[Other Sport] World Baseball Classic & Major League Baseball 2023

[AZ Gull]

With the season racing along at breakneck speed, Im still none the wiser as to who will be lifting the World Series trophy at the end of the year.
Just as you think one team is looking really good they'll have a dodgy spell, while another "lesser" team can easily go on a decent run.

Who do you see taking it all this year? Seems very open to me still tbh.

Hopefully it’s my Braves year this year. Certainly on the right track

Yep, if I had to put money on it right now I'd have to go with the Braves at this stage.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Yep, if I had to put money on it right now I'd have to go with the Braves at this stage.

Atlanta are clearly the pick of the bunch so far in the NL, but over in the AL you couldn't slide a fag paper between the Rangers, Astros, Rays and Orioles. All putting together very solid seasons, & any one of them could give Atlanta a run for their money.

Will today's trade deadline make a difference?...will there be any moves that'll give a team the edge they need?

Love the season that Cincy are having with a good, young team. Great to see ol' man Votto back playing a part too after his injury last season. My favourite player, and clearly destined for a career in the media after his playing days finish

Theres a long way to go still, but there are a few teams on the cusp, and any one of them could make a good run at the postseason if they pick up momentum at the right time.

I kept thinking it would be my Padres....but after last nights loss to the Rockies (top of the 10th, bases loaded, no outs....and still they couldn't get a runner home. 0-10 in extra innings this season!! ) Im definitely thinking..."maybe next year". We are still only 5 games out of a wildcard spot, but we are just too inconsistent this season.

 

[ElectricNaz]

The Blue Jays have done a good deal for Jordan Hicks. They need to stop the streakiness though!

 

[PTC Gull]

Hopefully it’s my Braves year this year. Certainly on the right track

Nice to see another Braves fan on here. Liking the way the Braves are going but something tells me they may not get all the way. Hope I am wrong.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

The Blue Jays have done a good deal for Jordan Hicks. They need to stop the streakiness though!

The late nights with a newborn are obviously affecting Springer - was on a great run with the bat a few weeks ago, but been really poor lately!
Hopefully Bichette wont be out for too long after last nights knee injury...they need him in the lineup!

 

[ElectricNaz]

The late nights with a newborn are obviously affecting Springer - was on a great run with the bat a few weeks ago, but been really poor lately!
Hopefully Bichette wont be out for too long after last nights knee injury...they need him in the lineup!

We need Bichette back quickly - when we hit, we are pure fun. Went to the rodgers a few years ago, back in the Donaldson/Encarnacion/Bautista era- absolute theatre and I loved it! I'm kind of stuck in that mentality forever now, even if things have changed massively. But Vlad / Bichette / Springer (when fit / awake) have so much potential

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Cubs beat Cincy 20-9?!!? Wow...didn't see that one coming. Talking of the Cubs, what the hell has happened to Stroman?
Was an absolute beast until the London Series, got a blister on the Sunday and had to miss a few games, and now seems to have forgotten how to pitch.
Had him on my fantasy team until London, & is now constantly in the minuses each week. A perfect example of how form can do a 180 turn super quick in this game.

 

[Simster]

We need Bichette back quickly - when we hit, we are pure fun. Went to the rodgers a few years ago, back in the Donaldson/Encarnacion/Bautista era- absolute theatre and I loved it! I'm kind of stuck in that mentality forever now, even if things have changed massively. But Vlad / Bichette / Springer (when fit / awake) have so much potential

I still regularly watch YouTube videos from that era, especially that 7th inning against the Rangers.

As for Bichette, no structural damage apparently, so fingers crossed...

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Trade deadline day was interesting for the Padres. Bringing in the likes of Hill, JMC, and Scott Barlow. None really lighting up the league this year, but will be there for depth down the stretch. Relief pitching has been a struggle this season, so Barlow could help light a fire in the bullpen with a change of scenery....especially with Robert Suarez also back now.
Shame to see Jackson Wolf go as part of the deal with Pittsburgh - would've liked to have seen more of him in a SD uniform after his lone start last month.

