Baseball 2015

[steelyman]

I think Jack_Pine has got it right at this point.

I was surprised by three things Opening Night: Lester's showing, that big screen in left field (it's been a while since I've been, I guess it's something I'd "get used to"), and how much it seemed that only StL seemed to be ready to play ball after spring training.

 

[MRG]

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.

Well they're piling in the bucks. Ticket prices are up 20% this year. The "K" has been packed.

 

[Jack_Pine]

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

I hope Javy can learn but I am not too sure about him yet. I believe that Soler is the real deal, but time will either prove me right or not.

All these kids have to live through the adjustments the league is going to show them and then adjust themselves. You are seeing that from Rizzo now and Castro to some extent.

 

[easysurfer]

Soler will have to adjust to a steady diet of breaking balls. When Javy is ready to come back up, it'll be interesting to see if there's room for him, with Russel already up, and Castro playing like he actually wants to stay on the team

 

[steelyman]

Well, that was a pleasant early season series in St Louis.

I'm reminded, when I watch a game at Busch, of one year when pieces of the roof at Olympic Stadium started falling off and the Expos had to reschedule their home games at the other teams' park.

You could get them dirt cheap, and all really good ones. I went to one at (the old) Busch with a friend who is a StL native and big fan, so he knows what's what. He was into it and I said I'd get the tickets.

I got tickets for right around July 4th, afternoon start. I was excited and told him. He said, "you're kidding me. We're gonna be picking our underwear from the crack of our a$$."

We did, it was too hot and humid. No beer for me, but some good lemonade in a good place!

 

[steelyman]

I watched yesterday's CHC/PGH game on TV (I've mostly been keeping up via the AtBat app).

A solid lead slowly chipped away and then that familiar "oh, nooooo, not again!" feeling. But a very weird-looking fielding play in the bottom of the 12th gave it to Chicago. Apparently, it was scored a single to win but it sure looked like an error to me.

 

[easysurfer]

I watched yesterday's CHC/PGH game on TV (I've mostly been keeping up via the AtBat app).

A solid lead slowly chipped away and then that familiar "oh, nooooo, not again!" feeling. But a very weird-looking fielding play in the bottom of the 12th gave it to Chicago. Apparently, it was scored a single to win but it sure looked like an error to me.

Don't look now, but the Cubbies won five in a row.

Errors are seldom called when a fielder isn't that close to and doesn't touch a ball. For example, when a fielder collides into a wall and the ball bounces away for an inside park home run.

 

[Jack_Pine]

Let's Go...................



Bryant and Rizo are a nice tandem...................

 

[ziggy29]

That's the sort of thing that the Cubs have been cursed since 1908 to *lose* not win...

 

[steelyman]

Another win today, I'll enjoy them while they last. I "get" the appeal of "Go, Cubs, Go" but I really liked when WGN used "Jump" for music during broadcasts.

Van Halen was a great 80s band, with the exception of that Roth guy who operated under the misconception he could be in the same arena as Jagger.

 

[steelyman]

The Nationals invade Wrigley on Memorial Day. I had no idea Washington was doing so well!

 

[easysurfer]

Looks like there is baseball's version of deflate gate.

The Cardinals are being investigated by the FBI for hacking into the Astros' networks .

St. Louis Cardinals employees may have hacked into the Houston Astros’ internal networks, according to an FBI probe.

The New York Times, citing anonymous officials, reports that the Cardinals, who have the best record in Major League Baseball this year (42-21), are under investigation for accessing an Astros network that held information about trades, proprietary statistics and scouting reports.

St. Louis Cardinals May Have Hacked the Astros, FBI Probe Finds

 

[Jack_Pine]

Always new they must be cheaters (they were too good ).

Difference with deflate gate is FBI is investigating this one.

 

[timo2]

so the new cardinal scandal needs a name, like black sox, etc.

lame birds is not good enough. any suggestions?

 

[utrecht]

Always new they must be cheaters (they were too good ).

Difference with deflate gate is FBI is investigating this one.

Deflating a ball is a rules violation. Hacking a computer is illegal.

 

[easysurfer]

Deflating a ball is a rules violation. Hacking a computer is illegal.

Also, the violation wasn't done by players but employees.

On Nightly News, the story said the Cardinals gained access via use of old passwords known from former workers. Morale of the story, change old passwords when employees leave .

 

[CardsFan]

Local news is still vague on this, but I am guessing it is a personal vendetta, and limited. At least I am hoping?
The organization is too classy for this, I think.



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[MRG]

Also, the violation wasn't done by players but employees.

On Nightly News, the story said the Cardinals gained access via use of old passwords known from former workers. Morale of the story, change old passwords when employees leave .

We used to disable the profile, so it couldn't be used by anyone. In the old days they were deleted, then audit changed the best practices. There was code that ran nightly to compare a DB of HR terminated profiles with disabled user profiles. Pages automatically sent to admins and their "keeper's". You didn't want the "keeper" to be upset. Geeze I miss that.

 

[steelyman]

I agree that the Cards are class.

That's from a Cubs and Red Sox fan.

 

[CardsFan]

Steely man

I grew up a Red Sox fan myself. One of the classiest owners ever was Tom Yawkey. If I recall correctly, he gave Yaz a raise, even though there was a contract, because he was worth more. Boosted him to 100k!

The Cards organization has been first class for most of my 30 years here. I just don't believe this was a widespread thing. At least hoping.


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[Jack_Pine]

Thinks it's a little early to know anything at this point. Certainly not a positive.

 

[steelyman]

Steely man

I grew up a Red Sox fan myself. One of the classiest owners ever was Tom Yawkey. If I recall correctly, he gave Yaz a raise, even though there was a contract, because he was worth more. Boosted him to 100k!

That makes me think of something funny: I moved to Boston to play music, specifically jazz.

At some point, you have to think of a name for your band. We were none of us native so we thought, "well, what would get people's attention on a notice around here?". Two phrases came up immediately:

"FREE PAHKING!"

and,

"YAZ!!!!"

 

[CardsFan]

That makes me think of something funny: I moved to Boston to play music, specifically jazz.

At some point, you have to think of a name for your band. We were none of us native so we thought, "well, what would get people's attention on a notice around here?". Two phrases came up immediately:

"FREE PAHKING!"

and,

"YAZ!!!!"

So, which name did you pick?

I have mostly lost the accent, but Pahk still comes out once in a while


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[steelyman]

So, which name did you pick?

I have mostly lost the accent, but Pahk still comes out once in a while


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Well, that morphed. We were living in Brookline at first and then replaced almost the whole band. We started doing western swing (and that's when I started learning steel). Boston's a tremendous town, I'm going back this summer!

 

[Jack_Pine]

Let me get it back on track.

Cardinals are cheaters and should be sanctioned...................

(kidding, well mostly)