MLB 2010 Season Thread

[Skippord]

watching the Futures game right now, excited for the Rockies catching future. Willin Rosario has a gun for an arm

[McLegend]

Sweet so in 5 years another Rockies player can get deneid All Star Selection by Charlie Manuel.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

LOL, legend will have beaten Ocarina of Time 3 times by then.

[McLegend]

Nothing better then Reliving your gloy days :cool:

[Emperor Smeat]

:| Another play "hurt" after today for Red Sox but Francona said Beltre only had a cramp on his hamstring.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

No idea who's gonna win the Home Run Derby this year. Guess I'll go with Cabrera.

[Triple Naitch]

Is Jose Bautista in this? If so I'll take him.

[Evil Vito]

Is Jose Bautista in this? If so I'll take him.

<font color=goldenrod>Nope, but Vernon Wells is.

I'll guess Big Papi.</font>

[YOUR Hero]

Some players think Bautista not being included is classless.

[Innovator]

Swishalicious

[DaveWadding]

it's

Corey Hart
Matt Holliday
Hanley Ramirez
Chris Young

Miguel Cabrera
David Ortiz
Nick Swisher
Vernon Wells

[DaveWadding]

Young is winning BTW

[Innovator]

I could see Cabrera winning it

[Nervous Ferret]

why are we letting all these n*ggers in the hr derby

[DaveWadding]

Whoa, who let Mel NerFson in here?

[RoXer]

Swish all the way

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>ASG lineups announced

AL:

Ichiro RF
Jeter SS
Cabrera 1B
Hamilton CF
Guerrero DH
Longoria 3B
Mauer C
Cano 2B
Crawford LF

Price P

NL:

Ramirez SS
Prado 2B
Pujols 1B
Howard DH (lol knew it)
Wright 3B
Braun LF
Ethier CF
Hart RF
Molina C

Jimenez P

[Innovator]

Ichiro RF
Jeter SS
Cabrera 1B
Hamilton CF
Guerrero DH
Longoria 3B
Mauer C
Cano 2B
Crawford LF
Thats a crushing lineup

[Skippord]

Matt Holliday will win the Home Run Derby

[MVP]

I'd have started Josh Johnson over Jiminez, but he makes sense too.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Like I said last week, I'd have batted Ichiro and Crawford 1 and 2 for the ridiculous speed combo at the top of the order. Crawford hitting 9th probably means we'd only see those two guys hit back-to-back once.

But there was no way Girardi was going to bat Jeter 9th. All Star Game or not, the media would have gotten all over him for batting the most popular player in baseball last.</font>

[ClockShot]

Derby is about to get underway.

Who's gonna win it all. And fuck up the their 2nd half of the season?

[Emperor Smeat]

If David Ortiz (54 HRs) manages more than 2 HRs in the derby, he will start to climb higher in the all-time Derby rankings since he's the only one of this year's field to be in the Top 10 all-time. Needs 2 HR to reach 4th all-time but probably won't touch Griffey Jr's (70 HRs) as #1 all-time.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

FAN INTERFERENCE

BULLSHIT

[Skippord]

this is a depressing home run derby so far

[Supreme Olajuwon]

didnt know Corey Hart was from KY

rooting for Corey Hart from KY

[Supreme Olajuwon]

really hope someone else pulls a Bret Boone and swings and misses

[Skippord]

I was expecting Chris Young to do that

[OssMan]

bobby valentine is rooting for jose ortiz

[ClockShot]

Would it kill you to throw a few pitches down broadway, Tony Pena?

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Why do these assholes think they're too good to wear hats

[DaveWadding]

this is lame. Somebody get Mark Reynolds on the phone.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>They need to change the rules so that the first round leader can hit whenever they want in the second. The first round leader usually gets screwed unless they get themselves a huuuuuge lead ala Wright or Hamilton</font>

[MVP]

YES PAPI!!! :D

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Nice. I'll probably always be a Papi mark solely due to the 2004 ALCS</font>

[Emperor Smeat]

:D Unlike how people say the champion usually gets worse after the break, this should help Papi since its giving him confidence in his hitting ability which is something he struggled with last few years and 1st month of this season.

Happy for Hanley since I really liked him when he was developing for the Red Sox and should have been the solution to their SS problem but was also a critical piece to get Beckett and Lowell. I was lucky to at least see him once for a Paw Sox game and he's defiantly a quality player to build a team around fielding-wise.

[DaveBrawl]

If David Ortiz (54 HRs) manages more than 2 HRs in the derby, he will start to climb higher in the all-time Derby rankings since he's the only one of this year's field to be in the Top 10 all-time. Needs 2 HR to reach 4th all-time but probably won't touch Griffey Jr's (70 HRs) as #1 all-time.

So does he jump to #1 now? I flipped it on there and saw him get #16 and that should of tied him.

[Emperor Smeat]

He should be #1 all-time according to Wikipedia but they locked the editing due to spam/vandalism so it only shows up as 68 HRs. He should be around 86 home runs since the second and final rounds counts as a normal round.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Run_Derby#Most_home_runs_all_time_.28Excluding_Swingoff_Playoffs.29

[YOUR Hero]

I find the HR derby boring. Anyone else?

[Innovator]

I do too, watched for Swisher then that was it.

[Innovator]

Now if you added in a side camera of Berman hitting on interns, then I'm game.

[Innovator]

Report: George Steinbrenner has heart attacked, in critical condition.

Boss :'(

[Innovator]

Now they're reporting he's dead.

RIP.

