2015 MLB Season Thread with Postseason Discussion

[2001mark]

Guy doesn't wanna give up A-Roid's 3,000th ball.

I probably wouldn't either, I could see myself throwing it into the ocean so no one could have it.

[Dynasty]

Alex Rodriguez 3rd person in MLB history who's 3,000 hit was a home run. Boggs, Jeter, A-Rod.

Loved the lack of reaction from the Tigers.

And that dude who catches foul balls for a living was the fan who caught it.

you mean it was caught by this f****** dork?

Fitting that A-Rod's 3,000th hit was caught by an a$$hole who should grow up.

I don't see anything wrong with what he's doing.

[CubsFanBudMan]

I have not seen the guy speak, but if you collect baseballs for a living (or as a hobby) and a historic* ball falls into your lap one day... don't you almost have to keep it?

I mean, BP balls aren't going to pay the bills, but really what's the point if it doesn't lead to a moment like this?

[Sport]

Alex Rodriguez 3rd person in MLB history who's 3,000 hit was a home run. Boggs, Jeter, A-Rod.

Loved the lack of reaction from the Tigers.

And that dude who catches foul balls for a living was the fan who caught it.

you mean it was caught by this f****** dork?

Fitting that A-Rod's 3,000th hit was caught by an a$$hole who should grow up.

I don't see anything wrong with what he's doing.

He gets to the park early for both teams' batting practices and yells at players in the outfield and in the bullpen until they throw practice balls to him. I used to do the same thing, but then I went to junior high. He also uses a glove on a string with a mechanism that allows him to snag balls off the ground from above the bullpen. Then once the game starts he stands in strategic locations where a player might throw a ball over the top of the dugout or down the baselines at the end of an inning and mr 8,000 balls barrels over kids and people with actual tickets to those seats to grab his 8,001st ball. If people hassle him about not giving a ball to a kid (as they should) he'll hand the kid a fake ball and take off with the real one. The man has never just watched a baseball game.

He's also 37 years old, which is 25 years past the age when you should be excited about getting a ball in batting practice, nevermind actually going out of your way to collect 15+ balls every game. Sit in your seat like an adult and watch the game, weeny.

[Sport]

I have not seen the guy speak, but if you collect baseballs for a living (or as a hobby) and a historic* ball falls into your lap one day... don't you almost have to keep it?

I mean, BP balls aren't going to pay the bills, but really what's the point if it doesn't lead to a moment like this?

I don't have any problem with him keeping this particular ball. Good for him for using his years of worthless experience to actually position himself to be in the right place at the right time, but I still think he's an enormous dork.

[smzimbabwe]

Is there any chance the Yankees can just simply say "it's our ball"? Do they have any legal standing for this or has it been established in stone that anything that goes in the stands is yours?

[Lights Out]

Outside the Lines just unearthed proof that, contrary to his version of events, Pete Rose did bet on baseball as a player:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13114874/notebook-obtained-lines-shows-pete-rose-bet-baseball-player-1986

I still don't think he should be kept out of the HOF, but it's still a noteworthy part of baseball history.

[FiddySicks]

Pretty sad news just broke this morning. I remember Hamilton quite well from his short time with the Giants.

http://deadspin.com/former-ballplayer-darryl-hamilton-found-dead-in-apparen-1713087146

[DarkJourney]

Outside the Lines just unearthed proof that, contrary to his version of events, Pete Rose did bet on baseball as a player:

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/13114874/notebook-obtained-lines-shows-pete-rose-bet-baseball-player-1986

I still don't think he should be kept out of the HOF, but it's still a noteworthy part of baseball history.

3 weeks before the All-Star game in Cincinnati and this comes out. Pete in all likelihood is off the FOX telecast and won't be involved in other festivities. I'm not seeing a HOF induction at all or at least 100 years from now when Pete and the rest of us are long gone.

[DarkJourney]

Pretty sad news just broke this morning. I remember Hamilton quite well from his short time with the Giants.

http://deadspin.com/former-ballplayer-darryl-hamilton-found-dead-in-apparen-1713087146

Definitely sad. He's was always friendly and outgoing.

[NJTank]

Part of the Mets 2000 NL Champions very shocking news.

[ninersdd]

Part of the Mets 2000 NL Champions very shocking news.

