Earned Fun Average
Earned Fun Average
Episode 187 - 2025 MLB Playoffs - Pt 2
Johnny and Eric are joined by Donnie Wise and Patrick Larson for the second part of our episode about the 2025 MLB season. For this episode we discuss our playoffs predictions. Who will win the wild cards, the ALDS/NLDS and ALCS/NLCS. Find out who the 4 of us chose to win the World Series as well.
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All right guys. You ready? Talk some playoffs. Let's do this. Nobody. Okay. Layoff. Let's do this. Layoff, layoffs, We're gonna run through here. We just wanna win a game. Uh, we're gonna start on the al side. So the number one overall seed, the Al East champs are the Toronto Blue Jays, the two seeds, the Al West Champs, the Seattle Mariners. The three seed are the, Cleveland guardians, the Al Central Champs. The four seed, the wild card from the AAL East is the New York Yankees, the five seeds, the Boston Red Sox. And then the Wild Card, that's barely made it in was the Detroit Tigers out of the AAL Central. flipping over to the nl, we got the one seed of the Milwaukee Brewers out of the NL Central. The two seed, the Philadelphia Phillies, the one, their division, the three seed, the La Dodgers, one the West, and then the three wild cards. We got the Chicago Cubs out of the central, Padres out of the central, or sorry, the west, my fault. And then the reds out of the central. So, brewers, Phillies, Dodgers, Cubs, Padres Reds on the nl a L side Blue Jays Mariners. Guardians, Yankees, red Sox, and then the Tigers. So let's start, uh, with the, uh, and at the time of this recording, the playoffs start tomorrow. So let's start with the, wild card game from, Al Central matchup. So actually both of these wild cards on the al are division matchups. Uh, let's go ahead and start with Johnny. Uh, what's your thoughts on the Cleveland Guardians hosting the Detroit Tigers? I, I like the tribe. Oh, wait, wait, wait. Lemme check. Oh, we had a rebrand. I'm sorry. they're hot right now. Should be, should be some great baseball. Two rival division rivals you just mentioned. Uh, I'm going with the G men. I'm going with the guardians in that matchup. Perfect. Um, Mr. Larson, your thoughts on the wild card between the al Central teams? I agree with Johnny. I think that the guardians are gonna get through, I think that the guardians for two reasons, because they're hot entering the playoffs, and we always know what happens when a team is hot at the end of September going into the playoffs. But also, I think the guardians just have much better pitching than the, than the Tigers do. And I don't think that their lineup is potent enough to make up for the lack of pitching that they have. So guardians for me and Mr. Wise. Yeah, it to be a broken record, but I think The Guardians as well, tigers, I think have just been struggling enough that, I, I don't know if they can, uh, pull it together for this series with, with the guardians being hot. yeah, guardians for me. Yep. And I think for me, it'll be a sweep with all of us. So I also think it's the guardians. the Tigers have been going the opposite direction in terms of, again, they won, did what they need to do to get in. But, uh, whereas they're kind of going backwards. The guardians are going forward, it's gonna be at home. So yeah, for me as well, gimme the guardians. let's, uh, start with, because his team's in it. Let's go with the. other division match, or excuse me, the wild card matchup between the Boston Red Sox, playing at the New York Yankees. Donny, your thoughts? let me think about this a second. No, I don't have to think about this. This is the Yankees. We're gonna win this one. I'm, I'm, I'm confident in, in our ability to win this. I'm just trying to figure out how the, the American League ended up both being division matchups, right. And the National League did not. Right, because the National League could have easily been division matchup as well. I don't know what the, uh, the process of seeding ended up being with that, but it is what it is. yeah. Gimme the Yankees over the Red Sox on this one. Mr. Boland. this goes without saying. We talk about Fever Pitch, the socks are about the head to the fever ditch baby. Give me the Yankees, send them all back. Go have your CLA chowder pocket in your car and get ready to watch the Yankees steamroll you. Mr. Larson. Why don't think the Yankees are gonna be steamrolling over anybody but. This is an interesting matchup because the, the, the Red Sox dominated the regular season matchup between these two teams. But having said that, I think the Yankees have gotten hot at the right time, and the Yankees have gotten a little bit of their pitching back, which I think helps. I mean, they, Donny's