Major League Baseball - 2011 Season

***Sylar*** · 22-03-2011 10:34 AM

I'm absolutely delighted with how our Spring Training has gone thus far and I'm a bit less fearful of going to opening day against the Yankees in NY.

Our bats are blistering hot just now and we're beating some good teams (Red Sox, Phillies, Marlins, Braves...) along the way.

Currently 18-9 atop the Grapefruit League and looking much more comfortable than I ever expected - no doubt it'll all fall apart come opening day, in typical Tigers fashion

We host the Mets in Lakeland tonight, with live coverage on MLB.tv from 5.05pm with ESPN America showing the Yankees facing up against AL East rivals, Baltimore at the same time.

***Sylar*** · 22-03-2011 02:09 PM

If any of you are Facebook users and don't have either ESPN America or MLB.tv, join the MLB page on Facebook, who are streaming a live game free every day of Spring Training

Sadly, it's the Yankees vs Orioles today

***Sylar*** · 22-03-2011 04:40 PM

Bah - bad start - top of the 2nd, 2 out, bases loaded with the count at 3-2 and Brad Penny throws a fastball right in the middle of the plate. Grand slam Mets, who lead 4-0.

**James.** · 22-03-2011 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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Bah - bad start - top of the 2nd, 2 out, bases loaded with the count at 3-2 and Brad Penny throws a fastball right in the middle of the plate. Grand slam Mets, who lead 4-0.

5 - 0

Good week
for the Mets. Chris Young was tremendous yesterday, David Wright has been looking good of late also!

***Sylar*** · 22-03-2011 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by AyrshireHibs

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5 - 0

Good week
for the Mets. Chris Young was tremendous yesterday, David Wright has been looking good of late also!

Blinding response in the bottom of the 2nd, rallying back to 5-4 and keeping the door shut until the bottom of the 5th, where we are just now!

**James.** · 22-03-2011 08:15 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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Blinding response in the bottom of the 2nd, rallying back to 5-4 and keeping the door shut until the bottom of the 5th, where we are just now!

The Amazins demonstrating their vast superiority in those last two innings! Can't fault these guys that have been auditioning for spots in the bullpen this Spring Training!

***Sylar*** · 22-03-2011 10:25 PM

Originally Posted by AyrshireHibs

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The Amazins demonstrating their vast superiority in those last two innings! Can't fault these guys that have been auditioning for spots in the bullpen this Spring Training!

You're probably the first team I've seen who have properly outbatted us throughout Spring Training.

You're a completely different side when you add Reyes and Wright into the lineup and if they can stay healthy, you might just secure a wildcard berth.

We were missing a few first team regulars and Penny is still settling into his spot in the rotation. He'll undoubtedly be a great signing as we progress through the season though as he brings a wealth of experience into our pitching staff.

***Part/Time Supporter*** · 23-03-2011 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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Thought i'd share a little map with you fellow baseball nuts. It's about the geographic fan base of each MLB club. Always cynical about those things, we get into Jambo 400,000 nonsense, but it's apparently based on ST purchases and fan surveys over a five year period, and it sort of rings true.

For instance, the Cubs are the Illnois suburbanite frat boy club, with the White Sox firmly rooted in Chicago's South Side and the industrial rust-belt South Side diaspora.

The Pirates? Well, they've been kind to us by crediting us with any support at all.

http://strangemaps.files.wordpress.c...22b12cf_b1.jpg

The Pirates and Nationals "areas" stretch ludicrously far south.

**Dashing Bob S** · 25-03-2011 12:49 AM

Originally Posted by Part/Time Supporter

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The Pirates and Nationals "areas" stretch ludicrously far south.

The Pirates areas stretch ludicrously far a couple of blocks from the stadium in any direction.

We begin our defense of the wooden spoon on April 1st, with a visit to those other lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs. At least with a couple of victories against us under their belt, the Chicago Northsiders will have at least one weekend of drunken delusion that this will finally be their year.

