MLB Thread

[nittany cougar]

On 10/2/2019 at 1:44 PM, cleo said:

I always thought Harper was overrated.

It could be.  I think his attitude set him apart.  In addition to being a powerful hitter, he brought special energy to the park.  I think it was because he always showed his love for Washington DC.  He seemed to love it like those of us who live in the District.  I think that made a big difference with the fans. A lot of athletes just pass through DC on their way to a bigger sports town.  DC is always politics and government first .

I have watched a few Phillies games and see Bryce trying to pump up the crowd.  I can't tell if the Philly fans love him as much as DC fans did.

Edited October 3, 2019 by nittanycougar

[mojoween]

We haven’t cancelled the tomahawk chop yet?

[theatremouse]

Tried and failed is my understanding.

I have no one to root for in this game. I do not like Atlanta, but I also do not like St. Louis. I suspect I dislike Atlanta more based on my knee jerk reaction to what just happened in the 9th but if I think about it too hard I'm still not sure.

[Lantern7]

9 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Another one bites the dust: Mets manager is out too.

Surprising. Now I’m imaging Joe Maddon opening his door and finding Brodie and/or the Wilpons. “Heeeeeeeeeey, buddy . . .”

Edited October 4, 2019 by Lantern7

[mojoween]

I get that Acuna can be a dipshit and needs to hustle, but blaming him for a one run loss because he didn’t get to second is a real damn stretch.

Does the media recall what happened in the eighth and ninth innings by the Braves bullpen?  No?

Edited October 4, 2019 by mojoween

[attica]

Atlanta fans: I was under the impression that stadium lights take a long time to warm up. So when they turn them off for the dramatic relievers' entrances, how quick are they back on again?

[theatremouse]

I'm not completely sure about this but I was under the impression they take a while to warm up from completely cold. So if they'd been on for 3 hours already and you turn them off for 15 seconds or whatever, they'd pretty much come right back up, or at least much faster than if they'd been off for hours.

[Bort]

There are a lot of kids playing hooky at the Astros Rays ALDS today…

[xaxat]

47 minutes ago, kariyaki said:

There are a lot of kids playing hooky at the Astros Rays ALDS today…

I thought day baseball was automatically an excused absence. 

[Crs97]

It’s called baseball fever for a reason.

[xaxat]

What happened to Frenchy in the booth with Ron Darling?

[Bort]

I had never heard an entire stadium of 43,000 people sing “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places” until today. That was pretty fun to see. 

[theatremouse]

I know this is just my eyes playing tricks on me, and it's not even where the count normally is onscreen, but the little "LAD LEADS 1-0"  -which is clearly about the status of the series- keeps catching my eye when I'm trying to look at the count and then I do a double take because clearly it is not 1-0 on every batter, every pitch.

The infographic is just too busy with text in general methinks.

[mojoween]

I just cannot with how noisy Dodgers games are.  It’s obnoxious on TV, I can’t imagine being there in person.

[ebk57]

Well, that was way more exciting than it had to be.

Stadium got nice and quiet, too 🙂 

Edited October 5, 2019 by ebk57

[MVFrostsMyPie]

27 minutes ago, mojoween said:

I just cannot with how noisy Dodgers games are.  It’s obnoxious on TV, I can’t imagine being there in person.

That's why I usually watch giants/dodgers games on mute or very low volume when they're playing at Chavez Latrine. I actually thought the sound seemed quieter tonight, compared to the usual ADHD keyboardist, the obnoxious sound effects, and the 'fans' who cheer for fly balls like it's a HR. 

Thanks, Walgreens/Nats!

[JTMacc99]

On 10/3/2019 at 5:42 PM, mojoween said:

Hey!  I resemble that remark.  

I honestly did not know what I was getting myself into when I fell in love with Bernie Williams almost 30 years ago but whoo-boy am I aware now.

There are definitely layers of annoying. I can go to a Yankees game and be around other fans who make me think, “jeez, he’s really obnoxious.”

But I’m sure I’m annoying in my own way. I do things like start figuring out how they might beat Houston before they’ve even played a game against Minnesota. 

[mojoween]

It’s possible that I am seduced by his height, good looks and overwhelming presence on a team of giants, but Giancarlo Stanton’s bat hurl - after a WALK - is possibly one of the most attractive things I have seen occur on a baseball diamond.

