The 2008 Baseball Thread

shemps#1 · **Reply #125 on:** June 10, 2008, 04:45:36 AM

A couple of comments:

The Yankees are so bad because they are old, and age usually hits pitchers harder first. Their young pitchers haven't panned out thus far either.

The mid-to-late 60's were hardly simple times; in fact they were probably the most complicated and turbulent times in our history...Detroit was a big hub for all of that as well.

I became a fan in the summer of 1986 when I was looking for something to watch on television. Living in Connecticut we had a wide array of channels from NYC and Boston on our cable system and I landed on WPIX 11, which at the time would broadcast the Yankees games. My father, never a die hard fan but born in Boston and raised in Massachusetts came into the room, saw the Yankees game, turned to me and said "turn that shit off, if you want to watch baseball watch this". He then proceeded to turn the channel to WSBK 38 where the Red Sox were playing the Indians and ended up trashing them by scoring more than twenty runs. I've been a fan ever since, from the bad times to the good. That was the best thing my father ever did for me.

jrvass · **Reply #126 on:** June 10, 2008, 06:51:26 AM

Things didn't become complicated until the riots of '67. We got our first shotgun, since Dad was out of town so often. I have it now. It was painted with hippie flowers and pink flamingoes!

In '68 they used to roll in the TV sets, with bunny ears, into the classrooms to watch the Tigers in the World Series or Apollo moonshots.

Simpler times? Maybe because I had a simpler mind.

James

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #127 on:** June 10, 2008, 07:55:50 AM

Quote from: jrvass on June 10, 2008, 06:51:26 AM

Things didn't become complicated until the riots of '67. We got our first shotgun, since Dad was out of town so often. I have it now. It was painted with hippie flowers and pink flamingoes!

In '68 they used to roll in the TV sets, with bunny ears, into the classrooms to watch the Tigers in the World Series or Apollo moonshots.

Simpler times? Maybe because I had a simpler mind.

James

Yeah, but you're talking to a child of the 80s. The world's innocence was long gone by then and, even in my youngest years, I knew it. With a big thanks to DVD, BluRay and the next forms of technology I will never understand, I can go out and buy the Ed Sullivan Show and view what used to be the best in family variety entertainment. In 2006, I was laid up in the hospital after brain surgery and they played nothing more recent than The Andy Williams Show (except for Carol Burnett's 25th anniversary special in 1992). I've always been an entertainment history nut and I appreciate shows and movies from the pre-1975 era than I do anything recent and boring. The media reporters were more exciting, the shows were more genuine in spirit and baseball players still had day jobs. I'm writing a book on that last one. I might have only been two years old when John Lennon was killed but, I'm a lot wiser than my years (30) will show. I'm apparently a rare breed of human.

My Dad is the same way. Born in 1940, he embraced entertainers who preceeded him in life and that's just exactly what I do.

Bob Dylan once said:
"I was so much older then,
I'm younger than that now."

...and there's your early morning novel.

jrvass · **Reply #128 on:** June 10, 2008, 10:54:06 AM

I remember watching the news reports of John Lennon's shooting at a TV room in Hunt Hall, one of my college's dormitories.

How did I get so old or survive this many years?

James

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #129 on:** June 10, 2008, 02:00:08 PM

Quote from: jrvass on June 10, 2008, 10:54:06 AM

I remember watching the news reports of John Lennon's shooting at a TV room in Hunt Hall, one of my college's dormitories.

How did I get so old or survive this many years?

James

How can ANY of us survive the time? It's up to YOU to figure how to stay young. It's all in your head. Age is a number, not a feeling.

Mattie Herring · **Reply #130 on:** June 10, 2008, 03:59:05 PM

Exactly. Remember Stuart Little: "You're as big as you feel."

JazzBill · **Reply #131 on:** June 10, 2008, 06:32:16 PM

Quote from: jrvass on June 10, 2008, 06:51:26 AM

Things didn't become complicated until the riots of '67. We got our first shotgun, since Dad was out of town so often. I have it now. It was painted with hippie flowers and pink flamingoes!

