Baseball Thread

[jordmundt6]

Out of curiosity, who on the Cubs roster did you vote for aside from Castro and maybe Lahair. Dempster has been solid but unlucky and his stats aren't eye-popping, and the Cubs are in a bit of an offensive drought. Campana is a speed specialist, but he's a little like the fictional Willie "Mays" Hayes. Exceptionally fast on the basepaths, but getting to first is a problem. Isn't his OBP something like .318? Alfonso is a name and he's been getting warm lately after a slow start, but again--not scorching. As a depresed Cubs fan, I gotta know--who did you vote for and why?

Bear in mind, some perennial favorites aren't making the cut or shouldn't be. Pujols' offense has picked up after a horrendous first month and a half, but his performance doesn't merit a selection. A-Rod is iffy at best, but Yankee nation is behind him. I'm starting to see what the naysayers mean about Jeter's defense, but his scorching first two months merit his selection to the team (but not as a starter). Anyway, just curious.

[merrymarge]

I voted for Soriano, Castro, Lahair. I did not vote for Ian Stewart, because his batting average was so low at the time I voted. I voted for one of the Arizona Diamondbacks. I think I voted for Tony Campana if he was on the ballot. I voted sometime ago and right now, I am having a forgetful momment. there was a period of days when I couldn't vote, computer problems. But when I was able to vote, I voted the same people over and over, until I reached 25 times. There was a catcher whom I didn't vote for, I know it wasn't Soto, but I cannot recall the guy's name. I heard Anthony Rizzo was to come up from Triple-A, they say he won't be the savior of the team, but that is exactly why he was called up.

[LightningScar97]

No offense merry marge but the Cubs really stink.

[merrymarge]

yes, this year they are having a lot of problems. but I still love them and I try to watch as many games as I can. We know them as lovable losers. Over 100 years without a World Series Ring. One day, hopefully in my life time, they will at least make it all the way to the Series. they have gotten as far as the first round of the playoffs, only to lose.
All I can do is hope.

[jordmundt6]

I've been hoping for that too. Things do seem pretty dire, recent four-game win streak notwithstanding. I'm a little shocked that R.A. Dickey wrote and published an autobiography this spring (as a relatively unknown journeyman) and has reeled off an amazing first half about as dominant as Verlander's last year. Seems like he wrote the book a year or two early.

[cardinalguy]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

I've been hoping for that too. Things do seem pretty dire, recent four-game win streak notwithstanding. I'm a little shocked that R.A. Dickey wrote and published an autobiography this spring (as a relatively unknown journeyman) and has reeled off an amazing first half about as dominant as Verlander's last year. Seems like he wrote the book a year or two early.

Nah, he simply realized there's big money in sequels.

[merrymarge]

The Cubs just swept the AZ. Diamondbacks. I am in my glory!
Go, Cubs, go!

[merrymarge]

The cubs just signed their short-stop, Starlin Castro for 7 years. some fans thing he will no longer play his best, because he will still get paid. I think Castro will still play hard. he is younger than Soriano and as long as he stays healthy, he will be a terrific player.

[jordmundt6]

Well, he's still sorta raw defensively. Let's hope he works on that.

Pujols is injured. Beltre is having an exceptional eight days.

[Fawkesfan1]

The playoffs are pretty good so far, the Tigers are doing pretty well against the Yankees in their series. Hoping that they continue to do well .

[jordmundt6]

Well, that was the most entertaining and competitive wild card round in some time. Unfortunately, the CS hasn't lived up to the previous round (except the first game of the ALCS). It actually would have been better for the Yankees if they'd lost game 1 4-2 or 4-0 because Jeter would still be in their lineup. He was one of only two guys in their lineup hitting consistently and one of only three hitting at all.

Full disclosure, I laughed myself silly when Valverde gave up that home run to Ichiro and then chuckled when Clutch Ibanez showed up again. Would have been absolutely typical of him to squander eight innings of exceptional work by the rest of the staff.

Jeter's played just under a full season's worth of postseason games in his career (158) and has 200 hits precisely in that stretch. Impressive.

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

Well, that was the most entertaining and competitive wild card round in some time. Unfortunately, the CS hasn't lived up to the previous round (except the first game of the ALCS). It actually would have been better for the Yankees if they'd lost game 1 4-2 or 4-0 because Jeter would still be in their lineup. He was one of only two guys in their lineup hitting consistently and one of only three hitting at all.

Full disclosure, I laughed myself silly when Valverde gave up that home run to Ichiro and then chuckled when Clutch Ibanez showed up again. Would have been absolutely typical of him to squander eight innings of exceptional work by the rest of the staff.

Jeter's played just under a full season's worth of postseason games in his career (158) and has 200 hits precisely in that stretch. Impressive.

