GDT: 2019 MLB Regular Season Thread (Part VI): Final weekend

[darko]

Which of these make the 2020 playoffs: Cubs, Mets, Red Sox?

All 3.

 

[TropicalFruitGirl2]

Likely the final game for Felix Hernandez for the Mariners as it seems the team is looking to go in a different direction.

Hernandez is only 33, but he is far from the pitcher he once was.
Does he have anything left to possibly be a 4th or 5th starter on a deeper team?

Would he WANT to pitch anywhere else, or would he rather retire?

He had opportunities to go elsewhere during his tenure with Seattle and he never took them.

I guess it will come down to whether his desire to continue competing overpowers his need to just be with the team that drafted and developed him.
But he will certainly need to make adjustments to his mound approach to offset his deteriorated skill set to even be worth a look at by a contender.

Fans are REALLY behind this guy in the game against the A's.

 

[darko]

need nats to keep winning so they can host WC game

Will you attend and then leave after 6 innings?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I think Felix could get a (cheap) guaranteed deal on a 1 year flyer if he wants to keep playing elsewhere.

 

[DougieSmash]

Cubs are 0-9 in last 9 games. LOL. One of the biggest choke job ever?

 

[EpochLink]

Cubs are 0-9 in last 9 games. LOL. One of the biggest choke job ever?

I think it's more of a 'lets get rid of Joe Madden' kind of feeling.

 

[c9777666]

Typical Pirates- win enough meaningless games to save Clint Hurdle’s job

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Typical Pirates- win enough meaningless games to save Clint Hurdle’s job

They could have lost 20 in a row to end the year and he'd have been back. Do you think the Pirates are going to pay 2 managers for 2 years lol

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

A's can finish no worse than tied with Cleveland now. Their magic number is 1 for a wc spot and 2 for the 1st wc spot.

 

[c9777666]

Oh NOW the Trout-less Angels are suddenly trying hard.

Beat OAK on Tuesday, beat HOU just a few moments ago, should have won last night.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Leaves the Yankees slight hope at home field throughout.

 

[c9777666]

Leaves the Yankees slight hope at home field throughout.

I would love to see Astros/Twins.

 

[darko]

I would love to see Astros/Twins.

Twins aren't beating the Yankees. Not in the postseason.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

Twins aren't beating the Yankees. Not in the postseason.

Think he's talking about in round 1.

 

[darko]

Think he's talking about in round 1.

That sucks. Don't want to play A's/Rays.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

There is a chance that the NL Central race could result in a 163rd game to determine the division winner. This allows me the opportunity to once again voice my displeasure for this. These teams have played each other 19 times this season. Why not use H2H records to determine who wins? Instead, they use a 1-game sample size, which is insanely dumb for baseball. And in the process, they punish a team that tied for first in their division, which is also dumb. There is such an easy solution to it, too, which is why nothing will change, I guess.

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

There is a chance that the NL Central race could result in a 163rd game to determine the division winner. This allows me the opportunity to once again voice my displeasure for this. These teams have played each other 19 times this season. Why not use H2H records to determine who wins? Instead, they use a 1-game sample size, which is insanely dumb for baseball. And in the process, they punish a team that tied for first in their division, which is also dumb. There is such an easy solution to it, too, which is why nothing will change, I guess.

Money rules all, homie. Mlb spins it that the team that won h2h gets it a home.

 

[BMOK33]

Twins aren't beating the Yankees. Not in the postseason.

There’s no doubt though if you’re a Twins fan today you’re pulling for a first round matchup with them any day over Houston. Nobody wants to get Grienke and Verlander 4 times in a 5 game series

 

[Quid Pro Clowe]

There’s no doubt though if you’re a Twins fan today you’re pulling for a first round matchup with them any day over Houston. Nobody wants to get Grienke and Verlander 4 times in a 5 game series

Cole is better than Greinke atm.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

There is a chance that the NL Central race could result in a 163rd game to determine the division winner. This allows me the opportunity to once again voice my displeasure for this. These teams have played each other 19 times this season. Why not use H2H records to determine who wins? Instead, they use a 1-game sample size, which is insanely dumb for baseball. And in the process, they punish a team that tied for first in their division, which is also dumb. There is such an easy solution to it, too, which is why nothing will change, I guess.

Completely disagree. Don't care if a team wins the season series 19-0. Your record is your record and at the end of the day a win is a win, doesn't matter who it was against. If you're good enough to beat them during the reg season then you're good enough to beat them in a 1 game winner take all.

I hate that the NHL uses idiotic tie breakers to decide playoff seeding based on ROW and shit like that. If you want a better seat at the table and don't want to play a tie-breaker game then play better during the season.

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

Completely disagree. Don't care if a team wins the season series 19-0. Your record is your record and at the end of the day a win is a win, doesn't matter who it was against. If you're good enough to beat them during the reg season then you're good enough to beat them in a 1 game winner take all.

I hate that the NHL uses idiotic tie breakers to decide playoff seeding based on ROW and **** like that. If you want a better seat at the table and don't want to play a tie-breaker game then play better during the season.

Two issues with this.

First, couldn't the same be said but the opposite way? Like... if a team tied for first but lost the division on a tie breaker, can't you say they should have just played better in the 19 other instances they played each other? It also adds more weight to regular season games. This is especially true in a game like baseball, where dumb luck can majorly impact a game, so a 1-game sample size is terrible.

Second... You're punishing a team that tied for their division. Should they use their ace pitcher? And if they lose, that pitcher is no longer available for the other play-in game, which gives the Wild Card team the advantage. You don't see an issue with that?

Let's take the Cardinals & Brewers hypothetical tie as an example. They played each other 19 times this year, and the Cardinals won 10 of those. You say, "Well then they should just beat them one more time." But, why is that any different than saying the Brewers should have just won 1 more time in the regular season? And there is a large enough sample size there that the randomness of 1 game plays less of a role, because the Brewers had plenty of chances to win 1 more game against them.

Also, if they're tied.. do the Cardinals then use their ace? And if they lose, they no longer have him available for the wild card game. So now the other wild card team gets a pitching advantage. What kind of sense does that make?

 

[tony d]

A 1-game winner take all playoff is something I always like in baseball. Hope we get to see 1 this year.

 

[c9777666]

Tonight is the last ever WGN Cubs game, a tradition that dates back to 1948

 

[OhCaptainMyCaptain]

A 1-game winner take all playoff is something I always like in baseball. Hope we get to see 1 this year.

We already automatically get 2 of those with the Wild Card games. I'm not a huge fan of those either, though I do enjoy watching them for sure. But I can live with those. Really the most annoying part to me is how the team that ties for first in their division has to use their pitching and potentially travel around, while the other Wild Card team just chills and rests.

 

[robert terwilliger]

i'd rather a one gamer to decide the division than two teams splitting a playoff spot to falsely create stakes in an attempt to create the magic of an event that happened eight years ago.