The 2008 Major League Baseball Thread

[Drew_Kingsley]

Every team gets one spot on the roster.  Maybe he\'s the best of the worst.  Are there any other stand-outs that should have made the cut?  Seriously, I don\'t follow the Mets, so I\'m clueless.

David Wright is on the fan ballot for "last player in". Chipper Jones was the obvious starter at third base (hitting fucking .388 in July), but there\'s no reason for Aramis Ramirez to be in over Wright.

Wright: .286, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 9 SB, 55 runs scored
Ramirez: .283, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 56 runs scored

Can we mention how ridiculous fan voting has gotten? Pedroia over Kinsler and Jeter over Young are fucking laughable. If fan voting is going to continue, the game should go back to being meaningless, instead of determining home field advantage for the World Series. It\'s also absurd than, when players retire, we look at All-Star appearances when considering them for the Hall of Fame. All-Star appearances means very little when injured players like David Ortiz and undeserving players like Jason Varitek and Derek Jeter are taking spots from guys like Evan Longoria (who could be a borderline Hall of Famer when his career is done).

[booztravlr]

Every team gets one spot on the roster.  Maybe he\'s the best of the worst.  Are there any other stand-outs that should have made the cut?  Seriously, I don\'t follow the Mets, so I\'m clueless.

David Wright is on the fan ballot for "last player in". Chipper Jones was the obvious starter at third base (hitting fucking .388 in July), but there\'s no reason for Aramis Ramirez to be in over Wright.

Wright: .286, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 9 SB, 55 runs scored
Ramirez: .283, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 56 runs scored

Can we mention how ridiculous fan voting has gotten? Pedroia over Kinsler and Jeter over Young are fucking laughable. If fan voting is going to continue, the game should go back to being meaningless, instead of determining home field advantage for the World Series. It\'s also absurd than, when players retire, we look at All-Star appearances when considering them for the Hall of Fame. All-Star appearances means very little when injured players like David Ortiz and undeserving players like Jason Varitek and Derek Jeter are taking spots from guys like Evan Longoria (who could be a borderline Hall of Famer when his career is done).

THIS!

Fan voting is the biggest crock of shit in sports.

Big cities and popular teams dominate the voting, which is fine, but don\'t make the game worth home field advantage in the World Series. That fat bastard Ortiz shouldn\'t even be considered in voting. He\'s hitting .252, with 15HR, 43RBI, and 36R. That\'s chump change in my book. Adrian Gonzalez is tied for 4th in the NL in HR and 2nd in RBI but only got in because each team has to send at least one player.

[Klout]

to me the real bullshit is the fact that it determines home field advantage.

The all star game is gimicky and for the fans and whatever so fan voting, even tho it makes it nothing more than a popularity contest, makes sense (sort of).

But to have it determine the home field advantage in the WS is totally insane.

I just see no logic in what so ever.

I know they say its is to add importance to it.

But in my mind its not supposed to be important.

Its a mid-season break and chance to relax, have some fun and showcase some great players, it should be left at that.

bottom line is baseball is kinda fucked up these days between this, the steroid era, the DH, the pampering of pitchers, salaries, etc.

but its still an escape from reality for three hours, 6 days a week, for half the year

[DocEllis70]

Every team gets one spot on the roster.  Maybe he\'s the best of the worst.  Are there any other stand-outs that should have made the cut?  Seriously, I don\'t follow the Mets, so I\'m clueless.

hes had 25 save chances and blown 6 before the All Star break, and most of the blown saves are with the Mets up by at least 2 runs in the 9th. All Stars perform when the pressure is on and this year looks like Wagner is not as reliable in that spot and shouldnt have a spot on the team. I dont think any of their bull pen is good enough. Id say Reyes who hasnt reached his potential, but has good numbers ( i think better than Wright) though has made a few costly errors in the field should have gotten the spot

[Yoda]

I don\'t necessarilly disagree with you, but you also have to factor in the fan vote, which is total bull because you\'re going to get the same team pretty much every year.  I\'ll be honest, the only all-star game I\'ve ever watched is NHL.  I think it\'s ridiculous that this game decides home field advantage for the WS.  I say that we go back to two divisions in each league and the top team in each division plays for a spot in the series; I\'m sick of over a month of playoffs before the WS.  Sorry for the rant.

[Vassillios]

congrats A-rod, for tying Mickey Mantle in HRs

[Drew_Kingsley]

I say that we go back to two divisions in each league and the top team in each division plays for a spot in the series; I\'m sick of over a month of playoffs before the WS.

I know you\'ve stated that you\'re not the biggest baseball fan in the world, so I\'ll go easy on ya. :drew:

Four reasons why this is a bad idea:
1997 Florida Marlins
2002 Anaheim Angels
2003 Florida Marlins
2004 Boston Red Sox

All four team won the World Series out of the Wild Card spot. The Wild Card also gave us epic series like the 2003 and 2004 ALCS. Also, I\'m all for anything that adds relevance to at least half of the games being played on any given day well into September.

