MLB (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL) 2007 season... HARDBALL !!

[Namnori]

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4 Million fans - A number that teams from smaller cities could only dream to attain. See the difference between NY and let's say ... Tampa Bay. Steinbrenner can afford to pay and keep his all-star roster (with his team's fanbase). Tampa Bay can't. Not even Miami and Ft. Lauderdale - (Marlins). There's just not enough Marlins fan to generate enough money to get bigger and better stars... while Steinbrenner can ... hell, he even ditched a great player (Soriano) for another great player (A ROD)... other teams would've given their left testicle to keep a player like Soriano.

OT: Actually, they didn't dump Soriano, they traded him along with a minor leaguer for Arod. They thought that Arod was the better player, so it was an upgrade. Other teams would've traded them too if they thought it would help the team get better (unless it was the Marlins... now they would have just dumped him). The Yankees took advantage of an opportunity to lock him in for a long time and have someone else cough up over 1/3 of the contract cost.... because the TX Rangers payed the Yankees almost 38% of his salary for the remaining 7 years of his contract. This took place before the 2004 season, so Arod is still under contract to the Yankees through the 2010 season, which also happens to be the year that Jeter's contract expires.
The Yankees broke the 4 million barrier for the first time 2 years ago. In 1994 and 1995, the Yankees attendance was below the major league average. After that, the Yankees started their rise to the top again, making the playoffs the last 12 years in a row, with 6 World Series appearances (4 championships). Now putting a winner on the field always puts the fannies in the seats, which means more revenue to keep or sign players that will keep you there.
$15,000,000 for the entire team salary? Where do they shop for players... walmart... or do they just hire retirees, I mean... they have plenty of those in FL, right? ... heheh.

@EZRA.... I'm starting a baseball thread to continue our baseball discussion and also so that others might see the topic and talk about some hardball too. Plus, I don't want the Istorya Police to fine me for too many OT's...heheh. Find it in Sports & Rec Topic: MLB (MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL) 2007 season.

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This thread started from a discussion on the American Football thread (last couple of posts quoted above). Decided to open a new thread on baseball because I haven't seen any baseball posts.
Anyone else into baseball here? Post your favorite teams, thoughts, and anything and everything about U.S. Major League Baseball. (MLB).

My favorite team is the New York Yankees. I'm so glad to have pitcher Andy Pettite back in pinstripes this upcoming season :mrgreen:, and almost as happy to be rid of pitcher Randy Johnson.

Also, before any Red Sox fans come on here and think you will strike the first blow... think again .... BOSTON SUCKS and always will... and add a big bronx cheer to that.... Seriously, good luck this year... break a leg.... and I mean that, break them both while your at it..... heheh. All in good fun

[EZRA]

Don't you like the big unit? He did okay with the Yankees ... personally I'd pick him over Pettite.

I'm a Mariners fan just `cause of one person... ICHIRO.

[Namnori]

I really don't know how much R.Johnson has left at 43 years old. His numbers dropped again last year. Sure he was 17-11 but that had alot to due with the run support the Yankees gave him. He had the highest run support in the entire major leagues last season. The Yankees gave him 7.51 runs a game! The next highest run support a pitcher in the league got from his team was 6.77. Johnson had by far the worst ERA of his career (5.00) & his strikeouts were way down. Finally, he just wasn't a good fit and couldn't handle the spotlight in NY. He even hurt the Yankees with a personal feud with Yankees' starting catcher Jorge Posada. By refusing to let Posada do the catching when he was pitching, it hurt the Yankees overall, as Posada was a better hitter than the backup catcher. And personally, it seemed like everytime the Yankees were on tv over here and he pitched, Randy took a beating. I wish him luck though, the Diamondbacks hope that he can recapture his past back in an environment that he seems to enjoy more.

Getting Andy Pettite back has much more of an upside to me. This guy did not have a great year last year by any means 14-13 with a 4.20 ERA (only received 4.83 run support).  Just 2 seasons ago he was 17-9 but had an extremely low ERA of 2.39. The Astros only gave him 4.53 run support that season. The Yankees surely will provide him with more runs than that. He's 34 years old (9 years younger than Johnson), proven that he can handle the the big apple's pressure, doesn't cause problems, and is a fan favorite.

Ichiro is a great player with blinding speed, good power, exceptional glove, and outstanding arm, Hey, he has one year left on his contract right, and Abreu (Yankees right fielder has only one year left too cuz the Yankees didn't pick up their option on his contract for 200. Maybe Steinbrenner is thinking about Ichiro roaming the outfield grass of the New NY Yankee Stadium that will be ready for the 2008 season..... heheh. Don't mean to scare you...heheh. Ichiro is apparently building a huge house in Washington State in anticipation of a huge upcoming contract from the Mariners... but we'll see. 

