MLB Playoffs thread

[tommieharris91]

Game times. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3614651)

Phillies are already up 3-0 after the 3rd.

[tommieharris91]

Brewers win 3-1. Now, Cubs vs Dodgers Game 1.

[GrapevineSooner]

Dear Dick Stockton,

GIVE IT UP!!!

Just in the past hour, you've said that Joe Torre as manager would rather face Kevin Ethier(sp?) than Manny, even though Torre is Manny's manager. And you've said that Joe Torre's Dodgers beat the Lou Pinella-led Mariners in the 2001 ALCS.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Way to go Dempster, you choking bitch!!!!!!!!! Walk the bases loaded cause you are afraid to throw a damn strike, then give up a grand slam:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[badger]

Brewers win 3-1. Now, Cubs vs Dodgers Game 1.

:mad: now, now, that wasn't very nice of you to get my hopes up for the Brew Crew.

Awww, we can lose now! I might not live another 26 years to see us make the playoffs again! :(:(:(

[tommieharris91]

Don't worry, I'm surprised I haven't broken anything watching the Cubs turn back into the Cubs.

And as I type that, Manny crushes one that was about 3 in. off the plate. Manny bein Manny.

[tommieharris91]

Like every flyball the Dodgers hit looks like HR to me now.

[tommieharris91]

Listening to Dick Stockton is like listening to BBSr.

[Mjcpr]

This is beginning like last year's series vs Arizona. Yuck.

[bri]

Nothing like losing the first game of a best-of-five AT HOME to say "yeah, we're f*cked".

I can't settle on an emotion right now. Hate, anger, shock, disgust, sadness and "blank" are all neck-and-neck right now.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Nothing like losing the first game of a best-of-five AT HOME to say "yeah, we're f*cked".

I can't settle on an emotion right now. Hate, anger, shock, disgust, sadness and "blank" are all neck-and-neck right now.

Lou needs to pull his head out of his *** and put his best team on the field; what is their best team you might ask? Any line up that doesn't have Fukudome playing or Lee batting 3; Lee has go to be the most over-rated 3 hole hitter in the history of the game. :mad:

[tulsaoilerfan]

1 thing that surely didn't help was the strike zone of home plate ump Dale Scott; i don't think i've seen a lower strike zone all season, and that played right into the strength of Lowe; he loved em low and on the outside corner all night long

[bri]

Am I the only one who shook with uncontrolable rage when Greg Maddux's wattle trotted out in the 9th?

I hope that f*cker dies in a fire. :mad:

[GrapevineSooner]

Meh, I have a hunch Zambrano will save your bacon tomorrow.

[GrapevineSooner]

Thank you, John Lackey, for getting too much of the plate on that flat breaking ball.

[The Maestro]

Angels = great team for a 162 game season.

Red Sox = a great team for a playoff series.

[The Maestro]

Jacoby Freaking Ellsbury. Stones.

(I realize I am the only one watching this since living in Pacific time zone and it is 11:50 in OK).

[The Maestro]

Vlade looked liked Vlade Divac running to third!

[tommieharris91]

This has actually been a pretty well-pitched game.

I might run faster than Vladimir Guerrero.

[The Maestro]

This has actually been a pretty well-pitched game.

I might run faster than Vladimir Guerrero.

Hey! Company!

Yeah, Vlade looked like OU tight end Forrest Valora in 1979against the Huskers. Flat footed much?

Varitek's first SAC in two years...what a stud!

[The Maestro]

And the captain's bunt pays off.

Repeating...Jacoby Freaking Ellsbury.

[The Maestro]

Frank Caliendo = funny

Frank TV promos = not funny

[tommieharris91]

So Boston takes Game 1, 4-1.

Cubs lost earlier 7-2. :mad:

[TUSooner]

Nothing like losing the first game of a best-of-five AT HOME to say "yeah, we're f*cked".

I can't settle on an emotion right now. Hate, anger, shock, disgust, sadness and "blank" are all neck-and-neck right now.

How about happiness? Oh yeah, you're not a Dodger fan like me!
Silly chump.
:)

[GrapevineSooner]

You know, I'm also a Giants fan. So it's making it very hard for me to hate the Dodgers with all those former Red Sox and one of the few Yankees that I respected during the 90's. ;)

[TUSooner]

You know, I'm also a Giants fan. So it's making it very hard for me to hate the Dodgers with all those former Red Sox and one of the few Yankees that I respected during the 90's. ;)

I have always admired Joe Torre - a lot - but it was hard for me to cheer for him as a Yankee. Now...well, Joe's no Tommy Lasorda :D but it's great to see him in Dodger Blue. And Manny is one of my favorite modern players, so it's good to see #99 in blue, too.

