MLB playoffs/wildcard thread

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Here it is, the thread to discuss what is going on in baseball and make our predictions about how the playoffs are going to turn out!!

In case nobody has noticed, there is quite a tight race for the American League's two wild card spots, with the Rangers and Rays tied for the two spots... Everybody's favorite team, the Cleveland Indians(!!!) are only a half game behind, while the Orioles are 2 games out, the Royals(??) are 3 out, and the Yankees are 3.5 out. Who does everybody think is going to win the final two spots? I am going with the Indians and the Rays. In all seriousness, the Indians have an awesome shot at this, they play the AL's 3 worst teams the last 9 games, so they pretty much should be able to take care of their own business as long as they just win.

Yay I can't believe the Indians are still here playing games that mean something!!

[Pokemaster Ash]

Hehe, I'm a bit surprised too at the Indians. If they manage to get in, I hope they do something with the opportunity.

Same goes for the Pittsburgh Pirates. FINALLY with a winning season and likely playoff bound, here's hoping they do something good with the chance they've got.

.....No, it's still me, the die-hard Chicago fan. But, obviously, the baseball gods have been cruel to us this year (well, not as cruel as last year, at least, but still not fun times here... Well, until next year, go Bears and Blackhawks!). I figure if I'm gonna root for someone in the playoffs, might as well be a team that deserves it. I mean, like hell I'm gonna root for the Cardinals or Tigers, or A-Roid and the Yankees.

[Mr.E]

The Pirates and Reds will get the two wild card spots. :rolleyes:

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Yeah I am surprised too, I mean I definitely believed they would be better than last year, but I didn't think they would have a shot the last week of the season. They have been super streaky this year, there have been times where they go weeks at a time and look like they can beat anyone, and then they go weeks where they look like they will never win another game. The hitting especially has been really streaky... they aren't the best team out there... but it would be interesting if they made it and were on a hot streak... the best team doesn't always win it all!!

Looks like Texas/Tampa/Cleveland have separated themselves from Baltimore/Kansas City/New York... but seriously Houston, we are done playing you, you can start winning some games again!! A little help please?!

Last day off yesterday... unfortunately for us both Tampa and Texas won, would have loved for them to lose, but at least we still have the second spot by a game, and only a game in back of Tampa!!

[Number1ChanseyFan]

It all comes down to this... The last day of the season is finally here!! All the Indians have to do is beat the Twins today and they are in!! If the Indians weren't involved in this, the potential 3 team tie would be highly entertaining, but I would much rather wrap this up today. If Texas and Tampa want to do a tiebreaker with each other I am fine with that. :)

[Pokemaster Ash]

Well, 162 games down and....yep, still not done yet.

The NL's 5 teams have been long decided, with the Los Angeles Dodgers, St.Louis Cardinals, and Atlanta Braves as the division winners and the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinatti Reds fighting for the Wild Card.

The AL, however.... Well, we know four out of five. The Oakland As, Detroit Tigers, and Boston Red Sox are your division winners, but as for the Wild Card... Well, the Cleveland Indians are in for sure, but it's going to take Game 163 to decide the fate of the Tampa Bay Rays and Texas Rangers.

I'm hoping the Pirates and Indians make it past the Wild Card round. Under the old rules, both teams would be in and playing one of the Division winners. This one-game playoff between the Wild Cards is really weak.

.....Hell, anyone up for a Pirates/Indians World Series? Would be nice to see both teams show off they aren't punching bags anymore. (Though I kinda wish they still were when playing the Cubs or White Sox...)

[Perfect Chaos]

How bout them New York Mets?!

Oh wait, wrong thread. I'll just left myself out now...

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Sure, Indians/Pirates sounds good to me... Or Indians/Braves... Or Indians/Cardinals or Indians/Reds or Indians/Dodgers... Just as long as the Indians are involved!! I have to admit I am getting the butterflies a little bit now. I was happy that Texas and Tampa had to play the extra game, I didn't really have a preference for who I wanted to play, but at least I figured it would mess up their pitching rotation a little bit... But wow Tampa is throwing their number 3 starter and he has an ERA under 3. I am excited that the Indians are using Salazar to start though, he really has amazing stuff, I am not just saying this as an Indians fan, but he may have the best pure stuff of any starter out there. It will be cool that everyone will see what he can do tomorrow!!

