Baseball 2014!

[WelfareQueen]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

 

[LA RAM FAN]

Baseball is the quintessential American sport. I love it.

My Pirates are hopeful of repeating last year's relative success, but I'm doubtful. The loss of A.J. Burnett will probably mean nothing, as he was a disruptive influence in the clubhouse and lost as many games as he won.

The problem is that our pitching staff over-performed last year and they will be hard-pressed to come anywhere near that level of proficiency again, especially in the bullpen. Jason Grilli has lost his mojo, sorry to say. A closer has to BELIEVE that he can get everyone out, and once you start to doubt yourself you can't be successful as a closer. Melancon had good numbers, but I think that was a fluke. We do have a potentially excellent starting rotation, though, which is the only good reason to be optimistic.

Offensively, the Pirates sucked last year. In fact, they sucked even more than the numbers showed, because when the game was on the line they were horrible And that goes especially for the two offensive "stars, McCutcheon and Alvarez. The team's pattern last year (when they were winning) was that they got an early lead and the bullpen kept the other team from scoring after the fifth inning. Game after game, when they encountered situations where a "clutch" hit would have iced the deal, they failed to get it. It was pathetic.

And they were unwilling or unable to get a serious hitter in the offseason, so unless Pedro or Russell Martin or one of the platoon of first basemen and rightfielders has a breakout year, they will be struggling to stay over .500 in '14. They have a good #3 hitter in McCutcheon, but not a serious #4 hitter anywhere in the organization right now.

Next year, Tony Sanchez will replace RMartin behind the plate, and he is making good noises this spring.

That would suck if your Pirates and My Royals both could not muster another winning season again.I have little faith in my royals with the bad start they have got off to.Last year they got off to a great start.since i have little hope for my royals,i hope yoru pirates can at least do it again.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I'm still pissed about the Robinson Cano deal.

And I'm expecting a protracted drought for the Yankees.

I agree with you.

The Spankees have been doing it with smoke and mirrors for a few seasons now.

Their problem for a LONG time has been PITCHING, and adding a Japanese pitcher to their grab bag of pitching wannabes, has-beens, and never-wases is not much of a long-term plan. It's not like they have a great track record with Jap pitchers. Hideki Irabu, anyone?

The biggest mystery about the Yankees this year will be what old pitcher they'll desperately insert into their rotation. Maybe Ron Guidry? Roger Clemens? David Wells?

I hope the Spankees lose a HUNDRED games.

(DISCLAIMER: I am a die-hard Red Sox fan)

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I miss the good ole days

Earl Weaver Umpire Fight - YouTube

Earl Weaver. GREAT manager, and very entertaining.

They just don't make them like Earl anymore.

and dont forget Tommy Lasorda.Weaver and Lasorda were a rare breed,thats for sure.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I'm glad baseball is back.

I've been dealing with a particularly bad bout of insomnia and baseball is better than Ambien

yeah I cant stand it when there is no baseball or football going on.

 

[Synthaholic]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

Nope!

 

[Synthaholic]

The top fan bases in baseball according to a poll. Looks pretty accurate to me except for the Mets. They suck...but many of their fans seem pretty diehard to me.


This goes pretty far into the land of the subjective, but according to Brand Keys, here are the most loyal and least loyal fan bases around:

Top-5 Teams – 2014

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Atlanta Braves
5. San Francisco Giants

Bottom-5 Teams – 2014

30. Houston Astros
29. New York Mets
28. Seattle Mariners
27. Arizona Diamondbacks
26. Colorado Rockies

St. Louis Cardinals may have the most loyal fan base in all of sports. It's the only town I know of that lost their NFL team because of lack of interest while selling out baseball games every year.

 

[Synthaholic]

The top fan bases in baseball according to a poll. Looks pretty accurate to me except for the Mets. They suck...but many of their fans seem pretty diehard to me.


This goes pretty far into the land of the subjective, but according to Brand Keys, here are the most loyal and least loyal fan bases around:

Top-5 Teams – 2014

1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Philadelphia Phillies
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Atlanta Braves
5. San Francisco Giants

Bottom-5 Teams – 2014

30. Houston Astros
29. New York Mets
28. Seattle Mariners
27. Arizona Diamondbacks
26. Colorado Rockies

Note that the top 5 are all old teams, while the bottom 5 are all expansion teams.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

The Braves are a buncha clowns. The Chicago Bears of the MLB.

 

[WelfareQueen]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

The Braves are a buncha clowns. The Chicago Bears of the MLB.

Gnats!!!! Did ya see the game tonight? The boy wonder Strasburg lost to the fucking Marlins who have not won a game in two weeks. And the mighty Strasburg's ERA. is 6.00. Even you have to admit the Gnats are the Braves little bitch.


World Series Titles. Braves = 3. Gnats/Expos = Zero.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

The Braves are a buncha clowns. The Chicago Bears of the MLB.

Ha! We just swept the Nats. The Nats are terrible, and Strasburg just got rocked by the Marlins tonight. Seriously? (PS You sound like Bryce Harper)

 

[WelfareQueen]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

The Braves are a buncha clowns. The Chicago Bears of the MLB.

That's a clown statement, bro.

 

[Synthaholic]

Can the Gnats ever beat the Braves?

The Braves are a buncha clowns. The Chicago Bears of the MLB.

Gnats!!!! Did ya see the game tonight? The boy wonder Strasburg lost to the fucking Marlins who have not won a game in two weeks. And the mighty Strasburg's ERA. is 6.00. Even you have to admit the Gnats are the Braves little bitch.


World Series Titles. Braves = 3. Gnats/Expos = Zero.

100 mph fastballs don't mean much when they have no movement on them. Big league batters can catch up on the speed.

 

[DGS49]

Interesting factor with the Pirates: People come to games just because the stadium is such a great baseball venue. Great location, lots of stuff to do, no bad seats.

When the Pirates sucked at Three Rivers they would draw 5,000. When they sucked at PNC Park they drew 20,000. And the only difference was the venue.

 

[Synthaholic]

Braves win again!

 

[TemplarKormac]

I had Julio Teheran on my fantasy team. Lowered my ERA by a whole point. LOL.

 

[TemplarKormac]

[MENTION=45104]WelfareQueen[/MENTION] [MENTION=24278]Synthaholic[/MENTION]

Cinema verite at it's finest. Phillies fans reaction to Dan Uggla's GW grand slam in Monday's game:

Guy in the red Phillies shirt and cap: "Oh shit!"

 

[WelfareQueen]

Notice how the Gnats cannot beat any good teams? I am not being unkind, but the top teams in the NL hammered them last year (Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers). So far the Cardinals and Braves are continuing the trend.

Ideally, you should beat up on the scrubs and play .500 baseball against the top teams. Had the Gnats done that last year they would have been a playoff team.

It is early, but if I were the Gnats management I would be concerned the top teams handle my club so easily.

 

[Synthaholic]

Notice how the Gnats cannot beat any good teams?

Cardinals are kicking their asses 8-0.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Atlanta

Cards

Dodgers and Giants

Read em and weep, guys and gals.