MLB Thread

[AimingforYoko]

Wha'happened Giants? Thought you had those bullpen problems solved.

[MyAimIsTrue]

As I watched and enjoyed the Yanks vs. the Rays game on my 27" cathode ray TV (and I know you guys love that I still have it) I muttered to myself how it's not right for opening day to be anywhere but Cincinnati.  Now get off my lawn!

[Silver Raven]

Dammit, the Giants started the new season the way they ended last season, by blowing saves.  Their multimillion dollar closer, Melancon, fits right in.

[jennifer6973]

Last season he was petty solid for the Nationals,at least he didn't make me nervous on the mound like his predecessor did.

 

I'm gonna blame his failure on Buster Posey, since he calls the pitches that need to be pitched.

[Bort]

I'm all set for opening day tomorrow!

They're having a street festival in downtown Houston before the game and then I'll head into Minute Maid to watch. 

[Mrs. P.]

13 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

I'm all set for opening day tomorrow!

They're having a street festival in downtown Houston before the game and then I'll head into Minute Maid to watch. 

Go get 'em, Keuchel!

[MVFrostsMyPie]

On the bright side, the baby bears lost. 

[Lantern7]

I'm up early because I'm trying to find work, and I'm looking for all sorts of help. Happily, I should make it back home for the pregame festivities at Citi Field. Even if Mets fans keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, hope is alive. Thor takes the mound, and the Daily News put Doc and Darryl on the front page after they made up.

[rippleintime17]

Bumgarner is ridiculous. He just keeps coming up with ways to treat us! Perfect game through five, 11 strikeouts AND two homers?! Whyyyy did the Giants have to lose that game, ugh.

[attica]

20 hours ago, mojoween said:

On another note, I hate that matte batting helmets are now a thing.

Mojo, you know I am loathe to disagree with you, but here I do. I dig the matte the most. I have a wee little rug outside my front door that says, 'Welcome, Matte!'

[morriss]

With a little more effort San Francisco could have had a 2 run lead in 9th.  Spam didn't hustle on the passed ball.  I thought (and so did tv announcers) that he could have made it to third. Then he doesn't tag up on fly ball a couple of batters later.  Yes it is only first game of season but all the games are important..... :)

[UYI]

That Willson Contreras homer had me so hopeful, but that made for a slightly better ending, even though the Cubs lost.

I'm so excited for next Monday. That flag raising is going to be the biggest moment in Chicago history. 

[ebk57]

Off to the ballpark - life begins anew!!  (or something...)

Let's Go Os!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mojoween]

ebk I almost could like your post in full but, well, you know.

I can't believe the Cubs were scheduled on the road to start, and in St. Louis of all places.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to give them the first game of the seasonal home?  And that way all eyes wouldn't have been on Tanaka doing...whatever it is he was doing out there?

attica ok now that's awesome.

Edited April 3, 2017 by mojoween

[rippleintime17]

The 2017 MLB season was released in mid-September. We knew before the postseason even began who would be starting where this year. They don't take postseason success into account.

[Lantern7]

Watching pregame festivities on SNY. They're doing intros for the Braves. Huge ovations for R.A.  and Bartolo. Anthony Recker got a warm reception as well. Is Roger McDowell no longer with the team? I don't keep up.

[mojoween]

31 minutes ago, rippleintime17 said:

The 2017 MLB season was released in mid-September. We knew before the postseason even began who would be starting where this year. They don't take postseason success into account.

Huh.  That seems silly to me but I don't have to do that job.

[roamyn]

2 hours ago, mojoween said:

Huh.  That seems silly to me but I don't have to do that job.

They do that because some of these venues have other events to schedule - such as concerts.

[Mittengirl]

Is anyone else watching the Tigers-White Sox pregame?  What the hell is that noise/music they are playing during the Sox player intros?  It is making me stabby!

ETA - I just hit mute.  Godawful, whatever it is.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Mittengirl

[Lantern7]

Napped through most of the game, though that comes from getting up before 7 a.m. Missed Synderagaard getting a blister. I'm sure he'll be okay for his next start. Then again, he might get his hand amputated as soon as tomorrow. I was awake to see the Mets bust the game open in the seventh. Gsellman gave up two hits, but wound up sealing the shutout on a somewhat rare 1-3-4 double play with Freddie Freeman on third. I think the Mets' winning percentage on Opening Day is .750 since 1970.

