The Baseball Book Club discussion
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If you had a time machine
My second choice would be to go back in time to a game where Ruth is pitching.
That would be cool. I like that choice. I'd like to see him pitch against Walter Johnson. That would be a hell of a game
If I had a time machine, I would go into the future, to see Clayton Kershaw's perfect game. Fuck Hamley Ramirez.
Mattingly said he considered sending in Carlos Triunfel as a defensive replacement for Ramirez in the seventh inning, but decided the eight-run lead wasn't enough. He made the switch in the eighth.The 8-run lead wasn't enough?
#firedonmattingly
I'm sorry. Should I not have sworn? Should I have used an asterisk instead of a vowel? Using the GoodReads app on my phone, I can't edit what I post. Anyway, the decision was Mattingly's, but Hanley could have said something to him . But I guess most players are too vain to admit to weakness on the field. Do their egos stand in the way of being real team players? What my mom would call false pride.
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Now I'm thinking narcissism must play a part. In which case, that would account for a player thinking no matter how he felt he would be able to help the team.
Lisa, how do you really feel? Lol. You know that's a tough call for a player because everyone thinks their the best and wants to be out there. If he got taken out too early then he might have felt embarrassed. . I'm guessing he has an injury due to you passionate outburst.
Lisa it seems like you are fine to me. Any news about your facebook post last week?
Unfortunately, Ramirez made an error that happen to cost Kershaw the perfecto, kind of like Jim Joyce did to Galarraga. It`s a shame, but that`s baseball. We will all know in our hearts exactly what Kershaw did.Mike Linn
P.S. I got back from Viet Nam when I was 21 , and at our first family dinner in nearly 2 years, my mother, who I had never heard say anything stronger than: HELL`S BELLS, said; "would someone please pass the fu*$ng salt. My mouth dropped open, but all we Linn`s did, was laugh! Bravo Lisa.
Ouch I didn't realize there was an error
It's not enough to ruin the afterglow of a wonderful game. Of the handful of games I've been to this season it was nice to be there when they won, let alone for such a special event!
Not sure if I made that clear. Hanley did not ruin the game. Completely.
That is an historic event-wish I had been there
Lisa wrote: "Mattingly said he considered sending in Carlos Triunfel as a defensive replacement for Ramirez in the seventh inning, but decided the eight-run lead wasn't enough. He made the switch in the eighth...."Well Boston once had an 11 run lead over Toronto and the Jays ended up winning the game 15-13.
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Well, I would venture to say that neither the Sox nor the Twins had a no-hitter going with a Cy Young Award winner pitching for them. #amiright
But what a bummer to watch those wonderful leads slip away like that. And I must admit, the Dodgers have done their fair share of that also. I just don't think it was at all likely to happen in this case. And that is a wonderful quote.
Is Hanley hurt? Because if he isn't I can't recall a team who takes out their starting shortstop for defensive purposes.
Yes! He was hit on his right hand ring finger the day before Kershaws' no hitter and was taken out of the game and listed as day to day!
I could have sworn I said the exact same thing as Lisa, 6 MONTHS AGO! (or 3, or 12,or......Mike Linn
Torre campaigned for him to get the Yankee job also
Interesting article by Rosenberg about LA Dodgers and Phillies:http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/do...
Several years ago, while still with the Marlins, Hanley made National sports headlines by loafing after a ball all the way into the left field corner. His fielding numbers on paper, indicate being slightly BELOW being an average fielding shortstop, and he has never, and will probably NOT win a gold glove award. His error the other night, really was no big deal, but because of what was going on, he is once again in a familiar place- the hot seat. If my gut instinct is right, once he is a free agent again, among others, the Yankee tailor will be looking to take his measurementsMike Linn
hahahah-I think you may be right Mike. I remember that play very well. He had to apologize publicly
Remember that the 1951 Giants- Dodgers playoff counted as regular season. My pick would be either 1980 NLCS or Halladay's perfecto@ Marlins 5/29/2010.
Well I saw those 5 games against Houston. One of the top 2 or three best playoffs ever.(but not in person).Also 1951 was the last year that teams could choose whether to bat first or last when they were at home. Until 1951 it was the home team's choice. Cool!
Haliday's no hitter against Cincy in 2010 meant a lot more
Hey Harold, you threw me when you said that article was by Rosenberg. Its Rosenthal, which matters to me only because I follow him on Twitter and have had a little interaction with him. Anyway what does this mean: . Now, less than a year later, he’s going to reverse a course, waive his 10-and-5 rights and approve a deal? And why wouldn't the other teams be interested in acquiring a shortstop? Seems like LA. & New York will want new ones next season.
Oh Michael, there's a Facebook page called Fire Don Mattingly you might like.
Hey Lisa, he's saying that just a year ago Utley signed a team friendly deal for two years, plus three one year options. So why in a years time after trying so hard to stay here would he say ok you can trade me. Rosenthal doesn't see Rollins wanting to leave either since his wife is from here and they have a home here. Howard and Lee are owed a ton of Cash still so basically the Phil's are going to ride it out with these guys and see what happens.
