This is October: 2014 MLB Postseason Thread

[infrared41]

If there was ever a manager who followed more bad processes in hopes of getting good results, well, that manager isn't currently honing his craft at the Major League level.

- a bunch of good points deleted for space -

I could go on, but I'm not getting paid to eviscerate Ned Yost, so this will have to suffice on my end.

There's no question that the Royals beat both the A's and Ned Yost last night.

[Kramerica Industries]

We don't need to hypothesize the hype and lore of this game if it were a Yankees/Red Sox game. Those two already played the equivalency of this game 11 years ago.

(well, 10 years, 11 months, and 15 days, but who's counting? )

[SuperLeafsFan]

Congrats to the Royals. Looks like everyone was wrong about Nost.

Hope you destroy the Halos.

[HedleyLamarr]

Well, Ned Yost comes from the same managerial tree that Fredi "Don't Want Kimbrel To Get 6 Outs" Gonzalez fell out of.

Bobby Cox had quite a few "Huh?" moments during the playoffs with his hunch moves.....

[GFB]

I went to bed after the Perez/Infante strikeout spectacular.

[The_Admiral]

Also, I saw mixed reviews on Twitter, but the moments of this game seemed too big for the TBS crew. Part of the fun for me was the social reactions, which substituted for a bland call.

At one point, Matt Winer said postgame and postseries when he was trying to say postseason. And Ernie Johnson seemed underwhelmed by it all. Ron Darling was too random. And I didn't realize Cal Ripken was there 'til late.

The TBS crew isn't very good. Ron Darling is okay, but Ernie Johnson just seems to be there out of Turner's loyalty. They hired Ripken back when the nation was in the throes of Ripkenmania and still haven't seemed to figure out that the man has absolutely nothing interesting to say. Still better than Joe Buck, though.

[leopard88]

First of all, free of my snark - congrats on making the playoffs, Royals.

Second - I was rooting for the A's tonight. By the time the game ended, I had basically forgotten all of that. It was kind of liberating, to be free from the shackles of fandom and just enjoy a high-stakes baseball game for what it was, a high-stakes baseball game.

Third - great way to summarize your entire season in 12 innings, Oakland. That was perfect.

Really it was a perfect microcosm of their year. Creepy.

It's obviously still fresh, but I'm already reading a lot in social media about this being one of the best games ever played. I'm a hot and cold baseball fan, so I don't feel inclined to answer, but what do some of you junkies think?

It's probably up there. The Royals winning this game adds a lot to it's...lore, I guess? If that exact game had been played by the Yankees and Red Sox,hell, even if the A's had won, I don't think we're feeling the same way about it.

If that exact game was played by the Yankees and Red Sox, ESPN would still be talking about it in February . . . regardless of which team won.

True, but I was talking about us and this place.

Fair enough.

[dbadefense1990]

Also, I saw mixed reviews on Twitter, but the moments of this game seemed too big for the TBS crew. Part of the fun for me was the social reactions, which substituted for a bland call.

At one point, Matt Winer said postgame and postseries when he was trying to say postseason. And Ernie Johnson seemed underwhelmed by it all. Ron Darling was too random. And I didn't realize Cal Ripken was there 'til late.

The TBS crew isn't very good. Ron Darling is okay, but Ernie Johnson just seems to be there out of Turner's loyalty. They hired Ripken back when the nation was in the throes of Ripkenmania and still haven't seemed to figure out that the man has absolutely nothing interesting to say. Still better than Joe Buck, though.

It's remarkable how Turner Sports can yield both a prestigious, solid (NBA on TNT) and an underproduced, shady (MLB on TBS) sports entity. The pre/post game studio crew is always shuffled (Keith Olbermann last year was great to watch, and now he's gone to ESPN), Ernie is there only as a Turner standard, Darling and Ripken frequently botch analysis so badly, the camera angles and shots used for their telecast blow, and frequently the graphics department screw up imputing correct information. How TBS was able to produce national baseball games, I'll never know.

It's as if Turner treats the NBA like its favorite kid, while treating MLB like the red-headed stepchild.

[DarkJourney]

I would rather be shot than root for Puig and the gang of "individuals" you call a ball club.

