2003 ML Baseball Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

I just read and realized that tonight is the most important game of the year for the Phillies. A loss tonight almost guarantees they are out of it.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

Milwood. See ya, don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Yeah, but it's well established that Bud Selig lives on Bizarro World

Agreed, He felt that the Twins needed to be contracted as a non competitive team.
Last year the Twins make it to the Championship series.
This year they again win the division.
Bud only wants to sell more tickets in nearby markets without Minnesota competition.
I think the Yankees may just be surprised when the games begin. The twins have the best record since the break

 

[Jason Seaver]

Yeah, but they've mostly been playing the AL Central, so don't read too much into that.

 

[Marvin]

I think the Yankees may just be surprised when the games begin.

Well, I hope not but it's possible, especially considering what happened last year (shudder).

 

[Jason Seaver]

Well, Jerry's apparently assuming that Bud believes what he says. The reason Bud gave for the Twins being contraction candidates was that they were non-competitive and sparsely attended. The actual reasons were that the Twins have a scuzzy owner who was willing to take the buy-out and they were unable to extort a publicly-funded stadium.

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I just wanted to give a shout out to the 2003 Kansas City Royals ballclub. What a year!!!

They, despite not making the playoffs (they were eliminated last night), in my mind anyway, have been the story of the year for MLB in 2003.

If the Twins wouldn't have gotten hot, I really think KC would have held on to the division somehow. Alas, it wasn't meant to be...

The Royals don't get paid squat:

2003 Payrolls

Yankees $180,322,403
Mets $116,253,927
Royals $48,475,322

So, it just goes to show you that $$$ doesn't always buy you a trip to the postseason or a successful season. Just ask the Mets But sometimes it definitely does (damn Yankees!)

Tony Pena should definitely get manager of the year in the AL.

Angel Berroa should also get the Rookie of the year award (If I'm voting anyway).

Sure, Matsui had a good season, but who wouldn't have had a good season hitting in that Yankess lineup (besides Robin ventura or Todd Zeile maybe ) Berroa had to hit among the likes of Brent Mayne and Mike Defelice all season.

Again, congrats to the Royals on a fine year. I sure hope this can bring some more fans out to Kauffman Stadium in KC next season and continue on with thier fire and intensity and take baseball by storm once again next season.

 

[Jerry Klawiter]

Jason,
You are correct,
Pohlad needs to leave the state & sell the team
to the state or other local buyers like he said he would.
Then maybe the tax payers will foot the bill for a new
place to play & call home.
Keep in mind, Bud also has an interest in the Co. team
via loans. Without the Twins, the fans from North & South Dakota, Iowa & Nebraska, Western Wisconsin, the Twins now draw from, Bud felt that the fans would travel to see the Brewers & Co.
If you take a look at the Twins attendance over the past years, you would see that his statements are very incorrect.
They have drawn very well in comparison to the market size & have shamed other larger markets.
Look at the Twins payroll, Not all bad for the money.
Now back to the season at hand.
I think the win streak is about to end with the guys taking a few days off to heal & rest.

 

[Phil L]

You have a point regarding each pitchers home field...but Prior hasn't faced Bonds at all this season.

Actually he has (or at least MLB stats thinks so, I remembered because of a Sportscenter clip, Bonds nearly rushing Prior) at Pac Bell. No offical ABs. 2 Walks (one IBB) and a HBP.

 

[Evan Case]

Three 1-run losses in a row, plus a 2-0 defeat vs. the AAA Reds.

Another in a long line of gut punches for this fan of Philadelphia sports.

At least I'm getting used to it...

Evan

 

[Steve_Tk]

Yeh, Phillie had a good run. Seems like it ended tonight.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

Probably way off on this, but I wonder if the Phillies sometimes suffer from the wear and tear of having to play on that artificial garbage 81 times a year. It certainly can't be helping matters. At least next year their homegames will be on a natural surface, the way the game was intended to be played.

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Probably way off on this, but I wonder if the Phillies sometimes suffer from the wear and tear of having to play on that artificial garbage 81 times a year. It certainly can't be helping matters. At least next year their homegames will be on a natural surface, the way the game was intended to be played.

Y'know...this sounds like something I would say just to defend the pathetic choke-job the Phillies are mired in, but I think you have a very legitimate point there. As psyched as I was for the Eagles new home, it's the new baseball stadium that has me most excited!

As a lifelong Phillies freak, I echo my comments from several seasons past:

"Can't wait till next year!" :frowning:

 

[JamieD]

Overachieved for much of the season

How do you figure? If anything, they underachieved for most of it, and then started to play well, but too little too late. A $90 million Plus payroll, an above average starting four: Padilla Millwood Wolf and Meyers, and what was supposed to be an incredibly dangerous lineup. Bell, Burrell and Rollins were incredibly disappointing, and it seemed like their fall straight out of the gate was what did them in. Now, considering how horribly a fair portion of their lineup has been, staying in contention could be seen as overachieving I guess, but considering they were definitive picks for the playoffs the season has to be seen as a failure.

 

[Shane Martin]

I wonder if Larry Bowa will get the boot this off season..

Another in a long line of gut punches for this fan of Philadelphia sports.

Considering that all their teams are losing right now, it must suck :frowning: I know you aren't expecting much from the Flyers.

Anyone seen the Padres new park? Holy Moses that looks nice.
http://www.ballparks.com/baseball/national/sdobpk.htm

 

[Mark Schermerhorn]

Yeah, but they've mostly been playing the AL Central, so don't read too much into that.

Jason: The Twins are 4-2 vs. the Red Sox this year

Just glanced at the team vs. team stats for the twins this year. Several of their records stand out:

14 - 1 vs Detroit
0 - 7 vs NY
8 - 1 vs Oakland

Scores of the games vs. the Yanks:

7-3, 2-1, 2-0, 11-4, 4-2, 8-2, 15-1

3 competitive games, 4 bad games. All were in the first half of the season when the twins were...bad. They've changed since acquiring Shannon Stewart. I still give the edge to the Yanks, but the series should be competitive.

 

[Patrick Sun]

How about Billy Wagner rebounding last night and throwing triple-digit gas and mowing down Barry Bonds?

 

[Patrick Larkin]

I wonder if Larry Bowa will get the boot this off season..

Hopefully not. The whiners like Milwood don't like Bowa's act but Bowa has won a world series and Bowa knows what it takes. Bowa hustled every day of his career and the fans love him. Fans don't love guys like Milwood who whine about how tired they are while pitching the biggest game of the season and who won't acknowledge a legitimate contract offer. Like I said, don't let the door hit ya...


Give Milwood and Abreu the boot and bring in some fresh blood. We need a number one to replace Milwood (I'm tired of his sour puss yokel routine) and a right fielder that doesn't only hit for the statbook but hits when it counts. Oh, and it helps if he could throw a ball to homeplate.

 

[KurtW]

Prior HAS faced Bonds, a few times. Doesn't anyone remember where he threw *gasp* INSIDE to Barry, who had a fit about it. Prior comes back and says something to the like of "I throw inside. I have to to win. If he doesn't like it, he can suck an egg." or something to that effect. That's when I went out and got a Mark Prior jersey.

 

[Steve_Tk]

I don't really see why Philly fans hate Millwood so much.