2013 Baseball Thread...

metaldams · **Reply #100 on:** September 23, 2013, 12:54:56 PM

Quote from: shemps#1 on September 23, 2013, 07:48:40 AM

Speaking of Hall of Famers: from the "what the hell took so long" department, the legendary Red Sox LF Carl Yastrzemski was finally honored with a statue at Fenway. One of my earliest memories was watching my father watch Yaz's final game, seeing him round Fenway Park and say farewell to the fans one last time.

You're lucky you have that memory, I have zero memories of Yaz. I was four when Yaz retired and wasn't even aware of baseball at that point.

But the 1983 season, my Dad through his work got tickets to opening day at Yankee Stadium. Cary Grant was a few rows in front of him.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #101 on:** September 26, 2013, 04:40:47 PM

I just want to say I'm looking forward to a Yankee free playoffs.

The only thing that could make this postseason even sweeter is if the Cardinals get punched out in the 1st round.

metaldams · **Reply #102 on:** September 26, 2013, 08:18:58 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on September 26, 2013, 04:40:47 PM

I just want to say I'm looking forward to a Yankee free playoffs.

If two smoking hot red heads knocked on my door and delivered ten million dollars worth of gold to me only under the condition that I sleep with them, I still wouldn't be happier than I am now.

shemps#1 · **Reply #103 on:** September 27, 2013, 06:41:09 AM

A Yankees free playoffs is awesome, and otherwise it's shaping up to be quite interesting. I hope the AL Wild Card standings stay where they are, with G.W. Bush's team the Texas Rangers on the outside looking in. It's also looking good for the Red Sox to snatch that #1 seed and clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs, a Sox win and an A's loss will do the trick. On the NL side the Pirates (still can't believe I am typing about Pittsburgh being in the postseason, congrats Mar-Jean, wherever you are) and the Reds should be playing for the right to host the Wild Card game this season while Atlanta and St. Louis are tied (and 3 ahead of the Dodgers) for the top spot in the Senior Circuit. Should they remain tied Atlanta has the head to head advantage (4-3) so the Braves would secure the #1 seed.

I dunno Doug, I might have to go with the hot red heads and gold, especially if they also came bearing Red Sox playoff tickets.

shemps#1 · **Reply #104 on:** September 27, 2013, 10:06:40 PM

Here's how things will play out should Tampa Bay, Cleveland and Texas finish in a 3 way tie for the two wild card spots:

Cleveland has a better combined head to head record (7-5), then Tampa Bay (7-6) and then Texas (5-8). The Indians have chosen to host a first extra game on Monday and the Rays have chosen to play Monday on the road (TB @ CLE). The winner of that game would clinch a wild card spot, while the loser would travel to Arlington on Tuesday (TB/CLE @ TEX). The winner of the Tuesday game would clinch the other wild card spot and the loser would be eliminated. Home field for the AL Wild Card would then be decided by head to head record between the two teams. Tampa Bay has the better head to head over Cleveland (4-2), Cleveland over Texas (5-1) and Texas over Tampa Bay (4-3).

shemps#1 · **Reply #105 on:** September 28, 2013, 01:40:16 AM

The Rays lost and the Indians and Rangers won, so that leaves the Rays and Indians tied while the Rangers are a game behind them with two left. The Red Sox and A's both won so either a Boston win or an Oakland loss will give the Red Sox the top seed in AL.

Over in the NL the Cardinals won to clinch the Central and the Braves also won. Both teams are tied for the top seed (95-65) and Atlanta holds the head to head advantage (4-3). The Pirates beat the Reds, which now means if Pittsburgh can do it again this weekend they will host Cincinnati in the NL Wild Card Game. If the Reds can win these next two games it will give the two teams tied records, but Cincinnati will have the head to head advantage (it currently belongs to the Pirates at 9-8) and host the NL Wild Card Game.

Detroit and the LA Dodgers are both locked in as the #3 seeds in their respective leagues and will begin their Division Series' on the road (Oakland has the head to head advantage over Detroit 4-3).

Lefty · **Reply #106 on:** September 28, 2013, 09:45:01 AM

Predictions:

1. Atlanta will average 20,000 fans for their home playoff games.
2. Tampa Bay will average 15,000 fans for their home games.
3. If Cleveland gets in, there will be either lots of insects or a big snowstorm in at least one of their home games.
4. St. Louis will get the calls in their favor from the umpires who somehow will manage to gain at least 10 pounds in each series from the beer that happens to find its way into their locker room.
5. Bud Selig will give the Yankees an honorary playoff spot as requested by Fox. The Yankees will then buy every free agent on the market this winter.
6. Cincinnati vs. Cleveland in the World Series -- with all games at Ohio State's football field.
7. Failing that, the World Series will feature a rematch of some kind.
8. The Phillies will beat Seattle in the 2036 World Series, the Phillies' next championship and the Mariners' first W.S. appearance. (Ruin Tomorrow Jr. will be relieved of duty in 2026 for this to occur when it does.)

shemps#1 · **Reply #107 on:** September 28, 2013, 11:42:28 AM

Quote from: Lefty on September 28, 2013, 09:45:01 AM

5. Bud Selig will give the Yankees an honorary playoff spot as requested by Fox. The Yankees will then buy every free agent on the market this winter.

