2021 MLB playoffs

[lizkat]

Good game 4 in Atlanta tonight. Consecutive homers in the 7th let the Braves take the lead 3-2, which they held to take the game.

So the series is now 3-1 Atlanta. If they win again tomorrow night they can skip a trip to Texas next week to nail down the championship.

 

[Joe]

It’s not over yet. But the fat lady is warming up! Go Stros!

 

[lizkat]

It’s not over yet. But the fat lady is warming up! Go Stros!

Hah, what they need is for the WEATHER to warm up in Atlanta. A little better on that angle today, still a chilly evening ahead.

 

[lizkat]

lol headline in the Atlanta newspaper today

​

 

[lizkat]

Heh, grand slam homer in the 1st for Atlanta. The Astros might need a hand from NASA tonight.

EDIT: lotta drama for only the third inning. Houston got caught up to 4-4 and now Atlanta's managed to make it 5-4...

EDIT: This one of the more fun to watch games bc of a see-sawing score... now Houston has it at 8-5, Braves need to bear down.

And it's a series that's still alive for both teams with Houston coming back to wrap this one 9-5.

So a happy Halloween after all for the Astros. They'd probably like to keep the momentum going now but everybody gets a day off for the trip to Texas with the series at 3-2.

 

[Joe]

Let's get it HTown!

 

[lizkat]

Let's get it HTown!

Atlanta's secret sauce for game 6 = starter Max Fried, despite NYT's (true enough) headline about this being a series of relievers.

A World Series of Relievers, Like It or Not (Published 2021)

Injuries have forced things to extremes for both Houston and Atlanta, with bullpens accounting for more than 60 percent of all innings pitched. This was not by design.

www.nytimes.com

Fried lost Game 2 but was not hit hard, and he even faced two batters in the sixth inning. After patching together two bullpen games, Manager Brian Snitker should have it easier with Fried on Tuesday.

“He’s ready to go,” Snitker said after Game 5. “We had him in reserve if something happened today. If we got locked up in extra innings or whatever, we were going to run him down there and possibly use him today also. I always feel good when Max pitches. He always gives you a chance to win.”

Well another good thing past Max Fried that the Braves have going for them is this: unlike Houston, Atlanta only has to win one of the two Texas games. Not saying they'll manage to do it, since the Astros are pretty revved up now, but at least the Braves have already proven once in this series that they can win a game in Houston. Time will tell if they can do it again or if Atlanta fans will be clutching their pearl chokers in a game 7.

 

[Herdfan]

Looks like Houston is going to start Garcia on short rest in G6 tonight.

Astros to start Garcia on short rest in Game 6

Astros manager Dusty Baker said Monday that he will start rookie Luis Garcia in Game 6 of the World Series with his team facing elimination.

www.espn.com

So far pitchers on short rest have done pretty well, but there is a reason it isn't done often.

Atlanta's secret sauce for game 6 = starter Max Fried, despite NYT's (true enough) headline about this being a series of relievers.

A World Series of Relievers, Like It or Not (Published 2021)

Injuries have forced things to extremes for both Houston and Atlanta, with bullpens accounting for more than 60 percent of all innings pitched. This was not by design.

www.nytimes.com

Well another good thing past Max Fried that the Braves have going for them is this: unlike Houston, Atlanta only has to win one of the two Texas games. Not saying they'll manage to do it, since the Astros are pretty revved up now, but at least the Braves have already proven once in this series that they can win a game in Houston. Time will tell if they can do it again or if Atlanta fans will be clutching their pearl chokers in a game 7.

The statisticians have taken "Moneyball" to a whole new level. I remember back when I was playing, I was never a fan of dugout calls to take or swing. I can't imagine what it would be like today where every single pitch is micromanged by the GM and his statisticians. Now teams are starting closers to get them through the top of the lineup and then bring in pitchers for 1-3 innings so that hitters never get to see the same pitcher twice. How long before teams start spreading their top hitters throughout their lineup?

 

[lizkat]

How long before teams start spreading their top hitters throughout their lineup?

And I still can't get used to seeing players and coaches studying their iPads in the dugout...

Hah, yeah, what good is it to spend time making a batting lineup when sometimes they even bring in another reliever to pitch just part of a frame -- and not at the end of the game or with bases loaded and 2 out, but just because they have studied all the matchups and they want this guy to pitch to that batter at the bottom of the 3rd. If they're gonna go that route more and more often, then they might as well just have it all be bots on an app you can buy.

But that stuff is sometimes still derailed by the ball, the bat, the breeze... and all that can still make the game so special: there's sometimes nothing left to do but roll eyes and face the music when a ball takes a spinning hop to elude a glove, or skids into the grass in midfield when the batter is known to swing for the fences.

 

[Herdfan]

And I still can't get used to seeing players and coaches studying their iPads in the dugout...

Hah, yeah, what good is it to spend time making a batting lineup when sometimes they even bring in another reliever to pitch just part of a frame -- and not at the end of the game or with bases loaded and 2 out, but just because they have studied all the matchups and they want this guy to pitch to that batter at the bottom of the 3rd. If they're gonna go that route more and more often, then they might as well just have it all be bots on an app you can buy.

But that stuff is sometimes still derailed by the ball, the bat, the breeze... and all that can still make the game so special: there's sometimes nothing left to do but roll eyes and face the music when a ball takes a spinning hop to elude a glove, or skids into the grass in midfield when the batter is known to swing for the fences.

LOL.

The one thing that gets a lot of attention is when the infield shifts, basically moving the SS or 2B to the other side of the infield and the 1B or 3B basically playing behind 2nd. Sportswriters hate this, but the solution is simple, find a HS or college softball player and have them teach MLB hitters to slap the ball in the hole. That would put a quick stop to it.

And yes, the game is special. I think the MOST special of all the major sports.

 

[lizkat]

Atlanta doin' their homers thing early again. Maybe this time their leading score will stick!

edit: 6-0 now middle of the 5th... might be hard for the Astros to launch a recovery at this point.

 

[Herdfan]

Atlanta doin' their homers thing early again. Maybe this time their leading score will stick!

edit: 6-0 now middle of the 5th... might be hard for the Astros to launch a recovery at this point.

Been flipping back and forth between this game, election results and The Rookie. Was stunned to see Fried still in the game in the 6th.

But the Astros will get the meat of their order up again.

 

[lizkat]

Been flipping back and forth between this game, election results and The Rookie. Was stunned to see Fried still in the game in the 6th.

But the Astros will get the meat of their order up again.

But now it's 7-0. Braves got the mo.

I"m trying to watch the election results too. Cursing my provider bc dividing up 6Mbps DSL gives me a brief beachball every time I refresh the WaPo on a phone while watching Fox on a laptop.

 

[lizkat]

Aaaaannnnnnd. 7-0 did stick. The fat lady has sung. Atlanta Braves are the world champs of 2021.

 

[Joe]

Congrats to Atlanta. At least it wasn’t the dodgers.

 

[tobefirst]

Condolences, @JagRunner. I suggest you drown your sorrows in the best Chocolate Chip cookie I've ever tasted – at Tiny Boxwood's or Tiny's or whatever it is officially called.