MLB Playoffs

I'm right there with you Buck. Sure was good to see Tommy G. putting zeros on the board last night. I hate the Mets worse than just about anybody, but with Glavine on the mound, it was almost like watching the Braves (back when they actually WON playoff games). My only disappointment is that the Dodgers didn't get the memo and start Maddux. It would have been like a family reunion out there.

 

The point is pitching and hitting are related and equally important in the postseason. The Marlins bashed the Cubs' stud pitchers to make the World Series. The Red Sox had an incredible lineup from top to bottom. The Diamondbacks had the No. 1 scoring offense in the National League in 2001.

The Mets will probably win the pennant because the team they put in the field is vastly superior to everyone else's -- and that's a significant advantage.

 

While I have to admit I haven't had the time to read this entire site, I do feel I should be preparing my apology for predicting the Mets would lose in the first round due to inferior starting pitching.

Mea culpa, mea culpa. If you can win a game started by John Maine, then get six shutout innings from an ageless Tom Glavine, I have to give you credit. The Mets are better than I gave them credit for and will more than likely be in the World Series. (Sorry BYH).

 

Classy of you to admit you might have been wrong, Casty. That doesn't happen very often on this board.

I think everyone got so caught up in the Mets' lack of solid starting pitching that they overlooked the fact that they have a beautifully constructed bullpen, with depth, power arms, righty/lefty specialists, etc., and every one of them entered the playoffs on a pretty good roll. Their formula all year has been to rely more on the pen than on their starters, so nothing really changed for them even with Pedro and El Duque going down. They basically ask their starters to get through the other team's batting order twice without getting lit up, and the relievers will take it from there.

The Mets haven't won anything yet, but if they do, they might remind people that there's more to the game than your starting rotation. That's especially true in the playoffs, when you have nothing but good teams, most of whom are pretty good at working counts and getting pitch counts up, which forces even teams with good starting pitching to rely heavily on their bullpens.

 

Casty: I don't think it's so much of a case that the Mets were better as it is the Dodgers are weak. People said they came in hot, and there was the game where they hit a bunch of home runs at the end. A lot of times that will propel a team to a good streak, but that didn't happen with the Dodgers. The Dodgers and the Padres just beat up on the weaker teams in the division during the last month.

 

The Dodgers are not very good. The Padres are not very good. The Cardinals are not very ghood.
The Mets are good, despite the injuries to their rotation, easily good enough to reach the World Series against shaky competition.

I'd mock BYH here but I know he's not going to be around for as few more days...so I'll save all my rips on him til next week. HA!

 

After watching the Twins play two-plus games, I don't see why everyone was so in love with them.

 

Shouldn't Gardenhire be thinking about pulling Radke? I know this is maybe his last start ever and everything, but you are down 2-0 in the series and 4-0 in the third in this game. He just gave up a monstrous two-run homer and a really deep flyout. At what point do you put the team first?

 

Is it too early to call them FRAUDS?

 

Be patient, the A's are in the perfect position to prove their mettle.

 

They were frauds as soon as Hunter left his feet.

 

I've seen them play a lot during the regular season. At no time did I ever see them play like this during a three-game stretch. This isn't the same team I remember from April through last week.