2024 MLB playoffs

Wild Card Series

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, Oct. 1

AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC
AL Wild Card Series Game 1: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN2
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Brewers vs. Mets, 5:32 p.m., ESPN
NL Wild Card Series Game 1: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN

Wednesday, Oct. 2

AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC
AL Wild Card Series Game 2: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:38 p.m, ESPN
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Brewers vs. Mets, 7:38 p.m., ESPN
NL Wild Card Series Game 2: Padres vs. Braves, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2

Tuesday, Oct. 3

*AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Astros vs. Tigers, 2:32 p.m., ABC/
*AL Wild Card Series Game 3: Orioles vs. Royals, 4:08 p.m., ESPN
*NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Padres vs. Braves, 7:08 p.m., ESPN
*NL Wild Card Series Game 3: Brewers vs. Mets, 8:38 p.m., ESPN2

Not doing polls this year as it becomes too many threads to keep track of.

Tigers over Astros
Orioles over Royals
Padres over Braves
Mets over Brewers

^^think the same so I’ll make it more specific

Tigers in 3
Orioles in 3
Padres in 2
Mets in 2

General agreement that top seed for both leagues has the tougher teams? Gotta think KC/O’s > Ass/Tigers and Braves/Pads > Brewers/Mets?

Astros, Royals, Padres

genuinely torn between Brew Crew and Mets, the former are being slept on and Francisco Lindor’s back is being held together by paper clips and gumption atm, but they’re coming off a high, but…

idk Mets in 3 but I don’t feel sure on that one at all

Sorry, but I will never cheer for the Tigers (old AL East rivalries die hard). The Astros are inevitable in October.

The Orioles have been a lukewarm team for months because of all the injuries, I'm not sure who they are now. This series is a coinflip.

Padres over Braves

Mets vs Brewers, I'm rooting for the Mets but I agree that people are sleeping on the Brewers because they held the lead all year in a weak division.

I vote with my heart; but the head does say brewcrew. Gotta believe in momentum. Gotta believe in riding an unbelievable narrative. Don't necessarily have to think it'll actually happen, but you do have to believe it

other things being equal, the brewers didn’t play a must-win game sunday, fly to atlanta, play 18 pretty intense innings yesterday, then fly back to milwaukee for an early-evening game with a torched bullpen. that takes a toll

(and if mlb cared about putting its best product on the field it might have pushed the series back a day, but)

i don't know if i have strong feelings about who wins or loses. i just want the boys to go out, play hard and have fun.

it'd be nice tho if the mets could beat the brewers in a way that embarrasses rhys hoskins. i don't like that guy

Fuck I forgot about that, that was right at the start of the season too

Mark Vientos to get a big hit please 🙏🏻

hoskins most recently hit a grand slam against us on friday. you could tell he was rubbing it in!

Astros 2
Orioles 3
Padres 2
Brewers 3

my predictions are the same as my rooting interests which probably means they're wrong: tigers, o's, padres, brewers

Rooting for (in order) Tigers, Guardians, Orioles in the AL; Phillies, Mets in the NL.

AL picks are team-based; NL picks are mostly for Harper and Lindor.

I would also have seen three playoff teams in person this year if Mookieproof hadn’t requested that I not attend Brewers-Pirates in person when I was in Pittsburgh. (The Pirates swept in my absence; they were swept when I attended their previous series).

As it was, Mets because the game we saw in London had an incredible finish and because Mark Vientos has a misspelled tattoo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LlkcCxqWrg

Mark Vientos Hebrew Tattoo translates to “The Flipper”.

He will definitely be doing a lot of bat flipping that’s for sure. pic.twitter.com/nSdOoCTb7t

— Ben Yoel (@Ben_Yoel) September 7, 2024

it's so annoying that an mlb.tv subscription does not include the playoffs

luckily i have an urge for sports... a sports urge if you will...

xp sorry what

Oh it does outside the US thank fuck

MLB.TV INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIBERS:

Live games are available internationally on MLB.TV (excluding Canada). Archives available on demand 90 minutes after the game.


BOO

The Braves announced their roster for the Wild Card series today and it does not include left-hander Chris Sale. The club is going with an even split of 13 pitchers and position players, the latter group including two catchers, five infielders and six outfielders.

that puts the braves intransigence on rescheduling around helene in a new light - they weren’t hoping to pitch sale twice, they were hoping the rainouts would give sale even more time to rest and get back on the bump

Announcers:

https://barrettmedia.com/2024/09/30/espn-names-broadcast-teams-for-mlb-wild-card-round/

Parker Meadows has big shoes to fill as the Tigers' first starting CF in a playoff game since Don Kelly

Tigers strike first

three runs on three ground balls up the middle

good start

15 pitches for skubal to get through two innings, vs 41 for valdez

framber couldn't find anywhere to hide the sticky stuff

lets go Thrillwaukee, getting sick of these surprisingly good regular seasons followed by early exits, lets fuckin do something for once

I really don't want the Astros, come on Tigers

No, no, no

Well, at least, this is going to be a good ending.

Nice

Yes!

intense

tigers have a tinge of the old royals about them

(Gulp)

I'm getting a sense this is going to be a wild game.

(Mets v Brewers)

What is going on? I'm working and missing all the stare down action

Winker hit a triple and said something to one of the Brewers while running the bases?

Hoskins hbp in first AB also

Big play for the mets

Goodnight O's

Lindor-Candelita surely the best middle infield pairing in the game?

