Baseball 2015

[eytonxav]

Whats wrong with Daniels? The Rangers went from a laughing stock to a contender each of the last 5 or so yrs until the injuries hit them hard. He also built one of the top 2-3 farm systems in baseball.

I'd like to know the behinds the scenes story about Nolan. Losing him was really bad.

Personally, I think he played a role in Nolan's departure. Also, Daniels inherited a pretty good farm system and made quite a few poor trades and signings along the way and depleted an otherwise top minor league organization.

 

[utrecht]

I disagree about Daniels performance but what I really hate about baseball is that you can never really tell how the GM is doing because there is no salary cap. He can make 10 bad moves but as long as the team is willing to spend more money all the bad moves can be overcome. Just keep dumping players and sign new ones. See the Angels, Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers...ect. Make 10 bad draft picks or free agent signings in football and you will stink for years.

 

[eytonxav]

I may be too harsh, but his trade record is maybe 50/50 good and bad. I didn't like the way he treated Michael Young and I get the impression, most of the players don't like him either.

 

[HFWR]

Arlington, NR being one of the few exceptions, is pitcher's purgatory. Ruined arms (remember Tom House?), failing to meet expectations, turning .210 hitting pinch hitter's into Reggie Jackson...

Watched Nolan pitch quite a bit when he was a Ranger. Although he could stink up the place on occasion, when he had the curve and change working he was fun to watch!

Not even sure who's on the Rangers anymore...

 

[utrecht]

I may be too harsh, but his trade record is maybe 50/50 good and bad. I didn't like the way he treated Michael Young and I get the impression, most of the players don't like him either.

Yeah, I wouldn't vote for Daniels for GM of the year. He has a mixed record for sure. They will be hard pressed to make any noise this year with their best 3 pitchers hurt, but you cant blame that on Daniels.

I do remember Tom House and his stupid football throwing routine for pitchers. He had to be the worst pitching coach in history.

 

[MRG]

I'm a Giants fan and it has been super fun for us these last 5 years. I think this is going to be rebuilding year for our team though. Our bullpen is thin. Bumgarner cannot pitch every game. I predict that we will take what we can get this year and then perhaps make a run for it again in 2016. Personally, I am hoping to see the Royals take it all this year. They are a classy, young, exciting team.

TimSF,
Thanks as a semi Royals fan the entire area would be happy never seeing Bumgarner pitch too much.
Great pitcher but even he can't do an entire season alone. Maybe a series!
Ticket prices are up in KC this year based on last years awakening of semi fans.

 

[steelyman]

Hold on to your caps, you Wobblies: the Cubs and Red Sox lead their divisions today.

Better look fast, it's only April 14.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Hold on to your caps, you Wobblies: the Cubs and Red Sox lead their divisions today.

Better look fast, it's only April 14.

Go Cubs go, only four months left to move into last place!

 

[target2019]

Unfortunately I live near a city that has no MLB team--Philadelphia.

 

[easysurfer]

Hold on to your caps, you Wobblies: the Cubs and Red Sox lead their divisions today.

Better look fast, it's only April 14.

The Cubbies are for real this year!... I hope

Running on Soler Power, as in Jorge.

Say hey, baseball: Jorge Soler and Mookie Betts showcased MLB's future - SBNation.com

 

[Omalley]

Lifelong Royals fan living in Tigers country. A fun start with both teams starting hot, now time for KC to keep piling on the wins. I tell my Tigers fan friends that I can only imagine what KC would do with another 70 million in payroll each season.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Hey Boston fans...........................

Did my cubs make a huge blunder in signing Lester? Not the throwing to first so much but 9 earned runs in 2 games?

 

[easysurfer]

Hey Boston fans...........................

Did my cubs make a huge blunder in signing Lester? Not the throwing to first so much but 9 earned runs in 2 games?

He has a Steve Sax arm throwing to 1st base.

Prior to tonight, new Cubs left-hander Jon Lester hadn’t made a pickoff throw to first base since April 30, 2013. That’s right, nearly two years. If you watch the video linked here, you’ll know why.

