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The Baseball Thread 2007


Tim McG

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...on a non-Barry Bonds story....I went to the four game series between the Cards/Brewers this weekend at the new (last year) Busch Stadium. After getting pasted on Friday night...the Cards went on to beat the Brewers the next three games. I took my 15 year old nephew to the games; he's a very good baseball player at t his stage of his life.

Their were two big rain storms on Friday night before they threw out the first pitch, then hot and humid for the balance of the weekend.

Here are a few photos from the weekend.

post-24-1185844822.jpg

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Forget it, Big Al.

Dan can't help himself.

Arrogant, unfriendly jerk.

Hm.

[Reminds me of a certain Dan person I know of]

Um... I've yet to see Dan let a mistake go without acknowledging it. He and I have had our riffs before, and there is nothing that he and I have ever said to each other that wasn't forgivable.

I like you, Tim, and always have, but if you're going to insult my friends like this, then I'm gonna call you out: who's being the arrogant unfriendly jerk here?

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Forget it, Big Al.

Dan can't help himself.

Arrogant, unfriendly jerk.

Hm.

[Reminds me of a certain Dan person I know of]

Um... I've yet to see Dan let a mistake go without acknowledging it. He and I have had our riffs before, and there is nothing that he and I have ever said to each other that wasn't forgivable.

I like you, Tim, and always have, but if you're going to insult my friends like this, then I'm gonna call you out: who's being the arrogant unfriendly jerk here?

OK.

I see how it is.

Dan can be as insulting as is humanly possible toward me and I'm the jerk.

My bad.

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...and one last image...now back to the Barry Bonds on steroids topic.

m

Great photos Mark!!! :) It would be so very weird to see a ballgame in St. Louis, and it not be the ol' generic (yet somehow loveable to me) Busch stadium. Didn't know you could see the "old" Courthouse from the stadium, very cool!

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...and one last image...(snip the thought that follows ;))

m

Thanks for adding the rainbow picture last. Otherwise I couldn't help thinking about how I had to mow the lawn, and what a pathetic job I do compared to those who cut the grass at Busch. Great pictures of course, and thank you so much for sharing.

Having watched Lou Piniella's head almost explode several times earlier this season, it's something else to see the Cubs getting so close. I hope that every 25 years thing keeps working for Milwaukee though.

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Lost in the death reports today is another one, Bill Robinson.

robinson-bill4.jpg

Best known as a Phillie & a Pirate (and appropriately enough he was born in PA), and he got a ring with the '79 Pirates and had a classic power hitting platoon year for them (paired with John Milner.) He actually started with the Braves and was a Yankee from '67-'69, not a good era to be a Yankee. He also picked up a World Series ring with the '86 Mets as their hitting coach.

I always managed to get his card, even in those years where I just bought a dozen packs. He was a pretty tough out (especially if you were a lefty) in the mid-70s.

Edited by Quincy
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Lost in the death reports today is another one, Bill Robinson.

robinson-bill4.jpg

Best known as a Phillie & a Pirate (and appropriately enough he was born in PA), and he got a ring with the '79 Pirates and had a classic power hitting platoon year for them (paired with John Milner.) He actually started with the Braves and was a Yankee from '67-'69, not a good era to be a Yankee. He also picked up a World Series ring with the '86 Mets as their hitting coach.

I always managed to get his card, even in those years where I just bought a dozen packs. He was a pretty tough out (especially if you were a lefty) in the mid-70s.

Heard about it late Sunday night on baseball tonight, they mentioned he was even on baseball tonight one season, 1991 perhaps? Sad of course for everyone that loved him, or considered him a friend....sad for me, because I remember that World Series being just great, with Pops hitting like crazy at 38 in his second and last chance to be in the W.S. At least two now dead from that Pirate team. :(

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...and one last image...now back to the Barry Bonds on steroids topic.

m

Great photos Mark!!! :) It would be so very weird to see a ballgame in St. Louis, and it not be the ol' generic (yet somehow loveable to me) Busch stadium. Didn't know you could see the "old" Courthouse from the stadium, very cool!

Thanks! Yes, it is kind of strange. As a small child, I made it into the old Sportsman park a few times in it's last year of existence and I must have seen a couple hundred games in the recently retired Busch Stadium....always a great way to spend an afternoon! My oldest sister has lived there since 1965 so I spent much of my summer vacations in STL.

