General Sports Talk

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September 17th, 2025 at 11:05:35 AM permalink

The only thing that really distinguishes it from other sports is that the Wild Card Series is played in one city, with the lower-rated team not getting a home playoff game. The playoff formats are essentially a product of television money, so they are becoming increasingly cookie-cutter.
I was only a fan for one year (1968) before baseball introduced the playoffs. That first year gave us the Miracle Mets, and I've been a fan of the less-is-more playoff system, but I've read baseball makes more money in October than during the regular season.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

billryan

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September 22nd, 2025 at 10:36:36 AM permalink

A week left in the regular season and the playoff standings are all up in the air.
The Yankees currently hold the #1 Wild Card spot, but are still in contention for the AL East Title and the #1 overall spot.
In the West, Seattle and Houston are battling it out for the Division, with the losing team possibly missing the playoffs.
The Tigers spent most of the season with the AL's best record, but fell apart in the last three weeks and may fall out of the tournament entirely.
The Texas Rangers made a mighty push for several weeks but ran out of steam. Their chances of making the playoffs is just above zero.
The Yankees conclude their schedule with ten games against the league's weakest teams. They took three out of four in Baltimore and now finish the season at home. Realistically, they need to win at least five of the last six games to catch Toronto for the #1 spot.

Playoff fever comes early this season.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

billryan

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September 23rd, 2025 at 1:15:12 PM permalink

In one of the most significant changes in MLB history, the league is adopting robo-strike zones. While a human umpire will still call balls and strikes, teams can appeal, and the robot has the final say.

As of this moment, Toronto is 100% to make the playoffs, while the Yankees are 99.9%. It seems the only way they miss the playoffs is if they lose their last six games and four teams win their last six games. Since two of those teams play each other, I'm not sure why the Yankees aren't also 100%

Cleveland faces Detroit in a three-game series that will go a long way towards determining which team wins their division and which team goes home. The Tigers have gone 1-9 over the last ten games, while the Guardians went 9-1 to get back into a race everyone had called weeks ago.

Last edited by: billryan on Sep 23, 2025

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

billryan

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September 23rd, 2025 at 7:22:23 PM permalink

The Yankees came back in the bottom of the ninth to win and clinch the playoffs. With Toronto's loss, the Yankees are just one game behind, although the BJs own the tiebreaker. Indians beat the Tigers, who are now officially in freefall. The Mutts came from 6-1 down to win 9-7 but now no longer control their own destiny.

Last edited by: billryan on Sep 24, 2025

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

SOOPOO

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September 24th, 2025 at 7:44:42 AM permalink

Quote: billryan
The Yankees came back in the bottom of the ninth to win and clinch the playoffs. With Toronto's loss, the Yankees are just one game behind, although the BJs own the tiebreaker. Indians beat the Tigers, who are now officially in freefall. The Mutts came from 6-1 down to win 9-7 but now no longer control their own destiny.
link to original post

Ummmmm�. Noooooo!

The Mets absolutely �control their own destiny�. If they win their remaining games they are guaranteed a playoff berth.

I�m actually interested in why you posted that? I�ve recently had some AI answers that were flat out wrong. Listed Vikings as being undefeated. Eagles as not being undefeated. Plenty more examples! Was your comment a parrot of an AI?

billryan

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September 24th, 2025 at 8:56:04 AM permalink

I actually wrote that when the Mutts were down 6-1 and appeared to be playing dead. After their amazing comeback I edited the comment but didn't do it properly.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

SOOPOO

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September 24th, 2025 at 10:18:38 AM permalink

Quote: billryan
I actually wrote that when the Mutts were down 6-1 and appeared to be playing dead. After their amazing comeback I edited the comment but didn't do it properly.
link to original post

Ok. I just placed a bet on them to make the playoffs. I have a season long bet on them to win the WS. I�m not spending that money�.. if the Mets do advance, it will be on the arms of 3 pitchers whose combined age is around mine�.

billryan

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September 24th, 2025 at 10:50:38 AM permalink

Quote: SOOPOO
Quote: billryan
I actually wrote that when the Mutts were down 6-1 and appeared to be playing dead. After their amazing comeback I edited the comment but didn't do it properly.
link to original post

