Official 2016 Baseball Thread

[JCN]

The Pirates still have a chance but it isn't looking good....

[Coach]

Giants just took 2-3 from the Braves.....1 1/2 games back of the Dodgers....leading the wild card chase.

[PT7]

Ah, although my home town favorite, KC Royals, have been winning more lately, post-season is pretty elusive for the World Champions this season. On the Royals web site, there are graphs showing %s for probability of winning a WC, and reaching post season. KC now is in third place, 6 games behind leading Cleveland, and have a 5% chance of post season play.

The graph creation looks a little complicated, but dumping stats into the computer does the trick. I'm sure everyone has seen something like these projections, but it was interesting to see the explanation of what goes into the calcs:

Postseason projections are courtesy of FanGraphs and indicate each team's probability of winning the division or wild card, or any postseason berth. Projections are based on thousands of Monte Carlo simulations of the remaining seasons' schedule. They incorporate up to date player projections, current roster composition, playing time projections and the remaining schedule.

[Deadwood Dutch]

I just watched them beat the Boston Red Sox. I see they are carrying a praying mantis in a small cage as their good luck charm. Evidently one showed up one night in their dugout and that was the start of their winning ways again. It certainly doesn't hurt to have a little superstition. It even goes with them on the plane when they travel.

[PT7]

And you should see the "praying mantis" marketing enterprise that has cropped up in KC -- this little green fellow is even competing with the sales of players' bobble-heads, and Royals T-shirts & ballcaps!!

I just watched them beat the Boston Red Sox. I see they are carrying a praying mantis in a small cage as their good luck charm. Evidently one showed up one night in their dugout and that was the start of their winning ways again. It certainly doesn't hurt to have a little superstition. It even goes with them on the plane when they travel.

[JCN]

7 losses in a row now for the Pirates. This isn't how you clinch a playoff spot...

[Deadwood Dutch]

Yes, I am sorry about your team. It seems like the offense has slowed the last few games but they did look better in that way yesterday, but the St. Louis Cardinals scored a bunch of runs. I can get all their games on the "Root" network in my area. I'll be watching the game tonight. The Yankees are now 5.5 games out of first place and chasing the Orioles and beat the Blue Jays yesterday, which sort of surprised me, but they do have some good young players, especially their new catcher, Gary Sanchez.

[Sir Henry]

Its not looking good for the M's to make the playoffs this year.

[JCN]

And the Pirates now lose in the 9th inning to the Cards. Time to officially write off this season.

[Sir Henry]

The M's have six games to make up in the next twelve.

[PT7]

KC had a 7-run ninth inning last night and got a "W" against the Twins: 10-3. Morales hit a 2-run homer in the 1st inning, and a 3-run homer in the 9th for a 5-RBI evening. It was a fun inning and game to watch.

However......the computer standings/projections show there is a < 5% opportunity of KC Royals winning a wild card spot or getting into postseason play. Not as happy season as 'twas last year when taking the World Series. That's the world of sports!

Have a great day!

[Deadwood Dutch]

And the Pirates now lose in the 9th inning to the Cards. Time to officially write off this season.

It was a shame, I watched the whole game and I thought that with two outs and two strikes on Carpenter, in the top of the ninth, that the Pirates would win this one. And then he hits a home run, followed by a base hit and two more home runs back to back?! Unbelievable! I am really no fan of either team but I do like the Pirates manager, Clint Hurdle, and I feel sorry for them to have lost eight in a row. We'll see what happens tonight at 7:00 when they play the Cardinals again. There is still time for a wild card for them but things will have to change dramatically.

[JCN]

Yes, very dramatically!

[Deadwood Dutch]

Congratulations to the Pittsburg Pirates for breaking their 8 game losing streak and beating the Cardinals. And I am happy to see that the Yankees swept the Blue Jays and are playing much better baseball for now. Could get really interesting as the season winds down in that American League East.

[JCN]

Go bucs! I still argue the season is lost. An 8 game losing streak at the end of August/early September is never good.

[ditchparrot]

Go bucs! I still argue the season is lost. An 8 game losing streak at the end of August/early September is never good.

Probably so, but that was a good win last night. Jung Ho Kang is a stud!

[Coach]

Giants are sinking fast.....

[White Squirrel]

Cardinals are barely hanging in the NL wild card race.

[Deadwood Dutch]

Yanks just won their sixth straight, wish they could have played like this all season. A wild card? Maybe, maybe not. There is a lot of competition in that American League East. But I am really excited about Gary Sanchez, he hit another home run tonight.

[Sir Henry]

M's need to pick up 3.5 games in the next 10 games to make the playoffs.