MLB Thread

[catlover79]

16 hours ago, doodlebug said:

I’m a lifelong Indians’ fan and that movie was, for many years, the closest I’d ever gotten to a Tribe post season.  Ask any Indians fan; we cry every time they win the big game onscreen.

Yes, we do!! ☺

[jennifer6973]

9 hours ago, xaxat said:

The New York Times has obtained the list of minor league teams that might be shut down under MLB's contraction plan.

I hope your team fares better than mine. 

Man, the one I really don't like that is shut down is the Frederick Keys.  Otherwise I have quite a few teams going away that I root for.

[Silver Raven]

Why would they shut down ONE team in a league instead of the whole league?

[xaxat]

On 11/20/2019 at 8:29 AM, xaxat said:

There are a lot of pissed politicians right now.

Oh yeah, they're pissed.

Congress sends MLB a letter condemning the plan to eliminate minor league teams

And they are not too subtle

Quote

For over a century, Congress has taken numerous actions specifically designed to protect, preserve, and sustain a system and structure for both Major and Minor League Baseball to flourish.

Nice league you've got there. Be a shame if something happened to it.

[attica]

23 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Also: JJ Putz's name is pronounced "Puts."

Is that to rhyme with 'nuts' or with the same vowel sound as 'book'?

[smittykins]

As in “He puts it down.”

Yankees release Ellsbury, DFA Bird

[Lantern7]

25 minutes ago, attica said:

Is that to rhyme with 'nuts' or with the same vowel sound as 'book'?

The latter, I think. His name doesn't sound like the Yiddish word "putz" that most of us know.

[JTMacc99]

23 hours ago, catlover79 said:

Yes, we do!! ☺

Guys. I'm a Yankees fan, and I get a tear in my eye when they win that game.

As a matter of fact, "Major League" is my stock (and true) answer whenever anybody asks me if any movies make me cry.

[annzeepark914]

On 11/16/2019 at 7:51 PM, mojoween said:

My hubby and I watched Major League today (and yowzer some of that movie does not at all hold up) and we were laughing that in 30 years we went from “Wild Thing” to “Baby Shark”.

It's not on often but whenever it is, if I'm home, I'll make sure to watch the opening scene of some odd players arriving (cause to me they looked like a number of the 2005 Nationals when they arrived (from all over) for spring training (per all the crazy articles in the sports section of the Washington Post). Loved Wild Thing's haircut.

[catlover79]

My dream car...😉😂

Edited November 22, 2019 by catlover79

[xaxat]

[cleo]

I'm not gonna lie I don't think I've ever seen this movie.

[mojoween]

OH MY.  I don’t know if it’s streaming, but if so, go for it.  I mean, yes, it really is a movie made in 1989, but it’s worth it for Bob Uecker alone.  The rest is gravy.

Regarding the HoF ballot...I am obsessed with learning everything I can about Chone Figgins, because that name is marvelous.

[catlover79]

6 hours ago, xaxat said:

OK, that's also a pretty sweet ride. 😎

[xaxat]

This is why Andrew McCutchen will always be a beloved figure in Pittsburgh.

Former Pittsburgh Pirate Andrew McCutchen dances for child life specialist Hanna Williams, left, and patient Zoe Kenny, 6, during McCutchens visit to UMPC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019. As part of Project Pittsburgh, a movement to encourage volunteerism, McCutchen joined children in creating a variety of art projects at the hospital. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Even though he left years ago, he remains a part of the community.

[catlover79]

That is so sweet. ☺❤

[cleo]

10 hours ago, mojoween said:

OH MY.  I don’t know if it’s streaming, but if so, go for it.  

Yes I put it on my list...I just find there is so much to watch! I've slowly been making my way through the Rocky movies. So this is next.

Edited November 23, 2019 by cleo

[mojoween]

I would watch this right now.  

[smittykins]

I miss TWIB…*sigh*...

[xaxat]

Pre-ESPN TWIB was must see. That and The Sporting News were the only way to follow your team if you lived out of market and they weren't the Yankees or the Dodgers.

(I still have my copy of The Sporting News from after the Pirates '79 series.)

