Baltimore Orioles have the AL East on lock!!! (for sale, live)

[Zea mays]

Originally Posted by gwillyfromphilly

Does anyone think the Washington Nationals can come back and win the series?

ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Today the Nats face Bumgarner, the ace of the Giants pitching staff. (Bumgarner was unavailable for the start of the Nats/Giants series because he pitched the Giants/Pirates wildcard play-off game.)

Only two teams have won a division series after losing the first two games at home: the 2001 Yankees and the 2012 Giants. The Nationals are not up to the caliber of those two teams.

THe responsibility for the Nats demise in the post season lies with Nationals manager Matt Williams. Saturday's game had been a tense, dramatic affair for hours, with Jordan Zimmermann and Tim Hudson locked in a pitchers’ duel.

No matter that Zimmermann had retired the previous 20 batters in order, or that he had not allowed a run in more than 20 innings, or that his previous game had been a no-hiter against the Padres, or that he was one out away from finishing a three-hit shutout — Nationals Manager Matt Williams pulled Zimmermann in the ninth, one out away from a shutout win. For that Williams deserves some kind of award, probably with the words "head" and "bone" engraved in close proximity on its base.

Cabrera similarly deserves a "genius" award for his "premature ejection" in the same game. Hothead.

Managers manage too much by the book these days, rather than by going with the momentum of the game. Rookie Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is notorious for pulling pitchers early. Scherzer received six no-wins this past seasons when he was pulled early from games the Tigers were winning and the games turned over to the Tigers egregiously bad bullpen.

Buck Showalter also over manages. He almost blew Sunday's game by bringing in his fastball throwing "ace" reliever Zach Britton. In the past most managers would have left Miller to start the ninth. But Showalter regained some cred by unconventionally walking the go-ahead run (a long-time baseball no-no) to set-up the game-ending dp.

Well, so far, so good. Home field advantage the rest of the way. Bring on the Royals.

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Zea mays

THe responsibility for the Nats demise in the post season lies with Nationals manager Matt Williams. Saturday's game had been a tense, dramatic affair for hours, with Jordan Zimmermann and Tim Hudson locked in a pitchers’ duel.

No matter that Zimmermann had retired the previous 20 batters in order, or that he had not allowed a run in more than 20 innings, or that his previous game had been a no-hiter against the Padres, or that he was one out away from finishing a three-hit shutout — Nationals Manager Matt Williams pulled Zimmermann in the ninth, one out away from a shutout win. For that Williams deserves some kind of award, probably with the words "head" and "bone" engraved in close proximity on its base.

Cabrera similarly deserves a "genius" award for his "premature ejection" in the same game. Hothead.

Managers manage too much by the book these days, rather than by going with the momentum of the game. Rookie Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is notorious for pulling pitchers early. Scherzer received six no-wins this past seasons when he was pulled early from games the Tigers were winning and the games turned over to the Tigers egregiously bad bullpen.

Buck Showalter also over manages. He almost blew Sunday's game by bringing in his fastball throwing "ace" reliever Zach Britton. In the past most managers would have left Miller to start the ninth. But Showalter regained some cred by unconventionally walking the go-ahead run (a long-time baseball no-no) to set-up the game-ending dp.

I could not agree more with your assessment. I hate the way managers manage their pitching staff these days. Taking Zimmermann out was absurd. Simply absurd. And there was no reason for Showalter to pull Norris when he did either. And the two situations were eerily similar. Both had been cruising (Zimmerman more so than Norris) and both walked a single batter and apparently that was it. How ridiculous.

That said, what an amazing job in middle relief by Andrew Miller. He's really impressive. I almost thought Showalter was going to get away with his poor decision until Britton almost blew it in the 9th.

[Zea mays]

Originally Posted by designer_genes

I really hope I get picked for the ticket lottery for this round. I'm dying to go to a game. I can afford the prices on the Orioles website that you pay if you get selected for the lottery, but the StubHub prices are definitely out of my range.

In 1970 I temporarily left Chicago and lived in Baltimore for a year. During that time I went to an Orioles/Reds World Series game, the only game the Orioles lost in their five-game World Series win over heavy-hitting Cincinnati. You may find it hard to believe, but I went to the box-office on 33rd St one week before the start of the Series and bought a ticket for $10 behind home-plate halfway-up in the upper deck (wooden bench seats). I wish I'd kept the ticket, but I'm not a sentimental person.

Originally Posted by dogpark

I was hoping for the Nats to win, rather see the O's (if they make it that far) face the Nats than SF. SF is a strong team. At this point the Nats woudl have to take all three remaining games, 2 in SF, so I doubt they will make it, sad to say...

If the Orioles make it to the World Series, which I hope and think they will, they're more likely to face the Cardinals or Dodgers in the WS. If they face the Cardinals, don't be surprised if Showalter is out-managed.


A little about me: For the first five years after I moved from Baltimore to Chicago, I lived within walking distance of Wrigley. They never had lights in those times -- all the games were day-games. That place was so empty they closed off the upper deck for weekday games. The bleacher seats, which cost about $2, was an en plein air gambling scene, better than any in-door casino. Wagers were made on every pitch, some wagers being somewhat indecent. It usually was more entertaining than the game at hand.

