Killeverything's (New)NeverEndingBaseballThread

[killeverything]

Man, Minny won. Justin Morneau should give Nomar a call at this point.

The thing about the Yankees is that they made a lot of little moves that were really good that get overlooked because of the three big ticket items: Swisher/Hairston/Hinske and keeping Cabrera. Those help during this time of the year. They're deep.

If the Great Yankees make it to the second round, I hope its The Red Sox. Not that I'm so confident, its just The Angels play a game the Yankees can't match. And I want to see Killeverything cry like Dick Vermeil.

By the way, Sciosia went on record that The Five Million Dollar Man, Bobby Abreau was easily the team's MVP.

Awesome.

I loved the Swisher pick-up. I knew it was a good trade. I believe I mentioned it before. I was pissed Boston didn't seem to make that one happen, or if they were even interested.

That player right there, is living proof that Guillen is a fucking moron. He was great when Beane had him, and I knew he'd be great in NY.

[JakeYonkel]

Ozzie fucked up by sticking him in center field and having him hit leadoff... two things he should not do.

He's never gonna hit .280, but he has a ridiculous OBP and hits home runs. Adam Dunn-lite without the price tag.

[killeverything]

Ozzie fucked up by sticking him in center field and having him hit leadoff... two things he should not do.

He's never gonna hit .280, but he has a ridiculous OBP and hits home runs. Adam Dunn-lite without the price tag.

I think the biggest fuckup Guillen did was his lack of plate discipline. Swisher is a notoriously patient hitter ( Moneyball, OBP is king, etc. ). Ozzie is from the Nomah "swing at the first pitch always" mentality.

Put Swisher somewhere they preach, practice and I fucking think invented plate discipline.......and he's going to thrive. The MFY are able to keep him in as low-pressure as you could be playing in New York enviroment. Which works wonders since he's a pretty streaky hitter, but when he's hot he is HOT. Speaking of which he hit HR number 28 tonite. Who saw that coming at the start of the season?

If you say "you did", you lie.

[JakeYonkel]

I'd hate to be a Twins fan. Imagine knowing your season is on the line in the hands of CARL PAVANO.

Take that in for a minute.

[Machado]

I'd hate to be a Twins fan. Imagine knowing your season is on the line in the hands of CARL PAVANO.

Take that in for a minute.

A.K.A., "The Idle".....
He is capable of going 2 2/3, giving up 9 runs or
going 8 innings, giving up 3 runs on 10 hits.
Ya never know with "The Idle".

Does he show up big time or does he fail???

[Punk]

The Twins should be getting the credit Billy Beane gets. Imagine if they still had Johann Santana? This would not be a discussion. Every year they're in it despite losing players. Its hard not to root for them.

In that regard, they're like the Bizarro Pirates.

[killeverything]

The Twins should be getting the credit Billy Beane gets. Imagine if they still had Johann Santana? This would not be a discussion. Every year they're in it despite losing players. Its hard not to root for them.

I contribute a lot of the Twins success to Gardenhire. Every year they shouldn't be, but every year they are in the Playoff hunt. Disgruntled team, terrible stadium, an owner that refuses to do anything for the team ( reminds me of that Rachel Phelps in Major League ). In that regard, you gotta credit Gardenhire.

He's not a manager we hear discussed a lot. Not a brilliant tactician ( Scosscia ), not a National League always keep the runners moving ( Torre ), Post-Season pitching matchup genius ( Francona ). He's kind of under the radar. I think I've heard MLBN talk about him recently. Other than that?

I should look and see where Hardball Times or Baseball Prospectus rank him as a manager. FYI Surprisingly Torre, Scosscia, Stengel and Francona all rank pretty low using their system.

[killeverything]

I do too. But still, the Twins as an organization have been way more successful than the A's since Billy Beane started selling books. He had three great pitchers and couldn't get past the first round. These guys keep a low profile and just draft and develop pitchers out of the wazoo.

I see your point, but what the Twins do isn't "sexy".

When Micheal Lewis wrote Moneyball it was in response to Beane taking a chance on drafts other teams passed up. Except those "chances" turned out two AL MVPs, one ( undeserved ) Cy Young, one 19 game win streak, and one 180 million dollar contract from the MFY.