**hibsbollah** · 25-03-2011 05:01 AM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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The Pirates areas stretch ludicrously far a couple of blocks from the stadium in any direction.

We begin our defense of the wooden spoon on April 1st, with a visit to those other lovable losers, the Chicago Cubs. At least with a couple of victories against us under their belt, the Chicago Northsiders will have at least one weekend of drunken delusion that this will finally be their year.

...and hopefully send the pirates back to the rust belt for another long season of staid presbyterian misery while we knock back the beer in wrigley field and check our share options on our blackberries.

(cliche alert)

**Dashing Bob S** · 25-03-2011 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by hibsbollah

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...and hopefully send the pirates back to the rust belt for another long season of staid presbyterian misery while we knock back the beer in wrigley field and check our share options on our blackberries.

(cliche alert)

Cliches are all I have left. HB. It's not so easy supporting the worst team in the USA, who also happen to come from the New World's Motherwell. And, as you hint, we don't even have a strip like Clark Street stuffed with bars full of 'ganting on it' filly's who've bunked off their office jobs looking for alcohol and romance.

I'm cursed by my loyalty, should have jumped ship to the Yankees years ago.

**hibsbollah** · 25-03-2011 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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Cliches are all I have left. HB. It's not so easy supporting the worst team in the USA, who also happen to come from the New World's Motherwell. And, as you hint, we don't even have a strip like Clark Street stuffed with bars full of 'ganting on it' filly's who've bunked off their office jobs looking for alcohol and romance.

I'm cursed by my loyalty, should have jumped ship to the Yankees years ago.

Come over to the Cubbies Bob, the water's lovely. Its all beer beer beer for us cornfed blueblood WASPs. If the 9th inning finishes in time there might be time for a quick chukka of polo at the Grosse Point Country Club.

(edit- arent the Tigers the worst team in baseball anyway?)

***Sylar*** · 25-03-2011 02:02 PM

Originally Posted by hibsbollah

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Come over to the Cubbies Bob, the water's lovely. Its all beer beer beer for us cornfed blueblood WASPs. If the 9th inning finishes in time there might be time for a quick chukka of polo at the Grosse Point Country Club.

(edit- arent the Tigers the worst team in baseball anyway?)

Plus, being a Cubs fan, you can expect a shorter season and move onto something just in time. Completely Useless By September indeed.

We're far from being the "worst team in baseball". We narrowly missed out on the post-season last year, losing out to a 9th inning playoff run to the Twins. We were represented in the post-season a couple of years ago and made the World Series in '06.

Dashing Bob is indeed correct - Pirates had the lowest percentage last year of .352, with 57 wins and 105 defeats.

**Dashing Bob S** · 25-03-2011 02:55 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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Plus, being a Cubs fan, you can expect a shorter season and move onto something just in time. Completely Useless By September indeed.

We're far from being the "worst team in baseball". We narrowly missed out on the post-season last year, losing out to a 9th inning playoff run to the Twins. We were represented in the post-season a couple of years ago and made the World Series in '06.

Dashing Bob is indeed correct - Pirates had the lowest percentage last year of .352, with 57 wins and 105 defeats.

Yes, yes, yes, rub it in and make me even more miserable. And there's nothing whatsoever to suggest this will change in the coming season.

***Sylar*** · 25-03-2011 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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Yes, yes, yes, rub it in and make me even more miserable. And there's nothing whatsoever to suggest this will change in the coming season.

I'd agree you have a long season ahead - however, fear not - the Mariners and Royals look equally deplorable

***Part/Time Supporter*** · 26-03-2011 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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I'd agree you have a long season ahead - however, fear not - the Mariners and Royals look equally deplorable

I dunno about that, the Indians seem to be succeeding in their attempt to stir memories of Major League.

