2022 MLB Thread

[Walter]

I hate to say this as a first question….Lockout or season??

I have Yankees’ preseason tickets for St Patrick’s Day vs Braves. I hope it comes to fruition…

[ebk]

I don't know if it will be settled in time for Spring Training, but I think there will be at least some regular season.  At least I hope so, since it's the 30th anniversary of Camden Yards.

 

Hey, if I can't be excited for the team, I may as well be excited for the ballpark

 

[redrum]

GO GIANTS!! 

[paul carruthers]

My thoughts are come February, if an agreement hasn't been reached between MLB and the players, then it will be time to sweat.

 

Hopefully, sanity & reason will prevail & there will be a full regular season...

[LedZeppfan1977]

13 hours ago, paul carruthers said:

My thoughts are come February, if an agreement hasn't been reached between MLB and the players, then it will be time to sweat.

 

Hopefully, sanity & reason will prevail & there will be a full regular season...

What is this over?  Contract stuff?  Player salaries?  It does not matter to me of course.  I know my Orioles will suck.  No money to compete with the big bad Yankees.  Your Mets are the 2nd choice to win the Series Paul.  Likely because they are going to have all of their pitchers which likely give them the best starting rotation in baseball.  The Dodgers are still the favorites because they have a loaded lineup.  I wonder how Kershaw will do this year.  My 2nd favorite team will not suck like my favorite.  The White Sox are a team to watch our for in the AL

[ebk]

David Ortiz.  That is all. 

 

Really, he's the only one going to the Hall this year.  

[custard pie man]

well I guess he's the only one who didn't use or didn't get caught lol, its so watered down these days, like  the rock and roll hall

[John M]

The Hall of Fame is going downhill fast.  They voted in Ortiz, who used steroids and rarely played the field.  What a joke.  I can recall all the stupidity in the sports press when they all finally had to admit that Ortiz used steroids.  They all said something like "it won't matter because he is a nice guy and people like him"?  Well he was a one dimensional player who used steroids. 

 

[paul carruthers]

....

Edited January 26, 2022 by paul carruthers

[Plant77]

On 1/25/2022 at 3:56 PM, custard pie man said:

well I guess he's the only one who didn't use or didn't get caught lol, its so watered down these days, like  the rock and roll hall

That’s not actually accurate. I want to start this off by saying I am a life long A’s fan, since 1981, season ticket holder, and was lucky enough to throw out the first pitch in 1990 against the Yankees in front of 45k televised. I mention that, because I am as much an A’s fan as I am a Zeppelin fan. Or close at least. While I’m no fan of the Red Sox, and border on hating them, David didn’t test positive one time during actual testing which was from 2004 onward. He did in fact get called out in the Mitchell report, and it was an unconfirmed test, for an unconfirmed substance. Having said that, he along with all of the majors was tested through 2004 until his retirement. Now as far as what type of player he was, he played almost the same amount of games that Edgar Martinez played in the field, and he was and is a far superior hitter than Edgar. It’s not even close. Again, I’m not a Red Sox fan. But as a left handed dominating 3-4 hole hitter, he is as good as it gets, 10 times of over 30 homers, 10 time of over a 100 driven in, including his last year which consisted of  48 doubles, which lead the league, 37 HR’s and a league leading 127 RBI’s driven in his last year of playing at 40 years of age while having an OBP of over 400. He finished with 250 more homers than Edgar, 500 RBI’s, over a hundred more doubles, and was the catalyst and MVP in World Series wins. 
 

Im not trying to be rude, I consider myself a baseball historian of sorts, that guy was a beast. And it was and is way to easy for generations of the past, to pass judgment on the players of today, or not of their generation. Athletes are bigger, faster, stronger, more prepared and devoted than any time in history. 
 

It is also far to easy for people to pass off steroids as an easy out for not voting, or as an act of cheating. How about pre 1965 all players were white basically. You had a few players in the league of color. That means they were not competing against the best talent available. Yes I know when Jackie Robinson came into the league. But it was a slow roll out, hell the Yankees and Sox were way late to the party on black players, let alone players of color. So I can argue that Babe, Joe D, and Stan Musial we’re not facing the best talent available so their stats are in need of an asterisk. As a matter of fact, when those players would barn storm against players of color, they got their asses handed to to them. Routinely. 
 

