2010 MLB Postseason The Hunt For October/November Baseball

[mass production]

It's just that time again for the Postseason for MLB!!! Who will go far, and take it all this year?

[Shortline Bus]

It's just that time again for the Postseason for MLB!!! Who will go far, and take it all this year?

 

Well my friend, late last night/early this morning (9/22/10) the 1st team to offically clinch a spot in the upcoming 8-team MLB post season tournment for 2010 is the AL Central Division winners, the Minnesota Twins. Here the link.

http://wcco.com/sports/twins/twins.clinch.central.2.1925018.html

 

 

Plus the "Twinkies' still have outside chance of getting the #1 seed and home field throughout the AL playoffs. They only 1 game (correct me if i am wrong)behind the Yanks as of start of today's (9/22/10)games.

Up next is the next club that could clinch by this weekend for the NL Central, the Cincy Reds. The Reds magic # to win the NL Central is 4.

[mass production]

Well my friend, late last night/early this morning (9/22/10) the 1st team to offically clinch a spot in the upcoming 8-team MLB post season tournment for 2010 is the AL Central Division winners, the Minnesota Twins. Here the link.

http://wcco.com/sports/twins/twins.clinch.central.2.1925018.html

 

 

Plus the "Twinkies' still have outside chance of getting the #1 seed and home field throughout the AL playoffs. They only 2 games (correct me if i am wrong)behind the Yanks.

Up next is the next club that could clinch by this weekend for the NL Central, the Cincy Reds.

 

I know the Twins Clinched there divison...my conceren is my team the Yankees... they are right now in 1st place in the AL East leading Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games. The Yankees need to maintain there 1st place position for them to have homefield advantage for both ALDS, and ALCS.

[Shortline Bus]

I know the Twins Clinched there divison...my conceren is my team the Yankees... they are right now in 1st place in the AL East leading Tampa Bay by 2 1/2 games. The Yankees need to maintain there 1st place position for them to have homefield advantage for both ALDS, and ALCS.

 

 

I know this may sound radical but IMO the MLB playoffs need to revise. Unless teams in cold weather cities like the Twins, Rockies and Indians can add retractable roofs to their ballparks I do have a huge problem with the world series ending the first few days in November. Even as MLB is planning and start the season on April 1, next year in '11, those midwest cities can get snow as late as late as April and early as late October.

Here my ideas.

 

1)The regular season should be reduced to 154 games unless all of the Northeast/Midwest teams gets retractable roofs. Then keep the same format.

For teams out of the playoff race, those ballparks become in most cases 'ghost towns' as fans are watching or attending NFL or college games after Labor Day Holiday.

 

 

2)Expanding the Divisional playoff round to a best 4 of 7 format only if the regular season is cut to 154 games.

If the season is cut to 154 games. Create a new first round in which 2 more teams (One in each league)play a best of 3 games.(first to win 2 games wins the series) The '3' division winners in each league get 1st round byes.

 

4)All of the post season games (even if it's on digital cable channel)should be shown also on 'free tv' in the playoff teams home market. This is similar to what the NFL does for games shown on ESPN or NFL Network and also what MLB used to do for playoff games shown on ESPN or Fox Sports Net.

Sadly though I think in next decade or much sooner, at least a couple of WS games will be shown on Cable i.e ESPN or TBS/TNT.

 

5)Have at least '2' afternoon World Series games. IMO the choices should be Game #2 and Game #5 of the "Fall Classic" be played in the late afternoon starting no later than 5pm Eastern time. This would attract more kids of all ages back to baseball as most of us have to work/go to school the next day.

 

6)Playoff(non world series)games should not start no later than 9pm eastern (6pm west coast)time for 1st round/Division series matches and 830pm ET for LCS/World series games.

 

what you go?

