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    • max.patch wrote:

      the prez sez...

      Donald J. Trump‏Verified account [/b]@realDonaldTrump

      Watching the Dodgers/Red Sox final innings. It is amazing how a manager takes out a pitcher who is loose & dominating through almost 7 innings, Rich Hill of Dodgers, and brings in nervous reliever(s) who get shellacked. 4 run lead gone. Managers do it all the time, big mistake!
      Rich Hill is a Boston boy, I've been following him for years. I was happy to see him pitch so well, and was even happier when the manager made the pitching change. I don't care what the analytics say, was a mistake.

      max.patch wrote:

      i hope i'm wrong, but i think the decision to start david price on short rest instead of chris sale on normal rest makes no sense.
      It is a bit head scratching, but everything Cora does seems to work.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I totally agree with Dave Roberts taking Rich Hill out of perfect games and no hitters during the regular season due to his blister problems along with the analytics on his third time through the lineup. And reason I always agreed with those decisions was that Roberts would state the goal of the team is to get to and win the World Series.

      But last night you are in the World Series, down 2-1 and you have a guy throwing a one hitter and very effective. Your pitching staff is worn down from just playing an 18 inning game the night before. Who cares if he gets a blister at this point, it is his last start, and if truly injured afterwards they should have another pitcher replace him on the roster.

      Now in Dave Roberts defense before that inning started Rich Hill supposedly told him "watch me". But perhaps a pep talk was more in order than a quick hook.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Happy for IMScotty on the Red Sox winning another World Series! :thumbup:

      Growing up a Dodgers fan the reason I moved to Houston in 1988 was to be in a NL town (so I could watch the Dodgers 9 times a year in person and at least another 9 on TV) with an NBA team. But after my sons growing up with the Killer B teams (Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman) I evolved into an Astros fan. With Manny Machado I had a hard time even trying to pull for the Dodgers this time (of course last year was a no brainer). And 1988 with Gibson and Hershiser is still more special. I still regret Boston not winning in 1975 (and 1978 too), but they have been making up for it lately.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • I think we may be seeing the Stan Kasten effect on the LA Dodgers. While running the Braves they won like 14 straight division titles, but only one World Series. The Dodgers are on a streak of 6 straight division titles, but only two trips to WS loosing both times. It is like he is a smart businessman building teams for the long haul, but not willing roll the dice and go all in when needed in the short run. Red Sox in between winning all of these title in the last 14 years have also hit the bottom a few times, but then came back and put the chips on the table when they had a chance.

      While I think Boston (and Houston) were better than the Dodgers, a few extra quality relief pitchers added at the trade deadline might have made it a little more interesting. And while I am glad they did not do it, they probably could have pushed their young pitchers more too (Buehler, Urias, even Baez) but they didn't want to risk injury.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      Happy for IMScotty on the Red Sox winning another World Series! :thumbup:

      Growing up a Dodgers fan the reason I moved to Houston in 1988 was to be in a NL town (so I could watch the Dodgers 9 times a year in person and at least another 9 on TV) with an NBA team. But after my sons growing up with the Killer B teams (Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman) I evolved into an Astros fan. With Manny Machado I had a hard time even trying to pull for the Dodgers this time (of course last year was a no brainer). And 1988 with Gibson and Hershiser is still more special. I still regret Boston not winning in 1975 (and 1978 too), but they have been making up for it lately.
      The more I've seen of Machado, the less I have liked him. I've long been a Rich Hill fan (a Boston boy), and I was glad to see him pitch so well. He has had some injuries, but every time it appeared his career was over he fought back. He always seems to be up for the big game.

      Old friend of the Red Sox Dave Roberts is going to be second guessed for some of his moves. I hope that the Dodgers organization realizes that there is a time and a place for analytics, and a time stick with what everyone else in the park could see, a pitcher that was defying statistics in the clutch. I never want to see the human factor taken out of this game.

      Did you see the press conference where Cora announced that Price was pitching this game. It was his 'walk off' comment after a reporter's bush league 'Trump' question. The commentators took it as a joke at the time, the decision seemed so unbelievable. I don't know what sort of horseshoe Cora has stuck up his backside, but here in Boston the fans have stopped questioning any decision that manager makes. They all seem to work out.

      Actually, I cannot say enough good things about Cora as a manager. This year the club house chemistry has been off the charts. Everyone genuinely seems to be having fun, this has been such a likable team to watch. Even David Price has learned to keep his mouth shut and enjoy the game. Cora has a confidence to him that is infectious. Astro, where can teams find a manger like this? :)
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • IMScotty wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Happy for IMScotty on the Red Sox winning another World Series! :thumbup:

      Growing up a Dodgers fan the reason I moved to Houston in 1988 was to be in a NL town (so I could watch the Dodgers 9 times a year in person and at least another 9 on TV) with an NBA team. But after my sons growing up with the Killer B teams (Biggio, Bagwell, Berkman) I evolved into an Astros fan. With Manny Machado I had a hard time even trying to pull for the Dodgers this time (of course last year was a no brainer). And 1988 with Gibson and Hershiser is still more special. I still regret Boston not winning in 1975 (and 1978 too), but they have been making up for it lately.
      The more I've seen of Machado, the less I have liked him. I've long been a Rich Hill fan (a Boston boy), and I was glad to see him pitch so well. He has had some injuries, but every time it appeared his career was over he fought back. He always seems to be up for the big game.
      Old friend of the Red Sox Dave Roberts is going to be second guessed for some of his moves. I hope that the Dodgers organization realizes that there is a time and a place for analytics, and a time stick with what everyone else in the park could see, a pitcher that was defying statistics in the clutch. I never want to see the human factor taken out of this game.

