GDT: All things Baseball

[Navin R Slavin]

Yooooooo Game 4 was nonsense.

 

[A Star is Burns]

That was pretty entertaining

 

[Canes]

Go (Devil) Rays Go

 

[Canes]

I grew up in a part of VA where I wasn't particularly close to any sports teams. So I just chose based on weird things or circumstances at the time I became a fan of various sports.

I got into baseball first and became a Mariners fan because I loved Griffey.

I became a football fan next and chose the Patriots cause an older friend outgrew his Pats jerseys and I got free Bledsoe and Terry Glenn jerseys.

Finally, I was a casual Avs fan for a bit from a friend (still my #2 team). But around the second year of the Canes, when I was actually really wanting to get into the NHL, I got one of the NHL Faceoff games for PS1. I was so casual I didn't even know the Whalers had moved, but I instantly fell in love with the concept of the Canes and had been looking to connect to my birth state (born in NC, but lived most my life in VA).

From there I liked the NC thing and adopted Panthers as my #2, Blue Devils (honestly only because I saw they were on tv a lot, didn't know they were good), and Hornets the little I follow the NBA.

Ahh, I hear you. I ultimately had similar strategies for picking my teams when I was younger but they never stuck. When I got older I switched to more regional teams mostly because that's what my friends, family, etc rooted for.

When I lived in upper peninsula Michigan in the late 90s I obviously became a fan of the Red Wings. And when I faked being sick to stay home from school I picked the Cubs because they were always on WGN national broadcast. Then I supported the Redskins because that's the sport/team my parents mainly cared about and rooted for. But when I moved back home to the southeast/Carolinas, I eventually made the conscientious decision to root for the Hurricanes, Braves and Panthers in my teenage years. And the Hurricanes somehow have been the only team to reward me.

 

[Wolfpuck]

That ending was one of the most insane f***ing things I have ever seen.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Ahh, I hear you. I ultimately had similar strategies for picking my teams when I was younger but they never stuck. When I got older I switched to more regional teams mostly because that's what my friends, family, etc rooted for.

When I lived in upper peninsula Michigan in the late 90s I obviously became a fan of the Red Wings. And when I faked being sick to stay home from school I picked the Cubs because they were always on WGN national broadcast. Then I supported the Redskins because that's the sport/team my parents mainly cared about and rooted for. But when I moved back home to the southeast/Carolinas, I eventually made the conscientious decision to root for the Hurricanes, Braves and Panthers in my teenage years. And the Hurricanes somehow have been the only team to reward me.

Yeah, it's funny that all my original favorites except the Avs stuck as my main favorites. Especially since those Avs teams were so good and Sakic is still my favorite all time player, Roy my favorite goalie, etc. The Canes just hit me in that certain feeling of connection I needed at the right time. It probably helped that my aunt noticed the connection and we drove down to see several games after that.

I live right near DC but I never really considered being a fan of DC or Baltimore teams. I have minor connections and rooting interests since I get to go to those games most readily, but there was never any danger of them stealing my affections.

 

[HisIceness]

Just like in 2011, the Braves choke is the other teams Championship.

 

[A Star is Burns]

So, Justin Turner got pulled in the middle of the clinching game with covid. Freaking insane. And makes one appreciate the luck and skill of the NHL and NBA.

Anyways, wanted the Rays to win, but the Dodgers probably deserved a win considering the two teams they lost to in recent years.

 

[Bunch of Jurcos]

Good news: Dodgers win! Dodgers win!

Bad news: My poor puppy probably thinks we are in a war zone with all the fireworks going off.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

So, Justin Turner got pulled in the middle of the clinching game with covid. Freaking insane. And makes one appreciate the luck and skill of the NHL and NBA.

Anyways, wanted the Rays to win, but the Dodgers probably deserved a win considering the two teams they lost to in recent years.

Cheated out of two championships, and I think were clearly the best team this season. I don't like LA teams for the most part (or the area in general), but yeah I have no issues with the Dodgers winning this one. Congrats to them.

