2006 MLB Thread

[Neal Pomea]

Any idea why ESPN fired Harold Reynolds? I liked him and thought he gave good commentary.

I have heard a couple of theories, but what have you heard?

[Dan Gould]

Dave James posted a separate thread. There's talk that it was related to a sexual harrassment claim.

[Quincy]

My father's been a hardcore Cub fan for far longer than I've been alive, and he's never said a single goddamn negative things about the White Sox EVER.

Having grown up in downstate IL I'd say this is the more typical reaction of Cubs fans. The hatred mostly seems to come from White Sox fans towards the Cubs for many of the reasons Paul mentions. Whereas Cub fans usually don't even realize there's another ballclub in town. This of course drives the White Sox fans absolutely crazy.

Things may have changed a little after last year, but very little of the state cares about the White Sox other than White Sox fans who had moved away from the south side. It was really kind of sad & strange through the '70s & '80s, especially back when they had Bill Veeck owned the team as lord knows he tried. The state is mostly divided between Cub & Cardinal fans, and even when the clubs are having off years the rivalry packs in the fans.

So screw you and your irrational Cub hatred, cuz adults have managed to not give a rats ass about the other team. Its like Mets and Yankees fans - its pathetic and stupid.

I don't think a Red Sox fan is allowed to use the word "irrational."

[Dan Gould]

So screw you and your irrational Cub hatred, cuz adults have managed to not give a rats ass about the other team. Its like Mets and Yankees fans - its pathetic and stupid.

I don't think a Red Sox fan is allowed to use the word "irrational."

Its not irrational to hate the team that you have to contend with every single year. Hating a team that you have never played against prior to interleague play is.

Edited July 26, 2006 by Dan Gould

[Big Al]

Red Sox fans irrational? Naaahhhh.......

[Dan Gould]

Red Sox fans irrational? Naaahhhh.......

If you'll do something for us tonite, perhaps I'll entertain your notion.

[Big Al]

Red Sox fans irrational? Naaahhhh.......

If you'll do something for us tonite, perhaps I'll entertain your notion.

I was at last night's game. It was like a frickin' little league game in the 4th inning: Eaton had a no-hitter going, but he'd given up a run on four straight walks! Three innings of brilliant no-hitter stuff destroyed by the inability to close out the 4th inning. Ah well, first-time jitters & all that, I guess, just coming off injury rehab. Hopefully, he gets better next time out. As for our offense, well, the less said the better.

Heard an interesting stat last night: the Rangers have not won a series at home against the Yankees in TEN YEARS!!!! And we've got Rheinecker going to the mound tonight. I smell another sweep. Apologies in advance, Dan.

[Dan Gould]

Heard an interesting stat last night: the Rangers have not won a series at home against the Yankees in TEN YEARS!!!! And we've got Rheinecker going to the mound tonight. I smell another sweep. Apologies in advance, Dan.

I'm not giving up yet. Seems to me you've got two things working in your favor:

I'm pretty sure you can pound on Jaret Wright's pitches

One of the problems I see the Yanks having is the inability to go for the jugular and finish off a team with a sweep. They haven't won more than 5 in a row, and without specifically looking up the stats, that has been the pattern, and its kept them from ripping off the kind of long streak they've needed to make a move. The only team they manage to sweep is the White Sox who are in free fall, and we all know Texas has more sac than the defending champions, don't we?

[Big Al]

Heard an interesting stat last night: the Rangers have not won a series at home against the Yankees in TEN YEARS!!!! And we've got Rheinecker going to the mound tonight. I smell another sweep. Apologies in advance, Dan.

I'm not giving up yet. Seems to me you've got two things working in your favor:

I'm pretty sure you can pound on Jaret Wright's pitches

One of the problems I see the Yanks having is the inability to go for the jugular and finish off a team with a sweep. They haven't won more than 5 in a row, and without specifically looking up the stats, that has been the pattern, and its kept them from ripping off the kind of long streak they've needed to make a move. The only team they manage to sweep is the White Sox who are in free fall, and we all know Texas has more sac than the defending champions, don't we?

Well, with all due respect Dan, as much as you wanna rag on the White Sox, don't forget that the Red Sox didn't repeat, either. Do we rag on them for that?

[Dan Gould]

Heard an interesting stat last night: the Rangers have not won a series at home against the Yankees in TEN YEARS!!!! And we've got Rheinecker going to the mound tonight. I smell another sweep. Apologies in advance, Dan.

I'm not giving up yet. Seems to me you've got two things working in your favor:

I'm pretty sure you can pound on Jaret Wright's pitches

One of the problems I see the Yanks having is the inability to go for the jugular and finish off a team with a sweep. They haven't won more than 5 in a row, and without specifically looking up the stats, that has been the pattern, and its kept them from ripping off the kind of long streak they've needed to make a move. The only team they manage to sweep is the White Sox who are in free fall, and we all know Texas has more sac than the defending champions, don't we?

Well, with all due respect Dan, as much as you wanna rag on the White Sox, don't forget that the Red Sox didn't repeat, either. Do we rag on them for that?

Yeah, but at least we made the playoffs. By the end of the day, the White Sox may be out of the playoff hunt, and at this point I don't see how anyone can predict that they will hold off Minn. or the Yanks. So yeah, I would say that if you make major improvements to your team and then fail to make the playoffs in your title defense, you deserve to be ragged on. The Red Sox had plenty of excuses: they effectively lost their closer and their ace for the entire season. The White Sox added a HoF slugger and a very good starter, and they're about to collapse like a wet taco.

the interesting question now is, what desperation move will they try in the final few days before the deadline?