They are in the process of building a ballpark village beyond the left center field area that will have retail/restuarants and so on...may still be a year or two away.

Also hosting the 09 All-Star game there...looking forward to that.

m~

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...and one last image...(snip the thought that follows ;))

m

Thanks for adding the rainbow picture last. Otherwise I couldn't help thinking about how I had to mow the lawn, and what a pathetic job I do compared to those who cut the grass at Busch. Great pictures of course, and thank you so much for sharing.

Having watched Lou Piniella's head almost explode several times earlier this season, it's something else to see the Cubs getting so close. I hope that every 25 years thing keeps working for Milwaukee though.

Of course being a Cardinal fan since almost birth, I have never been a Cubs fan (though I have fond memories of many of their great players). Many of my friends (my work HQ is in Chicago) are lifelong fans. Of course I hope for their collapse (if only to see Lou have a melt down); this year has been interesting. I have no illusions of winning anything this year (without any pitching) but the (almost) sweep this past weekend gives the Cards a little life. Win or lose, a tremendous baseball town!

m~

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Interesting trade rumors swirling as the deadline approaches. Can the Sox really add Jermaine Dye and Eric Gagne?

Meantime the Yankees moved the wrong relief pitcher just to strengthen the bench (Proctor to LA for Betamit) which just makes no sense to me unless they're going to swoop in and get Gagne for themselves. Apparently they are begging people to take Farnsworth off their hands and can't find a taker. Too bad he's got another year to go on that deal. Pavano, Igawa, Farnsworth - and Cash still has a job? :wacko:

So either the Yanks must be trying to land Dotel, Gagne or Cordero, without giving up their best prospects, or else they plan to turn the eighth inning over to that prospect, Joba someone or other. And that is putting a lot of pressure on a guy in his first year in professional ball, only a few starts at AA, and has never been a reliever before. Yet the reports seem to be that the Yanks are out on the Gagne talks ...

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Saw in USA Today this a.m. that there's a chance (unlikely, but a chance) that three milestones could be achieved tonight--Bonds tying or passing Aaron, A-Rod becoming the youngest player to reach 500 homers (he's 32 and has 499), and Glavine picking up win # 300.

Let's say Bonds retires after this season with 760+ homers. If he stays healthy, I think A-Rod will pass him in 8-9 years.

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Saw in USA Today this a.m. that there's a chance (unlikely, but a chance) that three milestones could be achieved tonight--Bonds tying or passing Aaron, A-Rod becoming the youngest player to reach 500 homers (he's 32 and has 499), and Glavine picking up win # 300.

Let's say Bonds retires after this season with 760+ homers. If he stays healthy, I think A-Rod will pass him in 8-9 years.

A-Rod is likely to finish this year around 515. If you presume Bonds ends up at 765, that's 250 to go. He does it in 8 years with only 31 or so per year, which is practically nothing. If A-Rod somehow ends up in Boston next season, we're talking 6 years, max.

No chemical assistance necessary. :g

But concentrating on the here and now, Rosenthal at Fox Sports is reporting that Gagne will go to Boston, pending medical record review and his waiver of the no-trade. That would really be a remarkable addition, the only team with a sub-3.00 bullpen ERA adds the guy with the best career save percentage in history? And the Yanks send Proctor away and don't add anyone but a prospect in an unfamiliar role?

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It'd be interesting if Gagne goes to Boston. Gabbard looks like a good deal; can't believe the Sox would give up someone so young like that (if his stats are to be believed)! And as I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if we get Gagne back at the end of the season..... but I hope not. If the Rangers learned anything from this, it's that baseball is a game of second chances: i.e. PUT AKI BACK IN THE CLOSER ROLE WHERE HE BELONGS!!!

Who else you got that we can take from ya, Dan? :g

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It'd be interesting if Gagne goes to Boston. Gabbard looks like a good deal; can't believe the Sox would give up someone so young like that (if his stats are to be believed)! And as I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if we get Gagne back at the end of the season..... but I hope not. If the Rangers learned anything from this, it's that baseball is a game of second chances: i.e. PUT AKI BACK IN THE CLOSER ROLE WHERE HE BELONGS!!!

Who else you got that we can take from ya, Dan? :g

Well, apparently David Murphy is the second prospect going to Texas (according to Stark). He projects only as a fourth outfielder, and they aren't hard to come by.

