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Post by GL on Feb 28, 2012 11:08:40 GMT -5
So, now that everyone's in camp and we're getting ready for the season, time for this year's discussion thread. Thoughts on the off-season in general/team-specific, hopes for the upcoming years, general thoughts of the game, etc.
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Post by GL on Apr 23, 2012 10:59:05 GMT -5
Congratulations to Phillip Humber for throwing a Perfect Game against the Seattle Mariners on Saturday.
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Apr 25, 2012 16:14:00 GMT -5
I'm actually completely stunned that the Mets are looking so much better than expected so far. I'd bet on a collapse before too much longer, but I still am impressed with their showing so far, and I'd say that they look like better than the 70 or so wins I was expecting of them at the moment. Its a long season with plenty of time for them to fall apart, but they are playing well.
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Post by GL on Apr 30, 2012 10:47:17 GMT -5
Couldn't agree with that any more than you do. They've looked like fighters compared to what I've seen from them the last couple years, like a team that gets down two or three runs and look like that's an insurmountable deficit. To say they've been exactly the opposite lately (barring this weekend's series in Colorado, unfortunately) has me thinking maybe they'll get closer to .500, maybe 75-78 wins as I don't see them getting too much on the rest of the Division. The pitching isn't there to compete against Washington or Philly, and they can't slug it out like Atlanta, but I say feasting on the lower division clubs and then staying competitive with their own might be a worthwhile goal this year.
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HNT
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Post by HNT on Apr 30, 2012 12:04:07 GMT -5
I agree with what you've said, except I think the Phillies seem to have real problems. Atlanta is not a primary concern in my eyes, but I think the Nationals are gonna be really good and compaetitive all year. I still think that its a long season with plenty of time for Philly to get their act together, and I expect that they will ultimately be battling with the Nats for control of the division. I think it is certainly wthin he realm of possibility for the Mets to finish third in the division, though, and I'd really like to see that happen. Meanwhile, not sure if you like them at all, but the Angels look pretty damn good.
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Post by GL on May 1, 2012 10:09:54 GMT -5
I'm not all that concerned about Philly at all, even with Howard and Utley back. That's an offense that has been riding it's success on what it's done in the past and not on what it is, an aging group of players that are just a shell of their former selves. I don't see them generating anything once those two do come back and it'll mean an end to their run this season since they can't score for anything.
I'm much more inline with Atlanta than you are, I think they'll hold up better than last season, I like the rotation a lot now that Hudson's off the DL and they can certainly score which when combined with that spectacular bullpen, I think they'll go neck-and-neck-and-neck with Washington and New York all year. New York'll be the first to fall and then battle with Philly for third, while Atlanta and Washington will battle for the top spot and the top wild-card.
I think you mean the Dodgers rather than the Angels, man. Angels aren't doing much of anything now, while the Dodgers are the ones on the roll.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
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Post by HNT on May 2, 2012 16:41:48 GMT -5
Nope, I meant the Angels but was being sarcastic. I have to remember that it doesn't translate online. The Dodgers are indeed quite good, but the Angels are something like 9 games out of first already, and I was mocking that considering they had high expectations this year.
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Post by GL on May 3, 2012 10:11:31 GMT -5
Oh, whoops. I guess that's why we use smilies in that case, if you're going to be sarcastic it's simple to figure out that's what you're going for.
Though I guess they must've read your posts and got pissed, as congratulations to Jarred Weaver for No-Hitting the Minnesota Twins last night. On the day when the Dodgers are finally sold off, seems like he started them off on the right track.
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Post by GL on May 4, 2012 10:11:17 GMT -5
Get well, Mo. Get well. This is not the way I'd like to see you end your career, and I hope to see you pitch again.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
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Kiss my tuchis
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Post by HNT on May 8, 2012 9:25:48 GMT -5
Agreed, man. That is a pretty sad thing. Unfortunately, I am far from confident that he is going to recover well from that.
So, what's your take on the Cole Hamels/Bryce Harper drama?
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Post by GL on May 9, 2012 10:58:01 GMT -5
Well, initially my reaction was that Cole did the right thing. He hit him in the back, not above the shoulders and it to me looked like a curveball that plunked him, covering himself for if he were indeed throwing at him he's got the excuse of a pitch inside that got away.
However, the more I listen to the MLB Network analysts, the more I agree with them like usual. It is moronically stupid to throw intentionally at a person who's done nothing wrong and only played the game the right way. A player who's hustling on every play, taking the extra base and forcing the opposition to make a play to get him, hasn't made waves at all and doesn't have a black mark against him in the big leagues. Now, had he come up and starting hot-dogging hits, showing up the other team when he did take an extra base or such like that, I wouldn't have had a problem, but to do this based on what he's done so far, there's no excuse for it.
However, I do take an issue with this no-school mentality they're bringing up. That did happen, I'm sorry to say, that opposing pitchers would throw at a rookie to see what they're made off right after being called up and I can remember countless times of that happening where my grandparents would tell me about those kinds of times. That did happen, and where I think they got all mixed up is in Cole's answer and wording, which was lame and didn't really sound as though he knew what to do and concocted some half-assed answer about the old-school. He probably should've gone a little more in-depth instead of just sounding like he pulled it out of nowhere to cover himself.
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HNT
Grizzled HMaM Vet
Horror in General & Everything Else Moderator[/i]
Kiss my tuchis
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Post by HNT on May 14, 2012 11:46:19 GMT -5
Honestly, my complaint is more with his saying in the post game interview that he hit him intentionally. Yeah, that's a part of the game and we all know it, but you just don't say it. You make up some story about how that pitch got away from you, and you later found your control or something. Everybody will know what happened, but you don't just put it out there. Little Leaguers really shouldn't be brought up thinking that plunking eachother at the plate is a part of the game. They can learn that when they're older if they continue to play at the next levels.
What I will agree with you on, though, is that the old school players were a different animal. Just look at the footage of Ty Cobb sliding into second spikes up. Its dirty, its ugly, its not something you see very often anymore, but it was definitely a part of the game back in the day.
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Post by GL on May 15, 2012 10:46:00 GMT -5
That's exactly what I was getting at, just reading my old post over I don't think I got it out clearly. Throwing a baseball as hard as these people do today is probably the single most dangerous part of sports, and to do so purposefully is even worse due to the history we've got that says being hit with a pitch is dangerous. You don't say anything if you're going to do that, which is the moronically stupid part because you're doing it anyway. I couldn't agree with you more on that.
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Post by GL on Jun 6, 2012 10:47:29 GMT -5
Congratulations to Johan Santana for throwing the very first no-hitter for the New York Mets in franchise history. About time, and well-deserved.
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Post by CT on Jun 7, 2012 11:37:13 GMT -5
My Reds have been making me happy recently. Hope they can keep it up!
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