[TUSooner]

Bestest time of the year.......if your teams keep winning

Let me just say that October is the best month of the year. Why? In no particular order:
The weather gets fantastic (and hurricane season fades away)
College football
NFL
Baseball playoffs
Thanksgiving and Christmas are close enough to look forward to

[walkoffsooner]

Willits should have pinch ran for Vlad. Has all year in that situation.

[AllAboutThe'O']

6-3 Rays now in the last of the eighth and looking for more.

And yes, Evan Longoria is a freakin' stud.

[tommieharris91]

TB went on to win.

MIL just GIDP'd with the bases loaded in the 1st.

[tommieharris91]

5-0 Dodgers after the 2nd. Cubs have 2 errors and have give up 4 of those 5 runs are unearned.

[Mjcpr]

This is beginning like last year's series vs Arizona. Yuck.

You're crazy!

:mad:

[Lott's Bandana]

I turn over to the beisbol game and LAD is up 6-0 in the 7th...

Stick a fork in the Cubbies?

[tommieharris91]

I turn over to the beisbol game and LAD is up 6-0 in the 7th...

Stick a fork in the Cubbies?

Yep.

[tulsaoilerfan]

I turn over to the beisbol game and LAD is up 6-0 in the 7th...

Stick a fork in the Cubbies?

The fork was stuck in after the Loney grand slam in game 1:mad:

[tulsaoilerfan]

Cubs need to get a freakin' lead off hitter, and get rid of Lee; the guy is nothing but a rally killer; Lou should bench both of them come Saturday

[GrapevineSooner]

I don't have the words, guys.

[tommieharris91]

Cubs need to get a freakin' lead off hitter, and get rid of Lee; the guy is nothing but a rally killer; Lou should bench both of them come Saturday

It would be really nice if someone other than DeRosa did something with the bat.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Well i just saw the lowlights, and are you freakin' kidding me? My son could have made the plays that Lee and DeRosa booted

[tulsaoilerfan]

And while i'm venting, does Lou just not like Mike Fontenot? Put DeRosa in right, Fontenot at 2nd, and sit the lousy import on the bench; the guy is ****ing terrible:mad:

[tulsaoilerfan]

I know there are others here that watch a lot of Cubs beisbol, and don't you all think that Lee is over-rated? He hasn't been the same since he broke the wrist

[tulsaoilerfan]

My Lineup for game 3.
1. Fontenot-2nd
2. DeRosa-RF
3. Ramirez-3rd
4. Ward-1st
5. Blanco-C
6. Johnson-LF
7. Pie-CF
8. Theriot-SS
9. Harden-P

Seriously, could those guys do any worse than the crap we've seen from the so called studs so far?

[tulsaoilerfan]

I should add that i would play Hoffpauir at first in place of Ward IF he's on the roster; not sure if he is and i'm too pissed 2 look

[tulsaoilerfan]

Post 5500; i refuse to get excited about Cubs beisbol next year

[Lott's Bandana]

Post 5500; i refuse to get excited about Cubs beisbol next year

I'm not 100 years old, but I have heard that or something similar my entire lifetime. That's kind of surreal.

[tommieharris91]

I should add that i would play Hoffpauir at first in place of Ward IF he's on the roster; not sure if he is and i'm too pissed 2 look

Hoff isn't the roster. I thought it was a bad move, too.

[tommieharris91]

I know there are others here that watch a lot of Cubs beisbol, and don't you all think that Lee is over-rated? He hasn't been the same since he broke the wrist

Lee was amazing in April and well below average every other month. You're not imagining things.

[Mjcpr]

Texiera(sp?) is a free agent. He's a Gold Glove 1B like some people claim Lee is and he's a lefty. Hope like hell Cuban buys them and gets Tex, Sabathia and anyone else that's out there. How sickening. Play great all year and flop in the playoffs for the second year in a row. They had a big lead so they didn't get caught but they haven't played their best baseball in quite a while.

The Yankees will have even more money witht he new stadium so they could throw money around more than they do now.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Texiera(sp?) is a free agent. He's a Gold Glove 1B like some people claim Lee is and he's a lefty. Hope like hell Cuban buys them and gets Tex, Sabathia and anyone else that's out there. How sickening. Play great all year and flop in the playoffs for the second year in a row. They had a big lead so they didn't get caught but they haven't played their best baseball in quite a while.

The Yankees will have even more money witht he new stadium so they could throw money around more than they do now.

U are correct; we should have all seen this coming when they lost 8 of 9 early in September; their vulnerability to strong right handed pitching shows how badly they need a couple of lefties in their everyday line up that can actually drive the ball; maybe Hoffpauir will be the answer if he plays everyday

[Mjcpr]

His problem is that he sucks at defense.

