BASEBALL!

[Kobi]

Teriffic pitchers duel last night. Bamgarner was cruising along. And the Giant bats came thru for him. So did their gloves. Lots of nice plays.

Fister was pitching well too....even after taking that line drive off the side of his head. Not sure why Leyland took him out. Not sure why he stuck with Smyly either. He was not pitching well, hence the reasons for the 2 runs.

Tigers looked a bit more animated and their bats a bit more lively. Maybe some home cooking will generate the spark they need.

[Soon]

I'm right across the river from Detroit. They've been our team! I'm sad. I want this for Detroit! It's been since 84! (not sure how long for SF)

[Soon]

Originally Posted by Greyson

This Dodger die hard fan says "Go Tigers!" Besides be at odds with the SF Giants for a lifetime because of my allegience to my home team the Dodgers; The Detroit Tigers deserve the World Series. If they don't win it this year, I am happy they made it this far.

Once again, I agree with you Greyson!

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Soon

I'm right across the river from Detroit. They've been our team! I'm sad. I want this for Detroit! It's been since 84! (not sure how long for SF)

Giants won 2 years ago.

I just would like to see a well fought series that when it ends, I can say .....wow both teams gave it their all, fought tooth and nail, showed they were both championship caliber, and its a shame anyone had to lose.

Tigers have a shitload of talent that has yet to show up in this series. I hope it is not because of the long layoff. They have had a great season and a wonderful post season. They can do it. They need to believe in themselves. And, they need to look like they are having fun out there.

[Kobi]

Ok home cooking did not help the Tigers bats or attitude. They look like they are just going thru the motions. It is sad to watch because they are such a good and powerful team.

Giants can wrap up another championship tonight. I would love if Matt Cain could close it out with a big win. He has to be one of the most underrated pitchers in MLB the past couple of years.

Scherzer can be a worthy opponent but not if the bats stay silent.

[Greyson]

I am hoping something clicks for the Tigers tonight. That the lighbulb goes off in their heads and hearts and they play World Series caliber.

Either way, I am glad Detroit made it this far. IMO, baseball has much history that shows best of us and the not so best of us. Play ball!

[macele]

what does mac think about this? i know that's what you all want to know lol. haha lol.

if the lay off is part of the reason the tigers are not in the groove, then that needs to be changed, ... the tigers are being punished for sweeping the yankees. i know they're not. they get the opportunity to rest their bodies, etc.

and after saying all of this, ... i'll say that i do think the lay off is the reason the tigers are not in a groove and the giants are. but also there's luck. the tigers don't seem to be getting the breaks and the giants are. most often that comes down to who is working harder. when you are, then luck comes your way. and now, why i really think the giants are winning, ... they want it! and they are seeing the ball as if it is a watermelon.

cain and zito pretty much pitched the same all year. a few bumps in the road. vogelsong did good the first half and then toward the end of the year, ... he just hit bottom, ... then evened back out. lincecum did awful all year. the coach thought about taking him out of the rotation. but now, when they need the pitching the most, ... all 4 are in a zone. they've caught on fire, ... together. how cool is that!

i was watching the mlb network the other day and a player said to be the only 2 teams left standing, ... and then to win the last game of the year, ... a major high. i love thinking about feeling that.

i just hope the tigers are still standing after tonight, and then so on. one pitch at a time. offense and defense. in the moment. and seeing watermelons.

[Kobi]

Who would have thunk they could have been facing elimination and comeback to win 7 straight games. Determined lil buggers who believed in themselves all year. Good stuff.

At least the Tigers showed up for a bit last night. Still wonder what would have happened if they didnt have a weeks downtime.

When does spring training start?

[macele]

that last at bat for the tigers, ... you could really tell their backs are against the wall and they couldn't zoom in, focus on hitting. not taking anything away from romo, ... he pitched great, ... no fear.

the giants celebrated. they really looked like they were having a great time, ... hard work paying off.

i hear you kobi, spring training lol.

[ruffryder]

CONGRATULATIONS GIANTS !!

[Greyson]

Go Dodgers!

[Ciaran]

Thought it was worthwhile to reignite this thread, given that the baseball season has started again.


Unfortunately, whilst 1920s and 1930s Yankees history continues to consume much of my time, I've been totally out of the loop on current trends so, other than the injury to Derek Jeter, I'm not sure which of the teams are strong contenders this year?


