# Finally Baseball is here! 2009 Edition, (April thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [April 5, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049 "2009-04-05T13:28:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**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 18, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/181 "2009-04-18T18:13:57Z")
I’m watching the Brewers and the Mets at Bailout Field right now, and while the new home ground looks very nice from a playing and a general spectator point of view, there’s one aspect of it that i really don’t like. For almost the full length of the outfield, from the left-field foul pole around to the right field foul pole, the walls are very high. There’s a bit of room where the walls are only 8 or 9 feet high, but for the most part they are much higher than that. For the vast majority of the game, this isn’t an issue, but what it does is take away the possibility of an outfielder going over the wall to rob a hitter of a home run. And i think that’s one of the more exciting plays in baseball. Just MHO. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/182 "2009-04-18T20:39:19Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I’m watching the Brewers and the Mets at Bailout Field right now… I would contribute one hundred dollars to actually renaming it that. Overbay with a home run in the 12th to win it for the Jays. One more day in first place! ---
**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 18, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/183 "2009-04-18T20:46:47Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I would contribute one hundred dollars to actually renaming it that. > > Overbay with a home run in the 12th to win it for the Jays. One more day in first place! I thought the Jays were going to win it in the 9th, with Scutaro on third and one out. Crosby saved Oakland temporarily with his dive at third. In other happy news, the Yankees have given up 14 runs to Cleveland in the top of the second inning. Wang gave up 8 on 8 hits, and Claggett has allowed 6 on 5. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/184 "2009-04-18T20:47:23Z")
Wang sucked again today. Ugh. His mechanics are all off. That was fugly. ---
**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 18, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/185 "2009-04-18T20:54:01Z")
> [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > Wang sucked again today. Ugh. His mechanics are all off. That was fugly. Hughes and Kennedy both have two goods starts at Scranton. We could be seeing Wang down and one of them up. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/186 "2009-04-18T20:59:00Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > Yeah, as far as losses go, it wasn’t too painful. Ludwick is off to a running start, eh? But what’s up with Ankiel? I know it’s early, but he’s hitting like .180. > > As I said upthread, I would be delighted if the Cards come away with a split. Showing they can keep pace with the Cubs makes this summer a lot more fun. I was at Wrigley for both Thursday and Friday’s games and the pitching was bad on both sides, but the most remarkable thing was how timely the Cards hitting was and how untimely the Cubs were. They stranded guys over and over again and had RISP with zero and one out multiple times. I really hope that this evens out as the season goes along, but early I’m concerned with the way Derrick Lee is playing. He just looks like he’s slowed down a ton. He doesn’t seem to be able to get around on fastballs any more and his plate discipline is nothing like it once was. Also, Brian Barden is looking like he’s going to be that no-name guy that just kills the Cubs all year. ETA: Just flipped over the game on Fox today and I just realized how much I wish we could get Gracie calling Cubs games for WGN and dump the guys we got now. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/187 "2009-04-18T21:07:43Z")
Wow, what a beatdown going on at Yankee Stadium. Indians all over the Yankees 15-2 in the 3rd inning. Marlins got lit up by the Nationals early but came back to win. Marlins look like the class of the NL East early in the season. What’s up with the Braves? That was a bad loss today. Coming after being swept by the Marlins, I’m not sure why the Braves are losing so many games. I wouldn’t want to get too many games behind in the NL East this year. It will come down to a last game in September and the games in April count as much as the ones later in the year. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/188 "2009-04-18T21:12:12Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > I thought the Jays were going to win it in the 9th, with Scutaro on third and one out. On that note, why was Scutaro running on contact from 3rd with one out? With the infield in, it seems to me that was asking to get thrown out at home – which is exactly what happened. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/189 "2009-04-18T21:14:09Z")
Mariners made a great comeback last night! Verlander was perfect for Detroit through 4 innings, but then the M’s jumped all over him for 5 runs in the 5th. That was really nice to see from Seattle’s offense on a night when King Felix was having a rough time. **mhendo** , The Onion has a good article up about the Mets’ new ballpark: [Mr. Met Having Trouble Sleeping In New Home](http://www.theonion.com/content/news/mr_met_having_trouble_sleeping_in) ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/190 "2009-04-18T21:30:37Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > They stranded guys over and over again and had RISP with zero and one out multiple times. I really hope that this evens out as the season goes along, but early I’m concerned with the way Derrick Lee is playing. He just looks like he’s slowed down a ton. He doesn’t seem to be able to get around on fastballs any more and his plate discipline is nothing like it once was. Heh, and there goes Lee turning on a fastball for a double with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 2nd to tie it up. So should I use these powers for good or evil…hmm. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/191 "2009-04-18T23:27:42Z")
