MLB: Week 1 (4/2-4/9)

[vivalaultra 0]

And that is the weekly state of the Astros address, since...nobody talks about the Astros.

 

...why should we?

 

Just kidding dude. Welcome to the thread.

 

You should take about the 'Stros because they're not the Yankees or the Red Sox. Seriously, the Yankees/Red Sox feud is like two rich kids in high school slap fighting each other. The respectul pseudo-rivalry between the 'Stros and Cardinals is alot more entertaining.

[mike546 0]

I don't think Craig Hansen is going to be closing for the Red Sox anytime soon. Papelbon looks freaking amazing.

 

and the Yankees really need to start hitting. No panic here after what happened last year, but cmon!

[the max 0]

And that is the weekly state of the Astros address, since...nobody talks about the Astros.

 

...why should we?

 

Just kidding dude. Welcome to the thread.

 

You should take about the 'Stros because they're not the Yankees or the Red Sox. Seriously, the Yankees/Red Sox feud is like two rich kids in high school slap fighting each other. The respectul pseudo-rivalry between the 'Stros and Cardinals is alot more entertaining.

 

More entertaining to some.

[vivalaultra 0]

And that is the weekly state of the Astros address, since...nobody talks about the Astros.

 

...why should we?

 

Just kidding dude. Welcome to the thread.

 

You should take about the 'Stros because they're not the Yankees or the Red Sox. Seriously, the Yankees/Red Sox feud is like two rich kids in high school slap fighting each other. The respectul pseudo-rivalry between the 'Stros and Cardinals is alot more entertaining.

 

More entertaining to some.

 

Meh, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. It's just bothersome how, especially during the 2004 NLCS, the non-East Coast teams get no love at all from anybody except fans in their respective areas. I guess I'm just irked by the marketing and commercialization of baseball. It just seems like the Yankees and Red Sox are oversaturating the population to where their more brand names than baseball teams. Like, people that don't even follow baseball wear Yankees caps that match the rest of their outfits just for the emblematic logo. But yeah, I have nothing against the Sox or Yankees as teams, I'd just...like to see some more parity. But anyway, back to my shameless (Curt) S©hilling. The 'Stros are looking good this season so far. Roy Oswalt=2006 Cy Young. Taylor Buchholz=14-6 with an ERA under 3. And when that happens, ESPN will interrupt coverage of Roy's Cy Young announcement to tell the world what Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez had for breakfast.

[naiwf 0]

Meh, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. It's just bothersome how, especially during the 2004 NLCS, the non-East Coast teams get no love at all from anybody except fans in their respective areas. I guess I'm just irked by the marketing and commercialization of baseball. It just seems like the Yankees and Red Sox are oversaturating the population to where their more brand names than baseball teams. Like, people that don't even follow baseball wear Yankees caps that match the rest of their outfits just for the emblematic logo. But yeah, I have nothing against the Sox or Yankees as teams, I'd just...like to see some more parity. But anyway, back to my shameless (Curt) S©hilling. The 'Stros are looking good this season so far. Roy Oswalt=2006 Cy Young. Taylor Buchholz=14-6 with an ERA under 3. And when that happens, ESPN will interrupt coverage of Roy's Cy Young announcement to tell the world what Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez had for breakfast.

 

Can you blame them? Oswalt would rather be landscaping with his brand new Caterpillar than conducting interviews anyway. You can't blame us big city folk for not caring what goes on out in cow country

[vivalaultra 0]

 

Meh, diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks. It's just bothersome how, especially during the 2004 NLCS, the non-East Coast teams get no love at all from anybody except fans in their respective areas. I guess I'm just irked by the marketing and commercialization of baseball. It just seems like the Yankees and Red Sox are oversaturating the population to where their more brand names than baseball teams. Like, people that don't even follow baseball wear Yankees caps that match the rest of their outfits just for the emblematic logo. But yeah, I have nothing against the Sox or Yankees as teams, I'd just...like to see some more parity. But anyway, back to my shameless (Curt) S©hilling. The 'Stros are looking good this season so far. Roy Oswalt=2006 Cy Young. Taylor Buchholz=14-6 with an ERA under 3. And when that happens, ESPN will interrupt coverage of Roy's Cy Young announcement to tell the world what Derek Jeter and Manny Ramirez had for breakfast.

