The Baseball Thread 2007

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

peavy v. penny was very exciting last night. two cy young candidates going ballz to the wall against each other. did you guys check out the hippie who ran onto the field to shake bonds hand? gotta love weird stuff like that.

[Dan Gould]

Now, GO M'S, KEEP BEATING THE BLUE JAYS!

Thanks for that. Such a shame the board was down during the BoSox visit to Safeco.

Has a manager ever resigned due to "lost passion" during such a winning streak? I'm kind of relived, as I've always felt the M's could do better than Hargrove. Of course they could (and have) done worse too, so I wasn't anxious to have him fired. Still, kind of a weird thing to happen to your team, especially as they're a contender, as improbable as it seems. It may just be a summertime fling, but I'm going to enjoy it!

Well, its not often that a manager resigns due to "lost passion" at any time, let alone during the season and in the midst of a long winning streak. This does help in one way: Ichiro was known not to care much for Hargrove; he apparently likes the coach they promoted. This can't help but make it more likely that Ichiro re-signs. That is, if the team keeps this up and either makes the playoffs or generates serious hope that they can contend in the coming years.

I'm just glad that you kept it up against the Blue Jays. I don't know how many times I've watched the Sox fold against a mediocre team, then see that mediocre team revert to form as soon as the Yankees show up.

[Dan Gould]

Back-to-back 1 run losses to the fucking Rangers? No offense, Al, but there's no fucking excuse to lose games like that to that pitching staff at Fenway.

Ah, pipe down; you still got one game left to salvage. Now, if we win that one, I may have a coronary.

You and me both. Except that the Sox are asking the rookie, Gabbard, to be the stopper, when last time he handed the game to the M's on nothing but walks and HBPs.

But, as they say, you never know what may happen. If the Sox do manage to win number 50 in the 81st game, that would put them on pace for a nice round number at the end of the season.

[Big Al]

I don't know how many times I've watched the Sox fold against a mediocre team, then see that mediocre team revert to form as soon as the Yankees show up.

Thankfully, we don't play the Yankees again for a long time!

[Quincy]

Well, its not often that a manager resigns due to "lost passion" at any time, let alone during the season and in the midst of a long winning streak.

True that. Of course Elias knows the answer too. Not ever, at least since 1900. Lazy bums don't have such detailed important info like this for the 19th century.

[zen archer]

Back-to-back 1 run losses to the fucking Rangers? No offense, Al, but there's no fucking excuse to lose games like that to that pitching staff at Fenway.

Ah, pipe down; you still got one game left to salvage. Now, if we win that one, I may have a coronary.

You and me both. Except that the Sox are asking the rookie, Gabbard, to be the stopper, when last time he handed the game to the M's on nothing but walks and HBPs.

But, as they say, you never know what may happen. If the Sox do manage to win number 50 in the 81st game, that would put them on pace for a nice round number at the end of the season.

The Sox should not have let go Papa Jack , the hitting coach they have now was let go by the Padres last year

because they were hitting a combined 252 avaerage ??.......why would the Sox hire this guy ?

[Dan Gould]

Back-to-back 1 run losses to the fucking Rangers? No offense, Al, but there's no fucking excuse to lose games like that to that pitching staff at Fenway.

Ah, pipe down; you still got one game left to salvage. Now, if we win that one, I may have a coronary.

You and me both. Except that the Sox are asking the rookie, Gabbard, to be the stopper, when last time he handed the game to the M's on nothing but walks and HBPs.

But, as they say, you never know what may happen. If the Sox do manage to win number 50 in the 81st game, that would put them on pace for a nice round number at the end of the season.

The Sox should not have let go Papa Jack , the hitting coach they have now was let go by the Padres last year

because they were hitting a combined 252 avaerage ??.......why would the Sox hire this guy ?

While I agree that Papa Jack had something to do with the success of the offense before 2006, the fact is that the new hitting coach had the Padres hitting .280 or so away from the offensively challenged Petco.

