2015 ALDS - Toronto Blue Jays Vs. Texas Rangers - PLAYOFFS!!!!!

[Jiggy_12]

Yeah I mean it's definitely nitpicking that I'm even questioning it, our rotation is fantastic and this is a good problem to have. I would just love to have been a fly on the wall for the conversations to decide it.

[Jiggy_12]

From this article: http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb...ame-2-of-alds/


"Rather than starting Dickey and his knuckleball in the controlled environment of the Rogers Centre, Gibbons said ahead of the season finale that going with whoever they felt was second best made sense because, “maybe if you win that first one, you can put the screws to them that second one.”

“Or maybe you lose that first one and you really need that second one, you know what I mean?” he continued. “In those scenarios you want that stud going that second game, don’t you?”

I can't argue with that logic. Gibbons is clearly more of a "feel" guy than a numbers guy and his reasoning does make sense.

[Weitz]

Isn't it better for Dickey to pitch in an open air stadium like Texas? My baseball friend told me that playing outside is a big bonus for the knuckleball.

I know Dickey has struggled on the road however.

[edslunch]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Isn't it better for Dickey to pitch in an open air stadium like Texas? My baseball friend told me that playing outside is a big bonus for the knuckleball.

I know Dickey has struggled on the road however.

I had heard the opposite, that pitching indoors made the knuckleball predictably unpredictable vs., totally unpredictable if weather conditions vary. If that makes any sense

[Jason14h]

THE CURSE

http://www.si.com/mlb/2015/10/06/tor...ustrated-cover

[Arsenal14]

I know when the Jays had Tom Candiotti back in the day, he much preferred pitching indoors so the SkyDome roof got closed on days he threw. I think the idea was that wind could impart a small rotation to the knuckleball, turning it into just a slow moving changeup.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Isn't it better for Dickey to pitch in an open air stadium like Texas? My baseball friend told me that playing outside is a big bonus for the knuckleball.

I know Dickey has struggled on the road however.

The weather can either help or hurt the knuckleball. Pitching into the wind typically creates a lot of movement (this was usually the case in the Mets' stadium). Pitching with the wind really makes the knuckleball ineffective by limiting it's movement.

Texas is known to have a pretty consistent wind stream that just carries balls for homers due to the design of the stadium. That is good news to Dickey's knuckleball as he would be pitching against that wind. I'm sure that played a role in Stroman starting game 2 over Dickey. If the Jays were going to playing in a stadium that has reverse winds, I'm sure they would be well aware of that data and would re-organize their rotation correspondingly to keep Dickey away from a bad situation.

[Jiggy_12]

Despite the fact he thinks he's now cursed them by picking them, ESPN's Jayson Stark with a great article on just why exactly the Jays are such favorites to win it all.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2015/...n-world-series

[REDVAN]

If they're up 2 going back to Arlington, I think it should be no worries about Dickey on the mound.

1-1 might still be ok going with Dickey, but they might save him for game 4 then?

If down 2 going to Texas, we've obviously screwed the pooch anyway.

[Caged Great]

Would you go

Game 1 Price
Game 2 Stroman
Game 3 Estrada
Game 4 Price
Game 5 Stroman

and skip Dickey all-together. Price would be pitching game 4 on 3 days rest, but that shouldn't be that big a problem for him depending how much he pitches in game 1.

[Caged Great]

Say the Jays win in 4, that would allow enough time between starts for Price to be available likely in game 2 and 6 of the ALCS.

[JayP]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

Would you go

Game 1 Price
Game 2 Stroman
Game 3 Estrada
Game 4 Price
Game 5 Stroman

and skip Dickey all-together. Price would be pitching game 4 on 3 days rest, but that shouldn't be that big a problem for him depending how much he pitches in game 1.

Nah, it's statistically proven that guys pitching on short rest aren't nearly as effective as they are otherwise to a pretty significant degree. Dickey has had a good enough second half that he's probably still a better pitcher than Price at 80% (or whatever he would be on short rest).

You might roll the dice if you are down 2-1, but even then the Jays are likely facing a guy like Colby Lewis in game 4 so I think the better play is to trust your offense to tee off on a bum like that and go with a fully rested Price in game 5 (against a fully rested Hamels).

[The Big Chill]

Jays Journal is saying Estrada will start before Dickey.

[Jiggy_12]

@Wilnerness590: If #Bluejays are down 2-1 going into Game 4, don't be surprised if Price gets that start over Dickey.

[JiriHrdina]

Has the 25 man roster been named yet?

[whosurnabby]

Colby Rasmus is on his usual hot streak...smokes one out of Yankee Stadium 1-0 Astros!

[transplant99]

Yeah it looks like it will be Price, Stroman, Estrada, Dickey according to SN.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Has the 25 man roster been named yet?

It was just finalized recently. No surprises really. It's includes Loup, Pompey, and Carrera.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

It was just finalized recently. No surprises really. It's includes Loup, Pompey, and Carrera.

Just for visual reference:

http://www.tsn.ca/blue-jays-set-alds...ation-1.372978

Pitchers: David Price, Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, R.A. Dickey, Roberto Osuna, Brett Cecil, Aaron Sanchez, Mark Lowe, LaTroy Hawkins, Liam Hendriks, Aaron Loup.

Catchers: Russell Martin, Dioner Navarro.

Infielders: Edwin Encarnacion, Justin Smoak, Chris Colabello, Ryan Goins, Troy Tulowitzki, Josh Donaldson, Cliff Pennington.

Outfielders: Jose Bautista, Kevin Pillar, Ben Revere, Dalton Pompey, Ezequiel Carrera.

[Roof-Daddy]

That was my guess at the roster. Nailed it. Haha