Anyway, just to remind you: the defending World Series Champions are the Texas Rangers.
And the defending World Series Champions have now officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
That is not as unusual as it might seem. It is extremely difficult to repeat as WS champs. The last time a team won back-to-back World Series was the NY Yankees from 1998 to 2000. It also is not unheard of for the defending champ to fail to make the playoffs in the following season. For example, the Washington Nationals won it all in 2019 and have not reached the playoffs ever since. And the Boston Red Sox won the WS in 2018 but failed to make the playoffs in 2019.
Saturday night I picked up $40 seats in the third deck directly behind home plate for Sunday's Dodgers-Rockies game. Yamamoto (the Dodgers' other expensive player from Japan, who spent a chunk of the season on the IL and is still not all the way back) struggled badly for three innings and the Bums left a boatload of guys on base, assisted in that by three Rockies double plays, so it was looking rather dire for quite a while. But the bullpen held up, with Treinen striking out the side in the top of the ninth, and the bottom of the ninth sent me home very happy: a tying solo shot by Ohtani, his 53rd HR, and a walk-off HR by Mookie Betts.
We spent more on concessions than we did on the seats. Don't buy the margaritas at Dodger Stadium.
Things are winding down. I'll wait to list all the playoff teams.
But today and tomorrow will be the last two games for the Oakland As in Oakland. That situation has been a mess with ownership and the city failing to reach agreement about a new stadium (while the old one is falling down around people's ears). The As will eventually relocate to Las Vegas although (the last I heard) next season they will be....somewhere else, camping in a Triple-A ballpark, or something like that. Which just emphasizes how badly the situation in Oakland was botched by all concerned.
It will be...interesting....to see how the understandably disgruntled fans deal with the final game tomorrow. I have heard that the visiting team (Texas Rangers) have been advised that, when the game is over, they should just get off the field, pack up and leave as fast as possible.
The As will eventually relocate to Las Vegas although (the last I heard) next season they will be....somewhere else, camping in a Triple-A ballpark, or something like that.
2025-27 the plan is for the A's to be in the Triple A park that houses the Sacramento River Cats, Sutter Health Park. Capacity: 14,000. The A's average attendance has been under 10,000 this year, so I guess that's okay. For 21 days this past July the high temp in Sacramento was over 100 F. The grass in the ballpark is being replaced with artificial turf because grass won't hold up to two teams playing on it; let's hope they can find something better than the old artificial stuff that was so hot it melted rubber cleats.
A's owner John Fisher posted a letter to Oakland fans all about how sorry he is that he was forced to move the team from Oakland - complete horseshit. It's a toss-up as to whether he or Jerry Reinsdorf (White Sox) is the worst owner in MLB. I heard somewhere the other day -- Locked on MLB podcast, probably -- that Reinsdorf plans to cut payroll next year.
In more scuffling Dodger news ... yesterday they lost to the San Diego Padres, who turned a game-inning triple play and clinched an off-season berth -- and could quite possibly take the NL West division from the Dodgers. Dodgers' magic number is 4, with 5 games left to play, and the Padres won the head-to-head season match-up, so they have the tie-breaker.
Saturday night I picked up $40 seats in the third deck directly behind home plate for Sunday's Dodgers-Rockies game. Yamamoto (the Dodgers' other expensive player from Japan, who spent a chunk of the season on the IL and is still not all the way back) struggled badly for three innings and the Bums left a boatload of guys on base, assisted in that by three Rockies double plays, so it was looking rather dire for quite a while. But the bullpen held up, with Treinen striking out the side in the top of the ninth, and the bottom of the ninth sent me home very happy: a tying solo shot by Ohtani, his 53rd HR, and a walk-off HR by Mookie Betts.
Remind me again, cricket is too obscure and arcane for you USAians? I have very little clue what any of that means!
Remind me again, cricket is too obscure and arcane for you USAians? I have very little clue what any of that means!
For the record, I am quite fond of cricket, with the ICC app on my phone. But, to decode. IL is the Injured List, "Bums" is an old affectionate nickname for the Dodgers from back when they played in Brooklyn. "Double plays" meant the Rockies turned two outs on a single play, eliminating scoring chances.
That is a subtle difference between cricket and baseball. As far as I know, it is not possible to get TWO wickets on a single play. In baseball, you can get two outs on one play.
"Bullpen" is a traditional term to refer to the relief pitchers.
And the Dodgers ("dem Bums") won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with two home runs--one to tie, and one to win.
