Baseball 2015

[Bestwifeever]

Not making a prediction, but the path to the World Series passes through St. Louis!
Personally, I would prefer the Cardinals to face Chicago. The games are always fun. The fans are mutually cordial, and if the Cards happen to lose, I would rather support the Cubbies than Pittsburgh.

Go Cards!!

Yeah, we Cubs fans pretty much know what will happen if the Cubs make it through Wednesday's game. Just be kind to us.

 

[MichaelB]

Cubs fans may find this interesting, a short write up on Jake Arrieta over at FiveThirtyEight.com Jake Arrieta Is Not Your Normal Ace | FiveThirtyEight

 

[easysurfer]

Not making a prediction, but the path to the World Series passes through St. Louis!
Personally, I would prefer the Cardinals to face Chicago. The games are always fun. The fans are mutually cordial, and if the Cards happen to lose, I would rather support the Cubbies than Pittsburgh.

Go Cards!!

I gotta predict with my heart. Arrieta is on a roll which is what scares me most. The bigger the roll, the bigger the heartbreak.

Yeah, there's the cordial respect of the passion between Cards, Cubs fans. Unlike the hatred between Red Sox and Yankees rivalry. Not saying which type is better, but just how things are.

 

[Htown Harry]

We should probably explain, Utrecht. Everyone in the U.S. isn't subjected to a year of Texas history in 7th grade or familiar with the options for a Texas vanity license plate. (It's a Texas thing.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_take_it

At the minor skirmish known as the Battle of Gonzaleshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gonzales—the first battle of the Texas Revolution against Mexico—a small group of Texanshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas successfully resisted the Mexican forces who had orders from Col. Domingo de Ugartecheahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domingo_de_Ugartechea to seize their cannonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannon. As a symbol of defiance, the Texans had fashioned a flag containing the phrase "come and take it" along with a black star and an image of the cannon which they had received four years earlier from Mexican officials.

And, yes, the Rangers did come and take it, making up an 8 game mid-August deficit and winning the AL West by two games.

See you in the AL Championship Series.

 

[Car-Guy]

We should probably explain, Utrecht. Everyone in the U.S. isn't subjected to a year of Texas history in 7th grade or familiar with the options for a Texas vanity license plate. (It's a Texas thing.)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_take_it

And, yes, the Rangers did come and take it, making up an 8 game mid-August deficit and winning the AL West by two games.

See you in the AL Championship Series.

I thought everyone in the US knew about the slogan (since it was used in the American Revolution too) but I guess maybe it is mainly a Texas thing with the Texas battle flag. BTW, 7th grade Texas history was one of my most memorable classes in JR High school. The teacher we had (I can still remember his name) made it really interesting.

At least the Rangers are from Texas too.

 

[easysurfer]

I prefer the impossible to predict for who wins the world series. But for those that like odds, here's the odds as of Oct 4th according to CBS sports:

Speaking of the World Series, here, as of Sunday morning, Oct. 4, are the odds of winning the World Series that the the SportsLine Projection Model gave to each of the 10 playoff teams ...

Royals: 22.2 percent
Cardinals: 16.7 percent
Blue Jays, Dodgers: 14.3 percent
Mets: 11.1 percent
Yankees: 10.0 percent
Astros, Pirates: 7.7 percent
Cubs: 6.7 percent
Rangers: 3.2 percent

2015 MLB Playoffs: NLDS, ALDS, wild-card schedule, TV listings, odds - CBSSports.com

 

[KCGeezer]

Let's see, Houston takes out the vile Yankees, Cubs win over the Cards, then the Royals at home in 7. Works for me.


Time to dance, just wish I knew how.

 

[utrecht]

I disagree with those odds.

Obviously they have the Pirates and Cubs so low because they dont believe they can beat the Cardinals who have the best record in baseball. The Pirates have the second best record in baseball and hold the season series over the Cardinals so I dont agree with their logic at all.

Also, the playoffs is all about pitching. And its all about a teams top 2-3 starters. Nobody has a better top 2 than the Dodgers. Kershaw and Greinke on one team? Are you kidding me? The NL has never been tougher and I dont see St. Louis getting back to the WS this season.

I also have no idea how they have KC's odds better than Toronto's.