So, Jon Lester might have a problem with pickoff throws | HardballTalk

I think "might" is an understatement

 

[Jack_Pine]

Thanks, but was asking about his pitching. The first base thing is getting all the coverage it needs here in northern Il.

 

[harley]

I gave up on MLB after the strike of '94. I was so disgusted with both the players and the owners I just walked away, after being a huge Dodgers fan all my life. At this point I probably couldn't name more than 4-5 active players, and some HoF players have probably played their whole careers with me never even hearing their names (unless they got called before Congress for juicing). I have watched some minor league games off and on, but very few Shorebirds players make it to the Show.

However, for the first time in decades I've got a bit of an itch to see what's happening in the game. For some reason Sports Illustrated started showing up in my mailbox unsolicited, and now that March Madness is over they are talking about baseball. If I do jump back in, I'll still be a Dodgers fan, but maybe I'll look into the Nationals too, since they are the local team. Other than the Orioles, who I always hated.

The point of this is, does anyone have any suggestions as to how I can get up to speed on what's happened over the last 20 years or so? Any good books or anything like that? At least to figure out who people are talking about when they compare the new players to guys I never heard of. Like I know that the MLB has gotten a lot of Japanese players over the years, but the only one I know about is Hideo Nomo, and only because he was a Dodger. Things like that.

I'll be interested in seeing what y'all suggest.

 

[steelyman]

I am really liking this MLB AtBat app, new to me and free. There's also one for the minors called MiLB FirstPitch.

I used to pick up those little foldout schedules at "the beer store" and put one up on the fridge at home and at work. It's all there in the app.

One time I learned that there was a series scheduled between the Cubs and Pirates in Pittsburgh during a work-related week I was to be there. Guess where I was?

Apart from the fact it was a very nice early September day in a great city, I'll remember how nice/accommodating the PGH fans were to a guy from IL.

 

[Car-Guy]

OMG, I better post this today since I doubt it will last very long. The Houston Astros are in first place in the American League west.

 

[easysurfer]

Don't want to see anyone hurt. But it looks like the ace of the Cardinals is done for the year.

With that bad break, do the Cubbies really have a shot to win the division?

 

[easysurfer]

The Baltimore Orioles will take on the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday at the Orioles' home stadium, Camden Yards, but fans won't be allowed to watch from the stands.

Riots and protests throughout Baltimore prompted Major League Baseball officials to close the stadium for public safety.

Camden Yards Closed to Public for Orioles Game : People.com

This will be interesting. Game goes on but no public fans. Understandable, for safety, but, if say, someone hits a home run, will there only be the sound of dead silence?

 

[Dash man]

I just got an email to vote for Phillies All Stars. I needed a good laugh!

 

[steelyman]

St. Louis sure didn't give up last night. Down 5-0 to Chicago in the top of the first at Busch. No problem. I tip my cap.

 

[easysurfer]

St. Louis sure didn't give up last night. Down 5-0 to Chicago in the top of the first at Busch. No problem. I tip my cap.

"Who are those guys?" (like in the movie Butch Cassidy). The Cards spot the Cubs a good lead in 2 games in a row and then comeback to win.

Same old Cards.

Same old Cubbies.

 

[Jack_Pine]

"Who are those guys?" (like in the movie Butch Cassidy). The Cards spot the Cubs a good lead in 2 games in a row and then comeback to win.

Same old Cards.

Same old Cubbies.

Same Cards. Disagree with Cubs. I think they are showing improvement. Those that thought this was the year for contention were a year too early IMHO.

 

[easysurfer]

Same Cards. Disagree with Cubs. I think they are showing improvement. Those that thought this was the year for contention were a year too early IMHO.

Yeah, I was probably too harsh on the Cubs as they are improved. Castro actually hustles down the base path now.

But Soler is diving for breaking balls like Javy Baez

 

[freebird5825]

I don't get to do this very often, but this year's performance speaks for itself.

LETS GO METS !!!!