2013 Baseball Thread

[CaptainP]

Infield single breaks it up. Ball went off of his own glove.

Should post this in "One Hit Wonders MSC"

[SMLCHNG]

Todd Helton's final game at home. And a home run to boot.

[Dr.Corona]

Jimmy Leyland busts a move as Tigers clinch division.

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3292313/jimdance.gif

[chippewa]

Jimmy Leyland busts a move as Tigers clinch division.

http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3292313/jimdance.gif

Is he moonwalking?

Tigers clinch division, Yankees eliminated from playoffs. Today's a good day.

[SMLCHNG]

Bud Selig to step down after 2014 Season:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/269781046900 ... 0909752001

[Wino you know]

Red Sox & Dodgers to the World Series.
B.S. Selig to retire.
Turned out to be a nice day after all.

[CaptainP]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

[Dr.Corona]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

Ya think?
I'm sorry, but just play the frickin' game. You got doinked a couple months ago, you seemed to survive it. You later got your opportunity & you went long ball.........that's your retaliation. Keep your mouth shut & circle the bases.

[CaptainP]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

Ya think?
I'm sorry, but just play the frickin' game. You got doinked a couple months ago, you seemed to survive it. You later got your opportunity & you went long ball.........that's your retaliation. Keep your mouth shut & circle the bases.

Actually, he missed 5 games after being hit in the knee by Maholm in that game, and the pitch was in "retaliation" for him making a great defensive play an inning earlier.

I'll also question the "keep your mouth shut" comment. McCann, Freeman, and Maholm all started jawing at him first, and he talked back. His jackassery was the brief pose he struck after the home run.

I'm just baffled as to why McCann hasn't been punished. This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks he's started a fight without being penalized. I just hope that the next time he hits a home run, the catcher from the other team stands in his way on the third base line. If he says anything, he's a hypocrite. If MLB suspends or ejects that catcher, then MLB is hypocritical. By not punishing him, they've set a very dangerous precedent.

[chippewa]

Great clip of Rivera leaving his last game at Yankee Stadium last night.
MLB link

[Dr.Corona]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

Ya think?
I'm sorry, but just play the frickin' game. You got doinked a couple months ago, you seemed to survive it. You later got your opportunity & you went long ball.........that's your retaliation. Keep your mouth shut & circle the bases.

Actually, he missed 5 games after being hit in the knee by Maholm in that game, and the pitch was in "retaliation" for him making a great defensive play an inning earlier.

I'll also question the "keep your mouth shut" comment. McCann, Freeman, and Maholm all started jawing at him first, and he talked back. His jackassery was the brief pose he struck after the home run.

I'm just baffled as to why McCann hasn't been punished. This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks he's started a fight without being penalized. I just hope that the next time he hits a home run, the catcher from the other team stands in his way on the third base line. If he says anything, he's a hypocrite. If MLB suspends or ejects that catcher, then MLB is hypocritical. By not punishing him, they've set a very dangerous precedent.

Yeah, you're probably right about McCann. Toss him & maybe give him a game.
The rest of the confrontation we'll just have to agree to disagree. I researched the earlier incident a bit & the HBP came in the first inning, while his great catch in which he ran into the wall was in the 4th which led him to being pulled from the game. Apparent shoulder sprain which seems to be what kept him out for 5 games. Can't speak as to if the first inning HBP was retaliation from something else or not.
I guess it's just me, but from my standpoint the LONG BALL did all the talking. No need to further engage with the opponents.

[ragtopW]

Bud Selig to step down after 2014 Season:

http://video.foxnews.com/v/269781046900 ... 0909752001

WOW today IS a good day

[LIPH]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

Ya think?
I'm sorry, but just play the frickin' game. You got doinked a couple months ago, you seemed to survive it. You later got your opportunity & you went long ball.........that's your retaliation. Keep your mouth shut & circle the bases.

Actually, he missed 5 games after being hit in the knee by Maholm in that game, and the pitch was in "retaliation" for him making a great defensive play an inning earlier.

I'll also question the "keep your mouth shut" comment. McCann, Freeman, and Maholm all started jawing at him first, and he talked back. His jackassery was the brief pose he struck after the home run.

I'm just baffled as to why McCann hasn't been punished. This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks he's started a fight without being penalized. I just hope that the next time he hits a home run, the catcher from the other team stands in his way on the third base line. If he says anything, he's a hypocrite. If MLB suspends or ejects that catcher, then MLB is hypocritical. By not punishing him, they've set a very dangerous precedent.

Yeah, you're probably right about McCann. Toss him & maybe give him a game.
The rest of the confrontation we'll just have to agree to disagree. I researched the earlier incident a bit & the HBP came in the first inning, while his great catch in which he ran into the wall was in the 4th which led him to being pulled from the game. Apparent shoulder sprain which seems to be what kept him out for 5 games. Can't speak as to if the first inning HBP was retaliation from something else or not.
I guess it's just me, but from my standpoint the LONG BALL did all the talking. No need to further engage with the opponents.

I think the whole situation could have been avoided if Gomez had just gotten back into the batters box after he swung and missed at the first pitch. Instead, he had to go into the typical pro athlete "look at me, I'm such a tough guy" routine and try to stare the pitcher down. Stop the posing and play the game. Bunch of d-bags.

[CaptainP]

Yes, Carlos Gomez acted a little like a jacka$$. But my questions are:

1. How did Brian McCann not get thrown out of the game, after clearly instigating the fight by standing in the baseline?
2. How did Reed Johnson not get thrown out of the game, when he charged off the bench and threw the first punch?
3. Why DID Freddie Freeman get thrown out when all he did was yell?
4. How did McCann not get suspended?
5. Why are the announcers so obsessed with Gomez crossing the plate?
6. Why did the Brewers not put a pitch in McCann's ear? (If he's going to defend the stupid "un-written rules", then he should be ready for it...)