Hey Heston Kjerstad just going to put you in to pinch hit in the bottom of the ninth with two outs of a one run playoff game, NO PRESSURE

This is such a sick game

Brewers have come to play

Right when I say that...

ha ha - i was typing the same... easy catch there at least. dudes been busy

really cheering for the brews this year. what a fun team.

He can't be safe there..... no way lol

gotta stretch it out Payamps! (sick name)

Pitchers not being fundamental and covering first

Pressure is on

I love a playoff game with no pitching

This game

If I was a betting man I'd love to put $10 on a grandslam this ab

Good thing I'm not a betting man

oh gosh

Betting is still illegal in California. Makes no sense why I keep seeing commercials when it's not possible to bet on them.

Not a gambler, so it doesn't really effect me.

God damnit I had to run a soccer practice what’s going on here

Insane game

I think that qualifies as a big Vientos hit, also why was JD Martinez on the bench

Was Freddy Peralta injured? Why pull him so early?

jd’s in the worst slump of his career also winker was 6-18 against freddie fastballs coming into this game

I think they are platooning Martinez right now because he's been terrible for two months.

xp

thanks both!

jd’s also a first time father iirc as of last month - can’t help but wonder if his mind is (rightfully) on things bigger than baseball atm

luis severino is battling

Love seeing 100+ pitches

Mets are on a roll. They were right to tank that second game yesterday, as they beat the Brew Crew.

At least I missed the really frustrating parts

Pain

The Brewers are the first team in MLB history to blow a multi-run lead and lose in 4 straight postseason games.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 2, 2024

VP vs game

road teams ftw

I know it's early, but uhhhh, this pads/braves match up is looking pretty uneven

Padres!

Stadium atmosphere seems massive at petco

First inning not over yet and I'm deadset convinced the pads are going to the world series

Me too, they have the it factor for sure.

No matter what happens, pads/dodgers is going to be must watch baseball

(Yes I'm trying to jinx them, though tbh not even sure if the braves would be any better. Two teams who the dodgers never seem to have an easy game against)

Hawktober starts today! pic.twitter.com/cUd2w94qVI

— Haliey Welch (@HalieyWelchX) October 1, 2024

this dude michael king is throwing absolutely sick pitches

Padres are a scary team. Missed this game but seeing the score.

solid day of baseball

except for tim kurkjian sounding like the pimply teenager from the simpsons

xp Padres pitching is essentially playing against a AAA lineup - i wouldn't get too high on that supply. Outside of drubbing the AAA spot starter they didn't do much else offensively.

It’s wild they had to run that guy out there to start game 1

a win is a win

as a braves fan, they have no business being here. that being said, if their skeleton crew offense shows anything above 3+ runs the next few games they could be a wild sleeper.

that being said, their offense is ass and have essentially expected the pitching staff to perform peak mets-era deGrom miracles 2/3 of the season.

that being said

I didn’t realise Adam Duvall was bad enough for the Braves that he got left off the playoff roster

Many are being said

I want the Tigers to win the World Series behind five Tarik Skubal starts and 12 openers.

— Joe Sheehan (@joe_sheehan) October 2, 2024

I was going to say…do the tigers have a second starting pitcher? :)

Did Casey Mize die?

Casey DeMise

the constant win probability tracker in the chyron is very silly

Reese Olson might be a better choice than Mize. But I guess they have to win this one first.

Michael Kay: "that's the trouble when you're a local broadcaster. you date the girl, someone else takes them to the prom"
then agrees he's gone to "a lot of proms"

who socialised this man?

who even elevated him to the playoffs over Gary Cohen or even Jon Miller

the constant win probability tracker in the chyron is very silly

― na (NA), Wednesday, October 2, 2024 2:41 PM (twenty minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink

yeah I really dont like it

it's probably to encourage betting no?

Apple TV-style. yeah, live in-game betting for sure

Just tuned in now, another close game

Tigers are falling apart

Balls out move there

Tigers aren’t falling apart

lets go baby

oh wow brutal way to let the tying run score

all my streams are getting taken down :( wonder if mlb is getting more sophisticated

Well they blew two outs there but only gave up two runs

Bunt but didn't get an out, then a ball hit to the first baseman who threw home but didn't get an out. Double play saved them.

Let's fo tigers!

LMAOOOOO right in the corner

there it is

What could go worse in a playoff game? Putting in a pitcher who has been in the league for a week (Jobe), or putting in 2024 Josh Hader.

michael kay garbled that call so badly my lord

Yep, I wanted to cheer and he ruined it!

brings back a particularly painful memory actually, 2019 Brewers/Nats wild card game, Crew was up 3-1 in the 8th I think, a huge storm rolled in and killed the satellite TV, so we were running around in the rain trying to find a bar that actually had service, and by the time we found one Hader had given up 3 runs

Josh Hader

hearing Kay call “past a diving Altuve” is almost as satisfying as when he’d call past a diving Jeter (RIP Morbs)

it’ll get lost but Altuve’s got to get that ball - if he does the inning plays out very differently. he’s lost a lot of steps.

Lugo’s stuff just so nasty

Wasn’t this his first season as a starter

hmm so you’re saying altuve came up a little short?

sorry, sorry

$95m for five years of Hader btw

Lugo used to be a starter for the Mets when he came up, and then he just got so good at long relief that he ended up doing that for many years.

