SukhKular Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 47 days since this thread was created. 59 posts since this thread was created. (60 including mine) Average of 1.2765957446808510638297872340426 posts per day. About as eventful as an average game of baseball. Just kidding, you guys are alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 A little disappointed in the way the AL East is closing out the year. The Red Sox are basically just laying down for the Yankees, and one wonders if this recent era during which their rivalry was particularly heated is coming to an end. I would say the intensity of their rivalry has been fairly cyclical over the years, but it really kicked up a notch when the Yankees defeated the Sox in the 2003 ALCS (for those who don't remember, Grady Little left Pedro in too long and he blew the lead, and eventually Aaron Boone homered in extra innings of game 7 for a Yankees win). Since then, series between those teams have been premiere appointment viewing for all baseball fans, and one or both teams have made the postseason every season since, and when they've missed it's usually been close. Last year the Red Sox had a very disappointing end of their season, but it was dramatic down to the final day. However, despite the injuries, this year stinks far worse, in that the team has not looked at all like the juggernaut they were billed as. Management has stuck with the unpopular Bobby Valentine, which is incredible for a team that hung last year's failure around Terry Francona's neck despite the fact he was presiding over a team with a ton of character issues. Franchise cornerstones like Youkilis, Papelbon and Beckett are gone (though were probably largely guilty for the culture problems), and recent high profile signees Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez are gone too, and barring a major splash in free agency, the team will look far less formidable in the coming years. They still have Pedroia, Ortiz, Ellsbury and the promising Middlebrooks, but their lineup isn't nearly as intimidating as it was in the glory days. Their pitching, which seemingly should have been decent, is instead dealing with the big disappointments of Buchholz and Matsuzaka, and a down year from the normally reliable Lester. I'm no fan of the Sox, so I'm not lamenting their state for any personal reason, but my how the mighty have fallen, and I think it's bad for the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raoul Duke Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Wow Oakland. How in the hell?? Watching this game right now, and all these "nobodies" just ripping apart the Rangers! Good on em. Defs gonna be cheering for them in the playoffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Upshall18 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 Billy Bean gonna Billy Bean Moneyball Part 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raoul Duke Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Predictions anyone? I honestly have no idea who's taking it this year. I would've said Baltimore a week ago but now they may not even make the Division Series. I'm rooting for Oakland but wouldn't mind seeing Ichiro win. Gonna say the Yankees over the Reds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmen81 Posted October 5, 2012 Author Share Posted October 5, 2012 I'd love to see a rematch of the 1989 World Series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 As a former Expos fan, I'm on the Nats bandwagon. However, I wouldn't complain if Joey Votto made it to the series. In the AL, I wouldn't mind seeing Billy Beane "win that last game", but I'd be okay with anyone but the Yankees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 As a former Expos fan, I'm on the Nats bandwagon. However, I wouldn't complain if Joey Votto made it to the series. In the AL, I wouldn't mind seeing Billy Beane "win that last game", but I'd be okay with anyone but the Yankees. Wouldn't a former Expos fan want the team ripped away from its fans to lose? I don't see too many people in Cleveland cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, or for that matter, too many Vancouver-based Memphis Grizzlies fans. I obviously want to see the battle of the Bay in the Series. However, that's a difficult road for those two teams. I've been keeping my eyes on the A's website to see if they open up some cheaper upper deck tickets for sale for game 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 My predictions are thus, please feel free to make fun of them (very tough to call this year): AL Wild Card: Texas defeats Baltimore ALDS: Oakland over Detroit, New York over Texas ALCS: New York over Oakland NL Wild Card: St Louis over Atlanta NLDS: San Francisco over Cincinnati, Washington over St Louis NLCS: Washington over San Francisco World Series: Washington over New York I don't want to see this scenario (not a fan of the Nats or the Yanks), but I think the Nationals have the pitching even without SS, as Gio and Zimmerman should be a good enough 1-2 punch to win any series, and Edwin Jackson has had success in the postseason in the past. They'd be stupid not to let SS pitch, but they are stupid. Washington also has a fearsome lineup to boot. The Yankees have Sabathia, Pettitte and Kuroda who are all going to be steady, and Girardi will be able to turn to Hughes or Nova in a game 4 situation depending on the circumstances. I think the Giants pitching is good but has stumbled a little down the stretch and right now that's such an x-factor: Vogelsong had completely fallen off a cliff but then finished the season with a bang, while Bumgarner has had a few bad starts to end the season. Timmy was on a roll before the last couple of games, but was superb in the playoffs 2 years ago. I don't want to see Zito at all. The only constant is Cain, who any manager would be thrilled to hand the ball to twice in one series. The Giants hitting can be suspect, but the middle of the lineup is very potent, and while on paper they seem outmatched, I think the fact of playing at an offence suppressor like AT&T versus the launching pad of Great American explains a lot of that difference. The Reds are strong in both pitching and hitting, but I think the Giants should have a slight edge in both categories. Atlanta is a better team than the Cardinals, but based on recent history my gut tells me to go with the Cards. St Louis shouldn't really be a match for the Nats though. In the AL, I feel that Oakland has one more surprise left for all of us, and that the Tigers would love to throw Verlander for the whole series but will have to face the horror of starting a second or even third guy. Scherzer has been really good down the stretch, but Detroit fans are going to be holding