MLB Thread

[bosawks]

That’s not what I would’ve picked from Citizens Bank Park But still good.

[Lantern7]

Looks like fun . . . but $25 for a two-hour window?

[ebk57]

It makes me laugh that both of the local food items involve seafood, so I can't eat them anyway.   I'm sure I could find enough to eat, though, for my $25 plus the beer addition.  And I'm sure I could eat it all in 2 hours.  I'm a pro... 

[rippleintime17]

14 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Looks like fun . . . but $25 for a two-hour window?

I actually think it's a fantastic deal! I bought tickets as soon as I heard about this, since I live in NYC and loooove trying ballpark food. Keep in mind that you can sample everything, as many times as you feel like, and things like the Crazy Crab Sandwich that SF is sending is $18 at the ballpark. 

I'm also excited that a lot of ballparks are sending some of their standout items, things I thought I wouldn't get to try until I made it TO that ballpark. Super excited to taste the Dbacks Churro Dog (and also glad it's a smaller portion!), the grasshoppers (apparently they were so popular they often ran out at the ballpark!) and the Dodgers elote. Such a fun idea, I hope it catches on and they do it often! 

[bosawks]

I have Broadway tickets for the Saturday before, grrrrr, it’s all in the timing.....

[mojoween]

oops!  please ignore, I'm a terrible typist

Edited March 14, 2018 by mojoween

[ebk57]

3 hours ago, bosawks said:

I have Broadway tickets for the Saturday before, grrrrr, it’s all in the timing.....

Depending on what you're seeing, you probably win in this case.

[mojoween]

ESPN 2 is showing the Yankees game today and while I am always happy to see A-Rod, they did a full one inning interview with Aaron Boone and listening to him drone on and on and on makes me wonder if he actually was a good color guy and also that manager interviews have got to stop.

Ok no I realized the problem is ESPN because holy hell this entire game has been people yammering on and on about everything except the game going on on the field.  I guess since it’s spring training they think we don’t care?  Whatever it is, this is torture to listen to.

Edited March 22, 2018 by mojoween

[Silver Raven]

2 hours ago, mojoween said:

ESPN 2 is showing the Yankees game today and while I am always happy to see A-Rod, they did a full one inning interview with Aaron Boone and listening to him drone on and on and on makes me wonder if he actually was a good color guy and also that manager interviews have got to stop.

This is SOP during Oakland games, preseason or regular season.  They spend inning after inning talking to people we don't care to hear from instead of actually talking about the games.

[Bort]

I think it’s pretty standard for all the clubs’ preseason games. I actually like the manager interviews for the Astros. AJ Hinch is very personable, he doesn’t drone on. 

[jennifer6973]

I kind of enjoyed the game today, yesterday it was David Ross an his partner.  

 

I like that ST is fun and relaxed.

[ebk57]

Greetings from Spring Training - where it is not snowing!  It's not very warm, but it's not snowing, so that's something.  Especially since we almost didn't get here - we sat on the plane for an hour and a half waiting to de-ice.  I was nervous, but we got out!!  And then, we went to a game.  The less said about that game, the better.  However, I will share a pic (maybe more if they're not too big) for you Yankee fans.  Hey, the Os were in it until the end.  I know - it's the end that counts... 

 

It seems I take ginormous pictures that are too big for this website.  So until I figure out how to resize them, you will have to be content with this one.  The stadium looks better than it did a few years ago when we were there, so that's good.  

Edited March 23, 2018 by ebk57

[ebk57]

 

 

There!  They're still ginormous, but not actual files.  

 

The game still sucked.

[cleo]

Spring training is nice, especially after the loooong off season but I'm ready for the regular season to start.

ETA bao is good for those who haven't tried it. There's a sandwich place here in Toronto that has bao, it was my first time trying it but if you like bread it's nice treat.

Edited March 23, 2018 by cleo

[smittykins]

At least I just got MLB The Show 18 to help tide me over until Thursday.  I’m willing to bet I’ll be a month into my season before it starts for real.

[mojoween]

@ebk57 I love all of those pictures and that game was great!

I don’t like the season starting next week.  The tourney is still going on and I can only focus on one thing at a time, dammit.

