MLB News

[sunbone]

I love seeing the Cardinals lose again. Nothing better than watching Professor La Russa dissecting another loss.

He must be doing something right, the Cards are the only team to win a World Championship since the Division was started. For all the love the Cubs get, for having the 3rd highest payroll in baseball they are utter failures and they certainly are not the underdog that everyone makes them out to be. The favored Cards are losing to the 9th highest payroll. The Cards started the season with the 17th highest payroll(though I'm sure that jumped when they added Holliday and Derosa).

I never said La Russa isn't a good manager. But he is also a smug prick. And outside of Boston and New York, Cardinal fans are the most obnoxious fans in baseball. They know their baseball, just ask one...if you are prepared to listen to a 30 minute monologue about how much they know, and how little everyone else knows. Go Dodgers!!!!!!

A smug prick? Kind of like Tom Kelly? Remember some of his radio show answers? I really don't care what he is to others as long as he wins.

As far as being knowledgable fans, without a doubt true. I wasn't always a hard core Cards fan, the Twins once were the team I lived and died with, a couple of trips to STL showed me the way. As far as being obnoxious, I'd say the Cubs fans that like to pick on 4yo girls that are wearing Cardinal gear lead the league, the only fans that I've seen that are worse are Packer fans.
A

Why are Cardinal fans obsessed with the Cubs? They haven't won anything in over 100 years. But ask a Cards fan how their team is doing and they will respond, better than the Cubs! I don't get it.

[Gophers4ever]

Obsessed?! The Cubs are the Cards major rival, why wouldn't they say something like "better than the Cubs". If we follow your logic than all Twins fans must be obsessed with the White Sox(hence this seasons ad campaign). How about New England Patriot fans starting the Yankees Suck cheer? Are they obsessed too? Or is it all part of being in a Rivalry?

[sunbone]

Obsessed?! The Cubs are the Cards major rival, why wouldn't they say something like "better than the Cubs". If we follow your logic than all Twins fans must be obsessed with the White Sox(hence this seasons ad campaign). How about New England Patriot fans starting the Yankees Suck cheer? Are they obsessed too? Or is it all part of being in a Rivalry?

You keep bringing up the Cubs to a Twins fan...so...just saying. And the Cubs are your biggest rival? That is like Gopher hockey fans being obsessed with St. Cloud because they are a "rival."

[streakygopher]

Kelly wasn't smug, he was (is) surly.

He was both, anyone who would call and ask a situational question couldn't possibly know anything about Baseball. Why fans ever called that show was beyond me, but I always enjoyed the humor of it.

In Tom's defense, he was on with Sid. Every answer started with, Well, as you know.....

Kelly was a social misfit...I mean, come on, the guy has MILLIONS and he's still wearing the same eyeglasses he wore for his graduation picture...I guess I can applaud a guy who doesn't deflect the vain-o-meter, but maybe that's just one symptom of a guy who does NOTHING to fit in.

Speaking of wondering why anybody would call in, who other than the lowest sycophant would call in to get Sid's opinion? He interrupts rudely...such as demeaning somebody for expressing an opinion against the dome - a dump that he helped create..."Sir! Sir!...have you ever driven four or five hours from western Minnesota or the the <pause>...Dakotas...to see a game, only to have it rain or snow?" Talk about a smug prick....

[Gophers4ever]

Obsessed?! The Cubs are the Cards major rival, why wouldn't they say something like "better than the Cubs". If we follow your logic than all Twins fans must be obsessed with the White Sox(hence this seasons ad campaign). How about New England Patriot fans starting the Yankees Suck cheer? Are they obsessed too? Or is it all part of being in a Rivalry?

You keep bringing up the Cubs to a Twins fan...so...just saying. And the Cubs are your biggest rival? That is like Gopher hockey fans being obsessed with St. Cloud because they are a "rival."

You're the one who brought up the Cards in the first place! Your comparison doesn't wash either, when SCSU is able to out recruit the U almost 2-1, then let me know.

[sunbone]

Small consolation given the way the Twins series is going, but the other series are going the way I wanted. For the Dodgers. I didn't expect that, but I love it. Now hopefully the Angels can do the same to the Red Sox.

