Warning!! It's Baaaaaack!! Off-topic Baseball Thread '08 !!

[mick]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I was thinking about the possible WS matchups that are presenting themselves at this point in the season.

Milwaukee vs Tampa Bay. The NL's Bad News Bears verses the AL's "What the He!! are we doing here?"

Boston vs LA Dodgers. The rematch of the NBA finals; along with the sure-to-be-entertaining Manny playing against his old mates. Odds are Manny gets thrown out at first by the right fielder at least once.

LA Dodgers vs LA Angels at Anaheim (talk about a stupid name). The LA series.

White Sox vs Cubs. Chicago series.

Detroit Tigers vs. Can't buy me Love

[ChuckElias]

60 years ago today. . .

At the age 53, with his wife Claire and his two adopted daughters at his side, Babe Ruth dies of throat cancer at Memorial Hospital in New York City.

[ChuckElias]

Last night's Tampa Bay/Texas game had an interesting tidbit:

Originally Posted by espn.com

Texas challenged in the ninth, but Maddon employed an unusual bit of strategy with his closer Troy Percival sidelined.

After Brandon Boggs' RBI groundout off Grant Balfour in the ninth made it 7-3, Michael Young walked to reload the bases. With Josh Hamilton coming to bat as the potential tying run, Maddon had the major league RBI leader walked to force in a run.

"I don't think I've ever done that, even in the minors," Maddon said. "But I told [pitching coach] Jimmy [Hickey], if we walk Young to load the bases, we're going to walk Hamilton. I just thought that was prudent. With the kind of year [Hamilton] has been having -- I wouldn't say it's spectacular, it's beyond that -- he very easily could have hit a grand slam there."

Maddon brought in Dan Wheeler, subbing for Percival. Wheeler struck out Marlon Byrd swinging for his fifth save in six chances.

"That just shows the respect [Maddon] has for Hamilton," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I was hoping that Hamilton would get the chance to swing the bat but Joe didn't let that happen. I still felt good with Marlon up there. He had a couple pitches that he could have done something with, he just didn't do it."

I've heard of issuing an intentional walk with the bases loaded, but I can't remember for sure the last time it happened. I think I remember Arizona doing it to Bonds, but I have no idea when/if that actually happened.

Edit: a quick Google search found this in a 2000 article from Baseball Digest: "The last intentional bases-loaded pass occurred May 28, 1998. Arizona manager Buck Showalter, hanging on to an 8-6 lead, saluted Barry Bonds of the Giants when the career leader with 298 free passes came up with two outs in the ninth. This reduced the Diamondbacks' lead to 8-7. Brent Mayne hit a hard liner to right for the final out."

[Adam]

Chuck, here's a tidbit. It hadn't happened in the American League since 1901.

Possibly the only thing that hasn't occurred since the Cubs last won the WS.

[Jurassic Referee]

ESPN is reporting that Greg Maddux is going to the Dodgers.

Btw, Chuck, any comments on Manny since he joined the Dodgers?

[mick]

Love him or not, Gary Sheffield hit his 493rd career home run in the seventh inning, tying him with Lou Gehrig and Fred McGriff for 25th on the all-time list.

[ChuckElias]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

ESPN is reporting that Greg Maddux is going to the Dodgers.

I think that's probably a darn good pick-up for the Dodgers.

Btw, Chuck, any comments on Manny since he joined the Dodgers?

Sure. Everybody knows he wanted out of Boston and that he dogged it on purpose to get out. My own theory is that Scott Boras realized that he wasn't going to make a penny off of Manny if the Sox picked up Manny's option. So he convinced Manny that he'd make a ton more money (more than $20 million!) as a free agent; but that wouldn't happen if he performed well for Boston. Now, even when Manny has to sign for less than his Sox option called for, at least Boras will make his 10% of whatever Manny gets.

Rays win again in Anaheim, taking over the best record in the AL. Unbelievable. Sox win to keep pace. Yankees lose putting them 11 games back in the division and only 1 game above 4th place. Damon looked really bad in CF in the highlights I saw.


