Baseball 2021 - Play Ball! ⚾

[catfish1957]

Dallas Keuchel was in Houston last week, playing for the White Sox.
His first time back since he left the team.
Did you hear what he had to say about 2017?

Read the Chronicle article, and agree.  The Bosox and Yankees have been nailed twice for cheating in the past 5 years.  And honestly, from what I was seeing and hearing, you could probably count the teams on one hand who were not "bending" the rules.

Still, the Astros got its hand in the cookie jar big time, and are paying the price.  As far as baseball, I am through with it.  In fact, I have no idea how the Astros are doing, or even who is in their starting rotation.

[Bigun]

Read the Chronicle article, and agree.  The Bosox and Yankees have been nailed twice for cheating in the past 5 years.  And honestly, from what I was seeing and hearing, you could probably count the teams on one hand who were not "bending" the rules.

Still, the Astros got its hand in the cookie jar big time, and are paying the price.  As far as baseball, I am through with it.  In fact, I have no idea how the Astros are doing, or even who is in their starting rotation.

Same here.  I know they have won 11 in a row only because I heard a news reader on TV say so while I was waiting to see the weather forcast.

[DCPatriot]

Man oh Man!!!

The NATS' Kyle Schwarber has 15 HRs in his last 17 games.

He has 7 lead-off HRs since moving up into the leadoff spot in the batting order.

The NATS handled the METs tonight, 8-4.

The first three pitches found the METS' starter behind 2-0.  Then Juan Soto hit the 1st pitch off the centerfield wall for a double.

[AllThatJazzZ]

@GrouchoTex

I'd still demand that after every HR the ASTROS hit, that the batter strip down to his underwear immediately after he touches home plate.

Anyone notice that his teammates no longer tear Altuve's jersey off after a walk-off?   

Dude, your needle is stuck. You have got to be kidding me! I had to back up and check to see if this was a post from 2019.

Got a bad butt-hurt, don'tcha? Y'all ended up with the title in '19. Why are you still whining?


For @DCPatriot and anyone else who wants some clarification of the Astros' cheating scandal, I am including a conversation that I carefully transcribed. Notice that I don't take up for them. All I was looking for when I studied this situation was the truth. 

Here are some interesting snippets from a transcript from an “MLB Now” panel discussion, 2/14/2020…

Unidentified panelist: These guys right now are hoping once the season begins, whatever bad blood will dissipate and will just focus on the games at hand.

John Smoltz: Yeah, I think so. I also think there’s a memo to every team now that, whatever you were doing … STOP! And I think that we’re missing the point to think that this was an isolated situation. It wasn’t. But this situation was so advanced that it is taking, and rightfully so, taking the headlines away from how good these players were, and how good that team was. That’s never gonna go away. The only thing they can do moving forward is to prove that they’re still good and that the team still has a chance to win, despite what happened in 2017.

John Smoltz: …because remember the report said, which I think everyone kinda glazes over, when he [Carlos Beltrán] came over to the club [after playing on so many] said, “You guys are behind the times.” That means there are other places he was at that were doing things just as similar but were not as good as the system that he was in place now in Houston. So that’s the point I keep saying. I’d be very careful if I were certain players. Their anger is legit, but you gotta be pretty, pretty confident that nothing’s going to come back on your organization one day…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And about that absurd accusation in 2019 of Altuve's being wired, let Harold Reynolds enlighten all you haters:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdU8IYuyY9A

So give it a damn rest already. We've got enough Derangement Syndrome in our culture. Let's drop the ADS.

BTW, fellow 'Stros fans, I'm back. Started watching again about 3 - 4 weeks ago. I won't buy merch (because of Manfred), but I'm going to enjoy my guys again.

[DCPatriot]

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/31735248/kyle-schwarber-16-home-runs-18-games-shows-no-signs-letting-up

Kyle Schwarber has 16 home runs in 18 games, and shows no signs of letting up



Kyle Schwarber stepped into the batter's box to lead off the bottom of the first inning Tuesday night at Nationals Park as the hottest hitter in the game, facing veteran left-hander Rich Hill.

