2008 MLB playoffs

[Jedi Master Carr]

It is about that time. Barring a miracle, for the first time since 1993 the Yankees won't be in the playoffs. Right now it looks like it will be Angels, Devil Rays, Red Sox and either the White Sox or Twins in the AL. In the NL it will be the Cubs, Dodgers and the last 2 spots will be between the Mets, Phillies, Brewers, or Astros. Even though I am a Red Sox fan I think it will be the Angels and Cubs in the WS and with the Cubs winning it in 5.

[Figrin D'an]

The Brewers fired Ned Yost today. The timing seems really odd, considering that despite their recent slide, they are still in the middle of the wild-card race. There were, apparently, other issues that had come up that prompted this to happen before the end of the season. Unless the Brewers can get things straightened out starting tomorrow night, they will likely end up blowing what was once a solid hold on the NL Wild Card spot.

I have no faith that the Cubs will win the World Series. Not after what happened in 2003. Mark my words, they will find a way to screw it up.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Brewers fired Ned Yost today. The timing seems really odd, considering that despite their recent slide, they are still in the middle of the wild-card race. There were, apparently, other issues that had come up that prompted this to happen before the end of the season. Unless the Brewers can get things straightened out starting tomorrow night, they will likely end up blowing what was once a solid hold on the NL Wild Card spot.

I have no faith that the Cubs will win the World Series. Not after what happened in 2003. Mark my words, they will find a way to screw it up.

I thought that about the Red Sox till they won in 2004, so anything is possible. The NL is so weak I can't see anybody there beating them. The AL is another story but I am still picking them. About Yost I think he got hosed honestly. It is too late to fire him anyway since a coaching change won't do any good now.

[CMJ]

I'm just glad the yankees won't make the playoffs more than likely.

The Cubs are a great story. I hope they can make the series, and if the Red Sox don't get back, I'd love to see them win.

The (Devil) Rays are also a terrific story. I hope they can get some fans out for the postseason!

[Jedi Master Carr]

Its sad the Devil Rays can't get fans out. Not sure if its the area or what.

[Morgan Evanar]

South Florida sports fans are fair weather at best. The Dolphins used to fill seats, but even now they're showing weakness.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Devil Rays might be forced to move if things don't turn around there. They could move to Orlando or Jacksonville. Of course that awful stadium they have there doesn't help.

[CMJ]

We'll see how a playoff run helps them in the future. They're almost assured of winning the division at this point, but certainly they'd take the Wild Card at the very least.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well I don't think they will go far. I don't see anybody beating the Angels in the American League.

[CMJ]

So now we have three teams in.

Cubs
Rays
Angels

A few others are close to clinching.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Red Sox clinched the other night. The Dodgers and Rays both could clinch their divisions today. The other races could go down to Sunday. Especially the White Sox and Twins only a half game separate them. In the NL the Mets are choking again so the wild card could go either way. The Brewers get the Cubs and the Mets the Marlins.

[Jedi Master Carr]

This weekend should be fun, 4 spots to be decided. Tampa Bay can clinch with one win or a Red Sox loss. The rest is more complicated. The phillies do get the nationals so they could clinch pretty quickly. The Mets and Marlins could have problems with rain and we could have a lot of make up games between that and the Detriot-White Sox make up.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Phillies clinched today. It looks like neither the White Sox or Twins want in. They both keep losing. I mean come on if you can't beat the Royals you don't belong in. The White Sox will probably be playing that game on Monday that will either give one of them the title or send them to a one game playoff. The Mets and Brewers might be facing the same thing if they both win or lose on Sunday.

[CMJ]

Brewers are in!

White Sox play tommorrow to see if they even get a 1 game playoff.

Fun times. :)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yep Monday and Tuesday could be a lot of fun to watch. NL is set up
Brewers vs Phillies, I like the Phillies in 5
Dodgers vs Cubs I like the Cubs in 4

[CMJ]

And the White Sox win. One game to decide the Division tommorrow!

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yep should be a great game.

[CMJ]

Yep should be a great game.

Boy has it been so far. Bottom of the 7th, still scoreless. Both pitchers are bringing it tonight!

