Baseball Talk

[jake431]

not enough pitchers like CC...the big $$$ has ruined pitching, everyones too babied.

I'm waiting for the day where starters go 3 innings every 7 days

I just wanted to pontificate on how money has ruined baseball. Sorry for the digression guys, but bear with me here.Hockey players have now taken, pretty much without debate, the top spot in the "toughest pro athletes" category. It's the lone major sport that's still mostly made up of what one might call "regular dudes," with a "blue-collar, lunch-pail attitude." They aren't gossip-column superstars like ballplayers, NFL guys, basketball. Not yet, anyway, and they may not make it because hockey is always the least-popular of the four sports. You're not going to see Crosby or Ovechkin on the cover of People magazine, like you might with Brady, A-Rod, etc. There are still a lot of hockey players making three or four hundred thou a year, or getting those, three-year, three-mil type of contracts. And, unless you're very careful about it, three mil isn't going to last anyone a lifetime anymore. They are, quite literally, playing for their livelihoods, like the guys in other sports used to (there are still quite a good many football players in this boat, too, I must say). This is not the case in baseball anymore. Only the young guys make less than a mil a year. Your average Rob Mackowiac type of player is making two or three or four million dollars a year, a number a lot of hockey and football players would like for their entire careers. The baseball players don't have to be tough like that anymore.

Winning was always about the money, in the days of yore. The winner's share for last year's World Series was $300,000 per man. Did that money matter to Pedroia, Ellsbury, Manny Delcarmen? Sure. Mattered big-time. For them, it was like hitting the Lotto. Do you think Manny Ramirez or David Ortiz or Josh Beckett gave a fuck about three hundred grand, though? Doubtful. That's like you or I getting a fifty-dollar rebate check in the mail. You ever fill out that rebate shit when you buy something? Me, neither. It isn't worth the trouble for the fifty bucks. But, if you use the 1983 Series, for example, the winner's share was 65 grand. Now, you take a league full of players making three or four hundred grand a year (even the big stars then were under a mil a year), and that's a big-time boost. That's like somebody giving you or I a check for eight or ten grand. That's real fucking money. The astronomical salaries are part of the problem. When winning is the difference in buying that dream house your wife is always on you about, subconsciously you play harder. Hockey and football are still that way, for the most part. Baseball and basketball are not.

-Jake

[kunk75]

football is the only other sport where they "earn" their money. careers are mercilessly short. terell davis had what, 4 good years?

[jake431]

football is the only other sport where they "earn" their money. careers are mercilessly short. terell davis had what, 4 good years?

I don't disagree at all. My point is that swimming in a sea of money for playing a children's game takes some of the edge off of the competitive spirit players used to have.

Football players do indeed have brutally short careers, but it also depends on position. Running backs are I think the shortest, generally.

-Jake

[kunk75]

middle releievers are $ for $ the most overpaid. you're a middle releiever by virtue of being a failed started or too unreliable to close. no surprise joba doesn't want that label.

most of them have middling careers at best. jeff nelson is fondly remembered but had about 3 good vorp years.

[islandboi8204]

the best thing going for the mets right now is jose reyes' sportscenter commercial, shits funny.

[Biff15]

...d-backs absolutely imploded down the stretch... lol... go blue!!

[ringydingydingdang]

agreed with Kunk on the blueballs comment.

it would be sadder to see the Mets make the playoffs and have the relievers give up 44 runs in 3 disastrous games, than to have them not make it at all.

if the Mets make the postseason, I'd be floored if they are not embarrassed when the experience is over...

[sircheesecake]

Postseason here we come. Now we just have to find out who we play. We were 2-5 against the cubs this year but each loss was by 2 or less runs. Mets suck balls and will probably stink more than us if we play them and phils are about the level we play at. SHould be interesting.

[the_state]

Dear Mets,

I saw what you did last night, and I'm not sold yet.

