View Full Version : Pitchers and Catchers.... Here we go 2017
Ret10Echo
02-08-2017, 06:03
The countdown to baseball begins once again... :lifter Pitchers and Catchers reporting next week. Sports radio is already talking up what the expectations are going into the '17 season.
After the amazing World Series finale' last year I'm eager to see how this year kicks off.
Living in A.L. East land the Red Sox have once again pulled out the checkbook and look to be strong going in.
Where's your team at?
Trapper John
02-08-2017, 07:28
The 2 days in the year that I most look forward too:
1. Dec 21 because it's the Winter solstice and the days begin getting longer again.
2. That day in February when Pitchers and Catchers report - Spring is just around the corner.
But, as a die-hard Phillies fan this also brings another season of disappointment and heart ache. Kinda like being a Cleveland Browns fan. :D
Oh well, gotta take the good with the bad.
Play Ball!
Pitchers and Catchers
And here I was thinking you were going to talk about US Navy cruises.
Ret10Echo
02-08-2017, 08:57
The 2 days in the year that I most look forward too:
1. Dec 21 because it's the Winter solstice and the days begin getting longer again.
2. That day in February when Pitchers and Catchers report - Spring is just around the corner.
But, as a die-hard Phillies fan this also brings another season of disappointment and heart ache. Kinda like being a Cleveland Browns fan. :D
Oh well, gotta take the good with the bad.
Play Ball!
The Browns are the offical "Factory of Sadness". At least the Phils have the Fanatic :D
Ret10Echo
02-08-2017, 08:59
And here I was thinking you were going to talk about US Navy cruises.
You went there. :D
Well, may as well get the ball rolling again ...
NEXT YEAR WILL BE OUR YEAR !!!! :D
PedOncoDoc
02-08-2017, 09:48
You went there. :D
He wasn't the only one - I thought this might be an announcement about new sexual orientation sensitivity training...
Ret10Echo
02-08-2017, 10:03
He wasn't the only one - I thought this might be an announcement about new sexual orientation sensitivity training...
That does happen in here often
bblhead672
02-08-2017, 10:14
And here I was thinking you were going to talk about US Navy cruises.
Ouch.
Report: MLB considering starting extra innings with runner on second base
Link: http://www.si.com/mlb/2017/02/08/mlb-considering-extra-innings-rule-change-runner-second-base?xid=socialflow_twitter_si
Pat
Badger52
02-24-2017, 07:52
Report: MLB considering starting extra innings with runner on second base
Link: http://www.si.com/mlb/2017/02/08/mlb-considering-extra-innings-rule-change-runner-second-base?xid=socialflow_twitter_si
PatBeatings; lots of beatings. They're also talking about the no-pitch intentional walk, which is more BS. Make the guy throw the pitches. If they want to increase pace of play (which imo isn't needed), then ditch the reviews & live with human umps doing the best they can in a game played by humans.
Back to things in Mesa, Wilson Contreras has been working closely with Jon Lester as to certain pitch locations & being on same sheet of music and looks likely to be Lester's preferred catcher (with John Ross' retirement). Kyle Schwarber has caught bullpen sessions and his knee is coming back nicely so he can be a potential 3rd catcher if not needed in the outfield. Cubs have added some interesting options/picks, both bullpen and position players, with John Jay likely to be the mentor for Almora.
Ya'll need to be around the Phoenix ao...mucho practice and pro pre season games to watch...Cubbies are here in Mesa.
Badger52
02-24-2017, 10:47
Ya'll need to be around the Phoenix ao...mucho practice and pro pre season games to watch...Cubbies are here in Mesa.+1 If I wasn't up here moving the white snowcone krap that just fell that's where I'd be.
:D
Ret10Echo
02-24-2017, 11:28
Grapefruit League is kicking off as well down in FL. Actually at this point I'm more interested in the B-squads to see what the youngsters and new guys are going to bring.
Airbornelawyer
03-17-2017, 00:04
So, is anyone here following the World Baseball Classic?
Nice to see some strong performances from countries like Italy and Israel who aren't exactly known for their baseball cultures, although eventually they bowed to the inevitable and fell to the teams with more depth. You don't normally think of baseball when you think of the Netherlands, but many of their players are from the Netherlands' Caribbean territories where baseball is an institution.
It was also nice to the USA get a large and supportive crowd in the game in San Diego yesterday. I still can't tell if the Team USA players are treating this as little more than an exhibition/All-Star game, while others such as the DomRep are playing to win.
