the "baseball only" thread

[milagros317]

Not if we get hot and go 12-2 as we did in the first 14 games of the season. 😀 (Otherwise, wait till next year.)

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

Not if we get hot and go 12-2 as we did in the first 14 games of the season. 😀 (Otherwise, wait till next year.)

Then you must really believe in Santa Claus too. 😀

 

[milagros317]

I believe that double sixes can come up three times in a row on a pair of honest dice, that's all. 😀

(I've seen that happen, and the odds against it are 46,655 to 1.)

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

The Mets are already losing 3-0 as David Wright committed an error to start a huge rally. 🙁

 

[CaptainQuantum]

Listening to Cubs/Cards on the radio.....

The Cubs make yet another baserunning mistake, blowing another good scoring opportunity. Pat Hughes and Cub legend Ron Santo are broadcasting.

Santo: Well I thought we'd seen it all.
Hughes: Not until game 162 I guess, Ron.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

As much as I like Ron Santo ( and feel bad about his health issues ) I really do believe that baseball should be called by imparial broadcasters and should not be cheerleaders in the broadcast booth. That is the reason Carey and Stone were forced out after last season. ( Though Chip Carey is awful and is a cheerleader ). But it nice to know that some broadcasters can put their pompoms away and give an honest account to what is really going on.

 

[milagros317]

I like Vin Scully as a broadcaster for that reason, he is honest in describing what goes on. 😀

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

Vin Scully is the BEST of the BEST. He calls a game by himself and he does not sit there and say we need a hit here or we need an out here. He calls the game right down the middle. That is the mark of a great broadcaster. White Sox announcers, Braves announcers and Cubs radio announcers always have their pompoms out. 🙁

 

[milagros317]

Vin Scully is also in his mid 70's, so I don't know how much longer he wants to broadcast.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

The Mets have now cut the Braves lead to 5-2 with Cliff Floyd hitting his 31st homerun of the season.

 

[CaptainQuantum]

Hatred for division rivals

I was listening to the White Sox/Twins game on the radio last night. One of the announcers was saying how the Twins would love to play "spoilers" in the Sox's bid to hang on to the Incredible Shrinking Lead that they have in the AL Central. Well that wasn't surprising, until he said "the Twins hate the White Sox. The Indians hate the White Sox too."

I never really thought of the White Sox and Indians as being a heated rivalry. I can see the Twins and White Sox being a heated rivalry because they've been in the same division longer (they were both in the old AL West, while the Indians were in the old AL East, before they went to 6 divisions). But even then, being division rivals doesn't necesarilly mean there's a "hatred" there. I mean, I don't think Red Sox fans really hate the Orioles or Blue Jays, or that Dodger fans really hate the Diamondbacks.

Maybe there's some history between the Indians and White Sox that I don't know about.

 

[milagros317]

Speaking as a Dodger fan, the only team that I hate is the hated SF jints.

I merely dislike the Arizona Dickheads, the Colorado Rockheads, and the San Diego Pondscum. 😛

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

I was listening to the White Sox/Twins game on the radio last night. One of the announcers was saying how the Twins would love to play "spoilers" in the Sox's bid to hang on to the Incredible Shrinking Lead that they have in the AL Central. Well that wasn't surprising, until he said "the Twins hate the White Sox. The Indians hate the White Sox too."

I never really thought of the White Sox and Indians as being a heated rivalry. I can see the Twins and White Sox being a heated rivalry because they've been in the same division longer (they were both in the old AL West, while the Indians were in the old AL East, before they went to 6 divisions). But even then, being division rivals doesn't necesarilly mean there's a "hatred" there. I mean, I don't think Red Sox fans really hate the Orioles or Blue Jays, or that Dodger fans really hate the Diamondbacks.

Maybe there's some history between the Indians and White Sox that I don't know about.

What you have to think about here though is that before divisional play the White Sox and Indians played each other 22 times a year until 1961. So from 1901 until 1961 the White Sox and Indians played against each other a few times. With the exception of 1918 the season were 154 games. They were 8 team leagues until 1961 in the American league when they expanded to 10 teams ( in the NL they expanded to 10 teams 1962 ). That is also when they expanded the season to 162 games. Then the White Sox played the Indians 18 times a season. When divisional play started in 1969 with the East Division and West Division the teams inside their division played each other 18 times. The East teams and the West teams played each other 12 times a year. Now with interleague and 3 divisions you do not play teams as often. Now you play within your division 19 games and 15 games in the other league and the rest of the games are played within your league. General you play teams that are not in your division 6 to 7 times a year. But that is why the Indians and White Sox hate each other because over their history they have played each other about ( I do not have exact numbers but I bet I could research it ) 1900 times. So I really hope this answers your question as to why the announcers say that the Indians and White Sox hate each other.

