DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum MLB playoff thoughts

Great post.

I used to watch baseball a lot when I was a kid, but haven't since then. Watched some yesterday, along with the football game that was on. I still prefer football, but it's great where we are baseball-wise. Go Tribe!!!

P.S. What does Terry Francona eat during the game, sunflower seeds? He certainly makes a mess!

I can’t imagine a better afternoon.

October.

Here it’s ~ 60 degrees out and sunny.

I got a plate of perogies ready to go.

Baseball all afternoon on my TV. (How about those Blue Jays?)

With the Indians playing in the playoffs in Cleveland. Perfect time for a game for me.

You know, I might order some chinese delivered.

I could go for some General Tso’s Chicken.

Yes,

Bringing in the best closer in baseball in the 5th inning? What are you nuts?

And pitching him two innings?

Francona just messed up the Red Sox’ heads.



And did you see the shirt he was wearing?

Okay, the high from Game 1 is over, on to game 2.

If you like watching playoff baseball, today is a good day. There are four games today. Can't wait.

I wouldn't want to be facing Kluber or Price in that bright late-afternoon sun at Progressive today, with the way the shadows fall between pitcher and hitter. Expect a low scoring game with lots of K's. I remember going to the deciding game in the ALDS vs the Orioles in '96 on a day like this. Charles Nagy matched Mike Mussina pitch for pitch all day long, but the bullpen gave up a late inning HR to Roberto Alomar and the O's took the series. That was a bitter pill ...

Quote above by Punch:

“Okay, the high from Game 1 is over,”

Over? Did you say over?

These announcers really don't want the Indians to win.

It's rough, but if we keep scoring then I'm fine with it.

Boston is about to mess around and get swept.

keep it rolling

JR Smith! He needs to get signed already.

6 outs left!

I like that the Cavs players are there supporting the team.

+1

Cool seeing Lebron there.

awesome stuff

I am very impressed w/Tito Francona as a manager. He has handled the pitching staff marvelously. I haven't followed the baseball threads. You guys love him..........right?

I remember him as a player. A marginal player. Moved around a lot. Those types of guys usually make good managers. Tommy Lasorda, Tony La Russa, Davey Johnson, Sparky Anderson, etc, etc come to mind.

They don't have as much talent as the stars, so they learn the game inside and out.

The Indians seem relaxed. Playing loose. That's a good sign.

No Brantley. No Carrasco. No Salazar. No problem.

The Cavaliers started the whole "shock the world with an impossible championship" ..... and now it's the Indians turn.

Let's go Tribe!

+2

The Indians are definitely a relaxed team. They have overcome a lot so far, though. I mentioned Brantley, Carrasco, and Salazar, but we also had both Marlon Byrd, who was expected to be a big bat, and Abraham Almonte suspended for PED. Juan Uribe came apart. Yon Gomes struggled, and then was injured. Cody Anderson seemed to figure things out last year, only to forget it all this year.

This team has been overcoming things all year long, and I think that has helped them when facing adversity now.

I am dead serious when I say that I expect them to win the whole thing. Why not? That would be the most improbable finissh ..... and Cleveland seems to specialize in unlikely.

He and Maddon are the two best managers in the league IMO. Very calm, experienced, and good with players. I'd love to play for him.

Thanks. What about my question about Francona? Do people love him? He is doing a masterful job.

quote above by D4L:

"game 1 winners win 70% of opening series"

1) What's game 1 + 2 winner's %?
2) Whatever it is, we are far, far from done with the Red Sox. They will very possibly t-off the Tribe's next two starters.

We're not out of the woods yet.

I absolutely love Francona. He is amazing at maximizing his players abilities and getting them to buy into "Team" instead of individualism. Thats why he is able to shuffle this lineups so much and get his team to accept playing great one night and being benched the next.

The guy is just a winner. Plain and simple. We are lucky to have him.

