MLB Thread

[mojoween]

The guys on the MLB Network seem convinced Jeter is also going to be unanimous and first I hope not because Mo is special and second, I really don’t think every writer will vote for Derek.

[xaxat]

I'm glad this whole "unanimous vote" thing is dead. The question is, do you believe that this individual should be in the HOF? Not, nobody has ever met this standard totally unrelated to their performance on the field, so I won't vote for them.

52 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Moose said he can’t choose a hat to go on his plaque but isn’t he going to have to?

Didn't the HOF take that decision back after Wade Boggs made a deal with the Rays to go in with their cap?

Edited January 23, 2019 by xaxat

[Crs97]

It’s ridiculous that it has taken this long for someone to get 100%.  I am especially pissed about the whole 100% hoopla because I can remember watching ESPN’s Sports Reporters the Sunday after Nolan was elected to HOF and Bob Ryan stated he didn’t vote for Nolan as a protest against another reporter who was pushing for Nolan but didn’t back his guy previously.  There are a whole bunch of reasons why someone didn’t get all the votes that have nothing to do with their playing so creating this list like this means Mariano is the best ever is offensive.

[ganesh]

I don't think Jeter will. His defense was marginal at best. Except for the one play against Oakland. 

[Lantern7]

But it's Derek Jeter. Men wanted to be him, women wanted to be with him, some men wanted to be with him . . . you get the idea. Is it too much to say that he was the player of his generation?

Here's Mariano Rivera with his family as he got the big news.

[bosawks]

I'm kind of bummed about the unanimous vote.

The pettiness of the Baseball Writers was a never ending source of enjoyment for me and the contortions they went through to justify their pettiness will be missed.......

[attica]

MLBN had a clip of the dudes from Metallica congratulating Mo, which is right and proper. And awesome. Mo, of course, doesn't listen to that kind of music, but he was gracious and and sincere in saying how much he respected 'those guys' despite their playing the devil's tunes.

I'm kind of eager to hear the field at the induction ceremony bellow "mooooooooooooose". 

[DkNNy79]

I'm so happy about Mo and Moose.

Mo - so well deserved.  I knew he had a strong case to go in 100%, but you never know if some random writer will vote "no" to get their 15 minutes of fame.  Were there others before him that were worthy of going in 100%.  Yes, definitely, but hopefully folks won't hold it against Mo that he was the first.  He has no control over that.

Moose - I'm so happy for Moose.  Mo was a no doubter so wasn't worried about him but I was pleasantly surprised about Moose.  I definitely thought he was borderline but I would've voted him in.  Loved watching his methodical pitching style.

[attica]

I'm sure the crossword puzzle community is cheering Moose's induction too!

Confession: Sometimes when Moose was pitching and going too deep in counts like he did late in his career, I would scream at him through the teevee: If you really loved me, you'd get this guy out!!!  And you know, it was often a 'loves me, loves me not' kind of roller-coaster.

Edited January 23, 2019 by attica

[Fukui San]

Does Mussina love to do crossword puzzles, or is he often a crossword clue? I can't remember ever coming across a "Mussina" clue.

[DkNNy79]

37 minutes ago, Fukui San said:

Does Mussina love to do crossword puzzles, or is he often a crossword clue? I can't remember ever coming across a "Mussina" clue.

The former - I think he often did them in the clubhouse.

[xaxat]

He's a big puzzle fan. He was one of the people interviewed for the documentary Wordplay.

[ratgirlagogo]

So who the fuck voted against Babe Ruth? or Lou Gehrig? or Willie Mays? or Hank Aaron or Mickey Mantle or Joe DiMaggio or Christy Matthewson or anybody?    And are any of those guys, or anybody in  Cooperstown, now considered somehow less-than because it wasn't unanimous?  Keee-rist.

[Crs97]

Ratgirl, exactly!!  Here is a bit of history for the first five inductees:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.history.com/.amp/this-day-in-history/baseball-hall-of-fame-inducts-first-members

[theatremouse]

My theory on the unanimous thing has been that in any given vote there's almost always someone who one of the voters maybe feels strongly about, who is either about to drop off either due to time or lack of numbers, or who they expect might be borderline. So they think, 'meh other dude is a shoo-in, I don't need to vote for him cuz it'll happen no matter what I do and focus their attention on borderline person. Or maybe they just think well that guy was an asshole to me and he's getting in no matter what so what I do doesn't matter, etc. That's how other mega greats managed to not be unanimous. It doesn't make this one more impressive or the others less.

[mojoween]

Moose has decided to go in with no logo on his cap and Roy Halladay’s wife said he won’t have one either.

Obvs Mo only has one choice, is that the same for Edgar?