 

[HisIceness]

I still don't get why Snell was pulled. f*** the analytics you're down to your last loss in the World Series for crying out loud!

As for the Dodgers, congrats to them. The team itself is fine, the fans are not the best to deal with but that's not the players fault. Plus, yeah there's that whole Astros and Red Sox thing

 

[A Star is Burns]

I still don't get why Snell was pulled. f*** the analytics you're down to your last loss in the World Series for crying out loud!

As for the Dodgers, congrats to them. The team itself is fine, the fans are not the best to deal with but that's not the players fault. Plus, yeah there's that whole Astros and Red Sox thing

Yeah, it was a bad move. Not even a second guess, but a first guess from most. Analytics can be great, but you have to be able o assess the situation and overrule them in a case that's staring you in the face like that one.

I still like baseball, but the fact that most guys are lucky to go 5 or 6 innings these days and there's the constant parade of 99MPH relief pitchers is tough to watch. The three outcomes state of the game where you largely see walks, homers, or strikeouts is tough to watch. The shifts can be tough to watch.

I hope they keep some of the changes from this year because it felt a little bit improved from recent years. But it can still be a lsog.

 

[GindyDraws]

Now that baseball is over with, I'm spending as much time as I can seeing what happens to the minors. They now want the teams to be "licensees" rather than "franchises", meaning you are beholden to the parent club instead of being able to do your thing, and already they have contemplated making the NY-Penn League a collegiate bat league.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Now that baseball is over with, I'm spending as much time as I can seeing what happens to the minors. They now want the teams to be "licensees" rather than "franchises", meaning you are beholden to the parent club instead of being able to do your thing, and already they have contemplated making the NY-Penn League a collegiate bat league.

Yeah, they seem intent on destroying minor league baseball. And sadly, it probably won't lead to better conditions for the players down there.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I’m very torn on the Braves. I’ve loathed them since the early 90s, like literally my most hated franchise in pro sports. But as a jays fan I’ll always have a soft spot for AA (wish we still had him) and I REALLY like this current Braves team.

Dodgers are my NL team so I was happy for them but I begrudgingly also would have been fine with Atlanta winning.

All I have to say is you guys have a choice! You don’t HAVE to be Braves fans just because they are the closest team to you. But I get it. Anyway, hope Freddie and Soroka keep doing their thing for you. They’ve got those Canadian bloodlines working for you!

 

[Canes]

I’m very torn on the Braves. I’ve loathed them since the early 90s, like literally my most hated franchise in pro sports. But as a jays fan I’ll always have a soft spot for AA (wish we still had him) and I REALLY like this current Braves team.

Dodgers are my NL team so I was happy for them but I begrudgingly also would have been fine with Atlanta winning.

All I have to say is you guys have a choice! You don’t HAVE to be Braves fans just because they are the closest team to you. But I get it. Anyway, hope Freddie and Soroka keep doing their thing for you. They’ve got those Canadian bloodlines working for you!

If I could easily switch teams to root for, I'd probably have done it by now with most if not all of my current teams. I do contemplate picking up a 2nd team in most sports but I find I only really care about my current teams and just casually follow the leagues they play in, other than maybe hockey where I follow the rest of the league a little more than other sports.

 

[To Be Determined]

1 - Analytics can be great, but you have to be able o assess the situation and overrule them in a case that's staring you in the face like that one.

2 - I still like baseball, but the fact that most guys are lucky to go 5 or 6 innings these days and there's the constant parade of 99MPH relief pitchers is tough to watch. The three outcomes state of the game where you largely see walks, homers, or strikeouts is tough to watch. The shifts can be tough to watch.

3 - I hope they keep some of the changes from this year because it felt a little bit improved from recent years. But it can still be a lsog.