BTW, are there any comic book fans reading this? I see "Freddie Freeman," I think "Captain Marvel Jr." Please tell me I'm not the only one.

[xaxat]

2 hours ago, roamyn said:

They do that because some of these venues have other events to schedule - such as concerts.

That used to be the case when stadiums where municipal facilities. But now that many are publicly financed private venues, it's no longer true. If a ballpark wants to schedule a concert instead of taking home dates it's because the team owner thinks he can make more money doing so.

I think baseball could easily push back their scheduling a couple of months and feature a marquee matchup on opening Sunday.

[King of Birds]

It was just delicious karma that the Red Sox opened 2005 against the Yankees in Fenway. There was no way Red Sox fans could have bribed the scheduler to create such a glorious day.

Spoiler

(12 years ago today, if you were wondering mojo)

[jennifer6973]

In the case of the Diamondbacks I think the game was moved to Sunday due to the NCAA final four being in town.  That way they could curtail the traffic nightmares having both on Monday would bring.

 

On a brighter note 2 of my 3 favorite teams won today.  Though I'm glad I'm not a Padres fan right now.

[ebk57]

Free baseball and a walk-off win!  Not a bad day at the ballpark.

 

(and mojo, I totally understand... )

[King of Birds]

Just caught Correa's HR clip. Is the "Chiken Iz Fare" new or has it always been on the foul pole? 

[Crs97]

Down 5-1 and end up winning 8-5?!?  Nice start, Tribe!

[mojoween]

4 hours ago, King of Birds said:

It was just delicious karma that the Red Sox opened 2005 against the Yankees in Fenway. There was no way Red Sox fans could have bribed the scheduler to create such a glorious day.

  Reveal hidden contents

(12 years ago today, if you were wondering mojo)

Pfffffft.  I can do the math.  Funny you bring it up, because I don't remember anything Of note occurring at the end of the 2004 season.  Far as I can recall, baseball just stopped before the ALCS.

Edited April 4, 2017 by mojoween

[roamyn]

1 hour ago, Crs97 said:

Down 5-1 and end up winning 8-5?!?  Nice start, Tribe!

Esp since the Cubbies lost!

[MVFrostsMyPie]

13 hours ago, mojoween said:

I can't believe the Cubs were scheduled on the road to start, and in St. Louis of all places.  Wouldn't it have made more sense to give them the first game of the seasonal home?  And that way all eyes wouldn't have been on Tanaka doing...whatever it is he was doing out there?

 

Also to add to what rippleintime17 said, I know at least in the case of the Giants, we haven't had a home opening day in ages, despite the whole 3 wins in 5 years thing. Each year, MLB sends teams a questionnaire for scheduling preferences, and the Giants management prefers to open on the road; this usually then results in more home games in general, and there's also a better opportunity of then ending the season at home (I've never attended an opening day game, but I've attended almost every last game of the year in the past few years since it's at home - plus you get leftover giveaways, haha! I didn't attend this past year because the series ended up being against LA and games against the Smurfs always jack up the price of tickets anyway). So the cubs may have some of the same reasoning. 

I used to find it annoying, but now there's 2 different opening days to get excited about - the one that's away and the one a week later that's at home!

This year was annoying, with the day off in the middle of a series for the stupid NCAA. 

[Bort]

2 hours ago, King of Birds said:

Just caught Correa's HR clip. Is the "Chiken Iz Fare" new or has it always been on the foul pole? 

It's been there for a few years now. The Rangers also have that on their foul poles. If the home team hits the sign with a home run, everybody at the game gets a free Chik-Fil-A sandwich the next day.

Had a great time at the game! And the pre-game street fair was fun too!

[King of Birds]

3 hours ago, mojoween said:

Pfffffft.  I can do the math.  Funny you bring it up, because I don't remember anything Of note occurring at the end of the 2004 season.  Far as I can recall, baseball just stopped before the ALCS.