35 pitches 1.2ip for Hader. Padres pissed

i really like Jessica Mendoza! First time I've heard her. And Sean McDonaugh is all time. Great tandem - huge improvement over HOU-KAN

lugo started last year, no?

happy for tigers, even happier for the end of the astros

Tigers and KC both winning would just be glorious

Mendoza is great, always love when she’s calling the Dodgers.

ONE MORE OUT!

no more astros in the lcs for once

Let’s go

Xp cannot believe they’d been in the alcs for 7 straight years. End of an error.

error corrected

Red Sox Stats says Bregman is looking for $200m in free agency

KC playing good fuckin baseball here

Royals really doing it all again on defense

yea stellar play by massey

as a Red Sox fan i have literally forgotten what it’s like to root for a team that can play defense

Look, I really respect what the Royals are doing, but I’d like to see the O’s score a run now please

as a Red Sox fan i have literally forgotten what it’s like to root for a team that can play defense

Hype strikeout

Good game

This game is both tight and “tite”

OOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Can’t out-defence a non-doubter!!!!

If ever there was a time Gunnar….

That’ll do

I swear I turned on every game and then the pitcher can't field their position

oof

Xp I’ll message you what time to tune in for the NLDS if that’s cool with you

Omg Cowser

Dislike that rule. Feel like the error of the pitcher is more egregious than the error of the batter in these instances.

nice Houdini act from KC

Adley’s shook

This is big boy baseball right here

How many fans out there are saying to themselves right now “why can’t WE have a Zerpa??”

Big out there

bad baseball IQ

little decisions like that.. altuve being a step slow.. that’s all it takes sometimes

Advertisers really getting their moneys worth with these pitching changes every inning

Witt doing absolutely everything and then a little more

I’m liking these playoffs so far

Woop

From 106 losses, 2nd worst in baseball last year, to fighting the Yankees in the ALDS the next year. Congrats Royals

A’s having Erceg and Miller as their 8th & 9th inning guys…🫦

These ain’t the A’s anymore

two big upsets already.
have to admit i'm a little bummed the O's aren't advancing tho - they're just so loaded with young talent, it's a shame (i know they'll likely be in the playoffs for years)

Sucks to see them swept two years in a row. Not fun to watch. Will happily cheer the Royals to sweep this next one tho

Ooooof Alonso, lucky to not be hurt

never doubt the AL central

#Astros reliever Josh Hader makes $19 million a year. Today's *entire* #Tigers starting lineup, *plus* everybody who's pitched for them in Game 2, *plus* Andy Ibanez, is making $15.1 million this year ... you know, not including postseason shares.

— Tony Paul | Detroit News (@TonyPaul1984) October 2, 2024

tweet reply: the entire tigers playoff roster is making 18.8mil

I'm not about celebrating penny pinching, but I am about making the Astros organisation and Hader look silly.

Brewcrew getting babip'd

Derrr didnt iglesias pop off the base

Looked like it to me....

Don’t mess with the mighty AL Central

He's safe but so tight I don't think they'll overturn

Wow!

Tuning in

Padres are dinking and dunking

Padres are unbeatable. I'm scared

Good timing

They've got all the intangibles covered, and then there's the tangibles to consider too

A base hit here would be huge

Brewers about to get back into this ballgame? I pull Manaea here 😬

Speak it into existence Bee

Yes, what I asked for

Tony Hawk loves it 🛹

God the vibes in San Diego are so good right now

I have an idea, hmm...not for here but ILM

Agree, this playoff format is gold for MLB. These games have been great!

These Mets hitting everything. Looking like no baseball tomorrow

Oh no, what happened to Musgrove, not good

Bone spur. Damn, that's rough

please put this braves team out of their misery. i don't have the patience to watch this trash offense anymore.

I'm assuming you posted that riiiiiiight before the pitch

Looks like there may be some baseball tomorrow after all

Indeed!

That was a fun game. Glad I watched the whole thing.

Solo home runs should not kill you

San Diego

Cmon braves

Pad's got the wrong ump. Not necessarily a bad ump, but the wrong ump

ugh

BEAT LA

BEAT LA

BEAT LA

:')

padres the rest of the way for me. i just want my evening drive home from work to be nothing but yank/mets fans blubbering on wfan.

Not surprised by the Tigers; I am a little shocked by the Orioles losing to KC. Haven't had a chance to watch hardly anything so far.

both of last night’s AL games were great

or i should say “yesterday’s” AL games (it was nighttime for me)

MLB.com:

“Since MLB moved to its current postseason format in 2022, a dozen Wild Card Series have taken place. Only two of them have gone to a decisive third game, and the Mets -- a chaos team, if ever there was one -- have been involved in both.”

Let's go Mess.

I'm a Braves fan, but I'm relieved their season has finally been put out of its misery. It was like watching Dan Hedaya trying to crawl away on the highway in Blood Simple. Go get some sleep, guys, you need it. Extend Schwellenbach, decline the Ozuna option, hire Chavez as a coach if he's done playing.

Go Brewers, Go Tigers, Go Royals, Go Pads

i suppose the difference is marginal, but i don’t understand why MLB uses hard brackets rather than reseeding after the wild card round. e.g. if the six-seed mets win tonight, the one-seed dodgers should get to face them rather than the four-seed padres

Just got clued into the fact that it's the Yankees and Royals for the first time since 1980--probably the greatest baseball rivalry of my teenage years, or at least tied with the Yankees/Red Sox (Dodgers/Giants was a little lopsided in the '70s).

https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/yankees-playoff-record-vs-royals

never thought of the Yankees and Royals as having a rivalry?!

see the George Brett pinetar game

oh i def remember that!

