# Baseball Thread April 2008 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [April 7, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306 "2008-04-07T13:24:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/201 "2008-04-30T18:57:54Z")
[QUOTE=Hawkeyeop] Eh. I take Delgado’s actions as “I’m hitting 200, I don’t deserve curtain calls.” [/QUOTE] Which, as it happens, is pretty much exactly what [Delgado himself said](http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/sports/baseball/29shea.html?ref=baseball): > [@](#): > > Delgado, affable and polite, was surrounded by a dozen reporters who pelted him with questions like the many raindrops splashing on the Shea Stadium tarp. The fans who have booed Delgado’s recent slump demanded reaction Sunday when they deigned to cheer him. > > Was his refusal a pointed snub? “There are moments, and there are moments,” Delgado said, choosing his words carefully, putting emphasis on the second “moments.” “I don’t think that was the moment.” > > But was he sending a message to the fans on behalf of himself or other teammates who have been booed? “It has nothing to do with that,” Delgado said, but added that the booing of his 13-11 team had hurt some feelings. So Delgado has been batting poorly. Then he hit two home runs in a night. Neither home run was absolutely game-changing (the Mets were already leading by 3 when he hit the first one, and by 2 when he hit the second). As he said, maybe he felt that this was not the moment to have a curtain call. Maybe he felt he didn’t actually deserve one. I’m sure it would have been politic for him to come out anyway, but i really can’t muster any outrage over the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/202 "2008-04-30T19:01:48Z")
[QUOTE=storyteller0910] Is there a particular reason you’re being unpleasant in this thread? [/QUOTE] If by unpleasant, you mean “disagreeing with you,” it’s because i disagree with you about this. You’re the one who marched in making accusations of petulance against Delgado; i’m simply pointing out that his refusal to come out is no more petulant than the attitude of fans who boo him for it. **What Exit?** : As i said, it probably would have been the politic thing to do, but i don’t see it as a big deal, especially considering he’s gone out of his way to state that it was not a deliberate snub, and that he felt it wasn’t the right moment for such a gesture. I don’t see why, in the absence of other evidence, we can’t take him at his word, rather than assume nefarious motives. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/203 "2008-04-30T19:27:51Z")
[QUOTE=mhendo] **What Exit?** : As i said, it probably would have been the politic thing to do, but i don’t see it as a big deal, especially considering he’s gone out of his way to state that it was not a deliberate snub, and that he felt it wasn’t the right moment for such a gesture. I don’t see why, in the absence of other evidence, we can’t take him at his word, rather than assume nefarious motives. [/QUOTE] I don’t think I assumed any nefarious motives, just what in my opinion was a poor decision, but one that I do understand. The Mets fans are sounding more like Yankee fans every year now. This makes me think that their fan base at the games has also increased to include a lot of people who don’t really understand the game as happened to the Yanks in the late 90s. On the other hand the NYC fans in the 50s were quite prone to booing. They booed Mickey and later Roger Maris. The Giants fans had their share of Boobirds also from what my father has told me. Only in Brooklyn did they appear to be more loyal, probably as they had spent so long as lovable losers. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/204 "2008-04-30T20:01:08Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] I don’t think I assumed any nefarious motives… [/QUOTE] No, you didn’t. I was referring to Mets fans who DO seem to be assuming nefarious motives. Anyway, maybe we can all start talking about some good news, like the fact that the Orioles are sitting atop the AL East. 🙂 They’re still running 2 games above their Expected W/L, they are 20th in the Majors in Runs Scored, and 17th in Runs Conceded, yet still manage to string together some good wins. I’m waiting for the collapse; hopefully it won’t come. I went to last night’s games against the Rays, and everyone was pleasantly surprised by Garret Olson’s performance on the mound. He gave up 4 hits and 2 runs in 6 2/3, and looked good. He was pretty awful in his 7 starts last year, so it will be excellent if he keeps pitching like he did last night. Of course, they wouldn’t be the Orioles if they didn’t give their fans a heart attack or two. When Olson got pulled with 2 out and 1 on in the 7th, Randor Bierd came on and immediately gave up a hit (run scored) and a home run (2 runs scored), and then got the final out off a ball that was smashed and caught about 2 yards short of the fence in left-center. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/205 "2008-05-01T04:54:06Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] I’ll give you A.J. Burnett, Gregg Zaun, Frodo Eckstein, Lyle Overbay, B.J. Ryan, and Vernon Wells and I’ll throw in the peanuts. [/QUOTE] I’ll be charitable. Keep Zaun, Eckstein, and Overbay. