Really? No Baseball Thread?

[patricknd]

And that folks, was one off an old man's bucket list!!

Washington Nationals #2 ace, Jordan Zimmermann no hits the Miami Marlins on 104 pitches in the final game of the regular season!!

The final out was a web gem catch of what normally would have been a double. I'm sure it will be shown everywhere.

I'm drained, and absolutely elated. I never expected to see one happen.

very cool!!! reminds me of Mike Scott's no hitter to clinch the division in '86, one of my all time best sports memories

 

[Amsterhammer]

very cool!!! reminds me of Mike Scott's no hitter to clinch the division in '86, one of my all time best sports memories

It was an awesome few hours that I will never forget!

Here's that catch.

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/wsh/vide...anns-nono/?partnerId=as_was_20140928_32474956

 

[patricknd]

It was an awesome few hours that I will never forget!

Here's that catch.

http://m.nationals.mlb.com/wsh/vide...anns-nono/?partnerId=as_was_20140928_32474956

that gave me chills !!!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Wow!

Playoffs should be fun.

 

[Amsterhammer]

The moment!

 

[BYOP88]

For the first time in 5 years the Angels are playing *October* baseball!!!!. I'm hoping that the Royals beat Chokeland in the WC game and we can take the Royals in the ALDS.



(*Yes I'm aware in 2012 and 2012 we had some regular season games in October)

 

[Amsterhammer]

13, baseball girlfriend, where are you?

It's not just me then.....

That's why I just finished polling 15 astute baseball executives, from clubs that didn't make the postseason, to see which teams they thought were about to play in the World Series, and which juggernaut they picked to win it. Well, here's how they saw it:

National League Champ: Nationals (12 votes), Pirates (2), Dodgers (1)

American League Champ: Orioles (7), Angels (4), A's (3), Tigers (1)

World Series winner: Nationals (11), Orioles (2), A's (1), Dodgers (1)

http://espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/11611761/why-nats-win-world-series

P.S. I understand full well that by Foxxy's Immutable Law of US Sports #1, the 'best' team over the season virtually never wins the big one.

 

[BYOP88]

Laughing at the Chokeland Athletics.

 

[Scott SoCal]

Laughing at the Chokeland Athletics.

Imagine the entire off-season to think about that one.

 

[gregod]

Laughing at the Chokeland Athletics.

did my beloved a's screw up? i haven't followed major league baseball in a while, but the a's will always be my team.

i'll have to check the sports news.

 

[Amsterhammer]

did my beloved a's screw up? i haven't followed major league baseball in a while, but the a's will always be my team.

i'll have to check the sports news.

You have no idea. They were on top of their division for most of the season, smacking runs like they were going out of style, lots of homers, a positive run difference over 150!!!! - and then - they started choking, lost their lead to the Angels, and were never competitive again.

Last night they became the first team ever to lose a play off game with a four run lead in the 8th, what you might call a choke for the ages. It must really suck to be an Oakland sports fan when you consider what kind of awful the Raiders have been for years.

But, to any neutral fan, last night's game was an absolute classic, and a wonderful way to kick off the playoffs.

 

[BYOP88]

You have no idea. They were on top of their division for most of the season, smacking runs like they were going out of style, lots of homers, a positive run difference over 150!!!! - and then - they started choking, lost their lead to the Angels, and were never competitive again.

Last night they became the first team ever to lose a play off game with a four run lead in the 8th, what you might call a choke for the ages. It must really suck to be an Oakland sports fan when you consider what kind of awful the Raiders have been for years.

But, to any neutral fan, last night's game was an absolute classic, and a wonderful way to kick off the playoffs.

They also traded away super hot prospect(although not everyone can turn out like Mike Trout ) Addison Russell and they traded their best major league hitter (Yoenis Céspedes) for 3 months of Jon Lester who'll be filing for free agency after the WS.

 

[BYOP88]

So the Angels lets the Royals take the first game. No problem in 2002 the Angels lost the opening game of each postseason series and ended up World Champs. #clutchingatstrawsorasurefiresign

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

It must really suck to be an Oakland sports fan when you consider what kind of awful the Raiders have been for years.

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

I heard Billy Beane's comments on the trade of Lester for Céspedes and he brought up some valid points. First is that they were going to lose Cespedes anyway to free agency in a yaer, and he felt pitchers were catching up to Cespedes somewhat late in the season. The team's run production had already dropped some by then. This turned out to be only partly true. He felt Lester were their best chance to get into the playoffs with a marquee pitcher. He also felt that both Kasmir and Gray were not likely to sustain pitching at their level, due to the amount of innings they were throwing due to weak middle relief. Doolittle's late season injury sure didn't help.

But in the end, the A's just ran out of gas. They don't have the budget, and sabermetrics will only take you so far. But it's nice to see a club with so little money do so well. Same with Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, let's talk about the games we have left.

I too still like the Angels chances against KC. It seems to me the Royals had to win game 1 to even have a chance. Now, it may be even, but I'd still pick the Angels. Though not having Garrett Richards may make it harder for them to take it all. Also count me in as one who thinks Mike Scioscia is maybe the best manager in all of baseball.

The other AL series should be really interesting. The last time a team faced three former Cy Young winners back to back to back was when the Mets faced off against Maddux, Glavin and Smotlz some 15 years ago. The Braves won all three of those games. Game 2 on now, and Tigers up 5-3. If they can survive this with the hot/cold Verlander on the mound, next up they have Price. But their bullpen is very shaky. And the Orioles are good across the board.

In the NL I would love to see Washington win it all, and today's game with Strasburg is going to really be a bellweather, as I'm sure many fans remember his past. But the Giants are dangerous. Lots of playoff experienced players.