Ya think?
I'm sorry, but just play the frickin' game. You got doinked a couple months ago, you seemed to survive it. You later got your opportunity & you went long ball.........that's your retaliation. Keep your mouth shut & circle the bases.

Actually, he missed 5 games after being hit in the knee by Maholm in that game, and the pitch was in "retaliation" for him making a great defensive play an inning earlier.

I'll also question the "keep your mouth shut" comment. McCann, Freeman, and Maholm all started jawing at him first, and he talked back. His jackassery was the brief pose he struck after the home run.

I'm just baffled as to why McCann hasn't been punished. This is the 2nd time in 2 weeks he's started a fight without being penalized. I just hope that the next time he hits a home run, the catcher from the other team stands in his way on the third base line. If he says anything, he's a hypocrite. If MLB suspends or ejects that catcher, then MLB is hypocritical. By not punishing him, they've set a very dangerous precedent.

Yeah, you're probably right about McCann. Toss him & maybe give him a game.
The rest of the confrontation we'll just have to agree to disagree. I researched the earlier incident a bit & the HBP came in the first inning, while his great catch in which he ran into the wall was in the 4th which led him to being pulled from the game. Apparent shoulder sprain which seems to be what kept him out for 5 games. Can't speak as to if the first inning HBP was retaliation from something else or not.
I guess it's just me, but from my standpoint the LONG BALL did all the talking. No need to further engage with the opponents.

I think the whole situation could have been avoided if Gomez had just gotten back into the batters box after he swung and missed at the first pitch. Instead, he had to go into the typical pro athlete "look at me, I'm such a tough guy" routine and try to stare the pitcher down. Stop the posing and play the game. Bunch of d-bags.

I also did some research. Gomez had a history, going back to his days with the Mets, of hammering Maholm. Maholm has a history of plunking him. I looks as though this has been building through the years.

And yes, his home run pose was punk-ish. But what McCann did was far worse. He STARTED the fight. Gomez just asked immature.

And what was up with the ump....looked like he had zero control of the situation. Looked like he was basically tapping McCann on the shoulder and saying, "Um, sir? You can't stand there, sir..."

[Wino you know]

I've gotta agree with Jim. Gomez acted like an a-hole but what that punk ass catcher McMann did was pure chicken sh*t. He should be suspended for the rest of the regular season AND the playoffs.
Umpires need to realize THEY'RE in charge, not the clowns PLAYING the game.
Players are getting away with too much crap.
(Case in point-Ryan Dumpster, who, if I ever see, will get battery acid thrown on him).
Maholm should've been ejected and McMann needs to serve a long term suspension.

[Wino you know]

McCann, McMann, whatever the little dweeb's name is.

[CaptainP]

A lot of stats are insignificant, but I don't think this one is:

2013 is the first season since 1972 that 5 pitchers ended up with a WHIP of 1.00 or lower.
Clayton Kershaw's WHIP was the lowest since Randy Johnson in 2002.

We are officially in a pitching-dominant era.

[Wino you know]

Ala 1968.

[CaptainP]

As the regular season winds down, and today's games only have one race to decide, the AL Wildcards, I can't help but feel a little down. Yes, the playoffs are coming, but my local team is not in it. It's a long season to invest in, just to come away with nothing. (Note: I'm also a Rays fan, so today is still HUGE!!!!)

It makes me want to reflect a bit.

Everyone, give me your reasons for optimism for your team for 2014.

Milwaukee Brewers
This was a tough season in Milwaukee. Things went south very early. An early 9-game winning streak got them to an 11-8 record, but then it was tough sailing from there. So why am I optimistic about a team that will finish, at best, 75-87? Here's why.

The Brewers had the worst month in team history, going 6-22. Since that time, they are playing .500 baseball. While that may not seem very impressive, they are basically doing it with a AAA lineup. The projected 2-3-4-5 hitters, (Weeks, Braun, Ramirez, Hart) have all missed significant time with injuries, playing 104, 61, 91, and 0 games this year. Hart's backup, Mat Gamel, was also injured in spring training and missed the entire season. The lineup has been filled with guys like Scooter Gennett, Khris Davis, Logan Shaffer, Yuniesky Betancourt, Caleb Gindl, Jeff Bianchi, and more. Despite that, they have managed to play .500 ball and found out that some of these guys can actually play at this level. Meanwhile, Carlos Gomez and Jean Segura developed into All-Star caliber players. A lineup next year that includes Norichka Aoki, Johnathan Lucroy, Gomez, Segura, Hart, Braun, Gennett, and Ramirez looks pretty good from here....especially with Shaffer, Davis, Gamel, Sean Halton and others coming off the bench.

Meanwhile, the pitching was awful early. But Wily Peralta turned a corner and now looks like the prospect everyone thought he was. The rotation next year will feature Kyle Lohse, Yovani Gallardo, and Wily Peralta. That's a good start. Tyler Thornberg and Jimmy Nelson have looked really good when given opportunites, and Marco Estrada is a nice steady #5 starter kind of guy. If they sign a good free agent, they'll have the opportunity to have a pretty decent rotation. Not great, but enough for the offense to support. And the bullpen has been good all year. The biggest issue was that John Axford lost his control over the last two years...but he's gone now. Ax was a great guy, but he wasn't getting it done.

A healthy team next year has a chance to compete...I have no doubt. They'll face the PR fun of Ryan Braun's return, but he's a good enough hitter without the PEDs that this team will be well built and well balanced. I like their chances.

[chippewa]

Marlins win on a walk-off wild pitch no-hitter. Now I've seen everything.