The Official MLB Divisional Series Playoff Blog (Part IV)
This is a blog about the MLB playoffs and I'm writing it for the casual fan that shows up in October. As such some of this may seem elementary and that's on purpose.
Speaking of intent, I fucked up yesterday in saying the Dodgers held a 2-1 lead over the Padres. Shit-for-brains I may be in a moment, but that was a casual mistake and some times they happen.
BE THAT AS IT MAY - it's important to point out that the Dodgers forced a game 5, which will be played and previewed tomorrow. For now, I will simply emphasize that there are no losers in this series outside of Los Angeles & San Diego stakeholders. Even with a notable edge to Shohei/Mookie/Freddie being more likable - both teams present great theater for whatever black magic sorcery the Mets are brewing up in Queens.
In the Dodgers, you get New York nostalgia and broader baseball history with the clear cut #1 NL team on paper. In the Padres, you have a borderline WCW/NWO amalgamation of entertaining and extremely talented bad boy heels. Either of which are both top-level candidates to face the Mets for the pennant without compromise or sacrifice to a compelling storyline.
In that light and spirit, and with the Tigers poised to overcome mid-August 0.2% playoff odds, I think it's only appropriate to acknowledge an often overlooked truth to the game of baseball =
Anything can happen
I know that's so fucking lame, but can you more appropriately/succinctly explain the fact that a Tigers/Mets World Series is a very real possibility on October 10th?
And then at what point are we now forced to shut up during future regular seasons on the grounds that nobody believed in the 2024 Tigers?
And then fast forward to next June. Can I be furious with a 6-game losing streak or will the Cubs collective cite this year's Mets as a primary reason to CHILL OUT MAN?
There's still 96 games left to figure it out
All of this to say it's been a fruitful learning experience as we live through a new era of expanded playoffs. And truly, almost-anything is possible in context of these Mets and Tigers runs. The fact they're happening concurrently should only reinforce the obvious patience demanded to endure a full baseball season.
And yet alas - I'm here to say I still don't give a fuck. Sloppy baseball in May is exactly that: Sloppy baseball in May. And the fact two teams got red hot against all odds this season won't ever help me rationalize atrocious bullpen depth amidst soaring ticket prices at any point in the future. That I can guarantee.
So for now let's just try to enjoy ourselves and I suppose next spring training we can resume the never-ending self-loathing process of intentionally ignoring basic flaws in a 26-man roster.
If Darwin Barney starts to hit for power then I can see Hendry making a big move come July
Let the record show I choose to live in that head space.
Some other observations before tonight's games:
1. Reese Olson (Tigers) vs. Tanner Bibee(Guardians) is a juicy starting pitching match up and I'm free to assume you know nothing about either. That's great and we can get there but I should also point out that the Phillies losing is a perfect way to cope with your own team sucking. Whatever team that is, you most likely endure the same fate of being a Phillies fan and that's disappointed with the year ending early. Turns out that happens to almost all of us always. Really just a matter if it's in April or August or October. So remember that next time you get mad about your own club - the sport is inherently designed to break us both mentally and physically. Accept it now to dull the pain later.
2. Tanner Bibee pitches for the Guardians tonight. He comes to us from Cal State Fullerton and spent just one full season in the minor leagues (2022) before establishing himself in Cleveland's starting rotation. That's Classic Cal State Fullerton material as evidenced by this still screenshot from grainy scouting footage.
More specifically, the average sized righty commands 4 pitches and fills the strike zone. He's got this Tim Lincecum/Trevor Bauer-esque drop and drive, kinda. But it's less extreme and more repeatable. Think Drew Brees throwing a quick slant with the arm action being so quick and short to the ear. That helps him snap off some good breaking stuff that helps explain an above-average strikeout rate against both righties and lefties.
That said, he's not overpowering per se but more like a powerful kitchen sink. That's a better description of Tanner Bibee and the most important part of anything I said so far is that Cal State Fullerton part.
They're dogs. They all have a chip on their shoulder because almost every Fullerton kid would rather play at UCLA or USC or ASU and instead they end up at a commuter school in a gridlocked part of mediocre suburban Los Angeles. And not to shit on Fullerton by any stretch, but former players take a lot of pride in that (formerly) shitty locker room that was so far from ever being called a clubhouse. It's not the same for everyone, but it's also not a huge stretch to say Fullerton guys uniquely play intelligently and aggressively without being hardos. At this point it's pretty easy to guess that I'm fond of that style of baseball but who fucking cares about my personal preference.