John Smoltz is really getting on my nerves, as he cannot apparently refer to "StatCast" without immediately following it with "powered by Amazon Web Services". We get it, you are a corporate shill. Every time I hear it, all I can think of is the Secretary of State in the movie Idiocracy, who got paid every time he said "brought to you by Carl's Jr.".
rsdengler
03-17-2017, 10:00
So, is anyone here following the World Baseball Classic?
Nice to see some strong performances from countries like Italy and Israel who aren't exactly known for their baseball cultures, although eventually they bowed to the inevitable and fell to the teams with more depth. You don't normally think of baseball when you think of the Netherlands, but many of their players are from the Netherlands' Caribbean territories where baseball is an institution.
It was also nice to the USA get a large and supportive crowd in the game in San Diego yesterday. I still can't tell if the Team USA players are treating this as little more than an exhibition/All-Star game, while others such as the DomRep are playing to win.
John Smoltz is really getting on my nerves, as he cannot apparently refer to "StatCast" without immediately following it with "powered by Amazon Web Services". We get it, you are a corporate shill. Every time I hear it, all I can think of is the Secretary of State in the movie Idiocracy, who got paid every time he said "brought to you by Carl's Jr.".
I was watching the Dominican Republic playing Canada, that was only because our Orioles player Manny Machado was playing for DR, and he is such a great player for our team. I see they were doing pretty well, and of course there is "nothing" on TV to watch so we were watching a few games. And as you stated, they look like they are out to win. I hope the US plays that way :o But fun to watch....can't wait for baseball season, Camden Yards is such a great place to watch a game....and it is great to go outside the stadium to see the Vendors, cheap food, beer, and hats...:)
Badger52
03-17-2017, 12:01
I caught some of the DR vs. PR game; one of the plays made a highlight film, with Cubs' 2nd baseman Javier Baez making his usual spectacular tag after taking a rocket in the X-ring from Jadier Molina behind the plate - made runner (or 1st base coach decision) look stupid. (Wish our #2 regular catcher could do that.) Molina still looks in fine form, long in the tooth that he is ('course it's early yet).
Ret10Echo
03-17-2017, 13:43
So, is anyone here following the World Baseball Classic?
Nice to see some strong performances from countries like Italy and Israel who aren't exactly known for their baseball cultures, although eventually they bowed to the inevitable and fell to the teams with more depth. You don't normally think of baseball when you think of the Netherlands, but many of their players are from the Netherlands' Caribbean territories where baseball is an institution.
It was also nice to the USA get a large and supportive crowd in the game in San Diego yesterday. I still can't tell if the Team USA players are treating this as little more than an exhibition/All-Star game, while others such as the DomRep are playing to win.
John Smoltz is really getting on my nerves, as he cannot apparently refer to "StatCast" without immediately following it with "powered by Amazon Web Services". We get it, you are a corporate shill. Every time I hear it, all I can think of is the Secretary of State in the movie Idiocracy, who got paid every time he said "brought to you by Carl's Jr.".
I've been mostly tracking the brackets but did watch parts of a couple of USA games. Adam Jones (Orioles) seems to be pulling the bacon out of the fire repeatedly. Big one today vs PR.
It's a great opportunity for the fans to see some good baseball and some players they aren't necessarily familiar with. Also, without baseball in the Olympics recently, it's a player's opportunity to play for their "country".
I get the MLB idea of getting the WBC put together... although it does hose up some spring training time. Hopefully everyone walks away without injury as the real season starts.
Smoltz probably hears a "Cha-ching" every time he says that.
Airbornelawyer
03-19-2017, 19:20
I was watching the Dominican Republic playing Canada, that was only because our Orioles player Manny Machado was playing for DR, and he is such a great player for our team. I see they were doing pretty well, and of course there is "nothing" on TV to watch so we were watching a few games. And as you stated, they look like they are out to win. I hope the US plays that way :o But fun to watch....can't wait for baseball season, Camden Yards is such a great place to watch a game....and it is great to go outside the stadium to see the Vendors, cheap food, beer, and hats...:)
I see your Manny and raise you one Jones-y. :cool:
rsdengler
03-20-2017, 04:49
I see your Manny and raise you one Jones-y. :cool:
Ha, good one....Jones-y is a really good player., love the bubblegum chewing and the bubble blowing.... I always have a great time watching the O's play.....I miss Cal Ripken though :)
Airbornelawyer
03-20-2017, 20:39
One of my better Camden Yards memories was a two-homer game by Cal, Jr. There was an early inning rain delay, and my friends and I got in free with the tickets of some fans who didn't want to wait it out.
