Official Baseball Thread, Dude, we went FISHING. In CABO. Options

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

The Brewers play the Giants today.

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

Corey Hart is going to miss 3-4 weeks because he needs knee surgery.

[SpamGoddess]

Hopefully the Braves are just getting everything awful out of the way so we'll go undefeated when it counts.

[Steven]

Yankees have won their first 2 spring training games.

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

This.

Phoenix - By now, you've probably heard just about every argument for and against the expanded-playoff format baseball finally rolled out late last week.

Generally, I have no complaint on grounds of traditionalism. The game has warped that frame from so many angles, and usually with positive results, that I'm almost to the point that if Bud Selig wanted to rearrange both leagues by geography and play a reduced, balanced schedule, that would be OK by me.

But since we live in a world so real that even our games are subject to practicality, the question here is how the new system might impact the local nine.

Put the Brewers down as skeptical.

"I'm open-minded on change," general manager Doug Melvin said. "I think it's good to see what an extra team (in each league) can do. I'm willing to give it a shot, but I'm not sold on it."

As the roster builder of a successful franchise that plays by the revenue-sharing rules and proudly waves the small-market flag, Melvin questions whether true democracy was part of baseball's motive for inviting 10 teams to its postseason.

"To think that you're giving small markets a better chance for the playoffs, I think that's false hope," Melvin said.

"You can do all the scenarios you want. I just want to know the reason. Is the reason to give more teams a reason to think they have a chance? Is it TV? Are they trying to get the Yankees and the Red Sox in the playoffs every year?"

Let's just say if you fight the uphill battle on baseball's uneven playing field and occasionally win, you've earned the right to be suspicious of one-and-done for the first round.

"What if a team hasn't been to the playoffs in 25 years and they get a one-game playoff and lose? They don't even get a home game," Melvin said. "You'd like to at least have a home game to thank your fans for coming out for 25 years. That's why I'm saying a two-out-of-three would be nice to have."

Ah, but what about dragging out a season that is already too long?

This is where I'm really on board with Melvin.

"I have no idea why we can't go to 158 or 160 games and play a two-out-of-three series," Melvin said. "I think we're being shortsighted by saying dropping two regular-season games would make that much difference in revenue when one extra playoff series might create some TV money."

A number of casual fans probably like the idea of the drama created by one-and-done in the first round. That's entertainment, and it sells in an age of short attention spans. The concept has made the NFL and the NCAA richer than oil sheiks. But I'm not so sure the format fits baseball.

Melvin had the same debate the other day with a big-market baseball writer.

"I told him we had a great five-game series with Arizona last year," he said. "He said, 'Nobody watched it until the fifth game.' Then I said, 'Why don't we have every series one game and out? Let's have the World Series and play just one game.' "

Facetiously, Melvin had a point. While many would agree that the expanded format finally gives an advantage to the division winner, a shorter regular season and two-of-three in the first round would benefit a division winner more by giving it extra time to set its pitching rotation.

Meanwhile, it's now possible to have the second-best record in baseball and play only one home playoff game. It's now possible for a third-place team to win the World Series.

Yes, all of that is quite egalitarian in principle. And if the goal is to add more excitement to a game that is trying to reach a younger audience, baseball has knocked it out of the park with the new format.

But remember The Most Exciting Day In The History Of Baseball last year? When the Red Sox and Braves took it to the eleventh hour on the final day of the regular season? That couldn't happen now, because Boston would already be in the playoffs.

"We still have exciting finishes," Melvin said. "They can happen with your regular schedule. But you're going to do it with a playoff? That's not a playoff. It's a game-off."

[carriefanforever]

I'M SO NERVOUS TO INTERVIEW PRINCE. I can't even think about it without freaking out. Oh and since I'm a media member and my uncle is considered a photographer, only I have access to inside the clubhouse. So I'm going to have to go in there and find Prince and bring him out to interview. Ahh!

Someone tell me to breathe.

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

I'M SO NERVOUS TO INTERVIEW PRINCE. I can't even think about it without freaking out. Oh and since I'm a media member and my uncle is considered a photographer, only I have access to inside the clubhouse. So I'm going to have to go in there and find Prince and bring him out to interview. Ahh!

