** The Official 2012 MLB Thread! **

[Ninja108]

Sheesh..I knew the Yanks might struggle but I didn't htink they'd be doing this bad. Oh well,win or lose,I'll still be a fan!

[gtru1981]

Sheesh..I knew the Yanks might struggle but I didn't htink they'd be doing this bad. Oh well,win or lose,I'll still be a fan!

Did everyone fall asleep? lol. Yankees are kicking ass!

Soxs and Phillies can suck it! Both NY teams are kicking ass!

[TheFireGod]

^ I know right, the Yankees swept the Mets, Braves, and Nationals before loosing the latest series.

I should be the one making that sort of post with all the injuries, errors, Peralta being suspended 8 games, and 3rd place standing my team is in.

It's nice that my 1,000th post is about baseball :]

[Ninja108]

Yanks were struggling at the end of May with pitching and RISP (still struggling in that second part) but have mostly righted the ship with their pitching.
I will say if we play like this in the postseason,no reason we can't win it all.

[gtru1981]

Yanks were struggling at the end of May with pitching and RISP (still struggling in that second part) but have mostly righted the ship with their pitching.
I will say if we play like this in the postseason,no reason we can't win it all.

Its like they woke up and started to play. I hope they keep it up even with CC and Andy on the DL.

I am sad that Youk got traded, even though he played for the soxs, he was one of the few i actually liked on that team. Freinds of mine tailgated with him at a Uconn football game and he was super cool! Love to party with him!

I also take my words back about the Twins, they just straight up suck!

[Ninja108]

CC will only be gone until the all star break...Andy..won't be back until late August/early September but at least his arm will be well rested.
Does suck though..go from a strong starting staff to having two of them on the DL..not good.
As for the Twins..no nice way to put it..they do indeed suck.

[CoolBlue71]

Thread isn't generating much in the way of responses. MLB season boring those who'd otherwise be interested?

Watched 2012 All-Star Game; would have been merciful had the AL put up one run.

NL pennant-winning team will host the year's World Series. Third year in a row.

[Ninja108]

And before that..it was the AL for 15 plus years. IMO,using one game to determine home field advantage is STUPID. I felt that way when the AL was winning and I feel that way now.
In the same breath,last year was the first time since 01 that home field advantage really made a difference in who won. I have no doubt the Rangers would have won had they been at home. But after 03..other than the 09 Yankees (whom were going to win regardless of where they started) the World Series was over in 4-5 games. Home field advantage doesn't mean much when one team is clearly superior to another.

[sonny10305]

And before that..it was the AL for 15 plus years. IMO,using one game to determine home field advantage is STUPID. I felt that way when the AL was winning and I feel that way now.

Agreed, but look at the bright side, now the Mets will have the home field advantage in the WS this year

[Ninja108]

Agreed, but look at the bright side, now the Mets will have the home field advantage in the WS this year

IMO, other than 01/02...the last time home field advantage meant anything was last year. If the Rangers had been at home,I have no doubt they would have won the World Series in game 6.
As it was,from 04-08 you had three sweeps with the other two series ending in five games. Home field advantage doesn't mean much when one team is clearly better than the other.

[Sausy]

Finally good news with today's offensive show,a 9-5 pounding of the Nats by the Mets highlighted by two homers and 5 RBI by David Wright,now 14 homers,65 RBI and a couple of RBI by Ike Davis including a home run,his 13th.While not amazing RA Dickey did his job and kept the Mets in it going over seven innings,allowing three runs and ten hits.Of course though it wasn't a save situation Bobby Parnell pitched the ninth inning and allowed a run on a couple of hits,but thanfully the Mets had done mre than enough damage to compensate.Best thing is that the Mets pounded six runs off of hot Nats starter Gio Gonzalez,who definitely through theis season along with Steve Strasburg has formed an imposing one -two punch at the top of the Nat's rotation.Great going guys,and now you're coming home for the Dodgers and Nats...."Let's Go,Mets!!!!!"

[Sausy]

Oops,wrong thread.....plus Ike Davis hit his 14th homer,not 13th!

[Ninja108]

Ouch..rough weekend for the Yanks! Ah well,move on and start winning again!