I’ll take it one step forward, there were coffee pots of leaded and unleaded up until the 1980’s. They had amphetamines that were being passed out. That is a stimulant. In Babes day, there was amphetamines, as well as cocaine, and he faced 7 other teams with 4 pitchers on the staff. He didn’t face 5 man rotations, with lefty and right specialists coming out of the bullpen throwing a 100 mph splitter with a 75mph change up. My point is this, we can’t be so quick to judge, I can make a case for a bunch of players that should not be in the hall from all eras, but Baseball is still the gold standard as far as getting into the best of the best. The 1% of the league. And in my opinion, the DH is a position, guys like Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield, and Frank Thomas were all aided by the DH and made the Hall. The list is far more actually. He was not a guy that stuck around and piled on stats to make his case like countless others. Just for fun go look at his last year in the league. It’s crazy dominant. All of this is just my opinion of course.
 

Cheers. 

[custard pie man]

11 hours ago, Plant77 said:

That’s not actually accurate. I want to start this off by saying I am a life long A’s fan, since 1981, season ticket holder, and was lucky enough to throw out the first pitch in 1990 against the Yankees in front of 45k televised. I mention that, because I am as much an A’s fan as I am a Zeppelin fan. Or close at least. While I’m no fan of the Red Sox, and border on hating them, David didn’t test positive one time during actual testing which was from 2004 onward. He did in fact get called out in the Mitchell report, and it was an unconfirmed test, for an unconfirmed substance. Having said that, he along with all of the majors was tested through 2004 until his retirement. Now as far as what type of player he was, he played almost the same amount of games that Edgar Martinez played in the field, and he was and is a far superior hitter than Edgar. It’s not even close. Again, I’m not a Red Sox fan. But as a left handed dominating 3-4 hole hitter, he is as good as it gets, 10 times of over 30 homers, 10 time of over a 100 driven in, including his last year which consisted of  48 doubles, which lead the league, 37 HR’s and a league leading 127 RBI’s driven in his last year of playing at 40 years of age while having an OBP of over 400. He finished with 250 more homers than Edgar, 500 RBI’s, over a hundred more doubles, and was the catalyst and MVP in World Series wins. 
 

Im not trying to be rude, I consider myself a baseball historian of sorts, that guy was a beast. And it was and is way to easy for generations of the past, to pass judgment on the players of today, or not of their generation. Athletes are bigger, faster, stronger, more prepared and devoted than any time in history. 
 

It is also far to easy for people to pass off steroids as an easy out for not voting, or as an act of cheating. How about pre 1965 all players were white basically. You had a few players in the league of color. That means they were not competing against the best talent available. Yes I know when Jackie Robinson came into the league. But it was a slow roll out, hell the Yankees and Sox were way late to the party on black players, let alone players of color. So I can argue that Babe, Joe D, and Stan Musial we’re not facing the best talent available so their stats are in need of an asterisk. As a matter of fact, when those players would barn storm against players of color, they got their asses handed to to them. Routinely. 
 

I’ll take it one step forward, there were coffee pots of leaded and unleaded up until the 1980’s. They had amphetamines that were being passed out. That is a stimulant. In Babes day, there was amphetamines, as well as cocaine, and he faced 7 other teams with 4 pitchers on the staff. He didn’t face 5 man rotations, with lefty and right specialists coming out of the bullpen throwing a 100 mph splitter with a 75mph change up. My point is this, we can’t be so quick to judge, I can make a case for a bunch of players that should not be in the hall from all eras, but Baseball is still the gold standard as far as getting into the best of the best. The 1% of the league. And in my opinion, the DH is a position, guys like Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Dave Winfield, and Frank Thomas were all aided by the DH and made the Hall. The list is far more actually. He was not a guy that stuck around and piled on stats to make his case like countless others. Just for fun go look at his last year in the league. It’s crazy dominant. All of this is just my opinion of course.
 

