OT: MLB wildcard game 2's are happening today

Submitted by oriental andrew on October 4th, 2023 at 6:10 PM

We're talkin' baseball...

My Braves don't play until Saturday, but figured why not - it's October, time to talk postseason baseball.

So who do you like, hate, follow? What do you hope happens in each series? 

As of yesterday, game 1 winners include Texas over Tampa Bay; Minnesota over Toronto; Arizona over Milwaukee; and Philly over Miami. 

I don't follow the AL that closely, but ngl - shocked that Texas crushed TB two games in a row, taking game 2 by a score of 7-1 and winning the first wildcard series. Good luck with the O's on Saturday. They play at noon ET. 

The Twins are currently leading 2-0 in the 5th. No real horse in this game so don't really care who wins. I have a good friend from Minnesota, but Kent Hrbek also sucks. Call it a wash. 

Dbacks lost 4 straight to close the season, wondering if they can win again tonight on the road. MIL won 4 of 5 to close, but clearly need this win. Again, don't really care either way. Most of my allegiances and hatred comes from my time growing up in the 80s and 90s, so hate the old NL West of the 80s (Dodgers, Astros, Reds) and the NL East of the 90s (looking at you, Mets and Fillies). 

The one I do care about is the PHI-MIA series. I have little hope for Miami if I'm being honest. That said, I'd just love the fish to win tonight to push it to a game 3 so the winner has a shorter rest and turnaround to come down to Atlanta on Saturday. I do hope it's the Marlins, though. I can't stand the Phillies. 

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Mike Damone

October 4th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^

Just pleased that the overrated and overpaid Yankees and Mets both sucked this year.  Those arrogant fan bases should now shut their pie-holes for a while...

Joined: 09/02/2017

MGoPoints: 24153

Wendyk5

October 4th, 2023 at 7:05 PM ^

Rooting against Milwaukee but only because I'm a Cubs fan and was at the Brewers Cubs game on Sunday and a bunch of fans all around us kept yelling, "Cubs suck!" so of course I want them to feel the suckiness. Other than that, no horse in the race but I will be watching some games. 

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 67787

Mr Grainger

October 4th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^

Glad to see the Rays out. They have no fan support - that attendance for PLAYOFF games was pathetic. If the people in Tampa don't care about them why should I?

Joined: 06/26/2015

MGoPoints: 9441

Perkis-Size Me

October 4th, 2023 at 9:17 PM ^

Their TV numbers in the Tampa market are pretty good from what my folks tell me, as they still spend half the year in the Tampa / St. Pete area, but yeah their in-game attendance is putrid. But it’s not a matter of people just not caring. It’s just really difficult to get to the game if you don’t live right in downtown St. Pete. 

I do think a new stadium in a few years will help a little bit, because Tropicana is an outdated dump and an insult to baseball, but they did themselves absolutely zero favors by staying in St. Pete. 

There’s a reason the Lightning constantly pack Amalie Arena. Yes, winning helps, but they drew really well even before their most recent Cup wins. The arena is right in downtown Tampa, where people have been slowly but steadily moving to over the last decade. The Rays made it exceedingly and unnecessarily difficult to get people to want to go to the games because most of their fans are across the bay, with no reliable public transportation to get to the game.

If you live in Tampa, want to make a night out of it and have a few drinks, you’re dealing with stupidly expensive 20 mile Uber rides there and back, finding a DD willing to drive, or going sober and driving yourself. 

TL;DR, this is not a matter of people in Tampa just flat out not caring. Getting to the game is a logistical pain in the ass if you don’t already live right around the stadium, which the majority of Rays fans don’t. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105754

BlueMk1690

October 5th, 2023 at 9:54 AM ^

I think it's a little bit of an excuse to be honest. Tons of stadiums are in locations that are impractical or a long haul for significant sections of their fan base. Dodger Stadium is a mess to get to for pretty much everyone.

I don't think it's a coincidence that the Marlins have also always struggled with attendance. An overabundance of transplants with one foot still in their old Northeast or Midwest hometowns is probably one of the bigger issues in FL, and for baseball in particular there's also the issue that you basically gotta have an indoor stadium, and honestly I'm not sure if anyone's ever pulled off a nice indoor ballpark. It seems like it takes away one of the biggest reasons people go to ballgames.

 

Joined: 02/04/2011

MGoPoints: 12933

KO Stradivarius

October 4th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^

I'm all in on the Diamondbacks.  Who can't root for a young underdog team, with a former Tiger as manager who seems like a great dude, and a GM who recently lost his wife at age 45 to brain cancer?  They have good defense, steal a lot of bases, and play an exciting brand of baseball.  They built the team through the draft, trades, and a lot of good personnel moves. And glad they cut that asshole gas can MadBum. 

They are in a division with the 3 hated California teams - Dodgers, Padres, Giants, all of which can screw themselves with their higher payrolls and entitlement.  And the Rockies aren't the same but screw Colorado because fuck the Avs.    

Joined: 12/16/2014

MGoPoints: 30649

ST3

October 4th, 2023 at 10:18 PM ^

I went to Baltimore this summer and I have a pet bird. That’s the extent of my rooting interests this year. So go Orioles.

My 3 teams - Pirates, Tigers and Angels - all missed out again. But if that’s the price I have to pay for the Lions to be relevant, so be it.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 52560