MLB 2011

[Paelos]

I'm making the comparison between the races and how the Eastern divisions seem to produce the wild card.

[Sjofn]

The Phillies are the NL Yankees, and the Braves are the NL Red Sox, without the ability to hit.

See, I don't hate the Yankees. I am completely indifferent to them. I can understand why people hate them, but the Yankees arouse no passion in me. The Phillies, on the other hand, I fucking hate them. I am a little surprised how easily the hate has come to me, really. I am sure I will come to hate more teams as I follow baseball for longer (after all, I am a newbie!), but it took me no time at all to loathe the Phillies. The only team I hate more is ... the Eagles.

Go to hell, Philadelphia.


(I do hate the Cowboys, of course, like all right thinking Americans, but I hate the Eagles and Phillies more.)

[Ingmar]

The Phillies have had some hateable guys over the years (sup Lenny Dykstra) but I still hate the Braves more than basically any non-Dodgers team I think. Too many years of them being the only team I got a national broadcast for on TBS and listening to that stupid chant and fucking Skip Caray.

[Paelos]

The Phillies have had some hateable guys over the years (sup Lenny Dykstra) but I still hate the Braves more than basically any non-Dodgers team I think. Too many years of them being the only team I got a national broadcast for on TBS and listening to that stupid chant and fucking Skip Caray.

At least we can agree the Phillies suck.

[Paelos]

(I do hate the Cowboys, of course, like all right thinking Americans, but I hate the Eagles and Phillies more.)

Whatever, Eli lover 

[Sjofn]

You know very well I don't love Eli Manning. 

[Paelos]

You know very well I don't love Eli Manning. 

But, but, he loves your Norse!

[Sjofn]

I'll tell you what I do love, I love the Manning Face. It helps ease the pain of Eli fucking something up.


HEY HOW ABOUT THAT BASEBALL WAIT THE GIANTS LOST 9-2 TO THE FUCKING PIRATES NEVERMIND LET'S TALK ABOUT ELI SOME MORE


Actually, I could probably rant about how I hate Sanchez. Because I do. I hate him so much. He is the Kerry Collins of baseball for me. I hate Kerry Collins.

[Paelos]

I'm ok with the Giants playing footsie with the Dbacks all the way to the end. Sorta helps that whole wildcard thing the Braves are shooting for since Philly never fucking loses anymore apparently.

EDIT: Oh and the Braves swept the Marlins in front of hundreds of Florida fans.

[Sjofn]

The Ghost of Buster Posey is a terrible thing. Also your comment on the "hundreds of fans" reminds me of this Onion article. I find the disdain Florida apparently has for baseball sort of funny. Although having been in Florida in August myself, I can't really blame people for not wanting to go, regardless of how good or not good the team is.

[HaemishM]

EDIT: Oh and the Braves swept the Marlins in front of hundreds of Florida fans.

Was it free ticket night at the A&P?

Philly has the unenviable burden of having some of the worst fucking fans in the history of sport. And now, Michael Vick.

[stu]

I saw Josh Johnson beat Smoltz in front of 2,200 people once. The only buzz in the stadium was from a wasp's nest three rows behind me.

[Paelos]

I saw Josh Johnson beat Smoltz in front of 2,200 people once. The only buzz in the stadium was from a wasp's nest three rows behind me.

Rare game. Smoltz usually owned the Fish.

[Rasix]

Going to the DBacks game tomorrow.  First time I've been to a game in like 5 years maybe.   My son, will be staying with grandma.  I don't think he'd make it past finding our seats. 

[Sjofn]

Giants now own the "most consecutive single shot home runs" record. 

Also I am beginning to hate Aubrey Huff. Like a lot.

[Sjofn]

"It ended up being my fault that we lost," Cain said. "I've got to make better pitches early."

You know, this just straight up pisses me off. It was not your fucking fault, Matt Cain! 

[caladein]

Well yeah.  The very next paragraph from that AP recap, "The Giants didn't advance a runner beyond first base in the final six innings."

