General 2008 MLB discussion

I figured we needed a place to discuss what's going on around the league. Players, teams, crazy stuff that happend, trade rumors, individual games, good, or bad; it's all welcome here.

You can read about the insane opener of the Pirates in my blog, and when I say insane; I mean it. I thought that opening night between the Nats/Braves was crazy, I mean walk-off two run homer in the bottom of the 9th, with two outs, can you get better than that for an opening day? I think the Braves/Bucs did. Do you?

So what's your favorite team? What's your favorite baseball memory? Should it be Bonds or Bonds*? Let's have some fun, it is baseball after all, and we've got a long season ahead of us.

Note: All Fantasy discussions should be directed here.

That Pirates game was wild! That's all on Jason Bay. Nice write-up too. 8)KaptainKorn

Looking ahead to the next few days of opening week, here's what we got:

Tuesday: Only 8 games; most teams are resting up. Yanks vs. Jays, Sox vs A's (in the US)
Wednesday: 15 games; Yanks vs. Jays premiere's ESPN's Wednesday night baseball

ESPN will continue broadcasting their Monday, Wednesday, and Friday night games

Brewers win the first of many over the Cubs in extra innings.

Fukudome 3 for 3 single, double, HR, not looking forward to dealing with him for the next few years.

Eric Gagne gave up three runs to tie it up in the ninth , they let Cordero go for this?

Go Brewers!

Saw commercial other day - TBS will be showing various games on sundays I think. Normally they only show Brave games.mrgab

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

blackngold29

It's very very bad, Yankee Stadium is baseball's Vatican.

[QUOTE="blackngold29"]

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

Second_Rook

It's very very bad, Yankee Stadium is baseball's Vatican.

i disagree i would take wrigley or fenway any day.

yanks could get a new stadium many wouldnt care. it doesnt mean as much whether you think it does or not.

but when you think cubs or red sox you think wrigley or fenway. no way these teams could build or play in new parks. unless those new parks were replicas of the old park.

[QUOTE="Second_Rook"][QUOTE="blackngold29"]

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

xbox360isgr8t

It's very very bad, Yankee Stadium is baseball's Vatican.

i disagree i would take wrigley or fenway any day.

yanks could get a new stadium many wouldnt care. it doesnt mean as much whether you think it does or not.

but when you think cubs or red sox you think wrigley or fenway. no way these teams could build or play in new parks. unless those new parks were replicas of the old park.

37 World Series, 3 Allstar games, and the "win one for the gipper" Notre Dame victory over Army is more history than most other parks combined and your gonna say it doesn't mean much.

Sounds like Cubby tunnel vision to me.

[QUOTE="xbox360isgr8t"][QUOTE="Second_Rook"][QUOTE="blackngold29"]

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

Second_Rook

It's very very bad, Yankee Stadium is baseball's Vatican.

i disagree i would take wrigley or fenway any day.

yanks could get a new stadium many wouldnt care. it doesnt mean as much whether you think it does or not.

but when you think cubs or red sox you think wrigley or fenway. no way these teams could build or play in new parks. unless those new parks were replicas of the old park.

37 World Series, 3 Allstar games, and the "win one for the gipper" Notre Dame victory over Army is more history than most other parks combined and your gonna say it doesn't mean much.

Sounds like Cubby tunnel vision to me.

knew you would say something like that. i stand by my opinion. yankees get a new stadium not many would care not even there own fans. they would be happy. but if the cubs or red sox left wrigley or fenway the fans wouldnt be to happy. they would be kinda upset. those parks are just idk how to describe it magical i guess. hell house that ruth built or the place where ruth called his shot. yankees would not have that house if red sox never stupidly traded ruth.

knew you would say something like that. i stand by my opinion. yankees get a new stadium not many would care not even there own fans. they would be happy. but if the cubs or red sox left wrigley or fenway the fans wouldnt be to happy. they would be kinda upset. those parks are just idk how to describe it magical i guess. hell house that ruth built or the place where ruth called his shot. yankees would not have that house if red sox never stupidly traded ruth.

xbox360isgr8t

They are all great parks, I would love to see a ballgame in any of them. I'm glad you stand by your opinion. I respectfully disagree. I think Yankee Stadium is a big deal to not just NY fans also baseball fans as a whole.

