MLB 2018 Season

[Dr. Blackheart]

I went to bed at 1am after the Dodgers tied it. Unbelievable, 18 innings. Game ended at 2:30am. I just watched the homerun on the Fox Sports App.

I stayed up for the whole damn thing.  I may have been the last viewer still watching outside of LA.  Even half the Dodgers fans left. 

That said, Larry King and Mary Hart were still there (and their spouses) but I was unsure if Larry was dead or alive.  Also, the Marlins Man was there, sans his puppet.

I was also left to wonder after 6+ hours and with baseball's speed up the game rules, what do these umps do in the bathroom department?  In the end, like a bad movie that you want to end but just hang in there hoping it gets better, the walk off was a fitting finish.

[SaveOD238]

I was also left to wonder after 6+ hours and with baseball's speed up the game rules, what do these umps do in the bathroom department?  In the end, like a bad movie that you want to end but just hang in there hoping it gets better, the walk off was a fitting finish.

2:20 between innings is more than enough time to run down to the umpire locker room and pee, except for maybe the home plate guy who is probably (hopefully) wearing a cup.  I've run to the john between innings.  It helps when there is more than one ump, so they can keep an eye on things between innings.

I saw a quote from Cody Bellinger post-game where he said that the players weren't allowed to pee because there were drug-testers ready to collect urine samples post game.  He said the last few innings were a bit of a struggle.

[WarriorDad]

Cora went all in and may have lost the war as a result.  Though they were up 2-0 and that was important. Who do they pitch today?  Breathed life into the Dodgers.  Kinsler moment may be Buckner 2.0 when all is said and done.  Or not. 

[Its DJOver]

Cora went all in and may have lost the war as a result.  Though they were up 2-0 and that was important. Who do they pitch today?  Breathed life into the Dodgers.  Kinsler moment may be Buckner 2.0 when all is said and done.  Or not.

Man you sure do like to declare series over after 2 or 3 games don't you?  Lot of baseball left to be played.  Would have been "over" if the Dodgers lost, but it is far from over at this point.

[Dr. Blackheart]

2:20 between innings is more than enough time to run down to the umpire locker room and pee, except for maybe the home plate guy who is probably (hopefully) wearing a cup.  I've run to the john between innings.  It helps when there is more than one ump, so they can keep an eye on things between innings.

I saw a quote from Cody Bellinger post-game where he said that the players weren't allowed to pee because there were drug-testers ready to collect urine samples post game.  He said the last few innings were a bit of a struggle.

I was thinking of the other end

[WarriorDad]

Man you sure do like to declare series over after 2 or 3 games don't you?  Lot of baseball left to be played.  Would have been "over" if the Dodgers lost, but it is far from over at this point.

I didn't declare anything of the sort, which is why I used the word may.  I'll stick to my Red Sox in 6 prediction, but they did breathe life into the Dodgers. 

[jesmu84]

Cora went all in and may have lost the war as a result.  Though they were up 2-0 and that was important. Who do they pitch today?  Breathed life into the Dodgers.  Kinsler moment may be Buckner 2.0 when all is said and done.  Or not.

So it's one outcome or the other? Way to go out on a limb

[Its DJOver]

I didn't declare anything of the sort, which is why I used the word may.  I'll stick to my Red Sox in 6 prediction, but they did breathe life into the Dodgers.

So you think Cora "lost the war" by winning in 6?  Red Sox "may" have lost the war back when they lost game 2 of the ALDS. Throwing the word "may" in front of stupid assertions doesn't make it less stupid.

[tower912]

All the detailed bullpen planning and rotations went out the window with an 18 inning game.  Eovaldi was supposed to start today. 

[wadesworld]

Yeah.  Chicos thinks that you may be losing the war if you use your bullpen.  In an 18 inning game, you should have 6 pitchers left in your bullpen after the game.  Need to keep the war in mind, not just that battle, hey?

[WarriorDad]

So it's one outcome or the other? Way to go out on a limb

I cannot predict the future, which is why I said may.  Only Wadesworld is capable of predicting the future.  The Dodgers managed their bullpen masterfully in this game, partly because they let their starter go deep.  Cora bailed on a guy that had made one bad pitch and gave up only 1 run after 4 and 2/3 innings.

[wadesworld]

I cannot predict the future, which is why I said may.  Only Wadesworld is capable of predicting the future.  The Dodgers managed their bullpen masterfully in this game, partly because they let their starter go deep.  Cora bailed on a guy that had made one bad pitch and gave up only 1 run after 4 and 2/3 innings.

