MLB 2011 Season

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 11:14 am

I just discovered Ebbets.com home of classic baseball jerseys, T-shirts and caps.

Like this one - or, as I call it, "the greatest shirt ever"

It will be mine.

I'm tempted to spring for the $100 KC Monarchs jersey, too.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Aug 24, 2011 12:33 pm

Ebbets Flannel sells a jersey for $100?

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:02 pm

Mike Flanagan killed himself yesterday.

Police did not immediately identify the cause of death, but sources confirmed that Flanagan took his own life "despondent over what he considered a false perception from a community he loved of his role in the team's prolonged failure," Sandusky said.

Dammit.

The Royals may suck but to the best of my knowledge they've never claimed a life.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 1:57 pm

Exodor wrote:The Royals may suck but to the best of my knowledge they've never claimed a life.

Just their hopes and dreams.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:13 pm

stessier wrote:
Exodor wrote:The Royals may suck but to the best of my knowledge they've never claimed a life.
Just their hopes and dreams.

As Royals fans hopes and dreams are all we have.

Well, that and a shitton of rookies.

tru1cy · Post by **tru1cy** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:33 pm

Exodor wrote:Mike Flanagan killed himself yesterday.

Police did not immediately identify the cause of death, but sources confirmed that Flanagan took his own life "despondent over what he considered a false perception from a community he loved of his role in the team's prolonged failure," Sandusky said.
Dammit.

The Royals may suck but to the best of my knowledge they've never claimed a life.

Tough day in Birdland and it is being reported by most talk radio shows here that his death was related to the O's losing and the fan laying some of the blame at his feet.

I don't know if it is true or not, but the man bleed O's orange. It was tough watching Palmer and Dempsey talking about his death. The broadcast crew learned about his passing during the Twins game

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Thu Aug 25, 2011 2:46 pm

Sad news. I watched a lot of Orioles games on TV as a kid.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Wed Aug 31, 2011 11:16 am

A good article by Jason Starkon how technology has really changed the game over the last 2 years.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:42 pm

Rany Raves

In almost every Royals game of the last 25 years, there has been at least one player in their lineup that didn’t deserve to be there – someone who was washed up, someone who was still productive but was too old to be a part of the next good Royals team, someone who had youth to dream on but not the talent to take advantage of it, or someone who was never that good in the first place. Whether it was David Howard or Jose Lind, Chuck Knoblauch or Neifi Perez, Terrence Long or Doug Mientkiewicz, Mike Jacobs or Jose Guillen – there was always someone in the lineup who it was difficult to root for. There was always someone in the lineup who deep in your subconscious you wanted to fail, because the more they failed, the quicker the Royals would give up on them and move on to someone who might be a part of a brighter future.

Today, for one of the few times in my history as a Royals fan, EVERYONE in the Royals’ lineup is a part of their future. I want to watch EVERYONE who comes to the plate. There are no bathroom breaks in the lineup anymore. I don’t care what the Royals’ record is – that alone makes this season a success of sorts.

I'm right there with Rany - this team is more fun to watch than any KC team in years, particularly on offense. They desperately need to improve the staff but they've got enough prospects to make a trade. I'm genuinely hopeful about next year.

Which means they'll lose another 100 games.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 11:25 am

There are no bathroom breaks in the lineup anymore.

That's a great line.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:01 pm

Something pretty cool happened during the Nats game last night. The Nats started lefty Tom Milone, a September callup with tantalizing, if not absurd, numbers in AAA this year: 148 IP, 155 K (!), 16 BB (?!?!?!), despite only throwing his fastball around 88-89 mph. Oh, and he also hit .346.

Milone retired the first six batters he faced as the Mets took their measure of the rookie. And when he came up to the plate himself with two runners on base in the bottom of the second, Milone swung at the very first MLB pitch he saw and put it in the home bullpen for a three-run HR. He became only the 8th pitcher to homer on the first pitch of his first major league AB, and the first to do so since . . . (I'll let triggercut fill in the blank there). He even made retrieving the souvenir easy by hitting it into the home bullpen. How efficient!

