2011 MLB Baseball Thread

metaldams · **Reply #575 on:** September 26, 2011, 10:21:19 PM

What's pissing me off is I'm on vacation this week, and this has to sour it. Unbelievable.

shemps#1 · **Reply #576 on:** September 26, 2011, 10:25:58 PM

Quote from: metaldams on September 26, 2011, 10:21:19 PM

What's pissing me off is I'm on vacation this week, and this has to sour it. Unbelievable.

You should really watch football, helps distract from the mess that is the Boston Red Sox.

metaldams · **Reply #577 on:** September 26, 2011, 10:56:47 PM

I actually have a jam session set up with some musicians I never met tomorrow night, first time in a long while I've jamming with people. I will try to use that as a distraction, but I have a feeling they won't like me constantly checking my cell phone and probably swearing up a storm as we lose again. Maybe it won't be a distraction after all.

Nah, fuck it, I'm facing this thing head on. My grandfather spent his golden years crying about 1946, 1949, and missing Jimmie Foxx, while never experiencing a World Series. Time I proverbially take it up the ass for grandpa and our other unluckier Red Sox fan pioneers.

falsealarms · **Reply #578 on:** September 26, 2011, 11:19:12 PM

Further discussion on Francona:

http://www.boston.com/sports/video/globe10/?bctid=1183370667001&p1=Well_Sports_links

metaldams · **Reply #579 on:** September 26, 2011, 11:31:28 PM

Quote from: falsealarms on September 26, 2011, 11:19:12 PM

Further discussion on Francona:

http://www.boston.com/sports/video/globe10/?bctid=1183370667001&p1=Well_Sports_links

They make some good points. I still say Tito has his good and bad points, but something is lacking chemistry wise on this team for the past few seasons, and something drastic needs to change.

What do you guys think about all this?

falsealarms · **Reply #580 on:** September 26, 2011, 11:41:19 PM

I wouldn't fire him. From the outside, it doesn't feel like it's the time to do it. An epically bad September, but you still won 89+ games and are in it going down to the end. He has an excellent track record in Boston and I'd give him a reprieve on this year. If things don't start off well next year, then something might be warranted. Losing Buchholz, Youkilis, and Bedard for various lengths of time didn't help. Lester having 3 straight bad outings, or Beckett getting bombed by BAL in back to back starts, is hard to explain... bad luck, if anything. And they could still make the playoffs.

And getting off the Red Sox, but what a horrendous loss by STL. A win over basement-dwelling HOU would have tied them for the wild card (ATL lost). Instead STL loses in extra innings. Losing to Houston is bad to begin with, but considering the circumstances, it's almost impossible to swallow if you're a STL fan. A huge opportunity out the door.

Lefty · **Reply #581 on:** September 27, 2011, 03:01:52 PM

That egg-sucking dog Joe Bes -- uh, Girardi -- was b*tching and moaning about how the Yankees have ONLY ONE day off between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. He conveniently forgot that a couple of years ago, his team chose (or MLB/Fox/TBS chose for them) to start the ALDS a day before they were supposed to, which was the day AFTER the Minnesota Twins won a playoff for their division. Maybe he should call up Bucky Dent to ask him how the 1978 team fared winning that playoff game in Boston and having to start the best-of-5 ALCS in Kansas City the next night.

Also, there were Red Sox fans in the Thunderdome in Tampa last night in the humongous crowd of 18,772, actually having to root for the Chaim Yankels. I bet all Sox fans feel, shall we say, different along that line, eh?

Lefty · **Reply #582 on:** September 27, 2011, 03:03:42 PM

On a more important note, the Phillies hit the century mark in wins, which of course has not been anywhere close to guaranteeing a world championship in the past 24 years. And if I had to choose a first-round opponent for them, I'd take the D-Backs, so helping out St. Louis (which hosts Smackdown tapings tonight) might not be the best way to go.

shemps#1 · **Reply #583 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:15:03 PM

Quote from: Lefty on September 27, 2011, 03:03:42 PM

On a more important note, the Phillies hit the century mark in wins, which of course has not been anywhere close to guaranteeing a world championship in the past 24 years. And if I had to choose a first-round opponent for them, I'd take the D-Backs, so helping out St. Louis (which hosts Smackdown tapings tonight) might not be the best way to go.

No, that is not a more important note. May the Phillies get swept in the DS (even though they won't).

Currently the Sox lead the O's 7-3 in the 6th and the Skanks lead the Rays 3-2 in the 7th. By the sweat of their balls, I tells ya.

shemps#1 · **Reply #584 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:32:26 PM

The Rays take the lead 5-3: all 3 of their fans rejoice.

metaldams · **Reply #585 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:32:51 PM

Quote from: shemps#1 on September 27, 2011, 08:15:03 PM

No, that is not a more important note. May the Phillies get swept in the DS (even though they won't).

