Are There Any BASEBALL Fans On The Forum?

[Mumbleypeg]

Some sanity emerged today regarding this, in an MLB news release. Summarizing, it said the Astros, Rangers, and MLB reviewed various options and mutually agreed on Tampa. The Rays volunteered their stadium for the Astros use, as did others (un-named, but St. Louis was mentioned also). The Rangers also volunteered the use of their stadium.

Quote from Reid Ryan on MLB site

We started looking at whatever options were out there - St. Louis, Tampa. The Rangers offered to host us this week, but not switch games with us......... We really looked at what is in the best interest of the integrity of the schedule. They (the Rangers) didn't want to end up the season playing a 12-game road trip. We just feel like in the interest of our players, that if we lose both the Rangers and Mets series at home, going to one location with a roof and knowing we're going to get the games in was a better situation for us.

My take - there was no guarantee the storm won't move north into the Dallas area, or even St. Louis, neither of which are domed stadiums. The domed stadium in Tampa is a better bet to get the games played. The Lastros Spring Training complex is in West Palm Beach, so they have at least some fan base in Florida to draw from.

Ken

[CheckSix]

It would be heartwarming if a whole bunch of people in Tampa went to these 3 games with the Rangers, to support the Astros.

Someone down there in Tampa needs to get on radio and TV and make a plea to the public to get their arses in there to see all 3 games.

[steve99f]

The Phils have an old fashioned one ticket double header today with the Bravos due to last nights rain out. Have a great day for it.

[Mumbleypeg]

The Phils have an old fashioned one ticket double header today with the Bravos due to last nights rain out. Have a great day for it.

A great throwback blast from the past. I remember when these were commonplace. The player's Union, pitchers that can't pitch more than 6 innings, and owner greed have combined to just about end this "two for the price of one" fan bargain. As Mr. Cub said "Let's play two!"

Ken

[jerryd6818]

Makes me wish I could afford MLB. I's like to see that game. Games at Tropicana Field tend to hold my interest.

Are the Astros and/or the Rangers targeting any of the proceeds from this series towards flood relief for the citizens of south Texas?

[Mumbleypeg]

Makes me wish I could afford MLB. I's like to see that game. Games at Tropicana Field tend to hold my interest.

Are the Astros and/or the Rangers targeting any of the proceeds from this series towards flood relief for the citizens of south Texas?

All teams involved (Rays, Rangers, and Astros) are donating all proceeds to disaster relief.

Ken

[jerryd6818]

Good on them.

[Mumbleypeg]

I watched the game last night on television - there were a LOT of empty seats. Box score today says attendance was 3,485. In post game interview one of the players said the attendance reminded him of minor league games.

As I said previously, Tampa Bay is known for poor attendance. Combine that with short notice, week night game, and that's what I was concerned would happen. But had hoped for better.

Ken

[steve99f]

RA Dickey the flutterballer killed us in the first game. The second game is going better at a 1-1 tie, bottom of the third. Phils are doing weird things with their defense. Our shortstop is centerfield for this game. Don't know why.

[Mumbleypeg]

Our shortstop is centerfield for this game. Don't know why.

Oh, put me in coach, I'm ready to play
Put me in coach, I'm ready to play, today
Look at me, I can be centerfield.
- John Fogerty

That pretty much explains it Steve!

Ken

[steve99f]

I like it Ken. Good song too.

Seems to be Galvis' attitude, whatever it takes, I'll do what the team needs. That's from the Coach. He said he wanted to this other guy Floriman at SS, see how he did. More of that coming on Sept 1.

Oh yeah, they lost both ends of the DH. Teheran looked sharp today have to say.

[gsmith7158]

Well I guess I should chime in here and congratulate the Braves on winning the double header today but with what's looming ahead I don't want to get too giddy. 4 with the Cubs then 3 with the Rangers.

[jerryd6818]

Cubs and Pirates is going very well for the Cubs so far. 13-3 in the 6th. I'm not crazy about these blow-out games. It seems they are harbingers of bad things to come (next day loss).

Edit: Schwarber hit his 2nd round-tripper of the game in the 7th, making it 15-3. There's just something about these high scoring games that takes the shine off of those kinds of accomplishments. (for me anyway)

Baez stole home early in the game (or was that last night? I can't remember.). He's the first MLB player in quite some time to hit an in the park home run and steal home in the same season.

[Mumbleypeg]

Well I guess I should chime in here and congratulate the Braves on winning the double header today but with what's looming ahead I don't want to get too giddy. 4 with the Cubs then 3 with the Rangers.

I wouldn't worry too much about the Rangers Greg. This year they have a propensity to play down to the level of the competition. Recently they swept the Lastros, took 3 of 4 from the Angels, then got swept by Oakland (owners of the 2nd worst record in the AL). Now they've won 2 in a row from Houston.

If trends hold the Braves will beat them like a drum.

Ken

[Tsar Bomba]

But probably more strange is that the Rays annually are at or near the worst attendance in MLB, even when they field a contender.

Florida is terrible at baseball. And sportsfanning in general. With the possible exception of the Dolphins, there is just zero love for home teams in any major sport here, unless there is a serious contender (and only for that period of time) -- and in Tampa's case, usually not even then.