In '68 they used to roll in the TV sets, with bunny ears, into the classrooms to watch the Tigers in the World Series or Apollo moonshots.

Simpler times? Maybe because I had a simpler mind.

James

I was in Detroit during the riots of "67". The neighborhood we lived in was so bad, my folks used to send me to my grandparents house in Detroit for the summer, for safety reasons. ( Can you imagine that ? ) They lived around Schoolcraft and Telegraph Rds.

jrvass · **Reply #132 on:** June 10, 2008, 07:53:53 PM

Quote from: JazzBill on June 10, 2008, 06:32:16 PM

I was in Detroit during the riots of "67". The neighborhood we lived in was so bad, my folks used to send me to my grandparents house in Detroit for the summer, for safety reasons. ( Can you imagine that ? ) They lived around Schoolcraft and Telegraph Rds.

We lived near Lahser & Maple in Birmingham. Not exactly a riot hot spot but Mom worried with 3 kids and Dad out-of-town. Schoolcraft & Telegraph is near where my parents grew up. They went to Redford High.

Years later I had a job fixing copiers and one of our clients was the Black Christian Nationalists at Seward & Second. Sgt. Mubutu would sit behind me as I worked on their copier. It wasn't until a few years ago that I found out that the BCN had a hand in starting the riots of '67.

Warning: Marxist bullshit alert!

http://archives.econ.utah.edu/archives/marxism/2005w07/msg00162.htm

James

metaldams · **Reply #133 on:** June 17, 2008, 10:51:09 PM

To my surprise, I was at the Red Sox Vs. Phillies game in Philly tonight. Went with my parents and brother (who just made me an uncle two weeks ago), and didn't know I was going until yesterday, as my Dad scored free tickets from his job. Great game to go to, as the Red Sox are on a four game winning streak with me seeing them live. Lester and Papelbon were dominant tonight, and if you guys ever get a chance, definitely go to Citizen's Bank Park. I had great mid-upper level seats behind home plate tonight, but evensitting in the upper deck in right field a couple of years back I can tell you there's not a bad seat in the house. This place also has the nicest men's room around, unlike the old horse trough urinals at Yankee Stadium and Fenway (at least the last time I attended both parks, it's been a while).

falsealarms · **Reply #134 on:** June 18, 2008, 02:22:43 AM

[youtube=425,350]yixUmboD8wA&[/youtube]

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #135 on:** June 18, 2008, 07:31:51 AM

Quote from: metaldams on June 17, 2008, 10:51:09 PM

To my surprise, I was at the Red Sox Vs. Phillies game in Philly tonight. Went with my parents and brother (who just made me an uncle two weeks ago), and didn't know I was going until yesterday, as my Dad scored free tickets from his job. Great game to go to, as the Red Sox are on a four game winning streak with me seeing them live. Lester and Papelbon were dominant tonight, and if you guys ever get a chance, definitely go to Citizen's Bank Park. I had great mid-upper level seats behind home plate tonight, but evensitting in the upper deck in right field a couple of years back I can tell you there's not a bad seat in the house. This place also has the nicest men's room around, unlike the old horse trough urinals at Yankee Stadium and Fenway (at least the last time I attended both parks, it's been a while).

Adding to this "mystique" which you mentioned about Fenway and Yankee Stadium, the same can be said for Dodger Stadium, too. Citizen's Bank is a place I'd like to visit in my lifetime because I've heard nothing but the best about it. It's more of a hitter's ballpark, which cannot be said for us out here.

jrvass · **Reply #136 on:** June 18, 2008, 10:14:37 PM

The urinal troughs at Tiger Stadium! Built in 1899 or so.

Ernie Harwell (Tiger sportscaster) once remarked that he was going to buy the dugout trough for "Miss Lulu". For her to plant her roses in.

James

metaldams · **Reply #137 on:** June 18, 2008, 10:34:01 PM

Citizen's Bank Park felt like home. Between innings I got up from my seat, took a piss on a relatively clean urinal, flushed, and got back in time to see the next pitch. The game was sold out as well, so I was able to do this with a lot of people there.

jrvass · **Reply #138 on:** June 18, 2008, 10:52:24 PM

I took Dad and his pal to Comerica Park last summer. The old negro league tribute game.

