MLB Discussion - 2012 Season

[Scout101]

While thing is retarded anyway. It's a 3-member team that decides on suspensions. 1 is a MLB rep, votes to suspend every time. 1 is Player's Union rep, votes to overturn every time. So basically, despite all this crap about a committee, it's just basically whatever this one guy thinks...

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Ouch...

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ That was strange.

Watched a clip of Brett Lawrie bouncing his batting helmet off the ump.

They said "during the Jays-Rays game...." and all I could think was "well you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, but you doesn't have to call me Mister Johnson...."

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Ar-Pharazon wrote:

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^ That was strange.

I honestly had no idea it was possible to pass out from being hit in the *arm*. But you saw how the ball left its imprint...guess anything's possible.

Also: Rhymes said that when he came to, he told people he was Batman just to mess with their heads. They should give him that nickname for the rest of his career.

Watched a clip of Brett Lawrie bouncing his batting helmet off the ump.

They said "during the Jays-Rays game...." and all I could think was "well you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, but you doesn't have to call me Mister Johnson...."

If you're thinking of the Bob Uecker commercial I think you are, I thought it was "you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can call me Billy..."

[Tom Hendricks]

I watched that the other day, while the 3-1 pitch was a ball. The pitch he was called out on was border line. However I think that Lawrie was still upset about the call before. Unfortunately for him, the helmet bounced up and struck the Ump. I'm sure it was unintentional and four games is a bit much, but thats the way the helmet bounces.

Ar-Pharazon wrote:

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^ That was strange.

Watched a clip of Brett Lawrie bouncing his batting helmet off the ump.

They said "during the Jays-Rays game...." and all I could think was "well you can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, but you doesn't have to call me Mister Johnson...."

[Ar-Pharazon]

I was actually thinking about the original Ray Jay Johnson schtick. Unless he was in the commercial.

[Timby]

Tom Hendricks wrote:

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I watched that the other day, while the 3-1 pitch was a ball. The pitch he was called out on was border line. However I think that Lawrie was still upset about the call before. Unfortunately for him, the helmet bounced up and struck the Ump. I'm sure it was unintentional and four games is a bit much, but thats the way the helmet bounces.

Lawrie threw equipment, on the field, that struck an umpire, while acting and speaking aggressively toward the same umpire. The suspension was completely deserved. He wasn't suspended for showing emotion, or playing hard, or anything like that.

A player is responsible for his actions on the field. Lawrie threw his helmet in the direction of the umpire and it landed really close to the umpire's feet, regardless of the bounce. Unacceptable. If he had thrown it at the dugout and it took the wackiest bounce in recorded history, that's a different story. But being a crying manchild and throwing your helmet down hard within inches of an umpire you are in the process of (and continuing to) scream and carry on at ... no. Can't be allowed. At all.

The bigger issue is with how arbitrary MLB suspension lengths are, more than the action itself. League officials pretty much just conjured the number up out of thin air, which is starting to become quite a noticeable, and disturbing, trend (and further illustrates just how bothersome the termination of Shyam Das is -- MLB doesn't give a shit about due process, it just does what it wants).

[Tom Hendricks]

I did't say he shouldn't be suspended, just thought that four days suspension was a bit much for the infraction. I thought he would get two days or maybe three. Which is not that far off from the four, just what I was imagining from the incident. The helmet barely grazed him. Hitters throw helmets and bats all the time, usually without hitting an Ump or another player. Also it wasn't like he intentionally threw the helmet at the Ump, would you say it was intentional? Do you think what he did is as bad as when Alomar spit in the Ump face, he got 5 days. The opinion about the four days is mine alone, its neither right or wrongs just an opinion. If you read the last part of my statement, I say "Thats how the helmet bounces." Meaning while I may not agree 100%, I'm fine with it. Seeing as how you pounce on what ever I say, I think you just itch for some sort of confrontation instead of a discussion. I have no problem with disagreements, just a lot of your aggressions are uncalled for. I actually agree with a lot of things you say, we disagree on some minor issues.

I agree with you about the arbitrary nature of suspension, however the reason for that is usually the arbitrary nature of the infractions. While most infractions maybe similar, its the little difference that make the difference in how the suspension is handed out. It also depends on who we are talking about, which player. Another thing is the suspension of players like Pitchers, is it really fair to suspend a pitcher for 5 days and it not really affect his ability to pitch. Teams can just change the amount of rest and he still pitches next time. However I think for most common infractions they should have a standard policy for suspensions. You charge the mound, its X numbers of games. So players know what they are going to loose.

Timby wrote:

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Lawrie threw equipment, on the field, that struck an umpire, while acting and speaking aggressively toward the same umpire. The suspension was completely deserved. He wasn't suspended for showing emotion, or playing hard, or anything like that.

A player is responsible for his actions on the field. Lawrie threw his helmet in the direction of the umpire and it landed really close to the umpire's feet, regardless of the bounce. Unacceptable. If he had thrown it at the dugout and it took the wackiest bounce in recorded history, that's a different story. But being a crying manchild and throwing your helmet down hard within inches of an umpire you are in the process of (and continuing to) scream and carry on at ... no. Can't be allowed. At all.

The bigger issue is with how arbitrary MLB suspension lengths are, more than the action itself. League officials pretty much just conjured the number up out of thin air, which is starting to become quite a noticeable, and disturbing, trend (and further illustrates just how bothersome the termination of Shyam Das is -- MLB doesn't give a shit about due process, it just does what it wants).

[Timby]

Kerry Wood retired today after recording a strikeout with a fucking filthy curveball.

That's the way it should be.

[Tom Hendricks]

I agree, probably the best way to go out. I have to say this maybe one of the best retirement stories in baseball. Immensely classy all the way around, from the Cubs and Kerry. It was very heart warming to me.

Timby wrote:

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Kerry Wood retired today after recording a strikeout with a fucking filthy curveball.

That's the way it should be.

[Skywalker]

Yeah, great way for him to go out.

...What if he hadn't struck that guy out?

[Neroon]

Timby wrote:

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Kerry Wood retired today after recording a strikeout with a fucking filthy curveball.

That's the way it should be.

His son coming out of the dugout to give him a big hug brought a bit of a tear to my eye.

[Ar-Pharazon]

Re: Kerry Wood. I always thought it was a shame Harry Carey died of a heart attack right before the 1998 season.
With Kerry's 20 strikeout game and Sammy Sosa in the HR derby, he would've died of a heart attack during the season for sure.

[Timby]

Ar-Pharazon wrote:

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Re: Kerry Wood. I always thought it was a shame Harry Carey died of a heart attack right before the 1998 season.
With Kerry's 20 strikeout game and Sammy Sosa in the HR derby, he would've died of a heart attack during the season for sure.

Yeah, it would have been great to have Harry Caray in the booth for 1998. Instead, we got his grandson, who is probably the second-best example of a guy who has a job solely because of who his sperm donor was, just behind Joe Buck.

[Ar-Pharazon]

^ Yeah, the idea of Chip Carey being the color man was so much more exciting than Chip Carey being the color man.