2 minutes ago, paco said:

Well coached.  Excellent Defense.  I feel like they are the baseball version of the 2000 Ravens

I think torey is an ok manager. He was just fortunate that Thomson was really bad in this series cause some of his moves were also decisions that look more disastrous if thomson’s weren’t by far worse. The dbacks like the brewers were always gonna win with pitching. Kelly and gallen. Pfaadt has actually found himself in his last couple starts before the playoffs and now in the playoffs. Really the biggest difference in the dbacks is their back end of the bullpen has been lights out. Sewald and ginkel have given up 0 runs this postseason. Makes it a 7 inning game for the dbacks. Meanwhile the Phillies it’s felt like Russian roulette back there cause kimbrel was awful, soto was his inconsistent self, guys had issues just throwing strikes consistently. 

4 hours ago, bpac55 said:

Thank you, sorry for the error.

If you’d said baritone I wouldn’t have commented.

7 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

I think torey is an ok manager. He was just fortunate that Thomson was really bad in this series cause some of his moves were also decisions that look more disastrous if thomson’s weren’t by far worse. The dbacks like the brewers were always gonna win with pitching. Kelly and gallen. Pfaadt has actually found himself in his last couple starts before the playoffs and now in the playoffs. Really the biggest difference in the dbacks is their back end of the bullpen has been lights out. Sewald and ginkel have given up 0 runs this postseason. Makes it a 7 inning game for the dbacks. Meanwhile the Phillies it’s felt like Russian roulette back there cause kimbrel was awful, soto was his inconsistent self, guys had issues just throwing strikes consistently. 

Please don't let me see Soto or Kimbrel ever again in a Phillies uniform 

12 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Oh. I'm so dumb I looked up the wrong verse

I like your version, too.

 

1 minute ago, garingovt2000 said:

Please don't let me see Soto or Kimbrel ever again in a Phillies uniform 

Soto is a free agent. Was worth the risk hoping he was what he was with the tigers. Especially for what they gave up. Didn’t work out. He is likely gone. Wouldn’t be shocked if he looks closer to 2022 version next year. I don’t think he ever adapted well to his role here. With the tigers he knew he was their closer. Here we didnt use him that way often.

kimbrel is also a FA. He really should retire but he won’t. Some bad team like the royals will sign him on the hopes if he has a good first half they potentially deal him for a prospect. 

13 minutes ago, paco said:

Well coached.  Excellent Defense.  I feel like they are the baseball version of the 2000 Ravens

The version of the Diamondbacks we faced was not the version that existed for most of the season.  They had serious bullpen issues.  They acquired Sewald and Ginkle emerged as a reliable setup guy.

The post season exposed our bullpen.  We never had a true shut down guy.  Josh Hader is a free agent.  He's that kind of guy.

50 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

The Bears injury happened like 8 yards past the LOS but yea, sure.

He's delusional. 

QBs get hurt in the pocket and outside the pocket.   The vast majority of QB injuries happen on plays where they take contact.  There are more rules to protect a QB during contact in the pocket than out of the pocket.    And lastly, a QB that runs more frequently will generally expose himself to more contact than a QB that plays exclusively from the pocket.   

It is not always the case, but the truth is... unless the QB is sliding all the time (or running out of bounds), he will take more contact than the pocket QB over the course of the season.  I laid out the case against using the QB as a central feature in the running game last year and the year before.  It's not a sustainable practice.  As we have seen it can absolutely lead to short term success, but over the long haul, those QBs break down faster and the remainder of their game is never developed enough to compensate for when the running part fails.  That's why the longest tenured QBs in the NFL are always the ones who live in the pocket, and only get outside the pocket on occasion and usually avoid contact entirely on those plays when they do, either by throwing the ball away, sliding long before contact comes or get out of bounds quickly.

1 hour ago, LeanMeanGM said:

"So Pilate decided to grant their demand"

Sounds like he's coming back

I don't let anyone who knows bible verses around my children

1 minute ago, pgcd3 said:

I don't let anyone who knows bible verses around my children

So the late great Reggie White or legend Brian Dawkins wouldn’t be allowed near em?

 

7 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

The version of the Diamondbacks we faced was not the version that existed for most of the season.  They had serious bullpen issues.  They acquired Sewald and Ginkle emerged as a reliable setup guy.

The post season exposed our bullpen.  We never had a true shut down guy.  Josh Hader is a free agent.  He's that kind of guy.

Yup. The dbacks bullpen was a major issue in the second half until the postseason started. Ginkel and sewald since the postseason started have been locked down. 

