2011 MLB Season Discussion

[DeafPoet]

Sigh. The speculation that Jose Bautista might be on the juice is making the rounds on some baseball blogs like this one again. Same thing cropped up near the end of last season.

And I get it. If you weren't paying attention to the guy on a regular basis, it certainly would look like this sudden jump in power is coming out of nowhere. Combine that with several years of many top players being complete fucking cheaters and it gets worse. But if you look at his swing and his approach at the plate, he really is a completely different hitter than he was 2 years ago. More importantly, the guy is physically unchanged. Also, he's been tested at least 4 or 5 times in the past year and he's squeaky clean.

The tests aren't perfect and if you're being rational and honest, you have to allow for the possibility that he might be cheating; and if evidence that speaks to that fact appears, I'll be the first to denounce the guy as an asshole. But he's innocent until proven guilty. So call me when he turns into a fucking mutant like Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire, or if somebody shows up with a bunch of physical evidence like with Roger Clemens.

Until then I guess when a guy does something unprecedented, haters gonna hate.

 

[Timby]

I don't think there's much of a debate around here, but there are people out there who would argue otherwise just because of their personal biases.

I'm not a Yankees fan, and while Jeter hasn't deserved his last two (at the very least; you can make a case that his defense has been shit for years) Gold Gloves, he's been pretty good throughout his career. That's the kicker, though: He's been very good. Statistically, he's pretty close to Mark Grace.

I'm not saying he shouldn't make the Hall of Fame, nor am I saying that Grace should make the Hall of Fame. But Jeter's visibility has certainly been helped by being the face of the Yankees for so long.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Poor Armando Gallaraga, from pitching a (nearly) perfect game last year, to not even being good enough to stay in the Arizona Diamondback's pitching rotation.

Armando was designated for assignment today by the Diamondbacks.

 

[DeafPoet]

Poor Armando Gallaraga, from pitching a (nearly) perfect game last year, to not even being good enough to stay in the Arizona Diamondback's pitching rotation.

Armando was designated for assignment today by the Diamondbacks.

He got totally robbed of that perfect game, to be sure, but just glancing at his stats it looks like that was the exception rather than the rule. Last year he was 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA and seemed to be on the road to the same type of season this year.

Too bad.

 

[Timby]

Poor Armando Gallaraga, from pitching a (nearly) perfect game last year, to not even being good enough to stay in the Arizona Diamondback's pitching rotation.

Armando was designated for assignment today by the Diamondbacks.

He got totally robbed of that perfect game, to be sure, but just glancing at his stats it looks like that was the exception rather than the rule. Last year he was 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA and seemed to be on the road to the same type of season this year.

Too bad.

So much of pitching in general is luck, such as how David Cone somehow threw a perfect game, or A.J. Burnett throwing a no-hitter while walking nine dudes. Gallaraga, though, either has a mental block or was obscenely lucky last year. He's clearly got the stuff, physically, to be a pitcher, but if he's a Greinke-like headcase, then he won't succeed long-term ... which is a bummer.

 

[DeafPoet]

He may indeed be a headcase. He had a respectable rookie season but since then he's been throwing roughly 160 innings per season but has relatively few decisions to show for it. That suggests to me that he was getting rattled early in games and getting the hook as a result. I don't follow the Tigers or D'Backs that closely though so I could be wrong.

Also, if he's having trouble with the mental aspect of the game, having that almost perfect game albatross hanging around his neck can't be helping.

 

[SmoothieX]

The thing with Jeter is that he's a compiler, his annual totals don't really jump off the page at you. The consistency and longevity are good though.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/stats/_/id/3246/derek-jeter

I he has a better shot at the HOF than Posada though.

Jeter will probably make it in. His 5th World Series ring, his stats, plus his "fame" are all contributing factors. He is by no means the best player out there but he is solid and well liked

You make a good point about the diamond encrusted knuckles. I think another thing that works for him is that he's one of the few guys of the steroid era considered 'clean' without a doubt.

 

[Chaos Descending]

Gallaraga's problem this year is that he can't locate his pitches. He's personally given up more home runs this season that the entire pitching staff combined of some other teams.

 

[tomalak301]

Went to Dodger Stadium for the Giants game tonight. Had a great time (Tons of security, it was almost like the whole area was on martial law) and this was my second time at the Stadium. I think I'm convinced it's a great place to watch a game, with the Organ, palm trees, "Think Blue" and it just has that classic baseball feel. Of all the classic ballparks I've been to (Wrigley, Fenway, Oakland, Florida), I think Dodger Stadium is my favorite. And despite the rivalry, I don't think I "hate" the dodgers. There's a lot about that team I love (Vin Scully, the stadium, the tradition) but on the field, let's just say I dislike them and am always happy when they lose.

Another thing I love about Dodger Stadium, it reminds me of Oakland before Mount Davis (What we in the Bay Area call the monstrosity in center field) was put in. Seeing the mountains in the background really makes for a great baseball setting and atmosphere.

 

[Skywalker]

I remember seeing a game in Dodger Stadium about fifteen years ago. We had fantastic seats, behind home plate and right above the press box. It was a Dodgers/Giants game, too. Great fun.

 

[Canadave]

I was at Progressive Field for the first time earlier tonight. Gorgeous park, and it was a great game (Cleveland rallied from a 4-0 deficit, and went ahead on a 2-out squeeze play). I had a great time. Heading to Pittsburgh tomorrow to catch a game at PNC. I'll post pictures when I return home.

 

[Skywalker]

The Red Sox opened up a can of whoopass on the Cubs tonight!

 

[Starbreaker]

The Red Sox opened up a can of whoopass on the Cubs tonight!

They really did keep the spirit of 1918 alive.

 

[DeafPoet]

In other news, JoJo Reyes will suck your dick for a win. He actually pitched pretty well against the Astros and left the game in line for it but the bullpen blew it big-time in the 8th and 9th. He's now gone 27 starts without a win. The all-time record is 28.

 

[DeafPoet]

The Blue Jays usually suck in inter-league play. And they're 1-1 this year after today's victory over the Stros. But Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs today. Lots of people thought he was tapering off since he was 0 for 8 in his past 2 games.

How good do you have to be for 0 for 8 to be considered a slump?

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Went to Dodger Stadium for the Giants game tonight. Had a great time

I want to visit the various California ballparks as well. DS looks like a nice place.

(Tons of security, it was almost like the whole area was on martial law)

Did it work?

 

[DeafPoet]

Went to Dodger Stadium for the Giants game tonight. Had a great time

I want to visit the various California ballparks as well. DS looks like a nice place.

I especially would like to visit AT&T Park. It shouldn't really exist. It should be under water. It was tainted for me by the fact that Barry Bonds is a fucking cheater, but I think it's one of the most unique parks in MLB.

 

[tomalak301]

(Tons of security, it was almost like the whole area was on martial law)

Did it work?

Yes it did work.

 

[Danny99]

The Blue Jays usually suck in inter-league play. And they're 1-1 this year after today's victory over the Stros. But Jose Bautista hit 2 home runs today. Lots of people thought he was tapering off since he was 0 for 8 in his past 2 games.

How good do you have to be for 0 for 8 to be considered a slump?

I'll admit I was really skeptical of him coming back and having another monster season, but how long til the steroid talk becomes too much?

 

[Starbreaker]

The Braves played the Angels for the 8th time ever and evened the series at 4-4!

Which reminds me.... the interleague schedules are dumb. It seems like we keep rotating through the same 5-6 teams instead of playing the rest of the AL.

30 games against the Orioles but only 6 against the Mariners?