Baseball 2014 (2 Viewers)

[sammy719]

So far, so good. Game 1 to the O's thanks to Norris, the bullpen, and 3 Hr's.^&cool -- Al

Sounds like the spirit of Earl Weaver lives on, good pitching and a 3 run homer!! I don't care if the HRS came from 3 different guys. in 2012 the O's chased the Yankees all season and finally lost out to the Yanks in the final week to lose the division (did make playoffs) and last year the O's chased the Red Sox for most of the year until the bottom fell out of it in mid to late August (missed playoffs) but those 2 yrs of trying to get over the hump and win some meaniful series I think has paid off for them this year, if they can win 1 of 2 from the Jays and leave Toronto with a 5 game lead it would really help out with some tough series coming up...Sammy

 

[lancer]

Sounds like the spirit of Earl Weaver lives on, good pitching and a 3 run homer!! I don't care if the HRS came from 3 different guys. in 2012 the O's chased the Yankees all season and finally lost out to the Yanks in the final week to lose the division (did make playoffs) and last year the O's chased the Red Sox for most of the year until the bottom fell out of it in mid to late August (missed playoffs) but those 2 yrs of trying to get over the hump and win some meaniful series I think has paid off for them this year, if they can win 1 of 2 from the Jays and leave Toronto with a 5 game lead it would really help out with some tough series coming up...Sammy

Sammy, my optimism for the O's continues to grow. Their starting pitching was always the worry for me, but Buck has handled them brilliantly and it is paying big dividends. The staff has no true ace, but likewise has no true disaster (as long as Jimenez stays out). They don't go real deep into games but they pitch well enough to keep the O's in almost every game until they can find a way to win. At this point, I believe the division is theirs to win, barring injury or crushing slump. -- Al

 

[sammy719]

Al, little off topic but picked up a 1958 All Star Memorial stadium program!!! Great shape, whoever owned it filled out the score card as the game progressed, very cool, but got to love the advertisements of Amache's restaraunt, Natty Bos( ain't it cold and refreshing!!!!...Sammy

 

[lancer]

Al, little off topic but picked up a 1958 All Star Memorial stadium program!!! Great shape, whoever owned it filled out the score card as the game progressed, very cool, but got to love the advertisements of Amache's restaraunt, Natty Bos( ain't it cold and refreshing!!!!...Sammy

Absolutely cool! 1958 is the year that put Baltimore on the map, thanks to a team named the Baltimore Colts and a certain Qb named Johnny U. What a great time to have been a Baltimore sports fan.^&cool -- Al

 

[lancer]

Nats continue to scuffle while the NL East is there to take. Nats are 5-8 since Zimmerman went down on July 22. The offense is sputtering and now the previously lights out bullpen is misfiring. On the season, with Zimmerman in the lineup, the Nats are 12 games over .500. They are under .500 without him. As before, the only good side to all this is that no one seems to want to grab the NL East lead from the Nats, at the moment. Braves are only 6-12 since the break and have currently lost 7 in a row. Miami has been hot of late but still trails by 5.5 games while the Mets and Philly aren't playing badly but are further back at 7 and 11 games, respectively. The whole division is kind of drifting along waiting for one team to take charge. -- Al

 

[Terp152]

Al, little off topic but picked up a 1958 All Star Memorial stadium program!!! Great shape, whoever owned it filled out the score card as the game progressed, very cool, but got to love the advertisements of Amache's restaraunt, Natty Bos( ain't it cold and refreshing!!!!...Sammy

Some friends, also from B'more, and my family had our second annual crab feast (overnighted from Harbor House) this past weekend. The crab soup was home made. I remarked the only thing missing was a Nat'l Boh. :smile2:

Oddly enough, the Park Hotel in Frankfort, GE hosted an annual Baltimore Seafood Festival while I was stationed there in the early 80s, complete with crabs and Nat'l Boh, flown in from the hometown. ^&grin Chris

 

[jazzeum]

The Mets have shown some life, particularly with their starting pitching were they are stocked, but offense is a problem. They need to do something at SS and LF but this will probably cost them some of their pitching talent. They are reluctant to spend money because they don't have it; Madoff brought down the owners. This is a big market team acting like a small market team.

