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MLB Talk - 2010 Season

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Welp.

Opening Day of Lou Piniella's final season with the Cubs was a 16 - 5 loss to the Braves.

The final game of his final season with the Cubs was a 16 - 5 loss to the Braves.
 
^This sucks. I was hoping that they'd at least win the last one for him.

Any idea who's going to replace him?
 
Mike Quade, the third-base coach, is taking over as the interim manager and will be interviewed for the permanent vacancy at the end of the season. Owner Tom Ricketts has said that Ryne Sandberg (who is not a good manager in the minors) will be interviewed. The Chicago Tribune says that the smart money is on Jim Hendry making a strong run at Joe Girardi, whose contract is expiring after this season, but if Hendry honestly expects Girardi to leave his dream job to take over the unbelievable shit-storm that is the Cubs, he's even further out of his gourd than everyone thinks he is.

Most expected Alan Trammell to be a strong contender after Piniella's departure, but one of the Chicago radio stations has been running a story saying that he's been drinking again, which is why Hendry specifically disqualified him from consideration today.
 
Assuming Clemens did in fact juice up, what would have happened to him if he had come right out and admitted it the first time he was asked?

By the press or by Congress?

This guy has sadly made his own bed for himself. I doubt he'll see real jail time, but his image is ruined.

Look at former teammates Giambi, Pettitte, or A-Rod. All of them admitted they took PEDs. They took their licks from the media and fans, and then were largely overlooked.
 
Assuming Clemens did in fact juice up, what would have happened to him if he had come right out and admitted it the first time he was asked?

I think if he admits it, he still has a chance at the Hall of Fame. He'd have an asterisk next to his name, but he would have been ranked higher on people's list than a Bonds or a McGwire.

Now, by continuing to deny, people don't want him anywhere near the Hall.
 
^Agreed. Right now, he comes off worse than Pete Rose ever did.

Yeah, I think Rose would be in the Hall today, if his name had been fully cleared of any kind of game fixing (I have to admit I don't know if he has been or not).

However his constant denial, much like Clemens', has done nothing to clear him in the eyes of the fans.
 
Tonight's Jays-Yankees is turning into a very heated game.

The home plate umpire has gone on a bit of a power trip throwing out Yunel Escobar and Cito Gaston (yes, mild-mannered Cito Gaston).

Then rookie pitcher Ivan Nova for the Yankees threw at the head of Jose Bautista. It may be a simple slip of the hand or intentional, but words were exchanged, benches and bullpens cleared.

Is it sad I haven't been this invested in a baseball game in years?
 
Here's a story that will make you puke, especially if you're a Pirates fan or a fan of a low payroll, small market team:

.....

The Pirates made nearly $29.4 million in 2007 and 2008, according to team financial documents, years that were part of a streak of futility that has now reached 18 straight losing seasons. The team's ownership also paid its partners $20.4 million in 2008.

The documents offer a rare peek inside a team that made money by getting slightly less than half its income (about $70 million) from MLB sources — including revenue sharing, network TV, major league merchandise sales and MLB's website. The team also held down costs, keeping player salaries near the bottom of the National League, shedding pricier talent and hoping that untested prospects would blossom.

.....

"The numbers indicate why people are suspecting they're taking money from baseball and keeping it — they don't spend it on the players," said David Berri, president of the North American Association of Sports Economists and the author of two books detailing the relationship between finances and winning. "Teams have a choice. They can seek to maximize winning, what the Yankees do, or you can be the Pirates and make as much money as you can in your market. The Pirates aren't trying to win."​

.....

By 2010, the Pirates had baseball's lowest opening-day payroll — $34.9 million or just $2 million more than in 1992, the club's last winning season. The Pirates run of consecutive losing seasons is now the worst in the history of major American pro sports teams. They lost their 83rd game of the year Saturday to the Mets.

Pirates officials say they are trying to field a competitive team, and that there is nothing nefarious in the team's financial dealings. MLB backs them up, saying Pittsburgh has complied with the rules for revenue sharing, which are supposed to help less well off clubs compete with likes of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox.

Still, Pittsburgh fans have long complained that the club's various owners have been more interested in profits than performance, and top sports economists who reviewed highlights of the team's statements wondered if it now makes more money losing than it could by winning.

.....

To cut payroll, the Pirates have shed former All-Stars Jason Bay, Freddy Sanchez, Nate McLouth and Jack Wilson in trades, along with nearly every other player who was arbitration eligible — or close to it — or free agency: Tom Gorzelanny, Ian Snell, John Grabow, Xavier Nady, Adam LaRoche, Damaso Marte, Nyjer Morgan, Ronny Paulino and Sean Burnett.

They also dealt slugger Jose Bautista to Toronto for a backup catcher who has since left their system, and cut NL All-Star closer Matt Capps without getting anything in return because he sought a $500,000 raise.

.....
 
In their defense, only a couple of those players are any good, and worth the money they wanted, so it was mostly good moves there...
 
Assuming Clemens did in fact juice up, what would have happened to him if he had come right out and admitted it the first time he was asked?

I think if he admits it, he still has a chance at the Hall of Fame. He'd have an asterisk next to his name, but he would have been ranked higher on people's list than a Bonds or a McGwire.

Now, by continuing to deny, people don't want him anywhere near the Hall.

And he's not just quietly denying it and fading into the sunset like McGwire did. Which I think is making it worse for him.

He's ramming his denial down people's throats and coming off like a prick along the way.
 
Of course, there is something ironic about the people who admit cheating are OK, but the ones who say they are innocent are the worst of them all.

BTW, anyone catch the Phils-Astros game? I haven't been able to see the highlights, but, apparently, Michael Bourn went way outside the base path to avoid a tag and was then called safe. He then went on to score and the Astros won the game.

Now bad calls are part of baseball and I don't necessarily mind them, but John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News has a good article about what I consider to be the biggest issue. Basically, the bigger issue is Umpire Arrogance. Not only do they seem incapable of recognizing that they could make a mistake, they punish you for suggesting it. I seriously wouldn't mind an umpire blowing calls if they showed humility, explained their actions, and behaved like somewhat reasonable people.

Anyway, here's the article for those interested.
 
Baseball umpires have always been arrogant. Some of them act like they're above the game or are the game.
 
Nate McLouth is struggling at AAA. The only reason he was an all-star was because the Pirates had to send somebody.
 
Last I heard the Rockies were losing to the Braves 10-2, now I just find out they just beat the Braves 12-10. Wha happened?
 
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