# MLB Playoffs



## Road Guy (Oct 5, 2012)

So i'll admit im not a huge baseball fan, but this one game playoff thing interests me..

This one game playoff reminds me of coaching a little league (win or go home) tournament, where I would have a different pitcher every inning and change the pitchers if they walk more than one batter.. I'll be curious to see how they manage these games with the full arsenal at their disposal..

Kind of like one of the braves WS games back in the 90's I think they put a starting pitcher back in from the previous game in the 7th inning...

anyways.. Go Braves!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

I think the double wild card thing is gimmicky, but you can make the playoffs as tedious and take as much meaning out of the regular season for all I care if you get rid of that idiotic rule that the all star game decides who gets homefield in the World Series.

I got no dog in the fight, but I hope for a WS with traditional powers. I'm kinda hoping Cards-Yanks. If it's Baltimore-Washington I may end up watching preseason NBA instead.

You got quite the sports scene going on over there - The Falcons are 4-0 and the Braves have as good a shot as anyone.


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## Dark Knight (Oct 5, 2012)

Go Braves!!!!! Win it all for Chipper!!!!!


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## roadwreck (Oct 5, 2012)

Dark Knight said:


> Go Braves!!!!! Win it all for Chipper!!!!!


Win one for the Gipper, errrr, I mean Chipper.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

Win one for the Zipper.

/&gt;http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek6PwrcaYKw


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 5, 2012)

I'm not a big baseball fan, but I will scoreboard watch from time to time. I don't really have a favorite team, but I do cheer for who-ever is playing against the Yankees or Red Sox.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

I went to college a few stops on the subway from Yankee Stadium, so I went to a lot of games there during their latest glory days in the late 90s, or at least to a sports bar to catch a playoff game. Fun but I never got too worked up about it. I was always a Mets fan since I was a kid. Did learn to hate the Red Sox though.

I root for the Mets and the Patriots, go figure. Yet Despise the Sox, Giants, and Jets. I think I'm universally hated by everyone in the Northeast for one reason or another. Probably why I got along so well with this guy I used to work with who liked the Giants and Sox.


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## MA_PE (Oct 5, 2012)

All that cheering against the Red Sox seemed to have worked thsi year. They had a sound bite from Bobby V this morning about his latest "meeting" with the sox owner/GM. He said he met John, Larry and Ben and they took him out for breakfast. that is all.


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## Road Guy (Oct 5, 2012)

I would like my kids to get to participate in the playoffs like we got to for a decade in atlanta, at least one year before they get grown.. It was a lot of fun.. even though I wouldnt normally get over excited about the regular season..

well go to maybe 6 or 7 games a season, mainly just cause as a dad I think its written thats what your supposed to do with your kids..


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

He's an odd bird, as I got to see during his Mets years, highs and lows. Smart guy, but can't keep his foot out of his mouth, and comes off as adversarial and provocative. I thought he made a great analyst on ESPN. But he pissed off key players early and late. Some of his WEEI interviews weren't the best, but I don't think he's entirely to blame for the grease fire.

Roster, trades, did not get to pick his own coaches, DL time, just a mess. Ownership at odds with the GM?


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## Jaylaw_PE (Oct 5, 2012)

im a big time Cardinals fan, so i pretty much consider that we didn't really deserve to make the playoffs this year. Everything from here on is just a bonus, but that has worked out very well for us in the last 5-6 years, pocketing a couple of very unexpected world titles!


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## MA_PE (Oct 5, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> He's an odd bird, as I got to see during his Mets years, highs and lows. Smart guy, but can't keep his foot out of his mouth, and comes off as adversarial and provocative. I thought he made a great analyst on ESPN. But he pissed off key players early and late. Some of his WEEI interviews weren't the best, but I don't think he's entirely to blame for the grease fire.
> 
> Roster, trades, did not get to pick his own coaches, DL time, just a mess. Ownership at odds with the GM?


I'm not a big follower of the BosSox or baseball in general. I go to a couple of games a year if asked. My 0.02 on Bobby V is that he got too much blame for the Sox fiasco season. Management/players had significant blame and the team is totally changed. (of course the ownership did minimize overhead by over $250M with the last big deal). It's tough when a leader doesn't get respect and nobody respected the guy...mgt, team, fans, the media...nobody.

I don't believe the guy was given a chance to do his job. anyway the split was probably mutual so...there's always next year.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

In case I never get to do this again...

