2015 MLB Gamethread

[sk7326]

Toronto is the best team in the field given current circumstances (since the Cards won all those games but had so many injuries coming down the stretch). Even if they lost, that was the case ... baseball is funny like that. Best team loses in the tournament all the time - just how the cookie crumbles in baseball (as opposed to the NBA).

 

ALCS will be fun ... the big question is whether the Royals lousy starting rotation can hold off that ridiculous lineup (one can argue as good as anything we've seen since the 2003-4 Red Sox) enough for the Royals other edges to kick in. (their defense, their bullpen, their ability to make contact) Also, there is the matter of the tactical managing, where Gibbons seems to be a clear plus over Yost.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Toronto is the best team in the field given current circumstances (since the Cards won all those games but had so many injuries coming down the stretch). Even if they lost, that was the case ... baseball is funny like that. Best team loses in the tournament all the time - just how the cookie crumbles in baseball (as opposed to the NBA).

 

ALCS will be fun ... the big question is whether the Royals lousy starting rotation can hold off that ridiculous lineup (one can argue as good as anything we've seen since the 2003-4 Red Sox) enough for the Royals other edges to kick in. (their defense, their bullpen, their ability to make contact) Also, there is the matter of the tactical managing, where Gibbons seems to be a clear plus over Yost.

 

Actually, I think by all measures of offense, the 2013 Sox were even better than 03-04. And I'm not sure the Royals starters are as bad as you're making them out to be. Cueto can be shut-down, even when he's not at his best, as he proved last night.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I really don't understand why people make such a big deal when a player flips his bat.

[sk7326]

Actually, I think by all measures of offense, the 2013 Sox were even better than 03-04. And I'm not sure the Royals starters are as bad as you're making them out to be. Cueto can be shut-down, even when he's not at his best, as he proved last night.

 

Starters ERA is like 4.20. Cueto's stuff is a real concern, although he did a nice job last night. That said, Astros surprisingly did not make him work that hard ... they are a crazy strikeout team, but usually a good walk one, and was not the case last night. If you believe in inexperience in a big game, last night was evidence.

 

I think the 2003 Sox in terms of standard deviations above the league average were the best of the lot - only other two this century above it were 2007 Yanks and this year's Toronto team.

[sk7326]

I really don't understand why people make such a big deal when a player flips his bat.

 

It's fun to me. And seriously, if there was one time where it was earned, THAT was it.

[yankthis]

I really don't understand why people make such a big deal when a player flips his bat.

 

Seriously. The guy is just caught up in the moment. It's not as if he's thumbing his nose at the pitcher and saying "neener neener neener".

Edited October 15, 2015 by yankthis
quoted for context

[Bellhorn04]

Plus, many pitchers have their own routines for celebrating getting out of the inning or whatever.

[Kimmi]

I really don't understand why people make such a big deal when a player flips his bat.

 

As long as it's not a player doing it against the Red Sox or a Yankees player doing it, I enjoy it.

 

It's part of the game, and part of the entertainment.

[Kimmi]

Looking forward to tonight's game. Go Mets.

[Northern Star]

In baseball it's the players complaining about celebration, in NFL it's the league. There should be a line between celebrating and taunting, and between celebrating and showboating. The NFL is way too restrictive. I think the fans want to see a bit of emotion from the players. Remember Sammy Sosa's little hop when he hit a HR? That added to the game. Someone standing there for five minutes admiring it, not so much. Especially when it hits off the top of the wall back into play and they're only half way to 1st.

[Spitball]

I am older than most on here, but I understand and appreciate baseball's long standing protocol of unofficial behavior. There are unwritten rules, and I think that is cool. It is about history. Those of us who grew up in Massachusetts should appreciate history. The unofficial rules have been there for decades. Take them away, and you remove a unique aspect of the game. Edited October 16, 2015 by Spitball

[Spitball]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBcFKEb6ak

[Spudboy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBcFKEb6ak

 

Good stuff. Never saw Kaufax but I did see plenty of Gibson and Blue.

 

The two most fearsome pitchers I ever saw.

[a700hitter]

Good stuff. Never saw Kaufax but I did see plenty of Gibson and Blue.

 

The two most fearsome pitchers I ever saw.

Drysdale too.

[Youk Of The Nation]

This is one of those rare instances where I can understand both points of view. Yeah, Bautista deserved that bat flip, that was a hell of a shot in a big spot. On the other hand, there has to be a classier way to bat-flip and admire a home run. He just looked like a giant douche when he did it. His body language and facial expression didn't convey "I just hit an important home run for my team! Awesome!", they said "I'ts about time I hit that, it was obviously going to happen because everyone sucks but me". He didn't even smile, he just stared out at the home run like it was a disappointing child leaving home for the first time.

[a700hitter]

This is one of those rare instances where I can understand both points of view. Yeah, Bautista deserved that bat flip, that was a hell of a shot in a big spot. On the other hand, there has to be a classier way to bat-flip and admire a home run. He just looked like a giant douche when he did it. His body language and facial expression didn't convey "I just hit an important home run for my team! Awesome!", they said "I'ts about time I hit that, it was obviously going to happen because everyone sucks but me". He didn't even smile, he just stared out at the home run like it was a disappointing child leaving home for the first time.

How many times did you have to watch the replay to get all that out of it? Lol!

