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Baseball Thread

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    • any mets fans here?

      Oh, my: The auction house Sotheby’s is selling the Mets’ old bullpen cart on eBay. Bidding is set to start at $10,000, with a final cost expected to be between $20,000 and $30,000.

      But you can’t put a price tag on awesomeness, and this sounds awesome:

      Electric powered Presidente Cart, circa 1967. Battery pack included. The cart is in drivable condition and remains completely untouched as to the original modifications. The cart is in a two-seat configuration, with seats mimicking bases, each with wear concurrent with age. The area to the outside of each seat has been widened to allow for the addition of speakers to either side. Green fabric interior shows the commensurate amount wear one would expect with a vehicle such as this. The exterior of the cart has cracks and minor paint chips to the edges of the helmet top as well as a few small scattered spots of loss around the helmet. Additional small areas of imperfections are visible as is some areas of paint flaking inside the helmet. Overall, this is a highly original vehicle with wear indicative of its age and in a condition one would expect. While not perfect, it is completely useable and presentable as is….

      A fantastic example of whimsical Major League Baseball marketing from the late 1960s, used intermittently at Shea Stadium for more than 20 years. Highlights of its use include a memorable appearance at the 1986 World Series versus the Boston Red Sox and then again in 2003 when Mets Captain John Franco drove Mets legend Tug McGraw onto the field as part of the team’s celebration of the legendary 1973 team.
      [/quote]
      [IMG:https://usatftw.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/screen-shot-2015-04-01-at-4-35-27-pm.png?w=1000]
      2,000 miler
    • milkman wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      socks wrote:

      I wouldn't use that thing to go get the fug'n' mail.
      Hey, I was a fan of those Mets teams back in 69, 73, and 86. :thumbup:
      You sure you weren't more of a Bill Buckner fan in '86?
      Sadly I guess he got what he deserved. Back in the early 70s at spring training in Dodgertown I tried after two different games to get his autograph. One time he said he was going in the clubhouse and would be right back out. Another time he said he needed to run, but would come back shortly. He never came back either time, and all he had do was just say no. What really makes it stand out is that everyone else on the Dodgers back then would sign for a kid. I got multiple of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Bill Russell, etc. Shoot, when I was in college I even got Sandy Koufax's when he was sitting in the bullpen.

      So perhaps 86' wasn't the curse of the Bambino, but instead his just reward to lying to a kid. And of course if that doesn't happen, maybe the Red Sox don't release him the next year, he plays more and a little longer, gets his 3,000 hits, and HOF.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      vegas has the braves at 73 1/2 games -- 2 games behind the astros!

      sports illustrated says "...this team could lose 100 games..." :(
      Look at the bright side, great draft picks next year. Use them on polished college players and they could be helping you compete again in that new stadium in 2017/2018. Washington looks good now, but over the next few years they are going to have to spend a lot of money to keep what they have.

      Better to take some lumps and then get back on top instead of paying heavily to play .500 (the Astros big mistake a few years back).
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Foresight wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      vegas has the braves at 73 1/2 games -- 2 games behind the astros!

      sports illustrated says "...this team could lose 100 games..." :(
      Now that they've traded Kimbrel I would have to agree with SI. Hellllllooooooooo 80's......... What the crap are they trying to accomplish anyway?
      Actually it is a great trade for the Braves. Come 2017 when they move into the new ballpark and years after they should be in great shape. Sure wish the Astros could have hired John Hart 8 years ago.

      As for the Padres, they better pack that ballpark and win, because they are spending a lot of money and trading away a lot of prospects.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • i don't think this was a trade for prospects; i think it was a salary dump. the braves paid uggla $20 million to go away last year and i don't think they wanted to pay melvin upton $46 million to go away this year. so they packaged upton and kimbrell to get rid of upton's contract.

      besides, as bad as the braves are gonna be (thank goodness for philly!) they really wouldn't get much value for the $42 million due kimbrell over the next 4 years.

      i'd feel sorry for freddy freeman, but with a $135 million contract over 8 years i won't.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      i don't think this was a trade for prospects; i think it was a salary dump. the braves paid uggla $20 million to go away last year and i don't think they wanted to pay melvin upton $46 million to go away this year. so they packaged upton and kimbrell to get rid of upton's contract.

      besides, as bad as the braves are gonna be (thank goodness for philly!) they really wouldn't get much value for the $42 million due kimbrell over the next 4 years.

      i'd feel sorry for freddy freeman, but with a $135 million contract over 8 years i won't.
      One my college friends coached Freddy Freeman on an All-Star team back in CA (his son ended up playing at BIOLA).

