(picture of Safeco Field, in Seattle, via Wikipedia)

Welcome to the Dugout! It didn't look like we had a good place at the moment to talk crazy trading action (such as the surprise trade of Ichiro from the Mariners to the Yankees), or just baseball in general so here it is.

Who's your team?

Let's talk baseball!

Mariners fan (as if the name doesn't give it away).

I have to confess that I'm actually in a little bit of awe at the Ichiro trade. It's not often you see a trade where EVERYONE walks away smiling.

Ownership is happy because this is an opportunity for this situation to be handled in such a way that they can save face. This is critical. Also, without a new deal, after Figgy falls off the books in a year, we'll have the lowest payroll in all of baseball, which I'm sure perks the cheap expletivedeleteds right up.

Ichiro's happy because he walks away from Seattle BEFORE he completely craps out. It's been a rough 1.5 years, but he's still incredibly beloved. I doubt the man will ever be able to pay for a beer in this town. Also, he gets a whack at a ring. I hope he gets it. As an aside, my God, did I really just express a wish for the Yanks to win the Series?

Yanks win because they give up nothing they care about, get speed they need & incredible defense, and in the confines of New Yankee, Ichiro's got a hot bat.

M's win because we don't have to deal with the FUBAR'd mess that Ichiro's last contract would become. It would split the fanbase in two, and be ugly as homemade sin. If the pitchers we get work out, great. If not, great.

M's fans win b/c we got to say goodbye, and we don't have to deal with the collapse of the team's pillar. Okay, so maybe we lose less? We'll take that!

Did you go to the game last night? I did, and thought it was great, and people at least in my section were in very high spirits (or possibly it was "high beer spirits", not sure).

Lots of Ichiro jerseys out there too!

I love baseball, My two main teams are The Los Angeles Dodgers and The Oakland Athletics.

Managed to make it to 10 baseball games this season, 10 A's and 1 Dodgers, Planning on going to two more Doyer games if finances will allow.

Super excited for Dodgers, First with the new management (went to my first dodger game in 3 years, boycotted them because of McCourt.) but now I can start going back. Dodgers look like they're eager to start spending some money, we just got Hanley Ramirez from the Marlins and he's been fitting in fine, Last night his first HR as the dodgers was a game winner in the 10th inning. Felt good man. I'm really to see how we do with him the rest of the season but I'm picturing big things, they said they were "just getting started" and more good news was on the way. Also can't wait for Dee Gordon to come back. Hopefully they can teach him how to get on base, that kid is super fast and gets into home no problem, his biggest problem is getting to first.

Anyways, thats enough about Doyers, onto Athletics.

As for the A's I am thoroughly impressed with them this season. What are they, 8-2 in the last 10 games? Including a 4 game sweep against the yankees (First time for the A's in almost 100 years, and the last time the yankees lost 4 at home was 03) followed by a 16-0 game against the marlins. It's truly amazing how much they can get done with what little they have. At the beginning of the season I was ecstatic if they'd be at .500, and here they are at 54-45, half game behind the Angels and 4.5 behind texas, truly amazing.

Anyways, I've prattled on far too long already, can't wait to see what others have to say about their favorite team.

CowboyDann wrote:I love baseball, My two main teams are The Los Angeles Dodgers and The Oakland Athletics.

Managed to make it to 10 baseball games this season, 10 A's and 1 Dodgers, Planning on going to two more Doyer games if finances will allow.

Yay! A friend of mine had some extra tickets so instead of one game next month, I get to go to two! I don't think they're playing the A's or the Dodgers though.



Granted, the seats are all up in the super high 300 sections... but I don't mind.

Where do you usually sit?

Lifelong Rangers fan. Moved to Michigan about 10 yrs ago. Going to my first Tigers game in a couple weeks. I'm excited to attend a game. I was so used to hitting 10-15 a summer that these last 10 yrs have been a little depressing. At least TC has the semi-pro Beach Bums. That's usually a good cheap night out with friends and family.

Weird this never sent.

inkycatz wrote:Yay! A friend of mine had some extra tickets so instead of one game next month, I get to go to two! I don't think they're playing the A's or the Dodgers though.

Granted, the seats are all up in the super high 300 sections... but I don't mind.

Where do you usually sit?

At the O.Co I buy the 9 dollar seats and sneak into the 20-30 dollar seats no problem. I think they're just happy to make it look like people are showing up at the games.

