2014 MLB Season Thread

[(probably)notabandwagonfan]

Bryce Harper "disrespected" the Atlanta Braves "A" behind home plate and is getting a lot of hate and criticism for it... To put it into perspective, if Harper did that to the Yankees "NY" it would result in a million dollar fine and 5 year ban for defacing and vandalism of property.

If you don't want someone to step on your logo, don't put it in the dirt or grass.

Seriously. I'm a major Braves fan and Bryce Harper is a total tool, but I don't see what the big deal over this is.

[IceCap]

Bryce Harper "disrespected" the Atlanta Braves "A" behind home plate and is getting a lot of hate and criticism for it... To put it into perspective, if Harper did that to the Yankees "NY" it would result in a million dollar fine and 5 year ban for defacing and vandalism of property.

Now that's just not true.

[(probably)notabandwagonfan]

Bryce Harper "disrespected" the Atlanta Braves "A" behind home plate and is getting a lot of hate and criticism for it... To put it into perspective, if Harper did that to the Yankees "NY" it would result in a million dollar fine and 5 year ban for defacing and vandalism of property.

Now that's just not true.

It was just a bit of an exaggeration. Just a bit.

[crownking30]

Bryce Harper is going to be loved by the media for the rest of his career. They want him and his team to be the kings of the National League. The media have crowned them to be the next 2010's-2020's dynasty. I won't be surprised if they win multiple National League pennants in the future, but I don't see it this year unless the Dodgers, Brewers, Cardinals, and Giants fade.

[TheGrimReaper]

Bryce Harper is going to be loved by the media for the rest of his career. They want him and his team to be the kings of the National League. The media have crowned them to be the next 2010's-2020's dynasty. I won't be surprised if they win multiple National League pennants in the future, but I don't see it this year unless the Dodgers, Brewers, Cardinals, and Giants fade.

The Giants have been fading since June.

[Sport]

Bryce Harper is going to be loved by the media for the rest of his career. They want him and his team to be the kings of the National League. The media have crowned them to be the next 2010's-2020's dynasty. I won't be surprised if they win multiple National League pennants in the future, but I don't see it this year unless the Dodgers, Brewers, Cardinals, and Giants fade.

Here's a good example: This post didn't require a picture. (Most posts don't necessitate a picture) We all know what Bryce Harper looks like and the picture you used doesn't add anything to the post and doesn't really make sense within the context of your post.

[Still MIGHTY]

Crownking, we know what Bryce Harper looks like. We don't need a picture just because you posted about him.

Bryce Harper loved by the media? I'd say he's been pretty divisive in the media. Some people don't like him or his attitude, others put that aside for his dynamic (or previously dynamic) talents and play.

And yes, people like the Nationals, but I think most people see that they're young and just don't have "it" yet. Heck, they might be close to that stagnant point of having all the talent but never having "it" for a little too long now. I think people have been waiting for them to make that leap, but it's not happened as of yet and may not. I think their perceived future dominance on the field and in the media is being (shocker) hyperbolized by you.

[Kramerica Industries]

If their organization wasn't so damn full of itself, 2012 may have been that year. Somehow, it was a brilliant idea, in their minds, to shut down one of their best starting pitchers before the playoffs began. They won 98 games that year and would've had HFA for every playoff round they participated in. They were also the best road team in the NL if memory serves.

As it is, with the Dodgers having finally gotten their affairs in order and being the Yankees of the NL, it's really hard for me to see Washington getting past them in the postseason. Eh, oh well. I wish I could feel sorry for them, but they're the ones who acted like future success was a given and not something that had to be earned.

[dbadefense1990]

Before I post I want to apologize if I hurt or offended anyone. I'm sorry for any pain or disgust I may have said.

And yet, you're back at it with the whole Bryce Harper crap. Knock. It. Off. Now.

And don't apologize and feel sorry on these boards because then, others will see you as pretentious. Take it from someone on the lower rung of the CCSLC tandem pole; the simplest way to earn respect on here is to clean up the quality of your posts. For example, just saying "Harper has a media bias around him" is good enough on here; we don't need you to tack-on the "if Harper desecrated the NY at Yankee Stadium, he'd be a Gitmo undergoing an Army-backed waterboarding session" schtick.

[dbadefense1990]

As it is, with the Dodgers having finally gotten their affairs in order and being the Yankees of the NL, it's really hard for me to see Washington getting past them in the postseason. Eh, oh well. I wish I could feel sorry for them, but they're the ones who acted like future success was a given and not something that had to be earned.

Financially, yes. But after dropping 2 of 3 in Wisconsin and losing Josh Beckett and Hanley Ramirez to injuries, it now seems that the Dodgers are regretting not doing anything at the trade deadline. Ugh.

[crownking30]

Before I post I want to apologize if I hurt or offended anyone. I'm sorry for any pain or disgust I may have said.

And yet, you're back at it with the whole Bryce Harper crap. Knock. It. Off. Now.

And don't apologize and feel sorry on these boards because then, others will see you as pretentious. Take it from someone on the lower rung of the CCSLC tandem pole; the simplest way to earn respect on here is to clean up the quality of your posts. For example, just saying "Harper has a media bias around him" is good enough on here; we don't need you to tack-on the "if Harper desecrated the NY at Yankee Stadium, he'd be a Gitmo undergoing an Army-backed waterboarding session" schtick.

Dude, I'm just saying that Harper is beloved by ESPN. That's all. I didn't say anything else.