After pitching a scoreless 3rd, the dream debut ended abruptly with the Mets scoring 4 in the 4th and then Milone being pulled early in the 5th before he could qualify for a win. Davey Johnson pulled him after he let the tying run on base so that the young prospect could not be tagged with a loss if things went south from there. Of course, the game ended on yet another Ryan Zimmerman walk-off hit, a bases-loaded, broken bat bloop single that wasn't exactly highlight material but drove in 2 to send the Mets back to the hotel with an 8-7 loss.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Sun Sep 04, 2011 10:14 pm

Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!

Asharak · Post by **Asharak** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 11:03 am

pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!

Dude, seriously. There are like seven billion people on this earth. Guessing is going to take a while. But, fine, I'll start:

Steven?

- Ash

WPD · Post by **WPD** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:53 pm

Asharak wrote:
pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!
Dude, seriously. There are like seven billion people on this earth. Guessing is going to take a while. But, fine, I'll start:

Steven?

- Ash

I'll guess Alec.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 12:54 pm

Asharak wrote:
pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!
Dude, seriously. There are like seven billion people on this earth. Guessing is going to take a while. But, fine, I'll start:

Steven?

- Ash

Jim Strasburg?

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Sep 05, 2011 7:46 pm

You all amuse me.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 9:43 am

pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!

Hope the weather forecast changes. Looks like it could be a scratch.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:10 am

Freezer-TPF- wrote:
pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!
Hope the weather forecast changes. Looks like it could be a scratch.

Yeah, it's not looking likely (and if the game is played, I doubt Strasburg pitches). Thankfully I haven't actually paid for my ticket yet!

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:12 am

pr0ner wrote:
Freezer-TPF- wrote:
pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!
Hope the weather forecast changes. Looks like it could be a scratch.
Yeah, it's not looking likely (and if the game is played, I doubt Strasburg pitches). Thankfully I haven't actually paid for my ticket yet!

So apparently if I had guessed you, I would've been wrong?

Kelric · Post by **Kelric** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 7:39 pm

Joe Pos on 1-0 games. My favorite bit:

Don Cardwell was the master of the unearned-run loss -- three times in his career he lost 1-0 when the run he allowed unearned. This actually happened twice in 1965 … and this might be the coolest discovery of this entire exercise.

In 1965, Cardwell lost to the Mets 1-0 when his opposing pitcher, Al Jackson, hit a ground ball to Bill Mazeroski (of all people), and Maz threw it away allowing the only run to score.

Two weeks later, Cardwell lost an even more heartbreaking game against the Dodgers. This turned out to be one of Koufax's 10 1-0 victories; the game was scoreless going into the 10th inning. Koufax struck out Cardwell in the 10th to end the inning. And in the bottom of the 10th, Cardwell walked Koufax, who was a legendarily bad hitter. He also walked Wes Parker, and Jim Gilliam followed hit a line drive to a right fielder you might have heard of named Roberto Clemente, who booted it allowing Koufax to score the game winner.

How about losing 1-0 twice in two weeks on errors by Mazeroski and Clemente. See, this is why I do these stupid research projects.

And that is why I love baseball. And Joe's writing.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Tue Sep 06, 2011 10:19 pm

The Tigers took down Cleveland 10-1 for their 2nd win at Cleveland this series. Porcello got a large early lead and pitched great tonite. Theres one game left in the series with Verlander on the mound. After sweeping the White Sox this weekend, if they pull off the sweep of the Indians on the road, they are looking real good for the playoffs. They made a few unheralded moves picking up Fister, Betemit and Delmon Young which have really paid big dividends. Fister, in his last 5 starts, has had 36 strike outs vs 3 walks and is 4 -1.
The Tigers have been a perennial sub .500 team after the all star break, so its nice to see them tearing it up this late in the season.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 12:50 am

El Guapo wrote:
pr0ner wrote:
Freezer-TPF- wrote:
pr0ner wrote:Guess who has tickets for Strasmas, part deux?!
Hope the weather forecast changes. Looks like it could be a scratch.
Yeah, it's not looking likely (and if the game is played, I doubt Strasburg pitches). Thankfully I haven't actually paid for my ticket yet!
So apparently if I had guessed you, I would've been wrong?

