Official 2011 MLB Season Thread

Sylissez · Post by **Sylissez** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 3:59 pm

Yeah, the Phils pen is not the question mark it was the last 2 years. The pecking order goes Madson (closer), Contreras (set-up), Stutes/Bastardo 7th inning, JC Romero (washed up juicer) And yes, Bastardo is a lefty that can be used against righties.

So, this guy at work seriously suggested that the Phillies trade for...wait for it...wait for it....JIM THOME! I asked what the fuck Jim Thome could do for the Phillies, since he can't play the field, and even if he could, he's not taking time from Howard. The guy said that Thome would be a power threat off the bench! A motherfucking power threat OFF THE BENCH! In other words, he wants to trade for Jim "DL" Thome, so that he can be Matt Stairs 2.0.

I love Jim Thome, but, seriously...what the fuck? I told the guy he's no longer allowed to talk to me about baseball.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Sat Jun 11, 2011 4:04 pm

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 1:42 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6651634

Updated: June 12, 2011, 1:31 PM ET
Sources: MLB, players talk realignment

Email
Print
Comments

By Buster Olney
ESPN The Magazine
Archive
MLB Considering Realignment
Baseball Tonight discusses the possibility of MLB splitting into two leaguesTags: MLB Realignment, Buster Olney, Tim Kurkjian, Baseball Tonight
VIDEO PLAYLIST video

MLB Considering Realignment
Rays Tops O's In 11
Baseball Tonight Minute
Tigers Dominates Mariners

A simple form of realignment being seriously considered has been raised in the labor talks between Major League Baseball and the players' association, according to four sources: two leagues of 15 teams, rather than the current structure of 16 teams in the National League and 14 in the American League.

Olney: Players Driving Realignment Talk

Olney As the realignment discussion goes forward, it's the union that is viewed as the driving force behind the idea of two 15-team leagues, writes ESPN The Magazine's Buster Olney. Blog Insider

According to a highly ranked executive, one consideration that has been raised in ownership committee meetings is eliminating the divisions altogether, so that 15 AL and 15 NL teams would vie for five playoff spots within each league. Currently, Major League Baseball has six divisions.

A source who has been briefed on the specifics of the labor discussions says that the players' union has indicated that it is open to the idea of two 15-team leagues, but that the whole plan still hasn't been talked through or presented to the owners.

Sources say the talks are serious, and while one executive believes the odds of change are less than 50-50, another says this is the type of discussion that can gather momentum and become a reality.

A sticking point involves interleague play. Because of the odd number of teams in each league, it is possible that a team in contention late in the season will have to be playing its final games in interleague play.

One of the biggest issues that would have to be resolved in any realignment resulting in two 15-team leagues is which of the National League teams would switch to the American League.

Two highly ranked executives believe the Houston Astros would be a possibility, because a switch to the AL for Houston would foster a rivalry between the Astros and the Texas Rangers.

The Marlins could be another candidate, a source suggested.

"There are still a lot of details that would have to be discussed," one source said.

Buster Olney is a senior MLB writer for ESPN The Magazine.

Terrible idea.

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 3:47 pm

Liriano has a no hitter though 7 innings

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 3:55 pm

Joe Pesci wrote:Liriano has a no hitter though 7 innings

the scorer gave him a gift on a hit that was scored as an error.

the more impressive aspect of the twins is that they dont have mauer, morneau, kubel, span, or thome and they gained 6 games in a week

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:07 pm

Cleveland is in a free fall so unless Detroit gets unbelievably hot I wouldn't count out the Twins just yet. 85 wins might be enough to get the job done in that division this year.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:07 pm

way to jinx the no-hitter, asshole

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:09 pm

No problem, I just ensured the Twins are gonna win 65 games this year with the post I made after that.

YouTube · Post by **Philaflava** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:11 pm

Prince Fielder is playing for a HUGE fucking contract. Holy shit he is locked in.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 4:14 pm

obviously pesci, the man who deserves all the credit in the world is adrian beltre who is playing at such a high level me makes me stare

jredd109 · Post by **jredd109** » Sun Jun 12, 2011 5:02 pm

i don't have a problem with houston moving to the AL west. but no divisions? i dunno. and make it 8 playoff teams, get rid of 10 games a year and have 2 best of five series to start the playoffs.

Tommy Bunz · Post by **Tommy Bunz** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:54 am

Um, it already is 8 playoff teams. And no way the owners ever agree to a shorter schedule, that is way too much lost revenue and there is zero incentive for them to do it.