Back to the WBC, during the earlier rounds in Asia, I just thought the MLB announcers were being politically correct by kow-towing to Communist Chinese sensivities and always referring to Taiwan by the Olympics-approved name of "Chinese Taipei" . Apparently, they are just ignorant, as Matt Vasgersian, the game announcer at the Netherlands/Puerto Rico game, just asked why the professional league in Taiwan was called Chinese Professional Baseball, and resident World Baseball Classic expert Jon Paul Morosi couldn't answer. Apparently neither has heard of the Republic of China.
Also, Vasgersian later was discussing the inspirational speech by one of the veteran Puerto Rican team players and mentioned how important it was to that nation. I am guessing Matty V. watched those commercials in the game from the Puerto Rican tourist board and couldn't figure out why Americans don't need a passport to visit Puerto Rico.
Badger52
03-20-2017, 20:54
Back to the WBC, during the earlier rounds in Asia, I just thought the MLB announcers were being politically correct by kow-towing to Communist Chinese sensivities and always referring to Taiwan by the Olympics-approved name of "Chinese Taipei" . Apparently, they are just ignorant, as Matt Vasgersian, the game announcer at the Netherlands/Puerto Rico game, just asked why the professional league in Taiwan was called Chinese Professional Baseball, and resident World Baseball Classic expert Jon Paul Morosi couldn't answer. Apparently neither has heard of the Republic of China.
Also, Vasgersian later was discussing the inspirational speech by one of the veteran Puerto Rican team players and mentioned how important it was to that nation. I am guessing Matty V. watched those commercials in the game from the Puerto Rican tourist board and couldn't figure out why Americans don't need a passport to visit Puerto Rico.Humorous if it wasn't such a poor testimony. Blocks as a child that make into a map, or things not taught in Jr. High... he was long gone then before heading to USC. Sad.
rsdengler
03-21-2017, 04:51
One of my better Camden Yards memories was a two-homer game by Cal, Jr. There was an early inning rain delay, and my friends and I got in free with the tickets of some fans who didn't want to wait it out.
I used to go to a lot of games when Cal was still playing, someone I worked with had season tickets right off 1st base, 3 rows back. I remember "ducking" a lot while sitting at those seats...Cal was a great player, and that was a wonderful time for baseball...I will be going this season for sure....Manny...Manny...Manny :munchin
__________________
Badger52
03-29-2017, 19:43
Well, looks like the Cubs have finalized their roster, including 5-man rotation. They've had a ton of prospects to look at and most of the games in the last couple of weeks have been a couple innings of regulars & then "school ball" where everybody plays. Some games with the regulars here near the end have been pretty good slugfests anyone would pay to watch (including 15-11 over Oakland today, with lots of long ball apparently).
Looking forward to their first game in STL Sunday night; I like STL fans, they're baseball people, they get it. Let's get this season rolling!
:lifter
Ret10Echo
03-30-2017, 05:18
Looking forward to their first game in STL Sunday night; I like STL fans, they're baseball people, they get it. Let's get this season rolling!
:lifter
Next week!
I think the players are DONE with spring training and ready to get rolling.
Another A.L. East crapshoot with the BoSox expected to be at the top of the heap if their pitching holds up. They had a good offseason. The Yankees seem to be a wildcard coming off a fairly strong close to last year once they moved on from their "legacy" roster.
The O's are expected to be in the basement of the East, but the "Showalter factor" seems to elevate them. Their rotation is a question mark and how they trim down the platoon of outfielders to the 25 man roster is going to be interesting. Expect the usual cycle of call-ups and send-downs to occur.
Good times.
bblhead672
03-30-2017, 07:37
Well, looks like the Cubs have finalized their roster, including 5-man rotation. They've had a ton of prospects to look at and most of the games in the last couple of weeks have been a couple innings of regulars & then "school ball" where everybody plays. Some games with the regulars here near the end have been pretty good slugfests anyone would pay to watch (including 15-11 over Oakland today, with lots of long ball apparently).
Looking forward to their first game in STL Sunday night; I like STL fans, they're baseball people, they get it. Let's get this season rolling!
:lifter
Go Cards! :D
rsdengler
03-30-2017, 07:42
Next week!
I think the players are DONE with spring training and ready to get rolling.
The O's are expected to be in the basement of the East, but the "Showalter factor" seems to elevate them. Their rotation is a question mark and how they trim down the platoon of outfielders to the 25 man roster is going to be interesting. Expect the usual cycle of call-ups and send-downs to occur.
Good times.
Hee, hee....The O's.....cannot wait, I might try to go to the game on 4/22 or 4/23. Home game playing Boston....my luck it will rain...:D