Baseball: Guys it's football season who cares about baseball

**Alakaiser** · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 4154 Location: Cambridge, MA

Alright guys, I think it's pretty well-known that I'm a baseball NUT, and that I'm a huge Boston Red Sox fan. For me, the best part of the year is starting up right now. Spring training is in full force, baseball highlights are sneaking into the reels every once in awhile, and ESPN's attention is completely on Roger Clemens, although that's nothing new.

This thread is here for all of your baseball needs, from cans of Miller Lite full of needles, to the New York "We kick ass on paper" Mets, to the obligatory "This is the year the Yankees won't make the playoffs" discussion, and me talking about how awesome and amazing David Ortiz is (much healthier than last season. Be afraid. Be very very afraid).

Feel free to talk about whatever you want baseball-related in this thread, but try to keep low-content, nothing posts to a minimum. It's cool that you like your team, but don't just say "GO DEVIL RAYS!" (devil rays fans? HAH!)...let us know why you like your team.

Also, I am really curious what everyone thinks about the congressional hearings, and not just "I hate people who use steroids, I have no respect for them".

I'll be posting in this thread frequently, and monitoring it heavily, so try to keep the nonsense down.

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**CleverTangent** · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:14 am Post subject:

My (Atlanta) Braves haven't performed very well since the miracle year of 1991. I, as much as any other Atlantean fan, am ever hopeful of another miracle season, however impossible it may seem. This year, the Braves lost Andruw Jones, one of the "recognized names" on the team (every team has at least one - the Braves had two Joneses, now only one), which doesn't give me much faith in the team right now, but WHO KNOWS, maybe it'll turn around this season?

So, GO BRAVES, but let's hope that the postseason doesn't screw us again.

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**WaffleCake** · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:22 am Post subject:

Could someone sum up the whole hearing for me? I was sitting around watching it because there was nothing else on but then I just said FUCK THIS IS BORING. So what happened?
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**Alakaiser** · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 4154 Location: Cambridge, MA

In a nutshell, in as tldr of a version as I can make...

McNamee and Clemens went to capital hill. McNamee said he injected Clemens. Clemens said "lol no wai, I'm legit", the talking heads from congress sounded uninformed, Jose Canseco had a pool party that Andy Pettite "misremembered" according to Clemens. All three parties came off looking terrible, but most people have come to the conclusion that Clemens is guilty as sin.
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**RockingSanta** · Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 243

Red Sox fan?! I'm an Indians fan and what a sad three games those were. I still can't believe the Indians lost to the Red Sox when they were up 3-1. Also either team could have taken down the Rockies in the end.

Just wait, this season could be even better then the last.

**UltraMegaOK1988** · Joined: 15 Oct 2007 Posts: 311 Location: Philadelphia, PA

I'm a Phillies fan... I blog about them and other stuff here if you're interested.

Re: steroids and HGH, I think the stuff should be legalized. I have no problem whatsoever with athletes using that stuff. They're adults, they should be allowed to dictate what does and does not go into their body. Besides, steroids and HGH are no more performance-enhancing than the multitude of other stuff athletes get like LASIK eye surgery or MaxSight contacts, or over-the-counter medicines (even your basic pain relievers), protein shakes, etc.

For the record, Barry Bonds is the greatest offensive player ever to play the game, and Roger Clemens is the greatest pitcher ever to play the game.

To CleverTangent, did you forget about 1995? The Braves have been very good up until two seasons ago. I think people are underrating them going into this season, but I still don't think they're going to beat out the Mets or Phillies.

**tatersalad74** · Joined: 03 Nov 2007 Posts: 149 Location: Sartell, MN

Ohhhhh spring training is here!!!! Best time of the year. Every year starts out the same, all winter long I just scratch my head at some of the moves the Twins make. The Santana deal really irked me, not that we traded him I knew we could not "afford" him, but what we got for him. Wow what a steal. Plus we lost Hunter, he was getting up there in age but he has been a Twin his whole career, he replaced a legend in Minnesota (Puckett), and he did it well.

The best move IMO this off-season was to trade Garza for Delmon Young. I think Young has a ton of talent...guess we will have to see. We still have a good core group of players Mauer, Morneau, and Cuddyer. Pitching is young and unproven, Liriano is a huge talent hopefully he can come back and stay healthy. I would guess that Nathan will be traded before the end of the season (this is the last year of his contract) so our bullpen will be a big question mark.