That one cracked me up, but I wouldn't put it past him. Just one more season...

shemps#1 · **Reply #108 on:** September 28, 2013, 06:34:46 PM

Send in the scrubs! A's lose so the Red Sox can breathe easy with the #1 seed (Oakland is #2 and will play Detroit in the ALDS). Cleveland and Texas win while Tampa Bay loses, so the Indians currently have a one game lead over the Rangers and Rays in the Wild Card race. I'm hoping the Indians lose and the Rangers and Rays win tomorrow to create the Wild Card Clusterfuck ((c) me) and the possibility that whomever plays Boston will have to play three extra games before doing so.

The Pirates beat the Reds again and will host Cincy in the NL Wild Card game on Tuesday. St. Louis has won and Atlanta is losing early; if that score holds up the Cardinals will control their own destiny as far as the NL's #1 seed goes. I gotta say guys, I was very skeptical about the extra wild card at first, but shit has gotten real fun and interesting.

metaldams · **Reply #109 on:** September 28, 2013, 08:44:52 PM

Quote from: shemps#1 on September 28, 2013, 06:34:46 PM

Send in the scrubs! A's lose so the Red Sox can breathe easy with the #1 seed (Oakland is #2 and will play Detroit in the ALDS). Cleveland and Texas win while Tampa Bay loses, so the Indians currently have a one game lead over the Rangers and Rays in the Wild Card race. I'm hoping the Indians lose and the Rangers and Rays win tomorrow to create the Wild Card Clusterfuck ((c) me) and the possibility that whomever plays Boston will have to play three extra games before doing so.

The Pirates beat the Reds again and will host Cincy in the NL Wild Card game on Tuesday. St. Louis has won and Atlanta is losing early; if that score holds up the Cardinals will control their own destiny as far as the NL's #1 seed goes. I gotta say guys, I was very skeptical about the extra wild card at first, but shit has gotten real fun and interesting.

All I know is I will be following lots of games tomorrow and Boston will be a blip on the radar. I too am cheering on the wild card clusterfuck.

shemps#1 · **Reply #110 on:** September 28, 2013, 09:45:58 PM

What a play to end the Phillies/Braves game and keep St. Louis in control of the top seed. I hope Papelbon is enjoying himself out there in Philly, idiot.

Lefty · **Reply #111 on:** September 29, 2013, 10:25:48 AM

Quote from: shemps#1 on September 28, 2013, 09:45:58 PM

What a play to end the Phillies/Braves game and keep St. Louis in control of the top seed. I hope Papelbon is enjoying himself out there in Philly, idiot.

I wouldn't exactly call Papelbum an idiot (pronounced "Eye-Dee-Ten-Tee"). It was Ruin Tomorrow Jr., with the blessings of .300 Monty, Carnival Barker Giles, and the rest of the Country Club ownership, who overbid against himself for Stinko-Ocho's services. Ol' Paps has his championship, so he went for the $$$, regardless of what loser of an or-guh-nye-zay-shun would give it to him. He would have gone to the Miami Marlenes had they offered more money, after which they would have sold/traded him to Toronto.

shemps#1 · **Reply #112 on:** September 29, 2013, 11:20:36 AM

Perhaps I'm just too competitive; if I were Paps I would have listened to a Boston offer (a well-run organization, we had the one year where we not competitive at all and cleaned house whereas Philly seems content in languishing in below mediocrity, trying to ride guys like Halladay and Lee until the drop and then some) which would have at the very least kept him relevant instead of going to the highest bidder and join the ranks of obscurity. Philadelphia is an awesome sports town (unlike Miami and Tampa, to name a couple, shit you could throw the entire state of Florida in there as far as pro sports go) and you guys deserve much better than what you're getting.

shemps#1 · **Reply #113 on:** September 29, 2013, 02:21:51 PM

Henderson Alvarez of the Miami Marlins has no-hit the Detroit Tigers in a 1-0 victory. The Marlins got the win on a bases loaded wild pitch with 2 out in the bottom of the 9th.

I'm watching the Indians/Twins game (every game today is free on mlb.tv) and the Twins are just terrible. The Indians lead 2-0 in the top of the 6th. The Rays lead the Blue Jays 7-3 in the bottom of the 7th and the Angels lead the Rangers 1-0 in the top of the 2nd.

shemps#1 · **Reply #114 on:** September 29, 2013, 05:23:24 PM

Damn, no Wild Card Clusterfuck, but we at least get a Rangers/Rays game tomorrow with the winner going to Cleveland.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #115 on:** September 29, 2013, 07:25:31 PM

Postseason predictions:

NL Wild Card Game Winner: Pittsburgh over Cincinnati

AL Wild Card Tiebreaker game: Tampa over Texas

AL Wild Card Game: Tampa over Cleveland

Division Series:

