PLAY BALL! The 2008 Baseball Season Begins

[Kelverin]

Canseco is a bitter ex ball palyer who couldn't hack it anymore. Now, he's accusing everyone he can, and yeah, sometimes the accusations turns out to true; but hey, when you accuse 80% of a group of something you are bound to be right about it once,a nd awhile.

 

Disgusting piece of poo he is.

Not only that, but I think $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ has something to do with it, no mistake that he is going to release both of his books during the start of a season. Where interest in baseball is at it's highest.

[Gfted1]

Big Fish: A-Rod Reels in More Than Entire Florida Marlins Roster

 

Apr 1, 2:56 PM (ET)

 

By RONALD BLUM

NEW YORK (AP) -Alex Rodriguez makes more this year than his hometown Florida Marlins.

 

Boosted by his new deal with the New York Yankees, A-Rod tops the major league baseball salary list at $28 million, according to a study of contract terms by The Associated Press. The 33 players on the Marlins' opening-day roster and disabled list total $21.8 million.

 

"The Marlins? It's amazing," Rodriguez said. "And they still seem to find a way to be very competitive. They have a great pool of talent; they made some unbelievable trades, so they have great personnel people. To win two championships in 11 years, that's really admirable, and I'm very proud of that organization, being from Miami."

 

For the first time in baseball history, the average salary topped the $3 million mark. The 855 players on opening-day rosters and the DL averaged $3.15 million, up 7.1 percent from last year's starting average of $2.94 million.

 

Florida's highest earner doesn't even make the average. Pitcher Kevin Gregg tops the Marlins at $2.5 million.

 

 

"My best friend came into town, and he mentioned something about Johan Santana making $15 million more than our five starters combined," Marlins catcher Matt Treanor said. "It's something to laugh at, but at the same time, it is what it is. Those guys put on the uniform like us. When it comes time to start the game, it doesn't matter how much money the Yankees or whoever make."

 

Treanor's friend was exaggerating a bit - Santana makes $12 million more than Florida's rotation. Still, the Marlins' payroll was less than half that of the No. 29 team, Tampa Bay ($43.8 million).

 

"They've won a championship more recently than we have as an organization. So there's many different ways to skin a cat," said Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, whose team lost to Florida in the 2003 World Series. "Alex earned that contract in the negotiation. Right now, the Marlins are in a different place. But they've got a stadium coming on board and they're going in the right direction, and I think they've already proven they know how to build something."

 

The Yankees, not surprisingly, topped the payroll list at $209.1 million, and A-Rod was No. 1 in the majors for the eighth straight year. New York first baseman Jason Giambi was second at $23.4 million, followed by Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter ($21.6 million) and Boston left fielder Manny Ramirez ($18.9 million).

 

Boosted by the acquisition of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, Detroit shot up to second in the major leagues at $138.7 million. The Tigers' payroll at the end of last season was 12th at $98.5 million.

 

"This isn't one of those teams, 'I can't believe we didn't pick up this player, or this guy.' We've got no excuses," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "It's all about us, because the main man has done everything and more that you could ask."

 

The New York Mets were third at $138.3 million, up from $121 million at the end of 2007, and the World Series champion Boston Red Sox were fourth at $133.4 million.

 

Bunched together after that were the Chicago White Sox ($121.2 million), Los Angeles Angels ($119.2 million), Chicago Cubs ($118.6 million), Los Angeles Dodgers ($118.5 million) and Seattle Mariners ($118 million).

 

Although the average increased, the median salary - the point at which an equal amount of players fall above and below - remained at a record $1 million for the third straight opening day.

 

There were a record 434 making $1 million or more, breaking the record set in 2001 and matched last year. And there was a big boost at the top with 85 players reaching $10 million - up from 66 last year.

 

Payroll figures don't include cash transactions between clubs. Figures included salaries and prorated shares of signing bonuses and other guaranteed income, and for some players, deferred money was discounted to present-day value.

 

The average salary usually declines during the season as veterans get released and are replaced by young players. The final 2007 average, as calculated by the players' association, was $2.82 million.

 

Wow, thats amazing.

