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Thread: The 2013 MLB open thread

  1. #1

    The 2013 MLB open thread

    Spring training begins today.

    I feel fairly optimistic about the Cards this year. Middle infield is an issue, and the bullpen always feels like a weakness, but the rotation should be strong; Molina is coming off a huge year; Craig and Freese are progressing. The Reds are good, but we'll be neck-and-neck into September.

  2. #2
    Stinking Cards. I'm still pissed you guys beat the Phillies a couple of years ago. I'm even more pissed that the Braves couldn't hold onto the wildcard spot.

  3. #3
    2 out of 3 from the defending champs over the weekend. We rested Holliday and Beltran, plus Freese is on the DL, and we hang 9 runs on Cain yesterday.

  4. #4
    I'm excited to see how many games the Braves can win this year while still striking out 15+ times.

  5. #5
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Free puig
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  6. #6
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Adding the Astros to the AL West is going to be the gift that keeps on giving.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by mpfunk View Post
    Adding the Astros to the AL West is going to be the gift that keeps on giving.
    "I really miss the Astros" - Cubs fans everywhere (myself included)

  8. #8
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UBlender View Post
    "I really miss the Astros" - Cubs fans everywhere (myself included)
    I'm sorry for your pain, but it is for the greater good.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  9. #9
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Fun with small sample sizes.

    A's are 6-2 with the best run differential in the major leagues. I do think this A's team is good and is going to be in the playoffs again.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by mpfunk View Post
    Fun with small sample sizes.

    A's are 6-2 with the best run differential in the major leagues. I do think this A's team is good and is going to be in the playoffs again.
    I was at the game last night. I still don't know how that lineup scored 9 runs off of major league pitching.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Scratch View Post
    I was at the game last night. I still don't know how that lineup scored 9 runs off of major league pitching.
    It's the grit and stick-to-it-iveness.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by UBlender View Post
    It's the grit and stick-to-it-iveness.
    I'm pretty sure Eric Sogard did my taxes this year.

  13. #13
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Scratch View Post
    I was at the game last night. I still don't know how that lineup scored 9 runs off of major league pitching.
    I don't quite understand it either, but the team can score runs.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by UBlender View Post
    It's the grit and stick-to-it-iveness.
    They're a collection of clutch hitters.

  15. #15
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    More fun with small sample sizes. A's have scored the most runs of any AL team. 96 runs scored with the next best at 74 runs scored.

    What has really helped is all those games with Houston. In 6 games against the Astros the A's have scored 45 runs. The Astros really are the gift that keeps on giving. Angels are also particularly good to the A's these days. In 3 games the A's have scored 28 runs against the Angels.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  16. #16
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    As a Tiger fan, I am here obligated to point out that the A's scored only 8 runs in 3 games vs Detroit.
    As someone who cannot abide anything with a tie to the Detroit Red Wings, I'm obligated to say that I hope the Tigers all rot in Hell. I'm not sure the A's are a good team despite their run differential and 13-4 record. Tigers are the only good team we have played and lost that series 1-2 and didn't produce offensively. A's aren't as good as it looks right now, but we still make the playoffs.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  17. #17
    ROCKTOBER! Get ready for it, people!

  18. #18
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    A's get absolutely screwed on this call. How in the hell do the umpires get this wrong on reply. No one can justify this call and the umpires know it. It is why Melvin got the hook so quickly.

    http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=330508105
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Just watched Sanchez go 8 1/3 innings of a no hitter before that dirtbag Mauer broke it up. I was all ready to gather my family around the computer to witness the celebration.
    I was at the game with my 5 year old and I thought of you. Too bad he couldn't have got it

    Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2
    "Be a philosopher. A man can compromise to gain a point. It has become apparent that a man can, within limits, follow his inclinations within the arms of the Church if he does so discreetly." - The Walking Drum

    "And here’s what life comes down to—not how many years you live, but how many of those years are filled with bullshit that doesn’t amount to anything to satisfy the requirements of some dickhead you’ll never get the pleasure of punching in the face." – Adam Carolla

  20. #20
    Cards draft Ute RHP Trey Nielsen in the 31st round. Hope to see him in the bigs in a few years!

  21. #21
    Senior Member Scorcho's Avatar
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    I am a long time San Francisco Giants fan. I’ve been following the Giants since the days of Will Clark, Robbie Thompson and Billie Swift. The last 3 years have been incredible, MVP’s, a couple of no-hitters, CY Young winners and WS Trophies.

    This year horrific, the wheels have completely fallen off. I wasn’t expecting a repeat of last year, but I expected the Giants at the very least challenge for a playoff spot and the N.L. West. Instead they are sitting at 10 games under .500. Two months ago they were 10 games over and in first place.

    Trade deadline is a week away, I don’t see how the Giants are not sellers.

    Sigh!!!

  22. #22
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    I'm assuming that for the 2nd year in a row that Mike Trout is the best player in MLB and he will once again not get the MVP. Cabrera was great last year, but Cabrera over Trout for MVP was inexcusably bad. At least this year it will only be bad and not inexcusably bad.

    If I'm voting

    AL MVP: Mike Troup
    NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen
    AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez
    NL Cy Young: Matt Harvey

    I don't care that 3 of the 4 are on bad teams, these are individual awards.
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  23. #23
    Quote Originally Posted by mpfunk View Post
    I'm assuming that for the 2nd year in a row that Mike Trout is the best player in MLB and he will once again not get the MVP. Cabrera was great last year, but Cabrera over Trout for MVP was inexcusably bad. At least this year it will only be bad and not inexcusably bad.

