The A's fans respect our team and really wanted Minnesota to win. However, many are trashing our record against lefties saying we haven't played any good lefties and the combined WAR is less than 1 of the lefty starters we've faced. 

12 minutes ago, DoUEvenShift said:

Barf

F off 

It would actually be irresponsible for us not to forfeit these games.  Can we just save money on the flight and send an apology note?

7 hours ago, Ben Waffleson said:

If Eloy is healthy, I feel like he should be the DH. Oakland is a very spacious place to play. Id like to see a good defensive OF behind Gio.

I dont mean Jarrod Dyson starting

Maybe left to right Engel Loubob Nomar

I know most of you hate Nomar but I really think hes looked more locked in this week and I hope he makes all of us eat our words.

I didn't hate Nomar when we got him. I thought it was a good gamble on his upside. Funny thing is if he had just hit like he normally did against RH in 2019 everybody would have loved him. .288 BA , .344 OBP ,500 Slg. and .844 OPS . That looked a helluva lot better than the output we  got from Jay, Cordell, Delmonico and Tilson. However the stats he put up offensively were just like the guys from last year. Just terrible.

Now I don't care how many singles he hits to LF in the last game or 2 , that's not why he was brought here. He was supposed to have an .800+ OPS against RH not a paltry .544 . Also weird that his fielding was better than expected as was his hitting against LH but in a small sample size. We needed his help against RH not LH. At that he failed miserably. Throw in the Moncada bad year .699 OPS 2020, .945 2019 and our expected output against RH pitching tanked . If Eloy wasn't hurt I'm not even sure Mazara makes the playoff roster . I'm predicting EE is left off the playoff roster.

Edited September 29, 20205 yr by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

On 9/27/2020 at 8:09 PM, iWiN4PreP said:

Ok bro let's talk about putting in Carlos Rodon in his first game back. I'm sure that was to save someone right

Shoulda waited for a better spot.  Maybe in Game 64 to get him a clean inning.

2 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

The A's fans respect our team and really wanted Minnesota to win. However, many are trashing our record against lefties saying we haven't played any good lefties and the combined WAR is less than 1 of the lefty starters we've faced. 

I mean, there just aren't a lot of good left handed starters right now in the AL and NL Central. However, our combined OPS against all lefties is far higher than it is against righties. 

Here's the lefty starters we've faced (WAR values are fWAR)
Danny Duffy - 0.5 WAR
Kris Bubic - 0.5 WAR
Brett Anderson - 0.6 WAR
Tyler Alexander - -0.1 WAR
Matthew Boyd - 0 WAR
Tarik Skubal - - 0.1 WAR
Jon Lester - 0.3 WAR
Steven Brault - 0.8 WAR
Rich Hill - 0.7 WAR

I count a total of 3.2 WAR. Also Tim Anderson alone put Matthew Boyd into negative WAR territory. Yes, none of those guys were elite, but there just weren't a lot of elite left handed starters this year. 

If you go look at the Pitcher WAR leaderboards, the first lefty that pops up is freaking Marco Gonzales. 

Are the A's lefties better than most of the guys we faced? Probably. But does that mean our numbers against lefties are just propped up by bad pitchers? Doesn't appear so. 

 

46 minutes ago, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Strange thinking . You win game 1 you're want to do everything in your power not to let it get to a game 3. Put your best on the field and be confident you can finish them off in 2 . Bassitt is not  some superstar pitcher.

Guess I have confidence in our hitters facing a lefty, not necessarily otherwise.   You don't have to look further than yesterday to see that we have a tendency to make average pitchers(Alzolay) look like all-stars.  I am pretty confident Kuechel could hold his own or more against Bassitt for 6 innings, but if it turns into a battle of bullpens it turns into a coin flip.  I just like the idea of having a major pitching advantage if we get to a game 3.  If we tee off on Bassitt in game 2 then whoever we run out there should be good enough for us to win and we have a rested Kuechel for game 1 of ALDS.    

7 minutes ago, chw42 said:

I mean, there just aren't a lot of good left handed starters right now in the AL and NL Central. However, our combined OPS against all lefties is far higher than it is against righties. 

Here's the lefty starters we've faced (WAR values are fWAR)
Danny Duffy - 0.5 WAR
Kris Bubic - 0.5 WAR
Brett Anderson - 0.6 WAR
Tyler Alexander - -0.1 WAR
Matthew Boyd - 0 WAR
Tarik Skubal - - 0.1 WAR
Jon Lester - 0.3 WAR
Steven Brault - 0.8 WAR
Rich Hill - 0.7 WAR

I count a total of 3.2 WAR. Also Tim Anderson alone put Matthew Boyd into negative WAR territory. Yes, none of those guys were elite, but there just weren't a lot of elite left handed starters this year. 

If you go look at the Pitcher WAR leaderboards, the first lefty that pops up is freaking Marco Gonzales. 

Are the A's lefties better than most of the guys we faced? Probably. But does that mean our numbers against lefties are just propped up by bad pitchers? Doesn't appear so. 

 

Thanks for the well thought out post. That clears things up a lot. Lizard had a lot of filth, so we do not want to be chasing in game 1. 