Also, because I can't pass an opportunity to moan about my club's terrible offense: both the Angels and Giants have three starters (Weaver/Santana/Haren and Cain/Lincecum/Bumgarner) in the top 15 for lowest run support.

[Paelos]

Ok small rant here, and this is directed at Haemish's Cubbies after last night's game.

It was Bobby Cox night where they retired the manager's number and the Braves responded by crushing the ball five times against Zambrano. It's the most home runs he's ever given up as a starter. The manager was going to pull him after the fifth, but instead, Zambrano decides to throw at Chipper Jones and get himself ejected. Then, he stomps off, cleans out his locker and says something about retiring.

This guy is chicken shit. For one, don't even fucking throw at someone just because you're getting lit up. That makes you a bitch. You throw at people for retaliation of punk ass stuff they pulled, or pimping home runs, or breaking the unwritten rules. Second, the Cubs are better than this. I expect more out of that organization than to harbor some dicknose that can't keep it together and flies off the handle every little time something goes wrong. I hope they toss him off the team and never look back. He walked out on the team, and they should just let him keep walking.

[HaemishM]

I'm surprised it took Zambrano that long to lose it. I've known the last four years that he's a whiny bitch douche who can't stand losing. We got the first signs of it years ago when he started a fistfight in the dugout with Michael Barrett. The Cubs should have dealt his ass in the offseason after the shit he pulled this year, but frankly, NO ONE WILL TAKE HIM. He's paid too much for #2 or #3 starter talent. He has no-trade clauses and he's a clubhouse cancer. Who the fuck would want him? We should have just Carlos Silva'ed his ass but we didn't.

Zambrano IS a douche. I haven't heard about last night because I'm just not paying attention to the Cubs until the offseason. The Cubs have a LOT of legacy contracts that are keeping them from doing a full rebuilding like they need to and Zambrano is one of them.

[WayAbvPar]

OTOH, throwing at Chipper Jones is always encouraged.

[HaemishM]

Heh, nah, I wouldn't say that. Fuck, even Aramis Ramirez is saying the Braves did nothing to warrant being thrown at. Zambrano is just a cockholster and I for one will be happy he's gone. Dump his ass, dump Soriano's giant contract, even get rid of Ramirez and his streaky hitting. Oh yeah, and do NOT resign Carlos fucking Pena. Break the bank on Prince Fielder or Pujols for fuck's sake, or just go into full rebuild mode, and raid your minor league teams. It's just gotten goddamn ridiculous in Chicago these days.

[Sjofn]

Well yeah.  The very next paragraph from that AP recap, "The Giants didn't advance a runner beyond first base in the final six innings."

Also, because I can't pass an opportunity to moan about my club's terrible offense: both the Angels and Giants have three starters (Weaver/Santana/Haren and Cain/Lincecum/Bumgarner) in the top 15 for lowest run support.

They should get together for drinks. It's fucking awful.

The part that killed me about yesterday's game was they had people on second and third with no outs (Cain was one of them! CAIN WAS DOING ALL HE FUCKING COULD. I want to give him a hug.). Then people on second and third with one out. Then second and third with two out. They walk Sandoval intentionally to load the bases and get to our dude batting clean up. Dang, Aubrey Huff, that there is a slap in the face! Surely you'll at least battle it out with them for a while to make them realize you're still batting clean up because you aren't terrible and not because Bochy has a bizarre mancrush on you! Oh, you'll pop out on the first pitch you see? OK then. That'll show 'em.

[JWIV]

DirecTv had their MLB Extra Innings preview this weekend, so I got to see some teams I'd never get to see like the Royals and Tigers. The Tigers seem deadset on stepping on their own dicks defensively. I have no idea how the Orioles have won so many games early, though I don't think it'll last. The Rays will be pretty terrible this year and the A's will be a hard luck team with some stud young arms.

