Gruff 2,790 Report post Posted October 4, 2017 Hard to believe they are still 8-1 Crucey? Run to the tote Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 4, 2017 I know Gruff - lots of pundits tipping Arizona to upset Dodgers if they can win the wildcard tomorrow. However you shouldn't be running to the tote - you already stand to win a nice sum if Arizona win the NL. Hedge maybe and keep fingers crossed. Love this guy = he is in my fantasy baseball team: Who is better right now than J.D. Martinez? Martinez has been amazing since he was acquired by the Diamondbacks in mid-July: 62 games, 29 home runs, 65 RBIs, .741 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.107. He hit 16 homers in September (including four in one game against the Dodgers), tying Ralph Kiner in 1949 for the most homers in September in NL history. Martinez is the first player in major league history to finish with 45 homers in a season of fewer than 120 games. He is one of five players in history to hit 40-plus homers in a season that was split between two teams. Hall of Famer Rod Carew recently said the best hitter in the game right now is ... J.D. Martinez. His power, especially to right-center, has been breathtaking. He was acquired in part to combat all the left-handers in the Dodgers' rotation. He has crushed left-handers and right-handers. With Martinez and Paul Goldschmidt leading the way, the Nos. 1-5 hitters in this Arizona lineup are about as good as there is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 5, 2017 From ESPN (Greinke not his usual self but they still got the job done): PHOENIX -- Relief pitcher Archie Bradley hit a stunning two-run triple in the seventh inning, one of four three-baggers by Arizona that sent the Diamondbacks past the Colorado Rockies 11-8 in the National League wild-card game Wednesday night. Paul Goldschmidt launched an early three-run homer and the Diamondbacks built a 6-0 lead before ace Zack Greinke faltered. Colorado climbed back into it and cut it to 8-7 when Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story hit consecutive homers in the eighth off Bradley, perhaps exhausted from hustling around the bases. But then A.J. Pollock knocked in two runs with Arizona's fourth triple, this one off closer Greg Holland, as the Diamondbacks scored three times in their half of the eighth to finally put a wild game away. Arizona moves on to a best-of-five Division Series against the NL West champion Dodgers, a team the Diamondbacks beat the last six times they played. Game 1 is Friday night in Los Angeles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruff 2,790 Report post Posted October 5, 2017 Nothing we didn't expect Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 5, 2017 AL Division series update: Jose Altuve, the smallest player in major league baseball and likely AL MVP, today became only the 9th player in history to hit 3 home runs in a play-off game and the Astros beat the Red Sox 8-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the best of five division series. Verlander six good innings and the bullpen largely untroubled. So far so good Brian and Geoff, but long way to go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 6, 2017 Advantage Cleveland! Indians' manager Terry Francona looks like a genius for starting Trevor Bauer in Game 1 of the ALDS. Bauer pitched tremendously, going 6 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. He handed it over the Indians' bullpen for the rest in Cleveland's 4-0 win over the Yankees. Now, Francona sends perhaps the game's best starter in Corey Kluber in Game 2 Friday, while the Yankees will have CC Sabathia on the mound. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kundalini 640 Report post Posted October 6, 2017 TC...Thanks for the update....could not believe the score when I saw it on Fox News What has happened to tight games for play offs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 6, 2017 Boston starter (who is very good normally) had an off day yesterday and Astros batting line-up can do some damage on their day. Game 2 has started and Correa just hit a towering 2 run dinger to give Astros an early 2-0 lead. Love playoff baseball. 4 games today (and its raining outside) - I'm in heaven. Have to find time to do my race picks at some point. tonkatime 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 7, 2017 Who needs premier racing at Hastings when you have playoff baseball!? Wow what a day! Mixed day for the teams I'm rooting for. Cleveland and Houston both took 2-0 leads in their best of five game division series, however Washington and Arizona both fell behind 1-0 in their series. Houston's powerful batting line-up clicked again and they beat Boston by the same scoreline as yesterday; 8-2. Keuchal a bit shaky on the mound early on but got the job done. While it was Altuve yesterday, today was Carlos Correa's day. This is a fun team to watch. Cleveland beat the Yankees in the match of the day. Cleveland had the AL's best pitcher starting today and were expected to win however he had an off day and Cleveland trailed by 8-3 after five innings. A grand slam from their star shortstop (Lindor) and a solo home run from Jay Bruce tied it up and they went to extra innings. Cleveland eventually winning 9-8 in the 13th inning. Both bullpens used extensively so will enjoy the day off tomorrow. Both AL series now head to the trailing teams' home ground for the next two games (if required). Washington's Strasburg pitched very well but their bats were cold and the Cubs' Hendricks pitched even better and the Cubs won 3-0 - the only road team to win in the playoffs so far. After using their two best starters in the wildcard game Arizona started their 3rd (or 4th) best SP today and he got hit hard in the first inning for four runs. Dodgers jumped out to 7-1 with Kershaw (arguably best pitcher in all of baseball) pitching well. Arizona tagged Kershaw for three solo home runs in the 6th and 7th inning but Dodgers had too big a lead. Hopefully a better pitching matchup for Arizona tomorrow. