2024 MLB season

[GaryE]

My decisions are made. I'm really a Red Sox fan, and I will pull for them with no hope. I will also jump on a bandwagon and admire the Orioles, and since I'm too lazy to get another feed, I'll watch the Blue Jays a lot, enjoying every loss.
In the NL, where until recently real baseball was played, I'll go for Arizona because my two favourite Jays went there, in a horrendous trade. And I'll be nationalistic and say yeah to Atlanta, because their GM worked with the Montreal Expos.

One team isn't enough for me.

 

[Ceez]

My decisions are made. I'm really a Red Sox fan, and I will pull for them with no hope. I will also jump on a bandwagon and admire the Orioles, and since I'm too lazy to get another feed, I'll watch the Blue Jays a lot, enjoying every loss.
In the NL, where until recently real baseball was played, I'll go for Arizona because my two favourite Jays went there, in a horrendous trade. And I'll be nationalistic and say yeah to Atlanta, because their GM worked with the Montreal Expos.

One team isn't enough for me.

My favorite memories of the red Sox are coming back from losing the 1st 3 games in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees. I'm a Yankee hater since I was born and that was so satisfying.

Roger Clemens (diet Nolan Ryan on roids). Loved him as a Sox player, his tenacity, intimidation and zero care given to throwing inside to any batter any time. Didn't care for his circus stunt against Piazza or his time with the Yankees for obvious reasons.

Shocking takes:

I think Pete Rose should be admitted to the HOF. Charlie Hustle is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time. I don't care that he bet on baseball as a manager. Give the man his due already

Steroid era was the most entertaining and best version of MLB in the history of baseball. Everyone was glued to their TVs when the HR battle between Big Mac and Sosa was going down to the wire. I also believe that everyone was juicing at that time and not everyone got caught, that certain players took the blame for the majority of it for MLB to look good in the eyes of congress and the fickle "purity of the game" fans. Fact is MLB hugely profited during this era and it was the best product that's ever been on the field.

Bonds needs to be in the HOF along with a bunch of other suspected or convicted roid users. Roids don't make your hand/eye coordination better, don't help you to hit the ball, make your talents improve..they help you to become stronger and recover faster. Guys playing 162 games sustain nagging injuries that cant be healed unless they sit out significant time, steroids helps you recover fast. Drs prescribe them all the time. I've never been a Bond's fan, quite the opposite but damned if he isn't the best hitter to ever live. The tail end of his career they wouldn't even pitch to the guy and he still raked 60+ home runs.

HOF voting process needs to be overhauled. Baseball writers and their terrible voting process is a joke. Guys that haven't been convicted of using steroids or breaking the rules in some other fashion have been kept out due to grudges or blackballing. If I can get over my hate for Bonds so can everyone else to realize what he meant to the game. There are numerous other players who have been kept out for no reason other than their attitudes towards certain sportswriters and its utterly ridiculous. The fans should vote, we are the ones who pay the salaries, pay for the owners to get rich, pay $25 for a 20oz beer and $12 for a hotdog.

I've played ball my entire life. My Dad was drafted by Seattle but never made the show. We love the game in this house but the good old boy routine needs to leave the game as far as the HOF goes.

 

[GaryE]

I don't even care if there is a hall of fame, so opinions there can't get me riled up. I didn't like the roid era because home runs, while fun to see, don't beat small ball. Yeah, I'm one of those guys.

While geographically, I should be a Jays fan, they spent so many years playing a static, stand and bash home runs game that they bored me. I barely watched in the steroid era.

I played for as long as I could. I went out to third base a couple of years ago, and discovered progressive lenses suck on hard hops. I had a plan to play softball til I was 75, but bad knees and eyes ended that. When I played, I was an okay hitter, but the game for me was fielding. In hockey I was defence or goaltending - same weird mentality.

I am quite a distance from any MLB teams, so it's TV for me. .

 

[Oldspartan]

I don't even care if there is a hall of fame, so opinions there can't get me riled up. I didn't like the roid era because home runs, while fun to see, don't beat small ball. Yeah, I'm one of those guys.

