The Playoffs

[El Duderino]

Ken Rosenthal muses that Major League Baseball might not need much pushing to alter course from a one-game Wild Card playoff.

An additional Wild Card berth was introduced this season and the two Wild Card entrants will play one game to determine who makes it to a division series.

Rosenthal writes that if the Yankees fail to win the American League East and are then eliminated as a Wild Card, Bud Selig could be forced to change the rules.

"The Yankees would scream," Rosenthal writes. "The networks would seethe. And Commissioner Bud Selig might think, 'Uh, why did I just allow the sport's No. 1 attraction to go down in the blink of an eye?'"



Read more: http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z284DjIcRf

This one will be great to see if the Yankees finish as the 5 seed and wouldn't have made it anyways...

No kidding. If the extra WC berth is the only reason the Yankees end up making the playoffs, their team and fans should have very little to bitch if they then lost the WC play in game.

I'm very envious of the Baltimore fans, what an intense ride their season must have been to follow as a fan. Not only was Baltimore expected to finish 3rd or 4th in the AL East, which makes winning even sweeter, that team has played in a ton of close games and won the vast majority of those close games. I believe they are 17-0 in extra inning games this year. Insane.

As for who i want to win it all, my three are Baltimore, Texas, or anyone besides St. Louis. Texas because i feel for their fans, that Game 6 loss to the Cardinals had to be the most excruciating loss any baseball fans have ever went through. Baltimore fans have had to follow bad teams for a long time.

As for the A's, their "fans" don't deserve a title. Those fans have had a great surprise team to watch, yet they are a pathetic 28th in attendance. Hell, even the absolutely putrid Houston Astros have better attendance.

[El Duderino]

Moneyball 2 anyone?

Go A's!

Beane got so much credit for finding socalled undervalued players and a focus on OBP during his past run of success, but if you ask me, his clear best strength as a GM has simply been his eye for pitching talent, be it the rotation or bullpen. It was that great rotation in the 90's which was the biggest key to the A's success and this year they have the 2nd best ERA in the AL. Granted, that's a pitchers ballpark, but their team ERA is still under four on the road.

[Kerb Hohl]

Also hanging around are a few remnants from his run prevention scheme last year. I thought that was going to work before they were decimated with injury last year. They still have a pretty good defense from the numbers I've seen this season, though maybe the bigger foul territory skews some of those.

[Kerb Hohl]

C'mon Red Sox, close this **** out. I know some on here want to see the Rangers (I have no problem with them), but I'd like to see the O's and A's win their division. I'll take Texas beating the Yanks then in the WC game.

At the very least, extra playoff games are fun.

[Kerb Hohl]

So it looks like we'll have an AL West Championship game tomorrow. Awesome.

Question: What does Balfour have on the brim of his cap? How is it legal? Or is he just honestly wearing away his hat? Seems as though he touches it several times before every pitch in there and there is a gray substance easily noticeable on his hat.

[blazza18]

Yea looks like its the dust and/or its just the brim is wearing down.

I might have to wake up a bit early to watch that game.

[Kerb Hohl]

Ken Rosenthal muses that Major League Baseball might not need much pushing to alter course from a one-game Wild Card playoff.

An additional Wild Card berth was introduced this season and the two Wild Card entrants will play one game to determine who makes it to a division series.

Rosenthal writes that if the Yankees fail to win the American League East and are then eliminated as a Wild Card, Bud Selig could be forced to change the rules.

"The Yankees would scream," Rosenthal writes. "The networks would seethe. And Commissioner Bud Selig might think, 'Uh, why did I just allow the sport's No. 1 attraction to go down in the blink of an eye?'"



Read more: http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... z284DjIcRf

This one will be great to see if the Yankees finish as the 5 seed and wouldn't have made it anyways...

No kidding. If the extra WC berth is the only reason the Yankees end up making the playoffs, their team and fans should have very little to bitch if they then lost the WC play in game.

