The Briefing Room
General Category => Sports/Entertainment/MSM/Social Media => Topic started by: EasyAce on April 03, 2016, 06:45:52 pm
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Let it be recorded that 2016's first official RBI was hit by . . . a pitcher.
Francisco Liriano, Pirates. Bottom of the fourth, off Adam Wainwright,
who's only the Cardinals' best pitcher when he's healthy.
Season on!
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Bring it on. Nothing better than being outside working on a fine spring day with the ball game on the radio.
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Spring is here! My wife and I love to go to the Phils games, and we saw our first on Friday, when they played an exhibition against the Orioles.
The Phillies are supposed to stink this year (the hip yet polite word is "rebuidking"), but they have so many kids this year that it's going to be phun watching the New Breed find its way. At least so I tell myself; the bitter truth is the relief pitching is gonna be lousy.
Look out folks, for at least rising star - Maikel Franco, who I believe led all major leaguers in homers this spring (including a titanic shot on Friday night, that blasted off so high and far I lost sight of it. It clanked off the restaurant below the big scoreboard, probably 450 feet from the plate.)
And maybe another - Odubel Herrera, a charismatic cat and top-of-the-order catalyst with power potential, who can track 'em down. He'll play center even with Peter Bourjos on the team.
I'm also rooting for Cedric Hunter, a minor league lifer who until now never caught a break, and made the team as our right fielder. He's got the prettiest swing on the team. We've got another speedy outfielder in Tyler Goedell, a Rule 5 pick like "Doobie" who's going to stick and provide half of a platoon.
It happens every spring!
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The Phillies are supposed to stink this year (the hip yet polite word is "rebuidking"), but they have so many kids this year that it's going to be phun watching the New Breed find its way. At least so I tell myself; the bitter truth is the relief pitching is gonna be lousy.
The Phillies have quite a mess to clean up from the Amaro era, but it can be done. Don't even think about them contending this year,
but like you said, watch the kids.
Look out folks, for at least rising star - Maikel Franco, who I believe led all major leaguers in homers this spring (including a titanic shot on Friday night, that blasted off so high and far I lost sight of it. It clanked off the restaurant below the big scoreboard, probably 450 feet from the plate.)
Franco was on a nice introductory roll last year (127 OPS+) before that wrist injury in August. Healthy, he should be big for them this year. Watch, too,
for the kid they got in the Ken Giles deal: Vince Velasquez. If he can keep the ball in the park at the Bank, Velasquez should give some hitters some
fits, he's a potential strikeout machine.
And maybe another - Odubel Herrera, a charismatic cat and top-of-the-order catalyst with power potential, who can track 'em down. He'll play center even with Peter Bourjos on the team.
Don't be shocked if they move Herrera over one outfield position to keep him and Bourjos in the outfield, with Bourjos holding center field down,
while the Phillies wait for their real center fielder of the future---Nick Williams, whom they landed in the Cole Hamels deal last year.
The problem is that it's going to take another year and a half, probably, before the Phillies' yummy looking farm prospects look like they're
full-time major league ready. The rotation has a weak washed-up back end, and they're still going to have to deal this year with the last
days of Ryan Howard and Carlos Ruiz. (You kind of feel for Howard: he was never the same player after that ankle injury atop the big
contract extension. That's just plain lousy luck, but you wonder what Ruben Amaro wasn't thinking when he didn't think about moving
Howard and dining big on a lot of that extension while he still had value in terms of trade returns.)
I see 2016 as the season the Phillies get a good close look into their future and pick the pieces that make it happen. Unless the injury bug
hits or the best prospects prove to be journeymen, look for the Phillies to start looking like contenders again maybe after the 2017 All-Star
break.
I'm also rooting for Cedric Hunter, a minor
league lifer who until now never caught a break, and made the team as our right fielder. He's got the prettiest swing on the team.
He'd be maybe the best feel-good story in the Show if he sticks and does well. What I see of his skill set shows me an early-in-the-order
hitter with a decent amount of pop and an ability to extort his way on base and continue the table setting. If there's nobody on ahead of
him he can take the extra base practically in his sleep. If there's a man ahead of him, he'd push that guy to take the extra base. I'm
genuinely surprised Hunter hasn't found a major league home yet. He may not be in the Phillies' long-term future plans, but if he gets
his shot and puts on a good show the first half of this season, he could be attractive to another club who turns up needing early-in-the-
order help and has a yummy prospect or two to offer up for him.
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Good start for the Buccos. Only 99 more wins to go.
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For hubby...Go Cards
For son.....Go Cubs
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Thanks for the response, EasyAce! I'm optimistic going into 2016 - not optimistic that they're going to contend, but confident the Phils will play hard and create the conditions for some stars to emerge. Valasquez could be a number two starter if all goes well, although I can't see him getting anywhere close to 200 innings this year. If he's healthy and shows most of the promise that's been predicted for him, I'll be pleased.
A big factor this year will be Mackanin at the helm from the start. I think he's the right fit for this group of players.
Darin Ruf may be poised for a big year - last year Mack let there be a true competition behind the plate, and Rupp got most of the work instead of the veteran Ruiz. Hopefully, if Ruf starts thumping 'em early, he'll start against both righties and lefties notwithstanding Howard's contract. Or maybe Ruf will get some time in left field; with Bourjos in center he shouldn't be too bad.
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Another year and another spring means for Cub fan's, hope springs eternal...again!
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Bryce Harper went yard in his first AB today.
That's FOUR Opening Day HRs for the NATS' Right Fielder.
Score tied 1-1 vs Atlanta Braves end of 1 inning....as Freeman hits one out in CF.
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Bryce Harper went yard in his first AB today.
That's FOUR Opening Day HRs for the NATS' Right Fielder.
Score tied 1-1 vs Atlanta Braves end of 1 inning....as Freeman hits one out in CF.
(http://throneberryfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/BryceHarperFunAgain.jpg)
Take that, Donaldus Minimus!!
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(http://throneberryfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/BryceHarperFunAgain.jpg)
Take that, Donaldus Minimus!!
Couldn't help yourself, huh? In YOUR own thread about baseball? :chairbang:
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In other baseball news The Cubs won 9-0. No bat flipping found at Wriggley.
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Couldn't help yourself, huh? In YOUR own thread about baseball? :chairbang:
Obviously baseball isn't the only thing that needs to be made fun again.
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Meanwhile, back in the jungle . . .
* Masahiro Tanaka fought Dallas Keuchel to a draw before the long ball and a nasty error did him and the Yankees in on their
delayed Opening Day (http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/yankees/post/_/id/91654/long-ball-ruins-masahiro-tanakas-opening-day).
* David Price struck out ten without much of a fastball, David Ortiz bopped his fifth career Opening Day bomb, and Hanley Ramirez
almost won the game with his legs. 6-2 your final (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/48273/david-prices-arm-hanley-ramirezs-legs-lead-red-sox-over-indians).
* At this writing Noah Syndergaard is taking it to the Royals. (9 punchouts in 6 innings.) Mets up 2-0 entering the top of the seventh
thanks to new Met Neil Walker's two-run bomb in the fourth; Syndergaard squirmed out of trouble in the sixth with a big swishout
on Kendrys Morales, on three swinging strikes and no balls (Royals with RISP on Syndergaard today: 0-for-7, six strikeouts, one walk) . . .
meanwhile, Yoenis Cespedes popped out with the bases loaded to end the Met seventh . . .
* Hall of Famer Mike Piazza is miffed: his 9/11 jersey---as in, the one he wore when he hit the go-ahead two-run bomb in the first
New York game back from the 9/11 atrocity---is going on the auction block (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15141490/mike-piazza-upset-new-york-mets-9-11-jersey-auctioned). Hall of Famer Don Drysdale's eldest daughter is
miffed at stepmother Anne Meyers Drysdale: the latter plans to auction (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15139449/don-drysdale-daughter-not-happy-widow-selling-hall-famer-items) all Drysdale's memorabilia. (Daughter only wants her
father's 1962 Cy Young Award.)
* There went the Orioles' ban (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/15138145/adam-jones-baltimore-orioles-defies-pie-ban-walk-win) on players being pie-eyed in postgame interviews . . .
*
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Meanwhile, back in the jungle . . .
* David Price struck out ten without much of a fastball, David Ortiz bopped his fifth career Opening Day bomb, and Hanley Ramirez
almost won the game with his legs. 6-2 your final (http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/red-sox/post/_/id/48273/david-prices-arm-hanley-ramirezs-legs-lead-red-sox-over-indians).
To put some perspective into Bryce Harper's feat....he has FOUR opening day homers and he's only 23 years old. Ortiz is 40. :laugh:
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To put some perspective into Bryce Harper's feat....he has FOUR opening day homers and he's only 23 years old. Ortiz is 40. :laugh:
Would it shock you if Harper should finish his career with ten Opening Day bombs? I don't think I'd be surprised . . .
Meanwhile, Chase Utley---for whom a new rule on takeout slides seems to have been named---started his season with---wait
for it!---an illegal takeout slide (http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/25542769/look-chase-utley-started-the-season-with-an-illegal-slide) . . .
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Later tonight the Cubbies are one at
9:05 pm on CSN+, FSW and on the radio at 670 AM.
Lineup:
Dexter Fowler CF
Jason Heyward RF
Kris Bryant 3B
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Ben Zobrist 2B
Jorge Soler DH
Addison Russell SS
Matt Szczur LF
David Ross C
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Out of Kansas City, 2-0 Mets your final---the Mets' bullpen spelled Noah Syndergaard
with three innings of hitless, runless relief.
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Chicago Cubs are 2-0
Apr 05, Final 6 - 1
Los Angeles Angels 0-2
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cough......knock wood.
My Orioles are the only undefeated team in the major leagues at 5-0.
Davis, Schoop, Hardy and Machado....you'd be hard pressed to find a better infield in The Show.
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Lordy, Lordy, Miss Magavirin!!
O's Chris Davis hits 3 run bomb in top of the 9th off Craig Kimbrel to take a 9-6 lead....go 6-0...winning 9-7. :beer:
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Lordy, Lordy, Miss Magavirin!!
O's Chris Davis hits 3 run bomb in top of the 9th off Craig Kimbrel to take a 9-6 lead....go 6-0...winning 9-7. :beer:
*chuckling* One of the big surprises of the early season so far. What did get into those guys' feed bags, anyway?
They're playing like the '86 Mets right now.
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(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n151/hagemangroup/Elias%20swing_zpsmhudmhcc.jpg) (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/hagemangroup/media/Elias%20swing_zpsmhudmhcc.jpg.html)
My grandson, Elias. Age 14.
Running in on line drives, sliding while making a basket catch and in one motion jump to his feet without breaking stride....at 14.
A senior holds down the CF position he's playing so he opted for JV, where he could get his reps.
Write it down. He's got 'it'!
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The Cubbies are 7-1 and on a 4 game streak.
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The Cubbies are 7-1 and on a 4 game streak.
Nats will be 7-1 about 8 PM tonight....sweeping the Atlanta Braves.
Rare 4 pm start today.
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Nats will be 7-1 about 8 PM tonight....sweeping the Atlanta Braves.
Rare 4 pm start today.
DC. What became of the Senators? I'm drawing a blank
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DC. What became of the Senators? I'm drawing a blank
The Second Senators (the originals became the Twins starting in 1961) moved to Arlington,
Texas after the 1971 season to become the Texas Rangers. Today's Nationals are the team
formerly known as the Montreal Expos; they moved to Washington in 2004.
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The Second Senators (the originals became the Twins starting in 1961) moved to Arlington,
Texas after the 1971 season to become the Texas Rangers. Today's Nationals are the team
formerly known as the Montreal Expos; they moved to Washington in 2004.
Thank you ace! It's all coming back now!
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Thank you ace! It's all coming back now!
A little further moving history beyond the Dodgers and the Giants:
Baltimore Orioles---Born as the 19th century Milwaukee Brewers before becoming the St. Louis Browns.
New York Yankees---Born as the 19th century Baltimore Orioles; moved to New York to become the Highlanders
and, then, the Yankees.
Atlanta Braves---Born as the Boston Red Stockings before becoming the Beaneaters, Doves, and Rustlers,
before becoming the Braves; moved to Milwaukee for 1953; moved to Atlanta for 1966.
Oakland Athletics---Born as the Philadelphia Athletics; moved to Kansas City for 1954; moved to Oakland
for 1968.
Milwaukee Brewers---Born as the Seattle Pilots for 1969; moved to Milwaukee for 1970; named as the team
to have been named later and moved to the National League after the Houston Astros were moved to the
American League.
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A little further moving history beyond the Dodgers and the Giants:
Milwaukee Brewers---Born as the Seattle Pilots for 1969; moved to Milwaukee for 1970; named as the team
to have been named later and moved to the National League after the Houston Astros were moved to the
American League.
Ball Four! Jim Bouton's team's
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Indeed, on Bryce Harper's 100th HR....a Grand Slam..the NATS sweep the Braves going to 7-1.
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DC. What became of the Senators? I'm drawing a blank
The Senators became the Montreal Expos.
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The Senators became the Montreal Expos.
In whose dreams? ;)
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In whose dreams? ;)
Didn't they go there...and end up returning? I don't know, myself, then.
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Didn't they go there...and end up returning? I don't know, myself, then.
No, they didn't. The Expos were created in the same 1968 expansion (for 1969) that created
the San Diego Padres, the Kansas City Royals, and the Seattle Pilots (who became the
Milwaukee Brewers starting in 1970).
The original Senators moved to Minneapolis for the 1961 season and became the Twins,
which sort of put a kink in the American League's expansion plan. The league planned
to expand to Minnesota (after the Giants---who'd had the territorial rights and
planned to move there originally, until they hitched their dinghy to Walter O'Malley's
ship and moved to San Francisco as the Dodgers moved to Los Angeles for 1958), but
when the Senators acquired the territorial rights and moved there, instead, the
league decided to put their second new expansion team in Washington---who became
the second Senators. (The other expansion AL team for 1961: the Los Angeles Angels.)
The second Senators moved to Texas and became the Rangers beginning in 1972.
Trivia: All four franchises in the first major league expansion were originally franchises
of a proposed third major league in the late 1950s, the Continental League. Originally
aimed at returning a second major league franchise to New York---after a huge uproar
over the politics that allowed the Dodgers and Giants to move west (short form: New
York planning and building fuehrer Robert Moses thwarted Dodger owner
Walter O'Malley's intent to build what would have been the world's first retractable-roof
ballpark when the Dodgers could no longer expand Ebbets Field or its parking)---the
league also challenged baseball's antitrust exemption to show it meant business.
Among the Continental League's prospective owners were one Joan Whitney Payson,
scion of the New York Herald Tribune ownership family and a die-hard baseball
fan. (Through her proxy M. Donald Grant, Payson was the only stockholder to vote
against the Giants' move to San Francisco.) The likely president of the league would
have been one-time Dodger president Branch Rickey, who spearheaded the Continental
effort along with a New York attorney named Bill Shea. The franchises included New York,
Houston, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Denver; I forget the three others.
Anyway, the major leagues decided to ward off the Continental League at the pass
and agreed to expand. The National League awarded franchises to New York (the Mets;
Mrs. Payson was awarded the franchise, in fact) and Houston; the American League,
to Minneapolis and Los Angeles, until the incumbent Senators made their move.
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I've long been impressed with the Marlins' two world championships so soon in the team's nascent history, each followed by a total teardown.
The Phils are playing .500 ball right now, and have three shutouts. The cat we picked up in the Giles trade, Valasquez, pitched a complete-game 16-strikeout shutout. And seven scoreless in the start before that. That's gotta make him NL pitcher of the week.
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I've long been impressed with the Marlins' two world championships so soon in the team's nascent history, each followed by a total teardown.
The Phils are playing .500 ball right now, and have three shutouts. The cat we picked up in the Giles trade, Valasquez, pitched a complete-game 16-strikeout shutout. And seven scoreless in the start before that. That's gotta make him NL pitcher of the week.
That guy looks like he could be someone the Phillies can build around down the street if he keeps it up.
I like what I see of him so far.
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CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs are off to a mind-numbing start. The 2016 team is destroying opponents to the tune of a plus-43 run differential. That's the third-best mark -- and only one run off the best -- through nine games in the modern era. Let's take a look inside some of the numbers:
The Cubs are 8-1, tying the franchise record for the best start through nine games, last accomplished in 1969.
1969. The season that shall not ever be mentioned again...ever!
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1969. The season that shall not ever be mentioned again...ever!
Now, now, just because Durocher screwed the pooch . . .
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There is a lot to like in this years team. Here is one:
[attachment deleted by admin]
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Meanwhile.....The NATS' Tanner Roark struck out 10 in 4 inning.....threw 121 pitches thru seven innings and had 15 strikeouts.
Relievers contributed for a new NATIONALS' record for K's in 9 innings with 18! NATS go to 13-4 winning 2-0 over the TWINS.
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Now, now, just because Durocher screwed the pooch . . .
I didn't know the extent of his disfunction till I read your Milt Pappas piece. Man .... what a piece of work.
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I didn't know the extent of his disfunction till I read your Milt Pappas piece. Man .... what a piece of work.
I was first made aware of Durocher's dysfunction when I read the Life article by William Barry
Furlong, "How Durocher Blew the Pennant," when it was collected in Jim Bouton's splendid (and
probably forgotten) anthology of writings on baseball managers, "I Managed Good But Boy, Did
They Play Bad." Then, in 2000, came David Claerbaut's Durocher's Cubs: The Best Team
that Didn't Win. Strictly in baseball terms, Leo Durocher's Cubs had a number of flaws that
were never addressed seriously so long as he managed the team:
* Durocher's old school bit him in the ass when he refused to seek any leadoff hitter superior
to Don Kessinger---merely because Kessinger was a middle infielder (and a terrific one defensively)
and, well, that's where the middle infielders always hit, Durocher himself having been one
in his playing days. (Could you imagine a team now putting a lifetime .314 on-base percentage
in the leadoff hole? Bud Harrelson's on-base percentage wasn't much better than Kessinger, but
the 1969 Mets's manager Gil Hodges wasn't fool enough to bat him early in the order all that
often, either.) Glenn Beckert, the second baseman who usually batted behind Kessinger, wasn't
all that much better. (His 1971 season---in which he hit a whopping [for him] .342 with a .367
OBP---was a fluke season.) And neither Kessinger nor Beckert was any real use on the
bases---they were no threat to steal and would have broken arrest records if they did it too
often. (Both men had sub-.500 stolen base percentages.) Durocher's failure to see what
they were, rather than what he thought they were supposed to have been, cost the Cubs
quite a pile. (The Yankees of the late 1960s to middle 1960s might have had a similar quandary
with Bobby Richardson except for two things: Richardson was an even more impossible
strikeout, and he was a flat-out contact hitter who made enough contact to survive, even if
his lifetime OBP isn't much different than the two subsequent Cubs.)
* Durocher overworked his starting rotation as long as he could get away with it and they
had blood counts and breath in their bodies. With veterans like Ferguson Jenkins it was one
thing; with a guy like Bill Hands---who was close to Jenkins's age but got thrown into a fire
under Durocher's hand after he came over from the Giants (in the same trade that made a
Cub out of catcher Randy Hundley) it was something else entirely. Hands pitched through
back trouble often enough, even in his big years with the Cubs; which leads to Durocher's
next flaw:
* He treated injuries like affronts to himself and the team. As happened often with Gene
Mauch's Phillies after the infamous 1964 collapse, Cub players under Durocher often
feared speaking up when they were injured to avoid one of Durocher's tongue-lashing
accusations of "quitter!" if and when they did. It's impossible now to count how many
Cubs were playing foolishly through pain.
* Durocher almost never gave his regulars adequate in-season rest. What a surprise that
most of them were burned out when the stretch drive turned critical mass come Septem-
ber 1969.
* Durocher rarely sought and was never offered much in the way of bullpen depth. He
might have kept his starters from exhausting themselves by stretch time if he had. He
had one very hot hand come his way early in 1968---Phil [The Vulture] Regan. Naturally,
Durocher rode Regan hard and put him to bed wet. (Literally, in a sense: the Vulture was
notorious for throwing a spitter nobody could detect.) Until the umpires finally got wise
to Regan's, shall we say, Staten Island sinker (after several years beginning with his
career year 1966, with the Dodgers, someone finally noticed Regan's secret: He tended
to sweat heavily enough, even on his arms, and he'd let the sweat roll down his arm
to let him load one up), Regan was probably in danger of washing himself up completely
otherwise. Regan went 10-5 for the Cubs with 25 saves in 1968 and 12-6 with 17 saves
in 1969, at a time when a closer's average assignment could go as many as four
innings. Sure enough, Regan began to wither in 1970; two seasons later, he was
finished, after landing with the White Sox. And neither Durocher nor the front office
made as much effort as they might have to develop or acquire worthy bullpen reinforcements,
especially knowing Regan was 31 when they acquired him.
