*** OFFICIAL 2011 MLB Season Thread ***

[Squisher]

There is a local sports talk figure here in Detroit that talks about Porcello's late inning issues all the time. Batters hit in the 100's in the first two innings against him, 200's in the next two, and in the 300's afterward. He's done this for the three years he's been in the majors.

I wonder if Albuquerque had not looked like he was carrying a gallon of gasoline and a pack of matches this post season if Leyland would have gone to him for long relief at the first sign of trouble?

 

[rcpratt]

There's nothing to criticize Rick for. He threw 6.2 innings of what should have been 2-run ball without the error against one of the best offensive teams in baseball. His stuff was straight nasty last night.

A lot of people seem to think that Rick is never going to be a good pitcher, but they forget he's only 22. He improved a lot this year and was a bit unlucky. If he continues to keep breaking away from the comfort zone of his two-seamer and uses his slider as a strikeout pitch like he did last night, he can be pretty good.

 

[SP33Demon]

Yeah Porcello did his job.

Pujols batting .636. I'd just walk him every time.

Looking to be Cards/Rangers. I'll be cheering for Texas if so. Cards won it in 2006! Rangers have never done it.

 

[Squisher]

There's nothing to criticize Rick for. He threw 6.2 innings of what should have been 2-run ball without the error against one of the best offensive teams in baseball. His stuff was straight nasty last night.

A lot of people seem to think that Rick is never going to be a good pitcher, but they forget he's only 22. He improved a lot this year and was a bit unlucky. If he continues to keep breaking away from the comfort zone of his two-seamer and uses his slider as a strikeout pitch like he did last night, he can be pretty good.

I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said, but right now Porcello is an unfinished product. Players are what they are until they do something different and as a manager you have to recognize it. Back during the Yankee series I said the same thing about Porcello, let him pitch 5 innings and get him out of there. This shouldn't need to be written in cuneiform for Leyland to figure it out.

 

[SP33Demon]

Delmon with another bomb, Detroit up 2-1.

 

[rcpratt]

I'm not disagreeing with anything you've said, but right now Porcello is an unfinished product. Players are what they are until they do something different and as a manager you have to recognize it. Back during the Yankee series I said the same thing about Porcello, let him pitch 5 innings and get him out of there. This shouldn't need to be written in cuneiform for Leyland to figure it out.

Yeah I know, that wasn't directed at you. Just people in general.

Not that I'm complaining, but it'd be nice if some of our home runs could come with people on base. Blah.

 

[SP33Demon]

Yeah I know, that wasn't directed at you. Just people in general.

Not that I'm complaining, but it'd be nice if some of our home runs could come with people on base. Blah.

Not with AJax and Raburn setting the tables. .317 and .297 OBP ain't getting anything done.

 

[rcpratt]

So fucked with JV's pitch count.

 

[SP33Demon]

Outfielders Lance Berkman and Jacoby Ellsbury received the Comeback Player of the Year Awards for their bounce-back 2011 seasons, Major League Baseball announced Thursday.

Exceptional seasons for those two, they deserve it.

 

[SP33Demon]

JV is one lucky SOB only letting up 1 run in that inning. Beltre was sitting on the hook and almost hit it out.

 

[SP33Demon]

Tigers get lucky again. My God. Someone wants them to win this game. Double play with 1 out, bases juiced??!

Edit: You have to be kidding me, a double play ball just hit the base for a double. Talk about lady luck for Detroit.

 

[Squisher]

Tigers get lucky again. My God. Someone wants them to win this game. Double play with 1 out, bases juiced??!

You might have something there.

Does my happy dance to the baseball gods.

 

[davmat787]

You might have something there.

Does my happy dance to the baseball gods.

I hope this and the NL series goes 7, there have been some very entertaining baseball in both series. Also, I think it is great that the 4 final teams are from mid America, and are not exactly your mega market dream teams of free agents but more examples of real teams.

 

[ElFenix]

damnit i'm at work and when i go to they gym they don't have the local fox channel so i can't watch there either (they have CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, but i can't get a channel that shows NFL games on sundays? even when the local team is on? wtf?)

 

[davmat787]

damnit i'm at work and when i go to they gym they don't have the local fox channel so i can't watch there either (they have CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News, but i can't get a channel that shows NFL games on sundays? even when the local team is on? wtf?)

I will give you an update then: Ron "Son, don't call me Sanford" Washington just pulled Uehara after he gave up a HR to Rayburn. Apparently that was his 8th HR given up in his last 24 innings pitched. Ouch.

 

[rcpratt]

This whole ball hitting the bag thing is so overplayed, but I guess everyone loves their narratives. It's no more lucky than any other ground ball finding it's way through a hole. That's baseball. Every time the ball is put in play there's some kind of luck. So yeah, the ball hitting the bag was maybe a little weird, but that's about it.

Nice that both series will be going to at least 6 games, though.

 

[lyssword]

Greinkeeee!! Ftw

 

[SP33Demon]

Still not sure why they're pitching to Albert with men on base. The comedy continues.

 

[rcpratt]

I'm going to be an angry drunk if we lose.

 

[KLin]

Can someone please tell Derek Holland to shave that 'stache?

 

[davmat787]

Did anyone get a good look at that foul ball that the fan caught in Texas before Detroit just hit a HR? The announcers did mention Bartman, but that this game is a different situation obviously.

Did the TX outfielder potentially have a chance if the fan would not have caught it? Just curious, my DVR won't let me rewind and I was away from the TV at the moment.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Did anyone get a good look at that foul ball that the fan caught in Texas before Detroit just hit a HR? The announcers did mention Bartman, but that this game is a different situation obviously.

Did the TX outfielder potentially have a chance if the fan would not have caught it? Just curious, my DVR won't let me rewind and I was away from the TV at the moment.

Yeah, the replay showed Hamilton could have caught that ball.

Dumbass fan lol, he gave the tigers 2 more runs b/c of that.

 

[davmat787]

Yeah, the replay showed Hamilton could have caught that ball.

Dumbass fan lol, he gave the tigers 2 more runs b/c of that.

OMG! I hope Detroit rally's FTW and the fan is ostracized ala Bartman! Well that and because I am a Mariners fan.

Thx.

 

[JackBurton]

15-5 rangers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Schfifty Five]

Rangers going to win it all!!!!!

Mavs took 2 tries to win their first Finals.

Rangers about to get their 2nd shot at World Series.

Cowboys.....no comment.