World Series 2022--Pick A Side

[whippoorwill]

Plus I have a niece in Philly. Not sure she'd care but she's always up for a party and I'm sure she'll find one if they win lol

[Frayed Knot]

When I've got no skin in the game (no NYM to root for, no NYY to root against) I often won't pick a side at first, sometimes to the point of rooting for whichever side is down just to get a longer series out if it. But then at some point I'll unconsciously find myself pulling for one side or the other before I realize I'm even doing so.

This series feels like it might be one of those, one where I might not have a favorite until game 5 or 6.

[Frayed Knot]

It just occurred to me that this this likely is the first HOU/PHI post-season match-up since the 1980 NLCS, a wild affair that saw Philly win 3 - 2 (en route to their first ever WS title) where four of the five games (#'s 2, 3, 4, & 5) went extra innings.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I remember that 1980 series. It was really one for the ages.

[Edgy MD]

That whole post-season was one or the ages. It's probably my favorite non-Mets World Series.



It helps to be 13. Young enough to fully feel it and old enough to fully grasp it.

[Frayed Knot]

Game 1, in Philly: Phils 3 - Astros 1

- Ken Forsch goes (all) 8 innings for Houston allowing 3 runs on 8 hits

- Carlton scatters 7 hits over 7 capped by Tug's 2 innings of 0-hit/1-BB 8th & 9th

- Luzinski's 2R 6th inning HR and Greg Gross's 7th inning single provide the runs







Game 2: Astros 7 - Phils 4, 10 innings

Nolan Ryan & Dick Ruthven

- Tied 2-2 after 7, teams each score single runs in the 8th

- Astros hit up relievers Ron Reed & Kevin Saucier for four in top 10

- Phils counter with 1 in the bottom half but Schmidt flies out as the tying run to end it







Game 3: Astros 1 - Phils 0 (11)

- Joe Niekro goes 10 and Dave Smith gets the 11th

- Larry Christensen and four relievers pitch for Philly but this time Tug is on

the short end giving up a leadoff triple to Joe Morgan then, following two IWs,

(Jose Cruz & Art Howe) a GW Sac Fly to Denny Walling







Game 4: Phils 5 - Asttos 3 (10)

- Steve Carlton and five relievers hold the Astros to 5 hits although walk Nine!!

- Vern Ruhle, Dave Smith & Joe Sambito allow 13 hits but back to back 10th inning doubles by

Luzinski and Manny Trillo give Philly their margin after Tug mows 'em down 1-2-3 in bottom 10







Game 5: Philly 8 - Astros 7 (10)

- After scoring 3 in the top of the 8th to break a 2-2 tie, perhaps allowing Nolan to come out for the 8th on three days rest

was pushing it as Houston starts the frame 1B, 1B, 1B, BB (although two were IF hits) then tack on four more via an RBI GO,

a Del Unser single, and 2-RBI Manny Trillo triple.

- Houston then battles back with two of McGraw in the 8th

- But Garry Maddox's 2-out RBI single in top 10 proves to be the series clincher as Dick Ruthven retires the Astros in order in the 9th & 10

[Fman99]

I recall exactly fuck-all about the 1980 NLCS

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

It was a minor classic

[Frayed Knot]

=Fman99 post_id=111949 time=1666746344 user_id=86]
I recall exactly fuck-all about the 1980 NLCS

[batmagadanleadoff]

The 1980 NL playoffs was the first thing I thought of when this Phils/Astros WS came to be and it was one of the greatest playoff series I ever saw. Back then, I watched the playoffs because a second place team, let alone a third place team had no chance of playing in the playoffs.



And those crazy tequila sunrise jerseys on National TV!



[FIMG=555]https://sabr.org/sites/default/files/1980Astros.PNG[/FIMG]



The Astros played that series without baseball's best pitcher, J.R. Richard, who missed the second half of that season after he suffered a stroke. From 1976 to 1980, Richard was one of the premier pitchers in the majors, leading the National League twice in strikeouts, once in earned run average, and three times in hits allowed per nine innings. "When asked in 2012 who was the "toughest pitcher to get a hit off" during his career, Dale Murphy answered "Anybody that played in the late 70's or early 80's will probably give you the same answer: JR Richard."



J.R Richard and Nolan Ryan. That was some duo for the brief time it lasted.



[FIMG=333]https://80sbaseball.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/richard.jpg[/FIMG]



[FIMG=333]https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XHIAAOSwDqliOIeD/s-l500.jpg[/FIMG]



[FIMG=333]https://img.beckett.com/images/items/3835053/marketplace/FRONT_custom_sf_513_14050019_1369874549.png[/FIMG]

[Fman99]

Frayed Knot wrote: =Fman99 post_id=111949 time=1666746344 user_id=86] I recall exactly fuck-all about the 1980 NLCS

Yeah, but you were in diapers, while others of us were (at least allegedly) adults.

