2012 MLB Season

[FiddySicks]

What a great NLDS.

[Kramerica Industries]

13 pitch at bat. Jayson Werth absolutely earned that home run.

We have/had a trio of Game 5's already. I don't want a fourth. The Yankees and Orioles have already provided enough entertainment.

[STL FANATIC]

That game sucked.

Hope game 5 is better.

[ninersdd]

There will be a Game 5!!!!

So the Giants don't know yet who they will play. An obvious dream scenario is an extra inning game where they use a lot of pitchers tomorrow. The Nats aren't dead yet. Honestly, I believe the Giants can beat either team. The Giants had a dry spell in Cincy, but somehow won 3 straight there, so hopefully they can do well against the Nationals.

[BrySmalls]

Just purchased tickets to Game 5, since I couldn't go to Game 3.

[RedSox44]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

[BigBubba]

Giants also become the first team to ever overcome a 2-0 deficit in a 2-3 format, by winning the last three games on the road. Given the switch back to 2-2-1 next year, they may remain alone in that feat for a long time to come.

The Dodgers did it in the 1981 NLCS against the Expos.

[STL FANATIC]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

[Sport]

First off, you should know that I had a long and melodramatic post composed, but I deleted it because you wouldn't want to read it. Also, it's taken me an hour to collect my emotions (like you care or like it matters if I post it here or not).

Instead here's a bunch of in my brain right now:

- FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU U U U U U U U U U UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

- not the way this team was supposed to go out. Looking forward to next year and they have a window of opportunity on paper, but there's a great chance they won't make it back.

- if you can't win one of three at home, then you don't deserve to advance.

- FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU U U U U U U U U U UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

- It's just not fair. I'd rather get swept. It'd have to be the Reds to lose in this way. Three straight at home with a 2-0 lead. First NL team to blow a 2-0 lead in the NLDS. Of course we are. Why wouldn't we be?

- Dusty f****** Baker. I have no idea what he's thinking. Hopefully this is his last year. Rolen over Todd Frazier, Drew Stubbs over Chris Heisey, Cozart batting 2nd, leaving Latos in too long, the double steal call with 0 outs and two guys on. YOU CAN'T GIVE AWAY OUTS IN THE PLAYOFFS!

- Everyone in the section around me was pleading to take Latos out after he loaded the bases. Nope leave the headcase still mad about a ball call 3 pitches prior in to face the MVP. 6-0. and the only inning in which they scored runs.

- Proud of the guys for how they came back from 6-0. Still waiting for that one hit that will never come. I swear I thought Jay Bruce was going to hit a 3 run home run in the 9th to win it. With the way this team has won some games this year it would've been just right.

- The Reds out hit the Giants and outscored the Giants in the series. That, combined with the guys left on base will eat at me for a long time.

- FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU U U U U U U U U U UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK

- Here's the order of who I'd like to see win: A's, Orioles, Tigers, Nationals, Giants, Yankees, Cardinals.

- This was my first summer in Cincinnati since I was a little kid and it was awesome. I think I averaged one game a week and it sucks it's over. Baseball defeats always hurt the most because you put so much time into each season. I haven't felt this way since I was 12 years old and 1999 Reds stomach punched me. It was a great season and I had so much fun. I look forward to next year's team.

- GO NATIONALS

This will be my last post in this thread.

[The_Admiral]

I won't blame him for 2003, as the Cubs are just the Cubs

Good, because I will: the vaunted Players' Manager did nothing to calm everyone down, like his rookie pitcher, his :censored:fitting left fielder, or his error-making shortstop, when the 7th started to unravel. He also put the human prevent defense Kyle Farnsworth in the game to replace a Mark Prior that shouldn't have been that deep into the game in the first place. I'll also blame him for 2004, when his idea of rallying the clubhouse was to blame his poor decision-making on nebulous-to-fictitious racist hate mail and Steve Stone, then hide behind his son some more, who at least had the decency not to once again commit Dusty's cardinal sin of "clogging the basepaths."

The Reds put a nice team together and I wish their long-suffering fans well, but I couldn't bear to see them win with that piece of crap at the helm.

[Kramerica Industries]

Giants also become the first team to ever overcome a 2-0 deficit in a 2-3 format, by winning the last three games on the road. Given the switch back to 2-2-1 next year, they may remain alone in that feat for a long time to come.

The Dodgers did it in the 1981 NLCS against the Expos.

[/nitpicking]

They did?

[Epiphanic]

From what I was able to watch of the game, Jim Joyce was not that good behind the plate. I'll still take the result though.

ARROOOOO!

[RedSox44]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

Who the hell cares? Seriously? Human element can suck, yes. I'm all for more video review (on a challenge system like in football), but video review encroaching on the strike zone is a step too far.

Seriously. That game was awesome.

I want a Nats-A's World Series bad now.

[CS85]

Great final at-bat. I was celebrating on the treadmill in a gym full of angry butthurt Cardinals fans, so I had to kind of hold it all in after about 40 nasty death-glares.

