Braves rout Marlins, win 3rd straight NL East title

Marcell Ozuna's two home runs and 5 RBIs helped the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 11-1 and clinch their third straight NL East title on Tuesday night.

Seems recently, every season the consensus is that Braves won't be very good, and Nats, Phiols and Metz would be better. Well, Nats did well last year from WC spot, but Braves have shown the kind of consistency in regular season that made their run in the 90's possible.
I'm really liking how the starting rotation of youngsters will be coming together for next season and beyond: Mike Soroka (hurt this year) Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and then a combination of Wright/Wilson, et al. We can jettison Folty and Newcomb this winter and get another bat to replace Ozuna, and re-sign Freeman to another long-term deal to keep him a Brave for life, like Chipper.

Now, we just need to win a playoff series or two for the first time in quite a while (10 straight playoff series losses, Yikes!). Atlanta clinched its record 20th division title, one more than the New York Yankees. The Braves won 14 straight in completed seasons from 1991-2005 but have not won a postseason series since 2001 and have not won a championship since 1995. We haven't had much recent playoff luck against the Cardinals, but Phillies will also be tough in a 3 game series. Braves have shown that when their bats go out, they are toast. Need to be sure that doesn't happen this October.

Also, the Dodgers at 39-16, clinched their eighth consecutive division title. Only the 1991-2005 Braves and 1998-2006 Yankees had longer streaks. Tomorrow they'll begin quarantine at a nearby hotel. Seven days later, they'll host a three-game wild-card series from an empty Dodger Stadium. They probably hope it won't be against the Reds.

As for this post-season, Atlanta left-hander Cole Hamels is done for the season, dealing a big blow to the Braves' beleaguered rotation. Hamels, who is 36, has spent all year struggling to bounce back from shoulder and triceps issues. He finally made his first start of the season last week at Baltimore, giving up three runs in 3 1/3 innings, and was scheduled to go Tuesday against the Marlins.

But Hamels told general manager Alex Anthopoulos shortly before Monday's game that he didn't feel like he could get anything on the ball. The Braves placed Hamels on the 10-day injured list and are seeking permission from Major League Baseball to replace him in postseason player pool.

Braves have been putting together a triage starting rotation all year, so postseason will be no different. Shame about Hamels, as Braves paid him an awful lot of free-agency $$ for only 1 outing. Wish I could get that rate myself!

Nats win their fourth in a row; guess they're starting their playoff run now:

(09-22-2020 10:46 PM)stever20 Wrote:  You're welcome from the Nationals!

Yes, thank you for the Philly twin bill victory!

Updated playoffs seedings after games last night...

AL
1. Rays (E1), 37-20, .649
2. A's (W1), 34-21, .618
3. Twins (C1), 35-22, .614
4. White Sox (C2), 34-22, .607
5. Yankees (E2), 32-24, .571
6. Astros (W2), 28-28, .500
7. Indians (WC1), 32-24, .571
8. Blue Jays (WC2), 29-27, .518
-------------------------------------
Angels, 26-31, .456, 3.5 games back of second WC
Mariners, 25-31, .446, 4 back
Orioles, 23-33, .411, (ELIMINATED)
Tigers, 22-32, .407, (ELIMINATED)
Royals, 22-33, .411, (ELIMINATED)
Red Sox, 22-34, .393, (ELIMINATED)
Rangers, 19-37, .339, (ELIMINATED)

NL
1. Dodgers (W1), 39-17, .696
2. Braves (E1), 34-22, .607
3. Cubs (C1), 32-24, .571
4. Padres (W2), 34-22, .607
5. Cardinals (C2), 27-26, .509
6. Marlins (E2), 28-28, .500
7. Giants (WC1), 28-27, .509
8. Reds (WC2), 29-28, .509
------------------------------------
Brewers, 27-28, .491, 1 game back of second WC
Phillies, 28-29, 491, 1 back
Mets, 25-31, .446, 3.5 back
Rockies, 24-31, .436, 4 back
Nationals, 23-33, .411, 5.5 back
Diamondbacks, 21-34, .382, (ELIMINATED)
Pirates, 16-39, .291, (ELIMINATED)

^^^^
The National League playoff race is definitely more wide open with many teams hovering above, at, and below .500. Going down to the wire for sure. St. Louis still has a few games to makeup.

wikka wikka wikka Guess who's back?