Look at this ****in guy (Charlie Sheen)

The wit and wisdom of Lou Brown

One goddamn hit

**James.** · 26-03-2011 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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I'd agree you have a long season ahead - however, fear not - the Mariners and Royals look equally deplorable

The Royals are apparently sorted with the most talented and loaded farm system in the league. This could be their last year of being the AL Centrals whipping boys!

Despite picking up a bit this week, the Marlins also look really poor.

**Dashing Bob S** · 26-03-2011 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by AyrshireHibs

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The Royals are apparently sorted with the most talented and loaded farm system in the league. This could be their last year of being the AL Centrals whipping boys!

Despite picking up a bit this week, the Marlins also look really poor.

I think the Marlins are treading water until they get into their new stadium next season. It looks pretty tasty:

http://mlb.mlb.com/fla/ballpark/webcam.jsp

It's certainly what the ugly, deserted concrete jungle that is downtown Miami needs. It's also what Marlins need, instead of having 7,000 fans sweating away in the Dolphins stadium between Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

However, it's on the site of the old Orange Bowl (college football) and is in Little Havana, in a residential quarter and thus somewhat bereft of the neighbourhood bars which makes going to baseball such a pleasure at grounds like the Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs. Lets hope these eventually appear, perhaps like in Tampa, which has a great swathe of al fresco drinking dens by the stadium.

**heretoday** · 27-03-2011 05:02 PM

Go Tribe!!!!

**Dashing Bob S** · 27-03-2011 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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I'm absolutely delighted with how our Spring Training has gone thus far and I'm a bit less fearful of going to opening day against the Yankees in NY.

Our bats are blistering hot just now and we're beating some good teams (Red Sox, Phillies, Marlins, Braves...) along the way.

Currently 18-9 atop the Grapefruit League and looking much more comfortable than I ever expected - no doubt it'll all fall apart come opening day, in typical Tigers fashion

We host the Mets in Lakeland tonight, with live coverage on MLB.tv from 5.05pm with ESPN America showing the Yankees facing up against AL East rivals, Baltimore at the same time.

Ain't blowin smoke up your ass here, cause the Tigers are ess-haitch-eye-tee-ee, one notch above my own hapless but beloved Pirates, but I fancy Detroit off to get a decent start against the sluggish, bloated, overrated Yankees. They traditionally start slowly before imposing their tiresome hegemony on the sport.

I will be be stripey-furred for that particular contest, as will the sensible half of America.

***Sylar*** · 27-03-2011 06:19 PM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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Ain't blowin smoke up your ass here, cause the Tigers are ess-haitch-eye-tee-ee, one notch above my own hapless but beloved Pirates, but I fancy Detroit off to get a decent start against the sluggish, bloated, overrated Yankees. They traditionally start slowly before imposing their tiresome hegemony on the sport.

I will be be stripey-furred for that particular contest, as will the sensible half of America.

I don't understand this assertion that the Tigers are a bad team. We have a good, young roster, with perhaps the best 3,4 and 5 in the league in Ordonez, Cabrera and Martinez and have a very good rotation (combined ERA of 2.78 through Spring and Verlander himself has an ERA of 1.03) and bullpen for a change.

A lot of the youngsters who are coming through (Jackson, Raburn, Wells, Sizemore and Rhymes) look very accomplished and ready to walk into the starting lineup.

The White Sox don't look as strong as last season and the Twins will be heavily dependent on how long they can keep Morneau and Mauer healthy.

I'd fancy us to have a good shot at a wildcard berth at worst.

***Sylar*** · 28-03-2011 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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I don't understand this assertion that the Tigers are a bad team. We have a good, young roster, with perhaps the best 3,4 and 5 in the league in Ordonez, Cabrera and Martinez and have a very good rotation (combined ERA of 2.78 through Spring and Verlander himself has an ERA of 1.03) and bullpen for a change.

A lot of the youngsters who are coming through (Jackson, Raburn, Wells, Sizemore and Rhymes) look very accomplished and ready to walk into the starting lineup.

