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2009 MLB Playoffs

G

gregg729

Registered User
Can we combine it all, or will it be too disjointed? I'm not zoned into the season as much as in years past, so I'd like to hear what the fans of the other AL/NL DS are saying without clicking on 4 different threads.....

First, congrats to the Twins on grinding out a long comeback. I hope you can make some noise against the Yankees? Do Twins fans think they can - nope, I mean will win a game?

And I really don't know what to expect from my Sox. What's the rotation gonna be? It's been such a yo-yo season, I don't know how to guage them. And I don't know enough about Anaheim to stack them up against the Sox, either.

Like I said, I'm not very zoned into this season - I don't even know what the NL matchups are. I just hope the Phillies make it back to the Fall Classic, they gotta be the favorites, right? :)
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

I think the Phillies have to be the NL favorites because of their playoff pitching. Hamels and Lee is the most formidable duo in the playoffs. Yankees have better depth of course.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Can the Twins win a game? Sure.

Will they? I have my doubts, but then again I've had my doubts for the last 3 weeks or so, so who knows.

It should at least be interesting. The Twins were in some of the games in NY early in the season only to pee down their leg at the end.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Lee is probably the best pitcher in the playoffs right now. He's been pretty much unstoppable since the trade. A little ugh stretch, but it was short, and Parise help ANYONE if he's "on."

The Twins might MIGHT MIGHT maybe hopefully win A game. If things bounce right, the planets align, etc etc etc. I guarantee it won't be Game 1 (cue Dr Obvious there).

Overall, if Boston gets their swagger back, they might make some noise. LAA is scary, but I think they might be more unpredictable than Boston, in the short term.

The Rockies are in the same boat as LAA, from what I've seen the past couple weeks.

LAD? "Slumping" for lack of a better term, considering their record in the past few months compared to how they started the first half of the season. If they can revert to the latter, I'd say book a WS trip right now.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Don't count out Duensing. Maybe he could surprise everyone.

Sure the Twins are tired, but maybe just maybe they'll go on a tear.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Terrierbyassociation said:
Don't count out Duensing. Maybe he could surprise everyone.

Sure the Twins are tired, but maybe just maybe they'll go on a tear.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm a big believer in emotion in a game, and despite the high the Twins have, that is a drain on that next game. Add to that the short wait before the start of the next round.......trouble.

Best thing that could happen is a rainout (which is VERY possible from what I hear). I think the Twins best asset, which might look like a weakness, is that they probably have 2-3 legit starters and not 5. The rest are very good long-term innings-eaters.

I think that could work to their advantage, given the structure/strategery of the MLB playoffs.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Terrierbyassociation said:
I think the Phillies have to be the NL favorites because of their playoff pitching. Hamels and Lee is the most formidable duo in the playoffs. Yankees have better depth of course.
Click to expand...

STL has as good of a one/two punch and the Yankees starting pitching drops off past Sabathia. That shouldn't matter too much against the Twins given the Yankees offense.

One thing that gives me hope against the Yanks is that 4 of the regular season losses were 1 run games and I think at least two were walk off losses, meaning they were at least in some of the games.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

A Philadelphia fan's assessment:

The Phillies have no real closer and the rest of the bullpen is a mess. The starting pitchers have been pretty bad in the last few weeks, too. Pedro can't seem to go more than 3 innings before coming up hurt. Maybe that's why Manuel moved Happ and Blanton to the pen?

Batting-wise, Howard is the only one who's been hitting consistently. Rollins and Utley are both in a funk. Ibanez and likely Ruiz are hurt. Werth is burned out.

I don't have high hopes (Sorry, Harry).

That said: Go Fightins!
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

The Twins and Yankees are completely different teams then the ones that met in May. So I don't think you can take too much stock in those games.

Obviously the Yankees have all the names on offense and in their pitching staff. But the Twins have that intangible "find a way" thing going for them.

