2012 MLB Season

[rams80]

Tony LaRussa sucks that is all. Ifg he screws over R.A. Dickey and does not let him pitch because whinny catchers dont want to catch a knuckleball I hope the NL gets hammered. It is a joke Dickey is not starting. A flat out joke.

Shouldn't you be glad he's saving the mileage on Dickey's arm?

[NJTank]

Knuckleballers have no milage

R.A. Dickey is the best story in the first half.

[WSU151]

His "last hurrah?" We're talking about a guy with three World Series rings, including a beautiful and improbable run to wrap up his career in 2011. We're talking about a guy who many consider to be one of the all-time great managers in MLB history. He's a surefire hall of famer. Do you really think he sees this ASG as the exclamation point to his career? I sure don't.

I think it's pretty fair to say that if Tony LaRussa loses this All-Star Game, his whole career is for naught. He needs to win his last game to be a true champion.

[pmoehrin]

http://espn.go.com/n...nts-sources-say

Looks like the Yankees are trying to get Reggie Jackson to do something he's never done before. Which is shut up.

I thought what he said about A-Rod was pretty fair.

It just came off as I said this because I want people to talk about me.

What he said about Arod wasn't anything new or original. The only reason it was news was because Reggie Jackson said it. And given the fact that he's an employee for the Yankees and therefore a representative of them, I can't say I disagree with them taking issue with it.

[STL FANATIC]

Bitch about La Russa all you want because your players didn't get selected, but ALL of his moves are defensible on the basis of trying to win the game.

You don't think La Russa's trying to do everything he can to win in his last hurrah? Then you do not understand Tony La Russa.

You know why Cain is starting over R.A. Dickey? Because Cain and Posey are battery mates. It's smart to ensure they work together.

You know what makes R.A. Dickey's knuckleball that much more effective? Pitching him right after a hard thrower. Pitching another hard thrower after Dickey also helps that third pitcher.

The Reds thing is sad. I discussed that in another post. Cueto probably deserves to be there, but the players didn't pick him first. And with the few picks La Russa had, all of them make sense. The NL didn't need three 2B (especially when they had three SS at the time) and Phillips wasn't exactly a shoo-in, so there's really no need to even discuss whether Phillips got snubbed.

You know you've reached tinfoil hat levels when you suggest that La Russa actually took a Reds player over a more deserving Cardinals player to cover up his "snubs" of other Reds players.

All is made better by the fact that the conspiracy alleges this whole thing started when Brandon Phillips called the Cardinals "whiners" only to have the entire city of Cincinnati flooded with tears over All Star Game selections.

His "last hurrah?" We're talking about a guy with three World Series rings, including a beautiful and improbable run to wrap up his career in 2011. We're talking about a guy who many consider to be one of the all-time great managers in MLB history. He's a surefire hall of famer. Do you really think he sees this ASG as the exclamation point to his career? I sure don't. That said, if LaRussa is the competitor you claim he is and he's taking this game as seriously as you think he is, then why is it so unreasonable to think he still holds a grudge against the Reds?

No offense, but your post comes across an awful lot like nothing more than a guy who pissed that his team's former manager is taking some well-deserved flack. The questions raised about LaRussa's decisions are perfectly legitimate.

Sure the questions raised are legitimate. As are the easy defenses of the moves. What upsets me is people acting like there's no possible explanation for these moves other than "La Russa hates my team" or "La Russa is a crazy attention seeker". In fact, the couple moves under scrutiny can be rather easily explained with simple, on the up reasons.

No I don't think he sees this as an exclamation point, but yes, I absolutely think he cares about the outcome of his last game in a major league dugout. I think he cared about every game in the major league dugout, and I think the fact that its his last one only adds to that.

I think it'd be unreasonable to suggest he doesn't hold a grudge against the Reds. Of course he does. But do I think that he'd impact his chances to win the ASG by not picking players who would help him? No. Again, Phillips didn't deserve it (well, actually he did, but he deserved to be Altuve's backup but the fans voted in Uggla, so 2B was full), and Cueto had already been passed over many times by his peers. La Russa had limited spots left to fill and every pick he made is reasonable. Is it possible that the grudge served as a tiebreaker for La Russa to side with other players over Cueto? Yep. But is Cueto leaps and bounds ahead of the players that La Russa chose? Nope.

