2014 MLB Regular Season & Post Season too! (1 Viewer)

[Mike Frezon]

Teams are using these patches to honor players, managers, coaches, owners, part owners, announcers and on and on.

They're going to end up looking like NASCAR drivers.

If you honor one person this way, it then becomes a question of where do you end up drawing the line? What's the pecking order? Which person is less important than another?

Baseball uniforms are strictly regulated by MLB to ensure "uniformity" among players of a team. I can also go off as to my issues with the way Fernando Rodney wears his hat (aside from his pathetic on-field schtick). Even King Felix had his hat askew during his start last night.

But I understand there are exceptions which allow the patches and for players to wear their garments differently. That's why I need to secure more votes to replace Bud Selig after this season...

 

[Mike Frezon]

And I should add that for those who want to be quick to accuse me of showing favoritism to "my team" or say that I show a blind eye to the Red Sox players... I am known to scream at my television when I see Mike Napoli and Jonny Gomes both playing games with the top buttons of their jersey shirt unbuttoned.

And then there's that Ortiz guy who is prone to posing and not running out pop flies and ground balls.

 

[Dheiner]

Is it my Cardinal hatred coming through, or did it warm others hearts to see "The Cardinal Way" get hammered last night?

 

[Mike Frezon]

Well, Adam Wainwright sure didn't acquit himself too well last night. Either on or off the field.

 

[Ockeghem]

Mike,

This was a good win for Lackey. He's looked pretty good thus far this year. And look who passed Yaz on the all-time Red Sox home run list.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=340721114

 

[Mike Frezon]

Anytime anyone passes Yaz on any of the career lists, it's a bittersweet thing for me.

But it just goes to show the consistent career (in terms of HRs) that Ortiz has had. Yaz was a much more complete overall player.

When I heard this news today, I was thinking about how Ortiz' performance in the 2013 WS compared to Yaz' performance in the '67 series. I had to look up Yaz' post-season numbers. He batted .400 against Bob Gibson and company (and, interestingly, .455 in the '75 ALCS against Oakland and .310 in the '75 WS against the big Red machine (Gullett, Billingham and company). Ortiz, of course, batted .688 in last year's WS (but against, arguably, much weaker pitching than what Yaz faced in his two series). But even hitting .688 off a tee couldn't be ignored.

====================
By the way, you couldn't wipe the smile off my face today when I saw THIS. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving individual. Just shameful behavior, really. I hate when guys like this think they have become bigger than the game.

Put your hat on straight...cut out the call-attention-to yourself-histrionics..and just throw the ball.

 

[TonyD]

I agree Mike about Rodney. I don't mind when a guy shows emotion and displays enjoyment for the game but that stuff is dopey.
Gomez on the Brewers is a very good player but he does some of the same goofy stuff too.There are more that I can't think of right now.btw did you see this.

http://espn.go.com/dallas/mlb/story/_/id/11237346/colby-lewis-texas-rangers-problem-colby-rasmus-bunt
In the eyes of Colby Lewis, Blue Jays outfielder Colby Rasmus sure could use a lesson in baseball etiquette.
[+] Enlarge
The Rangers starting pitcher exchanged words with Rasmus during the fifth inning of Texas' 4-1 loss Saturday. Lewis was irked when Rasmus laid down a two-out bunt single with the Blue Jays up 2-0 and the Rangers playing the shift.
"I told [Rasmus] I didn't appreciate it," Lewis said, according to MLB.com. "You're up by two runs with two outs and you lay down a bunt. I don't think that's the way the game should be played."
Lewis, who fell to 6-7 with the loss, felt Rasmus' bunt was a selfish act.
"I felt like you have a situation where there is two outs, you're up two runs, you have gotten a hit earlier in the game off me, we are playing the shift, and he laid down a bunt basically simply for average," Lewis said.
On top of the bunt, Lewis said the fact that Rasmus didn't try to steal second base further proved he was just concerned about upping his average.
"[Rasmus] didn't steal within the first two pitches to put himself in scoring position," Lewis said. "That tells me he is solely looking out for himself, and looking out for batting average. And I didn't appreciate it."
After the game, Rasmus said he was trying to help his team and did not understand why Lewis took offense.
"I'm just trying to help my team and he didn't like it -- so sorry about it," Rasmus said, according to MLB.com. "I'm not here to try to please the other side, I'm here to help my team, and I had an opportunity where I could, and I took advantage of it."
Rasmus went 2-for-4 on the day. He is hitting .223 this season.

 

[Mike Frezon]

What the hell is wrong with bunting with two out in the 5th inning of a 4-1 game??????

Players have GOT to start bunting against all these cockamamie shifts that defenses are now using. It's the only way most of them will be able to beat the shift, apparently. I sure as hell wish David Ortiz would do it more often. Once he bunted down the third base line against a huge shift to the first base side of the diamond. I think he got a double out of it.

If defenses are going to play batters that way, they have to be prepared to face the consequences.

I can't imagine what that pitcher was thinking in terms of "poor etiquette" and a "selfish act."

 

[Ockeghem]

What the hell is wrong with bunting with two out in the 5th inning of a 4-1 game??????

Players have GOT to start bunting against all these cockamamie shifts that defenses are now using. It's the only way most of them will be able to beat the shift, apparently. I sure as hell wish David Ortiz would do it more often. Once he bunted down the third base line against a huge shift to the first base side of the diamond. I think he got a double out of it.

If defenses are going to play batters that way, they have to be prepared to face the consequences.

