Baseball Megathread: Ohtani to LAA, Stanton to NYY, prayers to Miami

What a fucking fantastic game. Everyone played their part but no question Joey Bats is the hero of the game. Twice now this series the Jays had to deal with significant blown calls and the fact they overcame the bullshit made the victory so much sweeter. I will remember that 7th inning forever. Also, that bat flip.

When people just started throwing garbage into the stadium because of that play it just made me not like to cheer for the Blue Jays...even though it's not the fault of the players themselves. Well, maybe I'm jeering at the fans and just neutral towards the team would be the more accurate feeling. Even a kid got injured because of those assholes in the stands.

@gaspower: The problem with the idiots throwing trash on the field is that the umps got the call right. If they wanted to be upset at anyone, be upset at your catcher for not paying attention that the batter was in the box adjusting himself.

@rotnac: To be fair, that was the correct call. Also not to take away from what the team has accomplished, but those fans throwing trash on the field was completely abhorrent behavior. I kinda feel bad for the team because of how their own fan base reacted to that. Sure get upset as a fan (despite the call being the correct one) but the trash throwing was absolutely unnecessary.

That bat flip was pretty neat though, just wish the fans didn't act like jerks.

I'm not a fan of "unwritten baseball rules" but I thought that bat flip was a bit over the top. And that's coming from someone who enjoys Schwarber's bat flips.

@gaspower: Yeah, the Jays fans are losing their minds since it's been so long since their team was anywhere near the possibility of winning the World Series, but their behaviour is really inexcusable. Kinda disappointing in what was otherwise a fairly tense game.

@sergio: Oh I think Schwarber's bat flips have a bit of anger in them and is more low key. I can always appreciate a good flip.

I love a good bat flip, as long as it's stylish. That wasn't.

Jose Bautista is a aggro douche as always. Dude always thinks everyone is disrespecting him. Go Astros or Royals!

Even though it was the right call, it kind of sucks that the umpire called the play dead and then awarded the run after the fact. It's not likely they would have made a play regardless, but it didn't seem like they took that detail into consideration. But who cares, Jays win.

P.S. The bat flip was rad. It's not like he told Dyson to suck it or anything.Nothing wrong with a little celebration.

@wjb: @gaspower:No doubt. I think it's generally ridiculous for the team that just got scored on to get upset that a batter would flip his bat in celebration. This one didn't feel like a "Yay! I hit a homerun!" but more like a "Suck it! I got a homerun!" At that point I'm like, "Dude, it's fine to celebrate, but there's no need to be a dick about it."

@archer88: Eh, that little stare down before the flip makes me think otherwise.

Wait, you don't like the Jays because Bautista is an "aggro douche (?)" but you're willing to cheer for the Royals, who were maybe the dirtiest baseball team this season.

@sergio:I think the context matters here. Bautista is a long time Jay having his first crack at the post season, he's at home, and he just hit what he knows is likely the game winning home run that also wins a very tightly contested series. It's the biggest home run of his career to date. Dude is jacked up. You would be too in that situation. Hell the entire Jays team was. Look at Goins as he crosses the plate. Or the entire dugout. It's an emotional moments for those players. If this was a nothing game during the season and he acted that way, then yes, the bat flip isn't needed. Post season is a whole other beast.

@archer88: As a Cubs fan, I get the excitement. Rizzo hits what may be the winning run (it is), then Schwarber blasts that one out (after he called it) to add an insurance run. Against one of the longest running rivalries in all of sports, and the first time - hopefully not the last time - they've ever met in the postseason. The team is having fun, doing silly things.

I think it was more that the Jays were still mad about the right call being made earlier. That was totally a "suck it" flip. I have no beef with the Jays, as long as they don't meet up the Cubs.

My knowledge of baseball rules isn't that great but as far as I've been made aware of based on the rule book, sure it could be considered a correct call. The problem I have (as well as almost every Jays fan) is that the ump called the play dead before the guy hit the home plate. The ump fucked up. If the umpire didn't call it off right away there would be no issues. Not that it matter anymore anyway, I just hate when bullshit like that happens with such an important game in any sport.

Also, you're absolutely right about the behavior from a bunch of idiot fans. By that point in the game there was probably a lot of beer consumed that made dumb people do dumber things. There's still no defending that kind of bullshit, however, those idiot fans don't represent every Jays fan.

Hating on bat flips is stupid.

I don't understand why people hate seeing emotion from professional athletes, it's like they want them to all be mindless, boring, robots.

I loved the emotion coming from the Jays tonight, especially the Bautista bat flip. I wish we saw more of that kind of stuff from professional athletes.

