In honor of Ball Season!

[Dakota Gue]

Gotta love the Baseball!

Our mixed slow-pitch team has its first game on Wed night, so Ive posted this classic in honor of my favorite time of the year!

<A href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sShMA85pv8M"">Who's on First

[CMJ]

About a tenth of the way thru the season, time to look at the standings.

If the season ended today...playoff teams would be

AL East
Toronto Blue Jays

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Seattle Mariners

AL Wild Card
NY Yankees

NL East
Florida Marlins

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wild Card
San Diego Padres

[Jedi Master Carr]

I don't see the Blue Jays or Marlins making the playoffs. The Cardinals also will come down to earth and I am sure the Cubs will start playing better. The Red Sox have been on fire won 7 straight games.

[Xavier Synik]

Hey don't be writting off my Jays.

Who would have thought the Rays would have come out of the division last year.

I'm not saying they will make the playoffs, but I'm going to wait a little longer into the season and see how they play against the Yanks and BoSox before I say one way or the other. But considering the pitching staff we started with and the fact that half of it is injured already, a lot of it's going to depend on when we get some arms back from the DL.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I don't think they can compete with Boston and the Yankees. It will be between those teams this year. I give the edge to Boston right now because NY's bullpen is horrible.

[Lykaios]

Bias aside, I pick the Yankees to win it all this year. Sure their bullpen is not the best in the majors but it should be good enough to hold it for most of the year, once A-Roid comes back they should put enough runs in the board for the bullpen to be solid and not overused like it was the previous year and the last year of the Torre ERA.*The outfield competiion has been a blessing in disguise to this team and brought out the best of the Melk Man, Nady and Swisher. Even though the Xman may be lost for the rest of the year, Swish’s attitude under NY’s bright light has been more than refreshing to a clubhouse that seemed uptight for the majority of last year.*I actually give the edge to TOR over the BoSucks, simply because the Jays have done an excellent job of playing through numerous injuries, which is the exact opposite of Boston, they’ve been unable to put it together while healthy for the most part. Injury to one of their key players (Beckett, Lowell, Tek) would be devastating IMO.*

[Xavier Synik]

If NY can't stop giving up the long ball in their own park there is no way they are going to make the playoffs.

But like I said, I'm not going one way or the other. I just don't think you can write them off this early in the year. As always I think things will come down to injuries and who can avoid them or at least make it past them.

Either that or the need to move Toronto into the AL Central. :p

Edit: Oh and Lyk... Don't count on Burnett to be anything more then .500 at the most. Last year was a contract year and pitched like it was.

[Lykaios]

Well, I still believe that all those HR’s were a freak of nature. The reality is that when your number two starter has a 34.50 ERA in 3 starts and can’t get out of the second inning the HR total is going to go up cause your pen is starting that overused trend and the call to the bullpen has to be made way too early in the game, when the relievers might not even be ready. I don’t believe in all that jet stream talk, at least not yet, if push comes to shove though, the Yanks are heavy on L and S batters and with that short porch in right, if it comes right down to it the Yanks can get into a long ball match with almost any team and have a pretty good shot.*While it’s not going to happen the Jays in the Central is a very interesting thought, gosh, it’d be the toughest division in baseball…Twins, ChiSox, Detroit, Cleveland and then TOR? Man, every year that division would come to the very last day of the season, much like it did last year, but they’d probably have to play 2 playoff games instead of one LOL

[Lykaios]

Btw sorry about the huge paragraphs but for some reason when I hit enter in the crackberry instead of a new line, it tries to take me to the youtube video

[Jedi Master Carr]

I pray to the baseball gods the Yankees don't win. If they win it just proves that you can buy a championship. If Boston doesn't win I hope it is a team that is more deserving than the Yankees.

[Xavier Synik]

If the Jays played to their potential (kinda like their doing now, though I think maybe now is a touch high), than I don't know if it would be as tight in the central.

the ChiSox are a team that you really can't seem to get a handle on in terms of their potential.

But if the Jays had been playing central division teams rather then the east teams I think they would have made the playoffs the last few years (at least last year if nothing else).

Mind you they could always pull an NHL and put Toronto in the West like the NHL did with Detroit... :p

[Jedi Master Carr]

What did I say about the Yankees bullpen? They lost the last two games because of their bullpen. I don't like Beckett giving up 8 runs.