[OUthunder]

Cubs Lose!
Cubs Lose!

[tulsaoilerfan]

His problem is that he sucks at defense.

He fits right in then, especially if he can learn to swing at sliders low and away that aren't even close to strikes

[mdklatt]

The Milwaukee Brewers are the fattest baseball team in history. Be afraid, Sausage Race participants, be very afraid. :eek:

[tommieharris91]

Well, that was a waste of a really good team...

[AllAboutThe'O']

Well, that was a waste of a really good team...

As a Rangers fan, I would gladly have loved to trade places with you. I would much rather get swept in the playoffs than not get there at all.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Well, that was a waste of a really good team...

After watching this series, i am really wondering about Lou's managerial abilities; yes, he can't go out and play, but i don't think he's really adapted to the National League style of play where you need to bunt once in a while and play for a run at a time; seems like he waited the whole series for a 3 run homer that never came:mad:

[bri]

I have just become the biggest f*cking Phillies or Brewers fan. I want the Dodgers to die in a fire, but losing in the NLCS will suffice. :mad:

[tulsaoilerfan]

I just don't understand how a mediocre team that only won 84 games this year in the weakest division in baseball can all of a sudden play like the 27 Yankees; not that it would have made a difference, but the first round series should be a best of 7 like the rest of them.

[GrapevineSooner]

1. The Cubs 6 game losing streak in early September did suggest that this team had a cold streak in them. Unfortunately, another streak hit at exactly the wrong time during the year.

2. The Dodgers only won 84 games, but they'd been fighting for their playoff lives right until the very end of the regular season. Sometimes that takes a lot out of a team just to get there (i.e. the White Sox against the Rays). Other times, it energizes them come playoff time.

And lest we forgot who is managing that team.

3. Anything can happen in a short series.

[bri]

I just don't understand how a mediocre team that only won 84 games this year in the weakest division in baseball can all of a sudden play like the 27 Yankees; not that it would have made a difference, but the first round series should be a best of 7 like the rest of them.

Why, so the Cubbies could have gotten humiliated four times in a row instead of three? :mad:

[tulsaoilerfan]

1. The Cubs 6 game losing streak in early September did suggest that this team had a cold streak in them. Unfortunately, another streak hit at exactly the wrong time during the year.

2. The Dodgers only won 84 games, but they'd been fighting for their playoff lives right until the very end of the regular season. Sometimes that takes a lot out of a team just to get there (i.e. the White Sox against the Rays). Other times, it energizes them come playoff time.

And lest we forgot who is managing that team.

3. Anything can happen in a short series.

I think Joe vs Lou was the biggest advantage the Dodgers had in this series; outside of Ramirez and Furcal, are there any other Dodger starters that would even start for the Cubs? Possibly Loney over Lee at first, but that's the only other one i could see

[Ike]

I just don't understand how a mediocre team that only won 84 games this year in the weakest division in baseball can all of a sudden play like the 27 Yankees; not that it would have made a difference, but the first round series should be a best of 7 like the rest of them.

2 words.


Pucker. Factor.

The entire Cubs organization had a clenched sphincter as soon as the calander turned to October. They weren't loose at all. They were pushing. From top to bottom. What other reason can you have for making a guy with a sub 2.00 ERA have an 'extended warmup' session before his biggest start of the year?

The Dodgers on the other hand knew that they weren't 'supposed' to win. So they just went out and had fun. Next thing they knew, they were having fun celebrating a berth in the NLCS.

[tulsaoilerfan]

Bye Bye Sox!!!!

[Scott D]

well since we weren't supposed to make the playoffs, much less win the division, much less finish with a record over .500 I'll take this season gladly. Besides, we lasted longer than the Cubs ;)

[Ike]

well since we weren't supposed to make the playoffs, much less win the division, much less finish with a record over .500 I'll take this season gladly. Besides, we lasted longer than the Cubs ;)

Yup. Now as long as the other Sox go down soon, I can sit back and enjoy watching baseball.

[GrapevineSooner]

Guess you'll have to wait a little longer, my friend. ;)

[Ike]

Guess you'll have to wait a little longer, my friend. ;)
Unfortunately...but I think the rays will handle em just fine.

[GrapevineSooner]

I normally don't pay much attention to home field advantage unless it's a Game 7. However, I think home field's going to be the difference in this one. And since Tampa Bay has it...

[GrapevineSooner]

Tessie, Nuff Said McGreevey shouted
We're not here to mess around.
Boston, you know we love you madly
Hear the crowd roar to your sound.
Don't blame us if we ever doubt you
You know we couldn't live without you
Tessie, you are the only only only.

