Series Thread: Rangers and Orioles Battle in the ALCS in a Best of Five Matchup October 7-13

[saddles]

Dunning's opposing OPS vs. RH batters is 118 points lower than Heaney's.

This has nothing to do with lefty/righty match-ups.

 

[saddles]

We will play 2 home games I think they want him to start 1 of them in front his home town fans.

That most likely is Scherzer's start.

 

[saddles]

I sure hope the bullpen is up to pitching very well for 4 innings tomorrow. Heaney will probably be okay for the time he is on the mound. Let's just hope he can go 5 innings.

 

[scotsman1948]

That most likely is Scherzer's start.

Dunning has been the Star throughout this season so what would be more fitting than to have him pitch here?

 

[saddles]

Dunning has been the Star throughout this season so what would be more fitting than to have him pitch here?

Why are you trying to be silly on purpose? Are you drunk?

 

[scotsman1948]

Like i

I sure hope the bullpen is up to pitching very well for 4 innings tomorrow. Heaney will probably be okay for the time he is on the mound. Let's just hope he can go 5 innings.

said earlier I would be happy with 4 from him and 4 from Perez and then 1 from Leclerc

 

[scotsman1948]

Why are you trying to be silly on purpose?

Forget it . You want to argue I don’t

 

[saddles]

Forget it . You want to argue I don’t

I didn't argue. It was too silly to argue about.

 

[scotsman1948]

I didn't argue. It was too silly to argue about.

Whatever

 

[saddles]

The Orioles OPS against Heaney this season was .988.


The Orioles OPS against Dunning this season was .354. Only 13 at bats though.

 

[saddles]

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

The Rangers are now trying to navigate a best-of-5 series, not a marathon, against the team with the best record in the AL. They eventually chose lefty Andrew Heaney to start Game 1 because he might have more success against the lefty-heavy top of the Baltimore lineup. Overthinking not to go with Dane Dunning, who has been the team’s most consistent starter all year? Perhaps. But chances are Heaney’s outing will be limited and Dunning will end up pitching the bulk of the innings. At least that’s the hope.

Scherzer will see how he feels Saturday morning and the Rangers will have to make a decision about adding him to the roster before 9 a.m. CT. In all likelihood, Scherzer, who wore his full game uniform for his live batting practice session, will be at Bruce Bochy’s door like your kid at 5 a.m. on Christmas morning.

Even if Scherzer is limited to a two- or three-inning appearance, the Rangers have already yielded to the idea of cobbling this series together an inning or two at a time. Based on what Scherzer threw Friday, it would be hard to think he’s not one of the best 13 options for the pitching staff.

 

[saddles]

From Evan Grant:

The Rangers No. 3 hitters are 18 for 116 since Sept. 1, including the wild card series. Whether you ascribe to boy math or girl math, which thanks to TikTok, is a thing, it still adds up to .155. Any way you chop that up, it’s bad math. Even worse: They are 4 for 31 with runners in scoring position, a league-worst .129. It’s been bad.

“I don’t know that it’s been a challenge to fill it out,” Bochy said of the three spot in the lineup. “We’ve mixed it up. It’s something we talk about. We try to match up with the pitcher that going that day. It doesn’t mean we don’t tweak the lineup. We’ve done that before. We could do it again [Saturday]. We’ve talked about it.”

With so much on the line in the final week of the season, the Rangers started three different hitters in the No. 3 spot over the final four games. Against Tampa Bay, they used Robbie Grossman, partly because, well, they won with Grossman and lost with Mitch Garver there. For all the analysis in the game, superstition still has a place.

Carter, however, offers the Rangers their best shot at taking superstition out of the mix. The potential problem arises if the Rangers hit Seager and Carter, two lefties, back-to-back. Makes it easier for a team to deploy its lefty relievers. Baltimore’s lefties have been the best against left-handed hitters in the majors.

“You look at what he’s done,” Bochy said of moving Carter up in the lineup. “Of course, it enters the conversation. He handles himself so well. He could go in the three-hole, or in the five-hole, or really anywhere in the lineup. We’ll work out what we think is the best way to set the lineup.”

 

[saddles]

 

[WastinSomeTime]

After all he has done, they don't respect Dunning. They let seniority have way roo much weight.

I honestly think they are trying to help Dunning by having him pitch at home. I am not sure how it would be for him to make his 1st start in the playoffs in game 1 on the road. That is just a guess.

 

[saddles]

I honestly think they are trying to help Dunning by having him pitch at home. I am not sure how it would be for him to make his 1st start in the playoffs in game 1 on the road. That is just a guess.

I think we have said the same thing, two different ways. Or, maybe we think they are doing the same thing but for different reasons.

If Leclerc can close out games on the road in the postseason, Dane Dunning can start on the road in the postseason.

If Dunning can make a start on short rest on the road, because it is a playoff-like game that needed to be won, last Sunday, then he could have done just fine in this game.

 

[jta4437]

I'm thinking they might pair Heaney and Dunning and Scherzer and Perez, games 1 and 4

 

[saddles]

I think the Rangers will win this in 5 games. They will win games 2, 3, and 5.

 

[DT LUNA]

We win the games the offense shows up in. Too often they have let a well pitched game go by the way side.

 

[scotsman1948]

No Scherzer. Anderson dropped and Bradford added. Only changes