2012 MLB Season Discussion: Off-Season

brouhaha wrote:

I'm liking it too. It's actually the only thing I'm liking right now. It was total domination for the Red Sox in the 3 games with Detroit: 1 homer, 30 strike outs and 2 blown saves. And now it's off to the dark horse Toronto.

I'm excited to see how the Jays fare against the Red Sox this series.... it will be a real test of our starters, because you'll be facing two very young pitchers (Alvarez & Drabek) who have yet to prove that they can be consistent major league starters. The third game will be against Romero - the ace of our staff.

I'd also like to see our batters actually hit against starting pitching.... against the Indians we only really started getting run support in the 7th inning and later.... that's not going to do very well against the AL East....

Saw the stat on sportscenter this morning: only the 2nd time ever both the Yankees and Red Sox have started 0-3, and the first time was in 1966.

Crazy start to the season. Pitchers have been getting knocked around.

All I can tell so far is that Detroit is scary. Very scary. Record-breaking offense scary.

FSeven wrote:

Crazy start to the season. Pitchers (other than the Orioles) have been getting knocked around.

All I can tell so far is that Detroit is scary. Very scary. Record-breaking offense scary.

Look, I've gotta enjoy it while it lasts.

garion333 wrote:

Okay, the season can end now. The Orioles are 3-0 and the Yankees are 0-3. Truly the world is ending in 2012.

Weren't the Yankees slow to start last year too?

Didn't the O's start 3-0 last year too?

tboon wrote:
garion333 wrote:

Okay, the season can end now. The Orioles are 3-0 and the Yankees are 0-3. Truly the world is ending in 2012.

Weren't the Yankees slow to start last year too?

Didn't the O's start 3-0 last year too? :P

1st back to back 3-0 starts since 1996-1997, yes.

1997 was the last year they went to the playoffs. Man, that's crazy.

AndrewA wrote:
brouhaha wrote:

I'm liking it too. It's actually the only thing I'm liking right now. It was total domination for the Red Sox in the 3 games with Detroit: 1 homer, 30 strike outs and 2 blown saves. And now it's off to the dark horse Toronto.

I'm excited to see how the Jays fare against the Red Sox this series.... it will be a real test of our starters, because you'll be facing two very young pitchers (Alvarez & Drabek) who have yet to prove that they can be consistent major league starters. The third game will be against Romero - the ace of our staff.

I'd also like to see our batters actually hit against starting pitching.... against the Indians we only really started getting run support in the 7th inning and later.... that's not going to do very well against the AL East....

Should be a lot of offense those first two games, as the Sox are trotting out Doubront and Bard, who are also young and inexperienced. Third game should be pretty low scoring with Lester and Romero. Once the Jays get to the pen though it could get ugly as the Sox bullpen will be getting knocked around all year.

Trophy Husband wrote:
AndrewA wrote:
brouhaha wrote:

I'm liking it too. It's actually the only thing I'm liking right now. It was total domination for the Red Sox in the 3 games with Detroit: 1 homer, 30 strike outs and 2 blown saves. And now it's off to the dark horse Toronto.

I'm excited to see how the Jays fare against the Red Sox this series.... it will be a real test of our starters, because you'll be facing two very young pitchers (Alvarez & Drabek) who have yet to prove that they can be consistent major league starters. The third game will be against Romero - the ace of our staff.

I'd also like to see our batters actually hit against starting pitching.... against the Indians we only really started getting run support in the 7th inning and later.... that's not going to do very well against the AL East....

Should be a lot of offense those first two games, as the Sox are trotting out Doubront and Bard, who are also young and inexperienced. Third game should be pretty low scoring with Lester and Romero. Once the Jays get to the pen though it could get ugly as the Sox bullpen will be getting knocked around all year.

I got a bad feeling that Toronto will do to the Sox this year what the Rays did to them during the '10 & '11 seasons. Sox lost those season series 7-11 and 6-12 respectively. Jose Bautista scares the carp out of me.

Brian Matusz is done.. Ever since that injury he's toast.

So much for the fun season the Orioles were having.

I'll see you guys in a year when they win another 3 games to start the season.

brouhaha wrote:

I got a bad feeling that Toronto will do to the Sox this year what the Rays did to them during the '10 & '11 seasons. Sox lost those season series 7-11 and 6-12 respectively.

Oof - well that sucked last night. Santos blew his second save (he's two for two now) which has Toronto fans calling for his immediate execution. Nevermind the fact that our hitters took a vacation for the last five innings and didn't beat up on two very beatable relievers.

Oh well.... tonight!

brouhaha wrote:

Jose Bautista scares the carp out of me.

Personally, he scares the trout out of me.

