2017 Baseball Thread

[LIPH]

Congratulations to Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez, the 3 newest members of the Hall of Fame.

[TommyBahama]

It would of been cool if Vlady got in , and having 2 Expos going in together. If he would go in as a Expo.

[Dr.Corona]

It would of been cool if Vlady got in , and having 2 Expos going in together. If he would go in as a Expo.

Many players have been labeled as free swingers in MLB over the years, but this guy was definitely THE BEST hitter that I ever saw who swung at horrible pitches.

[CaptainP]

It would of been cool if Vlady got in , and having 2 Expos going in together. If he would go in as a Expo.

Many players have been labeled as free swingers in MLB over the years, but this guy was definitely THE BEST hitter that I ever saw who swung at horrible pitches.

The guy could golf a ball out of the dirt and over the fence like none I've ever seen. Maybe Adrian Beltre is close, but Vlad was the greatest.

[goreds2]

My Reds have nowhere to go but up this season!

[chippewa]

Guerrero, singling on a pitch that bounced a few feet in front of home plate

[goreds2]

Guerrero, singling on a pitch that bounced a few feet in front of home plate

He never met a pitch he didn't like.

[LIPH]

I heard a report on ESPN that MLB is considering a new rule to help speed up the game. If a game goes into extra innings, the 10th inning, and every extra inning, will start with a man on second base. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If they really want the games to be faster, they should have a rule like one of the softball leagues I played in 30 or so years ago had. The batter only gets one pitch. If you don't swing and it's a ball, it's ball 4. If it's a strike, it's strike 3. A foul ball is strike 3. You could probably play a 9 inning game in about an hour.

[Dr.Corona]

I heard a report on ESPN that MLB is considering a new rule to help speed up the game. If a game goes into extra innings, the 10th inning, and every extra inning, will start with a man on second base. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If they really want the games to be faster, they should have a rule like one of the softball leagues I played in 30 or so years ago had. The batter only gets one pitch. If you don't swing and it's a ball, it's ball 4. If it's a strike, it's strike 3. A foul ball is strike 3. You could probably play a 9 inning game in about an hour.

Sports talk radio also chattered about making it a 7 inning game. That probably brings back some softball memories too!!

[LIPH]

Not just softball, but minor league baseball. When the Pelicans play a doubleheader, it's two 7 inning games.

[goreds2]

Looks like my favorite Reds player Brandon Phillips has been traded to Atlanta.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/1867 ... nta-braves

[Wino you know]

I heard a report on ESPN that MLB is considering a new rule to help speed up the game. If a game goes into extra innings, the 10th inning, and every extra inning, will start with a man on second base. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If they really want the games to be faster, they should have a rule like one of the softball leagues I played in 30 or so years ago had. The batter only gets one pitch. If you don't swing and it's a ball, it's ball 4. If it's a strike, it's strike 3. A foul ball is strike 3. You could probably play a 9 inning game in about an hour.

I hope they leave the game as is.

[Saltx3]

I heard a report on ESPN that MLB is considering a new rule to help speed up the game. If a game goes into extra innings, the 10th inning, and every extra inning, will start with a man on second base. WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

If they really want the games to be faster, they should have a rule like one of the softball leagues I played in 30 or so years ago had. The batter only gets one pitch. If you don't swing and it's a ball, it's ball 4. If it's a strike, it's strike 3. A foul ball is strike 3. You could probably play a 9 inning game in about an hour.

I hope they leave the game as is.

GARRY!!!!! Nice to see you 'round these here parts!

[TommyBahama]

Cut down trips to the mound by a catcher , make pitching changes from the Dugout , no need to walk out there ( taking there time) chat with the pitcher , then yank him. Also they need to speed some of these pitchers up , that's why I don't blame batters stepping out. I'd step out if the guy is going to hold the ball for 30 seconds before throwing. The extra inning rule is a horrible idea. Why not do like the do in Hockey with there shootouts , Have a HR Derby.

[Wino you know]

GARRY!!!!! Nice to see you 'round these here parts!

I've made a few posts over the past couple weeks. Nothing overly profound, just a few quick trips through the neighborhood.

[goreds2]

Prince Fielder to host food show on Netflix, Hulu

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/t ... /97851842/

[johnson2113]

Yordano is gone and the "geniuses" running MLB are changing the rules. I'm ready for Sharks baseball!

