[Other Sport] Baseball Season - 2018

[Easy 10]

When do the Twins play the Blue Jays?

Hah. May 1st (but I'm not visiting North America this year)

 

[Badger]

The problem with the start of the new season is that it plays havoc with me when I need to get up and go to work in the morning.
Carlos Martinez put his difficult spring training behind him last night and shut down the Brewers in brilliant style.

The baseball season is basically irrelevant until August.

 

[Citrus]

Obviously I'm blaming you for last night.

I've had a bad sports week.

 

[Badger]

I've had a bad sports week.

Yeah, TFC won when you didn't go. Maybe give the Albion a miss on Saturday...

 

[AZ Gull]

Very nice 6-1 start by the D'backs, including a 3-game sweep of those pesky Dodgers. The D'backs have now, incredibly, won the last NINE regular season games against LA. They have also hit SIX home runs off Clayton Kershaw in his last two starts against them #CrazyBaseballFacts.

Patrick Corbin pitched a gem on Wednesday, going 7.1 scoreless innings of 1-hit, 12-strikeout ball. Very early days, of course, but a promising first week of the season.

 

[Simster]

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.

Aye. Some of the most complete batters are very adept at fouling off dangerous pitches before picking off the hittable loose one. I remember John Olerud doing this virtually every game for my Blue Jays when they won the WS in 1993. He was batting with a .400 average for two thirds of the season, primarily because he'd be at bat for about 20 pitches fouling off pitch after pitch with a full count before either being walked or hitting to first or a double.

 

[Simster]

Nice to see the Blue Jays in amongst the runs yesterday, 14-5 over the south siders. A solid 2nd in the AL East after a woeful start. I note not many people picking them for a good season on here, but we were strong in the season before last (losing narrowly to the Indians in the playoffs), so if we've strengthened well, we could surprise a few)

 

[Easy 10]

Aye. Some of the most complete batters are very adept at fouling off dangerous pitches before picking off the hittable loose one. I remember John Olerud doing this virtually every game for my Blue Jays when they won the WS in 1993. He was batting with a .400 average for two thirds of the season, primarily because he'd be at bat for about 20 pitches fouling off pitch after pitch with a full count before either being walked or hitting to first or a double.

And totally knackering the pitcher in the process. Sounds like a sort of baseball version of Geoffrey Boycott.

Another smart come-from-behind 4-2 win for the Twins last night against the Mariners. The bullpen, which has been a problem for as long as I've been watching them, is looking a lot more solid now with Pressly, Duke, Reed and Rodney shutting them down. Twins sitting pretty on top of the ALC with a 4-2 start. I'm getting dangerously optimistic about this season.

 

[Napier]

Not a good start for the Dodgers and Kershaw still to get a win.

 

[Giraffe]

I might have the opportunity to go to a Baseball game later in the year, is it worth it? I'm interested in the event itself but less so the game.

 

[Easy 10]

I might have the opportunity to go to a Baseball game later in the year, is it worth it? I'm interested in the event itself but less so the game.

I've been to Citi Field (New York Mets) and Target Field (Twins), and loved it, you won't be surprised to hear. My missus has zero interest in baseball though, and she loved it as well, just for the spectacle and the friendly atmosphere, plus all the stuff they have going on between innings. She thought she'd try going to 1 game and expected to be bored stiff, but she ended up going to 3 and enjoyed every one. You don't get a particularly raucous atmosphere, its very laid back, but its just a great way to spend an afternoon / evening.

I'd suggest boning up on the basics (cue Your Mum), just so you have more of an idea of whats going on, but I've found Americans are only too happy to talk about the game and explain the nuances to a Brit on tour.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

I might have the opportunity to go to a Baseball game later in the year, is it worth it? I'm interested in the event itself but less so the game.

I'd go - don't worry too much about understanding the rules, just soak up the atmosphere. It's as American as apple pie. What you'll notice is a lot of people aren't actually watching the game, they're talking with their friends, queueing for beers or eating (well, it is America) - with an average of at least 3 hours per game you can do that, you'll also notice a lot of "early leavers"! I've taken a lot of friends from the UK to baseball games and they've all enjoyed it.

