2010 MLB Season

[Dan Gould]

I say he's a punk who needs to be drilled in the ribs a few times. Its the fifth inning of the fifth game of the season and you're pumping your fist? Act like you've been there before, as they used to say about celebrating touchdowns. Its like Joba the Ass, except that he won't pay for his transgressions. Cervelli will - and totally deserves it.

[ghost of miles]

Really, a punk? A guy who's gotten two concussions in the past 6 months, including one in spring training this year? I think he's a pretty gutty player, and an enthusiastic one who's fun to watch. Given Jorge's age, I think Cervelli will be getting a lot of playing time this season.

Price may have shut down NY last night, but watching the game today, I'm impressed again by what a daunting prospect it is for opposing teams to get through the entire NY order over the course of nine innings. Cano's off to a great start in the #5 slot too, and Granderson is already fulfilling expectations as well. (Also nice to see Tex's bat finally come alive today.)

Edited April 10, 2010 by ghost of miles

[Dan Gould]

Really, a punk? A guy who's gotten two concussions in the past 6 months, including one in spring training this year? I think he's a pretty gutty player, and an enthusiastic one who's fun to watch. Given Jorge's age, I think Cervelli will be getting a lot of playing time this season.

Having concussions doesn't get you a pass when you lack respect for your opponents and the game and haven't learned not jump up and down like an ass over a fifth inning strikeout. He deserves to be drilled as many times as it takes for him to figure it out. And I suspect that our, ahem, older baseball fans here will agree that in the past, such behavior would get you a purpose pitch or three.

Note that I didn't say a purpose pitch at his cranium, though hopefully Jobba the Ass has finally gotten the memo by the time Youkilis stands in against him next.

[ghost of miles]

Well, we've got slightly different definitions of a punk then--I've always taken it to mean somebody who's rather cowardly/gutless, as opposed to an exuberant personality thought to be excessive and offensive.

Wow! This report surfaced not long after the game ended:

Girardi: "Shoppach was CC's last hitter no matter what happened"

Really? OK, let's assume CC got Shoppach out, using, say, 4 more pitches (count was 0-1 when Shoppach got his hit). You're going to pull a workhorse pitcher after 8 innings of no-hit ball because he's at 115 pitches? Yeah, that's certainly on the high end, but he's pitching on five days' rest!

EDIT: here's the play A-Rod made to end the 7th and keep CC's no-hit bid alive:

A-Rod's dive and throw

EDIT TWO: I just saw on replay the Cervelli reaction after the K in the 5th. Are you kiddin' me? That was nothing! A quick fist-pump from the catcher for a K that takes a no-hitter into the 6th? BFD!

Edited April 11, 2010 by ghost of miles

[Dan Gould]

He's done it all the fucking time since he came into the league. And yes, a strikeout in the fifth inning means exactly squat, whether there's a no-hitter or not. Its the fifth fucking inning! 56% of the game is a no-hitter - that's what I say BIG FUCKING DEAL! How many times does a pitcher take a no-hitter through five? Far too often for it to mean a fucking thing when he does.

He's a punk and a putz and he will get a fastball in the ribs one of these days. And completely deserve it.

[Tim McG]

Hey Braves fans.... Hayward went 0 for 5 today with 4 strike outs. At this rate he's on pace to strike out 324 times this season. Maybe they should have seasoned him a bit longer in the minors? Just sayin'...

And the Giants won.

Only undefeated team in the MLB.

BOO-ya!

A couple impressions from this game: Tim Hudson looks like he's going to have a great year. The Giants have the look of a team that can be special this year. The J-Hey Kid seems like he's going to be up-and-down this year, but, for a twenty year old, he can be special. Edgar Rentaria is playing great now that he's healthy, and even Aaron Rowand is looking good. I'm sticking with my prediction of the Giants in the World Series.

And I'm OK with that, Matthew

Edited April 11, 2010 by GoodSpeak

[ghost of miles]

Really, so fist-pumping is a punk offense that deserves getting thrown at? Hmmm...well, I can think of a certain reliever/performer who was fist-pumping before Joba or Cervelli:

...off with his head, right?

[Dan Gould]

He pumps his fist at the end of games. You know, when he's secured a win for his team. When you've actually accomplished something.

See the difference?????

Edit to add:

That last picture is at the end of the fucking World Series! Thanks for demonstrating my point!!!