Ok. I just placed a bet on them to make the playoffs. I have a season long bet on them to win the WS. I�m not spending that money�.. if the Mets do advance, it will be on the arms of 3 pitchers whose combined age is around mine�.
link to original post

I have not been a fan since the late 1970s and firmly believe raising your child as a Met fan is a form of child abuse. The Mets have a chance of going deep in the tournament. The Mutts will find a way to blow it. My money's on the Mutts. I also have a season-long bet. The Yankees or the Mets have the most Total points. Regular season wins are one point, playoff wins are two points, and a World Series trophy wins all. The loser buys dinner.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

billryan

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September 24th, 2025 at 8:05:25 PM permalink

Aaron Judge hit two home runs tonight, including his 50th. He is now tied with Babe Ruth with four fifty-home run seasons.
He's also on the cusp of winning his first batting title. Only two players in MLB history have hit 50 home runs in a year in which they won the batting title. AJ may be the third.
The Yankees and BJs are tied for the best record in the AL, although Toronto holds the tiebreaker. Both play the last three games at home against teams going nowhere. The Yankees play one more game against the White Sox while the BJs take on Boston.

Last edited by: billryan on Sep 24, 2025

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

AutomaticMonkey

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September 24th, 2025 at 9:07:35 PM permalink

Quote: billryan
... Only two players in MLB history have hit 50 home runs in a year in which they won the batting title. ...

That's a good trivia question. I was pretty sure I knew one and I was right. The other one is a bit more obscure and had to do some digging. He won the batting title but not the HR title that year, despite hitting 50 HR.

I think Judge will make it. Late in the season for anyone to catch him.

lilredrooster

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September 25th, 2025 at 5:12:30 AM permalink

.
from the link:

Cal Raleigh, the slugging Seattle Mariners catcher known for his dangerous bat and his prominent posterior, hammered his 60th home run of the season to join an exclusive club populated by some of the greatest power hitters of all time.

With his historic home run Wednesday, which came on a four-seam fastball off Colorado Rockies reliever Angel Chivilli, Raleigh became just the seventh player in big league history to reach the 60 home run plateau. He joined the ranks of Roger Maris, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Aaron Judge and Babe Ruth.
Raleigh put himself on the brink of history earlier in the game when he launched his 59th homer into the upper deck.

With four regular-season games left to play for the Mariners, Raleigh is in position to make a run at the American League�s single-season home run mark, set by Judge in 2022 when his 62 homers surpassed the 61 hit in 1961 by Roger Maris.

McGwire and Sosa smashed through the 60-homer mark during their home run duel in the summer of 1998. Sosa and McGwire would eclipse 60 again the following season. And in 2001, Sosa hit 64 homers to reach the mark for the third time, though his total was overshadowed by the 73 homers launched that season by Bonds.
Those feats would face more scrutiny over the years, as part of an era that came to be defined by the sport�s reckoning with the use of performance enhancing drugs."

https://archive.ph/3HzU6#selection-741.0-745.164

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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him

billryan

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September 25th, 2025 at 7:20:02 AM permalink

In 1988, rookie sensation Mark McGwire stunned the world with his power and had 49 home runs with a week to go in the regular season. His team had clinched their division and had nothing left to play for. Big Mac had a chance to be the first American League player to hit 50 homers in a season since 1961. Mac chose to leave the team, give up his quest for 50, and go home to be in the room when his first son was born.
Fifty home runs used to be extremely rare. Now there are several players hitting that mark each year. Is sixty the new fifty?

Last edited by: billryan on Sep 25, 2025

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

gordonm888
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gordonm888

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September 25th, 2025 at 8:26:57 AM permalink

Isn't the real story that Cal Raleigh has become the 7th person to hit 60 home runs in a season?

So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.

SOOPOO

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September 27th, 2025 at 5:50:30 PM permalink

Quote: gordonm888
Isn't the real story that Cal Raleigh has become the 7th person to hit 60 home runs in a season?
link to original post

I�d say yes. And even with that feat, any rational impartial observer should realize he�s the second most valuable player in the American League. It�s not really close.

