Well, they may have solved the Duran three inning problem.
Phillip Denny
Ben I believe you are entitled to an "I told you so" here
Michael Baumann
Well, I gotta go start my recap. It's been something, folks.
Ben Clemens
ehhhhh…. baseball's pretty random. he easily could have not had that happen. All I'll say is that sometimes good pitchers get got, and sometimes bad pitchers excel. so I like not pushing my guys too much
lzfreak
Why keep Duran in after the homer?
Dan Szymborski
At that point, it's down 2 with bases empty
Michael Baumann
And if Matt or Meg is reading this, I didn't mean "start" my recap, I've been writing for at least four innings now
Chad Young
Hindsight and all that, but Duran looked gassed during the Albies PA and after the Olson liner plus the total lack of control vs. Albies…maybe was time to make a change?
Seuss2004
I always hated this pitching decision by Don Mattingly.
Ben Clemens
I mean, what a disaster for the PHillies now, though. Now Duran is either unavailable or sketchily available tomorrow
Ben Clemens
but obviously they'll have to run him out there, playing with no net. and then that SURELY means he's out for g3
Rich Hill's Fastball
Mattingly made the right moves there I think; sometimes you just get got.
Jon Becker
I thought it was the correct move at the time and didn't even mind him staying in against Riley but in the playoffs the ends have to justify the means or nobody cares, and, well
Ben Clemens
'sometimes you just get got' is the truest baseball thing
drplantwrench
i think Foolish BB had a video about Austin Riley where he theorized a lot of mental barriers and issues holding his season down. Playoffs are a great place to break out of mental ruts
angryyankeesfan
Considering the Phillies are likely to be in an elimination scenario, I would imagine that Duran is available for an inning tomorrow.
Ben Clemens
100%. Has to be.
Phillip Denny
literally everyone, including Wheeler, should be available in an elimination game.
Ben Clemens
Yeah. I mean, has to be. It's never ideal to go into an elimination game with your closer already gassed. But like…. they're here now. No other options. Play it as it lies.
Chad Young
I think having him face the top of the order in the 7th and start the 8th was the right call, though maybe he McFarlane could have gotten Smith? But I have no issue with that. The question was always "how long can you wait before pulling him?" and there is a good case to be made that the Albies PA should have been the signal to make that call. But I dunno, I think I probably would have stuck with him, too.
Nathaniel
we all know that dusty baker and glenn burke invented the high five; but who invented the post-homer forearm whack?
Ben Clemens
Cody Bellinger, much to his own chagrin
lzfreak
Fun fact: I once saw Raisel Iglesias hit a triple at Wrigley Field back when he was a starter with the Reds
Jon Becker
The Phillies not having a better option than De La Cruz to hit against Iglesias there really encapsulates their lack of offensive depth and how much they surely miss Arraez
Ben Clemens
Okay, seems like challenge behavior won't chnage. Stott just let one on the corner go, with two challenges left, down two, two outs, top 9
Ben Clemens
The camera having no clue where the ball was at the end there was fun.
Chad Young
Postseason pressure gets to everyone, even the camera people
Jon Becker
And there's time to regroup before White Sox/Astros. Pop some popcorn and get ready to dissect bullpens, everyone
Ben Clemens
Honestly the shadows are probably BRUTAL if you're looking through a camera for a ball
whitstifier
Don't forget that Mattingly warmed up Bowlan for no reason
Chad Young
See, Duran DID finish out the game.
Ben Clemens
what if we did all the bad things.
Ben Clemens
haha Chad, touche
Ben Clemens
I want to give the broadcast booth some props for the fact that they were discussing the possibility of Duran's workload being 1/2/3 innings and how it might work or not work. I feel like that'd be an easy one to just gloss over and focus on "the mental intensity of the playoffs" and whatnot, kudos to them for spending some time talking about the decision beforehand rather than just evaluating it after.
Chad Young
As good as Mahle was down the stretch for ATL, if I am a Phillies fan, I am feeling good about my chances to force a third game. But probably need Sanchez to give them some real length just to avoid the pen.
Phillip Denny
well now we can speculate and criticize the pitching choices for CHW and HOU since they're both running openers!
Ben Clemens
I'm recapping this one and oh man, I'm dreading how many pitchers I'll have to write about already.
drplantwrench
as an angels fan, i will never not love raisel. one of the most underrated blunders by perry to trade him
Ben Clemens
That was such a shocking trade. Like, they salary dumped him right after giving him a free agent deal that he was living up to.
war2d2
Personally think they should have told Wheeler “you’re the bullpen.” Just run him out there for the 6,7,8 innings every game to get to Duran.
Dan Szymborski
Yeah, but then you're likely getting an Aaron Nola elimination game start
dtpollitt
Wow I had no idea, Trea Turner, how bad you've been this season…
Dan Szymborski
He's been downgraded to Deuce Turner
cashgod27
On paper that's the game the Phillies could afford to lose but that goes out the window when Duran throws 25 pitches
Chad Young
Yeah that is the rough part. Had they gotten rocked and saved Duran as a result, this would feel much better.
Ben Clemens
Dan they basically ran a Nola elimination game start on short rest down the stretch. I'm not saying I'd do that. But they seem surprisingly okay with the possibility.
eccentricatlfan
To be fair re: Iglesias, it’s the Angels we’re talking about, they haven’t exactly been the best with their decision-making.
Ben Clemens
Oh yeah. I mean, that's the reasoning for it. Big credit to the Braves for not fumbling the bag though. If someone hands you free money, take it.
Rich Hill's Fastball
That game was awesome: great starting pitching, controversial manager decisions, a very costly error, fun fielding happenings, huge homer, Joey Votto!
Chad Young
Agreed. Good performances + drama + stuff we can argue about = what playoff baseball should be
Ben Clemens
yeah. wonderful start to the playoffs.
Jon Becker
And only 7-8 more hours to go tonight
misterjohnny
Anyone know the channel for the Astros game on directv? Or am missing screwed?
Sean Dolinar
Anyone know what channel NBCSN is?
Sonny L
What a whiplash. Duran cruising until he wasn’t. Playoff baseball rules
Ben Clemens
NBCSN doesn't seem to exist for me, Peacock only. I don't even know if my cable package offers it.
war2d2
Man now I feel extra put out that I’m at work and having to follow on game day.
Sonny L
Yeah how in the world do I find NBCSN?
Ben Clemens
Compass, sextant, astrolabe, and a Peacock subscription
benbenben
Is it weird that I enjoy "bottom of the 8th taking the lead" more than walk-offs? I just love it because it's so unexpectedly abrupt – both teams are gearing up for the 9th as the "do or die" inning, looking ahead to matchups and such, and then suddenly the game is flipped and there's only the top of the 9th. It's just such a shock to the system.
Ben Clemens
I agre. It feels similar to top of the ninth. Chance to counter for the team that gave up the lead is fun too.
Seuss2004
Having not watched the play itself – did Turner have a play on that ball with 2 outs that could have ended the inning, or was that an infield single all the way?
Jon Becker
Nah he had no shot
Jon Becker
I don't think even Masyn Winn has the arm to get him there
drplantwrench
thinking about it more, its fascinating to think how perry traded two great closers, raisel and carlos estevez. one has aged well the other hasnt played in a year, and the latter is the one that netted the angels the prospects in return (??)
Ben Clemens
I guess what I'd say is that the Estevez trade was pretty much market rate, as I remember from the time. And eh, everyone got what they wanted out of that. The Iglesias trade was just shocking right on the face of it, right away. To the point where I wonder whether this was an Arte-mandated salary dump or something? IT was just…. an all star closer…. for nothing. Right when the Braves could use one too.
docgooden85
Google says NBCSN is on YoutubeTV and xfinity cable only.
docgooden85
I subscribe to Peacock and still want to boycott showing PLAYOFF baseball on streaming only* (*I don't get NBCSN on my cable provider).
CWess
YT TV has NBCSN
misterjohnny
Epic fail by MLB to put a playoff game on streaming. Only available in half of TV households through cable/satellite.
Ben Clemens
Um, "they play small ball, they run the bases" Eric Hosmer have you watched the White Sox?
Jon Becker
I think when one player is very unique in that sense (Sam Antonacci, hello) it gets extrapolated to the whole team, and, uh…
Ben Clemens
I like watching the White Sox, I'd put them high on my subjective viewing list this year. I cannot think of a worse way to describe them.
Jon Becker
Did Hosmer just say Riley should be hitting 4th?
Ben Clemens
Okay I have to go and start getting ready to recap this game but first I have to say this. These FanDuel ads SUCK. They're so bad. I hope baseball and NBC are embarrassed to play them. I hope they face consequences for their ridiculous, craven embrace of these bad actors. Happy playoffs!
Chad Young
Sox are 10th in sac bunts, but they're among a bunch of other teams there, not like a big bunting team. They are T-18th in stolen bases, but 12th in CS.
Phillip Denny
there's a defensible argument to just not pitching to Yordan all series and making everyone else beat you.
Jon Becker
Absolutely, though going with Hagen Smith to start makes me think they're pitching to him in the first, which I endorse
Benny The Jet
Do we get a bases empty IBB to Yordan this series? Bases loaded IBB ever happening again?
Chad Young
I'll say there is at least a chance of the former, but no way on the latter. I just can't really see the scenario for that. Bases loaded, up 4, two outs?
Jon Becker
Tom McCarthy announcing something besides a Phillies game or the worst NFL matchup on CBS is a new one, I think
Jon Beckeredited
Steve Stone's tie is pretty cool (these are the insights you get from a Jon Becker live chat when I slept five hours last night)
Chad Young
Even on the bases empty IBB, I struggle to think of a situation in which it makes sense, especially with Paredes behind him and the Crawford boxes beckoning.
