2011 MLB Season Discussion

Is everyone sitting down?

It's July 19th, and not only are the Pittsburgh Pirates 6 games over .500, but they are all alone in 1st place of the NL Central.

That's awesome, here's hoping they can end that long streak of losing seasons this year!!!!

And did anyone have Ryan Vogelsong leading the NL in ERA? Keep your hands up, I want an accurate count.

AL East is a b*tch atm

karmajay wrote:

AL East is a b*tch atm :)

Indeed. Turned the Rays game off last night when they were up 4-1. Lost 4-5?!

I think they had nothing left in the bullpen after the 16-inning loss to the Sox.

Orioles are doing a little worse than I'd thought, but not horribly so. Just can't quit you, O's, just can't quit you.

Somebody's not happy.

I know there is at least 1 Twins fan here (I personally am for the lowly Padres). But I'm going to the Twins/Tigers game this Friday (I'm here for school). I'm hoping Thome hits 4 in the game!

Rat Boy wrote:

Somebody's not happy.

As a father, I can't help but laugh at that, knowing that I've got at least one kid at home who would probably do the same thing. Lil' Dude's ready for bed, I'd say.

Rat Boy wrote:

Somebody's not happy.

I read the story. The guy really should have given the ball to the kid. I always get a little more excited about the possibility of catching a foul ball when I don't see any kids nearby, because that means I would get to keep it for myself. I'm not willing to accept the excuse of "trying to impress your date" here.

On a more serious note Brewers lose Carlos Gomez and Diamondbacks lose Stephen Drew, both in the same game. Gomez is out "indefinitely" and Drew is out for the season. Ouch.

AnimeJ wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Somebody's not happy.

As a father, I can't help but laugh at that, knowing that I've got at least one kid at home who would probably do the same thing. Lil' Dude's ready for bed, I'd say.

It was classy that they brought out something for the kid anyway (at least that's what I think happened at the end, no sound here).

GioClark wrote:
AnimeJ wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Somebody's not happy.

As a father, I can't help but laugh at that, knowing that I've got at least one kid at home who would probably do the same thing. Lil' Dude's ready for bed, I'd say.

It was classy that they brought out something for the kid anyway (at least that's what I think happened at the end, no sound here).

Yeah, that's what they did.

Just thought I'd mention that weren't in the midst of getting a Goodjer Out of the Park Baseball 2012 league started. The thread is here and if you have any inclination to give OOTP a shot, come join as most of us have no idea what the hell we're doing.

Glad to see Pat Gillick get into the HOF considering he was the last person to get the Orioles to the playoffs.

Hell, I'm also glad to see Robbie Alomar and Bert Blyleven get in there. Alomar should've been a first ballot HOF, but I understand the reluctance due to the spitting issue. So stupid though. He was never charger with doping, which is clearly more heinous.

I really didn't expect Blyleven to get in because of his W-L ratio. Glad to see that someone who pitched well, but didn't have the seemingly commanding W-L ratio to be considered dominant, gets his due. The man threw 24 complete games in one year! Good to see him, and Goose Gossage, getting selected. Glad the voters are being more open than basing it on a select couple stats.

Pirates beat the Cards in the 11th yesterday to tie up first place. I hadn't see them play this year but man, its hard not to cheer for these guys

mindset.threat wrote:

Pirates beat the Cards in the 11th yesterday to tie up first place. I hadn't see them play this year but man, its hard not to cheer for these guys

Enjoy it while it lasts. The Cards are starting to get hot, and are going to roll through the the final stretch. St. Louis took the first two games, and were a foot or two away on Holiday's drive in the 9th from sweeping.

But I will give Pittsburgh props for filling the stands. The Reds rolled last year, but no one ever bothered to show up. I'd love to see Pittsburgh return to the days of old when Willie Stargell was packing fans in. Pittsburgh can be a really great baseball town.

Is Pujols getting back to form yet?

garion333 wrote:

Is Pujols getting back to form yet?

In a pretty big way. He has 22 HR's and 60 RBI's, so I expect him to get his 30+ and 100+ in those categories. Getting his .276 average over .300 might be tough. But after 10 straight seasons of 30+ HRs, 100+ RBIs, and hitting at least .300, this is not turning out to be such a terrible down year.

He was 5 for 9 in the first two games of the Pittsburgh series, with a huge home run and three RBI's. Then he went 0 for 5 yesterday, with Holliday out of hte line-up for an off-day. But that is still .357 for the series.

Rasmus hit a home run yesterday, and if they can get him going, they will have the best OF in baseball rolling into October.

Welp, between Chase Utley and the call of the year, last night was pretty interesting, huh?