Hill doesn't throw hard, but he has a big curveball and sometimes drops down. He's also tough on lefties, who entered the game hitting .143 against him in 2021 without a home run in 56 at-bats. In fact, lefties didn't homer off Hill in 2020 either, although that was a small sample of 17 at-bats. In 2019, they homered off him just once. Hill looked like a pitcher who might finally slow Schwarber down.

Hill's first offering was a fastball of 83.4 mph. Maybe Hill figured Schwarber wasn't going to swing, even though he does swing at the first pitch about 32% of the time. Schwarber swung at the elevated fastball, connected on the sweet part of the lumber and crushed the ball to right field, a 434-foot blast that appeared to land in the first row of the third deck.

more at link

[dfwgator]

Number 31 for Ohtani!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o-GCnnYQbc

[AllThatJazzZ]

Number 31 for Ohtani!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7o-GCnnYQbc

Scary good! The man's an animal.

[DCPatriot]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/09/astros-carlos-correa-jose-altuve-skipping-all-star-game/

Two Astros skipping All-Star Game after cheating scandal

A pair of Astros are backing out of the first MLB All-Star Game since Houston’s infamous sign-stealing scandal.

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve each announced Thursday their intentions to skip this year’s festivities. Correa, who is hitting .288 with 16 home runs, stated a desire to be home with his pregnant wife during the four-day break.

“Baseball is really important to me, but family will always come first,” Correa said. “I’m grateful for everybody that voted for me to be in the All-Star Game. Baseball means the world to me, but I want to be with my family this time, especially with my wife, spending time with her. It’s our first child, so I need that time.”

...

continued at link

[DCPatriot]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/09/astros-carlos-correa-jose-altuve-skipping-all-star-game/

Two Astros skipping All-Star Game after cheating scandal

A pair of Astros are backing out of the first MLB All-Star Game since Houston’s infamous sign-stealing scandal.

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve each announced Thursday their intentions to skip this year’s festivities. Correa, who is hitting .288 with 16 home runs, stated a desire to be home with his pregnant wife during the four-day break.

“Baseball is really important to me, but family will always come first,” Correa said. “I’m grateful for everybody that voted for me to be in the All-Star Game. Baseball means the world to me, but I want to be with my family this time, especially with my wife, spending time with her. It’s our first child, so I need that time.”

...

continued at link

They are both cowards for not subjecting themselves to the guaranteed boos, but in today's culture, it's best they stay out of Colorado, this week.

All it would take is ONE single player to publicly call them out, to "become THE STORY" of the week.

[catfish1957]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/09/astros-carlos-correa-jose-altuve-skipping-all-star-game/

Wow...Weeeee!.  Amazing you sure didn't want to bring up Scherzer's baseball doctoring habits....   Imagine that.

[dfwgator]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/09/astros-carlos-correa-jose-altuve-skipping-all-star-game/

Two Astros skipping All-Star Game after cheating scandal

A pair of Astros are backing out of the first MLB All-Star Game since Houston’s infamous sign-stealing scandal.

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve each announced Thursday their intentions to skip this year’s festivities. Correa, who is hitting .288 with 16 home runs, stated a desire to be home with his pregnant wife during the four-day break.

“Baseball is really important to me, but family will always come first,” Correa said. “I’m grateful for everybody that voted for me to be in the All-Star Game. Baseball means the world to me, but I want to be with my family this time, especially with my wife, spending time with her. It’s our first child, so I need that time.”

...

continued at link

The only reason most people are going to watch the All-Star Game is Ohtani.

[dfwgator]

Scary good! The man's an animal.

Did you see this one last night......This guy just absolutely pulverizes the baseball.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmMSIaova18

[catfish1957]

The only reason most people are going to watch the All-Star Game is Ohtani.

After the woke decison to move game from Atlanta, I'll be boycotting pretty much all the  rest of the season too.  I have not watched 1 inning of MLB this year.  News headlines maybe, but the game can burn in hell all I care.

[DCPatriot]

Wow...Weeeee!.  Amazing you sure didn't want to bring up Scherzer's baseball doctoring habits....   Imagine that.

 

SOB had an eight run lead in the 4th inning.  Gave up seven.  Hit 2 batters and forced in a run with a BB. 

Then...THEN...THEN he gives up a grand slam to a pinch-hitting pitcher who just got off the bus. 

