2004 Major League Baseball Season Discussion (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

Why have a baseball game at 4PM!? Right in the middle of rush hour in Atlanta, that should be fun.

 

[Seth Paxton]

2 weeks ago I said...


When you're right you're right.

The Astros will lose to the Braves, again, and then the Sox will probably get bit by the Angels who are finally reaching the promise of the off-season moves. That would finish off all the obligitory collapses.

I figure the Cards roll too and then dump the Braves.

The hardest matchup for me to pick is the Twins/Yanks. On one hand the Yanks just showed that they own the Twins still, on the other how can you not see Santana and think of Jack Morris. In that regard the Twins would seem to be on track to meet the Cards which is something I was picking a few weeks ago.

Of course that doesn't happen if the Twins shutdown against NY.

More logically though...
With the Dodgers and Astros running hot down the stretch and the Cards cooling and the Braves taking some injury hits, the NL would seem to be wide-open.

Then in the AL with the offensive and bullpen power of ANA and NY going against the SP ace and tough closer power of BOS and MIN it also seems wide-open. BOS does have great hitting too (most runs), I'm talking more about the personality of the team thanks to Curt and Pedro.

Heck, the Yanks would seem to be the weakest team of the bunch, yet they have the most wins. I think a team can patch together a rotation in the post-season just like a team like the Twins can lean on one great SP. Brown only has to go 4-5 and Lieber only has to give you a few and then you are into Flash Gordan and Rivera (and hopefully PQ back on track).


In other words, this is the first time in years that I don't really see a single matchup that, on paper, is lopsided. No team's win will surprise me, outside of the Astros finally getting past Atlanta. They've had better chances to get to the NLCS in the last 7 years and blown it. Then again they do have Roger's attitude on the team now.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Casey,

ESPN lists him (Ford) as a rookie. In fact only he and Crosby qualify for ranking in stats like BA among the AL rookie hitters. He had 34 games and 73 ABs last year. I know that just playing doesn't wipe out your rookie status, but I don't know what the cut off point is.



UPDATE:
From MLB.com

 

[Patrick Sun]

Well, if the Braves draw over 20,000 at the 4 p.m. start on Wednesday or Thursday, I'll be impressed, and I guess I'll help in Thursday's attendance tally.

 

[Seth Paxton]

You mean 20K at 4, 50K by 5 pm, ala LA

I still remember my first MLB playoff game, an early evening start in Houston at the Dome in 97. Talk about a traffic nightmare, rush hour was always bad but getting in and out of the Dome's fenced in lot with something like 3-4 total entrances onto the lot was always horrible.

We sat on a 2 lane road coming into the stadium for an hour! If I knew better then I would have parked and walked. We missed the first 3 half frames (1.5 innings).

Turned out that was pretty typical of the Astrodome. I later discovered that the Will Call booth there was just as awful. I'm not sure how Minute Maid compares, but it just has to be better with the train and the downtown location.


BTW, can't you just take the train to the Braves game and avoid driving in some of that traffic?

 

[Marvin]

It might be a little late for getting PQ back on track. I can't see Torre putting him in in a close game. I think Sturtze may have taken over his job for now.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

Seth, thanks for that rookie info, for basically doing the searching I myself was too lazy to do.


Accept, they've never had a 1-2 starting combination like they do this season. In terms, and I'm only speaking about the Braves here, but they have less pressure IMO this year than any of their other playoff years. Considering they were picked 4th, by some and third by most in their division they are in the position of not being the favorites.

Will that make a difference?

I dunno! I'm with Seth in that I think this field is wide open, and I believe that is the case in both leagues.

I'll say this about the Twins and Yankees series, and its about the only thing in these playoffs I am certain of, and that is if Santana loses game 1, the Twins will not win that series.

 

[Phil L]

Esteban Loaiza is on the roster. UGH:frowning:

 

[Marvin]

I feel your pain. Didn't Scott Proctor make the roster? What about Karsay?

 

[Doug Miller]

Yay! Bob Melvin got fired today.

Doug

 

[Phil L]

I think Proctor did and Karsay didn't. I wasn't expecting Karsay to be on the roster, he pitched very well since he came back but its clear that Torre doesn't trust him.:frowning: Torre does trust Quantrill

Loaiza took Giambi's spot!

 

[Lew Crippen]

True enough Casey. But beating him in the first game is going to be the problem.

The Twins will be very difficult for anyone to beat in a five game series.

 

[Patrick Sun]

I rarely drive all the way to the Turner Field to see the Braves, I usually take MARTA, Atlanta's subway/bus system.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Isn't it time to start the MLB 2004 Playoffs thread? This one is about done except for those teams not making the playoffs, right?

 

[Patrick Sun]

Consider it done.

Please post all playoff discussion in the thread linked above.

Ruminations of the 2004 regular season (MVP, Cy Young, etc) still go in this thread.

 

[Patrick_S]

Really I think you are overstating the endearment factor here. While I'm certain some fans are disappointed to see him go just as many are glad about his departure. He was a serviceable announcer but nothing special.

Although I have to add I do like Stone and would like to see him stay since he is really one of the best color commentators going right now and he was right in his comments.

 

[Brian Perry]

After further thought, "endear" is probably the wrong word I was looking for. I think more than anything, Chip improved dramatically over the years and developed a great chemistry with Stone that will be hard to replace initially.

It will be interesting to see what happens with Sosa. Baker and Sosa obviously have a very strained relationship that has only recently been exposed. Baker seemed genuinely shocked when Sosa said he was tired of being criticized by Baker. Baker then said, "all I've done is cover for the guy."

 

[Patrick_S]

He did improve over the years and as I said he was a serviceable announcer I just think he can be replaced with out any loss in quality.

Stone on the other hand I do really like but I'm also certain just as many people (not just counting the players. ) don't care for him. It’s all just a matter of tastes.

Another note on Sosa, did you hear Stone’s comments during the last game? (I think it was the last game.) He basically made an impassioned plea that Sosa deserves to stay with the team. It sounded as if he was also implying that the fans should lighten up on him.

While this season was a disappointment for Cubs fans over all things do appear to be moving in the right direction. They did post back to back winning seasons for the first time in thirty plus years and because of the Wild Card were in playoff contention until the last week of the season. It certainly beats being totally out of it by the All-Star break.

If they can correct the bullpen, get Wood and Prior back to at least decent and fill a couple of other minor items they could contend again next.

 

[Patrick Sun]

NL Cy Young goes to Roger Clemens.

Clemens becomes the 4th man to win a Cy Young in both leagues. Randy Johnson was second in the voting.

 

[Shane Martin]

Bobby Cox of Atlanta was named NL manager of the year today