Opening day

[EdO]

Cubs in Cincinnati - 2:10pm
Cleveland at White Sox - 2:05pm
Red Sox at KC - 4:10pm


PLAY BALL!!!








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[Admin]

I am so freaking jazzed.

The Cubs start at 1:10pm Central time. And I have a date with Mr. Ron Santo!

Go Cubbies!

[TommyP]

The Cubs start at 1:10pm Central time. And I have a date with Mr. Ron Santo!

Ron Santo? Do tell.

[Admin]

Oh, I just meant that I'll be listening to the radio broadcast.

[PeteFitz]

Damn. I had this big long predictions opus that I penned, and then poof it was gone as I submitted it. So be it. I should know better.

I'll give you my list of winners/awards without commentary. Which sucks because I wrote a ton. Which also may be good, because I know no-one gets these things right (especially me). Without my reasoning posted I may not look like such the fool.

Here goes:

NL East - Mets, offense, bullpen are too good. They'll find starters.
NL West - Dodgers. AZ is too trendy, and SD signed Boomer Wells.
NL Central - Astros. I hate this entire division. MIL - too trendy. I was really close to picking the Cubs though. I just don't like their defense. They basically are the same as Houston.

AL East - Yankees. Coinflip here, I'll go with the team that has won the last 10.
ALWest - Angels (bestbet) If this team doesn't win, I'd be reallly surprised.
AL Central - Minnesota. Tough to say but...CLE - too trendy. Tigers - WS hangover. Sox - I just don't think what they have adds up to division crown.

NL Wild Card : Phillies. Stacked O, good SPs, disaster Bullpen.
AL Wild Card : BoSox. Stacked O, good SPs, disaster Bullpen.

WS: Phillies over BoSox. WC on WC crime of course. Stir up the mighty Illy echoes. On Dykstra, on Kruk, on Daulton, on Wildthing.

AL MVP: Vladdy (he's got to stay healthy one year right?)
NL MVP: Ryan Howard

NL Cy Young : Oswalt
AL Cy Young : It has to be Johan

NL ROY: Chris Young (SOx traded to AZ for Javy a few years ago, ouch.)
AL ROY: Dice

HR Derby Champ: Carlos Lee
Three point Shootout winner: Craig Hodges.

Hopefully all of these above are wrong, and we can enjoy some doublebarreled Chicago October action. Bet with your head though and not your heart (Fuck you very much, Georgetown).

Let's get it on. Go Sox.

PeteFitz

[schaefe]

Waaaaaa-HOOOOO!

MLB.com still allows me to get my Cubs on!

Sweet!

[DiMarco]

I splurged for the mlb.tv package this year so I could watch the Phils march to the title (at least according to Pete, who I'm pretty sure is a genius.)

Now I'm just trying to figure out how I can watch at work without anyone noticing.

[Hendo]

I think the Cubs have a decent chance to win the NL Central. Sweet Lou is right... it's a very winnable division. St. Louis is not the team it was last year. No WAY they repeat.

Lou's a nice add at the helm. I think he's got a great attitude. He's not waiting on Wood and Prior. Hell, he sent Prior back to the minors... now he has to WIN his job back. Good on you, Lou.

Also, now the team knows that it's up for grabs by new ownership. Tell me, Cubbie Fans, doesn't that news make you tingle? Isn't the Tribune selling the team the second-best thing that could happen for you, with only a World Series win beating it?

The Sox... ugh. I think we're in for a tough one this year. After winning 99 regular season games and the WS two years ago, and winning 90 regular season games last season, I think they end up with wins in the low-to-mid 80's. A very "meh" season. I don't think they're going to have their lineup figured out until early June. And then it's too late.

[EdO]

Now I'm just trying to figure out how I can watch at work without anyone noticing.

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-Casio-EV-570

http://www.shopping.com/xPO-GPX-Gpx-KCL8806DT-Under-Counter-7-Inch-LCD-T

[smaher78]

My cold cold heart is beginning to thaw...

Aaaahhhh....

No predictions. Just happy.

PS-Aside from my family, I have no baseball friends. I spent the better part of last season trying to ignite some interest in my non baseball or White Sox fan friends by taking them to games. It didn't work...probably because I'm a spaz games. Anyway, for real, if any of you (and you know who you are) want to go to a game, I'm in.

[Arnie]

Sarah, I will go to one game with you. And you will go to one Cubs game with me. And then I will be done with baseball for another year.

[Griggs]

Bad start for both teams.

Sox down by 5 in the first inning.

Cubs down by 2 in the first inning.

Oh boy.:mad:

[smaher78]

Arnie. Do not try to derail a baseball thread. I don't jump into the Battlestar Gallactica thread and let everyone know you are only allowed to talk about how hot Six is once a day.

I like new baseball friends. Let's do this.

