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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Destiny Of Chaos on February 07, 2017, 10:28:42 AM
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2016 Thread - https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=45462.0
2015 Thread - https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=43353.0
We are entering uncharted territory. For the first time in any of our lifetimes, the Chicago Cubs begin a season as the reigning World Series champions! On top of that, they are a favorite to win it all again this year!
New managers in Arizona, Atlanta, Chicago (AL) & Colorado. New stadium in Atlanta. All-Star game in Miami, continuing the run of NL ballpark hosts.
What is the state of your team(s) heading into 2017?
How do you feel about the moves made thus far in the offseason?
Do you care about the World Baseball Classic?
Any early predictions?
Here’s to a fun 2017 season…. With a lot less tragedy please…..
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Pirates fan here. Latest news is that McCutchen is moving to RF, Marte to CF, and Polanco to LF. It's a move that should've happened sooner, and I'm glad to see he's accepting it.
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Pirates fan here. Latest news is that McCutchen is moving to RF, Marte to CF, and Polanco to LF. It's a move that should've happened sooner, and I'm glad to see he's accepting it.
Yea, hopefully he is a good sport about it. At this point, Marte is the better CF without question.
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Pirates fan here. Latest news is that McCutchen is moving to RF, Marte to CF, and Polanco to LF. It's a move that should've happened sooner, and I'm glad to see he's accepting it.
Yea, hopefully he is a good sport about it. At this point, Marte is the better CF without question.
He posted a photo of Clemente in RF soon after it was announced, so he seems to be embracing it, at least publicly.
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Pirates fan here. Latest news is that McCutchen is moving to RF, Marte to CF, and Polanco to LF. It's a move that should've happened sooner, and I'm glad to see he's accepting it.
Yea, hopefully he is a good sport about it. At this point, Marte is the better CF without question.
He posted a photo of Clemente in RF soon after it was announced, so he seems to be embracing it, at least publicly.
Whatever helps him sleep at night :lol
That all being said, I think the Pirates are going to continue to go downhill (the progression they have been on) regardless of who plays where in the outfield. Where your outfielders are standing doesn't make up for the fact that your starting rotation sucks and your team can't hit for power at all.
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Yeah, the starting rotation is terrible. They didn't do anything to address it last offseason, and I haven't heard much so far this offseason, so it may be another long year.
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Cards fan....mostly by obligation but I do enjoy watching them, just not as psycho as most 'fans' about them. Anyway, I fully expect the Front Office to continue to take advantage of the fan base and not go out and 'buy' offensive help, they know the fans will show up 3 million strong year after year no matter what.
I expect the Cards to be in contention but not win the Division, maybe make a Wild Card Spot. And as last season can attest to...Mike Matheny will continue to make bone headed managerial decisions that he got away with (2) years ago thanks to his team bailing him out but was burned on last year because it was reality.
I think it's VERY hard for teams to repeat at this stage of the baseball era so I don't think the Cubs will do it....but they sure don't look to be getting any 'worse'.
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My Cubs are the easy pick to repeat. However, much is to be seen. The great thing about the team is that they're young, and built to be around for the long haul. If that core of young players continue to be hungry, and work hard then it may very well be the case. We'll see how they handle success.
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Go Brewers!
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RIP, Mike Ilitch. It took you a few years after the debacle of the Tom Monaghan ownership, but then you realized that if you poured some money into the Tigers, you might make them relevant again. In spite of the 119 loss season, you stuck with Alan Trammell as manager, started to bring in free agents, build a foundation, and then brought in Jim Leland and some more star power.
You stood outside of 'Tiger' Stadium, along with GM Dan Dombrowski, greeted and shook hands with mourners following Ernie Harwell's passing.
Thank you, for allowing me to wear the Old English 'D' hat with pride again for these past ten plus years ( and the winged wheel for 25+ years).
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Dodgers made a few decent moves, got Utley (aka the Dad) back, but good players seem to do very little on this team (Carl Crawford, Andruw Jones, Shane Victorino), while young alternates come here and thrive, so who knows.
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Damn... my MLB TV subscription was auto-renewed. Guess I'll have access to all 2,430 games live again :metal
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I did say that I was willing to man up and post if i was wrong.... but I wasn't, and i caught undue grief over this, so here ya go....
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/18921310/investigation-finds-jose-fernandez-was-operating-boat-fatal-crash
MIAMI -- The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission concluded in its nearly six-month investigation that former Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was the operator of the speeding boat that crashed and killed Fernandez and two others in the early morning of Sept. 25, 2016.
According to public records obtained by ESPN on Thursday, the FWC's final report confirmed alcohol and drugs were involved. It also concluded that Fernandez violated multiple boating laws, including Boating Under the Influence Manslaughter, Vessel Homicide and Reckless or Careless Operation of a Vessel.
Jose Fernandez was the operator of the boat that crashed into a Miami Beach jetty, killing the Marlins ace and his two friends. WPLG
Fernandez's blood alcohol level was .147 and there was "noted presence of cocaine," according to the Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's toxicology report.
The speed of the 32-foot vessel during the impact of the crash on the north side of a jetty was 65.7 miles per hour. Fernandez, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Macias died at the scene due to blunt force impact and drowning.
The report also included a text message exchange that night between Rivero and Maria Arias, Fernandez's girlfriend. She told Rivero the pair had been arguing and asked him to take care of Fernandez. "He's been drinking and is not in the best state of mind."
EDITOR'S PICKS
To grieve Jose Fernandez's death, Giancarlo Stanton took life-changing journey
With the eyes of baseball on them, the Marlins barely had a chance to mourn. So when the season ended, their biggest star traveled three continents and came home with a renewed sense of purpose.
The report concluded: "Fernandez operated V-1 with his normal faculties impaired, in a reckless manner, at an extreme high rate of speed, in the darkness of night, in an area with known navigational hazards such as rock jetties and channel markers."
The conclusion that Fernandez was the operator was based in part on the finding that his bruises matched the damage on the boat's center console. Investigators also noted that his DNA was found on the steering wheel and throttle.
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Indians fan here. Haven't felt this optimistic about the team since their run in the mid to late 90's. I'm hoping for a World Series rematch with the Cubs where the Tribe comes out victorious.
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Anyone watching the WBC?
GO PUERTO RICO!!!
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2017 MLB Predictions
A.L. East
1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Baltimore
4. New York
5. Tampa Bay
A.L. Central
1. Cleveland
2. Kansas City
3. Detroit
4. Chicago
5. Minnesota
A.L. West
1. Texas
2. Seattle (WC)
3. Houston (WC)
4. Los Angeles
5. Oakland
N.L. East
1. Washington
2. New York
3. Philadelphia
4. Miami
5. Atlanta
N.L. Central
1. Chicago
2. St. Louis (WC)
3. Pittsburgh
4. Cincinnati
5. Milwaukee
N.L. West
1. Los Angeles
2. San Francisco (WC)
3. Arizona
4. Colorado
5. San Diego
AL Cy Young – Chris Sale
NL Cy Young – Clayton Kershaw
AL MVP – Mookie Betts
NL MVP – Kris Bryant
ALCS – Boston defeats Cleveland
NLCS – Chicago defeats Washington
World Series – Boston defeats Chicago
Hope I’m wrong!
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Yankees fan since 1979. The team has a lot of young, promising position players. But the pitching...ugh. Yanks will probably be right around 85 wins this year, +/- 3. I think Tanaka is going to blow is elbow, CC is done, and Pineda has never lived up to his potential. Frankly, if I were Joe Girardi, I would have a rotation of Tanaka, Pineda, and then three young starters, just to develop them. Put CC in long relief.
Looking forward to seeing a lot of the young guys do well. Bird, Judge and of course Sanchez could be stars. And that kid the Yanks got from the Cubs is starting the year at AA. He'll be called up before September, I'm sure.
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World Series – Boston defeats Chicago
Hope I’m wrong!
How Dare You!!!
Meh, it's certainly possible. I'm still a little bit stunned that the Cubs won it last year.
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have the Brewers been eliminated yet?
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have the Brewers been eliminated yet?