Now if you want really arcane stuff, we could try to discuss the playoff scenarios, made more complicated by a hurricane that will require Atlanta and the NY Mets to play a doubleheader on Monday--with at least one of them then having to fly elsewhere to play a playoff game on Tuesday. Depending on how the weather breaks, there is even a chance that Atlanta may have to play a doubleheader on Saturday AND on Monday, and then, if they advance, try to play another game with their bullpen (see above) completely exhausted.
And HR is a home run. ( Cricket equivalent of clearing the boundary for a six but only counts for one run and a run for each runner currently on base.) A walk off HR can only happy when the home team is batting (they bat last in an inning) and means they have scored at least one more run than the opposition. Bullpen refers to the relief pitchers and the place where relief pitchers warm up.
Baseball isn't arcane at all. ;^)
Did you figure out "guys left on base"? I think that went unexplained. Someone who gets to first, second or third base but never advances to home before the inning is over is said to have been left on base. Leaving a lot of runners on base is a source of great frustration both to players and fans.
I'm not sure I've told this story on the Ship: I met the man who is now my partner because we both frequented a neighborhood wine bar about 10 years ago, and we regularly talked baseball. I will never forget the look of simultaneous delight and chagrin on his face when I used the term "junior circuit" -- delight because I knew and used the phrase, chagrin because I was scoffing at his precious Yankees.
... we could try to discuss the playoff scenarios, made more complicated by a hurricane that will require Atlanta and the NY Mets to play a doubleheader on Monday--with at least one of them then having to fly elsewhere to play a playoff game on Tuesday. Depending on how the weather breaks, there is even a chance that Atlanta may have to play a doubleheader on Saturday AND on Monday, and then, if they advance, try to play another game with their bullpen (see above) completely exhausted.
I don't understand why they don't just play at a neutral site. Do you happen to know?
I had a clue as to "left on base" from rounders, which I played at primary school and on occasion at social events since. I guess it's a sort of baby version of baseball.
So we are almost to the playoffs. One game left between Atlanta and NY Mets to settle things. But what I can say is that, on Tuesday, the AL Wild Card best-of-three series will start, with Detroit v. Houston and Kansas City v. Baltimore.
The NL Wild Card series is awaiting the results of the last game between Atlanta and the Mets. What I can say is that San Diego will play either NY or Atlanta, while Milwaukee Brewers will play either NY or Arizona.
The NY Mets are definitely playing one of those two teams. The only issue left is whether Atlanta or Arizona will make the playoffs.
The first game today was absolutely wild! Atlanta took a 3-run lead into the 8th, with pitcher Schwellenbach very dominant. He immediately gave up a double and got pulled in favor of Atlanta's 8th inning guy. The Mets got three more hits, and with the game at 3-2, Atlanta switched to their 9th inning guy, who immediately gave up a single and the Mets tied it up. A sac fly gave them the lead, and a HR took them to 6-3. In the bottom of the 8th, Atlanta manufactured a run and then re-took the lead 7-6 with a 3-run HR. Had the game ended there, it would have been a classic Mets game, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. But in the top of the 9th, after a single, Francisco Lindor homered and the Mets were back up, 8-7, and they held on to win.
I don't suppose the Mets are working too hard in the second game, not only because they don't need to but also because if they win, they have to fly to San Diego to play tomorrow, but if they lose they only have to fly to Milwaukee. I'm just glad I'm not a Diamondbacks fan.
You're correct - Ozzie Albies hit a double. I was listening on the MLB app on my phone and trying to make peach cobbler. I kept stopping and running into the living room to grab my partner and say "OMG OMG!" Eventually I boosted the audio to a better speaker and we just sat down and listened.
In the first game of the play-offs, Detroit defeated Houston. Which is a great start IMO - I loathe the Astros.
The cobbler turned out great! And now I'm watching Detroit-Houston game 2, in which it appears that Detroit might not have what it takes, i.e., a starting rotation comprised of more than one actual starter.
Here's where the post-season bracket gets weird. #6 seed Detroit goes on to play #2 Cleveland, while the #1 Yankees will face the #4 or #5 seed. Same thing could happen in the NL.
As noted, Detroit beat Houston, so Detroit advances to an ALDS against the Cleveland Guardindians.
In other news, Kansas City Royals eliminated the Baltimore Orioles. KC will advance to an ALDS against the NY Yankees.
And the San Diego Padres eliminated the Atlanta Braves. The Padres will next play the LA Dodgers in an NLDS.
The only Wild Card series left to be determined is the NY Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers--which is currently tied a game each. Tonight's winner will advance to an NLDS against the Phillies.
No baseball games today. First day since the All Star break without baseball. Ugh. I suppose it's a little bit of practice for the off season.