[Sausy]

Yep,Ninja but it's probably just a bump in the road.I think you're attttitde about it is precisely what they're thinking now,professionals they are.

Surprise Yankees getting Ichiro!Of course he can help off the bench....looks like he saw Seattle was going in total rebuilding mode and wanted to help them get some value back while also getting a great chance to get to the postseason and possible World Series.At 39 his clock is ticking and hope he does well whenever he gets the chance to play.

[Ninja108]

I'm hoping he'll get a ring. Someone who has always represented the game well deserves one.
It's a shame he wasn't allowed to come over earlier. I have no doubt that not only would he have gotten 3,000 hits here but possibly surpassed Pete Rose's record as well.

[Sausy]

I'm hoping he'll get a ring. Someone who has always represented the game well deserves one.
It's a shame he wasn't allowed to come over earlier. I have no doubt that not only would he have gotten 3,000 hits here but possibly surpassed Pete Rose's record as well.

Yep ninja....Ichiro came here when he was 28 and a long established star in Japan...has faded in the last year or so but some of it may just be that the Mariners have gotten so bad.With the Mets fading fast,while not a huge Yankee fan I respect them and don't hate it when they win it all....was really happy for them in 2009 and feel the same way if Ichiro can be of service helping out this year,would be nice to see him get a ring after so many years of not getting any postseason action.

[flyingfree]

Surprise Yankees getting Ichiro!Of course he can help off the bench....

I don't believe that the Yankees made the trade for Ichiro to help off the bench. They got Ichiro for his defensive skills, his adequate hitting and his base running talent. Girardi said Ichiro would be the regular LFer and bat 8th though with Alex Rodriguez sidelined for 5 weeks he will likely move up in the batting order. Today he is leading off, Jeter is batting second.

All Ichiro is expected to do is play LF as well as Brett Gardner. That would end the Ibanez/Jones LF platoon and make them the DH platoon instead. With ARod hurt, Chavez got a new life as an everyday player but many believe the Yankees will try to construct a trade for Chase Headley before the deadline.

[Ninja108]

Am excited for this weekend. Nothing would make me happier then to bury the Red Sox for good this weekend. They have the offense but if Beckett and Lester don't shape up,they won't go anywhere.

[sonny10305]

Trade deadline yesterday was fun to watch, MLB had awesome coverage all afternoon.
A lot more action than last year and I have to think both the luxury tax threshold and second wild card played a big part in that.

[Ninja108]

Indeed Sonny,so many more teams are in it now. I think it helps keep intrest in baseball in so many areas where as last year half the teams would be out of it by now.

[gtru1981]

I am surpised no one is talking about the 9 men trade that the Dodgers and Soxs did.

The Soxs had to dump all those bitchy overpaid players. Sorry, Crawford and Gonzalez got way overpaid and arent made for big market teams. The Soxs have to clean up all the mistakes that Theo did with overpaying for players. I still dont understand why these clubs overpay for these guys.

Havent the Soxs, Phillies, Mets shown that high payroll usually doesnt end well. No offense, but Miami, Tigers, and Angels are also showing this as well. Stupid Bora and Arod. Even the Yankees are looking to shed payroll as well. Never been a fan of these 10 year contracts, i think 6 should be the max.

I think changing clubs and leagues does good for many players. Cody Ross, Russell Martin, and Kuroda coming from the National League to the American League has done good for them. I think Looney will be fine in the American League. I think this had to happen, change of scene will be good for everyone.

[Ninja108]

Agree with you 100% on long term deals. They almost never work and the Yankee Dynasty was more due to the farm system and signing the right utitly guys versus the big name free agent.
As for the Dodgers/Red Sox deal..you won't likely see one like that in a long time. The Dodgers Gonzalez so badly they took on two bad contracts just to get him.
And as for big market teams,some players simply can't handle the harsh and unforgiving glare of NY,Philly and Boston.