[Lykaios]

It's hard for a bullpen not to cough up a lead when they've thrown 200+ pitches in two games. Once again, they're being overused, which is exactly what I said we shouldn't do.

Then again, it's hard not to be overused when the starters can't go the distance.

Xi: Burnett is not going to be an ace, but I think he'll be solid, yeah he was in a contract year, but being Doc's teammate finally taught him how to pitch and not just throw hard. That's why he kept blowing his elbow, he wanted to strike everyone out, blowing them away, and while today was the exception (although he was dominant for the first 3 innings), his pitch location has been excellent and he has become a pitcher, not just a flamethrower.

And well, championships can't be bought, the last 8 years have been proof of that with the Yanks highest payroll and being eliminated in the first round and last year not even making he playoffs.

[CMJ]

Now we're roughly 20% thru the season, and if it ended now we'd have....

AL EAST
Toronto

AL CENTRAL
Detroit

AL WEST
Texas

AL WILDCARD
Boston

NL EAST
NY Mets

NL CENTRAL
St. Louis

NL WEST
LA Dodgers

NL WILDCARD
Milwaukee

Some changes since the last update, but about half of the teams are the same.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Go Rangers!

I still think Nolan Ryan kidnapped and replaced Kevin Millwood. No way that's really Millwood out there with the 2.92 ERA.

[CMJ]

Now about 30% of the way thru the season - time for another playoff update.

AL East
New York Yankees

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Texas Rangers

AL Wildcard
Boston Red Sox


NL East
New York Mets

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
Milwaukee Brewers

[Lykaios]

Order has been restored in the universe. AL East looks exactly as it's supposed to.

The difference in chemistry in the Yankee clubhouse is a big factor in why this team is doing much better than Yankee teams of years past.

[Aidan Fox]

Here we go, Steelers, here we go!
Let's go Pens! Let's go Pens!

And, um...

Go... Pirates.

Far away, if possible.

Is it any wonder I'm not much of a baseball fan?

At least I have Cincinna...

Aw, crap.

[Xavier Synik]

*looks at the self destruction of the Jay's bullpen*

I have no idea what just happened on that nine game slide, but the bullpen that was awesome last year was just garbage...

Hopefully can turn it around this weekend against the BoSox.

[Emelie Shadowstar]

My voodoo and curses against the Dodgers isn't working >:

*needs to try harder* lmao

[Aurelias Kazaar]

I'm still in shock the Rangers are in first place. And ten (for now) games over 500.

What bizarro world am I living in?

[Lykaios]

The bizarro world of David Ortiz batting .186 with one dinger.

Forgive me father for I have sinned...I commited the biggest cardinal sin by picking a BoSock in my fantasy game, he's done squat...

*shakes fist at Ortiz*

...although if he keeps hitting like this and the Yankees win the division and the series, I will gladly pick him again next year.

[CMJ]

About 40% through the regular season. We're starting to get a pretty good idea who the good teams are now.

AL East
Boston Red Sox

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Texas Rangers

AL WildCard
New York Yankees



NL East
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
Milwaukee Brewers

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
St. Louis Cardinals

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well anybody can win the NL Central and the Mets have a decent chance of winning the East. I am still not convinced about the Rangers. I could see them falling apart in the second half and the Angels catching them. I think the Yankees pitching could be their downfall as well and another team could take the wild card from them.

[JMK]

So Slammin Sammy Sosa gets outed for testing positive for performance enhancers in 2003. And in case anyone wanted to know, yes, that was the same year he was also caught using a corked bat.

Roids + cork + lying = Sammy Sosa. Classy guy.

He deserves to lose anything taken from him, including his reputation and as far as his freedom (if he faces perjery charges).

One question though - why was this newsworthy? Was it a question mark in some people's minds as to whether or not he actually used P.E.D.s?

[Jedi Master Carr]

I would be surprised if he gets charged with perjury. It is quite rare for people to go to jail for that. Of course, I think his reputation was already ruined.

[Xavier Synik]

Especially since I heard a report that he spouted off to ESPN Spanish that he was essentially just waiting to be elected to the Hall of Fame... Good luck with that now.

[JMK]

There is no chance that he's getting in to the hall of fame now. The sad part is some idiot with a ballot will put in a vote for him on some faux moral high ground that PEDs were not banned by baseball.

