2016 Baseball Season/Off Season Discussion

[Falcon]

I'm not a Cubs fan but hope they finally win it this year. Plus the coach is a real class act guy.

The Cubs winning the World Series is my nightmare that may become reality.

Can't fuckin' stand "Top Step" Joe Maddon either, jackass never met a camera he didn't like.

That said, the Cubs are loaded and are going to be really good for years to come.

[TheBaconman]

Worst strike zone ever!  How were te Jays supposed to hit some of these pitches.  I saw this ump on Denver when the Jays where there.  Same crap then.   He's a stiff

Such a shame because Estrada pitched a great game just for one bad pitch!

Miller doesn't scare me at all.  Breaking ball is the only thing the guy can through for strikes.    But I would prefer we never have to see him again

A loss may have been exactly what they needed bough.   Toughen them up.  Now with 3 games at home we can still clintch

Let's Jays!

[TheBaconman]

Lets go Jays!!  We still have a chance!

[GeorgeSteele]

I'm not a Cubs fan but hope they finally win it this year. Plus the coach is a real class act guy.

The Cubs winning the World Series is my nightmare that may become reality.

Can't fuckin' stand "Top Step" Joe Maddon either, jackass never met a camera he didn't like.

That said, the Cubs are loaded and are going to be really good for years to come.

Life is complicated enough as it is, coming to terms with a universe where the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions would make my head explode.  They must go down.  So far, so good! 

[TheBaconman]

What an anticlimactic loss and series for the Jays

I wonder if they spent everything they had as a team kicking Texas's butt

I thought the Indians where a better matchup also, but looking back, it should of been Boston.  I just didn't know anything of the Indians and now know way to much

Our pitching will be back intact next year.   It was the best in the American league last year and with the young studs getting a little stronger should be the best in the majors.  We have a great closer and can just piece together the rest of the pen

Our defense is once of the best around. 

Our hitting wasn't the best this year, so we will have to address that.   Elephant in the room...

I hope Batista does stay and signs a small 3 year deal

I hope Eddy stays and they pretty much give him what ever they want.

[Falcon]

I'm not a Cubs fan but hope they finally win it this year. Plus the coach is a real class act guy.

The Cubs winning the World Series is my nightmare that may become reality.

Can't fuckin' stand "Top Step" Joe Maddon either, jackass never met a camera he didn't like.

That said, the Cubs are loaded and are going to be really good for years to come.

Life is complicated enough as it is, coming to terms with a universe where the Chicago Cubs are World Series champions would make my head explode.  They must go down.  So far, so good! 

Indeed!

My sincerest hope is the Dodgers (in the LCS) or Indians in the WS rip their hearts out with a gut wrenching, late inning, Game 7 defeat.

[tim_m]

Not so fast with the Cubs going down. Hard to envision them dropping game 6 and 7 at home.

[Falcon]

If I had Cleveland Indian gear I'd wear it.

Go f'n Tribe.

[faldor]

What Cleveland has done this post season (so far) has been just short of amazing. Without two of their top 3 SP's, one lefty (albeit the BEST lefty) in the bullpen, an offense that hasn't exactly taken off. Honestly, it's been a pleasure to watch Francona pull all the right strings. I actually preferred the Red Sox to play the Indians in the LDS. I thought they were the weakest team in the playoffs, and honestly if you look at their overall roster, you could still make that argument. We'll see if Kluber, Tomlin, and the bullpen can keep it up and win 2 more games. I don't expect much out of Bauer, but who knows. The fact that Coco Crisp is still getting clutch hits, never mind playing baseball at all is amazing to me. I know most of the country is pulling for the Cubs, but I think the Indians run has been more impressive and fun to watch. And I think the Cubs have a better chance at sustained success than the Indians, so they'll be back.

[Falcon]

Can't say we didn't see this coming but it's still disappointing:

Jose Fernandez autopsy report reveals traces of cocaine and high levels of alcohol

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jose-fernandez-autopsy-report-reveals-traces-of-cocaine-and-high-levels-of-alcohol/

According to an autopsy report released by the Miami-Dane medical examiner, Tim Elfrink of the Miami New Times, Jose Fernandez had "cocaine and high levels of alcohol" in his blood at the time of his death. Elfrink cites a Miami-Dade Medical Examiner report issued to local newspapers.

Fernandez and two others, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Macias, were killed on September 25 when their boat hit a rocky jetty off the coast of Florida late at night. Here are some more details from Elfrink:

The medical examiner found .147 percent alcohol in his blood -- above the state's .08 percent limit for drunk driving, the report says.
The examiner also detected cocaine: .126 mg/L, according to the report.

The medical examiner found that all three men died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso, resulting from the crash. Both Rivero and Macias also had alcohol in their systems, and Rivero also tested positive for cocaine.

It's unknown who was piloting the boat at the time of the crash, though Elfrink says anecdotal evidence indicates it may have been Fernandez. It was his boat, Rivero didn't know how to pilot a boat, and Fernandez had just met Macias that night.
Earlier this week an affidavit said there was a "strong odor or alcohol" at the site of the crash.

