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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Apr 21, 2015 23:07:39 GMT -5
even with all the injuries, the mets are off to a terrific start. i had almost forgotten what it was like to watch a good team It's a hot start, that's for sure.....but don't get too confident, it is only April. Last year, the Blue Jays had a really hot start leading the AFC East by a lot with Edwin Encarnacion having a great May, but both those things slid in the summer and we missed the playoffs. |
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Urethra Franklin
King Koopa
When Toronto sports teams lose, Alison Brie is sad
Posts: 11,101
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Post by Urethra Franklin on Apr 21, 2015 23:15:41 GMT -5
So twice this season, the Orioles have thrown behind Jose Bautista. Twice, the next pitch has ended up in the bleachers.
Buck Showalter is a coward who expects his and his team's actions to go without repercussion.
When you throw at guys, your guys will get hurt in return. It's dumb and childish, but that's what happens, so when Aaron Sanchez plunks Adam Jones hard tomorrow night, remember it started with you.
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Post by HMARK Center on Apr 22, 2015 5:55:25 GMT -5
even with all the injuries, the mets are off to a terrific start. i had almost forgotten what it was like to watch a good team It's a hot start, that's for sure.....but don't get too confident, it is only April. Last year, the Blue Jays had a really hot start leading the AFC East by a lot with Edwin Encarnacion having a great May, but both those things slid in the summer and we missed the playoffs. Recall the words of Yogi, though: "It gets late early around here." Yes, it's definitely too early to draw conclusions, and it's almost a given that Washington is gong to go on a sick run at some point this season, but what the Mets have done, at the bare minimum, is give themselves enough of a cushion that if they were to play .500 ball from here on in, they'd still finish with 85-86 wins, enough to be competitive in the WC race and enough to tell the fanbase "the team is back", all of which bodes very well for 2016. As it is, I think it's safe to say they have the ability and, most importantly of all, the roster/farm depth to compete better than that. Frankly, that's the single biggest factor that had be baffled when so many prognosticators were picking the Marlins to win a Wild Card spot, or even the World Series: not only does Miami have a pretty unbalanced 25 man roster (GREAT outfield, mediocre at best infield, a great ace in Fernandez who isn't even back yet and a pretty 'meh' back of the rotation), they also have no depth to speak of, since most of their best farm system talent got called up to the big leagues already. Contrast that with the Mets, who are at least 10 decent-to-high end potential arms deep for their rotation, plenty leftover for the bullpen, and were just able to replace their young catcher who looked like an All Star with another young catcher who's a top 50 prospect. I know, baseball writers/talking heads are lazy, but still, that's the kind of thing prognosticators have to take into account. |
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Post by ThereIsNoAbsurdistOnlyZuul on Apr 22, 2015 6:10:52 GMT -5
So twice this season, the Orioles have thrown behind Jose Bautista. Twice, the next pitch has ended up in the bleachers. Buck Showalter is a coward who expects his and his team's actions to go without repercussion. When you throw at guys, your guys will get hurt in return. It's dumb and childish, but that's what happens, so when Aaron Sanchez plunks Adam Jones hard tomorrow night, remember it started with you. And here: |
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Apr 22, 2015 10:39:52 GMT -5
Bernie Williams hasn't played in the MLB since 2006 but he never signed retirement papers. That'll change on Friday according to the Yankees. He'll celebrate retirement by throwing out the first pitch before the game against the Mets.