Cute. You probably find these as a sin against baseball:

Way to suck the fun out of the sport, Debbie Downer. Based on your logic, the Royals tonight were a sin against baseball because they showed too much emotion suitable for an "appropriate," Puritan-style baseball game.

But it's OK. Both the Giants and Dodgers are playing in October. We'll see which way wins out at the end. Hey dumb dumb. I wasn't talking about the Royals. I was talking about your inane and idiotic comments about the Giants and their fans. Do this place a favor and stop posting. It must be really exhausting removing your foot from your mouth time and time again. When I mean "individuals" I'm referring to your Dodgers as selfish players who only think of themselves. Unfortunately their talent has overcome that but we will see how it goes in the playoffs.

[dbadefense1990]

When I mean "individuals" I'm referring to your Dodgers as selfish players who only think of themselves. Unfortunately their talent has overcome that but we will see how it goes in the playoffs.

What makes these Dodgers full of "thugs" in the 1st place (as you posted)? The "Mickey Mouse" hands by Gonzalez after a base hit? Poolgate (about the only people who had an actual problem with it were Diamondbacks representatives)? What about Puig? The guy is in his early 20s; some of the stuff he's done on and off the field has been questionable, but who hasn't at that age?

You act as if these Dodgers killed your favorite puppy with 2x4's and clay bricks. What's wrong with a ballclub, any of that matter, having a little character? Makes it more compelling for your respective team's storyline. And I really don't see your claim of "selfishness" exclusively to the Dodgers.

[The_Admiral]

the camera angles and shots used for their telecast blow

YEAH. How many times did they do the handheld-at-knee-level shot going to break? Middle and end of EVERY single inning? Who thinks this is a compelling angle? Yeah, I've always wondered what a dugout looks like to a fast-approaching clumsy three-year-old.

[dbadefense1990]

the camera angles and shots used for their telecast blow

YEAH. How many times did they do the handheld-at-knee-level shot going to break? Middle and end of EVERY single inning? Who thinks this is a compelling angle? Yeah, I've always wondered what a dugout looks like to a fast-approaching clumsy three-year-old.

Rather than showing the dog-pile at home plate immediately when the winning run scores, TBS shows 6 seconds of Jonny Gomes walking in anger, followed by Jason Hammel walking in dejection, followed by George Brett seeing if he still had hair, and then they show the victorious Royals. Pathetic.

[Sport]

I think postseries champagne showers in baseball are silly when it's not the World Series. It's even sillier after these Wild Card games. You won one game (essentially a play-in game at that). Still plenty more to go.

For almost every other major league I agree, but the Royals haven't done this before. There are people in Kansas City who were born, went to college, got married, had kids, and got divorced all before they saw their baseball team win a playoff game.

Looking back at the 2013 Reds who didn't pop champagne after clinching the wild card game feels like a mistake in hindsight. At the time I was pleased with their decision, meatheadedly saying "Yeah wait until you get in the real playoffs before you celebrate". Of course they laid an egg and never made the real playoffs and now I have no idea when we'll (the players) get to do that again. So I've softened my stance on this - you can pop champagne for advancing in the postseason provided you're not the Cardinals.

the camera angles and shots used for their telecast blow

YEAH. How many times did they do the handheld-at-knee-level shot going to break? Middle and end of EVERY single inning? Who thinks this is a compelling angle? Yeah, I've always wondered what a dugout looks like to a fast-approaching clumsy three-year-old.

Rather than showing the dog-pile at home plate immediately when the winning run scores, TBS shows 6 seconds of Jonny Gomes walking in anger, followed by Jason Hammel walking in dejection, followed by George Brett seeing if he still had hair, and then they show the victorious Royals. Pathetic.

Yeah the directing wasn't good. They followed the ball all the way until Gomes flipped it to the bellboy. Why aren't you showing the runner scoring?

That bothered me as well.

[infrared41]

We don't need to hypothesize the hype and lore of this game if it were a Yankees/Red Sox game. Those two already played the equivalency of this game 11 years ago.

My point was simply that this place wouldn't have been nearly as excited if that exact game had been played by the Yankees and Red Sox, or any of the "perennial" playoff teams. The fact that it was the Royals really added to the excitement. That's all. This joint loves the underdog. At least it does until some "lifelong" fan of two weeks comes along and ruins it.

