MLB Thread

[ebk57]

All four of my players are there but I had the order as Brooks, Frank, Jim, and Cal.  I do get why Cal is in the lead, though...I guess.

[Rick Kitchen]

Joe Nathan needs Tommy John surgery.  At the age of 40, is this the end of his career?

[MyAimIsTrue]

Mets tied their winning streak record with their eleventh in a row. Maybe I should jump on the bandwagon while there's still time.

 

You can thank me later for my Braves rolling over and playing dead for your Mets. 

 

After a hot start to begin the season the Braves are finally living up to their pre-season hype of sucking.

[King of Birds]

The Royals are still getting into fightin' situations. As I saw on twitter: In what other profession can 50 adult males, mostly millionaires, wearing uniforms, get in a brawl and then just go back to work?

 

What's gotten into Yordano Ventura?

[Rick Kitchen]

From that article, it looks like every Royals pitcher is being a punk. And Ned Yost is encouraging them.  He's still mouthing off at Oakland, about "We have pitchers who can throw a hundred miles an hour."

Edited April 24, 2015 by Rick Kitchen

[MyAimIsTrue]

Damn.  Has any team ever gone from quirky darlings to punkass dicks as quickly as it seems the Royals are?

[Rick Kitchen]

Visiting teams are complaining about Toronto's new turf, and MLB may look at it.

[mojoween]

putting a goddamn hill in front of the center field fence?

This is from that article (which that, and especially the comments, amused) me. What field is this?

[rippleintime17]

This is from that article (which that, and especially the comments, amused) me. What field is this?

 

Minute Maid Park in Houston. 

[smittykins]

Subway Series time! Being in upstate NY, where I get both YES and SNY, it's interesting to be able to watch the games on both channels.

[xaxat]

I remember when infields had dirt clots the size of VWs, some games were played on cement fields painted green and groundskeepers would let the grass grow thigh high to slow down the opposition.  These whippersnappers have no idea how easy they have it. 

 

If I were a Royals hitter, I would be telling the pitching staff to chill out. Because I'm the one that's going to get plunked in retaliation, not them.

[Carey]

I remember when infields had dirt clots the size of VWs, some games were played on cement fields painted green and groundskeepers would let the grass grow thigh high to slow down the opposition.  These whippersnappers have no idea how easy they have it. 

 

If I were a Royals hitter, I would be telling the pitching staff to chill out. Because I'm the one that's going to get plunked in retaliation, not them.

 

Very true, xaxat.  While it's "tradition" to beam someone for whatever reason, the staff hardly thinks of those things.  I would hate for (fatal) tragedy to be what it'll take for people to stop what that nonsense

[Moose135]

putting a goddamn hill in front of the center field fence?

 

Being it's in Texas, I always call it The Grassy Knoll...

[mojoween]

The Subway Series is a lot less fun when Harvey is pitching.

[ratgirlagogo]

 

The Subway Series is a lot less fun when Harvey is pitching.

Less fun for YOU, you mean. :)  Kind of wish they'd let him pitch a complete game just for the FU of it all.

[Moose135]

I think it's great when Harvey is pitching...

;-)

[Rick Kitchen]

Is there only one person/team in New York reviewing video?  What happens if calls come in from more than one game at the same time?

[King of Birds]

What happens if calls come in from more than one game at the same time?

Human Sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria. That's what!

 

Ya know, I only try to bring the hard-hitting important news of the baseball world to this thread. Here you go.

[Lantern7]

Anybody up for a trip to Citi Field? I'm think a Saturday game at 4 would be adequate for  me, now that I'm working. Hopefully, deGrom or Harvey would be pitching, but I'm not too picky.

 

ETA: Here's the Jacob deGrom garden gnome that's going to be given away next week. Is that a new thing for fans to collect?

[ebk57]

Anybody up for a trip to Citi Field? I'm think a Saturday game at 4 would be adequate for  me, now that I'm working. Hopefully, deGrom or Harvey would be pitching, but I'm not too picky.