 

[sammy719]

Some friends, also from B'more, and my family had our second annual crab feast (overnighted from Harbor House) this past weekend. The crab soup was home made. I remarked the only thing missing was a Nat'l Boh. :smile2:

Oddly enough, the Park Hotel in Frankfort, GE hosted an annual Baltimore Seafood Festival while I was stationed there in the early 80s, complete with crabs and Nat'l Boh, flown in from the hometown. ^&grin Chris

Oh yea Chris, hoisted many a Natty's on this past trip!! stayed at my brothers place near Fells point/Dundalk and visited the local haunt "travelers bar" where everyone knows my brother by first name!! had a blast!! nothing but Oriole/Raven/Terp fans as far as the eye could see, and nothin like a ice cold Natty on a Summers nite, well until I had to be at the dock at 2 in the morn for the crabbing!! oh my head^&grin...Sammy

 

[Terp152]

Oh yea Chris, hoisted many a Natty's on this past trip!! stayed at my brothers place near Fells point/Dundalk and visited the local haunt "travelers bar" where everyone knows my brother by first name!! had a blast!! nothing but Oriole/Raven/Terp fans as far as the eye could see, and nothin like a ice cold Natty on a Summers nite, well until I had to be at the dock at 2 in the morn for the crabbing!! oh my head^&grin...Sammy

You're absolutely correct Sammy, nothing better! My Orioles cap is off to you. Chris

 

[Panzer ace]

East and West coast, great set of regional interleague games going on, Orioles v. the Nats and Angels v. the Dodgers with all four teams in the playoff mix.

 

[lancer]

Nats took the Mets in 13 innings today after, once again, wasting Jordan Zimmermann's shot at a victory. This has become a tiresome refrain for Zimmermann. Last season was a breakthrough season for him as he won 19 games. This season should have been just as good but it has turned into one of those 'might have been' type years. His record is a very average 7-5 at this point in the season. A careful look at his record shows he has pitched much better than 7-5. With even moderate support from the bullpen, hitting and fielding at crucial points, he should be a 13 or 14 game winner by now. Just in the last 30 days the bullpen has blown three games that Zimm left with a lead. Unearned runs have cost him another win, while lack of scoring (as in 0 runs) have cost him 2 others. Even mother nature cost him a win with a long rain delay in which he had 4 shutout innings when the delay hit. Zimm could easily be 13-3 or 14-2, in the running for the Cy Young. But such is the life of a baseball pitcher. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes not. Still, it is real frustrating and it is ONE of the reasons the Nats don't lead the NL East by 8 or 9 games. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

Nats took the Mets in 13 innings today after, once again, wasting Jordan Zimmermann's shot at a victory. This has become a tiresome refrain for Zimmermann. Last season was a breakthrough season for him as he won 19 games. This season should have been just as good but it has turned into one of those 'might have been' type years. His record is a very average 7-5 at this point in the season. A careful look at his record shows he has pitched much better than 7-5. With even moderate support from the bullpen, hitting and fielding at crucial points, he should be a 13 or 14 game winner by now. Just in the last 30 days the bullpen has blown three games that Zimm left with a lead. Unearned runs have cost him another win, while lack of scoring (as in 0 runs) have cost him 2 others. Even mother nature cost him a win with a long rain delay in which he had 4 shutout innings when the delay hit. Zimm could easily be 13-3 or 14-2, in the running for the Cy Young. But such is the life of a baseball pitcher. Sometimes the ball bounces your way, sometimes not. Still, it is real frustrating and it is ONE of the reasons the Nats don't lead the NL East by 8 or 9 games. -- Al

Al:

Not that they compare directly but the Giants have not given Peavey any support since he arrived. He has pitched well into the 6th and 7th innings only to see that he is getting little if any offensive help. As much as they put a brave face on it I tend to think that it rattles pitchers to see that they are not getting any run support.

-Jason

 

[lancer]

Al:

Not that they compare directly but the Giants have not given Peavey any support since he arrived. He has pitched well into the 6th and 7th innings only to see that he is getting little if any offensive help. As much as they put a brave face on it I tend to think that it rattles pitchers to see that they are not getting any run support.

