OT: MLB Thread XLVI

[nyr2k2]

I hate the Yankees, even though I am civil and try to remain impartial on here. It's how I was brought up, by my dad who was a Dodgers fan and then a Mets fan.

I'm indifferent towards the Giants. I don't root for them because when they succeed it's just more fodder for their fans to bust my balls about the Jets (believe me, my balls are thoroughly busted). I don't root against them, though.

The Islanders, I root against but also have a soft spot for. That's because my dad was an Islanders fan and I just liked talking hockey with him. We'd watch the Isles together and I'd root for them, for him.

f*** the Devils. I generally ignore the Buffalo teams but I have a friend who is a big Bills fan and this recent attitude where the Bills are the greatest thing ever and Allen is Montana and this other shit is making me hate them.

 

[Bob Richards]

I do not dislike the Yankees and honestly quite enjoy seeing them succeed. I catch plenty of their games every year and have never felt compelled to dislike them tbh.

I feel the same way about the Jets. There’s just no actual reason for me to feel any sort of “rivalry”.

The other teams in hockey +basketball are actual division rivals so it’s a whole different thing

 

[darko]

Two different Rays pitchers hit 100 just last night.

2.21 is absolutely nothing to write home about for the best guy in your bullpen.

Only 7 guys threw harder than Chapman this season.

 

[darko]

Got into an argument last night with my brother who was openly rooting for the Yankees vs Rays despite his being a longtime Met fan? I on other hand was F that...go Rays as I don't want the Yankees to have another shot at another WS. They already have a gazillions of them.

I told him that one can lose his "Met fan card" by rooting for the Yankees. Am I wrong to get on his case? I don't know any of my Yankee fan friends who root or want the Mets to do well. They were all nervous as shit in 2015 when we were in the WS as they in no way wanted Mets to win.

Same with us Ranger fans never rooting for the Islanders. I don't know any Islander fans who root for us and I wouldn't want it any other way. I dunno maybe I'm old school but in my book Met fans don't want good things happen for the Yankees and vice versa and that's the way it should be.

Rent free.

 

[nyr2k2]

Houston gonna troll everyone by winning the WS. And also doing it after finishing under .500.

 

[LeetchisGod]

Houston gonna troll everyone by winning the WS. And also doing it after finishing under .500.

They put the bat on the ball. So much better than our hitting philosophy.

 

[Adam Fox Time]

I hate the modern baseball philosophy. Power stats and OBP (specifically walks) are more important now as they should be, but hits are important too. Hits score runs, runs win games! I don't see the benefit of replacing the Juan Pierres of the world with Gary Sanchez and Joey Gallo. IMO it's not very surprising that guys with great BA numbers tend to have great OBP and SLG numbers as well. This is especially true nowadays but it has basically always been true.

I mean if I was an MLB team, I would make sure my guys know how to bunt. If the other team ever tries to leave a giant hole in the infield with a shift, just bunt it there and get free baserunners until they stop. I don't see why it's so difficult.

 

[nyr2k2]

I hate the modern baseball philosophy. Power stats and OBP (specifically walks) are more important now as they should be, but hits are important too. Hits score runs, runs win games! I don't see the benefit of replacing the Juan Pierres of the world with Gary Sanchez and Joey Gallo. IMO it's not very surprising that guys with great BA numbers tend to have great OBP and SLG numbers as well. This is especially true nowadays but it has basically always been true.

I mean if I was an MLB team, I would make sure my guys know how to bunt. If the other team ever tries to leave a giant hole in the infield with a shift, just bunt it there and get free baserunners until they stop. I don't see why it's so difficult.

The bunt thing is amazing to me. For my entire life, every team has had maybe 1-2 guys that could bunt. You ask anyone outside those guys to bunt, and it's an automatic and terrible out. And it's been like that for decades now, I swear. I know it's scary to bunt (I mean I've never faced ML pitching but I've stood in against an above-average HS arm and tried it, to be cute, which I regretted) but come on.

Even if you can't bunt--they can't even slap it the other way. You hit a chipper to third against these shifts and it's an automatic hit, maybe two. But you don't even see guys try. You see the huge shift and they go up and try to pull everything. One would think guys would try it now and then just to keep the opposition honest.

IDK. Baseball is weird.

 

[JCProdigy]

Only 7 guys threw harder than Chapman this season.

