Baseball

[smc]

Originally Posted by Talvenada

I called you professor, because I though you taught college classes for PHD's.

I do (how did you know that?), but I just don't want to be known as The Professor online. It's complicated, but it just doesn't work for me. Don't worry about it, though.

Here's a little piece of trivia about old Braves Field in Boston, for all you baseball fans out there. It opened in 1915, and was so huge that the first home run that wasn't of the inside-the-park variety wasn't hit until 1925! The original distance to center field was 550 feet!

[Talvenada]

Originally Posted by smc

I do (how did you know that?), but I just don't want to be known as The Professor online. It's complicated, but it just doesn't work for me. Don't worry about it, though.

Here's a little piece of trivia about old Braves Field in Boston, for all you baseball fans out there. It opened in 1915, and was so huge that the first home run that wasn't of the inside-the-park variety wasn't hit until 1925! The original distance to center field was 550 feet!

SMC;

I'd bet that Rynosaur could hit 1 or 2 out after 2-3 years, because he has hit some monster shot onto Ashburn Alley on the fly and over a 25-30 foot batting eye at The Bank in Philly. That fence is 440' to dead center.

No wonder there weren't a lot of homerun hitters back 100 years ago. I wonder if other fences were that deep, except those that were shoe-horned into place, like PHL, BOS, CHC, CIN, etc. It makes me wonder if the bandboxes were the talked-about parks, while the rest were much bigger parks with more real estate to work with, or if Boston was the exception.

TAL

[smc]

Originally Posted by Talvenada

SMC;

I'd bet that Rynosaur could hit 1 or 2 out after 2-3 years, because he has hit some monster shot onto Ashburn Alley on the fly and over a 25-30 foot batting eye at The Bank in Philly. That fence is 440' to dead center.

No wonder there weren't a lot of homerun hitters back 100 years ago. I wonder if other fences were that deep, except those that were shoe-horned into place, like PHL, BOS, CHC, CIN, etc. It makes me wonder if the bandboxes were the talked-about parks, while the rest were much bigger parks with more real estate to work with, or if Boston was the exception.

TAL

I can't speak for Ryan Howard, but I'm pretty sure "1 or 2" would be the limit. I have seen some homers hit out of Fenway that go over the Green Monster, across Landsdowne Street, bounce on the parking lot on the other side of Landsdowne, and then go over the fence into speeding traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike. That is a sight to behold.

My grandfather once told me that the outfield of the old Polo Grounds where the New York Giants played could have held every person in New York City if they stood straight and right up against each other. It was, of course, an exaggeration, but everything I've read confirms that (dimensions aside) the look of the place was like driving across Montana, but without the beautiful sky.

[Talvenada]

Originally Posted by smc

I can't speak for Ryan Howard, but I'm pretty sure "1 or 2" would be the limit. I have seen some homers hit out of Fenway that go over the Green Monster, across Landsdowne Street, bounce on the parking lot on the other side of Landsdowne, and then go over the fence into speeding traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike. That is a sight to behold.

My grandfather once told me that the outfield of the old Polo Grounds where the New York Giants played could have held every person in New York City if they stood straight and right up against each other. It was, of course, an exaggeration, but everything I've read confirms that (dimensions aside) the look of the place was like driving across Montana, but without the beautiful sky.

SMC:

Just to add a point.

I should have been a bit clearer: the dead-center fence is 440', but the batting eye is 20-25 feet after the shrubbery. I don't know if you watched any WS games, because I know how it feels to have the season end sooner rather than later.


TAL

[smc]

John Lackey threw 40 fastballs off the mound on the very first day that pitchers and catchers were due at Red Sox spring training. 40! On the first day.

Every team in the AL should be quaking in fear!!!

[smc]

I'm guessing our Phillies fans are happy that Brad Lidge was able to throw 20 fastballs off a mound yesterday. Seems like he might come back very well from his surgery. The question, of course, is about his head. Thoughts, Jen?

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

I'm guessing our Phillies fans are happy that Brad Lidge was able to throw 20 fastballs off a mound yesterday. Seems like he might come back very well from his surgery. The question, of course, is about his head. Thoughts, Jen?

Although this question was directed towards Jen, I would like to add my two cents worth.

I think having Doc on their team will help Lidge immensely. Doc was demoted at one point earlier in his career and he endured it mentally and was able to come back a far better pitcher than he ever was before. Even though Lidge has had success before, the mental aspect of the game is a huge contributing factor, and I think that Doc can help him with that.

[transjen]

Originally Posted by smc

I'm guessing our Phillies fans are happy that Brad Lidge was able to throw 20 fastballs off a mound yesterday. Seems like he might come back very well from his surgery. The question, of course, is about his head. Thoughts, Jen?

I think Lidge will be fine and i'm more conserned with Holmes finding his head



Jerseygirl Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by smc

John Lackey threw 40 fastballs off the mound on the very first day that pitchers and catchers were due at Red Sox spring training. 40! On the first day.

Every team in the AL should be quaking in fear!!!

The only knock on Lackey is that he started the past two seasons on the DL. He has stated that it wasn't something that he wanted to repeat, so he planned on doing things different this Spring Training. Not sure if throwing 40 pitches is something he used to do or not, but wouldn't you be worried that he was overworking himself so early?

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

The only knock on Lackey is that he started the past two seasons on the DL. He has stated that it wasn't something that he wanted to repeat, so he planned on doing things different this Spring Training. Not sure if throwing 40 pitches is something he used to do or not, but wouldn't you be worried that he was overworking himself so early?

Not worried. John Farrell is one of the best pitching coaches in baseball, and he wouldn't have allowed it if Lackey wasn't ready. I think Lackey is so thrilled to be playing in the every-game-feels-like-a-playoff-game atmosphere of Boston baseball that his adrenaline is going to overcome any minor hurts in spring training.