While geographically, I should be a Jays fan, they spent so many years playing a static, stand and bash home runs game that they bored me. I barely watched in the steroid era.

I played for as long as I could. I went out to third base a couple of years ago, and discovered progressive lenses suck on hard hops. I had a plan to play softball til I was 75, but bad knees and eyes ended that. When I played, I was an okay hitter, but the game for me was fielding. In hockey I was defence or goaltending - same weird mentality.

I am quite a distance from any MLB teams, so it's TV for me. .

You must have loved the dodgers of the 60’s. Wills singles, steals 2nd
, Willie Davis bunts home to third and Tommie Davis singles him home. Oh yeah, and one of the big three pitchers throws a complete game.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

And the season opens- watched the Yanks squeek bny in Houston yesterday. They are bow on Apple TV Fridays, so we don't watch since we do not do Apple. Guess its Blernsball tonight, I heard they got a new reliever...

FUTURAMA | Season 4, Episode 10: Leela On The Team​

 

[jaylach]

My favorite memories of the red Sox are coming back from losing the 1st 3 games in the 2004 ALCS against the Yankees. I'm a Yankee hater since I was born and that was so satisfying.

Roger Clemens (diet Nolan Ryan on roids). Loved him as a Sox player, his tenacity, intimidation and zero care given to throwing inside to any batter any time. Didn't care for his circus stunt against Piazza or his time with the Yankees for obvious reasons.

Shocking takes:

I think Pete Rose should be admitted to the HOF. Charlie Hustle is undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time. I don't care that he bet on baseball as a manager. Give the man his due already

Steroid era was the most entertaining and best version of MLB in the history of baseball. Everyone was glued to their TVs when the HR battle between Big Mac and Sosa was going down to the wire. I also believe that everyone was juicing at that time and not everyone got caught, that certain players took the blame for the majority of it for MLB to look good in the eyes of congress and the fickle "purity of the game" fans. Fact is MLB hugely profited during this era and it was the best product that's ever been on the field.

Bonds needs to be in the HOF along with a bunch of other suspected or convicted roid users. Roids don't make your hand/eye coordination better, don't help you to hit the ball, make your talents improve..they help you to become stronger and recover faster. Guys playing 162 games sustain nagging injuries that cant be healed unless they sit out significant time, steroids helps you recover fast. Drs prescribe them all the time. I've never been a Bond's fan, quite the opposite but damned if he isn't the best hitter to ever live. The tail end of his career they wouldn't even pitch to the guy and he still raked 60+ home runs.

HOF voting process needs to be overhauled. Baseball writers and their terrible voting process is a joke. Guys that haven't been convicted of using steroids or breaking the rules in some other fashion have been kept out due to grudges or blackballing. If I can get over my hate for Bonds so can everyone else to realize what he meant to the game. There are numerous other players who have been kept out for no reason other than their attitudes towards certain sportswriters and its utterly ridiculous. The fans should vote, we are the ones who pay the salaries, pay for the owners to get rich, pay $25 for a 20oz beer and $12 for a hotdog.

I've played ball my entire life. My Dad was drafted by Seattle but never made the show. We love the game in this house but the good old boy routine needs to leave the game as far as the HOF goes.

Technically I should not even talk to Rec Sox or Yankee fans as it is part of the Cleveland fandom charter that we must hate both from way back when they were all three in the same division.

Still, to keep peace I will make an exception here...

As to the steroid era I have mixed feelings in relation to the HOF. If a player was never proven to break the substance rule I don't think it should be a factor. However, if steroids or other such drugs were proven, in my mind they are out. To me allowing a proven substance user in the HOF is an insult to such players as Jim Thome who is 8th all time as to home runs but did it totally clean. Thome was such a loved player by fans and opponents that if a pitcher threw at him the pitcher's team mated would have likely shunned him. Sure steroids do not improve eye/hand coordination but they DO increase strength which could easily turn a 30 homer player to a 40 player.

I DO agree that the HOF voting needs to be changed as there are players that are excluded just due to not being popular.

