2025 MLB Season

[tower912]

So just Game 2 after the Mariners win in 3 or 4.

Skubal threw a season high 107 pitches on Tuesday.  They aren't going to follow that up with short rest.   I predict Keider Montero and a cast of thousands for game 1.

[PointWarrior]

So just Game 2 after the Mariners win in 3 or 4.

Tigers in 3. I wont be able to afford Brewers-Mariners World Series tickets in Seattle.

[PointWarrior]

Skubal threw a season high 107 pitches on Tuesday.  They aren't going to follow that up with short rest.   I predict Keider Montero and a cast of thousands for game 1.

But we were assured the pitching of teams having to play in the wild card are not affected in the divisional round.

[tower912]

Who said that?  And why? 

[tower912]

 I am not going to predict the Seattle-Detroit series. I don't know which Tigers team will show up.  The one that went 7-17 in September and 1-12 around the all-star break?  8-29 overall and about as abysmal and frustrating as any stretch I have seen.   Or the one that went 79-46 in the other 3/4 of the season?  Because that is pretty good.

I would like to think that one good inning was enough to reset their brains and their swings and they can return to being the team that got the 15.5 game lead in the first place.  However, I am not optimistic enough to predict that.   Sure would be nice, though.

[muwarrior69]

I did not see that coming. Cam Schlitter pitched a beauty of a game last night for the Yanks. Not sure what to make of the Yanks this season, but I can dream of number 28.

[PointWarrior]

Who said that?  And why? 

https://www.muscoop.com/index.php?topic=67091.msg1759660#msg1759660

[The Sultan]

Since the the wild card game (or series) has been introduced, exactly half of the wild card winners have moved on to the league championship series. Considering those teams have had worse records, and playing without home field advantage in the divisional round, that would suggest that there may be some slight advantages to playing instead of sitting.

[The Sultan]

Pat Murphy is oddly obsessed with Bob Uecker.

https://x.com/Todd_Rosiak/status/1974193520044048482

[wadesworld]

Since the the wild card game (or series) has been introduced, exactly half of the wild card winners have moved on to the league championship series. Considering those teams have had worse records, and playing without home field advantage in the divisional round, that would suggest that there may be some slight advantages to playing instead of sitting.

Correct.  If they removed the off days between the end of the regular season and the start of the Playoffs (since there's no game 163 anymore) and moved the start of the Division Series to the day after potential game 3s in the Wild Card round it'd definitely be a big advantage for teams that get the bye.  As it is?  Skubal could (and, in my opinion, should) start game 1 and go for game 4 if it gets there.

Obviously the big advantage is you don't have to win your way into the Divisional Series.  But once there, you've been playing and won a series against a good (unless you're the Dodgers) team with the ideal amount of off days over the past week.  For the Brewers, the time off hopefully lets at least Quintana return to the rotation.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

It's too bad the Brewers have to head back to that dump. MLB should move the Cubs home games to Rate Field for the sake of the fans.

If the Brewers want to play their home games at Rate Field that works for me. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

No issues with him starting the 9th. My issue is he should have been pulled two batters sooner when it was clear he didn't have control.

He was ahead 1-2 on both of the guys he hit and Kittredge had pitched the previous 2 games so it was a tough call.  Glad it worked out. 

[MU82]

Since the the wild card game (or series) has been introduced, exactly half of the wild card winners have moved on to the league championship series. Considering those teams have had worse records, and playing without home field advantage in the divisional round, that would suggest that there may be some slight advantages to playing instead of sitting.

I don't doubt that. But we also know that last year's World Series participants had the best records in the NL (Dodgers) and AL (Yankees) and therefore had first-round byes.

Not enough data yet IMHO to really establish a trend, but as I said I wouldn't be surprised if there is a slight advantage to having played in the WC round.

If, say, the Brewers and Mariners benefit from getting players healthy, I don't know how that could possibly be considered a bad thing.

But the good news is we'll know soon enough which teams had which advantages and disadvantages.

[The Sultan]

I don't doubt that. But we also know that last year's World Series participants had the best records in the NL (Dodgers) and AL (Yankees) and therefore had first-round byes.