That was the whole "selling point" so to speak. The "Little Team That Could" takes on the big money giants in the AL East. That GM is a genius. How does he do it? What's On-Base Percentage? What's Sabremetrics? It was the perfect time for that ( what is possibly my all-time favorite ) book.

If it would've been about Minnesota, it probably wouldn't have been a best seller. That's not a knock on Minnesota at all, it's just the owner has made them a kind of unlikeable franchise being such a unGodly rich penny pincher.

Now we get a book that gives Joe Morgan's retarded ass an anyeurism. Still almost ten years later, after being corrected every time he say's it. That dumb motherfucker still thinks Billy Beane wrote it about himself. How people can be so fucking stupid is beyond me.

[Punk]

Yeah, well you can rinse your tears in your Super Bowls.

I typically rinse in my Stanley Cups, but your idea is pretty good as well.

[Machado]

Did The Idle, a.k.a. pavano come up big time
last night or what? He sure did, if you were the detroit tigers.
Way to give up 7 runs in less than 5 innings.

[killeverything]

The Cleveland Indians have fired Eric Wedge and the rest of the coaching staff.

I find the timing odd. Either they're doing that to send a message or they've got someone else lined up already.

[JakeYonkel]

Rumor has it that they're looking at John Farrell.

And man, did it please me to see Carl Pavano get killed yesterday.

Although the thought of seeing Pavano on the mound at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs would have made my day, too.

[Machado]

Rumor has it that they're looking at John Farrell.

And man, did it please me to see Carl Pavano get killed yesterday.

Although the thought of seeing Pavano on the mound at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs would have made my day, too.

you and i think alike.
satisfied seeing him getting rocked in the biggest game of the season.
way to show up and perform up to your contract.
then again, if the twins won and were to advance, would be great drama to see him on the rubber vs the Yankees in The Bronx.
oh well.

[killeverything]

Rumor has it that they're looking at John Farrell.

And man, did it please me to see Carl Pavano get killed yesterday.

Although the thought of seeing Pavano on the mound at Yankee Stadium in the playoffs would have made my day, too.

Yeah, Farrell's been holding out for an higher job. I would be happy for him, but it would suck to lose that guy. He's been great with the pitching staff and breaking in the youngsters, etc. I feel like a dick wanting him not to get a possible offer.

As for Pavano, it would be awesome seeing him on the mound at new MFY Stadium. Especially since the last two times he's pitched against NY, he shut them out only to have his bullpen fuck him, and last time it was Playoffs ( well World Series ) in game 3 of 2003, he beat Clemens.

With how they're playing right now though, they'd probably pound him like his name was John Smoltz.

[Machado]

just read the twins won again today.

[killeverything]

just read the twins won again today.

Yep, 8-3. That would be fucking awesome to see them come from behind to take the Division from Detroit. Both are supremely undermatched against NY though. Although a "team on fire" come from behind to take the lead story is good for Baseball.

For the ALDS I'd have to say that Detroit fares better because of their starting rotation. Behind the #1 & 2 though, there's nothing.

[bang]

Anyone else having issues with MLB.TV

I was watching the Red Sox/ Indians game and about 3 innings ago it shut off,
and it now gives me the same error message for every televised game going on.

....Oh wait, finally started working again,
great job MLB, for the money I pay for this service.

[JakeYonkel]

Why not get the Extra Innings package? I could not sit and watch a 3 hour game on my computer screen...

[killeverything]

Why not get the Extra Innings package? I could not sit and watch a 3 hour game on my computer screen...

I had the computer hookup last year. It sucked watching the games on a computer screen, I have to say I liked listening to them on XM more.

As for the Extra Innings package, last year I thought it was only availible through Direct TV. Which is why I didn't have it. Hopefully people have wised up. Plus you get MLBN which is like Nickelodian for adults.



Oh, and John Lester pitched like an ace tonite. If the pitching staff shows up, I like the Mighty Red Sox's chances. These Playoffs are going to rule. The Anaheim starters are fucking merciless right now too. Aside from the MFY being heavily favored to win the whole thing. I think this season's too impossible to predict.

[bang]

Why not get the Extra Innings package? I could not sit and watch a 3 hour game on my computer screen...

I plug it in to the flat screen, I can watch 1, 2 or 4 games at once.

What does the extra innings package do?

[tin00can]

Why not get the Extra Innings package? I could not sit and watch a 3 hour game on my computer screen...

