MLB 2016 Season Thread Of Discussions

[catesta]

Yeah, Texas got pounded. I was very surprised.

Indians & Sox on the other hand played a hell of a game.

[Patrick]

Obviously a tremendous start for the Tribe. Cool that Terry accompanied father Tito out to throw first pitch. Lot of Indians/Red Sox cross connections, including the two managers. Feels a bit like 2007. Tribe are underdogs facing the Sawx. Injured Danny Salazar and/or Carlos Carrasco play the role of injured Cliff Lee. Josh Tomlin plays the role of Paul Byrd (starter who really should just be a long man, if that). Coco Crisp plays the role of Kenny Lofton (old speedster coming back to CLE for one more run), etc.

It has already been a highly successful season for the Indians. Obviously hope there is more to accomplish. Down #2 and #3 starters is tough. But then they actually got production from the catcher position (otherwise a blackhole the whole season) last night. And Trevor Bauer matched the Cy Young candidate (however modestly). Hopefully Kluber will dispel the need for much bullpen help this afternoon/evening.

I have tickets for the season opener for the World Champion Cleveland Cavaliers. [Yes, world champs!] This takes place on the same night as Game 1 of the World Series which will be played in an AL ballpark. Could be crazy in the CLE. Believeland!

[Dan Gould]

Feels to me that the Sox are in a big hole already. With Porcello pitching they had to win that game. Now its David Price and with his up and down 2016 and historically putrid post-season career, I seriously fear going to Boston down 0-2 unless Kluber isn't 100% and the offense gets its ass in gear and they win a slugfest.

[JSngry]

Lots of personal/family shit going on this year, have not really watched an entire Rangers game all year, just followed along with At Bat updates and such, caught the lst few innings a post-game shows along the way but.never got the "feeling" to sit down and go all in, not with all the other shit eating so much time.

Thank you, Rangers, for justifying my decision.

[Dan Gould]

5 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Feels to me that the Sox are in a big hole already. With Porcello pitching they had to win that game. Now its David Price and with his up and down 2016 and historically putrid post-season career, I seriously fear going to Boston down 0-2 unless Kluber isn't 100% and the offense gets its ass in gear and they win a slugfest.

Just as I predicted. Such a fucking waste of money David Price will always be.

When does the Cub game start?

[Patrick]

Obviously still early, but nice to see Guyer and Chisenhall contribute before I head out for a bite to eat prior to Gary Bartz Quartet at Kennedy Center.

[catesta]

4 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

Just as I predicted. Such a fucking waste of money David Price will always be.

When does the Cub game start?

You've got plenty to be pissed about.

 

[Soulstation1]

Tribe up 2-0

??

[Dan Gould]

And Buchholz is all that stands between the Sox and elimination. I'm not even watching, but at least I know it will be his final appearance in a Red Sox uniform, and it can't come soon enough.

GO CUBBIES!!!

[Soulstation1]

Cubs will not win the World Series 

[catesta]

Indians will win it today.

 

 

[JSngry]

Ah, Colby. You are forever loved.

[Soulstation1]

Tribe Up 2-0 in the 5th

[Dan Gould]

Never in my live have I seen a team go from red-hot to ice-cold in the blink of an eye.  Words can't express but I'll try: appalling, pathetic, embarrassing, lame. They win what, 12 straight then can't get out of their own way for almost the equivalent amount of time.  All the commentary was about how the Red Sox were the class of the league, should go to the World Series. And now this.

Too bad the piece of shit version showed up when it truly mattered.

[Tim McG]

The Heart of a Champion.

GO Giants!

[Dan Gould]

I'd take Lackey over Tampa reject Matt Moore any day of the week. Your team has their work cut out for them to get it back to Chicago.

[Tim McG]

I figure if Moore can't cut it, Suarez or even Blach will come in...perhaps even Cueto, if needs be.

Bochy isn't going to let the Giants lay down and play dead. Cubs will have to beat the Giants.

 

[Soulstation1]

Epic failure by Giants

[jlhoots]

1 hour ago, Soulstation1 said:

Epic failure by Giants

What a terrible bullpen performance!!

[Jim R]

Not only did the Giants lead the league in blown saves this year, they set a franchise record (not just in SF, I mean going back to the 19th Century) with a total of 30.  I saw quite a few of them myself over the past couple of months.  When Law gave up the single, and Lopez walked the second batter, I knew things were going to unravel.  I feel bad for Moore, who was looking great in the 8th.  He was at 120 pitches, but he had gone well beyond that in a recent outing against the Dodgers.  Oh well, Bochy usually does everything right, and it's hard to blame him in any way.  It's all on our pen, and that's priority numero uno in terms of off-season moves.

Congrats to the Cubbies, I'll be pulling for them in the WS.