(Irony: Regan might eventually have been bagged for the wet one, but earlier in his career
he had an amusing run-in with umpire Chris Pelekoudas: Pelekoudas called fourteen illegal
pitches on the Vulture for no good reason other than their movement---and Regan protested
to then-National League president Warren Giles. The balls from that game were examined
and nothing untoward was found on any of them. It only helped Regan's reputation as
a lancer in the end: always remember that if the hitter merely thinks you throw a
great spitter, you just shaved about 1.00+ off your ERA. And Regan ultimately did
learn his sweat ball . . .)
* Durocher habitually shifted some lineup positions without bothering to tell the players
in question until they saw the lineup cards. (Shades of Matt Williams, helping to dig his
own grave with the Washington Nationals last year.) He'd usually do this when players
hit slumps---never mind his blissful unawareness that his burning them out too soon
might have had something to do with those slumps. (Ron Santo was a notorious such
victim in 1970, and it turned Santo---who'd once been one of Durocher's staunchest
defenders---into another somewhat alienated player.)
* Durocher so despised unusual pitching or hitting styles that he dumped one of his
best relief pitchers, the submarine pitcher Ted Abernathy, in a trade with the Cardinals
for a reserve infielder. Abernathy had a successful 1970 in St. Louis and made the Cubs
look extremely foolish. Abernathy had proven his durability and losing him was a big
mistake with Phil Regan beginning to show the effect of his own overwork.
* Tank-like catcher Randy Hundley (it was he, not Johnny Bench, who was the first
major league catcher to catch one-handed, tucking his throwing hand behind his
back until the ball was in the mitt) was so hard-nosed a player that he
ended up with knee issues that wore him down before his time at a point where
the Cubs had nobody in the pipeline prepared to spell or succeed him.
Additional personality issues:
* He so alienated his younger players that Ken Holtzman, one of his better pitchers,
couldn't wait to get away from the Cubs; Burt Hooton, who looked so promising
in early 1972 when he threw a no-hitter at the Phillies, ended up with back issues
later in the season due to Durocher's peculiarities.
* Durocher seemed to go out of his way to alienate Ernie Banks himself---even if
Banks was aging, he'd earned certain respect---at a time when the only
consistent Cub five-tooler behind the aging Banks was fellow Hall of Famer
Billy Williams . . . and Williams just wasn't enough to carry a club.
* Acquiring a revolving door of patchwork or exhausted veterans and green kids
in foolish deals didn't do Durocher any favours. Of the few such veterans that
did prove useful Cubs, Joe Pepitone---the very haunted ex-Yankee---finally
couldn't take any more clashes with Durocher and walked out on the team
early in 1972, after he'd remade himself into a contact hitter who usually
picked up his base hits when they could move runners as well as score them.
(A wrist injury had sapped his once-formidable long-ball power.)
* Durocher had a habit of leaving the team unexpectedly and allowing wild
stories to be made up about it until he returned. It might have amused the
press but it couldn't have helped his standing in the clubhouse. (He did it
even during the heat of the 1969 pennant drive.)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7VNG-ihhPk
NATIONALS walk off on Chris Heisley's bomb in the 16th inning vs. TWINS>
(http://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/s480x480/13102767_1018171188250856_6477572927735273349_n.jpg?oh=79a787e72e69cda9a62f9512ec598163&oe=57BD1387)
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhpKr1YvyRM
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Citing 'gunfighter' mentality, Dusty Baker says most pitchers love challenging Bryce Harper
Eddie Matz
(http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2016%2F0427%2Fr78056_1296x518_5%2D2.jpg&w=1006&h=402&scale=crop&location=origin)
WASHINGTON -- By now, you’ve probably seen the clip of Bryce Harper standing on first base Tuesday night and going all Will Ferrell in "Wedding Crashers." Common logic says that Harper, ever the fun-damentalist that he is, was celebrating his fifth-inning RBI single. Then again, maybe he was just pumped that he got something to hit.
In his first plate appearance against the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, Harper walked on five pitches. Technically, it wasn’t an intentional walk, but it sure didn’t look like starter Vince Velasquez wanted much to do with the Washington Nationals' superstar. In his second trip to the dish, Harper received an intentional walk -- the official kind. Later, in the seventh, Philly intentionally walked him again.
It marked the first time this season that Harper has tallied three walks in a game. Last year, he walked at least three times in a game on nine different occasions, which was eight more times than in his first three big-league seasons combined. On the year, he set a new franchise record with 124 free passes. Apparently, that’s the cost of doing business for Harper, who last year saw pitches in the strike zone just 41.1 percent of the time, second only to Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce. Not that Harper minds. Or admits that he minds.
“I have a really big faith in Zim and the guys behind me,” said Harper after the game. “I don’t mind getting on base. If that’s a walk or an intentional walk or a hit or whatever, I just want to get on base the best I can, the most I can for the guys behind me. Just take it one day at a time, go out there tomorrow and if he throws me a ball over the plate, I’ll try to hit [it].”
As it turned out, he didn’t have to wait until Wednesday. In the bottom of the ninth, with Washington trailing 4-3 and the tying run on base with two outs, the Phillies actually decided to pitch to Harper. Philly closer Jeanmar Gomez, who gave up a 10th-inning go-ahead homer to Harper last week, induced a groundout to end the game.
Gomez isn’t the only one manning up against the reigning MVP. So far this season, Harper’s been getting pitches in the strike zone 42.6 percent of the time. Although that’s still the 17th-lowest rate in baseball, you’d expect it to be even lower considering the gaudy numbers that Harper has been putting up.
On Wednesday afternoon, manager Dusty Baker said he’s not surprised that Harper still gets challenged in key situations like the one from Tuesday.
“A lot of the pitchers, they don't like running from you. These guys have never run from anybody from the time they were kids,” said the Nats skipper. “And they still like the challenge of facing the best. I saw that with Hank Aaron. They had him set up for an inside fastball and they just wanted to break his bat so they could go the phone and call their father and tell him that they broke Hank Aaron's bat.”
Then Baker went even deeper into the past for another parallel.
“You ever watch cowboy movies with Jesse James and all those dudes? You know how many young little dudes they killed that they didn't want to kill? I'm serious. It's the same. It hasn't changed. There's always a gunfighter that figures he can enhance his reputation by getting Bryce out or whoever the best is. So you can expect, there gonna be some young fools out there. This is what we’re lookin' for."
And when they find it, don’t be surprised if Harper goes all Will Ferrell again.
http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-nationals/post/_/id/1000/dusty-baker-cites-gunfighter-mentality-says-pitchers-wont-stop-challenging-bryce-harper (http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-nationals/post/_/id/1000/dusty-baker-cites-gunfighter-mentality-says-pitchers-wont-stop-challenging-bryce-harper)
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I looked at the power rankings of the MLB at CBS sports; some people like power rankings, others don't but all the big news outlets put them out.
Cubs are tops, Whitesox next, Royals, Senators.
If one doesn't follow baseball closely, it tells one a bit how things are going this season.
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I looked at the power rankings of the MLB at CBS sports; some people like power rankings, others don't but all the big news outlets put them out.
Cubs are tops, Whitesox next, Royals, Senators.
If one doesn't follow baseball closely, it tells one a bit how things are going this season.
The NATS were up there right behind the CUBS...but they just got swept by the Phillies. AT FREAKING HOME!!
Here we go again!
Bryce Harper is looking for a penthouse in Manhatten.
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End of three Friday---my Mets 12, the Giants . . . zero
All in the third inning: RBI double, two-run single, RBI double, two-run double, RBI single,
RBI single, and Yoenis Cespedes crowning it with a grand salami.
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(http://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/s640x640/sh0.08/e35/13118179_1710278452548098_1024045313_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTI0MTUwNTg3MDc0MjE4MjA0MQ%3D%3D.2.l)
How lucky we are that we can drive 40 minutes North or South and see the current TWO best major league ballplayers in the world?
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*sigh*
Go Braves.
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Just a Note: Cubs still sporting the best Record in MLB. 18-6.
I ain't afraid of no Billy Goat curse.
:0001:
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Just a Note: Cubs still sporting the best Record in MLB. 18-6.
I ain't afraid of no Billy Goat curse.
:0001:
The next few days are going to be great...we have my Washington NATIONALS coming into Wrigley Field after sweeping 3 from the St. Louis Cardinals and 2 of 3 from the World Champion ROYALS in their own park!
The NATS have better-than-expected results from Josh Ross, to complement the 5-0 Stephen Strasburg. He is scheduled to start tomorrow.
Let's talk again this weekend. :beer:
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MLB Power Rankings, CBS Sports: http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/25577074/mlb-power-rankings-royals-hit-speed-bump-yankees-free-falling
As opposed to a lot of people, as said, I enjoy seeing power ratings though I think they largely go by won-loss record, "if the season were to end today, where the teams would end up".
Cubs
White Sox
Senators
Mets
Mariners
Rangers
Orioles
Pirates
Red Sox
Royals
Giants
Dodgers
Tigers
Blue Jays
Cardinals
Phillies
Marlins
A's
Indians
Rays
Angels
Rockies
Diamondbacks
Brewers
Padres
Reds
Astros
Twins
Yankees
Braves
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The next few days are going to be great...we have my Washington NATIONALS coming into Wrigley Field after sweeping 3 from the St. Louis Cardinals and 2 of 3 from the World Champion ROYALS in their own park!
The NATS have better-than-expected results from Josh Ross, to complement the 5-0 Stephen Strasburg. He is scheduled to start tomorrow.
Let's talk again this weekend. :beer:
I'm liking the match-up. Cubs took 3 from the Bucs and now they play 4 games in The Friendly Confines. The wind always blows out in May. Look for some Apollo shots...by both clubs.
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Chicago the Center of the Baseball Universe Thursday(5/5/16)
Any questions about Chicago’s status as the center of the baseball universe will be put to rest on Thursday night as four first place teams take the field in the Windy City.
On the South Side, the American League Central-leading Chicago White Sox will wrap up a series with the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox. Just eight miles north, the two best teams in the National League will square off, as the Central-leading Cubs welcome the East-leading Washington Nationals to Wrigley Field.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Chicago-the-Center-of-the-Baseball-Universe-Thursday-378307921.html?_osource=SocialFlowFB_CHBrand
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Chicago the Center of the Baseball Universe Thursday(5/5/16)
Love it. Play ball!
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OKAY! This is bullsh*t!
My NATS are getting their a$$es handed to them by the Cubbies...AGAIN!!
This time, it's $270 MILLION "Ace", Max Sherzer, who has been throwing batting practice for Home Run Derby all afternoon.
And the NATS can't solve 'old man' John Lackey....no matter what uniform the SOB is wearing.
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Man oh man. There is nothing that takes me back to my youth more than a Day game at Wrigley Field. Well unless it is a Double Header.
DC, I'm not gonna gloat. It is early in the season.... and I still have flashbacks and breakout in cold sweats thinking about that awful year......
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The new, revamped Phillies pitching staff has thrown six shutouts already! (We just suffered our first shutout loss yesterday, to the Cards.)
Phils seem to be able to pitch, but goshomighty, we can't hit a lick.
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Nat are coming back 6-8. The wind is a blowing!
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Man oh man. There is nothing that takes me back to my youth more than a Day game at Wrigley Field. Well unless it is a Double Header.
DC, I'm not gonna gloat. It is early in the season.... and I still have flashbacks and breakout in cold sweats thinking about that awful year......
:beer:
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The new, revamped Phillies pitching staff has thrown six shutouts already! (We just suffered our first shutout loss yesterday, to the Cards.)
Phils seem to be able to pitch, but goshomighty, we can't hit a lick.
Yeah...you guyz spanked us...in freaking DC just before this road trip now...(6-3)
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FYI. Cubs win again against the Nats today in a wild one.. CXubs 3-0 in the 4 game series.
That is all. :beer:
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It was a sweep. I must say I understand why the Cubs Screwed Harper like a tied up goat.... But it would have been nice to see if he could hit the pitches. :(
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Go Cubbies..
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It was a sweep. I must say I understand why the Cubs Screwed Harper like a tied up goat.... But it would have been nice to see if he could hit the pitches. :(
UGH!!
Something like 21 baserunners stranded yesterday.
Half the lineup is hitting about .200. :nometalk:
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NATS-TIGERS GEM TONITE!
As we speak...MAX SCHERZER is facing former NAT pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.
NATS SS Danny Espinosa just went deep on Zimmermann for a 3-1 lead.
But the reason for the post?
Max Scherzer has just struck out his EIGHTEENTH (18th) consecutive batter over 6 innings.
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NATS-TIGERS GEM TONITE!
As we speak...MAX SCHERZER is facing former NAT pitcher Jordan Zimmermann.
NATS SS Danny Espinosa just went deep on Zimmermann for a 3-1 lead.
But the reason for the post?
Max Scherzer has just struck out his EIGHTEENTH (18th) consecutive batter over 6 innings.
I know it is early, but we could see a Cubs - Nats NL Championship series this year.
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I know it is early, but we could see a Cubs - Nats NL Championship series this year.
Hell...the NATS can't play with the Cubs. But sure would be exciting a week before the election.
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Braves win!! Braves win!!
Thought I'd go ahead and say it since I get so few chances lately ....
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Hell...the NATS can't play with the Cubs. But sure would be exciting a week before the election.
I agree.
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Braves win!! Braves win!!
Thought I'd go ahead and say it since I get so few chances lately ....
:beer:
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Max Scherzer tied the major league record for number of strikeouts in a nine inning game.
He fanned 20, and was 2 strikes away from breaking the record.
Threw 119 pitches. 96 for strikes.
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Bryce Harpers record setting 4 game series with the Cuns.
1. Bryce Harper became the first player in the history of baseball to make seven plate appearances without having an official at-bat.
2. Those six walks in a single game were just the fourth time that's ever happened in MLB history.
3. Harper's series against the Cubs: BB, BB, single, BB, out, K, K, BB, BB, sac fly, BB, IBB, BB, BB, IBB, HBP, BB, IBB, IBB.
4. The Nats' right-fielder saw 27 pitches on Sunday. Two were strikes. That's a 93/7 ball to strike ratio.
5. Harper didn't have an official at bat on Saturday either, giving him a current streak of 11 plate appearances without one.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/bryce-harper-walks-washington-nationals-record-six-walks-chicago-cubs-intentionally-walk-050916
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Bryce Harpers record setting 4 game series with the Cubs.
1. Bryce Harper became the first player in the history of baseball to make seven plate appearances without having an official at-bat.
2. Those six walks in a single game were just the fourth time that's ever happened in MLB history.
3. Harper's series against the Cubs: BB, BB, single, BB, out, K, K, BB, BB, sac fly, BB, IBB, BB, BB, IBB, HBP, BB, IBB, IBB.
4. The Nats' right-fielder saw 27 pitches on Sunday. Two were strikes. That's a 93/7 ball to strike ratio.
5. Harper didn't have an official at bat on Saturday either, giving him a current streak of 11 plate appearances without one.
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/story/bryce-harper-walks-washington-nationals-record-six-walks-chicago-cubs-intentionally-walk-050916
I'm afraid that his behavior the other night will result in a wide strike-zone for him.
He's showing tremendous patience by not chasing and waiting for 'that mistake'.
Ryan Zimmerman, hitting behind him is heating up lately, so it affords Harper more protection. He'll hopefully see more strikes.
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Which 20-strikeout game was most impressive?
David Schonfield
How does a pitcher tie the major league record for most strikeouts in nine innings? When Max Scherzer struck out Miguel Cabrera swinging on a 1-2 fastball in the ninth inning on his 111th pitch of the game Wednesday, the pitch was clocked at 97.4 mph (98.1 mph on StatCast), and it was moving off the plate like a Frisbee.
It was the fastest pitch he'd thrown all season.
The other day, I speculated on why we hadn't seen another 20-strikeout game since Randy Johnson in 2001. One thing I pointed out is that the previous 20-strikeout games had all come in advantageous conditions: The Reds had an extremely weak lineup that night against Johnson; Kerry Wood's 20 strikeouts came on a dark, overcast afternoon at Wrigley; both of Roger Clemens' 20-strikeout games came against teams in the midst of team-wide strikeout slumps.
There weren't those potential indicators heading into Wednesday's game. It was a clear night in Washington, although the Tigers had struck out 14 times two nights before in a game Stephen Strasburg started. Plus, Scherzer was coming off a four-homer game and he'd been struggling with his fastball command. Nationals fans were just hoping for a solid performance, let alone a legendary one.
How does Scherzer's performance compare to those other 20-strikeout games? Well, because he gave up two home runs, his game score is easily the worst of the five. Here's a chart listing all the pitchers with 19 or 20 strikeouts in nine innings, with the MLB-wide strikeouts per nine innings rate for that season, the opposing team's strikeout rate per game (which would be slightly lower than its K's per nine after including extra-inning games), the number of times the opponent struck out 12 or more times that season, the opponent's wRC+ (the strength of the team's offense where 100 is average) and, finally, the difference between the pitcher's strikeout total and the team's strikeout rate.
more at: http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/70646/which-20-strikeout-game-was-most-impressive (http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/70646/which-20-strikeout-game-was-most-impressive)
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Well Red Sox fans are feeling real good today. Their hitting has been very solid, now David Price who had a miserable spring fixed some mechanical problems and pitched real well last night.
Our 2nd best pitcher will come off the DL soon and things will be well in Red Sox nation. +58 run differential 2nd best in baseball behind the Cubbies, how great a season are they having so far.
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Well Red Sox fans are feeling real good today. Their hitting has been very solid, now David Price who had a miserable spring fixed some mechanical problems and pitched real well last night.
Our 2nd best pitcher will come off the DL soon and things will be well in Red Sox nation. +58 run differential 2nd best in baseball behind the Cubbies, how great a season are they having so far.
Yep...seems like old time again....Red Sox chasing the Orioles...Yankees sucking wind... :beer:
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Yep...seems like old time again....Red Sox chasing the Orioles...Yankees sucking wind... :beer:
Big Papi does it again! :amen:
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http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/5/15/11679704/rougned-odor-punched-jose-bautista-in-the-face-in-the-biggest-mlb
Looks like Bautista chose the wrong guy to try a dirty slide on. Holy smokes.
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http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/5/15/11679704/rougned-odor-punched-jose-bautista-in-the-face-in-the-biggest-mlb (http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2016/5/15/11679704/rougned-odor-punched-jose-bautista-in-the-face-in-the-biggest-mlb)
Looks like Bautista chose the wrong guy to try a dirty slide on. Holy smokes.
Best 'in your face' since Varitek re-arranged A-Rod's face in 2004
(http://graphics.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/02/sports/baseball/arod-varitek.190.jpg)
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Odor clocked Bautista; apparently Jose is not the most popular player in the American League:
(http://sportsdaydfw.imgix.net/1463354857-APTOPIX_BLUE_JAYS_RANGERS_BASEBALL_50549871.JPG?q=50&auto=format&w=900)
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Best 'in your face' since Varitek re-arranged A-Rod's face in 2004
(http://graphics.nytimes.com/images/2007/10/02/sports/baseball/arod-varitek.190.jpg)
And let's not forget this classic:
(http://a1.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2012%2F0406%2Fmlb_a_ventura_sy_300.jpg&w=267)
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Odor clocked Bautista; apparently Jose is not the most popular player in the American League:
You have a gift for understatement.
:beer:
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Sorry, gang, but the Rangers were in the dead wrong today.
You don't throw at a guy who flipped his bat in the ecstasy of the moment seven months ago
while hitting a home run that turned a division series around, playing for a team whose fans hadn't seen
live postseason baseball since early in the Clinton Administration.
You don't try "avenging" that bat flip by waiting until his likely final trip to the plate in the last game
of a series and the season against you. (You sure don't wait until you bring in a rook who
wasn't even in your organisation last fall to do the dirty work of an eleventh-hour throw at the bat flipper.)
And you don't get to cry foul when you're stupid enough to throw at him, then he exacts his own
little slice of payback by trying to slice and dice your shortstop on a double play bid. (Old school baby?
That's the way they did it in the old days, gang. Throw at me, you sonofabitch, if it's a
ground ball next your middle infielder's going down!)
If the Rangers really were stupid enough to think Jose Bautista needed to be taught any kind of lesson
in manners, why didn't they drop him a week and a half earlier when the two sides met in Toronto? Or,
since they didn't choose that route, why not drop him to open the set just concluded in Texas?
How stupid can you get?
That was then: The Texas Rangers (the law enforcement group) lived by the motto, "One riot, one
Ranger." (The motto was coined when one Ranger captain was sent just in case of a riot at---wait
for it---a prize fight.) This is now: The Texas Rangers (the baseball team), living by the apparent
motto, "25 Rangers, one riot."
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Sorry, gang, but the Rangers were in the dead wrong today.