One more to go and Team Justice will have righted the ship.

[STL FANATIC]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

Who the hell cares? Seriously? Human element can suck, yes. I'm all for more video review (on a challenge system like in football), but video review encroaching on the strike zone is a step too far.

Seriously. That game was awesome.

I want a Nats-A's World Series bad now.

I don't want video review on the strike zone, I want an automated strike zone. Or at least a system in which the umps are more strictly graded.

Jim Joyce called the worst strike zone I've ever seen called in a meaningful game. It went both ways, but it was so bad and so inconsistent. I didn't enjoy the game from about the 5th inning on once it was clear Joyce had no idea what he was watching.

It's not a matter of the game being given to either side. The Nationals dealt with the same awful calls the Cardinals did, and apparently did so a bit better. But the calls ruined the game, because that's not the way the game is supposed to be played.

[ninersdd]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

Who the hell cares? Seriously? Human element can suck, yes. I'm all for more video review (on a challenge system like in football), but video review encroaching on the strike zone is a step too far.

Seriously. That game was awesome.

I want a Nats-A's World Series bad now.

I don't want video review on the strike zone, I want an automated strike zone. Or at least a system in which the umps are more strictly graded.

Jim Joyce called the worst strike zone I've ever seen called in a meaningful game. It went both ways, but it was so bad and so inconsistent. I didn't enjoy the game from about the 5th inning on once it was clear Joyce had no idea what he was watching.

It's not a matter of the game being given to either side. The Nationals dealt with the same awful calls the Cardinals did, and apparently did so a bit better. But the calls ruined the game, because that's not the way the game is supposed to be played.

They use that strike zone on the side on TBS. I know yesterday they showed a couple of Giants pitches back to back go next to each other in the strike zone, yet one was a ball and the other was called a strike. Can an automated strike zone be feasible in the league though?

[CS85]

I won't trust that umpires did a crappy job until I get confirmation from Hawk Harrelson.

[The_Admiral]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

Who the hell cares? Seriously? Human element can suck, yes. I'm all for more video review (on a challenge system like in football), but video review encroaching on the strike zone is a step too far.

Seriously. That game was awesome.

I want a Nats-A's World Series bad now.

I don't want video review on the strike zone, I want an automated strike zone. Or at least a system in which the umps are more strictly graded.

Jim Joyce called the worst strike zone I've ever seen called in a meaningful game. It went both ways, but it was so bad and so inconsistent. I didn't enjoy the game from about the 5th inning on once it was clear Joyce had no idea what he was watching.

It's not a matter of the game being given to either side. The Nationals dealt with the same awful calls the Cardinals did, and apparently did so a bit better. But the calls ruined the game, because that's not the way the game is supposed to be played.

Gotta agree there. Now that we not only have the technology to get balls and strikes right, but display them on the screen during the game, umpires should prefer to cede the calling of balls and strikes rather than be humiliated every time they declare the opposite of an outcome that every television viewer can now ascertain. I mean, obviously you would still have to have a home plate umpire, you'd just have balls and strikes determined and relayed to him, since so many have proven that they can't be trusted to do it themselves.

[Epiphanic]

I don't think there's any doubt that Jim Joyce did a poor job behind the plate today, but I think we should slow down on "umpires are bad at their jobs" bit. As great as an automated strike zone sounds, how accurate is the pitch tracker anyway? And would it have to be recalibrated for each batter to adjust for differing heights and crouches?

Bad umpiring sucks, but these guys get the VAST majority of the borderline calls right.

[Kramerica Industries]

That game was the epitome of everything I love about baseball.

Sorta. Tons of excitement, but tons of human element. And the human element is the worst part of baseball.

Who the hell cares? Seriously? Human element can suck, yes. I'm all for more video review (on a challenge system like in football), but video review encroaching on the strike zone is a step too far.

Seriously. That game was awesome.

I want a Nats-A's World Series bad now.

I don't want video review on the strike zone, I want an automated strike zone. Or at least a system in which the umps are more strictly graded.

Jim Joyce called the worst strike zone I've ever seen called in a meaningful game. It went both ways, but it was so bad and so inconsistent. I didn't enjoy the game from about the 5th inning on once it was clear Joyce had no idea what he was watching.

It's not a matter of the game being given to either side. The Nationals dealt with the same awful calls the Cardinals did, and apparently did so a bit better. But the calls ruined the game, because that's not the way the game is supposed to be played.

You can only speak for yourself, because I've seen this claim before.

I remember Game 2 of the 2010 ALDS between the Yankees and Twins, with Hunter Wendlestedt behind the plate. Over the course of the game, the Twins actually got more breaks than the Yankees did, but because of a 1-2 pitch in the 7th inning that went the Yankees way, and was immediately followed by the game winning double one pitch later, the story was all about how the small market Twinkies got the hose.

Being consistent with a zone is one thing, but consistency is not acceptable if the zone makes no sense. Wendlestedt that night and Joyce tonight, as well as Angel Hernandez every time he umps, have/had non-sensical zones.