It’s been a few years since we have had the sort of access necessary to conduct one of our favorite annual features, the anonymous MLB player poll. With our reporters back out in the field, The Athletic decided it was time to revive the poll and check in on a number of topics around the postseason.
Our writers interviewed nearly 200 players across the league to find out their World Series predictions, who they’d most want to have on their side in a clutch situation and which playoff environment they find the most intimidating. For context, player responses were collected until mid-September and not every player we spoke to answered every question — several declined to choose a World Series winner, for example — but they were generally game to name names and speak candidly.
With just a few days remaining until the start of the playoffs, let’s get a look into the minds of those who know the game best.
1. Game 7 of the World Series — who do you want starting?
Top result: Jacob deGrom, Mets (33.9% of the vote)
Runners-up: Max Scherzer (17.2%), Justin Verlander (13%), Sandy Alcántara (4.8%), Max Fried (4.8%)
Also receiving multiple votes: Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw, Dylan Cease, Framber Valdez, Julio Urías, Logan Webb, Luis Castillo, Shane Bieber, Shane McClanahan, Walker Buehler, Yu Darvish, Zac Gallen
Although Jacob deGrom was the clear winner in this category, there was one starting pitcher who unquestionably elicited the most, uh, colorful responses from our polling group. They call him “Mad Max” for a reason. Justin Verlander, the only non-Met on the podium, was met with plenty of praise as well, for both his consistency and his endurance — at 39 years old, Verlander is in his 17th MLB season.
In their own words:
On Scherzer:
(On Scherzer in the playoffs): “I’ve seen it and it’s f—ing incredible.”
“He’s filthy. He’s nasty. He’s a complete competitor.”
“That guy’s af—ing gamer.”
On Verlander:
“How can you not say Verlander? He’s as good as ever. And I’ve faced him in Game 6 and Game 7 and I know what it’s like. He’s done it. Who else has done it like him?”
“I mean, the guy’s 40 and he’s still throwing absolute rockets and he’s still spinning the hell out of it.”
“I’ve never faced Verlander, but I just feel like he’s not intimidated by anything.”
2. Game 7 of the World Series — who do you want closing?
Edwin Díaz became a national sensation earlier this season thanks to his walk-out music, but his lock-down pitching has elevated him to the top of our player poll. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Top result: Edwin Díaz, Mets (44.5% of the vote)
Runners-up: Josh Hader (10.3%), Emmanuel Clase (9.7%), Jhoan Durán (7.3%)
Also receiving multiple votes: Camilo Doval, Craig Kimbrel, Daniel Bard, Félix Bautista, Kenley Jansen, Liam Hendriks, Ryan Helsley
Among the three player-centric questions we asked, this one yielded the most definitive winner. All hail Edwin Díaz, the people’s closer. Let the trumpets play.
Sound ’em. 🎺🎺🎺 pic.twitter.com/wPv2R0GDxt
— SNY (@SNYtv) August 7, 2022
Despite a tough spell late in the summer, Josh Hader also received a strong showing, with Emmanuel Clase not far behind. A few players we asked reverse-engineered their answers, citing specific pitches they would not want to see in a clutch situation, while others thought outside the box: “I can pick any pitcher to close? It’s the World Series, I’m picking deGrom.”
In their own words:
On Díaz:
“He strikes out half the guys he faces. That always plays.”
On class:
“I really don’t enjoy facing Clase’s cutter.”
“He had a shaky start, but after that, he’s been lights out.”
On Bautista:
“(He) just has so much confidence.”
On Jansen:
“I want Jansen (closing a Game 7). He’s done it before. He’s really good. I think he gets a bad rep every now and then when he struggles during the regular season, but he’s lights out.”
3. Game 7 of the World Series, game on the line — who do you want at the plate?
Top result: Aaron Judge, Yankees (15.5% of the vote)
Runners-up: Paul Goldschmidt (11.9%), Luis Arráez (8.3%), Mike Trout (8.3%), Freddie Freeman (7.7%), Mookie Betts (7.1%)
Also receiving multiple votes: Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson, Jeff McNeil, Jose Altuve, José Ramírez, Juan Soto, Julio Rodríguez, Manny Machado, Matt Olson, Miguel Cabrera, Rafael Devers, Shohei Ohtani, Steven Kwan, Trea Turner, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Xander Bogaerts
This question inspired a lot of thought exercises among our respondents. Who would they want at the plate? Well, that seems to mostly depend on what’s happening on the hypothetical bases. Several players selected themselves for this category — which was not technically against the rules — and we applaud their self-confidence. And let us pour one out for Mike Trout, a player other players would clearly trust in a make-or-break Series situation… if only he could make it to the postseason at all.
In their own words:
“It depends on the situation. If I need a home run to tie it, then Judge. If all I need is a single, I might go Arráez.”
“If someone is on base, I’m taking Goldschmidt. If no one is on and I need a homer, Judge.”
