2020 MLB Playoffs: There's a Lot More to Discuss This Time

Houston vs. Minnesota:

Houston's offense has looked bad for most of the year. Minnesota is good all around with a good bullpen too.

Houston's SP though has recovered nicely from the injury loss of Verlander.

Minnesota in 3.

Houston

Minnesota

Minnesota

Chicago White Sox vs. Oakland A's:

I don't like the A's SP, but the offense is good.

The White Sox have a bunch of surprise players that are capable of being the surprise hero, that the MLB playoffs are known for.

Oakland in 3.

Oakland

Chicago White Sox

Oakland

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays:

Tampa Bay looks as good as ever.

Tampa Bay in 2.

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Indians:

I don't think much of Cleveland.

New York in 3.

Cleveland

New York Yankees

New York Yankees

Cincinnati Reds vs. Atlanta Braves:

Both teams almost always under perform in the playoffs.

Cincinnati in 2.

Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Miami Marlins vs. Chicago Cubs:

The Marlins, like the White Sox, have several capable surprise players.

Miami in 2.

Miami

Miami

St. Louis Cardinals vs. San Diego Padres:

The Padres offense is good. I like their bullpen more too.

San Diego in 3.

San Diego

St. Louis

San Diego

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:

The Brewers have so many red flags right now. (Closing, getting men on base).

The Dodgers have so many green flags right now.

Los Angeles Dodgers in 2.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers

Houston Astros vs. Oakland Athletics:

I almost wasn't going to give the A's the benefit of the doubt.

Seems like they've pitched well to Houston though. And they've played Houston well for a few years.

Oakland in 4.

Oakland

Houston

Oakland

Oakland

New York Yankees vs. Tampa Bay Rays:

Tampa Bay has done well all year.

Tampa Bay in 4.

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

New York

Tampa Bay

Miami Marlins vs Atlanta Braves:

It's hard to evaluate these teams in such a short season.  I'll go with Miami.

Miam in 4.

Miami

Miami

Atlanta

Miami

San Diego Padres vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:

The Padres, Dodgers, Yankees, and Tampa Bay might be the 4 best teams in the league.

I don't know why either team in this series will win, they're both good.

I think if last year, Strasburg had redemption for missing the 2012 playoffs (not by his choice), then this year, Kershaw will have his own way of redemption, if the Dodgers will win.

San Diego in 4.

San Diego

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Diego

San Diego

One theory I read was that the short season is good for Kershaw. They think he'll be great in these playoffs.

When Walker Buehler is throwing a lot of balls, why doesn't he try throwing his curveball for some strikes?

He was missing a lot with his fastball.

Good job by the Dodgers to blow the game open late.

Walker really loves his fastball. If he's in the series again it might back-fire. But yes great start- gotta keep the pressure on in game 2. Go Kershaw!

Walker really loves his fastball. If he's in the series again it might back-fire. But yes great start- gotta keep the pressure on in game 2. Go Kershaw!

So you agree he should probably mix up his pitches more too (regardless of who the next opponent is)?

This was looking like Kershaw's best postseason start in a long time. Then he gave up 2 HRs in 5 pitches.

Still a good start, but it was looking like a great start for most of the time.

Out of all of the division series games played so far these past 3 days, he might have the only quality start. Which is kind of sad.

There are way too many HRs in this round, overall.

Would you say Verlander and Kershaw have been the best pitchers over the past 15 years?

Where does Wainwright rank, given his longevity too? Is he also in that same tier, or are Verlander and Kershaw still a notch above?

Kershaw had a pretty funny interview on the FS1 postgame show.

Also, the FS1 crew think it's time for a new closer. They like either Kelly or Graterol.

I don't know if I'm there yet, but it is something to think about.

I think the FS1 crew are too focused on speed, with their choice of relievers.

Right now I'm thinking the 3 best teams are the Dodgers, Rays, Astros.

I would probably pick the Dodgers over the Astros, and have it be a coin flip with the Rays.

I thought the Padres were the Dodgers biggest threat in the NL, but they are one win away from dispatching them.

The NLCS is set. Braves have great pitching.

Dodgers seem more complete.

Wouldn't surprise me if the Braves won, but I picked a different team than the Dodgers last time in my prediction / guess, I don't want to do that twice.

Impressive for the Dodgers to win in 3 against what I thought was a good Padres team.

On the other NL side, was disappointed the Marlins couldn't win a game, because they seem like a good team too.

Houston Astros vs. Tampa Bay Rays:

I think Tampa Bay is better, but sometimes the team I think is better, or want to win, doesn't win. That's how sports is sometimes.

Houston in 5.

Houston

Houston

Tampa Bay

Houston

Houston

MVP: Altuve or McCullers Jr, I'll go with McCullers Jr.

Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:

Atlanta has great pitching. Usually that doesn't carry over for multiple series. They'll have to find other ways to win, and not sure they can.

Los Angeles in 4.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

I want to say Buehler for MVP, but a SP won't get it in a sweep.

So Will Smith.

Well, the Blue Crew is down 3-1 now. You kind of knew they weren't going to score many runs after that game 3 outburst- it's like save a few for the next game, lol. Hopefully they can do an anti-Clipper and win 3 in a row.

Well, the Blue Crew is down 3-1 now. You kind of knew they weren't going to score many runs after that game 3 outburst- it's like save a few for the next game, lol. Hopefully they can do an anti-Clipper and win 3 in a row.

Ouch, but true.

Dodgers have still been hitting HRs so that has helped them get to game 7.

I think they, and teams in general, are giving up too many HRs too. So maybe this final game will come down to whichever team keeps the other in the yard, and gives up fewer HRs.

There will probably be a great catch involed too.

