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Pete has been litComment -
- The 2019 playoff picture is officially set. The Rays will head to Oakland for the AL Wild Card game on Wednesday, Oct. 2, with first pitch at 8:09 pm EST. Earlier this week, Rays manager Kevin Cash appeared on MLB Network Radio, where he made comments indicating that Charlie Morton would take the ball on Wednesday for Tampa. No official word has come from the Athletics regarding their own one-game stopper, but Billy Beane hinted to the San Francisco Chronicle that Sean Manaea may have the “inside track” to tackle the opportunity.
The Nationals and Brewers will do battle on Tuesday at 8:08 pm EST in Washington D.C. for the NL play-in spot, where Max Scherzer is expected to take the ball for the Nationals. Meanwhile, Tom Haudricort of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays that Brandon Woodruff will be trusted by manager Craig Counsell to best Scherzer in the winner-moves-on affair (link). Woodruff may not carry the imposing resumé of Scherzer (nor does he possess a rare genetic variation that endows him with transfixing, multi-colored eyes), but he has looked the part of a frontline starter when healthy in 2019, with a 3.62 ERA (3.01 FIP) in 121.2 innings this season. - In other Brewers-related news, outfielder Ryan Braun expects to play in that Tuesday tilt against D.C. Haudricort also relays that outfielder Lorenzo Cain is “hopeful” for the game (link). Braun is dealing with a calf issue, while Cain has a gimpy ankle. As previously noted here, the Brewers may be limited to Trent Grisham or Tyrone Taylor in center if Cain is indeed too hindered to give it a ’go’ on Tuesday night.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hasn’t yet announced the full pitching lineup for the NLDS, but he tells Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Time that he is “feeling really good” about trusting Rich Hill with potential Game 4 duties (link). Hill was only activated from the IL on September 24th but did strike out five Padre hitters in just two innings of work in that appearance. As the number-one seed in the National League, the Dodgers will host the winner of the Nats-Brewers Wild Card play-in matchup. The Dodgers, in fact, will play at home throughout the postseason, unless they face the Astros in the World Series–by posting an MLB-best 107-55 record, Houston clinched homefield advantage through the Fall Classic.
Comment - The 2019 playoff picture is officially set. The Rays will head to Oakland for the AL Wild Card game on Wednesday, Oct. 2, with first pitch at 8:09 pm EST. Earlier this week, Rays manager Kevin Cash appeared on MLB Network Radio, where he made comments indicating that Charlie Morton would take the ball on Wednesday for Tampa. No official word has come from the Athletics regarding their own one-game stopper, but Billy Beane hinted to the San Francisco Chronicle that Sean Manaea may have the “inside track” to tackle the opportunity.
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Let the playoffs beginComment -
Cards beat writer helps save life in Cubs dugout
St. Louis Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold performed CPR on a man in distress Sunday in the Chicago Cubs dugout in St. Louis, helping to save his life.
The Cubs were about to announce that manager Joe Maddon would not be returning to the team, but there was a delay. That was because videographer Mike Flanary, 64, had collapsed and briefly did not have a pulse.
Goold, who works for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, performed CPR on Flanary before Cubs training staff and emergency medical personnel took over. According to the Post-Dispatch, Goold is a former lifeguard and Eagle Scout trained in CPR.
Medical officials told the Post-Dispatch that Flanary was hospitalized in critical but stable condition after suffering a heart attack and stroke.
"So many people are afraid of doing CPR. But, because of (Goold's) actions, he was the first link in that chain of survival," David Tan, the stadium doctor on duty at the park, told the newspaper.
"It's fabulous. It was the early CPR by Derrick Goold that probably saved his life. Derrick wasn't afraid. He didn't hesitate. And he did it. In the medical field, when you save somebody like this, they call it a clinical save. This is a clinical save that was started by Derrick Goold. Period."Comment -
I hope Maddon comes and coaches the Jays, Charlie Montoyo sucks.Comment -
The cubs will miss Maddon for sure, but it was time. He should get a statue.Comment -
I'm really interested to see who the Giants hire. i think they'll go for a younger voice in the clubhouse too but we'll see what happens. As for Maddon I saw on espn tonight where the Angels are interested in him. That might be a good landing spot for him because he has a future hall of famer in Trout to work with and he had success in the AL with the Rays before moving over to the NL to take the Cubs job.Comment -
The long-suffering Padres made a stunning strike in free agency last offseason when they signed former Orioles and Dodgers infielder Manny Machado to a 10-year, $300MM contract in late February. For a short period, Machado’s deal stood as the richest in the history of the game. Outfielder Bryce Harper – who, along with Machado – owned baseball-related headlines last winter, surpassed him less than two weeks later with a 13-year, $330MM guarantee from the Phillies. Harper was more good than great in the first year of his accord, though, while Machado probably wasn’t as strong as many expected him to be in his San Diego debut.
In the end, neither Harper nor Machado led their teams to drought-breaking playoff berths in 2019. The Padres won a paltry 70 games and extended their postseason-less streak to a whopping 13 years, though they surely remain hopeful Machado will help them back to relevance in short order. However, for the Padres to maximize their chances of success as they move ahead, they’re going to need the more productive version of Machado to reappear.