Realignment for the most part is a good idea, each league should have the same number of teams. Losing divisions would also make it a lot more fair for loaded divisions like those in the East and keep crappy teams like the '06 Cardinals winning championships. Or possibly just go back to 2 divisions per league like it was before the strike. If they do this though they need to make both leagues play by the same rules...either everyone should use a DH or no one should, its completely asinine the way it is now. Plus lose the whole all star game decides homefield advantage for the World Series bullshit.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:53 pm

reading jose reyes game log is like reading the game log of my player in road to the show in mlb the show 2k11. shit is bonkers yo

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:59 pm

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:20 pm

Francisco Cervelli is the worst player in all of major league baseball. It's a travesty that Jesus Montero has to sit in AAA because of this fucking wop.

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:31 pm

nice fucking effort tonight yankees

bases loaded in the first no outs lose 1-0

pretty gay

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:33 pm

Shit happens, this isn't a good offense so bad hitting is to be expected.

Really wish the Yankees could find a way to trade for Beltran or Ethier. Swisher's act has grown old.

Anyway, Cleveland is not very good. Detroit will probably finish close to 10 games ahead of them.

GetToStepping · Post by **GetToStepping** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 10:50 pm

Swisher loves Swisher.

And I'd still rather have Cervelli behind the plate than Jorge. Never liked him or thought much of him.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:02 pm

capable_keL wrote:nice fucking effort tonight yankees

bases loaded in the first no outs lose 1-0

pretty gay

WE HAD BASES LOADED IN THE FIRST NO OUTS, AND DIDN'T SCORE

WE HAD MEN ON 1ST AND 2ND IN THE SECOND INNING...AGAIN WITH NO OUTS, AND DIDN'T SCORE

FUUUUUU

jredd109 · Post by **jredd109** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 11:52 pm

Tommy Bunz wrote:Um, it already is 8 playoff teams. And no way the owners ever agree to a shorter schedule, that is way too much lost revenue and there is zero incentive for them to do it.

Realignment for the most part is a good idea, each league should have the same number of teams. Losing divisions would also make it a lot more fair for loaded divisions like those in the East and keep crappy teams like the '06 Cardinals winning championships. Or possibly just go back to 2 divisions per league like it was before the strike. If they do this though they need to make both leagues play by the same rules...either everyone should use a DH or no one should, its completely asinine the way it is now. Plus lose the whole all star game decides homefield advantage for the World Series bullshit.

sorry, i meant 8 per league...

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 12:05 am

GetToStepping wrote:Swisher loves Swisher.

And I'd still rather have Cervelli behind the plate than Jorge. Never liked him or thought much of him.

I'd rather have neither behind the plate, but hey I'm a fan of catchers who actually play a little defense like Russell Martin.

Reason · Post by **Reason** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:39 am

jeter has played 148 or more games for 14 out of his 15 FULL seasons

and played 154 or more games for 10 out of his 15 full years

GetToStepping · Post by **GetToStepping** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:45 pm

Joe Pesci wrote:
GetToStepping wrote:Swisher loves Swisher.

And I'd still rather have Cervelli behind the plate than Jorge. Never liked him or thought much of him.
I'd rather have neither behind the plate, but hey I'm a fan of catchers who actually play a little defense like Russell Martin.

How long is he out for again?

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:07 pm

Reason wrote:jeter has played 148 or more games for 14 out of his 15 FULL seasons

and played 154 or more games for 10 out of his 15 full years

did you see the note that no yankee has ever got their 3000th hit as a yankee

intriguing lil nugget

Tommy Bunz · Post by **Tommy Bunz** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:57 pm

So good to see Utley hitting again

capable_keL · Post by **capable_keL** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:03 pm

Tommy Bunz wrote:So good to see Utley hitting again

worth the risk of taking him in the late early rounds

Sylissez · Post by **Sylissez** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 10:32 pm

Why was Hamels pitching in the 8th inning of a 9-1 game? FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kid That's Lifeless · Tue Jun 14, 2011 11:23 pm

James Shields: All-Star

WAT

Also, my man Verlander was dealing tonight. #fuckyeahfantasybaseball

Joe Pesci · Post by **Joe Pesci** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 12:06 am

Went to the Yankee game tonight. Sat 5 rows off the field in the RF corner. Heckled Nelson Cruz all night. Got Nick Swisher to wave at me. (

). Yanks scored a ton of runs. Granderson continues to hit home runs. Fun night.

Ogando was painfully bad. He was behind almost every batter he faced and didn't even make it out of the 2nd inning.

alpha · Post by **alpha** » Wed Jun 15, 2011 1:33 am

Giants EXPLODE for 6 runs tonight.
Panda is back and had a single, walk and a RBI.