Biggest fear this postseason

[maoling]

My biggest fear is I hope I didn't jinx them by betting $50 to win the ALCS, and another $50 on the WS. They were still +450 to win the WS at Angel of the Winds yesterday, and +200 on the pennant. I haven't followed them as much since my wife passed; too many decades of empty hope and watching them lose finally got to me.

But my first games in Seattle were watching the Pilots at Sicks' Stadium, and we were M's junkies at the Kingdome since Day One 1977. We used to grill brats on a Hibachi and get wasted in the warehouse free parking south of the Dome before we hoofed in. My buddies and I bought the cheapest seats and sat anywhere, because the place was half-a-tomb most nights.

If they finally win it after dreaming of it and waiting almost 50 years, there are no words. Onward.

[D-train]

this is what kills me about the balls and strikes issue, the Padres can go an entire game failing batter after batter to score a run but they can blame the umpire over what they believed was a blown call for ruining their season. Talk about a scape goat, don't put yourself in that position in the first place. It will change with the challenge system but I really don't care. Teams have always had the ability to control their destinies.


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/padres-p ... -loss-cubs

Yeah shitty calls suck especially when they go against you but the almost always even out. Obsessing about them is pointless imo. That being said the challenge system is a good happy medium and should have been implemented over a decade ago.

[Donn Beach]

this is what kills me about the balls and strikes issue, the Padres can go an entire game failing batter after batter to score a run but they can blame the umpire over what they believed was a blown call for ruining their season. Talk about a scape goat, don't put yourself in that position in the first place. It will change with the challenge system but I really don't care. Teams have always had the ability to control their destinies.


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/padres-p ... -loss-cubs

Yeah shitty calls suck especially when they go against you but the almost always even out. Obsessing about them is pointless imo. That being said the challenge system is a good happy medium and should have been implemented over a decade ago.

If i was a Padres fan i guess i wouldn't appreciate the drama of it. For me its like a Bogaerts swing and a miss. It was a dramatic moment. The challenge system is going to be fine but that stuff tends to take the drama out of it. Stop the game for a review

[57reasons]

Please tell me what your prior commitment is. I promise I won't laugh.

It's my wife's birthday and we'll be whale watching in the San Juans on a zodiac boat.

I'm not getting divorced for game 1 of a series.
...Game 5?

You are a good man brother. If you don't see a whale and we win in walk off fashion it will be sad but you will still be married. Win Win.

just like Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting - had to see about a girl.

[Michael K.]

this is what kills me about the balls and strikes issue, the Padres can go an entire game failing batter after batter to score a run but they can blame the umpire over what they believed was a blown call for ruining their season. Talk about a scape goat, don't put yourself in that position in the first place. It will change with the challenge system but I really don't care. Teams have always had the ability to control their destinies.


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/padres-p ... -loss-cubs

Yeah shitty calls suck especially when they go against you but the almost always even out. Obsessing about them is pointless imo. That being said the challenge system is a good happy medium and should have been implemented over a decade ago.

Depends. If he calls strike three to Carpenter last night? We win 2 to 0. I don’t know that was an egregious call, but just saying….some are certainly more important. Not sure there was another call that entire game with the same impact. That call and the pitch that followed, and Julio being an idiot and running into the tag? Just such a Mariner thing!

[D-train]

But why pitch to Carpenter at all. He had already hit FOUR bombs off Kirby in 10 ABs and 1st base was open. Go Huskies Go Hawks!!!

By Adam Jude
Seattle Times staff reporter
One of Dan Wilson’s great strengths is his unwavering belief in his players.

It’s genuine, and it’s consistent. Players can feel it, and they’ve often talked about that trust, that confidence, that they’ve gotten from Wilson throughout his first full season as the Mariners’ manager.

That trust, that belief, came to the fore at the tipping point in the Mariners’ 3-2 extra-innings loss to Detroit in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday night.

George Kirby, given the nod to start Game 1, put together a solid performance against a Tigers team that has historically given him troubles, and he was especially dominant early in front of 47,290 at T-Mobile Park.

Kerry Carpenter, a left-handed slugger, was the one Tigers hitter who had a strong track record against Kirby — and the one hitter in the Detroit lineup the Mariners couldn’t let beat them.

In the fifth inning, Carpenter beat them.

The Mariners led 1-0, with two outs and a runner on second base. First base was open, and Gabe Speier, one of MLB’s most effective left-handed relievers this season, was warning up the Mariners bullpen.