For long-suffering Brewers fans, I'd normally want to see them do well.
But so long as Braun is on their team, I'm enjoying their suckage.
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have the Brewers been eliminated yet?
For long-suffering Brewers fans, I'd normally want to see them do well.
But so long as Braun is on their team, I'm enjoying their suckage.
I'm pretty sure Braun is disliked 100% outside the Milwaukee/WI area, and about 50% within it.
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have the Brewers been eliminated yet?
As a matter of fact, yes. Yes they have.
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Machado made another platinum glove level play. Trumbo had a trumbomb....and the Orioles win their opener in extra innings!
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Machado made another platinum glove level play. Trumbo had a trumbomb....and the Orioles win their opener in extra innings!
I watched the highlight reel. Nice to see the walk-offs happening already. Plus, like I said on my Facebook page, we have a pitcher tied for the league lead in homeruns. How often does a pitcher hit two homers in a game?
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Tanaka?
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MadBum
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What coast are you on? The West Coast of the Hudson doesn't count.
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The right coast
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The right coast
Yes. Yes it is.
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Machado made another platinum glove level play. Trumbo had a trumbomb....and the Orioles win their opener in extra innings!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYr0YUKbWV8
Every time I see him make a play no one else can, he then does something even more amazing.
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Pleased that the Orioles have jumped out to a 4-0 start. That will come in handy if the trend of midsummer slumping ensues.
In other news..Phillies dropped 12 runs on the Nats in the 1st inning!!!
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Rough start for the Jankees. That winning record in Spring Training paid off well for them.
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Cards suck so far.
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Cards suck so far.
good.
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If Madison Bumgarner goes on the DL because of a dirt bike accident, my guess is that this is what the bike looks like:
(https://www.muslimlinkpaper.com/images/stories/09-04-2015/bike-destroyed.jpg)
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Bumgarner out 6-8 weeks. Woof.
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Crazy series in NY between the Orioles and Yankees. Fortunate not to get swept.
Young Yankees are exceeding expectations. And Judge is a monster.
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I knew these young guys would be fun to watch. I'd rather watch this than bringing in all multi-million dollar players.
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An extremely satisfying win for the Orioles @Fenway last night considering what the Sox did the last time these two teams played. Manny had a monster home run and a web gem at 3rd to end the game.
Then there's this crap. No wonder Jones was so fired up after his last sensational catch at center.
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19291263/adam-jones-baltimore-orioles-says-was-target-racist-abuse-fenway-park
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That's so fucked up. What the hell is wrong with people!?
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Disgusting.
On the Red Sox board I lurk, there is an effort underway to have Jones get a standing O for his first at-bat tonight.
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A few bad people ruin it for him. He'll get the standing O, but it won't erase what he had to listen to. Shit like that stays with you forever.
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A few jackoffs always ruin it for others. I hope they catch the assholes using that word.
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The Sox have had an embarrassing week. WTF is going on?
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This is beyond stupid....
#O's have right to be livid after 3 different Bos Ps have been throwing at Machado purposefully then Gausman accidentally HPB gets ejected
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenMLB) May 3, 2017
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Well, Barnes got suspended, apparently Sale is going to be. Who's the third one?
I'm not watching these games. Been watching the NHL playoffs.
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I'm glad that series is over. Felt like it would never end. Nice to see the Orioles win a drama-free game. Bring on the White Sox. Glad to be playing someone out of division for a few days.
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I'm glad that series is over.
Amen, brother. Amen.
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Tigers and O's showing their true colors finally
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Lunatic thought police want to suspend Pillar for yelling a "slur" at the opposing pitcher. Hilarious. Maybe they should start disciplining people for calling straight people "heteros".
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Lunatic thought police want to suspend Pillar for yelling a "slur" at the opposing pitcher. Hilarious. Maybe they should start disciplining people for calling straight people "heteros".
......wow...... get a load of this guy
Yep. Calling someone a hetero is equivalent to calling them a faggot. If you truly believe that, Why don't you try using that word at your place of work, and see what happens
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Yeah that's pretty delusional, lol.
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It's only May 19th, but.....
CENTRAL W L
Milwaukee Brewers 24 18
St. Louis Cardinals 21 17
Chicago Cubs 21 19
Cincinnati Reds 19 21
Pittsburgh Pirates 18 23
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It's only May 19th, but.....
CENTRAL W L
Milwaukee Brewers 24 18
St. Louis Cardinals 21 17
Chicago Cubs 21 19
Cincinnati Reds 19 21
Pittsburgh Pirates 18 23
the last time the brewers were leading the division at this point in the season was in 2014. the brewers missed the playoffs and the cardinals made it to the nlcs. :metal
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https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19423029/don-mattingly-3-ejected-scuffle-los-angeles-dodgers-miami-marlins
"Mattingly said he was initially upset that the Dodgers were swinging at 3-0 pitches in the eighth with a 5-0 lead."
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
You can't make this stuff up. Just more proof that baseball players and managers are the biggest crybabies in sports.
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My god is swinging at a 3-0 pitch one of those bullshit unwritten rules of baseball?
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Just like to point out its July 1st and the Brewers are still in first place. :metal
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Holy cow the Nats bullpen just blew another lead. :facepalm:
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To demonstrate how little I pay attention to baseball now, I went to the Cards game Saturday (free tickets!) and I had no idea who 6 of the guys were in our starting lineup. :eek :eek :lol :lol
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Why aren't you paying attention?
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I don't know how anyone maintains an attention span for a 162 game season, I just can't do it.
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To demonstrate how little I pay attention to baseball now, I went to the Cards game Saturday (free tickets!) and I had no idea who 6 of the guys were in our starting lineup. :eek :eek :lol :lol
I went to last nights game on free tickets and was the same way.
Why aren't you paying attention?
For me, it always takes me a bit to transition from the hockey season to baseball AND this year, the Cardinals have either traded or not resigned a few of their older, cornerstone veterans....so there are a few new younger guys that have been platooning in and out of the lineup. It's tough for me to get excited about a team who's Manager is completely out of his league...owners who consistently take advantage of a rabid fan base by not pursuing free agent talent and relying on second tier farm system players to scrap through the season.
They've been semi-successful in doing so, consistently making the playoffs but all in all I've just about had it with the 'Cardinal Way' and would welcome them actually just signing some proven talent.
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For me, I just don't give a damn about baseball anymore.
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I've been paying more and more attention to baseball, and less attention to football over the last few years.
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To demonstrate how little I pay attention to baseball now, I went to the Cards game Saturday (free tickets!) and I had no idea who 6 of the guys were in our starting lineup. :eek :eek :lol :lol
I went to last nights game on free tickets and was the same way.
Why aren't you paying attention?
For me, it always takes me a bit to transition from the hockey season to baseball AND this year, the Cardinals have either traded or not resigned a few of their older, cornerstone veterans....so there are a few new younger guys that have been platooning in and out of the lineup. It's tough for me to get excited about a team who's Manager is completely out of his league...owners who consistently take advantage of a rabid fan base by not pursuing free agent talent and relying on second tier farm system players to scrap through the season.
They've been semi-successful in doing so, consistently making the playoffs but all in all I've just about had it with the 'Cardinal Way' and would welcome them actually just signing some proven talent.
Who do you think they should've signed in free agency?
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To demonstrate how little I pay attention to baseball now, I went to the Cards game Saturday (free tickets!) and I had no idea who 6 of the guys were in our starting lineup. :eek :eek :lol :lol
I went to last nights game on free tickets and was the same way.
Why aren't you paying attention?
For me, it always takes me a bit to transition from the hockey season to baseball AND this year, the Cardinals have either traded or not resigned a few of their older, cornerstone veterans....so there are a few new younger guys that have been platooning in and out of the lineup. It's tough for me to get excited about a team who's Manager is completely out of his league...owners who consistently take advantage of a rabid fan base by not pursuing free agent talent and relying on second tier farm system players to scrap through the season.
They've been semi-successful in doing so, consistently making the playoffs but all in all I've just about had it with the 'Cardinal Way' and would welcome them actually just signing some proven talent.
