2012 MLB Season

[Punch]

Without the play-in game these 4 teams (Yankees, O's, Rangers, A's) aren't playing to win these games. Winning the division is finally important again.

Actually, even without the play-in game, wouldn't all four teams have to play to win today in order to assure themselves a spot in the playoffs? If not for the Wild Card Game, Texas might not even make the playoffs this year (depending on the record of the other AL East team that doesn't win the division). In fact, you could make the argument that due to the Wild Card Game, some of these teams didn't have to play to win today. They are all in the playoffs, as opposed to last year's format where some teams would have had to win today in order to make the playoffs.

[Sport]

Without the play-in game these 4 teams (Yankees, O's, Rangers, A's) aren't playing to win these games. Winning the division is finally important again.

Well the Rangers certainly weren't playing to win these games. FOLKS!

Seriously, that video of the A's running across their giant foul territory to the mob at the pitcher's mound gave me chills. Baseball is so awesome.

[The Six]

Without the play-in game these 4 teams (Yankees, O's, Rangers, A's) aren't playing to win these games. Winning the division is finally important again.

Actually, even without the play-in game, wouldn't all four teams have to play to win today in order to assure themselves a spot in the playoffs? If not for the Wild Card Game, Texas might not even make the playoffs this year (depending on the record of the other AL East team that doesn't win the division). In fact, you could make the argument that due to the Wild Card Game, some of these teams didn't have to play to win today. They are all in the playoffs, as opposed to last year's format where some teams would have had to win today in order to make the playoffs.

Yup, it took away drama. Texas could have been eliminated with that loss.

[Dexter Morgan]

Point taken, but could there be anymore drama in those two "play-in" games.

By the way, I don't consider that game a playoff game or those teams playoff teams until they win that game.

[Dexter Morgan]

Aren't many sweeter swings than Robinson Cano's

[The Six]

Vin Scully's been spending the entire telecast rattling off statistics describing why the Giants were better than the Dodgers this year. Never retire, Vin.

Another gem from Vin: "The Giants are off the next two days, the Dodgers are off the next several months." Damn, he's really laying it into them now.

[Cujo]

I could care less about the Dodgers -- in fact, I think I may actually dislike them after this year -- but I will watch a Dodgers game just to hear the man speak. I hope Vin never leaves the booth. The man is pure class personified.

[MEANS]

And yet, when I hear "same old tired crap from their bitter, snarky fan base", I think of Cubs fans saying their team is better because the attendance is higher, claiming the world series win was irrelevant because it was the lowest rated series in several years (until the one after it), claiming that 3/4 of the 2 million people at the Sox' championship parade were actually Cubs fans wanting to watch any championship parade (Hi, Rick Morrisey), saying that Sox fans are lower class/less intelligent/white trash, claiming that the park is in a ghetto, and getting all around uppity because people dare to be fans of another team.

So, goodbye until you forget your mental note and bring up the Sox again in a bitter, snarky manner.

I agree that Cubs fans are equally horrific and awful people at about the same ratio as Sox fans. It appears we both are of the same mind that we're exhausted of the same old crap. You're likely just as exhausted as having to fight the same old tired fights using the same old tired arguments/assumptions against Cub fans who are morons. I am not a baseball savant by any means, but I'm not a moron. I have had a dozen negative facepalm experiences arguing with Sox fans over trite nonsense for every one good interaction. It genuinely gives me joy to interact with cool Sox fans, especially in person, because the 'rivalry' is basically a joke. It's nice to just talk baseball/sports and chuckle about the two teams, knowing we're going to agree to disagree on some points.

If I crossed the line, my bad. I routinely deal with Sox fan parasites on other websites who are far less civilized than the ilk that frequents this thread for the most part. It's a pointless argument. I know my beloved franchise is a catastrophe that has unwarranted popularity, and while I don't follow the day in/day out goings on of the White Sox I don't wish them ill-will (I do that only for the Cardinals, they're due for some bad hoodoo). My entire point of the original post was expressing that for all the jokes made at the Cubs expense this season from Sox fans (of other communities), both teams ended up in the same place come playoff time. I was emphasizing the pointlessness of trash talk during the regular season, and yet it ironically birthed a trash-talk session. Dammit.