That was kind of a postscript. Their ALCS in '76/7/8 were epic (first two especially).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcRRFy_8Gzw

this time it feels like one of the clearest cases of defense vs offense i can remember, which of course means it will play out in exactly the opposite way

Vientos in the 2 hole!

Living in the past, I know, but: there's a piece on MLB.com today about how intense that late-'70s Yankees-Royals rivalry was.

https://www.mlb.com/news/royals-yankees-alds-matchup-rekindles-fierce-rivalry

I've been sick all week and I am trying to stay up to the end of this game. Mets not making it easy.

Spoke too soon :(

Fuuuck yes

Buttó pitching like butt-o

Hitting a pinch hit homer to take the lead in an elimination game has got to be one of the best feelings ever

I didn't believe the O's, Braves or Astros (okay maybe astros a little) could come back in the late innings, but I do believe the Mets can.

omg Alonso...........

Stop it!!!!!!!

Well shit

Fuck this

Unbelievable!

OMG

omg

You have to be kidding me

lol @ *chef's kiss* from Pete

God fucking dammit

God this hurts.

I genuinely believed too. Fuck

the mets bullpen is still the mets bullpen tho

I mean you have to go to Williams there, you have to, but how does he do this, how does this happen

i may not live to the end of this game with the way things are going

man

Winker just might get drilled again

Lol Winker is such an asshole, great television

what an at-bat by lindor btw

Citi Field popping. Signature moment, team defining moment for Alonso on his way out

Hulk helmet smash!

What a game (so far)!

what a play by lindor

No longer so far!

Holy crap. They did it.

Cannot believe that's a double play. Lindor at max speed to 2nd

This is a really a miracle

mets and phillies to face off in the playoffs for i think the first time ever

Seven steps for Lindor to the bag

Sorry frogs. Brutally competitive series. Either team would have given the Phillies a real challenge. NLDS division rivalry series lets go!

Emotional polar bear

I can’t believe all the feelings I’ve felt the last week with the Mets. This doesn’t even seem real.

i aged 10 years

https://i.imgur.com/o0Qn2ey.jpeg

https://streamable.com/hdux2n

Is that Pete giggling like a kid after he hits the ball? Adorable!

"Destiny Team Rankings" going forward:
Mets > Pads > Dodgers > Phils
Tigers > KC > Yanks > Indians

Howie Rose’s call of Pete Alonso’s go-ahead homer in the 9th is EPIC 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/jPNKaG26Mb

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) October 4, 2024

😌

confession: i don't watch the games, i only listen to howie and keith. i can't handle the stress of watching it live and i don't wanna hear the espn announcers. unbelievable call!

I get it, I would listen to my announcer too but Jon Sciambi, who does the Cubs play by play, is very good.

according to the booth that was the first home run hit this year off of devin's change up. can't write a better script

also would have been sweet if mcneil was in the dugout to rub it in @ rhys but apparently mcneil is in california awaiting the birth of his new child. congratulations to happy jeff!

I does seem amazing that the Phillies/Mets and Tigers/Guardians are playoff firsts, but I guess it shouldn't be, they spent so many years pre-WC in the same division.

ALDS broadcaster assignments on TBS:

Yankees-Royals: Bob Costas and Ron Darling

Tigers-Guardians: Brian Anderson and Jeff Francoeur

— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) October 3, 2024

Fox/FS1:

The National League Division Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the San Diego Padres on FOX will feature Joe Davis and John Smoltz on the call.

The NLDS with the New York Mets against the Philadelphia Phillies will have play-by-play from Adam Amin with former MLB players AJ Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright as analysts.

also would have been sweet if mcneil was in the dugout to rub it in @ rhys but apparently mcneil is in california awaiting the birth of his new child. congratulations to happy jeff!

This is the playoff pumpkin. Pete Alonso picked it himself this week at a Wisconsin pumpkin patch. It's now another good-luck charm for the Mets. pic.twitter.com/l7ewDnvu6w

— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) October 4, 2024

God, couldn't sleep last night. Blaming it on you, Pete.

this is obviously an arbitrary cutoff, but historically (and clemenzically!) interesting:

Presumptive AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal is the only Tigers pitcher to exceed 115 innings this season. The Guardians have just two (Mitch Lively and Tanner Bibee).

(fwiw 111 pitchers threw at least 115 innings this season)

Do they mean Ben Lively?

so it would seem. silly baggarly!

I heard someone call him Blake Lively on NESN earlier in the season, Mitch is at least not immediately obviously wrong

"Pete Alonso became the first player in MLB postseason history to hit a go-ahead HR while trailing in the 9th inning or later of a winner-take-all game." (mlb.com)

Kind of amazing that that's never happened before.

think there have been a few series-winning ninth inning HRs (joe carter '93 most notably comes to mind) but i guess if the jays had lost that one there would still have been a game 7

Yeah, and Mazeroski's, even though a G7, broke a 9-9 tie. I figured there would have been one in the playoffs for sure.

so this is pretty brutal, the brewers brought bob uecker in and had him call the 9th

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2024/10/04/christian-yelich-on-talk-with-bob-uecker-hardest-part-of-the-night/75508511007/

worst announcer jinx of all time?

Up until recently the playoffs were a much more abbreviated affair. League championship and WS. Alonso’s feat doesn’t surprise me in that context.

