MLB Thread

[Lantern7]

If the Series goes to six or seven, I vote on getting Tom Berenger to throw out the first pitch. Or even Corbin Bersen.

[mojoween]

Jesus Christmas the media already made me hate the Cubs but now this constant equating the Indians with the freaking Cavaliers makes me hate Cleveland too.

The only way this WS could be worse (for me IMO blah blah blah) is if it were Boston instead.  And then, I would blow up my TV.

[azshadowwalker]

As long as the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers are watching from home, it's a good World Series. Well, I guess I didn't mind the Yankees being around in 2001...

[MyAimIsTrue]

7 hours ago, MattDuffysCat said:

listening to Joe Buck and watching Fox's coverage usually makes me want to stab my ears with a pencil

I'm with you there.

Heard a nice story about Cleveland on NPR's "Morning Edition" while driving into work and I love how the reporter said several movie theaters in the area showed "Major League" last night with an admission price of $1.00.

[roamyn]

49 minutes ago, MyAimIsTrue said:

Heard a nice story about Cleveland on NPR's "Morning Edition" while driving into work and I love how the reporter said several movie theaters in the area showed "Major League" last night with an admission price of $1.00.

I watched it last night, too, on Netflix!

[MVFrostsMyPie]

12 hours ago, King of Birds said:

Hey MattDuffysCat ... you're taking it too hard man. We know, Matt was traded, and you're all "noooooo" and he left the cat behind...

This has nothing to do with Duffy. :)

[Lantern7]

"We were going to have Game One tonight between the Cubs and the Indians tonight . . . but the field opened up and swallowed all the players and coaches. So . . . tune in tomorrow, when the Blue Jays take on the Dodgers at Rogers Centre!"

[roamyn]

I'm watching the Cavs pre-game and tears are running down my face.

And I'm a bigger Indians fan, so just imagine if they win?!  Instead of Hurricane Mathew flooding everwhere, it'll be Hurricane Amye 

[mojoween]

See here's the thing...I'm not that amped about either of these teams (and Jays/Dodgers would have been awesome) but it's the only baseball we got until February so I can't not watch.  No matter how irritating.

[Lantern7]

To review: Indians haven't won a Series since 1948, only been back three times since, including the season where they won 111 games and got swept by the Giants. Cubs haven't been to the Series since 1945, haven't won in over a century. Sure, the Dodgers haven't won in 28 years and the Jays have gone 23, but that isn't a level of fanbase suffering. Cleveland wins, they get two champs within a year. Chicago wins, 108 years of ghosts are exorcised, and that's over two decades past the wait for Red Sox fans.

ETA: Pete Rose makes bow ties uncool. He would cancel out Matt Smith.

[roamyn]

But which teams fans actually have suffered more?

I'll say ours, because nothing compares to blowing the WS in the bottom of the most 9th of the 7th game.

[King of Birds]

Jeeeez, Fox's audio problems already!  These guys blow.

[Mittengirl]

Anybody else having issues with sound dropping out?

Listening to the fans talk is such a different feeling than listening to the players talk about how much it would mean for their team to win.  Seriously, they asked Andrew Miller about what it would mean for the Indians.  He's been an Indian for what, five minutes?    Sure they want to win, for themselves and their teammates.  And there is nothing wrong with that.  But it isn't like back in the days of Ernie Banks and his peers.  They just don't have the connection to the city anymore.  Ernie was 22 years old when he played his first game as a Cub and retired at age 40, still a Cub.  He meant something to the city, and it meant something to him. 

 

The longest tenured current Cub is Travis Wood, who has been with the team since 2012.  Jason Kipnis holds the title for the Indians, starting in 2011.  I have shoes I have had longer.

[Moose135]

Thirty years ago tonight - little roller up along first...

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v13062925

[Lantern7]

Damn, I feel old. And I almost missed that. I was too busy crying after the Red Sox scoring two in the tenth, I missed everything prior to E3. The only defense I have is that I was ten years old.

Thank goodness for highlights tapes, because I can "remember" Bob Murphy's call on WHN. "Ground ball trickling, it is . . . A FAIR BALL! IT GETS THROUGH BUCKNER!!!" Vin Scully's "If a picture is worth a thousand words, you have seen a million!" is classic as well.

ETA: I found Bill Simmons' recollection of that night, but it was only up for about a second. Only thing I disagree with him about is that the Sox were toast in Game 7. Thanks to a rainout, they went from putting Oil Can Boyd on the mound to Bruce Hurst, the one guy who could have supplanted Marty Barrett as MVP. And Boston went up 3-0 before the Mets made up the difference.

[mojoween]

45 minutes ago, Moose135 said:

Thirty years ago tonight - little roller up along first...

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v13062925

Purrrrrr.  And it was a 3-2 count, I didn't remember that.  'Course I was six days from my 13th birthday and had been a Mets fan for about a month so it was all new to me still.  Such joy!  And by my #1 baseball player Mookie Wilson.

My husband and I were talking earlier that we still love baseball but really miss the days when guys played for the shirt and not the paycheck.  And then we shook our canes and shooed some miscreants off our property.

