Ready for another season of baseball?

[Dark Dragonite]

I think Texas's stadium has something to do with high HRs, not as much as Colorado, which is why I wasn't impressed by Bond's first HR of the year...
You want some amazing finds:
Papelbon(Closer for Boston)
Shelton(1B Detroit)
Wigginton(3B TB)
Ensberg(3B Hou)

[Reborned-Dragon]

I'm not ready for this!

[mr_pikachu]

Well, it's probably a good time to breach a new subject in terms of baseball for this year...

As many of you who follow baseball closely are probably aware, Barry Bonds now has 711 home runs in his career. You're probably also aware that Babe Ruth earned 714 during his time in the major leagues, and that only one player - Hank Aaron, with 755 blasts - has ever topped the Babe's total. Thus, it seems almost certain that in the next few weeks, Bonds will surpass one of baseball's greatest legends.

However, this is not such a welcome event for all fans of the sport. While most probably would rather avoid such problems as resulted from the treatment of Roger Maris upon breaking the single-season home run record (with 61 to Ruth's 60, in case anyone is unaware), many are nonetheless incensed at the idea of Barry Bonds toppling such a figure. This seems to be due in part to Bonds' character - many fans outside of San Francisco see him as arrogant and abrasive - as well as to the recent controversy surrounding his and many other major leaguers' involvement with enhancement drugs. In fact, argument over this latter point has now reached a boiling point, with an investigative book detailing the mounting evidence of Bonds' dealings with such substances (in spite of flat denials throughout the affair), his closing in on the legendary 714, and the continuing debate through the whole of the MLB community about steroids all serving to ignite and strengthen the flames of passion on the subject.

So, what are your thoughts on the matter? Do you think there should be an asterisk assigned to any record which Bonds now sets? Should that be extended to some other baseball players, as well? Or is this simply a new evolution of the game? Are the benefits for sluggers cancelled out by the pitchers who also take performance-enhancing supplements? What does this mean for the future of baseball, and for competitive sports in general? Whatever your opinions on the matter, let us know!

[Dark Dragonite]

If Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGuire get asterisks, Barry Bonds should have a giant one, or an X, lol...
Seriously though, he may not reach it, between his bad knees, back, and lack of production when not on steroids...look, he's hit how many HRs this year? 3 in 21 games, granted in 49 ABs, he's been walked 26 times this year, last year he hit 5 HRs in 14 games, 42 ABs with 9BBs...big difference, most people are going to walk him nowadays...look at his career, he hit 73 HRs out of nowhere, the rest, he's averaged in the 40s, highest he hit besides 73 was 49...BIG difference...24HRs right there, which is how many he hit in 88 with the Pirates.
There's no celebration planned for him hitting 715, Selig(one of the worst comishes ever) said there's no celebration for passing second, but I think he would like to strip Bonds of many HRs...he's BSed everyone about it, atleast when Clinton was found out, or Pete Rose, since this is baseball, they admitted it...Bonds is still trying to act like he did nothing wrong.
The irony is, isn't Hank Aaron Bonds's godfather or related somehow?

Just to even my statements out, I think the game itself needs a clean sweep, just test everyone, those who fail, sit, I'd rather see naturals hit HRs, and come from the minors...

[Hatake Kakashi]

Good ol' Sox showing the Yankees that Damon didn't make them great

[Dark Dragonite]

Good ol' Sox showing the Yankees that Damon didn't make them great

y'know what?
I agree with you, and actually, I found it hysterical.

[mr_pikachu]

Hey, all you baseball card collectors out there! Listen to this!

This card costs 'cause you aren't supposed to have it'

Man, to have a copy of that card... whoo! That would really be something. It's always ironic how, in the card collecting business, the most valuable cards are always the ones that were screwed up. But it's funny that this card wasn't supposed to exist at all. That usually doesn't happen.

[Dark Dragonite]

*reads story*
Hmmmm.....
*runs to Walmart*
Time to make some $$!!

[Ghost]

Red Sox won, so i'm happy, but John Maine lost his game last night . Hopefully Pedro can pick it up tonight

[mr_pikachu]

Heh... as of yesterday, Albert Pujols has as many home runs this season as the entire Kansas City Royals team. Guess his record of 14 in April really was a big thing after all, huh?

[Ghost]

Heh... as of yesterday, Albert Pujols has as many home runs this season as the entire Kansas City Royals team. Guess his record of 14 in April really was a big thing after all, huh?

