MLB Discussion - 2012 Season

[Saito S]

Congrats to the Tigers and the city of Detroit!

Man, I'm kind of torn. The Giants are at least still a Bay Area team, but I dunno... somehow with my A's out, I've found it hard not to root for the Tigers. Some combination of "if you can't beat em, join em", the fact that the A's gave it a hell of a ride (the Tigers really had to work for it against them; in some of the A's ALDS appearances in the last decade, they really fizzled out quickly), and the fact that I've just found their postseason games really fun to watch... I'm going to have a tough time deciding who to root for in the Series. Much to the chagrin of everyone, I'm sure, at my job in SF.

Assuming, of course, it is in fact the Giants. If it's Tigers vs. Cardinals, then that's easy for me; Detroit all the way.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Countdown to this whole thing being blamed on A-Rod in 5...4...3...

Oh, no, you don't get to play the "I was kidding" card not even a page after you were all "Cowboy Up, motherfuckers." You will take it and like it.

Riiight, like you wouldn't be pissed if was your precious Cubs that did this? (And not to shit on your riff or anything but the "kidding" referred to my comment about 'gloating may now commence')

Oh well. Heartbreaking loss, but I'm still a Yankee fan and so just waiting till next year.

 

[SmoothieX]

The official postseason bat of the New York Yankees.

 

[Random_Spock]

Congrats to the Tigers! I'm rooting for them to win it all.

Same, I'm proud of them , go Tigers!

 

[Timby]

Countdown to this whole thing being blamed on A-Rod in 5...4...3...

Oh, no, you don't get to play the "I was kidding" card not even a page after you were all "Cowboy Up, motherfuckers." You will take it and like it.

Riiight, like you wouldn't be pissed if was your precious Cubs that did this?

Of course I'd be pissed -- at the team. I was at the Bartman game in 2003, and I didn't blame him, I blamed Alex Gonzalez for booting a routine grounder, and the entire team shitting the bed in the next game. I wouldn't be pissing and moaning at the people rightfully calling me out on saying shit like "cowboy up" (I wouldn't have said that, for example), then saying "let the gloating begin," then complaining when there's actual gloating. You can't hide behind "I was kidding" when people decide, oh, hey, these last four games have been funny as hell.

Face it: There are quite a few people, myself included, tickled as hell to see the Yankees barely squeak by an incredibly mediocre Orioles team (needing some bizarre wizardry by Raul Ibanez and a masterpiece of a game from Sabathia to do so) and then not only have their bats fall completely silent but get swept by a Tigers team that fell ass-backwards into the postseason.

The Yankees imploded over the last month, and it's been magical. I love schadenfreude, and I can't wait for the impending A-Rod drama.

Edit: Holy shit, no matter what happens in the NL, the World Series will have two sub-90-win teams in it. I love baseball.

 

[Tom Servo]

Countdown to this whole thing being blamed on A-Rod in 5...4...3...

Oh, no, you don't get to play the "I was kidding" card not even a page after you were all "Cowboy Up, motherfuckers." You will take it and like it.

Riiight, like you wouldn't be pissed if was your precious Cubs that did this?

Of course I'd be pissed -- at the team. I was at the Bartman game in 2003, and I didn't blame him, I blamed Alex Gonzalez for booting a routine grounder, and the entire team shitting the bed in the next game. I wouldn't be pissing and moaning at the people rightfully calling me out on saying shit like "cowboy up" (I wouldn't have said that, for example), then saying "let the gloating begin," then complaining when there's actual gloating. You can't hide behind "I was kidding" when people decide, oh, hey, these last four games have been funny as hell.

Face it: There are quite a few people, myself included, tickled as hell to see the Yankees barely squeak by an incredibly mediocre Orioles team (needing some bizarre wizardry by Raul Ibanez and a masterpiece of a game from Sabathia to do so) and then not only have their bats fall completely silent but get swept by a Tigers team that fell ass-backwards into the postseason.

The Yankees imploded over the last month, and it's been magical. I love schadenfreude, and I can't wait for the impending A-Rod drama.

Edit: Holy shit, no matter what happens in the NL, the World Series will have two sub-90-win teams in it. I love baseball.

This post is a godsend. Pure brilliance. Happy Yankee Elimination Day everyone!!!

 

[Gil T.Azell]

The official postseason bat of the New York Yankees.

That's awesome, lol

 

[Starbreaker]

What a box score. Sorry your 'precious' Yankees lost, half of this board.

 

[SmoothieX]

The official postseason bat of the New York Yankees.

That's awesome, lol

I was pulling for them. But you gotta call it like you see it. I had a lot of fun hanging around sports bars in the Bronx when I was in college there and they were winning all those titles. I was kinda hoping to relive the experience all these years later, even though I am a Mets fan it was still a lot of fun.