I'm very envious of the Baltimore fans, what an intense ride their season must have been to follow as a fan. Not only was Baltimore expected to finish 3rd or 4th in the AL East, which makes winning even sweeter, that team has played in a ton of close games and won the vast majority of those close games. I believe they are 17-0 in extra inning games this year. Insane.

As for who i want to win it all, my three are Baltimore, Texas, or anyone besides St. Louis. Texas because i feel for their fans, that Game 6 loss to the Cardinals had to be the most excruciating loss any baseball fans have ever went through. Baltimore fans have had to follow bad teams for a long time.

As for the A's, their "fans" don't deserve a title. Those fans have had a great surprise team to watch, yet they are a pathetic 28th in attendance. Hell, even the absolutely putrid Houston Astros have better attendance.

To be fair, we're talking about beautiful Camden Yards near the Harbor (albeit in a dangerous city of Baltimore) compared to O.co Oakland Alameda Coliseum in probably one of the more awful spots for a baseball stadium.

[Kerb Hohl]

This sucks. I don't hate the Rangers but now we're likely only going to get to see one of Oakland or Baltimore in the "actual" playoffs since they're probably going to play each other in the Wild Card game. I am obviously against the Yankees winning anything but I don't hate them as much as most people do, so I'm going to be relatively indifferent between the Yankees, Rangers, and Tigers.

EDIT: Looks like I'm the n00b for counting Oakland out.

[BUCKnation]

To be fair, we're talking about beautiful Camden Yards near the Harbor (albeit in a dangerous city of Baltimore) compared to O.co Oakland Alameda Coliseum in probably one of the more awful spots for a baseball stadium.

Worst stadium in baseball. I dont really blame them for not going.

[Turk Nowitzki]

at Josh Hamilton.

Just dropped an easy flyball with 2 on and 2 out in a 5-5 game. Texas was up 5-1 heading into the inning as well, now 7-5 A's. They said the wind was a factor but come on, what a choke.

[Kerb Hohl]

Yup. Was watching...jokingly said "lose it in the sun" to somebody and we chuckled...then he did.

[trwi7]

To be fair, we're talking about beautiful Camden Yards near the Harbor (albeit in a dangerous city of Baltimore) compared to O.co Oakland Alameda Coliseum in probably one of the more awful spots for a baseball stadium.

Worst stadium in baseball. I dont really blame them for not going.

Tampa is the worst.

[Turk Nowitzki]

This is a great game.

[BUCKnation]

To be fair, we're talking about beautiful Camden Yards near the Harbor (albeit in a dangerous city of Baltimore) compared to O.co Oakland Alameda Coliseum in probably one of the more awful spots for a baseball stadium.

Worst stadium in baseball. I dont really blame them for not going.

Tampa is the worst.

At least its only used for one sport other than the rare football game.

[blazza18]

This is a great game.

Texas just blowing it for themselves. Balfour time now.

[trwi7]

At least its only used for one sport other than the rare football game.

But it's a depressing dome in the middle of nowhere.

[Turk Nowitzki]

I love the A's

MONEYBALL 2!!!

[Kerb Hohl]

So we have:

If Yankees lose tonight/Baltimore loses:
Oakland vs. Baltimore/Texas winner
Detroit vs. Yankees

If Yankees lose tonight/Baltimore wins:
Oakland vs. Baltimore/New York/Texas winner (after AL East Playoff game happens)
Detroit vs. Baltimore/New York playoff game winner

If Yankees win tonight:
Oakland vs. Detroit
Yankees vs. Baltimore/Texas winner

In the NL:
Washington vs. Atlanta/St. Louis winner
Reds vs. Giants

[Kerb Hohl]

Boston up 1-0.

[Kerb Hohl]

Gonna try the same reverse psychology as earlier:

Well, that should do it. Yankees already up 3-1 on pathetic Boston and Baltimore is flailing in their game down 1-0.