I had the computer hookup last year. It sucked watching the games on a computer screen, I have to say I liked listening to them on XM more.

As for the Extra Innings package, last year I thought it was only availible through Direct TV. Which is why I didn't have it. Hopefully people have wised up. Plus you get MLBN which is like Nickelodian for adults.



Oh, and John Lester pitched like an ace tonite. If the pitching staff shows up, I like the Mighty Red Sox's chances. These Playoffs are going to rule. The Anaheim starters are fucking merciless right now too. Aside from the MFY being heavily favored to win the whole thing. I think this season's too impossible to predict.

I wouldn't even "heavily" favor the Yanks, although they are of course the obvious choice. I look at every team in it and see them with a legit chance. I'd have to give St. Louis the edge in the NL with their pitching, but you never know.

This playoffs should be tits. Lots of solid games. Great fucking time to be a baseball fan.

[killeverything]

Why not get the Extra Innings package? I could not sit and watch a 3 hour game on my computer screen...

I plug it in to the flat screen, I can watch 1, 2 or 4 games at once.

What does the extra innings package do?

Basically the same thing, but the games you click on your browser are just on different channels. Except where the home team is, is the channel you get. If a game is being played in Kansas, you get their commentators, commercials, etc. Sometimes it's shown on both the team's home channels.

Plus you can get the Baseball channel. Which is exactly what the name implies.

I wouldn't even "heavily" favor the Yanks, although they are of course the obvious choice. I look at every team in it and see them with a legit chance. I'd have to give St. Louis the edge in the NL with their pitching, but you never know.

This playoffs should be tits. Lots of solid games. Great fucking time to be a baseball fan.

Going by Power Rankings the MFY are tops right now.

I'm surprised at LAD personally. They haven't been playing so hot lately.

Who knows? Agreeance on the great time.

[JakeYonkel]

I'm dying to get the playoff predictions thread started but the AL Central and NL West races are making that an impossibility.

And yeah, the Extra Innings package is cool. Sometimes you get an away team's broadcast rather than the home team, I don't really know the rhyme or reason to it.

DirecTV (fuck them up their asses) generally gives you BOTH broadcasts - cable (or Comcast, at least) gives one broadcast, sometimes too. However you get a free game or two in HD every day with cable whereas you have to pay even more for HD on DirecTV.

[SkyDog112046]

Mauer definitely has to be the MVP now. .367 AVG, 28 HR, 95 RBIs, and a 1.035 OPS while playing the toughest position on the field. The one argument against him would have been if he played for a bad team and didn't get meaningful at-bats down the stretch. That argument gets tossed out the window with his team still in the playoff race headed into the last weekend of the season while recently playing 2 meaningful series against the team his team is chasing.

[SkyDog112046]

I'm dying to get the playoff predictions thread started but the AL Central and NL West races are making that an impossibility.

I think it's pretty safe to do the AL. Red Sox vs Angels is locked in. It's about 90% certain to be Yankees vs Tigers with Detroit facing a dead in the water Chicago team and Verlander going Sunday while Minnesota faces a recently hot KC team that has Greinke going tonight.

[SkyDog112046]

Its not even an issue, and to be honest, it should be unanimous. They went 15 and 4 down the stretch, and they lost Morneau. If he gets over .370 its one of the greatest years ever, and you could make an argument, the greatest year ever by a catcher.

They used to give MVP's to catchers, like Yogi and Campenalla all the time and you look at their stats and they weren't that impressive. Piazza was a juicer so who knows, but you got to go to Bench's 1970 and 1972 to even start an argument.

Exactly. I don't even see how someone could vote for anyone else besides Mauer with a straight face. It should be unanimous, but some of those writers are real tools with axes to grind and asses to kiss so who knows what they'll do.

[SkyDog112046]

Greinke vs MN is probably the best game of the weekend. The top Cy Young candidate going up against a team facing elimination that also has the top MVP candidate.

[JakeYonkel]

San Diego lost to somebody a couple seasons ago in a one-game playoff, which I'm too lazy to look up. Peavy pitched though.

I think there may have been another one in the last 5-6 years, too.

[Facedown]

If they tie, wasn't 1978 the last single playoff game?

1980
1995
1998
1999
2007
2008

[Facedown]

Nope.