2013 Official Major League Baseball Thread.

[Merlot]

BOYZ,

Only embarrassment here...

...YOU...ditching your team...going into hiding.

Whatever happened to your daily stream of...it's too early...wait and see...the Red Sox will collapse. Oh yeah...you were WRONG the whole time...with every pouting post. :lol:

While Yankees fans have already run away, sniveling in their new "Wait Til Next Year" thread begun even before this regular season was even over, the Boston Red Sox turned everything around in just one year, and one of the great bonuses...Yankees fans can't stand it so much that they are already hiding in desperate delusions of 2014, though prospects due to atrocious planning are next to NOTHING.

All hail John Farrell, Ben Cherington, and the entire BOSTON RED SOX TEAM for what has been one of the most satisfying and enjoyable seasons ever, no matter what happens in the playoffs

Red Sox complete worst to first season

Worst to first, and Sox’s best is still to come

Read more: http://www.heraldnews.com/news/x115...and-Sox-s-best-is-still-to-come#ixzz2gQaorLRT
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The 2013 Red Sox season started under the same clouds of gloom that rained on the two previous seasons.

Ex-manager Terry Francona’s memoir, published a few weeks before spring training opened, reminded fans of a narrative they’d been trying to forget: How Francona and the loveable gang of idiots reversed The Curse in 2004; how a more serious, and more talented, Sox team won the World Series again in 2007; and how it all fell apart in spectacular fashion in September 2011, when a toxic clubhouse atmosphere turned the former champs into squabbling losers.

Francona was fired, but the next season was even worse. There was nothing loveable about the 2012 Sox, and no love lost between the players and their new manager, Bobby Valentine. They finished in last place and fired Valentine, but there were few people left on the bandwagon to care.

A patchwork team took the field this spring amid unusually low expectations. Then something happened.

On April 15, the Sox beat the Rays, 3-2, at Fenway and were in the locker room packing for a trip to Cleveland when two explosions rocked the Boston Marathon finish line a few blocks away. The team returned a few days later to face Kansas City, but Boston was in lockdown as police closed in on the last of the Marathon bombers, so the game was postponed.

The next day, with the second suspect in custody, Boston had something to cheer about — and they did it at Fenway Park. After an emotional pre-game ceremony, David Ortiz caught the first pitch from a Marathon bombing victim, and ad-libbed a profane statement of defiance.

“This is our (f-bomb) city,” Big Papi told Boston. “Stay strong.” And the Red Sox started playing strong.

They wrap up the regular season with the best record in the American League. They’ve gone from worst to first and October baseball is coming back to Fenway. If you haven’t already jumped back on the bandwagon, now’s the time.

How did this amazing transformation happen? Credit new General Manager Ben Cherington with dumping a bunch of players with big salaries and bad attitudes. He replaced them with players known for their character as well as their bats: Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli, Mike Carp, David Ross, Shane Victorino.

Credit Manager John Farrell, Francona’s pitching coach during the championship years, for putting the pieces together and making Boston forget Bobby Valentine. Holdovers from the team’s championship years form a solid nucleus: spunky Dustin Pedroia, the hard-driving heart of the Sox; Jacoby Ellsbury, who leads the world in stolen bases; money pitchers Jon Lester and Clay Buchholtz; and, of course, Big Papi, who now stands with the Red Sox’ all-time greats.

This team has some engaging youngsters: Will Middlebrooks, Daniel Nava, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts. Then there’s Koji Uehara, who came out of nowhere to be among the best closers in the game.

This team has pitching, speed and lots of power. It has set team records for grand slam homeruns and come-from-behind walk-off victories.

And it’s got beards — lots of beards. What “Cowboy up” meant to Sox teams a decade ago, “Fear the Beard” means today.

Sure, there are more important things going on. Syria is a boiling cauldron. Washington is a hopeless mess, with a tea party tantrum over health insurance reform threatening a government shutdown and a default on the national debt.

But New Englanders have something to feel good about. The gloom has lifted and the sun is shining. The Red Sox are on the road to the World Series. Sit back and enjoy the ride.

MANY CHEERS,

Merlot

 

[daydreamer41]

Well, well, well, look what just climbed out of the sewer. By the way, there's a whole thread just for guys who think this season is over, poor souls. You might want to join them. Meanwhile, in the real world, there's a whole lot of good ball to be played.

No, rumps, crud is more synonymous with guys from your neck of the woods. The season just began. Your team will be short lived. Just a prediction.