At Doyer Stadium I'm usually in the field reserve (seats right below nosebleed) and those usually run ~40 bucks a pair online. I think next year I'll buy a pair of season tickets to the dodgers, at the very least be getting a 10 game mini-plan.

CowboyDann wrote:Weird this never sent.

At the O.Co I buy the 9 dollar seats and sneak into the 20-30 dollar seats no problem. I think they're just happy to make it look like people are showing up at the games.

At Doyer Stadium I'm usually in the field reserve (seats right below nosebleed) and those usually run ~40 bucks a pair online. I think next year I'll buy a pair of season tickets to the dodgers, at the very least be getting a 10 game mini-plan.

They have it set up a little differently (and more expensive!) at Safeco.



I tend to sit in the green areas, aka the View (usually $20-40 online). According to the site, this season the Ms are using dynamic pricing for all single-game tickets, where pricing is based on a variety of factors such as opponents, day of the week, month of the season, weather, etc.

I guess this works out because I haven't seen any wild fluctuations in price so far, but then again I'm also taking advantage of 'special promotion nights' and whatnot. (Yay less than $20 tickets!)

orphaeus wrote:Lifelong Rangers fan. Moved to Michigan about 10 yrs ago. Going to my first Tigers game in a couple weeks. I'm excited to attend a game. I was so used to hitting 10-15 a summer that these last 10 yrs have been a little depressing. At least TC has the semi-pro Beach Bums. That's usually a good cheap night out with friends and family.

So excited for you and I'm looking forward to hearing about it after!

I used to go with a bunch of coworkers to see the Durham Bulls, and I missed that tradition a little. That's why I decided no matter how busy I was this summer I'd get out to see the Mariners!

Lifelong Cubs fan here. Yes, it's painful to admit. Even more painful is that my husband and son are White Sox fans. As if it's not bad enough that the Cubs are stinking it up yet again, the Sox keep flaunting first place in my face. Someday, though, the Cubs are going to win it all, and no one but other suffering Cubs fans will appreciate how sweet that will be.

Also, I LOVE mascots (I got the whole set of Topps mascot cards as a Christmas gift last year) and I am in awe of the Mariner Moose!

Mets. Trying to get to see their AA team play locally this weekend. Was excited to see Ichiro traded to the East Coast myself. More chances to see him. Although the Yankees don't really need any more press or championships ; )

Lifelong Dodgers fan here! So exciting to see all the changes being made this year! Getting rid of McCrook, bringing in Hanley and Victorino, the surprising success of Capuano, and in the thick of it. Life is good these days, just need to get a bit more consistency, and they're a tough team to beat. Wish they could have worked out for Dempster though, not only for their sake, but for my fantasy team's sake. Dempy has been more like Dumpy in Texas...

Oh, and I've only been to two games in my life, the Twins at the Metrodome, and the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers game was awesome (2010 vs. NYY, beat the tar out of them), and it was a special thing since I live in Iowa, so I shelled out for a third base box seat. It was something like $150, but that was heavily discounted from the regular $300 price since I bought it an hour before gametime.

Awwwwwyeah! Perfect game!

So I'm hanging out at the M's game, and honestly, the most fascinating game of the weekend wasn't even the one I was at!

vs.

Anyone else catch this 19 inning craziness?

inkycatz wrote:So I'm hanging out at the M's game, and honestly, the most fascinating game of the weekend wasn't even the one I was at!

vs.

Anyone else catch this 19 inning craziness?

I was keeping tabs on that until my cell phone died and got top and bottom checkins from the 16th on. that was ridiculous. This is a weird year, what is it, 4 perfect games, and then we have 2 of these ungodly long games one with position players pitching... for the first time since the early 1900's

As for the dodgers I just heard this weird/interesting stat. In games where dodgers get 5 or more runs they are ~47-4 I think.. Just thought it was p. neat. might have been 48.

CowboyDann wrote:
As for the dodgers I just heard this weird/interesting stat. In games where dodgers get 5 or more runs they are ~47-4 I think.. Just thought it was p. neat. might have been 48.

That is an interesting stat!

Yeah, I got caught up with the game because as I told one of the group I was in, "I already know how this game's turning out, but the fact that I keep looking over there and that game still isn't over fascinates me."

Turns out tonight is...


Supreme Court night for "King Felix"'s perfect game. Shirts and all! After this my last game I have a ticket for during season (in person) is 9/19. That kind of actually makes me sad.

