2015 MLB Season Thread with Postseason Discussion

[cmm]

Another no-hitter for Scherzer.

With 17 strikeouts and no walks. Scherzer's game score ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_score) was 104, the second-best all-time for a nine-inning game, behind that Kerry Wood 20 K one-hitter.

And Mets pitchers struck out 18 for a major-league record 35 total strikeouts.

[Kramerica Industries]

And the team the Pirates are going to play has the third best record in all of baseball with a win total that would top every other division in baseball and still would've missed the playoffs entirely in the old system. If there wasn't a Wild Card game, the Cubs wouldn't make any extra game because of geography and league.

What's your point?

(I mean, I know what your point is. But in regard to this year's situation specifically, what's your point?)

I had problems with the construction of the three division format/wild card format combined with the unbalanced schedules, too. I'd prefer a straight format where the teams go into the playoffs seeded directly by record. If the one-off atrocity must exist, it should be the Mets and Dodgers playing in that game. But I think that strays too much into a different discussion entirely. Without research (though it's me; I probably already know), surely this is the first time such a circumstance has happened since 1995; the three best records in one league all being in one division. To that end, that's extremely flukish, and for the Cubs or Pirates, it's just some treacherously awful luck, but you know what? A week ago, the Pirates and Cubs faced off at Wrigley, and that series meant almost nothing, and I found that to be a baseball tragedy. Four years ago, that series means the world to both teams, and all it really was was a "ok, so Cole and Arrieta are more likely to face each other there instead of here; ok" series. I didn't enjoy that development.

So, anyway, to answer your question - 2015 looks like a once-in-20-years fluke. Weird stuff happens sometimes. If the Pirates finish with 98 wins and the Cubs 97, and the Cubbies missed out because of division, it would've been a rough pill to swallow, but I'd be just a bit more ok with that happening than a scenario where a team can finish with the second best record in the entire sport, and losing a one-off could keep them out of the playoffs. At the same time, I'm completely rooting for that to happen because I enjoy seeing this playoff system produce ridiculous results that further justify my venom for it; that atrocious World Series matchup we had a year ago isn't enough to satiate me.

[DaRadniz29]

AL scenarios for Sunday:

Here's a the simple version: Rangers take AL Wets with a Win. This would also eliminate the Angels. Yankees clinch Home-Field in Wildcard game with Win or Houston loss.

A more specific breakdown:

Houston Win AND Angel Win = Houston at Texas Monday. Winner takes division, loser goes to AL Wildcard game vs Yankees. Home field is still up for grabs between NYY, HOU and TEX.

Houston loss and Angel Win = Angels @ Astros Monday in one game playoff. Winner to Second wildcard.

Texas Win = Rangers take AL West, Houston to Wildcard. Angels eliminated.

Houston Win, NYY loss, Angel win = One game playoff Houston @ Texas - Winner takes AL West, loser HOSTS Wildcard game vs Yankees.

NYY Win, Houston Win, Texas Win = Ranges take AL West.

Royals clinch #1 seed and Home-Field Advantage throughout playoffs with Win at Minnesota OR Blue Jays Loss.

Blue Jays clinch #1 seed and Home-Field Advantage throughout playoffs with Win at Tampa Bay AND loss by Royals.

National League is much clearer:

Cardinals clinch Home-Field Advantage up to World Series. Will host NL Wildcard Winner.

Dodgers will have Home-Field Advantage against New York Mets in NLDS.

For Sunday:

Pittsburgh clinches Home-Field for NL Wildcard with Win OR Cubs loss. A Cubs win and Pirates loss would mean Cubs and Pirates finish the season with the same record. Cubs own tiebreak and would host NL Wildcard game in Wrigley on Wednesday.

I think I got all that right. Let me know if you see any errors or are confused. It's getting clearer, but still quite a bit to play for on Sunday.

[The_Admiral]

And Mets pitchers struck out 18 for a major-league record 35 total strikeouts.

This record will be broken at least twice next season because NO ONE GODDAMN SWINGS AT PITCHES ANYMORE DAMN YOU BILLY BEANE THIS WENT TOO FAR

[DaRadniz29]

So if I understand things correctly, the Astros either tie the Rangers for first or the Angels for second?

Correct, to a point. Astros are guaranteed at least one extra game, no matter what.