their breath with him or Fister in there, and probably biting their nails down to nubbins if they're seeing Porcello or Sanchez. I don't know how the A's are doing what they're doing, but I just want to sit back and enjoy the ride. The Rangers are definitely reeling from that devastating collapse against Oakland, but I think Darvish comes out strong today. However, this year the Yankees are better and should beat them in the ensuing playoff round. I would love to see Yankees vs Orioles in the postseason (cue a looped video of that stupid kid catching a playable ball over Tony Tarasco's head for a Yankees home run), but I still think the Rangers will prevail today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Congrats to Shizzy for winning our fantasy league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Wouldn't a former Expos fan want the team ripped away from its fans to lose? I don't see too many people in Cleveland cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, or for that matter, too many Vancouver-based Memphis Grizzlies fans. I understand what you're saying and I agree in cases like the Grizz and Ravens, but I see the 'spos differently. I can't tell you how many times I was disgusted to watch a team with the talent of Larry Walker and Vlady Guererro playing to an largely indifferent Montreal crowd. (and I use the term "crowd" loosely) Then, when some French Canadian nobody gets the call-up, suddenly Olympic Stadium is full. Montreal didn't deserve that team and I don't feel bad at all about it's relocation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 I understand what you're saying and I agree in cases like the Grizz and Ravens, but I see the 'spos differently. I can't tell you how many times I was disgusted to watch a team with the talent of Larry Walker and Vlady Guererro playing to an largely indifferent Montreal crowd. (and I use the term "crowd" loosely) Then, when some French Canadian nobody gets the call-up, suddenly Olympic Stadium is full. Montreal didn't deserve that team and I don't feel bad at all about it's relocation. Well, I see your point, but Montreal didn't exactly deserve the lemon that was Stade Olympique either. I've never been to a game there (walked alongside on my way to the subway once), but from my observation that must have been the worst stadium in the modern history of baseball (perhaps competing with the Metrodome). Montreal fans in general are fickle and pretty annoying, exhibit A being the Habs of course. But the Alouettes are a great example. Montrealers fill up the uncomfortable benches in outdoor Percival Molson Stadium in the middle of winter and create a great atmosphere for football, whereas games in the Big O are sparsely attended and lack any kind of feeling. I think it's issue of having a cement hole, far removed from downtown, that keeps the fans away, as much as it is true disinterest. Mind you, years of mediocrity couldn't have helped either, punctuated by a devastating labour stoppage the year the team was finally peaking, and the cultures of baseball and French-Canadiana seem an oddball mix to me to begin with. But I think it's a little silly how easily teams can be extracted from Canadian cities when you see the fight pro leagues put up to protect moribund American ones. Admittedly, Americans seem to be more likely to poney up the dough for new buildings, which is a little tragic for a country that can't get a budget passed that doesn't require crippling federal spending cuts on education, health care, research and infrastructure. But I digress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkeeterHansen Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 Love October baseball! LET'S GO REDS!!!! And today, BRAVES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragonfruits Posted October 5, 2012 Share Posted October 5, 2012 can someone that knows baseball explain how the braves have 2 outs when the cardinals player didn't even catch the ball what the hell is up with that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gretzky's Mullet Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 It's called the infield fly rule. It's designed so that with less than two outs and guys on base, the defensive team can't deliberately drop a pop up and then score a cheap double play because the runners could be forced out at the next bases. It's at the umpire's discretion whether to call it based on where the ball is going to fall and whether the infielder is clearly in a position to catch it. Once it's called, the batter is automatically out and the baserunners know that they can safely return to their bases. Typically, the fielder does catch the ball because there's no reason not to, and the baserunners will usually lurk close to their original bases knowing they'll have to return and will be able to do so safely. In this case, because the catch was not made, they instead just advanced (probably thinking they had to anyways because they didn't realize the rule was in effect). The rule is to protect the offensive players, but in this case, it was probably called improperly, because it was too deep into the outfield, and because the infielder wasn't camped under the ball. It was also called really late, when it's supposed to be called right away. By correct application of the rule, the batter was out, but the issue was that infield fly should never have been called in that case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmen81 Posted October 6, 2012 Author Share Posted October 6, 2012 Hey GM, do you proofread all of your posts before you press submit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dKs89 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 If the Rangers don't come back in the bottom of the 9th, I fear for Ron Washington's job. And it will be a huge choke job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrels.Gone.Wild Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 What an epic collapse by the Rangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standing_Tall#37 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 What a f*** up by the refs in Atlanta. I mean the braves didn't play a great game but the refs took away any chance of a comeback. Just brutal. Although I'm excited to see the introduction of the outfield fly rule next year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Standing_Tall#37 Posted October 6, 2012 Share Posted October 6, 2012 If the Rangers don't come back in the bottom of the 9th, I fear for Ron Washington's job. And it will be a huge choke job. I don't because then he'll be available for the jays once Ferrell gets scooped from us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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