 

ETA: Here's the Jacob deGrom garden gnome that's going to be given away next week. Is that a new thing for fans to collect?

 

Seems to be.  Last season (or the one before), the Nats gave away a Jason Werth gnome and this season the O's are giving a way a Buck Showalter gnome.  I can't possibly start collection gnomes.  The 200+ bobbleheads I have are all I can keep up with.

[AndreaK1041]

The A's did a Coco Crisp gnome last year. It was smaller than I thought it would be. My Michigan football playing gnomes are quite big (though I did pay for those).

[MyAimIsTrue]

A few years ago the Rays gave away a Joe Maddon gnome.  I would pay good money to have one of those.

[rippleintime17]

The Giants gave out a Brian Wilson garden gnome awhile back. It was actually pretty cool. They've given out a few since but that was the best one. 

[lilwhitelion]

Here's the Brian Wilson gnome given away in 2012.

 

http://sfist.com/2012/01/05/behold_the_brian_wilson_lawn_gnome.php

[King of Birds]

The 200+ bobbleheads I have are all I can keep up with.

Yikes! Are all 200+ Baltimore/ DC sport related or are you an equal opportunity collector of bobbleheads?

 

Are the gnomes smaller than bobbleheads?  (I've never seen a side by side for comparison)

[ebk57]

Jim Palmer just told us that Mark Buehrle recently won his "two hundredth and two hundred and oneth" games. Gary Thorne let it pass...

 

 

King of Birds, I will attempt to post a picture or two of my collection.  I have more of the local guys (just because I'm here to attend the games), but I take any and all offers!  We're going to Seattle in August to knock off one more stadium, and it worked out fabulously that there's a Jamie Moyer 'head giveaway, then 2 days later, the O's are in town.  Yay!

[ebk57]

 

Here's an overview. It's tough to get them all in one shot.

[xaxat]

That is awesome!

[ebk57]

That is awesome!

 

Thanks!  It's fortunate that I have understanding bosses.  Now I just need more room - it's a new baseball season!!

[annzeepark914]

You can thank me later for my Braves rolling over and playing dead for your Mets. 

 

After a hot start to begin the season the Braves are finally living up to their pre-season hype of sucking.

Honestly, speaking as a Nats fan, what the heck is with all this inane preseason hyping?  I think it's messing with the players' minds.  This is the 3rd year that those stupid sportswriters, MLB so-called experts, have anointed the Nats as WS champions, always during spring training.  What are they smoking?  Well, the Nats are on their way to Atlanta after imploding in Miami.  I've heard that some Nats fans watch the games with a bottle of Jim Beam and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol ;>)

[King of Birds]

Ha! I see a Bob's Big Boy in ebk's photo. And Daffy Duck. Do you have a Wally the Green Monster in the white shelves? What about the Philly Phanatic?

 

Also- "understanding bosses" - that's just ...wow. How many locks do you have on your office door when you leave at night?

[MyAimIsTrue]

Honestly, speaking as a Nats fan, what the heck is with all this inane preseason hyping?  I think it's messing with the players' minds.  This is the 3rd year that those stupid sportswriters, MLB so-called experts, have anointed the Nats as WS champions, always during spring training.  What are they smoking?  Well, the Nats are on their way to Atlanta after imploding in Miami.  I've heard that some Nats fans watch the games with a bottle of Jim Beam and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol ;>)

 

I will say the expectations put on the Nats by the media the past couple of years has been intense, and probably not fair.  That's way too much pressure to put on a team.

[ebk57]

Ha! I see a Bob's Big Boy in ebk's photo. And Daffy Duck. Do you have a Wally the Green Monster in the white shelves? What about the Philly Phanatic?

 

Also- "understanding bosses" - that's just ...wow. How many locks do you have on your office door when you leave at night?

 

Bob was my first 'head.  He holds a special place in my heart.  And actually, Daffy Duck is the Oriole Bird. At least I think that's the one you're looking at.  I don't have Wally (although I bought one for a friend), but I do have a Phanatic.  All the mascots are in the white shelving unit. 