I remind myself, though, that there is baseball beyond MLB. Maybe this will be the winter I learn to follow Australian baseball or the Latin American winter leagues.
My Yankees-fan partner tells me the Dodgers are the new Evil Empire, but the deep-rooted, implacable hate for the Yankees in some quarters will never go away. (And rightfully so.)
I woke really early this morning and have been scrolling through Ship threads that I don't usually visit and I've loved seeing you all chatting here.
I have childhood memories of my grandmother going to ball games. She was a season ticket holder for the Baltimore Orioles and I had a T shirt and a cap.
Happy days!
grumblegrumblegrumble. But they earned it. As I feared, the Phillies are playing the same as they played the last week of the regular season--minimal run scoring, good starting pitching, crappy relief pitching. Meanwhile, the Mets remain hot.
The Mets completed their conquest of the Phillies yesterday, winning the series 3-1. The Mets will go on to play either San Diego or Los Angeles (whose series is tied 2-2).
On the positive side, with my Phils eliminated, I can now enjoy the rest of the playoffs just enjoying the baseball, without a dog in the fight.
Of the teams remaining: Cleveland has not won the World Series for 75 years; San Diego has never won the World Series in their 55 years of existence; Detroit Tigers last won it 39 years ago; NY Mets were 37 seasons ago; Yankees were 14 seasons ago; Kansas City was 8 years ago and, of course, the LA Dodgers won it a mere 3 seasons ago.
The Evil Empire (operating under the name NY Yankees) defeated Kansas City last night to advance to the AL championship. LA-San Diego is tonight to see who will play the Mets; while Cleveland-Detroit will play Saturday to see who plays the Yankees.
I am just going on record now to say that I do NOT want to see an All-New-York World Series.
We're hoping for a Dodgers-Yankees series in my home. What happens if we get one I don't know. This is the first year since we got together that the Yankees have been really good.
I'm happily stunned that the Dodgers prevailed over the Padres, who didn't score after the second inning of game 3. This against a Dodgers starting rotation so tattered game 4 was a bullpen game. Dave Roberts should get all the managerial awards for how well he's handled shuffling the relievers.
The Cleveland Guardians beat Detroit, so they will be playing against the Yankees for the AL title. And the Dodgers are up 1-0 against the Mets in the NL championship.
As I indicated earlier, Cleveland last won the World Series in 1948. The Mets last won it in 1986. The Yankees last won it in 2009. The Dodgers won it in 2020. I'd love for Cleveland to end its 75-year drought, but I don't think that is going to happen.
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That is not as unusual as it might seem. It is extremely difficult to repeat as WS champs. The last time a team won back-to-back World Series was the NY Yankees from 1998 to 2000. It also is not unheard of for the defending champ to fail to make the playoffs in the following season. For example, the Washington Nationals won it all in 2019 and have not reached the playoffs ever since. And the Boston Red Sox won the WS in 2018 but failed to make the playoffs in 2019.
We spent more on concessions than we did on the seats. Don't buy the margaritas at Dodger Stadium.
But today and tomorrow will be the last two games for the Oakland As in Oakland. That situation has been a mess with ownership and the city failing to reach agreement about a new stadium (while the old one is falling down around people's ears). The As will eventually relocate to Las Vegas although (the last I heard) next season they will be....somewhere else, camping in a Triple-A ballpark, or something like that. Which just emphasizes how badly the situation in Oakland was botched by all concerned.
It will be...interesting....to see how the understandably disgruntled fans deal with the final game tomorrow. I have heard that the visiting team (Texas Rangers) have been advised that, when the game is over, they should just get off the field, pack up and leave as fast as possible.
2025-27 the plan is for the A's to be in the Triple A park that houses the Sacramento River Cats, Sutter Health Park. Capacity: 14,000. The A's average attendance has been under 10,000 this year, so I guess that's okay. For 21 days this past July the high temp in Sacramento was over 100 F. The grass in the ballpark is being replaced with artificial turf because grass won't hold up to two teams playing on it; let's hope they can find something better than the old artificial stuff that was so hot it melted rubber cleats.
A's owner John Fisher posted a letter to Oakland fans all about how sorry he is that he was forced to move the team from Oakland - complete horseshit. It's a toss-up as to whether he or Jerry Reinsdorf (White Sox) is the worst owner in MLB. I heard somewhere the other day -- Locked on MLB podcast, probably -- that Reinsdorf plans to cut payroll next year.
In more scuffling Dodger news ... yesterday they lost to the San Diego Padres, who turned a game-inning triple play and clinched an off-season berth -- and could quite possibly take the NL West division from the Dodgers. Dodgers' magic number is 4, with 5 games left to play, and the Padres won the head-to-head season match-up, so they have the tie-breaker.
