Sean Dolinar 4:54 PM

Hey! Everyone, we got a dinner-time game today, so we won't be up late, but we do have NFL football to compete with. Though the Tampa Bay game just ended. And the Browns already won.

mrperfectpair 5:00 PM

Tampa. Need them to win pennant to cash this ticket. They’ve done me well. Al east cashed. I need two more wins. I love fan graphs, love the site. I really appreciate the service.

lzfreak 5:10 PM

Think the ball is carrying better today

NicklePickers 5:12 PM

o/u number of times Messick growing up a Rays fan is mentioned?

David 5:14 PM

Depends how long he lasts, not off to the greatest start here…

Davy Andrews 5:14 PM

What are you guys talking about?

Davy Andrews 5:15 PM

Baseballs?

bosoxforlife 5:18 PM

He had to challenge that!

Sean Dolinar 5:18 PM

Terrible challenge

bosoxforlife 5:18 PM

But not this one.

Sean Dolinar 5:19 PM

It’s still way too early for this.

Brian547 5:19 PM

According to last night its time to bring the infield in

asf123 5:19 PM

The challenges have been just bizarre all postseason.

bosoxforlife 5:19 PM

That bobble by Rocchio could turn out to be the play of the year.

Sean Dolinar 5:21 PM

I feel like in the regular season, you load the bases like that and 3 plus runs score. Postseason you get dinged one run, and no one scores again until the 7th inning.

David 5:23 PM

How much does this start lead to questioning starting Bailey over Hedges with Messick?

bosoxforlife 5:23 PM

I am trying to understand why DeLuca didn't challenge the 2-0 pitch. The leverage index couldn't have been much higher and his body language said he knew it was a ball.

Sean Dolinar 5:26 PM

We also don’t get an outfielder running over the parabolic mic guy in the regular season either.

bosoxforlife 5:31 PM

I know hitting is tough but a major leaguer should not swing through those two fastballs in the heart of the zone.

wheelhouse 5:31 PM

hate both of these teams

lzfreak 5:37 PM

The babip gods are making their presence felt here

David 5:37 PM

How much longer can you ride Messick here?

NicklePickers 5:38 PM

mostly tough babip luck

Brian547 5:39 PM

The infield shifts have ummm not worked… those were both easy outs/potential double plays

NicklePickers 5:40 PM

check swings feel like the hardest thing for me to see in real time from CF cams. I’m wrong all the time.

Jon Becker 5:40 PM

Hi everyone!

bosoxforlife 5:40 PM

What a gift for Messick.

wheelhouse 5:42 PM

no team deserves to have given up 2 runs on 5 hits in 2 innings of allowing a .188 xBA as much as cleveland

Brian547 5:46 PM

I get it Sean… Ill back off. Just dont like the trolls and wanted to push back a bit. Most Yankee fans are not like this.

Bryan Baldwin 5:46 PM

Pretty sure Junior would swing at a ball into the stands

asf123 5:47 PM

Is that Ronald Acuña ad for Kalshi any less weird with the volume on?

asf123 5:47 PM

He lives in a tunnel under home plate, is that the premise??

asf123 5:48 PM

I bet he actually lives in a house.

asf123 5:49 PM

Probably a large one.

Bryan Baldwin 5:51 PM

Wow what a catch

Bryan Baldwin 5:54 PM

A good poll would be which commercial do you hate the most?

Rich Hill's Fastball 5:54 PM

How will Cleveland cover 27 outs here?

Bryan Baldwin 5:56 PM

Okay, this is random, but what about letting the winning team in the postseason pick a player from the opposite team for the rest of the post? I know, I’m crazy.

lzfreak 5:56 PM

Simpson is in their heads

asf123 5:56 PM

Broadcast booth has a collective Speed Boner.

asf123 5:58 PM

Is it a prerequisite for being a playoff broadcaster that you have to wish the game were still played like it was in the ‘80s?

Sean Dolinar 5:58 PM

Rays are going to score 1 run every inning to win 9-0.

lzfreak 5:58 PM

My hot take on bunting is that showing bunt should be treated as a swing and therefore often a strike

Brian547 5:59 PM

That has to be caught!!!