I've often worried about losing my only outlet for semi-regular live Mets baseball -- having an NL East team nearby -- because Marlins fans got a ridiculously nice (if sterile) new stadium yet still refuse to fill it. This Jeter thing only seems like delaying the inevitable, though I hope I'm wrong -- I have no interest in driving to Atlanta to watch my Amazins play. Even Tampa might be a bridge too far for interleague baseball (the DH is an abomination, I don't care how much more offense it generates).

Guess that's my rant over too.

[steve99f]

Plus 1 on the DH being an abomination.

And I don't like batting gloves either. Pine tar used to be good enough. All I see out of it is the incessant fiddling with the damn things at the plate.

There, I feel better now.

[jerryd6818]

Plus 1 on the DH being an abomination.

Plus 783 on that issue. Baseball is a simple game where you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball. Pitchers in the American League aren't doing their job completely. Bunch of coddled, powder puff baby, namby pambies. Actually, I think pitchers in the National League should take a little (or a lot as the case warrants) more batting practice. The iconic Babe Ruth is remembered more for his hitting than he is for his pitching.

Rant suspended pending rebuttles.

[CheckSix]

One of my favorite Top 5 things in MLB, is when a pitcher gets a key hit or HR during a game and helps his own cause. I forget what game it was last year during the season but Jon Lester for the Cubs laid down a perfect bunt and I was just thrilled that he executed it so well. Better than the normal "batters" could do.

I found it! This was freaking awesome!! It was against the Mariners last year. In the 12th, Lester lays down the perfect bunt and J-Hey scores for the walk-off win.
Here it is....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abx7Ua8UnNU

[Mumbleypeg]

Y'all are reminding me of the days when the great Bob Gibson often pinch hit, pinch ran, and even on occasion played in the field. His lifetime batting average despite very little BP was .206. If you pay any attention to modern statistics, his lifetime WAR as a hitter hitter was 8.0 (as a pitcher it was 89!). If he hadn't been one of the premier pitchers ever, he could easily have been a position player.

I'm no fan of the DH either. But it's only a matter of time before the DH will be universal. Follow the money.

Ken

[jerryd6818]

One of my favorite mantras Ken, "It's all about the money". Splain to me why the DH is related to money. I'm not real bright and often 'don't get it'.

[steve99f]

MLB has us by the short ones.

I'm sure many AL fans hated the DH when it was rolled out. But as a fan, what choice is left, switch to a NL team? Not too likely. Could be done in NY, Chicago or LA but that's it.

If it happens as Ken predicts, we'll be in the same boat as fans of NL teams, no choice but to stay tuned or tune out.

[Mumbleypeg]

One of my favorite mantras Ken, "It's all about the money". Splain to me why the DH is related to money. I'm not real bright and often 'don't get it'.

The players union wants it because it adds a starting position. And employment for older guys, that can still hit but no longer play their positions as well, to keep making big bucks. See Carlos Beltran, Albert Pujols, etc for examples. Without the DH many players would be either unemployed or religated to occassional pinch hitter duty (at a significantly reduced salary). Also gives a starting position to younger players who can hit and run but aren't good gloves/arms. The Rangers' Delino DeShields.

The owners like it because it reduces chances of pitchers, who represent some of their biggest investments, getting hurt while batting and running the bases. They don't want their $15M pitcher pulling a hamstring or tearing a ligament while running or sliding, or getting hit while batting.

Ken

[Mumbleypeg]

Interesting game today so far at Tropicana Field. Cowboy Joe ejected Lastros manager Hinch in 2nd inning for questioning batters interference call at home plate. The call was made by the home plate ump. Cowboy Joe is the 2nd base ump.

Then later with the score tied at 1, the Rangers' Joey Gallo hit a moonshot to right field that should have been his 37th home run this year. Based on exit velocity and launch angle, Statcast protection was it would've traveled 405 feet. But it hit a catwalk near the roof and ricocheted straight down, landing in front of the right fielder, for a double. My understanding of the ground rules there is, if the fielder had caught it, it would have been an out! Fortunately the Lastro right fielder had run back toward the wall so was in no position to catch the ball.

Lastros later pushed across a run and now lead 2-1, bottom of the 7th.

Ken

[RalphAlsip]

Y'all are reminding me of the days when the great Bob Gibson often pinch hit, pinch ran, and even on occasion played in the field. His lifetime batting average despite very little BP was .206. If you pay any attention to modern statistics, his lifetime WAR as a hitter hitter was 8.0 (as a pitcher it was 89!). If he hadn't been one of the premier pitchers ever, he could easily have been a position player.
Ken

Bob Gibson's 1968 season was amazing:
34 Games Started
28 Complete Games - you'll never see this again
13 Complete Game shutouts
1.12 ERA
0.85 WHIP
.184 batting average against

At the All-Star games, Bob would not fraternize with the players from the other NL teams. When asked why, Bob said that he didn't want to "go soft" on somebody in case the time came when he needed to drill them with a fastball.

As a young boy in the late 1960's I went on a grade school trip to the St. Louis zoo. In the reptile house there were several glass cased exhibits holding dangerous venomous snakes. There was a note affixed to the glass that said something like "this glass has been tested against a Bob Gibson fastball and it didn't break". That's all a young boy needed to see to stick his nose right on the glass and look at the snakes.

[Mumbleypeg]

I went to the Astrodome in 1968 to see Gibson pitch. He did not disappoint. He threw a 3-hit complete game shutout against Houston that night. As I recall he went on to throw 5 consecutive complete game shutouts after that. Our seats were behind home plate in the second level, and I remember commenting at the time his fastball looked like a BB!

Ken