MLB Playoff Discussion thread

[Agent Kev]

Here are the first round match-ups (with potential game 1 starters in parenthesis):

National League:
Los Angeles (Perez 7-6) at St. Louis (W.Williams 11-8)

Houston (Clemens 18-4) at Atlanta (Wright 15-8)

American League:
Boston (Schilling 21-6) at Anaheim (Washburn 11-8)

Minnesota (Santana 20-6) at New York (Mussina 12-9)

[TheRick]

Here's what I want to see happen:

Los Angeles over St. Lous
Houston over Atlanta

Boston over Anaheim
New York over Minnesota

Los Angeles over Atlanta
Boston over New York

Boston wins the world series over LA.

I HIGHTLY doubt that's how it's going to go down, but it'd be nice. I'm not really a fan of any of the teams in this playoff season, but seriously Boston, just win the damn world series already and make every baseball fan in the Pacific Northwest happy.

[Agent Kev]

Houston has been playing great lately but Atlanta has OWNED them in the playoffs over the years.

[TheRick]

Agent said:

Houston has been playing great lately but Atlanta has OWNED them in the playoffs over the years.

I'm fully aware of that. That's part of the reason I'd like to see Houston beat them in the first round as I think they deserve it and I really, really can't stand the Braves. Other than the Mariners I'm pretty impartial towards all other teams besides the Braves, Yankees, and Giants.

[Agent Kev]

TheRick said:

I'm fully aware of that. That's part of the reason I'd like to see Houston beat them in the first round as I think they deserve it and I really, really can't stand the Braves. Other than the Mariners I'm pretty impartial towards all other teams besides the Braves, Yankees, and Giants.

The thing about this Braves team is that from top to bottom they are a much more rootable team then they have ever been before. They cut a ton of payroll and were not picked by ANYONE to win their division this year. They have a ton of youth and a ton of guys who are not "names" that have stepped up on this years team. The only "name" guys on their roster are Chipper and Smoltz and Smoltz is seriously one of the most likeable players in the majors (if you've ever heard an interview with him).

That being said, The Bravos are have always had a tough time in the past with the 5-game series and facing hot pitchers.

[Agent Kev]

The New York Yankees won't win in October because their pitching is vulnerable. They don't have Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte or David Wells -- but they do have Kevin Brown.

The Boston Red Sox won't win because their psyche is fragile and Pedro Martinez is slumping.

The Minnesota Twins won't win because not one hitter in their lineup can come close to matching the thump of Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez or Vladimir Guerrero. Their leading RBI man is Torii Hunter with ... 81.

The Anaheim Angels won't win because they're without injured second baseman Adam Kennedy and suspended outfielder Jose Guillen.

The St. Louis Cardinals won't win because Chris Carpenter, their most consistent starting pitcher this year, is hurt -- and they don't have a good, old-fashioned staff ace.

The Houston Astros won't win because they don't have time for a fuel stop after their stunning and amazing -- and, certainly, exhausting -- pedal-to-the-metal sprint to the finish line.

The Los Angeles Dodgers won't win because their pitching staff is being held together by ice bags and Ace bandages.

The Atlanta Braves won't win because, well, because they never do and because their defense is tied for 11th in the NL.

So that leaves ... hmmm. Which is precisely the point. The fun of this postseason is in the not knowing. This October fall is starting without King Kong. You can look at every one of these eight clubs and detect at least one major flaw, and you don't even need the help of a science lab microscope.

But you know what? There's also plenty of reasons why each of these eight clubs can win, too.

The Yankees can win because they've got more power than a steam locomotive, and they've got more October experience than the Great Pumpkin.

Boston can win because you never know, maybe the Red Sox learned from their near-miss last season. And even if they didn't learn anything, they've still got a lineup that leads the world in on-base percentage and then will bludgeon people.

Minnesota can win because the Twins may have the most athletic club of all.

Anaheim can win because Guerrero can do anything.

St. Louis can win because nobody has been able to stop Scott Rolen, Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds yet.

Houston can win because Roger Clemens knows what it takes and the Astros already proven they can pull themselves out of a near-drowning experience better than Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.

Atlanta can win because these Braves are light years better than anybody ever knew, Jaret Wright is a better pitcher now than when he started Game 7 of the 1997 World Series and without the burden of high expectations, it would be just like the Braves to exceed them now.

Los Angeles can win because the Dodgers will never go away -- they've been baseball's best comeback team all year.

[Agent Kev]

Cardinals put a beat down on the Dodgers in game 1 8-3. Larry Walker hit 2 home runs, and Pujols, Edmonds and Matheny also went yard. Cardinals are the team to beat in the NL.

[ohairefan4life]

Damnit start gange you bitches gagne= god!!!!!!!

Srry i really want the world series to be Red Sox-Dodgers... Red Socks cause Francona( the manager) daughter goes to my skewl the sox are my favorite team even tho i don't watch baseball, I want dodgers cause i love gagne

[Agent Kev]

Here is your Day 1 Playoff update:

St. Louis 8 LA 3 (St Louis up 1-0 in series)

Boston 9 Anaheim 3 (Boston up 1-0)

Minnesota 2 NY Yankees 0 (MInnesota up 1-0)

Atlanta vs. Houston starts tomorrow (Clemons vs. Wright)

[Agent Kev]

Here is your Day 2 Playoff update:

NY Yankees 7 Twins 6 in 12 (series tied 1-1)

Houston 9 Bravos 3 (Astros up 1-0)

Red Sox leading Angels 4-3 in 7th (Sox up 1-0)

St. Louis up 1-0 on LA (did not play today)
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Tomorrow's match-ups:

4:09 Houston (Oswalt 20-10) at Atlanta (Hampton 13-9)

8:19 LA (Weaver 13-13) at St. Louis (Marquis 15-7)

[TheRick]

I can't believe Minnesota lost after that homerun in the 12th. All I ever wanted was to have the Twins sweep the Yankees. Was that so much to ask for? Apparently so.

[Agent Kev]

Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Braves win! Furcal goes deep in extra innings to pull the series to 1-1 as it goes to Houston. The bad news is that Houston has won something like 18 straight at home.

[Agent Kev]

Day 3 Playoff Update:

NLDS
Atlanta 4 Houston 2 (Series tied 1-1)

St. Louis 8 LA 3 (St Louis up 2-0)

[Carnage]

Well it looks like the Red Sox are going to sweep the Angels today...but them again nothing is ever a gaurentee with the red sox

I was kinda hoping for a Minnesotta sweep of The Yankees because i know if it comes down to Yankees-Red Sox my team will ALWAYS end up on the losing end no matter how many chants i do to break the curse. Heres hoping Minnesotta and the Red Sox can pull off wins today...

::crosses fingers::

[Carnage]

::SWEEP::

HOLY MOLY The red sox actually won! Thank god for Ortiz...

On a related note it looks like the Twins-Yankees squash match isnt over yet...bases loaded, no outs 2-8 in the bottom of the ninth. It would be a miracle for the Twins to pull this off but id like to see it (sorry tom, i do respect the yankees, i just want to see the twins pulls this off)

Edit: Final 4-8, Yankees lead the series 2-1