Baseball Season 2006

[IJ Reilly]

CONGRAT'S to the Dodgers The playoff's could be great!

I don't suppose we've got any actual Dodgers on this board, so as a Dodger fan and on behalf of Dodger fans everywhere, I thank you.

It's been a cruel season, and I have to admit to having written these guys off several times over the last six months. But they came through in the end, and picked a really good time to win six straight!

I've got tickets to one of the playoff games, which will be either on Thursday or Sunday, depending on today's results. Probably Sunday, because the Dodgers don't much care about today's game and will field a team of reserves in order to rest the veterans. I've also got tickets for game four of the World Series. How's that for wishful thinking?

 

[MacNut]

I've also got tickets for game four of the World Series. How's that for wishful thinking?

Do you really want to risk watching the Yankees celebrate winning the Series on your home field.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Do you really want to risk watching the Yankees celebrate winning the Series on your home field.

Oh, come on. Do you really want to perpetuate the image of the tedious and boring Yankees fan? I grew up around Yankee fans. You guys aren't much better than insurance salesmen who trap people at parties and talk about nothing but insurance.

 

[Koodauw]

I entered the lottery to win Yankees post season tickets. I guess I didnt win as no one has called me yet. Oh well. I really am looking forward to watching the baseball playoffs!

 

[MacNut]

So the Cardinals got lucky with the Astros losing and clinch the last playoff spot.

Yankees and Mets have home field advantage for the playoffs.

The race for NL West and AL Central are down to the wire.

 

[yg17]

I'm disappointed that the Cardinals pretty much had the division handed to them by the Braves and didn't get it themselves, but a clinch is a clinch

 

[MacNut]

So the Tigers fall on the last game of the year and take the Wild Card.

 

[Cooknn]

So the Tigers fall on the last game of the year and take the Wild Card.

Whoa. The Twins win the AL Central and Joe Mauer gets the AL Batting Title. SWEET

 

[MacNut]

On to the playoffs, Yankees vs Tigers, Twins vs A's, Mets vs Dodgers, Padres vs Cards...your thoughts.

Not how I predicted it.

AL East
1 - NY Yankees
2 - Boston Red Sox--Wild Card
3 - Toronto Blue Jays
4 - Baltimore Orioles
5 - Tampa Bay Devil Rays

AL Central
1 - Chicago White Sox
2 - Cleveland Indians
3 - Minnesota Twins
4 - Detroit Tigers
5 - Kansas City Royals

AL West
1 - Los Angeles Angels
2 - Oakland A's
3 - Texas Rangers
4 - Seattle Mariners

ALDS
Yankees over Angels
Chicago over Red Sox

ALCS
Yankees over White Sox

NL East
1 - New York Mets
2 - Atlanta Braves--Wild Card
3 - Philadelphia Phillies
4 - Washington Nationals
5 - Florida Marlins

NL Central
1 - St. Louis Cardinals
2 - Houston Astros
3 - Milwaukee Brewers
4 - Pittsburgh Pirates
5 - Chicago Cubs
6 - Cincinnati Reds

NL West
1 - Los Angeles Dodgers
2 - San Francisco Giants
3 - San Diego Padres
4 - Arizona Diamondbacks
5 - Colorado Rockies

NLCS
Dodgers over Mets
Cardinals over Braves

NLDS
Cardinals over Dodgers

WS
Yankees over Cardinals

 

[Foxglove9]

I'm a crazy Mets fan so I'm hoping they win and will be watching every game. Ideally I'd like to see Mets vs. Yankees, it was a lot of fun to watch last time that happened.

 

[xsedrinam]

Wow. Long travel day back down to SA. So the Cards just barely slip in.

What I'm hoping to see, above all, is a well played and truly great World Series this year. Naturally, I would not mind a NY or Detroit vs. STL Series, as long as the Cards show up to play. The 2004 Series against Boston was an utter embarrassment.

 

[IJ Reilly]

I forecasted the NL West exactly right IIRC, if I'm allowed credit for the tie. I don't think anybody here predicted the fall of the White Sox and Braves, or the unexpected success of the Twins or Tigers.

As for predicting the playoffs -- no way! When the marathon season turns a post-season sprint, all bets are off. I've got lots of hopes, but no expectations.

 

[xsedrinam]

As for predicting the playoffs -- no way! When the marathon season turns a post-season sprint, all bets are off. I've got lots of hopes, but no expectations.

I just love this game though. Schedule wise hasn't permitted me to be right on top of what's doing, but I'm sure hoping to take in a boat load of playoff games.

And it's so much fun second guessing management decisions. I was ticked at STL's pitching coach (Duncan) the other night for leaving Suppan in to throw 104 pitches when he's averaged like 60-70 while being effective. He starts missing the plate, getting behind, then gives up 2 runs and nobody's up in the bullpen for STL. Duncan had to know they were defying stats. Still he's had a great record helping catch and then produce quality hurlers with Oakland before following LaRussa to STL. I still wonder at age 60 when he'll look to pass the baton.

 

[Sayhey]

IJ and aloofman, congratulations on the playoffs. While I can't say I wish the Bums good luck, I do wish you two enjoy the postseason. I'll be rooting for the Mets!

 

[IJ Reilly]

IJ and aloofman, congratulations on the playoffs. While I can't say I wish the Bums good luck, I do wish you two enjoy the postseason. I'll be rooting for the Mets!

Anybody but the Dodgers, eh? Well thanks anyway!