This only matters because I just want to point out that I think he's well suited to shove in an elimination game to the extent that the first crooked number (2) ends up winning the game. Tanner Bibee absolutely is capable of being that guy.
3. But so is Reese Olson - I think. Based purely on numbers alone, I want to point out that he's extremely undersized. That's the first key statistic: hardly 6 feet, 160 pounds without a shred of facial hair. By all measures, Reese Olson looks more like Mary Kate and Ashley if you know what I mean.
Another undersized aspect of his game is the homerun rate. Olson surrendered just 7 in over 112 innings over work this year which is top 10 without me looking it up.
Looks it up
Turns out that's 6th best in baseball for any pitcher over 100 innings on the season, which again is pretty remarkable considering his lack of size.
He makes up for it with really nice balance across his pitch selection and tremendous athleticism to execute. He throws two kinds of fastballs, two kinds of breaking balls and can get righties and lefties to miss a changeup. All that with the youthful naivety to overlook the gravity of the moment and simply just pitch.
He's got better stuff and has been working towards this moment since missing all of August. But I'm slightly more comfortable with Bibee in the head-to-head but definitely not enough to say anything too stupid. Instead I can leave to that Aaron Judge
4. What The Fuck Aaron?
Giancarlo is sweet and I say that in full support of the Kansas City Royals. I'm biased the other way here and that's okay. Stanton is still remarkably good in the playoffs and it's fun to watch because he's such a super human. Like I'm sure Yankees fans hate his fucking guts in early July when he's cadillac'ing his way into another double play. But game on the line, you need a big donkey swing to turn things your way, tell me Giancarlo isn't one of the more appealing specimens.
On that note - I've heard first hand from a current Yankee named Anthony Rizzo that even though Judge is the more complete player, etc. That even though Judge is insanely good in his own right and one of the best of the era and all that shit. Take all of it into consideration and yet there is still no comparison when batting practice rolls around - Giancarlo's sound and power display is still above and beyond any active player, Judge included. Obviously he fuckin thumps, but in context of literally the greatest power hitter in the game with Judge, Giancarlo's practice sessions are incomparable in their own right.
That's kinda cool from an outsider perspective but I'm compelled to conclude that I would be one of those Yankees fans that hates his guts in the regular season.
5. Michael Wacha has a lower ERA than Gerrit Cole which is kind of interesting only because it's Michael Wacha. Talk about a solid trivia pull 20 years from now. This Texas A&M righty traded the structural integrity of his throwing shoulder to lead the 2015 Cardinals to a franchise-disabling NLDS loss against the Chicago Cubs.
The fact he gets to duel with Gerrit Cole in front of a raucous Kansas City crowd is yet another chapter in this year's ultimate David vs. Goliath storyline. And since Bob Costas is gonna fuck it up later, let me hit you with it right now.
AND HERE COMES QUATRARO OUT NOW TO GET WACHA - A MASTERFUL START IN THE BIGGEST GAME OF A WINDING CAREER THAT BRINGS US HERE TO KANSAS CITY TONIGHT IN A DUEL WE DID NOT PREDICT JUST ONE WEEK AGO - 7 AND A THIRD SCORELESS INNINGS ON JUST 93 PITCHES TO GIVE HIS CLUB A CHANCE AT GAME 5 AND WHAT MORE COULD YOU POSSIBLY ASK FOR FROM THE GRIZZLED VETERAN IN AN ELIMINATION CAME IN FRONT OF THIS AMAZING CROWD
"I don't know Bob but he looks pretty fuckin tired to me"
And again - the fact this is a possibility, alongside the Mets and the Tigers, is further proof of baseball's endless possibilities.
The Royals lost 106 games last year and they have played the Yankees to the wire through 3 playoff games this October. That's fuckin bad ass no matter your allegiance. We can all agree it's cool to see such clear underdogs play so competitively against the game's largest salaries.
Granted - it's more ammunition for the owners to get cheap next offseason but I can't worry about that shit now. Not with elimination baseball looming so let's close with some predictions.
PREDICTIONS:
Guardians over Tigers to force a 5th game
Royals over Yankees to force a 5th game
Dodgers over Padres tomorrow night
As always and promised, I will be on these unders aggressively.
You're welcome to join me, just do so responsibly in all respects.
And of course, God Bless America