I can't imagine what that pitcher was thinking in terms of "poor etiquette" and a "selfish act."

Mike,

Precisely. I've wished Ortiz would do it more often as well. And I recall the double you're referring to, because I mentioned to my son that Ortiz had had an infield double in a game not too long ago.

With regard to Yaz, I remember the 1967 and 1975 World Series very fondly. I hadn't realized that Yaz hit .400 against Gibson and company, though. Amidst all of the Impossible Dream heroics, that year was one of the saddest for me baseball-wise since my all-time favorite Red Sox player was beaned by Jack Hamilton that August.

 

[Malcolm R]

Baseball is such a weird little game, especially at the MLB level.

I always thought the point of every at-bat is to get on base, by whatever means necessary.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Besides the WS in '67, it is always said that Yaz practically carried the Sox in September on his back to the AL pennant.

From bleacherreport.com:

Yaz’s numbers were simply phenomenal, especially considering he did so in the middle of the biggest pitching era in baseball. Yaz led the league in home runs (44), and RBIs (121), and made a clean sweep of the percentages, topping in batting average (.326), on-base percentage (.418), slugging percentage (.622), on-base plus slugging (1.040), and adjusted OPS (195). He also finished first in runs scored (112), hits (189), total bases (360), runs created (150), runs created per game (9.90), extra-base hits (79), and times on base (284). He played virtually every game for the Sox (161) and grounded into just five double plays, one of the most overlooked yet nevertheless extremely important statistics.

Of course, he was tied with harmon Killebrew with those 44 HRs.

And here's his amazing September of '67:

Yaz was the team’s biggest clutch hitter that season, as he batted .417 in the month of September with nine home runs in 96 at-bats, helping the Red Sox capture the American League pennant. He hit .396 for the season with runners in scoring position and two outs, and .367 with two outs. With two or more men on base, Yaz hit .373, and with the bases loaded, he hit .800 (4-for-5).

Against the teams the Red Sox needed to beat to secure a playoff berth, Yaz played fantastically, hitting .356 against the Twins, .328 against the Tigers, and .296 against the White Sox. In the final fifteen games of the season, Yaz batted an incredible .491 (27-for-55) with five homers and 18 RBIs, not only locking up his Triple Crown and MVP, but also guaranteeing the Red Sox would play in the postseason. It seemed that the more clutch the situation, the better Yaz played, as he performed even more spectacularly in the final ten games of the season, hitting .541 (20-for-37) with four home runs and 14 RBIs. And in the final six games, he hit .619 (13-for-21).

And I had his name and '67 stats in my baseball glove growing up!

 

[Mike Frezon]

I've been thinking about the reason why I am repulsed by the actions of someone like Fernando Rodney.

Unfortunately, part of it, for me, is why I feel like I can't enjoy the NFL like I used to when I was much younger.

After most every play in the NFL--even the most mundane--someone on the field can find a reason to jump up and prance around like a peacock. "Look at me, look at me! Look at what I just did!" It's really said.

I'm glad the NFL has instituted these "excessive celebration" penalties and such. But it still doesn't stop the constant preening.

Imagine how dumb it would be in our everyday workplaces to go around everyday, "Whoa! Look at the (insert routine task here) I just did! That's right! Check me out!"

So, I really hate it as I watch that sort of behavior continue to creep into the fabric of baseball: the posing in the batter's box, the excessive home run trots, etc. And it's even worse when those attitudes invade the playing of the game: not running out a batted ball that results in an out or only a single instead of the potential double after its been misplayed by a fielder--that sort of thing.

I guess i should, instead, be happy that this mindset hasn't completely taken over MLB the way it has pervaded the NFL. In the MLB it seems, to me at least, that it is still the exception rather than the rule. But I think knuckleheads like Rodney should really be discouraged from that kind of showboating--by their entire organization: manager, players, owners and the commissioner's office. Baseball has traditionally been very good at policing itself. But the lines in the sand are starting to be crossed more and more often.

 

[Ockeghem]

Mike,I hope you enjoy this little gem. Yaz discusses my man at around 1:15 and following.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

And look who passed Yaz on the all-time Red Sox home run list.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=340721114

More interestingly, that was hit #2112!

 

[Ockeghem]

Aaron,

I love Rush. Their A Farewell To Kings album (and especially the track Cygnus X-1) is a musician's dream.

 

[TonyD]

You should hear the bluray audio of 2112.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Don't make me kick you guys over to the High-Rez Audio thread!

BTW, Scott, nice little piece on Tony C (as opposed to TonyD). Yaz doesn't open his yap for too many interviews. Must be something about that left field in Fenway...

 

[Ockeghem]

Mike,

Those were magical days for me. His comeback year was wonderful to be a part of, and watching that sweet swing was a thing to behold. I wore number 25 for many years (both for Tony C. and Fred Biletnikoff).

My neighbor at the time loved Yaz and I loved Tony C. We had kind of a friendly competition between each other (which Yaz almost always won). The important thing though is that we both loved the Red Sox.

 

[Dheiner]

I agree Mike about Rodney. I don't mind when a guy shows emotion and displays enjoyment for the game but that stuff is dopey.
Gomez on the Brewers is a very good player but he does some of the same goofy stuff too.There are more that I can't think of right now.

Gomez does do some silly stuff. BUT McCann is an ASS, for blocking Gomez from home plate on a home run. McCann should have been thrown out.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

You should hear the bluray audio of 2112.

Yes. Yes, I should.

Natural Science is my favorite song by anybody.

On topic: When I become an MLB closer, my entrance music will be the intro to Limelight.