 

[IJ Reilly]

I just love this game though. Schedule wise hasn't permitted me to be right on top of what's doing, but I'm sure hoping to take in a boat load of playoff games.

And it's so much fun second guessing management decisions. I was ticked at STL's pitching coach (Duncan) the other night for leaving Suppan in to throw 104 pitches when he's averaged like 60-70 while being effective. He starts missing the plate, getting behind, then gives up 2 runs and nobody's up in the bullpen for STL. Duncan had to know they were defying stats. Still he's had a great record helping catch and then produce quality hurlers with Oakland before following LaRussa to STL. I still wonder at age 60 when he'll look to pass the baton.

Armchair managing is an age-old tradition. There's already been quite a bit of that over Grady Little's decision to rest his first string players yesterday and to start a pitcher who won't be on the playoff roster. It turned out to be right decision in that the Padres won (and so did the Dodger reserves), but if the Dodgers don't perform in New York this week no doubt some of the second-guessers will blame Little and that one-day sit-down for a loss of momentum or whatever. Personally, I think he's shown good judgement about who needs to sit down when throughout the season, so I will save my second-guessing for something else.

 

[TEG]

I believe there are actually 13 teams who've blown leads and ended up losing the NL Pennant, but I could only locate 12. Can you remember any of these baseball moments and how many games' lead they lost on the way to losing it all?

That was not 1994, it was 1995. I should know, the M's ended up Beating the Yankees in SEA thanks to a two run double by Edgar Martinez.

TEG

 

[aloofman]

IJ and aloofman, congratulations on the playoffs. While I can't say I wish the Bums good luck, I do wish you two enjoy the postseason. I'll be rooting for the Mets!

Thanks, I know how much it pains you to say it out loud.

 

[MacNut]

Armchair managing is an age-old tradition. There's already been quite a bit of that over Grady Little's decision to rest his first string players yesterday and to start a pitcher who won't be on the playoff roster. It turned out to be right decision in that the Padres won (and so did the Dodger reserves), but if the Dodgers don't perform in New York this week no doubt some of the second-guessers will blame Little and that one-day sit-down for a loss of momentum or whatever. Personally, I think he's shown good judgement about who needs to sit down when throughout the season, so I will save my second-guessing for something else.

At least they can't blame him for Pedro this year. Nice to see a bunch of former Red Sox making the post season, maybe that will teach them not to trade away all the talent.

 

[aloofman]

AL East
1 - Boston Red Sox
2 - NY Yankees--Wild Card
3 - Toronto Blue Jays
4 - Tampa Bay Devil Rays
5 - Baltimore Orioles

AL Central
1 - Chicago White Sox
2 - Cleveland Indians
3 - Minnesota Twins
4 - Detroit Tigers
5 - Kansas City Royals

AL West
1 - Oakland A's
2 - Los Angeles Angels
3 - Texas Rangers
4 - Seattle Mariners

ALDS
A's over Yankees
Chicago over Red Sox

ALCS
A's over White Sox

NL East
1 - New York Mets
2 - Atlanta Braves--Wild Card
3 - Philadelphia Phillies
4 - Washington Nationals
5 - Florida Marlins

NL Central
1 - St. Louis Cardinals
2 - Houston Astros
3 - Milwaukee Brewers
4 - Chicago Cubs
5 - Pittsburgh Pirates
6 - Cincinnati Reds

NL West
1 - Los Angeles Dodgers
2 - San Francisco Giants
3 - San Diego Padres
4 - Arizona Diamondbacks
5 - Colorado Rockies

NLCS
Dodgers over Mets
Cardinals over Braves

NLDS
Cardinals over Dodgers

WS
Cardinals over A's

Main things I got wrong: I thought Cincinnati would really collapse this year, but it turned out to be the Cubs instead. After years of betting against them, this time I didn't assume the Braves would miss the playoffs. I had too much faith in the Red Sox moves and my belief that the Yankees would finally underachieve was wrong as always. I'm glad to see the Twins prove me wrong and no one on earth picked the Tigers to do anything. But I'm glad to see them there.

I could still be right about the A's going to the Series, since both leagues are wide open at this stage. The Cards going all the way seems less likely though.

 

[IJ Reilly]

At least they can't blame him for Pedro this year. Nice to see a bunch of former Red Sox making the post season, maybe that will teach them not to trade away all the talent.

I'm sure Grady must have a some comeuppance lurking in the back of his mind. After having been treated so poorly in Boston I imagine he'd love to lead the Dodgers to the world championship for something more than the obvious reason.

 

[Jschultz]

To the twins fans- Congrats. Your team is gritty, and showed a never say die attitude this year. They could have easily folded after being so many games back later into the season. Hopefully Oakland treats you well. And if you meet the Tigers in the playoffs, please kick their rear-ends. Their fans are the worst, and think they're tough-you-what. I'd love for them to fall flat on their faces and lose.

Of course we all know we'll see another boring subway-series this year too.

 

[thedude110]

I'm proud to have picked the Pirates for the NL Wild Card.

Only finished 21 games back, too ...

 

[yg17]

The Cards going all the way seems less likely though.

Everyone's saying that, but last night, the sports guy on the local news mentioned that in 04 and 05, the Red Sox and White Sox were both in a slump at the very end of the season and they went onto win the world series. I haven't actually checked to see if that's true, but if it is, then I wouldn't count the Cards out just because of their recent performance.

 

[aloofman]

FYI: you can find an iCal calendar for the postseason here.