Missed this place. Been awhile and good to see everyone, especially in the middle of a playoff push. Gonna be a crazy end to the season. And a very weird season at that. stever is still probably basking in the glow of a title, and even though they're not very good this year, I bet you're loving watching Soto become the best hitter in baseball. he's amazing and I can't wait to watch him in the WBC (damn pandemic).

(09-24-2020 09:10 AM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  wikka wikka wikka Guess who's back?

Missed this place. Been awhile and good to see everyone, especially in the middle of a playoff push. Gonna be a crazy end to the season. And a very weird season at that. stever is still probably basking in the glow of a title, and even though they're not very good this year, I bet you're loving watching Soto become the best hitter in baseball. he's amazing and I can't wait to watch him in the WBC (damn pandemic).

Wow, seeing you here just made my day..... Yeah loved the title in 2019- but this year feels like a classic WS Hangover. Plus feels like we got real old. Soto is something else...

Your Giants going to make the playoffs? Huge one for you today vs Colorado. Then a split this weekend and I think you're probably in...

How ironic is it that the king of starting off fast and fading at the end misses this year(our old friend Chris Sale).

Now we just need Brookes back!

(09-23-2020 10:58 AM)GoodOwl Wrote:  Braves rout Marlins, win 3rd straight NL East title

Marcell Ozuna's two home runs and 5 RBIs helped the Atlanta Braves beat the Miami Marlins 11-1 and clinch their third straight NL East title on Tuesday night.

Seems recently, every season the consensus is that Braves won't be very good, and Nats, Phiols and Metz would be better. Well, Nats did well last year from WC spot, but Braves have shown the kind of consistency in regular season that made their run in the 90's possible.
I'm really liking how the starting rotation of youngsters will be coming together for next season and beyond: Mike Soroka (hurt this year) Max Fried, Ian Anderson, and then a combination of Wright/Wilson, et al. We can jettison Folty and Newcomb this winter and get another bat to replace Ozuna, and re-sign Freeman to another long-term deal to keep him a Brave for life, like Chipper.

Now, we just need to win a playoff series or two for the first time in quite a while (10 straight playoff series losses, Yikes!). Atlanta clinched its record 20th division title, one more than the New York Yankees. The Braves won 14 straight in completed seasons from 1991-2005 but have not won a postseason series since 2001 and have not won a championship since 1995. We haven't had much recent playoff luck against the Cardinals, but Phillies will also be tough in a 3 game series. Braves have shown that when their bats go out, they are toast. Need to be sure that doesn't happen this October.

Also, the Dodgers at 39-16, clinched their eighth consecutive division title. Only the 1991-2005 Braves and 1998-2006 Yankees had longer streaks. Tomorrow they'll begin quarantine at a nearby hotel. Seven days later, they'll host a three-game wild-card series from an empty Dodger Stadium. They probably hope it won't be against the Reds.

Yeah, the Dodgers might very possibly have to go Reds/Padres in first 2 rounds. Good luck with that Dodgers. Braves will be lucky as anything that they're in the other half of the bracket..

(09-24-2020 08:06 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  Updated playoffs seedings after games last night...

AL
1. Rays (E1), 37-20, .649
2. A's (W1), 34-21, .618
3. Twins (C1), 35-22, .614
4. White Sox (C2), 34-22, .607
5. Yankees (E2), 32-24, .571
6. Astros (W2), 28-28, .500
7. Indians (WC1), 32-24, .571
8. Blue Jays (WC2), 29-27, .518
-------------------------------------
Angels, 26-31, .456, 3.5 games back of second WC
Mariners, 25-31, .446, 4 back
Orioles, 23-33, .411, (ELIMINATED)
Tigers, 22-32, .407, (ELIMINATED)
Royals, 22-33, .411, (ELIMINATED)
Red Sox, 22-34, .393, (ELIMINATED)
Rangers, 19-37, .339, (ELIMINATED)