Not to accuse or anyting but uh... Is it just me or does Pujols look bigger then when he did in the minor leagues? I'm not accusing him of taking steroids, its just... Well he looks bigger.

[Dark Dragonite]

Not to accuse or anyting but uh... Is it just me or does Pujols look bigger then when he did in the minor leagues? I'm not accusing him of taking steroids, its just... Well he looks bigger.

Isn't he on the same team as that guy who set a record years ago, and suddenly got huge, and his name was Mark McGuire or something?
lol

[Perfect Chaos]

Damn, we got blown out pretty bad against the Braves today (lost 13-3).

I actually thought we'd get a rally going after Castro's "bloop" error-hit past the shortstop for Braves (I know it wasn't Renteria).

Well, we're at 21-10 and still have an 8 game lead over the Braves. First series against Phillies coming up and the matchups look good (Pedro vs. Brett Myers Tues., Glavine vs. Corey Lidle Wednesday, and Trachsel vs. Gavin Floyd Thursday).

I didn't watch today's game too much, but I heard that Beltran had a good day at the plate (2-3, HR, BB), so it seems he's picking up the slack. We had Jose Lima start (which came out of nowhere for me, though I heard about Maine on the DL).

This is great...we have three starting pitchers on the DL now (Bannister and Maine, and Zambrano might get onto the DL too with his elbow issue).

Right now, I'm going to go ahead and rant on how garbage Victor Zambrano is. One of the WORST trades we Mets have EVER DONE (giving up a top-rate prospect for his sorry-ass). Many people have said that his pitching ability is even higher than Pedro and that he has the best chance of all Mets' pitchers at throwing a no-hitter. Then again, those same players have also stated (which I TOTALLY agree with) that Zambrano has the best chance of throwing a no-hitter, and then LOSING it. He has been a complete under-achiever and was TOTALLY not worth having trading Scott Kazmir for (Kazmir would be having a MUCH better career right now with the Mets than the Devil Rays.) I mean c'mon, I see the guy throw an 8-inning game with 11 K's and he STILL loses the game (I'm talking about Kazmir BTW).

OK...I'm done

EDIT: It's been made official. Victor Zambrano has been placed on the 60-day DL and is considered done for the season due to a torn tendon in his right elbow. AGAIN, what a waste of a player

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

Zambrano was bad, but let us not forget Mo Vaughn...*cough*GARBAGE*cough*
That was the Red Sox Nation getting us back for Billy Buckner, eh?
We also have former starter Daren Oliver on the DL...but the real question is... Jose Lima?
His prime was so long ago, it's a dot on the horizon...I don't know much about Jeremy Gomez, but he has to be better than Lima, and I hear the Marlins are looking to trade a certain pitcher the Mets should jump on...anyone know who? LOL
Our rotation should look like this when Bannister gets better:
Pedro
Glavine
Trachsel
Bannister
Heilman(atleast he can't blow saves...hmmm...maybe we should start wagner, lol)

[Perfect Chaos]

The Marlins are REAL idiots if they do trade Willis. He and Cabrera are their cornerstones for years to come. They get rid of those two, the organization is DONE for a few more years to come.

Yeah, Mo Vaughn was garbage, but that was years before, when I was little and baseball didn't matter as much to me.

I think that our rotation SHOULD'VE looked like this:

Pedro
Glavine
Benson
Trachsel
Kazmir

And keep Seo and Heilman in the bullpen and then pull Bannister up another year or two later when Glavine retires. But that's just me

-Sean

[Dark Dragonite]

I can't argue too much, other than I think Benson is a sub-par pitcher, with a 4.89ERA, I believe, no, Lima was a bad decision too, but, oye...Kris and his loud mouthed, scantily clad wife needed to exit stage right.

As for the Marlins, do some research on their owner, he's the guy who held Montreal hostage for a new stadium, sold all their players, didn't they have Vlad? and sold the team off to Washington, then bought Florida. Yes, he was a hero to start, he brought a World Series home, BUT, immediately has expected a new stadium, and I don't think Joe-Robbie is half as old as Shea, Yankee, or the other parks.

[jet1213]

anyone see the 9-0 comback the yanks made against the rangers the other night?


orgasmic.

[Dark Dragonite]

no, and I didn't hear about a 9-0 comeback by the Yankees either, I did hear about Derek Jeter, and Jorge Posada coming back from a 9-0 deficit, lol

[mr_pikachu]

I'm starting to wonder if Bonds is ever going to tie Babe Ruth for second on the home run list. He played in eight straight games while sitting at 713, and that's the longest streak of consecutive starts for him in several years.

