2011 MLB Postseason

[infrared41]

So will this World Series run keep Pujols in St. Louis, or will he use this to get a bigger contract from another team?

Good question. Here's another one; where can he go? If you look at it, there really aren't that many teams who have both the money and the need for him. The Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies are all set at 1B and DH.

Off the top of my head, the Cubs, Mets, (possibly) the Angels, and The Giants are about the only teams that have both the money and need. It should be interesting. I hope he stays in St. Louis. Although seeing him with the Giants would be kind of cool too. The last thing he needs is to sign with the Mets.

[CS85]

If Pujols were ever a Cub, I'm pretty sure the sun would implode. That or he'd blow some muscle in his knee out and we'd be stuck with him for 10 years at 30 million per.

[mania]

Off the top of my head, the Cubs, Mets, (possibly) the Angels, and The Giants are about the only teams that have both the money and need.

The Mets don't have the money, and I don't see the need there, with Ike Davis entrenched.

The teams that I could see with interest are the Brewers (if Fielder leaves), Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Nationals, Blue Jays, and Marlins.

[McCall]

I see the Angels as the only serious threat, unless Loria decides to all of a sudden spend an assload of money. They would have to give him the most insulting offer ever for him to leave for the Cubs, so I really feel like he'll be back. But it's cautious optimism. Like how I watched the game tonight.

[McCall]

Off the top of my head, the Cubs, Mets, (possibly) the Angels, and The Giants are about the only teams that have both the money and need.

The Mets don't have the money, and I don't see the need there, with Ike Davis entrenched.

The teams that I could see with interest are the Brewers (if Fielder leaves), Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Nationals, Blue Jays, and Marlins.

If the Brewers can't afford Fielder, then Pujols is out of the question.

[BigEd76]

Just like Bengie Molina last year, Arthur Rhodes will get a ring no matter what happens in the World Series

[mania]

Off the top of my head, the Cubs, Mets, (possibly) the Angels, and The Giants are about the only teams that have both the money and need.

The Mets don't have the money, and I don't see the need there, with Ike Davis entrenched.

The teams that I could see with interest are the Brewers (if Fielder leaves), Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Nationals, Blue Jays, and Marlins.

If the Brewers can't afford Fielder, then Pujols is out of the question.

They've drawn 3M 3 of the last 4 years. They have the money.

I honestly think the Fielder situation has to be more personal, or more about the team having reservations in regards to his weight.

[McCall]

Thanks to the Blue Jays who played a big part in the Cards NL pennant: the trade for Rasmus AND sending Marcum to the Brewers. Guess birds of a feather really do stick together.

[The_Admiral]

I agree. I think the feeling has always been that Fielder's weight makes him something of a ticking time bomb with respect to attrition, and they don't want to be the ones holding that bomb when his skills inevitably fall hard. They had numerous opportunities to lock him up long-term under market value and they never did it. Meanwhile, Ryan Braun got eight years after one year.

[McCall]

The Mets don't have the money, and I don't see the need there, with Ike Davis entrenched.

The teams that I could see with interest are the Brewers (if Fielder leaves), Cubs, Angels, Rangers, Nationals, Blue Jays, and Marlins.

If the Brewers can't afford Fielder, then Pujols is out of the question.

They've drawn 3M 3 of the last 4 years. They have the money.

I honestly think the Fielder situation has to be more personal, or more about the team having reservations in regards to his weight.

Not enough for Pujols. He's gonna command a lot more from other teams than he will from St. Louis.

[McCall]

I agree. I think the feeling has always been that Fielder's weight makes him something of a ticking time bomb with respect to attrition, and they don't want to be the ones holding that bomb when his skills inevitably fall hard. They had numerous opportunities to lock him up long-term under market value and they never did it. Meanwhile, Ryan Braun got eight years after one year.

Fielder's best bet is DHing in the AL. And the Sawx and Yanks aren't necessarily set at that. He could even be a cheaper alternative to Pujols for the Angels, allowing Morales to stay at 1B.

[HedleyLamarr]

Just like Bengie Molina last year, Arthur Rhodes will get a ring no matter what happens in the World Series

He's never won a ring, has he?

If he hasn't, I now have my reason to pull for a team in the World Series. Would love to see the old guy win a ring.

