Major League Baseball

[rpfc 28,543]

Just caught up with this.

Nelson Cruz just lost a World Series.

Unbelievable.

[Macca 17,013]

Just watched the replay - again ! That was one hell of a game - Has to go down in folklore . Especially if the Cardinals go on to win the whole thing !

8 hours to game 7 ! Can't wait - C'mon Carpenter - " Do the Business !" ( even though I'm a Redsox fan ! )

Edited October 29, 2011 by Nuggets

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Amazing.

Damn Phillies lose to the World series champs two years in a row...

Well done STL...

Grr.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

2011 was a great year for baseball. Probably the best "World" series I've seen.

Living in Toronto, I'm a HUGE Blue Jays fan. Optimistically looking forward to this season; the Jays have a list quite similar to that of the Dees in that there are many young players with all the talent required to have success. They just need to put it together.

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Spring training for the 2012 season is underway with the best performed teams so far being the Detroit Tigers, LA Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. Does anybody have any early season picks as to who's going to be the World Series Champion this year?

The recent addition of 2 extra playoff spots will make things more interesting and hopefully make the playoffs more attainable for teams with payrolls of under $100 milion.

[Macca 17,013]

Spring training for the 2012 season is underway with the best performed teams so far being the Detroit Tigers, LA Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox. Does anybody have any early season picks as to who's going to be the World Series Champion this year?

The recent addition of 2 extra playoff spots will make things more interesting and hopefully make the playoffs more attainable for teams with payrolls of under $100 milion.

I follow the Boston Red Sox 'GTG' so I'm hoping we do well this year . Fell away dramatically last year . Too much chicken and beer apparently !

Philly , the Yankees and maybe St Louis should be up there again . Payrolls play a big part but not always . I know a couple of Red Sox fans who try to watch every one of their 162 games . That's keen !

Cheers

Edit - I see you are a Blue Jay's fan there 'GTG' . We're rivals ! No , not really , I'm not that keen !

Must be great to be able to see the games live . Same with the Hockey yeah ? I've got a cousin living in Vancouver so I follow the Canucks . Again , not with any great passion .

Edited March 13, 2012 by Macca

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

I follow the Boston Red Sox 'GTG' so I'm hoping we do well this year . Fell away dramatically last year . Too much chicken and beer apparently !

Philly , the Yankees and maybe St Louis should be up there again . Payrolls play a big part but not always . I know a couple of Red Sox fans who try to watch every one of their 162 games . That's keen !

Cheers

Edit - I see you are a Blue Jay's fan there 'GTG' . We're rivals ! No , not really , I'm not that keen !

Must be great to be able to see the games live . Same with the Hockey yeah ? I've got a cousin living in Vancouver so I follow the Canucks . Again , not with any great passion .

The Jays are great to see live, but in my time following them the city's interest has usually dwindled around July when they're too far outside a playoff spot. There are too many games in the season, in my opinion, to expect fans to maintain a keen level of interest throughout. That's why I love footy...each week you're looking forward to a game and the lead-up is always an event in itself.

I'm hoping this year is different for the Jays as there are lots of young prospects starting to come around.

Hockey is great to see live--if you can get a ticket. In Toronto the tickets will be sold out for the entire season within an hour of them going on sale. I've only managed to get to 2 of 41 home games this year (although that's not necessarily a bad thing considering the Maple Leafs' abysmal record). Vancouver would be a much better team to follow I think, although they are notorious for choking. That might be even worse than following a team that you expect to lose.

[Macca 17,013]

The Jays are great to see live, but in my time following them the city's interest has usually dwindled around July when they're too far outside a playoff spot. There are too many games in the season, in my opinion, to expect fans to maintain a keen level of interest throughout. That's why I love footy...each week you're looking forward to a game and the lead-up is always an event in itself.

I'm hoping this year is different for the Jays as there are lots of young prospects starting to come around.

Hockey is great to see live--if you can get a ticket. In Toronto the tickets will be sold out for the entire season within an hour of them going on sale. I've only managed to get to 2 of 41 home games this year (although that's not necessarily a bad thing considering the Maple Leafs' abysmal record). Vancouver would be a much better team to follow I think, although they are notorious for choking. That might be even worse than following a team that you expect to lose.

If memory serves me correct , Toronto won the World Series 10 years ago or thereabouts ? Fair effort considering that division .

MLB is a big pastime but the fans can take it very seriously hey . You've probably caught that ESPN doco involving the Cubs fan Steve Bartman . Scary stuff .

Cheers

Edited March 14, 2012 by Macca

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

If memory serves me correct , Toronto won the World Series 10 years ago or thereabouts ? Fair effort considering that division .

MLB is a big pastime but the fans can take it very seriously hey . You've probably caught that ESPN doco involving the Cubs fan Steve Bartman . Scary stuff .

Cheers

They did win back to back, but it's nearing 20 years ago now (92 and 93). Unfortunately I was too young too follow it then, and not living in Toronto until a few years later. It's the last time a major Toronto team has won a championship though, and the Jays look like the only one out of the big 3 (Raptors-NBA, Maple Leafs- NHL) that could do it any time soon.

It's taken especially seriously in the States with the Boston/Yankees rivalry probably being the biggest. I've only seen snippets of that documentary, but I do know the story behind it. Whenever I get down on the Demons, I just try to think- hey, it could be worse. The Cubs haven't won in 103 years and counting!