      Yeah the best closer in Baseball is not a luxury item rebuilding team's need.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Wrigley Field Removes Iconic Ivy From Urinal Troughs

      [IMG:http://o.onionstatic.com/images/27/27048/16x9/700.hq.jpg?6397]
      CHICAGO—In a move that has outraged many fans who consider the vines a treasured part of Wrigley Field’s charm and unique character, the Chicago Cubs announced Friday that they would be removing the stadium’s iconic ivy from its urinal troughs. “Urinating on the famed ivy has been a cherished, time-honored tradition throughout Wrigley’s 100-year history, but we must adapt to changing times,” said team spokesman Julian Green, explaining that a much-needed overhaul of the stadium’s outdated bathroom facilities, which have long ranked last in the Major Leagues, necessitates the dismantling of the vines. “We're aiming to provide a top-quality restroom for our fans, and the unfortunate reality is that maintaining and manicuring the ivy, a process which most people don’t realize takes place before nearly every home game, comes at an enormous cost to the organization. While we will certainly miss the sight of the wet leaves glimmering in the light, we believe this is the right move for the team and our fans.” Green added that after the removal process, the Cubs will raffle off the used ivy-covered urinal cakes from the 2014 season in an effort to raise proceeds for the local Chicago Boys and Girls Club.

      :) :) :)
      2,000 miler
    • this article about wrigley fields bathrooms is unfortunately true.

      these aren't containers of beer....

      [IMG:https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CB4OUs5UEAAT1hx.jpg:large]

      fans were peeing in cups, peeing against the wall, leaving the ballpark to pee elsewhere and return, and a few peeing their pants. a great opening night at the ballpark. details:

      the dirct link has a censorsed word in it. go to the hompage below, and click on the story " an absolute schitt show: tales from the wrigley field bathroom lines"

      deadspin.com/
      2,000 miler
    • Stephen Strasburg Encourages Pitchers To Shorten Games By Increasing Speed Of Fastball

      [IMG:http://o.onionstatic.com/images/29/29053/16x9/700.hq.jpg?4824]
      WASHINGTON—With Major League Baseball at risk of losing fans due to the sport’s increasingly slow and lethargic pace, Washington Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg reportedly urged pitchers across the league Monday to shorten games by increasing the speed of their fastballs. “No one wants to sit there for three hours to watch one baseball game, so by just upping the velocity of fastballs from, say, 94 miles per hour to 95 miles per hour, we can really quicken the game’s tempo,” said Strasburg, explaining that each slightly accelerated fastball would take roughly 18 fewer milliseconds to reach the plate, which “really adds up” given 300-plus pitches over nine innings. “With this simple change, we can reduce the average length of a game from three hours, four minutes, and 17 seconds to as low as three hours, four minutes, and 11 seconds. It’ll make the experience far more exciting for fans, and frankly, I’m surprised we haven’t done this sooner.” In a further effort to speed up the game, Strasburg suggested that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred restrict all hitting to bunts and line-drive singles.
      2,000 miler
    • My oldest son cracked me up earlier. He's a UNC grad, and if you don't already know, Duke is their archrival. Mind you, the kid doesn't give two sh!ts about sports. Nonetheless, he's pissed off that Duke won the national championship. It's hilarious.

      When I say he doesn't give two sh!ts about sports, I'm talking as in one day in his first year at Carolina, he called and asked me if I knew of anything going on up there that would have traffic all FUBAR.

      Me: "Where are you trying to get to, son?"

      I forget where it was he was trying to go, but it was near the Dean Dome. I was pretty sure it was, so I asked him, "Isn't that near the Dean Dome?"

      His reply: "Uhhh...what's the Dean Dome?"

      Me"It's the BASKETBALL ARENA for your school, son."

      Him: "Oh, okay. So what?"

      Me: "Your school's basketball team plays Duke today."

      Him: "Oh, that's kind of a big deal, right? Fu(k Duke."

      First time my kid ever used an F bomb talking to me.
      Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more, you should never wish to do less. - Robert E. Lee
    • max.patch wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      Astros in 1st place. I will enjoy it while I can

      And hey Duke and Coach K won another, so maybe this will be a good year for me. :)
      thumbs up to the astros. thumbs down to duke.
      but at least kentucky didn't win.
      In someways WI felt more like the old Duke teams than this Duke team did. Always appreciate the team concept and true student athletes instead of "one and dones".
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      first perfect game of the year...

      Athletics third baseman Brett Lawrie had an efficient game Tuesday night, in the worst way. He struck out four times—all swinging—on 12 pitches.
      Perhaps so much for Billy Beane thinking he was going to be better then Josh Donaldson
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      i bet i know where astro is tonite...

      big party tonite. last event inside was a george strait concert more than 10 years ago.

      reliantpark.com/astrodome-birthday

      [IMG:http://reliantpark.com/sites/default/files/styles/event_main_image/public/Astrodome%2050_860x320_rev.jpg?itok=AOVH4c39]
      Last I really remember hearing about it was when the people from Katrina trashed it. :thumbdown:

      I had some great memories from that place. :thumbup:
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General