not lying and saying that they were decimated by injuries with their rotation. I mean, you lost Garrett Cole at the beginning of the season. Right. But, I just think the Yankees lineup is too. Potent. I do think this is gonna go all three games. I can see the Red Sox getting a win from Garrett Crochet, but I don't see Bayo or, or any of the other guys, uh, being able to, keep this Yankees line up quiet. So I'm gonna, so gimme the Yankees. Well, I'm not gonna have this go to a sweep like we did the others. My sleeper team, I said at the Boston Red Sox, and like Patrick said, they Beat the, or won that series against the Yankees this year. So I think it'd be a pretty good matchup. Obviously bitter rivals playing in the wild card. for me, I do like that it's, uh, best of three instead of just a one game.'cause in that you never know what could happen. I, I like that they have a third, you know, up to three games. So for me, gimme the Red Sox. All right, let's flip over the other side. We got the six seed, the Cincinnati Reds against the three seed LA Dodgers. Uh, let's start with Patrick, your thoughts. Every fiber of my being wants to pick the, the Reds to win this, but I think Tani never shs away from the big moment. I do think it will go three games, but give me the Dodgers over the reds, Mr. Wise? Yeah, I'm the same way. however, for the sake of, your favorite comment from me, hashtag content, I'm gonna pick the reds at the Dodgers in this one. I think they're, they may trip up the Dodgers here. If anybody's going to do it, it would probably be the Reds. If the Dodgers make it through, I think the Phillies will easily beat them. So not to get ahead of myself, but uh, gimme the reds. Mr. Bowen, your thoughts on the reds at the Dodgers? Well, uh, I got a recent text from, uh, show Hayes interpreter. He said to take the reds in three. So I'm going uh, I'll take the Cincinnati. hey, any team that has to eat that skyline chili that I've heard is pretty rough. It Gimme those Cincinnati Reds. Terry Fona works his magic in a monster upset of the Dodgers. Yeah, I was kind of leaning towards Patrick and thinking, you know, I'd want the Reds to win, but think the Dodgers would. But I think both of you guys have convinced me. my other sleeper team, Cincinnati Reds love me some Spencer steer, uh, Christian and Cario and Strain. I'm not sure he's been hurt. I'm not sure if he's currently healthy or not, but give me the Cincinnati Reds as well. And then the last wild card is the five seed, the San Diego Padres at the four Seed Chicago Cubs. So play off baseball in Chicago. Any, uh, thoughts here for the Cubs and Padres? Uh, we'll start with Donnie Ani, this one. Man, I love the, I love what the Padres did last year and they've, they've hung in there this year too. This is a toss up for me. It's almost a coin flip. I'm gonna go with the Padres. the Cubs seem like the stronger team, but something about that yellow and brown. This year I'm gonna go with the Padres, Mr. Bull and Padres, and Cubs. That's a tough matchup. no offense to our, friend, Sandy Marti. Great writer. Great guest. I think she actually still listens to the podcast. I, I don't know that, but I'm going to go. Give me the filing. Ron Burgundies of San Diago. give me those, uh, San Diego Padres. Yeah, I'm gonna hop in here real quick before Patrick. I'm gonna have to agree. Uh, they got our boy Freddy Ferme and he is, uh, provided a spark. They needed a catcher. And, you know, even though he was a backup, although he did play quite a bit for the Royal since, uh, they put salvy at first quite a bit. really love Freddy, uh, Ferme and I'm fortunate that he had to go and obviously Carter Jenssen's gonna be a big piece, but he had a walk off just here within the last week or so. And so, I don't hate the Cubs. I went to actually both these stadiums. Surprise, surprise, Patrick this year went to see the Padres in San Diego. Saw the Cubs in Chicago along with some of these other playoff teams. But, I would say for me, although I think it'll be a good series, gimme the Padres, Mr. Larson, I guess make it a clean sweep because I think it's gonna be the Padres as well. I just think the Padres, the thing that puts them over the top for me is, is the, the lights out bullpen that they have. mean, they really invested in that bullpen at the end of the year, like Robert Su Suarez and Mason Miller. I mean, if they can get it and they've got a really good lineup too. I mean Luisa Rice that can, uh, you know, that can set the table at the top of the lineup. And then you've got Machado and Tatis Jr. And, even though. The Cubs have a really good team and they're playing at home. I just think this, Padres team is built for the playoffs, particularly in a series like this, where it's gonna be a bullpen game. so give me the Padres. Perfect. All right, so we all predicted the, uh, Cleveland guardians to advance over the tiger. So that means they then go to the A LDS to play the Seattle Mariners. Johnny, your thoughts of the guardians against the Mariners? Wow. and we've talked about this before, if you don't have a team, your heart automatically kind of goes to the Mariners. never been to a World Series, but then you could also make a compelling argument. 