So my "less interested" better half asked this morning... "were they doing the tomahawk chop again last night" (having seen game 3)... I informed her that we didn't really have an opportunity to taunt the Braves...it was a bit closer last night. Her response: "Good...I hate that chant".
I will confess that I did not like the Castellanos (who lives nearby) signing... but he has proven me wrong most of this year. I hope he continues to do so for another few weeks.
Castellanos ilves about 10 miles from us. He bought Ben Simmon's place in Rancocoas. Personally, for 4 mil, he could have done better in the area.
I hate the Chop as well. but it was pretty funny to see it turned on them. The chant came out a little bit toward the end of the game last night.
I was in bed watching the game. more listening then watching. when I heard Bryce is hurt my eyes flew open!
Castellanos is awesome! "We thrive after we get punched in the face, man." is the Phillies quote of the year.
and the crowd taunting with the tomahawk chop is priceless.
So my "less interested" better half asked this morning... "were they doing the tomahawk chop again last night" (having seen game 3)... I informed her that we didn't really have an opportunity to taunt the Braves...it was a bit closer last night. Her response: "Good...I hate that chant".
I will confess that I did not like the Castellanos (who lives nearby) signing... but he has proven me wrong most of this year. I hope he continues to do so for another few weeks.
I don't have a problem with the current system....
So looking at "where we are"... it's officially nuts.
I don't think you can change it much...unless you want to make the first round 1 game. That could be done on Tuesday, and you start the second round the next day. The winners would not have their pitchers "set up"...which would be a huge advantage to those with a buy. If that were to happen, you'd have the 3rd place division winner upset that they only got 1 game (if they lost)...but they did come in 3rd (at least).
Teams that won over 90 games during the regular season were a combined 1-13 in the postseason. The Braves are the only team to win a game.
The AL East had 3 teams in playoffs. The last team in the division to win a game this season was the Boston Red Sox...who won their final game on Oct. 1 against Baltimore.
90-72. That's the sweet spot. The Phillies, Astros, and Rangers all finished with that record. The Dbacks were 6 games worse, which can only mean they are in the driver's seat. They lost 4 in a row at the end of the season to get the last spot by 1 over the Cubs... and haven't lost since.
Intense? Castellanos looked (and sounded) like he wanted to punch someone in the post-game interview.
I will confess that when Bryce got hit in the (surgically repaired ACL) arm... there were a few mins of concern.
I was in bed watching the game. more listening then watching. when I heard Bryce is hurt my eyes flew open!
Castellanos is awesome! "We thrive after we get punched in the face, man." is the Phillies quote of the year.
and the crowd taunting with the tomahawk chop is priceless.
I don't have a problem with the current system. For teams that have 100+ wins and then fold in their first playoff round - that's ultimately their fault. It doesn't always happen though - some years some teams have been so dominant that it was almost obvious that they were going to continue winning. In some ways this format keeps it more interesting - 2 or 3 weeks ago many sports pundits were predicting the Braves and Orioles in the World Series, and few anticipated all 3 teams from the (powerful/competetive?) AL East to vanish in their first rounds.
Even if it's just 2 teams in the postseason, there will be situations where the lesser team got hot at the right time. So I'm okay with it, but yeah Dave Roberts needs to figure out how to handle the postseason because it clearly is not "keep doing what you've been doing."
As a Phillies fan...let me defend the current system a bit...
It's a long season, and teams change over time. If you look at the Phillies game last night, there were pitchers for both the Braves and the Phillies who were in A and AA ball at the start of the year. Injuries... trades... pitcher innings... schedule (who you play when they are playing well...vs. not - See: Tampa Bay for the first month). The Dodgers were using a Double AA rotation in the series against AZ.
Just as important...teams that win 100 games are generally "in the playoffs" for a while before the playoffs start. They let up...rotate players...take it easy. Baseball is a game played almost every day for 7 months. Timing matters a lot. Throwing pitches that matter...matters. The Diamondbacks have been playing "playoff baseball" for a month or two. The Phillies were playing for the number 4 spot...so the first round was played at home.. so they've been more focused than the Dodgers or Braves.
If you want to make the regular season more important, go back to 1 league champ directly to the World Series. The World Series is about the team playing the best after playing well enough to get into the playoffs. Just like the NBA, NFL, and NHL. If you want the regular season to matter most...make it the BPL (British Premier League) and eliminate the playoffs.
FWIW... playing hard through September and Round 1 is not all good. The Phillies only get 3 games out of their #1 and #2 starters...while the Braves get 4. That's because Wheeler and Nola pitched in Round 1. Max Fried will start game 5 for Atlanta (if necessary)...and he had a blister that could have caused problems / would have prevented him from pitching in Round 1.
I don't have a problem with the current system. For teams that have 100+ wins and then fold in their first playoff round - that's ultimately their fault. It doesn't always happen though - some years some teams have been so dominant that it was almost obvious that they were going to continue winning. In some ways this format keeps it more interesting - 2 or 3 weeks ago many sports pundits were predicting the Braves and Orioles in the World Series, and few anticipated all 3 teams from the (powerful/competetive?) AL East to vanish in their first rounds.
