Hit and Run

[Reciprocity]

4 hours ago, notsmokinjo said:

Has anyone else ever wondered if Toronto is in the comp as compensation to Canada for the hockey take over OR if they even realise they aren't the worst team in the 2019 comp.

I'm not sure. Have never looked into that but it's gotta be tough for Toronto because they have to pay their players in US dollars while their income is in Canadian dollars. There's a 30-32% differential right there (and NOT in Toronto's favour). I'm guessing there must be some sort of compensation for that within the league? How else could they compete financially because in years like this one, you can shoot a cannon off in their ballpark without fear of hitting anyone. I know the revenue is mostly from broadcast and advertising revenue but still, netting $3.42 per game at the gate can't happen for long  

 

Mind you, I'm sure it's the same thing in the NHL too yet Toronto is one of the top teams in terms of total annual revenue generated and end up paying more than most into the NHL comp. fund! Perfect illustration of just how fanatical the hockey fans are here. The team hasn't won the Stanley Cup since 1967 yet they are always in the top three revenue generation teams lol.

 

That differential in currency must be one of the prime reasons that any major North American Sport does NOT want to consider Canada for league expansion. In the Toronto area, there has been speculation for decades now that there needs to be a 2nd NHL team in this market - maybe in Hamilton? The Greater Toronto Area (which includes Hamilton) could easily support 2 teams financially yet Bettmen (Commissioner of the NHL) has scuttled that idea every time. Yet, the NHL went to Arizona who's fan draw at the gate is always in the bottom 3 of the league. I can get a ticket for a game there for under $20.00. In Toronto, you are looking at $300.00 - $400.00  per ticket for just average seats, if you can get them! The Toronto arena is sold out for virtually every game - even at those prices. It's nuts! So, there must be other reasons I'm not aware of as to why they wouldn't put another team in here. Maybe they look at the New York experiment. Rangers do fantastic yet the expansion team Islanders barely scrape by in attendance anyway. Bottom of the league in recent years.

[Boo]

17 hours ago, garry mhudson said:

Agree, it should be interesting especially in the N.L. central. I`m a lifetime St. Louis fan and that the Cubs and Cardinals still have 7 to play against each other. Who knows what could happen. They mostly split the series and the Brewers go crazy and take it? Who knows?

 

Admittedly, I was one of those guys who counted the Brewers out of the race for the postseason when Christian Yelich broke his kneecap.  The Brew Crew has won 6-of-7 since Yelich went down.  Could be that Milwaukee is rallying the troops with their leader down.  Of course the question with that is: how long can that esprit de corps last?

 

I guess what I'm saying is...I don't know.  Guess we'll just watch the games and see how things play out.

[Boo]

Ronald Acuna Jr.  hit his 40th homerun yesterday.  That makes him only the third player in the history of the game to hit 40 homers at age 21 or younger.  Mel Ott and Eddie Mathews are the other two.  Acuna also has 37 stolen bases making it very realistic that Ronald could join the 40/40 club this season.

 

I think the young fella has a future in Atlanta.

[Boo]

First goal: Win the division...Check!

 

Chop On!

 

Edited January 8, 2020 by Boo

[garry mhudson]

Acuna is unbelievable. 40/40 is one of the few things Pujols  didn`t do in his early years. I think Canseco did the 40/40 and perhaps Bonds. Trade ya back Wainwright ok?

[johnny5]

Cubs drop third straight to the division leading St. Louis Cardinals and are looking increasingly unlikely to get a wildcard spot. 

 

After watching many bad years of Cubs ball when they were out of contention well before September,  I'm glad we are still an above average team.  I do expect a lot of changes this offseason, though...I don't think Joe Maddon will be back and I could see a few key players possibly being traded.

 

I agree with garry and Boo, though, Acuna is the next big MLB star.  Congratulations to Atlanta.

[garry mhudson]

I bleed Cardinal red but the series in Chicago has been a tough one for the Cubs. They could have easily won all three games. They have had their share of bad injuries at the wrong time. Watch out for the brew crew. Cubs go to Pittsburgh that has been giving up 10 runs a game it seems like and don`t put it past the Cubs to sweep the Cardinals in St.Louis for the last series. You never feel safe whoever you root for when Cardinals and Cubs play each other.

[garry mhudson]

Also will add that the Cardinals come to Phoenix for 3 starting Monday and I don`t expect the D-Backs to roll over and play dead like the Pirates. Goldies first visit in a new uniform here. They will play like it matters.

[Boo]

23 hours ago, garry mhudson said:

Trade ya back Wainwright ok?

 

The ghost of the Adam Wainwright trade still haunts the front office in Atlanta.

 

From time-to-time I will hear someone say something like: The Braves have a lot of talent in the farm system but won't even listen to trade offers for any of them.  To which the response always gets back to that time we traded Adam Wainwright from the minors to get J.D. Drew for one season.

 

If John Schuerholz could travel back in time...

[johnny5]

Well, my Cubs are out of it so I have to go for the big team down here in the South and say, "Go Braves."  

 

The Braves' future looks really good even beyond this year.  I've said it before but this reminds me of the early '90's, the start of a time when they were extremely dominant.

 

In Cubs news, MLB Trade Rumors reports that retired fan favorite of both the Braves and the Cubs David Ross is interested in the new Cubs' manager job (since Maddon was let go).  You never know how much stock to place in these type of rumors but it is interesting.