No, I wound up going. The rain held off most of the evening (save for a 30 minute rain delay). Strasburg was masterful, but the Natinals lost anyway.

The Evil Dead · Post by **The Evil Dead** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 2:05 am

rshetts2 wrote:The Tigers took down Cleveland 10-1 for their 2nd win at Cleveland this series. Porcello got a large early lead and pitched great tonite. Theres one game left in the series with Verlander on the mound. After sweeping the White Sox this weekend, if they pull off the sweep of the Indians on the road, they are looking real good for the playoffs. They made a few unheralded moves picking up Fister, Betemit and Delmon Young which have really paid big dividends. Fister, in his last 5 starts, has had 36 strike outs vs 3 walks and is 4 -1.
The Tigers have been a perennial sub .500 team after the all star break, so its nice to see them tearing it up this late in the season.

I wonder if they'll have Fister as their number two starter after Verlander if they (as it looks like they will) make it to the post. Glad he's somewhere where he gets adequate run support, been nice watching him thrive in Detroit. Last time I remember us giving Detroit a starter, his name was Jarrod Washburn and he doesn't pitch much anymore.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:02 pm

Jeff Francouer threw someone out at first today.

Oh, Frenchy. Don't make me love you , I know you'll just break my heart next year (by putting up like an 70 OPs+)

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:41 pm

Frenchy has always been known for a plus plus arm. Nice play.

Exodor · Post by **Exodor** » Wed Sep 07, 2011 7:54 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote:Frenchy has always been known for a plus plus arm. Nice play.

I dreaded the inevitable Francouer signing and whined about it when it happened - but you know what?

He's been good this year. He's put up a .284/.331/.471 line, good for a 121 OPS+

He's got 44 doubles - that leads the AL.

We could have done a lot worse.

Freezer-TPF- · Post by **Freezer-TPF-** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 2:49 pm

Soooo, there may be a bit of a rain delay before the Nats AA Senators of Harrisburg get their next game underway.

Get to work, grounds crew!

Wow.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Sep 09, 2011 4:05 pm

Eh, a few bags of Diamond Dry should clear that right up.

Good thing Bryce Harper is out or they would be calling FEMA to get a game in.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Sun Sep 11, 2011 6:27 pm

The Evil Dead wrote:
rshetts2 wrote:The Tigers took down Cleveland 10-1 for their 2nd win at Cleveland this series. Porcello got a large early lead and pitched great tonite. Theres one game left in the series with Verlander on the mound. After sweeping the White Sox this weekend, if they pull off the sweep of the Indians on the road, they are looking real good for the playoffs. They made a few unheralded moves picking up Fister, Betemit and Delmon Young which have really paid big dividends. Fister, in his last 5 starts, has had 36 strike outs vs 3 walks and is 4 -1.
The Tigers have been a perennial sub .500 team after the all star break, so its nice to see them tearing it up this late in the season.
I wonder if they'll have Fister as their number two starter after Verlander if they (as it looks like they will) make it to the post. Glad he's somewhere where he gets adequate run support, been nice watching him thrive in Detroit. Last time I remember us giving Detroit a starter, his name was Jarrod Washburn and he doesn't pitch much anymore.

They should. Fister has been all star caliber since joining the Tigers. He won again today pitching 7 scoreless innings. With him in the rotation, Detroit has 3 legitimate starters. Porchello has really pitched well as of late and Detroit may have the best relief pitching in the majors. Add in the fact that theyve been the hottest hitting team in the AL for the past month and they are really looking good for the post season. ESPN has them at the 2nd best percentage to make the playoffs in the majors at 99.9% Only the Phillies, who are playing ridiculously good are better at 100%. It seemed like they were just hanging in there for the 1st half of the season but once August hit and they made a couple roster moves, they kicked it into a whole new gear. I doubt anyone is looking forward to facing the Tigers in the 1st round come October.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Sat Sep 17, 2011 9:19 am

Tigers clinch the Central! Wow, they have been on an incredible run. Fister just won another, what an amazing pick up he was. His last 5 starts he has given up 4 runs, has 44 strike outs and only 5 walks. Last nite was his 5th start with the Tigers where he has had zero walks. His ERA during this run, .81 Now during a playoff series Detroit has 3 starters they are confident in, and the 4th, Porchello has had excellent starts in his last 4 outings. With the best relievers in the majors and a team that has led the majors in hitting the last month and a half, the Tigers are looking great for the playoffs.