WAR, or wins above replacement, is the all encompassing stat that is based on how your performance affects winning. Judge is 9.5, Raleigh 7.2. In that statistic, that�s what�s known as �not even close�. Judge gets walked a lot. His walks and hits totals exceed Raleigh by 60! That�s a lot. Judge will likely win the batting title. Batting .331. Raleigh is batting a paltry .248. EIGHTY THREE points lower. If Raleigh was to be compared to a batter trailing him we�d need to find a guy batting .165. They don�t remain in MLB. Judge scored 136 runs. Raleigh 109. That�s what an extra 60 hits/walks will do for you.
Raleigh will finish with around 6 more HR and 12 more RBI in around 10 more games. Raleigh as a catcher adds more value than Judge as an outfielder.
If his season was remotely close to Judge�s offensively, those things might matter.
We�ll see if Judge should change his name to Jokic.

billryan

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September 27th, 2025 at 6:10:30 PM permalink

Going into September, the MVP was the Judges to lose. He's been on base over half his plate appearances since then.
If Raleigh reaches 63, he'll have a stronger case. If he wins, I won't feel like Judge was robbed, but I think Judge deserves it.

The Mets had a big win today, but will need the Reds to lose at least one of the last two games.
The Yankees need to win, and the BJs need to lose to win the East and secure a bye. I'm not sure a week off is a good idea at this time. The team has been on fire the last two weeks.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

lilredrooster

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September 29th, 2025 at 6:32:23 AM permalink

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Michael Penix Jr. must have had to put up with a lot bad jokes and mockery when he was a kid and even later in life with a last name like that

it didn't stop him from becoming a great athlete

more power to him - respect

disgusting fan:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LtVI7wzZzTg

.

the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him

SOOPOO

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September 30th, 2025 at 5:15:27 PM permalink

I�ve watched a good bunch of baseball this year. This is now the playoffs. No saving, protecting�. Except Aaron Boone. Max Fried hurling a shutout into the 7th inning. Gets first guy out. So Boone sees a magic number�. Fried has 100 pitches. Takes him out. Next pitcher�. walk. Hit. Hit. Old guys like me remember you�d take out a pitcher if he wasn�t pitching well, not on some random arbitrary pitch count. Nolan Ryan had an extra inning game where he kept striking out guys�. and he threw 235 pitches. He threw as hard as these guys do today.

GenoDRPh

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September 30th, 2025 at 6:50:05 PM permalink

As a Red Sox fan, Aaron Boone can keep making those moves the rest of the playoffs all he wants.

But, I hear you. Keep pitching until he isn't effective anymore.

billryan

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September 30th, 2025 at 8:48:11 PM permalink

Quote: SOOPOO
I�ve watched a good bunch of baseball this year. This is now the playoffs. No saving, protecting�. Except Aaron Boone. Max Fried hurling a shutout into the 7th inning. Gets first guy out. So Boone sees a magic number�. Fried has 100 pitches. Takes him out. Next pitcher�. walk. Hit. Hit. Old guys like me remember you�d take out a pitcher if he wasn�t pitching well, not on some random arbitrary pitch count. Nolan Ryan had an extra inning game where he kept striking out guys�. and he threw 235 pitches. He threw as hard as these guys do today.
link to original post

The game has changed. If the Yankees are to win the World Series, Max Fried will need to make six more starts. Fried's job all year was to get the team into the seventh inning and let the bullpen take over. Cashman brought in three All-Star relievers at the deadline.
Sometimes everything goes according to plan and it simply doesn't work out.
In what I believe is a first in MLB postseason history, the Yankees' 1-4 in the lineup were all former MVPs. In the ninth inning, down by two, the first three former MVPS each singled, but the tream didn't score.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

AutomaticMonkey

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September 30th, 2025 at 9:24:56 PM permalink

Quote: SOOPOO
I�ve watched a good bunch of baseball this year. This is now the playoffs. No saving, protecting�. Except Aaron Boone. Max Fried hurling a shutout into the 7th inning. Gets first guy out. So Boone sees a magic number�. Fried has 100 pitches. Takes him out. Next pitcher�. walk. Hit. Hit. Old guys like me remember you�d take out a pitcher if he wasn�t pitching well, not on some random arbitrary pitch count. Nolan Ryan had an extra inning game where he kept striking out guys�. and he threw 235 pitches. He threw as hard as these guys do today.
link to original post

Nolan Ryan was a one in a billion guy. The guys of his era could throw as hard but they didn't, because they didn't have Tommy John surgery or reliable rotator cuff surgery and when you blew your arm out you were done, forever. Ryan was able to throw as hard as he did for so long with very little time on the disabled list just for anatomical reasons. Guys today plan on needing Tommy John and half of them will. I don't like it, I don't think a debilitating injury should be an accepted part of sport.

