2012 MLB Season Discussion: Off-Season

I really, really wish the Angels would lose already.

Since the Rays are big jerkbags, all I have now is the stories of the season.

Anyone know if a triple crown is awarded if they're tied in HRs? It'll probably be broken one way or the other but right now Miguel Cabrera leads the AL in batting, RBI, and shares the lead for HRs. That'd be a feel good story. I like seeing history, and this is something that hasn't been done in 45 years.

On the other side, we have the Pirates. Poor Pirates. I really feel bad. Like, really bad. This is now guaranteed to be their 20th straight losing season. That alone isn't so bad, but.. at the beginning of September they were in contention for the playoffs. Then they went 7-20 for the month.

The Pirates collapsed like they always do, except they did it much later this year.

The Orioles, however, are in! Been a looooooong time since I've been able to say that.

Man, this Rays game is empty. I would've expected some sort of support, but I guess all the old people are saving their yearly trip outdoors for the election.

We're last in attendance. It's not a surprise. Not sure why you guys keep acting surprised.

They did up the price of tickets a couple bucks this year. And they really jacked up the price of beer. I'd go more but at $9 for a beer, no thanks. That buys me a cheap 12-pack or a nice 6-pack at home thanks.

Plus... well, we can win 3 games and it may not matter. Oakland has to lose 3 to Texas. And the Angels need to lose at least 1 I think? Not sure actually about a 3-way tie...

Stupid umpires almost cost the Rays.

Ball hit the inner ring on the roof, should still be in play, but they ruled it hitting the outer ring and a HR. Cut it to 5-3 from 5-1.

Although that just made the game eligible for a Save again, so Rodney came in and got save 47 with 2 strikeouts and an easy ground out to first.

Whew. Go Rangers!

Stele wrote:

Stupid umpires almost cost the Rays.

Ball hit the inner ring on the roof, should still be in play, but they ruled it hitting the outer ring and a HR. Cut it to 5-3 from 5-1.

Although that just made the game eligible for a Save again, so Rodney came in and got save 47 with 2 strikeouts and an easy ground out to first.

Whew. Go Rangers!

Prepare to have your dreams crushed.

Let's Go Oak-Land!

So these are the two scenarios we're hoping for, from the tiebreaker rules:

MLB wrote:

Two-Club Tie for One Wild Card Spot:
One tiebreak game will be played on Thursday, October 4th (tentatively) to determine the Wild Card. Home field advantage will be determined by the rules above for a two-team tiebreaker.

...

Three-Club Tie for One Wild Card Spot:
After Clubs have been assigned their A, B and C designations, Club A would host Club B on Thursday, October 4th (tentatively). The winner of the game would then host Club C on Friday, October 5th (tentatively) to determine the Wild Card Club.

Stele wrote:

So these are the two scenarios we're hoping for, from the tiebreaker rules:

MLB wrote:

Two-Club Tie for One Wild Card Spot:
One tiebreak game will be played on Thursday, October 4th (tentatively) to determine the Wild Card. Home field advantage will be determined by the rules above for a two-team tiebreaker.

...

Three-Club Tie for One Wild Card Spot:
After Clubs have been assigned their A, B and C designations, Club A would host Club B on Thursday, October 4th (tentatively). The winner of the game would then host Club C on Friday, October 5th (tentatively) to determine the Wild Card Club.

soooooo.... by adding this 'extra' playoff spot MLB may have created a nutty 3 team 2 game playin? lol

Yes! Instead of 1 extra 1-game series, we might get 3.

Come on Ulairi, you know you want to see it. Lose... lose... lose.

Stele wrote:

Yes! Instead of 1 extra 1-game series, we might get 3.

Come on Ulairi, you know you want to see it. Lose... lose... lose. ;)

I don't know how anyone could root for the Athletics to lose. They are the story of the season (sorry Baltimore).

Stele wrote:

Yes! Instead of 1 extra 1-game series, we might get 3.

Come on Ulairi, you know you want to see it. Lose... lose... lose. ;)

3 team playoff? yea sure only if Oakland go on to win the World Series.

1 New York Yankees 195,998,004
30 Oakland Athletics 49,137,500

lol. Who said money ball is dead. Beane has obviously figured something else out.

Hey didn't Balfour use to pitch for the Rays

Dammit.

Congrats Oakland. Better make some noise while you're there.

Well, best of luck next year to those who were oh so close. Right now I'm hoping the Rays hate the Yanks as much as I do so they'll lay down and let the O's win two while the Red Sox take the final two games from the Yankees.

Who am I kidding? The Red Sox are horrid.

Well I think we covered the reason for the 2nd wildcard, just like the 1st wildcard, was for poor, poor Boston who couldn't make the playoffs because their division was too tough.

I think the press in Boston did not get the memo about crying in baseball.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/0...

He is basically saying the Yankees and Sox should play each other less, right?

