Cali

Road Field Advantage

f*** the MLB and Choke-land. I don't know who to blame more. "Home field advantage" doesn't just mean "more home games" starting a series at home is a HUGE advantage for any team. f***, the Tigers might sweep and at that point would have really had home field advantage. 2 games in Detroit, 1 game in Oakland.

f*** Detroit.

Ross with the Strike out followed by a Home Run.

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 5, 2012 -> 01:00 PM) Moron manager? One with two WS rings? I don't think he's a moron. Just curious what you think of Robin. I know, Robin gets a free pass because he was a rookie manager even though he's seen about 9 million baseball games as a great player. I like Robin, but if Ozzie engineered this epic collapse, many of you would have mocked him and/or demanded his firing. Please don't deny that if this collapse woulda been run by Ozzie you'd all have wanted him on a platter. I like how Ozzie is now a 2 time World Series champion manager because waving his arm in a circular motion really did wonders for the 03 Marlins.

I'm gonna say Orioles, Cardinals win Friday. Something about that Braves team screams one and done to me. I don't know why. I swear they got the least amount of pub of any of the 10 playoff teams. Maybe they're just sneaky good and will dominate into October, but their history outside of '95 tells me they wont do anything... Texas just looks worn out and distracted. Maybe so many consecutive seasons going deep into October?

QUOTE (greg775 @ Oct 3, 2012 -> 11:11 AM) He's not that old. At least he doesn't lie about his age like some big leaguers do. Not putting words in your mouth, but there's something about Paulie that makes people get on him whereas other players like Rios seem to get a free pass when they stink (last year). I've never understood what makes some players likeable and some not. Be honest you'd give lifetime contracts to Paulie and AJ and Buehrle no matter what age they were just because they won a Series with the Sox. Age be damned, right? And yes 36 is 100% old in the baseball world. Unless you're a roided out freak like Bonds you will start getting worse after 35

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 4, 2012 -> 12:46 PM) I thought yesterday you were saying he was a choker? I said mentally weak. This wasn't a mentally weak thing he did, it was just a stupid thing he did. He could have done an additional surgery in July and came back in September fresh and ready to hit. They way Paulie was hitting during that time Johnson could have easily come up from Charlotte and matched that production while he was on the DL and maybe just maybe the Captain could have done SOMETHING in September.

So basically, what I said all season. He continued to play hurt instead of getting it taken care of early and possibly coming back to actually help the team in Septemeber he chose to "play through it" and shug his shoulders every time he swung the bat.

I'm totally fine letting the AJ era end. I think it's time. He had a hell of a run. Blind loyalty to aging players is policy no team should have that wants to win. I don't really care if Flowers isn't a finished product offensively, I want a solid defensive catcher behind the dish and that's exactly what he is. He'll hit some bombs, call a solid game, keep base runners in check and block pitches in the dirt, all while costing very little. Sign me up for that.

I'd prefer a completely different booth next year. Stone working somewhere else. Hawk retiring. Change is good.

QUOTE (justBLAZE @ Oct 3, 2012 -> 07:45 PM) Blame MLB. ALDS is played in 2 away 3 at home format for the higher seed this year. They had no time to make it 2-2-1 this year. Ahh. Gotcha. I think Oakland is gonna steamroll the Tigers. They are on fire rigt now.

Johnson crushed each one of those homers. No doubters. I'd bring him back on the bench next year.

A's are incredibly hot right now, gonna be a tough task for Detroit. Also Oakland has a better record than Detroit, why do they have to go on the road to start?

Oakland is full of so many "Who?'s" it's ridiculous. Besides Cespedes and maybe Reddick, it's a team of nobodies and they are getting it done. Pretty impressive, I must say.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Oct 3, 2012 -> 10:20 AM) Career averages with RISP and difference over career batting average. The only guy that hits worse with RISP is Dunn. Gordo .261/ +.016 PK .284/ +.001 Dunn .223/ -.017 Rios .282/ +.004 AJ .286/ +.002 For 2012 vs 2012 average. Only Paulie was a minus. Gordo .264/ +.030 PK .281/ -.018 Dunn .212/ +.008 Rios .348/ +.044 AJ .316/ +.038 And? When I call a player weak mentally I don't only mean their averages with RISP. It's affects every aspect of their game and in the clubhouse. Also you're giving me their year totals, which were impressive to start the year and putrid down the stretch when a division title was on the line. That's the definition of mentally weak.

Nasty Nats all the way. The Reds a close second...

Hell, I'd like to get rid of all the people on this team that are Mentally weak. Cause I think it rubs off in the clubhouse. But that would be in the complete rebuild mode.... The list would include: Beckham Floyd Konerko (you know it's true... "The Shug", from the teams supposed leader and Captain) Dunn Rios AJ (to an extent) Thorton

QUOTE (chw42 @ Oct 2, 2012 -> 09:50 PM) I have some serious questions regarding the A's rotation in the playoffs. Parker, Milone, Griffin, and Blackley? I don't know... Their offense really needs to step it up. They won 93 games with that rotation. As has Baltimore, and I couldn't name you one starter from that team. That is insanity. I don't know if that'll hold up in the playoffs. I mean ask the Twins of the last decade how it worked out for them in October without an Ace/MVP-type offensive player to rise up. It's why the Yankees always beat them. Speaking of which suddenly they look like the class of the AL heading into the playoffs. Ugh.

I'm sick of Gordon. Mentally he is unable to hit at a consistent clip. His defense is amazing, and the team defense was the best it's been in a long time this year but the bottom line is the offense was a let down, and Gordon was the most glaring candidate. He's had three and a Half years to prove himself and he's failed time and time again.

Hawk sounds like he'd rather be anywhere else but calling these last few games.

All I know is who I don't want back and that is weak minded players who have a losers mentality. Beckham and Floyd are #1 and 2 on the list. I'm also trading Quintana while his stock is at its highest, and listening to offers on Rios and Konerko and if I'm blown away I make the trade.

s*** this is true nationally too. Can you think of one team that gets less national attention than the Sox? Even the Pirates and Orioles get more attention for their past successes and Hall of Fame players. Maybe the Blue Jays? Royals? The list is small.

The New Kids of October, the surprise teams: Nats, Orioles, and A's.... Who's for real and who is just gonna choke under the spotlight? My guess would be the O's, because I couldn't for the life of me, tell you one starter on that team. They don't have any sort of an ace to take them through the playoffs at all. The A's have a pretty horrible offense, but great pitching. I can see them getting at least to the ALDS (unless they actually catch Texas -- then maybe to the ALCS) but that lack of offensive production is gonna catch up with them. The Nats will miss Stras in October for sure, but they have the most balanced of these three teams. I can see them in the NLCS taking Cincy to the limit, but again the lack of Stras will be their downfall in my opinion. But Damn would I love to see them in the Series.

If Ozzie comes back I may lose interest in following this team...