[Shortline Bus]

You can add the NL East race is being over. Phillies sweep the Braves 1-0 and their magic number to 4 games to win NL East.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know this may sound radical but IMO the MLB playoffs need to revise. Unless teams in cold weather cities like the Twins, Rockies and Indians can add retractable roofs to their ballparks I do have a huge problem with the world series ending the first few days in November. Even as MLB is planning and start the season on April 1, next year in '11, those midwest cities can get snow as late as late as April and early as late October.

Here my ideas.

 

1)The regular season should be reduced to 154 games unless all of the Northeast/Midwest teams gets retractable roofs. Then keep the same format.

For teams out of the playoff race, those ballparks become in most cases 'ghost towns' as fans are watching or attending NFL or college games after Labor Day Holiday.

 

 

2)Expanding the Divisional playoff round to a best 4 of 7 format only if the regular season is cut to 154 games.

If the season is cut to 154 games. Create a new first round in which 2 more teams (One in each league)play a best of 3 games.(first to win 2 games wins the series) The '3' division winners in each league get 1st round byes.

 

4)All of the post season games (even if it's on digital cable channel)should be shown also on 'free tv' in the playoff teams home market. This is similar to what the NFL does for games shown on ESPN or NFL Network and also what MLB used to do for playoff games shown on ESPN or Fox Sports Net.

Sadly though I think in next decade or much sooner, at least a couple of WS games will be shown on Cable i.e ESPN or TBS/TNT.

 

5)Have at least '2' afternoon World Series games. IMO the choices should be Game #2 and Game #5 of the "Fall Classic" be played in the late afternoon starting no later than 5pm Eastern time. This would attract more kids of all ages back to baseball as most of us have to work/go to school the next day.

 

6)Playoff(non world series)games should not start no later than 9pm eastern (6pm west coast)time for 1st round/Division series matches and 830pm ET for LCS/World series games.

 

what you go?

[Locomotion69]

The Minnesota Twinkies are over rated, Justin Morneau is out indefinitely with concussion like symptoms. No Morneau, say no go, say no go, say no no getting past the 1st round as usual for the Twinkies.

[Shortline Bus]

The Minnesota Twinkies are over rated, Justin Morneau is out indefinitely with concussion like symptoms. No Morneau, say no go, say no go, say no no getting past the 1st round as usual for the Twinkies.

 

One of these years the "Twinkies' will win a playoff game vs the Yankees. If Morneau and Nathan will playing, the current 2010 Yankee team does not seem to be the same club as last year's championship club.

 

We shall see.

 

And also this weekend, the Phillies, Yankees & Rays(at least wild card spots only for now)Reds and Rangers should also clinch playoff spots as well.

[Shortline Bus]

Don't yet give the Bronx Bombers the AL East Title and #1 seed in AL Playoffs just yet. CC gets bombed tonight (9/23/10)as Rays beats Yanks 10-3.

IMO the Yanks need more to have game 7 in ALCS aka #1 seed in playoffs especially vs. the Rays than vice versa.

 

I think it's harder this year for NY to win a possible game #7 in ALCS than for Tampa to win in the Bronx. Thankfully for Yanks they will get no worse than the wild card. What you guys think?:confused:

[Locomotion69]

I don't know why the Rays were all smiling yesterday, all they did was tread water, keep pace with the Yankees. They have a much easier schedule the rest of the way playing the worst of the A.L teams such as the Royals, Orioles and Mariners.

 

The team that finishes with the best record in the league more often then not doesn't go very far into the playoffs.

 

If you are a Yankees fan i would be worrying most about Teixeira who is batting only 254 but who is playing with pain due to a broken little toe.

 

One last thing Felix the Cat Hernandez should win the CY Young award hands down. won loss record doesn't mean much, compare the era's and strike outs vs innings pitched. The spread of both pitchers era's are about 1 run.

[Forest Glen]

The Yankees will not be repeating. The pitching is inconsistent. Even CC is struggling. Burnett is crap. Phil Hughes has a lot of wins, but only because he gets 10 runs of support. The hitting is erratic. Cano is streaky. Jeter is overrated and old. A-Rod is the same. The Twins and Rays are more lethal teams than the Yankees. Texas could also give them problems. The Yankees will be lucky to make it out of the first round.