Edited November 23, 2019 by xaxat

[Silver Raven]

The Yankees have hired a female full time minor league hitting coach.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/yankees-hire-female-hitting-instructor-believed-to-be-a-first-150111715.html

[ebk57]

12 hours ago, xaxat said:

Pre-ESPN TWIB was must see. That and The Sporting News were the only way to follow your team if you lived out of market and they weren't the Yankees or the Dodgers.

(I still have my copy of The Sporting News from after the Pirates '79 series.)

I am liking this post even though you mentioned the '79 Series.  Blech.

On 11/22/2019 at 9:34 PM, cleo said:

Yes I put it on my list...I just find there is so much to watch! I've slowly been making my way through the Rocky movies. So this is next.

I just caught the end of this on Ovation, so it must be somewhere for you to watch.

I remember thinking this was a really stupid movie when I first saw it (in a theatre in Providence while visiting someone working there), but I've since come to appreciate it for what it is - a stupid, but really fun movie. 

[DoctorAtomic]

I had the Sporting News when it was delivered as an actual newspaper.

[annzeepark914]

It was on a couple nights ago so I watched the beginning (per usual...up to the scene in a restaurant where Tom Bergeron(?) sees his ex girlfriend w/ a guy). Love the voodoo ritual in front of the locker. And, of course, when the mgr wonders why no other team wanted the voodoo guy (after he hits the ball out of the park). I still burst out laughing . Ohhh...forgot about Uecker. Next time I'll watch the movie (and use the sappy romance sections for refrigerator breaks).

[JTMacc99]

21 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

...up to the scene in a restaurant where Tom Bergeron(?) sees his ex girlfriend w/ a guy

Tom Berenger.

And that scene has my one of my brother's favorite lines of the movie...

[catlover79]

Disturbing news:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/sports.yahoo.com/amphtml/report-mlb-investigating-pitcher-sam-dyson-for-domestic-violence-after-social-media-posts-201215199.html

[attica]

Good news, a long time coming: Marvin Miller, the Players Association lawyer who broke the reserve clause and ushered in free agency, has been elected into the HOF, by the modern-era committee.

Also elected was catcher Ted Simmons.

Quote

“Players are pleased that Marvin will now take his rightful and long overdue place in the Hall of Fame in recognition of the monumental and positive impact he had on our game and our industry," the MLBPA’s executive director, Tony Clark, said in a statement.

It is important for me to point out that Tony Clark was my baseball boyfriend in 2004. 😆 I retain lingering affection for him.

[AimingforYoko]

Stephen Strasburg got paaaaaaaaaaaid.

The Nats totally had to do this. But how is this contract going to look in years 5-7?

[annzeepark914]

2 hours ago, AimingforYoko said:

Stephen Strasburg got paaaaaaaaaaaid.

The Nats totally had to do this. But how is this contract going to look in years 5-7?

Uh-hunh. SS has had surgery, has had to be on the DL quite a bit each season. I'd have taken Rendon instead. The Lerners shouldn't be in MLB.

[morriss]

Strasburg is an elite pitcher right now, but how elite will he be when he is 38?  $245 is a pretty steep price for at most 3 more good years.

[JTMacc99]

31 minutes ago, morriss said:

Strasburg is an elite pitcher right now, but how elite will he be when he is 38?  $245 is a pretty steep price for at most 3 more good years.

It's an interesting deal as $80 million is deferred money to be paid 2028-2030. I wonder if that makes the length of the deal 10 years rather than seven for the purpose of the Tax.  

[mojoween]

NO DIDI NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Sew Sumi]

Freeing up some $$$$$ for Cole.

[Harry24]

I'm gutted.  Just gutted.  I love Ser Didi.  (I know it's Sir Didi, but I got a kick out of placing his awesome self in the GOT universe.)

[theatremouse]

On 12/9/2019 at 1:44 PM, AimingforYoko said:

The Nats totally had to do this. But how is this contract going to look in years 5-7?

Bad. It's gonna look real bad. To me it almost already does? He's not as elite as he was advertised to be from the start. He's Very Good, certainly, but not the most amazing amazingness.

I mean, who knows, maybe salaries will bloat and in five years the annual numbers won't seem so huge. But probably, this is going to look idiotic - possibly as soon as two years from now.

[mojoween]

I get what Cole did last year, but paying someone 300 mil in the hopes he will do it again will always seem crazy to me.  
Although Cut 4 will always make me laugh...