[Kramerica Industries]

It doesn't help EJ at all that he isn't a regular play-by-play announcer for any team. Sure, I heard him do a couple Braves games on Peachtree TV many years ago (does that channel still exist?) but he doesn't get the daily repetitions of the craft, and that doesn't help him at all. Brian Anderson was the top voice in 2011 when EJ had some family issues, and that's the best lead voice TBS has had in their time doing the sport. As far as the color crew is concerned, it really dawned on me very late on that the only voice I could remember hearing was Ron's; I didn't notice Cal whatsoever the entire time. That's not a good thing.

And their directing has always been poor. Alas, this is hardly a new development. After watching the YES Network for an entire season (not that YES is the gold standard in this, mind you), seeing TBS was minor league production and direction, by comparison.

We don't need to hypothesize the hype and lore of this game if it were a Yankees/Red Sox game. Those two already played the equivalency of this game 11 years ago.

My point was simply that this place wouldn't have been nearly as excited if that exact game had been played by the Yankees and Red Sox, or any of the "perennial" playoff teams. The fact that it was the Royals really added to the excitement. That's all.

Yeah, I probably should've been more clear. I wasn't really responding to your post as much as I was the one you had quoted. The Royals carry that lovable underdog story much stronger than most playoff teams in recent years. Only A's fans and cynics were rooting against the Royals last night. When their Missouri brethren pulled Game 5 out of their asses against Washington two years back, this place nearly immolated itself. Certainly not something that was met with joy by most here.

[Shumway]

The Angels are bringing back ThunderSticks for the playoffs. Now where's that goddamn monkey?

[DarkJourney]

When I mean "individuals" I'm referring to your Dodgers as selfish players who only think of themselves. Unfortunately their talent has overcome that but we will see how it goes in the playoffs.

What makes these Dodgers full of "thugs" in the 1st place (as you posted)? The "Mickey Mouse" hands by Gonzalez after a base hit? Poolgate (about the only people who had an actual problem with it were Diamondbacks representatives)? What about Puig? The guy is in his early 20s; some of the stuff he's done on and off the field has been questionable, but who hasn't at that age?

You act as if these Dodgers killed your favorite puppy with 2x4's and clay bricks. What's wrong with a ballclub, any of that matter, having a little character? Makes it more compelling for your respective team's storyline. And I really don't see your claim of "selfishness" exclusively to the Dodgers.

I never said they were thugs and if you're going to talk $h!t about the Giants you better expect Giants fans to hand it right back.

[NJTank]

What we learned last night is

That the A's are the Sharks of MLB.

Billy Beane is not as smart as he thinks he is.

When you are 30 games over .500 you DO NOT trade your cleanup hitter for more pitching.

Moneyball does not work beyond the regular season.

Getting on base is worthless if you don't have a hitter to bring them in.

The Jon Lester trade will go down in history as the worst deadline trade ever.

They lost their cleanup hitter and did not get into the ALDS. Lester will not be back next year.

The Royals are a spunky bunch and everyone without a team should root for them as they stand a slim chance to beat the Angels.

[crashcarson15]

gang of "individuals" you call a ball club.

This is exactly what a baseball team is, yeah.

[Kramerica Industries]

What we learned last night is

That the A's are the Sharks of MLB.

Billy Beane is not as smart as he thinks he is.

When you are 30 games over .500 you DO NOT trade your cleanup hitter for more pitching.

Moneyball does not work beyond the regular season.

Getting on base is worthless if you don't have a hitter to bring them in.

The Jon Lester trade will go down in history as the worst deadline trade ever.

They lost their cleanup hitter and did not get into the ALDS. Lester will not be back next year.

The Royals are a spunky bunch and everyone without a team should root for them as they stand a slim chance to beat the Angels.

To say Moneyball doesn't work is to say that the exploitation of market inefficiencies doesn't work; that it's a bad idea. Now, please tell me where that logic actually makes sense?

Cespedes hit .269/.296/.423/.719 in Boston. Boy, huge loss, that.

Lester threw 76.2 innings of 2.35 ERA baseball in Oakland.

That is such a horrendous, HORRENDOUS narrative. Maybe his departure didn't help, but it isn't Beane's fault that so many of the Oakland hitters (many of whom hit behind Cespedes in the lineup and were seldom aided by his .303 OBP) completely cratered in the final two months.