baseball 2012

[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