The Official MLB 2007 Thread

[Lathum]

Game over, no no for Verlander

[Lathum]

is there a cooler manager in baseball then Jim Leland??

[Scoobz0202]

I do not believe there is. Class act.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

I do not believe there is. Class act.

I bet he takes Verlander out for beers and a cigar tonight.

beer...


BRB

[Scoobz0202]

Into his second full season and he already has a no-hitter. Has there every been anybody to get one quicker?

[Schmidty]

Just finished watching this on Tivo. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Scoobz0202

Into his second full season and he already has a no-hitter. Has there every been anybody to get one quicker?

Anibel Sanchez threw one last year as a rookie. I'm sure there's been a couple more.

[k0ruptr]

I was reading in a thread posted like a week ago, At least one rookie I think threw one in his very first start.

[st.cronin]

There was a guy in the 70s, I think, who threw a no-hitter in his first start, and then pretty much bombed out of the league after that. His final career numbers were something like 20 games, 5.20 era.

edit- it was Bobo Holloman, in the 50s. Memory fails.

[Logan]

Bud Smith.

Might wanna hope Verlander doesn't replicate his career.

[DaddyTorgo]

curt schilling is angry.

oh...and re:bonds

if he breaks the record at Fenway (or at Wrigley for that matter) I'd probably throw up. But especially here. I have a feeling Boston would crucify him though, so at least it'd be interesting reading.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Logan

Bud Smith.

Might wanna hope Verlander doesn't replicate his career.

Verlander has way more talent than Smith ever had. He just needs to stay healthy.

[DeToxRox]

Just got back from the CoPa. The atmosphere rivaled Game 4 vs the Yanks. Unreal. So amazing. My legs were shaking vs Hardy. When he got that pop up it was FANFUCKINGTASTTIC!!

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Just got back from the CoPa. The atmosphere rivaled Game 4 vs the Yanks. Unreal. So amazing. My legs were shaking vs Hardy. When he got that pop up it was FANFUCKINGTASTTIC!!

awesome, I hope you saved your stub

[DeToxRox]

Originally Posted by Lathum

awesome, I hope you saved your stub

Oh its tucked away. I'll be holding onto this one forever.

[Crapshoot]

Great performance - I don't buy the 102 reading in the 9th, but I bet it was 99 at the least. And that curveball - jesus, Bonds and Ruth in their primes would not have hit that.

[Lathum]

he was filthy

[MizzouRah]

and my fantasy baseball team smiles tonight.. thanks Verlander!

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by some rangers blog

The Mariners are making a quick stop in Cleveland tonight to make up the second of four games snowed out in April.

Ichiro, for one, was not thrilled with the side trip before the Mariners head to Wrigley Field to face the Cubs.

"To tell the truth, I'm not excited to go to Cleveland, but we have to," Ichiro said through an interpreter in the Seattle Times. "If I ever saw myself saying I'm excited going to Cleveland, I'd punch myself in the face, because I'm lying."

LOL....Drew Carey is a dirty liar!

[dawgfan]

That's hands-down the funniest quote I've ever seen from Ichiro. No offense to any Cleveland residents...

[Atocep]

Bud Selig told Jason Giambi that he better cooperate with former Sen. George Mitchell's investigation of steroid use or else. The else might be coming.


A high-ranking MLB official told USA Today on Wednesday that the commissioner is leaning toward suspending the New York Yankees slugger.



In the May 18 edition of USA Today, Giambi all but admitted he took performance-enhancing drugs.


"I was wrong for doing that stuff," he said. "What we should have done a long time ago was stand up -- players, ownership, everybody -- and said: 'We made a mistake.' Steroids and all of that was a part of history."


After the comments, Selig offered Giambi a deal: Talk to Mitchell or you will face disciplinary action. The players union, the commissioner's office and Giambi's representatives have been bargaining since.


"Any admission regarding the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances, no matter how casual, must be taken seriously," Selig said at the beginning of the month. "It is in the best interests of baseball for everyone, including players, to cooperate with Senator Mitchell in his investigation.


"Discipline for wrongdoing is important, but it is also important to create an environment so players can feel free to honestly and completely cooperate with this important investigation."


Giambi told a federal grand jury in December 2003 that he used steroids and human growth hormone, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in December 2004. Before the start of spring training in 2005, the former AL MVP made repeated general apologies at a news conference but never used the word "steroids."


Giambi and his agent, Arn Tellem, have not said whether the player will speak with Mitchell, but Selig said he wants a decision by Tuesday.


Testing positive for steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs warrants a 50-game suspension under MLB's policy; however, Giambi has never tested positive since the plan was implemented.


The New York Daily News spoke to an attorney with experience in baseball labor matters who felt that disciplining a player for saying he committed acts before they were illegal would be difficult.


"It's just a dead argument, legally," he told the paper on condition of anonymity since he deals with the league. "It's either in the basic agreement or it isn't."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

If this is true, it'll be a very interesting battle with the union and I think Selig is positioning himself very well in regards to public perception and how he'll look if he ends up in front of congress again. If he loses in arbitration then next time there's a hearing on steroids he can point to Giambi admitting steroid use and he can say there's nothing he can do to players because the union blocked his punishment.