Bad news: Sox are saying that Beckett has numbness in his fingers. Ugh.

Good news: Yaz has triple bypass surgery today and seems to be doing well.

[mick]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Good news: Yaz has triple bypass surgery today and seems to be doing well.

Go Yaz! (Saw him homer in Briggs Stadium in 1967.)

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

My own theory is that Scott Boras realized that he wasn't going to make a penny off of Manny if the Sox picked up Manny's option. So he convinced Manny that he'd make a ton more money (more than $20 million!) as a free agent; but that wouldn't happen if he performed well for Boston. Now, even when Manny has to sign for less than his Sox option called for, at least Boras will make his 10% of whatever Manny gets.

Rays win again in Anaheim, taking over the best record in the AL. Unbelievable. Sox win to keep pace. Yankees lose putting them 11 games back in the division and only 1 game above 4th place. Damon looked really bad in CF in the highlights I saw.

Your theory about Manny is a popular one...held by many others, particularly in the Bah-ston media. Boras is the kinda scuzzball that would try something like that.

The Rays just won't go away, will they? Impressive as hell.

I watched the Yankees game with my youngest son, who is also an avid fan of theirs. He was going out of his mind in the last few innings. First Girardi left the starting pitcher, Rasner, in an inning too long. He's proved himself to be a 5-6 inning pitcher who goes downhill quickly after that. Even though he had a 2-hitter going after 6, the Yankees had a rested bullpen ready to go. But they leave him in....and boom....home run to tie the game. And then Damon drops that flyball in the eighth with a man on first. I can't believe they ruled that a double instead of an error. Damon not only throws like a girl; he's starting to catch like a girl. The flyball that he dropped in the first was the exact same play. He's a DH only....on a team loaded with DH's. Matsui was back last night....finally....but they had to DH him because he can't play a position because of his knee. Giambi is a DH too; they oughta burn his glove. It's the old story...you win with pitching and defense....and the Yankees are a mediocre defensive team at best. A-Rod didn't help either; every time he came up he seemed to strike out....except for that little flare in the ninth that he stoopidly ran into an out at second.

[Adam]

Tidbit of the day; if the Rays finish with the best record in baseball, they will have gone from worst in the Majors to best in the Majors in one season. This hasn't been done in any major professional sport since 1890.

Just one more thing that hasn't happened since the Cubs won the World Series last.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Tidbit of the day; if the Rays finish with the best record in baseball, they will have gone from worst in the Majors to best in the Majors in one season. This hasn't been done in any major professional sport since 1890.

Just one more thing that hasn't happened since the Cubs won the World Series last.

You just HAVE to keep bringing that up.

Just like I probably have to bring up May 30th of this year.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

You just HAVE to keep bringing that up.

Just like I probably have to bring up May 30th of this year.

Ya lost me, dude.

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Ya lost me, dude.

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/gamece...080530_COL@CHC

[ChuckElias]

Buchholz got shelled again last night. He should be so much better than he's showing. He got optioned -- not to Triple-A Pawtucket -- to the Double-A Portland (Maine) Sea Dogs.

Byrd goes against Toronto tonight. It's his third consecutive start against the Blue Jays. His last start for Cleveland and now his first 2 starts for the Sox have all been against Toronto. Kind of unusual.

Sox and Yanks both got good news about pitchers getting ready to make a comeback. Wakefield may be coming back soon for Boston, possibly for the Yankee series next week. And the Yankees are all excited about welcoming Carl Pavano back to the starting lineup on Saturday!! Good times in NY.

Interesting historical first, on this date in 1975: The Reuschel brothers of the Cubs join forces to blank the Dodgers, 6-0. Rick goes 6 1-3 innings and Paul finishes the game for the first shutout thrown by siblings.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by ChuckElias

Byrd goes against Toronto tonight.

Well, that should be interesting, seeing that Toronto is playing the Yankees tonight.