The Tigers in the post season, the Wolverines and Spartans both playing well, and the Lions actually looking like a football team this season. Its looking like a great fall for sports in Michigan.

rshetts2 · Post by **rshetts2** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 7:40 pm

Guess with football dominating the sports scene, baseball is taking a back seat.

Justin Verlander just finished off his 24th win and his 12th in a row. He pitched 8 innings of shutout ball only giving up 3 hits. He has at least 1 more start to get a shot at 25. I doubt he gets 2 starts though because that would probably move him back in the rotation for the playoffs.

Just a little factoid, its been 40 years since a right handed pitcher has won 24 game and got 240+ strikeouts, That pitcher 40 yrs ago was Vida Blue, who won bothe the Cy Young and MVP. Sitting at 24 wins and 244 s.o.'s, Verlander has the chance to get 25/250

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:32 pm

It's weird how the baseball season ended at the close of August this year.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Sun Sep 18, 2011 11:53 pm

I attended my last Cubs game of the year on Saturday, and they were 3-0 when I was in the building. Clearly I need to get season tickets next year.

theohall · Post by **theohall** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 7:21 am

El Guapo wrote:It's weird how the baseball season ended at the close of August this year.

Don't tell the Rays who took 3 of 4 this weekend from the Red Sox to close the wildcard gap to 2 games.

The Cardinals haven't completely quit either, but I doubt they make up the 3.5 games.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:42 am

Nope, because the baseball season ended in August. I've heard rumors about more games, and about the Red Sox losing a lot of them, but that's nonsense, because baseball ended in August, so no need to worry about any of that.

pr0ner · Post by **pr0ner** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 9:53 am

ImLawBoy wrote:I attended my last Cubs game of the year on Saturday, and they were 3-0 when I was in the building. Clearly I need to get season tickets next year.

I support this.

stessier · Post by **stessier** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 10:56 am

El Guapo wrote:Nope, because the baseball season ended in August. I've heard rumors about more games, and about the Red Sox losing a lot of them, but that's nonsense, because baseball ended in August, so no need to worry about any of that.

Yep, just been exhibition since then. Good thing the Pats started playing or we'd be without any sports at all.

theohall · Post by **theohall** » Mon Sep 19, 2011 11:58 am

stessier wrote:
El Guapo wrote:Nope, because the baseball season ended in August. I've heard rumors about more games, and about the Red Sox losing a lot of them, but that's nonsense, because baseball ended in August, so no need to worry about any of that.
Yep, just been exhibition since then. Good thing the Pats started playing or we'd be without any sports at all.

Hey, Bruins should be in training camp by now.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 4:55 pm

Fears of a 3-way Wild Card Tie:

As the AL wild-card gap shrinks, baseball officials are sweating out the possibility of a three-way tie that could wreak havoc with next week's American League Division Series.

The Boston Red Sox hold a 2½-game lead over both the Tampa Bay Rays and Los Angeles Angels. And if all three wind up tied after 162 games, the options aren't good.

First, they would be looking at a three-team playoff over two days, with the Angels facing the possibility of having to play games on both coasts on back-to-back days.

Then, for the team that survives, life won't get any easier. Both American League Division Series are scheduled to begin Sept. 30, but a three-way tie would push Game 1 of both series back a day to Oct. 1.

If that happens, baseball most likely would eliminate the off-day between Games 2 and 3 of the ALDS in order to get those series back on schedule.
...
Baseball has held eight one-game tiebreaking elimination games since the start of division play in 1969. It has never had to face the mess that a three-way tie would create, but suddenly, that mess could be looming -- as soon as next week.

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 5:21 pm

heh, I wouldn't worry about that - the Red Sox will happily take themselves out of contention.