[Sausy]

I HATE long term deals beyond six or seven years ....and never would go beyond five after 32,33. Players deserve to be well compensated, support free agency but a club's objective isn't to play Santa Claus to the player's union. It's doing the best it can within it's market to develop a long term program for contention, ideally. Most big contracts bite you in the ass. The money the Phillies gave to Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee....now Cole Hamels? Makes no sense right now. Boston luckily gave their bad contracts to rthe Dodgers but how many clubs can just pull checks out of thin air to sign? Even the Yankees have huge decisions this winter as they swear they want to be at $189 mil max( still an extraordinary chink of change) by 2014 so they can lower dramatically their luxury tax burden(Yanks pretty much only team really impacted over the last few years with the luxury tax). They NEVER should have taken A-Rod back after he opted out. Now they got him til he's 42 for out of this world, insane money. Teixeira and CC Sabathia while they give it all are flawed players, CC more consistent but still around $25 mil he should be a no doubt about it Cy Young contender but shaky conditioning and minor ills have hurt him. Granderson is really overrated if he gets anywhere near $20 mil this winter. Robinson Cano struggled mightily in the clutch the first couple of months, still should have more RBI than he has but again....better player than Grandeerson but 25 mil for eight years good? Even gotta worry about Nick Swisher, should be a four year guy around 50 mil but represented by Scott Boras maybe will try for seven year,100 mil plus Jayson Werth money. Just because Washington foolishly tried to bring legitimacy by overpaying by a lot for a good but not great player doesn't mean you throw common sense out the window too.

[Ninja108]

Frustrating to see the Yanks choke away their lead to a tie but not shocking either. We had so many injuries that were going to bite us in the butt sooner or later and now they have popped up.
We have too many platoon and old players that were NOT meant to play as much as they have and the pitching...that's why Montero was traded away.
I come from a multi generation Yankee family so I know there can be hard times..and IMO,the Yanks will be in one ofr the next couple of years.

[Sausy]

Yankees have to get younger and better defensively range wise. I don't think they're going on a rebuilding course because they have enough quality veterans but long term they have to develop or trade for some guys they can build with. Derek will probably play another two or three years, we're stuck for the next for with A Rod and that's by far the worst situation. Mark Teixeira too, four more years to go on his contract....keep Cano but don't forget he's 30 now and another seven or eight year vontract for him means they should just forget tying themselves to either Curtis Granderson (32 next year) or Nick Swisher(31). Even the backups are old.... if Brett Gardner comes back healthy well mazel tv but even he's no spring chicken turning 30 next season. With the prices they charge no way they'll start over and be crap for a time but it is a very difficult balance of contending and developing /adding a new generation of talent. They do have a few really promising guys in the minors but trading the best of them for the new thirtyish slugger of the day is not the way to go. Interesting to see how they try to keep contending and not eventually all check in to the over the hill major league retirement home but form the next potential Yankee dynasty. I think Hal Steinbrenner wants to do it right., eschewing the superstar obsession his father had for a mix of players. Even the Yankees don't want to pay out plus 200 million dollar player budgets ad infinitum. As Brian Cashman said, the Yankees will always be willing to spend the money and have one of the highest if not the highest budgets but just spending money without thought doesn't make sense even for them. Flexibility too is key to long term contention.

[King Gumby VIII]

The Washington Nats have shut down Stephen Strasburg for the year. John Lannan will take over the spot in the starting rotation.
Strasburg 15-6 3.16 ERA

[Sausy]

The Washington Nats have shut down Stephen Strasburg for the year. John Lannan will take over the spot in the starting rotation.
Strasburg 15-6 3.16 ERA

Hi,Z! I know Strasburg had the Tommy John surgery, and has made an outstanding comeback this year. Understandable if frustrating for Strasburg, his teammates ,the organiation and the Nat fans this season when the Nats are really going forward and finally loooking at a presaeason. He'll be back fresh and ready to go next spring and hopefully will have the stamina and okay of the club to stretch to around 200 innings or so for the season.

Also,though he may not have the glowing stats this season as the Angel's center fielder Mike Trout, Bryce Harper is great... playing with a spark again after hitting a wall earlier in the summer. His daring baserunning and aggressiveness highlighted by his efforts against the Cubs a few games back (the game with the bench clearing brawl)just highlighted how much passion he has to win and how outstanding his baseball instincts are. He may react immaturely after a mistake or what he perceives a boneheaded call but no doubt he knows and appreciates how to play the game hard and right.