Eric Longenhagen
Okay, I've screamed into a pillow and cried in the shower so now I am ready to chat.
Jon Becker
Was more than a little surprised by the Astros going with Blubaugh to start over a lefty; this lets the White Sox deploy Grichuk exactly when they want to and creates a pocket of lefties 9-1-2 where Espada could be baited into bringing a lefty in only to face Grichuk
Chad Young
I think my biggest question in this series is what we see from Murakami. He was so bad for a stretch there, and I was wondering if the league had just adjusted to him, but he finished strong. What does he look like when an org can be just laser focused on how to pitch him?
Anon21
That White Sox player was really pumped to get that walk…good for him!
Eric Longenhagen
Sammy is a spikey, intense guy who will jaw with others and stir things up.
Phillip Denny
O/U 0.5 PA by Tommy Pham this series?
Jon Becker
Over
Phillip Denny
Antonacci never had below a .425 (!) OBP in any minor league season, and as a rookie had a .370. Insert Jonah Hill moneyball meme here.
Chad Young
Pham is the second or maybe even third choice RH bat off the bench for the Sox, but the Sox will PH aggressively in the OF.
Benny The Jet
Maybe if LaRussa was still managing the Sox- half joking
Eric Longenhagen
LaRussa was at WPBL Opening Day and looks like a Halloween decoration. He's done so much for animal wellness, but yeah toward the end he seemed regressive just to prove a point.
Chad Young
White Sox were third in MLB in PH PA with 218. Only Texas (220) and Detroit (224) had more.
Jon Becker
Not sure how many first baseman even attempt that throw from that angle, Walker being really good (and surely knowing he is) bit him there
Jon Becker
Bryan King, the reverse splits lefty, is warming in the bullpen for the Astros already, per reporters there. O/U 6.5 pitchers for Houston in today's game?
Anonymous Member #46
Eric, what are the five tools you look for in a screaming pillow? And how does your current pillow grade out?
Eric Longenhagen
I can think of just two…
1) Foam Density – Less dense foam better absorbs and muffles the sounds so the neighbors don't call the authorities.
2) Drool Rings – The rings created by your sleepytime spittle give your screaming pillow character, like Craig Biggio's helmet.
Jon Becker
Looks like Miguel Ullola is also getting loose in the bullpen, he can give 2-3 innings no problem
Chad Young
No issue working around Vargas there, but worth noting Murakami has all of three GIDP this season. You can get him to K, but the ball is never on the ground.
Jon Becker
And there's the fly ball
Chad Young
Once Antonacci got to third with one out, I still think being cautious with Vargas and going after Murakami was the best path forward, but that sac fly was so likely. Though, given what we have seen since, maybe he wasn't being cautious with Vargas, maybe he just can't throw strikes?
lmb2020
You could roll a ball across the plate and Murakami would put it in the air
HappyFunBall
Granted this is narrative but … maybe don't give a reliever his first ever MLB start in a playoff game one?
Jon Becker
Came up through the minors as a starter and started three games last year, I don't really think that factored. He just didn't have it
drplantwrench
astros playing like a below .500 team
beanbong
pitcher named Blubaugh getting you oh so close but not quite able to finish (the inning)
Jon Becker
King looked pretty sharp, would guess the plan is to get him through Teel at least knowing that Venable probably wouldn't pull the trigger on Grichuk unless it's a RISP situation
Chad Young
I also think it's worth noting that this was his inning:
8 pitch walk
Weak GO after getting ahead 0-2
5 pitch walk to a guy you can accept a 5 pitch walk
Lazy fly ball after getting ahead 0-1
5 pitch walk
Other than the Benitendi walk, it's not super clear he didn't have it today.
Sean Dolinar
If any of you want to delay the chat to match your streaming situation. If you 1.) refresh the page and 2.) look for the cog icon in the top right corner of the chat, you can delay the chats messages up to 3 minutes.
lmb2020
Do runs scored via walks and sac flies go on the small ball ledger?
Chad Young
I think walk, move up on a FC, advance on an error, score on a sac fly is definitely small ball
Eric Longenhagen
Sean, this is really cool.
Sean Dolinar
Thanks! Someone in the chat this afternoon came up with the idea.
beanbong
between Mauricio Dubon/Alec Bohm batting cleanup and Kyle Teel hitting 2nd, banner day for curious lineup decisions
Chad Young
Teel has been hitting second against RHSP pretty consistently since coming off the IL. First few games he hit 9th, but moved up and stuck there the last three weeks or so.
lmb2020
That is some real-time engineering. Hell yeah Brother.
Klubot3000
Yeah, A+ work on the native chat interface, Sean!
Anon21
I'm tepidly rooting for the White Sox because I think it's silly for a .500 team to be in the playoffs.
springer
Is this the first time a playoff series has started with both teams doing a bullpen game?
Jon Becker
Believe it's the first time in a game, let alone to start a series
Chad Young
As a Guardians fan I am torn between wanting a .500 team out as quickly as possible and wanting these teams to have to play three 15-inning games so whoever shows up to Progressive Field this weekend is too exhausted to put up a fight.
drplantwrench
how many people convert catholicism if the white sox win the world series
Eric Longenhagen
I'll be back if they canonize Jerry Krause, patron saint of sauce on the front of your shirt
wiguy94
Really tough loss for the Phillies. Feel like the decision to use Duran the way they did today probably gave them the best chance at winning today but also if it backfired probably crushed their chances in the series.
Eric Longenhagen
I agreed with when they brought him in but not how long he was left in. Make a pitching change and let those shadows creep a little more.
Jon Becker
Mark Reynolds' name has now appeared on the broadcast, for anyone with an overly-specific drinking game
Eric Longenhagen
White Sox team makeup is so weird with the extreme K/Launch guys like 'Kami and Colson, and then the Meidroth/Antonacci line-movers.
Eric Longenhagen
I've been thinking about Jack Cust lately because of Andrew Fischer
Jon Becker
That's a dagger of a HBP, King had the right idea to keep spamming high fastballs but missed horribly
Chad Young
I just added Fischer in an Ottoneu league and I am not sure how to feel about that last post, Eric!
Eltneg
1-2 count on the guy who just broke the MLB record for Ks and you hit him in the back… Astros pitching staff not exactly covering themselves in glory so far
Eltneg
Sean, can you add a setting to show messages a couple minutes in the future so I can know when I should tune back into the game? Would be nice to get a heads-up when something exciting happens.
Jon Becker
We can start making stuff up, if you'd like
Eric Longenhagen
Lovely left-on-left knock for Sam Antagonacci
Jon Becker
This is getting close to "how many innings can Tatsuya Imai eat?" already
Chad Young
I wonder if this lineup construction of extremes allows the White Sox to punch above their weight? You are forcing pitchers to constantly change approaches.
Anon21
Astros fans shouldn't be booing their team…they're trying their best, you should just be happy they got here!
Klubot3000
The Ms fan in me is absolutely loving this
wiguy94
Never a good sign for the home team when the boo birds are out in the 2nd inning.
Eric Longenhagen
Two pitchers to get three outs so far for Houston
Denjix
Have we mentioned how bad the back half of the Astros bullpen is?
Jon Becker
Two mid-inning pitching changes already, gonna be a lot of Liberty Biberty ads today
Sonny L
Welp
Klubot3000
INSANE
Klubot3000
WOW
tjcook87
Ope
Sean Dolinar
very midwest of you!
angryyankeesfan
So much for 9 outs
Chad Young
3-0 is probably too soon, but at what point do the Astros just have to go to someone who can go a few innings and eat it? Winning today matters, but you need 2 of 3, and today doesn't have to be one of those two.
Jon Becker
(Do not post the meme at me) 6-7 runs maybe?
Eric Longenhagen
We're definitely going to see Lower Case Logan today
Chad Young
We might be at 6-7 runs in like three minutes.
thaalderman
People who haven’t been watching this White Sox team all year might not be aware that they’re very young and very dumb, and thus completely fearless.
Jorge Fabregas
Blubaugh was really bad in September! Really bad!
Nate
I would take several hundred Liberty Biberty ads over the anxiety-inducing ad for the whale movie
Denjix
When you see Imai warming up, that's the white flag
Eltneg
For all the talk of the postseason being random, the Astros definitely look like a .500 team with a bottom-10 pitching staff
Eric Longenhagen
This is Tom McCarthy's second Houston sports call in three days, he did Colts/Texans on Sunday.
HappyFunBall
Going down big early just means Yordan Alvarez has more opportunities to swing back into this. This is how Tatsuya Imai gets a playoff win
Jon Becker
And there is the in-zone whiff for Murakami
Chad Young
That was a huge, huge inning for Ullola. And only 9 pitches.
Eric Longenhagen
Did everyone get a Dutch Bros commercial, or just me?
Chad Young
YouTube TV showed me zebras. Just like…standing there.
Eric Longenhagen
Def a locally targeted ad then. Dutch Bros is our locally popular coffee/liquified sheet cake drive thru spot
Phillip Denny
4S/cutter/slider is a bit of a weird arsenal, especially from that slot, no?
Eric Longenhagen
Your four seamers from that slot tend to tail because of the spin axis created by the slot, but are still uphill because of how low your arm angle is. The cutter gives you something that can still ride uphill but move glove-side, or have closer to neutral movement.
Chad Young
Smith this year is 48% FS, 19% cutter, 30% slider. Exactly one pitcher went 100+ IP this year with 40%+ FS, 15%+ cutters, 25%+ sliders and that was Robert Gasser.
Eric Longenhagen
Another guy with a slot like that
Jon Becker
as if the playoffs weren't exciting enough, my smoke alarm is going off from a dead battery, be back in a few after I call maintenance
Chad Young
I am almost out of time here, folks. Wish I could stay longer but in about 15 or so, I have to get to a middle school soccer match. Astros-Sox will be fun, but need to prioritize the 6th grade Cardinals vs…..uh….I actually have no idea who they are playing against?