[Miranda Tarkin]

sox score! :dance

[CMJ]

Huge homer for Thome, but the Twins stop the bleeding. Just a 1 run run game thru seven.

[Miranda Tarkin]

ok... if the Sox don't manage to score this inning, they just need to hold them off! :uhoh

[CMJ]

What a freaking game. That is postseason baseball.

[Miranda Tarkin]

You aren't kidding! Amazing!!! That was an incredible game! So happy the Sox got into the playoffs! :)

[CMJ]

I've always thought that baseball has perhaps the most tedious regular season. And I'm a huge basbeall fan! But the very things that make the season so long(endless pitching changes, pinch runners, time between pitches, etc, etc) are what makes the postseason arguably the best in professional sports.

Hard to beat the drama of playoff baseball.

[Jedi Master Carr]

too bad I had to miss it because of my late tuesday class. It sounds like it was a great game.

[CMJ]

Phillies win the day game.

Cubs get blasted by the Dodgers.

Night game only 1 inning in so far.

[Figrin D'an]

Cubs get blasted by the Dodgers.



Hopefully the Cubs lose in the division series and save the fans the pain of watching them lose in the LCS or World Series.

As I said before... I have no faith in the Cubs.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think they can come back the Dodgers don't have much offense and I don't trust that pitching staff. I still think they can win it. The Red Sox did look good tonight, they just seem to own the Angels in the playoffs.

[CMJ]

C'mon Figrin....if the Red Sox can win 2 World Series and the White Sox can win 1 in just the last 5 years....the Cubs can as well.

Honestly, I think this is their biggest hurdle in getting to the World Series. You should get past either Philly or the Brew Crew.

Not gonna look to the World Series yet, because I have absolutely no idea who will come out of the AL. As big a Red Sox fan as I am, I was stunned we took Game 1 the way the Angels owned us this year. And that's not even to mention I'm not sure I'd like our chances vs Tampa if we get past Anaheim.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The only thing the Red Sox have going for them is experience and also the pitching. Lester is the Sox best pitcher, and Dice K has had a great year. If Beckett can pitch like he did last postseason the Sox will be tough. And now Drew and Lowell are both playing which helps a lot.

[CMJ]

Rays looked very good. Phillies as well.

Cubs are breaking my heart...and I'm not even a Cubs fan!!

[Jedi Master Carr]

I know I was hoping the Cubs would win, I am not sure what is happening to them.

[CMJ]

Rays looked impressive.

Red Sox really looked impressive.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Boston looked great, I am glad Drew is healthy :)

[CMJ]

Do any of the series go past 3 games?

I'm pulling for the Cubs and Brewers tommorrow. Cubs...well I don't need to explain why. Brewers? Hell, they haven't made the postseason since I was a kid, I'd like to see their fans win one home game.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think Harden can win for the Cubs. The Brewers I don't know. I think the Red Sox can sweep, the Devil Rays maybe. The good thing the cubs are going are the Dodgers aren't that much better at home and the cubs have Lilly in game 4 and they can win that one and at least get it back to Chicago. Winning 2 in Boston is going to be near impossible for the Angels. The Red Sox do look great, I think the way they are playing they could repeat. I didn't think that going in.

[CMJ]

Brewers win.

Cubs lose.

[jjwr]

Ouch....poor cubs :(

[Jedi Master Carr]

I feel awful for their fans. I thought sure this was their year. I guess they peaked too soon and were too rusty in this series.

[Figrin D'an]

I feel awful for their fans. I thought sure this was their year. I guess they peaked too soon and were too rusty in this series.



Considering the MO for Pinella's teams in Seattle was to dominate the regular season and fall apart in the playoffs, I'm not surprised one bit.

I'm glad the Brewers at least got a win in their series with the Phillies. It will probably be the last taste of postseason baseball in Milwaukee for a while again.

[JMK]

Poor Cubs. I think we can finally say that it's impossible for the Cubs to win in the post season. They can go 162-0 for the regular season, face nobody in the playoffs and still lose.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Wild game in Boston that doesn't want to end. Bottom 11th right now, and both teams have had opportunities. Hopefully, Boston can end it this inning.