I felt like whoever won game 2 would be the team to advance. I think it'll be tough to win in Boston, but Kluber game 5 at home is big now

I think that he is one of the best managers in MLB. Look at how he handled losing his #2 and #3 starters and his team's best player. No panic .... and in fact, the team hardly misses a beat. Amazing. It is apparent that the players on this team love playing for him. He has balanced a lot of youth to go along with his veterans. He has aways liked veterans, but he didn't keep a guy like Uribe when it was clear that Ramierz was the better player at 3rd base. He balanced Santana and Napoli at 1st base. Heck, he even hit Sanatana, a guy with 34 HR, leadoff. He did so many things that worked for this team, and that added a win here and a win there. He handled Naquin beautifully. He never let him get buried. he used Almonte to make sure we got the division, and also worked Brandon Guyer and Coco Crisp in so they would be ready for the postseason.

Think about this ..... he lost his #1 and #2 catchers to injury. He still kept a handle on the team, and the pitching staff.

I know that all teams have challenges and such, but he never blinked. He never let anyone say "well, this is the injury that's going to end their season".

I think that he is the AL Manager of the Year, no question.

A team from Cleveland vs a team from Toronto for a chance at a championship series sounds intriguing to me.

High drama with a Cubs win last night. They take a 1-0 lead. If they go up 2-0 Bumgardner wouldn't matter.

Thanks to you and Kash for the feedback. I've been amazed at how good the timing of his moves have been in this series.

Btw----------how old is Coco Crisp. I remember him playing back when I used to watch baseball. Always liked that guy. Made me chuckle in a good way. He's gotta be getting pretty old.

Like Julio Franco back in the day. He played forever. Loved that guy. I remember the one guy always yelling Who-lee-Oh!!! throughout the game. Great stuff. LOL

j/c...

This team is absolutely incredible! Tito has the whole team believing in themselves. Kipnis and J-Ram are having an outstanding series. Guyer has been a tremendous pick-up. He had a great game last night. Kluber was dominant. I think he wins the Cy Young award this year. Tito should/will win Manger of the Year. It's amazing what this team has accomplished with all the injuries.

Not sure if people watching the game on tv saw LeBron give the speech to the crowd before the game, but he had the place rocking!

On a side note, my wife and I had too many pops at the game and pregame so we decided to stay up here for the night. Stayed at the new Hilton on Lakeside Blvd and LeBron, JR Swish, Richard Jefferson, Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashain were all here having a good time up on the rooftop bar. What a night!

Tito has done a pretty damn good job so far, I never want to say it out loud, but it almost seems like they were sandbagging the last month of the season..lol. Boston's offense during the season scored over 100 more runs than ours, their lowest BA guy would be in out top 5, yet here we are up 2-0, Alot of plays so far that just happen when things are going your way and you have momentum. Jram is by far our best player, he's as clutch as anyone I've ever seen, and he's so young yet. Sunday going to be a tough one, i hope Tomlin stays the Tomlin the last few starts and our offense keeps producing, that 3rd inning in game one was surreal.

It's possible they did what the Cavs did down the stretch. Take it easy before the real games start.

I was reading Dan Shaugnnessy over at the Boston Globe and he as much as called David Price a Choke Artist, then he opined that manager John Farrell should be on the hot seat if they lose the series to the Indians. After that I read the reader comments, and they were even more incendiary. That said, I'm not gloating because I remember 2007. We were up 3-1 vs Boston in the ALCS, and returned to Boston with Sabathia, Carmona, and Westbrook stacked up for the remaining starts - and they all pooped the bed. I'll die believing 2007 was the year the Indians and the city of Cleveland should have ended the championship drought.

That 2007 year was a heartbreaker.

Champions supporting the Tribe (hopeful champions) last night....

Then both of them will be supporting the Browns in the winter....

Julio played till age 48. (very limited ABs at the end, but still) In MLB, that is. He is almost 60, and I believe he is still playing in as a player/manager in Japan. That's just incredible.

Can't wait to see JR Smith announce who we drafted in the 2nd round!

Without a shirt.