3 minutes ago, RG23SoxFan said:

Guess I have confidence in our hitters facing a lefty, not necessarily otherwise.   You don't have to look further than yesterday to see that we have a tendency to make average pitchers(Alzolay) look like all-stars.  I am pretty confident Kuechel could hold his own or more against Bassitt for 6 innings, but if it turns into a battle of bullpens it turns into a coin flip.  I just like the idea of having a major pitching advantage if we get to a game 3.  If we tee off on Bassitt in game 2 then whoever we run out there should be good enough for us to win and we have a rested Kuechel for game 1 of ALDS.    

Gio will be able to start game 1 of the ALDS no matter what happens. 

If anyone has any suggestions about where a guy could watch the playoff games online, you can PM me. 

15 minutes ago, RG23SoxFan said:

Guess I have confidence in our hitters facing a lefty, not necessarily otherwise.   You don't have to look further than yesterday to see that we have a tendency to make average pitchers(Alzolay) look like all-stars.  I am pretty confident Kuechel could hold his own or more against Bassitt for 6 innings, but if it turns into a battle of bullpens it turns into a coin flip.  I just like the idea of having a major pitching advantage if we get to a game 3.  If we tee off on Bassitt in game 2 then whoever we run out there should be good enough for us to win and we have a rested Kuechel for game 1 of ALDS.    

Right but you have to use Keuchel in game 2 because if used in game 3 that just delays him starting in the ALDS . Use the regular rotation like you have all year. The 3rd and 4th starters just have to step up if we are going to go anywhere in any additional series. We may not tee off on Bassitt and there's a better chance the A's tee off on whoever starts in place of Keuchel . I don't want to give away a game then delay Keuchels start in the ALDS should he happen to win a game 3 and throw the rotation off kilter.  Remember if we win in 2 games we get more time off . SO we might be able to pitch Giolito and Keuchel in the 1st 2 games of the ALDS

Edited September 29, 20205 yr by CaliSoxFanViaSWside

Just now, CaliSoxFanViaSWside said:

Right but you have to use Keuchel in game 2 because if used in game 3 that just delays him starting in the ALDS . Use the regular rotation like you have all year. The 3rd and 4th starters just have to step up if we are going to go anyway in any additional series. We may not tee off on Bassitt and there's a better chance the A's tee off on whoever starts in place of Keuchel . I don't want to give away a game then delay Keuchels start in the ALDS should he happen to win a game 3 and throw the rotation off kilter.  Remember if we win in 2 games we get more time off . SO we might be able to pitch Giolito and Keuchel in the 1st 2 games of the ALDS

yes, I guess I am just focused on winning this 1st round and it would mess with the ALDS.  If Giolito/Kuechel pitch as expected we should have a good shot of winning 2-0 and moving on. 

22 minutes ago, Leonard Zelig said:

If anyone has any suggestions about where a guy could watch the playoff games online, you can PM me. 

Google Bilasport

I’m nervous.

White Sox- straight sets

6-2, 6-3

Off to LA

Luzardo starting game one ?

1 minute ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Luzardo starting game one ?

He has filth and the fans seem to like it. If he struggles early they will put in Fiers and that bullpen. We have to try to get to him in the first and second. 

Gonna be tough to get any sleep tonight. Super fucking hyped. LETS GO SOX!!!!!!!!

11 minutes ago, YouCanPutItOnTheBoardYES! said:

I’m nervous.

I'm nervous, but I'm sure next year's playoffs will be much more intense. This should give us a taste. We don't have true championship expectations just yet so it'll be easier to enjoy the games. 

Lineup I’m hoping for tomorrow if Eloy is healthy enough to play LF:

1. Anderson, SS
2. Grandal, DH#
3. Abreu, 1B
4. Jimenez, LF
5. McCann, C
6. Moncada, 3B#
7. Robert, CF
8. Engel, RF
9. Madrigal, 2B

6 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

He has filth and the fans seem to like it. If he struggles early they will put in Fiers and that bullpen. We have to try to get to him in the first and second. 

Hopefully he amps himself up too much and we can take advantage.

3 hours ago, SoxBlanco said:

Did anybody actually expect EE to start tomorrow? Seems obvious that McCann will catch Lucas and Grandal will be the DH. Not sure how anybody could think EE starts over Grandal. 

Ricky continued to play EE in the regular season in hopes that EE would catch fire. Well he didn’t. I’m not saying he’ll be on the bench all postseason, but I certainly never expected him to play tomorrow. 

I dont expect grandal to be the dh with no 3rd catcher. Seems like a big risk for a playoff game but we shall see

1 minute ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

I dont expect grandal to be the dh with no 3rd catcher. Seems like a big risk for a playoff game but we shall see

Zero excuse to not have a 3rd catcher on a 28 man playoff roster if it allows you to play two of your best hitters again LHP.

6 minutes ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Zero excuse to not have a 3rd catcher on a 28 man playoff roster if it allows you to play two of your best hitters again LHP.

Not having a 3rd or 4th starter may complicate that.  

26 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

I'm nervous, but I'm sure next year's playoffs will be much more intense. This should give us a taste. We don't have true championship expectations just yet so it'll be easier to enjoy the games. 

I didn't even know we made the playoffs next year.