[Chip]

I won tickets to the Sox game on Wednesday, so I'm pretty excited forthat. It'll be my first live Sox game.

If they cancel due to rain/snow, what happens to my tickets? Do I just show up for when they reschedule?


-Chip

[Hicks]

First games today for everyone except the Mets and Cards. Always a good time. I'm listening to the Sox and Royals on the internet. So good.

[DiMarco]

Ed - I would definitely get one of those tiny tvs if I could figure out how to get the internet baseball stream to them. For now I'll just settle for lots of alt-tabbing.

And, of course, the Phillies lose the lead with 2 outs in the eighth and then lose the game in 10. But that's ok. It's only one game. (I'm trying this attitude to start the year, it will probably not survive another 8-16 April.)

[Hicks]

Maher I will go to a White Sox game with you for pure baseball fun. I will sit in the sun, drink beer and eat hot dogs. Of course I will then insist that you later in the year come to the Dirty Water Red Sox/White Sox Outing. We have 50 seats and a drunk bus and it's going to kick ass!

[rdolan]

Hey Hicks, how did the play by play sounds, when we plunked Ortiz after your pitcher plunked our rookie? Could you hear the thud?

Royals 6, Red Sox 1. Bottom of 7.

Gil Meche has six Ks.

[rdolan]

Maher, I'm always up for a game. Duh.

[timalimdim]

I went to two Sox games with you last season, Maher, even though I am a Cubs fan. Plus I think we went to at least one Cubs game.

You're a fairweather fan of friendship.



Hooray For Baseball!



And on a less derail-y note, I'm sorry neither team did well, but I really think this will be a fun year.

[rdolan]

After the Red Sox 7-1 Loss to the Royals on Monday, Schilling blogged about it on 38pitches.com

"Today, I only lasted four innings against the Kansas City Royals. Kevin Millar sent me an email on my Blackberry between innings, and said I should drink more protein shakes. The one good thing about today's game is that every bases loaded walk I give up this season, Manny Ramirez donates one of his neighbors' grills for auction for the Dana Farber Institute."

[Hicks]

The Schilling Blog may be the best running subplot of the season. He's already tee'd off on the media and is pretty forthcoming. It's cool to get an inside view of a pro ballplayer's life. Even if you aren't a Red Sox fan I recommend reading it if you dig baseball.

[PeteFitz]

I went to the Sox opener yesterday, and just about the only things I can take from it was the nice weather (I got a fucking sunburn, damn these irish genes), and I happen to have Sizemore and CC on the squad in a league I'm in. I know, bully for me.

Besides that. YIKES. Coop went to the mound five minutes/10 pitches in to the game. Jose C reverted to his just off the boat Yankees days.

So I rushed to get to the game (work to home to train), only to see the flyover as I crossed 35th street. Dang. Then I heard the lineups as I walked up the concourse (the escalators are for posers). Deng. I rushed down to meet my dad, uncle John, and cousin Joe (I need to give these guys cool POPS nicknames like Dogfucker84 or something) only to sit down for the first pitch. So far so good.

Second pitch....gone. Damn. That was pretty much it. If it was a prizefight, they would have called it in the 2nd as a TKO. But it is baseball so they trudge on.

Ok, Thumbs up, Middle finger up section.

Thumbs up - Erstad already has more homeruns then he did last year. His dong was an absolute laser. And we were only down 2-5. And yes I use "us" and "we" when I talk Sox. I have put in the investment. They are part of my general makeup.

Thumbs up - Even though he is an absolute dope in the field, Pablo Ozuna is an absolute joy to watch. I love that dude. I could have done without the drag bunt to end the inning, but whatever. Eggs and Omelets, people.

Thumbs up - Watching Travis Hafner run is always fun. That dude is like Mo Vaughn big. Anything that is that big and runs that awkwardly should have a helmet on.

2 Thumbs up - HotDogs. The Best. Probably the leader in the clubhouse as to why I am not a vegetarian. Those badboys and Kielbosa.

Middle Finger - Beer is astronomically expensive. And I like to get my swerve on. YOu can't even buy a round for under 20 bones anymore. Ridiculous. I hate doing all the math. And I went to school for fucking math. From now on, I decree all beers should forever be 4.25. Even if you have to make them 12 ouncers. Forever. The 75 cents on the backside goes to the vendor who is absolutely busting ass (not enough people tip these guys). Problem solved. That and I hate the plastice bottles. Granted, it is easier on the vendors, but damn...you polish off a couple a beers and you look like the town drunk, with bottle littered all over...granted (again) I am the town drunk, but I don't want strangers to know.