NicklePickers 6:00 PM

Rays relaxed on challenges

Bryan Baldwin 6:00 PM

I think Simpson tried to high five the ump

Bryan Baldwin 6:01 PM

RISP kings

lzfreak 6:03 PM

With the lack of travel day after this it makes this feel more critical than the average 2-2 game 5. Loser is gonna have to really ride their A bullpen

Brian547 6:04 PM

Can we get a return interview with Jeff after the Rays win the WS to breakdown the minutia of the playoff decisions, positioning, pitching strategy… or is that too proprietary to ever become public?

Dave from DC 6:06 PM

Brew Crew might have something to say about that!

asf123 6:06 PM

Who is the target audience for Limu Emu and Doug?

Sean Dolinar 6:07 PM

We should have Jeff and August face off against each in podcast before the WS starts.

Bryan Baldwin 6:09 PM

Wow

lzfreak 6:09 PM

That was a fun bunt

Rich Hill's Fastball 6:09 PM

This is a real fun team

Brian547 6:10 PM

Ill admit that was super smart and well executed.

lzfreak 6:10 PM

Just a great opportunity to catch them off guard: relatively fast runner who can't really hit anyway, lefty reliever on the mound

cowdisciple 6:11 PM

If the WS is Milwaukee against Tampa, it should be a very entertaining defense and baserunning show. When was the last time there was more team speed than that in the World Series?

Jon Becker 6:15 PM

I did not think Kwan had a chance in the world there

lzfreak 6:15 PM

This inning has had some serious excitement

Brian547 6:15 PM

Kwan has the best weak arm in baseball

Sean Dolinar 6:16 PM

The one-run-per-inning thing looks to be in jeopardy.

moomin 6:19 PM

love me an exciting scoreless inning (when it's not my team failing)

lzfreak 6:24 PM

The circumstances are setting up for Rasmussen to potentially go deep in this game

Sean Dolinar 6:24 PM

Cleveland really needs a baserunner. It's been a too long.

Sean Dolinar 6:25 PM

That's a good challenge.

Rich Hill's Fastball 6:29 PM

What does it say about the state of these commercials all month that I'm grateful for a Wendy's ad?

Brian547 6:33 PM

Magic 8 ball says Sabrowski

Bryan Baldwin 6:44 PM

Holy cow

David 6:44 PM

I mean, Walls certainly isn't in there for his bat

Rich Hill's Fastball 6:45 PM

The margin feels much bigger than 3 runs

Brian547 6:45 PM

In all seriousness the biggest difference in this game has been defensive positioning… Rays =Great, CLE=Bad

Jack Dorfman 6:46 PM

On the broadcast the other day, they compared Rasmussen to Doc Halladay… feels apt after this postseason

Bryan Baldwin 6:47 PM

Is it just me or could Sabrowski be Messicks brother?

Sean Dolinar 6:48 PM

Another TB baserunner…I looked up at the TV.

lzfreak 6:49 PM

That was the first time all series Bazzana did that right

Bryan Baldwin 6:49 PM

Was he even running?

Brian547 6:52 PM

Do teams give players scouting reports for the likely defensive alignment they will face on a given night vs a given team vs a given pitcher… Do we know the level of detail in that sort of prep?

ncphl 6:55 PM

That was middle-middle to both Kwan and Ramirez

lzfreak 6:55 PM

Alright Cleveland is awake

Rich Hill's Fastball 6:56 PM

Here we go

drplantwrench 6:57 PM

now its up to everyones favorite former angels player

drplantwrench 6:58 PM

sike never mind

Bryan Baldwin 7:04 PM

lol shortest half inning ever

Bryan Baldwin 7:09 PM

I’ve been shouting at the team to take Rasmussen out but did he listen to me? Nooooo.

bosoxforlife 7:09 PM

Stunning to see Cash, notorious for yanking pitchers, leave Rasmussen in.

Rich Hill's Fastball 7:13 PM

Surprised Rasmussen doesn't use that changeup more

lzfreak 7:14 PM

Brilliant to not challenge in order to forgo the strikeout in favor of the double play

moomin 7:14 PM

ah, not challenging because you had the double-play pitch charged up, Rays are streets ahead

Bryan Baldwin 7:17 PM

Well of course you’re gonna lose weight if you have diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting

Bryan Baldwin 7:18 PM

Ah man I was hoping all three would

Bryan Baldwin 7:18 PM

Oh man I was hoping all three would hit each other

lzfreak 7:19 PM

I don't love taking out your best hitter in the 8th

Bryan Baldwin 7:20 PM

Has DeLuca hit a ball?

lzfreak 7:21 PM

It's always an adventure with DeLauter

asf123 7:23 PM

Not a huge fan of chasing this game with Cade Smith with no more off days.

