Baseball

Morbius

(710 posts) Fri Oct 3, 2025, 08:24 PM Friday

The divisional playoffs.

Chicago at Milwaukee

Milwaukee had the best record in baseball, but was only .500 in September. That may well be because they had no particular reason to bust their collective asses. They do not have the greatest bullpen but they do have formidable starters. Cubs won the season series, but only just.

L.A. Dodgers at Philadelphia

Philadelphia has good pitching and guys who can hammer the ball. They're a damn good ballclub. They have home field advantage. Then there are the Dodgers, who were built with this time of year in mind. No team pays more payroll than the Dodgers, and October is why.

Detroit Tigers at Seattle

Seattle can pound the ball with the best of them. They have what is most often called a dangerous lineup, Their pitching is good but not great; Detroit frankly has Skubal and no one else scary. Detroit does have a guy named Javier Baez. He has the tools to be a superhero whenever the need arises. The question is, does he have the desire?

N.Y. Yankees at Toronto

The Blue Jays have a team that can put the ball in play. Their offense is pretty consistent. They had the same record as the Yankees but won the season series 8-5. Their most exciting pitcher is Trey Yesavage, who they drafted just 15 months ago. This is a big stage for someone so young. The Yankees are, well, the Yankees. More experience, more players, led by Aaron "The" Judge. Their bullpen is temperamental, but talented. This team like the Dodgers has an enormous payroll and expects to win at this time of year.

Who will win? I think the Brewers (sorry, fellow Cub fans. I hope I'm wrong), the Dodgers (again), the Mariners and the Yankees (again).

7 replies

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Highlight:

The divisional playoffs. (Original Post) Morbius Friday OP

I concur with your prognostications. GreenWave Friday #1

An hour ago, I saw an elderly gentleman with a Cubs shirt... in Wisconsin. Tetrachloride Friday #2

I want Cubs, Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays. MIButterfly Saturday #3

This is my 61st season as a Dodgers fan Oeditpus Rex Tuesday #4

Three teams are up 2-0. Morbius Tuesday #5

It ain't over 'til it's over. MIButterfly Tuesday #6

Well, the Cubs have managed one victory. Morbius 11 hrs ago #7

GreenWave

(11,754 posts)

1. I concur with your prognostications.

Reply to Morbius (Original post)

Fri Oct 3, 2025, 08:28 PM

Friday

Tetrachloride

(9,085 posts)

2. An hour ago, I saw an elderly gentleman with a Cubs shirt... in Wisconsin.

Reply to Morbius (Original post)

Fri Oct 3, 2025, 09:00 PM

Friday

I suspect dementia. (joking... probably)

MIButterfly

(1,451 posts)

3. I want Cubs, Tigers, Phillies and Blue Jays.

Reply to Morbius (Original post)

Sat Oct 4, 2025, 02:02 AM

Saturday

Please not Dodgers and Yankees. Nobody, except Dodgers and Yankees fans, wants yet another Dodgers and Yankees World Series. Haven't there been enough of them?

I've been hoping for a Cubs/Tigers World Series since 1984. Haven't I waited long enough? I'm not getting any younger.

And oh yeah, GO CUBS!!!!!

Oeditpus Rex

(42,863 posts)

4. This is my 61st season as a Dodgers fan

Reply to MIButterfly (Reply #3)

Tue Oct 7, 2025, 07:57 PM

Tuesday

and I want to play anyone but the Jankees in the Series. I've had more than enough of that, and I think baseball has, too.

I'd like to play Detroit because it's never happened and both franchises have much individual history as charter members of their respective leagues. But I'd like to see Seattle, too, to keep it on the Left Coast and because I've known a few guys (Jeff Nelson, Omar Vizquel and couple of others who had a cup of Seattle coffee) who came up through the Mariners' organization. (My hometown had a High-A Seattle affiliate in the '80s; I was club photographer and even shot Nelson's on-field wedding to Collette.)

Morbius

(710 posts)

5. Three teams are up 2-0.

Reply to Morbius (Original post)

Tue Oct 7, 2025, 08:10 PM

Tuesday

The Tigers and Mariners are tied at 1-1; the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Brewers are all up 2-0. When leading 2-0, that team wins the series 87.5% of the time. The last time a team recovered from a 2-0 deficit was 2017 - the Yankees. The Cubs look like a team that doesn't belong here. The Phillies are facing the best dynasty that money can buy. I'm not sure what has happened to the Yankees. My point is that it is REALLY unlikely that the Cubs, Yankees or Phillies will be still playing by this weekend.

MIButterfly

(1,451 posts)

6. It ain't over 'til it's over.

Reply to Morbius (Reply #5)

Tue Oct 7, 2025, 08:52 PM

Tuesday

Statistics and odds are all very well and good, but they're not always 100% right. Any team can get hot for three games. How many times have teams with the worst record win three in a row against the team with the best record during the regular season? How many times has a team come back from deficits or one game away from elimination to win in the playoffs? It's not impossible. I prefer to keep hope alive.

Morbius

(710 posts)

7. Well, the Cubs have managed one victory.

Reply to MIButterfly (Reply #6)

Wed Oct 8, 2025, 08:48 PM

11 hrs ago

4-3, in game three of the series (the first at Wrigley). It's not impossible, but I can assure you of this: if the series goes all the way and the games are this close, not all Cub fans will survive. The general feeling in Cubdom right now is relief, I think. Perhaps tomorrow, it will be excitement. It's time for the bottom of the lineup to contribute.

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