[Triple Naitch]

AP is reporting he has passed.

RIP George.

[Ermaximus]

Damn. Just got a text from ESPN about this. Crazy shit.

RIP George.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Damn, really horrible couple of days for the Yankees, and baseball in general

RIP</font>

[Innovator]

Hopefully the rule of 3 doesn't apply here. Losing Bob and George is tough enough.

[Loose Cannon]

wow wtf.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Gonna miss George for sure.

Just think, George originally wanted to buy the Indians but was denied. How different a world we could've lived in.

[Innovator]

His inital investment in the team was $168,000. Wow.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Adam Schefter had the best Tweet about it: Bob Sheppard is already there to announce your arrival</font>

[Droford]

Wish it had been Peter Angelos, who was born exactly 1 year before Steinbrenner (7/4/29 - 7/4/30).

[Innovator]

1975: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1978: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1979: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1979: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1983: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1983: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1985: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1985: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1988: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1988: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1989: Billy Martin drinks himself to death, possibly to avoid being hired by Steinbrenner

[Innovator]

Some of these Deadspin comments are great:

-Shoulda been you, Jerry Jones

-Not good for the Yankees. The Raiders really started to go downhill once Al Davis died.

-Early reports are that Steinbrenner changed his will and has left the Yankees to Paul the Octopus with the belief that he will be able to do a better job of predicting talent levels of prospects than Cashman.

-Early reports are Mr. Steinbrenner has already traded Lou Gehrig to Hell for Mickey Mantle, Thurman Munson, and an eternally damned soul to be named later.

-Jesus is getting a haircut as we speak.<!-- REPLY --><!-- REPLY --><!-- REPLY -->

[ClockShot]

Bad week for The Empire. We lose our voice, and now our Boss is gone.

Rest in Peace, George. Hal, Cashman, and Captain Jeter will take it from here.

:'(

[RP]

Hopefully the rule of 3 doesn't apply here. Losing Bob and George is tough enough.

Yogi Berra looks like he's on his last few minutes

[McLegend]

Gonna miss George for sure.

Just think, George originally wanted to buy the Indians but was denied. How different a world we could've lived in.

Lol ouch.

[MVP]

Yogi Berra looks like he's on his last few minutes

lol I said the exact same thing earlier today.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>A Yankee will hit a key home run tonight and everyone will say it's rigged, as though rigging a HR is actually possible.</font>

[ClockShot]

A Yankee will hit a key home run tonight and everyone will say it's rigged, as though rigging a HR is actually possible.

*coughCalRipkenJr.cough*

[McLegend]

TPWW.net poster The Miz is going to come in here and rip you guys a new one.

[Emperor Smeat]

1975: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1978: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1979: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1979: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1983: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1983: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1985: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1985: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1988: Steinbrenner hires Billy Martin
1988: Steinbrenner fires Billy Martin
1989: Billy Martin drinks himself to death, possibly to avoid being hired by Steinbrenner

Can't forget about the classic SNL skit where Steinbrenner "fires" Martin in the skit and then weeks later fires him in real life.

[McLegend]

My favorite Steinbrenner moment is when he called Dave Winfield is current player "Mr. May."

That's a pretty good insult. That had to hurt Dave Winfield.

[RoXer]

Somewhere, The Miz is rolling in his grave

[RoXer]

*coughCalRipkenJr.cough*

He'll also tell you why this guy isn't as good as you think he is.

[Evil Vito]

He'll also tell you why this guy isn't as good as you think he is.

<font color=goldenrod>And about how selfish he was</font>

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>According to Chris Rose, David Wright is the starting pitcher for the AL

Guess I missed that sudden trade and position change</font>

[RoXer]

OMG the fact that this is even taking place in Anaheim is probably killing him

[MVP]

Vlad Guerrero looks like he can barely jog onto the field.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Come on with this shit. PLAY BALL!</font>

[MVP]

I hate how FOX advertises the All-Star Game starting at 8:00 and it turns out to be the pregame show.

[Droford]

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/11/2010/07/georgeblog2.jpg

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Next up on the playbill - an interpretive dance on the life and contributions of Steinbrenner</font>

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>That flyover wasn't supposed to happen. They were coming to take out King Kong singing the national anthem</font>

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Oh look at that, Howard strikes out. CLUTCH

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Also LOL at these helmets.

[Triple Naitch]

Now everyone looks like Francisco Cervelli.

[RoXer]

stfu Tim McCarver

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Nice job Girardi handling McCarver's stupid ass trivia question about Cliff Lee's house. You could hear it in his voice that he thought it was retarded.

[RoXer]

Joe and Joe, guess where Cliff Lee slep last night. JAMIE MOYER'S house!!!


Girardi: wow

[Supreme Olajuwon]

a new freecreditreport.com band? what the fuck

fuck that shit

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>AL's gonna win this 1-0 just to annoy NL fans everywhere</font>

[MVP]

Maybe Manuel should have brought in a starter like Wainwright or Halladay over Hong-Chih Kuo.

[Skippord]

boy I'm glad they took Kuo instead of Carlos Gonzalez

[RoXer]

Arthur Rhodes is an All-Star

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>If Manuel doesn't pitch Halladay or Wainwright, the NL deserve to lose

Maybe one of these years MLB will finally realize that NL is never gonna win one of these and that the home field advantage rule should be scrapped</font>

[Emperor Smeat]

If MLB really wants to promote "parity" between the leagues and find a way to get the NL to win, just make the stipulation of the winning team gets $1 million to split between players and coaching staff. Managers will do better strategies if they know of a bigger payout.