[Dark Dragonite]

Well, there was a pitcher who plunked him, got ejected, and a standing ovation, lol

[mr_pikachu]

Springer, you mean? (No, not Jerry.) Yeah, I saw the replay of that. Apparently the MLB is looking into how intentional the HBP was.

[Ghost]

Anyone see Duaner Sanchez get booted out of the game for no reason? That was crazy! I started freaking out after it, lol.

[Ghost]

Sorry for the Double post but...

METS OPEN UP THE SERIES BEATING THE YANKS! and we got Pedro going against Mussina tonight, thats going to be good... Red Sox also beat the Phillies, with David Ortiz hitting a monster upper deck shot! That ball must of went 450-500 feet...

Anyways, I agree with what our Rotation should look like, though I am kinda of glad we got Sanchez... Though we could of got him for alot less. Kazmir never should of been traded for Zambrano, but Rick Peterson can do anything, right?

I think our Rotation is looking bad. Other then Pedro and Glavine, we have almost 3 guaranted loses until Bannister comes back (Then we can get rid of Lima, I like Jeremi Gonzalez) We really need to dish out for Zito ( I don't like Livan Hernandez, he's too inconsistent), then we can be even higher in contention.

[Dark Dragonite]

Zito could be iffy, I mean, look at Hudson, and how Zito is now...I'd prefer Dontrelle, as long as they don't give up Wright or Milledge

[mr_pikachu]

IT HAS HAPPENED.

[Dark Dragonite]

SHIT HAS HAPPENED.

Thanks Billy Wagner, you were handed the keys at 4-0, 1 friggan inning...you let the Yankees right in...expensive chump...

[Pm-5000fan]

I just went to the Diamondbacks-Braves game and I can tell ya, this will be a good season. (Not because of the Diamondbacks-Braves game) :biggrin:

[Perfect Chaos]

SHIT HAS HAPPENED.

Thanks Billy Wagner, you were handed the keys at 4-0, 1 friggan inning...you let the Yankees right in...expensive chump...

Can you say utter meltdown? Jeeze, I watched the entire thing unfold (unfortunately) and it killed me when we lost

Kazmir never should of been traded for Zambrano, but Rick Peterson can do anything, right?

I think our Rotation is looking bad. Other then Pedro and Glavine, we have almost 3 guaranted loses until Bannister comes back (Then we can get rid of Lima, I like Jeremi Gonzalez) We really need to dish out for Zito ( I don't like Livan Hernandez, he's too inconsistent), then we can be even higher in contention.

DEFINITELY don't think Rick Peterson can do anything. Or else Zambrano would be like the GOD of our staff based on the ceiling he's considered to have pitching-wise. I have to agree that I think we should try to deal for Zito, but from the looks of it, we don't have much to give (no way in HELL we'd give up Wright and Milledge).

But I swear, if we trade Wright away by some GOD-AWFUL possibility, I will condemn the ENTIRE Mets organization and I will NEVER watch any of their games EVER again.

-Sean

[mr_pikachu]

Well, with none out and Steve Finley on first in the bottom of the fourth in today's Rockies-Giants game, Barry Bonds slammed a 3-2 pitch from Colorado's Byung-Hyun Kim over the center field wall for home run #715. He has now passed Babe Ruth and is 40 blasts away from Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755.


EDIT: This ESPN article just came out two minutes ago.


EDIT2: And I just love it when the mass media gets their information wrong. (It was the bottom of the fourth, moron! Your own site says that!)

[Dark Dragonite]

Screw Bonds, there are bigger stories...
DETROIT is winning the AL Central..holy shit, after losing 119 games last year...THIS should be bigger news...Bonds has consistantly hit HRs, since the steroids...'nuff said...

How about them Mets?

make a few trades...Julio for El Duque...Gonzalez for Adams...don't know about the Adams trade yet, he looks like a decent set up guy...El Duque just beat the Marlins:
5 innings, 3 hits, 3ERs, 3BB, 1HR...best part...7Ks!!
Time things changed from ex-Met pitchers having perfect games for the Yanks...

