2012 MLB Regular Season and Post Season (1 Viewer)

[Walter C]

I am finding it more and more difficult to stay up late, to watch the conclusion of playoff games. I can remember missing the comeback by the Phillies in Game 4 of the '08 NLCS, because I just had a hard time staying awake. And since there is no time limit on the game, there is no point to try to record the rest of it, as I still rely on a VCR.

And even if I did manage to stay awake to watch the game, the problem then carries over to the next morning, when I have trouble staying awake at work, and run the risk of being suspended (or worse, fired).

I don't remember WS games ever being held in the day time, but I do remember a few daytime LCS games in the early 90's. I can remember coming home from school, and catching the ending of the NCLS in '93, even though I was not really allowed to watch TV at all.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Caffeine, Walter. Caffeine.



My personal choice:

 

[Mike Frezon]

I also have quite vivid memories of my fifth grade teach, Miss Trimble, allowing us to watch a daytime 1969 WS game during school hours. Imagine, a TV in a classroom! She figured it was a "current event"...thusly educational. Truth was, she was a baseball fan. And, of course, a NY team was in the series that year (further rationalization).

I was rooting for the Orioles...beginning my string of always rooting for the AL team in the series (sometimes called into question if the Yankees are in the series).

But the games wouldn't be over when school ended and you had to run home as fast as possible in order not to miss too much! This was during the Curt Gowdy era.

 

[Walter C]

The thing is, I've been trying to kick the caffeine habit, with mixed results. Very hard for me to lay off the soda (and sweets in general), as I have an addiction to them.

Originally Posted by Mike Frezon /t/319627/2012-mlb-regular-season/90#post_3984625

I was rooting for the Orioles...beginning my string of always rooting for the AL team in the series (sometimes called into question if the Yankees are in the series).

But the games wouldn't be over when school ended and you had to run home as fast as possible in order not to miss too much! This was during the Curt Gowdy era.

I used to be that way, except it was for the NL. Mainly for the NL West, since I could not root for a division rival (before the realignment in '94).

I used to have to take the school bus back home. And since I was not allowed to carry a walkman, it was torture having to wait until the bus got near my house, then I run inside and quickly turn on the TV.

I remember the '97 World Series very well, and probably what got me back into baseball. I tuned out before that, because of the strike. I even remembering it airing on NBC with the team of Bob Costas, Joe Morgan, and Bob Uecker. This playoff season was the first time I got to hear Bob Uecker do some actual broadcasting, and originally thought it was a joke.

 

[Greg_S_H]

You've got to be careful with that caffeine. You might go blind!
Going to the AL Wild Card tonight.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H /t/319627/2012-mlb-regular-season/90#post_3984744
Going to the AL Wild Card tonight.

THAT is awesome!

 

[gene c]

I also have quite vivid memories of my fifth grade teach, Miss Trimble, allowing us to watch a daytime 1969 WS game during school hours.  Imagine, a TV in a classroom!  She figured it was a "current event"...thusly educational.    Truth was, she was a baseball fan.  And, of course, a NY team was in the series that year (further rationalization).
I was rooting for the Orioles...beginning my string of always rooting for the AL team in the series (sometimes called into question if the Yankees are in the series). 
But the games wouldn't be over when school ended and you had to run home as fast as possible in order not to miss too much!  This was during the Curt Gowdy era. 

I was also in the 5th grade in '69. Our teacher, Mrs. Hartaugh, allowed us to watch tv for an hour on a particular day in October. But we had to take a vote on what to watch. It was between the World Series and a couple of re-runs of "That Girl". There were 25 kids in the class....13 of them girls...guess what we had to watch... . Might be the reason why I never got married .

 

[gene c]

Mike,
I had a couple of baseball cards of Yaz (not only the one where the bat is held over his shoulder, but I think I had a Triple Crown card the next year if I'm not mistaken).
I'm pleased to see Bobby Valentine go. We need a much more effective manager, and some solid starting pitching.
FWIW, I'd like me a 1971-1974 Catfish Hunter, a 1973 Ken Holtzman, and either a 1971 or 1975 Vida Blue, please. On second thought, you can just give me the 1973 starting pitching for the A's. And you may as well throw in Blue Moon Odom, Mudcat Grant, and either Paul Lindblad or Diego Segui while you're at it. And it goes without saying that Rollie Fingers is on my team.

I got them all! But you can't have them. When I had to move in with my grand parents in '75 I knew I had to pack light so I took one copy of each card I had, mostly from '71-'75 with a few before and a few after. Still have them somewhere in my closet.
And don't forget about Lew Krause and Chuck Dobson. And the thing about the pitchers on the "Swingin' A's" is they could really hit. Catfish and Blue Moon would often pinch hit for Dick Green, sometimes in the 5th or 6th innings if there was good reason.
Ah, the good ol' days :pc: .

