The Baseball Thread!!!

[Otter]

I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

[Otter]

(06-23-2021, 11:34 AM)divmenow Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 08:10 AM)ken-do-nim Wrote: Seems like a good day to check the standings.

My Red Sox - 1st place, woohoo!
Chad's Rangers - last place by 19 games. Ouch.
Mike's White Sox - 1st place!
Fender's Twins - tied for last place, 12 games out.  Not impossible to reach a wild card.

Anybody else?

You forgot to add My Astros who have won 9 in a row and have the best record in the AL now 

My first MLB game was to watch Nolan Ryan pitch in a rainbow jersey in the Astrodome.

[Otter]

Likewise, my first NFL game was viewed in the Astrodome, and involved a bench-clearing brawl between the Oilers and Bengals back in the days of Boomer Esiason and Warren Moon.

In baseball related matters, am so glad to see Pujols getting retired this year. It's like PTSD therapy. Was in the stands at the Juice Box when he ended Brad Lidge's career.

[fenders53]

(06-23-2021, 11:37 AM)Otter Wrote: I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

Cherry pick stats how you wish.  I'll appreciate superior athletes having amazing seasons even if it's not for my team.  List three pitchers to ever hit 20 HR's well before first half was over and pitched well too.  You'll need Google for that.  Heck just hit 20HRs most years by June at any position and you'll never be job hunting.  He's a good athlete period.

Based on my experience it's also my strong opinion that northern Minnesota is damned cold in January and the Middle Eastern deserts were kinda hot in summer. Sun rises in the east too unless I am wrong. You wanna argue any of that Counselor?. Why did I pick a fight about nothing with an attorney again?

Just kidding lol. DeGrom is consistently very good and I never said otherwise, any season. I am a fan.

[Otter]

(06-23-2021, 11:51 AM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:37 AM)Otter Wrote: I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

Cherry pick stats how you wish.  I'll appreciate superior athletes having amazing seasons even if it's not for my team.  List three pitchers to ever hit 20 HR's well before first half was over and pitched well too.  You'll need Google for that.  Heck just hit 20HRs most years by June at any position and you'll never be job hunting.  He's a good athlete period.

Odds of me saying positive things about a dude playing for a divisional rival (admittedly, 9 games back): 0. I can comfortably root for DeGrom when he is playing for the Mets. No reason to dislike them unless they make it to October with my guys. In related news, it was very sad to hear of Gerrit Cole's retirement after the 2019 season, but the Astros seem to be doing ok without him this year.

[fenders53]

(06-23-2021, 11:57 AM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:51 AM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:37 AM)Otter Wrote: I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

Cherry pick stats how you wish.  I'll appreciate superior athletes having amazing seasons even if it's not for my team.  List three pitchers to ever hit 20 HR's well before first half was over and pitched well too.  You'll need Google for that.  Heck just hit 20HRs most years by June at any position and you'll never be job hunting.  He's a good athlete period.

Odds of me saying positive things about a dude playing for a divisional rival (admittedly, 9 games back): 0. I can comfortably root for DeGrom when he is playing for the Mets. No reason to dislike them unless they make it to October with my guys. In related news, it was very sad to hear of Gerrit Cole's retirement after the 2019 season, but the Astros seem to be doing ok without him this year.

I snuck an edit in on you.  I just love the game.  I am a Twins fan and I'll be sucking it up soon rooting for the division rival White Sox before it's over unfortunately.  I've seen them play a lot and enjoy their parks past and present.  It will extend my interest in the season when all is lost which is likely for my team soon.  Watched my first MLB game at old Comiskey, where the Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox threw the series and about ruined baseball.  No I didn't see that series live lol.

[divmenow]

(06-23-2021, 11:39 AM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:34 AM)divmenow Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 08:10 AM)ken-do-nim Wrote: Seems like a good day to check the standings.

My Red Sox - 1st place, woohoo!
Chad's Rangers - last place by 19 games. Ouch.
Mike's White Sox - 1st place!
Fender's Twins - tied for last place, 12 games out.  Not impossible to reach a wild card.

Anybody else?

You forgot to add My Astros who have won 9 in a row and have the best record in the AL now 

My first MLB game was to watch Nolan Ryan pitch in a rainbow jersey in the Astrodome.

Ryan is my favorite player of all time. True story. I sold my Nolan Ryan rookie card to buy my wife's engagement ring 

16 years later I bought it again at a sports card show lol

[Otter]

(06-23-2021, 12:17 PM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:57 AM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:51 AM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:37 AM)Otter Wrote: I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

Cherry pick stats how you wish.  I'll appreciate superior athletes having amazing seasons even if it's not for my team.  List three pitchers to ever hit 20 HR's well before first half was over and pitched well too.  You'll need Google for that.  Heck just hit 20HRs most years by June at any position and you'll never be job hunting.  He's a good athlete period.

Odds of me saying positive things about a dude playing for a divisional rival (admittedly, 9 games back): 0. I can comfortably root for DeGrom when he is playing for the Mets. No reason to dislike them unless they make it to October with my guys. In related news, it was very sad to hear of Gerrit Cole's retirement after the 2019 season, but the Astros seem to be doing ok without him this year.