Crazy that you are a better manager than 2 of the final 4 guys managing baseball games. How has nobody called you?

[Jockey]

I was also left to wonder after 6+ hours and with baseball's speed up the game rules, what do these umps do in the bathroom department?  In the end, like a bad movie that you want to end but just hang in there hoping it gets better, the walk off was a fitting finish.

There are no rules to speed up the game. Twice in one of Pederson’s ABs he took called pitches, and stepped out of the batter’s box for over 15 seconds. Then the pitcher took over 10 seconds to get the sign at which point Peterson stepped out again for 10+ seconds. Pitcher then finally got around to getting the sign and then he backed off the mound.

Final tally? About 1 minute and 5 seconds between pitches. I switched channels at that point.

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Crazy that you are a better manager than 2 of the final 4 guys managing baseball games. How has nobody called you?

There was no answer at the hoopachicodad residence.

[wadesworld]

There was no answer at the hoopachicodad residence.

He’s too busy fighting a war while everyone else is fighting a battle.

[WarriorDad]

Crazy that you are a better manager than 2 of the final 4 guys managing baseball games. How has nobody called you?

Here I thought it was about being a sport fan, part of which is to analyze during and post game.  That is what makes sports fun.

Based on all of your remarks on the NFL and talent recently, why has no NFL team called you to be a general manager?

[wadesworld]

Yelich Hank Aaron Award winner.

Hader NL Reliever of the Year winner. Imagine what he would’ve been able to accomplish with a manager who knew how to properly utilize him!

[MU82]

An interesting stat this morning.    Last night's game lasted longer than the combined posted game times of the entire 1939 World Series.   

That's a good one. The other fun stat I heard:

In addition to being the longest WS game ever time-wise, this was the longest WS game innings-wise. The previous record was 14 innings, which happened 3x. The first time it happened, 1916, the Red Sox beat Brooklyn 2-1. A young Boston lefty named George Herman Ruth got the complete game victory.

Yes, a 14-inning complete game. Please take every current manager to the fainting couch!

[DegenerateDish]

Dave Roberts has made some...interesting...decisions this evening.

I don’t think they’re gonna send this game to Cooperstown on the Roberts managerial highlight reel.

[wadesworld]

Dave Roberts has made some...interesting...decisions this evening.

I don’t think they’re gonna send this game to Cooperstown on the Roberts managerial highlight reel.

You better have consulted with Chicos on this first.

But yes.

Apparently Alex Cora was able to still have his team in position to win this thing despite losing sight of the war while focusing on the battle last night.

[wadesworld]

Chicos would’ve called for the back of the Dodgers bullpen tonight. Up 4 after 6? Save your bullets. You’re in a war. Don’t lose sight of that in the battle. Lol.

[Jockey]

Machado tries to take out another 1st baseman.

Classy!

[jsglow]

Machado tries to take out another 1st baseman.

Classy!

Seriously?  I haven't been watching.  More of the same?  Pretty soon some big guy will just beat him with a bat.

[CTWarrior]

Chicos would’ve called for the back of the Dodgers bullpen tonight. Up 4 after 6? Save your bullets. You’re in a war. Don’t lose sight of that in the battle. Lol.

I thought Cora made several mistakes in game 3, but not with the pitching.  Primarily manipulating substitutions so that most of his best hitters (Benintendi, Martinez, Devers, Moreland, Pearce) were all out of the game in extras, including forcing him to play at 1B a catcher who had never played 1B before.  Most of the subs were made for spurious reasons (PR, shift the lineup, etc.).  I also thought it was a bad idea was getting Eovaldi up during regulation.  But using extensively in extra innings in game 3 actually helped the bullpen.  Even though he pulled an effective Porcello too early IMO (4 2/3 innings), he only used one other bullpen guy for more than an inning (Kimbrel 4 outs) so everyone was available for game 4.  Eduardo Rodriguez was better than Porcello this year, so it wasn't like he was throwing a lamb to the lions.

The Dodgers used 3 guys for two innings and another for 5 outs.  So they were the ones with the tired bullpen in game 4, and it cost them as Baez wasn't available, and the other guys were not as sharp.

[CTWarrior]

Dave Roberts has made some...interesting...decisions this evening.

I don’t think they’re gonna send this game to Cooperstown on the Roberts managerial highlight reel.

I thought his only mistake in game 4 was taking out Hill, who was dominating.  Granted, that turned out to be a huge mistake.  After that, I thought he picked the right guys, they just didn't deliver.  He said after the game Baez was not available due to his work in game 3.