2023 NLDS: Atlanta Braves vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Braves in 4

Screwed up but hope to get it corrected

Seconded

Phillies in 5

Braves in 4.

Braves in 4

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Phillies already making noise

But the Braves do get out of it

okay that ranger suarez is not the same ranger suarez i watched last year

Phillies score first

Braves first hit in 4th inning

feel bad for Suarez - been dealing and two bad luck hits was all it took to pull the cord.

Bryce Harper is so good

Wish he was on my team

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

this performance by strider is really something

i feel like i'm watching a vintage DeGrom performance - strikes out a bunch, has 1-2 mistakes, and the offense does absolutely nothing for the team.

otm

What the hell

JFC what is going on

Replay says no, ilo

Imo

Wrong

Have some class

Atlanta crowds are not usually like this.

...

Wow

Holy shit what a play

that was some classic Barves postseason baseball

Lol

Depressingly familiar.

It’s a very minor point but looking at the box score, I don’t understand how Strider ended up with only one earned run and not two.

The home run is an earned run on a pitcher. But the first run that scored was from an inning that went like this:

Trea Turner - groundout
Harper - walk (an outcome entirely on the pitcher’s inability to get him out)
Bohm - strikes out. 2 outs in inning.

Strider tries and fails to pick off Harper. Is charged with an error. Harper can get to 2nd.

Stott singles and Harper scores.

So I am maybe missing something really obvious here - is it due to the failed pickoff being ascribed to a fielding error and not pitching, even though the pitcher was the fielder?

yes

the run wasn’t “earned” by the runner because the defense fucked up

James actually used to argue the same thing--that if the error is charged to the pitcher, the run should be earned.

THe run being earned doesn't mean the pitcher "caused" the run, it means the offence did it without any keystone kops help. I would think James would know that??

He has his quirks.

Possible clarification: he may have suggested doing that only when calculating Game Score. Not sure...It'd take me a while to pin that down, and I can't do that today; I have a series of high-level meetings scheduled with Ross Atkins and the Blue Jay brain trust, as we try to figure out how to best deploy our assets going forward.

Sorry I've been traveling, Phils in 3.

Nah, phuck that.

...but Ronald Acuna will lead the series in SBs!!! #MVP

The Phillies were so impressive.

On the run being earned or unearned after the pitcher puts a runner on and then makes a pickoff attempt error, my understanding is that the scoring is determined by recreating the inning as if the throwing error had not occurred.

So if the walked runner advanced to second on the pickoff error and then was batted in on say, a single, on which the runner wouldn't have scored if they had been at first, then the run is unearned.

However, if the runner advanced to second on a pickoff error and the next batter hits a home run, then the runner would have scored whether he had been on first or second and the error did not affect the run. In the latter case, then that run would still be scored as earned against the pitcher's ERA.

Yes an important nuance!

Oh, this is on. Need to get away from war talk anyways

These Phillies might just win the next 5 World Series the way they’re playing. What a force

These Phillies might just win the next 5 World Series the way they’re playing. What a force

Yeap, at this point I don't see anyone beating them this year

I crack up every time they cut to the Phillies dugout with all the dudes hanging over the railing, smiling, laughing, jiving and jarring with one another/ at whatever is happening on the field. You really get the feeling these blokes are having just as much fun watching the game as they are playing it. If teams were ranked on their “just guys being dudes” quotient, Phillies are all the way at the top

Yeap, at this point I don't see anyone beating them this year

Interested to see if they have the pitching depth to keep this up though? Wheeler has got the Braves offense looking like an undisciplined AA team right now. 6 strike outs for all 6 outs, ridiculous.

if fried can't even get through 5 IP this series is cooked for the barves.

My major annoyance at the Kershaw start is that it robbed the braves of the media attention they deserved (especially if this game stays the same)

Such a bad AB from Acuna after Arcia & Harris shook 14 pitches out of Wheeler.

Bee Ok do you remember that Zack Wheeler got traded for 2 months of Beltran

fried is lucky he got out of that inning. honestly shocked snitker didn't pull him before facing harper a third time through.

You’d assume the Braves burn a starter here right? I guess they really only have Elder and Smith-Shawver unless they want to torch the whole pen

Bee Ok do you remember that Zack Wheeler got traded for 2 months of Beltran

I do, Posey just broke his leg and the Giants were desperate. Didn't love the move but understood it at the time

2011, right?

