Sox clinch playoff berth - Mo Rivera is everywhere

[rokketmn]

Now why in the world would you go and say a thing like that...........................

Obviously, the guy to his right is A-Rod, but who are the other guys? This certainly pre-dates their Yankee days together. The guy behind Jeter and behind A-Rod look especially "randy".

 

[poprocksncoke]

I would like to apologize to Nats fans, I picked up Span in Fantasy and his hitting streak got snapped. It is all my fault..........

Sorry

 

[BigDDude]

Obviously, the guy to his right is A-Rod, but who are the other guys? This certainly pre-dates their Yankee days together. The guy behind Jeter and behind A-Rod look especially "randy".

Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Rey Ordoñez, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez

1997


Found over on SI.com, part of their 100 funniest photos piece, from yesterday.
​

 

[poprocksncoke]

to cleanse this thread of the gayness.........

 

[BigDDude]

Just some food for thought, and, hopefully, a discussion point. One man's list, not mine.


These were the top 10 moves -- blockbuster or otherwise -- of 2012-13:
10. The Orioles' re-signing of Nate McLouth
Maybe a re-signing of a player who has already contributed can be considered a no-brainer, but let's be honest: Nobody knew whether McLouth's contributions to the 2012 playoff run (.268 average, .777 OPS) were a fluke, considering the years of poor production that preceded them. The O's figured he was worth a $2 million shot, and McLouth has held up his end of the bargain, posting a .262/.335/.400 slash line predominantly out of the leadoff spot and stealing 30 bases. Nothing flashy here. Just a good, solid investment on the part of the O's.
9. The A's trade for Jed Lowrie
When the A's dealt Chris Carter to Houston for Lowrie shortly before the start of Spring Training, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Oakland seemed somewhat secure in the middle infield, particularly after signing Hiroyuki Nakajima. Turns out, Nakajima has not played a game in the bigs this season, and Lowrie, who had never logged more than 97 games in a single season, has stayed healthy and productive, often batting in the A's No. 3 spot in recent weeks. He does not have the slickest glove or the biggest bat, but Lowrie has been steady, putting up the third-highest WAR among AL shortstops this season.
8. The Dodgers' signing of Hyun-Jin Ryu
It was a mere 20 hours after the ink dried on Zack Greinke's six-year, $147 million deal (which, of course, is also worthy of this list) when the Dodgers wrapped up negotiations with Ryu, the Korean left-hander posted by the Hanwha Eagles. You never know exactly how a player like Ryu will translate to the Majors, so the $36 million contract (plus a posting fee in excess of $25 million) was quite risky. But Ryu, with a 13-7 record and 3.03 ERA, has transitioned seamlessly and become a key cog in a devastatingly good rotation.
7. The Reds' trade for Shin-Soo Choo
It was a complicated three-way swap that has yet to pay big dividends for Cleveland (Trevor Bauer did not even merit a September callup) or Arizona (Didi Gregorius has been slick with the glove, as advertised, but still has a ways to go offensively). The Reds made the trade based solely on the immediate, knowing Choo could walk in free agency. It has proved to be a trade worth making, as Choo and his .426 on-base percentage have firmly filled what was the most glaring hole in the Cincinnati lineup.
6. The Red Sox's signing of Shane Victorino
It looked pretty perilous, did it not? The prevailing wisdom was that 32-year-old outfielders coming off a .667 OPS in a contract year are probably not going to age particularly well, and so Boston's three-year, $39 million commitment was seen as steep. Nine months later, the Red Sox have not only returned to respectability but to the ranks of the elite, and Victorino, with a 6.0 WAR, is a huge reason why.
Honorable mention for the Red Sox: The Mike Napoli signing, which took a long time to hammer out because of his hip condition but has reaped major offensive rewards.
5. The Rays' trade for Wil Myers
Look, you figured this would one day wind up looking like a heck of a trade for the Rays. They might take a short-term step back in the rotation with the loss of James Shields' 200 bankable innings, you figured, but Myers would eventually blossom into a stud in the heart of the order. What we did not know was how quickly Myers, the odds-on AL Rookie of the Year, would take to this level. In fact, not only has he avoided the September slag one might expect from a guy in his first Major League season, he has outright carried the Rays offensively in their playoff push, with a 1.089 OPS.
Honorable mention for the Rays: The James Loney signing, which was particularly helpful in the first half.
4. The Indians' trade for Yan Gomes
The Tribe's surge from 94 losses to Wild Card contention is the product of a few surprising developments, such as Scott Kazmir's strong comeback from independent ball and Ryan Raburn's rebirth on the bench. But nothing has affected the Indians' bottom line quite as much their November swap with Toronto for Mike Aviles, with Gomes thrown in. All it cost the Indians was former waiver-wire bullpen pickup Esmil Rogers, and it netted them a versatile and valuable bench player in Aviles and, as it turns out, a productive and defensively dependable starting catcher in Gomes. Entering Thursday, Gomes had thrown out 37.2 percent of opposing baserunners and helped coax a 3.72 ERA out of the pitching staff. The Indians were 40-30 in games started by Gomes.
3. The Royals' trade for Ervin Santana
It took a lot of guts to give up Myers in the trade centered on Shields, though there is no question that Shields' arrival made a major impact on the professionalism and poise of that Royals' rotation. Still, the best move the Royals made was for Santana, who had looked like a lost cause in Anaheim. In exchange for cold, hard cash and a 28-year-old Triple-A left-hander who wound up needing Tommy John surgery (Brandon Sisk), the Royals right-hander has gone 9-9 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.143 WHIP and, as an added bonus, cooks up a mean Dominican meal.
2. The Braves' trade for Chris Johnson
All right, fine, this is, officially, the Justin Upton trade. And Upton, aside from a rough May and June, has been the pivotal middle-of-the-order bat the Braves expected he would be. But as good as the trade with Arizona looked at the time the Braves made it, it is even better now that we have seen the way Johnson has vied for the batting title and made Atlanta's hot corner transition from the Chipper Jones era a surprisingly seamless one. Fredi Gonzalez has used Johnson all over the order, and he has been a steady contributor toward the best record in the National League.
1. The Pirates' signing of Francisco Liriano
I remember standing in the Pirates' clubhouse on the first day of Spring Training camp, listening to Liriano tell the story of how he broke his right arm trying to pull a Christmas morning prank on his kids and, reflecting on the frustrating turns his once-bright career had taken, thinking, "You know, this might not turn out extraordinarily well." Boy, was I wrong. Liriano healed up in time to become what I think was, in retrospect, the wiliest signing of the offseason -- one that has played a major role in the Buccos' breakthrough. If they find themselves in the do-or-die of the one-game playoff, you could make a pretty strong argument that Liriano, possessor of a 16-7 record and 2.92 ERA, ought to be the one getting the ball. And by the way, the Russell Martin signing has turned out pretty well, too. You don't erase 20 years of bad luck by accident.

