Re: Games in which the Cubs are not playing

[TruffleShuffle]

those would be your casual baseball fans.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Why have multiple posters in a baseball forum never heard of Phil Humber?

 

Seriously, the Rice Trio was a reeeeeeally big deal in the 2000's.

[Guest]

Knowing he didn't have a backup middle infielder because Theriot was sick today, Bruce Bochy still used a pinch hitter for shortstop Brandon Crawford in the ninth inning. That meant for the bottom of the ninth, second baseman Emmanuel Burriss had to move over to shortstop and Aubrey Huff had to play second.

 

Huff failed to cover second base properly in the ninth inning on what could have been an inning ending double play ball. The next hitter grounded into a fielder's choice and Posey threw the ball away which allowed the winning run to score.

[SouthSideRyan]

Why have multiple posters in a baseball forum never heard of Phil Humber?

 

I was thinking the same thing. He was on the White Sox all last year, was a top prospect with the Mets, and was involved in the Johan Santana trade.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I really like Drew Smyly. Throwing the ball pretty well today for the Tiger. Mechanics are nice and easy. Only now showing signs of fatigue.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Ogando is filthy out of the bullpen.

[Ski]

did Ryan actually go around? I thought he checked with the naked eye but never saw a replay... not that it really matters now.

 

He absolutely did not. And I HATE when the home plate ump makes that call. There's no way Runge had a good view of that.

 

Pretty sure the ump is calling anything close to a swing in that situation.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Oh man oh man oh man...Yankees vs Rangers...Old money vs Old Boys Club Ownership who found money out of nowhere....Opens with older, might one day he a HOFer ace Sabathia vs future ace Derek Holland.

 

Not to mention the Giants are throwing Lincecum and Bumgarner against the Mets. I would really like to see wtf might be wrong with young Lincecum...IIRC he's always sucked agains the Mets.

 

Really excited to see the Yankees play the Rangers though...That's going to be good baseball. The Yankees will see Darvish, I'm pretty sure.

[Smack]

Derek Holland's stache is some kind of bad.

[El Duderino]

Derek Holland's stache is some kind of bad.

 

he's also growing a mullet, it appears. I guess he's trying to look as stupid as possible.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

That Yankee lineup...mind they've done this with ARod OPSing below the current AL average.

 

One of the sickest lineups I've ever seen.

[Sammy Sofa]

That Yankee lineup...mind they've done this with ARod OPSing below the current AL average.

 

One of the sickest lineups I've ever seen.

 

The [expletive]? It's basically the same lineup they've been putting out there for the last two seasons plus Martin.

[imb]

im watching the twins - red sox game online. this drunk twins announcer has called daniel bard "josh bard" like 23 times so far, despite everyone else continually referring to him as daniel bard over and over.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

The [expletive]? It's basically the same lineup they've been putting out there for the last two seasons plus Martin.

 

And? Martin was there last year as well.

 

That whole team looks like everyone is in the best shape of their lives, and they uphold the tradition of just wearing guys down. They just look better than usual, which is saying something given the names in the lineup. It's something you appreciate if you're actually watching them on a daily basis, I guess (watched way more Yankees than Cubs this year tbh, and it's pretty even in most years).

 

Statistically they're averaging 6 runs a game while the past two have ~5.33-ish. Obviously that figure will come down eventually, but I do think they break the 5.5 mark this year. They're on pace to top 900 runs easy, and the talent is entirely capable of it.

[Sammy Sofa]

Meh. It's an older team with guys like Jeter, Granderson and Swisher hitting out of their minds to start the season. "The whole team looks like everyone is the best shape of their lives" means exactly diddly squat, especially when you're talking about so many starting position players past their peak. Their team OPS is a good 80 points higher right now than what they managed the last two years.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Meh. It's an older team with guys like Jeter, Granderson and Swisher hitting out of their minds to start the season. "The whole team looks like everyone is the best shape of their lives" means exactly diddly squat, especially when you're talking about so many starting position players past their peak. Their team OPS is a good 80 points higher right now than what they managed the last two years.

 

Meh guess we'll have to let this ride out. To your advantage is the age which will give more starts and ABs to lesser hitters over the course of a summer.

 

I expect Swisher to have a big year...not .955 but a career high or close...Granderson can mash and will finish in the high .800s of not the .900s IMO...Cano hasn't started going yet...AROd and Tex (again) are slow starting it...Gardner keeps trucking...I can see why they dangled Montero for a young power arm, just a deep, well balanced, patient lineup.