Ogbert
Speaking of excitement, just had a 4.3 earthquake up in the Puget Sound area a little under an hour ago.
Chad Young
My wife just asked me about this! We didn't notice it at all.
Eric Longenhagen
The Yodeler is carving
Ogbert
I felt it down in the south Sound, but just assumed it was Austin Riley's bat crack finally reaching us
Chad Young
Looks like it was centered in Kitsap, which isn't so far from me, but I missed it. You'd think with my midwest roots, I'd be panicked by any small movement.
Eric Longenhagen
This is also good, Espada is gonna come take him out too soon and Dave Chappelle is going to throw a fit about it.
beanbong
Seeing Taylor Trammell starting in a playoff game reminded me of old friend Kyle Lewis. Has anyone else won ROTY then been out of the league so soon?
Chad Young
Lewis going from a 128 wRC+ in his debut in 2019 to 127 in his rookie year in 2020, to 107 in 2021…and then 58 and 21 in '22 and '23 is just a wild fall.
Eric Longenhagen
Knees, man.
Chad Young
Though Luis Gil is working on that path after winning in 2024
Chad Young
Bob Hamelin won in 1994 and last appeared in MLB in 1998, so not too different. Something about those shortened seasons, I guess.
Anonymous Member #46
Angel Berroa
Chad Young
Berroa was still getting MLB PA as late as 2009. Only 55 of them but still.
Eric Longenhagen
He and Jason Jennings were the first names that came to mind for me but they both played like 7 years. Jose Fernandez is technically an answer, as well.
mlommler
I was never a Dutch Bros guy but Eric did make me feel a pang for when I lived in Flagstaff
Eric Longenhagen
I haven't tried it in 12 years living here. The Cartel in Tempe and Coffee 48 are my spots.
Eric Longenhagen
Pizzicletta is a thing to pine for
Chad Young
I thought of Jennings, as well, and was surprised he lasted as long as he did. The thing with Lewis is not just that he struggled, but he barely played. Jennings kept pitching (poorly; thanks Coors) for a while.
Chad Young
Montgomery had gone ice cold and getting hit with that pitch woke him up.
Jorge Fabregas
Colson Montgomery redemption after a dreadful September
Chad Young
The White Sox got so much less scary for a while there with Montgomery and Murakami not hitting. Munetaka seemed to be heating up again at the end of the year and if that gets Colson going, this is a different team.
Jon Becker
Stood on my kitchen table to pull out my smoke alarm (don't worry, my apartment has another one) and missed Colson's homer to do it. Never address any of your problems or you'll miss baseball, kids
thaalderman
Colson looks like a Roman emperor. He has a face you can picture on the side of a coin.
Chad Young
I have no idea what that means but I felt like it needed to be shared.
Jon Becker
Oh we have a shift challenge!
Chad Young
Altuve moved onto the dirt but you need to see it synced up to the pitch, right?
Eric Longenhagen
Oh man, was Altuve cavalier with a rule?
Chad Young
I don't see how this can get overturned
Jon Becker
He's absolutely on the grass there, I think, but can't overturn it
Jon Becker
I also don't know WHEN he was on the grass
Chad Young
that wide angle it is hard to see, but it looks like he moves after the windup and before the pitch and I have no idea what the rule is lol
Russell
Have any of you ever seen this?
Eric Longenhagen
(shakes head fervently)
CubsSoxTigers Fan
He looked to be on the grass on the radio.
Chad Young
I have seen a review for a fielder being too far up the middle, but not the grass.
Klubot3000
Yeah! Ms had a successful challenge of this earlier this year
Klubot3000
Have to be on the dirt when the pitch is thrown
Eltneg
White Sox def flagged Altuve putting his heels on the grass when watching film for this series, right?
Chad Young
so the key moment is when the pitch is released? if so, I think he was back on the dirt for that.
Jon Becker
I'm surprised more fielders don't start on the grass and sprint in as the pitch is being thrown to annoy the hitter
Jon Becker
Feels like motioning the defense is underutilized, and by underutilized I mean not at all
Chad Young
All the infielders should start together on 2B and when the pitcher comes set, they break
cjj8vf
Feels like the Sox could have found a more meaningful situation in which to make this particular challenge? Risk-reward doesn't seem quite worth potentially wasting a challenge and alerting Altuve to the fact that you're watching his feet
Jon Becker
This is where two challenges in a game really comes into play
Jon Becker
The odds that you burn two and really wish you had the third prior to extra innings have to be extremely low, I would think
Chad Young
I can see the argument that this was the wrong moment to use that intel, but maybe they wanted to do it early to get in his head? Have him focused on that aspect of his positioning instead of playing his position, which he is already bad at.
Chad Young
Alright, time for me to head out. Enjoy the rest of the game!
Eric Longenhagen
Bye Chad!
Jon Becker
Adios Chad!
thaalderman
The whole “limited manager challenges” thing is sorta fake, anyway right? I specifically remember at least one game this year where a manager just petitioned for two separate crew chief reviews that were instantly granted.
Meg Rowley
I've never seen a manager ask the crew chief to review something and them not look at, though it has probably happened. I also wish the umps would tell managers they take too long to ask for replay review. They take too long!
Shirtless George Brett
I kinda just assumed Altuve was still a decent 2B. I had no idea he was so bad (and has been for years).
Also, hi all, figured I'd hang out for a bit until I have a gamer to edit.
Jon Becker
Meg is here, time to be on your best behaviour
Russell
Thoughts on why they're using hicks so early?
Eric Longenhagen
I think they wanted him to face the righty-hitting chunk of the middle of the order regardless off the inning.
Jon Becker
I also don't believe in "so early" as a construct in the playoffs, really
Meg Rowley
Rather be "so early" than "too late," as it were.
shakersamman
I just wrote the sentence “What if the White Sox win the World Series” and my computer started humming in a high pitch register and I blacked out for 19 minutes. Has anyone had any experience with this
Eric Longenhagen
Sending the pope and william friedkin to your house for IT purposes.
Meg Rowley
Continues to mess me up to hear the pope speak in a Chicagoland accent.
Sonny L
“Ecclesiastical” in the deepest and most unforgivable Chicago accent might bring me back to the flock
hairygrim
Josh Hendrickson doesn't have a headshot on mlb.com.
Meg Rowley
Sometimes it takes them a minute to get the MiLB headshot over there when a guy is recently called up. You have to be in the majors for a while before they just merge the pages, I think.
Jon Becker
A lotta good opposite field hitting today, huh
shakersamman
brb submitting a script to SNL where the conclave happens in the bar from the Da Bears sketch
Eric Longenhagen
Texting Smigel. "What if the Archbishop of the Philadelphia Diocese is a tavern-style pizza?"
Eric Longenhagen
I'd have been tempted to hit Pham for Colson here
Eric Longenhagen
Gimme a ball in play, Acuna can play MIF rest of game
Jon Becker
Well, there's the ball in play
mlommler
What are the playoff team mascot rankings from "best" to "eldritch horror"?
Meg Rowley
The Phanatic is the best, the Swinging Friar and the Barrel Man are good (Bernie Brewer is fine), Clark the Cub should put on pants, and Blooper is evidence of the decline of civilization.
Eric Longenhagen
Ulamog would be a great mascot
Meg Rowley
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is actually just about Blooper.
Meg Rowley
We have forgotten how to write, because of Blooper. Only songs for us now.
Eric Longenhagen
That's right, he requires children slaughter a sheep so he can drink of its blood before he signs autographs for you, kid.
FGM
Our age of bloops is collapsing
Eric Longenhagen
"What if it's flesh colored, but has the texture of a t-shirt that has come into contact with velcro for 15 years?
lmb2020
Blooper is a bad name. No one cheers for a blooper. It isn't even the best word for an error. They should've name it Flub
Eric Longenhagen
They could have other mascots with names for balls in play. Screamer, Dribbler, Roller, Chopper. How is it not named Chopper?
Meg Rowley
The fleshy color is the biggest issue imo.
Klubot3000
A rebrand into the vibrant yellow of Acuña's arm guard would be fun
Meg Rowleyedited
Too Big Bird like. Though now he just looks like unwell Phanatic. Have the creative courage to differentiate yourself from your rival.
lmb2020
TBF I think anything "chop" related is a loaded issue for the braves. But I would agree that being flesh-colored is disgusting and against the truisms of mascotry
Meg Rowley
Honestly, I'm surprised that wasn't seen as a plus for them. Not like the team is bashful about it!
Klubot3000
Eric, who are the players you're most excited to get long looks at in the AFL?
Eric Longenhagen
Ah man, so many guys. All the Giants arms, the recently-injured guys (Aidan Miller and Sebastian Walcott) playing shortstop, Angiebel Gomez, Tai Peete, Bryce Rainer, Jarlin Susana…. it's a long list. I'll have a preview up Friday with a Board tab like last year's.
Meg Rowley
Well, sure glad I didn't put a bunch of Velázquez's crummy numbers in here to question this choice.
Eric Longenhagen
Nelly Velasquez two-run shot makes it a game again, Astros top of the order looming.
Jon Becker
We're suddenly in "figure out how the White Sox get through the game" mode even though they're still up three. Not sure if they want to use Newcomb past Alvarez — maybe Taylor for the next eight hitters and then give it to Hudson?
Klubot3000
I'm interested in Wyatt Sanford's transformation and Welbyn Francisca. Never thought Francisca would have anything close to the kind of game power he showed this year
Eric Longenhagen
Sanford I think has to do with equipment change. Francisca idk yet. It's funny to look at bat size/shape/brand on old film now to see if that's all that's changed.