The Jays scoring one run in two WC games, that was exactly what you'd expect; this is kind of stunning.

It’s more how the braves are playing that is stunning than what the Phillies are doing. I think this is how most people expected the Phillies to go, especially after they showed their post-season colours again against the Marlins. I just expected the Braves to match them

Iirc the phillies are the last team to do a one-pitcher pitching very well in the playoffs (I do not acknowledge combined efforts as real, SITO).

Xps yes

Ozzie Albies breaks up the no-hitter in the 6th inning and a mistake by Trea Turner lets a run come home pic.twitter.com/agIDrhoBBX

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 10, 2023

2012 they won it without him. I don't think it would have much different in 2013 as the Giants missed the playoffs. 2014 would have been fun with Bumgarner but didn't need him. I guess 2016 but it was destined for the Cubs that year

Wheeler is dealing, like that they aren't overthinking this

Haha, as he gives up his second hit

Spoke too soon. Little d makes it interesting

Wow, back in it

I was just about to post about the Phillies “stone-age” not-overthinking-things strategy was proving all the nerds wrong, but alas

Braves get a massive life-line with that HR. If they don’t get themselves a win after that, going back to Philly? That’s the series 4sure

Alvarado on fire right now

That was a strike Pillar

Ditto--don't know why Pillar was squawking there.

Nasty

Appreciate the umpire not tossing anyone even though he probably had reason to with the dugout arguing and the clear as day “fuck you” (probably would have happened in a regular season game)

I mean, tossing strider for the “fuck you” would have been kinda funny and harmless

Now this should be fun

Yeah we’ve got a great final inning in store (that will sadly overlap with the dodgers start).

Ya know, I nearly forgot the chop existed for a moment there. Go Phils

I want the Braves but then hear the chop

I hate this

Lol

Wow

Did he really have to hit it right as they started doing the chop? Riley confirmed not an ally.

One handed home run, hot damn

whew, I had my ass clenched for three days

Yeah, sometimes it's better to not have any skin in the game

wooooooooooow

fuck a chop, gotta root phils here

Oh no, mlb is going to ruin my favourite early Strokes song 🙁

Was it Last Night or maybe Take it or Leave it?

Take it or leave it. As far as ad bumper songs go, it’s a great one! I hope they don’t do it every single time like mlb.tv does with everything.

LETS GO PHILS!

It was low so I only caught a bit of it

I like hearing songs I know and I know a few of them 😀

Wow

Damn, well played

What a barnburner!

lol, and i had straight up written off the braves season 3 innings ago

No real rooting interest, so that was great.

That definitely was a great game, best of the post-season so far for sure

That was a fantastic play. Well done, Braves.

Don't blame Harper there, it was just a great play

motherfucker

Money Mike
Money Mike
Money Mike

I scared my wife's dog (again)

How are you calling it your wife’s dog :(

Yeah, Bryce not to blame at all, gotta go for it there and it really looked like it was falling for a hit

It's kind of an inside joke -- the cat is "mine" and the dog is "hers," but they're both totally in charge of everything.

As they should be. We're both at the mercy of our pets, but any "the dog" or "the cat" language gets an immediate deathly glare from me lol. They're people that deserve to be called by their names!

The Phils blew that game. Wheeler should have been out of the game earlier, bad baserunning by Harper in the 9th. The Braves are awesome but it seemed like such a winnable game for Philly. Great series so far.

Wow the box score tells the tale. Would have loved to see this

It was the first postseason game in baseball history to end on a double play involving an outfielder, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

good comment on reddit - just your classic 8-5-3 double play to end the game

Was tied up with Tove Lo yesterday so I missed most games but really for some baseball today.

i don't think i can watch today. too much anxiety

Nola looks sharp early

Braves score first

Tied and that was fast

fuckin crushed that one

🫣

Harper is a beast

god damn what a blast

I think Bryce Harper might be the best player in the league right now. I know others probably have better numbers but when the lights are brightest, Bryce seems to always come through

Are we gonna end up with a Phillies/Astros World Series again? I hope not.

It is looking that way isn't it

That's why he's called Bryce motherfucking Harper

Tuned in just in time to see the Harper HR. I'd say Alvarez is the best hitter still playing right now, but after washing out in his first playoff series 10 years ago, Harper is becoming one of the greatest postseason hitters ever (slugging over .600 now).

Phillies/Astros - would look like an NLCS to me, it'll never look right

Damn

Nola and Wheeler are going to pull a 2001 Johnson/Schilling all the way to the title.