Hell I’m still getting used to the Astros being in the AL and the Brewers in the NL. Doesn’t seem right

:(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7z8aaZ7gIk

jomboy says devin was tipping pitches

at first i thought he was doing zapruder grassy knoll type analysis. but by the end of the vid i could kinda see it too

Wow, that guy totally tells Pete "change up" before he goes to the plate.

The beer and Champagne just left the Brewers clubhouse pic.twitter.com/tbzjPAjgGg

— Spenser Williams (@SpenserWilliams) October 4, 2024

they wheeled it right over to the mets clubhouse

brutal - but why did they buy bud in the first place?

I don’t know that they did, isn’t it an official sponsor? It’s in all the celebrations for teams.

I like the end of that jonboy video where the coach says "I told you" all proud...had kind of a DeNiro at the bar after the Lufthansa score kind of vibe

xp

yeah i saw some scenes from the celebration and there's a big budweiser logo on the cart, so obviously bud paid for that.

lol @ the champagne being korbel, i guess they know most of that stuff is ending up on the floor and not in anybody's stomachs

like 龜, it’s been too stressful for me to watch these games, so I’ve been listening to the Mets radio broadcast. Still I feel every twist and turn so viscerally even after four decades of fandom and chaos.

And btw I only later listened to the tv call, and geesh. Either they were all in on the brewers or they were too worried about not sounding calm cool and professional, because how can you not get excited about baseball after watching that game and all its implications.

may I explain how

i’m in a sweet spot where i definitely have rooting preferences (including the mets), i don’t care enough to get tense about it

i hear you, though — there were large swaths of the penguins’ 16-17 cup runs i couldn’t watch. and for some reason the tension is much greater in my middle age than it used to be

tbf howie is a mets guy; i think national broadcasters are expected to be a bit more circumspect

lol @ the champagne being korbel, i guess they know most of that stuff is ending up on the floor and not in anybody's stomachs

Gotta save the Krug for the World Series

Frogbs I’m pretty sure YOU can explain how, oof.

I just want to dodgers to turf out hard. sorry, I’m 9 years old.

Idk how you can't watch your team. It builds character.

so this is pretty brutal, the brewers brought bob uecker in and had him call the 9th

honestly his call of alonso's homer should go down as a classic of "i'm seeing it and it's my job to tell you what i'm seeing but i hate it, we all hate it," incredible emotion

https://i.postimg.cc/brw7jqCk/IMG-6288.jpg

lol @ the champagne being korbel

fun fact! In the late 90s Korbel decided to make a move into craft beer and hired a couple from SoCal (Blind Pig Brewery, Temecula, CA) to relocate to Sonoma County to start making beer along Korbel's property along the Russian River. After 5 years, Korbel decided craft beer was a fad and in 2002 decided to cease brewing operations. The couple was devastated and they begged borrowed and stole money to buy all the equipment and recipes and keep their brewery in operation in nearby downtown Santa Rosa. That brewery is now known as the Russian River Brewing Company and is widely regarded as one of the finest breweries in the USA.

they now make a beer called… the Joker

Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos told reporters that Chris Sale threw a bullpen today, he felt good, and he would've been on the NLDS roster if the Braves would've advanced.

— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) October 4, 2024

Posnanski: "BRAIN CRAMP ALERT: An earlier version of this went out where I kept referring to Pete Alonso as a 'Panda Bear' instead of, obviously, 'Polar Bear.' So I had the headline as 'Panda Express,' which totally makes sense, rather than 'Polar Express' which also totally makes sense. Funny. Sorry for the double email!"

Apparently Senga is going to pitch game 1 for the Mets.

unreal

What could go wrong?

they were saying he threw a 25 pitch live bullpen session the other day and felt good

i was at the (only) senga game this year where he strained his calf, his stuff looked good til then

DIVISION SERIES

Saturday, Oct. 5
ALDS Game 1, DET @ CLE, 1 p.m. ET (TBS, TruTV, Max)
NLDS Game 1, NYM @ PHI, 4 p.m. (FOX)
ALDS Game 1, KC @ NYY, 6:30 p.m. (TBS, Max)
NLDS Game 1, SD @ LAD, 8:30 p.m. (FS1)

Sunday, Oct. 6
NLDS Game 2, NYM @ PHI, 4 p.m. ET (FS1)
NLDS Game 2, SD @ LAD, 8 p.m. (FS1)

Monday, Oct. 7
ALDS Game 2, DET @ CLE, 4 p.m. ET (TBS, truTV, Max)
ALDS Game 2, KC @ NYY, 7:30 p.m. (TBS, truTV, Max)

Tuesday, Oct. 8
LAD @ SD, Game 3 (FOX/FS1)
PHI @ NYM, Game 3 (FOX/FS1)

Wednesday, Oct. 9
NYY @ KC, Game 3 (TBS, truTV, Max)
CLE @ DET, Game 3 (TBS, truTV, Max)
LAD @ SD, Game 4^ (FOX/FS1)
PHI @ NYM, Game 4^ (FOX/FS1)

Thursday, Oct. 10
NYY @ KC, Game 4^ (TBS, truTV, Max)
CLE @ DET, Game 4^ (TBS, truTV, Max)

Friday, Oct. 11
SD @ LAD, Game 5^ (FOX/FS1)
NYM @ PHI, Game 5^ (FOX/FS1)

Saturday, Oct. 12
KC @ NYY, Game 5^ (TBS, Max)
DET @ CLE, Game 5^ (TBS, Max)

(^if necessary)

Kodai Senga on how many pitches he can throw tomorrow in his first start since July: “If they say 10 pitches, I’m all in for 10 pitches. If they say 200, I’m in for 200.”