1948. Right. With the Cleveland Guardians. how was that series, Donnie. Fascinating post-war. A great time to be alive. Give me, and I had such a good run last year. Oh man, guardians, that's hard. That's shocker. Johnny, don't, don't focus on your stats, just make you pick there with, as he puts a guardian's hat on. So for me, what was it a couple years ago, didn't they play each other and they had a game go like 15 or 16 innings or something. So I anticipate it'll be another good. Uh, what is the five game series? Is the A LDS and five? I could see it go. It could possibly be one of them goes and wins and four, but I think honestly this game, this, uh, matchup could go in five. Yeah. Just'cause they had have home field advantage. One extra game at home. If it does go five, gimme the Mariners. Patrick, what do you think, sir? Really kind of aligned with what you said as far as the analysis, which I thought was spot on. I'm, give me the, give me the Mariners because both have good pitching, but I just think that the lineup for the Mariners is a little bit better than what the guardians have. especially with the players that they got at the deadline. So give me the Mariners and, uh, I think it would go five your thoughts. Similarly, I think the Guardians have been on a good run. I just don't know if they can keep that run going. I think they, they get by the Tigers. I think it drains'em a little bit. I think the Mariners pull it out maybe in four, at least in five. So yeah, gimme the Mariners. All right. Now, I believe the three of you had the Yankees going against Toronto. I had Boston against Toronto. We'll start with the man whose team's in it. What do you think about, if it was regardless of the team, but let's say it was Yankees, Toronto, like you thought, what are your thoughts on that matchup? Patrick, I'm partly doing this for the content and because my fandoms gonna get in the way, but I'm gonna ride with my team. give me the Blue Jays to go back to the A LCS. Nothing wrong with that. How about, uh, let's go Donnie, then your team against the Blue Jays. I'm riding with my team as far as I can go, so, well, okay, that's a hill I'm gonna die on to take a line from Virgil, both of you picking your team. So obviously we know how this is gonna go. Johnny, your thoughts? Listen, we're talking about Sinatra versus Celine Dion. I mean. We're talking about the 27 time world Woo champions. Give me those New York Yankees. It's gonna go five. I will show, uh, Mr. Larson's Blue Jays the respect that they deserve first time on this episode. So they're gonna take it in game five in Toronto. Listen, the fans there will be choking on their poutine No offense because well documented. This is Canada's favorite baseball podcast. This podcast is loved. I didn't know we had Brian Roberts on your podcast tonight, Eric. So for me, I said that the Red Sox would beat the Yankees. So for me, red Sox, blue Jays just'cause you know how much that he knows that I like him. gimme the Blue Jays to make it to the A LCS. I don't think either team will beat Toronto, but I think esp I think the Yankees would have probably a little bit better shot, but they're not gonna get by Boston. So between Boston and Toronto, uh, I think it'd probably go four. I'm not sure it could go five. Uh, gimme Toronto on that one. All right, so then, three of the four of us, I believe, had the reds against the Phillies. Uh, so we'll start with the one who had the Dodgers against the Phillies. Patrick, your thoughts on that matchup? If it was Dodgers, Phillies, and it's Dodgers. Phillies, really either one. I, I still think the Phillies beat either one. I think they're just a demonstrably better team than either one. And I don't even think it's gonna go the full five. I, I think it might go four. So give me the Phillies, Joanie, your thoughts. I believe you said the Reds and Frank Kona play at the Phillies. Your thoughts on the six two matchup in the NL side for the N-L-D-S-I, I worry that the reds might run outta gas if they get past the Dodgers, which I'm predicting. I'm going with the Caputo's. Give me the feelings. Arrested Phillies team. Really good team. sadly I wanna pick the Reds again, but I'll go Phillies and, uh, Mr. Wise. Yeah, I'm gonna