I probably should suck up the cost and get a six pack of games or something next year, right?

inkycatz wrote:That is an interesting stat!

Yeah, I got caught up with the game because as I told one of the group I was in, "I already know how this game's turning out, but the fact that I keep looking over there and that game still isn't over fascinates me."

Turns out tonight is...


Supreme Court night for "King Felix"'s perfect game. Shirts and all! After this my last game I have a ticket for during season (in person) is 9/19. That kind of actually makes me sad.

I probably should suck up the cost and get a six pack of games or something next year, right?

The best thing about the 19 inning game was that, since it didn't involve the Rays, I didn't have to keep wondering whether they were going to get no-hit AGAIN. The stats are just ridiculous. Floridians are getting seriously paranoid.

Jessara wrote:The best thing about the 19 inning game was that, since it didn't involve the Rays, I didn't have to keep wondering whether they were going to get no-hit AGAIN. The stats are just ridiculous. Floridians are getting seriously paranoid.

"It is no secret that the DNA of the Tampa Bay Rays is pitching and defense, and they have budgetary constraints that other contenders don't have. This is what makes the Rays a great team and also what makes the Rays so apt to being on the wrong side of a no-hitter or perfect game."

via - Felix Hernandez Perfect Game: Why Do the Tampa Bay Rays Get No-Hit so Often?

I found that kind of interesting, as I hadn't really thought about it much before.

Also here's a decent report of the game I went to last night. It was all happening in the seventh, let me tell you.

My friend recommended Baseball Between the Numbers this morning to me. Has anyone here read it? What did you think?

inkycatz wrote:"It is no secret that the DNA of the Tampa Bay Rays is pitching and defense, and they have budgetary constraints that other contenders don't have. This is what makes the Rays a great team and also what makes the Rays so apt to being on the wrong side of a no-hitter or perfect game."

via - Felix Hernandez Perfect Game: Why Do the Tampa Bay Rays Get No-Hit so Often?

I found that kind of interesting, as I hadn't really thought about it much before.

Also here's a decent report of the game I went to last night. It was all happening in the seventh, let me tell you.

My friend recommended Baseball Between the Numbers this morning to me. Has anyone here read it? What did you think?

Haven't read it, on my to-do list. At the moment I am enchanted by the Android SI feature that displays a live game, complete with a diagram of the bases, scores and extensive text info- who's pitching to whom, what each player's stats are etc. I can switch to any game being played in an instant. Addiction is a terrible thing.

Jessara wrote:Haven't read it, on my to-do list. At the moment I am enchanted by the Android SI feature that displays a live game, complete with a diagram of the bases, scores and extensive text info- who's pitching to whom, what each player's stats are etc. I can switch to any game being played in an instant. Addiction is a terrible thing.

That sounds like a fantastic app - and I've got the book now waiting for me at the library. Where it will continue to wait until after Labor Day.

Read this today, although it's from last week:
Because the Seattle Times and the (Tacoma) News Tribune as of now are not planning on sending their beat reporters to cover the team on the road the remainder of the season... - MLB blog

Seriously, what? Is this a common thing for news now? A continuing sign of the death of print papers?

One of our writers linked this, and it made me laugh. How about you?

inkycatz wrote:I used to go with a bunch of coworkers to see the Durham Bulls, and I missed that tradition a little. That's why I decided no matter how busy I was this summer I'd get out to see the Mariners!

Oh, the Durham Bulls. I used to love going to those games back when I lived in NC.

Given that you used to live in Durham and are now in Seattle, are you stalking me? Or maybe I'm stalking you, depending on the timeline? We should resolve this stalker/stalkee dilemma...

sully51 wrote:

Oh, and I've only been to two games in my life, the Twins at the Metrodome, and the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium.

Ah, the Metrodome. What a dump. The accidental swastika on the roof was a bizarre touch.

inkycatz wrote:My friend recommended Baseball Between the Numbers this morning to me. Has anyone here read it? What did you think?

BBtN is a good book, and worth your time, if you aren't one of the baseball purists who hates Sabermetrics.

A slightly older baseball book, but one also worth your time, is George Will's Men At Work. It's not political at all, unlike most of Will's work, but it's a good and interesting look at some of the craft of baseball, from the perspective of a pitcher, a hitter, a fielder, and a manager.

seattlekleins wrote:Oh, the Durham Bulls. I used to love going to those games back when I lived in NC.

Given that you used to live in Durham and are now in Seattle, are you stalking me? Or maybe I'm stalking you, depending on the timeline? We should resolve this stalker/stalkee dilemma...