Cheers. 

admire you threw out first pitch, wow, must of been a tremendous honor, i'm a little confused trying to follow, are you saying that guys who cheated should be allowed into the hall? I am dead against that and all it does is tarnish the memory of those who played the game honestly, I will admit baseball of course knew these freaks were using steroids like Mguire and Sosa and Clemens head and body gaine about 30 pounds, but they did nothing because fans were filling the stands and tuning on tv, but they were cheaters, freaks, I believe its already hard enough to compare players from different times mainly because of rules changes, night games, live balls, shorter walls, DH, how can one compare Hunter with Seaver or Gibson when AL pitchers never had to come out for pitch hitters etc.... but this also makes for great conversation, debating the merits of players, but once its confirmed they cheated then as far as i'm concerned they are done and their names should be wiped clean of any records, and all sports can be tied into diffrent eras and records, football Brady and Brees have almost every passing record in nfl history but are they comparable to Unitas or Staubach, Montana? more games, can't hit them, can't hit the receivers,  that's why sports is fun, nobody is right or wrong, and  as far as Ortiz I thought it was common knowledge he did test positive for steroids before the official testing, actually heard this on the fan in new york but he cleaned up his act and wasn't an asshole like Bonds or Clemens, so he got in

[paul carruthers]

I think now may be the time to sweat as far as the lockout goes & the talks about spring training games being cancelled...

😔

[Plant77]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:03 AM, custard pie man said:

admire you threw out first pitch, wow, must of been a tremendous honor, i'm a little confused trying to follow, are you saying that guys who cheated should be allowed into the hall? I am dead against that and all it does is tarnish the memory of those who played the game honestly, I will admit baseball of course knew these freaks were using steroids like Mguire and Sosa and Clemens head and body gaine about 30 pounds, but they did nothing because fans were filling the stands and tuning on tv, but they were cheaters, freaks, I believe its already hard enough to compare players from different times mainly because of rules changes, night games, live balls, shorter walls, DH, how can one compare Hunter with Seaver or Gibson when AL pitchers never had to come out for pitch hitters etc.... but this also makes for great conversation, debating the merits of players, but once its confirmed they cheated then as far as i'm concerned they are done and their names should be wiped clean of any records, and all sports can be tied into diffrent eras and records, football Brady and Brees have almost every passing record in nfl history but are they comparable to Unitas or Staubach, Montana? more games, can't hit them, can't hit the receivers,  that's why sports is fun, nobody is right or wrong, and  as far as Ortiz I thought it was common knowledge he did test positive for steroids before the official testing, actually heard this on the fan in new york but he cleaned up his act and wasn't an asshole like Bonds or Clemens, so he got in

I think that is what I am saying, we don’t know that he cheated, he was in the Mitchell report in 2003 along with a 100 other people. But it wasn’t that any test came out and said he tested positive for Steroids. He has never tested positive for them. You can look up any report and David never came back positive for a steroid. I’m also saying that a large group of players from all generations tried to get a competitive advantage. We act like steroids were invented in the 1980’s, and that is just not true, Lyle Alzado for example is someone that we all knew was taking them is 1970’s, to assume guys like Mike Schmidt, or Nolan Ryan didn’t mess with them is naive in my opinion. Maybe they didn’t, but we don’t know that for sure.  And if we are to assume that in the 1980’s-and 90’s is when they became more wide spread, which I would agree with, isn’t taking cocaine or amphetamines of the past generations cheating? A huge amount of players admit to taking both of those. And did so for a competitive advantage.

 Taking a pill or shooting steroids by themselves  doesn’t make you stronger, faster, or hit and catch a ball better. You still have to put in the work. My analogy of players from pre 1965 is saying that they weren’t playing against the best of the best. I’m not saying to reward players who were cheating. Guys like A-Rod, Mark M, Manny, Sosa and several others who were caught on multiple occasions or even once may not deserve it. But I also know that baseball specifically didn’t mind it when Sosa and McGuire were saving baseball from the strike smashing records and baseballs over the fence. 