The first reason they take you out after 100 pitches now isn't that you're not effective, but that you're now not as effective as the best guy in the bullpen. In the old days relief pitchers were the ones who weren't good enough to be starters and that's how it got to be called the bullpen. They were bulls to the slaughter. A second string. Now they are excellent pitchers but trained for a different role.

The other reason they take you out is the batters have seen your stuff. Every pitcher gets less effective the more times he is seen and that's independent of his pitch count, it's that the batters are timing your motion and seeing the way your pitches break. So switching pitchers and especially going from lefty to righty or vice versa makes it harder on the batters. That's another reason why a pitcher might be in the bullpen- hard to hit the first time around but once the batters get a look at what he's throwing he gets shelled, so they put him in a role where they will only see him once. Fried had already gone through the order almost 3 full times, there was a right hand batter coming up so that was as good a time as any to bring in the righty setup man. And as in card games- expectations do not always match outcomes.

SOOPOO

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October 1st, 2025 at 1:33:19 PM permalink

Quote: AutomaticMonkey
Quote: SOOPOO
I�ve watched a good bunch of baseball this year. This is now the playoffs. No saving, protecting�. Except Aaron Boone. Max Fried hurling a shutout into the 7th inning. Gets first guy out. So Boone sees a magic number�. Fried has 100 pitches. Takes him out. Next pitcher�. walk. Hit. Hit. Old guys like me remember you�d take out a pitcher if he wasn�t pitching well, not on some random arbitrary pitch count. Nolan Ryan had an extra inning game where he kept striking out guys�. and he threw 235 pitches. He threw as hard as these guys do today.
link to original post

Nolan Ryan was a one in a billion guy. The guys of his era could throw as hard but they didn't, because they didn't have Tommy John surgery or reliable rotator cuff surgery and when you blew your arm out you were done, forever. Ryan was able to throw as hard as he did for so long with very little time on the disabled list just for anatomical reasons. Guys today plan on needing Tommy John and half of them will. I don't like it, I don't think a debilitating injury should be an accepted part of sport.

The first reason they take you out after 100 pitches now isn't that you're not effective, but that you're now not as effective as the best guy in the bullpen. In the old days relief pitchers were the ones who weren't good enough to be starters and that's how it got to be called the bullpen. They were bulls to the slaughter. A second string. Now they are excellent pitchers but trained for a different role.

The other reason they take you out is the batters have seen your stuff. Every pitcher gets less effective the more times he is seen and that's independent of his pitch count, it's that the batters are timing your motion and seeing the way your pitches break. So switching pitchers and especially going from lefty to righty or vice versa makes it harder on the batters. That's another reason why a pitcher might be in the bullpen- hard to hit the first time around but once the batters get a look at what he's throwing he gets shelled, so they put him in a role where they will only see him once. Fried had already gone through the order almost 3 full times, there was a right hand batter coming up so that was as good a time as any to bring in the righty setup man. And as in card games- expectations do not always match outcomes.
link to original post

Of course you are generally correct. Except I�ll argue a guy who has shut you down for 7 1/3 innings is not the same as a guy who has given up 8 hits and 3 runs over those 7 1:3 innings. When he made the move I thought it was the usual �overthinking�. Of course the result doesn�t prove me right. (But I can think it does!).

AutomaticMonkey

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October 1st, 2025 at 2:22:19 PM permalink

Quote: lilredrooster
.
Michael Penix Jr. must have had to put up with a lot bad jokes and mockery when he was a kid and even later in life with a last name like that

it didn't stop him from becoming a great athlete

more power to him - respect

disgusting fan:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LtVI7wzZzTg

.
link to original post

The tennis player Ryan Peniston has already been mentioned in this thread. But being British I am sure it is pronounced in a way devoid of amusement. Either "penny stone" or rhyming with "tennis win," which could be auspicious for one in that profession.

billryan

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October 1st, 2025 at 6:25:30 PM permalink

The Yankees win a nailbiter in the Bronx,4-3, to force a Game 3.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

SOOPOO

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October 1st, 2025 at 6:50:51 PM permalink

Quote: billryan
The Yankees win a nailbiter in the Bronx,4-3, to force a Game 3.
link to original post

I was unaware that all 3 games are played in one stadium! I�m betting the home teams in game 3�s.

