Baseball Monthly Report

[Kirobaito]

OMG...it's liek another sports thread! :smash:

Yeah, I'm on another RANGERS high right now, so I made this thread. It's to discuss the RANGERS and other surprises. I think the three best surprises this year have been the RANGERS, Padres, and Yankees (:chop:).

OMG, the RANGERS. They are so freakin' awesome. Nobody thought they would do ANYTHING this year, and they have the best record in the freakin' majors. OMG! They're hitting a freakin' .310 as a team. Their backup catcher is hitting .300. They've got the 4th lowest ERA in the AL. They just swept the Red Sox (4-3,8-5,4-1). And they really haven't changed that much. The #1 reason they're winning is because of R.A. Dickey, just one pitcher, I know, but he's pitched great this year. And THIS is their best lineup, because I'm on such a RANGERS high:

SS - Michael Young .356, 17 RBI
3B - Hank Blalock .324, 6 HR, 21 RBI
2B - Alfonso Soriano .333, 2 HR, 17 RBI
DH - Brad Fullmer, .247, 3 HR, 12 RBI
1B - Mark Teixeira .242, 2 HR, 7 RBI
LF - David Dellucci .345, 3 HR, 6 RBI
CF - Laynce Nix .365, 5 HR, 14 RBI
RF - Kevin Mench .315, 3 HR, 12 RBI
C - Gerald Laird .352, .400 OBP

SP Kenny Rogers 3-1 4.25 ERA
SP Chan Ho Park 1-3 5.64 ERA
SP R.A. Dickey 4-1 3.48 ERA
SP Ryan Drese 1-0 2.91 ERA
SP Joaquin Benoit 1-0 3.57 ERA
RP Jay Powell 1-0 1.80 ERA
RP Jeff Nelson 0-1 2.79 ERA
CP Francisco Cordero 2.38 ERA 10/10 Sv/Opp

Freakin' awesome. So let's talk about the RANGERS. And how much the Yankees suck.

[Del Murder]

I think Detroit is more surprising. SD could be a good team, and the Yankees are not going away. April is like an extension of spring training, really. It doesn't mean much, but who knows some of those teams could carry this momentum down the stretch.

As for Texas I'll let you have your moment and not state my opinion of them. :)

[Kirobaito]

YOU'RE JUST GELLUS! ALSO I"M NOT JUST ON A RAGNERS HIGH I"M ON THE OTHER KIND. :(:smash:): RANGERS RULE AND YOU KNOW IT STUPID GREEN AND YELLOW ATHLETICS POOPER. YOU JUST GELLUS, YOU GELLUS PERSON.

*cough* I don't care about the Tigers, as nobody on this forum does. I said the Padres just to please Matt. But the Rangers still deserve credit. You're just jealous cause yer A's are in third. And Barry Zito uses steroids. I saw it on the telly. Atleast...they said some baseball player named Barry did. I dunt remember. :p And they swept the Red Sox. That's more than your A's can say. They can't even beat the Devil Rays on a 6-game losing streak. You simply jest at my mighty uber-team because they are young. You only say that the Yankees are not out of it because they beat your putridly-uniformed A's badly. :) Okay I'm done now.

[Spuuky]

I care about the Tigers. :(

[Kirobaito]

I didn't know anybody even outside of this forum cared about the Tigers. :p

[The Captain]

If the Rangers are in first at the end of June, then I can see things turning around for you. Honestly, the best team in Texas is still the Astros.

Major Storylines This Year:

1. Barry Bonds - Can't pitch to him, can't walk him, what do you do?

2. Struggles Of "Aces" - Zito, Mussina (Until tonight), Halladay, Mulder, Morris (Until tonight), Maddux, and Randy Johnson have all been erratic. Will they round into form? Chances are.. yes.

3. Roger Clemens - For some reason is not getting the same attention, but he's 5-0, and possibly threatening for another Cy Young early in the season. Also, 5 K's away from second place all time.

4. Injuries - Mark Prior, Nomar, and Chipper Jones to name three big players who are hurt. Will they return soon, and how will they react?

5. Yankees - They get their own category because they are really in a league of their own. After their well documented and much beloved struggles early on, they are beginning to get on a roll, just as Boston struggles, same old, same old.

6. The Surprising Play Of The Underdog - Rangers, Padres, and Tigers are playing their way right out of the cellar this year, can they keep it up?

One month down, but the summer looms.

Take care all.

[Kirobaito]

5. Yankees - They get their own category because they are really in a league of their own. After their well documented and much beloved struggles early on, they are beginning to get on a roll, just as Boston struggles, same old, same old.

Well, to give Boston credit, they had won six games in a row until they came to the Ballpark in Arlington, and lost 3 games to the Rangers in 2 days. Yeh can't blame them for that...everyone loses to the Rangers.

[The Captain]

For now anyway, for now.

There are five step programs that will be available once you crash from your high and the Rangers lack of true starting pitching catches up. Is Chan Ho Park still on the roster, by the by?

Take care all.

[Kirobaito]

True starting pitchers? They do have Kenny Rogers. R.A. Dickey has been able to pitch 100+ pitches a game. He's done it twice this year, in 5 starts. He pitched 185 pitches in a college game. And they have a great bullpen, in addition to their starting pitching. And they've finally gotten a closer since John Wetteland in CoCo Cordero. He's been dominant this year. They won't go away. And as bad as you think they may truly be, they're still beating the AL West, and keeping on top, sure, a month into the season, but it counts for something.

And Chan Ho is on the roster.

