MLB Playoffs Thread

cajunrevenge said:
Someone explain to me what the giants added from last season that took them from a 76 win team to world series champs.
Click to expand...

The addition of Mike Morse really helped them. Smoking hot April from Brandon Hicks. The additions of Jeremy Affeldt and Yusmeiro Petit improved the bullpen. Subtraction of Barry Zito. Not earth-shattering moves, but moves that made the whole greater than the sum of the parts.
 
50PoundHead said:
The addition of Mike Morse really helped them. Smoking hot April from Brandon Hicks. The additions of Jeremy Affeldt and Yusmeiro Petit improved the bullpen. Subtraction of Barry Zito. Not earth-shattering moves, but moves that made the whole greater than the sum of the parts.
Click to expand...

I think the point is, people are trying to say we're so far away or have "topped out" (which is just stupid) when it simply doesn't work like that.
 
yeezus said:
I think the point is, people are trying to say we're so far away or have "topped out" (which is just stupid) when it simply doesn't work like that.
Click to expand...

I don't know if we've topped out, but the Giants had a better mix of offensive players than we did in 2013 and the addition of someone like Morse made a difference. I don't think we can win with our offense as currently constructed.
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't know if we've topped out, but the Giants had a better mix of offensive players than we did in 2013 and the addition of someone like Morse made a difference. I don't think we can win with our offense as currently constructed.
Click to expand...

Morse was a 1 WAR player. He's OK.
 
CyYoung31 said:
The ability to think outside of the box in a crucial situation? How many managers pull Tim Hudson before he even pitched two innings and gave up more than three runs? How many would have ridden a short rested Bumgarner for five innings instead of going to their pen or closer?

As this postseason proved, not many.
Click to expand...

I was impressed by this too. He literally used one his situational reliever to get out of a jam in the 2nd inning! I've always been impressed by the managers who have the forsight to not go by the book and use the best relievers to stamp out a crucial jam even if it's not the 8th or 9th.
 
Hawk said:
LINK: Why the Giants can thank Dan Uggla for World Series victory
Click to expand...

Ouch! That's about as harsh an assessment of Uggla as what anyone in here provided during the course of the season (and Lord knows I offered more than one pretty harsh assessment of Dan).

NYC, it was the last game of the season and when you're in that situation, there is no box. I thought Bochy over-managed a bit, but Bumgarner was unreal throughout the post-season, so you dance with the guy who brung ya. But I pointed out that way back when (think it was 1998), Bochy--then managing the Padres--brought in Kevin Brown in an elimination game against the Braves and the results were just the opposite. Brown had one good inning before falling apart. Padres went on to win that series against the Braves, so it was no harm/no foul, but a guy has to be a bit measured when he starts going off form.

yeezus, I think the acquisition of Morse (and I frankly don't care about his WAR) is that it put Blanco back in a spot (3.5th OF) where he could be more effective. Lengthened the bench a bit. I think the Giants were better equipped to succeed in isolated situations than the Braves given the feast/famine nature of the Braves' offense.
 
50PoundHead said:
Ouch! That's about as harsh an assessment of Uggla as what anyone in here provided during the course of the season (and Lord knows I offered more than one pretty harsh assessment of Dan).

NYC, it was the last game of the season and when you're in that situation, there is no box. I thought Bochy over-managed a bit, but Bumgarner was unreal throughout the post-season, so you dance with the guy who brung ya. But I pointed out that way back when (think it was 1998), Bochy--then managing the Padres--brought in Kevin Brown in an elimination game against the Braves and the results were just the opposite. Brown had one good inning before falling apart. Padres went on to win that series against the Braves, so it was no harm/no foul, but a guy has to be a bit measured when he starts going off form.

yeezus, I think the acquisition of Morse (and I frankly don't care about his WAR) is that it put Blanco back in a spot (3.5th OF) where he could be more effective. Lengthened the bench a bit. I think the Giants were better equipped to succeed in isolated situations than the Braves given the feast/famine nature of the Braves' offense.
Click to expand...

Let's not take "last game of the season" for granted. So many managers are old school and only do things by the book, so I applaud Bochy for going outside the box.
 
NYCBrave said:
Let's not take "last game of the season" for granted. So many managers are old school and only do things by the book, so I applaud Bochy for going outside the box.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree, but I think if you look over the history of the game, you'll see a lot of strategy change in elimination games. The surprise to me is that Bochy let Bumgarner finish the game. It wouldn't have been Bumgarner's fault given Blanco's misplay (and one can never prove the negative), but if the Royals had tied it (or won it) in the ninth, would Bochy have been criticized for not going back to "book?"
 
50PoundHead said:
I don't disagree, but I think if you look over the history of the game, you'll see a lot of strategy change in elimination games. The surprise to me is that Bochy let Bumgarner finish the game. It wouldn't have been Bumgarner's fault given Blanco's misplay (and one can never prove the negative), but if the Royals had tied it (or won it) in the ninth, would Bochy have been criticized for not going back to "book?"
Click to expand...

I was surprised also, and I definitely agree with your points. He looks good because it worked. He also looks every better because Bumgarner turned in a performance like we've never seen in a playoffs.
 
NYCBrave said:
I was surprised also, and I definitely agree with your points. He looks good because it worked. He also looks every better because Bumgarner turned in a performance like we've never seen in a playoffs.
Click to expand...

I'm really old, so I remember Koufax in 1965 (0.38 ERA in 24 IP and he still managed to a loss hung on him) and Lolich in 1968 (3-0, 1.67 ERA) and Bumgarner's performance stacks up very well in comparison, especially given the extended playoff format and the fact that he had about 48 hours rest after pitching a complete game before taking the mound again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top