[CMJ]

White Sox forced another game in the other series.

We're in the top of the 12th now.

[CMJ]

Angels win in 12. Well, we have baseball tommorrow!

[Jedi Master Carr]

That was a long game. I am guessing Lester goes today. I wouldn't take any chances if I was Boston.

[CMJ]

Red Sox win in dramatic fashion. Rays vs Sox for the American League.

[Jedi Master Carr]

It was a great game. I was glad they won it in the 9th didn't want to have to sit through another 12 inning game. Red Sox-Rays should be a great series. I could see that going 7.

[CMJ]

Philadelphia makes a nice comeback in the 6th and wins Game 1 by a run. Gotta love NL games...that was well under three hours.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Too bad I missed it was on the road all day.

[CMJ]

Two great performances by pitchers today. Myers with the bat and Matsuzaka hurls a gem.

Philly 2-0
Boston 1-0

[Jedi Master Carr]

Dick K was amazing. They could take game 2 tomorrow so they are in great shape.

[CMJ]

What a game...over five hours. Rays win on a sac fly in the 11th.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think the series will go 7 games. I think Boston wins game 3 with Lester and should win at least one more in Boston. I like Boston's chances though in a seven game series since Lester would pitch in that game.

[CMJ]

Dodgers hold serve.

[CMJ]

Rays deliver woodshed beatdown in Fenway.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I thought sure Lester would come through. Well Boston could still come through or else I will be rooting for the NL I don't really care for the Devil Rays.

[CMJ]

Phillies come off the matt to take Game 4.

[CMJ]

That was a beating. I hope Matsuzaka has his best stuff for Game 5.

[Jedieb]

GO TAMPA BAY!!!!!!! :crack

[CMJ]

I think I'll root for Philadelphia in the World Series. Not because I dislike Tampa bay - I actually think it's a great story. But, seriously, the Phillies have a sorry history. Maybe even worse than the Cubs.

[CMJ]

Phillies make it back to the World Series for the first time since 1993. Congrats to the NL Champions!

[CMJ]

How did we win this??

HOLY FREAKING CRAP

[Jedi Master Carr]

How did we win this??

HOLY FREAKING CRAP


That is what I was thinking. I honestly shut it off when it was 5-0. Although I flipped back and forth hoping. That was a heck of a comeback is all I can say. Not sure what it means. I don't want to get hoping it could be a start of another Boston comeback.

[CMJ]

At 5-0, I basically had the game on as background noise. I saw it go to 7-0 and was just irritable, but thinking what a nice season it still was.

I saw all of the comeback. That's one of the more magical things I've ever seen in sports. Red Sox comebacks in October.....I swear....it's getting ridiculous.

[Jedi Master Carr]

At 5-0, I basically had the game on as background noise. I saw it go to 7-0 and was just irritable, but thinking what a nice season it still was.

I saw all of the comeback. That's one of the more magical things I've ever seen in sports. Red Sox comebacks in October.....I swear....it's getting ridiculous.

I know I was just going to write this season off as a great season considering the injuries. Now Beckett needs to pitch good. I am not ready to say they will do it because of him. If he can do it though I think they win the 7th because of Lester. I don't see him pitching 2 straight bad games.

[CMJ]

I don't even care if we win Game 6. That was magic.

[JMK]

Haven't heard from Eb since that big come back...

I was in our hotel room flipping channels and I hit the ball game at 5-0. I didn't think to tune in, as I thought it was over. Also, the glare from the warden made me change it. Then I went back and it was 7-4. I looked at her, but got no sympathy. In the morning I was about to turn the highlights on and I said "If Boston came back to win, we're through". Of course, it was more for shock value than actually thinking they could pull off another comeback like that. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the score.

Tampa Bay 7
Boston 8

My jaw dropped, as did hers. :)

[CMJ]

Awesome story man. :lol

[CMJ]

Sox wins 4-2. HUGE effort by the Bullpen.

