2006 Baseball Thread!

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » April 27, 2006 5:42 pm

IP 42 wrote:The humanity..........

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/47925

Mega-SPEW!!!!!!!!!!!

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » April 27, 2006 5:44 pm

Delmon Young has been suspended indefinately, pending further investigation.

IP 42 · Post by **IP 42** » April 27, 2006 5:48 pm

I should post the story for those at work:

http://www.theonion.com/content/node/47925

Returned 2004 World Series Ball: 'Doug Mientkiewicz Physically And Mentally Abused Me'

BOSTON—The baseball that made the final out in the 2004 World Series has been returned to its rightful owners, capping off a tumultuous 18 months during which the ball says it experienced "extreme physical and emotional trauma" at the hands of former Red Sox first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz, who ran off with the ball following the Boston's sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I know that the ordeal is over now, and I'm aware that this sort of thing happens to baseballs every day, but Doug Mientkiewicz took a part of me that I will never get back," said the scuffed, dirty ball, which will be restored to its original condition by trained professionals in the coming weeks. "Mr. Mientkiewicz absconded with me, and brought me into a world of lies and deception for his own petty financial gain. He locked me inside a small box for months at a time for what he called 'safe keeping.' I can tell you, there is nothing safe about darkness."

Mientkiewicz is currently in Cooperstown Hall of Fame custody, and has yet to be charged with any wrongdoing. He has not denied that he placed the baseball in such a box, and in a statement released by his lawyer, Mientkiewicz has alleged that he was "just doing the best he could to protect it from ending up in the wrong hands."

"Sometimes he would take me out of the box and examine me, turn me over in his hand, run his fingers up and down my seams…" said the teary-eyed ball. "He would grip me with his bare right hand in different ways and toss me up and down, sometimes for hours on end."

The ball also recalled one especially chilling incident involving Mientkiewicz and his friends.

"They passed me around, one by one, running their dirty hands all over me, telling Mr. Mientkiewicz that he shouldn't give me back until he received everything he was asking for," the ball said. "They kept telling him how much I was 'worth.'"

"One of his obviously sick friends said he'd waited 86 years for this," the ball added, obviously almost physically disturbed by the recollection.

A deal to return the ball was reached on Sunday, when Red Sox president Larry Lucchino finally agreed to several of Meintkiewicz's demands, which included "enough money to put food on my table for the rest of my life" and "another baseball."

"I can't even begin to understand what this special ball has been through," said a somber Lucchino. "But I can tell you this: The resiliency and spirit of America's baseballs will never be broken."

"It's good to have you home," Lucchino added.

Red Sox pitcher Keith Foulke, who tossed the ball to Meintkiewicz to make the final out of the Series, was relieved to hear the ball had been returned. Foulke has often blamed himself for the incident, and those around him say he hasn't been the same pitcher since.

"I replay that ground ball over and over in my head. Christ, I could have easily ran it to first base instead of being lazy and tossing it to Doug," Foulke said. "We all knew Doug had different motives. I had overheard things—things he would do to the ball if it were in his possession. It kills me to know I could have stopped that."

Although Foulke said he is unsure if he would be able to face the ball again, the ball said it does not blame Foulke.

"I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," the ball said. "We baseballs put ourselves in the line of fire every day. This kind of life is unpredictable. The only thing Keith Foulke was guilty of was wanting to get out of the inning with the Red Sox as world champions."

"It speaks well of Mr. Foulke to attempt to shoulder some of the blame, but you must remember: This is all Doug Mientkiewicz's fault," the ball added.

Within the next year, the ball will make its way to Cooperstown, where it will be displayed in the Baseball Hall of Fame next to Curt Schilling's sock, which says it can't even remember the joyful existence it probably had before it was soaked in blood.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » April 27, 2006 6:19 pm

CaptainP wrote:Looks like Young is facing about a 30 game suspension. That isn't yet official, though.

They are refusing to show the video of the game to anyone.

ESPN just showed the Delmon Young bat incident,
it looks unintentional, but incredibly careless and dangerous.