You don't throw at a guy who flipped his bat in the ecstasy of the moment seven months ago
while hitting a home run that turned a division series around, playing for a team whose fans hadn't seen
live postseason baseball since early in the Clinton Administration.
You don't try "avenging" that bat flip by waiting until his likely final trip to the plate in the last game
of a series and the season against you. (You sure don't wait until you bring in a rook who
wasn't even in your organisation last fall to do the dirty work of an eleventh-hour throw at the bat flipper.)
And you don't get to cry foul when you're stupid enough to throw at him, then he exacts his own
little slice of payback by trying to slice and dice your shortstop on a double play bid. (Old school baby?
That's the way they did it in the old days, gang. Throw at me, you sonofabitch, if it's a
ground ball next your middle infielder's going down!)
If the Rangers really were stupid enough to think Jose Bautista needed to be taught any kind of lesson
in manners, why didn't they drop him a week and a half earlier when the two sides met in Toronto? Or,
since they didn't choose that route, why not drop him to open the set just concluded in Texas?
How stupid can you get?
That was then: The Texas Rangers (the law enforcement group) lived by the motto, "One riot, one
Ranger." (The motto was coined when one Ranger captain was sent just in case of a riot at---wait
for it---a prize fight.) This is now: The Texas Rangers (the baseball team), living by the apparent
motto, "25 Rangers, one riot."
I don't have a dog in this particular hunt, but in my opinion they're all acting like idiots.
I love baseball. I watch it nearly every night. But it is a GAME. Let's not try to maim one another in the playing of it, yes?
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Sorry, gang, but the Rangers were in the dead wrong today.
You don't throw at a guy who flipped his bat in the ecstasy of the moment seven months ago
while hitting a home run that turned a division series around, playing for a team whose fans hadn't seen
live postseason baseball since early in the Clinton Administration.
You don't try "avenging" that bat flip by waiting until his likely final trip to the plate in the last game
of a series and the season against you. (You sure don't wait until you bring in a rook who
wasn't even in your organisation last fall to do the dirty work of an eleventh-hour throw at the bat flipper.)
And you don't get to cry foul when you're stupid enough to throw at him, then he exacts his own
little slice of payback by trying to slice and dice your shortstop on a double play bid. (Old school baby?
That's the way they did it in the old days, gang. Throw at me, you sonofabitch, if it's a
ground ball next your middle infielder's going down!)
If the Rangers really were stupid enough to think Jose Bautista needed to be taught any kind of lesson
in manners, why didn't they drop him a week and a half earlier when the two sides met in Toronto? Or,
since they didn't choose that route, why not drop him to open the set just concluded in Texas?
How stupid can you get?
That was then: The Texas Rangers (the law enforcement group) lived by the motto, "One riot, one
Ranger." (The motto was coined when one Ranger captain was sent just in case of a riot at---wait
for it---a prize fight.) This is now: The Texas Rangers (the baseball team), living by the apparent
motto, "25 Rangers, one riot."
Waiting until the 8th inning in the last game in which you'll face each other this season proves premeditation.
Jose Bautista should sue the Rangers, Odor, and the Rangers' manager/coaching staff.
Furthermore, I saw nothing wrong with the slide...per the new rule in breaking up DPs.
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Waiting until the 8th inning in the last game in which you'll face each other this season proves premeditation.
Jose Bautista should sue the Rangers, Odor, and the Rangers' manager/coaching staff.
Furthermore, I saw nothing wrong with the slide...per the new rule in breaking up DPs.
The only part where the slide proves sticky is that he did drop into it a little late. Other than that,
Bautista never left the proper basepath.
The other sticky part will be proving not just the premeditation (that almost seems given) but
who actually gave the order for Bush to throw the pitch. (If he acted on his own, it could only
have been to impress his new teammates.) And why on earth would you have a guy throw
at someone when the thrower wasn't even in the organisation last October?
Baseball government's going to have a blast looking at all the replay angles. They'll be having
to figure out, too, whether Josh Donaldson got punched during the brawl, by Odor. (One
replay suggests it might have happened but the others tell you it wasn't all that clear.) And
since it wasn't the first time Odor brawled over a takeout slide in his career (he did it in the
minors in 2011, and he'd been the one to use the takeout slide in that instance!),
he could be looking at a fat suspension.
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The only part where the slide proves sticky is that he did drop into it a little late. Other than that,
Bautista never left the proper basepath.
The other sticky part will be proving not just the premeditation (that almost seems given) but
who actually gave the order for Bush to throw the pitch. (If he acted on his own, it could only
have been to impress his new teammates.) And why on earth would you have a guy throw
at someone when the thrower wasn't even in the organisation last October?
Baseball government's going to have a blast looking at all the replay angles. They'll be having
to figure out, too, whether Josh Donaldson got punched during the brawl, by Odor. (One
replay suggests it might have happened but the others tell you it wasn't all that clear.) And
since it wasn't the first time Odor brawled over a takeout slide in his career (he did it in the
minors in 2011, and he'd been the one to use the takeout slide in that instance!),
he could be looking at a fat suspension.
His momentum called for a slide to avoid a serious collision. He went straight over the middle of the bag.
Odor jumped up and got in Bautista's face behind 2nd base...and no way, Jose is going to take laying down, being punched in the face... in front of the world.
I actually LOVED Bautista's bat flip last October. Didn't give the Rangers a thought. Could've been anybody.
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His momentum called for a slide to avoid a serious collision. He went straight over the middle of the bag.
Bautista admitted after the game that he wanted to send a message about getting drilled on the first
pitch from Bush---and added he wanted only to send a message, not injure Odor. I just watched a slo-mo
video of the slide. Bautista dropped into it a little late, when he was about four feet from the pad, but he
went down deep into the slide and was obviously not trying to injure Odor, just take him out hard from
the double play. If Bautista had slid out of the proper basepath it would have been quite a different
story on the slide itself. (Was it me, or did Odor look like he was actually trying to hit Bautista with
the relay throw? You're taught to throw low on the double play relay when a runner comes sliding
in toward you, but it looked to a lot of people like Odor was hoping for a moment that the ball might
catch Bautista in the chops.)
The same video also shows Odor shoving Bautista first after Bautista got back up from the ground
from the slide. Only then did Bautista extend a left arm to defend himself, and then
Odor threw the punch apparently heard and seen around the world.
I actually LOVED Bautista's bat flip last October. Didn't give the Rangers a thought. Could've been anybody.
What's not to love? It's like I said before: It happened in front of the home folks who hadn't seen
live postseason baseball since the first Clinton Administration. It meant a trip to the American
League Championship Series for the Jays. Even Hank Aaron would have flipped his bat
hitting one out like that in that circumstance with that on the line.
So the Rangers were P.O.ed over it? Then send Bautista the message the first time you face
him this season, not the last.
(Almost forgotten: When the Rangers and the Jays met in Toronto for the first time this season,
a week and a half ago, guess who Bautista got to bat against? Sam Dyson---the pitcher who
served up the ball he sent to the Aleutians last October. And Dyson, who'd done a little gum beating
of his own over the bat flip last fall, never threw anything close to a duster to Bautista this time.)
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DC, checking in.....
* Earlier, I mocked my NATS getting swept by the Philadelphia Phillies. Look at them now!
1-1/2 games out...6-4 in their last 10.
* Tonight, it's Max Scherzer, coming off that 20 K outing against the TIGERS, against Noel Syndergaard. Scherzer needs 15 strikeouts to break the all-time record for total K's over two consecutive starts. It's NATS vs METS at 7pm on MLB Network.
* Also something I noticed...maybe somebody else too...Bryce Harper served his suspension last Sunday vs. the Marlins' Jose Fernandez...followed by an off day as they begin a 4 game series in New York. Furthermore, league-leading hitter, 2nd baseman Daniel Murphy...suddenly felt 'sick'.
"Sick", no doubt that Jose's stuff is so toxic, players have taken a full week to recover from the experience.
We'll see if the strategy works, because the power numbers for the NATS just aren't there.
* Predicting that Odor will get at least 10 game suspension for hitting Joey Bats. Bautista will get no suspension. (There'd be a freaking riot)
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@Polly Ticks
So sorry to hear about skipper Fredi Gonzalez, Polly!
Often, it's a last ditch effort to gain back control of the clubhouse, and appeal to a player's competitive instincts to display his wares.
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/118521/braves-fire-fredi-gonzalez-amid-one-of-the-worst-starts-in-mlb-history (http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/118521/braves-fire-fredi-gonzalez-amid-one-of-the-worst-starts-in-mlb-history)
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@Polly Ticks
So sorry to hear about skipper Fredi Gonzalez, Polly!
Often, it's a last ditch effort to gain back control of the clubhouse, and appeal to a player's competitive instincts to display his wares.
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/118521/braves-fire-fredi-gonzalez-amid-one-of-the-worst-starts-in-mlb-history (http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/118521/braves-fire-fredi-gonzalez-amid-one-of-the-worst-starts-in-mlb-history)
I don't think Fredi can be held personally responsible for all the of the clubs recent woes, and he actually did some very creative managing in the past couple of years. His days have been numbered for awhile, though, so it's not much of a surprise to see today's news.
It will be interesting to see where we go from here.
Go Braves! <\ <| </ <| <\
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DC, checking in.....
* Predicting that Odor will get at least 10 game suspension for hitting Joey Bats. Bautista will get no suspension. (There'd be a freaking riot)
Nope. Odor and Bautista both five games. Bautista is a thug and finally got the comeuppance he deserved. That punch Odor threw will be in every highlight reel until the end of time.
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This may sound strange but both Nascar and Baseball are to sanitized. The Powers to be need to step back and Let "Boys Be Boys" again. I say Let them get at it like cordouroy into a hemoroid. It will liven the game up for the fans.
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Nope. Odor and Bautista both five games. Bautista is a thug and finally got the comeuppance he deserved. That punch Odor threw will be in every highlight reel until the end of time.
No freaking way are the games going to be the same for each of them.
Bautista threw no punches.
It was a clean slide by any set of rules you wish to use.
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Jose's stuff is so toxic, players have taken a full week to recover from the experience.
He is such a fun guy to watch!
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No freaking way are the games going to be the same for each of them.
Bautista threw no punches.
It was a clean slide by any set of rules you wish to use.
Nope. It was a take-out slide, the very thing the major leagues are trying to stop. Regardless of what happens, Odor is Nolan Ryan to Bautista's Robin Ventura.
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This may sound strange but both Nascar and Baseball are to sanitized. The Powers to be need to step back and Let "Boys Be Boys" again. I say Let them get at it like cordouroy into a hemoroid. It will liven the game up for the fans.
"I can't go for that! ....can't go for that!"
Being a baseball purist, that is.
It's a lethal weapon and the game has been played and respected for 125 years or more.
It would be tantamount to one of the duelers grabbing the pistol from the leather case and shooting his adversary AND the witnesses.
We must be CIVILIZED. :laugh:
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Nope. It was a take-out slide, the very thing the major leagues are trying to stop. Regardless of what happens, Odor is Nolan Ryan to Bautista's Robin Ventura.
:beer:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3niGu9d_pY
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Nope. It was a take-out slide, the very thing the major leagues are trying to stop. Regardless of what happens, Odor is Nolan Ryan to Bautista's Robin Ventura.
I have to agree with you. Bautista's knee didn't even hit the ground until he was already beyond 2B.
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I have to agree with you. Bautista's knee didn't even hit the ground until he was already beyond 2B.
I just watched (again) a slow-motion video of the slide. Bautista's knee grazed the base as he
was landing, and as Odor began his throw on to first his right leg grazed Bautista's own right leg.
When Bautista got up, Odor shoved him first. Only then did Bautista extend an arm
to defend himself, at which point Odor threw the punch so many seem (ridiculously) to admire.
Sorry, there's no defense for Odor or the Rangers on this one. I don't care what kind of
"thug" Bautista is or isn't. You don't throw at a guy in his possible final at-bat of the
season against you over something that happened seven months ago. (If you want to send
him a message about how admirable you think his bat flip wasn't, you do it the first time
you face him---in spring training or, if you don't see him in spring training, the first regular
season game he plays against you. Even Bautista couldn't possibly have objected to that.)
Moreover, Bautista admitted he wanted to send the Rangers a message back about how thrilled
he wasn't to be thrown at in that circumstances. But he also said he wasn't trying to injure Odor
---and he succeeded in not doing so. He may have had intent with the late slide, but he never
left the proper basepath even in the slide itself.
My guess on discipline for the incidents:
* Odor---Eight games plus a fine. He was the no-questions-asked instigator of the brawl.
* Bautista---One or two games, since the Utley Rule probably applies, but if I was baseball's
disciplinarian I'd measure the circumstances and give him one game and a fine.
* Matt Bush, who threw the pitch that hit Bautista in the arm to open the inning---It would
depend on whether Bush acted on his own or under orders to drill Bautista. (Bush hasn't
commented about that part of it at this writing.) If he threw on his own, one game, considering
he wasn't ejected from the game and the warnings went out after he threw the pitch. The
major question: why on earth would Bush throw at Bautista when he wasn't even in the
Ranger organisation last October? (Unless, if he threw on his own, he thought it would
ingratiate himself to his new teammates further . . .)
* Jesse Chavez---Three games. For being stupid enough to throw at Prince Fielder after
the warnings went out over the Bautista drill.
* John Gibbons---The Jays manager ran back onto the field during the big brawl even
though he'd been ejected earlier in the game. That's a big no-no. That'd get him one game
automatically, but he might get a second over the Chavez duster.
* Josh Donaldson and Kevin Pillar---They were the two most animated Jays during the brawl
itself. (Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre wisely bear-hugged Bautista away from the
scrum as a precaution.) Accounting for their looking out for a teammate, I'd give them
a game off each.
* Dale Scott---The umpiring crew chief for the series. Should have ejected Bush post haste
when he hit Bautista; the intent was only too evident. It might have kept things from getting
out of hand from there; it might even have kept Bautista from thinking about a message
of his own on the basepaths. A formal reprimand and even a fine wouldn't be out of order;
it's his job to be sure his crew controls the field.
* DeMarlo Hale---The Jays' bench coach, and acting manager since the third inning, including
when Chavez drilled Fielder. Reds manager Bryan Price got a game off when Ross Ohlendorf
took on a relief assignment and drilled a hitter with apparent intent; Hale should get the same.
* The Rangers' Brain Trust---From manager Jeff Bannister on down, they need to answer
for Bush drilling Bautista. If one of them gave Bush the order, the guilty party should get
two days' unpaid leave.
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http://www.cbc.ca/sports/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-rangers-brawl-discipline-1.3585532
Rougned Odor, John Gibbons suspended for roles in Rangers-Jays brawl: reports
No official word yet from MLB
CBC Sports Posted: May 17, 2016 3:04 PM ET Last Updated: May 17, 2016 3:43 PM ET
l
Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor has reportedly been suspended for eight games for punching Toronto's Jose Bautista, while Blue Jays manager John Gibbons has reportedly received a three-game ban for his role in the ensuing brawl.
According to multiple reports, Odor will appeal the decision to suspend him for eight games.
Follow
Jon Heyman ✔ @JonHeyman
odor plans to appeal his 8-game penalty #rangers
1:52 PM - 17 May 2016 · Florida, USA, United States
121 121 Retweets 83 83 likes
Yahoo Sports' Jeff Passan reported Odor has also been fined $5,000 US.
Follow
Jeff Passan ✔ @JeffPassan
In addition to his eight-game suspension, Rougned Odor was fined $5,000. I imagine his teammates will gladly chip in to help pay that off.
2:16 PM - 17 May 2016
141 141 Retweets 109 109 likes
Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that Gibbons has been suspended for three games for returning to the field during the brawl that followed Odor's punch. Gibbons had been ejected earlier in the game.
Follow
Ken Rosenthal ✔ @Ken_Rosenthal
Source: #BlueJays' Gibbons getting three games.
2:23 PM - 17 May 2016
Major League Baseball has not announced any disciplinary decisions, and there was no immediate word on whether any other Rangers or Blue Jays would be punished for their actions stemming from Sunday's brawl during a game in Texas.
The fireworks began when Texas pitcher Matt Bush beaned Bautista in the ribs, presumably as retaliation for Bautista's controversial bat flip after a key home run in the deciding game of the American League Division Series last season.
Bush plunked Bautista in the top of the eighth with Texas holding a 7-6 lead. Bautista ran to second on a groundout by Justin Smoak, with his brawl-triggering slide forcing Odor to throw wildly to first on an attempted double play. The Rangers were awarded an inning-ending double play on the so-called Chase Utley rule, which was put in place this season in an attempt to prevent dangerous slides. Bautista also ran afoul of the rule earlier this season during a game against Tampa Bay.
As Odor and Bautista argued after the slide, Odor shoved Bautista, creating enough space to wind up and catch the lunging Blue Jays right-fielder flush on the jaw with a punch. The punch caused both dugouts and bullpens to empty, with several players mixing it up near second base.
"I was pretty surprised," said Bautista, who was staggered but did not go down. "I mean, obviously, that's the only reason that he got me and he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bit bigger man to knock me down."
Odor said Monday that he respects Bautista because he "plays hard."
Odor, Bautista, and Bush were are considered candidates for suspension, as was Toronto reliever Jesse Chavez, who hit Rangers hitter Prince Fielder with the first pitch after play resumed, triggering a second brawl. Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson and Texas bench coach Steve Buechele were also ejected from the game after the initial fight.
Blue Jays bench coach Demarlo Hale was tossed along with Chavez because he was filling in for Gibbons after the Toronto manager was ejected earlier in the game for arguing with the home-plate umpire.
Gibbons called the Rangers' attempts to seek retribution on Bautista "gutless."
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Sorry, there's no defense for Odor [...]
Oh, I'm not defending him. Frankly, I wonder if he could be charged with assault.
I still stand by my previous comment -- they're both idiots. If they were my children, they'd both be going to bed without any supper.
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No suspension or fine of Jose Bautista.
As it should be. :tongue2:
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Why exactly was Blue Jays' manager Gibbons suspended for three games?
Was it something he said about the Rangers being "gutless"?
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Why exactly was Blue Jays' manager Gibbons suspended for three games?
Was it something he said about the Rangers being "gutless"?
He was ejected and came out of the clubhouse. He also took the hit for Chavez chunking at Prince Fielder.
Bautista helped lose the game by taking that Utley slide.
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He was ejected and came out of the clubhouse. He also took the hit for Chavez chunking at Prince Fielder.
I would have given him just the automatic single-game suspension for coming out after
the ejection. If anyone should have gotten a siddown-and-shaddap for Chavez drilling
Fielder, it should have been bench coach DeMarlo Hale. He was the acting manager
when the Chavez drill was thrown after the warnings were given out.
I'm surprised Bush didn't get even a fine for throwing at Bautista. But I'd still like to
know whether he did it on his own or whether someone among the Rangers' coaches
ordered the pitch.
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He was ejected and came out of the clubhouse. He also took the hit for Chavez chunking at Prince Fielder.
Bautista helped lose the game by taking that Utley slide.
You misspelled 'shitty'. :laugh:
....damned autocorrect
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From our Did You See That Dept.---Elvis Andrus of the Rangers
got docked one game for throwing a punch. I couldn't tell in all the
replays I saw of the brawl where he even was!
Also, Josh Donaldson got a fine but no suspension. He was one of the
first two Jays out of the dugout when Bautista got punched out. I was
surprised Kevin Pillar didn't get fined---he flew out of the dugout with
Donaldson and was, according to a lot of stories about the scrum,
the most animated of the Jays' brawlers.
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Based upon Odor's salary, wondering what 8 games being docked...comes to?
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Based upon Odor's salary, wondering what 8 games being docked...comes to?
You ever heard of tip money? ;)
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How do you follow a 20-strikeout performance?
If you're Max Scherzer, apparently you do it by getting shut out by Noah Syndergaard and the Mets:
Curtis Granderson---hits the first pitch over the fence in the bottom of the first.
Michael Conforto---hits one out with two out in the bottom of the third.
Thor---Ten punchouts in seven innings.
2-0, Mets, your final.
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Thor---Ten punchouts in seven innings.
He's fun to watch, too.
Can you believe the Braves have scored 9 runs tonight? And they're still down by 2. *sigh*
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He's fun to watch, too.
Just about all the Mets' starters are.
Can you believe the Braves have scored 9 runs tonight? And they're still down by 2. *sigh*
Does that say this year's Braves, or what?
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.....Bryce Harper's recent one-game suspension. What exactly was it for?
You cannot say he came back out on the field after getting thrown out....BECAUSE THE GAME WAS OVER when pinch-hitter Robinson's ball went over the fence. :pondering: :pondering: :pondering:
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.....Bryce Harper's recent one-game suspension. What exactly was it for?
You cannot say he came back out on the field after getting thrown out....BECAUSE THE GAME WAS OVER when pinch-hitter Robinson's ball went over the fence. :pondering: :pondering: :pondering:
There's a rule that you can't return to the playing field or the dugout after you've been ejected.