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 4, 2024

senta all in on october koshein

*senga

Let’s do this
I’ll be watching nyy, nym and lad

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10137994-brewers-willy-adames-says-he-waited-for-mets-jesse-winker-in-parking-lot-after-game

Ok both times he was hit in game 3, dude didn’t move an inch and let the elbow guard take it. Not the first time I’ve seen that

xp that is absurd

but also jesse winker absolutely deserves to have his ass kicked

Reading about Royals closer Lucas Erceg

https://amp.kansascity.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/vahe-gregorian/article292766539.html

I’m fascinated by the emergence of Royals closer Lucas Erceg, who wanted to be the next Ohtani not too long ago. He also has the date he got sober prominently displayed on his glove. pic.twitter.com/p38XpuLuyn

— Rob Bradford (@bradfo) October 4, 2024

I'm sure everyone has taken notice of this:

https://i.postimg.cc/WpDdqLCf/payroll.jpg

NL just missed having the four highest: 1, 2, 3, 8.

starting today we’ve got Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr, Luis Arraez, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Schwarber, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Bobby Witt Jr, Salvador Perez, Tarik Skubal

Skubal is Monday. Cole, Senga, Wheeler, Cease, Yamamoto all today.

ahh well in any case

Geez, just turned on the game.

Guardos!

Tigers opener faced the Guardians in July four times and didn’t give up a single earned run in 6.2 innings

Grizzled gentleman in a Leyland jersey at the pub

Wheeler is dealing.

This telecaster is in 4K, nice.

Watching Mets-Phillies on the BBC

OH SHIT

Wow

Yeah, the Phillies are not the Brewers.

mama there goes that man

Schwarber: welcome back, WHACK

Jake Peavy is not commenting on this game as promised

Honestly not the worst first inning I’ve ever seen from someone who hasn’t pitched in months

Got Trea Turner to strike out on the 👻🔱

Still at the bar with no tv, heading home soon to watch

Why are they booing Jose Iglesias

Guy waving a Philly rally rag in the front row with a Trump/Vance shirt clearly visible, nice

https://i.imgur.com/wGQRoCc.png
As a cali kid this is killing me

I think he was out

Nah safe easily, Alonso was too slow to get his glove down

How was that a strike when he was dodging out of the way of it

Wheeler’s fastball has such a wicked snap on it

Incredible start from Wheeler

Zack Wheeler’s 26 swings & misses are 3rd-most in a postseason game under pitch tracking (2008), behind only:

2019 ALDS G2 Gerrit Cole: 33
2010 NLDS G1 Tim Lincecum: 31 https://t.co/3DHQBBkIvx

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 5, 2024

I think he finished with 30 in the end

Oh hell yes

VAMANOS VIENTOS!!!

Good game

Bud Harrelson, Ed Kranepool, and Tug McGraw are sending out team-of-destiny vibes from beyond the grave.

Whoa

Should have not taken out Wheeler

Poor Wheeler…..

I don't remember a team that can look so lost for a game and then just come alive like this.

I mean… is any manager putting in a guy back in after 111 pitches in 2024?

Being sarcastic of course

Xxp Late Night Lamont’s and the 2021 Giants come to mind.

I don't remember a team that can look so lost for a game and then just come alive like this.

Xxp sorry, radar is off (but pretty sure the commentators were saying the same thing and comparing the Wheeler pull to Snell being pulled in game 6 of the 2020 World Series?)

brandon nimmo powered by the guy in the jd vance shirt behind the dugout, beautiful

— todd bonzalez (@doinkpatrol) October 5, 2024

Beautiful AB from Candelita after a battle

Nooooooo let Winky hit!

Two relief pitching changes, just like the old days. Bochy loved to change pitchers and more times than not it worked.

Ouch

5 runs

Trea Turner slide from Jose Iglesias

Btw, Judge is up

bloop bloop bloop

Two relief pitching changes, just like the old days. Bochy loved to change pitchers and more times than not it worked.

Nice job by Wacha to get out of the jam

Maton’s face fluctuates every second between “I Am The Destroyer Of Worlds” and “Omg what am I doing here? Mum, can you please pick me up :(“

Ughhhhh I wanted that send, but it’s the right call.

What is this announcing duo for the Royals/Yanks? More excitement for a Cole strikeout than a Royals run

Bob Costas and NY Mets Ron Darling.

Bob Costas is a legend and has called every sport including the Olympics.

Seeing this on the timeline again so I guess they’re doing their thing

https://i.postimg.cc/6QB9DcgP/IMG-6344.jpg

Gothic

Broadcast just said the Mets were 10-20 with 10 runs scored in the 8th and 9th their last two games.

Bob Costas called all those Michael Jordan championships but his first love is baseball. He, like I, thinks there's no better game.

Stanek showing exactly why you put him in with a five run lead, jfc

WOW

costas sounds like his commentary is derived from lines he recorded for a video game

mj melendez has played his ass off in this postseason

Good play

Pressure raining down on me

Top 100 song of all time

Way off on the lyrics:

Pressure pushin' down on me
Pressin' down on you, no man ask for

...

Don't do this

Let them, at least, earn it.