Ervin Santana of the Angels just no hit the Tribe in a 2 - 1 victory.

Rat Boy wrote:

Ervin Santana of the Angels just no hit the Tribe in a 2 - 1 victory.

I wonder what percentage of no-hitters are not shutouts. Has to be very small I would imagine.

Kinda sucks that the one run the opposing team scored was caused by Santana's wild pitch. But hey, it still goes into the record books as a no-hitter.

Rat Boy wrote:

Report: Beltran to the Giants.

Be interesting to see what we get for him. He's one of the classiest players the Mets have ever had, and I wish him nothing but success in SF.

Also: TANSTAAPP

Tanglebones wrote:
Rat Boy wrote:

Report: Beltran to the Giants.

Be interesting to see what we get for him.

Not bad. Reports indicating it's RHP Zack Wheeler. Number two prospect in the Giants system. Number 55 on BA's top 100 prospects.

Well, the malcontent infants in the Cardinal fanbase got their way, as St. Louis trades Rasmus for Edwin Jackson and a solid lefty reliever. For whatever reason, the noisy minority in the fan base wanted Rasmus gone. Rasmus is 24, costs just 450K this season, and won't be a free agent until 2015.

That said, the trade really does improve the Cardinals pitching. Not only does Jackson improve the rotation, but it moved McLellen into the bullpen where he should really help them. And they have not had a lefty they could count on all season.

In all, 11 guys were moved:

White Sox: RHP Jason Frasor, RHP Zach Stewart (both from Toronto), LHP Trever Miller (from St. Louis)
Blue Jays: 3B Mark Teahen (from Chicago), OF Colby Rasmus, RHP P.J. Walters, LHP Brian Tallet (all from St. Louis)
St. Louis: RHP Edwin Jackson (from Chicago), RHP Octavio Dotel, LHP Marc Rzepczynski, OF Corey Patterson (all from Toronto)

In regards to last night's The Franchise, Cody Ross is positively devious.

Jayhawker wrote:

Well, the malcontent infants in the Cardinal fanbase got their way, as St. Louis trades Rasmus for Edwin Jackson and a solid lefty reliever. For whatever reason, the noisy minority in the fan base wanted Rasmus gone. Rasmus is 24, costs just 450K this season, and won't be a free agent until 2015.

That said, the trade really does improve the Cardinals pitching. Not only does Jackson improve the rotation, but it moved McLellen into the bullpen where he should really help them. And they have not had a lefty they could count on all season.

In all, 11 guys were moved:

White Sox: RHP Jason Frasor, RHP Zach Stewart (both from Toronto), LHP Trever Miller (from St. Louis)
Blue Jays: 3B Mark Teahen (from Chicago), OF Colby Rasmus, RHP P.J. Walters, LHP Brian Tallet (all from St. Louis)
St. Louis: RHP Edwin Jackson (from Chicago), RHP Octavio Dotel, LHP Marc Rzepczynski, OF Corey Patterson (all from Toronto)

Wierd. Everything I've seen indicates LaRussa wanted him gone more than anyone. Not so much the fans as the coach.

Trophy Husband wrote:
Jayhawker wrote:

Well, the malcontent infants in the Cardinal fanbase got their way, as St. Louis trades Rasmus for Edwin Jackson and a solid lefty reliever. For whatever reason, the noisy minority in the fan base wanted Rasmus gone. Rasmus is 24, costs just 450K this season, and won't be a free agent until 2015.

That said, the trade really does improve the Cardinals pitching. Not only does Jackson improve the rotation, but it moved McLellen into the bullpen where he should really help them. And they have not had a lefty they could count on all season.

In all, 11 guys were moved:

White Sox: RHP Jason Frasor, RHP Zach Stewart (both from Toronto), LHP Trever Miller (from St. Louis)
Blue Jays: 3B Mark Teahen (from Chicago), OF Colby Rasmus, RHP P.J. Walters, LHP Brian Tallet (all from St. Louis)
St. Louis: RHP Edwin Jackson (from Chicago), RHP Octavio Dotel, LHP Marc Rzepczynski, OF Corey Patterson (all from Toronto)

Wierd. Everything I've seen indicates LaRussa wanted him gone more than anyone. Not so much the fans as the coach.

It is bizarro. TLR has had issues with the kid becasue h seem to listen to everyone else about his hitting except for the team's coaches. Colby's dad is a little too involved. But the fans turned it into something to ugly to work through.

But seriously, he's 24, and this stuff was going to get worked out. He had just hit HR's in back to back games, and I was hoping he had snapped out of his funk. There is no way that the cardinals are better of with John Jay in CF. Or Corey Patterson.

Beltran officially a Giant and Fukudome will be an Indian.