Who do you think they should've signed in free agency?
I'll be honest with you....I don't have an opinion as to 'who' they should have signed this past off season....my point was a more broad point of it wouldn't have mattered who was out there....they won't make a move toward them.
When they were in the hunt for David Price I honestly couldn't believe it...that they offered him some $200 million because it was SO uncharacteristic for the Cards brass to do that.
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Hardcore Yankees fan here. First game at the old stadium in '84, when I was 8. Really became a huge fan after that, suffering through those down years with Mel Hall's grand slam on Labor Day (1989?) to win a game being a highlight (how I remember Mel Hall is beyond me -- I think he had like 18 hr and 100 rbi that year).
Anyway, been very pleased with this year so far. I've been following Judge for years. Once the Yankees got him, I pretty much stayed locked in when I realized he had a Twitter account. Dude works so hard. Really proud he's a Yankee. I think he has a fair chance to be a great one. Seems like whenever he has a flaw, he comes back and fixes it pretty quickly.
Sanchez -- not as high on him, but appreciate the story. He took it for granted until the Yankees demoted him one day, and then he grew up and put in the work. So I appreciate that. Hoping his attitude stays good and he and Judge can be a dynamic duo for 10-15 years together. Some good ones on the way too.
As for this year, as big a fan as I am, I said it at the start of spring training -- 83-88 wins, TOPS. They just don't have the depth yet. I am loving that Girardi and Cashman are letting Montgomery pitch every five days and learn. They haven't done that with a young guy for years. Now, if they do that stupid innings limit thing (which I am sure they will), it'll stunt that growth a bit, which sucks.
But Severino (nice bounceback year for the kid, like what I see) and Montgomery are coming along nicely. But this isn't the year. The Red Sox (still suck) are deeper, Baltimore is deeper, it is what it is. But I wouldn't count out a late run at the Wild Card for the Yankees.
I also hope Cashman sees what he has and doesn't get antsy to make a blockbuster to bring in a star. Not needed this year. At All.
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Did anybody see the story on this girl who was offended at a baseball game in Atlanta when they had a KKK sign in the stadium?
She she didn't know those three K's were the three strikeouts the picture had. And after people were tweeting back at her she still said it was wrong. Oh my God what has this world come to? :lol
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:facepalm:
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Did anybody see the story on this girl who was offended at a baseball game in Atlanta when they had a KKK sign in the stadium?
She she didn't know those three K's were the three strikeouts the picture had. And after people were tweeting back at her she still said it was wrong. Oh my God what has this world come to? :lol
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
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at the break, my Brewers hold a 5.5 game lead.
be a believer in Brewer Fever.
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at the break, my Brewers hold a 5.5 game lead.
be a believer in Brewer Fever.
In part, you can thank performances like Jon Lester giving up 10 runs in the 1st inning for that. That was very difficult to watch.
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at the break, my Brewers hold a 5.5 game lead.
be a believer in Brewer Fever.
Yeah....the Central has been pretty weak this year. Realistically they should be 10 or 12 games ahead. The fact they are within striking distance for the Cards and Cubs....two teams that are VERY capable of going on a tear due to the Cubs being stacked and the Cards having the history and pride not to suck.....I wouldn't feel too safe with that lead.
But...then again....maybe the Brew can do it this year. what's that saying about a squirrel and a nut? :biggrin: ;)
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Makes me sad that Pirates management sucks, if they could have put a half decent team on the field, they actually might have had a shot at the division this year. I didn't expect it to be so weak.
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Makes me sad that Pirates management sucks, if they could have put a half decent team on the field, they actually might have had a shot at the division this year. I didn't expect it to be so weak.
It went from a very competitive division to pretty meh very quickly.
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Makes me sad that Pirates management sucks, if they could have put a half decent team on the field, they actually might have had a shot at the division this year. I didn't expect it to be so weak.
It went from a very competitive division to pretty meh very quickly.
No question, I really thought it would look different at this point in the season.
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The bucs have been playing well, lately. They're not out of it yet.
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Anyone else watching the All Star Game? I love it and try and watch it every year. Reminds me of being a kid. I watched the highlights on the 1977 game on MLB Network this afternoon. I loved all of those players as a kid.
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Makes me sad that Pirates management sucks, if they could have put a half decent team on the field, they actually might have had a shot at the division this year. I didn't expect it to be so weak.
I've pretty much given up hope on them doing anything of significance with ownership/management as it is. Their methods briefly resulted in a competitive team, but it will never be consistent without actually spending some money.
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The bucs have been playing well, lately. They're not out of it yet.
Agreed, but the reason they aren't out of it is because their division happens to be terrible, they aren't a very good team.
Makes me sad that Pirates management sucks, if they could have put a half decent team on the field, they actually might have had a shot at the division this year. I didn't expect it to be so weak.
I've pretty much given up hope on them doing anything of significance with ownership/management as it is. Their methods briefly resulted in a competitive team, but it will never be consistent without actually spending some money.
Yup. Their attendance is set to drop significantly for the second season in a row, maybe that will send a message? Ah, who are we kidding, probably not...
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looks like the Cubs gave up whats left in their farm system to get Quintana from the White Sox.
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looks like the Cubs gave up whats left in their farm system to get Quintana from the White Sox.
It'll be a good move that will come into play next season. I'm afraid that this year is a lost cause. The starting pitching era is a full 2 points above last season, and the batting averages are down at almost every spot. Things could turn around, and it's a weak division, but if it's going to happen then it needs to happen quickly.
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Just want to say that I love and miss Jon Lester.
#letspaypandainstead
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Just want to say that I love and miss Jon Lester.
#letspaypandainstead
Ditto.
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I think the Brewers magic has worn off. still impressed they've hung on for this long considering they are in year two of a complete rebuild.
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Rich Hill :facepalm:
Ironically, last night, the Sox' Doug Fister gives up a leadoff home run, then proceeds to no hit the Indians the rest of the way.
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I definitely feel for Hill. First he loses the perfect game on an error, and then loses the no hitter in the 10th since his offense couldn't get anything done. And I'm a Pirates fan!
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Rich Hill :facepalm:
Ironically, last night, the Sox' Doug Fister gives up a leadoff home run, then proceeds to no hit the Indians the rest of the way.
Crazy! What are the odds of that happening right after what Hill did? Their games are palindromes of each other :lol
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I think the nickname thing is kind of corny, but I love the uniforms this weekend.
Going to see the Sox today.
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I think the nickname thing is kind of corny, but I love the uniforms this weekend.
Going to see the Sox today.
It's been.a hell of a series so far. Enjoy!
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I think the nickname thing is kind of corny, but I love the uniforms this weekend.
Going to see the Sox today.
It's been.a hell of a series so far. Enjoy!
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It has?? :lol
So the Sox are throwing Doug Fister. We go to one game a year and we get Doug f'n Fister?? Actually, he's been their best pitcher the last two times through the rotation.
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Verlander to the Astros!
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/boston-red-sox-used-electronic-devices-to-steal-signs-against-yankees/ar-AArlXtT?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=UE03DHP
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7nCEw0AgBcw/V-WR9ERG6vI/AAAAAAAAFHo/nO5xgyHBn84t_Jex1Vn6SZWcyqCRTD6PACLcB/s1600/Belichick%2Bin%2BDugout.jpg)
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It's shocking that a Boston sports team would cheat to win... #lowhangingfruit
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It's shocking that a Boston sports team would cheat to win... #lowhangingfruit
:lol
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It's shocking that a Boston sports team would cheat to win... #lowhangingfruit
:lol
Don't get all touch now Kev. :lol
Did you hear the Red Sox GM and then the Commish? Sox should be fined. No electronic devices should be used.
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No talk about the Indians winning 14 straight? It's about time this team came together. Jose Ramirez has been solid all season, and Corey Kluber has been lights out since returning from his injury earlier this year. If they stay healthy through the postseason, I can easily see them taking care of the championship they should have won last year.
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No talk about the Indians winning 14 straight? It's about time this team came together. Jose Ramirez has been solid all season, and Corey Kluber has been lights out since returning from his injury earlier this year. If they stay healthy through the postseason, I can easily see them taking care of the championship they should have won last year.
