I hate the 16 team, 3 game first round playoffs so much that it's ALMOST taking the fun out of opening day for me.

I'm actually excited for the 16 team playoff this year. I like It for one year only

I'm ok with expanded playoffs, but 12 would have been the better number. That would have enabled you to give byes to the top 2 teams in each league to the division series.

Now the only difference in finishing 1st or 8th is playing at home in a 3 game series. And anything can happen in a 3 game series.

Hate 3 game playoff - best teams can lose that opening game then w backs to the wall have to win 2 in a row.

That being said 60 game season feels like 100yd dash vs marathon. Astros put together another 9 game win streak and it could be over. This will be fun.

And count me as one that never thought we'd see this day.

How about we get on record with some predictions (assuming season finishes through WS):

AL CHAMP:
NL CHAMP:
WS CHAMP:

AL CY:
AL MVP:

NL CY:
NL MVP:

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP:
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP:
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER:

Ag_07 said:

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It's embarrassing for a professional sport to have sub .500 teams in the playoffs.

Not even under these circumstances is that justifiable.

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I'm pretty sure it has happened in the NFL as well It happens in every league every now and then

AL CHAMP: Astros
NL CHAMP: Dodgers
WS CHAMP: HOUSTON MF ASTROS

AL CY: Gerrit Cole
AL MVP: Francisco Lindor

NL CY: Jack Flaherty
NL MVP: Mookie Betts

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: George Springer
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: Jose Altuve
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: Josh James

HossAg said:

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It feels like a joke when it happens in other leagues too.

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I agree I'm just saying the playoff system is never perfect no matter what the league is.
In 2015 we made the wildcard game by winning 86 games. Last year the Cleveland Indians missed the playoffs entirely winning 93 games

McCullers vs Verlander for Cy Young
Coming down to last week of season

That filth McCullers throws is too ****in nasty not to put it all together

For the record I got:

AL CHAMP: Astros
NL CHAMP: Braves
WS CHAMP: Astros

AL CY: Cole (Verlander finished a close 2nd but NY bias prevails)
AL MVP: Trout (Although someone will have a better case)

NL CY: DeGrom
NL MVP: Acuna Jr (to follow up on my Braves prediction)

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: Springer
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: Bregman
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: Tucker

The 16 team crap turns the playoffs into nothing more than a tournament now. If they wanna do 16 teams then they at least shoulda made it a best of 5 series.

The best team of the season will not win the World Series this year.

MLB FANS: We want baseball! Give us baseball

MLB: you got it, we are going to give you more baseball with expanded postseason that could create fun matchups and your team now has an increased chance to make the playoffs.

MLB FANS: hey now we didn't ask for more baseball!

LFG

#TOFA
#Raulito

AustinCountyAg said:

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The 16 team crap turns the playoffs into nothing more than a tournament now. If they wanna do 16 teams then they at least shoulda made it a best of 5 series.

The best team of the season will not win the World Series this year.

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When has the team with the best record in MLB actually won the World Series? Typically the best team doesn't win... just enjoy the extra baseball we will get.

I'll go a bit outside the box here, and try not to pick too many clubhouse leaders.

AL CHAMP: Rays
NL CHAMP: Dodgers
WS CHAMP: Dodgers

AL CY: Cole
AL MVP: Rendon (assuming Trout taps out with baby)

NL CY: Strasburg
NL MVP: Betts

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: McCullers
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: Altuve
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: Abreu

tjholley16 said:

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AustinCountyAg said:

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The 16 team crap turns the playoffs into nothing more than a tournament now. If they wanna do 16 teams then they at least shoulda made it a best of 5 series.

The best team of the season will not win the World Series this year.

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When has the team with the best record in MLB actually won the World Series? Typically the best team doesn't win... just enjoy the extra baseball we will get.

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The BEST team may not win every year, but from the prerequisites to get in the playoffs one of the best teams usually wins. Now you have the possibility of a very mediocre team getting hot at the right time and knocking out a top team.

AustinCountyAg said:

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tjholley16 said:

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AustinCountyAg said:

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The 16 team crap turns the playoffs into nothing more than a tournament now. If they wanna do 16 teams then they at least shoulda made it a best of 5 series.

The best team of the season will not win the World Series this year.

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When has the team with the best record in MLB actually won the World Series? Typically the best team doesn't win... just enjoy the extra baseball we will get.

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The BEST team may not win every year, but from the prerequisites to get in the playoffs one of the best teams usually wins. Now you have the possibility of a very mediocre team getting hot at the right time and knocking out a top team.

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You had more of a possibility of a mediocre team going on a run in the 60 game season and making the playoffs under the 10 team postseason.

If the A's end up being really good, and maybe we have some guys miss a week or two (Aka our injury prone guys)... now we aren't out of it because a team like the Angels gets hot.

If you lose a best of 3 series to the #7-8 team in your league in October, then odds are you weren't good enough going to win the World Series anyways.

If you are going to expand is it really that difficult to make a 3 game series a 5 game series?

Anyone that knows baseball understands a 3 game series is extremely gimmicky and could potentially lead to a very poor team advancing due to having 2 quality arms and the rest of the team is trash yet can advance.

You run that risk enough in a 5 game series as we know. 2 outta 3 is as asinine.

And getting to choose who you play? Can't eye roll enough at that.

Expanding playoffs = great thing. As usual MLB trying to actually implement a well thought out idea into practice = fail

AL CHAMP: Yankees. I'm afraid Cole makes the difference.
NL CHAMP: Dodgers.

Fox and Buck literally orgasm on live TV at the pregame before the WS with their dream ratings matchup.
WS CHAMP: Dodgers. They bought it.

AL CY: Cole.
AL MVP: Judge. At least one Astros player will have a better season and voters won't pull the trigger.

NL CY: DeGrom
NL MVP: Betts

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: Springer
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: Altuve
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: Some AA pitcher

AL CHAMP: ASTROS
NL CHAMP: DODGERS
WS CHAMP: ASTROS IN 5

AL CY: VERLANDER
AL MVP: TROUT

NL CY: JACOB DeGROM
NL MVP: MOOKIE BETTS

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: BREGMAN
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP:SPRINGER
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: KYLE TUCKER

What are y'all doing for the game tonight?

Hot dogs, Frito pies, and nachos are on the menu with some Miller lite drafts.

AL CHAMP: Astros
NL CHAMP: Dodgers
WS CHAMP: Dodgers

AL CY: Morton
AL MVP: Trout

NL CY: Strasburg
NL MVP: Betts

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: Altuve
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: best avg? Altuve
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: obvious answer is TED but I'll go with James.

Last year I called the Astros-Nats WS preseason. I did however miss the champ.

tjholley16 said:

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AL CHAMP: Astros
NL CHAMP: Dodgers
WS CHAMP: HOUSTON MF ASTROS

AL CY: Gerrit Cole
AL MVP: Francisco Lindor

NL CY: Jack Flaherty
NL MVP: Mookie Betts

TEAM SPECIFIC

ASTROS MVP: George Springer
ASTROS BATTING CHAMP: Jose Altuve
ASTROS BREAKOUT PLAYER: Josh James

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My prediction of the Astros winning the World Series is contingent on Alvarez and Urquidy returning. If they don't then I think the Yankees will take the ALCS and the World Series

mike_ags_fan12 said:

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What are y'all doing for the game tonight?

Hot dogs, Frito pies, and nachos are on the menu with some Miller lite drafts.

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I'm going to walk on's in Spring tonight