Larrrrrrrry...

Larrrrrrrry...

Larrrrrrrry...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

Wow, that was posted before the error.

Also, I could watch 7 games between these teams. I love the tomahawks and the birds on the bat.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

Wow, ballsy call.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

I love the Tomahawk Chop thing.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

Bullshit.


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## wilheldp_PE (Oct 5, 2012)

Looks like you're having a pretty good conversation with yourself in here, VTE.


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## mizzoueng (Oct 5, 2012)

As a Cards fan, that w a bullshit call. The Cards and Kozma should have gotten that dropped ball


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 5, 2012)

I'm not going to peruse the rule book, but how to you call the infield fly rule well into left field?


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## mizzoueng (Oct 5, 2012)

No idea, they are trying to explain it on sports center right now


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## wilheldp_PE (Oct 5, 2012)

Apparently the infield fly rule just says that if it is reasonably fieldable by an infielder with normal effort, then it qualifies. They either need to change the name of the rule or the definition because it's dumb the way it is.

Also, that was the longest "infield" fly of the last 3 years...



> To put Friday's controversial play into context, in the past three seasons, there were six infield flies that were not caught, according to Baseball Info Solutions, the longest of which was measured at 178 feet.
> 
> Friday's infield fly was measured at at 225 feet from home plate, according to Baseball Info Solutions.


http://scores.espn.g...ameId=321005115


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 6, 2012)

Per cnnsi.com, and I generally agree with this.



> Here's what happened: The Braves were trailing 6-3 in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out and men on first and second when Andrelton Simmons hit a pop-up into shallow leftfield. Cardinals shortstop Peter Kozma raced back to make the catch and appeared to have the ball measured when he suddenly ducked out of the way as if he had been called off by leftfielder Matt Holliday. However, Holliday had not done so, and the ball dropped untouched for an apparent single that loaded the bases. Except that at the last second before Kozma ducked away, leftfield umpire Sam Holbrook signaled for the infield fly rule, which meant Simmons was automatically out, taking the tying run off base and erasing one of the Braves' five remaining outs.
> 
> Holbrook erred in invoking the infield fly in that situation for two reasons. The first was that Kozma, though he did ultimately appear to be in position to catch the ball, had to race well into shallow leftfield to make the play. The infield fly rule specifically states that it is to be used on a fair fly ball "which can be caught by an infielder with ordinary effort." *Kozma's was not an ordinary effort* (which was the argument Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez made in his protest, which was quickly overturned by the MLB officials on hand). Second, the rule states that "when it seems apparent that a batted ball will be an Infield Fly, the umpire shall immediately declare Infield Fly for the benefit of the runners." *In this case, Holbrook didn't signal for the infield fly rule until the ball was more than half-way through its descent*, mere moments before Kozma flinched and the ball hit the outfield grass.
> 
> ...


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## roadwreck (Oct 6, 2012)

That was a crap call but that's not what lost the game for the Braves. Their costly errors and poor hitting with runners on base is what did them in eventually. They had 12 hits and only three runs. They had three errors that led to five cardinal runs. It's a bad break and a bad way to end Larry's Chipper's career. Even then the Braves had ample opportunity to come back but just couldn't get the runs across the plate. The Cardinals may have one the game but they are going to have to play much much better to make it far in the playoffs. They did enough to win this one though.


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## MA_PE (Oct 6, 2012)

^ Yeah it wasn't like a field goal that may or may not have gone directly over the goal post to win the game or anything. This call was not the deciding play of the game despite the fact that the call sucked and was IMHO blatantly wrong.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 6, 2012)

Not inherently game deciding, but you never know what would have happened next. Bases loaded and 1 out isn't the worst spot you can be in. 3 run rallies happen all the time, Cards did it last night.

Or the next guy coulda struck out or hit into a double play, I just don't like garbage calls impacting how a game goes. That doesn't mean I think the winner would be different, but it changed the course of things. I haven't seen a call that bad since...Monday of last week.

The throwing errors and crappy 1-8 hitting with runners in scoring position is all on the Braves though.


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## Road Guy (Oct 6, 2012)

Well I was right about one thing, that game last night was very much like a little league game!

I don't think I have seen that many bush league errors in one game before..

Oh well.. I will be officially done with MLB now, more time to focus on NFL and the walking dead...


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## willsee (Oct 8, 2012)

Reds Reds Reds


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## csb (Oct 8, 2012)

Cards Cards Cards


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## roadwreck (Oct 8, 2012)

Suns Suns Suns..

