Rangers vs. Cardinals - WORLD SERIES!

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by Maringa

Bandwagon fan here...Not ever watching many Cards games, how do they stack up against the Rangers? I keep hearing that pitching is roughly the same...Moderate starting pitching and decent bullpen. So this is going to be about who has the best/hottest hitting...[b]Since we don't have homefield advantage[b], I am a little nervous about losing one hitter in the line-up due to NL rules. Will that haunt the Rangers?

Personally, I am not a huge fan of home field advantage in a 2/3/2 format. I hate the idea of splitting the first two and then having to face your opponent with 3 home games where you could potentially be put away without returning home again.

Obviously it worked well for us with Detroit and it worked well for SF last year against us. That said, I would much rather be in Texas' position here. I get all the obvious down-side but I really would rather have the opportunity to put major pressure on my opponent. Key is, you MUST win 1 of the first 2.

I love the idea of HFA and would definitely prefer it if offered in a 2/2/1/1/1 format but there is obviously a great deal of travel with that and I get why it isn't used.

Either way, over a 7 game series, regardless of HFA, the best team should win and the best team in this series is Texas.

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Male30Dan

Personally, I am not a huge fan of home field advantage in a 2/3/2 format. I hate the idea of splitting the first two and then having to face your opponent with 3 home games where you could potentially be put away without returning home again.

Obviously it worked well for us with Detroit and it worked well for SF last year against us. That said, I would much rather be in Texas' position here. I get all the obvious down-side but I really would rather have the opportunity to put major pressure on my opponent. Key is, you MUST win 1 of the first 2.

I love the idea of HFA and would definitely prefer it if offered in a 2/2/1/1/1 format but there is obviously a great deal of travel with that and I get why it isn't used.

Either way, over a 7 game series, regardless of HFA, the best team should win and the best team in this series is Texas.

totally agree on the HFA format.

Another main reason 2-3-2 is important for baseball is the 22111 format would have too many days off. too easy to just throw your best horses out there every game.

[LonghornDub]

Originally Posted by Male30Dan

Personally, I am not a huge fan of home field advantage in a 2/3/2 format. I hate the idea of splitting the first two and then having to face your opponent with 3 home games where you could potentially be put away without returning home again.

I said this exact thing before the Finals. I think the 2-3-2 in many, many instances actually benefits the non-advantage team more than it does the advantage team. Flipping the often pivotal Game 5 is huge.

Along related (but slightly different) lines, Chum did a nice post on the various permutations explaining why 2-3-2 is better than 2-2-1-1-1 for the non-advantage team in the vast majority of scenarios.

[Male30Dan]

Originally Posted by LonghornDub

I said this exact thing before the Finals. I think the 2-3-2 in many, many instances actually benefits the non-advantage team more than it does the advantage team. Flipping the often pivotal Game 5 is huge.

Along related (but slightly different) lines, Chum did a nice post on the various permutations explaining why 2-3-2 is better than 2-2-1-1-1 for the non-advantage team in the vast majority of scenarios.

Didn't see his or your comments, but either way, I am pleased to be in the position we're in. Just have to get game 1 or 2 to go our way (preferably both).

Here's hoping for tonight to be that game! GO RANGERS!!!