 

[Special K]

No, rumps, crud is more synonymous with guys from your neck of the woods. The season just began. Your team will be short lived. Just a prediction.

Just like all your other vitriol spewed hater predictions. Hahaha, enjoy the off season along with your LOSER team DD, see ya in April!! Bwwwaaaaahhhhaaaahhhhaaaaahhhhhhhhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa

 

[daydreamer41]

Just like all your other vitriol spewed hater predictions. Hahaha, enjoy the off season along with your LOSER team DD, see ya in April!! Bwwwaaaaahhhhaaaahhhhaaaaahhhhhhhhahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaa

My LOSER team? How do you know if my team is a loser? It's certainly not the Red Sox, which I still think will LOSE the first round.

I will enjoy the playoffs. I will enjoy them more after the Red Sox are eliminated.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

It's certainly not the Red Sox, which I still think will LOSE the first round.

I sure hope the Sox lose the first round in just the same way they lost the regular season.

 

[lgna69xxx]

Bandwagon i say! ROFL! where were you last season and from september on the year b4??? Look up hypocrisy my friend and i would bet anything u c a pic of your twin :nod:

Good luck to the red sox in the playoffs, here is hoping they lose in 4 and continue to another 86 years

I sure hope the Sox lose the first round in just the same way they lost the regular season.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Iggy, welcome back from Joe's mouth. Nice first period. Reimer moves like Jeter. (Gotta keep this to baseball.)

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Bandwagon i say! ROFL! where were you last season and from september on the year b4???

Well, my delusional friend. I just counted my posts in last year's baseball thread between August 28 and the end of the season. 54 posts.

Look up hypocrisy my friend and i would bet anything u c a pic of your twin :nod:

Look up blind my friend and I would bet anything u c a pic of you sticking your head out Joe's mouth. (Gawd, I just love that image.)

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Oh, how many ways did Brian Cashdollar fuck up this past year? Oh, so many. Here's just one.

Brian Cashman used to compare Russell Martin to Thurman Munson, stating “he is to this team what Thurman was to his Yankee teams.” But at the end of last season, with their salary budget like a barn crushed by a snowstorm, Cashman could not re-sign Martin. Neal Huntington and the Pirates swept in, and Martin became a lynchpin of the NLDS-bound Buccos.

“No one believed Brian when he said he was restricted last winter,” says another GM. “But when he couldn’t move on Russell Martin, we knew he was dead serious.”

The two home runs against Cincinnati in the National League play-in game was wonderful, but it was Martin’s passion and season-long work with the Pittsburgh pitchers that was most important. He was second among catchers in runs saved with 16 and threw out 35 percent of base stealers.

“Next to (Andrew) McCutchen, he might be the Pirates’ most important everyday player,” says one advance scout. “He defines the leadership a catcher can bring to a team.”

And, oh, the Yankees sure could have used some of that leadership this past year.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

This might belong in the Off Season thread, but since the season is still on-going, there really is no point in an off-season thread before it starts.

Brian Cashman has a full plate of problems as Yankees go from feast to famine
We've come to expect two things from the Yankees in October. Either a confetti-strewn parade down the Canyon of Heroes or a Steinbrenner apologizing for why it didn't happen. And after saying sorry, there always was the pledge to bring another World Series trophy to New York the following season.

But not this time.

Two days after the Yankees' final game, a forgettable 14-inning win over the Astros, we got Brian Cashman at the podium -- and no promises. Whereas The Boss would have channeled MacArthur, or his son, Hal, might have leaned on the franchise's championship legacy, Cashman delivered the cold, hard truth.

The 2013 Yankees won 85 games, the fewest for a full season in two decades, and are now staring at financial Armageddon next year with an overpaid, aging roster that is not backed up by the minor-league talent to provide reinforcements.

Hope everyone enjoyed all those farewell ceremonies to Mariano Rivera and Andy Pettitte last week. Because in the future, there may not be a heck of a lot to celebrate. Unless the Yankees can solve the team's many problems over the course of one winter, and the GM understands just how difficult that will be.

"There's a reality of the situation," Cashman said. "I'm not afraid of the reality. None of the people here are afraid of the reality. We recognize there's some challenges that we have to deal with. And we're up for that challenge.

"But I can't sit here and tell you, 'Yeah, don't worry about it. It's going to be fine.' It's going to take some time. Some of it can be fixed sooner than later. Others might take some time."