[monkeypower]

Yeah crownking wasn't the guy who said anything about the Yankees.

[AnythingChicago]

The NL East is frustratingly weak. Despite the Braves recent losing streak, the Nationals have gained virtually no ground on Atlanta because of recent losses themselves. It really is a shame that the Marlins have had injury woes, namely Fernández and Alvarez, because they'd probably be in the driver's seat of that division if it weren't for the injuries given the young, well-rounded team they have. Hell, the way things are going the :censored:ing Mets might even have a shot to creep back into the picture if 1969 comes a-callin' (it is the 45th anniversary of the Miracle Mets, after all).

[dbadefense1990]

Yeah crownking wasn't the guy who said anything about the Yankees.

Yeah, I messed up. Kind of caught that a little late (DNA was the one who brought up the Yankees). But his post had a "crownking-y" feel to it, so I jumped at it.

[crownking30]

My friend in Michigan was panicking over the Royals' surge and thinks the Tigers won't do well later in the year. I had to calm him down, saying that anything could happen, including another Royals' collapse.

[TrueYankee26]

Well at least your friend's team can still make the playoffs, unlike mine. Completely stunk in B-more last night.

[Epiphanic]

And yes, people like the Nationals, but I think most people see that they're young and just don't have "it" yet. Heck, they might be close to that stagnant point of having all the talent but never having "it" for a little too long now. I think people have been waiting for them to make that leap, but it's not happened as of yet and may not. I think their perceived future dominance on the field and in the media is being (shocker) hyperbolized by you.

That's completely shocking. The team has been mostly terrible for their entire existence in D.C. They show rapid improvement in 2011 and completely breakout in 2012 and now people are shocked that they haven't won a World Series yet? Let's look at the team's records since they moved to Washington.

2005: 81-81, finished 5th, 9 GB

2006: 71-91, finished 5th, 26 GB

2007: 73-89, finished 4th, 16 GB

2008: 59-102, finished 5th, 32.5 GB

--- Mike Rizzo assumes GM duties ---

2009: 59-103, finished 5th, 34 GB

2010: 69-93, finished 5th, 28 GB

2011: 80-81, finished 3rd, 21.5 GB

2012: 98-64, finished 1st, 0 GB

2013: 86-76, finished 2nd, 10 GB

During the Rizzo Era (In Rizzo We Trust!) the team has shown solid improvement each year. 2012 was a fantastic year, but that was a bonus. "The Plan" was for that to happen in 2013. As it happened, those seasons got reversed. Switch the 2012 and 2013 seasons around. Then we'd be talking about a team that was utterly horrible just 4 years ago, was mediocre to competent two and three years ago, and a great team just last year. If history unfolded that way, would they still be that stagnant "it" team?

2012 showed what this team is capable of doing and it showed a bit earlier than expected. The team is incredibly talented and is a definite contender for the World Series title, but because 2013 was a disappointing follow up to the amazing 2012 season people think they'll never make the jump?

Sure, it's arguable that Strasburg and Harper haven't lived up to the immense hype, but even as disappointing as that is, they are both utterly fantastic players and every. single. team. would take them in a heartbeat.

Also, I see your post is more about crownking's excessive and inane hyperbole, but let's not talk about how the Nationals have been this team that hasn't been able to get over some metaphorical hump when they've only been good enough to even sniff the playoffs in two years of their entire existence.

If their organization wasn't so damn full of itself, 2012 may have been that year. Somehow, it was a brilliant idea, in their minds, to shut down one of their best starting pitchers before the playoffs began. They won 98 games that year and would've had HFA for every playoff round they participated in. They were also the best road team in the NL if memory serves.

As it is, with the Dodgers having finally gotten their affairs in order and being the Yankees of the NL, it's really hard for me to see Washington getting past them in the postseason. Eh, oh well. I wish I could feel sorry for them, but they're the ones who acted like future success was a given and not something that had to be earned.

C'mon man, you're a sabermetric guy. We both know that there is an insane amount of randomness in the playoffs. The decision to shutdown Strasburg was made for his (and the team's) long-term health. I understood and supported Rizzo's decision to stick to his guns and shut Strasburg down even in the middle of a pennant race. Detwiler (if I remember correctly) started the game Strasburg would've had and the Nationals won that game. Strasburg doesn't guarantee the Nationals a World Series and shutting him down didn't prevent them from winning one that year either. Things just didn't go their way in a 5-game series. It happens. That's baseball.

I'll give you that the 2014 Nationals haven't looked super dominating this year, but they have the best run differential in the National League (+79, the Dodgers are in second place at +56), and the fourth best in the Majors (behind Oakland, Seattle (!), and Los Angeles), and Fangraphs has them projected to win 90 games this year. Any way you slice it, the Nationals have to be in the discussion for World Series contenders. They might not win it, but they have as good of a chance as any.

TL:DR - The Nationals have only been playoff caliber for two seasons. Yet people are disappointed they aren't the late-90's Yankees. I don't get it.

[dbadefense1990]

20 years ago today...

http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=11313564

[OMMF]

If there ever is a Northwest CCSLC meetup, it needs to be at a Blue Jays-Mariners game. The atmosphere tonight was nuts.

(Was there one before? I feel like I may have missed one. Nevertheless, there are more people living here now than there were back then.)

[crownking30]

20 years ago today...

http://m.espn.go.com/mlb/story?storyId=11313564

That strike was disappointing, but it was a learning lesson for the future of the MLB.