The Brees and Brady comp I like, yes Football has changed dramatically in the last 25 years, but I’m pretty sure Brady could have played in any generation. And I’m not a fan of his, mainly because he is a Bay Area guy, went to New England, and made them one of, if not the most storied football franchises ever. So really because I’m jealous. I guess I’m admitting that as we get older we want to think our generations sports heroes were the best. And the truth is they are not.
 

There are absolutely athletes who transcend every generation. Hell, a large portion of all major leaguers, Football Players, and Basketball players had jobs in the off season before the 1980’s. The last 30-35 years these adults played all year round as kids and travel, and commit their entire lives to it far before making it to the pros. That can account for a lot of the injuries, and it can also account for why they are insanely talented and ready for the pros at such a young age now. I would also argue that having played baseball my entire youth, and still belonging to beer leagues, the DH position deserves to be included. It’s not easy sitting around waiting to hit a few times a game, against a few different specialists who are brought in to get you out. And, looking at a large portion of position players who were able to extend their careers since the DH was introduced in 1973 in the American League and get in the hall, I think we need to look at it a little bit differently. What about Mike Piazza, he was rumored to have taken them and never failed a test. There are a bunch of guys that were thought to have taken them. In my opinion which is shitty like everyone else’s opinion, we can’t keep out people because some Yankees fan, or some asshole writer suspected you of taking them. 
 

That’s my position on it Custard. 

[Walter]

20 hours ago, paul carruthers said:

I think now may be the time to sweat as far as the lockout goes & the talks about spring training games being cancelled...

😔

Yup, it appears my Spring Training tickets are once again in jeopardy. Makes me sick. 

[custard pie man]

10 hours ago, Plant77 said:

I think that is what I am saying, we don’t know that he cheated, he was in the Mitchell report in 2003 along with a 100 other people. But it wasn’t that any test came out and said he tested positive for Steroids. He has never tested positive for them. You can look up any report and David never came back positive for a steroid. I’m also saying that a large group of players from all generations tried to get a competitive advantage. We act like steroids were invented in the 1980’s, and that is just not true, Lyle Alzado for example is someone that we all knew was taking them is 1970’s, to assume guys like Mike Schmidt, or Nolan Ryan didn’t mess with them is naive in my opinion. Maybe they didn’t, but we don’t know that for sure.  And if we are to assume that in the 1980’s-and 90’s is when they became more wide spread, which I would agree with, isn’t taking cocaine or amphetamines of the past generations cheating? A huge amount of players admit to taking both of those. And did so for a competitive advantage.

 Taking a pill or shooting steroids by themselves  doesn’t make you stronger, faster, or hit and catch a ball better. You still have to put in the work. My analogy of players from pre 1965 is saying that they weren’t playing against the best of the best. I’m not saying to reward players who were cheating. Guys like A-Rod, Mark M, Manny, Sosa and several others who were caught on multiple occasions or even once may not deserve it. But I also know that baseball specifically didn’t mind it when Sosa and McGuire were saving baseball from the strike smashing records and baseballs over the fence. 

The Brees and Brady comp I like, yes Football has changed dramatically in the last 25 years, but I’m pretty sure Brady could have played in any generation. And I’m not a fan of his, mainly because he is a Bay Area guy, went to New England, and made them one of, if not the most storied football franchises ever. So really because I’m jealous. I guess I’m admitting that as we get older we want to think our generations sports heroes were the best. And the truth is they are not.
 

There are absolutely athletes who transcend every generation. Hell, a large portion of all major leaguers, Football Players, and Basketball players had jobs in the off season before the 1980’s. The last 30-35 years these adults played all year round as kids and travel, and commit their entire lives to it far before making it to the pros. That can account for a lot of the injuries, and it can also account for why they are insanely talented and ready for the pros at such a young age now. I would also argue that having played baseball my entire youth, and still belonging to beer leagues, the DH position deserves to be included. It’s not easy sitting around waiting to hit a few times a game, against a few different specialists who are brought in to get you out. And, looking at a large portion of position players who were able to extend their careers since the DH was introduced in 1973 in the American League and get in the hall, I think we need to look at it a little bit differently. What about Mike Piazza, he was rumored to have taken them and never failed a test. There are a bunch of guys that were thought to have taken them. In my opinion which is shitty like everyone else’s opinion, we can’t keep out people because some Yankees fan, or some asshole writer suspected you of taking them. 
 

