SPORTS

[Dargo]

Today's Los Angeles Times sports headline is from one of my favorite movies: ACE in the Hole!

Talk about a total reverse of the usual Dodger Stadium outcome between these two teams here, eh James?!

(...guess the percentages finally came out in the D-Back's favor for once)

[jamesjazzguitar]

Derek Jeter is really a drag. His car commercials are just terrible. His double chin that he tries to hide with the stupidest looking beard I’ve ever seen is ridiculous. He can’t announce. His clothes don’t fit right. He acts like he’s stoned on some weird s***.

I tend to agree, but I still would rather see Jeter than that steroid user and cheat Alex Rodiquez.

[Dargo]

Btw here, James...

As for the 2023 Dodgers: I don't see how they can beat either the Braves or Phillies with only two legit starters. I've always been a small-ball fan and while the Dodgers have a solid lineup, with Freeman and Betts having a historic season, it will be very difficult to win a series without a 3rd big league, experienced starter.

Next season, GM Friedman will have to spend big time money to get some starters that don't end up getting arrested!

What seems your very prescient above comment has been on my mind as I've watched the last two D-Backs/Dodgers games.

(...just wanted to let you know)

[Andree]

Hey, those annoying circles that covered the board index are gone. Boy were they a pain.

Ha Ha Braves. Go back to Atlanta and stick your tomahawks where the sun don't shine.

[laffite]

The Dodgers and the Braves, both frontrunners, can dwell together in infamy. That they both fell in disgrace is really something.

[Andree]

Yeah, I was rooting for LA to win, but they not only lost but were swept. As they used to say when they
were in Brooklyn 'Wait till next year.' I think I have this stat correct, but all the teams that won 100
or more games during the regular season lost in the playoffs. Ouch.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Yeah, I was rooting for LA to win, but they not only lost but were swept. As they used to say when they
were in Brooklyn 'Wait till next year.' I think I have this stat correct, but all the teams that won 100
or more games during the regular season lost in the playoffs. Ouch.

Yea, the Dodgers bats went cold especially for their two MVP candidates, Betts and Freeman. Betts went 0 for 11!

Ouch indeed!

[Detective Jim McLeod]

It will be the Texas Rangers and the Philadelphia Phillies. They both are Locked in. Not to say a lock picker can’t break in, but he’s got to have a good set of picks.

What happened to your avatar of Richard Boone?

[Andree]

Yea, the Dodgers bats went cold especially for their two MVP candidates, Betts and Freeman. Betts went 0 for 11!

Ouch indeed!

Very cold. Even if they had a full complement of starters, it's hard to win games when you only score two runs. I'll
go with the Phillies, however long they last.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Yea, the Dodgers bats went cold especially for their two MVP candidates, Betts and Freeman. Betts went 0 for 11!

Ouch indeed!

Very cold. Even if they had a full complement of starters, it's hard to win games when you only score two runs. I'll
go with the Phillies, however long they last.

Phillies in 6 is my prediction. As for the playoff format for MLB: I think MLB should change the entire overall set-up.

Something similar to international soccer. Something where the 90% of the season is something like the playoffs, and the remaining 10% reserved for the top 4- 8 teams that are at top after initial playoffs. This would increase the importance of what are now regular season games (which have little to no importance until late August \ September.

[Andree]

Phillies in 6 is my prediction. As for the playoff format for MLB: I think MLB should change the entire overall set-up.

Something similar to international soccer. Something where the 90% of the season is something like the playoffs, and the remaining 10% reserved for the top 4- 8 teams that are at top after initial playoffs. This would increase the importance of what are now regular season games (which have little to no importance until late August \ September.

We'll see. I was hoping the Orioles would get further since they haven't come even close in a
long time.

Though there's no connection between the pitch clock and no shift new rules and the playoffs,
I think MLB will be shy about making more changes in the immediate future. But maybe not.
I remember when I was a kid one didn't have to worry about playoffs. Ten teams in the NL,
ten teams in the AL and the winner in each league played in the World Series. Of course
there were 18 teams out of luck.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Well at least the cheating Houston Astros are out.

If AZ beats Philly in game 7, that would be something.

[Dargo]

Well at least the cheating Houston Astros are out.

If AZ beats Philly in game 7, that would be something.

If rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt can continue to not throw dingers tonight and as he was wont to do earlier in the season, I think the D-backs have a very good chance to win.

And yep, I LOVED that the Rangers blew out those cheatin' Astros last night as well.

(...and like any good Dodger fan would, of course)

[Andree]

I saw a funny photo on another website--A Rangers' fan with a sign saying I had a better sign, but the Astros stole it.

[Dargo]

If AZ beats Philly in game 7, that would be something.

If rookie starter Brandon Pfaadt can continue to not throw dingers tonight and as he was wont to do earlier in the season, I think the D-backs have a very good chance to win.

Well, I hate to quote myself here , BUT it looks like I called it, huh!

With the help, of course, of a surprisingly good D-back's bullpen that kept the Philly's big three to only 1 hit in their last 21 AB's. And, with Trea Turner's impatience at the plate in the later innings once again showing up, and just like it did when he was wearing Dodger Blue in last year's post-season.

But then again, NO ONE was going to get a hit off the D-back's Kevin Ginkel who was once again lights-out and who is unquestionably their best reliever.

(...closer Paul Sewald even surprised me, as he can be quite the "high-wire act" sometimes...I've watched the guy go 0-2 on a batter and then suddenly lose his release point and end up giving up a walk on more than a few occasions during the season)