One thing here that is inaccurate is the thought that steroids weren't illegal during the timefram Giambi is apparently admitting to taking them. Steroids were actually banned in '91 by Faye Vincent. I've seen it stated so many times I've lost count that steroids weren't specified as illegal prior to the testing agreement with the union. Thats not true, they were illegal and the commissioner had authority to suspend players as he saw fit.

Thats where it could be interesting. The union is going to say he never tested positive and it was before the testing was agreed to. However, I think that since it was before the agreement, Selig may actually have more power and may be able to suspend Giambi as he sees fit.

Here's the exact quote from Vincent's memo:

The possession, sale, or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance by major league players and personnel is strictly prohibited. Those involved in the possession, sale, or use of any illegal drug or controlled substance are subject to discipline by the commissioner and risk permanent expulsion from the game.

It goes on to specifically mention steroids. This gives the commissioner a lot of leeway in what he wants to do with Giambi.

Should be very interesting if he decides to suspend him.

[Lathum]

god the Mets are giving me gas.

not tghe form you want them to be in heading into the Yankees series

[Young Drachma]

Selig is a joke and suspending Giambi will reiterate to me that he's the worst commissioner ever.

[miami_fan]

This is just getting beyond bizarre. First question, what does Selig mean by talk to George Mitchell? Does he want him to spill his guts about himself and the rest of the league? What if Giambi talks but does not give George Mitchell "enough" information? I may be in the minority but I would not be impressed by a suspension. I give Bud credit for one thing. No one can accuse him of being a racist anymore. His witch hunt has become all inclusive.

[Ksyrup]

Apparently the argument Selig would make is the exact opposite of the union's - while the union will argue he has no power to take action because it's not in the basic agreement, Selig's position will be that because it's not in the basic agreement, that means he has he authority to do whatever he wants on the issue "in the best interests of baseball." At least that's what I've read in a couple of places. I'm not quite sure that squares with all of the public comments he made for several years before they agreed to the testing/discipline plan.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

This is just getting beyond bizarre. First question, what does Selig mean by talk to George Mitchell? Does he want him to spill his guts about himself and the rest of the league? What if Giambi talks but does not give George Mitchell "enough" information? I may be in the minority but I would not be impressed by a suspension. I give Bud credit for one thing. No one can accuse him of being a racist anymore. His witch hunt has become all inclusive.

I think this is more him trying to take a shot at the union since players aren't cooperating in the Mitchell investigation. If the Mitchell investigation is a giant failure (and considering not a single player has testified its looking that way) then baseball could very well end up in front of congress again. Selig is setting himself up to put all the blame in the MLBPA.

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Apparently the argument Selig would make is the exact opposite of the union's - while the union will argue he has no power to take action because it's not in the basic agreement, Selig's position will be that because it's not in the basic agreement, that means he has he authority to do whatever he wants on the issue "in the best interests of baseball." At least that's what I've read in a couple of places. I'm not quite sure that squares with all of the public comments he made for several years before they agreed to the testing/discipline plan.

I've read that, too. But if you look at the guidelines given by Faye Vincent, he could suspend him under that and not have to use the "best interests of baseball" clause. If Giambi argues he took steroids before the testing policy was put in place, then Selig could very well suspend him for as long as he wishes.

[miami_fan]

I can't see how suspending Giambi helps the investigation or is in the best interests of baseball. Let's assume that Giambi does not talk to George Mitchell at all. What will he be suspended for? For not cooperating with the investigation? If so, then Bud needs send the same threat out to the entire MLBPA. Admitting to using "that stuff"? IIRC he admitted to using steriods in his leaked grand jury testimony. Is Bud trying to convince me that saying "that stuff" is more damming than that? And after he suspends Giambi, then what? I don't think anyone will be running to talk to George Mitchell and even less will be talking to the media.

On a sidenote, I wouldn't say the report will be a giant faliure. I am sure it will expose some (all?) of the misconduct on the part of the managers, team execs, medical personnel, and/or league officials. Then Bud could seat before Congress (or the public for that matter) and present the demons from that era and then explain that they would have gotten more but the players stonewalled them.

There will be misconduct from the teams's side in the report, right?

[Calis]

Glad to see Alex Gordon putting together a couple of nice games.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Calis

Glad to see Alex Gordon putting together a couple of nice games.

Yeah, 11 for his last 26 going back to the Cleveland game including 5 XBH and he's just hit the ball on the nose practically every time up. Now, if only he could do something about his horrible press photo (check out Yahoo).

SI

[sterlingice]

Another really nice game by Meche tonight. He started to labor at ~105 pitches but got out of it around 113 or 114:

G. Meche

8.0

6

1

1

1

3

1

Intentional walk to Teahen to get to Sweeney the big blow in the game so far as Sweeney unloaded the bases with a double. Also, Gordon another 2 for 4 tonight.

