What do we know about their road ball parks vìs-á-vìs left field and right field advantages?Well the Red Sox are 40-22 at home, so very. Except that the Astros are 40-21 on the road,
How important is it to catch Houston?
Game 1 and 7?You have Chris Sale for Game 1 and 7. Who has a better ace to deal?
No question, I'd honestly rather play Houston than Cleveland at this point....especially if have to start the series on the road.Isn't a better question, "How important is it to stay ahead of Cleveland?"? BP projects Houston at 98 wins, Cleveland at 91, Boston at 90.
Gotta make sure Fister gets a start?You have Chris Sale for Game 1 and 7. Who has a better ace to deal?
If "at this point" means that Carlos Correa, Lance McCullers, Evan Gattis, and Will Harris stay on the DL, I might agree with you. If they're all healthy by October, I don't think you'll be saying this.No question, I'd honestly rather play Houston than Cleveland at this point....especially if have to start the series on the road.
Sorry for lack of clarity. I am trying to say that having an ace like Sale trumps home-field advantage, assuming he can outpitch Kluber or Keuchel in potential series with Cleveland and Houston.Game 1 and 7?
You are right, Lose. I must have been blanking back to the days when ace pitchers worked on three days' rest in the postseason. When did that last happen?The first round is best of 5, so you'd have him for 1 and 5, which is nice.
In a best of 7 he wouldn't pitch 1 and 7 though.
The last postseason series that was played. Corey Kluber started games 1, 4, and 7 for the Indians in the World Series.You are right, Lose. I must have been blanking back to the days when ace pitchers worked on three days' rest in the postseason. When did that last happen?
Right, but if he pitched 1 and 5 in the DS, he could pitch 3 and 7 in the CS, which ain't badThe first round is best of 5, so you'd have him for 1 and 5, which is nice.
In a best of 7 he wouldn't pitch 1 and 7 though.
Plus Bauer in Games 2 and 5.The last postseason series that was played. Corey Kluber started games 1, 4, and 7 for the Indians in the World Series.
Thanks, Max. If Sox and Indians meet in ALDS, Kluber vs. Sale will be instant classic matchup. So I guess the real meaning of best record is avoiding this Boston-Cleveland matchup right off the bat.The last postseason series that was played. Corey Kluber started games 1, 4, and 7 for the Indians in the World Series.
It's worth noting that he's already thrown 178 innings, and trails only Archer in pitches thrown.Sale tends to wear down a bit -
Career ERA
1st half - 2.74
2nd half - 3.30
Sep/Oct - 3.79
So maybe more important to make sure he's rested and ready to go
What has been the point of giving him an extra days rest whenever possible then?I don't think that yesterday's brutal performance had as much to do with the Indians as it did with arm-weariness. Unfortunately, Farrell was asked about resting him, and said that the team can't afford it. For a while now, many of his fastballs are 92. He looked flat and won't be a major weapon in October.
That's an awfully definitive statement. Seems to me we're not in a position to really say that much. Maybe....[Sale] won't be a major weapon in October.
This post is silly.I don't think that yesterday's brutal performance had as much to do with the Indians as it did with arm-weariness. Unfortunately, Farrell was asked about resting him, and said that the team can't afford it. For a while now, many of his fastballs are 92. He looked flat and won't be a major weapon in October.
It's posts like this that makes LJ sorry he ever invented this place.However, if you, like me, want a new manager at the helm, you don't really want them catching anybody. A first round loss should all but guarantee a sea-change in the coaching ranks. Going into the LCS or beyond probably extends his stay by at least two more seasons (they need to talk extension this off-season or risk the lame duck status and questions heading into ST).
Maybe they could lose even more games and we could always get high draft picks too.There's no way to know how healthy each of the playoff teams are going to be once postseason baseball starts, so the team needs to just focus on winning and keeping healthy as much as possible. If they catch or surpass anybody on the way, so much the better, but just getting in should be the only thing they be worried about and hope for good matchups and hot bats in the Boston unis.
