2011 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[LunsJail]

I'm in baseball hell.

And now more interleague drivel...

I don't get the dislike of the interleague play. Would you rather watch the Cards play the Astros or Reds for the 650th time this season?

[tim_m]

I rather enjoy the interleague play. This year its really cool cause the Mets are in town next weekend to play the Rangers. My grandparents are lifelong Met fans and haven't seen them in person since they left New York to come here after my Grandpa retired. They are both in their 80s now so thanks to interleague play they'll get to see them at least once more next Friday when me, my mom her boyfriend, my grandparents, sister and niece go to the game.

[Falcon]

Would you rather watch the Cards play the Astros or Reds for the 650th time this season?

Then endure 6 games with Royals every year?

Hell yes.

[Falcon]

They are both in their 80s now so thanks to interleague play they'll get to see them at least once more next Friday when me, my mom her boyfriend, my grandparents, sister and niece go to the game.

That's cool Tim 

[tim_m]

They are both in their 80s now so thanks to interleague play they'll get to see them at least once more next Friday when me, my mom her boyfriend, my grandparents, sister and niece go to the game.

That's cool Tim 

Yeah, i hope they enjoy seeing the mets live in person for what may be the last time. Thankfully its supposed to be cooler then its been recently with a chance of rain that night.

[LunsJail]

Would you rather watch the Cards play the Astros or Reds for the 650th time this season?

Then endure 6 games with Royals every year?

Hell yes.

Some interleague rivalries are better than others.

[Falcon]

Some interleague rivalries are better than others.

For sure, there's nothing more exciting than a Padres/Twins series to get the competitive juices flowing. 

More baseball hell here, Albert gets side swiped fielding a throw up the line today. 
Cards brass say they are cautiously optimistic with Xrays coming back negative this afternoon.

Being the negative pessimist I am, my guess is the MRI will show a different picture tomorrow

[faldor]

I have Pujols on one of my fantasy teams and it's a weekly scoring league where you have to set your lineup by Monday and can't make any changes thereafter.  So I'm in a bit of a bind.  Right now I have moved Lind to 1B and Mike Moustakas to CI, with Albert on the bench.  I doubt there'll be any news early enough tomorrow so I'm just going to have to hope Moustakas picks it up next week and gives me something worthwhile.  Luckily my team is rolling at this time.  I'm 9-2, in first place now with a 2 game lead.  So I have some wiggle room, but hopefully the injury bug doesn't begin to hit hard.

[faldor]

From Buster Olney on Mike and Mike this morning, re Pujols.  Listen at your own risk Falcon, it's not what you'd want to hear.  Of course, it's all just speculation at this point, but negative at that.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/player?rd=1#/podcenter/?id=6679975&autoplay=1&callsign=ESPNRADIO

[Falcon]

I heard it this morning, thanks for posting.

From ESPN:

ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols will be out for 4-6 weeks with a fractured left forearm.


The team announced the results of an MRI and CT scan Monday, a day after Pujols was injured during a home game against Kansas City. The team said Pujols has a non-displaced fracture of his left radius and his arm is in a splint.

[cotis]

can Yahoo! Sports freaking put him on the DL spot already? this will now be two days with him eating a roster spot!

[faldor]

Tough break for Cardinal fans and fellow Pujols fantasy owners.  I could probably tread water for 4-6 weeks and be alright.  I just hope it doesn't take him longer, and that he comes back strong without skipping a beat.  But that's asking a lot.  It's not going to be easy.  Mike Moustakas has to show why some people chose him to be the AL ROY this year, to help ease my pain for the next 4-6 weeks.

My Red Sox are on absolute fire right now.  Since starting the season 2-10, they've gone 42-18, .700 ball.  And recently their offense has been downright nasty.  However, while the Yankees look terrible when playing the Sox, they seem to beat everyone else and look like a serious World Series contender in doing so.  I don't get it.  As great as the Sox have been playing, they haven't been able to put any distance between them and the Yanks.  Still just a 1 1/2 game lead.  Since getting swept by the Sox, they've gone 9-2. 

[tim_m]

Tough break for Cardinal fans and fellow Pujols fantasy owners.  I could probably tread water for 4-6 weeks and be alright.  I just hope it doesn't take him longer, and that he comes back strong without skipping a beat.  But that's asking a lot.  It's not going to be easy.  Mike Moustakas has to show why some people chose him to be the AL ROY this year, to help ease my pain for the next 4-6 weeks.

