2011 MLB Season Discussion

[Pegaritaville]

I've spent a lot of my life thinking about which way is better. The NL game is inherently more interesting. And yet, most of the awesome feats of the game are performed by the pitcher. Is his accomplishment diminished if he's in the AL?

I say no. I say they're both fine ways to play baseball. Sure, there's an argument over what certain stats mean in that light, but welcome to baseball.

Agreed. As a Twins fan I'm kind of partial to the AL, but I also enjoy the strategy involved when there's no DH.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Home Run Derby tonight. I enjoy that more than the actual All Star Game. And with 14 or so of the players opting out of the game for various reasons, I'm not all that excited about the actual game this year.

 

[Neroon]

Can anyone explain why there is this controversy over what Christian Lopez decided to do - or not do - with Jeter's 3,000th hit ball?

 

[AdmiralGarak]

And with 14 or so of the players opting out of the game for various reasons, I'm not all that excited about the actual game this year.

That's actually the best part for me. Thanks in part to those players opting out, we've now got three Buccos on the NL team. To use a phrase that's become very common around the Pirates of late: That hasn't happened since the early 90s.

 

[Scout101]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Home Run Derby tonight. I enjoy that more than the actual All Star Game.

I don't mind the actual thing, but Chris Berman and his 'back, back, back" schtick pisses me off to no end, so it's a toss up whether I watch, watch with the volume off, or just check the web to see who wins.

God I hate that guy...

 

[Canadave]

^ Yeah, that. I also hate how in the NL, the batting order has a tendency to dictate pitching changes. If the starter only lasts five or six innings, you might as well just have a DH for the rest of the game, because none of the relievers are ever going to see an at-bat.

I hate the fact that, in the AL, the batting order never dictates pitching changes. In the NL, there's more strategy to it. If you're down by a run or two, do you take the pitcher out if you have a shot or keep him in because he's pitching well? Are you in a situation where he can advance the runners even if he gets out? I like the NL better, not because it makes one individual at bat more interesting (Ortiz will, on average, have more interesting at bats), but because I think it makes the game more interesting.

I'll defer to Jim Leyland on this one:

"Everyone in the world disagrees with me, including some managers, but I think managing in the American League is much more difficult for that very reason (having the designated hitter). In the National League, my situation is dictated for me. If I'm behind in the game, I've got to pinch hit. I've got to take my pitcher out. In the American League, you have to zero in. You have to know exactly when to take them out of there. In the National League, that's done for you."

Besides, why stop at the pitcher? Why not have nine designated hitters and nine designated position players? It'll make the game more exciting with each individual at bat. You'll never have a catcher who can't hit either.

Because pitchers are statistically bad at hitting. Hell, they don't have to hit in college leagues or in the minors, so why do they suddenly have to when they play in the majors? Absolutely no time is spent developing a pitcher's ability to hit, so of course they're going to be awful when they have to play against major league pitching. Even take your example of Cliff Lee: he's batting .220 with a .574 OPS, which would be atrocious numbers for anyone besides a pitcher. Generally, even the worst everyday catchers put up better numbers than that, and if they don't, they're probably playing for a basement-dweller.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Home Run Derby tonight. I enjoy that more than the actual All Star Game.

I don't mind the actual thing, but Chris Berman and his 'back, back, back" schtick pisses me off to no end, so it's a toss up whether I watch, watch with the volume off, or just check the web to see who wins.

God I hate that guy...

I can't stand him either. I have absolutely zero interest in the derby (which I can't watch anyway since I no longer have ESPN ), but I will watch the All-Star Game. As pissed I am at all these players who are chickening out, at least it's a game.

 

[Timby]

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the Home Run Derby tonight. I enjoy that more than the actual All Star Game.

I don't mind the actual thing, but Chris Berman and his 'back, back, back" schtick pisses me off to no end, so it's a toss up whether I watch, watch with the volume off, or just check the web to see who wins.

God I hate that guy...