[Macca 17,013]

They did win back to back, but it's nearing 20 years ago now (92 and 93). Unfortunately I was too young too follow it then, and not living in Toronto until a few years later. It's the last time a major Toronto team has won a championship though, and the Jays look like the only one out of the big 3 (Raptors-NBA, Maple Leafs- NHL) that could do it any time soon.

It's taken especially seriously in the States with the Boston/Yankees rivalry probably being the biggest. I've only seen snippets of that documentary, but I do know the story behind it. Whenever I get down on the Demons, I just try to think- hey, it could be worse. The Cubs haven't won in 103 years and counting!

I never used to be able to watch a regular season game . Based on the 1 game out of 162 - what does it matter ? But ................now that I know more about the rivalry's and divisional match-ups I can . And , of course they're mostly 3 game series . Seems there is always something to play for .

Those Red Sox / Yankees games are beauties . And they play each other a lot . 18 times !

Cheers

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

The Blue Jays turned their first triple play in 33 years last night against the KC Royals. The first I've ever seen; pretty exciting stuff.

[45HG 1,557]

Phil Humber with a perfect game!

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Phil Humber with a perfect game!

Amazing! A 30 year old with a record of 11-10 prior to today, and owned in less than 2% of all fantasy leagues. Can't imagine anyone would ever have picked him to do that!

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Amazing. Love the amount of perfect games and no-nos we've seen in recent years.

Phillies off to a very shabby start. under .500 and bottoming their division.

[QueenC 74]

Phillies off to a very shabby start. under .500 and bottoming their division.

You'd have to think that their class will come through in due course......

My guys are middle of their division, above .500, after winning two on the road out of three in Oakland.

The A's are doing OK and winning is winning. And when it comes to the Tribe, anywhere, anytime is great!!!

Looking forward to getting Sizemore back soon too !!!

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Yeah, I dunno... SOOO many injuries... Long season though, and as of yesterday we were only a couple of games off the division lead. Amazing 15-13 games against the Braves though, with Haladay pitching no less!

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Yeah, I dunno... SOOO many injuries... Long season though, and as of yesterday we were only a couple of games off the division lead. Amazing 15-13 games against the Braves though, with Haladay pitching no less!

Ahhh how I miss seeing Halladay pitching in Toronto.

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

Cheeky.

Phillies awful...

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Toronto's Brett Lawrie has been suspended for 4 games for losing it after 2 very questionable called strikes. He threw his helmet at the ground and it bounced up and hit the umpire. Did anyone else see the incident? What do you think?

[Dappa Dan 2,188]

How do you find it?

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

How do you find it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csnXwp7iJEY

Lawrie claims that he didn't intend to hit the umpire with his helmet. I think that being a professional athlete who throws things for a living, it is hard to believe that he accidentally hit the umpire who was less than 5 feet away.

[Macca 17,013]

Those Red Sox of mine are starting to come good hey 'GTG' . Another win today against your blokes for a 3-0 sweep ! The 'steel' grey mixed in with Boston's red and blue looks quite impressive . Did our Demons ever have grey instead of white ? I seem to recall that we did .

And Philadelphia are getting back into it , Dappa . That East division is a bunfight . Washington and Atlanta have come back to the field . In fact , both the East divisions in either League are tightening up .

Edited June 3, 2012 by Macca

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

Those Red Sox of mine are starting to come good hey 'GTG' . Another win today against your blokes for a 3-0 sweep ! The 'steel' grey mixed in with Boston's red and blue looks quite impressive . Did our Demons ever have grey instead of white ? I seem to recall that we did .

And Philadelphia are getting back into it , Dappa . That East division is a bunfight . Washington and Atlanta have come back to the field . In fact , both the East divisions in either League are tightening up .

It was only a matter of time before they came good, Macca. It was nice (if only for a brief period) seeing the AL East with Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto occupying the top 3 spots and the Yankees and Red Sox on the bottom. The AL's wildcard spots will be very interesting this season, with several teams looking like they'll be making a serious push.

I can't remember ever seeing the Dees with grey, but I agree that it does look better than the white.

What do you think of the Baltimore logo? I think it's just about the worst logo going around in pro-sports.

[Macca 17,013]

It was only a matter of time before they came good, Macca. It was nice (if only for a brief period) seeing the AL East with Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto occupying the top 3 spots and the Yankees and Red Sox on the bottom. The AL's wildcard spots will be very interesting this season, with several teams looking like they'll be making a serious push.

I can't remember ever seeing the Dees with grey, but I agree that it does look better than the white.

What do you think of the Baltimore logo? I think it's just about the worst logo going around in pro-sports.

That logo is not good . Whooda Thunkit .

That East division is still wide open . The Red Sox have their issues - pitching is better now but I'm not convinced . Tampa Bay do very well considering their payroll . Toronto's payroll ?

Edited June 5, 2012 by Macca

[Good Times Grimes 2,396]

That logo is not good . Whooda Thunkit .

That East division is still wide open . The Red Sox have their issues - pitching is better now but I'm not convinced . Tampa Bay do very well considering their payroll . Toronto's payroll ?

Toronto's is about $75.5m this season, with $14m of that going to Bautista. It benefits from having many young stars who are not being paid too highly (Lawrie and Arencibia are both on less than $500k). It amazes me that the Yankees pay almost 200% more than the Blue Jays, yet they are still relatively even in the standings. If you've seen the movie Moneyball, it's a great insight in to how the poorer teams need to manage their rosters in order to compete with the big markets of New York, LA, Philadelphia and Boston.

Here's my source, which is pretty interesting if you want to compare team salaries: http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/baseball/mlb/salaries/team