Baseball is Here!! MLB 2012!!!!

[SlowwHand]

NYY lose. THANK YOU!

[-Jrabbit]

Here's a fun fact:

In Game 3 on Wednesday, Cardinals RHP Chris Carpenter became only the second starting pitcher in baseball history to win a postseason game after not having any wins during the regular season, according to STATS LLC.

[OzzyKP]

More fun facts:

http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/53277/verlander-aces-winner-take-all-test

The Detroit Tigers rode Justin Verlander all the way to the ALCS.

The reigning AL Cy Young winner struck out 11 in a 6-0 shutout of the Oakland Athletics in Game 5.

That’s the most strikeouts in a shutout in a winner-take-all game in postseason history. The old record belonged to Sandy Koufax, who struck out 10 in a shutout in Game 7 of the 1965 World Series.

In fact, Cliff Lee, who did so in the 2010 ALDS, is the only other pitcher with 11 strikeouts in a winner-take-all game.

Verlander’s fastball topped out at 98 mph, and accounted for seven of the 11 strikeouts. The A’s were 0-12 with seven strikeouts on at-bats ending in a pitch out of the zone.

Stephen Drew was Verlander’s primary victim, striking out in all four of his at-bats. The only other players to do that in a winner-take-all postseason game are Ben Grieve (2000) and Jerry Reuss (1981).

With this performance, Verlander joins Lee as the only pitchers with consecutive starts with 11 or more strikeouts in single postseason. Verlander’s 22 strikeouts set an LDS record.

Prior to Verlander, only two Tigers had struck out 11 batters in a postseason game (Bill Donovan in 1907 and Joe Coleman in 1972). Verlander has now done it three times. In fact, only Randy Johnson (four) has more 11-strikeout postseason games.

This was the first postseason shutout by a Tigers pitcher since Coleman in 1972. Bobo Newson (1940) and George Mullin (1909) are the only other Tigers with a postseason shutout.

Verlander was the fifth reigning Cy Young winner to start a winner-take-all postseason game.

The previous four (Roy Halladay, Barry Zito, David Cone, Steve Carlton) all saw their teams lose.

Overpowering the A’s all game, Verlander made sure that couldn’t happen.

[Fistandantilus]

Is the point of that pic trying to portray Verlander as an arrogant douche?

[snoopy369]

I think the point was that Justin Verlander is a very, very good pitcher.

[OzzyKP]

I think the point was that Justin Verlander is a very, very good pitcher.

[-Jrabbit]

This postseason is not going in the way I'd prefer, as two of my most hated teams (Yankees, Cardinals) just advanced in admittedly dramatic fashion.

I gotta say: Huge mad props to Joe Girardi. Pinch hitting for A-Rod in that situation (Thursday?) took some real stones. And with that outcome, it was the stuff of managerial legend, my friends.

[OzzyKP]

Considering how crappy ARod was in the series (I hear) and how poor he has been in October just in general, the only real risk Joe took was pissing off Rodriguez and his agent.

But yea... damn Yankees and damn Cardinals... This is the seventh time each team has been in the LCS since 2000. 7 for 13 is pretty darn good. And between the two of them they have been to seven World Series' since 2000, over that stretch they each have won two.

Also the last three WS winners were the Yankees, Giants & Cardinals. So damnit, its the Tiger's turn.

[SlowwHand]

I'll vote for that.

[-Jrabbit]

Considering how crappy ARod was in the series (I hear) and how poor he has been in October just in general, the only real risk Joe took was pissing off Rodriguez and his agent.

You say that with benefit of hindsight. In the moment, benching your #3 hitter and HOF icon in that situation had to be a very tough call, and I strongly doubt whether many other managers would have had the balls to do it.

[OzzyKP]

Holy crap, what a game!!!! Whew!

[snoopy369]

This postseason is not going in the way I'd prefer, as two of my most hated teams (Yankees, Cardinals) just advanced in admittedly dramatic fashion.

I gotta say: Huge mad props to Joe Girardi. Pinch hitting for A-Rod in that situation (Thursday?) took some real stones. And with that outcome, it was the stuff of managerial legend, my friends.

I basically am not paying attention any more. Four teams piqued my interest slightly; all four lost in the ALDS. Sigh.

Also, still curious who the Cards are paying off. This time not an ump, but perhaps Drew Storen?

[OzzyKP]

You say that with benefit of hindsight. In the moment, benching your #3 hitter and HOF icon in that situation had to be a very tough call, and I strongly doubt whether many other managers would have had the balls to do it.

ARod isn't what he used to be, especially in October. He didn't even play at all today.

Oh yea, 3-0 baby! GOOOO TIGERS!!!!

[snoopy369]

Tigers-Cardinals rematch anyone?

[OzzyKP]

Sounds good, Detroit needs to even things out. St. Louis won in 1934, Tigers got their revenge in 1968, then Cardinals beat Detroit again in 2006.

Also, I forget if I mentioned this already but this year's 'final four' are the Yankees, the Giants, the Cardinals & the Tigers.

2009 WS - Yankees
2010 WS - Giants
2011 WS - Cardinals
2012 WS - ....Tigers?!?