Good, I assume the Dodgers lost.  I thought my fear of the second WC ending up in a tie was coming true.  I think going with Loshe is the safest call.  He has had the best year.  The good thing about Loshe is he most likely wont let the game get out of hand.  You know he is going to have a really good game with a brain cramp or two.  Hopefull those cramps result in very few runs.

I don't mind starting Lohse, I think he's the right choice, but I'm not going to assume that he's automatic. And the Braves did knock him around...

JV wrote:

So, looking ahead to a possible first round (no jinx if you say "possible", right?), would you rather draw the Nats or have to deal with GAB?

Hmm, good question. The Reds have the weaker lineup, but they have the most dynamic bullpen. As we saw last night, that game was over after the 5th inning. They just don't give leads away. Sam LeCure is behind Broxton on the depth chart, yet he's better than any Cardinal reliever not named Motte. Cueto, Latos and Bailey is much, much better than Wainwright, Lohse and (probably) Carpenter.

The Cardinals don't have anyone as good as Gio, but they can match up with Jackson, Zimmerman or Detweiler.

I think Cincinnati is the team to avoid. After watching San Francisco the last two nights, I think they're going to get clocked by TTTIB if it comes to that. They don't play defense and the bullpen is awful. They will play a series of 2-1, 3-2 games that TTTIB will have the advantage in simply because of the 'pen.

windwalker wrote:

Hey, let's not forget our old friend jcspadistributor on this day ----> http://messages.yahoo.com/Recreation_%26_Sports/Sports/Baseball/Teams/threadview?m=tm&bn=7737433&tid=69435&mid=69435&tof=1&frt=2

He finally got booted. Guess the Yahoo gods had a little bustle in their hedgerow too.
As abrasive as JC is/was, it's kind of a shame his account was closed, yet "Leather Clad Mouth Hugger" still exists out there somewhere.

"I think Cincinnati is the team to avoid"

Hate to admit you're right. Not in the respect you're right, but that TTTIB is the most formidable matchup out there. Especially in that bandbox, which is perfectly suited for their warning track hitters. I'd be surprised if those dimensions were accurate. There's no way a mediocre hitter like Todd Frazier ought to be able to throw his bat at the ball and have it leave the yard.

My perspective is obviously slanted, but the A's let's-shove-it-up-the-media's-ass mantra is so tired. First of all, there's no way to define "the media" anymore because it runs a scale from the New York Times sports page to some 20-year-old dink who runs a website out of his parents' basement. Secondly, you're professional baseball players. Grow up.

JV wrote:

So, looking ahead to a possible first round (no jinx if you say "possible", right?), would you rather draw the Nats or have to deal with GAB?

Id take the Nationals.  They are young and hopefully dumb.

APIAD wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

MLBN is covering the American League playoff races like the fate of the free world is at stake. It would be more dramatic if berths were on the line. It's hard for me to get excited about today's games when they only decide who plays whom and where.

There needs to be an MLBN-AL and MBLN-NL just so I dont have to hear about the AL for 40 minutes out of every hour watched.

Well, the AL is clearly the superior league. The AL has won two of the last six World Series, after all. That's 33 percent. Plus a cool fraction that goes, like, to infinity.

JV wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"I think Cincinnati is the team to avoid"

Hate to admit you're right. Not in the respect you're right, but that TTTIB is the most formidable matchup out there. Especially in that bandbox, which is perfectly suited for their warning track hitters. I'd be surprised if those dimensions were accurate. There's no way a mediocre hitter like Todd Frazier ought to be able to throw his bat at the ball and have it leave the yard.

Avoided, at least for Round One. If the Cards win, they'll get Washington.

You beat me to it. Is the format this year the lower seed plays the first two games at home, and then the last three games are played at the higher seed?

artie_fufkin wrote:

JV wrote:

artie_fufkin wrote:

"I think Cincinnati is the team to avoid"

Hate to admit you're right. Not in the respect you're right, but that TTTIB is the most formidable matchup out there. Especially in that bandbox, which is perfectly suited for their warning track hitters. I'd be surprised if those dimensions were accurate. There's no way a mediocre hitter like Todd Frazier ought to be able to throw his bat at the ball and have it leave the yard.

Avoided, at least for Round One. If the Cards win, they'll get Washington.

You beat me to it. Is the format this year the lower seed plays the first two games at home, and then the last three games are played at the higher seed?

Yes. Assuming the Cards get past Atlanta, gotta get 'er done at home and hope TTTIB leaves its black heart in San Francisco.

Last edited by JV (10/03/2012 3:34 pm)

That is the funniest lineup ever assembled.

When Ludwick hit the ball, I thought he had a double, but then I remembered Beltran has the night off.