Speier was hot and ready, he said later.

M’s pitching coach Pete Woodworth made a mound visit, meeting with Kirby and catcher Cal Raleigh before Carpenter stepped to the plate.

In the moment, it was an obvious inflection point in the game.

In hindsight, Wilson’s decision to stick with Kirby proved to be the game’s most significant moment.

Dan Wilson on Mariners' depth ahead of ALDS



“Those are the tough ones, and I thought George was continuing to throw the ball well,” Wilson said.

The wisdom of pulling your starting pitcher with two outs in the fifth inning can be debated. In the regular season, that decision might not be greeted with nearly as much scrutiny.

In this era of playoff baseball, though, it comes under a microscope.

In the playoffs, many managers have a quick hook for their starters. There are several notable examples in this first week of October; the Cubs’ Matt Boyd, for one, was pulled with two outs in the first inning earlier Saturday.

And, of course, it’s always easy to second-guess any decision that backfires.

Allowing Kirby to face Carpenter for a third time Saturday proved costly for the Mariners.

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Carpenter, after just missing a double down the right-field line on the first pitch, crushed an 97.1-mph fastball from Kirby 409 feet out to right field, a two-run blast that gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

Yes, the Mariners came back to tie the score in the sixth inning on Julio Rodríguez’s RBI single, and many more moments loomed large in a game that went 11 innings.

But Kirby-Carpenter matchup had loomed larger in the buildup to Game 1, and the result of that fifth-inning bat are what will haunt the Mariners most afterward.


“Just one pitch. Just one pitch,” Kirby lamented afterward.

It wasn’t a bad pitch — Kirby got his fastball well above the strike zone; Carpenter was still able to get a barrel to it and launch it out to right field for his fifth career home run off Kirby in 11 at-bats.

It was a bad matchup for the Mariners, certainly.

Wilson didn’t offer much explanation afterward when asked about the decision to keep Kirby in the game.

“With Carpenter, you’re trying to keep it down in the zone or trying to get him to chase up in the zone, and he was able to get to one up there and drive it out of the ballpark,” Wilson said.


During the regular season, opposing batters had a .310 batting average and a .929 OPS against Kirby in the third time through the lineup.

This was Wilson’s first time managing a playoff game.

It was the 61st career playoff game for Detroit manager A.J. Hinch, who has a reputation as one of MLB’s most aggressive managers in employing platoons and using pinch-hitters early in games.

He doesn’t often let Carpenter face left-handed pitchers, and Hinch said he “of course” had the right-handed-hitting Jahmai Jones ready to go if Wilson turned to Speier in that spot.

[Coeurd’Alene J]

My biggest fear is I hope I didn't jinx them by betting $50 to win the ALCS, and another $50 on the WS. They were still +450 to win the WS at Angel of the Winds yesterday, and +200 on the pennant. I haven't followed them as much since my wife passed; too many decades of empty hope and watching them lose finally got to me.

But my first games in Seattle were watching the Pilots at Sicks' Stadium, and we were M's junkies at the Kingdome since Day One 1977. We used to grill brats on a Hibachi and get wasted in the warehouse free parking south of the Dome before we hoofed in. My buddies and I bought the cheapest seats and sat anywhere, because the place was half-a-tomb most nights.

If they finally win it after dreaming of it and waiting almost 50 years, there are no words. Onward.

Well done

[Donn Beach]

But why pitch to Carpenter at all. He had already hit FOUR bombs off Kirby in 10 ABs and 1st base was open. Go Huskies Go Hawks!!!

By Adam Jude
Seattle Times staff reporter
One of Dan Wilson’s great strengths is his unwavering belief in his players.

It’s genuine, and it’s consistent. Players can feel it, and they’ve often talked about that trust, that confidence, that they’ve gotten from Wilson throughout his first full season as the Mariners’ manager.

That trust, that belief, came to the fore at the tipping point in the Mariners’ 3-2 extra-innings loss to Detroit in Game 1 of the American League Division Series on Saturday night.

George Kirby, given the nod to start Game 1, put together a solid performance against a Tigers team that has historically given him troubles, and he was especially dominant early in front of 47,290 at T-Mobile Park.

Kerry Carpenter, a left-handed slugger, was the one Tigers hitter who had a strong track record against Kirby — and the one hitter in the Detroit lineup the Mariners couldn’t let beat them.