 

Can you blame them? Oswalt would rather be landscaping with his brand new Caterpillar than conducting interviews anyway. You can't blame us big city folk for not caring what goes on out in cow country

 

You're just calling it cow country because we were founded by a cow. You wanna hear country, check this out....

 

While he was pitching in AAA, Roy's shoulder was giving him trouble, and he thought he was gonna have to have surgery on it. While he was contemplating his future, he started working on his rusty old pick-up. He was changing a spark plug when he exploded his battery. It knocked him clean out and he's never had shoulder trouble again. And you don't even wanna hear his "fishing with dynamite" story...

[Bored 0]

Barry Zito has to be the most inefficient pitcher in baseball. He goes six innings, no runs, only three baserunners, but has already thrown 109 pitches. No wonder he hasn't thrown a complete game since 2003.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

So when do people start dubbing the Tigers the team to take the Central? I'm amazed by their start (although maybe I shouldn't be, considering their opponents), but I don't think it'll hold. Chris Shelton is indeed amazing, though.

[naiwf 0]

Winning that Cy Young was the worst thing for Zito's career. He went 23-5 that year and was a robust 39-36 in the 3 years that followed. Either Barry forgot how to pitch, or the league just caught up to his curveball. It's hard to believe a guy who isn't even 28 looks washed up already. He kind of reminds me of Steve Avery after '93 when he went 18-6 and then never won more than 10 games again.

[The Man in Blak 0]

Chris Shelton is indeed amazing, though.

 

Wouldn't it be just a hoot if Shelton got nominated to the All-Star Team, since the game is being held in Pittsburgh this year?

 

Also, can somebody explain to me why Dan Wilson's name has been painted in large letters behind home plate in Seattle tonight?

[Bored 0]

It's Dan Wilson Night. Giants will be holding Kirk Rueter Day sometime this year. Teams are really lowering the standards for who gets their own day.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Also, can somebody explain to me why Dan Wilson's name has been painted in large letters behind home plate in Seattle tonight?

He finally retired, and after all the years he played in Seattle...well they must be honoring him. From everything I've heard he was a good guy in the Seattle community as well.

 

Yankees might be on their way to starting the season 1-5. Now I know this won't last, but its fun to laugh at for the moment.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Yankees might be on their way to starting the season 1-5. Now I know this won't last, but its fun to laugh at for the moment.

Clearly, this is the World Baseball Classic's fault, and a bad Yankees start is bad for baseball. For continuing coverage, turn to ESPN, or espn.com

[naiwf 0]

Also, can somebody explain to me why Dan Wilson's name has been painted in large letters behind home plate in Seattle tonight?

He finally retired, and after all the years he played in Seattle...well they must be honoring him. From everything I've heard he was a good guy in the Seattle community as well.

 

Yankees might be on their way to starting the season 1-5. Now I know this won't last, but its fun to laugh at for the moment.

 

The home plate up just gave Giambi at least five, and possibly six strikes in that one at bat, so you never know.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Joe West squeezed Ervin Santana on what should have been strike 3 on 3 different pitches. His act of "young pitchers have to earn the strike zone" has gotten so tiresome. I think this marks year number 3 in a row that I've complained about him as well.

 

I wonder how long into the season it will be before I complain about that one spanish ump (Angel Hernandez I believe). He's even worse.

[Bored 0]

After a two-hitter last night, A's get a combined one-hitter tonight. Rich Harden pitches tommorrow so might as well go for the no hitter.

[mike546 0]

This really isn't funny anymore Yankees. Score please.

[KingPK 0]

Who was the ump that Francona flipped out on during his postgame press conference last year?

 

I gotta say, this Red Sox team is reminding me a lot of the late 2004 team. The whole Foulke/Papelbon problem is a great problem to have (it should light a fire under Foulke's ass), the defense is very good, Beckett/Schilling looks to be a killer duo and everyone seems to have the fire this year. It's only five games in, and the middle relief (Seanez, Riske) looked like crap in the spring, but I like how things are shaping up so far.