Now I totally disagree with allowing Pete Rose in the HOF but I am a bit biased against him as he was a dirty player. Even many players in the league disliked him as to his method play. Now, if it were today with so much legal betting I might let him slide as long as his bets were legally made. However, at the time, this was not just breaking league rules but also a criminal offense. As to my bias it involves a Cleveland catcher, Ray Fosse. Rose was clearly out at home plate yet he hit Fosse as hard as he could ending Fosse's career. If a regular season game or playoffs then yes, hit him but this was the 1970 all star game which has always been pretty much an exhibition game. There is no excuse for such behavior in such a game. Even if it was a 'real game' the hit was overly violent and malicious, no excuse is possible. Rose didn't slide or avoid. He hit Fosse like a linebacker in the NFL hitting a running back. For this alone he should be excluded from the HOF. It was a violent hit with obvious intent to harm.

https://www.mlb.com/video/rose-knocks-fosse-over-c19988901

 

[Ceez]

Technically I should not even talk to Rec Sox or Yankee fans as it is part of the Cleveland fandom charter that we must hate both from way back when they were all three in the same division. View attachment 339552 Still, to keep peace I will make an exception here... View attachment 339553

As to the steroid era I have mixed feelings in relation to the HOF. If a player was never proven to break the substance rule I don't think it should be a factor. However, if steroids or other such drugs were proven, in my mind they are out. To me allowing a proven substance user in the HOF is an insult to such players as Jim Thome who is 8th all time as to home runs but did it totally clean. Thome was such a loved player by fans and opponents that if a pitcher threw at him the pitcher's team mated would have likely shunned him. Sure steroids do not improve eye/hand coordination but they DO increase strength which could easily turn a 30 homer player to a 40 player.

I DO agree that the HOF voting needs to be changed as there are players that are excluded just due to not being popular.

Now I totally disagree with allowing Pete Rose in the HOF but I am a bit biased against him as he was a dirty player. Even many players in the league disliked him as to his method play. Now, if it were today with so much legal betting I might let him slide as long as his bets were legally made. However, at the time, this was not just breaking league rules but also a criminal offense. As to my bias it involves a Cleveland catcher, Ray Fosse. Rose was clearly out at home plate yet he hit Fosse as hard as he could ending Fosse's career. If a regular season game or playoffs then yes, hit him but this was the 1970 all star game which has always been pretty much an exhibition game. There is no excuse for such behavior in such a game. Even if it was a 'real game' the hit was overly violent and malicious, no excuse is possible. Rose didn't slide or avoid. He hit Fosse like a linebacker in the NFL hitting a running back. For this alone he should be excluded from the HOF. It was a violent hit with obvious intent to harm.

https://www.mlb.com/video/rose-knocks-fosse-over-c19988901

Guys all played like that back than that's why I enjoyed that era more than this one. You blocked the plate you got trucked period. Better make sure you put your big boy pants on and had the ball in your mitt if you were going to dare block the plate. Ty Cobb was one of the nastiest players to ever play the game, hurt plenty of guys cleating them at 2nd base, ran them over at the plate, whatever it took to get an edge. I see your point but I'll raise you this...Bonds was as arrogant as it gets, his own teammates didn't like him but he should still be in. I can't stand the guy but the talent is undeniable. He is arguably the best hitter ever with honorable mentions going to Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn and Ted Williams.

We have an entire generation of soft people coming up these days because the rules have changed. Heck, you can't even land on the QB on a sack without a 15 yard penalty anymore its ridiculous. Sports used to police themselves even hockey is a shell of what it used to be. I'd be mad if Rose took out a guy on my favorite team too but what he did with his career in baseball should live on in the HOF forever. It's essentially revisionist history at its finest.

I dont disagree that was a dirty play but he wasn't the only one who played like that. If that precedent was set there'd be a lot less players in the HOF from 1999 to baseballs inception.

The game changes and evolves no doubt and stats can't be the only way to judge a players career. Prime example would be comparing Tom Brady to Joe Montana. If Brady played during Joe's era his career would have been cut in half imo. Take nothing away from Brady but the physicality of the game was on a completely different level.

