JPHiP Forum
General => Sports => Topic started by: Pure Racer on April 05, 2005, 03:08:22 AM
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Well season started for some yesterday, for us Mariner's fans it started today and we began with a bang! Moyer pitched awesome and gave up one unearned run, Ichiro was awesome as usualy and Sexson hit 2 homers and batted in 5 RBI's! w00t, we are awesome! There goes our 99-loss season.
Anyhow, discuss Baseball!
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Yeah, I know there is a random baseball thread, but it doesn't have this title...
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A friend once told me that baseball is a simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. I'm just hear to help the team and, the good lord willing, everything will work out.
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Yeah, I know there is a random baseball thread, but it doesn't have this title...
ahaha. it's cool. as long as peeps are making threads.
5-1 was it?? Damn...I only caught like half of yesterday's Yankees-Red Sox game. Hideki Matsui just continued to light em up and The Big Unit was mowing them down. How are they gonna replace Pedro?? Not with a collective that includes David Wells. Man he stunk!!
I have to tune in some highlights later but the Mets lost despite Pedro pitching well and Beltran going 3-5 with a homer?? At least Griffey came out in one piece :lol:
And whaddya think of the 38 minor leaguers being suspended for roids?
http://espn.go.com/minorlbb/news/2005/0404/2029779.html
a day after some chump from the Devil Rays got busted? Bold PR move by MLB Brass that's for sure. At least Giambi sorta hit well, but he got hit with more pitches than swings.
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8 of those caught are in AAA Tacoma, aka future Mariner's, lol...
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8 of those caught are in AAA Tacoma, aka future Mariner's, lol...
I'm just waiting for an Asian player to get caught. hahaha. Heop Sop Choi!! That guy is beefy. Dude needs roids big time tho, guy can't even swing :lol:
How about them Yanks?????? I guess you'd be dumb not to put your money on them. But damn, Rivera just gets owned by the Red Sox over and over. Fucker should go see a shrink!! And I bet Giambi gets released by the trade deadline. Maybe sooner.
ALRIGHTY...let's get this outta the way on the first page. Make your World Series predictions~!!
AL
West - Angels
Central - White Sox
East - Yankees
Wildcard - Rangers !??!
NL
West - Giants
Central - Astros
East - Braves
Wildcard - Marlins
ALDS
Yankees over Rangers
Angels over White Sox
NLDS
Marlins over Braves
Giants over Astros
ALCS
Yankees over Angels
NLCS
Marlins over Giants
World Series
Yankees over Marlins
MVP Matsui haha.
blah...I can't think of Cy Young and Regular Season MVP atm. too tired.
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AL
West - Mariners
Central - Twins
East - Yankees
Wildcard - Boston
NL
West - Dodgers
Central - Cardinals
East - Marlins
Wildcard - Mets
ALDS
Yankees over Boston
Mariners over Twins
NLDS
Marlins over Mets
Cardinals over Dodgers
ALCS
Mariners over Yankees
NLCS
Cardinals over Marlins
World Series
Mariners over Cardinals
Can't make any MVP or Cy Young predictions yet...
Oh yeah, I'm really bias, so ehh 8)
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Marlins over Braves
Yankees over Boston
Marlins over Mets
Just ta let y'all know, teams from the same division can't play in the first round of the playoffs. :thumbsup
AL
East - Yankees
Central - anyone but the Royals has a shot
West - Angels
Wild Card - Rangers
NL
East - Braves (gotta pick'em til someone beats em)
Central - Cards
West - Padres
Wild Card - Marlins
ALDS
Angels over Central winner
Yankees over Rangers
NLDS
Marlins over Cards
Padres over Braves
ALCS
Angels over Yankees
NLCS
Marlins over Padres
World Series
Marlins over Angels
Anyway, thank GOODNESS the Tribe sacked up and pounded Shingo Takatsu, aka Mr. Zero except when he faces the Indians, for 3 solo homeruns and then scored 6 in the 11th to get win #1. The bullpen was straight balls going 7.2 scorless.
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whoa...quick take. THE BIG UNIT IS GETTING HAMMERED!! :lol:
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SHIIIIIIIITTTTT...how about them Yanks? The Big Unit gets knocked around but still wins. Giambi actually homered.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250409110
Unlike in Arizona last year. Where he got ZERO run support. :lol:
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haha big enough banners for the Red Sox. :D
(http://img230.echo.cx/img230/5342/r35559454160rs.jpg)
(http://img230.echo.cx/img230/7324/r9599707162qb.jpg)
If I see that fucker Jimmy Fallon again.... :x
OUCH...Mussina got lit up.
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Shit! Talking to myself but I gotta say....how can you not love the Yankees-Red Sox series? The Big Unit kept cranking his neck up and Sheffield gets into a fight with a drunken fan!! SWEEET. :w00t:
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Here's the girl Sasaki left a $9-million contract for, oh yeah and his marriage...
(http://mscan.direct.ne.jp/old/kanako_enomoto/kanako_e990127/ms_kanako_enomoto014.jpg)
Mr. Daimajin likes to play in the sand box... :lol:
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Yankees are sucking it up so bad the Boss is complaining :lol:
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Here's the girl Sasaki left a $9-million contract for, oh yeah and his marriage...
SHITTT!!! She's even ganglier than fuckin Rinne or SUPAH OLD SKOOL MUSUME :lol: my granny wears better bloomers than that.
Yankees are sucking it up so bad the Boss is complaining :lol:
and it fuckin worked!!! just out slug the worst teams in baseball and no one gets fired. a little losing streak and the media go crazy. :D
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Hurray! Another year of the Blue Jays sucking.
Beating the Yankees and the Red Sox to win the division? Not bloody likely.
Winning the Wild Card?
..... watches tumbleweed blow by.....
yeah right.
:x
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Hurray! Another year of the Blue Jays sucking.
c'mon man!! have faith!! With Delgado gone - everyone's a TEAM. And the fuckin fake grass will reduce errors!! I love how optimistic the Sportsnet crew are. :lmao:
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The Indians can't fucking hit! Damn Jake Westbrook gotta be pissed! He's gotten 3 runs of support in 4 games! He's 0-4 and he's lost 3 of them by scores of 1-0, 3-2, and now 2-0.
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Here's the girl Sasaki left a $9-million contract for, oh yeah and his marriage... :lol:
This is one of the more bizzare stories I've come across in the last couple weeks. I wonder how this would have played on ESPN if he was still with the Mariners?
I'll bet she still looks and weighs like a girl in her early teens...
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HOLY !@$!#$!#$!#~~~! SPIDERMAN ICHIRO!!! ANYONE CATCH HIM STEALING A HR FROM GARRETT ANDERSON!!! @$%#$^#$
Now losing by 5 isn't so bad... :shock:
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It's a month and a half into the season and the Indians still can' freakin' hit.
Hmm.... I guess the Yankees are waking up, huh?
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Of course the Yankees are heating up. Anyone who said that they weren't going to make the playoffs this year is an idiot. With an all star lineup like that, how could you NOT make it?
Oh, Mariners are sucking...as usual. There's always next year? Pfft, I've been saying the same thing for a damn decade.
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BAH!! Yankees are like playing Oakland and Seattle back to back to back practically!! Let's see how they do against the White Sox or Orioles.
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I wonder if the Yanks, at this moment, still wish they'd signed Carlos Beltran instead of the Unit?
That said, ten in a row ought to wake up the Bosox. But what's this about Torre letting Pavano throw 133 pitches? And can Giambi keep it up? I hope so.
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I wasted $40 for really nice tickets... Why did Pavano have to pitch a shut-out, gawd...
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^ 40 bucks. that's decent. where'd you sit Pure Racer?
Hmm....as long as the Yanks got A-Rod :shock: now they pulled ahead of the Red Sox.
The biggest surprise is what Ozzie Guillen has done to the ChiSox.
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Hmm....as long as the Yanks got A-Rod :shock: now they pulled ahead of the Red Sox.
David Pinto had a great line on A-Rod yesterday:
His 30th birthday is July 27th, and he's likely to be well over 400 homers by then. He'll only need to average 30 homers a year during his 30's to reach 700.
I wonder how much it would cost the Yanks to lock him up to a long-term contract?
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Rangers are owning!!! Ownage!!! :D
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Seattle's offense finally came alive in the form of Reed...
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HILARIOUS! Juan Gonzalez first at bat and he tears his hammy!!
AND LMFAO!! @ Johnny Damon for smashing his grill into the wall! :lol:
http://rapidshare.de/files/2143242/053105_balbos_damon_injured_350.wmv.html
(http://img14.echo.cx/img14/8855/mack1010601203tf.th.jpg) (http://img14.echo.cx/my.php?image=mack1010601203tf.jpg)
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Yanks SWEPT by the KC Royals?!?
The Yankees were swept by the worst team in baseball, falling 5-2 to the Kansas City Royals on Thursday night for their first five-game losing streak in more than two years.
I can't wait for Steinbrenner to crack.
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Shit. You knew when they beat up on Oakland, Seattle, and Detroit it was too good to be true. The Red Sox brought em back to earth and BBBLL-aAWOOWW!!
How about Ranger fan (Thimas): what do you think of Roger Clemens possibly joining the staff?
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SODOMOJO!!! :w00t:
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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After being thoroughly outplayed by the undermanned Minnesota Twins in their sixth straight defeat, it's clear that everything is going wrong for the New York Yankees.
If George Steinbrenner was upset before, he's really going to be angry now.
King George had also better take a second look at his COACHING staff, too, beyond Torre.
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How about Ranger fan (Thimas): what do you think of Roger Clemens possibly joining the staff?
It would be pretty cool...but I don't see it happening. nope.
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I doubt the Rocket will leave Houston, either.
Why'd he leave the Yanks in the first place? He might never get another chance to see his son(s) play high-school ball. And why leave the home cooking just cause you had bad run support for a couple months?
I say he stays. Besides, who else is gonna pick up his contract?
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Shit. You knew when they beat up on Oakland, Seattle, and Detroit it was too good to be true. The Red Sox brought em back to earth and BBBLL-aAWOOWW!!
How about Ranger fan (Thimas): what do you think of Roger Clemens possibly joining the staff?
there is no chance. Rocket will retire at Houston
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Seattle's actually winning for once...I guess it's nothing to be excited about since it was against the Devil Rays.
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Looks like Kazuhiro Sasaki (formerly of the Seattle Mariners), has gotten into some hot water.
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I'll say it again: this is one bizzaro story; the double celeb angle only makes it more attractive for the tabloids.
Is Sasaki on an active NPB roster? Is he even effective anymore, in his late 30s (I suspect not). And do baseball players in Japan get blacklisted for wavering morals? (I doubt I'll be seeing Enomoto in any new J-dramas ever again.)
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Seattle's actually winning for once...I guess it's nothing to be excited about since it was against the Devil Rays.
Yeah, and we're playing the Marlins tomorrow... Excited to see that...
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w00t, beat the Marlins! Go M's!!!
We also drafted a left-handed catcher! Good move, a catcher is something we really need...
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Most impressive performance today: Roy Oswalt's two-hit shutout against Toronto. An 88-pitch complete game in only one hour and 50 minutes!
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How about H-h-h-hee seop choi with 3 HOMERS in one game??? 6 total over the weekend??? :shock:
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How about H-h-h-hee seop choi with 3 HOMERS in one game??? 6 total over the weekend??? :shock:
Yep, that was awesome too.
Torii Hunter's take on Choi's outburst: "I've never seen that with my eyes. Six home runs in three games. That's very impressive. I've never seen that, even in Little League."
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Jeter knocks out the grand slam! First in 136 attempts! SHIT!
Well, at least the Chinese guy Wang is pitching lights out! 8)
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Taiwan = Chinese. We are all the same people. Write the same language. Speak the same language. dun matter what country you live in :roll: :lol:
What's your picks for the All Star Team?? Vote #1
AL
First Base: E. Hinske, TOR
Second Base: T. Iguchi, CWS
Third Base: E. Chavez, OAK
Shortstop: D. Jeter, NYY
Catcher: I. Rodriguez, DET
Outfielder: J. Dye, CWS
Outfielder: H. Matsui, NYY
Outfielder: I. Suzuki, SEA
DH: D. Young, DET
NL
First Base: H. Choi, LAD
Second Base: K. Matsui, NYM
Third Base: V. Castilla, WSH
Shortstop: J. Reyes, NYM
Catcher: P. Lo Duca, FLA
Outfielder: K. Griffey Jr., CIN
Outfielder: J. Pierre, FLA
Outfielder: B. Wilkerson, WSH
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Mariner's are hot, hot, HOT!!!
Anyhow, my Allstars:
AL
First Base: M. Teixeria, TEX
Second Base: A. Soriano, TEX
Third Base: A. Rodriguez, NYY
Shortstop: M. Tejada, BAL
Catcher: J. Varitek, BOS
Outfielder: V. Guerrero LAA
Outfielder: G. Sheffield, NYY
Outfielder: I. Suzuki, SEA
DH: R. Ibanez, SEA
If we could vote for a pitcher:
SP: J. Santana, MIN
NL
First Base: A. Pujols, STL
Second Base: J. Kent, LAD
Third Base: T. Glaus, ARI
Shortstop: J. Rollins, PHI
Catcher: P. Lo Duca, FLA
Outfielder: C. Lee, MIL
Outfielder: J. Edmonds, STL
Outfielder: B. Abreu. PHI
SP: P. Martinez, NYM
Looks like the AL will dominate
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Oh man, longest Mariner's game ever... Got it in the 12th! Go Sexson! Way to earn your $12 mill...
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Mets go for the SWEEP in The Stadium tonight.
1-0 Mets, bottom 4th, 2 outs. Giambi fans on a high inside fastball.
What's wrong with this? Womack starts in center and bats second for the Bombers. Damn, I feel SORRY for Yankee fans.
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^ HOLY FUCK! That was a decent game tonite...Giambi was the hero! Who'd thunk. Mets bullpen just broke down when The Unit was just struggling with his control
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^ HOLY FUCK! That was a decent game tonite...Giambi was the hero! Who'd thunk. Mets bullpen just broke down when The Unit was just struggling with his control
Yep, good game. And good for Giambi; maybe he'll get into a groove on the road. Mets have to be bummed when they were so damn close to the sweep.
I still don't see the logic behind playing Tony Womack, though, to say nothing of batting him SECOND. They may as well put Bernie Williams back in center...
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Damn! With Steinbrenner calling the "Big Meeting" in TB, they could even RELEASE Bernie or what.
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Don't Fuck with Kenny Rogers. I was watching the news this evening and I think the Arlington Police will charge him with Misdemeanor Assault, not sure which type yet.
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Gosh... M's getting sweeped by the A's... @$%@$%@$% :evil:
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Whats going on Kenny :lol: Ah well Texas has been sucking the last couple of games, but they beat the Mariners today!
Ichiro needs to move to another team...or the Mariners need to get Griffey Jr.
Ichiro and Ken Griff. Jr. on the same team! my two fav players!!!!!!
(http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/6105/ichirogriffeyzoom0fr.jpg)
praise their asses
Should i make a praise your fave athlete or soemthing?
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Kenny must've come down with 'Roid Rage! One of the Apt. complexes next to mine did a Steroid bust of one of the residents. He was supplying some "Vitamin S" to the local high school. We're just 7 miles from Ameriquest Field.
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How long was the suspension that Rogers got from MLB? One news report I saw said 20 days, another one said 20 GAMES!
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How long was the suspension that Rogers got from MLB? One news report I saw said 20 days, another one said 20 GAMES!
20 games: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2098862
He was also fined $50,000. I wonder if he'll appeal.
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praise their asses
Should i make a praise your fave athlete or soemthing?
Yeah man, I already half of this forum is filled with my Shaq threads :lmao:
hahaha! Imagine Griffey and Ichiro in the same outfield!
Man Bret Boone got cut!! THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL! But no wonder major league teams have clauses to prevent players from playing basketball, etc.
hey, here's the final ALL-STAR voting numbers:
American League All-Star Voting
July 3, 2005
Final balloting for the 76th All-Star Game, which will
be played July 12 at Comerica Park in Detroit:
Catcher
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1. Jason Varitek, Boston 2,939,648
2. Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit 1,841,385
3. Jorge Posada, NY Yankees 1,133,111
4. Javy Lopez, Baltimore 681,774
5. A.J. Pierzynski, Chi White Sox 615,942
First Base
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1. Mark Teixeira, Texas 2,187,115
2. Tino Martinez, NY Yankees 1,526,216
3. Kevin Millar, Boston 1,191,188
4. Paul Konerko, Chi White Sox 1,104,968
5. Richie Sexson, Seattle 678,975
Second Base
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1. Brian Roberts, Baltimore 2,629,521
2. Alfonso Soriano, Texas 2,434,840
3. Mark Bellhorn, Boston 1,035,293
4. Tony Womack, NY Yankees 658,420
5. Tadahito Iguchi, Chi White Sox 634,581
Shortstop
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1. Miguel Tejada, Baltimore 3,224,908
2. Derek Jeter, NY Yankees 2,012,448
3. Edgar Renteria, Boston 1,485,964
4. Carlos Guillen, Detroit 546,584
5. Michael Young, Texas 497,704
Third Base
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1. Alex Rodriguez, NY Yankees 3,553,235
2. Bill Mueller, Boston 1,295,233
3. Melvin Mora, Baltimore 970,967
4. Hank Blalock, Texas 719,992
5. Adrian Beltre, Seattle 587,746
Outfield
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1. Manny Ramirez, Boston 3,117,157
2. Vladimir Guerrero, Anaheim 3,006,512
3. Johnny Damon, Boston 2,800,610
4. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle 2,743,784
5. Gary Sheffield, NY Yankees 1,737,779
6. Hideki Matsui, NY Yankees 1,475,969
7. Torii Hunter, Minnesota 1,185,290
8. Trot Nixon, Boston 1,134,892
9. Sammy Sosa, Baltimore 1,072,110
10. Scott Podsednik, Chi White Sox 946,704
11. Garret Anderson, Anaheim 841,940
12. Bernie Williams, NY Yankees 750,512
13. Steve Finley, Anaheim 545,169
14. Jermaine Dye, Chi White Sox 447,784
15. Richard Hidalgo, Texas 415,103
Designated Hitter
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1. David Ortiz, Boston 4,138,141
2. Rafael Palmeiro, Baltimore 1,081,805
3. Jason Giambi, NY Yankees 794,315
4. Frank Thomas, Chi White Sox 675,189
5. Dmitri Young, Detroit 545,456
National League All-Star Voting
July 3, 2005
Final balloting for the 76th All-Star Game, which will
be played July 12 at Comerica Park in Detroit:
Catcher
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1. Mike Piazza, NY Mets 1,966,074
2. Michael Barrett, Chicago 1,659,800
3. Yadier Molina, St. Louis 1,659,577
4. Paul Lo Duca, Florida 1,387,021
5. Ramon Hernandez, San Diego 1,073,657
First Base
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1. Derrek Lee, Chi Cubs 3,560,316
2. Albert Pujols, St. Louis 3,455,017
3. Doug Mientkiewicz, NY Mets 567,964
4. Todd Helton, Colorado 521,689
5. Jim Thome, Philadelphia 518,653
Second Base
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1. Jeff Kent, Los Angeles 2,253,271
2. Mark Grudzielanek, St. Louis 1,985,128
3. Todd Walker, Chi Cubs 1,376,827
4. Craig Biggio, Houston 1,058,419
5. Marucs Giles, Atlanta 836,468
Shortstop
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1. David Eckstein, St. Louis 2,231,246
2. Cesar Izturis, Los Angeles 1,659,010
3. Nomar Garciaparra, Chi Cubs 1,307,973
4. Clint Barmes, Colorado 910,211
5. Rafael Furcal, Atlanta 869,657
Third Base
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1. Scott Rolen, St. Louis 2,742,864
2. Aramis Ramirez, Chi Cubs 2,373,677
3. Troy Glaus, Arizona 1,142,358
4. Chipper Jones, Atlanta 1,033,415
5. David Wright, NY Mets 759,655
Outfield
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1. Jim Edmonds, St. Louis 2,826,306
2. Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia 2,532,742
3. Carlos Beltran, NY Mets 2,049,779
4. Miguel Cabrera, Florida 1,650,369
5. Larry Walker, St. Louis 1,617,578
6. Andruw Jones, Atlanta 1,576,418
7. Ken Griffey Jr., Cincinnati 1,489,768
8. Reggie Sanders, St. Louis 1,340,401
9. Jeromy Burnitz, Chi Cubs 1,195,019
10. Carlos Lee, Milwaukee 1,177,134
11. Corey Patterson, Chi Cubs 1,003,234
12. Pat Burrell, Philadelphia 955,677
13. Cliff Floyd, NY Mets 920,077
14. Milton Bradley, Los Angeles 871,440
15. J.D. Drew, Los Angeles 825,689
What kinda pot are Nomar fans smoking? I gotta get me some!
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Kenny Roger gets a win for Texas and the fans cheer! :lol:
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Kenny Roger gets a win for Texas and the fans cheer! :lol:
ya dumb Ranger fans! :P
Tuesday is the all-star game...now that Matsui isn't in (along with Jeter WTF) I read that Ichiro will be in the Home Run derby repping Japan!
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Kenny Roger gets a win for Texas and the fans cheer! :lol:
ya dumb Ranger fans! :P
Tuesday is the all-star game...now that Matsui isn't in (along with Jeter WTF) I read that Ichiro will be in the Home Run derby repping Japan!
YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ICHIRO REPRESENT YO XD
its sad that those two are not in the allstar game though, they didn't play that bad at all
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YESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ICHIRO REPRESENT YO XD
its sad that those two are not in the allstar game though, they didn't play that bad at all
wah. maybe not:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/mariners/2002370194_marinotes09.html&e=9797
Ichiro pulled out so we have....
Those eight players will include Hee-Seop Choi of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who was added Friday to complete the field, representing Korea. He joins Philadelphia's Bobby Abreu (Venezuela), Pittsburgh's Jason Bay (Canada), Atlanta's Andruw Jones (the Netherlands), Milwaukee's Carlos Lee (Panama), Boston's David Ortiz (Dominican Republic), Detroit's Ivan Rodriguez (Puerto Rico) and Texas' Mark Teixeira (United States).
source: MLB.com
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"I only have six home runs," the Mariners outfielder said before last night's game. "The players that enter the Home Run Derby have the good numbers to go in. I told them, 'If I had 20 homers I would enter.' I don't."
I guess you have to respect his decision. Even though I want to see him in there so bad. oh well...Hee-Seop Choi better represent Asia to the fullest!
Texas' Mark Teixeira (United States)
GO MARK TEIXEIRA!
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...now that Matsui isn't in (along with Jeter WTF)
I'm not a Yankee fan but it still seems strange to think of an ALL-STAR game without Derek Jeter. Jeter has gobs of fame and will certainly be elected to Cooperstown in the future.
And how come fans from Japan didn't come through online for Gojira? Weird...
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M's are heating up again, let's make sure they stay that way... We get owned at home by the A's but pown the Angel's there... Strange the Mariner's are...
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Just read that Bret Boone was dealt to Minnesota for a player to be named later.
I wonder if Seattle will eat most of Boone's contract?
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Home Run Derby in an hour and thirty minutes! You baseball fans better tune in! I'm rooting for Mark.
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We will pay a lot of his $8.75 mill... Man, I keep flipping to Sports Center to see who we got...
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I was rooting for Jason Bay :canada: LMFAO!!
Actually, too bad Ortiz lost steam at the end...his shots were massive!! The funniest part was the kids in the outfield tripping and shit.
anyone watch the Celeb Softball game?? Jennie Finch looks HOT in baseball tights :jerk:
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Man, Abreu was knockin' dingers like NOBODY'S BUSINESS at the derby. 24 in the first round alone!!! End of the night he had 41!!! Most guys can't hit that many in an entire season!!! Props to him!!! :thumbsup :thumbsup :thumbsup
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5-0 so far for the AL.
Great HR by Tejada and Ichiro got 2 RBIs :D
ETA: wow. AL wins again, but close 7-5. big surprise. Tejada MVP.
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Michael Young, Mark T., Alfonso Soriano and Kenny Rogers represented the Rangers well.
Nationals....who?
Ichiro messed up on that one play where they threw him out..
Tejada sounds like Sammy Sosa, they both don't pronouce T's or something.
Overall the game was alright, of course I wanted a blow out till Rogers fucked up.
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That makes 8-straight wins for the AL, I feel sorry for you National Leaguer's, heh :P
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Pretty dull contest but that dinger by Andruw off Kenny Rogers was a sight to see.
POW!
BOOOOOO!!!!
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Rafael Palmeiro joins the 3000 hit club! I wonder if those viagra pills help his game on the field :lol:
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Most impressive in all the praise now being heaped upon Palmeiro: he's never been on the DL. He's played 150+ games every year (excluding the strike years).
At this stage of his career, though, he should be a platoon player.
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WOOT!! Congrats to Palmeiro!! He's definite Hall of Famer. Doesn't matter if he got All Star selections, he was up against some pretty stiff competition back in the day - dude is just consistent!
(http://img322.imageshack.us/img322/6715/captsgemly40160705173340photo0.jpg)
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I read that Hideo Nomo was "designated for assignment" by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays yesterday. This basically means he's going to get released in 10 days unless some other team picks him up.
Nomo said that returning to NPB is not an option so it's all or nothing at this point. Getting released by the Devil Rays at this stage in your career can't be a good thing.
He's got a lot to be proud of, though. Nomo was probably the number-two most dynamic rookie pitcher in Dodger history, right behind Fernando. For me, the most impressive accomplishment for Nomo is the no-hitter he pitched againast the Rockies in Coors Field in 1996, the one and (still) only no-hit gem ever pitched in Denver.
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Yeah. His windup and sizzling fastball was like mad unorthodox back then. At least he beat the Yanks this year :D
Speaking of them, Al Leiter is still alive?? And he beat the Red Sox!?
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Al Leiter is still alive?? And he beat the Red Sox!?
Helluva story, no?
I actually saw him pitch a shutout in Oakland in the late 80s. He was probably in his second year in the majors, pitching for the Yankees in the Don Mattingly era (i.e. non-winning). If he can even win a half-dozen games for the Yankees, that would be a good thing for the Bombers.
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Sorry, this is totally off-topic, but I'm just stalking Saburo.
You're a sumo fan? I saw you post at Sumoforum.net.
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Arlington police spokeswoman Christy Gilfour said Rogers faces a charge of assault with injury in the shoving of KDFW cameraman Larry Rodriguez. She also said police will mail an assault citation to Rogers' attorney for shoving FOX Sports Net Southwest cameraman David Mammeli.
The assault charge involving Rodriguez is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000. The other charge is punishable by a fine of up to $500.
Neither the Rangers nor Rogers' attorney returned telephone calls seeking comment.
Gilfour said FOX Sports — which owns the camera Rogers damaged in shoving Rodriguez — has declined to press criminal charges.
Rogers is free on $1,500 bond. He's appealing a 20-game suspension and $50,000 fine for shoving the cameramen June 29.
Rogers lashed out at the cameramen as they filmed him walking to the field for pregame stretching. The episode led to Rodriguez being treated at a hospital after the camera was ripped from his hands and thrown to the ground.
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You're a sumo fan? I saw you post at Sumoforum.net.
Yep, I'm a fan. (PM sent.)
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How about the Yanks and Red Sox back at 1-2 atop the AL East? Who'd thunk?
Lotsa good trade rumors, I was pulling for the Marlins do some damage but they look to unload A.J. Burnett.
Rogers lashed out at the cameramen as they filmed him walking to the field for pregame stretching. The episode led to Rodriguez being treated at a hospital after the camera was ripped from his hands and thrown to the ground.
haha. I watched it on Jim Rome is Burning and it wasn't THAT serious. He was just staring em down but it won't help his case.
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Rogers has issues.
Texas beat Yankees yesterday! :w00t:
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Rogers has issues.
You're only discovering this now?
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Didja see him being booked for the assault? Some cameraman was there for posterity and Mister Rogers was glaring at him, like he was gonna attack him too. "You're getting really close," he said.
You'd think it would be easy to just IGNORE the cameramen -- obviously, some people don't know this...
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:x :x :x :x :x RANGERS LOSE AGAIN....this is getting frustrating....
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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/photo?slug=csb11007230255.brewers_reds_csb110&prov=ap
beautiful yes?
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I don't follow the Rangers much but it's weird that there isn't much chatter about Buck Showalter getting canned as skipper: both him AND pitching coach Orel Hershiser.
I read something about former Ranger Ryan Drese being dumped by Texas and being picked up by the Washington Nationals. He improved right away because the Washington pitching coach saw that he was tipping his pitches. Hershiser got credit for Drese's improvement last year so why doesn't he get slammed for not noticing something elementary as arm angles?
It's also been inferred that Drese was in Showalter's doghouse but I don't really know if this was a factor into his being released. It's just an unfortunate series of events for a team that always seemed to be in the postseason in the late 90s.
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I'm just kinda stunned at how Oakland and Houston have comeback from like 10+ games under 500 to being back into Wildcard contention.
The AL East is so shitty that the Red Sox and Yanks are battling it out despite slumps! and the O's in the mix - but fuck, ain't as bad as the NL West. Levin coulda helped the O's ... when is the trade deadline anyways.
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I just read on a Japanese sports website (Nikkan) that Hideo Nomo was claimed off waivers by the NY Yankees. First Leiter and now the Tornado.
They must REALLY be hardup for pitching, being as all their free agent signees are on the DL and there aren't any fresh arms in the farm system.
Imagine: what if Atlanta grabbed him? Imagine what Leo Mazzone could do?
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The San Diego Padres currently lead the N.L. Western division with a record BELOW .500. What a disgrace...
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ROFL. And the Yanks got some other chump off waivers and played him instantly Friday.
Trade deadline is finally on Sunday 4 PM EST. Ya think ManRam is gonna get traded? He got benched tonite. He'd look great on the Mets even though they're going nowhere but I doubt he's moving.
What was that other trade? Phil Levin to Texas? For Chan Ho Park? Why the fuck would he accept Texas over Baltimore? Ah well, enjoy that Rangers fan.
Red Sox Got Jose Cruz Jr. for chumps.
ICHIRO BLASTS TWO HOMERS!! Damn, I gotta check out the hilites.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250730112&name=FPT-2120611-073124&srvc=sz
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ROFL. And the Yanks got some other chump off waivers and played him instantly Friday.
Trade deadline is finally on Sunday 4 PM EST. Ya think ManRam is gonna get traded? He got benched tonite. He'd look great on the Mets even though they're going nowhere but I doubt he's moving.
What was that other trade? Phil Levin to Texas? For Chan Ho Park? Why the fuck would he accept Texas over Baltimore? Ah well, enjoy that Rangers fan.
Red Sox Got Jose Cruz Jr. for chumps.
ICHIRO BLASTS TWO HOMERS!! Damn, I gotta check out the hilites.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250730112&name=FPT-2120611-073124&srvc=sz
I'm kinda sad bout Chan Ho Park; he was a pretty good pitcher. I've never heard of this Levin guy till today...so.....
GO ICHIRO
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Watching the Hall of Fame induction ceremony now, Boggs and Sandberg.
Ryno sure is sounding old-fashioned, like Cal Ripken or Bob Gibson or someone. I'm sorry I missed Peter Gammons's speech; hope to catch it on a replay.
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The Rangers traded Chan Ho Park.
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The Rangers traded Chan Ho Park.
Are you sad?
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Watched Sammy Sosa's first two at-bats on Sunday Night Baseball (Chicago at Baltimore) and he looked AWFUL!
I thought this trade would be a good one for Slammin' Sammy but... my gawds, his decline has been so steep and dramatic. He may never get to 600 homers.
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Breaking NEWS:
Palmeiro suspended for 10 games for taking steroids.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/orioles/2005-08-01-palmeiro-suspension_x.htm
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Holy shit! Hes the last person I expected to be using steroids; that shit he said at court convinced me. What an idiot, I can't believe he would do that! Right after the 3,000 hit thing too... :evil:
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only 10 days? baseball's drug policy is a fucking joke. anyways good going there douchebag! i hope he never gets into the HOF.
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You know... I can't get worked up over this or almost any steroid issue.
It is proof positive that steroids build mass, grows muscles, assists in recovery from workouts, etc. And of course all the icky rot that occurs thereafter.
Does the juice help you with the precise eye-hand coordination required to hit major league pitching? Can it increase 5mph on your two-seam fastball or develop more movement on your circle change? I think if that were the case then I would make steroids a daily part of every ballplayer's diet, especially those with inferior strike zone judgement.
I believe the jury is still out on that issue. As for Palmeiro... isn't Viagra [TM] a kind-of steroid itself? Does that count as double-dipping (or double-doping)?
Man, I'm tired of this story. REALLY tired...
I would vote for Palmeiro for the Hall of Fame.
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lol....it could be viagra...dammit it could
I too would vote him into the HOF.
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Let me get this straight. The Giants lost 2 out of 3 against the Rockies aka "the worst team in the league" :thumbsdown but have won 2 out of 3 against the Astros aka "the hottest team in the National League" :shock: ? AND we're within striking sitance of the first place Padres? WTF? :?
Also, praise to A's GM Billy Beane for the making consistantly good teams in one of the poorest markets in the majors.
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Once again, Oakland flashes its second-half power. They are now in first place in the AL West. I'm also looking forward to the home stretch of the NL East race and wish the NL West would somehow produce at least one (1) team with a winning percentage over .550.
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Just saw Roger Clemens's line for today: 7IP, no ER. Win.
John Kruk still thinks Cris Carpenter is a more deserving NL Cy Young candidate. I dunno: an ERA BELOW 1.40 is hard to ignore...
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I can't believe the year Clemens is having...
How many Cy Youngs are given out each season?
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How many Cy Youngs are given out each season?
One in each league, which Clemens has already done (his career should be winding down by the time he hits fifty years of age).
I can't reiterate enough how much of a DUMBASS John Kruk is. It pains me to see the once-great "Baseball Tonight" show represented with such an "analyst." He pretty much said ANY pitcher who is credited with the most wins should be given the Cy Young. "It's ALL about winning," said Kruk, who apparently has never given much thought to HOW games are won and lost by pitchers.
I swear, sabermetrics still has a long way to go before becoming mainstream.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=250810102
Kenny "The Basher" Rogers: 5 IP, 7 H, 5 ER. Losing pitcher. Manny Ramirez took him long over the Monster in the fourth.
BOOOOO!!!
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^ hahaha. Dude just booed with every movement.
I didn't catch Raffy's return vs Toronto. How'd that go???
And I NEED a clip of Mike Cameron getting his grill caved in!! Curiousity man.
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This is kinda cool:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/13/elephant.pitch.ap/index.html
Which team do you think will sign her?
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And I NEED a clip of Mike Cameron getting his grill caved in!! Curiousity man.
Try here: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050811&content_id=1166603&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Palmeiro is scheduled to start at DH tonight against the Blue Jays in Camden Yards. Best of luck to him.
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This is kinda cool:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/13/elephant.pitch.ap/index.html
Which team do you think will sign her?
Devil Rays would :lol:
---
That collision on the Mets field was scary.
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This is kinda cool:
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/08/13/elephant.pitch.ap/index.html
Which team do you think will sign her?
Devil Rays would :lol:
Lord knows they couldn't do any worse.
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Raffy sure wasn't clutch in his return to the lineup. One walk and three outs.
Now Baltimore hits the road. I wonder if people will go to the ballpark specifically to give him hell?
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Yay! The Jays aren't sucking nearly as bad as I expected.
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Raffy sure wasn't clutch in his return to the lineup. One walk and three outs.
Now Baltimore hits the road. I wonder if people will go to the ballpark specifically to give him hell?
I wish we had some answers.
Someone explain the triple crown thing....you have to lead the league in batting average and homeruns?
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KC Royals: 18 losses in a row. Fifth longest in the expansion era. Can you IMAGINE being a Royals fan?! What a disgrace.
Baseball triple crown is leading the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. RBI is perhaps the most overrated statistic in the game; on base percentage and slugging percentage are much more accurate barometers of offensive analysis in baseball.
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Mets' bullpen: a disgrace.
Pedro leaves after six IP but who woulda thunk the bullpen would gave up eight runs in three innings.
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yea Mets were lucky today
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Know whats funny?
Turning the tv on to ESPN NEWS and seeing "Breaking News - KC snaps 19 game losing streak"
hahahaha
Breaking new?! hahahahaha
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That IS breaking news!
Beating the A's, in their park, a one-run nail biter... Certainly more newsworthy than, say, some NFL player that smoked weed.
Streak ends at 19 games. ESPN said: only three teams have had longer losing streaks in the expansion era (I assume this is from 1961). Of course there's the rest of the season that manager Buddy Bell and company have to deal with.
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(http://www.wwnorton.com/cover/032481.jpg)
I picked up "Moneyball" by Michael Lewis last weekend and just finished it today. The book was published in 2003 and the paper back came out in 2004 but only got around to getting it now because I had a 30-percent-off coupon at Borders.
And god only knows why I waited a damn year after the paperback came out. If you are a fan of baseball (not just MLB) then do NOT go on another day without reading this book. I would count this, along with Jim Bouton's "Ball Four" and anything by Bill James, as the most important books on baseball, period.
Michael Lewis, in his preface, writes: ... the idea for the book came well before I had good reason to write it -- before I had a story to fall in love with. It began, really, with an innocent question: how did one of the poorest teams in baseball, the Oakland Athletics, win so many games?
Lewis, a reporter who has written books focused on economics and the business sector, draws out the success of the Oakland Athletics under the direction of general manager Billy Beane, who produces winning teams with one of the lowest payrolls in MLB -- almost one half of that enjoyed by the likes of the Yankees and Red Sox. Lewis explains that in order to do that Beane had to analyze baseball talent in ways that old-school traditionalists scoffed at, while trying to get the most out of a limited budget.
This involved adopting a kind of baseball intellectualism that only existed before in the books of Bill James, the (once freebie) online articles of Rob Neyer and a host of fledgling internet websites. Philosophies such as placing more value on on-base percentage rather than stolen bases was always in the public forum but never had been embraced by an actual general manager of a major league baseball team. Until now.
Now we have Beane in Oakland, Theo Epstein in Boston, DePodesta (Beane's former right-hand man) in L.A., and so on. Yes, the revolution is here and "Moneyball" was a chronicle that somehow wound up on the best-seller lists.
I can't recommend this book highly enough.
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Great review! I heard that it's an incredible book ...yet somehow DePodesta just doesn't get it though :lol:
At least the Wild card is looking good - esp. the NL:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standings?type=wild+card
Damn Yanks are like neck-and neck with Boston. What else is new. David Wells getting suspended was like ZZzzzzZZZZzz. Get that fat fuck off the TV.
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Great review! I heard that it's an incredible book ...yet somehow DePodesta just doesn't get it though :lol:
At least the Wild card is looking good - esp. the NL:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/standings?type=wild+card
Damn Yanks are like neck-and neck with Boston. What else is new. David Wells getting suspended was like ZZzzzzZZZZzz. Get that fat fuck off the TV.
wow... yankees must feel really stupid as far as i am concerned.. spending so much $$ for all the all-stars and they aren't even a great time... just "decent"... they "might" make it into the playoff but even if they do, they won't be able to win the World Series
i mean just compare Cleveland Indians to Yankees... Indians are pretty much on a minimun salary cap and Yankees are waay high up there... and yet in my opinion, Indians are a better team than the Yankees
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wow... yankees must feel really stupid as far as i am concerned..
Signing Tony Womack to a multi-year, multi million-dollar deal was perhaps the most ridiculed transaction of the past off season.
Here's a guy who LOOKS like a great athlete, can run like the wind and has a World Series ring. But does he do anything to create runs to help a team win? Not really: all the stolen bases in the world don't mean jack if you don't get on base A LOT to attempt them. And if you're not making the swipes at a 75 percent success rate or better, you're hurting the team, period.
The recent loss of Mussina due to an elbow injury signals a grave stretch run for the Bronx Bombers. Who do the Yanks have in the rotation that can help them overtake Boston in September? Randy Johnson, Chacon and... Hey, whatever happened to Nomo? Can't be any worse than Al Leiter, whose position as ESPN baseball analyst looks more and more secure come October.
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Signing Tony Womack to a multi-year, multi million-dollar deal was perhaps the most ridiculed transaction of the past off season.
ha... Womack? he should be happy if he is batting.... he is not even on the line-up as far as i am concerned
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I get Fox Sports West on my cable system and catch Anaheim Angel baseball games a lot.
Unfortunately, the announcers are typical Fox dunderheads. I heard one great line that was quoted on one of many great baseball blogs:
"Second and third one out, a perfect situation for a productive out from Erstad."
Umm, I think even little leaguers are trained to hope for the opposite of making an out...
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[rant]
I follow baseball. I am a baseball fan: MLB, mostly but I'll give a look at a college game and even NPB if you give me a little background on the players.
I don't follow football (the "American" game, mind you). Not the NFL, not the NCAA, not even pee-wee or pickup games. I am NOT a fan of the game, period.
We are at the time of the year when summer turns to fall and my favorite sport is forced to take a backseat to my not-so-favorite sport, at least in terms of reporting coverage. This past Saturday's Sportscenter showed highlights of at least a half dozen college games and reported on one NFL pre-season affair before turning to a MLB game.
Yeah, I understand the shift in coverage. The average NFL or college football game has more impact value than the average MLB game, probably been that way for at least 30 years. And a consumer like myself who is in the minority has to either accept the way things are (shaddap and watch Sportscenter) or turn to alternatives (turn off the tube and go to the Internet for my fix).
It's probably the time of year (football season) when I log more hours online than in front of the TV. I'm sorry the Internet wasn't here even earlier.
[/rant]
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or they force you to order XM!! :evil:
The Wildcard and playoff races are REALLY heating up. I bet the Yankees are gonna get right back in it...I think the Rays are off their sked for the year LMAO.
I'd like to see how Bonds does the rest of the way. Maybe rack up 3 walks agame? :evil:
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Yanks take another step backwards, losing to the one pitcher (Curt Schilling) they'd LOVE to pound to smithereens.
Cleveland wins, Oakland wins. Wild Card still within reach but not if their bats fail like today (their pitching is already suspect enough).
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Yo dude, can u believe that shit Cleveland is actually on top in the Wildcard now! I'm pulling for NYY and Florida for wildcard since I kinda predicted them in the playoffs :P
and shiiittt. Bonds might as well surpass Babe Ruth this year LOL. THAT close to hitting a homer.
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and shiiittt. Bonds might as well surpass Babe Ruth this year LOL. THAT close to hitting a homer.
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/CAGN10109170249.jpg)
Amazing stuff. Barry hit his first dinger of 2005 yesterday but might have strained that fragile knee of his to the breaking point. He'll probably sit out today's (Saturday) game and who knows about Sunday.
One thing I heard being mentioned about Bonds... He's gotten a hero's welcome back in San Fransisco. Everybody in SBC Park is hailing the return of The King. Naturally, right? I mean, if you're a Giants fan then you HAVE to be thankful for having your marquee player return for the stretch run. And WHO KNOWS? Six games back of the Padres, it wouldn't be completely shocking if the Padres went into a tailspin and some other team got lucky. Especially in THIS division.
Anyway, some dunderhead (i.e. sportswriter) wrote a column saying that Bonds and the San Fransisco fans should be "banned" from the game. Why? Cause they cheered their returning star back to baseball. Baltimore fans in Camden Yards, on the other hands, got his props because some people had the good moral sense to boo Winstrol Raffy.
Is it me or am I still the only MLB fan who doesn't give a shit about steroids? Or the surly side of Barry Bonds? I'm serious: I am still waiting for the scientific study that shows a correlation between muscle conditioning and OBP.
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steroids actually made the game more entertaining. I'm still on the fence on whether it's "Fuck you bitch!! They cheating!" and "Whatever, let it sliiiiiddee" depends on the player really. You really need actual hand eye coordination to connect too. I can't roid up and take a ball outta the park.
The book I have just picked up is Jose Canseco's "Juiced" LOL.
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Regarding books about steroids, I really want to get THIS book:
http://www.mesomorphosis.com/store/books/carroll-juice-baseball-steroids.html
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/156663668X/002-2046639-7272831?v=glance
Will Carroll is perhaps my fave online baseball writer right now (especially since Rob Neyer has been trapped in the ripoff ESPN "Insider" section). I'm surprised that he's getting ripped on Amazon.
In any case, I think it's clear that players take/took steroids not just to be buff and strong but also for conditioning. The MLB season is long and arduous. Bodies break down, muscles melt down like ice cream in the summer heat. What steroids can do is help you to stay in condition and prevent a player from losing that body mass from not just the games but from the workouts inbetween. I think this was probably the case with Rafael Palmeiro, who has played 140-150 games a year since the late 80s.
Yeah I've seen the 500-foot home runs and maybe there's something to that. But I'll say it again: if steroids help you with strike zone judgement (Bonds, Giambi) then I think a LOT of players should gobble them like M&M's.
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(http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2005/09/18/w2rugAGk.jpg)
Bonds hits #705. Amazing!
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awesome, hes crazy skilled
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LOL. that's us man...we just want to see the long ball. All the guys are "use roids, you're a cheater" ... I wouldn't be surprised if someday Curt Schilling gets nailed. And look at all those former power sluggers who get so injured now. Griffey? Juan Gonzalez?
And so they gonna test Bonds like nuts...Selig is definitely hiding something.
...but :o Cleveland is creeping in on the AL Central. Who'd thunk the ChiSox would be challenged?
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(http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/118/captrfk10309210023giantsnation.jpg)
#706 :o
and he says something about losing weight cuz his knees can no longer support his weight without throbbing. :lol:
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What a FUCKING AMAZING PLAYER! And I don't care what, he's passed EVERY drug test they've thrown his way. Boo Raffy if you must but Bonds has probably pissed in enough cups to fill a goddamn lake and they STILL can't nab him (or Giambi, for that matter). Hmm, he must be clean.
Bonds WILL have some challenges in the off-season cause yeah he really DOES need to lose weight if he wants to ease the pressure off his fragile knee and also play the outfield in the National League.
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Four dingers in four days!!
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/RFK10409220020.jpg)
#707!
Losing pitcher John Patterson said he threw Bonds a "perfect" pitch (for him) on the inside of the plate.
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how fucked up if Raffy actually goes to jail for "lying" before congress.
Shit...the media will have a field day when Bonds gets 711 and the Giants grab the NL West title XD XD
hiroayu is a big Giants fan -- speak up dude!! :D
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it would be so cool if you guys kept posting his HomeRuns with the pics and number
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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Aj5KMr4Nw0J1qvcYdg32PPs5nYcB?slug=ap-hatemail-yankees-jeter&prov=ap&type=lgns
wow...scary
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A little of topic, as it's about the Japanese Baseball League and not MLB, but it DOES involve our favourite team: The RAKUTEN GOLDEN EAGLES!!!
Hey! I saw this dude on Iron Chef once!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
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I'm at home this afternoon, waiting for my A/C box to get service.
In the meantime... I'm trying to follow both the Boston-Toronto and New York-Baltimore games. It's tied up in Fenway in the 7th while the Orioles have a two-run lead on the Bombers with only one out in the fifth, bases loaded.
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it would be so cool if you guys kept posting his HomeRuns with the pics and number
You got it!
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/CALI10109280226.jpg)
#708!
An opposite-field, three-run blast in the first inning today against the Padres.
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He is THE man!
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The AL wildcard standings have a three way tie. :shock:
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OHHH...too bad the Padres clinched. Will Barry pack it in??
and holy shit, good for the White Sox on clinching the AL Central. So fuckin close to choking away a 15 game lead...I don't want Cleveland to win the wildcard anyways. They fuckin boring. A ChiSox vs Yankees plus Angels vs Red Sox rematch would be good.
Mike Stanton rented LOL. This weekend's Red Sox vs Yankees got my full attention. :w00t:
Opinions on who is gonna be MVP?? A-Rod got it locked vs Ortiz ...not too sure about the NL though.
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My choices:
AL MVP: A-Rod
NL MVP: Pujols
NL Cy: Rocket
AL Cy: Johan Santana
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A-Rod or BIG PAPPY?
hmm
hmm
i dunno :lol:
I think NY is going to win the series.
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FWIW, I think Sheffield has created more runs (and therefore more wins) for the Yankees than Ortiz has for the Red Sox.
Well, it wouldn't be the first time A-Rod gets jobbed out of MVP he deserved.
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I know...Sheff played lights out this aft. injured and still made huge plays. LMFAO @ Torre crying.
So funny Cleveland colapsed down the stretch...I bet Selig is gonna have a playoff on Monday with Boston and C-town.
I like
AL MVP - A-Rod
NL MVP - Pujos
AL Cy - Colon
NL Cy - D-Train
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David Pinto made a good point about today's (Sunday) baseball coverage on the ESPN networks.
ESPN is showing the Yankees-Red Sox game and rolling coverage of the other important games with wild card implications on ESPN2. It's not distracting at all.
The Fox network would probably show one game and that's all. They just don't give a shit about baseball. Hell, any major TV network would rather show an NFL exhibition game than any one of these games.
I got ESPN on TV and ESPN2 on my computer.
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There is only one Big Pappy and that is Edgar Martinez... Damn Boston fans... :x j/k :bounce:
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^ well. they spell it "Papi" and :wave: Pure Racer!! How's Japan?
ROFL Jake Peavy hurt himself during the Padres celebration and now is out for the playoffs...White Sox looked pretty sharp but might be a long series between the BoSox.
Predictions?? These are written on a scap piece of paper from yesterday :P
...LDS
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6664/atl7sg.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/741/hou3er.gif)
Houston in 5
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8259/bos1hc.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8639/chw7if.gif)
Boston in 4
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/3563/laa8ed.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 5
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/7699/sdg5nw.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/2277/stl4oe.gif)
STL in 3
...LCS
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/2277/stl4oe.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/741/hou3er.gif)
STL in 6
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8259/bos1hc.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 7
:O
World Series
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/2277/stl4oe.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 6. MVP Matsui :lmao:
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I'll give it a go too:
...LDS
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6664/atl7sg.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/741/hou3er.gif)
Braves in 4.
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8259/bos1hc.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8639/chw7if.gif)
Bosox in 5.
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/3563/laa8ed.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 5
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/7699/sdg5nw.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/2277/stl4oe.gif)
STL in 3
...LCS
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/2277/stl4oe.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6664/atl7sg.gif)
Braves in 7
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/8259/bos1hc.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 6
World Series
(http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/6664/atl7sg.gif) vs (http://img321.imageshack.us/img321/1215/nyy1os.gif)
NYY in 5.
Note: My predictions are strictly unprofessional and probably wrong. Bet on them at your own risk.
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^ that's the best way to bet Asmo. usually the clueless nail em. esp. around NCAA Final Four :lol:
That saying...few quick takes. DAMN...Smoltz is money tonite. Atlanta may have got one but Oswald is up next. AND in Houston. so bye bye Braves.
Tmr's AL matchups look alright...BoSox will probably take one back, but damn, ChiSox find a great time to wake up and dominate.
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:o
WHITE SOX SWEEP RED SOX!
(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/1579/r8782629315st.jpg)
(http://img63.imageshack.us/img63/9329/captbxf12210072339whitesoxreds.jpg)
and El Duque makes a cameo!
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MAN...wtf happened to the Red!
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El Duque was awesome.
Chicago's sweep of the defending champs proves, at least for this instance, that good pitching DOES beat good hitting.
Yankee fans have at least one day to gloat.
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White Sox pitching is stacked, and a pretty good offense to go with it... And there defense is awesome as well... My pick for the new WS champs!
Hey Dai! Japan is awesome! Only negative are some of the other English Teachers, I really hate one of them , he's a spaz... Typical Ivy League grad who thinks he's better than everyone...
Anyhow, back to BASEBALL!
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Big Unit was kinda miffed at the Yankee fans not showing some spirit, saying that he'd welcome cheers OR boos in the Stadium.
He sure got 'em! Goat of Game Three.
I'm looking foward to a good contest between Atlanta and Houston. The Stros have a good home record and I suspect their offense will pick up.
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Going to the SIXTEENTH inning in Houston, tied 6-6. Rocket going to the mound for his first relief outing since Ronald Reagan was president.
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Three up, three down. Rocket Roger comes through.
Houston fails to score in the bottom of the 16th. This is now the longest postseason MLB game of all time.
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Chris Burke hits a first-pitch walkoff HR in the bottom of the 18th to win it for the Astros. Rocket is the winning pitcher with three innings of scoreless relief.
The NLCS begins in St. Louis on Wednesday!
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18 innings? 5 hours?
Everytime i flipped back to ESPN the game was still going :lol:
Clemmens was great.
I had a feeling Houston was going to win......HOW BOUT THEM ASTROS IN THE SECOND ROUND?
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Chacon has three strikeouts after two innings pitched for the Yanks. That's a good thing cause the defense for the Bombers prolly ain't as good as the Angels.
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Astros look to be so hot, they might even take it to St. Louis and go to the world series. Me too. I was flipping back and forth from the ends of the 2nd half of the eagles/cowboys. and Just paused when Clemens took the hill...cuz LMFAO when Julio Franco was SO PISSED when he struck out. Viagra does a body good!
Sheff was really clutch last nite with the single. and dude still looked like he could grab a bag. Hideki Matsui is struggling tho. ops. better go tune into the Yanks-Angels now.
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Angels beat the Yanks, 5-3 and move on to the LCS against the White Sox on Tuesday.
(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/10/12/sports/matsui.jpg)
Tough loss for Yankee fans. Part of me actually feels sorry that they're out of the playoffs.
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It was rough indeed...the Yanks pitching pulled its asses in gear and made quite the run. Man, the offense of Matsui and A-Rod just whimpered in.
Ah well..I like the Angels from here on out.
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Can you IMAGINE the off-season hell that A-Rod will endure this winter?
(http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/10/12/sports/yank.span.jpg)
Brutal, but that's the big leagues kiddo. He's the 120-Million-Dollar Man and he hit a buck-twenty in the ALDS.
Still, he gets my vote as MVP of the American League for 2005.
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DAMN A-Rod and Matsuii....
I'M SO ROOTING FOR THE ASTROS. Their pitching is crazy.
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^ Bah!! TX homer!! :P
You know...I was reading Canseco's book (I'll write a full review soon :P) and he was saying A-Rod is like the good guy of baseball. Since Canseco was banished (this is my opinion and stating the obvious lol) A-Rod is the media's whippiing boy.
ANGELS! WHOA. 3 timezones. 3 days. And man, Angels they still standing. I'm going to go by a Vladdie Guerrero jersey now! XD XD
White Sox almost pulled it off. I laughed my ass off when A.J. Pierzynski tried to steal 2nd. Think Angels'll last with Colon injured??
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yea A.J. Pierzynski trying to steal bases was pretty funny
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Aq3G_FpwmZHrP_rIa3la7kc5nYcB?slug=ap-yankees-stottlemyre&prov=ap&type=lgns
makes you kinda feel sorry for them :lol:
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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ag.i7o9CtDT.RfZH4IGosfs5nYcB?slug=ap-nlcs&prov=ap&type=lgns
Check out these fightin' words:
``They're a good bunch of guys,'' Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein said. ``It's hard to dislike them.''
HAHAHA
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Thoughts on last night's Angels-White Sox ALCS Game Two conclusion:
Eddings did NOT verbally call anything, just the hand gesture for strike three but not the third out.
Angels catcher Josh Paul said that umpires usually verbalize the non-putout: "no catch, no catch" or something. He didn't bother to look at or verify Eddings' hand gestures.
Pierzynski, a catcher himself, ran to first because he was burned on a similar play when a batter reached first base after he dropped a third strike and he trotted to the dugout.
___________
Hand gestures, non-verbal calls... this is like when a runner slides at home plate but fails to touch the base. What does the umpire do? Nothing; it's a non-play. An event that is still in progress. He can't call him safe cause he didn't touch the play. He can't tell him he didn't touch the plate cause that's none of his business. And he certainly can't call him out cause the play isn't completed yet. Nor can he gesture something inbetween.
Eddings certainly should have said something. You know why strike call gestures were implemented? Supposedly to help a popular deaf player who had trouble figuring out which pitches were balls and strikes. Well that's cool but geez when's the last time we had a prominent deaf player in the majors? Must have been a couple decades or so.
Anyway... this too shall pass. This isn't Mickey Owen's dropped third strike in the '41 Series.
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Yeah. ALCS Game 2 was wild. Pierzynski pulled that trick outta his ass and it worked. I'm like *jaw dropped* Mike Scioscia is already focusing on the next game. Yeah...the umpire is at fault. and maybe the catcher (what happened to Molina??) coulda tagged AJ for good measure.
Simply the weirdest game ever...and PLEASE fuck instant replay, unless it's for like homers ... like that geek in the black shirt at Yankee stadium during the ALDS last year.
Tonite's game was like WHOA retribution. Astros kept piling it on...but man, Jim Edmonds was just insane. Another solid diving catch. dude was like the undertaker. and shit. you just knew Pujos or someone was gonna get on the board.
The LCS matchups are getting better and better on both sides! :halo:
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World Series could be interesting. I'm a little disappointed that Yankees lost, but hey, you can't win them all. Now I can focus my attention to other sports. :)
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OSWALT is THE man!!! Their pitching is great.
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The umps made sure to scream the strikes and outs this time and Eddings got plenty of security LMAO
but wow Angels just got hammered...hope both series go to 7 so I can just get hammered every nite :JD: :lol:
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Fox is spending an inordinate amount of time on a missed catcher interference call against the Angels. Finley, instead of busting tail down to first, left his mind at home plate and failed to beat out a double play ball, costing his team a run in the 2nd inning.
I dunno... yeah they woulda had bases juiced with only one out but damn it I'm tired of the whining from the Angels of Orange County or whatever they're called this week.
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Astros are so gonna win.
ahHHHHHHHHHHHHH
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/ANS13410160217.jpg)
I missed the Houston-St. Louis game but caught most of Chicago-Anaheim, won by a White Sox team that just dominated on all levels. Chicago's starting pitching is remarkably deep -- who ever heard of three straight complete games in the post-season?! That hasn't happened for a generation or two.
I'm glad Rocket Roger got some runs in his start. I guess I'll have to wait for the highlights on ESPN.
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I saw a bit of the Astros-Cards. Matt Morris was struggling struggling.
Even though I caught like half an hour of the late game...what the hell happened. AJ Perzynski like touched Finley? I gotta see the super slow replay. Then AJ gets the moon shot, damn the former Edmonton Trapper is making a name for himself :lol:
And Cabrerra just fell apart in the middle of the 4th or 5th. Cost another couple of runs. Shields threw out the base runner and they missed that too. Angels better get above those calls if they have any remote chance of getting back in this series.
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MAN!! AJ gets involved in a wacky call again. The baseball gods are truly involved again.
Wow. Complete game, 4 in a row.White Sox wrap it up tonite.
Missed the Astros-Cards game but both managers got ejected...I am hearing some sorta awesome play in CF up that hill. Gotta leech some hilites.
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White Sox in the Series for the first time since 1959!
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20051017/capt.ans15910170442.alcs_white_sox_angels_ans159.jpg)
It's been so long since we've seen such dominance in the post-season. Also note that Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen used only five pitchers total in the series and ten position players! Konerko gets the series MVP trophy and the White Sox retain home field advantage for the World Series.
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YAY. I'm glad they beat them Angels. yes.
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CRUSHING!! Lidge gives up a 3 run blast with 2 outs in the 9th. Astros lose 5-4 and Cards stay alive. WHATTA SHOT BY PUJOLS!!!!!111
(http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/2623/r2194773181ls7rf.jpg)(http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/1147/capthta13910180351nlcsastrosca.jpg)
Even Barbara thought they were gonna win it when they went up 4-2.
(http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/3009/capthta12410180246nlcscardinal.jpg)
Astros still lead series 3-2. Think it's gonna go to game 7?? The Momentum Swing in Effect! Wednesday is gonna be sweet. :w00t:
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Pujols said it was a slider:
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/HTA14010180355.jpg)
The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat:
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/HTA14110180358.jpg)
I read that Houston is now 0-5 in pennant clinching games. OUCH!
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0-5???
that is not good
Astros have to win!!!
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THE ASTROS GO TO THE WORLD SERIES!
1st time in History the World Series will be played in TX!
:D :D :D
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/STS14210200349.jpg)
Houston was one of the first MLB expansion teams in '62, along with the Mets, Angels and new Washington Senators (now the Texas Rangers). Now it's only George W's old team that has yet to make it to the Series.
Congrats to the Astros and the Houston fans who had quite a gut punch to endure on Monday. I sure hope they give the White Sox a great battle!
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WOOT!!!!
GO TEXAS!!! Its over. I say Houston wins 4 games.
now G. W.'s team :lol: :lol: :lol:
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/STS14210200349.jpg)
OMG feel sorry for the guy who gets a face full of Luke Scott's nuts XD XD
Complete highlights of the final out:
http://files.filefront.com/Final_Outwmv/;4268857;;/fileinfo.html
Poor Cards. And sad to see the end of the great Canadian Larry Walker's career. Check out these stats: 2160 hits, 383 HR, 1311 RBI and career avg of .313!
(http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/6140/lawwalk18fa.jpg)(http://img453.imageshack.us/img453/8500/silarwal2tf.jpg)
The product of Maple Ridge, BC was the 1997 NL MVP and made us all proud up North. :canada:
Great pitching matchups on boths sides (wait till Freddie Garcia steps up)...I'm a have to go with White Sox on this one. I own a T-shirt from 10 years ago when I was a Frank Thomas fan. ROFL!
Besides. Ozzie Guillen is a crazy SOB and why not. White Sox haven't won since 1917 :halo:
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Nice. Clemens gets injured. Pulled his hammy? and AJ was fucking with his mind. :lmao:
(http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/6348/homos3616qp.jpg)
White Sox pull it out 5-3! grabbing game 1.
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Friends: FOX broadcasts of the World Series just FRIGGIN SUCKS as usual.
Didn't used to be. You've seen all those great calls by Vin Scully....
I'm sick to HELL of Buck and McCarver!
OK back to the game...
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KKKKONNNNNNNNNNEEERRRRRRRKO GRAND SLAM!!
6-4 CHICAGO :w00t:
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Friends: FOX broadcasts of the World Series just FRIGGIN SUCKS as usual.
Didn't used to be. You've seen all those great calls by Vin Scully....
I'm sick to HELL of Buck and McCarver!
OK back to the game...
WORD! :D
Joe Buck sucks PERIOD LMFAO. But yep. Enough of the dugout interviews. FOX and their EXXXTREEMEE closeups of baseball players is enough to lose my steak and veggies. Remember the torture we endured when the Giants were in the World Series? Two words. Benito Santiago.
I have it on mute, and my radio tuned to ESPN's Jon Miller and Joe Morgan!!
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I have it on mute, and my radio tuned to ESPN's Jon Miller and Joe Morgan!!
I'd love to do that except there's a definite lag time between the radio and the TV broadcast, at least three to four seconds.
Jon Miller may well be the best play-by-play announcer in MLB today.
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Scott Podsednik, with no HR in the regular season, hits his second of the post-season and a WALKOFF shot to win Game Two of the Series for the White Sox.