That’s my position on it Custard. 

to bad were so far apart, sounds like a person  I could have a beer with and just talk

[paul carruthers]

46 minutes ago, Walter said:

Yup, it appears my Spring Training tickets are once again in jeopardy. Makes me sick. 

 

I guess the question will no doubt be brought up, can baseball survive another season being cancelled because of labor issues? I'm still holding out hope that some deal will get done & we will have a full 2022 regular season--even if some spring training games get postponed....

[custard pie man]

21 hours ago, paul carruthers said:

 

I guess the question will no doubt be brought up, can baseball survive another season being cancelled because of labor issues? I'm still holding out hope that some deal will get done & we will have a full 2022 regular season--even if some spring training games get postponed....

they may soon realize like football has that no one  cares about spring training other than the people in FLA. who go to games locally, so wouldn't be surprised with a holdout followed by a somewhat limited schedule, all  tough talk until the money stops flowing in, even spoiled millionaires need that steady flow

[Plant77]

On 2/4/2022 at 7:01 AM, custard pie man said:

to bad were so far apart, sounds like a person  I could have a beer with and just talk

Well my friend, if you are ever in the Bay Area, hit me up. I’m always down for a few. Take care. 

[LedZeppfan1977]

On 2/6/2022 at 5:01 PM, Plant77 said:

Well my friend, if you are ever in the Bay Area, hit me up. I’m always down for a few. Take care. 

I was there to see my Orioles play the Giants in 2015.  Schoop won it with a walk off, 8-7 .  I had a few beers with some guys across from the stadium before the game, and I could not believe it when they said they had "never been East of the Mississippi River".  Wow.  It was the end of a West coast trip for wife and me.  We started in Vegas.  I still get Giants emails here and there.  I thought i had bought tickets behind the Orioles dugout and to my horror I wound up behind the Giants dugout.  Interleague.  I guess they switch it?  Total bullshit. The visiting team is always on the third base side.  WTF?  Robbed

[LedZeppfan1977]

I just learned that Buck Showalter is the manager of the Mets from someone?  Is this true Paul?  I might have to cheer for your boys at least in the East.  He will keep you in the fight.

[paul carruthers]

Provided that there is a season, I think Buck is a good hire. What he can do to try and inject life into that anemic Mets offense, I don't know,  but that would be my main concern...

[ebk]

I love Buck. 

 

And Rick, the home team is not always in one dugout.  It depends on the stadium.  In Memorial Stadium, the Os were in the third base dugout.  In Camden Yards, the first base side.  So you should check before you buy tickets in each stadium. 

[Electrophile]

I honestly don't know if there's going to be a season this year, or if there is, it'll be very abbreviated. Neither side appears willing to get anything done at the moment. All we've heard is they're putting the DH in the National League, which is damn stupid. They should be getting rid of it, not making more of it.

[paul carruthers]

Millionaires fighting with billionaires & in the end, it's the fans who will probably lose the most...  

[Plant77]

On 2/17/2022 at 1:32 AM, LedZeppfan1977 said:

I just learned that Buck Showalter is the manager of the Mets from someone?  Is this true Paul?  I might have to cheer for your boys at least in the East.  He will keep you in the fight.

Buck has always been a great manager. He always gets a lot out of the talent on his teams. This team he is managing my honestly be his best group top to bottom. With the Yankees, he was their manager right before Torre won the 96 series and they went on that dominating run. He was also with Arizona before they won their series. And that Baltimore team was young and he certainly got the best out of them. Speaking of which, being an A’s fan I was lucky enough to get to go to that amazing stadium and watch my A’s play the Orioles in 2003. That place is stunning. My favorite park I’ve ever been to. You are literally on top of the action at Camden. Not a bad seat in the house. 
 

I hope that the two sides can come to an agreement soon, I was hoping to get to visit that park again this year in June. 
 

Have a great weekend Sir. If they do get to play the season in some fashion, good luck to your Orioles. Since I was a kid I always dug their Uniforms. Not to mention the great players that they have over the years.