[The Captain]

"True starting pitchers? They do have Kenny Rogers. R.A. Dickey has been able to pitch 100+ pitches a game. He's done it twice this year, in 5 starts. He pitched 185 innings in a college game."

I believe this speaks for itself.

You mean college season, right?

I'm just busting your chops, enjoy your time in the sun.

Take care all.

[Kirobaito]

*cough* I don't know what I'm writing. I meant "pitches". I dunno what I type when I type it.

[RSL]

I'm not a big follower of baseball, but when they announce the scores on the radio (or wherever I hear them), it's always "Barry Bonds hit another homer today", or "Barry Bonds didn't hit a homer today", or "Barry Bonds farted as he walked up to the plate today", or "Barry Bonds didn't eat his asparagus today", etc. etc. Then, almost under their breath, they'll announce "Oh, and the Giants lost the game."

Kind of annoying.

[Kirobaito]

Yeah. Tell that to Strider, please. That's the way we all feel.

[Del Murder]

I don't think Bonds gets mentioned too Bonds. If it's Bonds to them then the Bonds should be able to Bonds all they need to.

[m4tt]

Hey, what team has the most wins in the majors coming into today? Yeah, that's what I thought. ;)


I'm not a big follower of baseball, but when they announce the scores on the radio (or wherever I hear them), it's always "Barry Bonds hit another homer today", or "Barry Bonds didn't hit a homer today", or "Barry Bonds farted as he walked up to the plate today", or "Barry Bonds didn't eat his asparagus today", etc. etc. Then, almost under their breath, they'll announce "Oh, and the Giants lost the game."

Kind of annoying.That is so true! The Padres freakin spanked the Giants up in SF and all they talked about was Bonds hitting a homerun and getting walked a few times. They didn't even mention when Jake Peavy struck him out looking. :mad:

[Kirobaito]

Hey, what team has the most wins in the majors coming into today? Yeah, that's what I thought. ;)


That would be the Rangers. :p

[m4tt]

AND the Padres. They both got 16, boyo.

[eestlinc]

The Braves are having problems keeping the team healthy.

[The Captain]

And playing defense. 7 errors, whoa.

Take care all.

[eestlinc]

the Braves had the best fielding percentage before yesterday. Call it last game of a 12 game roadtrip after a doubleheader in Colorado where the body takes longer to recover. I don't think it's a trend.

[Kirobaito]

I like how the Rangers supposed lack of starting pitching has pitched a combined 17 2/3 innings over the past 2 games, giving up 1 run.

[Del Murder]

Remind me to bump this thread in September.

[Kirobaito]

I'll do it for you, when the A's don't make the playoffs, and Barry Zito goes to jail for the steroids.

[The Captain]

Remeber, it's only May, and usually, players will play to their potential or lack their of by season's end. You're actually telling me King Bahamut, that you think the Rangers can win with Kenny Rogers? If so, God bless your optimism.

Take care all.

[Del Murder]

In more important news, Bonds didn't play today.

[The Captain]

What?! No! I'm in Bonds withdrawal! Please, anything, tell me he did something today to satisfy this consuming need to know!!

In all seriousness, Bonds is a great player, but Ruth in my mind is still tops because he was a dominate hitter and pitcher. If Bonds can post an ERA under 3, then I'll sign on to say he's the greatest ever.

Take care all.

[eestlinc]

i think the argument that Babe Ruth is better because of his pitching is silly because regardless of how great a pitcher he might have been, he was much much more valuable as a hitter in the lineup ever day. Maybe if Babe had played outfield and then pitched every fourth or fifth day for his entire career and won 300 games while hitting 700 home runs it would be a valid argument.

[Strider]

This thread makes me sad.

[The Captain]

"i think the argument that Babe Ruth is better because of his pitching is silly because regardless of how great a pitcher he might have been, he was much much more valuable as a hitter in the lineup ever day. Maybe if Babe had played outfield and then pitched every fourth or fifth day for his entire career and won 300 games while hitting 700 home runs it would be a valid argument."

I think it reinforces his greatness. It don't see how Bonds can be a better player if he never pitched, quite frankly. Ruth didn't just pitch, he pitched exceptionally well. He has over 100 complete games and something like 17 shut outs to boot. Granted, he pitched in a different era, but could Bonds EVER put those kind of pitching numbers up? For all his offense and defense, he didn't pitch, which leaves him lacking.

Besides, Ruth is an everyman, he wasn't healthy, didn't take any steriods, lived the life any man wanted to live at the time. I put him, and Ali as our greatest athletes, mostly because of their achievements, but also because of their charisma and impact on the game. Ruth made baseball the American past time. After the Black Sox's scandal, he made people want to come to the ball parks again.

Ruth could have won 300 games, but became a hitter. Bonds could have never done this. I put Bonds probably second all-time behind Ruth, but it's really debating apples and oranges. Ruth couldn't have made a team these days probably because he was out of shape, but during his time period, they didn't have the same type of training they do now, so he excelled.

Take care all.

[Del Murder]

Both are different players from different eras. I find it hard to pick a 'best ever' for baseball because the game has changed and evolved so much. It makes more sense to pick a best from each era: Ruth, Mays, Bonds, etc.

[Kirobaito]

Bonds is overrated. And he uses steroids. :p

[The Captain]

I agree Del. The next tough question is, how to you break up the eras?

Take care all.

[Kirobaito]

I'd say you define eras by the dominant players in them. Screw the 1800s; nobody bothered to care then. So, I think you would define them as "Ruth's Time", "Willie's Time", and I guess "Barry's Time."

[The Captain]

I've also heard them classified as the "Dead Ball" and "Live Ball" eras.

Take care all.