However, if you, like me, want a new manager at the helm, you don't really want them catching anybody. A first round loss should all but guarantee a sea-change in the coaching ranks. Going into the LCS or beyond probably extends his stay by at least two more seasons (they need to talk extension this off-season or risk the lame duck status and questions heading into ST).
Always nice to meet a fan. Thanks for the kind words.It's posts like this that makes LJ sorry he ever invented this place.
So you are rooting for them to lose as much as possible down the stretch? Are you not an embedded Yankee fan? I could never root for any of my teams to lose not even the 2012 Bobby V Red Sox.. If you root for your team to lose you are not a true fan.There's no way to know how healthy each of the playoff teams are going to be once postseason baseball starts, so the team needs to just focus on winning and keeping healthy as much as possible. If they catch or surpass anybody on the way, so much the better, but just getting in should be the only thing they be worried about and hope for good matchups and hot bats in the Boston unis.
However, if you, like me, want a new manager at the helm, you don't really want them catching anybody. A first round loss should all but guarantee a sea-change in the coaching ranks. Going into the LCS or beyond probably extends his stay by at least two more seasons (they need to talk extension this off-season or risk the lame duck status and questions heading into ST).
No, not at all. I hate that they've pissed away wins and that they aren't as far ahead in the standings as they could be. I want them to win it all. I just wish it wouldn't ensure the guy in the dugout gets to stay on. To me, that means wanting them to win while acknowledging I wouldn't be devastated if they didn't and it meant he left. It's a complicated, conflicting set of emotions. What I meant by not really wanting them to catch anybody is that there's that little voice in the back of my mind that, even as I'm listening to the radio or following on Game Day, says, "Yeah, but what if...." But if they pull it off, I'll be far happier about that than irked about Farrell sticking around, especially if he himself has a good postseason. But I never root for them to lose either, not even in 2012. I agree 100% about that.So you are rooting for them to lose as much as possible down the stretch? Are you not an embedded Yankee fan? I could never root for any of my teams to lose not even the 2012 Bobby V Red Sox.. If you root for your team to lose you are not a true fan.
:|No, not at all. I hate that they've pissed away wins and that they aren't as far ahead in the standings as they could be. I want them to win it all. I just wish it wouldn't ensure the guy in the dugout gets to stay on. To me, that means wanting them to win while acknowledging I wouldn't be devastated if they didn't and it meant he left. It's a complicated, conflicting set of emotions. What I meant by not really wanting them to catch anybody is that there's that little voice in the back of my mind that, even as I'm listening to the radio or following on Game Day, says, "Yeah, but what if...." But if they pull it off, I'll be far happier about that than irked about Farrell sticking around, especially if he himself has a good postseason. But I never root for them to lose either, not even in 2012. I agree 100% about that.
You never know how these things go. Even if they could get to Houston, those games won't take place there. The team is extremely talented, that part of the equation doesn't change. Depending on the makeup of the players I can easily see this as being a rallying point for the team as well as much of Texas. Teams talk about winning for their fans, but rarely for this sort of reason. Baseball is the last thing on many of these folks minds right now, but by the same token they all will need some sort of escape in their lives. Some pleasant distraction from the devastation that I'm sure the Astros would be all to happy to supply to them. As for how important is is that the Sox catch Houston...Given the past week, It's more important that the Yankees don't catch the Sox.I would not expect Houston to play that well for a few weeks. This storm/flood is going to affect them in a lot of different ways....starting with the fact that they have a 6 game home stand starting tomorrow and they cannot fly in there presently.
A similar situation that came to mind was the Indians 2007 home opening series which was snowed out. Of course, the overwhelming difference is that the Cleveland snow didn't cause a disaster anything like what Houston is experiencing. It just put off the opening homestand from a Friday until the following Tuesday. It also didn't cause any Indians tailspin (can you have a tailspin in the first week or two of a season anyway)? The Sizemores, Sabathias, Garkos, Hernandezes (or Carmonas, whatever) got off to a decent start to the season.You never know how these things go. Even if they could get to Houston, those games won't take place there. The team is extremely talented, that part of the equation doesn't change.....