Latest / Who's On First? / EPISODE 7- Dodgers Move On, Rays Sweep, and Mitchell Saves the Day

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EPISODE 7- Dodgers Move On, Rays Sweep, and Mitchell Saves the Day · Who's On First?

• Joseph Lund: Well, hello, hello. Welcome back to the Who's On First Show. My name's Joseph Lund. So happy you could be joining me as we talk some more October baseball. Three teams have punched their tickets to championship series with one more game happening tonight to see if that last team clinches. So, what are we gonna talk about today? The Guardians spoil the White Sox homecoming. The Dodgers move on to the NLCS. The Yankees get swept by the Rays, and the Brewers punch their ticket. To the NLCS all today on the Who's On First Show. So let's get going. The first game of the day yesterday, that Guardians White Sox game. Guardians win it nine to three. It was a double bullpen game for both teams, each team throwing seven pitchers. So it was a bulk bullpen day on both sides. Daniel Espino got the start for the Guardians. He only got two outs, gave up two hits and an earned run. On the opposite side, Sean Newcombe started things for the White Sox. He went two innings, pitched, one hit, no earned runs allowed. White Sox got out to an early lead. It was one to one. And then in the third inning, the real pivotal moment that kind of shifted the entire complexion of the game was that Joe Adele triple. Hagan Smith was on the mound for the White Sox. You feel good about that. He's been solid out of the bullpen or starting. throughout the entire playoff so far for the White Sox. There's two outs. You got a chance to leave the inning, strand the bases loaded with the and keep the game tied. But Joe Adele gets a excuse me inside out swing sink triple down the right field line. That plates three runs. And from there it was all Cleveland really. Guardians on the day, 35 at bats, nine runs, 11 hits, 9 RBIs, and 10 walks. That's the glaring number on the scorecard for this one. 11 hits and 10 walks, 21 base runners, 10 of them on free passes. You're gonna score a lot of runs. Whenever you walk a major league baseball team, doesn't matter what team, one through 30 in the power rankings, you're gonna lose that game. That's just not a sustainable way to play baseball. The Guardians showed that. They get a big win. You could hear during that Joe Adele triple, that place went silent. which stunk because that was a really fun crowd to watch when they were singing na na na na hey hey goodbye. That was awesome. and that was a crowd that was dying for a playoff win. And they have another chance today. game four will be tonight, 8 p.m. Eastern time. It'll be Hagen Smith on the mound for the White Sox, tried and true. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And then Parker Mesek will get the start for the Guardians. He's their ace. They're He'll most likely finish second in Cy Young voting. And now this series has shifted in a way in terms of momentum. The big question mark throughout the series had been the Guardians hitting. They didn't have a hit in with a runner on scoring position so far through the series until yesterday. That has flipped now. They play nine yesterday. You feel good about that offense. You feel good with Parker Mesek on the bump. And I'm looking for Parker Mesick. He is going to be the agent of change for this one for the Guardians. You used seven pitchers yesterday. You've thrown a bullpen. Your bullpen has tons of mileage on it. He needs to go give them a lengthy start and go be the solid pitcher he has been all year. They need they need that. It is a do or die. It's an elimination game for the guardians in hostile territory. So it's going to be really important. And there is a lot of weight on the shoulders of Parker Mesek for this one. He's got to go get it done. Starting on the bump, a pitcher can take over a game. It's the one position in baseball where a pitcher can really take over a game. And in football, Patrick Mahomes can throw as many passes as he'd like. In baseball, a batter only has a certain amount of at bats. Jose Ramirez has maybe four at bats in a game, but Parker Mesek, he'll have pitches to spare, give you hopefully five to seven innings. You want some sort of length to where then you can just go to your trusted guys out of the bullpen. What was tough for the Guardians was Cade Smith pitched two innings in the end. He's their high leverage reliever, their closer. He pitched great. Five strikeouts of his six outs gained. He was just pumping fastballs by everybody. So it's going to be interesting to see. Obviously, everyone bring your spikes, everyone wearing spikes. It's an elimination game. You got to be good to go. no such thing as tiredness. when you're down two to one in a best of five series. That's gonna be a fun one tonight. I think the Guardians win it. I think they take it back to progressive field for a game five behind Parker Mesick, and that bullpen gets it done. Offense gets enough runs on the board. So I'm taking the Guardians in this game four to take it back to Cleveland for a game five. So now let's move on to a game where a team did clinch a spot in the championship series. Dodgers at Braves. Dodgers win this one four to one. They own only five hits. They