My World Series prediction before the season was Dodgers vs Indians. I still feel pretty confident saying that.
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The Dodgers were on their way to set a record for number of wins for a season, now they have lost 7 straight and 12 out of 13. WTF??? S.I. put them on the cover and their losing streaks started.
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15 straight for the Tribe. Lots of people in Cleveland getting free windows!
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Aaaand the Dodgers lose 10 in a row. You can say the regular season doesn't matter in October, but I don't see this getting any better.
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Brewers sweep Cubs at Wrigley. I put them out to pasture a few weeks ago but the Central is wide open now. Cards are tied with the Brewers 2 games back. The three teams play each other a lot over the next couple of weeks.
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19 straight for the WINdians. I hope this is the year they end their curse.
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Definitely rooting for them.
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Dodgers actually win one! :omg: But the Giants were one hit away from winning it themselves.
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Brewers sweep Cubs at Wrigley. I put them out to pasture a few weeks ago but the Central is wide open now. Cards are tied with the Brewers 2 games back. The three teams play each other a lot over the next couple of weeks.
anyone of those three teams could have ran away with this division had they just played good baseball. All three teams have had small stretches of a few good games of baseball but all in all they all three have pretty much sucked it up. Just when you thought one team was going to pull clear they'd go on a 2-8, 3-10 losing streak while the other two would go 8-2 or 7-3. It's been mind numbing.
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21 straight for the Indians. That's more than the Browns have won since the start of the 2012 season.
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the Indians will likely fizzle out in the playoffs.
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September doesn't matter in October. Hopefully that's true with the Dodgers. This upcoming series with Washington is concerning.
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Well, scratch that. Dodgers BLANK the NL East champs!!! :metal :metal :metal :metal
Oh, and the WINdians fell short.
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Kevin Kiermeyer made a ridiculous catch against the Sox tonight. Amazing!
EDIT: Make that TWO great catches. Holy crap! :metal
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Yet another fan injury at a baseball game
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20768433/young-fan-new-york-yankees-game-hit-face-foul-ball
Segments from the always superb 'Real Sports from last year (episode 229)
They've had nets along the foul lines in Japan for decades, along with 'excite' seats
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyidtI-uNXw
Think you can stop a foul ball in a seat between home plate and 3rd base?
https://www.hbo.com/real-sports-with-bryant-gumbel/episodes/0/229-episode/video/ep-229-trailer-sudden-impact.html?autoplay=true
And all MLB and the minor leagues do is talk, talk, talk. I have seen a couple people hurt during my years at games. When is the commissioner going to wake up?
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27 out of their last 28 and now a 13 game road win streak, with Bauer, Carrasco and Kluber set to go this weekend in Seattle. It's fun being a fan of the Tribe right now.
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I see that Matt Cain is retiring after his start this weekend. Man, that kid was a as solid as they come.
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Postseason baseball is underway!
Two teams that weren't expected to be here as of yet. Happy to see Minnesota jump all over the Yankees in the 1st inning.
Who I'm rooting for.... in order from first to last.
1. Colorado
2. Houston
3. Minnesota
4. Arizona
5. Cleveland
6. L.A. Dodgers
7. Chicago Cubs
8. Washington
9. N.Y. Yankees
10. Boston
I predicted Boston over Chicago before the season started. Would hate to see that.
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Why the Boston hate?
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Go Cubbies
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Why the Boston hate?
Orioles fan... a lil jelly.. lil salty.
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Happy to see Minnesota jump all over the Yankees in the 1st inning.
:neverusethis:
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Happy to see Minnesota jump all over the Yankees in the 1st inning.
:neverusethis:
AND it's gone!
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Chris (it's Chris, right?), I see you adopted the Eagles?
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Chris (it's Chris, right?), I see you adopted the Eagles?
Yes, and yes! But I suppose that's a story for a different thread!
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I know the story, I just noticed your new avatar. Might not be the year to adopt the Patriots! :lol
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Aaron Judge for president :metal
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Go Cubbies
nope.
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Is it me or were the guys calling the Sox/Astros game today a tad bias? Seems like they did nothing but shit talk the Red Sox.
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Unfortunately I missed the game today, but apparently, it looked like the Sox deserved the shit talk.
Who did the game?
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Aaron Judge for president :metal
You sure about that?
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Unfortunately I missed the game today, but apparently, it looked like the Sox deserved the shit talk.
Who did the game?
It was broadcast on MLB Network. I don't know who the callers were.
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Horrid call against the Nats on the reversal call at first base. Just horrid. But, it was the new darlings of the MLB who it benefits so.....
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Yep, just awful.
And the rules state, too, that a play is dead when a batter swings and misses and accidentally makes contact with the catcher, so the Cubs got two runs earlier they shouldn't have gotten.
Sure does feel like the fix is in (although I don't actually think that).
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I wouldn't say fixed.....but to reverse that call and bail the Cubs out of that inning when the Nats were on full throttle about to tie the game.....horrible.
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Agreed.
That aside, the Nats catcher has completely shit the bed tonight. Three extra runs have been scored because he sucks.
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MLB owes the Nationals a major apology.
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Agreed. It certainly didn't look definitive enough to overturn.
What a horribly long-ass game too. This is why baseball is my least favorite of the big-4 leagues.
The Nats just can't pull the trigger in October, can they?
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Bottom line: the Nats blew it. They choked. Gagged. No one to blame but themselves.
They can go golf with the Indians. :lol :lol
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Bottom line: the Nats blew it. They choked. Gagged. No one to blame but themselves.
They can go golf with the Indians. :lol :lol
True. That call didn't lose them the game but to reverse the call that was made on inconclusive video, in that moment when the Nats were all over for Cubs pitcher and were set to tie the game at minimum......utter BS. id be infuriated if I were a Nats fan/player.
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Bottom line: the Nats blew it. They choked. Gagged. No one to blame but themselves.
They can go golf with the Indians. :lol :lol
True. That call didn't lose them the game but to reverse the call that was made on inconclusive video, in that moment when the Nats were all over for Cubs pitcher and were set to tie the game at minimum......utter BS. id be infuriated if I were a Nats fan/player.
I would too... but ultimately, Kev is right. They (and the Indians) should've never been in that position.
Baker *has* to be fired now, doesn't he? The franchise has been so good in the regular season for what ... 6 years now, but just can't get any playoff success.
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2 runners on with 2 outs indicates full throttle about to tie the game? :huh:
Matt Wieters' inability to catch or throw the ball led directly to at least 2 runs. Really baffling to see a catcher put forth so little effort in blocking balls especially with men on base.
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A runner on first with 2 outs indicates full throttle about to tie the game? :huh:
Matt Wieters' inability to catch or throw the ball led directly to at least 2 runs. Really baffling to see a catcher put forth so little effort in blocking balls especially with men on base.
There was a runner on third as well.....they had already scored two runs in the inning......lead off hitter up who the pitch before fouled one straight back and was on it. I've played in and seen enough baseball to know that the possibility of them at minimum the Nats were tying the game that inning. Little doubt in my mind. That pitcher was leaving every pitch right over the plate and had just given up two line drive base hits right up the middle.
What you said was true....the Nats catcher did cost them some runs and probably the game. but my point is that although I don't blame the loss on the reversed call...there simply was not any concrete evidence that the runners foot came off the bag at the same time the tag was still on him. None. For that to be reversed at that moment in the game was a HUGE bail out for the Cubs, and again....like I said....doesn't surprise me being that the Cubs are the new darlings of the MLB. Very 'fortunate' for them....
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Baker *has* to be fired now, doesn't he? The franchise has been so good in the regular season for what ... 6 years now, but just can't get any playoff success.
I would think so. Not sure how he is in the clubhouse, but to me, he seems like a buffoon. God I hope if he does get fired, Dombrowski ignores him.
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I just realized something about the four teams left standing.
