2011 MLB Catch-All Thread

[caulfield12]

They are playing a video game in real life. That's like the only way I can describe that. They lost Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena (who cares), and their entire bullpen, a member of their rotation, their starting SS, and it's no big deal. Seriously, WTF? That's the kind of s*** you pull off in OOTP, not with a major league team.

 

The Rays are like quite literally the polar opposite of the White Sox.

 

I'm a Sox homer - not as big as some, but more than most - so I want to clarify that and point out that I don't mean that in any negative connotation whatsoever, because both styles can work. But the Rays don't resign their free agents, they make tons of trades to bring in young players, they use the prospects within their system for their major league team and nothing else, and they build, manage, and coach their team through sabermetric philosophies. The White Sox have done, for the most part, none of those things over the past 10 years. Neither style is necessarily wrong (I think both are wrong, personally, but the Rays are forced to do so because they are not a wealthy franchise, not by choice), it's just attacking the monster with different tactics.

 

 

 

What's most impressive is that they weathered the 0-6 start (thanks partially to the White Sox breathing life into them with that comeback win we gave away), they've been missing Longoria for most of the season, they're starting Brignac/Johnson at SS (who would both fit better on the Twins' AAA team), they lost their predicted DH in Manny Ramirez right off the bat and Jaso/catchers haven't made as much of a contribution as in the past.

 

Not to mention that Fuld's been in a 3 week slump after his fantastic play to start the season.

 

Pitching, pitching, pitching. And obviously the right call not to sign Soriano, the Yankees can absorb that loss, though, just like the Red Sox with Jenks.

 

And Desmond Jennings isn't very far away at all, he just might end up having a better season than Crawford at 1/100th the cost.

 

 

[LittleHurt05]

Matt Joyce is a beast. Rays up 5-0. This organization is amazing.

 

And Joe Maddon is a smart enough manager to sit Joyce against lefties cause he can't hit them, instead of putting him in a situation to fail like many other managers would do.

 

Most of the FAs the Rays lost are struggling with their new teams too

[Balta1701]

Mark Derosa looks like he just tore his wrist while starting his swing. What a fraud!

How the Hell does that make a player a "fraud"?

[Balta1701]

Pitching, pitching, pitching. And obviously the right call not to sign Soriano, the Yankees can absorb that loss, though, just like the Red Sox with Jenks.

The Rays will enjoy the draft picks.

[Jordan4life_2007]

They are playing a video game in real life. That's like the only way I can describe that. They lost Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena (who cares), and their entire bullpen, a member of their rotation, their starting SS, and it's no big deal. Seriously, WTF? That's the kind of s*** you pull off in OOTP, not with a major league team.

 

The Rays are like quite literally the polar opposite of the White Sox.

 

I'm a Sox homer - not as big as some, but more than most - so I want to clarify that and point out that I don't mean that in any negative connotation whatsoever, because both styles can work. But the Rays don't resign their free agents, they make tons of trades to bring in young players, they use the prospects within their system for their major league team and nothing else, and they build, manage, and coach their team through sabermetric philosophies. The White Sox have done, for the most part, none of those things over the past 10 years. Neither style is necessarily wrong (I think both are wrong, personally, but the Rays are forced to do so because they are not a wealthy franchise, not by choice), it's just attacking the monster with different tactics.

 

Your vocabulary continues to impress. Great post.

[ptatc]

And Joe Maddon is a smart enough manager to sit Joyce against lefties cause he can't hit them, instead of putting him in a situation to fail like many other managers would do.

 

Most of the FAs the Rays lost are struggling with their new teams too

 

I don't think this should last for very long. You want a young player to build his confidence but you don't want to take a talented player and make him a platoon player. If he always sits against LHP he will have no chance to become a star.

 

[NorthSideSox72]

How the Hell does that make a player a "fraud"?

Seems he's hinting at some sort of chemical enhancement.

 

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Red Sox trade for Franklin Morales. DFA Hideki Okajima.

[chw42]

What's most impressive is that they weathered the 0-6 start (thanks partially to the White Sox breathing life into them with that comeback win we gave away), they've been missing Longoria for most of the season, they're starting Brignac/Johnson at SS (who would both fit better on the Twins' AAA team), they lost their predicted DH in Manny Ramirez right off the bat and Jaso/catchers haven't made as much of a contribution as in the past.

 

Not to mention that Fuld's been in a 3 week slump after his fantastic play to start the season.