Someone tell me to breathe.

Breathe. When are you interviewing him?

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

I just can't not laugh at this. Last year he strained his oblique by slipping on wet grass. This year? Wearing cleats to Braun's press conference.

Hart said he might have tweaked knee wearing cleats on sidewalk while hurrying to Braun press conference.

[LuvGrowsWhereMorganGoes]

Too lazy to post details but here are fanfest pictures!

Marlins/UM game tomorrow night
27 days til the Yankees/Marlins game

FINALLY HANLEYYYYY

[LuvGrowsWhereMorganGoes]

[LuvGrowsWhereMorganGoes]

Yeah, I'm betting on us NOT beating them in a one-game showdown. We were running so ragged that I had a feeling even if we somehow won that one game, we would be pretty much swept out of the NLDS.

Yeah, I don't follow a lot of players. I follow most (or all?) of the Braves, and I follow LoMo + a few others, but I know some people who follow every single player and I just don't know how.


Pre-sale for single game tickets started this morning but it's SUCKING. Upper box tickets are frickin' $30 for opening day?! And I kept searching so eventually I have apparently been locked out of ticketmaster? It keeps saying it's forbidden. So even though it's a little more expensive (like $4) on StubHub, I'm probably going to do that just for the convenience because damn.

MAYBEEEE if our pitching would have shut them down but we wouldn't have been able to scratch out any runs

I don't follow that many either other than from my favorite teams and a few randoms.

Stubhub is awesome

Leaving for Florida in the morning!

YAY!!!!!

That's what I admire about his personality. Having watched the Jays and Raptors over the years, I've seen a lot of athletes come through Toronto with rotten attitudes about playing in Canada. It offers furthest thing from the lives they dreamed of having as professional athletes. Florida is probably more different from Toronto most of the rest of the U.S., but JP fully embraces it anyways.

I can see that, actually. He used to strike me as tough love and over-the-top professional, but in the first interview with him I saw, he was mumbling and rambling and not making any sense. I can imagine him being the guy who drives off the work with the garage door up.

I didn't even know what an Uggla was until last year.

So true!

How did you not know who he was while he was on the Marlins?

For everyone that's going to Spring Training, have a safe trip and enjoy!

I'm not going far but at least I get to see 2 games

I just ordered tickets for the home opener.

I'm really going, guys.

I went ahead and ordered them because they released lower level outfield seats tonight... for only $10 more than upper box. Plus I had to order SEVEN and I'm paranoid and was afraid they wouldn't have that many together again ever. Though the price tag still looked awful when I was checking out. $40 x 7 = $280.

Yay!!! & yeah, seeing prices like that isn't fun

Corey Hart is going to miss 3-4 weeks because he needs knee surgery.

Hopefully the Braves are just getting everything awful out of the way so we'll go undefeated when it counts.

We won 10-5 UGGS HR & Brian had 2 hits

I'M SO NERVOUS TO INTERVIEW PRINCE. I can't even think about it without freaking out. Oh and since I'm a media member and my uncle is considered a photographer, only I have access to inside the clubhouse. So I'm going to have to go in there and find Prince and bring him out to interview. Ahh!

Someone tell me to breathe.

BBBBBBREATHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEE! So exciting!

I just can't not laugh at this. Last year he strained his oblique by slipping on wet grass. This year? Wearing cleats to Braun's press conference.

Ayeee!

[LuvGrowsWhereMorganGoes]

Braves & Marlins won today Rays lost

Dan Uggla went 2-for-3 with a home run and Brian McCann went 2-for-3 and scored twice to lead the Braves to an 10-5 victory over the Astros in the first Grapefruit League meeting between the clubs on Monday afternoon at Osceola County Stadium.

Greg Dobbs' three-RBI performance and Josh Johnson's return to game action highlighted the Marlins' 4-3 victory over the Cardinals at Roger Dean Stadium on Monday. The game was the first in Grapefruit League play for both clubs, which share the Jupiter Spring Training site.

[SpamGoddess]

Nice pictures Tawny!! You look really pretty in them, fyi. And the new stadium looks AMAZING except for that silly home run display. I legit busted out laughing when I saw it. BUT I WANT DETAILS.

