The MLB Thread

Aaaand we're less than a month from the All-Star Game. Cough up your ballots, people.

Welcome to the world where the Pirates have the best record in the MLB...

edited 30th Jun '13 6:11:16 PM by NeonMoon

Y'know, even as a Cardinals fan, I am okay with this development.

Man, that sweep of the White Sox was cringe comedy in its purest form

See, this is how we know we're in the Matrix.

Here are the All-Star rosters.

I will say I'm getting a little tired of the Yasiel Puig hype, to the point I want to see him not make the Final Vote. I think the majority of baseball journalists subscribe to Overshadowed by Awesome Doctrine.

As a Braves fan, I could write volumes about how @#%&ed up the Puig hype has become, and the degree to which it's propelling the kid into the ASG at Freddie Freeman's expense. But then, it's tough to think of any way to build an ASG roster that doesn't amount to a popularity contest among some group or other.

For what it's worth, it does seem that Freeman is holding off Puig in the voting according to MLB.com.

I think I tend to agree with the sentiment that he shouldn't be there also. Not that what he's done so far isn't impressive, but I just don't think a month is quite enough staying power to be considered an all-star in Major League Baseball. Maybe next year.

It's a thorny issue. Freeman is the best among the final vote group, undoubtedly. (By some metrics, Freeman is more deserving than some of the first basemen who did make it.) The downside is that there are already three first basemen there, and the ASG already has a problem with trying to showcase too much talent as is.

And when the dust settles...neither Freeman or Puig are going to the ASG, since they both got injured. Brian McCann (catcher) of the Braves will be taking over that slot.

edited 14th Jul '13 7:03:42 PM by TotemicHero

I can dig it.

Unfortunately the Tigers schedule is just about as easy.

That's life in the big leagues, as the man said. Looking forward to tonight, now that the HR theatre is behind us.

Last night, my brother & I got into an intensive phone discussion about constructing an historical All-Star team, and about whether a team for each league was practical or desirable. After much gamesmanship and horse-trading, we shook (virtual) hands on the following batting orders:

National League

• 2B Jackie Robinson
• SS Honus Wagner
• RF Hank Aaron
• CF Willie Mays
• LF Barry Bonds
• 3B Mike Schmidt
• 1B Stan Musial
• C Johnny Bench
• P Christy Mathewson

American League

• CF Ty Cobb
• 3B George Brett
• RF Babe Ruth
• 1B Lou Gehrig
• LF Ted Williams
• SS Cal Ripken Jr.
• C Mickey Cochrane
• 2B Eddie Collins
• P Walter Johnson

I agreed to stop lawyering about Musial's outfield/1B starts ratio, if he'd stop shilling for Carlton Fisk and take his DH nonsense elsewhere.

edited 16th Jul '13 6:31:13 AM by Jhimmibhob

I know we're roughly 1-1 1/2 innings into this thing already, but hey, it's still 0-0. Any predictions?

Well, so much for getting some mid-game commentary going in here. I suppose that wasn't the most exciting All Star Game I've ever seen, but there were a couple of good defensive plays turned in, and it was kind of nice to see Mariano Rivera get some recognition the last time out there (even though I'm no Yankees fan). The entire AL pitching staff was basically the star of that game, and he may as well have taken credit for it.

I was afraid that saying something could somehow jinx the NL. Apparently, I wasn't even needed.

I was rooting for the NL too, but somehow I wasn't too upset that they lost, at least not as much as when the AL were in the middle of their long winning streak. If they must keep this concept of the game deciding home field advantage for the World Series, it would be nice of the winner each year was more of a toss up.

The Astros will find a new and interesting way to lose. It's up there with death and taxes. Today, the Astros managed to lose 4-2 despite allowing only one hit and striking out 15. Their starter, Eric Bedard pitched six and a third innings of hitless ball before getting pulled due to pitch count, yet he still got the loss.

And so it begins with Ryan Braun: he's suspended for the rest of the season.

So much for "I didn't do it pls don't ban me MLB ;_;"

I think we can safely say the Braves will make the playoffs.

I'm a little worried, though, about how far the Braves will go from there. They're good, no doubt, but they've also been feasting on division rivals (no one expected just how weak the NL East would prove to be this year).

It's also looking more and more likely that the two teams in the NL Wild Card game will be the teams that finish second and third in the Central.

The hidden ball trick never gets old.