2015 ALCS - Toronto Blue Jays (93-69) vs Kansas City Royals (95-67)

[CarltonTheBear]

what happened to Loup now?

Family matter/emergency. Nobody knows more than that. Missed the last 2 games of the ALDS, came back but then left again.

 

[Frank E]

.BAbip gods, why have you forsaken us?

@james_in_to

KC has hit .400/.400/.450 at the dome these past two games. On ground balls.

They have an amazing string of luck finding gaps.  It's incredibly frustrating to watch.

I think the defense has been pretty damn good so far too. 

What's a normal rate?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

.BAbip gods, why have you forsaken us?

@james_in_to

KC has hit .400/.400/.450 at the dome these past two games. On ground balls.

They have an amazing string of luck finding gaps.  It's incredibly frustrating to watch.

I think the defense has been pretty damn good so far too. 

What's a normal rate?

I think the average for MLB teams BABIP in 2015 was .300.  But in a short series you wouldn't be surprised to see it significantly higher or lower than that.  This is a good read on it: http://www.fangraphs.com/library/pitching/babip/

It's not all luck at all, but I do think they're getting fortunate to a large extent in a short series.  They're not this good offensively.

 

[Highlander]

I never want to see Loup, Dickey, Buehrle, Hawkins or Pennington ever pitch for the Jays again

 

[L K]

what happened to Loup now?

Family emergency again.

 

[L K]

.BAbip gods, why have you forsaken us?

@james_in_to

KC has hit .400/.400/.450 at the dome these past two games. On ground balls.

They have an amazing string of luck finding gaps.  It's incredibly frustrating to watch.

I think the defense has been pretty damn good so far too. 

What's a normal rate?

I think the average for MLB teams BABIP in 2015 was .300.  But in a short series you wouldn't be surprised to see it significantly higher or lower than that.  This is a good read on it: http://www.fangraphs.com/library/pitching/babip/

It's not all luck at all, but I do think they're getting fortunate to a large extent in a short series.  They're not this good offensively.

It's really absurd at this point.  Their playoff stat line

2015 Playoffs - .284/.343/.469/.812
2015 ALDS    -  .244/.321/.445/.766
2015 ALCS    - .331/.369/.496/.866
2015 Regular  - .269/.322/.412/.734

In Comparison the Jays

2015 Regular - .269/.340/.457/.797
2015 ALDS    - .228/.294/.418/.712
2015 ALCS    - .233/.320/.346/.666
2015 Playoffs - .230/.305/.388/.693

Not enough is being said about how much the Jays offense is crapping the bed.

 

[L K]

Hey they finally got Escobar out!  Swings at the first pitch.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

.BAbip gods, why have you forsaken us?

@james_in_to

KC has hit .400/.400/.450 at the dome these past two games. On ground balls.

They have an amazing string of luck finding gaps.  It's incredibly frustrating to watch.

I think the defense has been pretty damn good so far too. 

What's a normal rate?

I think the average for MLB teams BABIP in 2015 was .300.  But in a short series you wouldn't be surprised to see it significantly higher or lower than that.  This is a good read on it: http://www.fangraphs.com/library/pitching/babip/

It's not all luck at all, but I do think they're getting fortunate to a large extent in a short series.  They're not this good offensively.

It's really absurd at this point.  Their playoff stat line

2015 Playoffs - .284/.343/.469/.812
2015 ALDS    -  .244/.321/.445/.766
2015 ALCS    - .331/.369/.496/.866
2015 Regular  - .269/.322/.412/.734

In Comparison the Jays

2015 Regular - .269/.340/.457/.797
2015 ALDS    - .228/.294/.418/.712
2015 ALCS    - .233/.320/.346/.666
2015 Playoffs - .230/.305/.388/.693

Not enough is being said about how much the Jays offense is crapping the bed.

KC is also a ridiculous .463 with RISP this series.

 

[herman]

Inside -10 mph changeup is so nasty.

 

[L K]

Estrada looking good in the top of the 1st.  1-2-3

 

[L K]

Umpires gonna umpire.  Ringing Donaldson up on a ball 4.  It's going to be impossible to hit Volquez is the umpire is going to give him strikes 4-6 inches of the plate low and away.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Umpires gonna umpire.  Ringing Donaldson up on a ball 4.

What's with the outside strike in this series?  All of the Jays RH batters have been getting, IMO, hosed on these pitches that they can't really hope to do much with.  I think that's contributing to their offensive stats, it plays right into the KC pitchers' strengths.

 

[herman]

Umpires gonna umpire.  Ringing Donaldson up on a ball 4.

What's with the outside strike in this series?  All of the Jays RH batters have been getting, IMO, hosed on these pitches that they can't really hope to do much with.  I think that's contributing to their offensive stats, it plays right into the KC pitchers' strengths.

They could put a swing on them, knowing that pitchers have been getting those calls all series. Perez's size is helping them get some high calls too.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Umpires gonna umpire.  Ringing Donaldson up on a ball 4.

What's with the outside strike in this series?  All of the Jays RH batters have been getting, IMO, hosed on these pitches that they can't really hope to do much with.  I think that's contributing to their offensive stats, it plays right into the KC pitchers' strengths.

They could put a swing on them, knowing that pitchers have been getting those calls all series. Perez's size is helping them get some high calls too.

Easier said than done to hit a 98 MPH pitch that starts even further out of the zone before coming back.  By the time it's coming back it's too late to start your swing.

 

[herman]

Umpires gonna umpire.  Ringing Donaldson up on a ball 4.

What's with the outside strike in this series?  All of the Jays RH batters have been getting, IMO, hosed on these pitches that they can't really hope to do much with.  I think that's contributing to their offensive stats, it plays right into the KC pitchers' strengths.

They could put a swing on them, knowing that pitchers have been getting those calls all series. Perez's size is helping them get some high calls too.

Easier said than done to hit a 98 MPH pitch that starts even further out of the zone before coming back.  By the time it's coming back it's too late to start your swing.

No arguments about that. Volquez is pitching very well. Jays should be prepared to see that sort of thing, rather than relying on pulling mistakes. The pattern has been down and away until two strikes, and then a 2-seamer down the middle/in for the looking K.

 

[L K]

Colabello!!!!

 

[herman]

Cola powa.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Oh what a surprise, a hard hit line drive right at a Royals player.  That never happens.

 

[L K]

Oh look...yet another flare that is within reach of the Royals.  Nothing seems to find a hole against them.

 

[herman]

Oh look...yet another flare that is within reach of the Royals.  Nothing seems to find a hole against them.

I liked Pillar's approach there.