Congrats to the Yankees. It was a terrific series, and I enjoyed every moment of it. Not sure if it was wide strike zones, terrible hitting, great pitching or some combination thereof.

Thanks to the Orioles for a terrific season. It's been a long time coming.

Today a lot of it was terrible hitting, it seemed to me. The Orioles could have scored a few runs off Sabathia if they had been more patient.

There were quite a few really badly taken at bats in this series. Rodriguez, Jones, Cano, Davis, Granderson. Lots of ugly there. There were a couple times that I wasn't sure Davis and Granderson had ever seen a baseball bat before.

By by virtue of the AL's best record, the Yankees get to start the ALDS a day late and play 5 playoff games in 5 days. So, who goes game 2? Kuroda on short rest? Or throw Nova/Phelps/Lowe out there and hope for the best?

So, who goes game 2? Kuroda on short rest? Or throw Nova/Phelps/Lowe out there and hope for the best?

The Yanks were giving Kuroda more rest, not less, lately, but the options are limited. Seems like the series with the #1 seed should have a day off before the ALCS. Maybe they'll fix that next year along with the 2-3 ALDS.

Sabathia deserves a lot of credit. Guy gets the big money to be the ace and he has delivered.

I suppose bud painted himself into a corner because the #1 seed playoff had to start later because it got the WC winner. Why was the season extended into the first week in October?

I would have a hard time feeling sorry for a baseball team that had to play five games in five days even if it wasn't the Yankees.

Seems like the series with the #1 seed should have a day off before the ALCS.

The No. 1 seed already gets the advantage of playing a team that had to play a must-win two days earlier. Considering it's entirely possible for the No. 1 seed to have the exact same record as the No. 2 (and this year was close as enough, as No 1 finished just one game better than No. 2, though the latter played in the tougher division), I'm not sure MLB needs to do more to grease skids for the top seed.

And, of course, the other series will always involve a team that doesn't know where it's going to be starting the LCS, so it's probably more important to have them get any extra day.

The No. 1 seed already gets the advantage of playing a team that had to play a must-win two days earlier.

There shouldn't have been an off day between the Wild Card Game and ALDS. At least, not an off day then and no off day before the ALCS.

There shouldn't have been an off day between the Wild Card Game and ALDS. At least, not an off day then and no off day before the ALCS.

MLB wants to space out the games for TV purposes, which is understandable. And finish the season before mid-November, also understandable.

So you're left with starting two series late, and it would make absolutely no sense to start the non-WC games later (since both teams have already been sidelined, barring one-game playoffs, which are more likely to be necessary for the other game anyway), and these teams won't know if they're playing home or away in the LCS until after the other LDS is finished.

If you want this silly extra WC, you've got to accept some inconveniences somewhere. This is one of them.

It seem that there were more crappy hitting than good pitching this series. though I guess purely in terms of how close each game was this was pretty awesome, 2 game went into extras (one in ridiculas fashion) and all were quiet close.

Orioles went toe to toe with Yankees all year, and then for 5 more games. An Amazing accomplishment. But CC is one of the best in the game, and thats what they pay him for.

The Yankees advanced because they had their best pitcher available to pitch Game 5.
The Tigers advanced because they had their best pitcher available to pitch Game 5.
The Nationals...oh, well.

There were quite a few really badly taken at bats in this series. Rodriguez, Jones, Cano, Davis, Granderson. Lots of ugly there. There were a couple times that I wasn't sure Davis and Granderson had ever seen a baseball bat before.

Yeah, I really think this series was more crummy hitting than great pitching. It just wasn't very compelling.

As much as I enjoy seeing the Yankees inconvenienced it is not right that they have back to back games while the Tigers have a day off. The AL playoff track and NL playoff track should be on the same schedule. I hope it costs the Yankees the series but fair is fair.

By by virtue of the AL's best record, the Yankees get to start the ALDS a day late and play 5 playoff games in 5 days. So, who goes game 2? Kuroda on short rest? Or throw Nova/Phelps/Lowe out there and hope for the best?

I don't think Nova's even on the postseason roster, though they'll probably add him. My guess is that it'll be Phelps, who can give them 5 or 6 half-decent innings if he's on. The only consolation for the Yanks is that at least they won't see Verlander until game 3, but then thanks once again to that ALDS schedule, the Tigers will have Verlander on full rest for a game 7 while Sabathia would have to go on short rest. In addition, the Yanks are going to have to pull Hughes from the rotation because of the quirks in the schedule, since the day he'd be normally slotted in (Wednesday's game 4) would also be the day that Sabathia's ready to go. Given baseball's obsession with maximizing the TV audience, I can see why they did it this way, but it's putting a serious crimp on the game on the field----and so much for "conspiracies" that supposedly "always favor the Yankees."

The best part about this win is that it put to bed that stupid "The Yankees have beaten a non-Twins team in the ALDS since 2001!" thing, which had to be among the five stupidest fucking things ever posted on BBTF.

Eric Chavez 0-8 with 4 SO he did a great job of replacing Arod against Baltimore. It's about the money and Alex makes the most. The Yankees need him to win this thing.