[Shortline Bus]

The Yankees will not be repeating. The pitching is inconsistent. Even CC is struggling. Burnett is crap. Phil Hughes has a lot of wins, but only because he gets 10 runs of support. The hitting is erratic. Cano is streaky. Jeter is overrated and old. A-Rod is the same. The Twins and Rays are more lethal teams than the Yankees. Texas could also give them problems. The Yankees will be lucky to make it out of the first round.

 

Hey let's see the matchup first in the ALDS before we even approach the 'panic' button? Plus FG have you not noticed that even if the Yankees were the 'wild card' those non division winners in last 15 years has won the WS 3x, which are the '97 and '03 Marlins and the 2002 Angels.

 

Also the 2000 Yankees if i remember right had a terrible losing streak right before the start of playoffs. Guess what happened to that crew then led by Joe Torre? They won the 2000 'subway series' vs. the Mets and a '3-peat.' So man FG, chill and wait until the end of game #1 if Yanks lose, before you panic as a so called Yankee fan.

[Shortline Bus]

This MLB Baseball Tonight update brought to you by KFC's new bun-less chicken sandwichs. Experience the real taste of chicken totally up and close personal lol.

 

Locally the Yanks lost to the Red Sox 10-8. NY was down 10-1 late in the game to have the tying run on in 9th inning but fell short. Boston keeps it's slim playoff chances alive. Yanks now 1/2 games behind the Rays as Tampa beats Seattle 5-3. Rays also tied with Twins for #1 seed and home field throughout AL playoffs.

 

Meanwhile in AL, the Blue Jays Jose Bautista hit 2 dingers tonight and now leads the Majors with 51 homers. Bautista now had now added his name to the AL MVP race but according to most media people in baseball, Robby Cano, Josh Hamilton, and the Tigers Miguel Cabrera are still the expected '3' finalists.

 

And in NL, the Rockies chances of at least getting the wild card took a huge step back, as Tim Linecum pitches great as the Giants beat the Rockies 2-1 in Denver.

 

And the Phillies could clinch the NL east as early as tomorrow as they beat the Mets.

 

And that the MLB Tonight playoff race update presented by KFC new 'bun-less' chicken sandwichs.

[B35 via Church]

This is gonna be good....

 

 

The Minnesota Twinkies are over rated, Justin Morneau is out indefinitely with concussion like symptoms. No Morneau, say no go, say no go, say no no getting past the 1st round as usual for the Twinkies.

 

Thank You.

 

yes, you can only beat who's on your current schedule, but let's face it... if strength of schedule meant anything in the pro's, the Yankees easily had a tougher schedule this season, compared to the Devil Rays & the Twins....

 

 

One of these years the "Twinkies' will win a playoff game vs the Yankees. If Morneau and Nathan will playing, the current 2010 Yankee team does not seem to be the same club as last year's championship club.

 

We shall see.

 

And also this weekend, the Phillies, Yankees & Rays(at least wild card spots only for now)Reds and Rangers should also clinch playoff spots as well.

 

Yes, Mo as of late hasn't been the dominant Mo that we're used to seeing... but who's to say that Nathan will come back as domineering as he was before he got hurt or whatever.....

 

Know that this IS the Devil Rays year to win it... It has to be.

When your own owner says that "drastic" cuts will be made in the D Rays' payroll next year, you know you're in trouble as a franchise....

 

One thing's for sure though... It's gonna make the free agent acquisitions/trade talks (most likely a current player for draft pick) for next year real interesting.....

 

As for the Twins, I actually agree with this stance... as the Yankees get less (how can I say, intimidating) in the baseball realm, you're gonna see teams like the Twins as playoff perennials.... but they have to have the M & M boys in their lineup throughout that year's playoffs in order to fulfill that role; unless they go out & get some type of help in other outlets/facets of their squad....

