Comments on: World Series Set

By: Agbayani

Agbayani — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:53:06 +0000

Mike, you are absolutely right — the lesser team has a very good chance of winning a best of 7 series.

But to favor them before the series begins? Begs the question of what “favorite” means.

By: Reader f/k/a Mike

Reader f/k/a Mike — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:21:24 +0000

“I can’t see how anyone seriously favored the Phillies. I do think the Phils are the second best team in baseball, and I do think they benefit from the off days. But if these clubs play 162 games a year against each other, I think the Yankees go at least 86-76.”

I think you answered your own question. The series is best of 7. What are the chances a .469 team wins 4 of 7?

By: Erik

Erik — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:02:28 +0000

I should never have doubted you Tracy!

By: Agbayani

Agbayani — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:16:52 +0000

Well, I write this during the 7th inning stretch of Game 1, with the Phillies up 2-0.

But I have to say that while I’ll pull for any team playing the Yankees, I can’t see how anyone seriously favored the Phillies. I do think the Phils are the second best team in baseball, and I do think they benefit from the off days. But if these clubs play 162 games a year against each other, I think the Yankees go at least 86-76.

Tracy, I do agree with you on the off days. And that’s the ace in the hole for the Phils, as it should have been for the Cards. Clubs with really good 1-2 pitchers (or 1-2-3 pitchers) are advantaged in the postseason as opposed to the regular season.

By: Rockpile

Rockpile — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:57:53 +0000

Phillies in Six. The Phils are clearly the more talented team. And that’s surprising considering they’re playing the Yankees, who are usually the team stacked to the rafters with talent.
The Yankees are good, but the Phils are just better in every facet of the game, with the exception of the closers. Nobody’s better than Mariano. The Yanks have less speed, a weaker defense, a weaker lineup (Swisher is hitting .150 in playoffs), a weaker outfield (who in their outfield is half as good as the Phils outfield?), and less starting pitching. In fact, the Yanks have such weak depth at starter that there’s talk they might start Chad “four teams in one year” Gaudan in game 4.

Just a side note: I feel really bad for Cleveland Indians fans! both of the game 1 WS starters, Lee and CC Sabathia, used to pitch in Cleveland, as early as last year as a matter of fact.

Also, I agree with CThistle about the off days. Those decisions, like so many other absurd ones, are purely made for TV ratings.

By: C Thistle

C Thistle — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:11:52 +0000

The logic is that (surprise) the networks have discovered they have better ratings and therefore make more money if the games are during the week in prime time. So the big delays are to accommodate TV.

I wish MLB would step in and put an end to this part of the scheduling issue. Like Tracy wrote (and Mike Scioscia said during the Angels’ series), baseball is about consistently playing on a day-in, day-out basis.

Of course, if Fox would just figure out that most everyone hates listening to Tim McCarver, it could raise ratings by a simple change in the booth, and not worry about the game schedule.

By: Karl

Karl — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:32:10 +0000

So what’s the logic for all the days off then? If in the end it would have worked out like you said? The fiasco that was the time frames for the LDS was just plain dumb in my opinion. This was a WBC year so that’s another reason for the length of the season, but it just seems that things are getting closer to coming to a head. Personally I think we will see more instant replay besides HR’s before we see a schedule change.

By: Tracy Ringolsby

Tracy Ringolsby — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:50:42 +0000

Konaman, I’m a big believer in having no off days during a post-season series. That would make the team’s depth, a key to it’s regular-season success, matter. It also would get the post-season over quicker. With my approach, post-season would have started Oct. 7 with five days for the Division Series. They would have ended Oct. 11. LCS would have begun Oct. 13 with seven days alloted they would have ended by Oct. 19. World Series starts Oct. 21, and is over with Oct. 27. Fox even gets World Series Game 1, 2 and possible games 6, 7 on week nights, which is what the networks want.

By: Jerry R.

Jerry R. — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:07:22 +0000

I am pulling for the Fightin’ Phils, and yes it’s because I want the Rockies to have lost to the eventual winner. JRoll, Victorino, Utley, Howard and Werth match up well with the NY top five, but as the Rockies discovered in the LDS, the bottom of the Phillies order has to contribute to beat NY. I think they will. Cliff Lee knows CC, and should give the Phils some insider info. Pedro Who? I think NY will feast on him. So Cole Hamels is the key starter for Philly to me. If he rights his ship, and the bottom of the Phillies’ order produces like they did in the LDS, I say Philies in 6. They need to find a way to get to the NY middle relievers.

By: Konaman

Konaman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:09:30 +0000

Yankees in 6. The way the playoffs go now, with all the time off in between games and series you only need a 3 man rotation. You can then move your starters to the pen. My heart would like to have the Phillies win as a way to feel better about the Roxs! MLB needs to shorten the post season season. Why do they not even play 3 games in a row?? The players are geared to basically play 162 games with little timeoff and then come to a screetching halt come playoff time. What gives Tracy?? I too am not to excited about the WS.