2015 MLB Playoffs

danfrank
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Re: 2015 MLB Playoffs

Post by danfrank »

I'm all-in for the Cubbies! It's an odd-number year, so that means my Giants didn't have a chance (I'm almost starting to believe this). I lived just a stone's throw from Wrigley Field for 4 years while in grad school and have lots of family roots in Chicago. They're exactly the kind of young team to potentially excite the masses, and Arrieta has been pitching out of his mind for quite some time now. The Cards (snore) will be tough to beat, though, and if I had to bet it would probably be foolish to bet against them. I would hate that, though. I'm so tired of seeing them in the postseason year after year. I expect the Dodgers to collapse as usual, unless Kershaw suddenly learns to become a big stage pitcher.

I don't watch enough of the American League to have a very informed opinion of who will prevail there, but will root for the Blue Jays mostly because I'm a fan of Josh Donaldson.

Although I'm glad the Cubs made it through, I'm SO not in favor of the 1-game, do-or-die wildcard playoff. It proves almost nothing, except maybe that you have a very hot pitcher like Arrieta or Keuchel from the Astros. So, my condolences, Tee. I also feel for the Pirates, who have lost these games two years in a row.
Mister Tee
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Re: 2015 MLB Playoffs

Post by Mister Tee »

Four games in, and the home teams are 0-4. My recollection is, we saw similar last year, but there were some better games. Here, all four games have seen the visiting team take an early lead and never surrender it. Not the most scintillating baseball.
FilmFan720
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Re: 2015 MLB Playoffs

Post by FilmFan720 »

Oh, what a game that was tonight!

Chicago is beginning to light up around the Cubs, and with good reason. They have outperformed even the most optimistic this year, and have done so by consistently being fun to watch on and off the field. They are young, hungry and talented. I'm not sure if they can go all the way, but I'm holding my breath!

This feels like Toronto's year...they are just so good and seem built for the postseason, with all of the heavy-hitters and David Price anchoring the pitching squad. The past few years have taught us anything can happen in the postseason, though...even breaking a riduculously long drought.
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Mister Tee
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2015 MLB Playoffs

Post by Mister Tee »

I waited so long to start this, my team's already gone...and the 98-win Pirates may not last much longer.

Briefly about my guys: I came into the season fully expecting long-term doldrums -- second division, with little improvement for the next few years. So, to qualify for even the Wild Card was way above expectation...as was seeing old-timers ARod & Beltran crank it up, and young folk like Severino and Bird make their arrivals. So, while it always hurts to lose (did we have to face the probable Cy Young guy in a win-or-go-home game?), I mostly take positive vibes from the season.

For the rest of the A.L.: KC ended up with the best league record, but it's hard not to feel Toronto's been the best team for the past two months. Toronto was, in fact, a major under-achiever most of the season: prior to their winning surge, their run differential said their record should have been about ten games better than it was. So, it's hard not to think of them as the favorite, certainly against Texas in the first round (though Texas, too, has the late-charge momentum). Houston was well below .500 in games not started by Keuchel, and, because of last night, Keuchel can only start one game of a possible five, so I think KC should get by them (though losing Holland makes them less than they might have been).

St. Louis 100 wins -- Pittsburgh 98 -- Cubs 97...I guess baseball's pretty happy they have two Wild Cards now (imagine, one of those teams sitting it out entirely). St. Louis has been winning so consistently (and, I'd say, unexcitingly) for the past decade or so that I guess we should stop wondering how they've done it, but...I still don't exactly know. They seem to perform pretty well in recent post-seasons, as well, so I guess it's foolish to bet against them -- but it sure would be fun to see one of these other teams advance instead.

The Mets excited Flushing with their late run, though it was as much a total collapse on the part of the Nationals as a Mets triumph. One wonders just how impressed we should be by 90 wins in a division where so many teams had truly woeful records. Of course, their opposition, the Dodgers -- while they ran away with their division at the expense of the defending champs -- have to be nervous about whether Clayton Kershaw's inexplicable post-season meltdowns can be averted this time.

Anyone have a favorite/instinct?
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