Detroit Tigers in 1st???

[michaelskis]

WTF? I will admit that I was a BIG time Tigers fan when I was a little kid, but then I fell away from baseball. Last year I started to watch again because I was worried that they would break the record for the worst team ever in base ball... but now with four game behind them this season, they are undefeated.

Does Pudge make that much of a difference.

 

[Chet]

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY too early in the season to be thinking about being undefeated!

[ot]I'm off work at noon today - not for good friday - but for the Brewers Home opener against the Astros. [/ot]

 

[Budgie]

Every game they win is cause for excitement for Tiger fans. Enjoy every win and maybe, just maybe you won't be in the cellar. IMO, Pudge is better than Bench and Berra. He may be the best catcher ever. He's got the leadership of Munson, the bat of Bench and nobody has the throwing are he has.

 

[Gedunker]

Does Pudge make that much of a difference.

No. It's a long slog and they could still end up 4-158. 8-!

Of course, my Cardinals are staring at a very long losing season indeed, if the pitching doesn't come around and they keep kicking what should be easy put-outs. |-)

 

[Budgie]

Gedunker is right, one player doesn't make that big of a difference, but Pudge is the best. Steve Carlton won 25 plus games a year for a Phillies team that only won 70 games a year. I think he did this for 3 consecutive years in the middle 1970's. HOFer on a crappy team.

The one nice thing about baseball, is that even if your team has a sucky season, there are streaks that can get you really stoked. Lightning in a bottle. 2 out lightning. Whatever you want to call it. I'm not kidding when I say that Baseball mirror life and is for me a religion. More fail than succeed and individuals who succeed only do so 3 out of every 10 times. Despite what coaches like to say, "never get too high or too low", the season is filled with peaks and valleys that provide an emotional roller coaster.

I could go on for hours about the physical and emotional beauty of baseball. Unfortunately, most people are in too much of a hurry to understand and feel it.

 

[Howard Roark]

No. It's a long slog and they could still end up 4-158. 8-!

Of course, my Cardinals are staring at a very long losing season indeed, if the pitching doesn't come around and they keep kicking what should be easy put-outs. |-)

Its been "the world turned upsidedown" first week, the mighty Reds, Brewers and Pirates are dukeing it out for first in the NL central. The Tigers are a perfect 4 and 0, and jeeez only 158 more games to go.

I went to the game yesterday, as sad as it was to see the Cards get shellacked, it was sooo good to be back in the ballpark on a great afternoon. Pitching needs work, but the Cards have always started out slow under LaRussa, Albert is on fire though.

 

[Budgie]

I went to the game yesterday, .

I'm taking my kids to the game tonight (their mother never goes to baseball games unless it's in connection with a social event and then she leaves when the useless feel good banter ends). Royals and Indians. Then it's off to my brothers for Easter and I sign, notarize and file divorce papers on Monday morning. So like baseball, this weekend will be an emotional rollercoaster, with twist and turns. Like Steve Martin, I'm just going to hold on for the ride.

 

[Gedunker]

I went to the game yesterday, as sad as it was to see the Cards get shellacked, it was sooo good to be back in the ballpark on a great afternoon. Pitching needs work, but the Cards have always started out slow under LaRussa, Albert is on fire though.

Howard Roark I am jealous. I've never been to Busch to catch a game, but I've seen the Birds on the Bat at Wrigley, Riverfront and Great American BP, the Vet and Shea (the biggest pit in the game now that the Vet is gone). I'll be going again to Great American for the series in late August.

I've got to get to Busch at least once before it, too, is gone.

I was very happy when the Cards had their Triple A affiliate here in Louisville, and saw many great Cards during that time.

Budgie baseball is the classic game. I think it is emblamatic of our short national attention-span when I hear people say that the game is boring, or too slow. I tend to believe people that say such things can't think on too many levels at one time.

 

[Budgie]

I think it is emblamatic of our short national attention-span when I hear people say that the game is boring, or too slow. I tend to believe people that say such things can't think on too many levels at one time.

I agree. Here's another life analogy. No one can say for certain how long they will live. Like baseball you never know how long the game will take or when it will be over. If you've every witnessed live a 2 out, 5 run rally in the 9th, you know that there is always hope and faith.

 

[jordanb]

The cubs are starting to worry me. 1-2 isn't a very good start for the favorites this year. I really hope Prior gets better soon. :-E

 

[Budgie]

The cubs are starting to worry me. 1-2 isn't a very good start for the favorites this year. I really hope Prior gets better soon. :-E

The same is true for the Royals. Many pick them to finish first in the AL Central and they're 1-2 right now. The Cubs and Royals will do fine. Especially, if the Royals can do well against the other Chicago team. This may be unsportsman like, but I hope Valentin and Lee get hurt before they play the Royals.

 

[JNA]

I start getting interested after the All Star break but really after Labor Day.

