[OFFICIAL] MLB Playoffs Thread

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

It might be easier just to talk about October in one thread so here we are.

So far we have Doc's perfect game, Yanks beating the Twinkies, Rangers besting the Rays, and San Fran plays Atlanta in Bobby Cox's last season.

This MLB season has been the year of the pitcher and the playoffs have been no exception. We have had drama, fights, and retirements already and we haven't even reached the Fall Classic. So let's keep all of our post season baseball talk right here.

 

[People's Champ]

Looking forward to tonight's game against the Braves. We haven't been to the playoffs in 7 years so its going to rockin' at AT&T tonight. I'm curious to see how the Freak will handle his first postseason start. He had an awesome September and hoping he continues the ride. The Giants have the best pitching staff so hopefully the offense can score enough to get us through.

 

[People's Champ]

Well, it wasn't a no hitter, but a 2 hit complete game shutout with 14 k's in your first playoff start isn't too shabby. The Freak was on tonight shutting down that lineup and at times having them look just silly. He's been on a roll and that performance is what we were expecting. The lineup has to do a better job, but Lowe was pitching great too. Cain is up next and has the potential to do the same thing. Fantastic win tonight, pumped for what we can do this postseason.

 

[People's Champ]

After a big heartbreaking loss Friday night at home, the Giants were able to win the two in Atlanta and move on to the NLCS. Every game was decided by 1 run, which I guess was expected. Lowe pitched great again, they couldn't get it done. That win Sunday was huge, as it meant Lincecum didn't have to pitch last night and will be fresh for Game 1. Big time matchup against Halladay on Saturday. Should be a fun series.

 

[People's Champ]

I don't know what's going to happen in the Rangers-Rays series. The Rays have their ace Price going on the mound and I don't see him having another bad outing. On the other side is Cliff Lee, who I think will have a good outing again. The Rangers completely dominated the Rays in Tampa then the Rays did the same in Texas. The Rangers have shown why they are the only team to never win a playoff series. I wonder if that gets in their heads tonight. I don't think the Rays blow this at home, and complete the comeback and move on.

 

[People's Champ]

Well, I don't think anyone thought we would split the first two with the Phillies, and do it by beating Halladay in Game 1. The problem is we need to get some more offense. Ross can't keep blasting HRs. Oswalt pitched fantastic last night. Sanchez showed flashes of how good he can be, but he has to settle down early. Of course, the strikezone was freaking rediculous. That was just bad. At any rate, we come back home with Cain on the mound and a chance to take the lead back. Cain needs to win so we don't have to go to Lincecum in Game 4. But this is an exciting series and can't wait for tomorrow night.

 

[People's Champ]

Big win for the Giants. Cain looked real good out there going 7 strong shutout innings. He got in trouble a couple times but was able to pitch out of it. Ross got the scoring started with an RBI single. He's been the best hitter on this team. As I said in the LD, Giants pitching > Phillies offense. We have the pitching to shut down anyone, and now the counrty is getting a good look at the best staff in the league.

 

[People's Champ]

Well the Rangers laid it on the Yankees pretty good last night. I just don't see that passion to win out there with this Yankees team. The Rangers look like the team that wants it more and that's probably because they do. Unlike the Yankees, the Rangers have never been here before and aren't guaranteed to get back here. So they are taking every advantage they can here. Molina has been a beast and the trade between the Rangers and Giants seems to have been a win-win for both teams. The Yankees pitching has yet to really show up, and if they are to have any shot at making a comeback, it starts with CC.

 

[People's Champ]

Well, we are 1 win away from the World Series. Big time win last night, as we now have a chance to close it out with our ace, The Freak, Lincecum on the mound. It will be tough, with Doc Halladay opposing us, but it can be done. The Giants are the only team to beat their top 3 and are riding a wave of confidence. Ross continues to come up big, and how about Posey, the rookie. He make an incredible catch to tag out Ruiz and has 4 hits on the game and a huge one in the 9th on Oswalt.

Also would like to add that Bochy deserves a lot of credit. He has made some bold moves the last two games. Putting Rowand in centerfield. Starting Sandoval. Putting in Uribe, who made a great fucking play for the first out in the 9th. This team has the feel of destiny, and hoping for that win to send us on to the World Series.

 

[Stormtrooper]

So I just looked into the [OFFICIAL] MLB Playoffs Thread (AKA People's Champ's Blog), and sorry Champ, but it's time to Yankee this thing up a bit.

The Yankees are 2 wins away from the World Series. Phil Hughes has dominant stuff, and pitching on regular rest should help him. I really like the Yankees chances against Colby Lewis, whom had a very good year, but isn't a dominant pitcher. If he tries to do the same stuff he did in Game 2, the Yankees will have most likely been able to adjust, and knock him around a bit.

If all goes according to plan Friday, then the winningest postseason pitcher of all time Andy Pettitte is on the hill for Game 7, against the hottest postseason pitcher, Cliff Lee. TBS is PRAYING that this happens, since it will be the 2nd best postseason pitching matchup of the postseason (behind Halladay/Lincicum). Last time the Yankees faced Cliff Lee for the 2nd time in a series (Game 5 of the 2009 World Series), the Yankees got 5 runs off him. If they can do the same thing, then the comeback is complete, and the Yankees will advance to their 41st World Series.

