2011 MLB Season Thread

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Hockey

OMG if the playoffs started today the teams that would make it in the AL are:

Baltimore
Kansas City
Texas
Toronto

I'm pretty sure lots can change from now until September, but imagine these teams in the playoffs. Im sure at the end of the year you can replace Baltimore and Toronto with Boston and New York and KC with Minnesota, who always finds a way to have a strong finish and make the playoffs only to lose to the Yankees.

Five games in; talk about play-offs.

[CofR]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

Five games in; talk about play-offs.

[bluejays]

As bad Boston has been, they always find a way to win. Remember the Yanks last year? Terrible start and finished crazy strong. I'm not concerned about the Sox, because they're more than adequate on paper. ARod this year is looking great, and him and Granderson are so far ahead of anyone on that team, that they gotta produce everygame to keep them in it. At the end of the day, their pitching is awful, and their lineup is pretty average. I'm guessing they don't make it. I don't think TB has it either, but they're loads better than the Yanks at this point.

[Hockey]

Originally Posted by Blaster86

Five games in; talk about play-offs.

I feel like a Leafs fan after the Leafs 4-0 start or a Flames fan after the perfect preseason.

[Flickered Flame]

Originally Posted by fleury

As bad Boston has been, they always find a way to win. Remember the Yanks last year? Terrible start and finished crazy strong. I'm not concerned about the Sox, because they're more than adequate on paper. ARod this year is looking great, and him and Granderson are so far ahead of anyone on that team, that they gotta produce everygame to keep them in it. At the end of the day, their pitching is awful, and their lineup is pretty average. I'm guessing they don't make it. I don't think TB has it either, but they're loads better than the Yanks at this point.

I don't know, I think at the end of the day its still going to be the Yankees and Red Sox battling it out for the AL East crown, the 2nd place team is still likely the wildcard team.

[CofR]

[CofR]

Redsox and Yankees open a 3 game series today. Probable pitchers are:

Phil Hughes (0-1) vs Jon Lackey (0-1)
Ivan Nova (1-0) vs Clay Bucholz (0-1)
CC Sabathia (0-0) vs Josh Beckett (0-1)

[flames_fan_down_under]

Lackey with a rough start, Saltalamacchia with a horrible throw to 2nd. Red Sox down early!

[CofR]

Both pitchers having a bit of trouble. Redsox up 4-3.

Edit: 5-3 now

[socalwingfan]

Methinks Phil Hughes is headed to the DL - that's 2 games in a row that he has absolutely nothing - I can't remember one swinging strike against him today - Yikes.

[Clever_Iggy]

Just heard on the Yankees Red Sox broadcast that Manny Rameriz is retiring effective immediately. Apparently MLB notified him regarding an "issue with its drug enforcement policy" and rather than going through the process again, he's going to retire.

Edit - ESPN link confirms:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6310125

[d_phaneuf]

would have been suspended 100 games, retirement looked good I am guessing

[Beerfest]

Just got the text from TSN.

There were rumours of him signing with Blue Jays in this past off-season..glad that didnt happen now.

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by Beerfest

Just got the text from TSN.

There were rumours of him signing with Blue Jays in this past off-season..glad that didnt happen now.

Why? If he signed in toronto for 2 million and then retired 2 weeks into season how does that hurt the team in anyway? I was really hoping for a come back from manny but I guess manny being manny he does thing his way. Now im stuck with johnny damon as the only dh

[Beerfest]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Why? If he signed in toronto for 2 million and then retired 2 weeks into season how does that hurt the team in anyway? I was really hoping for a come back from manny but I guess manny being manny he does thing his way. Now im stuck with johnny damon as the only dh

How doesnt it?
Having a player retire that you were hoping to help your team doesnt sound good to me.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by fundmark19

Why? If he signed in toronto for 2 million and then retired 2 weeks into season how does that hurt the team in anyway? I was really hoping for a come back from manny but I guess manny being manny he does thing his way. Now im stuck with johnny damon as the only dh

You answered your own question.

Expecting somebody to be in your lineup, then retire a week into the season means you are unable to prepare for that and get a replacement earlier.

[HPLovecraft]

Ramirez retiring because they discovered his drug use (again) and he doesn't want them prying any further into it is filthy. Filthy, filthy.

Originally Posted by ESPN

At his best, Ramirez was one of the game's great hitters . . .

This bothers me to no end. Where is the respect for integrity and honour? You should never be able to call a player one of a game's "greats" when their entire career is one big suspected cheat. One of the game's greatest cheaters, yes, not hitters. The way MLB fans and media types have become so apathetic to drug use bothers me.

[CofR]

Originally Posted by socalwingfan

Methinks Phil Hughes is headed to the DL - that's 2 games in a row that he has absolutely nothing - I can't remember one swinging strike against him today - Yikes.

Ya, he had a tough outing, but I thought that Colon was very good though.

I cannot stand Jon Lackey.

[troutman]

More Yankees on all FOX stations today, because they are dangerously under-covered.

[Saint Troy]

Originally Posted by troutman

More Yankees on all FOX stations today, because they are dangerously under-covered.

...and on top of that, Buck and McCarver, puke.