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20051024/capt.cxs15910240345.world_series_cxs159.jpg)
Lidge served it up. Ouch!
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Fourteen innings. One winner. Geoff Blum's solo homer wins it for Chicago!
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20051026/capt.txme22110260616.world_series_txme221.jpg)
Last time they played 14 innings in a World Series game... Babe Ruth was pitching for the RED Sox!
(http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20051026/capt.hta18210260638.world_series_hta182.jpg)
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You stayed up for it all?? So many basemen stranded. :O
Tonite: "Staring Problems" Backe leaves. Lidge on. Run scores. DAMN. :D
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:O ....whoa. Congrats to Ozzie and the ChiSox. Shoeless Joe is redeemed :cry:
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Congratulations to the White Sox and the fans of Chicago:
(http://www.aarongleeman.com/uploaded_images/whitesoxwinws-755048.jpg)
I doubt this will "unite" Sox and Cubs fans but it is a helluva moment for Chicago baseball.
The White Sox just dominated in the postseason, particularly their pitching and defense. Yeah, they had some lucky calls but luck usually evens outs; it's never THE reason why championships are decided.
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Congratulations to the White Sox and the fans of Chicago:
(http://The White Sox just dominated in the postseason, particularly their pitching and defense. Yeah, they had some lucky calls but luck usually evens outs; it's never THE reason why championships are decided.[/quote]Totally. ChiSox kicked some major BBQ-grillin' whiskey-swillin', Dubya-lovin' ass!!![img]http://www.anatol.org/images/japan/japan2/images/imperial-palace-obasan-with-brooms-1.jpg)(http://www.jadecat.com/graphics/tubes/brooms-jlm.jpg)
Don't get it? SWEEP!!!
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True...the lucky calls come from the hustle. DAMN look at Uribe for the final 2 outs!!! The Baseball Gods were truly watching. Props to Frank Thomas too. One of my favorites growing up. Truly Hurt Big but he's got a ring now.
(http://img483.imageshack.us/img483/7725/capthta18010270455worldseriesh.jpg)
So it was the lowest rated ever (http://www.suntimes.com/output/worldseries/cst-spt-rate28.html), this was some quality strategy by both sides and Ozzie Guillen got it done!!
They'll be in tough signing Konerko and AJ. Doubt Rocket will be back. Heard Bush on Dan Patrick Show and he's like "Barbara knows how to score and shit"...BAH!!
At least I can relax and not hear Tim McCarver: "he got good wood...on that ball" And then he goes "You think Lidge shaken off the Pujos HR?" .. "OH NO" .....BOMB by Podsednik. Dude turned Brad Lidge into Byung-Hyun Lidge.
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It's the OFF-season! And I am bummed. I was looking forward to two more games this weekend...
Random ramblings:
These start times for World Series games have GOT to change. Don't kids have to go to bed at 8PM? I mean, the friggin' games begin AFTER 8:30! Don't they (MLB and Fox) want to breed a new generation of fans? (That was a rhetorical question; we know that they could give a fuck about the kids and would rather sell more Budweiser and "Prison Break.")
I'm happy for The Big Hurt getting a ring, even though he had zero postseason plate appearences. Monster player in the early 90s. First-ballot HOF.
Leo Mazzone in Baltimore. If he cuts the Orioles' staff ERA considerably then we'll have to consider a HOF nomination. Seriously.
Brian Cashman resigns as GM with the Yankees. Not a big surprise, given the happenings of the last couple weeks.
There are media stories that report LA Dodger GM Paul DePodesta was canned by owner Frank McCourt, which if true shows that McCourt may be the new Steinbrenner. And a small blow to the "Moneyball" movement. (Update: if Bobby Valentine signs on as field manager of the Dodgers, then McCourt and the entire city of Los Angeles will TRULY go to hell.)
Who the hell is going to sign Johnny Damon? Not the Yankees. I suspect Boston might get a discount and resign him. And why do people think Konerko will sign with Anaheim? They have money and a lack of power at that position but the same applies with the Red Sox.
Well, time for the BBWAA awards! I sure hope A-Rod gets the AL MVP and the Rocket steals the NL Cy Young. I think Santana should repeat as AL Cy Young but voters have an unhealthy (read: asinine) fixation on wins and RBI.
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Hey Sab...thought u'd update the biggest bombshell of Theo Epstein resigning from Boston. WTF is up with that move? And no way is he going to LA XD
The Yanks are completely revamping their coaching staff. I'm surprised Cahsman didn't resign either.
Winter Meetings coming up :twisted:
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...thought u'd update the biggest bombshell of Theo Epstein resigning from Boston.
It says something about the state of baseball coverage/fandom/mass coverage that the dealings of front office personnel are fodder for discussion, even on a li'l bbs like this one. I didn't even think to mention it, mostly because of laziness. But also because I never truly realized how many baseball fans really followed this stuff.
I mean, managers get hired/fired all the time. Free agents come and go. But how many MLB fans could name the GM of their favorite team, ten years ago? The field manager was always assumed the leadership of the team; we have seen a PR shift in the last few years.
As for the specifics of Theo Epstein leaving the Red Sox... he's still mum about The Truth, no doubt about it. Nobody walks away from an offer of $1 million-plus per annum without some compelling reasons. There's politics and personal drama in every workplace and I'm sure the fact that this affair made the papers convinced Epstein that he had a choice between the looney bin and his sanity. I'm not sure he made the correct decision but there are a LOT of fans in Red Sox Nation who are PISSED at CEO Larry Lucchino and club owner John Henry for not placating the architect of Boston's first World Series championship club in a gazillion years.
Epstein WILL return to the big leagues, I am certain.
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^ I sure hope so. It's just sad how the boss always wants to take credit for his henchman's work. LOL reminds me of someone I know in real life XD
This is cool though: Kim Ng first to formally interview for Dodgers GM job. Asian. Female.
http://www.presstelegram.com/sports/ci_3190064
And fuck these nerds, they fuck up the BCS. Now they choose Chris Carpenter of the St. Louis Cardinals and Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees for the Cy Young
http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20051107/sc_space/mathematicianspredictcyyoungwinners
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I follow the postseason awards and... well, the baseball "writers" who vote for these things make my toenails ache. They have a stone age intellect that doesn't reflect the great strides in performance analysis that have been in force for the last two decades -- yes, DECADES.
They'll vote for Carpenter cause he has the most wins and give the MVP blindly to whoever has the most RBI. It makes me want to upchuck my Cracker Jack.
Ahh, I'm just bracing myself for disappointment.
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UPDATE: Bartolo Colon is awarded the A.L. Cy Young.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2217678
Another award proving that baseball beat writers are no different in grading performance than their peers from the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Fuck the writers: go to the internet for the real deal, true believers. The best pitcher in the American League this past season was Johan Santana.
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Jayson Stark, a writer I don't associate with statistical analysis, makes the case for Santana:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2217711&type=story
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Well, I predict David Ortiz WILL steal the AL MVP for 2005, based on the writers' pick of Colon for Best Pitcher.
A-Rod deserves it. Really!
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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2223736&type=story
I was bracing myself for another dunderhead award vote. However, to my amazement, this vote wasn't swayed by "clutch" notions and the awesome leadership that a DH can offer.
Yankee or not, A-Rod was the best player in the American League in 2005.
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Yankee or not, A-Rod was the best player in the American League in 2005.
consistency pays off...buy man 331 vs 307 was really tight. he's prolly gonna grab another gold glove, for a position A-Rod just been new to the past seasons.
Just a bummer. Tim Salmon, career coming to an end. Missed all of 2005 with a bum knee and doubt anyone will take a chance on him.
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The N.L. vote (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051115&content_id=1268475&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb#results) was also close but not between Pujols and Derrek Lee. I can't believe that many people gave Andruw Jones a first-place vote. Or second. Or third.
I'm telling you: a high RBI total clouds the minds of men.
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Derek Lee getting votes surprised me...since he was on a losing team.
The steroid ruling was brutal...but shit. after 50 games, they still get 2 more strikes? And such a shame to see Raffy and Sammy getting cut like that. They ain't the same and doubt they'd be back in the majors next year.
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NICE. Winter offseason is moving along fine...Seattle Mariners have signed Japanese catcher Kenji Jojima
(http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/3637/captsgehrp06221105173210photo0.jpg)(http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/9460/r14775350793lm.jpg)
– Aaron Rowand for Jim Thome – dunno about this Thome was pretty banged up last yr :o
Carlos Delgado ... originally wooed by the Mets is going in a trade and cash thing ($7 million) from the Florida Marlins for first baseman Mike Jacobs and pitcher Yusmeiro Petit ... and 30 million for Billy Wagner! I like that. Omar Minaya is retooling retooling while Yanks are reeling hahaha
Fuckin Loria (ex-Expos manager) is slashing budgets. shipping 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett to the Boston Red Sox for three prospects too.
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Seattle needs to trade Ichiro elsewhere...or bring in Ken Griffey!!!! that would be kick asss..
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Seattle needs to trade Ichiro elsewhere...or bring in Ken Griffey!!!! that would be kick asss..
It would be MORE kickass if they kept Ichiro AND brought back Griffey!!! :D :D :D
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Seattle needs to trade Ichiro elsewhere...or bring in Ken Griffey!!!! that would be kick asss..
It would be MORE kickass if they kept Ichiro AND brought back Griffey!!! :D :D :D
YES IT WOULD.
My two fave players playing on the same team!
Could you imagine...Ichiro getting a hit and going to 1st base....then Griffey comes up and hits a homer. 2 runs!!! ahhhh
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DYYAAAMN TORONTO pulls out all the stops. They win the AJ Burnett Sweepstakes. :o
Wasn't sure about BJ Ryan but this one is like Whoa.
The Winter Meetings look to be really interesting, eh guys??
And who is excited about the World Baseball Classic (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/wbc/index.jsp)? We get to see Barry Bonds, Ichiro, and more.
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Astros don't want the Rocket no more!!!!
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The Mets don't want Piazza, and the ChiSox don't want Frank Thomas anymore, either. :( :( :(
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Alfonso Soriano is getting traded!
Rangers need pitchers...
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Shit just be dropping huh?? Nats are looking even better than ever!
Now Miguel Tejada wants out? I thought he was doing so well in O's Land.
I can't even keep up with what's happening. Red Sox shaking it up with the Braves. White Sox keep dealing. :o
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Wonder who wants Nomar?
Saburo where are you man ... I'm talking to myself. :lol:
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The Associated Press reports that Johnny Damon has agreed to a four-year deal with the New York Yankees. (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20051220&content_id=1285418&vkey=hotstove2005&fext=.jsp)
Wow...
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:shock: OMG....i thought he was going to stay in Boston :shock:
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Saburo where are you man ... I'm talking to myself. :lol:
Gomen, gomen... Some thoughts on the last couple weeks:
B.J. Ryan signing by Toronto: a wild gamble for a team with plenty money. All closers are overpaid, in my opinion.
Rocket Roger not being offered arbitration by Houston: it might work out. Clemens won't be able to join the Astros until May and that might give him enough rest to retain stamina in August and September. He can pitch in the WBC, rest a few months, do light workouts in an extended "spring training" and who knows? He might post another sub-3.00 ERA in 2006.
I hope Frank Thomas is playing in the majors in 2006. He put up friggin' Ted Williams numbers in the 90s. We shouldn't forget about him too quickly.
Soriano to D.C.: Great deal for the Rangers and a downright shitty one for the folks in Washington, who are being blackballed by MLB interests who can afford to build their own goddamn ballpark. Soriano probably peaked already, still can't walk for shit, is a sucker for the low-and-outside pitches and doesn't seem to want to be a team player, refusing to move to the outfield. Good luck, Nationals fans!
Miguel Tejada-Manny Ramirez trade: you can trade their baseball cards but one-up superstar trades like these do NOT happen anymore. Especially in the same division.
Jesus Damon joins The Evil Empire: I'd guess that three-fourths of Yankee fans aren't sleeping well tonight...
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np. Sab, there's not enough baseball fans here. hahaha.
Frank Thomas got me hooked on baseball. I'd like to see him back on 1B again.
Maan. I am still stunned by the whole Damon to Yankees. Cash Rules Everything Around Me indeed.
And what about the Dodgers stacking up on 2003 Red Sox? :lmao: Nomar joins em.
HUZZAH for Hee-Seop Choi for avoiding salary arbitration!
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Maan. I am still stunned by the whole Damon to Yankees. Cash Rules Everything Around Me indeed.
I am quite surprised too.
Damon had a good role and a good home in Beantown. I didn't think the extra ca$h would convince him to leave (or Scott Boras to tell him likewise).
New York's offer was $52 million for four years; Boston's highest was supposedly $40 million. I guess that's a hella big difference but... jeez, it only serves to enforce the same stereotypes that have turned off generations to MLB: big cities get the stars. No bucks, no Buck Rogers.
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And Steinbrenner will make him cut his lettuce, must've been the money. Back to his Oakland look...and play? XD
(http://img451.imageshack.us/img451/2457/captsgeqeb62211205215807photo0.jpg)
The Dodgers keep on piling up the people. Forget Moneyball.
Brett Tomko became the third former San Francisco player to switch to the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreeing yesterday to an $8.7 million, two-year contract
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Did the Yanks lose someone to make them want to sign Damon? With all the high-paid egos they've got over there, it's a wonder they can field a team without having a civil war. And Saburo, just because the big cities with the big wallets get most of the big-name players, remember that it's no guarantee that said players will work well together. If they all did, then the Yanks would/should have won all of the last 4-5 World Series. It's not just about the money, it's about the teamwork (or at least it should be).
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They needed a centerfielder and a lead off hitter. They killed two birds with one stone by signing Damon. Also Bernie Williams wasn't cutting it at centerfielder; hes still on the team though...
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And Steinbrenner will make him cut his lettuce, must've been the money.
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/NY11112230322.jpg)
I wonder if the haircut came before or after the mandatory physical?
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And Saburo, just because the big cities with the big wallets get most of the big-name players, remember that it's no guarantee that said players will work well together. If they all did, then the Yanks would/should have won all of the last 4-5 World Series.
That's a pretty high standard for team chemistry, even granting that the standard of excellence is higher in the Bronx than anywhere else in the big leagues. The cliche that "anything can happen in a short series" is not an exaggeration. How else could the Florida Marlins have taken two World Series titles?
Some of New York's best teams were made up of people who did NOT get along. The Yanks won back-to-back championships in the 70s with inflated egos (Reggie Jackson), moodiness (Thurman Munson), general purpose jerks (Graig Nettles), and a manager who was an alcoholic with anger management issues (Billy Martin). Not that this is the ideal way to build a winning team but I think this shows that a World Series can be won without everybody getting along. That winning play on the field can trump ice-cold personal relationships.
That said... the recent Yankee teams have been a hodgepodge of talent picked up from a myriad of sources. That they have been able to be such a cohesive group is a testament to the leadership of Joe Torre, probably the best PLAYERS manager in the game today. He may have problems identifying talent (his fascination for Ruben Sierra has been a source of much pique for Yankee fans) but I can't think of another manager in the big leagues that has more RESPECT from his players. I think that's a contributing factor to New York being in the postseason; in fact it may be the reason why so many guys are willing to join the Yankees and deal with the grinding New York media (comprised of people who criticize A-Rod after he won the AL MVP) or the shenanigans of George Steinbrenner (who has been tormenting people for generations).
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I wonder what his playing weight is now ROFL
Damon really sheds light on the Red Sox, "they're dismantling" ... such a shame, they seemed to have a few runs in them.
Wonder if the Cardinals will follow, Reggie Sanders - yeah an old fuck, but he's gone. They just didn't have the juice left against Houston.
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And Steinbrenner will make him cut his lettuce, must've been the money.
(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/NY11112230322.jpg)
In that pic he's got sideburns. I thought Steinbrenner hated sideburns (remember the hub-bub over Don Mattingly [sp?] and his sideburns a few years ago?). :?
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They spoofed that in the episode of The Simpsons with the power plant softball team!!! :lol: :lol: :lol:
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I see a few articles written by some bitter people in Boston about how Johnny Damon wasn't really all that good to begin with. He's a singles hitter whose outfield arm is in decline and LET the Yanks have him.
And so it goes... A new wave of performance analysis began in the early 80s with Bill James and came to maturation in the 90s with the Internet. We got all sorts of methods to determine just how good a player is, how much he helps a team win and how to filter out bias and bullshit.
Apparently, that's not enough. People will still vent and use numbers to support whatever dimly inspired agenda is on the table. One scribe said, in print, that Damon was "a below-average Major League hitter in 2005."
Some people deal with loss better than others. I think what this writer REALLY wanted to say wouldn't get past the editor's desk so he tried to couch his feelings in nerdy stathead prose. It didn't work. Damon's probably going to be better in '06 than whoever the Red Sox are able to put out there in centerfield.
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I like the page 2 articles
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Well, another reason for me to hate the Yankees. They are too damn rich!!
I wonder the Blue Jays will make it to the playoff this year :?
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(Copied and pasted from another bbs that linked to the Bill Simmons piece. I've said most of this previously but it's Christmas and I feel like getting as many posts next to my username as possible...)
Bill Simmons is perhaps the last, best talent available on regular EPSN-dot-com, with Rob Neyer and Gammons stuck in pay-per-view purgatory. He's a New England resident whose fandom for the Sox is grounded in realism. He's also a hella funny guy.
A lot of Red Sox Nation is whining right now, making snap rationalizations regarding the quality of Damon's contributions to the Sox in the last few years and have come to the conclusion that ahh, he's not that good a player. Which is the same kind of feeling teenage guys get about the ex-girlfriends that dumped them unexpectedly ("ahh, she wasn't that cute to begin with") -- but just wait 'till you see her holding hands with the school's QB.
I don't think people have paid attention to how the Yankees courted Damon more than the Red Sox. The effect that Larry Lucchino (the man that drove Theo Epstein away) has had on the team may have far more destructive power than Damon's impact on leaving an empty gap in center. The effect of the negative vibes PLUS the extra $12 million could turn any of us into a "traitor."
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LOL BLUEJAYS TRADED HUDSON AND BATISTA FOR TROY GLAUS!!!
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Police say former Major League relief pitcher Jeff Reardon thinks his medication made him rob a jewelry store. (http://www.newsnet5.com/sports/5674469/detail.html)
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More likely he hasn't managed his money well from when he was playing, and he's finding it increasingly hard to live the lifestyle that he's gotten used to.
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http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060110&content_id=1293389&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Bruce Sutter barely makes it. I would have voted for Gossage and Blyleven; so goes the BBWAA.
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he was the only one that got in this year
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I wanted the Hawk Andre Dawson in. :(
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How one can vote for Sutter and NOT Gossage is beyond me...
Apparently, a person entrusted with the responsibility of voting for baseball's highest honor... gave a nod to Walt Weiss.
You can make a HOF argument for and against the Goose, Sutter, Rice, Jack Morris, Albert Belle, etc. But Walt Weiss?!
Come on, people... This is like giving your presidential vote to Paris Hilton. Whoever this dunderhead is should have his voting privileges revoked. Immediately.
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don't look now...will Mark McGwire get in? I bet he does.
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HOF candidate class of 2007 is tough: Ripken, Gwynn and the aforementioned McGwire. My guess is that these three get in and Gossage waits one more year.
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WHOA. Guess who's back: Theo Epstein:
The most successful general manager in franchise history will rejoin the Red Sox baseball operations department in a full-time -- but otherwise unspecified -- position. His long-rumored return comes 2 1/2 months after he turned down a contract extension and fled Fenway Park in a gorilla suit to avoid the encamped media.
I heard this on Jim Rome. To celebrate their 10th Anniversary, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays are gonna change their name to the Tarpins?? LMFAO
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WHOA. Guess who's back: Theo Epstein
In-FUCKING-credible (http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=122801&format=text).
One of the reasons Brian Cashman reupped with the Yankees is because he was assured that he had final say on all GM decisions, instead of the consortium in Tampa favored by King George. Theo split cause he never had final say; the shadow of Larry Lucchino hovered over him like a black cloud. Seems like that structure has not been changed in the Boston front office.
Red Sox fans may be happy tonight but I remain skeptical. Things may still be a mess, especially if/when Manny Ramirez starts to act up again.
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WHOA. Guess who's back: Theo Epstein
In-FUCKING-credible (http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=122801&format=text).
One of the reasons Brian Cashman reupped with the Yankees is because he was assured that he had final say on all GM decisions, instead of the consortium in Tampa favored by King George. Theo split cause he never had final say; the shadow of Larry Lucchino hovered over him like a black cloud. Seems like that structure has not been changed in the Boston front office.
Red Sox fans may be happy tonight but I remain skeptical. Things may still be a mess, especially if/when Manny Ramirez starts to act up again.
they'll still be in a mess even with epstein back. he'll defintely have to work some miracles to get their pitching in order.
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Red Sox Get Coco Crisp (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2308605)
I think the Red Sox overpaid for Crisp. Crisp may be better now but I think Marte will have a better career. Only time will tell.
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"Red Sox Get Coco Crisp"
That was my favorite cereal growing up.
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"Red Sox Get Coco Crisp"
That was my favorite cereal growing up.
Lol. :lol: Coco Crisp and Milton Bradley are the 2 best names in baseball.
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And Blue Jays get Benji Melina. WTF? Jays better not pull an Orioles.
...who's interested in
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1
League ID: 49318
Password: rika
I think hiroayu kicked all our collective asses last year. Any suggestions for Type of Draft. Stats Categories? Point Distribution? Etc. just speak out!
When we get enough players (hopefully 5) we'll do the draft.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2328640&type=story
Strange but true.
Sosa should beg for a tryout with the Colorado Rockies. If he wants to make it to 600 homers, it's going to take that kind of ballpark to do it.
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GO WHITE SOX FOR WINNING THE WORLD SERIES
EVEN IM LATE OF SAYING THIS THOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOOOOO!!!!! :w00t:
I like this forum.
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GO WHITE SOX FOR WINNING THE WORLD SERIES
EVEN IM LATE OF SAYING THIS THOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!
You can be proud of your South Siders. The front office did not stay idle during the off season, although I'm sorry Frank Thomas (a Hall of Famer FOR SURE) was let go. The team will remain competitive in '06.
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:cheers Spring Training Started.
And the "World" Baseball "Classic" hahaha. Wonder who will show up.
I :heart: Ozzie Guillen, just ripping people left and right! Hope White Sox win again next year! Brushing off Bush...and calling A-Rod a fake, cuz he was switching between US + Dominican Republic.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2328640&type=story
Strange but true.
Sosa should beg for a tryout with the Colorado Rockies. If he wants to make it to 600 homers, it's going to take that kind of ballpark to do it.
It best he retire. The thin air might make his joints burst. In similar news. Barry Bonds says 2006 will be his last:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2336586
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If true, I hope Barry goes out with a BOOM!
Easily the greatest player of my lifetime -- and perhaps the most underappreciated as well. Him or Rickey Henderson.
He could possibly go to the Junior Circuit and DH a couple more years if he really wanted to catch Aaron's 755 dingers.
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=/....People will hate him even more if he passes Aaron...but I don't think that would happen this year. I don't think he will retire after this season.
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http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/content/printer_friendly/mlb/y2006/m02/d19/c1315857.jsp
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/20/BONDS.TMP&feed=rss.giants
Not to worry. Bonds talked to a writer from MLB.com saying that he could play for "another five years, another 10 years." Yeah, right.
These things are impossible to predict. Bonds could go on a tear and get intentionally walked three times a game again. Or he could slip running the bases, wrench the knee and decide that he's had enough of traveling and reality TV. And Aaron's career record is safe.
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Man, I dunno what Barry is thinking. dude is easily the most hated or most loved player in sports history.
Speaking of Rickey, ain't he back as a coach of the Mets? Just wish Albert Belle would get his ass outta trouble though. I loved it when he chased the kids for nailing his house but he was nailed for stalking his ex-girlfriend, taken into custody and was being held without bond. :lol:
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Just wish Albert Belle would get his ass outta trouble though.
That shit counts when Hall of Fame balloting occurs unless your numbers overwhelmingly qualify you (Ted Williams, Rickey, Barry Bonds). The only way to avoid election is the Joe Jackson/Pete Rose way.
By the way, ESPN picked up Tino Martinez for its "Baseball Tonight" lineup. Fuck, I remember when that show used to be THE show to watch. Now it's just overrated players and dunderhead intellects. I wish Peter Gammons would bail that joint.
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I heard Manny Ramirez speak english today for the first time ever! I thought he couldn't speak english!!!! I was crazy surprised.
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I heard Manny Ramirez speak english today for the first time ever! I thought he couldn't speak english!!!! I was crazy surprised.
That's pretty funny... :lol: He talks to the press so rarely its not surprising the people don't even know he can speak English...
I really hope he just gets used to Boston and stops whining about a trade... How could he hate a town that loves him so much?...
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Man RAM IS GOD!! Good thing he's still with the Red Sox. It makes the Yanks-Sox games more interesting....and hey!
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1
League ID: 195339
Password: rika
HEAD TO HEAD! Version as requested.
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I heard Manny Ramirez speak english today for the first time ever! I thought he couldn't speak english!!!! I was crazy surprised.
That's pretty funny... :lol: He talks to the press so rarely its not surprising the people don't even know he can speak English...
I really hope he just gets used to Boston and stops whining about a trade... How could he hate a town that loves him so much?...
Has anyone heard Ichiro speak english? I want to hear it.
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Kirby Puckett: 1960-2006 (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/content/printer_friendly/min/y2006/m03/d06/c1337465.jsp)
I will never forget Kirby in Game 6 of the '91 Series, making a game-saving catch AND hitting a walk-off homer, sending the series to a classic Game 7. That's what Hall-of-Famers are made of.
[edit: birth year corrected]
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Fuck he died?!!? :? I read in the paper today about the stroke, but it didn't mention anything about him dying. That fuckin' sucks ass. He was one of the truly great ambassadors for the game.
RIP Mr. Puckett.
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WHOA. :shock:
I saw half way through the report and everyone was talking about him. how great he was. and at the time he was in critical condition. Only 44? Such a shame is career was cut short too. RIP Kirby.
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Does anybody knows whos gonna be Dodgers closing pitcher?
Gagne or Baez?
Baez was a closer before he got picked up by the dodgers and i have him on my team. dont know if i should drop him though. Gagne is smoking in spring training
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Opening Night on ESPN now. Cleveland gets its first hit of the season. Runners on first and second, one out in the top of the 3rd.
I'm not one for the blather on steroids, though. Shaddap already!
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Rain delay in Chicago. Now ESPN is showing a press conference featuring the head coach of... an NCAA womens basketball team.
ZZzz...
(click!)
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Wow, game's still on past midnight in the Windy (and Rainy) City!
That rain delay sure sapped the excitement out of everything...
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Oh baby. How I missed the baseball season. :D
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Oh baby. How I missed the baseball season. :D
Indeed. Nothing like watching the cubs throw it all away season after season! :evil:
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Indeed. Nothing like watching the cubs throw it all away season after season!
Interestingly, the season STARTED with Wood and Prior on the DL, as opposed to a month or so of overwork from Dusty Baker.
And they said the Cubs winning in '06 was the next step in Hell finally freezing over.
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I loved seeing Pedro's "wildness" in last night's game against the Nats. Only Pedro is unafraid to pitch inside to batters. And of course somebody (Jose Guillen) got all snappy. Can't blame him but sheesh Pedro's in the N.L. now and will have to take his hacks at the plate.
(http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2006/04/06/47Qrn9pD.jpg)
The grudge match is next week, in RFK. Stay tuned, true believers!!
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I miss Soriano in the Ranger's line up.
How about Griffey Jr. passing Mantle on the HRs list?
:)
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I miss Soriano in the Ranger's line up.
Don't worry: Wilkerson is a better player and look at what a sourpuss Soriano turned out to be. He's an overrated player with a low OBP, junk defense at 2B and cares more about his image as "slugging second baseman" than doing something helpful for the team.
Props to Junior Griffey and I hope he can last the season without another serious injury. Perhaps they should move him from CF to ease the strain.
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They're singing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" for the 7th inning stretch in Anaheim!
The "War on Terrorism" will be won when they cut out "God Bless America" in Yankee Stadium as rendered by the bald opera dude.
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GOD Bless Bald Dude!
How about them Blue Jays? They looked pretty good to start out but what happened?? :?
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How about them Blue Jays? They looked pretty good to start out but what happened??
Hmm, that's baseball. They'll be days like this...
Tim Wakefield got bombed in his first start for Boston and people were thinking, boy is THIS IT for the knuckleballer? Today in Baltimore, he allowed only one unearned run in six innings and got his first win of the season (although it wasn't without a little blood and sweat as he stranded 10 runners on base in the process).
Roy Halladay, an AL Cy Young candidate if there ever was one, starts at home against the Devil Rays (soon to be just the "Rays") and you might think ah they're just the DEVIL RAYS. Seven and a third, eight hits, five runs. Sometimes you just can't win.
I like that the Jays' new free agent closer, BJ Ryan, wasn't being used in a save situation yesterday, coming in the game to put out a fire that could have put things out of reach. Toronto still lost but I think it was a good illustration of a more practical way to utilize your relief pitching corps.
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GOD Bless Bald Dude!
How about them Blue Jays? They looked pretty good to start out but what happened?? :?
The jays certainly got a ton of hype in the preseason. I think you have to give them a bit to get it all sorted, they have some great players but they just need to gell.
Hopefully we can say the same for the MN Twins!
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Hopefully we can say the same for the MN Twins!
Good luck to the Twins. Not sure if the front office is up to the task, what with their decision to field two crappy players at third and short, demoting a real prospect to rot in AAA.
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http://www.sandiegoserenade.com/2006/04/1986_world_series_game_6_reena.html
Check out this reenactment of Game Six of the '86 Series via RBI Baseball, an old-skool video arcade game.
This is a remarkable recreation -- I have no idea how this guy did it.
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THAT was wild. Complete with the old play by play. Didn't look like he filmed it off his TV, must've been a ROM or something.
WERD. Yanks are stumbling but psssh. So the Tigers and Brewers are on fire too. I'm waiting for Bonds to light it up!! C'MON DUDE!
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Man! How about bronson arroyo homering TWICE for the Reds. Love it! And Mark Mulder in the new Busch Stadium. That place is ORGASMIC!
(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/212/buschquirksbaseballmojf1017fb.jpg)
I bet Pujos can hit the Arch!
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I read on Baseball Musings today that the Astros actually PITCHED to Barry Bonds today. And got three (3) outs for their efforts!
Wow.
I mean, some MLB managers still believe he's Superman on the Cream or something and he is capable of almost anything, kinda like how Fox announcers have a love fetish for whatever Derek Jeter does (hitting, fielding, being "clutch" etal).
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And Jeter is "CLASS" while A-Rod is a swinger. :lol:
59 Years of Jackie Robinson Breaking The Color Barrier
(http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/16/jackie942qd.jpg)
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It's interesting to note that there has been NO major motion picture about the breakthrough of Jackie Robinson in 1947. Oddly enough, Jackie played HIMSELF in a biopic called (surprise!) "The Jackie Robinson Story." I remember seeing a few minutes of it and seeing why Robinson was a ballplayer, instead of a thespian.
I expect a major movie director to take another stab in the next few years.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2412654
Jim Bowden, GM of the Washington Nats, was busted for DUI.
Someone on a blog made a good point: this incident will not get a tenth of the coverage of Barry "Steroid Nazi" Bonds being the target of fan debris. All Barry ever did was hit a lot of home runs and create zits on his back.
Bowden, on the other hand, could have killed someone while driving.
You decide what's worse.
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Yeah. Dude pleaded guilty already. Bonds could go to jail for what??
and hey Junior, Junior is on the DL again :p
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and hey Junior, Junior is on the DL again :p
DAMMIT!!!! Such bad luck...
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Jays pwned the Yankees yesterday...but today they lost 3 - 1
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http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060420&content_id=1409827&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Derrek Lee has broken bones in his right wrist. Cast for six weeks. Maybe out for up to three months.
Wrist injuries are nasty and could affect his hitting when he returns in the summer.
Damn, my condolences to Cub fans, and I know a few of 'em.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=260420125
Julio Franco, who began his pro baseball career before some members of this bbs were born, became the oldest player to hit a home run in MLB. Forty-seven years young. Remarkable.
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Forty-seven years young. Remarkable.
And that wasn't just some line drive. It was a fuckin clutch BOMB!! Props to him. Hope he never retires.
Rickey. Hope you're taking notes!!!
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Alfonso hit 3 HRs !!!
Cubs fans get bad luck every year...
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Jays owned Sox even with Halladay only playing 5 innings!
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Barry hits first HR of the season.
SHHHHH he says
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Anyone here following the saga of Omar Vizquel vs. Jose Mesa?
Vizquel wrote some trash about Mesa about choking in the '97 Series and Mesa stated publically that he would bean Omar every time he faced him. Well, Mesa is three-for-three and the last one precepitated a beanball war last Saturday.
What a colossal asshole Mesa must be. I say suspend him for 30-50 games and a hefty (six figures+) fine.
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what a long feud
How bout my boy Mench hitting 6 HRs in a row? It's the shoes!!!
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Gotta be the shoes!
Actually... how the HELL can something like that happen? I heard that it was only one (1) shoe that was mis-sized. How the hell can that kind of thing go unchecked for... eight years, was it?!
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haha Mesa only got 4 games.
RIP Steve Howe.
Former major league pitcher Steve Howe killed in truck accident
NEW YORK (AP) -- Steve Howe, the relief pitcher whose promising career was derailed by cocaine and alcohol abuse, died Friday when his pickup truck rolled over in Coachella, Calif. He was 48.
Howe was killed at 5:55 a.m. PDT, said Dalyn Backes of the Riverside County coroner's office. The accident occurred about 130 miles east of Los Angeles.
Howe was the 1980 NL Rookie of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and helped them win the World Series the next year.
But for all of Howe's success on the field, the hard-throwing lefty was constantly troubled by addictions -- he was suspended seven times and became a symbol of the rampant cocaine problem that plagued baseball in the 1980s. (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Amze6xHj82aAtATcjhLsKTARvLYF?slug=ap-obit-howe&prov=ap&type=lgns)
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Just caught the news of Howe's death this morning...
Hmm, it would be tempting to gleem meaning from the passing of a guy whose record of substance abuse is on par with Robert Downey Jr. I haven't heard any news about him since the late 90s so I assume he found some amount of peace.
I do remember his struggles with drugs back in the 80s and it's instructive to focus on the number of times that Howe was suspended by MLB for drug use: seven.
That's right: seven. Seems like a joke, no? What with all the tough talk coming out these days about "three strikes and yer out" and 100-game suspensions, etal. (Delmon Young probably picked the wrong time to throw a bat at an umpire.) Clearly, Howe was someone who was busted again and again and again... Jeez, I thought he'd be dead before the mid-90s.
How/why'd he get so many chances? Me thinks: for the same reason that Jesse Orosco, a NON-hall-of-fame pitcher if there ever was one, was able to set a record for most games pitched in MLB. Left-handed relievers were and still are a valuable commodity. They're probably an OVERRATED commodity and too many roster spots are wasted on guys who pitch a few innings a month, but that's what's important to those guys.
Howe WAS a good pitcher, which brings up another instructive point. If you're going to break a bunch of rules, make sure you've got talent. If he couldn't get batters out, MLB would have thrown him to the feds long ago. The double standard of star player treatment lives on to this day.
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haha Mesa only got 4 games.
You know what drives me batty? Inconsistency.
People of authority yammer on about teaching the youth of America what's right and wrong, and then do a 180 and confuse them even further.
Delmon Young IS going to have the book thrown at him. Thirty games, sixty games... something very symbolic to match the severity of the crime and the outcry from fans and media.
Know what? Jose Mesa did almost the same exact thing: assault another person on a baseball field. I'm not sure I want gangland wars fought out on baseball fields and Mesa pretty much admitted guilt by SAYING that he's GOING to bean Vizquel EVERY TIME he faces him.
Duhh... Maybe Mesa can live with himself but I don't, as a baseball fan, want the pleasure of seeing him play a "kids" game if he's going to waste my time with his adult dramatics.
And again: what's worse? shooting up steroids or throwing a baseball 90mph+ at another guy. I guess we got our answer, per the Bud Selig School of Morality.
Ah, fuck all this. Play ball!
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man...Delmon Young hit that umpire pretty hard...that clip was scary.
Mench ends his streak..but Rangers win!
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...your take on most underrated/overrated list voted on by players. See the media suck Jeter's dick, but yeah Jeter deserves his accolades. Sports Illustrated anonymous poll among baseball players. I'm looking for the list/article. But underrated they have Michael Young. :P
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michael young..lol....hes ok
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...your take on most underrated/overrated list voted on by players.
http://www.newsday.com/sports/baseball/yankees/ny-spjeter0504,0,1665310,print.story
I'll say this: Jeter is probably the most overrated DEFENSIVE PLAYER in the major leagues. His range is shitty on ground balls and his arm is only fair.
I wouldn't put too much stock in the collected votes of guys who are lucky to be in MLB right now. It's not like they know all the players, analyze all the statistics, see all the games. Their collective opinion wouldn't be much different from that of a random selection of 470 general purpose baseball fans from North America.
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Jeter is probably the most overpaid, but Tejada is probably the only shortstop I would take over him.
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Jose Lima (whose hair now looks like cotton candy or popcorn) made his first start of the season for the NY Mets today and allowed five runs in five innings. He was called up from the minors after Victor Zambrano went on the DL for season-ending elbow surgery (OUCH!).
Lima pitched for the dead-last Royals last season:
169.2 IP
219 H
31 HR
61 BB/80 SO
6.99 ERA
Ecch! The Mets expect to dethrone the Braves with guys like this? Willie Randolph had better rethink the roster or his team will implode, along with his job. There's no excuse for wasting a roster spot on Lima cause he's got "veteran experience" or whatever bullshit excuse Omar Minaya served up.
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/7d89ff3f-b3ba-4765-9bde-dc59e22ee641.jpg)
Barry just slammed #713. It hit the facade right below the highest deck in the upper right field level seats in Philly. 420-feet+ -- what a shot!
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MONSTER Shot. and some Philly fans even applauded lol
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Does Barry look any smaller to you guys?
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MLB approved the use of pink bats for use on Mother's Day as part of a fund-raising campaign for breast cancer. Fifty-plus players will use the specially made bats, pink wristbatnds and ribbons. (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2439502&type=story)
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(http://www.sanspo.com/sokuho/image/060512matsui_hKYD00213.jpg)
Hideki Matsui fractured his left wrist in the first inning of today's Yankees-Red Sox game at Yankee Stadium, ending a consecutive game streak of 518 MLB games. He ended his NPB career with 1,250 games with the Yomiuri Giants (1994-2002).
Ouch!
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WHOA-HO Damn man. I thought he missed some during his rookie season but dude's a warrior! he'll be back fast.
MLB approved the use of pink bats for use on Mother's Day as part of a fund-raising campaign for breast cancer. Fifty-plus players will use the specially made bats, pink wristbatnds and ribbons. (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2439502&type=story)
AWESOME! Pink IS cool
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I saw that on the news. FUCK! The replay alone hurts, not as bad as the McCafferty leg fracture though.
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/0e1dcd7b-c2a3-405c-a49b-4f83d6b8fda7.jpg)
I swear, ESPN kept showing Aaron Rowand slamming into the metal fence making that game-saving catch over and over and over and...
Yes, the blood was oozing out of his nose. Ecch!
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Ken Rosenthal asks The Question of the Year: Why are managers STILL walking Barry Bonds? (http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5603526)
The guy can't run, can't field, isn't hustling to first, is striking out a lot more than usual and is hitting a lotta fly balls that don't even reach the warning track. But opposing National League managers still think Barry will smash like Hulk. Arrggh!!
I wonder how the pitchers feel? Yeah, I can get this old man with the big head out with slop on the outside part of the plate but my manager's a pussy who doesn't want to explain such decisions to the media afterwards.
It's just sad.
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that is pretty sad...
It is painful to see Barry struggle to do anything out there. He just wants a couple HRs! Give it to him and stop being pussys. It would be smarter to walk Moises Alou or Pedro Feliz since they have more HRs than Bonds.
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Matsui consecutive gane streak ended. I heard he apologized to Torres and the Americans were schoked. Any news clip about this?
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(http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/8086/mlbbrawl4121rw.jpg)
I need video of this fight LOL. Oh, AJ.
and yo. BONDS 714
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(http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/ap/20060520/capt.b63b181888bc4a21905745ac99f9549c.giants_athletics_bonds_baseball_oas113.jpg?x=380&y=285&sig=5hmq_HVQbXlM2K8VxjJPUA--)
What a shot by Bonds! And the Bay Area fans gave him his props.
I wonder if any American League team would pick up Barry to DH 80+ games?
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(http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/sp/getty/oly_full.getty-57208726jd005_chicago_cubs_.jpg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctsYoWLgtuY
Ha Ha Ha, Cubs stink. Severe OWNAGE at the hands of the sox.:pimp:
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Interesting. I read that there's a LONG line of guys who would have paid for a shot at Pierzynski. Is he an asshole in general, ala Albert "Don't call me Joey" Belle?
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Pierzynski is pretty cocky, but not an asshole. He's the kind of guy you love if he's on your team and hate if you're anybody else.
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LOL OWNED
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Love him or hate him, Bonds got that standing O. ESPN please take another 3 weeks for 715.:-P
Interesting. I read that there's a LONG line of guys who would have paid for a shot at Pierzynski. Is he an asshole in general, ala Albert "Don't call me Joey" Belle?
Classic guy for the Twins, love to have him on your team, but hate him if he's on the other side scenario.
And hey Belle was caught stalking again. Put a GPS thingy on his ex, MAN! I gotta get me one when I hunt down Rika XDD
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WHOA. hehehe Royals blew a 4 run lead. Damn, who'd think the Detroit Tigers would be the best team atm. but they pulled one out versus the Yankees XDD
Griffey came on strong! Homering Grand Slammering! CFing!
(http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/3978/brewersredsbaseballcsb1011jt.jpg)
(http://img128.imageshack.us/img128/7568/brewersredsbaseballcsb1035wt.jpg)
and what happened to Ichiro?
(http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/1616/sunday40kw.jpg)
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Interesting piece focusing on a pensive Johnny Damon looking at the pathetic mess that is his former team, the Kansas City Royals. (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/sports/baseball/mlb/kansas_city_royals/14691121.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp)
Nice to see that there are other dimensions to a guy who marketed himself in so many silly ways (Idiot, Jesus), and that he still has a soft spot in his heart for the past and what might have been.
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No surprise about the HGH scandal, they ain't testing em but Jason Grimsley sang lol. Wonder what big names will be named?
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0607061grimsley1.html
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Novitsky wanted Bonds, period.
How dark the con of man...
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davinci code!!!
TEX beat RED SOX :DD
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Here's the rub about this friggin' HGH scandal: it is said that ALL sports will feel the impact of this story, and all athletes will/should be suspect. Guilty until proven innocent 'cause there's no reliable test currently available, be it urine or blood.
And it's a story like this that gets otherwise admirable people to shit in their pants, like John McCain. Senator this is BASEBALL, not TERRORISM!
Sheesh, let these guys shoot up and get back zits and limp cocks. I don't really care. Just protect me from the REAL bad guys, OK?
OK.
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You is the man Saburo.
Clemens seems ready for the big leagues doesn't he? 11 Ks.
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Carpenter and Santana both with 13 K's tonight. dang
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I read that Jered Weaver, star rookie pitcher for the Angels, was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake to make room for Bartolo Colon, coming off the disabled list.
Weaver is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. I don't get it. Most MLB teams KEEP players like that and dump the lesser talents, like Weaver's older brother on the Angels, Jeff.
What a disgrace.
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Before I hit the shower it was 9-2, Houston over the White Sox. Then Iguchi hit a 3-run homer.
I just turned on the teevee and discovered that the Astros' relief "ace" served up a GRAND SLAM to Iguchi in the bottom of the 9th and now they're headed to the 11th inning. Wasted outing by Oswalt.
The Houston bullpen should donate this week's paychecks to charity.
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Brad Lidge?! That guy has been flaming since last year's World Series. :o
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Ken Griffey Jr. moves up to #11 on the all time HRs list :D
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http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/06/war_stories.php
Read this guest blogger piece written by a longtime New York baseball beat reporter about the wall between journalists and the people they report on.
Quite revealing for me. I never thought that Bobby Bonilla was a five-star asshole back in the day but there you go.
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Ken Griffey Jr. moves up to #11 on the all time HRs list :D
Kudos to The Kid. Can we still call him "The Natural"? He passed a great one, Mike Schmidt of the Phillies (three NL MVPs in '80, '81 and '86).
It's interesting to note how Roger Clemens was seen playing ball with his son in Single-A baseball. Well they got nattin' on the Griffeys, Senior and Junior, when they hit back-to-back homers in 1990 in Anaheim.
Junior Griffey isn't anywhere close to 40 years of age; yet he's been playing in the majors since Bush SENIOR was president. With a little luck, he'll be approaching the 700 home run mark. And fans will be cheering, for a change.
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=D Thats good news. If only he was injury free...who knows how many HRs he would've hit. That swing is so smoooth, I'll still call him the natural.
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i love this poll question from espn XDDD
"What was the most memorable moment of minor league manager Joe Mikulik's tirade on Sunday?
Diving on second base
Throwing rosin bag
Throwing the bats
Home plate antics"
seeing him dive on second base was pretty hilarious
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The minor league manager was suspended for a week and fined $1,000.
I think ESPN should pay his fine, being that they played the video clip about a thousand times on a dozen different shows.
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Alfonso Soriano was voted to the NL starting lineup for the All-Star game by the "fans."
Nationals are gonna LOSE!
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A-Rod hits a grand slam to right center!
It's now 7-4 Yanks over Mets, bottom 3rd.
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Nick Green, a guy I never heard of who was hitting .077, cracked a two-run dinger to center. Now 9-4, Yanks.
Paul Lo Duca, catcher for the Mets, was snapping at A-Rod after he completed his homer trot. Cocky bat flip? Slow around the bases? No idea; didn't look like he was showing up the Mets that badly.
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A-Rod is starting to heat up it seems
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That second three-run smash was a helluva bomb to center!
Hope the boobirds in the Bronx shaddap for now.
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Go A's!
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liriano got snubbed! Nomar! :(
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(http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/4361/baseball2006allstarlogo5gk.gif)
How about that All Star Game? Haha Michael Young won MVP, nice ass triple. I love how FOX is totally on David Wright's dick. sheeeesh. Home run derby though was cool - didn't think Ryan Howard had that much power in him. Watch his totals drop off in the 2nd half.
What's your mid-season surprises? awards? I really am like WTF over Mets and Tigers being in 1st place.
Props for the tribute to Roberto Clemente, watching all that footage was so cool.
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I thought the all-star game was boring. I kinda gave up half way =P
but the HR Derby was awesome. Wright lighting it up in the first round And Ortiz hitting it out to the river was pretty exciting.
Yea, Ryan Howard gonna suck for the rest of the season. I call it the Abreu syndrome XD
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I'll keep it short...
I'm a National League fan, have been for all my life.
I was rooting for the N.L. to win one of these goddamn games. They failed, again, at the last second.
Give the American League props. They're kings of the mountain.
I am a sore loser. My stomach feels queasy. I have no more faith.
That is all.
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it has to be around the top of the ninth when it collapsed for the N.L. First, a single, then a ground-rule double, then a triple. It would have been cool to see if the next batter hit a home run. That would have been the cycle for 4 batters
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FOX renewed its contract with MLB, extending its stranglehold on the World Series for another seven goddamn years.
I FUCKING HATE FOX!!!
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Shea Hillenbrand got shit on by the Jays. Gonna get traded.
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OK another MLB-related rant:
Rumors say that MLB Comish "Bud" Selig will suspend Barry Bonds if he is indicted by the renewed Federal grand jury for tax evasion, perjury, and being a jerk. Selig is able to do this under the so-called "Best Interests of Baseball" clause that gives him super powers of morality.
OK, whatever. He's waiting for the charges to be officially filed. But how come that pitcher for the Phillies can get away with being charged with BEATING HIS WIFE and still be playing without so much as a peep from Selig's office?
Answer: Bonds is THE Target. Public Enemy Number One.
以上
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I wonder if Bonds can break the record now.
I feel bad for A-Rod.
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Bondsie said he's gonna play no matter what until he breaks Hankie's record. And he doesn't care if SF doesn't want to resign him.
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Harold Reynolds was fired by ESPN. Sources told Deadspin-dot-com that it was due to the dreaded sekuhara: http://www.deadspin.com/sports/top/was-this-why-harold-got-the-axe-189733.php
I'm kind of bummed by this. He was certainly NOT a progressive analyst (Rob Neyer should be on Baseball Tonight, damn it!) but his enthusiasm and likable style made the show worth watching for me. Now all we got is Fat Kruk.
Peter Gammons: get well SOON! We need you, baseball fans need you!
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=/ I liked listening to HR sometimes.
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I say HR gets picked up by Fox.
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I voted in an ESPN SportsNation poll: http://tinyurl.com/fzkcc
What's YOUR take on the A-Rod fiasco?
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Interesting bit from a chat at Baseball Prospectus:
_____
CCW (Seattle): Notice how Ichiro never gets hurt? Never even has minor pulls and tweaks. He does yoga and spends far more time worrying about balance and flexibility than pure strength. Is flexibility, core strength, and balance being properly emphasized to major leaguers?
Will Carroll: Ichiro is a freak. The good kind.
On the last part, no. It's slowly getting there. If I could, I'd watch everything Ichiro did and copy it.
At the ASG this year, during BP, Ichiro hit one into the river that was at least as far as anything Ryan Howard or David Ortiz did. I'm also convinced that Ichiro could pitch.
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whoa...I need to postwhore a bit in here or Sab will be quadruple posting XD believe me, I been doing it in my mind when I'm listening to ESPN Radio updates every 20 minutes
I haven't heard shit from Ichiro this year :O and I live near the Pacific Northwest.
How about the Dodgers - thought for gone - now pulling off like what 10 in a row? Brad Penny became the NL's first 13-game winner!
Red Sox snapped out of their losing streak ... people counting them out (tho they lost to KC and TB) are fools. Big Papi and Man Ram somehow get it pumping up in Boston.
Yankess are sure fire lock for the NL East? Dunno XD Those trades were nice, and Matsui and Sheff are coming back - but Yankees will be Yankees. A-Rod and his purse will squeeze up. Jeter for MVP? Hold the phone.
The tightest race seems to be in the NL Wildcard. Go Reds!! Love to see Griffey back in the post season.
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I like the new look Yankee Stadium :o
(http://img47.imageshack.us/img47/5404/prettyoi0.jpg)
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nyy/ballpark/index.jsp
Hell, I'm a big fan of ball parks, stadiums, arenas, and coliseums. I just thought of another dumb thread.
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rofl do it Boss. Cowboys stadium is a dump, I wouldn't pick that one.
I think Yankees are gonna stay on top of Boston, but Boston has a good chance to regain it with the 5 game homestand vs the bombers.
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Hmm...maybe, but I'll be tuning into Fox this weekend. DING! Johnny Damon just blasted a 3 run shot.
How about the Angels-Rangers getting mass suspensions :lol:
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RANGERS SUCK...stop sucking!!! We need Bucky back to win the pennant race.
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Got up late this morning and turned on the Yanks-Sox game in the 7th inning.
Boston just left a couple men on. The Bombers may not need Mo after all.
If Sox lose this first game, the pressure is on to sweep the remaining four.
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YES! Giants on the rebound! I swear, loving my Giants is like being on a roller coaster.
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Are you a Bonds supporter Kulkulkan? XD
Bernie Williams gets the shit rolling with a solo blast! 3-0 Yanks leading :o
WHOA 7 run 7th inning last nite. Fucking longest 9 inning game evar. Say what you will about this rivalry hype (WTF Fox with the 20 min pregame babble) injured players, players defected, etc. - Red Sox-Yanks is hella fun to watch.
And here's one for Foxy: Wang not ordinary
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=klapisch_bob&id=2553144
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Mark my words: Wang won't last five years in the majors if he doesn't get his strikeouts-per-inning ratio up to 5.0. All those groundballs will dribble past Jeter eventually (Jeter's an overrated fielder, too).
Just turned on the Yanks-Sox game on Fox. What a disaster for Boston. Yankee fans must be getting their gloat on at the moment.
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RANGERS SUCK...stop sucking!!!
They're not sucking, they be FIGHTING!
Vicente Padilla is a nut.
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Check out this bit from Deadspin:
http://deadspin.com/sports/top/denis-leary-tells-mel-gibson-to-shove-it-194559.php
Denis Leary can still bring it.
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Are you a Bonds supporter Kulkulkan? XD
Kindof-sortof.
He's really sort of a distraction, the Giants have to learn to survive without him. I don't think that he'll be back next year, nor will Felipe as manager. There is a lot of talent like Omar Vizquel which I would like to see retained. Really, I'm happy as long as they beat LA.
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Rangers won today ! wooooo
Yankees are killing!!! I guess Sox aren't gonna make the playoffs.
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5 game sweep 0_o
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5 game sweep 0_o
I know. WTF?? 6 1/2 game lead now...that's nuts. Jeter might as well get the MVP for his 10 HRs. Everyone was lighting it up but pitching, eh...Wang was struggling too.
On the other side, damn - I was wondering if the Mets could cruise into September but with Pedro and Glavine (numb finger?) going out....
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What's been happening?? The race for the Wild Card spots are heating up!! Blue Jays (Ted Lily and John Gibbons fight) and Red Sox (Big Papi hospitalized, official scorer rants) self destructing. We got Yankees Wang handcuffing the Tigers!
(http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/9711/marinersbaseballwatw111fr7.jpg)
Last nite's Vladdy Guerrero taking out Rafael Soriano with a line drive was brutal. Watch here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU9vb12zPKA :O
Glad he's okay and outta the hospital...
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Jays are out -.-
also, the linedrive got hit by matt clement was more brutal imo
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Interesting article about the sempai/kohai relationship between Ichiro and Kenji Johjima in Seattle, USA:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2003238714&zsection_id=2003016528&slug=ichiro01&date=20060901
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Alex Rios yesterday..D'OH!
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As reported on ESPN.com (emphasis mine):
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett was placed on the 15-day DL Sunday after undergoing surgery Saturday night for bleeding in his scrotum. He was injured by a foul tip in Saturday's game.
EEEEEOOOOWOWWWOOOOOWWWWOWOWOWWCCCHHHHEEEE!!!!
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0_o;;;
Griffey injured his toe. :(
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(http://espn-i.starwave.com/media/apphoto/NYOL57709070302.jpg)
A 22-year-old rookie for the Florida Marlins named Anibal Sanchez pitched the first no-hit, no-run game in the major leagues in more than two years on Wednesday night, shutting down the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-0.
The surprise Marlins, dismissed at the beginning of the season with a team full of rookies (including its manager), are now tied for SECOND place in the N.L. Wild Card standings. What a STORY this would be if the team even made it close to the post-season. And what a wonderful thing for the fans in Miami and South Florida.
From the AP wire story: Announced attendance was 12,561, but the actual crowd was perhaps half that. The surprising Marlins are last in the major leagues in attendance even though are three games behind San Diego in the NL wild-card standings. (emphasis mine)
What a disgrace.
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Congrats to Anibal Sanchez!!
Wasn't the craziest shit is that Marlins came backfrom a 20 game under 500 deficit?? :o
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the marlins fan seriously suck. Bigger banwagoners ever. Remember when they won the World Series a few years back? and compare it to now. LOL
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I couldn't understand him in his press conference.
Yea I think no other team in MLB history has come down from a 20 game under .500 deficit.
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The Marlins Franchise is a total :doh: 2 World Series titles yet they are always a joke - no one predicts them to be hot.
BONDS got 731 - I bet he's gonna keep playing another year. He's SO DAMN close to Hank Aaron's record. 25 more to beat.
(http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/9116/marlinsbaseballmds105gp8.jpg)
And what do you think of the debate - if Ryan Howard hits 62, is he the official HR king? I say fuck that, who knows what kinda regimen he's on?
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(http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/6010/capt3479a2ac9b804492b65680730fab6baccorrectionpadresgfc4.jpg)
Barring a sudden change of heart, I believe Barry Bonds WILL find a MLB team that will pay for his services in 2007. I don't know if he WILL make it to #756 but it'll be a heck of a time seeing if he can beat Father Time to the punch.
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And he might be in the playoffs come Fall. Man - that would be quite the scene when he's hitting 756 in Tropicana Field XD
Don't look now, but the Tigers are slipping while the Twins are rising. Yohan Santana on the mound!
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Sheesh, Johan Santana was ROBBED of a second straight Cy Young award last year by dunderhead "writers" who have (in the words of Bill James) an infintile fascination with the "win" column and all that it DOES NOT represent.
HANDS DOWN, the best pitcher in the American League is Santana. If he doesn't win the Cy Young for 2006 then... well, you know the terrorists are winning the war.
That is all.
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damn terrorists!!!
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Here is your YANKEE HERO!!
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/1669/devilraysyankeesbaseballnyy111ct2.jpg)
Dude got a single in his first game back in like FOREVER! 4 for 4! Yanks have the AL East wrapped up so tight like the cloth in Rika's hot pants that why the fuck do we need to watch NYY-BOS series this weekend?
You know what, I just noticed there's a spelling mistake in this thread's title :lol:
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the NL wildcard is just too close to call... how can a team with the smallest payroll in baseball be in the thick of things, i think Florida will somehow pull off the wildcard spot
the mets are the best in baseball, but i wonder how their starting pitching staff fair in post season
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Dude got a single in his first game back in like FOREVER! 4 for 4!
What a helluva story, and one that all of Nippon can be proud of. New York LOVES your boy!!
In other news, Francisco Liriano blew out his elbow again, is probably kaput for the season and may under go "Tommy John" ligament replacement surgery. OUCH!
(http://img226.imageshack.us/img226/5770/capt3cb6831d4fd0404ea2db011cb41f8dc1athleticstwinsbasfy8.jpg)
My condolences go out to all Twins fans. Beware the snickers from White Sox backers...
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OUCH Tommy John, ligament replacing switching YOUCH! Poor Twins.
I know this cuz Tommy John used to be the manager of the local AAA team.
Hiya fudog!! Yeah man, Mets are lucky to have Tom Glavine throwing heat!! But he has never beat the Marlins lately, and not tonite either. The best thing they did was keep Jose Reyes and ship off Little Matsui XD
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Barry Bonds crushed career homer #732 in the 9th inning of Wednesday's game against the Rockies' Brian Fuentes.
(http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/8510/capt2acaca03263c4babbc54228e4d366458rockiesgiantsbaseka7.jpg)
The Giants lost, 9-8.
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OHHHH Hong-Chih Kuo of Taiwan wasn't able to get his 2nd straight win as a starter, the Dodgers flamethrowers took over haha
(http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/3791/dodgerscubsbaseballcxc103vj0.jpg)
That NL West lead is slimmer than Reina Tanaka at the Hello! Project cafeteria.
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DDDDAAAAAAYYYYYYMN! Kris Benson's wife is fucking hotter than the cup Barry Bonds is wearing!
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Is it true that Travis Ishikawa of the Giants is Rika's cousin? He was doing pretty good till he got hurt diving into the dugout.
http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060310&content_id=1343477&vkey=spt2006news&fext=.jsp&c_id=sf&partnered=rss_sf
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the mets took the NL East... the marlins suck, man i should have never bet those 50 bucks...
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I thought the Braves comeback against the Marlins on Sunday was nuts.
Now... this Dodger victory in 10 innings over the Padres last night might have trumped the Sunday contest. I think even Vin Scully's heart went pitter-patter.
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That was crazy. I heard the replay on ESPN Radio All Night. Back-to-back-to-back-to-back. THEN the walk off to win it. WOW.
(http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5864/dodgersbaseballlad114ej2.jpg)
Congrats to the Mets! Finally the Braves streak is over.
and lol no zoolander. Rika has no famous cousins in MLB.
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....that was fuking incredible :shock:
5 homers in the final moments to win it. and i missed this game :\
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(http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/8486/giantsbrewersbaseballwimg106js9.jpg)
Bonds breaks Hank Aaron's NL record for most HRs ...#734 tonite WTF.
He will be back next year.
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You know... that IS an important record, for those of us who still find relevancy in separation of the two leagues, before Darth Selig fucked things up.
Bonds's chances of nailing #756 are probably at or better than 50-50. Best of luck to him.
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Go Bonds!!! I hope he breaks it!
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(http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/3158/gogriffey5qw1.jpg)
GO GRIFFEY! He moved into 10th place on baseball's career home-run list with a three-run, pinch-hit shot in the eighth inning Monday that lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
How about Trevor Hoffman getting the ALL TIME SAVES RECORD!? I didn't think it was possible when Lee Smith did it. To be honest, I haven't heard much of him. like he has only 1 kidney! :o
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Oh baby. Postseason is just around the corner. I predict Houston in. StL out.
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I just want STL OUT!!! Reds in please!
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this has been an amazing season for the dodgers...the last time i was this pumped up for them was when kirk gibson hit that game winning homerun against the A's. yeah, you can call me a fairweather fan...hehe
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Ack, Cards will probably make it by a hair in the NL Central. A sicko part of me actually hoped that The Choke would be consummated.
I'm also sorry that the Twinkies didn't totally overtake the Tigers and face the A's in the first round of the ALDS. Yankees look like the Bombers of old going into the post-season (they better pray Mo Rivera is fit).
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I just voted in one of those ESPN "Sportsnation" polls: http://tinyurl.com/h9kgh
My selections are in bold.
Again, if Johan Santana doesn't win the A.L. Cy Young then there is no yin AND yang in the universe.
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This close ...the Cards now. Padres and Dodgers wrap it up. :O After that 4 straight home run, then free fall by the Dodgers made me wonder.
What if Wang wins the Cy Young lol Carlos Beltran! WOOT!
and again with LA, the Times reports Jason Grimsely's naming names:
Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte and Miguel Tejada were among the players that a former major league pitcher accused of using performance-enhancing drugs, according to a federal agent's affidavit, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday on its Web site.
The agent for Clemens and Pettitte denied the accusations. Baltimore teammates Brian Roberts, Jay Gibbons and Tejada also were implicated in the sworn statement, the Times said; an Orioles spokeswoman said the team had not seen the report and had no comment. (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AlMM4IejvEkLyKrtTV_65zoRvLYF?slug=ap-drugs-grimsley-othernames&prov=ap&type=lgns)
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What if Wang wins the Cy Young lol
Yiiikes! I can't IMAGINE the voters being THAT stoo-opid. Really. Of course these are the same dunderheads that gave the award to Bartolo Colon last year...
I'm just following the scores on ESPN today... I hope Mauer can pull out the batting title. Smoltz logged in five shutout innings against the Astros, and LaRussa's gamble in starting Joe Shmoe seems to have backfired badly (Reyes is already out of the game, allowing 5 runs in just 2/3rds of an inning). Amazingly, NONE of these games are on national TV.
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edit: at 2:40 PM EST, David Pinto reported: Robinson Cano is two for two today to raise his average to .344. Jeter is 1 for 3, still at .345, and Mauer is 0 for 1, still at .346.