 

[Greg_S_H]

THAT is awesome!

Didn't turn out to be. * But, I guess I'm rooting for the O's now.
* - I'll say it was fun, but winning would have made it a little more fun.

 

[Ockeghem]

Gene C,
Yep, those really were the good old days. It was a great time to be a kid. And I do remember the A's pitchers sometimes pinch-hitting! Wasn't Mudcat also a fair hitter? It may be someone else I'm thinking about, perhaps one of the pitchers you've already named. That team had a couple of twenty-game winners once or twice, and one year they had three twenty-game winners. Such awesome pitching.
Mike,
I don't remember running home from school to watch World Series games, mostly because we brought very small transistor radios with us to school to listen to the games. Of course, I do remember running home to watch Dark Shadows.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Catfish Hunter was a good hitter. I remember him pinch-hitting. It seemed like he ALWAYS came through with a hit...usually a double.

Oh I remember those transistor radios getting kids into trouble on more than one occasion... A precursor to the cell phone in school, I guess.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Originally Posted by Greg_S_H /t/319627/2012-mlb-regular-season/90#post_3984926
But, I guess I'm rooting for the O's now.

Join the club!

My new dog, Brooks, and I are definitely rooting for the O's this year!

 

[Sumnernor]

Looks like Brooks is playing tennis ?????

How would a World Series Baltimore Vs. Washington be ????

Mike, isn't your son a Yankee fan?

 

[Ockeghem]

If somehow the Athletics and Orioles make it to the ALCS, I will have a very difficult time rooting for one team over the other, as I like them both.

 

[gene c]

Most all of the A's pitcher could hit back the including Ken Holtzman. Except for Vida Blue. He was kind of funny to watch hitting. Didn't have a clue. The Bartolo Colon of yester-year.
Well, the A's train has to run out of tracks at some point. Compared to the other teams in the post season they're just not that good. 94 wins for them truely was a miracle. I was at the game last Saturday when they hit a two run homer in the bottom of the 9th to tie it and a three run shot in the 10th to win it. Might be the best game I've ever been to. But it has to end sometime.
And winning the West is un-believable not because of where they finished last year, like Baltimore, but how horrible of a team they were as late as the end of May. They were hitting as low as .210, as a team!, back then so it was an even shorter turn-around for them. They replaced much of the roster as they went along, including 4/5th's of the starting rotation mostly due to injuries. And they're best hitter in the first half, Josh Reddick, has been a non-factor in the second half and Bartolo Colon was caught doping in early August. But they just kept getting better. But like I said, it has to end eventually. If there should ever be co-managers of the year it's this year. I always like Showalter, even when he managed the Rangers. And he got a raw deal in New York. He set the team up and then had to hand it over to Joe Torre. If (when) the A's falter I'll be pulling for the Orioles. And the Giants first, then the Cardinals. So it will probably be Washington and the Yankees in the WS.

 

[Patrick_S]

I have been to hundreds of baseball games in my lifetime, Playoff and World Series games included and I must say that last night’s Oakland game was the most exciting ending I have ever seen in person. The crowd went nuts and the majority of them stayed in the stands a good 15 minutes or so after the game just soaking in the pure joy and the amazing comeback.
Sadly their reward for the comeback will be to face one of the best pitchers in the game tonight. It will be a difficult task to win tonight but it certainly would be a great story for baseball if Oakland can pull it off.

 

[Ockeghem]

This has thus far been a very exciting post-season for baseball.
B. Posey has just hit a Grand Slam, helping to put the Giants up 6-0 in the top of the sixth inning.

 

[Mike Frezon]

And last night's Yankees win was major-league-exciting...with a pinch hit HR by Ibanez (batting for A-Rod) in the 9th to tie with a follow-up HR in the 12th to win.

Wow.

Not bad for a guy who's been around forever. Good for him.

B. Posey has just hit a Grand Slam, helping to put the Giants up 6-0 in the top of the sixth inning.

But not for long. As I'm typing this the Reds plate two and have 2nd & 3rd with just one out in the bottom of the 6th!

 

[Walter C]

I would have normally complained about the format of the Division Series, with the lower seed being home for Games 1 and 2. But in this case, it hardly mattered, especially with the Reds-Giants series, as it looks like the Reds will lose all 3 games at home.

 

[Ockeghem]

But not for long.  As I'm typing this the Reds plate two and have 2nd & 3rd with just one out in the bottom of the 6th! 

But long enough.