If the Cardinals stay healthy, this line-up and rotation is going to be brutal for opponents. They've had back -to-back HR's and three HR's in an inning already twice so far. And their starters are five for five in quality starts.

I really like their roster. But guys like Berkamn, Beltran, and Furcal are huge injury risks. And hell, Holliday had more than his fair share last year. David Freese has gimpy ankles, and Allen Craig is due back soon from knee surgery. Wainright is back from TJ surgery, and Carpenter is on the DL now. Hopefully they can build up a big lead now for when the eventual injury parade starts.

But the roster seems to be better without Pujols than with. And he would have just added to the injury potential.

Good weekend for the plucky Mets. Everything after Murphy's game-winning hit made me nervous last night, from the teammate pummeling that I was convinced would somehow lead to him reinjuring a knee, or the shaving cream pie that seemed destined to scratch a cornea.

Ozzie Guillen suspended for 5 games, for saying he loves Castro.

First, the country has truly lost it's sense of freedom of speech. There's a lot of things people say on a daily basis, and people have said worse things and got away with it. If you think about it, those Cuban defects left a country where they couldn't speak their minds, and now they come to a country where you still can't. Granted, the punishment is severely less, but there truly isn't a freedom of speech in this country any more. I don't like Castro any more than those defects, that doesn't mean I think Ozzie should have been suspended.

Secondly, it's taken out of context. I don't believe he's saying "I love Castro", like brotherly love or something of that nature. I think it's more sarcasm than anything, especially the way he seems to be explaining it in his press conference.

Kush15 wrote:

Ozzie Guillen suspended for 5 games, for saying he loves Castro.

First, the country has truly lost it's sense of freedom of speech. There's a lot of things people say on a daily basis, and people have said worse things and got away with it. If you think about it, those Cuban defects left a country where they couldn't speak their minds, and now they come to a country where you still can't. Granted, the punishment is severely less, but there truly isn't a freedom of speech in this country any more. I don't like Castro any more than those defects, that doesn't mean I think Ozzie should have been suspended.

Secondly, it's taken out of context. I don't believe he's saying "I love Castro", like brotherly love or something of that nature. I think it's more sarcasm than anything, especially the way he seems to be explaining it in his press conference.

He's managing in a town full of Cuban immigrants that despise Castro. Miami has a brand new stadium and are marketing to that demographic. What he said is beyond stupid. He's suspended not so much for what he believes, but damaging the MLB product in Miami.

And he is free to say it all he wants. But he's not free from consequences.

Aw. The Rays 162-0 dream is dead.

Stupid Tigers. :p

2-2 in the 8th and the Rays give up 3...

Kush15 wrote:

First, the country has truly lost it's sense of freedom of speech.

I'm confused. Did the government suspend Guillen? Or, was it the organization that employs him?

Kush15 wrote:

Ozzie Guillen suspended for 5 games, for saying he loves Castro.

First, the country has truly lost it's sense of freedom of speech. There's a lot of things people say on a daily basis, and people have said worse things and got away with it. If you think about it, those Cuban defects left a country where they couldn't speak their minds, and now they come to a country where you still can't. Granted, the punishment is severely less, but there truly isn't a freedom of speech in this country any more. I don't like Castro any more than those defects, that doesn't mean I think Ozzie should have been suspended.

Secondly, it's taken out of context. I don't believe he's saying "I love Castro", like brotherly love or something of that nature. I think it's more sarcasm than anything, especially the way he seems to be explaining it in his press conference.

His freedom hasn't been infringed. His mouth gets him into trouble.

AndrewA wrote:

Oof - well that sucked last night. Santos blew his second save (he's two for two now) which has Toronto fans calling for his immediate execution. Nevermind the fact that our hitters took a vacation for the last five innings and didn't beat up on two very beatable relievers.

Oh well.... tonight!

Certainly not a good start by Bard; 5 runs over 5 innings. The rally-ending double play by Youk in the 5th certainly hurt. From that point on, it was all Toronto.

Got to feel good about the Jay's bullpen tonight— Frasor and Perez a combined 3 hits over 2.2 IP. And then Janssen striking out Ortiz looking to end the game. Send in the clowns!

If you're in a high position, you're set to higher standards, I understand that, but I've heard people in high places say far worse and no punishment. Granted, I've heard people say far less and get far worse. I just don't agree he should be suspended for stating an opinion that has nothing to do with the game of baseball.

For good or ill, when you are manager of a major league team, any time you say something publicly or that can be made public, it is about the game of baseball.

Kush15 wrote:

If you're in a high position, you're set to higher standards, I understand that, but I've heard people in high places say far worse and no punishment. Granted, I've heard people say far less and get far worse. I just don't agree he should be suspended for stating an opinion that has nothing to do with the game of baseball.

I won't be surprised if he eventually gets fired.