[Lantern7]

Mets unveil their promotional t-shirts for 2019. In order: broadcaster Howie Rose (hey, he's not a homer like John Sterling), Robinson Cano (dicey to use a new guy, even in May), general t-shirt, Noah Syndergaard (banking that he won't traded or injured by then), unknown (the new guy? I know that's not Familia), 1969 jersey replica (I'm guessing that'll be the weekend to commemorate the Miracle Mets),, TBD, Jacob deGrom, TBD, insignia, many faces of Mr. Met, general black shirt.

Also, the Daily News called out the Mets for not going after the remaining big free agents, especially since Cespedes is insured.

[xaxat]

1 hour ago, Lantern7 said:

unknown (the new guy?

Tim Tebow!

(Footnote, Cano, Syndergaard and Tebow all used to represented by new GM Van Wagenen.

Edited January 26, 2019 by xaxat

[ratgirlagogo]

6 hours ago, xaxat said:

Tim Tebow!

I hope his shirt is barf colored.

[Lantern7]

General Headline: "RED SOX SIGN MEJIA, DRAW CRITICISM FROM PLAYERS"

Underneath: "Mets: 'Hey, He Ain't Our Problem Anymore!'"

[xaxat]

2 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

General Headline: "RED SOX SIGN MEJIA, DRAW CRITICISM FROM PLAYERS"

Underneath: "Mets: 'Hey, He Ain't Our Problem Anymore!'"

I guess they thought, like me, that three strikes and you are out actually meant three strikes and you are out.

[xaxat]

A couple of non direct MLB notes. Tonight, on the 100th anniversary of his birth, Turner Classic Movies is showing The Jackie Robinson Story. Very nice gesture. 

In addition, the media company Vox has an explainer on Netflix for the sport of cricket. At one point, they discuss why the sport did not take root in the US and they start playing the theme song for This Week in Baseball. That show can't exist in the internet world, but I really miss the sound of that overture letting me know that I was going to see "everything" I needed to know for the week.

[EyewatchTV211]

On 1/22/2019 at 6:22 PM, smittykins said:

I Congratulations Edgar, Doc, Moose, and Mo!

 

ETA:  Holy cow, Mo was unanimous!

Reading this made me think of the 7 Dwarves with their nicknames, lol.

Super happy for Mo. It is well earned. Of course others deserved it in the past, too. I saw a good clip of  Sweeny Murti talking about why this is still a good thing, despite previous people who were not unanimous. Now I can't find it when I want to post it here! Oh well.

Even as a Yankees fan and a Jeter fan, I don't think he will be unanimous. I'm surprised anyone in the media thinks he will be. If the HOF was strictly for players who represented the sport well and did the right things, then sure, he would be unanimous. But not when there was so much disagreement about his play.

[Kindred Spirit]

It's big truck day! It's big truck day! And pitchers and catchers report in a week! Hurray!!

[Lantern7]

In case you did not hear, Frank Robinson passed away. Apparently, he was the only player to win MVP in both leagues. I knew he was the first, but I figured someone would have joined him by now.

In lighter news, the prospective rules changes for MLB are still being floated, including giving the DH to the National League. Since nothing seemed to be happening in sports the previous night, here is what the Daily News put on their back page.

Takes your breath away, doesn't it?

Edited February 9, 2019 by Lantern7

[roamyn]

I remember Frank Robinson.  I was a little girl when he coached, but his intensity was a thing of beauty.

The story behind his 1st day of coaching was awesome to read.  I knew he had hit a HR in his 1st at bat as a player/manager, (a piece of rare prideful Cleveland lore when the Indians sucked).  He didn’t want to be too showy and put his name in the lineup, but Phil Seghi, the GM, insisted he do so because it was Frank’s day.

Last I saw him was at the 2016 ALCS ceremony and he looked ill then. 

RIP Sir, and Thank You for all that you represented, accomplished, and trailblazed.

[mojoween]

Most of the rule changes MLB is thinking about are preposterous and I hope they all fail fail fail.

[theatremouse]

9 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Takes your breath away, doesn't it?

I saw that homer live and remember my thought process being "that seems well struck...wait...what...WHAT.... what just happened!"

Definitely a "maybe we are living in a simulation" moment.

[doodlebug]

13 hours ago, roamyn said:

I remember Frank Robinson.  I was a little girl when he coached, but his intensity was a thing of beauty.

The story behind his 1st day of coaching was awesome to read.  I knew he had hit a HR in his 1st at bat as a player/manager, (a piece of rare prideful Cleveland lore when the Indians sucked).  He didn’t want to be too showy and put his name in the lineup, but Phil Seghi, the GM, insisted he do so because it was Frank’s day.

Last I saw him was at the 2016 ALCS ceremony and he looked ill then. 