Pen had been leaking through september. Really at the deadline was when they should’ve tried to add another piece. Alvarado had been dealing with an arm issue (twice). Kimbrel began showing signs of wear. Soto had been inconsistent. Dominguez hadn’t been what he was in 2022. Hoffman was arguably their most reliable (as Alvarado was hurt earlier and missed time) followed by strahm. Tbh brogdon reverting back to being bad, soto trade being a bust and kimbrel reverting to what he was last year got them in the pen. Frankly kimbrel shouldn’t have been trusted due to what he looked like 2022 (dodgers left him off postseason roster) and being 38

20 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

I think torey is an ok manager. He was just fortunate that Thomson was really bad in this series cause some of his moves were also decisions that look more disastrous if thomson’s weren’t by far worse. The dbacks like the brewers were always gonna win with pitching. Kelly and gallen. Pfaadt has actually found himself in his last couple starts before the playoffs and now in the playoffs. Really the biggest difference in the dbacks is their back end of the bullpen has been lights out. Sewald and ginkel have given up 0 runs this postseason. Makes it a 7 inning game for the dbacks. Meanwhile the Phillies it’s felt like Russian roulette back there cause kimbrel was awful, soto was his inconsistent self, guys had issues just throwing strikes consistently. 

In a nutshell, this is it.  Their bullpen didn't drop a game, the Phillies bullpen dropped two... but I'll focus on Game 4.   Winning a game in the playoffs 1-0 is very unlikely.   But, Kimbrel gave up the lead in Game 4 in the 8th inning, their pitchers didn't do that.   And if you flip Game 4, the Phillies win in 5.   THAT was the series.   

 

Once they came home, the bats had to carry the team, and they just went ice cold.  It was almost like they thought being home would be the magic pill by itself.  It clearly wasn't.   And, unlike early in the series, they stopped being as aggressive on the bases.    Stott needed to be sent last night... and force their outfield to throw the ball well.  They didn't make a single strong throw the entire series.  Force them to make the plays...  but they didn't do that.   And got burned.

5 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I don't let anyone who knows bible verses around my children

The best sermon I ever heard had something to do with Saint Thomas writing a letter to some ethnic group telling them to quit fornicating.  I don't remember exactly how it played out, but suffice to say the letter ended up in File 13.

He probably should have started with something simpler, like turning down the stereo ....  

5 hours ago, FranklinFldEBUpper said:

I have a favor to ask of anyone who might have access to the film from Sunday night's game. On the Dolphins kickoff with about thirty seconds left in the first half, the ball sails over Boston Scott's head for a touchback. Can you tell me where it actually landed? If the goal line is 100 and the end line is 110, did it land at 108? 105? Or even behind the end line a couple of yards (112)? I can get a decent line on the hangtime because I can "hear" it land but all I can get for the distance is an estimate. Something more accurate would be appreciated.

I absolutely hate the way the networks show some kickoffs from behind the kicker and then stay with that angle for the entire play.

@BigEFly @just relax

Also, if anyone responds, please tag me on the response. I'm kind of avoiding the Blog for the time being because of the Phillies game last night and the corresponding conversation. I'm in no mood for it right now.

Here you go, Franklin. See the yellow circle. Looks to be between 107 and 108.. Took me a few tries to get it right.

6 minutes ago, DawkinsOwnage03 said:

So the late great Reggie White or legend Brian Dawkins wouldn’t be allowed near em?

 

I was exaggerating but religion is silly. It's equivalent to adults believing in Santa Claus.  It's 2023 I can't believe people still belong to those cults

Gave up drinking 6 weeks ago and today is the first day it’s been really hard not to. 

2 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

In a nutshell, this is it.  Their bullpen didn't drop a game, the Phillies bullpen dropped two... but I'll focus on Game 4.   Winning a game in the playoffs 1-0 is very unlikely.   But, Kimbrel gave up the lead in Game 4 in the 8th inning, their pitchers didn't do that.   And if you flip Game 4, the Phillies win in 5.   THAT was the series.   

 

Once they came home, the bats had to carry the team, and they just went ice cold.  It was almost like they thought being home would be the magic pill by itself.  It clearly wasn't.   And, unlike early in the series, they stopped being as aggressive on the bases.    Stott needed to be sent last night... and force their outfield to throw the ball well.  They didn't make a single strong throw the entire series.  Force them to make the plays...  but they didn't do that.   And got burned.