Don't tempt me to post the few hundred YT links/videos of the Gloriousness of October 2004 @mojoween!  "Anything of note"  HA!  
In honor of opening day, I watched videos of the 2005, 2008 & 2014 opening day "unfurling the banners." 

[bosawks]

I'm going to need Eric Byrnes to ratchet it down a notch or a thousand.

[UYI]

20 hours ago, roamyn said:

Esp since the Cubbies lost!

I HEARD THAT. :P

[jennifer6973]

@bosawks

I hear you on that.

[pennben]

For the record, despite appearances to the contrary, I do not believe that the Cubs were trying to kill Piscotty tonight who in a sequence of an at bat/on the basepath thereafter, was hit by a pitch on one elbow, hit by a throw on the other elbow when sliding into second and hit in the head when sliding home.  His trip around the bases reminded me of a roundtrip I had walking out to the mailbox a couple of years ago after an ice storm.

Kidding aside, I hope he's okay after all that.

[mojoween]

3 hours ago, pennben said:

For the record, despite appearances to the contrary, I do not believe that the Cubs were trying to kill Piscotty tonight who in a sequence of an at bat/on the basepath thereafter, was hit by a pitch on one elbow, hit by a throw on the other elbow when sliding into second and hit in the head when sliding home.  His trip around the bases reminded me of a roundtrip I had walking out to the mailbox a couple of years ago after an ice storm.

Kidding aside, I hope he's okay after all that.

I just saw a video of all three hits.  The first hit, when slowed down, looks more like it caught him in the junk.

What are the odds of all that happening in one trip around the base paths?  Poor guy.

[basiltherat]

He must be magnetized!

[xaxat]

I supported Clint Frazier and his fight against the paternalistic Yankee grooming code (my words, not his). But this. . . no.

Yankees Prospect Clint Frazier Reportedly Asked If He Could Wear Mickey Mantle's Number

[Bort]

This is my iPhone panorama shot of the Astros opening day game:

[King of Birds]

Damn

[Lantern7]

Wow,indeed. In semi-related news, Tim Tebow hit his first homer in Columbia. He's gotta climb three more rungs before Citi Field. Of course, I'm hoping the Mets stay intact from Flushing to St. Lucie. Seriously, the 2016 team could've taken the field to "Suicide Is Painless."

Had a bad moment yesterday . . . I've been recording It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and Comedy Central aired "The World Series Defense," where Mac writes a kindasorta love letter to Chase Utley. When I realized who that was, I got a little mad. Leg-breaking motherfucker . . .

[xaxat]

14 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Wow,indeed. In semi-related news, Tim Tebow hit his first homer in Columbia. He's gotta climb three more rungs before Citi Field.

So he'll be about 35 his rookie season?

[Bort]

Correa's home run the other day was 449 ft. 

[MyAimIsTrue]

This is a long article but well worth the read.  I'm not surprised to learn that Curtis Granderson is the one major leaguer speaking out against unfair minor league conditions.

[Silver Raven]

Giants lose three of the four games they played in Arizona, after having led in every single game.  Sigh.

[mojoween]

Two questions -

is the temperature sub zero in Baltimore because everyone seems to have left already

and why are they playing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" at Camden Yard?

[theatremouse]

Apparently it's 40, but there are some strong wind gusts, so it might feel colder.

[jennifer6973]

Yeah, it was frigid in Philly and Pittsburgh this afternoon also.  Isn't the ball field near the Harbor, water makes everything feel about 10 degrees cooler.

 

So today is a good day because all three of my teams have won today, which makes it an even better day because the Yankees lost.

41 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Two questions -

is the temperature sub zero in Baltimore because everyone seems to have left already

and why are they playing "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" at Camden Yard?

Was it a walk up song?  Maybe for Chris Davis?

Edited April 8, 2017 by jennifer6973
Reds won

[Silver Raven]

Aaaaand, the Giants lose to the Padres and are now in last place.

[jennifer6973]

2 minutes ago, Silver Raven said:

Aaaaand, the Giants lose to the Padres and are now in last place.

Well it's the first week, so it's probably just a fluke at the moment.