MLB Daily Thread: 08-22-16: Wildcard/Division Races heating up

[Used 2 B Hu]

Speaking of quarters...is it football time yet? Dammit it seems like August just keeps dragging on.

Less than 34 hours until Hawaii-Cal!

 

[Wamu]

Less than 34 hours until Hawaii-Cal!

Wait a minute...Hawaii still has a football team? Well holy crap!

 

[bksballer89]

Less than 34 hours until Hawaii-Cal!

I'll be watching preseason football

 

[navamind]

From Bench to Benchmark: Jose Canseco Is Twitter’s Favorite Financial Analyst

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Damn, why did the mets and Jay Bruce bother to waste each other's time? They suck and won't make the playoffs, and he can't play with a boo-boo in his calf

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

But overpaying for Miller is gonna come back to bite them in 2017 and 2018.

Why do you consider $9MM/yr to be overpaying for a proven top relief pitcher?

What makes you think his performance will decline over the next two years?

Hey, The Q, just wondering if you've got any thoughts on this.

 

[molsaniceman]

Damn, why did the mets and Jay Bruce bother to waste each other's time? They suck and won't make the playoffs, and he can't play with a boo-boo in his calf

maybe this will help

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

According to FanGraphs, we've got a 19.5% chance of having a 2-way tie for the 2nd AL Wild Card, and a 15.7% chance for the same in the NL.

I fuckin love that stuff. Then there'd be a game 163 to decide who wins the WC, then the WC game.

There's also the possibility of a 3-way tie, which would likely just make me jizz my shorts.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

maybe this will help

Well, it worked for the Nationals series but he stunk it up again vs the Reds

 

[navamind]

According to FanGraphs, we've got a 19.5% chance of having a 2-way tie for the 2nd AL Wild Card, and a 15.7% chance for the same in the NL.

I fuckin love that stuff. Then there'd be a game 163 to decide who wins the WC, then the WC game.

There's also the possibility of a 3-way tie, which would likely just make me jizz my shorts.

2002 could have been an epic with the 2nd wild card. You would have had the Red Sox and Mariners (two 93-69 teams) playing a game 163 to settle the 2nd WC. The winner would have faced the 99-win Angels.

In the NL, the Giants would have faced the 92 win Dodgers in the WC game.

I think the Red Sox could have had a decent shot to come out of the AL had they made the playoffs. I think the Sox were on par with some of the top AL teams that year (they had a +194 run differential). Or they would have shit the bed in epic fashion. Grady Little's bullpen management was just atrocious that year.

 

[The Q]

2002 could have been an epic with the 2nd wild card. You would have had the Red Sox and Mariners (two 93-69 teams) playing a game 163 to settle the 2nd WC. The winner would have faced the 99-win Angels.

In the NL, the Giants would have faced the 92 win Dodgers in the WC game.

the year before that would've had like the 85 win twins though....seriously, how is that even possible?

 

[navamind]

the year before that would've had like the 85 win twins though....seriously, how is that even possible?

How hilarious would it have been if they had eliminated the A's? Not only would they have failed to win the division with over 100 wins, but they'd lose to a .500 talent roster.

You'd also have an 84-win Angels team making the WC game in 1997. Mets and Dodgers would play a game 163 to settle the 2nd WC to face the Marlins.

Red Sox and Barves would have had shots at redemption in 2011.

 

[The Q]

How hilarious would it have been if they had eliminated the A's? Not only would they have failed to win the division with over 100 wins, but they'd lose to a .500 talent roster.

You'd also have an 84-win Angels team making the WC game in 1997. Mets and Dodgers would play a game 163 to settle the 2nd WC to face the Marlins.

Red Sox and Barves would have had shots at redemption in 2011.

I hate that 2011 team.

It's up there with 2006 and 2009 UConn basketball that I just cannot stand.

No redeeming value about any of that lot.

I'll throw the 1999-2003 and the 08-09 titans in that lot as well.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

2002 could have been an epic with the 2nd wild card. You would have had the Red Sox and Mariners (two 93-69 teams) playing a game 163 to settle the 2nd WC. The winner would have faced the 99-win Angels.

In the NL, the Giants would have faced the 92 win Dodgers in the WC game.

I think the Red Sox could have had a decent shot to come out of the AL had they made the playoffs. I think the Sox were on par with some of the top AL teams that year (they had a +194 run differential). Or they would have shit the bed in epic fashion. Grady Little's bullpen management was just atrocious that year.

Honestly, my favorite wouldn't be seeing two great teams face off in one wild card game, it'd be a 3- or 4-way tie for the second wild card and all the madness with breaking that tie. That would be epic to me.

 

[navamind]

Honestly, my favorite wouldn't be seeing two great teams face off in one wild card game, it'd be a 3- or 4-way tie for the second wild card and all the madness with breaking that tie. That would be epic to me.

that too.

 

[navamind]

I hate that 2011 team.

It's up there with 2006 and 2009 UConn basketball that I just cannot stand.

No redeeming value about any of that lot.

I'll throw the 1999-2003 and the 08-09 titans in that lot as well.

Amazing how 39 games can overshadow an 81-42 stretch of baseball. The offense from May-July was just mind boggling.

 

[The Q]

that too.

I was at baltimore that night.....

(I was interning at the SEC that fall in Law School, we drove up because someone got the tickets from a co-worker at their internship.....just awful).

Baltimore fans were brutal.

 

[The Q]

Amazing how 39 games can overshadow an 81-42 stretch of baseball.

When you blow a 9 game lead from Sept 2nd or 3rd on, it can very easily.

That 39 game stretch cost Beckett the Cy and Ells the MVP as well.

We got stuck with a very mediocre MVP that year.

 

[navamind]

I would have went with Ells or even Bautista, but I have no problem with Verlander winning. Miggy, Pedroia and maybe even Zobrist had pretty good cases as well IMO.

Disagree on Beckett though. He had 58 fewer innings than Verlander. He would have needed a much lower ERA to offset that, especially with Verlander's gaudy record (24-5). Not to mention the years Sabathia/Weaver had as well.

 

[The Q]

I would have went with Ells or even Bautista, but I have no problem with Verlander winning.

Disagree on Beckett though. He had 58 fewer innings than Verlander. He would have needed a much lower ERA to offset that, especially with Verlander's gaudy record (24-5). Not to mention the years Sabathia/Weaver had as well.

Beckett was the clear favorite heading into september. He was having an awesome year.