What Vasoline?   

[catfish1957]

 

SOB had an eight run lead in the 4th inning.  Gave up seven.  Hit 2 batters and forced in a run with a BB. 

Then...THEN...THEN he gives up a grand slam to a pinch-hitting pitcher who just got off the bus. 

What Vasoline?   

Needs to cheat better.    

OTOH he is 7-4 with a 2.66 era.  (Cherry picking one start not allowed)

[DCPatriot]

Needs to cheat better.    

OTOH he is 7-4 with a 2.66 era.  (Cherry picking one start not allowed)

 

uh...it was an eight-run lead.  It was Max Scherzer.   

[AllThatJazzZ]

I feel sorry for any 'Stros fans who left the ballpark early today. Stunning finish in the bottom of the 9th.

[GrouchoTex]

https://nypost.com/2021/07/09/astros-carlos-correa-jose-altuve-skipping-all-star-game/

Two Astros skipping All-Star Game after cheating scandal

A pair of Astros are backing out of the first MLB All-Star Game since Houston’s infamous sign-stealing scandal.

Shortstop Carlos Correa and second baseman Jose Altuve each announced Thursday their intentions to skip this year’s festivities. Correa, who is hitting .288 with 16 home runs, stated a desire to be home with his pregnant wife during the four-day break.

“Baseball is really important to me, but family will always come first,” Correa said. “I’m grateful for everybody that voted for me to be in the All-Star Game. Baseball means the world to me, but I want to be with my family this time, especially with my wife, spending time with her. It’s our first child, so I need that time.”

...

continued at link

It is the New York Post.
Not surprised they have that take there.
Have you noticed the Astros on the base paths or when other teams players are on the bases?
They are cutting up, and laughing.
They aren't afraid of the other players.
The other players know what's up.
The Astros took the hit, but they weren't alone.
Nobody is willing  to talk, because of the way the Astros have been treated by fans and media around the country, but wait until some of these guys start to retire.

[GrouchoTex]

I feel sorry for any 'Stros fans who left the ballpark early today. Stunning finish in the bottom of the 9th.

THAT WAS GREAT!!!

[AllThatJazzZ]

THAT WAS GREAT!!!

It truly was. I'm so glad I watched to the end even though it looked so hopeless.

[AllThatJazzZ]

Y'all, they're going to screw up the baseball season. I have that "waiting for the other shoe to drop" feeling that we're going to get mask mandates slapped on us and the 2021 season will be cut short or that people won't be allowed to attend the games. Those filthy authoritarians are itching to reign in the liberty of the American people.

[DCPatriot]

It is the New York Post.
Not surprised they have that take there.
Have you noticed the Astros on the base paths or when other teams players are on the bases?
They are cutting up, and laughing.
They aren't afraid of the other players.
The other players know what's up.
The Astros took the hit, but they weren't alone.
Nobody is willing  to talk, because of the way the Astros have been treated by fans and media around the country, but wait until some of these guys start to retire.

BWAHAHAHAHA!!

GTFO!  The ASTROS are the 'Millie/Vanilli' of the MLB!!  A bunch of frauds who stole a championship.

[catfish1957]

It is the New York Post.
Not surprised they have that take there.
Have you noticed the Astros on the base paths or when other teams players are on the bases?
They are cutting up, and laughing.
They aren't afraid of the other players.
The other players know what's up.
The Astros took the hit, but they weren't alone.
Nobody is willing  to talk, because of the way the Astros have been treated by fans and media around the country, but wait until some of these guys start to retire.

@GrouchoTex

What is sad is some of the vitirol has been aimed at us fans who had absolutely nothing to do with this debacle.  I always thought that baseball fannage was a brotherhood, and a unifying topic of friendship and commradary.  But now as far as I am concerned, not only have I blown off the game, the fans of the 29 teams can go F__K themselves. 

[AllThatJazzZ]

How 'bout those Orioles! Sweeping the series, topping things off with a dramatic walk-off. Love, love, love it!

 

[dfwgator]

How 'bout those Orioles! Sweeping the series, topping things off with a dramatic walk-off. Love, love, love it!

 

Ha ha,  they are about to pass the Rangers.