 

[easysurfer]

From an odds standpoint, I'm sure as of Oct 4, the Pirates and Cubs are lower because they are wild card teams (more chance to lose). After the wildcard game, you'd think the odds for the winner will increase.

Kershaw and Greinke together are gonna be hard to beat. Two Cy Young candidates. But the Cubbies have Arietta, another Cy young candidate and Lester (only okay this year) has playoff experience. It'll be interesting to see if the young Cubs (the lineup is loaded with rookies) crack under pressure or are too young to know any better and win.

Plus, don't forget the Pirates. The Cubs had an 8 game winning streak down the stretch but couldn't catch them. Andrew McCutchen is superstar. Plus, as a Cubbies fan I can just imagine Aramis Ramirez having a clutch hit (biting the hand that once fed you) in the wild card game to knock the Cubs out.

 

[steelyman]

Looking way back to the beginning of the season (remember that opening series against the Cards?), I'm just thrilled that the Cubs made the playoffs!

 

[Big_Hitter]

Astros win ALCS

 

[utrecht]

Astros win ALCS

Here we go with the unrealistic expectations from a die hard fan. I do think they will beat the Yankees though.

 

[unclemick]

After last year given where I live perhaps a 'born again' transformation from football to baseball? Man those Royals T shirts are everywhere although the weather is getting cooler.

heh heh heh -

 

[Big_Hitter]

Here we go with the unrealistic expectations from a die hard fan. I do think they will beat the Yankees though.

Then beat KC in 5, TX in 6.

 

[Sittinginthesun]

Let's Go...BLUE JAYS!!!!

 

[Jack_Pine]

Go CUBS. All this for a one game play-in. Better than the alternative. Good experience for the youngsters if nothing else. They had 5 rookies playing at any given time many times this year.

 

[youbet]

From an odds standpoint, I'm sure as of Oct 4, the Pirates and Cubs are lower because they are wild card teams (more chance to lose). After the wildcard game, you'd think the odds for the winner will increase.

There ya go....... either the Pirates or the Cubs will be out after Wednesday's one game playoff and before the non-wild card teams even head to the dance floor. This despite the fact they have better W/L records than all the division winners other than the Cards. Strange season........

 

[Bestwifeever]

Looking way back to the beginning of the season (remember that opening series against the Cards?), I'm just thrilled that the Cubs made the playoffs!

Fir us Cub fans, making the wildcard playoff game is almost like making it to the WS. All the rest is gravy.

 

[ERD50]

Fir us Cub fans, making the wildcard playoff game is almost like making it to the WS. All the rest is gravy.

This is actually a little too much excitement for me! Getting to the WS might signify the end of days!

edit/add: hah! I missed this tie in from another thread that prefaced my comment:

End of times? Can't be. The Cubs haven't won anything.

-ERD50

 

[easysurfer]

The fun thing about playoff baseball is that the innings seem to fly by instead of drag on at times during the season. Being down, say 2-0 in a game in the 3rd inning is panic time.

 

[KCGeezer]

Phase 1 of my master plan is complete.


Time to dance, just wish I knew how.

 

[steelyman]

Well, here we go. As I recall, Neil Young sang a tune, "Tonight's The Night". Cubs-Bucs!

Aside: I spent some unexpected time in a "restricted TV channel" environment (hospital) with very little by way of sports broadcasts this summer and early autumn. I missed a few games I'd have normally tuned in. Now, I am back to my no-cable TV situation (by happy choice) and the game doesn't appear to be broadcast to us, but I know exactly which sports bar I'll go to to see the game. Freedom!

(and with any luck, they'll be singing on Clark and Addison tonight)

 

[utrecht]

Here we go with the unrealistic expectations from a die hard fan. I do think they will beat the Yankees though.

OK, Big Hitter. I hope you enjoyed that game. Now your fun is over

 

[Car-Guy]

Astros win ALCS

Well I am surprised but they took a small step forward last night.

 

[Jack_Pine]

The fun thing about playoff baseball is that the innings seem to fly by instead of drag on at times during the season. Being down, say 2-0 in a game in the 3rd inning is panic time.

Yeah, the crowd stands on a 3-2 count in the first inning.