2009 MLB Season Thread

[DEAD!]

I, too, would like to see the myth that is Strasburg. Nick

correction.

[NJTank]

Yanks and Jays star in Rumble in the Bronx

[FiddySicks]

The Rockies second half Kryptonite, AKA the San Francisco Giants just won their sixth straight vs Colorado and have cut the Rockies Wild Card lead down to two and a half games. They may not make the playoffs, but damn do they keep fighting. This team is gonna be fun to watch in the upcoming years.

[oddball]

Andre Ethier comes through again! 2 run shot in the bottom of the 13th after Pittsburgh went ahead in the top of the inning!

[FiddySicks]

Just found this and thought I would share.

Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Journey, will be at Dodger Stadium wearing his Giants cap as usual when the team plays there this weekend and he will leave before the eighth inning, as usual, but not to beat the traffic. Late last season, the Dodgers started playing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" before the bottom of the eighth inning every night as a rally song, and Perry leaves before they do. "I have to," he said. "I don't want to hear it." Why? Because Perry is a diehard Giants fan who cannot stand the fact that the Dodgers "hijacked it first" and use it to win games.

How lame is it that the Dodgers use a song from a band based out of San Francisco as their rally cry?

[Jigga]

How lame is it that the Dodgers use a f***ing Journey song as their rally cry? Not because they're from San Francisco, but because they're f***ing Journey!

[JayJaxon]

Tommy Hanson is looking better and better. This is uncharted territory for him because he has never pitched so many innings in his life. But I would say he is handling it pretty well!

[Sport]

Just found this and thought I would share.

Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Journey, will be at Dodger Stadium wearing his Giants cap as usual when the team plays there this weekend and he will leave before the eighth inning, as usual, but not to beat the traffic. Late last season, the Dodgers started playing Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" before the bottom of the eighth inning every night as a rally song, and Perry leaves before they do. "I have to," he said. "I don't want to hear it." Why? Because Perry is a diehard Giants fan who cannot stand the fact that the Dodgers "hijacked it first" and use it to win games.

How lame is it that the Dodgers use a song from a band based out of San Francisco as their rally cry?

So Steve Perry is like me. Every time I'm in a bar and one of the sorority girls picks "Don't Stop Believing" on the jukebox then I have to leave. Strange.

[BaltimoreFan]

I, too, would like to see the myth that is Strasburg.

I'm really hoping MLB network will broadcast Arizona Fall Leauge games. The second half of the season is during November after the World Series. It'd be better than non stop talk about the Hot Stove, when no players are likely to sign until Dec-Jan.

[dfwabel]

As errie as this sounds, I think if I was in the Metro Detroit area, I would be at Comerica Park tonight.

Harwell to Address Fans on Wednesday Night

[JayJaxon]

I am also quite interested in seeing Strasburg play. I just hope they don't run him out there too early. But no worries...they will.

In other news, ESPN is reporting that Bobby Cox isn't sure about coming back for a 25th season with the Atlanta Braves. He has thought about it before, and everyone knows that his retirement will come very soon if it's not at the end of this year. I wouldn't mind him staying on just a little while longer though.

[crashcarson15]

The Rockies second half Kryptonite, AKA the San Francisco Giants just won their sixth straight vs Colorado and have cut the Rockies Wild Card lead down to two and a half games. They may not make the playoffs, but damn do they keep fighting. This team is gonna be fun to watch in the upcoming years.

Remember the series in Colorado though... the last 6 have been in AT&T.

[dfwabel]

So not promising for the Rangers.

The Financial Mess With The Rangers

Owner Tom Hicks essentially has lost fiscal control of the team, which has had to borrow at least $15 million from major league baseball. MLB is making many of the calls regarding Rangers? moves, including the one that cost them the ability to sign No. 1 draft pick Matt Purke. The Rangers thought they would be able to offer Purke one amount, but commissioner Bud Selig, responding to pressure from other owners, forced them to back away from that offer and Purke wound up rejecting the team?s subsequent lower offer and will play for TCU instead.