NL
1. Dodgers (W1), 39-17, .696
2. Braves (E1), 34-22, .607
3. Cubs (C1), 32-24, .571
4. Padres (W2), 34-22, .607
5. Cardinals (C2), 27-26, .509
6. Marlins (E2), 28-28, .500
7. Giants (WC1), 28-27, .509
8. Reds (WC2), 29-28, .509
------------------------------------
Brewers, 27-28, .491, 1 game back of second WC
Phillies, 28-29, 491, 1 back
Mets, 25-31, .446, 3.5 back
Rockies, 24-31, .436, 4 back
Nationals, 23-33, .411, 5.5 back
Diamondbacks, 21-34, .382, (ELIMINATED)
Pirates, 16-39, .291, (ELIMINATED)

You can put an eliminated by the Nats. we only can get to 27 wins now.

(09-24-2020 08:09 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  ^^^^
The National League playoff race is definitely more wide open with many teams hovering above, at, and below .500. Going down to the wire for sure. St. Louis still has a few games to makeup.

St Louis they're planning to only get to 58. Missing the 2 Tiger games.... Saw only way those get made up on Monday(and this is why NL playoffs are starting Wed.) is if either they need to get up to 60 to make the playoffs or if it impacts home field for the 1st round of playoffs. If it's something like 5 vs 6 or 6 vs 7- won't get made up.

(09-24-2020 10:44 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(09-24-2020 09:10 AM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  wikka wikka wikka Guess who's back?

Missed this place. Been awhile and good to see everyone, especially in the middle of a playoff push. Gonna be a crazy end to the season. And a very weird season at that. stever is still probably basking in the glow of a title, and even though they're not very good this year, I bet you're loving watching Soto become the best hitter in baseball. he's amazing and I can't wait to watch him in the WBC (damn pandemic).

Wow, seeing you here just made my day..... Yeah loved the title in 2019- but this year feels like a classic WS Hangover. Plus feels like we got real old. Soto is something else...

Your Giants going to make the playoffs? Huge one for you today vs Colorado. Then a split this weekend and I think you're probably in...

How ironic is it that the king of starting off fast and fading at the end misses this year(our old friend Chris Sale).

Now we just need Brookes back!

Ah man Brookes hasn't returned? That's a let down. Probably for the best, since the Dodgers roster is ridiculous. I can handle the Nats winning it all, but the Dodgers? That would just be peak 2020 for me.

Yeah it was always gonna be tough for the Nats after losing Rendon, and then Soto's positive test, kendrick being unlikely to repeat his performance, and then of course Strasburg getting hurt for the millionth time. But hey, you got your ring.

It's definitely been a crazy Giants season. I was all in for the tank at the beginning, but then we started winning and I remembered what fun, winning baseball was like, Naturally I wanted more. Watching playoff baseball will be fun, although like my OKC Thunder, we're not gonna win anything. I know baseball is totally random blah blah, but the Dodgers and padres are ridiculous (provided Clevinger isn't injured too badly). And our pitching is pretty ******. Gausman and Smyly have looked solid, but Cueto just does not look good. And yeah, if we win today and then split the Padres, we should be fine. And of course we need Yaz back. Can't do anything without him.

What a disastrous season for the Mets. Yes, not having Stroman and Thor were huge blows, but the Marlins had like half their team test positive and they're still gonna beat out the Mets for that 2nd spot.

(09-24-2020 11:20 AM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  What a disastrous season for the Mets. Yes, not having Stroman and Thor were huge blows, but the Marlins had like half their team test positive and they're still gonna beat out the Mets for that 2nd spot.

of course my image of the Mets this year are those 2 ridiculous HR that Juan hit in Citi Field. The one that almost went into the Apple, and then the one that almost went all the way to the back row. 466 ft.

You know- this one-

(09-24-2020 11:17 AM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  

(09-24-2020 10:44 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(09-24-2020 09:10 AM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  wikka wikka wikka Guess who's back?

Missed this place. Been awhile and good to see everyone, especially in the middle of a playoff push. Gonna be a crazy end to the season. And a very weird season at that. stever is still probably basking in the glow of a title, and even though they're not very good this year, I bet you're loving watching Soto become the best hitter in baseball. he's amazing and I can't wait to watch him in the WBC (damn pandemic).