Edited April 11, 2010 by Dan Gould

[ghost of miles]

Oh, so it's only allowed at certain times by the DG Rules or some such? Then it's NOT an insulting, in-your-face gesture? C'mon! It's only OK to act like an ass if you win the game? And he's not the only guy in the MLB to do it by a long-shot. (There's K-Rod, for starters.) And I think deliberately throwing at somebody IS a "punk" thing to do, whoever does it, Yankee or non-Yankee...esp. over something like a fist-pump.

EDIT: I can't say for sure whether Papelbon started the whole fist-pump thing or not...somebody may have been doing it regularly before him. He's the first player I can remember doing it on a regular basis, however. I don't hate the Red Sox--I think the whole "hate-your-team's-rival" stuff is childish to a T--I bring up Papelbon only because he's rather notorious for his "celebrations," which proceeded Joba's. And I don't see any difference in the nature of the act...it's like saying it's OK to give your opponent the middle finger at the end of the game, just not after a dramatic strikeout.

Edited April 11, 2010 by ghost of miles

[Dan Gould]

Then please explain to me why, from the beginning of his career to now, Yankee fans have expressed concern that Joba's antics are going to get someone hurt. Please explain that. (And its hardly just the fans, Girardi and others have been forced to address the issue, because its recognized as an issue - Joba lives up to his name by acting like an ass before the game is won.)

No one has said a damn thing about Papelbon, because he does it when the game IS over, and his team has won. Same with K-Rod. When you close out wins, you can celebrate. In the fifth inning, you don't celebrate anything, unless its some sort of spectacular play, like a home-run saving catch. Not a fifth inning strikeout. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Edited April 11, 2010 by Dan Gould

[ghost of miles]

I'm sure I haven't watched as much baseball as you have in the past few years, but just Googling around on this is leading to all sorts of accounts of other players (Jose Reyes from the Mets, for example) doing similar things. Also claims that Papelbon has occasionally done it when it's NOT the last out--true? I think there's an onus on Joba's doing it in part because he's a Yankee...and that's because (1) the Yankees, for better or worse, do have much more high-profile coverage and (2) lots of people are just inclined to hate on the Yankees for stuff that others get a pass for. No, truth be told, I'm not all that crazy about Joba having to fire himself up that way, but I at least feel in his case that that's what he's doing, that it has nothing to do with "showing up" the other player (whereas I do feel like Papelbon, who often faces the batter afterwards and even screams at him after getting him out, IS doing that). But that's nuance-splitting. I don't think baseball should ban it or anything, but if they do, it should be banned period. Is it not OK for guys to high-five and fist-pump after hitting a dramatic HR in the middle of the game, as opposed to the end of it? (And in the case of Cervelli, who simply pumped his fist once or twice as he walked away from the plate...it WAS dramatic, it was taking the no-hitter into the sixth inning, which is when such bids really start becoming serious.)

Aside from all that, did you just hear/read that Lowell's going to retire at the end of the year?

Edited April 11, 2010 by ghost of miles

[ghost of miles]

This one's for Matthew--speaking of inappropriate gestures!

Larry LaRue writes:

OK, perhaps you've seen the clip on ESPN or another network - you had to look fast - but it appears Seattle outfielder Milton Bradley pointed a middle finger skyward during the Friday night game.

"He was just signaling 'one more out,'" deadpanned Ken Griffey Jr.

Edited April 11, 2010 by ghost of miles

[Dan Gould]

The only time I can think of Papelbon doing it other than the ninth inning is when he's come in for an inning-plus save, when he gets the last out of the eighth. And that happens when? Stretch drive games and playoffs. Y'know, games that actually really really matter. Not fifth innings of fifth games.

I'll agree that his fist pump wasn't a big one, but the fact is that the kid has been doing it, and going much bigger, since last season. He's excitable - fine. It still isn't right and in some ways its more noticeable than Joba. At least Joba celebrates in the eighth inning, when he's gotten it to Mo, which is practically a win anyway.

As for your other point, its in Lowell's best interest to announce that this will be his last year. Given the economics and his hip condition, if he wanted to continue to play next year, he'd find himself sitting by the phone with no one dialing his number. So if he wants to frame it as his kids getting older or whatever, that's fine. Better to go out on your own terms.

Oh, and you gotta love baseball when a reeling team can face the defending Cy Young winner and end up scoring eight runs and getting the win. About damn time, and I can't decide if they are the victims of bad luck or if this team is going to have trouble all year. Would be nice to get the series win tomorrow though.

[WorldB3]

Really, so fist-pumping is a punk offense that deserves getting thrown at? Hmmm...well, I can think of a certain reliever/performer who was fist-pumping before Joba or Cervelli:

...off with his head, right?

