The 2010 MLB Season Thread

[Scoobz0202]

Won't even talk about the bullpen management.


I think I'm going to be sick.

[Butter]

Seriously, WTF.

[RedKingGold]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I'd agree. I probably hate on him too much but some shit just floors me.

Cairo hitting second is inexcusable.

Meh. People said the same thing about good ole' Chollie. Win a World Series and you transform from bumbling buffoon to understated savant.

Speaking of which, nice to see Contreras making like Mitch Williams ("pre-Joe Carter era") out there today.

[Ksyrup]

See - if Dusty had properly configured the Reds lineup today, they might have scored 12 runs and won the game!

[Scoobz0202]

Or if he didn' take out his pitcher with a .63something era to bring in a struggling Cordero with bases loaded. Or hey.. Cairo's defense is stellar.

[rowech]

Reds -- Release Nix and Lincoln. Bring up Maloney and move Harang to the pen. Send out the same freaking lineup every day against righties and against lefties. I swear...sometimes managers are just dumb. Why mess with things that work?

[JPhillips]

Pinch hitting Micah Owens when Gomes and Rolen sat on the bench?

Letting Lincoln go out for a third inning without even having anyone warming up?

I'll give Dusty credit for getting the team to play hard and helping with good chemistry, but his in game management is simply baffling.

[path12]

Baseball makes me so sad right now. I didn't buy into the winning the division hype for the Mariners, but I didn't expect this either.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Pinch hitting Micah Owens when Gomes and Rolen sat on the bench?

Just fwiw, I wonder if Rolen was really even available. From the box score notesCincinnati third baseman Scott Rolen got the day off. Baker described him as "very sore and tight."

Lord knows, I'm not gonna defend Dusty since I can't stand the guy, but that part of the equation you mentioned might not even have been in play.

[larrymcg421]

Three straight walk off wins for the Braves is sweet.

[path12]

Originally Posted by path12

Baseball makes me so sad right now. I didn't buy into the winning the division hype for the Mariners, but I didn't expect this either.

I post this and the M's score three in the 9th to finally get a win.

FOFC BROKE THE JINX!!

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by larrymcg421

Three straight walk off wins for the Braves is sweet.

Very. I just love that Conrad didn't even know it went over. He was heading back to the dugout and the players celebrating was what tipped him off to turn back and finish running the bases.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by path12

I post this and the M's score three in the 9th to finally get a win.

FOFC BROKE THE JINX!!

Royals out of the basement in the AL Central? Wins all around

(Probably has absolutely nothing to do with the bad records of the recent competition)

SI

[Ksyrup]

Waiting for the inevitable:

The Luckiest Man Alive
by Dave Cameron - May 19, 2010

In a few hours, Livan Hernandez will take the hill against the Mets, and he will look to continue one of the luckiest runs in the history of major league baseball.

A quick look at the gap between Hernandez’s ERA (1.46) and his xFIP (5.09) would tell that he’s gotten fortunate, but I don’t even think those numbers do justice just how incredibly Hernandez has walked the tightrope this season.

He’s thrown 49 1/3 innings in his seven starts and allowed just nine runs while putting 51 men on base. Well, that’s not really true, because he’s allowed six home runs, so those guys were never really “baserunners” in the sense that most of us think of the word. Take the home runs out of the picture, and Hernandez has put 45 guys on base. Three of them have scored.

Three. Out of 45.

And the hilarious part is that he hasn’t even pitched all that well with runners on base. He’s pitched to 71 hitters when there as at least one man on. Of those 71, he’s walked nine, struck out just six, and posted an okay-but-not-spectacular 47% groundball percentage. However, opponents have an .054 batting average on balls in play against him in those situations. Oh Fifty Four.

It’s even better when opponents have put a runner in scoring position. In the 38 batters who have faced Hernandez with a chance to drive in a run, one has gotten a hit, and it was a single. Opponents are 1 for 30 with seven walks and a sac fly against Livan in RISP situations. Only four of those 29 outs were strikeouts.