When I moved back to Chicago from Baltimore in 1971, I lived within walking distance of Comiskey. (It could be a dicey walk at times.) They had an attendance problem too, and played several home games each year in Milwaukee before the Brewers moved back to that city. The Sox gave away free tickets in the major Chicago newspapers -- just cut out the coupon and come on in, bring the whole family on a single coupon. Buy a beer and hotdog while you're there.

As you can tell I've lived a long time in a losing environment. When the Pale Hose won the World Series in 2005, it was their first WS victory since 1917. The Cubbies last won in 1907 or 1908. No one is really sure because the archives were lost in a fire many years ago, and no one is left alive who remembers it.

Originally Posted by designer_genes

In case people are free this afternoon, you can head to Camden Yards and welcome the team home.

Fans can welcome home Orioles at Camden Yards today at 3:30 p.m. - baltimoresun.com

I hope you go and have a fabulous time.

[gwillyfromphilly]

Originally Posted by dogpark

I was hoping for the Nats to win, rather see the O's (if they make it that far) face the Nats than SF. SF is a strong team. At this point the Nats woudl have to take all three remaining games, 2 in SF, so I doubt they will make it, sad to say...

The Nats blew game 2. They should've won that game. Their making the SF Giants look better than they really are, though I would love to see them play the Dodgers in the NLCS. So far the O's are clearly the best team in the playoffs. It's only a matter of time before Kansas City starts to choke. I just can't see them beating the O's in a 7-game series. The Orioles are playing like the Ravens did when they won the Superbowl.

[Carolina Knight]

Congratulations to the Orioles on advancing to the American League championship series!

[designer_genes]

Originally Posted by Zea mays

In 1970 I temporarily left Chicago and lived in Baltimore for a year. During that time I went to an Orioles/Reds World Series game, the only game the Orioles lost in their five-game World Series win over heavy-hitting Cincinnati. You may find it hard to believe, but I went to the box-office on 33rd St one week before the start of the Series and bought a ticket for $10 behind home-plate halfway-up in the upper deck (wooden bench seats). I wish I'd kept the ticket, but I'm not a sentimental person.

That's amazing. I wish.

Only playoff game I've ever been to was Game 2 of the NLCS in 2006 when the Mets played the Cards and they lost. And I only got to go to that one because my dad had a partial season ticket plan.

Originally Posted by Zea mays

As you can tell I've lived a long time in a losing environment.

As a life-long Mets fan, I know the feeling. People always say, "Hey, you don't have it as bad as the Cubs." That may be true, but from my perspective, they aren't really different since I have not lived long enough to see my team win a World Series title. So, even though the Cubs have waited much longer, I've still waited my whole life. And I am 100% serious when I say that now that I have achieved my dream of going to graduate school to study genetics, there is nothing on this earth that I want more than a Mets World Series title. I live and breathe baseball and I am so sick of losing. 2006 was supposed to be their year and they blew it. I physically ache for a team I can get excited about again, which is why I am living so vicariously through the O's right now. I forgot what October baseball feels like.

Originally Posted by Zea mays

I hope you go and have a fabulous time.

I seriously considered it, but the guilt of skipping out on lab was too great. Haha. I went and got my mandatory flu shot instead.

[westsideboy]

Congrats to the O's. I like their chances in the next round.

It is strange to watch a team with that much offense. 8 runs in an inning? That is a 3 game total for winning teams in the National League! I feel good for you guys. I enjoy going to Camden Yards. I was at "the game Cal didn't play" which ranks as one of the top 3 sports events I witnessed live.

#1 was watching Ed Reed play in person from the Sun's luxury box. Best seats in the house, and Ed returned a INT for a TD to seal the game. He was a transcendental player out there and it was amazing to see him dominate a game with his brain and physical gifts.

There was another play where he saw the formation, ran to the line to grab a DL by the butt and shift him into a different gap just before the snap. Sure enough the play was run right into the DL who literally just stood up and greeted the ball carrier. Ok, enough football talk, this is a baseball thread.

[Infinite_heights77]

Do you hear "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" playing in the background??!

That is Baltimore's national anthem! Smh! Bamas!

[kcmo]

Good luck guys, but I'm really hoping KC pulls this out!

[Zea mays]

Originally Posted by designer_genes

2006 was supposed to be their year and they blew it.

1969 was the year the Cubs blew it. That ill-fated 1969 season saw the Cubs in first place for 155 days, until mid-September when they lost 17 out of 25 games, and the Mets took the NL pennant.

The Mets played the O's in the World Series that year, and you know how that turned out. Double Grrr!

1969 was also the season of the infamous Black Cat Hex the Mets threw on the Cubs at Shea.



The Cubbies have been hexed by billy goats, black cats, crows, and numerous other creatures in God's kingdom. Turned me into a ChiSox fan.
Different team, same results.