MLB: 2012 Season Thread

Coeus wrote: »

Its win or go home for the bay area teams tonight!

Great win for Oakland. Super catch by Coco Crisp to rob Fielder of a HR.
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?topic_id=38304104&content_id=25368881


I don't know how SF got through with a win last night but I'm glad they did. The offense needs to wake up was shocking last night again.

Raul Ibanez and Coco Crisp the heros.

Oakland's win upsets what was shaping up for Detroit's pitching in game 1 of the division series. Verlander pitching game 5.

Reds and Giants starting on ESPN America now.
Some serious relief pitching by Tim Linchicum yesterday, back to something resembling what he can do.

MoyVilla9 wrote: »

People questioned how good CC is anymore, and with good reason but hasn't he answered all them questions in the Post Season. He did great. Fitting that he got to throw to first base for the last out. First career complete game too.

Great season from Baltimore, surprised everyone and really could have knocked the Yankees out.

Lets see will the Yankees bats come to life against the Tigers. What a big decision benching A-Rod was for Girardi. Granderson was shocking through the series, as was Swisher. Granderson hit a Home Run tonight so he makes up for it a bit, while Swisher was still brutal.

I'm a Yankee fan but my money is on the Tigers. The Yankees are a Home Run team, you're not going to hit many Home Run's off Verlander. I just cannot see a team where half the lineup is struggling to hit get past anyone at this stage of the season.

I think it was the wrong decision to drop A-Rod tbh. What exactly has Chavez done to deserve a spot at 3b ahead of him? Not one hit himself this series and he's an inferior fielder. Much wiser to keep faith in A-Rod as if he was to hit form then he will be huge, Chavez is average at his best. A-Rod's confidence must be shattered now and Girardi has only got away with his decision for now.

Cano's form in the series was most worrying I think, he's been the star lately and really struggled. He'll have to pick it up if the Yankees want to get past Detroit.

I still give the very slight edge to the Yankees. Yes they've some poor performers atm (Swisher has been just dreadful especially) but they have more firepower and more experience. Yes Verlander is pitching unreal right now but CC is pitching just as well. Bit of a toss up this series but I think the Yankees have the more clutch performers.

How good has Jeter been this year btw? Just amazing and no sign of stopping. Mr. October.

MoyVilla9 wrote: »

The way I see it is that it's not what Chavez has done, but more about what A-Rod has not done. He was 0-11 versus Right Handers with 9 strikeouts. That's a liability. If Chavez can at least hit into a Ground Out he might move a runner up. It's true that he is an average player but does an average player not get the nod ahead of a player who is playing that poorly?
It's a hard decision to make. I would probably have him in the team for his fielding ability, but have him down in the Line-Up.

Swisher is a bigger problem if you ask me. He is nearly an automatic out. Now he deserves to be benched. Ichiro can play Right Field, and play Ibanez or Gardner in Left.

Nunez has been left off the roster and replaced by Eppley. Not sure what to make off that, he is a good option for DH.

Jeter is amazing. Don't write off 4,000 hits.

Yeah, having him bat 3rd the other night was crazy. I'd have him down the lineup too.

Swisher has been horrible, his stats with runners in scoring position is horrendously bad. He is a good fielder though but I think he's running out of time now, if he doesn't deliver tonight or at the latest tomorrow he'll be dropped.

Can't wait for tonight now. Best of 7 series. Real baseball.

Let's go Yankees!

MoyVilla9 wrote: »

A-Rod batting 6th tonight, the right decision.

Kuroda will pitch tomorrow on three day rest for the first time in his career on three day rest. Hughes in against Verlander on Game 3. CC in Game 4.

Prediction:
Pettitte win (1-0)
Kuroda loss (1-1)
Hughes loss (1-2)
CC win (2-2)

After 4 games I reckon it will be tied. Anything can happen then.

Game 3 looks grim.

Emotions just after that loss?

What a ****ing wasted opportunity.

Nick Swisher is done. I don't care if he goes 5/5 tomorrow, he will not produce when needed. We'll win tomorrow because Sanchez can't pitch vs the Yankees.

Cano? Disgusting at bats, looks lost, needs a kick up his arse.

Girardi? No balls. Either pick A-Rod or Chavez and stick with them. Stop being gutless and pick a side. Doing neither any good dropping both.

Game 2 and game 4 are effectively elimination games now. Some of these guys SHOULD be playing for their Yankees careers now. (Their big contracts really)

Jeter out for the season. Depressing night

kmart6 wrote: »

Wow crazy result in the end!

Sick of all the crap on A-Rod when Swish, Cano and Granderson aren't doing much better! Lose tomorrow and it's season over!

Absolutely mate, all as bad as each other. They all need to grow a pair of balls and do it for their captain now.

Win game 2 boys.

Sanchez has a career ERA of over 7 vs the NYY.

No excuses today. Hit him around the park and pick up the win.

Yankees season is effectively over now. One of the worst calls I've ever seen.

Horrific batting from the Yankees again, should be absolutely slated by the press.

Girardi hasn't got a clue either, dipping in and out of his pen and picking the worst players out of it like it's a spring training game.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/alex-rodriguez-flirting-yankees-tigers-game-1_n_1970190.html?utm_hp_ref=sports

Although it initially seemed hard to believe that Alex Rodriguez wasn't furious over being pulled from the Yankees' lineup in several key situations recently, a report from the New York Post suggests that he has been having fun even when stuck in the dugout.

According to the Post, A-Rod started flirting with two blonde women near the dugout after being replaced eighth inning in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers. The report quotes anonymous witnesses saying that the struggling 37-year-old exchanged notes written on a baseball and may have even gotten a phone number.

Having heard loud boos after striking out in the sixth inning, perhaps A-Rod was attempting to win back the crowd one fan at a time.

CLICK HERE for more from the New York Post.

After going hitless in three at-bats and stranding several runners, Yankees manager Joe Girardi pulled A-Rod for Eric Chavez in the eighth. With A-Rod watching (or not) from the dugout, it was a player who had previously replaced him in a clutch spot, Raul Ibanez, who came through for the Yankees with a two-run home run to tie the game in the ninth. The Yankees would ultimately lose 6-4 in extra innings and also lose captain Derek Jeter to a broken ankle.

David Brown of Yahoo's Big League Stew believes that the flirting report should be the "final-final-final straw for 2012," arguing that Girardi should sit A-Rod for good.

If A-Rod did in fact flirt with a couple fans, he might already be in trouble off the field with the woman he is currently dating, former professional wrestler Torrie Wilson.

Of course, Wilson might not have much to worry about. Several fans on Twitter have suggested that A-Rod's cold spell at the plate might not bode well for his pick-up attempts.

Swisher and A-Rod dropped. Nunez in at SS.

Delighted to see Swisher benched.

Coeus wrote: »

As bad as A-Rod has been of late, Im surprised to see him benched tonight as he has hit against Verlander this season and Hughes needs all he help he can get. Punishment for flirting on the job or the Yankees throwing in the towel...

I agree, doesn't make any sense to keep switching them. I'd have kept A-Rod in. Can't help either player the way Girardi is managing the situation.