I for one would love to see a battle of New York (Yankees) vs. Traitorous Former New York (Giants), and a battle of Former tenant (Yankees) vs. Former Landlord (Giants).

 

[People's Champ]

I welcome new posts here.

The Yankees did what they had to do to try and get back in this series. I picked the Rangers but I'm not going to count the Yankees out. The Rangers don't have the pitching (besides Lee) to shut down this Yankees' lineup. I expect this to go 7. Having Pettitte going for that game is big. This still can and probably will get interesting.

 

[People's Champ]

So the Giants had an opportunity to end it last night and just could get the job done. Some key mistakes in the game:

-Sandoval not being on 3rd base. Yes it was foul but whatever, Posey picked that thing up quick enough that Sandoval didn't need to go after it and should have been on 3rd to make the out and that could have been a double play.

-Huff's error. He was concerned about throwing it to home that he didn't focus on make the grab first and that cost the Giants 2 runs.

-Ross' failed tag. The first mistake he's made this series. It wasn't hit deep enough, and as was said, you can't be the 3rd out on that play.

So some mistakes that really hurt. But that shouldn't take anything away from the Phillies, who won that game. To think they would just go down quietly because they were down 3-1 is a huge mistake. They aren't the 2 time defending NL champ for nothing. Ryan Madson striking out our 4-6 hitters was huge. He completely deflated the crowd and Werth's HR sealed the deal. Big win for the Phillies.

Now the series shifts back to Philly, and the Giants need to win 1 of the 2 there, something they've already done this series. Sanchez shouldn't be overlooked, although he will since he's facing Oswalt, who dominated the Giants in Game 2. Sanchez need to have better control and try not to walk guys. At any rate, this is going to be a fun weekend.

 

[People's Champ]

Well, here we are, World Series. Never in my wildest dreams did I think this team would come this far. Oh, I liked this team at the begining of the season, and thought they could win the division. But I thought the offense would be their downfall. And while it hasn't been pretty (we call Giants baseball torture here), its been effective. We beat the Padres on the last day of the season to win the West, sent Cox home to retirement, and beat the 2 time defending NL champs at their place. Its pretty damn sweet. Ill get to the roster and things to look in the next day or so, but right now have to enjoy this.

 

[CaptainKirby]

I agree. I thought this team had something special, but yeah the offense killed it. Then they called up Buster Posey...and yeah. But seriously...if the Rays and Yankees can't beat Cliff Lee, I'm not sure about the El Gigantes. However I think the pitching still is better, as Wilson and Lee are probably out done by the Giants rotation. Anyway, we're gonna have to hope Cody Ross is able to step up again, and other things. Like Brian Wilson making his saves, and the offense getting to work.

 

[Joe's Gonna Kill You]

Giants Won Game 2 tonight by the score of 9-0, both pitchers pitched well CJ Wilson pitched a pretty good game only giving up 2 Runs in 6 innings the only problem was that Matt Cain pitched an even better game going 7 2/3 and giving up 0 Runs. The game got out of hand when the Rangers bullpen blew the game open by giving up 7 Runs in the bottom of the 8th all with 2 outs. Giants take 2-0 lead heading to Texas. The Texas have a tough road head of them being down 2-0 but I think that series will go 6 maybe 7 games.

 

[People's Champ]

So an incredible run these Giants are on. Its amazing and something a lot of us didn't think could happen, but we're loving it. Some thoughts after the first 2 games.

What happened to the whole "Giants need to grind out runs and will be their downfall"? 20 runs in the first 2 games, a World Series record. We beat the Rangers by outscoring them and shutting them out. We knocked out Cliff Lee, the "unhittable" ace of their staff. The latest to fall at the hands of the Giants. We got a new guy every game who comes up huge. Game 1 was Uribe and Sanchez, last night was Renteria and Rowand. This is an exciting run and now we go to Texas with all the momentum and needing only one game to bring it back and end it.

 

[People's Champ]

Ok so I'll look at both Games 3 and 4.

Game 3 was basically what I expected. You knew coming in this was a game the Rangers had to have and were going to come out infront of their home crowd and play better. And they did, and won the game. But it didn't feel like they were back in it, at least to me. They didn't shut out the Giants, although Lewis was real good. Nor they did the completely blow out the Giants, or score 7 runs. They won 4-2 and felt like the toughest game for the Giants had passed.

The game last night, Game 4, was great. I said in the Sports Bar, you have to be impressed by what the 21 year old Bumgarner did to the Rangers on the road. 21 freakin years old. In his first World Series game, and throws 8 shutout innings, giving up only 3 hits. He was so calm and cool up there, again showing why we have the best staff in baseball. Huff hit a shot to right, a no doubter. Posey had a big shot to center and really shut the door.

The issues fans are having today is whether they want the Giants to win this game, or bring it back home and finish it out. There is no issue for me, they need to finish it out tonight. I would rather they win it all now rather than risk bringing it back and have something crazy happen.

 

[People's Champ]

What a wild ride this season was. At the begining of the year, no one (including myself) could seriously say this team could win the World Series. But they did. Lincecum was fantastic, and it was fitting that he finished off the season for us. 8 innings allowing only 1 run and striking out 10. Edgar Renteria deserved his MVP. He was unbelievable. He hit 3 homeruns all season and hits 2 huge ones in the World Series to give us the win. If this is it for him, what a way to go out.

This was such a fun season, and I'm glad to finally see a championship come back to the Bay.