Plus, Harper was still P.O.ed at the ump who thumbed him and fired a few, shall we say, choice
words at said ump.
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The MLBs Youngest Player Just Hit The Longest, Fat-Daddy Homer Of The Season [VIDEO].
Despite being only 20 years old, Rangers rookie Nomar Mazara is putting up veteran numbers.
“The Big Chill” — awesome nickname btw — has posted a .320 batting average and eight homers in 2016, the most recent of which was this 491-foot tater against the Angels on Wednesday, the longest yet this season.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2016/05/26/the-mlbs-youngest-player-just-hit-the-longest-fat-daddy-homer-of-the-season-video/#ixzz49m1c6O27
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It not even June and the Cubs are in a slide.
Cubs 31-14 .689
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It not even June and the Cubs are in a slide.
Cubs 31-14 .689
We are getting closer to the All-Star break... :smokin:
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We are getting closer to the All-Star break... :smokin:
AT this rate they will be .332 by sept 15th. :pondering:
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AT this rate they will be .332 by sept 15th. :pondering:
The thing is....who are they losing to? Are they sub 500 teams? Are the league-known Aces facing them every series?
The one thing I notice with teams going into slumps...it's when everybody is/was approaching their AB like Home Run Derby.
The other night the O's and Nats both hit something like 5 HRs each in a game and then couldn' hit sh*t for two days.
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The thing is....who are they losing to? Are they sub 500 teams? Are the league-known Aces facing them every series?
The one thing I notice with teams going into slumps...it's when everybody is/was approaching their AB like Home Run Derby.
The other night the O's and Nats both hit something like 5 HRs each in a game and then couldn' hit sh*t for two days.
Good Point. I will look into that very thing this week since we have a long weekend to enjoy the boys of summer!
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Good Point. I will look into that very thing this week since we have a long weekend to enjoy the boys of summer!
Finally! The NATS go up 2-1 on Harper's TITANIC shot and Espinosa's 8th.
Who the hell is Leeks? Why does every pitcher look like Randy, Pedro, or Roger to them?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2olHqB6I4c
Jayson Werth and the "DC Strangler" (Jonathan Papelbon) ROFL!
He refers to the time Papelbon put Bryce Harper in a choke hold after Harper didn't run out a ground ball out last season.
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Just how much will Nationals miss Jonathan Papelbon?
Eddie Maltz
WASHINGTON -- With closer Jonathan Papelbon hitting the disabled list for the first time in his 12-year career, the big question is, just how much will the first-place Washington Nationals miss him?
The big answer? Not as much as you might think.
The 35-year old Papelbon, who was acquired from Philly just before the trade deadline last year, clearly isn’t the dominant force he once was. He’s averaging 90.7 miles an hour with his fastball this season, down from 91.4 a year ago and way down from 94.8 back in 2011. That’s a pretty drastic dropoff, and one that helps explain why the veteran righty is a mere shadow of the back-end beast he used to be.
On the surface, Papelbon’s 16 saves (seventh in the NL) look fine and dandy. In fact, prior to hitting the DL, he was on pace for 41 saves this season, which would tie a career-high. For a guy that ranks 10th on the all-time saves list and third among active pitchers, that’s saying something. But his peripherals say something even louder -- namely, that Washington’s closer hasn’t been very good.
more at: http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-nationals/post/_/id/1300/just-how-much-will-the-nationals-miss-jonathan-papelbon (http://espn.go.com/blog/washington-nationals/post/_/id/1300/just-how-much-will-the-nationals-miss-jonathan-papelbon)
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If Dusty Baker is smart, he'll think about Shawn Kelley stepping in. Baker's remark
about Kelley not having shown closer makeup with his previous four teams is a
little unfair, since Kelley never really got that much of a chance to show he had it
on a consistent bases, and like the writer says he's been lights out when he's
pitched this year.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2olHqB6I4c
Jayson Werth and the "DC Strangler" (Jonathan Papelbon) ROFL!
He refers to the time Papelbon put Bryce Harper in a choke hold after Harper didn't run out a ground ball out last season.
Tough loss for the Phils. They probably would have won if Ryan Howard had been at first, since he's bigger than Tommy Joseph and wouldn't have been pulled off the bag on Harper's 9th inning infield "hit".
I've always liked the way Jason Werth plays ball, even after he left us to go to the Nats. My wife once got me season tix for our anniversary, and specified seats in right field so she'd have a good view of Werth's butt!
Pap? I couldn't be more pleased that you guys have him now! Right on, Freddy Galvis, who beats Pap like a drum.
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Tough loss for the Phils. They probably would have won if Ryan Howard had been at first, since he's bigger than Tommy Joseph and wouldn't have been pulled off the bag on Harper's 9th inning infield "hit".
I've always liked the way Jason Werth plays ball, even after he left us to go to the Nats. My wife once got me season tix for our anniversary, and specified seats in right field so she'd have a good view of Werth's butt!
Pap? I couldn't be more pleased that you guys have him now! Right on, Freddy Galvis, who beats Pap like a drum.
Jayson Werth holds sway with the team, IMO.
Back when they clinched the NL East under Matt Williams, I distinctly recall the clubhouse celebration with the champagne flowing...where in a live interview, Werth responded to the question of "How about the managing of 'rookie manager' Matt Williams.
Werth totally ignored the question after a painful pregnant pause, and essentially said the players won in spite of Williams.
And Williams is now out of the the Show.
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Jayson Werth holds sway with the team, IMO.
Back when they clinched the NL East under Matt Williams, I distinctly recall the clubhouse celebration with the champagne flowing...where in a live interview, Werth responded to the question of "How about the managing of 'rookie manager' Matt Williams.
Werth totally ignored the question after a painful pregnant pause, and essentially said the players won in spite of Williams.
And Williams is now out of the the Show.
Actually, he was hired back by the Diamondbacks as a coach in the off-season.
I wrote his managerial obituary thus when he was executed last October:
Our long Nationals nightmare is over . . . for now . . .
http://throneberryfields.com/2015/10/05/our-long-nationals-nightmare-is-over-for-now/
Before the Washington Nationals lost their final regular season game to the National League East champion Mets,
general manager Mike Rizzo promised he wasn’t going to leave people twisting in the wind. Rizzo’s words, not
mine. Maybe he thought Nats fans had been forced into doing the twist too long this season already.
Monday morning Rizzo kept his promise—and how. He executed manager Matt Williams, just a year after Williams
was named the National League’s Manager of the Year. The man who came into the season leading the prohibitive
World Series favourites leaves it with his head in a guillotine basket.
Rizzo also executed Williams’s entire coaching staff—including respected pitching coach Steve McCatty, batting
coach Rick Schu, and bench coach Randy Knorr, the man Nats players actually wanted to succeed Davey Johnson
on the bridge.
The only surprise seems to be that Williams wasn’t fired the moment the Nats’ flight back to Washington landed
after the 1-0 Sunday loss. And his managerial obituary is likeliest to be headlined, “He didn’t see the iceberg until
after it hit the Titanic.” Until after it hit, hell. Williams didn’t see the iceberg until after the damned ship sank.
The Washington Post‘s impeccable Thomas Boswell found an even more delicious analogy a week earlier, after it
came forth that Jonathan Papelbon tried to choke Bryce Harper in the dugout and Williams admitted having no
clue: “If Matt Williams had been at Ford’s Theatre in 1865, he would have loved the play. Did something go wrong?
Nope, didn’t see a thing. Nobody said anything, either.”
At the same time, another Post writer, Barry Svrluga, published a wholly damning three-part series examining just
how the Nats went from Series favourites to serious ignominy. The Nats were dogged by injuries and inconsistent
play all season long, but these Nats could have been the healthiest team in baseball and Williams would still have left
jaws on the floor and a team in shards.
The bill of particulars just involving in-game thinking or lack thereof is damning enough, from lifting a starter from
division series tying games one out from a complete game shutout to bringing in a rookie instead of three solid
veterans to lose a division series.
From refusing to use his setup man and closer in pressure situations that weren’t eighth or ninth inning assignments
to refusing to juggle his rotation to let Max Scherzer face the oncoming Mets in a series that just might have proven
to begin the Nats’ final downfall.
From bunting with a hitter who couldn’t bunt and leaving on-deck Harper at the mercy of a guaranteed walk to
sending Harper’s would-be choker Papelbon out to pitch the ninth anyway because he didn’t see the attack until
shown video postgame—then declaring Harper’s pre-scheduled off day the following day was really discipline for
his “involvement” in the previous day’s assault, which amounted to giving the victim a little blame after all.
From warming relief pitchers up repeatedly but not bringing them in one night to watching in disbelief when he
brought them in the following day and couldn’t understand why they had nothing left but fumes and would be
ignited on the mound.
Williams might have begun losing his clubhouse after last year’s division series. It might have continued when
neither Williams, his brain trust, nor the front office seemed to have a clue about managing the rehabs of the
wounded, or working the slumping out of their slumps.
But this season, factoring most of the above plus his equally maddening habit of failing to tell his players when
they’d have off days until they saw it on the day’s lineup card, Svrluga’s series exposed the disconnect once and
for all, when he cited Jayson Werth—likewise discovering his off day by seeing the lineup card and never hearing
it from the skipper—cornering Williams and demanding to know, “When exactly do you think you lost this team?”
“He’s like the guy in his house who hears a sound, like someone breaking in,” said an unnamed Nat to Svrluga.
“And his reaction isn’t to take care of the problem or investigate. It’s to put his head under the pillow and hope it
goes away.”
If that was Williams, Rizzo could be the guy in his house who puts a fire out with gasoline. Approaching the non-
waiver deadline, Rizzo had a team who needed help at the plate and in the middle relief corps. (So who told him to
trade Tyler Clippard, who’d come back to haunt him as a Met?) He had a revived closer who nailed 29 of 31 save
opportunities and a nifty 1.64 ERA as of the day before the deadline.
Allowing limited resources in the wake of landing Scherzer on a $210 million deal, Rizzo decided the way to fix
those plate and middle relief issues was to deal for . . . a closer with a reputation for on- and off-the-mound
combustibility. Pushing Storen into a setup role, misplacing veteran Casey Janssen—a former closer now suited
better to a setup role, and showing a solid 2.82 ERA before the deadline—into the seventh inning role.
Storen and Janssen were a mess from then on. For the Nats players, whom Svrluga describes as practically fainting
when the Papelbon deal was made, it felt like a betrayal considering their fondness for Storen and admiration for the
ways he’d pitched his way back from often humiliating adversity.
Then Storen came into a 9 September game against the Mets only to see Yoenis Cespedes (if there’s an award for
Most Valuable Trade Deadline Acquisition, Cespedes would probably share it with David Price this year) send his second
pitch over the left center field fence. He got the last two outs of the inning, then in abject frustration slammed his
thumb into his locker’s lock box—and couldn’t bring himself to admit it until two days later, in Florida, when he couldn’t
throw.
Broken thumb, season done. Broken team, season done. And that was before Papelbon v. Harper.
The long Nationals nightmare may be over at last. But that might be nothing compared to the one they face this winter.
Whom to succeed Williams? Should Rizzo himself face the executioner?
Whom to bring in in the event they lose Zimmermann, Ian Desmond, Denard Span, and Doug Fister (who fisted his way
out of the rotation and into the bullpen) to free agency? Can they re-balance a lineup that had only one everyday
lefthanded bat (Harper) and rarely got to look at lefthanded pitching?
Will a promising kid corps (Rivero, Ross, outfielder Michael A. Taylor, middle infielder Trea Turner) begin keeping their
promise next year? Can they rid themselves of Papelbon and his $11 million 2016? (Assuming nobody else in baseball
wants him, is there any formal rule saying you can’t trade a baseball player to the NHL or the UFC?)
And will the next Nationals manager see the icebergs before one of them the Titanic?
-
Actually, he was hired back by the Diamondbacks as a coach in the off-season.
I wrote his managerial obituary thus when he was executed last October:
Okay....WHO ARE YOU?
I swear I was reading Boswell, there.
I am not worthy, @EasyAce ! :beer:
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Wow!
The NATS just won a CLASSIC for the ages....taking the rubber game vs. the CUBS in 12 innings.
Werth comes through once again, hitting the top of the RC wall, just a foot from leaving the park. Michael A. Taylor, on 1b was running on the pitch.
So...another interview on field...audio sounding thru the park...and the jumbo tron showing Jayson Werth....
1st question....:" Jayson...this was one for the age...the back and forth...what are you feeling right now?"
Werth raises both his arms and screams "HOLY SHIT!"
The guy comes back with the mic and says....under his breath...but heard thru the park..."We can do without the cursing...."
Werth: ( even louder ) "KISS MY ASS!"
Gotta love these guys. :laugh:
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1BkzCf6olE
-
http://m.mlb.com/news/article/184321684/braves-freddie-freeman-hits-for-cycle (http://m.mlb.com/news/article/184321684/braves-freddie-freeman-hits-for-cycle)
Freeman hit for the cycle last night, AND the Braves won in extra innings -- both of which are rare feats these days.
(http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/baseball/baseball-hit-smiley-emoticon.gif)
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http://m.mlb.com/news/article/184321684/braves-freddie-freeman-hits-for-cycle (http://m.mlb.com/news/article/184321684/braves-freddie-freeman-hits-for-cycle)
Freeman hit for the cycle last night, AND the Braves won in extra innings -- both of which are rare feats these days.
(http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/baseball/baseball-hit-smiley-emoticon.gif)
Not fond of the Braves and that "tomahawk cheer"...but as an Orioles' fan..I sure do feel bad for Nick Markakis.
I'm hoping they will trade him to a contender...after all the bridesmaid seasons in Baltimore.
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Not fond of the Braves and that "tomahawk cheer"...but as an Orioles' fan..I sure do feel bad for Nick Markakis.
I'm hoping they will trade him to a contender...after all the bridesmaid seasons in Baltimore.
I'm a huge Markakis fan, no matter where he ends up.
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I'm a huge Markakis fan, no matter where he ends up.
Yep...a fan's player. Works hard..keeps his head down...involved in the community, etc..
Buck Showalter hated to see him leave. But, you've only got so many years to make the $$$.
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Not fond of the Braves and that "tomahawk cheer"...but as an Orioles' fan..I sure do feel bad for Nick Markakis.
I'm hoping they will trade him to a contender...after all the bridesmaid seasons in Baltimore.
Having grown up in Baltimore I am an O's fan but haven't been following them much since I moved to PA. But they are having a pretty good season this year so I'm going to have to look for games on TV up here.
I'm pretty sure I saw Markakis play in 2004 when he was with the Aberdeen Ironbirds.
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[Tyler] Wilson 3-hitter, Jones homer helps Orioles beat Red Sox 5-1 [takes 1st place in AL East]
BOSTON -- Tyler Wilson allowed three hits over eight innings, Adam Jones added a home run and three RBI, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Boston Red Sox 5-1 on Thursday night.
The victory gives the Orioles their second series win this season over their American League East rivals.
video of great performance at link
http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360616102 (http://espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=360616102)
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Having grown up in Baltimore I am an O's fan but haven't been following them much since I moved to PA. But they are having a pretty good season this year so I'm going to have to look for games on TV up here.
I'm pretty sure I saw Markakis play in 2004 when he was with the Aberdeen Ironbirds.
It's amazing what Buck Showalter gets out of his guys.
The Yankees would give him the world to get him in their dugout.
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It's the Angels' turn to get their Freak on . . . Tim Lincecum started on Saturday:
* Threw a deadly looking changeup 38 percent of the time.
* Got ten of his outs on that pitch.
* Surrendered only one run in six and a third.
* 7-1, Angels, your final against Oakland.
If Lincecum keeps pitching like that and using that changeup the way he did today,
it could mean serious help for the Angels this year and next and a BIG load off
their pitching woes. He hadn't looked this good since his better days with the Giants.
(http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/tim-lincecum-of-the-los-angeles-angels-of-anaheim-pitches-against-the-picture-id541084818)
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Oh-oh....are the METS crashing even BEFORE the Dog Days of August?
...losing another one to the BRAVES.
NATS win tonight, the lead goes to 7 games.
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It's amazing what Buck Showalter gets out of his guys.
The Yankees would give him the world to get him in their dugout.
Of course the Yankees used to have uck in the dugout and showed him the door.
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Of course the Yankees used to have Buck in the dugout and showed him the door.
Billy Martin, anyone? :laugh:
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(http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/baseball/baseball-hit-smiley-emoticon.gif)
A special tip of the cap to you @Polly Ticks for showing the rest of the league that the METS are mortal. And wounded.
Love the come from behind win tonight. 4-3.
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Rangers up 10 games in the AL West. It's a very weak division, but Rangers have a very young, very good team. And Manager Jeff Bannister is willing to risk playing kids like Jurickson Profar and Nomar Mazzarra, who are shining in the lineup.
Pitching's holding up so far. Rangers right there with the Orioles in the number of players (6) who have 10 or more homers.
See you guys in October.
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A special tip of the cap to you @Polly Ticks for showing the rest of the league that the METS are mortal. And wounded.
Love the come from behind win tonight. 4-3.
I got home late, but made it in time to catch all the late-inning fireworks. Very exciting game!
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Go Rangers! :patriot:
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Go Rangers! :patriot:
Yes, we used to refer to the Rangers as "Orioles' West". Trades on the field, but also hires from the O's organization.
Today...a lot of the former O's brass are in the Blue Jays' organization.
There was such a thing as Orioles' Magic.
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A special tip of the cap to you @Polly Ticks for showing the rest of the league that the METS are mortal. And wounded.
Love the come from behind win tonight. 4-3.
@DCPatriot
The final results of our four-game series with the Mets are in ... We split with them 2-2, and one of their wins was a 1-0 extra innings affair.
They're definitely mortal.
Good luck!
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@DCPatriot
The final results of our four-game series with the Mets are in ... We split with them 2-2, and one of their wins was a 1-0 extra innings affair.
They're definitely mortal.
Good luck!
"If it bleeds...we can kill it!!" ...Dutch, in Predator
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I sincerely hope the pitchers don't go head-hunting in this 3 game series.
Tonight, it's Noah Snydergaard vs. Josh Ross. Noah is 8-2 with a WHIP of .99
I say he's very hittable right now.
Josh Ross is lights out when he can spot his fastball and throw 'strike one'.
We'll see.
It was just announced that #1 minor league prospect Lucas Giolito will be making his pitching debut for the NATS tomorrow vs. Harvey!
That should be must see TV, IMO.
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Looks like the Tigers long drought against the Indians is over in grand fashion. Tigers win 12-2 behind Michael Fulmer pitching.
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@DCPatriot
So that was a heck of a game yesterday between the Nats and Bucs. Were you watching, and if so, did you stick it out for the entire 18 innings?
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Twinkies strike first tonight. Last night it was the Tigers who scored the first and only time.
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I like the fact that, after a slow start, my Astros have come back.
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Tigers are trailing The wins 6-1 in the 9th but wearing out pitchers.
Couple weeks back they trailed 7-0 in the 9th and ended up winning by 5 runs.
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Sources: Sox ace Chris Sale sent home after confrontation with front office member
Katie Strang and Jerry Crasnick
(http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2016%2F0524%2Fr86110_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570)
CHICAGO -- The White Sox scratched ace Chris Sale from Saturday night's start against the Detroit Tigers for what the team called a " non-physical" clubhouse incident before the game.
Two people familiar with the situation told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick that Sale was involved in a confrontation with a member of the White Sox front office. One person said the incident was over "something silly" that apparently mushroomed into a bigger argument.
Sale has had run-ins with the White Sox front office in the past, and sources around the team say his relationship with executive vice president Kenny Williams and some members of the front office is strained.
News of Sale's removal from the scheduled start trickled out about an hour before the scheduled 7:15 p.m. ET first pitch in Chicago. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn clarified what occurred in a statement released at about 6:45 p.m. ET.
"Chris Sale has been scratched from tonight's scheduled start and sent home from the ballpark by the White Sox due to a clubhouse incident before the game," Hahn said. "The incident, which was non-physical in nature, currently is under further investigation by the club. The White Sox will have no additional comment until the investigation is completed."
The White Sox clubhouse was open to reporters for only 20 minutes before it was closed for a team meeting before the game. Manager Robin Ventura did not discuss the incident later in his pregame availability.
Matt Albers was named the starting pitcher for Saturday's game, which was delayed by rain. The crowd booed when Albers was announced as the starter as the teams warmed up.
more at: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17131938/chicago-white-sox-scratch-pitcher-chris-sale (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17131938/chicago-white-sox-scratch-pitcher-chris-sale)
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Sources: Sox ace Chris Sale sent home after confrontation with front office member
Watching them sit in the dugouts now. (Rain)
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Sources: Sox ace Chris Sale sent home after confrontation with front office member
Katie Strang and Jerry Crasnick
(http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2016%2F0524%2Fr86110_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg&w=570)
CHICAGO -- The White Sox scratched ace Chris Sale from Saturday night's start against the Detroit Tigers for what the team called a " non-physical" clubhouse incident before the game.