And here is a useless tidbit for today - in 1908 the highest salary was $8500.

[Mittengirl]

Mojo, don't send those hooligans over to my yard.  I have been feeling old lately.  Must be the changing weather.

I just realized that my grandmother was born in Chicago in 1908 and died in 1988.  That makes the time gap a little more real to me now.  Grams was a southsider, though.  But I am sure she would still be rooting hard for the Cubs.  She used to talk about the nuns taking the kids to the ball game and "not noticing" them eating hotdogs on what were supposed to be meatless Fridays.

[Moose135]

They announced that due to the threat of rain in Cleveland tomorrow night, expected to get worse as the evening goes on, that Wednesday's game will start at 7:08 pm Eastern.

[mojoween]

I'm so selfishly happy about that!  I mean it's already ten after eleven and we still have the eighth and ninth to go and I'm tired dammit.

[roamyn]

One down, three to go!

Roberto Perez hit three home runs THE ENTIRE SEASON!

He must've sacrificed a chicken to Jobu!

At least we've proved we can hit the Cubs pitchers.  Though they did okay, too.  Couldn't bring 'em home, tho.

[InsertWordHere]

That was one scary seventh inning but Miller got us out of it! Three more wins, go Tribe!

[marymon]

Go Cleveland.

[roamyn]

1 hour ago, InsertWordHere said:

That was one scary seventh inning but Miller got us out of it! Three more wins, go Tribe!

I know.  And that worries me for 2morrow with Bauer starting.  Miller threw 46 pitches.

[Crs97]

If anyone wants to know why Cleveland has this "us against the world" mentality, Joe and Jon spent the top half of the ninth inning explaining why the Cubs are so obviously going to win the World Series, as if losing that game 6-0 was just part of their master plan.  That's okay; I like the Tribe's chances when the team plays with a chip on its shoulder.

[MyAimIsTrue]

11 hours ago, Moose135 said:

Thirty years ago tonight - little roller up along first...

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v13062925

I was in college watching the game in the TV room of my dorm.  There may have been alcohol involved (with us, not Buckner.)

[Crs97]

I was in college during this series as well, Aim.  Few of my fellow Texans were interested, but I was a huge Mets fan at the time.  During game 7 my dorm called a fire drill!  I told my RA I wasn't leaving the room.  She had to beg, promising I could stand right beside the building and be the first person back in.  I think I was the only fan in America who was happy that someone tossed a smoke bomb in the outfield.

[cleo]

I'm rooting for the Cubs for a couple of reasons, but damn if the Indians don't make it hard- with the exception of Bauer who I don't like, they really seem like a likeable team, I enjoy the way they play and I like an underdog. 

The Cubs on the other hand seem kind of bland except for Baez, who is one of my baseball boyfriends. Although I haven't watched them play much so maybe they are more interesting than they seem

Still, would be cool to see them win and break the curse. 

As for the media, in Canada we are probably insulated from the worst of it, but I am slightly more sick of hearing about the Cavaliers than anything else. It was a different sport, can we pls just let it go...

Edited October 26, 2016 by cleo

[xaxat]

I thought it was interesting that Fox gave up a commercial break to do "studio" analysis during the game. I don't think they got their money's worth from Frank, Pete and Alex.

[rcc]

Kluber is a very good pitcher. He took care of the Cubs last night but it's not over yet. The thing I like most in this series is that both fan bases are deserving of a WS champion because it's been so long.

Tito has won more WS games in a row than anyone else in history I'm pretty sure. The Red Sox swept both Colorado and St. Louis with Francona as manager. So much interesting history with this WS.

[morriss]

Why didn't Pete Rose tell the audience what the latest betting line was?..........lol

[ebk57]

Chris Archer in the ESPN radio booth on my drive home.  I really like him.  He'll be good doing commentary when he's finished playing.

[mojoween]

Also, he's really good-looking!  Even if that makes me a total Mrs. Robinson to say it.

Sigh.  The baseball gods giveth and then taketh away.  Hopefully this is an anomaly and the Cubs bats fall back dormant.

[InsertWordHere]

It is past time for the Indians to get a hit.

ETA: Thank you, Kipnis! Maybe I should just keep making demands? It's past time for the Indians to score a run! Now go!

ETA 2: I'll just keep going, shall I? It's past time for the Indians to get a grand slam!

Edited October 27, 2016 by InsertWordHere

[mojoween]

Holy crap you need to use those powers for good!  Can you wish for a million dollars for me please?

[InsertWordHere]

1 minute ago, mojoween said:

Holy crap you need to use those powers for good!  Can you wish for a million dollars for me please?

Haha I would love to but right now I need to use my powers for the Indians. Ask me after they win the Series, okay? 

[stealinghome]

12 minutes ago, InsertWordHere said:

Haha I would love to but right now I need to use my powers for the Indians. Ask me after they win the Series, okay? 

You can be the Oprah of this thread. "A million dollars for you!" "A million dollars for you!" "A million dollars for everyone here!" :)

[roamyn]

Arrietta picked his one great game for the Series.   Bummer for us, but that's the way the game should be played.