Jansen's journey in his role in these playoffs is interesting.

I guess I will make one more prediction. If the Dodgers are leading after 4 innings, they will win.

Well, the Dodgers DID IT!!! What a series comeback. Had to comeback from this game as well after trailing early 2-zip. Urias what a job to shutdown the Braves the final 3 innings. And of course huge clutch home runs by Kike & Bellinger. World Series baby!

I must say Dave Roberts has made some really excellent decisions. Definitely glad he didn't bring in Jansen for the save, and of course pinch-hitting Hernandez for Joc worked perfectly. This Doc >>> than Doc Rivers, lol.

Your prediction of a great catch came true- Betts with another gem, this time taking a home run away. That obviously was a huge difference-maker in the game as well.

The 4th inning was probably the most important one, which is what I was thinking would happen, for some reason.

Top of the 4th, the Braves make 2 bad base running mistakes in the same play and the Dodgers get two outs.

Bottom of the 4th, the Dodgers could have done more on offense, so that had concerned me.

But the Dodgers came back anyways, later in the game.

Betts said his favorite of the catches was the game 7 one, because it actually took a home run away.

I think the one a few games ago where he ran forward to make the catch, was pretty cool. Because in that case, if the ball gets by him, it's extra bases, or worse.

If Doc Rivers were managing the Dodgers, he'd now be blaming a loss on injuries. He'd name 8 different injuries, then say there wasn't enough time for chemistry.

I still think teams give up too many HRs. That 87mph pitch in the middle of the plate that the Braves hit for a HR was terrible. Too many pitchers are missing their spots.

That would have been the worst thing the Dodgers had done in that game, if they had lost.

On another note, what Urias did was probably the best thing he's done in his career.

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:

I have a metric.  Who hits more HRs?

In the ALCS, Tampa Bay hit 11 and gave up 9.

In the NLCS, the Dodgers hit 16 and gave up 9.

If Tampa Bay wins, it will be because the Dodgers give up too many HRs. I think that's the one problem with them right now.

I think given the way the ball is leaving the park, I'll go with the team that hits more HRs.

Los Angeles in 4.

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

Los Angeles

MVP. Kershaw.  A SP pitcher never gets MVP in a sweep, so maybe I'll say Will Smith.

Taco Bell Stolen Base:  Margot (it would be cool if a pitcher stole a base)

Chevy Vehicle:  Chevy Tahoe

I'm starting the game late on the DVR, because I'm making a pisco sour. I'm deciding between torontel or quebranta.

Los Angeles Dodgers, the 2020 World Champions!!!!!! After 32 years (and I personally and still vividly remember 1988), the Dodgers have finally done it again.

What a series. With the X-factor Mookie Betts and amazing bullpen pitching, plus the tremendous core group of the half decade. Some terrific moves by Dave Roberts who has certainly learned from his mistakes and made excellent decisions on a consistenl basis.

BTW a big shout-out to Kevin Cash for taking out Snell early- Rays fans are probably not too happy about that. Also Justin Turner tested positive for COVID and didn't finish the game, so hopefully he's going to be okay along with the rest of the team.

What do you think are some things he did in the past, that he didn't do this time?

Because I like pitching, the Urias moments were my favorite.

What do you think are some things he did in the past, that he didn't do this time?

To me he didn't stick with was was NOT working as much. In the past he would stubbornly keep going back to Jensen when he was struggling, also sticking with Ryan Madsen, Joe Kelly come to mind.

And when Will Smith faltered a bit on defense, he immediately went back to Austin Barnes as the catcher the final 2 games.

You're right about Turner. I think everyone's disappointed in him breaking protocol. I wish that security was there to just prevent him. I do have to say that it's easy for us to attack him right now, but the team just won the World Series after so many years, so much disappointment, so I do understand why he did it.

I also think the MLB has blame in this as well- again security should have prevented him, and positive test result delivered in the MIDDLE of a game- are you kidding me? It should have been either delivered before the game or after.

Good examples, thanks.

Lol, I didn't want to think about Madsen.

What were some of your favorite moments from the World Series?

Got it- didn't know that he already had a positive test. I don't think MLB should have let him play then, and if the second test was needed to confirm, he needed to be held out until it confirmed that he didn't have it. That would have just prevented this fiasco.

But for sure that was an inconsiderate move by Turner. Fingers-crossed that no one got infected, but it's highly likely that some were already infected because Turner was likely already infectious the days before, and don't have high enough viral load to incur a positive test yet.

Favorite moments- wow there were so many. Here are a few off the top of my head:

• big HRs to jump out to leads in several of the games

• terrible 9th inning to lose game 4

• Kershaw throwing out Margo which you mentioned

• Victor Gonzalez getting out of some huge tight situations

• Gigantic catch by Mookie in game 1

• Blake Treinen big time save in Game 5

• Kevin Cash taking out Snell

• Urias slamming the door in game 7

How about you?

One of the Ray's wives is now infected.

Good mention about Treinen. So much has happened that I kind of forgot about that.

Taylor had a pretty good HR in game 2.

Muncy's walks. Good things usually happened after that.

It's pretty cool to see a young player like Victor Gonzalez step up on the biggest stage.

As for Mookie's catch, after what he did against the Braves, this one wasn't quite as spectacular. Lol.

Mookie's stolen bases. It's been a long time since I remember the same player having so many steals in the same series.

For sure Taylor, Muncy- they are core Dodgers like like Bellinger, Kike, Turner, and Seager- collectively they were so consistent. It was great to see their collective persistence pay off through all the setbacks and obstacles.

Mookie man- he was the X factor who took the Dodgers over the top. He's going to be the Derek Jeter/Jackie Robinson for the Dodgers for many years to come.