2025 Major League Baseball Thread

[Hi-Def Steve]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

Most players handle it well. Others don't. Remember Albert Belle?

I actually don't remember. What happened??

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Hi-Def Steve

I actually don't remember. What happened??

He was just an all-around jerk with many run-ins with fans, media and teammates. In college he ran into the stands to attack a heckler. With Cleveland he had countless run-ins with fans including nailing a fan with a baseball in the face. He was also hated by almost all teammates. After games he did poorly in he'd take his bat to other player's possessions, like Kenny Lofton's boom box. Reporters generally considered him insane. He launched a disgusting tirade at Hannah Storm once and when asked by the Indians to apologize he instead stood by his remarks.

Off the field he was no better. He ran down trick r treaters on Halloween with his vehicle once and has been arrested for stalking.

I don't normally take joy in injury to others but I didn't shed a tear when Belle's career ended at a young age.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Belle#Controversy

[toef]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

I think you are mostly right there. And quite honestly I prefer the "cheap seats" for attending most pro and college sporting events even though I can usually afford better seats. I've always found that the most knowledgable and passionate fans reside in the cheap seat sections. The box seats/high priced seats are typically the corporate types who know little to nothing at the game, show up late, leave early and only go to games to be noticed. Just watching the LCS series at home I could see a bunch of rich business types in the box seats just staring around blankly like they have no idea what's going on.

I agree. The bleachers tend to be filled with the regulars, whereas the more expensive seats, as you said, are mostly business types (though they also tend to be out-of-towners who want to see a game while they're in the city).

Originally Posted by Hi-Def Steve

I would agree with that. I actually felt bad for Tim Lincecum as he was warming up before a game in the outfield this year. Man they let him have it, lol. How these ballplayers keep their composure at times baffles me.

I was surprised at Citi Field when I went to a game there earlier this year. The back wall of the visiting bullpen is a chain-link fence, so if you enter the stadium through the "bullpen" entrance, you can walk right up to the fence and yell at the pitchers, who are just inches away from you.

I heard from some Mets fans that during the Subway Series, there was a crowd giving Pettitte crap about steroids as he was warming up before the game.

Edit: Here's a picture. There were picnic tables in this area when I went, but you can still walk right up to the fence.





It's almost like they are encouraging people to treat the opposing pitchers as animals at a zoo.

[Hi-Def Steve]

Originally Posted by ChadFL

He was just an all-around jerk with many run-ins with fans, media and teammates. In college he ran into the stands to attack a heckler. With Cleveland he had countless run-ins with fans including nailing a fan with a baseball in the face. He was also hated by almost all teammates. After games he did poorly in he'd take his bat to other player's possessions, like Kenny Lofton's boom box. Reporters generally considered him insane. He launched a disgusting tirade at Hannah Storm once and when asked by the Indians to apologize he instead stood by his remarks.

Off the field he was no better. He ran down trick r treaters on Halloween with his vehicle once and has been arrested for stalking.

I don't normally take joy in injury to others but I didn't shed a tear when Belle's career ended at a young age.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Belle#Controversy

Interesting stuff.

[Wingman1977]

I'm a regular in in the bleachers (Sec 203 bleacher creature here) and we go after the opposing team's RF (and even the CF at times). One of our favorites to heckle is BJ Upton. We have even gone afer Ichiro (we've heckled him in Japanese). We even heckle Swisher at times (out of clean fun though) He's embrased the fans in RF (and the RF bleachers) and we show him the love right back. Bleacher tix are $14 ($12 for season tix holders). They are the best seats in the house and there's never a dull moment.

[SteelPen]

Giants in 7...

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/...he_show_102610

[Batman1980]

Joe Girardi in negotiations for deal believed to be at least 3 years in length.

[toef]

A follow-up to the earlier story about Cliff Lee's wife:

SAN FRANCISCO -- The wife of ace left-hander Cliff Lee was among family members of Texas Rangers players subjected to obscenities and taunts during the AL Championship Series at Yankee Stadium. She said fans even were spitting at them from a higher section.

"I brush that off as fans being fans. You can't control 50,000 people and what they're going to do," Lee said Tuesday, the day before pitching Game 1 of the World Series for Texas. "There were some people that were spitting off the balcony on the family section and things like that, and that's kind of weak, but what can you do?"

The Yankees are expected to be one of the bidders for Lee when he is eligible to be a free agent after the World Series.

When asked, Lee said what happened last week during the ALCS wouldn't have any impact on his offseason decision.

"No, I don't know the guy that did it. It could be anyone. Who knows? Who cares?," Lee said. "They're at home right now."

Lee's wife, Kristen, was sitting with other Rangers family and friends in the visiting family section at Yankee Stadium during the playoffs.

"Some people get a little alcohol in them and act inappropriate," Cliff Lee said. "There's so many people there you can't control them all. I know it's been made into a big deal, but that's really all it is, just two or three or four people just acting like fools, and 50,000, you can't group them all together. But there's always going to be a couple goofballs in the crowd that think they have a right to do that stuff."

Lee, acquired by Texas from Seattle on July 9, is getting ready to start Game 1 of the World Series for the second year in a row. Last year it was for Philadelphia, which traded him to the Mariners the same day the Phillies acquired Roy Halladay. He had been with Cleveland before that.