[bri]

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j141/ECKoolAid/lolsports/boston-scared-of-heights.jpg

[AllAboutThe'O']

Unfortunately...but I think the rays will handle em just fine.

I would love to see the Rays do it, but I'm bummed out by the fact that, now that Tampa Bay is playing in the AL championship series, the only AL team never to play in an ALCS is..........surprise, your Texas Rangers.:(

[BudSooner]

Rays vs Dodgers, I can't see it any other way.

Dodgers winning it all in 5.

Sorry bri on your cubs, next year I will not cheer quite as hard for them in the playoffs. :D

[bri]

Rays vs Phillies, because at this point my picks are guided by hate and spite. :D

[tulsaoilerfan]

I could care less myself

[GrapevineSooner]

Best mascot in sports.













Now that Joe C. did away with Top Daug. :mad:

[BudSooner]

Best mascot in sports.













Now that Joe C. did away with Top Daug. :mad:

When did that happen?? after the horsepigs were trotted out?
I didn't know that happened.

[PalmBeachSooner1]

Tampa destroying Boston on the road. LOL

[Sooner04]

That shot by Stairs just landed in Pasadena.

[GrapevineSooner]

Tampa destroying Boston on the road. LOL

Yep. Unfortunately.

And down 2-1 in the series, Boston's sending Shakey Wakey to the mound. :eek:

[OUthunder]

Go Phillies.

I must say that I'm impressed with them as well as the Rays.

[bri]

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/deadspin/2008/10/torrelotd.jpg

[StoopTroup]

Tampa pwns teh sox.

[GrapevineSooner]

Tampa pwns teh sox.

Not yet. ;)

[SOONER STEAKER]

What a finish. How can TB leave in Wheeler for so long. Sox win 9-8. Back to St. Pet.

[GrapevineSooner]

Well let me say this.

Joe Maddon is probably the manager best suited to handle this kind of situation, considering how young and inexperienced the Rays are. He seems to be on a very even keel all the time and his team reflects that in it's play.

That having been said, they still have to be reeling from the events of last night. And from my useless knowledge brain, consider that Boston never trailed in Games 6 and 7 in both 2004 and 2007. It's of the utmost importance, IMO, that Tampa Bay jump out to an early lead Saturday night.

[GrapevineSooner]

Well, jump out to a lead they did. Unfortunately, it was short lived as Youk got it back four pitches into the 2nd.

Then Tek throws out to Navarro four pitches ahead of a Jason Bartlett homer that tied the game instead of giving the Rays the lead back. Next half inning, Tek homers for the first time in over a month. And from there, the Boston bullpen just took over, save for a few shaky moments to start the 8th with Masterson on the mound.

I find it amazing that after destroying the Red Sox starting pitching in Games 3, 4, and 5, the Rays only managed four hits tonight. Which tells me despite Maddon's demeanor, they were pressing big time.

The best thing they can do is just go home, get sleep, and be as loose as possible. Remember in the grand scheme of things, NOBODY said the Rays would be playing in a Game 7 of the ALCS. Let alone, the ALCS or even the playoffs for that matter.

Course, saying that is a lot easier that putting it into practice.

[JLEW1818]

Decent game on now

[bri]

Rays vs Phillies, because at this point my picks are guided by hate and spite. :D

Excellent.

[GrapevineSooner]

Asking this team to make it three ALCS comebacks in as many appearances just proved to be a little too much.

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays, 2008 AL champions. They earned their stripes by winning 97 games in baseball's best division, then wrestled the crown away from my Red Sox.

Still proud of my team for never giving up and even though the Game 5 comeback essentially went for naught, it was still a great moment that will live in Red Sox lore, right alongside Pudge's Game 6 homer in the 1975 World Series, the 2004 ALCS comeback, the 2004 championship, and the 2007 ALCS comeback.

Only regret is seeing Tek have the kind of season he had in what will probably be his last in a Red Sox uniform. His ability to handle the Red Sox pitching staff will be his legacy, though.

Anyway, I'm sure Fox will hate this series. But matchup wise, I think baseball fans are in for quite a treat.

Besides, I think Philly owes the city of Tampa a few paybacks after the pain and misery the Bucs and the Lightning have given them in 2003 and 2004.

[bri]

Now the Phillies need to sweep the hell out of Tampa to make Boston's failure complete. :D

[BudSooner]

Besides, I think Philly owes the city of Tampa a few paybacks after the pain and misery the Bucs have given them in 2003.
And will again my friend, this year.:D

[StoopTroup]

Why isn't there a World Series Thread?

Did I miss it or did someone put it in the football forum?