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Post by HMARK Center on Apr 22, 2015 11:00:07 GMT -5
Bernie Williams hasn't played in the MLB since 2006 but he never signed retirement papers. That'll change on Friday according to the Yankees. He'll celebrate retirement by throwing out the first pitch before the game against the Mets. I went to the All Star Game at Citi Field in 2013, but first went to the Sunday festivities that happened before the game, which included the Futures Game and the Celebrity Softball Game. So because it was New York, they felt the need to focus the softball game on both Mets and Yankees alumni, even though we were in the Mets' park. I brought my girlfriend to that, who's a Yankees fan, and one of the players introduced for the "AL" side of the game was Bernie Williams, who got a smattering of boos for being such a good player for the Yankees for so long. I leaned down to my girlfriend and said "Eh, I can't boo Bernie. Of all the Yankees from those years, he always seemed the most professional to me." It's true: had I been a Yankees fan (perish the thought), I'm sure Bernie would've been my favorite player. Then they asked Bernie about it, and, playing along with the crowd, Williams said something like "It's alright; being back on the Mets' field takes me back to 2000, when I caught the last out of that World Series." Next breath, I'm leaning back up screaming "BOOO! BOOO! I HATE YOU! I HAAAATE YOOOOOU!!!" Thankfully, my girlfriend just rolled her eyes and laughed at me. |
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Apr 22, 2015 14:20:05 GMT -5
Bernie Williams hasn't played in the MLB since 2006 but he never signed retirement papers. That'll change on Friday according to the Yankees. He'll celebrate retirement by throwing out the first pitch before the game against the Mets. I went to the All Star Game at Citi Field in 2013, but first went to the Sunday festivities that happened before the game, which included the Futures Game and the Celebrity Softball Game. So because it was New York, they felt the need to focus the softball game on both Mets and Yankees alumni, even though we were in the Mets' park. I brought my girlfriend to that, who's a Yankees fan, and one of the players introduced for the "AL" side of the game was Bernie Williams, who got a smattering of boos for being such a good player for the Yankees for so long. I leaned down to my girlfriend and said "Eh, I can't boo Bernie. Of all the Yankees from those years, he always seemed the most professional to me." It's true: had I been a Yankees fan (perish the thought), I'm sure Bernie would've been my favorite player. Then they asked Bernie about it, and, playing along with the crowd, Williams said something like "It's alright; being back on the Mets' field takes me back to 2000, when I caught the last out of that World Series." Next breath, I'm leaning back up screaming "BOOO! BOOO! I HATE YOU! I HAAAATE YOOOOOU!!!" Thankfully, my girlfriend just rolled her eyes and laughed at me. Like I said, I went to a Yankees game with my late uncle against the Rangers (when A-Rod was still with them) and the person who got cheered the loudest was Bernie Williams, even more than Derek Jeter (although it did help that the Rangers were winning and Bernie Williams was able to come out from the bench to win the game). So yeah, Yankees fans loved him. |
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Post by HMARK Center on Apr 22, 2015 16:31:44 GMT -5
So twice this season, the Orioles have thrown behind Jose Bautista. Twice, the next pitch has ended up in the bleachers. Buck Showalter is a coward who expects his and his team's actions to go without repercussion. When you throw at guys, your guys will get hurt in return. It's dumb and childish, but that's what happens, so when Aaron Sanchez plunks Adam Jones hard tomorrow night, remember it started with you. And here: Good find, by the way. I think a big factor that stands in the way of fan enjoyment of baseball is its newspaper-writing, traditionalist "gatekeepers". No, in real life they're not actually that influential. But they do set a tone that seems to say "anybody playing this game who looks like they're having fun ought to be ashamed of themselves", or "anybody who plays this game with passion, gets angry, or demonstrates emotion is a disgrace to the sport." I'll put it bluntly: I enjoy baseball rivalries, and enjoy it when the Phillies, Marlins, or Braves lose (the Nats, after this season, will likely have their spot on my hate list). That said, of the three major leagues I follow (MLB, NHL, NFL), MLB is the one where rivalries mean the absolute least to me, and I wonder if a lot of that has to do with baseball removing, as Olbermann says, that aspect of "menace". A good Devils/Flyers hockey game is a fast-paced, hard-hitting affair, with a potential for fights or at least post-whistle shoving and shouting. It becomes palpable that the two teams dislike one another, and it's a sensation that only grows when two rivals meet in the Stanley Cup Playoff. As a Devils fan, I nearly have as much hatred for the Rangers and Flyers as I have love for the Devils. As a Giants football fan, I think I may actually hate the Cowboys and Eagles more than I like the Giants. Could a lot of this have to do with the nature of those sports? Probably: if two teams don't like one another, you'll know it instantly, as there'll be hitting, shoving, obvious trash talk, and guys not being afraid to make it clear where their dislike lies. Martin Brodeur even had it put in his autobiography: "I hate the Rangers." Go into an arena like that for a rivalry game, and you sense the sheer electricity in the air among the fans. Baseball CAN have that feeling, too: but while baseball has made some admirable choices concerning player safety, it's also gone overboard to ensure that nothing "menacing" ever seems to happen, which leaves a lot of rivalries feeling milquetoast and forgettable. I don't want guys getting hit in the head, ala Roger Clemens beaning Mike Piazza, but rough slides into second to break up double plays, tough hits at the plate trying to score a run, a pitcher not being afraid to pitch inside to buzz