I'm also hoping that the Dodgers can upend the Cardinals, who I am sort of tired of seeing. Plus, Kershaw can't possibly pitch as bad as he did in last year's playoffs.

I'm still sticking with my prediction of Washington over Baltimore. Though it won't surprise me if the Angels can beat anyone, same with the Dodgers, really.

 

[BYOP88]

Thanks. Thanks a lot.

I heard Billy Beane's comments on the trade of Lester for Céspedes and he brought up some valid points. First is that they were going to lose Cespedes anyway to free agency in a yaer, and he felt pitchers were catching up to Cespedes somewhat late in the season. The team's run production had already dropped some by then. This turned out to be only partly true. He felt Lester were their best chance to get into the playoffs with a marquee pitcher. He also felt that both Kasmir and Gray were not likely to sustain pitching at their level, due to the amount of innings they were throwing due to weak middle relief. Doolittle's late season injury sure didn't help.

But in the end, the A's just ran out of gas. They don't have the budget, and sabermetrics will only take you so far. But it's nice to see a club with so little money do so well. Same with Pittsburgh.

Meanwhile, let's talk about the games we have left.

I too still like the Angels chances against KC. It seems to me the Royals had to win game 1 to even have a chance. Now, it may be even, but I'd still pick the Angels. Though not having Garrett Richards may make it harder for them to take it all. Also count me in as one who thinks Mike Scioscia is maybe the best manager in all of baseball.

The other AL series should be really interesting. The last time a team faced three former Cy Young winners back to back to back was when the Mets faced off against Maddux, Glavin and Smotlz some 15 years ago. The Braves won all three of those games. Game 2 on now, and Tigers up 5-3. If they can survive this with the hot/cold Verlander on the mound, next up they have Price. But their bullpen is very shaky. And the Orioles are good across the board.

In the NL I would love to see Washington win it all, and today's game with Strasburg is going to really be a bellweather, as I'm sure many fans remember his past. But the Giants are dangerous. Lots of playoff experienced players.

I'm also hoping that the Dodgers can upend the Cardinals, who I am sort of tired of seeing. Plus, Kershaw can't possibly pitch as bad as he did in last year's playoffs.

I'm still sticking with my prediction of Washington over Baltimore. Though it won't surprise me if the Angels can beat anyone, same with the Dodgers, really.

Big loss for us, but thankfully Shoemaker is 'fit' and starting tonight for us and hopefully for game 3(series tied at 1) the good CJ Wilson turns up to pitch for us.

 

[BYOP88]

LOL-ing at the Tigers "blowpen" takes me back to the days when the Angels handed the ball over to guys like Ernasty or Rodney.

 

[BYOP88]

Still waiting for the Angels "hitters" to turn up for the postseason.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Wow. I may be an A's fan, but I'm still a west coast guy and in a bit of shock that the Angels are down 0-2, and lost the first two games at home none the less. The way KC manufactures wins still seems unsustainable to me, but I felt that way when the season ended.

The way the Cardinals hammered Kershaw was just astounding. Two years in a row, only this year worst than last. I have to wonder if that one inning didn't break the back of the Dodgers. I'm not a huge Cardinals fan, but they have to be considered one of the best run organizations in all of sports, top to bottom.

And as I worried, the Giants are a force to be reckoned with. You look at their schedule, some of their guys, and think they're not going to win. But they have a lot of guys with big game experience. Peavy is the perfect example. Boston couldn't get rid of him fast enough, but they couldn't produce runs for him either. Now, he looks like the same pitcher that helped the Bosox in the playoffs and WS last year, and won a Cy Young a few years back. And we still haven't even seen Cain, Hudson or Lincecum, let alone Bumbgarner yet.

 

[BYOP88]

When it comes to postseason there seems to be a switch that the Giants flick and they become some sort of machine.

It was good seeing Kershaw getting smacked around, hoping the Cards take the series in 3.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Some crazy good games on today. MLB has to be very happy with this year's season, at least so far. I have to admit I was really pulling for the Nats in the marathon game tonight, but what a pitching clinic by the Giants.

Now, the two top seeds from each league have their backs against the wall. I still have some faith the Angels can claw back. After losing this game to the Giants, I fear the Nats though are done.

 

[krebs303]

I can't choose between them.

A Dodger/Angel Series would be a childhood fantasy come true.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Congrats to the Orioles. Beat three former Cy Young winners back, to back to back.

Angels backs really to the ropes. Does not look good.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Congrats to the Orioles. Beat three former Cy Young winners back, to back to back.

Angels backs really to the ropes. Does not look good.

I didn't realize that you were a Bay Area fan, Alpe. My previous comment about the 'Chokeland A's' and the Raiders was not intended as a dig at you!

I expect that we will see Foxxy's "Immutable Law #1 of US sports playoffs" confirmed again tonight, when I expect the top NL team to follow the top AL team out of the playoffs after a 3-0 sweep by a "lesser" team.

I've got plenty of beer in to help me survive the expected embarrassment in both tonight's games.

 

[BYOP88]

How many days until catchers and pitchers report?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Down to four teams.

I just can't see the Royals beating the Orioles. Then again, I thought the Angels would beat them in 4 games without much of a problem.

In the NL, both of these teams know how to win, and have plenty of experience in the post-season. I'm going to go with SF though, they seem to be playing just a little better.

I'm mostly hoping for no sweeps. I'd love to see each series go at least 6. Worst would be one team sweeping, the other series going 7, and then the WS be one team too rested (like the Tigers a couple years back).

Yes Amsterclog, I'm a west-coast guy. Ignore my location. You should know from the NFL thread I'm a Raiders guy, but tend to like all west coast teams (and don't like the Patriots, Jets or Giants much in football).