Wow, just one win from the ALCS pennant.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I know it is amazing. Beckett pitched great considering he isn't a 100%. I like Boston's chances with Lester on the mound. I don't see him pitching that poor again.

[CMJ]

Congrats to the Rays. :)

[Jedieb]

I can now watch the World Series again. Thank Yoda for the Tampa Bay Rays. :cool

Sorry Court, but at least you had a historic Game 5.

[CMJ]

It's fine. I'm happy for Tampa, and I'm as proud of the Sox as can be the way we almost came back in this series(especially like you said - the Game 5 comeback).

[Jedi Master Carr]

I will survive. I am sure Fox is upset though since this World Series will probably be one of the lowest rated in years.

[JMK]

Gotta hand it to the young Rays pitching staff. They held it together when it would have been so easy for them to fold, especially after game 5. I'm pulling for them to win it all.

[Jedieb]

I will survive. I am sure Fox is upset though since this World Series will probably be one of the lowest rated in years.

I expect the ratings will be dismal. Dodgers/Cubs v. BoSox are what any network would have wanted from this year's group.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I would think they would have wanted Cubs vs anyone really since a lot of people would have turned into see if they could do it. Boston or the Angels vs Dodgers would have been a second choice. I guess it could be worse for them could have got Brewers vs Rays.

[Dragon]

I think it speaks badly for the sport when it becomes a serious financial consideration for the network which teams make it to the championship.

Are there really so few true fans of the game of baseball that we can only count on a handful of teams to draw a significant audience? If the Jaguars and Buccaneers made the Super Bowl, it would still be the biggest event in football no matter how much ESPN whines that it wasn't the Patriots and the Cowboys.

I realize you're talking about finances and not your own opinion... it just really bugs me when people talk about who "should" have made it based on anything other than on-the-field performance. As a non-baseball fan, I'm actually more likely to watch a World Series with a pair of Cinderellas than one with the teams everyone expected to be there.

[CMJ]

The only sport that doesn't see much of a decline in viewership is the NFL. The other 3 pro leagues largely depend on what franchises are playing.

As for myself...I'll watch either way.

[JMK]

I'm not one of those people who would skip the championchip series in any sport just because major markets are not in there...but I realiz I'm in the minority there.

Still, it makes me smile to know some tight-wad execs at Fox are ticked off about this.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I probably won't watch, but that is because I have so much going on right now with my classes and work that it would be better off for me if I didn't. I was willing to sacrifice some sleep for the Red Sox or Cubs but anybody else no way.

[CMJ]

Phillies take Game One 3-2. Both pitchers came up big.

[CMJ]

Big Game James lived up to the nickname.

1-1 going to Philadelphia.

[Liam Jinn]

I don't get the strategy of loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth, with no outs in a tie game. The way that game just ended made sense to me, but I don't watch baseball.

[CMJ]

They were hoping to cause an out at the plate on a ground ball. If the bases weren't loaded the runner wouldn't be forced to come home.

Great win by the Phillies.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I haven't been watching but I see the Phillies are one game away from winning it. They have there best picture on tonight.

[CMJ]

Game 5....the one that would never end. :lol

[JMK]

It was so obvious that the umps were under orders from Selig to play the game until either the Phillies won, or the Rays tie it up. After the 5th if they had called the game, it would have been a win for the Phils, and the World Series won by rainout. Can you imagine the humiliation Selig would have been put through? So instead, he picks the lesser of 2 evils and makes them play until he wiggles off the hook.

Why they bothered starting at all is beyond me. Bill "Spaceman" Lee was on our radio station around 6 p.m. (as he is every night) and said there was no way on earth that they would get the game in.

Oh yeah, he was in California...what did he know that MLB didn't?

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Phillies win. They really played great in the playoffs.

[CMJ]

Phillies World Series Champions.

For a club that has been around 126 years and only 2 titles....that is futility that might even rival the Cubs.

Congratulations to the Phillies faithful.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well at least they have won. The Cubs are going on 101 now, but yeah that is pretty bad.

[CMJ]

The Cubs also have 2 World Series titles. I think they've been around about as long as the Phillies have. Both even predate the World Series era.