[TheBaconman]

Can't say we didn't see this coming but it's still disappointing:

Jose Fernandez autopsy report reveals traces of cocaine and high levels of alcohol

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/jose-fernandez-autopsy-report-reveals-traces-of-cocaine-and-high-levels-of-alcohol/

According to an autopsy report released by the Miami-Dane medical examiner, Tim Elfrink of the Miami New Times, Jose Fernandez had "cocaine and high levels of alcohol" in his blood at the time of his death. Elfrink cites a Miami-Dade Medical Examiner report issued to local newspapers.

Fernandez and two others, Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Macias, were killed on September 25 when their boat hit a rocky jetty off the coast of Florida late at night. Here are some more details from Elfrink:

The medical examiner found .147 percent alcohol in his blood -- above the state's .08 percent limit for drunk driving, the report says.
The examiner also detected cocaine: .126 mg/L, according to the report.

The medical examiner found that all three men died from blunt force trauma to the head and torso, resulting from the crash. Both Rivero and Macias also had alcohol in their systems, and Rivero also tested positive for cocaine.

It's unknown who was piloting the boat at the time of the crash, though Elfrink says anecdotal evidence indicates it may have been Fernandez. It was his boat, Rivero didn't know how to pilot a boat, and Fernandez had just met Macias that night.
Earlier this week an affidavit said there was a "strong odor or alcohol" at the site of the crash.

Oh the life of a ball player in Miami.   Got to bring those boats in once the sun goes down!

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Would be nice to see this one go 7 games.

Don't have a dog in this fight, I have not followed MLB closely in quite a few years now, mainly a NY Mets/ Red Sox/ Rays fan.

I am pulling for Chicago (for some reason), probably because they have a cool old ballpark and they have not won the world series in over 100 years.

[GeorgeSteele]

Would be nice to see this one go 7 games.

Don't have a dog in this fight, I have not followed MLB closely in quite a few years now, mainly a NY Mets/ Red Sox/ Rays fan.

I am pulling for Chicago (for some reason), probably because they have a cool old ballpark and they have not won the world series in over 100 years.

I didn't know you were a Mets fan.  All your right-leaning posts in the Politics thread are now forgiven.     LGM! 

[pilferk]

Got exactly what i wanted!

7 game series that ended in extra innings!!

Didn't care who won, but nice to see the Cubbies break their streak.

[GeorgeSteele]

Got exactly what i wanted!

7 game series that ended in extra innings!!

Didn't care who won, but nice to see the Cubbies break their streak.

That was some game.  I was beyond impressed to see Chapman bounce back to pitch a scoreless 9th after his 8th inning meltdown (in fairness, a well-earned meltdown; Maddon rode him into the ground this series).  Still hard to absorb that the Chicago Cubs are World Series champs, but regardless, congrats to them and their fans. 

[pilferk]

Got exactly what i wanted!

7 game series that ended in extra innings!!

Didn't care who won, but nice to see the Cubbies break their streak.

That was some game.  I was beyond impressed to see Chapman bounce back to pitch a scoreless 9th after his 8th inning meltdown (in fairness, a well-earned meltdown; Maddon rode him into the ground this series).  Still hard to absorb that the Chicago Cubs are World Series champs, but regardless, congrats to them and their fans. 

That game was the best thing for baseball, imho. So good!

[tim_m]

One of the best games i've ever seen. Happy for the cubs and their fans that their long suffering is now history. Theo can start writing his HOF speech now that he's personally ended the two longest world series droughts.

[GypsySoul]

That game was the best thing for baseball, imho. So good!

With all due respects, the reality is that game did zero for baseball. 

As awesome as that game was, it was nothing more than baseball's version of the SuperBowl for people who don't normally follow the sport. 

NOT ONE PERSON, who prior to this game didn't watch baseball, is now going to tune in to watch more than a game or two, if any, of the 162 regular games of the 2017 season.  And of the people who were already baseball fans prior to this game/series, we'll all just go back to following our own team next season just like we always did before.

Congrats to Mr. Dizzy Fuckin' Reed and all the Cubs fans!!! 

[pilferk]

That game was the best thing for baseball, imho. So good!

With all due respects, the reality is that game did zero for baseball. 

As awesome as that game was, it was nothing more than baseball's version of the SuperBowl for people who don't normally follow the sport. 

NOT ONE PERSON, who prior to this game didn't watch baseball, is now going to tune in to watch more than a game or two, if any, of the 162 regular games of the 2017 season.  And of the people who were already baseball fans prior to this game/series, we'll all just go back to following our own team next season just like we always did before.

Congrats to Mr. Dizzy Fuckin' Reed and all the Cubs fans!!! 

I disagree. You got a good game, in a good series, from two long suffering teams. You are getting mainstream new coverage of the cubs win. You are likely to have monster ratings, thus raising ad rates for next year. It was dominated mostly by young stars, committed to their teams for an extended period of time. Just like the nbas championship last year, its good for the sport.

Will it suddenly make baseball the national pass time again again, and rocket it past the nfl? No. But anything that gets more eyeballs, and more interest, and more focus on a sport that has had a hard time getting positive press in recent years is good for the sport.

It was the best thing for baseball, possible. There literally isn't, imho, anything that could have gone any better (unless you are an indians fan). It wasnt a miracle that will suddenly revert baseball to its status in 1930. But that isnt the expectation, from me.

[TheBaconman]

Was a great game 7.   Lets bring on next season now. Free agent time. Pitchers report on what a couple of months?