The baseball thread.

[irul&ublo]

I cant think of a better way to bump this thread!

WTF w/ the goggles...pussies.

[irul&ublo]

...but congratulations to the cocksuckers from chowd town. The best team won. Fuckers.

[powder11]

...but congratulations to the cocksuckers from chowd town. The best team won. Fuckers.

jealous...
jealous again!

[Steven S. Dallas]

I've never put a quote as my signature, but I might have to make an exception in irul's case.

[iceman]

...but congratulations to the cocksuckers from chowd town. The best team won. Fuckers.

heh, thanks irul!

I agree with you about the goggles, though. I don't think I've ever seen that before, wtf?

[Steven S. Dallas]

I agree with you about the goggles, though. I don't think I've ever seen that before, wtf?

I think Youkilis started it to keep champagne out of his eyes. They don't usually have matching ones though, I guess they must have gone out and bought a bunch. Papelbon was wearing a snorkel after the ALCS clincher, the dude is all class.

[Brock Landers]

Dustin Pedroia - ROTY

Ryan Braun in NL...cue collective "Tulo" bitching session

[Brock Landers]

Beckett has turned the corner! He will be in the top 5 for Cy Young voting.

Sabathia first, Beckett, then Lackey

[iceman]

Huh, it was pretty much a toss-up statistically, but I thought Beckett getting 20, the two head-to-head wins in the ALCS and the ring would get it for Beckett. Oh well, at least he has the ring.

[fez]

all the voting for the awards happens before post season.

that's why A-Rod will get AL MVP rather than Mike Lowell.

[pappag]

Huh, it was pretty much a toss-up statistically, but I thought Beckett getting 20, the two head-to-head wins in the ALCS and the ring would get it for Beckett. Oh well, at least he has the ring.

Award is for the regular season, and I believe the voting is done before the post-season even begins.

FWIW - CC had one less win, and he had 13 more earned runs but over 40 more innings (2.95 ERA). Personally, I would have given each 1/2 of a vote.

[Brock Landers]

Huh, it was pretty much a toss-up statistically, but I thought Beckett getting 20, the two head-to-head wins in the ALCS and the ring would get it for Beckett. Oh well, at least he has the ring.

They vote on this stuff right before the playoffs start, so Sabathia's choke job and Beckett's domination didnt play a part. I think Sabathia's innings, plus 2 regular season victories each (6-0) over Santana, Verlander, and I think Buerhle clinched it. Neither one was '99 Pedro, but still 2 pretty good years.

[pappag]

all the voting for the awards happens before post season.

that's why A-Rod will get AL MVP rather than Mike Lowell.

Even if the voting was done after the post-season, and Lowell hit a grand slam in each game, A-Rod would still win unanimously.

[Steven S. Dallas]

that's why A-Rod will get AL MVP rather than Mike Lowell.

I think Beckett would get that, too. I watched game 5 of the LCS again over the weekend and he was just ridiculously sharp.

[fez]

Even if the voting was done after the post-season, and Lowell hit a grand slam in each game, A-Rod would still win unanimously.

.353 AVG, .410 OBP, .608 SLG, 2 HR, and 16 RBI

vs

.267 AVG, .353 OBP, .467 SLG, 1 HR, and 1 RBI


but i was mostly kidding about that. the yankers wouldnt have even sniffed the playoffs if it wasnt for a-rod.

and i have to admit, miss october's .267 in 2007 is a big improvement over 1-14 .071 in 2006.

[Benny Profane]

Pitchers don't get MVPs anymore.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Pitchers don't get MVPs anymore.

It's been a while (1992), but there's no rule against it.

[pappag]

What was the "joke"? A-Rod could have gone 49-50 in the post-season with 49 HRs, but if the 50th AB resulted in him striking out with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 9th while down by 1, he would still be hung out to dry.

and i have to admit, miss october's .267 in 2007 is a big improvement over 1-14 .071 in 2006.

[Benny Profane]

hmmmm....the plot thickens....

NYT

November 15, 2007
Rodriguez May Talk to Yankees Without Agent

By TYLER KEPNER
Alex Rodriguez said all season that he wanted to stay with the Yankees, and now he seems prepared to finally back up those statements.

