2010 MLB Season Thread

[Punch]

I remember watching Nyger Morgan's collision with the Marlins' catcher live as it happened, and it was one of the stupidest plays/decisions I have ever seen. He would've been safe if he slid! It's completely idiotic of him to think he had a better chance of being safe by demolishing a catcher who wasn't even near placing a tag on him.

And now Morgan gets into a brawl, and acts like he is the "champion" by raising his hands up in celebration while being escorted off the field. This guy needs to get his act together. He is appealing the 7-game suspension he got earlier, but I think his latest incident will just increase the number of games he will be watching in street clothes.

[loogodude90]

Braves and Rockies.

Morgan was right to try and score. You play to win the game; hello. Another retarded "unwritten rule" like not bunting to bust a no-hitter.

I've never heard of this particular unwritten rule. I don't think it's even an unwritten rule...it's not smart baseball, though. When you're down by 10 runs, it's not a good idea to risk running yourself into an out.

I was never aware of this unwritten rule either. In fact, I've often thought that if I were every beaned by the other team, I'd steal at every opportunity I got. How can you be mad at a guy for trying to jump start his team from a big deficit?

I love baseball, but I really hate the unwritten rules and beanball wars. If you have a probably with a guy, be a man and confront him face to face. Don't be a wuss and throw at him. I can't stand that.

WIth all this said, Morgan is an idiot. I thought it was hilarious when he threw a fit to give Adam Jones an inside the park homerun. Now, he's acting like a WWE wrestler after a brawl. The guy really needs to calm down and stop making himself look stupid.

Agreed about how bull "unwritten rules" are. Baseball (and pretty much any other sport) is a game with WRITTEN rules to be followed, if a rule is legitimate enough to be instated then it's going to be written... whatever you think of the guy there's absolutely nothing wrong by stealing a base... the fact that it's even an issue is stupid.

[Don]

Now that I've sat back and saw the whole situation, I'm less inclined to throw Nyjer under the bus. He was beaned once, he took his base without a problem. He stole 2nd and 3rd, and we were way behind, I've never been of the mind that guys should stop playing if theyre too far behind, especially in the 4th inning. Volstad hit 2 of our other guys along with Nyjer, so when he threw behind Nyjer again, I understand why Nyjer reacted the way he did. Sanchez threw a cheapshot clothesline that should get him suspended. Yeah, Nyjer acted like a fool getting into it with the fans when he got escorted off, thats making yourself and the team look stupid, no need for that. I've got no problem with Nyjer getting pissed, I dont blame him.

If the Marlins had such a problem with him trying to steal bases, hold him on, or catch him! Nyjer Morgan is going to try and steal bases every single time hes on the basepaths, thats just reality, even when the coaches dont want him to, hes gonna do it, so stop him.

[BaltimoreFan]

If the Marlins had such a problem with him trying to steal bases, hold him on, or catch him!

Or better yet, don't bean him and give him a free base!

[BrySmalls]

Morgan was suspended an additional 8 games today for his various actions this week.

Six players, both managers and a coach were cited after a review of Wednesday night's odd and ugly game in Miami, won 16-10 by the Marlins. Florida pitcher Chris Volstad was suspended for six games, pitcher Alex Sanabia for five, first baseman Gaby Sanchez for three, and manager Edwin Rodriguez for one. Volstad and Rodriguez also were fined, as was pitcher Jose Veras.

For the Nationals, pitcher Doug Slaten and third base coach Pat Listach were suspended for three games, and manager Jim Riggleman for two games. Riggleman and Listach also were fined.

All but two of the suspensions were scheduled to begin Friday, barring appeals. Sanabia's suspension was set to begin Wednesday in order to avoid overlapping with fellow pitcher Volstad's, and Listach's suspension is scheduled to begin Sunday to avoid overlapping with Riggleman's.

Rodriguez decided to serve his suspension Friday, with bench coach Brandon Hyde tabbed to manage Florida against Atlanta.

[NEW.ERA]

Cool to see Corey Koskie named one of the 50 Greatest Twins.

[oddball]

I've finally come to the conclusion the Dodgers should blow this team up and trade anything worth value. I would start with the trading of Rafael Furcal. Why? Because he's good and will bring something back more than Matt Kemp will, but also that he's only worth half a season. I can't remember him not being on the dl the past few years... then again, has he not been on the dl as a Dodger? Just trade anything worth something and start over. It's not like they have any money anyway, and they won't over the next few years, so why put a team on the field that will just be good enough for 2nd or 3rd in the Division and finish 5-10 games back in the Wild Card? Start over, and start by hiring a good manager. Go outside the organization on the first day of the offseason and hire Ryan Sandberg. If he's as good as people say he is, then go take a shot on him. You need someone young enough and someone with a name that can guide you for 10-15 years like the Angels did years ago with stealing Mike Scioscia from you. I'm not a Tim Wallach fan, I'd rather have Ryno.

[Punch]

Jim Thome just hit 2 home runs today to pass Mark McGuire for 9th all-time on the home run list. He hit #583 and #584 in consecutive at-bats. Thome is two away from tying Frank Robinson. Congrats, Jimmy.

[Cujo]

Jim Thome just hit 2 home runs today to pass Mark McGuire on the all-time home run list. He hit #583 and #584 in consecutive at-bats. Congrats, Jimmy.

Are fans still keeping count of career HRs? I thought we all agreed we were over this during A-Rod's legendary quest for #600.

[Punch]

Jim Thome just hit 2 home runs today to pass Mark McGuire on the all-time home run list. He hit #583 and #584 in consecutive at-bats. Congrats, Jimmy.