[LIPH]

The MLB Network had the Mets v. Red Sox preseason game on this afternoon. Every online article and/or TV report I've seen abut the Mets signing Tim Tebow showed him wearing a #15 "TEBOW" jersey. He was the DH in today's game. He was #97 and he didn't have his name on the back of his jersey. Definitive proof that he isn't getting a sniff of the major leagues this year. The Mets' 3rd baseman was #85 and he didn't have his name on his jersey either. When he came up to the plate, he was announced as LJ Mazzilli. Lee Mazzilli's son I assume.

[johnson2113]

The MLB Network had the Mets v. Red Sox preseason game on this afternoon. Every online article and/or TV report I've seen abut the Mets signing Tim Tebow showed him wearing a #15 "TEBOW" jersey. He was the DH in today's game. He was #97 and he didn't have his name on the back of his jersey. Definitive proof that he isn't getting a sniff of the major leagues this year. The Mets' 3rd baseman was #85 and he didn't have his name on his jersey either. When he came up to the plate, he was announced as LJ Mazzilli. Lee Mazzilli's son I assume.

So, I created a big long post about anything and everything. I missed the Tebow, game. I planned tow watch it. Missed it. I planned to catch the Royals vs Venezuela, missed it. Hard to win, when two of our best players are two of their best players, but 11-0 is like a Cardinals type score.

The basketball, post-season party is tomorrow and I guess I'm going. Why? Because I have a Cobra mask. Why do I have a cobra mask, because the same reason I have a quadracorn, unicorn, horse, zombie horse, goat, chicken, cow, bull, and too many other masks. Including two Shark masks.

With the lack of wind, I got my drone, Desperation Storm, up for a couple of shots. All I can think of is the team picture I plan to take. We have to get that shot. I want it before the season starts on April 1st. I have tried to make sure everyone and anyone knows what I want.

Hank - At pitcher
Bub - At Catcher
Brock - As a batter
John or Ben - As firstbaseman
Keegan - As baserunner
TY or Carson as fielder
Alex, Bradley, & Max in other positions. I don't like taking a boring picture, I've tried that and it sucked. I want to take a game changing picture. I will plan that tomorrow. Here will be the first place it gets shared.

[LIPH]

Since there's hardly been any action in this thread, I thought I'd post something about minor league baseball. When I lived in NY I didn't follow the minor leagues (well, except for being a Mets fan since they were Triple A caliber most years ) so I didn't realize most, if not all, leagues played a split season schedule. The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are in the Carolina League and the first half of the season ended Sunday. The finished first in the Southern Division with a record of 43-27, the best record in the league. As first half division champions, they'll have home field advantage in the Southern Division championship series in September. It also continues their league high streak of making the playoffs in 7 consecutive seasons.

They had a strange first half of the season. Until late May they were treading water, barely above .500. Then they won 20 of the last 25 games, including going 15-2 in June leading up to this week's All Star break. The 2 losses were by scores of 1-0 and 2-0. Their pitching staff has the lowest ERA in the league (they led the league in ERA each of the last 2 seasons and had the individual ERA leader both years) and is tied for the league lead in shutouts with 10. They also have the most saves in the league even though they don't really have a closer. Two of their relief pitchers have 4 saves and four others have 3 each.

Even with the best record in the league, the offense has been pitiful. There are 10 teams in the league. The Pelicans are 9th in team batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS but somehow they're 5th in runs scored. That would seem to disprove Jon's theory that home runs are overrated. The one offensive statistic they're near the top of the league in is home runs, they're second.

They have a guy named Eloy Jimenez who's only 20 years old and he's the #1 prospect in the Chicago Cubs organization. (The Pelicans had the Cubs' #1 prospect last year too, Gleyber Torres, before he was traded to the Yankees in the Aroldis Chapman deal.) He was injured during spring training and started the season on the disabled list so he's only played 28 games but he has 7 home runs and 22 RBI and was one of 6 Pelicans who were on the Southern Division All Star team. I don't expect him to be in Myrtle Beach much longer, he'll probably be moving up to Double A sometime next month. The #2 prospect in the Cubs organization is a guy named Ian Happ. He was called up to the major leagues last month and has played about 30-35 games. He started last season as the Pelicans 2nd baseman but I think he's played mostly in the outfield since the Cubs brought him up from Triple A.