Is Joba going to be able to pitch?

I could be wrong, but wrt the schedule discussion above, isn't this all just a byproduct of the second Wild Card being added in Spring Training? Going forward, it should be corrected, but I think they just didn't have time this year.

I could be wrong, but wrt the schedule discussion above, isn't this all just a byproduct of the second Wild Card being added in Spring Training? Going forward, it should be corrected, but I think they just didn't have time this year.

The truth is that until baseball places quality of play considerations above marketing, it's hard to see how they're going to correct it going forward. They apparently just HAVE to have a game on Saturday night, and I doubt that they're likely to give that up just because it winds up screwing one team and not the other.

The truth is that until baseball places quality of play considerations above marketing, it's hard to see how they're going to correct it going forward. They apparently just HAVE to have a game on Saturday night, and I doubt that they're likely to give that up just because it winds up screwing one team and not the other.

Pretty sure that MLB actually attempts to avoid having Saturday night games.

-and so much for "conspiracies" that supposedly "always favor the Yankees."

I think such conspiracies became ridiculous to believe some half a billion confiscated dollars ago.

I could be wrong, but wrt the schedule discussion above, isn't this all just a byproduct of the second Wild Card being added in Spring Training? Going forward, it should be corrected, but I think they just didn't have time this year.

I think that's what generated the 2-3 format. I think Andy is right about the no offday being a function of the slave to TV schedules approach.

I really think the Yankees should start Kuroda on short rest.

Pettitte vs. Fister (Full rest)
Kuroda vs. Sanchez (3 days rest)
Hughes vs. Verlander (Full rest)
Sabathia vs. Scherzer (Full rest)
Pettitte vs. Fister (Full rest)
Kuroda vs. Sanchez (5 days rest)
Sabathia vs. Verlander (3 days rest)

I think that's the best pitching matchups possible here for the Yankees. Short rest for Kuroda in Game Two, but long rest for him in Game Six, and you only use Sabathia on short rest for the potential Game Seven. Meanwhile, you match Hughes against Verlander, since Verlander is the pitcher most likely to make an 8-inning, 2 run performance go to waste. If they can score a few off of Verlander, Hughes can pitch well enough make that stand up, and they steal a game while having their best pitchers match against Detroit's second-tier guys. If Hughes throws a clunker, it probably wouldn't matter since Verlander's likely to pitch a great game anyway. Plus, after Game Three you have Hughes available out of the bullpen, where he's succeeded in the past.

If you start Phelps or Nova, you've got:

Pettitte vs. Fister (Full rest)
Phelps/Nova vs. Sanchez
Kuroda vs. Verlander (5 days rest)
Sabathia vs. Scherzer (Full rest)
Pettitte vs. Fister (Full rest)
Hughes vs. Sanchez (8 days rest)
Sabathia vs. Verlander (3 days rest)

Now you've got Kuroda pitching only once, giving a start to Phelps or Nova, while pushing Hughes' game to a possible elimination game -- while being horribly over-rested. And even if Kuroda pitches great in his one game, it's against Justin Verlander, so he's still likely to lose.

The truth is that until baseball places quality of play considerations above marketing, it's hard to see how they're going to correct it going forward. They apparently just HAVE to have a game on Saturday night, and I doubt that they're likely to give that up just because it winds up screwing one team and not the other.

Pretty sure that MLB actually attempts to avoid having Saturday night games.

Then what's the cause of tonight's scheduled game? It's obviously just what I said: Marketing considerations overruling everything else.

If you want this silly extra WC, you've got to accept some inconveniences somewhere. This is one of them.

But the point was supposed to be to make it harder on the WC team(s). Not to disadvantage the #1 seed. Larry's right, there should be no off day after the WC play-in. It goes too far in mitigating the disadvantage of playing that game in the first place.

Then what's the cause of tonight's scheduled game? It's obviously just what I said: Marketing considerations overruling everything else.

Yes, obviously. Oh wait, except for the fact that the Tigers didn't know where they were going to be today until after 8:00 last night.

I think that's the best pitching matchups possible here for the Yankees. Short rest for Kuroda in Game Two, but long rest for him in Game Six,

Kuroda's ERA breakdown for 2012:

4 days' rest: 3.56
5 days' rest: 2.60
6+ days' rest: 6.27

Kuroda has never pitched on less than 4 days' rest in his entire career, and it'd be insane to try it for the first time in the postseason.

Meanwhile, here's Hughes' ERA breakdown this year:

4 days' rest: 4.52
5 days' rest: 3.92
6+ days' rest: 4.32

Extra rest hasn't hurt Hughes, but short rest should be out of the question for Kuroda. And by using Phelps/Nova in game 3, you've got Kuroda on full rest or Sabathia on 3 days rest both ready for game 7, which gives the Yanks a lot of flexibility.

Then what's the cause of tonight's scheduled game? It's obviously just what I said: Marketing considerations overruling everything else.

Yes, obviously. Oh wait, except for the fact that the Tigers didn't know where they were going to be today until after 8:00 last night.