...oh wait, wrong sport.


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## Jaylaw_PE (Oct 10, 2012)

well no sweep sin the DS this year. will be interesting to see who makes it through! the cards and the reds have both lost one of their top pitchers to injury now (Cueto, Garcia) but i think the Cards have a lot more depth in pitching. could be tough for the reds but they already have a lead in their series!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 10, 2012)

It's raining again. What's the over/under on Yanks-O's ending before 1 AM?


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 10, 2012)

I would say under, but then again 1am ET = 11pm MT, so ending before 1am MT is very likely (unless it's postponed to the next day).


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 10, 2012)

Yeah, us East Coasters get fucked by the timing of sporting events.

Unless I have a vested interest in the game, I bail on the SNF and MNF games at halftime or early 3rd quarter. I've been to MNF and playoff games, and I can grow a 5 o'clock shadow during the TV timeouts.

Nothing is worse than a Yanks-Sox playoff game as far that goes though. The regular season games last 4.5 hours. Throw in the extended commercial breaks, incessant pitching changes, and the fact that it rains a lot in the Northeast in October, and the game lasts for a week.

I was always amazed when visiting my former in-laws on the west coast. MNF would go off, and it would be like, ok, let's figure out something to do and get some dinner this evening.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 10, 2012)

Mountain time zone is the perfect one for football. Monday &amp; Thursday night game start right after dinner (6-6:30pm) and last until about 10ish. Sundays are just perfect: Sunday NFL countdown on ESPN starts at 8am (just after waking up and having breakfast), first game at 11am, 2nd game at 2. Small break after the 2nd game for dinner, before the SNF game starts at 6:30 then goes till 10ish. A literall full-day of football.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 10, 2012)

Yeah, we get to languish until 1 PM. Though it motivates you to get stuff done on Sunday morning.

I rarely have dinner until 8:30 or 9, so I get to eat with kickoff too.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 10, 2012)

Halftime is at about 8-8:30ish...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 10, 2012)

Nice call, Girardi.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2012)

Wow, two awesome games tonight if you love October baseball.

(From someone with no vested interest.)


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## Jaylaw_PE (Oct 11, 2012)

so the yankees have one guy who can hit and they dont even start him...

better than the nationals who have one guy who can pitch and dont even put him on the roster!!!!


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## willsee (Oct 11, 2012)

Nationals benching Strasburg is the dumbest thing ever.

I thought so then and I still think so now.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2012)

Couldn't they have skipped him a few starts here and there during the season and kept him under the magic number so he could have played in the playoffs?


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## EM_PS (Oct 11, 2012)

Verlander on the mound tonite...better be coming out of Oakland w/ a W - just please, don't pitch like you did in the Allstar game :bag:


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2012)

Two game 5s and two other potential clinchers today, I love it.

I'll say...

Cincy

Cards

Yanks

Oakland

Plus there's a Thursday night footbal game to flip to during commercials.


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## willsee (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm going to feel bad for the kid if he comes out pitching next year and gets hurt.


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## csb (Oct 11, 2012)

willsee said:


> Nationals benching Strasburg is the dumbest thing ever.
> 
> I thought so then and I still think so now.


The game yesterday was awkward...the announcers were talking about him and they showed him sitting on the bench, looking pretty bored. MLB network could use some real announcers.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2012)

You think that's bad...try turning on the NFL Network in about 4 hours.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 11, 2012)

Timely pickoff.


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## mudpuppy (Oct 12, 2012)

Now's about the time I start getting interested in baseball. . . Tigers in the running for the pennant.


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## engineergurl (Oct 12, 2012)

True story... my sister and her fam were at the Nationals Game last night... before the game, but after the warm ups, Jason Werth pointed up into the stands at them... and then some guy brought a signed baseball up to my nephew and said that Jason Werth asked him to give it to him... made my nephews night...


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## EM_PS (Oct 12, 2012)

engineergurl said:


> True story... my sister and her fam were at the Nationals Game last night... before the game, but after the warm ups, Jason Werth pointed up into the stands at them... and then some guy brought a signed baseball up to my nephew and said that Jason Werth asked him to give it to him... made my nephews night...


Thats awesome! Wish they'd hurry up &amp; boot the Cards out of the playoffs - really dont want that team advancing any further...