In the end, I don't think Papa Jack or any hitting coach will have much of an effect, especially on a team that is simply slumping. Ortiz' problem isn't the absence of Papa Jack, its Manny's power outage plus a decision by opposing pitchers not to give him anything to hit. But have you noticed that his doubles are way up this year? That's what he's been able to do with the pitches that he gets - more line drives than towering homers.

[BERIGAN]

Dan, et al. Baseball sure is a funny sport, eh??? The Braves beat the Indians 2 out of 3 in Cleveland, then the first game at the Ted against the Sox...then scored 1 run the next 5 games with the Sox and Tigers, and looked like a last place team.

So, in come the Nationals, who have had our number this year(Don't laugh, they were 8-7 against the AL in interleague play! ) so, we beat them 3 straight, then take 2 from the Marlins. Should have had another sweep, but Booby Cox did whatever he could to lose it for us. Keeps playing Andruw even though he is still hitting below .200, brought in Wickman again to face the guy who hit a homer off him the night before (Oliva?) and guess what? He gets hit again, and we lost in extra innings! Everyone that would normally defend Cox is bashing him even. Just stupid. Won't rid us of the 2 worthless .200 hitting backup infielders. Won't bring up a 3rd catcher so "Salty" and McCann can play in the same game(they have, but not often) 4 outfielders, which almost guarentees Andruw and Francouer play not only every game, but every inning of every game!!!! Duh! Cox's managing has probably cost the team 7 wins right about now, which would put us in first.

Meanwhile, in the AL East all the teams seem to suck right now!!! If Toronto or the Yankees was playing even .500 ball there would be a race. I can't imagine Sox fans would be happy facing the Tigers, or the Angels(Man, cannot believe the Angels hit .325 for the month of June!!!) if Papi and Manny don't improve. They have to improve, right? Just like Andruw Jones didn't become a .199 hitter just cuz he turned 30, right???? Right???

[Dan Gould]

Meanwhile, in the AL East all the teams seem to suck right now!!! If Toronto or the Yankees was playing even .500 ball there would be a race. I can't imagine Sox fans would be happy facing the Tigers, or the Angels(Man, cannot believe the Angels hit .325 for the month of June!!!) if Papi and Manny don't improve. They have to improve, right? Just like Andruw Jones didn't become a .199 hitter just cuz he turned 30, right???? Right???

I have no doubt that Manny and Papi will get going on the power numbers. I'm pretty sure they've both hit the majority of their homers in the second half of most seasons. There is a piece up on foxsports about Papi and the fact that not only is he not getting fastballs to hit anymore because of Manny's struggles and his success last year, but also that the wind he consistently blown in at Fenway. That figures to change, and as New England heats up in the summer months, the balls will start carrying again.

Now as for Andruw - he may just not have the brains to figure out how to get out of this and hit again. At least Manny and Ortiz have good averages, and Papi actually projects to close to 60 doubles on the year. Andruw just looks completely out of it, I'm sorry to say.

[donald byrd 4 EVA]

dont diss dave magadan. the dude was a very solid contact hitter, with a patient approach and on-base-skillz. as we all know, all too often the batting coach is the one blamed for the failings of batters. and how retarded the brian fuentes gets to go to the all-star game when chris young is denied. la russa must have been drunk when he picked his players

[Tim McG]

Go Barry Bonds....2007 AllStar!!!

Voted [ahem] BY THE FANS as a starter in this year's AllStar Game.

BALCO rumors be damned.

[Matthew]

[Matthew]

Now, GO M'S, KEEP BEATING THE BLUE JAYS!

Thanks for that. Such a shame the board was down during the BoSox visit to Safeco.

Has a manager ever resigned due to "lost passion" during such a winning streak? I'm kind of relived, as I've always felt the M's could do better than Hargrove. Of course they could (and have) done worse too, so I wasn't anxious to have him fired. Still, kind of a weird thing to happen to your team, especially as they're a contender, as improbable as it seems. It may just be a summertime fling, but I'm going to enjoy it!

That was weird, Groover stepping down like that. What's interesting is, supposedly John McLaren is buddy-buddy with Ichiro, which by all reports, Hargrove was not, in fact the relationship was kind of icy. Now, Hargove says he wasn't pushed in anyway, but it still makes me go hmmmmmmm.

