Worst gut-punch?

[Hunter McCormick]

Losing sucks.  That's a given.  But some losses are harder to take than others.

Which type of loss would hit you harder?

• Being eliminated by having your lead evaporate in the 8th inning, then losing the game in extras.  (Dodgers)
  
  
  
• Being eliminated by having your opponents score 10 in the top of the first (a nearly insurmountable lead) then having to play out the next 8-1/2 innings with your meager chance of survival dwindling to nothing. (Braves)

[unionstation82]

At least the Dodgers game was competitive. The Braves were embarrassed two outs into the game.

[ɮօʀȶǟʐ]

But the Dodgers fans were surely already toasting each other in celebration...and then Kershaw lived up to his stereotype.

[unionstation82]

Oct 10, 2019 8:50:59 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

But the Dodgers fans were surely already toasting each other in celebration...and then Kershaw lived up to his stereotype.

I’ve never seen a player more talked up who’s failed this miserably when it mattered.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2019 9:01:02 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Oct 10, 2019 8:50:59 GMT -6 ɮօʀȶǟʐ said:

But the Dodgers fans were surely already toasting each other in celebration...and then Kershaw lived up to his stereotype.

I’ve never seen a player more talked up who’s failed this miserably when it mattered.

I voted for the Dodger option, by manner of what the expectations were.  I sure hope there isn't a 3rd choice tomorrow.

[Saint]

The Braves had a great year but they were kind of like the 2015 Astros. The Dodgers is a pretty big upset when you look at the numbers and such, but I'm not surprised they lost either.

Just as I wouldn't be surprised if we lost tonight, unfortunately.

[bearbryant]

There's 4 teams who won 97 games that've been eliminated before the 2nd round. The regular season is too long and pointless

[unionstation82]

Even if we win another championship, they need to fix that offense. Send Reddick back to Georgia at the very least. There’s too much of a homogeneous home run cut approach. They’re completely lost with RISP.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2019 10:21:24 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Even if we win another championship, they need to fix that offense. Send Reddick back to Georgia at the very least. There’s too much of a homogeneous home run cut approach. They’re completely lost with RISP.

You make a good point.  In this era of arcade baseball, you can make a go at it with a couple of 2 or 3, 2 Run homers.  

The Astros are experts on that strategy  Problem is the post season you see better caliber of pitching, and you just can't survive unless you can mix in some small ball.   Yesterday STL was a good example.  That first inning was water torture for the Braves.  I wish we played more like that sometimes.

[unionstation82]

Oct 10, 2019 10:27:21 GMT -6 @txheat10k said:

Oct 10, 2019 10:21:24 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Even if we win another championship, they need to fix that offense. Send Reddick back to Georgia at the very least. There’s too much of a homogeneous home run cut approach. They’re completely lost with RISP.

You make a good point.  In this era of arcade baseball, you can make a go at it with a couple of 2 or 3, 2 Run homers.  

The Astros are experts on that strategy  Problem is the post season you see better caliber of pitching, and you just can't survive unless you can mix in some small ball.   Yesterday STL was a good example.  That first inning was water torture for the Braves.  I wish we played more like that sometimes.

That’s precisely what we generally don’t do. What have the Rays done? They’ve taken close pitches, swung at strikes, laid off pitches in the dirt, and hit tons of foul balls. That’s why each out has been difficult, with the nightmare of them being adept at going deep in the process (our specialty) along with the smallball. They hit five home runs in Game 3. That’s more than the Astros have hit all series.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2019 10:37:43 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

Oct 10, 2019 10:27:21 GMT -6 @txheat10k said:

You make a good point.  In this era of arcade baseball, you can make a go at it with a couple of 2 or 3, 2 Run homers.  

The Astros are experts on that strategy  Problem is the post season you see better caliber of pitching, and you just can't survive unless you can mix in some small ball.   Yesterday STL was a good example.  That first inning was water torture for the Braves.  I wish we played more like that sometimes.

That’s precisely what we generally don’t do. What have the Rays done? They’ve taken close pitches, swung at strikes, laid off pitches in the dirt, and hit tons of foul balls. That’s why each out has been difficult, with the nightmare of them being adept at going deep in the process (our specialty) along with the smallball. They hit five home runs in Game 3. That’s more than the Astros have hit all series.

I always worry about the adrenalin of underdogs, who think they have a chance to pull off a 1980 Olympic Hockey miriacle.   Hunger? , Anger?  

In any case, our hitters better dial up the discpline aspect of their plate approach, or this season is going to end two weeks sooner than we expected.

[Deleted]

Oct 10, 2019 7:16:59 GMT -6 Hunter McCormick said:

Losing sucks.  That's a given.  But some losses are harder to take than others.

Which type of loss would hit you harder?

• Being eliminated by having your lead evaporate in the 8th inning, then losing the game in extras.  (Dodgers)
  
  
  
• Being eliminated by having your opponents score 10 in the top of the first (a nearly insurmountable lead) then having to play out the next 8-1/2 innings with your meager chance of survival dwindling to nothing. (Braves)

Strange that when we lost the ALDS in 2015, the mood around here was still real good, because it had been so long since we had witnessed October baseball.  Add the fact we were still WC upstarts, who really weren't given much of a chance , so the sting of the loss was minimal.

2019 is a different story.  Expectations are though the roof.  Anything short of a WS win,  will deem this season a failure.

[unionstation82]

Oct 10, 2019 10:51:46 GMT -6 @txheat10k said:

Oct 10, 2019 10:37:43 GMT -6 unionstation82 said:

That’s precisely what we generally don’t do. What have the Rays done? They’ve taken close pitches, swung at strikes, laid off pitches in the dirt, and hit tons of foul balls. That’s why each out has been difficult, with the nightmare of them being adept at going deep in the process (our specialty) along with the smallball. They hit five home runs in Game 3. That’s more than the Astros have hit all series.

I always worry about the adrenalin of underdogs, who think they have a chance to pull off a 1980 Olympic Hockey miriacle.   Hunger? , Anger?  

In any case, our hitters better dial up the discpline aspect of their plate approach, or this season is going to end two weeks sooner than we expected.

Sometimes, I wonder if the Mariners would’ve beaten the Diamondbacks.

[unionstation82]

Oct 10, 2019 10:56:47 GMT -6 @txheat10k said:

Oct 10, 2019 7:16:59 GMT -6 Hunter McCormick said:

Losing sucks.  That's a given.  But some losses are harder to take than others.

Which type of loss would hit you harder?

• Being eliminated by having your lead evaporate in the 8th inning, then losing the game in extras.  (Dodgers)
  
  
  
• Being eliminated by having your opponents score 10 in the top of the first (a nearly insurmountable lead) then having to play out the next 8-1/2 innings with your meager chance of survival dwindling to nothing. (Braves)

Strange that when we lost the ALDS in 2015, the mood around here was still real good, because it had been so long since we had witnessed October baseball.  Add the fact we were still WC upstarts, who really weren't given much of a chance , so the sting of the loss was minimal.

2019 is a different story.  Expectations are though the roof.  Anything short of a WS win,  will deem this season a failure.

Man, 2015 was painful but understandable. You could’ve argued we could’ve won the World Series that season because Toronto was worse, and the Mets were not that great even with Murphy and Céspedes.