2011 MLB Playoffs

[pdga#7648]

In the American League I like Texas to beat Tampa Bay. I think their pitching will be too much for Tampa.
I like Detroit to win tonight with Verlander on the mound. But after that, I think the Yanks will win the series.
I then think Texas will get back to the World Series.


In the National league. I think Arizona will matchup with Milwaukee very well. Kennedy probably wins game #1, but after that it's a toss up. I really don't think the winner will be an upset, no matter who wins?

But in the other matchup, biased or not, I'll take the Cardinals. WHY?  They just went to Philly 3 weeks ago, and beat Lee, Oswalt and Halladay, their 3 best pitchers. Philly not playing very good at all until they went to Atlanta to end the season.. On the season St. Louis won 6 of 9 games.  They played very good ball the entire month of September, scored the most runs in the National League, and they have Pujols, Holliday, and Berkman in the middle of that lineup. If Lohse can beat Halladay tomorrow, Cards win in 4. If not, it goes to a game 5.
Hope to see a Milwaukee/St.Louis matchup to get to the World Series. A matchup of the 1982 Series, which of course the Cardinals won.  I really like the Cards chances. They are the hottest team of all the teams remaining. Whoever pulls it together in the month of September, usually goes on to get to or win the Series.

Lets go Cardinals! Pujols wont go anywhere and will probably settle for 25MIL a year for 8 years wearing another ring!

[CEValkyrie]

I won't say it cannot or will not happen but the Phillies are well rested and set up pefrectly for the playoffs with their rotation. I expect the Phillies to win.

Miwaukee VS Phillies
Yankess VS TX

Phillies/Yankess WS

Phillies win it all.

[pdga#7648]

1-1 going back to St. Louis. going to get interesting now.  Phillies bats went cold after 1st inning yesterday. Cards bullpen pitched 6 scoreless innings after Carp was pulled after the 3rd. Cards chances of getting 1 at home look pretty good. And anything can happen in a game 5!

[pdga#7648]

Cardinals fan or not, Baseball fan or not, if you are not excited about Fridays game, something is wrong.

This sets up as a pitchers duel for sure. Probably the best in the game with Halladay, and then the BIG game pitcher we all love in St. Louis, Carpenter. Yea Carp got roughed up in game 2, but it was on 3 days rest for the 1st time in his career. He will have normal days rest for this game. Cardinals got to Halladay early for 3 runs in the 1st inning in game 1, they need to do the same in this game, and not let Roy get dialed in. If he does, Phillies win. But if the Cardinals can keep it close, then get into Phillies bullpen, advantage Redbirds.  As a baseball fan, you guys have to be watching the game come Friday night.  Be honest Dan, will you watch??

[Dan Michler]

3 of the 4 series are going to Game 5's.  I can't believe baseball still has a 5 game series.  You build your team for a 162 game marathon, and then the season is decided in a 5 game sprint where anybody can beat anybody.  The NBA and NHL have 82 and 84 game seasons, but still have 7 games for the 1st round, plus they have an extra round in their playoffs!  Its so backwards.  5 games just isn't enough to decide who is better in baseball.  Chop the regular season down to 154 and beef up the playoffs.

Hopefully the Brewers can hang on to this thing.  At Miller Park is where they've made their living all year long.

The Yankees have a pretty good chance with Ivan Nova on the mound.  He's been great down the stretch.

The Phillies have Halladay on the mound in Philly for a deciding game.  They better win that or they'll face a major backlash.

[tacimala]

I agree with you Dan, it's pretty silly to have an overly long season followed by the shortest playoffs in professional sports.

The squirrel was pretty funny last night.

Go Fister.

[Tom McManus]

I agree with you Dan, it's pretty silly to have an overly long season followed by the shortest playoffs in professional sports.

The squirrel was pretty funny last night.

Go Fister.

I might be wrong about this, but I thought for a brief time there were some early rounds of the nba playoffs that were best of three.

Baseball should go to seven games for all rounds.

[damonshort]

I might be wrong about this, but I thought for a brief time there were some early rounds of the nba playoffs that were best of three.

From 1947-1960, the first round was 3 games, then from 1975-1984. Everything went to best-of-7 in 2003.

That's from Wikipedia, so it may not be accurate. 

[Dan Michler]

The Brewers Game 5 is at 4pm on Friday?  WTF is baseball doing?  Do they not want people to watch the games?  I understand they don't want it to overlap with the Cards/Phils game, but getting slapped with that time slot really sucks.  At least give it a 5pm start time and push the other game back to 8pm.

[pdga#7648]

I remember coming home from school in the 80's and catching the last of the World Series games, which used to always be played in the daytime. It sucks staying up until after 10pm to watch the last of a ball game, when work calls at 5am. This late in the year, being colder at night, all playoff games should be in the day. MLB probably doesn't really care about ratings anyway. The fans in the ballpark is what they count on!

[pdga#7648]

or you can do what I did on Tuesday, and leave work early 

[Bruce Brakel]

I might be wrong about this, but I thought for a brief time there were some early rounds of the nba playoffs that were best of three.

From 1947-1960, the first round was 3 games, then from 1975-1984. Everything went to best-of-7 in 2003.

That's from Wikipedia, so it may not be accurate. 

According to wikipedia, everything on wikipedia is accurate.   

[damonshort]

It's harder to hate the Yankees now that Steinbrenner's gone and Girardi's the manager (although I liked Joe Torre), but it's still satisfying to see them eliminated.

Has Alex Rodriguez EVER done anything in the playoffs?

I've got no particular preference in the AL, hope the Brewers can pull it together tomorrow. I grew up as a Cardinals fan (in the QC, it's pretty split Cardinals/Cubs, with the occasional Sox fan, but back then the Cards had Musial, Brock, Gibson, etc. etc.so it was an easy choice) but I'm not anymore; but there's still some genetic reflex that makes me hope that they win tomorrow night.

But I'll be pulling for Milwaukee whether StL wins or not.

[Dan Michler]

This late in the year, being colder at night, all playoff games should be in the day. MLB probably doesn't really care about ratings anyway. The fans in the ballpark is what they count on!

Yeah you're totally right Doug!  And the Super Bowl should be played at noon on a Tuesday!

If they didn't care about ratings, they wouldn't go to these lengths to make sure none of the games overlap?  And if they cared about fans in the ballpark, they wouldn't have a game at 2pm on a weekday in Tampa.  Ratings = $$$

[pdga#7648]

okay, I may not know about ratings and money, but I do know Carpenter was Brilliant tonight!


Right on 3 of the 4, with the Yankees letting me down. But that just means we can move 1 closer to them with them now watching!


AWESOME night!

[Dan Michler]

Heck of a performance by Carpenter.  Tough way to lose for Philly.  Those fans are not going to be happy this offseason after having 3 Cy Young candidates and failing to get out of the 1st round.

Looking forward to Brewers/Cardinals.  I hope Detroit wins in the AL, although I really don't care much.

[pdga#7648]

12 runs on 17 hits! What pitching staff in Milwaukee??

[pdga#7648]

Okay, I think things are safe. Tony can't let this lead get away!


Texas @ St. Louis

Cardinals already beat the best pitching staff in baseball in Philadelphia. As long as the starting pitching for the Cards goes deeper into games, they will beat the Rangers, for their 11th Title.
Regardless, a great season, and enough to get Albert to stay. He knows what a great team they will have next year getting Wainwright back.


GO CARDINALS!

[pdga#7648]

 

[tacimala]

Baseball is still on?