Paplebom is the worst.

You also forgot the oh so classy Derek Lowe when he was a Red Sox in 2003 and during the ALDS grabbing his crotch and yelling Suck It! to Tejada at the end of the series. Seems like Ortiz and Manny when he was a Red Sox stood and watched every home run land in the seats before trotting out of the box. Red Sox are a very good well run team but I would never call them or their fans classy. Celtics are also know for being the biggest trash talkers in the NBA. Something in the water in Boston I guess.

Anyway back to the coast I care about, Todd Wellemeyer is looking pretty good for the Giants so far, I wasn't too into the idea of having a five man rotation when they have every Thursday off for the month but if Wellemeyer can hold his own it could work out.

The A's look ok too, its early and I am not expecting much but I am seeing some good things I haven't seen since 06.

[WorldB3]

wow, Heyward hit a very impressive opposite field home run on a night where nothing is going out. The kid has good hands.

[Matthew]

This one's for Matthew--speaking of inappropriate gestures!

Larry LaRue writes:

OK, perhaps you've seen the clip on ESPN or another network - you had to look fast - but it appears Seattle outfielder Milton Bradley pointed a middle finger skyward during the Friday night game.

"He was just signaling 'one more out,'" deadpanned Ken Griffey Jr.

Bradley is one of the most classless players in the past ten years. I wish the Mariners will just dump him asap. Oh, I'm touched that someone flipping people off makes you think of me, thanks!

wow, Heyward hit a very impressive opposite field home run on a night where nothing is going out. The kid has good hands.

You don't see those kinds of homers too often on a cold night at Pac Bell, he looks like quite the player.

[Quincy]

This is who I still think of with the fist pumps.

It's a small picture but in case the racket isn't obvious, it's Jimmy Conners, not John Stockton.

[ghost of miles]

Bradley is one of the most classless players in the past ten years. I wish the Mariners will just dump him asap. Oh, I'm touched that someone flipping people off makes you think of me, thanks!

No, no, I assure you a middle-finger gesture does not make me think, "Hey, that's just like Matthew!" Just that I know from your previous posts that you're none too happy about his presence on the Mariners....and I thought Griffey's comment was pretty funny.

[Matthew]

Bradley is one of the most classless players in the past ten years. I wish the Mariners will just dump him asap. Oh, I'm touched that someone flipping people off makes you think of me, thanks!

No, no, I assure you a middle-finger gesture does not make me think, "Hey, that's just like Matthew!" Just that I know from your previous posts that you're none too happy about his presence on the Mariners....and I thought Griffey's comment was pretty funny.

[ghost of miles]

DaveJames, martyjazz, other NY Yankee fans--did you follow today's game at all? Curtis Granderson! Among others...great start to the season, taking 2 of 3 on the road from our top two rivals in the AL East. Here's hoping Matsui doesn't eat us alive during the first homestand... he's off to a great start himself with the Angels.

[Tim McG]

Just to prove it does rain in California: Giants vs. Braves, rain delay.

[Dan Gould]

One definite bright spot so far: Adrian Beltre looks locked in. He's hitting .400, only 1 double so far but 6 RBI, and a .380 OBP.

And thankfully, Ellsbury didn't break any ribs when Beltre ran him over chasing a foul pop. But I bet he won't play before they get back to Fenway. He's been hitting since the Yankee series but I don't mind seeing Hermida in there. Everyone talks about Lowell being the guy to replace Ortiz if Ortiz can't cut it but I think the smart play is Hermida, who has a very smooth swing and some definite pop in his bat.

[Dave James]

I was about 75% Masters 25% Yankees today. Burnett looked sharp after a shaky first inning. I know Texiera always starts slow, but 2010 is especially slow even by his standards. Nick Johnson isn't much better. I'm sure these guys will come around. For now, I'm content to let the lower half of the lineup carry the team. Given that all the gears haven't quite meshed, 4-2 works fine for me.

[BERIGAN]

Hey J.H., the other J.H., after hitting yet another homer last night(2nd night opposite field homer off of the same lefty reliever) he's on pace for 81 HR's 216 RBI's and only 243 Strikeouts!

Weird series in San Fran. Giants need to stop swinging at everything, and the braves need to stop Booby Cox from making decisions...but that won't happen til next year!

Melky has 3 hits in 25 AB's. I kept reading how he was really going to benefit from coming over to the NL

[Chalupa]

When do we play you guys? It looks like it could be a real battle this year for the NL East.