Baseball 2015

Not soon enough, I'm afraid. Just hope we don't have too many snowmageddons this winter.

 

The 7th inning in Toronto was 53 minutes of craziness the likes of which I've never quite seen. Between the throw back to the pitcher hitting a bat, to the multiple protests, to the multiple umpire huddles, to 3 straight errors by Texas, to a 3 run shot by Joey Bats with the ultimate bat flip, to 2 benches clearing 'huddles by home plate'....damn good entertainment for a neutral.

@FulhamTX , this can be the cruelest of sports, losing Game 4 the way the Astros did (like you need reminding)was brutal. However, there is a whole bunch of young talent on that squad and would expect them right back into the mix next season.

 

It was pretty amazing. To quote a famous quote from a famous baseball movie, "I have seen enough to know I have seen too much!"

 

And once again Texas baseball proves to be synonymous with choking dogs. The Rangers yacked up the bigger hairball, but both teams blew it. Sadly, I knew it was coming after the Game 4's.

 

Let me preface my somewhat rebuttal to HD by saying this is by far the best baseball thread we've ever had, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading everyone's opinions:

HD, can't disagree with everything you said, but do have a differing view on a couple items;

• I'm sure it's a major talking point in the city of Toronto today because I've never known their fans other than to have class, but anyone throwing an item on the field is an embarrassment.
• The umpire admitted that he was responsible for mixing up 2 different rules and should've handled the situation better. The Toronto manager was at fault for overreacting initially. That said I thought the Toronto players did all they could do by continuously asking the crowd not to throw anything on the field.
• We are all in agreement that the takeout slides are something that needs to be looked at.
• The Texas pitcher Dyson was 100% at fault for both dugout clearances. Encarnacation was telling the fans to stop throwing stuff and the pitcher thought he was celebrating. On the Tulowitski play, Tulo was taking off his gear to go back out on defense and Dyson went straight up to him and said something to him needlessly (after the game he said he told Tulo to tell Bautista to stop with the bat flips). All Tulo said was 'why are you talking to me? go to your dugout' and that was word for word because you could read his lips. Totally Dyson's fault.
• The showboating, I'm not a fan of the bat flip mid-June, but it's October and the season is on a knife's edge. The intensity of that game is what makes playoff baseball great. Had no problem with the bat flip there, if Dyson had gotten him out I'm sure he would've been yelling and fist-pumping.
• The Royals aren't choirboys either. They do deserve a ton of credit for coming back and all Angel fans feel great for Kendrys Morales who took 2 years to comeback (he still have never been the same) after breaking his ankle jumping on home plate after a walkoff grandslam for the Halos. However, the beginning of this season they were starting crap with multiple teams (go back to page 2 and see Timmy G call them the very same asshats). I don't really care which team wins, but looking forward to what should be a great series.

 

As a life long Cubs fan, the last week has been totally surreal. Tuesday night I had to work ridiculously late and couldn't watch the game, but was able to listen. Seeing the city's support for this incredibly likable team and it's young players has been special. The Cardinals have been maybe the best franchise in sports over the last decade, so to beat them in 4 games (when none of the Cubs pitchers really had a dominant outing) was amazing to watch.

The big question now is if this team (which is now favored to win the World Series) can keep their eye on the prize. It's a big ask for such a young group, but they've played beyond their years all season long, and I think this series proved that the moment isn't too big for them. Can't wait to see what they do in the NLCS.

 

The basic problem is that the unwritten rules have changed. Do you think Bob Gibson would have let Bautista's behavior go? Of course not. Guys used to get drilled in the ear if they did that stuff before free agency. As the salaries got out of hand, guys are more reluctant to take a chance on a play that might end someone's career and thus, their ability to earn a big paycheck. Chase Utley's slide was standard operating procedure at one point, and nobody thought twice about it. Middle infielders knew...KNEW...what to expect in that situation, and reacted accordingly or suffered the consequences. Nowadays everybody gets their panties all in a wad about stuff that used to be the norm. Don't show up the opposing pitcher. Don't talk to the umpire...EVER...about a ball or strike call, ESPECIALLY if it's a punch out, or you'll get run. If a guy is wearing you and your team out, you can eventually expect a wake-up call in the form of a brushback pitch. Don't steal second in the ninth if you're down by more than a grand slam. If the catcher is blocking the plate on a non force out play at home, he's fair game for a base runner trying to score. There are more, but these are just some of the basics that are no more. When players policed themselves and everybody understood THE RULES, there were fewer problems...and fewer ugly scenes like we saw in Toronto. I'm not naive enough to think we can turn back the clock and go back to these "antiquated" laws. Such things would have to be legally stated in the the Rule Book, and that just ain't gonna happen. Not enough players would take charge, stand up and say, "let's do it like this again" because there's too much money at stake. It ain't pretty, but the fleas come with the dog.

 

The unwritten rules still exist, in my opinion, it's just that some players need to be reminded of them. Cue a Rangers v. Jays game next year, even in spring, and I guarantee the Rangers will drill somebody. Hopefully Bautista. I respectfully disagree with one point in SCJ's post and that's the distinguishing between a June game and October baseball. Yes, they are different animals, but the rules don't change. You don't show up the opponent out of respect for the game - especially throwing your bat toward the opposing dugout; maybe if was toward his own dugout, I could live with it, albeit begrudgingly. Plenty of post season homers have ended series (this one by Bautista was hit in the 7th!), go back to Bobby Thomson, Bill Mazerowski, Ozzie Smith, Aaron "@#$(**$) Boone, and Mr. Joe Carter; all of these folks didn't throw a bat at the opposing dugout, or admire the bomb they hit either.

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v3251266/bb-moments-93-ws-gm-6-touch-em-all-joe-carter

http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/6479266/v13062871/85-nlcs-gm-5-ladstl-ozzies

 

I agree the bat flip should've been towards his own dugout and Bautista has been confronted about staring at his home runs before (the Jays and the O's have gotten into it). However, the insanity of that inning attributed to his reaction. It will be very interesting to see what happens if he hits a homer v the Royals. I do remember a player that sold a whole bunch of candy bars make a name for himself by hitting home runs, smashing the bat down, and staring at it for awhile longer in the postseason, without that flare does he become Mr. October?

 

Good points on both sides. Can't be a coincidence that 2 long suffering teams have acted like asshats after finally breaking through. I'm really not bothered by the bat flip though b/c it felt "in the moment" & in no way premeditated. That said, Nev's point about it happening in the 7th inning holds water as well.

Whatever the case, I guarantee Bautista is getting plunked the next time he sees the Rangers.

 

I'll wear that one, senator. Oh, 2002, you cruel, cruel year.

 

Oh, and Grienke and deGrom tonight. Playoff baseball.

 

Thanks Heather!!! I know exactly where I was when that happened. Also great to hear the voice of the late Rory Markus on the call. I have a bottle opener that has his call of the final out of the series every time it's used.

Tonight..first team to 3 runs will probably wins it.

 

3? I was thinking 1.

And LMAO @dcheather. Nice retribution.

 

I'd invite your attention to this example, specifically, shot number 18 I believe, as how to act when you save your hometown team's bacon and help lead them to World Series title number 11. And if anybody had a legitimate reason to react poorly after all but sewing up THEIR first WS in franchise history in the 9th, it's the Rangers. I'll put this up against anything that has happened in the post season thus far this year.

 

Murphy's Law at Dodger Stadium! Daniel Murphy going from 1st to 3rd on a walk w/the Dodgers on a shift was brilliant. Following it up w/the game winning HR off Grienke makes him a Mets legend forever.

 

You nailed that one.