Dave James Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 This is sad... Hideki Irabu found dead; suicide suspected http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2011/07/28/hideki-irabu-found-dead-suicide-suspected Just saw this on the ESPN website. Indeed, a sad story. I was surprised he was still living in the U.S. I figured he would have gone back to Japan when his MLB career ended. Guess he had some issues with alcohol, but who knows what drives someone to this. Two things I remember most about him. First, for about a month in his second or third year in the Bronx, he may have been the best pitcher in all of baseball. Second, when his career in New York began to fizzle, George Steinbrenner was fond of calling him "Upperdecki". For whatever reason, I always found that amusing. Quote
JSngry Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Between "Fat Toad" & "Upperdecki"...was the guy allowed to have any face left to save? I mean, I know it's America, & I know that The Boss was The Boss, but still... Maybe relevant, maybe not. Just kinda makes me cringe a bit, all things considered. One more ? in the Hall Of ???? about the experience of "international" talent in pro American sports. Quote
Tim McG Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 "George Steinbrenner who famously dubbed him the 'fat toad.'” What an asshole. I'm with you, Jim. Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 28, 2011 Author Report Posted July 28, 2011 I thought it was fat pussy toad. Quote
JSngry Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Ah, not so much that, just that...from what I know about the "typical" Japanese character (as much as there is or isn't such a thing), such things might have been more hurtful to a Japanese player at a level that maybe a lot of Americans wouldn't think about. Then again, there's Donnie Moore, so...who knows, really. I'm just sayin'....maybe it should be a "lesson learned" going forth. Maybe. Quote
paul secor Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Steinbrenner never learned any life lessons. Arrogance personified. Quote
Tim McG Posted July 28, 2011 Report Posted July 28, 2011 Steinbrenner never learned any life lessons. Arrogance personified. And how. Quote
Quincy Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 I thought it was fat pussy toad. Yup. It added to the uniqueness of the insult, as it sounded like it had gone through a computer translator & back. Quote
Neal Pomea Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Nationals losing 5, 6 straight. Hope we don't go the way of the Mariners! Feel bad for their fans.... Our manager Jim Riggleman now works for the Giants. Quote
Chalupa Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Man, them SF Giants are tough. For some reason the Phillies just play stupid whenever they face them. I have no doubt that they will beat us again this year in the NLCS. Sigh. Quote
Chalupa Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Looks like there is a very strong chance of Hunter Pence coming to Philly. I'm of two minds on this trade. It seems that we are giving up more in terms of prospects then we did in the Halladay & Lee trades. Additionally, maybe Pence isn't all that. I hear that his fielding is questionable and that he strikes out a whole bunch. But we need a rh bat in the lineup and he's hitting around .300 right now. Would love to see Rube pry Matt Kemp away from the Dodgers. I know, I know - keep dreaming.And the other thing to keep in mind is that when we lost to the Giants this week both times the Phillies were shut down by RH pitching, not LH pitching. That ain't good. Quote
Tim McG Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Man, them SF Giants are tough. For some reason the Phillies just play stupid whenever they face them. I have no doubt that they will beat us again this year in the NLCS. Sigh. Hey, 4-1....that's a high scoring game for my guys! Looks like there is a very strong chance of Hunter Pence coming to Philly. I'm of two minds on this trade. It seems that we are giving up more in terms of prospects then we did in the Halladay & Lee trades. Additionally, maybe Pence isn't all that. I hear that his fielding is questionable and that he strikes out a whole bunch. But we need a rh bat in the lineup and he's hitting around .300 right now. Would love to see Rube pry Matt Kemp away from the Dodgers. I know, I know - keep dreaming. And the other thing to keep in mind is that when we lost to the Giants this week both times the Phillies were shut down by RH pitching, not LH pitching. That ain't good. We Giants fans would love to see Matt Kemp on another team, too. Every time the Dodgers play the Giants, Kemp manages to stick it to us. Grrrrr Quote