A couple of years ago I went to see the Brooklyn Cyclones, a minor league side, play at Coney Island and enjoyed it just as much as watching the Mets.

 

[brakespear]

orioles score five in one innings to start their inexorable rise to the top of AL East

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Very nice 6-1 start by the D'backs, including a 3-game sweep of those pesky Dodgers. The D'backs have now, incredibly, won the last NINE regular season games against LA. They have also hit SIX home runs off Clayton Kershaw in his last two starts against them #CrazyBaseballFacts.

Patrick Corbin pitched a gem on Wednesday, going 7.1 scoreless innings of 1-hit, 12-strikeout ball. Very early days, of course, but a promising first week of the season.

I've got Corbin and Robbie Ray in as many fantasy leagues as possible.

 

[Pavilionaire]

Very nice 6-1 start by the D'backs, including a 3-game sweep of those pesky Dodgers. The D'backs have now, incredibly, won the last NINE regular season games against LA. They have also hit SIX home runs off Clayton Kershaw in his last two starts against them #CrazyBaseballFacts.

Patrick Corbin pitched a gem on Wednesday, going 7.1 scoreless innings of 1-hit, 12-strikeout ball. Very early days, of course, but a promising first week of the season.

Yet only 18 days ago my mum watched them get trounced in Spring Training - 15-0 down and hitless in the bottom of the 8th innings they were.

 

[AZ Gull]

Yet only 18 days ago my mum watched them get trounced in Spring Training - 15-0 down and hitless in the bottom of the 8th innings they were.

A colleague in the office went to that game against the White Sox. It just goes to show how much a Spring Training game is as poor an indicator of regular season performance as a pre-season friendly is in England. Of the 6 D'backs pitchers that played in that game, only one (the one who didn't give up a run!) is currently on the D'backs roster. Two days later, I was at Salt River Fields and saw them lose 14-0 to the Giants! (and they lost their main signing, Steven Souza, to injury).

Does your mum live over here, or was she on vacation?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Nice to see the Blue Jays in amongst the runs yesterday, 14-5 over the south siders. A solid 2nd in the AL East after a woeful start. I note not many people picking them for a good season on here, but we were strong in the season before last (losing narrowly to the Indians in the playoffs), so if we've strengthened well, we could surprise a few)

Just can't see it (they haven't strengthened at all). I'll be amazed if they don't trade all or most of Donaldson, Estrada, Happ, Smoak, Oh and Martin this year. First three are free agents end of the season. Tulo they're stuck with. Rebuild around Sanchez, Stroman, Osuna, and the fantastic talents of Guerrero, Alford and Bichette in the minors

 

[Simster]

Just can't see it (they haven't strengthened at all). I'll be amazed if they don't trade all or most of Donaldson, Estrada, Happ, Smoak, Oh and Martin this year. First three are free agents end of the season. Tulo they're stuck with. Rebuild around Sanchez, Stroman, Osuna, and the fantastic talents of Guerrero, Alford and Bichette in the minors

All true. Sht or bust this season as Josh Donaldson in particular will walk into any other team in MLB. We will be in the wilderness after this season.

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

All true. Sht or bust this season as Josh Donaldson in particular will walk into any other team in MLB. We will be in the wilderness after this season.

If they do it right - i.e. blow it up this year, get what they can for these players (Smoak and Happ should get biggest return), get a top draft pick next year, then they'll have other talent coming along when Vlad and Bichette are up in a couple of years. If they try and compete this year and next they'll mess up their window big time. There's no way they can top the Red Sox or Yankees this year or next. Gotta follow the Cubs / Astros model.

 

[Pavilionaire]

A colleague in the office went to that game against the White Sox. It just goes to show how much a Spring Training game is as poor an indicator of regular season performance as a pre-season friendly is in England. Of the 6 D'backs pitchers that played in that game, only one (the one who didn't give up a run!) is currently on the D'backs roster. Two days later, I was at Salt River Fields and saw them lose 14-0 to the Giants! (and they lost their main signing, Steven Souza, to injury).

Does your mum live over here, or was she on vacation?

Vacation with her pal from Baltimore (Orioles fan). They were very impressed with Scottsdale and the surrounding area.