In the fifth inning, Carpenter beat them.

The Mariners led 1-0, with two outs and a runner on second base. First base was open, and Gabe Speier, one of MLB’s most effective left-handed relievers this season, was warning up the Mariners bullpen.

Speier was hot and ready, he said later.

M’s pitching coach Pete Woodworth made a mound visit, meeting with Kirby and catcher Cal Raleigh before Carpenter stepped to the plate.

In the moment, it was an obvious inflection point in the game.

In hindsight, Wilson’s decision to stick with Kirby proved to be the game’s most significant moment.

Dan Wilson on Mariners' depth ahead of ALDS



“Those are the tough ones, and I thought George was continuing to throw the ball well,” Wilson said.

The wisdom of pulling your starting pitcher with two outs in the fifth inning can be debated. In the regular season, that decision might not be greeted with nearly as much scrutiny.

In this era of playoff baseball, though, it comes under a microscope.

In the playoffs, many managers have a quick hook for their starters. There are several notable examples in this first week of October; the Cubs’ Matt Boyd, for one, was pulled with two outs in the first inning earlier Saturday.

And, of course, it’s always easy to second-guess any decision that backfires.

Allowing Kirby to face Carpenter for a third time Saturday proved costly for the Mariners.

Sign up for Fan Fix
Your dose of local sports news. Delivered Monday through Friday.

Carpenter, after just missing a double down the right-field line on the first pitch, crushed an 97.1-mph fastball from Kirby 409 feet out to right field, a two-run blast that gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

Yes, the Mariners came back to tie the score in the sixth inning on Julio Rodríguez’s RBI single, and many more moments loomed large in a game that went 11 innings.

But Kirby-Carpenter matchup had loomed larger in the buildup to Game 1, and the result of that fifth-inning bat are what will haunt the Mariners most afterward.


“Just one pitch. Just one pitch,” Kirby lamented afterward.

It wasn’t a bad pitch — Kirby got his fastball well above the strike zone; Carpenter was still able to get a barrel to it and launch it out to right field for his fifth career home run off Kirby in 11 at-bats.

It was a bad matchup for the Mariners, certainly.

Wilson didn’t offer much explanation afterward when asked about the decision to keep Kirby in the game.

“With Carpenter, you’re trying to keep it down in the zone or trying to get him to chase up in the zone, and he was able to get to one up there and drive it out of the ballpark,” Wilson said.


During the regular season, opposing batters had a .310 batting average and a .929 OPS against Kirby in the third time through the lineup.

This was Wilson’s first time managing a playoff game.

It was the 61st career playoff game for Detroit manager A.J. Hinch, who has a reputation as one of MLB’s most aggressive managers in employing platoons and using pinch-hitters early in games.

He doesn’t often let Carpenter face left-handed pitchers, and Hinch said he “of course” had the right-handed-hitting Jahmai Jones ready to go if Wilson turned to Speier in that spot.

Yeah I brought that up on the other thread, I thought it might have been even more puzzling having Vargas pitch to the left hander with first base open and a righty on deck. I hate to second guess, but damn, its hard to get around Wilson's decisions

[auroraave]

Biggest fear is this team may not have the mental fortitude, the mental toughness required to grind out post season success - this roster has very little experience in post season play - and now that they are a favorite - can they play like it? It's not a question of talent, they have the talent, I worry the lack of real intense playoff experience - or even a division battle coming down to the wire - might hurt them. They ran away with the division - had long winning streaks - but can they win close tight games? They also had major losing streaks. Getting smoked by the f*cking Dodgers felt like a red flag event. The streakiness really concerns me as well. I'm hopeful but not particularly confident. Coming in as a wild card may have been an advantage - keeping them playing - motivated by the underdog role - keeping momentum up.

After grinding out an incredibly thrilling win, after squandering so many late inning opportunities and going full-on seahawk-stress mode on us, the M's solidified their mental toughness. Pulling off a classic like that, I mean... damn. That was a big-boy win. So thrilled for the fans up there (and on here)! Now go lose the first game in Toronto and put us back into full-on seahawk stress mode.

Anyone know the status of Woo to pitch in the ALCS?

[Hy Feiber]

Tigers backed into the playoffs, with the worst record for the last month or two, of any other club.

They have a 1-man offense.

And the Ms barely won, at home.

After the dumb mgr takes out Cy Young.

By way of perspective.