MLB: 2013 Season Thread

jack presley · 04-09-2013 06:56PM

Probably a stupid question but if a player pops a ball up in foul territory and the fielder fumbles and drops it (still in foul ground), is it still a foul ball or does the defensive player touching it negate that and make it live?

I think it is still foul but I often see hitters sprinting down the line even if the ball is well foul and about to be caught so I was wondering what the point of that was.

Thanks.

rockonollie · 04-09-2013 07:01PM

Still a foul ball, unless the ball was in fair territory when the player first touches it and knocks it into foul territory.

Some players will run out everything......force of habit, and the way they should be coached, you also never know what could happen (think back to the Swisher foul ball that rolled back fair while he was standing waiting in the batters box)

boccy23 · 04-09-2013 07:42PM

Watching my Dbacks against the Blue Jays the last couple of nights has got me thinking- what can we learn from trying to buy a team?

They have been a disaster based on pay roll. Is that the players? the manager? the resentment carrying over from Miami?

Does it show that while talent is needed, in baseball it is not the be all and end all. A team really is better than a collection of talent. Or is it just an anomaly this year. Everyone would have thought that division was eminently winnable at the beginning of the year with the Yanks and Sox zoning off bad years but the Jays have never been in it.

What are people's thoughts as to why?

jack presley · 04-09-2013 08:02PM

boccy23 wrote: »

Watching my Dbacks against the Blue Jays the last couple of nights has got me thinking- what can we learn from trying to buy a team?

They have been a disaster based on pay roll. Is that the players? the manager? the resentment carrying over from Miami?

Does it show that while talent is needed, in baseball it is not the be all and end all. A team really is better than a collection of talent. Or is it just an anomaly this year. Everyone would have thought that division was eminently winnable at the beginning of the year with the Yanks and Sox zoning off bad years but the Jays have never been in it.

What are people's thoughts as to why?

I reckon it's a combination of a lot of things but I wouldn't know enough to categorically say it was one over the other.

To be honest I haven't really followed the BJs too closely this season but they bought high on a lot of the players they did get. I am familiar with RA Dickey of course but to expect him to repeat his 2012 year was expecting way too much. 2012 was a freak year for him and I think it was fairly obvious he was going to come back down to his usual number again in 2013. And in hindsight the Mets seemed to have done the better out of that deal (d'Arnaud, Syndergaard and Buck).

I know we all laughed at the Marlins when they had the trade with Toronto but maybe they knew they what they were doing getting rid of Johnson and Buerle. I still love watching Reyes though, he's been good for Toronto and should continue to be going forward (as long as he stays healthy).

So it's all well and good spending a load of money and making big trades but if you're spending it on players who had 1 great year or players who flatter to deceive or are on the way down, you're going to struggle and you'll be burdened with a big payroll and a barren farm system for years to come.

On the other side of the spending argument, look at the Dodgers. Although they took a while to get going, their big spending over the past year or so seems to be working out for them.

Uncle_moe · 05-09-2013 07:44AM

Robinson Cano - big deal or not this off season?

Anyone else hoping their team (depending if they have the money of course) doesn't sign this guy up to a mega bucks long term contract?
I think he'll be 31 as a free agent and looking for a big contract but we've seen what happened to aging players who received big contracts, just look at the state of the Angels.
As a dodgers fans I'm praying they don't sign this guy up because they'll be looking to offload him in 2-3 years. Despite having they money it'd be nice if they kept a decent farm system going and try to produce the likes of Kemp (if he ever gets fit), Kershaw, and Either again. Loney looked good for a year or two as well.

jack presley · 05-09-2013 07:57AM

I reckon the A-Rod suspension might impact what they so with Cano. It's been well documented that the Yankees are going to get under the salary cap next season so if Rodriguez's suspension is upheld they'll have saved $25m, some of which could go to Cano. However they'll still have a few years of Rodriguez salary to pay once the suspension is served but with a bit of creative accounting and restructuring of other deals I'm sure they could manage it.

