MLB 2014 season thread

The Royals pen is good, but it's also hot. It's easy to oversell the importance of how they built their team because they're hot right now.

Tightening up the pitching staff is a difference between the regular season and the postseason, but people are *really* overselling how big the difference because there's a shiny new team in front of them on an 8-game win streak that involved their good bullpen getting hot.

Teams with a couple of great relievers get swept in the first round sometimes, too.

 

Is the KC bullpen really any "hotter" than its been all year, particularly in the months since Ned stopped calling on Aaron Crow so often?

 

I want to agree for two reasons 1) (like has been said) a long layoff hurts a streaking team 2) The Royals' starters can be had. It's been their bullpen and other team's bullpens (see the Wild Card game) that has allowed them to win eight straight.

I disagree with your premiss for one reason. In 2012 the Giants had two days between Game 7 of the NLCS (won in dramatic fashion) and Game 1 of the WS (also starting in San Fran, so no travel). This time, the Giants will have only one less day of rest than the Royals (assuming they win tonight). That could be a factor as the Royals' bullpen gets a blow and whatever momentum the Giants are building cools off in the interim.

The only thing a the extended layover does in the Giants' favor will be Bumgarner. He'll be going on regular rest opposed to Shields (I'm assuming he's Game 1 starter since he pitched the Wild Card and Game 1 of the LCS) who hasn't gone since Oct. 10.

Of course all this gets thrown out the window if the Cardinals win tonight, then all 2012 comparisons (regardless of who wins) are accurate.

 

Not really. As others already suggested, the difference is they don't have to go beyond Holland, Davis and Herrera as often in the playoffs as they do over the grind of 162 games.

 

Rob Neyer crunched the numbers, which I cannot locate right now under pressure of time, but World Series teams coming off a four-to-six-day rest do not fare well. Something like 2-20 in those WS games. Rockies and Tigers are recent examples.

 

The only problem with that is if the Giants win tonight, they will have five days off, so they'd fall in that range too. If this goes six, then I would 100 percent agree with the premise. Right now, I 90 percent agree. I think the time off will hurt the Royals more, but both teams would have similar rest.

 

Bruce Bochy knew on Sept. 30 that Travis Ishikawa would hit a pennant-winning home run.

 

My Twittr timeline just went all Russ Hodges.

 

Well, hell.

Go Royals!

 

Should Wacha: a) not have been called upon after 20 days of inaction; b) pulled after a four-pitch walk set up a two-on situation; or, c) all of the above?

 

Whatever answer D is to amplify A, B and C.

Matheny got his ass kicked this series.

 

All of the above, but especially "a". I mean, really, what the fuck? Matheney's managing is too smart by half.

But, fuck, you have to get a couple runs in with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.