I snuck an edit in on you.  I just love the game.  I am a Twins fan and I'll be sucking it up soon rooting for the division rival White Sox before it's over unfortunately.  I've seen them play a lot and enjoy their parks past and present.  It will extend my interest in the season when all is lost which is likely for my team soon.  Watched my first MLB game at old Comiskey, where the Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox threw the series and about ruined baseball.  No I didn't see that series live lol.

As a kid the White Sox were my favorite AL team. Then I watched the Astros get swept in four in 2005. Oof. 

Would like to visit more MLB ballparks. Have only done the Astrodome, Juice Box, Dodger Stadium (they were having a Fernando Valenzuela appreciation night, and I got some free swag), and American Family Field (Miller Park was such a better name).

[Otter]

(06-23-2021, 12:25 PM)divmenow Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:39 AM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:34 AM)divmenow Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 08:10 AM)ken-do-nim Wrote: Seems like a good day to check the standings.

My Red Sox - 1st place, woohoo!
Chad's Rangers - last place by 19 games. Ouch.
Mike's White Sox - 1st place!
Fender's Twins - tied for last place, 12 games out.  Not impossible to reach a wild card.

Anybody else?

You forgot to add My Astros who have won 9 in a row and have the best record in the AL now 

My first MLB game was to watch Nolan Ryan pitch in a rainbow jersey in the Astrodome.

Ryan is my favorite player of all time. True story. I sold my Nolan Ryan rookie card to buy my wife's engagement ring 

16 years later I bought it again at a sports card show lol

That is a fantastic story!

[fenders53]

(06-23-2021, 12:34 PM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 12:17 PM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:57 AM)Otter Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:51 AM)fenders53 Wrote:

(06-23-2021, 11:37 AM)Otter Wrote: I'll take a dude batting over .400/.852 OPS and pitching 0.5 just weeks from the All-Star Break all day every day over the guy batting .269/.996 OPS and 2.7 ERA.

Cherry pick stats how you wish.  I'll appreciate superior athletes having amazing seasons even if it's not for my team.  List three pitchers to ever hit 20 HR's well before first half was over and pitched well too.  You'll need Google for that.  Heck just hit 20HRs most years by June at any position and you'll never be job hunting.  He's a good athlete period.

Odds of me saying positive things about a dude playing for a divisional rival (admittedly, 9 games back): 0. I can comfortably root for DeGrom when he is playing for the Mets. No reason to dislike them unless they make it to October with my guys. In related news, it was very sad to hear of Gerrit Cole's retirement after the 2019 season, but the Astros seem to be doing ok without him this year.

I snuck an edit in on you.  I just love the game.  I am a Twins fan and I'll be sucking it up soon rooting for the division rival White Sox before it's over unfortunately.  I've seen them play a lot and enjoy their parks past and present.  It will extend my interest in the season when all is lost which is likely for my team soon.  Watched my first MLB game at old Comiskey, where the Shoeless Joe and the Black Sox threw the series and about ruined baseball.  No I didn't see that series live lol.

As a kid the White Sox were my favorite AL team. Then I watched the Astros get swept in four in 2005. Oof. 

Would like to visit more MLB ballparks. Have only done the Astrodome, Juice Box, Dodger Stadium (they were having a Fernando Valenzuela appreciation night, and I got some free swag), and American Family Field (Miller Park was such a better name).

I very much want to visit Fenway some year soon.  The early 1900's parks are special and only a few left. I missed out on old Yankee stadium.  I started life as Reds fan in 1971 because that was my Little League team. My mother took me to Wrigley a few times because they played the Cubs a lot. My wife was a huge Ryne Sandberg fan so more trips in the 80s. Wrigley is a neat place. My childhood was blessed as I got to see a lot of Hall of Famers from that decade. Half the stadiums I have watched games in are now closed.  Speaking of old Astros, JR Richard was really special.  I never saw Nolan Pitch for them.

[Otter]

Fenway is on my list. Have friends in Seattle, and have been meaning to catch a game at T-Mobile Park.

JR Richard was a little before my time, but my dad speaks fondly of him. He actually attended Colt .45s games before the renaming to the Astros. His original team was the Cardinals, as there were no Texas-based MLB franchises when he was growing up, and local radio carried Cardinals games.

[fenders53]

(06-23-2021, 12:52 PM)Otter Wrote: Fenway is on my list. Have friends in Seattle, and have been meaning to catch a game at T-Mobile Park.

JR Richard was a little before my time, but my dad speaks fondly of him. He actually attended Colt .45s games before the renaming to the Astros. His original team was the Cardinals, as there were no Texas-based MLB franchises when he was growing up, and local radio carried Cardinals games.

JR threw absolute smoke, especially for the day.  A zillion Ks and a few too many walks.  A lot like Nolan.  I'm pretty sure he had a few 300K seasons. Opposition swung and hoped to connect during his prime seasons.  Suffered a stroke as a very young man just as he was dominating the league. He was at the top of his game when it happened suddenly.