 

Don't yet give the Bronx Bombers the AL East Title and #1 seed in AL Playoffs just yet. CC gets bombed tonight (9/23/10)as Rays beats Yanks 10-3.

IMO the Yanks need more to have game 7 in ALCS aka #1 seed in playoffs especially vs. the Rays than vice versa.

 

I think it's harder this year for NY to win a possible game #7 in ALCS than for Tampa to win in the Bronx. Thankfully for Yanks they will get no worse than the wild card. What you guys think?:confused:

yeah, hope I'm wrong, but I think this years Yankees are gonna get too complacent & find themselves having to struggle beating the Twins (who'll probably end up getting the AL's best record) in the 1st round....

 

 

I don't know why the Rays were all smiling yesterday, all they did was tread water, keep pace with the Yankees. They have a much easier schedule the rest of the way playing the worst of the A.L teams such as the Royals, Orioles and Mariners.

 

The team that finishes with the best record in the league more often then not doesn't go very far into the playoffs.

 

If you are a Yankees fan i would be worrying most about Teixeira who is batting only 254 but who is playing with pain due to a broken little toe.

 

One last thing Felix the Cat Hernandez should win the CY Young award hands down. won loss record doesn't mean much, compare the era's and strike outs vs innings pitched. The spread of both pitchers era's are about 1 run.

Negative.... I think Tex will come around....

 

Come playoff time, I'm worried about the Yankees bullpen... Starters are gonna have to go at least 7, pretty much.... furthermore, I'm not thrilled about Boone Logan being the guy that's set to come in to get the tough opposing lefty bat out...

 

far as Cy Young, that's either gonna go to Felix or David Price (thanks to CC's latest performance)....

 

 

The Yankees will not be repeating. The pitching is inconsistent. Even CC is struggling. Burnett is crap. Phil Hughes has a lot of wins, but only because he gets 10 runs of support. The hitting is erratic. Cano is streaky. Jeter is overrated and old. A-Rod is the same. The Twins and Rays are more lethal teams than the Yankees. Texas could also give them problems. The Yankees will be lucky to make it out of the first round.

I agree with some of what you're saying....

This entire post of yours is panic ridden... I mean, you don't bring out ONE definitive positive of the yankees going into the playoffs...

 

let's break it down.

 

- The Yankees will not be repeating.

Agreed... Much as I hate to say it, it'll probably gonna end up being the Phillies... My faith in Girardi has dwindled drastically....

 

- The pitching is inconsistent.

The offense doesn't give average pitching performances a chance to win games... that goes both ways, especially w/ this year's Yankees.... the "9th inning magic" just isn't there like it was in past seasons....

 

- Even CC is struggling. Burnett is crap. Phil Hughes has a lot of wins, but only because he gets 10 runs of support.

CC is not struggling, Burnett I agree with you on, and Hughes is gonna have to go back to his bread & butter (what made him lights out in the first half of the season), as opposed to throwing all these get-me-over fastballs that end up in the seats....

 

You should be thankful ANYone is getting 10 runs of support, especially when you say....

 

^^ - The hitting is erratic. Cano is streaky. Jeter is overrated and old. A-Rod is the same.

I worry too when Jeter steps up to the plate, captain clutch done bit the dust...

 

However, Cano's been carrying the Yankees offensively this whole season, what are you talking about.... When A-Rod went down injured, Cano stepped up... When Jeter was GIDP's all over the place, Cano stepped up... When Tex was out when his wife gave birth, Cano did what - stepped up.

 

you can't let emotion surpass ration.

 

 

-The Twins and Rays are more lethal teams than the Yankees. Texas could also give them problems.

Lethal? yeah right.... The Devil Rays have games where they struggle to get hits; hell, struggle to get on base...