go with the Phillies here. I think they, they beat whoever advances. But, definitely I think the reds, don't get past them. Yeah, I think the Phillies prior to last year, they were pretty good. Gotten the, I think they were in the, NLCS and made the World Series the previous couple years. Uh, last year wasn't, I think they made the playoffs, but weren't quite as successful as they had hopes. but yeah, for me it gimme the Phillies on that one as well. and then lastly here, I believe we all picked the San Diego Padres. Go into the one seed Milwaukee brewers. Let's start with Donnie. Your thoughts on Padres at Brewers. I think this will be a pretty good series. but the brewers have been pretty solid this year, I think, with some rest and everything and kind of setting themselves their lineup up and everything. I'm gonna go with the brewers. They're the, they're the one seed. I'm gonna, you know, last year I think what you're talking about, the Phillies as well. The Phillies and Braves, in the past, like got there and then just choked it up. and surprisingly. But I don't see the Phillies and brewers doing that this year, so I'm gonna take the brewers to advance. Mr. Larson, your thoughts on that matchup? I agree with the mayor. I think that the brewers are, I think the brewers last year in their, in their experience in the playoffs, is gonna help them even though they, even though they had a first round exit. I think this is a much, much better brewers team than last year. as good as I think the Padres are. I just think that that lineup is gonna wear down their pitching, even that bullpen. I think that just with, with the way they make contact, I think they're just, they're made for the playoffs. So, uh, gimme Milwaukee For me, unfortunately, you know, I think that the breweries are gonna be, they just, for whatever reason, can't figure it out. And I just think the Padres have a lot of. good talent. So I think in an upset for me, there's not, you know, always upsets, but there sometimes can be, uh, I think the Padres will take that, so they'll beat the one seed, the brewer. So gimme the San Diego Padres. And then Mr. Bullen, your thoughts. It's hard to pick against the team that has a bald clergyman swinging a bat. The San Diego Padres, the, the Great Friar I'm gonna go brewers. and I know that's my heart because, you know, going to Shuckers games years ago, going to see them play the Shuckers back, you know, it's been nine years ago. And of course all those guys have gone but sentimental, good team, like like's been said solid all year. Give give me. The brew crew, over the Padres for sure. Not a, not a bad choice at all. Obviously the, the top seed for a reason. so that takes care of the A LDS and NLDS. Uh, let's flip back over to the A LCS. I believe we all picked the Mariners. couple of us, half of us picked against the Blue Jays, the other against the Yankees. so I'll go ahead and start. you know, I could only give him so much credit. so I'm sorry Patrick, I'm gonna have to go with the Mariners and the A LCS. So, what are your thoughts? If it was a Mariners Blue Jays a LCS mean, I think it's gonna be a really tough call for any, for the blue, if the Blue Jays are Fortune chan, to make it to that stage to face any of these teams. But, this is my fandom. gimme illusions of grandeur I guess. But, I'm gonna take the Blue Jays. I just think there's something special going on, so I'm gonna ride the wave and, send my team to the World Series and Mr. Bolen Yankees against the Mariners. Uh, going to, well home field would be that I would assume the higher seeds of the Mariners. So your thoughts on Mariners Yankees. Well, you know, I actually picked the Guardians. I was your lone guardian. Oh, that's right. I apologize. You did. I remember that now. So, sorry. Guardians, uh, Yankees, you know that guardians team with Carlos By and Jim to and Albert. Oh, wait a minute. We're not guess Jeter and Oh man, because I'm stepping out with that Guardian's Pick. And that was a fantastic nerve wracking A LCS. So I've picked a rematch for the A LCS Yankees, guardians. you know, I got, I'm gonna, I'm gonna ride and die with the 27 time world champions. Give the pin stripers back to back penance. For the Bronx Bombers. All right. Donnie Jr. Donnie Sr. Your thoughts on Yankees? Mariners? I'll keep it brief. I'm riding the Yankees all the way. All right. Uh, so then on the other side, well, we kind of split a little bit. I picked San Diego against Philly, for me. Uh, gimme Alec Bowman and gimme the Philadelphia Phillies to make it and win the NLCS. Johnny your thoughts? Okay, so I've got those brewers playing the Phillies Great. That Oh wow. That's gonna be a great series. If it works out, I'm gonna ride with them. Give