[Big Al]

Feel a little better now, Dan?

[Dan Gould]

Feel a little better now, Dan?

Yes, thanks.

Did you catch the rookie Ellsbury on the dash from second base on the wild pitch?

[Big Al]

Feel a little better now, Dan?

Yes, thanks.

Did you catch the rookie Ellsbury on the dash from second base on the wild pitch?

Rangers had a wild pitch? I simply DON'T believe it!

[Dan Gould]

Feel a little better now, Dan?

Yes, thanks.

Did you catch the rookie Ellsbury on the dash from second base on the wild pitch?

Rangers had a wild pitch? I simply DON'T believe it!

Yeah, but how often do you see someone score from second? One of your guys was quoted as saying that even Ichiro wouldn't have scored on that play. The kid already has two infield hits, his first one apparently surprised everyone in the stadium since it was seemingly a routine play.

Coco better keep up his solid play, after this taste of the future, the fans may get on him when he slumps again.

[Big Al]

Feel a little better now, Dan?

Yes, thanks.

Did you catch the rookie Ellsbury on the dash from second base on the wild pitch?

Rangers had a wild pitch? I simply DON'T believe it!

Yeah, but how often do you see someone score from second?

Oops, missed that part. I didn't see the game last night, only the result. Wow, scoring from second like that; kid must be Road-Runner or something!

[Quincy]

I thought this was b&w footage of Monty Python's "march around the square" routine.

[Chalupa]

9,997.

[Quincy]

9,997.

Just think if they could have dropped 10k on the 4th of July. Would have ranked up there with Tim McCarver's "grand slam" double on the bicentennial.

Edited July 4, 2007 by Quincy

[BERIGAN]

9,997.

Just think if they could have dropped 10k on the 4th of July. Would have ranked up there with Tim McCarver's "grand slam" double on the bicentennial.

Huh???? I am far to young to remember Tim McCarver as Steve Carlton's personal catcher, and playing with the Phillies....but, anyway, I still don't know what you are talking about!

[BERIGAN]

From the AJC's baseball blogger(Atlanta newspaper) Anyone else not convinced Bobby Cox has lost his marbles??? (I hope by pounding this point, Andruw Jones will hit .400 for the rest of the season!

Andruw not going to bench: But you already knew that, didn’t you? As frustrated as it’s been watching the 2005 NL MVP runner-up go half a season hitting under .200, all signs point to Bobby Cox sticking with him as long as it takes for Andruw Jones to snap out of this mother of all slumps.

Now, whether Bobby will continue to see logic in batting Andruw fourth is something none of us is qualified to answer.

But here’s what Bobby said about Andruw yesterday, to give you an idea of just how deep and unwavering is the manager’s patience and support for Jones: “He’s still the best center fielder in baseball. He’s always had some parts of the season where he’s looked like that [bad at the plate]. Not this long, but….

“At the end of the year, he’s going to have 100 RBIs, 30 homers, and hopefully get his average higher. And he catches everything that goes up.”

So hold on, and put Mr. Mendoza on notice.

For the record, here’s the update: Andruw’s .199 average remains the NL’s worst (among qualifiers), and his .140 average (13-for-93) after the sixth inning is the league’s second-worst.

His .193 average (29-for-150) with runners on base is also the NL’s second-lowest.

[BERIGAN]

Oh, and Andruw has a 7 game hitting streak right now! His average is up to.....202 after tonights game. 7 games, 7 hits. 30 AB's. That means.....Andruw has a .233 average over the streak! I don't think I have ever heard of a hitter batting under .250 with a "streak" like this, but Andruw is truly one in a million......

[Quincy]

9,997.

Just think if they could have dropped 10k on the 4th of July. Would have ranked up there with Tim McCarver's "grand slam" double on the bicentennial.

Huh???? I am far to young to remember Tim McCarver as Steve Carlton's personal catcher, and playing with the Phillies....but, anyway, I still don't know what you are talking about!

Actually it was a "grand slam" single. It was a game winning HR but he passed Gary Maddux on the basepath (Phils still won as McCarver's run wasn't needed for victory.) When asked how he could have let that happen he said "sheer speed."