 

My boss is great, and everyone else humors me :-).  My office is a "tour stop" when we have clients or guests in.  It's kinda funny.  No lock - they're for fun.  If something happens (like the cleaning person accidentally knocking one off a shelf with his backpack vacuum), it's okay.  I try not to stress over it.

 

 

Certainly nowhere near as serious as what's going on in Baltimore tonight.  Oy...

[mojoween]

All those empty seats all over Yankee Stadium make me sad. I know the ones behind home plate are a zillion dollars, but why is the rest of the stadium barren? Is it because it's still April? I mean, this is a division matchup and it's only a two run game in the eighth.

[Kromm]

Certainly nowhere near as serious as what's going on in Baltimore tonight.  Oy...

 

Orioles game postponed amid violence, series could be moved

 

The postponement of Monday night’s Orioles game against the Chicago White Sox at Camden Yards because of escalating unrest stemming from the death of Freddie Gray last week has put the team’s homestand in doubt, but new baseball commissioner Rob Manfred suggested the Orioles could play games elsewhere.

 

Manfred, who was visiting Camden Yards by coincidence while making the rounds to visit to all 30 teams, acknowledged that Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., could be an option. Manfred said the decision to postpone the game was made to ensure everyone’s safety

 

“The decision was reached after consultation with local officials," Manfred said. "We feel like we made the decision that will provide us the greatest possible security in terms of protecting the fans, the players, the umpires, everybody involved in the game.”

Hours after Monday’s game was postponed, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake announced a week-long 10 p.m. curfew in the city beginning Tuesday. The Orioles have home games scheduled through Sunday.

As of late Monday evening, no decision had been made regarding Tuesday’s game, but major consideration was being given to playing during the day at Camden Yards, according to an industry source. The club strongly prefers to find a way to play the games in Baltimore before pursuing relocating games to alternate locations.

A makeup date for Monday’s game will be announced as soon as possible, the club announced. Fans are encouraged to keep their tickets and parking for Monday's game until more information is available.

The club had been monitoring riots that began on Monday afternoon in Northwest Baltimore, about five miles from the ballpark, and kept in contact with Baltimore police throughout the day. After consulting with the police department and when the group of rioters moved south toward downtown, the game was postponed about 45 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.

As the expected 7:05 p.m. start came and went, the Camden Yards seating bowl was empty. The gates were locked and the only sound came from nearby police sirens.

Less than an hour before the scheduled first pitch of the Orioles' game against the White Sox, a dozen Baltimore police officers wearing riot gear were stationed behind metal barricades at Babe Ruth Plaza. All but two gates to the ballpark were closed, but fans were allowed into the ballpark.

The eerie sight of officers preparing for rioters mixed with the yells of ticket takers welcoming fans to Camden Yards. It was obvious that many fans were deterred by the violence occurring throughout the city. Light rail service southbound to the ballpark was shut down, and one hour before game time, the crowd paled in comparison to even the least-attended weekday night game at Camden Yards.

As the Orioles took batting practice, police and news helicopters circled the downtown area and faint police sirens could be heard in the background. Before batting practice, inside the Orioles clubhouse, players' eyes were glued to television sets as they watched protests turn violent near Mondawmin Mall.

“This is sad, it really is,” one Orioles player said as he watched helicopter footage of rocks and bricks being thrown.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said the protests are undoubtedly a topic of conversation inside the Orioles clubhouse.

“Sure, sure it is,” Showalter said. “But I don't want to lessen it all, so I'm very cautious about even talking about it. There's so many things that go on that you get challenged with, obviously this is a different level. There's not a lot of experience with it. So you try to take each moment as it comes and I know there were a lot of calls to some guys' families about making sure they knew what was going on from a safety standpoint. But guys are watching it. They are all aware of what's going on.”

Benjamin and Mya Holland of Suffolk, Va., were visiting Baltimore to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. They arrived in town on Friday and watched from their hotel room as demonstrations turned violent.

