MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

[The Rube]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Nationalolololols! Strike 3, passed ball, runner gets to first and run scores, Cubs now up by 2.

[bronconick]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Death, taxes, the Nationals completely melting down in game 5 at home.

[The Rube]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Death, taxes, the Nationals completely melting down in game 5 at home.

That hit down the 3rd base line was a wicked hit. The rest of the inning, though....wow.

[bronconick]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan
The last four Cubs have reached base on an intentional walk, a passed-ball strikeout, catcher’s interference and a hit by pitch.

Jeff Passan
@JeffPassan
I am willing to bet never before in baseball history have four batters in a row reached on this sequence of events.

Baseball Reference @baseball_ref
5m
None of the 2.73m half innings in our db have even had all 4 of these events. 22 w/ 3. Only 5 games had all 4.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Werth... What you doing?!

Complete whiff on a relatively routine play.

[The Rube]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Unreal.

And now a completely missed line drive for another run.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

This game is bananas. And everything one could want in an elimination game.

[The Rube]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

That call was HUGE. I didn't expect it overturned, despite the overturn being the right call. Wow.

[hockeyplayer1015]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Cubs advance 9-8.

MLB has to like their final 4 teams, given the markets involved.

[Kepler]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

[SonofSouthie]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Enjoyed Harper looking like a fool striking out to end the game. Was waiting for Papelbon to come out of the stands and choke him.

[JF_Gophers]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Its odd to me talking about the Nationals not winning a series. As a Twins fan we went through that while winning 6 division titles, and just 1 series (02).

At least now the Twins arent pretending they are good. So the failure to to succeed in the postseason is less painful.

[SJHovey]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

Enjoyed Harper looking like a fool striking out to end the game. Was waiting for Papelbon to come out of the stands and choke him.

That was a nasty pitch.

[burd]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

That was a nasty pitch.

Boy was it.

[joecct]

Re: MLB 2017: Playoffs, World Series, and Off-season.

From today's WaPo, but it is a timeless piece:

BY [EXHAUSTED POST SPORTS BEAT WRITER]

Amid the spent cups and discarded [PIECES OF SPORTS EQUIPMENT] strewn around the [WASHINGTON SPORTS TEAM] locker room were a pile of fractured hopes, attempts at rationalization and general bewilderment.

Another promising [SPORT] season came to a premature end last night as the [WASHINGTON SPORTS FRANCHISE] fell to the [TEAM WITH A WORSE REGULAR SEASON RECORD], eliminating them from the playoffs. The ending was especially bitter, as the game was decided when [FLUKE PLAY] gave the [WASHINGTON OPPONENT] the lead and [WASHINGTON TEAM] was unable to recover.

Thus, another [SPRING/SUMMER/FALL/WINTER] that began with such promise and ambition for the [WASHINGTON SPORTS TEAM] and their fans ends in yet another [SPRING/SUMMER/FALL/WINTER] of discontent, with [WASHINGTON SPORTS TEAM] and [ITS FRONT OFFICE EXECUTIVE] confronting familiar questions in search of better answers.


“We’re close,” [FRONT OFFICE EXECUTIVE] said. “Anyone that watched us all season long can see that. We just have to figure out how to get over the hump to win in [MONTH OF THIS SPORT’S PLAYOFFS].”

While some fans quibbled with [OFFICIATING/UMPIRING CALL] in the deciding game, others took issue with [COACH/MANAGER]’s decision to [EMPLOY A STRATEGY THAT MADE NO SENSE TO ANYONE WATCHING].

Asked afterward about the choice, [COACH/MANAGER] expressed no regrets.

“That’s how we did things all season and we weren’t going to change,” he said.

Like their fans, [WASHINGTON SPORTS TEAM] players struggled to explain why they were unable to replicate their regular season success in the playoffs. After [SPORTS VERB]ing [HIGH NUMBER] of [SPORTS STATISTICS] in the regular season, [TEAM’S TOP-PAID PLAYER] managed just [VERY LOW NUMBER] of [SAME SPORTS STATISTIC] in the playoffs.


“Credit to [CLEARLY INFERIOR TEAM], they made the plays when they had to,” [UNDER-PERFORMING STAR] said. “In the playoffs it’s all about execution and they executed better.”

Still, [QUOTABLE PLAYER] insisted that this year’s playoff failure should not be linked to [SIMILARLY CRUSHING FAILURE IN RECENT PAST].

“This had nothing to do with [YEAR OF SIMILARLY CRUSHING FAILURE],” [QUOTABLE PLAYER] said quietly, as teammates sat staring off into space. “Every season is unique.”

[TEAM FRONT-OFFICE EXECUTIVE] took a long view amid the disappointment.

“We like the direction we’re heading,” [TEAM EXECUTIVE] said. “Obviously we’re disappointed, but this team is built to succeed for years to come.”

Throughout the region, amid speculation of ticket price hikes for next season, [TEAM COLORS]-clad fans expressed disappointment and frustration, though clung to warm memories of the regular season.


“I can’t believe it’s over,” said [FAN WHO HOPEFULLY WASN’T QUOTED IN LAST YEAR’S STORY]. “But I’ll never forget [HIGHLIGHT FROM PRECEDING REGULAR SEASON] and now it’s onto [WASHINGTON SPORTS TEAM WHOSE SEASON BEGINS NEXT].”