[mr_pikachu]

Forget winning the AL Central; they've got the best record in the majors! It's also surprising to see that the entire NL West is above .500. Of course, Pujols' saga continued in today's Padres-Cardinals slugfest with his 24th slam in St. Louis' 50th game of the year. That puts him on pace for 78 home runs this season. The Mets are a pleasant surprise this year; it's about time someone challenged the Braves for the division! Good to see the "other" New York team do well for a change.

And the Royals are in last place. Who didn't see that coming?


EDIT: Looking at the stats, the Royals have 11 wins in 48 games. They're on pace for 37 wins this year, which is less than half of the pace Pujols is setting with home runs.

I do love baseball sometimes!

[Dark Dragonite]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...tion=si_latest

Some guy sold his loyalty to the Royals of 25yrs on Ebay, LOL....

[mr_pikachu]

...I wonder how much money I could make by selling a bunch of my loyalties, with a pixel's worth of fine print for each?

That's hilarious, though. I can't blame him for getting fed up, but dang! That's one odd reaction.

[Number1ChanseyFan]

And the Royals are in last place. Who didn't see that coming? Looking at the stats, the Royals have 11 wins in 48 games. They're on pace for 37 wins this year.

I do love baseball sometimes!

[color=magenta]Luckily for the Royals, they still have 10 more games against Cleveland, who have given them almost half of their wins this year. (5-4 record against Cleveland.) The Indians have been pretty lousy to watch this year. I miss American Idol...

Seriously, I haven't even bought any tickets for this year, I haven't went to a game for over 2 years now. I just don't like the way that ownership has handled the team since 2001. If they would make a little more effort and get some decent players and increase payroll, I would have an easier time spending money on them. But it is really disheartening when the team consistently gets off to lousy starts, especially this year with Chicago and Detroit already running away. It makes it really hard to get excited about it. I guess I was just spoiled growing up watching Cleveland when they were good, I kinda used to think it would last forever. ^_^

OMG I read that SI article about the guy selling his Royals loyalty on eBay, and it said he is taking a liking to the Indians?! What the heck is wrong with the man?! I can see jumping off the Royals bandwagon after 25 years, but jeez, at least pick a decent team!! What does he want, another 25 years of lousyness? XD Maybe I will go on eBay and sell him all of my Indians crap, that way he can get off to a good start with his new favorite team!!

[Perfect Chaos]

I actually went to the May 27 game between the Mets-Marlins and blissfully managed to witness Glavine and 5-6 innings of perfect pitching. Unfortunately, he lost it, but we still got the win, which is all that matters.

On the matter of trades, if ONLY we could pull off more trades similar to the Julio for El Duque one, we'd be UNSTOPPABLE. Anyways, at least now we have four dependable starters (Trachsel is a bit iffy sometimes, and we still don't know too much about El Duque). But if they both pull together and Beltran still has the type of season he's having now, I think we'll pull through. Hopefully, his minor knee injury won't hamper him too much

I'm actually glad that Bond's got 715 (hell, we all know its almost impossible for him to get Aaron's record) and I doubt he will be able to break it, considering this if most likely his LAST year, and there's no way he would push himself for another season.

-Sean

[Number1ChanseyFan]

I'm actually glad that Bond's got 715 (hell, we all know its almost impossible for him to get Aaron's record) and I doubt he will be able to break it, considering this if most likely his LAST year, and there's no way he would push himself for another season.

I don't know, I heard that there is a good chance that he will head to the American League and become a DH next season, possible with New York or Detroit.

BTW interesting fact: Cleveland is the only team that Barry Bonds has never played against.

[+conspiracy+]

I don't know, I heard that there is a good chance that he will head to the American League and become a DH next season, possible with New York or Detroit.

BTW interesting fact: Cleveland is the only team that Barry Bonds has never played against.

yup, I heard that as well, and I think that if it does happen, hell most likely play 150+ and might even have a chance at the record assuming that his knee holds up

[Perfect Chaos]

Well, we all know his knee just can't handle running in the outfield. Maybe they'll try him out at 1B too (become another David Ortiz type of player, though I think Ortiz is MUCH better with a glove anyways)

-Sean

[Ghost]

Well, we lost today, but Wright got 2 HRs and Milledge got his first HR, but we still lost

I would like to acquire some better starting pitching, but for now i think im fine.

[Perfect Chaos]

Ditto on that Raven, though we don't have much to give

Who knows, maybe if Milledge got into a sudden hot streak, we could trade Matsui AND Nady and get another decent starter (we have Jose Valentin, Chris Woodward and possibly Anderson Hernandez to fill in for Matsui)

-Sean