2011 MLB Season

[PHILLYQ]

Josh Hamilton out six to eight weeks. The baseball gods can be cruel at time, though, Hamilton seems like a guy who is going to be hurt a lot in his career. Maybe when he comes back, the Rangers should just DH him for the rest of the year. Watch out for those Mariners now, best 100 loss team in baseball..

The head first slide claims another victim.

[Matthew]

Josh Hamilton out six to eight weeks. The baseball gods can be cruel at time, though, Hamilton seems like a guy who is going to be hurt a lot in his career. Maybe when he comes back, the Rangers should just DH him for the rest of the year. Watch out for those Mariners now, best 100 loss team in baseball..

The head first slide claims another victim.

And what makes the play even dumber is that it was the third base coach that was telling him to go -- geesh As Hamilton said: "It was a stupid play."

[JSngry]

Yep.

[Matthew]

Yep.

Top of the 1st at that! What a way to lose a player. The Angels and A's should thank their lucky stars, the Rangers looked like they were going to run away with the division and go wire-to-wire this year. This will bring them back to the pack a little bit.

[Chalupa]

As were the Red Sox - to return to their established level of incompetence. Now they get David Price tonight who is tougher on them than Lester is on the Rays and with such an inability to get going with the bats, I foresee another 1-0 or 2-1 loss for Lester.

Just as I fucking predicted, except both teams scored one more run.

A couple of more weeks and they will have dug their hole deep enough ...

This however is wrong. THEIR HOLE IS MORE THAN DEEP ENOUGH ALREADY.

From 2002 to 2010, there have been 39 teams that have won three or fewer of their first ten games.

One of those teams managed to win 90 games or more.

Two others made the playoffs with fewer than 90 games - in the parity stricken National League.

http://www.actasports.com/stats_detail/?StatId=286

Is there any possible reason to imagine that if this study were extended to the entire wild-card era the results would be any different?

Is there any possible way to imagine that 90 wins would make the playoffs in the American League in 2011?

STICK A FORK IN THEM THEY ARE DONE.

2-9 - that's bad but let's put it in perspective. 11 games is approximately 1/16 of the baseball season which is equivalent to one week in the NFL. So if the Patriots got blown out on the first week of the season would you write off their Super Bowl hopes? Of course not. Look there's no way Crawford is gonna bat .152 for the entire season. Ditto for Youkilis at .172. They have the best line up in baseball - bar none - and it's going to start producing soon and when it does LOOK OUT!

[JSngry]

Yep.

Top of the 1st at that! What a way to lose a player. The Angels and A's should thank their lucky stars, the Rangers looked like they were going to run away with the division and go wire-to-wire this year. This will bring them back to the pack a little bit.

OTOH, David Murphy is frequently regarded as "the best everyday player who's not an everyday player", so it's not like the Rangers w/o Hamilton should be expected to take a giant drop in either offense or defense, especially now that Beltre is starting to hit the ball better. And Murphy does have some glove.

The main thing is the pitching. So far, it's been significantly better than anybody had a right to expect. That's why we've gotten off to such a fine start, and that's what I refuse to get comfortable about. Lots of potential in that staff, but this is the year to shit or get off the pot with that.

[Tim McG]

As were the Red Sox - to return to their established level of incompetence. Now they get David Price tonight who is tougher on them than Lester is on the Rays and with such an inability to get going with the bats, I foresee another 1-0 or 2-1 loss for Lester.

Just as I fucking predicted, except both teams scored one more run.

A couple of more weeks and they will have dug their hole deep enough ...

This however is wrong. THEIR HOLE IS MORE THAN DEEP ENOUGH ALREADY.

From 2002 to 2010, there have been 39 teams that have won three or fewer of their first ten games.

One of those teams managed to win 90 games or more.

Two others made the playoffs with fewer than 90 games - in the parity stricken National League.

http://www.actasports.com/stats_detail/?StatId=286

Is there any possible reason to imagine that if this study were extended to the entire wild-card era the results would be any different?

Is there any possible way to imagine that 90 wins would make the playoffs in the American League in 2011?

STICK A FORK IN THEM THEY ARE DONE.

Saved for posterity....11 games into the 2011 season, Dan gives up on his team.

[Brad]

If this keeps up, you have to wonder how patient management will be with Francona.

[JSngry]

Too many men left at third, Mark Lowe turned in a gloriously gutless relief appearance to squander a lead just as soon as we could get one, and hey, the Tigers got a team. But this is two games in a row where we couldn't kick into that other gear and keep it there. Pretty much sucks, that does.

Edited April 13, 2011 by JSngry

[JSngry]

[Tim McG]

Too many men left at third, Mark Lowe turned in a gloriously gutless relief appearance to squander a lead just as soon as we could get one, and hey, the Tigers got a team. But this is two games in a row where we couldn't kick into that other gear and keep it there. Pretty much sucks, that does.

I fully understand your feelings on that one. The Giants keep booting the ball all over the yard.

They could easily be 9-2 right now.

Grrrrr

[Tim McG]

More Giants Torture, but the end result was they won their second three game series this season and against the hated Dodgers.

Cain tonight...must be a four man rotation now. This is supposed to be Zito's start. Maybe they can keep it going!

Edited April 14, 2011 by GoodSpeak

[Dave James]

Looks like the Yankees need to be making plans for life without Phil Hughes. He was roughed up again in tonight's start against the Orioles. They nicked him for five runs and seven hits in just 4.1 innings. So much for any quick fixes.

[Neal Pomea]

Just lost a pitchers' game to Philadelphia, time 2:06. That time is almost unheard of these days. Cliff Lee was awesome tonight.