My brain tells me this is a 3-1 series win for the Yankees. But you can't dismiss this series as a Yankees win until they actually do it. Too much has happened to take the Twins that lightly. Also, the Twins know a lot about C.C. So that may help them a bit in game 1.

Separately, I think making the playoffs has sealed Mauer's MVP win. Now there isn't anything the voters can point to as a negative for him.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Brenthoven said:
Best thing that could happen is a rainout (which is VERY possible from what I hear). I think the Twins best asset, which might look like a weakness, is that they probably have 2-3 legit starters and not 5. The rest are very good long-term innings-eaters.
Click to expand...

Sorry to break it to ya, but it's currently clearing in the Bronx, and theres going to be a good wind to dry things up. Supposed to be clear, 50ish and windy tonight (20-30, gusts to 40).
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Slap Shot said:
the Yankees starting pitching drops off past Sabathia.
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Which is like saying K2 is a drop off from Everest.

Here's all you need to know about Yanks/Twins (H/T NoMaas)

Hitting

OPS+: Yanks 117, Twins 109
OPS: Yanks .839, Twins .773
Runs/Game: Yanks 5.65, Twins 5.01

Pitching

ERA+: Yanks 104, Twins 92
FIP: Yanks 4.32, Twins 4.38
K/9: Yanks 7.82, Twins 6.52
BB/9: Yanks 3.56,Twins 2.87
HR/9: Yanks 1.12, Twins 1.14

Fielding

UZR/150: Yanks -4.8, Twins -6.0

Baserunning

SB: Yanks, 111/139 SB - 80%, Twins 85/117 SB - 73%

Head to Head
Yankees 7, Twins 0

Key personnel missing since last meeting
Twins: Justin Morneau
Yankees: nil
 
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Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Greyeagle said:
Which will come first today: The Twins getting 27 outs or the Yankees getting 27 runs?
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The former. Reverse woofing on purpose doesn't work too often, and you already spent yours getting into the playoffs.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Red Cloud said:
The former. Reverse woofing on purpose doesn't work too often, and you already spent yours getting into the playoffs.
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Ok, 27 runs might be a slight exaggeration ;) but MN has a rookie starter going today, we never know if the bullpen will come out smoking or be out smoking and was rode hard and put away wet, and they entire team will be emotionally spent. My hopes are not high for tonight.

EDIT: So it sounds like it will be windy at the Stadium, any idea if it will be blowing in, out, across?
 
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Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

The Sox are better this year than they were last year. The problem is, so are the Angels and the Be Pinstriped Ones. They almost pulled off a miracle last year, but I have an odd feeling that the champ will come from the NL again.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

What makes the MLB playoffs hard to call (and fun) is that momentum counts for squat. Otherwise, it would have been the Rockies sweeping the Red Sox in 4 a couple years back.

The Sox have been screwing around for a couple weeks, now. And it won't matter at all if Lester throws a gem and playoff Beckett makes an appearance.

I think Boston's best shot is if Anaheim reverts to their old aggressive ways. If they stay patient and limit Boston's starters to 5-6 innings, there's a soft underbelly to that Boston bullpen.
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

Jon said:
The Sox are better this year than they were last year. The problem is, so are the Angels and the Be Pinstriped Ones. They almost pulled off a miracle last year, but I have an odd feeling that the champ will come from the NL again.
Click to expand...

I think the AL's only legitimate shot comes from the Twinkies/Yankees series, either the Twins ride the wave similar to Colorado of 2 years ago or the Yankees do as is expected of them. Boston and LAA both kind of limped into the playoffs, and that could be 5 games of Twins/Tigers failings.

The NL has 4 pretty **** good teams, however LAD limped into the playoffs big time, and Colorado is missing De La Rosa for the NLDS, not even counting they have to play Philly.

This could be a pretty interesting playoffs, but when is that not the norm?
 
Re: 2009 MLB Playoffs

I still think we're looking at Cards/Phillies in the NL and Yankees/Red Sox in the AL, with the Series champion coming from the AL this year.
 
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