 

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/09/managerial-rumors-ausmus-ross-pirates.html

 

 

Quote

Former catcher David Ross is already a permanent figure in Cubs postseason lore–but could he become a regular fixture in their dugout in 2020? If Ross’ comments on ESPN this evening–as relayed by Jesse Rogers–are any indication, it sure sounds like he would have any interest in the now-vacant Chicago managerial position (Twitter link). “I think it’s one of the best jobs in baseball,” Ross said of the opening. “I’ve got a lot of close ties with those guys. I think the interest would be there. I think my heart is drawn to that dugout a little bit.” It’s worth noting that Ross also said his current role with ESPN does provide him with much-valued family time. At the same time, Ross’ quotes won’t do much to quell rumors tabbing him as the replacement for his former manager Joe Maddon.

 

Edited September 30, 2019 by johnny5

[Boo]

3 hours ago, johnny5 said:

Well, my Cubs are out of it so I have to go for the big team down here in the South and say, "Go Braves."  

 

In 1995, the Braves having already clinched the division coasted through the remainder of the regular season that ended with Atlanta losing three straight in New York.  The Braves won the World Series that season.

 

The Braves, with the division championship in hand,  just finished up on the wrong end of a three game sweep in New York to finish the 2019 season.  Which means, of course, that the Braves will...

 

I'm not a superstitious guy, but I really want to believe that this coincidence is indicative of destiny.

 

Chop On!

[Boo]

I love postseason baseball.  It may well be the death of me, but I love it nevertheless.

 

That game today between the Braves and Cardinals was the epitome of what playoff baseball is supposed to look like.  Mike Soroka and Adam Wainwright staged a great pitching duel.  The Cards broke through with one run in the second.  The Braves had no answer for Wainwright.  It was a tight game throughout; every pitch felt big.  With hope fleeting, the Braves scored 3 runs in the top of the ninth and held off a rally in the bottom half of the inning.

 

If the Braves can get one more win against the Cardinals and win this division series, Adam Duvall is a strong contender for MVP of the series.  And if you predicted that Duvall would be the big bat that carried the Braves to two wins in the postseason...Congratulations, you're the only one who saw that coming.

 

Shame I wasn't wearing one of those step counter doo-hickeys today.  With the amount of pacing I did, I probably could have walked to St. Louis and back.

[garry mhudson]

Well we`re heading back to Atlanta for game 5 and this has been a great series and should be one heck of a pitching matchup coming up Wednesday. All that power hitting and pitching and today it was inches that tied the game from Molina`s bat. Baseball is the best.  

[Boo]

17 minutes ago, garry mhudson said:

Well we`re heading back to Atlanta for game 5 and this has been a great series and should be one heck of a pitching matchup coming up Wednesday. All that power hitting and pitching and today it was inches that tied the game from Molina`s bat. Baseball is the best.  

 

Could the Braves and Cardinals be any more evenly matched?

 

The 3,4,5 spots in the St. Louis lineup (Goldschmidt, Ozuna, and Molina) killed us today.

 

History has not been kind to the Braves in elimination games at home, but gotta keep hope alive.

[notsmokinjo]

Fun fact: my little old grandma followed St Louis because Bing wore they top in a movie...dunno what she knew about baseball but she used to listen to games on her tranny.

[Boo]

14 hours ago, notsmokinjo said:

Fun fact: my little old grandma followed St Louis because Bing wore they top in a movie...dunno what she knew about baseball but she used to listen to games on her tranny.

 

I've always been a Braves fan, but I did wear a Detroit Tigers cap for a while when I was a kid.  Two reasons: I was playing in the Dixie Youth League at the time and was on the Tigers two seasons in a row. 

 

Also, Magnum P.I. was one of the biggest shows on TV at the time and Tom Selleck as Thomas Magnum often wore a Tigers hat.  So I thought I was pretty cool wearing the same hat as him.  I wasn't a private investigator.  I didn't live in Hawaii.  I didn't own a Ferrari.  I had never scored with a chick at that point in my life.  I was too young to grow a mustache and have an awesome display of chest hair.  But...I did have the same hat as him.

[Reciprocity]

I'm pissed because they're blocking out the Cards/Braves series on TV where I live  Pretty much all others are on channels I get but this series is only on the specialty channels and I'm not forking out an extra $25.00/month for those.

 

Even the dodgers are in tough in their series. I wasn't expecting that.

[Boo]

On 10/8/2019 at 3:16 PM, reciprocity said:

I'm pissed because they're blocking out the Cards/Braves series on TV where I live  

 

Damn.  Wish the Braves game was blacked out where I live.

 

These are not "official" highlights, but do serve as a good representation of what St. Louis is doing to Atlanta in game 5...

 

[johnny5]

3 minutes ago, Boo said:

 

Damn.  Wish the Braves game was blacked out where I live.

 

 

Same here.  I got home from work just in time to catch the first inning.  It was something like 7-0 with one out. 

 

I don't know why I'm still watching.  Yikes.

[Boo]

9 minutes ago, johnny5 said:

I don't know why I'm still watching.  Yikes.

 

I'm dicking around on the computer and just occasionally peaking at the TV.  More of a damage assessment at this point.

 

Avert your eyes Braves fans!

[Reciprocity]

OMG!!

I can't see a damn thing even if I wanted to but if Cards are winning, I guess @garry mhudson will be happy?

[Reciprocity]

Holly double digits Batman .............. 13 - 1 after 5? Think of the children!

[notsmokinjo]

Do they have a mercy rule in baseball....although how awesome would a 2 down last dig rally be?...and would @Boo or @garry mhudsonmh survive it?

Wait if they hadda got a doughnut would they have had to drop their dax and run a lap of the diamond...now there's a plan to increase female membership. 

[Boo]

Well...that's a wrap folks.

 

Remind me to forget this game.

 

[garry mhudson]

Well I am happy St Louis is advancing on but that was not enjoyable to watch. I started cleaning out a dresser drawer filled with old papers and stuff. I am a Cardinal fan but I don`t enjoy seeing the good fans of a great baseball city like Atlanta have to see a first inning like that. It just got away from them. Hoped for a better game.