[Chalupa]

The Phillies just got a complete game shut out from Cliff Lee. 12 strike outs including fanning Jayson Werth 2x. That makes consecutive complete game victories for the Fightin's. Oswalt pitches tomorrow Good times.

Oh and Neal that Zimmerman kid was pitching a great game there until he made that mistake to Ruiz to lead off the 7th. Color me impressed.

[Dave James]

Just saw on the S.I. website that Tim Lincecum donated $25,000 to the fund that was set up for the guy who was beaten up the other night after the Giants Dodgers game. Pretty cool.

[ghost of miles]

Looks like the Yankees need to be making plans for life without Phil Hughes. He was roughed up again in tonight's start against the Orioles. They nicked him for five runs and seven hits in just 4.1 innings. So much for any quick fixes.

Hey, in the process he lowered his ERA from 16ish to 13ish... dude's making progress!

Seriously, it is a huge problem for NY if Hughes is going to be this year's version of Javy. At least we pulled it out tonight and moved into sole possession of first in the AL East... I'll enjoy it while it lasts. Good thing A-Rod and Cano are hitting, as the rest of the offense is still looking pretty anemic (although Russell Martin thus far is persuading me that our off-season wasn't quite as disastrous as it seemed).

EDIT: credit to Posada, too, I guess, who's hitting only .189... but every time he does get a hit, it seems to be a home run.

Just watched replays of the Granderson/Swisher catches, and Hughes' outing could have been even worse if they don't make those plays. Hughes did hit 92 mph a couple of times in the first inning, but was only in the high 80s afterwards.

Edited April 15, 2011 by ghost of miles

[alocispepraluger102]

new rules in baseball this year.

the pitcher, with no runners on base, is to pitch 12 seconds after getting the catchers throw.

a pitch not made within 12 seconds is to be called a ball.

when replacing pitchers, the manager is to signal so BEFORE crossing the foul line into the field of play.

if either rule is enforced once, i'll eat my hat.

astros are leading padres 1-0 in ninth in houston.

Edited April 15, 2011 by alocispepraluger102

[Matthew]

I was able to watch the Cardinals / Dodgers game last night, and I'm afraid the Dodgers have a terrible team right now, nothing looks too good, just a couple of good players, but not the kind that can carry a team. On another note: I can't believe that I have been listening to Vin Scully all my life. I remember that Scully was the first announcer I ever listened to, and that was when I was seven years old, forty-five years ago. It won't be the same when he retires -- I'm still not use to no Chick Hearn for the Lakers' games.

[MartyJazz]

I was able to watch the Cardinals / Dodgers game last night, and I'm afraid the Dodgers have a terrible team right now, nothing looks too good, just a couple of good players, but not the kind that can carry a team. On another note: I can't believe that I have been listening to Vin Scully all my life. I remember that Scully was the first announcer I ever listened to, and that was when I was seven years old, forty-five years ago. It won't be the same when he retires -- I'm still not use to no Chick Hearn for the Lakers' games.

I was listening to Vin Scully 55 years ago when the Dodgers were still in Brooklyn, and while a crazed young Yankee fan, I would watch and listen to any baseball game that was being broadcast. No more Mel Allen, Red Barber, Phil Rizzuto, Russ Hodges, etc., but Scully lives on and is still announcing. A real treasure!

[Dave James]

64 years ago today, April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first major league game with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

[Tim McG]

I was able to watch the Cardinals / Dodgers game last night, and I'm afraid the Dodgers have a terrible team right now, nothing looks too good, just a couple of good players, but not the kind that can carry a team. On another note: I can't believe that I have been listening to Vin Scully all my life. I remember that Scully was the first announcer I ever listened to, and that was when I was seven years old, forty-five years ago. It won't be the same when he retires -- I'm still not use to no Chick Hearn for the Lakers' games.

I'm the same way.

Though I've never liked the Dodgers I have always liked Vin Scully's voice....and I can't believe Chick Hearn is gone either. The Lakers are the only LA team I root for since way back in the 60s.

So...is Scully retiring?

Edited April 15, 2011 by GoodSpeak

[Matthew]

I was able to watch the Cardinals / Dodgers game last night, and I'm afraid the Dodgers have a terrible team right now, nothing looks too good, just a couple of good players, but not the kind that can carry a team. On another note: I can't believe that I have been listening to Vin Scully all my life. I remember that Scully was the first announcer I ever listened to, and that was when I was seven years old, forty-five years ago. It won't be the same when he retires -- I'm still not use to no Chick Hearn for the Lakers' games.

I'm the same way.

Though I've never liked the Dodgers I have always liked Vin Scully's voice....and I can't believe Chick Hearn is gone either. The Lakers are the only LA team I root for since way back in the 60s.

So...is Scully retiring?

With Scully, it's year to year, he says he needs to see how he feels at the end of each season. How he has put up with the McCourt's is beyond me. I was wondering last night if Scully has been muzzled, because the Dodgers were getting booed loudly, and not a discouraging word was heard from Vinny's mouth. And not a word on the ridiculous security at Dodger Stadium -- two armed police at each section? What The Heck???? Dodger Stadium was empty, I doubt there were over 20,000 thousand in the stands. Sad times in Dodgerland.

[Dave James]

The McCourt embroglio seems to have ruined whatever was left of a once proud franchise. I'm no fan of the L.A. version of the Dodgers, but I'm a big fan of their history. Two of my most favorite baseball books (The Boys Of Summer and Praying For Gil Hodges) are both about the team when they were still in Brooklyn. I feel especially bad for Donnie Baseball who has to try to keep this screwed up ship on course without any charts. That's a pretty tough row to hoe for a first year skipper, especially one with so much class.

[ghost of miles]

Yanks just demoted Phil Hughes to their AAA Scranton farm team.