[wdm1219inpenna]

Heavy Sigh...and AGAIN a wildcard team has made it to the World Series...

What's more disappointing to me is the fact that the Cardinals have been there in 2004 and again in 2006 and won it in 2006. Moreover, this means we STILL have never had a World Series where both league champions were teams from post 1960 (a.k.a. 2 expansion teams).

1969 - Mets vs Orioles (the Orioles were the St. Louis Browns, one of the "original 16" as I call them).

1973 - Atlhetics vs Orioles (The A's are another "original" 16 team)

**For purposes of this, not that it applies to them, I consider the Minnesota Twins one of the "original 16" since they had been from 1901-60 the first Washington Senators...

1980 - Phillies vs. Royals (again just one expansion team in that one)

1982 - Cards vs Brewers (with the Brew crew being the expansion team....and as of last night, the Brewers are now 0-2 lifetime vs. St. Louis in the post-season...ugh)

1984 - Tigers vs Padres

1985 - Royals vs Cardinals

1986 - Mets vs Red Sox (interesting to note the trend, that exactly half of the World Series played during the decade of the 80s now featured one expansion team)

1992 - Blue Jays vs Braves

1993 - Blue Jays vs Phillies

1997 - Marlins vs Indians

1998 - Yankees vs Padres

**Had 1994 played out, there was the good possibility it would have been Expos vs Yankees, which again would have given us 5 out of 10 World Series in the 1990s with expansion teams. As it were, it was still 4 out of 9..., and 9 out of 19 from 1980 - 1999.

2000 - Yankees vs. Mets

2001 - Diamondbacks vs. Yankees

2002 - Angels vs. Giants

2003 - Marlins vs. Yankees

2005 - White Sox vs. Astros

2007 - Red Sox vs. Rockies

2008 - Phillies vs. Rays

So in the 2000's decade, we had SEVEN World Series that featured an expansion team!

And now in the 2010's, so far both series have featured one expansion team, again however, vs. an "original 16" club

2010 - Giants vs. Rangers

2011 - Cardinals vs. Rangers

Just thought this was an interesting trend, 1. that more expansion teams than ever have made it to the World Series and 2. We STILL have never had a World Series featuring two expansion teams. This was why I was pulling for Milwaukee. That and the fact that they never won it, nor have the Rangers, and it would have been cool to have the Brewers become the first, and possibly only, team in baseball history to win both an AL and an NL Pennant.

[pmoehrin]

I agree. I think the feeling has always been that Fielder's weight makes him something of a ticking time bomb with respect to attrition, and they don't want to be the ones holding that bomb when his skills inevitably fall hard. They had numerous opportunities to lock him up long-term under market value and they never did it. Meanwhile, Ryan Braun got eight years after one year.

Fielder's best bet is DHing in the AL. And the Sawx and Yanks aren't necessarily set at that. He could even be a cheaper alternative to Pujols for the Angels, allowing Morales to stay at 1B.

I think Fielder is AL bound as well. Where I'm not exactly sure. One thing that would be for certain I would definately be putting a weight clause in his contract. I am not touching that guy until I know exactly how much he weighs now, and do not tell me that 275 listing is accuarte. Maybe he was that in middle school, but I'll believe peace in the Middle East is possible before I'll buy that Prince Fielder is only 275. Likewise if I'm Prince Fielder I'm doing everything in my power to avoid coming anywhere with 500 yards of a weight scale. Better that 275 be thought of as a joke then proven one. You can find out exactly how much I weigh after I've signed.

In the end I think his weight is going to wind up costing him at least a few million that someone with his stats might otherwise get. Not to mention that he's one of if not the worst defensive first baseman in baseball. Right now he's easily one of the top ten in the game at that position, but with so much youth combined with talent at that position now, its hard to believe in three to five years he's still going to be in that class. And alot of the guys out there like Freeman and Trumbo are extremely well balanced in their defensive and offensive ability, so the defense is going to have to pick up in order for Fielder to keep up. I don't think he's going to be able to do it.

[wdm1219inpenna]

With the Wild Card St. Louis Cardinals now qualifying for the 2011 World Series, they become the 10th team out of 34 teams total to have made it as far as the World Series during the previous 17 seasons, when the Wild Card was first used.

This seems far too disproportionate to me. I like the advent of a 1 game play-in game between the 4 and 5 seeds, with the 5 seed playing at the 4 seed.

