BASE-BALL

[mgk920]

The champagne was on ice at the '62 Mets nursing home watch parties, but it will have to wait at least one more night as the Sox come back from a 2-run deficit in the 8th inning to win.

It happened in Detroit tonight, loss #121.

Unfortunately longtime Met Ed Kranepool, who was 17 years old when he made his major league debut in September 1962, passed away earlier this month so he didn't see this glorious moment.

Eight guys who played with the '62 Mets are still alive (current age):
Jim Marshall (93)
Felix Mantilla (90)
Galen Cisco (88)
Cliff Cook (88)
John DeMerit (88)
Rick Herrscher (87)
Jay Hook (87)
Craig Anderson (86)

It's quite ironic, and somehow appropriate, that the White Sox had to lose to the same team that had the old record for 21 years. If there's any consolation in this, they'll only be second on the all-time list for most losses in a season, behind the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, who went 20-134, but that was "prehistoric", as someone else pointed out. It certainly doesn't feel good to be the modern era's leader in that category, though, and they're not going to be remembered as the lovable losers that the '62 Mets were, but there's always next season, so there's no way to go but up (hopefully).

The Tigers didn't have the record, the Mets did.

The Tigers had the American League record.

Mike

[jgb191]

The Houston Astros have clinched their 4th AL West Division title in a row with a 4-3 over the Seattle Mariners last night! They are currently 86-72.

Another great season by our Astros.  But the competition is just way too much as usual so I don't know if they have enough talent to win the World Series this year.  Regardless of the playoff result, still we Astros fans are very proud of our team.

[NWI_Irish96]

So today the Braves and Mets have a doubleheader in Atlanta to make up the games postponed by Hurricane Helene.

Both teams are tied with each other and Arizona for the final two wild card spots. If the doubleheader is split, both NL East teams will be in with Arizona out. If either team sweeps, Arizona gets in over the DH loser.

Biggest problem for Arizona is that whichever team wins the first game today will have clinched a spot and will want to save their best pitchers for the playoffs rather than pitch them in the second game, making a split very likely.

[CtrlAltDel]

So today the Braves and Mets have a doubleheader in Atlanta to make up the games postponed by Hurricane Helene.

Both teams are tied with each other and Arizona for the final two wild card spots. If the doubleheader is split, both NL East teams will be in with Arizona out. If either team sweeps, Arizona gets in over the DH loser.

Biggest problem for Arizona is that whichever team wins the first game today will have clinched a spot and will want to save their best pitchers for the playoffs rather than pitch them in the second game, making a split very likely.

Game theory also suggests a split. Both teams benefit if they cooperate.

[SEWIGuy]

Right, but I think MLB will be on the lookout for any sort of nonsense that looks like cooperation. And these two teams would like nothing better than to eliminate the other if they could.

[Hunty2022]

The New York Mets take Game 1 and are in the postseason. The Braves are in must-win territory for Game 162 in 20 minutes.

Mets win = Braves OUT, D-Backs IN
Braves win = Braves IN, D-Backs OUT

[NWI_Irish96]

Right, but I think MLB will be on the lookout for any sort of nonsense that looks like cooperation. And these two teams would like nothing better than to eliminate the other if they could.

The Mets now know they have a playoff game tomorrow. It's in their own best interests to not use any pitcher they would want to be available for that game.

[SEWIGuy]

Right, but I think MLB will be on the lookout for any sort of nonsense that looks like cooperation. And these two teams would like nothing better than to eliminate the other if they could.

The Mets now know they have a playoff game tomorrow. It's in their own best interests to not use any pitcher they would want to be available for that game.

And that is legit. However MLB really screwed this up in a number of ways. First, moving an April rain-out date all the way to the end of September is a problem. Second, they should have just looked at the weather to see that they should have moved up those games.

[NWI_Irish96]

Right, but I think MLB will be on the lookout for any sort of nonsense that looks like cooperation. And these two teams would like nothing better than to eliminate the other if they could.

The Mets now know they have a playoff game tomorrow. It's in their own best interests to not use any pitcher they would want to be available for that game.

And that is legit. However MLB really screwed this up in a number of ways. First, moving an April rain-out date all the way to the end of September is a problem. Second, they should have just looked at the weather to see that they should have moved up those games.

MLB should have just told the Braves they had to play their "home" games somewhere else on the regularly scheduled days. St Louis and Cincinnati were both on the road those days.

[CtrlAltDel]

Right, but I think MLB will be on the lookout for any sort of nonsense that looks like cooperation. And these two teams would like nothing better than to eliminate the other if they could.

True, very true. But, now that I think about it, cooperation isn't the only way to push the odds to 1-1. In particular, the team that wins the first game loses a lot of motivation to win the second, and vice versa for the other team.