RIP Sir, and Thank You for all that you represented, accomplished, and trailblazed.

I was in high school and I was babysitting and listening to the game on the radio.  When Robinson hit that homer, I was jumping up and down in the kitchen yelling.  The kids came running to see what was wrong. What a moment! One of the few bright spots in my misspent youth as a Tribe fan.

[Bort]

Baseball on ice!

[mojoween]

Is it weird to fully understand that it is time for Carston Charles Sabathia to hang up the glove, and yet also be devastated that he’s going to make it official?

[smittykins]

I felt the same way about Tex.  He couldn’t stay healthy anymore, so I believed he made the right decision, but at the same time, I hated to see him go.

[MVFrostsMyPie]

I'm not crying, you're crying 😞 https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/hunter-pence-san-francisco-giants

Edited February 14, 2019 by MVFrostsMyPie

[attica]

I'm fulfilling a years-long dream and going to KC for a Yankee game! This  year, the scheduling peeps have put the Ys in KC on Memorial Day weekend, rather than the brutal August they usually do. So I and my sis are going! Looking forward to the KC museums (Negro League, Harry Truman, Blues) and all the bbq we can stand.

[prican58]

On 2/14/2019 at 12:31 PM, MVFrostsMyPie said:

I'm not crying, you're crying 😞 https://www.theplayerstribune.com/en-us/articles/hunter-pence-san-francisco-giants

Was he traded or did he sign as a FA with TX? 

[Bort]

1 hour ago, prican58 said:

Was he traded or did he sign as a FA with TX? 

Pence was a free agent. His deal with the Rangers is a minor league contract. 

[Bort]

Machado signs with Padres. It's about damn time these guys started making up their minds. Spring training has started already. Harper probably isn't too far behind.

[ebk57]

Hey - there's a baseball game on my TV now!!!! 

[Bort]

17 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

When these moves start translating on the field into wins, I will start caring about the Padres.  Too often it seems that they have been gutting their rosters over the years when they are no longer competitive in any given year.  It gets tiresome.

Actually, I was referring to Machado and Harper who still hadn’t made up their minds about what team to sign with when spring training had already started. Harper is still in the wind, in fact. 

[bosawks]

14 minutes ago, ebk57 said:

Hey - there's a baseball game on my TV now!!!! 

Baseball on my tv, baseball on my tv, it’s Saturday and there’s baseball on my tv!!!

tiny small voice:  I am flipping to the Marquette game....

[Bort]

2 minutes ago, icemiser69 said:

I understand.  It won't much matter where they sign.  I don't think either one will finish their contract with the teams that signs them.

Yeah, I don’t care where they sign either, I just want the analysts to shut the hell up about it. 

Oh baseball. Those four months without you has been rough. Lots of Friends and Reba reruns to kill time. 

[bosawks]

I love spring training numbers most of all!

Edited February 23, 2019 by bosawks

[theatremouse]

Sooooo.... the Padres accidentally started selling Machado jerseys before the deal was done. So Padres.

[xaxat]

11 hours ago, theatremouse said:

Sooooo.... the Padres accidentally started selling Machado jerseys before the deal was done. So Padres.

In the nineties, I heard an interviewer with a beat writer who said one of his his best source was the guy who did the jerseys. That's when he knew there was going to press conference coming up.

[Fukui San]

It’s puzzling that in the NFL, five minutes after free agency begins 60% of players are signed while in baseball it goes to Spring Training these days. 

[mojoween]

The Yankees lost to the Sox and the pitching was terrible OMG this season is oooooooover.

At least, that’s what Twitter tells me.

I just tried to turn on the game against the Rays and the MLB Network is blacked out, like WTF?  My FiOS bill isn’t cheap, Verizon.  Fix this shit.

[Bort]

3 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I just tried to turn on the game against the Rays and the MLB Network is blacked out, like WTF?  My FiOS bill isn’t cheap, Verizon.  Fix this shit.

Oh, you mean technical difficulties. For a second, I thought you meant territorial blackouts which totally confuzzled me since there aren't any for spring training games. That's what I love about March. Games are on constantly, MLB network runs them all damn day and I'm in heaven.

[Bort]

I really, really love the Astros spring training uniforms. The dark blue with the rainbows on the side. They're so pretty.

[Bort]

Tebow would have had a good hit except for the wheels on this Astro. 

[smittykins]

17 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Oh, you mean technical difficulties. For a second, I thought you meant territorial blackouts which totally confuzzled me since there aren't any for spring training games. That's what I love about March. Games are on constantly, MLB network runs them all damn day and I'm in heaven.

I thought so too, but MLB Network is blacking out yesterday’s Astros-Mets game.

Edited February 25, 2019 by smittykins