A person close to the Yankees said this morning that Rodriguez, through an intermediary, told the Yankees that he wants to talk with the team about a new contract agreement without the involvement of his agent, Scott Boras. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no deal has been reached.

When Rodriguez opted out of his contract during Game 4 of the World Series, on Oct. 28, the Yankees insisted they would not chase him as a free agent. Club officials were bothered that Rodriguez did not return their calls and refused to meet with them in person.

On Nov. 4, the Times reported that Rodriguez was dismayed at the public fallout from his decision to opt out and was considering returning to the Yankees at a lower salary. That feeling has grown stronger since then, and Rodriguez seems to understand that his only way to stay a Yankee is to make up for the $21.3 million subsidy from the Texas Rangers that the Yankees lost when he opted out.

The Yankees are wary that Rodriguez’s new stance might be a trap to lure them into negotiations and thus drive up his price in the marketplace. But they seem to believe he is sincere in his desire to return.

Rodriguez is free to negotiate with other teams, but no team – except, perhaps, the Los Angeles Angels -- has seemed willing to give Rodriguez a raise over the $32 million he could have made in 2009 and 2010 under his original Rangers deal.

The Yankees are also now free to negotiate with the free-agent third baseman Mike Lowell of the Boston Red Sox, the Most Valuable Player of the World Series, who could replace Rodriguez at third in the Bronx. Rodriguez has struggled in the postseason, but he is a far better player than Lowell in the regular season.

“There’s a shot they could get Lowell, but there’s a shot they could still get A-Rod,” a person close to Rodriguez said on Tuesday night, speaking on condition of anonymity because Rodriguez had not authorized him to speak publicly. “I think Alex is so scared, he might still come back. It would have to be on a discount, and he knows that.”

[Steven S. Dallas]

As much as I'd like to have him out of the division, his return would be great on three levels: Rodriguez comes crawling back, the Yankees go back on their word, and Boras gets clowned.

[Lemmiwinks]

As much as I'd like to have him out of the division, his return would be great on three levels: Rodriguez comes crawling back, the Yankees go back on their word, and Boras gets clowned.

Its an interesting conundrum. It would make everyone involved look stupid to some level, but the flip side is the Yankees get back the guy who carried them for large chunks of the regular season. Flipping that flip side, it means the Yankees will not make a big push for Lowell, and the Sox could have an easier time signing him. If A-rod doesn't get signed the Yanks are going to offer Lowell something rediculous.

After all they gave Jorge a 4 year/ 52 mil contract! You figured the Yankees learned their lesson with all of their long contracts on aging players.

But maybe this whole argument is moot when the Sox trade Ellsbury and Bucholz to Florida for Miguel Cabrera.

[Steven S. Dallas]

But maybe this whole argument is moot when the Sox trade Ellsbury and Bucholz to Florida for Miguel Cabrera.

Boy, I hope that doesn't happen. I don't think it will. Cabrera isn't controllable for long enough to make it worth their while. Maybe if he had a couple more years left on his deal, but as it is he's a fat moody fuck (who can hit for sure) who's as likely to leave when his current deal expires as anything else. Apparently the Florida people want him gone in part because he's a bad influence on Hanley Ramirez; they've tried to keep them separated but it hasn't worked.

[skikola]

After all they gave Jorge a 4 year/ 52 mil contract! You figured the Yankees learned their lesson with all of their long contracts on aging players.

Offering Posada that was a great move. Didn't even give him a chance to think about dealing with another team. He's been getting better and better, and even if his body breaks down in a couple years behind the plate, he can DH. If his stats showed aging that would be a different story, but they just don't yet.
As for A-Rod, I sensed this would always be a possibility. I believed him when he said he was still interested in coming back after he opted out. He just listened to Boras too much, and seemingly he's recognizing that mistake. If he takes less money than what was originally offered to stay a yankee, I'll be very pleased.

[iceman]

That Hanley Ramirez fellow sounds interesting, perhaps we should try to get him.

[Steven S. Dallas]

Seriously, why can't we get guys like that?

After this season, though, and resigning Beckett for reasonable money, you'd make that trade again. No doubt.