[MVP]

lol Manuel takes out Doc Halladay to let MATT CAPPS face Ortiz.

[MVP]

Damn he struck Ortiz out, I guess I'm eating my words. But still why not have Arthur Rhodes face him if you're gonna take out Halladay.

[DAMN iNATOR]

Hopefully the rule of 3 doesn't apply here. Losing Bob and George is tough enough.

Fucking crazy, man. I'm still trying to get over the loss of longtime Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell, and that's been, what, 2 months or so now?

[Droford]

Wigginton comes in plays an inning of defense and gets subbed out for nick swisher to lead off...way to manage your bench! plus Swisher struck out! HAHA

oh well

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>That whole discussion about A-Rod being the only guy left on the AL bench makes me worried he's gonna hit a walkoff bomb as Buck and McCarver masturbate that it's the perfect way to honor George.</font>

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Joey Votto: 2 AB, 2 Pitches, 2 Outs

CHILL JOE

[McLegend]

Hey remember that clutch Ryan Howard home run against the Reds?

I sure do.

[McLegend]

This Valverde has some pretty nasty stuff.

[Droford]

That whole discussion about A-Rod being the only guy left on the AL bench makes me worried he's gonna hit a walkoff bomb as Buck and McCarver masturbate that it's the perfect way to honor George.
prob ph him for Beltre just to piss off Red Sox fans

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Fuck, Broxton is pitching the 9th. He's gonna blow it.</font> :o

[McLegend]

Has Broxton ever successfully closed a big game in his life?

[Emperor Smeat]

I'd laugh if the big plan was to bring in A-Rod so a Yankee could be the reason they won and play on A-Rod being a "clutch" player and he ends up with a strike out while looking.

[Droford]

lol prob should have ph for beltre

[Droford]

green light on 3-0??? and 3-1??? lol

[Supreme Olajuwon]

BYRD HOT SHIT

GOD DAMN SON

[Droford]

LOL Ortiz gets thrown out at 2nd on a short bloop to LF haha

[Droford]

NL WINS! NL WINS!

ugh

[RP]

Marlon Byrd

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>NATIONAL LEAGUE!!!</font>

[Emperor Smeat]

:lol: was that A-Rod yelling/complaining to one of the bench coaches?

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>THIS IS THE GREATEST NIGHT IN THE HISTORY OF OUR SPORT!</font>

[McLegend]

Yeah National League

[DaveWadding]

MARLON BYRD 4 MVP!

[McLegend]

Has Broxton ever successfully closed a big game in his life?

Touche Broxton

[RP]

Marlon Byrd...

[Skippord]

BOOM NL

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>The era of the AAAL has begun!</font> :shifty:

[Emperor Smeat]

Pretty nice stat of the last time NL won, a catcher was the game MVP (Piazza) and today the MVP is also a catcher who drove in the game winning runs.

[DaveWadding]

this game is just proof that you should probably line up 3 CFers in the late innings versus corner OFers.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

or 3 black guys

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Flashbacks with Girardi leaving 597 home runs on the bench ala Pujols/La Russa in 2007.</font>

[Supreme Olajuwon]

same thing

[Droford]

I remember being pissed back in 1993 when Cito Gaston wouldn't put Mussina in the game at Camden Yards. Pissed off an entire city and Im sure he still gets flack for it now whenever the Jays are in baltimore

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Yes, everything relates to the Orioles.

[Droford]

Yes, everything relates to the Orioles.
Yeah. The last time the NL won the ASG was the year that punk kid won the ALCS for the Yankees.

[Skippord]

first all star game ever started by a Rockie and the NL wins

Coincidence? I THINK NOT

[Droford]

first all star game ever started by a Rockie and the NL wins

Coincidence? I THINK NOT

First one started by a <del>Devil</del> Ray and the AL lost..

[Loose Cannon]

what was Girardi thinking not batting A-ROD in the 9th with a man on?

And nice job David Ortiz. Of course a Red Sox would fuck everything up

[Evil Vito]

what was Girardi thinking not batting A-ROD in the 9th with a man on?

And nice job David Ortiz. Of course a Red Sox would fuck everything up

<font color=goldenrod>Don't really see how Ortiz can be blamed. He had to stay halfway in case the ball got caught. He's just slow as shit. Girardi should have kept an extra player available to pinch run, since pretty much everybody else on the team was faster than him.

Would have been funny to see A-Rod come in to pinch RUN for Papi. Seemed pretty clear to me that Girardi wanted to save A-Rod for the possible walkoff situation.</font>

[Innovator]

Ortiz had a 32 second home run cantor earlier this year, only faster than the guy who TORE HIS HAMSTRING rounding first.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Blue Jays get: SS Yunel Escobar and LHP Jo-Jo Reyes

Braves get: SS Alex Gonzalez and minor leaguers Tim Collins and Tyler Pastronicky

Gonna miss Escobar's lazy defense agaunst the Mets</font> :(

[Emperor Smeat]

what was Girardi thinking not batting A-ROD in the 9th with a man on?

And nice job David Ortiz. Of course a Red Sox would fuck everything up

Not sure how anyone could blame Ortiz since he got the hit needed to be on base. After that everyone else knew he was very slow as a runner and should have been replaced for a speedier runner. The bloop hit made it even worse since he was too far away from both 1st base and 2nd base to get back to either safely.

