Jays vs Rangers in the first round. Rangers are peaking right now and pose a real threat to the Jays. Jays have the better team but the Rangers are riding a wave of momentum heading into the playoffs. Should be a close series. I think it goes the full 5 games. In the end, the Jays may crumble under the pressure due to their lack of playoff experience. I say Rangers take it in 5, but then again with Price pitching in game 5 it's going to be tough for the Rangers to win that game. It's all going to depend on whether or not the Jays get the timely hits and runs when they need them.
Jays vs Rangers in the first round. Rangers are peaking right now and pose a real threat to the Jays. Jays have the better team but the Rangers are riding a wave of momentum heading into the playoffs. Should be a close series. I think it goes the full 5 games. In the end, the Jays may crumble under the pressure due to their lack of playoff experience. I say Rangers take it in 5, but then again with Price pitching in game 5 it's going to be tough for the Rangers to win that game. It's all going to depend on whether or not the Jays get the timely hits and runs when they need them.
I'll pull off a classic baseball quote for the people who are new to this whole postseason baseball thing: "Momentum is the next days starting pitcher."
Also last ten games for both teams:
Toronto 6-4
Texas 5-5
Momentum doesn't exist in this sport. It's baseball.
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to whosurnabby For This Useful Post:
Thought game 1 was gonna be around 3-4pm, figured I'd catch the end at a pub after work. But I see it's actually 1:30 now, ridiculous. What is it with Americans and their deep fondness for midday sports? I'll never understand it.
I'll pull off a classic baseball quote for the people who are new to this whole postseason baseball thing: "Momentum is the next days starting pitcher."
Also last ten games for both teams:
Toronto 6-4
Texas 5-5
Momentum doesn't exist in this sport. It's baseball.
Completely agree. On the same topic, here's a great article that links to a bunch of studies that disprove playoff cliches (including "hot" teams going into the postseason: http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ml...ths-to-ignore/
Another good one to note is the myth of small ball being the key to winning in the postseason. Zaun was already going on about it last night (ironically in a game where the Astros scored two of their three runs on solo HRs).
Yeah the whole small ball thing is only half true.
You need to be able to get on-base in the postseason, it doesn't mean you need to play small ball but it means you can't have a bunch of guys who only hit HRs but can't get on base.
The thing that the Jays have going for them is that they can get on base, and they have guys that still have power but still have decent averages. The depth on the roster also means that you can't pitch around anybody in the lineup.
Yeah the whole small ball thing is only half true.
You need to be able to get on-base in the postseason, it doesn't mean you need to play small ball but it means you can't have a bunch of guys who only hit HRs but can't get on base.
The thing that the Jays have going for them is that they can get on base, and they have guys that still have power but still have decent averages. The depth on the roster also means that you can't pitch around anybody in the lineup.
That is what makes the Jays a dangerous team.
Even the guys on the Jays with less than stellar batting averages, have excellent eyes, and strong OBS as a result. Bautista only bat .248 or something like that, but he gets on base a lot from walks. Same with Tulo.
Yup, for a team with so much power Toronto also had the highest OBP as a result, coming in at .340 which is 12 bps higher then the next closest team.
They can also pitch well with the 7th best team WHIP in baseball (2nd among AL playoff teams).
There ability to get on base at a high clip, while also having the pitching to keep things tight by limiting base runners is what makes them so dangerous.
They get all the hype for their offense and power bats but this team is dangerous because they are well rounded offensively and defensively.
Yup, for a team with so much power Toronto also had the highest OBP as a result, coming in at .340 which is 12 bps higher then the next closest team.
They can also pitch well with the 7th best team WHIP in baseball (2nd among AL playoff teams).
There ability to get on base at a high clip, while also having the pitching to keep things tight by limiting base runners is what makes them so dangerous.
They get all the hype for their offense and power bats but this team is dangerous because they are well rounded offensively and defensively.
Price was only here for the 2nd half, and Stroman for the stretch. Plus, I don't care much what happened in April or May.
So I like to look at how they fared after the all-star break. Here are the AL rankings for team pitching stats in the 2nd half (team / ERA / WHIP / AVG / OBP / Runs / Hits):
So many factors all point to the Jays being the favorites.
Makes me really nervous.
My sports teams don't usually have a great track record as front runners.
Ya but those teams didn't have Number 20 playing for them did they?
Josh Donaldson is the x-factor in my opinion. Both teams have guys that can mash the ball (the Jays obviously more so) but the Jays have Donaldson who is the best player in baseball IMO.
Cant see how the Rangers are hot. They nearly let the Angels back into the race.
The Angels were absolutely on fire heading into that series against the Rangers having gone 7-1 in their 8 games prior (the one loss being by a single run) and were a hair's breath away from making the playoffs. Despite having to play the Angels in that final series, the Rangers went 8-5 in their last 13 games (the two losses to the Angels were by a single run each). Overall the Rangers are 33-17 in their last 50 games.
As for the Jays I just get the sense that maybe they've lost a little bit of their edge since clinching the AL East. They went 1-2 with a full lineup to finish off the season. Even if you disregard the 8 runs given up by Buehrle in the final game it's still a 4-3 loss to the Rays.
Having said this, I would love to be proven wrong and the Jays win the series handily.
Ya but those teams didn't have Number 20 playing for them did they?
Josh Donaldson is the x-factor in my opinion. Both teams have guys that can mash the ball (the Jays obviously more so) but the Jays have Donaldson who is the best player in baseball IMO.
I'd give that distinction to Bryce Harper. Best OPS in MLB (among qualifiers) by quite a margin.
These playoff broadcasts are brutal. Its 2015 - can I at least see what a batter's OBP is? Completely unacceptable.
TBS is terrible, for sports and otherwise. Terrible announcers, tricks and graphics which are tacked on just to be different. "Flames" for the graphic for the pitcher, when he touches 95mph on the gun? Who cares how many pitches the current batter is seeing?
As for the Jays, should be interesting to see Gibby have to do in-game interviews.
Only things one is a bit worrying is basically 8 days off since a meaningful game, or for a game where it looked like the Jays gave a crap. Even the clincher against Baltimore was over early given the blow out, so the last "pressure" game that they treated as such, was Donaldson walking off at Skydome 12 days ago.
Plus, the adrenaline and "happy to be there" newness factor is always something to consider...in a short series, it's an issue. It's an issue for both teams but given the long layoff for the Jays and chance to think about things for a while and talk to the press about 22 years/the possibilites for the better part of the week, and then the blast of the fans tomorrow, getting the heart pumping, may mean it takes a while for the team to get focused in Game 1 (and hopefully no later than Game 1).
The Following User Says Thank You to browna For This Useful Post:
You know what is frustrating. I have to set my PVR for the game. After 22 years, I'm going to miss it and Friday's game. I won't be on the computer for the next two days until late. Fun.
It is available on SNWHD though which is channel 223 for those on Shaw in Calgary.
__________________ Fireside Chat - The #1 Flames Fan Podcast - FiresideChat.ca
Last edited by Caged Great; 10-08-2015 at 06:04 AM.