a batter off the plate...these things matter, and add to the feeling of dislike or animosity, and create a charged atmosphere. It's why, suddenly, all the Baltimore vs. Toronto games left this season may well feel like must-watch baseball. It's why Pedro Martinez is so memorable for his "I'll drill the Bambino in his fat ass" line. It's why Mets and Braves fans were ready to kill one another in the late 90s, after all the John Rocker insanity and hard plays between guys like Piazza and Chipper Jones. Hell, I think this lack of menace is what destroyed my interest in the NBA: I grew up watching the Ewing/Oakley-led Knicks engage in insanely physical battles with, and create fierce rivalries with, the Bulls, Pacers, and Heat. In an era where playing defense basically means an automatic foul, that sense of "menace" feels absolutely lost. Baseball has had tons of great rivalries over the years; it needs to let them have a little bit of juice again. |
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Post by Vice honcho room temperature on Apr 22, 2015 16:38:30 GMT -5
f*** I've been watching more baseball this season on average then the last few ones. Helps the Mets don't come in as a team at least a year away from being decent anymore
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Post by angryfan on Apr 22, 2015 16:40:44 GMT -5
Good find, by the way. I think a big factor that stands in the way of fan enjoyment of baseball is its newspaper-writing, traditionalist "gatekeepers". No, in real life they're not actually that influential. But they do set a tone that seems to say "anybody playing this game who looks like they're having fun ought to be ashamed of themselves", or "anybody who plays this game with passion, gets angry, or demonstrates emotion is a disgrace to the sport." I'll put it bluntly: I enjoy baseball rivalries, and enjoy it when the Phillies, Marlins, or Braves lose (the Nats, after this season, will likely have their spot on my hate list). That said, of the three major leagues I follow (MLB, NHL, NFL), MLB is the one where rivalries mean the absolute least to me, and I wonder if a lot of that has to do with baseball removing, as Olbermann says, that aspect of "menace". A good Devils/Flyers hockey game is a fast-paced, hard-hitting affair, with a potential for fights or at least post-whistle shoving and shouting. It becomes palpable that the two teams dislike one another, and it's a sensation that only grows when two rivals meet in the Stanley Cup Playoff. As a Devils fan, I nearly have as much hatred for the Rangers and Flyers as I have love for the Devils. As a Giants football fan, I think I may actually hate the Cowboys and Eagles more than I like the Giants. Could a lot of this have to do with the nature of those sports? Probably: if two teams don't like one another, you'll know it instantly, as there'll be hitting, shoving, obvious trash talk, and guys not being afraid to make it clear where their dislike lies. Martin Brodeur even had it put in his autobiography: "I hate the Rangers." Go into an arena like that for a rivalry game, and you sense the sheer electricity in the air among the fans. Baseball CAN have that feeling, too: but while baseball has made some admirable choices concerning player safety, it's also gone overboard to ensure that nothing "menacing" ever seems to happen, which leaves a lot of rivalries feeling milquetoast and forgettable. I don't want guys getting hit in the head, ala Roger Clemens beaning Mike Piazza, but rough slides into second to break up double plays, tough hits at the plate trying to score a run, a pitcher not being afraid to pitch inside to buzz a batter off the plate...these things matter, and add to the feeling of dislike or animosity, and create a charged atmosphere. It's why, suddenly, all the Baltimore vs. Toronto games left this season may well feel like must-watch baseball. It's why Pedro Martinez is so memorable for his "I'll drill the Bambino in his fat ass" line. It's why Mets and Braves fans were ready to kill one another in the late 90s, after all the John Rocker insanity and hard plays between guys like Piazza and Chipper Jones. Hell, I think this lack of menace is what destroyed my interest in the NBA: I grew up watching the Ewing/Oakley-led Knicks engage in insanely physical battles with, and create fierce rivalries with, the Bulls, Pacers, and Heat. In an era where playing defense basically means an automatic foul, that sense of "menace" feels absolutely lost. Baseball has had tons of great rivalries over the years; it needs to let them have a little bit of juice again. F***in' A. I LOVE baseball. A beautifully pitched game, a great defensive play, I can sit and watch those all day. If it's my team, I'm ecstatic, if it's against my team I start swearing and demanding blood (though I will at least have a moment of "God damn, that was pretty, but f*** that guy), and if I have no rooting interest then I just sit and admire. I'm not saying I want head hunting wars or catchers being murdered in home-plate collisions for no reason, but if you're too scared to play hard then it pisses me off. I don't care about the NBA anymore. I can admire a team's talent, but I grew up in the 80's with the same league you did. How would the Nicks, Lakers, Celtics, or God forbid the Pistons have reacted to flopping? I'll tell you right now, Bill Laimbeer would have earned his flagrant fouls by putting someone four rows deep and busted open. Baseball s the same way. My childhood Indians teams SUCKED. We were awful to the point that I cried in the theater watching Major League because it was the happy ending that I didn't think real life would ever give me. But as must as we sucked, and as much as we'd get rolled by the meh at the time Yankees, those games were absolute wars. Hard slides, pitching inside, and intimidation were part of it, and neither team (at the time) was ever playing for a damn thing more than pride. |
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Apr 22, 2015 16:47:27 GMT -5
So everyone is talking about Adam Jones getting pissed at Jose Bautista for slowly walking around the bases after a home run, after the pitcher the pitch before threw behind him.
