Phillies Magic Number and NL Postseason Seed Thread

[bkox]

Or is that just wishful thinking?

Probably wishful thinking. Sale won the Pitching triple crown, leading the NL in Wins, ERA and Ks.

[Jazzhead]

I think Wheeler could have edged out Sale only if the Braves had failed to make the playoffs. As it is, with the Braves' rash of injuries a case can be made for Sale as MVP, not just the Cy Young.

[BostonRoss]

Have they already voted for awards?

[zambonir]

If they haven't yet they have today.

[Deadgmwalking]

That's a tough case considering Ohtani hit for 10 WAR and is the first 50/50 player. What's scary is he didn't even pitch. In '22 he had 6 WAR as a pitcher.

[owaistabish]

The Mets look unstoppable - I would be scared if I were the Phillies.

[andyb]

3 lower seeds winning again today in the wild card. Starting to be a long term trend.

Though I still prefer the bye.

[bkeich]

Yea, I am hoping for Milwaukee, although the fear of Hoskins hitting 10 HR in a series against the Phillies is real.

[EastFallowfield]

Coming off losing 2 of 3 to the Brewers and 2 of 3 to the Braves (games shifted due to hurricane).

[EastFallowfield]

So the home field advantage went 1-3 on day one...

[Jazzhead]

hat's a tough case considering Ohtani hit for 10 WAR and is the first 50/50 player. What's scary is he didn't even pitch. In '22 he had 6 WAR as a pitcher.

I agree that Ohtani is likely the MVP. Sure, no DH has ever won the award, but Ohtani's season was utterly unique. But if adjudged solely by the criterion of which team was boosted the most by a player's performance, Sales has a case. The Dodgers would make the playoffs without Ohtani, but the Braves would be home playing golf if not for Chris Sale.

[zambonir]

I mean, they'd be home playing golf if not for Whit Merrifield or Spencer Schwellenbach too. And they also made their final 6-3 run for the playoff spot without Sale. That's where the whole "valuable/best" thing get tricky, along with the issue of team success.

[Philsmania]

So the home field advantage went 1-3 on day one...

And through 2023, only one wild card series has gone three games (Padres @ Mets in 2022) and no team has ever come back after dropping the opener.. And home teams have a losing series record in these wild card series (3-5 with the Guardians being the only home team to win in 2022 and the Phillies and Twins winning in 2023). Of the eight wild card series we've had, half have been road team sweeps.

[Callison]

Post the DH, one Brave got to mention on TV that nobody cared that the Braves just finished an afternoon game and then had to fly to SD to open the WC series the next day. MLB didn't even notice. Would have been better if it happened to the Dodgers, but OK if it's the Braves, too. Snitker has done a lot of serious managing to keep his injured team in it. The Braves-Pads game tonight is a must-watch for MLB fans, IMHO, and it surely is for Phils fans.

In Detroit, Skubal got pulled after 6. Hope Rob brings that mindset to the playoffs.

[Deadgmwalking]

Ala Rollins in '07? He was something like 5th in WAR but was deemed even more valuable - even over Utley who had his career year.

[andyb]

4:08 PM games at CBP Saturday and Sunday.

[schillingfan]

Ugh. Shadows make that time difficult and it will be sun both days. Do we know who is on the roster for the NLDS yet?

[zambonir]

won't know that until we know who we're playing. they are presumably due Friday.

[zambonir]

Also I guess the one thing that was not like a real game today is the press wasn't there.