Dad tried to go in the woMen's room several times. I had to grab him by the sweater and steer him into the men's room.

After, we're driving up Woodward... He spots all the hookers! "Look at that one!"

"Where?" -me

James

xraffle · **Reply #139 on:** June 18, 2008, 11:30:29 PM

Looks like there's a mix up in the threads. It looks like you both are continuing you discussion from The 2008 Baseball Thread, but you must've clicked on this thread by accident.

jrvass · **Reply #140 on:** June 19, 2008, 12:54:03 AM

Well, m-dams started it!

James

xraffle · **Reply #141 on:** June 19, 2008, 12:57:40 AM

Quote from: jrvass on June 19, 2008, 12:54:03 AM

Well, m-dams started it!

James

Well, it's an honest mistake. It could happen to anyone. I was just pointing it out just in case the admins want to move the posts to its proper topic.

jrvass · **Reply #142 on:** June 19, 2008, 06:15:37 AM

Cool.

James

Dunrobin · **Reply #143 on:** June 19, 2008, 06:28:53 AM

Quote from: xraffle on June 19, 2008, 12:57:40 AM

Well, it's an honest mistake. It could happen to anyone. I was just pointing it out just in case the admins want to move the posts to its proper topic.

Moved. (I was definitely a little confused at first when I was reading these in my email.)

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #144 on:** June 19, 2008, 07:58:34 AM

Say, it's no wonder why I wasn't getting any of these fun responses. I wish I could call Dodger Stadium 100% clean but, did you happen to see the article yesterday on Yahoo! about the dirtiest ballparks, what the violations were and just how many they were? According to them, the trophy goes to the Angels in LOS ANGELES! LOS ANGELES! That decision will never cease to amaze me...The final tally? Angels' Stadium received somewhere around 732 violations. I won't be going there for Dodgers/Angels interleague games anymore, even if they clean it up.

JazzBill · **Reply #145 on:** June 19, 2008, 04:26:55 PM

Quote from: FineBari3 on March 25, 2008, 10:03:26 PM

It's pretty bad! I even worked for the Pirates back in the 1996 season, and I didn't go to games!

One thing that is good: we got a new pitching coach. The old coach really messed some of the guys up, and the bullpen is doing real well in spring training.

Oh, please....just .500!

I just finished watching the last game between the Pirates and the White Sox. I'm sorry to see them leave. The Pirate's pitching is just what the Doctor ordered to help the Sox bats pull out of the slump they were in.

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #146 on:** June 19, 2008, 06:30:33 PM

Quote from: JazzBill on June 19, 2008, 04:26:55 PM

I just finished watching the last game between the Pirates and the White Sox. I'm sorry to see them leave. The Pirate's pitching is just what the Doctor ordered to help the Sox bats pull out of the slump they were in.

Must be the same feeling I have about the Dodgers coming home from Cincinatti.

metaldams · **Reply #147 on:** July 08, 2008, 09:48:12 PM

C.C. Sabbathia to the Brew Crew.

Rich Harden to the Cubs.

I think the N.L. Central has gotten a little more interesting.

Darkhoarse820 · **Reply #148 on:** July 08, 2008, 10:22:40 PM

Quote from: metaldams on July 08, 2008, 09:48:12 PM

C.C. Sabbathia to the Brew Crew.

Rich Harden to the Cubs.

I think the N.L. Central has gotten a little more interesting.

That's a nicer way of saying "better". As far as I'm concerned, they're the best division in all of baseball.

Lefty · **Reply #149 on:** July 09, 2008, 02:50:31 PM

As long as the Phillies win the World Series (like that'll ever happen in the current ownership), it doesn't matter which division is the best. I guess the Cubbies really want to win it on their 100th adversary. But I wouldn't mind the Cubs beating, say, some teams from Noo Yawk.

The 2008 Baseball Thread

Mattie Herring

xraffle

xraffle