About the Ruth trade, did you ever see the Who's #1? with the twenty worst trades of all time, not only did it not make the list, the discussion panel at the end of the show did not even mention it, I can only assume they discounted it because it was a trade for money, but still a trades a trade and that should have been number one.

I hate Tom Gordon.CrimzonTide

[QUOTE="CrimzonTide"]I hate Tom Gordon.PBSnipes

How did he do thatgatorforlife07

[QUOTE="CrimzonTide"]I hate Tom Gordon.PBSnipes

The Atlanta Braves will go all the way this year.RenegadePatriot

To first pick in the draft?

[QUOTE="Second_Rook"][QUOTE="xbox360isgr8t"][QUOTE="Second_Rook"][QUOTE="blackngold29"]

Tonight's the last opening game in Yankee stadium. What do you guys think, tearing it down is good or bad?

xbox360isgr8t

It's very very bad, Yankee Stadium is baseball's Vatican.

i disagree i would take wrigley or fenway any day.

yanks could get a new stadium many wouldnt care. it doesnt mean as much whether you think it does or not.

but when you think cubs or red sox you think wrigley or fenway. no way these teams could build or play in new parks. unless those new parks were replicas of the old park.

37 World Series, 3 Allstar games, and the "win one for the gipper" Notre Dame victory over Army is more history than most other parks combined and your gonna say it doesn't mean much.

Sounds like Cubby tunnel vision to me.

knew you would say something like that. i stand by my opinion. yankees get a new stadium not many would care not even there own fans. they would be happy. but if the cubs or red sox left wrigley or fenway the fans wouldnt be to happy. they would be kinda upset. those parks are just idk how to describe it magical i guess. hell house that ruth built or the place where ruth called his shot. yankees would not have that house if red sox never stupidly traded ruth.

Wrigley and Fenway great history, but lets not kid ourselves here. The Yankees are the most storied franchise in SPORTS history. They're the most successful, and just look at the amount of great players and managers that at one time wore those famous pinstripes.

ACTUALLY, I moved out to the Bay Area in August, and I was talking with a lot of people out here, one of the first things they ask "Have you ever been to Yankee Stadium." They've never been to Yankee Stadium, and to them it is the mecha of baseball. My friends, who are Met fans, also feel the sameway. Even though they hate the Yankees, to them, that stadium means a lot.

[QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"]The Atlanta Braves will go all the way this year.mrgab

To first pick in the draft?

[QUOTE="mrgab"]

[QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"]The Atlanta Braves will go all the way this year.RenegadePatriot

To first pick in the draft?

Yankees pitching looks solid, I hope that Joba doesn't have to come out of the setup spot.

Final opener in Yankee Stadium is a win! 11 consecutive wins in home openers MLB record!

Brewers Cubs today. Suppan on the mound for Milwaukee, might have to win this one with hitting.

Brewers Cubs today. Suppan on the mound for Milwaukee, might have to win this one with hitting.

Second_Rook

No! My Jays couldn't spoil the Yankees final home opener. Our defense made some key mistakes and Wells sucked. :( Oh well, at least we kept it close. UssjTrunks

Can spoil them today with Mussina pitching.

Baseball on TV (April 2): Blue Jays vs. Yanks (ESPN2) 7:00EST

Who's watching?

I'll be watching the Pens try to clinch their division, but I'll be flipping over during commercials.

Suprised the Tigers are still stuck at 4 runs. :P

Nice to see the Red Sox are playing back in the States. Ortiz finally got a hit today.

I would like to see Barry get a job. I just love seeing him swing the bat.kdt55

Ortiz finally got his first homerun!gatorforlife07

Brewers get the jump on the Cubs with a rout, 8-2. Suppan was great, needs to give us a few more games like this one.

Dave Bush on the mound tommorow, let's make it a sweep.

Brewers get the jump on the Cubs with a rout, 8-2. Suppan was great, needs to give us a few more games like this one.

Dave Bush on the mound tommorow, let's make it a sweep.