 

[BigDDude]

It was 45 years ago today that Mickey Mantle hit his 536th and final home run of his 18-year major league career. The homer is given up by Jim Lonborg in a 4-3 loss to the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium.

 

[BigDDude]

It was 40 years ago today that, prior to the 4-3 Mets victory over Pittsburgh, Willie Mays announces his retirement at a press conference held at the ballpark's Diamond Club. Five days later, the club will honor the aging superstar with a night at Shea Stadium.

 

[BigDDude]

It was 15 years ago today that, after nearly 16 years of not missing a game, Cal Ripken takes himself out of the lineup after playing in a major-league record 2,632 consecutive games. The Orioles shortstop's consecutive streak ends in Baltimore's loss to the Yankees at Camden Yards in a nationally televised Sunday night game.

 

[rokketmn]

Alex Gonzalez, Edgar Renteria, Rey Ordoñez, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez​

1997​

Found over on SI.com, part of their 100 funniest photos piece, from yesterday.​

I just saw that today myself after I posted.

 

[rokketmn]

It was 8 years ago today that I met my wife for the very first time.

 

[RedSoxWorrld]

Just some food for thought, and, hopefully, a discussion point. One man's list, not mine.


These were the top 10 moves -- blockbuster or otherwise -- of 2012-13:
10. The Orioles' re-signing of Nate McLouth
Maybe a re-signing of a player who has already contributed can be considered a no-brainer, but let's be honest: Nobody knew whether McLouth's contributions to the 2012 playoff run (.268 average, .777 OPS) were a fluke, considering the years of poor production that preceded them. The O's figured he was worth a $2 million shot, and McLouth has held up his end of the bargain, posting a .262/.335/.400 slash line predominantly out of the leadoff spot and stealing 30 bases. Nothing flashy here. Just a good, solid investment on the part of the O's.
9. The A's trade for Jed Lowrie
When the A's dealt Chris Carter to Houston for Lowrie shortly before the start of Spring Training, it was a bit of a head-scratcher. Oakland seemed somewhat secure in the middle infield, particularly after signing Hiroyuki Nakajima. Turns out, Nakajima has not played a game in the bigs this season, and Lowrie, who had never logged more than 97 games in a single season, has stayed healthy and productive, often batting in the A's No. 3 spot in recent weeks. He does not have the slickest glove or the biggest bat, but Lowrie has been steady, putting up the third-highest WAR among AL shortstops this season.
8. The Dodgers' signing of Hyun-Jin Ryu
It was a mere 20 hours after the ink dried on Zack Greinke's six-year, $147 million deal (which, of course, is also worthy of this list) when the Dodgers wrapped up negotiations with Ryu, the Korean left-hander posted by the Hanwha Eagles. You never know exactly how a player like Ryu will translate to the Majors, so the $36 million contract (plus a posting fee in excess of $25 million) was quite risky. But Ryu, with a 13-7 record and 3.03 ERA, has transitioned seamlessly and become a key cog in a devastatingly good rotation.
7. The Reds' trade for Shin-Soo Choo
It was a complicated three-way swap that has yet to pay big dividends for Cleveland (Trevor Bauer did not even merit a September callup) or Arizona (Didi Gregorius has been slick with the glove, as advertised, but still has a ways to go offensively). The Reds made the trade based solely on the immediate, knowing Choo could walk in free agency. It has proved to be a trade worth making, as Choo and his .426 on-base percentage have firmly filled what was the most glaring hole in the Cincinnati lineup.
6. The Red Sox's signing of Shane Victorino
It looked pretty perilous, did it not? The prevailing wisdom was that 32-year-old outfielders coming off a .667 OPS in a contract year are probably not going to age particularly well, and so Boston's three-year, $39 million commitment was seen as steep. Nine months later, the Red Sox have not only returned to respectability but to the ranks of the elite, and Victorino, with a 6.0 WAR, is a huge reason why.