[Alps]

Pete Rose--.

HOF++? Discuss.

[SEWIGuy]

He had a lifetime ban. He's dead. Elect him for what he accomplished on the diamond.

[Henry]

Not a great time for Chicago baseball, as the Cubs finish 83-79 and out of the postseason, but for once, their shortcomings have taken a back seat to the historically bad White Sox, who just completed one of the worst major league seasons ever with a 41-121 record.

Also, with Shohei Ohtani on the other side of town, the L.A. Angels now have their worst record ever, at 63-99. With their previous low being 65-97, it's safe to say that they're the only team to never have a 100-loss season (and until last year, the Rockies were another one as well, but now they have two in a row).

Good luck to the 12 teams that have made the postseason, and may the best team win!

[jgb191]

As much as I'd love to see the Astros win their third (3rd) World Series, I am wondering if my team has enough to overcome the Detroit Tigers.  Yordan Alvarez's health is a major concern for us, and the Tigers are looking like a very tough matchup.  The Astros are bidding to keep the Commissioner's Trophy in the Lone Star State for the third (3rd) consecutive year.   There will be a new World Series champion this year as the defending champions Rangers did not make the playoffs.

[Hunty2022]

As much as I'd love to see the Astros win their third (3rd) World Series, I am wondering if my team has enough to overcome the Detroit Tigers.  Yordan Alvarez's health is a major concern for us, and the Tigers are looking like a very tough matchup.  The Astros are bidding to keep the Commissioner's Trophy in the Lone Star State for the third (3rd) consecutive year.  There will be a new World Series champion this year as the defending champions Rangers did not make the playoffs.

It'll be harder for Houston since our old A.J. Hinch is the Tigers manager, and he knows our Astros well. (We won the 2017 WS with him as our manager)

[epzik8]

OK, most likely team to go on a miracle run between the Mets and Tigers?

[Henry]

After one day on the postseason schedule, the Tigers, Royals, Mets and Padres are just a win away from the LDS.

OK, most likely team to go on a miracle run between the Mets and Tigers?

I'd say the Tigers, because they've come back stronger than ever five years after losing 114 games. They made the World Series only three years after the one where they had a then-AL record 119 losses, so anything is possible.

[Flint1979]

After one day on the postseason schedule, the Tigers, Royals, Mets and Padres are just a win away from the LDS.

OK, most likely team to go on a miracle run between the Mets and Tigers?

I'd say the Tigers, because they've come back stronger than ever five years after losing 114 games. They made the World Series only three years after the one where they had a then-AL record 119 losses, so anything is possible.

The Tigers only have one player remaining from that 2019 team (Jake Rogers).

[epzik8]

I was on the Lions' bandwagon in January, and I might be hopping on another Detroit bandwagon in October.

[Max Rockatansky]

The last thing I expected out of the Tigers this season was a playoff series win and likely Cy Young pitcher.

[Hunty2022]

Astros ALCS streak will end at 7 with a wild card sweep from Detroit. The playoff streak continues with 8 still.

All the Yankees fans can now safely see their team get to the World Series with the 'Stros gone.

[Henry]

Three out of the four LDS series are set:

Dodgers vs. Padres
Phillies vs. Mets/Brewers
Yankees vs. Royals
Guardians vs. Tigers

Since there's no way that both teams can lose, I'll stick with the NL Central winner to take down the Mets in the Game 3 decider tomorrow.

[jgb191]

Astros ALCS streak will end at 7 with a wild card sweep from Detroit. The playoff streak continues with 8 still.

All the Yankees fans can now safely see their team get to the World Series with the 'Stros gone.

Great run by the Astros, seven consecutive years in the ALCS (to go along with a consecutive pair of NLCS two decades ago), winning four of them (thrice over the Yankees and once over the Red Socks), and two World Series Championships.

On a very notable note, the Astros have been "Road Warriors" going a combined 4-9 home and 9-4 away in all their World Series games, plus 6-8 home and 11-3 away in the ALCS from 2018, excluding the 2020 ALCS played on a neutral site.  Their home field dis-advantage have been apparent losing their last seven home playoff games.  Twice the road team has swept the entire series -- 2019 World Series and last year's ALCS.

The Commissioner's Trophy will now reside outside the Lone Star State for the first time since 2021.

[Henry]

Now it's official:

Three out of the All four LDS series are set:

Dodgers vs. Padres
Phillies vs. Mets
Yankees vs. Royals
Guardians vs. Tigers

So this means that division rivals will meet in three of those series. I'll pick the Dodgers, Phillies, Yankees and Tigers to advance to the LCS. And in the end, it'll be Dodgers over Yankees in the World Series.

[Big John]

Remember that the team that knocked the Brewers out of the playoffs has always made it to the World Series.