Jon Becker
Antonacci HBP, drink
Eric Longenhagen
as you wish (lime polar seltzer)
Eric Longenhagen
Those two double plays feel like a huge deal if only because of how deep they helped Hendrickson to go
"“It’s kind of been a thing growing up,” VanWey said. “Every time like in college or the minor leagues, it’s been pronounced ‘VanWay’ or it’s spelled different with a space and I’ve just kind of like not corrected anybody but now my mom (Brittany) hears it and she’s the biggest one (saying) ‘It’s VanWey, it’s a capital W and there’s no space.’ It’s just kind of been a mess sometimes.”
The opportunity to clean up that mess came a couple months ago. During spring training, Astros clubhouse personnel inquired if VanWey wanted his jersey to match the correct spelling of his Dutch surname, as opposed to the all-caps format for the vast majority of names on the backs of MLB jerseys. And unlike last year’s new Nike-designed uniforms that were roundly criticized, in part for names and numbers that were too small, VanWey’s name can be easily seen."
Jon Becker
By this logic, everyone's all-caps jersey are misspelled!
Meg Rowley
Right. I totally get wanting it to be correct on the roster and your player page, but it's not misspelling it; there isn't an extra letter in there!
Klubot3000
I dunno, would be writing Me g misspelling something? I think it would, no?
Meg Rowley
Adding a space where there isn't one, sure. But they aren't doing that.
eandy
Is Playoff WAR ever going to be a thing?
Eric Longenhagen
There are some details particular to the way WAR is calc'd that make it impossible. What constitutes replacement level for the playoffs? Also, there are only so many shares of wins that go around during the regular season but it's a pretty set, big number of games and everyone plays the same, and not a knockout style ladder. WAR is zero sum, it's not like "He went 2-for-4 with a walk and a double, that's .7 WAR", the context of the rest of the league sets baselines and they matter.
Jon Becker
I get the pronunciation is harder to nail when there's caps in the middle and it's harder to parse VANWEY than VanWey but… how much harder?
Meg Rowley
Sean being careful there, wanted to make sure that when it comes to his pitches, Yordan couldn't Newcomb
Jon Becker
Well this is not Grant Taylor in this spot, it's David Sandlin time
Benny The Jet
If each unnecessary capitalization is a spelling error by his logic, VANWEY would technically be MORE correct than ALTUVE
wiguy94
Is there anywhere you can see cWPA on Fangraphs?
Meg Rowley
Unfortunately no.
Eric Longenhagen
Six pitches, man. Things have really stacked nicely for Venable so far today.
Phil
Sorry for jumping ahead to the next game, but any thoughts about Crochet? Would you put a guy who hasn't pitched to an actual major league baseball player in months into a true high-leverage situation, or is he more for early-starter-pull opportunities?
Eric Longenhagen
Remember how that guy debuted. If he looks good during Live BPs or whatever setting, I'd feel comfortable with it. You're trying to *win* the damn thing, and having Crochet get rolling and being mostly himself raises the ceiling on your squad. I'm pro Musgrove, too.
Meg Rowley
Bloop bloop bloop.
Jon Becker
A rare bunt that I really don't mind there, Peters isn't good against lefties. Though I'd have considered just hitting Doyle there instead
Eric Martell
Did Meg get replaced by a bot?
Eric Longenhagen
No, I think when you're merged with technology, in this case the electronic pages of fangraphs.com, you're technically a cyborg.
Jon Becker
Oh goodness
Jon Becker
This inning is not going to make it on any fielding or baserunning highlight reels
Meg Rowley
Want to keep Peters' glove, I'd imagine? (re: not pinch-hitting with Doyle)
Jon Becker
That's a good point, Doyle probably comes in defensively for Antonacci's spot and not Peters'
fincampbell05
Contrary to the broadcast's contention, I doubt that Tristan Peters *wants* to bunt it *directly* to Isaac Paredes.
Eric Longenhagen
Yeah, you definitely want the bunt to go toward third base to force the third baseman (who'd otherwise be able to cover third and tag the runner) to come in and be the one who fields the baseball. But you don't want to *try* to make it a room service play for Isaac.
Benny The Jet
This games very existence should be embarrassing to the Mariners/Tigers/Jays
Meg Rowley
Really terrible trio of whiffs there for sure.
Eric Longenhagen
Man, those teams are so talented. This year's AL was like last year's AFC.
Meg Rowley
These double plays are brutal, man.
Eric Longenhagen
Yo, we still have two more games to watch after this. This rules.
Meg Rowley
October is busy, and stressful, and really the freakin' best.
Jon Becker
And it's not even October yet!
Eric Longenhagen
Putting Aces/Fever on the JV TV (sorry hockey, see you tomorrow)
Eric Longenhagen
How crowded do the bases need to be before Taylor comes in?
Jon Becker
I'd think one more runner
thaalderman
One more baserunner. Venable is extremely quick on the Grant Taylor trigger finger.
Meg Rowley
Would be hilarious to show up to the big league clubhouse with a giant fish.
Meg Rowley
Apologies if this was talked about earlier in the chat, but I really like this booth format for the WC round.
Jon Becker
I love the four-person crew, they've really made it work in both games so far
Jon Becker
I get that you'd rather regret bringing Taylor in too early than too late but this feels a liiiiiiittle like over-managing to me
Meg Rowley
It's just really nice to have the local booth represented as a complement to the national guys.
Eric Longenhagen
Yeah I think this would be Brazoban for me with Taylor lined up more squarely to face the top of the lineup. I imagine Grant will go 1.2
Benny The Jet
Venable must've not watched the Phillies today
Jon Becker
Not really comparable imo, Taylor has gone multiple innings a ton and is used to the up-downs. Duran is a one-inning guy (and as I said during that game, bringing Duran in then was correct to me)
Robert Myroon
Hot take: Pitchers who have been warming in the bullpen and enter mid-inning don't get any warm up pitches on the mound. Would massively speed up pace of play in the playoffs.
Eric Longenhagen
Meh, some of us want time to get up and stare into the fridge.
Meg Rowley
Yeah, I didn't mind that choice at all (Duran in when he was). Maybe you don't like leaving him in that long, but he hadn't thrown that many pitches, and I get thinking the rest of the group is shaky.
wiguy94
Is it normal for playoff teams to use their highest leverage guys while losing by 4?
Meg Rowley
It's just Hader, Imai, Brown, Lambert and Wesneski left, right?
EccentricChemist
What does Murakami have to do next year to be more like the 1st half player he was versus the 2nd half player? He seemed to go from three true outcomes to only two.
Jon Becker
His swing tendencies went in the wrong direction. Was taking more pitches in the heart of the zone, chasing a little more
Meg Rowleyedited
"Bounced one off his anatomy" is a hell of a phrase.
Benny The Jet
If it bruises he'll have a Blubaugh
Eric Longenhagen
If we can have commercials about shaving your balls we can just say he took a pitch to the scrotum, it's ok
New Brit Fan
Has anyone done a study of what LI justifies bringing in a high-leverage arm in game 1 of a three game series, five game series, seven game series etc.?
Eric Longenhagen
Not that I can recall, it's a good idea.
angryyankeesfan
I don't remember the exact number, but in the postseason since 1990 there has only been one comeback down 3 or more runs in the ninth.
Eric Longenhagen
I agree with the general sentiment that Abreu's usage will be likely be frivolous. Though it feels less so now than when I began typing this sentence before Yordan's single.
Jon Becker
Small sample but players have been really locked in on not making silly challenges in these first couple games
Meg Rowley
Agreed, very discerning. I wonder with a pitch like that, how much is him going off game state, and how much is him really thinking it's a strike.
Jon Becker
Another good one!
Davy Andrews
Hello, baseball people!
Eric Longenhagen
Yoooooo
Meg Rowley
Hi Davy!
Jon Becker
Hi Davy!
Davy Andrews
So many friends! How has everyone enjoyed the baseball today?
Jon Becker
Davy, my eyes are glazing over
Davy Andrews
I can't believe we're not even halfway done.
Klubot3000
It has been fantastic! Though really hope the Astros don't make this interesting
Eric Longenhagen
Now I do think you're at risk of falling prey to what Donny Baseball did earlier.
Meg Rowley
He sure looked off the bag…
Jon Becker
I think Murakami had the bag but I don't think enough to overturn there
Meg Rowley
The dirt on the bag and the dirt on his cleats make it hard to tell
Ben Schneider
Do you think the foot is on?
Davy Andrews
My gut says yes, but we'll find out soon! And if we don't find out conclusively, maybe I will write an article Zaprudering it like I did last year.
Davy Andrews
Well, my gut is 0-1 on the night. And these Pumpkin Spice Milanos I bought as a chat snack are very likely to run the score up even higher.
MattStats5
Can't overturn that.
Meg Rowley
Yeah, Altuve was bookin' it.
Jon Becker
I'm fine with Taylor staying in here but you can't potentially burn his availability for tomorrow by keeping him in for the ninth
Meg Rowley
Yeah, he's already at 30…
springer
How do the Astros approach tomorrow having already used 7 pitchers tonight?
Jon Becker
I don't think it'll be that hard. Hope Brown gets you pretty deep, get it to Hader with Abreu somewhere in the middle and Lambert probably available
Ben Schneider
That curveball fooled everyone
MattStats5
Orioles fan here hoping for a BoSox series win….
Davy Andrews
I believe the official position here is Team Asteroid.
MattStats5
Nasty curve
Frank Jones
Do people generally agree or disagree with the thought that replay review shouldn't be affected by the call on the field?
Meg Rowley
I don't love the standard as is; it's overly deferential to the call on the field imo.
Davy Andrews
I wrote a whole article arguing that they should ignore the call on the field, so I've got to be on that team too.
Meg Rowley
I understand deferring if you think it's a 50/50 call, so maybe it just ends up in the same place, but I wonder what the overturn rate would be if there was a way to obscure what the call on the field was.