I figured I should write about this while I still had the chance, because every time he takes the hill, there’s a chance it will all just blow up. No one can sustain this for very long, especially not a guy who just throws the ball over the plate and hopes the ball finds one of his fielders. But yet, for seven miraculous starts, Hernandez has seen just that happen.

It’s one of the most amazing things we’ll ever see on a baseball field.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Very. I just love that Conrad didn't even know it went over. He was heading back to the dugout and the players celebrating was what tipped him off to turn back and finish running the bases.

AJC sports blogger talks about Conrad's improbable heroics & there's embedded video at the bottom of the page. His reaction is in the replay at about the 2:00 mark of the clip.

A little earlier analyst Joe Simpson has a classic quote "I've been to two rodeos & three goat-ropings but I've never seen anything like that".

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by path12

Baseball makes me so sad right now. I didn't buy into the winning the division hype for the Mariners, but I didn't expect this either.

The M's offense was never going to be great (or even good) this season, but so far they've been really unlucky, and they've compounded it with really bad roster and lineup decisions.

[JS19]

Dice-K with a no-no in bottom 8 vs Philly.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Run prevention.

[DaddyTorgo]

Bah!!!

[JS19]

Just saw a quick replay of the hit off Dice-K.... certainly not an easy play, but looked makable. Again, was just a quick replay so maybe it was a bit more difficult than it appeared, either way, it's gotta sting a bit.

[sterlingice]

Well, of course he did good. I just dropped him this week in fantasy baseball.

SI

[cartman]

News reports are trickling out that Jose Lima has died after suffering a massive heart attack.

[Easy Mac]

Pre-empting others from saying "I guess it was Lima's time"

[sterlingice]

Well, that was Zack Greinke giving up on the team 1-4 with an ERA just a hair above 3 coming into the game. Yost ran out a godawful lineup (Sporqie in LF, Kendall still on pace to have more ABs than any catcher since WW2, Batter Nine You Sucky batting 7, etc) and after Yuni botched a grounder that would have ended the inning (scored a single)- he went first pitch change for Giambi who put it over the wall and made it 3-0. After that, it looked like he was just frustrated and not concentrating at all, giving up 8 before being pulled in the 4th. *sigh*

SI

[stevew]

Lets all take a moment of silence for Lima-time. So young. RIP.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by cartman

News reports are trickling out that Jose Lima has died after suffering a massive heart attack.

dibs on comforting the widow!


too soon?

in all seriousness: that sucks. sorry to hear that.

[dawgfan]

Good article on ESPN.com about Milton Bradley:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/n...ory?id=5212267

I'm sure there are cynics out there that will say "whatever", but I'm pulling for him to get himself straightened out, and I give him credit for trying to do something about his issues.

[Neuqua]

I think it was plain obvious that the guy has some mental issues he needs to deal with, and I commend him for finally admitting it. His experience in Chicago truly was cringe-worthy.

[Scoobz0202]

I really like Mike Sweeney.

That is all.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I really like Mike Sweeney.

That is all.

He always seemed like a genuinely good guy. Unfortunately, his body gave out and he never lived up to the big contract so a lot of fans in KC haven't forgiven him for it. Hard to say for sure about what's in a person's heart, particularly about a public figure, but he really does seem to walk the walk.

SI

[Chubby]

Bidding soars past $10,000 on eBay for rare Stephen Strasburg baseball card | syracuse.com

[Scoobz0202]

oh boy.. good ole ozzie guillen is at it again lol

[tucker rocky]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

oh boy.. good ole ozzie guillen is at it again lol

Joe West only wanted more attention to his fat self.

[Big Fo]

Steven Strasburg might make his Nationals debut during their series against the Pirates June 8-10.

I don't know how flexible MLB Network is with their scheduling but it'd be cool if they put televised his debut whenever it occurs. I'm not sure if it's possible and even if it was I don't know how likely it'd be. Also, I'll be interested in seeing how many more fans than average show up at the ballpark that night.

[samifan24]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Steven Strasburg might make his Nationals debut during their series against the Pirates June 8-10.

