MLB 2017: The Yankees are dead, Yankees burn in hell
- Thread starter Timby
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Well, it was bound to happen eventually.
Five straight games.
As well as hitting eight in the last ten games. I'm loving it. 
11 games left and Sox holding on to that 3 game lead. Way too close. Would really be nice to avoid that stupid play-in game.
The play-in game ranks up there with NHL's point for overtime loss for 'dumbest rules in a sports league'.
All those people making a big deal about that single season HR record. Have they even divided that by number of teams in the league? Have a hard time believing there are more HR per game than steroid era.
The play-in game ranks up there with NHL's point for overtime loss for 'dumbest rules in a sports league'.
All those people making a big deal about that single season HR record. Have they even divided that by number of teams in the league? Have a hard time believing there are more HR per game than steroid era.
The record was set in 2000, long after expansion.
Nah. Leads to a lot more excitement in September and all sorts of fun, crazy, sometimes batshit insane Game 163 / 164 scenarios. This isn't like the NBA, where fully half the teams in the league make the postseason.
The All-Star Game deciding World Series homefield advantage? That was the dumbest rule in all of sports, but thankfully it went by the wayside. Worst rule nowadays would probably be the NFL still having no idea what does and does not constitute a catch.
If it had gone away a year earlier, the Cubs would've had WS home field advantage. I don't know if it would've helped one way or the other.....
The Cubs are in the same boat as Boston. 3.5 game lead over Milwaukee with 4 games against them and 4 against St. Louis upcoming. Despite the Cubs' floundering, I'm shocked the Brewers haven't imploded. Though nobody seems to want the Central too badly.
My problem with the rule is that in years when the two best teams in the league are in the same division it punishes the second best team. In a single game elimination in a league where the best team doesn't always break 60% you might as well flip a coin, and sometimes a 95-67 team is forced to flip the coin when an 81-81 team gets directly in because it happens to be in the worst division.
Generally I hate any rule that statistically reduces the chance of the best team winning. A seven game series is probably won by the superior team, but a single game could be won by whoever. (Especially in the MLB where you can win 59% of your games and be the 1 seed.)
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Not nearly as much as that team would be punished without the wild cards. Mr. Laser Beam here, for example, is an avid proponent of abolishing that system, because apparently a team should be punished for happening to be in the same division as one that is really, really, fucking historically good. (Then again, he thinks Kenesaw Mountain Landis was a good commissioner, so, whatever.)
I mean, okay, I can, to an extent, understand the argument that one bad day shouldn't wreck a team's postseason future. But, there's a shit-ton of stuff in baseball that boils down to just one game. The reasoning behind the play-in game is sound: "Okay, you're the two best teams that didn't win your divisions. You've got 27 outs each; give it your best shot."
Really, then, your argument is with the divisional system entirely, not the wild card.
I'm not a fan of divisional system in any sport. In baseball, it forces my team (the Jays) to play against stronger teams in a division that either of the other divisions. I'd also rather see the top five teams in each league battle it out than having a lower team there because they happened to win a horrible division.
In fairness. the Jays suck.
Other than 2015 and 2016, I can't really disagree with you.
A cool article on some old NYC baseball stadiums.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/...llparks.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/22/...llparks.html&eventName=Watching-article-click
I like reading about all the old stadiums. Ebbets and Polo Grounds representing the Dodgers and Giants NY origins.
Until last year, West Side Park II was the last place the Cubs had won it all. Now it's a University medical center.
He did it again.
Also, I am a Red Sox fan, and we did not win the division in 2004. We did have the second best record in the AL by a 6 game margin. If we had a play in game that year against Oakland and lost imagine the historic ALCS that would have been missed out on.
Very excited about playoffs. Cleveland and Houston are the focus but either AL East team could pull off an upset. Esp if Sale can continue executing in the playoffs.
I wouldn't be against MLB shortening their season to make the playoffs more like the NBA.
Very excited about playoffs. Cleveland and Houston are the focus but either AL East team could pull off an upset. Esp if Sale can continue executing in the playoffs.
I wouldn't be against MLB shortening their season to make the playoffs more like the NBA.
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The A's are finishing very strong. I am excited about next year.
John Sterling on the Royals' pitching coach (Dave Eiland) coming out to the mound:
"At least he's surrounded by people...because you know, no man is an Eiland."
Even for Sterling, that's a groaner.
"At least he's surrounded by people...because you know, no man is an Eiland."
Even for Sterling, that's a groaner.
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