Talking about baseball, here is a cool place to tour:

http://www.sluggermuseum.org/flash5.html

Just ask Gendunker.

 

[Howard Roark]

Howard Roark I am jealous. I've never been to Busch to catch a game, but I've seen the Birds on the Bat at Wrigley, Riverfront and Great American BP, the Vet and Shea (the biggest pit in the game now that the Vet is gone). I'll be going again to Great American for the series in late August.

I've got to get to Busch at least once before it, too, is gone.

I was very happy when the Cards had their Triple A affiliate here in Louisville, and saw many great Cards during that time.

It is only about a 3 1/2 hour drive, Busch is nice on the inside, not so nice as a part of the urban context, but it is worth the trip. Part of me will be sad to see it go.

Wrigley is my favorite, even though I can not stand the Cubs in any way. Candlestick was the worst park I was ever in.

Budgie- enjoy the game this weekend with the kids, some of my best memories of childhood were at the ballpark

 

[Gedunker]

IIf you've every witnessed live a 2 out, 5 run rally in the 9th, you know that there is always hope and faith.

It's an incredible thing to see. I listened to a Cards/Reds game early in the season two years ago and the Cards were down something like 11-1 after two innings. They just kept chipping away until they pulled out a 13-11 win. Yeah, it's a game. And so much more.

There's something special about a sport where there is no clock and the defense controls the ball.

BTW: DO hold on.

 

[NHPlanner]

I agree. Here's another life analogy. No one can say for certain how long they will live. Like baseball you never know how long the game will take or when it will be over. If you've every witnessed live a 2 out, 5 run rally in the 9th, you know that there is always hope and faith.

So true...as I stayed up last night to watch the 13 inning Red Sox loss to the Orioles last night.

 

[Budgie]

I just got off the phone with someone who left the Royals opening day game at the beginning of the 9th inning. The Royals were down 3 to 7 and scored 6 in the 9th to win...... NEVER NEVER LEAVE A GAME EARLY. I learned my lesson once.

I swear that there are some games where there is spiritual energy surrounding a rally and that you can feel the energy before the rally becomes a reality. There's an underlying energy and vibe in the crowd and with every seeing eye ground ball, bloop single, every 3-2 count with 6 foul balls..... You just know it's coming and in fact the crowd wills the ball to fall. Then there are other times you just know that a rally will not happen. You don't feel the vibe.

If I'm not at the game, I listen to it. I rarely watch on the television.

I was at a game in the early 1990's where Nolan Ryan was the starter against the Royals. There was a large expectant crowd who wanted to see Nolan win another one. He was pulled in the 8th in a 1 to 1 tie. The game ended up going 18 innings and it was one of those games where the visiting team (Rangers) would score and the home team (Royals) would tie it up in the bottom half of the inning. Then you'd have 3 innings of nothing. Anyway, the game ended with a walk, two stolen bases and an errant pick off at third. Bizarre !!!!!! It was sureal. It was also the only game I'd been to where play was stopped because people were throwing trash onto the field. What a day and night that was.

 

[Gedunker]

JNA I don't like to brag . . . ;-)

There was a time, not very long ago, actually, when the correct answer to the question "Where are Louisville Sluggers made?" would have been Jeffersonville, Indiana 8-!

If you have an ounce of red blood in your body, the Louisville Slugger Museum and Bat Factory is a must see.

 

[the north omaha star]

It's good to see another Cardinals fan out there. I'm a little anxious about this season. With the Astros getting better pitcher and the Cubs doing very well last season, it's time for the Cards to spend some money on some pitching. Just my 2 cents.

Its been "the world turned upsidedown" first week, the mighty Reds, Brewers and Pirates are dukeing it out for first in the NL central. The Tigers are a perfect 4 and 0, and jeeez only 158 more games to go.

I went to the game yesterday, as sad as it was to see the Cards get shellacked, it was sooo good to be back in the ballpark on a great afternoon. Pitching needs work, but the Cards have always started out slow under LaRussa, Albert is on fire though.

 

[sisterceleste]

Its early...very early.

 

[Gedunker]

It's good to see another Cardinals fan out there.

Cardinals fans are everywhere. I grew up as a Yankee fan (the local team for me) and Roger Maris was my idol. When the Yankees traded him the to the Cards, I figured they traded me too, and became a Redbirds fan. Let me tell you, back in those days it was hard to be a Cards fan situated between Philly and NYC (with a Dad who was a Mets fan, no less!)

I have to say I have my concerns about this season too. While it is true that LaRussa teams start slow, we can't afford to get in a deep hole early in the season. I think Morris, Wiiliams, Marquis, Suppan and Carpenter can be a pretty good staff if they can collectively post an ERA near 4.0. So far, I have my doubts. Let's also try not to give teams 4 outs every inning.

It's a tough situation for a small market team: sign a front line starter for this year or look to the future (Wainwright, Parrott, et al) or sign Edgar long term?