Giant Seasonal Middle Finger - The new seats. They're green (nice). They are tilted towards home plate (took a while to get used to, but again, nice). They are Wrigley/Fenway tiny now. Yes. They made the seats fucking smaller. Man. Now I'm borderline fat, and wearing quasi-winter gear (I thought it wasn't going to be as nice as it was) in the seat. Sweet Mamacita, that's a tight fit. My quitting smoking expanding at an alarming rate uncle looked cartoonishly uncomfortable. Which was kind of humorous in that suffering family member way, but as the game wore on it absolutely sucked furianus. I'm sure in the summer when I wear my standard issue South Side jean shorts, I'll be fine, but the weather sucks in Chicago for like a third of the season. Fudge. I got to start waering the goretex, and lose the triple fat goose.

Middle Finger - Now because of the "wanting opening day ticket holders to go to opening day" day off after opening day (God that sounded bad), I got no game today. Blimey. Damn. I go all winter with no fix, and then the torture me. It's like putting the tip in, but no further. Black Tuesday.

Anyhoo. It's only one game, but it was opening day, and I wanted it to be better. Oy.

I , of course am down for going to any game. And partaking in any ballpark shenanigans.

Play ball.

PeteFitz

[cdalbaugh]

Cincinnati mayor Mark Mallory throws out the first pitch (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx6zsub-neU)

"JUUUUST a bit outside," exclaims Bob Uecker.

[Hicks]

Royals 1
Red Sox 7

Welcome to .500 land Ryan. Your usual seat is just over here sir. Would you like an aperitif?

[Chip]

I went to the Sox game yesterday. I'd won a couple tickets in a raffle from my boss at work, so I went down to my first Sox game.

Holy balls it was cold! And snowing! Sitting in the seats (500 level) the wind wasn't bad, but walking through the tunnels was ridiculous. The poor beer vendors trying to sell cold beer on a freezing day. The sign said the temp was 25 degrees, and I'm sure it was lower with wind chill. Anyway, it was my first baseball snow experience.

The game was...well I don't know what to say about the pitching. Garland was mediocre. Cisco lasted 2/3 of an inning. We had some nice hits, but with 2 on base and 1 out in the 9th, down 1 we couldn't get it done.

The stadium was nice, and food and drink were easily accessible. The organ player was...well, he liked to tie in the song to whatever play just happened. When the 2nd baseman made a play by jumpingto catch the ball, he played Van Halen's "Jump". I was reminded of Harold shows at iO. If there was a fight, I expect he'd have played the Mortal Kombat theme.

Overall it was a good experience, but I'd like to go back when it's warmer and I can drink some beers.

-Chip

[DiMarco]

Two Phillies games, two Phillies extra inning losses after blowing leads in the 8th and 9th innings. (As an added bonus both losses blew wins for pitchers on my various fantasy teams.)

I'm already beginning to regret purchasing the mlb.tv package. This summer is going to make me so angry.

On the plus side I will catch some Dice-K debut during lunch today.

[EdO]

I was in Cincinatti yesterday shooting a "thang". We had a chance to see the Reds/Cubs game last night for like 3 bucks apiece. We passed. The wind chill was down around 20. I think the Cubs won, though.

[PeteFitz]

EdO big timing baseball? You changed, man.

[PeteFitz]

Great. Buehrle just took an absolute laser beam line drive off of his forearm (pitching arm) and left he game immediately.

Not good news.

Let's hope the MRI comes back negative.

Fudge.

Edited to add: This just in....MRI is negative. Just a bruise. He is day to day. And Masset looks decent.

[Hicks]

Dice-K looked brilliant today. I watched the game on my computer at work (Thanks MLB.TV!) 7 innings, 10 Ks, one earned run.

[Monahan]

Let's remember, though, that despite what they did opening day to Schilling, it's still the Royals. (Sorry, Dolan.)

[rdolan]

No offense taken.

The Red Sox have more than twice the payroll, and the best lineup in baseball. They're supposed to take 2 of 3.

I'd like to know why Emil Brown batted clean up today, when he hasn't played in a effing week. They had a game, a day off, a night game, and then a day game. Then this weekend they stay at home. Sweeney had to sit? We have to many mediocre outfielders.

Even though Greinke gave up four doubles to the Royals one, his line was similar to Dice-K's. 7 ks. 7 innings. A good start for him that will be overshadowed by Dice K's good game, and the hoopla.

[rdolan]

also, Alex Gordon got his first hit of MLB career today. Hopefully, the first of 3,000.

oh, and Sports Guy did a running diary on the game. funny stuff.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070405&sportCat=mlb

and whoever is doing baseball tonight, tonight, is brutal. it's orel herschiser and "a middle infielder that used to do steroids."

[Hicks]

The Dice-K was not a shit on the Royals post. It was a I am excited for Dice-K post. Hope the Royals do OK this year. I'm actually happy to get out of the House of Horrors that is Kaufman Stadium. The Red Sox never play well there.