Random
thoughts on the first two playoff wins:
- Vlad came into the playoffs looking lost at the plate. Two games in, and he has 6 hits, 2 home runs, 6 RBI in 10 at-bats. Baseball is weird. When he’s like this, it looks so effortless. I know it isn’t, there was a lot of hard work to get there. Add in that he’s been very good on defense, and it has been an excellent start to the playoffs for him. I don’t know how much to credit the batting coaches for his return to being Vlad. The grand slam was a 96 mph pitch on the inside edge of the zone. A pitch that should have been hard to get the bat around on.
- It also makes me happy that Andres Gimenez has chipped in offensively (but then hasn’t everyone). I like his defense at short enough that I can deal with his bat. I’d love to find a way for the team to convince Bo to play second and Andres short. I had to look; he has hit better in high-leverage spots this year, with a .283/.324/.417 line. In low leverage, .158/.261/.253. I tend to think that isn’t a skill. I mean, why would you hit .210 on the season if you could flip a switch and hit .283? Career, he’s slightly better in high-leverage spots, (.277/.353/.415) but not all-world like he’s been this year. I’m ok with it if he would like to continue that way through the playoffs.
- Daulton Varsho had one of the best games in playoff history yesterday. 12 total bases (it would have been 13 if they had left his first hit as a triple. It was kind of a 50/50 call on the error. Of course, I wanted him to have a shot at a cycle, but then two home runs and two doubles is better than a cycle. With two hits in the first game, he has a .750/.778/1.875 batting line.
- Trey Yesavage had a 78-game score yesterday. He’s going to put John in tough spots because the team is going to have to watch the strain on his arm. He’s thrown more innings than he has in the past, and that can be tough on a young arm. And John knows there are going to be complaints that he’s coming out of games early, but he’s got to balance the man’s future with the team’s present.
- Ernie Clement has had a nice couple of games too, going 3 for 7 with a home run and four RBI. Anytime a player has a 1. at the start of his OPS, you know life is good. And he makes the plays in any position he plays.
- Davis Schneider had just the one hit and walk yesterday (that word just is not right), but he saw 19 yesterday, in four plate appearances. The team has a tough choice between him and Santander. Anthony had a couple of hard hit balls in game one, with a hit, and he saw a lot of pitches too, 18 in 3 PA.
- Louis Varland has just overpowered the Yankees in his two appearances. At 24 pitches, in the two outings, and a day off tomorrow, I’m sure he’ll be available Tuesday.
- And of course, Kirk, my middle son’s favourite player, in large part, that he likes that a guy that doesn’t look like an athlete can be such a good baseball player. He txted me yesterday, saying “He’s the future of basesball. You can keep your Ohtanis and Judges”.
- The bullpen troubles yesterday weren’t fun, but we still won by a bunch, and some guys got playoff action in low-leverage moments. I’m sure they will be better the next time.
Anyway, you can talk about the guys I’ve missed in the comments and anything else you’d like to say about the first two games of the series.
