Talkin' Hardball

[Guard Dog]

#12 Jackie Steals Home
 
George Davis stole home for the White Sox during the 1906 World Series. I didn't happen again for 49 years but when it did Jackie made it look easy. It takes guts to make this move. But one thing Robinson had in great quantities was guts!
 
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XY-XshGhMU
 
Since then it's only been done twice. Tim MCarver in '64 and Brad Fullmer in '02. I was sure Reggie Jackson did it but it turned out that was in the ALCS not the WS

[Guard Dog]

The Atlantic League of Independent Professional Baseball, a respected indy league has agreed to become the laboratory of bad ideas and weird s--t for the MLB: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Computer-to-call-balls-and-strikes-in-minor-league-13673538.php

[smjjames]

Saw that one on CNNs site. Some catchers are also complaining that it would alter the way catchers do their thing as it was described as having an art to it.

[Hurlshort]

Any of the distance changes is the biggest concern I see. I can't really decide wear I stand on the auto-called strikes and balls, but it sounds like the system still needs work regardless. For now it's a good way to weed out bad umps, I suppose.

 

[Guard Dog]

11a. Kirk Gibson wins the Game:

 

1988 WS Game 1 an injured Kirk Gibson smacks a 2 run homerun off Dennis Eckersly to win game 1. The LA Times still says this is the greatest sports moment in LA history:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0toCMwEBwLo

 

11b. Gibson did it four years earlier for Detroit in the '84 Series:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxwERYqnZrQ

 

Goose Gossage is still mad about this by the way! On a different note how cool is it to hear Vin Scully & Ernie Harwell in one post?

Edited March 9, 2019 by Guard Dog

[Guard Dog]

#10 CUBS WIN

 

A WS 108 years in the making. The curse of the billy goat is broken at last:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOp8w2PgHlM

Edited March 10, 2019 by Guard Dog

[Guard Dog]

#9 Jackie Robinson's First Game

 

The significance of this is self evident. However I can't find a video, audio, or even image that I know for sure came from 4/15/47 against the Giants. So, this is the next best thing:

 

[Guard Dog]

The 2021 WS will be the Padres vs the Blue Jays. Book it!

[Guard Dog]

#8 Cal Ripken breaks the record for consecutive games with 2131:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLXyn1PBFd4

Edited March 12, 2019 by Guard Dog

[Guard Dog]

#7 The Man of Steal

 

Rickey Henderson steals #939 to pass Lou Brock. He went on to swipe 467 more in his career for a staggering 1406 stolen bases. Stealing is very much out of favor in the MLB right now so it may be a very long time before this record is broken. In fact, like Cal Ripken's 2131 game streak it may never be. Jose Reyes and Ichiro Suzuki are the closest active players and they have 517 and 509 respectively. Reyes is 35 so his stealing days are behind him and Suzuki is only playing in two more games. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwQzsMXQ1HE

[Volourn]

Reyes could have threatened the amrk but injuries got the better of him. If anything that goes to show how remarkable Henderson's achievement is. Early in his career, there was talk about Reyes potentially crossing the century mark for steals in one season. Henderson si all time great.

[Hurlshort]

When the Royals won the WS a couple years back with an excellent base running team, I thought steals might come back into fashion, but it looks more like an outlier than a trend.

[Guard Dog]

#6 The Hit King
 
Pete Rose breaks Ty Cobb's career record with his 4192 hit.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWdtSTfAbR8&t=180s

 

Rose ended his career with 4256. Like steals the aimed single is out of favor in the majors these days. Players and teams are so focused on gap hitting and launch angles. A bloop over the infielder's heads is undervalued. For that reason this record, like Rickey Henderson's may stand for a very time. The next closest active players are Ichiro Suzuki with 3089 and Albert Pujols with 3082. Suzuki is retiring after next week's opener in Japan. How much gas does Pujols have left? Not much. The active players on the all time 500 list are all well into their 30's. Elvis Andrus has 1558 and he's only 29. He might have a shot. 

[Guard Dog]

Rule changes coming this year and next: https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-rules-changes

[Guard Dog]

OK, this was f-----g funny!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omHiZ1hglY8

[Guard Dog]

#5 Hank Aaron Breaks Babe Ruth's Career HR Record

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjqYThEVoSQ

[Guard Dog]

#4 Barry Bonds Stands Alone

 

Bonds hits his 756th HR and breaks Hank Aaron's record. He ended his career with 762. This record could be broken. There are four players now who are of the right age and ability to challenge it. Giancarlo Stanton has the best shot. He's 28 and has 305. Mike Trout is 26 with 240. But staying healthy and avoiding decline is the key. Of course, Bonds did not do the latter without some "help" so if anything he did could be said to be tainted it would be this.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL3vNXIsEPM

[Volourn]

Nothing Bonds did is 'tainted'. All drugs should be legal. Steroids don't make you great. Just ask all the players who take it but can't even get a hint of the majors. There was that one wannabe Tiger who got suspended multiple times and didn't accomplish crap. Bonds is pure talent. No different than a player popping pain pills or getting needles from team doctors so they can play. R00fles!

 

Bonds is arguably the best player ever. Certainly top 5 no doubt. And, probably the best player in any sport not to win a championship.

Edited March 16, 2019 by Volourn

[Guard Dog]

Steroids didn't make him a great player. He did that himself. Steroids DID keep him playing the game longer than he likely would have otherwise. Records like this are about skill. But they are also about longevity. 

[Guard Dog]

#3 Roger Maris hits 61

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI9jGRPZNSE

[Guard Dog]

#2 McGwire hits 62
 
Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa didn't just chase Maris's record of 61 home runs in 1998. There was so much animosity following the strike and cancelled World Series it would not be a stretch to say they saved baseball.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN6FoxNIqcQ

[Guard Dog]

#1 Barry Hits 71

 

Of all the records in sports the single season home run is the crown jewel. This is the one kids dream of breaking. Since 1927 only four men have held it. As important as the McGwire/Sosa chase was to baseball at the time Bond's record breaking 2001 season was almost anti-climatic. For the life of me I will never understand why. 73 HR is a monster season. Most Career HR and Single Season HR from one player. He should be in the HoF. 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJVNo6ne_vw

 

Tomorrow morning at 0400 Central time there will be a real baseball. A's vs Mariners in Tokyo. I'll be watching!

[Hurlshort]

Jim Rice once saved a child's life in the stands.

 

[Guard Dog]

Ichiro Suzuki will announce his retirement after the game in Tokyo today. It's tied at 4 runs a piece in the 11th as I write this. 

 

In other news Mike Trout signed the biggest contract in the history of sports. Good for him! Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy or better player. 

[Guard Dog]

It seems the new trend is extension not free agents. Snell, Goldshmidt, Trout, Lowe, Arenado all signed extensions. Bleacher Report says Rendon, Gregorius, & Bogaerts are all talking to thir clubs (Yankees & Red Sox) about extensions.