[Stealth412]

Hi,Z! I know Strasburg had the Tommy John surgery, and has made an outstanding comeback this year. Understandable if frustrating for Strasburg, his teammates ,the organiation and the Nat fans this season when the Nats are really going forward and finally loooking at a presaeason. He'll be back fresh and ready to go next spring and hopefully will have the stamina and okay of the club to stretch to around 200 innings or so for the season.

Also,though he may not have the glowing stats this season as the Angel's center fielder Mike Trout, Bryce Harper is great... playing with a spark again after hitting a wall earlier in the summer. His daring baserunning and aggressiveness highlighted by his efforts against the Cubs a few games back (the game with the bench clearing brawl)just highlighted how much passion he has to win and how outstanding his baseball instincts are. He may react immaturely after a mistake or what he perceives a boneheaded call but no doubt he knows and appreciates how to play the game hard and right.

Trout is having an incredible year

he's pretty good looking too

[Sausy]

Trout is having an incredible year

he's pretty good looking too

He absolutely is both!.....and is a New Jersey boy too!One of a kind talent....doing it all like he's showing now at only 20 is amazing!

[King Gumby VIII]

Washington nationals just got swept by the Braves.
The lead in the east drops to 5.5 , the magic number stays at 11.

[Sausy]

Yep Nats hit a bump in the road not helped by Stephen Strasburg's season being cut short and Gonzalez and Zimmermann picking the worst time to slump this month. Still,you guys are in pretty good shape compared to what happened to the Mets Atlanta has been amazing, and damn if the Phillies at least showed fight getting back into a semblance of competitiveness.

[Ninja108]

I don't think the Nationals thought they were going to be as good as they were this year. Hence why they botched Strasburg. As for the divisions..other then the Giants in the NL West and Reds in the NL central,the rest of them are still up for grabs.

[sonny10305]

Sill,you guys are in pretty good shape compared to what happened to the Mets

WHY???? What's happened to the Mets ????

[Sausy]

WHY???? What's happened to the Mets ????

Bad boy,sonny!

[gtru1981]

I don't think the Nationals thought they were going to be as good as they were this year. Hence why they botched Strasburg. As for the divisions..other then the Giants in the NL West and Reds in the NL central,the rest of them are still up for grabs.

I dont think anyone in MLB thought the Nats would be this good and or even the A's.

Just proves my point about overspeanding and having high payrolls and long terms contracts never are good for teams.

I really want the Nats to win the National League and head to the WS.

On a side note, super excited for the Dodgers and Giants coming to NY next year. Going to be like the good old days.

[Sausy]

Nats did though spend obscenely for Jayson Werth...last year was an aberration but seven years, over $120 mil is crazy....crazier still they were bidding pretty much only against themselves. Happy to see Billy Beane back up again with his A's right in the thick of it....winning isn't just marquee names but chemistry and dedication as well. Glad the A's are out there to help remind baseball that the huge payrolls don't guarantee playoff caliber performances.

19 th win for RA Dickey over the Marlins....only blemish a three run homer late by John Buck off of Jon Rauch relieving Dickey. Anyone going to see Knuckleball, about the pitch thrown by Dickey and a number of other legendary pitchers? Got great reviews and just seems like a really fun picture due to the very close knit camaraderie between the knuckleball fraternity.

[Ninja108]

Holy cow...that was one of the best games I've ever seen!

[Sausy]

Holy cow...that was one of the best games I've ever seen!

Fuck,the Yankees pulled it out!!!I saw the score was 13-9 Oakland in the 13th and thought no way in hell the Yanks would rally from that! Then again,these ARE the Yanks and they can do stuff like this in their sleep!

[Sausy]

Fuck,the Yankees pulled it out!!!I saw the score was 13-9 Oakland in the 13th and thought no way in hell the Yanks would rally from that! Then again,these ARE the Yanks and they can do stuff like this in their sleep!

My bad....Yanks scored four runs to tie the game in the bottom of the 13th 9-9,then won in the 14th. Not come back from a 13-9 deficit....though they did erase a four run burst from Oakland.

