You know, you can really look at these playoffs so far in two ways. You can say that all of the favorites and/or higher salary teams won. But in the end, all four series went 5 games. And 3 out of the 4 losers blew golden opportunities. The Reds were up 2-0 and looked like world-beaters. The O's should have been up 2-1. And Nats had a historical meltdown yesterday.

Originally Posted by bigdaddybruce44 You know, you can really look at these playoffs so far in two ways. You can say that all of the favorites and/or higher salary teams won. But in the end, all four series went 5 games. And 3 out of the 4 losers blew golden opportunities. The Reds were up 2-0 and looked like world-beaters. The O's should have been up 2-1. And Nats had a historical meltdown yesterday.

Yeah, to me it's definitely been more about experience. But I guess that just begs the question "Does money buy experience?" Just hard to make a case for it though because the O's basically forfeited a 2-1 series lead because of a blown save by a closer who hadn't blown one all year...and were single-handedly beaten by a 40 year old DH/LF that not many other teams wanted. That's not money. It's opportunity.

As for the Nats, they were so concerned with "the future" that they couldn't see that the future is right now. I hate managers who burn out young arms, but who's to say Strasburg doesn't blow out his elbow on the first pitch of spring training next year? You just don't know. But when you have a chance to compete for a championship, how do you not put your best team out there? Again...opportunity.

Well, as far as money goes, it was the Yankees' deep pockets that allowed them to have CC, and he won that series for them. But at the end of the day, that series would have played out very, very differently if the O's hold onto Game 3.

The O's were a good team, though, and the Yankees simply beat them by coming up with the key plays at the key moments. And as bad as guys like A-Rod and Cano looked in the series, Davis and Jones looked just as bad for the O's. Who would've thought we'd be sitting here and talking about how dominating the Yankee pitching staff looked?

There needs to be a salary cap like in other sports. It's pretty nuts that that's not there.

The only good thing about the Yankees having a ridiculous amount of money is that it makes for a team that's easy to hate. Go Tigers! LOL.

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I've never gotten why there NEEDS to be a salary cap. If you're of the opinion that a salary cap would be good, that's one thing. But explain to me why there needs to be one? The Yankees consistently have the highest payroll in baseball and have won one championship since 2002. They also completely missed the playoffs in 2008. This year, teams 2 through 4 in salary didn't even make the playoffs, and one of them (Red Sox) were not competitive at any point in the season.

One of the reasons I probably follow baseball more closely than any other sport is the ability of many teams to keep their players if they have the money. I realize it sucks for smaller market teams to lose their guys so often, but guess what? That would likely happen no matter what the system. I hate watching a championship football team get the meat picked off their bones, because the value of their players skyrocket, and they can't afford them anymore. I could at least stomach a soft cap. A hard cap? No thanks.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, because the players union in baseball is too strong, and they would fight it to the bitter end. It's a battle the owners don't want, especially considering business is so good, and there's parity despite the bitching.

Money only helps you get to the playoffs, once you're there anything can happen.

Originally Posted by bigdaddybruce44 One of the reasons I probably follow baseball more closely than any other sport is the ability of many teams to keep their players if they have the money. I realize it sucks for smaller market teams to lose their guys so often, but guess what? That would likely happen no matter what the system. I hate watching a championship football team get the meat picked off their bones, because the value of their players skyrocket, and they can't afford them anymore. I could at least stomach a soft cap. A hard cap? No thanks.

So the 1% should be allowed to retain the best of the best because they can afford it? I'm indifferent on the subject but it sounds like to me that perhaps it would keep player salaries grounded in reality or at least not allow 'team-stacking' as it were.

Thing everybody, other than Joe Strauss of the STL Post Dispatch, is forgetting is that Wainwright is coming off Tommy John surgery in Feb. 2011 and he looked absolutely terrible last night and is over 200 innings pitched right now. I'm starting to worry about his long-term health, especially in the light of Jaime's shoulder acting up looking like it needs rotator cuff surgery just a couple of years after Tommy John, but you have to push as hard as you can now. Nationals probably beat the Cards w/Strausberg but you can't expect to be the Braves/Yankees/Cardinals, etc. and be in the playoffs every year or every other year. Look at Cal Ripken, in the WS his rookie year and never again. That could be Strausberg. Do what ATL did with their young pitcher coming off Tommy John and start him in the bullpen until mid-season and then have him for the playoffs.

One thing to note is David Freese is saying in interviews the team is rallying behind Carlos Beltran to get him a ring since he's about the only non-rookie on the team w/o a ring from last year, and the Cards ring from 06 (which Wainwright and Molina had a hand in getting) came at the expense of Beltran's Mets team. Also the Cards want to show that even with losing a HoF manager, HoF player, and arguably one of the two best pitching coaches ever they can still get it done.

I love how MLB has the opposite approach to postseason scheduling as the NBA has. They don't around.

Ugh...Yankee bats...zzzzzzzz... Exactly what I was expecting. I mean, A-Rod sucks, no question about it. But Swisher is equally horrible in the playoffs...and that seems to be rubbing off on Cano and Granderson as well. I really wish Jeter would step up and tell these guys "IT'S THE SAME GAME! Stop thinking about what time of year it is and just hit the damn ball. You shouldn't be doing anything any differently now than you've done all season." It's just insane to see this many hitters struggle the way they do.

Arod strikes out on 3 pitches with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Horrible.

But sabermetrics!

Originally Posted by pitfallharry219 Arod strikes out on 3 pitches with runners on 2nd and 3rd with no outs. Horrible.

It's seriously beyond pathetic. You could get a beer league player to give you a better at bat. I can't even fathom the thought that nobody is telling him to stop looking for the 3 run homer and just put a good swing on the ball. All he had to do was put the ball in play...and there's probably a 90% chance of scoring a run there. The rate that he fails at is uncanny. I feel like you would generally have to TRY to fail as often and as horribly as he does.

LOL and granderson strikes out trying to play hero ball rotf idiot

Can't even make ing contact.

With the way Swisher has been playing, why isn't Gardner in for him?

This is why I stopped watching the games. Sick of wasting my time on jackass millionaires who can't even play the game the right way. They could have hit two ing broken bat dribblers and tied the game. The lack of fundamental hitting makes me sick. Nobody gives a shit how far you can hit the ball in batting practice. And it's a ing insult to the pitching staff to not get one run there. If I were Andy Pettitte, I'd say " you guys" and just leave. Piss poor, garbage effort. I'd say I hope Girardi chews their asses out for it, but I doubt anybody would hear him anyway.

Holy shit. Raul Ibanez is the ing man.

VAL LOL verde

yankees dont deserve to win this game but holy shit detroit this is embarrassing

lmao @ 50% of the seats empty cause all the bandwagon fans left early

Rahool !!!!

Valverde is beyond frustrating, Tigers were up 4-0 entering the bottom of the 9th!

Originally Posted by n8rockerasu This is why I stopped watching the games. Sick of wasting my time on jackass millionaires who can't even play the game the right way. They could have hit two ing broken bat dribblers and tied the game. The lack of fundamental hitting makes me sick. Nobody gives a shit how far you can hit the ball in batting practice. And it's a ing insult to the pitching staff to not get one run there. If I were Andy Pettitte, I'd say " you guys" and just leave. Piss poor, garbage effort. I'd say I hope Girardi chews their asses out for it, but I doubt anybody would hear him anyway.

Yeah, you'd make one great teammate there Terrell Owens.