Not enough data yet IMHO to really establish a trend, but as I said I wouldn't be surprised if there is a slight advantage to having played in the WC round.

There have been 32 wild card games / series since it was introduced in 2012. 16 of the winners of those games / series have gone onto the LCS.  To further break it down, since the three game series was introduced in 2022, there have been 12 series. 6 of those winners have gone onto the LCS. This despite arguably being the WORSE team, and not having home field advantage.

So you don't think that's been enough data to "suggest there may be some slight advantages?" And you bring up last year as some sort of counter?

Man, I guess sports journalism really doesn't attract the best and brightest.

[MU82]

There have been 32 wild card games / series since it was introduced in 2012. 16 of the winners of those games / series have gone onto the LCS.  To further break it down, since the three game series was introduced in 2022, there have been 12 series. 6 of those winners have gone onto the LCS. This despite arguably being the WORSE team, and not having home field advantage.

So you don't think that's been enough data to "suggest there may be some slight advantages?" And you bring up last year as some sort of counter?

Man, I guess sports journalism really doesn't attract the best and brightest.

Thanks for the unprovoked ad hominem putdown after I had only treated you with respect.

And my exact words were "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a slight advantage to having played in the WC round."

[Hards Alumni]

Thanks for the unprovoked ad hominem putdown after I had only treated you with respect.

And my exact words were "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a slight advantage to having played in the WC round."

It's just his way of saying he loves you. 

[The Sultan]

Thanks for the unprovoked ad hominem putdown after I had only treated you with respect.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL....

And my exact words were "I wouldn't be surprised if there is a slight advantage to having played in the WC round."

    After you said "not enough data yet." So which is it?

[tower912]

It's just his way of saying he loves you. 

If Sultan hasn't gone pedantic on you recently, do you even feel part of the board?

[Shaka Shart]

Splitting more and more hairs because we can't afford full hairs due to tariffs

[GB Warrior]

He was ahead 1-2 on both of the guys he hit and Kittredge had pitched the previous 2 games so it was a tough call.  Glad it worked out. 

Worked out lol

[MU82]

If Sultan hasn't gone pedantic on you recently, do you even feel part of the board?

He's not worth it. Let's talk about something that matters.

Mariners named George Kirby and Luis Castillo starters for 1 & 2. Surprised and not overly thrilled about Kirby. Logan Gilbert has been better much of the season; I assume he'll go in 3, unless Woo is ready, in which case Gilbert will go in 4.

Tigers will go with Melton in 1 and, as you expected, Skubal in 2.

Castillo actually beat Skubal twice this season, but neither pitcher was great in either game, and it means nothing in October anyway. Castillo has pitched superbly lately, and Skubal was absolutely dominant a few days ago.

Hoping for low-scoring games throughout the series, with a few of the M's power guys connecting on timely HRs.

I was kidding about a sweep earlier; wouldn't be surprised at all if it goes 5.

[MuggsyB]

There have been 32 wild card games / series since it was introduced in 2012. 16 of the winners of those games / series have gone onto the LCS.  To further break it down, since the three game series was introduced in 2022, there have been 12 series. 6 of those winners have gone onto the LCS. This despite arguably being the WORSE team, and not having home field advantage.

So you don't think that's been enough data to "suggest there may be some slight advantages?" And you bring up last year as some sort of counter?

Man, I guess sports journalism really doesn't attract the best and brightest.

Cut the excrement Fluffy and stop attacking people.  It's fking baseball.  The data is completely meaningless as to the playoffs and specific match-ups.  You might as well throw darts at a board.  If you play out the "data" another 13, 26, or 39  years, we have no clue how that will pan out. 

[cheebs09]

Data not being part of the five point plan isn't very surprising.

[Shaka Shart]

Cut the excrement Fluffy and stop attacking people.  It's fking baseball.  The data is completely meaningless as to the playoffs and specific match-ups.  You might as well throw darts at a board.  If you play out the "data" another 13, 26, or 39  years, we have no clue how that will pan out. 

Yeah! Burn in hell Billy Beane! Spent all that money on gay DEI and had to use useless analytics!

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

This Phillies played an intra squad game this week to break up the time of.  They almost sold out their stadium for it too.