I�ve been whining about managerial pitching decisions.
Cubs manager doesn�t start his �starter� (Imanaga). Uses a reliever for favorable L/R matchup for 1 inning. Not saying it�s not good strategy, but it doesn�t resemble the regular season. Playoff basketball, hockey, football, soccer, etc.. resembles their regular season games.

Must be hard being a GM in MLB now. Mets used nearly FORTY pitchers this year!

SOOPOO

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October 2nd, 2025 at 7:27:03 AM permalink

There is going to be a �catchweight� fight at 195 pounds.
Tank Davis versus Jake Paul. Davis is a real champion�. at 135 pounds! You all know about Jake Paul. He usually boxes at around 200 pounds. I�m no boxing expert, but I don�t think Davis� far superior skills will be enough to overcome the huge size disparity. Paul is not an out of shape 200. It�s possible it will be the most boring fight in history, if Davis is too fast for Paul to catch, and doesn�t engage him.

Won�t be easy to root for Davis. His rap sheet is detailed on Wikipedia. I lost track of how many arrests for various violent crimes�.

billryan

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October 2nd, 2025 at 5:18:20 PM permalink

The Yankees have 750 million dollars worth of starting pitching, but are starting a rookie making the MLB minimum. The Sawx are actually in worse shape as they are starting a rookie who made only four starts.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

AutomaticMonkey

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October 2nd, 2025 at 6:38:23 PM permalink

Quote: billryan
The Yankees have 750 million dollars worth of starting pitching, but are starting a rookie making the MLB minimum. The Sawx are actually in worse shape as they are starting a rookie who made only four starts.
link to original post

Now half of that starting pitching is out with Tommy John. Schlittler performed well enough to get the call and it looks like he's doing it again, as of this posting.

The Red Sox pitcher, he left Early. Came into the game the same way.

lilredrooster

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October 15th, 2025 at 5:15:23 AM permalink

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totally wild double play in Dodgers game off 400 foot blast ruled a ground ball - the link explains below the vid -

the catch off the wall was not a catch - ruled a ground ball - they then got a force out at 3rd and home plate - really crazy

Initial play: Max Muncy hit a deep fly ball that outfielder Sal Frelick appeared to catch before it bounced off the top of the fence and back into his glove.
Confusion on the bases: Because the ball hit the fence, it was a live ball, not a completed catch. However, the Dodgers' baserunners (Teoscar Hernández at third and Will Smith at second) hesitated, thinking it was a caught fly ball and began to tag up.
The force out: This hesitation put the runners in a position where they could be forced out. Frelick threw the ball to the infield, and the play resulted in the following:
Home plate: The ball got to catcher William Contreras at home plate before Hernández could score. Contreras stepped on home plate for the force out, as Hernández had to advance towards the plate.
Third base: After the play at the plate, Contreras jogged to third base to receive a throw and tag out Will Smith, who had also retreated to second base and was forced to advance.
The result: The Brewers turned a potential grand slam into an 8-6-2 double play to end the inning.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6715385/2025/10/14/brewers-dodgers-strange-double-play-game-1-nlcs/

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avianrandy

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October 17th, 2025 at 2:02:44 AM permalink

Just seen an interesting video on fox59 about an 8 year old boy and his family who recently moved from North Indiana to Indianapolis so he could attend Indiana school for the deaf. They had been there 2 months and his Mom got on tik Tok and talked about going to a colts game and asked if colts could help. They ended up getting sideline seats and an onfield experience with a cheerleader who knew sign language. He also got to meet the colts mascot and Johnathan Taylor. Morgan the cheerleader was happy to do it citing diversity in the NFL
She was a doll and 23 years old and even gave the boy a colts cheerleader team photo. www
Fox59
Com for the story and video.

lilredrooster

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October 18th, 2025 at 5:34:01 AM permalink

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the claim is that Ohtani just had the greatest game in MLB history -

even Babe Ruth never did anything remotely close to this

from the link:

"The starting pitcher for the Dodgers hit three home runs in one postseason game.

� Those three homers traveled a projected 1,342 feet � and it�s hard to know if that projection is accurate, since one of them left the stadium and might still be hopping along the Hollywood Freeway for all we know.