I know people were saying the Cardinals could never let Pujols and its kind of the same in NY. I know the Cards did let Pujols go but they are not the Yankees and New Yorkers heads would explode if the Yankees didn't sign their big free agents while they're still playing well

Uncle_moe · 05-09-2013 08:37AM

I hope they break the bank to keep him as I'd hate the dodgers to offer an astronomical Pujols type contract because I can't see the Yankees matching something like that.
I also kind of feel sorry for Josh Hamilton in the sense that still think he can be a productive player, just doesn't look like he fits in Anaheim. No doubt he still has power.

jack presley · 05-09-2013 08:59AM

There are some great races brewing as we head into the last few weeks.

1. A's and Rangers
2 The NL Central race
3 The AL wild card is getting good with the Rays and Orioles cooling off.

If the Nats could string a 8-2 like streak together they could get back into the WC race too. And if the Yankees take 3 out of 4 this weekend, the media are going to go crazy.

Really looking forward to seeing how it all plays out.

rockonollie · 07-09-2013 03:26PM

I think in the future we'll look back and refer to this week as "the run"......Reds take 3 of 4 from the Cardinals and open the series against the Dodgers with a win......they're certainly getting hot at the right time.....hoping it continues.

jack presley · 07-09-2013 04:10PM

rockonollie wrote: »

I think in the future we'll look back and refer to this week as "the run"......Reds take 3 of 4 from the Cardinals and open the series against the Dodgers with a win......they're certainly getting hot at the right time.....hoping it continues.

Yeah they've been good alright. Sorry for the next bit but I hope the three of them win/lose at the same rate and stay close until the end of the season. It'll make for great viewing.

rockonollie · 07-09-2013 04:53PM

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130907&content_id=59814252&vkey=news_cin&c_id=cin

Glad I was able to be there for this last night.....probably the greatest starting lineup ever to take the field.....haven't been together on a baseball field since they swept the Yankees in the 76 world series.....until lastnight.

Itssoeasy · 07-09-2013 11:47PM

It's pissing it down in Cleveland after 6.

jack presley · 08-09-2013 10:53AM

Itssoeasy wrote: »

It's pissing it down in Cleveland after 6.

Pity it wasn't pissing down in the bottom of the first. Might have spared John Niese getting shelled.

jack presley · 08-09-2013 08:35PM

Another 'blown save but get the win' performance from Mariano. The Yankees needed that although with the Rays and Orioles in freefall, losing 3 out of 4 to Boston this week wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Speaking of freefalls, have the Pirates decided that not having a losing season for the first time in 20 years is good enough for them and decided not to play any more?

rockonollie · 09-09-2013 01:20AM

jack presley wrote: »

Another 'blown save but get the win' performance from Mariano. The Yankees needed that although with the Rays and Orioles in freefall, losing 3 out of 4 to Boston this week wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Speaking of freefalls, have the Pirates decided that not having a losing season for the first time in 20 years is good enough for them and decided not to play any more?

It's a curse.....they finally are guaranteed not to have a losing season.....but need 1 more win the get a winning season......is a 20 game losing streak even possible

rockonollie · 09-09-2013 12:14PM

3 of 4 against the Cardinals, sweep the Dodgers......I'm going to call that a good week.

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman · 09-09-2013 11:00PM

rockonollie wrote: »

3 of 4 against the Cardinals, sweep the Dodgers......I'm going to call that a good week.

Yep as a Nats fan I was hoping you guys would drop 5 or 6 of those to give us a chance! But your guys have put it together when it counts! Fair play,.

rockonollie · 09-09-2013 11:22PM

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman wrote: »

Yep as a Nats fan I was hoping you guys would drop 5 or 6 of those to give us a chance! But your guys have put it together when it counts! Fair play,.