 

[AZ Gull]

This evening, D'backs centre-fielder Alek Thomas made one of the best catches you will ever see (just watch the reaction of his gobsmacked teammates!):-



The last couple of months for the D'backs have been absolutely nuts. Having excelled in the first 3 months of the season, they then embarked on a historically awful run; they were the first team in the modern era (since 1900) to go from 16 games over .500 to one game under .500 in only 31 games. Their play-off chances dropped from 80% to only 14%. The run included nine successive losses to start this month. But having finally won a game they have gone 9 and 2 in their last 11 and are back in the wildcard spots.

Baseball. f***ing baseball. Imagine not being into it. Those poor, poor half-alive bastards.

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Ohtani done pitching for the year, and Trout immediately back on IL after one game. Stick a fork in the Angels...they're done.

A real shame for Ohtani though, as he looked to have the MVP award wrapped up this year at the rate he was going. Still could win it I guess...who could be the closest challenger now for the last few weeks of the season?

A 2nd operation on his elbow in 5 years could really hurt his impending free agency too...

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Baseball. f***ing baseball. Imagine not being into it. Those poor, poor half-alive bastards.

I genuinely wonder these days how I didn't get into it earlier.
Always liked it from afar since I watched the movie "The Babe" when I was about 18...but last year something just clicked, & I've become OBSESSED.

 

[ElectricNaz]

Quite the fight going in for the wild card spots. I hope Toronto have this in the bag but not entirely convinced they'd win any play in game!!!

 

[AZ Gull]

Quite the fight going in for the wild card spots. I hope Toronto have this in the bag but not entirely convinced they'd win any play in game!!!

There are no longer one-game play-offs - instead there's a series of tiebreakers that determine which teams make the play-offs in the event of identical records:-

How to determine playoff tiebreakers​

 

[ElectricNaz]

There are no longer one-game play-offs - instead there's a series of tiebreakers that determine which teams make the play-offs in the event of identical records:-

How to determine playoff tiebreakers​

Genuinely didn't know that. Still thought there was a play - in tournament! That genuinely passed me by like ships in the night haha

Edit: no, I was right, there's still a wildcard round. That's what I meant. Maybe I'm using the wrong terminologies for stuff in which case I apologise

 

[Terry Connor]

AL West and wildcard race has been gripping last few weeks. Who would have thought the clutch-experienced Astros would come up short against Oakland and the Royals, handing the initiative back to their state rival Rangers? Texas continues to lead the AL in offence and has had a strong year on defence, but can its unreliable bullpen hold out to win the West over the next week or so?

 

[AZ Gull]

Genuinely didn't know that. Still thought there was a play - in tournament! That genuinely passed me by like ships in the night haha

Edit: no, I was right, there's still a wildcard round. That's what I meant. Maybe I'm using the wrong terminologies for stuff in which case I apologise

There is a Wild Card round, yes - best of three, with all games hosted by the higher-seed club (I wasn't sure if you realised it was actually a series, ie best of three, as you said "play in game", implying one game).

 

[Fignon's Ponytail]

Well, all I can say is - thank god the season is done for the Padres. I know we have a few games left still, but now we are mathematically out of the post season race, Im not that bothered what happens from here on in. Time to start thinking what happens with this clubhouse in the off season.
What a truly bizarre year for the San Diego boys. Looking at OptaStats:

- a batter w/ 125+ walks & 35 HR (Soto)
- a batter w/ 25+ HR & 25+ stolen bases (Tatis)
- a starter w/ 200+ strikeouts & a sub 2.50 ERA (Snell)
- a reliever w/ 75+ strikeouts & a sub 1.50 ERA (Hader)

No other team in MLB history has had more than 2 of those 4 in one season. Yet we are sitting at 79-80.

Expected wins with our scoring record is 90-69. Should be locked into the playoffs right now, but left our best run (8-2) of the season until way too late!

W: 79

L: 80

.497

GB: 19.5

WCGB: 3.5

Last 10: 8-2

RS: 741

RA: 644

+97

ExpW: 90-69

 

[PTC Gull]

An interesting night for the Braves. Second night running, a come from behind win over the Cubs. Win number 103, currently the best in baseball this year. 303 Home runs for the season. First round bye and secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs. And Acuna reached a famous milestone (for the first time in MLB history) of a single player hitting 40 home runs and stealing 70 bases in a season. Hopefully he is going to get the MVP award for the year. Which is all nice!

 

[put_that_board_down]

What happened to the Red Sox? Don't hate me, I've been to Boston a few times so picked them as my team.......