[Crs97]

I hate all the bat flips and show boating.  I don’t even really like Encarnacion’s parrot when he homers.  I’m old school; act like you’ve been there before.  (And get off my lawn!)

[Crs97]

I grew up with Nolan “Don’t show me up or I’ll plunk you next time” Ryan.  I think people only needed to get hit in the thigh once with a Nolan fastball before deciding, “Hey, I think next time I won’t embarrass the pitcher.”

Since I’m on a roll, I like the fun introductory music for each batter and the sound effects during the game, but the announcers need to call it straight.  I hate any home town bias - if it’s a great play, call it great regardless of which team made it.  I love watching teammates have fun out there, but hate when one player showboats like he invented the home run or steal.

[Bort]

I've started calling the two ALDS series the indoor one and the outdoor one.

[xaxat]

3 hours ago, icemiser69 said:

At least it wasn't "Sweet Caroline".   I hate that song.

If I could "like" this a thousand times, I would.

[mojoween]

It’s a game.  Gimme ALL the showboats.  Don’t want Jose Bautista to acrobatically flip his bat?  Pitch better.

And I'm good with both sides of the ball.  Bases loaded and you get the third out on a nasty slider?  Roar your head off, CC!

[mojoween]

In the age of social media everyone is scared to be “that guy.”

You know, the announcers and Jonathan himself can pronounce his last name “Scope,” but it’s spelled “Schoop” and therefore will always be “Shoop” to me, which automatically makes me sing Salt-n-Pepa.

[smittykins]

Or how about “The Shoop-Shoop Song(It’s In His Kiss)”?

[Harry24]

Good GRIEF, the Astros look impressive.  Yowza.

[ebk57]

That was way more "exciting" than it needed to be... 

[Bort]

Tell me about it…

[JTMacc99]

8 hours ago, Harry24 said:

Good GRIEF, the Astros look impressive.  Yowza.

See my post above where I said as a Yankees fan, I’ve been thinking about how the heck to beat them before even playing a game against the Twins. 

I have no answers by the way. 

[cleo]

I don't think of it as showboating, I think of it as celebrating, in most cases. Lindor gave an interview last year and talked about it and said he worked really hard, and if he had some success and hit a ball he was going to celebrate it.

On the pitcher side Stroman is a showboat I guess but if someone hit a homer off him and celebrated it, Stroman was like- I gave it up, so go for it. That seems like a healthier person/ego than someone who wants to hit a batter bc they got a hit off them.

It's also just more interesting to watch, imo. It's not a board meeting.

But I only started watching baseball the last few years, so the tradition of non reaction or whatever is lost on me.

[theatremouse]

I don't think it's inherently either showboating or celebrating. I think some of the same actions can be done in either way. I'm not against celebrating, which I specify as a person showing genuine emotion and joy that they knocked in a run or otherwise did something good on the field. But I am against showboating, which is less a show of "yay!" and more a show of "Of course I'm awesome". It's in the tone. I've definitely seen a lot of (for example) bat flips that are totally just some guy being impressed with himself, but I've also seen bat flips that were clearly about excitement and not gloating. So I can't come down as strictly anti bat flip. It's about the tone, if that makes any sense.

[xaxat]

2 minutes ago, theatremouse said:

It's in the tone. I've definitely seen a lot of (for example) bat flips that are totally just some guy being impressed with himself, but I've also seen bat flips that were clearly about excitement and not gloating.

[Bort]

If it’s the playoffs, all bets are off. The players are going to be excited even just getting a walk. 

[rippleintime17]

22 hours ago, Crs97 said:

I hate all the bat flips and show boating.  I don’t even really like Encarnacion’s parrot when he homers.  I’m old school; act like you’ve been there before.  (And get off my lawn!)

Encarnacion is 36 years old, he has been there before. He's earned the opportunity to play his game. In fact, these playoffs are FULL of guys who have literally been there before, I think this is the first playoffs in awhile with some many guys in their mid 30s. The players love when the crowd is loud and revved up, and actually acknowledging their contributions gets the crowd going even more. 

I'm never going to get the incentive of stripping personality from baseball. 