Now that spring is here I am once again hopeful of a good year. I think it would be a huge accomplishment if this team could be in contention for a playoff spot this year. I don't think that will happen though. I think they will end up just ahead of the Royals in the central. Too many tough teams in the division again this year and the Twinks just didn't get enough help this off-season. I will be rooting and watching no matter what ..... so GO TWINS!!!

And to Met fan out there, enjoy Santana, he is really fun to watch...and believe the rumors, he can hit

Edit: forgot to add my two cents about the Clemens fiasco.

I think it is silly that congress is getting involved. What I thought was a joke was the way the Rep. were kinda pro Clemens and the Dem. were anti Clemens. Waste of time if you ask me. Clemens is lying should have just told the truth and moved on.

If MLB wants this to go away, the testing policy needs to be strict. Can't change the past but at least learn from it.

Edit2: @kaizer...I think the Sox will finish ahead of my Twinks...just look out 3 years from now new ballpark, young guys maturing...Ortiz getting old, Manny getting old....could be trouble

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**Alakaiser** · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 4154 Location: Cambridge, MA

I'm not sure I agree with you on steroids and HGH, given the physical problems they can cause, but I can definitely see your point.

As far as Bonds and Clemens being the best at what they do, I half agree. They're the best at what they do for this era, but they're not exactly the dominating forces that Babe Ruth or Cy Young were in their era. However, that's a totally impossible argument to make, since it's practically two different sports these days.

I've got to say it hurts watching all of this shit with Clemens, since he really was a childhood idol, even when he played for the filthy Yankees. He was that one guy who I always looked up to, and really got me loving the game. It's a shame things have gone down the way they have.

EDIT: come now tater, don't discredit your team THAT much. There's always the White Sox to beat up on. :P
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**officialmaniac** · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 2527

**Alakaiser** · Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 4154 Location: Cambridge, MA

**egraves7** · Joined: 10 Aug 2007 Posts: 520

I'm a Yankees fan and have been as long as I remember. Some of the greatest players of all-time were Yankees, and I am glad to support the traditon of greatness.

I personally am a little tired of the whole steroid issue. It has been blown way out of proportion. Sure it is disappointing to hear, but I would have thought congress would have had better things to do.

But anyhow, I can't wait for opening day!
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**SaNTeeZY** · Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 372 Location: Wisconsin

I'm a Twins fan. I went to Spring Training last week.
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**officialmaniac** · Joined: 11 May 2007 Posts: 2527

I am a Dodgers fan as well.

But when I was like 9, I deeply hated the Red Sox for trading him.

Now I'm not a huge baseball guy, as I was then, but I don't mind watching the Red Sox lose.

Again, the logic sucked because I was 9, and now I'm just used to liking the Yankees.

And my relative is Don Mattingly's father's neighbor. So it would have eventually been forced on me anyways.

**HaV0C** · Joined: 18 Oct 2007 Posts: 237 Location: Chicago, IL

So, I was disappointed in the Cubs' dismal playoff performance last season. It was nice to see them in it but sheesh.....couldn't even manage one win....

Anyway, I'm looking for Geovany Soto to really blossom this year, he impressed me even in his moderate amount of playing time. He handeling the pitching staff fairly well and he swing the lumber quite well also. I'm hoping as a whole the entire lineup stays healthy, injuries happen but if Lee, Soriano, and Ramirez stay healthy our offense should be in good shape. I'd really like to see Marmol get the closer job. Howry would be a good choice also. I am kinda anxious to see Fukodome play also. Looks like a pretty solid team this year, and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.
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**WaffleCake** · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:58 am Post subject:

Hmmm.....makes sense. About steroids, I'm actually a cycling fan and as you all probably know, about 50% of the top riders have in the last 2 years all been banned for substance abuse. It's pretty much destroying the integrity of the sport and it's completely unfair to many of the riders who are legit. Not only because it makes them look suspicious of cheating but it also has more direct consequences. Say, if you are in the Tour de France and one guy on your team (they have teams if you didn't know) decides to be a retard and haxorrs teh body with teh steroids, everyone on that team gets disqualified. Imagine that happening after riding for 2 weeks through mountains. I find it so strange though, that the year after that Lance Armstong quit, instead of all the main competitors deciding they finally had a chance and going for the win, they all said "lehtz doo teh roidz" and they all got disqualified, leaving a bunch of nobodies like Floyd Landis(who it turns out fell into the previous group anyways) to win. They seriously need to fix this in all sports.
/rant

edit: I think this post should have it's own thread, to spark mucho rantage and controversial discussion and keep this thread on topic. Whaddayaaa think?
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