2014 MLB Season Thread

[The_Admiral]

But do you have any actual evidence that he's at all bigoted, or are you just throwing crap at the wall because you don't like him? I'd put money on the latter, seeing as how Reinsdorf has been so outspoken about giving opportunities to minorities within the organizations.

He's best buds with and a longtime business partner of Donald Sterling, who identically made sure to tell everyone about how many jobs he gave to minorities. Get Jerry on tape when he thinks no one's listening and I bet you'll get the same opinions on the schvartzes that his pal Donald has. I mean, I'm sorry to be coarse here, but an eightysomething New York Jew who has always been openly contemptuous of his leagues' employees has probably said many of the same things that get an NBA franchise all but revoked in a social-justice world. That's just the reality of the world. Read a Philip Roth novel.

[NJTank]

The Texas Rangers Season In A Pic

Of course the disbled car on the track is Prince Fielder

[TheOldRoman]

But do you have any actual evidence that he's at all bigoted, or are you just throwing crap at the wall because you don't like him? I'd put money on the latter, seeing as how Reinsdorf has been so outspoken about giving opportunities to minorities within the organizations.

He's best buds with and a longtime business partner of Donald Sterling, who identically made sure to tell everyone about how many jobs he gave to minorities. Get Jerry on tape when he thinks no one's listening and I bet you'll get the same opinions on the schvartzes that his pal Donald has. I mean, I'm sorry to be coarse here, but an eightysomething New York Jew who has always been openly contemptuous of his leagues' employees has probably said many of the same things that get an NBA franchise all but revoked in a social-justice world. That's just the reality of the world. Read a Philip Roth novel.

That's what I figured. Old, rich, and Jewish. So you have no evidence.

[C's]

Red Sox fans are the worst fans in sports.

Signed, a Red Sox fan.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Man, these Royals.....

[Sport]

The Royals and other teams (like the Mariners) are going to create a fun shakeup of new teams in this year's playoffs.

Let's cover Manziel's middle finger all day long.

[NJTank]

Coming up on Sportscenter we examine the history of the middle finger and how it psychological scars can feel like a bullet.

Sportscenter Run Down

6:00 Fingergate

6:05 The history of the middle finger

6:10 Psychologoy of the finger

6:15 LeBron on fingergate

6:20 Ed Wederer interview with Ryan Leaf on Johnny Manziel

6:25 Did Johnny Manzeil give the finger because he was offended by the team's name

6:30 Recap of Fingergate

6:35 Bill Simmons of famous fingers in history

6:40 Top 10 Johnny Manziel moments

6:45 How the finger can effect baseball's pennant race

6:50 Highlights of Johnny Manziel against RG III

6:55 Linda Cohn's receipe for Finger Sandwhiches

[dbadefense1990]

This American League of 2014 is setting itself up to have one of the most memorable endings, in terms of newbie (Seattle, Kansas City, Toronto if they can catch up) and not-that-familiar (Oakland, Baltimore) teams competing for postseason spots. About the only team who can ruin all of this are the Tigers, because of their recent track record of AL playoff performance and subsequently-frustrating World Series flameouts, despite the talent.

If the Yankees and Red Sox (and the Rays for all that matter) don't make it past September, it's all good with me.

[crownking30]

This American League of 2014 is setting itself up to have one of the most memorable endings, in terms of newbie (Seattle, Kansas City, Toronto if they can catch up) and not-that-familiar (Oakland, Baltimore) teams competing for postseason spots. About the only team who can ruin all of this are the Tigers, because of their recent track record of AL playoff performance and subsequently-frustrating World Series flameouts, despite the talent.

If the Yankees and Red Sox (and the Rays for all that matter) don't make it past September, it's all good with me.

The AL will be very interesting this year, but hopefully the Yankees get in the postseason to have a classic AL wild card game, something the MLB needs.

[FGM13]

This American League of 2014 is setting itself up to have one of the most memorable endings, in terms of newbie (Seattle, Kansas City, Toronto if they can catch up) and not-that-familiar (Oakland, Baltimore) teams competing for postseason spots. About the only team who can ruin all of this are the Tigers, because of their recent track record of AL playoff performance and subsequently-frustrating World Series flameouts, despite the talent.

