baseball 2012

[smc]

Since the free agency period is open and signings are happening for 2012, it seems appropriate to kick off the 2012 baseball thread. I'll begin with a question for darling Jen: what do you think of the Phillies acquiring Jonathan Papelbon?

[Marine_N41_432]

I may seem naive for a Brit., but can someone put me clear one one thing - which came first - Baseball or Rounders ?

Or should this be in a different thread ?

Thanks

[smc]

Originally Posted by Marine_N41_432

I may seem naive for a Brit., but can someone put me clear one one thing - which came first - Baseball or Rounders ?

Or should this be in a different thread ?

Thanks

Rounders. Now, let's concentrate on baseball.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

Since the free agency period is open and signings are happening for 2012, it seems appropriate to kick off the 2012 baseball thread. I'll begin with a question for darling Jen: what do you think of the Phillies acquiring Jonathan Papelbon?

I know I'm not Jen, but I will give my 2 cents worth.

I think they overpaid for him. He is still pretty good(but had periods of "meh-ness) last season, especially during the final game of the season!), but I think a shorter-term contract would have been better.

He would have looked good in a Jays uniform, but the price was too high. They would have lost their first round pick if they signed him due to his being a Type A free agent(and their pick was 17th overall!)

Of course, I am just thankful that the damned Yankees didn't scoop him up. I think that would have pissed both of us off! Am I right?

[transjen]

They over paid and should have put that effort and money towards getting big Al from the Cardinals
To early to think about Baseball Jen

[transjen]

While i'm still a Phillies fan and i have high hopes for them next/this season
Part of me wants to see the CUBS win it all, after all they have been the loveable losers like for ever
Still Philliefan Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by transjen

While i'm still a Phillies fan and i have high hopes for them next/this season
Part of me wants to see the CUBS win it all, after all they have been the loveable losers like for ever
Still Philliefan Jen

How about throwing some love towards the Blue Jays?

[transjen]

Originally Posted by shadows

How about throwing some love towards the Blue Jays?

I only have one thing to say 1993
Philliefan Jen

[selasor]

The late great Curt Flood was absolutely right. However, 40 years later free agency has murdered the game. Why was Adam Dunn in the lineup every day after the first half of the season? His salary. The White Sox were forced to play a guy that hurt the team rather than give somebody else a shot. Why do the words "stuck with" accurately apply to the lollygagging useless Alfonso Soriano?
Hell look at the way the current movie star players congratulate themselves after they get a hit - pointing to the sky and all that crap. Every member of the Milwaukee Brewers practically celebrate just for putting their mitt on.
Free agency spawned the putrid pitch count. In 1971 Fergie Jenkins started 38 games and threw 30 complete games. Didn't wreck his arm.
You could go on all day. A guy reaches first base and spends the next few minutes exchanging hand jobs with the opposing team's first baseman. You think Bob Gibson tolerate that? He'd fire the ball at his own first baseman's head.
Screw buying players. You can win without "stars." Run everything out, advance runners, and leave your damn starter in if he's pitching good.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by transjen

I only have one thing to say 1993
Philliefan Jen

That was a good year, but it was a long time ago.

[transjen]

The Marlins spendind spree continues as they snaged another top teir free agent in Mark Buehrle
I need to go back and watch some hockey
Philliefan Jen

[shadows]

The Marlins forgot about chemistry. The new players may not even gel! I honestly feel that they overpaid for Reyes, as he is far too injury prone for the money he received.

Albert Pujos and C.J. Wilson have both signed with the LA Angels.

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

The Marlins forgot about chemistry. The new players may not even gel! I honestly feel that they overpaid for Reyes, as he is far too injury prone for the money he received.

Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson have both signed with the LA Angels.

To paraphrase a line from "It's A Wonderful Life," a film that is played often around this time of year in the United States:

"Teacher says every time a bell rings an Angel gets $254 million."

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

To paraphrase a line from "It's A Wonderful Life," a film that is played often around this time of year in the United States:

"Teacher says every time a bell rings an Angel gets $254 million."

They seem to like overpaying. I cannot believe they actually took the albatross...er, Vernon Wells contract from around the Jays' neck!