It doesn't make sense but it's clearly so. But as Mookie Betts said, "those guys get paid a lot of money to play baseball too. {nothing's a sure thing}" or words to that effect.
As a Phillies fan...let me defend the current system a bit...
It's a long season, and teams change over time. If you look at the Phillies game last night, there were pitchers for both the Braves and the Phillies who were in A and AA ball at the start of the year. Injuries... trades... pitcher innings... schedule (who you play when they are playing well...vs. not - See: Tampa Bay for the first month). The Dodgers were using a Double AA rotation in the series against AZ.
Just as important...teams that win 100 games are generally "in the playoffs" for a while before the playoffs start. They let up...rotate players...take it easy. Baseball is a game played almost every day for 7 months. Timing matters a lot. Throwing pitches that matter...matters. The Diamondbacks have been playing "playoff baseball" for a month or two. The Phillies were playing for the number 4 spot...so the first round was played at home.. so they've been more focused than the Dodgers or Braves.
If you want to make the regular season more important, go back to 1 league champ directly to the World Series. The World Series is about the team playing the best after playing well enough to get into the playoffs. Just like the NBA, NFL, and NHL. If you want the regular season to matter most...make it the BPL (British Premier League) and eliminate the playoffs.
FWIW... playing hard through September and Round 1 is not all good. The Phillies only get 3 games out of their #1 and #2 starters...while the Braves get 4. That's because Wheeler and Nola pitched in Round 1. Max Fried will start game 5 for Atlanta (if necessary)...and he had a blister that could have caused problems / would have prevented him from pitching in Round 1.
Ii think the bye weeks can slow down some of those teams - it certainly did for Baltimore and LA. Not Houston, but Atlanta - we'll see.
It doesn't make sense but it's clearly so. But as Mookie Betts said, "those guys get paid a lot of money to play baseball too. {nothing's a sure thing}" or words to that effect.
I was going to say something about wanting the Dodgers to win because the Snakes didn't perform well enough to deserve it, but then I'm pulling for the Phillies. But yeah, I guess the Diamondbacks are the NL team that makes me groan the most when I see them do anything. Some admittedly exciting players though. If the goddam Astros get through, I'll definitely be cheering for Phoenix.
Sunday I'll be at a Mudhoney show instead of watching two former Giants managers go head to head...
edit: LA press is not honoring a mourning period...
I was going to say something about wanting the Dodgers to win because the Snakes didn't perform well enough to deserve it, but then I'm pulling for the Phillies. But yeah, I guess the Diamondbacks are the NL team that makes me groan the most when I see them do anything. Some admittedly exciting players though. If the goddam Astros get through, I'll definitely be cheering for Phoenix.
Sunday I'll be at a Mudhoney show instead of watching two former Giants managers go head to head...
edit: LA press is not honoring a mourning period...
Yup I saw him pitch @ Fenway too. He is ranked #3 behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens all time Red Sox pitchers. That knuckleball of his gave him the longevity to get to that point. I also remember them using him as a closer and he was relatively successful.
I agree about retiring his number because he was also a helliva decent person giving back to the fans who needed it and had received The Roberto Clemente Award.
Location: On the edge of tomorrow looking back at yesterday. Gender:
Posted:
Oct 2, 2023 - 2:58pm
ColdMiser wrote:
I had the pleasure of seeing him pitch at Fenway twice. One game he was unhittable, the other he got throttled. Such is the nature of the knuckleball. I didn't realize he was with the Sawx for 17 years and held a few records. Seems to me a guy like this deserves to have his #49 up in right field. Seems to me he meant more to the Red Sox than Wade Boggs ever did.
Yup I saw him pitch @ Fenway too. He is ranked #3 behind Cy Young and Roger Clemens all time Red Sox pitchers. That knuckleball of his gave him the longevity to get to that point. I also remember them using him as a closer and he was relatively successful.
I agree about retiring his number because he was also a helliva decent person giving back to the fans who needed it and had received The Roberto Clemente Award.
Very sad that Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield passed away today from brain cancer at the young age of 57. One class A person.
This is very sad. The first thing that struck me was his age...and brain cancer. Darren Daulton was the Phillies catcher in the early 90's, and he died of brain cancer at 55. Other former Phillies who also died of glioblastoma:
Tug McGraw - 59
John Vukovich - 59
Johnny Oates - 58
Ken Brett - 55
David West - 57
That's 6 Phillies who played at The Vet who have died from brain cancer...all between 55 and 59 years old.
Other non-Phillies...
Gary Carter - 57, Bobby Murcer - 62, Dan Quisenberry - 45, Dick Howser - 51.
Here's hoping it's not from turf (as suspected in the Philly cluster).
Very sad that Red Sox knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield passed away today from brain cancer at the young age of 57. One class A person.
I had the pleasure of seeing him pitch at Fenway twice. One game he was unhittable, the other he got throttled. Such is the nature of the knuckleball. I didn't realize he was with the Sawx for 17 years and held a few records. Seems to me a guy like this deserves to have his #49 up in right field. Seems to me he meant more to the Red Sox than Wade Boggs ever did.
That's awful!