Two people familiar with the situation told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick that Sale was involved in a confrontation with a member of the White Sox front office. One person said the incident was over "something silly" that apparently mushroomed into a bigger argument.
Sale has had run-ins with the White Sox front office in the past, and sources around the team say his relationship with executive vice president Kenny Williams and some members of the front office is strained.
News of Sale's removal from the scheduled start trickled out about an hour before the scheduled 7:15 p.m. ET first pitch in Chicago. White Sox general manager Rick Hahn clarified what occurred in a statement released at about 6:45 p.m. ET.
"Chris Sale has been scratched from tonight's scheduled start and sent home from the ballpark by the White Sox due to a clubhouse incident before the game," Hahn said. "The incident, which was non-physical in nature, currently is under further investigation by the club. The White Sox will have no additional comment until the investigation is completed."
The White Sox clubhouse was open to reporters for only 20 minutes before it was closed for a team meeting before the game. Manager Robin Ventura did not discuss the incident later in his pregame availability.
Matt Albers was named the starting pitcher for Saturday's game, which was delayed by rain. The crowd booed when Albers was announced as the starter as the teams warmed up.
more at: http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17131938/chicago-white-sox-scratch-pitcher-chris-sale (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17131938/chicago-white-sox-scratch-pitcher-chris-sale)
Let's see---Sale has had a long strained relationship with some front office people. He's been the subject of near-
incessant trade rumours for a couple of months. Could he have suggested they sh@t or get off the pot and quit
keeping him hanging?
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On the other hand, I could have been wrong . . .
Chris Sale reportedly sent home after argument over uniforms (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/17131938/chicago-white-sox-scratch-pitcher-chris-sale)
The jersey in question:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcqEsonWoAI33jL.jpg)
Bad enough: the regular uni made the White Sox look like a beer-league softball team.
Worse: The one-day variation of the uniform that probably really tripped Sale's trigger, since the White Sox
who got stuck wearing it during a doubleheader with the Royals weren't exactly thrilled about it,
either:
(http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/visual/whatshot/sox-shorts-2015.jpg)
(You're not seeing things, that's Hall of Famer Goose Gossage.)
The incredibly silly stat involving the White Sox's beer-league jersey-and-shorts rig: History will record
that only one man has ever hit a home run wearing shorts in a major league game. You guessed it:
he was a White Sox during that doubleheader: Jack Brohamer:
(http://65.media.tumblr.com/2eba6633178f15e2b6645bc2615c98ff/tumblr_nke6zn97gC1to5buio1_1280.jpg)
Sale only shredded the throwback versions so nobody on the White Sox could wear them.
Me? I'd have incinerated them.
On the grounds that major league baseball teams shouldn't be hitting the field looking like beer league
softballers. (I'm still surprised the 1979 Pirates tolerated their unis. Or the 1980s Astros. Or the Indians
of the all-red unis. Or the Orioles of the all-orange unis.)
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So....is Sale a prima donna? Or, is it just that he's not happy with the organization's promotions vs spending $$$ on winning.
:laugh:
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Tigers and Sox have to finish last night's game today. (2:10 PM)
Game suspended after 8 innings tied 3-3
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So....is Sale a prima donna? Or, is it just that he's not happy with the organization's promotions vs spending $$$ on winning.
:laugh:
He came right out and said he wasn't happy about putting promotions ahead of baseball. I think he's had a running
argument with the front office about investing in the team for quite awhile. Sometimes it reminds me of the Tom
Seaver imbroglio with the Mets in the mid-1970s---where Seaver publicly said he wasn't just interested in his own
contract (he wanted to renegotiate but never once said he'd abrogate his incumbent contract otherwise),
but in the Mets making serious investments both in the organisation and on the embryonic free agency
markets. (That was actually the bigger issue for Seaver.)
But Sale, at least, to anyone's knowledge, doesn't have to contend with the relative of a powerful local
columnist working in the White Sox front office. (Seaver had such an adversary: the son-in-law of legendarily
grumpy Daily News columnist Dick Young. Who'd be hoist by his own petard a decade later, when he jumped
to the New York Post . . . and actually did what he only accused Seaver of doing, wanting to renege on his
contract.)
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Appearances played a big part in Detroit trading Alex Avila to Chicago.
His father is now the GM of the Detroit Tigers and there was talk about whether it would be appropriate for him to be involved in trades of his son.
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The Astros go for the sweep of the Angels today.
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My friend and I discussed some of the defunct Major League baseball teams but could not really come up with names.
Wikipedia pages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Defunct_Major_League_Baseball_teams
Most of these are really obscure, the history of baseball nonetheless, is fascinating because it very much reflects the history of the country somewhat too.
It looks like the Civil War ends in 1865; by 1875, baseball starts to become a very major pastime in the US.
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My friend and I discussed some of the defunct Major League baseball teams but could not really come up with names.
Wikipedia pages: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Defunct_Major_League_Baseball_teams
Most of these are really obscure, the history of baseball nonetheless, is fascinating because it very much reflects the history of the country somewhat too.
It looks like the Civil War ends in 1865; by 1875, baseball starts to become a very major pastime in the US.
A photo my great grandfather took of some locals playing baseball in my hometown. I'm guessing sometime between 1920 and 1930.
(http://i.imgur.com/B0NuRkg.png)
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http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/powerrankings/
Power rankings, always interesting to check in on though, I know it doesn't settle anything.
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A photo my great grandfather took of some locals playing baseball in my hometown. I'm guessing sometime between 1920 and 1930.
(http://i.imgur.com/B0NuRkg.png)
Great photo.
One has to love that, it's such a phenomenon really.
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A photo my great grandfather took of some locals playing baseball in my hometown. I'm guessing sometime between 1920 and 1930.
(http://i.imgur.com/B0NuRkg.png)
By the looks of that infield, was there any such thing as a 'good' hop? YIKES!!
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By the looks of that infield, was there any such thing as a 'good' hop? YIKES!!
Today Home plate is down in the direction of the house on the background and today its a nice lighted diamond.
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In that photo, that catcher is interesting and while I grew up, the catcher position was difficult. Squatting can be hell on the legs.
I watched a kids game recently and now, at least some catcher's equipment has, I don't know the word but on the back of the calf, a place where one can rest themselves (their bum) on the back of the shinguard equipment. I think this photo shows it some.
(http://www.emmsee.com.au/images/productimages/mizuno-samurai-catchers-set(1).jpg)
I don't find anything on it but I know I saw it.
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Today Home plate is down in the direction of the house on the background and today its a nice lighted diamond.
Speaking about "home plate" being hallowed ground....I cannot believe the new and improved Yankee Stadium wasn't built around the same home plate used by Ruth, DiMaggio, Maris, Williams, Musial, Aaron, etc..
Do they even have a plaque commemorating the actual site?
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I think the cost of equipment and liabilities are a major part of the reason American kids don't play baseball these days. We all played baseball when we were kids in the 70s. Basically all a player brought to a team was a glove and we got a cap and a t-shirt.
My little town of Hanover Michigan had two public diamonds, one lighted plus the lighted diamond at the high school. Something like 6 diamonds in the township.
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(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n151/hagemangroup/Eddie%20Murray%20Bret%20Boone%20catching%20Baltimore_zpsomih35zu.jpg)
I shot this one sitting next to the close-end of the dugout down by the railing. I know it was in Baltimore, but can't recall if it's the old War Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street, or Oriole Park at Camden Yard.
Eddie Murray hitting with Bret Boone (Aaron Boone's dad) catching.
You know there's a runner on base because Boone's throwing hand is exposed and clenched.
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I don't plug for ESPN or Sports Illustrated but their cover on the Cubs this year, did get my attention and I liked the title, "the last great American sports story"; that's got a good catch to it and might be accurate. Of course, I don't keep up with it as I should but my friend said the Cubs got a coach who has won two World Series with other teams. So, maybe that has something to do with it.
(http://static.lakana.com/media.fox32chicago.com/photo/2016/05/10/SI%20Cover-%20Chicago%20Cubs_1462910414123_1290825_ver1.0.jpg)
I know when at least I was growing up, it be Ali or Mark Spitz or whatever, the big sports stories.
And I'm certainly not plugging for the Cubs, I just found it interesting. Back in the '80s with the advent of cable tv getting better, we got the Cubs, the Braves and Mets all on cable. Before that, I watched plenty of Dodgers games as well on the tube but I had had little exposure to these other teams and one of those years was the year, the Mets were so good.
Though, I wouldnt mind seeing the Cubs take it. Easier said. Lots of good teams out there.
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(http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n151/hagemangroup/Eddie%20Murray%20Bret%20Boone%20catching%20Baltimore_zpsomih35zu.jpg)
I shot this one sitting next to the close-end of the dugout down by the railing. I know it was in Baltimore, but can't recall if it's the old War Memorial Stadium on 33rd Street, or Oriole Park at Camden Yard.
Eddie Murray hitting with Bret Boone (Aaron Boone's dad) catching.
You know there's a runner on base because Boone's throwing hand is exposed and clenched.
That's great, O's are sort of my 2nd team. They were big growing up; I just sort of like them, no specific reason why, I'm not from there. I've got a few Orioles things around to wear.
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I don't watch much baseball but I did turn on this Cubs vs. Mariners game, Mariners up 6-2 though the Cubs could come back, 7th inning.
Friday the Cubs won 11-1. Some scores are really nuts, I like the Orioles but I know they've had some bad losses in the past few days.
I like most teams, I definitely like the Tigers, they were a big team when I was growing up. If they are in the mix, I do cheer them. Indians fine, most all teams are a-okay, I like to see underdogs do well.
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Tigers have had some spectacular comebacks this year. The big one was entering the 9th inning down 7-2 against Tampa Bay and finishing the game with a 10-7 win.
They just finished a sweep of the Astros after a 9th inning comeback win last night.
They're catching the Indians with a 6 game winning streak and are now 4.5 games out.
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Wild pitch, Cubbies tie it up 6-6.... this is some game..... I'm surprised, I thought they were going to lose this here. Amazing really. Extra innings.
There was a game the other night I understand where the winning run was walked in, it happens.
Also, in this Cubs Mariners game, the Chicago Pitcher came back in to pitch after leaving earlir. I don't think I'd ever seen that happen.
The announcers joked, "a little league game had broken out". I didn't even know a pitcher, upon leaving the game could come back to pitch again.
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Wild pitch, Cubbies tie it up 6-6.... this is some game..... I'm surprised, I thought they were going to lose this here. Amazing really. Extra innings.
There was a game the other night I understand where the winning run was walked in, it happens.
Also, in this Cubs Mariners game, the Chicago Pitcher came back in to pitch after leaving earlir. I don't think I'd ever seen that happen.
The announcers joked, "a little league game had broken out". I didn't even know a pitcher, upon leaving the game could come back to pitch again.
He can if he's shifted to an outfield position and is still in the game.
I saw the Mets do that in a game in 1986---they decided to try an unheard-of double switch involving co-closers Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco.
They put Orosco in right field and McDowell on the mound, then switched them back and forth until the Mets finally won the game in extra innings.
There was (and still is) nothing in the rule enjoining against it.
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In that photo, that catcher is interesting and while I grew up, the catcher position was difficult. Squatting can be hell on the legs.
I remember a few years ago, I ended up playing catcher for a church softball game. Now, keep in mind, I walk regularly and my legs are in quite good shape—but I couldn't walk right for three days afterward, my legs were so sore.
I vowed never again.
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I remember a few years ago, I ended up playing catcher for a church softball game. Now, keep in mind, I walk regularly and my legs are in quite good shape—but I couldn't walk right for three days afterward, my legs were so sore.
I vowed never again.
I played catcher my last year of little league. Even at the young age of 12, I was whipped when the game was over, flat worn out. The only neat thing was being involved in every pitch, but I was sure happy to go to 3rd base the next year, which was where I was before moving to catcher.
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Series to watch...especially after the Lucroy/Beltran additions...the Texas Rangers vs the Baltimore Orioles.
Rookie Dylan Bundy starts for the O's.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/scoreboard (http://espn.go.com/mlb/scoreboard)
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Astros split at home with Toronto so far, but in the middle of a tough 2 week stretch.
Toronto for 7 games (with 2 played), Rangers, and Orioles.
They changed closers, from Harris to Giles.
Giles had been clocked at 101 mph.
We shall see.
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Astros split at home with Toronto so far, but in the middle of a tough 2 week stretch.
Toronto for 7 games (with 2 played), Rangers, and Orioles.
They changed closers, from Harris to Giles.
Giles had been clocked at 101 mph.
We shall see.
Things can turn around quickly. The Tigers were down 7.5 games to Cleveland a week ago but a 7 game winning streak has brought them to within 3 games.
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A pitching battle to watch. The well know ace , Chris Sale against likely rookie of the year Michael Fulmer.
(http://i.imgur.com/hWCkZkf.png)
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That's 8 in a row for the Tigers.
Looks like the Indians are fixin to lose to the Twins tonight.
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That's 8 in a row for the Tigers.
Looks like the Indians are fixin to lose to the Twins tonight.
...meanwhile, my Orioles and Nationals are still leading their respective divisions. :beer:
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Have y'all seen this thing today about "astro girl" last night?.
I watched most of the Toronto-Houston game last night, but missed that part of it.
It's all over the Houston area news today.
I did see several replays of Nolan Ryan vs, Robin Ventura fight yesterday.
Yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of that.
(Man that makes me feel older).
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Dallas Kuechel goes 9 and shuts out the Rangers 5-0. ' bout damned time! WooHoo!
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Bring it on. Nothing better than being outside working on a fine spring day with the ball game on the radio.
That's how I remember it, and love it. Howard Cosell... I live in MT, and have for most of my life, and baseball on the radio is wholly absent... It is just a sweet bit of nostalgia for me.
Can't stand it on TV.
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That's how I remember it, and love it. Howard Cosell... I live in MT, and have for most of my life, and baseball on the radio is wholly absent... It is just a sweet bit of nostalgia for me.
Can't stand it on TV.
I grew up with baseball on the radio as well. I have satellite radio, and on long trips, I'll put on random games. I love the spots where someone wins some prize from a town to a store I've never heard of. Real America. Great stuff, and as they say "I saw it on the Radio. I am an Astros fan, but , was anyone ever better than Vin Scully?
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I grew up with baseball on the radio as well. I have satellite radio, and on long trips, I'll put on random games. I love the spots where someone wins some prize from a town to a store I've never heard of. Real America. Great stuff, and as they say "I saw it on the Radio. I am an Astros fan, but , was anyone ever better than Vin Scully?
When I was a youngster in Buffalo, NY, I vividly recall listening to Buffalo Bison (AAA International League) on the radio.
The only thing was...years went by when I read that it was mimicked based upon ticker tape being received into their studio/trailer.
The announcers 'created' the atmosphere and drama...knowing full well what transpired.
:laugh:
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When I was a youngster in Buffalo, NY, I vividly recall listening to Buffalo Bison (AAA International League) on the radio.
The only thing was...years went by when I read that it was mimicked based upon ticker tape being received into their studio/trailer.
The announcers 'created' the atmosphere and drama...knowing full well what transpired.
:laugh:
The voice of Ernie Harwell was as familiar is any in my own family. Harwell was the first ever broadcaster included in a trade.
www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=uobC_swFT2E
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Dallas Kuechel goes 9 and shuts out the Rangers 5-0. ' bout damned time! WooHoo!
GT....huge Astros fan since 1965. Glad to see another one here.
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GT....huge Astros fan since 1965. Glad to see another one here.
I went on a trip when I was 10 and saw Nolan Ryan pitch for the Angels. I was a huge fan of his. I was so glad he came home, and sad when he went to the Rangers.
When my son turned 10, I took him to the dome, got his name on the scoreboard, 1992.
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I went on a trip when I was 10 and saw Nolan Ryan pitch for the Angels. I was a huge fan of his. I was so glad he came home, and sad when he went to the Rangers.
When my son turned 10, I took him to the dome, got his name on the scoreboard, 1992.
Ryan's my all time favorite too. Actually got to see every home start '83 - '85. One of my favorite snapshots was the one I took on the exact pitch he recorded his 4000th K. Would always go to the game early, and watch him warmup. Bullpen at the dome was along the foul lines, so you could watch pretty closely. the sound of the ball hitting the mitt was incredible. Throwing that fast, just warming up.
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My two memorable childhood baseball events...seeing the famous Willie Mays over-the-shoulder catch in CF and seeing Mickey Mantle cry after Bill Mazerowski's walk-off HR to beat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series that had the pirates lose 3 games by scores of 16-3, 10-0, and 12-0.
.....on my grandmother's 13 inch black and white Admiral television.
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Ryan's my all time favorite too. Actually got to see every home start '83 - '85. One of my favorite snapshots was the one I took on the exact pitch he recorded his 4000th K. Would always go to the game early, and watch him warmup. Bullpen at the dome was along the foul lines, so you could watch pretty closely. the sound of the ball hitting the mitt was incredible. Throwing that fast, just warming up.
Great minds think alike.
I was thinking about the sound of the Ryan fastball hitting the mitt.
It would sound like a shot!
Went there when he was chasing Walter Johnson.
Packed against Phillies.
Jose Cruz hit a line drive foul towards me that made my life flash before my eyes!
Hit the aisle next to me.
Ryan didn't break the record that start, but did it the next, on the road in Montreal (3,803, i think?).
BYW, did you see last night?
Tribute to 1986.
Showed Ryan, Scott, Bass, Garner, others.
Scott was in the booth with Brown and Ashby.
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Don't look now Indians.
(http://i.imgur.com/ZO14HyB.jpg)
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Has anyone seen the news that A Rod is FINALLY retiring as of Friday?
Don't know why this makes me happy but it does. So, I'm buying :beer:
Btw, are Yankee fans allowed in here? I realize once you get out of the NY/NJ area we aren't very loved.
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Has anyone seen the news that A Rod is FINALLY retiring as of Friday?
Don't know why this makes me happy but it does. So, I'm buying :beer:
Btw, are Yankee fans allowed in here? I realize once you get out of the NY/NJ area we aren't very loved.
Hoping the Tigers sweep the other New Yarkers out of Detroit today.
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Hoping the Tigers sweep the other New Yarkers out of Detroit today.
That picture of the tyger you posted surely will have have them running. So beautiful but so scary. I actually want to steal it for wallpaper.
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Great minds think alike.
I was thinking about the sound of the Ryan fastball hitting the mitt.
It would sound like a shot!
Went there when he was chasing Walter Johnson.
Packed against Phillies.
Jose Cruz hit a line drive foul towards me that made my life flash before my eyes!
Hit the aisle next to me.
Ryan didn't break the record that start, but did it the next, on the road in Montreal (3,803, i think?).
BYW, did you see last night?
Tribute to 1986.
Showed Ryan, Scott, Bass, Garner, others.
Scott was in the booth with Brown and Ashby.
Sadly, my little spot here in SE Texas does not have Root Sports, and I don't think I would l get enough use out of MLB TV for the costs. Plus don't they black out some? I Do get to see them play when they play the Rangers on FSSW though.
Sounds like you did get a shot a foul ball. Believe it or not, I've gone to somewhere between 500-600 Astros games in my life, and haven;t come within 10 feet of a foul ball. Did snag a couple that landed in foul territory during bp, but that doesn't count.
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@DCPatriot
I guess I am a little younger than you.
I've seen the what you have described, but not live.
My childhood memories go about 1967 to 1975.
Guys like Mays,Aaron, Banks, Brock, Clemente, Brooks and Frank Robinson, Yazstremski, Bench.
Pitchers like Bob Gibson, Ryan,Seaver, catfish, Palmer.
....and alot more names that I am sure will come to mind as soon as I hit the "post" button.
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Breaking News
Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Miami Marlins becomes 30th MLB player to reach 3000 career hits.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-becomes-30th-player-in-mlb-history-with-3000-hits-223904192.html
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Nice for Ichiro.
Good job.
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Breaking News
Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Miami Marlins becomes 30th MLB player to reach 3000 career hits.
And it was a triple, no less. Very well done!
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And it was a triple, no less. Very well done!
Yeah, he's a lock for the HOF.
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Yeah, he's a lock for the HOF.
Add 1278 hits from Japan, and he now has 22 more than Rose. Amazing
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And it was a triple, no less. Very well done!
It makes him only the second player to join the 3,000 hit club with a triple. (The first: Paul Molitor.)
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Ichiro Suzuki's favourite American expression, as told to Bob Costas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtImIqR5neU)
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I see where Tim Tebow is going to try baseball.
Will he have to be a designated hitter so he won't have to throw the ball?
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Wow, looks like the Tigers "stupid" trade of Prince Fielder was really dodging a bullet in the long run.
