Octopus Overlords

I'm glad Lorini found some joy in this bleak year, but I still hope the Rays wipe them.

Eh honestly I think I would have had the Braves win as they are more homegrown than the West Coast Yankees, but I can't say I care all that much. Should be a fun WS.

Gonna be even sweeter losing in the world series. Just like last year

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WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

No Kershaw, No Jansen, WIN!!!!

naednek wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:56 pm Gonna be even sweeter losing in the world series. Just like last year

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Uh we didn't lose in the World Series last year because of bro love. It makes me hopeful that Roberts didn't bring in Kershaw for once, maybe he's finally learned his lesson and we can win!

What's funny is that whichever team wins, their city will have two championships!!!! TB with hockey and LA with basketball. Bet that's never happened

Lorini wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:59 pm What's funny is that whichever team wins, their city will have two championships!!!! TB with hockey and LA with basketball. Bet that's never happened

Never...

Lorini wrote:

naednek wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:56 pm Gonna be even sweeter losing in the world series. Just like last year

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Uh we didn't lose in the World Series last year because of bro love. It makes me hopeful that Roberts didn't bring in Kershaw for once, maybe he's finally learned his lesson and we can win!

What's funny is that whichever team wins, their city will have two championships!!!! TB with hockey and LA with basketball. Bet that's never happened

My bad I thought it was last year

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It's fine. we didn't deserve to go anyway.

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:01 am

Lorini wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:59 pm What's funny is that whichever team wins, their city will have two championships!!!! TB with hockey and LA with basketball. Bet that's never happened

Never...

What I meant was that both teams in a championship game would be the second championship for their team, so google that for us

It felt like the braves were trying to hit homeruns in the 8th and 9th instead of just getting on base. Its like each player was hitting the power swing button in MVP baseball

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Octavious wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 11:55 pm Eh honestly I think I would have had the Braves win as they are more homegrown than the West Coast Yankees, but I can't say I care all that much. Should be a fun WS.

I grew up a Dodgers fan because my dad was a huge Steve Garvey fan. I proudly wore my Dodgers hat the last time they won the World Series back when I was in college (right before the Braves started fielding good teams). I was still a Braves fan but it was like being a Jets fan, you pulled for them but forgot about them once they were so far out of the race a few months into the season.

These days though, like you say, they represent what I think is wrong with Baseball and ruining it for me. You have the Dodgers and Yankees with unlimited bank accounts buying up all the good players and it's up to the smaller market teams to catch lightning in a bottle and using it before the bigger market teams buys it from you.

Nearly all of the Dodger players were home grown, just so you know. Our player development is considered tops in the league. And as El Guapo will tell you, the Sox had enough money to pay Betts had they wanted to.

I don't want to dismiss your concerns lightly, was on mobile before. So let's take a look at MLB payrolls

https://www.spotrac.com/mlb/payroll

Also MLB teams by city population
https://list.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_Ma ... population

If I wasn't so lazy a better statistician I could probably show expected wins based on payroll. And especially seeing that the Rays are in the WS with the second lowest payroll, I don't think that throwing money at a baseball team is per se a way to get to the championship. Looking at the chart, the Houston Astros and the Dodgers were the only teams in the top ten to get to the championship series. Tampa Bay is 19th in city size, yet, again, is in the World Series.

As a fan I don't even think about a teams payroll for any of my teams, Dodgers, Lakers, and Raiders because it depends on how they use their players. TB has gotten to the WS by using a unique system for their pitching. They don't keep pitchers pitchers because they 'feel' like the pitcher can do a good job, they look strictly at analytics. They don't have starting pitchers because their system doesn't need them. They 'think outside the box' and get the most out of the second least.

There is a ton of money in sports now, there just is, And there are teams willing/able to spend that money, but money is not a valid parameter for how many games a team will win nor how many championships they'll get, in my opinion.

High spending big market teams don't have to catch lightning in a bottle like the smaller/cheaper teams do. This isn't a knock on teams that spend a lot and make the playoffs year after year. That's their job. But to say that payroll isn't a factor in success ignores not only all conventional wisdom, but also decades of data.


It's almost like a draft lottery. A higher payroll gives you more balls. Doesn't guarantee a win but you have a much better chance.

Looking at the chart, the Houston Astros and the Dodgers were the only teams in the top ten to get to the championship series.

That's half the teams in the LCSs from a pool of 1/3 of the league. In what is considered a rare exception year.

2019- 4 of 4 teams in top 10 payroll
2018 - 4 of 4 teams
2017 - 3 of 4 teams
2016 - 2 of 4 teams (Tor & Cle were 12 & 13)

And the top 5 were in the playoffs pretty much every year. LA is a perennial top 5 (3?) and has made what, 3 of the last 4 WS?

