2015 MLB Season Thread with Postseason Discussion

[HedleyLamarr]

When I saw the bottom of the standings this morning, all I saw was crap....

[Unocal]

Giants are gonna make the Cubs sweat.

[Dynasty]

What a disappointing (yet expected) season for the Reds. I know there are three teams ahead of them in their division that may be considered the NL's best teams, but being twenty games under .500 is just an atrocity. Even the Brewers are ahead of them.

[HedleyLamarr]

At least the Reds seemed to have been a steady 60-81 team. Can't recall them have a long winning or losing streak (not that I've followed the Reds all that closely, mind you).

With the Braves, it's been about as dramatic a free-fall as a team has ever had in baseball from where they once sat. Less than a week before the All-Star break, the Braves were 42-42 and leading 4-0 in the 7th inning of Game 85. Win that game, they're a game over .500 entering a 4-game series at Colorado, who was like the second-worse team in the NL. Halve that series or even take three games, the Braves were in great position to stay well-within the East and Wild Card races. Lead gets blown, team gets swept in Denver, and the Braves have gone a collective 14-46 since. If that 14-46 stretch extended over a 162-game season, that would lead to a 38-124 record.

It was weird to go from "Well, this team doesn't figure to do much, but maybe they'll surprise" to "Hey, these guys aren't half-bad" after a 6-1 start and a 42-42 midpoint record to "My goodness this team is hot garbage" as they currently sit with the worst record in baseball.

[The_Admiral]

Giants are gonna make the Cubs sweat.

The Cubs are closer to the Cardinals than the Giants are to the Cubs. Am I to conclude that you feel the Chicago Cubs are a team that has won too much?

[zpqmaowl]

Giants are gonna make the Cubs sweat.

AL teams that are fewer games out of the Wild Card than the Giants are behind the Cubs:

Minnesota

Anaheim

Cleveland

Baltimore

Tampa

Seattle

Boston

Chicago (equal)

Teams closer to the division than the Giants are to the Cubs:

Yankees

Texas

Anaheim

Pittsburgh

… and the Cubs (6.5) and Giants (7.5) themselves

I realize it's the Cubs, but come on…

[TheOldRoman]

Yeah. If the Giants were on an absolute tear like the 2005 Indians (17-2 stretch) or the 2007 Rockies (14-1 stretch), you could say it might happen if the Cubs scuffled a bit. But the Cubs haven't faltered over the last few weeks, and the Giants are 6-6 in September. I'm guessing that wasn't a serious post.

On Blue Jays news, I don't think anyone has mentioned the Tulo broke a bone in his shoulder on Saturday. He is out "at least two weeks" and the Jays have built a big enough lead where they should at worst have a wildcard locked up, but it's still awful news. Tulo is constantly injured, so there's no telling when he'll be back. Hopefully he can be back at full strength by the end of the regular season.

[2001mark]

Jays have to win at least 2 of 3 in Atlanta, not least because the Braves scuk.

As for Tulo, it's like the Dez injury last night- teams should not race to put a date on returns, then that becomes focal point... esp if the player isn't ready when omg but they said he would be ready nonsense kicks in.

[2001mark]

@DAVIDprice14 16m16 minutes ago

Kawasaki is the BEST!! Just saw him in Starbucks and he put his name down as Michael...and I said Michael?! He said yes Michael Jordan

[CubsFanBudMan]

So the Rangers are in first place now after walking off the Astros...

[mania]

Why do the Rangers want Cole Hamels? With all the talk, I had assumed that they were a couple games out of first, but I just checked the standings and they're not very good.

Whoops.

[2001mark]

Millennials being taught '92/'93... hope we don't have to teach them 1987 also.

[pmoehrin]

Some thoughts on Corey Seager and whether or not he should be the Dodgers starting shortstop for the postseason.

I'm not going to call Seager the next Derek Jeter, or Cal Ripken or anything like that just yet, but I wouldn't be shocked if I was a year from a now.

Just from the little I've seen from him at the Major League level, I would say he has the potential to be something special.

Defense I think he needs some work to the point where you may even want to look into him playing at another position. But offensively, the guy already looks like an eight year veteran at the plate. Power hitters who can protect the plate and have patience are nightmares to get out (see Miguel Cabrera and Joey Votto for further info) and that appears to be what Corey Seager is already.

His swing reminds me a lot of Ted Williams. Doesn't get his legs involved too much, but he generates so much torque with his upper body that any pitch left up even slightly above thigh looks like it has a chance to land 425 feet away.

As to whether or not he should be starting in the playoffs to me this is a pretty easy call to make. Just compare the 12 game stretch Seager has had to the best 12 game stretch Rollins has had all year.

The benching would be justifiable. Rollins was brought in as a one year fill in until they could get to Corey Seager. Well, Corey Seager is up now, so your purpose of having Jimmy Rollins as the starting shortstop I would say has been fulfilled. And what do people really expect of Jimmy Rollins in the postseason anyway? He's 36 years old and below average both offensively and defensively.

With Seager at least the potential is there offensively to have something much more.

The pro Rollins argument seems to be geared towards leadership+experience>talent, which if that's true then why not go with Jimmy Carter as your shortstop? Plenty of leadership and experience there. Why don't they, because leadership and experience can't hit a 96 MPH fastball. But talent can and my whole argument for Seager over Rollins is simple enough that it can be summed up in two words. HE'S BETTER. When it comes down to it isn't that the only thing that really matters?

[Almighty]

:censored:ing Cubs man ! Dirty play took out Kang

[infrared41]

So I was watching Cubs - Pirates last night and a hunch jumped out of the TV and hit me right in my head. I think this Cubs team is going to win the World Series this year. I'm not basing it on anything I saw in the game last night. It's just a gut feeling. Figured I'd better to post this so I'd have proof that I predicted it.

[Sport]

So I was watching Cubs - Pirates last night and a hunch jumped out of the TV and hit me right in my head. I think this Cubs team is going to win the World Series this year. I'm not basing it on anything I saw in the game last night. It's just a gut feeling. Figured I'd better to post this so I'd have proof that I predicted it.

I have had a similar feeling too and I think maybe it's because the best team doesn't win the World Series anymore. I've always thought that when the Cubs finally win it all it'll be with a team that nobody saw coming.

[goalieboy82]

RIP Milo Hamilton

[infrared41]

So I was watching Cubs - Pirates last night and a hunch jumped out of the TV and hit me right in my head. I think this Cubs team is going to win the World Series this year. I'm not basing it on anything I saw in the game last night. It's just a gut feeling. Figured I'd better to post this so I'd have proof that I predicted it.

I have had a similar feeling too and I think maybe it's because the best team doesn't win the World Series anymore. I've always thought that when the Cubs finally win it all it'll be with a team that nobody saw coming.

Exactly.

[2001mark]

So I was watching Cubs - Pirates last night and a hunch jumped out of the TV and hit me right in my head. I think this Cubs team is going to win the World Series this year. I'm not basing it on anything I saw in the game last night. It's just a gut feeling. Figured I'd better to post this so I'd have proof that I predicted it.

I have had a similar feeling too and I think maybe it's because the best team doesn't win the World Series anymore. I've always thought that when the Cubs finally win it all it'll be with a team that nobody saw coming.

I only buy one MLB yearbook preview every single season, The Sporting News' (have for must be 25yrs now), & they picked the Cubs to win the World Series this season.

[Unocal]

Someone is still going to have to beat the Cardinals in October- and it doesn't look like the Giants or Red Sox will be around this time