2020 MLB Postseason: AL & NL Championship Series

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Yeah, the ALCS has a ton of drama. Bummed the Rays lost a bit but also glad for more baseball.

 

I guess I'm thinking we just thought Choi was expendable and Aguilar/Thames were going to be good enough. Wanting Choi is probably big-time hindsight, but I remember him hitting an awesome GS against Arietta in Philly, I think? And driving in the winning run on Opening Day in SD that year.

[DuWayne Steurer]

I mean... Choi is a .796 career OPS first baseman. You don't get a lot in trade for guys like that. He is what he is. Probably shouldn't be starting and is an ok platoon-ish, PH/DH guy. He looks desireable because our 1B situation was Justin Smoak and blah.

 

We had Thames and Aguilar at the time and nobody was going to give us a bunch for him. I'll honestly be surprised if he plays 3 more years.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

I mean... Choi is a .796 career OPS first baseman. You don't get a lot in trade for guys like that. He is what he is. Probably shouldn't be starting and is an ok platoon-ish, PH/DH guy. He looks desireable because our 1B situation was Justin Smoak and blah.

 

We had Thames and Aguilar at the time and nobody was going to give us a bunch for him. I'll honestly be surprised if he plays 3 more years.

 

Agree. Grass is greener, I suppose.

[Eye Black]

The best part about when Choi initially signed with the Brewers in January of 2018 is he turned down an offer with a roster spot from the Rays in order to compete against Aguilar and Thames to be the Brewers first baseman. Then the Brewers just eventually traded him to the Rays anyway.

[pacopete4]

Choi? I’m more mad we didn’t get something productive out of Miller. Hits everywhere else just fine. Could have been a nice piece.

[MrTPlush]

Yeah, the ALCS has a ton of drama. Bummed the Rays lost a bit but also glad for more baseball.

 

I guess I'm thinking we just thought Choi was expendable and Aguilar/Thames were going to be good enough. Wanting Choi is probably big-time hindsight, but I remember him hitting an awesome GS against Arietta in Philly, I think? And driving in the winning run on Opening Day in SD that year.

 

He hit the walk-off on opening day then got booted off the MLB squad, after that he didn't get put back on the roster till mid May. We were then kind enough to trade him away immediately after hitting that pinch hit grand slam. It was not off Arrieta...Arietta was pulled for Luis Garcia after he loaded the bases on catchers interference/walk/hit by pitch.

 

Choi wasn't really all that good in the grand scheme for us. He had the two big hits, but that pretty much summed up his entire production with us. Before the grand slam he had an OPS of .637. He had to be traded so we wouldn't lose him for nothing and getting Brad Miller was actually a sweet get for our situation. Unfortunately, Miller wasn't that useful for us.

 

On another note, wow, poor Kershaw. Crazy to think he could be one of baseballs all time legends if not for his (and his teams) inability to perform when it matters. Despite being on the modern day Yankees when it comes to money he hasn’t won a ring in 9 visits to the postseason and is on the brink of #10.

[tmwiese55]

Yea at some point you kind of feel bad for Kershaw/Dodgers. They've done so much right in running that team and keep blowing it and/or getting cheated in the playoffs. I hate the big markets as much as the next guy, but they deserve 1. They also home grew a ton of the team so it's not as 'evil' so to speak. Of course they add big moves too but the biggest part of their success is drafting/developing and then keeping the right young guys. I guess the Jansen collapse is theoretically good for trying to get them to pay up for Hader, but I know they have internal options too.

 

For Choi, didn't see it mentioned in the posts here but what was option situation? I'd assume they could've just let him sit in AAA all year right? Although they might have given him their word they wouldn't or something. Tough to blame the team as Thames was doing just fine as the lefty in the platoon and you had him under a few million contract, so can't just cut him. I guess the shrewd move would've been to try and trade Thames since he'd get more back and it would save money. But grand scheme Choi is just a mid level borderline starter, obviously that's better than what we trotted out this year though.

