2014 MLB Thread

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Congrats to the Royals and their fans. Hopefully the Cardinals will join them in the Series

Amen! It's funny though.. during the season, I could get a Royals ticket for $10 and sit front row.

Either way.. I'm coming to KC to see a World Series game, so lets hook up KC boys!

[DaddyTorgo]

Congrats Royals - that's awesome.

[MrBug708]

I guess I gotta root 51/49 Royals/(Giants or Cards)

[kingfc22]

Vogelsong has absolutely nothing tonight.

[Arles]

Wheels are falling off again for St. Louis.

[kingfc22]

Tough inning for Adams as he goes all Brooks Conrad.

[miami_fan]

The Dunce won again!

Congrats to the Royals and their fans. Enjoy the moment.

[Terps]

If you would have told me before the season started that the Orioles would be in the ALCS, with injuries to Machado, Wieters, and an injured and down year for Davis (and a suspension to boot), I'd have laughed at you.

It was an awesome season and they just ran into a buzzsaw.

Congrats to KC and their fans on making it to the World Series.

Hoping for better results next year, three winning seasons in a row (after 14 seasons of futility), two playoff appearances in those three, just getting there isn't good enough now.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Amen! It's funny though.. during the season, I could get a Royals ticket for $10 and sit front row.

Either way.. I'm coming to KC to see a World Series game, so lets hook up KC boys!

Leave it to a Cardinals fan to backhandedly compliment the Royals.

John Anderson said it best on Sportscenter:

"I think the Royals fans REALLY want to see the Cardinals in the World Series. Cardinals fans have been using that 6th game call in 1985 as a poking stick for 29 years that the Royals really didn't win that World Series. The Royals fans want the matchup because they want to stick it to them a second time to kick their tail and prove the first time wasn't a fluke."

[Butter]

Royals - Giants sounds good to me.

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Leave it to a Cardinals fan to backhandedly compliment the Royals.

John Anderson said it best on Sportscenter:

"I think the Royals fans REALLY want to see the Cardinals in the World Series. Cardinals fans have been using that 6th game call in 1985 as a poking stick for 29 years that the Royals really didn't win that World Series. The Royals fans want the matchup because they want to stick it to them a second time to kick their tail and prove the first time wasn't a fluke."

Leave it to you to have little man syndrome like a chunk of your fan base. (Mostly Kansas City Mizzou people who can't grasp that people from St Louis actually can cheer for the Royals, Cardinals, Rams, and Chiefs) Mizzourah has said numerous times he is pulling for the Royals in this thread. I think the 13 playoff appearances, 5 NL titles, and two world championships since 1985 don't have us worrying too much about you guys. In fact almost every Cardinal fan I know has been pulling for the home state Royals.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Leave it to a Cardinals fan to backhandedly compliment the Royals.

John Anderson said it best on Sportscenter:

"I think the Royals fans REALLY want to see the Cardinals in the World Series. Cardinals fans have been using that 6th game call in 1985 as a poking stick for 29 years that the Royals really didn't win that World Series. The Royals fans want the matchup because they want to stick it to them a second time to kick their tail and prove the first time wasn't a fluke."

Truth hurts? I'm just stating how easy it is to see a Royals game during the regular season.. just like the same for a Rams game.

I don't think we are going to see an I-70 series though.. that loss last night shoved the dagger into Cardinals fans hearts really deep.

The silver lining is I'll actually watch the World Series this year since the Royals are in it. I'm happy for you KC fans!

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by panerd

Leave it to you to have little man syndrome like a chunk of your fan base. (Mostly Kansas City Mizzou people who can't grasp that people from St Louis actually can cheer for the Royals, Cardinals, Rams, and Chiefs) Mizzourah has said numerous times he is pulling for the Royals in this thread. I think the 13 playoff appearances, 5 NL titles, and two world championships since 1985 don't have us worrying too much about you guys. In fact almost every Cardinal fan I know has been pulling for the home state Royals.

Don't you know his posting behavior by now? He only posts when things conveniently fit for him. It's all good though, maybe we can all meet up and I'll wear an XBOX ONE t-shirt with a Royals hat!

