2012 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[faldor]

Dice K is pretty much all the O's only hope, right now. 

Ouch!  That's a scary thought.  Better brace themselves for the Wild Card game.  Or maybe Dice K shows the Sox all the promise and potential they thought they were getting, and got some of, his first two years.  In this, his final start with the team.  Or, maybe not.

[pilferk]

Dice K is pretty much all the O's only hope, right now. 

Ouch!  That's a scary thought.  Better brace themselves for the Wild Card game.  Or maybe Dice K shows the Sox all the promise and potential they thought they were getting, and got some of, his first two years.  In this, his final start with the team.  Or, maybe not.

I would not be feeling overly confident were I the O's.

But you never know...the Yanks do odd things at times.  For example: If you told me that Phelps would go 5 and a third, last night, and only give up 2 runs...I'd have signed up for that and figured the Yanks would be in good shape...even against Lester.

And yet, RISP hitting almost bit them in the ass, again, last night.  Thanks to Ibanez heroics (remember the conversations we all had early this season and in the off-season last year about the Yanks signing of him?  Last night might have been worth his salary, alone), it turned out OK for them.

Just because they're facing Dice-K doesn't mean they're a shoe in.  This Yanks team is so odd....

[Sober_times]

I'm not a huge Baseball fan but i'm hopeful that history gets made and Cabrera wins the triple crown. What an amazing accomplishment that would be. First one in 45 years. Just awesome.

[tim_m]

The ranger collapse is complete, how pathetic. Now they have to play either Baltimore or New York in a one game playoff and win or go home. I don't see them winning against either team. The wheels have really fallen off.

[faldor]

I'm not a huge Baseball fan but i'm hopeful that history gets made and Cabrera wins the triple crown. What an amazing accomplishment that would be. First one in 45 years. Just awesome.

Yeah, I don't think this story is getting enough attention.  It really is/will be an amazing accomplishment.  2 legendary seasons for he and Mike Trout this year.

And to think, in my fantasy baseball keeper league 2 years ago I had the choice of keeping Hanley Ramirez or Miguel Cabrera.  It was the year Miggy got busted in the off-season for a DUI, or beating his girlfriend, or both.  Anyhow, I went with Han-Ram.  And I've missed out on the playoffs the last 2 seasons.  The curse of Miguel Cabrera.  That's what we have here.

[faldor]

The ranger collapse is complete, how pathetic. Now they have to play either Baltimore or New York in a one game playoff and win or go home. I don't see them winning against either team. The wheels have really fallen off.

Not a good spot they put themselves in, that's for sure.  At least they still have one day left to play.  In survival mode now.  Same can't be said for the White Sox.  They had a pretty bad collapse themselves, letting the Tigers finally take over the Central.

Who hosts the wild card game if the records are identical?  The Orioles would have to lose to make that a reality though.

[tim_m]

The ranger collapse is complete, how pathetic. Now they have to play either Baltimore or New York in a one game playoff and win or go home. I don't see them winning against either team. The wheels have really fallen off.

Not a good spot they put themselves in, that's for sure.  At least they still have one day left to play.  In survival mode now.  Same can't be said for the White Sox.  They had a pretty bad collapse themselves, letting the Tigers finally take over the Central.

Who hosts the wild card game if the records are identical?  The Orioles would have to lose to make that a reality though.

Tie breakers for the one game playoff go by head to head record. http://espn.go.com/mlb/blog/_/name/stark_jayson/id/8456932/mlb-postseason-tiebreaker-scenarios

[Falcon]

Congrats to Tim and pilf on the Yanks post season birth.

faldor, I'm happy this one is over for you - this had to be a tough season. Go Pats.

George, here's to RA winning the NL Cy Young.

sandman, the Phils made a run after a horrific start but the hole was just too deep.

Playoff baseball this weekend.

[faldor]

Congrats to Tim and pilf on the Yanks post season birth.

faldor, I'm happy this one is over for you - this had to be a tough season. Go Pats.

George, here's to RA winning the NL Cy Young.

sandman, the Phils made a run after a horrific start but the hole was just too deep.

Playoff baseball this weekend.

It was a long and dreadful season.  Thank god it's officially over, for the Red Sox at least.  I checked out soon after they made the blockbuster "salary dump" deal.  I still LOVE the deal, but man did that trade make them even more unwatchable.  They were sinking fast regardless though.  Instead of winning 7 games in September again, maybe they could've won 10 if they stood pat.

And once again, Adrian Gonzalez was part of a underachieving team down the stretch.  This is the 3rd season in a row, for 3 different teams.  3 years ago it was the Padres blowing a big lead down the stretch to miss the playoffs.  Last year it was the Red Sox monumental collapse.  And this season it was the Dodgers completely underachieving and falling short of the post-season after the big trade.  Coincidence???

Anyhow, the playoffs should be fun.  No clear cut favorite.  I'd like too see Oakland do well.  They've got a bunch of ex-Red Sox on the team.  Not sure their bullpen is cut out for the post season though.  Should be interesting.

[tim_m]

Congrats to Tim and pilf on the Yanks post season birth.

faldor, I'm happy this one is over for you - this had to be a tough season. Go Pats.

George, here's to RA winning the NL Cy Young.

sandman, the Phils made a run after a horrific start but the hole was just too deep.

Playoff baseball this weekend.

It was a long and dreadful season.  Thank god it's officially over, for the Red Sox at least.  I checked out soon after they made the blockbuster "salary dump" deal.  I still LOVE the deal, but man did that trade make them even more unwatchable.  They were sinking fast regardless though.  Instead of winning 7 games in September again, maybe they could've won 10 if they stood pat.

