Major League Baseball Discussion Thread

[Anet390]

I'm hoping there are some baseball lovers out there.

As for my Astros. Winning 4 of the last 6 is nice and Matt Dominguez was on fire today with 2 HRs and 4 RBIs.

We struggled on both sides of the ball very early in the season. Our pitching and fielding started to sharpen, holding teams below 2 or 3 runs on a regular basis. But we couldn't seem to get our hitting quite right. We were constantly losing games 3-0 or 2-1.

This all changed against the Texas Rangers here in Houston a week ago. Johnathan Villar and Jason Castro became huge threats late in the games and Chris Carter started to find his sweet spot on the bat to avoid so many K's. But... The most valuable player in this 4/6 surprise was my boy Matt Dominguez. Long balls are now the norm for him and he is slowly bringing up his average.

Villar left the game today with a hand contusion but hopefully it isn't too serious.


GO STROS!

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

Oakland Athletics fan here. Once again another great start to the season for them, but my concern is always the same, the playoffs. Particularly the offense in the playoffs. The bats seem to disappear when the games get amplified in pressure and runs are at a premium. The Pitching is usually fantastic, but the timely runs are not coming.

I am sick and tired of them losing to the Tigers. I strongly dislike them, even before they were eliminating the Athletics with regularity. It pisses me off that they get the equivalent of a Willy Wonka "Golden Ticket" being in that absolute trash division. The Athletics division isn't much better this year but that hasn't been the case in the past with the Angels humongous payroll and the Rangers stacked team coming off a WS appearance.

The Tigers always prance into the postseason with little effort because their division sucks, and I definitely thinks that benefits them. I also cannot stand that the first round of the playoffs is a best of five. You can go 160-2, and then 2-3 in playoffs, and you're gone. There needs to be more room for error, a best of 7 series in all playoff series is a must...they're content playing 162 games but not adding a possible 2 games to playoffs...when it MATTERS? Bullshit, utter bullshit.

The Athletics, unfortunately, have not just blown chances against the Tigers. They are just terrible in the playoffs since I was born (91). I believe they only have 1 ALDS series victory, or possibly 2, of which they just got pasted in the ALCS.

I do respect the Athletics for being so good with a non-existent payroll, but they need to get a few clutch bats if they want to ever make a deep playoff run.

Oh yeah, and Oakland's bullpen needs work. Badly.

 

[Anet390]

Oakland Athletics fan here. Once again another great start to the season for them, but my concern is always the same, the playoffs. Particularly the offense in the playoffs. The bats seem to disappear when the games get amplified in pressure and runs are at a premium. The Pitching is usually fantastic, but the timely runs are not coming.

I am sick and tired of them losing to the Tigers. I strongly dislike them, even before they were eliminating the Athletics with regularity. It pisses me off that they get the equivalent of a Willy Wonka "Golden Ticket" being in that absolute trash division. The Athletics division isn't much better this year but that hasn't been the case in the past with the Angels humongous payroll and the Rangers stacked team coming off a WS appearance.

The Tigers always prance into the postseason with little effort because their division sucks, and I definitely thinks that benefits them. I also cannot stand that the first round of the playoffs is a best of five. You can go 160-2, and then 2-3 in playoffs, and you're gone. There needs to be more room for error, a best of 7 series in all playoff series is a must...they're content playing 162 games but not adding a possible 2 games to playoffs...when it MATTERS? Bullshit, utter bullshit.

The Athletics, unfortunately, have not just blown chances against the Tigers. They are just terrible in the playoffs since I was born (91). I believe they only have 1 ALDS series victory, or possibly 2, of which they just got pasted in the ALCS.

I do respect the Athletics for being so good with a non-existent payroll, but they need to get a few clutch bats if they want to ever make a deep playoff run.

Oh yeah, and Oakland's bullpen needs work. Badly.

I completely agree with making all playoff series best of 7. Plus, that means more baseball every year and who doesn't love that!

As for the Athletics, I am very surprised at the consistency of your batting. I wasn't really able to follow the playoffs much last year due to certain circumstances, but I recall my Oakland neighbors complaining about a big dropoff of talent towards the end of the year.

Coco Crisp is only .194 in the month of May, yet the A's have won 9 of their last 10. This just shows how well spread your talent is.

Fuck the Rangers!

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

I completely agree with making all playoff series best of 7. Plus, that means more baseball every year and who doesn't love that!

As for the Athletics, I am very surprised at the consistency of your batting. I wasn't really able to follow the playoffs much last year due to certain circumstances, but I recall my Oakland neighbors complaining about a big dropoff of talent towards the end of the year.

Coco Crisp is only .194 in the month of May, yet the A's have won 9 of their last 10. This just shows how well spread your talent is.

Fuck the Rangers!

The starting pitching in the postseason last year was fantastic, but we blew so many games. Game 4 if memory serves was a game Oakland was leading practically throughout, and should have won and advanced 3-1 series win..but nope, the bullpen imploded, and our offense did too (0 runs on a bases loaded no outs situation down just 1 run in I think the 7th or 8th inning)

Yeah your neighbors couldn't be more correct. The batting is always lethal in the season and then just dies in the season. It is so irritating.

 

[Anet390]

Astros are on a 3 win streak! Am I dreaming?

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

30-16 for Oakland. Won a game today with just 1 hit, don't see that every day.

 

[FireZ]

I want to go to a game at PNC park this summer. I have tuesdays - fridays off so I should be able to get it done. Heard PNC is almost the best park to go to. I havent watched a lot of the MLB in recent years but still follow it enough news wise.

Just hope cleveland can go back to the playoffs.

 

[Anet390]

I want to go to a game at PNC park this summer. I have tuesdays - fridays off so I should be able to get it done. Heard PNC is almost the best park to go to. I havent watched a lot of the MLB in recent years but still follow it enough news wise.

Just hope cleveland can go back to the playoffs.

I was at PNC last summer when I was visiting some friends! Great environment.

30-16 for Oakland. Won a game today with just 1 hit, don't see that every day.

Astros aren't very hot anymore but my gosh Oakland looks good.

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

Athletics swept Angels this past weekend. Pretty good strides in widening the division lead gap.

 

[Anet390]

Athletics swept Angels this past weekend. Pretty good strides in widening the division lead gap.

Athletics are the team to beat now.

 

Rockies Ftw

 

[Anet390]

Rockies Ftw

Troy Tulowitzki is carrying my fantasy team at the moment.

 

Troy Tulowitzki is carrying my fantasy team at the moment.

He must be the man then!

 

[Anet390]

He must be the man then!

Yea, plus the Astros got Fowler from ya'll.

 

[Anet390]

Astros have been playing some pretty good ball. Playoff run?

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

Athletics 2nd to hit 40 wins. Legooooo

 

[FireZ]

Where did toronto and kansas city come from? Cant remember the last time either of them had a decent season.

Finally going to PNC park next thursday to watch a game there.

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

They came out of nowhere. Aside from Infante I can't even name anyone else on the Royals.

 

[FireZ]

Glad to see some of these teams do decent for once, get tired of watching the same 2 teams win each division every year.

 

[Anet390]

Well this happened to the Astros yesterday. Altuve has been playing amazing, but his one weakness is tagging the runner before they reach the base.