2018 ALDS - Cleveland Indians vs Houston Astros

I think so too. The Indians will put up more of a fight that many people are expecting, but the Astros are still the best team in baseball IMO.

Yeap, in five and will probably win the whole thing

Better even than the other AL series, I think. A lot of players I'm rooting for on both sides, led by Altuve, Verlander, Edwin, and Donaldson. No pick.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I was thinking about how much Donaldson has riding on the post-season. If he has a great one and the Indians go to the Series, he'll probably land a pretty big contract--not as big as he would have a year ago, but someone will assume he's over his problems (he a good couple of weeks to end the season, too) and pay out. But if he doesn't, or if Cleveland exits early, he'll get what he gets.

should be the best pitching series

now watch we'll get 8-7 slugfests

rooting Cleveland btw

Four ex-Jays starting for Cleveland tonight. They get the players. We're going to get Eric Wedge.

don't you put that evil on us.

That's why Donaldson (and he MLBPA) were willing participants in bending the rules to get that fishy trade completed.

i think the astros LF was standing on the warning track for encarnacion

never seen that before

that's a paddlin'

I know it's just one game but based on the past 24 hours, I wouldn't bet against a rematch of last year's WS. They're both crushing the opposition with homers and looking generally invincible.

gerrit cole's pretty good; who knew

I know, right. Astros are looking good

i want the Astros to pay for that Osuna deal, but then CLE is wearing Wahoo on the caps and sleeves today

Wahoo's retired as of the end of this season, right? Coming off the uniforms and all the stadium signage.

so is there a national radio net for this series, or not?

Internet radio?

http://www.espn.com/espnradio/affPopup?s=wknr-am

george springer with his astros franchise-record ninth playoff homer

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpAjliJU8AEAKbD.jpg

stuck with bauer too long

man is this an ugly inning

bauer completely self destructed

was he designated as the high-leverage fireman before the series?

the hits that very well might've ended the Indians' season pic.twitter.com/Tfsr9LK52u

— Jeff Sullivan (@based_ball) October 8, 2018

the second one (marwin double) was 4.22 feet off the ground and, based on launch angle/velocity, had an 8% chance of being a hit

tbf, it was also ball four with the bases loaded in a 3-1 count

Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day, Trevor Bauer.

was he designated as the high-leverage fireman before the series?

Pretty much. He was either going to be game 4 starter or coming out of the bullpen. Since the series went to hell, he's coming out of the bullpen.

~marwin~

rip chief wahoo

well that escalated quickly

indians aren't that good, but houston is fearsome

in their now-completed ALDS, the Indians batted .144/.196/.222. over the history of all completed playoff series, that is the:

fourth-worst average
fifth-worst OBP
eighth-worst OPS

— Jeff Sullivan (@based_ball) October 8, 2018

They went 30-36 against AL West and AL East teams

I couldn't have been more wrong in my prediction for this series. Cleveland never bothered showing up.

Lindor made a brief appearance. The bullpen stayed home. Kluber, for some reason, cannot pitch in the postseason.

The Donaldson trade definitely hurt the Indians. He had nothing to offer at the plate at all.

Indians have lost 9 straight potential elimination games, the longest streak in MLB postseason history.

— Katie Sharp (@ktsharp) October 8, 2018

I think Oakland are right behind them.

in their now-completed ALDS, the Indians batted .144/.196/.222. over the history of all completed playoff series, that is the:

fourth-worst average
fifth-worst OBP
eighth-worst OPS

It wasn't even the worst OPS in a division series in 2018!

LET'S GO @astros!! pic.twitter.com/FD8efXCrsL

— Pluckers (@Pluckers) October 8, 2018