LAA Road Tripper

Yeah and guess what, a lot of people do talk. But who controls the media? I think you can figure it out.

C'mon. So the "media" can cap a story and nobody can know the truth. That's what you're going to go with?

That wasn't possible a couple of thousand years ago, wasn't true 50 years ago and now, in the age of social media, CNN, MSNBC, Fox and others that BTW all compete with each other , is less true now than ever in history.

Yeah its not like the U.S. government has ever lied about anything.

Not the point. Do governments lie? Are people corrupt? Sure, to the core. And that's what most conspiracy theorists home in on, motives. But the problem with most conspiracies is that for them to be pulled off usually lots of people need to be involved. Take 9/11. What do we know? Two planes hit the buildings. Then they fell down. To some, it doesn't seem feasible. But what's a more plausible alternative? A devious plan? I'm sure some would want to orchestrate something. But how many hundreds or thousands of people would need to be in on it? And have access? Etc., etc. And that is where it all breaks down. Because the one thing you can count on is when lots of people are involved some crack. Maybe on their deathbed, maybe a change of heart along the line but the universal truth is people love to talk.

With this roster I really thought this was a losing team. Not enough talent. Maybe I'm spoiled but last year's 98 win, best-record-in-baseball team never felt real to me evidenced by the first round sweep but probably even more so by the pedestrian record they had against good teams. IIRC they were sub-.500 or close to it versus winning teams. What they excelled at in '14 was beating the teams they were supposed to beat. They were absolutely masterful at that. If they hadn't coasted the last week they would have won 101 or 102 games.

But the litmus test for a legitimately quality team is beating the good clubs. After all, that's all you see when you make the playoffs. That same pattern was exhibited this year through July - beat the bad teams until the wheels came off last month. Put me down in the camp of getting a tad bit more than I expected record-wise with a caveat of taking an unexpected pathway to get there. 54-40 was completely unexpected but so was 11-26.

Behind Minnesota and Texas for the second wildcard?

 

Minnesota

 

And

 

Texas 

 

Let that sink in a little, folks...

Really, I don't get why this is a surprise. This team, as it's currently constituted, is...not...good. Plain and simple. This is Mike Trout and the 24 dwarves and lately Mike Trout has just made it number 25. Here's what surprises me and is a testament to MLB having an overall subpar year: The Los Angeles Angels are still, somehow two games over .500. Let THAT sink in. I know they're better than the last month but in their entirety, if we spin it back from April on, I see this roster as a 70 to 75 win team.

That was the inning. I see Verlander capping this off.

Hit and run?

That would require the "hit" part.

He'll hit 285 next season with 17 HRs. Book it.

For Boston, Oakland or Texas. Iannetta oughta be happy. This is all set up for him.

Nice Aybar. 3 times. Don't let Rodon throw ball 4.

Good guess, but first five seasons. He was MVP of one of those series.

This is your best question yet. I guess if one were to cheat they'd start with the 1949 Yankee roster but I'm guessing the correct answer is someone who played for 2 or more teams like the early 70s A's or so.

If you get this, I know you're looking it up.

Who played on five World Series–winning teams in his first five seasons?

Yogi Berra

Reggie Sanders

Bill Sharman.

Ahh! Too late. Well, Jason I'll always be thankful for the free ticket to the Sunday game a few years back where I caught the foul ball in your seat. Felt bad and good about that at the same time.

Bill Sharman

Watching MLB Network. Weird to see Wilmer Flores still playing for the Mets an hour after the rest of the world knows he's a Brewer. Dude had to know, too, didn't he?

Well yeah he was playing against cavemen who couldnt throw that fast.

Hey, some of those cavemen could throw really fast. Sure, their body hair and hunchbacks got in the way but....

Babe Ruth's numbers should have an asterisk next to them. Absolutely no way he could replicate Trout's numbers in this day and age.

I'm sure the asterisk comment is hyperbole or at least I hope it is. Of course eras are different. There were fewer teams on one hand but then no minorities playing on the other in MLB in the 1920's. But a pretty good rule of thumb if you want to take a crack at it is to compare players to their contemporaries. For example, if you individually out homer every other team in the league like Ruth did in 1927, that's an excellent measuring stick of greatness.

You'd shut up and do the right thing to keep the $25 mil checks coming.

I would. ARod only recently demonstrated that that discipline. Two years ago I doubt anyone would have banked on him doing what seems pretty obvious to everyone else, though.