Eric Longenhagen
I think that's true for bangbang plays at the bases where the tie is supposed to go to the runner, but now it's "the tie goes to the call on the field"
Davy Andrews
100%.
Paul Sporer
Hey y'all!
Davy Andrews
Paul!
Jon Becker
[Cheers voice] Paul!
Davy Andrews
This guy gets it.
mockcarr
Have the spikes gotten shorter?
Davy Andrews
Publishing this just because this is not something I have ever even thought about. Anybody?
Jon Becker
First basemen should wear clown shoes for maximum bag-covering ability
Paul Sporer
LOL amazing idea, Jon!
wiguy94
Abreu was one thing but using Hader down 3 runs in the 9th inning when to advance you're going to have to win games 2 and 3. I am perplexed.
Paul Sporer
Yeah, I get wanting to hold it at 3 but it's not a choice I love!
MattStats5
Agree…using Hader here isn't smart, in my opinion. Save the gas for elimination game.
angryyankeesfan
As I mentioned earlier, ninth inning comebacks down 3 in the playoffs are quite rare. I probably would've just used Imai.
Jon Becker
Taylor is coming back out for the ninth, not a fan
Eric Longenhagen
Hey Paul!
Eric Longenhagenedited
Yeah, I'm also not super stoked on 40-plus pitch Taylor usage here
Meg Rowley
I am going to dip now that the rest of the gang's here – catch you all later!
Benny The Jet
Grant Taylor 7 out save?
Paul Sporer
I'm OK bringing him out for the 9th and seeing where it goes. He's at 36 pitches and has only eclipsed that total thrice this year, but I'm of the mind that the playoffs is where you push things like that. And obviously taking game 1 is so massive for them.
Davy Andrews
Bye, Meg!
Paul Sporer
Bye Meg!! Hi Eric!!
Jon Becker
Playoffs are a different animal, yada yada, but why are you rostering other pitchers if there aren't other guys you can trust up three runs against 6-7-8
Paul Sporer
I think 6-7-8 is a particularly strong point in not bringing him out, well said.
Paul Sporer
is someone at least up in case things get hot?
Jon Becker
There was stretching last inning but I haven't seen anyone up this inning, no
Jon Becker
And by "seen" I mean "on television"
Paul Sporer
Leadoff BB is a total nightmare, great take by Walk
Rich Hill's Fastball
I have no team rooting interest here, but I must admit that I am cheering very hard for Tolle to do well.
Paul Sporer
Same! Fully in the bag for Tolle and as such, behind the Sox a bit since my Tigers gagged the season
springer
Has there been research on the importance of playoff experience for managers? Venable has been a coach for a little while but managing is obviously different
Davy Andrews
I'm not aware of it, but I can't imagine there's much there.
Jon Becker
Oh yeah, Red Sox/Yankees has started, as we are over three hours here
bosoxforlife
There was a lot of discussion during the Braves-Phillies game about whether Duran would try to go three. Taylor went 2+ four times this year and was not scored upon. He is so much the best they have that he deserves to try.
Jon Becker
For me it's less about concern that he'd falter this inning (and it looks like he's not!) and more about impacting availability/sharpness tomorrow and Thursday
Davy Andrews
Hey, bosoxforlife is here. Now it's a chat.
Benny The Jet
Schlittler giving me immediate Verlander nostalgia by starting off 101 then getting the K with a 12-6
Paul Sporer
Nasty punchies there by Taylor
MattStats5
Taylor at 44 pitches and counting. Ooof
Paul Sporer
He's obv done for the series after this I'd imagine. Seems Venable felt locking game 1 (if he gets this last out) was worth more than a potential 2nd appearance
Paul Sporer
Oh thank goodness Ctrl+Enter sends msgs, I thought I was going to have mouse it every time, lol
Jon Becker
I have no idea what Venable thought he saw there
Paul Sporer
What was Venable on about?
Paul Sporer
Can't challenge a check swing
wiguy94
Should you be able to give a manager a warning for blatant stalling like this to get your pitcher a bit of a breather?
Paul Sporer
Ya that might be what it was bc I saw nothing to go out there for
Jon Becker
54 pitches for Taylor, gutsy
Paul Sporer
Boom! Got it!
Eric Longenhagen
Hey, they won
MattStats5
Cant disagree with that thinking…Game 1 win sets up well for next two. But geesh!!!!
Jon Becker
And with that I'm out of here, enjoy the last two games everyone!
thaalderman
In case you’re wondering how the White Sox won 84 games with 1.5 starting pitchers, Grant Taylor is how.
Paul Sporer
Benetti on the Yanks gm, woo I can pretend my stupid Tigers are still alive in spirit!
Davy Andrews
Bye, Jon!
Paul Sporer
Peace, Jon!
springer
Could the Marlins' new strategy of using starters' bullpen day as relievers catch on more in the playoffs? Has been done before but more out of need than as a typical plan
Davy Andrews
I suspect that even if this were to catch on for awhile, at some point a prominent pitcher would get hurt doing this and everyone would back off.
Davy Andrews
Who's ready for the Mass Pike?
Paul Sporer
Here comes baseball's Ron Swanson!
Paul Sporer
Hey, Jason took my line!!
Davy Andrews
Weird, I was just about to call it a slobberknocker. Maybe he hacked us.
Paul Sporer
Ya the bullpen day being in-game is more of a playoff thing. Wonder if those 3 Sandy SVs won anybody their fantasy league
Eric Longenhagen
Ok fam, I need to cook dinner and do some work with Brendan. There is a non-zero chance Brendan and I pop in to chat during Cubs/Padres depending on how much progress we make on the other stuff. See ya, enjoy this sensational pitching matchup.
Davy Andrews
Bye, Eric! See you later, hopefully. Also, what's for dinner?
Paul Sporer
Peace, Eric!!
Davy Andrews
What a whippy swing from Rice. I love it.
Ben Schneider
They'll need Burke to pitch pretty deep
Paul Sporer
Yeah he can't lay an egg like we saw a few times down the stretch, though mostly in August to be fair
Davy Andrews
Just testing this because I'm not really seeing questions come in.
Paul Sporer
B-
Davy Andrews
It works!
drplantwrench
no questions because no one cares about yankees/red sox
Paul Sporer
LOL i was going to joke that it's 2 small fanbases
Snerd
No questions because Tolle/Schlittler is a masterclass that requires no commentary
bosoxforlife
Using starters on their throw days was common when I was falling in love with baseball. Allie Reynolds was a great pitcher who, in 1952, at the age of 35 threw 24 CG's and had 6 saves. At 37 he started 15 times, finished 23 and had13 saves
springer
How do you expect Crochet to be used in this series? Closer or fireman?
Paul Sporer
Taylor-esque, so fireman essentially
small e
would like to nominate nick sogard for BallplayerTM of the year. feels like every sentence red sox media say about him is of that tenor
lzfreak
Professional at bat from Rutschman
Davy Andrews
I know we're a full inning late, but this is true.
bosoxforlife
The back end of the Red Sox bullpen needs no help. Crochet is not replacing Whitlock or Chapman.
drplantwrench
i nominate jeremiah jackson as the ballplayer of the year
bosoxforlife
Watching Sogard play makes me wonder where Mead is going to play next year.
Ben Schneider
We're all expecting this to be a low-scoring game. Any predictions for who gets the big hit?
Davy Andrews
Let's open this one up to the group. I'll say Lombard.
Paul Sporer
Wilyer bomb
drplantwrench
im predicting abreu
Davy Andrews
I like it.
angryyankeesfan
If this were on Apple TV I'd say Goldschmidt. The Yankees had 2 games on Apple where the Yankees won 1-0 on a Goldy solo shot
mookiemonstah
I’m thinking Durbin is due
Davy Andrews
Ain't that the truth.
drplantwrench
paul sorer and dr plantwrench have not been seen in the same room
aydubby
Rosario
Phil
Sogard beats out an infield hit with bases loaded and two outs to win the game.
bosoxforlife
I will vote for Abreu popping one into the short porch.
Samuel Clemens
Roman Anthony 3 run bomb in seventh inning
springtraneing
stanton, while costas has his 30-210 seconds on prime-time
Phil
Why is Eaton on the roster? So you can pinch-hit Jones for Duran and then put in Eaton to finish the game defensively? Only thing I can think of. Maybe pinch-run for Rutschman, but that's risky.
Davy Andrews
Nate Eaton? The guy who batted .400 in the postseason last year?
Ben Schneider
I think Garcia comes through late
mockcarr
Lotsa curveballs
small e
jahmai jones when he pinch hits in the 8th
Paul Sporer
Yaaaa this has all the makings of a 1-0, 2-1 type game
angryyankeesfan
I've been saying this series is first to 3 runs
Paul Sporer
Yep, that feels right!
Paul Sporer
Ooh my pizza's here, brb!
jtrichey
I can't stop thinking about that Braves challenge of Albies being hit by a pitch right before the Riley HR. I think it is SOOO stupid. I also said it at the time to be clear. Do they really want Albies facing Duran with 2 strikes to finish that at bat instead of putting him on base? I just don't get it.
Davy Andrews
I was cleaning up baby barf when this happened.
Paul Sporer
Ya it'll be forgotten since Riley went boomtown
Davy Andrews
Lombard making me look smart. What a rocket.
drplantwrench
they werent challenging for albies, they were icing duran
angryyankeesfan
I believe it was full count for Albies so it would've been a walk. The difference is that Harris would be on 3rd
bosoxforlife
The reason the Braves challenged was that Realmuto did not chase the ball and the Braves would have had a man on 3rd.
jtrichey
I'm sure it has been discussed several times but man, a lot of managers hitting a panic button on day 1 when they are going to need 13 wins to make it through. Duran might have gone 3. Grant Taylor throws over 50 pitches. Less egregious but more idiotic – Josh Hader pitches the 9th down by 3 when they are going to need 2 more wins in the next 2 days? I get the "you have to win the game in front of you" theory, but you really do need to win more than 1 game here.