Still, that wasn't going to deter them from attending Monday's game. They entered Oriole Park through Gate H, passing through the officers in riot gear to get into the ballpark.

“It seems a little scary,” Benjamin Holland said. “As you walk by them, you hear their scanners describing what's going on. You'd think you wouldn't pay respects to someone dying by destroying the city.”

Zachary Rowland, 22, of Parkville came to the park with his brother and his brother's girlfriend. They walked up to get tickets about 15 to 20 minutes before the cancellation was announced.

They were waiting for information and got some food, so he had a half-eaten sausage as ushers were telling everyone to leave.

“Right before we were leaving, we were watching the news and we saw everything breaking out,” Rowland said. “We said we would try anyway and see what happens. We had just gotten our tickets [before the announcement]. … I understand they're trying to keep the public safe, but I don't know, but it's a little outrageous to cancel a baseball game. That's a lot of money for the MLB and the Orioles organization to lose.”

Joel Berse and Barbara Berse came from Long Island, N.Y., to attend Monday's game, an annual trek to support their longtime friend, White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper. The couple was on the field during batting practice when Manfred told the White Sox of the postponement.

“We've been coming here for a number of years when the White Sox play the Orioles,” Joel Berse said. “We go to several road trips a year, but we make sure we always come to Baltimore. We always have enjoyed it. This is bizarre what's going on. The people who work for the Orioles have always been very nice to us and it's always been a very friendly place for us.”

James Carroll, an Orioles season-ticket holder who lives in Owings Mills, attended the game with his wife, Ilene, daughter, Tracey, and her boyfriend, Will Weinzirl. They planned to take their seats behind home plate when they were told of the postponement.

“It would have been nice if it would have [been] done a little sooner, obviously,” Carroll said. “But it is an issue of safety and that's the decision that they made. So I guess we will have to live with it. But it would have been great if they had done it a little bit sooner.”

Carroll said he also attended Saturday night's game and had no issues, so he had no concerns about attending Monday's game.

“I figured with the crowds and the fact that so many people were going to be down here,” it would be safe, he said. “We were down here Saturday night and had no issues.”

Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox went on as scheduled even thought protests reached Camden Yards less than an hour before the 7:05 p.m. start time, prompting Gate H to be temporarily closed as violence began outside the ballpark.

Later that night, the ballpark was briefly locked down under orders of the mayor's office and the Baltimore police. For about 30 minutes, fans weren't allowed to leave the facility.

[King of Birds]

Kirk Gibson has Parkinson's.

Very sad to hear this.

[shoregirl]

http://deadspin.com/the-orioles-will-play-in-an-empty-stadium-1700733716

Tonight's game in Baltimore is postponed, will be played as part of a doubleheader next month. Tomorrows game is moved up to the afternoon but closed to the public. This weekends games will be played in Tampa Bay with the Orioles being the home team. I wonder why they wouldn't play in Washington, the Nationals are away and it's not so far away that people couldn't go to the games from Baltimore even if they have to move it earlier to go with the curfew.

[King of Birds]

Tomorrows game is moved up to the afternoon but closed to the public.

I wonder if this is a first?

[mojoween]

I feel badly for the players. How awkward is that going to be, playing in front of an empty stadium except for probably a few execs hanging around?

I mean, yes, this is a job they get paid to do, but their job is to play a GAME and to bring enjoyment to fans. Playing in front of an empty stadium is anathema to the entire process.

[prican58]

I always have to remind myself that he began as a Dodger.  He was such a great player for so many mediocre Mets seasons (and relatively recent seasons) that he is a particularly towering figure for Mets fans.  Hitting the first home run here after 9/11 for example is still a huge deal in NYC even though it has relatively little to do with what gets you into Cooperstown.  And even though I went to many a game where he got tons of FAGGOT FAGGOT FAGGOT chants during his at bats - I love New York and New Yorkers, but seriously fuck New York and New Yorkers.  Maybe all the homophobes were the Long Island fans :)  Probably not, alas.

