MLB Thread

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dodger
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MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

I have to confess, despite having no contact with baseball growing up, over the last few years I’ve become a fan. Went to NY a while ago, watched a Yankees game and that was enough for me. Have followed the MLB fairly closely since then.

Anyway I believe I’m not the only one interested on this forum. So what are people’s thoughts for the new season, which starts next week?

Don’t know what to expect from my team really. Hired a coach with no experience so it’s a definite gamble. But the team is young and started showing real potential in the second half of last season.

You’ve gotta fancy the Dodgers, Cleveland and Houston will all at least make the postseason again. Any dark horses?
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by NottingHammer6 »

Been to America a few times and visited 6 MLB grounds. Loved it and great atmosphere to watch sport and really got into it for a couple of years. Since then I have sort of lost interest because of the times its on TV etc so don't really know any of the players anymore and which teams are good. Will try and get into it again this year.

Crazy amount of games a season and makes you laugh to think our football players moan or can't play more than 2 games in a week
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

Cant wait for next week and the return of basball.

Also read yesterday that next year the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will be playing a two game series at our very own London Stadium. Now I may have no interest in watching West Ham there with everything that is going on, but I sure will do my best (health permitting) to try and go and watch one of those games.

Cleveland, Dodgers, Astros, Cubbies, Yankees and Washington all have to be in with a shout this year..

Every year they say that "this will be the Dodgers year, then they fail once again. Here is hoping that trend continues. (1988)



One of the best things about baseball, is that every team will at some point make the post season and therefore be in with a shout. No longer does any 1 team dominate.

Only a short few years ago the Astros were a continual 100+ loss team, now they sit on top as the World Series Champions.


Heck I have even had the pleasure of watching my own team lift the World Series, which is already 1 more thing than West Ham have ever won. :lol:


Roll on next Thursday. :thup:
Last edited by brothernero on Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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brothernero
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

NottingHammer6 wrote:Crazy amount of games a season and makes you laugh to think our football players moan or can't play more than 2 games in a week

Yep, in 6 months, each team will play 162 Regular season games. Sometimes they will play 2 in a day if there has been a rain-out.

Also a Baseball game has no set time limit. Games average about 3 hours per game and many can go on much longer. Then you throw in the fact that each game is played to a finish, no draws. So with Extra Innings games can go 5+ hours.


Not known too many Americans in my lifetime, but my god the ones I have met really don't get the concept of a sports game being "Drawn"


One of my American mates I used to work with had a real hatred of Cricket. "How on earth can you play a game of Cricket for 7 Hours a day, for 5 days and still have most bloody games end in a draw. What the frigging point of that" :lol:
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

brothernero wrote:Cant wait for next week and the return of basball.

Also read yesterday that next year the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will be playing a two game series at our very own London Stadium. Now I may have no interest in watching West Ham there with everything that is going on, but I sure will do my best (health permitting) to try and go and watch one of those games.
:
‘Tis lucky that happened as it reminded me to start this thread!

I also want to go to at least one of them if I’m around, but I fear I will be abroad at that time. Was planning to be back in time for the new West Ham season and didn’t realise I could see the Yankees at our (sort of) home stadium!

Bring on next Thursday indeed! Dreading the Saturday before that...
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

NottingHammer6 wrote:Been to America a few times and visited 6 MLB grounds. Loved it and great atmosphere to watch sport and really got into it for a couple of years. Since then I have sort of lost interest because of the times its on TV etc so don't really know any of the players anymore and which teams are good. Will try and get into it again this year.
Yeah I first went to a Dodgers game (thus my slightly edited avatar) 17 years ago, but actually wasn't that enamoured with the experience. It wasn't until I saw the Yankees that I really got into it. I'm no glory hunter, I am just hugely influenced by the atmosphere and feeling at a game, and I felt more connection with the fans at the Yankees game.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by NottingHammer6 »

dodger wrote: Yeah I first went to a Dodgers game (thus my slightly edited avatar) 17 years ago, but actually wasn't that enamoured with the experience. It wasn't until I saw the Yankees that I really got into it. I'm no glory hunter, I am just hugely influenced by the atmosphere and feeling at a game, and I felt more connection with the fans at the Yankees game.
Dodgers and Yankees are two grounds I have been to, I must say I preferred the experience at the Dodgers however thought Yankee stadium was much more impressive. I'm a Rays fan so definitely not a glory hunter :lol:
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

NottingHammer6 wrote:
Dodgers and Yankees are two grounds I have been to, I must say I preferred the experience at the Dodgers however thought Yankee stadium was much more impressive. I'm a Rays fan so definitely not a glory hunter :lol:
Interesting that you saw it differently. Perhaps I was just more fortunate in the game I went to with the Yankees.

The Dodgers game I saw was against the Colorado Rockies, was 4-0 and never really looked like anything but a straightforward win for the home team. The first Yankees game I saw was against the Mets meaning their were Mets fans intermingled with the crowd, the game was close and there was a much better atmosphere. I got into it and that was enough for me.