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## EAZY (Oct 12, 2012)

A-rod is terrible. And I love watching it.

http://fundly.com/buy-out-alex-rodriguez


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 12, 2012)

The only thing that makes me happier than Arod being benched would be if the Yanks blew their load and lost tonight. Playoffs without the Yanks or BoSox are such a wonderful thing.


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## EM_PS (Oct 12, 2012)

Yeah, I'd say its win-win whether the Tiges draw the yanks or the O's at this point :bio:


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## EM_PS (Oct 13, 2012)

yanks it is!

friggin cardinals! uke:


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 13, 2012)

I wish I caught that Cards-Nats game, I turned it off and went to bad when it was so one sided early.

My WS of choice is still intact.


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## Dark Knight (Oct 13, 2012)

This post-season has been one of the best ones I can remember. Full of late innings heroics and great defensive plays. The way the Cards came back to win last night is epic. But on the other hand, it is not surprising . They did it to Texas last year in the World Series. What a team!!!!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 13, 2012)

Wow, that was a wild 9th inning. Ichiro finds some power and then Ibanez does it again?!?!?

I bet Raul Ibanez will tell this grandkids about his historic week......probably right after the game as I think they must be nearly my age.

Incredible playoffs so far.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 14, 2012)

Broken ankle?!?!? On a grounder?


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## mudpuppy (Oct 15, 2012)

I hate to see the Tigers win on a bad call, but it was looking like they probably would have anyway (this from a complete non-expert).

I still have to say, my God baseball is a boring game. I'm glad I didn't watch the first 6 scoreless innings last night, and I recorded the rest so I could fast forward through the tedious parts.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 15, 2012)

mudpuppy said:


> I still have to say, *my God baseball is a boring game*. I'm glad I didn't watch the first 6 scoreless innings last night, and I recorded the rest so I could fast forward through the tedious parts.


My thoughts exactly...being at a game is better than watching on tv...the feeling the crowd gives off is quite an experience.


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## EM_PS (Oct 15, 2012)

^ true dat.

In the next game, I'm curious to see if Leland has the stones to send Valverde out on the field ...unless he's pushing a lawn mower or something


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## goodal (Oct 15, 2012)

Live baseball &gt;&gt; Televised. Although not true for football IMHO. Cards look great again. Cant wait for another WS title.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 15, 2012)

It just seems like the tension mounts better to me as the innings go on in a baseball game, and that it is more of a chess match/cat and mouse game than football with the strategy. Then again I grew up in the baseball centric Northeast so I am sure I am biased. Don't get me wrong, I LOOOOVE football, just if you stuck a gun to my head and said pick a big baseball game or a big football game, I'd pick the baseball.


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## roadwreck (Oct 16, 2012)

I tell myself that I enjoy watching playoff baseball because every play is magnified. Any one play can turn a game one direction or the other. In football one play can shift momentum but seldom does it seem to shift the outcome of the game in the same way as it does in low scoring games like baseball (hockey, soccer, etc.).

With that said, Sunday evening when there was a baseball game and a football game on that I had no vested interest in, I tended to end up watching the football game.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 16, 2012)

Baseball is messing with my regularly scheduled programing...now that we have cable back my shows are on hiatus due to the playoffs!!!!


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 16, 2012)

Last night's MLB game was a dud. I flipped back and forth between that and MNF. I tried to go to bed at halftime, couldn't, and figured I'll fall asleep while I watch. Tale of two halves to be sure.


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## mudpuppy (Oct 16, 2012)

roadwreck said:


> I tell myself that I enjoy watching playoff baseball because every play is magnified. Any one play can turn a game one direction or the other. In football one play can shift momentum but seldom does it seem to shift the outcome of the game in the same way as it does in low scoring games like baseball (hockey, soccer, etc.).


At least in hockey there is some ACTION. I'd watch that over baseball or football any day.

But then, I'm from Hockeytown.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 16, 2012)

too bad hockey is on lockout...at least they are talking though.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 16, 2012)

^^^ How's that lockout treating you right now?


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## mudpuppy (Oct 16, 2012)

Eh, I'm a fairweather hockey fan just like I am with baseball. Ask me again in May.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 16, 2012)

I used to watch a lot of hockey. At least until the salary cap turned the Avalanche into a shell of it's former self. Now I can't name 2 players on the team...


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## EM_PS (Oct 16, 2012)

mudpuppy said:


> Eh, I'm a fairweather hockey fan just like I am with baseball. Ask me again in May.