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fuck, could ESPN use a less gay looking pic of Jim Leyland?
(http://espn-ak.starwave.com/photo/2006/1001/mlb_leyland_412.jpg)
Playoff picture is set...Twins win it...let's make our picks
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Without thinking out the matchups carefully, I predict:
ALDS:
Yankees over Tigers
Twins over A's
NLDS:
Dodgers over Mets
Padres over Cardinals
ALCS:
Twins over Yankees
NLCS:
Dodgers over Padres
World Series:
Twins over Dodgers
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who the hell is bobwickman in the fantasy league? Im second again this year damn it!
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I love ESPN polls:
Yanks-Tigers:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2471&incomming=1&question18553=76173&question18554=76174&question18555=76188&question18556=76189&question18557=76190&question18558=76178&question18559=76202&question18560=76191&question18561=76182&question18562=76199
Twins-A's:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2470&incomming=1&question18543=76142&question18544=76144&question18545=76146&question18546=76148&question18547=76150&question18548=76153&question18549=76154&question18550=76157&question18551=76163&question18552=76170
Cards-Pads:
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2472&incomming=1&question18563=76204&question18564=76205&question18565=76213&question18566=76214&question18567=76208&question18568=76209&question18569=76231&question18570=76224&question18571=76223&question18572=76218
Mets-Dodgers
http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2473&incomming=1&question18573=76232&question18574=76238&question18575=76239&question18576=76240&question18577=76236&question18578=76243&question18579=76261&question18580=76257&question18581=76244&question18582=76253
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My picks:
LDS
Yankees over Tigers in 4
Twins over A's in 5
Mets over Dodgers in 3
Padres over Cards in 4
LCS
Yankees over Twins in 6
Mets over Padres in 5
WS
Yankees over Mets in 7
A-Rod MVP LOL
...WOW!! Games in the afternoon too WOO HOO!!
And geez did all the black managers get fired today haha. Toss in Frank Robinson.
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Big HURT taking care of buisness
looking forward to the dodgers mets series. Go Dodgers!
:popcorn:
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Following today's games via CBS Sportsline since my IE browser at work doesn't have new Flash installed for ESPN and Yahoo game trackers.
Definite lag time but I gots no choice. Following the "live" box score on Yahoo produced stuff like this:
San Diego Inning Summary
- B. Giles grounded out to second
- B. Giles tripled to deep left center
- B. Giles hit sacrifice fly to center, D. Roberts scored
Brian Giles is God, btw. Not Rika.
Tight game at the Metrodome but The Big Hurt seems to making up for not showing up in the '05 postseason. Easy game for the Cards in SD but they may find it harder to advance with shitty pitchers in the playoff rotation (Will Leitch of Deadspin lamented the fact that Jeff Weaver is starting on Thursday).
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Brian Giles is God, btw. Not Rika.
WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHT? XD
You mean Rika plays outfield?
LOL Jeter goes 5 for 5. That was insane watching em hit up. Tigers bow down to the Yanks.
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Jeter's five-for-five night prolly made Joe Buck and McCarver cum in their bibs. Really. Capt. Dreamboat, to them and FOX. And all of North America, for all I know. Why else do the Yanks get to play in the marquee prime-time slot...
I was rooting for A-Rod to do something like that and shaddap the critics. Wasn't in the cards but since the Yankees won, nobody will say shit.
And Bobby Abreu just showed everybody how valuable he is. And I still can't fathom how Wang can throw in the mid-90s and not strike out 7-10 batters a game...
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Rany Jazayerli made a very interesting point in a chat at Baseball Prospectus on Tuesday (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=235):
. . . do you realize that Bruce Bochy has been the manager in San Diego for 12 years? Do you have any idea how long a period of time that is for a manager? He's been the Padres' manager for longer than Joe Torre has been at the helm of the Yankees, or Tony La Russa with the Cardinals. Only Bobby Cox has been with the same club for a longer period of time.
Cox, La Russa, Torre, Bochy...which one of these names do not fit?
I had no idea that Bochy was in San Diego for THAT long. Remarkable stability.
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Are Yankees going to lose? I'm kinda rooting for Detroit..
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Are Yankees going to lose? I'm kinda rooting for Detroit..
OH baby, sure looks that way. The JPHIP Sports Forum jinx wins again XD 7-0 now.
I'm gonna pull for Mets or Dodgers after this. Or my first love, Oakland. But they always choke :lol:
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Woo, ALL my LDS predictions will be wrong in a couple hours if the Mets hold on against LA!
Oh, well. No money down in my case. No harm, no foul.
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WHOA!! Yanks did drop it...who'd thunk!! I'm thinking A-Rod gets traded, Sheff + Giambi released, Big Unit retires. Maaannnn...my picks at least went 2 for 4, pending a Padre meltdown..
Good for Carlos Delgado and the Mets.
(http://img183.imageshack.us/img183/8251/metsdodgersbaseballlad122tx2.jpg)
The post-season still has some exciting matchups nonetheless!! HOORAY for October!
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First up, RIP Buck O'Neill
(http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/7159/buckpo7.jpg)(http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/2307/stonelgzx1.jpg)
Dude was a fountain of knowledge everytime I heard him on the radio, saw his interviews.
Whoa, Cards actually stepped up their ptiching. So I'm 2 for 4 in my picks. Who'd thunk teams who stumbled in like the Tigers, a history of choke like the A's, and two starters going down like the Mets would be the potential 2006 World Series champs :lol:
Good bye Joe Torre, amazing he lasted this long.
Hey Sab - do you have a good Japaneses Baseball League site (in english) lol I wanted to update the Rakuten Eagles thread but this Russian guy stopped watching after 2004.
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Torre stays is what YES says.
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Hey Sab - do you have a good Japaneses Baseball League site (in english) lol I wanted to update the Rakuten Eagles thread but this Russian guy stopped watching after 2004.
Hmm, good question. I prolly have the same links as you do:
http://www.japanbaseballdaily.com/
http://www.geocities.com/s_borisov/jb2006/index.html (all the links to the left look legit)
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One of my favorite bloggers, Alex Belth, reflects on the tragic death of Cory Lidle: http://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/541847.html
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Shit, I just heard about that too. Out on a sightseeing trip, just before going back home to spend the off season with his wife and 6 year old son. RIP Cory Lidle, 34 years old too young.
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I read that he was going to visit a poker buddy in Nashville. He had just got his license last year. He will be sorely missed. You're right KT, he was too young.
Detroit beat Oakland 3-0 today. I smell a sweep tomorrow.
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haha not so soon ckd. Frank Thomas has yet to go crazy - A's gotta pull out one. Harden u stupid Canadian! :lol:
thx for those JBL links Sab!
GOOCH!! answers Carlos Delgado's 2 homers. Cards pull it outta the Wagner with a 9-6 win. :phew:
(http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1261/nlcscardinalsmetsbaseballnys140bz6.jpg)
...about Lidle. Learned so much about him the past few days. He was a replacement player. Something his peers never forgave him for. Arthur Rhodes called him out...The Ice Cream blast. "He also ate ice cream during games."
He called out Barry Bonds.
Ruben Amaro: team asked Pat to talk to him about it the flying hobby, it was something we warned him about violation contract. That there was "lotta distraction"
... truly a regular guy amongst all the high paid players. RIP :(
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OOOHHH Tigers tie up the A's 3-3...C'mon Milton Bradley!!
ETA:
BLAAA_OWW!! The JPHIP Jinx strikes again XD
Magglio!!
(http://img89.imageshack.us/img89/9118/athleticstigersbaseballdts118ul6.jpg)
Congrats! Tigers in the World Series for the first time since ...the early 80s
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told you it would be a sweep, daigong:)
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haha, yeah you got me ckd :P
Tigers are poised to pull off one of the greatest reversal of fortunes in MLB history.
Now it's down to Cards and Mets...I missed the game, but St. Louis taking charge. 5-0 win. So never count em out :o Cards leading series 2-1
Still rooting for Carlos Delgado and all those ex-Dodgers, Blue Jays.
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I TOTALLY missed today's NLCS game between the surging Mets and the faltering Cardinals due to the earthquake and subsequent blackout. Any comments? I just saw the boxscore and read some accounts of how some of the New York bats came back to life in the game...
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No radio either holmes? Aww man...it was pretty good. Mets bats came alive. was sweating it, delivering his sinker untl Carlos Freaking Delgado belted one to left field. It was just a case of a bad starter and bullpen. David Wright finally woke up too.
Glavine is on tmr (Mon) so who knows if MEts can take the momentum.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2628823
I am positive that this deal will NOT be consummated. Still, it should get the faithful Cubbie fanbase buzzing for a week or so.
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Lou Pinnella looked so formal in his suit and cubs uni...oh, the man boobs were hidden so well.
Cards take the crucial 5th game 4-2 over Mets. PUJOS coming to life :o
(http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/8797/photodefault512x341sr0.jpg)
....maybe the delay wasn't good for Glavine. Oh momentum.
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Mets choke against Jeff Weaver, whose postseason performance is remarkable.
I would say it's better than 50-50 that Mets win the next couple games in Shea and advance to the World Serious.
If Cards face Detroit then Pujols had BETTER slug 1.000 or something Rika-like if they want to end the current American League dominance.
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OH TAGUCHI!! Billy Wagner barely hanging on!
There will be some surprises indeed tonite. Bout damn time we had a series go the distance!!
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Boy it FIGURES that the National League is the one playoff series that goes the distance. The league has been in a state of flux all season long!
I should be home about an hour after the first pitch so I may be live-blogging/post-whoring in this thread just because...
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Yeah!! DO IT!! Fuckin JB get ur ass in here too!
Right now, bottom of the 1st. Delgado dropped the pop up and Pujos hustled to 2nd. Perez is looking good. Alomar went and talked to em and blamed David Wright lol. In fact, Suppan is delivering some sick stuff too. C'mon Beltran!
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Chavez pops out to center with two on. Four LOB so far for the Mets.
I wonder if Randolph still regrets not having Lastings Milledge on the roster.
[edit: end of 4 full innings]
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Top 5th: Eckstein up with one out, man on second.
Chavez misses a fly in foul left. Stands appear extended out for postseason...
Eckstein HBP on the next pitch! Rally for the Cards.
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Preston Wilson: out on strikes for the third straight AB.
Pujols up, two out... First pitch swinging, foul. Wow, Bonds would be walked.
Second pitch popped up! Reyes catches it! Pujols pressing? Inside pitches he couldn't drive. Still tied!
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BOTTOM 5th: Oliver Perez hits for himself! It ain't broke, so...
Line drive to LF, caught. Crowd buzzed for a moment...
Interview in the dugout?! Fucking Fox, there's a GAME ON! What the fuck?!
Reyes swinging on a high pitch... two quick outs. Suppan steady as ever.
I wonder what the odds are of extra innings? Players tired, stressed to the limits of human endurace. Plus it's raining and heavy rains are expected later!
Lo Duca reaching for a ball low and outside, foul... Ball outside and then another foul left side. I gotta check for pitch counts.
Damn, Preston Wilson collides with Edmonds in center, almost to the track. Wilson catches the ball but Edmonds hops around as if in pain. I doubt there's nothing wrong but Cardinal hearts must've skipped a beat.
1-1, after 5 full.
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You know... being that Albert Pujols isn't slugging 1.000 in the post-season, I wonder if he'll get tagged with goat horns in an unjust and unfair manner, like other superstars (A-Rod, Barry, Dave Winfield, Ted Williams, etal)? Probably not but if Pujols becomes grumpy after a Game 7 loss...
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TOP 6th: Oliver Perez has an entire city on his shoulders.
Edmonds gets snappy on an strike call on the outside. MLB REALLY needs to overhaul the umpiring; the strike zone is defined by seemingly random forces.
Perez walks Edmonds, Rolen up. Here comes Randolph... he's leaving in Perez!
Rolen first pitch swinging! Drive to left. Chavez makes a sno-cone catch at the wall, leaping! Takes a certain homer away! Edmonds is doubled off! Rolen went from miracle hero to... a lower postseason batting average! Whatta clutch play!
OK Milledge probably does NOT make that play.
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BOTTOM 6th: Man... the catch was incredible but I'm a little surprised that Edmonds was halfway to third base when the ball was caught. I guess you can't assume it'll leave the park.
To his credit, Suppan is pitching cool and confident. Heart of the Mets order is up and he's still zipping strikes past them.
What are the odds of a walk-off hit tonight?
Delgado walks for the third time... David Wright up. Damn, this Mets team has SOME lineup!
WOW! Wright hits a dribbler on the left side. Scott Rolen cuts off a slow grounder from the shortstop and throws it in the stands. I wonder if he's still brooding over the lost homer. Second and third, one out.
Now IBB to Green. Loaded up for Valentin. Cards infield looks like it's at DP depth.
Valentin looks overmatched against Suppan, being fooled badly by a curve low and fanning on another curve.
Now the defensive hero up with the bases juiced. "Oh for eleven with runners in scoring position in the postseason."
First pitch swinging popped to Edmonds in center. Suppan is Mister Badass!
Tied 1-1 after six full.
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TOP 7th. Chad Bradford in the game. New York bullpen still active.
Molina, the St. Louis catcher, is making Bradford work, fouling off pitch after pitch... Flies out to left but damn he must have made Bradford throw 10-11 pitches.
1-2-3 inning but damn Suppan was hustling down the line and almost beat a lob throw to first. Great hustle but I wonder if that sprint will affect his pitching?
1-1 middle 7th.
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BOTTOM 7th: Man, Detroit is going to be a prohibitive favorite against either the Mets OR Cardinals. Pitchers well rested, batters ready to roll...
Tucker pinch hits for Bradford. Here comes a zillion pitching changes!
The rain is coming down harder. If it goes to extra innings, what do the umpires do? Just let 'em go? I'm told that the Shea Stadium outfield is TERRIBLE when it gets real wet out there. It can't be easy on the pitchers out there.
I wonder how easy it is to throw a spitter in the rain? Tucker flies to center, Edmonds moves but a bit to his left.
Top of the order with Reyes... Umpire is calling a lotta low, outside strikes. Reyes grounds right to Pujols.
Suppan... damn, he outdueled Clemens in NLCS Game 7 in 2004 and now he's coming through again with a helluva performance.
Lo Duca grounds to short... Cards could not have asked for more from Suppan. Plus it saves the Cardinal bullpen -- La Russa can make a dozen pitching changes from now to the 20th inning if he so chooses.
1-1 after seven full.
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Aaron Heilman in for the Mets. Eckstein grounds to Delgado unassisted.
Spiezio pinch hitting for Preston Wilson. What's with that red goatee?!
Called third strike! Spiezio expected more breaking stuff?
The Great Albert is up. Do they walk him now?! Two balls, low and inside.
Hah, they just walk him on 3-0.
Encarnacion up. Joe Buck suggests Pujols might attempt a steal of second. Yeah, SUUURRREEE!
Wow, swinging strike three! On to the bottom of the 8th!
1-1, middle 8th.
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BOTTOM 8th: You know, Beltran is oh-for-four... he's gonna explode at any moment.
Taguchi is in left instead of Spezio.
Suppan has just thrown his 100th pitch. How much longer can he last? Billy Wagner is in the pen already.
Leadoff walk for Beltran! That was way the hell outside! Here comes La Russa, with the first of his dozen pitching changes in this game...
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BOTTOM 8th: Man, Jeff Suppan did a tremendous job tonight. No matter what happens, all baseball fans know this guy is clutch.
OK, who's the new Cards pitcher? Flores?
WHY is La Russa wearing dark glasses?
Leadoff walk by Beltran!
Delgado struggling to stay alive... Can't hold his swing, strike three!
Wright up... What's the story on Flores. Man, can you imagine the pressure on him?
2-0... Wright hasn't done much in the postseason... A lot of check swings here -- Flores is doing SOMETHING right.
From a 3-1 count to a swinging strikeout! Flores does the job!
Shawn Green up. Sharp grounder RIGHT to Pujols. Three out.
Edmonds and Rolen due up in the 9th for the Cards.
1-1, end of the 8th.
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Heilman begins the 9th for New York. Edmonds strikes out swinging to lead off the 9th!
Rolen, 4 for 20 in the series... I wonder if he's still thinking of that lost HR...
Base hit to left! Go-ahead run on with only one out.
Molina 2-run homer to left! Holy shit! No chance for Chavez that time! New York crowd has been silenced!
Two ground ball outs and here we go to the bottom of the 9th!
3-1 Cardinals, middle 9th.
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Adam Wainwright in to close out the season for the Mets... Bottom of the order up for the Mets.
Valentin... coaxes a full count from the new closer. Bloop hit in short center!
Chavez up. Rain keeps a-comin' down.
Single to left! Two men out and no outs! Floyd looks to be the pinch hitter for Heilman. The graphic: 5 career pinch homers. He better cause he sure can't run!
High strike call from the ump! Floyd doesn't like it!
The rain continues to fall...
2-2 count, another foul.
Breaking ball, strike three call!
Now Reyes. The crowd cheering something from the World Cup.
Damn, Wainwright is coming through with these pitches. Yeah two hits to start the inning but now he's settling down.
Count 1-2... Line drive right to Edmonds. Two down!
Lo Duca. He came though last night with a cluch two-run single...
Fastball high, 3 balls, 1 strike.
Ball outside and they're loaded up for Beltran!
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Bottom 9th. Two outs. Bases loaded. Big bucks Beltran up. Here we go!
Called strike, 0-1.
Foul tip, 0-2.
Curve ball, called strike three! Cardinals shut down the Mets and go to the World Series!
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That game was PIMP! 3 years now the cards have made it to the nlcs and finally they make it to the World Series. The Tigers may be the favorites going in, but I'm counting on So Taguchi to hit a couple grand slams XD
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Jeff Suppan gets the NLCS MVP award, well deserved!
Cardinals win their 17th (!) National League pennant. St. Louis has faced Detroit twice in the World Series, beating them in '34 (Gashouse Gang over Mickey Cochrange & Hank Greenberg) and losing in seven games in '68 (the Year of the Pitcher).
Can you get 2-1 odds against St. Louis? If so, TAKE IT!
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Woo, another ESPN poll! http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2508&incomming=1&question18825=77096&question18826=77097&question18827=77100&question18828=77102&question18829=77103&question18830=77106&question18831=77108&question18832=77110&question18833=77113&question18834=77115
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Trivia: either Tony La Russa or Jim Leyland will join Sparky Anderson as the only manager to win World Series titles in both leagues.
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HAHA!! Good job Sab. WOW!! Whatta fuckin game, Adam Wainright strikes out Beltran, bases freakin loaded. Classic!!
And what's this thing Leyland was under LaRussa in ChiSox days? Cool!
I dunno, I wonder if Tigers will pitch to Pujos...props to Willie Randolph for going against the grain and putting out starters who had some good innings.
Can't wait for SATURDAY!! Cards will win it! GIMME ALL 7!!
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I can't believe Beltran watched that strike 3
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Bill Simmons's running account of Game Seven of the NLCS: http://tinyurl.com/ybjatq
MLB.com has a piece on Endy's catch: http://tinyurl.com/yd3lga First time I have EVER seen a curtain call for a defensive play. First time, and well deserved.
And now we wait for Saturday...
I'm not a fan of either the Mets or Cards. A small part of me was rooting for the Mets because 1) my mom wanted them to win, and 2) they'd make a better opponent for the Tigers. I'm glad Pujols has another shot in the Fall Classic and La Russa probably makes it to the HOF with this pennant, his... I dunno, fifth? I think I was rooting against the Cards a bit because I wanted to see a bit of the La Russa lustre diminished by losing another postseason series. For some reason, La Russa has become Expert Manager for all time, a title I don't think is merited. He popularized the now-standard system of getting every goddamn platoon edge in the late innings by making a bazillion pitching changes, slowing down the pace of games, and turning off a LOT of fans in the process. His judgment in choosing ballplayers is also kinda odd to me. He's lucky to have Pujols, the best player on the planet. Otherwise his season would be finished by players like David Eckstein and So Taguchi.
It could easily have been New York in five games; sometimes, shit just happens. Pedro and El Duque go down, Mets roster is assembled without the foresight of a couple rainouts and the rotation is a mess. I think Mets fans will be tremendously disappointed for the next few days and will probably be in no shape to accept the notion that they may have exceeded themselves by taking the NLCS the full route. Once upon a time, the Mets had STARS pitching for them in these do-or-die affairs: Seaver, Koosman, Ryan, Darling, Gooden, Sid Fernandez (Kaiser High grad!). Will casual baseball fans be expected to remember the name of Oliver Perez? I think not.
Yet, this is what Willie Randolph had to deal with. Absolutely the worst time of the year to play 52-Pick Up with your pitching staff but you know, shit happens. It's a short week and I think we've learned by now that the postseason is a helluva contest between the league's best teams and sometimes the big boys aren't the ones left standing. Anyone remember Joe Torre's team? Sheesh, that LDS series seemed ages ago.
No disgrace for the Mets; this series or the regular season. They got Wright and Reyes. Pedro is on the mend, and John Maine could become a solid arm for the next few years (provided he improves his control).
Blah, blah... OK that's enough postwhoring for the evening...
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I can't believe Beltran watched that strike 3
Carlos probably can't believe it, either. He'll be replaying it in his mind a LOT this winter. And in the spring. And then opening day.
Because nobody cares about buying a baseball cap that reads: New York Mets 2006 NLDS Winner.
Ted Williams said hitting a baseball is the hardest thing to do in sports. Eye-hand coordination, split-second impulses, guesswork... My mom freaked when Beltran ended the game with the bat on his shoulder: "At least SWING if you're going to make (an) out!"
Wainwright just uncorked a big, bad breaking pitch that Beltran just did NOT expect. Three pitches, three strikes. Good pitching beats good hitting.
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Blah, blah... OK that's enough postwhoring for the evening...
It's all good Sab XD
Pedro is done man, he's on the decline. It's just the baseball Rikas fucking with the Mets this year. Cliff Floyd coming in as a last gasp. CARLOS DELGADO! c'mon man...:evil: but Jose Reyes really had that sincere enthusiasm when playing. on the bench, etc.
I kinda side with the Cards only cuz I grew up with A's...so I gotta soft spot for LaRussa. And he made a pretty cool game lol - but yeah. Just good postseason baseball. Youth vs Veterans. LMAO how the Cards fumbled their way in.
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baseball Rikas?:D that's pretty funny.
I watched that catch that Chavez made and my mouth just dropped. Then, to turn it to a double play was pretty cool. Here's hoping that the Series goes to seven games.
Hopefully, the Cardinals will win at least a game. They got swept by the Red Sox last time they were in the Series. I'm kinda pulling for the Tigers to win, after all they've been through for the past few years. It would make a great storybook ending.
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:shocked:
Pujols homers!! Cards now lead 4-1 bottom of the 3rd.
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I know there are people who INSIST Pujols should be walked EVERY time there's a base open but... NO hitter is worth putting on base every time: not Barry Bonds, not Babe Ruth, not So Taguchi. Your job as a pitcher is to GET outs, not give them up.
Pitch to Pujols, you pussies!
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Leyland's got balls made outta steel, the same kinda that is used in cranes to lift houses off their foundation.
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Leyland's got balls made outta steel, the same kinda that is used in cranes to lift houses off their foundation.
Agreed. Starting Neifi Perez and batting him second in the postseason is proof of this.
It could also be stupidity but that wouldn't be polite to say, would it?
Verlander: SEVEN strikeouts after four innings pitched!
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At the beginning of this game it looked like the Tigers were in control, but Reyes and Molina realized the changeup was getting picked off, adjusted, and took control of the Tigers Batters, and then Rolen and Pujols came through with key runs. Solid batting all around by StL with 2 key errors by the Tigers has let them blow this game open to a 7-1 lead in the top of the 8th. It seems like that week off has let the Tigers' hot streak grow cold, but it could still prove to be an advantage if this series goes the distance. I'm thinking the Cards will win it in 5, but I'm a little biased XD
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No one warming up in the St. Louis pen?!
Hmm.... You never can tell in this game. La Russa will probably get someone up in a bit.
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Boy, one pitch and he's OUTTA THERE!
Still, a helluva job by Reyes.
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Indeed, for a rookie to retire 17 straight batters in his first World Series game and go for 8 innings and a 3rd with 2 runs off 4 hits is awesome. Beautiful pitching.
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Well, that was a laugher. Let's see how The Roaster does tmr. At least Craig Monroe had one gasp.
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Eric Byrnes is doing the post-game show for Fox.
Wow...
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i can sense a detriot world series upset!!! go pudge!
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FORTY degrees at game time! Yikes! Was that John Mellencamp and friends I saw/heard?
TOP 1ST: Ground ball out, called strike three to the guy with the red goatee.
Pujols walks on four pitches...
Rolen checks swing, don't get the appeal. Rogers is fooling the batters... ground ball smothered by Inge. Diving for balls looks great on highlight videos but sure cuts down on your range.
Encarnacion looks overmatched... fooled by pitches, barely fouled the third pitch... Comebacker to Rogers and that's the first inning.
0-0, middle 1st.
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BOTTOM 1ST: Jeff Weaver, former Tiger. Becoming the new hot ticket in the postseason. I am still skeptical; however, a good performance here will bring him big bucks.
Edmonds twists and turns, catches the ball. I swear, doesn't he look like he's making that stuff up on the fly, those jerky moves?
Craig Monroe BOMBS one to left on the first pitch! Outfielders didn't even budge. What a shot! Can Weaver keep his composure?
Polonco grounds out but Ordonez bloops one over Eckstein's head. Still two down.
Guillen spinned back by one up and tight. Later knocks one to left center that bounces off the top of the fence. Ordonez comes all the way around to score. 2-0, Detroit.
If I'm a Tiger fan in that park, I ride on Weaver until he cracks like a potato chip.
I-Rod grounds to Rolen who tags Guillen in the basepath. Good start for the Tigers.
2-0, end 1st.
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TOP 2ND: Rogers is dealing! Edmonds strikes out swinging and Preston Wilson is wiffing.
Wind chill is in the 30s... Wilson hits the ball right back to Rogers -- he doesn't strike out!!
NLCS hero Molina hits the first pitch to left center but Monroe runs it down. Rogers chats with the home plate umpire as Fox goes to commercial. I wonder if Rogers will get flustered by any of this? I doubt it.
Pine tar on the hand... Fox won't let this one slide too easily.
2-0, middle 2nd.
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BOTTOM 2ND: With one out, Inge singles to left.
The ninth hitter in the lineup, Santiago, flares one inbetween three fielders for another single. First and second.
Hard hit ball to second by Granderson and St. Louis turns the DP. Close play at first, though. Weaver survives another scare.
2-0, end 2nd.
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TOP 3RD: Wow, 3rd strikeout by Rogers.
That super slow-motion camera by Fox is pretty cool... Eckstein pops up and now two quick outs.
Damn.. I went to the fridge for a drink and Fox already went to commercial after the third out. Rogers is zooming right along!
2-0, middle 3rd.
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BOTTOM 3RD: Monroe caught looking!
Polonco looks like he's in the Winter Olympics! Wow, another strikeout for Weaver.
Ordonez singles to right... La Russa is wearing the sunglasses at night again. Boy...
Oh man, a rainy mist is falling. Guillen hits a ball just foul down the right side...
What's with the hankies and when did EVERY MLB park issue them? 3-2 pitch low and it's first and second with two outs.
Ivan first pitch swinging... he must be super anxious to drive in one of those runners. Wow Weaver is out of the zone now... A foul on 3-1 and then a broken bat grounder to Pujols.
2-0, end 3rd.
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TOP 4TH: Pujols leading off... Another tapper to Rogers... Pujols is slow on to first.
Rolen flies to center... Encarnacion grounds to short. Jeez, Rogers is working on a consecutive scoreless inning streak in the postseason that could hit 25 or so by game's end!
Not much to say in this game: ground outs, swings and misses. At least Weaver has settled down somewhat.
2-0, middle 4th.
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BOTTOM 4TH: Casey HBP. Weaver claims he didn't try to avoid the pitch and he's got a beef there but it's umpire's judgment. Molina was caught by the riccochet..
Gads, another dugout chat by Fox... Inge lines one past short and they got two on with NONE out!
They're playing "Rock the Casbah" in Comerica... Pujols can't make the play on the bunt. Pujols and Weaver mixed up there?
They're loaded up on the error by Pujols... Granderson swinging for the fences? Foul tip strikeout!
Now the badass home run hitter, Monroe. Another swinging strike, Weaver might make it out of the inning!
Pop up, infield fly to Eck! Two down!
Polanco grounds to short, three outs! And THREE left on. Tigers blow a huge opportunity here! Of course Rogers is pitching like Sandy Friggin' Koufax!
2-0, end 4th.
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TOP 5TH: Edmonds up but I don't feel like the Cards can do anything against Rogers, who has posted 19 consecutive scoreless inning, according to the Fox graphic.
Edmonds walks on 3-2. Here comes Wilson, who has struck out every time I've seen him. Fly ball to right center. Great range by Granderson who probably had it all the way. Lot of pasture out there.
Molina flies to right, two down.
Line drive right to Rogers by Miles. Three outs. I gotta lookup the pitch count for Rogers -- I'll be surprised if it's more than 60 at this point.
2-0, middle 5th.
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BOTTOM 5TH: Eckstein spears a 3-2 shot to his right and throws out Ordonez. It always looks like Eckstein's shoulder is going to pop out of its socket with every throw to first.
Guillen lines one down the right and hustles all the way to third... now I-Rod is up again with runners in scoring position.
0-2 to Rodriguez... And a sidearm breaking pitch on 2-2 and Rodriguez swings and misses! Two out!
Casey lines one to right field and FINALLY Detroit gets one of those runners in. Hanging breaking pitch. Three-nothing, Detroit.
Weaver punches out Ingle on four pitches but Detroit chips away just a little more.
3-0, end 5th.
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TOP 6TH: Wow, I missed that first out by Eckstein.
Spezio takes it to a full count, 67 pitches by Rogers so far...
Spezio takes ball four low and Rogers spins around in frustration. Pujols is up.
2-0, inside and outside. Rogers doesn't seem to want to throw strikes to the reigning MVP.
Line drive to Monroe on the warning track. See?!!! Pitch to these guys and you'll get 'em out once in a while!
75 pitches... 1-2 count on Rolen. Rogers is good for another inning, at least.
Foul tip strike three. Another scoreless frame by Rogers, who has captured something very special this season.
3-0, middle 6th.
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BOTTOM 6TH: Tyler Johnson relieves Weaver for the Cards. Santiago down on strikes.
Granderson hits a 1-2 broken bat grounder to Pujols unassisted... And here comes the merry-go-round of pitching changes! This is Tony La Russa's specialty and has done as MORE to kill the enjoyment of baseball than anything steroid-related. Seriously.
Josh Kinney is in to pitch to the right-handed-hitting Monroe... He swings on 3-0! Ball four on 3-1.
Kinney hits Polonco in the back on 1-0. Cards slowly losing control of the game...
Now Ordonez. First pitch swinging... fly ball to left, caught by Wilson. Close call for the Cards there. Detroit losing opportunities to score!
3-0, end 6th.
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TOP 7TH: Rogers back for another inning. Encarnacion still fishing for balls low and outside, just like Alfonso Soriano on a bad day.
Another foul tip caught and another strikeout.
Edmonds quickly 0-2... Rogers throws a ball outside and he's jumping up and down, wanting the punchout.
Detroit better have someone up in the pen now.
Fly ball to center on 2-2 and Rogers is still pumped!
Wilson grounds to short. 93 pitches so far. What a performance for Rogers in October!
3-0, middle 7th.
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BOTTOM 7TH: Flores in for St. Louis. Guillen first pitch swinging, up the middle for a base hit.
Should Pudge bunt? Wow, grounder to third and we go around the horn. Two down. Rodriguez now in an 0-19 slump.
Full count to Sean Casey. Fly ball to Edmonds in center. Quiet inning for the Tigers.
Will Rogers come out for another inning of work?
3-0, end 7th.
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TOP 8TH: Rogers on the mound for the 8th.
Molina lines a single way over the head of Polonco to lead things off. Zumaya, the 100mph+ dude, is up in the Detroit pen for the third time.
Miles grounds into a force, 6-4. One out.
Eckstein ground ball, 4... 6... 3! Eight scoreless innings for the Gambler! What a performance!
3-0, middle 8th.
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BOTTOM 8TH: Brad Thompson in for St. Louis. Looks like Mister Rogers is out of the game, 23 scoreless innings in this postseason.
Inge strikes out looking, Santiago grounds out to second... and another fucking pitching change for the Cards. Does La Russa want to get as many people in a World Series boxscore as possible?
Wainwright in with two outs... strikes out Granderson on five pitches.
On to the ninth, with the meat of the order coming up for Detroit's closer.
3-0, end 8th.
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TOP 9TH: Jones in to close out the game. Worst closer ever?
Spiezio lines out to right. One down.
Jones throwing strikes to Pujols. What's there to lose with the bases empty? Grounder to Inge at third, bobbled slightly, thrown out at first. Two down.
Rolen in. He's got the other hit for St. Louis, ages ago. Here come the hankies!
Line drive to right, base hit!
Wow... Encarnacion grounds one to Jones who boots it. First and third, two outs.
Edmonds is the tying run... flare to left, Rolen scores. Edmonds hustles to 2nd with a double. The tying run at second!
Encarnacion HBP. Loaded up for Molina, the hero of the NLCS!
Ahh, dribbler to short, force out at 2nd. I swear, Jones is the worst closer in history.
FINAL: 3-1, Detroit. Series tied one game apiece.
So long screwy, see you in St. Looey!
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Rogers was DEALING!! :o Great game. 3 game set at Busch!
Holy cow, I thought Jones was gonna fuck it up for a second.
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LOL...all this talk of Kenny Rogers and his foreign substance. Is tar or whatever even an issue? Look at Man Ram's helmet.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2006/news/story?id=2635538
I think Kenny Rogers and "Tar-gate" is a legit topic.
Umpires, managers... there seems to be a coverup conspiracy waiting to bust out at any moment.
Why is La Russa so hush-hush on the topic?
Why the FUCK did Kenny Rogers have that same grease mark against the Yanks in the ALCS? Same dirt in Detroit?
There are several ways to make pine tar work to your advantage if you are pitching in sub-freezing temperatures.
Rogers had better pray that Detroit sweeps the next three games in St. Louis so he doesn't have to pitch again this year.
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man...tar or no tar I hope Tigers win!
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Nope...Carpenter mowed em down 5-0 :o that's fuckin domination
next up SOUPS ON!
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Much like Reyes on Game 1, Carpenter pitched a phenomenal game for 8 full innings with only 3 hits allowed and no errors. Frankly, the Tigers did well to keep the Cards at only 5 runs. Aside from Kenny Rogers last night, the Tigers aren't playing like the team that won the ALCS. If they don't get something going tonight then they're not going to get a chance to go back to Detroit.
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It's official: Game Four has been postponed tonight due to rain.
See ya Thursday!
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Nuts, and I really wanted to see another Tigers trouncing tonight XD
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rain scheduled for Thursday and Friday too lol
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I'm baaaack!
Bottom 7th: First and second, NO outs. Rodney's wild throw to first scored the tying run for St. Louis. Brutal defensive inning for Detroit.
Edmonds caught looking on a 2-2 change. WHAT was he waiting for?
Rodney bringing it big time... Two strikes on Rolen... GONE on another change by Rodney! Wow.
Now Preston Wilson, the automatic strikeout.... NO, a single to left, Taguchi scores from second. Throw cut off and Pujols caught inbetween second and third. Friggin' amazing!
4-3 Cards, end 7th.
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TOP 8TH: I-Rod lines one to deep left and hustles into second with a clutch double.
Now Polonco... grounder to second, Rodriguez to third. Boy, St. Louis did all that crap in the 7th and now Detroit is a sacrifice away from tying the score again.
La Russa out of the dugout for the double switch. Here comes Wainwright...
Long double by Inge to right center. Tie game!
Alexis Gomez up to pinch hit... Foul tip strikeout. He was up there hacking!
Granderson looking to pick up Inge at second... looks at a curve for a strike: the same kind that Beltran saw to end the NLCS... Foul for strike two.
Full count... curve ball, got him looking! Just like in New York...
Extra innings, anyone?
Middle 8th: 4-4.
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BOTTOM 8TH: Here comes Zumaya! I still think the FOX radar gun is full of shit, though.
Hmm, wild and high to Molina... WOW, walk on four pitches. I think... Leyland should get him out of there before he implodes!
You know... I don't recall EVER seeing Leyland on the field with a Tigers jersey. Always that warmup jacket.
Five straight balls. Six, 2-0 on a high pitch to Miles... Still, I'd love to be Zumaya with a badass fastball. He may get out of this jam yet.
Called strike and a foul back. Now things are even again.... soft grounder to Inge at third, who gets the force at second.
Now Encarnacion, who's a free swingers. Zumaya should throw strikes... and gets him, but a wild pitch on the third strike and Molina goes to second.
Eckstein... who'd you rather see against the 100-mph flamethrower: Eck or Taguchi? 3-1 count to Eckstein...
Eck flies one to left... Monroe... juuuuuust tips the ball off his glove and Molina scores from second! Monroe dove at the last second and ALMOST caught it! Was it hit further than expected? Eckstein makes it to second on the double.
Taguchi fouls out to first. Maybe they shoulda issued the IBB to Eck on 3-1.
End 8th: 5-4 Cards.
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TOP 9TH: Now Wainwright has to shut the door. He made game seven of the NLCS exciting in the 9th inning. Still it's only a ONE-run lead.
1-2 high and tight heater to Monroe swung and missed! One out.
Guillen... curveball for strike one. That may be his defining pitch... foul to the left side for strike two. The fans are hella loud and thank goodness there was NO RAIN DELAY IN THE GAME!
Another two-strike curve... taken for ball one... Guillen has balls or was just lucky.
Now 2-2. It's past midnight in the East but just 6:00 PM here in Hawaii... ground ball to Pujols, who gets the out unassisted. Two down.
Ordonez. Oh for four today... whoops, first pitch swinging. Grounder out to Eckstein, the new Mister October. And the Cards lead the World Series three games to one. Last time they were up 3-1 to the Tigers they lost three straight, including two at home.
Tigers lost the game due to sloppy fielding and unlucky outfield play. Some Detroit bats came back to life but the pitchers got jack shit support in the field. I feel for ya, Tiger fans.
FINAL: St. Louis 5, Detroit 4.
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Yeah... I'm angry. The Cards didn't just win the game, the Tigers lost it by handing every possible opportunity to them. I'm so frustrated by players not stepping up (at least Pudge got something going), costly errors (forgetting fundamentals, like basic infield fielding) and walking anyone but Pujols. ARGH!
(I don't really follow baseball normally... but I gotta root on my hometown team.)
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^ ahaha delerium, it's tough luck being a Detroit fan this year.
SHIT Eckstein!! Thought the Tigers could pull something out. Who'd thunk the cards be 1 win away :doh:
Next up!! The Roaster and his dirt!
ETA:
I mean Weaver and Verlander !!
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AND THE CARDS WIN IT 4-2~! Like every other StL win, this game was marked by strong pitching, clutch hitting, and Detroit errors. Great game, great series. The first MLB game I ever saw was with the Cardinals against the Padres when I was 11, and I've been a fan ever since. Until recently, though, I haven't exactly been the most devout baseball, but I renewed my love for the game this postseason. 感動した、ありがとう～StL!!!
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i wanted the tigers to win blah!
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:(
in-car-di-ble
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WHOA ... who'd thunk?? Detroit's power pitchers sure weren't power fielders!! Congrats to LaRussa, Gooch,
(http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/2415/r1580884174ar7.jpg)
and the Cards. Mark Mulder got a ring without doing a thing! HEre's to the lowest rated WS ever! XD
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2753/r827904080mc6.jpg)
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I'm glad it's over... it was too painful to watch. The Tigers were a f'ing embarassment to their fans.
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(http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6176/ecksteintequilarj8.jpg)
Bottoms up!
YOU are the World Series MVP...
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http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/10/_and_then_there.php
Rich Lederer of "Baseball Analysts" reviews the Cardinals' championship run. I liked this passage:
Sure, some people will say that Detroit didn't hit or field or run the bases well. And you know what? Those folks are right. But rather than calling the Tigers out for losing the Series, why not give credit where credit is due? St. Louis beat Detroit four games to one. The Yankees didn't do that. The A's didn't do that. And the Cardinals didn't give the Padres or the Mets a chance to do that either.
I also believe people were expecting a whoopin' by the Tigers cause of the new American League superiority (smugness, perhaps?). Well not THIS year.
By the way... this is the tenth World Series title for the Cardinals. I think that's more than the Dodgers AND Giants combined, no?
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True words indeed. They beat a Tigers team that beat a much more powerful A's and Yankees lineup. LaRussa finally gets that "choke" tag off him too.
The missing big bat in the Tigers lineup, the cold weather?? the inexperience showed.
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I get the impression that the Cardinals pitching staff would probably cool off the starting lineups of the Yankees and Athletics too. They were all clicking at just the right time.
Can you imagine Jeff Weaver shutting down the Yanks? All of New York would go absolutely BUGFUCK...
(http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5150/fullgetty72218937mh059wtv3.jpg)
Speaking of which, I STILL can't believe how truly badass Jeff Weaver was in the clincher. This... you could NOT have predicted, or be willing bet hard-earned money on, given the events of the regular season. I said earlier that you SHOULD take 2-1 odds against the Cards but never considered Weaver as a integral part of the equation.
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Who knew? I thought he was going to pieces after the early runs he gave up.
OUCH for Francisco Liriano. Tommy John and he's gone for 2007 too.
(http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1173/nlgoldglovesbaseballny1tg6.jpg)
American League Gold Glove winners for 2006.
P_Kenny Rogers, Detroit
C_Ivan Rodriguez, Detroit
1B_Mark Teixeira, Texas
2B_Mark Grudzielanek, Kansas City
3B_Eric Chavez, Oakland
SS_Derek Jeter, New York
OF_Vernon Wells, Toronto
OF_Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle
OF_Torii Hunter, Minnesota
...hmm, gotta make a Japan Ball thread since they're playing that "World" series
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2652436
This news about the Athletics moving out of Oakland took me by surprise but isn't a real shocker either. I've been to the Oakland Colesium before they renovated it into a massive football behemoth and I liked the working class atmosphere of the area and its fans. Still, there's more buck$ down the Interstate...
Hey, isn't Kristi Yamaguchi from Fremont??
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^ She is. :) But she's living in Miami now, or wherever it is that her husband's playing hockey these days.
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OK the posting process for Matsuzaka is completed and it's up to Seibu to decide whether or not to accept the fee of the yet-to-be-revealed MLB team.
Predictions?
1) NY Mets
2) NY Yanks
3) Texas Rangers
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Hmm... a Texas newpaper reported that the Rangers got the #1 bid on Matsuzaka. Buster Olney of ESPN.com says it's the Red Sox.
But... brace yourself for another winning bid from the Evil Empire, cause you know the Gyroball King ain't no "Toad" Irabu!
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Too bad he doesn't actually throw a gyroball and instead throws a kind of 145km/h reverse slider called a shuuto. Nasty pitch, though. I must I'd rather see Mastsuzaka play with the Rangers instead of the Red Sox, but as long as they come to Miami to play the Marlins I'll be happy.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2660428
Peter Gammons reports that Boston is the high bidder for the honor of negotiating a deal with "Kaibutsu."
FORTY million bucks! Holy smokes, Indy!
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isnt it 75 million now??
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Reports now say Boston ponyed up $50 million-plus! Whoopie!
Fans in Japan had better learn how to handle heartbreak if they want to become Red Sox fans!
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http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2662960&type=story
Japan reacts to the news of Boston's record-setting bid.
FWIW, I have heard but one (1) broadcaster who pronounced it "DICE-kay"; the rest said "die-SUKI."
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Reports now say Boston ponyed up $50 million-plus! Whoopie!
Fans in Japan had better learn how to handle heartbreak if they want to become Red Sox fans!
Anyone that's not a Giant's fan is already used to heartbreak XD
Also, I think this needs pointing out. "According to Jiji Press, the fee for Matsuzaka's rights was nearly equal to three times the Lions' entire payroll for 2006."
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FRANK THOMAS SIGNED WITH THE JAYS!!!!!!
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The Big Hurt might do some good in Toronto, provided he stays healthy and can put up good OBP numbers.
So who replaces Thomas as Oakland's DH? Why, BARRY BONDS of course!
Right?
Riiiight!
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BARRY BONDS!!!! omg...A's play in Texas so much...ahh Barry Bonds !!!!!
"Major league official says Soriano, Cubs agree to 8-year, $136 million deal"
hmm Soriano in Chicago.....they could do some damage next year
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An eight-year deal for Soriano is LUNACY. The Cubs haven't been in the Fall Classic since World War II so what's another year, ay?
Ryan Howard was voted the NL MVP by a bunch of stale baseball "writers" today. Whatever. Pujols and Carlos Beltran were clearly superior to me but... whatever.
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Justin Morneau just won the AL MVP.
I guess BBWAA membership must include a blood oath to the Church of RBI. NOTHING ever changes when it comes to beat MLB writers who vote on these things -- NOTHING! They have a bloodlust for that single statistic, blinding them to all else.
Morneau couldn't have been one of the top five (5) players in the A.L. this season. Top ten? Maybe...
Oh well, I'll stop caring about this shit in a few hours...
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Holy shit: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2669903
$9 million a year for a guy whose OBP is BELOW average but... gotta love those "great qualities as a human being." You'd think it's the Rockies' front office making these player personnel decisions.
The Dodgers have made some dunderhead free agent signings in the past but this would be the yokozuna of bonehead contracts if it's true.
Who would be a bigger contract bust: Pierre or Alfonso Soriano?
Any Dodger fans want DePodesta back in the GM office?
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Pierre would be the bigger bust, but Soriano's production will go down a little this year.
Jeter should've won the mvp.
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Pierre would be the bigger bust, but Soriano's production will go down a little this year.
Jeter should've won the mvp.
Totally agree with your AL MVP candidate.
And... the same people who think Soriano is worth signing for eight (8) years are very likely the same people who thought Justin Morneau was more "valuable" in 2006 than Jeter or Joe Mauer.
[edit: disabled smilies]
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http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/11/rbi_rbi_rbi.php
Rich Lederer quoted Keith Law of ESPN.com regarding the AL MVP vote:
I think all carping about the NL MVP voters getting their choice wrong must immediately cease. The AL's voters couldn't even correctly identify the most valuable Twin, never mind wrapping their heads around a whole league.
The reality of baseball is that a great offensive player at an up-the-middle position is substantially more valuable than a slightly better hitter at a corner position. And when that up-the-middle player is one of the best fielders at his position in baseball, there's absolutely no comparison. Joe Mauer was more valuable than Justin Morneau this past season. If you don't understand that, you don't understand the first thing about baseball.
Amen.
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Amen.
Those voters need to open their eyes.
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Did you hear what Pujols said about how he should've been the MVP, and that the MVP should take his team to the playoffs? Howard's team was better than his at the end of the regular season so he shouldn't talk.
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Pujols needs to keep his mouth shut. Every time he opens it lately, he seems to make a fool out of himself..
My man Big Papi didn't help himself this year on the MVP topic either. But, I forgive him, because he has some of the looniest baseball quotes of recent memory.. My favorite two:
"Don't worry. We're going to drink their beer and kick their ass!" - Papi, before a Sox/Orioles game
"Don't look at my nipples!!" - Papi, bellowing at reporters after a game, lol
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You know what's funny 'bout this?
It's been a while since the MVP came from the team that won the World Series. And so you get guys like A-Rod saying in late November how, yeah, they'd trade the trophy for a World Series ring.
And now you got a player whose team won the holy grail get into a debate on the merits of MVP voting, like we didn't hear enough of it last week (present company included), like he's going to bring anything fresh to the arena of higher learning.
Don Mattingly had a cow when Roger Clemens beat him out in the MVP vote in '86 and didn't sound very intelligent in the process. I guess when these guys get upset, sound reasoning kinda goes out the window. Not to mention that there are no good losers these days (I know, I know: finishing second in a ballot doesn't make him a "loser" but you know what I mean).
Pujols might not know it but most baseball analysts would peg him as the NL MVP for '06 anyway. He should just get fat and happy this winter, and make sure they measure his ring finger correctly.
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Mark McGwire: candidate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
I would vote for him.
That is all.
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Did you hear what Pujols said about how he should've been the MVP, and that the MVP should take his team to the playoffs? Howard's team was better than his at the end of the regular season so he shouldn't talk.
i agree, and he did pretty shitty in the playoffs too.
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McGwire:
I'd vote no. Did he cheat? Probably. If so, he doesn't deserve the spot. The andro thing never bugged me. The refusing to answer questions in congress was ridiculous. Pete Rose may have bet on baseball using insider information, maybe he didn't.. But either way, at least Pete came by his stats legitimately.. I know the McGwire thing will be a story all year but I think that unless Pete gets in, it's almost not worth discussing. But then again, the analysts need things to argue about, right? ^_^
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Mark McGwire: candidate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
I would vote for him.
That is all.
It seems to me that he did do steroids. He looks so much different now from his playing days. Nonetheless you have to remember that the league didn't ban certain substances back in those days. If I vote for McGwire I'd vote for Sosa too.
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Sosa still wants to play, apparently. Wonder if there'll be any takers?
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I don't think he has anything left in the tank.
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I think Sosa is finished, too. Kaput. His last year in Baltimore was pathetic, impatient at the plate and desperate to just jack every pitch into the seats.
Hall of Famer?
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What has the world come to....
The SF Giants just gave a "go ahead break the record" chance to B.Bonds....
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Bonds means more to the Giants than any other team in MLB.
That said, I AM surprised that San Francisco put up so much money for a one-year contract. They might have been wiser to offer $9 million or less, with mass incentives.
Good luck to Barry in his quest for #756...
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It would've been cool if Bonds and Pujols were to play together. I think Bonds is gonna play pretty well this year.
How bout Petite going to NY? I bet Clemens is gonna follow.
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Pettitte's one-year deal with the Yanks might be a good gamble by Cashman. The Bombers need all the pitching they can get (I wonder how much that southpaw from Japan will get?), Pettitte was still effective in Houston (a hitters ballpark) and is still popular in Gotham (not sure you can make the same popularity claim for, say, Rocket Clemens).
$16 million for one year sounds pricey but that's the current market price. Lookit what Gil Meche got from the Royals: $55 million for five years. Gil WHO?! WTF, indeed!
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Who Gil Meche? lol
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Nice to see Bonds back, 2007 will be interesting indeed.
Matsuzaka talks fizzle?? Red Sox off season is looking bad with Yankees getting Pettitte.
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The Matsuzaka countdown is on!
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/graphics/11_14_06_matsuzaka_countdown/
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News alert: Matsuzaka has landed in Boston for his physical.
The Man will be signed soon.
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$51m bidding rights + $54m contract for 6 years, that's what $17m a year for an unproven rookie. Crazy shit I tell you.
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Not as crazy as the Gil Meche deal, me thinks. Or Alfonso Soriano, even.
The Monster just may earn his keep.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2696321
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True true, I still can't believe that Gil Meche deal :ON@_@:
I heard on the radio, maybe incorrectly, that teams are getting $100m or so in revenue sharing this year, maybe that's why they're throwing cash around so indescriminately.
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Market forces certainly indicate that MLB organizations aren't as broke as they claimed to be several years ago, when the owners and players union were negotiating a new labor agreement.
However it's not the dollar amounts that pique my fancy, it's the LENGTH of these contracts that are so generous. Particularly when they're given to pitchers who have had moderate success in the big leagues, at best. Does anyone really project Gil Meche to put up the same (mediocre) numbers for the next five (5) years? He's coming from an environment (Safeco Field) that was advantageous to pitchers to a crappier ballclub in a park that favors hitters (Kauffman Stadium). Someone said this signing will define Royals GM Dayton Moore's career: either he's a genius at evaluating talent or a spend-happy bozo.
And I'm sorry, I think I'd get sick of Alfonso Soriano after just a couple years, let alone the seven or eight that the Cubbies threw his way, just to make a statement to their long-suffering fans. Does anyone believe that Soriano is as good a player as Manny Ramirez or Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter. If someone like that gets over $15 million a year then what do you pay the REAL superstars? $30 million?
Boy all this economic talk is making my eyes sore. That's enuff for now...
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They just had the press conference to present Matsuzaka as a newly signed member of the Boston Red Sox. He will wear #18, also worn by Jesus Damon.
Boy, I sure hope he's turns out to be badass.
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I hope he does well in the MLB. I love his name...Dice-K. haha
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Great bit by Steven Goldman from a chat at Baseball Prospectus:
There is absolutely nothing rational about the A-Rod haters. Pointing out facts only makes them angrier. It's just a self-sustaining thing that feeds on its own anger, over nothing.
During the season I would get a dozen trade A-Rod emails a day and I would run some of them in the column. At least a half-dozen times I would say, "I don't agree with you, but fine, let's get rid of A-Rod. NOW TELL ME WHO THE ALTERNATIVE IS." I never, ever got even a single message suggesting what would happen after the Yankees traded A-Rod . From that, among other things, I have concluded that the haters aint serious.
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HAHA. A-Rod is gonna be a beast this season, and when they start praising him again hes gonna be like...what! shut up!
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The alternative was, of course, Scott Brocious.
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HOLY FUCK. Giants coughed up 126 Million for Barry Zito. Pitching sure was at a premium this offseason. :doh:
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HOLY FUCK. Giants coughed up 126 Million for Barry Zito.
I have mixed feelings about this deal.
Zito is durable, remaining in a pitchers park, and is a lefty.
On the other hand, SF is gonna be an old-fart shitty team and Zito is at the age when he enters the decline phase of his career. And who knows if he's going to be the same kind of pitcher six or seven years down the road, to say nothing of an arm injury.
Hopefully Zito retains his quirky, positive essence on the other side of the Bay. He may be in for some long, frigid summers at the ballpark.
One thing for sure: Boras sure timed the negotiations perfectly to get his client such a helluva contract.
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I wanted Zito in Texas =[.
I wanna see that list of steroid positive players that they are making public.
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I think Texas offered Zito the most buck$ but there was probably no chance they'd land him since he:
1) probably wanted to move to the more pitching friendly National League,
2) wanted to remain closer to home, and
3) concluded that the Dallas/Fort Worth area offered a lesser stage in terms of publicity, the arts (doesn't he want to record an album or something?) or other ancillar prejudices.
There's very good reason that people had him tabbed for Flushing, Queens, including a bigger stage, better quality lineup and his old pitching coach. I assume the desire to stay in the Bay Area was a driving factor in his signing with the Giants. I'm not sure how much good this will do for his legacy, given the probability that the team will most likely STINK for the next few years due to a curious and ultimately destructive strategy in roster makeup (doesn't this organization have a farm system?!).
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Nice, Big Unit gets traded back to Arizona. That Experiment went bad :lol:
At least they picked up Luis Vizcaíno + Doug Mientkiewicz but good bye Bernie Williams.
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Bill Simmons discusses Mark McGwire and his candidacy for the Baseball Hall of Fame: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2717504&type=story
You BET I'd vote him in...
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It's a shame, no one remembers the stuff he did during his rookie year? All this HOF is not about the game but politics. Let's not vote him cuz there's too many Yankees. (just a made up example) uggh...
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I guess I'd vote for him now.
I don't get why Arizona wants Randy Johnson so much. 26mil for 2 years? Does he have anything left in the tank?
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WOW...McGwire got less than 25% of the votes...that was wack.
Congrats to Gwynn and Ripken Jr on joining the Class of 2007
I learned a lot today...they said something like Joe Dimaggio wasn't even a first ballot hall of famer?? :huh:
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I got PLENTY issues with the people (men AND women, as it turns out) who are accorded voting privileges for the Baseball Hall of Fame, mostly that they (the voters) don't REALLY take it all that seriously and let dippity-doo prejudices color their votes.
This is an institution that voted in Rick Ferrell, Travis Jackson and Joe Tinker. These are voters that, as a group, has slighted the likes of Ron Santo, Bert Blyleven, Joe Gordon and Goose Gossage.
I figure it's up to me whether or not to give this "Hall of Fame" the emotional weight I accord to other places of authority like universities and the Internal Revenue Service. I gave up caring some time ago.
A lot of these voters didn't check off Mark McGwire's name for moral reasons, the same way some clerks in drug stores refuse to dispense birth-control pills... I dunno, this entire topic is a drag.
Bill James wrote a good book about the Hall aptly titled "The Politics of Glory."
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WERD. There's no such thing as a "2nd Time" entry. You either a Hall of Famer or your not...so depressing to see guys getting passed over time and time again...then get in after the nth try.
How does Andre "The Hawk" Dawson NOT get in after all this time, what did he do wrong?
In Hockey it's the same, there's this guy from my hometown Oilers who was a deadbeat dad and they take that in the account - and disregard all his playoff records.
If you fuckin take in being a drunk, wifebeater, gambler ... and not how YOU play the game? Why call it a Sports Hall of Fame??
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Rangers are gonna sign Sosa. I don't think he has anything left. =/
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I guess I'd vote for him now.
I don't get why Arizona wants Randy Johnson so much. 26mil for 2 years? Does he have anything left in the tank?
according to arizona's GM, they want to fill the seats with randy. also, they think that by switching to the NL, they'll get a bit more out of him. (maybe sub 4 ERA?). they've also taken into account that his back's had the surgery.
i think it's a bad move, personally...but if it fills up the seats, it fills up the seats....
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Isn't he over the hill already? Lots of 40-something pitchers are still in demand.
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The thing about the Big Unit: he was hurt most of last year and STILL put up some impressive strikeout numbers.
If you can still strike out Major League hitters at any age, you can help the ballclub. And it's one of the reasons he has been able to last this long, his high strikeout levels. Once that goes, so does he. Lookit how long Nolan Ryan was able to pitch in the big leagues.
As for Sammy Sosa, wasn't he offered a minor league contract by the Rangers? If so he could be picked up on the cheep as a utility outfielder/DH. Plus Texas could drum up SOME publicity if he reaches the 600HR plateau. BIG "if" I know...
Dang, after Super Bowl madness is over... it'll be but WEEKS before pitchers and catchers report for spring training! I can't wait!
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I agree, hopefully he would hit great, Sammy. Performance bonus probably would be that big (http://media.www.dailyvidette.com/media/storage/paper420/news/2007/02/01/Sports/Slammin.Sammy.Sosa.Makes.Return.To.Baseball-2689345.shtml?sourcedomain=www.dailyvidette.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com).
I still reminisce of the way he and McGwire electrified their hitting rivalry. Too bad this "drug stuff" would always dilute those moments.
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FWIW, I may be one of a handful of baseball fans who doesn't give a SHIT about all this steroid crap.
How come it's OK for assholes to moralize about steroid use in baseball when other sports (read: NFL) get a virtual pass. I don't dig it.
Good luck to Sammy and Barry and Giambi and even Mark McGwire in '07.
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Yeah, FWIW. Either way, I'm looking forward to this season's baseball!
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Anyway, regarding Barry, I think his contract was rejected, so technically he is unsigned officially.
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Too much drama between the Giants and Barry... this is snowballing into a real mess!
If Bud Selig's office didn't reject the contract language, it's possible the players union would have.
They'll fix things up, most likely. The Giants' front office see a BIG pot of ca$h this season with Barry chasing Henry Aaron's career home run record.
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Barry Zito got seven-year, $126 million deal! Wow...
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Is Barry Bonds worth 15.8 million in 2007?
(Actually his deal is worth about $20 million if he actually plays a full season.)
Just going by statistics alone, not even close. San Fransisco is paying a significant premium just to have him break Aaron's record as a Giant, but even the extra attendance he attratct with the chase won't be nearly enough to make that salary.
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Yeah, AT&T park would always be filled as long as Barry plays, whether he delivers or not.
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Is Barry Bonds worth 15.8 million in 2007?
(Actually his deal is worth about $20 million if he actually plays a full season.)
Just going by statistics alone, not even close. San Fransisco is paying a significant premium just to have him break Aaron's record as a Giant, but even the extra attendance he attratct with the chase won't be nearly enough to make that salary.
Extra attendance yes but you also have to take other accounts like tv deals, advertisement and whatnot. What Barry is doing, like it or not, is historic and the Giants can jack up the price and milk Barry for all its worth.
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I'm just glad Superbowl is over, spotlight returns to baseball. Move over...
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Extra attendance yes but you also have to take other accounts like tv deals, advertisement and whatnot. What Barry is doing, like it or not, is historic and the Giants can jack up the price and milk Barry for all its worth.
Agreed. Situation is different for the Giants, who depend on attendance revenue since they own (built w/private funds) the stadium and thus need a star to fill the seats. A year-long campaign to highlight the breaking of a 33-year-old record (almost as long as the Maris single-season HR record) might entice a few more people to plunk down a few hundred for admission, parking, five-dollar hot dogs and $10 beers.
As for the end of the NFL season... I am also relieved that (at least part of) the focus will shift to MLB. If anything because we'll be done with the NFL double standard. Crap like being enduring endless stories about sinful baseball players who use drugs while the same sports "writers" give football players a pass. I might also add that, for some annoying reason, football talk on baseball websites and radio programs, like the NFL needs MORE publicity than it already enjoys. (Anyone ever give a crap about a commercial being aired during the World Series?) I always hear football talk during the heart of the baseball season but you think hot stove gossip will interfere with blather on who will finish in last place in the whatever conference...
OK I am not the typical consumer of competitive sports in the USA so your mileage may vary -- that's just me. Give me the Barry Bonds chase of #755 over ANY NFL game of any week. Thank you.
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Another thing: NFL fans got to watch the Super Bowl on a TV network other than FOX!
Come October, us fans will have to endue the usual bullshit from Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Again.
It's. Not. Fair.
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http://www.shutuptimmccarver.com/
http://www.petitiononline.com/stopbuck/petition.html
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On a sidebar, Caribbean Series is on, Dominicans and Venezuela are hot!
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Extra attendance yes but you also have to take other accounts like tv deals, advertisement and whatnot. What Barry is doing, like it or not, is historic and the Giants can jack up the price and milk Barry for all its worth.
The giants already have prior tv deals done so he doesn't bring in any revenue thorough tv. Also people are only going to fill the seats when Bonds is a couple homers shy of Aaron's record. And what happens after the record is broken? I think attendance will drop.
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Also people are only going to fill the seats when Bonds is a couple homers shy of Aaron's record. And what happens after the record is broken? I think attendance will drop.
Nothing fills the seats more than a winner, period.
This is supposedly the philosophy (purely speculative) behind Brian Sabean's (or is it Peter Magowan?) roster construction. That the safest road to success is a team full of "proven" veterans. So you got guys like Bonds, Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel, Russ Ortiz (ECCH!), Rich Aurilia (in his second tour of duty)... umm, it must really SUCK to be in the minor league system of the Giants.
Can they win, with new zillionaire Barry Zito? Prolly not cause for every step forward that Zito provides, guys like Ortiz drag the team down several rungs.
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I'm not really optimistic the Giants will make it out of the West, I have a feeling this season is going to be can Barry break the record year? I'm not really up to date with the NL West (Astros fan right here) so unless the Dodgers or Padres went and completely overhaul their team this post-season then I'm looking at those two to take the crown and I'm pretty damn sure Giants not taking the Wild Card.
