Baseball

smc · #**251** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by aw9725

Time to jump in here. Greetings from Detroit! I am up here visiting relatives for Spring Break and everyone is talking about the Tigers (What else is there to do up here anyway? Talk about the Lions? I can get rich up here selling all my Colts stuff!

).

It looks like Verlander and Bonderman both had good first outings--I am predicting Verlander will have his first 20 game season and win the Cy Young. Don't yet know about the addition of Johnny Damon--as one of my friends said--"It's good... for him"! Thoughts?

Baseball just ain't the same in Detroit since they tore down Tigers Stadium. I have fond memories of the games I saw there in my baseball travels.

One cannot say without any surety whether Johnny Damon will have a good or bad year for the Tigers. In fact -- as those of us in Red Sox Nation know -- the only thing anyone can ever say about Johnny Damon with 100% certainty is that he is as dumb as a stump.

shadows · #**252** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

My friend, you do realize that in these games lots of guys who will never make the team for the real season are playing, and that pitchers are working only an inning or two, right?

So, don't get your hopes up about the Jays doing a lot of winning or the Yankees doing a lot of losing. In time, the AL East ship will right itself as it sets sail for the season, and then we'll see whether the Jays are in 3rd or 4th or even 5th place (I see the Orioles having an unexpectedly good season).

I have no delusions of where the Jays will end up. I am just enjoying the success that they are having right now, as it will be fleeting for quite a while. I just think the Yankees are going to have a tough time with offense this year(I honestly believe that with them winning the WS last year their "drive" may be a little lower this season), and they have a lot of "old farts" on their roster as well. I mean, Nick Johnson? Really?

shadows · #**253** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Baseball just ain't the same in Detroit since they tore down Tigers Stadium. I have fond memories of the games I saw there in my baseball travels.

One cannot say without any surety whether Johnny Damon will have a good or bad year for the Tigers. In fact -- as those of us in Red Sox Nation know -- the only thing anyone can ever say about Johnny Damon with 100% certainty is that he is as dumb as a stump.

Isn't he a "Lovable Idiot"(or whatever he called the team in 2004)?

smc · #**254** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

Isn't he a "Lovable Idiot"(or whatever he called the team in 2004)?

He's grown less and less lovable, but he's always been an idiot. The stories around here about Johnny Damon's, shall we say, "low IQ" are legend. People talk about seeing him at restaurants and they wonder if he can read the menu.

shadows · #**255** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

He's grown less and less lovable, but he's always been an idiot. The stories around here about Johnny Damon's, shall we say, "low IQ" are legend. People talk about seeing him at restaurants and they wonder if he can read the menu.

He can't. He just sees the pictures that look the tastiest and orders from there.

smc · #**256** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

He can't. He just sees the pictures that look the tastiest and orders from there.

Hey, this guy makes a shitload of money. Some of the restaurants he goes to have menus with no pictures.

shadows · #**257** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Hey, this guy makes a shitload of money. Some of the restaurants he goes to have menus with no pictures.

That is why he brings along a translator.

smc · #**258** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

That is why he brings along a translator.

Okay, I realize that this has now become about you having the last word.

So, I'm going to let you win. I realize it's not much of a victory, but when you're a Jays fan you have to take what you can get.

#**259** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Baseball just ain't the same in Detroit since they tore down Tigers Stadium. I have fond memories of the games I saw there in my baseball travels.

One cannot say without any surety whether Johnny Damon will have a good or bad year for the Tigers. In fact -- as those of us in Red Sox Nation know -- the only thing anyone can ever say about Johnny Damon with 100% certainty is that he is as dumb as a stump.

smc,

You are right about that! I have many memories of that place too. Never been to Comerica Park--it looks nice on TV--just no "history" or "atmosphere." Not sure but I think the same company built Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Tiger Stadium. There was a move to save it but it finally fell last year.

My take is that Damon's a big question mark. They did something similar with Sheffield a couple of years ago. Does this mean in a few years A-Rod will be a Tiger?

We will see how they do.

Fun to be back "home" but always sad to see what has become of the city. Unemployment is very high here. Guess I can't complain too much about Indy...

smc · #**260** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by aw9725

Guess I can't complain too much about Indy...

The worse thing about Indianapolis (other than being in Indiana

) must be the knowledge that there probably will never be a major league baseball team there, no matter how big the city gets.

#**261** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

The worse thing about Indianapolis (other than being in Indiana

) must be the knowledge that there probably will never be a major league baseball team there, no matter how big the city gets.

Sadly that's true. We have the "Indians." I honestly do not know who they are the farm team for. They play in a very nice (but small) stadium called "Victory Field." It's an inexpensive but fun outing or date.