As much as I like Arod, no way. There's no amount of contrition that's going to unstain all the lying and lawsuits and bs. He's barely tolerated, and only because he produces.

He was very disliked that post season he was atrocious with the hip issue, and that was pre-roid scandal.

As soon as he sucks, and that could be soon, that team, the fans and certainly his players will turn on him too.

He has a hard road of getting into the hall.

I've never really been an ARod fan and you very well may be right. I've just been floored by his turnaround this year. I would have bet a significant amount of money that the Yankees would have either released him, he would have been a shell of himself or he would have done something stupid again to plaster his name in a negative way in every headline. None of those things happened.

I disagree. Steroids will not keep them out indefinitely.

As much as I'd like to see that lol

My view is that ARod "might" get in sooner than the others. After doing everything wrong, he's done everything right in his rehabilitation tour. Mainly shut his mouth and produce.

Biggest problem with Cuba is no money. I think that might be the biggest detriment to Mexico also.

On paper it sounds great. But when the fans you need to make it happen are probably making 10 cents an hour in Cuba and a dollar in Mexico, it'll be hard to support a team with a min of $70-80 million. Even the local TV deals probably won't relate well there.

Concur. It serves MLB well to float the idea of Monterey and Mexico City much the same way London works for the NFL but there are too many financial and logistical reasons why it won't happen. My guess is if expansion happens - and I don't see it happening soon - it would be in Montreal and Portland. 32 is a nice round number that, again, works well for football and could do so as well for baseball. It would eliminate the necessity of having an inter-league series every day, too, which is another benefit as I see it.

Under that scenario Matheny can challenge that Wong was actaully out on at first, and that the run scores at home as no tag was applied. This has actually happened before.

The OP actaully described the situation in Oakland last year, just changed the names:

http://www.mercurynews.com/athletics/ci_26087977/playing-blue-jays-under-protest-after-crazy-first

"...Gray induced Anthony Gose to hit a ground ball to first baseman Nate Freiman with the bases loaded and one out. Freiman tried to tag Munenori Kawasaki as the Blue Jays runner went from first to second. First base umpire Vic Carapazza signaled Freiman missed Kawasaki. Freiman then fired to Vogt for a force out at home.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons challenged the ruling on Freiman's attempted tag of Kawasaki, knowing if the call got overturned, Edwin Encarnacion would be safe at home because the force play no longer was in effect and Vogt didn't tag Encarnacion.

The umpires huddled, reviewed the play and sided with Gibbons. That gave the Blue Jays a run."

Thanks Scott. I was too lazy to research the actual event but it underscores the magnitude of a pretty big loophole. No matter which way you slice it there could a bad outcome. I'd like to think that MLB has considered it and put in some safeguards for this kind of possibility but my guess is they haven't. Maybe Jeff Fletcher could chime in here.

Under this example, sure he would if the outcome was the tying run.

As thought provoking as that is, you my friend, need a 4 day break.

Oh, I need a lot of things. A four day break just scratches the surface. 😄

Since we have a few days until the next Angel game, I thought that I’d throw out this subject for discussion. First, let me state that I’m generally in favor of replay. I appreciate the concept of “getting the call right.” I do miss somewhat, however, the finality of a call even when it’s wrong. Plus, there have been a number of calls I’ve seen this year upheld or overturned that, to me, we're really mind boggling.

That said, a call is often contingent upon a previous call. This is where replay has the potential to break down. The following scenario was inspired by a similar situation in Oakland in the middle of last season. Here it goes:

Game 7 at Busch Stadium. Bottom of the ninth inning. Angels 2, Cardinals 1 and the bases are loaded with one out. Jhonny Peralta hits a quick, one-hopper to Albert Pujols who is playing about 10 feet off the bag, not holding on Kolten Wong at first. As Albert catches the ball, he thinks the quickest route to a double play is to tag Wong as he runs by and then run to first base to complete the double play clinching the Angels’ second championship. However, the first base umpire calls Wong safe, Albert missed the tag. At this point, knowing the force is still in order, Pujols throws home to get an easy out and set up a bases-loaded, two-out situation which still favors the Angels. But wait. Mike Matheny challenges the play contending that Pujols actually DID tag Wong thereby making the force out at home null and the run scores. Replay upholds Matheny’s contention and the game is tied. The next batter flies out but St. Louis wins it in the 10th.

I could probably imagine an even more painful picture but my point is there are many gaps in the replay system. Unlikely as it may be, the above scenario would be MLB’s nightmare. Discuss.

Albert Pujols was a great baseball player.