NYY (New York City population rank: 1st)
LAD (Los Angeles population rank: 2nd)
CHC (Chicago population rank: 3rd)
HOU (Houston population rank: 4th)
Is this the first time the four most populous cities in the country see their team make the championship series at the same time? Whether or not this is a first, I still think it’s interesting.
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I just realize I now have to root for a team I severely dislike with a passion (LA) to beat a team I utterly despise more than any other team in baseball (the Cubs) Looks like I'm an LA 'fan' for a series....of which then afterwards I will be an American League fan....
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Yeah you caught that in the 1 min before I checked and made the edit
However the amount of doubt in your mind is pretty meaningless toward the probability of them scoring that run
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Yeah you caught that in the 1 min before I checked and made the edit
However the amount of doubt in your mind is pretty meaningless toward the probability of them scoring that run
We will never know. Just seemed like a BS call at a critical time in the game. I mean, it WAS a BS call at a critical time of the game
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I just realize I now have to root for a team I severely dislike with a passion (LA) to beat a team I utterly despise more than any other team in baseball (the Cubs) Looks like I'm an LA 'fan' for a series....of which then afterwards I will be an American League fan....
Go cubbies ;).
And realize I'd be in your situation if the Cards were in there, so I do sympathize.
I'm praying it's Cubs/Astros because the Yankees and their 52 quadrillion championships need to just take a break
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Yeah you caught that in the 1 min before I checked and made the edit
However the amount of doubt in your mind is pretty meaningless toward the probability of them scoring that run
We will never know. Just seemed like a BS call at a critical time in the game. I mean, it WAS a BS call at a critical time of the game
^ That I agree with. We'll never know if it was a deciding factor in the game or not.
I just realize I now have to root for a team I severely dislike with a passion (LA) to beat a team I utterly despise more than any other team in baseball (the Cubs) Looks like I'm an LA 'fan' for a series....of which then afterwards I will be an American League fan....
That's why I got so f'n pissed at the Packers a few years back for blowing the NFCCG to the Seahawks.... it made me a Patriots fan for 1 game. I felt dirty for a week.
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I just realize I now have to root for a team I severely dislike with a passion (LA) to beat a team I utterly despise more than any other team in baseball (the Cubs) Looks like I'm an LA 'fan' for a series....of which then afterwards I will be an American League fan....
Go cubbies ;).
And realize I'd be in your situation if the Cards were in there, so I do sympathize.
I'm praying it's Cubs/Astros because the Yankees and their 52 quadrillion championships need to just take a break
I can honestly say I'm happy for you in particular because i know you're a true Cubs fan. You're not one of the 'trendy' fans that have popped up in droves since it's cool to be a Cubs fan now they are winning.
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the Expos wouldn't have lost a game like that, just sayin'.
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I just realize I now have to root for a team I severely dislike with a passion (LA) to beat a team I utterly despise more than any other team in baseball (the Cubs) Looks like I'm an LA 'fan' for a series....of which then afterwards I will be an American League fan....
Go cubbies ;).
And realize I'd be in your situation if the Cards were in there, so I do sympathize.
I'm praying it's Cubs/Astros because the Yankees and their 52 quadrillion championships need to just take a break
I can honestly say I'm happy for you in particular because i know you're a true Cubs fan. You're not one of the 'trendy' fans that have popped up in droves since it's cool to be a Cubs fan now they are winning.
Truth be told I started out as one of those fans in 2003 but have followed them ever since and have gone through the many rough patches since then. Being from Wisconsin baseball never appealed to me growing up because a)packers and b)we had the Brewers who have almost always been terrible.
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So while the Red Sox are home jerking off, Rich Hill and Jon Lester are squaring off tonight in the NLCS.
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DODGERS WITH THE WALK OFF!!!! :metal :metal :metal
I used to be pessimistic and realistic about the Dodgers and I have been right. For the first time in many years, I believe we finally have what it takes to make it to the WS.
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Aaron Judge for president :metal
You sure about that?
Yup :D
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So some of you know my 16 y/o is a special needs kid. BUT he loves Aaron Judge. Loves him. He wants him to play for the Red Sox. I told him it doesn't work that way. :lol
I can't believe I may have to buy a f'n Yankees tshirt for Christmas! :lol
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So some of you know my 16 y/o is a special needs kid. BUT he loves Aaron Judge. Loves him. He wants him to play for the Red Sox. I told him it doesn't work that way. :lol
I can't believe I may have to buy a f'n Yankees tshirt for Christmas! :lol
:nelsonhaha:
It would be so much easier if that was an actual emot code
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I've been a New York Yankees fan since 1979. That was my first game at Yankee Stadium, when I was three years old. The first game I remember being at was 1984 -- against Detroit. As a fan of the team during down years, and obviously through the successful ones (and a season ticket holder in 1998!), I had my doubts about this season. But there's no denying the passion and heart this team shows (unlike the few seasons beforehand with all the old vets just cashing a paycheck).
I followed Judge when he was in the minors, hoping he'd be able to develop...and whenever the kid slumps, he always finds a way to learn and get better. Just a matter of time. If he stays healthy, and is able to morph his swing over time as he loses bat speed, the guy will be a legend. He already has had some legendary hits and defensive plays...and I bet that is just scratching the surface. With Bird healthy and playing well, and although slumping, the dangerous Sanchez...the future is bright. But yeah, lets go get it this year...
Going to be hard to beat the Astros twice in a row now. If we get one of them, and it goes to game 7, I like our chances. Go Yankees!
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I LOVE our chances. Go Yanks! :metal
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I don't believe it. The Dodgers finally did it this time. Dodgers/Yanks would be awesome!
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Congrats to the Houston Astros. Did not expect to win game 6 (if you can land Kate Upton, you obviously don't choke), but was hoping we could pull out game 7. Sucks to have the season end one game from the World Series, but on the other hand I don't think many thought we'd even make the playoffs at the beginning of the season.
Now, to start my letter writing campaign to the commissioner to institute a minimum height requirement for next season to get rid of Jose Altuve.
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Get rid of Jose Altuve? lol he is one of the most exciting players in baseball
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After semi 'cutting the cord' over two summers ago, we no longer get the LCS (much less the LDS). Well thought out, MLB. :tdwn
As a lonnnng time Tiger fan, I miss Justin Verlander. I missed out on his recent post season mastery, but certainly will be tuned in Wednesday night.
A tough WS to predict. Not sure how Dodger pitching will fair in that Little League park Houston plays in.
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Red Sox have a new Manager:
https://www.weei.com/blogs/ty-anderson/red-sox-officially-name-alex-cora-new-manager
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Awesome game 1 win! Kershaw continuing to get the post season monkey off his back! GO DODGERS!!!!!
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/adrian-gonzalez-is-clearly-an-awful-teammate-if-he-skips-out-on-world-series/ar-AAu0f6F?li=BBnba9I
What's up with this LA people?
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https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/adrian-gonzalez-is-clearly-an-awful-teammate-if-he-skips-out-on-world-series/ar-AAu0f6F?li=BBnba9I
What's up with this LA people?
Here comes the hate....
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I have no issue with the Dodgers. At all. I just think Gonzalez is a douche.
When I asked "What is up with this LA people?" I was asking is there more to the story that someone could shed some light on?
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My guess would be that he's on his way out the door to retirement. That being said, it's pretty damn odd. The team did give him permission to go on vacation, but who the hell goes on vacation when your in the postseason?? Or regular season for that matter? I asked a co-worker who is a hard core fan who reads and hears everything, and he didn't have a better answer. Quite odd.
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He recognizes he is not needed with Bellinger doing so well. His attitude seems like if he helps the team win, so be it.
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This game is off the charts tonight.
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No kidding! I have turned off this game like 4 times to attend to other things (my kids) and every time I turn back, the other team is in the lead and 3 more HRs were hit.
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Is Game 5 over yet?
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It's cloudy and cooler in LA this week, so less home runs will be hit.
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It's cloudy and cooler in LA this week, so less home runs will be hit.
Well yeah generally it is a safe bet to assume less than 7 HRs will be hit in a World Series game. :biggrin:
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Go Astros!!
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So local radio guy said he was going to the Celtics game tonight and when he get out the game would be in the fourth inning, joking how long these games take.