Rays eh? Our teams will be playing each other in just 10 days!
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

Today’s the day! :scarfer:

Genuinely excited about our season. Stanton joining Judge and Sanchez, so power shouldn’t be a problem.

Whatever happens though, good to have the season starting again. Apart from the Yankees game, am particularly interested to see how the Astros do at Rangers and Giants at Dodgers.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

Cracking start to the opening game.

Cubs lead off with a first pitch Homerun, then in the very same Inning there is 3 hit batters.

Cubs 4-1 up early on v Derek Jeter's Marlins, but now game tied at 4-4.



Yahhhhhh Baseball is back. :thup:
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

Two Stanton homers to start the season!

And Tampa come from 4-0 down to the Red Sox in the 8th to win 6-4. That’s a good first day!

Good luck to your D-backs Brothernero.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

Good start for both our teams Dodger.

Yankees and D-backs both with opening day wins.

I want a repeat of 2001 and that amazing 7 games series where we won the World Series by beating one of the greatest all time closers Mariano Rivera . :thup:


Realistically I just hope we can have our first back to back winning seasons for years. I would be content with 82-86 wins.


Yankees will be a major contender this year.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by bitter-iron-ny »

Which Yankee Stadium did you go to? The new one is a bit of a soulless bowl with the seats too far from the action. Sound familiar?

Had a partial season ticket for the old one. 24 games in the regular season, which guaranteed one playoff game per round. Way back in the 80's I'd sit in the bleachers: a dollar each way on the subway and $3 for the ticket.

Most of the old stadiums are gone, unfortunately. Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway in Boston and that's pretty much it. KC and the Dodgers are fine places to see a game from the post-war options. Of the recent ones, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, even Citi Field where the Mets play are all well-conceived, fan-friendly settings. People like Camden Yards in Baltimore but personally I think it's over-rated.

Yanks 2-0 now. Only 160 more to go! :scarfer:
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by Hammer.CA »

The Yankees, the time that had a tie in with Man Utd? The team that would consistently break the wage cap because they could afford it and just pay the fine, I think not.

ABTY (anyone but the Yankees) even the Red Sox, just. The Blue Jays for me.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

2-0 start for the D-backs. Ball flying out of Chase Field as per, so much for the Humidor. :D

So glad Baseball is back, helps to take my mind off all the crap that is going on with West Ham.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

Hammer.CA wrote:The Yankees, the time that had a tie in with Man Utd? The team that would consistently break the wage cap because they could afford it and just pay the fine, I think not.

ABTY (anyone but the Yankees) even the Red Sox, just. The Blue Jays for me.
West Ham, that team that donated to the Conservative Party in the club’s name, and have a stadium that is mostly paid for by the taxpayer?

See how easy it is to dismiss a sports team simply by their owners or association?

Anyway today is your day! Sadly 162-0 is gone... :(
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

bitter-iron-ny wrote:Which Yankee Stadium did you go to? The new one is a bit of a soulless bowl with the seats too far from the action. Sound familiar?

Had a partial season ticket for the old one. 24 games in the regular season, which guaranteed one playoff game per round. Way back in the 80's I'd sit in the bleachers: a dollar each way on the subway and $3 for the ticket.

Most of the old stadiums are gone, unfortunately. Wrigley Field in Chicago, Fenway in Boston and that's pretty much it. KC and the Dodgers are fine places to see a game from the post-war options. Of the recent ones, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, even Citi Field where the Mets play are all well-conceived, fan-friendly settings. People like Camden Yards in Baltimore but personally I think it's over-rated.

Yanks 2-0 now. Only 160 more to go! :scarfer:
Only been to the new one actually but I didn’t find it soulless. I know a lot of fans have been saying that but it probably helps that most of the games I’ve been to have meant something. Mets, Red Sox, and games that matter to make postseason so I found the atmosphere decent for all of them.

Hopefully can beat the Blue Jays tomorrow so go into the home opener with a winning record.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by NottingHammer6 »

Was a good start to the season beating the Red Sox in game 1 but I really do think we will struggle this season (rays). Was disappointed our game got postponed yesterday Dodger, it was on set to be on TV at a reasonable time and I was looking forward to watching it. Yankees looking very strong this year as are the Astros
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by dodger »

NottingHammer6 wrote:Was a good start to the season beating the Red Sox in game 1 but I really do think we will struggle this season (rays). Was disappointed our game got postponed yesterday Dodger, it was on set to be on TV at a reasonable time and I was looking forward to watching it. Yankees looking very strong this year as are the Astros
It’s a long old season so we’ll see. Although Yankees have a lot of strengths I still see the same few key weaknesses as last season which may mean they come up short. Only four games gone though so we shall see !

Yeah the postponement sucks. Still, at least in baseball there isn’t long to wait for the re-arranged game.
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Re: MLB Thread

Post by brothernero »

Baseball and it's darn extra Innings. :lol:

Stayed up to watch the Dbacks play LA Dodgers. Game started at 2.40am our time, went 15 Innings and finally ended up finishing at 8.30am.

Still worth it mind, as we got the win and it's always nice to beat LA. :thup:
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