[Ninja108]

Only the 2nd time in franchise history they've done that.

[gtru1981]

Fuck,the Yankees pulled it out!!!I saw the score was 13-9 Oakland in the 13th and thought no way in hell the Yanks would rally from that! Then again,these ARE the Yanks and they can do stuff like this in their sleep!

I was thinking the same thing. i was the Yankees will lose this game and sure enough they ended up winning it. It was a really good game!

[Sausy]

They ARE the Yankees, guys...you can NEVER discount that!

[King Gumby VIII]

Nats are the 2012 NL East Champions.

[Sausy]

Congrats to the Nats!

[Ninja108]

Texas losing the AL West is not a surprise. If you don't have pitching,you can have the best offense in the world and it won't mean squat.

[sonny10305]

Texas losing the AL West is not a surprise. If you don't have pitching,you can have the best offense in the world and it won't mean squat.

True dat

[sonny10305]

Holy smoke that Braves/Cards game could not have ended any sweeter for a Mets fan and Braves hatters like me. Granted it was prolly the worst call of the postseason and the Atlanta Braves paid big time losing 6-3.
In case you missed it, with one out in the eighth inning and runners on first and second, the Braves Andrelton Simmons hit a fly ball to left field. The ball dropped in between Pete Kozma and Matt Holliday and I thought, damm they are gonna load the bases with that one and it’s rally time Those Brave’s fans are gonna go nutz with the chop chop . But wait, then it got really good when the Left field umpire sorta thought about it for a sec and then decided, Oh yeah that’s an infield fly rule call when the ball dropped between those two bumbling Braves. The call ruled Simmons out for the second out of the inning and an Braves fans went absolutely bonkers, BONKERS I tell ya, throwin crap onto the field and just freakin out delaying the game for almost 20 mins.
There was a protest on the call from Fredi Gonzalez which was as Suze Orman, would say Deee nied
Here’s the thing Braves fans, the infield fly rule is strictly a judgment call and not subject to any appeal. Plus there is no distance mentioned in the infield fly rule language and an umpire must only determine that an infielder could have caught the ball with an ordinary effort ya know like a major league pro would have done,
I’m thinkin Gonzolez musta thought since the umpire took his time to make the decision immediately, not when the ball is within feet of hitting the ground which he shudda done. Well fans like they say shudda woulda coulda . All I know is that the Braves lost and in a way that me as a major Atlanta hater very very happy. If ever there was time for a baseball team to run around the field giving the Braves fans the chop chop this was the time and the Cards where the team to do it.

Let me apologise to any JUB Braves fans out there, did not mean to rub it but as a Met fan I am sure you get me and understand

[syam24]

That call was bad, but the Braves did themselves in with all the throwing errors and lack of hitting with runners in scoring position. (Where have I seen that before?) My biggest beef with the call was 'Why is the left field umpire making that call?' In my opinion, all he should be worried about is fair/foul down the line and possible fan interference on balls along the fences. The 4, FOUR, infield umps should be responsible for the rest of the field. Was not a ball that should have been called on the Infield Fly Rule.

[sonny10305]

That call was bad, but the Braves did themselves in with all the throwing errors and lack of hitting with runners in scoring position. (Where have I seen that before?) My biggest beef with the call was 'Why is the left field umpire making that call?' In my opinion, all he should be worried about is fair/foul down the line and possible fan interference on balls along the fences. The 4, FOUR, infield umps should be responsible for the rest of the field. Was not a ball that should have been called on the Infield Fly Rule.

Yup, There were at least three throwing errors which contributed greatly to the loss the biggest one made by Chipper which cost them a lot. My biggest regret is that it was not the Mets that cost them that wild card
I did feel bad for "Chippa" hated to see him go out that way.

[gtru1981]

Texas losing the AL West is not a surprise. If you don't have pitching,you can have the best offense in the world and it won't mean squat.

The Rangers werent good this year. Now to see which team is going to overpay for Hamilton. Let the curse of overpay players continue! Sorry, but it seems that every team that overpays for these players, get screwed in the long end.

Love the A's, O's, and Nats heading to the post season. It usually the same teams over and over agian, but this year i like it more, bc it feels different.