had three walks, five strikeouts. And the one home run coming in the ninth inning from Max Muncie. And the big swing in this one was the seventh inning. Andy Paez comes up with two outs and delivers. What a moment for Andy Pahez as he breaks the tie. The first time All-Star this year started for the NL in the All-Star game, then got hurt in the second half of the season. There were a lot of question marks surrounding him coming into the playoffs, having not played too much on the last quarter of the season. But he comes through right there, and you know that has to be such a big sigh of relief. Last year in the postseason, when they won it against the Ray or against the Blue Jays, he went four for 51. He's had a lot of playoff struggles. So that was really cool to see. Andy Pai has come through in that moment and he was fired up on that single. That's October baseball. That's why we love it. It's a tough one for the Braves. Dodgers played their first run on that Mauricio Dubon error. Crazy. He makes the amazing home run robbery catch the day before. And then yesterday couldn't come up with a shallow outfield pop fly. so that was a rough start for the Dodgers to get things tied up if you're the Braves. And then from there, really nothing going for the Braves. Three hits in 30 at bats. They were 0 for 7 with runners on scoring position. And that kind of sums up their series as a whole. They just did not get enough offensive production, especially from the top half of their lineup. Acunya went two for 15. Olsen went two for 15. Drake Baldwin went three for 19. And Austin Riley, you know he didn't have an amazing season, but he got it, he got it done in the Braves Phillies series. He goes 0 for 13 in this one. The only guy really contributing that was the consistent at bat on the Braves was Michael Harris. He goes six for 16 and produces helps in producing either scoring or driving in, I think it was over 70% of their runs. If you go back and look at the whole series. Just not nearly enough offensive production from the stars that you pay the big bucks if you're the Braves, especially when you're playing such a complete team like the Dodgers. They have the starting NL outfielder hitting in the nine-hole. Andy Paez comes through in that one. So you got to have production from your stars. The Braves just did not get that. and that was all the Dodgers needed. They win it in four. on the series, the Braves went one for 23. With runners and scoring position. So it wasn't a one-game thing. It was throughout the entirety of the series. and a tip of the cap to the Dodgers pitching staff. three amazing quality starts. Blake Snell's not the best. And then Glasnow, not great, but he got things done. you don't like the five walks that he had in four and two thirds. However, when he was in the zone, he was just about unhidtable. His stuff looked really sharp. He has that big looping 12-6 curveball. He is a really fun pitcher to watch. He's just got to get more in the zone. and then that brings up your chase rate and certain things when you can start counts 0-1, 1-2. Getting ahead in counts will help him out a lot. And that needs to be the focus because he will get a start in the NLCS. He will most likely be the game four or five starter for the Dodgers. So he's got to get that all figured out. And then Blake Snell. You trust him, it was not his best stuff. in that game two, it'll most likely be Scoobyl, then Yamamoto, and then we'll go from there with how the Dodgers and how Dave Roberts decides to structure and order things. but the Dodgers moving on, and they will take on the Milwaukee Brewers. Dodgers' third straight NLCS appearance, looking to make that three for three in winning them. But now I want to switch over to the American League where there were some brooms out as the Tampa Bay Rays take down the New York Yankees. So there you go. Brooms are out in the Bronx as the Yankees get swept at home, is where the kill shot happens. The Rays, it was all close games. This one, a one-run difference as they win at four to three. They were all close games, but the Rays dominated in this series, really. And it was one team executing on all fronts when their game plan, and one team they couldn't execute at all. The Yankees. Hit 130 as a team in the series, a 192 on base percentage, and only five total runs, with two of those being solo home runs from Ben Rice. A pretty abysmal performance throughout these three games, just no reliable offensive production. There was so much switching around, and they're a platoon heavy team, and yet they still didn't get all the matchups they were looking for. the Rays had multiple lefty lanes yesterday that they were able to take advantage of. Not much movement off the bench, which is something the Yankees are known for and they kind of rely on with how they structure their lineups, but just no ability to make adjustments. And I talked about that after game one. And that story remained through the next two games, games two and games three. Then on the opposite side, the Rays had a game plan. And they executed time and time and time again. They played their brand of baseball, putting balls in play, not relying too much on the home run, although it definitely helped them in this series. The Aranda home run, the difference in