And to anyone who says it is disrespectful, I say this, don't want the other team to flip their bats? Then don't give up big home runs.

Everything @huey2k2said

What an unbelievable 7th inning. I don't know if we will see a crazier inning. These playoffs have been fantastic so far. We cap off the Division Series with the ridiculous pitching matchup of Greinke and deGrom. Dodgers stadium is going to be rockin' tomorrow.

Now all that's left is Mets and Dodgers.

Meanwhile...

@huey2k2: And you completely miss what is being said.

@gaspower: I swear, that game provided the best vines, tweets, and gifs out of any series so far.

That was fucking bonkers and I haven't felt that sick to my stomach in over a decade. Still amped up from the game. I'm not going to defend idiots throwing shit on the field, but you're fooling yourself if you don't think that given the context that you wouldn't see that happen almost anywhere else. Alcohol + that crushing play = some adults who can't act like adults. In a crowd of 55,000 delirious people, you're going to have some rotten apples. It sucks, but don't take it out on an entire city or fanbase, please. As for the bat flip, come on. Give me a fucking break, they're not robots. Complaining about that is just deflecting from the failings of the team mixed with emotion, the same emotion someone might have hitting a ginormous important homerun at home. Maybe pitchers shouldn't celebrate complete games or no hitters because how dare they show up the opposing side! Bush league. Bush Party

"Jose Bautista, you the man." - Canada

@corporalgregg: No that's the thing, I know Toronto is an incredibly passionate fan base so they do also love them some Raptors, but don't worry I'm not gonna generalize that behavior to the entire fan base (well, you won't probably find that here in this thread) but at that moment it just made it hard to cheer for the Blue Jays because of those assholes.

Also I'm also was fine with the bat flip, but just to play devil's advocate, the other duders in this thread didn't think that Bautista shouldn't have showed emotion. It's fine that he did and no one saying he shouldn't but I also recognize that there were parts when he celebrated at the start that was slightly excessive (i.e. just standing there being all angry with a small stare down prior to throwing that bat, etc.) I'm actually fine with it because I know it was in the heat of the moment with the season on the line, etc. but I also recognize the flip side that he could still have acted slightly differently where he could still have been a bit more respectful and still have celebrated his ass off when he got to home plate.

All in all, the Blue Jays won and now they have to face a Kansas City team that is itching to finish what they started last year.

@sergio: Real life :D. I don't even know how the heck that guy knew he was being recorded..

Okay duders, let's all enjoy some walk up music (the clapping starts at 40 seconds):

@gaspower: I'm guessing it was on that new scoreboard.

I hadn't really been paying attention to the walk up music this whole time, until Rizzo came up. "Is that Tay-tay?"

Regarding the bat flip, as if I haven't already beat this dead horse enough. I compare it to other sports. In basketball, it'd be understandable if a guy who just dunked over someone who normally would block the shot celebrated on his way back on defense. If he stood over the opponent and celebrated, he'd probably be hit with a technical foul. A football player may celebrate within reason after a touchdown, but rub it in the opponents face, and it's unsportsmanlike conduct. I think a bat flip alone is okay, but the moment he did that stare down, I thought he was being a dick. I can understand fans of the Blue Jays being excited and not caring that he was being a dick (or think he wasn't being one). And I can understand fans of the Rangers being mad that he was being a dick. I don't care about either team, and I still thought that was a dick move.

Addison Russell is out for the NLCS. Hopefully Baez can pick up the slack and the Cubs can get through to the WS without him.

I like this article. I feel like it does a good job of summarizing that inning. http://sportsworld.nbcsports.com/blue-jays-rangers-seventh-inning-jose-bautista-bat-flip-russell-martin-throw/

Cespedes needs more necklaces.

All the evil teams are out of the playoffs...this feels surprisingly liberating now.

M E T S.

Whew. I can resume breathing.

The Mets eh? As a Cubs fan I'm nervous...the Mets team that the Cubs swept throughout the year is not the same one they have now. It's going to be a tough series. I'm afraid of what Cespedes is going to do, not to mention their great pitching. Saturday should be an entertaining start!

Go Cubs Go!

I kinda consider the remaining the AL teams as evil-ish compared to their Texas-based counterparts.

@sergio: There are people who still swear that Rizzo was out...despite the slo-mo replay showing that he did avoid getting tagged. 0_o

@mightyduck: That's okay, the Cubs also added this kid named Schwarber since the last time they played one another.