My Red Sox are on absolute fire right now.  Since starting the season 2-10, they've gone 42-18, .700 ball.  And recently their offense has been downright nasty.  However, while the Yankees look terrible when playing the Sox, they seem to beat everyone else and look like a serious World Series contender in doing so.  I don't get it.  As great as the Sox have been playing, they haven't been able to put any distance between them and the Yanks.  Still just a 1 1/2 game lead.  Since getting swept by the Sox, they've gone 9-2. 

Kinda makes you think of the 09 yanks team doesn't it? First half of the year they got pounded into the ground by Boston and beat the shit out of everyone else. Then in the second half pounded the hell out of everyone even Boston. Not saying that will be the case again but seems eerily similar so far.

[Falcon]

Wainwright in spring training, Holliday with an apendecotmy early on and now Albert.

The baseball gods hate me, that's what it is. 

And on this day the Cards regain sole possession of the NL Central lead, oh the irony...

Moving on..

The Red Sox look flat out silly good, easily the best team going right now.

Yanks look really sharp as well, shaping up for a good summer.

The Phils are clearly the pick in the NL, head and shoulders above everyone else..

[faldor]

The Cardinals are just having one of those years where the injuries ravage the team.  The Mets had it 2 years ago, the Red Sox last year.  I guess it's their turn.  Battle of attrition. 

I still don't get the Yankees.  I guess at this point I just have to face the facts and admit that their pitching is "good".  Even with all the injuries, the guys they're throwing out there are getting the job done.  And their offense is starting to round into form as well, although that was never really in question.

The Sox head to Philly next week for a big series.  Could be a preview of things to come.  They're actually on the road for 3 straight series in NL parks, so it'll be interesting to see how they work things out with their lineup.  Ortiz is hitting far too well to sit for 9 straight games.  There's been talk of playing Adrian Gonzalez in LF in a few of the games to make room for Big Papi.  That should be interesting.

Here's an article not in favor of that move.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2011/06/21/shifting_gonzalez_to_outfield_wouldnt_balance_out/?camp=localsearch:on:twit:cafardo

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An interim move to right would be wrong
By Nick Cafardo
Globe Staff / June 21, 2011

The Red Sox have discussed the possibility of Adrian Gonzalez playing the outfield in the upcoming nine-game interleague trip, starting Friday in Pittsburgh.

The Sox would never consider a reporter?s advice, but if asked, this man?s answer would be a resounding, ?Don?t do it!??

The goal, of course, is to get the hot David Ortiz playing time in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Houston. That?s understandable. But baseball players can get injured at any time, doing anything. Gonzalez could get hurt while playing the outfield, just as he could get spiked by a runner at first base or pull a hamstring trying to leg out a triple.

You might be thinking, ?C?mon, a professional ballplayer should be able to play the outfield for a game or two.?? But it?s different when you?ve played just one of 930 career games in the outfield, six years ago. In that game, playing right field for the Rangers on Sept. 30, 2005, Gonzalez committed a throwing error.

It?s always fun to watch players play out of position. Like the time Mike Greenwell had to catch, or the time Jose Canseco pitched. It wasn?t so nice for Jerry Remy, who went from second base to right field during a game in Cleveland and tore up his knee.

OK, it?s a negative way to think, but what?s worse: Holding your breath that Gonzalez might get hurt or having Ortiz sit for up to nine games and pick your spots as a pinch hitter? The second option is the better one.

While Gonzalez made it clear yesterday that he would be willing to move to the outfield, you know he was just being a team player. There?s probably no chance in Hades that Gonzalez wants to patrol right field at PNC Park or Citizens Bank Park or Minute Maid Park.

?I?ve done it before and if I was approached on it and Tito [Francona] wanted to do it for a couple of games, I?d be OK with it,?? Gonzalez said. ?I know I?m not an outfielder and I wasn?t an outfielder, but if it meant to get Papi in the game and get him a few more games, it?s definitely something I would do.??

Gonzalez is a noble man and he meant what he said.

?I played one game in Texas and I played winter ball [in right field]. I?ll do whatever is needed for the team,?? he said.

The Red Sox have a lot of offense. More than most teams. Even without Ortiz, they can easily go into a National League ballpark and have a better lineup than the team they?re playing.

National League teams like Philadelphia and San Francisco and Atlanta have an average to below-average offense and win a lot of games with very good pitching.

There?s no question that the Sox are at a disadvantage without the DH. But who would sympathize? You play the schedule.