Bigger mistake was leaving Hughes in too long when he was struggling but decided to take him out before another hit would have made it his fault and not the White Sox pitcher who replaced him.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Carlos Beltran returns tonight. It make take a couple weeks to get his timing back, but if he goes back to his old form, that's better than any trade they could have made for a bat.

Hope 4 days off helped Bay as well.</font>

[Innovator]

I hope he strikes out looking

[ClockShot]

The Giants decide to give Dontrelle Willis a third chance this season. Signed him to a minor league deal.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Joel Zumaya now has some competition in the world of embarrassing injuries:</font>

http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100715&content_id=12271424&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd

[DaveWadding]

The Giants decide to give Dontrelle Willis a third chance this season. Signed him to a minor league deal.

I feel real bad for Dontrelle. He used to be so fun to watch, but it's almost painful to these days. He is such a great guy though and I hope he can find it.

[Skippord]

loLatos

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I feel real bad for Dontrelle. He used to be so fun to watch, but it's almost painful to these days. He is such a great guy though and I hope he can find it.

He's making $12 million for doing nothing. I don't feel that bad for him.

[Gertner]

<font color=goldenrod>Blue Jays get: SS Yunel Escobar and LHP Jo-Jo Reyes

Braves get: SS Alex Gonzalez and minor leaguers Tim Collins and Tyler Pastronicky

Gonna miss Escobar's lazy defense agaunst the Mets</font> :(

Losing Tiny Tim Collins sucks ass. Gonzalez is 33 and had a career first half and is only signed till next year, and that year is a player option. Chances are he would have left. The Jays get a 27 year old SS who needed a change of scenery and I believe is signed for another two years after this.

[Loose Cannon]

Dontrelle has an anxiety issue or something right? is that the problem?

[Triple Naitch]

I think he got the permanent case of the yips.

[McLegend]

Even though there is a lot of season left I'm beginning to feel like more like that it's just not the Phillies year.

Even despite the recent Red's series I really have 0 confidence that the Phillies can come from behind in games.

[Evil Vito]

Even though there is a lot of season left I'm beginning to feel like more like that it's just not the Phillies year.

Even despite the recent Red's series I really have 0 confidence that the Phillies can come from behind in games.

<font color=goldenrod>Yeah, after watching the Mets' offense lately I'm starting to think the Braves are gonna walk away with this. They have nasty pitching and score enough to get by. The Mets' pitching has been insane, so of course they can't score. When their offense comes back, I guarantee their pitching will fall apart. Same exact shit since September 2007...can never have both.

Kinda think the Phils are gonna get hot at some point though. But that's the same way I felt about the Braves in 2006. Can never count out a team that's won the division several years in a row until they are mathematically out.</font>

[RP]

If the Cubs sweep the Phillies, i'm rebuying and i'm all in

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Going to the Reds game tonight. Kinda wish I would've gone last night because it was a celebration of the 1990 World Series complete with two concerts at the ballpark by MC Hammer. But that's alright because Edinson Volquez is back baby.

[RP]

you missed Hammer?

[Supreme Olajuwon]

twice

[RP]

unreal

[Supreme Olajuwon]

http://snsimages.tribune.com/media/photo/2010-07/55001990.jpg

[Innovator]

Fox just zoomed in on Michael Kay (YES broadcaster, ESPN new york afternoon guy, legend's nemesis) reenacting the Wild Things 3 way with some chicken fingers.

[ClockShot]

Fox just zoomed in on Michael Kay (YES broadcaster, ESPN new york afternoon guy, legend's nemesis) reenacting the Wild Things 3 way with some chicken fingers.

McCarver & whoever the other schmuck that's calling this game have been saying that Michael Kay just got engaged every 5 minute.

So expect multiple camera shots throughout the game. :roll:

[McLegend]

Really glad I'm not watching that Yankee game.

[DaveWadding]

Fuckin' Marmol. Really?

Thanks for catching that ball, Geo.

[McLegend]

I really appreciated him dropping that ball.

[RoXer]

Can't watch this Dodgers/Cards game beacause there is a mic giving some incredible feedback and its giving me a headache.

[ClockShot]

So word is that Burnett tripped going up the stairs from the clubhouse and scratched up his hands pretty good.

I guess that's a legit injury. Unlike the Padres pitcher who screwed up his ribs while holding back a sneeze.

[Emperor Smeat]

So word is that Burnett tripped going up the stairs from the clubhouse and scratched up his hands pretty good.

I guess that's a legit injury. Unlike the Padres pitcher who screwed up his ribs while holding back a sneeze.

ESPN has as him punching a door or wall and busted his hand badly after throwing a "tantrum" in the dugout.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5388993

[ClockShot]

Ha. Kim Jones got it wrong. Such a pity.

That's where I heard it.

[Loose Cannon]

Cliff Lee > AJ Burnett

[Innovator]

Best thing about AJ Burnett is his wife.

[Droford]

screw Jose Bautista and his painted on looking beard

[Emperor Smeat]

:eek: Delcarmen didn't screw up in extra innings and Red Sox actually won (2-7 in extra innings before this game and horrible record last few years in a row).

Rangers manager left Cliff Lee in about 3 batters longer than he should have although to be fair Lee had around 86-90 pitches before that point.

1st win by Red Sox after trailing by the 8th inning as well (0-30).