And MEANS, if I was being a dick, I apologize, but "Scrubs fan?" C'mon.

I apologize as well, I love the Sox, follow them all year long, even go out to AZ for Spring Training. The statements you were making were just so out of left field. I felt that if you followed baseball this season then you couldn't believe what you were stating. So yes I overreacted. I too like Old Roman don't really care about the Cubs at all and do really have more ire towards the Twins and more recently the Tigers.

[sportstar1212]

The painful seasons for the Jays and Sox are finally done... Hallelujah!

[Cujo]

Miguel Cabrera has just locked up the first AL Triple Crown since 1967. Not to knock his accomplishment, but he did not win the overall batting title. That goes to Buster Posey (by way of Melky Cabrera).

[NJTank]

Vin Scully's been spending the entire telecast rattling off statistics describing why the Giants were better than the Dodgers this year. Never retire, Vin.

Another gem from Vin: "The Giants are off the next two days, the Dodgers are off the next several months." Damn, he's really laying it into them now.

He is the master

[Kramerica Industries]

Tonight was a quick and painless as I had hoped.

Real season starts on Friday. Every team is 11 wins away from glory, but only 1, 3, or 4 losses away from being denied. Let the games begin.

[Eye]

Tonight was a quick and painless as I had hoped.

Real season starts on Friday. Every team is 11 wins away from glory, but only 1, 3, or 4 losses away from being denied. Let the games begin.

Texas, Baltimore, Atlanta, and St. Louis have to win 12 games, but regardless, it's playoff time.

[CS85]

I apologize as well, I love the Sox, follow them all year long, even go out to AZ for Spring Training. The statements you were making were just so out of left field. I felt that if you followed baseball this season then you couldn't believe what you were stating. So yes I overreacted. I too like Old Roman don't really care about the Cubs at all and do really have more ire towards the Twins and more recently the Tigers.

[NJTank]

So what time will Bobby V be fired tomorrow?

[NEW.ERA]

So Omar Visquel played his last game of his Major League career. I don't know what everyone else's thoughts on this are. I think he's a hall of famer. Tremendous career, I'm glad he ended it as a Jay.

[Raysfan12]

Miguel Cabrera has just locked up the first AL Triple Crown since 1967. Not to knock his accomplishment, but he did not win the overall batting title. That goes to Buster Posey (by way of Melky Cabrera).

That's really impressive and hopefully it will secure him for AL MVP. If pitching is what it is now, it could be the last Triple Crown we see in a very long time.

[NJTank]

So Omar Visquel played his last game of his Major League career. I don't know what everyone else's thoughts on this are. I think he's a hall of famer. Tremendous career, I'm glad he ended it as a Jay.

If Luis Apparacio is in the Hall of Fame so should Omar Vizquel he was a great defensive shortstop, a solid team leader and he was not an awful hitter

[pmoehrin]

So Omar Visquel played his last game of his Major League career. I don't know what everyone else's thoughts on this are. I think he's a hall of famer. Tremendous career, I'm glad he ended it as a Jay.

If Luis Apparacio is in the Hall of Fame so should Omar Vizquel he was a great defensive shortstop, a solid team leader and he was not an awful hitter

True, but Aparicio didn't play in an era where offensive production was common at the shortstop position. So that lifetime .262 average does not seem all that bad by comparison when you start looking at what other shortstops were doing at the time. Omar did and that hurts him alot in terms of what his legacy will be.

For me he's not even close. He was only in the top 20 for MVP voting once in his career, and that sounds about right because I can't think of any year where was even close to being a legit MVP candidate.

The career numbers for him are there but I don't see the indvidual dominance coming into play and for me to say some guy should be a HOFer you need both.

[infrared41]

My only real issue with SABR stats is that some people think those stats are all you need to assess a player. The truth is, you can't learn all there is to know about baseball from books and a stat sheet. If it were that simple, we'd all be GMs. Old fashioned and antiquated as it may seem, some of us still use our eyes to watch baseball. And my eyes tell me that Omar Vizquel is a HOF player. Screw top 20 whatever, screw "individual dominance" etc. The guy was hands down the best defensive SS of his era. And he could hit a little too. As Tank said, if Luis Aparicio is a HOFer, then Omar Vizquel has to be.