[The Jackal]

Originally Posted by Terps

If you would have told me before the season started that the Orioles would be in the ALCS, with injuries to Machado, Wieters, and an injured and down year for Davis (and a suspension to boot), I'd have laughed at you.

It was an awesome season and they just ran into a buzzsaw.

Congrats to KC and their fans on making it to the World Series.

Hoping for better results next year, three winning seasons in a row (after 14 seasons of futility), two playoff appearances in those three, just getting there isn't good enough now.

+1

Congrats to KC, beat the NL.

[The Jackal]

I hope the O's can retain Andrew Miller. I could go either way on Markakis. Would love to lock Wieters back up, but if they get a good deal for Crush I'd take it.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by panerd

Leave it to you to have little man syndrome like a chunk of your fan base. (Mostly Kansas City Mizzou people who can't grasp that people from St Louis actually can cheer for the Royals, Cardinals, Rams, and Chiefs) Mizzourah has said numerous times he is pulling for the Royals in this thread. I think the 13 playoff appearances, 5 NL titles, and two world championships since 1985 don't have us worrying too much about you guys. In fact almost every Cardinal fan I know has been pulling for the home state Royals.

And another backhanded compliment. Just can't help yourselves.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

One of my friends at the post game party at the stadium last night. Said he was a very nice guy........

[panerd]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

And another backhanded compliment. Just can't help yourselves.

Mine isn't a compliment. To use a college football analogy it would be like an Alabama fan pulling for us last year in the SEC title game but us getting all fired up about how they can "suck it" and history be damned. They are confused and just happy for a good story and a team you can be happy for. Same here. I'm happy for a lot of my friends who cheer for the Royals, especially my Mizzou/Royals friends but to this day don't understand the hatred some of my Mizzou classmates had for the Cardinals, Rams, the city of St. Louis in general.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Ticket prices are off the charts on broker sites. Standing room only seats starting around $750/ticket. Lower level seats starting around $1200-1500. Seats behind the plate currently $10000-12000.

I'll be enjoying the games at home with my daughters.

[ISiddiqui]

Congrats KC!!

I am hoping for a KC-SF matchup. I think that'd be fun (if SF wins, I assume we start calling them a dynasty?).

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Ticket prices are off the charts on broker sites. Standing room only seats starting around $750/ticket. Lower level seats starting around $1200-1500. Seats behind the plate currently $10000-12000.

I'll be enjoying the games at home with my daughters.

They've been there since it started. When we bought our ALDS tickets two weeks before the season ended, SRO tickets for World Series games were already $500+.

SI

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

They've been there since it started. When we bought our ALDS tickets two weeks before the season ended, SRO tickets for World Series games were already $500+.

SI

One of my friends bought all tickets for all games. He's about 15 rows above the 3rd base dugout. Two tickets for all games was $4500. He said he just sold his game 1 WS tickets for around $4000, so he basically is going to all the other games for $500. Pretty good move.

[Marmel]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

Everything I post to sports threads

This makes it difficult to root for the Royals

[Karlifornia]

Hoping for the giants to bitch slap the state of MO twice

[Arles]

If the Cards can't pull out the 3 game sweep from here on in (which is extremely unlikely) - I'm not sure who I'll be rooting for. I respect the Giants and my wife's cousin is a minor league pitcher for them - so no ill will there. I also feel great for the Royals fans and think it is a great story to see them in the World Series. At this point, I'll probably just enjoy the series and feel good for whichever team wins it.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Marmel

This makes it difficult to root for the Royals

Pretty much impossible

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Hoping for the giants to bitch slap the state of MO twice

The alternative would be a trifecta of bitch-slaps to So Cal. Hence the reason most are rooting for the Royals.

[cartman]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The alternative would be a trifecta of bitch-slaps to So Cal. Hence the reason most are rooting for the Royals.

Need to brush up on your geography (as well as those *most*, if they even exist)

[oykib]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The alternative would be a trifecta of bitch-slaps to So Cal. Hence the reason most are rooting for the Royals.

San Francisco isn't SoCal.

BTW, have you guys gotten a collection together to fly in Sun-Woo Kim?

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

Originally Posted by oykib

San Francisco isn't SoCal.

BTW, have you guys gotten a collection together to fly in Sun-Woo Kim?