[Chris83]

Whew, talk about crapping the bed! Sox up on the Angels 6-4 in the 9th with two out and nobody on and LA comes back to win the game 7-6 and sweep the series. We could have a Dodgers-Angels Series.

[NYC Gopher fan]

thank god the sox are done. If they had won today and the twins win tonight, Twins game would have been moved up to 12:30 tomorrow in order to give the sox-angels game the 4pm slot.

[st8ofhockey]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

[Composer]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

If you want to see the worst umpiring in post season history (hyperbole), watch Game 7 of the 1987 World Series.

Brutal!

[Greyeagle]

The Rockies are peeing down their leg...give up 3 in the ninth and the Phils are now two outs away from a date with LAD.

[Chris83]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

If you want to see the worst umpiring in post season history (hyperbole), watch Game 7 of the 1987 World Series.

Brutal!

??????????

[Hobey Baker]

Dodgers even their series at 1 with a victory over Phil today 2-1.

Yankess lead Angels 4-1 after 7 1/2 innings.

[Ben]

Milwaukee's Fox station is saying that they've heard an internet rumor that a deal has been made to bring Zach Greinke to Milwaukee.

[SouthTexGopher]

Milwaukee's Fox station is saying that they've heard an internet rumor that a deal has been made to bring Zach Greinke to Milwaukee.

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who heard the same thing.

[st8ofhockey]

Milwaukee's Fox station is saying that they've heard an internet rumor that a deal has been made to bring Zach Greinke to Milwaukee.

My best friend's sister's boyfriend's brother's girlfriend heard from this guy who knows this kid who's going with the girl who heard the same thing.

The rumor is crap if you ask me. For one, the website that first published it has removed the story (read more here), and second, the conditions of the trade were "supposedly" Greinke in exchange for Hardy, Parra, and Mat Gamel. No way do the Brewers compromise the farm like that; they decimated it enough to get Sabathia, and I thing GM Doug Melvin learned his lesson...

[Hobey Baker]

Yanks and Angels tied at 3 after 6 in game 3 of the ALCS right now.

Yanks led 3-0. Guerrero hit a 2 run shot off of Petitte to tie the game in the 6th.

Just an FYI, Yanks are something like 30 - 0 in their playoff history when having a 3 run lead.

[Chris83]

Angels come back to win 5-4 in 11.

[Bigbeer]

Just an FYI, Yanks are something like 30 - 0 in their playoff history when having a 3 run lead.

Make that 30-1

[HockeyBum]

Seriously... was Citizen's Bank Park built with Little League dimensions? This looks like Nintendo R.B.I. Baseball circa 1987. The homeruns aren't even exciting to watch anymore.

[streakygopher]

Chances of going on to beat Pettit and Sabathia are practically nil, but it was nice to see the Angels wipe the smirk off Jeter's face if only for a day.

Everybody talks about Mauer in a Yankee uniform, but after watching Posada these past few years - and especially in post season - I'm forced to ask myself what reason the Yankees would have in sinking big bucks into him. They don't seem to need a catcher to get them to post season and once they are there, Posada steps up big...not sure about his age, but he is one valuable asset.

[Gophers4ever]

Seriously... was Citizen's Bank Park built with Little League dimensions? This looks like Nintendo R.B.I. Baseball circa 1987. The homeruns aren't even exciting to watch anymore.

Hmm, then what is The Ballpark at Arlington and Yankee Stadium?!

http://www.hittrackeronline.com/stadiums.php

[Neely]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

As for Mauer and the Yankees I think that will be an interesting thing to watch. Posada is 38 so they'll need someone very soon but as you stated, with that team, you don't need much behind the plate to win. However, as we've seen many times, the Yankees are going to go after the best players and is there anyone better than Mauer right now? I'd hate to see Mauer leave and would love to see him in a Twins uniform for a long time but a part of me would be curious to see how things would work out for him in an environment like New York. That said, I'll be more than happy to just imagine that part.

