Hot Boys with Balls: the Baseball 2013 thread

[PrincessLeppard]

Let's see.

The Beard remains unsigned. I am sad.

The Astros are going to the American League.....which just seems wrong. I was a huge Astros fan back when I lived in Houston, and I intensely dislike the DH, so this is unacceptable. And you kids get off my lawn!

As of yet, I have no tickets to any Major League games.

[sk8er1964]

Why are the Astros going to the American League? All I can think of then I think of them is weird, colorful uniforms. That was them, wasn't it?

[PrincessLeppard]

The Astros are going to the AL to balance out the leagues. And at one time, the Astros wore really crazy uniforms. Not when I was a fan, though.

[Zemgirl]

The Astros are going to the American League.....which just seems wrong. I was a huge Astros fan back when I lived in Houston, and I intensely dislike the DH, so this is unacceptable. And you kids get off my lawn!

I believe that means season-long interleague, right? I disapprove - get off my lawn, indeed.

[PrincessLeppard]

Interleague play.

[sk8er1964]

At least it allows my family some interleague rivalry (Pittsburgh/Detroit) except that Detroit always seems to win.

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The Angels have shored up their bullpen which was the biggest problem the team had last season. I'm not very familiar with any of the new starters though, so I'm a little weary.

[Zemgirl]

I'm cautiously optimistic. The Angels have shored up their bullpen which was the biggest problem the team had last season. I'm not very familiar with any of the new starters though, so I'm a little weary.

I'd be weary when it comes to Tommy Hanson, too. His velocity has been dropping, and there are apparently mechanical issues. OTOH, if it does work out for the Angels, that's a nice bargain.

[Rob]

I am going to Nats spring training at the end of March. Can't wait.

[sk8er1964]

Damn. Your post made me look at spring training. The week we get to Florida is the opening week for the season. The Tigers will be in Minnesota.

[Rob]

Adam LaRoche signed with the Nats again. Yeah.

[PrincessLeppard]

So NOBODY made it into the Hall of Fame? Did I hear that right?

Interesting.

[AragornElessar]

So NOBODY made it into the Hall of Fame? Did I hear that right?

Interesting.

You heard right. Which was fantastic considering the majority of the make up the group, but not so much for Jack Morris. Next year's his last chance too.

[KHenry14]

You heard right. Which was fantastic considering the majority of the make up the group, but not so much for Jack Morris. Next year's his last chance too.

With Glavine, Maddux and Johnson all coming on the ballot next year, Morris doesn't have a prayer against those guys.

[Zemgirl]

With Glavine, Maddux and Johnson all coming on the ballot next year, Morris doesn't have a prayer against those guys.

Maddux is obviously going to get in easily, and I hope Glavine will be first-ballot too, they should go in together. I assume you mean Randy Johnson, but I don't think he's eligible until 2015. Frank Thomas is eligible and should get in sooner rather than later. Of the holdovers, Biggio will probably be elected, since he was pretty close this year, maybe Piazza too? Agreed that Morris's chance was this year.

Eventually they'll have to figure out what to do about steroid era players. If a confessed cheat was voted in (Gaylord Perry, who doctored baseballs) I don't see why certain players currently on the ballot should be kept out based on suspicion only.

[KHenry14]

For whatever reason, throwing a spitball or doctored ball, has been viewed as "cute" and not seen with the same disdain as using PEDs. Even though throwing a ball like that has been illegal since 1920, guys like Perry and an even weaker candidate in Don Sutton got elected. But IMO, cheating is cheating.

Jack Morris was always viewed as a marginal candidate by the writers. His stats tend to let him down, especially his very high ERA. But ask anyone in the 80's who'd you want on the mound, and it's Morris.

Piazza has PED rumors to contend with, lots of writers commented on the bad back acne they'd see on him, plus the major muscles which are indicative of PED use. It's not proof, but at this point, mere suspicion loses you votes.

You will also see a number of voters change their non-votes for the suspected PED users. Many are on the record that they intend a one year boycott.

BTW, one unspoken problem for the HOF will happen should guys like Bonds or Clemens get in. Lots of HOFers will not attend the ceremony if those guys get in. A boycott would be very embarrassing, as the roll call before the induction is the highlight of the day for most people. Yet it will happen, that's for sure.

[professordeb]

I found it funny that no one got in ... well in a sad way. I'd like to see Bonds and the other PED users have to wait a very loooooooooooooooooooooooong time should they ever get in.

Morris -- I feel bad for him not getting in yet. I understand that he may not have the numbers that others wish he did but I would agree, if I needed someone on the mound back then, Morris would be my first call.

[sk8er1964]

Speculation on the radio here is that Morris won't ever get in because he wasn't the friendliest person to the writers/media back in his day, and they are the ones who vote.

[Alixana]

Speculation on the radio here is that Morris won't ever get in because he wasn't the friendliest person to the writers/media back in his day, and they are the ones who vote.

He needs to start sending them all gift baskets now .. and keep it up till election time next year. Seriously, he was THE guy you wanted on the mound in a crucial game back in his day, and the one guy you didn't want to face if you were on the opposing team. Maybe we need another category of inductees voted on by HOFamers themselves. Surely they're a better judge of "hall of fame" criteria than baseball writers. (Not that I want to open up the can of worms that is "how you get into the Baseball Hall of Fame".)

[Zemgirl]

Speculation on the radio here is that Morris won't ever get in because he wasn't the friendliest person to the writers/media back in his day, and they are the ones who vote.

His ERA isn't helping him much, either. It's on the high end, and while I'm not familiar with his numbers based on advanced metrics, I bet most HoF voters aren't, either BTW, I've heard the same said about Barry Bonds - that people would be more forgiving about the PED issue if he weren't perceived as a jerk.

OTOH, being a nice guy and a class act didn't help Dale Murphy. The character clause is only used to keep people out, when voters feel like it.