� Meanwhile, in his alternate life as an unhittable bat-destroyer, Ohtani spun off a 10-strikeout two-hitter over the six-plus innings he got to hang out on the mound.

� And hey, just for the fun of it, he threw two pitches harder than 100 mph.

� Oh, and he did this in the game that reserved the Dodgers� all-expense-paid trip to the World Series, where they will try to become MLB�s first repeat champion in a quarter-century.

Don�t even bother asking: Has any team�s starting pitcher ever mashed three home runs in one postseason game? That�s hilarious. Of course no pitcher has ever had a three-homer game in any postseason.

Perhaps this would put those three long balls in better perspective: Only two starting pitchers have ever even hit two postseason home runs in their entire careers: Bob Gibson (in 1964 and �68) and Dave McNally (in 1966 and �74)."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6728157/2025/10/18/shohei-ohtani-world-series-greatest-postseason-game/

the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him

DRich

DRich

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October 18th, 2025 at 5:57:32 AM permalink

Quote: lilredrooster
.
the claim is that Ohtani just had the greatest game in MLB history -

even Babe Ruth never did anything remotely close to this

from the link:

"The starting pitcher for the Dodgers hit three home runs in one postseason game.

� Those three homers traveled a projected 1,342 feet � and it�s hard to know if that projection is accurate, since one of them left the stadium and might still be hopping along the Hollywood Freeway for all we know.

� Meanwhile, in his alternate life as an unhittable bat-destroyer, Ohtani spun off a 10-strikeout two-hitter over the six-plus innings he got to hang out on the mound.

� And hey, just for the fun of it, he threw two pitches harder than 100 mph.

� Oh, and he did this in the game that reserved the Dodgers� all-expense-paid trip to the World Series, where they will try to become MLB�s first repeat champion in a quarter-century.

Don�t even bother asking: Has any team�s starting pitcher ever mashed three home runs in one postseason game? That�s hilarious. Of course no pitcher has ever had a three-homer game in any postseason.

Perhaps this would put those three long balls in better perspective: Only two starting pitchers have ever even hit two postseason home runs in their entire careers: Bob Gibson (in 1964 and �68) and Dave McNally (in 1966 and �74)."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6728157/2025/10/18/shohei-ohtani-world-series-greatest-postseason-game/
link to original post

Incredible performance by Ohtani. I don't think the length of the home runs adds anything to the story, it only counts for one run no matter the distance.

You can't know everything, but you can know anything.

billryan

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October 18th, 2025 at 10:43:31 AM permalink

A couple more games like that and even I'll be a believer.

I had no idea what had happened when I sat down this morning to watch the condensed game. I'd wanted to watch it live but was distracted by life.

Is it the greatest game of All-time? Maybe. It's certainly unique.
Does his performance surpass Don Larsens perfect game? A team can win even if it gives up numerous home runs, and can win if it strikes out many times( Steve Carlton lost the game he struck out a then record 19, and I think Randy Johnson got a no-decision in one of his.
It's impossible to win if you have a perfect game thrown against you, so I'll still go with Larsen's being the best game. I think many will call this the greatest game ever.
It is undoubtedly the greatest game of the modern era.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

camapl

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October 18th, 2025 at 11:48:15 AM permalink

Quote: DRich
Quote: lilredrooster
.
the claim is that Ohtani just had the greatest game in MLB history -

even Babe Ruth never did anything remotely close to this

from the link:

"The starting pitcher for the Dodgers hit three home runs in one postseason game.

� Those three homers traveled a projected 1,342 feet � and it�s hard to know if that projection is accurate, since one of them left the stadium and might still be hopping along the Hollywood Freeway for all we know.

� Meanwhile, in his alternate life as an unhittable bat-destroyer, Ohtani spun off a 10-strikeout two-hitter over the six-plus innings he got to hang out on the mound.

� And hey, just for the fun of it, he threw two pitches harder than 100 mph.

� Oh, and he did this in the game that reserved the Dodgers� all-expense-paid trip to the World Series, where they will try to become MLB�s first repeat champion in a quarter-century.

Don�t even bother asking: Has any team�s starting pitcher ever mashed three home runs in one postseason game? That�s hilarious. Of course no pitcher has ever had a three-homer game in any postseason.

