The baseball thread.

**Long Duck Dong** · 04-29-2007, 10:52 AM

Its cool Smokan, I'm not out to get you or anything. You just say a lot of uninformed things about sports that I like arguing about. Sure, Dice hasn't been lights out, but just take a breath dude. No one that cares about baseball makes any decisions after 20 games. The Yankees are not going to finish last. Rivera is not going to finish with a 10+ ERA. ARod is not going to hit 100 home runs. Manny is not going to bat .188. What does this all mean? It means that a Yankee homer concluding, after like 6 starts, that Dice has "good stuff" but "not great" and isn't worth the money is pretty unremarkable. There are plenty of apt observations to make about baseball and the Red Sox, but this isn't one of them.

**Woodsy** · 04-30-2007, 07:46 AM

I wanted to take a moment to point out to all red sox fans and Stump in particular, that even though they lost, Man Cave Bitch as you so lovingly refer to him hit a 3 run dong for the Yanks.
Dallas can ignore as we both marveled over the rarity of the phrase "Mientkiewicz 3 run homer" when it happend.

**smmokan** · 04-30-2007, 07:54 AM

Hey, I'm just making comments.... most people in this thread are guilty of "jumping to unproven conclusions", and that's what I was doing. I know that none of this stuff will continue, and the only reason I'm saying it is for the sake of arguing- isn't that what all of this is, since its so damn early?

That being said, I would not be one bit surprised if Rivera ends up with an ERA over 5.00 this year. His stuff looks like SHIT.

**MassLiberal** · 04-30-2007, 08:08 AM

I'm not so sure Rivra will have an era over 5 this year. He looked better than he has closing out Saturdays game. As soon as he gets some regular work, he'll be okay.

**smmokan** · 04-30-2007, 09:55 AM

I've only seen a couple of his games and a few highlights, but it just doesn't look like his cutter is moving at all. If he doesn't get that figured out, that could be a big problem.

**Dexter Rutecki** · 04-30-2007, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

Fucking Tavarez.

I might have to take that back, or change the emphasis to something like, "Fucking Tavarez! He rules!"

Irregahdless, he still worries me and I'll be glad to see him back in the pen.

**stump832** · 04-30-2007, 10:06 AM

Who woulda thunk man-cave-itch and Alex Cora would homer in the same game? It blew my fucking mind.

**The AD** · 04-30-2007, 10:11 AM

Double post about triple play. Doh!

**The AD** · 04-30-2007, 10:13 AM

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet. Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzski turned an unassisted triple play on Sunday against the Braves. It was the 13th UA triple play in major league history.

First and second occupied by Braves, 3-2 count and runners moving, Chipper Jones hits a line drive near second. Tulowitski catches the liner (one out), touches second for the force on the lead runner (two outs) and then tags the trailing runner (three outs). It looks so simple when you see it!

There's a video here: http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=270429127

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 10:15 AM

You just mentioned it like two minutes ago.

**smmokan** · 04-30-2007, 10:38 AM

With that situation, I'm surprised its only the 13th in history.

The big story there is the Rockies actually came back and won a close game.

**Benny Profane** · 04-30-2007, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Woodsy

Torre is one of the best managers in baseball.

Is he? Somehow he made it to sainthood status. Probably after ring#3. But he should have been canned after last year. Enough already. There's no fire on that team, and all the exciting coaches are gone (bring back Zim!). I wanted Pinella walking around in pinstripes with a clean shave after last fall, gumbling at the press, players, and the world, but he's being wasted on the Cubs. Don't know who else who is worthy is out there.

**Brock Landers** · 04-30-2007, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Don't know who else who is worthy is out there.

Torre is still alive?

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 11:44 AM

My God, Belichick cleans up nice.

If the NBA Lottery had been held yesterday, it could have been one of the all-time days in Boston sports history.

**smmokan** · 04-30-2007, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

Is he? Somehow he made it to sainthood status. Probably after ring#3. But he should have been canned after last year. Enough already. There's no fire on that team, and all the exciting coaches are gone (bring back Zim!). I wanted Pinella walking around in pinstripes with a clean shave after last fall, gumbling at the press, players, and the world, but he's being wasted on the Cubs. Don't know who else who is worthy is out there.

I agree... Torre is lifeless, and it reflects on the players. There's no emotion except for Jeter and Damon.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by smmokan

There's no emotion except for Jeter and Damon.

I don't know, Rivera has looked pretty disgusted the last few outings. Disgust is sort of an emotion.

It's pretty bad that the Yanks couldn't buck up for a win yesterday, coming off Saturday's game where everything went their way (and with Tavarez pitching). What a waste of a Man cave bitch* homer... It's a shame, I tells you.

*I'm totally using that from now on.

**Woodsy** · 04-30-2007, 03:48 PM

you're welcome, via stump
oh yeah fire Torre!
its totally lack of Passion, not lack of pitching fucking that team up.
if they were just more fired up, they would be winners.

c'mon he has always been deadpan, and he has more wins than quite a few hall of fame managers
Only LaRussa, and maybe Cox have more wins among the still active

**Benny Profane** · 04-30-2007, 03:54 PM

yeah, well, two words: Detroit Tigers. That crusty fuck put a fire under their asses.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsy

if they were just more fired up, they would be winners

What do you think I was trying to do when I yelled "Suck it, New York" in the bar yesterday? Someone needs to light a spark, if only so the rest of the season is more interesting than April has been. 16-8... Borrrrrr-ing.

**Woodsy** · 04-30-2007, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

yeah, well, two words: Detroit Tigers. That crusty fuck put a fire under their asses.

I am stunned you are having this argument,
so the reason the Tigers had a great year in 06 was managerial Fire not the team's 3.84 ERA as opposed to the over 5 the Yanks are tossing now.

**stump832** · 04-30-2007, 04:10 PM

Guys, numbers don't mean shit. Its all about passion, aura, and something else. I forget. Once you understand that, you'll be able to see how Scott Brosius was a better third baseman than Arod will ever be.

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by stump832

Its all about passion, aura, and something else. I forget.

Mystique, I think.

**Benny Profane** · 04-30-2007, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Woodsy

so the reason the Tigers had a great year in 06 was managerial Fire

It got them out of the starting gate nicely. Much like Torre's somnolence doomed them to an early exit in the post season.

**Woodsy** · 04-30-2007, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Benny Profane

It got them out of the starting gate nicely. Much like Torre's somnolence doomed them to an early exit in the post season.

but that shit has gotten him 10th on the all time win list and you loved that "steadying solid presence" back in the late 90s, when you had pitching and won rings
I am confused.
too bad BIlly Martin is dead, that guy had fire
fired
all 5 times.
1 ring though I think

**Steven S. Dallas** · 04-30-2007, 04:19 PM

Woodsy's right here I think- when they were winning, it was always "Torre never worries... He shows confidence in his players and that brings out their best." Now he's somnolent? First of all, they have made some panic moves (two inning saves from Rivera, Pettitte in from the pen). Second of all, it's an unfair criticism. What did he act like in 2000 when they started poorly? Did he go on a bat-throwing rampage or something?