Baseball 2023

[corbe]

   Reminds me of another Texas playoff, for the Western Division NBA back in 94/95 season where nobody was home~ Rockets/Spurs. Okeem finally won it at home for us over rookie MVP David Robinson.  We went on to beat Shaq/Heat for the final, If I recall correctly.

[AllThatJazzZ]

I literally love Jose Altuve.

Next stop, Minute Maid Park. We don't tend to do too well at home, so we need some 'Tuve haters to show up to boo him. How about you, @DCPatriot?

[catfish1957]

Altuve sems more determined and locked in when fans boo him.

I hope the other 29 team's fan bases continue that practice.  Works out well for us.

[AllThatJazzZ]

Altuve sems more determined and locked in when fans boo him.

I hope the other 29 team's fan bases continue that practice.  Works out well for us.

I was just telling a friend how delicious it is when the ballparks go quiet when Altuve goes yard. I've been known to rewind and savor the moment again.

[catfish1957]

Love it when Kimbrell and his silly pitching routine gets rocked. 

AZ/PHI. 5-5 in the bottom of the 8th.

[catfish1957]

Another Rangers "Choketober"

I do feel sorry for Bochy though.  He is 10X the manager that Crusty Baker is

[DCPatriot]

I literally love Jose Altuve.

Next stop, Minute Maid Park. We don't tend to do too well at home, so we need some 'Tuve haters to show up to boo him. How about you, @DCPatriot?

@AllThatJazzZ

Nah!  Tip my hat to him.

Can Max Scherzer 'find' his SLIDER?  Because without it...future looks bleak for them.

[DCPatriot]

@catfish1957  @Polly Ticks  @AllThatJazzZ @Elderberry  @Jack Russell @dfwgator

Did anyone else find the Diamondbacks' strategy of using EIGHT pitchers fascinating?

I'd never seen that before...and I watched Willie Mays' over-the-shoulder catch in centerfield in 1954 'live' on a 13 inch Admiral B&W television.   

Suppose it was to insure the Phillies' lineup never saw the same "stuff" twice...let alone thrice!

Arizona 6  Philadelphia 5   Series tied 2 apiece.

[catfish1957]

@catfish1957  @Polly Ticks  @AllThatJazzZ @Elderberry  @Jack Russell @dfwgator

Did anyone else find the Diamondbacks' strategy of using EIGHT pitchers fascinating?

@DCPatriot

That was cool.  And this phenomenon is growing in MLB.  Seems the system of "starters", especially in the post season has whittled down to just "competitive starters".   I believe the Rangers will be trying something near this if this thing gets to Game 7 in Houston.  Which is a good chance, since the 'Stros historically struggle against Evoldi.

Not exactly recent history, but one of my favorite examples of this was back in '03 when the Astros no-hit the Yankees with 6 pitchers.  And wow did it bring back memories, where at least that moment in time the Astros had one of the greatest back three tandem in the pen with Dotel-Lidge-Wagner.

And I agree with the once-twice-thrice theor.  I'd guess in 90% of arms, that the averages (ba, slug, ops, etc.) increase with each round of the lineup.  If this game truly is into analytics, I am surprised MLB pitching hasn't turned into more of a staff of no one going more than 3

[DCPatriot]

@DCPatriot

That was cool.  And this phenomenon is growing in MLB.  Seems the system of "starters", especially in the post season has whittled down to just "competitive starters".   I believe the Rangers will be trying something near this if this thing gets to Game 7 in Houston.  Which is a good chance, since the 'Stros historically struggle against Evoldi.

Not exactly recent history, but one of my favorite examples of this was back in '03 when the Astros no-hit the Yankees with 6 pitchers.  And wow did it bring back memories, where at least that moment in time the Astros had one of the greatest back three tandem in the pen with Dotel-Lidge-Wagner.

@catfish1957

 

[catfish1957]

@AllThatJazzZ

Nah!  Tip my hat to him.

Can Max Scherzer 'find' his SLIDER?  Because without it...future looks bleak for them.

We've seen first hand what Scherzer can do in the WS, and it wasn't fun for us.  One thing I am enjoying now days, is watching the body language and facial expressions of pitchers.  Some have ice cold water flowing through their veins, but others?......

And one thing I saw the other night with Scherzer was  that steel eyed scrowl was missing, and you could tell in his eyes, he didn't have his best stuff that night.   I think his career, and great one it is, might be winding down.  Man's too much of a competitior to be a middle inning relief mop up guy.

[Bigun]

@AllThatJazzZ

Nah!  Tip my hat to him.

Can Max Scherzer 'find' his SLIDER?  Because without it...future looks bleak for them.

The Astros have Framber and Christian Javier on deck. I like the odds whatever the Rangers decide to throw at them.

[DCPatriot]

We've seen first hand what Scherzer can do in the WS, and it wasn't fun for us.  One thing I am enjoying now days, is watching the body language and facial expressions of pitchers.  Some have ice cold water flowing through their veins, but others?......