Most around here are Reds fans or Cubs fans. A few are for St. Louis. I even saw a "Red Sox" license plate holder coming home the other day. I still cling to my Tigers for better or for worse...

(Update: The Indians are the farm team for the Pittsburgh Pirates--just checked...)

transjen · #**262** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by aw9725

smc,

You are right about that! I have many memories of that place too. Never been to Comerica Park--it looks nice on TV--just no "history" or "atmosphere." Not sure but I think the same company built Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Tiger Stadium. There was a move to save it but it finally fell last year.

My take is that Damon's a big question mark. They did something similar with Sheffield a couple of years ago. Does this mean in a few years A-Rod will be a Tiger?

We will see how they do.

Fun to be back "home" but always sad to see what has become of the city. Unemployment is very high here. Guess I can't complain too much about Indy...

I still think the Phillies ballpark is the best end of story

Philliesfan Jen

smc · #**263** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

I still think the Phillies ballpark is the best end of story

Philliesfan Jen

With all due respect, Jen, the only explanation for your opinion is the combination of being a Phillies fan and not having been to enough other ballparks.

At least, if we're just talking ballparks and not our experience with our teams in a ballpark.

ila · #**264** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

My friend, you do realize that in these games lots of guys who will never make the team for the real season are playing, and that pitchers are working only an inning or two, right?

So, don't get your hopes up about the Jays doing a lot of winning or the Yankees doing a lot of losing. In time, the AL East ship will right itself as it sets sail for the season, and then we'll see whether the Jays are in 3rd or 4th or even 5th place (I see the Orioles having an unexpectedly good season).

Or even first place.

transjen · #**265** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

With all due respect, Jen, the only explanation for your opinion is the combination of being a Phillies fan and not having been to enough other ballparks.

At least, if we're just talking ballparks and not our experience with our teams in a ballpark.

Actualy i've been to a few differnt ballparks

1]camden yards-with has to be the second best park ever

2]the Mets old park-a bad place to watch a game as the airlines loved flying overhead
3] the Braves park- it was alright
4] when i was in SO CAL i went to the Giants old ballpark and like the Braves it was ok
5]the Angels ballpark i had a good time there as the fans seemed to enjoy the game and not take things to seriously this was before there rally monkey

smc · #**266** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

Actualy i've been to a few differnt ballparks

1]camden yards-with has to be the second best park ever

2]the Mets old park-a bad place to watch a game as the airlines loved flying overhead
3] the Braves park- it was alright
4] when i was in SO CAL i went to the Giants old ballpark and like the Braves it was ok
5]the Angels ballpark i had a good time there as the fans seemed to enjoy the game and not take things to seriously this was before there rally monkey

Come up to Boston, and I'll take you to Fenway. The tickets are on me. You'll have a new favorite park, if not a favorite team!

shadows · #**267** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by aw9725

smc,

You are right about that! I have many memories of that place too. Never been to Comerica Park--it looks nice on TV--just no "history" or "atmosphere." Not sure but I think the same company built Fenway, Yankee Stadium, and Tiger Stadium. There was a move to save it but it finally fell last year.

My take is that Damon's a big question mark. They did something similar with Sheffield a couple of years ago. Does this mean in a few years A-Rod will be a Tiger?

We will see how they do.

Fun to be back "home" but always sad to see what has become of the city. Unemployment is very high here. Guess I can't complain too much about Indy...

Look at the Roger's Centre(formerly Skydome)! It looks like a freaking tomb! Ugly design. I would love it if they could make a nice outdoor ballpark, but I doubt they ever will.

shadows · #**268** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by aw9725

(Update: The Indians are the farm team for the Pittsburgh Pirates--just checked...)

I thought the Pittsburgh Pirates were the farm team!

smc · #**269** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

I thought the Pittsburgh Pirates were the farm team!

If so, they are the perfect metaphor for the decline of the American farm.

shadows · #**270** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Come up to Boston, and I'll take you to Fenway. The tickets are on me. You'll have a new favorite park, if not a favorite team!

If I ever get a Passport(or the new enhanced driver's license), maybe I'll check out a game at Fenway(since you would be treating, of course

).

shadows · #**271** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

If so, they are the perfect metaphor for the decline of the American farm.

The Pirates is a good name for that team since they rob their fans of any hope of post-season play.

The ownership for the Pirates makes Harold Ballard look like a money-spending fiend!

smc · #**272** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

Look at the Roger's Centre(formerly Skydome)! It looks like a freaking tomb! Ugly design. I would love it if they could make a nice outdoor ballpark, but I doubt they ever will.

