Reaction to the Tigers and Angels being knocked out of the playoffs

I love a good series, but I love watching a hated team lose even more. So I'm glad the Tigers are dead. Really glad. Like, spring-in-my-step glad. Let's talk about that.

AL Postseason

What Went Wrong For The Tigers | FanGraphs Baseball — Starting things out with my old buddy Mike Petriello.

Tigers fall to Orioles in ALDS, could signal end to an era - MLB - SI.com — And the pain continues! Yes!

Is the Angels’ window for contending closing? | HardballTalk — I love this, too. I don't like the Angels. I don't like L.A., and I don't like teams that massively inflate the market for player salaries. The Angels are run stupidly, and they hurt the game in the process. Pujols and Hamilton combined to go 2-for-25 in this series. This too makes me happy.

Four things to watch for in ALCS matchup between Orioles, Royals - MLB - SI.com — Here's something else that makes me happy. I am genuinely glad for fans of the Royals and Orioles, who deserve a little joy in my view. This is not to say I'm rooting for them exactly. I am pleased, as a baseball fan, to see a pennant drive come down to the best two defensive teams in the league, possibly in all of baseball. That's cool.

Top 10 defenses: Royals, O's boast finest gloves | MLB.com — Castrovince backs up that claim, explaining why the Royals and Orioles have the best defenses. Now here's the funny part: This article was written in February. It's about last season.

NL Postseason

Doug Fister’s Mid-Game Adjustment | FanGraphs Baseball — Hey, you know what? This is also something that went wrong for the Tigers! I remember when this trade got made thinking, is Dombrowski crazy? Or maybe this is one of those things that I just don't understand, because I'm not In The Industry. But no, I was right, Dombrowski was stupid. Nice.

NLDS: Cardinals take 2-1 playoff series lead with 3-1 win over Dodgers | cleveland.com — This happened last night too.

Don Mattingly has no idea how to deal with the eighth inning | HardballTalk — Matthew Pouliot fries the manager.

Madison Bumgarner’s big error not all his fault | HardballTalk — See what you think. I say it's still all his fault, especially since MLB Network was reporting that Posey says he was shouting for Bumgarner to throw to first.

Clayton Kershaw will start Game 4 on short rest | HardballTalk — Short rest, huh? Let the debate begin, I guess. (Ah, memories.)

Tribe Time

After an All-Star campaign in 2014, how can Michael Brantley get better? | cleveland.com — I'm going to save you a click and a couple of minutes: He can't. Granted, I've always underestimated Brantley and never thought he could do anything like what he did this year. I admit that. Doesn't change the fact that regression is a fact of life. I think Brantley has shown that he's legitimately an above-average player, but I will be surprised if he's anywhere near an MVP ballot a year from now.

Indians selling removed seats from Progressive Field as ballpark renovations begin | cleveland.com — A pair of old seats from the Prog costs $600. If they were smart, they'd offer seats from the Jake for $1,500.

Around the League

Adam Dunn retires as the king of the Three True Outcomes - MLB - SI.com — Jay Jaffe writes Dunn's entire farewell tour. Gonna miss this guy. Kind of sorry we never got to root for him.

Nightengale: Redemption, then glory for Cruz, Peralta — So these guys are stars (again). I don't know if this has been discussed here much, but are we supposed to think they aren't doping now? And why exactly would we think that?

Free Agent Profile: Justin Masterson – MLB Trade Rumors — Nobody does anything wrong here, but I do wonder why nobody is speculating on Masterson returning to the Indians. We need the depth, and the Indians a great team to mount your make-good campaign on a one-year deal. Obviously he likes his old bosses, or at least he did six months ago.

What's happened to Justin Masterson? - Beyond the Box Score — Just in case that last thought has you feeling nostalgia for Masterson, here's a breakdown of his breakdown from five weeks ago.

My awards voting, playoff notes and a look ahead for two star players - ESPN — Similar to Masterson, nobody seems to think Victor Martinez is coming home to Cleveland, even though ...

Victor Martinez still clings to first host family in Ohio — Awwwwww.