What a damn game.

Mike Matheny with the worst managing job of the postseason now topping Matt Williams pulling Zimmerman after retiring 20 of 21 with 2 outs in the 9th.

Matheny was an F in the 8th and 9th innings.

To win it all, KC will have to go through all the teams with the best managers in the play-offs.

I can't put Bob Melvin in there

The Panda's great play, deflecting Wong's strong bid for the lead taking RBI to Crawford for the force out, double assist play was even more key than it seemed as it kept the StL closer off the field!

Ironman92;1664291 wrote:I can't put Bob Melvin in there

I agree, maybe I should have said just the 3 series' and not the play in game!

So now it'll be Bochy and Posey vs. the stealers. What's the over/under for the number of caught stealings in the series, total on both sides? 4.5?

Ironman92;1664291 wrote:I can't put Bob Melvin in there

That round doesn't really count as the playoffs anyway

I think it is something to ponder, as we talk about managers, to realize that all of these guys have strengths and weaknesses, and while probably all of us, to a man, think Ned Yost is a terrible manager, he figured out a way that he could get his team into the Series.

The Royals stole 153 in the regular season, and they haven't slowed down in the playoffs. Speed can be a decisive weapon, and when you have it, and you use it effectively, you can drive pitchers to distraction and make normally stalwart defenses crumble. Props to Yost for exploiting the advantage that he has, and for doing the ONE critical thing right that makes up for a lot of his other brain farts.

I love Tito Francona. He does so many things well. Last year, he had the fastest team in the majors, but he failed to use that speed as a critical weapon. He lost a ton of games to the Tigers....if they'd only won 33% of their games against the Tigers, they would have won their division. But he went head to head against a team he couldn't out hit, and couldn't out pitch without using the one huge advantage that he had offensively against the Tigers....in fact, the Tigers, as slow as they were in 2013, OUTRAN the Indians!
Now I know a lot of people on this thread don't think much of Drew Stubbs, and rightfully so....but if he is on your team, then use him to your best advantage! The guy can be a force on the basepaths. In 3 previous years with the Reds, Stubbs swiped over a hundred bases, but in 2013, the Indians ran Stubbs a grand total of 19 times ( there was nothing physically wrong with him.)... despite him having almost a 90% success rate. That's a lot of bases Tito left on the field.

I've posted this a lot during and after the season last year, so if you have heard this from me before, forgive me for repeating. But the Royals this season, have done what the Indians failed to grasp completely last year.... they've combined good pitching with great defense and they've won using their speed to their utmost advantage.

ts1227;1664313 wrote:That round doesn't really count as the playoffs anyway

If that's not the playoffs then we wouldn't have anyone to play in the World Series

Ironman92;1664430 wrote:If that's not the playoffs then we wouldn't have anyone to play in the World Series

Kansas City was the first wild card, so that's only half true :RpS_flapper:

This guy can go fuck himself with a railroad spike
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/52750/welcome-to-the-worst-world-series-ever

^^^ehhhh ...other than the title, the article is not that bad..... But I don't see the problem with a "4seed" playing a " 5 seed".... We should be pretty used to stuff like that... See the NFL or March Madness.

I think some of that comes from the "traditionalist" side of baseball, but other than the fact that it should be 3 games instead of 1 it overall has been a positive to anyone not bent on past tradition IMO.

ts1227;1664313 wrote:That round doesn't really count as the playoffs anyway

Sorta like the play in game in the NCAA tournament. Oh wait, I mean first round game is what they call it now!

Adding the WC was a money move, of course, to get more teams in and more teams contending late. I also believe the powers that be would hope it slowed the WC teams from winning it all. I think MLB wanted more emphasis on winning your division and giving them a better shot, which in theory the extra WC would do.

but you cannot factor out the win or else mentality that WC teams have starting that last 7-10 days of the season whereas most of the division winners knew they were in the postseason (unless a possible epic collapse)

thavoice;1665049 wrote:Sorta like the play in game in the NCAA tournament. Oh wait, I mean first round game is what they call it now!

Adding the WC was a money move, of course, to get more teams in and more teams contending late. I also believe the powers that be would hope it slowed the WC teams from winning it all. I think MLB wanted more emphasis on winning your division and giving them a better shot, which in theory the extra WC would do.

but you cannot factor out the win or else mentality that WC teams have starting that last 7-10 days of the season whereas most of the division winners knew they were in the postseason (unless a possible epic collapse)

12 seeds don't make the NCAA Championship too often...one of these WC seem to make it every year

Ironman92;1665104 wrote:12 seeds don't make the NCAA Championship too often...one of these WC seem to make it every year

Oh I agree. I was just commenting on how they said teh WC game "doesnt really count as the playoffs" which is sorta like how the play in games seemed and why they changed a few things.

We would all like to think a team/division winner could just turn it on when the postseason starts but sports just arent like that!

Who does everybody have in the series? Wouldn't mind seeing the Royals win it but I am picking the Giants.

The last time a team ripped through the playoffs like this was the 2007 Rockies.

Won a 1 game playoff to get in (Royals in the official wild card game. Rockies in a gm 163 tiebreaker. Each won in comeback, dramatic fashion). Then proceed to go 7-0 and sweep through the first two rounds. Then, they will run into a a battle tested, recent World Series champ in the World Series with tons of guys with plenty of postseason and WS experience. It was midnight for the Cinderella Rockies. The similarities are too much. I am picking the Giants. Not calling for a sweep but the the Royal magic is out.

Usually root for the NL, but gotta go with the Royals this time. WHen you are hot you dont want the time off and I am not sure that this layoff will be good for them. They can set up their rotation and all, but who knows if the layoff will hurt them at all.

I don't really know who I'm rooting for. If the Giants win, I can at least say my team was dispatched by the best. But the Royals are an awesome story that currently is doing what I wish my team was.

So just give me an exciting, awesome seven-game series and I'll be happy with whatever happens.

Go Royals!

Royals last World Series was. 1985 and I was 11 years old.....now the Royals are back and I am watching with my son, now 11 years old

Hunter Pence

Hunter Pence

Giants not flinching

Giants not flinching

...more like Giants laying the smack down.

Took the crowd and the running game out of it early.

mhs95_06;1665718 wrote:Took the crowd and the running game out of it early.

Exactly. Can't play small ball when you are down 3+. The Royals game is scratch out a lead....scratch out insurance runs and turn the lights out with bullpen.