The MLB schedule is gigantic. Should the schedule be teams play every team, in both leagues, on at least one series? The NHL just went to a schedule more like the MLB, teams used to play each team at least twice, in an 82 game season. Now divisional play is larger.

Should the MLB split into 4 divisions in each league, and do away with the wild card? Should it go back to 2 divisions, and 2 wild cards? I have also seen people propose 6 teams in a playoff, with a buy like for Football.

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

B Dog wrote:

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

And it shouldn't.

I f*cking hate ESPN. They don't believe that Bob Melvin should be the manager of the year. I want the Rays to crush the O's for the final games.

Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

And it shouldn't.

Why do you hate fairness.

Stele wrote:

Well I think we covered the reason for the 2nd wildcard, just like the 1st wildcard, was for poor, poor Boston who couldn't make the playoffs because their division was too tough. :D

Seriously? The extra spot was likely just to keep more teams close, more people interested in September baseball, and drive additional revenue. The Red Sox didn't deserve to make the playoffs last year, and wouldn't have made any noise if they had. Not sure why you feel the need to bash the Red Sox, especially this year.

If you read the article you'll see it was a Boston writer making a case for the Rays to be in the playoffs instead of the Tigers.

Anyway, I think it's a lot of noise. If you can't get into the playoffs, you don't belong in the playoffs. The divisions are fine as is. If a weak team gets into the playoffs they're likely not going to get very far, and if they do they have to beat three of the best teams in baseball, at which time it's hard to claim they didn't deserve it.

B Dog wrote:
Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

And it shouldn't.

Why do you hate fairness.

If you want fairness baseball isn't the game for you. It shouldn't have instant replay or any other of this new age hogwash. Baseball is about humanity not fairness.

Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:
Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

And it shouldn't.

Why do you hate fairness.

If you want fairness baseball isn't the game for you. It shouldn't have instant replay or any other of this new age hogwash. Baseball is about humanity not fairness.

If you consider inter-league play and the DH "new age hogwash," then I'm with you.

B Dog wrote:
Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:
Ulairi wrote:
B Dog wrote:

I would love to see MLB move to a balanced schedule, but it ain't gonna happen.

And it shouldn't.

Why do you hate fairness.

If you want fairness baseball isn't the game for you. It shouldn't have instant replay or any other of this new age hogwash. Baseball is about humanity not fairness.

If you consider inter-league play and the DH "new age hogwash," then I'm with you.

I do.

If the Giants can get six more outs, then the Cardinals can save Wainright for the Braves on Friday. I would have loved to see Carpenter pitch them into the postseason himself tonight, but avoiding the use of Wainright now is more important than avoiding the look of backing into the postseason.

*edit* Actually, it was nine more outs, and they are already blowing it.

Looks like Boston tried to give the Orioles a chance, and took the Yankees to 12. Still I guess there's a chance tomorrow. Almost might be worth the Rays losing to see the Yankees lose the division.

Also looks like Oakland is giving Texas all they want for that division.

Oakland!!!!!!

Man what the hell is up with Baltimore winning like all the one run games this year?

karmajay wrote:

Man what the hell is up with Baltimore winning like all the one run games this year?

Their bullpen has been really, really good.

They're 72-0 when leading after the 7th inning.

Oh, and they've played a bazillion extra inning games and relied on homeruns a lot.

KingGorilla wrote:

I think the press in Boston did not get the memo about crying in baseball.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/10/0...

He is basically saying the Yankees and Sox should play each other less, right?

The MLB schedule is gigantic. Should the schedule be teams play every team, in both leagues, on at least one series? The NHL just went to a schedule more like the MLB, teams used to play each team at least twice, in an 82 game season. Now divisional play is larger.

Should the MLB split into 4 divisions in each league, and do away with the wild card? Should it go back to 2 divisions, and 2 wild cards? I have also seen people propose 6 teams in a playoff, with a buy like for Football.

Who knows... Oh, and eff that writer.

Face it: We could move back to the non-playoff system where the team in each league with the most regular season wins played in the World Series and someone would still Female Doggo about how it should be the top two teams in baseball. In which case, it'd be the Nats and Reds as of last week and no one would give a fu%k about baseball right now.

This sport is about consistency over the long haul and keeping your players healthy with some streaks and slumps for flavor. Does this guy understand that the drama in the MLB playoff race is creating reams of column inches and sound bites? Sold out games across the country and revved up fans buying gear and stirring up emotions and excitement around the sport? If Bud actually 'fixed' this, we'd be watching AAA scrubs in meaningless games for two weeks every year. At least this system is helping make every game count. (I'm personally irked that there's such a thing as a one-game playoff in a sport where no team has ever won more than 75% of their games. That's an actual problem. Best of 3 should be the standard, IMHO.) <-- See Mikey, I got an a**hole too!!

In any case: Lets! Go! Oak! Land!