Yes I'm biased and yes I'm thinking the Astros going to take the Wild Card again. XD
When the record is broken, I doubt the attendance will drop. Every homerun that Barry hit after/if he break the record may potentially be his last and that may entice people from coming to the game hoping to catch and witness it. His season doesn't stop when he gets to 756 unless its the last game..
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Just how many more HR's Barry needs to break the record?
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Just how many more HR's Barry needs to break the record?
Barry is sitting at 734. Aaron's mark is 755.
Barry had an OBP of .454 last seaon. Read that again: four-fifty-four. Forty-plus years old, gimpy knees and he still gets on base almost HALF the time!
Bad publicity or not, Barry still helps the Giants, which may explain their desire to get this contract mess straightened out.
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Barry had an OBP of .454 last seaon. Read that again: four-fifty-four. Forty-plus years old, gimpy knees and he still gets on base almost HALF the time!
I agree Barry had a good season last year. But we walked most the time to get on base, which is not a bad thing unless you have "gimpy knees." I still don't think Barry's is worth the money he'll eventually get paid, thats all.
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I think opposing teams should abandon their wholesale fears of Barry Bonds and throw him pitches in the vicinity of the strike zone. In time they will learn that the aging process applies to EVERYONE (except Roger Clemens, it seems).
I'm also interested how well Bonds does in left field cause he had a good season defensively in '06 -- he was NOT a liability according to a variety of defensive metrics.
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Nothing fills the seats more than a winner, period.
This is supposedly the philosophy (purely speculative) behind Brian Sabean's (or is it Peter Magowan?) roster construction. That the safest road to success is a team full of "proven" veterans. So you got guys like Bonds, Ray Durham, Omar Vizquel, Russ Ortiz (ECCH!), Rich Aurilia (in his second tour of duty)... umm, it must really SUCK to be in the minor league system of the Giants.
Can they win, with new zillionaire Barry Zito? Prolly not cause for every step forward that Zito provides, guys like Ortiz drag the team down several rungs.
Russ Ortiz was brought back to pitch from the bullpen. Currently the Giants' starting rotation looks like Zito, Matt Cain, Noah Lowery, Matt Morris, and Jonathan Sanchez. But like you said the Giants' can not win with the bullpen and offense they have.
1. Dave Roberts CF
2. Randy Winn RF
3. Ray Durham 2B
4. Barry Bonds LF
5. Rich Aurilia 1B (althogh Ryan Klesko would be better)
6. Pedro Feliz 3B
7. Bengie Molina C
8. Omar Vizquel ss
9. Pitcher
And it looks as though the Giants' do not have a good minor league system which lead to Seaben signing guys like Bonds, Aurilia and and Ortiz.
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By the way, Bonds and his agent have NOT signed any official contract for 2007. It has been speculated that MLB insiders hope this deal implodes and that Bonds is left stranded holding only his juice-shriveled dick.
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By the way, Bonds and his agent have NOT signed any official contract for 2007. It has been speculated that MLB insiders hope this deal implodes and that Bonds is left stranded holding only his juice-shriveled dick.
Bonds did sign a 15.7 mill contract. However the brian trust at the MLB decided to reject the deal due to certain clauses in the deal.
Go Jays Go
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This Bonds debate is meaningless.
Next topic, will Daisuke Matsuzaka's season resemble Hideo Nomo's rookie season or will it look more like Hideki Irubu's rookie season?
I say it, better then Nomo's rookie season. Yes Nomo had better control and a splitter, but Matsuzaka has been working on his two seam fastball so the American League better watch out.
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^ hmm dunno...I just hope he plays well next season.
Will A-rod opt out of his contract?!
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Barry Bonds is said to have planned to play thru 2008. Big pressure for Selig when Barry finally breaks the record.
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This Bonds debate is meaningless.
Next topic, will Daisuke Matsuzaka's season resemble Hideo Nomo's rookie season or will it look more like Hideki Irubu's rookie season?
Haha, WHICH Bonds debate? There can be a dozen topics about him at any given moment...
As for Matsuzaka, did it surprise anyone else that a lot of analysts were bringing up the nightmares (at least for Yankee fans) of Irabu? I mean, jeez "Dice-K" (now more Americans can pronounce "Daisuke" more accurately than "Ichiro") has been described as being the Pride of a Nation. How many games did Irabu win at Koshien anyway?
Irabu had a kind of arrogance before he threw a single pitch in the major leagues. That he later turned out to be a lemon was probably karma in action (he'll forever be a member of the '98 Yankees though). Matsuzaka has confidence in his abilities but it seems to me that it's the result of a second-to-none work ethic that has served his big league sempai well (see: Ichiro, Matsui Hideki). Irabu didn't get labeled a "fat toad" because of extended workouts and long practice sessions.
Barring serious injury, I predict good things for Matsuzaka in '07, probably THE frontrunner for AL ROY (unless dimwit sportswriters flaunt the voting rules and ignore him when he is clearly eligible for the award). Can you imagine the energy of the first Red Sox-Yankee game when Matsuzaka pitches to Matsui?
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Meanwhile, how's A-Rod's opt-out clause? He can choose to become free agent after 2007 season...
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Well his pitches seem to live up to major league standards as his FastBall comes in at around the mid-90's, usually sitting around 93-94 and hitting 96. His slider is probably his next best pitch at around 90, he throws a low splitter around that same speed, and his change is considered a plus pitch which comes in around 80 MPH.
And don't forget the mysterious gyroball(a power curve with a 10 to 4 o'clock rotation).
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I'm sure MLB insiders are studying hundreds of hours of Matsuzaka game video as we speak. Some other mysteries to ponder on the Koshien King:
-- Can he adjust from six days between starts to five? He had more days off in NPB but higher pitch counts during each start. Is this something that can be easily adjusted?
-- Can he accept the fact that the Red Sox will NOT allow him to throw a hundred pitches in the bullpen every day he doesn't pitch?
-- How will he deal with not being able to finish half his starts?
-- Is it REALLY the attitude of most baseball fans in Japan that they have enormous amounts of emotional capital invested in Matsuzaka? That his success or failure in MLB is a matter of great importance to Japanese pro baseball and a nation? I thought that was all taken care of when Ichiro (tm) won the ROY/MVP in 2001. Come on, those boys can play.
-- Will the Red Sox coaching staff resist the temptation to tinker with Matsuzaka's mechanics? Ichiro adjusted his swing and survived the adjustment to the big leagues. I'm not sure I saw the same changes in Nomo or Matsui Hideki...
-- I read that Uehara Koji will be on the free agent market for the '08 season. Keep an eye on him, especially if Igawa turns out to be a "bargain" for the Yanks.
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Meanwhile, how's A-Rod's opt-out clause? He can choose to become free agent after 2007 season...
He should just leave New York, its too big for him. The man can play but its the playoff the matter over there and his just not delivering. I'm think a middle-market team like the Angels or maybe even back at Seattle would do him good. Also he will never play shortstop as long as Jeter as there.....
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I'm sure MLB insiders are studying hundreds of hours of Matsuzaka game video as we speak. Some other mysteries to ponder on the Koshien King:
-- Can he adjust from six days between starts to five? He had more days off in NPB but higher pitch counts during each start. Is this something that can be easily adjusted?
-- Can he accept the fact that the Red Sox will NOT allow him to throw a hundred pitches in the bullpen every day he doesn't pitch?
-- How will he deal with not being able to finish half his starts?
-- Will the Red Sox coaching staff resist the temptation to tinker with Matsuzaka's mechanics? Ichiro adjusted his swing and survived the adjustment to the big leagues. I'm not sure I saw the same changes in Nomo or Matsui Hideki...
-- I read that Uehara Koji will be on the free agent market for the '08 season. Keep an eye on him, especially if Igawa turns out to be a "bargain" for the Yanks.
Judging by all the scouting reports, it's hard to believe that so many trained experts could be so wrong. Matsuzaka should be successful right out of the gate. It just seems a matter of how successful.
Matsuzaka has mastered the art of combinining both pure power and the art of finesse so I doubt the Red Sox will be tinkering with D-Mat's mechanics. D-Mat also has command of all his pitches, (which normally you'll find with Japanese pitchers) so I don't think he has to worry that much about mechanics.
D-MAt has been said to have been trying to get his overall strength up in preparation for pitching every fifth day. Also Red Sox manager Terry Francona will be trying to ease that transition as much as possible. So we'll have to wait and see how that plays out but I think that he will be fine.
As for Uehara Koji I think he be a so so pitcher in the bigs as he is a bit old(he'll be 32 in April). I more interested in Kosuke Fukudodme Outfielder for the Chunichi Dragons who'll also be a free agent after this season. Fukudodme makes good contact with the ball and has power to all fields.
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As for Uehara Koji I think he be a so so pitcher in the bigs as he is a bit old(he'll be 32 in April).
Hmm... I did NOT know this. Interesting. And relevant.
Not that 32 is particularly old (Saito Takashi notwithstanding) but it IS an age when the average baseball player is in a decline phase. I wonder how this will affect him and if he is pondering all options, including staying in Japan.
I watched Uehara pitch in last year's WBC and was impressed with what I saw. Fukudome was the one who was slumping, right? But he did whack a cluch homer in the semis.
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i don't think he should leave NY. where else is he going to get 25 mil a year???
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Hmm... I did NOT know this. Interesting. And relevant.
Not that 32 is particularly old (Saito Takashi notwithstanding) but it IS an age when the average baseball player is in a decline phase. I wonder how this will affect him and if he is pondering all options, including staying in Japan.
I watched Uehara pitch in last year's WBC and was impressed with what I saw. Fukudome was the one who was slumping, right? But he did whack a cluch homer in the semis.
The difference between Saito and Uehara is that Saito is a closer pitching 1 inning at a time while Uehara is a starter who will have to go through the same adjustment curves as D-Mat will go through this season.
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Sometimes I could not understand the personality of this guy, A-Rod. Or is that bad what the media portrays him as such, I mean the anti-thesis of the good-guy-posterboy Jeter?
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One colorful personality coming from Japan is Akinori Iwamura of Devil Rays. And another less-than colorful personality these days is Manny Ramirez. He seems so silent -- still not happy?
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If you want to talk about personalities you should talk about Barry Bonds and his "me first" attitude. All Barry cares about is himself, how can a guy with this kind of attitude be good for any team let alone be worth 15 mill a season? The Giants will never win a world series as long as Barry is on that team.
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Sometimes I could not understand the personality of this guy, A-Rod. Or is that bad what the media portrays him as such, I mean the anti-thesis of the good-guy-posterboy Jeter?
The media does not portray Jeter as the posterboy of good behaviour. Last season the media ran stories about his wild partying ways, which got him in trouble with Steinbrener. The media may treat Jeter like a pretty-boy but I don't think the portray him as the posterboy of good behaviour.
I think A-Rod is just a loner thats why the media rags on him. But A-Rod is a team player, what other gold golver would be willing to switch positions? In my opinion it should have been Jeter who should have switches positions. However, with that being said not all players are able to switch positions.
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Sometimes I could not understand the personality of this guy, A-Rod.
Here's why I think sportswriters lust for Jeter and scorn A-Rod:
-- Jeter has Rings, A-Rod doesn't.
-- A-Rod has 252 mill, Jeter doesn't.
-- A-Rod is actually a more talented player, which doesn't seem to jive with the above; therefore Jeter MUST be given a boost and A-Rod cut down.
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I'm eagerly awaiting next season's Red Sox-Yankees matchup. Though I root for Yankees, I was quite disappointed with Boston's performance especially when they were "massacred." Matsuzaka's arrival could be the key to tip off the balance.
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Now, Mariano Rivera is talking -- blasting his team (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/02/13/rivera.yankees/index.html) for leaving Mo-buddy Bernie out in the cold. But can one blame the Yankees management? Bernie is not getting any younger.
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But can one blame the Yankees management? Bernie is not getting any younger.
No one except Bernie, Bernie's family and die-hard knuckleheads can blame Brian Cashman for not blindly giving him a roster spot, guaranteed, at this stage of his career when he has HURT the team for the last couple seasons.
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Kerry Wood, sidelined with a bruise after falling out of a hot tub, is back pitching well. Seriously - baseball has the craziest off field injuries.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Male Daisu does in Boston...meanwhile
HEY!! TIME to sign up for Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball!
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball: JPHiPLB
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb
League ID: 53100
Password: rika
Using online live draft.
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Woo, Matsuzaka said he wasn't changing a damn thing for the majors and he means it, goddamn it!
http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/02/22/dice_k_throws_103_pitch_bullpen_session/?rss_id=Boston.com+--+Red+Sox+News
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hahaha, have him pitch the whole week non stop!!
Also, I heard Ken Griffey hurt himself when he was wrestling with his kids on his yacht. DAMMIT Junior. if only he could be healthy we'd be talking about him breaking Hank Aaron's record by now.
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^ Maybe he can stick around for 20 more years!
...but yea he would've crushed the record
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Another disgraceful showing by the Veterans Committe of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Another year, another zilch.
ESPN had another poll and I responded: http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=2806&action=1&question20674=84180&question20675=84182&question20676=84184&question20677=84187&question20678=84189&question20680=84195&question20683=84199&question20684=84202
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They didn't elect anyone? ..they suck
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They didn't elect anyone? ..they suck
They sure do.
Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of MLB history can pinpoint the difference between "HOF worthy" and "not HOF worthy." The problem decades ago was that the Veterans Committee had a clear bias that was influenced by old-timers from the 1920's and 1930's, primariy from the New York area. A slew of players were selected in the 60s and 70s that were NOT great players in their era. Imagine the Hall of Fame basically including everyone from the '98 Yankees, guys like Scott Brocius and Jorge Posada. Good players, yes, but not exactly the image of greatness that the HOF is supposed to invoke.
So they tweaked the voting system to tighten things up. Unfortunately adding living members of the HOF didn't exactly expand the knowledge base...
Those of you who bother reading my posts in this thread can probably figure out that: 1) I am a pretty big fan of baseball, and 2) I know some shit. So lemme list the guys who SHOULD be in. Now:
Ron Santo
Wally Berger
Marvin Miller
Goose Gossage
Bert Blyleven
Actually, getting worked up over the HOF is like complaining about the Oscars -- after a while, you care less and less.
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Those of you who bother reading my posts in this thread can probably figure out that: 1) I am a pretty big fan of baseball, and 2) I know some shit. So lemme list the guys who SHOULD be in. Now:
Ron Santo
Wally Berger
Marvin Miller
Goose Gossage
Bert Blyleven
I agree that Santo, Miller, Gossage and Blyleven should have been voted in a long time ago but Wally Berger? Sure the guy had a couple of great seasons but he's hardly a HOF candidate.
And aren't Gossage and Blyleven still on the regular HOF ballot?
Jim Rice for HOF in 2008!!!!
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Berger is to the National League essentially what Earl Averill was to the Junior Circuit in the 20s and 30s: one of the leading sluggers of his time. He was not Smokey Joe Wood.
Gossage and Blyleven are still on the writers (BBWAA) ballot but I just wanted to give 'em a shoutout. Tim Raines is eligible next year and I fear he will be snubbed for years to come.
FWIW I don't advocate Rice as a HOF candidate... In the end, though, it doesn't REALLY matter to me who's in and who's not. We all have in our minds a certain standard of greatness and that's probably what matters most.
My hall of fame includes: Pete Rose, Ron Santo, Darrell Evans and Buck O'Neill.
My hall of fame does NOT include: Travis Jackson, George Kelly, Rick Farrell, Tinker-Evers-Chance and Fred Linstrom.
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Leadoff HR by Damon (http://rss.cnn.com/~r/rss/si_topstories/~3/98137912/index.html) (again), nice start by Yankees!
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Julio Franco is still playing!!! Way to GO!!!
Now watching some Mets-Dodgers pre-season.
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Everyone's signed up for the Fantasy League??
I wonder if Dice-K is gonna get adjusted, he got dusted up on his 2nd stint. STOP MAKING COMMERCIALS! :lol: and will the Big Unit make it to opening day?
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ahh gomen, I don't do fantasy. Way over my head and lazy ta boot.
Slowly getting used to the new rosters, faces. Can America handle more Japanese media? Can Pete Rose get even further away from enshrinement in Cooperstown?
Oh and the debate resurfaces: should "Dice-K" be eligible for the American League Rookie of the Year award?
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yea, ichiro got it back in 2002 or something so he should to
btw im planning to draft all the japanese players so dont draft them pls. XD (wont be at the draft cuz i have an early morning hockey game)
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Opening Day has come and gone.
Ben Sheets is badass, A-Rod homers, and Gil Meche actually delivers (if only for one day) on the big contract the Royals gave him during the off-season.
It all counts now, finally! No more NFL, no more March "madness." MLB is here! This will be my home to rant.
以上
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Trying to follow the great Matsuzaka's debut in Kaufmann Stadium right now and I'm at a PC with little or no Java installed so there's slim pickings online to follow the game...
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Suffice it to say that Dice-K seems to be worth the hype! Just 1 run against him, a bases empty homer. Humble man too, as he actually claimed to be disappointed in his performance!
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(http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/8421/captsgemoh0006040700571dr3.jpg)
He had some good luck with that K and CS double play, followed by the deep double hit to left. Plus it's the Royals.
Still there are positives here:
-- Good command of his pitches.
-- Cool head on the field, esp all those bang-bang fielding plays that many MLB pitchers would make errors on (read: Detroit Tigers staff).
-- Unpredictable pitching pattern. Plenty called third strikes there.
Looking forward to the great Matsuzaka-tai-Ichiro matchup next week!
I was also plenty impressed by Zack Greinke's performance on Thursday, for obvious reasons...
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Bill Simmons of ESPN.com kept a running diary Thursday for the debut of Matsuzaka: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070405&sportCat=mlb
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POW!
(http://img367.imageshack.us/img367/3199/capt042e25d792774b3ca73lm4.jpg)
A-Rod's walk-off grand salami today was quite a sight. Call him what you will but today I'll call him "hero."
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yeah, and I bet Giambi got more cheers. DUDE sure needed that early on. Dice K is NUTS huh!! 8 pitches, gyro ball?? No Wang for the Yanks for now.
(http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/7535/yankeesspringbaseballflre1.jpg)(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/9517/dicekspringbaseballflgplo7.jpg)
here's an interesting article:
April 2, 2007
What Really Ruined Baseball
By J. C. BRADBURY
Atlanta
WITH an off-season that included Mark McGwire’s rejection by Hall of Fame voters, Barry Bonds’s continuing problems and accusations that Gary Matthews Jr. of the Angels had obtained human growth hormones, it’s hard not to think about the influence of performance-enhancing drugs this opening day.
The news media have focused on steroids because of the way the game has changed over the last decade, particularly the frequency with which batters now hit home runs. As Bob Costas said a year ago, the steroid era “didn’t evolve; it erupted,” adding, “You had players who were already in the big leagues in the late ’80s and early ’90s who never approached what they did from the mid 90s on. And that’s what made it so suspicious.”
Baseball commentators have been quick to blame performance-enhancing drugs. And while baseball has changed, the reason for that may be more innocent. In the two years since baseball instituted mandatory steroid testing with suspensions, the rate at which players hit home runs has stayed roughly the same. Additionally, more than half the major leaguers who have failed drug tests under this new regime are pitchers — the guys who serve up, not hit, the home runs.
The origin of the modern home run era can in fact be traced to the expansion of the league. In the 1990s, Major League Baseball grew to 30 teams from 26 — the Marlins and the Rockies joined in 1993, the Devil Rays and Diamondbacks in 1998. The influx of inferior talent filling those new roster spots fundamentally altered the competitive environment: it allowed elite players, especially hitters, to excel.
The evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, an avid baseball fan, hypothesized that in competitive environments, as the variance of the quality of participants shrinks, opportunities for great performances diminish. For most of its history, the major leagues were progressively populated by better and better baseball players — through natural population growth, racial integration and immigration — which meant that opportunities for achievements like hitting .400 were decreasing. As superior players replaced the weakest ones, even the very best had fewer chances at turning in remarkable performances.
Expansion abruptly reversed the trend; today, the variance in quality of major league pitchers, based on E.R.A., is at an all-time high. By letting in the riffraff for baseball’s elite to exploit, expansion increased the likelihood of great achievements. Without even bringing steroids into the discussion, it is no surprise that some already fine hitters performed even better after the early 1990s.
The same phenomenon has occurred for ace pitchers, who faced more unseasoned batters. Since 1993, pitchers have accumulated 300 strikeouts in a season 11 times. In the 15 years preceding expansion it happened only four times. Couldn’t steroid use by elite pitchers explain this? Possibly. But talent dilution, not drugs, lies behind another curious and corresponding batting statistic: the rise in hit batters. From the beginning of the 20th century until 1993, nine batters were hit by a pitch at least 25 times in a season. Since that pivotal year it has happened 13 times. How would steroids cause more hit batters? It could be “roid rage,” but it’s more likely inferior pitchers, missing the strike zone way inside.
In the expansion era, home runs per game are up 30 percent over the previous decade, strikeouts 15 percent and hit batters a whopping 70 percent. All are likely the result of expansion’s dilution of pitching talent.
To many baseball fans the game has been ruined — hallowed records toppled, managers playing less small ball as they wait for that three-run homer. But the blame shouldn’t be placed on pills, needles and balms. The true culprit is expansion.
J. C. Bradbury, an economist and associate professor at Kennesaw State University, runs the Web site Sabernomics and is the author of “The Baseball Economist.”
SOURCE: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/02/opinion/02bradbury.html?em&ex=1175659200&en=ff4efaa9120207c6&ei=5087%0A
REALLY loved how Bob Costas ripped him up. Take a listen:
http://www.twitter.com/?d=YPIIASNT
He even mentoned Bradbury's book, which stated stuff like Lasik Eye surgery, Tommy John surgery -- IS THAT NATURAL XD XD
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Here we go: Ichiro vs. Matsuzaka!
Mike Plugh puts it all in perspective on his blog, Matsuzaka Watch: http://matsuzaka.blogspot.com/2007/04/clash-of-titans.html
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REALLY loved how Bob Costas ripped him up. Take a listen:
http://www.twitter.com/?d=YPIIASNT
Thanks for the linkage, will check it out later. Does Costas do radio daily, like Dan Patrick?
Plenty to debate here... Before you blame expansion for the dilution of pitching you’d better check out population trends and its effect on the distribution of talent in MLB. And I think you can pinpoint other factors in the increase of home runs and offensive counting statistics: stadium architecture, bat design, faulty umpiring… All that shit counts too.
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Woah, looked like a helluva game in Boston tonight. King Felix one-hits the Bosox!
Stuck at work so will check out highlights later tonight...
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^ Np! he does a weekly show now "Costas on The Radio" -- I catch it on Saturdays around 5 pm Mountain Standard. see if u can listen to it at http://cfrn.com
FELIX was dealing man. 1 hitter!! so much for the entire Japanese nation waking up at 5 am to catch the game.
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^ Np! he does a weekly show now "Costas on The Radio" -- I catch it on Saturdays around 5 pm Mountain Standard.
Dumb question here: HOW did you record this file? I'd LOVE to get stuff like this for my iPod but no national radio program archives their stuff for guys like me who are usually at work and can't listen to any sort of program, terrestrial or otherwise.
Heck of a rant. I'm still impressed when broadcasters like Costas can babble coherently for what seems like eons, yet still remain focused on topic. You can't script something like that, it just comes from what you are. Impressive.
I'm still uncomfortable about the emphasis on "performance-enhancing" drugs as THE reason for guys like Bonds and Sosa. And tired of it all. I'm still waiting for the triple-A vet whose breakout season with the .750 SLG mark and improved strike zone judgement is soley attributed to illegal drug usage.
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HAPPY JACKIE ROBINSON DAY!
Kei Igawa is stinking up the yankees rotation
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^ YUP!! So good to watch that Dodgers-Padres game with the WHOLE team in #42. Ken Griffey and Barry Bonds also wore # 42 in honor of him.
(http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1804/robinsonanniversaryny18op5.jpg)
And be sure to check out his foundation: http://www.jackierobinson.org/about/contact.php
DOWNLOAD Bob Costas interview with Rachel Robinson, Jackie's widow from this weekend:
http://www.twitter.com/?d=J2Q0I1A2
Talked about Branch Rickey. Movie. Decline of blacks in baseball smacks at Robinson legacy...sorry about the quality -- missed the first part, then we were pre-empted by Lacrosse -_-
Heck of a rant. I'm still impressed when broadcasters like Costas can babble coherently for what seems like eons, yet still remain focused on topic.
No dumb questions son! I just plug the radio into the "Line-In" on my soundcard and record straight up in Audacity (do a google, simple but lil more advanced recording program - recommended by karaokers suki and arian) Bob Costas is a fuckin genius. It's like take take, example example. summary. I can record random programs (dunno if u wanna listen to Ice Cube) and stick it in the Radio/Media thread. Or fuck, we should have a DL thread here.
I think it is just the way people train nowadays, better equipment and to just really shitty pitching.
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Rachel Robinson, wife of the late Jackie Robinson, was in the broadcast booth for last Sunday's Dodgers-Padres game on ESPN. I was really struck by how wonderfully articulate and down to earth she seems, in addition to looking superb for someone in her mid-EIGHTIES. She really has carried on Jackie's legacy and then some, with her charity work and willingness to lend herself to MLB's publicity machine.
Jon Weisman, who blogs for "Dodger Thoughts" at Baseball Toaster, wrote a piece for SI-dot-com that pointed on how, in many ways, Jackie Robinson should be measured against the standards that Rachel Robinson put forth in her life: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/si_blogs/baseball/fungoes_blog/2007/04/nl-west-heres-to-mrs-robinson.html
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Slow start by Yankees. No more ghosts for A-Rod?
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Sorry but I have to post again. Another walk-off homer for A-Rod from the Indians -- going to Boston Mas. err Series! What an April for him!
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(http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/7153/img10137904ke8.jpg)
Remarkable: another two-out walk-off job by A-Rod. Can't wait to see the highlights later today.
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will he be able to keep this up... and wasn't he like the most hated person in newyork last season :p
anyways, i'll be following baseball more closely once the NBA playoffs is over.
Go Dodgers!!! ;D
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Yeah I wonder if the NY tabloids will instead focus on Dreamboat Jeter's clutch RBI single, which then set up what A-Rod shoulda done last October, goddamn it!!!
Something like that...
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Round One goes to the Red Sox! Rivera can't hold the lead in the 8th. Even Captain Clutch couldn't do nattin' in the 9th. A-Rod also choked in the 9th but y'all knew that would happen, right?
Damn, it's rough trying to follow a game online at a website that doesn't require the latest goddamn version of Flash! But I found one: CBS Sportsline. Pretty good coverage, runs smooth and easy-to-understand interface.
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Win some lose some perhaps. A-Rod is hot! but Rivera is not!
I'd rather choose Rivera to be hot, cuz he's the closer
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Newscaster of ESPN is asking Joe Torre's move:
1) Mo pitching on the 8th (after saying, he's a one innning pitcher for this season... except Boston perhaps?)
2) Phelps could have taken the last at bat instead of Long
Hmmm...
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(http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4769/fulljgetty73394874eg017mx1.jpg)
Back to back to back to back...
Boston completed the sweep against the Yanks on Sunday in Fenway for the first time since... a LONG time ago.
Matsuzaka got a cheap win but that's baseball and things usually even out like this.
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Adds another chapter to this red-hot rivalry -- I mean 2 chapters (the consecutive HR record and the sweep).
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Yanks are pretty much getting beaten up because of how bad their pitching is. A-Rod, for all intensive purposes, have deflected a lot of the bad press of how the Yanks are doing because of how torrid he is.
Any predictions on how long he can keep this up? TO be honest, I think he will cool off sometime in next month or two.
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I think he'll cool down in a couple weeks. Of course he DOES have his health. Has he ever been on the D.L.? I read the list of hurt players: Iwamura, Gagne, King Felix... on the DL you go. Nick Swisher got hurt in today's ball game and B.J. Ryan was moved to the SIXTY (yes, 60) day disabled list, probably cause it takes longer to order a bionic elbow from Circuit City.
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True. He can get hurt sometime. I don't know if he has been on the DL in his career. Regardless though, I would like to see him go on a run and try to beat the home run record at least.
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How about all-time HR record by Bonds and season HR by A-Rod -- both in this season...
Nah, that's too early to tell.
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Torii Hunter was hit in the mouth by Zack Greinke of the Royals in a game on Thursday.
His first reaction: pain,
His second: RUSH THE MOUND, MUTHAFUCKAH!!!
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/208/d407c6664c9e41deb3a83d3fb9.jpg)
Third: pain...
(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/6678/7fa60a9c5fa9416a9ed7c7aay7.jpg)
My reaction: you got hit in the MOUTH, dummy! Give it a rest! It's not like you took a hockey stick to the groin.
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(http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2007/04/28/TAefHB9h.jpg)
Don't you guys think Dice-K is worth the money? I mean so far, he's no dominating but he's trying to give a message to everyone that he's in charge.
And just a sidebar, Boston is up 4-0 against Yankees. And he is 2-0 against NY.
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He'll be worth the money if he wins about 15 games or so and helps Boston win the division. The Yankees usually find a way to turn things around but the Red Sox should win the division.
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(http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2007/04/28/BWRtUEFY.jpg)
At last, the losing streak is over.
And at last, Mariano has his save.
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(http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2007/04/30/c2UoQnF2.jpg)
The Other Japanese Red Sox (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070430&content_id=1938308&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)
"Unlike his fellow countryman, whose every step had been followed from the Far East to Red Sox Nation, Hideki Okajima arrived in relative anonymity. Lost in the shadow of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Okajima cutely embraced that role with what probably ranked as the quote of Spring Training from any Red Sox player."
"Okajima, contrary to some early misinformed speculation, did not come to Boston to be Matsuzaka's companion. In fact, the two did not even know each other until they became teammates this spring."
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What was this about Rafael Furcal and his Unassisted triple play??
[youtube=425,350]zobdQ19ZmsU[/youtube]
here's something from last Friday, pretty good interview (I missed the start of it)
Cal Ripken on Jim Rome Show
DOWNLOAD
http://www.twitter.com/?d=VU40GD49
random pic lol
(http://img221.imageshack.us/img221/9292/diceksv2.jpg)
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Upps, no more youtube
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Following today's Seattle-Boston game online at the moment: tied 7-7, bottom 5th. Sure looks like Matsuzaka is "pitching to the score," no?
How soon until the rabid Boston media turns on him?
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His next start is in Toronto, the dissection continues.
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Alfonso Soriano is starting to heat up. With the way the Cubs are pitching (go figure ::) ), if the hitters can get their act together they'll be leading the division by the all-star break.
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Soriano sweet in 'sweep' for Cubs (http://www.insidebayarea.com/sports/ci_5807566)
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Reports from the police and medical examiner in the death of Cardinals pitcher Josh Hancock are in and they confirmed what might be best described as "cause and effect": http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6775024
My sympathies go to his friends and family. However there is something instructive in all of this, especially to the much-heralded manager of St. Louis, Tony La Russa, who was busted for DUI in Florida when he fell asleep at the wheel at a green light with the car in "drive."
OK, now back to the bashing...
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I was watching the White Sox vs Angels game last night. The Angels won 5 -1. Anyway, in the 8th inning Jermaine Dye hit a foul ball that hit the home plate umpire right in the nuts. That had to hurt.
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Well can't say I'm exactly shocked but The Rocket is returning to the Bronx: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2862088
Good thing there's no salary cap in MLB...
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It tells you something about the lack of pitching in baseball when a guy who's 45 can demand that kind of salary. He's going to be making more per month than some guys make in a season.
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lol, roger clemens coming back, 45 yrs old?
where would the major leagues be right now without steriods.... :P
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Rocket will also be making more per month than even A-Rod. So does this mean that Clemens will also be held to the ridiculous standards of Yankee fans towards A-Rod?
I doubt it. Clemens has a ring in pinstripes and has the respect/approval of Holy Joe Torre.
Anyway, part of me is glad that New York signed Clemens cause it lights the fuse for all this great banter between baseball fans. Can you imagine what "Red Sox Nation" is saying online? I can feel the bile clear across the Pacific Ocean.
FWIW I believe Roger Clemens could be the greatest pitcher in MLB history. Really!
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Maybe but not at age 45. The Yankees will be a wild card team at best even with Clemens.
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Yesterday Jeff Weaver got clobbered by the Tigers, like 6 ER in 5 IP -- and LOWERED his ERA.
Today he hit the DL with shoulder problems or something. Whatta bust!
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Dang, Roy Halladay was admitted to the hospital with appendicitis. :o
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Rough season thus far for fans of the Jays. All their stars have done time on the DL and I can't imagine why GM J. P. Ricciardi would be so overtly dishonest about the condition of B.J. Ryan, who underwent Tommy John elbow surgery a few days ago. And who knows, maybe Gibbons will self-implode again.
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My Cubbies are so frustrating. The win 8 out of 9 then lose 4 out of 5.
The loss of Ryan Howard is going to hurt the Phillies. Hopefully we won't be out too long.
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Damn, Cards are snake bit. I'm glad they picked it up. RIP Josh Hancock
Yankees phenom Hughes carries no-hitter into seventh before injury the other week, no wonder Rocket came back. Listen to Suzyn Waldman have an orgasm announcing Roger Clemens return to pinstripes:
http://www.wcbs880.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=695991
TOO GOOD!!! XD
What's the biggest surprise this season?? I'm slowly getting into baseball after months of nonstop hockey/basketball scoreboard watching. Gotta bump that Bonds thread since he's THIS close.
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Woot! Happy mother's day, everyone! And happy mother's day, New England! 6 runs in the bottom of the 9th, Sox win 6-5!!! Poor Baltimore, ouch. Sox up 8 over baltimore now, 7 1/2 over Yanks, who are losing 2-1 in the 6th to Seattle as we speak. Josh Beckett left the game early though..He had a torn flap of skin on the middle finger of his pitching hand. Doesn't sound incredibly serious, hopefully he won't miss any time. We shall see, I guess..
As a card carrying member of Red Sox Nation, I suppose I should weigh in on the whole Roger Clemens thing. I won't lie, it would have been nice to see him come back for a few months, but I never really expected it to happen. The Yankees really need the pitching right now. Sox are in pretty ok shape pitching-wise.. Schilling has been pretty decent this year.. Beckett's 7-0... Matsuzaka's been pretty damn good for a guy facing major league hitting for the first time..And oh yeah, Wakefield has the lowest ERA in the AL. We've got that kid Lester ready to come back as the #5 starter as well.. He looked great last year before the whole lymphoma thing.. Sounds like he's cancer free now, so hopefully he'll be able to contribute. Okajima has been lights out in the 'pen, and Papelbon's not so bad either. It's a long, long season but it's nice to be happy with my team in mid-may. Yanks aren't gonna play dead though, so we need this 7-8 game lead, and we need to make it a 10+ game lead ASAP if possible. ;D
Interesting stat I read at espn.com in a story regarding Clemens..Only 3 pitchers in history have won over 10 games at his age: Tommy John, Nolan Ryan, and Satchel Paige. Clemens is amazing, and I have no doubt that he could do it.. Still, that's some pretty damn good company, eh? And those guys had to pitch a whole season to do it.
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May 14: the day in MLB...
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3895/captbb6e560281804d0ab93cn7.jpg)
-- Matsuzaka gets his first complete game, throwing 120-something pitches against Detroit. Weather a factor? Will it affect his next start? Does anyone in NPB even have pitch count records? Boston now has an 8.5 game lead on the Yankees which... might mean jack by the dog days of August.
-- Greg Maddux, 40-something years young, needed less than 100 pitches to put away the Reds. He had a shutout going into the 9th but a Junior Griffey sac fly ended that. I am still split on the future HOF: sometimes his lollypop pitches are being bashed all over creation and then he does something like this, albeit against a struggling Cincinnati ballclub.
(http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3245/captaf741094882f4612841en3.jpg)
-- Maddux's ex-Brave, John Smoltz, dislocated his right pinkie tagging out someone on a rundown play. Didn't look like the collision was too severe but looking at the video, Smoltz reacts as if the finger was cut off or something. OUCH! I think he needs two or three more wins to reach 200 for his career, which I believe will cement his HOF prospects (combined of course with his stellar closer numbers).
-- I didn't see the highlights of the Phillie comeback against the Brewers. Remarkable fortitude by the still-below-.500 Phils or an awful meltdown by the declining Brew Crew? Some bloggers say the latter.
-- The Chicago Cubbies lost a game today on a bases-loaded walk. The relief pitcher for Chicago walked three straight (including one intentional) after getting the first two guys out in the 9th. What's Lou Piniella gonna do?!!
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Matsuzaka is just one of those rare pitchers where the more he pitches the better he pitches. Last year for Seibu he pitched 13 complete games, and I think the Sox will find that the closer he pitches to 100 pitches per game, the better he's going to do. Now I don't mean to say that he should pitch 100+ and throw a complete game every other outing, but he's not going to do well if they try to keep him to 60-80 pitches per game. For any other pitcher that would probably be a one-way ticket to the DL, but as long as he maintains his mechanics and they keep him on a schedule similar to his Japanese one, I don't think injury will be a problem. This new cutter he has a good weapon, but once he gets his slider back I think we'll be seeing 7+Ks per game, even against lineups like the Yankees and the Tigers. He also needs to fix a curious problem where one batter out of a lineup will just dominate him the whole game and go 3-3 at bat. I think it's just a problem of experience, but even back in Japan there were a few batters that would just tee-off on every at-bat, and Seattle's Johjima was one of them. It's a curious problem, but if anyone can solve it, it's the Red Sox.
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God save Felix Hernandez.
(http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/2558/capt04694888aa584aecbbftp4.jpg)
He returns to action tonight (Tuesday). Best of luck to him!
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May 14: the day in MLB...
-- The Chicago Cubbies lost a game today on a bases-loaded walk. The relief pitcher for Chicago walked three straight (including one intentional) after getting the first two guys out in the 9th. What's Lou Piniella gonna do?!!
What do you think he's gonna do? You saw the game right? I can begin to see how this team has lost games in the past.
LOL!! like my lou piniella impersonation? I know.. it was terrible.
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LOL!! like my lou piniella impersonation? I know.. it was terrible.
I'm waiting for a You Tube clip of you kicking dirt, throwing bats onto the field and freaking out in general.
His throwing first base into right field was classic...
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More bases should be thrown, in my opinion. It could replace shotput in then Olympics!
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I may have written this before and I apologize for repeating myself, but...
How come everybody can say "Daisuke" and even "Ichiro" correctly but less than 25 percent of American broadcasters can say "Takashi Saito" like they do in Japan? I'm serious, his name has GOT to be the MOST butchered amongst those from Japan. More than even the guy on Tampa Bay.
I also saw world soccer news under the "ESPN Deportes" banner. So that channel doesn't include only Latino stuff? Will they have sumo hon-basho on that channel?
And is Milwaukee coming back to earth or is this just a blip on the road to the pennant? Me thinks it's just a temp slump but the last two losses have gotta hurt.
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Brew Crew is tearing it up WTF? Shocker. who do they have? And are you from the area? WELCOME!! We needs more in depth sports takes like yours :cheers:
Where's Thimas at?? His love, Ken Griffey is blasting the FUCK outta the scoreboard.
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Hilarious stuff with Junior giving a jockstrap to some guy who milked the publicity on his My Space site. Both Junior and Vernon Wells, classic comebackers to the hecklers.
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^ REALLY?? Geez, they can be so sensitive sometimes lol
Quick take: Ichiro pitching? What can't he do?? And a bit on 'roids
Ichiro: 'Once I Turn 40, I Can Become A Pitcher.'
Posted May 16th 2007 9:08PM by PostmanR
Filed under: Seattle, Mariners, AL West, MLB Gossip
We just posted about Ichiro Suzuki's quotes from Jon Saraceno's USA Today piece on the Seattle outfielder that ran today. For the most part, they were rather odd, as has sort of been Ichiro's calling card since he entered into our consciousness.
But while all the attention seems to be placed squarely on his statements about both Tiger Woods and performance-enhancing drugs, I found this quote to be the most fascinating:
"Once I turn 40," he says, "I can become a pitcher. I'm kind of serious about it. But I'll have to learn to throw a knuckleball. Right now, I could be a 'normal' pitcher," who can top out at 95 mph with a fastball.
I'm not exactly sure why the copy editors at USA Today left "who can top out at 95 mph with a fastball" outside of the quote. Maybe it's an error, or maybe the man who penned this piece, Jon Saraceno, added in those words knowing Ichiro can in fact throw 95 mph. Or maybe I'm just interpreting that wrong. (That's probably what it is.) In any event, let's just pretend Ichiro can throw 95.
WHOA. gotta find this article tho, sounds like a good read
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Didn't Ichiro pitch in high school? I guess all the best high-school players pitch, play shortstop on alternate days, bat cleanup and hit .550. I don't think anyone takes him seriously but he DOES have this calming resoluteness about him that makes even something like this seem plausible.
One thing for sure... if he's gonna go knuckleball he better be practicing EVERY day and throwing off a mound. I guess it's easier than taking lessons from Dr. Mike Marshall.
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LOL!! like my lou piniella impersonation? I know.. it was terrible.
(http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/7238/fulljgetty73395204ab017vw0.jpg)
I wonder what Sweet Lou was saying after Thursday's game against the Mets?
His Cubbies blew a FIVE-run lead in the bottom of the 9th and handed a game away to a team that had most of its starters on the bench. Wright and Delgado hit run-scoring singles in the final frame to win the game, 6-5.
Good vibes for the team from Flushing as they begin an annual obligatory meeting with the Bronx Bombers on Friday.
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Big OUCH! for Sox fans: Doug Mientkiewicz, whose name I ALWAYS have to double and triple check for spelling, just homered off of Curt Schilling, who donated a bloody sock to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.
It's now 6-0, top 5th.
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Yankee fans: one of your nightmares has now ended.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2880745
I wonder which signing old-skool Yankee fans will loathe more: Pavano, or Dave Collins?
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Why is there so much news on the Yankees. They're mediocre this year
Anyone think the Yankee's will make the post-season this year?
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I do, but I think it'll be a war for them and they'll be lucky to get a wild card. I'm more concerned about my Cards, they just can't seem to get it together. 20-26? Come on guys, you're killing me. Beat the nationals tomorrow and then sweep those damn rockies. I want a Red Sox - Cardinals rematch in the world series >:|
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Why is there so much news on the Yankees. They're mediocre this year
Cause they're the Yankees. They spend more money than any other team and put guys on the field that everybody knows and loves to BOOOOOO!! They have a long winning tradition that has been evident in almost every decade in the last 100 years (except, curiously, the 80s, which was an era where no one team truly dominated). And like a typical reality TV program, the spectacle of failure by famous faces makes for compelling drama.
For so long we've associated "biggest payroll" with "success" and that's certainly what the damn Yanks have done, reaching the post-season every year for well over a decade now. Did they have the biggest payroll in the mid-to-late 90s when they won four out of five Series titles? I'll have to check...
Also helps to play in N*E*W Y*O*R*K, home to perhaps the most spoiled fans in baseball, save for maybe Atlanta (where some playoff games aren't sold out) and Boston (still gotta get that Bill Simmons book in paperback). This is a town that crucified Alex Rodriguez for his 2006 season: .290/.392/.523. Huh?
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Anyone notice how baseball players usually throw their bats in disgust after a pop up but don't do it when they ground out or strike out?
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I think this speaks volumes about the N.L. Central division: the Milwaukee Brewers have lost 13 out of 19 games and STILL hold a five-game lead.
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Well it just shows the NL central is weak. Check out the AL central, the strongest division in baseball.
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Well it just shows the NL central is weak. Check out the AL central, the strongest division in baseball.
And watch out cause the Twins are back at .500, after cutting their usual doofus off-season roster additions. Sidney Ponson, anyone?! Ack!
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(http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/1849/capt3d83fc10566549eba34mc9.jpg)
CRAZY ending at Shea on Tuesday night. Giants scratch a run top 12th but ex-Met closer Armando Benitez just imploded, balking Jose Reyes twice on the bases, resulting in a tie game and then Carlos Delgado sending everybody home with a solo walk-off.
By the way, Tim Lincecum is a mad mutha...
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Man.. Jose Reyes and David Wright are two of my favorite players. I know NY is Yankee's town but I think the Mets are better or gonna be better.
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I think this speaks volumes about the N.L. Central division: the Milwaukee Brewers have lost 13 out of 19 games and STILL hold a five-game lead.
David Pinto pointed out this morning: Just how bad is the NL Central? The Pittsburgh Pirates hold second place this morning.
Go Bucs!
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Anyone see the Cubs game where Michael Barrett, the catcher and Carlos Zambrano, pitcher were fighting in the dugout? Guess when you're sucking, these things tend to boil over.
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Anyone see the Cubs game where Michael Barrett, the catcher and Carlos Zambrano, pitcher were fighting in the dugout?
(http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/1227/capt4be1dfc8880642d792fvl5.jpg)
Yep, and then Lou Pinella reminded us all on Saturday that he's the nuttiest Cubbie of all.
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My cubbies. :cry: They won today though. :w00t: Maybe it's the start of good things to come.
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Watched a little ESPN last night and, once again, I ask:
How can professional broadcasters pronounce "Felix Pie" correctly but totally screw up "Takashi Saito"?
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My cubbies. :cry:
Sweet Lou was suspended for four games.
"I will serve it and I will learn from this experience," Piniella said before Monday night's game at Milwaukee. "These things won't happen again."
I can't believe he said such transparent bullshit. He's been raising hell and kicking hats since Greg Maddux and Barry Bonds were rookies!
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(http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/7759/capt40a81786f8414d58bf5uf5.jpg)
OK, boys will be boys...
Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly nailed Atlanta shortstop Edgar Renteria on the left hand today and was immediately ejected from the game by the home plate ump. Renteria then threw a forearm at the Cubs shortstop on a steal attempt.
(http://img381.imageshack.us/img381/2615/capt6937db2a5328443fb4feq5.jpg)
I know there are people (fans of MLB) who advocate letting the players sort out their differences on the field in this manner. For the record, I'm not one of them. I don't watch baseball to see a hockey fight break out. And any on-field violence should be dealt with harshly. I'm surprised there were so many cool heads after Renteria's bitch slap.
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Renteria should have been thrown out of the game.
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HONG-CHIH FUCKIN KUO!! STYLING AND PROFILING!!
[youtube=425,350]F6E0UBAYo0w[/youtube]
Peep how he tosses his bat!! Too good in the Dodgers 4-1 win over the Mets.
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Classic stuff from Kuo. But don't a lotta guys from Japan, Korea, etal have that bat flip on the follow through? I see it all the time on highlights of NPB teams.
I've been watching he highlights of Justin Verlander's no-hitter against the Brewers on Tuesday over and over. Fox may have been juicing its radar gun readings (102 MPH in the 9th?!) but there's not doubt that Verlander was dealing some SHIT out there! You could see the movement on his sliders, just awesome.
Also awesome was his girlfriend who jumped the fence and came outta nowhere to congratulate the Detroit pitcher in person:
(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/207/capt26038c65637742618f0fo6.jpg)
Way to go, Justin!
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(http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/7885/risavn7.jpg)
was checking out risa's alo-hello dvd and...
risa with tommy lasorda :O :lol:
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Chris Kahrl had a great line in today's chat at Baseball Prospectus:
Q: Why would the Yankees want Shea Hillenbrand?
Christina Kahrl: Because he's somebody Joe Torre has heard of, and he might notionally be better than Miguel Cairo. No, it doesn't make sense, and I'd rather play Josh Phelps and see about what party favors it might take to re-rent Carlos Pena, but the internally consistent logic to how the Yankees do things describe the larger organizational dysfunction when it comes to sensible problem-solving. (emphasis mine)
I think Torre is out as Yankee manager at the end of the 2007 season.
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600!
(http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/1315/captd126fff1368b4265afbak7.jpg)
Congrats to Sammy! Next stop: Cooperstown.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2914994
Former star closer Rod Beck was found dead in his home over the weekend. He was only 38.
From all accounts he was a very likable person. The circumstances surrounding his death are still unknown, and that is troubling to me.
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Couple ESPN polls I completed related to the milestones achieved by Frank Thomas and Craig Biggio:
http://tinyurl.com/2do2t4
http://tinyurl.com/ytun5z
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So out of the clear blue, Seattle manager Mike Hargrove decides to quit after Sunday's ballgame, citing a lack of desire and heart in the game or whatever.
(http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/4006/capt8dbd161aa5094421897yf8.jpg)
This announcement comes off a hot streak for the team, perhaps its best of the year. Seems to me there's something else that hasn't been reported yet. Stay tuned!
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Weird thing: Matsuzaka doesn't make the A.L. All-Star team but Okajima DOES. A middle reliever over a starter?! Strange days...
Another pitcher-dominated contest next week in the Bay.
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Anyone see video of the Phillies and Rockies game? There was a rain delay and the groundscrew is trying to put the tarp on the field but it was really windy. The tarp was getting blown off and some members of the groundscrew even got caught underneath the tarp. The Phillies (who were the road team) came out to help the groundscrew.
Phillies - Rockies Rain Delay 7/8/07
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99tGf8WW0RQ
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There was a rain delay and the groundscrew is trying to put the tarp on the field but it was really windy.
Saw the highlights on TV and yes, it looked VERY spooky. I wonder if someone could have been flung high in the air if he held onto that tarp.
Heroic activity by the Phillies and karma rewarded the team with a win. I wonder why there weren't more Rockies out there on the field?
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Mark Cuban has submitted an application to buy the Cubs. The team won't be sold until after the season but potential buyers have to submit applications prior to that. It's doubtful MLB will actually let him own the team though.
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I don't follow the NBA and thus not really familiar with Cuban's escapades with the league, its owners and David Stern. I do know enough that:
-- He'd be a good owner for the Cubs, a franchise whose ownership went corporate before it became chic and hasn't been in the World Series since World War II.
-- He's not interested in making friends, which IS important in MLB circles. The old-boy network is still a factor, led by Commissioner "Bud" Selig, former majority owner of the Milwaukee Brewers.
-- One of MLB's most influencial owners, Jerry Reinsdorf of the White Sox, HATES Cuban and would likely make Selig block or at least muddy Cuban's application process.
-- the lovable loser image of the Cubbies has lasted this long because of a rich TV contract, very good attendance at Wrigley Field (baseball's second oldest MLB stadium) and a long-standing fanbase in the midwest. But they ain't gonna stand for the losing shtick for THAT much longer, kids. Time to anty up even more and win the goddamn thing!
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I just read that Chris Carpenter of the Cards will require Tommy John surgery. He's kaput for this year and very likely all of 2008.
And that, my friends, is THAT for the Cardinals' 2007 season.
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Former mistress to discuss relationship with Bonds AND pose nude in Playboy (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2946965).
You know... I never knew the magazine STILL had that kind of draw. To get C and D-level celebs to strip for the camera. This headline was at the top on ESPN's MLB page and I clicked on it, which I guess tells you something...
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A-Rod already has 100 RBI's for the season. The guy is a RBI machine. Why can't he do it in the playoffs though? :P
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Just read that Bud the Commish will be in attendance whenever Barry hits #756. That is, I read a quote of his from some PR release.
Yeah, like he really means it.
Fuck you, Bud Selig.
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Tom Glavine got career win #299 today against the Pirates, 6-3, in Shea. Wagner shut the door in the 9th and one more to go for the veteran southpaw. Best of luck to him in his next start!
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I typed out my thoughts on Barry Bonds's record-tying home run at my oft-neglected Xanga site. (http://www.xanga.com/YameteKudasai/608316943/bonds-ties-aaron-with-755.html)
(Also copied and pasted to Vox.) (http://saburo.vox.com/library/post/bonds-ties-aaron-with-755.html)
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haha Sab has a Xanga. That's AZN-errific! TRUE. Big ups to the fans for recognizing history when they see it. Meanwhile, ESPN and FOX sports is wall to wall on the whole matter.
Tom Glavine nabs 300 wins. AWESOME.
(http://img247.imageshack.us/img247/5179/baseballglavinetm7.jpg)
... oh yeah A-Rod got 500 HR too. Youngest to do so. What a milestone weekend!!
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#756! Barry just did it! Solo shot to center!
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congrats roid-freak, i hope you get indicted... :P
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Absolutely GREAT piece from Deadspin's Will Leitch about how "Bud" Selig has been an even greater disgrace than Barry Bonds: http://deadspin.com/sports/bud-selig/bud-seligs-fortnight-from-hell-287376.php
Selig surpasses all the evil that is Barry Bonds. May he rot in the pits of Hell.
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the canadian sportsnet news talkshows are ripping bonds apart. :D
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http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2007/08/roid_monster_or.php
Brian Gunn, author of the late, great Cardinals blog "Redbird Nation," on Barry Bonds and 756.
Live with it, fellow fans. At least until the next decade when A-Rod (who gets almost as much hate as Bonds) gets it in gear.
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But A-Rod's not on 'roids. Right?
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But A-Rod's not on 'roids. Right?
Not unless you buy Canseco's promise of another bombshell in his next tell-all book.
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The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace and became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. (http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270822201)
If you're a Baltimore fan...ouch.
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(http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/2193/574c6839919047ab805de3ejc6.jpg)
Holy fucking shit! Brutal game for Baltimore's pitching staff...
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Pretty good article written by Deadspin's Will Leitch about A-Rod's looming free agency status. (http://www.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&expire=&urlID=24063947&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnymag.com%2Fnews%2Fsports%2F38017%2F&partnerID=73272)
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I think he should just stay with the Yankees.
The Cubs are in first place!!! :w00t:
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I am stunned by the inability of the Mets and Cubs to do away with the Nationals and Marlins, respectively. Seems like ANY Senior Circuit team is gonna get crushed in the Series.
And what's with this "debate" for the presidency of "Red Sox Nation"? http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070925&content_id=2229097&vkey=pr_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos
Jerry Remy is a dumbass for going after Bill Simmons... My vote goes to Gammons.
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Trying to follow all the madness on the final day of the regular season.
So far...
Mets losing big. Phils winning big. Padres trailing. Rockies can't score in Coors Field?!!
I'm loving it!
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Mets LOSE. Phils WIN.
Biggest collapse in MLB history for the Mets? Maybe: this team, the '95 Angels and the '64 Phils.
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Scott Hairston two-run jack, top 13th. Still zero outs, man on first. 8-6 Padres over Rockies. Hoffman warming up for the finish...
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But...
Hoffman allows two runs! Double, double, triple...
Now IBB to Helton. It's not over!
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Sac fly to right. Holliday goes for the plate and the call is safe! Rockies move on to Philadelphia!
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(http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8581/capt5e080821553848c7b95cb4.jpg)
Hmm... a dozen replays and I'm still not certain if he touched the plate with even his fingernails.
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I couldn't tell either, honestly.. Looks like they deserve to be here though, eh? I missed the game, but sounds like they took care of the Phillies pretty handily. My sawx looked pretty good tonight as well. Or, should I say, Josh Beckett looked so good that it didn't matter too much after the first inning. Life is good.. For today, anyway. Angels are strong though, should be a fun series. Cubs and D-Backs gonna be on soon.. I gotta be up at 6 AM central time tomorrow though, 7 AM EST. Ack. :mon tweaker: :lol:
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My sawx looked pretty good tonight as well. Or, should I say, Josh Beckett looked so good that it didn't matter too much after the first inning. Life is good.. For today, anyway.
Hey, long time no chat.
Yup, Beckett was badass yesterday. Interesting that ESPN kept showing footage of the '03 WS and the unassisted putout to Jorge Posada to end the game. (It's also noteworthy that the Marlins were born the same time as the Rockies, yet have two (2) Series championships in a stadium that hosted a game this season played in front of a few hundred "fans.") Hope he keeps the stamina for the remainder of the post-season.
Boston looks in good shape right now but, as its been said before... what's the saying, momentum is as good as today's starting pitcher? Do the Fenway Faithful believe in Matsuzaka? By the way, I think MLB should promote a new nickname for Daisuke. I mean, Seattle was refering to their late, great closer as "Daimajin." Wasn't Matsuzaka called "Kaibutsu" in Japan? Of course, people on ESPN still can't pronounce "Saito" correctly so who am I to pick nits...
The Diamondbacks surprise me as any underdog team ever. I can't believe their starting lineup chalked up 90-plus wins this season. However, it's instructive to note the run that last year's Cardinals team made in October. Once you're in the dance, you've got as good a chance as ANY of the eight teams to go all the way.
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Umm... the "presidency" of Red Sox Nation goes to Jerry Remy?!!
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071003&content_id=2247502&vkey=ps2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Ecch...
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congrats to the Dodgers for tanking near the end of the regular season
but at least i can still laugh at the NY Mets :lol:
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Did anyone catch Ted Lilly's reaction after serving up a three-run jack to Chris Young in last night's game? I've seen outfielders throw down their gloves in disgust after seeing balls soar over their heads but never a pitcher and not with such ferocity. Lilly looked like a little leaguer whose defense failed him for the umpteenth time.
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Umm... the "presidency" of Red Sox Nation goes to Jerry Remy?!!
I'm gonna need a new bumper sticker for my Jeep, I guess.. "Don't Blame Me, I Voted For El Guapo" :lol:
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http://fairandfoul.blogs.nytimes.com/
Will Leitch of DEADSPIN has a new blog at the NY Times website, focusing on the MLB post-season. Good stuff here.
Yanks and Andy Pettitte holding tough against the Indians today: 1-0 New York over Cleveland after five full innings.
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Oops, Yanks didn't quite get it done last night.. It just warms my heart. :lol:
Every series is 2-0 now.. I really don't expect to see a lot of sweeps, but Some teams definitely have a hole to climb out of at this point. I can see Clemens stepping up big in game 3 for the pinstripes..Schilling is a wild card for the Sox.. He could be lights out and pitch a one hitter, or be completely terrible. I have a bit harder time seeing the Cubbies or the Phils coming back in any big way. Cubs, however, could always do something dramatic in a bid to erase their curse. We shall see!
Patriots at 1 PM EST, Sox at 3.. It's either gonna be a very very good day tomorrow or it's gonna be terrible, haha.
Here's hoping it's good!
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Cubbies down to their last three outs now... Jason Kendall takes a called third strike. Wrigley Field sounds frustrated and in disbelief.
Two outs to go.
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Another called third strike! Two down. DBacks ready to explode in celebration~!
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Soriano flies out to right and the DBacks sweep the Cubs. BOOOOOOO~! goes the crowd! And then almost stunned silence.
Congrats to Arizona, who were able to field a winning team AND believe in their youth movement.
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Good weekend for baseball, although all these series sweeps kinda deflate my enthusiasm. I don't have a specific rooting interest in any one team so I want to see more baseball action, not less.
I don't do fantasy but the Fantasy 411 podcast on MLB.com is pretty good cause they talk with the best in the business, Will Carroll and Joe Sheehan from Baseball Prospectus. There's nothing like listening to articulate fans shooting the breeze.
Caught Manny's game-ending shot over the Green Monster on Sportscenter late Friday night... is there anyone else in the history of baseball who could showboat at the plate like that and not get nailed with a flurry of beanballs thereafter? Reggie, maybe? Also noteworthy is that it was hit off of K-Rod, who gets pretty animated himself on the mound (people on Yankee-related message boards pointed this out).
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Going to the bottom of the 4th... Indians 6, Yankees 1.
Following this game online and lurking at the Bronx Banter message board. Not a happy time for Yankee fans at the moment. But as Sir Berra is credited with saying, it ain't over 'till it's over...
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Well, it's OVER!
(http://img68.imageshack.us/img68/8315/captsgehph3509100706214hu5.jpg)
No joy in the Bronx. Congrats to the Tribe!
Looking forward to a good ALCS this weekend.
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I'm thinking it's going to be Red Sox vs D'Backs in the World Series.
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so is raccoon eyes out?
i like to see Don Mattingly in there
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I think Torre stays.
Manny and Lowell go back to back!
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The Indians went off in the 11th inning.
The Rockies are playing great. They've completely surprised me.
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I hear Dusty Baker was signed to a three-year contract to manage the Cincinnati Reds.
Reds fans: RIKA help you...
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Sox fall to the Tribe, 4-2. Cleveland's pitching gets the job done! Does Beckett go on short rest as the Indians go for the kill?
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Holy shit. ROCKIES did the unthinkable :o
WORLD SERIES BOUND.
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Too much to say about this. I'm sure there's quite a roar of activity in the blogosphere. It's a helluva story and it's hard to dislike what's going on, provided your fave team isn't the Phillies or DBacks.
There are also some Rockies fans who are staunch in their insistance (bordering on base arrogance) that the twenty outta twenty-one streak has little to do with luck and more a manifestation of actual talent, i.e. Colorado IS the best team in the National League.
Well...
-- Come on, if Junior Gwynn doesn't get the two-out, two-strike triple against Hoffman on 9/29, Rockies are kaput.
-- Just about anything can happen in a short series, even against Philly and Arizona.
-- Before Sept. 15, NOBODY could have predicted/expected the Rockies to bust out like this.
-- This hot streak does not reject sabermetrics or any "Moneyball" system of front office management.
That said, I think the Rockies probably could take out the Patriots this weekend...
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(http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/7665/fulljgetty77225355mh062ox0.jpg)
ESPN showed a clip from 2005 when Josh Beckett (pitching for the Marlins) was talkin' smack to Kenny Lofton (hitting for the Phillies) about flipping the bat when taking a premature base on balls. We got to relive the moment tonight during Game 5 of the ALCS. Benches empty, no punches, no ejections.
Also Manny R. drove in a run with a 380-foot single. What a sweetheart. Boston won 7-1 to take the series back to Fenway.
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J.D. Drew: GRAND SLAM in the first, RBI single in the third!
Wow.
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Inning over, finally! 10-1 Sox.
Of course, it's "only" the 4th and Victor Martinez got ANOTHER hit off Schilling...
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(http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/6503/fulljgetty77206338mh002vl0.jpg)
Final from Fenway: 12-2, Boston over Cleveland. Schilling pitched seven innings, allowed two scratch runs and the bullpen will be fresh for Game Seven. Cleveland's bullpen was also helped by 4 2/3 innings by Aaron Laffey, whose fantasy value just shot up for 2008.
Eric Gagne pitched a scoreless ninth and Drew drove in five runs on the night. Cleveland's closer, Joe Borowski, allowed two runs in a tuneup for Sunday.
FINALLY, a Game Seven in the post-season!
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Anyone watching Game Seven? Awesome game!
Questionable out calls, clutch errors, third-base coach holding up the tying run... I LOVE IT!
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Pedroia two-run jack in the 7th, now 5-3. But now the Indians have two on, no out in the 8th. Here comes Papelbon!
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Cleveland had two on and NO OUTS in the 8th. Papelbon: strike out, ground out, fly out. Zero runs, two left on base.
Time is running low for the ALCS...
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OK six (6) runs for the Sox in the 8th. Papelbon still eligible for the "save."
Big Papi went oh-for-five tonight and the Sox still put up 11 runs on the scoreboard. Remarkable.
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Finale score from Fenway Park: 11-2. Was a LOT more exciting until the 8th inning...