Wow short leash

Throws it away

Almost always about the underdog if its not my team

That was a strike

Wow

Yamamoto vs. Cease just started

Single-allowing Yama vs single-hitting Areaez. Inevitable

Padres

Brutal error for Anthony Volpe pic.twitter.com/FVf2vxB6Nu

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 6, 2024

Omg Will and Yama get it together please

So nice to have Joe Davis, he cares about baseball. Joe Buck would be calling football in this round. Davis gets it.

10 pitches, no outs Ughhhhh 7 balls 3 strikes. Not good.

Agreed on Davis

Machado boost are so funny

A run

Okay yeah I hate this

Yahoo

Yes, yes, yes

Sexy batflip :(

Huge out

Lol

Not that I expected Rickey Henderson, but I never knew Stanton ran like a catcher.

The Yankees other tall guy runs pretty well.

i mean, given his injury history...

I really loved the twin peaks organ vamp for the 2-2 count and was sad to see it go, but I’ve finally come round to “even flow” not being a downgrade.

0

Yeah, it happens

Please lock in Yama, you’ve got the stuff :(

(xpost) You're right--he once stole 13/14 bases (2014), but has only attempted one SB since 2019.

Muncy being a DH forced to field seems a distant memory. Lovely to feel safe at the hot corner

Wide strikezone.

He's out

Chisholm was out but by like .000001 of a second. Can’t expect an overturn

MLB is bullshit, I know it's the Yankees but for fucks sake

Let’s go Will

He was out, everyone saw it

The Royals will have to battle MLB too

Not Tony Gonsolin with the “cross to the other side of the street” glasses.

LUXFUX!

Cease losing it (please)

Is it just me, or is Smoltz 100x better with Davis than he was with Buck? Buck it felt like the consummate corporate professional talking with the old-man-yells-at-clouds old timey baseball man. Davis it feels like two people who love baseball talking with each other

I didn't think he was out, Bee; the two replays looked to me like he was there.

Last nine games with runners in scoring position 12-14, 2.9340~ OPS……..

OMGGGGG

LETS ACTUALLY GOOOOOOOOO

Why

Because Ohtani

does ohtani ever flip bats? that felt unfamiliar

Yeah. Since September he’s showed a lot more emotion, positive and negative, after his AB’s

Every Machado AB is very scary. Man loves punishing the Dodgers

Inconsistent zone.

Yama’s 1st inning ERA (6.00) is double his season ERA (3.00). Must be frustrating for him, hopefully he can figure it out come next year.

Yeah

And funnily enough, in his 3rd inning he has a 5.06 ERA. Inevitable.

Freddie what are you doing hahahahaha
Also Yama out after 3 :\

He's out

He’s out but please MLB I beg

can't believe he's running on a bum ankle... can't feel good sliding into that bag either

lol sorry pads

Lol

The fix is in

Two obvious calls today

MLB can’t bring in the ohtani money if there’s no ohtani

Not what I'm saying. You only call balls and strikes, let the game decide

Not sure if Cease is making more than 3 innings either

I mean besides Ohtani, Cease is looking great. We’ll see

Got him

It was a strike

Here we go

Jesus

I like this new relief pitcher

Throw more of those

maybe they need Lessjon

Wow they walk him. Ballsy

hope that backfires. I hate that shit

Lol frogs, literally just made that joke to my wife

Wow, heart racing

Bad challenge

This is such a sick game

They will probably over turn it

The fix is NOT IN

Lol

This Dodgers are still not the Yankees

that was an incredible throw to get him

what did they see there? out by a country mile

I don't know if "the black dodgers" would fly in 2024; better play it straight

They saw a desire to tie the game. Waste of a challenge. How many challenges do you get in the postseason?

LETS GO TEO!!!!!!!!

oh my god this game

5 more innings to go lol

Yeah unreal

What happened to your iconic batting eye and plate discipline Muncy :*(

One Machado out feels like three outs

lmao Manny nice throw

whoa @ that "2 batters away: Shohei Ohtani" graphic. can't remember a broadcast ever doing that in a playoff game, usually that's for players about to break records

sorry am I looking at Pat Sajak right now

I'm scared

Here we go

Take him out Dave

Not machado.....

...

Manny wants that high heat

Omg lol what a battle

LETS GO

one more fastball should do it

I wanted him to just throw it straight down the pipe, but that was a much better move

He got it

100

98

This is baseball

What a battle

Honestly, a walk there seems like the best outcome for Kopech. Merril was on it

Nice

BlaQ has been real hot lately. Fingers crossed

☠️

Please don't do that again Rojas

Here we go

how we feelin right now

Hrhcbeiwkskleocjeh

nice work Vanilla Ice

I mean, I didn't like it, but it was fun!

Yeah there's nothing i love-hate more than Blake's stupid facial hair lol

Gotta respect a man who intentionally chooses to look that stupid. Great commitment to the bit

Was that "personal jesus" on the organ for Ohtani? Lol

lmao Shohei just tried for a 700 ft HR

Nearly decapitating the catcher in the process

Even when he strikes out, i still feel warm and fuzzy watching that mammoth swing

WEAK!!!!!!!!

Treinen is in the lineage of Brad Lidge of “bad closer facial hair”

LUUUUUUUUU77777X

Dodgers actually playing like a real team in October 🥲

Uhhhhhhh anyone warming????

...

Tu8eidjeuchgjeiwjshrg

Just got on base

!

DAVE WHAT ARE YOU DOING

PULL. THE. PITCHER.

