Reds must start NLDS on road

[oldschooler]

[size="5"][b]Reds must start NLDS on road[/b]
[/size]By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com | 10/02/10 1:02 AM ET

CINCINNATI -- You could make two predictions -- one long term and one short term -- about Reds rookie Travis Wood and not get the stink eye from your friends at the next sports bar gathering.

The long term -- Wood will get a no-hitter one day. The short term, and much easier to speculate, is that the left-hander should be one of the Reds' starting pitchers vs. the Phillies in the National League Division Series. Wood was a victim of a no-decision in the Reds' 4-3 loss in 11 innings to the Brewers, but couldn't have done a better job to help his chances. He took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and gave up three hits over 6 1/3 innings. He also allowed three runs, a walk and hit a batter.

"He threw the ball pretty good and was down in the strike zone and ahead of the hitters," Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez said. "I think he threw a very good ballgame. It's one of those games you get bad luck. There's nothing you can do. It won't be the first or last time it happens."

Having already clinched the NL Central race, Cincinnati's loss was still costly. It guaranteed three road games in the best-of-five NL Division Series, whether it's vs. the Phillies or the NL West winner between the Giants and Padres. If the Braves win the Wild Card, the Reds would face the Phillies.


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[url="http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101001&content_id=15292182&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin"]http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101001&content_id=15292182&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin[/url]

[Jason]

So, would you rather go to Philly or San Francisco?

[JBandJoeyV]

Doesnt really matter to me...what I would like to see is this...SD taking the last 2 from SF and then Atl going 1-1.

All three teams tie.

SD plays SF for the division title on monday, SD wins (although it would be tough for them to win 4 straight vs SF). SF plays Atl on Tuesday and SF wins.

That matches us up against SD, but SD would have just won 4 straight just to make the playoffs and wouldnt have their rotation set the way they want it. I think that would give us an advantage.


But I think its gonna be Philly. So bring it.

[ThurmanMunster]

Bring on Philly. I dont feel like going out west.

[ickeyshuffler]

i just became a braves fan, I would rather see the phillies than head out west. The reds have always struggled out west

[CTA513]

Volquez is supposed to start game #1

[Bengals1181]

I'm rooting for this one:

[quote]
Padres win West, Giants wild card: Giants vs. Phillies; Reds vs. Padres[/quote]

http://dave-andriesen.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22297882/24977324

[BengalRep85-9]

[quote name='CTA513' timestamp='1286063271' post='925315']
Volquez is supposed to start game #1
[/quote]
Hopefully he brings his A game cuz Halladay is gonna be tough. Need to get to Roy early and rattle him.

I actually like our chances in game 2 against Oswalt. We've seen him enough to have a library of books on him, plus he hasn't dominated us lately like he has in the past.

[cincybengalz]

Wow.. I didn't think the Phils would be smacking up the Braves with their backups! The Braves have to deal with Hamels AND Oswalt tomorrow with Lidge somewhere in there as well. Things aren't looking too good for Atlanta.

[cincybengalz]

I was thinking about the different scenarios out there that are left to determine the final playoff spots. I think that the best thing for both the Phillies and Reds would be if the Phillies and San Francisco lose today. This forces a one game playoff for the West Division Monday and the loser of that game plays a one game playoff Tuesday with Atlanta.

With the playoffs starting Wednesday, that would ensure that either team that faces the Phillies and Reds cannot throw out their no.1 starter Wednesday and more than likely for the wild card entrant to not be able to even throw out their no. 2 Friday (even if they do, that will be some poor rest).

I never love a cheap win and would want the best first, which I believe wholeheartedly to be the Reds, but it will at least give both teams an awesome chance to meet in the NLCS for all the marbles. Plus... I'd hate another NLCS with bullshit late starts.

Thoughts?

[oldschooler]

[b]Breaking down all four possible playoff outcomes for Giants, Padres and Braves as they head to No.162[/b]
Posted by [url="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs/author/abaggarly/"][color="#000066"]Andrew Baggarly[/color][/url] on October 2nd, 2010 at 5:33 pm | Categorized as [url="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs/category/uncategorized/"][color="#000066"]Uncategorized[/color][/url]

The season is going to game No.162 tomorrow and the Giants, Padres and Braves are battling for two playoff spots in the NL. Here’s the simplest way I can untangle this for you, from a Giants-centric perspective:

There are four possible outcomes tomorrow.

In three of them, the Giants clinch a playoff spot. In the other, the Giants are still alive — very much, in fact, because they’d have to lose two additional playoff games to miss the postseason.
[b]
Outcome No.1: Giants win, Braves win.[/b]

The Giants are 92-70 and win the NL West. The Braves are 91-71 and win the wild card. The Padres are 90-71 and are eliminated. (The Giants and Braves would match up in the Division Series.)

[b]Outcome No.2: Giants win, Braves lose.[/b]

The Giants are 92-70 and win the NL West. The Braves and Padres are 90-72 and would have a one-game playoff for the wild card Monday at Atlanta. (If the Braves prevail, the Giants get them in the NLDS. If the Padres are the wild card, the Giants would match up against the Cincinnati Reds. In either event, the Giants would have home-field advantage for the NLDS.)

[b]Outcome No.3: Giants lose, Braves lose[/b]

The Braves are 90-72 and are eliminated. The Giants and Padres tie atop the NL West at 91-71, and both clinch postseason berths on the same field (!!!). The Padres are awarded the NL West title without a tiebreaker because they captured the season series against the Giants. Thus, the Giants enter as the wild card. (The Giants would begin an NLDS Wednesday against the Phillies while the Padres would get the Reds.)

[b]Outcome No.4: Giants lose, Braves win[/b]

OK, now this is the crazy part. The Giants, Padres and Braves would finish with identical 91-71 records, necessitating a tiebreaker game for the NL West that would be held Monday at San Diego. (Time TBA.) The winner Monday would be NL West champ. The loser would be forced to play a second tiebreaker game Tuesday at Atlanta for the wild card. (The rules governing NLDS matchups are the same. The Phillies get the wild card winner, unless it’s the Braves. In that case, the Phillies get the Reds and the NL West winner will face the Braves.)

The Braves-Phillies game tomorrow starts at 10:35 a.m., so the Giants could clinch a playoff spot before Jonathan Sanchez throws the first pitch against the Padres at 1:05 p.m. I’m told yes, strange as it might sound, the Giants would have the usual champagne celebration if they back their way in as the wild card.

And if you have any more questions after that, well … I think I’m out of answers.



[url="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs/2010/10/02/breaking-down-all-four-possible-playoff-outcomes-for-giants-padres-and-braves-as-they-head-to-no-162/"]http://blogs.mercurynews.com/extrabaggs/2010/10/02/breaking-down-all-four-possible-playoff-outcomes-for-giants-padres-and-braves-as-they-head-to-no-162/[/url]