MLB 2008

[BERIGAN]

Anyone noticing the year Chipper Jones is having so far??? .426 BA, 10 HR's 29 RBI's!!! Not bad for a 36 year old, eh??? It's to the point now that he'd getting pitched around and Mark Teixeira is the guy teams want to face(Sucks to be a Boras client in his last year with the team if the team is the braves)

Last year he hit .337, but that was mainly because he hit .378 Left handed, only .274 Right handed. I was really wishing he'd just bat left handed. This year, he has turned it around so far, batting .438 Left and .400 right. I think he is using a lighter bat right handed. Something looks better.

I heard on a broadcast a few weeks ago that Chipper uses a very heavy bat, and it all goes back to Willie Stargell!

He was a roving hitting instructor for the braves in the early 90's, saw Chipper hit in the minors and handed him a heavy bat, and said to him, you hit with this bat, the rest is history.....

[papsrus]

Yep, Chipper's on fire alright. That division is shaping up kind of like the AL Central (except better), where nobody really emerges from the pack. Speaking of which, the Tigers are back into their funk, losing five in a row. ... And man, Gavin Floyd got so close (again) last night to tossing a no-hitter. ... Too bad for him.

[BERIGAN]

Oh man, did y'all see Rick Ankiel's two amazing throws from deep center last night???? Got Willie Tavarez trying to go from 2nd on a fly ball, and another guy trying to get a triple....both runners look quite stunned. Check them out on Sportscenter if you get a chance this morning, just wow......and better accuracy than he had as a pitcher to boot!

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=stl

Edited May 7, 2008 by BERIGAN

[Chalupa]

Yep, Chipper's on fire alright. That division is shaping up kind of like the AL Central (except better), where nobody really emerges from the pack. Speaking of which, the Tigers are back into their funk, losing five in a row. ... And man, Gavin Floyd got so close (again) last night to tossing a no-hitter. ... Too bad for him.

Man, I cringe every time I see Floyd have a good game. I can't believe the Phillies got nothing for him and had to eat Garcia's $10 million contract. Actually we got one win from Garcia so I guess it wasn't a total loss.

[zen archer]

The Red Sox are 22-13 and the A's are 21-14 , i guess that japanese trip didn't hurt either team !!!

[Soulstation1]

in my fantasy league world

we finally dropped anduw fat ass jones

my team is in dead last

[Big Al]

Oh man, did y'all see Rick Ankiel's two amazing throws from deep center last night???? Got Willie Tavarez trying to go from 2nd on a fly ball, and another guy trying to get a triple....both runners look quite stunned. Check them out on Sportscenter if you get a chance this morning, just wow......and better accuracy than he had as a pitcher to boot!

http://stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=stl

Saw 'em on SportsCenter last night. Unreal!!!!

[WorldB3]

and the A's are 21-14

ssssh..... if nobody notices we will keep surprising people. Keep it on the down low, we are enjoying the lack of excessive drama and the sideshows that is happening with the Tigers, Mets, Wt. Sox and Yanks. Just pure ball over here, don't tell anyone. k?

[Tim McG]

San Jose Mercury News did the same shit to Bonds.

I submit the goverment has everything to do with it. As with Bonds, they have no case [unless they are going to prefer tax evasion charges like they did with Bonds; such bullshit] so they prefer instead to wipe out the man's career with stories of sexual inpropriety [through their lawyers] and by hiding behind a tabloid-like story in the local rag.

Meanwhile, I patiently await the goverment's steroid charges against Gag-me.

You continue to amaze me, and not in a good way.

You want to insist that this is the government. Fine. You do that. The fact is that they have been investigating Clemens for all of what, six weeks. In his column last week, Mike Lupica declared that "four reporters have invested four months on the story" of the affair with McCready.

"they have no case"? How can anyone with a brain declare that? They have Brian McNamee. They have Andy Pettitte and Laura Pettitte, Debbie Clemens and Chuck Knoblauch. They have extremely contradictory evidence from team medical personnel on Clemens claim of receiving B-12 and Lidocaine shots. They have physical evidence that may directly link Clemens at the genetic level.

If anything, the government has a stronger perjury case against Clemens than they do against Bonds, because of two crucial differences:

1) Bonds' trainer has refused to testify against him. McNamee is the crux of the case against Clemens, and because of his own risk (jail if he lies) and his proven honesty (Pettitte, Knoblauch, Mrs. Clemens) makes him a powerful eyewitness.

2) Clemens boldly and foolishly denied outright all claims against him, while Bonds very artfully and carefully answered direct questions about BALCO steroids and the evidence they had against him.

And last but not least, you should at least be aware that the government does not go after individual users of steroids, they go after distributors, and they go after anyone who recklessly and cravenly commits perjury in a legal proceeding.

First, its I want MLB to take away Gag-me's record.

Now, its I want the Feds to arrest Gag-me.

Grow a brain or give it up.

Not what I said, but that's OK, Dan.

We will have to agree to disagree on this one.