As for Gabbard, he's really come into his own and I almost believe that right now he knows how to pitch better than Jon Lester. Obviously Lester has the higher upside. Most likely Gabbard tops out as a number three, and a pretty average one at that. I do like his arm though and wish him well. If he keeps balls down and throws strikes, he'll succeed. His 1.66 Ground Out to Fly Out ratio bodes well in Texas, assuming he maintains it.

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Geez Al, what more can the braves give to you all????

From the AJC blog...

By David O'Brien

July 31, 2007 3:15 PM | Link to this

Braves added lefty BEAU JONES to the initial four-prospect package for Tex and Mahay.

That was probably got the deal completed because the Rangers were concerned about Harrison’s shoulder, but I’ll let you know when I hear for sure.

It was the four previously reported, including Harrison, plus Jones, 20, a 2005 supplemental first-rounder rated the No. 14 prospect by BA last winter.

Folks, that’s five of the Braves’ top 18 prospects that went to Texas in this deal. FIVE. Wow. You don’t see that often.

Edited by BERIGAN
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It'd be interesting if Gagne goes to Boston. Gabbard looks like a good deal; can't believe the Sox would give up someone so young like that (if his stats are to be believed)! And as I said before, I wouldn't be surprised if we get Gagne back at the end of the season..... but I hope not. If the Rangers learned anything from this, it's that baseball is a game of second chances: i.e. PUT AKI BACK IN THE CLOSER ROLE WHERE HE BELONGS!!!

Who else you got that we can take from ya, Dan? :g

Well, apparently David Murphy is the second prospect going to Texas (according to Stark). He projects only as a fourth outfielder, and they aren't hard to come by.

As for Gabbard, he's really come into his own and I almost believe that right now he knows how to pitch better than Jon Lester. Obviously Lester has the higher upside. Most likely Gabbard tops out as a number three, and a pretty average one at that. I do like his arm though and wish him well. If he keeps balls down and throws strikes, he'll succeed. His 1.66 Ground Out to Fly Out ratio bodes well in Texas, assuming he maintains it.

Wow, I'm impressed. Seriously. It'll be interesting to see how the Rangers "pitching coaching staff" (term used EXTREMELY loosely) handles these fresh young arms. I know I'm hoping against history, but I sure hope these youngsters don't get corrupted like Rangers pitchers of the past.

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Keep in mind too that Gabbard was unbeaten as a starter at Fenway, which is pretty impressive for a rookie lefty. For this deal to work out, its pretty simple: The Sox have to win it all this year, and long term, Lester has to live up to his reputation and prove he was the right guy to keep. I'm not certain because I really liked watching Gabbard pitch and felt like he was going to turn out to be a late bloomer that could really excel.

I can't complain about adding Gagne to what was already the best bullpen in the majors, but at the same time I have to wonder if Jermaine Dye would have made a bigger impact. The bullpen was already great, this will help keep everyone fresh. But you still have to score runs to win and to do that, Drew has to pick it up, Papi has to remember how to hit lefties again, Manny has to keep doing what he's been doing, and Lowell can't fade as the season goes on (He hasn't so far, so I am a less worried about that). I can still see us losing games for wont of a timely hit when the bullpen doesn't even get loose - its already happened to Beckett a couple of times and to Dice K, too.

Still when you consider that the Yankees got rid of a bullpen arm, kept Farnsworth, and didn't add anyone, this is a great Deadline Day.

Add in the fact that Detroit and Cleveland didn't land anyone for their bullpens either, and the Angels didn't add a bat, and its hard not to believe that the Red Sox should be overwhelming favorites to be champions twice in four years.

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The Red Sox are stacked with pitching prospects the word here in Boston was that Gabbard was

at his highest trading value . Sean Mcadam of the providence journal predicted this trade a week ago.

In his view Gabbard is a #4 maybe a #3 starter the sox have Beckett, Dice-K ,Lester, Bucholz and

Mike Bowden who they are very high on.

This is a GREAT deal for the Sox especially since they learned that Donnely is having season ending Tommy John surgery.

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I lived in Pittsburgh when Bill Robinson played for the Pirates in the late 70s.

Each year for the 4th of July the Pirates would have a Fireworks Night. So we went one year, and Robinson won the game in the bottom of an extra inning with a home run.

We went the next year, and Robinson won it again with a single in the bottom of the ninth!

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