National League Divisional Series: Milwaukee v. Philadelphia

[TheLetterZ]

First of all, postseason stats are a joke to begin with because of the small sample size.

Sabathia has started five games in the postseason. FIVE. FiveFiveFiveFiveFiveFive.

C.C. Sabathia has started over 250 games in his major league career. He was freakin' awesome for Milwaukee this season and carried them down the stretch. His start on Sunday afternoon was more important than last night's - again, on three days rest ... again - anyway.

To label him a choker in the postseason is ludicrous. He's pitched five times. If we were talking about someone like Andy Petitte, who has 35 career postseason starts, that's fine. We're talking about five. One of them - his best start - was seven years ago. Last year he got beat twice by the team that won the World Series. Wow, what a choker.

You're right. He's a total bum in the postseason. He can make all those clutch starts all year long, but when the calendar turns over to October, he just can't handle it anymore.

[OSUFan_88]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheLetterZ

First of all, postseason stats are a joke to begin with because of the small sample size. Sabathia has started five games in the postseason. FIVE. FiveFiveFiveFiveFiveFive. C.C. Sabathia has started over 250 games in his major league career. He was freakin' awesome for Milwaukee this season and carried them down the stretch. His start on Sunday afternoon was more important than last night's - again, on three days rest ... again - anyway. To label him a choker in the postseason is ludicrous. He's pitched five times. If we were talking about someone like Andy Petitte, who has 35 career postseason starts, that's fine. We're talking about five. One of them - his best start - was seven years ago. Last year he got beat twice by the team that won the World Series. Wow, what a choker. You're right. He's a total bum in the postseason. He can make all those clutch starts all year long, but when the calendar turns over to October, he just can't handle it anymore.

So because CC hasn't been in the postseason enough, he cannot be a choker?

Gotcha. You're wrong IMO, but at least I can understand your point of view.

[DrJones]

People already know how I stand on this issue, so there's no point in responding to all the EPIC FAIL in this thread.

What I will say is that if the Brewers' season ends at home tomorrow or Sunday (as it almost certainly will), I hope that Sabathia takes a postgame curtain call and the Milwaukee fans give him a standing ovation.

[TheLetterZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by OSUFan_88

So because CC hasn't been in the postseason enough, he cannot be a choker? Gotcha. You're wrong IMO, but at least I can understand your point of view.

No, you need to consider cause and effect. A --> B.

You said that because C.C.'s postseason stats suck, that must mean he's not capable of pitching well in the postseason. I'm simply saying that five bad starts, especially against great offenses and sometimes on short rest, don't mean a guy is not capable of pitching in big games. That's what you seem to be saying.

Even the greatest pitchers have bad starts, and they often come on short rest or against great offenses. To say that there's no way Sabathia can succeed in the postseason because he hasn't in four past starts is crazy.

[TheLetterZ]

I mentioned Andy Petitte before when I was talking about sample size.

Andy Petitte has a career postseason ERA of 3.96 in 35 starts. That's pretty good, right?

Do you know what his ERA was after five postseason starts? The same number of starts that Sabathia has had?

It was 6.16.

[snepp]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheLetterZ

I mentioned Andy Petitte before when I was talking about sample size. Andy Petitte has a career postseason ERA of 3.96 in 35 starts. That's pretty good, right? Do you know what his ERA was after five postseason starts? The same number of starts that Sabathia has had? It was 6.16.

CHOKER!!!!!

[OSUFan_88]

Here is the thing. The trend is there, the trend of CC choking in the playoffs.

I'm not saying he will always be a choker, but right now there is a trend of bad starts in the playoffs. CC can certainly carry a team to the playoffs, but after that, he reverts back to young CC who was a thrower not a pitcher.

It's something he has always done when he goes into the playoffs. He changes the way he thinks than when he is in the regular season. Now hopefully he comes across a pitching coach that can fix that, but right now he hasn't, and hasn't shown any ability to turn it around.

[TheLetterZ]

Quote: Originally Posted by OSUFan_88

Here is the thing. The trend is there, the trend of CC choking in the playoffs. I'm not saying he will always be a choker, but right now there is a trend of bad starts in the playoffs. CC can certainly carry a team to the playoffs, but after that, he reverts back to young CC who was a thrower not a pitcher. It's something he has always done when he goes into the playoffs. He changes the way he thinks than when he is in the regular season. Now hopefully he comes across a pitching coach that can fix that, but right now he hasn't, and hasn't shown any ability to turn it around.

I like how you use this word "trend." Try sketching a "trend" line with four data points and see how accurate it looks.

"He changes the way he thinks?" What, is he your roommate now and he told you this?

Four bad starts. Four. I'm running out of ideas.

Greg Maddux. He's had a pretty decent career. Only one of the best ever, you know.

He's started 30 games in the postseason. He has a 3.32 ERA in the process. What was his ERA in his first five postseason starts?

7.00. That trend was so bad, he just kept pitching poorly in the postseason, didn't he?