And yet, somehow, I still find Berman more tolerable than Joe Buck or Joe Morgan.

Of course, not a day goes by when I don't hope and pray for those three and Chip Caray to be locked in a room and then have sarin gas pumped in.

 

[Scout101]

Well, Joe Morgan is mostly either A) wrong, B) talking about himself, or C) both, so he's definitely not missed since he was let go from the ESPN telecasts.

Not a huge fan of Joe Buck, or Fox doing baseball telecasts in general, but can't say I actively hate him.

Chris Berman wouldn't be so bad if he didn't play up his more annoying aspects. He's already 'made it', doesn't have to act like an ass to get noticed anymore. Please stop. His actual analysis usually isn't terrible, he's just hamming it up so bad that you can't stand to listen to him. And because the "back back back" thing is his, he feels like he has to do it EVERY time or something. Should at least be reserved for the ones that are questionable and might carry, not the ones that are fairly obviously 450-500 ft off of the bat. Even in a game, no one goes back for those, you just turn and watch them go...

 

[Timby]

Buck is one of those guys who, like Chip Caray, basically has a job because of who his sperm donor was, and he is completely incapable of shutting the fuck up -- he has this apparent need to talk over fucking everything, and has no understanding of the concept of letting a moment speak for itself.

You're right about Berman, though. He's just so gimmicky.

 

[Skywalker]

Joe Buck is also one of the best at making a great moment feel mundane.

Case in point.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I can tolerate Joe Buck.

Tim McCarver, OTOH...

 

[Timby]

Oh, God, Buck is awful during extra innings. Every sentence out of his mouth basically screams "Fuck it, let this be over so I can grab a beer."

 

[Skywalker]

Joe Buck even came close to ruining the Red Sox' World Series win back in '04 with his near-emotionless call. He sounds like a robot.

 

[Timby]

I just looked at the All-Star rosters. Scott Rolen, currently boasting a .674 OPS, is the starting 3B for the National League.

What the fuck.

 

[Canadave]

^ It's okay. Rolen is scrappy. Thus, it makes sense.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I'll defer to Jim Leyland on this one:

"Everyone in the world disagrees with me, including some managers, but I think managing in the American League is much more difficult for that very reason (having the designated hitter). In the National League, my situation is dictated for me. If I'm behind in the game, I've got to pinch hit. I've got to take my pitcher out. In the American League, you have to zero in. You have to know exactly when to take them out of there. In the National League, that's done for you."

See, I disagree with him there. I've watched enough of the Phillies' anemic offense this year to know that it's sometimes worth the gamble to leave the pitcher in, especially if there aren't any outs and he's in a position to advance the runners. And all the other concerns about fatigue still exist. Especially if the pitcher is on the team with the lead.

 

[Skywalker]

Here are the starting lineups for tomorrow's game.

American League
1. Curtis Granderson, Yankees, CF
2. Asdrubal Cabrera, Indians, SS
3. Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox, 1B
4. Jose Bautista, Blue Jays, RF
5. Josh Hamilton, Rangers, LF
6. Adrian Beltre, Rangers, 3B
7. David Ortiz, Red Sox, DH
8. Robinson Cano, Yankees, 2B
9. Alex Avila, Tigers, C
SP: Jered Weaver, Angels, P

National League
1. Rickie Weeks, Brewers, 2B
2. Carlos Beltran, Mets, DH
3. Matt Kemp, Dodgers, CF
4. Prince Fielder, Brewers, 1B
5. Brian McCann, Braves, C
6. Lance Berkman, Cardinals, RF
7. Matt Holliday, Cardinals, LF
8. Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies, SS
9. Scott Rolen, Reds, 3B
SP: Roy Halladay, Phillies, P

On another note, why does the National League always seem to have the cooler jerseys?

 

[Scout101]

makes them feel better about losing?

 

[Skywalker]

Speaking of which, only one out of the four NL home run hitters is moving on to the second round. Sounds about right.

 

[Scout101]

Were any of them pitchers?