Yankees are down 22 to 4 in the 9th. They may lose. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/192 "2009-04-19T00:03:14Z")
Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!!! 😃 22- 9 ??? that has to be some sort of record… What a shame, couldn’t happen to a nicer team. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/193 "2009-04-19T02:11:20Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Hughes and Kennedy both have two goods starts at Scranton. We could be seeing Wang down and one of them up. Can you option a fifth year player? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/194 "2009-04-19T03:05:35Z")
Once again I am back to wondering whether… 1. This year’s Yankees suck 2. This year’s Tribe roooOOooocks. 3. This was just a fluke. So happy with the win, and so happy to see our bats but I’m still cautiously optimistic. Being a Cleveland fan is rough. (Not as rough as being Carl Pavano tomorrow, though!) ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/195 "2009-04-19T04:39:37Z")
I am a Yankee hater, but even I felt a little sorry for them with the drubbing they got from Cleveland. Quietly, in Kansas City, Zack Greinke has 34 straight scoreless innings(going back to last year), including a complete game shutout with 10 K’s tonight. Lincecum looks like he is returned to form with 13K’s tonight, but got a no decision. His team gave him no run support and the Giants lost. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/196 "2009-04-19T11:11:15Z")
Traditionally, pitchers start out ahead of hitter in April. That seems to not be the case this year, or else the pitching talent pool is thinner than usual. ---
**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 19, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/197 "2009-04-19T14:54:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Can you option a fifth year player? I don’t actually know. But he was so good, so consistently that he has left almost every option unused. If they can’t demote him, they can ask him to go down or DL him and put him on a rehab assignment in the minors. No matter what, something is wrong and he is completely lost. It can’t be the foot injury as he actually looked good in the Spring. So it is likely to be either a new injury or some serious mechanics issue. I am not good at this, but it looked to me like he was releasing too soon. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/198 "2009-04-19T14:54:18Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Can you option a fifth year player? According to the _Times_: > [@](#): > > Wang is out of minor-league options, and according to Girardi, there is no way he could be sent to the minors without allowing other teams the chance to claim him. There is no scenario under which Wang could agree to an assignment and bypass the waiver system. If the Yankees try to send him down, they would lose him. It’s that simple. I can’t imagine what those who’d just spent several thousand dollars on tickets felt as the Yankees were taken out of it in the second. ---
**Author:** ![Ichbin\_Dubist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/51bf81/32.png) [@Ichbin\_Dubist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ichbin_Dubist)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/199 "2009-04-19T15:09:42Z")
Wang also strikes out fewer batters per inning than Tom Glavine or Jamie Moyer, and it seems like he’s kind of a mystery to the stats dudes, as pitchers with such low K/9 don’t usually have much long-term success. And he doesn’t exactly have an amazing defensive infield behind him. I would look up his groundball/fly ratio for these 3 games if I wasn’t so lazy (and a Mets fan), but it sure sounded like a lot of balls were in the air. (I say “sounded” because I was listening to the radio.) I think part of the problem is that the Yankees grounds crew seems to have installed helium instead of air. * * * To turn to the problems on my side, the Mets seem to have decided that the way to turn Johan Santana into Tom Seaver is to give him as few runs as possible. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049/200 "2009-04-19T15:19:22Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > Wang also strikes out fewer batters per inning than Tom Glavine or Jamie Moyer, and it seems like he’s kind of a mystery to the stats dudes, as pitchers with such low K/9 don’t usually have much long-term success. Well, I’ve been saying for a few years I thought Wang had no long term future; ask What Exit?, we’ve been debating his value for some time. However, 1. Wang is exactly the sort of pitcher who can get by, at least for awhile, with a low K rate - a sidearmer with an extreme ground ball tendency, 2. His K rate has been going UP year after year. 5.1 last year, which isn’t great but it’s much improved, and 3. There’s a big difference between “not a good long term bet” and “Instatly going from being a decent pitcher to being a comical disaster.” And he doesn’t exactly have an amazing defensive infield behind him. I would look up his groundball/fly ratio for these 3 games if I wasn’t so lazy (and a Mets fan), but it sure sounded like a lot of balls were in the air. (I say “sounded” because I was listening to the radio.) I think part of the problem is that the Yankees grounds crew seems to have installed helium instead of air. * * * To turn to the problems on my side, the Mets seem to have decided that the way to turn Johan Santana into Tom Seaver is to give him as few runs as possible. [/QUOTE] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finally-baseball-is-here-2009-edition-april-thread/492049.md?page=11)