[naiwf 0]

Joe West squeezed Ervin Santana on what should have been strike 3 on 3 different pitches. His act of "young pitchers have to earn the strike zone" has gotten so tiresome. I think this marks year number 3 in a row that I've complained about him as well.

 

I wonder how long into the season it will be before I complain about that one spanish ump (Angel Hernandez I believe). He's even worse.

 

Those are the two umps that nauseate me the most as well. They're right up there with Joey Crawford in terms of most disliked officials in pro sports.

[Failed Bridge 0]

Who was the ump that Francona flipped out on during his postgame press conference last year?

Chris Guccione and Angel Hernandez

 

Oh, and Alfonso Marquez is horrible too. I think he's Angel Hernandez Jr.

[The Czech Republic 0]

On cubs.com and 720 pre/postgame stuff, I cannot escape the "we've got a smallball team! We rely on speed and fundamentals! Smallballsmallballsmallball!"

 

Today we tied with a two-run Barrett homer and won with a Lee solo. Yesterday we put up runs with the homer. On Wednesday the rally that could've been was fueled by three two-run homers. We were hitting multi-run home runs on Opening Day. What the hell are they talking about, smallball and fundamentals? As long as Lee/Barrett/Ramirez are in the lineup, we're not gonna rely on smallball, and as long as Dusty Baker manages, we're not gonna have good fundamentals.

 

I'm not against speed--if we beat out more groundballs and stuff that's great--but stolen bases are still not worth it, and the quickest way around is with one swing of the bat. The fundamental that I'd like to see improve is still plate discipline. Even with Patterson gone, I'm still seeing/hearing too many short at-bats. Matt Murton has appeared to be the best at prolonging his appearances so far.

 

I'm still waiting for Jacque Jones to do anything, by the way.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I didn't see the game, but listening to the postgame show, you would've thought they lost. I got back in town shortly after the game and listening to the way they were talking about their poor play, I thought for sure they'd lost. Describing the happenings (i.e. missed cutoffs, not scoring with RISP with less than two outs), it didn't sound like they deserved to win, but hey, against the Cards, I'll take it. I'll also give them the benefit of going against Chris Carpenter today and thus, not scoring when situations arose.

 

The longball isn't a problem, really. It's just the Cubs have mainly hit solo shots in recent vintage. I've got no issue if guys like Lee and Ramirez are going yard with a guy or two on base.

[The Czech Republic 0]

I went to take a walk during the middle of the game and I missed that problematic sixth, but the gist of it seemed to be lots of errors that led to two unearned runs. Zambrano and the bullpen were pretty good, and the big bats came through when we needed them, it was just sloppy fielding, I guess. Shocking, especially from Lee. Carpenter was tough, though; I think those runs all came against Hancock or Wainwright.

 

Oh by the way, apparently passed up in the Wrigley Wrenovation that nobody shuts up about was the visitors' clubhouse. The Cardinals only got five minutes of hot water, and Jim Edmonds likened our precious park to a "Single-A experience." Nobody likes Jim Edmonds.

[KingPK 0]

Wow, nice stop by Koctchman. If A-Rod didn't slide, he probably would have beat it out.

[Failed Bridge 0]

no hot water in the visitor's clubhouse sounds like a great homefield advantage to me. Deny them toilet paper next and you're getting somewhere.

[Bruiser Chong 0]

I love how the Yankees fans are already in panic mode.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Think we'll get a Steinbrenner Statement ® by the 10 pm Sportscenter on Monday?

[naiwf 0]

K-Rod gets it done despite his Armando Benitez moments. To answer the previous question, a Steinbrenner missive is eminent if the Yankees lose tomorrow. Mike and the Mad Dog will have lots to talk about because the General will NOT be happy.

[mike546 0]

The 1998 team started 1-5.

 

Thats a good omen, right?

[Bruiser Chong 0]

Which is absurd, what with it being April 9th and all.