Sports: Football, Baseball, Bball, Hockey, Etc. Vol. II

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Jeff, are you going to watch the Phils play Miami tonight or any of the 4 games today? I'm currently watching the Rays and the Rangers Wild Card Game!

Here's a handy link if anyone wants to see what games are playing and when and on what Channel/Network or whatever. The teams have to win 2 of 3 to move on to the Division Series where a team will already be waiting for them.

On the last day of the season, both the Rangers and Astr*s tied for first place in the AL West Division. Tie breaker rules went to the dreaded Astr*s team, so they don't have to be in the first round. Dang it all, can't we rid ourselves of that team this year for a change?

https://www.mlb.com/postseason

[fritzkep]

Geaux O's! Closest we have to a hometown team this time!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

The Orioles orange uniforms would look great playing against the Dodgers blue!

One difference in all of the playoff games this year, is that it's the first ever season where ALL of the teams in MLB have played each other at least 3 times.

[fritzkep]

The club seems to alternate between a cartoon bird and a more ornithologically correct one.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Jeff, are you going to watch the Phils play Miami tonight?

Got the game on even as I write this.

Last night it was kind of fun. I can see CBP from my place, and last night they must have been making sure that all the lights were working properly because the lights kept flashing on and off.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

First Day of the Post Season results:

I'm assuming you're HAPPY, Jeff!  I thought of you a couple times while watching the game last night, because I know you can see the stadium from your place. How much do you know about your closer Craig Kimbrel, credited with the save? He is an extremely nice guy, however...he was on the Dodgers last year and he can try your nerves to the last drop. To paraphrase a nursery rhyme: "When he's good, he's very very good, but when he is bad he is horrid."

Texas Rangers @ Tampa Bay Rays
TEX 4, TB 0   WP: Jordan Montgomery   LP: Tyler Glasnow (I love Tyler Glasnow)
AL Wild Card - Game 1, TEX leads series 1-0

Toronto Blue Jays @ Minnesota Twins
MIN 3, TOR 1       WP: Pablo Lopez   LP: Kevin Gausman   SAVE: Jhoan Duran
AL Wild Card - Game 1, MIN leads series 1-0

Arizona Serpientes @ Milwaukee Brewers
ARI 6, MIL 3        WP: Joe Mantiply   LP: Corbin Burnes   SAVE: Paul Sewald
NL Wild Card - Game 1, ARI leads series 1-0

Miami Marlins @ Philadelphia Phillies
PHI 4, MIA 1       WP: Zack Wheeler   LP: Jesus Luzardo   SAVE: Craig Kimbrel
NL Wild Card - Game 1, PHI leads series 1-0

The teams only have to win 2 of 3 games, so any of these teams can move on tonight!

[Lyle (Mooska)]

The club seems to alternate between a cartoon bird and a more ornithologically correct one.

Do you have a preference?
I'm thinking about it.

[fritzkep]

Do you have a preference?
I'm thinking about it.

I like the cartoon oriole wearing a baseball cap better.

That's the one I'm more familiar with, though when I went to my first games after Orioles Park at Camden Yards was open, they were using the more birdlike form.

[fritzkep]

And it's nice to know that the namesake bird is once again officially called the Baltimore oriole, after having flirted with the name Northern oriole because of interbreeding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_oriole

[fritzkep]

This one was all right, but not as much fun as the current one.

[fritzkep]

And this one was fun too.

[Lyle (Mooska)]

Do they have a name for the bird? Baltimore Bill?  Ollie Oriole?  Morrie Oriole?
___

The Tampa Rays may be the first team out in the Post Season, losing to Texas right now by 6 runs in the 6th. They were in 1st Place most of the year in the AL East. They won 99 games! Only Dodgers, Baltimore and Atlanta won more. Of all the first round teams they won the most. That team is always scrapping in the AL East along with the Yankees and Red Sox and Blue Jays and add Baltimore this year. They also rarely spend much money like the big market teams. They play great ball. How disappointing for them again. 

[Lyle (Mooska)]

This can't be good for their moral either. These games are being played in Tampa Bay!

Headline today:

2023 MLB playoffs: Rays See Historically Low Attendance for Game 1 of AL Wild Card Series vs. Rangers
The Rays had the lowest attendance for a playoff game in over 100 years

The Rays have been the target of low attendance for years now, and their average attendance was 17,781 in the 2023 regular season. That ranked 27th, and only the Kansas City Royals (Jonn?!?), Miami Marlins and Oakland Athletics were lower.

So, the Florida MLB teams, both of whom are in the play-offs, don't even draw attendance??? I'm looking to see if I can find any reason for that?*

*So one thing I read, the Tampa area isn't that populous, perhaps, to support a large attendence. Another thing I read says a lot of people who live in Florida come from other states and hold their allegiances to the teams where they're from.

[fritzkep]

Do they have a name for the bird? Baltimore Bill?  Ollie Oriole?  Morrie Oriole?
___

The Tampa Rays may be the first team out in the Post Season, losing to Texas right now by 6 runs in the 6th. They were in 1st Place most of the year in the AL East. They won 99 games! Only Dodgers, Baltimore and Atlanta won more. Of all the first round teams they won the most. That team is always scrapping in the AL East along with the Yankees and Red Sox and Blue Jays and add Baltimore this year. They also rarely spend much money like the big market teams. They play great ball. How disappointing for them again. 

Just a prosaic one, the Oriole Bird!

[Jeff Wrangler]

I'm assuming you're HAPPY, Jeff!  I thought of you a couple times while watching the game last night, because I know you can see the stadium from your place. How much do you know about your closer Craig Kimbrel, credited with the save? He is an extremely nice guy, however...he was on the Dodgers last year and he can try your nerves to the last drop. To paraphrase a nursery rhyme: "When he's good, he's very very good, but when he is bad he is horrid."

Don't really know anything about anybody--except that maybe Bryson Stott can walk on water.