Looks like his career is over with this 2nd neck injury.
He was always fun to watch.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7FGQls0KM
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Wow, looks like the Tigers "stupid" trade of Prince Fielder was really dodging a bullet in the long run.
Looks like his career is over with this 2nd neck injury.
He was always fun to watch.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT7FGQls0KM
Weird,
he is standing in front of a sign that probably has something to do with health, but you can't see the "h".
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Seeing these two 1 after the other in the line up probably gave a lot of pitchers nightmares. I hated to see Fielder go but Kinsler was a good trade.
(http://i.imgur.com/uDXOtyT.jpg)
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Breaking News
Japanese outfielder Ichiro Suzuki of the Miami Marlins becomes 30th MLB player to reach 3000 career hits.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-becomes-30th-player-in-mlb-history-with-3000-hits-223904192.html
I never realized he was still playing in MLB. I remember the big splash when he came over from Japan, but he's been very much under the radar for the past decade or so, it seems.
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Weird,
he is standing in front of a sign that probably has something to do with health, but you can't see the "h".
Early word also has it that Fielder will not forgo the $128M the Rangers owe him the next 5 years.
Sorry Rangers fans :laugh:
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A-ROD, 'retiring' Friday, is NOT in the lineup tonight or tomorrow in Boston.
Currently at 696 HRs...with the Green Monster mooning him out there...WTF is going on?
That's rhetorical, of course.
Although, people offer different opinions, it should be pointed out that Yankee skipper, Girardi said, when asked about Alex not being in the lineup...(paraphrased)...."Sure...of course he wants to play. Who wants to sit on the bench...but we've got [important] games to win."
Uh, Joe....your brass traded Miller and Chapman just 5.5 games short of the Wildcard berth.
Don't tell me you are trying to put your best players out there to win the game. You traded for prospects and cash.
Did the Steinbrenner family suddenly get 'buyer's remorse' of sorts about their new arrangement with Alex? Do they just want him gone now?
Meh....
I think Girardi's sort of telling the truth, because he's got to be empathetic to the other guys in that lineup who signed with the Yankees on their tradition of winning and ruling the baseball world...and they all bought-in to the idea that we're contending.
Who the hell wants to throw in the towel in August? 'Only' 6 games back in the WC slot?
A manager never wants to lose him team...at game time, he's got to be thinking of only one thing. WINNING.
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David Ortiz Bobbleheads are pulled for being "racially insensitive".
:silly:
(http://sports-images.vice.com/images/highlights/meta/2016/08/09/so-this-david-ortiz-bobblehead-is-really-bad-1470772041.jpg?crop=0.5633528265107213xw:1xh;0.38791423001949316xw,0xh&output-quality=75) (http://www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/news/jimcrow/question/july08/jockey.jpg)
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I have thought he'd complain about the stomach girth, but the bobblehead doesn't feature that visual asset whatsoever.
Plus, the raised right hand doesn't match the color of the face.
I couldn't see anybody tying a horse to it. LOL
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The Nationals’ Werth walk-off bobblehead is borderline obscene and completely terrifying
(http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM4S753XAAAjKto.jpg)(http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CM4S76CWUAAMzwn.jpg)
WJLA’s Alex Parker has been blessing the D.C. sports market with gems this week, but Thursday he tweeted a couple of photographs of a new Nationals giveaway that features Jayson Werth. The pose is from the 2012 NLDS, when Werth hit a walk-off home run against the Cardinals on Oct. 12. It was arguably the most exciting moment in Nationals playoff history, and certainly worthy of commemoration.
But, this bobblehead? This is an abomination.
We won’t even bother with the whole “this thing doesn’t even really look like the guy” bit, because they never really do. That’s fine. But the open mouth? Yes, he did that, but in no way was that the iconic aspect of the play. The jump? Sure. But the state of his face was not.
You have to wonder: who greenlit this? Did they not realize that beyond looking marginally inappropriate, that it’s gross to just have something with a gaping hole in a head as the major feature? And since they didn’t, take a look at this.
more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/08/21/the-nationals-werth-walk-off-bobblehead-is-borderline-obscene-and-completely-terrifying/ (http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2015/08/21/the-nationals-werth-walk-off-bobblehead-is-borderline-obscene-and-completely-terrifying/)
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Early word also has it that Fielder will not forgo the $128M the Rangers owe him the next 5 years.
Sorry Rangers fans :laugh:
This is the actual breakdown of how Fielder will be paid through the end of the 2020 season (from
now until then it's only 4.3 years, folks), assuming he stays on the DL and it rolls over to the end of
the deal:
* The Rangers pick up $9 million a year.
* The Tigers pick up $6 million a year.
* $9 million a year is covered by insurance the Rangers took on Fielder.
* The Rangers, basically, pick up 37.5 percent of Fielder's annual $24 million, and likewise
regarding the insurance policy; the Tigers pick up the remaining 25 percent.
If Fielder outright retires, he leaves the rest of his money on the table. All $96 million of it.
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This is the actual breakdown of how Fielder will be paid through the end of the 2020 season (from
now until then it's only 4.3 years, folks), assuming he stays on the DL and it rolls over to the end of
the deal:
* The Rangers pick up $9 million a year.
* The Tigers pick up $6 million a year.
* $9 million a year is covered by insurance the Rangers took on Fielder.
* The Rangers, basically, pick up 37.5 percent of Fielder's annual $24 million, and likewise
regarding the insurance policy; the Tigers pick up the remaining 25 percent.
If Fielder outright retires, he leaves the rest of his money on the table. All $96 million of it.
Looks like its official now. Still.... glad it's not my team
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Saturday in St. Louis during a game between the Braves and Cards, a friend of mine was struck in the face by a line-drive foul ball. He has lost his eye and has many shattered bones. Horrific accident.
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Saturday in St. Louis during a game between the Braves and Cards, a friend of mine was struck in the face by a line-drive foul ball. He has lost his eye and has many shattered bones. Horrific accident.
That's awful!
With the wide use of cell phones, they're going to have to put up screens along the sidelines. People aren't paying attention to what's going on.
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That's awful!
With the wide use of cell phones, they're going to have to put up screens along the sidelines. People aren't paying attention to what's going on.
I agree.
In this case, he said the bat shattered and he just lost track or mis-tracked the ball.
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Lando Lincoln; sorry for your friend.
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Saturday in St. Louis during a game between the Braves and Cards, a friend of mine was struck in the face by a line-drive foul ball. He has lost his eye and has many shattered bones. Horrific accident.
Oh, no! I'm so sorry to hear that.
I take my #5 son to a couple of Braves games each year, and I'm always hyper-vigilant about foul balls, precisely because I know he is not ... but I also worry about whether I would be able to prevent an injury even if I could see it coming. They really are going to have to extend the net at some point.
I hope your friend has a speedy (as possible) recovery.
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Oh, no! I'm so sorry to hear that.
I take my #5 son to a couple of Braves games each year...
#5 son! What a blessing.
Thank you (to all) for the well wishes towards my friend. He was planning to visit me today but he is back home in Atlanta.
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Looks like its official now. Still.... glad it's not my team
7 games up in the West with Mazzara, Beltre, Beltran, Desmond, and Odor in the lineup?
I'm glad the Rangers ARE my team.
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7 games up in the West with Mazzara, Beltre, Beltran, Desmond, and Odor in the lineup?
I'm glad the Rangers ARE my team.
You got me there. Wait till next year.
(https://cbsdallas.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/astros.jpg)
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7 games up in the West with Mazzara, Beltre, Beltran, Desmond, and Odor in the lineup?
I'm glad the Rangers ARE my team.
I absolutely hated Ian Desmond in his 'final' contract year with the Nationals.
His defense cost at least 3 direct losses that year. And his bat was nothing special.
Now...from a distance, I'm glad that he's playing with a contender. Always thought his looks and stats could find him a spokesman for Hugo Boss or Armani, etc..
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You got me there. Wait till next year.
(https://cbsdallas.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/astros.jpg)
They were winning today (the Astros) when I saw to score about a half hour ago
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They were winning today (the Astros) when I saw to score about a half hour ago
15-7 your final, Astros win. Jose Altuve---four hits, three steaks, three runs scored. Nineteen hits
for the Astros. Fifth win in their last sixteen games. Game one of a weather-necessitated doubleheader.
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I absolutely hated Ian Desmond in his 'final' contract year with the Nationals.
His defense cost at least 3 direct losses that year. And his bat was nothing special.
Now...from a distance, I'm glad that he's playing with a contender. Always thought his looks and stats could find him a spokesman for Hugo Boss or Armani, etc..
I felt exactly the same way about Beltran when he came to SF in 2011, supposedly with the offense the Giants sorely needed at the time. Turned out to be no big deal at all. He just phoned it in.
Hope he's picked his game up.
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15-7 your final, Astros win. Jose Altuve---four hits, three steaks, three runs scored. Nineteen hits
for the Astros. Fifth win in their last sixteen games. Game one of a weather-necessitated doubleheader.
They are just 4 games above .500 now.
I had hoped they would right the ship, but they have been a little banged up lately.
There may still be hope.
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There may still be hope.
Sadly our 5-9 place hitters are all Mendozans. They scare no one. Now we are rooting for Altuve to win the MVP.
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Michael Fulmer first rookie to ten wins this season in his first complete game and first shutout of the Rangers.
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Michael Fulmer first rookie to ten wins this season in his first complete game and first shutout of the Rangers.
Back-to-back shutouts.....Whatever happened to this big offensive explosion the Rangers were supposed to get with their recent acquisitions.
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Back-to-back shutouts.....Whatever happened to this big offensive explosion the Rangers were supposed to get with their recent acquisitions.
The Tigers real problem is that they're streaky. They went from an 8 game winning streak directly to a 5 game losing streak. They've also got several players out due to injuries.
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Back-to-back shutouts.....Whatever happened to this big offensive explosion the Rangers were supposed to get with their recent acquisitions.
Don't worry. Neither the Astros or M's have a ghost of a chance this season.
Bannister is now just trying to tweak the lineup and chemistry for your playoff run.
OTOH, I'd be a little disappointed what they gave up to make this run
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COWABONGA!!!!!
Astros at Orioles...1st inning.
Leadoff hitter Springer hits HR.....Houston 1...Orioles 0
Wade Miley, O's pitcher, then strikes out the side.
O's bottom half of 1st.
Adam Jones hits HR on 1st pitch
Kim singles to center
Manny Machado HRs to Center Field
Chris Davis HRs to Right Field
Mark Trumbo HRs to Center Field
ORIOLES 5 - HOUSTON 1.
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COWABONGA II
Wade Miley pitching for Baltimore HOU BAL
Gattis singled to center. 1 5
González struck out swinging. 1 5
Reed struck out swinging. 1 5
White doubled to deep center, Gattis scored. 2 5
Hernández singled to left center, White scored. 3 5
Springer hit by pitch, Hernández to second. 3 5
Bregman doubled to center, Hernández scored, Springer to third. 4 5
Altuve doubled to deep right, Springer and Bregman scored. 6 5
Jiménez relieved Miley. 6 5
Correa grounded out to shortstop. 6 5
5 Runs, 5 Hits, 0 Errors
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My Stros aren't going to playoffs this year, but we just might have the MVP.......
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Altuve_bat.jpg/220px-Altuve_bat.jpg)
Through 121 games
Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2016 ★ 26 HOU AL 121 546 480 88 175 35 4 20 80 26 7 50 54 .365 .427 .579 1.006
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My Stros aren't going to playoffs this year, but we just might have the MVP.......
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Altuve_bat.jpg/220px-Altuve_bat.jpg)
Through 121 games
Year Age Tm Lg G PA AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI SB CS BB SO BA OBP SLG OPS
2016 ★ 26 HOU AL 121 546 480 88 175 35 4 20 80 26 7 50 54 .365 .427 .579 1.006
He's having a helluva year, @catfish1957
Did you know that NEVER before in professional baseball has a team hit FOUR HRs before recording an out?
Shame the O's lost that game.....a real indictment of their bullpen, IMO.
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He's having a helluva year, @catfish1957
Did you know that NEVER before in professional baseball has a team hit FOUR HRs before recording an out?
Shame the O's lost that game.....a real indictment of their bullpen, IMO.
The O's are bashers. I'm betting Trumbo hits 50 alone. Looked it up and like I thought they lead MLB with 188 HR's. Did you know (like it really matters though), that they have only 5 triples all year, or about 1 every 25 games. That's weird.
Good luck to your O's. Like everyone else, I get sick of the Red Sox and Yankees show.
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The O's are bashers. I'm betting Trumbo hits 50 alone. Looked it up and like I thought they lead MLB with 188 HR's. Did you know (like it really matters though), that they have only 5 triples all year, or about 1 every 25 games. That's weird.
Good luck to your O's. Like everyone else, I get sick of the Red Sox and Yankees show.
Don't have much faith in the O's pitchers....and my belief is that great pitching will always stop good hitting.
...especially in a 5 or 7 game series.
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Like everyone else, I get sick of the Red Sox and Yankees show.
It's an even year. The Giants ought to be in there somewhere.
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It's an even year. The Giants ought to be in there somewhere.
I really feel badly for Nick Markakis, @Polly Ticks
...with the Orioles doing so well right now.
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I really feel badly for Nick Markakis, @Polly Ticks
...with the Orioles doing so well right now.
I can't argue with you about that, but I'm really happy to have him on our team anyway. Hopefully we'll still have him with us in a couple of years when we should be having quite a bit more success.
Your Nats are having a lovely 4th inning at the moment, by the way. :#@$%:
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I can't argue with you about that, but I'm really happy to have him on our team anyway. Hopefully we'll still have him with us in a couple of years when we should be having quite a bit more success.
Your Nats are having a lovely 4th inning at the moment, by the way. :#@$%:
I have it on in the background. I'm in the loft. :laugh:
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I have to leave soon to pick up one of my kids from an event. This game shouldn't been too difficult for me to walk away from ... !!
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Don't have much faith in the O's pitchers....and my belief is that great pitching will always stop good hitting.
...especially in a 5 or 7 game series.
The Astros just took 2 out of 3 their, but I don't have a lot of faith with the Astros making it into the post season right now, but they still have a slim chance.
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The Astros just took 2 out of 3 their, but I don't have a lot of faith with the Astros making it into the post season right now, but they still have a slim chance.
I agree. Hell....I'm not even dismissing the Yankees at this point.
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Check this odd story out, like something out of Ripley's Believe It Or Not, this player is in the minor leagues.
Former Yankees prospect hits grand slam that lands on his car's windshield
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/ex-yankees-prospect-hits-grand-slam-lands-windshield-article-1.2761457
That’s going to be one expensive grand slam.
Brandon Thomas, a 25-year-old center fielder of the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League, smashed the windshield of his 2008 Toyota Tundra when he hit a go-ahead grand slam in the third inning of his game Sunday night at GCS Stadium in Sauget, Ill.
Thomas, a former Yankees prospect who played in Single-A Tampa last season, had parked his car just beyond the left field fence but did not realize that his car was in danger when he smacked the home run.
“I didn’t even think about my truck being out there right after I hit the ball,” he told the St. Louis Dispatch. “The only think I was thinking about was whether it would be fair or foul; I knew it was long enough.”
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Ah, yes. When I was on Town Team years ago, that was a CONSTANT threat.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3jaHzgydE4
In tribute to his just-deceased father..... 8888crybaby
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This Angels pitcher works seriously slow. Brett Oberholtzer
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The Astros just took 2 out of 3 their, but I don't have a lot of faith with the Astros making it into the post season right now, but they still have a slim chance.
Even if we were able to latch the WC2 spot, we don't have a dominant starter like last year. Don't like our odds at all in a one game playoff.
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The MLB needs to eject umpire Mike Everitt.
All by his lonesome he managed to eject V-Mart, JD Martinez, Brad Ausmus, and batting coach Wally Joyner.
The guy was calling a screwy strike zone that neither team was thrilled with. It was consistent for both teams but down on their shoelaces.
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The MLB needs to eject umpire Mike Everitt.
All by his lonesome he managed to eject V-Mart, JD Martinez, Brad Ausmus, and batting coach Wally Joyner.
The guy was calling a screwy strike zone that neither team was thrilled with. It was consistent for both teams but down on their shoelaces.
I was kind of surprised because from what I've seen Everitt is usually a solid ump and a fair one.
Did you remember: Everitt was the poor sap stuck with making the critical call in the infamous Bartman game---he was the left field line ump
when Luis Castillo's foul fly careened toward the stands and Moises Alou couldn't make the play on it. Everitt ruled the ball would have gone
foul with or without Bartman, which was the correct call. It wasn't his fault the Cubs fell apart when Alex Gordon let a sure double play
ball bounce off his chest to open up an eight-run inning when the Cubs were five outs from going to the World Series.
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Even if we were able to latch the WC2 spot, we don't have a dominant starter like last year. Don't like our odds at all in a one game playoff.
Well, we are only back 3 today, but like you, I'm not sure we'd get anywhere if we got there.
Still been fun to what Altuve, though.
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Nice.
Jacoby Jones first major league hit (Double) gives the Tigers the first lead of the night over the Sox.
Mom in the stands crying.
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And another hit and another RBI for rookie Jacoby Jones.
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And today, Jacoby Jones scores the winning walk off run on a short pop fly for a sweep of the White Sox.
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Astros beat a's, 4-3.
Astros 2 back in the wild card chase, as of this morning.
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Astros beat a's, 4-3.
Astros 2 back in the wild card chase, as of this morning.
Too bad the Rangers and Astros aren't in a closer race
The Tigers are all over that wild card slot at a half game out but their season really hinges on the 7 games they still have to play against the Indians.
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Astros beat a's, 4-3.
Astros 2 back in the wild card chase, as of this morning.
Except now the next 13 games are all against 1st place teams.
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As of this morning.
(http://i.imgur.com/0C700Yb.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/d0opeFR.png)
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As of this morning.
(http://i.imgur.com/0C700Yb.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/d0opeFR.png)
Thank God for the Twins.
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Except now the next 13 games are all against 1st place teams.
Yep, starting in Arlington against the Rangers., but it is down to 1 game back today.
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Angels pitcher undergoes emergency brain surgery after his skull was fractured from being hit in the head by a 105mph line drive
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3776056/Angels-pitcher-undergoes-emergency-brain-surgery-skull-fractured-hit-head-105mph-line-drive.html#ixzz4JU88blTk
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2016/09/06/13/37E99E0800000578-0-image-a-16_1473166109406.jpg)
Small skull fracture, pretty hairy nonetheless.
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Yep, starting in Arlington against the Rangers., but it is down to 1 game back today.
Keuchel out for two starts......Not looking good.
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The 19 Saddest Tweets After the Mets' Crushing Loss to the Braves (http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/09/new-york-mets-loss-swept-braves-highlights-videos-standings-sad-tweets-fan-reaction)
This was particularly brutal, even for Mets fans.
The Braves completed its sweep of the Mets with a 4-3 win at Citi Field on Wednesday, a win the Braves quite literally snatched away from the Mets at the final moment.
With the game 4-3 with two men on and two outs, Yoenis Cespedes thought he hit a walk-off home run only for outfielder Ender Inciarte to end the game with a spectacular catch over the fence. The Mets are now nine games back of the Nats in the NL East.
Naturally, Mets fans didn’t take it very well…
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/09/new-york-mets-loss-swept-braves-highlights-videos-standings-sad-tweets-fan-reaction (http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/09/new-york-mets-loss-swept-braves-highlights-videos-standings-sad-tweets-fan-reaction)
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That was last night: Ender Inciarte steals a would-be game-winning,game-ending three-run homer from Yoenis Cespedes of the Mets.
This is tonight: The Mets win in extra innings---on a game-winning, game-ending three-run homer by Asdrubal Cabrera. (Keeps
them tied with the Giants and half a game ahead of the Cardinals in the NL wild card.)
Is baseball a great game, or what?
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Astros still barely hanging in, 1-1/2 games out.
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Is baseball a great game, or what?
I couldn't agree with you more.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRYF4Kr3qafum4y3Ipyhsa6JHlxCK8U_Ev6xrE1S5oqBuQTtBgN)
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The voice of the Dodgers, the man whose dulcet tones are familiar to every baseball fan everywhere, will hang up the microphone today after 67 years in the announcer's booth.
Game will be on MLBN at 2 PM CST.
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Skully a guy from the Bronx started Broadcasting Dodger games in 1950 with the great Red Barber, bet Skully never figured he would become more well known that Red Barber.
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Feeling very good about the Red Sox now have a chance for home field through the playoffs with this 11 game winning streak.
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Astros had a bad weekend. 3 games out, with 6 to go.
"Wait until next year" time.
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Astros had a bad weekend. 3 games out, with 6 to go.
"Wait until next year" time.
Yep, our team had too many holes to make a serious run.
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Feeling very good about the Red Sox now have a chance for home field through the playoffs with this 11 game winning streak.