Paul Sporer
The value of winning game 1 is massive, but I'm w/you that these weren't all great moves. I'm fine pushing Duran for more than 1, but 3 seems crazy. Hader one made ZERO sense to me. Taylor I'm prob the most on board with of the 3 given how frequently they've pushed him >1 IP (though only 3 times more than the 36 pitches he had after 8).
Paul Sporer
My friend shared a stat w/me that 15 of 16 gm 1 winners have won the 3-gm set, so I get pushing, but there can be overkill (like I said, I wasn't seeing the vision on Hader at all).
mockcarr
Is that respect for Rafaela or a bad read? Conservative
Davy Andrews
I mean, Girardi had a much better view of the play than we did, but I certainly understand having your first instinct be that anything to center is catchable for him.
bosoxforlife
Rutschman had to challenge that!!
Davy Andrews
Would've been a big swing.
drplantwrench
suddenly feels like this game might be 6-4 instead of 1-0
Paul Sporer
it would be classic baseball for the game that screams 1-0 to be a high scoring affair
beanbong
don't care for either teams here so I'm mostly just pulling for funniest possible outcome. Something like a Volpe or Chisholm walkoff HR or Duran go ahead triple
Davy Andrews
Volpe being the hero would be very funny.
drplantwrench
pizza toppings??!
Paul Sporer
Just went w/Italian Sausage on this one
angryyankeesfan
Wells off the lefty
Jack Dorfman
career .188 off lefties…
farrell823
Abreu 28 DRS but 2 OAA/4 FRV. Never seen such a great discrepancy like that
Paul Sporer
Dang that is a massive one!!! I can't recall seeing a discrepancy that large, either
Davy Andrews
He makes a lot of high effort plays that might not necessarily impress a computer.
Joey Caltrain
"Walpole, Massachusetts has got to be pretty torn right now"… no it's not it's definitely rooting against Cam Schlittler
Joey Caltrain
How different will the Yankees lineup be tomorrow night vs. a righty?
Paul Sporer
Quite a bit I'd presume. Jazz, Garcia, McMahon in
Snerd
Schlittler has his S-tier curveball today my god
Davy Andrews
Wow, back to back swords for Anthony.
Jack Dorfman
Nothing prettier than a curveball then 99 top of the zone
small e
At least the Red Sox won't be no-hit… yes, I'm coping…
Paul Sporer
🫂
bosoxforlife
Hey small e, that's how I feel too.
beanbong
Rizzo admitting that seeing social media comments can affect a major league player's mindset is not doing the guys on the field any favors
Paul Sporer
I think everyone kinda already knows that, though. Some channel it out, but it's pretty rare. And I find the more a celeb/athlete swears they don't check the comments, the more they're deep into them (see also: Swift, Taylor)
Davy Andrews
Seriously, Rob Friedman must be so psyched with all these checked swing strikeouts.
Maureen McCord
tbh I'm just watching this game for Benetti's commentary
Davy Andrews
I really enjoyed how flatly he delivered that last ad read.
Paul Sporer
me from August on as a Tigers fan……
bosoxforlife
The checked swing is a situation (problem) that baseball has to get a hold of. What is and what isn't is a total mystery and every umpire is different.
Davy Andrews
I'm not sure that I agree, but Statcast is on it.
Paul Sporer
Already something implemented in the minors and headed MLB in the future, yeah?
Davy Andrews
Yup. The thing I'm most excited about is that I think the system is going to take us back to a time when the bar for a swing was a lot higher.
Paul Sporer
I love watching old highlights and seeing check swings from back then. They'd make folks today apoplectic with some that weren't called swings
mookiemonstah
The only thing Schlittler hasn’t done well is tuck that stray hair away
Paul Sporer
Willson: Frozen pizza
Joey Caltrain
Oof that called strikeout
Paul Sporer
Didn't think it was a K?
Ben Schneider
Where did he think the edge was?
Paul Sporer
or critiquing Willson for taking it?
Snerd
Lol batflipping a punchout looking down the dick
Paul Sporer
Cam dialed!
Joey Caltrain
Willson's take was funny, yeah
Paul Sporer
Ya I lowkey realized that *as* I was sending my first response, my b
bosoxforlife
The hitters need every bit of help they can get in today's game. Anything that can diminish the number of strikeouts and get more balls in play is a positive and the mound is not going to be moved back.
Paul Sporer
Ya I'm a giant pitching nerd, but they have way too large an advantage. I'd like to see more balanced brought back to the hitters.
Paul Sporer
Maybe lower the mound some if we're not gonna move it back?
Jack Dorfman
I love the looping curves away to righties from Tolle
Davy Andrews
Hear me out: Make the ball heavier.
Joey Caltrain
RE: Schlittler's appearance, someone also needs to get that guy some chapstick. Those lips look dry.
Paul Sporer
I can help with that! (Anyone who knows me IRL knows I've always got my chapstick holstered… can't stand dry lips)
Davy Andrews
I too always have chapstick in my pocket.
Ben Schneider
Even though pitchers have a clear advantage, offense isn't down much. League OPS this year was .719, close to recent seasons
Paul Sporer
It's more the "how", though. Just too many Ks. I don't find the 3 true outcomes game terribly compelling. The pitch clock and SB changes have helped pace and excitement, but I'd still like to see more
Davy Andrews
Yup. Balls in play. I just want to see more web gems.
Paul Sporer
Agreed! We know players get better, faster, stronger, let them flex the defensive prowess more!!!
angryyankeesfan
Awesome challenge for Rosario
Sæder
ABS is incredible
Davy Andrews
Thanks T-Mobile.
farrell823
Postseason ABS is electric. Everybody looks so nervous when they use it
Paul Sporer
While 2011-now isn't too disparate, we're a good bit away from the early 2000s: .329 wOBA 2000-10 | .315 since
Paul Sporer
And yes, as someone who loved the ABS from day-1, I was really excited for it in the playoffs as it was just going to dial the intensity up 10-fold
beanbong
now that we've got bat tracking data, has anyone done a study on what changing the criteria for a check swing would do to K%? The effect would probably be muted somewhat as hitters adjusted to how far they could go, but would be interested to see what the effect might actually be. If we knew it could knock K% back below 20% or something, could become more compelling
Davy Andrews
I assume this is part of the calculus in the minor league testing.
Paul Sporer
That foul out is giganticcccc
Jack Dorfman
Got to get Tolle into the 5th I think…
Paul Sporer
Groundball here would be massive. K more likely v. Jones, of course
Paul Sporer
OR THATTTT!!!
Phil
Durbin!
Davy Andrews
No spoilers!
Davy Andrews
Stupid Roku delays.
small e
DURBINATOR
Paul Sporer
Sorry I'm streaming so I assumed I'm way behind. I'll wait a few beats on big plays
Paul Sporer
That inning was a microcosm of Durbin's season – terrible start, electric finish
Davy Andrews
No, no, don't worry about it.
Paul Sporer
My sister still has cable so she's always a play, play-and-a-half (or multiple pitches in baseball terms) ahead of me
Yer Main Guy
I'm in Walpole. Can't speak for everyone but most people I've met are proud of Cam & rooting for the Red Sox here.
Davy Andrews
Hey, it's mailbag my pen pal!
Paul Sporer
Did that McDonald's ad just acknowledge how spicy their Sprite is??? #iykyk
Davy Andrews
What?!
Ben Schneider
Leave it up to the Yankees to make a baserunning mistake
Joey Caltrain
I sometimes watch Giants games on a Zoom call with a friend whose broadcast is maybe 20 seconds ahead of me. If I step away from the computer for a bit his reaction can get me back to the screen in time to see a fun play.
Yer Main Guy
Hi Davy
Davy Andrews
I asked about pitcher wRC+. No dice.
Paul Sporer
We takin Tolle out at 75 pitches?
angryyankeesfan
We will not lose on a Rosario error
Paul Sporer
Is the music still playing on the broadcast for anyone else?? This is annoying af
lou-harrison-bader
This music is so annoying
Davy Andrews
Yeah, what is happening here?
Jack Dorfman
Director is asleep at the wheel
Paul Sporer
Only a playoff game b/w 2 of the most famous teams in the sport….
Matthew Spence
I’m so glad you all also hear the music.
Snerd
NBC not realize the intro music is still playing??
Davy Andrews
This is a long time for it to be going on.
Jack Dorfman
Someone in the truck couldn't find the off button
Paul Sporer
like SOOO long
Joey Caltrain
Music just finally finished for me
Paul Sporer
Finallyyyy
Sæder
gotta get your money's worth out of such a long track!
nuttingtolose
Yes! Thought I was going crazy
Paul Sporer
Someone spilled their Diet Coke on the button
Nate
Glad to know the music isn't just me
lzfreak
I'm not hearing the music… am I going crazy?
Davy Andrews
Yes.
Paul Sporer
It was going for a good 2 batters into the inning
Paul Sporer
They paid for Epidemic Sound and they're gonna get their use out of it!
Joey Caltrain
It was a solid soundtrack behind the footage of the double play and then it just kept going like the highlight reel was still playing
Jack Dorfman
Faded it out quickly that time
beanbong
according to MLB the automatic check swing system decreased K% by 3% in the AFL and FSL. The 45 degree rule probably gets dialed back a little so maybe a 1.5-2% cut?
Davy Andrews
Great info.
Davy Andrews
I would love to write about that, but I wouldn't want to get the sound person in trouble. Stuff happens.
Paul Sporer
I'm sure Twitter is goin bananas over it lol
Davy Andrews
Nah, I heard things are normal over there.
