2014 MLB Thread

[Glengoyne]

Originally Posted by Arles

... I don't begrudge any of the Dodger fans for hating both teams as one is a division rival and the other has been a consistent playoff foe. ...

Is that a typo? I don't think the dodgers qualify to have a consistent playoff foe. Maybe you meant occasional .

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Royals: America's Team!

It’s official: The country is rooting for the Royals (except Maryland) | The Kansas City Star

Maryland ftw

[sterlingice]

And Delaware, too

SI

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by DanGarion

The pitcher is not a catcher.

The rule applies to position players as well as catchers.

I didn't realize they changed the rule mid-season. Better that way, I think.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Royals to make run at Shields as free agent; playoff run helps - CBSSports.com

[jbergey22]

This is a big reason why the MLB playoffs just arent as interesting to me anymore. Two days without a single game? Its just not even the same game as during the regular season at all. Depth is no longer important. Teams start playing in such cold weather that runs become less frequent as the playoffs continue. The only thing that matters is milking as much money from it as possible and they care nothing about treating the game with the respect it deserves. Rant off!

[jbergey22]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Royals to make run at Shields as free agent; playoff run helps - CBSSports.com

Honestly, as great of a pitcher he has been for your team, I think they would be best off letting him go. Signing a 32 year old pitcher to a huge contract more often than not works out bad. This is why the Rays have been so successful lately. Not putting all of their eggs in one basket type situation. Giving Mauer that huge contract has really hurt the Twins.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by jbergey22

Honestly, as great of a pitcher he has been for your team, I think they would be best off letting him go. Signing a 32 year old pitcher to a huge contract more often than not works out bad. This is why the Rays have been so successful lately. Not putting all of their eggs in one basket type situation. Giving Mauer that huge contract has really hurt the Twins.

I think you have to take the story with a grain of salt. They're likely not going to offer top dollar for him. They're going to be looking to sell him on staying put for $3-5M less per year. I don't think it will work, but good to see them at least trying to keep him here rather than just letting him go without a fight. That's a step in the right direction.

[lungs]

I remember Brewer fans hoping that the playoff run would've meant Prince Fielder taking a discount to stay in Milwaukee. Other Brewer fans thought I was nuts when I said I'd rather just let him go.

That would've been one hell of an albatross contract.

edit: of course the Brewers still have a giant black hole at first base

[sterlingice]

I love Shields but I don't like him on anything more than a 2-3 year contract going forward and he'd be stupid to take it

SI

[cartman]

The first game in Anaheim next year will be interesting. They still owe him $89 million over the next 3 years.

Angels' teammates, not fans, come first for Hamilton - The Orange County Register

[Scarecrow]

Not sure they still need Gore now that Butler has shown his true speed...

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by cartman

The first game in Anaheim next year will be interesting. They still owe him $89 million over the next 3 years.

Angels' teammates, not fans, come first for Hamilton - The Orange County Register

I think he's fast becoming my least favorite player of all time.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Good analysis read on the ALCS.

2014 ALCS Preview: Royals vs. Orioles «

[molson]

Originally Posted by cartman

They still owe him $89 million over the next 3 years.

That made me wonder how much they still owed Albert Pujols. The answer - $189 million over 7 years. What? He hasn't cracked a .800 OPS the last two seasons and he's not getting any younger. I guess the TV money is so good now this stuff doesn't matter as much as it used to. But geez.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by molson

That made we wonder how much they still owed Albert Pujols. The answer - $189 million over 7 years. What? He hasn't cracked a .800 OPS the last two seasons and he's not getting any younger. I guess the TV money is so good now this stuff doesn't matter as much as it used to. But geez.

I saw where they owe five players just under a total of $100M next year alone. That doesn't even compute when you're a Royals fan.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by molson

That made me wonder how much they still owed Albert Pujols. The answer - $189 million over 7 years. What? He hasn't cracked a .800 OPS the last two seasons and he's not getting any younger. I guess the TV money is so good now this stuff doesn't matter as much as it used to. But geez.

Well, I think the TV money indirectly had something to do with it - that is, the signing was enough of a star power goose to influence the Angels' local TV rights deal that was being negotiated at the time. I can't imagine they looked at him and said "yes he'll be so productive that we can pay this man almost $300 million to play for us until he's 40." It was almost certainly more about the TV rights.

[The Jackal]

Well this should be a hell of a series. LETS GO O'S

[EagleFan]

Dude, why on earth do you swing at that? Guy has thrown 12 straight balls and you chase a pitch?

[Vince, Pt. II]

How in the world did that pitcher not only stay in long enough to walk the bases loaded, but then to pitch to the next hitter?

Edit: Not watching, following on GameCast.

[cartman]

COUNTRY F'ing BREAKFAST!!!!

[kingfc22]

Bases juiced with no outs and goose egg.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Let's f'n GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[cartman]

Markus math is in play

[MizzouRah]

Wow.. KC for the Win

[CraigSca]

I prefer to party like it's 1983.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

I think it may be time for people to stop doubting this team. They're for real and anyone can hit homeruns in that park.

Really think the Royals have an excellent shot to take the next game with Ventura on the mound.

[CraigSca]

Who's doubting the Royals? Heck, who can doubt anyone in a best of 7-game series?

[CraigSca]

Watching these games on TV and hearing the input from the "national" broadcasting team really becomes a lesson in baseball cliches. If I hear one more time how Camden Yards is SUCH a homerun park, I'm gonna barf.