 

IMO easily the best team in baseball this year...Just annoyingly good.

[TruffleShuffle]

That Yankee lineup...mind they've done this with ARod OPSing below the current AL average.

 

One of the sickest lineups I've ever seen.

 

The [expletive]? It's basically the same lineup they've been putting out there for the last two seasons plus Martin.

 

yeah i don't get it. this is actually a worse lineup than many of the ones they've had the past few years.

 

2009 lineup: jeter, damon, teixeira, a-rod, matsui, posada, cano, swisher, melky cabrera

2010: jeter, swisher, teixeira, a-rod, cano, posada, granderson, n. johnson/berkman/thames, cerevelli/posada

2011: jeter, granderson, teixeira, a-rod, cano, swisher, posada/a. jones, martin/cerevelli

 

actually if you take a look at the yankees' lineups over the past 15 years, this year's lineup is probably in the bottom third. jeter is old and not that great any more (unless you really are buying into his 1.000+ ops), teixeira has started to decline, a-rod is clearly not the same player he was when he was younger and on steroids, brett gardner is a nice player but not great offensively, and they don't have an impact DH (raul ibanez is playing most days, and he sucks). plus martin is a pretty far cry from posada.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

One things right there...that team hasn't hurt for offense in a long, long time.

 

Look for a big year from Teixeira as well...

[Sammy Sofa]

Why? You keep saying "look for a big year from so-and-so" and "expect big things from this guy," and not really providing any reasons why besides they look to be in good shape and they're the Yankees.

[illiniguy]

Meh. It's an older team with guys like Jeter, Granderson and Swisher hitting out of their minds to start the season. "The whole team looks like everyone is the best shape of their lives" means exactly diddly squat, especially when you're talking about so many starting position players past their peak. Their team OPS is a good 80 points higher right now than what they managed the last two years.

 

Meh guess we'll have to let this ride out. To your advantage is the age which will give more starts and ABs to lesser hitters over the course of a summer.

 

I expect Swisher to have a big year...not .955 but a career high or close...Granderson can mash and will finish in the high .800s of not the .900s IMO...Cano hasn't started going yet...AROd and Tex (again) are slow starting it...Gardner keeps trucking...I can see why they dangled Montero for a young power arm, just a deep, well balanced, patient lineup.

 

IMO easily the best team in baseball this year...Just annoyingly good.

Easily better than Texas?

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Why? You keep saying "look for a big year from so-and-so" and "expect big things from this guy," and not really providing any reasons why besides they look to be in good shape and they're the Yankees.

 

Being healthy would be a big deal for that lineup. ARod didn't even get 400 ABs last year and they put up more runs than they did in '09. They've discussed a rotating DH role for guys like ARod and Jeter to stay fresh throughout the summer. Teixeira could be the ~.840 hitter he's been the past two years, or he could beat his ancient age of 32 and finish closer to his career .903 OPS.

 

The Granderson one is really the only one I regret-ish, because it won't be surprising to see him top .850...They're a well managed ballclub, and there's literally nothing crazy about thinking that offense can outproduce the past couple of seasons. Even the bench rolls deep with Ibanez, Jones, and Chavez leading the way as former studs turned role players in their latter career.

 

That said, sure I'll concede the point because I don't have the overwhelming numbers on my side. Don't want to sound too meatheady! Still easily the best team in baseball with an extremely well built roster.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

Easily better than Texas?

 

OK, them not easily but still would take the Yankees. Better pitching as much as I like Holland. Not many (any?) 8th inning relievers I'd take over Robertson, and Robertson/Rivera is lights out to finish a game.

 

Secretly I think I'm rooting for Detroit to take the AL from the Yankees and Rangers. I want to see Verlander in a WS in his prime, and Cabrera is my MVP pick.

[El Duderino]

I hate the [expletive] Rangers.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I hate the [expletive] Rangers.

 

Rangers during Summer 2010:

 

-Ahem-We're....we're uh, bankrupt.

 

*Turns around, opens door, walks in, and then closes door and blinds. Comes out ten minutes later.*

 

BILLIONS of dollars will be coming in!

 

I realize it's way more legit than that before anyone feels the need to jump on that, but that period of bankruptcy was hilariously quick and I like a good poorly thought out conspiracy.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

For those who missed it Darvish unleashed filth upon the Yankees lineup last night.