Second_Rook

First series, first sweep; I thought the Cubs outlook was pretty good this year, but not if they keep playing like this obviously.blackngold29

I'm hoping. It would be beautiful to sweep the Cubs at Wrigley to open this thing up. They were plenty tenacious last season. The Brewers took a hit by letting Francisco Cordero go, replacing him with Gagne (I can only assume they did this to save their money for long term deals with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun.) But other than that they have improved particularly at catcher, with fatboy Johnny "swing at the first pitch" Estrada gone we've got a good chance at taking this division.

[QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"][QUOTE="mrgab"]

[QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"]The Atlanta Braves will go all the way this year.blackngold29

To first pick in the draft?

They came back pretty strong in game two against the Pirates, beating them 10-2. ;)

[QUOTE="blackngold29"][QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"][QUOTE="mrgab"]

[QUOTE="RenegadePatriot"]The Atlanta Braves will go all the way this year.Ngamer05

To first pick in the draft?

They came back pretty strong in game two against the Pirates, beating them 10-2. ;)

Cubs beat Brewers, Ryan Braun, oh my! Great hitter, average, wait that's not the word, poor defender. I think he'll pick it up pretty quick here.

Home opener tommorow, Claudio Vargas on the mound, the Giants should be good for a bounce back game.

Go Brewers!

Cubs beat Brewers, Ryan Braun, oh my! Great hitter, average, wait that's not the word, poor defender. I think he'll pick it up pretty quick here.

Home opener tommorow, Claudio Vargas on the mound, the Giants should be good for a bounce back game.

Go Brewers!

Second_Rook

Vargas isn't on the Brewers... surely you mean Villanueva?

Anyways, Kendall got a cheap call at the end IMO. Quite a bit off, definitely a walk in my book. Ryan Braun is still getting used to LF as he's only actually played outfield this year, and he'd be a solid player defensively in any position given time (he would have stayed at 3B had it not been for the need for great defense there).

Vargas isn't on the Brewers... surely you mean Villanueva?

Anyways, Kendall got a cheap call at the end IMO. Quite a bit off, definitely a walk in my book. Ryan Braun is still getting used to LF as he's only actually played outfield this year, and he'd be a solid player defensively in any position given time (he would have stayed at 3B had it not been for the need for great defense there).

gasmaskman

Villanueva, that is what I meant. Still thinking of last years rotation.

I think that Braun will get it sooner than later, but he was pretty ugly out there today. I have more concerns about Hardy's bat than Braun's glove right now.

Something a little interesting for those who like to nitpick rules, or find rare occourences. Monday night, Bucs v Braves: Pirates catcher walks out to the mound for a visit to calm down the pitcher (who was falling apart), when he got back behind the plate he looks over as the Pirates mangager holds up four fingers and points to the pitcher (as in "tell the pitcher to intentionally walk this guy"), the catcher walks back out to the mound breifly, the home plate ump takes exception to this and charges the Pirates with their first trip to the mound. The batter isn't walked, life continues, Bucs win late (see my blog for more details on that).

Wednesday, Bobby Cox goes out to make a double switch (moving the pitcher to left field and bringing in a new pitcher). Now by rule, any manager making a double switch is to go first to the home plate ump before entering fair territory, then to the mound. So Cox walks directly to the mound, turns around and calls the ump out to him to notify him of the switch. Pirates score anyway, win the game.

Now it might be because I'm watching from a Pirates fan POV, but isn't that a little double standard? As far as I (or the Pirates announcers) know the Monday night incident is not in the rules. However, Cox obviously broke the rules, now I know he's a long tenure coach, but that's all the more reason for him to know the rules.

Neither is that big a deal, but both are pretty interesting. Surprisingly, when all is said and done the Bucs take 2 out of 3 (both in extra innings) from the Braves.

Great Brewer game yesterday, Billy Hall was phenomenal. Today we get to see what Manny Pera's got.

I don't follow baseball much at all, but being from Detroit, and hearing all these big names they've have brought on the team this year, I can't help but ask the question how are they 0-5? Ha I know there is a billion games in baseball but come on, it was bad enough losing opening day but five games in and they have yet to win? For people that do follow baseball what do you think of Detroits team this year and do you think they will get it together since they have pretty much all season to get use to the changes made to the team.

For me it doesn't really matter but it would be great if they win it this year, along with Detroit's other team except cuddly lions.