What makes matters worse is that some of the Yankees' biggest issues are beyond their control. Cashman suggested the team is ready to give Joe Girardi a blank check to stay on as manager, but if it's not strictly about the money for Girardi, there's nothing else the Yankees can do to keep him away from the Cubs or the broadcast booth.

Same goes for Robinson Cano. If Cano is looking for every last dime in his next contract, the Yankees could always be outbid by some mystery team. Judging by the nearly $140-million gap that caused the in-season negotiations with Cano to collapse, the Yankees most likely will give their free-agent second baseman a last, best offer to shop around before wishing him well in Texas or D.C. or wherever.

And what of Alex Rodriguez? How fitting that Fredric Horowitz, the arbitrator in A-Rod's PED hearing, could be the key to the Yankees' entire offseason, especially as it pertains to their stated intention of getting below the $189-million luxury-tax threshold for 2014. In the unlikely event Horowitz wipes out Rodriguez's 211-game suspension, that puts the Yankees on the hook for his entire $25 million next season. If it's trimmed back to 50 games, that saves them only $7.7 million; 100 games, $15.6 million.

But as much as the Yankees would love to pocket that money, they actually need a productive Rodriguez, who showed over the final two months -- when healthy -- that the hip surgery had restored his missing power of a year ago. Plus, Cashman spent $12 million on A-Rod's supposed replacement, Kevin Youkilis, who was limited to 28 games because of his season-ending back surgery.

As much as the Yankees scrambled for solutions, the whole time it felt like Cashman was only treading water, delaying the inevitable for as long as he could. The GM credited ownership for spending the cash to take on Vernon Wells and Alfonso Soriano in an attempt to cover up for the crippling number of injuries to key players. But these were short-term patch jobs, and not moves that a franchise can pin championship hopes on. The Yankees were just too damaged -- and continue to be.

"We've been fortunate for a long time to avoid what took place this year," Cashman said. "What happened this year has happened to other clubs. It's derailed them and we've benefited. "The bottom line is you have to put together an organization from top to bottom. This year was my responsibility as general manager. I take full responsibility for that."

That was as close as Cashman got to saying he was sorry Tuesday. But if the Yankees don't retain Girardi and Cano, or make the necessary improvements this offseason, there could be a lot more to apologize for.

 

[daydreamer41]

This might belong in the Off Season thread, but since the season is still on-going, there really is no point in an off-season thread before it starts.

Gee, rumps, you are so full of hate that you can't forgo any digs against the NY Yankees, yet your team is in the playoffs.

There's no question that NY will have a very difficult season next year, especially if Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson leave. I very much doubt that the Yankees will give Cano what he is asking for, $305 million over 10 years. And I doubt any other team will come close to that offer. No doubt the Yankees are hurting. But in their 100 year history, this franchise has had their bad years 1965 to 1975 and 1982 to 1993, but they have won more World Series than any other franchise. NY may be in for several years of poor performing teams again, but they like most good franchises will be back.

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Gee, rumps, you are so full of hate that you can't forgo any digs against the NY Yankees, yet your team is in the playoffs.

What? All of a sudden the sewer has unlimited come-and-go privileges?

 

[daydreamer41]

Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who last won a playoff game 21 years ago, are the NL Wildcard playoff contenders. They finished a strong 94-68 and will face off against St. Louis. The Pirates, who are on fire winning their last 6 of 7, could very well beat the favorite Cardinals in a best of 5 series. The Pirates are the underdogs, but they look like the most exciting team out there. Maybe the LA Dodgers are just as exciting. That would be a great series for the NL Championship.

On the American League side, both Cleveland and Tampa Bay look interesting. I remember someone saying that Cleveland stunk. Huh? Who said that? :noidea::crazy:

 

[daydreamer41]

What? All of a sudden the sewer has unlimited come-and-go privileges?

I know you are the KING of insults, but what do you mean by that rumps?

 

[smuler]

The Pittsburgh Pirates, who last won a playoff game 21 years ago, are the NL Wildcard playoff contenders

I am happy for them

PNC really is a beautiful place to watch a game..as good as Petco in SD and PacBell in SF

Best Regards

Smuler

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Fear the Beard!

 

[Merlot]

Boyzzz!!!

FEAR THE BEARD, TRULY!