Honorable mention for the Red Sox: The Mike Napoli signing, which took a long time to hammer out because of his hip condition but has reaped major offensive rewards.
5. The Rays' trade for Wil Myers
Look, you figured this would one day wind up looking like a heck of a trade for the Rays. They might take a short-term step back in the rotation with the loss of James Shields' 200 bankable innings, you figured, but Myers would eventually blossom into a stud in the heart of the order. What we did not know was how quickly Myers, the odds-on AL Rookie of the Year, would take to this level. In fact, not only has he avoided the September slag one might expect from a guy in his first Major League season, he has outright carried the Rays offensively in their playoff push, with a 1.089 OPS.
Honorable mention for the Rays: The James Loney signing, which was particularly helpful in the first half.
4. The Indians' trade for Yan Gomes
The Tribe's surge from 94 losses to Wild Card contention is the product of a few surprising developments, such as Scott Kazmir's strong comeback from independent ball and Ryan Raburn's rebirth on the bench. But nothing has affected the Indians' bottom line quite as much their November swap with Toronto for Mike Aviles, with Gomes thrown in. All it cost the Indians was former waiver-wire bullpen pickup Esmil Rogers, and it netted them a versatile and valuable bench player in Aviles and, as it turns out, a productive and defensively dependable starting catcher in Gomes. Entering Thursday, Gomes had thrown out 37.2 percent of opposing baserunners and helped coax a 3.72 ERA out of the pitching staff. The Indians were 40-30 in games started by Gomes.
3. The Royals' trade for Ervin Santana
It took a lot of guts to give up Myers in the trade centered on Shields, though there is no question that Shields' arrival made a major impact on the professionalism and poise of that Royals' rotation. Still, the best move the Royals made was for Santana, who had looked like a lost cause in Anaheim. In exchange for cold, hard cash and a 28-year-old Triple-A left-hander who wound up needing Tommy John surgery (Brandon Sisk), the Royals right-hander has gone 9-9 with a 3.23 ERA and 1.143 WHIP and, as an added bonus, cooks up a mean Dominican meal.
2. The Braves' trade for Chris Johnson
All right, fine, this is, officially, the Justin Upton trade. And Upton, aside from a rough May and June, has been the pivotal middle-of-the-order bat the Braves expected he would be. But as good as the trade with Arizona looked at the time the Braves made it, it is even better now that we have seen the way Johnson has vied for the batting title and made Atlanta's hot corner transition from the Chipper Jones era a surprisingly seamless one. Fredi Gonzalez has used Johnson all over the order, and he has been a steady contributor toward the best record in the National League.
1. The Pirates' signing of Francisco Liriano
I remember standing in the Pirates' clubhouse on the first day of Spring Training camp, listening to Liriano tell the story of how he broke his right arm trying to pull a Christmas morning prank on his kids and, reflecting on the frustrating turns his once-bright career had taken, thinking, "You know, this might not turn out extraordinarily well." Boy, was I wrong. Liriano healed up in time to become what I think was, in retrospect, the wiliest signing of the offseason -- one that has played a major role in the Buccos' breakthrough. If they find themselves in the do-or-die of the one-game playoff, you could make a pretty strong argument that Liriano, possessor of a 16-7 record and 2.92 ERA, ought to be the one getting the ball. And by the way, the Russell Martin signing has turned out pretty well, too. You don't erase 20 years of bad luck by accident.