Alright, California then.

I'm friends with a PR exec at the Royals. They have contacted him, but no confirmation whether he'll be able to make it.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Mizzou B-ball fan

The alternative would be a trifecta of bitch-slaps to So Cal. Hence the reason most are rooting for the Royals.

Originally Posted by cartman

Need to brush up on your geography (as well as those *most*, if they even exist)

Originally Posted by oykib

San Francisco isn't SoCal.

Southern California is kind of getting bitchslapped either way in the NL. Either the team who beat them is in the World Series, or their arch-rivals are. In the AL, the Royals beat the Angels, so while "most" may or may not be rooting for the Royals, it has nothing to do with "SoCal" getting bitchslapped. No matter who's in the Series in either league, it will have come at the expense of a Southern California team.

Let them all burn.

[Mizzou B-ball fan]

LOL.....when did Mick Foley become a playoff analyst on MLB Network????? Too funny.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

He's going to likely be the GM. Ned Coletti is going to have a pretty nice job for a year or two basically doing nothing

Initial reports make it sound like Friedman will be "Assistant GM" in charge of "baseball decisions" while the GM will be a figurehead in charge of "luring top players." Seems needlessly complicated.

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Oh boo... that means the Rays successes likely won't continue. Maybe this will hasten a move?

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Sorry, Dodgers fans, but this is just bad for baseball. The one thing really propping up Tampa is gone and the one thing really handicapping the Dodgers financial juggernaut is gone. Great move for the Dodgers, tho.

Yes and no. Unquestionably a good sign for the Dodgers that the owners care about 21st-century stuff (although their newfound desire for "efficiency" a.k.a. cutting payroll is also partly a sign that, as predicted, they're not actually getting all the money that TV contract predicted.)

For the Rays it's a little trickier. After all, for all the name recognition Friedman or a Billy Beane/Theo Epstein get, they're still just one man at the top of a team of guys. Is Friedman himself really so special, or are there 1000 more "whiz kids" from the VC/Wall Street world that Sternberg could have hired with similar results?

Then there's the dirty little secret of the TB front office that's supposedly smarter than other teams - for all the on-field success they've had the 5 seasons prior to this one, they've actually drafted horribly since 2008 and have a very low-rated farm system. The buy-low reclamation projects and starting pitching depth is nice, but their success has been driven by having 3 elite players signed to below-market contracts. Well, Price is now gone (for a pretty shockingly low return), Zobrist will either be traded or at least entering a decline, and even Evan Longoria struggled. I'm guessing he and Wil Myers will be better, but I'm not sure that'll be enough. The pitching will be solid as always, but Cobb/Archer/Odorizzi/Smyly in place of Price are very unlikely to actually improve on this year's performance, and unless you really think Desmond Jennings is going to break out or Hak-Ju Lee is still a star I'm not sure there will be enough offensive improvement coming before Jennings and this group of pitchers will need to be churned over.

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

For the Rays it's a little trickier. After all, for all the name recognition Friedman or a Billy Beane/Theo Epstein get, they're still just one man at the top of a team of guys. Is Friedman himself really so special, or are there 1000 more "whiz kids" from the VC/Wall Street world that Sternberg could have hired with similar results?

Well, I think the cases of Paul DePodesta and J.P. Ricciardi when they became GMs is somewhat telling. Interestingly enough, both are now once again underlings together MLB front office - this time with the New York Mets (since 2010) and that Front Office has been doing a decent job on the developmental front, so maybe it is a bit harder to be the guy at the top.

Then there's the dirty little secret of the TB front office that's supposedly smarter than other teams - for all the on-field success they've had the 5 seasons prior to this one, they've actually drafted horribly since 2008 and have a very low-rated farm system. The buy-low reclamation projects and starting pitching depth is nice, but their success has been driven by having 3 elite players signed to below-market contracts. Well, Price is now gone (for a pretty shockingly low return), Zobrist will either be traded or at least entering a decline, and even Evan Longoria struggled. I'm guessing he and Wil Myers will be better, but I'm not sure that'll be enough. The pitching will be solid as always, but Cobb/Archer/Odorizzi/Smyly in place of Price are very unlikely to actually improve on this year's performance, and unless you really think Desmond Jennings is going to break out or Hak-Ju Lee is still a star I'm not sure there will be enough offensive improvement coming before Jennings and this group of pitchers will need to be churned over.

