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ML Baseball 2005 discussion thread (1 Viewer)

Jeff Gatie

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Best thing about Opening Day at Fenway (besides the rings and the banner, of course), was the standing ovation given to Mo Rivera by the Fenway faithful. Every other Yankee was heartily booed, but Mo got a rousing round of applause. Good to see him laugh along with it, grinning ear to ear - that's the kind of player he is (and once again, Sox fans demonstrate they have a great sense of humor and timing).



Happened at 2 PM today, ya missed it!
 

Patrick Sun

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I meant how ESPN would cover it tonight on Baseball Tonight.

I know Boston shelled Mussina this afternoon.
 

Joseph S

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What coverage? They had a chance to cover it live on Baseball Tonight and they screwed up big time. Why assume they'll figure it out? I'm pissed at them and INHD for missing the entire ceremony they easily could have shown. INHD ran a repeat of some concert and then randomly joined in 1h late, ESPN was just awful.

Congrats to Jerry Remy (HOF Announcer to be) who just got his World Series ring on NESN!!!
 

Doug Miller

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I've got to agree, ESPN coverage before the game was awful. They did a nice job... I guess... of constantly recapping everything after the game started, but it would have been nice to watch the whole thing.

The sad thing is that I was taping it, but decided to come home early to watch anyway, and my XM radio broadcast of it didn't spotlight the ceremony either. What a waste.

Highlights of the day were the cheers for Rivera. He handled it well. High class to the Yankees for watching and clapping -- probably Jeter's idea, that guys a man and a half. Jeter is great.

Other highlights of the day obviously include ARod's error. If Millar wasn't so damn slow, he would have had two! I was laughing pretty hard when the fans gave him a standing ovation when he made the routine play in the 8th. I think if you asked Giambi who his favorite player in the game was, he would say "ARod, because he gets way more shit than me." :)

I'm not going to go overboard and say that the Sox are in the Yankees head -- Way too soon for that, and the Yankees took the first series. That said (and I'm taking off the ARod sucks hat for a second,) they are in ARod's head. He's trying so hard not to blow it, that he's breaking the cardinal rule when it comes to baseball -- He's thinking too much. Thinking too much leads to errors and strikeouts. The greatest players in the game are great because they can put the other bullshit aside and just play -- it's a natural motion for them to field a ball, or swing the bat. I'm not calling ARod Chuck Knoblach, but Knoblach (feel free to correct my spelling) was considered a solid second baseman. Then he started screwing up and it went downhill. Same with Ankiel for St. Louis, the kid got wild in the playoffs and his career went to pot. All victims of thinking too much. ARod will continue to struggle against the Red Sox, period. He may rule over Tampa Bay or Toronto, but he will continue to struggle against the Sox.

Doug
 

Joseph S

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And the ESPN coverage continues to suck. The just ran the baseball tonight footage of the opening ceremonies with the stupid "ESPN HD" bars over the top of HD footage. You could see they were using HD footage because the bars aren't full height & width so above, below, and beside them you could see the edges of the footage. Then more Harold Reynolds and Kruk whining about their losing years. :thumbsdown: :thumbsdown:


Update: Here's their phone number and address to send complaints
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/...oratefactsheet

Bristol:
ESPN Plaza, Bristol, CT USA 06010 Phone: (860) 766-2000
 

Jason Seaver

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(puking noises)

I'd say it's more likely Torre's. Not that I don't think Jeter wouldn't come up with something that gave him more camera time.
 

Patrick Sun

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I saw the Tom Arnold coverage of the Red Sox and the ring ceremony festivities on Fox Sports, pretty funny stuff.
 

Doug Miller

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I neglected to mention it, but did anyone catch Sutcliff's comment during the broadcast about steroids -- He's heard rumblings that some bigger names will come out in the next two weeks. They dropped the subject right after Sutcliff made the comment. Verrrry intersting.

Doug
 

Rob Willey

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I agree that was a very classy move by the Yanks all standing on the top step of the dugout politely applauding as the Sox got their rings.

I agree with Jason though, probably Torre's idea (the man is class personified), not Jeter's.

Rob
 

Mark Murphy

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Yeah, I agree. Jeter was probably too busy pulling babies from burning buildings to worry about the ring ceremony. All this Jeter-love (see Tim McCarver) is ridiculous. I don't care what anyone says, I'll take David Ortiz over Jeter in a clutch situation any day of the week. Jeter's .200 avg in the '04 ALCS (not to mention the .233 avg in '03) says hi.
 

Doug Miller

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Just to clarify, yeah, I would bet it was Torre's idea as well -- he is definitely one of the classiest in the game. I just brought up Jeter because I knew it wasn't ARod's idea :D.

Now, that said, c'mon now Mark! Granted I'm not from Mass so I'm just a tag along Red Sox fan, but to say you would take Ortiz over Jeter in the clutch seems way off base to me -- Have you watched any of the World Series and playoff games that Jeter played in (besides against the Sox)? Yeah, he had a rough ALCS last year, but Jeter is a frickin' man in the playoffs. I don't understand all the hate on Jeter, he avoids the spotlight, obviously dislikes having to play the media game (he's known for being as dull as Ripken was), and just plays hard every day. AND by the way, placed no blame on Timlin for hitting him (yes, it was an accident, but so was Arroyo hitting ARod last year -- only ARod decided he wanted to show up Arroyo and try to intimidate him.)