The train line down the street would take me right to the stadium (albeit a long ride) so I wouldn't even need to worry about driving home after.

Oh well, onto football now...let's go Patriots, de-feet the Jets. I went to a few Jets-Pats games when I lived in the Boston area. I was at 45-3 in the freezing cold (the fact that I sometimes worked in the field in New England winters meant I had plenty of toasty gear to wear, as opposed to the idiots who showed up in nothing but a sweatshirt and no hat and gloves), and then at the surprise dickpunch of a playoff loss the next month.

 

[Saito S]

Edit: Holy shit, no matter what happens in the NL, the World Series will have two sub-90-win teams in it. I love baseball.

Mrah? The Giants went 94-68 this year.

Granted, their chances of getting to the Series aren't looking so hot at the moment, but that's beside the point.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I got nothing against the Tigers here. They did not suck, but Yankees did, end of story.... And perhaps if they win the WS, it might provide a much needed boost for the Detroit economy.

Also, on a completely unrelated matter: Jason Giambi to interview for Rockies manager?

 

[Timby]

And perhaps if they win the WS, it might provide a much needed boost for the Detroit economy.

Uh, what? Winning the World Series doesn't suddenly equal "money for the local economy." Detroit's economy is what it is, and for a number of reasons.

"Stadium as economic development engine" was debunked ages ago, and I don't see how a victory would drive the economy outside of merchandise sales, which ... still isn't a huge part of the local economy.

 

[SmoothieX]

^No way man! If the Tigers win, I'm ditching my Honda for a navy blue Chevy with orange seats.

 

[Saito S]

Well!

Forget what I said in my previous post about the Giants chances. It seems they're still alive!

I always think a LOT of momentum goes to the come-from-behind team in these situations. The Cardinals looked REALLY good in games 3 and 4, and suddenly the Giants, who had been pushed to the very edge of the cliff, have come roaring back, forcing the series back into their home park with their two best pitchers slated to start the two remaining games.

They are at the very least even with the Cards as far as who has the edge. If the Giants win game 6, I think they'll win game 7 as well.

Granted, this momentum thing doesn't always work out; just look at my poor A's in game 5 of the ALDS after that spectacular 9th inning comeback in game 4. But it worked for the Giants against the Reds, it worked for the Tigers against the Yankees (the way they won game 1 really set the tone for the whole thing), and it also worked for the Angels in the 2002 World Series... against the Giants.

So that's my call for what's left of this series: Giants win both upcoming games in SF.

 

[Neroon]

^No way man! If the Tigers win, I'm ditching my Honda for a navy blue Chevy with orange seats.

I swear Justin Verlander has sold his soul to the Devil. How else do you explain the way he's pitching this year, leading his team to the World Series, and now that he's dating Kate Upton?

 

[Timby]

^No way man! If the Tigers win, I'm ditching my Honda for a navy blue Chevy with orange seats.

I swear Justin Verlander has sold his soul to the Devil. How else do you explain the way he's pitching this year, leading his team to the World Series, and now that he's dating Kate Upton?

Verlander's been a beast since his second year -- and he actually pitched better last season.

 

[SmoothieX]

As if the Yanks didn't have enough problems, CC Sabathia faces the pitcher's kiss of death.

http://espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/sto...k-yankees-sore-elbow-checked-dr-james-andrews

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Oy. Here's hoping it's only an easily cleanable bone spur.

(Whenever you hear the name "James Andrews", look out!)

And in the "Duh" department: Redsox hire John Farrell as manager and give up Mike Aviles to Toronto in return. (No word on who's replacing JF as Jays manager)

 

[Timby]

The Red Sox are sending Mike Aviles to Toronto as compensation for hiring John Farrell.

God, stupid Red Sox are so much more fun than smart Red Sox. I love the utter madness of trading labor for management.

(The Lou Piniella / Randy Winn thing from a few years back was the greatest thing ever.)

 

[Tom Servo]

The Red Sox are sending Mike Aviles to Toronto as compensation for hiring John Farrell.

God, stupid Red Sox are so much more fun than smart Red Sox. I love the utter madness of trading labor for management.

(The Lou Piniella / Randy Winn thing from a few years back was the greatest thing ever.)

Well the Cubs traded for Theo technically, so how is this different? Would you rather have Theo, or (not the) Chris Carpenter?

If Farrell is the guy they think should be the head of this team during its rebuild, then why should someone like Mike Aviles get in the way of that? He's not irreplaceable in any way. You may not like the whole compensation thing, but how can you say they're stupid, if that's how the system works?

If the Red Sox are bad next year, because of the lack of Mike Aviles, then they have bigger problems to worry about.