Did it ever occur to you that the "tomb" design was deliberate, as a final resting place in September for the hopes of Blue Jays fans from earlier in the season?

shadows · #**273** 03-08-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Did it ever occur to you that the "tomb" design was deliberate, as a final resting place in September for the hopes of Blue Jays fans from earlier in the season?

Ouch! I think I would be offended by your comment if it wasn't so true!

transjen · #**274** 03-09-2010

I've heard the RED SOX tickets are always hard to get

Philliefan Jen

smc · #**275** 03-09-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

I've heard the RED SOX tickets are always hard to get

Philliefan Jen

True, but you just leave that up to me!

shadows · #**276** 03-09-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

True, but you just leave that up to me!

Being able to see a Red Sox game...excellent.

Being able to see it with my friends...priceless.

smc · #**277** 03-09-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by shadows

Being able to see a Red Sox game...excellent.

Being able to see it with my friends...priceless.

Standing room only seat up on the Green Monster, with a ticket bought from a "legitimate scalper" (i.e., authorized ticket reseller), $125 - $500.

shadows · #**278** 03-10-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Standing room only seat up on the Green Monster, with a ticket bought from a "legitimate scalper" (i.e., authorized ticket reseller), $125 - $500.

Beer to help dull the pain of getting "royally screwed" by said authorized ticket seller, $15.

smc · #**279** 03-30-2010

With the 2010 baseball season slated to begin in less than a week, it seems like a good time to bump the Baseball thread and give it the prominence it will enjoy for the next six or seven months.

Next Sunday, April 4, the season begins with "Opening Night" -- with the New York Yankees visiting Fenway Park to take on the Boston Red Sox. With all due respect to the fans of the Phillies, Blue Jays, and whatever other teams people root for (but haven't mentioned on this site), does it get any better than this? I mean, really: the greatest rivalry in sports, worldwide, with the only two teams that really matter!

(Okay, I take that back.)

Here in Red Sox, we are of mixed emotions. On the one hand, we want this to be the first game in a long, excruciating season of disappointment for Yankees fans. On the other hand, we want the Red Sox to be beating the Yankees at the end of the season when it matters. Unfortunately, we cannot have it both ways ... but we can dream.

The game will be broadcast on ESPN as part of its "Sunday Night Baseball" series. That is the one in-advance negative mark on this game. It means we have to listen to Jon Miller, who seemingly pays attention to no more than half of what is going on, and who insists on calling Jonathan Papelbon "Jon" (perhaps the Sox will so dominate the Yankees that we won't need Pap to come in and close out the game). It means we have to listen to Joe Morgan, who does have good insights into games but who never seems satisfied unless he repeats the same thing at least three times in a row. Joining them will be Orel Hershiser. Let's hope Orel has broadcasting talent and takes control.

Go Red Sox!

transjen · #**280** 03-30-2010

GO PHILLIES!!!!

Philliefan Jen

ila · #**281** 03-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

GO PHILLIES!!!!

Philliefan Jen

Do you have your season tickets, Jen? Or will you be just watching them at home whenever you can get over to see them?

smc · #**282** 03-30-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

GO PHILLIES!!!!

Philliefan Jen

Well, Jen, you fell into my trap. I wanted to see how big a response I could get from dismissing all other teams, and it looks like you used a very big font size indeed!

I hope you realize that I was not seriously dissing all other teams. I love baseball too much to do that.

transjen · #**283** 03-31-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by ila

Do you have your season tickets, Jen? Or will you be just watching them at home whenever you can get over to see them?

No season tickets for me so i'll be watching most of the season on TV but i well go to a few games at the ball park

Philliefan Jen

shadows · #**284** 03-31-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

No season tickets for me so i'll be watching most of the season on TV but i well go to a few games at the ball park

Philliefan Jen

Darn! We were hoping to see you in the crowd at one(or more) of the games.

transjen · #**285** 03-31-2010

Jee maybe i should have tried out for ballgirl as the local broadcasts down here always does a camera shot of the ballgirls a couple times a game

Philliefan Jen

smc · #**286** 03-31-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

Jee maybe i should have tried out for ballgirl as the local broadcasts down here always does a camera shot of the ballgirls a couple times a game

Philliefan Jen

That might be the only thing that could get me to change my baseball loyalty.

smc · #**287** 03-31-2010

Hey, baseball fans. Are you all aware of this pitcher in the Yankees farm system, Pat Venditte, who is ambidextrous? He'll be at Single A Tampa this season, but he pitched for the big-league club yesterday for 1-1/3 innings against the Braves.