[booztravlr]

I say that we go back to two divisions in each league and the top team in each division plays for a spot in the series; I\'m sick of over a month of playoffs before the WS.  Sorry for the rant.

Do you realize the Wild Card round is only a best of five series? After a ~26 week regular season, adding one more week to double the amount of teams in the post-season just makes sense and creates excitement for all those involved.

[Yoda]

I never said that I\'m not the biggest baseball fan in the world.  I\'m a huge Yankee fan that doesn\'t care to follow other teams.  

I undestand how it\'s a positive thing for cusp teams, but I\'m sick of all the extra weeks of playoffs.  I\'d prefer a simpler system.  I also long for the days where (and I don\'t know if it\'s at all stadiums) we could see the following:

- No intro song for every player
- No "F"ing YMCA crap at the begining of the 7th inning
- God Bless America / Take Me Out To The Ball Game (For the love of God, pick one and be done with it)
- Get rid of the dancing and kissing cams

We\'re there to see a baseball game, that\'s the entertainment.  If you need added entertainment for the little ones, go to a minor league game.  We pay way too much per ticket to have to put up with all that added crap.

And on a side note, I give two craps about the 03 Marlins and the 04 Red Sox.

[Gordo]

but there\'s no reason for Aramis Ramirez to be in over Wright.

Wright: .286, 16 HR, 66 RBI, 9 SB, 55 runs scored
Ramirez: .283, 15 HR, 60 RBI, 1 SB, 56 runs scored

I agree that fan voting has become absolutely ridiculous. However this comparison of Wright vs. Ramirez is not substantial evidence of the problem, imo. Their numbers are very similar, Wright with a slight edge, but Ramirez takes the cake as far as clutch hits & HR\'s/being a leader on the best National League team to date. That being said I\'m absolutely a biased Cub fan and I\'d trade Ramirez for Wright straight up any day.

Varitek is the most pitiful all-star pick in a long time: .215 BA, 7 HR, 27 RBI, .297 OBP....?!?!?!?!

[Wolfman]

Funny how we had a week of crickets in here and then the thread got bumped right after a 4-game Sox/Yankees series...and nobody is even talking abou that.  Prob because A. the series was a split so nobody gained an edge and B. the Rays pwn both teams so it\'s kind of embarassing to talk #$%^ right now.  Anywho just got home from taking in a 1-0 Sox victory, good times!  Manny actually swung the bat and delivered the game\'s only RBI in the eigth, how about that!

[Gordo]

I also long for the days where (and I don\'t know if it\'s at all stadiums) we could see the following:

- No intro song for every player
- No "F"ing YMCA crap at the begining of the 7th inning
- God Bless America / Take Me Out To The Ball Game (For the love of God, pick one and be done with it)
- Get rid of the dancing and kissing cams

We\'re there to see a baseball game, that\'s the entertainment.  If you need added entertainment for the little ones, go to a minor league game.  We pay way too much per ticket to have to put up with all that added crap.

A time travel wish of mine is to go back to Wrigley when men wore suits and top hats and waved their newspapers in celebration or disgust. Back when Cracker Jacks mattered.

[Me!]

Funny how we had a week of crickets in here and then the thread got bumped right after a 4-game Sox/Yankees series...and nobody is even talking about that.

 cause it\'s irrelevant TB is gonna win it all this year.  They are a fuckin MONSTER lately.  Don\'t get me wrong I watch every Red sox game (that I can at least) and I still do have faith, the season is only half over, but TB just seems to have this energy and forward momentum that just seems unstoppable.  Not to mention their absolutely incredible pitching staff, and quick footed fielders.  It\'s just funny to me that they\'re the team to beat right now.

Varitek is the most pitiful all-star pick in a long time: .215 BA, 7 HR, 27 RBI, .297 OBP....?!?!?!?!

even as a Red Sox fan I can agree with this.  He\'s had an awful year.  Something around 5 for his last 50 or so.

[DocEllis70]

Mets are tearing shit up with contributions coming from all around. Even Wagner and bull pen, coming in and not blowing it. glad to see Wright on the All Star team due to Sorianos injury and look forward to beating some tougher teams and handin it to Philly and Florida the end of this month.

[Klout]

hellz yah. high fives to aruny and pitchie!

I\'ll wait till we are actually in first (half game out right now) to re-quote boozey\'s predictions hehe.

I think we need to go after a good corner outfielder before the deadline tho with alou gone for the year and church questionable with all his concussion and migraine complications.

Endy/Tatis/Nixon/ etc are working great right now but I think they are going to come back down to earth eventually.

I have a feeling omar is making moves though.