You just tweeted that when he got Celtics game they were in the third inning. Lol
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In early voting, Yu Darvish is leading the vote for Astros WS MVP. Oh well, game five was an all time classic at least.
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A bit of a letdown after an otherwise phenomenal series. One for the ages though. Congrats Astros!
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Astros found the Dodgers weakness: low inside pitches. They fell for it all through game 7. Yea Darvish didn't do his part, but the offense choked also.
Well, at least the Dodgers got there and went to game 7. That's a huge step from past years.
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In early voting, Yu Darvish is leading the vote for Astros WS MVP.
:lol
Wow did he suck!
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RIP....
https://sports.yahoo.com/roy-halladay-killed-plane-crash-age-40-211714002.html
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Just heard that. Damn.
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Same... man he was loved here. He ought to be a first ballot HOF'r :sad:
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He ought to be a first ballot HOF'r :sad:
Without question.
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He was a beast. No doubt.
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There's a part of me that still doesn't believe that the Astros won the World Series. So damn proud of them.
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As a Brewers fan, I'm very happy that our GM is partially responsible for building the current Astros roster.
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Hey Bro, there is a creepy video a Bro posted on youtube of his watching Halliday's plane go down and finding the wreckage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttf_EzEkxBk
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Derek Jeter just enhanced his legacy as a Yankee.
Oh, wait, he's the owner of the Marlins. Something smells fishy. :-\
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Red Sox response to the signing.
(https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/550x700q90/923/hLTp83.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/f/pnhLTp83j)
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:rollin
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:rollin
Tim, I got that picture from Twitter. :lol
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@TAC Re-DTF'd this:
(https://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/550x700q90/923/hLTp83.jpg) (https://imageshack.com/f/pnhLTp83j)
Did I do it right??
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Indeed :lol
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No, you suck at interneting. :lol
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Just wanted to pop in to say that Barry Bonds is arguably the greatest baseball player of all time, there is objectively zero direct evidence that he ever cheated, and plenty of evidence that, if given the chance, Samsara would have his babies.
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Glad to see Mariano get in today with 100% of the vote. He certainly deserved it (as did a number of players who came before him). I'm glad it puts this "nobody gets in unanimously" stuff to bed.
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Edgar Martinez vs his HoF 2019 Classmates
Name PA AB H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO TB BA OBP SLG OPS
Roy Halladay 19 18 8 2 0 1 4 1 5 13 0.444 0.474 0.722 1.196
Mike Mussina 83 75 23 5 2 5 17 5 9 47 0.307 0.337 0.627 0.964
Mariano Rivera 23 19 11 3 0 2 6 3 4 20 0.579 0.652 1.053 1.705
TOTALS 125 112 42 10 2 8 27 9 18 80 0.375 0.408 0.714 1.122
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The whole unanimous thing is, or hopefully now was, one of the more annoying things in professional sports.
As a local I am glad to see Edgar get in. He meant so much to this franchise, was always a solid guy in our community, and let's face it, Mariners fans haven't had much to feel good about since their inception. He doesn't hit that double in 1995, he might not be in the Hall, and the team might not even be in Seattle today.
Regarding the Hall on the whole, I tend to err on the FAME side and this is becoming a Hall of Pretty Darn Good Players. Which I guess is fine if that's what it wants to be.
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So...here's what we got in addition to Rivera (whose election was a no-brainer):
Edgar Martinez: I have mixed feelings about Edgar. A guy with a very good career batting average (.312), but with a only a little over 2,200 hits, barely over 300 homers, and just over 1,250 RBI. In his 2,055 career games played, he actually played in the field in only 592 of those games. While I understand that the designated hitter is part of the game, if a guy who only played in the field in less than 30% of his games is going to make the HOF, I need him to have better offensive numbers (and, in particular, power numbers). On the other hand, his peak years (a 7 year stretch from 95-01) were rather impressive offensively: 1,196 hits, .329 BA, 196 HR (a number that isn't too impressive for the "chicks dig the long ball" era) and 773 RBI (a number that's really impressive for any era). He also gets a couple bonus points from me for playing his entire career with a single team. At the end of the day, I think he barely deserves to be in.
Roy Halladay: Although he won two Cy Young Awards, he had barely over 200 wins and a 3.38 career ERA and barely more than 2,100 strikeouts in a 16 season career. Just not enough here.
Mike Mussina: Another guy who benefitted from a long career. Belongs in the Hall of Very Good, but not the HOF. Never won a CYA and never was regarded as a guy you feared facing.
We also got two players elected by the Veterans' Committee:
Lee Smith: I think he's deserving, but more because of his role as part of the second wave of relief pitchers who really turned the role into that of "closer." His numbers, while certainly impressive, are not mind-blowing. I also view him somewhat negatively for changing teams virtually every year after leaving the Cubs.
Harold Baines: This guy might be the ultimate example of an accumulator. In 22 seasons, he was an all-star only 6 times, and he never led the league in anything, with the exception of one year in which he led in slugging percentage. Despite his longevity, he was sell shy of 3,000 hits and 400 HR. My comments above about Edgar Martinez also apply here since Baines started as a DH in more than half his career games. About the only argument I can see for his induction is that his 1,628 RBI are the most of any HOF eligible player who wasn't implicated in the PED witch hunt. If that's all you've got going for you, I don't think you belong in the HOF.
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That's a pretty good summary of my feelings, as it seems like we have similar views of the Hall and our own criteria. It's hard for me to view Edgar outside of the Seattle fan's mindset. The city has been pulling for him for years, and while much of it is predicated on his numbers, a lot is also an emotional reaction to him being the franchise's second most important player and a generally liked and admired guy.
I get baseball is big on numbers but I get turned off when people get in to the mindset of "He's the only player with XXX HRs, YYY RBI, and ZZZ OPS who isn't in the Hall" or "Dave Smith isn't in the Hall but has a higher WAR than Bob Jones who is."
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I get baseball is big on numbers but I get turned off when people get in to the mindset of "He's the only player with XXX HRs, YYY RBI, and ZZZ OPS who isn't in the Hall" or "Dave Smith isn't in the Hall but has a higher WAR than Bob Jones who is."
With the exception of guys with overwhelming numbers (e.g., 3,000+ hits AND 400+ HR AND 1,500+ RBI), I think you need to have peak era like Edgar Martinez had from 95-01. You had to be a guy whom other teams feared. "We need to get this guy out so that Edgar doesn't come to the plate with two men on base." "We need to score now -- before Rivera comes into the game -- or we're screwed." Comparing numbers of guys from different eras is dangerous -- as is the tendency to focus on things like HR to the exclusion of other important numbers like doubles.
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Excellent point. Numbers can be deceptive over a century. And in some ways we have to defer to their contemporaries. I don't know if Edgar was "feared" by pitchers but I guarantee there weren't many guys Jack McDowell wanted to pitch to less once Griffey singled and moved Cora to third.
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re: HOF
Disclaimer - I am a diehard Yankees fan. Born in the mid-70s, first game at Yankee Stadium in 1979, season ticket holder in 1998. Lifelong fanatic of the Bronx Bombers who supports them religiously. All that said, only ONE player deserved to get in the Hall this year: MARIANO RIVERA.
And congrats to Mo for the honor. It was an honor watching him pitch for the Yankees and do it with dominance and class throughout his career.
As for the others, congrats (and congrats to the late Halladay's family), but here's why if I was a voter, I couldn't do it:
Moose - GREAT pitcher, loved him. But aside from a couple of seasons, he was never dominant. He was never "the best" at his craft, even for a stretch. he was always, generally, aside from a couple seasons, a clear #2 pitcher. Killer competitor, reinvented himself well to keep his career going, went out on top (20 wins, 3.3 ERA his final season), etc. I love the guy, and I'm a fan. But in my book, he's simply a great ball player. Not one of the greatest ever. Simple as that.
