Post game discussion

[Guest]

Alright, here we go with the fixed numbers:

 

Overall, there have been 52 division series since the format began.

 

Teams winning Game 1 have won 35 of the 52 series (67.3 percent)

AL teams winning Game 1 have won 12 of the 26 series (46.2 percent)

NL teams winning Game 1 have won 23 of the 26 series (88.5 percent)

 

 

Home teams have won Game 1 in exactly 26 of the 52 series.

Home teams losing Game 1 have won 8 of the 26 series (30.8 percent)

AL home teams losing Game 1 have won 7 of the 12 series (58.3 percent)

NL home teams losing Game 1 have won 1 of the 14 series (7.1 percent)

 

That one occurrence came in 1999 when the Braves lost Game 1 to Houston in Atlanta, but came back to win the next three.

Edited October 2, 2008 by soccer10k

[Bote McBoteface]

I don't really put a whole lot of stock into the "the team that wins game 1 blah blah blah" thing. The reason is most likely because the team that wins game 1 is usually the better team. In this case, the better team lost game 1. If we win tomorrow, it's tied 1-1, and at that point, what does it really matter who won game 1?

 

 

 

EDIT: Not a shot at you, because it is interesting to look at, just saying that I don't really think it means anything.

[17 Seconds]

Reasons this series is far from over:

 

-We still have the best team in baseball

-We still have the best pitcher in baseball going in game 3, and this time he will be allowed to throw more than 6 innings

-Lilly has pitched outstanding the last 2 months, and is better than Maddux or Lowe on 3 days' rest

-There should be plenty of Cub fans when we go to LA

-We didn't use Marmol or Wood

 

Thats all I got. It all comes down to Z tomorrow. We win tomorrow and I think we win this series.

 

This is the Cubs we are talking about right, not the Rays, Red Sox or Angels who are all better than them?

 

Care to explain how those teams are better than the Cubs? I'd like to hear it, considering statistics cleasrly show otherwise.

[17 Seconds]

That was a little harsh...

 

I don't think it was harsh at all. That guy comes on OUR board, then tells us how good our team is? Not to mention that he was clearly wrong and did nothing to back up his claims.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Reasons this series is far from over:

 

-We still have the best team in baseball

-We still have the best pitcher in baseball going in game 3, and this time he will be allowed to throw more than 6 innings

-Lilly has pitched outstanding the last 2 months, and is better than Maddux or Lowe on 3 days' rest

-There should be plenty of Cub fans when we go to LA

-We didn't use Marmol or Wood

 

Thats all I got. It all comes down to Z tomorrow. We win tomorrow and I think we win this series.

 

This is the Cubs we are talking about right, not the Rays, Red Sox or Angels who are all better than them?

 

Care to explain how those teams are better than the Cubs? I'd like to hear it, considering statistics cleasrly show otherwise.

 

If the Cubs were to play those teams, and the other teams got a slightly luck good performance, the Cubs' advantage would be negated. So therefore they have no advantage.

[Guest]

I don't really put a whole lot of stock into the "the team that wins game 1 blah blah blah" thing. The reason is most likely because the team that wins game 1 is usually the better team. In this case, the better team lost game 1. If we win tomorrow, it's tied 1-1, and at that point, what does it really matter who won game 1?

 

 

 

EDIT: Not a shot at you, because it is interesting to look at, just saying that I don't really think it means anything.

 

But hypothetically, the team that's the better team is generally going to be the home team. Sure, sometimes the better team is the wild card team (i.e. New York/Boston in 2004 or Seattle/Oakland in 2001) and sometimes a better team is going to play in a tougher division and will have a worse record and not get home field in the first round.

 

The limited sample of the data (52 series) show exactly what one would expect from the playoffs - that it is a crapshoot. The evidence by the fact that the home team won exactly half of the Game 1's from 1995 to 2007. As of now, the home team has won 27 of the 55 home games if this year is included (with the Rays yet to play).

[cubsfan26]

It's interesting that all three times that a National League team lost Game 1 but came back to win the series, they lost Game 1 at home. So that means National League team has never lost Game 1 on the road and come back to win a Division Series.

 

 

I thought the 03 Marlins lost game one on the road, and won the next three games to win the series.

[Guest]

It's interesting that all three times that a National League team lost Game 1 but came back to win the series, they lost Game 1 at home. So that means National League team has never lost Game 1 on the road and come back to win a Division Series.

 

 

I thought the 03 Marlins lost game one on the road, and won the next three games to win the series.

 

You're right. I'm going back and checking the numbers right now.

 

I'm gonna have to run the numbers again tomorrow. I realized I mixed up a home team with a road team as well.

Edited October 2, 2008 by soccer10k

[Bote McBoteface]

It's interesting that all three times that a National League team lost Game 1 but came back to win the series, they lost Game 1 at home. So that means National League team has never lost Game 1 on the road and come back to win a Division Series.