Pittsburgh over St. Louis in 5 (I may be predicting this based on what I want to see rather than what I expect to happen)

Los Angeles Dodgers over the Braves in 4

Detroit over Oakland in 5

Boston over Tampa in 5

NLCS & ALCS predictions:

Detroit over Boston in 7

Dodgers over Pirates in 6

World Series Predictions:

Detroit over Los Angeles in 6

shemps#1 · **Reply #116 on:** September 29, 2013, 08:22:09 PM

The Division Series' are best of 5, unless I missed the memo.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #117 on:** September 29, 2013, 08:31:37 PM

You're right Jim, how silly of me to forget that little detail...

metaldams · **Reply #118 on:** September 29, 2013, 09:09:49 PM

I'm no good at predictions for all series, but I will say this much - if Boston loses, they will be done in by a weak middle relief. Other than Craig Breslow, they have nobody halfway reliable to get to Uehara. Dempster should be interesting in middle relief, he may be a big factor in swinging the pendulum in either direction.

metaldams · **Reply #119 on:** September 29, 2013, 09:16:39 PM

...and as far as Papelbon, here's my take. That 2007 banner is a different color without him, so that in itself is reason enough where I'll always have some level of love for the guy. Besides that, I think he genuinely thought he was going to a contender in Philly, and while he's made no bones about the fact for years he was after a big contract, I also think he's wants to win. The guy is not a brain surgeon or a diplomat, but he's to this point the greatest closer in Red Sox history, so count me in the camp who won't knock the guy too much.

shemps#1 · **Reply #120 on:** September 29, 2013, 10:06:04 PM

The Tiebreaker is tough, Price and Perez in Arlington...don't really care who wins. I can't seem to pick at the moment. I do agree that I hope St. Louis makes an early exit.

Lefty · **Reply #121 on:** September 30, 2013, 03:00:36 PM

Philly has the most loyal sports fans in the world to have to put up with the teams we have. Just a few tweaks would work.

1. Get new ownership everywhere:
A. Flyers -- Ed Snider is senile, stuck in the 1970s, and he won't fire pathetic GM Paul Holmgren.
B. Sixers -- Their owner also owns the NHL's New Jersey Devils -- 'nuff said.
C. Eagles -- Jeffrey Lurie is a diehard Patriots' fan, but he won't try to make the Eagles that good, not as long as the suckers keep buying season tickets.
D. Phillies -- The nameless, faceless, country club owners are satisfied with spokesman .300 Monty and the worst GM in all of sports, Ruin Tomorrow (and Today) Jr.

2. Give the general managers their transfers to the Russian Front, even though this is not "Hogan's Heroes."

3. See what successful teams do (Devils, Red Wings, STL Cardinals, Red Sox, Patriots, Spurs, etc.) and try those tactics.

Lefty · **Reply #122 on:** September 30, 2013, 03:03:46 PM

Tonight: Rays vs. Rangers. Winner gets another opportunity to end their 0-fer in championships. Winner gets two days in Cleveland. Loser gets two weeks in Cleveland.

JazzBill · **Reply #123 on:** September 30, 2013, 04:45:37 PM

Quote from: Lefty on September 30, 2013, 03:03:46 PM

Winner gets two days in Cleveland. Loser gets two weeks in Cleveland.

LOL, that's funny. Actually, I've been to Cleveland once when a couple of buddies and me rode to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame. We happened to pick a day when all the public school kids from Cleveland were taking free tours. It was wall to wall kids that had no interest in rock and roll whatsoever. What a waste that turned out to be. Then when we went back to get our bikes someone had slit my buddies front tire. I hope Cleveland gets knocked out in the first round.

shemps#1 · **Reply #124 on:** September 30, 2013, 08:13:14 PM

Quote from: Lefty on September 30, 2013, 03:00:36 PM

Philly has the most loyal sports fans in the world to have to put up with the teams we have. Just a few tweaks would work.

1. Get new ownership everywhere:
A. Flyers -- Ed Snider is senile, stuck in the 1970s, and he won't fire pathetic GM Paul Holmgren.
B. Sixers -- Their owner also owns the NHL's New Jersey Devils -- 'nuff said.
C. Eagles -- Jeffrey Lurie is a diehard Patriots' fan, but he won't try to make the Eagles that good, not as long as the suckers keep buying season tickets.
D. Phillies -- The nameless, faceless, country club owners are satisfied with spokesman .300 Monty and the worst GM in all of sports, Ruin Tomorrow (and Today) Jr.

2. Give the general managers their transfers to the Russian Front, even though this is not "Hogan's Heroes."

3. See what successful teams do (Devils, Red Wings, STL Cardinals, Red Sox, Patriots, Spurs, etc.) and try those tactics.

A while back, during the days of the "Curse of the Bambino" it was often said that the Red Sox would come to the game and leave in 25 different limousines, meaning they had a lot of talented guys come and go through the years but they never truly jelled as a unit. I'm not sure how true that was at all times, but perhaps that is the Phillies' problem right now.