Halladay - He had a dominance streak that Moose never had. That said, he also didn't have the consistency or long tenure that a guy like Moose had. This is going to sound wrong, but I think this is a sympathy induction, and its wrong. I respected Halladay's career. Man, in his dominant streak, that guy was phenomenal. But looking at his entire career, I don't see Hall of Famer. I see a #1 starter who developed a bit late, and never really was able to reinvent himself at the end. He flamed out, but he did so too quick. Had he had another three seasons of dominance, then I think its a different story. But his career clearly, at least to me, is not HOF-worthy. But then again, I don't vote, so no one cares.
Martinez - NOPE. I have softened over the years on his case. But the fact remains, other than his first two seasons, the guy never played the field. He essentially rested in the dugout and then hit. He hit well for sure. HOF-level hitter (borderline) that didn't accumulate the numbers I would have been OK with to put him in. Not a lot of hitting milestones achieved for a guy that all he did was hit. I'm not doggin' him -- he was a great hitter, a great Mariner, and despite being a Yankees fan, I respected the hell out of his bat. But he was essentially a part time player. Just like I didn't think Harold Baines should be in, Edgar should not be in.
Here's my question as a Yankees fan. Don Mattingly was my second favorite Yankee (Reggie, Donnie Baseball, Derek, and now Judge). I am pretty firm that Donnie Baseball, regardless of my love for him, is NOT a Hall of Famer. But if you let in guys like Edgar who didn't play the field, why was Mattingly not voted in, given his ELITE level glove and defensive awards, along with a lifetime .307 average and MVP, and his short, but excellent prime?
Again, if you're watering down the Hall of Fame, to be the Hall of Very Good (which is happening), then how are Baines and Edgar in, and not Mattingly? It is a travesty.
To be clear, I don't think any of those guys SHOULD be in. Im saying if you let Edgar in, and Baines, WHY THE HELL was Mattingly not voted in. It's not right.
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totally unrelated to anything, but Miller was outbid for the naming rights by American Family Insurance in Milwaukee so Miller Park is getting a new name.
everyone in Wisconsin is revolting.
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I have a couple of friends in Wisconsin, and, I do find them revolting ;)
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totally unrelated to anything, but Miller was outbid for the naming rights by American Family Insurance in Milwaukee so Miller Park is getting a new name.
everyone in Wisconsin is revolting.
This shit has to stop. American Family Insurance Park? REALLY?
I get the naming rights thing and the revenue. But there should be some sort of limit. Like every park needs a name, and the naming rights is for a precursor to it or extension. For example:
Brewers Field at American Family Insurance Park
American Family Insurance Field at Brewers Park
SOMETHING to retain the actual name of the place, without it being renamed every five, six years.
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Voters are morons.
They continue to show that they don't give two shits about defense.
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re: HOF
Disclaimer - I am a diehard Yankees fan. Born in the mid-70s, first game at Yankee Stadium in 1979, season ticket holder in 1998. Lifelong fanatic of the Bronx Bombers who supports them religiously. All that said, only ONE player deserved to get in the Hall this year: MARIANO RIVERA.
If I were a voter, I'd have voted for Rivera, Martinez, Bonds and Clemens.
Here's my question as a Yankees fan. Don Mattingly was my second favorite Yankee (Reggie, Donnie Baseball, Derek, and now Judge). I am pretty firm that Donnie Baseball, regardless of my love for him, is NOT a Hall of Famer. But if you let in guys like Edgar who didn't play the field, why was Mattingly not voted in, given his ELITE level glove and defensive awards, along with a lifetime .307 average and MVP, and his short, but excellent prime?
Again, if you're watering down the Hall of Fame, to be the Hall of Very Good (which is happening), then how are Baines and Edgar in, and not Mattingly? It is a travesty.
To be clear, I don't think any of those guys SHOULD be in. Im saying if you let Edgar in, and Baines, WHY THE HELL was Mattingly not voted in. It's not right.
Interesting point and, while I don't like to play "if A is in, then so should B," it's not an invalid point.
As I mentioned previously, I think Martinez was a wobbler, but I ultimately came around to agreeing that he should be in for the reasons I already mentioned. Baines, on the other hand, is an objectively poor selection (not quite as egregious as Phil Rizzuto, but pretty bad).
As for Mattingly, he had the obvious disadvantage of having his career sandwiched between the Yankees' 1981 World Series loss to the Dodgers and the 1996 Series, so he only played in one postseason series (the 1995 ALDS in which the Yankees lost in 5 games to Seattle -- a series in which, as a last hurrah to his career, he hit .417 with 6 RBI, 1 HR, 4 doubles and a 1.148 OPS).
In the regular season, Mattingly won 1 MVP, had more than 200 hits three times (leading the league in that category twice), and had more than 180 hits in 6 consecutive and 7 total seasons. His power numbers are nothing special: 222 HR and 1099 RBI. But he led the league in doubles thrice and finished with 442 in his career (a number that is outside the top 100 all-time). He was a 6 time all-star and won 9 gold gloves (with a career .996 fielding percentage).
In my view, Mattingly is also a wobbler. I wouldn't object if he got in, but I don't feel awful that he hasn't made it in. I think the best argument is how he compares to other guys. I'd say he's about as deserving as Edgar, more deserving than a guy like Craig Biggio, and far more deserving than Baines.
everyone in Wisconsin is revolting.
Oh come now...there must be a few decent folks! ;D
totally unrelated to anything, but Miller was outbid for the naming rights by American Family Insurance in Milwaukee so Miller Park is getting a new name.
everyone in Wisconsin is revolting.
This shit has to stop. American Family Insurance Park? REALLY?
I get the naming rights thing and the revenue. But there should be some sort of limit. Like every park needs a name, and the naming rights is for a precursor to it or extension. For example:
Brewers Field at American Family Insurance Park
American Family Insurance Field at Brewers Park
SOMETHING to retain the actual name of the place, without it being renamed every five, six years.
Dodger Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Fenway Park
Wrigley Field
There might be a few others, but pretty much everything else is stupid. They just renamed the soccer field where the Chargers play "Dignity Health Sports Park" (after having opened as "Home Depot Center," which was changed a mere six years ago to "StubHub Center" and which was called "ROKiT Field at StubHub Center," but only while the Chargers were playing).
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re: HOF
Disclaimer - I am a diehard Yankees fan. Born in the mid-70s, first game at Yankee Stadium in 1979, season ticket holder in 1998. Lifelong fanatic of the Bronx Bombers who supports them religiously. All that said, only ONE player deserved to get in the Hall this year: MARIANO RIVERA.
And congrats to Mo for the honor. It was an honor watching him pitch for the Yankees and do it with dominance and class throughout his career.
As for the others, congrats (and congrats to the late Halladay's family), but here's why if I was a voter, I couldn't do it:
Moose - GREAT pitcher, loved him. But aside from a couple of seasons, he was never dominant. He was never "the best" at his craft, even for a stretch. he was always, generally, aside from a couple seasons, a clear #2 pitcher. Killer competitor, reinvented himself well to keep his career going, went out on top (20 wins, 3.3 ERA his final season), etc. I love the guy, and I'm a fan. But in my book, he's simply a great ball player. Not one of the greatest ever. Simple as that.
Halladay - He had a dominance streak that Moose never had. That said, he also didn't have the consistency or long tenure that a guy like Moose had. This is going to sound wrong, but I think this is a sympathy induction, and its wrong. I respected Halladay's career. Man, in his dominant streak, that guy was phenomenal. But looking at his entire career, I don't see Hall of Famer. I see a #1 starter who developed a bit late, and never really was able to reinvent himself at the end. He flamed out, but he did so too quick. Had he had another three seasons of dominance, then I think its a different story. But his career clearly, at least to me, is not HOF-worthy. But then again, I don't vote, so no one cares.
Martinez - NOPE. I have softened over the years on his case. But the fact remains, other than his first two seasons, the guy never played the field. He essentially rested in the dugout and then hit. He hit well for sure. HOF-level hitter (borderline) that didn't accumulate the numbers I would have been OK with to put him in. Not a lot of hitting milestones achieved for a guy that all he did was hit. I'm not doggin' him -- he was a great hitter, a great Mariner, and despite being a Yankees fan, I respected the hell out of his bat. But he was essentially a part time player. Just like I didn't think Harold Baines should be in, Edgar should not be in.