The seriousness of the situation was brought into sharper focus Friday with speculation about the possibility of MLB stepping in to force the Rangers to shut down right-hander Kevin Millwood before he reaches 180 innings pitched, automatically guaranteeing him $12 million for 2010. It was a very relevant and valid question. Millwood, who was scheduled to start against the Mariners on Friday night before the rainout, needs just eight more innings ? probably two starts ? to trigger the option clause for next season.

Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels said that contract clauses would never influence the team?s decision about who starts in the rotation, but the fact is, that decision potentially could be taken out of their hands, just as their ability to sign Purke was blocked.

[rainmaker17]

So not promising for the Rangers.

The Financial Mess With The Rangers

Owner Tom Hicks essentially has lost fiscal control of the team, which has had to borrow at least $15 million from major league baseball. MLB is making many of the calls regarding Rangers? moves, including the one that cost them the ability to sign No. 1 draft pick Matt Purke. The Rangers thought they would be able to offer Purke one amount, but commissioner Bud Selig, responding to pressure from other owners, forced them to back away from that offer and Purke wound up rejecting the team?s subsequent lower offer and will play for TCU instead.

The seriousness of the situation was brought into sharper focus Friday with speculation about the possibility of MLB stepping in to force the Rangers to shut down right-hander Kevin Millwood before he reaches 180 innings pitched, automatically guaranteeing him $12 million for 2010. It was a very relevant and valid question. Millwood, who was scheduled to start against the Mariners on Friday night before the rainout, needs just eight more innings ? probably two starts ? to trigger the option clause for next season.

Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels said that contract clauses would never influence the team?s decision about who starts in the rotation, but the fact is, that decision potentially could be taken out of their hands, just as their ability to sign Purke was blocked.

How freaking embarrassing. And right when the team is competitive.

[JayJaxon]

That is terrible that Millwood may have to pay the price for the Rangers financial situation. I hope he gets a complete game so he has to get the bonus!

[CC97]

The seriousness of the situation was brought into sharper focus Friday with speculation about the possibility of MLB stepping in to force the Rangers to shut down right-hander Kevin Millwood before he reaches 180 innings pitched, automatically guaranteeing him $12 million for 2010. It was a very relevant and valid question. Millwood, who was scheduled to start against the Mariners on Friday night before the rainout, needs just eight more innings ? probably two starts ? to trigger the option clause for next season.

Ryan and general manager Jon Daniels said that contract clauses would never influence the team?s decision about who starts in the rotation, but the fact is, that decision potentially could be taken out of their hands, just as their ability to sign Purke was blocked.

Wondering if we'll hear from the player's association about this

[Jigga]

I think that would be a pretty safe bet should it go down like dfwabel describes.

[cappital92]

Didn't this happen with the Expos in '02 or '03 to an extent? I don't think the Rangers are going anywhere, but I think that the Expos wanted to call up some players because they were in the wild-card hunt, but got shot down by MLB (who owned the team by then) because of salary concerns or tampering. I really don't remember much about it, so could someone help me out?

[dfwabel]

I think that would be a pretty safe bet should it go down like dfwabel describes.

I just quouted (Fort Worth) Star-Telegram columnist Jim Reeves. He also mentioned that Nolan Ryan has still yet to have a contract to be team president, even though they announced a 4 year contract for him before the season. The finances are must be the reason why they were no buyers at the trade or waiver deadline.

[CC97]

Didn't this happen with the Expos in '02 or '03 to an extent? I don't think the Rangers are going anywhere, but I think that the Expos wanted to call up some players because they were in the wild-card hunt, but got shot down by MLB (who owned the team by then) because of salary concerns or tampering. I really don't remember much about it, so could someone help me out?

MLB refused to pay the salaries of the players being called up, so no players were allowed to come up