And one thing I saw the other night with Scherzer was  that steel eyed scrowl was missing, and you could tell in his eyes, he didn't have his best stuff that night.   I think his career, and great one it is, might be winding down.  Man's too much of a competitior to be a middle inning relief mop up guy.

Yeah...he's a bit "kinky".

On his starting days, he wears his complete uniform in the pen...and nobody had better try to speak to him.

[DCPatriot]

The Astros have Framber and Christian Javier on deck. I like the odds whatever the Rangers decide to throw at them.

 

Forgot to ping you @Bigun

...you've been 'absent' too long!   

[Bigun]

Forgot to ping you @Bigun

...you've been 'absent' too long!   

Not absent! Just nothing much baseball related to say these days @DCPatriot I absolutely HATE what they have done to a game I once loved!

[catfish1957]

Not absent! Just nothing much baseball related to say these days @DCPatriot I absolutely HATE what they have done to a game I once loved!

Same here.  I find myself yelling like a crazy old man at the TV,  when the woke shit starts.  And wokeness.....there is a plethora of it in MLB, and their marketing arm.   I just try to tune it out the best I can.

Which is why I pretty much why I watch regular season baseball at the 40000 foot level.  In fact the first game I watched this year was Game one of the ALDS.   If this sport wants me back full time, lose the pandering to minorities.

[Bigun]

Same here.  I find myself yelling like a crazy old man at the TV,  when the woke shit starts.  And wokeness.....there is a plethora of it in MLB, and their marketing arm.   I just try to tune it out the best I can.

Which is why I pretty much why I watch regular season baseball at the 40000 foot level.  In fact the first game I watched this year was Game one of the ALDS.   If this sport wants me back full time, lose the pandering to minorities.

The first professional baseball I saw this year was Twins vs Astros. If you are at the 40,000 ft level, I'm at 50 or above.

[catfish1957]

The first professional baseball I saw this year was Twins vs Astros. If you are at the 40,000 ft level, I'm at 50 or above.

Yep, games 1-162, I just pretty much read the game recaps, and box score.  Far cry from my childhood, when my summer calendar pretty much revolved around baseball on the radio

[LadyLiberty]

While all the praise is being heaped up on Altuve for the three run homer, he is humble and gives the  credit to Diaz and Singleton for getting on base first: 

https://twitter.com/MarkBerman_/status/1715535529083572608

[catfish1957]

I think it is a crying shame what happened in '17, but I am enough of a fan and student of the game, to know and realize that back prior to 2017, it is likely 2/3-3/4 of all MLB teams were into high tech, and suspect sign stealing in the day.  The Astros got caught, which is a shame too, because back in 2017, they had enough horses to win it all without cheating.  This is all  evidenced of their success since too, so I have to embarass anyone who claims this is a team that had to cheat to win it all. 

Altuve is a good hearted, great player, who outside this blemish, is one of the most well rounded, must-tooled players of my lifetime.  And a winning personality that is just contagious.  I am guessing the '17 event might prevent him from the HOF, but when and if the truth comes out, I think you will find a major chunk of players prior to 2018 were just as guilty, but didn't get caught.

[corbe]

   I wholeheartedly agree with that assessment @catfish1957  Most of them were cheating with the placement of Hi Tech cameras.

[Bigun]

I think it is a crying shame what happened in '17, but I am enough of a fan and student of the game, to know and realize that back prior to 2017, it is likely 2/3-3/4 of all MLB teams were into high tech, and suspect sign stealing in the day.  The Astros got caught, which is a shame too, because back in 2017, they had enough horses to win it all without cheating.  This is all  evidenced of their success since too, so I have to embarass anyone who claims this is a team that had to cheat to win it all. 

Altuve is a good hearted, great player, who outside this blemish, is one of the most well rounded, must-tooled players of my lifetime.  And a winning personality that is just contagious.  I am guessing the '17 event might prevent him from the HOF, but when and if the truth comes out, I think you will find a major chunk of players prior to 2018 were just as guilty, but didn't get caught.

The ASTROS "got caught" because they were a team from flyover country who had the audacity to knock off teams to which titles rightfully belonged (to hear them tell it) and THAT simply couldn't be allowed!

[catfish1957]

The ASTROS "got caught" because they were a team from flyover country who had the audacity to knock off teams to which titles rightfully belonged (to hear them tell it) and THAT simply couldn't be allowed!

And still we have made it to 7 straight ALCS.  If that's not a big enough middle finger to the BoSox, NYY, Dodgers, COB office, and MLB media clowns, I don't know what is.

 

[catfish1957]

Any team using Creed as their inspiration has to be the silliest damn outfit I have ever seen.

Sloppy crappy corporate rock at its worst.

[AllThatJazzZ]

https://twitter.com/jakedc6/status/1715847172153905599?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

This is personal.   Change my mind.