Here's my question as a Yankees fan. Don Mattingly was my second favorite Yankee (Reggie, Donnie Baseball, Derek, and now Judge). I am pretty firm that Donnie Baseball, regardless of my love for him, is NOT a Hall of Famer. But if you let in guys like Edgar who didn't play the field, why was Mattingly not voted in, given his ELITE level glove and defensive awards, along with a lifetime .307 average and MVP, and his short, but excellent prime?
Again, if you're watering down the Hall of Fame, to be the Hall of Very Good (which is happening), then how are Baines and Edgar in, and not Mattingly? It is a travesty.
To be clear, I don't think any of those guys SHOULD be in. Im saying if you let Edgar in, and Baines, WHY THE HELL was Mattingly not voted in. It's not right.
Baines was a travesty. However, regarding Martinez I would like to point out that he was kept in the minors for no good reason, and was already a HOF-worthy hitter at that age. So his counting stats suffered through no fault of this own. Actually the "no good reason" was they didn't want to mess with Jim Presley ::).
And of course Mo was a no-brainer, and thanks to him we can now be free of the "unanimous" discussion.
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However, regarding Martinez I would like to point out that he was kept in the minors for no good reason, and was already a HOF-worthy hitter at that age. So his counting stats suffered through no fault of this own.
Huh? He was "already a[n] HOF-worthy hitter" at what age? Certainly not as a minor leaguer. The Mariners signed Edgar Martinez to a minor league contract in December 1982. He played single-A ball in 1983 and 1984 (hitting .173 in 1983 with only 126 plate appearances in 32 games, and .303 as a full-time player in 1984). He played in AA and AAA from 1985-89, with stints in Seattle (total of 92 games) in in 1987-89 (although he hit .372 in 13 games as a September call-up in 1987, his numbers during those three seasons were not otherwise notable). His career minor league numbers are strong, but not exceptional (although his career AAA BA is .344, with 21 HR, 167 RBI and 68 doubles in 276 games). His first full-time MLB season, as a 27 year old, was 1990. While that's a bit late by today's standards, it wasn't particularly unusual at that time.
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P,
Regarding Rizzuto - I just don't know. The Vets committee put him in, and I forget who came first, him or Ozzie Smith, but here's the deal. Rizzuto was a lifetime .278 hitter, with a .968 fielding percentage. Smith was a career .262 hitter, but sported a .978 fielding percentage. I throw out the Gold Gloves in this comparison, because the award didn't exist when Rizzuto played. So by those comparisons, if you put one in, the other should be in, particularly since both played their careers where generally speaking, shortstops weren't offensive players (Cal aside, in the case of Ozzie).
Was Ozzie the best defensive shortstop of his era - of course. He was also, particularly in his 20s, a liability on offense. He put up respectable offensive stats in his 30s when the game started to trend toward offense. Rizzuto, I assume was one of the best defenders at SS in his era. He missed three years (in his mid-20s), where I think he could have hit .275/.280 if you look at the numbers, and a few more seasons to improve that fielding percentage. Offensively, I think he was average, even in that era.
So if you put Ozzie in, I think you gotta put in Phil. And that's probably what the Vets committee looked at. But I think Ozzie was voted in, in large part because we started paying so much attention to defensive metrics (which is good), but also because of his athleticism and all the highlight stuff. Not that that is wrong, but if you compare those two guys, I think Rizzuto deserves the honor too.
If it were me, I think both are borderline. Ozzie's fielding percentage at ss is 21st all time - hardly the best. Rizzuto's is 117 all time. So Ozzy is better, but looking JUST at that metric. With Ozzie being lauded for his defense, at least fielding percentage wise, plenty of guys are better who won't be Hall of Famers. So why is Ozzie?
I just really don't think either should be in. Ozzie got the benefit of highlights at GG awards, whereas Phil got the sympathy of the veterans committee. The whole Hall of FAME is now the Hall of VERY GOOD. Its no longer the best to ever play, its been changed to the best of certain time periods. And I think that takes away something in a sport where the game has been played pretty similarly over the course of its existence (relatively speaking in comparison to other sports).
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However, regarding Martinez I would like to point out that he was kept in the minors for no good reason, and was already a HOF-worthy hitter at that age. So his counting stats suffered through no fault of this own. Actually the "no good reason" was they didn't want to mess with Jim Presley ::).
(https://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/long_time_star_wars.gif)
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Regarding Rizzuto - I just don't know. The Vets committee put him in, and I forget who came first, him or Ozzie Smith
Rizzuto was elected by the Vets Committee while Ozzie was still an active player (1994). Ozzie was elected on the first ballot in 2002. I have no strong quibble with your "neither should be in" argument.
Back in 2013, no one was elected (other than three guys, only one of whom was a player, voted in by the Vets Committee). In the years since, I think the writers have gone a little far in the opposite direction, with some rather questionable elections (especially this year and last year). That's not to say there weren't some questionable elections before then: all due respect to him, and I haven't looked at his numbers, but I never thought of Barry Larkin (class of 2012) as a HOF'er.
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Rizzuto was elected by the Vets Committee while Ozzie was still an active player (1994). Ozzie was elected on the first ballot in 2002. I have no strong quibble with your "neither should be in" argument.
Back in 2013, no one was elected (other than three guys, only one of whom was a player, voted in by the Vets Committee). In the years since, I think the writers have gone a little far in the opposite direction, with some rather questionable elections (especially this year and last year). That's not to say there weren't some questionable elections before then: all due respect to him, and I haven't looked at his numbers, but I never thought of Barry Larkin (class of 2012) as a HOF'er.
Thanks on the timeline. :)
I am 1000 percent with you on Larkin. I don't get it. I could see it if he hit some milestone like 3,000 hits (sorta like Biggio, who I think is the first to hit 3,000 hits that I would deem questionable, and Biggio grew up about 15 minutes from my house - I rooted for that guy). But there is nothing about Larkin that jumps out as a HOFer. People argued that Larkin was a 12-time all star. So what? Popularity contest. People liked him. *I* liked him. But that doesn't make him a HOF. I really do think HOF should be a statistical thing, and you throw out All Star appearances, along with post-season stats (since not every player played in the post season -- look at poor Joey Votto).
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Thanks on the timeline. :)
I am 1000 percent with you on Larkin. I don't get it. I could see it if he hit some milestone like 3,000 hits (sorta like Biggio, who I think is the first to hit 3,000 hits that I would deem questionable, and Biggio grew up about 15 minutes from my house - I rooted for that guy). But there is nothing about Larkin that jumps out as a HOFer. People argued that Larkin was a 12-time all star. So what? Popularity contest. People liked him. *I* liked him. But that doesn't make him a HOF. I really do think HOF should be a statistical thing, and you throw out All Star appearances, along with post-season stats (since not every player played in the post season -- look at poor Joey Votto).
I took a quick look.
Larkin played parts of 19 seasons. Career .295 hitter, which is very good. In 1989, he hit .342, but that was only in 97 games, so he didn't have anything else to go along with it. Other than that season, his batting average ranged from .245 - .317, and he had a 13 season stretch in which he hit over .300 nine times and never hit less than .279. Notwithstanding the length of his career and the solid batting average, he only managed 2,340 hits (along with less than 200 HR and 1,000 RBI). His most notable stat is 441 doubles. He was, in fact, a 12 time all-star (although I suspect his election in his final season was nothing more than a ballot stuffing election). He was the NL MVP in 1995, with a .319 BA, 29 doubles, 15 HR, 66 RBI. His next best placement in MVP voting was 7th place in 1990. He struck out very little (high of 69 in 1998) and only struck out more than he walked in 7 of 19 seasons. I don't have a good sense of him as a fielder (.975 career fielding percentage, but I don't know how that compares to other shortstops - Ozzie Smith had a .978). He was excellent in the postseason (17 total games), including the 1990 World Series.
I think Larkin is the ultimate example of a really good player but not an HOF-worthy guy. I don't recall ever fearing him as an opposing hitter.