Pretty big coincidences!

Thanks for the book recommendation too, I just got the other one rescued from the library yesterday and am looking forward to curling up later with it.

So sports fans, how are all our teams doing? Anyone headed out to watch live games this week?

inkycatz wrote:Anyone headed out to watch live games this week?

Going to the park this week, awyeah! M's vs Orioles, 9/19, 7:10 pm!

I'm thinking of taking my baseball book from the library, hitting the park early, and watching the sunset with a stupidly overloaded hotdog and soda.

Too meta to be reading a baseball book before a baseball game at the park or just right?

inkycatz wrote:

Going to the park this week, awyeah! M's vs Orioles, 9/19, 7:10 pm!

I'm thinking of taking my baseball book from the library, hitting the park early, and watching the sunset with a stupidly overloaded hotdog and soda.

Too meta to be reading a baseball book before a baseball game at the park or just right?

Baseball is a nice sport,interesting,healthy. Many friends around me are fascinated to it.But as it to me which is difficult to play well ,and the baseball stick is very heavy.Sometimes I just wonder how they can play so well.suggestions?

sunshineing wrote:Baseball is a nice sport,interesting,healthy. Many friends around me are fascinated to it.But as it to me which is difficult to play well ,and the baseball stick is very heavy.Sometimes I just wonder how they can play so well.suggestions?

Years of practice, I think! I do know they must have a lot of endurance - there was quite a bit of chatter about last night's 18 inning game.

I'm the sort who likes to stick around to the very end of the game, even if I know it's going to go one way or other for sure. Am I the only one?

inkycatz wrote:I'm the sort who likes to stick around to the very end of the game, even if I know it's going to go one way or other for sure. Am I the only one?

When I was a kid, my dad used to take me to a bunch of local single-A games. If games ran late, we'd leave. But from the age of 14 or so on, I have left one, and only one, baseball game early.

Earlier this year, I visited a friend in Colorado, and we went to a Rockies game. The starting pitcher opened the game with an ERA over 12, and made it worse from there. I found myself deeply puzzled that they didn't replace him, until they did. We left in the 8th, after back to back 5 or 6 run innings.

The Rockies looked worse than the M's of 2 years ago. There was no heart, no hope, no effort. Whoever they had at 3rd was an insult to the game and to human dignity. If I had cared about the Rockies, we'd have stayed (Lord knows in the past few years I've stayed through some crappy M's fiascoes).

If the Rockies had demonstrated that they were remotely emotionally invested in the game, I would have stayed.


But as I didn't care about the R's, and they didn't care about the game, I just couldn't bring myself to sit through yet another no-out, bases loaded pummeling.

I've sat through some bad college, minor- and major-league games, but that's the first time I've left in damn near two decades.

I like Clint Hurdle, but I can't see him surviving the disaster the R's have become. Sadly, the fault is with ownership and some with the GM, but I can't see anyone but Hurdle taking the first bullet.

Best slide ever, or BEST SLIDE EVER?

GO CARDS GO!

Sorry, I just had to point out the lack of World Series chatter. Seriously, nothing?

I, of course, am rooting for the Cards to take the WS again. But that's just a hopeful Birdbrain. :D

Moueska wrote:GO CARDS GO!

Sorry, I just had to point out the lack of World Series chatter. Seriously, nothing?

I, of course, am rooting for the Cards to take the WS again. But that's just a hopeful Birdbrain. :D

I am shocked my own self. Bring it home, birdies!


Today's read: "Phil Coke's path to the World Series with the Tigers was full of late nights, fast food, and doing whatever it took to pay the bills"

It's pretty dark!

Moueska wrote:GO CARDS GO!

Sorry, I just had to point out the lack of World Series chatter. Seriously, nothing?

Outfield Fly Rule karma struck them down.

As for WS chatter, have some after the fact? How 'bout that Kung Fu Panda? (Incidentally, one of my favorite baseball nicknames!)

Yay, a baseball bat for sale today. How are we handling the off-season, sports fans?

inkycatz wrote:Yay, a baseball bat for sale today. How are we handling the off-season, sports fans?

Awesome...we got Jason Bay, that means we are going to go back in time and win the 2006 World Series right?

North316 wrote:Awesome...we got Jason Bay, that means we are going to go back in time and win the 2006 World Series right?

Just let me get my TARDIS fired up... oh, it's only a USB hub.