“It’s hard to pick a hitter, because — do you need a base hit or a home run? I’m going Arráez for a base hit, but if you need a home run, it would change my answer.”
“You don’t want to pitch to (Goldschmidt) with runners on.”
Judge:
“I’d say myself for a Game 7 hitter. I want that moment. But if it can’t be me, Judge. He’s clutch.”
On Goldschmidt:
“He even turns his mistakes into hits. He just always gets it done.”
On Arráez:
“That guy is as consistent — he may not hit a homer, per se — but you talk about the game on the line and you need to get on base, get something going, I’m probably leaning that way.”
Houston fans know how to bring it in the postseason, but their secret weapon might be the stadium itself. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
4. Most intimidating atmosphere during the postseason?
Top result: Yankee Stadium (43% of the vote)
Runners-up: Dodger Stadium (13.8%), Minute Maid Park (10%), Fenway Park (8.4%)
Also receiving multiple votes: Rogers Center (Blue Jays), Truist Park (Braves), Busch Stadium (Cardinals), Wrigley Field (Cubs), Oracle Park (Giants), Citi Field (Mets), Citizens Bank Park (Phillies)
Several players took issue with the phrasing of this question, claiming that they weren’t intimidated by any away environment. Said one player: “I don’t think any place is intimidating; I might change the question to ‘most exciting.’” Fair enough. Despite that, a large number of players did name a crowd they’d find most menacing in a playoff situation, and the resounding winners were the Bleacher Creatures who call the Bronx home. Some responses had less to do with the crowd itself and more to do with a home-field advantage built into the stadium — players cited the noise level inside a closed-roof Minute Maid Park as a major factor in its fearsomeness, for instance.
In their own words:
On Yankee Stadium:
“There are other places that get loud, but the historical element of it, it just makes it different.”
“Those guys are the most ruthless fan base ever. Those guys are mean. They don’t care who you are. Even if you are the home team, they hate you. I think (Joey) Gallo can attest to that.”
“It’s not so much intimidating, but New York is always just different.”
On Dodger Stadium:
“I love it. I’ve always loved Dodger Stadium, you’ve got 50 people on you.”
“I’d probably have to say LA In the bullpen, the fans are right there, they’re drinking, they’re trash-talking. But their trash talk is not that good. It’s loud, though.”
On Minute Maid Park:
“Just because it gets so loud with the roof closed.”
“The closed-roof places get really loud.”
On Fenway:
“It’s right on you. The fans are right next to you.”
“It’s how on you everything is.”
On Rogers Centre:
“Because they don’t give af—. That’s a whole country against you.”
“If the Blue Jays make the playoffs, it could get rowdy.”
On Citizens Bank Park:
“I wouldn’t say any place is intimidating. There are places that piss me off. Like Philly. They’re mean, and that makes me play meaner, which I think is a good thing.”
“Philly in the playoffs would be tough. They’re mean. And they’re loud. It’s kinda scary.”
On Citi Field:
“It’s like playing in af—ing nightclub in there.”
5. Who will win the World Series? (besides the team you play for)
Top result: Los Angeles Dodgers (39.5% of the vote)
Runners-up: Atlanta Braves (21.7%), New York Mets (14.5%), Houston Astros (10.5%)
Also receiving multiple votes: St. Louis Cardinals, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees
It’s the National League’s world and we’re all just living in it, apparently. Seventy-five percent of respondents to this question said that an NL team would be crowned world champion after the final out, which would extend the current streak to four straight championships. (The last AL team to win a World Series was, as we’re sure you remember, the Boston Red Sox in 2018. Or maybe you don’t remember. It’s been a weird few years.) The defending champs in Atlanta were a popular pick, but the Dodgers are the clear favorites among their peers. Several players we polled declined to answer the question on the basis that they could not say their own team, but we had to appreciate their candor. Said one NL respondent: “If not us, they’re canceling it.”
In their own words:
On the Dodgers:
“Dodgers don’t have any holes, complete from pitching, hitting, defense, they can do it all.”
“I don’t want to say the Dodgers. I really don’t want to say the Dodgers. But I gotta say the Dodgers.”
On the Braves:
“It’s a really good team, and now they’ve got the experience edge.”
“Braves are gonna go again. They’re even better this year. On chemistry, they’re perfect. And they do everything on the field; every little thing they do well.”
On the Mets:
“That Mets rotation, they’re something different. They’re an anomaly.”
“They’ve been scuffling lately and they need to clean some things up, but that pitching staff is complete.”
On the Astros:
“This is anonymous, right? I don’t want anyone to know I picked Houston to win the World Series. I hate them so much.”
“Astros’ arms are so good, and I think that’s what wins in the postseason, that and timely hitting and power. And their combo of that is the best.”
(Top image by Jon Bradford / The Athletic; Photos: Elsa / Getty Images; Rich Schultz / Getty Images; Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images)
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