[transjen]

Originally Posted by shadows

They seem to like overpaying. I cannot believe they actually took the albatross...er, Vernon Wells contract from around the Jays' neck!

Well i guess we can call the LA Angels the West Coast Yankees

Philliefan Jen

[shadows]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that Ryan Braun(the 2011 NL MVP) has been suspended 50 games for testing positive for a PED. While the baseball writers of America have said that they will not give his award to the runner-up, I feel that if his appeal is not successful and his ban is upheld, then he should be stripped of the award. Why should he be rewarded, especially since it sounds like he knew about the positive test a MONTH before the MVP awards were announced.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by shadows

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that Ryan Braun(the 2011 NL MVP) has been suspended 50 games for testing positive for a PED. While the baseball writers of America have said that they will not give his award to the runner-up, I feel that if his appeal is not successful and his ban is upheld, then he should be stripped of the award. Why should he be rewarded, especially since it sounds like he knew about the positive test a MONTH before the MVP awards were announced.

Call it excellent timing

It happend now while most sport fans are caught up in the NFL and didn't happen during spring training when it would have caused a much bigger reaction, The baseball news everyone was paying attention to was where Big Al was going to sign with and so now most baseball fan have now going back to sleep awaiting spring training
Philliefan Jen

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned that Ryan Braun(the 2011 NL MVP) has been suspended 50 games for testing positive for a PED. While the baseball writers of America have said that they will not give his award to the runner-up, I feel that if his appeal is not successful and his ban is upheld, then he should be stripped of the award. Why should he be rewarded, especially since it sounds like he knew about the positive test a MONTH before the MVP awards were announced.

Let's get our facts straight, my friend. Braun's positive test results were leaked while he is appealing the finding. MLB has not yet suspended him and did not want the results made public pending the appeal. He claims there is an explanation (sounds dicey to me, at best).

My only wish is that he had received the American League MVP award so that stripping it from him would result in Jacoby Ellsbury being named MVP.

Originally Posted by transjen

Call it excellent timing

It happend now while most sport fans are caught up in the NFL and didn't happen during spring training when it would have caused a much bigger reaction, The baseball news everyone was paying attention to was where Big Al was going to sign with and so now most baseball fan have now going back to sleep awaiting spring training
Philliefan Jen

Not this sports fan, Jen. I hate American football. I'm caught up in the NHL.

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

Not this sports fan, Jen. I hate American football. I'm caught up in the NHL.

I quite agree. American football is the most boring game on the planet. Unfortunately too many US players and coaches infiltrated the Canadian Football League and ruined our game.

Hockey is far more interesting that any other sport going on at this time.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by ila

Hockey is far more interesting that any other sport going on at this time.

That's because Ice Hockey is the worlds greatest sport period
Santa's naughty elf Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

Let's get our facts straight, my friend. Braun's positive test results were leaked while he is appealing the finding. MLB has not yet suspended him and did not want the results made public pending the appeal. He claims there is an explanation (sounds dicey to me, at best).

My only wish is that he had received the American League MVP award so that stripping it from him would result in Jacoby Ellsbury being named MVP.



Not this sports fan, Jen. I hate American football. I'm caught up in the NHL.

That's true, but I still think he should be stripped of it if (when?) it's determined that he did use PEDs.

And I agree with you about hockey being far superior to football.

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

That's true, but I still think he should be stripped of it if (when?) it's determined that he did use PEDs.

And I agree with you about hockey being far superior to football.

Just to clarify: I didn't write that hockey was "far superior" to football. I wouldn't make a comparison like that.

Hockey is a great sport.

Football is a mock war among mostly meatheaded men with overactive pituitary glands. It is not a sport.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

Football is a mock war among mostly meatheaded men with overactive pituitary glands. It is not a sport.

I thought that was basketball
Santa's naughty elf Jen

[dauls]

Baseball's Barry Bonds spared jail for misleading jury.

from bbc.co.uk/news/

Former US baseball star Barry Bonds has been spared jail after he misled a jury investigating whether he took performance-enhancing drugs.

A federal judge in San Francisco sentenced the 47-year-old to 30 days' house arrest, two years of probation and 250 hours of community service.

The sentence, which includes a $4,000 (?2,580) fine, has been delayed while he appeals against his conviction.