[Bort]

This was pretty awesome:

[MyAimIsTrue]

If anyone has T-Mobile next Tuesday, the 27th, is when the free subscription to MLB.TV is offered for the season!  I missed it last year and I won't do that this year.

[mojoween]

Can someone check on @MVFrostsMyPie please?

I decided to give ESPN another chance and when I turned on the Yankees game they were in the middle of an interview with Brian Cashman and then went right to a split view with the game silent on one side and in studio talking about fantasy baseball and I said “nope” and changed back to Friends.

[AimingforYoko]

Sorry, Giants fans.

In his last appearance of the spring, brutal.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

@mojoween A lot of swearing happened this afternoon. Luckily my coworkers understand my passion (I was in a meeting awhile back when Duffy got traded and I got an alert about it on my phone which led me to be a little teary-eyed, but when I told my coworkers why, they were totally understanding, ha!). TBH I haven't fully processed it yet - don't want to. Denial is my friend.

My first reaction was "well, at least he got injured at work and not on an off-day...."

[smittykins]

Greg Bird has inflammation in his right foot, to see specialist Monday. 

Deja vu all over again, anyone?

[Lantern7]

Briefly poked through the MLB preview issue of Sports Illustrated. Mets' over/under win total has been set at 81; they're projected to finish second in the NL East with 88 wins, get a wild card spot, defeat the Diamondbacks in the play-in game (Dbacks are projected at 88 wins as well, so it's not specified which team hosts), and get defeated by the Nationals in the NLDS. Man, SI is optimistic AF.

Edited March 25, 2018 by Lantern7

[mojoween]

He makes some good points

I agree with him.. putting a runner on second is stupid.  Also he is not here for inter league play which I love.

We’re not so much in agreement on the DH but it’s ok, I know not everyone can see it’s the best way to go.  *G*

Edited March 25, 2018 by mojoween

[Bort]

I get annoyed when people can’t accept even the slightest tweak. It also used to be that fouling off pitches didn’t count as strikes. Things change. 

[Lantern7]

It feels ill-conceived to me. On the other hand, if something like that gets implemented after 12-13 innings, that might not be a bad thing. I'm thinking if a game goes 14 innings and four-and-a-half hours, pitchers are removed, and pitching machines manned by coaches are brought out. And if a ball hits the machine, it's out of play.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

The new "Treehouse" at the Oakland coliseum is about as lame as the A's "charge Giants fans more for parking!" idea, which they didn't even follow through with (probably because Giants fans are smart enough to just take the train instead instead of driving anyway...).

[cleo]

I like interleague play, I just don't understand how it 'ruins' the World Series. The World Series is still great.

But yeah, runner on second I don't like, nor do I like the idea of  pitching clock.

A coworker of mine has 2 kids under 10 who play softball and they have been riveted to the spring training games, no tweaks needed.

[Lantern7]

I'm great with a pitching clock. I mean, if we have automatically-enforced intentional walks, why not?

Here in New York, the Yankees are  picked to win their 28th title. The Mets are predicted to do well. In the Sports Illustrated entry, they said that if the Mets' pitching is healthy, they're a World Series contender. My response: "You have seen these guys, right?" Even if the corps doesn't blow their arms out and Mickey Callaway takes special care of them, I don't think fans would feel safe. Because the instant they do, they all go down. "Man, what were the odds all five guys would get felled by falling pianos in five different incidents?" "Only the Mets, man. Only the Mets."

Edited March 26, 2018 by Lantern7

[MyAimIsTrue]

11 hours ago, cleo said:

But yeah, runner on second I don't like

We did that in my co-ed softball league.  To implement such a rule in MLB seems childish to me, for lack of a better word.

[Bort]

The pitch clock is a different story, but I doubt the runner on second rule will ever show up in the big leagues. I think that's just about keeping the minor leaguers from playing five hour games. 

[mojoween]

On 3/24/2018 at 8:26 PM, smittykins said:

Greg Bird has inflammation in his right foot, to see specialist Monday. 

Deja vu all over again, anyone?

Argh he’ll have surgery and be out 6-8 weeks.