And that definitely is a problem. Though Friedman has kept the Rays as competitive as possible even with the bad drafting by locking up young players, making decent trades (one below average trade doesn't invalidate the good ones), not signing some players who were obviously asking more than their value (*cough* B.J. Upton), etc.

[cartman]

So, Pirates people, what can you tell me about Jeff Banister? At the risk of angering MBBF and taking away from the total Royals spotlight, the Rangers announced him as their next manager today. I don't know much about him at all.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Marmel

This makes it difficult to root for the Royals

32 years of Giants hatred and I'd barely root for the Royals over the Giants. I'm probably rooting Cards over the Royals though. I think the amount of myopia and obnoxiousness might be too much for me to handle.

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by panerd

Leave it to you to have little man syndrome like a chunk of your fan base. (Mostly Kansas City Mizzou people who can't grasp that people from St Louis actually can cheer for the Royals, Cardinals, Rams, and Chiefs) Mizzourah has said numerous times he is pulling for the Royals in this thread. I think the 13 playoff appearances, 5 NL titles, and two world championships since 1985 don't have us worrying too much about you guys. In fact almost every Cardinal fan I know has been pulling for the home state Royals.

Getting a glimpse of what the rest of the board sees in anything related to college sports huh?

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by oykib

San Francisco isn't SoCal.

BTW, have you guys gotten a collection together to fly in Sun-Woo Kim?

SungWoo Lee, but, yeah- last I heard he wasn't going to be able to make it because he recently had started a new job but that was at the beginning of the playoffs.

However, the cries are starting up again in earnest:
Twitter campaign starts to bring SungWoo Lee back for the World Series | The Kansas City Star

Here's his Twitter account:
SungWoo Lee (@Koreanfan_KC) | Twitter

SI

[Neuqua]

After 8 years on the waiting list, I was finally called in regards to Cubs Season Tickets.

But the more I think about it, I'll have to turn them down. I live in the suburbs and it just isn't logical without getting a big group together. Already have Chicago Fire and will be getting Bulls season tickets whenever my number is called.

8 year old me would be so disappointed in me.

[kingfc22]

Way to go rook!

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by Neuqua

After 8 years on the waiting list, I was finally called in regards to Cubs Season Tickets.

But the more I think about it, I'll have to turn them down. I live in the suburbs and it just isn't logical without getting a big group together. Already have Chicago Fire and will be getting Bulls season tickets whenever my number is called.

8 year old me would be so disappointed in me.

Do you not have friends you can call to get in on this? I feel like that's a somewhat disappointing end to an 8 year waiting list.

[MizzouRah]

Can we hold this lead? Bring it home Waino!

[Neuqua]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Do you not have friends you can call to get in on this? I feel like that's a somewhat disappointing end to an 8 year waiting list.

Problem is all the day games. Lot of us work during the day so those I'd have to find a way to sell.

The more I think about it though, the more I think I have to reconsider. The only reason my # finally got called is because they were so garbage the last few years. Being able to watch the kids at the ML level and possibly playoffs should very well be worth it.

Decisions.

[kingfc22]

A post allstar break Morse sighting. Good timing.

[MizzouRah]

Morse is a turd. Why would you take out Waino? I could manage better than Matheny.

[kingfc22]

How do you leave Wacha in the game right now?

[kingfc22]

WOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[Vince, Pt. II]

That was amazing.

[PilotMan]

As much as I hate the Giants.....suck it Cards and GTFO.

[Terps]

Originally Posted by The Jackal

I hope the O's can retain Andrew Miller. I could go either way on Markakis. Would love to lock Wieters back up, but if they get a good deal for Crush I'd take it.

I hope Miller is back too, but I don't see it happening. Markakis I can see coming back on a lesser deal, so thankfully they declined that 17.5 million option on him. I think Wieters is gone after next season, no way the O's will give him the money Boras wants. Davis I could see being traded, but his value is low right now so that would likely have to be an All Star break move. Cruz should be their priority right now, they're going to give him the qualifying offer, but hopefully they can work out an extension.