[Xavier Synik]

I think that anyone who it can be proved cheated at the game, including PEDs, should be banned. And if someone's already in and it get's shown that they cheated, throw them out.

I keep hearing people compare these guys to some of the od time players who were assholes and did crap like beating their wives. And while yes they are assholes they didn't cheat at the game. The guys who cheated should never be allowed in, evenif it's someone like Bond's who before he started juicing probably would have made it in.

Oh and while they're busy banning all these cheaters, it's time to let Pete Rose in finally.

[CMJ]

Technically it's a bit over halfway thru the season, but since the All-Star break is traditionally thought of at the midpoint I held off the playoff update until now.

AL East
Boston Red Sox

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Los Angeles Angels

AL Wildcard
New York Yankees




NL East
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
San Francisco Giants

[Xavier Synik]

Ugh... My Jays are killing me... considering we have two starting pitching staffs, one active, and one on the DL, pitching is not a problem... The hitting though has been atrocious...

[Emelie Shadowstar]

AL West
Los Angeles Angels

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers
:shakefist curses!

*goes back to voodoo experiments*

...What? I have my reasons here. :|

[Xavier Synik]

The Angels maybe... but the Dodgers are going to have to blow up big time to lose that division.

[Nathanial K'cansce]

The Ranger are looking good and can win that division is they want to.

The one team I fear are the Rays. If they get going, they could steal the AL East away. Or at least walk away with the wildcard. -_-

Also, let's go Rockies? o_O

[CMJ]

We're a little over 60% thru. Playoff race as it stands...

AL East
New York Yankees

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Los Angeles Angels

AL Wildcard
Boston Red Sox




NL East
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
Chicago Cubs

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
San Francisco Giants

[Aurelias Kazaar]

I love the trade deadline btw. A lot of chatter about Halladay going to Texas, but the Rangers won't let go of rookie lefty Derek Holland (who pitched a gem last night, the first of many for the Rangers I hope).

I'd love to have Halladay but I'm not sure how long TX would have him and how expensive (prospects) he'd be.

Also funny how Tom Hicks' money woes are only background here. It was rumored if he didn't scrounge up the cash by July 24th, he'd be out of a team...

[CMJ]

The Angels look like the best team in baseball right now. Granted, I've said that before in August. We'll see what they look like come October.

[Xavier Synik]

I love the trade deadline btw. A lot of chatter about Halladay going to Texas, but the Rangers won't let go of rookie lefty Derek Holland (who pitched a gem last night, the first of many for the Rangers I hope).

I'd love to have Halladay but I'm not sure how long TX would have him and how expensive (prospects) he'd be.

Also funny how Tom Hicks' money woes are only background here. It was rumored if he didn't scrounge up the cash by July 24th, he'd be out of a team...

Obviously a moot point at this point in time, but heard a report here in Toronto, that Texas was actually on the list of teams that Doc would have vetoed with his no-trade. No idea if that's accurate or not though.

[Aurelias Kazaar]

Well personally I'm glad they didn't make the trade. They've got some real nice talent in the minors/majors. No point in giving that up for someone who'd just be there 15 months (if that at all).

[Jedi Master Carr]

The Red Sox were close to getting Halladay they just weren't willing to give up their best two pitchers.

[CMJ]

Now we're roughly 70% of the way through the season. Things haven't changed much from the last update. Still a lot of games left tho.

AL East
New York Yankees

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Los Angeles Angels

AL Wildcard
Boston Red Sox

NL East
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
Colorado Rockies

[CMJ]

Roughly 80% of the way through. The push for the playoffs begins in earnest.

AL East
New York Yankees

AL Wildcard
Boston Red Sox

AL Central
Detroit Tigers

AL West
Los Angeles Angels



NL East
Philadelphia Phillies

NL Central
St. Louis Cardinals

NL West
Los Angeles Dodgers

NL Wildcard
Colorado Rockies

[CMJ]

One game playoff for the AL Central on Tuesday. :D

[Xavier Synik]

Cheering for the Twinkies myself.

I really don't care about playoff baseball, but at least they've been winning to get into this position unlike Detroit, and thus can maybe give the evil empire a run in the first round.

[CMJ]

I also think the Twins might be able to challege NY. Probably won't, but they're playing well. Detroit has been tanking for acouple of weeks now.

[CMJ]

Fantastic game between Minnesota and Detroit tonight. Gotta love October baseball!