Paul Sporer
lol always so chill and neat and cool
Davy Andrews
Man, it just looks impossible not to chase anything from Schlittler.
Davy Andrews
Sorry, that was an ugly sentence.
Davy Andrews
There you go. SUCCESSFUL check swing.
Davy Andrews
That's progress.
Phil
The Red Sox radio broadcast, at least over MLB.tv, is suddenly all weird–staticky and echoey at once. There seems to be a communications incompetence epidemic.
lzfreak
Red Sox are doing a solid job of running up the pitch count on Schlittler. Could loom large if he can't go 6.
Ben Schneider
Commentators are right in this case. Duran has to steal to scratch across a run
Davy Andrews
Hiiiiigh stakes move.
Paul Sporer
Duran has the skillset to erase the ugliness of his regular season with a big post
Paul Sporer
Similar to Riley with his HR today
Joey Caltrain
Do you think Judge, Stanton, and Spencer Jones will ever all be healthy at the same time? That's a looot of height.
Davy Andrews
That's a tall order.
mockcarr
I am happy to not have audio at the moment
Paul Sporer
I see what you did there and I approve, Davy
Jack Dorfman
Nice
Paul Sporer
every time they do this ad for The Voice, i think they're randomly talking about Riley Greene, especially when Benetti reads 'em
Davy Andrews
Can we talk about the T-Mobile ad where they say that T-Mobile designed the ABS system? What the absolute what is that?
Paul Sporer
They designed the baseball on *annnd* and anti-locking braking systems. T-Mobile out here doin big things, who knew?!
bosoxforlife
NESN was unwatchable for much of the season because of technical glitches. Tt was stunning that the station could not smooth out the transmission as the season went along.
mockcarr
Wells’ swing is its own VH1 pop up video
Davy Andrews
Oh man, can still hear that sound effect.
Paul Sporer
Great effort, Tolle!!! ❤️
Jack Dorfman
spidey senses telling me they should've left in tolle
Davy Andrews
Dude, you're going to blow your cover.
Davy Andrews
The Mass Pike was cruising.
mockcarr
I feel like we should be counting Tolle hugs
Paul Sporer
Erik Miller had tamped down his BB% issues right before the trade and immediately after (7% BB in Aug) but they came roaring back in September w/a nasty 23% BB
bosoxforlife
Tolle was good but Schlittler is from another universe, or least from Mars.
Jack Dorfman
don't like bringing in a lefty reliever for a lefty starter
Jack Dorfman
what planet were the Monstars from?
Paul Sporer
Only 2 BB-free outings in 8 Sept. app. for Miller
Jack Dorfman
yep…
Paul Sporer
Ruh roh….
Paul Sporer
BEN AROZ!!!!
Snerd
Jack instantly proven right
Davy Andrews
You might have been on to something, Jack.
bosoxforlife
Let's give a shout out to Jack Dorfman.
Paul Sporer
Jack with the immediate dub
Jack Dorfman
Sorry to the Sox fans
MyBloodyBallantine
This is an insurmountable lead for the non-July Red Sox
Joey Caltrain
I love the guy behind home plate in a Marlins jersey
Jack Dorfman
I just had flashbacks to Rich Hill getting pulled for Scott Alexander in 2018…
Paul Sporer
Marlins Man is… somethin
Davy Andrews
I'm not sure lovable is one of them.
mockcarr
There’s nothing less satisfying than knowing your team is doing something stupid
drplantwrench
only 8 more runs until 6-4
Paul Sporer
Anyone watch The Paper? I've seen 98437932748 ads for it today, but never seen an ep
Joey Caltrain
Oh so that's THE Marlins Man? Wasn't sure.
Davy Andrews
I watched the first episode or two. It was bad.
Ben Schneider
I watched part of the first season. Prett yfunny but not super funny
Paul Sporer
He's better than Hample, but it's a vomit v. poop type sitch
Joe Orrico
The Schlittler/Yankees hate watch has been quite unsuccessful thus far
Paul Sporer
Yaaaa, tough for a Jays fan
mockcarr
The Marlins Man needs to give his seat to front row Amy
Paul Sporer
The queen!
cyanocitta
The Paper feels like a discount version of The Office. To me, it was somewhat worth watching, but the redundant advertisements are certainly offputting
Paul Sporer
Yeah hard not to see it that way
Davy Andrews
Yeah, the ads are NOT doing what you want for that kind of show.
Justin Mason
The whole season was tough for a Jays fan
Paul Sporer
How are Buster and college coach goin?
Davy Andrews
Of The Paper?
bosoxforlife
It hurts to think that Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice both grew up in Massachusetts and went to college in New England while the Red Sox were drafting stiffs from Cailfornia and other distant places.
Paul Sporer
And on cue they twist the knife on y'all
Joe Orrico
-Giants fan making comments
cyanocitta
The advanced stats seemed to favor Cease until the last month. Schneider burned out his arm with that load
Seuss2004
Oooooh where did Roman go
mockcarr
The 4seamer is running too much for this to be easy
Ben Schneider
Why is Monasterio in? Did Tracy think the Yanks were changing pitchers?
Davy Andrews
The broadcast is speculating that maybe Anthony's hand isn't feeling great.
Davy Andrews
Amazing. Monasterio goes down exactly like Anthony did both times.
bosoxforlife
Your hand wouldn't feel too good if Schlittler was on the mound.
Paul Sporer
Place will explode with a punchie here
mockcarr
Have to admit I’m a fan of just calling every check swing a strike, but I would like a foul bunt after two strikes to not be a K
Davy Andrews
I'd go the other way. Every check swing is a take.
Paul Sporer
This would be my lean. I want fewer Ks!
MyBloodyBallantine
I’m starting to get Grady Sizemore flashbacks with Roman Anthony
Paul Sporer
Without the elite seasons, though… at least not yet
Davy Andrews
It feels really early for that to me.
Paul Sporer
Cam too lit!
lzfreak
Eh Schlittler was better last year in this series
Davy Andrews
Yeah, I liked it when he gave up fewer than zero runs.
Paul Sporer
Tough crowd!
angryyankeesfan
I had been worried at times that the Red Sox seeing Cam Schlittler so much this year (this is his 5th start against them) would negatively impact him, but it has not.
Davy Andrews
Yeah, I've seen the sun five days in a row. It's not bright anymore and I can stare right at it.
bosoxforlife
Back in the old days there would have been no chance that Schlittler wouldn't be allowed to go as far as he wanted which, if he throws like tonight, would be a CG.
Paul Sporer
He also wouldn't have drained his tank in 6 nor would he have faced 9 guys who can go bridge. Just a much different game. If they were trained to 8-9 consistently, they'd be able to, but they're told go full bore from pitch 1
cyanocitta
Back in the old days, throwing high-90s for close to 90% of your pitches would be less common, however
Davy Andrews
Maybe they should check and see if Schlittler can hit too.
Seuss2004
Fun Ben Rice fact: He just had the best season for a position player from Dartmouth since Red Rolfe, pre-WWII. 1) Red Rolfe was also a Yankee, and 2) Dartmouth baseball plays at Red Rolfe field.
Davy Andrews
Red Rolfe sounds like it could be a variety of rice.
mockcarr
Dart mouth sounds like an insult do British pub patrons
Kenny
PCA lead off homer incoming
Paul Sporer
Or a KIng punchie!
Paul Sporer
Rolfe was a G! He's got some banger seasons. I make a card for him each year in Out of the Park Baseball and that 1939 was really sharp!
Sæder
what's more taxing? high velocity fastballs? or hard or high-spin off speed? Or are they the same thing?
Davy Andrewsedited
Honestly, I think it depends on the pitcher. The biomechanics involved are so individualized.
Paul Sporer
I'd generally think velo but don't know for sure
Ben Schneider
Didn't think we'd get a "Josh Donaldson on the Yankees" callout
mockcarr
Rolfe was a helluva piano player for the Electric Mayhem. Or was that an alternate spelling…
Davy Andrews
Think it was the same guy.
cyanocitta
I like Sæder's question. It feels like velo is a big driver, but spin can really tax certain points on the kinetic chain. I'd love to see some sort of retrospective pitch-profiling resource to ascertain the most likely variables involved in increasing future injury risk
Paul Sporer
Ya I think Davy nailed it that's pitcher-specific
Stuart Shapiro
Surprised not Jazz for Volpe
Sæder
i just assumed it was how fast the arm was moving, which i also figured would be very fast on off-speed pitches that spun a lot?
Jack Dorfman
who's going to go deeper into games than Schlittler these yoffs?
Davy Andrews
More Schlitt!
Paul Sporer
Well there's your leadoff HR…..
Paul Sporer
Wow Girardi called it with Schlitt. I dunno about this
Davy Andrews
And PCA was very involved.
Snerd
NANDO
Paul Sporer
It's just for Willson, ya?
Davy Andrews
What is wrong with the BOS-NYY broadcast right now? It's like zoomed in to the top left of the screen.
Paul Sporer
Nevermind…
Davy Andrews
Are other people seeing this?
Paul Sporer
Yes I see your msg, Davy
Benny The Jet
Most career scoreless postseason outings with 10+ strikeouts:
Justin Verlander: 3
Cam Schlittler: 2
Sandy Koufax: 2
Kevin Brown: 2
Randy Johnson: 2
Cliff Lee: 2
via Sarah Langs
Jack Dorfman
My screen is fine
Davy Andrews
So weird. On my TV, like they cropped off the bottom and right-most quarter of the screen. The score bug takes up nearly half the screen horizontally.
Paul Sporer
Oh I'm an idiot, thought you meant you msg
MyBloodyBallantine
Mine too on Mlb.tv
cyanocitta
What's the over-under on Schlittler' number of pitches?