[Guard Dog]

So far this season I have been surprised by two things,

1) The inability of Detroit to do anything with KC

2) The Marlins have actually broken 30,000 in attendance after just two games. I thought it would take at least 10!

[Guard Dog]

If I had said last week that Detroit would be 0-6 you would have called me crazy.

[Kor Qel Droma]

Go Cubbies! Beat up on the Pirates and Mets all you want!!

[Kelverin]

Well the Padres own the cellar after lasts night's loss, their 4th in a row. No speed, power, can't hit with runners in scoring position, or bullpen = last place. Starting pitching is good. We led the league last year in pitching, can't win if you do not score.

 

I know it early but so far this team is terrible and most of all, boring

 

Here are some hitting stats to show you their lack of production.

29th in hitting average

30th Slugging percentage

28th On base percentage

28th Stolen Bases

2nd Strikeouts

26th total bases

28th Runs batted in

24th Home runs

28th Runs scored

[Kelverin]

Interesting article rating all MLB ballparks.

 

Link

[Kelverin]

Taking sports rivalries too far

 

Yanks fan kills Sox fan

 

[Laozi]

Yeah, its time for the Padres to let Peavy go home and play for a winner. I was more so hoping we could get Kazmir back home but Tampa's not gonna let him go for less then three prospects.

[Kelverin]

Yeah, its time for the Padres to let Peavy go home and play for a winner.

Well now hold on there slick. The Padres have been winner's recently. In the last 4 years (not counting this season, it's still too early) they have won the division twice, 346-303 record, and last year lost in a tie-breaker game to go to the playoffs against the eventual NL world series Representative ( It ended on a controversial call on a sacrifice fly where many questioned (including me) whether Matt Holliday ever touched home plate, leaving Padre fans saying "Holliday never touched home!")

 

They just made some bad decisions as far as personnel this year, no speed, along with the worst base running I have ever witnessed, (Brian Giles sucks) and no power, again it's too early to judge how this season will turn out.

 

As far as Peavy is concerned, he ain't going anywhere.

 

"On December 12, 2007, he signed a 4 year extension, worth $52 million with the Padres [4]. At the time the contract was the largest in Padres history. The contract includes a $22 million option for 2013."

Edited May 6, 2008 by Kelverin

[Laozi]

the Padres did that while all the time playing in the worse division in the NL if not all of baseball, it wasn't till the D-Backs and Rockies emergence last year that the division showed some strength. The Padres would do well to finish 3rd in their division this year, but might have a better chance of finishing third in their state.

 

 

As far as Peavy goes, hes a smallish power pitcher and those guys tend to break down very early in their careers. I really only see him putting up 3 more years of true top of the rotation stuff before his body starts to show wear. He might as well get his chance at a pennant with his hometown team then waste his best years lavishing in a division where three to four teams not only have better teams on the field, but better farm systems in place.

[Kelverin]

the Padres did that while all the time playing in the worse division in the NL if not all of baseball, it wasn't till the D-Backs and Rockies emergence last year that the division showed some strength. The Padres would do well to finish 3rd in their division this year, but might have a better chance of finishing third in their state.

 

 

As far as Peavy goes, hes a smallish power pitcher and those guys tend to break down very early in their careers. I really only see him putting up 3 more years of true top of the rotation stuff before his body starts to show wear. He might as well get his chance at a pennant with his hometown team then waste his best years lavishing in a division where three to four teams not only have better teams on the field, but better farm systems in place.

Like they have a choice what division they play in. In 2005 I might agree with you since they were just 82-80, but 2007 they were in the top 5 in team wins and 2 two of those were in the same division.

 

Also Peavy is from Alabama, they do not even have a baseball team???