      Did you see the press conference where Cora announced that Price was pitching this game. It was his 'walk off' comment after a reporter's bush league 'Trump' question. The commentators took it as a joke at the time, the decision seemed so unbelievable. I don't know what sort of horseshoe Cora has stuck up his backside, but here in Boston the fans have stopped questioning any decision that manager makes. They all seem to work out.

      Actually, I cannot say enough good things about Cora as a manager. This year the club house chemistry has been off the charts. Everyone genuinely seems to be having fun, this has been such a likable team to watch. Even David Price has learned to keep his mouth shut and enjoy the game. Cora has a confidence to him that is infectious. Astro, where can teams find a manger like this? :)
      No team has been able to repeat in the last 20 years or so, but Alex Cora has. :)

      As for Dave Roberts, class act, and the front office better not fire him unless they also fire those giving him directions.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel, Lou Piniella, Lee Smith and George Steinbrenner are the candidates the Today’s Game Era Committee will consider for Hall of Fame election for the Class of 2019. Baines, Belle, Carter, Clark, Hershiser and Smith are included for their contributions as players. Johnson, Manuel and Piniella are included for their contributions as managers, and Steinbrenner is included for his work as owner of the New York Yankees. All candidates except for Steinbrenner are living.

      Any you feel are worthy?
      Why?
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • lot of good players on that list; i'll have to double check the stats against my memory. but off the top of my head -- how do you keep the guy who had the record for most career saves when he retired out of the hall? he's since been passed but is still up there. maybe when i check the stats i'll have the answer as to why he's still on the outside looking in.
      2,000 miler
    • i heard an interesting take on the hall of fame on a talk show once.

      the host said that if someone asked "should (insert name) be in the hall of fame?" it should be so obvious that if you don't immediately say "yes" -- then that individual is not worthy. if ya gotta think about -- not worthy.

      i think there's some truth to that.
      2,000 miler
    • Astro wrote:

      Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel, Lou Piniella, Lee Smith and George Steinbrenner are the candidates the Today’s Game Era Committee will consider for Hall of Fame election for the Class of 2019. Baines, Belle, Carter, Clark, Hershiser and Smith are included for their contributions as players. Johnson, Manuel and Piniella are included for their contributions as managers, and Steinbrenner is included for his work as owner of the New York Yankees. All candidates except for Steinbrenner are living.

      Any you feel are worthy?
      Why?

      max.patch wrote:

      lot of good players on that list; i'll have to double check the stats against my memory. but off the top of my head -- how do you keep the guy who had the record for most career saves when he retired out of the hall? he's since been passed but is still up there. maybe when i check the stats i'll have the answer as to why he's still on the outside looking in.
      harold baines and lee smith (the aforementioned career saves leader) were selected for the HOF.

      :)
      2,000 miler
    • Nothing personally against Lee Smith, but no way I want him or Trevor Hoffman or even Bruce Sutter closing a game for me when Billy Wagner is available. Sabermetrically Wagner is the best HOF elgible reliever there is including all the guys already in. Now that will change once Mariano Riveria becomes elgible.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      baines is a puzzler; fell off the ballot after 5 years and never got more than 6% of the vote. perhaps such decisions need to be made by more than a 16 member committee. i'd put baines in the hall of really good players.
      Totally agree. If you ways DH, Edgar Martinez is much more deserving.

      Old Veterans Committee didn't want to let anyone in. Now probably due to some of the steroids guys getting in, the new committee willing to let all their old buddies in.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      astro, you posed the original question about who -- if anyone -- the today's game era committee should put in the HOF. i don't believe you ever gave your own opinion. did you find anyone deserving on that list?
      Yeah, it was none really deserving for me. Some of them I really loved. Hershiser had a great run for a stretch (1988 a season for the ages) and Will Clark started off looking like a HOFer but career wound down too quickly.

      I love Davey Johnson and Lou Piniella, and would personally prefer them over LaRussa (and perhaps even Cox and Torre), but that doesn't mean they necessarily deserve it. LaRussa was real good at choosing his spots, but still a jerk, but I guess that doesn't keep you out.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • If you are reading this thread you have probably seen the movie The Sandlot. I wondered what happened to mine I used to ride my bike to. Well they built some houses around it and turned it into a regular park with swing set, playground equipment, and a basketball ball court. All we had was empty lots, and we provided the rest.
      Images
      • IMG_20181220_075345301.jpg

        138.82 kB, 800×450, viewed 242 times
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • we used to play baseball and football on a huge grassy area that was 4 blocks from my house. it was fairly close to a hospital. that grassy area is now totally developed; the hospital expanded and other medical related facilities have taken over the rest. there is no evidence that kids ever played there.

      right behind our house was a woods with trails (have no idea how they got there) that we used to run around in. the woods are now gone. they left a buffer about the length of a residential lot and bulldozed the rest. that area is now totally developed with what appeared to be mostly medical related businesses.

      it's unfortunate that the kids who now live in that neighborhood don't have the same opportunities we did years ago.
      2,000 miler