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(http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/4933/fulljgetty77206334mh075sh7.jpg)
Nothing symbolizes the thrill of victory more than the sight of a grown man going looney tunes on national television.
Boston, your closer is NUTS and be happy he's on YOUR side.
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I think the Rex Sox will beat the Rockies in 6 games.
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Big Badass Beckett: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 9 SO.
Top 8th, 13-1 Boston. Yawn . . .
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Four complete in Denver: Sox 6, Rocks, 0.
Weeeeeeeeeee!!!
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Actually Boston winning in a sweep isn't all that exciting. I was hoping for more games -_-
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So...Red Sox are the World Series champs? I've been terrible at following the playoffs this year. :(
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Colorado got to within a run in the 7th when Matt Holiday knocked a three-run homer off Okajima. Top eighth: Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia collect RBI doubles and that was that. Boston 10, Colorado 5.
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3327/fulljgetty77413989cc079ib5.jpg)
Even Matsuzaka got a hit and two RBI in the third... Ouch!
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Whoa. Yeah. Dude was an Outfielder in H.S. NICE!
Watching the process of a sweep (JPH!P Jinx??!) but man. Talk about surgical. More comments later after I pick up my jaw.
Breaking news. A-Rod opts out.
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He's going to go down as the most greedy player of all-time. More booing ahead.
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IT'S OVER.
BOSTON RED SOX 2007 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS.
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I haven't notice Boston won because theres news about the Yankees all day :lol:
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How's that Scott Boras? Upstaging the World Series and FOX took the friggin' bait. Dummies.
He's an evil genius. A-Rod WILL get his big buck$. God Bless AmeriKKKa.
Oh yeah, there WAS a game last night. How 'bout them Sawx?! No miracles left for God's Team. For once, the best team in baseball won the World Series.
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He's going to go down as the most greedy player of all-time. More booing ahead.
he's a bit of a knucklehead,
but the way fans have been treating him, why would he want to stay?
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v617/Tanikaze/ancillary/524d11ff.jpg)
Three saves in four games. Sox win second title in four years.
There's the face of a winner... You GOTTA love these pix of Papelbon!
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One thing about A-Rod that's been mentioned a lot on Yankee blogs: he's been waiting soooo long to stick it to the Yankee organization (front office management and teammates) AND their fans for what he went through in 2006. From this day forth, it's just big buck$ and counting stats on the golden path to Cooperstown. His licence plates will read: F*CK-U-NY.
And more tidbits:
-- Joe Girardi offered the Yankee manager job. Terms under negotiation.
-- Joe Torre may replace Grady Little as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Little has one more year left on his contract but sheesh lookit the mess of a clubhouse in Chavez Ravine. I'm skeptical that Torre can make a difference in LA -- a shakedown in upper management would also do some good. LA press can also be sharp and ruthless.
-- Don Mattingly, passed over for the Yankee job, may hang out with Torre in LA. Donnie Baseball in Dodger Blue... strange days, indeed.
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yeah, if Torre comes to the Dodgers then most likely so will Mattingly.... strange indeed, but i like it
it also wouldn't hurt if he can bring A-Rod :P
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If/when Torre/Mattingly invade Chavez Ravine then the rookie/veteran rift will be sealed in a way that will favor the older, established players. Juan Pierre and Jeff Kent can breathe more easily now.
I'd hate to be a Dodger fan right now... On the other hand, they ARE clear front runners in the chase to sign A-Rod. Dodgers and Angels. Is the stadium in Anaheim a better home run park than Dodger Stadium? Boras had better have the answer. Or is the question irrelevant? I guess so long as there's a nutty GM out there who would pay him $30-35 million a year. I wonder what Boras's take is...
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don't know which is the better HR park but i think he'd have a better chance of reaching the world series in Anahiem
...A-Rod in the line-up with Vlad Guerrero :O
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Angels owner Artie Moreno has also said in the past that he's not afraid to spend the bucks to win a championship. Perhaps their new GM will be able to work out a megadeal with Scott Boras -- co-ownership deal, no doubt.
Angels Stadium is, to my knowledge, not a pitchers park, unlike Dodger Stadium. A-Rod had best stay away from AT&T Park in SF and hope that the Cubs get their ownership issues settled. Wrigley Field is the place to be if he wants to reach 800 jacks!
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New ESPN poll answers: http://tinyurl.com/27ehhg
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^ lol at number 3
it looks like Torre signed with the Dodgers
finally some good news coming out of L.A. :roll:
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it looks like Torre signed with the Dodgers
finally some good news coming out of L.A. :roll:
Good luck to Torre and the Dodgers. They'll need it.
Seems to me that LA's problem wasn't its manager, but upper management that didn't want to field a team of younger players from its farm system. I'm not sure Torre will be supportive of the kids; he'd rather play the older, "proven" vets.
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http://gowanusbaseball.blogspot.com/2007/10/i-do-not-think-it-means-what-you-think.html
Did anyone else catch this story? I guess you don't figure baseball owners to be up to snuff with their critical baseball analysis, settling for rich cheerleader status...
But sheesh, yeah the Rockies woulda won six out of ten if they extended the series to Thanksgiving. Siddown and shaddap! And spend some more money on your team.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3106745
Boston's Dustin Pedroia won ROY in the American League and Ryan Braun narrowly edged out Troy Tulowitzki in the National League balloting.
You never know but I'm getting a 1978 N.L. vibe here when Ozzie Smith finished behind Bob Horner in the balloting. Smith became "The Wizard," had a Hall of Fame career and a postseason hero. Horner... well he hit four home runs in a single game, a long time ago...
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Welcome back to the Yankees, A-Rod. Good job sticking it to Boras and making him look bad.
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Remarkable if true. A-Rod woulda made New York happier if he stood up for Joe Torre: "He goes, I go!"
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This story is truly gaining steam: an agreement might be reached within... a few days?!
Hank Steinbrenner is spinning: he came to US!
The figures being bantered about show figures wa~ay short of what Boras wanted: less than $30 million per season. Still it would be another record contract, Yankees save face AND a subpar performer at a corner position for '08.
I guess this also means that Yanks don't get the subsidy from the Rangers but ahh they can afford the full amount. And all this will converge very nicely, if it all falls into place, if/when Rodriguez is announced as the A.L. MVP next Monday.
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3112487
Well, this could be a stumbling block for Bonds in his quest to DH his way to 800 career home runs.
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http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=679
Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus chimes in...
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Bonds is screwed now. He's not getting out of this one.
I'm not surprised A-Rod stayed with the Yankees. It's the best fit for him.
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yeah, they've had enough dirt on Barroids for a while now. it was just a matter of time
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I feel the same way Dan Le Batard does: steroids is THE most overblown story in all the years that I've been a fan of MLB. I just can't get myself worked up in a frenzy about the U.S. government spending over four (4) years and millions of dollars in order to get a guy in jail whose job is basically to hit a round ball with a stick.
Yeah Bonds has no business telling lies to federal attorneys but jeez, can't we go after REAL criminals, instead of bloated ballplayers and Martha Stewart?
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Roids or no roids. It's a race issue, why ain't they chasing after McGwire? Giambi? Cuz Bonds ALLEGEDLY used beef roids and has beefs with the media.
LMAO @ Warren Buffett advised Alex Rodriguez to approach the New York Yankees and go around agent Scott Boras, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
I'm kinda surprised they've kept their core together. Posada and Rivera signing (possibly) - the only guy leaving would be Petitte and Torre.
Overall, great season...I loved the Rockies going nonstop into the World Series. Momentum can be such a bitch. Kaz Matsui getting new life. When's that Japan All-Stars thing go?
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http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=681
Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus states the obvious.
Amazingly, objective player analysis by beat writers has not changed AT ALL in the last twenty years, when the likes of Bill James changed the world forever.
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http://tinyurl.com/29zyep
Torii Hunter signed with the Angels, a team that now has six outfielders vying for starting jobs. Amazing!
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White Sox fans are pissed because they wanted Hunter but the Sox were never going to give him anything close to what the Angels did.
It seems the Twins might be looking to trade Johan Santana. I wish the Cubs would trade for him but it's not going to happen.
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Why in hell is Johan Santana on the trading block?? Red Sox, Yanks, MEts, EVERYONE is making these wack packages to get em.
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With revenue sharing, a billionaire owner and a stadium paid for with taxpayer funds, I think the Twins could afford to sign Johan for the same deal that the Giants gave Barry Zito.
Will they? No way in HELL! Sorry Twins fans: Torii Hunter was right. They don't give a shit about you.
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*sigh* Whatcha doing to us Billy Beane? The Devil Rays ERRRRRRRRRR!!! Tampa Bay Rays moves are interesting. Troy Percival? Dealing Delmon Young?
Migguel Cabrerra is moving too? I like the Torrii Hunter deal. I heard him on Jim Rome this morning and he's just what the Angels need. A franchise character player. Not robots. A-Rod woulda been a bad choice in red and white and yellow.
Ah, Winter Meetings.
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Ah, Winter Meetings.
Johan Santana trade talks might get resolved today! What a story it'll be if the Red Sox pull a fast one on the Yanks!
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From ESPN.com:
The Tigers and Marlins have agreed in principle to a monster trade -- Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for Andrew Miller, Cameron Maybin, Mike Rabelo and three minor league pitchers.
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That trade was just SICK for Detroit. ... but Florida always knows what they're doing. but shit they got jacked big time!! Good for Dontrelle Willis, hope he gets a clean start.
WTF. Steinbrenner Junior saying Yanks are out of the Johan sweepstakes. Wonder what the Cubs think with Boston going nonstop towards title #3.
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That trade was just SICK for Detroit. ...
I agree totally. Detroit fans should be pleased that the teams gives a shit about winning, unlike the cheapskates in Miami, who feel it necessary to decrease payroll, collect big revenue sharing buck$ and insist that on taxpayer money to fund a new stadium from which they'll be receiving the profits from.
Seems like A-Rod will be making more in one year than the entire 25-man roster of the Marlins...
Joe Sheehan breaks down the Dodgers' signing of Andruw Jones:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6977&mode=print&nocache=1196967097
I especially liked this bit: The Dodgers have an opportunity to show just how well they understand sunk costs by relegating Pierre to a fourth outfielder’s role, to which he’d be reasonably suited. It would also give us a chance to test the whole “character” framework, to see if the fourth-best outfielder on the roster is able to accept that he, in fact, is that, and sublimate his desire to play more for the good of the team. That’s leadership, right?
The Pierre signing was a disaster for LA, one of the reasons for their slide down the NL West and a big part of the "kids vs. veterans" debate that blew up after the end of the regular season. I wonder how Joe Torre will handle this? He kept Bernie Williams in a starting role for way too long; will he do the same with Pierre?
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The Brewers signed Eric Gagne for 1 year @ $10 million. Talk about desperate.
I keep hearing that the Cubs want to sign Kosuke Fukudome. All I know about him is that he's an outfielder and he bats left-handed. If they get him, I hope he'll be better than Jacque Jones.
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Good luck to Gagne and his return to the National League. Perhaps he can recover from his Boston nightmare but I doubt it.
Fukudome is officially a free agent and will offer his services to the MLB team of his choice. I remember he was slumping in the World Baseball Classic but came back to hit a clutch homer against Korea in the semi-final game.
Interesting that the Yanks are floating Matsui's name on the trade market. The outfielder has a no-trade clause but I'm not sure if it's full or only partial. I doubt he'd accept a trade to a smaller market.
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I think Fukudome can put better number than Matsui. Besides he is excellent at defense.
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Cubbie fans can celebrate having a player with a .350+ OBP at the top of the order!
And they can start by pronouncing his name correctly: http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/story/2007/12/12/52731/507
I wish broadcasters would get to work on: TAH-KAHsh SIGH-toe.
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Aaron Rowand signed with the Giants today: five years, $60-something million. Pretty risky move but I guess the Giants are so desperate. They shoulda resigned Barry~!
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how much is fukudome signed for?
who else is coming from asia?
all i heard was this fukudome dude
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AP reported Fukudome signed for four (4) years, $48 million. Hope Alfonso lets him bat leadoff.
Tadahito signed with the Padres as a free agent.
I thought I read a pitcher named Hiroki Kuroda was signing with the Dodgers for three years but that was premature and he is still weighing his options.
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ahh i see, good stuff
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The Mitchell Report will be released in a few hours. Anyone here give a shit?
I'm not sure I do.
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SI spills more names: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/baseball/mlb/12/13/mitchell.news/index.html
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Here's the PDF: http://assets.espn.go.com/media/pdf/071213/mitchell_report.pdf
Wow. So that's what a big league player's personal checks look like.
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Senator Mitchell had a line about "the children." What bullshit. Politicians never die, they keep on spouting cliches.
List of the players mentioned in The Report:
Marvin Bernard
Barry Bonds
Bobby Estalella
Jason Giambi
Jeremy Giambi
Benito Santiago
Gary Sheffield
Randy Verlarde
Lenny Dykstrka
David Segui
Larry Bigbie
Brian Roberts
Jack Cust
Tim Laker
Todd Hundley
Hal Morris
Mark Carreon
Matt Franco
Rondell White
Roger Clemens
Andy Pettitte
Chuck Knoblauch
Jason Grimsley
Greg Zaunn
David Justice
F.P. Santangelo
Glenallen Hill
Mo Vaughn
Denny Neagle
Ron Villone
Ryan Franklin
Chris Donnels
Todd Williams
Phil Hiatt
Todd Pratt
Kevin Young
Mike Lansing
Cody McKay
Kent Merker
Adam Piatt
Miguel Tejada
Jason Christansen
Mike Stanton
Stephen Randolph
Jerry Hariston Jr.
Paul Lo Duca
Adam Riggs
Bart Miadich
Fernando Vina
Kevin Brown
Eric Gagne
Mike Bell
Matt Herges
Gary Bennett Jr.
Jim Parque
Brendan Donnelly
Chad Allen
Jeff Williams
Howie Clark
Nook Logan
Rick Ankiel
Paul Byrd
Jay Gibbons
Troy Glaus
Jose Guillen
Gary Matthews, Jr.
Jose Canseco
Jason Grimsley
Darren Holmes
John Rocker
Scott Schoenweis
Ismael Valdez
Matt Williams
Steve Woodard
David Bell
Happy holidays!
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It seems that if it's a player you've heard of, they're probably on the list.
I never got into baseball since the player's strike kept the Blue Jays from getting a three-peat. This certainly doesn't make me regret that.
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ESPN breaks down the player listing in a more coherent fashion: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3153646
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Whoa, Eric Gagne? I like how Mitchell listed a ton of Yankees. Mo Vaughn, pssh. Brian Roberts.
I wonder why Roger Clemens has people shocked and awed. Canseco outed him in his book too.
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who else is coming from asia?
all i heard was this fukudome dude
Quite many.
Yabuta to KC.
Kobayashi to Cleveland
These two are decided.
Kuroda
Fukumori
Maekawa
Takatsu
are coming.
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Whoa, Eric Gagne? I like how Mitchell listed a ton of Yankees. Mo Vaughn, pssh. Brian Roberts.
I wonder why Roger Clemens has people shocked and awed. Canseco outed him in his book too.
Probably because even people who don't follow baseball recognize the name. ;)
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None of the names on the Mitchell report surprised me.
The Cubbies got Fukudome. :heart:
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Fuckin Fukudome??? FUCK! Lou Pinnella has a whole arsenal of hurlers now! Gooch is going to the Phillies now too.
Rocket Roger speaks up. The 60 Minutes interview should be interesting
[youtube=425,350]gljO6s2lXzM[/youtube]
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http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=720
Gary Huckabay of Baseball Prospectus blasts the scheduled steroid hearings in Congress. I completely agree.
Enough steroid crap already. About six weeks until pitchers and catchers report!
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Baseball HOF: Goose Gossage gets in with 86 percent of the vote. Jim Rice misses with 72.2 (75 percent required).
I woulda voted for Goose, Bert Blylveven, Tim Raines, maybe Alan Trammell... NOT for Rice, Dawson or Lee Smith.
BBWAA members are strange animals.
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I woulda voted for Harold Baines!! DH LEGEND!!
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Via Deadspin: Johan traded to the New York Mets! (http://usatoday.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?action=cpt&title=Twins+agree+to+deal+Santana+to+Mets+for+prospects+-+USATODAY.com&expire=&urlID=26172139&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fsports%2Fbaseball%2F2008-01-29-twins-mets-santana_N.htm&partnerID=1662)
I await final confirmation later this evening.
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Report from the completed New York Mets/Johan Santana negotiations just completed:
The deal bumps this season's salary to approximately $20 million and adds six guaranteed years at $22-23 million.
Damn!! Wonder if the Shea boobirds will fly if he falters a bit in April and May?
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If Santana can stay healthy, it's a good deal for the Mets. It's going to cost them but they need pitching.
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http://tinyurl.com/37869a
Jon Weisman of "Dodger Thoughts" has four things in MLB he'd like to keep and four he'd like to ditch.
I'm in total agreement with starting postseason games earlier and ditching interleague games in the regular season.
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LMAO! Martinez and Juan Marichal put chickens into the ring at a Dominican cockfight (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AqoheSoD2oLWrgHWIdeChx0RvLYF?slug=ap-mets-martinez-cockfighting&prov=ap&type=lgns).
Wonder what Jim Rome is saying about his COCK Fights Across America!
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Any L.A. Dodger fans here?
I am very curious as to your views on the prospects of Juan Pierre being one of the three best outfielders on the team. Nothing is certain at the moment but Joe Torre favors the veterans and it is probable that Pierre will get the starting nod in LF.
This will hurt the Dodgers in '08 and the team should change Pierre's role to a utility one. This seems to the kind of classic sports argument that divides "traditional" sportswriters/columnists (i.e. screaming heads on ESPN) and the new generation of smart-alecky bloggers (the Rob Neyer/Ken Tremendous generation).
I've been a fan of MLB forever and I'm on the side of the nerds. This issue will drag on and on, and possibly distract what is a historic season for the Dodgers, its 50th in the the City of Angels (NOT Anaheim, btw).
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i sorta like em now since they got joe torre and a couple of new guys in the dodge
alyssa milano as a fan is a + as well :lol:
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Catfish Stew, an Oakland Athletics blog, pointed out that the new stadium design has:
1) a clear roof, and
2) no bullpens
http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/oak/images/ballpark/new/water_color1.jpg
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damn missed the draft
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^ LMAO me too. How many players we got? Oh hmm...
2008 MLB SEASON STARTS IN 3 HOURS!!
(http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/6046/hanhdttskssi2005ssannevho3.jpg)
Who is your pick to win it all?
One team. NAME IT!!
Shit...I think I'm gonna pick.........................THE METS!!
Vegas picks Boston naturally: http://www.docsports.com/world-series-odds.html
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wtf boston again...hell no
I'm picking...THE JAYS!!!!! REPEAT 94' PLX!!!
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Who is your pick to win it all?
One team. NAME IT!!
Hmmm.
I say: Cleveland Indians.
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Boston vs. Oakland live in Tokyo, ESPN 2!
I think I'll watch an inning and then I gots to go sleepu...
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POW! Mark Ellis clobbers one to left-center off Matsuzaka. 1-0, A's.
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BB and now HBP.
What's with Matsuzaka?!!
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Wild pitch! Second and third, only one out.
What a "homecoming."
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Another walk! Bases loaded.
Dink hit to the left of the mound. Matsuzaka got off the mound quickly and was able to get the runner at first. 2-0 A's. Two out.
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Swinging strike three. Gads, that inning took forever!
Oyasumi!
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I'm still tripping out that Joe Torre has named Andre Ethier and NOT the celebrated Juan Pierre to start the '08 season as the Dodgers' LF. Torre already had a Tony Womack in The Bronx and I was almost certain that he'd embrace another one in Chavez Ravine.
We'll see how Pierre accepts his new role on the team. MY guess is that he doesn't take it as well as Brandon Inge.
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I'm still tripping out that Joe Torre has named Andre Ethier and NOT the celebrated Juan Pierre to start the '08 season as the Dodgers' LF.
Whoops, not so fast! (http://www.beloblog.com/Pe_Blogs/prosports/2008/04/pierre-to-play-more-for-dodger.html)
Despite Juan Pierre going 0 for 4 with four flyouts, Joe Torre liked the plate appearances and will start Pierre against Dan Haren tomorrow in the Diamondbacks' home opener. "He had pretty good at-bats," Torre said.
Ugh. Viva la Veterans! (especially the high-priced ones...)
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Jays swept BoSox :muffin:
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Do the World Champs play the Tigers in their home opener? Might be an even matchup for both teams, being that Boston is jetlagged to the max and Detroit's still winless on the season.
Rays took two outta three in The Bronx -- I'm waiting for the next flareup of tempers between those two teams!
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I'm shocked by the Tigers poor start this season. It's early and everything but they're playing like a last place team.
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Yup, Detroit gave up a LOT to get Cabrerra/Willis and win NOW, selling a lotta season tickets in the process.
David Pinto at "Baseball Musings" broke down the math:
At 0-7, it's time to seriously reconsider the notion that the Tigers are a playoff caliber team. A 90 win team has a .555 winning percentage. The chance of a .555 team going 0-7 is .0035, or 0.35%. In other words, playoff teams tend not to lose seven games in a row.
They're not barely over two runs per game, having scored 15 on the year. It's tough to blame this on the absence of Granderson, since Inge has hit well in his stead.
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The Cardinals are off to a nice start but will their starting pitching hold up? Not likely.
Alfonso Soriano is hurt. :cry:
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Dang, Soriano looks as if he hurt the same leg from last year. Except last year it was running the bases. THIS year he was catching what looked to be a routine fly ball. Ugh.
I'm sure everybody has noticed that David Ortiz has kinda-sorta bumped his average some ever since they dug up his jersey from the concrete of the NEW New Yankee Stadium.
I read someplace that there have been almost 10,000 unsolved murders in New York but the buried Sox jersey just HAD to be dealt with immediately.
PPPrrrffffftttt . . .
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John Smoltz got his 3,000th strikeout on Tuesday. The Cubs won their 10,000th game yesterday.
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OT: anyone following the "Mainstream Media vs. Bloggers" battle on the HBO "Costas Now" program? I'm tempted to watch but not sure I can stomach the spectacle of Will Leitch getting yelled at by someone (Buzz Bissinger) with no manners. Also it appeared that Bob Costas, already on the record as anti-blog, took more subtle jabs at Leitch.
This shit NEVER ends, y'know. The battle between old and new. Wasn't Elvis supposed to drag western civilization into the mud? Or was that Jimi Hendrix, the newest "sex tape" victim? (prolly a hoax but what the hell!) Shouldn't Al Gore come in and mediate this fracas?
And how come the print media vs. online bloggers battle is sports related? Oh yeah it's Bob Costas but his "Later" interview program from the 80s wasn't limited to sports...
Blah, blah, blah....
/rant
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Greg Maddux got his 350th win tonight in San Diego, the 9th pitcher in MLB history to do so. I think only Warren Spahn, Rocket and the Mad Dog pitched after WWII.
6 IP, 0 ER, 60-something pitches. Amazing career.
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ESPN.com posted a story about Japanese baseball and, in particular, Yu Darvish (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=darvish).
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Oshit. Daisuki Pt 2, eh?? Is it possible.
Congrats to Maddux and Smotlz!! Too bad Glavine will never hit that mark, he's still rocking it in Atlanta?
The Rays have gotta be the WTF story of the month. Contenders? We'll see but still, lots of weapons now. To think they were gonna sign Bonds.
I'm STILL ROFLing over A-Rod passing out at the birth of his baby. Oh the stories from the Bronx XD
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How bout Manny being Manny?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=dBWsyqne9JE
Interleague weekend went well for the Yanks. BLOW OUT!! Good thing A-Rod's coming back, that gold thong Giambi been passing around ain't working
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Yankees Suck! I was at the yankees-mets game on sunday and it was INTENSE. Yanks fans leaving in droves from their own stadium. I saw soooo many people get kicked out after starting shouting matches in the stands. Good thing I'm a Mets fan!
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Yanks fans leaving in droves from their own stadium. I saw soooo many people get kicked out after starting shouting matches in the stands. Good thing I'm a Mets fan!
Dang... You Tube is full of fight videos at Yankee Stadium. Just the thing you pay $30-$50 to see...
From a historical perspective, the Yanks have had complete collapses such as this: A.L. pennant one year, second division the next. Of course this was in the mid-sixties, way before the Steinbrenner regime, a varied media mix ("Buzz vs. the Blogs!"), and a $200 million-plus payroll. In this atmosphere, the Yanks can never undergo a "rebuilding" phase. In a new stadium?!!
Contrasted with the Red Sox in first place, Jon Lester's amazing no-hitter last night (wasn't he part of a bundle offered to the Twins for Johan?) and the TAMPA BAY RAYS, period... what's a Yankee fan to do?
Ride it out, I say. Give them the benefit of the doubt. At least they're not what the Tigers have become.
_______
On ESPN last week, there was an online poll for the week's Web Gems. Manny's high five in the Camden Yards outfield was #1, followed by Asdrubal Cabrerra's UNASSISTED triple play.
Huh? I think there have been less than twenty of them all-in-one triple plays in the history of friggin' baseball. I don't think high fives with the fans is an official stat but I guess that speaks for ESPN Nation more than anything.
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Filled out another ESPN Sportsnation poll (http://proxy.espn.go.com/chat/sportsnation/polling?event_id=3489&action=1&question26559=105436&question26560=105441&question26561=105442&question26562=105446&question26563=105469&question26564=105448&question26565=105449&question26566=105472&question26567=105451&question26568=105452&question26569=105519&question26570=105498&question26571=105521&question26572=105456&question26573=105501&question26574=105458&question26575=105459&question26576=105482&question26577=105527&question26578=105484&question26579=105485&question26580=105486&question26581=105465&question26582=105488&question26583=105511), for all the good it will do...
This one was on current players and their chances for the Hall of Fame.
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That's a tough poll. HOF is about stats? Championships? Character? All of the above?
Pedro Martinez shoulda got more votes, fuck Jeff Kent tho I think he has the 2B records. Pujos hmmm. What about him? Here he takes out San Diego singlehandedly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD0CadQPjHU
JUNIOR!! One away from 600!! Griffey is going in for sure.
(http://www.imgur.com/files/080601/16.braves_reds_baseball_csb101.jpg)(http://www.imgur.com/files/080601/0.braves_reds_baseball_csb103.jpg)
Somewhere, Thimmy is getting excited :)
This story is hilarious. The indie league team from Calgary traded a player for bats
http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=70961
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Baseball HOF is more screwed up than basketball or football. Internal politicking and mainstream media sportswriters with holier-than-thou hypocracy have made the institution irrelevant and a bore.
Evaluating talent in MLB is a diverse science but not that difficult to grasp. Unfortunately the people in charge still use antiquated methods (i.e. 1950s methodology) of deciding who merits inclusion in the hallowed hall. They're fuckin' idiots.
Kudos to Junior. Too bad he couldn't have cranked #600 this weekend in Cincy.
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I read on Deadspin just now that Barry Zito of the Giants won his second game of the season on Sunday against the D.C. Nats. What's kinda embarassing is that I totally missed Zito's FIRST win -- I had to lookitup.
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Bull Durham, perhaps the greatest SPORTS movie of all time, is now 20 years old. It's still entertaining and relevant today, a testament to its awesome script by director Ron Shelton.
ESPN The Magazine (http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/package?id=3433555) interviewed some of the major players and looked back on this great movie.
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Willie Randolph got fired as manager of the NY Mets over night. Crazy days to follow!
Buster Olney takes apart the Mets' front office (http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3448037&name=olney_buster&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3448037%26name%3dolney_buster). Whatta mess!
If there are any fans of the Mets here, you have my sympathies. Even the Yanks, with Hank Steinbrenner and all, look like the classier act in New York.
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Kansas City-based reporter and blogger extraordinaire Joe Posnanski makes the case for the Royals to sign Barry Bonds (http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/06/26/ok-im-convinced-kc-should-sign-barry/).
I especially love this bit in his concluding paragraph: Baseball has kicked the Royals in the teeth for about 20 years now. I would sign Barry Bonds. I would kick back.
However, it will NEVER happen...
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The Brewers made a trade with the Indians for pitcher CC Sabathia. This helps them tremendously. You have to wonder how CC will do now that he has to hit and run the bases.
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Didn't CC hit that tape-measure shot in Dodger Stadium a week or so ago? Him and King Felix hit the most unlikely dingers in interleague play...
Is there another big name trade on the horizon before the July 31 deadline? Sure makes things less interesting now that Sabathia has been dealt so quickly. I feel bad for Cleveland fans.
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The Cubbies answer back! Big trade with the Athletics.
Cubs get: Rich Harden, Chad Gaudin
A's get: Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, Josh Donaldson
Hope Harden can stay healthy for the rest of the year.
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Mariners release Richie Sexson, ending that particular nightmare.
I feel sorry for Mariners fans -- they deserved a whole lot better in '08. Free Ichiro!
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Will Carroll says it all about grumpy old farts who don't/can't adapt to modern ways (http://thejuice.baseballtoaster.com/archives/1056732.html).
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The Cubbies answer back! Big trade with the Athletics.
Cubs get: Rich Harden, Chad Gaudin
A's get: Sean Gallagher, Eric Patterson, Matt Murton, Josh Donaldson
So far this has been a good trade for the Cubs. Now they just need Soriano back.
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I'm digging this race in the N.L. Central. Brewers thumping the Cards (GOOD for La Russa!) and catching up on Cubbies. Harden had a tough loss against the Unit (291 career wins and counting).
I can't believe Sidney Ponson is starting (and winning) with the Yanks.
And is anyone else upset that Barry Bonds isn't with a MLB club now? I sure am. I want to see him play again, the feelings and "morals" of sportswriters be damned!
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I should postwhore at least once a day here...
Anyone watch the "ESPY awards" program? I heard that in some inspirational category, Jon Lester lost out to the womans softball player who was carried around the bases.
Huh? Cancer survivor versus... being carried around the bases? I gotta get the exact name of whatever category the two were vying for. What kinda shit is that?
Carried around the bases...
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Random thoughts:
CC four (?!) straight complete games for the Brewers?! If this gets Milwaukee a winning round in the playoffs then all power to them. You can only save up for the future so much before you gotta spend on something!
Jorge Posada on the 15-day DL... No surgery for now -- season-ending knife work, that is. How do Yankee fans feel about the four-year deal now? Yeah he was being "rewarded" for past service but, ouch. I don't think he'd be of much value at first base (baseball is full of first basemen who can bash the ball). Can he fix his shoulder to the point of 60-70 percent of what it was? How good a throwing arm does a catcher need in the big leagues these days? Maybe a good one; SB percentages seem to be higher than in the 70s and 80s, at least for the league leaders.
Greg Maddux won #350 ages ago (May?) and hasn't won since. Time to leave San Diego, no matter how good a pitchers park Petco is! Shitty run support, shitty bullpen, worst team of a shitty division. Free Maddux!
Speaking of hall-of-fame pitchers... Randy Johnson won #291 this week. Is 300 on the horizon? Can he last into 2009?
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Yanks-Sox this weekend at Fenway. Is the hype dying down? You don't hear nothing about Cubs-Cardinals anymore or even Dodgers-Giants, a rivalry that used to be much, MUCH more fierce in both NY and Cali.
Yanks trade for Xavier Nady, whose OBA is in the .380s. Jeez, just sign BARRY BONDS (prorated for the major league minimum) already and you'll have an OBA .450 or higher!
Anyone see Ryan Braun's game-winning shot against the Cards yesterday? Two-run shot, top of the 9th. He knew it immediately and totally pimped his trot, something that offended Buck Showalter on ESPN. I kinda like it, myself...
Alyssa Milano (DOB: 19 December 1972, don't ask how/why I remember) said she's done with baseball players, saying that they're immature or something. It's been suggested by plenty people online that the hex was cast on a lot of players she dated, including Carl Pavano and Barry Zito. She's also been linked with Brad Penny, who ain't doing so hot this season (is he on the DL?).
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Sunday is Family Day for me so I don't watch much TV or spend a lotta time surfing the net for fun stuff. So I totally missed yesterday's Baseball Hall of Fame induction.
(http://img514.imageshack.us/img514/7430/1dd0e7ced1924bafb44d0e5dy7.th.jpg) (http://img514.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1dd0e7ced1924bafb44d0e5dy7.jpg)
Here are the two living inductees: pitcher Goose Gossage and manager Dick Williams. Gossage shoulda been in years ago but sportswriters (strange animals entrusted with this responsibility for generations) have a difficult time coming to a super consensus on things. Bert Blyleven and Ron Santo probably belong in the Hall too but baseball scribes will never be progressive/alternative thinkers of talent and history.
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I thought the mention of Kei Igawa's demise at Bronx Banter (http://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/archives/1072248.htm) a bit engaging:
After Carl Pavano, is it safe to say that Kei Igawa is the most fiscally irresponsible signing in Yankees’ history?
Brutal. If/when Igawa returns to Japan I wonder which team in NPB gives him a second chance?
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Interesting trivia bit this weekend:
Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler recorded six outs to set a major league record with 27 scoreless innings to begin his career. The 28-year-old right-hander, who began the season in the minors before being promoted to Oakland on May 30, gave up two singles in two innings against Texas but was otherwise flawless. Ziegler broke the previous mark of 25 innings set by Philadelphia Phillies right-hander George McQuillan in 1907. Ziegler's scoreless streak also is the third-longest by an Oakland reliever.
I LOVE it when ancient records like this get broken by today's players. They weren't ALL gods back in the days of sepia-toned photographs, when blacks were banned from competition and admired superstars were named "Christy."
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Dig this exchange in Friday's chat at Baseball Prospectus (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/chat/chat.php?chatId=499&mode=print&nocache=1217273753):
Joel (GA): Is Andruw Jones in Dodger blue in the running for "worst contract of all time" or is Barry Zito still head honcho?
Joe Sheehan: I'm pretty sure Mike Hampton is the leader in the clubhouse, and will be for some time.
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The Angels acquired Mark Teixeira from the Braves. Good trade from them. They already have the pitching but they needed another bat.
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Hmm... well Kotchman is certainly a CHEAPER option at first base for Atlanta. He certainly doesn't bring much OBP or SLG to the position. Dunno who the "prospect" is that the Angels gave up.
Looks like a really good deal for the Angels who could use a big bat in the postseason.
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Gotta love the trade deadline!
ESPN's "trade deadline blog" reported:
Posted by Buster Olney
With less than 24 hours before the trade deadline, the Red Sox are engaged in serious conversations to trade Manny Ramirez to the Florida Marlins, as well as other teams. If the Red Sox make a deal with the Marlins, it is likely they would kick in money to offset Ramirez's salary, and they would look for three young players in return -- perhaps outfielder Jeremy Hermida or outfielder Josh Willingham, plus pitchers.
DA~AMN!!
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Pudge Rodriguez to the Yanks for Kyle Farnsworth (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3511535).
Hmmm...... interesting deal.
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I really love baseball^^ Big Big Mets Fan
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I really love baseball^^ Big Big Mets Fan
Your Metropolitans SHOULD be in the hunt until the end. Delgado has his homer stroke back, just like he's back in the Skydome a decade ago. David Wright is only one of baseball's greatest players and Carlos Beltran is one of baseball's most underappreciated. There are question marks in the rotation (which Oliver Perez will show up and will Pedro ever be PEDRO again?) and bullpen (everybody except for Wagner). But Johan has done the job, no matter what his W-L mark is.
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Well, Delgado is hott!! and Beltran is weird this yr.., Pedro is having terrible yr.. with his personal situation :(, David Wright is the bomb, Ollie is locked in... ! keke John is the best!
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Junior Griffey to the White Sox (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3512365)??
The Pale Hole in need of another bat? Didn't expect this one.
MLB trade deadline goes down in less than five hours...
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Junior accepts the move; onto the comish's lair to sign off on the deal.
But where's he playing? I don't get it.
The Manny move still stuck in first gear, it seems. Come on Fish: make the move!
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BTW... I never expected the Cubs to kick ass in Miller Park the past few days.
Of course it's not close to being over yet but... damn...
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Now.. Bay to Jays?!? I think they are reporting now..
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BREAKING NEWS: Manny Ramirez to Dodgers, Bay to Red Sox!
Wow I thought i won't happen cuz deadline was done, but I guess not...
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Helluva day! Also note: LaRoche will start in Pittsburgh. Good for him; he wasn't getting much playing time in LA.
Man, I hope the Red Sox don't suffer that much of a falloff. I mean, Jason Bay is NOT Manny Ramirez.
Manny also moves to a pitchers park. I'm not sure how much more "inferior" NL pitching is...
Blah, blah... More to come.
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I see that Andy LaRoche is uniting his brother.. Adam LaRoche
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Just read that Livan Hernandez (the "innings eater" and eater of everything else judging from the size of his gut) was claimed off waivers by the Rockies.
Wasn't his ERA approaching 6.00? Hope that veteran experience helps in the fair air of Coors Field.
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It says something that "Dr. James Andrews" is just as recognizable in the sports nomenclature as "Brett Farve" or "Manny Ramirez.
Anyway how do Yankee fans feel about Joba now? Tendinitis? Is that "just" a strain or is there a tear someplace?
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Red Sox 19, Rangers 17 (http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280812102).
The highlights were fantastic!
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Right now the Yankees are EIGHT AND A HALF games behind the Tampa Rays.
You can name all the big-name stars on the team and then some. EIGHT-plus games out?!!
Damn... It's just not the same without the big, bad wolf of baseball chomping about.
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A-Rod was popping up and striking out with plenny runners on against Boston on Tuesday. The banter at Bronx Banter (http://bronxbanter.baseballtoaster.com/) is, once again, focused on A-Rod and why he's THE problem with the damn Yanks these days. Why, if he was slugging .675 like he's PAID to do, then the Bombers wouldn't be ten games out. Sheesh...
Huh? Pettitte got knocked around? Giambi's also choking in the clutch and in the field? Captain Clutch still has zero range to his left? Don't matter for shit: A-Rod is New York's fave punching bag. Again. And again.
Yankee fans: doesn't A-Rod bashing feel stale after awhile?
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Holy crappolee! Carl Pavano won his second straight start for the Bombers today, outdueling A.J. Burnett of the Blue Jays, 2-1. Mo got the save and I assume A-Rod must have choked with runners on once more.
Rough road trip for the Jays, who came up from St. Petersburg where the Rays gave the beatdown in probably the worst ballpark in the majors, in front of the smallest crowds (other than Miami).
Speaking of which, looks like they blew another save in Miami. Mets score 4 in the 9th and go up 5-2. Tampa is leading Baltimore 13-1 in the 7th and probably won't get a save opportunity tonight.
I was also following the battle of the Sox: Matsuzaka pitches eight innings of two hit ball, and only walks two! Pitch count was 105 and I thought he'd come out for the CG shutout but he was taken out anyway (Timlin pitched a scoreless ninth). Just as well -- they'll need him fresh down the stretch.
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Dang, CC throws a ONE-hitter against the Bucs! He likey the Senior Circuit (does anyone still call it that?). Pittsburgh's only "hit" was a dribbler that CC didn't field cleanly and the baserunner reached first safely. I read that Sabathia wouldn't have gotten the runner at first, even if he didn't flub the play. Looks like Milwaukee will contest the official scorer's ruling. When's the last time a no-hitter was determined after the game was over? Brewers remain in control of the N.L. Wild Card.
Tampa clobbers Baltimore in their dome again, making it crucial that they get home-field advantage for the playoffs.
Red Sox lose the final game of their series against the White Sox. Jim Thome hit career HR #536, tying him with Mickey Mantle. Twins leading the A's after 4 innings in Oakland. Still tight race in the A.L. Central.
Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee's competition for the A.L. Cy Young, threw 7 innings against the Yanks, allowed two runs, and won his 17th game. His career high is 22. Yanks are now 12 1/2 games behind Tampa, 7 behind Boston in the Wild Card.
Glad that Pedro won against the Marlins. Just brutal to see a great pitcher giving up gopher and gopher. He gave the Mets six innings and the bullpen shut the door in the last three frames.
Dang, the Angels have a single-digit (9) MAGIC NUMBER! In August! I wonder how much they'll rest K-Rod?
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Is it me or does this kind of stuff (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3571181) happen EVERY YEAR?
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Albert Pujols hit another homer yesterday, helping the Cards beat the Cubs by a run. He's played with a damaged elbow for about four years and still produces like clockwork, ala Henry Aaron. Or Stan Musial, the other great Cardinal. He's clearly the MVP in the National League.
Rays beat the Red Sox in a game that I really wish I watched live instead of via Flash updates on CBS Sportsline. Scott Kazmir shut down the Sox but his bullpen failed him in the 8th. Then River Dancer Papelbon blew HIS save opportunity in the top of the 9th. Sox had the tying run on 3rd when Troy Percival got the final out.
The Washington Nats beat the Phillies, losing ground to the Mets. The spoiler factor may come to rise again for this year's stretch drive. I'll never forget last year's Mets-Marlins finale. I wonder if the Bucs have any spark left to cause a little chaos?
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The Angels won their division and clinched a playoff spot yesterday.
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Mets are hot! Delgado bombs!
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Dodgers now 3.5 up on the stumbling D-Backs. Jeez, remember when we were ready to concede the N.L. West to the Snakes back in May?
Oh yeah the Mets are also up 3.5 on the Phils with 17 to play. Last year they were SEVEN games up with 17 to play. Any Flushing fans out there? Feeling better?
And to anyone who follows MLB: Albert Pujols is your N.L. MVP. Anyone who thinks C. Delgado is the leading candidate is delusional. He's likely the third-best player in the Mets' INFIELD. Also keep an eye on Lance Berkman.
Of course, Delgado is a more legitimate nominee than Francisco Rodriguez for MVP. Seriously, there are people who not only claim K-Rod is better than Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay but also Joe Mauer and Josh Hamilton and Ian Kinsler and Grady Sizemore. Come on, K-Rod has more BB in 60-something IP than Cliff Lee has in almost 200.
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Haha, I'm flushing.. even thought I don't live there anymore.. But I do live near Shea Stadium like 10 minutes from it...Dbacks just suks.. even thought they have haren and webb and johnson..
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Nice... Mets fan? Looking forward to Citi Field? I read that the Yankees are wrapping up some stadium sponsorship deal with Bank of America but I can't imagine that involves any sort of naming rights. Can you see "The Bank of America Yankee Stadium" on the marquee? Is the logo just going to be plastered all over the facade?
Being how streaky the Dodgers are, I can't imagine the Diamondbacks switching to panic mode. Yet. One LA columnist is ready to start printing playoff tickets but Joe Torre isn't that brash when the subject comes up. It ain't over yet!
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yeah.. I'm really looking for to Citi Field. And Bank of America Stadium??? eww... that suks.. At least Citi Field is much better (Citi Bank).
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Joe Sheehan at Baseball Prospectus breaks down K-Rod's season-o-saves:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8060
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I really want K-Rod to come to Mets!
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There will be a lot of pressure on the Mets' front office to sign K-Rod. However, I'm not sure it will be worth the inflated price.
Like the Sheehan article pointed out, there's nothing special about K-Rod's performance this season. I'm not sure the Mets should offer top dollar for his resume but they'll probably will.
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But, during Mets Pre game.. I heard from this guy from SI that its highly unlikely that K-Rod will sign with Mets cuz he asks for big money.. and mets need SPs..
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Mets seem to be sensitive to media criticism. Didn't the NY media basically can Willie Randolph?
If the Angels win it all then they'll give K-Rod his megabuck$. And then they'll have to decide who the other person they want to sign: CC or Tex.
K-Rod got #58 tonight (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=280913103) so now they can rest him more down the stretch run, unless they're hardup for home field throughout the A.L. playoffs.
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What a Sunday!
Doubleheaders galore, and a no-hitter by Carlos Zambrano (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=ArwxhRpVfXNg_YJjCulEbRk5nYcB?gid=280914118&prov=ap)! Tough game for the Astros.
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EPIC!!!! I was like n-n-no HE DIDN'T JUST DO THATTT is it the peanuts or the beer talking to me? Thanks WGN!
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Ned Yost canned as Brewers manager. That is one, nutty hospital.
And Ted Lilly is holding Houston hitless through... 5 1/3 innings. Poor Astros.
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Doubleheaders galore, and a no-hitter by Carlos Zambrano (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=ArwxhRpVfXNg_YJjCulEbRk5nYcB?gid=280914118&prov=ap)! Tough game for the Astros.
I watched the game. Zambrano was awesome.
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OT: what was worse, Big Z throwing 110 pitches coming off shoulder problems to get the glory of a CG no-hitter?
or
Tim Lincecum throwing 133 pitches in a nothing game to get the glory of a CG shutout?
Eric Karabell of ESPN.com gave the Cubbies hell for the former and Gary Huckabay at Baseball Prospectus (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1016) gave the Giants and Bruce Bochy hell for the latter.
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I think Tim Lincecum throwing over 130 pitchers was worse. I can understand Lou Piniella leaving in Zambrano to pursue the no-hitter. It doesn't happen often and it had been 36 years since a Cubs pitcher had thrown a no-hitter. Plus, Zambrano's pitch count didn't end up being that bad. Lincecum should have been taken out.
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The Tim Lincecum one!
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Mostly OT: this YouTube vid is all over the blogosphere and I'd like to share it here.
Hall-of-Famer George Brett talks about pooping his pants. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUYHNiycBNY
UPDATE: removed from You Tube due to... trouble.
http://overthetop.kansascity.com/?q=node/458
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The Cubs clinched the NL Central division and the Rays clinched a playoff spot over the weekend.
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Funny stuff about Tampa Bay having no candiates to throw out the first pitch at their first-ever postseason game. Geez, not even a filthy greaseball politician?
___________
http://www.thefightins.com/meechone/shane-victorino-and-julian-tavarez-exchange-words-benches-clear/
In other funny news, didja see this "altercation" between Shane Victorino (Maui No Ka Oi!) and Julian Tavarez? Bottom 8th, Victorino on third and certified looney tune Tavarez on the mound. Victorino is dancing off third and, instead of faking a throw to the bag, Tavarez actually steps off the mound and makes a RUN to the bag. We always see the fake-to-third, throw-to-first place so this is a new wrinkle.
After that Tavarez kept eyeing Maui Boy at third, who in turn began yapping at Koo-koo pitcher to PITCH, damn it! The Phillies were six runs down and I doubt Shane was aiming at a steal of home. Of COURSE Tavarez took it personally and the dugouts emptied. No swings, no punches landed, no hits... in other words, your typical baseball "fight."
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Via The Big Lead (http://thebiglead.com/?p=7894), The rundown on Derek Jeter's ladies (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=408856112&blogID=435753800).
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Sunday notes...
Brew Crew IN, Mets OUT. Shea way out! CC gets CG #10.
Mussina wins 20, might retire. Brightest spot for Yankee fans? That, and the oddball "Yankee Stadium Hit Record" that only could have been brought up in today's information/garbage stat era.
Yanks-BoSox split the doubleheader. Josh Beckett has an oblique strain?! Sweet.
ChiSox-Tigers makeup game today. Win or lose, Ozzie's gonna blow!
Tim Lincecum fans 13 in seven innings against LA. Is CC still in the NL Cy race? Rick Sutcliffe won it in '84 pitching two-thirds of the season for the Cubs. Anyway it's Johan against Lincecum. And BTW: it's Pujols as NL MVP.
They didn't mention it on ESPN but Big Unit Johnson pitched a CG and won career game #295. I figure he gets picked up by the D-Backs for PR purposes in '09, getting the hometown discount.
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Dat Rain gonna be over yet??? GO OZZIE!!
Fucking last time the Brew Crew was in the playoffs, Dr. J and Magic Johnson were battling for the NBA title lol
I can't believe I never heard anything about a Citi Field. G'bye Shea!!
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RAIN in Chicago?!! Imagine...
Oh well, extends the season even further. Stuck at work anyway so I'll follow the action at CBS Sportsline.
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Cubs lose! Cubs lose!
Ouch! I think the Angels can come back after THEIR Game One loss at home. But the Cubs... that one's gotta hurt.
And that Manny golf shot dinger was incredible to watch.
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Cubs swept by the Dodgers (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=281004119).
I have a friend who has been rooting for the Cubs since the early 80s. My thoughts go out to him in this time of grief.
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OUCH! And how they choked away Game 2.
My ChiSox-Cubs WS down the drain lol. I am damn proud of Junior (and I know our Junior is too) just even being in the post-season.
GO MANNY!! Ridiculous how LA's pitching is just coming together now.
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C'MON BIG PAPI!! End THEY MISERY!
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OSHIT BASES LOADED !!
The JPH!P Curse works XD
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NICE sweeps avoided. That was a hella entertaining game. ANGELS Squeak it out.
(http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/855/angelsredsoxbaseballbxfes1.jpg)
Dunno about the ChiSox coming back tho. Evan Longoria will smoke em out.
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Quoting this from the THIMMY thread, but posting it here:
(http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/584/tampabayrayhj5.th.jpg) (http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/584/tampabayrayhj5.jpg)
But great to see him in the post season! O0
Sunnovabitch I didn't even know that he'd left the Reds. :O
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DRAMA in the ALDS! Always fun to see more games.
Watched "Angels Live" post-game show on Fox Sports West and jeez, those Angels guys are annoying homers. Like a one-way college football mentality. One close win against the BoSox and we're on our way to the Promised Land. Siddown and shaddap!
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haha yeah JFC. For a bag of bats or something.
WHOA.. Vladdy Guerrero where the fuck you be!?!?
Indeed Sab. Best teams in the regular season BOOM. OUTTA HERE. Looking at the latest SI cover and it is just plain sad. Fucking cry like a hyena losers!!
WHATEVER it takes to win jaja
(http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/3905/aptopixangelsredsoxbaseks4.jpg)
I dunno...LCS time, hard to see LA or TB moving on....
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Got home around 5:35 PM, turned on the TV JUST in time to see...
The Sox pouring champagne on one another.
I was flipping between TBS, ESPN and Fox Sports West, where Angels analyst (and shameful homer) Rex Hudler was still spinning a baseball in his right hand like a pacifier. He was a LOT more quiet after "The Best Team In The Regular Season" got sent back home to Orange County. Hudler also kinda favored Tampa over the evil Sox and said well if the Angels can't be in the postseason anymore then, heck, let it be the DODGERS! (the team, BTW, that's really IN Los Angeles).
I left work around the time Torii Hunter hit the game-tying single in the 8th. Dang I totally missed out everything! Shoulda been extra innings again.
Routine win for Tampa. Everyone will be rested by the weekend. Hope it's a GREAT ALCS!
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Give it up for your 2007/2008 MLB Fantasy Champ!!! :cow: :muffin: :otomerika:
so uhhh did i win anything? :lol:
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Baseball Musings posted this great takedown of Angels pitcher John Lackey. Seems Lackey had a little too much cheese with that whine (http://defensive-indifference.com/2008/10/07/the-grapes-john-lackey-is-eating-are-very-sour-today/)...
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Go Rays!! lol...
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A TB newspaper is already laying the smackdown (http://deadspin.com/5060130/city-of-tampa-to-red-sox-bring-a-snorkel)! "Bring 'on the Sox!" a column said.
This from a place that sold out, what, five... ten home Rays games at "The Trop?" Jeez, ease up folks!
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Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus takes Tim McCarver to task for his criticism of Manny-Being-Manny (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/unfiltered/?p=1052) in Boston.
I REALLY wish some other network would outbid FOX for the postseason. I mean, jeez even the Super Bowl (an Event more important than Sunday mass) changed channels once in a while. I am soooo sick of Buck and McCarver! And simulcasting the crappy AM radio transmission doesn't help because TV is almost five seconds slower.
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One day, there will be people singing "Take Me Out to The Ball Game" in the 7th inning of postseason baseball games, instead of "God Bless America." That's a silly dream of mine, you know.
One day, my friends...
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Rays over Red Sox in 11 innings, 9-8! Sac fly by Upton!
Whatta game! And no "God Bless America" either! Kudos to that!
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SHOCKER!! :shocked: Just got to watching highlights now. Momentum has shifted for good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1PPmM9e1kQ
Joe Buck is a tool - he gets too opinionated on NFL broadcasts.
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I'm relieved that the Joe Buck late night variety/talk show never became reality. I will NOT be enjoying his (and Tim McCarver's) shtick during the World Series but that's the price I pay for being exclusively a MLB fan.
People I know into NASCAR say the FOX people on those telecasts are good. Why can't they get good, progressive people on national telecasts?
/rant . . . it's getting late, I better go sleepu
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IN. Credible. I am sick and tired of FOX's interviews during the game. Can we get the insight LATER? And stop showing me loser actors in the crowd.
AH HA HA !! You just DID NOT DO THAT Kuroda! Great stuff last game. Manny rushing out and helping unlike earlier this year in Boston.
(http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3720/mannysphilliesdodgersbaen2.jpg)
But fuck, what was Torres THINKING tonite...dropped the ball there with his relievers. I thought the Dodgers were gonna tie shit up.
Indeed...mo' has passed onto the Rays.
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Of COURSE it's Spam musubi. For some reason PETA is upset...
http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/10/shane_victorino.php
I wonder if Buck had to explain what the hell a musubi is.
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Dodgers are OUT! Phillies will represent the National League in the World Series. Shane Victorino is becoming quite the celebrity, even getting the attention locals in Hawaii for the SPAM musubi controversy:
http://www.starbulletin.com/news/hawaiinews/20081015_PETA_plays_hardball_with_Victorino_over_Spam.html
To quote Reggie Jackson, fans don't boo nobodies.
For S. Victorino to get the national spotlight is a helluva big deal. Hawaii should be proud, especially since making it big in Philly is just as hard as it is in New York, The Greatest City In The World (do they still say that on "Late Show with David Letterman?").
Not that this hasn't come about without careful cultivation of the landscape. From spring training Victorino went about a PR campaign to increase his brand name with Phillies fans, doing interviews and stuff. He was even miked for Game 5 of the NLCS, just like a friggin' "reality" show.
He's riding the wave of positive pub due to matching up with important sporting cliches and archetypes: gritty, scrappy, CLUTCH, playing The Game The Right Way, etc. He's overrated and underrated at the same time. Also he's not talking li'dat pidgin English on national TV. The SPAM connection is enough!
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FUCK! What a game (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap;_ylt=Amrfrcm5q1LuSrARt63RGSc5nYcB?gid=281016102)!
Twas getting rather boring in the 7th, the flaky bandwagon fans jumping off the Titanic. And then it happened.
Pedroia RBI single. Big Papi three-run bomb. J.D. Drew with a two-run homer in the 8th. And then CoCo Crisp, the most unlikely leadoff hitter of the series, fouls off several 3-2 fastballs off Dan Wheeler and finally lines a game-tying single to right.
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/3765/5be6fbe56622d8f31b09086vk7.jpg)
Feel bad for Longoria, whose throwing error in the 9th helped set up Drew's game winning hit in the 9th. Rays were tasting the bubbley but it just didn't work out. What a comeback for the Sox and I am excited that there will be baseball on TV this weekend!
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Al Daulerio of Deadspin (http://deadspin.com/5064868/okay-that-was-kind-of-insane-8+7-red-sox) phrased it well: The highlights won't do it justice. The Red Sox are just scary.
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(http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9806/mannyramirezqn8.jpg)
What Would Manny Say??
I'm at a lost of words at the potential CHOKE JOB the Rays are gonna pull off.
Huzzah for Baseball Game 7s on a Sunday nite!
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(http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/9518/c5c8acef4f9b4d7c9635c28ne1.jpg)
When Upton hit the homer off Beckett in the first, I thought, here we go! But the Rays bats suddenly went pffffttttt! and the score could easily have been 10-2 if not for a few clutch two-out popups by the Sox batters.
I'm really digging a 7th game (so is TBS, I guess, and they better not fuck up this time (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3650780)) cause that's what MLB needs, no matter what the "market" is. (BTW I'm reading reports that people at Dodger Stadium were VERY vicious and abusive towards visiting Phillie supporters; I'm surprised this isn't being reported more.)
Will TB's legacy be of classic chokers if they lose tomorrow night. Probably. I'm not sure it will stick for long, especially if they get into the postseason a few more times. And we're not far removed from the all-time gag job: 2004 NY Yankees. I still can't believe that actually happened (more than the K. Gibson walk off, TWENTY years ago this week).
[edit: noun added]
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David Price just struck out J.D. Drew with the bases loaded in the 8th. Inning over.
I think Tampa's going to the World Serious...
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Lowrie grounds to Iwamura at second, unassisted! Rays are the new champions of the American League!
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DONE AND DELIVERED!! RAYS IN!
My pants are all sweaty wet.
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(http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/5766/worldseriesmakestamahapas4.jpg)
BRING IT! What a game 1. LAY DOWN THE SMACK.
Who is your pick to win the 2008 World Series? I got the Rays. In 6. Phillies been resting over a week and rusty. NOT SO.
MVP Upton! Dude is slick...killer throw from CF to nail the runner at home plate.
Phils hung on tho. 3-2 final.
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D'oh! Missed the game cuz of the hockey game, GO RAYS!...and hey Brett Myers.
BOOM. OUTTA HERE.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p-Ee1hdKcc
Give it up for your 2007/2008 MLB Fantasy Champ!!! :cow: :muffin: :otomerika:
so uhhh did i win anything? :lol:
Take your pick of 2008 Masterpieces or 2006 Ovation.
(http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/8832/dsc04333cf6.th.jpg) (http://img505.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc04333cf6.jpg)
Dude at the card shop said I looked like Dice-K LMAO
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Good game, although there was that sense of inevitability regarding the Rays win. Myers did a helluva job completing seven innings. His pitch count was really low.
Looking forward to the nuts in Philly. WHY CAN'T US?!!
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That's some nice squeezing there. Rays ARE pretty deep. This thing looks to go the distance! Cole Hamels might get another start so who knows!
How about Taco Bell be picking signs last game!! Customers get 1 free taco this coming Tuesday from 2 to 6. MAKE A RUN FOR THE BORDER!
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(http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/6042/570d132ca25c496fb3a6d85dt0.jpg)
Damn, what a finish! Another CLOSE game and sloppy play set up the last runs for both the Rays and Phillies.
(http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2117/691bf4906832929a44a6cactl7.jpg)
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(http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8914/5bdefc3652c090099f752f7sg5.jpg)
POW! Phillies crush the Rays! Ryan Howard got his opposite field stroke back but who woulda thunk it: Joe Blanton goes yard!
(http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/1661/capt10179622c4d743d3971ms7.jpg)
The last time a pitcher homered in the World Series was 1974! For those of you scoring at home, that was: a LONG time ago.
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It is very reassuring to see replay after reply of a missed tag by Longoria's glove into Rollins ass cheeks. XD XD
DAMN!!
Rain delay suckaz. Just when the Rays started to put some hitting together.
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Sheeesh, first suspended game in World Series history -- maybe all of postseason history!
Talk about coitus interruptus. Now I gotta waaaaaait...
Advantage: Rays.
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The game starts again on Wed? Fuck is wrong! Men play in rain!
I just noticed "Official" is spelt wrong XD
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AMAZING FINISH!! So much chess moves chess moves.
Congrats to 2008 World Series Champs Phillies!
(http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/754/worldseriesraysphilliesye2.jpg)
Good for Brad Lidge. Boo to the Fox guy for bringing up the past. Rays sure poured it on, Rocko with the homer. DAMN. WOW...
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Congrats to the Phils and their fans!
I'm just glad the game was close to the very end! The Phillies came back with everything Tampa Bay could throw their way.
(http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/7268/ee4460ce4a6d498bb811263fu4.jpg)
The play by Chase Utley in the seventh was clutch. Bartlett on second, two out. Iwamura grounds up the middle. Utley ranges to his right, gloves the ball and pump fakes to first. Bartlett was running all the way, waved in by the third-base coach. Utley, still moving to his right near second base, threw on target home and nailed the potential go-ahead run for the third out of the inning. Philly retook the lead in the bottom of the inning and that was that.
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(http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/baseball/mlb/03/22/8great.pedroia/p1_pedroia.jpg)
NICE. Dustin pedroia wins the MVP. So size doesn't matter! And Pujos with the MVP, I thought Man Ram would get it, with the entire media on his fuckin dick.
Wonder what other big moves is gonna drop this off season?
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Post-season awards in MLB are still the most important in any pro sport in America. You can look it up.
I think most of them were "correct" this year. The Borda count (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borda_count) point system offers flexibililty and a better consencus choice. That is, if people take their second and third and fourth, etc. place votes seriously. Most of the time, they don't.
Some of the wackier selections:
Edinson Volquez of the Reds got three 2nd place votes for NL Rookie of the Year. Nice, except HE'S NOT A ROOKIE. Joba Chamberlain might have got jobbed for getting only one 3rd vote.
Brad Lidge got more votes for NL MVP (2) than NL Cy Young (0). Huh? Same for Francisco Rodriguez in the AL: Cy Young zero first, 7 2nd; MVP 1 first, 2 2nd (!), 3 3rd. Does anyone here really think K-Rod was more valuable in 2008 than, say, A-Rod? Or even Cliff Lee, who got only 24 points for MVP to K-Rod's 143.
Newpaper writers have been voting on this "official" award since... jeez, before World War I?! And they REALLY haven't changed all THAT much. Thank goodness we can get alternative viewpoints from the net.
p.s. Joe Mauer of the Twins gets MY AL MVP vote...
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(http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/8624/madduxsmallpp7.jpg)
Just a short blurb here, for the record, to acknowledge the retirement of Greg Maddux, one of the three or four greatest pitchers of our generation.
Pedro and Unit had great peak seasons, Clemens combined peak and longevity. Maddux was like Clemens in that he had great seasons (check out 1994-95) and longevity (EIGHTEEEN career Gold Gloves?!). He also had an amazing track record of durability, spending only a couple weeks on the DL in his career.
Yankee bloggers were babbling for weeks contemplating the Hall of Fame qualifications of Mike Mussina, twisting figures and stats. No problem with the Mad Dog: first ballot inductee.
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I postwhored on another board, saying that I'd prolly rate Clemens slightly higher than Maddux. I got a response, which might have been foreseen as a matter of course:
Before or after Clemens got juiced?
Anyone else tired of this shit?
Before, after... doesn't matter to me. I think it is impossible to objectively figure out how much of a difference it made to Rocket Clemens by poking a needle in his butt and injecting himself with wacko chemicals. I don't think about it much (e.g. I still acknowledge Barry Bonds as the career MLB leader in home runs hit).
Maddux has one more career win than Clemens. But that's hardly the difference maker. Clemens's career winning percentage is better, achieved with inferior teams than Maddux (whose Braves teams probably had better defensive support than that on the BoSox/Jays). Clemens also did almost everything in the American League, which clearly became the better arena of talent in the 90s.
Of course G. Maddux was an amazing pitcher -- his stats for 1994 and 1995 are just mind-boggling for any post-WWII pitcher. One thing he has over Clemens is durability. Someone said on TV that he spent only two weeks on the disabled list in his entire 23-season MLB career. Compare that with someone like A.J. Burnett who's shopping around for big free agent buck$ right now. I think Burnett has had two or three healthy seasons, period??
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Reports all over say CC Sabathia has knuckled under to inevitability and accepted a revised contract from the Bronx Bombers (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3759182): seven years, $160 million-jillion.