Game 3 i have less issue blaming the pen. The bats had 3 hits and frankly were lucky to have a run in that game on a wild pitch. The bats were absolutely atrocious in game 3 and they had chances. Imo the Phillies were lucky that game was tied going into the 9th. Felt like the 6-8th innings the dbacks always had guys on and some random weird outcome happened that prevented them from getting more than one run. Phillies in that game had some really fortunate luck in situations in the 6, 7 and 8th and yet couldn’t capitalize on it. 

kimbrel’s disaster in game 4 was really the turning point even if they won game 5. That’s what really allowed the dbacks to believe they could do anything in this series. However the 7th inning after Rojas got the triple and they went up 5-2 and couldn’t get a shutdown inning the bottom half began it. 

home-field advantage is awesome for the Phillies until it isn’t. As soon as the Diamondbacks were able to win game 6 the invincibility of that ballpark leaves. You saw it with the Astros last year. As soon as they were able to win a game there, it doesn’t become as daunting to try to win another there. It’s still tough, but it’s not impossible. The issue the Phillies had is they came back for game six and they had a chance to deliver a knockout blow in the bottom of the first inning. And they didn’t score. followed by Aaron Nola imploded and the air was out of the sail by that point. Last night chance to break the game open with bases loaded and up 2-1. Instead they didn’t and next inning they gave up 2. Unfortunately the Phillies bats and bullpen weren’t good enough. But then again we’ve known the Phillies with Risp and bullpen had been a problem for good portions of the year. 

4 minutes ago, Khani1 said:

Gave up drinking 6 weeks ago and today is the first day it’s been really hard not to. 

Hold strong

13 minutes ago, just relax said:

Here you go, Franklin. See the yellow circle. Looks to be between 107 and 108.. Took me a few tries to get it right.

Now can you help me find my keys?

9 minutes ago, Khani1 said:

Gave up drinking 6 weeks ago and today is the first day it’s been really hard not to. 

Go for a run and do 50 pushups. You wont feel like drinking ish, my man.  Stay strong.   

13 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I was exaggerating but religion is silly. It's equivalent to adults believing in Santa Claus.  It's 2023 I can't believe people still belong to those cults

Meh, people also believe in supply side economics. To each their own.

I have no problem with religion/cults as long as you don't sacrifice children or tell me I can't get happy, etc.

Believe what you want, just remember what is Truth to you is mythology to someone else and proselytizing is bad manners.

If we all follow that simple rule, we can learn tolerance (not as in I won't kill you but in your beliefs are as legitimate as mine and deserve the same respect).

 

Finished the basketball one.  Might be the first time I couldn't toss Jerry Stackhouse in there somewhere:

 

🏀 Immaculate Grid (Men's) 93 9/9:
Rarity: 148
IMMACULATE!
🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩
Play at:
https://immaculategrid.com/basketball/mens
@immaculategrid x @bball_ref

21 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I was exaggerating but religion is silly. It's equivalent to adults believing in Santa Claus.  It's 2023 I can't believe people still belong to those cults

There are degrees to it. I think using religion as a moral foundation and a basis of living a respectable life is admirable. I actually think this country can use more of that now, especially younger people. But preaching to others how they should live their lives and if they don’t follow what you follow then they’re wrong is too much. 

2 hours ago, Sack that QB said:

 

Gotta be honest, I'm tired of the cryptic and evasive injury update shtick with this team.

Why?  This is for WA, not us.

35 minutes ago, pgcd3 said:

I was exaggerating but religion is silly. It's equivalent to adults believing in Santa Claus.  It's 2023 I can't believe people still belong to those cults

There are several parallels between religion and sports fandom.  Humans are spiritual by nature.  When you think of religion, terms like 'faith', 'belief', 'passion', and 'community' come to mind.  Those are not so distant from being a fan, or rather, fanatic.  We have faith in our team, passionately root them on, and share the experience with a community of similar beliefs.  (We're here, on a message board, discussing a game.)

There is the old joke..."Only <insert team name> and Billy Graham can make 50,000 people stand up and yell 'Jesus Christ'."

1 minute ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

There are several parallels between religion and sports fandom.  Humans are spiritual by nature.  When you think of religion, terms like 'faith', 'belief', 'passion', and 'community' come to mind.  Those are not so distant from being a fan, or rather, fanatic.  We have faith in our team, passionately root them on, and share the experience with a community of similar beliefs.  (We're here, on a message board, discussing a game.)

There is the old joke..."Only <insert team name> and Jimmy Graham can make 50,000 stand up and yell 'Jesus Christ'."

Billy.