I attend my first game of the season next Sunday - Toronto Blue Jays @ the Yankees. For some reason, I always love the atmosphere of a lazy Sunday afternoon baseball game, esp when played in glorious sunshine.


Go Yankees !

[Gráinne]

As of a few days ago, the Yankees were atop their division despite injuries. The Blue Jays were supposed to be contenders, but so far have been dismal. The game might get out of hand early.

In the Central division, the Tigers and (surprisingly) my beloved Cle**land are in a shootout for first. The Rangers are out in front in the west, as predicted.

Over in the NL, the Braves, Nationals, Cardinals and Giants (again) are all on top or close to it, and all were thought to contend. But it's such a long season, and May doesn't often look like September.

[Gráinne]

These color photos of an obviously ill Babe Ruth appeared today on the Time website (the same company published Life magazine, where they appeared)

http://life.time.com/culture/babe-ru...=lf%7Cmoreon#1

He's wearing the "NY" logo, but in his career that logo wasn't used, so he never wore it as a player.

It's poignant to me how baggy his suit is in the 1947 pictures, and leaning on a bat for support in 1948.

[AtLast]

My SF Giants are a mess!

[Ciaran]

Originally Posted by Gráinne

These color photos of an obviously ill Babe Ruth appeared today on the Time website (the same company published Life magazine, where they appeared)

http://life.time.com/culture/babe-ru...=lf%7Cmoreon#1

He's wearing the "NY" logo, but in his career that logo wasn't used, so he never wore it as a player.

It's poignant to me how baggy his suit is in the 1947 pictures, and leaning on a bat for support in 1948.

Below is an original photo of Ruth from 1948 that's in my private collection. This photo was purchased from the archives of the Baltimore News and shows Ruth in the days before his death. By now, Ruth was staying at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center where he would die. However, whilst there, he was able to visit his home town of Baltimore for one last time. This photo was taken during that visit. The photo was ultimately published by the Baltimore News on August 18 1948, two days after his death:




The allure of the Yankees isn't about the pin stripes of big business or the other brick-bats thrown at them. Rather, it's the personal stories and lives of legends who sometimes struggled with the expectations and stresses of playing for one of the world's greatest sporting institutions. For example, amongst more recent generations, think of Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin and their well-publicised struggles with alcoholism.


The greatest ever baseball team was, without doubt, the 1927 Yankees. No other baseball team has ever come close. However, it is particularly poignant how the lives of many of that side would end in tragedy. Manager Miller Huggins would die only two years later, still a young man. The three most famous and loved of that legendary Yankees' side met sad deaths:

• Babe Ruth, ravaged by cancer, died at 53.
• Lou Gehrig, struck down with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis whilst in the height of his playing career. He would die a cruel death, aged just 38.
• Tony Lazzeri, the first great Yankee of Italian heritage well before Joe DiMaggio and the most popular of all the 1927 Yankees. He died of an epileptic fit, aged 42. His wife and son were away on holiday at the time so his body lay undiscovered at the bottom of the stairs of his house for a few days.

[Ciaran]

Apologies for what is, again, a post that's related to baseball history rather than the present game. However, I think this one is of interest for a variety of reasons and well worth including here for BFP-ers who are baseball enthusiasts.


It's an article on Jackie Mitchell, a 17 year old female who struck out probably the two greatest baseball legends of all time, Lou Gehrig & Babe Ruth:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...Mitchell-1.jpg


Interestingly, to me, she looks fairly androgynous in the photos, including the one in which she is pictured applying make-up.

[pkrpower]

LETS GO DETROIT TIGERS

[Gráinne]

Originally Posted by Ciaran

Apologies for what is, again, a post that's related to baseball history rather than the present game. However, I think this one is of interest for a variety of reasons and well worth including here for BFP-ers who are baseball enthusiasts.


It's an article on Jackie Mitchell, a 17 year old female who struck out probably the two greatest baseball legends of all time, Lou Gehrig & Babe Ruth:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/histor...Mitchell-1.jpg


Interestingly, to me, she looks fairly androgynous in the photos, including the one in which she is pictured applying make-up.

For what it's worth, here's the Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Mitchell

I didn't know there were female players before the "A League Of Their Own" time (1940's). She was offered a position, but refused.

[cricket26]