@mightyduck: I would pay more attention to their lead-off guy and Murphy than Cespedes since he tends to take a lot of aggressive swings and isn't very selective so he gets K'd a lot.

I do like their pitchers because of their hair. I'm kinda glad the Mets made it, even though the Dodgers would have been a more favorable match up.

You said it, dude.

Great to see Murphy come up big, he's been my favorite Met for years. I really hope Duda can get something going against the Cubs.

@redyoshi: Good luck to your Mets. This series is going to be great for everyone involved.

@gaspower: Same to you! I almost wish I didn't have a dog in this race because I'm expecting some fantastic baseball, but I'm going to be way too tense to really enjoy any of it.

Nothing against the Mets, but I went from, "I wouldn't be surprised if the Cubs win it all," to, "I would be surprised if the Cubs didn't win it all," which makes me more worried. Not so much because of the remaining teams, but because of history. Something always happens. Will Russell being out of the NLCS be the reason this year?

@dochaus: Most people find the Royals evil now I think.

I don't really care, if they eventually go back to sucking it's all well and good. If they stay good like the Twins forever then fuck'em.

@sergio: Hello, fellow Cubs fan. I wouldn't think of it that way. I know it's kind of normal as a Cubs fan to think of a reason why the team might lose but with the way the team is run now, I'm really just enjoying this ride.

Relax, duder. It's gonna be fun.

EDIT: Bautista just jawing at whoever it was he was shouting at just makes him seem more like a jerk. Those were some pretty good pitches. He should just punch a Gatorade cooler like Rodriguez and cool off.

@gaspower:

I'm loving the ride the Cubs have been on. In the beginning of the year I was just hoping for an 81-81 season...but with every win I find myself getting greedier. It's a slippery slope. I'm hoping they at least stay competitive with the Mets. As others have mentioned, I can't help but keep thinking the bottom is going to fall out at some point. Although, this Cubs team is unlike any other Cubs team that I can think of.

Yeah, I keep hearing this is the Cubs' best chance so far. I'm enjoying the run, but I'm also bracing myself with the knowledge that this team will only get better regardless of this year's outcome.

I scoffed at people complaining about this post season's strike zones. Yes, the umpires have been calling the bigger strike zones, but they've been fairly consistent in the games I've watched so far for both teams. It definitely benefits some pitchers more than others, like Arrieta. Tonight's strike zone started consistent, with Harvey and Lester getting the same outside strikes called. As the game progressed, it looked like former's strike zone got a little bigger, while the latter's narrowed a bit. It didn't affect the outcome of this game too much.

@sergio: To be fair, I like it better if certain umps actually looked if it crossed over the plate. Even if it's outside the "strike zone" (I think TBS tracker is a bit unreliable compared to FOX's) I would be okay as long as the pitch more or less crossed over the plate. Overall, outcome of the match was pretty much what I expected it to be, at least it wasn't a complete shutout with a late homer by the opposing team and the bullpen held up on their end compared to that first game with the Cards.

I really want to point out Baez's defense. We assumed that there was going to be a bit of a drop with Baez compared to Russell but Baez made some great plays with that fly ball and double play where he touched his heel on the base. I know Baez is pretty good at SS but with limited playing time at that position during the reg. season I thought the post-season jitters was going to continue to affect him. I'm a bit disappointed with Bryant namely when he made the same mistake in the regular season where he fumbles that ball exchange. He needs to really clean that up.

@gaspower: As I said, the outcome wasn't really affected much. It might have messed with the Cubs' hitters not knowing what they could swing at, but it was more the Cubs' mistakes that cost them that game. Tonight, the umpires haven't been consistent with the low ball, but the Cubs are losing because Arrieta hasn't pitched as well as he had been. I'm more annoyed than upset, since the umpires being bad hasn't cost them a win.

Rough one to watch so far tonight. There's still time, but there's a weird vibe to the last two games. Cubs bats have gone silent for the most part. With Lester and presumably Arrieta, losing tonight...my hopes are not high turning to Hendricks and Hammel. Yes, I realize I'm being a pessimist.

Here's hoping I'm wrong!

Daniel Bonds? Daniel Beltran? Murphy Bondstran?

Man the Mets look tough, they gotta be the team to beat.

They seem like they got the right mix of dominant pitching and enough hitting.

Pretty crazy that all 4 teams left have Blue as their primary uniform color. I don't think I've ever seen that before.

The Mets keep on surprising me. As a life long Mets fan, I didn't know what to expect this postseason, but it has been a blast so far. The lineup just grinds out at bats and make things happen. The Mets are just executing when they need to the most. We'll see how far their pitching and hitting can take them.