game one, and then it played a big part with the two home runs in game three. And they executed on all fronts in game two. their mission was to get Cam Flitler out of the game early. He doesn't even go. five innings and then the Yankees have to use more of their bullpen arms. The Rays just continued to execute time and time again. And it's been the storyline now for this Yankees team for the last three seasons that if you put the ball in play against this defense, you're going to have success. And I don't know how there hasn't been as much of a systemic change throughout the organization of that needs to be the thing you focus on. it was talked about so much when the Dodgers beat them. in the World Series and the in the pitiful defense that let the Dodgers get back into game five as the Yankees blew that five-run lead. You would think that'd be the focus. and yet it appears that organizationally it has not been over the last three years. As it Reedert said again, they had the four errors in game two that were the big difference. And this was a winnable series for the Yankees and they're going to be Going home, going to Cancun, kicking themselves that they weren't able to execute in a lot of moments. two more things I want to touch on with this game. Obviously, you miss out in having Aaron Judge. And it's a big discussion. How much would that change the series? What would his effect be? And I think even him coming back, and if he had played, it would have been on incredibly limited reps. He wouldn't have faced live game batters. until game one. And so he hasn't had the greatest postseason track record. He's been incredibly streaky in the postseason. And it usually it takes him a while to get going. And then he'll have the one big home run and then the sleeping giant will awaken. and so I don't know how much of an effect he would have played. In my opinion, I think the Rays still would have won this one, even if you play what if with the Aaron Judge scenario. and then the last thing I want to talk about, Kind of what everybody is talking about with this game, especially Yankees fans, is that Anthony Volpe almost home run. Take a look. So there you go. That's the source of all the big controversy. The fan reaches over and pulls it into the stands. And there are so many people online going after this guy that reached over saying how he could have done things differently or maybe just let it go. But there are so many people going after that guy online. It wasn't gonna be a home run. It wasn't going over the wall. It probably wouldn't have been caught, but it was not gonna be a home run. I think it was the right call. And in a way, the Yankees kind of benefited from this because if it had dropped and had been caught, then you're looking at a completely different scenario. No run scored. But it wasn't going to be a home run at all. And anyone sitting in that seat probably would have done the exact same thing where you try and pull the ball over in a way, but he reached over. It's a rule. It's one of the weirdest things that really only baseball has. Of fans right along the outfield wall that can lead to these crazy scenarios that we always seem to find when it matters most. You remember going back to that Derek Jeter opposite field home run when it certainly would have been caught, but a Yankees fan pulled it into the crowd. This one went to review. It was not going to be a home run. It's just people searching for something to blame for this one. But I think a lot of the blame for the Yankees this year can be pointed back at that. front office and how they manage this team and the ways that you fell short that need to be addressed that can't be pinned on a fan trying to catch a home run ball in the postseason and trying to walk away with that story. I think that's unfair. I think anyone in that situation would have done exactly what that fan did. And I think it was the right call in it not being a home run. That Ty France home run earlier on in the Padres Brewer series, so disputed on whether or not it would have been a home run. This one you can tell it was gonna be short. fan tried his best to pull it back and make a convincing case on video replay. However, when they went to New York, they said no home run. And I agree with that call. So that's all she wrote for the Yankees season. The Rays move on, yet to know who they will play in the ALCS, either the Guardians or the White Sox. They will be watching that game tonight again at 8 p.m. Eastern. That game gets the primetime slot as it's the only game going on. And that's going to be a really fun crowd to watch. A night game in Chicago looking to clinch their first home playoff series win since 1906. Yes, that's how long it's been. Last time it was the 1906 World Series when they clinched a playoff series at home. They have a chance to do it tonight for the city of Chicago. Again, I picked the Guardians, but that's who the Rays are waiting to face. And then the final game of the night, Brewers at the Padres. Brewers coming into this one, a 12-game playoff road game losing streak. That is abysmal. But they flip the switch tonight. They flip the script and get it done. They win it three to one. Brewers three runs on 10 hits, four walks, only three strikeouts. Padres one run on three hits, four walks, and nine strikeouts with the one home run coming from Fernando Tatis Jr. And again, those two stat lines really embody both of these teams. Brewers are a team that love to put the ball in play. They don't rely too much on the home run ball. and that was the difference in this one. Getting four walks and 10 hits, producing 14 base runners like that, and reaching on an air, you produce. 