I was driving around on business yesterday listening to WEEI and their evaluation of the upcoming Sox and Rays series. Obviously it's no surprise they thought the Sox would take the series eventually. That's not just being homers when the Sox won the season series over the Rays. But when the guys referred to Rays starting pitcher Matt Moore it was...ohhhhhhhhhh...iisssh...that's going to be very tough. The boys on WEEI had this first game in the loss column for the Red Sox. That's how good Moore has been of late. The boys at WEEI must have fallen off of their seats to see the same Matt Moore who seemed almost indomitable give up 7 earned runs, and the Rays get slaughtered by 10 runs. What a massacre.

Next the Sox face another great Rays pitcher named Price, who was also fabulous in his last outting but threw well over 100 pitches. So, we'll see how it goes, but the Sox have one huge win the home boys thought would be a loss, and...there's still the power of the beard.

BOSTON -- The chant began in the fourth inning, and it was still going strong in the ninth.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/writer...the-myers-game-but-it-belonged-to-the-red-sox

The Red Sox were back in the playoffs for the first time since 2009, headed for their first postseason win since 2008, with visions of making this October turn out more like 2004 or 2007. Naturally, the Fenway fans were celebrating . . .

. . . by chanting the name of the guy who could well end up as the American League rookie of the year . . . who plays for the Rays.

"My-ers! My-ers!"

You couldn't miss it. He couldn't miss it.

But if you think this Game 1 at Fenway was all about Wil Myers mysteriously missing a fourth-inning David Ortiz fly ball, then you're missing a big part of the story.

This was and forever will be the Wil Myers game, sure to live on in Red Sox lore if the Sox go on to do the things later this month that they think they should. But the other message of Friday's 12-2 Red Sox win over the Rays is that in the first game of October, the Red Sox looked just like the 97-win team that romped through the regular season.

So yes, this game seemed to turn after the Myers mistake, which came with the Rays leading 2-0. But it kept turning because the Red Sox kept hitting and kept running, and because Jon Lester never let it turn back.

The Myers' play may be debated forever, and there will certainly those who won't accept the rookie outfielder's explanation that he backed off because he saw center fielder Desmond Jennings out of the corner of his eye. Even people in the Rays dugout thought at first there was more to it than that, that maybe someone in the Red Sox bullpen had taken advantage of the kid.

Eventually they took the kid at his word, and accepted the misplay as a simple mistake, one the Fenway fans wouldn't let Myers forget.

"My-ers! My-ers! We love Myers!"

But don't forget what happened after his maybe-mysterious miss. Don't forget the doubles from Jonny Gomes and Will Middlebrooks, and more than that don't forget the way Gomes scored from second base on Stephen Drew's infield single.

The Red Sox won 97 games, and it's worth remembering that they dominated the AL East in part because they dominated the Rays (with 12 wins in 19 games) and because they dominated everyone at Fenway (an AL-best 53 home wins).

As Gomes said last month: "We've played good at home. We've played good against everyone at home."

And Fenway can be a challenge, even for a Rays team that plays here nine or 10 times a year and won two games here in the 2008 ALCS.

"Fenway's a tough outfield," Red Sox right fielder Shane Victorino said. "It's part of being a good team, getting home field."

"It's a very committed group," manager John Farrell said in September. "And I thought from the first day of spring training on they felt they had a chance to do something special."

They could. If they do, the Wil Myers game will live on in New England.

And Wil Myers may be hearing that chant around here for years to come.

BRAVO!!!

No wonder u never get invited to private PENTHOUSE Gt's

Finally, the mystery of this sad whiney comment in a baseball thread has been solved. Ka-ching $$$$$ Ka-ching. It's very smart business to take your best proven customers and treat them like kings by reserving a penthouse and bringing in all the agencies gorgeous ladies to fawn over them. After all, when a guys spends liberally on your girls, no doubt a minimum of $10,000-$12,000 already to the agency in two years, motivate them to keep paying.

Happy paychecks, :eyebrows:

Merlot

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

The Killer Beards have their way with the Rays yet again. Red Sox magic number is now 9.

 

[Special K]

My LOSER team? How do you know if my team is a loser? It's certainly not the Red Sox, which I still think will LOSE the first round.

I will enjoy the playoffs. I will enjoy them more after the Red Sox are eliminated.

So how you enjoying it now DD41? Sit back and go for a ride!! ALCS baby!!!

 

[smuler]

Congrats Special K

I wish we had more time the other night to talk about baseball

Best Regards

Smuler