Best of luck to the Yanks and their fans, who are probably still have upset stomachs over not getting Johan Santana this time last year.
Mets fans should be relieved about getting The Closer for '09. Mets had 20-something blown saves this past season! K-Rod can't hurt, unless of course the predictions about his arm exploding on the mound come to fruition.
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OK so the winter meetings have come and gone. Where's Tex going?
Yankees REALLY should blow their wad on the first baseman but it appears they want Burnett, Lowe or both. Do they really think Nick Swisher is good enuff for first base?
Also read the Nats are offering eight years, $160 million. Orioles also in the mix (hometown team), although for less moolah. I would think the Angels need him more than the Yanks, or the Red Sox even. (Where does Lowell go if Tex signs with Boston?)
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A.J. Burnett: New York Yankees. (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3765754).
Five years, $82.5 million.
Carl Pavano revisited?!!
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^ Udderly ridiculous :cow: CC Sabathia + Burnett sure proved money talks. I thought CC would do the Dodgers and join Mannywood.
Mad props to Greg Maddux. He had the juice going down the stretch. Still the best baseball CM ever "Chicks Dig the Long Ball"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ltD21rYWVw
What's your take on Seattle Mariners hiring Don Wakamatsu as manager? Never heard of him? He had a decent pro career?
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Totally with you on the Maddux/Glavine commercial! Underrated and underappreciated.
Wakamatsu seems like a baseball lifer. And the kind of person whose first chance in The Show is inevitably a shitty one.
Uncertain how much he will contribute to a Seattle system that has totally tanked. I think the new GM will have more of his ideas implemented than the field manager; perhaps they can coordinate together.
In other news Mark Tex gets signed by the Yankees for a buncha years and a lotta-buncha-zillion buck$. No one thought the Nats or Baltimore Birds had any chance but once again the New England Sox were pickpocketed once again. And the RAGE from the Nation ensues once again. Rich kids whining, and your American League champions play in a shitty dome that's probably worse than the one they just blew up in Indy.
Still, it's baseball -- the only game I love. And last I heard they play the games for real in April.
I. Can't. Wait.
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^ At least World Classic is around the corner.
The Rich get Richer!! :banghead:
Who is gonna win the Man Ram Sweepstakes? Methinks LA will resign him, unless Arte Moreno pulls a fast one.
Fuck man, if I'm gonna go all out to see H&A in Seattle might as well pop by Safeco Field and see Wakamatsu and ICHIRO in action.
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John Smoltz is leaving the Braves for the Red Sox! (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jack_wilkinson/01/08/wilkinson.smoltz/)
Sad times!
The Red Sox are getting a good man, though.
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Chipper Jones was NOT pleased at all by this turn of events. However I don't think, at this juncture, that Atlanta could afford to guarantee $5 million to Smoltz.
Boston and Atlanta always play one another in interleague so it will be interesting if Smoltz makes an appearance in Turner Field wearing the new Red Sox grays.
BTW... the MLB Network debuted with a broadcast of Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Anyone know where I can snag a copy online?
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Does Smoltz even have any juice left? The Rich Get Richer fuck- Yanks dropping 800 million on 3 players alone :/
Wonder if we get MLB Network up here. I'd sure love to see Rickey weekend on MLB Network! How he upstaged Lou Brock LOL
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Big ups to Rickey Henderson for getting inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Rickey Henderson dashed into the Hall of Fame on his first try. Jim Rice made it with a final swing.
(http://i44.tinypic.com/29z1l6a.jpg)
"Today...I am the greatest!"
Henderson, who played 25 seasons, received 94.8% of the vote from the Baseball Writers' Assn. of America in balloting announced Monday, well above the 75% needed
Also going in in Jim Rice - never saw him play...but wow. got in on his final year on the ballot.
Why no Andre Dawson? Cuz he was gonna go in as a Montreal Expo?
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OK A-Rod was on the juice, according to SI: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/02/07/alex-rodriguez-steroids/
Whoopie-doo...
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And to see Bonds exiting a SUV. Great timing.
Didn't take Manny long to say no to a 1 year 25 mil - Dodgers are making a HUGE mistake
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Leave A-Rod alone, steroids aren't illegal!
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Joe Sheehan on the rampaging media and screaming skulls:
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8487
Sheehan's one of the best...
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i can't wait for New Mets Season!!
K-Rod!!
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HEY!! TIME to sign up for Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball!
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball: JPHiPLB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0LjnqtSPps
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb (http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb)
League ID: 174448
Password: rika
Using online live draft.
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A-Rod: TORN labrum in hip. Surgery, kaput for four months.
Damn...
***UPDATE***
No surgery for A-Rod now. He may yet play in the WBC. What the hell?!!
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lol.. he's psychin you guys out!
Edit: Signed up, Reinataculars I am!
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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Answer-Man-Shane-Victorino-talks-Maui-Oprah-p?urn=mlb,147622
Shane spouts off like a real big leaguer. No questions asked.
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Can't wait for the season to tip off. Heard Billy Bean interview on Jim Rome this morning and with like 5-7 million pieced in Giambi, Calberra, and guys here and there. Oakland might take it to the AL West. I like LA Angels new power line up, why not give Pedro a chance!
The wackest news I heard all off season was Robbie Alomar getting sued for having full blown AIDS (http://www.elnuevodia.com/diario/noticia/beisbol/deportes/demandan_a_alomar_por_exponer_al_vih/531060) which turned out to be FALSE.
DAMN! Heading to Seattle and LA. I gotta pick up some Griffey and Man-Ram goods.
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Remember the teenaged girl with the sidearm knuckler? She made her debut (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4020878)!
Oh, woe to be the guy who STRUCK OUT against Eri-chan! This game counted!
Plenty pics at Sankei Sports (http://www.sanspo.com/baseball/news/090327/bsr0903272126009-n1.htm).
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i remember her. she was hella cute during the press conference
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^ and check her delivery!! shit whatta way to hold the ball.
(http://www.imgur.com/files/090406/bsr0903272126009-p4.jpg) (http://imgur.com)
PLAY BALL!!!
(http://www.imgur.com/files/090406/r4185545098.jpg) (http://braves.com)
Derek Lowe fitting right in, beating the Champs 4-1.
2009 Season Start-O. Hope you got your fantasy team together. IT auto drafted :P
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Junior's return home and we get the W. AINT NO FUCKIN WIT THIS SHIT
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What a game in Seattle! Junior hits his 400th career dinger as a Mariner.
And then Ichiro got two hits in his first game back in the lineup, including career grand slam #4!
(http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/3507/9b5fc35ba43547fe8228508.jpg)
Seattle's NEVER trading Ichiro...
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MLB 2k9: This is Why You Suck (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIVUgW0t0o#lq-lq2-hq)
:D XD XD
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FWIW no I don't really care about this latest Manny crap. Nor do I endorse a lifetime ban for "PED" usage.
That is all.
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Manny being Tranny? I still wanna know if they sell his dreadlock hats.
Whatta play by the Met's Ryan Church. What's even worse is this youtube Dodger guy:
Dodgers vs Mets Ryan Church misses 3rd Base 5 Errors Gary Sheffield (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPaDhwY3ngU#ws-lq-lq2-hq-vhq-hd)
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Kobe at the Dodgers @ Angels game with his dad " JellyBean" Bryant on Father's Day
http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20386 (http://thelakersnation.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20386)
the debate is whether he is a dodger or angels fan.
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FOX game of the week here: Cubs at Dodgers. Was looking forward to the Red Sox-Yankees war at Fenway but I guess we get the West Coast feed. here.
2-0 LA, bottom 6th.
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GIGANTUS SOO YOUNG!!!! I love it <3
The black eyeshadow so smoky and sexy. And her short bob... :wub:
Loving her FLY EAGLES FLY dance to Sugar. She's considered like one of the top dancers in SNSD?
Here's a comparison with Ichiro - thanks zomb for the SooYoung cap.
(http://i32.tinypic.com/dnm2ht.jpg)(http://i29.tinypic.com/2pqlvlu.jpg)
I love Ichiro. Sooyoung bats like Ichiro. Thus, I love Sooyoung. And I love the Mariners
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(http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3124/capt0de1ae7ae96b4080966.jpg)
Eric Bruntlett of the Phillies pulled off an unassisted triple play to end Sunday's game against the Mets. There have been fewer of these plays than even perfect games by pitchers. Hope he saved the ball...
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Rockies coming on STRONG!! And the Dodgers thought they had it all wrapped up. Manny being Manny eh?
(http://i26.tinypic.com/52l8g7.jpg)
What I was most impressed was John Smoltz just tweaking his game, making the Red Sox Experience a distant memory! Whatta outing for 5 innings.
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:otomerika: IshiYoshi icons say: DODGERS RULE! :yossi:
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The icons? XD
SHIT BRAWL!! Jorge going bananas!!
COMPLETE Yankees Blue Jays Fight Sept 15 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAqi4MqoiHI#normal)
and don't get me started on Ichiro :bow:
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TOTALLY digging last night's walk-off homer against the Damn Yanks and the Mighty Mo (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090918&content_id=7034998&vkey=recap&fext=.jsp&c_id=sea):
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/9826/mla0909191347010p8.jpg)
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Helluva day to follow games today -- and stuck at work!
Twins come from behind vs Chisox in 5th, 5-4; Tigers holding 3-0 lead vs Tribe in 8th.
Zach Greinke got 5 runs of support in the 1st as he goes for win #15 vs Boston (he needs all the wins he can get in his bid to sway the luddite BBWAA and get the Cy Young award he clearly deserves.
Ichiro hit homer #11 in the Tampa crapperdome. Atlanta leading the Mets after 8.
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HAHAH! I sooooo wanna see Ichiro play in the flesh. Hope Griffey sticks around next season.
Stole this link from Sab's friends facebook comments. it was so surreal. 0:55 is about where it happens.
イチロー退場 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbeCmolnYf0#noexternalembed-ws-normal)
Of course!! it happened at Skydome. Who still wears yellow shades besides 80s Retro wannabes and construction workers! Fucking Ump in his face.
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Great stuff breaking down Ichiro's historic moment: http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/9/26/1056091/ichiro-ejection-coverage (http://www.lookoutlanding.com/2009/9/26/1056091/ichiro-ejection-coverage)
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Ichiro got ejected. What did he say to the ump? LOL
Ichiro's ejection 09/26/09 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOzp4R-2iO4#ws-normal)
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Mike Blowers Prediction Seattle Mariners."The Call Of The Year".09-29-2K9. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b494dinhd4Y#ws-normal)
Totally true story, the Internets makes it possible!
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After going to the game yesterday and watching my boys in blue lose 4-3. I turn on the TV today only to watch them win 5-0!
Excuse me while i go on a (gloating) rant...:
DODGERS WIN! DODGERS WIN!! DODGERS WIN!!!
ETHIER WITH THE GAME WINNING CATCH, BABY!
For the first time in over 30 years Dodgers are 2x NLCS WEST DIVISION CHAMPS!
WE GOT THE PENNANT! WE GOT IT! WE GOT IT!!! WE GOT IT!!!!
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That's cuz of sick play of chin lung hu!!
(http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/5505/capt3e7dd728ce814998bc7.jpg)
Jackie approves :lol:
(http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/2571/chanhu41208.jpg)
C'mon Twins! Pull that shit out :D
Griffey retires? I hope not.
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BARN BURNER!!!
(http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/9858/capt6807eacdced34887ae5.jpg)
As Ping puts it. Game #163 is worth it. 5-5 top of the 11th
GO TWINS!!!
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Tremendous game between the Twins and Tigers. I was stuck in the office from start to finish but got ahold of some streaming site showing the telecast via a Spanish (?) station. Some hiccups but better than reading text.
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7131/captd6c3893157ea4c99881.jpg)
That combined with two different live chats and I'm amazed I got ANY work done today. Gonna be rough on Wednesday when the ALDS games begin!
Tigers lost a seven-game lead in September... And what's with Miggy Cabrera and his POINT-TWO-SIX in the breathalyzer?! He'll be paying for that all winter long...
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don't forget his "dog" attacked him.
EPIC!! me and Ping were watching that and SHIT Detroit kept hanging around. Whatttta choke job. My fave part of cold Fall is here!! MLB PLAYOFFSS!!!
What's your picks? I love doing this.
ALDS
Red Sox vs Angels - Red Sox in 6
Twins vs Yankees - Yanks in 5
NLDS
Cards vs Dodgers - Dodgers in 4
Rockies vs Phillies - Rockies in 6
ALCS
Yankes vs Red Sox - Yankees in 7
NLCS
Dodgers vs Rockies - Rockies in 7
World Series
It'd be the feel good Giambi vs Old Club story!
Yankees vs Rockies - Rockies in 5
(http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/9236/capt26a918b50b68414d87e.jpg)
OH CHOKE!! :P
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well iam late on predicting but dai the first round is only 5 games lmao :lol: :lol:
you win the dodgers
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AWFUL fuckup by Nick "scrappy" Punto in the 8th inning of today's Twins-Yankees game. The tying run gets caught at third effin' base. OUCH!
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don't matter, my predictions all went kaputski XD
Nice Angels and Phillies move on. G'bye Cards.
(http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/598/captfcc2fc83c2524fc0b6a.jpg)
Ain't nuttin wrong with excessive celebration!
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I kinda like the wild champagne parties in the locker room after each round. For some reason, plenny people complain that it cheapens the act. However, the MLB postseason is the HARDEST to be a part of so I think the celebrations have merit.
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Sheesh that was quick top of the 6th. Hammels back to work.
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Close game. If it goes to the bullpen then the Dodgers are favored due to the deeper and more reliable arms.
Anticipating a Lidge vs. Manny showdown...
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GO PHILLIES!
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Lefty Loney lines a single to left. Tying run on.
And not #fisted.
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Belliard with a single to left. Two on, one out.
We got a LOTTA ballgame left!
Hammels OUT of the game! Wow...
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Chad Durbin in. Tying run in scoring position, one out in the bottom of the 6th. Russell Martin doubled earlier in the game...
Lined hard to right. Two out!
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Jim Thome up to pinch hit. He was in Philly for a few years.
J.A. Happ, a lefty will come in to pitch.
Sorry for the postwhoring but where else can I get my ratio up so quickly?
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Happ falls behind 3-1 to Thome...
Ball four, they're loaded up!
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Long delay getting a pinch runner for Thome. People questioning the stalling tactic. However pitchers and batters delay and control the tempo. Why not a manager?
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Happ falls behind 2-1 Dodgers best chance tonight to blow it open?
Furcal doesn't bite and it's a FULL COUNT!
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Ground ball by Furcal to Utley at second. Three outs. OUCH!
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Did I hear that Kuo had TWO (2) Tommy John surgeries?
He certainly leads Asia in that category...
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I always thought these converted switch-hitters do better from the right side. Yet, Rollins and Victorino only have one hit between them for the game.
Utley has 24 HBP during the season!
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Kuo finishes off Utley with high heat! Going to the bottom of the seventh!
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Sooooo glad there's no suffocating "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch to squeeze the excitement out of a ballgame.
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Leadoff double by Ethier to begin the 7th. Here comes the Philly bullpen trying to protect the one-run lead.
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It's Chan Ho Park, rocking the playoff beard!
Manny strolls to the plate. What a moment!
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Manny grounds out to third. Well, can't win 'em all!
Here's Kemp with two out...
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Park is throwing 96?!!
Full count to Matt Kemp... Another 96MPH heater and Kemp swings through the high fastball!
Two out.
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Casey Blake doesn't have good numbers with RISP. Swings at a breaking ball, 1-2.
Ground ball out to second. Utley lobbed it high but Howard snagged it. Still 5-4, Phillies.
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George Sherrill replaces Kuo. And he walks Howard!
Werth walks, still no outs! Sherrill looks wild.
Raul Ibanez hits a loooooong, high flyball... OUT! 8-4 Phils!
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That pitch was a fat, "breaking" pitch that didn't do much in the zone.
Rob Neyer's tweet says it all: George Sherrill sure picked a lousy time to remember that he's George Sherrill
Ruiz gets doubled off first on a flyball. But three-run dingers cover those boo-boos...
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Madson in to pitch for Philly. Lidge in the 9th?
Loney starts the 8th with a single to center. Three for four on the night.
Belliard singles up the middle, his second hit. Now Russell Martin and then the pitcher spot.
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Martin singles to left, Loney scores! Ball was thrown on the 3rd base side. 8-5.
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Juan Pierre pinch hitting... Awkward jam job by Pierre to the pitcher, who forces Martin out at 2nd. Now 1st and 3rd, one out.
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Now Furcal. Scott Eyre, a lefty, is in the Philly bullpen.
All the noisemaking cues from the PA in Dodger Stadium. Remember the WBC Final? Didn't need no help in the championship game: was noise from start to finish.
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Lidge up in the pen now!
Furcal flies out to Werth in right, sac fly. 8-6 ballgame.
Here comes Ethier... Base hit to right with Pierre running. Now first and third with two out.
And... Here. Comes. Manny.
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Manny swinging at heat! 1-2.
Late on the heat... Broken bat grounder to third. Madson gets out of the inning!
-
Now Broxton in the 9th. Rollins flies out to left, one down.
-
Victorino singles to left, just beyond short. I didn't think he had a chance against Broxton's heat. Now Utley...
-
Chase flies out to Pierre in left.
Ryan Howard is up. Power vs. power!
-
RT: Dear Dodger Stadium Fans, You're Only Down Two Runs and Brad Lidge Is In The Pen. No Reason To Vacate.
Howard swings and misses for strike three. Dunno if it'll be Lidge in the 9th...
-
It's Lidge! Kemp leads off.
Lined over short for a leadoff single!
-
Casey Blake is oh-for-the game. Lays off the sliders, 2-1.
Blake would be a good candidate for a GIDP...
The TBS radar shows "96" for Lidge. Believe or not?
Grounder to second, 4-6-3 DP. OUCH!
-
James Loney is the last gasp for LA. Slider in for strike one.
Foul left side for strike two. Loney fouls one off, stays alive.
Fastball high and inside, 1-2.
Lays off the slider, 2-2.
-
High and outside, ball three! Fans still perky.
Low and inside, ball four!
-
Belliard up, with two hits on the evening... Loney goes to second uncontested.
BIG swingandamiss, 1-1.
Popped up high... Rollins catches it. Phils steal game one and the home field advantage.
Final: 8-6.
-
Commentator Saburo, the whole game in 2 pages yay
-
BROTHER SAB!!!
13 Inning MADNESS. C'mon Ervin Santana don't fold.
-
DYAMN! And like that. 4-3 Yanks, 1-0 Series lead. A-Rod clutched up!
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/9416/fbaf3e831b4080f2e916b15.jpg)
CLASSIC. Melky! Melky!
-
Yanks is up 2-0 dai
Damn yanks
-
Jimmy Rollins' two-run double THRILLER!!! Top 5 manhugs right there, popsie:
(http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/1515/d559915b4f6c60d671c3837.jpg)
Too bad Yanks!! Here's to slim chances of a Freeway Series :JD:
-
One-run ball game in Anaheim, bottom 7th.
Yanks scored SIX with two outs. Lackey is gonna destroy the Angels clubhouse!
Angels got the tying run, two outs...
-
Torii walks, first and third for Vlad.
Hughes was all over the plate there.
-
Game tied! Vlad comes through with a single past Jeter!
-
Kendry Morales... ripped to right field, Hunter scores!
7-6 Angels. What a game!!!
-
How is the Angel bullpen at this point? Heck, Jered Weaver is in!
Leadoff strikeout by Melky...
-
Posada grounds out to the pitcher.
And Captain CLUTCH whiffs! To the bottom of the 8th!
-
JOBA is in! I hope Angels hold on so I can watch another game on Friday!
Juan Rivera pops one to left center. Easy double.
Feeling great now: only on my second beer.
-
Mathis tries to bunt (?!!) Joba blows the heat by him, one out.
-
Aybar up. That insurance run looms big...
Dink hit up the middle. Cano ranges to his right and gets to the ball but is unable to get Aybar at first. Still only one out.
-
NOW... trying to get big Mo ready. HATE this stalling, bullshit throws to first.
Joba out, Rivera in.
-
Please don't squeeze....
Figgins in the at-bat of his life now... 2-2 count.
Line drive fly to right. Swisher throws in very shallow right and Angels can't score.
Two out. Abreu up.
-
Easy fly ball to center, three outs. Angels shoulda scored one here.
Fuentes in to "save" the game.
-
Damon lines out to first, one out!
Tex first pitch swinging, fly out to right.
-
A-Rod up. Oh, I CAN NOT BELIEVE THEY'RE PUTTING HIM ON.
This is not Barry Bonds, god damn it!
-
Pinch runner for A-Rod at first.
Godzilla Matsui up.
-
3-2 count.
Still don't know why they pinch ran for A-Rod...
Outside and low for ball four!
-
Now they pinch run for Matsui too, wtf?!!
Cano is HIT by the pitch, they're loaded up!
-
Nick Swisher up, pretty bad postseason...
-
Two fouls to third. Swisher looks weak at the plate.
Ball way outside. The adventure continues...
-
Fuentes walked all these people, HBP... Yeah, why is Swisher swinging at anything?
Ball high, 2-2.
-
Full count to Swisher!
Popped to short. Aybar for the putout and we go back to the Bronx for Game Six!
Yanks still up 3 games to 2.
-
Joe Saunders vs. Andy Pettitte on Saturday.
Baseball is the greatest game...
-
Bravo Comrade Saburo!!!
Angels were throwing gas cans out there tonite Shhhhhhitttt!! Yanks an inning short of a miracle comeback.
-
Saburo doing the play by play yay :lol:
-
A few more postwhoring bouts... I mean game posts and my average is back up to "normal."
-
GAME ON!
Scoreless after one full. Saunders gave up a couple singles but that was that.
Fifty-something degrees in the Bronx and NO rain on the horizon!
-
Vlad doubled off first on a SHALLOW fly to right, what a BONEHEADED PLAY!~
-
Two-out walk by Kendrick... People tweeting that Steve Philips was canned by ESPN today. Woah, I guess all that serial womanzing was too much for the parent company?
Rivera flied out to center. Still scoreless.
-
Matsui grounds out to first... he's getting old real fast.
Cano lined a single to center. Now the slumping Swisher and his new mohawk...
-
Swish flies out to left... Three for thirty this postseason, ECCH!
Cabrera singles past third. Here comes Jeter!
-
3-0 to Jeter, all low. Sitting on a fastball soon?
Nope, he walks. Loaded up for Damon.
-
Grounder to Morales at first, easy out. Three stranded, Saunders escapes once more!
Scoreless after two full.
-
Mathis lines one to right center, all the way to the track. Easy double; he's like hitting over .500 this series, no?
Aybar shaved the dreads... Haircuts are the new jinx-killer?
-
Aybar swings at terrible pitches, one out.
I still don't know how Chone is pronounced "Shawn." Grounder to second, two outs.
-
Abreu lines a hard single to right, 1-0 Angels. Hanging curve in the zone.
-
Torii strikes out looking. 1-0 going to bottom third.
-
Teixeira grounds out to short on a check swing. Slow to call the out, though. WTF?!
-
A-Rod is walked again. He's NO Barry Bonds, you know. Pitch to the guy.
Posada drives one to the wall... And Abreu catches it! I thought that was one was gone!
-
Matsui hits another weak grounder to first. Another runner stranded, six total already.
Three innings in the book, 1-0 Angels.
-
Fourth inning... Vlad takes a called strike on the outside corner! Vlad barks a bit at the home plate ump...
-
Morales grounds to short, two out. Pettitte over 50 pitches but the bullpen is fully rested.
-
Kendrick takes a called third strike.
RT Ken Tremendous There's something really funny about a soft-tossing lefty trying to look so intimidating before every pitch.
-
Saunders at 55 pitches in the 4th.
Time. For. A. Beer.
Cano leads off with a walk. Now Swisher, showing bunt (yeah right).
-
Base hit to left! The crowd roars! His third hit of the ALCS!
-
Cabrera BUNTS! Second and third. Here comes Capt. Dreamboat.
-
Girardi overmanaged again, me thinks. Yankee fans are livid on Twitter.
Don't play for one run unless that run wins you the ballgame, Earl Weaver always used to say.
Is Jeter still suffering from the flu?
-
Full count to Jeter... High fastball, bases loaded!
Damon up.
-
Two straight balls. The crowd seems loud as ever.
Is anyone up in the Angels pen?
Hit to left center, two runs score! Yanks can bust it open here.
-
Teixeira.... 2-1 count.
Grounder to deep short, Aybar tries for the force at second. Safe! Good hustle by Damon.
A-Rod with the bases juiced!
-
Two staight balls... Are the demons fully extinguished?
Good swing at a 2-0 pitch, fouled back. Ooooohh...
-
Saunders steps off and Mathis trots out to chat. LOVE the drama.
3-1 the count. Nowhere to run, baby...
-
Walk, 3-1 Yanks.
Saunders is gone, finally. Maybe a batter too late?
-
Darren Oliver in. Posada up.
4-6-3 DP! Ow, the pitcher's best friend
-
Juan Rivera singles to center to start the 5th!
Mathis up, the new hot card.... strikes out on high heat!
-
Aybar grounds one to Cano, who steps on second and completes the double play. That was fast!
-
Matsui first pitch swinging... grounder to second. He's looking older and older with each AB. DH for life.
-
Cano takes a called 3rd strike on the outside corner. Oliver coming through for Scioscia.
-
Swisher wiffs on a breaking pitch. Just like that, we're through five. Oliver is hot.
-
Pettite's in a groove now.
Figgins bunts but runs into the ball and is correctly called out.
-
Abreu up, who conquered the wall earlier.
Reminded that Pettitte had a three-run lead in Game 3 and couldn't hold it.
-
Abreu grounds out to second.
Hunter growing a goatee?
Dinked to third. A-Rod charged and threw quick but Hunter beat it out.
-
Vlad grumpy about the calls. I didn't know his English was that good.
Fly ball down the line, falls in. Hunter to third. Double.
-
I can't believe Vlad got enough wood on that ball, which was going to hit the dirt if he didn't make contact.
Morales up, two down.
-
WTF with all these football updates. Think baseball gets a mention in an NFL game?
Morales hits one to Pettitte, who knocks it down and throws him out. Two stranded.
-
Cabrera popped out to short.
Pettitte is at 91 pitches. Joba in the pen?
Jeter takes a walk...
-
Oliver hanging in there for the Angels. Joba sits down in the pen.
Damon loops a low pitch out of the reach of Kendrick, Aybar AND Hunter in shallow center. First and second.
-
Tex grounds to Figgins at third, putout at third and throw to first. Another big DP. Darren Oliver doing the job!
I've lost count of the Yankee LOB already.
-
Pettitte begins the 7th. Kendrick lines one to right on a full-count fastball.
Rivera bloops one to right. Pettitte at 98 pitches. And Girardi takes him out.
-
Looks like Joba's coming in to pitch. Yankee fans gave Pettitte a worthy ovation for his night of work.
OK first time seeing the David Spade commercial. Easy money.
-
Izturis PH for Mathis.
Grounder to Jeter, who boots it. Cano picks it up with his foot on the base for the force out.
-
Figgins grounds to short and it's Stretch Time!
3-1 after 6 1/2.
-
Two more innings for the Yanks. Wouldn't you put in Mo Rivera to get those last six outs? He's done it before, you know.
Heart of the order coming up for the Bombers.
-
Ervin Santana pitching for the Halos.
A-Rod singles up the middle. He's been on base all night! That shit matters, you know.
Posada up. And so is Rivera.
-
Santana keeps throwing to first, A-Rod keeps diving back.
Scott Kazmir warming up in the bullpen now...
-
Posada 3-6-3 DP. Very well executed.
Matsui up now. Another ground ball out?
-
Popped to left. Carried pretty far but caught by Rivera.
FOX goes to commercial with the image of The Great Mariano in the Yankee pen...
-
Enter Sandman...
-
Figgins leads off.
Blooped to left, just out of the reach of Capt. Jeter! Abreu up, one for three.
-
Broken bat grounder smothered by Teixeira, unassisted at first.
Hunter lines up the middle: RIGHT to Cano who was playing near the bag! Easy assist. Two out.
-
Vlad... trots to first on a 3-2 count. PRESSURE!
-
Single to right by Vlad, Figgins scores!
Third hit for Guerrero, now getting pinch run for.
-
Coming up on 20 pitches in this inning for Mo.
Morales grounds out to second, and Yanks looking for insurance!
-
Cano up against Santana. One-run ballgame, folks!
Base on balls. Santana out, Kazmir in.
-
From @ed_price on Twitter: "Last ER allowed by Rivera in a postseason home game: Oct. 11, 2001."
Woah...
-
Swisher up.
Why Kazmir and not J. Weaver?
-
Swisher squares to bunt, two balls.
Bunt foul. Whahh?
Bunted..... and DROPPED by Kendrick at first! Hit the palm of the glove and popped out.
-
Now Melky has to bunt, for whatever reason.
And he does, Kazmir fields it but lollipops the throw WAY over first. Cano scores from second! Swisher to third!
There's your insurance.
-
NO outs for Jeter.
Kazmir gloves a grounder and fires a fastball to first for the out. Jeez.
-
Damon walks to load 'em up. Kazmir has to go.
-
Nope and Teixeira takes a ball.
Two strikes, including one helluva swingandamiss!
LONG, high fly to center. Sac fly. 5-2 Yanks.
-
Appeal at third? Just kidding...
Now Jered Weaver coming in to face Alex Rodriguez. Four straight balls to the new Bonds.
-
Bases loaded for Posada.
2-2 pitch... called third strike!
Two extra runs loom MIGHTY large, no?
-
Kendrick leads off against Rivera.
High bouncer to Teixeira, unassisted putout.
-
Boy, having the Great Mo out there is SUCH a big advantage....
Fly ball out to Cabrera, two gone.
-
Gary Matthews Jr. to pinch hit?!! Whaaaaaaat?
You know if Mariano throws the same pitch over and over, what's the need for signals?
-
Has there been a more overmatched duo for the final out of a playoff series?
Swing and a miss, Yankees win the AL pennant!
-
How cool is Mariano Rivera, getting the strikeout and clenching his fist, waiting for Posada's embrace...
-
CC got the MVP for the series, hmm...
-
Thats a new concept to me, MVPs for conference series? I guess so....
-
World Series begins on Wednesday!
Can't wait!
-
yups go Phillies!
-
A woman in Philadelphia has been charged with prostitution and other related offenses after offering to perform sexual acts in exchange for tickets to a Phillies World Series game against the Yankees, according to multiple published reports.
According to police, Susan Finkelstein, 43, posted an online ad which read, "DESPERATE BLONDE NEEDS WS TIX (Philadelphia) Diehard Phillies fan--gorgeous tall buxom blonde-- in desperate need of two World Series Tickets. Price negotiable--- I'm the creative type! Maybe we can help each other!"
Bensalem Township police said they made contact with the female after viewing her ad on Craigslist, according to myfoxphilly.com. The woman then allegedly solicited an undercover police officer to perform various sex acts in exchange for the tickets.
Police did not say exactly what Finkelstein offered to do.
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desperate is the best word ^ :lol:
-
Police did not say exactly what Finkelstein offered to do.
Boo! Reveal!
Yankees in five.
-
Yankees in five.
Phillies in 6
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Go Phillies!! Wait until Pedro hits the mound. He'll show Finkelstein the way
(http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/1980/philadelphiaphilliesint.jpg)
But I say Yanks in 6.
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Phillies just wasted a golden opportunity. Can't assume that they're gonna load the bases too many more times against C.C. tonight.
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well i say Phillies in 6
Pedro will be a beast against the Yankees
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Phillies win
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10k, CG, behind the back and no look catches . . .
Cliff Lee :bow:
Cliff Lee Who Cares Catch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69SUdVw-LvY#normal)
-
one down, three more wins to go
-
I don't think one game will convince the average MLB fan but you never know. Trust me: Chase Utley is THE BEST PLAYER ON THE PHILLIES.
Joe Girardi is shuffling the lineup, hoping that Molina can "call" a good game for Burnett. Also Swisher is being benched in right for Junior Hairston. Not sure it's a good time to play micro-percentages in the World Series, Joe.
And a couple things on C. Lee:
-- Yanks said they were going to dictate the pace of the game, e.g. stall and/or upset Lee's brisk rhythm on the mound. Didn't look like they were stepping out of the box a lot or anything. Lee was zipping along like usual.
-- Bill James said that one of the ways you can pinpoint a good southpaw is his grace on the mound (and a good fastball). Look at Lee's motion, so fluid and efficient.
-
i put down 50 for the yanks to win today!! :bow: please win!!
-
Get paid!
Burnett came through with the game of his LIFE. Pedro was servicable but didn't get any run support for the second straight game.
Wacky umpiring continued, along with three punchouts from A-Rod and four from the supposedly awesome Ryan Howard. Still waiting for B. Lidge to appear.
FYI Mo Rivera turns forty next month. What a ballplayer.
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GODZILLLLLLLLLLLLA!! HA!
(http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/325/1aefd444f64f17559a2ff1e.jpg)
The Rain nearly ruined it. wow, after that fuck up with Posada and Pettitte I didn't think Yanks had a chance with Hamels hurling. Whatta game!
-
With both Matsui AND Damon having decent postseasons, I wonder which one of them will be favored in the upcoming free agent sweepstakes. Probably Damon for the short term but who knows.
-
well I think Damon will probably stay with the Yankees unless they find a better player than him, Matsui might end up somewhere else where it might fit their lineup idk IMO
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simply genius pplay....I'm thinking they'd pick up Damon. One more win for the Yanks! :o
Johnny Damon 神奇的盜壘 (http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=wzZZWXo-SPg#normal)
OHHHH Lidge.
-
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/classified-odd/11/02/09/oops-newspaper-apologizes-premature-phillies-ad (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/classified-odd/11/02/09/oops-newspaper-apologizes-premature-phillies-ad)
"Oops" just doesn't quite cut it.
-
^That sorta reminds me of how Amazon was taking pre-orders for a book about the New England Patriots' perfect 19-0 season before they played (and lost) to the Giants in the Super Bowl a few years back.
Wonder how Jimmy Rollins is feeling about his prediction of (paraphrased) "we'll win in five games...six if we're nice to the Yankees" now?
-
lol they weren't even close. That's about as oops as Chan Ho Park's facial hair!!!
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00042.jpg)
-
Anyone still watching Game Five? Hopefully my "prediction" goes kaput very soon...
Ryan Madson coming in with a three-run lead instead of B. Lidge.
-
Leadoff double by Posada! And... Lidge is warming up? Serious?!!
-
Matsui singles to left. First and third, NO OUTS.
Capt. Dreamboat represents the tying run. The crowd coulda use insurance in the 8th.
-
6-4-3 DP by Jeter, run scores. HUGE outs.
Damon up, the guy who stole two bases on the same play, etc.
-
Two quick strikes. Madson needs one more.
Couple fouls, Damon spoiled some good pitches there.
-
Damon singles to center. Another two-out hit! And the tying run is up.
-
Now Teixeira. Two strikes again, Damon takes second uncontested.
Here we go again...
-
Tex is 2 for 18 in the Series, ouch!
-
2 for 19. Strike three swinging and we go back to the Bronx!
Cliff Lee came through, Chase Utley now has five HR in the Series and that's the last game in Philly for 2009.
-
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00043.jpg)
HA! Yanks were pretty damn close too. Can't wait for Wed!
-
Enter Sandman. The mighty Mo is in the game...
-
Werth out on strikes...
Ibanez giving Mo a battle here. Doubles over Gardner's head in center, who was playing pretty shallow.
-
Feliz fouls out to Posada right near the Yankee dugout on the right side. Like pie...
-
What a play by Feliz . . . barehand of a check swing ball and getting Swisher at first.
Gardner grounds out to Utley... and now another pitching change, to make use of all these 12-man staffs.
-
What a play by Feliz . . . barehand of a check swing ball and getting Swisher at first.
Gardner grounds out to Utley... and now another pitching change, to make use of all these 12-man staffs.
-
Jeter facing Ryan Madson. Base hit to right.
Jerry Hairston pops out to Rolliins in short left. Three more outs for the Yanks and they pick up World Series win No. 27.
-
Matt Stairs to pinch hit. Lines out to Jeter.
-
Carlos Ruiz, heck of a postseason for the light-hitting catcher, faces Mo.
Ball four! What a game.
Rollins up.
-
Rollins lifts a high fly ball to right, caught by Swisher on the track. Two outs.
And Shane Victorino is up for all the marbles...
-
Two strikes on Victorino... Hate to see a local boy be the last out of the Series.
-
Fouled off a few pitches there. Seems a lot of people picked the Yanks in 6 or 7.
Ground ball out to second. Yanks are the champs again..
-
yups GJ Yanks
-
Matsui named MVP of the World Series.
-
Matsui named MVP of the World Series.
Rightfully so. Dude was a hitting machine, especially in today's game. :yep:
-
I'm happy for Matsui. This makes up for his not being on the World Baseball Classic team.
Of course this MLB championship and MVP award has more historical significance...
-
matsui!!! awesome!!
-
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MVPきたああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああああ
-
MATSUI!!!
What a World Series. Best roster paid finally got the rotation going. I think Wang was at the parade too, where's Ping and Jay?
(http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/8544/capta855e32edeae47fb9f3.jpg)
(http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6053/80b7de13686534c3211bab8.jpg)
Way to play Venga Bus for EVERYONE. That became the theme more than Empire State of Mind :lol:
-
I talked to a few gals from Japan and NONE of them knew about Gojira's vaunted porn collection.
How about that? Now THAT'S "value..."
-
Gojira a hero among men!!
btw. Sammy Sosa in white face is freaking me out :puke:
WHO WANTS A :hipheart: WORLD TOUR TO SEATTLE?!
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00060.jpg)
Griffey stays with Mariners for 2010
SEATTLE (AP)—Junior’s back in Seattle, one more time.
Ken Griffey Jr.(notes) and the Mariners agreed Wednesday to another one-year contract that will keep the popular player in town for what could be his final season.
Griffey, who turns 40 on Nov. 21, was guaranteed $2 million when he signed to return to Seattle for the 2009 season and had the chance to earn more in bonuses.
“The framework of this year’s contract is similar to last year’s,” Griffey’s agent, Brian Goldberg, said by telephone (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AiWpvxODb6BKJ_HC2CCYGV4RvLYF?slug=ap-mariners-griffey&prov=ap&type=lgns).
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Justice has prevailed...
(http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/9523/capt560862a40c0447a6b82.jpg)
First-place votes also went to King Felix and Justin Verlander but the race wasn't even close. Yes kids "best pitcher" doesn't mean "most wins."
-
Per NPB Tracker: Sankei Sports reported that the NY Yankees stand to lose $15 million if Matsui Hideki sheds the pinstripes (http://www.sanspo.com/mlb/news/091119/mla0911190504003-n1.htm). Dang...
-
Through endorsements?? Andy Pettitte is also up for resigning.
Imagine if Boston gets Matt Holliday.
-
Through endorsements??
I would imagine. Everybody in Japan saw those two huge right-field signs on the highlights when Matsui parked that Pedro puffball in the upper deck.
The Legend That Is Jeter won't/can't sell in Nippon as well as The Man With Thousands of Porn Vids.
-
Two straight for Tim Lincecum!
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/580/lincecum.jpg)
And the tightest NL Cy Young race ever, point-wise:
Lincecum: 100 pts
Chris Carpenter : 94 pts
Adam Wainwright: 90 pts
Again, voters looked past lower win totals and gave credit for numbers that reflected talent, not shitty team defense and run support. This is a good choice, although any of the three would have been a worthy winner.
-
FYI the firestorm aimed at Konishi-san would make a great TV segment in Japan...
-
(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3169/7e0364da551940159305b70.jpg)
Joe Mauer: King of the American League. Twenty seven out of twenty eight first place votes, a unanimous vote spoiled by one voter from Japan based in Seattle. (Miguel Cabrera, what are you KIDDING ME?!)
Mark Teixeira of the damn Yanks was a solid second, proving once again that beat writers still worship at the altar of Runs Batted In. We've got a long way to go...
-
Chip Carey was released by TBS (http://bats.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/30/chip-caray-and-tbs-part-ways/) from any more baseball work.
One really bad postseason and that's that. Life is rough.
I hope they put Barkely in the booth in 2010...
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Luckily I was denied TBS / Rogers Sportsnet and missed him. Jon Miller of ESPN still my fave. My radio station used to have World Series / LCS.
Yankees get richer in the OF New York Yankees trade for an established star, center fielder Curtis Granderson (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AoWWyanrTIesVNzvFDc9uckRvLYF?slug=ti-wintermeetings120909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns).
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Mark Teixeira of the damn Yanks was a solid second, proving once again that beat writers still worship at the altar of Runs Batted In. We've got a long way to go...
Tex didn't deserve second, I agree (and I'm a Yankees fan), but his season was hardly purely RBI. He certainly deserved to finish top 5ish.
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Tex didn't deserve second, I agree (and I'm a Yankees fan), but his season was hardly purely RBI. He certainly deserved to finish top 5ish.
Top five... Maybe; I might have placed him 5-6-7. Certainly top ten and he does help a ballclub win games, even a $200 million one.
It's just remarkable that we live in an era of such advanced knowledge on how ballgames are won and lost. Yet context-specific counting stats like RBI still rule the day with luddite BBWAA voters. Joe Mauer was having the season of a lifetime yet Teixeria was already heralded by as the presumptive AL MVP by NY scribes after a game-winning HR in July. And that just bugs me as a MLB fan.
I guess we should be thankful that the correct selection at the top was made. But the other slots have merit as well. I would have placed Ben Zobrist of the Rays higher than Tex.
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Yankees get richer in the OF New York Yankees trade for an established star, center fielder Curtis Granderson (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AoWWyanrTIesVNzvFDc9uckRvLYF?slug=ti-wintermeetings120909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns).
Yep, Yankees pulled off a really good deal with the depth of their farm system. Granderson gives them affordable talent in the outfield AND leverage in their dealings with J. Damon. And yeah he sucks eggs vs LHP but don't you figure it balances out with Capt. Jeter, A-Rod and Teixeira in the lineup? The Phillies have won back-to-back NL titles with Ryan Howard being Tom Thumb against lefties but have the depth to get past it. Same for the Yanks.
I assume this closes the door on Gojira (King of Pr0n) Matsui, whom I think Yankee fans will miss more than they realize. Matsui is one of those throwback Yankees who really DO shaddap and play ball, like the recently deceased Tommy Henrich, Gil McDougaldm and Roy White.
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Tex didn't deserve second, I agree (and I'm a Yankees fan), but his season was hardly purely RBI. He certainly deserved to finish top 5ish.
Top five... Maybe; I might have placed him 5-6-7. Certainly top ten and he does help a ballclub win games, even a $200 million one.
It's just remarkable that we live in an era of such advanced knowledge on how ballgames are won and lost. Yet context-specific counting stats like RBI still rule the day with luddite BBWAA voters. Joe Mauer was having the season of a lifetime yet Teixeria was already heralded by as the presumptive AL MVP by NY scribes after a game-winning HR in July. And that just bugs me as a MLB fan.
I guess we should be thankful that the correct selection at the top was made. But the other slots have merit as well. I would have placed Ben Zobrist of the Rays higher than Tex.
Well ignore the New York media, of course they'll love their home town boy. Mauer was winning the MVP, everyone knows that. And I <3 meeting another more statistically minded fan.
Zobrist is an interesting case. As is Jeter/Tex, for that matter. Lets look at some top 5s of better value measurements for the 09 AL:
Batting Runs and Batting Wins (linear weights measure of just offense):
1. Joe Mauer (57.0, 5.2)
2. Mark Teixeira (45.1, 4.2)
3. Miguel Cabrera (38.0, 3.5)
4. Adam Lind (37.9, 3.5)
5. Ben Zobrist (36.4, 3.4)
Those are counting stats, lets try some offensive rate stats.
OPS+:
1. Joe Mauer (170)
2. Mark Teixeira (149)
3. Alex Rodriguez (147)
4. Ben Zobrist (146)
5. Kevin Youkilis (145)
Total Average:
1. Joe Mauer (1.121)
2. Kevin Youkilis (1.043)
3. Ben Zobrist (1.030)
4. Alex Rodriguez (1.012)
5. Jason Bay (0.993)
[6. Mark Teixeira (0.989)]
Again, obviously Mauer is the MVP. But 1 of these metrics has Tex in the clear lead offensively (Batting Runs/Wins), one is close with Tex in the lead (OPS+, but Yankee Stadium is so new that park adjustment may not be reliable), and somewhat close with Zobrist in the lead. More importantly, these only look at offense and don't account for position (making Mauer's lead in every single one while playing good defense at the hardest position on the diamond even more impressive). Lets look at 2 position adjusted, all-inclusive numbers.
Fan Graphs Wins Above Replacement
1. Ben Zobrist (8.6)
2. Joe Mauer (8.2)
3. Derek Jeter (7.4)
4. Evan Longoria (7.2)
5. Chone Figgins (6.1)
Tex doesn't come in until 11th on this list. Two caveats: First, FanGraphs doesn't calculate a "Fielding" value for catchers, so Zobrist has a giant lead here of 26.4 to nothing. Giving Mauer reasonable fielding credit I'd say this is at least still a tie. Secondly, Fan Graphs evaluates Tex as a negative defensively, which is simply wrong IMO.
Baseball Prospectus WARP2, discounting pitchers:
1. Joe Mauer (9.0)
2. Ben Zobrist (7.6)
3. Evan Longoria (7.1)
4. Franklin Gutierrez (7.0)
5. Chone Figgins (6.3)
Interesting note, BP has Grienke as the MVP in terms of WARP by a full half win. Tex comes in at 9th under this measure (1 spot and 2 tenths of a win ahead of Jeter).
I would tend to agree Zobrist probably > Tex once you account for everything.
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Yankees get richer in the OF New York Yankees trade for an established star, center fielder Curtis Granderson (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AoWWyanrTIesVNzvFDc9uckRvLYF?slug=ti-wintermeetings120909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns).
Yep, Yankees pulled off a really good deal with the depth of their farm system. Granderson gives them affordable talent in the outfield AND leverage in their dealings with J. Damon. And yeah he sucks eggs vs LHP but don't you figure it balances out with Capt. Jeter, A-Rod and Teixeira in the lineup? The Phillies have won back-to-back NL titles with Ryan Howard being Tom Thumb against lefties but have the depth to get past it. Same for the Yanks.
I assume this closes the door on Gojira (King of Pr0n) Matsui, whom I think Yankee fans will miss more than they realize. Matsui is one of those throwback Yankees who really DO shaddap and play ball, like the recently deceased Tommy Henrich, Gil McDougaldm and Roy White.
Given their original plans to only sign one of Matsui or Damon, and since Matsui is essentially gone, my plan (personally, at least) would be sign Damon to a short term contract so you can get a platoon going. Platooning does work in extreme cases, and Granderson's splits are pretty extreme.
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And I <3 meeting another more statistically minded fan.
KUDOS! What the world needs now is more "objective knowledge about baseball" (B. James' def. of sabermetrics). Or even a little Joe Posnanski...
I don't remember exactly how I came across them but I have ALL of James' nationally published "Baseball Abstracts" (Ballantine Books) and that changed my entire perspective on everything. That was over twenty years ago and not a whole lot has changed. Jim Rice and Bowie Kuhn get into the Hall of Fame, Ron Santo and Marvin Miller get the shaft. Sound familiar...
I'm not sure what I'm gonna do online now that the winter meetings have ended... Winter baseball got the boot from Hawaii last year and I REALLY miss it. Why should Arizona have all the damn fun?
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Great piece charting "The Highest Paid Player in Baseball (http://www.wezen-ball.com/2009-articles/december/the-history-of-the-highest-paid-player-in-baseball.html)" from The Ryan Express to A-Rod.
Mark Davis, Bobby Bonilla, Kevin Brown, Carlos Delgado... I kinda remember Mark Davis's signing but don't recall Delgado being numero uno, or even dos.
Supposedly Dave Parker got $1 million/yr before Ryan but I guess it was never documented or confirmed.
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Great piece charting "The Highest Paid Player in Baseball (http://www.wezen-ball.com/2009-articles/december/the-history-of-the-highest-paid-player-in-baseball.html)" from The Ryan Express to A-Rod.
Mark Davis, Bobby Bonilla, Kevin Brown, Carlos Delgado... I kinda remember Mark Davis's signing but don't recall Delgado being numero uno, or even dos.
Supposedly Dave Parker got $1 million/yr before Ryan but I guess it was never documented or confirmed.
Should be Pujols, but since the Yankees (and the Red Sox) have established 1B and will when his contract comes up, he won't get there.
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Pujols' current contract ends after 2010, right? Just like Jeter.
If anyone has a claim to baseball's first $30 million man at the moment, it's Phat Albert. All this production AND Gold Glove defense at first with an elbow held together by Silly String or whatever Dr. Andrews uses these days.
WILL Saint Looey break the Budweiser bank? Hell, just make him a Partner already. This is Stan Musial you have on your team right now...
Reading about Cashman's offer to Damon/Boras being rejected and how the Yanks can wait things out a little longer during the winter. I wonder if they'll have the same attitude when it comes to Jeter's looming extension which you'd think SHOULD be done and over with before they raise the championship flag in the New Stadium.
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Pujols' current contract ends after 2010, right? Just like Jeter.
If anyone has a claim to baseball's first $30 million man at the moment, it's Phat Albert. All this production AND Gold Glove defense at first with an elbow held together by Silly String or whatever Dr. Andrews uses these days.
WILL Saint Looey break the Budweiser bank? Hell, just make him a Partner already. This is Stan Musial you have on your team right now...
Reading about Cashman's offer to Damon/Boras being rejected and how the Yanks can wait things out a little longer during the winter. I wonder if they'll have the same attitude when it comes to Jeter's looming extension which you'd think SHOULD be done and over with before they raise the championship flag in the New Stadium.
Jeter's a special case. He didn't deserve his insane 01 contract, and it's not going to be any better coming off a WS win and arguably the best year of his career.
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The upcoming negotiations between Cashman and Jeter are just RIPE for the blogosphere because it has meaning on different levels: legacy politics (everybody knows you can NOT let D. Jeter wear anything other than Yankee pinstripes), future field position (Jeter can't possibly handle the grind of shortstop play for another few years or so), quality of play (his trouble fielding balls to his left clearly didn't affect his OBP: .406!). Joe Sheehan said they have to get this done NOW and I'm apt to agree.
I wonder how long they'll allow the Bob Sheppard intro recording for every Jeter AB to continue at the New Stadium? Don't you figure the new guy is gonna feel funnykine after a while...
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The upcoming negotiations between Cashman and Jeter are just RIPE for the blogosphere because it has meaning on different levels: legacy politics (everybody knows you can NOT let D. Jeter wear anything other than Yankee pinstripes), future field position (Jeter can't possibly handle the grind of shortstop play for another few years or so), quality of play (his trouble fielding balls to his left clearly didn't affect his OBP: .406!). Joe Sheehan said they have to get this done NOW and I'm apt to agree.
I wonder how long they'll allow the Bob Sheppard intro recording for every Jeter AB to continue at the New Stadium? Don't you figure the new guy is gonna feel funnykine after a while...
Again, he's a special case. He could pretty much murder someone on the field and the crowd would cheer for him.
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You think he'd suck it in and sign an above-market contract (club options for life) that says he can't dictate where he plays in the field?
LF in 2011?
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REPORTS: Blue Jays trade Halladay to Phillies
Last Updated: Monday, December 14, 2009 | 9:01 PM ET
By Doug Harrison, CBC Sports
It appears Christmas has come early for the Philadelphia Phillies and their fans in the form of a Roy Halladay acquisition.
SI.com on Monday reported the Toronto Blue Jays ace pitcher has been dealt as part of a three-team trade involving the Seattle Mariners.
An anonymous source with the Phillies revealed that pitchers J.A. Happ, Joe Blanton and outfielder Dominic Brown underwent physicals, raising speculation the trio could be involved in the swap.
Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com both reported Monday that Canadian pitcher Phillippe Aumont of the Mariners and Phillies outfield prospect Michael Taylor are among the players bound for Toronto, while Phillies left-hander Cliff Lee is headed to Seattle.
Halladay, who has a no-trade clause and one year remaining on his contract worth $15.75 million US, reportedly is in Philadelphia, where he had a physical on Monday and is presumed to be working on a contract extension with the Phillies.
Halladay's agent, Greg Landry, is registered at a Philadelphia hotel and likely negotiating the extension, which needs to be worked out for Halladay to waive his right to veto a trade.
A source in the commissioner's office and familiar with the transaction told the Associated Press that a 72-hour window has been granted to finalize details.
Halladay, 32, won 17 games last season, leading Toronto in innings pitched (239), strikeouts (208) and earned-run average (2.79).
It would be the biggest move by Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos since he took over from the fired J.P. Ricciardi in October.
Ricciardi attempted to trade Halladay to Philadelphia before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. But Ricciardi's asking price of a handful of top prospects was apparently too high and the Phillies instead acquired Lee from Cleveland.
In July, Ricciardi said "in the vicinity of maybe 10 teams" expressed interest in Halladay, but only "two or three" approached with a "level of seriousness."
Talks with various teams recently picked up steam at baseball's winter meetings in Indianapolis, with Anthopoulos reportedly talking then of three- and four-team trades.
Lee won seven games in 12 regular-season starts with Philadelphia and went 4-0 in five post-season appearances with 33 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings pitched for the reigning National League champions.
Halladay has spent his entire major-league career with the Blue Jays.
FULL ARTICLE LINK - http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2009/12/14/sp-halladay-trade-report.html (http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/story/2009/12/14/sp-halladay-trade-report.html)
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED.COM ARTICLE LINK - http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/12/14/phillies.halladay.lee/index.html?eref=sihp (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/baseball/mlb/12/14/phillies.halladay.lee/index.html?eref=sihp)
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Blue Jays gonna suck even harder than last year? How is that possible? XD
HOLY SHIT Hideki Matsui and 2009 World Series MVP to the Angels too?? Deals dropping left and right.
also Chien-Ming Wang is a free agent:
YANKEES CUT WANG (http://www.lohud.com/article/20091213/SPORTS01/912130384/-1/sports/Yankees-cut-ties-with-Wang)
Will Wang Decision Come Back to Bite Yanks? (http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=18956)
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Blue Jays gonna suck even harder than last year? How is that possible? XD
The Blue Jays have been a very good team for several years, what are you talking about? In 2008 they were the 4th best team by run differential in the AL.
HOLY SHIT Hideki Matsui and 2009 World Series MVP to the Angels too?? Deals dropping left and right.
And past his prime aging DH with no knees... I don't really think that deal matters much. More surprising is that forces out Vlad, a very similar player who's been with the Angels for a while. Hideki had a solid year last year, but I imagine he's pretty much done.
also Chien-Ming Wang is a free agent:
YANKEES CUT WANG (http://www.lohud.com/article/20091213/SPORTS01/912130384/-1/sports/Yankees-cut-ties-with-Wang)
Will Wang Decision Come Back to Bite Yanks? (http://nybaseballdigest.com/?p=18956)
Cutting a 30 year old coming off a major shoulder injury that kept him from the game for 2 seasons who was never that dominant? No. Also your headline reading got it wrong, they didn't "cut ties" with him, they just didn't offer him arbitration because he made $5 million and you can't offer less than 80% of the guy's previous salary in arbitration. They may still resign him as a FA for 1-2 million.
And BTW, the 2 Red Sox deals (signing John Lackey for $85 million/5 and Mike Cameron for $16 million/2) make no sense. With Cameron shifting to left, assumedly, here is my question, since all Jason Bay wanted was a 5th year. (from another forum)
Step 1. Sox offer Bay $60-65 million/4 years
Step 2. He rejects, saying he wants a 5th year
Step 3. Sox offer another 30 year old $85 million/5 years
WHA?? Why would you not just sign Jason Bay and fix the large hole in your team?
And, taking the $16 million for Cameron now plus roughly another $10 million from the Lackey deal (another year added to the Bay offer would only be $75ish million) is another $26 million of salary to play with. And you can still sign a pretty nice pitcher for that money, if you really want to.
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That three-way deal yesterday (and kudos to K. Rosenthal for "dreaming" up the entire thing) is why the Hot Stove is the GREATEST.
Keep an eye on Seattle: bringing back Junior may have been purely PR but getting Cliff Lee on the cheap ($9 million) to pitch in Safeco gives the M's a vaunted L-R duo. Yeah it might not work out and Lee (a FA after 2010) might get dumped in mid-season if things don't work out. But the prospects Seattle weren't exactly Grade-A and they'll get back potentially better kids in a stretch-run deal (or draft pick compensation after the season).
Sometimes you gotta spend your resources and win NOW, goddamnit!
Someone (Pete Abraham?) suggested that the press box in the Bronx just got a LOT less crowded with the departures of both Matsui and Wang. You think Yomiuri Shimbun takes its banner to The Big A?
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Jays is a decent team that got stuck in a dominant division with the Yanks and Red Sox :doh:
Who the hell did they get in return from Halladay? a bunch of prospects??
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The Jays are reportedly getting three prospects from the Phillies - pitcher Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor, and catcher Travis d'Amaud; the Mariners are also supposedly sending a couple of prospects to Philadelphia.
As for the Sox, there are some rumblings that Cameron might play center for them, shifting Ellsbury to left.
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Jays is a decent team that got stuck in a dominant division with the Yanks and Red Sox :doh:
Who the hell did they get in return from Halladay? a bunch of prospects??
...The Blue Jays GM pulled off a remarkable deal given the situation he was in with Halladay, effectively required to trade him. Drabek is a top-flight prospect.
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That three-way deal yesterday (and kudos to K. Rosenthal for "dreaming" up the entire thing) is why the Hot Stove is the GREATEST.
Keep an eye on Seattle: bringing back Junior may have been purely PR but getting Cliff Lee on the cheap ($9 million) to pitch in Safeco gives the M's a vaunted L-R duo. Yeah it might not work out and Lee (a FA after 2010) might get dumped in mid-season if things don't work out. But the prospects Seattle weren't exactly Grade-A and they'll get back potentially better kids in a stretch-run deal (or draft pick compensation after the season).
Sometimes you gotta spend your resources and win NOW, goddamnit!
The Ms are really counting on a bad year from the Angels which, given the losses of Lackey and Figgins and sub-par DHing to come from Matsui... Not necessarily the wrong belief. Lee + Figgins is a lot of win-now attitude.
Someone (Pete Abraham?) suggested that the press box in the Bronx just got a LOT less crowded with the departures of both Matsui and Wang. You think Yomiuri Shimbun takes its banner to The Big A?
Again, lets be clear, Wang isn't gone yet. He's just a free agent like anyone else. But he was never really the media darling, Matsui may draw out some asian fans and media in LA, yeah.
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The Jays are reportedly getting three prospects from the Phillies - pitcher Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor, and catcher Travis d'Amaud; the Mariners are also supposedly sending a couple of prospects to Philadelphia.
As for the Sox, there are some rumblings that Cameron might play center for them, shifting Ellsbury to left.
how good of the prospects are they? i hope vernon wells can step it up next season
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The Jays are reportedly getting three prospects from the Phillies - pitcher Kyle Drabek, outfielder Michael Taylor, and catcher Travis d'Amaud; the Mariners are also supposedly sending a couple of prospects to Philadelphia.
As for the Sox, there are some rumblings that Cameron might play center for them, shifting Ellsbury to left.
how good of the prospects are they? i hope vernon wells can step it up next season
Drabek is a top top prospect. Others, dunno.
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No other sport takes its Hall of Fame as seriously as baseball. The deadline for 2010's BBWAA inductees looms closely. Sadly its become as reliable as the Emmy or Grammy Awards recently. Jim Rice and Bruce Sutter and Bowie Kuhn (!) enter while Ron Santo, Bert Blyleven and Marvin Miller have yet to make it.
The great Joe Posnanski made the case for The Great Tim Raines (http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/12/16/make-it-raines/) in his latest blog post. I can not agree more; he was to the National League what Rickey Henderson represented in the Senior Circuit.
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No other sport takes its Hall of Fame as seriously as baseball. The deadline for 2010's BBWAA inductees looms closely. Sadly its become as reliable as the Emmy or Grammy Awards recently. Jim Rice and Bruce Sutter and Bowie Kuhn (!) enter while Ron Santo, Bert Blyleven and Marvin Miller have yet to make it.
The great Joe Posnanski made the case for The Great Tim Raines (http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2009/12/16/make-it-raines/) in his latest blog post. I can not agree more; he was to the National League what Rickey Henderson represented in the Senior Circuit.
Lets not go crazy, Henderson >>> Tim Raines. But yes, Raines, Blyleven, and Trammell all should be in the hall while Rice and (soon to get in, I'm sure) Dawson do not.
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GO CRAZY, St. Louis! Go crazy!
FWIW Raines should have won two, maybe three NL MVPs in the 80s, which would have made his election on the first ballot a no-brainer. But yeah his career did exist in the shadow of Rickey and who remembers who the second-greatest leadoff hitter of all time was? Certainly not the BBWAA...
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BTW how's this Eri Yoshida (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Eri-Yoshida-is-headed-to-America-with-big-league?urn=mlb,209527) story? "Arizona Winter League?"
Seems like Reality TV to me. People in America should appreciate this stuff...
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GO CRAZY, St. Louis! Go crazy!
FWIW Raines should have won two, maybe three NL MVPs in the 80s, which would have made his election on the first ballot a no-brainer. But yeah his career did exist in the shadow of Rickey and who remembers who the second-greatest leadoff hitter of all time was? Certainly not the BBWAA...
Alan Trammell is one of the worst things, I think, because he often doesn't even get love as a great, but forgotten player. He's probably about as valuable for his career as Derek Jeter but:
A. Wasn't a Yankee and
B. Did it defensively in an era of poor defensive metrics, while Jeter does this offensively and gets a defensive rep he (largely) doesn't deserve
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An interesting question Bill James raised last year was whether or not Trammell's HOF chances would have increased if he had won the '87 AL MVP (pretty awful year for the BBWAA that year --- Dawson & George Bell -- can you imagine FJM's coverage?). James was inconclusive but kinda makes you wonder.
Ten more years until the likes of Rob Neyer get a HOF vote. It can't come much sooner...
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An interesting question Bill James raised last year was whether or not Trammell's HOF chances would have increased if he had won the '87 AL MVP (pretty awful year for the BBWAA that year --- Dawson & George Bell -- can you imagine FJM's coverage?). James was inconclusive but kinda makes you wonder.
Ten more years until the likes of Rob Neyer get a HOF vote. It can't come much sooner...
MVPs definitely help, but I dunno. Like when I say Tim Raines or Bert Blyleven should be in the Hall people will tend to nod and at least understand what I mean, even if they don't agree. But Trammell people often look at me and don't remember who he was.
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Yeah, Tram's non-HOF case is kind of puzzling. He won a few Gold Gloves, made some All-Star teams, was the MVP of the '84 World Series, should have won the '87 MVP...and no one cares (or remembers). Part of it, I think, is Tram's numbers don't look sexy enough compared to recent offensive juggernauts at SS like A-Rod, Jeter, Nomar, etc. (whose numbers are at least partially helped by the era they're playing in). And he wasn't like Ozzie Smith where he was a super crowd favorite who got highlight reels on ESPN every night because he made flashy plays, so he doesn't have that going for him, either.