[streakygopher]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

As for Mauer and the Yankees I think that will be an interesting thing to watch. Posada is 38 so they'll need someone very soon but as you stated, with that team, you don't need much behind the plate to win. However, as we've seen many times, the Yankees are going to go after the best players and is there anyone better than Mauer right now? I'd hate to see Mauer leave and would love to see him in a Twins uniform for a long time but a part of me would be curious to see how things would work out for him in an environment like New York. That said, I'll be more than happy to just imagine that part.

Yeah, if Posada's 38, he's a couple years away from hanging up the cleats. He's awfully good as a 38 year old CATCHER Can you imagine inserting Mauer into that line up? Every team would have to pitch to him...if there is any line up in which he could flirt with .400, it's that one. That said, don't know a thing about Mauer personally, but by all accounts he seems like a really grounded midwestern kid who does not seek the spot light...baseball aside, if he's going to make a lifestyle choice, I don't see him wearing pinstripes.....

[Neely]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

As for Mauer and the Yankees I think that will be an interesting thing to watch. Posada is 38 so they'll need someone very soon but as you stated, with that team, you don't need much behind the plate to win. However, as we've seen many times, the Yankees are going to go after the best players and is there anyone better than Mauer right now? I'd hate to see Mauer leave and would love to see him in a Twins uniform for a long time but a part of me would be curious to see how things would work out for him in an environment like New York. That said, I'll be more than happy to just imagine that part.

Yeah, if Posada's 38, he's a couple years away from hanging up the cleats. He's awfully good as a 38 year old CATCHER Can you imagine inserting Mauer into that line up? Every team would have to pitch to him...if there is any line up in which he could flirt with .400, it's that one. That said, don't know a thing about Mauer personally, but by all accounts he seems like a really grounded midwestern kid who does not seek the spot light...baseball aside, if he's going to make a lifestyle choice, I don't see him wearing pinstripes.....

That's the million dollar (or $100 million) question...how much less money is Mauer willing to take to play for the Twins (or another team not called the Yankees or Red Sox)? I guess that is what I would find interesting about the process. No matter where he signs he'll have more than enough money for 10 lifetimes so will it come down to playing to win a world series? Being the highest paid catcher (maybe player)?

Speaking of catchers, I sadly never watch NL baseball during the year but watching Ruiz a couple games and seeing him throw to second was a thing of beauty.

Lastly, I know there are a lot of Torii haters on this board, but I have to say I really miss seeing him with the Twins. That ever present smile and just the way he plays the game is something I miss seeing on a daily basis.

[Composer]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

If you want to see the worst umpiring in post season history (hyperbole), watch Game 7 of the 1987 World Series.

Brutal!

??????????

1st base umpire Lee Weyer
Home Plate, Dave Phillips.

1st inning. Kirby Incorrectly called safe at first. (seemingly inconsequential)
2nd Inning. Baylor incorrectly called out at home
3rd inning. Weyer incorrectly called a Twins infield grounder foul. First baseman dived and caught ball with ball over the line, then landed in foul territory. Tagged base for would be out. (Not only did Weyer miss the call, it wasn't even his call because the ball was not past 1st base yet) (seemingly inconsequential)
4th inning. Gagne grounds to 1st baseman, who throws to the pitcher covering. Throw was marginal, so pitcher had to reach to catch then sweep his foot to hit the bag. Gagne incorrectly called safe. He then scored from 1st on a Kirby double.
6th inning. Tommy Herr got caught in a rundown. Weyer blew this play twice.
1) Hrbek obstructed Herr trying to get back to 1st base
2) Herr got his foot on the bag well before Viola tagged him
Herr incorrectly called out (seemingly inconsequential)

Most of these plays weren't even close (except the foul ball)

[streakygopher]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

If you want to see the worst umpiring in post season history (hyperbole), watch Game 7 of the 1987 World Series.

Brutal!

??????????

1st base umpire Lee Weyer
Home Plate, Dave Phillips.

