OT - I'm bored, Part Pangos & Bell!

[pixburgher66]

It's amazing to me because so many of these players played in the Dominican or Venezuelan Winter Leagues while they came up through the minors, and the culture of those leagues is full of over-the-top celebration, and everyone loves it. A guy hits a home run, he does something ridiculous to celebrate it, and the opposing dugout gets a kick out of it. The Korean Baseball Organization, guys do dramatic big bat flips, sometimes on fly outs and foul balls, and it's amazing, and no one gets mad.

And isn't that pure-joy approach really the game in its purest form? My favorite players to watch are the ones who do not hide the fact that they're having a ball out there. I'd love it if the culture of the American game would allow more of that without pointless retaliation.

Completely serious: blame the stiffs in St. Louis and their "right way" BS. The right way to play a game is TO ENJOY PLAYING THE GAME. I actually read something recently (Jesse Spector maybe? I can't recall) talking about how this is actually a relatively recent thing, not enjoying a homer. People say it's not done in the spirit of baseball, but if you watch a lot of older highlights no one was called out for a bat flip, they were laughed at a bit. What it illustrates is the growing egos of pitchers. You gave up a home run, deal with it. It's no reason to start a brawl.

 

[Darkstone42]

Completely serious: blame the stiffs in St. Louis and their "right way" BS. The right way to play a game is TO ENJOY PLAYING THE GAME. I actually read something recently (Jesse Spector maybe? I can't recall) talking about how this is actually a relatively recent thing, not enjoying a homer. People say it's not done in the spirit of baseball, but if you watch a lot of older highlights no one was called out for a bat flip, they were laughed at a bit. What it illustrates is the growing egos of pitchers. You gave up a home run, deal with it. It's no reason to start a brawl.

Also, I demand more of this:


And this:


(Jung-ho warning in the second one, pix.)

 

[pixburgher66]

Also, I demand more of this:


And this:


(Jung-ho warning in the second one, pix.)

I just miss him so muchhhhh......

 

[Nasty_Magician]

There will be playoff baseball in Queens! May have to shell out a few pesos this October.

 

[pixburgher66]

I already feel myself getting angry about a potential wild card loss to Arrieta. Pirates may end up with a 100 wins and in a freaking play in game.

 

[dare2be]

Pirates are doomed if they don't take the division. Simple as that.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Pirates are doomed if they don't take the division. Simple as that.

Either way they play the Cardinals no? Are their home and away splits bad?

 

[pixburgher66]

Either way they play the Cardinals no? Are their home and away splits bad?

Nah, point is if they don't win the division they have to face the hottest pitcher in the game in a one game winner takes all. In other words, a great team could very likely be booted for the second year in a row because of a hot pitcher. The Pirates would beat the Cards in a series, I honestly believe that. What I struggle with is having hope they could beat Arrieta in the wild card game. 162 games of hard work, and they could get screwed by a one game crap shoot. Now don't get me wrong, Gerrit Cole could just as easily match or one up Arrieta, that's the kind of pitcher he is...but Arrieta is on an absolutely insane "never been done before" run.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Nah, point is if they don't win the division they have to face the hottest pitcher in the game in a one game winner takes all. In other words, a great team could very likely be booted for the second year in a row because of a hot pitcher. The Pirates would beat the Cards in a series, I honestly believe that. What I struggle with is having hope they could beat Arrieta in the wild card game. 162 games of hard work, and they could get screwed by a one game crap shoot. Now don't get me wrong, Gerrit Cole could just as easily match or one up Arrieta, that's the kind of pitcher he is...but Arrieta is on an absolutely insane "never been done before" run.

David Price would like a word.

 

[pixburgher66]

David Price would like a word.

Not even close. Jake Arrieta is pitching out of his damn mind. Price won't get the Cy Young, Arrieta probably will. He's given up four runs in his past 11 starts, has a post-ASG ERA of .44. It's not close.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Not even close. Jake Arrieta is pitching out of his damn mind. Price won't get the Cy Young, Arrieta probably will. He's given up four runs in his past 11 starts, has a post-ASG ERA of .44. It's not close.

I'll bet all my vCash Price wins the AL Cy. His only competition is Keuchel and he has a dumb name and stumbled a few times down the stretch.

I'm not saying Arrieta isn't on fire the past two months, but Price has been far more comparable than you're letting on and he has been doing it against better offences than Arrieta (including 4 great performances against the second-best offence in the majors, the Yankees).