[Station 13]

$314M payroll, Dodgers, RIP. RIP Mattingly as well.

 

I scratch my head how they ran that tab up to that level. Their roster is very mediocre.

[a700hitter]

$314M payroll, Dodgers, RIP. RIP Mattingly as well.

 

I scratch my head how they ran that tab up to that level. Their roster is very mediocre.

take away Kershaw, Greinke and AGon and they are very mediocre-- kinda suckie.

[cp176]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aBcFKEb6ak

 

Thanks for that post. How about Gibson knocking Clemente down every time. Bautista has got to be smart enough to know that sooner or later he is going see some pay back by someone on the mound who is just as tough as he is. It is part of the game. Much like that body numbing "slide" into second, we hate those guys unless they play for us. When they play for us , it is a whole different ball game.

[sk7326]

I am older than most on here, but I understand and appreciate baseball's long standing protocol of unofficial behavior. There are unwritten rules, and I think that is cool. It is about history. Those of us who grew up in Massachusetts should appreciate history. The unofficial rules have been there for decades. Take them away, and you remove a unique aspect of the game.

 

Baseball in the US - baseball in latin america has much much more flare

[sk7326]

$314M payroll, Dodgers, RIP. RIP Mattingly as well.

 

I scratch my head how they ran that tab up to that level. Their roster is very mediocre.

 

No depth at all. The weird thing was how they did not adjust at all even though clearly DeGrom did not have good fastball command and was throwing his breaking ball more when he needed a strike. But no adjustments.

[Spudboy]

Drysdale too.

 

Like Kaufax, I never saw Drysdale pitch.

 

I do know that he pitched a WS perfect game. I think!

 

You saw Gibson and Blue. The young guys here only remember things since Pedro and maybe Clemens.

 

Gibson and Blue were incredible. Just check out their numbers.

[Spudboy]

Oh.

 

I saw Denny McClain pitch.

 

Imagine winning 30 games in one season?

[Bellhorn04]

Oh.

 

I saw Denny McClain pitch.

 

Imagine winning 30 games in one season?

 

31-6. That was pretty awesome. I was a fan of his, too bad he turned out to be a criminal.

[Youk Of The Nation]

It's insane that McClain was never banned from baseball for running a goddamn bookmaking operation, while one of the best players in the history of the game is still being kept out of the Hall of Fame. Ted Williams himself hated McClain, yet that wasn't enough of a sign that he should be kicked out. On the other hand, the universe was so at odds with Pete Rose's ban that the vengeful hand of fate struck down Bart Giamatti a week later. READ THE SIGNS PEOPLE

[cp176]

Oh.

 

I saw Denny McClain pitch.

 

Imagine winning 30 games in one season?

 

 

I actually enjoyed watching Mickey Lolitch just as much. Pitchers are tougher when they have to hit. Throw Marichal right in there with Gibson, Koufax, and Drysdale. I also just read that the great Dean Chance recently passed away. We had just enough to beat him in 67.

[sk7326]

It's insane that McClain was never banned from baseball for running a goddamn bookmaking operation, while one of the best players in the history of the game is still being kept out of the Hall of Fame. Ted Williams himself hated McClain, yet that wasn't enough of a sign that he should be kicked out. On the other hand, the universe was so at odds with Pete Rose's ban that the vengeful hand of fate struck down Bart Giamatti a week later. READ THE SIGNS PEOPLE

 

I don't know - the evidence was strong and betting on games has always been the most sacrosanct of the things to not do. If anything the evidence that Rose did it is worse now than it was in the Dowd report.

[a700hitter]

It's insane that McClain was never banned from baseball for running a goddamn bookmaking operation, while one of the best players in the history of the game is still being kept out of the Hall of Fame. Ted Williams himself hated McClain, yet that wasn't enough of a sign that he should be kicked out. On the other hand, the universe was so at odds with Pete Rose's ban that the vengeful hand of fate struck down Bart Giamatti a week later. READ THE SIGNS PEOPLE

I know that McClain was a thief, but I thought he went to jail for looting a pension fund. I didn't know that he ran a bookie operation while still playing.

[Kimmi]

I am older than most on here, but I understand and appreciate baseball's long standing protocol of unofficial behavior. There are unwritten rules, and I think that is cool. It is about history. Those of us who grew up in Massachusetts should appreciate history. The unofficial rules have been there for decades. Take them away, and you remove a unique aspect of the game.

 

I have no problem with Bautista's bat flip, although had it been against the Red Sox, I would not be happy with it.

 

That said, Bautista has to know that if he's going to show up a pitcher like that, he should expect to take a fastball to the buttocks the next time the two meet. I have no problem with that either. I like the idea of players policing themselves, as long as it's done correctly and no one goes head hunting.

 

That said, if the pitcher doesn't like someone showing him up, perhaps he should make a better pitch.

[Kimmi]

Thanks for that post. How about Gibson knocking Clemente down every time. Bautista has got to be smart enough to know that sooner or later he is going see some pay back by someone on the mound who is just as tough as he is. It is part of the game. Much like that body numbing "slide" into second, we hate those guys unless they play for us. When they play for us , it is a whole different ball game.

 

I agree.

 

As far as Utley's slide goes, the Mets got the ultimate revenge in winning the NLDS. I do fully expect that Utley will receive some more payback next season though.