MLB Playoffs ('25) Games thread (non-Phillies)

[Tom McAndrew]

Our old buddy (Phillies fans), Seranthony Dominguez is in for the Blue Jays to pitch the top of the 10th

 

[Relayer]

Rooting for the Jays, but this game defines the greatness of the sport. Amazing drama.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

And Seranthony is having control problems. He's just missing (like, really, really close), but its been walk, single, walk, to load the bases, with 1 out. Andy Pages at the plate, with the infield in.

 

[Colt2169]

And Seranthony is having control problems. He's just missing (like, really, really close), but its been walk, single, walk, to load the bases, with 1 out. Andy Pages at the plate, with the infield in.

Solid D there

 

[Colt2169]

Wow

 

[Tom McAndrew]

And Seranthony gets out of it with a chopper to 2nd where the runner on 3rd was thrown out at home, and then a chopper to 1st where the toss to Seranthony wasn't great, and it looks like he barely got the runner out. After review, the call is confirmed.

Such great drama

 

[NittPicker]

And Seranthony is having control problems. He's just missing (like, really, really close), but it’s been walk, single, walk, to load the bases, with 1 out. Andy Pages at the plate, with the infield in.

Same story when he was wearing a Phillies uniform. He could bring the drama sometimes.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Will Smith goes yard for the Dodgers in the top of the 11th (solo), to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead, with 2 out. Bieber is the reliever for the Blue Jays.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Vladdy Jr. leads off the bottom of the 11th with a double.

 

[LB99]

F the Dodgers and F every large market money grubbing MLB team. Give me a salary cap or give me a work stoppage. I’m tired of seeing teams buy championships. If there isn’t a salary cap invoked, I’d just as soon not see baseball.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

Blue Jays with a nice sacrifice bunt to move Vladdy Jr to 3rd. 1 out

Barger up (2 for 4 on the night)
- ball 1
- ball 2
- ball 3
- ball 4

1st & 3rd, 1 out.

Kirk up (2 for 4 on the night)
- fouled off, strike 1
- called strike on a nice curve ball
- bouncer to SS, Betts runs to 2nd then throws to 1st for the double play

Dodgers win Game 7, in 11 innings.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[LB99]

 

[VaLion92]

F the Dodgers and F every large market money grubbing MLB team. Give me a salary cap or give me a work stoppage. I’m tired of seeing teams buy championships. If there isn’t a salary cap invoked, I’d just as soon not see baseball.

If there's a salary cap, then there has to be a salary floor too.

There will be a lockout in 2027, and it will get ugly.

 

[Tom McAndrew]

 

[LB99]

If there's a salary cap, then there has to be a salary floor too.

There will be a lockout in 2027, and it will get ugly.

I agree totally. If the small market owners can’t hit the salary floor, then they forfeit ownership of their teams. Sell the team.

 

[VaLion92]

I agree totally. If the small market owners can’t hit the salary floor, then they forfeit ownership of their teams. Sell the team.

By the way, off topic, but not totally off (MLB related).

If any of you get a chance, check out that Netflix episode on the Montreal Expos. Fascinating! Shame that they couldn't win one, especially in 1994. Though for selfish reasons, glad they didn't beat the Phils in 1980!

 

[BobPSU92]

Great game. I thought Toronto had it. Wow.

 

[Mufasa94]

I can’t think of another game in my lifetime that would have been a bigger heartbreaker for a home team’s fans.

 

[kgilbert78]

I can’t think of another game in my lifetime that would have been a bigger heartbreaker for a home team’s fans.

I don't know how old you are, but Game 7 in the famous Reds-Red Sox WS is up there (1975). The Sox had a 3-0 lead in that game after Carlton Fisk's heroics in Game 6.

 

[Catch1lion]

The Dodgers’ 2024 title made him the first player of any nationality to win a World Series, an Olympic gold medal and a World Baseball Classic. World Series MVP now joins that unmatched resume.