In April, Bonds was convicted of obstructing justice.

Rambling responses

The former San Francisco Giants slugger was the last defendant in a government investigation of a steroids-distribution ring in San Francisco.

He was convicted of giving evasive answers to a grand jury in December 2003.

Bonds gave rambling responses to prosecutors' questions in which he spoke of being "a celebrity child" among other irrelevant statements.

The trial jury failed to reach a verdict on other charges that Bond lied when he denied taking steroids, or that he had received injections from someone other than his doctor.

Prosecutors had wanted a 15-month prison sentence, arguing house arrest was not adequate punishment since Bonds lives in a large estate in Beverly Hills, California. He had sought probation.

...

30 days house arrest and $4,000 fine -- a joke!
+
250 hours of community service -- I suppose that's the main reason he is bothering to appeal the conviction.

[smc]

Originally Posted by dauls

Baseball's Barry Bonds spared jail for misleading jury.

from bbc.co.uk/news/

30 days house arrest and $4,000 fine -- a joke!
+
250 hours of community service -- I suppose that's the main reason he is bothering to appeal the conviction.

Not HOUSE arrest. MANSION arrest.

Peter Keane, emeritus dean of the Golden Gate University Law School, has been tracking the Bonds case, and other steroid investigations and trials, for years. ?Well, the punishment was particularly light,? he says. ?He was convicted of a federal felony, a serious offense. Bonds intentionally threw a monkey wrench into the gears of the justice system. That?s not jaywalking.?

Keane thinks the federal steroid investigations, which critics have called a waste of government time and money, were worth it. Younger athletes are certainly more aware of steroid dangers. But to Keane, the length and hassle of the Bonds trial ? charges were filed in November of 2007 - has drowned out that message. Outrage over Bonds? sentence will only overshadow it further. ?He?s going to do 30 days in a 10-bedroom mansion in Beverly Hills?? says Keane. ?If he needs someone to do the time for him, he can give me a call.?

[transjen]

So Barry beat the rap in the legal system
But his baseball achivements are now worthless
He hit more homeruns then Hank Aaron but in 07 when he did it almost no one cared
Had he not done the riods he would have been a hall of famer for his outfielding and solid hitting but that wasn't good enought for Barry he did the riods so his HR count would explode
Making him a member of the hall of shame instead of the hall of fame
FYI i still consider Hank Aaron the home run king cause he did it the hard and right way
Santas naughty elf Jen

[smc]

Originally Posted by transjen

So Barry beat the rap in the legal system
But his baseball achivements are now worthless
He hit more homeruns then Hank Aaron but in 07 when he did it almost no one cared
Had he not done the riods he would have been a hall of famer for his outfielding and solid hitting but that wasn't good enought for Barry he did the riods so his HR count would explode
Making him a member of the hall of shame instead of the hall of fame
FYI i still consider Hank Aaron the home run king cause he did it the hard and right way
Santas naughty elf Jen

I'm with you, Jen, but I have a question. You say Hammerin' Hank "did it the hard ... way." I always thought he did it the difficult way. Do you have some inside knowledge that hitting home runs made Hank Aaron hard?

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

I'm with you, Jen, but I have a question. You say Hammerin' Hank "did it the hard ... way." I always thought he did it the difficult way. Do you have some inside knowledge that hitting home runs made Hank Aaron hard?

Fraid not as he played way before my time

The only memory i have of him playing was at the end of his career wearing the softball looking uniform of the Brewers back around 76 when i was very young
Santas naughty elf Jen

[smc]

Originally Posted by transjen

Fraid not as he played way before my time

The only memory i have of him playing was at the end of his career wearing the softball looking uniform of the Brewers back around 76 when i was very young
Santas naughty elf Jen

I'm not sure whether to apologize for my awful pun or congratulate you for simply not taking the bait.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

I'm not sure whether to apologize for my awful pun or congratulate you for simply not taking the bait.

What you think this is a porn forum?

Oh wait it is
Santas naughty elf Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by dauls

Baseball's Barry Bonds spared jail for misleading jury.

from bbc.co.uk/news/

30 days house arrest and $4,000 fine -- a joke!
+
250 hours of community service -- I suppose that's the main reason he is bothering to appeal the conviction.