[Frayed Knot]

Nothing wrong with that, I'm wearing Underoos today.

[MFS62]

There will be no American-born Black players on either team.

Interesting article:

https://www.thestate.com/news/nation-world/national/article267882102.htmlhttps://www.thestate.com/news/nation-world/national/article267882102.html



Later

[Frayed Knot]

Verlander's WS pitching woes [0 - 6, 5.68 ERA in 7 starts] continue. Was perfect thru 3 [36 pitches] and had a 5 - 0 lead, but has now given it all back in innings 4 & 5 where it took him 64 pitches just to get through those two.



5 - 5 heading into bottom 5

[Frayed Knot]

Both Verlander and Nola are gone before the 6th inning even starts.

[Frayed Knot]

Watched the final three innings this morning.

Why? Because 4 34, that's why.



Down 5 - 0 early vs Verlander and a Realmuto HR leading off the 10th is the game winner.

Phillies winning via bullpen and defense.

Whoda thunk it?





Oh, and free tacos this year are courtesy of a stolen base by ... Kyle Schwarber.

Go figure.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

So how about those Fightins?

[Frayed Knot]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: So how about those Fightins?

Yeah, I was just about to add: a Game #1 comeback win on the road and Wheeler on the mound.

Ooops!

[Frayed Knot]

A WS game just got delayed for five minutes for That?!?

[MFS62]

Maldonado was using an illegal bat in Game 1:

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/astros-martin-maldonado-used-illegal-bat-world-series-vs-phillieshttps://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/phillies/astros-martin-maldonado-used-illegal-bat-world-series-vs-phillies

"Martin Maldonado is using a different bat today here in Game 2. He found out from MLB today that the bat he used last night was not a legal bat. It was a model he obtained from Albert Pujols, and he used it because he thought it was very similar in size and weight to his own model. The barrel, he said, was slightly bigger. He also thought it was a way to honor the baseball legend, of course retiring with the close of the season, but here's the catch to it, guys: in 2010, Major League Baseball changed the bat specifications and that bat that Pujols modeled was no longer, except if you were playing prior to 2010 it was grandfathered. So Albert Pujols could use that bat but Maldonado, who began his major league career in 2011, was not legally able to use that bat."

The way he swings the bat, gornischt helfen*. But still ...



* = nothing will help, nada puede ayudar, etc.



Later

[kcmets]

Wheeler: L, 5 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 3 BB and 3 K



That's the way, aha, aha

I like it, aha, aha

That's the way, aha, aha

I like it, aha, aha

[G-Fafif]

Noah starts Game Three. He is well-rested.

[Frayed Knot]

=G-Fafif post_id=112146 time=1667147068 user_id=55]
Noah starts Game Three. He is well-rested.

[Edgy MD]

I have a social media friend and have no idea how I know him, but he's somehow close to Carl Erskine. Close enough that he called Oisk up after Justin Verlander gave up five runs in Game One to let him know that he's no longer the holder of the All-Time worst World Series ERA with over 30 innings pitched. Turns out that Erskine already knew and despite being almost 94, was happy to get the monkey off his back.

[G-Fafif]

Rainout pushes Thor to Game Five on Thursda; Sat and Sun are now If Necessary Gqmes Six and Seven.

[bmfc1]

On Thursday, Houston @ Philadelphia in Game 5 of the Series will go head-to-head with Philadelphia @ Houston of the NFL.

[Frayed Knot]

Odd that MLB is not eliminating the second off-day because of the rain out but just shifting to Friday as the 'travel day' (instead of Thursday) and playing 6 & 7 on Saturday & Sunday even though they initially set things up to avoid both Sundays and not go head to head with the NFL

Of course it might not get to a game 7 anyway.



So, Lance McCullers Jr., not so hot tonight, eh?

[MFS62]

He was tipping his pitches.

When one of the Phills hit a homer, when he came back to the dugout I noticed he called other players over. He let them in on the "tell".

Todd Frazier, now an analyst for ESPN showed what it was this morning.

On an off speed pitch, he was holding his glove straight up and close to his face. With a fastball the glove was at an angle, and more away from his face. (or the other way around, I forgot)



Later

[MFS62]

No nooooo Noah.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/former-met-noah-syndergaard-glad-234536452.htmlhttps://www.yahoo.com/sports/former-met-noah-syndergaard-glad-234536452.html



Talking about Chase Utley:

“I've always admired the way he's played the game,” Syndergaard told Newsday's Tim Healey. “He's a tremendous talent and I'm glad to be able to put on the same uniform as him.”

Didn't Benedict Arnold turn traitor in Philadelphia, too? Must be the cheese steaks.

Later

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

Astros home whites are dullsville. The blue with the 🌈 side panels and the orange they are wearing tonight are pretty sharp.



Mets undervalue orange in their scheme, fuck around with black instead