Another guy from those Tigers teams I think is deserving is Lou Whitaker, Tram's double-play partner. At least Tram still has a theoretical chance with the writers; Lou was one-and-done.
What's also sad is that nearly 50% of the baseball writers think Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer, and not Lou or Tram.
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Yeah, Tram's non-HOF case is kind of puzzling. He won a few Gold Gloves, made some All-Star teams, was the MVP of the '84 World Series, should have won the '87 MVP...and no one cares (or remembers). Part of it, I think, is Tram's numbers don't look sexy enough compared to recent offensive juggernauts at SS like A-Rod, Jeter, Nomar, etc. (whose numbers are at least partially helped by the era they're playing in). And he wasn't like Ozzie Smith where he was a super crowd favorite who got highlight reels on ESPN every night because he made flashy plays, so he doesn't have that going for him, either.
Another guy from those Tigers teams I think is deserving is Lou Whitaker, Tram's double-play partner. At least Tram still has a theoretical chance with the writers; Lou was one-and-done.
What's also sad is that nearly 50% of the baseball writers think Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer, and not Lou or Tram.
Both of them are definitely amongst the best not-in-HoF-but-eligible players. A great article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/sports/baseball/21score.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/21/sports/baseball/21score.html)
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Absolutely on board with the notion of Bobby Grich as a great player. I think he'd be even more famous/appreciated/beloved in today's game, where OBP and SLG are more appreciated, especially from a middle infielder. Jeff Kent will probably make the HOF, while Grich's power and walks (THE prototypical Earl Weaver ballplayer) went unnoticed in the seventies.
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Yankees get J. Vazquez and Boone Logan for M. Cabrera and Mike Dunn. Excellent little deal. Trading an overrated Melky and a nothing pen arm for a workhorse 4th starter.
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Because Yankees fans loved Javier Vazquez so much the first time he was in the Bronx, right? :lol:
Of course, back then he was being counted on as a No. 1 or 2 guy, which -- like you noted -- he definitely will not be this time around.
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Because Yankees fans loved Javier Vazquez so much the first time he was in the Bronx, right? :lol:
Of course, back then he was being counted on as a No. 1 or 2 guy, which -- like you noted -- he definitely will not be this time around.
Plus, FWIW:
Javier Vazquez, 2004 1st half: 3.56 ERA in 118.2 IP
Javier Vazquez, 2004 2nd half: 6.92 ERA in 79.1 IP
He was pitching injured in the 2nd half.
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Milton Bradley's farewell message published in a Chicago newspaper (http://www.tauntr.com/sites/default/files/Bradley_letter_master.jpg).
Yeah it's a spoof but one that had me totally laughing out loud.
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HAHAHA! At least that kid is one of the few who will miss him.
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I read something re. Javier Vazquez and his "arm slot" supposedly changed and corrected for whatever causes ERAs to skyrocket.
Couple concerns:
1) He's back in the American League, where Bill Simmons lives, and
2) He's still a flyball pitcher, and we saw that right field porch in the New Stadium a heckuva lot in highlight packages.
That said, he'll be the FOURTH starter and the scars of the 2004 ALCS are probably gone by now.
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Not that long ago, Jon Heyman of SI tweeted about the dreaded "stat people" (http://twitter.com/SI_JonHeyman/status/6964129723) taking over the Damn Yanks.
You think Heyman still has issues when someone brings up "slash stats?" Does he really want to go back to "clutch" and "leadership" facets?
Gads, I REALLY miss FJM (http://www.firejoemorgan.com/)...
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Not that long ago, Jon Heyman of SI tweeted about the dreaded "stat people" (http://twitter.com/SI_JonHeyman/status/6964129723) taking over the Damn Yanks.
You think Heyman still has issues when someone brings up "slash stats?" Does he really want to go back to "clutch" and "leadership" facets?
Gads, I REALLY miss FJM (http://www.firejoemorgan.com/)...
Nick Johnson = Sexy move. The most classic example of an older-style Moneyball player. You generally can't find guys like that for cheap anymore, but somehow the Yanks got an almost guaranteed .400 OBP (maybe injury prone, but still a .400 OBP) for almost nothing.
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Yeah, low risk-high reward. Hey, wasn't that the MO of Theo Epstein last off-season?
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Yeah, low risk-high reward. Hey, wasn't that the MO of Theo Epstein last off-season?
The past couple years. I've just taken to calling them lotto tickets. Signings like Bartolo Colon, Brad Penny, Saito, John Smoltz, etc, etc. You invest at most a million or two and take a shot.
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Rany Jazayerli tweeted a link to an old BP piece he wrote years ago, an appreciation of Strat-O-Matic (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1255).
Cool how the board game is still relevant today. I got a scan of Barry Bonds's 2001 card and it's still a thing to behold...
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Rany Jazayerli tweeted a link to an old BP piece he wrote years ago, an appreciation of Strat-O-Matic (http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1255).
Cool how the board game is still relevant today. I got a scan of Barry Bonds's 2001 card and it's still a thing to behold...
That piece is likely a rip of the opening chapter to a great book I've been reading in spurts for a while (given they're both from 2001):
http://www.amazon.com/Curve-Ball-Baseball-Statistics-Chance/dp/0387988165 (http://www.amazon.com/Curve-Ball-Baseball-Statistics-Chance/dp/0387988165)
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Jason Bay to the Metropolitans: four years, $66 million?!
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lol at taking a 4 year deal after all that
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Was the Mets' offer really on the table for three (3) weeks?!! I guess they gave him a better offer than Beirut.
They shoulda paid extra for Holliday.
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The race is on!
Rock Raines for the HOF! Rob Neyer chimed in (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof10/columns/story?columnist=neyer_rob&id=4784578).
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YOUR Hall of Fame ballot (not who you think will get in):
Alomar
Blyleven
E-Mart
McGwire
Raines
Trammell
Probably Barry Larkin as well, though him I'm least certain about.
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Robbie Alomar
Bert Blyleven
Barry Larkin (I can't stump for Tram and not Larkin; they were very similar)
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
I'm on the fence about Edgar Martinez. He has great rates, and had a handful of really great individual seasons, but I don't know -- his lack of counting stats, utter lack of baserunning skills and inability to play the field (or stay healthy back when he could play 3B) count against him, in my opinion. That being said, I'm not actively against his induction and don't think it would be a huge injustice if he were elected.
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Robbie Alomar
Bert Blyleven
Barry Larkin (I can't stump for Tram and not Larkin; they were very similar)
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
I'm on the fence about Edgar Martinez. He has great rates, and had a handful of really great individual seasons, but I don't know -- his lack of counting stats, utter lack of baserunning skills and inability to play the field (or stay healthy back when he could play 3B) count against him, in my opinion. That being said, I'm not actively against his induction and don't think it would be a huge injustice if he were elected.
Edgar Martinez was, by a healthy margin, the 2nd greatest DH of all time to Frank Thomas. Ortiz may have some individual seasons that are at his level for DH seasons, but it's pretty clearly #1 Thomas, #2 E-Mart at that "position". Tied for 39th all time in OPS+ with (ignoring Berkman who will fall back) McCovey, ARod, Schmidt, and Stargell at 147.
8672 PA isn't a TON of playing time, but above 8000-8500 that's really a normal HoF quality career length (Jim Rice was 9000 and change, eg). Plus, as you noted, he wasn't even a pure DH. For roughly 1/4th his career he was a serviceable 3rd baseman, something that dabs additional value on his case. If Edgar Martinez isn't a HoFer, then really no DH is (other than Frank Thomas who really made his HoF case as a 1B).
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Well, that's kind of the thing -- I don't think, right now, many DHs deserve the Hall of Fame outside of Frank Thomas and perhaps Edgar (like I said, I'm on the fence...sometimes I think yes, sometimes no). Not because it's "not a position" or anything like that, but because there haven't been a whole lot of guys spending the majority of their playing time at DH until recently (except for perhaps Harold Baines, who I don't support -- and Harold still played over 1,000 games in the field). Unless David Ortiz turns it back around in a big way, I won't support him, either (and Edgar was way better than Ortiz, anyway).
But like I said, I won't lose any sleep if Edgar makes it in.
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Well, that's kind of the thing -- I don't think, right now, many DHs deserve the Hall of Fame outside of Frank Thomas and perhaps Edgar (like I said, I'm on the fence...sometimes I think yes, sometimes no). Not because it's "not a position" or anything like that, but because there haven't been a whole lot of guys spending the majority of their playing time at DH until recently (except for perhaps Harold Baines, who I don't support -- and Harold still played over 1,000 games in the field). Unless David Ortiz turns it back around in a big way, I won't support him, either (and Edgar was way better than Ortiz, anyway).
But like I said, I won't lose any sleep if Edgar makes it in.
Molitor, Thomas, Thome, E-Martinez. All 4 have significant DH time (Thome's career leaves him as a 1B/DH not a DH/1B, but I'd put him in this group. After all lots of people call Molitor the only DH in the HoF, and he had a similar proportion of his career at DH) and are, IMO, a good start class for HoF DHs. Thomas as the clear ace of the group, Thome as the very strong #2, and E-Mart/Molitor filling out the group. If that defines it guys like Ortiz or Mo Vaughn are clearly not in and you avoid any kind of inflation like we've seen with relievers the past few years.
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YOUR Hall of Fame ballot (not who you think will get in):
I voted at Joe Pos's site. If memory serves:
B. Blyleven
T. Raines
M. McGwire
R. Alomar
A. Trammell
B. Larkin
E. Martinez
D. Murphy
Any predictions? I think it's possible the BBWAA will elect NO one again. I am full of fear...
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YOUR Hall of Fame ballot (not who you think will get in):
I voted at Joe Pos's site. If memory serves:
B. Blyleven
T. Raines
M. McGwire
R. Alomar
A. Trammell
B. Larkin
E. Martinez
D. Murphy
Any predictions? I think it's possible the BBWAA will elect NO one again. I am full of fear...
Oh heck no. Alomar almost certainly gets in, Dawson may (unfortunately) get in, and Blyleven continues to slowly plod along. Larkin has a good shot too.
Why Dale Murphy? He's just a crummier Jim Rice, who really didn't deserve his entry.
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Molitor, Thomas, Thome, E-Martinez. All 4 have significant DH time (Thome's career leaves him as a 1B/DH not a DH/1B, but I'd put him in this group. After all lots of people call Molitor the only DH in the HoF, and he had a similar proportion of his career at DH) and are, IMO, a good start class for HoF DHs. Thomas as the clear ace of the group, Thome as the very strong #2, and E-Mart/Molitor filling out the group. If that defines it guys like Ortiz or Mo Vaughn are clearly not in and you avoid any kind of inflation like we've seen with relievers the past few years.
I forgot about Molitor and Thome, even though neither of them spent the majority of their careers as a DH like Edgar and Thomas; and with Thome at least, I don't really view him as a DH because he's spent 70% of his career so far in the field (compared to 56% for Molitor, 42% for Big Hurt and 29% for Edgar). Additionally, Molitor's a weird case because of all his position switching, but he did play more games in the field (just not at any one position). That being said, Molitor doesn't make the HoF without his DH years. Also, I do think counting stats matter a little bit in making a HoF case, and outside of doubles and walks Edgar's career totals aren't that impressive, especially considering he played in an era of increased offense.
But again, I don't think it would be some great injustice if Edgar got in.
As for actual predictions, Dawson or Blyleven might get in, but I wouldn't count on it. I don't think Larkin or Martinez get in...not on the first ballot, at least. But the baseball writers are so screwy with their selections that predicting is pretty much a fool's game.
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Molitor, Thomas, Thome, E-Martinez. All 4 have significant DH time (Thome's career leaves him as a 1B/DH not a DH/1B, but I'd put him in this group. After all lots of people call Molitor the only DH in the HoF, and he had a similar proportion of his career at DH) and are, IMO, a good start class for HoF DHs. Thomas as the clear ace of the group, Thome as the very strong #2, and E-Mart/Molitor filling out the group. If that defines it guys like Ortiz or Mo Vaughn are clearly not in and you avoid any kind of inflation like we've seen with relievers the past few years.
I forgot about Molitor and Thome, even though neither of them spent the majority of their careers as a DH like Edgar and Thomas; and with Thome at least, I don't really view him as a DH because he's spent 70% of his career so far in the field (compared to 56% for Molitor, 42% for Big Hurt and 29% for Edgar). Additionally, Molitor's a weird case because of all his position switching, but he did play more games in the field (just not at any one position). That being said, Molitor doesn't make the HoF without his DH years. Also, I do think counting stats matter a little bit in making a HoF case, and outside of doubles and walks Edgar's career totals aren't that impressive, especially considering he played in an era of increased offense.
But again, I don't think it would be some great injustice if Edgar got in.
As for actual predictions, Dawson or Blyleven might get in, but I wouldn't count on it. I don't think Larkin or Martinez get in...not on the first ballot, at least. But the baseball writers are so screwy with their selections that predicting is pretty much a fool's game.
My issue with counting stats is they're just a messier way of looking at, more fundamentally, rate stats and playing time. Those are each individual measures of actual value (how good you were at offense/defense and how often you put that skill to use) as opposed to a messier stat that says the .300 hitter over 1000 AB is the same as a .150 hitter over 2000 AB, eg.
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Why Dale Murphy? He's just a crummier Jim Rice, who really didn't deserve his entry.
It's close, real close.
At the end of the day it's personal prejudice. But for that six-year run (1982-1987) he had as good a peak period as your typical HOF member, maybe more. What killed him was his decline, which was more drastic and atypical of what BBWAA voters judge as Hall-worthy.
The likes of Dawson, Nolan Ryan, Ripken and Craig Biggio (ouch) had longer stretches of average quality at the tail end, padding the counting stats. Murphy's decline was so steep and precipitous that it seemed to overshadow all that he accomplished beforehand. So he didn't have the counting stats (400-500 HR) and probably not the monster peak seasons that voters notice in shorter careers (Koufax, Dizzy Dean).
So how does that explain Bruce Sutter? Anyway when I was at Posnanski's site I put myself in the role of a BBWAA voter and figured, what the hell.
As for Rice vs. Murphy... I'd like to see ballpark effects for Fenway and Fulton-County Stadium. It might bridge the gap. Also Murphy's peak seasons were at a key defensive position, confirmed by the five Gold Gloves. Yeah, Gold Gloves are an iffy yardstick (I'd be surprised if Roberto Alomar deserved half of his) but they're not given out to just anyone and Jim Ed never got within sniffing distance of one.
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Why Dale Murphy? He's just a crummier Jim Rice, who really didn't deserve his entry.
It's close, real close.
At the end of the day it's personal prejudice. But for that six-year run (1982-1987) he had as good a peak period as your typical HOF member, maybe more. What killed him was his decline, which was more drastic and atypical of what BBWAA voters judge as Hall-worthy.
The likes of Dawson, Nolan Ryan, Ripken and Craig Biggio (ouch) had longer stretches of average quality at the tail end, padding the counting stats. Murphy's decline was so steep and precipitous that it seemed to overshadow all that he accomplished beforehand. So he didn't have the counting stats (400-500 HR) and probably not the monster peak seasons that voters notice in shorter careers (Koufax, Dizzy Dean).
So how does that explain Bruce Sutter? Anyway when I was at Posnanski's site I put myself in the role of a BBWAA voter and figured, what the hell.
As for Rice vs. Murphy... I'd like to see ballpark effects for Fenway and Fulton-County Stadium. It might bridge the gap. Also Murphy's peak seasons were at a key defensive position, confirmed by the five Gold Gloves. Yeah, Gold Gloves are an iffy yardstick (I'd be surprised if Roberto Alomar deserved half of his) but they're not given out to just anyone and Jim Ed never got within sniffing distance of one.
The difference with the stick-it-out guys like Nolan Ryan (Andre Dawson isn't close to the same level) is that being a decent pitcher still has value. A decline is a decline. If you want to get in purely on peak it had better be like Sandy Koufax style dominance, not just HoF good. David Cone had a HoF good period
In fact, here's a fun comparison:
David Cone, 88-99: 3.15 ERA (131 ERA+) over 2468.0 IP
Tom Glavine, 91-02: 3.15 ERA (134 ERA+) over 2698.2 IP
Practically the same good-not-great peak. A 130s ERA+ is when you can start approaching HoF quality pitching. But the reason why Tom Glavine is (even ignoring 300 wins as I do) an edge HoF case and David Cone isn't is Glavine managed to stick around and at least be serviceable.
87 wasn't really a full season nor was his terrible finale 08. Outside of that he had effectively 1 bad full season in 88; 4 league average 200ish inning seasons in 89, 90, 03, and 07; and 3 pretty good years 04-06. All of that adds up to almost another 2000 innings of career pitching at a still pretty decent clip while Cone could only add on 400 more. In the same way there is a difference between Murphy (4000 good peak plate appearances from 82-87 at a 145 OPS+) and someone else, because he (as you said) fell off a cliff like Cone rather than plateauing nicely like Glavine.
Same reason I don't think Sammy Sosa isn't a HoFer. Outside of that peak (and I don't care about steroids) he was such and mediocre player. And even in that peak, other than one year, while it was good it wasn't like Ruth/Bonds/Williams/Gehrig great.
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Cliff Corcoran's top-ten list (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/cliff_corcoran/12/31/corcoran.top.stories/index.html), in chronological order.
By far, MY #1 baseball memory in 2009 was the World Baseball Classic. My rooting interest for Japan was deep and compelling -- nothing else mattered. Even the Yankees winning it all (I'm partial to the NL) didn't tip the scales much. It made my year.
Number two is the jaw-dropping pathetic and disgraceful umpiring in the postseason. Jeez, we thought the "dropped" third strike in the '05 ALCS and Matt Holliday's slide in '06 were outliers. I'm grateful I had no specific rooting interest for any of the eight teams playing. I'd be breaking things left and right.
Third would be the Twins-Tigers AL Central playoff game. I followed this game at work via streaming video and I'm not sure I got ANY work done. Our computers don't have sound cards so I was spared the *FISTED* tones of Chipper Caray and the now-infamous RBI single... oops, fly ball double play.
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Love Joe Pos for this: breaking down "The Best Player In Baseball (http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/01/04/best-players-in-baseball/)" in separate five-year spans.
I'd respect B. Simmons a heck of a lot more if he cared about baseball a TENTH as much as Posnanski. Or Jonah Keri. Or Rob Neyer. Or even Bob Costas for crissakes.
In other news, Craig Calcaterra said Murray Chass's HOF ballot was an outright disgrace. I've no desire to see the carcass.
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Joe Posnanski, the Gold standard of sportswriters, weighs in with HIS HOF ballot (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_posnanski/01/04/hall.ballot/). After a week of Heyman and Shaughnessy and Chass, we finally have order restored to the universe.
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Randy Johnson is holding a conference call tonight to announce his retirement. I never thought he would reach marks like 300 wins but his durability in the last decade sealed the deal, despite not getting his act together until his late 20s.
Bound for Cooperstown in five years.
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Joe Posnanski, the Gold standard of sportswriters, weighs in with HIS HOF ballot (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_posnanski/01/04/hall.ballot/). After a week of Heyman and Shaughnessy and Chass, we finally have order restored to the universe.
I still disagree on Murphy, his one self-labeled emotional and disagreeable pick. His E-Mart case is good and clear though:
I'll just give you one chart: Here is the complete list of non-Hall of Famers who played in 2,000 games and hit .310 or better and had an on-base percentage better than .400.
1. Edgar Martinez.
Yep. That's it. Every other player who did it -- Ruth, Williams, Gehrig, Hornsby, Cobb, Foxx, Musial, Speaker, Heilmann, Collins, Waner, Gehringer, Boggs -- they're all in the Hall of Fame. They're all slam dunk Hall of Famers. Martinez wasn't a good hitter, and he wasn't a great hitter. He was a legendary hitter. To me, that trumps the DH role.
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That's fine. I'd still prefer Murphy and his baggage over Jim "The Most Feared Hitter in Baseball with 30 GIDP a year" Rice and Andre "Hall-of-Fame Aura with .320 lifetime OBP" Dawson any time.
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Can you believe they're announcing the picks tomorrow?! It's been some time since I've paid this much attention to the process. Thank you, Twitter...
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Will Leitch's sublime tweet re. Matt Holliday's status with the Cards:
Whoa, wait: Does this mean left field isn't open for Ankiel? Khhaaaaaaaannnnnnn!!!!!
Best. Movie. Ever.
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Andre Dawson should get in with his stats, but I got a soft spot for Harold Baines and his years as the DH for Oakland. His numbers are prolific esp. his days in ChiSox.
Happy Trails Randy Johnson!!
WTF BOMB: RANDY JOHNSON BIRD PITCH (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF85R1em7Zs#)
Matt Kemp better get his pants into gear!! The Dodgers need help!
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Andre Dawson should get in with his stats, but I got a soft spot for Harold Baines and his years as the DH for Oakland. His numbers are prolific esp. his days in ChiSox.
Happy Trails Randy Johnson!!
WTF BOMB: RANDY JOHNSON BIRD PITCH (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WF85R1em7Zs#)
Matt Kemp better get his pants into gear!! The Dodgers need help!
In what universe does Andre Dawson and his below league average OBP deserve HoF induction? Andre Dawson made more outs in his career than an average player would in those same plate appearances. That's not a HoFer.
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Holy crap, I didn't even realize Jay Mariotti was a member of the BBWAA and keeper of a Wonka Golden Ticket... I mean, a HOF ballot.
Everybody is revealing their selections so why shouldn't he (http://www.baseballink.com/archives/stories/mariotti-volunteers-to-be-thrown-out-of-the-bbwaa-4061053)?
I don't watch "Around The Horn" but read the same stories about this dunderhead on DEADSPIN (Roger Ebert's takedown of him last year was the GREATEST). I just never DREAMED Mariotti would treat the Baseball Hall of Fame the same way he treats the rest of society.
Guys like Will Carroll, Rob Neyer and Keith Law have to wait ten (10) years before they get a ballot. But Shit-For-Brains here thinks it's the People's Choice Awards or something. Sheesh!
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In what universe does Andre Dawson and his below league average OBP deserve HoF induction?
Frankly, ours. Cliches don't die easily.
Of course these are the same creatures that awarded Tim Lincecum this past season's NL Cy Young, despite not being the "winningest" pitcher in the league. Different voting structure, to be sure, but something that I need to grasp onto -- gotta believe in SOMETHING.
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Couple people reTweeted Jeff Pearlman's reaction to Randy Johnson's retirement (http://jeffpearlman.com/?p=4398).
Well, you can't win 'em all...
BTW I REALLY hope they inscribe "The Big Unit" on his HOF plaque.
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I occasionally watch Around the Horn, and I saw Mariotti and his half-assed "nobody felt like a first ballot Hall of Famer to me, so I voted for nobody!" spiel and I wanted to smack him. Guys like him (and Woody Paige, also on that show) are complete idiots when it comes to stuff like Hall of Fame voting.
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The Hall of Fame is an independent organization from MLB and the BBWAA. They should mandate a different voting body. Alas change is feared...
Top of the hour coming up. Let's see who emerges.
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Agh... Dawson IN. Blyleven five (5) votes short.
The bad guys win AGAIN.
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Fuck Andre Dawson. Another overrated, below HoF average OFer diluting the pool with a huge pool (Blyleven, Trammell, McGwire, Alomar, Larkin, etc, etc) of deserving choices.
At least Blyleven was only 5 votes shy, so he's getting in next year.
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On Randy Johnson:
One of the 5 greatest pitchers ever. I would say Walter Johnson/Roger Clemens/Greg Maddux/Randy Johnson/Cy Young, with Lefty Grove and a few others nipping right at the heels of that pack. A lot of comparisons have been made with Lefty Grove as to where Randy Johnson stands amongst all-time lefties. A comparison:
RJ: 3.29 ERA (136 ERA+) over 4135.1 IP
LG: 3.06 ERA (148 ERA+) over 3940.2 IP
I definitely understand the argument for Grove over RJ. My issue is a combination of competition level and standards of the era. Their playing time looks similar, but while Grove never led the league in innings Randy did twice. Both were impressive within their era with regards to Ks (Lefty leading the league 5 times, Randy 9 times), but the simple fact is Randy was better able to display that skill. Maybe Lefty could K 10/9 IP, maybe not. But we know Randy can.
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Good tweet from Rob Neyer: I wish writers who like Andre Dawson would stop saying that if you didn't support his candidacy, you weren't really paying attention.
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Good tweet from Rob Neyer: I wish writers who like Andre Dawson would stop saying that if you didn't support his candidacy, you weren't really paying attention.
I don't what's so complex about the simple fact that a below league average OBP means that Andre Dawson made more outs over the course of his career with the chances given to him than an average baseball player would. More outs THAN AN AVERAGE PLAYER. Hell, he wasn't even a player with a nasty decline or something, he only posted an OBP above .345 (basically the normal league average) in 3 seasons, and one of them (1981) was a partial season.
Yes he had a good (though .279 is hardly great) AVG and a nice .200 ISO, so when he wasn't making outs he was more productive than that average player, but that's such a simple and giant weight to overcome, how the heck is he a HoFer?
And if anyone voted for him in the Ken Griffey-style "Oh, what would he have been without injury"... Put Tony Conigliaro in the Hall.
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Re: Lefty Grove.
I don't disagree that RJ was a better pitcher overall, but in regards to strikeouts, RJ had an advantage in that guys now strike out more than ever -- back in Lefty's day, guys were taught that striking out was akin to a mortal sin, and to hit for contact whenever possible (even if it meant a dinky groundout). The most a batter struck out in one season during Lefty's career was 119 (Jimmie Foxx -- Lefty's teammate -- in 1936), with the low being 66 (Jimmie Foxx -- again -- and Ed Morgan, both in 1930, a ridiculous hitter's season). The lowest single season batter strikeout total in RJ's career was 128 (Travis Fryman in the strike-shortened 1994 season).
Having said that, Randy Johnson is still the greatest strikeout pitcher ever.
Also, Baseball Reference shows Lefty leading the AL in Ks seven times, not five.
And re: Andre Dawson. I pretty much called it, but that doesn't mean I'm happy about it!
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Re: Lefty Grove.
I don't disagree that RJ was a better pitcher overall, but in regards to strikeouts, RJ had an advantage in that guys now strike out more than ever -- back in Lefty's day, guys were taught that striking out was akin to a mortal sin, and to hit for contact whenever possible (even if it meant a dinky groundout). The most a batter struck out in one season during Lefty's career was 119 (Jimmie Foxx -- Lefty's teammate -- in 1936), with the low being 66 (Jimmie Foxx -- again -- and Ed Morgan, both in 1930, a ridiculous hitter's season). The lowest single season batter strikeout total in RJ's career was 128 (Travis Fryman in the strike-shortened 1994 season).
Agreed, that's why I looked at leading within the league, to at least vaguely account for that.
Also, Baseball Reference shows Lefty leading the AL in Ks seven times, not five.
Sorry, I meant K/9, not simply raw Ks.
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In other news, there were five BLANK HOF ballots and a single vote for David Sequi...
ZING!
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I don't disagree with the blank ballot in theory, but usually it's just guys like Mariotti doing it to "punish" players by not making them "first ballot Hall of Famers" (because, dadgummit, if Joe DiMaggio didn't get in on the first ballot, neither should Barry Larkin -- but does that mean Ozzie Smith was greater than Joe D?), and that's dumb.
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Another thing: there seems to be virtual unanimity as to Dawson being a nice and classy guy. I guess I'd rather honor someone like that than the Jim Rices of the world who bitch and whine about guys like Derek Jeter, who don't do it like we did in the old days...
Anyway that's about it. Don't pitchers and catchers report in six weeks or so?
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And now Mariotti is on Around the Horn, slurping Dawson and congratulating him on his HoF selection and for being a classy player! What a jerk.
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http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/01/04/hall-of-fame-arguments/#more-2976 (http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2010/01/04/hall-of-fame-arguments/#more-2976)
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And now Mariotti is on Around the Horn, slurping Dawson and congratulating him on his HoF selection and for being a classy player! What a jerk.
Chicago loves its own. Just like Shaugnessy campaigning for Jim Ed Rice.
Speaking of which, LOVED Pos's takedown of "Morris is better than Schilling." You can't fight Posnanski: he's the best blend of mainstream and alternative...
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Actually... is Dawson beloved in Chicago for his Cubbie days? I just did the Mariotti-Chicago connection. In reality, Dawson will be going in as an EXPO (hence the gushing from Jonah Keri). Where are the old-skool Montreal scribes?
And btw... much love for this thread. We got two pages on the Hall of Fame. Think fans of the NFL care about the politics of Canton? I think not.
Baseball still matters.
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And now Mariotti is on Around the Horn, slurping Dawson and congratulating him on his HoF selection and for being a classy player! What a jerk.
Chicago loves its own. Just like Shaugnessy campaigning for Jim Ed Rice.
Speaking of which, LOVED Pos's takedown of "Morris is better than Schilling." You can't fight Posnanski: he's the best blend of mainstream and alternative...
I've been a Neyer man myself for a while, but I'll admit that was a great post.
As for baseball mattering, of course. In particular your HoF connection, this is sort of circular logic but the baseball HoF draws 2 pages of talk and the NFL doesn't because... The baseball HoF draws 2 pages of talk and the NFL doesn't. The baseball HoF means something, it is significant, it is a true honor for which people wait decades to even vote for. The standards are expected to be upheld, and things like Bruce Sutter's election really piss people off. As such Cooperstown remains meaningful, while Canton just elects anyone with more than one Superbowl ring.
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I've been a Neyer man myself for a while, but I'll admit that was a great post.
Oh man... remember when Neyer was behind the evil ESPN Insider curtain for all those years? When did he return to the mainstream with his blog? So great to read his musings on a daily basis.
I guess Neyer gets HIS ballot in a decade. He's certainly qualified, being more of a baseball historian than the average beat writer. I think his Tracers for Bill James's "Baseball Books" in the early 90s were my first exposure to him. I think anyone who assisted James has gone on to bigger and better things (what's Jim Baker up to these days?)
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Brian Kenny had Rob Neyer AND Joe Sheehan on his radio show (http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/1960/podcast-roundtable-on-hof-vote). Kenny is perhaps ESPN's most sabermetric-friendly announcer so you know this is a good one. Wish this exchange could have gone on for much, much longer.
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The Merkle ball is being sold at auction (http://blog.robertedwardauctions.com/?p=263). Fascinating artifact from baseball history. But...
Any chance this is a hoax? The Evers family could have had a dozen MLB game balls from the early part of the 20th century, scribbled "1908" and sold it as the real deal.
Why was the 1951 Thomson home run ball lost to time?
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The Merkle ball is being sold at auction (http://blog.robertedwardauctions.com/?p=263). Fascinating artifact from baseball history. But...
Any chance this is a hoax? The Evers family could have had a dozen MLB game balls from the early part of the 20th century, scribbled "1908" and sold it as the real deal.
Why was the 1951 Thomson home run ball lost to time?
http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Ball-Heard-Round-World/dp/0307452689 (http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Ball-Heard-Round-World/dp/0307452689)
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Yeah heard about that book on BPR. One of those road trips where's the author is searching for his soul more than the actual baseball. Interesting bits on forensic investigating: studying newpaper photos, etc. But no baseball was ever found.
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Holy crap, Jeter's getting married (http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/jeter_set_to_foCaoQUphlPP0uQRsMuv0H)!
Thousands of sportswriters and announcers are crushed!
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Can't believe the Cubs really ARE jerking Dawson's chain by making the retirement of his number with the Cubs dependent upon the cap on his HOF plaque. Seriously?!
And Mark McGwire... here comes the Year of Shame. False contrition to be sure but can anything else be expected? America will accept false humilty before genuine egoism.
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Can't believe the Cubs really ARE jerking Dawson's chain by making the retirement of his number with the Cubs dependent upon the cap on his HOF plaque. Seriously?!
And Mark McGwire... here comes the Year of Shame. False contrition to be sure but can anything else be expected? America will accept false humilty before genuine egoism.
I can't believe people care this much. Every generation of athletes in every sport have cheated.
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And Bob Costas gets the "exclusive" chitchat with Steroid McGwire on the MLB Network (which requires an extra $10-15 per month on my cable system). A-Rod had Gammons... I wish Will Carroll would be the person to do these steroidy interviews; he wrote The Book after all.
I wonder how hard Costas will be on McGwire, what with the St. Louis connection and Costas being the de facto Moral Conscience of Baseball (I wonder if he signed up to do Ken Burn's sequel?). I guess better Costas than, say, Joe Buck. Or Bill Plaschke.
Dan Le Batard was right: steroids in baseball is THE most overblown "story" ever.
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Aaron Gleeman sums up nicely on Twitter: For years columnists and talking heads insisted McGwire needed to come clean. Now he has and same guys are ripping him for it. Jon Heyman of SI (http://twitter.com/SI_JonHeyman/status/7642704765) was called out by Craig Calcaterra (http://twitter.com/craigcalcaterra/status/7642939287) (one of my absolute faves) for exactly this.
Alas, consistency isn't a requirement for this sector of The MSM...
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On Mark McGwire
CARDINALS MANAGER TONY La RUSSA
“No one on the teams I managed worked harder or better than Mark. And now, his willingness to admit mistakes, express his regret, and explain the circumstances that led him to use steroids add to my respect for him. I’ve defended Mark because I observed him develop his unique power hitting skill through a rigorous physical and fundamental workout program. He has a lot to offer our team as our hitting coach. We look forward to his being part of the 2010 Cardinals.”
***
CARDINALS CHAIRMAN BILL DEWITT, Jr.
“On behalf of the entire Cardinals organization, I believe Mark McGwire today did the right thing by telling the truth and openly acknowledging his past mistakes. No one condones what Mark did more than 10 years ago, but we hired him as our hitting coach because we know there are many contributions that Mark can and will make to our team and to this game. Because of the efforts of Commissioner Bud Selig, who implemented the toughest drug testing program in professional sports, the Major League Baseball culture as it relates to use of performance-enhancing substances has vastly improved over the last decade. I’m glad Mark has gone public and the Cardinals welcome him back as our hitting coach.”
***
CARDINALS GM JOHN MOZELIAK
“Mark is going to make an outstanding hitting coach. He’s a smart student of the game and he has a lot of valuable lessons he can teach our ballplayers. I’m glad Mark has gotten this off his chest and he can proudly begin the next chapter of his life. I can’t wait to see him back in uniform.”
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Quote of the Day (http://bases.nbcsports.com/2010/01/quote-of-the-day-tom-haudricourt.html.php): I haven't voted for him because he wouldn't come forward and say anything, but now that he did and admitted he cheated, I probably still won't vote for him.
Having it both ways: ain't that America...
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Why is Mark McGwire saying that he took steroids such a big story? We already knew this. Its nothing new. I guess because football is coming to a close, that nobody cares about hockey and basketball isnt in its last month that this is a big story. IMO this is all about getting into the HALL. Not admitting to taking steroids got him only 25 percent. He thinks admitting it is the only option he has if he wants to get in. Sorry mark you are in the baseball world. Once you are thought of as a cheat, its over. Ask Pete about it.
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Why is Mark McGwire saying that he took steroids such a big story? We already knew this. Its nothing new. I guess because football is coming to a close, that nobody cares about hockey and basketball isnt in its last month that this is a big story. IMO this is all about getting into the HALL. Not admitting to taking steroids got him only 25 percent. He thinks admitting it is the only option he has if he wants to get in. Sorry mark you are in the baseball world. Once you are thought of as a cheat, its over. Ask Pete about it.
Wow, there are a lot of dumb things in this post:
1. We didn't know jack. Prior to this there was as much evidence that Hank Aaron took steroids (he too had a late-in-career surge of power and was teammates with a known roider). Suspicion is not evidence, journalists of this era seem to forget that.
2. Pete Rose wasn't a cheat.
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Wow, there are a lot of dumb things in this post:
1. We didn't know jack. Prior to this there was as much evidence that Hank Aaron took steroids (he too had a late-in-career surge of power and was teammates with a known roider). Suspicion is not evidence, journalists of this era seem to forget that.
2. Pete Rose wasn't a cheat.
[/quote]
Really you didnt know. I guess you still believe that Santa Claus is real too. :smhid :doh: :wth
1. Him sitting in front of congress and saying that he didnt want to talk about the past was an admission. When you can not answer a straight yes or no question because you are scared you might have charges brought against you if you answer either way that says a lot. If he says yes I did it than they get him for purchasing illegal drug. If he says no than they can go after him for perjury. You are correct, they havent found used syringes or a doctor that said he gave it to mark but that doesnt mean that we didnt know this. The lasting image of McGwire is not him breaking the single season home run record; it is him dodging questions in front of congress.
2. Pete Rose bet on games as a manager. People feel that he bet on his own team. So the question is, did he make calls that would help him win his bets or did he make calls that would win games? Betting on your team and making calls during the game to influence the outcome of your bet is CHEATING.
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GREAT line from today's chat with Rob Neyer:
Jim (Denver)
Thoughts on the Leno-Conan debacle?
Rob Neyer (1:14 PM)
NBC could have avoided some of this mess if they'd just hired a good sabermetrician.
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http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2010/01/in_response_to.php (http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2010/01/in_response_to.php)
There's old school and then there's just OLD, as in tiresome.
Did Chass EVER have an A-game? Cause when you try to match wits and intellect against the best, you WILL get smashed like a hammer to a pea.
"Fire Joe Morgan" used to do this stuff all the time; I suspect they quit because every column was turning into reruns, what with the number of "mainstream" numbnuts churning out nonsense like sausages. Hopefully there will be enough ammo to keep the likes of Murray Chass at bay until the next generation gets a firm grip on power.
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http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/welchbo01.shtml?redir (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/welchbo01.shtml?redir)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero02.shtml (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clemero02.shtml)
lol 1990 CYA voters. I get that 27 wins is a lot, but I'm gonna bet that the Athletics 3rd best in the league offense and incredible bullpen on route to 103 wins played a larger role in getting those wins than Welch's ERA, a full run higher than Clemens (who was in Fenway, a hugely hitter-friendly park, making it more impressive).
EDIT - Heck, Welch's teammate Dave Stewart had a better year pitching.
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Sheesh, Welch got 5.21 run support per game in 1990; Clemens 4.34.
I remember that year and ridiculed the BBWAA for its slavish devotion to that hallowed stat. A sub-2.00 ERA in friggin' Fenway Park?! I don't remember if I was cynical that things would ever change. Bill James' Abstracts had already been replaced by a new baseball annual (less devoted to hard analysis, although still committed to uncovering Baseball Truth) and it would be some time before Project Scoresheet morphed into STATS, Inc and the internet made information like this available for all so grumps like Murray Chass wouldn't jizz in their bibs just by seeing a big number in the "W" column.
And then we had the 2005 AL Cy Young balloting...
I think that's when I figured NOTHING would EVER change. I remain cautiously pessimistic, the 2009 awards notwithstanding.
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Like my friend said, this IS change we can believe in: http://japantoday.com/category/sports/view/japan-to-follow-globally-used-ball-strike-count. (http://japantoday.com/category/sports/view/japan-to-follow-globally-used-ball-strike-count.)
Other things I'd like changed: the dollar-yen exchange rate, driving on the right side of the road and that pesky metric stuff.
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The best part about Bob Welch winning the 1990 Cy Young? Roger Clemens finished 3rd in MVP voting that year; Welch finished 9th.
Other pitchers who finished ahead of Welch in MVP voting: Bobby Thigpen (5th), Dennis Eckersley (6th) and Dave Stewart (8th).
So Roger Clemens, by the voters' count, was the most valuable pitcher in the AL...but not the best; on the other hand, writers felt that Welch was the best pitcher in the AL, but only the 3rd most valuable pitcher on his own team.
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Apparently Mariano Rivera has an alter-ego in the offseason...
(http://img45.imagevenue.com/loc931/th_68545_FHM_Philippines3_100_Sexiest_Women_in_the_World_2009-039_123_931lo.jpg) (http://img45.imagevenue.com/img.php?loc=loc931&image=68545_FHM_Philippines3_100_Sexiest_Women_in_the_World_2009-039_123_931lo.jpg)
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I'm pleased that the Baseball HOF is excercising good judgement (http://www.chicagobreakingsports.com/2010/01/andre-dawson-to-enter-hall-of-fame-as-an-expo.html) with the Andre Dawson cap issue. Expos fans deserve that much.
p.s. Greg Maddux ain't going in as a Cubbie either, when the time comes.
p.p.s. What the hell is on Gaylord Perry's plaque?
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Ugh, read that A. Dawson is NOT pleased about The Cap. I can feel a hissy fit coming on strong, ala Jim Ed.
Crissakes, don't blow it Andre. Montreal NEEDS you!
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Who wants to read a Ken Griffey Jr interview with me?
http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=944 (http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=944)
Part 2 coming sometime in the future
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Another 90s CYA bone?
http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1992.shtml#ALcya (http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1992.shtml#ALcya)
Besides Eck winning, which is just dumb, Jim Abbot received no votes despite finishing third a year before with a pretty similar season.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abbotji01.shtml (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abbotji01.shtml)
The difference? 18-11 in 91, 7-15 in 92. Because clearly that, and not his near-identical run prevention, is how you should measure a pitcher. :rofl:
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Joe Mauer signs a 10 year extension with the Twins, only the 4th 10 year contract in history.
Arod, Jeter, Mauer... and Wayne Garland.
lol
Anyways, good for baseball.
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Almost there with Mauer. Didn't Cap Anson have a ten-year deal with Chicago?
And congrats to Jon Miller (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof10/news/story?id=4877543), baseball's newest Hall of Famer.
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Another Dawson/cap story (http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/news/story?id=4862768). He's backed away from wearing the Cubs cap and throwing away the class and dignity and goodwill that many baseball scribes and analysts acknowledged in him, even if they didn't support his selection into the Hall (much less his 1987 NL MVP award which may have tipped the scales in his favor, historically speaking).
I think we can blame two people for all this: Reggie (Yankee cap) and Wade Boggs (selling his soul to the Devil Rays).
Not to belabor the issue but how come people who are initally humbled by HOF selection suddenly turn to abject arrogance concerning the same honor? The world needs less people like Jim Ed Rice and Mercury Morris. Besides, it's a MAN being honored, not a goddamn cap/team.
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Almost there with Mauer. Didn't Cap Anson have a ten-year deal with Chicago?
And congrats to Jon Miller (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/hof10/news/story?id=4877543), baseball's newest Hall of Famer.
I think that list is post free-agency, since pre-FA you basically had as long a deal with a team as they wanted.
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Marvelous RT from Keith Law: http://twitter.com/keithlaw/statuses/8644204515 (http://twitter.com/keithlaw/statuses/8644204515)
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Now it's turned into "Principles of Sabermetrics": http://twitter.com/keithlaw/statuses/8647696338 (http://twitter.com/keithlaw/statuses/8647696338)
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Marvelous piece by Kevin Kaduk about Jeopardy and confidence in your baseball knowledge: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/If-you-were-on-Jeopardy-and-the-final-category-w?urn=mlb,217699 (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/If-you-were-on-Jeopardy-and-the-final-category-w?urn=mlb,217699)
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^ I guess you have to be lucky or really into MLB to get some right :lol:
I got 5/10 so that shows I am not a big fan of MLB but some I could remember :nervous
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Who wants to read a Ken Griffey Jr interview with me?
http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=944 (http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=944)
Part 2 coming sometime in the future
Part 2 is here!
http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=984 (http://www.solecollector.com/niketraining/?p=984)
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Destroyed that Jeopardy sample. Mariners/Marlins got me, yikes.
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With the end of That NFL Game our long wait is almost over, true believers: pitchers and catchers report NEXT week!
Baseball is coming!
p.s. someone on Facebook commented "what about basketball?" I came back with my best John McEnroe: "You CAN NOT be serious!"
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http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.shtml#NLcya (http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.shtml#NLcya)
lulz Steve Bedrosian
I don't mind the idea of relievers winning, but some of the early "ZOMG 40/50 SAVES CYA WINNER!" ones were laughably stupid.
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whoa 46 days away, eh?? HEY!! TIME to sign up for Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball!
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball 2010: JPHiPLB
Jim Rome Is Burning - Baseball Manager's Staged Tirade (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNs2L68Agqs#)
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb (http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb)
League ID: 238314
Password: rika
Using online live draft. Sat Apr 3 9:45pm EDT
Any comments? Rule changes? HOLLATCHABOY!!
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Still too lazy for fantasy but I'll keep an eye on the aXXXtion.
In other news, ETA one day and counting (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100216&content_id=8083224&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb)!
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OK here it comes (http://twitter.com/jeffbakalar/status/9841772562)...
If someone compares hockey to MLB, then it's a compliment right? I mean, NO ONE is going to actually suggest that hockey even touches MLB in any measureable way, right?
Right.
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Will Leitch on the Team Of The Decade (http://deadspin.com/5482250/boston-red-sox-team-of-the-decade).
Loved this line: If you think "steroids" were the baseball story of the last decade, I honestly and truly feel sorry for you.
I'm not sure I'd feel "sorry." More bugged and annoyed. And that person just doesn't like baseball.
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Yoshida Eri met Tim Wakefield (http://soxblog.projo.com/2010/03/wakefield-meets.html)?!! Where is the video footage of this?!
Will keep an eye on Sankei Sports throughout the day (she has her own section there).
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Ahh, action in the spring (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/giants/detail?&entry_id=58450).
If this were April instead of March I might be interested to see a highlight; otherwise, it's just... whatever.
Loved this tweet from Kevin Kaduk (http://twitter.com/bigleaguestew/status/9991863153): Shouldn't the Giants technically be throwing at all the players who fell down around Prince Fielder? That'd make for a fun game.
The ghost of Dock Ellis lurks...
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Sabermetrics 101 (http://www.socrated.com/courses/48) is here!
No more excuses for dunderhead BBWAA members (see: Keizo Konishi).
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Today is Jim Bouton's 71st birthday. Rika bless him, creator of the greatest baseball book of all time...
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Spring is here! My copies of "Baseball Prospectus 2010" and "The Bill James Gold Mine 2010" have shipped!
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Who is Jonah Hill and why was he tabbed to play Paul DePodesta in the "Moneyball" movie? (per Rob Neyer as told by Michael Lewis.) Is this Bill Plaschke's final act of pique?
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My heart goes out to Joe Nathan and all Twins fans. Read about the press conference and Nathan's deportment. I don't believe this cripple's Minnesota's season but it sure is a kick to the stomach for a Tuesday.
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Seattle for first in AL West. :twisted:
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AL West could be a battle this year.
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Dig the new M's commercial with Junior Griffey and Ichiro:
M's commercial: Meaningful moments (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKD90kPia0w#ws)
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XD :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Poor Ichiro!
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FUCK!!! That is so epic. The comedic talents of both, and I've seen a few of those Ichiro beer CMs.
We gotta make our way down there for a game! Whaddya say JPH!P??
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FUCK!!! That is so epic. The comedic talents of both, and I've seen a few of those Ichiro beer CMs.
We gotta make our way down there for a game! Whaddya say JPH!P??
I would love to go to a Seattle game when I have the money and the time, well i would like to go to all the stadiums and maybe watch a NY/BOS game :D
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Let's face it: Fenway and Yankee III may be priced out of our brackets. I'm afraid Wrigley may be on that path as well.
The two stadiums I DO want to check out are Safeco in Seattle and Whatever-Tech Park in SF.
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Yep, everyone (well, not really -- just the baseball people) was all aflutter on Twitter due to Nomar's bit on ESPN "Baseball Tonight."
Someone on Fangraphs (FANGRAPHS!) was on. Whereupon the recently-retired Garciaparra quipped: "there's no stat for heart."
You can imagine the response...
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Predictions have been predictable.
Gotta wait 6 months to see if the MLB becomes more like the NBA. Forgone conclusion. Might get some tweaks to the playoffs if that happens.
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My thoughts on The Sports Guy's embrace of sabermetrics (http://saburo.vox.com/library/post/sabermetrics-101-twenty-years-late.html).
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My thoughts on The Sports Guy's embrace of sabermetrics (http://saburo.vox.com/library/post/sabermetrics-101-twenty-years-late.html).
The only lost causes are complete idiots like Colin Cowherd.
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Opening Day + work = uggghhhh...
Caught the Buehrle play at MLB.com, amazing sequence...
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LIGHT EM UP! FLAME ON!! Obama smoking the first pitch!
Raw Video: Obama Throws Out First Pitch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ftnSTu-CM#)
Let the games begin 8)
Pujos blasts one outta the park on his first pitch!
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I believe with all my heart that any performance of "God Bless America" during a baseball game is a sin against humanity. Also means the terrorists have won.
/rant
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2010 Play of the Year? It'll be difficult to top (I'm looking at you, Ichiro!): http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7282679 (http://www.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7282679)
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Don't fuck with Chan Ho Park!!
Chan Ho Park answers his critics (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GIEHPGj9sI#)
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^ dude I feel bad for you
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I'm already bracing myself right now for the onslaught of Conan ads on TBS during this year's MLB playoffs.
On the other hand: Conan > Frank TV > George Lopez.
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^ damn TBS!! We'll soon be seeing him at Braves games?
Female knuckleballer Eri Yoshida, 18, was signed to a minor league baseball contract with the Chico (Calif.) Outlaws late last week.
(http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/9038/75278201004130433447001.jpg)
(http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/1296/75278201004130388209001.jpg)
(http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/8945/75278201004130376969001.jpg)
(http://img168.imageshack.us/img168/6596/75278201004130216609001.jpg)
source: http://career.oricon.co.jp/news/75278/full/?cat_id=tw (http://career.oricon.co.jp/news/75278/full/?cat_id=tw)
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Rika bless Yoshida Eri...
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^ Indeed
Mets David Wright meets The Situation :lol:
david wright and the situation - "situational training" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W-nCmN_Ovk#ws)
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Matsui returns to New York!
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00214.jpg)
New York Yankees get their 2009 World Series Rings [HD] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEXPVcEQwSA#ws)
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00213.jpg)
and gets punk'd with fake ring lol
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http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Hideki-Matsui-welcomed-back-to-Bronx-with-hugs-?urn=mlb,233901 (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Hideki-Matsui-welcomed-back-to-Bronx-with-hugs-?urn=mlb,233901)
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5081788 (http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5081788)
(http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1359/679e47b3f1df4913192cde4.jpg)
Man, what a great moment for Matsui. None of his championships with the Giants in Tokyo could have prepared him for this: a goddamn Yankee ring. And louder cheers than even Capt. Jeter. A World Series MVP does that kind of shit.
And yeah, a phony ring in the box... Even Swisher got a phony one, wonder what it looked like.
Oh-for-five at the plate, though. Ouch!
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Random thought: "Bud" Selig tries to clampdown his image with MLB "business partners" in a prid pro quo fashion. Like Disney enterprises, you say bad things and the mob comes down on you, hard. He's a bad man disguised as a buffoonish accounting clerk.
p.s. a statue of Selig will be unveiled some time in the near future at Miller Park in Milwaukee.
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A friend of mine is a long-suffering Cubs fan (yes, Hawaii has MLB fans depsite news to the contrary) since the 80s when they kicked away a trip to the World Series in 1984 to the Padres. Not sure if I ever addressed the horror of 2003 to him; he's now married with twins and probably has more on his plate than the National League Central division.
But I found this piece on Big League Stew (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/How-can-the-Cubs-get-through-five-more-years-of-?urn=mlb,234268) about the albatross that is Alfonso Soriano and I thought of my friend once more. FIVE (5) more years of stuck shit in the outfield. Five more years of a financial burden for a team that has enough constipation and front-office ineptness. Five more years of a Stonehenge that's just inert and dead and won't see a .350 OBP until the Republican Party nominates Oprah for President of the USA.
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^ It's for reasons like that I'm happy the Steinbrenners own the Yankees and Brian Cashman is GM XD
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Anyone catch A-Rod's latest adventure yesterday vs. Oakland? You had the karate chop on Bronson Aroyo, the "HA!" at the Toronto infielder (forget his name) and now... crossing the sacred pitchers mound?! Like they say, you CAN'T make this stuff up!
ESPN had no video of the alleged diss but this blog does (http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2010/04/23/unwritten-or-not-arods-response-was-wrong/). And an interesting perspective from a Yankee voice saying A-Rod should have shut the 'eff up, which right or wrong is an unrealistic proposition.
Still I LOVE this story and love Braden's quotes, all of which are hall-of-fame quality.
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^that was interesting, i never know of this rule, but its an interesting rule in any case :nervous
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AWESOME graphic retweeted by Rob Neyer: http://flipflopflyball.tumblr.com/post/543541028/i-drew-a-quick-map-of-bradenia (http://flipflopflyball.tumblr.com/post/543541028/i-drew-a-quick-map-of-bradenia)
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I'm no A-rod fan by any stretch but I hate baseball's "unwritten rule" bull crap even more (never even heard of this don't cross the pitchers mound during a dead ball thing).
Plus Braden seems like a psychopath. :lol: Surprised he even made it to the big leagues when he lets something so trivial set him off.
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Ryan Howard: five-year extension, $125 million. Even a coworker of mine who is a very casual baseball observer said it's nuts.
I guess happy days are here again since the owners have the big buck$! Also Albert Pujols, who seriously deserves $30 million per season, starting.
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don't tase me bro!!
Phillies Fan Tasered May 3, 2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz6wphXbhjA#)
stupid Phillies fan XD
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Ernie Harwell died today (http://www.freep.com/article/20100504/SPORTS02/100504087/1050/). Baseball is the lesser for it.
This story about a surprise appearance at a charity event (http://blog.mlive.com/cutoffman/2009/12/longtime_tigers_sportscaster_e.html), months after Harwell's condition was revealed, is one incident that will stay with me forever. A life filled with greatness and generosity. RIP, Ernie.
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don't tase me bro!!
I see the pros and cons. On balance, I'd think they'd have the good sense to have cause before using brute force. I don't think MLB has a Monica Seles problem (tennis tourneys have their own issues regarding quacks running on the court during play).
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That's entertainment!
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Read that Milton Bradley bolted in the middle of a game yesterday (http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=422&sid=317514) after getting benched.
Got to the The Last Chance, no?
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Aw man Ernie :cry:
I always thought he and Pat Summerall had the most epic voices in sports.
They should just start a policy of immediately tasing everyone that runs on the field and banning them from all pro sporting events for life.
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OT: I'm amazed at the lack of security in major tennis tournaments -- they've learned nothing since Monica Seles got stabbed on the court.
These loons... well I think we're a long way before a taser shot becomes the norm, thankfully.
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Ernie Harwell, one of the all time greats along with Chick Hearn and Bob Cole, and a few local guys here. ESPN's Jon Miller doesn't even come close, even tho he is my current fave.
whoa, it just started pouring in Boston which means C.C. Sabathia doesn't get the win! ARRGH My Fantasy Team is getting pounded lol
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Smiled at the pro-Yankee voices tweeting after Dallas Braden's perfect game. Oooh, how they wanted that gem broken up (e.g. bunt single in the 9th). But in the hours (much less days) following, it has got to be one of the great stories of this baseball season, A-Rod mound gossip or not.
Braden's back story, his grandmother, and even A-Rod's response fit like a glove. Just a great BASEBALL story.
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Trey Hillman canned right after Zach Greinke's glorious first win of the season (i.e. Royals bullpen unable to choke up three-run lead). Jeez...
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Mariano Rivera gave up a GRAND SLAM to Jason Kubel?!! That sounds like Mike Tyson getting ass-whooped by Buster Douglas...
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http://joesheehanbaseball.blogspot.com/ (http://joesheehanbaseball.blogspot.com/)
Joe Sheehan, late of Baseball Prospectus, has started a newsletter. I can't think of another baseball writer in all the intarwebs that I'd actually pay real buck$ to read and so it is. If you're serious about MLB I'd recommend you do the same.
p.s. well, I'd pay to read Joe Posnanski. And Jonah Keri.
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Daaaamn, the Rays come into the Bronx and just KICK Yankee ASS. Very impressive.
And they SHOULD go all out this year: Crawford and Pena will be gone after this season.
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From the latest Joe Sheehan Newsletter:
If interleague play truly drove interest, attendance and ratings, the games would be played on weeknights in April and September. That has never been the case; interleague gets four weekend slots, mostly in June, a time when people come out of the woodwork to watch baseball games. The statistics that come out every year to build the case for interleague simply ignore this fact and tout it as fact that the games were better attended that their intraleague counterparts, as if attendance had never tracked with the mercury prior to 1997.
To whatever extent gains are made, they come via the handful of games that are interleague’s raison d’etre: the crosstown matchups in New York and Chicago and their slightly more distant partners in California, Texas, Ohio and the mid-Atlantic. There are eight team pairs that are geographically close enough to be considered interleague rivals, and that’s giving Cleveland/Cincinnati (Pittsburgh is more a rival to the former), Baltimore/Washington (one team didn’t exist six years ago) and Florida/Tampa Bay (no rivalry exists) more credit for heat than is warranted. The entire schedule is thrown into disarray, divisional and wild-card raced skewed, so that those 16 teams can play six games against one another every year. Tiger fans get to gaze upon the wonder that is the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Blue Jays get another western swing tacked onto their schedule. The Brewers and Angels get to fight for the Bob McClure Cup.
I'd like to see a break from this stuff, too. We have the DH in the All-Star Game and the Wild Card ain't going nowhere. Can't we get some tradition back?
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Their Gestapo attitude towards the mandatory 7th-inning "God Bless America" standstill was bad enough. Now, laptops and iPads (http://www.centernetworks.com/yankees-ipad-not-allowed) need not apply?!!
Safety and patriotism first. That's why they're the Greatest City In The World.
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White Sox vs LA Angels Fight 5/20/2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1unmL20tz60#)
Man, what a windup that guy made for that punch...
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Texas Rangers filed bankruptcy
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Texas Rangers filed bankruptcy
^^^
Another opportunity for A-Rod bashing, no doubt!
Loved this bit from Keith Law's chat session at ESPN.com:
Josh (Lincoln, NE)
At what point does Brian Sabean get fired? He gave the crazy contracts to Zito and Rowand, traded FOR Sidney Ponson, traded Liriano, Nathan, and Bonser for a year's worth of AJ Pierzynski, and publicly bashes his
organization's best prospect for no reason.
Klaw (1:10 PM)
You know what he should do? Trade Posey. They obviously don't want him, and they don't think they need him. Imagine the prospect bidding war that Boston and Tampa Bay would get into right now if Posey was available.
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A 21-page filing in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Fort Worth included the top 30 unsecured creditors, a list headed by Alex Rodriguez, who is owed $24.9 million in deferred compensation six years after he was traded away from the team.
The next five on the list are also current or former players: Kevin Millwood ($12.9 million), Michael Young ($3.9 million), Vicente Padilla ($1.7 million), Mickey Tettleton ($1.4 million) and Mark McLemore ($970,000).
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Here it is, Bud Selig. Here is your chance to make sure what happened in Detroit on Wednesday night never, ever happens again.
Armando Galarraga(notes) was robbed. Stone-cold fleeced. The Detroit Tigers right-hander retired the first 26 Cleveland Indians he faced, and the 27th, Jason Donald(notes), sliced a ground ball wide of first base. Miguel Cabrera(notes) fielded it and threw it to a Galarraga, whose foot hit the bag before Donald’s did. It was the 21st perfect game in major league history.
Until Jim Joyce opened his mouth.
“Safe,” said the umpire, a 21-year veteran, flailing his arms sideways for emphasis. Of all the umpiring malfeasance in the last year, this was the worst.
History denied by a blown call.
Here is your straw, commish. The camel’s back is broken.
Institute widespread instant replay.
Now.
It should’ve been in place the moment Major League Baseball agreed that technology was sufficient to double-check home run calls. That came in August 2008. In the middle of the season. Selig is not against changing rules on the fly. The slope is already greased.
And this is how he should do it: announce on Thursday morning that he’s putting together a committee of executives, players, MLB officials and union officials to discuss the proper parameters of replay. Weigh, over the next five weeks, the benefits and detriments of different options, like the NFL’s red-flag system that limits teams to two replays per game or a broader option that allows operators in MLB’s central replay office to stop the game to review a call.
Then, at the All-Star Game, announce the new rules and implement them starting in the second half.
It is long overdue. The blown calls in the 2009 playoffs were bad enough. From Phil Cuzzi’s 20/10,000 vision that missed Joe Mauer’s(notes) shot inside the line during the Division Series to a number of blown calls in Game 2 of the World Series, umpires dished out disappointment with far too much regularity for the most important time of the year.
Still, a postseason replete with embarrassment didn’t compel Selig to change. He defended the game’s human element as if it was some mystical life force that keeps baseball right and fair and just.
Tell that to Armando Galarraga.
He is a 28-year-old from Venezuela. He spent the season’s first five weeks pitching for Detroit’s Triple-A team in Toledo, Ohio. If he isn’t the unlikeliest candidate to achieve baseball immortality, he’s in the picture. Never had he thrown a complete game in any of his previous 56 starts, let alone one approaching perfection.
And yet there he was. Austin Jackson(notes) made an amazing over-the-shoulder catch in center field for the first out of the ninth. A groundout to shortstop left him one away, with a rookie at the plate, the perfect formula to flare Galarraga’s senses. He could smell perfection in the air, hear it from the Comerica Park crowd, feel it coursing through his veins, taste its sweetness, see it right in front of him, 60 feet, 6 inches away. It was his.
It is his.
In the eyes of everyone who saw the replay – television’s, not baseball’s – Galarraga pitched a perfect game. It was a 28-out perfect game, to be specific, as he retired Trevor Crowe(notes) for the final out amid the cacophony at the stadium. Fans were mad. They had every right to be.
Joyce stole history.
“I just cost that kid a perfect game,” he said. “I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.”
He feels awful, of course. He should. He screwed up. Even though it wasn’t malicious, intent doesn’t matter. His job is to get the call right. He didn’t do his job.
Replay would’ve. Joyce would’ve been able to laugh it off afterward – saved by something with better eyes than him. He and Galarraga would’ve laughed about it. The perfect game would’ve been legitimate, not something to which baseball fans assign a personal asterisk.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland stood in Joyce’s face after the 28th out and berated him, mimicking the emotions of everyone in the stadium, everyone around the country, everyone who wondered: How dare you? A better question is how dare the commissioner and how dare the umpires’ union and how dare the other Luddites who try to sell the red herring that a few extra minutes here and there aren’t worth it to get the call right every time?
“I don’t know what to say,” Galarraga said.
No one did.
Baseball is stuck with another humiliation. On the day Ken Griffey Jr.(notes) retired, all the sport could talk about was Galarraga and Joyce and the perfect game with the imperfect call. On the same night referees in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals used replay to reverse a missed call and gave the Philadelphia Flyers a goal, baseball let its technology rot on something as infrequent as boundary calls on home runs.
The onus returns to the commissioner. If ever there were a time to invoke the best-interests-of-baseball clause, this is it. Selig must swallow whatever romanticism remains regarding the subject of replay and do right by the game.
He can’t reverse Jim Joyce’s call.
He can’t give Armando Galarraga a perfect game.
He can ensure something like this never, ever happens again.