I also think guys who have played the game look at it in an entirely different light. Gary is another example. He grew up in the small ball era. Defense, pitching and bunting guys over to get a single run. You had to take the shortstop out at 2nd base to break up the double play in the small ball era, run over the catcher. Runs were at a premium back than. Heck your biggest gripe these days is the DH and for good reason I totally get it.

I'll leave you with this. Bonds holds the all time HR record and we all know his head didn't swell up like a giant peanut because he ate too many ribs. They have documentation about each player in the HOF. The Balco scandal should be included and he should be in. That way my kids or grandkids could read the history and know that the record holder was on something VS the #2 guy who wasn't. When you look up the records it doesn't say anything more than Bonds all time HR leader. The HOF could change that and tell the story. Sing the truth, each era was different in its own way. During Bonds era I would say 75% of the league was juicing. Food for thought

 

[jaylach]

Guys all played like that back than that's why I enjoyed that era more than this one. You blocked the plate you got trucked period. Better make sure you put your big boy pants on and had the ball in your mitt if you were going to dare block the plate. Ty Cobb was one of the nastiest players to ever play the game, hurt plenty of guys cleating them at 2nd base, ran them over at the plate, whatever it took to get an edge. I see your point but I'll raise you this...Bonds was as arrogant as it gets, his own teammates didn't like him but he should still be in. I can't stand the guy but the talent is undeniable. He is arguably the best hitter ever with honorable mentions going to Rod Carew, Tony Gwynn and Ted Williams.

We have an entire generation of soft people coming up these days because the rules have changed. Heck, you can't even land on the QB on a sack without a 15 yard penalty anymore its ridiculous. Sports used to police themselves even hockey is a shell of what it used to be. I'd be mad if Rose took out a guy on my favorite team too but what he did with his career in baseball should live on in the HOF forever. It's essentially revisionist history at its finest.

I dont disagree that was a dirty play but he wasn't the only one who played like that. If that precedent was set there'd be a lot less players in the HOF from 1999 to baseballs inception.

The game changes and evolves no doubt and stats can't be the only way to judge a players career. Prime example would be comparing Tom Brady to Joe Montana. If Brady played during Joe's era his career would have been cut in half imo. Take nothing away from Brady but the physicality of the game was on a completely different level.

I also think guys who have played the game look at it in an entirely different light. Gary is another example. He grew up in the small ball era. Defense, pitching and bunting guys over to get a single run. You had to take the shortstop out at 2nd base to break up the double play in the small ball era, run over the catcher. Runs were at a premium back than. Heck your biggest gripe these days is the DH and for good reason I totally get it.

I'll leave you with this. Bonds holds the all time HR record and we all know his head didn't swell up like a giant peanut because he ate too many ribs. They have documentation about each player in the HOF. The Balco scandal should be included and he should be in. That way my kids or grandkids could read the history and know that the record holder was on something VS the #2 guy who wasn't. When you look up the records it doesn't say anything more than Bonds all time HR leader. The HOF could change that and tell the story. Sing the truth, each era was different in its own way. During Bonds era I would say 75% of the league was juicing. Food for thought

First let it be known that I respect your view on this but nothing will ever convince me that Rose should not remain banned from the HOF for three basic reasons.

1) His betting was not only against league rules but also a criminal offense.

2) Yes, during his time many players were hard core but not like Rose. Ty Cobb was disliked and vicious but I don't believe that he would have ever done what Rose did to Fosse. And not all players in the distant past were like Rose. Could you ever even imagine Lou Gehrig doing the things done by Rose?

3) If the HOF ban on Rose were to be reversed it would give credence to Rose's actions. If he were to be allowed into the HOF he would be an instant hero. While this isn't really pertinent to this, if he were to be admitted into the HOF, his actions would be automatically condoned and this is just not right. In today's world there is enough justified violence and entitlement without making a hero of a violent person that committed criminal acts.