This is it

Bad

why is this guy still out there

WOOHOOOOOOOOO

Hahahahahahahahahaha

Shit

Roberts puts it all on red and wins. Omg what a way to end it. Wow

aint got a horse in this race but seeing Machado look silly is always nice

Couldn't agree with you more

(I do respect his game and actually love him as a player, but Machado striking out to finish the game is like dodgers fanfic)

This was quite the night of baseball. Five lead changes in Yanks-Royals -- most ever in the postseason?!?

I count five here:

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI199310200.shtml

MLB.com says it's the most. I guess the first run doesn't count as a lead change (and if it did, the Royals-Yankees would count as six). Philosophical question: doesn't the lead technically change with the first run, going from no one leading to someone leading?

Zack Wheeler’s 26 swings & misses are 3rd-most in a postseason game under pitch tracking (2008), behind only

i guess the context for wheeler's swings and misses is this:

Umpire Andy Fletcher (ranked 73rd of 90 umpires) called the worst game of the playoffs so far, missing 16 calls in Mets Phillies NLDS Game 1.

Of those 16 bad calls, 11 went against the Mets.#Mets #Phillies #NLDS pic.twitter.com/m6A874KGqL

— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) October 6, 2024

with an expanded zone the mets had to chase

another sunny and clear day, another 4 o clock start. guessing both pitchers are gonna be leaning heavily on the junk

I realized yesterday how weird it feels to think of the Mets, with the highest payroll in baseball, as this scrappy underdog. I guess a fair amount of that is tied up in deGrom, Verlander, and Scherzer.

I do not think of them as a scrappy underdog.

But they’re playing the Phillies, so

degrom is off the books i think. but they are still paying bret saberhagen.

And Bobby Bonilla, probably. And George Foster.

_Zack Wheeler’s 26 swings & misses are 3rd-most in a postseason game under pitch tracking (2008), behind only_


i guess the context for wheeler's swings and misses is this:

🐦[Umpire Andy Fletcher (ranked 73rd of 90 umpires) called the worst game of the playoffs so far, missing 16 calls in Mets Phillies NLDS Game 1.

Of those 16 bad calls, 11 went against the Mets.#Mets🕸 #Phillies🕸 #NLDS🕸 pic.twitter.com/m6A874KGqL🕸
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) October 6, 2024🕸]🐦

with an expanded zone the mets had to chase

degrom is off the books i think. but they are still paying bret saberhagen.

They're both down a game and very likely to get knocked out, but I think a Summer of '69 Padres-Royals WS would be pretty cool (especially as spiritual stand-ins for the other two '69 expansion teams, the Expos and the Pilots).

have we discussed how idiotic it is that the two AL series, if they go the distance, will have three off-days?

i know they're terrified to compete with football broadcasts, but there has to be a better way

Yeah I was thinking about that today too. it can make a big difference in the post season.

At least we’ll never have to hear any inane arguments about the bye again?

Infield jump isn’t a thing but if it was…

STUD

gyac's buddy!

Vientos really reading it well today

xp ???

vientos

How’s he my buddy

LFG

LFGM

lol Severino running off the mound like he just remembered he left the gas on

What the fuck Pete

David Wright mentors Vientos???

lmao @ the guy in the stands wearing a Grimace outfit!

Lmao seriouy

Seriously

That changed in a hurry.

AJ Pierzynski nearly rubbed himself raw on the Harper hr. How the fuck does he have a job

SV: need a Brandon Nimmo dinger to put them ahead
Brandon Nimmo: 🚀

nimmo is so clutch

Thought he easily checked there, but Schwarber didn't argue.

Man that’s a rough calf for the Phillies

Oh man

Guy didn't do anything for me all year in fantasy, but good show, Bryson Scott.

second series in a row where the announcers are all in for the team against the Mets.

I get it, but I did not like bringing in Diaz like that.

Rattled

clemenza, you will like this article about Stott & his mother (a teacher)

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4510507/2023/05/12/phillies-bryson-stott-mothers-day-lessons/?source=user_shared_article

I get it, but I did not like bringing in Diaz like that.

second series in a row where the announcers are all in for the team against the Mets.

If Bryson's mom is a teacher, I take that mean comment back (will read, thanks).

HOLY SHIT

Wow….

Yeah, baby.

METS!!

I just got home

Who are this team

GET FUCKED STRAHM

hahaha whoooo boy

I thought they blew the game by leaving Diaz in for too long. It turns out that the METS are incapable of blowing games these days.

Amazing shot of Alonso and Acuña watching the ball fly out and then losing their shit when it gets out

hahaha whoooo boy

Is Alvarado really bad or something? Just strange the way the Phillies sent out the same three relievers as last night

crazy pitch to homer on

Sit down you lipless homophobe

So close

breath in-breath out

oh god the walks

goddamn it

Wow

Oh well. Mets never do anything the easy way.

Boo

congrats Phils. Great to have a proper series

Best of Three

Celebrating with his son <3

The atmosphere in New York is going to be electric.

I was Zooming, but saw the walk-off with the sound off. My not-Greek, not-fellow-countryman Castellanos.

Sorry it’s just Niko Kavadas afaict but at least there’s one!

Darvish must be a hundred years old

Fuck

Wait, what?

I didn't think he came close to catching that ball.

Why did I think this started to ~:38…

Oh well, didn’t have to watch the damage

Darvish pitching to Ohtani with Higashioka catching…pretty cool

Need a double play here

Yes

This is more like the Padres

Didn't cash it in

Good play

Got out of it

Playing smart

I'm I the only one watching?

Need one