It may have nothing to do with baseball, but it goes a long ways to making the team hard to market in a new stadium in Little Havana. How the city rects is going to determine his fate. If they don't suspend him, he is fired with in a week or two 100%. This gives him a chance to apologize and makes good with the team's market, which it seems like he is trying to do in good faith.

If Bill Self came out and talked about how much he loves William Quantrill, even he could find himself run out of Lawrence, KS. It may have nothing to do with basketball, but it would have a hell of an impact on season tickets and raising money.

Kush15 wrote:

I just don't agree he should be suspended for stating an opinion that has nothing to do with the game of baseball.

I agree.

Sincerely,
Marge Schott

brouhaha wrote:
AndrewA wrote:

Oof - well that sucked last night. Santos blew his second save (he's two for two now) which has Toronto fans calling for his immediate execution. Nevermind the fact that our hitters took a vacation for the last five innings and didn't beat up on two very beatable relievers.

Oh well.... tonight!

Certainly not a good start by Bard; 5 runs over 5 innings. The rally-ending double play by Youk in the 5th certainly hurt. From that point on, it was all Toronto.

Got to feel good about the Jay's bullpen tonight— Frasor and Perez a combined 3 hits over 2.2 IP. And then Janssen striking out Ortiz looking to end the game. Send in the clowns!

It's too bad that today's game is a day game, because the pitching match-up is an awesome one. Romero versus Lester? Yes please!

AndrewA wrote:

It's too bad that today's game is a day game, because the pitching match-up is an awesome one. Romero versus Lester? Yes please!

Yup, this'll be a good one. It's games like this that makes me wish I have a DVR!

Looks like pitch count will be the key here. All I'm asking from Lester is 7 complete innings.

Well, it looks like the Cubs are off to a predictably rocky start to the season. Definitely in the midst of a rebuilding effort, having paying off all those bad back-loaded contracts. We'll see if all these young players can't gel into a solid foundation for the future, though.

Also, the conversation sort of died out a few posts back, but I think I like the extra Wild Card team and single playoff game. It puts the focus back on winning the division. Teams won't be able to be content with just the wild card anymore, its too risky. I think it'll make the end of the season more exciting.

brouhaha wrote:
AndrewA wrote:

It's too bad that today's game is a day game, because the pitching match-up is an awesome one. Romero versus Lester? Yes please!

Yup, this'll be a good one. It's games like this that makes me wish I have a DVR!

Looks like pitch count will be the key here. All I'm asking from Lester is 7 complete innings.

Lester pitched all 8 innings, 3 hits, 3 earned. (115 pitches, or so)
Romero pitched 8 1/3 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned. (110 pitches, or so)

They were both extremely efficient.... at least according to GameDay/Twitter.

AndrewA wrote:
brouhaha wrote:
AndrewA wrote:

It's too bad that today's game is a day game, because the pitching match-up is an awesome one. Romero versus Lester? Yes please!

Yup, this'll be a good one. It's games like this that makes me wish I have a DVR!

Looks like pitch count will be the key here. All I'm asking from Lester is 7 complete innings.

Lester pitched all 8 innings, 3 hits, 3 earned. (115 pitches, or so)
Romero pitched 8 1/3 innings, 3 hits, 1 earned. (110 pitches, or so)

They were both extremely efficient.... at least according to GameDay/Twitter.

Wow, talk about a pitcher's duel. Certainly a confidence builder for the Jays and the complete opposite for the sox. THere's much work to be done and I don't see it getting better any time soon.

Back home this weekend against the Rays. Beckett vs. Price on Friday should be a good one.

Slumberland wrote:

Good weekend for the plucky Mets. Everything after Murphy's game-winning hit made me nervous last night, from the teammate pummeling that I was convinced would somehow lead to him reinjuring a knee, or the shaving cream pie that seemed destined to scratch a cornea.

Were you able take advantage of the 50th Anniversary promotional? They knocked prices down to $2.50 (1962 prices, select seats) for last nights game and the one going on now.

Verlander: 8IP, 1BB, 1H, 0ER, 81 pitches

And then came the 9th inning...........................

mindset.threat wrote:
Slumberland wrote:

Good weekend for the plucky Mets. Everything after Murphy's game-winning hit made me nervous last night, from the teammate pummeling that I was convinced would somehow lead to him reinjuring a knee, or the shaving cream pie that seemed destined to scratch a cornea.

Were you able take advantage of the 50th Anniversary promotional? They knocked prices down to $2.50 (1962 prices, select seats) for last nights game and the one going on now.

Was not... just too busy. I'll be there soon enough though.

Mets on the verge of losing their second in a row but can I talk for a second about HOW GOOD those unis look now that they took the black drop shadow out from the logos?