Are fans still keeping count of career HRs? I thought we all agreed we were over this during A-Rod's legendary quest for #600.

I think some are. The stat probably isn't as popular as it used to be, but it is still a good enough feat to be recognized on SportsCenter. And Thome didn't take steroids like A-Rod and the rest of 'em, so his slate is clean. At least, that's what Bert Blyleven says.

[TopCat]

Jim Thome just hit 2 home runs today to pass Mark McGuire on the all-time home run list. He hit #583 and #584 in consecutive at-bats. Congrats, Jimmy.

Are fans still keeping count of career HRs? I thought we all agreed we were over this during A-Rod's legendary quest for #600.

1) Punch9, I cringed at you calling him Jimmy.

2) A-Rod used steroids. So him. Jim Thome's doing it all natural, as far as we know. I think it makes it an incredible feat.

[Cujo]

Jim Thome just hit 2 home runs today to pass Mark McGuire on the all-time home run list. He hit #583 and #584 in consecutive at-bats. Congrats, Jimmy.

Are fans still keeping count of career HRs? I thought we all agreed we were over this during A-Rod's legendary quest for #600.

1) Punch9, I cringed at you calling him Jimmy.

2) A-Rod used steroids. So him. Jim Thome's doing it all natural, as far as we know. I think it makes it an incredible feat.

You're probably the among the MANY who has A-Rod down as the 'Anti-Bonds', never a used and clean as a whistle, so it probably came to a shock to you when he admitted to doping in the prime of his career. So why would it be so hard to believe that Jim Thome never used? He's quit a bit bigger than A-Rod, and has as many career HRs over roughly the same amount of time in the bigs.

As a casual baseball fan, here's how I view it: For ALL power hitters who geared up during the steroid-era (late 80s to early 00s), you're either on the 'Busted' list (Bonds, Manny, Palmeiro), or the 'Never Got Caught' list (Pujols, Bagwell, Griffey), with Jim Thome being on the latter.

[WJMorris3]

I'd even go as far as to say that I don't think there's any baseball players in the last 20 years who didn't juice. So we shouldn't be putting anyone who played in the last 20 years in the hall of fame.

[NJTank]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

[Cujo]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

Yep. That's what HGH and expansion will do for ya.

[NJTank]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

Yep. That's what HGH and expansion will do for ya.

I guess, when I think of legendary HR hitters, I don't think of Jim Thome.

[patsox]

Mike Lowell has been playing with a non-displaced fracture in one of his ribs since 8/20. Mike Lowell is a friggen dude. He's retiring after the season and he's putting his body on the line in the last weeks of the season to do whatever is humanly possible to get this team as far as they can make it. I feel like this guy would play in a body cast in a wheelchair and still make .01 millisecond reaction time grabs at first. Dude is incredible and probably officially one of my favorite Sox of all time. This, my friends, is a bonafide baseball player...I'm looking at you Nancy boy Ellsbury!

[BBTV]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

Yep. That's what HGH and expansion will do for ya.

I guess, when I think of legendary HR hitters, I don't think of Jim Thome.

He had the misfortune of 1. playing in the steroid era so his feats didn't seem so great compared to others, 2. playing in smaller mid-western markets like Cleveland and Minnesota. The Phillies weren't really contenders when he was there, and he was injured a lot toward the end. The White Sox are not really a high-exposure club, despite being in the Chicago market., and 3. being a quiet / humble guy. In the Sports Center era, that's not going to get you much play.

[rams80]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

Yep. That's what HGH and expansion will do for ya.

I guess, when I think of legendary HR hitters, I don't think of Jim Thome.

He had the misfortune of 1. playing in the steroid era so his feats didn't seem so great compared to others, 2. playing in smaller mid-western markets like Cleveland and Minnesota. The Phillies weren't really contenders when he was there, and he was injured a lot toward the end. The White Sox are not really a high-exposure club, despite being in the Chicago market., and 3. being a quiet / humble guy. In the Sports Center era, that's not going to get you much play.

Bingo, although I would kind of suspect him of not getting caught as well (his peak numbers, while not as high as some other hitters, would certainly have put him among the home run leaderboard nowadays.)

Reportedly he's (mostly) a class act, although I've heard some negative things about him from locals.

/Graduated from the same high school as him.

[BaltimoreFan]

Wow if Thome returns next year, he has a good shot at 600 crazy

Yep. That's what HGH and expansion will do for ya.

I guess, when I think of legendary HR hitters, I don't think of Jim Thome.

He had the misfortune of 1. playing in the steroid era so his feats didn't seem so great compared to others, 2. playing in smaller mid-western markets like Cleveland and Minnesota. The Phillies weren't really contenders when he was there, and he was injured a lot toward the end. The White Sox are not really a high-exposure club, despite being in the Chicago market., and 3. being a quiet / humble guy. In the Sports Center era, that's not going to get you much play.

I kinda think of Thome as the modern day Harmon Killebrew. Both killed the ball, but neither seemed to get the superstar treatment they probably deserved. Both are sorta forgotten members of the 500 HR club. Real shame for Thome if he was indeed clean, this would be a much bigger deal. Unfortunately I can't rule him out as a steroid user. To be honest the only guy I really consider clean is Ken Griffey. Part of it is because he was so huge when I was a kid I don't want to believe it was all a shame, but also because he had a more traditional break down/end to his career. He wasn't putting up unheard of numbers in his late 30s/early 40s. Personally I still think Albert Pujols is a user. I know a lot of people want to believe he's clean, but he just has the comic book super hero look to him, that so many other users had. Unfortunately in this age everyone is under suspicion, in that sense steroids really have ruined baseball.