MLB All-Star Game [Archive]

Aaron

07-09-2006, 09:35 AM

Anyone excited about the upcoming All-Star game? I'm happy there are actually some Tigers on the All-Star AL team, Pudge, Kenny Rogers, and Mags ;D I think I heard that Kenny Rogers might actually be the starting pitcher too.

Drunkenmaster

07-09-2006, 10:28 AM

I have a hard time getting excited for the All-Star game. At least in the last couple of years it actually means something so the players try a little harder, perhaps.

Kinbote

07-09-2006, 04:51 PM

Why is Mark Buerhle an All-Star when, say, Francisco Liriano is not? Why is Jim Thome an All-Star when Travis Hafner - by far the best hitter in the American League - is not? Why Paul Konerko over the superior Jason Giambi? Why is AJ Pierzynski there instead of, well, any other catcher playing baseball?

Because Ozzie Guillen is a dick with his head deep up his own ass. That's why.

Drunkenmaster

07-09-2006, 11:33 PM

Thome is having a pretty good season, though.

Kinbote

07-10-2006, 01:01 AM

Maybe - and now that I look at the stats, Giambi's trailed off a bit. But there's no excuse for having Thome AND Konerko. Especially when it means Hafner's getting shafted.

Speaking of Hafner, how fucking good is he? .462 OBP? 71/58 K/BB? Fucking 1.117 OPS? Holy catfish. Too bad everyone else on the Indians decided to take the year off.

I think I'd even take Hafner over Pujols - I'm pretty convinced at this point of the significance of the AL's superiority. Though Pujols is a great defensive 1B; but how much impact do 1Bs have, defensively?

Peter

07-10-2006, 01:25 PM

thank god they put Joe Mauer on the reserves list. He's my age and he's hitting .378 at the break! Unfuckin-believable.

Kinbote

07-10-2006, 05:02 PM

Yeah, but does he have Character? Does he have Grit? AJ Pierzynski has these Intangibles; does Junior Joe?

AJ could hit .378, but he doesn't want to embarass his lighter-hitting teammates.

Ugh.

DrHibbert

07-11-2006, 01:47 PM

Too bad I get cable TOMORROW instead of today :darn:

I'm glad it actually means something now. And there won't be a stupid tie.

mr. dynamite

07-13-2006, 12:00 AM

who loves the AL???
no one i hope.

designated hitters??? cmon

Kinbote

07-13-2006, 12:30 PM

I like the DH: why the fuck do I want to watch a pitcher try, and fail, to hit? Why do I want to give pitchers a free out?

And I do prefer the AL: I like watching good players.

Drunkenmaster

07-13-2006, 04:35 PM

I wish the NL would go to a DH as well.

DrHibbert

07-13-2006, 04:38 PM

I like how each league is different. It makes it more interesting when the AL pitchers all of a sudden have to go up and try to hit for interleague or WS. It's slightly more pathetic than the NL pitchers trying to hit.

But I also like how one league has it so that some old farts who are still really good hitters get a chance to stick around. Like Edgar Martinez. He was the shit, and played about a decade longer than he would have if he'd been forced to keep playing 3rd.

Drunkenmaster

07-13-2006, 04:49 PM

Barry Bonds to the AL next year?

DrHibbert

07-13-2006, 09:17 PM

Bonds is a different situation. He'll be a pretty crappy hitter now regardless of what league he's in because he can't use his precious juice anymore. Plus he seems to have chronic injuries, which also might be exacerbated by coming off the steroids.

The kind of guys I appreciate are the Edgar Martinez or Tony Gwynn type hitters. You could have them loaf around in the outfield and be somewhat of a defensive liability (see Bonds). But I like how they can play in the AL and extend their careers a bit.

Drunkenmaster

07-13-2006, 11:46 PM

Are you accusing Barry Bonds of using performance enhancing drugs?

Peter

07-14-2006, 01:47 AM

The kind of guys I appreciate are the Edgar Martinez etc

First ballot Hall of Famer, hands down. That guy is by far the best hitter I have ever seen. Incredibly intelligent at the plate and he could put the ball anywhere he wanted to. If you look at his hit chart you'll see that he scatters the ball to every part of the feel every season. You couldn't pitch to him cause he could hit anything anywhere!