Perhaps this would put those three long balls in better perspective: Only two starting pitchers have ever even hit two postseason home runs in their entire careers: Bob Gibson (in 1964 and �68) and Dave McNally (in 1966 and �74)."

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6728157/2025/10/18/shohei-ohtani-world-series-greatest-postseason-game/
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Incredible performance by Ohtani. I don't think the length of the home runs adds anything to the story, it only counts for one run no matter the distance.
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�But it goes to eleven.�

ETA: I oughta post that in the quotes thread�

It�s a dog eat dog world out there� �or maybe it�s the other way around.

billryan

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October 18th, 2025 at 1:40:00 PM permalink

I still think it is bullshit that they changed the rules to allow him bat after being removed from a game. He shouldn't have had a chance to hit his third home run. He is a great player, there was no need to make rules especially for him.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

SOOPOO

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October 18th, 2025 at 5:45:12 PM permalink

It was a good game. But not in Rick Wise�s class. He �only� had two home runs while pitching a NO HITTER. That means he pitched 9 innings, and wasn�t coddled like Ohtani.

I watched a bit. Ohtani�s second home run was the most majestic blast I have ever seen. Velocity, launch angle, out of the stadium. Walked for his other at bat, by the way.

billryan

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October 18th, 2025 at 6:17:36 PM permalink

It's the best performance I've seen in a baseball game. I think the best performance ever was Harvey Haddix, who retired 36 men in a row and lost when an error opened the door in the 13th.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

AutomaticMonkey

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October 18th, 2025 at 6:56:37 PM permalink

Quote: billryan
I still think it is bullshit that they changed the rules to allow him bat after being removed from a game. He shouldn't have had a chance to hit his third home run. He is a great player, there was no need to make rules especially for him.
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I agree. When he first started they had him playing LF when he wasn't pitching or DH (in the American League when the National League didn't have the DH). Moving him from pitcher to LF when they want to take him off the mound would be acceptable under traditional rules and that's what they should be required to do.

And I understand why they don't want him playing outfield anymore. An outfielder's throw is even harder than a pitch (when they throw when running inward) but it's a completely different motion and it is often done without proper warmup, and they don't want him to hurt his arm. I don't like to see players get hurt either, but this is not a video game and the Ohtani Rule seems to me like the league putting themselves in service of a large-market team and their really expensive player.

unJon

unJon

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October 19th, 2025 at 5:07:41 AM permalink

Why would you past post a lock of the week that lost? lol

The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that is the way to bet.

Dieter
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Dieter

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October 19th, 2025 at 5:11:26 AM permalink

Quote: tampadave
WEEK 7 PLAYS - SHARP MONEY ALERT 🚨
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System selling. Nuke.

May the cards fall in your favor.

billryan

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October 19th, 2025 at 5:40:59 AM permalink

Quote: Dieter
Quote: tampadave
WEEK 7 PLAYS - SHARP MONEY ALERT 🚨
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System selling. Nuke.
link to original post

When will they learn? Sell your method, not a system.

The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened

lilredrooster

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October 19th, 2025 at 6:11:48 AM permalink

Quote: billryan
Quote: Dieter
Quote: tampadave
WEEK 7 PLAYS - SHARP MONEY ALERT 🚨
link to original post

System selling. Nuke.
link to original post

When will they learn? Sell your method, not a system.
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hunh_________?

I don't get it

I didn't get that he was selling any system

I just saw him post his picks which were pretty interesting -

I would like to have seen how his picks did but they're gone now

what did he post that indicated he was selling a system-?

.

the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him

unJon

unJon

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October 19th, 2025 at 6:38:49 AM permalink

Quote: lilredrooster
Quote: billryan
Quote: Dieter
Quote: tampadave
WEEK 7 PLAYS - SHARP MONEY ALERT 🚨
link to original post

System selling. Nuke.
link to original post

When will they learn? Sell your method, not a system.
link to original post

hunh_________?

I don't get it

I didn't get that he was selling any system

I just saw him post his picks which were pretty interesting -

I would like to have seen how his picks did but they're gone now

what did he post that indicated he was selling a system-?

.
link to original post

I would have liked to have kept him around. His posts were hilarious. His roulette system especially seemed done tongue in cheek.

His picks included a �lock� parlay that already had a losing leg from Thursday Night Football.

The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that is the way to bet.