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/206 "2008-05-01T12:42:23Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] I’ll be charitable. Keep Zaun, Eckstein, and Overbay. [/QUOTE] Then no deal. You have to at least take Frodo off our hands. Christ, what a useless player. All we heard all winter was how “Gritty” he is. Ricciardi likes to talk about how he wants players who are “dirty” and “gritty,” words that are often baseball code for “white.” Why, exactly, we acquired a lousy defensive shortstop I don’t precisely know, but now he’s also not hitting (which cannot be that big a surprise, given that he’s 33 and has been hurt lately.) What’s bizarre is they have a great defensive shortstop who, admittedly, can’t hit (John McDonald.) But management has announced they WON’T use McDonald as a defensive sub. They’re very adamant about that. Apparently, they don’t want to hurt Frodo’s feelings. Well, is this a major league ballclub or a goddamn support group? Two games against Boston. One run scored. Boy, this season is going down the drain fast. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/207 "2008-05-01T13:28:54Z")
Anyone else catch the Cubs game last night? 19 to 5 over Milwaukee. Destiny keeps marching on and we get Soriano back today, which will either just be another round of ammo in our offensive arsenal or not, but either way I expect good things to keep coming up in our future. We get the Red Birds this weekend, that will be the true test of the club. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/208 "2008-05-01T13:46:13Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Then no deal. You have to at least take Frodo off our hands. Christ, what a useless player. All we heard all winter was how “Gritty” he is. Ricciardi likes to talk about how he wants players who are “dirty” and “gritty,” words that are often baseball code for “white.” Why, exactly, we acquired a lousy defensive shortstop I don’t precisely know, but now he’s also not hitting (which cannot be that big a surprise, given that he’s 33 and has been hurt lately.) What’s bizarre is they have a great defensive shortstop who, admittedly, can’t hit (John McDonald.) But management has announced they WON’T use McDonald as a defensive sub. They’re very adamant about that. Apparently, they don’t want to hurt Frodo’s feelings. Well, is this a major league ballclub or a goddamn support group? Two games against Boston. One run scored. Boy, this season is going down the drain fast. [/QUOTE] Crap! Then I’ll take it! Sorry to hear abot your season. I can’t say I didn’t share your optimism at the beginning of the season, but they stil do have the pitching to be spoilers at the end f the year. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/209 "2008-05-01T14:19:00Z")
[QUOTE=Cluricaun] We get the Red Birds this weekend, that will be the true test of the club. [/QUOTE] It’ll be a true test for the Cards, too. As happy as I am with their record so far, they’ve done it mostly at home and mostly against less-than-awesome teams. Taking on their co-division-leader will be an opportunity to show what they got. Good thing Ankiel is getting hot again. Also a good thing the Cards get the day off today. Should be a great series. [Flounder from Animal House]Boy is this gonna be great![/Flounder] ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/210 "2008-05-01T15:34:29Z")
Tigers are slowly crawling back into the hunt. Two steps forward ,one back. They just can not get a streak going. It can not bee due to crappy starting pitching. There must be another explanation. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/211 "2008-05-01T15:42:21Z")
Anyone going to start a Baseball Thread May 2008? I loved watching the D-backs/Astros yesterday. Micah Owings hits a pinch hit home run to tie the game. D-backs not only have the best record, but ran it up against the NL West. Texas Rangers tried to give back their big lead against the Royals last night. Josh Hamilton looks amazing, but the rest of this team is a train wreck. I can see them getting swept by the A’s. Nice starts by the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/212 "2008-05-01T15:51:12Z")
[QUOTE=dalej42] Anyone going to start a Baseball Thread May 2008? I loved watching the D-backs/Astros yesterday. Micah Owings hits a pinch hit home run to tie the game. D-backs not only have the best record, but ran it up against the NL West. Texas Rangers tried to give back their big lead against the Royals last night. Josh Hamilton looks amazing, but the rest of this team is a train wreck. I can see them getting swept by the A’s. Nice starts by the Florida Marlins and Tampa Bay Rays. [/QUOTE] Ask and you shall receive: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9753165#post9753165](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=9753165#post9753165) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306/213 "2008-05-01T16:14:24Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Tigers are slowly crawling back into the hunt. Two steps forward ,one back. They just can not get a streak going. It can not bee due to crappy starting pitching. There must be another explanation. [/QUOTE] I replied to this in **What Exit?**'s new thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baseball-thread-april-2008/444306.md?page=10)