MLB - 2019 Season Thread

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Forgive me because I know this is an MLB thread, but did any of you guys grow up with minor league baseball when you were a kid? I did and it was great! My dad started taking me around age 4 and I loved it. I saw those "Birds On a Bat" when I was young and I've been a Cardinal fan ever since.

The beauty of it was the baseball was excellent, the ticket prices were reasonable, the players were closer to us, you could talk to them, etc. It was just great family entertainment. And in my young professional days, I continued to support the local club. I had a couple great friends associated with different club organizations. I haven't been to a minor league game in years, but I'll always fondly remember those days. What great fun. In some ways, it's more fun than MLB.

Hey Kerbie, there was no baseball minor leagues where I grew up but there was the American Hockey League (in Canada), which is the farm system for the NHL. My dad had seasons tickets for a few years and took me to many of the games. Saw future superstars.

[Neil K Walk]

We have practically had a minor league team here in Pittsburgh for over a generation. There’s an actual minor league team south of here in Washington Pa but they’re like a AA team.

[Dru Edwards]

This thread went quiet. What story lines are you following?

Every time it looks like the Red Sox are making ground they turn around and lose a bunch of games. Hopefully this current win streak continues.

[Kerbie]

August is almost over and my Cards sit in 1st place by one game in the NL Central. Better than I expected back in April!

[Fogducker]

The Detroit Tigers are minor league this year with a twist,------they still have MLB prices-------$10.25 for a beer etc. etc. They might possibly have the worst record in baseball, so will get to pick first-----poor devil!

Fog

[IndianaGeo]

Originally Posted by Neil K Walk

I’m not rooting for anybody. Baseball is a crooked business.

How is baseball a "crooked business"? In what sense?

IG

[TomB'sox]

Well my Twins, after a brief period of not so good play, mostly against the Yankees, lost first place to Cleveland for like two days. It was pretty tough to take as they were up by 14 games earlier on. Lately Cleveland has had the tougher schedule and the Twins have been playing the White Sox and the Tigers and have gone back up by 4 1/2 games.

Still killing it on the round trippers, tied the MLB record of 7 players or more with 20 homers with the 8th guy sitting at 19 with 30 some games left. They are also less than 10 away to beat the Yankees season record for most homers of 267.

My worry is when it comes down to it, we eventually have to beat the Yankees to go on in the playoffs.

[raysachs]

My Phils still have an outside chance of sneaking into the Wild Card, but won't do anything in the playoffs if they get there. The offense has scored enough runs to wind an awful lot more games than they have (although not up to expectations after the money they spent in the off-season). Harper's finally come around and, man, when he's on, he's really a force. And he seems to be a really good fit for the city too, although we'll see how many of his 13 years that lasts...

But the starting pitching, other than Aaron Nola, has been between mediocre and really bad - we had a handful of young guys who'd shown enough flashes to think they might mature into something - maybe they still will someday - but it sure didn't happen this year. We had to go find two barely serviceable starters around the trade deadline just to stay alive.

And the bullpen, which looked like a major strength going into the season, has been decimated by injury. Four or five KEY guys have been down most of the season, and at this point it's unlikely that they'll do much if they come back. Just all manner of horrible blown saves. So I don't have any hope for this year. But there's some potential here, which almost every team can probably say...

-Ray

[Fogducker]

The eventual winner will have to open up the signed contracts and renegotiate with the players who will then think they deserve Mike Trout-like money. (The "Fans"?) forget about them, the various players are heading out for a new team and bigger money.

I watch for entertainment, I don't really care which group of highly skilled people in whatever sport is playing.

I don't hold Gronkowski or Luck at fault for saving their health/bodies early in their careers by quitting. Something like leaving the casino with "house money"!

Fog

[Jim Owen]

I’ve listened to the Redsox revert to norm over a ghastly season. I’ll be relieved when they reach mathematical elimination.

On the bright side, I’ll enjoy September callups.

[Neil K Walk]

Is it still baseball season? My team hasn’t been relevant since 1991.

[Kerbie]

Did anybody see Justin Verlander's no-hitter? He gave up a 1-out walk in the first and then retired 26 in a row. All in all, not a bad day's work!

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Did anybody see Justin Verlander's no-hitter? He gave up a 1-out walk in the first and then retired 26 in a row. All in all, not a bad day's work!

It's the 2nd time Verlander has no-hit the Blue Jays. He now has 3 no-hitters which is tied for 3rd all time (Nolan Ryan, Sandy Koufax, Verlander and others).

[Kerbie]

Yeah. I'd say that's pretty good company he's keeping.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by Kerbie

Yeah. I'd say that's pretty good company he's keeping.

Houston is going to roll into the playoffs with a great team. Cole is right up there with Verlander with wins and ERA.