What was their record against each other this year? I know the Braves won a shit load of games but the Phillies are almost embarrassing them.

Again, wiw

WOW

Wow! And I missed the staredown--subtle and brilliant--and now twice.

Love that the crowd is tainting the Atlanta Chop

Huge fan of that

I didn't know about that quote--"Attaboy, Harper," something like that--but obviously Harper's a guy you want to publicly mock.

Bryce just murders the Braves, idk what it is

What happened with him and Arcia? I don’t have it on

Kelly Gruber, 1992:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceCbhpm5YLM

(Arcia ridiculed Harper for getting doubled off, evidently.)

(Joke that only Thermo and NoTime will get: the next day it was revealed that Gruber hurt himself while doing his fake chop.)

Who's going to beat this team this year. I can't see them being beat.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F8MjSh6XQAAM-vp?format=jpg&name=900x900

Go phils

phew

Saw an interview with Arcia after the game. He said the comment was made offhandedly in the clubhouse and intended to stay there. Which is a very reasonable expectation.

Kevin Gausman agrees with you. I don’t know what the expectations are but if there are reporters in the clubhouse roving around they are surely going to report what they hear and see. I thought that’s why clubhouses had sections for the players where the press can’t go.

It’s ridiculous us players have to watch what we say in OUR clubhouse

— Kevin Gausman (@KevinGausman) October 12, 2023

I suspect we're both contradicting ourselves here, in that I think Ball Four was perfectly okay, whereas you (and others on this board) thought it breached an unspoken agreement. I'd have to give some thought to this to explain the difference (or to change my view on one of them if I couldn't).

Ball Four was different because it’s a player reporting on his peers, but reporters in the clubhouse are allowed in there and will often discuss things they see/overhear. Basically that you have some expectation of privacy from teammates but not members of the press.

I don't see a clear-cut line there...At work, will try to explain later.

Beat reporters do have a lot of power as well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Andrew Baggarly reporting this kind of thing in the Athletic preceded Kapler’s firing. It caused embarrassment for the SFG at the end of a disappointing season and it confirmed a suspected narrative. It also echoes the thoughts of the named players, based on previous articles.

Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski, second baseman Thairo Estrada, and infielder Wilmer Flores are among those who sought to refocus a clubhouse that has included too many ho-hum reactions to losing along with a near-zealotry to Pusoy, a Filipino card game that Joc Pederson and some other Giants players appear to find more compelling than studying the night’s opposing starting pitcher.

why doesn't this thread show up under BOARDS > I LOVE BASEBALL > NEW ANSWERS:

It’s too powerful

I'm down for a Braves beatdown. Sorry WmC and jimbeaux, but the chop has to go.

These Philly uniforms are sweet.

Walking Bryce in the first inning, lol

Or intentionally walking, I should say

Why did he throw three balls first?! That’s just wasting pitches for that outcome

When Strider went to 3-0 they made a business decision that it wasn't worth the risk to try to get him out so they intentionally walked him.

Fair but couldn’t they have saved three pitches and done that upfront?

I don’t want the Braves to lose this one but I’m always happy when Ozuna fails

I got distracted and didn't know they sort of pitched to him before walking him

You can’t be rocking that facial hair on the big stage Strider

I say as someone that rocks that facial hair

I’m okay with the Braves winning this one so they can repeat 2019 and lose with a 10 run inning at home in the 1st.

But also sincerely, I want more baseball so yeah whatever, go braves I guess? (Gross)

Bryce Harper is actually incredible good lord

I’m no fan of America, but damn that USA flag bandana Bohm rocks is the silliest/coolest damn thing lol. These phillies are the coolest

i feel like i'm watching a vintage DeGrom performance - strikes out a bunch, has 1-2 mistakes, and the offense does absolutely nothing for the team.

― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Sunday, 8 October 2023 00:25 (five days ago) link

oooh there it is

idk how he got that out of there that pitch looked low as hell

I said Braves in four, which now can't Happ but don't want to see a repeat of last year's World Series

Happy= happen

So go braves even with your terrible chop

Austin Riley literally doesn’t care what the pitch is, where the pitch is, who pitches the pitch, how many hands he’s got on the bat, none of it matters, he will hit the ball and he will hit it out and you will accept it

And ftr, mlb at bat has it as a ball low. Same pitch as the one before, you can’t be doing that

LETS GO

That was fast

Disgusting bat flip

I chuckle quietly to myself anytime Castellanos hits a drive into deep left centre field

You can’t be rocking that facial hair on the big stage Strider Marsh

fixed

ranger has such a beautiful head of hair under that cap

Fuck

Woop

Well that should just about sets the team's for the next round

I'm Greek, so way to go Greek guy. (Still remember his improbable game-ending catch last year.)

you are pulling your best defensive outfielder in a tight game for a pinch hitter?

ride or die baby

Getting interesting

oh man great matchup too

How did he not score?

holy shit Braves just gave up a free run wtf

This is what it's all about for baseball.

