2018-19 Hot Stove League

[Dave James]

The Yankees have always been my favorite team, but back in to late '50's and early '60's, I closely followed the Reds, or the Redlegs as they were called back then.  Vada Pinson, Ed Bailey, Gus Bell, Jim O'Toole, Johnny Temple, but most of all, Frank Robinson. Far from a rah-rah guy, but a quiet leader who was as naturally gifted a ballplayer as you could ever hope to see.  In 1956, his rookie year, he batted .290, hit 38 home runs, had 166 hits and was the NL ROY.  He remains the only player in MLB history to be named MVP in both the National and American Leagues.  Quite the legacy.

Edited February 7, 2019 by Dave James

[JSngry]

[Brad]

As Baseball Debates Its Rules, Players Suggest Trying Harder to Win

[Matthew]

27 minutes ago, Brad said:

As Baseball Debates Its Rules, Players Suggest Trying Harder to Win

A lot of bad baseball, and teams going into "rebuilding mode" is probably the most serious problem about baseball right now -- who wants to see two terrible teams play terrible baseball for a terrible three plus hours? It's laughable that Baltimore wound up 61!!!! games behind the Red Sox. Talk about the integrity of the sport!

Edited February 8, 2019 by Matthew

[JSngry]

[jazztrain]

5 hours ago, JSngry said:

Nice article here from 2014 about Frank Robinson:  https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2014/2/28/5456768/buck-showalter-josh-hart-frank-robinson-orioles-essay

[JSngry]

Those Frank/Brooks/Etc Orioles teams might be my all-time favorites, even more than the Rangers when they had their runs.

[Matthew]

2 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Those Frank/Brooks/Etc Orioles teams might be my all-time favorites, even more than the Rangers when they had their runs.

So many great, and interesting teams from that era. The Orioles, Pirates, Mets (the 1969 series is very interesting to look back on), Reds, among others. In hindsight, it was a glorious time for watching baseball.

[ghost of miles]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Is that an APBA card?!  I was a big Strat-O-Mat player as a kid in the late 1970s... seems like there was a third statistical-based board game back around then, but I can't remember it.  Strat-O-Mat and APBA were the big two in that regard iirc.

I pulled this photo off the web--I think my actual set is still buried in my father's storage unit--but it looks quite similar to what I had, which was based on the entire 1977 MLB season:

[Dan Gould]

1 hour ago, Matthew said:

So many great, and interesting teams from that era. The Orioles, Pirates, Mets (the 1969 series is very interesting to look back on), Reds, among others. In hindsight, it was a glorious time for watching baseball.

And not least because hitters ran around the bases after a home run. no styling, no profiling (and I love Papi's trot still).

[JSngry]

2 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Is that an APBA card?!  I was a big Strat-O-Mat player as a kid in the late 1970s... seems like there was a third statistical-based board game back around then, but I can't remember it.  Strat-O-Mat and APBA were the big two in that regard iirc.

I pulled this photo off the web--I think my actual set is still buried in my father's storage unit--but it looks quite similar to what I had, which was based on the entire 1977 MLB season:

APBA it is. I had a buddy who got a set (this was in 1966, we were, like, 11 or so) and we had to put it up, too complicated.

But Strat-o-Matic, hell yeah, we were ALL up in the Strat-O-Matic, bought the new team sets annually, etc. I can tell you EXACTLY where mine is right now - in my closet, looking at me every time I turn on the light.

That shit was FUN!

[ghost of miles]

17 minutes ago, JSngry said:

APBA it is. I had a buddy who got a set (this was in 1966, we were, like, 11 or so) and we had to put it up, too complicated.

But Strat-o-Matic, hell yeah, we were ALL up in the Strat-O-Matic, bought the new team sets annually, etc. I can tell you EXACTLY where mine is right now - in my closet, looking at me every time I turn on the light.

That shit was FUN!

My brother!!!  I whiled away many, many hours playing Strat-O-Mat (as did my biological brothers).  

[Matthew]

2 hours ago, Dan Gould said:

And not least because hitters ran around the bases after a home run. no styling, no profiling (and I love Papi's trot still).

Though, I still think Reggie's doppelgänger is still standing at home plate in Tiger Stadium, watching his homer off Doc Ellis...

 

Edited February 8, 2019 by Matthew

[Dan Gould]

3 minutes ago, Matthew said:

Though, I still think Reggie's doppelgänger is still standing at home plate in Tiger Stadium, watching his homer off Doc Ellis...

 

Yeah I was thinking about Reggie and this in particular as I wrote this, and yet ... check out the end of the clip. Reggie is in fact hauling ass around 2B, as much as he ever did.  Nowadays there'd be an epic bat flip, stand at the plate, and 3:30 minute trot around the bases.

[JSngry]

Reggie knew what he was doing, he knew what norms he was breaking and why he was breaking them He didn't assume that it was no big deal to do shit like that. He knew it was a big deal, that's why he did it. And he knew that if he fucked up in the process, there would be karma. Therein lies the difference, usually.

[Dave James]

 

[Brad]

Remember Jeffrey Leonard, with the one flap down?

[Dave James]

47 minutes ago, Brad said:

Remember Jeffrey Leonard, with the one flap down?

Leonard had one of the great baseball nicknames ever.  Penitentiary Face.

[Brad]

17 hours ago, Dave James said:

Leonard had one of the great baseball nicknames ever.  Penitentiary Face.

Well named, although I’m certainly no Adonis

The latest rumors, in case anyone is interested. 

MLB Rumors

[paul secor]

48 minutes ago, Brad said:

 

The latest rumors, in case anyone is interested. 

MLB Rumors

Speculation, speculation. Reminds me of why I hate watching commentators on ESPN and hardly ever do these days.

[Dave James]

4 minutes ago, paul secor said:

Speculation, speculation. Reminds me of why I hate watching commentators on ESPN and hardly ever do these days.

Here's some more: The New York Yankees reportedly offered infielder Manny Machado a contract worth $220 million ranging between seven and eight years, according to former New York Mets GM Jim Duquette.

[Brad]

9 minutes ago, paul secor said:

Speculation, speculation. Reminds me of why I hate watching commentators on ESPN and hardly ever do these days.

Isn't that what the hot stove is all about, and with less than two weeks ago and all these unsigned players, that stove will be getting pretty warm. 

[JSngry]

 

[Brad]

M.L.B. Is Focused on Pace-of-Game Changes for 2019

“Don’t look for a National League designated hitter this year or for new anti-tanking rules in June’s amateur draft.

Rob Manfred, the commissioner of Major League Baseball, said on Friday that management was focused on pace-of-game changes for 2019 and bolder ideas proposed by the players’ association were too complex to be put in place for this season.”

[Tom 1960]

Going back for a moment of the call on Reggie's home run, boy did that bring back memories for me! Growing up and listening to Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek doing MLB games on NBC. Good times!