Wow, seeing you here just made my day..... Yeah loved the title in 2019- but this year feels like a classic WS Hangover. Plus feels like we got real old. Soto is something else...

Your Giants going to make the playoffs? Huge one for you today vs Colorado. Then a split this weekend and I think you're probably in...

How ironic is it that the king of starting off fast and fading at the end misses this year(our old friend Chris Sale).

Now we just need Brookes back!

Ah man Brookes hasn't returned? That's a let down. Probably for the best, since the Dodgers roster is ridiculous. I can handle the Nats winning it all, but the Dodgers? That would just be peak 2020 for me.

Yeah it was always gonna be tough for the Nats after losing Rendon, and then Soto's positive test, kendrick being unlikely to repeat his performance, and then of course Strasburg getting hurt for the millionth time. But hey, you got your ring.

It's definitely been a crazy Giants season. I was all in for the tank at the beginning, but then we started winning and I remembered what fun, winning baseball was like, Naturally I wanted more. Watching playoff baseball will be fun, although like my OKC Thunder, we're not gonna win anything. I know baseball is totally random blah blah, but the Dodgers and padres are ridiculous (provided Clevinger isn't injured too badly). And our pitching is pretty ******. Gausman and Smyly have looked solid, but Cueto just does not look good. And yeah, if we win today and then split the Padres, we should be fine. And of course we need Yaz back. Can't do anything without him.

Oh I would love to have had him on here a week ago or so when Jansen imploded again. Their pitching is yet again such a question.

For the Nats- the Soto thing at the start was a let down- but we went 4-4 in the 8 that he missed- with 7 of them against the Yankees and Blue Jays 2 pretty good teams. The starting pitching has been awful. Yes Stras gone hurt (but the guy who replaced him has been at least average by ERA standards in Fedde). But Anibal regressed big time. Voth been a real let down. And even Max and Patrick Corbin no where near normal(especially Corbin). Davey Martinez I don't feel has had a great year pulling the pitchers.

Bullpen has been better by the numbers, but has had some spectacular failures. Also had some injuries- some of that by Davey "Dusty" Martinez.

Lineup- first off Eaton got real old real fast. His defense this year was absolutely brutal. Robles struggled this year. Hopefully just a soph. slump. Carter Kieboom looks like a bust. Luis Garcia has come in and done pretty well after the Castro injury. Thames has been putrid. Kendrick only 25 games.

Other than that, the Nats have been great :)

Dodgers right now rooting big time for the Reds to not be the 8th seed. Imagine the Dodgers 1st round having to face Bauer, Luis Castillo, and Sonny Gray- needing to win 2/3. And then if they survive, get the Padres in the LDS.

I've been saying this about the Reds all season. We saw last year what a dominant starting trio can do.

(09-24-2020 02:33 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  I've been saying this about the Reds all season. We saw last year what a dominant starting trio can do.

Yeah. And Bauer has been even better than Max/Stras. Total gem last night. Should pretty much wrap up the Cy Young you would think.

(09-24-2020 02:53 PM)stever20 Wrote:  

(09-24-2020 02:33 PM)flyingswoosh Wrote:  I've been saying this about the Reds all season. We saw last year what a dominant starting trio can do.

Yeah. And Bauer has been even better than Max/Stras. Total gem last night. Should pretty much wrap up the Cy Young you would think.

Bauer's been a gamer when we need it most. Reds saying he could pitch again on short rest in the finale of the Twins series if needed.

(09-24-2020 10:49 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(09-24-2020 08:09 AM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  ^^^^
The National League playoff race is definitely more wide open with many teams hovering above, at, and below .500. Going down to the wire for sure. St. Louis still has a few games to makeup.

St Louis they're planning to only get to 58. Missing the 2 Tiger games.... Saw only way those get made up on Monday(and this is why NL playoffs are starting Wed.) is if either they need to get up to 60 to make the playoffs or if it impacts home field for the 1st round of playoffs. If it's something like 5 vs 6 or 6 vs 7- won't get made up.

Do you have a source or link for this? There hasn't been a lot said about if/how to make up games and of course Reds fans want to know.

This says it best...