Dieter
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Dieter

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October 19th, 2025 at 6:49:01 AM permalink

Quote: lilredrooster
Quote: billryan
Quote: Dieter
Quote: tampadave
WEEK 7 PLAYS - SHARP MONEY ALERT 🚨
link to original post

System selling. Nuke.
link to original post

When will they learn? Sell your method, not a system.
link to original post

hunh_________?

I don't get it

I didn't get that he was selling any system

I just saw him post his picks which were pretty interesting -

I would like to have seen how his picks did but they're gone now

what did he post that indicated he was selling a system-?

.
link to original post

There was also a roulette system post.
This post was highlighted, because burning the other one killed the thread.
And yes, I recognize I may be humor impaired.

May the cards fall in your favor.

SOOPOO

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October 19th, 2025 at 7:32:43 AM permalink

Watching Rams Jags. Rams cruising. Up 14-0 mid 2nd quarter. Jags have 4th and two on RAMS 34. Easy decision to go for it. Jags coach decides to try 51 yard FG in wet stadium. These coaches are plain stupid. Missed. Rams get ball on 41 yard line.

How come NFL head coaches are stupid?

camapl

camapl

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October 19th, 2025 at 8:06:18 AM permalink

Quote: SOOPOO
Watching Rams Jags. Rams cruising. Up 14-0 mid 2nd quarter. Jags have 4th and two on RAMS 34. Easy decision to go for it. Jags coach decides to try 51 yard FG in wet stadium. These coaches are plain stupid. Missed. Rams get ball on 41 yard line.

How come NFL head coaches are stupid?
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It comes from demanding 110%�

It�s a dog eat dog world out there� �or maybe it�s the other way around.

lilredrooster

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October 19th, 2025 at 10:54:50 AM permalink

Quote: SOOPOO
It was a "good" game. But not in Rick Wise�s class. He �only� had two home runs while pitching a NO HITTER. That means he pitched 9 innings,
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that wasn't a playoff game

and the game Ohtani won was not just a playoff game but one that put the Dodgers into the World Series

Wise's game was a meaningless game - he pitched for the Phillies in 1971 who finished in 6th place in the National League with a record of 67-95

he pitched his great game against the less than mediocre Cincinnati Reds who finished the year 79-83

Wise's team finished 30 games behind the first place Pittsburgh Pirates

you're a very smart guy who I respect a lot

but in this instance what you posted is the exact opposite of what is true

Rick Wise's game was not of the same class as Ohtani's game

and calling Ohtani's game only "good" is quite ridiculous indeed

oh, and worth repeating from the news article:

"Don�t even bother asking: Has any team�s starting pitcher ever mashed three home runs in one postseason game? That�s hilarious. Of course no pitcher has ever had a three-homer game in any postseason.

Perhaps this would put those three long balls in better perspective: Only two starting pitchers have ever even hit two postseason home runs in their entire careers: Bob Gibson (in 1964 and �68) and Dave McNally (in 1966 and �74)."

.

Last edited by: lilredrooster on Oct 19, 2025

the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him

AutomaticMonkey

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October 19th, 2025 at 12:04:48 PM permalink

Quote: lilredrooster
...

oh, and worth repeating from the news article:

"Don�t even bother asking: Has any team�s starting pitcher ever mashed three home runs in one postseason game? That�s hilarious. Of course no pitcher has ever had a three-homer game in any postseason.

Perhaps this would put those three long balls in better perspective: Only two starting pitchers have ever even hit two postseason home runs in their entire careers: Bob Gibson (in 1964 and �68) and Dave McNally (in 1966 and �74)."

.
link to original post

Dare to be different... I'll go with Catfish Hunter's perfect game. He provided almost all of the offense too, batting in 3 of the 4 runs for his team.

A perfect game is impressive enough, but how about one against Rod Carew, Harmon Killebrew, and Tony Oliva, 3 HoF hitters in a row in the lineup?

DRich

DRich

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October 19th, 2025 at 12:13:55 PM permalink

Quote: AutomaticMonkey

Dare to be different... I'll go with Catfish Hunter's perfect game. He provided almost all of the offense too, batting in 3 of the 4 runs for his team.

I don't give any more credence to a pitcher for a perfect game over a no-hitter with no walks and no hit batsmen.

You can't know everything, but you can know anything.

lilredrooster