Arrietta's meltdown vs the Rangers aside, the O's have been pitching really well.   With some solid additions in the middle of the line-up, teams can't pitch around Markakis, so he's been a RBI machine so far.     But yah, it won't last, but still, I figure there's a good chance of 85 or so wins this season if the line-up can stay reasonably healthy.

Oh beginning of the season optimism.  You were so cute.   So apparently by 85 wins, I meant actually 100 loses. 

*sigh*  14 years and counting! 

[Paelos]

OTOH, throwing at Chipper Jones is always encouraged.

 

[Sjofn]

DirecTv had their MLB Extra Innings preview this weekend, so I got to see some teams I'd never get to see like the Royals and Tigers. The Tigers seem deadset on stepping on their own dicks defensively. I have no idea how the Orioles have won so many games early, though I don't think it'll last. The Rays will be pretty terrible this year and the A's will be a hard luck team with some stud young arms.

Arrietta's meltdown vs the Rangers aside, the O's have been pitching really well.   With some solid additions in the middle of the line-up, teams can't pitch around Markakis, so he's been a RBI machine so far.     But yah, it won't last, but still, I figure there's a good chance of 85 or so wins this season if the line-up can stay reasonably healthy.

Oh beginning of the season optimism.  You were so cute.   So apparently by 85 wins, I meant actually 100 loses. 

*sigh*  14 years and counting! 

At least they're not the Astros? Right?

Giants finally broke their single shot home run streak, then promptly hit three more (two of them from Brandon Belt  ) so I almost resent that Vogelsong took a walk before Cody Ross hit his.

[Sjofn]

Fuck you, Shitty Brian Wilson. We needed Good Wilson today. ><

[Paelos]

Fuck you, Shitty Brian Wilson. We needed Good Wilson today. ><

Thanks for the freebie, Beardo! I was there and it was awesome! 

[Sjofn]

Tomorrow shouldn't be as exciting, unless Sanchez truly is the Kerry Collins of baseball, in which case he will own the shit out of the Braves in order to give us all Hope, so he can blow an even more important game later.

Gah, I am still shaking my head. Usually four runs is plenty! It's an OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION!

[Paelos]

I thought we were toast. The Braves aren't known for putting up tons of late runs like last season. However, the overriding stat is that when we score first, we win like 90% of our games.

Tonight is one of those games the Giants SHOULD win, simply because we are tossing a completely untested AAA rook at their staff since Hanson is on the DL.

[Ingmar]

We are a historically bad hitting team, your AAA dude will look like an ace I'm sure. Just don't take it as any kind of evidence that he's going to be the next Greg Maddux or something. We're also throwing our worst starter at you, so we will probably lose 5-3 or so. 

[Paelos]

We are a historically bad hitting team, your AAA dude will look like an ace I'm sure. Just don't take it as any kind of evidence that he's going to be the next Greg Maddux or something. We're also throwing our worst starter at you, so we will probably lose 5-3 or so. 

My own stats have you favored while Vegas has the Braves favored. The power line stats favor the Giants. I think it's a true tossup tbh. It's going to come down to who gets the first run most likely.

[Sjofn]

Well, half the Giants being dead or in a coma is not helping them today, that's for sure. Braves scored first, so game over? :P

[Paelos]

Well, half the Giants being dead or in a coma is not helping them today, that's for sure. Braves scored first, so game over? :P

Well your starter sprained his labia, so despite Cody Ross pimping, we do have a decent shot to win tied late.

It's a tossup to the last!

EDIT: then again I watched a game like this against the Pirates go 19 innings...

[Ingmar]

Well, half the Giants being dead or in a coma is not helping them today, that's for sure. Braves scored first, so game over? :P

Well your starter sprained his labia

Lawl?

[Sjofn]

I cannot decide if that was intentional or not. 


This game is going to make me throw up. I'm also afraid to find out who will get hurt tomorrow. Because you know someone will. With luck it'll be DeRosa tripping on the way to batting practice or something.