2009 MLB Regular Season Thread

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

I've always assumed that a shoulder injury affects swinging the bat too

You would think, but that hasn't been true. Napoli actually started hitting in spring training early, well before he was allowed on the field to catch. He probably did as much as two weeks of DHing, IIRC. His shoulder concerns didn't extend to his swing much, from what the coaching staff has been saying. The possibility of using him at DH has been a hot topic on Angels boards for a month now.

As for the field, I understand they'll be cautious about that, plus Mathis has been good. But Napoli was catching 6-7 innings in the last spring training games and was pretty much pronounced ready to go (which is why he wasn't placed on the DL).

No, this is Scioscia, as usual, getting myopic on his lineup choices, which is one of his worst attributes. He doesn't have many bad ones, but his over-reliance on speed and contact guys to make his move the runners offense run constantly has him rolling out much more of a punch and judy lineup than he needs to. Which is, unfortunately, why Brandon Wood as at AAA right now, too.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

He is a career .237 hitter. He has pop but up until this year he has been adament to never change his swing. He finally admitted he was being a baby and is taking advice.

He is the most polarizing figure in Detroit sports, even ahead of Osgood.

He was upset when we got Pudge and he lost his Catching job, and when we got Miggy and he lost his 3B job.

He has amazing range and routinely makes spectacular plays but also makes routine plays a chore considering how much talent he has.

If he just shut his mouth and played I'd be fine with him, but he thinks he is better then he is.

I can definitely see that.

For me, of course, it's all about fantasy, and I see a multi-positional p[layer who pops 20-plus a year, with catcher eligibilty. Hard to ignore that (and, yet, he usually is available).

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

mmmm angels v. red sox easter game - one of these teams will end the day at .500 !!!

Heh...we're both off to a sad start, eh? Good luck on the race to mediocrity!

[ISiddiqui]

On the topic of Angels DH, hasn't Vlad Guerrero been there in every game this season? And Vlad is a RF, which is also what Abreu is. So it wouldn't be taking ABs from Rivera if Napoli was DHing some.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Heh...we're both off to a sad start, eh? Good luck on the race to mediocrity!

i'm just happy that because of the scheduling-quirks that the sox will be done with the west coast by the end of may.

both teams will end up doing fine...i'm sure of that. but i'd love to see some more offense from the sox

[DaddyTorgo]

punkass fucking abreu

punkass fucking sciosia - sit the fuck down

[DaddyTorgo]

and torii hunter's ejected

[DaddyTorgo]

red sox are just chilling and the angels players are just freaking out.

story is that beckett was holding the ball and watching figgins on 2nd for a long time and abreau asked for time and the ump granted it very late so beckett let one fly up around head-height (but still decently far from abreau and late after he stepped back), and the angels got super-steamed

really rests on schreiber, the home plate ump for the late call as beckett was in mid-delivery

[Chief Rum]

Crap, don't have the game on yet. What happened?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

red sox are just chilling and the angels players are just freaking out.

story is that beckett was holding the ball and watching figgins on 2nd for a long time and abreau asked for time and the ump granted it very late so beckett let one fly up around head-height (but still decently far from abreau and late after he stepped back), and the angels got super-steamed

really rests on schreiber, the home plate ump for the late call as beckett was somewhat into his motion

Ah got it.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

On the topic of Angels DH, hasn't Vlad Guerrero been there in every game this season? And Vlad is a RF, which is also what Abreu is. So it wouldn't be taking ABs from Rivera if Napoli was DHing some.

Vlad has been in DH a bit, but he has also been in RF, and has repeatedly professed he wants to play in the field. When he's in RF, Abreu moves to LF. Abreu has actually played in LF more than RF so far this year.

[DaddyTorgo]

angels players can't hit beckett so sciosia was freaking out trying to get beckett tossed.

the late time-call broke beckett's motion which i think is why the ball flew high+wide...beckett being a righty it would tend to fly high + wide to the left side of the plate. cause for bitching sure...but not for benches emptying twice and the manager having a coronary

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

angels players can't hit beckett so sciosia was freaking out trying to get beckett tossed.

the late time-call broke beckett's motion which i think is why the ball flew high+wide...beckett being a righty it would tend to fly high + wide to the left side of the plate. cause for bitching sure...but not for benches emptying twice and the manager having a coronary

Come on dude, don't be a dick insulting players. Calm down, would you? This srot of reaction is why Red Sox fans are rather low as a fanbase on my personal scale of quality. You post normal otherwise, so why not do it here, too?