Now I am a Blue Jays fan so I might have a bit of bias, but when you try to hit a guy with a pitch (which is exactly what happened) and he hits the home run on the next pitch, he has every right to shove it in your face.
Adam Jones, your team got fresh and they paid for it. Stop whining and take this as a lesson.
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Ben Wyatt
Crow T. Robot
Are You Gonna Go My Way?
I don't get it. At all. It's kind of a small horse, I mean what am I missing? Am I crazy?
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Post by Ben Wyatt on Apr 22, 2015 17:32:31 GMT -5
So everyone is talking about Adam Jones getting pissed at Jose Bautista for slowly walking around the bases after a home run, after the pitcher the pitch before threw behind him. Now I am a Blue Jays fan so I might have a bit of bias, but when you try to hit a guy with a pitch (which is exactly what happened) and he hits the home run on the next pitch, he has every right to shove it in your face. Adam Jones, your team got fresh and they paid for it. Stop whining and take this as a lesson. Maybe it's me, but the Orioles seem to have a tendency to whine a lot. |
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Post by The Captain on Apr 22, 2015 18:07:42 GMT -5
I think baseball culture as a whole really needs to lighten up. Like, people get legitimately incensed if a guy admires his home run or flashes his bat. I don't know if letting that stuff just happen would add to a "menace," but I want to see guys be cocky. I want to see home run celebrations and pitchers show up batters who hit a homer off them earlier. Maybe get into some shouting matches without the bullpens clearing out and the umpires just letting things work out. I think these micro-aggressions will be less likely to lead to someone deciding "Maybe I'll throw a 100 mph fastball at this guy's head. That'll show 'em!" Maybe it doesn't happen as much because of how powerful the MLBPA is. Or because of the nature of free agency combined with no salary cap. Or because Baseball still feels like it's stuck in an era gone by. But basically it feels like this guy is in front of every clubhouse, dugout, and bullpen.  |
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andrew8798
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Post by andrew8798 on Apr 22, 2015 19:57:55 GMT -5
Barry Bonds conviction of obstruction has been overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
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Post by HMARK Center on Apr 22, 2015 20:30:28 GMT -5
Any of you guys catch Chris Rock's segment on HBO Real Sports? He did a whole bit on why black people have largely abandoned baseball. Really interesting stuff, and I think some of the reasons he gives tie in decently with the Olbermann segment above.
He does make a really scary point: 80% of baseball viewership is white, but the much bigger problem? It's average age is over 50.
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andrew8798
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Post by andrew8798 on Apr 22, 2015 20:38:27 GMT -5
They facing the same problems WWE is having not getting the younger fan
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Apr 22, 2015 20:40:09 GMT -5
They facing the same problems WWE is having not getting the younger fan I don't think they are having problems getting the younger fan. What they are having problems with is getting the African American fan. |
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andrew8798
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Post by andrew8798 on Apr 22, 2015 20:40:32 GMT -5
Mariners signed OF Carlos Quentin to a minor league contract.
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Renslayer
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
every time i come around your city...
Posts: 17,402
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Post by Renslayer on Apr 22, 2015 21:20:07 GMT -5
Mets keep doing that winning thing. I like that Wilmer Flores is playing well too
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 22, 2015 22:21:05 GMT -5
Mets are the best team in baseball right now  |
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