Like I said, I like the Sox. That said, I respect the Yankees (champion run year Yankees who were all hard workers that played the game right, not the gun for hires they have now).

Doug
 

Jason Seaver

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Oh, a great deal of the Jeter-hate is a reaction to how he's been shoved down our throats for the past X years - the way he seems to be featured in every MLB commercial, the way Fox seems to constantly have a camera on him, Tim McCarver's clear disappointment that science has not figured out a way for him to have Jeter's baby, the way people think he's a really good defensive shortshop when he's, well, not. I think he's a very good player, probably a Hall of Famer when he retires, but he's not nearly as good as he's made out to be.

(Like, that play that got him the Gold Glove last year - Pokey Reese made the exact same play in the same game, but did it better since he was able to stop himself from flying into the stands. But, Pokey's not the media darling that Captain Dreamboat is, so we're subjected to endless replays of that.)

And the constant praise for what a great human being he is - well, I don't see it. I don't think he eschews the spotlight, but measures his words very carefully to create a favorable impression; his calculation in doing this is just better than A-Rod's. And still, things slip through that rub me the wrong way - I remember him making a comment a couple years back that it's great to know the pitchers have his back when the retaliation for him getting hit in the shoulder because he leans out over the plate was another player getting drilled in the head. He made comments during the 01/02 off-season about how the Diamondbacks had "our" trophy, like he was entitled or something. And, hey, which shortstop was selfless enough to change positions during the 03/04 off-season despite the fact that the incumbant player is clearly inferior?

Personally, I find Derek Jeter to be every bit the jerk A-Rod is, and boring besides, but better at covering it up.
 

Mark Murphy

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I couldn't have put it any better myself, Jason. When McCarver made the "Calm Eyes" comment about Jeter I almost spit up my Poland Spring. He is a fantastic player, no doubt about it. He is not as good as he is made out to be. He is not even the best SS on his team.
 

ManW_TheUncool

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Wow! You guys have as much Jeter-hate as you claim McCarver wants a Jeter-baby, LOL. :D

I agree the media blows things way out of proportion (as usual). And as a Yankees fan -- well, actually, I consider myself baseball fan first, then Yankees fan -- I will also agree that Jeter is not as great a player as he's made out to be -- who could possibly be anyhow?? I'll also agree that ARod is the better SS whether we're talking offense or defense although he has not proven it yet in postseason play.

BUT you guys could probably use a caffeine-free (and media-free) diet through the next century, IMHO. :D

I guess the "Greatest Comeback" series win, the bragging rights to talk trash about the "Worst Choke Job Ever", the ending of the "Curse" and all that really aren't enough to make Boston diehards happy. :D

_Man_
 

Jason Seaver

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We're bloody ecstatic. Doesn't make any of what we said less true.

Besides, the universe needs people who feel Derek Jeter is an overrated bore to create balance for the folks like this guy. :)
 

ManW_TheUncool

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LOL! I guess I wasn't overdoing it w/ this one on my pbase account (from almost 2 years ago) then. :D

http://www.pbase.com/mandnwong/image/22582790

BTW, before you decide to search me out to tar and feather me, I should point out that *I* did not buy that box of cereal. Got it as a farewell gag gift from a previous job -- and I still play fantasy baseball w/ the guy who bought it. :D And in case you're wondering (or rather NOT :wink: ), yes, that is a barely visible, completely unrecognizable inclusion of a copy of Bill James' Winshares next to the wall along the left side of the frame. :D

Now, w/ all the Jeter-bashing and whatever other Boston lovefests that go on in offices (yes, mine) and at churches (yes, mine too although my pastor is pretty good about not injecting his fan loyalties too much into his sermons :D) around the country, why doesn't Bill James get some more loving too? Don't Boston diehards know who he is yet? :D

But anyway, when are they gonna actually start pounding on Jaret Wright tonight? It's the top of the 6th, and Wright has managed to keep those Bosox from blowing the doors open thus far despite allowing 10 men on base -- and oh, the Yanks just scored another pair off the bionic war hero on a 2-run shot by speak-no-evil to take the lead...

_Man_
 

Doug Miller

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I guess ARod got tired of seeing Jeter pulling baby's out of burning buildings:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2037788

Yeah, I'm sure the kid was in dire straights. Gimme a break. Quote of the day goes to Jeter :)


Rodriguez has often been booed at Fenway since he joined the Yankees last season. Teammate Derek Jeter didn't think Rodriguez's heroic act would make Red Sox fans like him any more.

"They didn't sound any different today," Jeter said.

BTW, how about Flutie's catch last night. I was watching the game on INHD (NESN's broadcast) and saw the catch. Seconds before they said anything I said aloud (even though no one was with me) "Hey that looked like Doug Flutie." BOOM -- "Hey, is that Doug Flutie? It is." The NESN broadcast was hilarious, they had a guy on him in about a minute; he looked really embarassed. 4 straight games with a foul ball though, that has to be a record.

Doug
 

Jeff Gatie

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Both sides have their morons. Remember, your stadium is famous for hurling batteries at the opposing players, an act which was heavily sanctioned by one of your local sportswriters. That said, kudos to Shef for not getting himself into trouble ala Ron Artest. Don't know if I could have held back. I don't like the guy, but he showed restraint.
 

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