MLB Off-Topic

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

You have to give that entire era an asterisk, then. Even the pitchers benefitted. Either they were on something, or their teammates were on it and they gained via run support and (therefore) wins. Thankfully as time passes people are less and less in their feelings about it.

Yeah, even knowing what I know now, I still look back at the '98 season as one of my favorite seasons of all-time, that is every bit as good as any season in the Eighties. However, I still can't fondly recall good very much about 2000-2009 except a moment sprinkled here and there. That was a dark time for me baseball-wise. 2010 brought back a resurgence for me personally and I haven't looked back since.

[Majingir]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Tragic news.

Jays pitcher Eric Swanson will be away for a while after his 4 year old son got hit by a car and had to be airlifted to a hospital.

The kid is "on the road to recovery" (thats what a Jays reporter said, but I saw news says life threatening) but just sad to read this.

I know whenever I go anywhere with my nephew I'm holding his hand as tight as I can when crossing a road or past people's houses because you never know when you'll encounter some bad or crazy driver or someone just driving out of their driveway not looking properly. Accidents happen, but you never want to hear of anything like that happening to a little kid.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Yeah, Bonds was a regular walking modern medicine marvel. On the one hand, I can understand why you'd jeopardize your own health and reputation by sacrificing it to take care of your kids, grandkids and great grandkids financial future but at the same time he has to pay the price for also sacrificing baseball integrity along with his reputation. As far as I'm concerned he doesn't need peer respect, he has his money.

Everyone in baseball was complicit. Commissioner. Teams. Management. Players.

It took Congressional hearings to put an end to it. Literally. Baseball had no intention of stopping it themselves.

.. all the roiders should get a fair shot at the Hall. No four eyed pencil/keyboard jockey has the moral authority or right to block them considering baseball allowed the culture to exist.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

If I ever hear Jerry DiPoto speak again, it will be too soon.

Acknowledges his recent trades were wildly unpopular (Sewald, Suarez, Kelenic) chooses to relentlessly defend them anyway.

Acts like he is owed goodwill by the fans. Completely disregarding that the Mariners are arguably the worst team in sports history, having won absolutely nothing of significance.

Its year 9 of his 5 year plan. Somehow managed to leverage decent success into a Presidency. So he won't be the one holding the bag if his team can't win consistently. Typical Mariners move there.

I look forward to Jarred Kelenic reaching his potential in Atlanta. That will be the cherry on the top of 2024.

[DrJones]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

... all the roiders should get a fair shot at the Hall. No four eyed pencil/keyboard jockey has the moral authority or right to block them considering baseball allowed the culture to exist.

Except the nerds and keyboard jockeys are the ones who tend to vote strictly on stats - younger, analytic types usually vote for Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod, etc. It's the older, "traditional" BBWAA voters who are resolutely against steroid users making the Hall, in addition to most ex-players. The Veterans Committee (6/16 are existing HOF players) had an opportunity to add Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro this year, and they all received zero votes, whereas Fred McGriff got in with unanimous support.

The players on the Veterans Committee are Greg Maddux, Jack Morris, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell, and that noted pencil-necked geek Frank Thomas, who has probably been the most vociferous anti-steroids advocate for at least the last decade. Now if you want to call The Big Hurt a liar and a hypocrite, go for it, but if/when Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod, Manny et al eventually make the Hall of Fame, it's going to be because of the 4-eyed nerds you're currently blaming.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

if/when Bonds, Clemens, A-Rod, Manny et al eventually make the Hall of Fame, it's going to be because of the 4-eyed nerds you're currently blaming.

I've stopped caring for the most part.

Canton, Cooperstown are just sports museums. I've come to the realization I'll never visit either of them, so why should I care how many questionable players they put in? And if a Phillies fan is gonna live and die on whether Scott Rolen gets in, I'm happy for them that they can go see that.

I do think its a shame what is happening to this group though. Bonds and ARod are 2 of the top 5 players I've ever seen, and put all of the recent inductees to shame.

[DrJones]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I've stopped caring for the most part.