Currently the Sox lead the O's 7-3 in the 6th and the Skanks lead the Rays 3-2 in the 7th. By the sweat of their balls, I tells ya.

Fucking Soriano just gave away the lead.

metaldams · **Reply #586 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:35:10 PM

A Boston Vs. Tampa one game playoff on paper is a nightmare. I hope we just get to the playoffs without that happening, but I don't have a good feeling.

shemps#1 · **Reply #587 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:45:27 PM

Quote from: metaldams on September 27, 2011, 08:35:10 PM

A Boston Vs. Tampa one game playoff on paper is a nightmare. I hope we just get to the playoffs without that happening, but I don't have a good feeling.

Nope, we will definitely lose if it goes to a 1 game playoff, especially with Lester pitching tomorrow. Lavarnway should be with the big club next season, he just hit his 2nd HR of the game.

metaldams · **Reply #588 on:** September 27, 2011, 08:54:34 PM

Quote from: shemps#1 on September 27, 2011, 08:45:27 PM

Lavarnway should be with the big club next season, he just hit his 2nd HR of the game.

This is one of my major disappointments with this slide. You know if we played a little better and had some meaningless games, we'd be seeing more of this Lavarnway kid. Now we are using him out of necessity and he crushes 2 bombs. Good for him, he's the prospect I'm most excited about now.

Over these years, the rivalry had/has counterparts like Nomar/Jeter, Pedroia/Cano, and Gonzalez/Teixera. It may be too early to say for both, but Lavarnway/Montero might be another combo.

metaldams · **Reply #589 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:05:31 PM

Bard is killing this team along with a few others.

Justin T · **Reply #590 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:08:45 PM

Quote from: metaldams on September 27, 2011, 08:32:51 PM

Fucking Soriano just gave away the lead.

And he's been consistantly lights out for awhile. Of all the times to cough up a lead he
does it tonight of all nights.

Both Wild Card races are going down to the wire just like I thought. Lots of people going
to be bitting their nails tomorrow.

shemps#1 · **Reply #591 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:23:18 PM

Quote from: Justin T on September 27, 2011, 09:08:45 PM

And he's been consistantly lights out for awhile. Of all the times to cough up a lead he
does it tonight of all nights.

Both Wild Card races are going down to the wire just like I thought. Lots of people going
to be bitting their nails tomorrow.

I'm going to say the same thing to you I said to Falsealarms...oh shut up. :p

The Skanks shit the bed because they want no part of Boston, it's a conspiracy to put everyone to sleep with the Rays in the playoffs again.

metaldams · **Reply #592 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:27:12 PM

This game is starting to turn into a nightmare. I'm starting to wonder if the 7 outs on Sunday will have an effect on Papelbon.

metaldams · **Reply #593 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:44:40 PM

Atta boy Paps. I've lost 5 years of my life this month.

shemps#1 · **Reply #594 on:** September 27, 2011, 09:48:54 PM

Gotta love Dumbass Dempsey on the postgame:

(about the Orioles) This is a team EVERYONE is going to be afraid of going into next season!

Umm not unless they get some big time pitching fast.

shemps#1 · **Reply #595 on:** September 28, 2011, 12:00:38 AM

Lost in all of the Boston hysteria is the fact that as of right now the Braves and Cardinals are tied for the NL Wild Card. Tonight (it's 1:00am local time) should be very interesting; I just wish the Red Sox were not involved.

falsealarms · **Reply #596 on:** September 28, 2011, 02:18:40 AM

Did anyone else catch the 2 hour ESPN doc CATCHING HELL earlier tonight? It was about the whole Steve Bartman incident and the storytelling was off the charts good. If you didn't see it, I'd suggest watching it/DVRing it/taping it ... ESPN 2 will re-air it Thursday at 11 PM ET.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

shemps#1 · **Reply #597 on:** September 28, 2011, 07:44:38 AM

Quote from: falsealarms on September 28, 2011, 02:18:40 AM

Did anyone else catch the 2 hour ESPN doc CATCHING HELL earlier tonight? It was about the whole Steve Bartman incident and the storytelling was off the charts good. If you didn't see it, I'd suggest watching it/DVRing it/taping it ... ESPN 2 will re-air it Thursday at 11 PM ET.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

Nope, was too busy watching the Sox game, I'll have to catch it during a re-run when nothing else is on.

I was thinking, especially after having practically detached myself from the Red Sox season (for the most part): as a general baseball fan it would be great if the wild card races ended the way they are right now (tied). Apparently next season they are going to have a 1 game playoff between the two best non-division winners and that could very well happen this year in both leagues. A little preview if you will.

shemps#1 · **Reply #598 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:11:17 PM

I'm quite suprised that the Yankees are putting up an effort when they really don't need to. Perhaps though it is Tampa who is choking here, the Skanks didn't even have a starting pitcher today.

shemps#1 · **Reply #599 on:** September 28, 2011, 08:21:02 PM

WOW I hope you're watching this Doug. What a gutsy performance by Lester.