 

[CaptainQuantum]

ok cool. thanks tickling. I should've figured as much simply because the White Sox and Indians are 2 of your older franchises anyway, so they have played each other a lot.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

I would say they have played each other an awful lot. I am trying to research what their records are head to head. When I have gotten that I will, in fact, post it so that you will know. By the way, whom are you a fan of? Are you a fan of the Twins ( who used to be the old Washington Senators. So there is a long history for the Twins against the Indians and the White Sox ), the Indians or the White Sox?

 

[CaptainQuantum]

By the way, whom are you a fan of? Are you a fan of the Twins ( who used to be the old Washington Senators. So there is a long history for the Twins against the Indians and the White Sox ), the Indians or the White Sox?

I was only listening to the White Sox game that night because the White Sox seem to be on the verge of blowing a HUGE lead (15 games at the start of August that I know of), and I know my dad hates the White Sox 😀

I'm just a casual fan, but my dad got me interested in it cause he's a lifelong diehard Cub fan. If I root for any team (and I know a lot of folks here won't like this), it's probably the Yankees because I like George Steinbrenner's commitment to winning. Of course I like what the Red Sox have done in recent years also. Those long suffering fans in Boston deserve a winner and I'm glad they finally got one.

As cheap as the Chicago Tribune (owner of the Cubs) have been known to be, I enjoy seeing an owner who's willing to spend whatever it takes to win. Assuming of course, that the owner has that kind of money, and the Tribune certainly does so there's no excuse for them not to have (at least) the highest payroll in the NL almost every year.

As I said a few days ago, I realize having the highest payroll doesn't guarantee a World Series, especially with the longer playoffs now. But as a general rule, I do think you increase your chances dramatically if you get the best talent you can possibly afford. And the Yankees and Red Sox, and the Mets, even though their season wasn't as good as hoped, have done that. The Phillies Angels and Cards are no slouches either, with what they spent as of the start of the season.

Amazingly the Cubs (87M) spent 12M more than the White Sox at 75M, but I think the Sox benefitted from being in a very weak division this year, as 3 of the teams in that division were in the bottom half of baseball in payroll. Although on of them is the Indians, who are really scaring the crap out of White Sox fans right now. 😀

 

[milagros317]

The Dodgers 2005 season can be described are early joy, followed by misery, misery, misery, and misery. 🙁

 

[CaptainQuantum]

The Dodgers 2005 season can be described are early joy, followed by misery, misery, misery, and misery. 🙁

As of the start of the season, the Dodgers had the 2nd highest payroll in thier division, at 82M while the division leading Padres (and soon to be whipping boys of whoever they play in the playoffs) spent a measly 63M. That was of course before injuries decimated every team in that division that had any talent.

 

[CaptainQuantum]

That reminds me...

I was in the college football chatroom on AOL last night. I forget how it came up but someone said that Los Angeles isn't a college football city, it's a pro sports city, and he said that the Dodgers and Angels are in the top 3 in attendance along with the Yankees. Is that true? If it is, it's surprising because I always thought that as much as there is to do in southern California, sports teams there must draw modestly unless they're having a really great season. And I read that the only reason Houston got a new NFL franchise was because LA didn't want one.

 

[milagros317]

As of today, the Cardinals are second behind the Yankees in attendance.

Attendance in 2005 through games of 9/18:

1. Yankees 3,726,965
2. Cardinals 3,314,217
3. Dodgers 3,309,456
4. Angels 3,167,654

 

[CaptainQuantum]

Wow. Good to know that baseball is that big in L.A.

 

[ticklingfeet4fu]

As of today, the Cardinals are second behind the Yankees in attendance.

Attendance in 2005 through games of 9/18:

1. Yankees 3,726,965
2. Cardinals 3,314,217
3. Dodgers 3,309,456
4. Angels 3,167,654

The problem with this attendance figure is that they all show up in the 3rd inning of Dodger games. They eat 2 Dodger Dogs and leave by the 7th inning stretch. So no support before the 3rd inning and no support after the 7th from their fans.

 

[milagros317]

Very funny. 😛
Some fans do leave early. Many, like me, stay until the game is over.

 

[unclebill]

As much as teams charge for tickets these days you should stay. I`m in my mid forties and I can remember going to Busch Stadium on many a Sunday afternoon to watch Bob Gibson pitch and spending one dollar to sit in the left field bleachers. I would go to the game with a few of my neighborhood buddies and our parents would drop us off at the gate and pick us up when the game was over. Man those were the days.

 

[milagros317]

Tickets are just the beginning of the cost of attending a game. Do not forget parking, $4 hot dogs, and $5 beers.