[Big|nimZ]

A Padres fan but GO ICHIRO! The WBC games last year he did a clutch hit. That was a classic.

[slakker]

New York Yankees fan here! hope they get another starting pitcher to fill their roster. Hopefully Chien Ming Wang will continue his amazing performance last season.

[Namnori]

The 2007 season is about to begin. Since I live in the Philippines right now, I am glad that I am a Yankees fan. It seems that about 75% of the games shown on TV here (ESPN) involve the Yankees :mrgreen:

***Upcoming broadcasts of "live" MLB games on ESPN (Sky Cable Cebu)
Philippines time

Friday April 6th @ 7:00 am Devil Rays at Yankees
Saturday April 7th @ 7:00 am Orioles at Yankees


GO YANKEES

[slakker]

that's probably why i became a Yankee fan, cos most of the games i get to watch on tv involve the yankees...
opening day pitcher for the yankees is Carl Pavano, i've got my fingers crossed on him...

[Namnori]

. I just finished (about an hour ago) watching the game between the Yankees and the Indians televised live here in the Philippines on ESPN. What a finish for the Yankees. They trailed 6-2 heading into the bottom of the 9th and the first two batters made outs, so the Yankees were down to their last out of the game. Next man (Phelps) steps up to the plate and hits a solo home run. Yankees now trail 6-3 but are far from threatening to win still... with the bases empty and 2 outs. Posada steps to the plate and singles. Damon then draws a walk. So now there are men on first and second base with 2 outs. Jeter then singles and Posada scores to make it a 6-4 score. Once again, runners are on first and second bases. Abreu then delivers a single and Damon scores to bring the Yankees to within one run at a score of 6-5. The hottest hitter on the planet, Arod (Alex Rodriguez) steps to the plate. Runners are at first and second again, but a wild pitch moves the runners to 2nd and third. Tying run is only 90 feet away. AROD has already hit a walk off home run this year (a grand slam) and here was his chance to be the hero once again. He didn't dissapoint... with two strikes against him, he blasted a shot over 400 feet away over the center field wall and that ended the game as the Yankees won in dramatic fashion. Final score of 8-6. Players that leaped from the Yankee's dugout mobbed Arod as he touched home plate after that shot, his MLB leading 10th home run of the year. It also gives him 26 RBI's already on this young season. Looks like Giambi is starting to come around and hit also... he hit his fourth home run of the year and it was his second in the last two games. Giambi's average is creeping up towards becoming respectable also.

The Yankees are off to an okay start (8-6) despite alot of injuries, especially to their pitching staff. The offense is carrying them. Yankees head to Boston this weekend to face their rivals the Red Sox . Boston will send their best 3 starting pitchers to the mound in the 3 game series. The Yankees will put up veteran Pettite against Schilling in the first game on Friday Night (Saturday morning here in the Phils). It looks like Karstens will throw for the Yankees against Beckett on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning in Phils).
On Sunday evening (monday morning Phils) Yankee rookie Wright should get the start against heralded Red Sox rookie Matsuzaka (Dice K).

Fortunately, 2 of the upcoming three games against the Red Sox are scheduled to be televised here in the Phillipines on ESPN. Here is the TV Schedule so you can check out this heated long time rivalry: (Philippines time)

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox Saturday April 21st 7:00 am LIVE on ESPN (There should be a repeat telecast on ESPN at 9 pm Saturday night too).

New York Yankees @ Boston Red Sox Sunday April 22nd 4:00 am LIVE on ESPN (repeat telecast scheduled for 9pm Sunday night).


Next weekend there are 3 Yankee games scheduled to air on ESPN, including 1 game against the Toronto Blue Jays and two more against the Red Sox as they come to visit the BRONX, NY.

[slakker]

wow! what a game... they score 6 runs with 2 outs in the ninth... wow! go yankees...

[Namnori]

Pitching is killing the Yankees. They have lost 6 in a row.
They have started 5 rookie pitchers this year.... crazy... because of injuries to some starters & failure of others.
Well, we have Wong back in the rotation and Matsui back in the lineup. Mussina should be back as a starting pitcher next week.
We have decent pitching to go up against the Red Sox as they come into the Bronx this weekend for a three game series. Hope we can sweep them back like they did to us last weekend in Boston.

Game vs Red Sox is on tomorrow... Saturday ESPN (delayed broadcast) scheduled at 4 p.m. Pettite is pitching for the Yankees vs Dice K for the Sox. Pettite pitched great last weekend vs Boston but Rivera gave up the lead in a big 8th inning for the Red Sox.

Let's Go Yankees.