After yesterday's plate performance, Dustin Pedroia should be invited to perform on Dancing With the Stars.
(http://www.bostonherald.com/sites/default/files/styles/gallery/public/media/2016/09/25/092516pedroia1.jpg?itok=f60bQX6h)
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Giants at Mets, tied in 8th, 0-0; I really don't like the single game playoff format but I guess it's fair.
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Giants at Mets, tied in 8th, 0-0; I really don't like the single game playoff format but I guess it's fair.
I don't like the wild cards, but you had to love Addison Reed pitching like he was pitching his way
up from the Grand Canyon with that bases-loaded third-out punchout!
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Giants at Mets, tied in 8th, 0-0; I really don't like the single game playoff format but I guess it's fair.
Wild cards are just an excuse to have some team to feed to the Top Seed.
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Wild cards are just an excuse to have some team to feed to the Top Seed.
Last time the Giants were a Wild Card, they won the World Series.
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Well, Giants are going to Chicago. This unimpressive team should be dispatched quickly by the Cubs.
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Well, Giants are going to Chicago. This unimpressive team should be dispatched quickly by the Cubs.
I'm not going to bet against the Giants in an even-numbered year.
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I'm still going to root for the Cubs now.
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I'm still going to root for the Cubs now.
You do realize that if the Cubs win the World Series, this would bring about cataclysmic events that could change life as we know it (Hell freezing over, etc...)?
Seriously, I am with you and will root for the Cubs.
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You do realize that if the Cubs win the World Series, this would bring about cataclysmic events that could change life as we know it (Hell freezing over, etc...)?
Codicils: I am a Met fan since the day they were born and a Red Sox fan since the 1967 pennant race. (Want to know
my class-A drug bill from 1986?)
I saw the 1969 Mets. And, even more significant, the 2004 Red Sox.
And guess what happened the day after each brought off their impossibles?
The sun still rose. The autumn leaves still gave off their sweet, succulent fragrances upon falling and burning. Men and women
went to work unscathed, children went to school unscathed (if you didn't count the propagandising of education, that is), the
skies still hovered as the reassuring ceilings they normally are, the flora and the fauna carried on as though nothing could
disrupt their bucolic plays.
The only cataclysms known to man were the orgasms in two cities after each. The only freezings over on record were those
that accompany the usual places and faces when winter came at last.
I will grant you that if the Cubs should go all the way this year, well . . . if you thought Red Sox Nation went intercontinental
ballistic with joy, Cub Country is going to be in for a whole lotta you-ain't-see-nothing-yet. It won't be enough to turn
the world upside down or Hades into a cold snap, but it'll be louder than a concert by the Who in their prime.
So let's root for the Cubs. We're not putting anyone in mortal danger. ;)
[/quote]
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I'm not going to bet against the Giants in an even-numbered year.
You might care to know that in the history of their franchise, prior to their current even-number-
year streak, the Giants won four World Series in odd-numbered years, lost five Series
in even-numbered years, and won three Series in even-numbered years.
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You might care to know that in the history of their franchise, prior to their current even-number-
year streak, the Giants won four World Series in odd-numbered years, lost five World Series
in even-numbered years, and won four Series in even-numbered years.
They also had a better record than the Cubs at mid-season, and then struggled. But I think they enter this series with a lot of confidence, and putting all of their problems of the last few months behind them. They have the post-season experience that the Cubbies don't......and they've got Bumgarner.
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You do realize that if the Cubs win the World Series, this would bring about cataclysmic events that could change life as we know it (Hell freezing over, etc...)?
"Human sacrifice....dogs and cats living together....Mass Hysteria!"
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They also had a better record than the Cubs at mid-season, and then struggled. But I think they enter this series with a lot of confidence, and putting all of their problems of the last few months behind them. They have the post-season experience that the Cubbies don't......and they've got Bumgarner.
The Giants were awesomely good until the Allstar break, then became awesomely bad.
But since baseball is about peaking at the right time, having gone 5 of 6 recently they might just have another shot.
My problem with the Giants over the past few years has been their lack of ability to hit in a clutch. When they do it always seem to come from the most unlikely batters.
-
If the Rangers make it past Toronto, they'll be the American League team in the World Series.
-
"Human sacrifice....dogs and cats living together....Mass Hysteria!"
...just like Bill Murray predicted!
-
They have the post-season experience that the Cubbies don't......and they've got Bumgarner.
Let's see . . .
* The 1960 Pirates didn't have the Yankees' experience (or as many future Hall of Famers) . . . and won a thriller
of a seven-game Series. (Buck Showalter, call your office: Casey Stengel made the same mistake, not going to his
shutdown closer Luis Arroyo in Game Seven---bizarre, considering that in 1949 Stengel went to his then-shutdown
closer Joe Page in the third inning to hold off the Red Sox the rest of the way, until the Yankees could
make a comeback to win the pennant on the last day---not to mention arranging his rotation so that Whitey Ford
only pitched two games, both shutouts.)
* The 1964 Cardinals didn't have the Yankees' postseason experience . . . and won a thriller of a seven-game
Series.
* The 1966 Orioles didn't have the Dodgers' postseason experience . . . and (with a lot of help from Willie Davis's three
errors in a single inning in Game Two) swept the Dodgers.
* The 1969 Mets (with future Hall of Famers Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan) didn't have anybody's postseason experience,
never mind the Orioles' . . . and, after losing Game One, won the next four Series games against a club (with future Hall
of Famers Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, and Jim Palmer) that was supposed to smother them.
* The 1971 Pirates (future Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente and a cast of several) didn't have the Orioles' postseason
experience (Clemente was the last man standing from the Pirates' 1960 World Series triumph) . . . and beat the Orioles
in seven.
* The 1972 Athletics had one less year's World Series experience than the budding Big Red Machine (one) . . . and beat them in
seven.
* The 1979 Pirates, a very different team from the 1971 world champions, had no postseason experience compared to the
Orioles (who still had a few holdovers from their 1970 winners) . . . and won in seven.
* The 1982 St. Louis Cardinals and the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers were teams with no postseason experience (the Cardinals were
a far, far cry from their 1960s teams) until they tangled in the World Series . . . and the Cardinals won in seven.
* The 1984 Tigers and Padres? Neither of those teams as then composed had much postseason experience (a different team of Tigers
lost the 1972 ALCS) . . . and the Tigers beat the Padres in five.
* The 1986 Mets, rebuilt from 1983 up, were in their first postseason against the Red Sox, rebuilt from 1982 up and in their first
postseason since the rebuild . . . and the Mets beat them in seven thrillers. (Well, Games Six and Seven were the real thrillers.)
* The 1987 Twins had no postseason experience (not this edition, anyway) to send against the Cardinals . . . and won in seven.
* The 1990 Reds---extremely different from the 1970s Machine---had no postseason experience compared to the A's . . . and
swept the bastards.
* The 1992 Toronto Blue Jays had no postseason experience since 1985 (and were a very different team by now); the Atlanta Braves
hadn't seen a postseason since 1969 . . . and the Jays beat the Braves in six.
* The 1996 Yankees were seeing the franchise's first postseason since 1981, and with an extremely re-made team to boot . . . and
beat the now-experienced Braves in six.
* The 1997 Florida Marlins were in their sixth year of life as a franchise . . . and beat the now-experienced Cleveland Indians in a
seven-game Series.
* The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks were even younger as a franchise . . . and beat the well-experienced Yankees in seven.
* The 2002 Anaheim Angels hadn't seen a postseason since a very different club lost the 1986 ALCS . . . and beat the Giants in
seven.
* The 2010 Giants were a different club (completely) to the 2002 edition . . . facing an equally postseason-inexperienced club of
Texas Rangers, and beating them in five.
* The 2015 Royals had only one postseason of experience in that edition, faced a Mets team completely overhauled from their 2000
World Series team and 2007-2008 pennant race collapsers . . . and beat the Mets in five games all of which the Mets could have won
but for their porous defense.
Postseason experience isn't always a guarantor of subsequent postseason conquest.
-
You do realize that if the Cubs win the World Series, this would bring about cataclysmic events that could change life as we know it (Hell freezing over, etc...)?
Seriously, I am with you and will root for the Cubs.
Like I joke with people - if the Cubs win the Series, I think it's in the book of Revelations that it will be the end of the world.
-
I don't like the wild cards, but you had to love Addison Reed pitching like he was pitching his way
up from the Grand Canyon with that bases-loaded third-out punchout!
What a great game! Very fun to watch.
(http://i68.tinypic.com/14e8a6g.png)
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Like I joke with people - if the Cubs win the Series, I think it's in the book of Revelations that it will be the end of the world.
But what if the Serious comes down to the Cubs vs. the Indians? ;)
-
So let's root for the Cubs. We're not putting anyone in mortal danger. ;)
:beer:
Why not?
It ought to be fun to see it happen, but there's still that thing in the back of my mind that thinks a giant stay-puff marshmallow will come out and destroy downtown Chicago.
My wife would be happy.
She grew up in Will county, south of Chicago, and one of her favorite memories was watching Cubs baseball with her father.
She used to be able to recite the Cubs 1969 starting line up (Banks, Santo, Kessinger, Billy Williams, etc....).
I haven't asked her in a while if she still remembers it.
You know what they say, if mama's happy, everybody's happy.
-
Well I see the Rangers decided to go ahead and choke early this time.
-
Well I see the Blue Jays decided there was no time like the present for revenge over the Rangers' end-of-regular-season-series
shenanigans.
Fixed!
In the immortal words of Chick Hearn, you can put that game in the refrigerator---the door's closed, the light's out, the eggs
are getting cold, the butter's getting hard, and the Jell-Oooooooooooooo's jigglin'!
-
If the Rangers make it past Toronto, they'll be the American League team in the World Series.
And if my Aunt had........she'd be my uncle.
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And if my Aunt had........she'd be my uncle.
That's why they play five games.
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That's why they play five games.
Their staff is garbage outside of Darvish, and even he has been inconsistent as of late.
-
That's why they play five games.
In this case, more like three.
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25 Rangers, one blowout. 10-1 your final, the Blue Jays committing the right kind of
police brutality.
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Tribe beats the Red Sox in game one 5-4!!
BELIEVELAND!!!
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Tribe beats the Red Sox in game one 5-4!!
BELIEVELAND!!!
The running of the Indians' bulls (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php?topic=228466.new#new)
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The running of the Indians' bulls (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php?topic=228466.new#new)
Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!
The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.
We'll see if the new strategy this afternoon has the same results. It would be nice to go to Fenway 2-0, but Boston's never easy.
(This is fun for me since I had an 8x10 glossy of Tito Francona when I was 11 years old, and he threw in the opening pitch last night. I LOVE Cleveland!)
-
Meanwhile, the Rangers still suck.
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Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!
The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.
It wasn't so much the Red Sox he schooled (the Red Sox have also been known to go to a bullpen stopper early
when need be) as everyone in baseball who still thinks it's just blasphemous to bring in your normally late-
inning stoppers as early as the fifth or sooner when you need a stopper. Casey Stengel with Joe Page at the end
of the 1949 season and Hank Bauer with Moe Drabowsky in Game One of the '66 Series set precedents there.
So did Gil Hodges in the 1969 Series when he brought in Nolan Ryan (then a spot starter and reliever) in the
seventh---after starter Gary Gentry tired as he walked the bases loaded with two out---and Ryan pitched the
rest of the way to save it for the Mets.
Ever since the advent of the single-inning closer it's become conventional wisdom to save him for that ninth-inning
lead. And it's bitten a few managers in the ass when they could have used those men an inning or three earlier
to stop the bleeding or protect leads. Tony La Russa learned the hard way in the 1990 World Series:
* He had a 4-3 lead in Game Two entering the eighth but wouldn't even think about bringing in his Hall of Fame
closer Dennis Eckersley.
* Nor did he think about bringing in Dennis the Menace when he had an even tighter 1-0 lead coming into the
eighth in Game Four. He'd have had a Series tied at two games each instead of losing in a sweep to the upstart Reds.
Then there was Davey Johnson, then managing the Mets, getting even crazier to win a key game during 1986, against
a different club of Reds: he brought in one of his two co-closers, Jesse Orosco, to pitch in the eighth inning . . . and
sent his other co-closer Roger McDowell to play right field. Then, he switched them back and forth into extra innings
until the Mets won that game. I think each man pitched about three innings each before it ended.
Two years ago the Giants looked like they had a chance of losing a hard-fought World Series to the upstart Royals.
They saw and raised both the Indians and Stengel, Bauer, and Johnson---they brought in Madison Bumgarner in
the fourth inning. On two days rest, I think it was. And watched him go the rest of the way while they got what they
needed to win the game and the Series. You don't win three Series in five years without being willing to throw The
Book to one side now and then. (Matt Williams blew a National League East he had in the bank because he was
too unwilling to throw The Book to one side when he needed to leave it in the safe in 2015. It wasn't the only
reason he lost his job but it was a huge one.)
And the last I saw Buck Showalter still hadn't found Zach Britton . . .
-
Oh, GREAT article about the "schooling" of the Red Sox by Terry Francona!
The use of Miller early in the game was brilliant, albeit highly unusual.
We'll see if the new strategy this afternoon has the same results. It would be nice to go to Fenway 2-0, but Boston's never easy.
(This is fun for me since I had an 8x10 glossy of Tito Francona when I was 11 years old, and he threw in the opening pitch last night. I LOVE Cleveland!)
My father-in-law is a huge Cleveland fan (my wife grew up south of Cleveland), so he's happy today.
As a Sox fan, I am not. Francona is a terrific manager and IMHO, it was a huge mistake for Boston to let him go.
-
My father-in-law is a huge Cleveland fan (my wife grew up south of Cleveland), so he's happy today.
As a Sox fan, I am not. Francona is a terrific manager and IMHO, it was a huge mistake for Boston to let him go.
But we're thankful they made that mistake. ^-^
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But we're thankful they made that mistake. ^-^
What you should be thankful for is that the entire middle of the Sox' batting order has decided to go into a batting slump at the same time.
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What you should be thankful for is that the entire middle of the Sox' batting order has decided to go into a batting slump at the same time.
Ah, yes.................. but those are some scary dudes in there, and it isn't wise to be comfortable that they will continue slumping. ^-^
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Nice second inning for the Tribe. :laugh:
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Just a Note: Cubs still sporting the best Record in MLB. 18-6.
I ain't afraid of no Billy Goat curse.
:0001:
What Goat you say? ****slapping
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KABOOM!!!!
Cleveland SHUTS OUT Boston 6-0!
And the Cavs were there cheering them on. :laugh:
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If anyone can challenge the Cubs, it looks like the Giants can. Cubs 1 0 Giants but the Giants had 6 hits versus 3 from the Cubs.
http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/scoreboard/
Today's games.
Dodgers at Nationals
Giants at Cubs.
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Dodgers at Nationals game postponed because of rain, they are scheduled to play tomorrow.
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Indians WIN the ALDS, sweeping the Red Sox!!!!
(And making their fans EXTREMELY nervous in doing so!)
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(https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14691440_10154241163012912_7521268457764367507_o.jpg)
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Cubs will be in the World Series, they are indeed super; nothing will stop them. SF was a very good team. Perhaps no one will challenge them as the Giants did.
I don't think the AL has anyone that will be able to overcome them.
I saw some article the other day, how when the WS comes around, Cubs fans would always be watching the Cardinals in the WS; and the Cardinals, they don't go every year but they go very often and have for the longest times.
So, this year, we could well see Cardinals fans watching the Cubs in the playoffs. I don't know why the writer was making that point, but he was.
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Go Indians! I found this article that some Canadians may even find the name "Indians" offensive. And of course, they are playing the Bluejays.
Go Tribe.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37639638
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Both sides threw the kitchen sink at each other but the Dodgers won---with
Clayton Kershaw (of all people) nailing the save in the ninth . . . the third
pitcher in MLB history to bag a save in a postseason series-clinching game
on a single day's rest. Come to think of it, I wouldn't have been shocked to
see any pitcher throw a kitchen sink up to the plate!
On to Chicago. The Dodgers now will have the honour of getting their tails
waxed by the Cubs . . .
(http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3918&pictureid=80771)
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Dodgers beat Nationals to reach NLCS after pulling out all the stops
Bill Plunkett
Orange County Register
October 14, 2016
It will be a team of destiny facing a team of density, the Dodgers having packed their roster so thickly with heroes that a closer was hiding in their starting rotation.
The Dodgers used every bit of that and more Thursday night – a closer pitching in the seventh inning, tag-team starting pitchers, backup catchers pinch-running and pinch-hitting – and finally turned to Clayton Kershaw to close it out after Manager Dave Roberts said he would “absolutely not” do that, not even for one batter.
They somehow managed to both come-from-behind and hold on for their dear lives, beating the Washington Nationals, 4-3, in Game 5 of their National League Division Series.
The Dodgers advance to the NLCS for the second time in the past four years and fourth time in the past nine. This time, they will face the Chicago Cubs starting Saturday night at Wrigley Field.
More (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/dodgers-732098-scherzer-final.html)
(http://i.imgur.com/wVLpMND.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ln4O3wg.gif)
California Ping
Please click here (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=68) to be added to or removed from the California Ping List. ^-^
If you post an article here, please send me a mention: @Machiavelli
@American Patriot
@bootless
@flowers
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@GtHawk
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@Machiavelli
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@pogo101
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@SZonian
@The Jackal
@To-Whose-Benefit?
@truth_seeker
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I'm an American League guy in general, I probably wouldn't cheer on the Yankees but most of the other teams are okay,
If the WS is Cleveland vs. Chicago, I'll be fairly neutral; though Cleveland had a very good year, I do know, they went through some weak spots in the schedule this year, perhaps all of the teams do in that; so Cleveland is certainly no shoo-in to go to the WS; but are probably big favorites.
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I'm an American League guy in general,
I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe one day you can come to appreciate watching REAL baseball ...
:whistle:
(I'm KIDDING! Mostly.)
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MLB: The 5 Greatest Shortstops to Ever Play the Game
Michael Laurila
The Cheat Sheet
October 14, 2016
While he’s no longer rocking pinstripes on a regular basis, it’s hard to think about the New York Yankees and not turn your attention to the great Derek Jeter. Even after his retirement from Major League Baseball in 2014, the captain of all captains continues to remain a permanent fixture in the city with which he spent his entire career. And really, that shouldn’t be a surprise. That’s usually what happens when you’re an all-time great shortstop.
Throughout his incredible career, Jeter showed himself to be one of the greatest shortstops to ever step on a diamond. While there have been better offensive shortstops, and better defensive shortstops, no one equaled his impressive balance of offense and defense. Which is why we feel the need to compile this particular list. Therefore, with that in mind, here’s a look the five best all-around shortstops to ever play the game from the bottom to the top, taking into account more than any single facet of the game.
More (http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/5-best-shortstops-to-ever-play-in-the-mlb.html/)
BTW, this seems to me to be a clickbait site.
5. Ernie Banks
4. Ozzie Smith
3. Cal Ripken Jr.
2. Derek Jeter
1. Honus Wagner
For a contrasting view, please see the Shortstop JAWS Leaders (http://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/jaws_SS.shtml) ratings at Baseball-Reference.com.
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I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe one day you can come to appreciate watching REAL baseball ...
:whistle:
(I'm KIDDING! Mostly.)
It was a bit of the coming of Cable TV, it existed before but in the '80s; all of a sudden we had the Braves via WTBS, Mets via WOR, Cubs via WGN, I watched Harry Caray a lot, I still have a very clear memory of the "Holy Cow". And before that, we got plenty of games of the Dodgers and Angels; so all of those except the last team were National League.
The Cubs were the lovable losers, we'll see.
I don't think they should have moved the 'Stros to the AL or the Brewers to the NL; I think that is how that happened. But it's not that important I suppose.
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Indians beat Toronto in first game - 2-0! Keep it up Tribe!!
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Indians win game 2 against Blue Jays, 2-1.
Gotta say it...... the BULLPEN is AWESOME!!
GO TRIBE!!!
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I'd love to see a Cubs/Indians series. One hasn't won in decades, the other in a century.
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I'd love to see a Cubs/Indians series. One hasn't won in decades, the other in a century.
Unless I am now 100 years old, the Indians have won in less than a century. ^-^
But that WOULD be a fun series.
We're only 2 games away from doing our part!
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Unless I am now 100 years old, the Indians have won in less than a century. ^-^
But that WOULD be a fun series.
We're only 2 games away from doing our part!
I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.
-
I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.
And, considering the combatants (the Cubs, in the 108th year of their rebuilding effort; the Indians, who haven't won a
World Series since around the Berlin Airlift), the national anthem would change from "The Star Spangled Banner" to . . .
The Rolling Stones, "19th Nervous Breakdown" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd86jOFFkro)
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Indians win game 2 against Blue Jays, 2-1.
Gotta say it...... the BULLPEN is AWESOME!!
