October 12th, MLB Playoff Notes

It’s October and that means playoff baseball. Here are some interesting bits o’ info in regards to what is going on right now in the MLB playoffs.

Score first…

– Teams to score first are 12-3 so far this postseason

– Teams to out-homer opponents are 12-0 so far this postseason

– 47.9% of runs have been scored via HR this postseason (was 42.7% in '21 RS)

– Home teams are 11-4 this postseason

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 12, 2021

The winner of Game 3 in a five game series that was tied 1-1 coming into the contest goes on to win 72 percent of the time (39 of 54).

Current World Series odds…

https://twitter.com/CST_soxvan/status/1447950664466849798

GIANTS VS. DODGERS – San Francisco Leads 2-1

The Dodgers had won 16-straight games at home before their Game 3 loss.

The Dodgers were last shut out twice in a three-game span early in the 2018 season.

Playoffs bring strange lineups and choices. The Giants started Kris Bryant at first base in Game 3, the first time he’s played the position since being dealt to the Giants. Tyler Rogers made 80 flipping appearances for the Giants. Just two of them were before the seventh inning and just 7-of-80 were before the 8^th. He pitched in the 5^th inning last night.

Brandon Crawford made the play of the series last night.

I heard they recently decided to add more hops to it. pic.twitter.com/kwZc9RbRZa

— MLB (@MLB) October 12, 2021

Rookie Camilo Doval, the NL Pitcher of the Month in September, had a historic effort in Game 3.

Camilo Doval of the @SFGiants is the only rookie to have a 2.0+ inning save in the postseason without allowing a baserunner since saves became an official stat in 1969.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 12, 2021

Gavin Lux stood in utter shock when he made the last out of the game. He was positive he hit a homer. The wind knocked it down, and the ball was caught on the track. He was right though, it sure could have been a homer.

Gavin Lux hit the final pitch of the game 106.9 mph and at a 22-degree launch angle. Batters this season, on balls hit 106-107 mph and at 22-degree launch, were 55 for 62 (.887) with 38 home runs. The Dodgers had four such hits this year. All were homers. Lux thought he had one.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) October 12, 2021

Buster Posey’s impressive career resume continues to grow.

Most team shutouts, postseason history:

Yankees: 32
Giants: 27
Braves: 23

AND BUSTER POSEY HAS CAUGHT 14 OF THEM

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 12, 2021

and

Tonight was the 14th time Buster Posey was the starting catcher in a game his team won via shutout, which was already by far the most of any catcher in postseason history:

Buster Posey: 14
Yadier Molina: 8
Yogi Berra: 7

(h/t @EliasSports)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 12, 2021

It’s just a continuation for a Giants team that people have overlooked all year…

Between the regular season and the #postseason, the @SFGiants have recorded 20 shutouts, the most in @MLB.

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 12, 2021

Max Scherzer got the lost in Game 3, but he pitched extremely well save for the Evan Longoria homer.

Max Scherzer is the 6th pitcher in #postseason history with 5 or more 10+ K games.

Justin Verlander: 7
Clayton Kershaw: 6
Cliff Lee: 5
Randy Johnson: 5
Bob Gibson: 5 pic.twitter.com/6bNDwhsSeU

— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) October 12, 2021

He also made history in the loss.

In the last nine postseasons, 22 times a pitcher allowed exactly one run in exactly seven innings. 20 times, that pitcher’s team won

The two team losses? Max Scherzer starts: tonight, and Game 2 of the 2013 ALCShttps://t.co/p2ImgtYN8D

— Eric Stephen (@ericstephen) October 12, 2021

Perhaps the Dodgers have a chance…

https://twitter.com/GrantBrisbee/status/1447802188797861888

BREWERS VS. BRAVES – Atlanta Lead 2-1

The Braves will go with aging righty, Charlie Morton, on short rest in Game 4.

Morton last went on short rest in postseason in Game 7 of 2017 World Series, when he pitched four relief innings for the win. Today he’ll start Game 4 on short rest for the #Braves. pic.twitter.com/LAu6PTPptx

— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) October 12, 2021

If it goes to Game 5, Max Fried would start for Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Brewers will not turn back to Corbin Burnes, instead rolling with Eric Lauer. Here is why.

Just food for thought as you debate the Brewers' decision to start Eric Lauer in a must-win game today over bringing back Corbin Burnes:

In the Wild Card era (1995-present), starters on short rest in the postseason are 30-45 with a 4.58 ERA, averaging 5.1 innings.

— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) October 12, 2021

Burnes/Peralta/Woodruff: 1.69 ERA, 0.93 WHIP over 16 innings as the Brewers haven’t scored in 19 innings. They have one run over 99 plate appearances. They are hitless in 16 RISP at-bats and are hitting .176 in 91 at-bats. The combined total of nine runs through three games is the lowest mark in a division series, through three games, ever.

RAYS VS. RED SOX – Boston Wins 3-1

The Red Sox had 47 hits their last three games to move on the ALCS.

Kike Hernandez making history for the Red Sox. Yeah, makes sense.

In his postseason career, Kiké Hernández of the @RedSox has:

-a 3-HR game
-a 5-hit game
-a 7-RBI game
-a pinch-hit HR
-a walkoff series-clinching RBI

No other player in MLB history has accomplished more than 2 of those 5 feats in his postseason career.

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) October 12, 2021

Playoffs bring strange lineups and choices. Shane McClanahan was a master in 2021, offering a phenomenal effort for the Rays. He pitched in 25 games. He made two starts on the normal four days of rest. He made 12 starts on five days of rest. He made eight starts, or roughly a third of them, on six days or more. So, in the playoffs what do the Rays do? On October 7^th they pitch him five innings and then bring him back on October 11^th to get blitzed for five runs while generating two outs.

Randy Arozarena has 17 RBI in 23 playoff games.

WHITE SOX VS. ASTROS – Houston Leads 2-1

It’s Lance McCullers versus the hopeful Carlos Rodon in Game 4 after the weather-out of Monday. McCullers allowed just four hits over 6.2 scoreless innings in Game 1.

Astros arm update for Game 4.

Dusty Baker said Jose Urquidy is available out of the bullpen today. But not Framber Valdez.

— Brian McTaggart (@brianmctaggart) October 12, 2021

If the series goes give games, the White Sox have not announced their plans yet.

No game 5 starter for the Sox yet. Sounds like Lynn and Giolito would be avail today which means the other one would start tomorrow. Sure they have a plan but aren't saying. We shall see.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 12, 2021