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things like that happens in football all the time
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detroit screwjob!!!
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You gotta give it up to the Ump tho, he owned it. LIKE A MAN. And Armando Galarraga just smiled when it all happened, he could complained and whined like a bitch.
Gotta give it up to classy players....much like Ken Griffey Jr who retired:
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00293.jpg)
630 HR. 2781 hits. 1836 RBIs. Too bad, I wanted to go to his last game or smth. You will be missed as one of the classiest Junior.
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Baseball (and I guess that means "Bud") owes it to Galarraga AND Jim Joyce AND all of us who love the game to get off HIS RICH FAT FUCKING ASS and get the "human element" from making a goddamn joke of MLB.
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From the latest edition of the Joe Sheehan Newsletter:
It’s nice to have a lot more people on the bandwagon this morning than were on it yesterday, but it’s been high time for an instant-replay system for years now. We have maple bats, machine-wound baseballs, high-tech camera systems tracking every pitch, sophisticated scoreboards, state-of-the-art ballparks…but this is where we draw the line on technology encroaching upon the game? No. A century ago, human eyes were the best available technology for ascertaining what happened on a baseball field. That is no longer the case. It’s time for a six-billion-dollar industry to stop allowing middle-management functionaries making less than anyone else on the field be the determining factor in ballgames, pennant races, championships.
I just hope that this, finally, is the high-profile blown call that gives us the NCAA football replay system baseball needs. The only human element we need in our baseball games is what the players bring.
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They should make instant replay all around it may slow down the game but its worth it :twothumbs
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"Bud" Selig's office released another mundane statement that pays the usual lip service but little concrete evidence that MLB will do anything to change the status quo.
Sigh...
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Baseball (and I guess that means "Bud") owes it to Galarraga AND Jim Joyce AND all of us who love the game to get off HIS RICH FAT FUCKING ASS and get the "human element" from making a goddamn joke of MLB.
Remove the human element completely? I agree on removing it to a certain extent. When it comes to calls on base, fair vs foul home runs hits, then I am in for using instant replay. But when it comes to strikes and balls, I would keep the human element there.
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I feel bad for the ref though, he knew he blew it. the next day, Galaragaga got a new car from it. and the ref got all tear eyed from applause from the det fans for admitting him. Good conclusion!
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^ true it will haunt him forever but at least every one got something out of it, and a good reason to expand instant replay but make it quick
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Jim Joyce's tears, Galarraga's cool under fire, and all the post-game goodwill will have been a COMPLETE WASTE OF FRIGGIN' TIME unless "Bud" and his big buck$ institute MEANINGFUL replay in the game.
Does anyone remember the 2009 postseason?!!
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Joe Sheehan reflects on Junior:
Griffey’s career is diminished when it is turned into just another venue for discussing PEDs. He is a fascinating character in baseball history, extraordinarily popular yet noticeably remote. There are many parallels between Griffey and Joe DiMaggio. Both were portrayed as carefree youths when they came into the game. Both were more private, more insular, than they seemed at first, and grew moreso as they aged. Both were labeled the best in the game in their time despite the presence of a better, much less popular, rival. Both were hampered by injuries in their thirties that chipped away at their playing time, if not so much their performance in DiMaggio’s case. For both, the image of them early in their career is the one endures. There’s a mythology around both players that goes past their play on the field, past their statistics. They meant something to people. They still do.
DiMaggio became larger than life after his career, due in part to his marriage to Marilyn Monroe, his immortalization in song lyrics and literature, and the label of Greatest Living Player that was bestowed upon him in 1969. It has become difficult to separate DiMaggio the Player from DiMaggio the Legend.. We may be headed that way with Griffey, who while an unlikely candidate to trade vows with Angelina Jolie or have his absence lamented in song by Jay-Z, is being placed on a pedestal, just as DiMaggio was.
As we look around at a landscape strewn with broken marble, we shouldn’t make this mistake again. Let Ken Griffey Jr. retire as a great baseball player, a beloved baseball player, never to be forgotten. There’s no need for any more labels than that.
______________
Agreed: the compulsion to address the man's career in some bullshit moralistic context drives me nuts. Junior Griffey is a first-ballot HOF member because he brought JOY into the game. And yeah, all those home runs didn't hurt either.
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^ What an era of baseball. Him and Frank Thomas my faves.
What a week in the majors, and I missed this story. RIP José Lima. Here he was in my town:
Long Beach Armada's Jose Lima meets the Edmonton Media (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz4xzjwmDvw#)
LIMA TIME! BELIEVE IT!
(http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/672/joselima1.jpg)
(September 30, 1972 – May 23, 2010)
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I pimp Joe Sheehan whenever I can. Here's his tempered look at Jesus Strasburg's debut (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_sheehan/06/09/stephen.strasburg/index.html) last night in The District.
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http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-psychic-20100610,0,5226932,full.story (http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-dodgers-psychic-20100610,0,5226932,full.story)
Story about the McCourt's hiring of some crackpot in Russia for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Dodger fan money, mind you.
Sheesh, how did these people become so rich? And how brilliant is it that people can still be taken advantage of...
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Dang, long weekend away from the teevee. Missed most of Interleague play.
BTW now it looks like Emperor Bud is going to table replay for as long as his tar-black heart is pumping whatever substitutes for blood in his veins. The man needs to go. Soon.
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(http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/376810/DunnSantana.gif)
OOoof...
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Jamie Moyer, who has been playing Major League Baseball longer than a lotta people on this li'l message board have been ALIVE, beat the New York Effin' World Champ Yankees tonight.
How about that?!!
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FINALLY... someone shares my pain about the "30 For 30" series on ESPN (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/ESPN-s-30-for-30-Where-are-the-good-baseball-do?urn=mlb,251121); notices the slight, at least.
Where's the love for BASEBALL?!! Didn't The Sports Guy (who I blame any time baseball/MLB gets knocked about) remember James Earl Jones's speech in "Field of Dreams?"
Aw, fuck...
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They're too busy drooling over Strasburg??
if anything, do one on Ken Griffey Jr!!
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if anything, do one on Ken Griffey Jr!!
Exactly: I'd LOVE to see a piece on the '95 Mariners, one of the great comeback teams of the last 20 years.
But Simmons would rather invest his time in the NBA (#1 love), the NFL (VERY close 2nd), soccer (isn't ESPN going to air EPL games?) and curling (speaks for itself).
Bitch, bitch, bitch... OK I'll shaddap now.
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I love the 30 For 30 series on ESPN, that last one about the Two Escobars was pretty interesting after I thought it was going to be lame because it was about soccer and half in Spanish.
I saw one good ESPN baseball documentary years ago, it was called The Zen of Bobby V. Matter of facyt I'm still looking for a copy thats not on XBOX 360.
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Edwin Jackson: no-hitter in the Trop: eight walks, 149 pitches thrown. They should give him not one but two weeks off.
Yanks playing the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine right now. Vin Scully doing the call for Prime Ticket. What a pleasure it is to experience this.
Posada RBI single to right, plating A-Rod. Tie game, 1-1.
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I think finally we're going to see how and why Chase Utley has been the REAL MVP of the Phillies all these years. Five to six weeks kaput?!! Two games-plus behind the Braves?!!
And it's a long shot but what IF the Mets somehow are able to deal for Cliff Lee. Great time to be a baseball blogger covering the NL East.
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^ Cliff Lee going back to batting XD
well utley is very important but we may never know what will happen (put a right hander there :D)
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The general wisdom (as manifested in NL MVP voting) has placed Rollins and Howard higher on the Philly pecking order than Utley. Heck, didn't Brad Lidge place higher in the MVP voting in 2008?
(goes to Google...)
YES (http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20081117&content_id=3681885)! In 2008, Lidge got two (!) FIRST-place votes and 104 points. Utley, providing league-leading offensive at a key defensive position, pointed only 30.
Philly is in deep doo-doo. Can they trade for the ghost of Jeff Kent or Joe Morgan?
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I'll just come out and say it: "Bud" Selig is a bad, BAD man (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/top-posts/bud-selig-isnt-going-to-do-a-thing-on-replay.php). I'd laugh when Charley Finley called Bowie Kuhn "The Village Idiot." Meanwhile Kuhn is enshrined in Cooperstown, Marvin Miller is given the shaft and "Bud" collects $18 million-plus to make the tough calls like this.
(http://img594.imageshack.us/img594/5898/top10selig.jpg)
Fuck you, "Bud" Selig.
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Love this line about the Red Sox (via Baseball Musings):
SO LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, EVERYONE IS NOW INJURED *EXCEPT* JD DREW? (http://www.soxaholix.com/tp/2010/07/its-not-the-heat-its-the-stupidity.html)
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this is halarious!!!
Fan being run into by Ichiro Suzuki (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvTStABPHFQ&feature=player_embedded#ws)
Ichiro makes a fan's day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KC6e4xzrlzQ&feature=player_embedded#ws)
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^ lol and I bet he tapped dat after the game :lol:
No doubt Selig. let them fight for home field advantage for the World Series!
Dope to see Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo get a nod on the All-Star roster. Go Asians!
And though I never been to a Yankees game, I'm sure this voice is familiar to many:
Bob Sheppard's starting line up (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSPn2Z6gFE4#)
RIP Bob Sheppard
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BIG PAPI! WINS THE HR DERBY OVER HANLEY RAMIREZ
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King George Steinbrenner is dead. I don't even need to link to anything...
Famous and influential, a domineering force. Also a very mixed legacy (TWO separate bans from MLB) so be leery of New Yorkers/Yankee fans you meet today who claim "Mister Steinbrenner" merits enshrinement in Cooperstown.
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^ Wow very sudden R.I.P. Mr. Steinbrenner
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A LOT of revisionism going on at the moment. When I tuned in ESPN this morning, Dick Vitale (?!!) and George Will ("baseball historian") were being interviewed over the phone about Steinbrenner. The Worldwide leader...
Inevitable, to be sure, but nevertheless disappointing. Steinbrenner did a great many things, including some classic sonavabitch moments that got him kicked out of MLB twice. The whole truth isn't being reported today, kids...
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^ Just re-hearing all the Billy Martin "staged" arguments, he bringing the "You're Fired" before Trump. Hilarious shit.
King George Steinbrenner is dead. I don't even need to link to anything...
Famous and influential, a domineering force.
RIP Boss.
Larry David as George Steinbrenner 2 of 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3eNPO8nAE0#)
Whatever his reputation, he brought that Swagga back into a legendary Franchise. Never settles for less. He goes down as one of the great owners I respect, Dr. Buss, Al Davis and George Steinbrenner.
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Got home in time to see the 9th inning. I guess it was worth it, with that amazing force play -- Big Papi looked awkward and sluggish on the bases. I've been a National League guy all my life so I'm naturally relieved that this damn losing streak is FINALLY over and done.
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^ the day i see papi steal a base i will be laughing, but to be honest, he played it correct in the situation so couldn't blame anyone except for lack of speed
werd on the streak, they had to do it sooner or later
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Funny post someone tweeted today about the difference between walk-off home runs today and, oh, sixty years ago: http://photographyblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/07/vintage-photo-shows-that-a-wal.html (http://photographyblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/07/vintage-photo-shows-that-a-wal.html)
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(http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/8134/matt20garza20nohit20bid.jpg)
I was following the Matt Garza no-hitter from around the 6th inning when it was still a Fred Toney-Hippo Vaughn affair. You never know about these things (Armando Gallaraga anyone?) but even tracking the game pitch by pitch, it did have that air of inevitability.
Good for Garza, getting something to match the swagger. The Padres and Mets remain the only MLB teams to never record a no-hitter.
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Garza man! never know who's gonna pull one off.
Cards and Mets going to the distance!!! Love how tight the AL Central is, Royals in striking distance :thumbup
only in baseball, the world of weird injuries:
The Marlins' Chris Coghlan became the latest casualty of an over-exuberant celebration, injuring his left knee while rushing to plant a shaving-cream pie in the face of Wes Helms after Sunday's walk-off victory
Chris Coghlan on knee injury 002 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeJkMKGpzP8#ws)
I heard on Jim Rome that all pies have been banned from the clubhouse LOL!
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Cool that NPB has gone viral -- the clip finally made Sportscenter yesterday.
Ballplayer's Amazing Wall-Climbing Catch - Masato Akamatsu Makes One of the Greatest Catches Ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaxpAkOWNM0#)
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^ FINALLY! I was looking forever for that.
Roger Clemens in a ton of trouble now, ho boy. Feds will get u everytime.
At least Derek Lee is helping the Braves a bit:
BBTN Minute: Lee Traded To Braves - ESPN Video - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=5475832)
YEAH RIGHT. Hitless :lol:
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Cool that NPB has gone viral -- the clip finally made Sportscenter yesterday.
Ballplayer's Amazing Wall-Climbing Catch - Masato Akamatsu Makes One of the Greatest Catches Ever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaxpAkOWNM0#)
Amazing catch
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Who had A-Rod in their fantasy team??? Better shut him down if you wanna make it till October!
I'm picking RAYS BABY!! JABBY! Reason:
BSG: Do I know Evan Longoria better than he knows himself? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ew1XZglXG8#ws)
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^ Moog I think Mang
Well I know I have no Yanks on my team XD
Love the vid with Longoria
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Thanks, Lou Pinella. He retires to take care of his ailing mother, like a man should.
(http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/2293/1282497707.jpg)
best manager to go nuts
Lou Pinella Kicks his hat around the infield. 8/26/98. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31mJNcS9vnY#)
Sab! what's your take on Stephen Strasburg?? THE HYPE! But he's going down again. Wonder if they're gonna shut him down.
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Pinella congrads for managing and your career
ESPN next?
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I just heard Oswalt played left field in today's game
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CONGRATS ICHIRO
Ichiro's first-pitch base hit off Toronto Blue Jays starter Shawn Hill with one out in the top of the fifth inning Thursday afternoon gave the Japanese star 200 hits in each of his 10 big-league campaigns.
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00417.jpg)
:bow: :bow: :bow:
Just another day in paradise. LOL at the world of wacky baseball injuries:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=152403274790954#w400-h300&ref=mf (http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=152403274790954#w400-h300&ref=mf)
Matt Diaz takes down an idiot fan, dressed like the Green Men from Hongcouver lol
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q24epma6zEs#)
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damn has it been that long??? Reds clinch in dramatic fashion Jay Bruce walk off homer!
(http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/4740/eptsportsmlbexperts7676.jpg)
Rays, Yanks, Twins, Phillies, Braves and Thimas' Rangers all in. WHO IS GONNA GET THE NL WEST!?1 more importantly the ALDS, I wanna go to New Yankee Stadium
Anyone catching the new Ken Burns documentary?
Baseball: The Tenth Inning a film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (Preview) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzma0K7qUfU#ws)
http://www.pbs.org/baseball-the-tenth-inning (http://www.pbs.org/baseball-the-tenth-inning) ... Premieres September 28 -- 29 on PBS (Check local listings) THE TENTH INNING is a two-part, four-hour documentary film directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. A new chapter in Burns's landmark 1994 series, BASEBALL, THE TENTH INNING tells the tumultuous story of the national pastime from the 1990s to the present day. Introducing an unforgettable array of players, teams and fans, the film showcases the era's extraordinary accomplishments and heroics -- as well as its devastating losses and disappointments.
THE TENTH INNING | Pedro Martinez and the World Series | PBS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InvqsItACGU#ws)
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The next 30 for 30 is the Boston comeback from 0-3 in hte ALCS :lol:
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LET THE PLAYOFFS BEGIN!
(http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/1703/nlds.jpg)
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5101/alds.jpg)
man the Braves just squeezed in haha, love to see how far they get with the "Doing it for Bobby Cox" theme.
Let's Go RAYS!! :jphip:
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The Tenth Inning: too much goddamn steroid crap. Liked the Ichiro bit and especially the Pedro interview -- what a great ambassador for baseball.
Yep, I am almost shocked that a baseball-themed project actually slipped into the "30 For 30" lineup. I was afraid Simmons and his anti-MLB bent would rule the day (even something so uniquely endearing as the 2004 ALCS).
Todays Giants-Padres finale was actually blacked out on the MLB Network today because... well, I guess us hicks in Hawaii were expected to make it to the Bay Area and purchase a goddamn ticket! Greed is NOT good, people.
Too bad we didn't get our chaotic three-way tie in the NL. Well I'll take what comes. Actually I'm gonig to Japan in a couple weeks and will MISS the League Championship Series but be back in time for The World Serious.
Baseball > everything else...
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LOL Rays. Men wear plaid, eh? Maybe in Canada and Tampa
(http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3042/eptsportsmlbexperts7598.jpg)
Guess they'll be ditching those suits. Yanks and Twins coming up!
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(http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7682/iimgmedia2fgettyphoto2f.jpg)
Phillies 4, Reds 0.
Doc Halladay: 104 pitches, 79 strikes. 1 BB, 8 SO. Zero hits.
History. Fucking amazing.
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Rays down 5-0 to the Rangers in the 5th. One-A-Day Maddon ejected, frustration... Oops, make that 6-0. Kinsler with an RBI single.
Brutal day for Tampa Bay.
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I wish for evil, torturous pain inflicted upon Bud Selig every time there's a fuckup by the umpires in an postseason game. So sue me.
/rant
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My heart aches for fans of the Tampa Bay Rays. But for crissakes, not a single home win and you get what comes when Bad, Bad Cliff Lee comes to your town.
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CHICKS DIG THE SMALL BALL!!!
what a rally by the Yanks. what next...
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Rangers are doing better with Nolan Ryan running the ship.
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Fuck yeah!!! Giants have one more game until the WORLD SERIES!!!
I have faith. *nods*
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a-roid strikes out and the Rangers win!!!
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FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU thought Yankees gonna make a comeback, I feeeeeeel it.
(http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/1123/1cf23a3ecff14b6cafdef2c.jpg)
Vladdie so clutch it was insane.
Fuck yeah!!! Giants have one more game until the WORLD SERIES!!!
I have faith. *nods*
First post in MLB Thread Kreamer!? XD
Mighty Bullpen! You should go as a reliever for Halloween :P
Buster Posey is INSANE!
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:cow: GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!! :cow:
UUUU-RIBE!!! :cow:
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Well the battle of the West
The Rangers who entered the playoffs w/o a playoff series win and the Giants entering with a big chip on their shoulders as the underdogs in both series. We kick off the Series on Wednesday.
Prediction time!
Giants with a home field advantage but Texas coming in with the hotter bats, each with a lose in their respective positions (Giants 4-1 at home, Rangers 5-1 on the road) In the end, like earlier this year, there was a special team that shocked the football world, it will go to the Rangers in 6, Cliff Lee has an advantage in being in the NL before, but the question is, will Lincecum face Lee in the first game? Most likely the case but expect a really good series and pitching shall rule in SF and hitting become a factor in Texas
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HOLY SHIT!! The Cinderella Series XD
I thought the Phillies were gonna rally when Rollins, great play to cut em off at second.
Gotta go with the Rangers tho :P Ron Washington and I feel Thimas got the magic.
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HOLY SHIT!! The Cinderella Series XD
I thought the Phillies were gonna rally when Rollins, great play to cut em off at second.
Gotta go with the Rangers tho :P Ron Washington and I feel Thimas got the magic.
Or "Welcome Back, Bengie Molina, you traitor"
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Or "Welcome Back, Bengie Molina, you traitor"
THIS. XD
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You figure Benji gets a WS share from the Giants no matter what? Players with partial time usually get voted at least a partial share and Molina was quite treasured by SF management for his supposed expertise with "handling" the pitching staff. No matter: getting rid of him enabled the Giants to slot in Posey, which they should have done in April.
Looking forward to a good matchup: SF and Arlington/Dallas have never enjoyed the glory of a World Series victory.
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SHIT! Pitching the fuck fuhggeddaboutit! Rangers almost came back, down 11-7 XD
Tim Lincecum Responds To Marijuana Use (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyBCIqGOSLA#)
Yanks still gonna get Cliff Lee!?
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Ron Washington best pull some tricks outta his bag for this homestand else Cliff Lee we won't see!
(http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/1653/72499de5fd724f0aa2721a9.jpg)
(http://img138.imageshack.us/img138/1272/62c664fda89824fd1599a57.jpg)
FUCK! The Rangers suck on the road, there goes my predictions lol. at least Vlad will be back at the DH
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^ well for me i'll stick to it because they have to play at home, and san fran needs to prove that they can win in texas
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All they needed was some home cooking, Rangers hanging on 4-2 to get back in it! Nolan Ryan still delivering the HEAT!! to Pudge! DIS BE LEGENDARY!!
Nolan Ryan throws out 1st pitch of Game 3 2010 World Series Texas SF (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR9YLrd6BxI#ws)
C'MON JOSH HAMILTON!
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SHIT! Rangers down 2-0
(http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/2301/251a808de4b34fedbb54b7c.jpg)
Cruz better get swinging!
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bumgardner did his job tonight and earned them the third win, shutting down the batting tonight with hitting of their own
It is now the Giants series to lose
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never say never!! but FUCK Josh Hamilton MVP WHAT WHAT
(http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/7477/3469d0e8aa86532e379427e.jpg)
(http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/6271/4f3a2f06e0814d96a447413.jpg)
The Texas Bats just ain't there! they should send Thimas out there to small ball em to hell!!! :catglare:
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I think it's safe to say everyone wants the Rangers to win tonight. The SF fans want them to win at home, and we just want a win to stay alive.
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^ No dice tonight Giants win to get the series congrads
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We sure as hell can!!!! :cow:
*screams* GO GIANTS!!!! FEAR THE BEARD!!!! XD
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Ah, good job Giants! :D First World Series in ages I've really paid attention to since I was there last week. The fans were all over the place and really fun to watch. I'll be happy thinking of the parties they'll be having there in the coming days. :D
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My first (maybe only?) post in this thread:
(http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/7561/tumblrlb8pgwejzu1qcpu8q.png)
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NICE! Congratulations GIANTS! Fucking pitching and confuzzling the Rangers bats and Cliff Lee the Yankee Killah
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00456.jpg)
The Giants win the pennant-Griffin-Misfit Giants win World Series-2010 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5o1eQMcmas#)
EVERYONE GET HIGH!! PROP 19 :pimp:
(http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/3175/b15f1f01dd394dabb7d9c74.jpg)(http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/5866/8c3d842067f14acfa4f8e95.jpg)(http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/2641/0a4bb6f70c184e79926381a.jpg)
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I guess Molina will get his ring in the mail.
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^
LOL yeah, I thought about that a lot, surprisingly. How Molina will basically "win" either way. Though he probably would have wanted to win with the Rangers.
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What I wrote on many a Bay Area comrade's Facebook:
Goes without saying: SF fans have suffered just as much heartache as the Red Sox and the Cubbies. The City should explode tonight -- fifty-plus years in the making! Much congrats. But MAJOR bummed that the season is over...
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amazing stat: Giants scored more runs than Rangers had hits
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00457.jpg)
MiND BLASTED!!
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Congrats to the city of San Fransisco.
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Saw a bit of the parade on ustream. All that was missing was The Freak lighting one up and dropping a few more F-bombs.
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One day after the announcement that Hall-of-Fame manager Sparky Anderson was placed in hospice, we now get news of his death due to "complications from dementia."
He always seemed ancient even though he helmed the Big Red Machine in his thirties. Heck he was only FORTY FIVE (45) when he landed the Detroit Tigers job.
Sad news just got sadder...
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Oh man being a Tigers fan growing up I knew Sparky Anderson well. R.I.P.
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Damn, RIP Sparky Anderson.... been hearing his stories all day on the radio...truly a legendary figure. What a group those Tigers were!
Sparky Anderson and the 1984 Detroit Tigers 25th anniversary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJQBKlkrnIw#ws)
Hilarious interview. Straight up
1989 Sparky Anderson Interview (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idgomFaDW8k#)
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King Felix wins the AL Cy Young (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/11/18/felix-hernandez-wins-the-american-league-cy-young-award/). This piece by Jeff Passan (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-felixcyyoung111810) of Yahoo pretty much sums it up for me.
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Adrian Gonzales going to the BoSox (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-gonzalezredsox120410)
I guess he'll be the victor martinez before papi, which seems to be awesome
In other news, Jeter is still a Yankee, no surprise, and he needs to stay a Yankee because he has defined in his career what a SS should be :w00t:
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^^ And he's a better hitter than Martinez too, just need to fill that gap now at catcher and they're on their way to pass the Evil Empire. :twisted:
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^ incredibly true but I give the Yanks and Jeter credit for resolving the contract :thumbsup
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Jayson Werth goes to the Nationals (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Whoa-Jayson-Werth-signs-with-Nationals-for-7-ye?urn=mlb-292024)
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That Werth deal is NUTS! So much for the recession in D.C., no? Carl Crawfod can now set his price at eight years, $130 million to start? Cha-ching!
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FUCK! I gotta have Scott Borus as my agent.
Late on this, but man BIG UPS to Joey Votto :canada: for MVP
Joey Votto Story (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5A665RCzL8#ws)
His story played on the local national sports channel, The Score, and shit, my respect level increased for him. We all overcome adverse situations, depression, grief, especially. But we do overcome, there is always hope.
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Holy shit, the Red Sox (The Evil Empire 2.0, per Jeff Passan) just inked Carl Crawford (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/08/big-time-red-sox-crawford-reach-seven-year-142m-deal/)!
Yanks must be scrambling to finalize that Cliff Lee deal...
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I wonder if the Yanks will think about his recent runs in the WS and probably will realize the value is too high. Well congrads to Crawford for his new deal, hopes he enjoys it XD
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In other news, Jeter is still a Yankee, no surprise, and he needs to stay a Yankee because he has defined in his career what a SS should be :w00t:
Awful defensively, overpaid, and treated with kiddy gloves by the media?
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The times are changin' though. Capt. Dreamy was ANGRY at the press during this process -- finally, some personality! King Felix overpowered the mystique of the W-L record and The Giants Win The Series, The Giants Win The Series!
Jeter also gets bonu$ buck$ for winning Gold Gloves in the future. Hmm....
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Jeter is a 37 year old playing a position he couldn't handle when he was 27, coming off the worst season of his career where his swing fell apart. And 2 years ago was then the worst season of his career. And he asked for FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AT $23 MILLION PER.
A. He should be ashamed.
B. If anyone else on Earth in any other sport anywhere had asked for that money he would be called the biggest money-grubbing asshole on Earth. For Jeter, though, the rules are different.
If his name wasn't Jeter he'd be lucky to be making $5-7 mill on 1-2 year rolling deals at this point in his career.
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Yeah the Jeter extension was a political deal as much as anything: only possible in the realm/"brand" of the Yankees.
Joe Posnanski asked a good, serious question of Yankee fans a while ago before this all went nova: would you trade Jeter for Hanley Ramirez straight up right now. He said the responses were 50-50.
Amazing. Also not all that surprising. I can only imagine seeing the POST headlines, day after day, for the past several weeks.
haha and no way is Jeter embarassed by anything: he's DEREK FUCKING JETER!
p.s. I think it was funny that the BoSox put in a bid for Mo Rivera, too.
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You're right Saburo about Jeter finally showing some personanlity, the NY papers refer to him often as Mr. Vanilla, :P no one says as much without saying so little. Way to go Sox, that order could be better than the Evil Empire's, :twisted: they have an offer to Lee for $144M for 6 years, guess where he's going? :thumbdown:
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What did Jeter say at yesterday's presser? "I NEVER said I wanted to test the market!" Of course, dummy -- that's why Cashman always had the leverage. He's fortunate they went up to $51mil to save face.
Plenty people say that if Boss Von Steinbrenner was alive and kicking, this would never have happened and Jeter would receive his looney A-Rod package. And Yankee fans would love it.
If ESPN blew a nut when Jeter passed Lou Gehrig for most career hits as a Damn Yankee, then you can imagine the nuclear orgasm when he gets hit 3,000. Ow!
BTW why is Manny Ramirez still unsigned?!!
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^ Defense?
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Never mind the glove: he's old and fat and unmotivated and possibly still a mental freak. He also played the season with an injured groin. And STILL had an OBP over .400 in 2010. There's value in that, especially if you sign him to a incentive-laden deal for a few mill.
The ChiSox won't keep him now that Adam Dunn is coming to town. The Rays should go after him.
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^^ That's why there's a DH in the AL. :rofl: Wouldn't doubt if the Angels will go after him, lost Matsui and had their sights set on Crawford, he's lost too much pop in his bat since the, what, female enhancing drugs(?) wore off. :doh:
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I kinda feel sorry for Gojira. Yeah, he's made millions, was part of glory teams in the greatest teams in MLB AND NPB. And now he's kinda like Hideo Nomo a decade ago: a journeyman, trying to log in service time, as if aiming for a pension. Have bat, will travel.
Cautionary tale, me thinks, of the consequences of consecutive game streaks. I know NPB was "only" 130 games but still, he was playing CF on mostly turf surfaces. Take a break every now and then.
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Joe Sheehan on the Jeter contract (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/joe_sheehan/12/04/yankees.jeter/index.html).
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Rest in peace, Ron Santo.
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Poor Rob Neyer. What can you say about the Royals (http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/6594/what-the-royals-see-in-frenchy-melky) anymore?
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Watched the ESPN 30 for 30 on Fernando Valenzuela - really moving stuff. Had no idea the Mexican background that Dodger Stadium stood on, and he revitalized a nation WOW!
Fernando Valenzuela -- 30 for 30 -- ESPN -- [4/4] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_TtZS-Vctc#ws)
I remember him pitching here when he was with the Angels farm team...
Valenzuela Update
August 11, 1991
FERNANDO VALENZUELA, pitching for the host Class AAA Edmonton Trappers on a sweltering Friday night, started poorly but finished with a flourish. He lost, 10-3, after giving up five runs on eight hits - five for extra bases - to Calgary. Valenzuela, released by the Los Angeles Dodgers this spring, is hoping to get called up by the California Angels by Aug. 19. Valenzuela: ''They hit me pretty hard in the first inning. I'm happy the way I finished the last four innings. Everything was working good.
source: http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-08-11/sports/9108110036_1_fernando-valenzuela-class-aaa-yankees (http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1991-08-11/sports/9108110036_1_fernando-valenzuela-class-aaa-yankees)
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The A's are about to sign Gojira Matsui. I thought he had a blah year for the Angels but wasn't all THAT bad: 274/.361/.459, 21 HR, 84 RBI. The Oakland stadium will deflate those numbers but he should do good in The Bay.
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I was in a doctor's waiting room last night, anxiously leeching a faint wifi signal and refreshing my Twitter feed on the ancient iPod Touch handed down to me, long ago. Twas the only thing between me and a louder-than-usual radio PA volume, with the tunes of 1970s and 1980s "oldies" swirling about, i.e. the original "Funkytown" (meh) and "After The Love Has Gone" (actually a good tune that's held up well).
Old Touch = old battery = I didn't have much time before the doctor called me in. And about half an hour later, Twitter blew up with the news of Cliff Lee's decision to return to Philly. Holy SHMOKES, Indy!
It's why baseball's postseason is unparalleled: you can get pumped about a sport at a time when there aren't even any friggin' games!
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^^ True about Baseball's off season, Lee going to the Phils was a bit of a shocker, could have had $60M more with the Yanks, not that he'll have a problem living off of $100M. :roll: Phils gotta be big favorites now, that rotation: Halladay, Lee, Oswalt, Hamels...wow! :thumbsup
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^ Everybody is believing the rotation, although the problems came around hitting in the postseason and the times in the regular season, I think with a healthy Rollins and a qualified replacement for Werth, they can make a big run, but with that the Red Sox took two of the biggest prizes in FA so let's see where we go from there
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Two remarkable reactions to the Cliff Lee "decision."
1) C. Lee = LeBron James. Whaaa?? The Philly rotationis now the Cavalcade of Stars? Apparently King James also turned down the biggest money contract offer. So they're both pond scum. Beautiful.
2) C. Lee can't handle New York. Just as well he retreats to Philly -- we had a near miss there with Burnett/Vazquez Part II. I mean, "mainstream media" columnists were writing this one, as predictable as Jefty Frenchy signing with the KC Royals. Amazing that people can freely psychoanalyze individuals based on the lyrics of a song first heard in a Martin Scorsese movie.
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Another baseball legend now belongs to the ages: Bob Feller passes on (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Rest-in-peace-Rapid-Robert-Bob-Feller-dies-at-?urn=mlb-296623).
Feller was one of those old-timers that was always around, since I became a baseball fan decades ago. A WWII vet who lost prime years to the service, he still won 266 games and set strikeout records that would stand for decades.
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Amid the explosion of online chatter about Cliff Lee's surprising decision to return to Philly, I recalled a story I read in 2008.
One of my fave sites, Baseball Analysts (http://baseballanalysts.com/), is written by Rich Lederer. One summer he and his son were on a baseball tour of America. In a New York subway, they eyed Cliff Lee next to them in the crowded car (http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2008/05/to_the_stadium.php) -- on the way to Yankee Stadium to start the game for Cleveland.
Just a moment in time. Still I remember that season when Lee became a STAR for the Indians and thought it uber cool that he was riding the subway with the rest of America instead of a limo or even a yellow cab.
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Another baseball legend now belongs to the ages: Bob Feller passes on (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Rest-in-peace-Rapid-Robert-Bob-Feller-dies-at-?urn=mlb-296623).
Feller was one of those old-timers that was always around, since I became a baseball fan decades ago. A WWII vet who lost prime years to the service, he still won 266 games and set strikeout records that would stand for decades.
Yes, shame about that, he was 92 though, my he saw a lot of history then. Seems as though he's one of the forgotten stars too, if not for WWII he might have gone down as one of the greatest ever, though in most baseball minds he is anyhow. :thumbsup
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Got me this awesome shirt repping the Texas Rangers Claw and Antler from the homeboy THUNDERDUCK :thumbup
(http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/t/jphip02794.jpg) (http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/jphip02794.jpg)
Gonna think of Thimas and his Michael Young mancrush everytime I wear it.
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Another reason why baseball's offseason is better than all else: Hall of Fame voting. Yep it's that time of year when the troops line up against one another: us versus them, progressive versus mainstream.
The BBWAA (newspaper-affiliated employees and a few select internet-based ones) is primarily mainstream and will probably fight like dogs to keep their right to elect HOF ballplayers an exclusive one. Naturally I run against the mainstream and eat up stuff like this: Craig Calcaterra (one of the BEST voices out there) jabbing at Dan Shaughnessy's column on his HOF ballot (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/22/oh-joy-its-dan-shaughnessys-hall-of-fame-column/).
I've been reading Bill James for over 20-something years and there's still this pervasive mindset in the "mainstream media" about players like Jack Morris. Not that it's a wholly dominant one (the 75-percent super majority setting the standard for all things HOF); still there's a lot more people in this organization like Murray Chass and not nearly enough like Peter Abraham or Joe Sheehan.
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^^ I've been reading Bill James for a long tome too, he does make prtetty good arguements both for against certain things, among them players getting into the HOF. This year there is no sure shoo in, quite a few good players but just because you were a solid player for a long time does that make you a HOF? :smhid Wouldn't doubt if Alomar and Blyleven get in, Alomar probably deserves it though not so much as Bert does, not that you wouldn't want him pitching on your team but is her really an all time great? :sweatdrop: Bagwell is also there for the first time, his stats say he deserve to get in though a lot of the voters wonder about any foreign substances which might have helped those stats out. :O
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News flash: the dude who killed Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart (plus three others) sentenced to "51 years to life."
Glad that shit is over.
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Hey the Boston Globe has its own HOF ballot online: http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/2010_halloffame_survey/ (http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/2010_halloffame_survey/)
Let's all vote!
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^^ Okay, voted, should we say who our secret selections are, :? voted for 3.
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I voted for the maximum (10) in the spirit of The Season. Also because why the hell should I ponder extensively over a phony ballot -- it doesn't friggin' count!
Alomar
Bagwell
Blyleven
Larkin
E. Martinez
McGwire
D. Murphy
Palmeiro
Raines
Trammell
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Alomar, Larkin, Raines were my choices. :)
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David Pinto of Baseball Musings (http://baseballmusings.com/?p=63368) also voted.
Never thought of Larry Walker as a serious candidate. Hmm...
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^^ He did put up some incredible numbers but they were for the Rockies, :doh: outside of that stadium he was still a quality player but didn't have HOF numbers.
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Great line from Keith Law's chat on ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/36133) today:
Anyone else think this apparent surge in support for Jack Morris is a bunch of dinosaur voters angry that Felix Hernandez and Zack Greinke won Cy Young Awards with historically low win totals? "They say pitcher wins don't count? I'll show them!" I imagine the majority of Morris voters write his name in ALL CAPS. In crayon.
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The more I read stuff about crap like this (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/28/danny-knobler-wont-vote-for-bagwell-but-he-wont-tell-you-why/), the more I am convinced that the BBWAA, in general, is not worthy of the honor of selecting MLB's greatest honor for its players.
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Baseball HOF voting (the BBWAA Hall, anyway) ends this week. And now we've gone from "Morris over Blyleven" to "Stop Bagwell The 'Roider!"
Really: Jeff Bagwell. It's scary, really. And my man Craig Calcaterra nails it (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/12/30/jeff-bagwells-hall-of-fame-candidacy-has-ushered-in-the-age-of-steroids-mccarthyism/): it's McCarthyism. A chickenshit movement that is intellectually dishonest and morally bankrupt.
Worst of all, I get the impression that this will make casual fans of baseball love the game LESS, not more. These BBWAA morons think they're doing something righteous and CORRECT. They're doing neither. They're waiting to vote in Batman and Superman in their fantasy world.
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. . . but there is good in this world. Keep Hope Alive!
Joe Posnanski, for one. Follow MLB online? Yep, you've heard of him. He's been posting thousands of words on the HOF subject all week. His series of articles culminates in his ballot of eight (http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2010/12/hall-of-fame-eight-definites.html) (yep, he's a voting Member).
He speaks for the rest of us. For myself. Joe P. is ONE OF THE GOOD GUYS. And makes me happy that his talents and brain power are being used in the service of making at least one reader smarter about BASEBALL.
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If you follow MLB like me then you've already heard The News: Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven are IN!
Damn, never had so much fun following Twitter for the last few hours...
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Finally!! The Best Second Basemen North of the Border!
(http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/2007/12robertoalomar.jpg)
Get Rafael Palmeiro in there too! C'mon MAN!
WHERE'S JULIO FRANCO!! Jeff Bagwell? wow these HOF ballots get the debates going huh? But shit Alomar was well deserved, shoulda been a first ballot.
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^^ Alomar will be wearing a Blue Jays cap on the plaque. Be proud of your 1992-93 World Series champs!
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Rafael Soriano signed by the damn Yanks for... $35 million/3 years?
Sounds way over the top. Someone said it's only a good deal IF it moves Joba back to the rotation. Haaaaar!
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^^ For that kind of money, doesn't make too much sense, :doh: NY papers said Cashman had to do something drastic to shore up the staff but he'll only be a setup man, just resigned Rivera for 2 more years.
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It's all over my Twitter feed. Angels trade Mike Napoli to Blue Jays for... Vernon Wells?!!
Ken Rosenthal just reported: Wells and ca$h to Angels for Napoli and Juan Rivera. Amazing!
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More hot stove news: Manny Ramirez AND Johnny Damon sign with the Tampa Bay Rays!
Damn... the AL East gets more interesting!
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I guess the Rays have two over the hill people to play with, maybe they might have a chance, slight that is XD
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What this probably means is that one of their hotshot AAA outfielders (Desmond Jennings?) will not be starting the season in St. Pete. On the other hand, they got MANNY for "only" $2 million and change. That's a GREAT deal: he can still hit.
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Gonna be an entertaining season in the AL East, for sure. Also can you imagine how BAD Tampa's outfield defense is going to be?!!
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Gonna be an entertaining season in the AL East, for sure. Also can you imagine how BAD Tampa's outfield defense is going to be?!!
The walkers in the outfield
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Love this mashup from Jon Weisman (http://twitter.com/dodgerthoughts/status/28638230815440896).
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Utterly brutal feature by Yahoo's Jeff Passan about Voros McCracken (http://www.thepostgame.com/features/201101/sabermetrician-exile) and the fame/fortune that appears to have eluded him.
I first read about McCracken and DIPS in "The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers." When Bill James brought something to your attention, you paid attention. That was years ago and yeah, I would have known if this Voros dude was still around writing for SOMEBODY (did he not even have friggin' Twitter?).
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Peeps in my Twitter feed are already beginning to chime in about the just-released nominations for the Academy Awards, an "honor" that lost relevancy for me years ago. If only this worked for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum...
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If you are like me and consume baseball on the same level as oxygen and water then you'll certainly have gotten wind of the news: Rob Neyer is leaving ESPN-dot com (http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/6904/bo-knows-amazing).
Posted my thoughts here (http://saburo.posterous.com/rob-neyer-moves-on), instead of working.
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And the day after... Rob Neyer is up and running at SB Nation (http://www.sbnation.com/authors/rob-neyer), a site I have NEVER been to.
Until now.
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Great line from Mr. Neyer (http://www.sbnation.com/2011/2/3/1973132/jayson-werth-changes-everything):
Sometimes it’s disheartening to think about Boras wasting his talents as an agent, when he could instead be working for the State Department, convincing poor countries to sign distinctly unfavorable trade agreements that would make my sneakers cheaper.
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I never pass up an opportunity to share an Ichiro-related link. This was an interview done last month (http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/ichiro-looks-back-on-10th-season-in-majors) with Kyodo News.
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Great back and forth on Twitter (http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/2/6/1979373/super-bowl-xlv-baseball-season) last night.
Baseball.
Yup.
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A mystery is solved for one of the best "ditch school" movies ever (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Bueller-For-which-Cubs-game-did-Ferris-play-hoo?urn=mlb-318065)
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Met Canadian Hall of Famer, former Chicago Cubs great Fergie Jenkins today and got a :hipheart: shout out lol
(http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/t/jphip03118.jpg) (http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/jphip03118.jpg)
he was in town promoting Black History Month and was gonna be at the Oilers - Canadiens game, got a baseball card signed for 10 bucks but all proceeds go to charity. Real nice guy but there was barely anyone there, at the main post office cuz he got his own stamp :bow:
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HEY!! TIME to sign up for Yahoo! Fantasy Baseball!
Yahoo Fantasy Baseball 2011: JPHiPLB
"I wanna rage, right now" - Brian Wilson (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZYJzsAXZX0#)
Go here: http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb (http://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/league/jphiplb)
League ID: 89669
Password: rika
Using online live draft. TBD. Whatever time is good for everyone :yep:
Any comments? Rule changes? HOLLATCHABOY!!
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^^ Just signed up as Uramiya, :) 4 teams so far, settings look good, I like a lot of categories. I live in the Eastern time zone, any time between 3 pm and 11 pm is fine with me for draft times.
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I completely forgot about this story: Junior Griffey attempted suicide (http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/2/22/2008628/ken-griffey-jr-suicide-attempt) in the late 80s, when he was already in pro ball!
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Griffey is a baseball player not an actor (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8DnPaXw0AY#)
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Great animated GIF here (http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/3/4/2030386/pitching-does-disgusting-things-to-your-elbow) of Cliff Lee demonstrating why Tommy John surgery is so damn common these days...
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That's insane. Cards staff going down like flies. I heard that people wanna get Tommy John ahead of time.
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Ichiro :bow: :bow:
Ichiro Suzuki In New Seattle Mariners Commercial 2011 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfI8hz3Bke0#ws)
Ichiro donates 100 million yen to relief efforts in Japan
By 'Duk
Ichiro Suzuki(notes) still hasn't offered any public comment about the ongoing crisis in Japan, but the message he sent on Friday will certainly go a lot further than any press conference remarks or a prepared statement of concern ever would.
The Seattle Mariners great will donate 100 million yen to the relief efforts stemming from last week's earthquake and tsunami. Using today's conversion rate, the amount equates to about $1.23 million — or roughly 7 percent of the $18 million he'll make playing baseball in Seattle this year.
In usual Ichiro fashion, he hasn't said anything about his impressive support with his checkbook and he likely won't. Helping out his homeland in a time of great need seems to be enough for the right fielder — as it was last month, when he quietly donated 10 million yen to relief efforts following the volcano eruption in the Miyazaki Prefecture.
His gesture reminds me of the 2001-02 NBA season, when Michael Jordan donated his entire $1 million salary to Sept. 11 efforts. And just like in that great time of need, Ichiro isn't alone in his generosity. The Mariners also announced on Friday that they'll be matching any front office or fan donations made over the regular-season's first game homestand at Safeco Field with a minimum of $100,000 guaranteed. The San Francisco Giants also announced their plans to offer aid earlier this week.
source: Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Ichiro-donates-100-million-yen-to-relief-efforts?urn=mlb-wp884)
Be humble :pimp:
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Ichiro is clearly the coolest dude in the universe.
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BASEBALL IS BACK!! Who is your World Series favorite? Man, gotta say the Yankees ain't the same with out Pettitte but I think Jeter gonna bounce back. BOSTON LOADED UP DAMN. I'm a root for the Rays, Man Ram and Damon at it again.
(http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/6863/ap0f9445c1e8504d6690f54.jpg)(http://img845.imageshack.us/img845/6000/apda43f33a81d940c6a2778.jpg)
shit I'm itching to go check an M's game for 18 bucks lol. Gonna be in Seattle for some :jphip: Reppin and it's A's vs M's, can't pass Ichiro vs Godzilla. :D
Speaking of Junior. Ken Griffey Jr. is a special consultant with the Seattle Mariners these days but if anyone is looking for him in the team's Peoria, Ariz., training camp, they're off by about half a world.
Griffey is sharing his baseball knowledge as expected, but it's with coaches and youth players in the Philippines as part of his role as U.S. State Department sports diplomacy envoy.
He'll return to the USA on Saturday but there's no firm date for his first appearance -- expected some time this spring -- as part of his new role with the Mariners, the team from which he retired suddenly last June. His new role -- described by the Mariners as including baseball operations, player development, marketing, broadcasting and community relations -- calls for him to spend about 30 days over the course of the year doing work for the club.
(http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2011/03/ken-griffey-jr--serving-as-an-ambassador-in-the-philippines-/1)
CLASS ACT! No wonder Thimas was a huge fan :thumbup
Fuck all this Pre-Jury, Ball Shrinking, Raging talk. This is a story you hardly see on the news.
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SF Giants just lost their second game. to the dodgers. I am sad.
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I'm with Keith Law (https://twitter.com/#!/keithlaw/status/56145716585836544) regarding the Swisher takeout "slide" on Nishioka.
Twas NOT clean.
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BASEBALL IS BACK!! Who is your World Series favorite? Man, gotta say the Yankees ain't the same with out Pettitte but I think Jeter gonna bounce back. BOSTON LOADED UP DAMN. I'm a root for the Rays, Man Ram and Damon at it again.
And Manny has retired to avoid another suspension from MLB's Drug Treatment and Prevention people. And nobody will care because he's silly and likeable as opposed to the Bonds/Clemens/ARods of the world.
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Well, if "Raffy" can hold down ten percent of the HOF vote, why not Manny? And I guess the NFL had better step things up with its drug-prevention programs. All of them.
And how come Will Clark fell off the HOF ballot so damn quickly?
And I guess John Lackey just knows how to "win," right?
And baseball season is the best of them all...
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Well, if "Raffy" can hold down ten percent of the HOF vote, why not Manny?
Because BBWAA voters are smarmy, crotchety old men who pretend that anyone who retired before 1985 was a golden God of purity and saintliness who should be revered one step down from Jesus.
And how come Will Clark fell off the HOF ballot so damn quickly?
Well, a middling defensive 1B with those numbers is certainly Hall of Fame-ish (moreso than some of the guys who at least hang on to the ballot), but I'm not really sure he belongs in. Certainly not as long as the likes of EMart/Trammell/Larkin/etc are sitting out the outskirts (maybe in a weaker field, if he had more public support he'd make a solid Veteran's candidate). When you're that blah outside of your hitting you'd better either be really an amazing hitter or at least have some big years. He got robbed of an MVP in 89 (and was right there in 88), but beyond that *shrug*. 8000 PA guys can (and should) get in as pure hitters, but they need to be really good. He essentially looks like a less interesting E-Mart (with a positional disadvantage while E-Mart was a decent 3B and then obviously an edge once he was a DH).
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Well, Will The Thrill came to mind after I thought of Raffy P. I remember he swore on live teevee during a locker room celebration. Gotta love that. Not a slam-dunk choice but certainly one that shouldn't have gone kaput after one round of voting (ala Albert Belle).
And yes, Murray Chass actually FLAUNTS his BBWAA HOF vote. They'll all be dead and gone, one day.
BTW more than one person online hasn't completely absolved Nick Swisher just yet. David Schoenfield of ESPN.com noted that Swisher kicked at Nishioka's leg.
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Well, Will The Thrill came to mind after I thought of Raffy P. I remember he swore on live teevee during a locker room celebration. Gotta love that. Not a slam-dunk choice but certainly one that shouldn't have gone kaput after one round of voting (ala Albert Belle).
Belle was an actively terrible defender with nowhere near a long enough career to warrant serious Hall consideration.
BTW more than one person online hasn't completely absolved Nick Swisher just yet. David Schoenfield of ESPN.com noted that Swisher kicked at Nishioka's leg.
Meh. If Nishioka got up right away and was fine everyone would praise Swisher for a good baseball move. One of many dumb outcome-based standards of the game.
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Schoenfield's piece on the Manny legacy also gets my approval: http://espn.go.com/blog/SweetSpot/post/_/id/8775/manny-ramirez-retires-hall-of-famer (http://espn.go.com/blog/SweetSpot/post/_/id/8775/manny-ramirez-retires-hall-of-famer)
Manny's in MY Hall, at least.
Hold your breath for newspaper pieces featuring comments from Andre Dawson and Jim Ed Rice...
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If Nishioka got up right away and was fine everyone would praise Swisher for a good baseball move. One of many dumb outcome-based standards of the game.
If Nishioka got up then nobody would even be talking about anything. But that's the point, isn't it? Swisher DID slide out of the baseline, away from the bag and kicked at Nishioka's shin. It wasn't Hal McRae in the '77 ALCS but come on, that wasn't a CLEAN slide like Jeter's was on the previous play.
If Swisher slides straight into the bag and comes into contact with Nishioka's leg then that's just bad luck, just like Justin Morneau and his concussion. Freaky stuff happens sometimes. I just don't believe Swisher's act constituted "good, clean, hard baseball."
And his "I thought he would jump" bit... Well, what to do about all these beanballs to the helmet? Shouldn't they have gotten out of the way?
Yeah, I'll forget about this play in a week or so, just caught me the wrong way, all this stuff...
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Saw this RT: Buddy Biancalana has better shot to be in hall of fame than Manny.
And The Truth from Joe Sheehan (http://twitter.com/joe_sheehan/status/56493226651160576): We're kicking off a quarter-century of this stuff dominating Hall discussions.
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Another cogent bit from Joe Sheehan from his latest newsletter: Ramirez passed more drug tests than he failed, and the connection between the use of performance-enhancing drugs and the lines on a baseball stat sheet remains unclear, no matter the received wisdom on the matter.
I wholeheartedly agree.
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One more Manny essay, this one from the great Joe Posnanski: http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/04/who-will-stand-up-for-manny.html (http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/04/who-will-stand-up-for-manny.html)
Mob rule always wins the day...
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Another cogent bit from Joe Sheehan from his latest newsletter: Ramirez passed more drug tests than he failed, and the connection between the use of performance-enhancing drugs and the lines on a baseball stat sheet remains unclear, no matter the received wisdom on the matter.
I wholeheartedly agree.
agreed with that fact but just sad he did retire supposedly he might come to the baseball game here, on a person's VIP list XD
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This gotta be the best blooper of the year (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/What-the-Justin-Verlander-commits-the-balk-of-?urn=mlb-wp3620)
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Yeah that Verlander move... So bizzare.
And Dodger fans: there IS light at the end. As long as King Bud doesn't get too possessive with his new sandbox.
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Holy shmokes, a .201 BAC (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/03/police-report-shin-soo-choo-blew-a-201-on-the-breathalyser/)?!! That's a batting average!
Lotta angry people on the Tweeter because of this...
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The brutal truth about Captain Clutch (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/joe_sheehan/05/05/derek.jeter.problem/index.html), as told by Joe Sheehan.
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Hey my question posted on Twitter (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/05/hbt-daily-taking-your-questions/) was answered! And check out how someone on the Mainland pronounces "Tanikaze."
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^ Congratulations Brother!! Hardnosed analysis, you should steal his job.
Went to the April 21st game at Safeco Field with the JPH!P Crew. (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/recap?gid=310421112): alohellofan, Ricker708, rokun, OpsMonkey, and thatonezombie!! Felix Hernandez dusting fools 1-0 on Kennedy's Homer, Hideki Matsui sat and we was "KURT SUZUKI SUCKS" the whole time behind a couple of A's fans, vs our army of Berryz Wotas! Game went by real fast, hella cold but it was worth it. cheap seats sit anywhere!
(http://img246.imagevenue.com/loc381/th_716539967_DSC03838_122_381lo.JPG) (http://img246.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716539967_DSC03838_122_381lo.JPG) (http://img148.imagevenue.com/loc220/th_716566771_DSC03837_122_220lo.JPG) (http://img148.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716566771_DSC03837_122_220lo.JPG) (http://img196.imagevenue.com/loc36/th_716599868_DSC03836_122_36lo.JPG) (http://img196.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716599868_DSC03836_122_36lo.JPG)(http://img283.imagevenue.com/loc115/th_716621904_DSC03821_122_115lo.JPG) (http://img283.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716621904_DSC03821_122_115lo.JPG) (http://img201.imagevenue.com/loc182/th_716635837_DSC03843_122_182lo.JPG) (http://img201.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716635837_DSC03843_122_182lo.JPG) (http://img141.imagevenue.com/loc489/th_716647226_DSC03841_122_489lo.JPG) (http://img141.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716647226_DSC03841_122_489lo.JPG)(http://img12.imagevenue.com/loc134/th_471666452_DSC03835_122_134lo.JPG) (http://img12.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=471666452_DSC03835_122_134lo.JPG) (http://img217.imagevenue.com/loc679/th_471667310_DSC03832_122_679lo.JPG) (http://img217.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=471667310_DSC03832_122_679lo.JPG) (http://img267.imagevenue.com/loc576/th_716685207_DSC03830_122_576lo.JPG) (http://img267.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716685207_DSC03830_122_576lo.JPG)(http://img140.imagevenue.com/loc116/th_471670591_DSC03829_122_116lo.JPG) (http://img140.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=471670591_DSC03829_122_116lo.JPG) (http://img105.imagevenue.com/loc76/th_716718980_DSC03826_122_76lo.JPG) (http://img105.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716718980_DSC03826_122_76lo.JPG) (http://img139.imagevenue.com/loc48/th_716731458_DSC03822_122_48lo.JPG) (http://img139.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716731458_DSC03822_122_48lo.JPG)(http://img127.imagevenue.com/loc555/th_716743245_DSC03818_122_555lo.JPG) (http://img127.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=716743245_DSC03818_122_555lo.JPG)
Took the free bus down, Qwest Field in the distance. couple of Ichiro butt shots, screaming loud!
video coming later <here>
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Sad news for Harmon Killebrew (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Harmon-Killebrew-8217-s-cancer-fight-takes-a-tu;_ylt=Anx_8LUFiOQVGOT0wW.8cacRvLYF?urn=mlb-wp6262)
FIGHT until the end
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Tough when you need support (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Little-help-here-Billingsley-joins-list-of-pitc;_ylt=AtvBkNzzA963JC9aeDusUysRvLYF?urn=mlb-wp6438) :lol:
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Another legend lost (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AtsLLirLWUvEwWIHjdJhYroRvLYF?slug=ap-obit-killebrew)
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Brutal prognosis (http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/05/26/buster-posey-broken-leg-and-torn-ligaments-brandon-belt-called-up/) for Buster Posey of the Giants.
That's life when players are taught to use NFL rules at home plate. NL West up for grabs now.
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Cool i didnt even know there was sports threads on here.
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^ we have most if not all to the hipstas interests, so enjoy whatever you like
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Yea i love baseball, watch games everyday.
That sucks that posey is out for the rest of the season and its only his second year in, that sucks.
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Giants won again today! YAY! LOL my best friend's second favorite team (after the orange and black of course) is the Rockies and she loves Troy Tulowitzki. When Huff got elbowed by him and everyone was booing, she was like "He didn't mean to! Troy's a good guy! How can you boo that face?!" in a rather low tone. :lol:
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The Mariners are above .500? So beautiful.
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The "Moneyball" trailer is out!
MONEYBALL - Watch The Official Trailer - In Theaters 9/23 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-LwHbld4#ws)
And yes, I'll prolly see it on general principle.
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Brutal, raw piece on Frank McCourt (http://itsaboutthemoney.net/archives/2011/06/21/commissioner-selig-frank-mccourt-must-go-a-petition/) and the rot he cast on the Dodger franchise and brand.
I hope McCourt and his ilk get the worst kind of diarrhea forever...
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went to local independent league baseball game on Saturday night and HEY! it was Edmonton Capitals versus Jose Canseco's Yuma Scorpions, who took a 6-0 lead on the Caps after the first inning on Saturday night, but I left after 8-8 cuz it was raining and apparently the they won 12-8 in the seventh inning after the game was finalized due to rain.
LOL check it: http://www.capsbaseball.ca/?p=1580 (http://www.capsbaseball.ca/?p=1580)
(http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/2497/canseco7.jpg)
I stalked the outside of the field for a few hours, they had Taylor Hall (local young phenom for the Oilers hockey team) and this van kept driving by, dropping off players...then I noticed in the passenger seat was this GIANT BICEPS and fuck, no question it was Canseco. When he finally pulled up, he jumped out with a bag of McDonald's LOL and I was like "YO JOSE!" and he's like "...C'mon! Give it here!" and signed my baseball card. Fuck awesome lol, one of my fave players before all that Roids Thing.
(http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/t/jphip00708.jpg) (http://picroda.jphip.com/manlove/jphip00708.jpg)(http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/t/jphip03772.jpg) (http://picroda.jphip.com/misc/jphip03772.jpg)
He's a manager / player but tonight he was just managing.
(http://img211.imagevenue.com/loc1179/th_150659470_DSC04588_122_1179lo.JPG) (http://img211.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=150659470_DSC04588_122_1179lo.JPG) (http://img169.imagevenue.com/loc1098/th_150698697_DSC04578_122_1098lo.JPG) (http://img169.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=150698697_DSC04578_122_1098lo.JPG) (http://img252.imagevenue.com/loc367/th_150732898_DSC04590_122_367lo.JPG) (http://img252.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=150732898_DSC04590_122_367lo.JPG)(http://img40.imagevenue.com/loc515/th_150789480_DSC04589_122_515lo.JPG) (http://img40.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=150789480_DSC04589_122_515lo.JPG) (http://img17.imagevenue.com/loc225/th_150843955_DSC04591_122_225lo.JPG) (http://img17.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=150843955_DSC04591_122_225lo.JPG)
There he was like hamming it up with the drunks too.
automen CansecoEdmonton (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft44NKE8fWQ#)
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Ichiro not playing in the All-Star Game leaves me... empty. Sign of the times, etc. Still surprised the overseas vote didn't come through. I mean, D. Jeter still starts for the AL and he's only hitting 200-something...
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^ I was surprise about Ichiro being left out however the AL saves leader (supposedly the interim closer) got in and that is worth a lot for just being the man in waiting also Shaq is getting into the action for final vote
“vote 4 my man shane victorino 2 be in da allstar game pleas thank you atmlb.com/Victorino”.
I didn't purposely made it all Hawaiian but the rosters seem pretty even with some surprises, although again the teams that are pushing aren't getting their players in compared to the established teams :lol:
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Yahoo's Jeff Passan on the tragedy in Arlington yesterday (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-passan_texas_hamilton_tragedy_fan_death_070811).
FYI there IS video of the incident floating around the intarwebs, including a YouTube page for ABC News, of all places. They'll air anything short of an actual crunch on the ground...
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I just saw the WORST CALL EVER by a major league ump to end Tuesday's Pirates-Braves game. You'll see the highlights tomorrow.
The ump just wanted to get the game to end, plain and simple. Disgraceful and sickening.
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The home plate umpire called the runner SAFE on this play:
(http://i.imgur.com/JiMyv.jpg)
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The news just blew up in my Twitter feed about an hour ago: Hideki Irabu found dead in his LA home of an apparent suicide.
Read about Irabu in Robert Whiting's last volume about NPB. It was apparent he's had some demons in him for a long time. Sad he couldn't/wouldn't find the resources to heal. RIP.
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^^^ SPAMBOT! Cleanup on Aisle 7!
[edit: crap removed, moving along now...]
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Slate posted an updated book excerpt by Robert Whiting (http://www.slate.com/id/2300602/pagenum/all) on Hideki Irabu troubled life and career.
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*** Nerd alert! ***
Interesting piece on the pitching stats of position players and how some things might always normalize in the end: http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/8/3/2340803/position-players-pitching-babip-stats (http://mlb.sbnation.com/2011/8/3/2340803/position-players-pitching-babip-stats)
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Great bit on this latest A-Rod "scandal" via chat with ESPN's Keith Law, one of the best in the biz:
__________
Santos (Santosville)
So a bunch of players are charged with DUI recently and MLB shrugs its shoulders, but A-Rod may have played illegal poker and they are launching an investigation? Crazy pills?
Klaw (1:08 PM)
Absolute waste of everyone's time. Shame on MLB for pandering to the lowest common denominator in both the media (a large segment of which has long had it in for A-Rod) and the fans. They have NO cause to suspend him, and if they try, they will lose the subsequent grievance in embarrassing fashion. And as you pointed out, the inherent message that MLB cares more about whether and with whom you play "illegal" poker than it does about whether you drive drunk and endanger your life and the lives of others is even MORE embarrassing.
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A-Rod can't even suntan without being criticized. No wonder only those with CAJONES want to play for the Yanks.
Yeah....what a crazy few weeks of baseball...RIP Hideki Arabu. The DUI, being cut by the Expos. The pressure for Japanese pitchers to become the next big thing. Josh Hamilton, fucking tragic you can't imagine shit like that happening. Poor kid scarred for life. I think of the guy who tried (actually think he did) to catch the field goal in the NFL.
The more I hear about Bush League the more "C'MON MAN" this is the unwritten game, take it like a fucking man.
Meanwhile Ichiro keeps on hittign while Mariners keep losing - I lost track. Think the M's managed to stop the skid. And HIDEKIMATSUI is on FIYAH for the A's! lol I got this Japanese magazine where he is doing the :3 to the max.
2011/07/30 松井秀喜 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPXnQXNCxjo#ws)
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I guess the DUI's haven't been deadly yet, so it may take a deadly consequence to realize that they need to be strict on this manner
As for A-Rod, they make it sound like he bet on baseball, however it doesn't matter too much on how the punishment goes because the MLB has something on certain players already so no surprise here
But this was a scary moment (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Juan-Nicasio-has-neck-surgery-after-being-hit-by?urn=mlb-wp15088)
Since playing softball, this has been a great fear especially if I had to pitch for BP, wish him luck for his recovery because that is a vicious injury
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:3
(http://