[Laozi]

Peavy makes his offseason home in Houston so I should be touting his adopted home and is good friends with Roy Oswalt. Not that making an offseason home in houston is that unusual since Texas is one of the few states that doesn't have a special state income tax on professional sports salaries

[Kelverin]

Peavy makes his offseason home in Houston so I should be touting his adopted home and is good friends with Roy Oswalt. Not that making an offseason home in houston is that unusual since Texas is one of the few states that doesn't have a special state income tax on professional sports salaries

An Astros fan calling the Padres loser's... come on now lololololololololollololo Edited May 6, 2008 by Kelverin

[Kelverin]

Double post

Edited May 6, 2008 by Kelverin

[Laozi]

I didn't really think I was calling your team a bunch of losers. I just think we have the better chance in the next few years and by the time you guys get back in contention you would have wasted Peavy's arm. Don't get me wrong, I know what its like to want to keep players, but pitchers are not likely to play their whole careers with one team. I'm sorry I can't remember when the last time you guys won a playoff series was? Was in the Kevin Brown/Ken Caminiti era?

Edited May 6, 2008 by Laozi

[taks]

ooh, glad this was revised... need to point out that a team predicted to win 70 total this year is currently 21-12 in first place ahead of the cubs, who were predicted to win the central division. ahem. go redbirds. hopefully i'll get to watch the game against the rockies tonight (in denver) on FSN. not sure if COS suffers a blackout from denver games, however. probably, just to piss me off.

 

taks

[Kelverin]

I didn't really think I was calling your team a bunch of losers. I just think we have the better chance in the next few years and by the time you guys get back in contention you would have wasted Peavy's arm. Don't get me wrong, I know what its like to want to keep players, but pitchers are not likely to play their whole careers with one team. I'm sorry I can't remember when the last time you guys won a playoff series was? Was in the Kevin Brown/Ken Caminiti era?

Yes, the last time we won in the playoffs was 1998, I am sure you remember that year right who we beat the first round of the playoffs

 

Our teams have won exactly ZERO championships, so I would not say that either teams have been that much more successful that the other, Although we have gone to the world series twice (against arguably 2 of the greatest teams in baseball history) and you?

[Guard Dog]

Marlins beat the Brewers and Tampa beat Toronto on the road tonight. Can you believe both of these teams are in 2nd place?!

[taks]

can you believe the redbirds are in first! and they beat the rockies again last night. yes, i got to watch. there were two highlights worth mentioning, both are throws from ankiel from center field (on the warning track for the second). both resulted in an out at third. apparently the base runner was already rounding 2nd when ankiel picked up the ball for the second one and he managed a nearly 300 ft line drive straight to glaus at 3rd for an easy out (it was a double the guy was trying to extend to a triple). ludwick was standing next to ankiel when he picked it up (and he was also closer to the ball to begin with) shouting "three, three, three" knowing full well that ankiel was the only one of the two capable of getting the ball there without a hop. unbelievable. good to have a former pitcher capable of high 90s pitches in deep center.

 

overall, the game was great. however, watching baseball is often not unlike watching certain things dry. lots of dead time in between the cool stuff (ankiel also homered, btw).

 

taks

[taks]

i should add, living out of state means i don't get to watch my teams play often, which sucks. i miss seeing games with my brothers. heck, i just miss my brothers.

 

taks

[Kelverin]

What a bizzare sequence of events in the pAAAdres vs. The Cardnials game tonight.

 

Albert Pujols hit's a ball off of 6' 10'' pitcher Chris Young's nose, he goes down in a heap, blood all over the mound. Young out, replaced by Cla Meredith. Puljols get's to second and on a hit comes home with Josh Bard blocking the plate, they got tangled up and Bard's leg was turned the wrong way, Bard out.

 

Pujols 2 padres 0

[Kor Qel Droma]

Nice comeback from my Cubbies today.

[Kelverin]

Well it has been a bizarre season so far for the pAAAdres.

 

Boring, boring baseball, freak injuries, impotent offense, last years league leading pitching reduced to mediocrity and.... record setting.

 

So far the team has set to 2 MLB records.

First team ever to play in five 13+ inning games, before June, including a 22 game marathon.

Tonights win against the Mets (4th in a row) it's the first time in major league history that a team had won four consecutive games by a 2-1 score

 

Only 8 games out and it's June 7th, the NL West is wide open. We shall see....

Edited June 8, 2008 by Kelverin

[Setzer]

Angels tied with the Cubs for best record in baseball!!!

 

GO ANGELS!!!!!