Yea he's played well this season (Jeter). Still not a Yankees fan though . Only time I was one, was right
after 9/11 out of respect.

The Tigers just won game 3 of the series against the Yankees, 2-1. Keep it going you guys!

[jordmundt6]

They're up 3-0 and Verlander was two tough at-bats away from a shutout. Hilarious that Coke made everyone sweat. If they get to the Series, I think Verlander's going to exert himself to make sure that he finishes whatever game(s) he starts.

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

They're up 3-0 and Verlander was two tough at-bats away from a shutout. Hilarious that Coke made everyone sweat. If they get to the Series, I think Verlander's going to exert himself to make sure that he finishes whatever game(s) he starts.

Yea, kind of felt sorry for him there. So close to a shutout. Maybe next time. Me too, he seems to be the kind of player that works his butt off for a win and tries to do his best to play the best game he can.

[jordmundt6]

To be honest, this is probably as close to the fabled Sandy Koufax as we'll get in the next two decades (apologies to Stephen Strasburg). He has similar problems. He's an excellent pitcher on a team that doesn't score a lot of runs. If he wants to nail down victories, he has to go as close to the distance as possible every time out. That means throwing 100 pitches or more every start.

Koufax retired at 30...or maybe 31 with chronic elbow trouble. His pitching arm was bent into a parenthesis and he spent his last season "half-high" on painkillers just to keep pitching. That's why he retired early. Part of that was that (as Kaat and Drysdale have commented, Koufax had to throw as hard as he could every pitch. Every pitch was the last strike of the ninth inning). I don't recall Verlander having significant DL stints yet. And he's mastered something quite rare. He can get by with a 93 mph with movement for three or four innings and then heat it up to 97 to almost triple digits in the 7th, 8th or 9th which is just about unheard of. Usually power pitchers just pound it until they run out of petrol. He doesn't do that.

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

To be honest, this is probably as close to the fabled Sandy Koufax as we'll get in the next two decades (apologies to Stephen Strasburg). He has similar problems. He's an excellent pitcher on a team that doesn't score a lot of runs. If he wants to nail down victories, he has to go as close to the distance as possible every time out. That means throwing 100 pitches or more every start.

Koufax retired at 30...or maybe 31 with chronic elbow trouble. His pitching arm was bent into a parenthesis and he spent his last season "half-high" on painkillers just to keep pitching. That's why he retired early. Part of that was that (as Kaat and Drysdale have commented, Koufax had to throw as hard as he could every pitch. Every pitch was the last strike of the ninth inning). I don't recall Verlander having significant DL stints yet. And he's mastered something quite rare. He can get by with a 93 mph with movement for three or four innings and then heat it up to 97 to almost triple digits in the 7th, 8th or 9th which is just about unheard of. Usually power pitchers just pound it until they run out of petrol. He doesn't do that.

They've had to work their butts off for their wins this year. Not that it's a bad thing though. They've grown over the year, and hopefully that'll make them an even better team next year.

Tonight's game 4. *Crossing fingers for another Tigers' win*

Game is in a rain delay right now . Darn it.

[jordmundt6]

They slapped it into the game 5 matinee slot. What a tremendous media firestorm over the Yankees. Remember 18 months ago when several "experts" declared Jeter done? Now, those same guys are declaring A-Rod done. Yikes.

[Fawkesfan1]

Originally Posted by jordmundt6

They slapped it into the game 5 matinee slot. What a tremendous media firestorm over the Yankees. Remember 18 months ago when several "experts" declared Jeter done? Now, those same guys are declaring A-Rod done. Yikes.

Ah. Heard about that. Definitely. Just because a player isn't playing at his best right now, doesn't mean that he still can't play. Baseball is pretty much a game of luck and chance, along with a lot of hard work and practice. I respect the players who work their tails off come good luck and bad, just for the love of the game.

[Mulatto]

Jeter tends to play injured and had the prospect of 3000 hits last year. The Yanks offense in this post-season has been putrid. Today behind C.C. the Yanks have misplayed 4 outs. No need to add bad fielding to hitting. They make all these pitchers look like Aces. This lineup should be ashamed for coming up so small. Except Jeter and a few others. Btw, Scherzer has a no-hitter and 7 strikeouts through 4 against the Yanks. Not unusual for the Yanks this post-season.

[Fawkesfan1]

Yea. They haven't been playing as well as they usually have for some time now. And the Tigers came out of nowhere (at least somewhat) towards the end of the season, they weren't playing that well most of the season, and it was really disappointing to see that (the bad playing during most of the season).

But once they got a fire lit under their collective butts, it's been interesting. Hopefully they can keep it going.

On a side note, this seems to be a pattern with teams heading into the post season. Some do really well at the beginning of the season and then fade toward the end, others due badly at the beginning and get better, and some still do either good or bad and finish off either good or bad.