This week in baseball

[UseTheSledgehammerUh 0]

Al, I was explaining by dislike for the overrated Abreu, not explaining the Phils' other woes.

 

Personally, I don't think Thome belongs in the Hall. Maybe now, but ultimately some 30 or so years from now he'll be seen as just a big power hitter. His health the next few years will have a lot to do with it.

 

He's got the HRs...but the RBI and average, without him having three more good years, aren't what I see as worthy.

 

I'm curious how Bobby does in the HR Derby. He's a stat boy, alright, but he doesn't seem too excited. I predict 5th.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I just don't understand how a player can play for statistics without playing well. Why would he not feel any need to succeed in the clutch knowing a big hit would help his numbers? Last year a columnist mentioned his lack of hustle. How do you not hustle your way to 40 stolen bases? What's more, his statistics do not follow this theory. His OPS rises over 100 points with runners on base. That's not all. Over his entire CAREER, Abreu is a .383 hitter with a man on third and less than two outs. I am looking all over Abreu's statistics for some indication that he is unclutch, and it is just not there. Philly fans expect him to come through and miraculously tie games in the 9th inning. Guess what? Hitting is more difficult than simply willing yourself to succeed.

 

As for Thome, his OBP entering this season was .410. He's 36th All-Time in OBP, 14th in slugging percentage, 14th in OPS, 35th in home runs, 46th in walks, and 29th in Adjusted OPS. That means only 28 players in the history of baseball of produced a better OPS relative to the league than Jim Thome. Most of the players above him not in the Hall had short careers (Dick Allen, Charlie Keller), are ineligible (Joe Jackson and active players), or played in the American Association (Pete Browning and Dave Orr). Jim Thome didn't just hit home runs. At his peak, he was one of the most difficult outs in baseball.

 

In addition, look at Thome's double play statistics. For a slow slugger who played on an outstanding offensive team, Thome almost never reached double digits.

[MikeJordan23 0]

According to some reports on Mike and Mike, Chris Carpenter and Mark Buehrle are the starters for the ASG.

[Bored 0]

LaRussa has a lot of balls if he did pick Carpenter as the starter over Clemens and Willis.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Well at least Joe Buck will finally shut the fuck up about why Carpenter should start the game.

[MikeJordan23 0]

LaRussa has a lot of balls if he did pick Carpenter as the starter over Clemens and Willis.

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Carpenter is having a better year than Willis. More strikeouts, lower batting average against, better whip.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Well at least Joe Buck will finally shut the fuck up about why Carpenter should start the game.

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"Hater in the house"

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Not really. Buck's biased towards the Cards, even during games where he's supposed to be impartial, is annoying.

[MikeJordan23 0]

Not really.  Buck's biased towards the Cards, even during games where he's supposed to be impartial, is annoying.

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I'm just joking. I'm a Cardinals fan, and I admit he does go overboard with the Cardinals praise/talk on national broadcasts. I think he's a good announcer overall, though.

[smh810 0]

Buck wasn't bad at all in the WS with the bias, and whenever he does a national game with the Cardinals I think he keeps it in check pretty well.

[Fuzzy Dunlop 0]

Buck wasn't bad at all in the WS with the bias

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"It's... fair... and a two run home run."

[Jericholic82 0]

Joe Buck is a horrible announcer ,don't you realize that ? and when paired with McCarver the suckiness factor goes thru the roof.

 

 

Can't believe Clemns isnt getting the nod as usually the vets (and in this case future Hof'r) get the starting job, though it realy is little more of an honor thing as pitchers dont last long in the ASG.

 

I usually like the Home Run Derby, but the whole international thing has watered it down. That and Alex has decided not to enter (though I suppose I would rather him not tire himself out and possibly get injured in a homer contest). So I don't know if I will even watch it tonight.

