Baseball 2015

Seriously, what is wrong with that team? Are they going to pick fights with the entire AL? I found things a little off with them when they swept us in the ALCS. Yet all the media attention was (rightfully) on their Cinderella Run, and not how they were sort of acting like asshats most of the time. Guess the chickens have come home to roost?

 

What is with the Royals this year? Chippy, or maybe, others are just after them as well. Do they think they're the 1970s Philly Flyers?

 

In other news, looks like Josh Hamilton is gonna be a ranger again. I wonder if he'll ever play again though.


Socaljoe - thoughts?

 

It's not official, but it might as well be. Adam Wainwright is out for most of the season, if not all of it, with an as yet undetermined Achilles tendon injury. Ken Rosenthal broke the story this morning, and he's usually right. It alters the balance of the NL Central, and will likely give the other teams hope of overcoming their dominance of the division. It's a long season, but I honestly don't see my guys overcoming this one. John Mozeliak has managed to push many of the right buttons over the past several years, but this one's gonna take a miracle.

 

Where to start? Every single Angels fan wanted Arte Moreno to re-sign Torii Hunter who was the undisputed leader rather than get anywhere near Josh. That said, Halo fans wish him well as a person, especially with his kids, but the ballplayer can piss off! He stunk it up for 2 years and there were times where he literally looked like he wanted to go back to the dugout so bad he'd swing at 3 terrible pitches. The fans were incredibly patient with him and didn't boo him until the playoffs where he came up multiple times late in the 2 extra inning home losses to KC and looked clueless. Where his position became untenable in Moreno's eyes was Hamilton lashing out at Angels fans 'I don't play for the fans' 'I took poison (cortisone shots) so I could get back and this is the thanks I get'. Of course it didn't help when he lied about how many shots he received and the 'poison' line from a former heroin addict didn't go over well. Josh hit as many HRs at the Big A last year as you or me, 0-fer in the playoffs, and hit a ridiculous .144 with 2 strikes. The platoon the Halos have going in left field has been a disaster this year so far, and if Josh becomes productive again it would be the cherry on top of s#@t sundae. This is the 3rd contract the Angels have eaten (Gary Matthews Jr & Vernon Wells) in recent years and it wasn't until the new GM came in that the shambles that is the farm system is being addressed. We are all hoping that Arte stays out of making baseball decisions, because he was the one that decided to recruit and sign Josh and it was an unmitigated disaster.

 

So roughly a week ago I came to this thread excited about the Astros being 8-6 through 14 games. That night they just finished the 2nd game of a 9 game road trip on the west coast against the mariners, A's and Padres. That next day they fell to the mariners to bring their record to 8-7. Since then they have won 6 straight, swept both the A's and Padres. They now stand at 14-7! This team is so fun to watch. Like watching homeruns? They lead baseball! Like seeing guys with speed run around? Jose Altuve, George Springer, and Jake Marisnick each have 8 steals to lead the AL. Like seeing pitchers dominate? They are 5th in baseball with a 3.21 ERA. I'm having so much fun right now!

 

Break up the Astros!!! It will be interesting to see when the fans who stopped going to the park, because the owners basically hit the reset button and started over from scratch, will now get on the bandwagon and return. Altuve reminds Halo (and probably Cards) fans of David X-Factor Eckstein (except Altuve is an even better hitter). Small in stature, but huge in heart and talent. Houston was smart in adding some veterans in the bullpen to go along with the good young rotation. HD, it's okay to start following the Astros again.

First time in MLB history that a game was played in an empty stadium in Baltimore. So surreal to see a few fans standing outside of the right-center field gates in the exact spot last October where a buddy and I were (out there for a wedding) watching the O's take batting practice the day before Game 1 of the ALCS. If our Baltimore resident Timmy G reads this, would love to hear his perspective on the events going on in his city.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field_renovations

And I don't really care because St. Louis just had their best April since '44. Still very early, but encouraging.

 

Yes, it did. More, even, than the one at the bottom of "The Mahnsta."

 

FulhamTx, heading to the Big A tonight (weather permitting, actually raining here which is the top news story here in drought-land). Another sign it could be Houston's year, last night Halos winning 2-0 in bottom of the 8th and brain cramp running cost Angels 2 runs, Astros then score 3 in the top of the 9th to pull out the W.

Where's Encore?? The Twinkies are off to their best start in years. Is it surprising that it's corresponding with the return of Torii Hunter? You cannot quantify what his leadership means in a clubhouse

 

Torii Hunter is a winner.

 

I was hoping not to jinx the start...but now that you've said it, the Twinkies' pitching is going to come back down to Earth. Thanks a lot SCJ!

The Twins management should have never let Torii walk out the door when he did, but we're certainly glad to have him back! He's definitely a top 5 Twin in terms of all time popularity up here!

 

Have fun at the game, man. Not too much fun though, Astros need a new winning streak

 

Cardinals being investigated by the FBI:

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on...inals-for-allegedly-hacking-into-astros-files

Looks potentially like a rogue disgruntled employee, but I'd bet there was someone "more likely than not to be at least generally aware" that something was going on.

The good news is that it hasn't hurt the Astros thus far. Now only if they could get their team batting average up to a respectable number...