WS IST - LAD/TOR

[Frayed Knot]

Not the way I wanted it to end, but a great series.

FOX's Joe Dvis keeps comparing Yamamoto to Grover Cleveland Alexander for coming out of the bullpen off a start to finish a game,

but he doesn't mention whether Yamamoto was blind-drunk hungover as G. C. A. reportedly was.

[Centerfield]

What a series.

[Centerfield]

The missed opportunities in the 8th and 9th innings will haunt Toronto for a long time.

[Marshmallowmilkshake]

Amazing.



The Jays sure had their chances.



Great series.

[Centerfield]

I saw the overhead shot of the play at home in the 9th.



IKF had no lead whatsoever and didn't take a secondary. An inexcusable lack of fundamentals cost them the World Series.

[metsmarathon]

My goodness what a heck of a series!



I cannot fathom how intense it would've been had I been a fan of either team.

[Edgy MD]

Falling into the double-play trap in the end.



The first function of a manager should be avoiding double-plays.

[Cowtipper]

I didn't even know there was a World Series going on this year.

[Frayed Knot]

I saw the overhead shot of the play at home in the 9th. IKF had no lead whatsoever and didn't take a secondary. An inexcusable lack of fundamentals cost them the World Series.

Not only that but, with Smith stretching for the throw like a 1st baseman, there's no reason to slide.

If he runs through the plate, as you would at 1st, I think he beats the throw.



[FIMG=450]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/11/kiner-falefa-1.jpg?resize=457,305&quality=75&strip=all[/FIMG]





P.S. the only thing I can think of with the lead/secondary lead is with the infield in you've got to be cautious about a C-3B pickoff attempt.

Not sure how close to the bag Muncy was playing, but it was likely much closer than normal.

Edited November 2, 2025 by Guest

[Frayed Knot]

Edgy MD wrote: The first function of a manager should be avoiding double-plays.

I don't think the rules allow teams to refuse the previous batter taking 1st on ball four.

And I don't think the laws of physics allow making the 5' 8"/245 lb Alejandro Kirk run faster.

[Frayed Knot]

I saw the overhead shot of the play at home in the 9th. IKF had no lead whatsoever and didn't take a secondary. An inexcusable lack of fundamentals cost them the World Series.

“They told us to stay close to the base,[/i]'' Kiner-Falefa said after the game of his small lead. “They don't want us to get doubled off in that situation with a hard line drive… They wanted a smaller lead and a smaller secondary [lead], so that's what I did.”



https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/sports/isiah-kiner-falefa-explains-his-questionable-lead-in-world-series/https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/sports/isiah-kiner-falefa-explains-his-questionable-lead-in-world-series/

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: Edgy MD wrote: The first function of a manager should be avoiding double-plays. I don't think the rules allow teams to refuse the previous batter taking 1st on ball four. And I don't think the laws of physics allow making the 5' 8"/245 lb Alejandro Kirk run faster.

Plenty of strategies to avoid the DP, including keeping Alejandro Kirks out of a position to hit into them.

[Frayed Knot]

Following a 2B - Sac Bunt - BB, it's 1st & 3rd, one out, tying run on 3rd, 11th inning.

Your high-OBP [.348] best contact hitter [59 K in 509 PA] is up, but he's slow.

What's your DP-avoidance play here?

[Edgy MD]

One trick that is no secret at all is to steal. Another is to hit-and-run. A third is to squeeze bunt if the defense is back.



Three different options right up front, apart from things to do in order to improve the situation in the first place.



Build your approach around taking the double-play away from the defense, and all those infuriating we-got-the-guy-in-scoring-position-with-less-than-two-outs-but-we-didn't-score situations start disappearing.

[Edgy MD]

Pulling Max Scherzer sure seemed like an own-goal also.

[Frayed Knot]

Barger supposedly has speed but attempted only 5 steals all season, caught once. So the stolen base is certainly a strategy, but the cost of failing is real high as you erase the possibility of winning the World Series on an out. btw, Kirk's GiDP pct (in GiDP situations) is just under 11% (1 in 9) one that's probably real high on the list of all ML'ers but an 89% non-DP odds are still better than most base stealers.

Kirk, who has never had a Sac Bunt in his career, could probably bunt into a DP as easily as hit into one, and that's assuming he can even get one down before putting himself into a pitcher's count.

[Centerfield]

Frayed Knot wrote: I saw the overhead shot of the play at home in the 9th. IKF had no lead whatsoever and didn't take a secondary. An inexcusable lack of fundamentals cost them the World Series. “They told us to stay close to the base,[/i]'' Kiner-Falefa said after the game of his small lead. “They don't want us to get doubled off in that situation with a hard line drive… They wanted a smaller lead and a smaller secondary [lead], so that's what I did.” https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/sports/isiah-kiner-falefa-explains-his-questionable-lead-in-world-series/https://nypost.com/2025/11/02/sports/isiah-kiner-falefa-explains-his-questionable-lead-in-world-series/

I would be surprised if that's the actual advice given from coaches. Being aware of the pickoff or line drive DP is one thing, but there is no reason to be a fraction of the distance to 3B as Muncy was.

[Frayed Knot]

They probably told him to be cautious and he took that advice a bit too literally.

I mean it is a consideration, both with the infield in and the fresh memory of the game-ending play

in Game Six. But he probably could have been a bit more aggressive than he was. Either that OR

a non-slide at the plate likely wins them the WS, and both probably assures it.