Yours Fondly

the state

[the_state]

Dear Mets,

I saw what you did last night, and I'm not sold yet.

Yours Fondly

the state

[dunkin deeznuts]

Dear Mets,

I saw what you did last night, and I'm not sold yet.

Yours Fondly

the state

there is no reason to be sold, mets had a hard time beating the Cubs AAA team, although it was really only 1 guys that killed them last night..that Hoffpaier guy

Florida loves to spoil our fun

[dunkin deeznuts]

Dear Mets,

I saw what you did last night, and I'm not sold yet.

Yours Fondly

the state

there is no reason to be sold, mets had a hard time beating the Cubs AAA team, although it was really only 1 guys that killed them last night..that Hoffpaier guy

Florida loves to spoil our fun

[kunk75]

if they make the playoffs, i actually feel okay. if brewers took central, woulda been a different story but:

dodgers can't hit much and pitch a little

cubs. c'mon. you know they'll fuck it up. it's their destiny

phils. fuck them too. we'd see 7 15 run games. lidge always comes up big. (10)

[kunk75]

if they make the playoffs, i actually feel okay. if brewers took central, woulda been a different story but:

dodgers can't hit much and pitch a little

cubs. c'mon. you know they'll fuck it up. it's their destiny

phils. fuck them too. we'd see 7 15 run games. lidge always comes up big. (10)

[eastcoastrider27]

The National League sucks.

[eastcoastrider27]

The National League sucks.

[xh0llyw00dxx]

It wouldn't be the Mets without the false hope

Fuck

[sircheesecake]

"We head to Chicago"

Anyone know when they decide to give the games times?

[avatar]

please pull this out white sox

thanks,

avatar

[dunkin deeznuts]

fuck u mets!!

[the_state]

fuck u mets!!

amen brotha.

[jake431]

"We head to Chicago"

Anyone know when they decide to give the games times?

Game today is at 1:05.

-Jake

[Guest]

dear phillies,

i fucking love you

[shoreman1782]

it would be sadder to see the Mets make the playoffs and have the relievers give up 44 runs in 3 disastrous games, than to have them not make it at all.

You don't really believe this.

[ExileOnMainSt]

What do you guys think for October?

Big CC can't even start for the Brew Crew and isn't Ben Sheets hurt? That sucks for the Brewers, the combination of Sheets and Sabathia for the NLDS was their only chance of making it to the CS. Phillies are going to have a field day with Milwaukee pitching

I love the Dodgers as much as anyone else but the only reason they made it to October this year is because their division is a disgrace, Cubs are going to have their way with them.

All the favorites are not going to come out of the division series this year, I can smell a Boston upset

Anyone got any predictions?

[kunk75]

i predict brewers vs. red sox WS

should be cubs but sooner or later they have to remember that they're the cubs.

rays are a nice story but don't see them advancing. dodgers suck dick and i hope it's a 3 game sweep so i only have to watch them 3 times.

[jake431]

i predict brewers vs. red sox WS

should be cubs but sooner or later they have to remember that they're the cubs.

rays are a nice story but don't see them advancing. dodgers suck dick and i hope it's a 3 game sweep so i only have to watch them 3 times.

I definitely think if the Brewers make it to the NLCS, they have a great shot at making the Series. CC is playing for keeps.

[kunk75]

cubs and r sox biggest advantages are that each have 2 potentially dominant starting pitchers where the brewers have 1 (and met-like bullpen woes), the twins/chisox each have 1 or none respectively, dodgers have none. maybe i'm not giving the angels the respect they deserve.

[jake431]

The Angel's have a good rotation, a pitcher friendly park, and K-Rod. Plus they play clean "fundamental" ball, which keeps them in games. Now, it Boston goes out there and just hit's bombs all day, it won't matter, but it's not a HR friendly park. If the Angel's don't think too much, they should make it a good series, in my opinion.

-Jake

[kunk75]

wonder if lackey is injured. was getting kind of lit up as of late.