Same same - too much good sports going on in the fall to give a rip about hockey for sure!

Now tonite, its either watch two sack of sh!t douchebags debate &amp; spin for the media...

...or watch Verlander &amp; Cabrera paste the Yanks - not a tuff choice in my book :tv:


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## csb (Oct 16, 2012)

mudpuppy said:


> Eh, I'm a fairweather hockey fan just like I am with baseball. Ask me again in May.


Phew! I thought you'd gone full Canadian on us, what with the hockey and curling...


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 16, 2012)

csb said:


> mudpuppy said:
> 
> 
> > Eh, I'm a fairweather hockey fan just like I am with baseball. Ask me again in May.
> ...


Don't forget the Kraft Dinner and Molson...

He does live in Michigan, which Canada might as well usurp as its next province.

I am ambivalent towards hockey. I've been to a bunch of college games and love it in the Olympics, just don't give a hoot about the NHL.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 17, 2012)

A-Rod benched again, and they get 5 more years of this. I'd love $25M to warm a seat for someone.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 17, 2012)

^^^ that's $25m of pure happiness for me.


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## EM_PS (Oct 18, 2012)

Hopefully he'll begin his offseason after tonite.

Now I kinda hope the Cards do advance...no pacific time games in the Series, and of course there's the revenge factor too. :15:


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## EM_PS (Oct 18, 2012)

SWEEP!! AL East - WHAT WHAT?! oking:

two words for the Yankees - blow chunks! uke:


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 18, 2012)

This is the bat the Yankees used in the ALCS. Woof.


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## goodal (Oct 19, 2012)

Somehow I have missed out on the A-rod controversy. Anybody got a link or 2 sentence explanation?


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 19, 2012)

He was doing nothing offensively so they benched him, and there is talk whether the relationship between him and the team is beyone repair and if there is any way they could trade him with that contract.

There was also some controversy about him writing his phone number on a baseball and tossing it to two pretty women in the stands, during the game.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 19, 2012)

The only things with A-rod that I caught this year is that he had a horrible post-season batting average so he got benched twice, and the fact that he allegedly tried to get some chick's phone number during a game (apparently a celeb).

Edit: VTE beat me to it.


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## snickerd3 (Oct 19, 2012)

I heard about the baseball telephone number thing on the radio... to funny.


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## goodal (Oct 19, 2012)

So he was sucking, got benched and now his poor feelings are hurt? If I were manager I would refuse to trade him and bench all next year too.


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## csb (Oct 19, 2012)

Ahem...GO CARDINALS!


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## willsee (Oct 19, 2012)

VTEnviro said:


> He was doing nothing offensively so they benched him, and there is talk whether the relationship between him and the team is beyone repair and if there is any way they could trade him with that contract.
> 
> There was also some controversy about him writing his phone number on a baseball and tossing it to two pretty women in the stands, during the game.


They benched him for another guy that was batting .000

A-Rod was part of a bunch of guys that couldn't hit.


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 19, 2012)

^^^ They benched him last night because he couldn't hit, but then ended up coming in as the designated hitter...


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## willsee (Oct 19, 2012)

No one on their roster could hit, except Ichiro


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## Dexman PE PMP (Oct 19, 2012)

The statistic I heard at one point during the radio broadcast last night was that ALL of the Yankee's runs came from HR's during their series with the Tigers. This was before their only run was scored in the 6th.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 19, 2012)

^It's the same story every year with them. You can beat up on a Kansas City on a Tuesday in May with the long ball due to low caliber pitching. In the playoffs, when you are facing the top arms, you need to be able to manufacture a run now and then.


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## EM_PS (Oct 19, 2012)

csb said:


> Ahem...GO CARDINALS!


Frickin' :bio:



Dexman PE said:


> The statistic I heard at one point during the radio broadcast last night was that ALL of the Yankee's runs came from HR's during their series with the Tigers. This was before their only run was scored in the 6th.


In game 2 of the league championship series off of that PoopaGrande closer, Valverde. Delmon Young had more RBI's then they had collective runs, LOL.


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## RIP - VTEnviro (Oct 24, 2012)

Wow, Pablo Sandoval channels his inner Reggie Jackson and hits 3 homers in the first game of the World Series. Awful snoozer of a game, but that was cool to see.


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## EM_PS (Oct 25, 2012)

He's definitely got JV's number - Tiges were due for a loss, even w/ their ace up. Now SF's turn!


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