Homeruns hit at Camden this year (both teams): 175
Homeruns hit in away games (both teams): 187

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

34 years ago to the day. Yankees fans likely remember the top one........

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Who's doubting the Royals? Heck, who can doubt anyone in a best of 7-game series?

Obviously not after last night, but there weren't many at all expecting this to go past six games and they were all picking the Orioles. It may still go that way.

Honestly, I saw a game last night that the Royals could have won by more in 9 innings. Tons of opportunities missed and the Royals still won. That O's pitching staff is going to have to step it up and be better tonight.

[CraigSca]

Lifelong O's fan here, but I will say I really don't know how they've made it this far. The pitching has been lights out since the All-Star break, but this offense - eek. The broadcasters keep on talking about an offense that can score in bunches, but all I see is a lot of holes. The 7-8-9 hitters (Flaherty, Hundley/Joseph, and "I should probably still be in the minors, but we had no one else at second" Schoop) are terrible, and have been all year. The lineup is basically 5 guys, and one of them (Pearce) is a lifetime AAAA player. Jones' can just look so terrible at times with his "never met a pitch I won't hack at". I'm not sure if it's confirmation bias on my part, or his attacking every pitch just looks terrible when you're facing playoff pitching.

Really, the lineup as it stands is Markakis, Cruz, Jones, Hardy and 5 replacement level players. What might have been had Machado and Wieters been available.

But hey, who knows - you have to win 4, right?

[CraigSca]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Obviously not after last night, but there weren't many at all expecting this to go past six games and they were all picking the Orioles. It may still go that way.

Honestly, I saw a game last night that the Royals could have won by more in 9 innings. Tons of opportunities missed and the Royals still won. That O's pitching staff is going to have to step it up and be better tonight.

True, but everyone was also picking the Angels and Tigers, right?

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

34 years ago to the day. Yankees fans likely remember the top one........

That's pretty awesome.

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by CraigSca

Lifelong O's fan here, but I will say I really don't know how they've made it this far.

Not a lifelong fan, but I went to school in B'more and have lived in Maryland since, so I do root for them. They do seem like a team that has overachieved, and Buck has really gotten the most out of them. I consider this series a tossup, really - dunno how the Royals are made out to be some huge underdog.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Bumgarner totally got away with a balk with runners on 2nd and 3rd late in the game tonight. Otherwise, another stellar pitching performance.

This Giants offense is the 10,000 papercuts offense. They can't ever get a hit with runners in scoring position, but they get guys to 2nd and 3rd with 0 or 1 out often enough that errors and sac flies are enough.

[Sun Tzu]

I love being a Giants fan. I don't know what their drink of choice is in October, but holy smokes...I want some.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

We're getting spoiled at this point. This run for the boys in blue is just ridiculous at this point. Funny thing is that the players on the Royals team were expected to make these kinds of jumps this year. I'm glad it finally happened in the postseason for some of these guys, but it would have been a whole lot easier had they done it during the regular season with any frequency at all.

It's just an amazing scene wherever you go in town right now. I worked a wedding most of the day yesterday at the winery. People were glued to the TV. I had to help the bride boot them from the bar for the cake cutting/toast. Finished up there around the sixth inning and headed to a party at a local bar/restaurant. Walked into a packed place with all 20-some TV's on the game. Not a single college football game anywhere. Place was like a noisy stadium during the late rally. It was a ton of fun.

Can't wait to see the stadium tomorrow. Atmosphere is going to be epic.

[MrBug708]

Whenever I hear the boys in blue, i think the Dodgers are being talked about.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Whenever I hear the boys in blue, i think the Dodgers are being talked about.

Whenever I hear the Dodgers, I think of Brooklyn.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Whenever I hear the Dodgers, I think of Brooklyn.

I didn't realize you were that old!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Nice story from an Orioles fan:

"First off, congrats. You guys are a really scrappy team and it's making this a heck of a series. I wish a few things would have gone our way, but hey, that's baseball.

I wanted to share something I saw during the Royals BP. My friends and I had went early, we watched you guys warm up. We stood in the left field seats and judged balls getting hit towards us--pretty fun to do if you've never done it. Anyways, there were a few KC players near the wall shagging fly balls, doing normal stuff. But then they started tossing a few balls to some of the little kids with gloves. They encouraged them to toss it back and thus a game of catch began between little kids (decked out in O's gear) and KC players. This went on for a good twenty minutes. There was one in particular--Scott Downs--that was having a lot of fun with it.

These little kids ate it up. Playing catch with MLB players, man, what a memory. They treated those kids so well, and none of them had any KC gear on. I turned to my buddy and said "you know, it's really hard to hate this team." And that's the truth. That was really cool, something I've never seen.

Anyways, just had to share it. Good luck, and know that if we don't pull off some miracles I'm rooting for KC in the WS."

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Nice story from an Orioles fan:

I love baseball.

[MizzouRah]

Well Molina gets injured and Matheny leaves that damn Choate in to start an inning... ugh.

Giants go up 2-0 heading to SF we are in trouble.

[MizzouRah]

Dola,

Tavaras hits a HR!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

So many dramatic HR's this postseason.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Wow. Total lack of awareness there by the pitcher.

[kingfc22]

Come on Panda. Let's go!!!

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Goodness. Huge HR to save them from a 2-0 deficit.

[AENeuman]

Love watching these giants rookies play. But if posey, Pablo and pence don't start hitting for power, I don't think there is enough small ball mojo to get them through.