MLB Postseason 2021

[ClemmonsDevil]

Braves will miss Morton going forward. Fried got tattooed tonight. The Braves have been able to shield the glaring hole of losing Soroka pretty well to this point in their season but this series now goes at least 5 games. I think they may have finally run out of pitching. The Stros look poised to hang lots of crooked numbers on the Braves pitching staff tonight and going forward. Who will step up and eat innings for the Braves? I look at their roster and aside from Anderson and Fried who got shelled tonight, I see no obvious candidates.

He didn't miss any bats in that second inning but he also only gave up one hard hit ball. I would push back on your assertion that one big inning is suggestive of them putting up lots of crooked numbers going forward. Now that may indeed happen, but a huge second inning is no more suggestive of future success than scoring two runs last night was suggestive of never getting their offense going. I do agree that the Braves have lost quite a bit in their pitching staff. I also think Houston is the better team. I think it's likely they win the World Series. I don't agree with most of the things you said as being preordained however. But that may occur. We just don't know that.

[CameronDuke]

He didn't miss any bats in that second inning but he also only gave up one hard hit ball. I would push back on your assertion that one big inning is suggestive of them putting up lots of crooked numbers going forward. Now that may indeed happen, but a huge second inning is no more suggestive of future success than scoring two runs last night was suggestive of never getting their offense going. I do agree that the Braves have lost quite a bit in their pitching staff. I also think Houston is the better team. I think it's likely they win the World Series. I don't agree with most of the things you said as being preordained however. But that may occur. We just don't know that.

I would say losing your Game 1 World Series starter, your ace already being out, and watching your 3rd best starter give up 4 earned runs in the first two innings points to your team not having much pitching going forward. Against a top 5 offense in the majors in the Astros, one can reasonably connect the dots that given those facts vs a dangerous offense, the flood gates may open soon and the Astros will be able to capitalize on the obvious chinks in the armor of the Braves pitching staff. Who will the Braves run out there for the next 3-5 games?

[ClemmonsDevil]

I would say losing your Game 1 World Series starter, your ace already being out, and watching your 3rd best starter give up 4 earned runs in the first two innings points to your team not having much pitching going forward. Against a top 5 offense in the majors in the Astros, one can reasonably connect the dots that given those facts vs a dangerous offense, the flood gates may open soon and the Astros will be able to capitalize on the obvious chinks in the armor of the Braves pitching staff. Who will the Braves run out there for the next 3-5 games?

So are the third and fourth innings evidence that this won't occur?

[ClemmonsDevil]

My push back is that you used one inning as evidence that the deluge was coming. It may indeed come. The Braves definitely have pitching issues. I just don't think that Houston having had one good inning out of 14 Innings played is suggestive of them going absolutely nuts offensively. Again, I think they are the better team. I think they will win this series. But they are one for World Series on offense thus far. And they only hit one ball hard that inning.

[CameronDuke]

So are the third and fourth innings evidence that this won't occur?

Who knows. I’d say for who the Braves still have left to start, Anderson and Fried are 1A and 1B. Game 3 I actually think the Braves will take. It’s games 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 (if necessary) where I question who they’ll throw. Fried has thrown 80ish pitches tonight so bringing him back on 3 days rest Sunday in game 5 would be risky. Games 4-5 for Atlanta will have to pitched by some unsuspecting arms - not saying they don’t have capable guys ready to step up and be heroes. But I just don’t know who they’ll throw and don’t really see any obvious candidates.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Who knows. I’d say for who the Braves still have left to start, Anderson and Fried are 1A and 1B. Game 3 I actually think the Braves will take. It’s games 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 (if necessary) where I question who they’ll throw. Fried has thrown 80ish pitches tonight so bringing him back on 3 days rest Sunday in game 5 would be risky. Games 4-5 for Atlanta will have to pitched by some unsuspecting arms - not saying they don’t have capable guys ready to step up and be heroes. But I just don’t know who they’ll throw and don’t really see any obvious candidates.

Well you should have let off with that! That I agree with. I disagreed that the one inning meant anything necessarily.

[CameronDuke]

The Astros have scored 5+ runs in 10 games this postseason .

That's tied for the 2nd-most in a single postseason, trailing only the 2015 Royals who scored 5+ runs in 11 games in the 2015 postseason.

[ClemmonsDevil]

The Astros have scored 5+ runs in 10 games this postseason .

That's tied for the 2nd-most in a single postseason, trailing only the 2015 Royals who scored 5+ runs in 11 games in the 2015 postseason.

This is good stuff. The assertion that Game 1 was the aberration is fair.

[sagegrouse]

It was Eric Davis of the Reds, whose hard slide after stealing third set Knight off (don't think it took much). Benches cleared, and I distinctly recall Tim McCarver saying "here comes Tom Browning, he's tougher than a fast food steak".

Tom Browning is an appropriate name to call out in this thread. Browning broke his arm pitching in a baseball game for the Reds in 1994: As he released the ball, his humerus snapped just where the deltoid muscle connects, and he fell to the ground. I believe you could hear the bone break throughout the stadium. He came back briefly but was never the same.

Funny thing is, I played golf with Tom at a charity event about ten years ago. He was an interesting fella' -- never quite left the dugout for the business world. He was a pitching coach at the time in the Reds' minor league system, traveling from team to team. He lived in a new house but had not yet bought furniture for it.