They still have a chance if the Pirates don't stop their nose-dive

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman · 10-09-2013 12:08AM

rockonollie wrote: »

They still have a chance if the Pirates don't stop their nose-dive

I hope your right, I had a little punt on them at 250/1 to win the world series a couple of weeks back. If they get to the playoffs I think they could be a dangerous team but I just cant see it right now. Just not consistant enough but alot of similarities to the Giants last year

mikemac1 · 10-09-2013 06:11AM

O's on a late surge for a wildcat spot, have won 4 out of 5

I remember last year the fans were stunned to even make the post season and crowds went to meet the team in the airport after they were eliminated

Fans seem more demanding this year and the lots of comments that Showalter can immediately improve teams but can never sustain it and he moves onto new coaching jobs pretty swiftly

I don't know if that's true or not though

Benimar · 10-09-2013 02:15PM

mikemac1 wrote: »

O's on a late surge for a wildcat spot, have won 4 out of 5

I remember last year the fans were stunned to even make the post season and crowds went to meet the team in the airport after they were eliminated

Fans seem more demanding this year and the lots of comments that Showalter can immediately improve teams but can never sustain it and he moves onto new coaching jobs pretty swiftly

I don't know if that's true or not though

His history seems to be of a big improvement in his 2nd full season with a team (last year for the O's) but then fails to push on.

Many would regard this seasons team as being better than last seasons, but the results won't be. That is a factor of their record in one run games, which was 29-9 last season. That was never going to continue and they have suffered some really bad losses recently that I fear has cost them a playoff spot.

jack presley · 10-09-2013 05:15PM

2014 preliminary schedules are out. Get planning those trips for next summer...!!!

Coeus · 10-09-2013 10:39PM

jack presley wrote: »

2014 preliminary schedules are out. Get planning those trips for next summer...!!!

Nice...I'm hoping to get across the pond for the first 2 weeks of April. I'd love to get an opening day game in somewhere

smackbunnybaby · 11-09-2013 08:38AM

Going to be in Chicago end of this month.
Trying to get one of the final 3 Cub's games against the Pirates in!
Great thing is, it looks like all 3 games will matter to the Pirates!
Go Cubbies!

8-10 · 12-09-2013 07:15AM

Jose Fernandez gets shut down for the rest of the year, and what a year.

1 run allowed and chalked up 2 hits including a belter of a HR last night. Kid is awesome.

NL Jackie Robinson Award?

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman · 12-09-2013 09:28AM

8-10 wrote: »

Jose Fernandez gets shut down for the rest of the year, and what a year.

1 run allowed and chalked up 2 hits including a belter of a HR last night. Kid is awesome.

NL Jackie Robinson Award?

He is the real deal, excellant stuff and only going to get better. Marlins , Astros and Cubs will be spoilers for teams the rest of the way. The nats are streaking and have to be sick that they were so poor for so long this season, if the playoffs started today I think the Nats would fancy their chances of going all the way the way they are playing.

Could happen .. maybe. Not so long ago they were 10 games + back on the wildcard. 6 now, probably too much and too few games left.

rockonollie · 12-09-2013 03:21PM

Coeus wrote: »

Nice...I'm hoping to get across the pond for the first 2 weeks of April. I'd love to get an opening day game in somewhere

Cincinnati is the home of opening day......city shuts down for the day.

Most likely will be Adam Wainright against Mat Latos too

8-10 · 12-09-2013 03:45PM

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman wrote: »

He is the real deal, excellant stuff and only going to get better. Marlins , Astros and Cubs will be spoilers for teams the rest of the way. The nats are streaking and have to be sick that they were so poor for so long this season, if the playoffs started today I think the Nats would fancy their chances of going all the way the way they are playing.

Could happen .. maybe. Not so long ago they were 10 games + back on the wildcard. 6 now, probably too much and too few games left.

Agreed, just too much to come back. Wildcards will be going to the 2 Central runners-up I reckon, same as it is right now. AL wildcard is much more open. I reckon it'll be A's and Rays.

The Reservoir Dubs Anchorman · 12-09-2013 04:05PM

8-10 wrote: »

Agreed, just too much to come back. Wildcards will be going to the 2 Central runners-up I reckon, same as it is right now. AL wildcard is much more open. I reckon it'll be A's and Rays.

A's win their division outright in my opinion and go on to win the World Series, Texas and Cleveland are my picks for the wildcard. Yankees, O's, Rays will beat each other out of it.

MoyVilla9 · 13-09-2013 03:45AM

Quietly enjoying the Yankees making a real push for the AL WC in September.

MLB: 2013 Season Thread

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