 

 

Yanks 2.5 back at the break is a good sign. With all the crap they have been through and the horrible play and whatnot, they have managed to hang in there which is important. I legitamately now feel as if they have a great shot of actually making the playoffs (which is a bizzare thing to say aint it?).

 

In all accounts the first half of the season has been pretty good, with great stories like The Nats in First, The White Sox Dominance, The O's improvement, etc.

 

 

The 2nd half is the important time though.

 

Here's to a great second half, hopefully (and especially hopefully for The Yankees in my case)

 

 

[Bored 0]

Bret Boone has been traded to the Twins for a PTBNL.

[smh810 0]

Joe Buck is the No.2 announcer in the biz behind Al Michaels period. The guy rarely has an off game in either football or baseball and thats quite an achievement especially working with a senile hack like McCarver or a blabbering jackass like Cris Collinsworth. And please anyone who saw bias in his WS work last year is a Red Sox fan grasping for straws.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

He was unbiased during the WS. I gave him credit then and I still do. But his infatuation with them during the Cardinal broadcasts and anytime they are brought up during the FOX games, it's nauseating.

[smh810 0]

Perhaps its because I've seen far worse cases of bias by national announcers, but it really doesnt egg on me that much and like I said I think he checks it fairly well. Especially for someone who has two generations of history with the Cardinals in the family.

[Big McLargeHuge 0]

Joe Buck is the No.2 announcer in the biz behind Al Michaels period.  The guy rarely has an off game in either football or baseball and thats quite an achievement especially working with a senile hack like McCarver or a blabbering jackass like Cris Collinsworth.  And please anyone who saw bias in his WS work last year is a Red Sox fan grasping for straws.

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But he's really boring. Not that I expect him to howl at the top of his lungs, but I never get a sense of enthusiasm from him when he's calling games. Then again, his morbid call of the Giants clinching the National pennant in 02 (against the Cards) will always stick with me, so I may be a touch bias.

 

At least with McCarver there's the unintentional comedy factor.

[snuffbox 0]

Joe Buck is the No.2 announcer in the biz behind Al Michaels period. 

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You forgot a certain 9 year old man....

[smh810 0]

You forgot a certain 9 year old man....

 

I dont know who youre talking about if its Costas he really doesnt qualify with me right now since he doesnt do much play-by-play anymore.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

What did Buck say when the Giants clinched?

[Precious Roy 0]

fuck Joe Buck....PABST BLUE RIBBON!11

[snuffbox 0]

You forgot a certain 9 year old man....

 

I dont know who youre talking about if its Costas he really doesnt qualify with me right now since he doesnt do much play-by-play anymore.

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He should, hes the best.

[bob_barron 0]

Is he the 9 year old man you're referring to?

[the max 0]

Personally, I think the ESPN generic play-by-play guys like Dave Strader and Dan Shulman are better than Buck. Just because Buck has done big games for FOX doesn't make him the end all behind Al Michaels. Who else was going to call those games? Thom Brenneman? Kenny Albert? Unlikely. At least Strader and Shulman have emotion behind what they're calling.

[smh810 0]

Shulman's okay but Strader is awful flat out. And spare me with your implication that I only like Buck because he does high-profile games. There are plenty of high profile announcers that suck: Enberg, Musberger, Brenneman (Fox's No.2 baseball announcer) among others are bad to downright pitiful. Buck is matter of fact, light-hearted and funny when its appropriate and gets down to business when appropriate. Listen to his call of the final Red Sox WS out and tell me that was boring.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I'd love to see Bob Uecker call games. Not only is he bright and informative, but he shares a genuine enthusiam for the game.

[USC Wuz Robbed! 0]

I'd love to see Bob Uecker call games.  Not only is he bright and informative, but he shares a genuine enthusiam for the game.

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Except in Major League.

[smh810 0]

Harry Doyle:No runs one hit... That's all one goddamn hit!

Color Guy: You can't say goddamn on the air.

Harry Doyle: Ahh, don't worry, nobody is listening anyway.