David 7:24 PM

Vogt strikes again!

lzfreak 7:24 PM

Cleveland bullpen would look way deeper with Clase

Rich Hill's Fastball 7:24 PM

Cade here is…questionable

Jack Dorfman 7:27 PM

two more ABs for cleveland though… Vogt betting on his bats

Anonymous Member #46 7:27 PM

Is Stephen Vogt trying to mismanage the bullpen so badly that he gets fired and can take the open Seattle job so that his wife gets to be by her family again?

Jack Dorfman 7:28 PM

4D Chess

Jack Dorfman 7:31 PM

I think I want JoRam up to lead off the 9th if I'm Vogt

Jack Dorfman 7:33 PM

Unless I want the seattle job I guess

Bryan Baldwin 7:34 PM

Kwan on fire today

moomin 7:34 PM

nice wedge play there

David 7:35 PM

The visiting bullpen labyrinth shot

Bryan Baldwin 7:35 PM

Ahh man I like Booser

Benny The Jet 7:36 PM

Feels like you have to go to Baker here, even if it burns him for the 9th

Bryan Baldwin 7:38 PM

That was huge

Bryan Baldwin 7:42 PM

If I’ve learned anything from these commercials it’s that Americans are very sick and very in need of insurance

Jack Dorfman 7:42 PM

Yep

Bryan Baldwin 7:44 PM

Oh wow was that pitch outside

Bryan Baldwin 7:45 PM

There’s a lot of depressed vampires here tonight. I mean broken bats.

Bryan Baldwin 7:46 PM

Yandy is…inevitable.

Davy Andrews 7:46 PM

Wondering what happens if the Guards come back and we go to extras without Yandy and Junior.

lzfreak 7:47 PM

This is a lot of pitches for Smith given that he's basically guaranteed to pitch in every remaining game in this series

szakyl 7:47 PM

Martinez in there for defense?

asf123 7:48 PM

White Flag warming up in the bullpen.

Bryan Baldwin 7:49 PM

Did you see the moon behind him?

Bryan Baldwin 7:50 PM

Kwans game

Davy Andrews 7:50 PM

That catch sounded weird, right? Like the double tap of a foul tip.

lzfreak 7:50 PM

Kwan trying to win this game himself

Jack Dorfman 7:50 PM

Kwan is the defensive replacement

Bryan Baldwin 7:51 PM

Mesa (and Junior) need to stop being selfish

Jack Dorfman 7:51 PM

what a giant glove

Bryan Baldwin 7:52 PM

Who is this guy in the AT&T commercials? His voice is odd.

asf123 7:52 PM

You people leave the sound on for commercials?

Bryan Baldwin 7:53 PM

Yah…

Bryan Baldwin 7:53 PM

I mean the remote is at least two feet away…

Brian547 7:55 PM

Given the nature of the adds in Ohio… off is the only option. Like leave the game muted to avoid the breaks only option.

Bryan Baldwin 7:56 PM

Good AB dude

Bryan Baldwin 7:56 PM

lol wth dude

Bryan Baldwin 7:57 PM

How many times do you practice that?

Jack Dorfman 7:58 PM

i thought lowe tattooed that

Brian547 7:58 PM

Adell … the first pitch and it was right in the heart again…

Bryan Baldwin 7:59 PM

I mean I’m for the Rays but credit to the Guards, they never give up

Jack Dorfman 8:00 PM

may cost them tomorrow if the Rays get to Sabrowski, Gaddis or Cade…

Jack Dorfman 8:00 PM

But it may not!

moomin 8:00 PM

can't wait for the 6-5 game tomorrow

Bryan Baldwin 8:01 PM

What am I going to do when the WS is over 😭😭😭

Sean Dolinar 8:12 PM

Alright everyone. We got at least one more LCS game tomorrow. See you then!