[RP]

Beltran legging a triple is probably encouraging


( i'm getting free trial of MLB Extra Innings on comcast. Watching 3 games right now )

[RP]

I want to fight Jack Wilson

[RP]

Adam Wainwright is the best pitcher in baseball

[Supreme Olajuwon]

"Whatup Skip"

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>I can't believe I'm about to say this, but Oliver Perez probably has to go back in the rotation. Takahashi just can't be in the rotation anymore, he's far better suited for a bullpen role cause teams hit him well the second time through the order. I mean in a perfect world I'd call up Pat Misch and give him a shot but gayass Ollie has to come off the DL at the end of the week and he won't accept a full-time AAA assignment.</font>

[Skippord]

damn looks like Volquez pitched pretty well and De La Rosa sucked a cock

[Triple Naitch]

Damn, De La Rosa's injury must have really fucked up his mechanics. He was doing incredible before he went down. Now it looks like he's back to his old journeyman self in a contract year.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Gotta love obscure stats/facts.

Cliff Lee is now the first player in MLB history to throw 9 innings in each of his first two starts with his new team and not get a win in either game.</font>

[Boomer]

lol Escobar Grand Slam in his third game as a Jay. First home run of the year!

[Innovator]

Chan Ho Park is in the game now, it's over.

[Boomer]

Well McCann hits a Grand Slam too, so I'm not too jealous.

[Innovator]

#598 for ARod

[Skippord]

HUSTON STREET

[SammyG]

lol @ Peralta's inside the park homer.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>How about this for realignment?

AL Central gets: Toronto Blue Jays

AL West gets: Kansas City Royals

The West has to deal with 5 teams, and the Royals and Jays both get better chances to contend in their new division. Jays will lose home games against the Yanks and Sox, but the better chance to win should offset it. O's get extra revenue from additional games against the Yanks and Sox, and if their young guys were to pan out it'd be a sick division. Nothing wrong with loading up that division since the Wild Card's gonna come from the East most years anyway.

Then either the Pirates head to the NL East (yes please) or the Astros go to the NL West. This is done to move around the other "unfair" division.</font>

[Emperor Smeat]

Location-wise it would make better sense to move Minnesota to the West since they are closer than the Rangers (current member) or Royals (realigned plan) but it makes sense to keep them in the Central since they have a stronger rivalry with the other teams in the Central than the Royals.

Only issue I see with the N.L. is no matter where you move a team out of the Central, your still left with a 6-team division for 1 guaranteed playoff spot. Might be better to have 4 divisions of 4 teams each and scrap the Wild Card to have anything be "fair" in terms of spots but MLB isn't strong enough to add 2 more teams to the AL to make it happen.

[Hardkore Kidd J]

It's amazing how inconsistant the Yankees bullpen can be. Sometimes you can't stand it. Other times they give you 7 strong innings.:)

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>9th inning in the Mets/Giants game:

1. Ump calls 2 balls on K-Rod that were clearly in the strike zone, causing Henry Blanco to turn around (which you never see a catcher do). Ump nearly ejects someone but then decided he did fuck up.

2. Wright throws home, Ishikawa is clearly safe but called out.

3. Huff dribbles in front of home plate, Blanco throws to 1st for the final out of the inning...3rd base ump runs in and says no, it was foul...even though it wasn't his call to make and it wasn't even close to being foul. Mets thankfully get out of the inning anyway.

All that in one fucking inning. If MLB doesn't institute replay of some kind after this year, then they should fire most of the umps and get some young blood in there. These guys can't cut the mustard.</font>

[ClockShot]

Who was the crew, Vito?

[Skippord]

Phil Cuzzi is the home plate umpire

that's all I know

[Dragon]

Pettitte could be out for 4-5 weeks. Thats pretty rough, Mitre probably taking his spot.

Even worse it means Yankees have to stick with the Chad HoMo trio in the bullpen.

[Evil Vito]

Who was the crew, Vito?

<font color=goldenrod>Phil Cuzzi at home and Mike Estabrook at third are really the only two that fucked up in this game. Fortunately, Ike came through in the 10th. I like Ike. Shame Santana got screwed out of another win.

Hope the Mets can do well in Arizona, not looking forward to those 4 games against the Dodgers at the end of the week.</font>

[Gertner]

Jays have got to get out of the East. They'd probably be running away with it in the Central since the Jays always beat the Twins and Sox and will probably destroy Tigers pitching this week.

[Gertner]

Oh yeah and ESCOBARRRRRRRRR!!!!

[RP]

woo Cubbies

[RP]

SWEEP HOUSTON NOW CMON!

[RP]

Soriano is earning some of his paycheck this year. I hope he stays hot.

[RP]

He 1-20 .050 against Wandy Rodriguez

[Innovator]

GO CUBS GOOO

[ClockShot]

Looking like I get to see Phil Hughes when I go see the Yanks/Royals game this sunday. :love:

That's if Burnett and Pettitte don't screw me over and I see either Vazquez or Andy's replacement. :mad:

[Skippord]

Troy Tulowitzki is starting his rehabs tomorrow :love:

[YOUR Hero]

Escobar hit another HR for the Jays. Now if only we can get a steadier closer.

[Innovator]

Dings and dents


1. The Tigers have lost Brandon Inge (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4623) for the next four to six weeks (http://www.freep.com/article/20100720/SPORTS02/7200443/1354/Sports/Tigers-sixth-straight-loss-extra-painful-for-3B-Inge) with a broken hand.

2. Andrew McCutchen (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28701) is out with an AC joint problem (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10201/1073969-63.stm), but the injury is not thought to be serious.

3. Oliver Perez (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5192) is set to rejoin the Mets (http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/mets/2010/07/oliver-perez-on-way-to-arizona.html).

4. Brian Roberts (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4773) continues to make progress in his rehab (http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/07/roberts_postgame_comments_afte.html).

