Baseball 2017

[Guard Dog]

26 days to go.

 

 

Billy Williams, 6X All Star, Rookie of the Year, Batting Champion, Hall of Famer and the last Cub to ever wear the number 26.

[Guard Dog]

How about this for an upset. Israel defeats South Korea 2-1 in extras to start the WBC. http://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mlb/israel-stuns-south-korea-with-upset-win-to-open-2017-world-baseball-classic/ar-AAnTyRx?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartandhp

[Guard Dog]

25 Days and who better to mark that than the home run king himself... Barry Bonds

 

[Guard Dog]

days to go. The best pure lead off hitter and base runner to ever play.

 

And of course you can't mark 24 without "Say hey Willie Mays":

 

 

I'd have gone with a David Price picture here too but it just sucks seeing him in a Red Sox uniform.

[Guard Dog]

23 Days to go with Kirk Gibson. Although he was never considered one of the greats he is know for clutch home runs in the World Series. In the '84 series game 5 he sealed the Tigers championship with a 3 run homer in the 8th with runners on first and second.

 

 

And then he did it again for the Dodgers in '88. In game one with LA trailing Oakland 4-3 in the 9th Tommy Lasorda sends Gibson in to face future hall of famer Dennis Eckersley who was one out away from saving the win. Gibson had a pulled hamstring in one leg and a swollen knee in the other but that wouldn't matter. Gibson sent an 3-2 down and away slider over the right field fence. Fifteen years later the LA times would call it the greatest moment in LA sports history which is amazing in a town with USC & the Lakers.

 

[Guard Dog]

22 days to go with Jim Palmer

 

 

And last year's AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello

 

[Guard Dog]

21 days to go. I was sort of indifferent to baseball until we actually got a team in Florida in 1993. It was a collection of castoffs, the flotsam and jetsam of the Major and AAA leagues that made up that first Marlins club. Chuck Carr, an average fielder and below average hitter on any other team became a star in Miami. Not because of his skill on the field. Oh he could make them pay if he got on base. He was a fast runner and threat to steal from any base. But you can't steal first. However, with his easy charisma, and engagement with the fans and community he became the "face" of the Florida Marlins and one of my favorite players. So I could have gone with Roger Clemens, Jeff Kent, Jimmy Key or a dozen others but instead here is 21 Chuck Carr

 

 

By the way, were those not the best Marlins uniforms or what? Much more "Miami" than that awful get up they have now.

Edited March 11, 2017 by Guard Dog

[Guard Dog]

Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier for players. His story is well known. If you haven't seen the movie 42 it's on HBO right now. Great movie, not 100% historically accurate but better than most movies are.  #20 Frank Robinson (no relation) broke a different color barrier in 1975 when he became the manager of the Cleveland Indians. His career was already legendary. 14x All Star, 2X MVP, World Series MVP, Triple Crown winner, Rookie of the Year, Gold Gloves. He would manage the Indians for three seasons and then go on to manage the Giants, Orioles (where we won manager of the year in '89) and the Expos. He was inducted into the HoF in '82.

 

20 days to go with Frank Robinson

 

[Guard Dog]

19 days with the incomparable Tony Gwynn. Gone far too soon.

 

[Guard Dog]

Don Larsen was never the best pitcher on any team he was on. He played for eight teams in his 14 seasons and even saw minor league time in many of those. With the exception of one day his career could best be described as "journeyman". But on that one day, October 8, 1956 he wrote his name in the history books. Game 5 of the '56 World Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers Larsen got the start for the Yankees. In game two he had been staked to a 6-0 lead but allowed four consecutive walks and hit a batter en route to a 13-8 loss. After that forgettable outing Larsen faced Game 5 hoping for better. And did he ever get it. In just 97 pitches he retired 27 consecutive batters to throw the first and so far only perfect game in World Series history. Larsen was so dominant that day only one hitter, Pee Wee Reese, even got him to a 3 ball count. The rest of Larsen's career played out the same as before. He bounced around the leagues doing solid but never spectacular work. But on that one day he caught lighting in a bottle.

 

18 days to go with #18 Don Larsen

 

[Leferd]

Well played, Colorado. Well played.

 

[Guard Dog]

Now that is cool!

[Guard Dog]

Although he is really known for the five seasons he spent with the Mets Keith Hernandez was actually a standout with the Cardinals for the first six seasons of his ML career. He helped them win n World Series in '82. Personality conflicts with manager Whitey Herzog and other Cardinals players ended with him being traded to the perennial cellar dwellers in New York. But with Hernandez, new manager Davey Johnson, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, Doc Gooden and later Bob Ojeda the Mets franchise turned around completely wining the NL by 21 games and the '86 World Series. Hernandez's drug problems and other off field issues may keep him out of the hall of fame (his eligibility with BWA has already expired) but his career was certainly worth of it.

 

But of course we know him best for this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBz3PqA2Fmc

 

17 days to go with #17 Keith Hernandez

 

[Guard Dog]

Here is some good news. The Oakland A's are reducing their beer prices: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/03/15/oakland-as-lowering-beer-prices/

[Hurlshort]

Here is some good news. The Oakland A's are reducing their beer prices: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/03/15/oakland-as-lowering-beer-prices/

 

Still going to be $10 for a decent beer. I wonder what craft beer they will have, they've got a number of solid craft breweries in the neighborhood.