[DaddyTorgo]

sciosia is back out on the field talking to joe west AGAIN

this is ridiculous...can he get fucking tossed already please?

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Abreu has actually played in LF more than RF so far this year.

Not according to baseball-reference:

Bobby Abreu Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com

36 innings in RF and 9 innings in LF

And that's the first LF he's played since 1997. Wonder how his defense is over there.

[DaddyTorgo]

dude who am i insulting? sciosia is being a tool...he just got himself tossed out of the game (it appears)

the announcers are the ones saying it - i'm just repeating what they've said

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

sciosia is back out on the field talking to joe west AGAIN

this is ridiculous...can he get fucking tossed already please?

Looks like he did get tossed, and he appears to be pissed the umps have taken away his pitchers' ability to pitch inside. Hopefully they will do the same to the Red Sox.

[DaddyTorgo]

look - the other night - after the adenhart tribute - i was actually happy that the angels beat the sox

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Not according to baseball-reference:

Bobby Abreu Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com

36 innings in RF and 9 innings in LF

And that's the first LF he's played since 1997. Wonder how his defense is over there.

Oh, well, I must have only noticed him much in LF. I did see him in RF, of course. But I didn't think it was as much as that. I guess Vlad has been in DH more than normal. He has said he wants to play the field, though (and regularly), and the intent is for Abreu to move to left then.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Come on dude, don't be a dick insulting players. Calm down, would you? This srot of reaction is why Red Sox fans are rather low as a fanbase on my personal scale of quality. You post normal otherwise, so why not do it here, too?

Nothing like complaining about a pseudo-insult and responding with an actual insult.

Why not attack all the other "insults" in this thread (i.e. people acting like regular sports fans)?

[DaddyTorgo]

i actually like the angels - i like their brand of baseball

but the fact is that they have had their troubles hitting beckett the past couple years and sciosia was wayyyyy overreacting there in the first

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

dude who am i insulting? sciosia is being a tool...he just got himself tossed out of the game (it appears)

the announcers are the ones saying it - i'm just repeating what they've said

Here you go...

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

punkass fucking abreu

punkass fucking sciosia - sit the fuck down

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

angels players can't hit beckett so sciosia was freaking out trying to get beckett tossed.

[DaddyTorgo]

youk + drew go back-to-back

2-0 sox

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

i actually like the angels - i like their brand of baseball

but the fact is that they have had their troubles hitting beckett the past couple years and sciosia was wayyyyy overreacting there in the first

So he's trying to get Beckett tossed? Gimme a break. We beat Beckett up last year, and beat him in the playoffs. Beckett's a very good pitcher, no issues with having troubles hitting him, lots of guys do. But your reaction was rather assholish and insulting and denigrating to the abilities of the Angels players.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

But your reaction was rather assholish and insulting and denigrating to the abilities of the Angels players.

LOL

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by molson

Nothing like complaining about a pseudo-insult and responding with an actual insult.

You mean my opinion of the quality of the Red Sock fanbase, support for which is on display here and elsewhere in many, many of these same sort of discussions with fans from all over the country?

Sorry you have a problem with it. Of course, you are one of the ones who has earned it, so I can't say I give a fig that you're "insulted" by my opinion, as I said, based on numerous encounters with said fanbase, both here and in real life.

I'm sure you're all actually great guys, and I have just had the misfortune of constantly running into the usual rare ninnies.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by molson

LOL

Disagree? Or is that all you can muster?

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

So he's trying to get Beckett tossed? Gimme a break. We beat Beckett up last year, and beat him in the playoffs. Beckett's a very good pitcher, no issues with having troubles hitting him, lots of guys do. But your reaction was rather assholish and insulting and denigrating to the abilities of the Angels players.

of course he's trying to get beckett tossed. what other reason would he have for going out there twice and stirring shit up?

assholish and insulting and denigrating? that's what any fan of any team would have said. dude i got no issues with you, and i appreciate that shit is still raw over there and everybody is coming together as a unit and all after the adenhart thing. as i said, i'm actually glad the angels won the other night, but i'm sorry, if a fan of one team can't denigrate the abilities of the other team after an altercation then where have we come to as sports fans?

[molson]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You mean my opinion of the quality of the Red Sock fanbase, support for which is on display here and elsewhere in many, many of these same sort of discussions with fans from all over the country?

Sorry you have a problem with it. Of course, you are one of the ones who has earned it, so I can't say I give a fig that you're "insulted" by my opinion, as I said, based on numerous encounters with said fanbase, both here and in real life.