me the Brew Crew would be cool. The year that we lost Bob, er. Mm-hmm. Have them in the World Series for only the second time in franchise history. What was 1982? I was just a young lad. Uh, Eric was not born yet when last time they were, and neither was Patrick. I still had Hair and hope in 1982. Gimme the brew crew man to, to, that's gonna be, like I said, a fantastic NLCS if it is Philadelphia and Milwaukee. Donny, your thoughts on matchup? My heart is wanting the brewers to get to the World Series. Unfortunately, I think the Phillies are gonna be the stronger team. Uh, I think the better story is the Brewers, if I have to, I have to pick one of those two. I think the Phillies are gonna edge'em out. Okay. And Mr. Larson, your thoughts. Ironically, I think that this Brewer's team is a lot like the Phillies team that won the World Series a few years ago. Just a plucky team that manufactures run. So give me the brewers. I think they make it to the World Series. All right. so then we will go ahead and we'll uh, finish with you then, Patrick. So you had Brewers Against Blue Jays, uh, your thoughts on the World Series Champs 2025? Man, I would love for this to be the World Series, but I'm gonna Ride or die with my team. I'm, I'm going for the Blue Jays to win their first World Series since 1993 and to make Canada very happy, which would make Johnny very, very sad. That's right. Mr. Wise, our other guests here, what are your thoughts and Yankees and I think, think you said Phillies. Yeah. I'm like, Patrick, I gotta stick with my team. I think they, you know, they, Made some mistakes last year against the Dodgers. Obviously kind of blew it after game five. I think they get the job done this year despite, uh, Aaron Boone and Johnny, I believe you said what? Yankees, brewers. Is that right? That's right, yeah. I've got Yankees, brewers your thoughts. I'm just so torn on this. You know, I'm just really torn on this. it would be now the 28 time world champions if the Yankees went in. But then the joy and, and the thing I, one of the things I really respect about the brewers, that fan base. If there is a fan base that deserves a World Series trophy after over 50 years of the Milwaukee Brewers, it's that fan base. Everything that you know, you've shared about how great the ballpark is. My brother-in-law, Chris has been there since Fantastic. Everybody that's ever been there talks about what a great facility it is. Yankees, brewers. I feel like Lee Corso with a not so fast my friend. Gimme the 28 time World Champions. I'm, I'm like the mayor Junior, as you said. I'm, I'm gonna ride and die with the pin stripes. my friend Gary, uh, we've been chatting. He's getting me fired up. We've been messaging. He sent me a funny video about Juan Soto got me laughing tonight. yeah. It's a tough call. I, I, but oh, America will be pulling for the brewers, right? Everybody that's not, that's right. Mm-hmm. Every other fan base. Except maybe the cubs, Johnny, you don't have money on it, so you can easily pick the brewers and just ride with that. I, he's made his choice. Yeah. I'm, I'm, you know, o's interpreter said, you know, safe odds on the Yeah, he. Well, so then for myself, I had the two seed Mariners against the two Seed Phillies and, uh, Mr. Caputo, uh, please send your check to Wichita, Kansas, care of Earned Fund average Eric Profit. Gimme those Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series this year in a seven game battle against those Mariners. Sorry, Mr. Mertons. All I know is if it is Philly Yankees. Paul, you need to help me through your brother, find some, uh, find a ticket.'cause I would love to go to a World Series game with Paul Caputo, if it is a Philly Yankees game in Philadelphia. For sure. Well, just, uh, appreciate everybody listening to our playoff, re or overview, kind of what we think, and then the recap of the season. Thank you to our two guests. Uh, Mr. Larson, where can anybody find you online? So you can find me on X and on Instagram on X, it's at Pat Larson one and on Instagram and on Threads and on pretty much everything else it's at m IB had history. So look forward to talking to you guys there. Appreciate it. And Mr. Wise, I'm at Wise, Dr. Jr. On everything that I'm on threads, x Twitter, whatever, and, um. Instagram also on the, uh, DHC Sports Show, Thursday, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. And our, other show on Mondays that's more non-football, baseball. All right, well, appreciate you guys joining us again and make sure you guys go out there and follow us as well. We're earned fund average. Average is a VG. We're on Instagram, Twitter, and Blue Sky. Patrick on you, please, sir. Canada, lower your standards average is what these guys do best.