 

The Rangers have this propensity of winning games where Cliff Lee starts - ...and just gutting out wins, or end up losing games where he doesn't (exact same deal w/ Seattle & King Felix, but anyway).... with as much talent as Texas has on paper, they should be putting up 7-8 runs a night, no questions asked (shit, even Minnesota has a higher RPG then they do)....

 

and the Twins are good at winning low-scoring games; they're not gonna light up the scoreboard with crooked numbers.... they have a difficult time of generating any real rally in innings; as bad as the Yankees have been lately w/ the LOB's, the twins are just as bad, if not worse at that... you're not gonna keep winning playoff games 3-2, 4-2, 2-0... they can forget about that...

 

 

- The Yankees will be lucky to make it out of the first round.

Name any 2 pitchers on Texas that match up well with Sabathia & Hughes.

Name any 2 pitchers on Tampa that match up well with Sabathia & Hughes.

Name any 2 pitchers on Minnesota that match up well with Sabathia & Hughes.

 

are you kidding... notice I didn't say Pettitte, who's FAR more "lethal" in the postseason than Hughes....

 

In a short series, the Yankees definitely have an advantage.... You're not factoring in that the first round is only a best of 5....

[Grand Concourse]

Well said.

[BJC]

I know this may sound radical but IMO the MLB playoffs need to revise. Unless teams in cold weather cities like the Twins, Rockies and Indians can add retractable roofs to their ballparks I do have a huge problem with the world series ending the first few days in November. Even as MLB is planning and start the season on April 1, next year in '11, those midwest cities can get snow as late as late as April and early as late October.

Here my ideas.

 

1)The regular season should be reduced to 154 games unless all of the Northeast/Midwest teams gets retractable roofs. Then keep the same format.

For teams out of the playoff race, those ballparks become in most cases 'ghost towns' as fans are watching or attending NFL or college games after Labor Day Holiday.

 

 

2)Expanding the Divisional playoff round to a best 4 of 7 format only if the regular season is cut to 154 games.

If the season is cut to 154 games. Create a new first round in which 2 more teams (One in each league)play a best of 3 games.(first to win 2 games wins the series) The '3' division winners in each league get 1st round byes.

 

4)All of the post season games (even if it's on digital cable channel)should be shown also on 'free tv' in the playoff teams home market. This is similar to what the NFL does for games shown on ESPN or NFL Network and also what MLB used to do for playoff games shown on ESPN or Fox Sports Net.

Sadly though I think in next decade or much sooner, at least a couple of WS games will be shown on Cable i.e ESPN or TBS/TNT.

 

5)Have at least '2' afternoon World Series games. IMO the choices should be Game #2 and Game #5 of the "Fall Classic" be played in the late afternoon starting no later than 5pm Eastern time. This would attract more kids of all ages back to baseball as most of us have to work/go to school the next day.

 

6)Playoff(non world series)games should not start no later than 9pm eastern (6pm west coast)time for 1st round/Division series matches and 830pm ET for LCS/World series games.

 

what you go?

 

you have alot of time on your hands...how long you've came up with all that?

[Eric]

So, as of right now, the matchups would be:

 

American League: Rays vs. Rangers / Yankees vs. Twins

National League: Phillies vs. Padres / Giants vs. Reds

 

With those matchups in mind, here are my picks:

 

Rays def. Rangers in 4

Yankees def. Twins in 5

Phillies def. Padres in 4

Reds def. Giants in 4

 

Yankees def. Rays in 6

Reds def. Phillies in 6

 

Reds def. Yankees in 7

 

 

For some reason, I'm just feeling Cincinnati.

[Shortline Bus]

So, as of right now, the matchups would be:

 

American League: Rays vs. Rangers / Yankees vs. Twins

National League: Phillies vs. Padres / Giants vs. Reds

 

With those matchups in mind, here are my picks:

 

Rays def. Rangers in 4

Yankees def. Twins in 5

Phillies def. Padres in 4

Reds def. Giants in 4

 

Yankees def. Rays in 6

Reds def. Phillies in 6

 

Reds def. Yankees in 7

 

 

For some reason, I'm just feeling Cincinnati.