[Guard Dog]

 

Here is some good news. The Oakland A's are reducing their beer prices: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/03/15/oakland-as-lowering-beer-prices/

 

Still going to be $10 for a decent beer. I wonder what craft beer they will have, they've got a number of solid craft breweries in the neighborhood.

 

The blogcasts you are doing about the best beers in the world are going to ruin you on the "big breweries". Budweiser and Miller Lite will never taste good to you again! Not that they were all that good to begin with.

[Hurlshort]

 

The blogcasts you are doing about the best beers in the world are going to ruin you on the "big breweries". Budweiser and Miller Lite will never taste good to you again! Not that they were all that good to begin with.

 

 

I admire the size and scale that the big brewers operate on, and the fact they can produces a light American Lager that tastes the same in every can is impressive. But I only get to drink so many beers in this lifetime, and I don't want to waste it on flavorless stuff.  

 

Thankfully you can find a decent alternative almost everywhere nowadays. I read that the A's are getting Strike Brewery on tap, which is just down the street from me, so that's neat.

[Guard Dog]

The Rebirds here in town have a craft beer they are selling in the ballpark now. I think it's called Dugout IPA. I don't know who is making it for them. I haven't been to a Redbirds game in a long time. I don't work in Memphis anymore so I seldom get down that way. I like that trend though. The Tampa Bay Rays have their own brand too.

[Leferd]

Here is some good news. The Oakland A's are reducing their beer prices: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/03/15/oakland-as-lowering-beer-prices/

Dave Kaval has been making the right moves as far as the fan base is concerned after being appointed team president: holding office hours open to the public; greater transparency; regular engagement with the media; promoting team history and former greats; actively embracing Oakland; upgrading food options and bringing in the excellent local food truck scene; and lowering beer prices. I'm actually optimistic about the future prospects of the A's.

 

Now the Warriors are starting to go in the wrong direction. I dislike the move to San Francisco. The food and beverage prices right now are insane. A burger and drink is costing me more than $20. Parking is $40. Parking at the exact same lot for an A's game is $20. My season ticket prices have gone up by 50% the last few years. There's also been a remarkably different demographic change at the arena. Hardcore fans are definitely getting priced out.

 

...like a hypocrite, I just literally renewed for next season...

[Guard Dog]

 

Here is some good news. The Oakland A's are reducing their beer prices: http://ballparkdigest.com/2017/03/15/oakland-as-lowering-beer-prices/

Dave Kaval has been making the right moves as far as the fan base is concerned after being appointed team president: holding office hours open to the public; greater transparency; regular engagement with the media; promoting team history and former greats; actively embracing Oakland; upgrading food options and bringing in the excellent local food truck scene; and lowering beer prices. I'm actually optimistic about the future prospects of the A's.

 

Now the Warriors are starting to go in the wrong direction. I dislike the move to San Francisco. The food and beverage prices right now are insane. A burger and drink is costing me more than $20. Parking is $40. Parking at the exact same lot for an A's game is $20. My season ticket prices have gone up by 50% the last few years. There's also been a remarkably different demographic change at the arena. Hardcore fans are definitely getting priced out.

 

...like a hypocrite, I just literally renewed for next season...

 

 

You live on the east side of the Bay right? How long a drive will that be for you to see a Warriors game once they move?

[Leferd]

Trying to get to the bridge during rush hour is 4x the amount of masochism I would want to endure. Then having to try to find parking and pay for it?? No thanks. My left knee and clutch would revolt.

 

If I were to drive, leaving from my office to AT&T Park (a couple blocks from the arena site) will take me about an hour to an hour and a half. The commute from the office to the Oakland Coliseum complex is about 30 minutes.

 

When they move to SF, I'll be taking BART and then walk to the arena.

[Hurlshort]

I am pretty excited about the move for the Warriors, but I only go to a game once a season or so, and that area by the water is simply beautiful and one of my favorite places in the world. I will probably make a couple days of it when I go to a game and stay in a hotel. The rise in ticket prices has a lot more to do with them being winners though. The Giants had cheap ticket prices as well before they won a title.

[Leferd]

Yep. It's a combination of winning and the fact that the Warriors pay into the luxury tax, and that they are self-financing the arena. So of course, they pass off the expenses to chumps like me/us who are willingly cucked into accepting the price-gouging.

 

I've gone to 50% less games this year from last. But I like being a season ticket holder. Makes me feel like I bought my way into privileged, genteel society. Pip pip, cheerio, old chap! Why yes, thank you for the wine and cheese pairing invitation.

 

Going to A's games with the masses brings me back to my true riff-raff self, though.

[Guard Dog]

If the beer is cheaper the A's riff raff will be rowdier. There is a plus. The Grizz game I went to two weeks ago we had seats in the upper deck, 2nd row just to the center court side of the foul line. They were $16 each which is pretty decent. But that was for the Pelicans. Had the Warriors been there I think that same seat was $28

[Guard Dog]

Whitey Ford wore number 16 for the New York Yankees. He played sixteen years and in that time was a 10 time All Star, Six World Series Championships, 3 time AL leader in wins, twice in strike outs, won a Cy young and WS MVP. So 16 days to go with #16 Whitey Ford