15. you're gonna have a lot of success like that when you put up those numbers as they get the two-run win, winning it three to one. Garrett Mitchell, a big RBI triple. William Contreras played the series of his life. He goes two for five today with two hits. Jackson Churrio gets one hit as well as Sal Freelick. He drives in the third run of the game after the Churrio single, which made it two to one. On the opposite side, Fernando Tatis Jr. went one for four. He didn't do too much in the series until last night. He hit that home run to make things all tied up at one. And then you thought that in the eighth inning, the Padres were gonna break through. Manny Machado is up with a runner on. He hits a ball. It looks like he got it, but instead, Garrett Mitchell does this. And that was the kill shot for the Brewers. That home run robbery in the eighth inning at the end of the Padres heart of the order with Manny Machado off the bat. I thought it was a home run. and that place was a pressure cooker, ready to explode. If that ball had clipped over the wall, however, Garrett Mitchell swipes it away from a wave and a sea of Padres fans, all trying to take that one away from him. and that that that pretty much did it. it was the end of the Padre's heart of the order. You had Trevor McGill coming in for the ninth. That was your big chance. They couldn't get it done. Manny Machado, that part of the ballpark, I guess, is cursed for him. He gets the home run taken away yesterday. If you remember back in 2017, this clip's now resurfacing in the world baseball classic when he hit a would have been home run to pretty much the same exact spot. However, Adam Jones took it away for Team USA. their route to win it all in the world baseball classic. And that's that's just a cursed spot of the ballpark for Manny Machado. he's never gonna look at that spot the same, especially after yesterday. and he was rightfully very annoyed after that one. He couldn't believe it. pretty much everyone in the ballpark couldn't believe that that one didn't go out. that was the kill shot right there. such a close series in this one. This was such a Back and forth series, so many crazy plays and storylines. You had the Ty France almost home run hitting off the roof in game one that would have been the go at home head home run. Maybe, maybe not. Then in game two, you have Mason Miller tipping his pitches, and Jackson Churio has the at bat of his life. And the Brewers walk things off and they come from behind win in the ninth of game two. And then game three, Back and forth. The Padres score on the Xander Bogart super aggressive base running. And that one, that one to make it two to one. And then the Brewers get the kill shot today. The eighth inning home run robbery, the big storyline from this one, as well as how good Jackson Churio was throughout the series. And I mentioned William Cotreras going two for five. this was a series that was so close. It seemed like the Brewers caught so many breaks. And that's not to minimize what they did. They played amazing. They created so many opportunities. I mentioned 15 base runners in this one off 10 hits, four walks, and an error. And when you create opportunities and you make the other team make plays or you leave things up to chance, good things happen. and when you're not cr able to facilitate an offense, get things going, when you have nine strikeouts in a game on all the offensive side of things like the Padres did, it makes it to where there's no room for a chance or you picking up a break. And so I don't want to minimize what the Brewers did. They played amazing. They were the better team, but I think if you play the series 10 times, I think the Padres won four, Brewers win six. This was a really close one, even though it went to four, all games were real close. This was the biggest margin, a two-run win for the Brewers. As they get it done, and so it'll be a repeat of last year's National League Championship Series. Brewers and the Dodgers. Brewers will have home field advantage throughout the rest of the playoffs. So it'll be two in Milwaukee, then three in LA, then two back in Milwaukee if needed. And boy, is this going to be a fun series. I don't want to preview it too much because I will have a championship series preview coming out after this Guardians versus White Sox series settles. So that is all I got for today. Thanks so much for tuning in. It was a bummer that yesterday was our last day with four games of baseball. That number continues to dwindle, but the competition level and the talent on the field continues to go up as our bracket dwindles down to the final moments of October. We still got a long way to go. It's October 8th. This postseason can go all the way to Halloween if we get a couple seven game series. But that's all I got for today. Thanks so much for tuning into the Who's On First Show. I'm Joseph Lund. Staying so long.