Sox sign Uehara, should be top half of this list

who is the dumbass who wrote it?

 

[bgko11]

Lake Placid weekend of golf on tap

Flyers in the area

I'll see if I can't get one of my dumb buddies to start a fight with one of them and lose miserably.

Rocket, 8 episodes in on Season 3 of TWD...love it.

 

[rokketmn]

Sox sign Uehara, should be top half of this list

How about Sox hire John Farrell as manager?

Dodgers call up Yasiel Puig much sooner than expected?

Tigers re-sign Anibal Sanchez?

Mets DON'T sign Michael Bourn?

Yankees go cheap and don't build a bench?

 

[bgko11]

Farrell must be awesome...look at what he got out of Brandon Morrow last year.

 

[bravesfan]

braves sign BJ Upton.....go ahead a put a bow on that lol

 

[rokketmn]

Rocket, 8 episodes in on Season 3 of TWD...love it.

I am through all of season 3. It was great, as to be expected. I got my wife to start watching season 3 with me and she loves it. We were watching the first few episodes on demand. She then whips out an early aniversary present for me: She bought me Seasons 1,2,& 3 on DVD.

To catch her up, I watched all of season 1 again, and we are 4 episodes into season 2 now.

After we are all caught up, I am going to start watching Breaking Bad. I reserved a copy of season 1 from my local library.

 

[rokketmn]

braves sign BJ Upton.....go ahead a put a bow on that lol

Just grading it on one year into the contract, could this be the worst signing in history?

Of course, nothing else matters if BJ comes up big in the playoffs and the Braves win the WS. All will be forgiven.

 

[navamind]

Sox sign Uehara, should be top half of this list

who is the dumbass who wrote it?

Uehara was a good signing, but he's a relief pitcher.

 

[BigDDude]

Sox sign Uehara, should be top half of this list

who is the dumbass who wrote it?

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his columns and follow him on Twitter at @Castrovince.

 

[RedSoxWorrld]

Uehara was a good signing, but he's a relief pitcher.

and?

he solidified (not nearly a big enough word) the Sox closer position after 2.5 months of mostly a shit show

as big a signing as any other free agent this past offseason

and if you don't think he deserves to be on that list because he's a reliever.......consider another sport to root for