MLB Discussion - 2012 Season

[Starbreaker]

A lot of good pitchers got shafted for popular players.

[tomalak301]

Despite being a Giants fan, I'm questioning Sandoval starting over David Wright. I can understand him being a reserve, but I don't think he has the production (Not to mention he was injured for a month) that Wright does. Also, what the hell is Josh Reddick not doing in the ASG. That's really surprising to me.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Yankees acquire...Chad Qualls?

[SmoothieX]

Better start the parade planning now...

I think the Thome to the O's was a good move. He's a DH at this point and it makes little sense to see him on an NL team.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is there something about Dodger Stadium that causes teams to make errors? Because this last Mets/Dodgers series had a bucketful.

[Starbreaker]

Well, the Mets do lead the NL in errors.

[R. Star]

Starbreaker wrote:

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A lot of good pitchers got shafted for popular players.

That's basically what the all star game is... a popularity contest more than anything.

Only difference between the pitchers and the starting players is the coaches get a hand of god with the pitching staff, whereas the starting players are decided by the fans and the rest by the players themselves.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Dusty Baker is apparently pissed that two of his guys weren't selected for the ASG. Linky.

He thinks it's because of this...

[Starbreaker]

So now he's ruined his chances of getting either one of those guys in because there will be guys that decline, have injuries, pitch two days before, etc. What an idiot.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Dusty thinks it's because some of the Cards who were in that brawl are now making ASG selections. I thought the players were all being selected through fan voting?

And that fight happened almost two years ago. Bit of a long time to hold a grudge, eh? At least for anyone not named Bob Gibson.

[Timby]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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Dusty thinks it's because some of the Cards who were in that brawl are now making ASG selections. I thought the players were all being selected through fan voting?

Starters are elected through fan voting. Backups (eight pitchers, and one backup for each position player) are selected through a vote of players, managers and position coaches. Reserves are selected solely at the manager's discretion -- so, in this year's case, La Russa chose the final eight players for the roster (outside of the final fan vote for the last player, which takes place after the rosters are announced).

And that fight happened almost two years ago. Bit of a long time to hold a grudge, eh? At least for anyone not named Bob Gibson.

Tony La Russa has a long track record of success, but he also has a long track record of utter douchebaggery. I'm not saying he did or did not snub certain players, but it's not an unreasonable hypothesis (and the Bob Gibson thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense, do you care to elaborate?).

[R. Star]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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Dusty Baker is apparently pissed that two of his guys weren't selected for the ASG. Linky.

He thinks it's because of this...

Dusty's arguement would hold a lot more credit if he didn't so obviously select his own guys when he managed the 03 All Star game.

[R. Star]

Mr. Laser Beam wrote:

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Dusty thinks it's because some of the Cards who were in that brawl are now making ASG selections. I thought the players were all being selected through fan voting?

And that fight happened almost two years ago. Bit of a long time to hold a grudge, eh? At least for anyone not named Bob Gibson.

The eight position starts(and the DH if in the AL) are selected through fan voting. The players vote who get the bench spots. The two coaches who managed the World series pick the pitchers.

Usually the fans will get to select the last bench spot between 3 or 4 finalists too.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Timby wrote:

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(and the Bob Gibson thing doesn't make a whole lot of sense, do you care to elaborate?).

He held grudges for years. He once plunked Pete LaCock during an oldtimers game because, years earlier, Pete had hit a home run off him. Did the same thing with Reggie Jackson (though did not actually hit him that time).

[Timby]

That wasn't Gibson holding grudges. That was Gibson being a jackass (and I don't think he'd ever deny it -- I believe he told Jackson, after throwing at him, that they weren't teammates anymore, so anything was fair game).