2014 MLB Thread

Squirrelbait · **on:** April 06, 2014, 11:31:56 PM

It's a week late, but the season's still young - who wants to talk baseball?

Who's your team? I'll admit I am a Brewers fan, so cue the Ryan Braun/steroids jokes.

With that being said, have fun...and, yes...PLAY BALL! (Sorry, couldn't resist

)

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2014, 05:10:47 AM

Brewers sweep the Red Sox. Things like that happen over the course of a 162 game schedule. I still look at Boston as one of the top teams in the AL along with Detroit.

Speaking of the Tigers, I'm thinking a Tigers/Dodgers World Series....

Lefty · **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2014, 02:58:09 PM

Quote from: Squirrelbait on April 06, 2014, 11:31:56 PM

Who's your team? I'll admit I am a Brewers fan, so cue the Ryan Braun/steroids jokes.

Brewers fan? You have my symphony.

I've been a Phillies fan for a half century. At least they won two World Series in my lifetime, both in years in which Leap Year Day was a Friday, and against teams playing in their first World Series. So their next win will be against the Seattle Mariners in 2036.

Ryan Braun should not have been suspended for 65 games to end last season; he should have been suspended for 65 games against the Phillies, no matter how many years it would take. I'm sure GM Ruin Tomorrow Jr. will try to trade for Braun when he's 35.

metaldams · **Reply #3 on:** April 07, 2014, 05:15:05 PM

Well Squirrelbait, congrats on the sweep this weekend.

Boston's pitching looks OK, but the hitting with runners in scoring position has been beyond dreadful. Hopefully that will turn around, but I gotta be honest, after three World Series in ten seasons, I'm starting to feel REALLY spoiled and can handle losing much better than I would've in say, 2003. Boston also has some young kids getting used to the Majors, so I'm not expecting anything close to a perfect season like last year.

Oh, and Lefty, I watched Papelbon blow that save against Texas as it happened. As somebody who saw that guy at his best and saw his previous struggles, I have to say I never saw him look that awful. When he'd previously struggle he was very predictable and batters would just foul off a lot of pitches, but his control was always there. I never saw him in the low 90's with the control issues he had that night. A shame, because when he was on for a few years, he was one of the best.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2014, 05:49:54 PM

Brewers look like they may be legit. It's hard to argue against a 10-2 record, although I still have a feeling they will come crashing back down to earth at some point in this young season.

metaldams · **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2014, 09:55:48 PM

Michael Pineda has to be the biggest moron in baseball. I'm sure there are pitchers who use pine tar on all or most teams, but to blatantly place it on your neck in plain view when cameras caught the stuff on your hand two starts before is beyond stupidity.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2014, 07:20:15 AM

Heh, what was that Groucho line from Duck Soup, I believe it was "make sure you wash your neck." Who knew you could apply that line to modern day baseball. Pineda might want to try some rosin, or suntan lotion, or call Gaylord and get some tips on vasoline.

Lefty · **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2014, 03:00:36 PM

At intermission of the Pittsburgh/Columbus hockey game I tuned into ESPN (Especially Stupid Programming for Nitwits) and what did I see? Side-by-each (as Moose Dupont called it) pictures of Senor Pine Tar Pinata in the 1st and 2nd innings. Just what was that stuff on his neck? Maybe Lesley Gore (Pussycat) scratched some catsophrenic on it so Pinata would obey Catwoman. Then I could read umpire Gerry Davis' lips ("That's pine tar!"), followed by the execution -- uh, ejection -- of Pinata. And all he gets is a 10-game suspension, which means he will miss one whole start. I guess A-Fraud and Cheater Rivera and Mark Takes-steroids and Derek Cheater didn't show him how it's done. Well, it could have been worse; he could have done that against the Phillies. Wait a week -- he did beat them in Seattle three years ago. Hmmm.

JazzBill · **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2014, 05:34:55 PM

The 10 game suspension they gave him wasn't enough. He should have known they'd be watching him because of the suspicions he raised a few days ago. He deserves a few more games off just for stupidity.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2014, 06:10:56 AM

I know it's still early, but the Tigers are looking like they are the best team in the big leagues right now. I just wonder if that will translate to postseason success & by that I mean a World Series victory?

JazzBill · **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2014, 07:28:06 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on May 08, 2014, 06:10:56 AM

I know it's still early, but the Tigers are looking like they are the best team in the big leagues right now. I just wonder if that will translate to postseason success & by that I mean a World Series victory?

They usually find a way to blow it, at least since 1984. I wouldn't mind seeing Detroit win the World Series. When I was a teenager back in the 60s my folks would send me to my grandparents house in Detroit for the summer. The neighborhood we lived in on the south side of Chicago was pretty bad and they felt I was safer in Detroit. At least that's what they told me. I think they were just trying to get me killed.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #11 on:** May 10, 2014, 07:06:51 AM

Yu Darvish almost made history last night. I don't know if Red Sox fans are happy or not that Ortiz busted up the no-no....

metaldams · **Reply #12 on:** May 10, 2014, 07:26:55 AM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on May 10, 2014, 07:06:51 AM

Yu Darvish almost made history last night. I don't know if Red Sox fans are happy or not that Ortiz busted up the no-no....

There are 28 different teams Yu Darvish could've been facing last night and I'd be cheering for him to get the no-no. Last night, he wasn't facing one of those teams.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #13 on:** May 25, 2014, 03:58:02 PM

I wonder how Lefty is doing after his Phillies got no-hit today. Josh Beckett of all people at age 34 tosses a no-no....

JazzBill · **Reply #14 on:** May 25, 2014, 07:06:12 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on May 25, 2014, 03:58:02 PM

I wonder how Lefty is doing after his Phillies got no-hit today. Josh Beckett of all people at age 34 tosses a no-no....