I don't know how flexible MLB Network is with their scheduling but it'd be cool if they put televised his debut whenever it occurs. I'm not sure if it's possible and even if it was I don't know how likely it'd be. Also, I'll be interested in seeing how many more fans than average show up at the ballpark that night.

I bet Strasburg's debut will be a sellout no matter the day or opponent. I almost guarantee ESPN will pick up the game, too. They're talking about his minor league starts at length on Baseball Tonight.

[Danny]

Originally Posted by samifan24

I bet Strasburg's debut will be a sellout no matter the day or opponent. I almost guarantee ESPN will pick up the game, too. They're talking about his minor league starts at length on Baseball Tonight.

But will he get Jessie's girl?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Danny

But will he get Jessie's girl?

Having fun?

SI

[Danny]

Yes, with only two Glee threads on the front page, I felt we needed it to populate more threads

[stevew]

if Charlie Morton was a horse, he'd have been shot by now.

[Logan]

I don't care if it ends up working out...stupid to take out Feliciano for K-Rod with Utley/Howard due up just cause it's a save situation. Fuck you Jerry.

[Logan]

And the Mets shut out the Phillies...for the series. Wow.

[JS19]

Originally Posted by Logan

And the Mets shut out the Phillies...for the series. Wow.

So sweet. Pretty amazing they can shut out the Phils in 3 straight, especially with Cy Young candidates RA Dickey and Hisanori Takahashi throwing the first 2 games.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by stevew

if Charlie Morton was a horse, he'd have been shot by now.

If Charlie Morton was a pitcher, he'd have been shot by now.

[SackAttack]

For all the crap Joe West is getting, John Hirschbeck needs to sit a game or two himself.

His behavior towards Casey Blake was completely uncalled for, especially when what Ted Lilly did is a balk 100 out of 100 times. Escalating the argument was piss-poor judgment.

[Logan]

I haven't seen that one yet, and West's last one really wasn't too bad from a demonstrative perspective...but more for the guy who kicked out Crawford and Maddon the other day, as he initiated that whole fight.

These clowns need to keep their mouths shut. There is absolutely no reason for the umps to ever yell back and get in the face of players. Let the players/managers scream, kick them out of the game, and walk away. How is it possible that referees in every other sport can seem to handle this but baseball umpires can't? Because it's "tradition" and somewhat celebrated by ESPN showing highlights of it...but it needs to stop ASAP in my opinion.

[stevew]

Basketball refs can't handle it either.

[rowech]

How about the fact that West recently stopped Brandon Phillips from making last second shifts against Pujols?

[lordscarlet]

Originally Posted by Big Fo

Steven Strasburg might make his Nationals debut during their series against the Pirates June 8-10.

I don't know how flexible MLB Network is with their scheduling but it'd be cool if they put televised his debut whenever it occurs. I'm not sure if it's possible and even if it was I don't know how likely it'd be. Also, I'll be interested in seeing how many more fans than average show up at the ballpark that night.

I guess this wasn't national news, but... All of the bloggers and such were predicting June 4 as Strasburg's first MLB game. The Washington Post and other reliable sources were spreading that date. Earlier this week it was down to only single tickets available in only a few sections. Now it looks like it will be the Pirates series. Even without official word as to when Strasburg's debut would be, they almost sold out a game on speculation. I have tickets for that whole weekend, June 4-6 (I had June 5 and 6 when the season started and grabbed June 4 just in case) and I will make sure to get a ticket for his debut game. However, I'm a season ticket holder (I split with others) and go to a lot of games. There will be a lot of people there that never/rarely go.

[Poli]

Who knew all the Cardinals needed were the Cubs?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Logan

I haven't seen that one yet, and West's last one really wasn't too bad from a demonstrative perspective...but more for the guy who kicked out Crawford and Maddon the other day, as he initiated that whole fight.

These clowns need to keep their mouths shut. There is absolutely no reason for the umps to ever yell back and get in the face of players. Let the players/managers scream, kick them out of the game, and walk away. How is it possible that referees in every other sport can seem to handle this but baseball umpires can't? Because it's "tradition" and somewhat celebrated by ESPN showing highlights of it...but it needs to stop ASAP in my opinion.

I agree.