[LuvGrowsWhereMorganGoes]

Nice pictures Tawny!! You look really pretty in them, fyi. And the new stadium looks AMAZING except for that silly home run display. I legit busted out laughing when I saw it. BUT I WANT DETAILS.

Aw thanks! It is kinda... interesting and i wish the wall wasn't green but other than that it looks really nice. Eh, there's nothing all that exciting to say

[ShortstopVM]

I'M SO NERVOUS TO INTERVIEW PRINCE. I can't even think about it without freaking out. Oh and since I'm a media member and my uncle is considered a photographer, only I have access to inside the clubhouse. So I'm going to have to go in there and find Prince and bring him out to interview. Ahh!

Someone tell me to breathe.

Good Luck, Lindsay!

Too lazy to post details but here are fanfest pictures!

Nice pics, Tawny! I have to give the new Marlins Stadium credit for not looking like a cookie-cutter neo-classic ballpark...

Have you met Jose Reyes yet?

BTW, in college baseball, Maryland has officially cracked the Baseball America Top 25 for the first time! We are ranked #25 in their poll. We check into the NCBWA (Writers') Poll at #30; move up to #21 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll, and are knocking on the door of the Coaches' Poll.

[KrAzY4kAt]

Going on a tour of Yankee Stadium today I was outside the old one for their last series a few years ago, and saw the new one from afar, but I'm so excited! We're also going to a pub to watch soccer (Arsenal) after that, so we shall see how that goes

[carriefanforever]

Breathe. When are you interviewing him?

We were going to get there yesterday but we didn't get there early enough. He didn't play in the game so he was taking ground balls on a practice field and then had an interview with MLB Network.

We're hoping that Wednesday it will happen. We're getting to the stadium at 8 in the morning.

But yesterday I got to walk through the Tigers clubhouse! It was really quiet, actually. I was expecting it to be loud and crazy. The only voice I heard was Delmon Young and he was talking to Austin Jackson. They all looked tired. Cabrera was eating something from a bowl, but I don't know what it was.

And then when I was at the ESPN Club, I saw Delmon Young! We made eye contact...he probably thinks I'm stalking him tbh.

[Steven]

Awesome pictures!

[druth8x]

It sounds like the league will announce tomorrow that it's shifting from an eight- to a ten-team playoff format.
From a competitive standpoint, ten-team playoffs aren't particularly logical. That said, neither is letting geography and arbitrariness decide what teams do and don't make it. There's no denying it will make things more interesting.

It also helps the Jays big time. Theoretically, we'll only have to finish ahead of one of Boston, New York, and Tampa now.

Braves fans should also be warming to the idea. The Marlins could contend this year, and the Phillies are the Phillies.
I hope it works out for him here. He loves Toronto a lot. He just posted a photo of his new tattoo: a maple leafs with two hockey sticks.

I know what you're saying about Manuel. At the same, pretty much any legendary coach or manager in any sport has been blessed with a great roster.

Thanks! I like reading yours too.
I love when teams do that. I'm really happy he gets to be a starter. Anthopolous didn't have much of a choice to get rid of him, but he has a lot of upside. He may not have the future ahead of him that J.P. has--and apparently the guy we have in AAA is even better than J.P.--but he was so much more solid defensively and timely when called upon offensively. I don't ever remember fans complaining about the roll he played on the team.

Compared to the other Molina, Jose also strikes me as the softer/friendlier brother. I think Rays fans will really like him.
As a sports fan in general, I don't know what I'd do without Twitter. There's no easier way of knowing what's going on around the league and with your team. I used to one of those people who said he would never use it, but I got over the stigma and think it's awesome now.

Lol, I find Tumblr useless. Unless you it's .gifs you're after, there's very little readable content.
There used to be these kind of unwritten rules in all realms of journalism. In the 1980s, it became an accepted custom for reporters following politicians on campaign trails to drink with them on the plane at the end of the day. (This ended in Canada when Brian Mulroney had a few and told a journalist he thought an MP from another party was a fat pig, and the journalist reported it.) It sounds like a nice standard, but personally, I think journalists have a duty to report everything relevant (which, for professional athletes, I think includes things like sex and drinking).