Edited December 11, 2019 by mojoween

[smittykins]

12 hours ago, mojoween said:

NO DIDI NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I’m surprised he only got a 1-year deal.(Yeah, I know he’s coming off TJ, but i was expecting 2-3 years.)

[JTMacc99]

4 hours ago, smittykins said:

I’m surprised he only got a 1-year deal.(Yeah, I know he’s coming off TJ, but i was expecting 2-3 years.)

I didn't see the details of how much he got, One year, $14 million is probably one of those things where he's taking a chance on himself by agreeing to a one hear deal. If he has a good year coming off the injury, and looks like he's the same player he was before the surgery, then he can go get an excellent long term deal.

It's tricky business in MLB, because he probably could have gotten himself a 2-3 year deal with a lot more guaranteed money than this one year deal, but he'd be locked in at a discounted rate if it turns out he's the 2016-2017 version of himself. On the other hand, if he's not the same player, he's lost out on money he could have guaranteed himself.

Edited December 11, 2019 by JTMacc99

[smittykins]

GARDY’S BACK!

ETA:  Romine signs with Tigers.  Damn.

Edited December 12, 2019 by smittykins

[mojoween]

Noooooooooooooo. Ro left?   Aww dammit.

But we’ll always have this.

[smittykins]

I confess that my first thought after “Aw, damn!” was “Who’s gonna be the backup catcher?”  I completely forgot about Higgy. 😳

Edited December 13, 2019 by smittykins

[JTMacc99]

2 hours ago, smittykins said:

I confess that my first thought after “Aw, damn!” was “Who’s gonna be the backup catcher?”  I completely forgot about Higgy. 😳

The Yankees should, and probably will, bring in another decent backup catcher, preferably a good glove. There is simply too much injury history there not to be well prepared for it to happen again.

[Harry24]

2 hours ago, JTMacc99 said:

The Yankees should, and probably will, bring in another decent backup catcher, preferably a good glove. There is simply too much injury history there not to be well prepared for it to happen again.

I read somewhere that they're looking into getting Cole's personal catcher from the Astros.

[prican58]

I already miss Ro and Didi. Didi's enthusiasm and joy of playing is what this team always needs. Romine is a solid catcher and fairly disciplined at the plate in the last 2 yrs or so. I always have an image of solid guys behind the plate in Detroit. He will look good in that home uni of the Tigers which is just as iconic as the Pinstripes in terms of identifying a team. I wish they would do something about those road unis. They are awful.

[shoregirl]

Didi and Zach look good in those Phillies uniforms 

Edited December 17, 2019 by shoregirl

[lb60]

3 hours ago, shoregirl said:

Did and Zach look good in those Phillies uniforms 

Phantastic (see what I did there?)!

[cleo]

I don't have a link but there was an article on espn that said this bullshit 3 batter rule won't even shorten the game that much. They looked at a bunch of previous games and assessed how many pitching changes would have been eliminated.

I don't understand why they implement these drastic rules that don't even accomplish what they want it to. So 4 minutes will be shaved off every third game or something. Woot! That'll make the young'uns watch! 

So stupid. I'm not a traditionalist really but this seems like too much for too little return. Ironically the shortest games are the ones with all strikeouts/homers and they are also sometimes the most boring.

[theatremouse]

They've already had time-between-pitches rules for years, which they never enforce. They don't need more new time-related rules, just enforce the previous, which for reasons unknown still doesn't really happen.

[mojoween]

Not Dellin too WTF.

I can only hope that since he is rehabbing half the year that when the season’s end comes and he can opt out, Cashman snaps him back up.  Then his rehab will be paid for on the Mets dime.

[cleo]

I don't think there's many Jays fans here, but I'm happy about the Ryu signing. I was completely shocked by it though.

I watch the Dodgers a lot, so I've seen Ryu pitch a lot. He is injury prone and sometimes he's just completely off, but when he's good he's pretty good. I'm a little more interested in the season. I don't expect much- it would be nice if they could break 500. But I will at least watch and see how it goes, bc before this signing I had every intention of just watching LA all season. 

I wish baseball were starting sooner though...as soon as xmas is over I'm ready for it lol.