2011 MLB Season Thread

[CS85]

Naturally I call out the cubs and they put up 10 runs.

[TrueYankee26]

The Cubs started

1-1

2-2

3-3

4-4

5-5

6-6

7-7

8-8

9-9

10-10

this season!

[The_Admiral]

That's the magic of baseball right there. You have a bad day, you just go out and get 'em tomorrow. For six months, if the trend holds.

[TrueYankee26]

Yup, it's bipolar, you'll suck 1 day but look awesome the other.

[BBTV]

So Fat Joe (or Heavy B, as a headline referred to him back in '08) ate seven more innings last night in what was his second straight alright start. Here's hoping that he keeps this up so that some desperate team make a move for him.

Also - has anyone noticed how much he resembles our own Nick Whitford?

(best pic of Nick I could find - I know there are a ton better out there.)

[infrared41]

the small market teams are finding ways to be competitive

Temporarily, before the big-market teams swoop in for the kill and pick the small-market teams' talented rosters clean. The Rays' trainwreck offseason proves that it is still nearly impossible for small-market teams to build lasting, continuous success.

Building "lasting continuous success" in baseball isn't easy no matter who you are. Yes, the Yankees and Red Sox spends tons of money and they're usually competitive but they've won exactly three of the last ten World Series. Since 2000, I think 15 of MLB's 30 teams have played in the World Series. 25 of MLB's 30 teams have made the playoffs since 2000. If you're looking for parity, 25 out of 30 teams competing in the postseason over a ten year span isn't bad at all. The money situation isn't as dire as it's made out to be. If you're a fan of the Royals, Pirates, Nationals, Orioles, or Blue Jays, it sucks, but for everyone else it's hardly been hopeless. The point is that spending tons of money isn't the answer. Just ask the Mets.

I stand by what I said. Small market teams are finding ways to be competitive. It's unreasonable to think every team is going to be competing for a postseason spot every season. Hell, even with all their money, the Red Sox still sat home last season. My original point was simply that the game is in pretty good shape. Bud Selig needs to stop trying to fix what ain't broke.

[mania]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

[FiddySicks]

Now, the Giants don't win every series, but they just got flat out dominated by the Braves. They may have started out pretty slow, but they're going to be a damn impressive team when it's all said and done. I really see the Braves to representing the NL in the World Series.

[Shumway]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

Yes.

[MC2]

If I had to watch a video of Aroldis Chapman's pitching motion on loop for the rest of my life, I would have a happy life.

[Still MIGHTY]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

Yes.

Yup. Long season. Things like this weekend are an anomaly, not a trend.

----

Weaver looking to go 6-0 tonight and be the fastest in MLB history to 6 wins. Go Halos.

[Eye]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

Yes.

Yup. Long season. Things like this weekend are an anomaly, not a trend.

----

Weaver looking to go 6-0 tonight and be the fastest in MLB history to 6 wins. Go Halos.

What do you mean by fastest? 6 wins in 6 starts? That had to have been done before. Unless you mean as far as fastest relating to the month and day in which he may get his sixth win, which is only considered the fastest because the season is starting earlier every year.

[Shumway]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

Yes.

Yup. Long season. Things like this weekend are an anomaly, not a trend.

----

Weaver looking to go 6-0 tonight and be the fastest in MLB history to 6 wins. Go Halos.

What do you mean by fastest? 6 wins in 6 starts? That had to have been done before. Unless you mean as far as fastest relating to the month and day in which he may get his sixth win, which is only considered the fastest because the season is starting earlier every year.

It's the latter, I'm pretty sure.

[Still MIGHTY]

Things are looking up under the Halo. Yes, they are.

Still looking up?

Yes.

Yup. Long season. Things like this weekend are an anomaly, not a trend.

----

Weaver looking to go 6-0 tonight and be the fastest in MLB history to 6 wins. Go Halos.

What do you mean by fastest? 6 wins in 6 starts? That had to have been done before. Unless you mean as far as fastest relating to the month and day in which he may get his sixth win, which is only considered the fastest because the season is starting earlier every year.

I know it's a technicality in that sense, but yes, by actual calender date.

[cameroncrazie07]

Rafael Soriano is quickly proving that he cannot handle New York. Hopefully the Yankees can come back in the 9th and win.

[epper]

Rafael Soriano is quickly proving that he cannot handle New York. Hopefully the Yankees can come back in the 9th and win.

I hate using the whole "He's crumbling under the pressure of New York!" as an excuse for poor performance. I highly doubt Soriano is affected by the stadium he's playing in. The guy was nails in a Division title run last year. You think an April game against the White Sox makes him shake in his booties? Javy Vazquez didn't crumble last year either. His heater just wasn't hot anymore and the AL teed off on him.

Fact is that it's ridiculous to give a reliever $35M. Period. Their performances fluctuate way too much from year to year (other than outliers like Rivera and Hoffman).

[The Six]

Darren Ford just won the game Willie Mays Hayes style. It was on throwing errors, but still. Now he just needs to hit.

[FiddySicks]

Darren Ford just won the game Willie Mays Hayes style. It was on throwing errors, but still. Now he just needs to hit.

Now of course the Pirates have this uncanny ability to play bad baseball better than anyone, but I have to give Darren Ford a bit more credit than that. Him taking home on that grounder to second not only showed just how fast the guy is but as well showed that he's got great instincts on the basepaths. And this isn't the first time he's won the game for the Giants with his feet either. Not too shabby for a guy with zero major league hits.

[BigEd76]

"First-place Marlins" doesn't sound right. Should fix that one today...

[ninersdd]

Darren Ford just won the game Willie Mays Hayes style. It was on throwing errors, but still. Now he just needs to hit.

Now of course the Pirates have this uncanny ability to play bad baseball better than anyone, but I have to give Darren

Ford a bit more credit than that. Him taking home on that grounder to second not only showed just how fast the guy is but as well showed that he's got great instincts on the basepaths. And this isn't the first time he's won the game for the Giants with his feet either. Not too shabby for a guy with zero major league hits.

I will never forget last vs the Rockies when be aggressively stole third and the ball went into the outfield. That was a catalyst for the stretch run for SF.