[Other Sport] Baseball Season - 2018

[Easy 10]

Bring it on.

 

[Juan Albion]

Vlad Guerrero Jr. End of story.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

Keep an eye on Shohei Otani at the L.A Angels. He's only young but was an absolute sensation in Japan. It'll be interesting to see if that translates to the major league.

 

[Stat Brother]

 

[LowKarate]

I'm hoping to take in another Cardinals game this Summer (in the middle of a 13 hour journey).

I presume everyone is excited about this prospect next year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/baseball/43473214

If it happens, I am definitely up for it.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Ian Happ crushes the first pitch of the new season for a lead off home run as Cubs beat the Marlins 8-4.

2 walks and 3 hit batters by the Marlins in that first innings too. Great stuff!

 

[Originunknown]

I've just bought tickets for the Yankees in May.

I have absolutely no idea of the rules.

Chug a beer am I right? Which innings is the beer innings?

Why are games played over 3 days, that's a lot of beer to chug.

 

[Easy 10]

I've just bought tickets for the Yankees in May.

I have absolutely no idea of the rules.

Chug a beer am I right? Which innings is the beer innings?

Why are games played over 3 days, that's a lot of beer to chug.

Its not 1 game played over 3 days, it'll be 3 separate games. Teams always play a mini "series" against each other, usually 3 or 4 games, owing to the huge distances they have to travel (it wouldn't be worthwhile or manageable to turn up and play 1 game).

BTW - everyone HATES the Yankees, they are the Man Utd of baseball, so you should cheer on the opposition. Who are they playing ?

 

[Easy 10]

I'm hoping to take in another Cardinals game this Summer (in the middle of a 13 hour journey).

I presume everyone is excited about this prospect next year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/baseball/43473214

If it happens, I am definitely up for it.

Yep, I'm going to be all over that like white on rice.

 

[Originunknown]

Its not 1 game played over 3 days, it'll be 3 separate games. Teams always play a mini "series" against each other, usually 3 or 4 games, owing to the huge distances they have to travel (it wouldn't be worthwhile or manageable to turn up and play 1 game).

BTW - everyone HATES the Yankees, they are the Man Utd of baseball, so you should cheer on the opposition. Who are they playing ?

Oh ok that makes sense.

Boston. Won't be cheering on either side, I'll have enough of a job trying to understand what I'm watching. Might try to catch a game on TV beforehand.

 

[Easy 10]

Oh ok that makes sense.

Boston. Won't be cheering on either side, I'll have enough of a job trying to understand what I'm watching. Might try to catch a game on TV beforehand.

Wow, that'll be spicy.

The main thing you need to get a grip on is whats known as the count, which is the dual between the batter and the pitcher. You know its 3 strikes to get the batter out. To get a strike, the pitcher must pitch the ball at a height between the batters shoulders and knees, and over the plate. This is what the umpire behind the home plate is judging, and he will signal if its a strike. If the ball is pitched inside that strike zone, and the batter misses the ball, or doesn't attempt to hit it, then that counts as a strike. If he swings at it and and misses, then regardless of whether the ball was pitched within that strike zone, that'll count as a strike as well (called a "swing and a miss"). 3 strikes and he's out.

The other side of the count is when its known as a "ball". If the pitcher misses that strike zone between shoulder and knees over the plate 4 times, and the batter isn't attempting to hit it, then the batter gets to walk (unchallenged) to 1st base. You'll see the count tot up on the scoreboard, eg 0-1, 0-2, 1-2, 2-2 etc. Balls are the first number, strikes are the second. 4 balls = a walk, 3 strikes = you're out.

The other pitch is if the batter clips the ball, but it goes away behind the foul line. That doesn't register at all with the count, so you might see multiple pitches that get sliced behind, sometimes into the crowd, but none of them will count towards the actual count at all. But the batter can still be caught behind the foul line, in which case, of course he's out.

If a batter gets a hit - ie he successfully hits the ball into the field of play, then he MUST run to 1st base - its not like cricket, you don't get to decide whether to run or not. If he gets tagged on the way, or if the ball is tossed to the 1st baseman before he gets there, then he's out. Obviously if he hits a flyball and is caught, then he's out whether he makes 1st base or not. He might try to run beyond 1st of course, if he's hit it miles into the outfield.

Those are the basics. Sounds a lot, but its really not. You'll get used to it unfolding as you watch it. Enjoy !

 

[Dave the OAP]

Phillies will just quietly go about their season and end up a championies.

It's a great time to follow Philly sport.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Yankees Rays game cancelled due to heavy snowfall - only in New York

 

[RandyWanger]

I've just bought tickets for the Yankees in May.

I have absolutely no idea of the rules.

Chug a beer am I right? Which innings is the beer innings?

Why are games played over 3 days, that's a lot of beer to chug.

same here. And while getting my tickets I got confused as to why they're playing the same team 3 days in a row, wondered if it was like cricket but apparently not, 3 separate games over 3 days.

 

[Badger]

Yankees Rays game cancelled due to heavy snowfall - only in New York

Pah, they need to get themselves a roof.

Good to see the Jays come back from 2-0 to tie the series 2-2 over the weekend. The particular highlight being Kevin Pillar stealing THREE bases in the same inning

 

[Peter Grummit]

Yankees Rays game cancelled due to heavy snowfall - only in New York

Twins - Pirates the replacement game on BT Sport/ESPN. Cold but dry in Pittsburgh.

Lance Lynn debuting for the Twins and having trouble throwing it past his gut. Gives up a Grand Slam in his first inning! 5-0 Pirates after 1.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

same here. And while getting my tickets I got confused as to why they're playing the same team 3 days in a row, wondered if it was like cricket but apparently not, 3 separate games over 3 days.

Because of the distances involved. There's no sense in, say, the Baltimore Orioles travelling to play a single game against the Seattle Mariners then straight on to Anaheim and then Kansas City the next night. They play 162 games per season, including at least one three- or four-game series against all the other 14 teams in their league, plus some inter-league games, so there's no rush - they'll play a couple of series at home (a homestand) then a few on the road and so on.

 

[Barry Izbak]

I've just subscribed to mlb.tv for the season in time to watch opening day in Milwaukee.

38 degrees but with the roof closed hopefully our bats will heat it up.

 

[Barry Izbak]

Our new pitcher Miles Mikoles gives up two homers and then hits a 2 run shot for his first major league hit. Pretty amazing.
I love watching live.

 

[Easy 10]

The other pitch is if the batter clips the ball, but it goes away behind the foul line. That doesn't register at all with the count, so you might see multiple pitches that get sliced behind, sometimes into the crowd, but none of them will count towards the actual count at all.

Sorry, got that wrong. A foul ball counts as a strike (1 and 2), but you can't get a strike 3 and be out on a foul ball. Thats when it doesn't add to the count.

Twins just gone down 4-5 in Pitsburgh, all the damage in the 1st innings. Tch.