Kinbote

07-14-2006, 10:27 PM

Bonds'd be plenty valuable a hitter even with limited power - a .4xx OBP is nothing to be trifled with. On top of which, we're talking about a guy who, pre-PEDs, hit 40ish homers a year, in pitcher's parks.

Drunkenmaster

07-14-2006, 10:33 PM

Do you think Bonds will still have as much respect when he's a year older and his production has dropped off? He can hardly run. I don't think he'll be BB'd as much.

The Chuck

07-14-2006, 10:36 PM

Bonds's body is broken. I'm pretty sure he's off the juice at this point, he probably gets tested once a week. He's finally looking like a forty year old, he can't recover like he used to. I don't know how good he'll be in the AL as a DH. I hear making the transition from an everyday player to one who sits all game until he's called to bat 3 or 4 times is tough. This is all assuming the league doesn't force him to retire. Aarons record is safe.

Kinbote

07-14-2006, 10:37 PM

The Chuck

07-14-2006, 10:40 PM

Walking is a skill - it's to the credit of the hitter, not the debit of the pitcher. The IBBs will decline, of course, and we're not going to see 175 or whatever, but I think Bonds could walk 100 times in his sleep.

They walk him because they're inimidated by him, and what he can do with the bat. He's no longer an intimidating player, and his walks will suffer tremendously.
Even so, teams don't sign homerun hitters with dwindling power and no legs to walk.

Kinbote

07-14-2006, 10:45 PM

Frank Thomas and Billy Beane would like a word with you.

DrHibbert

07-15-2006, 12:36 AM

He has a good eye, but now that he's off the juice, bokuden's right - he won't intimidate pitchers. A lot of guys are good at walking, but his power was what made is OBP and BBs so phenomenal. Without the 'roids, his walks will diminish. I don't think he'll go to the AL because he knows he can't do it in either league. What he'll do is find a way to make it look like he's leaving against his will so that he can always say that he would have made it to 755 if he hadn't been stopped by the media/fans/government/commissioner/someoneotherthanhim.

Drunkenmaster

07-15-2006, 05:00 AM

I'd still be intimidated to pitch against him. I can't really compare him to Frank though. Frank's in better shape. If Barry hits any homers next year he'll probably touch first and head for the dugout. He's also a prime double play candidate. I'd walk him every time. He sure isn't going to hurt you on the base path.

Kinbote

07-15-2006, 04:43 PM

Guys, it's been amply demonstrated that walking is a skill old players retain even as the rest of their offensive skills decline. Bonds is a bit of a special case, as many of his walks in recent years were intentional or semi-intentional (a stupid strategy, by the way: instead of letting him hit, in which case there'd be a 60-65% chance of him making an out, you're guaranteeing him a base), but as I said, he could walk 100 times given a full season of at bats. And even diminished, he shouldn't have much trouble hitting 20 home runs. .850-.900 OPS? Plenty of teams could use that kind of production.

DrHibbert

07-15-2006, 04:54 PM

ok, I get what you're saying, but I think his average will decline, then his walks will decline, and in turn his avg and obp will both decline even more. I understand that some players are good at drawing walks, and he is demonstrably good at that. But it's a skill he's always had that has always been highlighted because of his ability to get hits and home runs.

There's no question bonds is one of the best obp guys in history, as well as slugging, but when one declines so will the other imho. He's also a detriment to almost any AL clubhouse - I definitely wouldn't want the Mariners to pick up Barry and the circus that would come with him. All this is pointless because he'll just retire and/or go to prison.

The Chuck

07-15-2006, 08:04 PM

Okay, he might be able to produce somewhat decent numbers. I think he can hit a few homeruns, maybe 20, and I wouldn't be suprised if some interested clubs ask him to shift over to first if he wants to stay in the NL, but DHing in the AL will add time to his career. If the contract is decent, a lower market contender might sign him, thinking about the publicity he'll generate if he does challenge Aaron, and the fan draw. But, the man is booed vehemently at every other ballpark except at home, so that angle might be a bit iffey.