[Dan Gould]

The bullpen issues was the single reason why I wanted the Giants to beat the Mets. The Mets have pitching and a great closer and I figured the Giants total lack of any consistency in the pen could be a difference-maker.

I don't know who to root for in the other series now but at least Scherzer is burned for games one and two if the Nats win. I guess he could go in 3 and 7 but if the Cubs take advantage and don't let it go to a game 7 that will work fine for me.

[Tim McG]

Matt Moore pitched well but, once again, the bullpen turns a three run lead into a one run loss in the 9th. 34 blown saves this season.

What a fitting end to the Giants' season. 

For next year, I sincerely hope Giants' management goes after guys who can actually hold a lead. Wow.

Go Cubs.

Go Nats.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Tim McG

[Tim McG]

One final thought:

I'm not saying the Cubs aren't a very good and well coached team. Their top three starting pitchers are excellent. No doubt.

But please do not tell me the team, as a whole, is better than the Giants. They have some stars, we have some stars. Defensively the Giants are as good as anybody. Offensively, no HR hitters per se, but these guys scratch out hits. That is the Giants' way. They won three WS trophies doing just exactly that. This whole notion that they have to be like the '24 Yankees to be considered a good team is nonsense. The bullpen, is and was the problem all year long. Period.

The Giants have heart, determination and a never say die attitude which has carried them since Bochy became the manager. Because that cannot be measured in some type of statistic or doesn't measure up to the Big Red Machine or the A's of the 70s is in no way shape or form an indication they are not a top quality team. The concept outsiders always miss is those intangibles are what drive the Giants. Maybe they aren't flash and dash, maybe they don't have drama queens like Puig and even maybe on paper they don't quite measure up, but they still finished in 2nd place in a very competitive NL West and they still won an amazing ten do or die games in a row in the post season. And to discount them simply because they aren't the big, scary stompers of the past is condescending at best and more than a little bit naive. Baseball is not only about who has the biggest bats or the nastiest slider. It's about heart. And NObody can take that away from the Giants who not one person believed, except those of us who knew the Giants, they could do so well in the post season these past seven years. Nobody. But they did it anyway. And I am proud to say I am a Giants fan now and forever.

RESPECT.

 

Edited October 12, 2016 by Tim McG

[Dan Gould]

1 hour ago, Tim McG said:

One final thought:

I'm not saying the Cubs aren't a very good and well coached team. Their top three starting pitchers are excellent. No doubt.

But please do not tell me the team, as a whole, is better than the Giants. They have some stars, we have some stars. Defensively the Giants are as good as anybody. Offensively, no HR hitters per se, but these guys scratch out hits. That is the Giants' way. They won three WS trophies doing just exactly that. This whole notion that they have to be like the '24 Yankees to be considered a good team is nonsense. The bullpen, is and was the problem all year long. Period.

The Giants have heart, determination and a never say die attitude which has carried them since Bochy became the manager. Because that cannot be measured in some type of statistic or doesn't measure up to the Big Red Machine or the A's of the 70s is in no way shape or form an indication they are not a top quality team. The concept outsiders always miss is those intangibles are what drive the Giants. Maybe they aren't flash and dash, maybe they don't have drama queens like Puig and even maybe on paper they don't quite measure up, but they still finished in 2nd place in a very competitive NL West and the still won an amazing ten do or die games in a row in the post season. And to discount them simply because they aren't the big, scary stompers of the past is condescending at best and more than a little bit naive. Baseball is not only about who has the biggest bats or the nastiest slider. It's about heart. And NObody can take that away from the Giants who not one person believed, except those of us who knew the Giants, they could do so well in the post season these past seven years. Nobody. But they did it anyway. And I am proud to say I am a Giants fan now and forever.

RESPECT.

 

Heart and determination huh? Too bad heart and determination can't actually close games.  And the NL West was competitive? Two teams over .500, three that were terrible. The AL East had FOUR teams over .500. The Giants had a huge fundamental flaw that was their problem all year and never did anything about it.  I'll give RESPECT to any team that makes the playoffs (even in this day and age with two wild cards) but if this is pre-1969 the Cubs win the pennant by, wait for it, EIGHT games. 

And the Giants? 16.5 games off the pace.

Yeah, there's a HUGE difference between those rosters. The difference in results don't lie.

Tell me Tim should the GM look for a closer with mediocre stuff but a lot of heart and determination who 'gets the job done'?  After all, its the Giants way.

[Tim McG]

Over simplification, Dan. As per usual, you fail to acknowledge the intangibles of the game.

Explain to me, then, how this allegedly sucky team won three WS trophies in seven years? This is the same type of team, with the same less-than-stellar statistics and with the same manager. The difference in 2016 was the pen. 34 blown saves. That's it. In short, your argument simply does not stand up to the light of reason.

Edited October 12, 2016 by Tim McG