Tomlin's been great lately and he CAN hit.  Plus he swept the BoSox in Boston. 

[InsertWordHere]

Yeah, Tomlin actually has a great batting average. I am glad they saved him for Wrigley. 

[Crs97]

I read that Tomlin's dad, who is now partially paralyzed after an illness in August, has Wrigley on his bucket list.  He will be attending Game 3 to see his son start.  Really cool, and I can't wait.

[Artsda]

Looks like the families of the other 2 guys on Marlins' Jose Fernandez's boat are gearing up to sue Jose's estate. 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article110563512.html

[King of Birds]

3 hours ago, stealinghome said:

You can be the Oprah of this thread. "A million dollars for you!" "A million dollars for you!" "A million dollars for everyone here!" :)

Oh we all know InsertWordHere would let the power go to his/her head.  "Okay, only a million $$ to Indian fans"  As if I'd sell my soul for ... a ... million.... dolllllllaaaarrs.  Notice how @mojoween was right there, corrupting the power?

eta: so I just looked up the box scores - Lindor stole a base in game 1. FREE TACOS NEXT WEDNESDAY!

you know in all the years they've done this I've never went in for a taco.

Edited October 27, 2016 by King of Birds
tacos! tacos! tacos!

[twoods]

1 hour ago, Artsda said:

Looks like the families of the other 2 guys on Marlins' Jose Fernandez's boat are gearing up to sue Jose's estate. 

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article110563512.html

I know they are grieving but this makes me sick. His family is grieving as well and now they have to hire lawyers to protect their estate? They were all on the boat together, and they don't even know who was driving it. I can understand being sued if they hit another boat or something, but that wasn't the case. Humans make me ill sometimes....show some decency for a change.

Im all about free tacos, but those Doritos tacos look absolutely disgusting. I wish Del Taco would have a promotion like that...

Edited October 27, 2016 by twoods

[mojoween]

The free taco promotion is in a four hour window (2-6 on November 2), while supplies last.  I don't know if it would even be worth the attempt.

King well it would make sense based on who I root for now, no?  I'm a Steinbrenner at heart.

[MyAimIsTrue]

11 hours ago, ebk57 said:

Chris Archer in the ESPN radio booth on my drive home.  I really like him.  He'll be good doing commentary when he's finished playing.

Not that I'm wishing away his career but I agree and I look forward to that day.

10 hours ago, mojoween said:

Also, he's really good-looking!  Even if that makes me a total Mrs. Robinson to say it.

Ahem, it makes both of us a Mrs.  Robinson.

[Quickbeam]

So hubs was born and raised in Cleveland and we watch Major League at least 4 x a year. The Jake sure looks good on TV. Fun so far, I live in WI so the Chicago fever is oozing up to us. Nice to have the flyover zone so well represented with real stadiums and weather. 

My heart breaks when they show Petey...he really looks terrible. 

[MyAimIsTrue]

33 minutes ago, Quickbeam said:

I live in WI so the Chicago fever is oozing up to us.

I'll be in eastern Iowa next week for a work trip and imagine the fever is there as well.  During my three hour layover at O'Hare I hope to buy a t-shirt or something.

[mojoween]

I have to say, even though I'm rooting for the opposite, Go Cubs Go is the better song.

[Maximum Taco]

12 hours ago, mojoween said:

Also, he's really good-looking!  Even if that makes me a total Mrs. Robinson to say it.

Sigh.  The baseball gods giveth and then taketh away.  Hopefully this is an anomaly and the Cubs bats fall back dormant.

It isn't an anomaly.

The Cubs have been feast or famine all postseason, they either get completely shut down, or they break out for 5+

In the NLDS they scored 5+ runs in 3 out of 4 games and 1 run in the other game.

In the NLCS they scored 5+ runs in 4 out of 6 games and got shut out in the other 2 games.

I wouldn't count on the Cubs going cold for long, based on their history. Maybe Cleveland could shut them out one more time like the Dodgers did, but if they want to win they are going to need to put up some runs and outscore the Cubs.

Edited October 27, 2016 by Maximum Taco

[attica]

8 hours ago, twoods said:

Looks like the families of the other 2 guys on Marlins' Jose Fernandez's boat are gearing up to sue Jose's estate.

This is probably pretty standard practice. Any settlement is probably going to be paid by insurance, and you sort of have to sue in order to make that happen. (I know some people who were all in a car wreck together, and there was a lot of suing and cross-suing going on afterwards. They're all still friends -- with a bit more money than they had.)  All that said, I don't actually know any details, so feel free to ignore me.

[MyAimIsTrue]

A coworker of mine doesn't give two shits about baseball.  We live near each other and have been carpooling for about eight years now and I gamely listen to her talk about football and she good naturedly puts up with my baseball obsession and we peacefully co-exist, so imagine my surprise at finding out she's not only watching this WS but is also really into it!  She admits that part of her sudden interest is the historical perspective of the match up plus she was born in northeastern Ohio and her favorite aunt was a huge Indians fan.  It's been fun having her ask me basic questions (example, can a baserunner only steal if the pitch is a strike?) and after just two games hear her casually mention the players by last name as if she's followed them her entire life.