Its hard to believe just how far they have made it... as much as the Indians have been made fun of over the years, the last 4 have actually been the worst stretch in their history, the only time they lost 90 games 3 out of 4 years... And this year, our biggest strength was supposed to be the back of the bullpen, and that turned out to be the weakest part, our 8th/9th inning combo of Pestano and Perez was the only thing reliable about this team the last few years, and they both crumbled... so here we are and suddenly nobody knows who will close tomorrow if needed... No one hit .300 and no one won 15 games. Our utility guy Mike Aviles has more or less been our best third baseman, our shortstop Cabrera had probably his worst year ever, in August we released the guy (Mark Reynolds) that was then leading the team in home runs... Our season was saved by a 42 year old DH hitting under .200... We may have missed the playoffs had the rockies decided to make Jason Giambi their manager...

So... it won't be an easy road to the World Series, thats for sure... gotta get past tomorrow, and if we do that, we get to confront the team that knocked us out of our last playoff series in 2007, but at least now we have their manager on our side, right? And if Detroit is waiting for us in the ALCS, we will have to figure out some answers for them, because what we did in the regular season didn't work, our 4-15 record against Detroit easily cost the division. I guess a lot depends on how Miguel Cabrera recovers from his injuries with the time off, he hasn't been the same guy the last month.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Well the game has been over for two hours now and I still cant get to sleep lol. Still replaying everything that went wrong, somehow wishing that things would have turned out differently. Its a little hard to get over... All the hard work, all the excitement, and its all over, in one game, never even had a lead or scored a run... It was so cool to see the stadium so full and excited, looked just like the 90s all over again for awhile.

[RedStarWarrior]

Wildcard needs to be a series like every other fucking game.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

I agree, I mean the Indians did seem kinda lucky/fluky this year, a lot of things have to go right to get to the playoffs, especially for a team like them. That is why it is so disappointing, I mean it really didn't feel like the playoffs, we never really even had a chance to get excited about anything, and then it was over, wait til next year. Under the old rules we would be getting ready to play Boston tonight, we never would have had to go through that game.

By no means am I a Reds fan, but look at their situation, they make the playoffs and never even get to play a game in Cincinnati, that really isn't fair to the fans. Imagine how people would have reacted if the roles were reversed and Pittsburgh finally made the playoffs after 20-some years, but they had to play in Cincinnati and they lost, the fans would have never even had the chance to see a playoff game. If they really want to put the wild card at a disadvantage, have them play a best of 3 without an off day as soon as the season ends, it could have been done this year even with the tiebreaker game...

Yeah I'm still a little upset lol

[Knight of Time]

Wildcard needs to be a series like every other fucking game.

I'm in total agreement...the wild card games are so much like a football playoff game (where the winner advances and the loser goes home), that it makes me wish the MLB playoffs would start a little sooner, and possibly with maybe one more team in each league able to make it, like the top 6 instead of the top 5 (that's just my two cents).

But nonetheless, as a Red Sox fan myself, I like their chances this year...I'm crossing my fingers they make it to the World Series.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

Wow its a good thing that the Indians didn't make it to the World Series this year, they would have had to beat up on the Cardinals in the snow today!! :eek:

[Drago]

As long as the Red Sox lose, I can die a happy man (until they or the Yankees return next year).

To make us all feel better, here's what a real World Series looks like.

rGbh5UitRA8

[Pokemaster Ash]

Well right now I'm pulling for the Red Sox, though I'm wishing they would go away a little bit since they've already broken their curse (let's give someone else a chance to do that) and won two World Series in the last decade. However I can't stand the thought of the Cardinals winning yet again, so I want them to go down in flames so badly right now.

The Red Sox winning the game on a pickoff throw certainly makes up for that totally screwed up obstruction call that ended Game 3. Just how was the Red Sox' third baseman supposed to get out of the way when he was face down in the dirt? Not only should it not have been called because the poor guy basically couldn't move, how the hell do you make a call like obstruction in the playoffs, let alone the freakin' World Series, unless it was really blatant?