    If I'm voting

    AL MVP: Mike Troup
    NL MVP: Andrew McCutchen
    AL Cy Young: Felix Hernandez
    NL Cy Young: Matt Harvey

    I don't care that 3 of the 4 are on bad teams, these are individual awards.
    I agree with Sancho. I think Trout deserved it last year, but Miggy was reasonable. Frankly, and you know I'm a big numbers guy who thinks RBIs are meaningless and BA has to be taken with a grain of salt, it's impossible to say that it's completely unreasonable to give the MVP to someone who won the triple crown.

    As for this year, Miggy actually deserves the MVP over Trout. He is having the best offensive season since Bonds's heyday.

    As for your NL awards, Clayton Kershaw deserves the MVP at this point, although I agree there's room for debate there. Where there is no room for debate is in the Cy Young category, where it absolutely has to be Kershaw. You can reasonably argue that Harvey has been just about as effective as Kershaw, but the deciding factor has to be that Kershaw has done it for about 25 more innings than Harvey.

  24. #24
    Handsome Boy Graduate mpfunk's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Ridiculous statement. Experts among fans, media, players, and coaches debated this to no end a year ago without reaching a consensus. The truth is that it was basically a tie.

    It's probably too early to make these picks, as most of them are neck-and-neck races.
    It isn't a ridiculous statement. Trout's season was not just good, it was historically good. The Triple Crown includes one meaningless stat and one fatally flawed stat, getting that does not put Cabrera over Trout.

    Nate Silver says it much better than I could ever on this.
    http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes...or-m-v-p/?_r=0
    So I said to David Eckstein, "You promised me, Eckstein, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I noticed that during the most trying periods of my life, there have only been one set of prints in the sand. Why, when I have needed you most, have you not been there for me?" David Eckstein replied, "Because my little legs had gotten tired, and you were carrying me." And I looked down and saw that I was still carrying David Eckstein.
    --fjm.com

  25. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by mpfunk View Post
    It isn't a ridiculous statement. Trout's season was not just good, it was historically good. The Triple Crown includes one meaningless stat and one fatally flawed stat, getting that does not put Cabrera over Trout.

    Nate Silver says it much better than I could ever on this.
    http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes...or-m-v-p/?_r=0
    That article makes the case (which I agree with 100%) that Trout deserved the MVP. However, the article does not make the article that awarding the MVP to Cabrera was "inexcusably bad." To the contrary, the article essentially illustrates that while the MVP should have gone to Trout, that Cabrera had an outstanding season and that it requires some pretty in-depth analysis to establish just how deserving Trout was.

  26. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Hey, stats guys, does an RBI still count against Cabrera when he bats himself in to win the game in the 9th inning against a division rival?
    I'm not sure I understand your question. Did Cabrera hit a home run? How does an RBI count against a batter? What does a game against a division rival have to do with RBIs?
    Last edited by GarthUte; 08-17-2013 at 10:12 PM.
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  27. #27
    Malleus Cougarorum Solon's Avatar
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    As a Pirates & Red Sox fan, it's been a great summer so far for me (although I don't think either of these teams will get out of Rd1 of the playoffs, and I think St.Louis is going to catch the Pirates).

    That's why I'm a little bummed that this summer will always be remembered as the Summer of Biogenesis.

    The greatest PED user of all time, though is Roy Hobbs.
    That guy took so much crap that it ate through the lining of his stomach, through his flesh, and oozed out his skin, soaking his uniform with blood during a game.

    Cheating SOB.
    σοφῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἑλλὰς πάντα.
    -- Flavius Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 1.35.2.

  28. #28
    Malleus Cougarorum Solon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sancho View Post
    Scherzer drives in a run in his own support to get to 19-1.
    Good hell, Detroit is going to be tough in the postseason. They might have the two best pitchers in baseball, and the best hitter.

    Too bad about that Harvey kid who plays for the Mets.
    σοφῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἑλλὰς πάντα.
    -- Flavius Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 1.35.2.

  29. #29
    Sam the Sheepdog LA Ute's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Solon View Post
    Good hell, Detroit is going to be tough in the postseason. They might have the two best pitchers in baseball, and the best hitter.

    Too bad about that Harvey kid who plays for the Mets.
    A Dodgers-Tigers World Series would be almost as cool as a Dodgers-Red Sox Series.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

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  30. #30
    Malleus Cougarorum Solon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by LA Ute View Post
    A Dodgers-Tigers World Series would be almost as cool as a Dodgers-Red Sox Series.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2
    I"m going to make a bold and unsubstantiated prediction: the Dodgers are not going to get to the WS this year. I think they're still a year away. Plus, nobody is talking about St. Louis, Atlanta, or Pittsburgh - three dangerous teams (okay, okay, I admit it's funny to talk about Pittsburgh being "dangerous", but I've waited a lot of years) that could throw some weight around in the playoffs. It's hard to imagine a 95-win team playing the "nobody believed in us" card, but this might be the year it happens in the NL.

    Like Easterbrook on TMQ, remember: "all predictions wrong, or your money back."
    σοφῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἑλλὰς πάντα.
    -- Flavius Philostratus, Life of Apollonius 1.35.2.

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