1 - it amuses me how the rays this year are both the perfect pro-analytics argument - no way in hell should a $28 million payroll team have made it that far - while being the perfect 'slow your roll, analytics guys' argument for how they handled snell, as well. another thing i don't get - was there not an analytical mind in their dugout that could have said "hey, the guy we're sending in has given up at least a run in six consecutive playoff appearances. perhaps this may matter in a 1-0 game"? either way, the better team won.

2 - i'm a cardinals fan (based entirely on realizing as a youth that the greatest ballplayer, with absolutely zero possible arguments against him, is ozzie smith). i fell in love with "whitey-ball" back in the day. today's game is especially painful to watch.

3 - as long as they get the GD DH back out of the national league, i'd be okay with whatever else.

on the concept of changing teams, my 13 year old is a braves fan. i somewhat hate the braves. i brought up the idea of choosing a compromise team for both of us. nationals got shot down - he refuses to pull for any other NL east team. ok, i'll make the sacrifice as the Cards fan and offer up the Brewers - we go to a few Mudcats games every year so we'd be able to follow guys we saw at five county. he shot that down, too. he is dead-set on Braves as his one and only. then they go and win something like their first series in his entire life so i guess i just have to give up.

 

[HisIceness]

I’m very torn on the Braves. I’ve loathed them since the early 90s, like literally my most hated franchise in pro sports. But as a jays fan I’ll always have a soft spot for AA (wish we still had him) and I REALLY like this current Braves team.

Dodgers are my NL team so I was happy for them but I begrudgingly also would have been fine with Atlanta winning.

All I have to say is you guys have a choice! You don’t HAVE to be Braves fans just because they are the closest team to you. But I get it. Anyway, hope Freddie and Soroka keep doing their thing for you. They’ve got those Canadian bloodlines working for you!

It wasn't so much they were the closest team, just that TBS aired them and I started watching during their 90s run. Also Dad and Grandpa were fans. Nowadays they don't have national appeal but I still watch during the summer.

 

[HisIceness]

RIP Hank Aaron

 

[A Star is Burns]

RIP Hank Aaron

I never saw a lot of these greats that passed away in the past year play, but I certainly knew them as ambassadors of the game and played with them in a game called Strat-O-Matic with my dad growing up. He's an all-time legend and still the home run king to me.

 

[Derailed75]

Baseball, one of my favorite sports to play, certainly the one I was best at. Economics have slowly been killing it and now MLB is letting economics kill the minors. Unfortunately the writing has been on the wall for a long long time with MLB and they have never attempted change just shifted things around to hide the warts. MLB will be the 5th most popular major league in the US behind the NHL and MLS in the next few years.

 

[Canes]

I never saw a lot of these greats that passed away in the past year play, but I certainly knew them as ambassadors of the game and played with them in a game called Strat-O-Matic with my dad growing up. He's an all-time legend and still the home run king to me.

I was fortunate enough to get to meet him several times over the years, and while he didn't ever remember my name, the last time I did meet him he recognized my face and was actually pretty close to knowing my name. The guy was as real as they come and the fact that he lived as long as he did only makes his passing slightly less devastating.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Baseball, one of my favorite sports to play, certainly the one I was best at. Economics have slowly been killing it and now MLB is letting economics kill the minors. Unfortunately the writing has been on the wall for a long long time with MLB and they have never attempted change just shifted things around to hide the warts. MLB will be the 5th most popular major league in the US behind the NHL and MLS in the next few years.

I think the death of baseball is overstated. These teams can still draw 3m fans a season and good ballplayers still earn $$$.

 

[Derailed75]

I think the death of baseball is overstated. These teams can still draw 3m fans a season and good ballplayers still earn $$$.

Some teams can. The gap between the haves and the have nots is larger then in any other sport.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Some teams can. The gap between the haves and the have nots is larger then in any other sport.

And always has been. Connie Mack was mostly broke for 50 years and was constantly selling his best players, and he won three championships with the As.

But revenue sharing ensures that baseball will be fine. It's a socialist enterprise at the end of the day, because the Steinbrenners need the Angeloses to stay in business, just like the Globetrotters needed the Generals.