 

[laKavosiey-st lion]

Congrats Dodgers! What a fantastic game.

 

[Catch1lion]

F the Dodgers and F every large market money grubbing MLB team. Give me a salary cap or give me a work stoppage. I’m tired of seeing teams buy championships. If there isn’t a salary cap invoked, I’d just as soon not see baseball.

The 2024 Brewers season ended with a bite from the Big Apple, and as the playoffs roll toward the concluding World Series, one thing is apparent--while money cannot buy happiness, it does seem pretty good at buying championships.
The one last hope of all the small-market teams is the Cleveland Guardians, who currently trail the New York Yankees in the ALCS, 3 games to 1. Depending on where you look (Baseball-Reference, USA Today, spotrac, the remaining teams rank 1st/2nd (New York Yankees), 1st/3rd (New York Mets), 3rd/4th/5th (Los Angeles Dodgers), and 23rd/28th (Cleveland Guardians) in league payroll.

It does seem like high-salary teams win it all every year, but how do they rank and more importantly, how do the Brewers compare? I went through al


Since 1995, 48% of the champions and 38% of the contestants in the World Series have had top 5 payrolls. 93% of the champions and 83% of the contestants have been in the top half of payroll. Only two low-payroll teams have won it all -- the 2002 Anaheim Angels and the 2003 Florida Marlins. It has been two decades since that has happened.
The list of losing World Series teams in the bottom half of payroll for the season includes the 2007 Rockies, 2008 and 2020 Rays, 2010 Rangers, 2014 Royals, 2015 Mets, 2016 Indians, and 2023 Diamondbacks.
Only nine times in 29 years (31%), has the team with the lower payroll in the World Series beaten the team with the higher payroll. Of those winners, three of them had top 10 payrolls themselves, and seven were in the top half of the league.

 

[Catch1lion]

 

[Catch1lion]

Difference in the championship was a fraction of a second .

 

[LB99]

Difference in the championship was a fraction of a second .

And the baserunner on third got a lazy lead on the pitch, slowing his break to home on contact. That may have been the difference.

 

[Catch1lion]

Great game. I thought Toronto had it. Wow.

There you go thinking again Bob. /s

 

[Mufasa94]

Difference in the championship was a fraction of a second .

I have to wonder if act of the slide slowed him down enough to make a difference. Multiple guys slid into home late in the game on force out plays. Why?

You don’t see sprinters in track sliding at the finish line, and outside of a few rare occasions of someone diving for first base, you don’t see guys sliding into first to beat a throw.

Maybe a math problem for @LionJim.

 

[NittPicker]

I have to wonder if act of the slide slowed him down enough to make a difference. Multiple guys slid into home late in the game on force out plays. Why?

You don’t see sprinters in track sliding at the finish line, and outside of a few rare occasions of someone diving for first base, you don’t see guys sliding into first to beat a throw.

Maybe a math problem for @LionJim.

Good point. Sliding serves a couple purposes. One, to avoid a tag. Two, as a means to stop so you don't overrun the bag. Neither of those apply to a force play at the plate. It makes sense that running across home plate on a force play would get you there faster than sliding.

 

[Mufasa94]

I don't know how old you are, but Game 7 in the famous Reds-Red Sox WS is up there (1975). The Sox had a 3-0 lead in that game after Carlton Fisk's heroics in Game 6.

Hope I didn’t insinuate others fans may not have experienced a massive heartbreak, and wouldn’t necessarily expect a fan of one of those teams that lost to necessarily agree. As a non attached fan for both ‘75 and last night, would say last night was worse.

As a little kid Pirates fan in the 70s, I had a little kid hatred for the Reds at the time.

 

[LionJim]

I have to wonder if act of the slide slowed him down enough to make a difference. Multiple guys slid into home late in the game on force out plays. Why?

You don’t see sprinters in track sliding at the finish line, and outside of a few rare occasions of someone diving for first base, you don’t see guys sliding into first to beat a throw.

Maybe a math problem for @LionJim.

Physics problem.