2019 MLB Postseason: World Series [Nationals win series, 4-3]

[Eye Black]

 

 

[Jimbo]

Kinda pulling for the Astros. Would like to see the best team rewarded for their efforts. Also, the Nats had a nice run. But don't let their 8:1 odds of a comeback against the Brewers parlay into a World title.

[MrTPlush]

Nationals, easily. How can a Brewers fan not cheer for another team that has never won a title? I guess the Nationals are sorta a big market, but hey...a history of an empty trophy case is all too relatable.

[rcc]

Nationals for the win. Houston won a few years ago and the Nats never. So it's time for the former Expos to get their first WS win. Next year the Brewers will get their first WS win too. Hopefully!

[owbc]

My predictions from the last round were completely wrong but I'll take the Nationals in 7. Go Nats!

[MadScientist]

Leaning towards the Nats, but just really happy this didn't turn out to be a Yankees-Cardinals series.

[TURBO]

Rooting for Nats, but I think the Astros win it in 5.

[Eye Black]

So I am rooting for the Nats, but when I don’t have a clear rooting interest (either for or against any particular team) I also root for whichever team wins the first game to just win the series in four. I’m one of those strange people that really enjoys the MLB off-season and want it to begin more than I want additional World Series baseball games... I recognize that this is a weird thing.

[yourout]

I think we got us a competitive series.

[NYChez]

Soto is having a postseason for the ages. Bad for the Brewers, Dodgers, Cardinals, and Astros. Great for the sport.

[rondoman]

 

Soto is an absolute stud.

[rondoman]

Damn it page froze up. Sorry...

[owbc]

Damn it page froze up. Sorry...

 

Fixed! And yes, Soto is incredible. What a swing on that slider low and a away.

[Jaylyn]

Find it hard to believe the Astros left Miley off the WS roster. I know he kinda wore down towards the end of the regular season, but to go all righthanders is risky to me. Come on back to the Brewers Wade, we love you!! LOL

[owbc]

Can the shaky Nats bullpen hold this lead???

[brooks_quichenick]

Juan Soto is on a Mike Trout trajectory. Kid is a star

[Ulice Payne]

Go Expos!

[yourout]

Nats are smoking hot.

[trwi7]

That escalated quickly dot gif

[rondoman]

Not ready to say it's over yet.

 

But the fat lady has definitely entered the building.

[stoutdude04]

The Nats look like a team of destiny, wow. Against the Brewers they had Zimmermans weak single...then Soto has his ball take that hop past Grisham. Last night again they had 2 weak hits in that big inning. 3 if you include Kendricks ball to Bregman. Most impressive though...they kept putting it in play.

[PeaveyFury]

It certainly is a nice reminder that you just have to get in to the postseason to have a chance.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I really thought Martinez and that bullpen would sink the Nats. Something else I was just totally wrong about. Still time for them to lose, of course, and the Astros are good enough all around to come back from 0-2, but beating Corbin will be a tall task.

 

I'm sure, if the Nats hold on, the narrative will be about "traditional" starting pitching, but I think that will be an oversimplification. The Nats were simply smart enough to play in a way that suited their roster, and their deployment of their starters in the WC game and NLDS was anything but "traditional."

 

Stearns and the gang may be in Billy Beane territory as far as postseason BP usage is concerned. I think they've changed the game, but they won't get much credit for it because they didn't win the WS and cement the narrative (though hopefully the WS part of that changes in the next couple years...a fan can hope).

[bill hAll Star]

I really thought Martinez and that bullpen would sink the Nats. Something else I was just totally wrong about. Still time for them to lose, of course, and the Astros are good enough all around to come back from 0-2, but beating Corbin will be a tall task.

 

I'm sure, if the Nats hold on, the narrative will be about "traditional" starting pitching, but I think that will be an oversimplification. The Nats were simply smart enough to play in a way that suited their roster, and their deployment of their starters in the WC game and NLDS was anything but "traditional."

 

Stearns and the gang may be in Billy Beane territory as far as postseason BP usage is concerned. I think they've changed the game, but they won't get much credit for it because they didn't win the WS and cement the narrative (though hopefully the WS part of that changes in the next couple years...a fan can hope).

 

The dirty little secret is that if you have $100 million in a given year to spend on your rotation alone, you have a slight leg up on the bullpenning teams. The Brewers need to cobble together 5-6 pitchers in a given night and worry about rest, matchups, etc. while these other teams can pitch an ace into the 6th or 7th (or later) and just have to worry about having 2 guys waiting behind just in case.

 

Kudos to the Nats who are playing it smart...I never really understood the, "lol Nats bullpen" stuff because as we've seen - you only need to go 3 deep in close games.

 

So, yes, good starting pitching should be coveted. There are about 20 guys on the planet that are this good and all of them in the free market will get $150+ million and $25+ million/year.

 

If you're down to the Jhoulys Chacin or Zach Davies level of player...you bullpen the 2nd half (or more) of the game because it's the smart thing to do. You don't try to squeeze 115 pitches out of him because you want him to be a bulldog and try to pitch through the 7th or whatever "because Justin Verlander does."

[owbc]

I strongly agree with Cool Hand Lucroy's analysis. The Nats and Astros are certainly not winning because of their TOR starters...if anything they are winning despite their shortcomings. All of them besides Strasburg have looked vulnerable. It seems like the hitting approach is the commonality between the two teams...particularly an ability to get on base and keep pressure on the opposing pitchers.

 

Take a guess which teams were #1 and #2 in MLB in the regular season in OBP?

 

The other aspect is the randomness of the postseason. The Nats were lucky to get through both the wild card and the NLDS.