I made the executive decision to basically do the MLB Playoffs like I did with the Brewers this season. Meaning the previews will be the same, highlights and lowlights will show up plus some recaps and bigger pieces. Hope you enjoy.
Highlights
David Ortiz - There is a reason why Big Papi is one of the best postseason hitters in the last 20 years. Ortiz socked two home runs off Tampa Bay Rays ace David Price. The Rays pitcher took exception to Ortiz looking at it a bit, but that's just Papi honestly. He drills homers deep and he looks at them. Price has a problem with it, he needs to be a better pitcher.
Pedro Alvarez - Big weekend for the young Pirates third baseman. He hit a home run on Friday afternoon pulling the Pirates ahead of the Cardinals and then he drove him in the game-winning run on Sunday against a left-handed pitcher. Alvarez batted .133 for the year against lefties and found a way to get a single. Weird things are happening in Pittsburgh.
Max Scherzer - Great performance by Scherzer who got the reigns of the pitching staff from Verlander for Game 1. He had a three-run lead to the start the game, and that's more than enough for pitcher like Scherzer. He is a great talent, and Detroit is definitely lucky to have him. If I am Oakland, I want to win both games in Detroit to avoid the chance of seeing Scherzer again.
Sonny Gray - It is pretty evident Gray is the ace of this Oakland staff. The thing is my guess would be manager Bob Melvin worried about his age and youth going for Game 1 of the series. Gray pitched great in the second one going eight innings with nine strikeouts giving up four hits and only walking two batters. Gray was ready for primetime and he could be someone to keep an eye on for the future.
Hanley Ramirez - If there is an early MVP of the playoffs so far, it is Hanley. The Dodgers shortstop is off to a blazing start in his first playoffs ever. Ramirez is 7 of 13 and six of those hits have been for extra-bases. That's unbelievably hot right now. The crazy thing is with Yasiel Puig, we sort have overlooked how good Ramirez has been all year.
Justin Verlander - We wondered in our Tigers-A's preview what Justin Verlander were we going to get and the answer was the guy who won some Cy Young's. Verlander looked awesome on Saturday night going seven innings, four hits and eleven strikeouts only walking one batter. As Michael Cole says about WWE wrestlers, this was vintage Verlander on Saturday evening.
Lowlights
David Price's Twitter meltdown - Rays pitcher David Price took to Twitter to call everyone "Nerds" after people were criticizing his performance on Saturday evening. Price apologized the next day because he took some massive heat from all areas of the media. Price seems like a guy who cannot take some criticism because for the most part, he gets praised because he is a damn good pitcher. Price needs to grow up a bit.
Lance Lynn - The regression train hit him hard on Lynn. He struggled to end the year and it continued in the playoffs. Lynn only lasted four and a third innings giving up seven hits and five runs. I am curious given his recent success why the Cardinals did not use Joe Kelly for Game 2. He has less experience than Lynn, but been pitching better.
Brian McCann - It is a real shame McCann still has a goose egg when TBS shows his average when he steps up to the plate. That is a real bummer for him. Also I need Puig to hit a massive shot and look at it the whole way just to see the disgust on McCann's face.
Prince Fielder - We talked about the importance of Fielder and he is not off to a good start in the Detroit-Oakland series. Fielder has only managed one hit in the first two games. He needs to be more of a factor if this Detroit team wants to advance again to the League Championship Series.
Julio Tehran - Bad first start for the young Braves pitcher. Tehran got run over by the freight train that is Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez and Yazzy Puig (Yes I like calling him Yazzy, I feel like that's what Uecker would call him if he were a Brewer, yes I can dream). Also I put some of it on Fredi Gonzalez, the Braves manager, who should have pulled Tehran much earlier than he did.
Wil Myers - Bad weekend for the young Rays outfielder. He loses a ball in right field leading to the Red Sox getting 12 unanswered runs and he also has only one hit in 13 at-bats so far in the playoffs with a .077 average. If Myers struggles this year, odds are he will have another chance in the playoffs during his career.
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