5. David Freese (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=29694) broke a toe while on the disabled list (http://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/article_9df50e00-93ad-11df-9af4-00127992bc8b.html).

6. Looks like Shin-Soo Choo (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=6205) and Asdrubal Cabrera (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28671) will be back in the Indians' lineup on Friday (http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2010/07/shin-soo_choo_asdrubal_cabrera.html), as Paul Hoynes writes.

7. Scott Rolen (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=3507) might wind up on the disabled list (http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/cincinnatireds/entries/2010/07/19/turns_out_scott_rolen_was.html).

8. Justin Morneau (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=5379) is no closer to playing than he was a few days ago (http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/98798289.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUqCP:iUiacyKUnciaec8O7EyUs).

9. Roy Oswalt (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=4575) will make his next start (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/bb/7115534.html), it appears for the Astros.

10. Ryan Sweeney (http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/profile?playerId=28578) is out for the year (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/20/SPPM1EGNCA.DTL), writes Susan Slusser.

11. Russell Branyan's back injury isn't as serious (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/marinersblog/2012399148_russell_branyan_says_latest_ba.html) as it was last year, he says.

Here goes the Mets season.

[Innovator]

this gets me everytime:

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6GIEHPGj9sI&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6GIEHPGj9sI&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>The Mets' season was done as of last night imo. Over the past month Pelfrey has proven that his first half was a complete fluke. He's gone back to being the exact same pitcher he was in 2009. I had faith that he'd finally figured it out, but he hasn't. So that leaves Johan, Dickey, and Niese as the only reliable starters. And even at that, you have to think that Dickey will come down to earth and Niese will be figured out.

To their credit, they contended for way longer than most thought. I predicted they'd be around .500 this year, and that may wind up being accurate.

I haven't taken a good look at the FA market for next year...obviously Lee is the top prize and the thought of Santana and Lee at the top of the rotation makes me wet, but pretty much everybody already has him penciled in for the Yankees. No other team would give a 32-year old a 9-digit contract.</font>

[ClockShot]

So Lou Piniella is gonna call it a career at the end of the season. Let the Hall of Fame discussion begin.

[Innovator]

Yes. End of discussion.

[DaveWadding]

Nice of Aramis to show up.

[Innovator]

Carl Crawford took a pick off throw to the nuttsack, and got tagged out by Wiggington.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Mike Leake is 14 for 36 (.389) at the plate this year. I love this kid. Now if only the stupid butthole Cardinals would stop winning.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Going to see Strasburg pitch tonight. The Reds definitely have the best offense he's faced so far this season and Great American is the first hitter's park he's pitched in, so hopefully they can get to him. But the Reds hitters usually tank against big name pitchers so he'll probably dominate.

[Juan]

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fi1Bps23Re8&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fi1Bps23Re8&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

[thecc]

Wow, thats awful.

[YOUR Hero]

Why can't the Jays beat the Royals?

[Supreme Olajuwon]

I blame it on your fantasy baseball team names.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>The umps strike AGAIN:

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=10176593

What the fuck is going on here? It's at the point where the players and coaches should all just strike until replay challenges are implemented.

He also tossed out the pitching coach for yelling from the dugout, and the manager. Worst of all, the umps look like they don't give a shit that they clearly fucked up again. They really do think they are above the game.</font>

[Loose Cannon]

The Umps are crooked

[YOUR Hero]

You think there should be instant replay on that play?

[YOUR Hero]

Can HGH testing salvage Selig’s legacy?

No matter how Major League Baseball tried to frame its implementation of a human growth hormone blood test for minor leaguers, the upshot was very simple: This is an attempt by Bud Selig to rescue his legacy.

Selig cares deeply about how people view him. Friends and contemporaries said he still sees himself as much a fan as the man who has run MLB for nearly 20 years. And the thought of retiring on Dec. 31, 2012, as baseball’s great steroid enabler terrorizes him.

So came a shot across the bow Thursday, when minor leaguers were stuck and drawn for the first time. Superficially, Selig played this perfectly. No longer does the silliness of banning HGH without a test in place exist in the minors. The anti-doping blowhards who regularly flay MLB greeted the move with huzzahs. Baseball beat the NFL to the HGH-testing punch. And by foisting the tests upon minor leaguers, Selig essentially said to the MLB Players Association: go ahead and try to wiggle out of this during collective-bargaining negotiations next year.


http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ai32SMXDLCn12Cn.sArPNDkRvLYF?slug=jp-hghtesting072210

[YOUR Hero]

Unfortunately, he ignored one important fact: The test has caught one person in the world in six years. One out of thousands of tests. Doping experts can vouch for the test’s efficacy all they want. In baseball, no one considers a .0001 batting average much of a success.

And about that one positive: It came when British doping officials last year targeted a rugby player named Terry Newton after intelligence led them to believe he was using. This was no random test, like the ones baseball will use in the minor leagues. It used outside evidence, and MLB already suspends players for such non-analytical positives.

Selig never lets such details get in the way of his plan to rid baseball of performance-enhancing drugs. He has used a particular word: “eradicate,” like they’re some sort of a pest capable of extermination. It’s in such moments, confidants say, that Selig overcompensates. The leftover guilt from cheering Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, from watching Barry Bonds beat his friend Henry Aaron’s home run record, from seeing star after shamed star define the last two decades of baseball more than any other person or event could – all of that compounds and turns Selig single-minded.

“He’s so intent on making this right,” one associate said. “He doesn’t realize that it never can be.”

