MLB 2017: The Yankees are dead, Yankees burn in hell

[The Nth Doctor]

I would be very disappointed if the Yankees beat the Indians. Not just because screw the Yankees, but because the Indians deserve to go all the way this year. They played an excellent World Series last year and I decided to root for them this year after Cubs finally got their victory.

 

[Herbert]

I don't care who beats the Yankees as long as someone does.

 

[Timby]

Holy shit, the Cubs are putting Hendricks out for Game 1. The full rotation:

Hendricks
Lester
Quintana
Arrieta

Seems like the optimal lineup. Arrieta needs as much rest as possible because his arm is a cooked macaroni noodle at this point.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I don't care who beats the Yankees as long as someone does.

That's the old joke right?

My two favorite teams are x and whoever plays the Yankees.

I would like to see a Diamondbacks/Indians WS.
Barring that, lets repeat last year but let the Indians break the streak this time.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Is it true that during the postseason, in all stadiums with roofs (such as Houston), MLB itself controls whether or not the roof is open or closed? It's not up to the home team, unlike during the regular season?

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

Is it true that during the postseason, in all stadiums with roofs (such as Houston), MLB itself controls whether or not the roof is open or closed? It's not up to the home team, unlike during the regular season?

That sounds right, but I don’t remember where I heard that.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I approve of the new thread title.

 

[Timby]

I approve of the new thread title.

I briefly considered making it "Fuck the Yankees," but then decided Bon wouldn't smile too fondly upon such profanity potentially showing up in the forum index.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Yuck the Fankees

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Well, they lost game 1 thanks to an excellent performance by Trevor Bauer! Aaron Judge went home with four strikeouts.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^For the life of me, I will never understand why people think the home run-or-nothing approach is good baseball. I’d much rather watch a hitter like Wade Boggs hit singles and doubles and walk all the time than watch Judge punch out between home runs. Boggs led the American League in intentional walks during his worst Major League season. Judge had eight fewer intentional walks this season despite his power numbers.

 

[Kronos]

Sounds like Stanton's on the market. Way to engender loyalty with your fanbase, Jeets.

It's gonna be great when he ships Stanton to the yankees for a pair of dirty underwear and cash, the return of the "special relationship" like the KC A's had with the yanks in the 50's.

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

^Yuck the Fankees

Ah, memories of "Ruck Fussia" bumper stickers just came flooding back.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

^For the life of me, I will never understand why people think the home run-or-nothing approach is good baseball. I’d much rather watch a hitter like Wade Boggs hit singles and doubles and walk all the time than watch Judge punch out between home runs. Boggs led the American League in intentional walks during his worst Major League season. Judge had eight fewer intentional walks this season despite his power numbers.

You get no argument from me. The whole set-up is make or break (just look at Joey Gallo, home runs and strikeouts, that's it) and they put way too much on that make aspect.

Like you said, I would much prefer singles and doubles and then working the bags. Look at last night's game, where Ramírez ended up scoring on a sacrifice fly after only hitting a single (although granted he advanced because of wild pitches, but point is still there). I'm much more interested in that than home run derby.

 

[Jedi_Master]

^For the life of me, I will never understand why people think the home run-or-nothing approach is good baseball. I’d much rather watch a hitter like Wade Boggs hit singles and doubles and walk all the time than watch Judge punch out between home runs. Boggs led the American League in intentional walks during his worst Major League season. Judge had eight fewer intentional walks this season despite his power numbers.

I've always considered someone who gets on base as a potential run.. so GET ON BASE! Don't miss a chance to score a run just because you want to do something cool.

 

[Scout101]

On the other hand, Judge is being considered for MVP, and this is sorta his one good area, so he appears to be doing what people want...

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

On the other hand, Judge is being considered for MVP, and this is sorta his one good area, so he appears to be doing what people want...

Which shows only how misguided sportswriters are. I’ve been thinking about Boggs a lot lately because I follow his Twitter feed. He was maligned throughout his career because he swung at strikes, looked at balls, used the entire field and got on the base. In 1985, he reached base successfully in all but nine games, which means that he did something to help his team win in virtually every game he played. Even more amazing is the fact that he hit two popups the entire year, which means that he put a good swing on practically every pitch he swung at and practically every ball he put in play. Why in the blue hell would anyone criticize someone like that?

 

[Timby]

On the other hand, Judge is being considered for MVP, and this is sorta his one good area, so he appears to be doing what people want...

I think Judge is a lock for AL Rookie of the Year, but I don't feel he's going to get AL MVP. I'm fairly certain that's going to go to Altuve. Trout should be in the conversation, but that thumb injury probably wrecked his candidacy and it continues to piss me off that he gets relatively ignored because he plays on a tire fire of a team.

Which shows only how misguided sportswriters are. I’ve been thinking about Boggs a lot lately because I follow his Twitter feed. He was maligned throughout his career because he swung at strikes, looked at balls, used the entire field and got on the base. In 1985, he reached base successfully in all but nine games, which means that he did something to help his team win in virtually every game he played. Even more amazing is the fact that he hit two popups the entire year, which means that he put a good swing on practically every pitch he swung at and practically every ball he put in play. Why in the blue hell would anyone criticize someone like that?

There's an anecdote in Moneyball about how shitty Jim Rice was as a hitting coach, and treated Scott Hatteberg like dogshit because of how he didn't swing at the first pitch (despite Hatteberg being an on-base machine).

The hitting coach, former Red Sox slugger Jim Rice, rode Hatty long and hard. Rice called him out in the clubhouse, in front of his teammates, and ridiculed him for having a batting average in the .270s when he hit .500 when he swung at the first pitch. "Jim Rice was a genetic freak and he wanted everyone else to hit the way he did," Hatteberg said. "He didn't understand that the reason I hit .500 when I swung at the first pitch was that I only swung at first pitches that were too good not to swing at." Hatty had a gift for tailoring the game to talents. It was completely ignored. The effect of Jim Rice on Scott Hatteberg was to convince him that "this is why poor hitters make the best hitting coaches. They don't try to make you like them, because they sucked."

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Interesting that Rice would act that way, as he played with Boggs for eight years. I’d forgotten about his ill-fated tenure as the BoSox hitting coach.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

Damn, that was a terrific game between the Indians and the Yankees. I bet Girardi is kicking himself for not asking for a review on the hit by pitch call.

Which shows only how misguided sportswriters are. I’ve been thinking about Boggs a lot lately because I follow his Twitter feed. He was maligned throughout his career because he swung at strikes, looked at balls, used the entire field and got on the base. In 1985, he reached base successfully in all but nine games, which means that he did something to help his team win in virtually every game he played. Even more amazing is the fact that he hit two popups the entire year, which means that he put a good swing on practically every pitch he swung at and practically every ball he put in play. Why in the blue hell would anyone criticize someone like that?

I guess because it's not "exciting." Not a notion I agree with.