People catching up to his fastball? Doesn't matter if he can get this consistent by next season: His splitter/forkball

 

[romba]

Having a sibling or family member who roots for the opposite baseball team teaches you to revel in their failures from a young age

 

[sbjnyc]

Having a sibling or family member who roots for the opposite baseball team teaches you to revel in their failures from a young age

Works for hockey too.

 

[RGY]

Terrible.

 

[LeetchisGod]

2020 can just f*** right off.

 

[sbjnyc]

I grew up hating the reds but I always liked Joe Morgan. RIP.

 

[East Coast Bias]

I hate the modern baseball philosophy. Power stats and OBP (specifically walks) are more important now as they should be, but hits are important too. Hits score runs, runs win games! I don't see the benefit of replacing the Juan Pierres of the world with Gary Sanchez and Joey Gallo. IMO it's not very surprising that guys with great BA numbers tend to have great OBP and SLG numbers as well. This is especially true nowadays but it has basically always been true.

I mean if I was an MLB team, I would make sure my guys know how to bunt. If the other team ever tries to leave a giant hole in the infield with a shift, just bunt it there and get free baserunners until they stop. I don't see why it's so difficult.

I've always been a big analytics baseball guy. But I do think the application of these stats have gone a little crazy in that decisions are made too rigidly, and too uniformly. There seem to be a lot of teams just stacking power hitters/power pitchers, and most of the resulting ABs are K or HR.

 

[JohnC]

I’m probably being dramatic, but if the Astros win the World Series I may never watch another baseball game again

 

[Machinehead]

I played second base growing up. I was the weirdo that cared more about my defense than my offense. I learned everything I could about playing second base and took a lot of pride in the position. Joe Morgan is nothing short of a king in our neck of the woods. Rest easy, big guy.

 

[romba]

I’m probably being dramatic, but if the Astros win the World Series I may never watch another baseball game again

With you.

 

[JCProdigy]

If the Astros win the WS, I'm gonna laugh heartily. A team with an under .500 record in a regular season winning the Championship.

 

[nyr2k2]

If the Astros win the WS, I'm gonna laugh heartily. A team with an under .500 record in a regular season winning the Championship.

Yeah this has been a stupid borderline-illegitimate season. Would be fitting.

 

[Adam Fox Time]

White Sox fire their manager.

They know they are almost there and are ready to take the next step, sigh

 

[NYSPORTS]

There's an old urban legend that Nolan Ryan hit 108 with these adjustments.

yet without movement the ball would leave the park north of 150mph

It’s all movement as many Major Leaguers can flip the hips and catch a flat 100mph #1.

 

[NYSPORTS]

I think the older you are the more you feel you can't root for opposing NY teams.

As I said I'm old school and being brought up a Met fan since early 70's, you were taught to not like the Yankees. Same being a Jet fan...you were taught to not like the Giants. And same with Rangers...you were taught to not like the Islanders and subsequently the Devils.

Now that's not to say I don't like some players on either of those teams. I happen to like Gleyber Torres alot but I can't root for the Yankees to win. I like for some reason Beuvelier and Pullock of the Islanders but I can't stand the team and never want them to have success.

It's just the way it is for me and maybe I'm on an island with this but I feel if your loyal to the Mets,Jets and Rangers that means you automatically lose your fan card if you root for the Yankees, Giants or Islanders.

Most of these Yankee fans were sitting in Shea back in 86. If Cohen turns the Mets around, watch how quickly these Yankee fans buy Mets hats too. Lot of fickle front runners in this City who can’t hit a ball out the infield but hey!!!, i’m a big fan!!!! *(Patriot fans aren’t much different)

 

[NYSPORTS]

Yeah I never really understood the "rivalry" that people have with Yankees. And the Jets and Giants too. The more titles NYC has the better in my opinion. But that only goes for the NFL and MLB. Islanders & Devils? Pffft. I put them down any chance I can get.

yeah right lol. It’s called a rivalry for a reason. Although, like i mentioned, many wear hats of all.

Wait until you see how many people suddenly become Rangers fans.

 

[Maximus]

Houston gonna troll everyone by winning the WS. And also doing it after finishing under .500.

Nah...Rays pitching will be too much for the Astros bats. I like Valdez and McCullers is pretty good but no Verlander this time is going to be the difference. Rays in 5!!

Oh and besides that, this is Tampa the city's year. First the Lightning now the Rays. Last year the Capitals and than all of a sudden the Nationals. Shit like this happens. It's Tampa's turn!