However good Selig’s intentions, the damage done is irreversible, even with baseball now boasting the strongest drug program in American sports, far superior to the NFL’s self-proclaimed “gold standard” that’s more like pyrite. While Selig can celebrate the next generation of players seeing blood testing as the norm, he cannot disassociate himself from the previous generation, not when he and the rest of baseball wore blinders as players created their own pharmacological test center.

HGH somehow was lumped in with steroids by the anti-doping leeches who proselytize about the necessity of ethics in sports while they profit from the very tests they demand. HGH doesn’t build musclebound Neanderthals, it promotes quicker healing, a moral and ethical gray area. Toss aside legality for a moment – HGH is banned by the United States government except in cases of growth hormone deficiency, AIDS wasting and undersized children – and answer: If a doctor were able to remedy a player’s injury more quickly, shouldn’t he?

It’s more complicated than that, of course. Some doctors do believe HGH serves a larger purpose than fast recovery and that its place among performance enhancers is warranted. Like so much science, the opinions vary, and Selig chose instead to let public backlash shape his response.

HGH is baseball’s Shirley Sherrod, the anti-doping clowns its Andrew Breitbart and Selig the Obama administration. Selig’s initial response when the steroid hysteria cropped up – “eradicate” – shaped his policies thereon, and his eagerness to realize HGH blood testing comes with a price.

Surely Selig can’t say, with a straight face, that the Newton positive convinced him and the rest of MLB’s brain trust the HGH test that for so long they had laughed off was now fair game. One MLB official last year, when asked about the possibility of blood testing for HGH, said: “Maybe they’ll use all this money we’re giving them and figure out a test that actually works.”

The test from last year is the same test they’re using today.

Selig wouldn’t dare let that get in the way of his futile reclamation project. For all the good he has done – the expanded playoffs and the massive revenue growth and 15 years of labor peace and MLB.com – indelible is his holy trinity of flubs: the All-Star Game tie, the World Series cancellation and the Steroid Era.

The last haunts him the most. Selig, as usual, will use minor leaguers as guinea pigs, hope like mad a bonus baby is taking HGH and needles up within 24 hours of a random test – most minor leaguers can’t afford the stuff – and show the world that baseball means business. The union, sources say, is nearly resigned to blood testing for HGH; the fight will be over the frequency of those tests, and if no player in the minor leagues tests positive and all Selig can stand on is the Terry Newton case, it’s a shaky bargaining position.

Then again, Selig’s previous steroid policies have made enough hay. Positives are, for the most part, limited to teenagers from Latin America, an issue MLB executive Sandy Alderson is trying to clean up. Loopholes remain – Edinson Volquez(notes) serving his 50-game suspension while on the disabled list was a particularly embarrassing one – but everything from Selig’s 50-game suspension for first-time violators to the league’s Department of Investigations ensures rampant steroid abuse will no longer exist. All that’s left, then, is the HGH issue, and Selig wasn’t going to retire without addressing it.

“This was really important to him,” one MLB official said, and it was important because Selig wants to believe the vigor with which he went after performance-enhancing drugs – the Mitchell Report, the strong plan and now the first American sport to blood test – will at very least erase some of his misdeeds and perhaps eradicate them.

Deep down, he must know better. The sin never goes away. The stain is permanent. This legacy cannot be rewritten.

[Evil Vito]

You think there should be instant replay on that play?

<font color=goldenrod>Under a challenge system, it'd be up to the manager on whether or not he wanted to use a challenge on it. I mean, the run DID end up scoring, but they got shutout anyway.

It's really not hard to do. Like the NFL, each manager gets 2 challenges with the possibility of a 3rd if they get the first 2 right. Hell, you can even make it 1 challenge with the possibility of a 2nd if you're REALLY worried about the time of the game. Either way, the manager would have to be careful with using his challenge.

Balls and strikes are uncontestable as per usual, but ump errors pretty much everywhere else could be corrected. Fuck the "human element".</font>

[Triple Naitch]

Pretty sure CTS and Miotch are the only Twins fans around here, but it needs to be said. Carl Pavano is having a great season. He has 12 wins now and 4 of his last 7 starts have been complete games. If he keeps it up he deserves some Cy Young mention.

Hard to fathom how he does it in small cities so well while shitting the bed in New York.

[Skippord]

it's all in his glorious mustache

[ClockShot]

Pretty sure CTS and Miotch are the only Twins fans around here, but it needs to be said. Carl Pavano is having a great season. He has 12 wins now and 4 of his last 7 starts have been complete games. If he keeps it up he deserves some Cy Young mention.

Hard to fathom how he does it in small cities so well while shitting the bed in New York.

And the New York Yankees are still waiting for a refund. :foc:

[Droford]

<object width="640" height="385">aparently they dont have tasers..


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ffWxVvHLwXM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="385"></object>

[Nervous Ferret]

"Ken Rosenthal" is apparently reporting the Yankees are close to acquiring DAN HAREN.

DANNY f*cking HAREN is seriously one of my 5 favorite players in all of baseball even though he has ben pretty off this year.

[McLegend]

Not really a big fan of the firing of Milt Thompson.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

<object width="640" height="385">aparently they dont have tasers..


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ffWxVvHLwXM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="385"></object>


180 days in prison

[Droford]

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HdP2G7UtS9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HdP2G7UtS9I&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

How they used to handle guys like that in Baltimore.

[RP]

<object width="640" height="385">aparently they dont have tasers..


