Baseball

[dauls]

Originally Posted by shadows

Well, it's over. The Philly offense was garbage again and good ol' Howard struck out to end the game(that guy strikes out waaaaaay too much).

San Francisco won the game 3-2 and took the series 4-2 and will now host Texas in the 2010 World Series.

I am rooting for Texas to win it all.

But seriously, the best team won the series.

Where was the Phillies offense in the postseason?


Ryan Howard has always struck out too often, in 2007 he set a new single season record of 199 (played only 144 games).

It was obviously a feat he enjoyed so much because in 2008 he bagged another 199 strikeouts (162 games).

But in the same season his blushes were spared by Arizona's Mark Reynolds, who totaled 204 strikeouts.

Mark Reynolds has since made this record his own with 223 (in 155 games in 2009) and 211 (2010).

Ryan Howard's 13 strikeouts in the 2009 World Series is another all-time record.

Until checking, I always thought Ryan Howard was "Mr. Goes Down Swinging", he averages 192 strikouts per 162 games, but Mark Reynolds is on another planet and averages 221 per 162 games.


The Arizona Swing-'n'-Misses
The season Mark Reynolds helped Arizona D'backs set a new single season team strikout record of 1,529 - breaking the previous record of 1,399 by the 2001 Brewers. How the hell can the D'backs break the record by 130 strikeouts? Do they have a batting coach?

[smc]

It will be a good series. I'm rooting for the Giants. I usually root for any American League team other than the Yankees, but I have a soft spot for the Giants. They were my grandpa's team from their New York days, and I have some strong connections to the Bay Area.

[dauls]

Originally Posted by smc

It will be a good series. I'm rooting for the Giants. I usually root for any American League team other than the Yankees, but I have a soft spot for the Giants. They were my grandpa's team from their New York days, and I have some strong connections to the Bay Area.

I can't side with either team, but a close series decided in Game 7 would be ideal.

[smc]

Nick Cafardo, one of the outstanding baseball writers for The Boston Globe, writes this morning that baseball owners will be discussing adding teams to the playoffs -- something that would have to be negotiated with the players union -- as early as 2012.

According to Cafardo, the thinking is to add an additional wild card in each league, have them play one game or a 3-game series to determine which one advances, and then commence with the division, league, and World Series as they exist now.

There are implications for the regular season. The head of the players union, Michael Weiner, told the Globe a few months ago and just reiterated to Cafardo that "some of the players have said that either we could shorten the regular season because the regular season's too long, or we should shorten the regular season to accommodate an expanded post-season."

There are serious revenue issues for owners if the regular season is shortened, so that's probably a non-starter. So, the likely outcome is baseball well into November, if this idea is adopted.

Commissioner Bud Selig has long stated his pride in the fact that baseball has the fewest number of playoff teams, making it the toughest sport in which to make the post-season.

In my opinion, this is a terrible idea.

[shadows]

I disagree. I would like to see more teams in the post-season. Being in the AL East(the hardest division in baseball in my opinion), I would like the Jays to have more of a chance to make it to the post-season.

smc, what do you think of the following?

1. John Farrell as the new Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.

2. The rumours of Manny Ramirez stating that the Blue Jays could be a good fit for him(due to the aforementioned signing of Farrell no doubt).

[dauls]

Originally Posted by shadows

I disagree. I would like to see more teams in the post-season. Being in the AL East(the hardest division in baseball in my opinion), I would like the Jays to have more of a chance to make it to the post-season.

shadows, I understand where you are coming from, but I agree with smc, four postseason teams per league is just fine. And I wonder how many old-school baseball fans still hate the wildcard?

And this year, for the first time in a while the four teams with the best records in both the AL and the NL qualified for the postseason - so all is good.

World Series Game 1: What happened to Cliff Lee?

[shadows]

Originally Posted by dauls

shadows, I understand where you are coming from, but I agree with smc, four postseason teams per league is just fine. And I wonder how many old-school baseball fans still hate the wildcard?

And this year, for the first time in a while the four teams with the best records in both the AL and the NL qualified for the postseason - so all is good.

World Series Game 1: What happened to Cliff Lee?

He took tips from the Yankee pitching staff.

[smc]

Originally Posted by dauls

shadows, I understand where you are coming from, but I agree with smc, four postseason teams per league is just fine. And I wonder how many old-school baseball fans still hate the wildcard?

And this year, for the first time in a while the four teams with the best records in both the AL and the NL qualified for the postseason - so all is good.

World Series Game 1: What happened to Cliff Lee?

I hate the wild card as a concept. I certainly understand the math that makes it "necessary."

As for Cliff Lee ... I told one of my best friends (he lives in San Francisco, and grew up with his uncle taking him into the Giants locker room at Candlestick Park to meet Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, et al.), just before the game that Lee was due for a less-than-dominating game. I said if it happened in Game 1, the Giants would have a huge advantage in the series because of momentum.

A mutual acquaintance was at his house to watch the game. My friend Alan told him what I said and he got on the phone. "Oh, yeah, wanna bet?" I agreed to a $100 bet that the Giants would knock Lee out by the 6th inning.

My $100 arrived via PayPal today!

Anyone need any crystal ball work done today?

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

I disagree. I would like to see more teams in the post-season. Being in the AL East(the hardest division in baseball in my opinion), I would like the Jays to have more of a chance to make it to the post-season.

My friend, you've let hockey cloud your brain. The solution is not to allow more teams in (hockey has way too many playoff berths!), but to realign the divisions to be more equitable. Forget the geographic divisions and harmonize them in some other way. Or, institute revenue-sharing so that every team has an equal monetary chance at building a playoff-worthy team.

Originally Posted by shadows

smc, what do you think of the following?

1. John Farrell as the new Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.

I've been meaning to write about this. John Farrell leaving the Sox is a huge blow; he's an outstanding pitching coach. That said, I have no sense for how he will be as a manager. I know that he is considered to come from the Francona mold -- a player's manager, almost to a fault -- but I'm not sure he's got enough of the skill set to manage a big league club. He's never managed before. His coaching picks will be crucial. Yes, he was a player development chief for the Indians for five years, but ...

I'm one of those people, old-fashioned I guess, who still thinks that nothing prepares you for being a manager like being a big-league catcher.

Originally Posted by shadows

2. The rumours of Manny Ramirez stating that the Blue Jays could be a good fit for him(due to the aforementioned signing of Farrell no doubt).

I doubt Manny's thinking (does Manny actually think?) has anything to do with Farrell other than him not being completely unfamiliar. I know he likes to hit at the Rogers Centre.

[shadows]

I would be content with realignment of the Divisions. I am sick and tired of being in the same one as the Damned Yankees.

Oh! It looks like the Yankees re-signed Joe Girardi to a 3-year, $9 million contract. I have to at that signing, as he is not that good of a Manager to be honest. A freaking trained monkey could do the job there! I don't think next season is going to be one that the Yankees' fans will enjoy(which will make me VERY happy).