(Do I ask too many questions to myself? Yep.)

I get it. Reds fans want their players there. Mets fans want Dickey starting. But the moves make sense.

[infrared41]

http://espn.go.com/n...nts-sources-say

Looks like the Yankees are trying to get Reggie Jackson to do something he's never done before. Which is shut up.

I thought what he said about A-Rod was pretty fair.

It just came off as I said this because I want people to talk about me.

What he said about Arod wasn't anything new or original. The only reason it was news was because Reggie Jackson said it. And given the fact that he's an employee for the Yankees and therefore a representative of them, I can't say I disagree with them taking issue with it.

Not at all. He's an employee of the team and as such he needs to keep that in mind when talking about the team. The Yankees did what any other employer would do. Actually, Reggie got off pretty easy. If I do something similar, I'm out of a job. Which may still happen to Reggie. Who knows?

My comment was basically just me thinking out loud and posting it.

[The Six]

First time in franchise history the Giants have four starters, and it's in a season where the team blows. Baseball is bittersweet.

[pmoehrin]

I've yet to pick the home run derby winner.

2011-Adrian Gonzalez

2010-Hanley Ramirez

2009-Albert Pujols

2008-Josh Hamilton

2007-Ryan Howard

So I'm giving my kiss of death to Robinson Cano.

[pmoehrin]

And if anyone doubted my derby picks are doomed, Robinson Cano finished up with as many home runs as I did in the derby.

[Funky Bunky]

So I'm giving my kiss of death to Robinson Cano.

... and he scored a big ol' goose egg!

I love how the Royals fans gave Cano crap.

[Kramerica Industries]

Funny.

I thought those Royals fans were friggen pathetic.

Shocking, I know.

[pmoehrin]

For those who don't know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nGi32AYWVY

Still alive apparently.

[NJTank]

For those who don't know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nGi32AYWVY

Still alive apparently.

My father who is a Yankee fan hates the Royals just as much as he hates the Red Sox if you can believe it. Growing up I have had heard George Brett described in so many words awful ways its not funny. My father flips the middle finger to this day whemnever they show George Brett, and what this video forgot was the il feelings the pine tar home caused.

[pmoehrin]

For those who don't know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nGi32AYWVY

Still alive apparently.

My father who is a Yankee fan hates the Royals just as much as he hates the Red Sox if you can believe it. Growing up I have had heard George Brett described in so many words awful ways its not funny. My father flips the middle finger to this day whemnever they show George Brett, and what this video forgot was the il feelings the pine tar home caused.

I can believe it. I don't know if any two teams in the history of baseball had more animosity towards each other more then the Royals and Yankees did from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. There may have been some rivalries that could equal it. I don't know if you can top it though.

I feel the pine tar game is overhyped and I think its a shame that's what most people will probably best remember George Brett for. The way I always looked at it was that if you had a potential game winning home run taken away because of some obscure rule that was misinterpreted and instead became the last out, you might have a similar reaction to Brett's.

[DarkJourney]

First time in franchise history the Giants have four starters, and it's in a season where the team blows. Baseball is bittersweet.

If the Giants blow I think that would constitute them having a below .500 record or being in last place.

12 years olds should be banned from here

[infrared41]

For those who don't know.

Still alive apparently.

My father who is a Yankee fan hates the Royals just as much as he hates the Red Sox if you can believe it. Growing up I have had heard George Brett described in so many words awful ways its not funny. My father flips the middle finger to this day whemnever they show George Brett, and what this video forgot was the il feelings the pine tar home caused.

I can believe it. I don't know if any two teams in the history of baseball had more animosity towards each other more then the Royals and Yankees did from the mid 70's to the mid 80's. There may have been some rivalries that could equal it. I don't know if you can top it though.

I feel the pine tar game is overhyped and I think its a shame that's what most people will probably best remember George Brett for. The way I always looked at it was that if you had a potential game winning home run taken away because of some obscure rule that was misinterpreted and instead became the last out, you might have a similar reaction to Brett's.