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ffWxVvHLwXM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xd0d0d0&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="640" height="385"></object>

moron fans

[YOUR Hero]

can't believe the amount of cheering he was getting.

[Droford]

Thursday was the most excitement at Camden Yards in a while even though they lost in a 5-0 shutout, so its not surprising.

[YOUR Hero]

You want to make a trade (fantasy baseball) for Weiters?

[Droford]

hes off the DL tomorrow so..no

[Emperor Smeat]

Diamondbacks-Yankees trade discussion over Dan Haren in serious doubt since neither side can agree on a deal. Yankees want to trade mostly prospects but nothing huge and no cash while Dbacks want a few MLB-ready players and cash and a few prospects.

Since Jose DeJesus is out for rest of the year, Red Sox-Royals rumored trade for him ended badly for the Royals. Royals wanted cash and a decent amount of prospects.

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Ubaldo Jimenez has a 7.64 ERA in his last 6 starts.

He is who we thought he was!</font>

[ClockShot]

Diamondbacks-Yankees trade discussion over Dan Haren in serious doubt since neither side can agree on a deal. Yankees want to trade mostly prospects but nothing huge and no cash while Dbacks want a few MLB-ready players and cash and a few prospects.

Since Jose DeJesus is out for rest of the year, Red Sox-Royals rumored trade for him ended badly for the Royals. Royals wanted cash and a decent amount of prospects.

No need for Haren, really. Pettitte thinks he can get back much sooner than expected. Ssssssssssssergio is trying to hold down a job and today wasn't a good start.

[YOUR Hero]

Jays VS Tigers.... ah the first great rivals of Toronto

[Boomer]

Brooks Conrad is becoming an Atlanta folk hero. Two pinch-hit grand slams and a game-winning squeeze bunt on the year.

[Skippord]

Ubaldo Jimenez has a 7.64 ERA in his last 6 starts.

He is who we thought he was!
he's walking everyone lately

it's bizarre

[RP]

TYLER MUTHAFUCKEN COLVIN!

[FakeLaser]

Can't believe the Yankees didn't want to give up Justin Chamberlain for Daniel Day Haren. Retarded.

[Schlomey]

watching the pirates lose again right now...glorious :(

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>Diamondbacks get: LHP Joe Saunders, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Rafael Rodriguez, PTBNL

Angels get: RHP Dan Haren

Wow, WTF are the Diamondbacks doing? They could have gotten so much more than that from other teams.</font>

[Evil Vito]

<font color=goldenrod>D-Backs gave up Aaron Cunningham, Brett Anderson, Carlos Gonzalez, Chris Carter, Greg Smith, and Dana Eveland for Haren, then traded him after two years of being a terrible baseball team for three guys that have probably a 2% chance of making the majors and a mediocre at best SP. Awful.</font>

[Dragon]

Can't believe Joe Saunders is the main piece in a package to get Haren. Apparently Corbin was their #12 prospect and Rodriguez was their #22 prospect in their system. Unless the PTBNL is Mike Trout that seems like a huge failure.

[ClockShot]

No #600 today.

But The Grandyman hitting 2 homers was quite the surprise. And, the 2 hour rain delay was a bunch of bullshit. Probably be sitting in traffic right now if I hadn't left early.

[Schlomey]

Sunday Night Baseball - On ESPN

Chicago Cubs vs St. Louis Cardinals

Cubs have won the first 2 games. Can the Cubbies bring out the brooms for a clean sweep? Tune in RIGHT NOW to find out on ESPN1.

[Emperor Smeat]

<font color=goldenrod>Diamondbacks get: LHP Joe Saunders, LHP Patrick Corbin, RHP Rafael Rodriguez, PTBNL

Angels get: RHP Dan Haren

Wow, WTF are the Diamondbacks doing? They could have gotten so much more than that from other teams.</font>

I bet they were really hoping the Yankees would take the bait and trade their players since D'backs kept saying they had other teams who could match what they wanted from the Yankees. Assuming Angels keep him for the long term, they won that deal easily.

Wouldn't be surprised if the reason Yankees didn't want to pay his whole salary was because they are going to try very hard to get him in free agency. Might as well save a few millions to use to sign him than have to trade and then pay part of his contract.

[Dragon]

Haren's under contract through 2012 and has a team option for 2013 so the Yankees won't be getting him any time soon.

The deal is pretty much a salary dump, they should have been able to get a lot more than that.

[Emperor Smeat]

Didn't know he was actually locked for a few more years.

Most reports and comments on ESPN were about him being a free agent or at least one of those special types where a trade or draft picks have to be done after this season.

[Dragon]

Yeah, I think he's signed for 12M in 2011 and 2012 and 2013 there's a team option.

Kind of amazing that the Mariners get Smoak for half a year of Cliff Lee who is almost guaranteed not to re-sign in Texas and the DBacks get Joe Saunders for 2 and a half years of Haren on a reasonable contract. I know Haren isn't Cliff Lee and that he isn't having an amazing year this year but that doesn't take away from what he's done the past 5 years.

[FakeLaser]

Sick deal for the Angels

[DaveWadding]

Excuse me while I go blow up Chase Field.

[RP]

i think the Cubs are done.

I also think Tyler Colvin is the next Stan Musial

[Emperor Smeat]

Rays have to feel good today, someone threw a no-hitter and this time they were not the loosing side of it.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

GG Matt Garza

[ClockShot]

He ain't called Big Game Garza for nothing.

Congrats.

[Supreme Olajuwon]

Another no hitter in a half empty ballpark.

[SammyG]

Good job Garza