 

[dare2be]

Perfect game thru 6, one-hiitter in 7. Pirates only chance is to get the pitch count up against Arrieta in the hopes they get him out of the game early enough and can score enough runs in the last 3 innings to win. Otherwise, one-and-done wildcard game it is.

We need this division title.

 

[pixburgher66]

I'll bet all my vCash Price wins the AL Cy. His only competition is Keuchel and he has a dumb name and stumbled a few times down the stretch.

I'm not saying Arrieta isn't on fire the past two months, but Price has been far more comparable than you're letting on and he has been doing it against better offences than Arrieta (including 4 great performances against the second-best offence in the majors, the Yankees).

The Pirates are a lethal offense. If this is "NL vs AL" then I'll tap out of the conversation. But we're talking about a legendary "best second half ever" kind of run. 4ER in 82.1 innings is ridiculous. He's the hottest pitcher in baseball. Price in his time with the Jays: 72.1 IP, 19ER. That's not bad, obviously it's great, but it's still not close.

 

[puckhead]

. 162 games of hard work, and they could get screwed by a one game crap shoot. .

stupid shoot-out

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

The Pirates are a lethal offense. If this is "NL vs AL" then I'll tap out of the conversation. But we're talking about a legendary "best second half ever" kind of run. 4ER in 82.1 innings is ridiculous. He's the hottest pitcher in baseball. Price in his time with the Jays: 72.1 IP, 19ER. That's not bad, obviously it's great, but it's still not close.

The Pirates have the 10th most runs in the majors. That's good, but "lethal"? The team leader in HR's has 26 and nobody has 100 RBI. Lethal is a stretch.

4 ER in 82 innings is fantastic, undoubtedly, but his opponents have been weaker offensive teams. Price has faced the second best offence in the majors 4 times and only allowed 5 ER in 26.1 innings. Price is handling better offences with ease.

If it's Cubs-Jays in the WS and game 1 is Price v Arrieta, despite Price's shaky playoff record, I feel comfortable putting Toronto's bats up against Jake.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

stupid shoot-out

3-on-3 baseball?

 

[dare2be]

Last night it was 1-on-9 baseball. And the one won.

 

[pixburgher66]

The Pirates have the 10th most runs in the majors. That's good, but "lethal"? The team leader in HR's has 26 and nobody has 100 RBI. Lethal is a stretch.

4 ER in 82 innings is fantastic, undoubtedly, but his opponents have been weaker offensive teams. Price has faced the second best offence in the majors 4 times and only allowed 5 ER in 26.1 innings. Price is handling better offences with ease.

If it's Cubs-Jays in the WS and game 1 is Price v Arrieta, despite Price's shaky playoff record, I feel comfortable putting Toronto's bats up against Jake.

THIS GUY IS PITCHING THE BEST SECOND HALF EVER. Who the hell cares if it's the 2nd or 5th or whatever offense. AL offenses produce more because they have a whole additional bat in the lineup. So, hard to compare them there. And yes, that does make pitching in the AL more difficult. Price gave up four runs in his last FIVE INNINGS (against the vaunted Rays). Also known as the same amount of runs Arrieta has given up since August began. He's also in that time walked 14 batters, struck out 82, and allowed 39 hits in 82.1 innings. Price has walked 18, struck out 87, and allowed 57 hits in 74.1 innings. It isn't CLOSE!

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

THIS GUY IS PITCHING THE BEST SECOND HALF EVER. Who the hell cares if it's the 2nd or 5th or whatever offense. AL offenses produce more because they have a whole additional bat in the lineup. So, hard to compare them there. And yes, that does make pitching in the AL more difficult. Price gave up four runs in his last FIVE INNINGS (against the vaunted Rays). Also known as the same amount of runs Arrieta has given up since August began. He's also in that time walked 14 batters, struck out 82, and allowed 39 hits in 82.1 innings. Price has walked 18, struck out 87, and allowed 57 hits in 74.1 innings. It isn't CLOSE!

Price has walked 4 more batters, struck out 5 more and allowed 19 more hits (11 of which came in one game against the Yankees, who once again are the second best offence in the majors) and you're using that as evidence as to prove that he isn't close to Arrieta?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

What's even funnier is Arrieta is indeed having an excellent NL second half and he still might lose the Cy to Grienke.