1st inning. Kirby Incorrectly called safe at first. (seemingly inconsequential)
2nd Inning. Baylor incorrectly called out at home
3rd inning. Weyer incorrectly called a Twins infield grounder foul. First baseman dived and caught ball with ball over the line, then landed in foul territory. Tagged base for would be out. (Not only did Weyer miss the call, it wasn't even his call because the ball was not past 1st base yet) (seemingly inconsequential)
4th inning. Gagne grounds to 1st baseman, who throws to the pitcher covering. Throw was marginal, so pitcher had to reach to catch then sweep his foot to hit the bag. Gagne incorrectly called safe. He then scored from 1st on a Kirby double.
6th inning. Tommy Herr got caught in a rundown. Weyer blew this play twice.
1) Hrbek obstructed Herr trying to get back to 1st base
2) Herr got his foot on the bag well before Viola tagged him
Herr incorrectly called out (seemingly inconsequential)

Most of these plays weren't even close (except the foul ball)

Excellent compliation and memory jogger!

[sagard]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

Pitching to A-Rod in Game 2 is likely going to what keeps them from the series. Incredibly stupid. The guy has been killing the ball the last month, AND he likely had some scout at the Twins/Yanks series.

I hope the Angels can at least force game seven and make Sabathia pitch again in the ALCS.

Incredible clutch hitting by both teams last night. Unreal scoring six with two outs to take the lead, only to see the Angels come back with three.

re: Joe Mauer. His best fit is in Boston. He would post multiple 0.375+ batting averages there. Here is the overlay of Fenway onto the Metrodome. His flies to left would be obscene.

[murrster]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

Pitching to A-Rod in Game 2 is likely going to what keeps them from the series. Incredibly stupid. The guy has been killing the ball the last month, AND he likely had some scout at the Twins/Yanks series.

I hope the Angels can at least force game seven and make Sabathia pitch again in the ALCS.

Incredible clutch hitting by both teams last night. Unreal scoring six with two outs to take the lead, only to see the Angels come back with three.

re: Joe Mauer. His best fit is in Boston. He would post multiple 0.375+ batting averages there. Here is the overlay of Fenway onto the Metrodome. His flies to left would be obscene.

I don't have the link, but he's also stated on the record that Fenway is his favorite ballpark to play in.

[Chris83]

Another blown call impacts a huge game this postseason, this time in Colorado. Great to see so much parity in baseball this year, but it's a shame that bad officiating is rendering that moot

If you want to see the worst umpiring in post season history (hyperbole), watch Game 7 of the 1987 World Series.

Brutal!

??????????

1st base umpire Lee Weyer
Home Plate, Dave Phillips.

1st inning. Kirby Incorrectly called safe at first. (seemingly inconsequential)
2nd Inning. Baylor incorrectly called out at home
3rd inning. Weyer incorrectly called a Twins infield grounder foul. First baseman dived and caught ball with ball over the line, then landed in foul territory. Tagged base for would be out. (Not only did Weyer miss the call, it wasn't even his call because the ball was not past 1st base yet) (seemingly inconsequential)
4th inning. Gagne grounds to 1st baseman, who throws to the pitcher covering. Throw was marginal, so pitcher had to reach to catch then sweep his foot to hit the bag. Gagne incorrectly called safe. He then scored from 1st on a Kirby double.
6th inning. Tommy Herr got caught in a rundown. Weyer blew this play twice.
1) Hrbek obstructed Herr trying to get back to 1st base
2) Herr got his foot on the bag well before Viola tagged him
Herr incorrectly called out (seemingly inconsequential)

Most of these plays weren't even close (except the foul ball)

Excellent compliation and memory jogger!

Yes, thank you! I had forgotten a lot of that.

[7NationalTitles]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

Incredible clutch hitting by both teams last night. Unreal scoring six with two outs to take the lead, only to see the Angels come back with three.

re: Joe Mauer. His best fit is in Boston. He would post multiple 0.375+ batting averages there. Here is the overlay of Fenway onto the Metrodome. His flies to left would be obscene.

After watching the Yankees / Angels last night, one has to realize that the Twins will never compete on the same level as these teams and it will be virtually impossible to win a World Series unless one of the upper echelon teams collapses. Case in point, Yankees score 6 runs with two outs to take the lead. Angels come back and score three in the bottom of the inning to take the lead back. Do any of you think the Twins are capable of doing this? No.