Then again, I also like Bryce Harper and feel the Nats series is lacking without him.

Edited October 6, 2019 by rippleintime17

[shoregirl]

Today is the anniversary of Roy Halladay' s no-hitter. 

[AimingforYoko]

17 hours ago, Harry24 said:

Good GRIEF, the Astros look impressive.  Yowza.

Zack Greinke's their No. 3. In the words of Charles Barkley, "That's redickalis."

Meanwhile for this Twins fan, all I can mutter is, "Damn Yankees." Somebody should write a musical about it.

[ebk57]

Another part of my childhood gone.  RIP to the first #8 - with the best unibrow ever!

[nittany cougar]

The Nationals really had a tough night against the Dodgers last night.  I am going to the game tonight and was so hoping that the Nationals could clinch it.  Now, I just hope that they can win this game.  Arghh, the stress!

I expect my hometown Astros to win it in Florida with Greinke will be on the mound.  Go Nats and 'Stros!

Edited October 7, 2019 by nittanycougar

[attica]

After watching the FS1 coverage, boy was I happy to get back to TBS. Not for the commentary, but for the freaking sound-mixing! FS1 had the crowd roar dialed so far up, and the commentary so far buried, it was easier to turn the sound off and read captions. TBS's mix was far, FAR pleasanter. 

[xaxat]

Yankee fans, does anyone know what Ken Singleton's status is in the YES booth for next year?

He was supposed to retire after the 2018 season, but came back. Which worked out really well when Kay had his vocal problems.

[smittykins]

I heard him say he’s coming back next year.

[mojoween]

I don’t care anything about Atlanta or St. Louis but that game was fun!  When I don’t have a dog in the fight I usually root for the home team.  Also it brings on game five so how can you beat that?

[Harry24]

John Smoltz is doing a really good job tonight, making a lot of interesting points.

I also enjoyed Costas, Girardo and Kitty this afternoon.

[nittany cougar]

I cannot begin to describe how exciting it was at Nationals Park last night!  When Ryan Zimmerman homered, the whole place came alive.  DC baseball is for real!

I didn't get to see the Astros game, but it is fitting that Charlie Morton found a way to beat them.  I wish the Astros had kept him.  Keeping my fingers crossed for the 'Stros today!

Edited October 8, 2019 by nittanycougar

[mojoween]

Interesting call to send Verlander out tonight rather than save him for game five or game one.  Let’s see how his old bones do on short rest!

It’s awesome yesterday went the way it did because it means MOAR baseball this week.  For three series.  The best series of the four is D-U-N done.

[Bort]

29 minutes ago, mojoween said:

Interesting call to send Verlander out tonight rather than save him for game five or game one.  Let’s see how his old bones do on short rest!

Heh, they don't want to take their chances on a game 5. And they can always run Cole out there for game 1 instead.

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, kariyaki said:

Heh, they don't want to take their chances on a game 5. And they can always run Cole out there for game 1 instead.

Yes, wrap it up tonight is a FAR better scenario. Verlander is then pretty much good to go for game 2 if not game 1 in the ALCS.

Even if the Astros somehow still need to win a game 5 against the Rays, it’s still a good move IMO. 

[Lamb18]

I expressed concern in this thread last summer about the Twins not winning series against the good teams and thinking they wouldn't do well in the playoffs. Boo boo! Anyhow, now that the Twins are out of it I'll cheer for Houston. 

[basiltherat]

I have to applaud the Astros for being such gentlemen by allowing the Rays to have another home game, since their damn fans never seem to show up even though they are a quite good team.  (I guess I am biased 'cuz Jose Altuve is my Fun Size Baseball Boyfriend.) 

Two other teams also showed chivalrous tendencies.  And then there's the Yankees.

[attica]

1 hour ago, basiltherat said:

Jose Altuve is my Fun Size Baseball Boyfriend.

Heh, I was just discussing the brilliance of putting Brett Gardner in the lineup immediately after Aaron Judge. A pitcher has this giant creature one moment, and this 'fun-size' fellow next. It's gotta be disorienting! (And I bet it's a reason Gardy's been tearing it up this year.) Pitchers either underestimate him or can't readjust to a smaller strike zone quickly enough.