Using Gonzalez in the outfield and Ortiz at first base would weaken the Sox at two positions. Not the best alternative.

It?s understandable that the Sox probably feel a little short on offense with Carl Crawford and Jed Lowrie on the disabled list. But between pinch hitting and replacing Gonzalez when the Sox have a big lead, Ortiz may get a few more at-bats than first expected.

Nobody wants to break up the offensive mojo the Sox have going right now.

?Everybody knows hitting?s contagious and the last few weeks we?ve been able to do really good things offensively and everybody feeds off of that,?? Gonzalez said. ?And everybody is able to have good approaches. I?ve always said when you?re facing the long relief guy for the fourth, fifth, or sixth inning it?s a lot easier than the setup guy in the eighth. That makes hitting easier as well.??

There?s obviously great karma with Gonzalez, Kevin Youkilis, and Ortiz in the middle of the order, another reason you?d even consider such a drastic move.

Gonzalez is also a very experienced first baseman in the NL.

?In the National League you got the pitcher, the bunt situations, and a lot of things like that, so there?s a lot of different aspects in that sense,?? said Gonzalez. ?I was always an aggressive first baseman, which was taken away in the American League here because of the bunt situations.??

Sometimes it is the little things that win games, not necessarily the big bat.

Take that chance, not the one that puts your best player in peril.

[pilferk]

IMHO, you leave Ortiz on the bench, as a PH.

Too risky, given how long the season is, to do otherwise.   Even if you disadvantage yourself for those 9 games...you risk disadvantaging yourself for 80+ if something goes wrong.

[Falcon]

Alright, I'm done wallowing in the Albert injury abyss - pulled myself out of the funk and ready to face the world again.

That said, I'm not quite ready to watch the Cards against Philly and 3 of the four aces..

Now I find out the Yanks/Reds are rained out, was looking forward to the Bombers handing them their ass for the second night in a row in another installment of the ever so fascinating interleague hooey.

As for Ortiz, 9 games out of the hitting portion of the line up would indeed suck for the Sox offense. 

But, as Doc Halladay said upon his trade to Philly, (paraphrasing) "I've gone from being a pitcher to being a ballplayer."

Maybe it's time to find out if Ortiz is just a hitter or a ballplayer.

[pilferk]

Now I find out the Yanks/Reds are rained out, was looking forward to the Bombers handing them their ass for the second night in a row in another installment of the ever so fascinating interleague hooey.

With Garcia and Gordon going today (Gordon was scheduled for yesterday and Garcia for today, anyway), I wouldn't count on Yanks wins.  Those guys are as likely to pitch horribly as they are to pitch effectively.  I'm praying for at least a split today....that'll keep 'em close to the Sox.

As for Ortiz, 9 games out of the hitting portion of the line up would indeed suck for the Sox offense. 

But, as Doc Halladay said upon his trade to Philly, (paraphrasing) "I've gone from being a pitcher to being a ballplayer."

Maybe it's time to find out if Ortiz is just a hitter or a ballplayer.

We know that already.  At this point, he's a hitter.  At one point he could play a passable first base...but those days, by the looks of things, are gone.  My biggest fear, if I were the Sox management/GM/whatever, would be that he would injure himself playing defense.  And no, I'm not kidding. 

[pilferk]

Yanks beat Sox......

http://ellington-somers.patch.com/articles/poll-ct-fans-back-new-york-yankees-over-boston-red-sox-19


in Connecticut.

[faldor]

Yanks beat Sox......

http://ellington-somers.patch.com/articles/poll-ct-fans-back-new-york-yankees-over-boston-red-sox-19


in Connecticut.

That's my hometown.  It was a pretty even split growing up as far as I could tell, throw in a few Mets fans here and there.  I find there's actually more NY Giant fans than Patriot fans, at least in the circles I hang out in.  Probably because the Patriots were terrible in the 90's, while the Giants were winning Super Bowls until the Dave Brown/Kent Graham era of course.

As for Ortiz playing 1B.  I wouldn't be worried about him, I'd be worried about Gonzalez in the OF.  For the risk of injury AND the fact that I'd imagine he'd be downright awful out there.  If the ball was hit to him I'm sure he could catch it, but the man can't exactly cover too much ground out there.  Plus, even though I'm sure David could do fine at 1B, he'd be a large downgrade defensively from the Gold Glover.  I imagine they'll give David 3 or 4 starts at 1B in the 9 games.  Maybe TRY Adrian in the OF a few games, or give him a day off during the stretch.