Indefinite suspension works for me.
Let him twist in the wind for a while...

BottleofRum · Post by **BottleofRum** » April 27, 2006 9:41 pm

Lightning Bolt wrote:
CaptainP wrote:Looks like Young is facing about a 30 game suspension. That isn't yet official, though.

They are refusing to show the video of the game to anyone.
ESPN just showed the Delmon Young bat incident,
it looks unintentional, but incredibly careless and dangerous.

Indefinite suspension works for me.
Let him twist in the wind for a while...

I agree. Here is a link to see the video http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2423307

You don't see him throw the bat but look how fast the bat travels at the umpire. He has to be gone for the season at least.

TheSecretsInTheCrust · Post by **TheSecretsInTheCrust** » April 27, 2006 9:50 pm

A bat doesn't accidentaly fly 40 feet when your walking to the dugout. Not like he was swinging and missing a pitch. This yahoo needs to be suspended for at least a season, regardless of how much talent this kid has. One has to wonder if criminal assault charges can be brought against him. The laws in Rhode Island would determine that. Baseball cannot ever, ever, ever, ever have players/coaches/managers/fans going after umpires beyond words.

Hoosier PH · Post by **Hoosier PH** » April 27, 2006 10:02 pm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/b ... index.html

In Double-A ball last year, Young was suspended for three games by the Southern League for bumping the chest of plate umpire Jeff Latter.

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » April 28, 2006 8:51 am

Upon further review.....

fry his butt

BottleofRum · Post by **BottleofRum** » April 28, 2006 9:28 am

TheSecretsInTheCrust wrote:A bat doesn't accidentaly fly 40 feet when your walking to the dugout. Not like he was swinging and missing a pitch. This yahoo needs to be suspended for at least a season, regardless of how much talent this kid has. One has to wonder if criminal assault charges can be brought against him. The laws in Rhode Island would determine that. Baseball cannot ever, ever, ever, ever have players/coaches/managers/fans going after umpires beyond words.

Maybe Young thought he was throwing the ball back to the umpire

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » April 28, 2006 9:55 am

Now that I've seen it, I agree....he should get a long suspension.

My question...was he facing him when he threw it? Or did he toss it backwards? Again....intent.....

Tequila Revenge · Post by **Tequila Revenge** » April 28, 2006 11:01 am

BottleofRum wrote:
TheSecretsInTheCrust wrote:A bat doesn't accidentaly fly 40 feet when your walking to the dugout. Not like he was swinging and missing a pitch. This yahoo needs to be suspended for at least a season, regardless of how much talent this kid has. One has to wonder if criminal assault charges can be brought against him. The laws in Rhode Island would determine that. Baseball cannot ever, ever, ever, ever have players/coaches/managers/fans going after umpires beyond words.

Maybe Young thought he was throwing the ball back to the umpire

next frame- Roger throws broken bat at Piazza, right? Can't remember, but was there any suspension?

BottleofRum · Post by **BottleofRum** » April 28, 2006 1:47 pm

Tequila Revenge wrote:
BottleofRum wrote:
TheSecretsInTheCrust wrote:A bat doesn't accidentaly fly 40 feet when your walking to the dugout. Not like he was swinging and missing a pitch. This yahoo needs to be suspended for at least a season, regardless of how much talent this kid has. One has to wonder if criminal assault charges can be brought against him. The laws in Rhode Island would determine that. Baseball cannot ever, ever, ever, ever have players/coaches/managers/fans going after umpires beyond words.

Maybe Young thought he was throwing the ball back to the umpire

next frame- Roger throws broken bat at Piazza, right? Can't remember, but was there any suspension?

No suspension nor was he ejected...

The Yankee people said he didn't deserve to be suspended and for some reason MLB agreed. Probably because it was the World Series. Clemens said he thought it was the ball he was throwing at Piazza

Yet when Don Zimmer tried to attack Pedro and he defended himself Yankee people were calling for the death penalty for Pedro.