I also would implement the following for the first round of post-season multi-game series play...

In the L.D.S., have it as a 7 game series. The 3 seed at the 2 seed for games 1, 2, 6 & 7 with it being the first to win 4 games moving on to the LCS.

However, in the other series, the Wild Card would have to win 5 games before the top seed wins only 3. This would still require a 7 game series. The other thing, the wild card would have to play games 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 on the road, and get only 2 home games, games 3 & 4, so even if they were to win in the first round, it could not be at home. I realize this is rather difficult to do, but if you combine this with the advent of having to win 1 play in game, that would require the wild card team to win a total of six games to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

For too long it seems the teams with the best record in each league keep getting up-ended by a team that gets "hot" during the last month or so of the season, thus rendering the 162 game regular season all but moot. If a team is TRULY that "hot", let them really earn it, at least in the first round.

I also hate the notion that the Wild Card Cardinals get to host games 1, 2, 6 & 7 in the World Series while the #2 seeded Texas Rangers from the American League get stuck with home field dis-advantage, because of the dopey All-Star Game no less!!!

[yh]

Here's hoping for a Rangers sweep.

Yes, that will surely salve the 103 years of Cub futility, now won't it?

[McCall]

Here's hoping for a Rangers sweep.

Yes, that will surely salve the 103 years of Cub futility, now won't it?

Well I guess keeping the Cardinals from having to use their toes to count the number of World Series championships is a moral victory.

[Magnum]

Am I the only one who feels like the postseason just drags ... ?

Its more exciting when you have just the LCS and the World Series because you actually win a title rather than "advancing to actually have a chance to win a title (League Champ, World Series Champ)."

[Punch]

With the Wild Card St. Louis Cardinals now qualifying for the 2011 World Series, they become the 10th team out of 34 teams total to have made it as far as the World Series during the previous 17 seasons, when the Wild Card was first used.

This seems far too disproportionate to me. I like the advent of a 1 game play-in game between the 4 and 5 seeds, with the 5 seed playing at the 4 seed.

I also would implement the following for the first round of post-season multi-game series play...

In the L.D.S., have it as a 7 game series. The 3 seed at the 2 seed for games 1, 2, 6 & 7 with it being the first to win 4 games moving on to the LCS.

However, in the other series, the Wild Card would have to win 5 games before the top seed wins only 3. This would still require a 7 game series. The other thing, the wild card would have to play games 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 on the road, and get only 2 home games, games 3 & 4, so even if they were to win in the first round, it could not be at home. I realize this is rather difficult to do, but if you combine this with the advent of having to win 1 play in game, that would require the wild card team to win a total of six games to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

For too long it seems the teams with the best record in each league keep getting up-ended by a team that gets "hot" during the last month or so of the season, thus rendering the 162 game regular season all but moot. If a team is TRULY that "hot", let them really earn it, at least in the first round.

I also hate the notion that the Wild Card Cardinals get to host games 1, 2, 6 & 7 in the World Series while the #2 seeded Texas Rangers from the American League get stuck with home field dis-advantage, because of the dopey All-Star Game no less!!!

What makes the Postseason so special is that any team has a decent chance to win the series. It is fun to see the teams that did well during the season to get ousted in the first round (unless that team is who you cheer for, of course). I agree that the ASG stipulation needs to be removed. For example, Jon McMediocre from Minnesota shouldn't have a say in who has home-field advantage between the Yankees/Dodgers. The team that has the best record come the World Series should have home-field advantage, even if that team is a Wild Card team.

[wdm1219inpenna]

Am I the only one who feels like the postseason just drags ... ?

Its more exciting when you have just the LCS and the World Series because you actually win a title rather than "advancing to actually have a chance to win a title (League Champ, World Series Champ)."

You pose an interesting question. One thing that irks me about the Division Series is when a team wins it, they celebrate with champagne. Winning a division (even the Wild Card), I can understand it, winning the LEAGUE Championship too I can understand it, but I don't like when there are champagne celebrations for winning a Division Series.

Personally I don't mind the length of the post-season, though my idea I posted about how I'd like to see it change would actually lengthen it by 3 games per league, and in doing so, would make it much more challenging for a wild card team to advance to the World Series. In football wildcards make much more sense, it's only a 16 game season.