He wears a 6-fingered glove and switches pitching arms depending on the batter. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd think it was a Sports Illustrated hoax for April Fool's Day!

shadows · #**288** 04-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

Jee maybe i should have tried out for ballgirl as the local broadcasts down here always does a camera shot of the ballgirls a couple times a game

Philliefan Jen

I would buy the entire season of home-games on Pay-per-view if you did that.

shadows · #**289** 04-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Hey, baseball fans. Are you all aware of this pitcher in the Yankees farm system, Pat Venditte, who is ambidextrous? He'll be at Single A Tampa this season, but he pitched for the big-league club yesterday for 1-1/3 innings against the Braves.

He wers a 6-fingered glove and switches pitching arms depending on the batter. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd think it was a Sports Illustrated hoax for April Fool's Day!

I read that article on espn.com. Pretty neat! As a poster there said, can you imagine if he could change the glove pitch by pitch(using the same glove, of course) to a different hand? That would throw off the rhythm of the hitters for sure!

transjen · #**290** 04-01-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Hey, baseball fans. Are you all aware of this pitcher in the Yankees farm system, Pat Venditte, who is ambidextrous? He'll be at Single A Tampa this season, but he pitched for the big-league club yesterday for 1-1/3 innings against the Braves.

He wers a 6-fingered glove and switches pitching arms depending on the batter. If I hadn't seen it for myself, I'd think it was a Sports Illustrated hoax for April Fool's Day!

First came the dreaded switch hitters now there's the dreaded switch pitchers

Philliefan Jen

smc · #**291** 04-02-2010

Red Sox Nation, where we know the proper way to raise a child, is getting ready for Sunday night's season opener against the Yankees.

Talvenada · #**292** 04-02-2010

Does anybody remember a pitcher from 10-20 years ago who was ambidextrous? He might have pitched in the 70's even.

He was right-handed but he did throw left-handed in MLB games. He played for The Phillies, and I think The Padres and Mets. He was told not to do it anymore by one of the teams he was on. He was a player on the bubble of the teams he played for, and he was okay at best. He only threw lefty to a few batters before being stopped. He wasn't clobbered when he did it, but it was only a few batters.

smc · #**293** 04-02-2010

There was a major league pitcher in the mid-1990s named Greg Harris who was ambidextruous. He threw one inning of shutout ball for the Expos in 1995, against the Reds, facing four hitters: two as a lefty (walking one), and two as a righty). Before that, Harris had been up and down between the minors and the majors for the Mets, Reds, Expos, and Padres, beginning with his 1981 MLB debut. In 1985-88, he pitched for the Rangers and Phillies, and was claimed off waivers by the Red Sox after Philadelphia let him go. He was nothing to write home about for the Sox, sometimes in the rotation and sometimes in the bullpen. The Sox released him mid-season 1994, he was with the Yankees for a bit, and then tried his luck with the Expos in 1995, retiring at the end of that year.

I remember that in Boston he was expressly forbidden to pitch with both hands. Lou Gorman, then the GM for the Sox, said it would be a "mockery" of baseball." It wasn't until his Expo stint that he got to "mock" major league baseball like that!

Talvenada · #**294** 04-02-2010

Thnx, SMC.

That's the guy I was thinking of. I didn't realize it was so recent, so to speak.

TAL

dauls · #**295** 04-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Red Sox Nation, where we know the proper way to raise a child, is getting ready for Sunday night's season opener against the Yankees.

smc, does Red Sox Nation have to claim everything for themselves?

This unlucky Dutch kid, a Feyenoord fan, now has to live down the humiliation of being associated with the Red Sox from such an early age.

smc · #**296** 04-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by dauls

smc, does Red Sox Nation have to claim everything for themselves?

This unlucky Dutch kid, a Feyenoord fan, now has to live down the humiliation of being associated with the Red Sox from such an early age.

Alas, I believe you are correct. The Red Sox picture appears to be the photoshopped one.

As for being Dutch, it seems to me that the young lad has a healthy career ahead of him plugging a dike with that finger.

transjen · #**297** 04-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Red Sox Nation, where we know the proper way to raise a child,.

So that means you're raising them up to be Phillie fans which is the only properway to raise a child

Philliefan Jen

smc · #**298** 04-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by transjen

So that means you're raising them up to be Phillie fans which is the only properway to raise a child

Philliefan Jen

Sorry, Jen, but around these points we don't teach our toddlers to shout obscenities at just any random strangers, only Yankees fans.

shadows · #**299** 04-02-2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by smc

Sorry, Jen, but around these points we don't teach our toddlers to shout obscenities at just any random strangers, only Yankees fans.

As it should be, my friend, as it should be.

dauls · #**300** 04-04-2010

It's gonna be a frustrating start to the season. ESPN-UK don't have any baseball scheduled during the next fortnight. I may have to wait for the NHL and NBA postseasons to finish before ESPN-UK start showing baseball.