I truly believe that, if Rose were admitted, it would hurt the game. Like I said I'm hard core as to my views on this but, also respect your views. I think it is just one of those cases where we have to agree to disagree.

 

[Ceez]

First let it be known that I respect your view on this but nothing will ever convince me that Rose should not remain banned from the HOF for three basic reasons.

1) His betting was not only against league rules but also a criminal offense.

2) Yes, during his time many players were hard core but not like Rose. Ty Cobb was disliked and vicious but I don't believe that he would have ever done what Rose did to Fosse. And not all players in the distant past were like Rose. Could you ever even imagine Lou Gehrig doing the things done by Rose?

3) If the HOF ban on Rose were to be reversed it would give credence to Rose's actions. If he were to be allowed into the HOF he would be an instant hero. While this isn't really pertinent to this, if he were to be admitted into the HOF, his actions would be automatically condoned and this is just not right. In today's world there is enough justified violence and entitlement without making a hero of a violent person that committed criminal acts.

I truly believe that, if Rose were admitted, it would hurt the game. Like I said I'm hard core as to my views on this but, also respect your views. I think it is just one of those cases where we have to agree to disagree.

I definitely see both sides and I respect your views as well.

Dodgers leading 5-0!!

Miller pitching a helluvah game tonight

Teoscar with 2 dingers already and Mookie has 3 HRs already for the season

 

[jaylach]

Cleveland wins again.

I swear that this season is going SO fast... only 160 games left...

 

[GaryE]

You must have loved the dodgers of the 60’s. Wills singles, steals 2nd
, Willie Davis bunts home to third and Tommie Davis singles him home. Oh yeah, and one of the big three pitchers throws a complete game.

I was raised on that stuff. When Wills showed up on the expansion roster for the Expos, he was going to be my favourite player. They traded him immediately. But base stealing, run manufacturing - cool stuff. We could use more knuckleballers and guys with five or more pitches too.
And Pedro Martinez.
The mean side. I got spiked. Big deal. I was taught to slide into second with intent. As a pitcher, I hit a few guys at the hips on purpose. But I also got my head thrown at in a pick up game because I had driven in runs in my previous at bat - that was the stupid side of the macho codes. Granted, the guy that threw was fresh out of jail, but.
I knew hockey players with terrible brain injuries and early dementia from head shots. So the rules had to change - our entertainment isn't worth men's lives. My Dad was a major talent in hockey, at a time when there were only six teams. I've been told many times that if the league had had 12 teams, or was as diluted as it is now, he would have been a pro. His injuries caused him a lot of pain when he was my age now. For what?
I only broke 2 elbows, a wrist, tore two knees and gave myself an ankle problem, but only the elbows were someone else's intent. And they were in a pick up "friendly" hockey game without proper padding.
I met a lot of violence for the fun of it guys in sports. They would have been violent on the streets, and I'm sure most were violent in their families. They need to be neutered, as well as neutralized. But I'm all for rules that let players have lives after they can't play. It's workplace safety.
In baseball, pitch inside. Take out careless infielders. As far as roids go, yeah, it sold tickets but do you remember how many power hitters had testicular cancer? That was as good a give away as testing. Pete Rose? The entire sports world is dominated by gambling money. Name a stadium after him and throw him in there. The guy was corrupt, but no more than the league signing these deals is.

 

[Ceez]