Davy Andrews
What's the over-under on first inning homers for the Pads?
springer
That last fastball from Schlittler was 96. 116 is a lot of pitches
Paul Sporer
117 for Schlitt
Paul Sporer
Meanwhile B2B HRs for SD and Petco is hoppin!
cyanocitta
Exactly, Davy
Seuss2004
Padres lead the postseason in HRs
springer
Why is Samad Taylor (2 career home runs) batting 2nd, between Tatis and Machado?
Davy Andrews
He had a 130 wRC+ this season. Just don't look at the peripherals.
MyBloodyBallantine
Is there another pitcher who owns someone like Schlittler owns Boston? It is absolutely nuts how good he’s been
Davy Andrews
I think that's less about Boston and more about Schlittler.
jaysohm
Stammen likes contact guys at 2nd. It'll be Taylor or Dustin Harris all playoffs
Joey Caltrain
Torn between rooting against the Yankees and wanting them to be rewarded for leaving Schlittler in
cyanocitta
Also, MLB Network was discussing earlier today whether you start your best pitcher in Game 1 or Game 2. I feel more comfortable with Game 1, simply due to front-loading the series win probability added, but they were insisting on Game 2 due to psychological reasons. Perhaps somewhat similar to Cristiano taking the fourth penalty in a shootout, rather than the first. What are your thoughts?
Davy Andrews
I'd say you're getting a bit too cute.
Seuss2004
Machado hitting that HR reminded me, we're totally seeing an unprecedented year for milestones next year [CAVEATS] with 7 players within 17 HRs of #400. That's gotta be a record, no?
Davy Andrews
I'm not going to look it up at this time of night, but I would imagine so!
cyanocitta
Apparently Girardi always preferred the Game 2 start, for the record
Benny The Jet
You want max availability in the ALDS too, and that extra day can matter
Davy Andrews
Word.
Nick Smith
Is an 0-2 hole good enough to lure the Pads into a false sense of security, or should the Cubs keep it up?
Davy Andrews
Now you're thinking.
Paul Sporer
@cynaocitta – Repeating a stat I mentioned earlier, but game 1 winners are 15-1 in the 3-game series era. Just start your best. Wayyyy too cute to "save" 'em IMO
cyanocitta
Absolutely! Squeezing every last game out of your ace seems prudent
cyanocitta
You all need to set MLBN straight. Thanks for pulling the stat, Paul
Moate
I haven’t watched on all these various apps before: did Peacock always pull a guy from both teams? Hugely stoked to hear JD calling the cubs in the playoffs!
Davy Andrews
Yeah, I think they've been doing this all year.
Jack Dorfman
Uh oh Sox
Davy Andrews
Thought for a second we might see someone challenge Abreu's arm.
springer
Is it not a little crazy to bring in Chapman in the 7th, down 2+?
Davy Andrews
Looks like he's back down?
Jack Dorfman
It'd be more than a little crazy
cyanocitta
Now, you certainly cannot bring in Aroldis
small e
Chapman has a really long warmup routine. I'm assuming he's just getting his first steps in on a just-in-case-for-the-ninth basis
Paul Sporer
Ya akin to Houston going to Hader, just not worth it IMO
bosoxforlife
The Yankees have 7 hits and 5 have been by lefties on lefties.
Jack Dorfman
6 of 8*
Jack Dorfman
Rice is a problem
Hoplarsko
Did the Padres second half turnaround coincide with the change of ownership? I know. I know. Correlation does not mean causation.
Davy Andrews
No, looks the sale was earlier, in May. And then final MLB approval came later, in August.
cyanocitta
Six of eight now
bosoxforlife
now 7 of 10.
Seuss2004
I love the 'no time like October' slogan, especially since any team losing in 2 games won't actually play in October.
Snerd
Peacock is the streaming app that hasn’t figured out how to successfully stream
Davy Andrews
Honestly, I watch a lot of Peacock and I generally think it works really well.
small e
nick sogard. ball. player.
Davy Andrews
They tried to tell us.
Sæder
i don't have a TV anymore. but for anyone that does, I'll just plug antennas — they can work quite well, and it's free TV!
mockcarr
As a Nats fan I have always thought Luis Garcia jr could be a good hitter, but man have I seen that kind of luck a lot..
Ben Schneider
Wow, a genuinely good swing from the Sox
lzfreak
These teams that had to randomly travel to the Trop for one game to end the season have come out a bit flat
Davy Andrews
This is a fair point.
farrell823
Send Blackburn out for the 9th?
Davy Andrewsedited
Oh man, I don't know. Paul? Jack?
Jack Dorfman
Feel like I'd want a bit more of a sure thing
Davy Andrews
How cute do you want to get considering the stakes?
Jack Dorfman
As good as he's been, just feels like I don't want to allow a rally or any momentum at all
Davy Andrews
If it backfires, you will never fall asleep again.
angryyankeesfan
The Yankees kind of need Blackburn to be available tomorrow
farrell823
You're right, 4 runs not enough to get cute, and if they score more, there's no need to waste him for tm
Davy Andrews
On the other hand, if they knock in one of these runs right now, why not put in a position player?
beanbong
Didn’t end up mattering but PCA played that ball off the wall perfectly
Davy Andrews
It was gorgeous.
Davy Andrews
Man, I worry about Bello's control right now.
Hoplarsko
That Kershaw comment about pitch counts was misguided.
Davy Andrews
I had the sound on the other game. What'd they say?
bosoxforlife
There is no reason to worry, this one is ovah.
small e
You can't win with 0 runs and 3 hits but I'm also unimpressed with Tracy's bullpen choices in this one… feels like he punted as soon as Gamboa was in
small e
Feels like Tracy is not playing the second order chess that you need to in 3 games in a row to try and coax out the Yankees' best bullpen arms
Jack Dorfman
not getting helped by the offense
Sæder
Davy, which position player would you call up for the bottom of the 9th? Stanton?
Davy Andrews
Excellent choice.
small e
getting ass whooped by schlittler is the main problem of course. Supposedly the Red Sox spent the entire last week practicing on him on trajekt……. to apparently no effect at all
Davy Andrews
Ohh, that's really interesting. Where'd you hear that?
bosoxforlife
If I could second guess Tracy, which wouldn't have made much difference because the Red Sox weren't going to score, he should have gone with Bello after Tolle.
small e
gonna try to hunt up a link but it was reported that they chose to use the visitors clubhouse in Tampa but specifically demanded access to the home Trajekt system for practice on yankee pitching
Ben Schneider
Rob Bradford posted that the Sox "wore out" the trajekt machine in Tampa
bosoxforlife
I wonder how many hits the Red Sox could muster against Trajekt? LOL
I can't say I had 9 runs in a game on the bingo card
small e
this could not have gone worse if you scripted it
Ben Schneider
time to change games
farrell823
have the red sox found a northeast scout yet?
MyBloodyBallantine
Well this was everything you hoped to not see if you are a Red Sox fan.
Ben Schneider
ooh Dave Flemming
Davy Andrews
Ok, I'm officially only watching Cubs-Padres at this point.
Paul Sporer
Ya this got super-sideways
Paul Sporer
Yep, BOS-NYY is muted on the iPad w/CHC-SDP taking over the computer
bosoxforlife
It's a good thing this isn't European soccer where the outcome is decided by cumulative score over the duration of the series.
bosoxforlife
Years ago the Red Sox also missed on George Springer from Connecticut.
springer
Would it be possible to add the chats to the mobile app?
Davy Andrews
This is a good question, and I am absolutely not the right person to answer it, but I will take a guess and say that the answer is "Yes, but it would take a TON of work from our dev team, who already do a TON of work."
MyBloodyBallantine
Amazing how every lever Tracy pulled in this game was the wrong one.
angryyankeesfan
I understand wanting to watch Cubs-Padres, but I am a Yankees fan who doesn't have Peacock so I will see this out and then go to bed.
wenz
Battle of the Motorolla-sponsored teams
wiguy94
The Chicago pitching staff's HR issue has carried over to the postseason it appears
Ben Schneider
Bogaehts!
wenz
I came in as a Cubs fan who understood that the Padres were favored, but I'm becoming sad
Davy Andrews
I'm so sorry. We've all been there.
Davy Andrews
Friends, we are going to close out the chat now, both because the eight o'clock game is over and because the baby monitor is telling me that any minute I'm going to have to spend some time bouncing a six-month-old on a yoga ball.
Paul Sporer
Thanks for coming out, y'all, I had a great time!!
wenz
Thanks for sticking around so late!
Davy Andrews
Thank you all for spending this time with us. I don't have my own chat, and I look forward to this one every year.
Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images and Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Credit the Phillies for trying. When I highlighted the worst defenses among contending teams in early July, they were the poster boys, scoring worse than any team besides the decidedly non-contending Rockies in the multi-metric methodology I’ve used for the past four seasons. But when the August 3 trade deadline arrived, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski took a step to improve that shoddy defense, acquiring second baseman Luis Arraez from the Giants and setting off a game of musical chairs that sent incumbent second baseman Bryson Stott to third base, third baseman Alec Bohm to first, and first baseman Bryce Harper to right field. The defense at those spots mostly improved, but last Thursday, with the Phillies in the midst of what would become a 2-6 skid that nearly cost them a Wild Card berth, Arraez sprained his left ankle while trying to avoid a tag at first base. On Monday, interim manager Don Mattinglyannounced that the 29-year-old infielder will be left off the roster for the team’s Wild Card Series against the Braves.
How Mattingly will proceed with his lineup is unclear. In the three games Arraez missed — including Sunday’s playoff berth-clinching win over the Rays — Edmundo Sosa started at third base twice while Stott returned to second, while in the other game, Bohm and Harper moved back to their original positions as well; they lost that one 12-1.
Below I’ll take a closer look at the metrics underlying the Phillies’ defensive configurations, but long story short, they rate as the playoff team with the worst defense, as they did last year and in 2023. Read the rest of this entry »