 

 

I thought the 03 Marlins lost game one on the road, and won the next three games to win the series.

 

 

True story:

 

http://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2003_NLDS1.shtml

 

 

Just too bad the NLCS got canceled that year.

[17 Seconds]

Reasons this series is far from over:

 

-We still have the best team in baseball

-We still have the best pitcher in baseball going in game 3, and this time he will be allowed to throw more than 6 innings

-Lilly has pitched outstanding the last 2 months, and is better than Maddux or Lowe on 3 days' rest

-There should be plenty of Cub fans when we go to LA

-We didn't use Marmol or Wood

 

Thats all I got. It all comes down to Z tomorrow. We win tomorrow and I think we win this series.

 

This is the Cubs we are talking about right, not the Rays, Red Sox or Angels who are all better than them?

 

Care to explain how those teams are better than the Cubs? I'd like to hear it, considering statistics cleasrly show otherwise.

 

If the Cubs were to play those teams, and the other teams got a slightly luck good performance, the Cubs' advantage would be negated. So therefore they have no advantage.

 

That has nothing to do with what I said and why I replied to that guy. Stop trying bait me into an argument when it has nothing to do with what I said and stop trying to force your doomsday attitude on me. I'm a pretty negative person when it comes to the Cubs but you're being ridiculous. Grow a sack and stop whining about how we're doomed.

[badnews]

This is not going to be a popular post, but Dempster pisses me off. If you're going to shoot off your fat mouth about how the team is going to win the World Series, then guess what? You don't get to crap out and walk as many as you did, and pitch that piss poorly. It angers me when athletes talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

 

He really let the team down.

 

As for the people blaming the fans, the fans were down on the 2005 White Sox when it looked like they were going to crap away a huge lead to the Indians, and the same for the Red Sox vs. the Yankees in 2004. And guess what? When your "ace" pitcher walks the bases loaded and then coughs up a grand slam, that takes a lot of crowds out of it.

 

As for Soriano, yeah, I said it three months ago - he's useless in the postseason. I find it astonishing someone just can't beat some sense into him about laying off the outside breaking pitch. YOU CAN'T REACH IT. YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REACH IT IN THE POSTSEASON. It's hard to tell who I'm more disgusted with. Soriano will help kick ass against the Reds and the Pirates but he'll never be much help against good teams. He can hit a mistake and that's it.

[17 Seconds]

This is not going to be a popular post, but Dempster pisses me off. If you're going to shoot off your fat mouth about how the team is going to win the World Series, then guess what? You don't get to crap out and walk as many as you did, and pitch that piss poorly. It angers me when athletes talk the talk but don't walk the walk.

 

He really let the team down.

 

As for the people blaming the fans, the fans were down on the 2005 White Sox when it looked like they were going to crap away a huge lead to the Indians, and the same for the Red Sox vs. the Yankees in 2004. And guess what? When your "ace" pitcher walks the bases loaded and then coughs up a grand slam, that takes a lot of crowds out of it.

 

As for Soriano, yeah, I said it three months ago - he's useless in the postseason. I find it astonishing someone just can't beat some sense into him about laying off the outside breaking pitch. YOU CAN'T REACH IT. YOU'VE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO REACH IT IN THE POSTSEASON. It's hard to tell who I'm more disgusted with. Soriano will help kick ass against the Reds and the Pirates but he'll never be much help against good teams. He can hit a mistake and that's it.

 

It's okay though, because Soriano has a game plan.

 

"I had a game plan against him but he threw a lot of sinkers and made good pitches to me," Soriano said. "I just need to regroup and get ready for [Game 2].

[Schwarber Fan]

Haven't read this thread bu my thoughts:

 

I watched this crap last year

 

How come the Dodgers can hit them out but the wind knocks out deep fly balls down?

 

If the Cubs can't turn it around and win it all this year, they never will.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Haven't read this thread bu my thoughts:

 

I watched this crap last year

 

How come the Dodgers can hit them out but the wind knocks out deep fly balls down?

 

If the Cubs can't turn it around and win it all this year, they never will.

 

If they dont win it all, Hendry better welcome the new owners by spending every penny of their money. CC 7 Years/150 mil is a start.

[C.C.]

I'm up early and hangover from the booze and the loss. I just can't fathom losing in the first round again this year. This is the best team of my lifetime and it's still not good enough to advance in the first round of the playoffs? Sorry for being down guys, but my heart is aching for a trip to the World Series. I wish I can feel confident about tonight, but I just can't.

[Fro]

I'm not too worried as long as Good Z shows up tonight.

 

I think we're in a decent position with how the pitching matchups break down for Game 3 & 4.