 

Welcome Aboard. Eric. It's not impossible on your picks. Personally i like to wait until the playoffs match-ups are set offical before making a predictions.

 

I say right now the Phillies, Rays and Reds look the best heading to the post season.

[Locomotion69]

So, as of right now, the matchups would be:

 

American League: Rays vs. Rangers / Yankees vs. Twins

National League: Phillies vs. Padres / Giants vs. Reds

 

With those matchups in mind, here are my picks:

 

Rays def. Rangers in 4

Yankees def. Twins in 5

Phillies def. Padres in 4

Reds def. Giants in 4

Yankees def. Rays in 6

Reds def. Phillies in 6

 

Reds def. Yankees in 7

 

 

For some reason, I'm just feeling Cincinnati.

 

 

I agree with all of them except that I don't think the Twins will take it to 5 games against the Yankees. Yeah I know the Twins would have the home field advantage but you know the history between these 2 teams in the playoffs.

 

The Texas Rangers are the only Major League team to have never appeared in an LCS.

 

The Rangers, Mariners and Nationals are the only three franchises that have never appeared in a World Series.

[B35 via Church]

So, as of right now, the matchups would be:

 

American League: Rays vs. Rangers / Yankees vs. Twins

National League: Phillies vs. Padres / Giants vs. Reds

 

With those matchups in mind, here are my picks:

 

Rays def. Rangers in 4

Yankees def. Twins in 5

Phillies def. Padres in 4

Reds def. Giants in 4

 

Yankees def. Rays in 6

Reds def. Phillies in 6

 

Reds def. Yankees in 7

 

 

For some reason, I'm just feeling Cincinnati.

 

Our picks are almost exactly the same (even on down to the # of games); up until you have the reds beating the phillies.... I have the phillies beating the reds in 5, for the simple fact that the reds have no starting pitching.... yeah, I like what the reds bring to the table also, but that's gonna be their downfall this year IMO)...

 

in the WS, I have the phillies beating the yankees in 6...

 

something about this year's yankees, I'm not feeling, as WS champions...

[R68 Subway Car]

The race of the week will be between the Padres and the Giants, who will play the last three games of their season against each other. That will have massive playoff implications.

[Shortline Bus]

I agree with all of them except that I don't think the Twins will take it to 5 games against the Yankees. Yeah I know the Twins would have the home field advantage but you know the history between these 2 teams in the playoffs.

 

The Texas Rangers are the only Major League team to have never appeared in an LCS.

 

The Rangers, Mariners and Nationals are the only three franchises that have never appeared in a World Series.

 

 

The Nats techincally are the only current MLB team to never make the playoffs. However they did qualify 1x as the former Montreal Expos making to the 1981 NLCS losing to the Dodgers in strike shortended season.

[Locomotion69]

Congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies! 2010 NL EAST CHAMPIONS! PatcoMan must be celebrating right about now.

[Grand Concourse]

The Nats techincally are the only current MLB team to never make the playoffs. However they did qualify 1x as the former Montreal Expos making to the 1981 NLCS losing to the Dodgers in strike shortended season.

 

1994 might've been their year too if not for that strike. That team is just cursed.

[B35 via Church]

1994 might've been their year too if not for that strike. That team is just cursed.

 

ahem...

he would like to have a word with you...

 

[Shortline Bus]

I thought I raised this question. Forgot host name but over weekend I was in Atlantic City and listening to an ESPN national radio show. The Host brought up fact that baseball of the '4' major sports is only one in which teams that clinch a playoff spot/division title at end of regular season has 'wild celebrations' post games.

 

While in the other '3' sports, i.e NHL, NBA, and NFL you don't have wild victory parties until you at least win your conference/league title and play in the Stanley Cup, NBA Finals or Super Bowl.

 

Do you guys have a problem when a team goes wild for winning only a playoff berth/divison title in MLB? Or should team wait until they make at least the world series?