Remind me again, cricket is too obscure and arcane for you USAians? I have very little clue what any of that means!
That is a subtle difference between cricket and baseball. As far as I know, it is not possible to get TWO wickets on a single play. In baseball, you can get two outs on one play.
"Bullpen" is a traditional term to refer to the relief pitchers.
And the Dodgers ("dem Bums") won the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with two home runs--one to tie, and one to win.
Now if you want really arcane stuff, we could try to discuss the playoff scenarios, made more complicated by a hurricane that will require Atlanta and the NY Mets to play a doubleheader on Monday--with at least one of them then having to fly elsewhere to play a playoff game on Tuesday. Depending on how the weather breaks, there is even a chance that Atlanta may have to play a doubleheader on Saturday AND on Monday, and then, if they advance, try to play another game with their bullpen (see above) completely exhausted.
Baseball isn't arcane at all. ;^)
I'm not sure I've told this story on the Ship: I met the man who is now my partner because we both frequented a neighborhood wine bar about 10 years ago, and we regularly talked baseball. I will never forget the look of simultaneous delight and chagrin on his face when I used the term "junior circuit" -- delight because I knew and used the phrase, chagrin because I was scoffing at his precious Yankees.
I don't understand why they don't just play at a neutral site. Do you happen to know?
But maybe I am just being cynical because of the Oakland Idiot.
The NL Wild Card series is awaiting the results of the last game between Atlanta and the Mets. What I can say is that San Diego will play either NY or Atlanta, while Milwaukee Brewers will play either NY or Arizona.
The NY Mets are definitely playing one of those two teams. The only issue left is whether Atlanta or Arizona will make the playoffs.
I don't suppose the Mets are working too hard in the second game, not only because they don't need to but also because if they win, they have to fly to San Diego to play tomorrow, but if they lose they only have to fly to Milwaukee. I'm just glad I'm not a Diamondbacks fan.
In the first game of the play-offs, Detroit defeated Houston. Which is a great start IMO - I loathe the Astros.
Here's where the post-season bracket gets weird. #6 seed Detroit goes on to play #2 Cleveland, while the #1 Yankees will face the #4 or #5 seed. Same thing could happen in the NL.
In other news, Kansas City Royals eliminated the Baltimore Orioles. KC will advance to an ALDS against the NY Yankees.
And the San Diego Padres eliminated the Atlanta Braves. The Padres will next play the LA Dodgers in an NLDS.
The only Wild Card series left to be determined is the NY Mets vs. Milwaukee Brewers--which is currently tied a game each. Tonight's winner will advance to an NLDS against the Phillies.
The Division Series are Best-of-5 format.
The Dodgers face the Padres Saturday. As Han Solo said, "I have a bad feeling about this."
I remind myself, though, that there is baseball beyond MLB. Maybe this will be the winter I learn to follow Australian baseball or the Latin American winter leagues.
I have childhood memories of my grandmother going to ball games. She was a season ticket holder for the Baltimore Orioles and I had a T shirt and a cap.
Happy days!
grumblegrumblegrumble. But they earned it. As I feared, the Phillies are playing the same as they played the last week of the regular season--minimal run scoring, good starting pitching, crappy relief pitching. Meanwhile, the Mets remain hot.
On the positive side, with my Phils eliminated, I can now enjoy the rest of the playoffs just enjoying the baseball, without a dog in the fight.
Of the teams remaining: Cleveland has not won the World Series for 75 years; San Diego has never won the World Series in their 55 years of existence; Detroit Tigers last won it 39 years ago; NY Mets were 37 seasons ago; Yankees were 14 seasons ago; Kansas City was 8 years ago and, of course, the LA Dodgers won it a mere 3 seasons ago.
I am just going on record now to say that I do NOT want to see an All-New-York World Series.
It's hardly a "world" series, is it? More like a local derby really ...
I'll see myself out.
I'm happily stunned that the Dodgers prevailed over the Padres, who didn't score after the second inning of game 3. This against a Dodgers starting rotation so tattered game 4 was a bullpen game. Dave Roberts should get all the managerial awards for how well he's handled shuffling the relievers.
As I indicated earlier, Cleveland last won the World Series in 1948. The Mets last won it in 1986. The Yankees last won it in 2009. The Dodgers won it in 2020. I'd love for Cleveland to end its 75-year drought, but I don't think that is going to happen.
I will be going in person to the Wednesday game! A friend has tickets!!!
The ALCS has been way more fun to watch than the blowouts in the NLCS, though.