Cubbie Bear · Post by **Cubbie Bear** » April 28, 2006 4:54 pm

The Cubs Win, The Cubs Win

CaptainP · Post by **CaptainP** » April 28, 2006 4:55 pm

Cubbie Bear wrote:The Cubs Win, The Cubs Win

Maddux must've pitched.

Tequila Revenge · Post by **Tequila Revenge** » April 28, 2006 7:54 pm

BottleofRum wrote:
Tequila Revenge wrote:
BottleofRum wrote:
TheSecretsInTheCrust wrote:A bat doesn't accidentaly fly 40 feet when your walking to the dugout. Not like he was swinging and missing a pitch. This yahoo needs to be suspended for at least a season, regardless of how much talent this kid has. One has to wonder if criminal assault charges can be brought against him. The laws in Rhode Island would determine that. Baseball cannot ever, ever, ever, ever have players/coaches/managers/fans going after umpires beyond words.

Maybe Young thought he was throwing the ball back to the umpire

next frame- Roger throws broken bat at Piazza, right? Can't remember, but was there any suspension?
No suspension nor was he ejected... The Yankee people said he didn't deserve to be suspended and for some reason MLB agreed. Probably because it was the World Series. Clemens said he thought it was the ball he was throwing at Piazza

Yet when Don Zimmer tried to attack Pedro and he defended himself Yankee people were calling for the death penalty for Pedro.

Mr. Rum,

Are you saying there may be a double standard

Hoosier PH · Post by **Hoosier PH** » April 28, 2006 8:16 pm

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/b ... ml?cnn=yes

Steve Howe killed in truck accident

NEW YORK (AP) -- Steve Howe, the relief pitcher whose promising career was derailed by cocaine and alcohol abuse, died Friday when his pickup truck rolled over in Coachella, Calif. He was 48.

Howe was killed at 5:55 a.m. PDT, said Dalyn Backes of the Riverside County coroner's office. The accident occurred about 130 miles east of Los Angeles.

Howe was the 1980 NL Rookie of the Year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and helped them win the World Series the next year.

But for all of Howe's success on the field, the hard-throwing lefty was constantly troubled by addictions -- he was suspended seven times and became a symbol of the rampant cocaine problem that plagued baseball in the 1980s.

"Steve played for me for five years and I thought the world of him," former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda said. "I am truly sorry to hear about his passing and my deepest sympathies go out to his family."

There was a moment of silence at Yankee Stadium before New York played Toronto on Friday night. Howe played for the Yankees from 1991-1996.

Howe was 47-41 with 91 saves and a 3.03 ERA with the Dodgers, Minnesota, Texas and Yankees. His final season in the majors was 1996, and the Yankees released him in June.

Two days after the Yankees let him go, Howe was arrested at a Delta Airlines terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport when a loaded .357 Magnum was detected inside his suitcase. He later pleaded guilty to gun possession and was placed on three years probation and given 150 hours of community service.

Howe tried a comeback in 1997 with Sioux Falls of the independent Northern League. In August, he was critically injured in a motorcycle accident in Montana and charged with drunken driving.

Lightning Bolt · Post by **Lightning Bolt** » April 29, 2006 1:51 am

I want to say that I pity the man.... but I just cannot.

He acted, without professing openly, as if he was bullet-proof.

In San Diego, we just endured the passing of one our "addict" heroes, Ken Caminiti.
If this doesn't send a clue to baseball....

Capt.Flock · Post by **Capt.Flock** » April 29, 2006 9:57 am

Reds are in first place

* thud as hit the ground from fainting*

Tequila Revenge · Post by **Tequila Revenge** » April 29, 2006 11:30 am

Lightning Bolt wrote:I want to say that I pity the man.... but I just cannot.

He acted, without professing openly, as if he was bullet-proof.

In San Diego, we just endured the passing of one our "addict" heroes, Ken Caminiti.
If this doesn't send a clue to baseball....

He broke Tommy's heart. You probaly heard an interview with Tommy about his feelings on drugs.

BottleofRum · Post by **BottleofRum** » April 29, 2006 11:44 am

Tequila Revenge wrote: Mr. Rum,

Are you saying there may be a double standard

Yes, The Yankess always play the role of the victim.