L.A. and New York will want a shortstop next year, just not a 36 year old one. I thought the Dodgers had a Cuban kid who played short while Hanley was injured.
Omg Mattingly might not be great but it's it's not his fault that The Dodgers haven't been Giant Slayers so to speak. L.A. I has made up 5 games in the last week. The Dodgers are only as good as their team Doctor. I still believe this is a hard team to gauge. Even with all the name players I still don't like their lineup. Crawford's hurt, A-Gon has seen his power numbers go down two years in a row and now after a hot April he's hitting .250 close to July. Eithier has 3 home runs, Uribe has been hurt, the catcher has been hurt although hit can't hit while healthy. Hanley has 10 homers but is another .250 hitter. Dee Gordon has cooled off after a nice start. Kemp and Puig are the only two playing well and the reports keep saying they want to get rid of Kemp. They have 3 solid starters that are keeping them in the race. This is a hard team to read because the names jump out at you as star players but most of them haven't had a good season for a couple of years now.
Hey Mike, you REALLY think Mattingly can manage? True , this is a star-studded , overpaid, underachieving team, but how much does that roster really have to beat. The Giants-period. Every team is hurting, but give me Joe Maddon any day, and I`ll take my chances.Mike Linn
Sorry I'm late but Mike A. answered your question and yes I did mistakenly refer to Rosenberg rather than Ken Rosenthal. I have read that the dodgers are happy with Dee at second and they won't trade for Rollins to replace Hanley because the power is one sided plus the age of Rollins would make it foolish. The Giants have Brandon Crawford at ss. But I think they would love Utley even at 35 to bolster 2nd base.Utley has been a Philly since he came up shortly in 2004 and I think he wants to be a Philly for life. His wife does animal cruelty work in the area and they are happy here. BUT Utley wants to win and if they are 6 games under .500 by the all-star game, I think he'd approve a trade to the Giants. The real question is what could the Giants provide in return. But today the Phillies are only 3.5 games out with Lee on the not too distant horizon and now a healthy Cody Asche. Maybe they can make a run.(whose kidding who?)
And Mike Linn, I wouldn't count the Dodgers out yet. They still have the best pitching staff and as you correctly say, it's pitching that counts. The Giants are faltering with their pitching and while they have been hitting timely and with power, I'm not convinced they can sustain it.
PS the dodger shortstop who I thought looked great when Hanley was injured is Erisbel Arruebarruena
There are 90 games to go, the Dodgers are still the team to beat there, I just wish they had a managerMike Linn
And they`ve cut a 9 1/2 game deficit to 4
It's not that I think he's a great or even good manager, hell even Danny Ozark won 3 division titles with the Phillies, i just think he's a lightning rod for criticism because people expect this team to win it all. I agree with you on Madden. It would be interesting to see what he could do with a normal payroll. Just my opinion now but I don't think managers have the same impact that they used to. I'm not sure how you judge them. If they have a big payroll and don't win they're bad, if they have a low payroll and do ok they're great. Who knows maybe if Tampa had more money and kept some of their guys with long term deals Maddon might have had a tougher time being forced to play some of these guys. His outfield might have been Crawford, Hamilton, and Delmon Young, who all could have easily been on the DL at the same time.
Harold, the Phillies aren't that good their division stinks. The bull pen is shaping up who knows. Remember the 73 mets went 82-79 and won the east.
I agree that managers in baseball are less causative of results than probably any other sport. But when it comes to a close division race, it's like what Buck Showalter says. He works his tail off for years and he says it may account for two wins a season, but that may be the difference in making the playoffs.Managing is just that; managing the players efforts and keeping them disciplined and engaged. You don't need to be a genius to do that.(Ozark was probably the dumbest manager I can ever recall
Managers are difficult to judge. How many wins does a good manager get all by himself for a year? A handful? If a manager gets ANY by himself, that`s good managing, but the converse has to be true too. With a star-studded team, does a manager COST his team victories. I think the most difficult thing managers HAVE to do, is coordinate the bullpens, one of the hardest, if not THE hardest task in baseball. How good was a Billy Martin, abraisive and all, improving teams wherever he went? Or was he very counter-productive?Mike Linn
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The major knock on Showalter , was that he was Hitler in PINSTRIPES! There has to be a reason he was dismissed from 2 clubs that went on immediately to win championships. I guess this time around, he`s mellowed(right) and lets his experience take over.Mike Linn
In New York George thought he should have won and didn't. Goodbye
Mike I agree the Phillies aren't a playoff team but injuries and underperforming by other teams can make some surprising endings. Look at the Cards in 2011- I think they were mostly .5oo until the last 6 weeks and went bonkers. of course they were a much better team that us. My point is that the Phillies brass won't trade the veterans if they stay within 6 games of first. They may even try to add a bat or starter.I still think the Nats will pull away in late July.
Do you know the author? Searching that title gets you a long list of kids books...