Originally Posted by
AJonesATL
No doubt we played like sh*t this series. But its just bonkers to me to put a choke label on a team that just won it all not but 24 months ago . I mean as of today the Astros are still literally the only team in baseball that has won it all more recently than us.
TD, Albies, Arcia, Riley, Rosario, Acuna...all WS champs. Fried WS champ. I know Acuna didn't play in the WS, but its as if people forget this guy had a postseason against the Cards where he literally went 8-18, homer, three doubles, a tripple and 4 walks. He sported a casual 444/565/889/1454. He's a guy that hit a grand slam in like his 3rd ever postseason game. Did he just become a choker over night? Is he a choker because he missed a grandslam by 5 feet this year that would have been iconic? Is Olson a choker that can't perform in the playoffs? I guess something changed where he became a choker this year but wasn't last year when he went 4-12 with two homers and 4 walks vs. Philly...Maybe Ozuna doesn't know how to perform in the playoffs? I guess it doesn't count that he once had a playoffs where he went 12 for 37 with two homers and a 324/359/595/954 slash.
How about the Phillies...for all this narrative on them, they are the team that took a 2-1 WS lead and then proceeded to score 0 runs, 2 runs, and 1 run...with two of those three games at home! I mean , if anything, that sounds like choking to me. On the verge of the ultimate and then ****ting your pants at the finish line.
Now I'll make the distinction - I think its quite possible the team was pressing this year and that contributed to the snowball effect we saw. But I just can't label this team a choker, when almost the entire team has either won a WS with us, or has a clear history of big post season performances in the past.
If I was to maybe single out one player that potentially seems to get in his head in the playoffs offensively, it might be Michael Harris, which isn't necessarily surprising from a 21 year old playing for his home town and he probably does need to figure out how to change the approach and grind out ABS come this time of year