And how would starting the ALCS on Sunday instead of tonight have affected that? I'm not saying that the schedule was deliberately aimed to hurt any particular team.

And how would starting the ALCS on Sunday instead of tonight have affected that? I'm not saying that the schedule was deliberately aimed to hurt any particular team.

That's not a marketing consideration. That's a contractual obligation.

I dunno, what's wrong with playing baseball every day? We seem to like that from April through September :)

I dunno, what's wrong with playing baseball every day? We seem to like that from April through September :)

I don't think Andy would be complaining if the Tigers were also playing five games in five days. But that would have meant their game five on Friday afternoon instead of Thursday night. So he's sorta right about the "marketing considerations" even if he's wrong about which part of the schedule was driven in which direction.

I was rooting for the Orioles, but I've got to tip my cap to the Yankees. Sabathia put in an outstanding performance. When I saw him come back out in the 9th, I knew that Baltimore had no chance. The Orioles had some real horrible swings.

Here's hoping that these two teams are neck and neck again next year. For the time being, I prefer this rivalry to Red Sox - Yankees.

I don't think Andy would be complaining if the Tigers were also playing five games in five days.

That would have leveled the playing field, and you're right, that would've eliminated the main problem from a competitive POV.

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I dunno, what's wrong with playing baseball every day? We seem to like that from April through September :)

I see Mr. Smileyface, but it's interesting to note that for fully half of the history of the World Series, "travel days" meant just that, and only that. In 1948, for instance, the Boston Braves and the Cleveland Indians played their six game World Series in just six days, with no "travel days" between games 2/3 and games 5/6. In 1934 the Cardinals and the Tigers played seven games in seven days. It was only when teams from Chicago or St. Louis played teams from the East Coast that there was any break in the schedule. And it wasn't until 1957 that the "travel days" were made a permanent part of the postseason schedule, no matter how little the real need for them----Did they really need a "travel day" to ride the subway from Yankee Stadium to Shea Stadium in 2000? Wouldn't there have been at least one native New Yorker on each team who could have prevented them from winding up in Coney Island?

Obviously the multitude of series of indeterminate lengths and the introduction of postseason night games makes travel days necessary, but it actually might be fun to see a World Series that ran straight through in seven consecutive days. For one thing, it would reward teams with pitching depth that extends beyond the first two spots in the rotation.

And how would starting the ALCS on Sunday instead of tonight have affected that? I'm not saying that the schedule was deliberately aimed to hurt any particular team.

That's not a marketing consideration. That's a contractual obligation.

Which in turn was driven by marketing considerations. That contract wasn't written by God.

If the Yankees wanted a day off, they should've beaten the Orioles in 3 or 4 games. They got an extra day off before the DS that the Tigers didn't get. It doesn't really seem like something worth complaining about.

A bitter end to a sweet season for the O's. They fought hard this series, but they fell just short.

This team was still my favorite sports team of all time. I think they are going to surprise some people next year who expect them to fall right back to the basement.

If the Yankees wanted a day off, they should've beaten the Orioles in 3 or 4 games.

This. Zero sympathy.

If the Yankees wanted a day off, they should've beaten the Orioles in 3 or 4 games.

This. Zero sympathy.

I imagine after a generation's worth of consecutive losing seasons sympathy would be hard to come by from your ilk.

But the point was supposed to be to make it harder on the WC team(s). Not to disadvantage the #1 seed. Larry's right, there should be no off day after the WC play-in. It goes too far in mitigating the disadvantage of playing that game in the first place.

So, should MLB have all four DS games start on the same day, with the same day off for all four series? That doesn't seem like a very intelligent distribution of games, from the league's standpoint.

And if you don't do that, then you have to stagger the series. But if you stagger the series, then the other series has to have an earlier end (at least, if both go 5), because a) the whole system wasn't designed to handicap the other division winners (one or even both of whom may have the exact same record as the No. 1 seed, and possibly play in a tougher division), and b) the 2 or 3 seed can open the LCS at home or on the road, whereas the No. 1 seed knows it will be at home in the LCS (and we've already established we don't care about the WC), so it's more important for them to have the extra day.

Moreover, the extra WC was designed to make it tougher for the WC, which the extra game already does. I don't think its intent was to also grease the skids for one, and just one, of the division winners. It's one thing to handicap the WC with an extra game against a fellow undeserving, but when you also kneecap them in Round 2, you're also giving the No. 1 seed the same degree of advantage, an edge that they may not warrant (at least compared to their other division winners).

As I said throughout the run-up to this, the creation of the extra WC it invites many of these little issues. There is no way to do this where some unfairness doesn't crop up. Each fix will expose another potential problem elsewhere.

Frankly, given how terribly most of the Yankees have been hitting, I'm thinking 5 games in a row without a day off is good for them. It put the rotation into a quandry, but since they're not going to advance unless they pull their collective heads out of their asses, I'm just hoping the schedule is going to get the bats going ...

I imagine after a generation's worth of consecutive losing seasons sympathy would be hard to come by from your ilk.

Yeah, silly me, for wasting it all on Pat Neshek like that.