papsrus Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Did you guys catch the video of Beckett handing a kid a baseball? Alternately touching and a bit (just a bit) 'double rainbow guy' funny. One commenter: "God help the first girl that breaks up with this kid." Nice moment though, shared with pops, that he'll surely always remember. Good for Beckett, too, a guy who doesn't always come across as all that warm. Quote
JSngry Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Stop the clock at 0:02, look around the immediate area, and your faith in humanity will be restored! Quote
Neal Pomea Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Stop the clock at 0:02, look around the immediate area, and your faith in humanity will be restored! Indeed I cried! Quote
JSngry Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 Very few acts of charity are not without their ulterior motives! Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 29, 2011 Author Report Posted July 29, 2011 What am I not seeing? Anyway, cue up "Its Allright to Cry" by Rosey Grier. Quote
JSngry Posted July 29, 2011 Report Posted July 29, 2011 (edited) What am I not seeing? Attractive bosomage. Watching certain sports on big-screen hi-def for a while alters your viewing patterns forever. I'm a living witness to the testimony. Edited July 29, 2011 by JSngry Quote
Chalupa Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Welcome to Philadelphia Hunter Pence! (And we didn't have to give up Dom Brown!!)3rd year in a row the Phillies made a big trade on 7/29. Quote
Aggie87 Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Welcome to Philadelphia Hunter Pence! (And we didn't have to give up Dom Brown!!) 3rd year in a row the Phillies made a big trade on 7/29. I think Pence will prove to be a great pickup for the Phillies. Good luck! I hate to see him leave the Astros, but really, there's nothing "there" to leave anymore. Michael Bourn is about the only person left on the roster that may have any trade value at all. Quote
Dave James Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 (edited) It's obvious at this point that if the Yankees don't make a move to shore up their starting pitching, it's tantamount to an admission that they've kissed off the post-season. All this talk about being happy with their current line-up is total B.S. C'mon guys, step up to the plate and get something done. By standing pat, Cashman is all but writing his own obituary. He has to know that. If the Yanks do nothing, I'm officially checking out. Edited July 30, 2011 by Dave James Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 30, 2011 Author Report Posted July 30, 2011 The Yankees have a big lead for the Wild Card that is seemingly secure with the way the Rays are playing. They could stand pat and make the playoffs, just as the Red Sox can. October is a crapshoot anyway. Quote
BERIGAN Posted July 30, 2011 Report Posted July 30, 2011 Both the Yankees and Red Sox might have starter issues...braves somehow have an embarrassment of starters on the club and in the minors...but such a weak offense, (beyond bad when Brian McCann is on the DL, Chipper is always hurt and Jason Heyward has gone from looking like the Next Hank Aaron to the next Joe Charboneau) makes the playoffs look like a moot point, or another one and gone playoff series. But hey, instead of Pence, or Carlos Quentin, we will have 4 swell pitching prospects we don't have any room for in the rotation! Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 31, 2011 Author Report Posted July 31, 2011 Both the Yankees and Red Sox might have starter issues... Lester has pitched very well in back-to-back starts since his return from the DL. That's a major relief. But Buccholz can't seem to get started on a serious throwing program due to lingering pain in his back and is going to yet another specialist on Monday. So ... The Red Sox are swapping Lars Anderson - a severely fallen prospect who is permanently blocked by Adrian Gonzalez -for Rich Harden who has pitched well this year but very infrequently and as we all know, his injury history is awful. I know the upside is there and maybe they'll get lucky (also maybe being reunited with his old A's pitching coach will help) but my best guess is that Theo is crossing his fingers that Harden will give them enough decent starts in August until Buchholz gets back. Anything over that is gravy, and probably doesn't happen. But at the same time, I think everyone is a little worried that Bucholz doesn't even make it back this year, in which case Lackey and Harden are your 3/4 starters in October, and in that case I will say yes, the Sox have serious pitching issues, at least as serious as the Yankees presumed issues. Speaking of which, who is left for the Yankees to target? Erik Bedard? Coming off knee surgery, looked bad last night, and a very strong reputation for not wanting to be "the guy" let alone "the guy" on a big-market team. That's why I'd rather go for Harden and cross my fingers. Bedard makes Ed Whitson look like a fearless competitor. Quote
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