Yeah I remember he got a key hit against the Giants in Game 2 in the first round. I liked him on the Giants and seemed like a good guy. RIP

[BigEd76]

One of the few bright spots in a dismal season:

jaysonst

Only 14 men before Maikel Franco had ever had a 4-hit, 2-HR, 5-RBI game at any Yankee Stadium. To do it in his first game ever there? Wow.

Started thinking about the list of visitors who never had a 4-hit 2-HR game at Yankee Stadium. Like Ted Williams. Ken Griffey. Miggy. Crazy

http://m.mlb.com/phi/video/topic/8877464/v189191083/phinyy-franco-smokes-solo-homer-to-left-field/

http://m.mlb.com/phi/video/topic/8877464/v189425383/phinyy-franco-clobbers-his-second-homer-of-the-game/

[cubsfan2015]

The odd thing is that the Astros are in 1st place in the AL West.

Just ten years ago,the Astros were at the top of their game,making it to World Series.

But after that sweep in the World Series,they fell in a basement.Now it seems they've come out of it.

And if you remember that September SI issue that had the Astros as the "2017 World Series Champions"?
Yep,the future is coming.

[2001mark]

The odd thing is that the Astros are in 1st place in the AL West.

Just ten years ago,the Astros were at the top of their game,making it to World Series.

But after that sweep in the World Series,they fell in a basement.Now it seems they've come out of it.

And if you remember that September SI issue that had the Astros as the "2017 World Series Champions"?

Yep,the future is coming.

The odd thing will be if the Astros make it to the AL playoffs before the Blue Jays do again. fml

[BigEd76]

Franco continues his attack on Yankee Stadium with a 3-run oppo shot off Sabathia tonight

[AnythingChicago]

The Cubs just continue to consistently win ballgames. I've been adamant all year that this a transition year and next season the Cubs should be a legitimate World Series contender if not a favorite (à la KC Royals 2013 and 2014). But, man, with the way that Maddon masterfully manages this team, if they picked up an extra arm and a bat at the deadline, they could be a force to be reckoned with come October.

Now, I'd be much more optimistic if the Cubs were in the NL East (or West, or, hell, any other division in baseball) since the Cubs (the team with the 5^th best record in baseball as I type this) play in the same division as the Cardinals and Pirates (the teams with the 1^st and 3^rd best records in baseball, respectively, as I type this). Since St. Louis will inevitably Cardinal Way their way to the division title once again, the Cubs will probably have to play in a Wild Card game against a team such as Pittsburgh, or maybe the Giants or Dodgers (that is assuming they continue playing winning baseball and actually make the playoffs). And from there it's really a crapshoot; we've seen teams like last year's Giants and Royals advance to the World Series after winning that game, but then again we've seen teams like last year's A's have the best record in baseball for a good chunk of the season only to lose a back-and-forth, down-to-the-wire slugfest in that game.

But I mean, hey, this has been a fun, refreshing season thus far for my Cubs. Whatever happens this year, I'll still retain my belief that next year will see these Cubs in their absolute prime, so I guess I'm glad to say I'm just along for the ride.

[The_Admiral]

He gets to the park early for both teams' batting practices and yells at players in the outfield and in the bullpen until they throw practice balls to him. I used to do the same thing, but then I went to junior high. He also uses a glove on a string with a mechanism that allows him to snag balls off the ground from above the bullpen. Then once the game starts he stands in strategic locations where a player might throw a ball over the top of the dugout or down the baselines at the end of an inning and mr 8,000 balls barrels over kids and people with actual tickets to those seats to grab his 8,001st ball. If people hassle him about not giving a ball to a kid (as they should) he'll hand the kid a fake ball and take off with the real one. The man has never just watched a baseball game.

He's also 37 years old, which is 25 years past the age when you should be excited about getting a ball in batting practice, nevermind actually going out of your way to collect 15+ balls every game. Sit in your seat like an adult and watch the game, weeny.

Hey, can't knock the Rube Goldbergian hustle. It's almost reassuring that New York sports can still produce genuine eccentrics and not just

[BigEd76]

2-run double for Franco breaks a tie in the 9th. This guy...

[teddthebucfan]

I have to say I think I've reached the point where I can no longer believe that the Pirates have any chance of contending for, let alone win, the division this year or anytime in the next five years.