[ArthurVandalay]

It seems like a waste of time to sit here and dissect the statistics, mull over the odds, and attempt to predict the outcome of the rest of this series. We all know a best-of-5 series is a crap shoot anyway, so why bother? We all know on paper we "should have" won this game, but we didn't. We play 162 games, prove that over the long run we're the best team in the league, and then we can piss it away in three games. Even The All-Century Team could have a series of three or four bad ballgames in a row.

I really hate the playoffs.

 

I also hate Alfonso Soriano, but that's another story.

[Laura]

I'm up early and hangover from the booze and the loss. I just can't fathom losing in the first round again this year. This is the best team of my lifetime and it's still not good enough to advance in the first round of the playoffs? Sorry for being down guys, but my heart is aching for a trip to the World Series. I wish I can feel confident about tonight, but I just can't.

 

You were confident about last night, so maybe it's a good sign. Opposite Constanza and all that.

[rawaction]

My thoughts:

 

Cubs offense wasn't that bad last night. They hit .291/.333/.458 off of Lowe last night. And that should have been better had Fukudome's hit been ruled the other way, which was a tossup.

 

Soriano saw a grand total of 0 strikes last night. He swung at all but what 1 pitch last night? He was pretty pathetic.

 

Whoever called 5 straight fastballs to Manny in the 5th w/ an 0-2 count, completely screwed up. Whether it was Rothschild, Dempster, or even Soto. Throw him a slider or splitter. Worst he can do is hit it out and tie it at 2. Maybe then Lou goes to the LHP vs. Ethier w/ the bases empty or definitely vs. Loney. Best case scenario, Dempster throws a good slider and Manny either misses it or grounds out to the left side of the IF.

[rynefan]

Soriano is just such a huge key for the offense taking flight on this team and in this lineup. It's because of this that I find myself getting way too worked up when he swings at absolute garbage.

[gflore34]

Soriano is just such a huge key for the offense taking flight on this team and in this lineup. It's because of this that I find myself getting way too worked up when he swings at absolute garbage.

 

The frustrating aspect is they'll keep throwing him the same pitch over and over and over, you'd think Perry or Lou would say something to him.

[Soul]

I'm up early and hangover from the booze and the loss. I just can't fathom losing in the first round again this year. This is the best team of my lifetime and it's still not good enough to advance in the first round of the playoffs? Sorry for being down guys, but my heart is aching for a trip to the World Series. I wish I can feel confident about tonight, but I just can't.

 

This is the feeling you will see @ Wrigley tonight. People will come and give it the old "college try" in the early innings with the cheering, but if the Cubs get down, you're going to see the bipolar-ness of Cub post-season fandom show up like a sudden thunderstorm of melodrama.

[C.C.]

I'm up early and hangover from the booze and the loss. I just can't fathom losing in the first round again this year. This is the best team of my lifetime and it's still not good enough to advance in the first round of the playoffs? Sorry for being down guys, but my heart is aching for a trip to the World Series. I wish I can feel confident about tonight, but I just can't.

 

This is the feeling you will see @ Wrigley tonight. People will come and give it the old "college try" in the early innings with the cheering, but if the Cubs get down, you're going to see the bipolar-ness of Cub post-season fandom show up like a sudden thunderstorm of melodrama.

 

You think this is exclusive to Cubs fans? You have to give fans something to cheer about. Of course with cubs fans it's more of a extreme given our pass history, but it's no unusual.

[Ender]

Yes I think the Rays, Angels and Red Sox are all better than the Cubs. No, you can't prove it by run differential etc because they play in different leagues.

 

The AL is still clearly the better league as seen by interleague play. The NL was completely dominated in interleague yet again including the Cubs going 6-9, Phillies 4-11, Brewers 7-8, Dodgers 5-10. If the Cubs were in the AL East they very well might have been a 5th place team and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been better than 3rd. The other NL playoff teams would have definitely been 5th place.

 

The fact that I'm a Brewer fan has nothing to do with it. I think the Brewers are probably the weakest playoff team in either league and I'm not afraid to say it. I think the Cubs have the best team in the NL but I don't think they have the best chance in the playoffs because I don't think Zambrano is healthy, I don't think Harden's velocity is where it should be and I still don't believe Dempster is an ace style pitcher, I think he is a 4 ERA guy who had a career year.

 

But I don't see how anyone can argue that the AL isn't the stronger league and that 95 wins in the AL means a heck of a lot more than 95 in the NL.

[TheDude]

How come the Dodgers can hit them out but the wind knocks out deep fly balls down?

 

This is all I can do, ask this question over and over. Discarding the supernatural, I cannot for the life of me figure out how Loney's ball reached the seats when Edmonds' ball did not. Edmonds had much better contact and it looked like he hit the ball much harder than Loney. If Edmond's ball died at the wall, Loney's should have been a lazy 350' fly out to CF. At the moment of contact, I actually jumped up in celebration, because there was no way that Loney ball was HR and I thought Demp got out of it.

 

I just don't get it, and I don't think I can stop obsessing about it until the next game starts.