[papsrus]

Boy, as good as Cliff Lee was tonight against the Yankees, (7 innings, 7 K's, no runs), the Jays' Shaun Marcum may have been better (8 2/3, 9 K's, 1 walk, 2 runs in the ninth). Rays couldn't touch him tonight. ... It's not over yet, but outrageous game between the Red Sox and Detroit. And how about the Cubs giving up four home runs in one inning? That can't be good. ... Joey Votto who?

Edited May 8, 2008 by papsrus

[Patrick]

Cliff Lee!!!!

[Dan Gould]

Boy, as good as Cliff Lee was tonight against the Yankees, (7 innings, 7 K's, no runs), the Jays' Shaun Marcum may have been better (8 2/3, 9 K's, 1 walk, 2 runs in the ninth). Rays couldn't touch him tonight. ... It's not over yet, but outrageous game between the Red Sox and Detroit. And how about the Cubs giving up four home runs in one inning? That can't be good. ... Joey Votto who?

With the Yanks, Rays and O's losing, it can't be a bad night. Tremendous comeback but Paps has put the first guy on with an excuse-me swinging bunt. I hope he doesn't make this his first blown save. Now a motherfucking error by that asshole Lugo on a double play ball. Jesus Christ. To lose this after coming back will be infuriating.

And does anyone care to wager whether the O's go over .500 again?

[papsrus]

Damn. Looks like the Lugo error cost 'em.

EDIT: At least Papelbon had sense enough to kick the crap out of the Gatoraide cooler in the dugout and didn't start punching it with his throwing hand.

Edited May 8, 2008 by papsrus

[Dan Gould]

Damn. Looks like the Lugo error cost 'em.

EDIT: At least Papelbon had sense enough to kick the crap out of the Gatoraide cooler in the dugout and didn't start punching it with his throwing hand.

I didn't stick around to watch, but that is good news that he didn't do anything even stupider than giving Julio Fucking Lugo a four year 36 million dollar contract. Seriously, its bad enough that he thought so much of this piece of shit, but what possessed him to throw so much money at him? Another Scott Boras win - get the Red Sox to bid against themselves on one of his idiot clients who have either entered their decline phase or have entered their decline phase and never stayed healthy in the first place - Lugo and Drew, a hundred million dollars of shit.

Tell me that the rookie who played second base, Lowrie, isn't at least Lugo's equal with the bat? He's got better pop and a better eye so his OPS will be higher, and whatever advantage Lugo has in the speed department is cancelled out by his frighteningly bad defense. My God the fucking loser is on a pace for 50 errors!

[zen archer]

Nothing you can do about that loss, i'm surprised Papelbon was mad . The Tigers barely hit

the ball out of the infield , excuse me swing, error ,broken bat blooper....sometimes the breaks go the other way.

As for Lugo he can be frustrating at short , but is Lowrie a really big upgrade defensively ? Lugo played well in the

World Series and his hitting this year has not been bad and if the Sox make it to the WS again this year or even just the playoffs did that signing really hurt them ?

[Dan Gould]

Nothing you can do about that loss, i'm surprised Papelbon was mad . The Tigers barely hit

the ball out of the infield , excuse me swing, error ,broken bat blooper....sometimes the breaks go the other way.

As for Lugo he can be frustrating at short , but is Lowrie a really big upgrade defensively ? Lugo played well in the

World Series and his hitting this year has not been bad and if the Sox make it to the WS again this year or even just the playoffs did that signing really hurt them ?

If Lowrie plays average defense, its obviously a huge upgrade. Lugo kills us with the glove, and most infuriatingly, its almost all on routine plays. Lugo's BA is empty with a .353 slugging. His .354 OBP is an improvement over recent years but nothing to write home about. Based on his minor league performance, Lowrie can be expected to easily exceed him in both areas. But with 9 million invested for 2 4/5 more years, there is no way Lugo gets traded or released, and with Cora due back this weekend, Lowrie goes back to Pawtucket anyway.

But anyway you cut it, when no one else wants a player and you give him a 4 year 36 million dollar deal for this kind of production and defensive incompetence, its one of the worst signings any GM can make. World Series or no, Lugo does nothing but hurt the team 90% of the time. Remember he was going to bat lead off? I'm hoping that the fans at Fenway boo him viciously every time he comes up until he crawls to Theo and says he can't take it anymore.

[WorldB3]

I'm hoping that the fans at Fenway boo him viciously every time he comes up until he crawls to Theo and says he can't take it anymore.

You want the fans to boo someone who helped you win a world series? I will never understand Red Sox fans.

[Soulstation1]

shit

if the tribe ever won the world series, i wouldn't give a !@@$ if they lost every game the next season

[Soulstation1]

http://cgi.ebay.com/1961-Topps-Baseball-Co...1QQcmdZViewItem

1961 topps set with every single card graded a PSA 8

Bad Ass

[Dan Gould]

I'm hoping that the fans at Fenway boo him viciously every time he comes up until he crawls to Theo and says he can't take it anymore.

You want the fans to boo someone who helped you win a world series? I will never understand Red Sox fans.