[Eye Black]

For Choi, didn't see it mentioned in the posts here but what was option situation? I'd assume they could've just let him sit in AAA all year right? Although they might have given him their word they wouldn't or something. Tough to blame the team as Thames was doing just fine as the lefty in the platoon and you had him under a few million contract, so can't just cut him. I guess the shrewd move would've been to try and trade Thames since he'd get more back and it would save money. But grand scheme Choi is just a mid level borderline starter, obviously that's better than what we trotted out this year though.

IIRC, he had an opt out clause in his contract for June 15th (if he wasn't on the 25-man) where he would've become a free agent if he chose. They traded him on June 10th, 5 days before that deadline.

[owbc]

Watching the championship series has made me realize how bad the 2020 Brewers were. The 4 remaining teams are really good and fun to watch.

[PinaMadness]

Watching the championship series has made me realize how bad the 2020 Brewers were. The 4 remaining teams are really good and fun to watch.

The Asterisks were not very good at all. They finished with the same record as us, playing in the worst division in baseball and didn't hit a lick. Now miraculously they're hitting like the '27 Yankees in the playoffs. Things that make you go "Hmm".

 

Yes, I'm going to be a conspiracy theorist.

[PinaMadness]

I can't believe the Rays are going to choke 3-0 away. You can see it in them.

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Morton is going to have something to say about that series. I get the sense the Rays just like drama.

[pacopete4]

Houston winning this series would be so 2020.

[TURBO]

Hoping for Rays / Dodgers World Series, and the Dodgers having nothing but bullpen issues the entire series, causing them to lose again, and making them want Hader badly in the off season.

[MrTPlush]

Past the cheating I want the Astros to lose because the last thing I want to see is a sub .500 team win it all. Not only that, but the first opportunity one has in the expanded format. What a terrible start to a possible future. Of course the Astros are probably better than they showed in 60 games and likely wouldn’t have been sub .500 in a regular season.

 

HOWEVER, them winning tonight would give the Dodgers (potentially) one sweet opportunity at revenge.

[Eye Black]

From Jon Morosi earlier today:

 

11 Dodgers on this NLCS roster appeared in Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS in Milwaukee.

 

 

Any guesses on how many Brewers that were on the 25-man roster for the 2018 NLCS are still in the Brewers organization? (answer in the spoiler below)...

 

 

Answer is 10

 

Pitchers: Corbin Burnes, Josh Hader, Corey Knebel, Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff

 

Position Players: Manny Piña, Orlando Arcia, Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Ryan Braun*

 

[markedman5]

Lights aren’t too bright and the moment isn’t too big for Charlie Morton

 

[Underachiever]

Fairbanks pitching is giving me axford flashbacks

[PinaMadness]

Thank God!

 

The Astros loss notwithstanding, I think their playoff run, coming one game away from the World Series, shows just what a terrible idea playoff expansion is.

[Eye Black]

Years ago there were rumors that the White Sox were going to move to Florida. Now in my lifetime teams from Florida will have played in 4 World Series. I really hope the Brewers play in a World Series again someday.

[sveumrules]

I can't believe the Rays are going to choke 3-0 away. You can see it in them.

 

The eyes often deceive.

[owbc]

I can't believe the Rays are going to choke 3-0 away. You can see it in them.

 

The eyes often deceive.

 

Scoring first in game 7 was huge.

[pacopete4]

I semi was hoping for the Dodgers to get their revenge in the series. The WS matchup is rather blah.

[MrTPlush]

I semi was hoping for the Dodgers to get their revenge in the series. The WS matchup is rather blah.

 

Maybe that story line will get to happen in a different year. Can you imagine that next year and the Astros travel to LA? Oh man...what a heated series, would have been a bit lame in this COVID year.

[owbc]

I semi was hoping for the Dodgers to get their revenge in the series. The WS matchup is rather blah.

 

Maybe that story line will get to happen in a different year. Can you imagine that next year and the Astros travel to LA? Oh man...what a heated series, would have been a bit lame in this COVID year.

 

The storylines might not be that good for the WS but the baseball will be really good. The Rays were the best team in the AL all year and the Dodgers/Braves are clearly the best two teams in the NL.