I'm sure you're all actually great guys, and I have just had the misfortune of constantly running into the usual rare ninnies.

Look through this thread - there's Royals fans bitching, Tigers Fans bitching, even some Nationals fans bitching. There's a few references to shooting managers in the face for bad decisions. When it's Anglels/Red Sox (or Lakers/Celtics), you get all offended and drop the "Boston Fans are Assholes" card (only because you can no longer complain about the Red Sox payroll as you did in the offseason thread, since the Angels payroll in now higher than the Red Sox. Edit: Maybe not on 2nd look, but they're in the ballpark). Why can't we react the same way as anyone else? It's so tired, and you're always the one who brings it up. Nobody's allowed to have an anti-Angels opinion without being an asshole.

[Logan]

I'm laughing at your overreaction in what is basically a gameday thread.

[DaddyTorgo]

I LIKE THE ANGELS. I RESPECT A LOT OF THEIR PLAYERS. I UNDERSTAND THEY'RE EMOTIONALLY SCREWED-UP STILL.

that being said...if they're overreacting I'm not going to put on kid gloves because of it.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

of course he's trying to get beckett tossed. what other reason would he have for going out there twice and stirring shit up?

assholish and insulting and denigrating? that's what any fan of any team would have said. dude i got no issues with you, and i appreciate that shit is still raw over there and everybody is coming together as a unit and all after the adenhart thing. as i said, i'm actually glad the angels won the other night, but i'm sorry, if a fan of one team can't denigrate the abilities of the other team after an altercation then where have we come to as sports fans?

To defend his team? To make a stand with the umps to make sure his team is treated fairly? To just make sure het gets his say? It's not an automatic he's trying to get Beckett tossed, and if he was, it was for legit reasons, not for "Angels can't hit Beckett" reasons.

I understand what you're saying on the second paragraph, but the proper response there is, if Sciosc is trying to get Beckett tossed, it's not because "Angels hitters can't hit Beckett", it's because Beckett's a good pitcher, so of course you would want to see if he can be removed (it's called gamesmanship). Had you said something like that, instead of insulting the Angels' abilities pointlessly, you don't anywhere near the same reaction from me.

I just saw the pitch in question, BTW (finally). My question is, when Abreu reacted and took a step out, did Beckett apologize and say it was a mistake? I am guessing he did not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Disagree? Or is that all you can muster?

I'll bite -- I disagree. You seemed to be grossly overreacting frankly. I figured it was just some sensitivity because of the tragic events of last week but if you want to really make an issue of it, you came off like a lot bigger prick than somebody wishing that Scioscia would sit down & shut the fuck up.

I'm generally pretty forgiving of Scioscia because of his days with the Dodgers but it's not exactly a reach to say he gets under the skin of a lot of people, fans & players alike. As for Abreu, meh, who really gives a fuck about him, other than people who've gotten some use from him in fantasy?

If you want to carry on with some sort of inferiority complex about the "the abilities of the Angels players" have at it, it really kind of fits with a team that can't even bear to acknowledge what city they play in. But that complex is your problem, not the rest of the league's nor the rest of the baseball fans of the world.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by molson

Look through this thread - there's Royals fans bitching, Tigers Fans bitching, even some Nationals fans bitching. There's a few references to shooting managers in the face for bad decisions. When it's Anglels/Red Sox (or Lakers/Celtics), you get all offended and drop the "Boston Fans are Assholes" card (only because you can no longer complain about the Red Sox payroll as you did in the offseason thread, since the Angels payroll in now higher than the Red Sox. Edit: Maybe not on 2nd look, but they're in the ballpark). Why can't we react the same way as anyone else? It's so tired, and you're always the one who brings it up. Nobody's allowed to have an anti-Angels opinion without being an asshole.

No, there are plenty of people who bring it up, and you know it. You only get it from me when you guys come at me directly. And nice screw up there on the payroll thing. You should have done yourself a favor and just deleted this.

[Logan]

I love JiMGA.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I'll bite -- I disagree. You seemed to be grossly overreacting frankly. I figured it was just some sensitivity because of the tragic events of last week but if you want to really make an issue of it, you came off like a lot bigger prick than somebody wishing that Scioscia would sit down & shut the fuck up.

I'm generally pretty forgiving of Scioscia because of his days with the Dodgers but it's not exactly a reach to say he gets under the skin of a lot of people, fans & players alike. As for Abreu, meh, who really gives a fuck about him, other than people who've gotten some use from him in fantasy?