And once again, Adrian Gonzalez was part of a underachieving team down the stretch.  This is the 3rd season in a row, for 3 different teams.  3 years ago it was the Padres blowing a big lead down the stretch to miss the playoffs.  Last year it was the Red Sox monumental collapse.  And this season it was the Dodgers completely underachieving and falling short of the post-season after the big trade.  Coincidence???

Anyhow, the playoffs should be fun.  No clear cut favorite.  I'd like too see Oakland do well.  They've got a bunch of ex-Red Sox on the team.  Not sure their bullpen is cut out for the post season though.  Should be interesting.

I don't agree about Oakland's bullpen. I just saw their bullpen spank the Rangers. They were flat out dominant.

[pilferk]

How soon is Bobby V gone from the Red Sox?

I'm guessing tomorrow.

As suspected, Dice-K was dreadful, and so was the underbelly of the Sox bullpen (as it has been, all year). 

It was a relatively stress free night...heck, I was able to watch most of the presidential debate, live!

[LunsJail]

How soon is Bobby V gone from the Red Sox?

I'm guessing tomorrow.

As suspected, Dice-K was dreadful, and so was the underbelly of the Sox bullpen (as it has been, all year). 

It was a relatively stress free night...heck, I was able to watch most of the presidential debate, live!

Dice-K is awful now. They need to blow up the place and start over, from Valentine down to most of the roster.

EDIT: And as soon as I posted this I read where Valentine gets the ax.

[tim_m]

We all knew that Valentine's firing was coming i think.

[Falcon]

Revisiting predictions:

Alright guys, prediction time - short and sweet.

AL East - Yanks
AL Central - Tigers
AL West - Angels

NL East - Philly
NL Central - Cincy
NL West - Giants
AL WC's - Rangers, Rays
NL WC"s - D-Backs, Brewers

AL Champs - Yanks
NL Champs - Giants

WS Champs - Yanks

[tim_m]

You nearly nailed it, Falcon.

[pilferk]

AL East - Yanks
AL Central - Tigers* (by default...lineup: good, pitching: good, defense: BAD!....division is REALLY bad)
AL West - Rangers

NL East - Miami
NL Central - Brewers*
NL West - Giants

AL WC's - Sox, Angels (by virtue of a 1 game playoff with the Rays)...Angels win
NL WC"s - D-Backs, Braves...Braves win

AL Champs - Yanks over Angels
NL Champs - Braves over Giants

WS Champs - Yanks

*Best regular season record in the league

Nationals are my pick for sleeper team in the NL...I could see them making some noise in the WC race.

Blue Jays are my pick for sleeper team in the AL...they could also make some WC noise.

Not bad, not great.  ALMOST nailed the AL divison winners (til game 162) entirely....just missed on the Rangers (who at least made the playoffs).

Died on the NL and the wild cards.

Though I would like to point out my pick for sleeper team in the NL.

[tim_m]

And the umps make an absolutely atrocious call in the NL wild card game.

[faldor]

And the umps make an absolutely atrocious call in the NL wild card game.

it was a horrendous call, no doubt. But (as we've discussed on twitter) I was watching it live and the SS had a beat on the popup. He had it all the way, yet he pulled up at the last second. I was wondering why, as it didn't look like Holliday was making a play on the ball. I thought, Koza(?) must have thought he heard Holliday call him off. Only Holliday didn't say anything and deferred. So then I thought, maybe he heard someone/many in the crowd call "I got it". But upon further review I can only surmise that he heard the ump make the infield fly call at the last second and thus backed off, thinking Holliday was calling him off.

So as bad a call as it was, and as badly as it appeared the Braves got screwed. I think Koza makes that catch routinely if the ump didn't intervene. Still though, a truly awful call.

Oh, and one final thing. The Atlanta fans showing once again that they're among the worst in all of sports. Unacceptable behavior. I guess since they normally don't support their teams with any consistency, they don't know how to act.

[Falcon]

And the umps make an absolutely atrocious call in the NL wild card game.

Bizzarro stuff.

The umps turned a strike out into a 2 run bomb for ATL, apparently made up a new rule -  the "outfield fly" and blew the Chipper call at first in the 9th which would have ended the game but allowed the tying run to come to the plate after Heyward shot the gap.

Beyond the above..

The Braves really threw the ball around, that's what ultimately cost them the game.

[tim_m]

And the umps make an absolutely atrocious call in the NL wild card game.

it was a horrendous call, no doubt. But (as we've discussed on twitter) I was watching it live and the SS had a beat on the popup. He had it all the way, yet he pulled up at the last second. I was wondering why, as it didn't look like Holliday was making a play on the ball. I thought, Koza(?) must have thought he heard Holliday call him off. Only Holliday didn't say anything and deferred. So then I thought, maybe he heard someone/many in the crowd call "I got it". But upon further review I can only surmise that he heard the ump make the infield fly call at the last second and thus backed off, thinking Holliday was calling him off.

So as bad a call as it was, and as badly as it appeared the Braves got screwed. I think Koza makes that catch routinely if the ump didn't intervene. Still though, a truly awful call.

Oh, and one final thing. The Atlanta fans showing once again that they're among the worst in all of sports. Unacceptable behavior. I guess since they normally don't support their teams with any consistency, they don't know how to act.

It did appear the SS was gonna get it until he backed off. I still think the Braves have a legitimate gripe that it wasn't an infield fly anymore where it landed. Part of the rule also states the ump has to make the determination quickly, he did not.

Ageed, completely, no matter how bad of a call that was what they did was totally unacceptable. You don't behave that way. I've never liked Braves fans in general and tonight didn't improve my impression of them.