Good for him, I thought his best days were a thing of the past. I also see the Chicago Cubs signed Manny Ramirez to a minor league deal. I know he didn't do anything to help the White Sox when we had him a few years ago.

metaldams · **Reply #15 on:** May 25, 2014, 09:53:45 PM

They say Manny's a very knowledgable hitter, and Theo says he'll never be up with the big club, but the coach part still boggles my mind.

Here's a funny Manny story. One game, the opposing manager accuses Manny of stealing signs. Terry Francona comes out and protests, stating that Manny doesn't even know his own team's signs. The argument stops right there. I never envisioned Manny being Manny as a coach, but perhaps the guy has matured and has something to offer to these Cubs farm kids. Best of luck to him.

As for Josh Beckett, I'm happy for him today. Us Red Sox fans would never look at that 2007 banner without him.

Speaking of the Red Sox, I'm looking forward to seeing how good these Triple A kids really are in about a month or so at the big league level.

Lefty · **Reply #16 on:** May 26, 2014, 02:09:51 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on May 25, 2014, 03:58:02 PM

I wonder how Lefty is doing after his Phillies got no-hit today. Josh Beckett of all people at age 34 tosses a no-no....

How am I doing? Enjoying a 3-day weekend, thank you too many (as Pedro Alvarez might say, and not the Pirates' third baseman).

1. This website is very slow today, much like the Phillies' bats.
2. The Cubs have gone nearly 49 years without being no-hit, the only streak longer than what the Phillies' had before yesterday.
3. The 3 previous no-hit 9-inning games against the Phillies included a pair of ridiculous scorer's decisions (for Bill Singer and Bob Forsch), plus a ball that Greg Luzinski hit 10 feet beyond the wall at Wrigley Field that the wind blew back (for Burt Hooton).
4. "Phillies" shows up as a spelling mistake in this editor -- there may be a good reason for that.
5. That 3-1 pitch to Chutley was definitely high and outside, and the main reason I was unhappy about that call was that it would have been more fitting for The Big Whiff Ryan "Curly" Howard to have struck out to end the "game."
6. Rumor has it that this Friday vs. the Mets, a large number of fans will wear red shirts with "Fire Ruben Amaro" on them. The problem is, there will be too many Mets' fans at the game, and rain is a distinct possibility. And "Mets" is also flagged as a spelling error.
7. About 400 comments are at this link: http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/phillies/20140526_Beckett_fires_no-hitter_past_Phillies.html

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #17 on:** May 26, 2014, 02:21:45 PM

I haven't watched enough Red Sox games to give any insight on what's wrong with them, but as I look at the score of the game right now & see that the Braves are putting it on them, I was thinking it's amazing how fast you can go from the penthouse to the proverbial outhouse.

10 straight losses, probably 11 after today, but I have to think last year's championship has bought John Farrell some goodwill in Boston. Plus it's still too early to throw in the towel on the season just yet, but my goodness, what a rut for Boston...

metaldams · **Reply #18 on:** May 26, 2014, 03:26:37 PM

Quote from: Shemp_Diesel on May 26, 2014, 02:21:45 PM

I haven't watched enough Red Sox games to give any insight on what's wrong with them, but as I look at the score of the game right now & see that the Braves are putting it on them, I was thinking it's amazing how fast you can go from the penthouse to the proverbial outhouse.

10 straight losses, probably 11 after today, but I have to think last year's championship has bought John Farrell some goodwill in Boston. Plus it's still too early to throw in the towel on the season just yet, but my goodness, what a rut for Boston...

Shoddy defense, lack of hitting with RISP, mostly bad starting pitching, a dependence on three rookies going into the season and only one of them panning out (Boagerts, who I'm really excited about), veterans offseason pick ups not working out, injuries...shit happens.

However, Boston just scored five runs all with two outs to tie this thing, with Pedroia and Ortiz actually acting like Pedroia and Ortiz. This game's in Atlanta and the let's go Red Sox chants and the cheers when Papi tied were loud. It was a great moment. Rain delay now, they can still lose this one, but the fire this team showed in that inning pumped me up. There's something to be said for patient, grinding at bats, no matter the score.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #19 on:** May 31, 2014, 05:01:56 AM

Another day, another dustup between the Red Sox and Rays. From what I saw, Price was definitely trying to send some kind of message by throwing at Ortiz and why he didn't get run after he drilled another batter who's name escapes me at the moment, I have no idea. Seems like the umps let the situation get out of hand. I'm guessing there will be more fireworks in the future between these 2 teams....

Svengarlic · **Reply #20 on:** June 16, 2014, 10:28:27 AM

Tony Gwynn died this morning. I have no details.

Svengarlic · **Reply #21 on:** June 16, 2014, 10:31:27 AM

Ok...he lost a 4 year battle with cancer.

metaldams · **Reply #22 on:** June 16, 2014, 09:19:29 PM

As a kid, Wade Boggs was my favorite ball player. Tony Gwynn was the National League's answer. I am very sad to hear of his passing, much too soon.

Svengarlic · **Reply #23 on:** June 17, 2014, 09:02:07 AM

It was that stuff that they stick between the cheek and gums for a nicotine rush that got him. In a few years Tony will join guys like George Sissler, Stan Musial and others that are largely forgotten greats of the game.

Shemp_Diesel · **Reply #24 on:** June 18, 2014, 08:13:37 AM

What a difference a month makes. Seems like it was a month ago, I was ready to anoint the Tigers and put them in the World Series--now they trail the Royals by a half game in the Central.

And for all the money they spent, will the Dodgers be happy if they have to get into the playoffs via the Wild Card? Of course, the division race is not over yet, but it's hard for me to imagine the Giants giving it up...