If you want to carry on with some sort of inferiority complex about the "the abilities of the Angels players" have at it, it really kind of fits with a team that can't even bear to acknowledge what city they play in. But that complex is your problem, not the rest of the league's nor the rest of the baseball fans of the world.

All right, fine, I'll accept that more from Jon. And I do know I am overreacting. But it's not like what I am saying is 100% not true either, or that I am the only one overreacting.

[Chief Rum]

Oh, that's also me saying, I'll go back to my corner if they go back to theirs.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

All right, fine, I'll accept that more from Jon.

We need a "faints dead away" smilie I don't get that sort of slack all that often.

Scioscia was one of my favorite players in all of baseball during his years, just as Steve Yeager had been before him. When I say I'm inclined to cut him some slack, I really mean that. I'd probably bitch about things he does sometimes if someone else did them but since it's him I don't.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

No, there are plenty of people who bring it up, and you know it. You only get it from me when you guys come at me directly. And nice screw up there on the payroll thing. You should have done yourself a favor and just deleted this.

So why is someone telling a manager to "sit down" an asshole/being insulting, but not somebody who says a manager should be shot in the face for a bad decision, or any of the other billion examples of playful bantering that goes on in any thread here that involves sports? Why not expand your crusade?

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

We need a "faints dead away" smilie I don't get that sort of slack all that often.

Scioscia was one of my favorite players in all of baseball during his years, just as Steve Yeager had been before him. When I say I'm inclined to cut him some slack, I really mean that. I'd probably bitch about things he does sometimes if someone else did them but since it's him I don't.

Heh...yeah, agreed. I think that very little of what happened with Sciosc was really about the Red Sox at all, but about the umps. The umps also stole a likely run from the Angels yesterday, and considering we lost by a run, that sort of things starts to grate on a manager. Sciosc was arguing the second time with Joe West--he's the dumbass who called Hunter out yesterday on a ball in the fourth inning that should have been a double (flyball at the wall hit the glove, hit the wall, fell back in the glove, a hit by MLB rules, Morales had a single in the next at bat, so Hunter would have scored). So combine that with the emotions and how Sciosc sees the umps acting, and not a good mix.

P.S. I hope the Red Sox get Beckett out soon, so the Angels can score on him.

[Chief Rum]

Oh, and Torii went nuts and deserved to be tossed, and I do think the Beckett pitch was exactly as DT explained it--the ump (the ump again!) screwed up, called time, and totally f'd up Beckett's delivery, resulting in the overthrow. That said, I do want to know if Beckett made clear that it was an accident. He may after the game--I doubt he did then. Maybe if he did things might not have gone nuts. Of course, that goes to the whole stupid testosterone thing in baseball. All teams are guilty of that unfortunately.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by molson

So why is someone telling a manager to "sit down" an asshole/being insulting, but not somebody who says a manager should be shot in the face for a bad decision, or any of the other billion examples of playful bantering that goes on in any thread here that involves sports? Why not expand your crusade?

First of all, it was "punk ass" I had a problem with, not "sit down".

Shot in the face? What are you talking about dude? Of course that's abominable and should not be said, be it about the opponent's manager or your own. And none of this this stuff was "playful bantering" and you know it. Come on, don't discredit both of us by callin that playful bantering. We both know when it's not the same.

As for my crusade, look I said, I'll back off if you do. It's up to you. I'm willing to walk away and forget it. So the ball's in your court, I guess.

[Chief Rum]

3-2 Angels, for anyone keeping score.

[Lathum]

Just saw Soria close out the Yankees, that kid has amazing stuff.

Pretty sad he will probably be closing for the Yankeees in a few years

[Poli]

Just got back from the 2 hitter Lohse threw today against the Astros. After a leadoff hit by Matsui (?), he retired the next 24 batters.

[heybrad]

There is a decidely Red Sox slant to the story in this thread. Abreau give a WTF look at Beckett. It was Beckett who then approached Abreau and it didn't look like it was to exchange Easter greetings. Benches emptied (which is always laughable in a baseball game). Everything was actually calming down until Beckett for some reason decided to start chatting with Scioscia. That's when the Angels and Hunter in particular went berserk. The pitch by Beckett was pretty bush league and it was way closer than protrayed by the posts in here.

[Logan]

hey brad!

[heybrad]

Yo!

[heybrad]

The other great part of watching today's game is that I think I've decided to take the fam to Angel Beanie Night on Wednesday.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Yeah, Beckett's pitch didn't miss by much at all. I'm not sure of the intent.

Still, it was pretty funny seeing the Angels getting all worked up and getting four of themselves ejected while the Sox just stood around.