Warning!! Danger!! Annual Off-topic Baseball Thread '07!! Beware!!

[dblref]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Just curious how you East Coast guys like staying up until 1:00 am to see the end of the games?

Some of us aren't even interested in the beginning of the game, much less the end. IMHO, this has been a very boring, predictable world series.

BTW, congrats to the Red Sux (as much as it pains me to say so).

[mbyron]

The World Series was so dull that there is, I think, just one thread on the baseball side (what if Ellsbury dropped the ball after flipping it out of his glove during a catch?). Zzzzzz...

Congrats, Chuck. I knew the ALCS was the real series.

[mick]

Originally Posted by mbyron

The World Series was so dull that there is, I think, just one thread on the baseball side (what if Ellsbury dropped the ball after flipping it out of his glove during a catch?). Zzzzzz...

Congrats, Chuck. I knew the ALCS was the real series.

That would be a voluntary release, not a drop.

[BLydic]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Congrats, Chuck. I knew the ALCS was the real series.

Ditto, congrats.

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

RED SOX win in a sweep.

Ok, since baseball season is now over, lock this thread immediately.

Isn't there a statutory celebration period???

Two WS wins in four years . . . and hopefully going for three in five!!

BOSTON RED SOX

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Mark Dexter

Isn't there a statutory celebration period???

Yup, it ended at 3:24am EST today.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

In a move to match the lack of class which the Yankees have displayed lately (see the lowball contract offered to Torre), AR declares that he is opting out on the very day that Red Sox win it all.

Peter Gammons' reaction to the announcement was absolutely spectacular. I don't know if you saw it, but Gammons was reporting live from Coors after the game for ESPN. The studio anchor asked him about the A-Rod thing and Gammons said, well, he might go to Anaheim or the Giants, blah, blah, blah. . . "but the really sad thing here is the total disrespect for the game of baseball" by A-Rod and Boras. And he said we should be talking about Pedroia and Ellsbury who did something that A-Rod has never done -- play in a World Series; and that the timing of the announcement should be a "buyer beware". Talk about body slamming a guy on national TV.

I also agree with you that telling the Yankees by fax is not a big deal. Not b/c the Yankees management "deserves respect" or whatever; but b/c everybody knew (or should have known) that he was going to opt out. There wasn't the least possible chance that he was going to stay with the current contract. Why? Two words -- Scott Boras. If anybody in the Yankee front office thought that Boras would let A-Rod stay in that contract, then they still believe in the Easter Bunny, too.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by dblref

Some of us aren't even interested in the beginning of the game, much less the end. IMHO, this has been a very boring, predictable world series.

Originally Posted by mbyron

The World Series was so dull that there is, I think, just one thread on the baseball side (what if Ellsbury dropped the ball after flipping it out of his glove during a catch?). Zzzzzz...

Really? Boring? Obviously, I'm biased, but I thought the games themselves were pretty darn good, except for Game 1. Game 2 was a 2-1 pitching duel. Game 3 was a 1-run game in the 7th inning after a terrific comeback by the Rockies. And last night was a 1-run game with a deep fly out in the 9th that would've been a game-tying HR in a lot of other ballparks. And even in Game 1, there was a great pitching performance by Beckett to appreciate.

From a ratings perspective, I know that it's better to have a longer series, but I thought the games were not boring.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by mick

Start? Ha!
I haven't seen an end.

I wonder how many of MLB's future fans get to see an entire game.

Edit: Dang it! I missed the entire National Anthem. How was it? Who was it?

Trisha Yearwood sang the anthem. Decent job.

[M&M Guy]

I was listening to the radio this morning, and the commentators said the Red Sox are the new Yankees. They are now the class team of baseball; they are the ones getting the right players, spending the money the right way, and winning championships.

Chuck, do you consider that a compliment or a slight jab?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

The studio anchor asked him about the A-Rod thing and Gammons said, well, he might go to Anaheim or the Giants, blah, blah, blah. . . "but the really sad thing here is the total disrespect for the game of baseball" by A-Rod and Boras. And he said we should be talking about Pedroia and Ellsbury who did something that A-Rod has never done -- play in a World Series; and that the timing of the announcement should be a "buyer beware". Talk about body slamming a guy on national TV.

A-Rod blew off the Hank Aaron award ceremony too. Too busy buying his new jet. Just a class act to the end.

[Dan_ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

A-Rod blew off the Hank Aaron award ceremony too. Too busy buying his new jet. Just a class act to the end.

Yeah I noticed that, couldn't bother to show up. I guess they didn't want to pay him to accept his plaque.

btw, I see Chuck's getting congratulated for something today... has he done something worth congratulating? Grew a half inch maybe?

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

I see Chuck's getting congratulated for something today... has he done something worth congratulating? Grew a half inch maybe?

At first, I thought I'd respond to Dan with something that really made a statement, like:



Then I thought that might not show the appropriate amount of empathy for his Yankees completely bombing in the postseason. So maybe a nice visit from an "angel of mercy" during the night might be more comforting:



But then I decided I was just in too good a mood to let anything he says bother me today. So. . . never mind!!!

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Dan_ref

btw, I see Chuck's getting congratulated for something today... has he done something worth congratulating? Grew a half inch maybe?

Well, unlike some low-class slobs( like us, for example), he has refrained so far from gloating over his team's victory. You gotta admit that if the Yankees had won, we'd probably be out his front lawn in suburban Springfield even as we speak, doing a victory dance... complete with fireworks(aimed at his house, of course).

I have to admit that the l'il feller just reeks of empathy.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

I was listening to the radio this morning, and the commentators said the Red Sox are the new Yankees.

Chuck, do you consider that a compliment or a slight jab?

It was probably said as a compliment, but I don't really like it. The sad thing is that it's very true to a certain extent. The Sox have the second highest payroll (I think) and they spent a TON of money this off-season; not all of it wisely (way overspending for J.D. Drew and Dice-K, for example). They've gone down that Yankee path of throwing money at every problem, even if the benefit is marginal.

On the other side, however, they also showcased a lot home-grown talent this year -- Pedroia, Ellsbury, Papelbon; and have their share of well-researched bargains (Ortiz was a steal at the time of his acquisition).

I think there's some truth in the Yankees comparison, and I don't personally like it. But I think there's enough that distinguishes the Sox that I can still consider them the good guys.