The worst part of all this is all the taxpayers dollars that went down the tubes while this whole fiasco was going on. Everyone knows that he IS guilty(your head doesn't swell up to that size for no reason), but if you're a celebrity(even one as douchey as Bonds) you are given a different standard than an average citizen.

[transjen]

Spring training is around the corner and this year i'll be going to FL and take in a few Phillies game plus hit the beach
Phillie fan Jen

[transjen]

Am i the only one to notice the change taking place in the AL and NL?
have you noticed that just about all of the NL biggest hitters are jumping ship and going over to tha AL Prince Fielder being the latest signing with the Tigers for nine years
While the AL best pitchers are jumping ship and going over to the NL
making the AL the place to be to watch balls fly out of the park and the NL will be the place to watch a pitchers duel
I blame the stupid DH rule for this
Phillie fan Jenl

[smc]

Originally Posted by transjen

Am i the only one to notice the change taking place in the AL and NL?
have you noticed that just about all of the NL biggest hitters are jumping ship and going over to tha AL Prince Fielder being the latest signing with the Tigers for nine years
While the AL best pitchers are jumping ship and going over to the NL
making the AL the place to be to watch balls fly out of the park and the NL will be the place to watch a pitchers duel
I blame the stupid DH rule for this
Phillie fan Jenl

Absolutely! I hate the DH rule.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

Absolutely! I hate the DH rule.

I don't. I prefer it over watching a pitcher hit.

With regards to the Prince Fielder signing, I don't think that Detroit would have signed him had Victor Martinez not had a long-term injury. I think it's telling that it took so long to sign him, and that many teams did not want to sign him for the long term like he wanted(plus, his Agent is Scott Boras, one who is widely despised in the MLB).

I think that Detroit overpaid him. While he will more than likely have a few good seasons, I don't think he'll be good for them long-term.

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

I don't. I prefer it over watching a pitcher hit.

"Watching a pitcher hit" is only one of many, many aspects of NOT having the DH rule that makes baseball more interesting. There are so many more strategic considerations that a manager must make at every juncture of the game as the pitcher's spot in the lineup gets closer and closer to an at-bat. That's what I miss in the American League. Watching the pitcher hit in earlier innings is a small price to pay to get that back.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

"Watching a pitcher hit" is only one of many, many aspects of NOT having the DH rule that makes baseball more interesting. There are so many more strategic considerations that a manager must make at every juncture of the game as the pitcher's spot in the lineup gets closer and closer to an at-bat. That's what I miss in the American League. Watching the pitcher hit in earlier innings is a small price to pay to get that back.

Very well said and i couldn't agree more, plus here's another great thing about the NL


http://youtu.be/W8jdVwvZVjM
Philliefan Jen

[smc]

Originally Posted by transjen

Very well said and i couldn't agree more, plus here's another great thing about the NL


http://youtu.be/W8jdVwvZVjM
Philliefan Jen

Thanks so much for the compliment, Jen. I wish I could agree with you on the Philly Phanatic, but I just don't get it. To be fair, I don't get Wally the Green Monster either.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

Thanks so much for the compliment, Jen. I wish I could agree with you on the Philly Phanatic, but I just don't get it. To be fair, I don't get Wally the Green Monster either.

You don't need to get it, all you need to know is the Phillie Phaanactic is cute and adorable
Philliefan Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

"Watching a pitcher hit" is only one of many, many aspects of NOT having the DH rule that makes baseball more interesting. There are so many more strategic considerations that a manager must make at every juncture of the game as the pitcher's spot in the lineup gets closer and closer to an at-bat. That's what I miss in the American League. Watching the pitcher hit in earlier innings is a small price to pay to get that back.

I know it's just one aspect of it(there's double switching, etc.). Tony LaRussa was tailor-made for the NL as his mind was like a well oiled machine when it came to matchups and so on. I still prefer the AL, though.

[smc]

Originally Posted by transjen

You don't need to get it, all you need to know is the Phillie Phaanactic is cute and adorable
Philliefan Jen

You, Jen, are "cute and adorable." The Phillie Phanatic, well ...

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

You, Jen, are "cute and adorable." The Phillie Phanatic, well ...