The White Sox don't look as strong as last season and the Twins will be heavily dependent on how long they can keep Morneau and Mauer healthy.

I'd fancy us to have a good shot at a wildcard berth at worst.

He says as the Orioles smash us 14 to 6, in spite of us racking up 14 hits

Our rookie pitcher gave up 12 runs in 3 innings - no real surprise he's not being touted for a place in the starting rotation and is expected to be sent to Toledo!

**Dashing Bob S** · 29-03-2011 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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I don't understand this assertion that the Tigers are a bad team. We have a good, young roster, with perhaps the best 3,4 and 5 in the league in Ordonez, Cabrera and Martinez and have a very good rotation (combined ERA of 2.78 through Spring and Verlander himself has an ERA of 1.03) and bullpen for a change.

A lot of the youngsters who are coming through (Jackson, Raburn, Wells, Sizemore and Rhymes) look very accomplished and ready to walk into the starting lineup.

The White Sox don't look as strong as last season and the Twins will be heavily dependent on how long they can keep Morneau and Mauer healthy.

I'd fancy us to have a good shot at a wildcard berth at worst.

Disagree with the White Sox contention, I think they'll be stronger this season and the team to beat in the American Central. I think the Twins -for the reasons you suggest- are a team in decline. If Tigers are going to muscle into the play-offs picture they are going to have to pass the White Sox.

But the great beauty of baseball is that, unlike most other sports, you never really know at this point in the season - which is why it fascinates me. Two things I am sure is that the Phillies look scary with that pitching roster and the Pirates...well, you know the rest.

**DH1875** · 30-03-2011 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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He says as the Orioles smash us 14 to 6, in spite of us racking up 14 hits

Our rookie pitcher gave up 12 runs in 3 innings - no real surprise he's not being touted for a place in the starting rotation and is expected to be sent to Toledo!

I was hoping he'd be playing tomorrow

.
Nice to see we beat the Tigers, always good to get one up on Story so Far

(really going to have to remember your name). Fancy your chances over the weekend? Or you getting ready for a losing start to the season

.

***Sylar*** · 30-03-2011 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by DH1875

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I was hoping he'd be playing tomorrow

.
Nice to see we beat the Tigers, always good to get one up on Story so Far

(really going to have to remember your name). Fancy your chances over the weekend? Or you getting ready for a losing start to the season

.

I quite genuinely can't make my mind up. I go from thinking we have a good chance to worrying you'll batter us.

I like our team and our bats are red hot - In a batters park like Yankee stadium, we should get more runs than our hits collected during Spring Training.

It'll be intriguing to watch the Verlander vs Sabbathia matchup.

**DH1875** · 30-03-2011 07:10 PM

Originally Posted by The Story So Far...

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It'll be intriguing to watch the Verlander vs Sabbathia matchup.

Intresting fact about Verlander is that this will be his 4th opening day start, having won 0.

**hibsbollah** · 30-03-2011 07:15 PM

Originally Posted by Dashing Bob S

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Disagree with the White Sox contention, I think they'll be stronger this season and the team to beat in the American Central. I think the Twins -for the reasons you suggest- are a team in decline. If Tigers are going to muscle into the play-offs picture they are going to have to pass the White Sox.

But the great beauty of baseball is that, unlike most other sports, you never really know at this point in the season - which is why it fascinates me. Two things I am sure is that the Phillies look scary with that pitching roster and the Pirates...well, you know the rest.

I have a definite feeling for the Twins this year.

***Sylar*** · 30-03-2011 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by DH1875

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Intresting fact about Verlander is that this will be his 4th opening day start, having won 0.

It's a Tiger's tradition for us to start slowly in all honesty.

You can't argue with his career numbers though. He'll also be going into this game ludicrously high in confidence, finishing Spring Training with an ERA of 0.96, which is utterly phenomenal!