And because of the reasons above (in addition to other reasons such as the team not doing what needs to be done to make a significant deal near the trade deadline to get the job done), Mauer will realize that if he stayed in Minnesota, he would be taking a pay cut of about $8 - $10 million less a season and not having a realistic chance to win the Series.

How many of you would stay with the Twins if you were faced with those two options? Very few would be my guess. And I wouldn't blame Mauer for leaving.

Same thing with Garnett. Only one year did he have a real chance to win a ring because of the ineptitude of the team to build around him. He leaves and his first year he wins a ring with another team. Mauer will do the same but it won't be by a trade...he'll leave in free agency.

[Composer]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

re: Joe Mauer. His best fit is in Boston. He would post multiple 0.375+ batting averages there. Here is the overlay of Fenway onto the Metrodome. His flies to left would be obscene.

Funny--I was halfway into posting the same opinion last week--He is a perfect fit for Fenway. But I stopped when I remembered that Boston had just gotten Edgar Martinez--Boston will probably be set at catcher for a few years.

But Joe would just play pinball with that wall in left field. He usually doesn't hit high enough to get homeruns there, so that might drop a bit. But his average would go up.

As a plus--the Red Sox fans would love saying that last name!

One interesting note, Target Field is 8 feet shorter at the opposite field spot that Joe hit his homeruns last year. Many barely made it over and several were caught just short of the wall. I believe the fence is a couple feet higher at TF, but not significantly. (edit--In left, the fence is eight feet compared to seven at the Metrodome.)

[sagard]

...Funny--I was halfway into posting the same opinion last week--He is a perfect fit for Fenway. But I stopped when I remembered that Boston had just gotten Edgar Martinez--Boston will probably be set at catcher for a few years.
---
One interesting note, Target Field is 8 feet shorter at the opposite field spot that Joe hit his homeruns last year. Many barely made it over and several were caught just short of the wall. I believe the fence is a couple feet higher at TF, but not significantly.

Victor Martinez will be a free agent the same time as Mauer after the '10 season. Mauer may be too expensive for the Sox to consider him a good value if he stays healthy next year. If I were betting, I'd guess he ends up in New York (Yanks or Mets) or signs a shorter "one last chance" type of contract with us.

[Zwak]

It was great to see the Angels pull one out. Agree it will be very tough to win two in NY but stranger things have happened.

As for Mauer and the Yankees I think that will be an interesting thing to watch. Posada is 38 so they'll need someone very soon but as you stated, with that team, you don't need much behind the plate to win. However, as we've seen many times, the Yankees are going to go after the best players and is there anyone better than Mauer right now? I'd hate to see Mauer leave and would love to see him in a Twins uniform for a long time but a part of me would be curious to see how things would work out for him in an environment like New York. That said, I'll be more than happy to just imagine that part.

Yeah, if Posada's 38, he's a couple years away from hanging up the cleats. He's awfully good as a 38 year old CATCHER Can you imagine inserting Mauer into that line up? Every team would have to pitch to him...if there is any line up in which he could flirt with .400, it's that one. That said, don't know a thing about Mauer personally, but by all accounts he seems like a really grounded midwestern kid who does not seek the spot light...baseball aside, if he's going to make a lifestyle choice, I don't see him wearing pinstripes.....

My fear about Mauer is that he may go elsewhere because he is too much in the spotlight here since he is the native son. The impression I got reading Souhan's interview with him (link below) was that he just wants to be a regular guy and tolerates but doesn't always like being recognized.

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/50498557.html

(Mauer and I both get our haircut at the same barbershop, by the way)

Devils advocate to my own concern would be the show of emotion he had after winning the division where he ran around the outfield. That might have been a turning point in him wanting to stay here.

[dxmnkd316]

6-1 Phillies take game 1

Cliff Lee absolutely destroys the yankees. Shuts down #3-#5: 1-12 with SEVEN Ks. Amazing.

[Hobey Baker]

6-1 Phillies take game 1

Cliff Lee absolutely destroys the yankees. Shuts down #3-#5: 1-12 with SEVEN Ks. Amazing.

How are the Cleveland fans feeling after watching their Cy Youngers pitch game 1 in the World Series? That would be tough to take.