Again, payroll doesn't guarantee a win but it gets you in the door more consistently, all else being equal. You still have to perform, of course.

Apologies if that read that payroll is not a factor. Betts is why the Dodgers are in the WS, full stop. Without him the team goes down. And he was a very very expensive players. All I'm saying is that it's not the only factor.

Moneyball is streaming on Netflix...

Lorini wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 11:38 am Apologies if that read that payroll is not a factor. Betts is why the Dodgers are in the WS, full stop. Without him the team goes down. And he was a very very expensive players. All I'm saying is that it's not the only factor.

Where it factors is lesser teams holding onto talent. When a small market team has an up and coming star it has to take advantage of him while they have him. I was please that Acuna was signed to a long term deal with the Braves but they can't do that with all their players since they have a real CAP on salary available. So they turn over positions each year trying to find that perfect fit. SO close this year and most likely will have to try and piece together the puzzle again next year when some leave for more money.

As a Cowboys fan, I hated the salary cap when it started in the NFL, but I know it was what was best for the league.

Atlanta has the seventh largest metro population in the country. How is that considered anything but a large market team?

[edit]Just realized that link is 10 years old. Apparently they're currently the 9th largest MSA. Still far from small market.[/edit]

ImLawBoy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:15 pm Atlanta has the seventh largest metro population in the country. How is that considered anything but a large market team?

[edit]Just realized that link is 10 years old. Apparently they're currently the 9th largest MSA. Still far from small market.[/edit]

OK, I'll say teams with large payrolls versus teams with small payrolls. Braves are owned by a Corporation in Colorado.

Lassr wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 1:01 pm

ImLawBoy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 12:15 pm Atlanta has the seventh largest metro population in the country. How is that considered anything but a large market team?

[edit]Just realized that link is 10 years old. Apparently they're currently the 9th largest MSA. Still far from small market.[/edit]

OK, I'll say teams with large payrolls versus teams with small payrolls. Braves are owned by a Corporation in Colorado.

It used to be classified in terms of fanbase. Here in Chicago, for example, the Cubs were considered large market but the White Sox mid-market. The Sox can fill their stadium if they have a first place team tearing up the league AND give away free beer to paid admissions over the age of 12. The Cubs could announce that ticket prices are double on a sunny day and Wrigley would still be packed.

Wrigley could sell out for road games.

The biggest factor in baseball isn't attendance but local TV money. The Dodger's deal is 100M more than it's nearest competitor and 10 times more than the Marlins.

Well the Dodgers are favored again. Unlike 2018 when I doubted we would win, and we didn't, we might actually win this one. The reason is the fact that Roberts allowed Urias to pitch the final three outings of Game 7 of the NLCS. He finally got over his desire to put in Kershaw or Jansen, and let the pitcher who was pitching well continue to pitch. If Roberts can resist his love for Kershaw and Jansen and make rational pitching decisions, we just might do it this time.

Oh and this from MLB.com

Memo to Red Sox and Cardinals executives: This would be a good time to go on that social media diet you’ve been talking about.

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue Oct 20, 2020 11:05 am Oh and this from MLB.com

Memo to Red Sox and Cardinals executives: This would be a good time to go on that social media diet you’ve been talking about.

Where is that on MLB.com?

https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-rays-dodg ... redictions
#4

I really want Betts to win World Series MVP and NL MVP multiple times to rub it in John Henry's face.

I thought the Rays had good starting pitching and a great bullpen?????

If the Dodgers run Dustin May out there again, they deserve to lose. He has been a great pitcher but clearly the moment is too big for him.

Hahahahahahahah. Awesome

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Dodger meltdown in the ninth!

Oh, and nice slide by Muncy.

You mean in every inning after the fourth I think. The pitching was horrific. And as usual Kenley loses the game.

That was a team effort. What a way to lose the game.

That was a blernsball ending.

Roberts just got the White Sox's hopes up. Apparently they are waiting to see if he'll be fired, which is going to be demanded by the fans if they blow this yet again.

MUCH BETTER! And no, naednek, Kershaw didn't choke so there. Actually Roberts finally took him out before he wore down.

Lorini wrote:MUCH BETTER! And no, naednek, Kershaw didn't choke so there. Actually Roberts finally took him out before he wore down.

Almost did. If it wasn't for the rays 1st inning probably be a different game.

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Grrr. 2020 you suck

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naednek wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:41 pm Grrr. 2020 you suck

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You've had plenty of WS wins, let me enjoy one for once!!!!!!

WOOOOOO!

Lorini wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:43 pm

naednek wrote: ↑Tue Oct 27, 2020 11:41 pm Grrr. 2020 you suck

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You've had plenty of WS wins, let me enjoy one for once!!!!!!

WOOOOOO!

Congrats!

Also happy for Mookie.