SI

[Lathum]

quote from Clemens about Gomez taking a homerun away from the yankees

"I'm wondering where that fan is that leans over and catches balls," Clemens said. "We need one of them young fans again."

What a punk

[Ksyrup]

They would have needed more than just the fan. They would have needed an idiot umpire.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Lathum

quote from Clemens about Gomez taking a homerun away from the yankees

What a punk

Man, people look for any excuse to trash Clemens. I'd be highly surprised if Clemens making a serious statement there and not joking around.

[rowech]

With Giambi....don't people think the public has kinda forgiven him? He at least has some courage to apologize (while he never said it directly) and to at least call out MLB. I really get the impression MLB wants him to shut the heck up and this is their threat. Sadly, it'll backfire because the public doesn't care to nail Giambi. They want Bonds...plain and simple.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Man, people look for any excuse to trash Clemens. I'd be highly surprised if Clemens making a serious statement there and not joking around.

because Clamens is a hired gun baby. even if it was a joke instead if complementing the kid on a nice play or the opposing pitcher on a great game he comes off as the prick he is.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Man, people look for any excuse to trash Clemens. I'd be highly surprised if Clemens making a serious statement there and not joking around.

I agree. No big Clemens fans myself, and there are plenty of things to talk about when not liking this guy, but this isn't one of them. Even if it wasn't a joke, I don't see it as anything, and I think it almost certainly was.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by rowech

With Giambi....don't people think the public has kinda forgiven him? He at least has some courage to apologize (while he never said it directly) and to at least call out MLB. I really get the impression MLB wants him to shut the heck up and this is their threat. Sadly, it'll backfire because the public doesn't care to nail Giambi. They want Bonds...plain and simple.

I don't think that the public was ever upset with Giambi at all. However if they were, they probably stopped when fans (Yankee and others) voted him Comeback Player of the Year.

[k0ruptr]

hey , the White Sox won! that hasn't happened in a while. I can smile today

ahh, and Buehrle seems to have turned around from last season (fluke?) hes been a very consistent starter his entire career, but last year scared the crap out of me.

[MikeVic]

lol, that Ichiro quote is funny.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

hey , the White Sox won! that hasn't happened in a while. I can smile today

ahh, and Buehrle seems to have turned around from last season (fluke?) hes been a very consistent starter his entire career, but last year scared the crap out of me.

Don't worry, all signs point to him getting traded in a month, so if anything, he's simply increasing his trade value.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Don't worry, all signs point to him getting traded in a month, so if anything, he's simply increasing his trade value.

hopefully to the Mets

[k0ruptr]

Yea, seems to me he may get traded, But I would sign him long term. And from what he's said, he wants to stay.

[miami_fan]

So the Cubs are getting the asses handed to them right now 9-1 against the Padres. With everything that went on yesterday,what are the chances of one of the Padres get one up and in?

[sterlingice]

Royals just need to change league and they'll do better

2 of 3 against the Phils, Cards, and Marlins over the past 10 days.

SI

[miked]

Originally Posted by Lathum

because Clamens is a hired gun baby. even if it was a joke instead if complementing the kid on a nice play or the opposing pitcher on a great game he comes off as the prick he is.

Maybe he should join the vagina society where all you should do is complement your peers. He made a joke, get over it baby. There are lots of hired guns, they're called free agents.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Royals just need to change league and they'll do better

2 of 3 against the Phils, Cards, and Marlins over the past 10 days.

SI

You're so getting swept starting tomorrow.

Good run for the Royals SI.

Oh, and I'm coming for you in the FOFC fantasy baseball league!

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

You're so getting swept starting tomorrow.

Good run for the Royals SI.

Oh, and I'm coming for you in the FOFC fantasy baseball league!

If we could go 3-3 this week, I would be ecstatic. Our pitching matchups in the St Louis series, well, suck. Odalis got beaten up last week in his showdown with Wainright. Elarton has looked like utter crap since coming off the DL but then again Wells hasn't done much better, still edge to the Cards. Then I like our chances with Meche vs Looper but Looper is either really good or godawful and with Meche's run support luck, it'll be the former.

SI

[Chief Rum]

Although these injuries we keep picking up concern me, I am pretty stoked with how the Angels are playing. They may be playing better over the past month and a half than any team in baseball.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

If we could go 3-3 this week, I would be ecstatic. Our pitching matchups in the St Louis series, well, suck. Odalis got beaten up last week in his showdown with Wainright. Elarton has looked like utter crap since coming off the DL but then again Wells hasn't done much better, still edge to the Cards. Then I like our chances with Meche vs Looper but Looper is either really good or godawful and with Meche's run support luck, it'll be the former.

SI

Wells sucks.

[Ksyrup]

So at what point does Leo Mazzone completely regret leaving Atlanta? He not only has hurt his legacy by the fact that the Orioles pitchers haven't really gotten any better, at least collectively, since he joined the team last year, but the main reason he took the job in the first place - manager Sam Perlozzo, his life-long friend - is about to go bye-bye. Talk about being in a crappy situation with no end in sight.