To his credit, Machado continued an impressive run of durability in 2019, appearing in at least 156 games for the fifth consecutive season. He also belted upward of 30 home runs (32) for the fifth year in a row. Overall, though, the Machado who was a dominant offensive player as recently as 2018, when he posted a wRC+ of 140 en route to 6.2 fWAR, wasn’t present. Machado’s wRC+ dropped to 108 this year, while his fWAR total fell to 3.0. Both figures are respectable, but they don’t make for superstar-caliber output. The same can obviously be said of the .256/.334/.462 line Machado recorded over 661 plate appearances. And Statcast doesn’t indicate Machado deserved a better fate at the plate, evidenced by his matching .339 weighted on-base average/expected wOBA (a steep drop-off from his .377/.372 in 2018).
On the defensive side, Machado remained a stalwart at third base, where he accounted for 5 Defensive Runs Saved and a plus-2.4 Ultimate Zone Rating. Per the metrics, Machado was less successful at shortstop (minus-2 DRS, minus-1.5 UZR), but that doesn’t figure to be his long-term spot anyway. He saw 299 innings at the position because of multiple lengthy injured list stints for rookie Fernando Tatis Jr., who, when healthy, showed why he’s one of the most coveted young players in baseball.Comment -
Can't wait for Rays to spank some A's 2 OctComment -
Thinking about backing ScherzerComment -
Theo Epstein outlines Cubs' goals, confirms David Ross candidate to manage
CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein on Monday outlined the qualities he wants to see in his next manager, and confirmed that former catcher David Ross is among the team's "broad list" of candidates.
"We haven't called to ask for permission on anybody," Epstein said during an 80-minute news conference Monday, a day after the club announced it would not retain Joe Maddon. "We're full speed ahead. We're not going to drag this out any longer than it needs to be, but we're also going to be thorough."
Epstein stressed that the Cubs want to look forward not backward, downplaying Ross' connection to the team's past.
"David Ross has a lot of great things going for him," Epstein said of the World Series-winning catcher. "His connection to the players on this team, and especially his connection to the 2016 team, are not necessarily assets that distinguish him or are important to us. ... Ross is an attractive candidate, and he's going to be evaluated on the merits."
Ross, currently an ESPN analyst, said Sunday that he is interested in the job.
Without naming names, Epstein said the Cubs are interested in at least one member of a playoff team's staff and will look internally, as well. Houston Astros bench coach Joe Espada, Cubs bench coach Mark Loretta and former big leaguer and current Cubs catching coordinator Mark Johnson could be candidates for the job.
Epstein wouldn't comment on former Cubs catcher Joe Girardi's status as a candidate. He also was delicate while speaking in regard to Maddon's legacy with the Cubs.Comment -
Brewers season will be over soon unless they can somehow have a lead in the 8th for Hader.Comment -
This wild card game should not count as a playoff game.Comment -
- The Brewers’ season reached a heartbreaking end Tuesday, leaving the club to turn its attention to the offseason. One of its priorities could be re-signing catcher Yasmani Grandal, who will surely decline his half of a $16MM mutual option for 2020 in order to reach free agency for the second straight winter. As easily the premier catcher who’s on the verge of hitting the open market, Grandal figures to draw plenty of interest from outside clubs. Expectations are that the division-rival Reds will be among the teams that pursue Grandal, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Now 30, Grandal began his pro career as the 12th overall pick of the Reds in 2010, but he never played a major league game in Cincinnati. The team traded Grandal to San Diego in a 2011 blockbuster, and he has blossomed into one of the majors’ elite catchers since then. Meanwhile, the Reds are coming off a year in which their catchers (primarily Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali) posted mediocre production. If the Reds are going to upgrade over their current backstops with Grandal, though, they’ll undoubtedly need to put forth a significant offer. Grandal’s among the game’s top soon-to-be free agents, someone who’s ineligible to receive a qualifying offer after getting one last offseason, and it stands to reason he’ll be paid accordingly in the coming months.
- The Reds will likely try to add one or two left-handers to their bullpen in the offseason, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Aside from Amir Garrett, no southpaw reliever the Reds tried for a decent sample of innings in 2019 was successful. Zach Duke and Wandy Peralta struggled so badly that the Reds cut ties with them before the year ended. Cody Reed enjoyed a promising 6 1/3-inning stretch in May, but a knee injury derailed his season toward the end of that month.
- More from Nightengale, who reports the club’s “hopeful” it’ll have prized youngster Nick Senzel in the fold when the 2020 season opens. Senzel sat out the final four weeks of the regular season on account of a right shoulder injury that required surgery. Although Senzel spent the year in center field, it’s possible the Reds will add to that position this winter and move him back to the infield – specifically second base – next season, Nightengale notes. The upcoming free-agent class isn’t exactly teeming with obvious center field solutions, however.
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Braves' Dallas Keuchel to face Cardinals' Miles Mikolas in Game 1
ATLANTA -- Braves left-hander Dallas Keuchel will face Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas in Game 1 of the National League Division Series on Thursday night.
Each team announced its starting pitcher on Tuesday.
Keuchel, who has nine career postseason starts, went 8-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 19 starts after signing a one-year deal with Atlanta. He will face the Cardinals for the first time since 2016.
Mikolas was 9-14 with a 4.17 ERA in 32 starts for the Cardinals. He will make his postseason debut.Comment -
Crazy comeback for NatsComment -
I say Ray's come out and win.Comment -
Unreal game for the Nats. Feels like years of frustration unleashed in one half inning of baseball.
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Well we knew Diaz was clutchComment