We were chatting with him about major league contracts, and he said, "Players play for this," and he held up his world series ring from the 1992 Reds sweep of the Oakland A's. He was an old school guy.

[ClemmonsDevil]

Tom Browning is an appropriate name to call out in this thread. Browning broke his arm pitching in a baseball game for the Reds in 1994: As he released the ball, his humerus snapped just where the deltoid muscle connects, and he fell to the ground. I believe you could hear the bone break throughout the stadium. He came back briefly but was never the same.

Funny thing is, I played golf with Tom at a charity event about ten years ago. He was an interesting fella' -- never quite left the dugout for the business world. He was a pitching coach at the time in the Reds' minor league system, traveling from team to team. He lived in a new house but had not yet bought furniture for it.

We were chatting with him about major league contracts, and he said, "Players play for this," and he held up his world series ring from the 1992 Reds sweep of the Oakland A's. He was an old school guy.

Fantastic story!

[luvdahops]

Tom Browning is an appropriate name to call out in this thread. Browning broke his arm pitching in a baseball game for the Reds in 1994: As he released the ball, his humerus snapped just where the deltoid muscle connects, and he fell to the ground. I believe you could hear the bone break throughout the stadium. He came back briefly but was never the same.

Funny thing is, I played golf with Tom at a charity event about ten years ago. He was an interesting fella' -- never quite left the dugout for the business world. He was a pitching coach at the time in the Reds' minor league system, traveling from team to team. He lived in a new house but had not yet bought furniture for it.

We were chatting with him about major league contracts, and he said, "Players play for this," and he held up his world series ring from the 1992 Reds sweep of the Oakland A's. He was an old school guy.

Great story, sage. And I'm not surprised at all. Browning always gave off that old school vibe, and I suspect he still has - and wears - the Reds team jacket he got as a rookie. He was never an elite pitcher, but did throw a perfect game in 1988, and was a key cog for the Reds' 1990 World Series champs.

[CDu]

Tom Browning is an appropriate name to call out in this thread. Browning broke his arm pitching in a baseball game for the Reds in 1994: As he released the ball, his humerus snapped just where the deltoid muscle connects, and he fell to the ground. I believe you could hear the bone break throughout the stadium. He came back briefly but was never the same.

Funny thing is, I played golf with Tom at a charity event about ten years ago. He was an interesting fella' -- never quite left the dugout for the business world. He was a pitching coach at the time in the Reds' minor league system, traveling from team to team. He lived in a new house but had not yet bought furniture for it.

We were chatting with him about major league contracts, and he said, "Players play for this," and he held up his world series ring from the 1992 Reds sweep of the Oakland A's. He was an old school guy.

Dave Dravecky had a somewhat similar story. He had surgery to remove cancer from his left (pitching) arm. Then, about a year later, after returning to MLB, he fractured his pitching arm throwing a pitch. Basically the exact same injury as Browning, albeit likely related to his previous surgical history.

Dravecky would never pitch again, and would ultimately lose his arm after several more surgeries.

[MChambers]

Who knows. I’d say for who the Braves still have left to start, Anderson and Fried are 1A and 1B. Game 3 I actually think the Braves will take. It’s games 4 and 5 and 6 and 7 (if necessary) where I question who they’ll throw. Fried has thrown 80ish pitches tonight so bringing him back on 3 days rest Sunday in game 5 would be risky. Games 4-5 for Atlanta will have to pitched by some unsuspecting arms - not saying they don’t have capable guys ready to step up and be heroes. But I just don’t know who they’ll throw and don’t really see any obvious candidates.

It’s not like the Astros are going to run out a bunch of rotation aces. They have almost as many pitching issues as Atlanta. I think there will be some wild games before this Series is over. Both bullpens will be in tatters if this goes seven.

[A-Tex Devil]

The Astros have scored 5+ runs in 10 games this postseason .

That's tied for the 2nd-most in a single postseason, trailing only the 2015 Royals who scored 5+ runs in 11 games in the 2015 postseason.

And that's with Bregman and Altuve hitting sub .200....

[CameronDuke]

Temps are predicted for 50° at first pitch with light rain and light winds of 7ish mph. In Houston for game 1, the roof was closed offering a relatively element free game for both clubs. In game 2, the roof was open but temps were in the 70s at first pitch and it seemed to appear to be a relatively pleasant evening in Houston for baseball. Tonight will be much more of a “fall classic” vibe in Atlanta.

[kshepinthehouse]

Temps are predicted for 50° at first pitch with light rain and light winds of 7ish mph. In Houston for game 1, the roof was closed offering a relatively element free game for both clubs. In game 2, the roof was open but temps were in the 70s at first pitch and it seemed to appear to be a relatively pleasant evening in Houston for baseball. Tonight will be much more of a “fall classic” vibe in Atlanta.

Unfortunately I feel this weather favors the Astros.

[robed deity]

Unfortunately I feel this weather favors the Astros.

No idea if you're right or wrong, but what makes you say that?

[rasputin]

No idea if you're right or wrong, but what makes you say that?

The sound of banging trash can lids travels better in humid air.

[kshepinthehouse]

No idea if you're right or wrong, but what makes you say that?

I feel like the Braves live and die by the homer and the ball doesn’t travel as well in this type of weather. I feel like the astros hitters are better and more disciplined.

[Tooold]

Houston’s pitcher (Garcia) should be on Dancing with the Stars. Interesting routine.