This time, Lee will get to pick where he plays.

"He has a chance to win here for a long time," Rangers teammate Jeff Francoeur said Tuesday. "At the end of the day, I think he's going to be between Texas and the Yankees. He'll wind up in one of those places."

I'm surprised he's even talking about free-agency stuff, on the eve of the World Series.

[Dexter Morgan]

Originally Posted by toef

I'm surprised he's even talking about free-agency stuff, on the eve of the World Series.

It could be very telling, regarding his off-season intentions.

[fatediesel]

Manny Ramirez said in an interview that he would like to play for the Blue Jays.
“Toronto has made a great acquisition. Farrell is a manager for whom I would like to play, and Toronto is a team I’ve liked since they had all those Dominican players in the 80’s,” Ramirez said in a Spanish ESPN interview.
Ramirez believes he can still be an effective hitter if he can stay healthy and believes he'd be less likely to get injured if he was a designated hitter.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/bas.../15827836.html

[SDon1969]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Manny Ramirez said in an interview that he would like to play for the Blue Jays.
“Toronto has made a great acquisition. Farrell is a manager for whom I would like to play, and Toronto is a team I’ve liked since they had all those Dominican players in the 80’s,” Ramirez said in a Spanish ESPN interview.
Ramirez believes he can still be an effective hitter if he can stay healthy and believes he'd be less likely to get injured if he was a designated hitter.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/bas.../15827836.html

Always liked Farrell on the Sox, I hope he does well in Toronto. Not too well, though - same division!

[toef]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

Manny Ramirez said in an interview that he would like to play for the Blue Jays.
“Toronto has made a great acquisition. Farrell is a manager for whom I would like to play, and Toronto is a team I’ve liked since they had all those Dominican players in the 80’s,” Ramirez said in a Spanish ESPN interview.
Ramirez believes he can still be an effective hitter if he can stay healthy and believes he'd be less likely to get injured if he was a designated hitter.

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/bas.../15827836.html

Him going to the NL always seemed like a terrible idea. I don't know if he can stay healthy, but it makes sense to at least try on an AL team, if Toronto can get him cheaply.

[fatediesel]

Originally Posted by toef

Him going to the NL always seemed like a terrible idea. I don't know if he can stay healthy, but it makes sense to at least try on an AL team, if Toronto can get him cheaply.

I am curious what Manny thinks his value is. He was making $22.5 million per year on his last deal and I'd think at best he'd be looking at something like a 1-year, $3 million deal. I wonder if he'd be willing to take that big a pay cut after averaging at least $20 million for the last 10 years or if he'd consider retirement or signing later in the season.

[toef]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I am curious what Manny thinks his value is. He was making $22.5 million per year on his last deal and I'd think at best he'd be looking at something like a 1-year, $3 million deal. I wonder if he'd be willing to take that big a pay cut after averaging at least $20 million for the last 10 years or if he'd consider retirement or signing later in the season.

Yeah, he'd probably have to swallow his pride a bit if he expects to still play. But then again, Giambi got exposed for steroids and took a huge pay cut to keep playing with Colorado, so I guess it's possible.

Of course Manny never admitted to doing steroids, as far as I know, but he cant really think people are too dumb to see through his excuse.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by fatediesel

I am curious what Manny thinks his value is. He was making $22.5 million per year on his last deal and I'd think at best he'd be looking at something like a 1-year, $3 million deal. I wonder if he'd be willing to take that big a pay cut after averaging at least $20 million for the last 10 years or if he'd consider retirement or signing later in the season.

If I were a team willing to take a risk on him as a DH I'd just offer him a low dollar deal like you said but put in a lot of incentives. You know what happens with Manny getting too much guaranteed money.

[Navster]

Lee vs Lincecum tonight... Should be one hell of a pitching duel... Go Giants

[toef]

Originally Posted by NavsterKing

Lee vs Lincecum tonight... Should be one hell of a pitching duel... Go Giants

I think the Rangers are taking Game 1, but it'd be nice to see that Cliff Lee is actually human by giving up more than 1 run.

I want the Giants to win, but if I had to put money on it I'd say Rangers in 5 1/2 (I couldn't pick 5 or 6).

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by toef

I think the Rangers are taking Game 1, but it'd be nice to see that Cliff Lee is actually human by giving up more than 1 run.

I want the Giants to win, but if I had to put money on it I'd say Rangers in 5 1/2 (I couldn't pick 5 or 6).

That's about where I'm at. Rangers in 6 would be my best guess. Though if the Giants manage to beat Lee in Game 1 all bets are off.

[Batman1980]

Giants are riding a huge wave of momentum, I think they take it in 5, Texas' pitching is not as good as San Francisco's by a long shot, Lee aside. Expecting a 1-0 win for Texas tonight.

[ChadFL]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Stormcrow

Giants are riding a huge wave of momentum, I think they take it in 5, Texas' pitching is not as good as San Francisco's by a long shot, Lee aside. Expecting a 1-0 win for Texas tonight.

And Texas isn't? They just eliminated the Yankees.