Agree 100%. I wonder how many of the young folk around here know that the Royals used to be a model franchise? Or that they were really, really good? (Anyone remember the Royals baseball academy?) Hard as it may be to believe today, KC used to be one of the best franchises in baseball.

[cameroncrazie07]

Being a Yankees fan and homer, I think what Royal fans did to Cano last night was completely classless and unbelievably immature. Their cheering after every out wasn't about reigniting any rivalry, it was because Cano didn't select Billy Butler for the derby. They must have been offended that their hometown "star" wasn't selected over guys like Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista, or rising star Mark Trumbo. I think if this were fans of the Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Phillies, or even Blue Jays I wouldn't be too upset about this because those teams have at least been relevant over the last 20+ years. When this is the loudest that your crowd cheers in 20 years, that's just sad. That being said I understand that this is just a fun event,and I'm sure it was done in good humor by most fans. It just upset me a bit.

/rant

[OnWis97]

Being a Yankees fan and homer, I think what Royal fans did to Cano last night was completely classless and unbelievably immature. Their cheering after every out wasn't about reigniting any rivalry, it was because Cano didn't select Billy Butler for the derby. They must have been offended that their hometown "star" wasn't selected over guys like Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista, or rising star Mark Trumbo. I think if this were fans of the Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Phillies, or even Blue Jays I wouldn't be too upset about this because those teams have at least been relevant over the last 20+ years. When this is the loudest that your crowd cheers in 20 years, that's just sad. That being said I understand that this is just a fun event,and I'm sure it was done in good humor by most fans. It just upset me a bit.

/rant

That was my understanding. While small market team fans (trust me I know) tend to boo the Yanks just a bit more, this was about not including the hometown guy. And while I won't get inline with the venom of this reply, it was silly.

[pmoehrin]

Being a Yankees fan and homer, I think what Royal fans did to Cano last night was completely classless and unbelievably immature. Their cheering after every out wasn't about reigniting any rivalry, it was because Cano didn't select Billy Butler for the derby. They must have been offended that their hometown "star" wasn't selected over guys like Prince Fielder, Jose Bautista, or rising star Mark Trumbo. I think if this were fans of the Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Phillies, or even Blue Jays I wouldn't be too upset about this because those teams have at least been relevant over the last 20+ years. When this is the loudest that your crowd cheers in 20 years, that's just sad. That being said I understand that this is just a fun event,and I'm sure it was done in good humor by most fans. It just upset me a bit.

/rant

That was my understanding. While small market team fans (trust me I know) tend to boo the Yanks just a bit more, this was about not including the hometown guy. And while I won't get inline with the venom of this reply, it was silly.

I just don't care. Believe me when I say the media and the fans are/were way more upset about it then the players.

[blueclad]

It wasn't just that Cano didn't pick Butler -- a line-drive hitter who frankly has no business being in the derby. It was that, weeks earlier, Cano actually told ESPN that he'd pick a Royal if there were one available. Maybe it was an off-the-cuff remark, and maybe Cano forgot about it as soon as he said it. But fans in Kansas City held him to his word.

Do I think it was a little much? Yes. However, the reaction from some in the national media has been disproportionately harsh. I've read everything from "how dare they bring shame to the event?" to "how can people possibly care that much about glorified batting practice?" This is sports-nihilism -- a well-adjusted sort of absurdism. But if you're going to approach the Home Run Derby with a "none-of-it-really-matters" attitude, be consistent. Don't criticize others for booing, because, you know, none of it really matters. Some of the ESPN commentators scolded Kansas City fans on the spot, even juxtaposing quaint Midwestern values with outrageous fan behavior. It's not Royals fans' fault that it didn't fit with the wholesome, jello-salad-eating narrative national media has created about Kansas City. Fans are (mostly) the same everywhere, and to expect the situation to have played out differently in another ballpark is naive at best and misleading framework at worst.

Royals fans are desperate, myself included, to care about something -- anything -- even halfway important. This was negative energy, but it was pointed and passionate and in defense of a favorite son. It is not often that I get to hear 40,000 fans at once in that ballpark; what best I can take from this is that Royals fans still care, and that they will be great (by all traditional, silly measures of "fandom") if ever rewarded with a winner.