[jazzypaul]

Well, with all due respect Dan, as much as you wanna rag on the White Sox, don't forget that the Red Sox didn't repeat, either. Do we rag on them for that?

No, we don't. But Dan's upset because his boys got dropped last year by the lowly White Sox, and we didn't even need to bring Bucky Dent out of retirement to do it. I mean, if my really expensive build-a-team got swept by the real life version of the Major League movie, I'd be upset too.

Now, instead of realizing that I'm just pulling his leg, Dan will blow a gasket in...

3...

2...

1...

[Dan Gould]

There's no reason to blow a gasket.

You're down 3-0 and about to fall behind the Yankees in the wild card chase. Like they say, scoreboard.

I'm laughing right now, but I bet its Ozzie who blows the gasket.

[Dan Gould]

Heard an interesting stat last night: the Rangers have not won a series at home against the Yankees in TEN YEARS!!!! And we've got Rheinecker going to the mound tonight. I smell another sweep.

Well I damn sure hope the clubhouse doesn't think as you do, cuz the Big Hurt is kicking the crap out of us right now, so we need some help, bad.

[MartyJazz]

Very exciting final of a three game set between the Yanks and Rangers. (Tough to stomach for Dan and Big Al I would think ) Torre did all he could to give that game away bringing in T.J. Beam in the 8th. Hard to believe that the Yanks are now the leader in the AL wild card chase and obviously thinking of a much higher goal than that. Meanwhile, what's going on with the White Sox?

[Dan Gould]

Very exciting final of a three game set between the Yanks and Rangers. (Tough to stomach for Dan and Big Al I would think ) Torre did all he could to give that game away bringing in T.J. Beam in the 8th. Hard to believe that the Yanks are now the leader in the AL wild card chase and obviously thinking of a much higher goal than that. Meanwhile, what's going on with the White Sox?

They suck.

Yankees are lucky.

I'm nauseous.

[Big Al]

Ehhhhh, after 30 years of this stuff, you just become numb to it.......

[Soulstation1]

i think the indians are out of the play-off hunt....

[Dan Gould]

Are you sure Jon Hart isn't still the GM, Big Al?

Typical Stupid Ranger Trade, pitching needed, trade for a free agent hitter. And give up a pitcher to get him!

[Big Al]

How do you find out about this shit before I do?

I am fucking speechless. This is their idea of a big playoff trade? Un-fucking-believable!!!

[Dave James]

Al,

This just cleared the wire on ESPN. I agree with what you've said, but what I find peculiar is that Lee was OK with the trade. Isn't he a 5/5 guy? Doesn't that give him right of first refusal? I'd think he'd want to go to a club that had a shot. Texas doesn't. Also, isn't he a free agent at the end of this year? That would be the double whammy in that they're just renting him for a couple of months to help them go nowhere. I don't get any of this.

Up over and out.

[Dan Gould]

Dave,

Its ten years in the league/5 years with the same team to have trade veto power. Not 5/5. Lee is a free agent, that's why the Brewers finally made a deal because after a short discussion they knew they couldn't re-sign him. But no first-time free agent is going to have veto power on a trade.

[BERIGAN]

Al, Dan, this is not a bad deal! Al, I would think you would be glad to be rid of Francisco Cordero anyway. IF they can sign Lee, he is a monster, 81 RBI's in the NL, imagine what he can do in Texas??? Funny if they would flip him for a starter.......

From http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

ESPN: Carlos Lee To Rangers

Breaking news from ESPN's Keith Law:

"The Milwaukee Brewers are trading slugger Carlos Lee to the Texas Rangers as part of a multi-player deal, ESPN.com learned Friday.

The Brewers are sending Lee, minor-league outfield prospect Nelson Cruz and a player to be named later to the Rangers for relief pitcher Francisco Cordero and outfielders Kevin Mench and Laynce Nix."

Initial opinion: Jon Daniels got the best of Doug Melvin here. Daniels gets a player comparable to Mench in Cruz, only cheaper. He adds a huge addition to the middle of the lineup for the stretch run in Lee. Mench is at a crossroads, Cordero is really just an OK 31 year-old reliever with saves under his belt, and Nix has been long on promise but short on results. It seems that Melvin is trying to stay competitive and get some players for the future for Lee at the same time, so Brewers fans have to respect that.

[Dan Gould]

Well today certainly proved that you never know in baseball.

I was pretty much resigned to the Yankees taking over first place, figuring:

Young Mr. Weaver would give us fits

Beckett was due for a bad start

-Plus-

RJ has been pitching well for the Yanks

the guy going for the D-Rays was 2-9 with a horrible ERA

Guess this was a "reverse lock", huh?

[Brad]

Metsies win again. Braves came into this series predicting they were going to sweep the Mets. Showed those MFs something didn't they? Bye-bye Tomahawk chopping fools. Are you still in the league?

[Big Al]

Let's see, since the trade, the Rangers have lost two straight to the worst team in baseball.

What the Rangers need right now, even more than starting pitching, is clutch hitting. The penultimate moment happened in the 7th tonight: they had the bases loaded with two outs and Brad Wilkerson coming up. I still can't believe Bell thought he had to change pitchers for Wilkerson: hell, even I could've gotten him out. Sure enough, first-pitch swinging grounds out to end the inning.

At this point, I would gladly trade Kevin Millwood (tonight's loser and this year's pitching bust) and Brad Wilkerson (don't get me started) to get a decent pitcher and/or a clutch hitter.

Seems like it was this time last year that the Rangers went on their 1-12 swoon that barrelled them outta contention. Deja vu all over again.....