[Mittengirl]

Runner on second, I can see it later in an extra-innings game, maybe after 14 or so.  Maybe for time reasons as well.  A few years ago the Tigers and Yankees played a game that ended after 3 a.m.  It started with a rain delay, then a long delay after the game had started, then extra innings.  It was the last time they met for the season, so they wanted to get it in.  Another time the Tigers and Jays played for 19 innings on a get away day.  I think on rare occasions like those the new rule may make sense.

 

Interleague play is getting out of hand.  Maybe two or three series a year.  Is it really a big deal for New York, Chicago or Bay Area fans to watch their two teams face off anymore?

 

DH?  I like it.  I only want to see pitchers hit if they begin to take it seriously.  When they are a sure out 98% of the time, what is the point?  

[Lantern7]

Maybe the rule can only be applied to the regular season. Down side would be waking up, turning on the TV, and finding out that Game 7 is still going on. And thanks to commercials, they’re “only” in the 20th inning. At that point, I’d be all for suspending the game and giving the teams a half-day to rest. Or maybe replay the game?

[MyAimIsTrue]

1 hour ago, Mittengirl said:

 

Interleague play is getting out of hand.  Maybe two or three series a year.  Is it really a big deal for New York, Chicago or Bay Area fans to watch their two teams face off anymore?

The problem is there's an uneven number of teams within the leagues so there always has to be an interleague game.  I disliked this when it started and I still don't like it.

[xaxat]

I bought a new 4K TV recently, and baseball on it is glorious! My old TV was a barely high def plasma. The thing about plasma is that they get darker over time and I owned this one long enough that even the brightest whites were grey. 

In other news, I am seriously considering going to a Tebow game when he comes to nearby Binghamton. 

I feel so dirty and hypocritical.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Dude, I still have a 27" cathode ray TV.  Can I come over and watch a game with you?

[xaxat]

[QueerGirrl]

That above is one of the many reasons I'm a proud White Sox fan.

[Silver Raven]

The Dodgers/Angels game was called early last night because of a sewage leak onto the field.  And they complain about the Oakland Coliseum?

[prican58]

I hate interleague. In a perfect world NY, Chicago, LA. Oakland/SF and maybe Cleveland/Cincy and KC/St Louis would be the only cities to play these and it wouldn't be 3 games and 3 games. It would be 2 and 2. And that would be that. It's fantasy. 

Opening Day tomorrow! Yipee! 

[mojoween]

Happy Opening Day Eve!  Game 1 of 162 is on deck.

Still not sure how I feel about this Thursday nonsense, but baseball that means something is always welcome.

[ebk57]

I'm ready!  The weather is even supposed to cooperate tomorrow - around 70 and not raining!!  Can't wait!

[Bort]

The Astros are playing the Rangers up in Arlington and since they won't have a roof for another two seasons, it might get rained out. Drat.

[Lantern7]

I'm working a 9-5 job . . . so if the Mets get a remarkable Opening Day win, I'm probably going to miss it. I lack DVR space, but I did set up for the pregame show, where there could be festivities at Citi Fileld. I'm still bemused that some think the Mets could contend, even if it's just a wild card spot below the mighty Nationals.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Although I believe baseball's opener should always be in Cincinnati I do love how all teams are playing today, which hasn't happened in something like 60 years.

And now for my annual FB posting of John Fogerty's "Centerfield" video, a time honored tradition that I'm sure most of my FB friends don't give two shits about.

[Moose135]

11 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I'm working a 9-5 job . . . so if the Mets get a remarkable Opening Day win, I'm probably going to miss it.

IT's going to be a bittersweet opening day for the Mets - Rusty Staub died early this morning.

RIP, Le Grand Orange.

[Bort]

The rain passed, so the Arlington game will be on. Phew! The storm killed my cable box, today of all days, I had to run to the service center this morning and swap it for a new one.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Sad news about Rusty Staub :(

[Lantern7]

2 hours ago, Moose135 said:

IT's going to be a bittersweet opening day for the Mets - Rusty Staub died early this morning.

RIP, Le Grand Orange.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

i know Rusty played on several teams, but I reckon Mets fans gave him the most love.

This morning, SNY air abridgements of past Opening Days. Meanwhile, I don’t know if/when we would get 2017 episodes of Mets Classics.