The problem with going to 158-160 is thats 60-180 games lost vs onl 2 gained. Most is not all cities will not add a few throughout the final week/season to cover that loss. The only option is to increase the price by that %. Which, I guess, could make sense if it's $5 or less a ticket.

Playoff teams already in the picture always get their pitchers ready for the playoffs anyways, so the 3/4 days rest won't mean anything more. Except for ALL the teams even the WC teams to get their pitchers in order. Cause theroratically, Game 1 in the WC can also play game one in the 1st round as well.

This is so the AL East rule change. It's a way to get Tampa/Toronto a better chance cause unless they stink all 4 of them will play hard all year instead of the BlueJays as of late give up once they hit 10 games out but only 5 games behind the Rays. Also, this will get both Red Sox and Yankees in it every season. Seriously, how can they be out now? And we all know that they are the 2 teams that get the most national attention and attention period for the ratings etc. So, even if you aren't a fan I love it just for the AL East. I want all of that to b the case. And with the new rule it's all good. Also, would let the Angels fell that even though they are fading fast to Texas that maybe they can beat the 3rd AL East team. And when the AL Central has 3 teams, the 2nd team there also has a shot. Thus more competive baseball as the teams are in it longer.


As far as 95 vs 85, really? How often would that be the case? And, if anything, it would be 92-82. But, I think if anything in the NL we will get the "92 Braves" as an example to see the Phillies way out in front like 10 games and still in the lead vs the 2nd teams in the NL West and NL Central. So, I startd that thinking maybe Atlanta would be willing to go down to 87 wins but now no there is enough other teams in the hunt that they still want to win as many games as possible.


I really hope they don't like the 1 game system and go for 3 games. Up the regular game ticket price by % throughout the season. Maybe as a compromise, a little less to the games that don't get the fans and a little more to the ones that fill the stadiums. Actually yes make it a big difference say if it was $5 make is $1 more for the 15K and less games, $5 more to the 15-30K and $9 more to the 30K+ games...of course if every game gets 30K+ aka NY/Boston/Cubs etc then just even stevens.

Exactly how I feel. The two wild card teams could be 5-10 games apart and the better one could miss out because they lost one game. It's not fair.

addressed above. I don't see it though. How many times has that occurred? Isn't there always at least 2 teams often 3 or 4 fighting for WC the very last week?




Nice Story/Recap with the remembering the Journalist. Thanks for sharing.

Nice pictures, Tawny. Who's you friend? And Wholly molly not many left or center HR seats. Is there even some left field pole HR upper decker seats? I guess they know they don't get fans, so I guess they are congregating their cheapest fans in right field so it looks better on tv and riht over the wall in right ield where all the HR's are hit, also for TV. From TV we probably won't see how empty it is as much. How are the general idea of ticket prices per section...either picture or use words like (left&right) HR/foul ball upper deck/foul ball lower deck/foul ball behind the plate upper deck/foul ball behind the the plate lower deck.

[Jordan-N-Torifan]

addressed above. I don't see it though. How many times has that occurred? Isn't there always at least 2 teams often 3 or 4 fighting for WC the very last week?
Nice Story/Recap with the remembering the Journalist. Thanks for sharing.

Nice pictures, Tawny. Who's you friend? And Wholly molly not many left or center HR seats. Is there even some left field pole HR upper decker seats? I guess they know they don't get fans, so I guess they are congregating their cheapest fans in right field so it looks better on tv and riht over the wall in right ield where all the HR's are hit, also for TV. From TV we probably won't see how empty it is as much. How are the general idea of ticket prices per section...either picture or use words like (left&right) HR/foul ball upper deck/foul ball lower deck/foul ball behind the plate upper deck/foul ball behind the the plate lower deck.

There's usually a few teams in the wild card race, but because there's only one wild card, the team that has the best record at the end of the season gets into the playoffs. Now, the top 2 teams will get a chance to go to the LDS. Say the top two teams in the wild card race are 90-72 and 83-79. That 83-79 team could go to the playoffs whereas the 90-72 team could be sitting at home because they lost ONE game. That's really not fair at all.

I can't wait to see that happen to the Red Sox or Yankees. Then maybe they'll realize it's a dumb idea.

This post has been edited by Jordan-N-Torifan: Mar 7th 2012, 10:18 AM