That’s just some great baseball right there

What a play

ohhhh my god I thought that was out

That is tough.

I was convinced cardiac Craig was gonna give up the grand slam that ab.

There's three more innings left!

smdh the front page of ESPN is about a shitty football game featuring the Denver Broncos instead of this

gotta hand it to the Philly crowd too these freaks are goin nuts out there

Please, no. Harper in the playoffs is practically the best thing about the playoffs.

Such mixed feelings right now: I like both teams, but the idea of the Dodgers, Orioles, Braves, and Rays all being out is so wild and intriguing.

kinda want the Phils to win but would be fun to see this crowd sweat a bit

Seeing-eye single, yike!

hoooo boy here we go. dunno why Ozuna felt the need to take the extra base there, you're not the tying run. was so close to being out

welp no pressure Strahm

Oh, Pillar--Superman no more.

all down to a guy I have never heard of in my life

And that's that

The Braves might possibly the best team I've ever seen that could potentially lose their first round of the playoffs.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, September 11, 2023 12:58 PM (one month ago)

Is harper wearing a flashdance altered rashguard under his jersey lol

"Where's the question in that?"--ouch, cold.

First non-Jays series I feel really strongly about: please don't lose to the Diamondbacks.

xp ha! i also thought "so what's the question?" so of course i lol'd

unclenched harper looks so different hah

The Phillies fan really are great

bryce has cupping marks all over his arm and back

Welp! Go D-backs. Braves, go back to sleep.

Starting next year, any team that wins 100+ games will be given a 2-run lead at the beginning of every postseason game.

If Letterman were still on the air, I do think there's a Top 10 list there: Rob Manfred's ideas for making sure the best regular-season teams advance in the playoffs. (#7: "Win a 100 games, get to draw up your opposition's batting order.")

i don't gamble, but i would legitimately be curious if betting sites take into factor the braves continuous (2021 anomaly aside) inability to get out of the divisional round.

This may have been mentioned earlier, but I do think websites should stop with the time-honored tradition of doing position-by-position previews as a way to predict playoff winners. (They have to, I know: content.) I'm not sure that idea ever had any validity, but more than ever, throw it right out the window.

Goodbye, Spencer Strider
Who could hang an L on you?
When your change was very filthy
Still I'm gonna miss you 🎶

very good game

don't gamble, but i would legitimately be curious if betting sites take into factor the braves continuous (2021 anomaly aside) inability to get out of the divisional round.

― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Friday, October 13, 2023 12:48 AM (one hour ago) bookmarkflaglink

It's been 2 seasons, it's ridiculous to say this is a real trend. They won the WS in '21 and made it to game 7 of the NLCS in '20. The two years before that were virtually different teams and they both at least put up a fight. Playoffs are a crapshoot.

2023 104-58 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2022 101-61 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2021 88-73 Won World Series
2020 35-25 Lost NL Championship Series (Won 2 Rounds)
2019 97-65 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2018 90-72 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2017 72-90 Missed Playoffs
2016 68-93 Missed Playoffs
2015 67-95 Missed Playoffs
2014 79-83 Missed Playoffs
2013 96-66 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2012 94-68 Lost NL Wild Card (Won 0 Rounds)
2011 89-73 Missed Playoffs
2010 91-71 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2009 86-76 Missed Playoffs
2008 72-90 Missed Playoffs
2007 84-78 Missed Playoffs
2006 79-83 Missed Playoffs
2005 90-72 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2004 96-66 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2003 101-61 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2002 101-59 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)
2001 88-74 Lost NL Championship Series (Won 1 Round)
2000 95-67 Lost NL Divisional Series (Won 0 Rounds)

What does literally anything from before 2018 have to do with the 2023 Braves? No, I don't think betting sites are taking organizational curses into account when they set their odds

save it for your WZGC call-in

I'm not the one making the morning show caller argument here lmao