I was raised on that stuff. When Wills showed up on the expansion roster for the Expos, he was going to be my favourite player. They traded him immediately. But base stealing, run manufacturing - cool stuff. We could use more knuckleballers and guys with five or more pitches too.
And Pedro Martinez.
The mean side. I got spiked. Big deal. I was taught to slide into second with intent. As a pitcher, I hit a few guys at the hips on purpose. But I also got my head thrown at in a pick up game because I had driven in runs in my previous at bat - that was the stupid side of the macho codes. Granted, the guy that threw was fresh out of jail, but.
I knew hockey players with terrible brain injuries and early dementia from head shots. So the rules had to change - our entertainment isn't worth men's lives. My Dad was a major talent in hockey, at a time when there were only six teams. I've been told many times that if the league had had 12 teams, or was as diluted as it is now, he would have been a pro. His injuries caused him a lot of pain when he was my age now. For what?
I only broke 2 elbows, a wrist, tore two knees and gave myself an ankle problem, but only the elbows were someone else's intent. And they were in a pick up "friendly" hockey game without proper padding.
I met a lot of violence for the fun of it guys in sports. They would have been violent on the streets, and I'm sure most were violent in their families. They need to be neutered, as well as neutralized. But I'm all for rules that let players have lives after they can't play. It's workplace safety.
In baseball, pitch inside. Take out careless infielders. As far as roids go, yeah, it sold tickets but do you remember how many power hitters had testicular cancer? That was as good a give away as testing. Pete Rose? The entire sports world is dominated by gambling money. Name a stadium after him and throw him in there. The guy was corrupt, but no more than the league signing these deals is.

When I was 11-14 I was taught to hit the 1st batter of the game to gain an edge by my dad. It worked for the most part. Once I got into high school it didn't have the same effect and college ball produced zero results like that. I never wanted to intentionally hurt anyone for the most part. There were a few guys who got drilled though because we had to police their actions. Our 2nd baseman my sophomore year got his leg broken on a dirty slide trying to turn 2. We faced that team again later on in the year and I was the starting pitcher. I drilled that guy in the neck trying to hit him between the numbers and he didn't return to the game. Never felt good about that but it was an accident with intent I guess you could say. Our 2nd baseman lost the entire season that year because of that slide so although I felt bad a part of me was ok with that guy getting hit. He ended up being fine and played the next game.

Hitting guys is apart of the game just like fighting is part of hockey. I agree that certain things like checking to the head should be gone. There's no room for that in the sport just like throwing a 90+mph fastball towards the head is also wrong.

I still have seam prints (scar) under my right eyebrow from a comebacker that knocked me clean out. I don't remember anything from that day other than what I've been told. I don't even remember going to the game.

 

[jaylach]

I don't even care if there is a hall of fame, so opinions there can't get me riled up. I didn't like the roid era because home runs, while fun to see, don't beat small ball. Yeah, I'm one of those guys.

Me too. That is one of the reasons I'm recently enjoying Cleveland baseball so much. While not 100% a lot of their offense is small ball. Same number of bases but I'll take 4 singles over a solo homer any day. Mix small ball with an excellent defense and you will win games.

 

[Ceez]

Yamamoto tonight. He's been lit up his last 2 outings. He's got good stuff, I wonder if he's feeling the pressure

 

[jaylach]

Mayhaps I should rephrase my reference as to Cleveland being small ball to their being medium ball.

Granted that three games means nothing as to knowing how a team is going to do but here is what I mean. In three games they have scored 26 runs yet only have 2 homers. Ya, they have 12 doubles and 2 triples but a lot of that is due to the fact that they run, run some more and then keep on running. At least a third of their 12 doubles were singles stretched due to speed and awareness and 1 of the 2 triples was a double that the runner saw the outfielder miss the cutoff. They have announced that they are going to run and keep on running, this was stated by their manager. 3 or 4 stolen bases today backs that up. Here is how their hits have gone.
Home runs -- 2
Triples -- 2
Doubles -- 12
Singles -- 19
Stolen bases -- 8 out of 11
And already 14 walks with 22 strikeouts

Mix that kind of offense with a premier defense, and well above average pitching, and you will likely win a lot of games. I mean the left fielder, Steven Kwan, has only played 2 previous seasons yet already has 2 gold gloves... Ya, he got a gold glove as a rookie. Then add a platinum glove second base... Then you have Clase, most saves as a closer for like 3-4 years running and a Cy Young starter. I mean this combination of offense, defense and pitching has scored 26 runs yet only given up 9.

LOL! Don't get me wrong as I am fully aware that these stats are not going to be season long but I LOVE the early start. I'm just having fun as I love this kind of baseball. Just hoping that they end up in 2022 form. In 2023 they were devastated with pitching injuries to the point that they had 4 rookies as starters for a fair amount of the season.