-Jason

Jason,
I quite agree. I have tracked Peavy and he has pitched well, but is 0-3. Busting one's butt only to come up empty has to wear on a pitcher. The good ones don't let it get to them, (or at least don't show it to the enemy) or they won't last long as a starter. Zimmermann is about as stoic as they come, never shows emotion whether ahead or behind. Don't know how they do it. I'd be going off like a firecracker. -- Al

 

[lancer]

Huge 3 games series for the Nats this weekend in Atlanta. Will find out what the Nats are made of as they have not done well against Atlanta this year. The stakes are obvious. The Nats go into the series with a 4.5 game lead with the chance to put Atlanta back on their heels. A sweep means a 7.5 game lead while a series split will either leave them with a 5.5 or 3.5 game lead, not too bad. A disaster the other way, with Atlanta sweeping, will leave the Nats with a 1.5 game lead but some serious questions about their ability and guts. Hope for the Nats sweep but will settle for the split to the Nats. Big series. -- Al

 

[Panzer ace]

Huge 3 games series for the Nats this weekend in Atlanta. Will find out what the Nats are made of as they have not done well against Atlanta this year. The stakes are obvious. The Nats go into the series with a 4.5 game lead with the chance to put Atlanta back on their heels. A sweep means a 7.5 game lead while a series split will either leave them with a 5.5 or 3.5 game lead, not too bad. A disaster the other way, with Atlanta sweeping, will leave the Nats with a 1.5 game lead but some serious questions about their ability and guts. Hope for the Nats sweep but will settle for the split to the Nats. Big series. -- Al

Al:

I am looking forward to this one along with the Giants/Royals series this weekend.

-Jason

 

[sammy719]

The O's cranked it up tonite, basically living with the long ball all year the boys cranks out 6 homers tonite in a blowout of the Cards, excuse Al and myself for the excitement fellows but after having 14 years of losing then finally winning in the last few years it sure makes Summer a lot more enjoyable for us baseball fans...Sammy

 

[Panzer ace]

The O's cranked it up tonite, basically living with the long ball all year the boys cranks out 6 homers tonite in a blowout of the Cards, excuse Al and myself for the excitement fellows but after having 14 years of losing then finally winning in the last few years it sure makes Summer a lot more enjoyable for us baseball fans...Sammy

Sammy:

Meanwhile the Giants continue to slide. But even as hey fade I have lots of reasons to watch baseball. I am pulling for you and Al with the hope that the O's and Nats continue to win. I can even root for the A's (local boys) and the Angels for Brad.

Heck, I will watch if the Dodgers keep winning. Even for a Giants fan their is no shame in admitting that watching Kershaw is fun.

I guess I love baseball no matter who is playing. I hope the Giants pick it up and win but if they don't this thread and its members who participate in it give me plenty to cheer for.

-Jason

 

[lancer]

The O's cranked it up tonite, basically living with the long ball all year the boys cranks out 6 homers tonite in a blowout of the Cards, excuse Al and myself for the excitement fellows but after having 14 years of losing then finally winning in the last few years it sure makes Summer a lot more enjoyable for us baseball fans...Sammy

Sammy, the O's are firing on all cylinders right now, with the exception of Cruz and Davis. That they are winning so readily without those two only highlights how dangerous the O's have become. I am gushing a little, but barring a swoon, I don't see anyone catching the O's. I think Toronto has the ability but they are way too streaky. Only the NYY's seem to be a threat and that because they simply refuse to go away, not because of anything specific. It is a typical 'live by the Hr, die by the Hr' type O's team with the added advantage of 5 'average' starting pitchers that are doing an above average job. Coupled with their usual good bullpen and excellent defense I now have high expectations for the O's and intend to enjoy this run.^&grin -- Al

 

[lancer]

Huge 3 games series for the Nats this weekend in Atlanta. Will find out what the Nats are made of as they have not done well against Atlanta this year. The stakes are obvious. The Nats go into the series with a 4.5 game lead with the chance to put Atlanta back on their heels. A sweep means a 7.5 game lead while a series split will either leave them with a 5.5 or 3.5 game lead, not too bad. A disaster the other way, with Atlanta sweeping, will leave the Nats with a 1.5 game lead but some serious questions about their ability and guts. Hope for the Nats sweep but will settle for the split to the Nats. Big series. -- Al

Ouch! Strasburg came a cropper in Atlanta last night. He has a bad history in that town and coupled with his struggles when on the road this season, (he is something like 1-7 on the road), the results were predictable. Stras lasted 5 innings (rain delay finished him) but was beaten up for his worst outing this year, giving up a trio of 2-run homers and a solo. He was trailing 7-0 when the rains came. The only good point to the game was that the Nats didn't just lay down and die. Scored 6 unanswered runs after the rain but still lost 7-6. Bad loss, ugly loss, but they did show fight. Next. -- Al

 

[Peter Reuss]

I just can't figure out the 'Crew. They are either amazing or terrible. After taking two of three from the Giants they put together a fine game last night to take down the Dodgers. That's after scuttling against lesser teams. The NL Central is WIDE open right now.