Canton, Cooperstown are just sports museums. I've come to the realization I'll never visit either of them, so why should I care how many questionable players they put in? And if a Phillies fan is gonna live and die on whether Scott Rolen gets in, I'm happy for them that they can go see that.

I do think its a shame what is happening to this group though. Bonds and ARod are 2 of the top 5 players I've ever seen, and put all of the recent inductees to shame.

You're missing out IMO. I've visited Cooperstown (albeit 15 years ago), and there were exhibits/memorabilia from Bonds, McGwire, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe, you name it. The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is about 95% museum. The most famous statue on the grounds is not of Ruth or Williams - it's Johnny Podres (nowhere near a Hall of Famer), who won Game 7 for the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. Not to mention all the specialty shops in the town itself. Cooperstown is nirvana for those who love baseball history. People get hung up on the yearly voting and the plaques, and that's a shame.

[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

You're missing out IMO. I've visited Cooperstown (albeit 15 years ago), and there were exhibits/memorabilia from Bonds, McGwire, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe, you name it. The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is about 95% museum. The most famous statue on the grounds is not of Ruth or Williams - it's Johnny Podres (nowhere near a Hall of Famer), who won Game 7 for the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. Not to mention all the specialty shops in the town itself. Cooperstown is nirvana for those who love baseball history. People get hung up on the yearly voting and the plaques, and that's a shame.

I get it. I can't say I'm in that category.

My dad wasn't a sports fan. My love of baseball began with collecting Ken Griffey Jr rookie cards. Upper Deck #1.

Being a Mariners fan is love hate. Its an overwhelmingly s#!tty organization. Being a baseball fan has been love hate in my lifetime. Only in the last decade have we reached a point where the sports isn't totally dictated by capitalism.

I will never visit Cooperstown. Or Canton. So I really have tried to lay off the debates about who gets in. I can say, through the Edgar Martinez experience, I am very happy for any fan who sees one of their guys get in.

I do think the steroid guys have been royally screwed though.

Steroids would still be in baseball today if not for US Gov intervention. So I don't seen any high ground for any voter to stand on.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I wouldn't care to visit Cooperstown just to see a bunch of HoF plaques but there is so much else going on, it's on my bucketlist for when I retire. Canton I could take it or leave it but Cooperstown, yeah it's a must see for me right up there with the Smithsonian.

[steelerfan]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I've never been to Cooperstown, but I've been to Canton twice. I'd go to Canton again, but only if it was convenient to do so. I'd never make a special trip.

As for Cooperstown, it's not on my radar, but I'd go if I was going to be in the general area.

I could not care less about debating who should go into any Hall. To me, the only things more useless in sports are all-star games and skills competitions. They were cool when I was 12, but not at my age.

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[IndianSummer]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Stacy Wakefield wife of Tim has died of pancreatic cancer. My heart hurts for their children losing both of their parents in a span of four months. 🙏

[steelerfan]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

Stacy Wakefield wife of Tim has died of pancreatic cancer. My heart hurts for their children losing both of their parents in a span of four months. [emoji120]

Terrible, tragic news.

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[Madden08PCgmr]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I could not care less about debating who should go into any Hall. To me, the only things more useless in sports are all-star games and skills competitions. They were cool when I was 12, but not at my age.

With football its just so unbelievably amusing. Fans come completely unhinged over their guys.

With the voting, so many recent cases (football) where players and coaches have line jumped others that are more deserving. Favoritism is the only explanation.

[zello144]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I really don't believe steroids give that much of an advantage. For every Barry Bonds and Arod there are guys like Larry Bigbie and David Segui.

[Ghost Of The Year]

Re: MLB Off-Topic

I really don't believe steroids give that much of an advantage. For every Barry Bonds and Arod there are guys like Larry Bigbie and David Segui.

If steroid were used responsibly to heal quicker I would be more on board with that reasoning for using them than for how they were eventually abused as ''performance enhancement''. I stll believe that's the driving reason Tatis Jr. was using, to get healthy quicker.