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Baseball

The Australian’s survival guide to playoff baseball (part 3)

The MLB playoffs are over, and you, the Australian baseball fanatic, have lost not only the game you love, but your house, job and girlfriend as well. What’s left for you? More baseball, of course!

Baseball

California’s underrated blockbuster

Marco Scutaro has been vastly undervalued throughout his career, and while the 36-year-old Venezuelan has gone through some slumps, he’s also been at the forefront of many critical moments for several of the franchises he’s played for. This was never more evident than his MVP performance in the 2012 NLCS, where he ensured that he’ll be a widely sought after player when he hits free agency this winter.

Baseball

Evaluating the postseason dropouts

With six teams gone from the 2012 MLB postseason, we can speculate as to their chances to make it back and play meaningful October baseball in the next few years. With a crumbling NL East and re-shaped AL West next year, some teams look to have an easy ticket while others may have to battle. Then there’s Baltimore… Newton’s Third Law will surely catch up to them, won’t it?

Baseball

The Australian’s survival guide to playoff baseball (part 2)

After a tumultuous start to the postseason, we’ve reached the championship series’, and for fans in Australia, that means even more overnight baseball. With extended commercial breaks and aggressive girlfriends running rampant, there’s hardly a better time of year for this game. However, when watching live baseball at 3 a.m., please, watch out for hat-brooms…

Baseball

How the Nationals blew it using five pitches

The finish to last Friday’s decisive NLDS game between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals was truly historic. After blowing a massive lead, the Nats were a mere strike away from clinching victory. Five times that opportunity slipped through their fingers. But it wasn’t just an awful final inning that put them away. It was a season of ups and downs that set the scene for the ultimate collapse.

Baseball

Why baseball’s MVP Award shouldn’t be the most presigious

The great debate to close out the 2012 MLB regular season has been the battle between Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera and Anaheim’s Mike Trout for the AL MVP Award. However, baseball award voters seem to gloss over the fact that the Hank Aaron Award, given to each league’s best hitter, may be more presigious overall. Jesse Goldberg-Strassler makes his case.

Baseball

The Australian’s survival guide to playoff baseball (part 1)

The MLB playoffs are far-reaching. In fact, baseball fans in Australia will even spend ungodly hours of the day in front of their televisions with all the necessary provisions, cheering on their Yankees or sharing worldwide shock and amazement courtesy of the Athletics. Here’s some insight as to how those Down Under do it, courtesy of The Good Point’s resident Aussie, Harlan Ambrose.

Baseball

Calling the shots

There’s nothing more grand in baseball than a home run, which is why the art of the “home run call” for baseball broadcasters is a point of creativity, spontananeity and, sometimes, pride. How the broadcaster describes the big fly ball remains ingrained in our memories, and each subsequent homer adds to the lore, which forces each broadcaster to be unique in the way he or she immortalizes the call.

Baseball

MVP – Media Valued Players

The battle for the American League Most Valuable Player is squarely between Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout. Cabrera is on the verge of possibly winning the first hitters’ Triple Crown since 1967, while Mike Trout is dominating the new metrics charts like few ever have – and doing so as a rookie. This year’s award will essentially come down to a battle of the old guard versus the new.

Baseball

Baseball’s new playoff system creating September hype

With a second Wild Card team added to the MLB postseason, there’s a new sense of hope for fans in many cities across America. And 2012 is proving to be even more exciting as many playoff hopeful teams are not the usual suspects. The Athletics, Orioles and Nationals are all on the cusp of making the playoffs for the first time in several years.