JotCast | 2016 AL Wild Card Live Blog

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JRWriter

5:16

Chances of Tillman imploding by the 3rd inning?

Jeff Sullivan

5:16

Would be greater if Donaldson and Bautista weren't so banged up

Eric A Longenhagen

5:16

I have soft spots for guys on both squads, no preference.

Jeff Sullivan

5:16

Tillman's first pitch is 88. His velocity has been down since his DL stint

Second pitch 87...

5:17

There's a 91. That's better

Cistulli's_Ghost

5:17

Hello Mr. Sullivan. As we have noted on this website, www.fangraphs.com, these wild card games seem to be exciting as a result of what we could consider their unpredictability. That is to say that they may be, in the opinion of the author, somewhat random, or even lucky. Trying to predict something that is admittedly, random, may be best described as a futile enterprise. Or perhaps even, a pointless endeavor. However, since we are a baseball website, I feel some obligation, yes, I do feel some obligation to ask you: who do you think will win tonight?

Jeff Sullivan

5:17

I'm picking the Orioles to win this to be contrarian. I also won't be shocked if the Jays win by twelve

ftperks

5:18

if the mariners were better and playing in this game, would you have considered traveling to Toronto for it?

Jeff Sullivan

5:18

No!

ftperks

5:19

all hands on deck, pitching-wise tonight? Maybe except the next 2 starters?

Jeff Sullivan

5:19

Should be, absolutely, although Gibbons is more likely to ride his starter too long

Bartolo Colon

5:19

If the highest leverage situation in the game happens in the bottom of the 6th, would you consider pitching Britton 3 innings?

Jeff Sullivan

5:20

I have enough faith in Brach/Givens/O'Day that hopefully it wouldn't need to come to that. It's not just about Britton back there

Eric A Longenhagen

5:20

I had about 4.1 down the line for Donaldson there, but with a serious jailbreak. Toss it out.

Jeff Sullivan

5:20

From this angle it looks like every Chris Tillman curveball is going to fly out the top of the TV screen

Kind of like that fastball...

5:21

Encarnacion pops out. Both innings end with pop-outs. To the second we go! Nothing happening yet.

Alex

5:21

Why do the Dodgers have better World Series odds than the Cubs?

Jeff Sullivan

5:21

Kershaw and Hill starting most of the games

Jake

5:22

you'd put the yankees' playoff odds over the astros next year?

John

5:22

If you were MLB commissioner, and were forced to replace baseballs with a ball from any other sport (volleyball, soccer ball, cricket ball, etc.), which would you choose and why?

Jeff Sullivan

5:22

I think the Astros are more likely to win their division and miss this game

Eric A Longenhagen

5:22

Eggs

Zack

5:23

Did anyone take a look at potential differences after one season at Rogers Centre with a dirt infield? Fewer GB hits or anything like that?

Jeff Sullivan

5:23

That'll be an offseason project. Or an off-day-in-the-playoffs project

Sliotar

5:24

Geddy Lee sitting behind home plate, keeping score is still awesome on many levels. Who would be the corresponding celebrity scorekeeper if the game were in Baltimore?

Eric A Longenhagen

5:24

John Waters with a scorebook made of human skin

5:25

Who is better defensively, Machado, Donaldson, or Arenado?

Jeff Sullivan

5:25

Gotta think Arenado is the best of them

Eric A Longenhagen

5:25

Agreed

Jeff Sullivan

5:26

Just now remembering Matt Wieters Facts. whoops

Off Topic.

5:26

I don't think I like Statcast's "Barrel" stat, somehow a guy like Joey Votto is behind guys (on a per PA basis) like Juan Uribe, Tyler Austin, Nick Castellanos, Rickie Weeks Jr, Chad Pinder, Robinson, Chirinos, etc. Is a guy like Votto just not meeting the EVelocity minimum, or what? And how much correlation between that stat and actual production do you expect?

Jeff Sullivan

5:27

Votto might not get enough loft. He's a line-drive guy, not a homer guy. The stat probably went through some strong vetting with some smart people, and it's strongly correlated with production, but it's certainly not perfect. No bucketing measure is perfect

Good catch against the foul wall there by Carrera. OK!

Playoff game currently featuring Ezequiel Carrera and Michael Bourn

Eric A Longenhagen

5:28

What are ex-Phillies outfielders?

Jeff Sullivan

5:29

Davis whiffs. Stroman through two!

Perfect breaking ball to finish him off.

The Hamburglar

5:29

I can totally see the Orioles being this year's Royals

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