The sooner his ass is riding the pines, released, or traded, the better this team will be. That is what I want to see.

[Dan Gould]

Cliff Lee!!!!

Yeah, too bad he has to be followed by Paul Byrd.

And too bad that Jason Giambi doesn't get to hit off Byrd every day. I saw on a Yankee blog an analysis where he divided pitchers into "finesse" "power" and "in-between" and showed how, for the last two years, Jason Giambi has done all of his damage off of "finesse" guys, of whom Byrd is a perfect example, and can't hit power guys to save his life any more. So every time Giambi says he that he feels great and is ready to bust out, check the schedule for who he's going to be facing.

And remember, too, that in 250 ABs from last May to this May, he is hitting .180.

[Tim McG]

Barry Zito, 0-7.

Any bets on when he will actually win a game his season?

[Patrick]

Cliff Lee!!!!

Yeah, too bad he has to be followed by Paul Byrd.

And too bad that Jason Giambi doesn't get to hit off Byrd every day. I saw on a Yankee blog an analysis where he divided pitchers into "finesse" "power" and "in-between" and showed how, for the last two years, Jason Giambi has done all of his damage off of "finesse" guys, of whom Byrd is a perfect example, and can't hit power guys to save his life any more. So every time Giambi says he that he feels great and is ready to bust out, check the schedule for who he's going to be facing.

And remember, too, that in 250 ABs from last May to this May, he is hitting .180.

Yes, Byrd has been brutal this year. This is what I thought they signed way back when, perhaps a serviceable 5th starter. Nothing to get too excited about. But after getting healthy, he was a pleasant surprise last year. Stunning that he performed so well as the 3rd guy in the rotation for much of last year, after Westbrook and Lee missed most/all of the season. I won't get too upset if the "Paul Byrd era" ended sooner rather than later. [Arguably, it already has ended.]

And the anemic Indian offense has now twice made Moose look five years younger.

And I fear that Travis Hafner may be turning into the next Cory Snyder.

To get to .500 in May...

[Patrick]

Cliff Lee!!!!

Yeah, too bad he has to be followed by Paul Byrd.

And too bad that Jason Giambi doesn't get to hit off Byrd every day. I saw on a Yankee blog an analysis where he divided pitchers into "finesse" "power" and "in-between" and showed how, for the last two years, Jason Giambi has done all of his damage off of "finesse" guys, of whom Byrd is a perfect example, and can't hit power guys to save his life any more. So every time Giambi says he that he feels great and is ready to bust out, check the schedule for who he's going to be facing.

And remember, too, that in 250 ABs from last May to this May, he is hitting .180.

Yes, Byrd has been brutal this year. This is what I thought they signed way back when, perhaps a serviceable 5th starter. Nothing to get too excited about. But after getting healthy, he was a pleasant surprise last year. Stunning that he performed so well as the 3rd guy in the rotation for much of last year, after Westbrook and Lee missed most/all of the season. I won't get too upset if the "Paul Byrd era" ended sooner rather than later. [Arguably, it already has ended.]

And the anemic Indian offense has now twice made Moose look five years younger.

And I fear that Travis Hafner may be turning into the next Cory Snyder.

To get to .500 in May...

[Dan Gould]

Well that was a big win for the Rays, Percival blowing the save in the ninth but not giving up anything else, then worked out of a lead-off triple in the tenth and iced it with a grand slam in the 13th. Is there any doubt that the "old Rays" would have lost this game? I kept watching after the Red Sox game ended because I was hoping that we'd get to that 4 1/2 game lead we should have had after Wednesday night.

Here's a follow up to Giambi's struggles:

Giambi has 2 favorite pitchers

by Ed Price

Thursday May 08, 2008, 2:11 PM

Jason Giambi just homered into the upper deck, his third homer this year off Cleveland's Paul Byrd. So Byrd joins Boston's Mike Timlin on Giambi's Christmas-card list:

vs. Timlin: 3-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI

vs. Byrd: 3-for-4, 3 HR, 5 RBI

vs. all other pitchers: 8-for-78 (.103), 1 HR (off Jose Contreras), 9 RBI

With the Sox not coming to New York until the end of June, and I imagine they won't play the Indians soon either, Giambi better pick it up or he should be riding the pines or dare I say it, DFA'd?

Watching the Tigers for four days, I have to wonder whether a lot of people were deceived about this team. It looked like they were ready to bust out but now they've slid right back to the cellar. If Verlander can't find his form, this team is surely cooked. Bonderman isn't much as a #2 (career ERA+ of 92) and the signing of Dontrelle Willis might turn out to be just as stupid as the Zito signing, if not quite as expensive. They really needed to wait and see if he can regain his form and pitch in the AL. Then of course there is Sheffield, who looks like he is toast (considering how annoyed I was that the Yankees picked up his option so that they could keep him from going to Boston, it looks like I should be real glad that the Sox aren't on the hook for almost two more years). I expect that the hitting will pick up as the weather warms, so they may get away with pounding teams into oblivion but I can't see how that gets them to even 90 wins this year.