Angels win, Astros win - Rangers/Astros play tiebreaker, winner gets AL West, loser goes to Wild Card game, Angels eliminated

Angels win, Astros lose - Rangers win AL West, Angels/Astros play tiebreaker

Angels lose, Astros win - Rangers win AL West, Astros take Wild Card #2, Angels eliminated

Angels lose, Astros lose - Rangers win AL West, Astros take Wild Card #2, Angels eliminated

Actually Yankees haven't clinched the 1st wildcard yet - since they lost both games on Saturday. If the Rangers and Astros win and the Yankees lose, then Rangers would get the division and Houston would get the 1st Wildcard and host the Yankees due to Houston winning the season series vs the Yankees. Of course if the Yankees win they clinch the 1st wildcard. See my above breakdown for complete scenarios - it's too tiring to post again

Basically, if the Astros, Rangers and Yankees finish with same records the Astros and Rangers both hold season series tiebreakers over the Yankees.

[2001mark]

Ichiro Suzuki.

[Sport]

Reds finish with 64 wins. Literally the worst Reds team in my life.

[lordsketor]

The 2015 MLB Postseason is set:

ALWC

HOU @ NYY

NLWC

CHC @ PIT

ALDS

TEX @ TOR

Winner of ALWC @ KC

NLDS

NYM @ LAD

Winner of NLWC @ STL

[Still MIGHTY]

Angels collapse in the 7th. Rangers win the game, and the AL West. And despite the Astros losing on Sunday, Angels are eliminated and Houston gets the 2nd wild card.

Well way to go Angels. The season is finally over. All the expectations, then the good times, the many frustrations, the fighting back in the last weeks, all to end in another big disappointment in Game 162. This organization needs a kick in the ass and to stop wasting what they have of Mike Trout. Hopefully this does it.... On to hockey season. See you next summer, Halos.

----

AL Wild Card: Astros at Yankees

ALDS: #2 Blue Jays vs #3 Rangers, #1 Royals vs Wild Card

NL Wild Card: Cubs at Pirates

NLDS: #2 Dodgers vs #3 Mets, #1 Cardinals vs Wild Card

Go Blue Jays

[The_Admiral]

Sucks, I was pulling for the Angels to get in and keep the Stros out. I figured the postseason would benefit from some Mike Trout. Sorry.

[rxmc89]

I really hate this 'all the games starting at the same time'. It makes it really hard to flip around between games.

[BigEd76]

2016 Draft Order:

1 = Philadelphia

2 = Cincinnati

3 = Atlanta

4 = Colorado

5 = Milwaukee

6 = Oakland

7 = Miami

8 = San Diego

9 = Detroit

10 = Chicago WS

11 = Seattle

12 = Boston

13 = Arizona

14 = Tampa Bay

15 = Baltimore

16 = Cleveland

17 = Minnesota

18 = Washington

19 = San Francisco

20 = LA Angels

21 = Houston

22 = NY Yankees

23 = Texas

24 = NY Mets

25 = LA Dodgers

26 = Toronto

27 = Kansas City

28 = Chicago Cubs

29 = Pittsburgh

30 = St. Louis

[cmm]

Poor Mark Buehrle deserved a better send-off. Always loved how fast that guy worked.

[FiddySicks]

Sucks, I was pulling for the Angels to get in and keep the Stros out. I figured the postseason would benefit from some Mike Trout. Sorry.

Considering the Angels have won like 16 or 17 of their last 20, and have Mike Trout, they probably would've won it all had they snuck in. They started feeling a bit like that "hot" team coming into the final weekend.

It's probably for the best we don't end up with a Dodgers Angels World Series.

[2001mark]

Poor Mark Buehrle deserved a better send-off. Always loved how fast that guy worked.

To be fair, he'd just come of a start on Friday, 2 days ago. They were trying to get his 200 innings in.

[AnPheitseog]

Sooo, Pirates in the WC game at home again, and will very likely wear black AGAIN, quite possibly against the cubs in blue.

should be a rule against alts in the postseason.

Also, the Orioles season ended the way it started, even number of wins and losses

[Dynasty]

Reds finish with 64 wins. Literally the worst Reds team in my life.

On the brightside, they didn't finish with 100 losses.

[HedleyLamarr]

I really hate this 'all the games starting at the same time'. It makes it really hard to flip around between games.

I had forgotten about that. I like it, in that it makes you play your best lineup instead of playing the bench just because another team lost. It's better for the fans.

Of course, it didn't matter for the Braves since they were playing a doubleheader. Shut out the Cardinals in all three games, and Shelby Miller finally gets a win after pitching his ass off all season. That's the prettiest 6-17 pitching I've ever seen.

[FGM13]

Buerlhe. Woof. I love the guy, one of my favourite pitchers but putting him in on 2 days rest just to get him to 200 in a game that matters was beyond dumb.

Go Jays in the post season, obviously, and don't be dumb Gibbons.

[Fishplatter]

It was a good day. I'm glad the Texas Rangers are back in the postseason. Now, they are going to do what it takes to get back to the World Series after their 2011 crushing loss.