GO TRIBE!!!
ALCS Game Two: Now, it's Miller time (http://www.gopbriefingroom.com/index.php/topic,229897.0.html)
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I think I read it's been 61 years for Cleveland, and of course 108 for the Cubs. If that series came about, at least someone would be ending the drought.
Chicago Cubs - last Pennant won: 1945, last WS won: 1908
Cleveland Indians - last Pennant won: 1997, last WS won: 1948
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Pedro Baez's glacial pitching pace led to avalanche of Twitter jokes (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pedro-baezs-glacial-pitching-pace-led-to-avalanche-of-twitter-jokes-160855822.html)
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Chicago Cubs - last Pennant won: 1945, last WS won: 1908
Cleveland Indians - last Pennant won: 1997, last WS won: 1948
Networks hate a Midwest fly-over county series. This might be an execption to a ratings bonanza.
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Networks hate a Midwest fly-over county series. This might be an execption to a ratings bonanza.
Are you kidding? If the Cubs and the Indians end up in the World Series against each other, the
networks will go batsh@t nuts with the storylines and the long, long, long World Series ring
droughts each team has, not to mention the calamities each team's dealt with over the years, on
and off the field. (Not to mention the prospect of the Indians having to try to win a Series
against the team everyone and their proverbial twin brother had winning this year's Series when
spring training was still two weeks from finishing . . . )
-
Cardinals are in the World Series often, they can be counted in the Midwest region.
If one means to talk about the upper MidWest or however, Tigers, Whitesox, Royals have all had their moments in recent years, maybe I'm missing some team?
-
Are you kidding? If the Cubs and the Indians end up in the World Series against each other, the
networks will go batsh@t nuts with the storylines and the long, long, long World Series ring
droughts each team has, not to mention the calamities each team's dealt with over the years, on
and off the field. (Not to mention the prospect of the Indians having to try to win a Series
against the team everyone and their proverbial twin brother had winning this year's Series when
spring training was still two weeks from finishing . . . )
I think that is what I said. But in a whole less bunch of words.
But thanks for agreeing. 888high58888
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I'd just like to point out that the Indians are now 3-0 against the Blue Jays, and that their bullpen is AWESOME!!!
The whole world has been against Cleveland for a long time in a lot of ways, and that makes me even MORE proud to be an Indians fan!
One more game and we're World Series bound!! :cheerlead: :cheerlead: :cheerlead:
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I'd just like to point out that the Indians are now 3-0 against the Blue Jays, and that their bullpen is AWESOME!!!
The first team in playoff history to win a game without a pitcher lasting two innings.
.... And they say baseball is boring. Pssshhhh.
You're team is doing great, @musiclady !
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The first team in playoff history to win a game without a pitcher lasting two innings.
.... And they say baseball is boring. Pssshhhh.
You're team is doing great, @musiclady !
Thanks @Polly Ticks !
Yeah.......... when your starting pitcher goes out after 2/3's of an inning, you gotta have a powerful bull pen to win the game!
I was hoping they'd get ahead 3-0, because the chances of losing the next four with as strong a team as we have is pretty small.
One more!!
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Thanks @Polly Ticks !
Yeah.......... when your starting pitcher goes out after 2/3's of an inning, you gotta have a powerful bull pen to win the game!
I was hoping they'd get ahead 3-0, because the chances of losing the next four with as strong a team as we have is pretty small.
One more!!
Amusing little story about George Szell, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the 1948 World Series (http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/441171/maestri-george-szell-riccardo-muti-baseballs-world-series).
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Amusing little story about George Szell, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the 1948 World Series (http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/441171/maestri-george-szell-riccardo-muti-baseballs-world-series).
Nice! Thanks for the smile. ^-^
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TRIBE TAKES TORONTO IN 5 GAMES - WINS 3-0!!
WORLD SERIES, HERE WE COME!!!! :cheerlead: :cheerlead: :cheerlead:
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TRIBE TAKES TORONTO IN 5 GAMES - WINS 3-0!!
WORLD SERIES, HERE WE COME!!!! :cheerlead: :cheerlead: :cheerlead:
They got there on Merritt. ;)
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They got there on Merritt. ;)
Indeed.
And he looks like he's 12!
Andrew Miller is a GREAT choice for MVP.
I actually think we can win the World Series this time around......... which is nice because I was two months from even being conceived when we won the last one......... and I'm OLD! ^-^
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Cubbies finally found their bats tonite and pounded LA 10-2.
-
What they may about Ben Zobrist in future lore: he dropped, arguably, the most powerful bunt in Cubs history.
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Cubbies pounded LA again last night in their home stadium. Now back to Wrigley. One more game till the Drought Series is on!
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Cubbies pounded LA again last night in their home stadium. Now back to Wrigley. One more game till the Drought Series is on!
World Series opener will be in Cleveland for the first time EVER.
This is the magical year for Cleveland. Cubs had better be ready!
btw, ticket prices are through the roof in anticipation of the Cubs' winning. If you have a few thousand dollars sitting around, you can buy a ticket for Tuesday night's game. ^-^
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World Series opener will be in Cleveland for the first time EVER.
This is the magical year for Cleveland. Cubs had better be ready!
btw, ticket prices are through the roof in anticipation of the Cubs' winning. If you have a few thousand dollars sitting around, you can buy a ticket for Tuesday night's game. ^-^
Best of luck to you and your Indians. I despise the most ignorant obnoxious baseball fans on earth (the flubs)
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Best of luck to you and your Indians. I despise the most ignorant obnoxious baseball fans on earth (the flubs)
Thanks! There's a little bit of feeling of "destiny" in northern Ohio these days. This team is young, and calm and cool and collected, and the pitching is absolutely stunning.
In '97 we made it to the final inning and Jose Mesa blew our lead. We were SO close!
But I think this time around, we've got such a strong bullpen, and that Terry Francona is such a strong manager, that we've got a good chance of winning. The guys feel like they're family, and Cleveland is a fantastic sports town.
And besides that, I need a new shirt!! ^-^
I'm optimistic!
#TrueTribe
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Cubbies pounded LA again last night in their home stadium. Now back to Wrigley. One more game till the Drought Series is on!
Oh Lord bless the Cubs and the little Mbuti Pygmies Babies Down in Cleveland.
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Oh Lord bless the Cubs and the little Mbuti Pygmies Babies Down in Cleveland.
Not nice, @Wingnut ......... not nice at ALL! :smokin:
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Not nice, @Wingnut ......... not nice at ALL! :smokin:
:knifefight: :green teeth: :jail: *look*
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:knifefight: :green teeth: :jail: *look*
Well, it's not so bad. The Mbuti Pygmies sing some pretty cool music, in very high voices, so I guess it's alright for a soprano like me to be associated with them. 888high58888
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Congrats to the Cubbies!!!! I hope they beat the Tribe..
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(https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p480x480/14642195_10154807164301162_1506250873129314247_n.jpg?oh=24d6d80435b1459562729b7b2423a297&oe=5896207E)
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Congrats to the Cubbies!!!! I hope they beat the Tribe..
Me too!....Go Cubs!
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Let the Drought Series begin!
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Me too!....Go Cubs!
Kudos to the Ricketts family to actually give a damn about winning..
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I just hope the World Series goes seven games so we can forget about this damned election for as long as possible.
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That was then: The team with the most ex-Cubs lost.
This is now: The Cubs won because they were the team with the fewest ex-Cubs.
;)
(https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14731118_10154274585922912_4847352167786358460_n.jpg?oh=e67bd58252efeb58e370454f30699ec2&oe=5860EAC4)
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(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cva8HZ_WcAADuj9.jpg)
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If the Cubs win (I think they will in 6), it will be the first time they will have won a World Series in Wrigley Field.
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(http://www.westsiderooters.com/images/images/08Cubs.jpg)
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The 1948 Indians . . .
(http://media.breitbart.com/media/2016/10/1948-Cleveland-Indians-1-640x480.jpg)
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(http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=3918&pictureid=80771)
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The 1948 Indians . . .
(http://media.breitbart.com/media/2016/10/1948-Cleveland-Indians-1-640x480.jpg)
Wonder if any of those guys are still alive?? ^-^
I heard a 104 year old lady who's an avid Indians' fan and was at that 48 World Series who said, "Win one more for me before I die."
Lots of us remember with agony 1997, but it sure would be nice to remember a Series that we won!
Here's hoping!
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Wonder if any of those guys are still alive?? ^-^
One of the 1948 Indians is still alive---Eddie Robinson, first baseman. And he made the news the other day
when he expressed, shall we say, disappointment that he hasn't yet been invited to throw out a first pitch
in one of the coming World Series games.
As for the coming World Series, God help us!!!!!!
A Cub pennant, and a Code Blue World Series (http://throneberryfields.com/2016/10/23/a-cub-pennant-and-a-code-blue-world-series/)
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Wonder if any of those guys are still alive?? ^-^
I heard a 104 year old lady who's an avid Indians' fan and was at that 48 World Series who said, "Win one more for me before I die."
Lots of us remember with agony 1997, but it sure would be nice to remember a Series that we won!
Here's hoping!
Safe to say that all members of the 1908 Cubs World Series team is dead..
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One of the 1948 Indians is still alive---Eddie Robinson, first baseman. And he made the news the other day
when he expressed, shall we say, disappointment that he hasn't yet been invited to throw out a first pitch
in one of the coming World Series games.
As for the coming World Series, God help us!!!!!!
A Cub pennant, and a Code Blue World Series (http://throneberryfields.com/2016/10/23/a-cub-pennant-and-a-code-blue-world-series/)
Actually, the Indians are playing some great ball. If they don't choke, it should be a good series.
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(http://ballparks.com/baseball/national/wstsid01.jpg)
Here is the stadium that the Cubs used to play in before Wrigley Field.
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Safe to say that all members of the 1908 Cubs World Series team is dead..
The last Cub Lennie Merullo from the '45 World Series team died in '15:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-lennie-merullo-obit-20150531-story.html
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Actually, the Indians are playing some great ball. If they don't choke, it should be a good series.
Oh, I can see it now: it comes down to the bottom of the ninth, Progressive Field, the bases loaded,
two out, a 3-2 count on Carlos Santana with Aroldis Chapman on the mound, then, as the ball is
on the way to the plate . . .
Massive thunderstorm with massive bolts of lightning.
A corpulent "ho ho ho!" from the heavens.
Everything frozen in Progressive Field including the ball mid-flight to the plate.
And a stentorian Voice purring, "I'm sorry to have to do this, but I can't decide between you, and in
My opinion you're both too good to lose. So let's leave it at this and we'll see you here again . . . in
another 71 years."
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The last Cub Lennie Merullo from the '45 World Series team died in '15:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-lennie-merullo-obit-20150531-story.html (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-lennie-merullo-obit-20150531-story.html)
That is sad..
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Even though I've been a Dodger fan since they moved west in 1958, I can't feel too sad for them.
This is the Cubs' first pennant in 71 years. During that same period of time the Dodgers have won fifteen pennants and six World Series'.
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Safe to say that all members of the 1908 Cubs World Series team is dead..
Or anyone (even a child) who went to the series.
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Fun facts, courtesy of Yardbarker's Michael Dixon:
In the same year of the last Cubs World Series title, the following were born:
* Eve Arden
* Tex Avery
* Milton Berle
* Mel Blanc
* Joan Crawford
* Michael DeBakey
* Bette Davis
* Buddy Ebsen
* Ian Fleming
* Lionel Hampton
* Lyndon Johnson
* Estee Lauder
* Thurgood Marshall
* Abraham Maslow
* Edward R. Murrow and Joseph McCarthy
* Nelson Rockefeller
* Oskar Schindler
* The Model T Ford
* The Hoover vacuum cleaner
* The Christian Science Monitor
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Oh, I can see it now: it comes down to the bottom of the ninth, Progressive Field, the bases loaded,
two out, a 3-2 count on Carlos Santana with Aroldis Chapman on the mound, then, as the ball is
on the way to the plate . . .
Massive thunderstorm with massive bolts of lightning.
A corpulent "ho ho ho!" from the heavens.
Everything frozen in Progressive Field including the ball mid-flight to the plate.
And a stentorian Voice purring, "I'm sorry to have to do this, but I can't decide between you, and in
My opinion you're both too good to lose. So let's leave it at this and we'll see you here again . . . in
another 71 years."
You must no realize, @EasyAce , that Cleveland fans are inured to being mocked, so the more we get made fun of, the stronger we become.
LeBron (and a million others) said it. It's the world against Cleveland.
Sometimes, Cleveland wins.
This time, if I were a bettin' woman.................. ^-^
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You must no realize, @EasyAce , that Cleveland fans are inured to being mocked, so the more we get made fun of, the stronger we become.
LeBron (and a million others) said it. It's the world against Cleveland.
Sometimes, Cleveland wins.
This time, if I were a bettin' woman.................. ^-^
Can we expect to see the lines waiting to get into the Tribes Game to show up as proof of a glorious Trump rally! Huge winning and all!
Prediction: Cubs in 6 games.
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Can we expect to see the lines waiting to get into the Tribes Game to show up as proof of a glorious Trump rally! Huge winning and all!
Prediction: Cubs in 6 games.
LOL!
First game (at the Jake..... won't call it "progressive"..... won't do it) Tuesday night, simultaneous with Cavs game at the Q, presenting them with their championship rings right across the parking lot.
Massive crowds in Cleveland for the two events. Trump campaign seizes the photos, posts them as a Trump rally in Ohio, claiming Trump will be victorious in this purple state....
I can see it all now!
(After all, it HAS been done before!)
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You must no realize, @EasyAce , that Cleveland fans are inured to being mocked, so the more we get made fun of, the stronger we become.
LeBron (and a million others) said it. It's the world against Cleveland.
Sometimes, Cleveland wins.
This time, if I were a bettin' woman.................. ^-^
Who's mocking?
(The reason I suggested the seventh game in the ol' Jake is because the Indians have
the home field advantage---thanks to that asinine All-Star Game peg---and the game
would be played there if the Serious got that far . . . )
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Sometimes, Cleveland wins.
This time, if I were a bettin' woman.................. ^-^
OK, who got burned by the worst. trade. ever. . . . the Cubs, in Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio, or the Indians, in Rocky
Colavito for Harvey Kuenn?
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OK, who got burned by the worst. trade. ever. . . . the Cubs, in Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio, or the Indians, in Rocky
Colavito for Harvey Kuenn?
That Brock thing to SL was a hard one to swallow. Was that one of Louie the Lip
s great idea's?
(http://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14721538_689288851220860_3649873811182902345_n.jpg?oh=e02d768e7dc2da5c79c8a496e3e6e24a&oe=58AC1857)
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That Brock thing to SL was a hard one to swallow. Was that one of Louie the Lip
s great idea's?
(http://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/14721538_689288851220860_3649873811182902345_n.jpg?oh=e02d768e7dc2da5c79c8a496e3e6e24a&oe=58AC1857)
That did come back to haunt them a time or two...
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OK, who got burned by the worst. trade. ever. . . . the Cubs, in Lou Brock for Ernie Broglio, or the Indians, in Rocky
Colavito for Harvey Kuenn?
The Cubs by a mile. Broglio was gone two years later, but Kuenn remained a fine, solid player.
But let's not forget when the Dodgers traded Pedro Martinez to the Expos for Delino DeShields.
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@EasyAce
I accidentally screwed up your post. I was trying to reply to it and I accidentally hit modify instead. I'm so sorry.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make me a moderator after all. **nononono*
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@EasyAce
I accidentally screwed up your post. I was trying to reply to it and I accidentally hit modify instead. I'm so sorry.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make me a moderator after all. **nononono*
It took him hours to compose that! 22222frying pan
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ESPN snubs White Sox in Cubs' World Series coverage
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-white-sox-cubs-espn-20161025-story.html (http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-white-sox-cubs-espn-20161025-story.html)
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It took him hours to compose that! 22222frying pan
I know. 8888crybaby
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@EasyAce
I accidentally screwed up your post. I was trying to reply to it and I accidentally hit modify instead. I'm so sorry.
Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to make me a moderator after all. **nononono*
You are forgiven. Say three Hail Maddons. ;)
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You are forgiven. Say three Hail Maddons. ;)
@EasyAce
Thank you. You're very kind. ^-^
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MLB: Yankee Stadium Introduces a New Way of Alienating Fans
Eric Schaal
The Cheat Sheet
October 29, 2016
You’ve heard of the $13 beers, the top-down strategy of keeping the 99% out of premium seats, and other types of alienation in play when you see the New York Yankees at home. Sadly, the disciples of Steinbrenner were just getting warmed up with those twists on the modern baseball experience. On Opening Day 2016, we noticed one of the most offensive new quirks we’ve seen in a ballpark: mini-suites covered in dark glass that block the view of fans headed through the concourse from concessions stands to their seats.
Though in place for a few seasons now, it was our first experience with the latest form of elitist excess at the Stadium — something sure to make HBO’s John Oliver and his Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles cringe. We came across the obstructions walking to right-field box seats when, to our left, we noticed glass enclosures tinted dark blue standing between us and the field. The little party areas, which measure about 15 ft. by 10 ft., replace what were previously open-air spaces between the concessions stands and field-level seating. That open concourse the architects envisioned is officially closed.
More (http://www.cheatsheet.com/sports/mlb-yankee-stadium-introduces-a-new-way-of-alienating-fans.html/)
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After the Washington Nationals failed to land Andrew McCutchen from the Pirates, they trade away THREE 'high' pitching prospects...
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/white-sox-trade-adam-eaton-nationals.html (http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2016/12/white-sox-trade-adam-eaton-nationals.html)
...for White Sox' Adam Eaton. (I like this trade very much, despite Giolito and Lopez both being Top 10 RH prospects....no team can afford a rotation full of "Scherzer-money" contracts).
Eaton has a high "wins over" value, and figure moving Harper to CF will keep him happy and out of pinstripes...and putting Eaton in RF.
The NATS just traded Danny Espinosa to the Angels, which means Trey Turner is the SS of the future.
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No one in Pittsburgh wants to lose Cutch. Even Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers lobbied for the Pirates not to trade him. Unfortunately, the Pirates under the current ownership have made a lot of bad trades in the past few years, getting rid of good players and not getting much in return. For the moment, no trade of McCutchen is in the offing. I'm wondering what they're going to do about the Korean infielder, Jung Ho Kang, who's had legal (DUI) problems in his home country and is accused of sexual assault in Chicago. **nononono*
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No one in Pittsburgh wants to lose Cutch. Even Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers lobbied for the Pirates not to trade him. Unfortunately, the Pirates under the current ownership have made a lot of bad trades in the past few years, getting rid of good players and not getting much in return. For the moment, no trade of McCutchen is in the offing. I'm wondering what they're going to do about the Korean infielder, Jung Ho Kang, who's had legal (DUI) problems in his home country and is accused of sexual assault in Chicago. **nononono*
I'm thinking....that their thinking was ..."We're sick and tired of being bridesmaids". You shake up the organization by trading an ageing veteran on, what should be, the downside of his career.
Hadn't heard about Kang's issue(s). 'Nice' guy...... :pondering:
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'Nice' guy...... :pondering:
Did he finish last?
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Did he finish last?
He ended up with a wrecked car, that's for sure.... According to police, Kang didn’t stop after driving a rented BMW into a guardrail at around 2:48am while returning to his hotel in southern Seoul. The crash damaged the guardrail, and the vehicle, and the debris hit a car parked nearby, whose driver reported the matter to police.
A 29-year-old man who was in Kang’s vehicle initially claimed he was behind the wheel. But police questioned Kang after the vehicle’s security camera showed him driving it.
Police said Kang’s blood alcohol level at the time of the crash would have been 0.084 percent, beyond the country’s 0.05 percent legal limit. ...
The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/dec/01/pirates-jung-ho-kang-charged-dui-seoul-gangnam)
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Did he finish last?
The Leo Durocher school of how to win friends and influence people.
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The Leo Durocher school of how to win friends and influence people.
I love it when people "get" it! :beer:
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Kenley Jansen signed an $80 million, five year deal with the Dodgers, his incumbent club.
Took less money to stay with the Dodgers. Strange stat: Jansen had 47 saves in 2016 and
no Dodger reliever not named Jansen had even one regular-season save. (In the
postseason, of course, one Dodger not named Jansen had a save---some guy named
Kershaw . . . )
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Hurry up, spring. I'm dying for some baseball ...
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Hurry up, spring. I'm dying for some baseball ...
Yep....
And congrats to my team"s newest addition (and greatest slugger) to the Baseball HOF...... Jeff Bagwell.
The "original" Killer B's now have a corner of their own.
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Yep....
And congrats to my team"s newest addition (and greatest slugger) to the Baseball HOF...... Jeff Bagwell.
The "original" Killer B's now have a corner of their own.
Absolutely!
Have you seen the Bagwell and Biggio statues outside of minute maid park?
They're pretty cool