Pitching, pitching, pitching. And obviously the right call not to sign Soriano, the Yankees can absorb that loss, though, just like the Red Sox with Jenks.

 

And Desmond Jennings isn't very far away at all, he just might end up having a better season than Crawford at 1/100th the cost.

 

Fuld's slump is no accident. The guy's not that good.

[Balta1701]

Red Sox trade for Franklin Morales. DFA Hideki Okajima.

Also signed Kevin Millwood.

[Balta1701]

When the Yankees built the new stadium, they insisted that they needed 2000 more parking spaces than the previous stadium despite the new one having lower capacity.

 

NY City issued $237 million in taxpayer supported bonds to pay for the expansion of the Yankees parking system. They also built the parking garage on the areas only other community baseball field.

 

On a typical day, the garage is now ~1/3 full and is on the verge of defaulting on the debts. They've raised their prices to $35 to try to extract more from the people parking there.

 

But of course, the players and the VIP's use the same garage, so it's ok for everyone else to subsidize that.

[southsider2k5]

When the Yankees built the new stadium, they insisted that they needed 2000 more parking spaces than the previous stadium despite the new one having lower capacity.

 

NY City issued $237 million in taxpayer supported bonds to pay for the expansion of the Yankees parking system. They also built the parking garage on the areas only other community baseball field.

 

On a typical day, the garage is now ~1/3 full and is on the verge of defaulting on the debts. They've raised their prices to $35 to try to extract more from the people parking there.

 

But of course, the players and the VIP's use the same garage, so it's ok for everyone else to subsidize that.

 

Just close your eyes and think of it as a stimulus program... That will make it all better.

[Balta1701]

Just close your eyes and think of it as a stimulus program... That will make it all better.

It's money going from the taxpayers to rich people. Shouldn't that make you happy?

[Brian]

Mike F'n Stanton

[ChiliIrishHammock24]

Mike F'n Stanton

 

Fantasy team.

[Brian]

Fantasy team.

 

Ditto

[fathom]

That was a cheap walkoff homer that Prince hit

[chw42]

Jose Bautista with another two homers today.

[Balta1701]

Jose Bautista with another two homers today.

Man, I started watching that game and turned it off to watch M-56.

[LittleHurt05]

Jose Bautista with another two homers today.

 

HGH is a hell of a drug

[witesoxfan]

Jose Bautista with another two homers today.

 

f***ing boner jams

 

HGH is a hell of a drug

 

I read something that suggested that basically, HGH is hit or miss with people and it simply can't have that drastic of an effect.

 

I also saw someone finally make a point I was thinking about but it was so out there that I didn't want to make it - this jump is simply too big for it to be PEDs alone. When there is clear video evidence of a mechanical adjustment, I'm going to assume that, but I think other people can acknowledge that the dude has changed too while convicting him of PED use as well.

 

(I still think it's a f***ing joke that the first thing people say about Jose Bautista is "STEROIDS/HGH/PIGS FEET/WHATEVER"...it's insulting)

[Balta1701]

(I still think it's a f***ing joke that the first thing people say about Jose Bautista is "STEROIDS/HGH/PIGS FEET/WHATEVER"...it's insulting)

MLB earned it. Don't blame the people making the assumption. Every time they gave someone the benefits of the doubt for the last decade, it turned out that the person was juicing.

[SoxAce]

MLB earned it. Don't blame the people making the assumption. Every time they gave someone the benefits of the doubt for the last decade, it turned out that the person was juicing.

 

Yea but with stronger testing now-a-days? Seems people assume it more now than they did 4-5 years ago even when they have PEDs in their system, they will get caught. Now could Jose be taking something that hasn't been identified yet? Maybe, but it still makes me shake my head when people still assume a guy is juicing, especially when he's still hitting bombs, not having a big HR year and suddenly falling off. (Brady Anderson)

[flavum]

Pods signed with the Phillies.

[Balta1701]

Yea but with stronger testing now-a-days? Seems people assume it more now than they did 4-5 years ago even when they have PEDs in their system, they will get caught. Now could Jose be taking something that hasn't been identified yet? Maybe, but it still makes me shake my head when people still assume a guy is juicing, especially when he's still hitting bombs, not having a big HR year and suddenly falling off. (Brady Anderson)

Well, first of all, everyone admits there's no test for HGH...and secondly, yeah, its entirely possible that there's things that haven't been ID'd yet or that people have found ways around the regime.