Girl, NY Ranger fans still yell "Potvin Sucks!" and Denis hasn't played in about a generation or two. As a  NYer myself we can be pretty stupid, even though we are known as "The most knowledgeable fans". Seriously?  Some knucklehead called into one of the sports radio stations and swore that this will always be a Yankee town, as it always has been. The radio guy wasn't having it. Back in '86 you couldn't find Yankee fans anywhere as it was a Mets town at the time. These Mets really can go far into Oct if they get  better bullpen, which isn't really horrible.

 

My NYY however...nothing enduring will happen until we wave bye to Tex, Beltran and Alex. If Anaheim can let Hamilton go while eating pretty much all of his contract, then Cash should be able to maybe get some fool team to take one of these guys. Granted Hamilton has big time issues but the idea is to get out while you can. I'm not hating, folks. Just sayin'. 

 

I'm willing to let Met fans taste some winning ways as long as the Yanks stay competitive. 

 

All those empty seats all over Yankee Stadium make me sad. I know the ones behind home plate are a zillion dollars, but why is the rest of the stadium barren? Is it because it's still April? I mean, this is a division matchup and it's only a two run game in the eighth.

 

 

Gets back to my comment about NY fans. Baseball teams here need to win in order to lure fans. There's always the true die hards but mostly fans are fair weather. Once summer kicks in we'll see if it fills up more.  I think Red Sox and Cubs fans are probably the most faithful. Maybe it's due to the stadium size...cozy confines and all. 

 

I am curious to know if in Chicago does a losing Cub season draw more fans than a bad Whire Sox season?  

Edited April 28, 2015 by prican58

[King of Birds]

re: Wednesday's matinee O's v White Sox game --  I'm gonna try to tune in on my mlb directv and see what this game will be like. MASN is carrying it.

 

Also, I don't know the numbers, but with the news about Tanaka, and tonight with Bradley getting hit in the face... all the various injuries, etc has me just completely bummed about this baseball season. I don't want to watch 30 teams that can't field a regular line up. This blows. I just don't know what the hell is going on, are they more fragile or more athletic and trying "harder" / extending more than players in the past?

[MyAimIsTrue]

My Braves had a 10 - 1 lead against the Nats and ended up losing 13 - 12.  Awesome.

 

At today's Orioles game will there be a PA announcer?  Will the vendors and stadium workers have to show up and/or still get paid?  I actually look forward to seeing highlights from this game.

[emma675]

I can't wait to see highlights from the Orioles game today. It's got to be so weird for the players to play in a totally empty stadium and I can't even imagine what the announcers will say.

[King of Birds]

I hope to see cameras pan into the stands when there's a foul ball.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Ooh, if a foul ball hits anything solid it's gonna be loud.

[Rick Kitchen]

The Baltimore game will include national anthem, 7th inning stretch and the rest of the regular stuff.

[MyAimIsTrue]

Six runs in the bottom of the first for the O's. 

[Sweets McGee]

The Davis HR with no fan noise (aside from the faint cheering of the group outside the gates) was really weird.

[King of Birds]

Hawk, just now with White Sox down 7-0:  "I think our guys need some noise, to play..."  LOL

 

No walk-up music for the O's (only just turned on tv for bottom of the 3rd) Sounds like there's about 12 people who are there and clapping every so often.

 

Lots of helicopter noise just a few minutes ago to give the game a surreal feel.

 

eta: Since I had the Sox broadcast on, and they can go pretty quiet - not too much banter- I heard other voices and realized it was the O's booth, chatting it up.

 

eta 2: Pro infielders don't do that whole "hecanthit-hecanthit-hecanthit..."  "Suh-wing, batteh!"  like we did in little league.

Edited April 29, 2015 by King of Birds

[MyAimIsTrue]

My O's fan coworker is watching the game on his phone and he let me look in for a few minutes.  The weirdest thing I saw was a foul ball that ricocheted around like a pinball machine.