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 8, 2017 Wow! http://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore?gameId=371007120 "Zobrist back, at the warning track, at the wall, its gone, its gone, its gone, goodbye!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 8, 2017 That's a massive momentum shift. In game 1 the Washington batting line-up - one of the best in the NL all season had only two hits.Through the first seven innings today they had only two hits and trailed 3-1 with the very real possibility of heading to Chicago trailing by 2 games to Nil. Then its a single to Lind, Turner strikes out, superstar (and general tosser) Harper hits a massive 2 run dinger to tie it up, Rendon walks, Murphy singles and up steps Zimmerman - and the rest is played out in the post above. Instead of heading to Chicago 2-0 behind they are now tied 1-1 and they will hopefully have their best pitcher - Max Scherzer (hamstring issue?) on the mound. Lead-off hitter and basepath flyer Trea Turner yet to get on base in the series but he's due. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 9, 2017 Not great results today Boston (vs Houston) and the Yankees (vs Cleveland) won game three of their respective AL series today to close the deficit to 2-1 and add a little interest to these best of five series. Game 4 in both series tomorrow. So far 11 of 12 playoff matches have been won by the home team. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruff 2,790 Report post Posted October 9, 2017 Ain't over till the fat lady sings Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruff 2,790 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 She sung....bring on the cups carnivals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 Dodgers too polished for Arizona who didn't really fire a shot - disappointing end to the season for them. Nationals bats also struggling - they're dormie against the Cubs (game 4 tomorrow) Houston clinched their division series against Boston today while the Yankees tied their series with Cleveland to force a game 5 back in Cleveland on Thursday (NZT). Cleveland have Kluber on the mound looking to make amends for his performance in game 2 - I suspect he will be very good but will the Cleveland bats provide him with some early run support. Advantage Houston in the ALCS as they have more time to set their starting rotation and rest their bullpen arms. They also continue to score runs quite freely. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kundalini 640 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 Have sent the Astros some Gingernuts to munch on.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubes 1,770 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 True Factoid.....Cubes went to the only World Series game ever in history where it snowed !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 2 minutes ago, Cubes said: True Factoid.....Cubes went to the only World Series game ever in history where it snowed !!! Cleveland, 1997? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubes 1,770 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 1 minute ago, The Crucible said: Cleveland, 1997? Boomshanka !! The American League Champs versus the Marlins Omar Vizquel , Manny Ramirez , David Justice.... Good Times !!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 10, 2017 Jim Thome. Moises Alou (who some years later was involved in the Steve Bartman incident at Wrigley Field) and Gary Sheffield for Florida. Loved Manny Ramirez - RBI machine! Jose Mesa blew the save in game 7 costing the Indians that 1997 series. Omar Vizquel famously (or infamously) labelled Mesa a choker in his autobiography - funnily enough they weren't friends after that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruff 2,790 Report post Posted October 12, 2017 On 10/10/2017 at 10:22 PM, The Crucible said: Jim Thome. Moises Alou (who some years later was involved in the Steve Bartman incident at Wrigley Field) and Gary Sheffield for Florida. Loved Manny Ramirez - RBI machine! Jose Mesa blew the save in game 7 costing the Indians that 1997 series. Omar Vizquel famously (or infamously) labelled Mesa a choker in his autobiography - funnily enough they weren't friends after that. That Washington performance breathes life into this thing,Dodgers looked a lay down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
N1MUE 1,877 Report post Posted October 12, 2017 19 minutes ago, Gruff said: That Washington performance breathes life into this thing,Dodgers looked a lay down. Yep fantastic start from Strasburg gives the Nationals some hope. Cleveland very disappointing - won the first two games and then lost the next three on the trot. Kluber the best pitcher in the AL this season had two very poor starts - the beauty of play-off baseball. C'mon the Astros!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 12, 2017 My wallet was rooting for Cleveland but Astros would be a good outcome. Can't have the evil empire back in the WS. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
LastOf40 547 Report post Posted October 12, 2017 1 hour ago, The Crucible said: My wallet was rooting for Cleveland but Astros would be a good outcome. Can't have the evil empire back in the WS. yes there goes my backstop (or should that be short stop) so it is Houston or nothing now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Crucible 632 Report post Posted October 14, 2017 Dallas Keuchel may not have a mid to high 90s fastball but he certainly knows how to command the bottom part of the strike zone. If you want to see a masterclass in pitching, have a look at the 7 scoreless innings (10 strikeouts) he threw today - outstanding. Astros win 2-1 and take the first game in the best of seven ALCS series. Looking back at my original post, I think I'll stick to horses in the future: Cleveland - choked Lay the Dodgers - they look like world beaters since I got them out of their slump Nationals - underwhelming (again) Arizona - outclassed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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