If the Yankees and Red Sox (and the Rays for all that matter) don't make it past September, it's all good with me.

The AL will be very interesting this year, but hopefully the Yankees get in the postseason to have a classic AL wild card game, something the MLB needs.

It can be a classic game without the Yankees. Any combination of Tigers-Mariners-A's-Angels-Royals has the potential to be a great game. The wildcard game is stupid anyway, so who cares?

[AnythingChicago]

If the playoffs began today...

ALDS

Angels vs. winner of OAK/DET

Orioles vs. Royals

NLDS
Nationals vs. winner of STL/SF

Brewers vs. Dodgers

The idea of an Orioles vs. Royals playoff series was laughable just three years ago. The Brewers hosting the Dodgers would also be a huge surprise.

[ninersdd]

Krukow apparently went off on the shoddy job by the Cubbies ground crew in covering the field. It stopped raining after 20 minutes, but the field is in bad shape. I wonder what will happen for tonight.

[TheGiantsFan]

The Cubs grounds crew struggles to properly pull out a tarp yet again in tonight's Giants/Cubs game at Wrigley.

[ninersdd]

12:45 in Chicago, yet it's still up in the air as to if the game will continue. The Dodgers and A's started and finished their games during this delay.

Update: Ruled a 2-0 SF loss thanks to the poor job from the tarp crew. Ugh, why can't they finish it during the day tomorrow since it's another night game?

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Realistically, 4 of 5 teams in the AL that weren't in the playoffs last year will be in this year.

Barring an epic collapse, Baltimore's got the AL East.

The way KC is playing, I think they're in whether its division or wild card.

LA Angels and Oakland are locks, and although I'm hoping my Tigers get in, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mariners get in the last WC spot.

[Sport]

The Mariners are hot right now. Their hitting well and pitching well at the same time. They might be peaking too early because there's like 6 weeks left in the season and I don't know if that lineup can keep up this level of offensive production.

Also the Reds lose another one run game so they're like 1-15 in one run games since the all-star game. That is confounding. Also Bryan Price has been a disappointment to me as a manager. Very little of his in-game managing has been different from his predecessor and I was really hoping we weren't going to get another Dusty Baker.

[WSU151]

Realistically, 4 of 5 teams in the AL that weren't in the playoffs last year will be in this year.

Barring an epic collapse, Baltimore's got the AL East.

The way KC is playing, I think they're in whether its division or wild card.

LA Angels and Oakland are locks, and although I'm hoping my Tigers get in, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Mariners get in the last WC spot.

It's been a while since any of those five teams have won a World Series. Last time a team in that group won the Series was 2002, and before that, 1989.

The NL's kind of the same way, if we assume the Cardinals and Giants don't get in the playoffs.

EDIT: I guess others have touched on this above as well...

[crownking30]

I had to tell my friends in Cincinnati on the phone to calm down this morning. Yes, the Reds lost 4 heartbreakers this week, but they could get the final NL wild card spot if Votto returns in September. They need to be calm.

[Sport]

I had to tell my friends in Cincinnati on the phone to calm down this morning. Yes, the Reds lost 4 heartbreakers this week, but they could get the final NL wild card spot if Votto returns in September. They need to be calm.

You're weird. A rusty Votto is not going to help a team that is 61-65 who would have to 24-12 just to get to 85 wins and a slim chance at the second wild card. To get to the magic 90 win mark they'd have to go 29-7. I don't see either happening.

I'm only calm because this season never felt like they were ever in it to begin with. Find a bat in the offseason, add some depth in the offseason, and try again next year with what will still be very solid starting pitching.

edit: and throw JJ Hoover to the wolves. I don't believe in W-L records, especially with relievers, but if they're wildly good or wildly bad then you have to consider it a little bit. JJ Hoover has a 1-10 record.

[TheGiantsFan]

After protesting yesterday's decision to call the Giants/Cubs game in the 5th inning after that tarp madness, MLB decided to let this game continue from where the 5th inning onward before tomorrow's series finale in Chicago.