AHH come on he's so huggable you just what to get and give him a hug

Philliefan Jen

[smc]

So, baseball fans, what think ye of the proposal -- currently being pushed hard by MLB with the Player's Union -- to change the format for the baseball post-season?

Under the proposal, each league's three division winners would earn a first-round bye, while the teams with the fourth- and fifth-best records in each league would play a game to determine who gets the wild-card berth. Then the wild-card winner would play the top-seeded division winner in the first round.

Personally, I think this is idiocy.

Jemele Hill, writing on ESPN.com today, explains one of the reasons I think it's idiocy. It involves my beloved Boston Red Sox.

"Do you remember where you were on Sept. 28, 2011? It was only the greatest regular-season finale in baseball history. The Boston Red Sox needed one more out against the Baltimore Orioles to make the playoffs. Trailing the New York Yankees 7-0 in the eighth inning, the Tampa Bay Rays needed a win and a Boston loss to secure a spot in the postseason.

"Then the most unreal, unpredictable, unbelievable thing happened. The Orioles and Rays both won in dramatic fashion. And the Red Sox claimed the notoriety of the most epic late-season collapse of all time.

"If the expanded postseason formula had been in place last year, those two dramatic games would have only affected home field for a one-game playoff between the Rays and Red Sox. Of course, Terry Francona might still be the Red Sox's manager and, most importantly, beer and chicken wouldn't be frowned upon in Boston's clubhouse."

I would rather keep things as they are than have had my Red Sox make the playoffs last year under the circumstances just described!

Jemele Hill continues:

"This proposed postseason expansion nonsense is undeserved charity. (Just ask the 2010-11 Indiana Pacers, who made the playoffs at 37-45, or the 2002-03 New York Islanders, who limped in at 35-34-11-2.)

"Congratulations, mediocre teams! You have even more incentive to remain average!"

Any thoughts, friends?

[shadows]

If the Jays make it in, I'll be happy.

[transjen]

I really don't like this new play-in game at the end but if it means my Phillies aviod elimination then i'll be all for it

On a side note i arrived in Clearwater FL late last night looking forward to getting my first look at my Phillies this season

Philliefan Jen

[shadows]

What does everyone think of Yu Darvish? Do you think he'll live up to the hype, or do you think he'll end up being like DiceK(who never did end up living up to that huge contract)?

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

What does everyone think of Yu Darvish? Do you think he'll live up to the hype, or do you think he'll end up being like DiceK(who never did end up living up to that huge contract)?

I think Darvish will succeed or fail not according to how he is managed. In my view, the fact that Daisuke Matzusaka "never did end up living up to that huge contract" is a failure of the Red Sox management and an unwillingness to let the pitcher work more closely to the manner in which he had in Japan. This is something Bobby Valentine pointed out when he was a commentator. Now Bobby V is the Red Sox manager, speaks fluent Japanese, and knows the Japanese "system" for pitchers like the back of his hand, having been a manager of the Chiba Lotte Marines. Daisuke is going to be more successful this year when he comes back from his Tommy John surgery than he ever was under Terry Francona.

If Ron Washington and the Rangers "do right" by Darvish, he will thrive in the Majors.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by shadows

What does everyone think of Yu Darvish? Do you think he'll live up to the hype, or do you think he'll end up being like DiceK(who never did end up living up to that huge contract)?

Only time will tell, so many of the super hyped players fizzle out

Remember back in the 90s and the Yankees paid over a million for a highschool can't miss pitcher named Brain Taylor
Philliefan Jen

[aussiepride]

always been a big fan of the greatest baseball team of all time the NY Yankees. its been a while for them, bout time they add another to the trophy cabinet.

graeme lloyd was the first aussie to play in a world series, when he played for the yankees in 1998.

[ila]

Originally Posted by aussiepride

always been a big fan of the greatest baseball team of all time the NY Yankees. its been a while for them, bout time they add another to the trophy cabinet.

graeme lloyd was the first aussie to play in a world series, when he played for the yankees in 1998.

You won't find many Yankees fans in this thread. At best I'm ambivalent about them, but mostly I just don't like them at all. The Blue Jays are the only Toronto team (for any sport) that I do like.