2012 MLB Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

I'd be surprised if Rivera goes through all the rigors of returning from a torn ACL at his age. It's a shame the greatest closer of all time will likely go out in this way, but I just can't see him taking the rehabilitation needed to come back and then pitch maybe only a few months.

His last save will likely have been against my Baltimore Orioles.

[Blitz]

What about that guy they gave a huge contract to from Tampa? I thought he was the closer-in-waiting?

[Guest mr. potato head]

First Wilson, now Rivera. I've lost half my fantasy closers for the year already.

In more important news, BRANDON MORROW

[Ananas]

What about that guy they gave a huge contract to from Tampa? I thought he was the closer-in-waiting?

Soriano had a rough first season in the Bronx and this season has had some control problems, just skating by on luck so far really. Robertson has been outstanding as the 8th inning guy and has just been out of this world so far in 2012. Honestly, Mariano's the best reliever of all time but the contributions of a closer are so overrated that I really think the effect here is being overstated. David Robertson is very, very good. The only effect will be a bit of a cascading one as everyone moves up a rung in the bullpen ladder and a lesser arm makes the team to pitch low leverage situations.

[Meacon Keaton]

Obviously, losing Mo blows. Hopefully Robertson can go from being flawless in the eighth to being flawless in the ninth. I wish Soriano had panned out better, but he's been hit or miss the last thirteen months.

[Panni]

Obviously, losing Mo blows. Hopefully Robertson can go from being flawless in the eighth to being flawless in the ninth. I wish Soriano had panned out better, but he's been hit or miss the last thirteen months.

I would have absolutely no faith in Soriano taking the mound so I'm hoping Robertson gets the job. I guess it's time for Yankee fans to start realizing how all other 29 teams are forced to deal with the 9th inning.

[gunnar hendershow]

Closers are so hit or miss too. A guy can be lights out and then winds up pitching the 9th and within a few weeks himself demoted back to middle relief. Statistically if a guy is lights out in the 8th he should be the same in the 9th since there's supposedly no difference between the two, but at the end of the day guys just have their confidence shattered and stop trusting their go-to pitches.

[T.J.]

I swear I just saw a Christian Cage doppelganger at the Pirate game.

[Damian WayLNKe]

Chris Davis went 0 for 8 and is your winning pitcher in Boston.

[Blitz]

Bryce Harper just stole home. He's gonna be a complete stud.

[gunnar hendershow]

Chris Davis went 0 for 8 and is your winning pitcher in Boston.

What a wild, wild game. Chris Davis joins Matt Lindstrom, Luis Ayala, and Jim Johnson as O's relievers with perfect ERAs.

A +34 run differential on the year so far. I have no explanation for it.

[Guest mr. potato head]

Chris Davis went 0 for 8 and is your winning pitcher in Boston.

The only way this would be more awesome was if my quick-scan first reading was correct and you had said Chili Davis.

[naiwf]

I would be surprised if Jayson Werth didn't require some form of surgery after the way his arm bent on that attempted sliding catch.

[gunnar hendershow]

My friend had a trade offer in his inbox since Friday for Jayson Werth. Needless to say within seconds of seeing that play he accepted it.

[Blitz]

Just got this:

ESPN MLB - Phillies P Cole Hamels on HBP of Nationals rookie OF Bryce Harper: "I was trying to hit him"

Any thoughts? Guess Harper got them back by stealing home, but I've never understood the point of intentionally hitting a guy. You know one of your guys are gonna get pegged, and in this case, it was Hamels himself.

[gunnar hendershow]

I understand the idea of pitching inside on a guy, and in reality it's probably a lot safer to target a spot on the butt where there's a lot of padding instead of hitting him in the arm, head, or leg. That said, keep your mouth shut if you do it.

[Lint]

Heres the full article, puts it in a little bit...I dunno..better?...perspective then just "I was trying to hit him"

Cole Hamels likely just cost himself some money in the way of a fine, but the new contract he continues to pitch his way into will more than cover the expense. After holding the Nationals to one run with eight strikeouts in eight innings of work on Sunday night, Hamels didn't beat around the bush when asked what he was trying to do with a first-inning pitch that hit 19-year-old super prospect Bryce Harper in the back.

"I was trying to hit him," Hamels said. "I mean, I'm not going to deny it. It's something that I grew up watching. I'm just trying to continue old baseball, because I think some people get away from it. I remember when I was a rookie, the strike zone was really, really small and you didn't say anything, because that's the way baseball is. But I think unfortunately sometimes the league is protecting certain players and making it not as that kind of old school, prestigious way of baseball."

Hamels channeled his inner Bob Gibson when explaining his mind-set.

"It's just welcome to the big leagues," said Hamels, "and I think he kind of did that to me."

Hamels was referring to the fact that Harper, who was awarded first base with two out, went first to third on an ensuing single, then stole home when Hamels threw to first on a pickoff play.

"If he continues to do that, he's going to make a really good name for himself," Hamels said.

Nationals righthander Jordan Zimmermann responded by hitting Hamels in the leg as he squared to bunt in his first at-bat of the game. Zimmermann told Washington reporters after the game that he was not trying to hit Hamels.

Hamels said he expected to get hit.

"I'm happy that's the way it worked because that's the way it should work," Hamels said.

Hamels emphasized that he was not trying to hurt Harper.

When a reporter asked when he decided to welcome the kid to the big leagues, Hamels offered his first "no comment" of the night.

Earlier, Charlie Manuel said he did not think Hamels was trying to hit Harper.

"It looked to me like he was trying to come up and in on him and he hit him," Manuel said. "That's what I saw."

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillies/Cole-Hamels-says-hes-trying-to-bring-old-school-baseball-back-with-pitch-that-hit-Harper.html#ixzz1u9s1lOgq

Watch sports videos you won't find anywhere else

[MalaCloudy Black]

Ah, yes, that timeless baseball tradition of hitting the other guys. Tradition is a lame as fuck excuse.

[Blitz]

What if Zimermann tried to hit Hamels in the back, but because Hamels was squaring around to bunt, got nailed in the face. Payback. .

[T.J.]

It's called paying dues. The kid's 19 and he's a media sensation. He needed to be brought down to Earth. At least he didn't get the Londrick treatment...

Jeremy Lin needed something like that.