Major League Baseball: 2012

Can't we all agree that the Red Sox or Yankees are great for ratings? MLB definitely would like to see one of them in the WS every year

[QUOTE=Bacchus;323418]But we need something to argue about! I bet Red Sox v. Cubs would crush Yankees v. "Anyone but the Cubs." ;)[/QUOTE] LOL--yes, Cubs vs. Red Sox > Yankees vs. non-Cubs Hell, Cubs vs. anyone could be record-setting

I'm not even sure why we're talking about ratings. It's not like baseball is just going to cease to exist overnight if the ratings are down a bit, and ratings only help the richest 5% get richer anyway.

[QUOTE=Aereas;323420]I'm not even sure why we're talking about ratings. It's not like baseball is just going to cease to exist overnight if the ratings are down a bit, and ratings only help the richest 5% get richer anyway.[/QUOTE] Ratings matter. If the World Series gets terrible ratings, the major networks won't want to pay millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast their games. If the networks don't pay millions of dollars for the rights to broadcast the games, the owners are going to try to avoid losing money since they paid hundreds of millions of dollars to buy their teams by cutting salaries. The players will refuse, and we will get a lockout/strike. Essentially, what is happening in the NHL would happen to baseball if the ratings are terrible year after year.

True, but we're not exactly talking about the Pirates vs the Twins here. These are two small-market teams with fan bases across the country (I'm still assuming the Cards will pull out the win). I think they'll do ok.

[QUOTE=Aereas;323423]True, but we're not exactly talking about the Pirates vs the Twins here. These are two small-market teams with fan bases across the country (I'm still assuming the Cards will pull out the win). I think they'll do ok.[/QUOTE] The Pirates would have probably been good for ratings also. They are a team with a ton of history and their massive playoff drought would have been a compelling storyline. A team like the Astros wouldn't have been good for ratings though, despite being in a large market. This WS will have decent ratings regardless of who is playing though. I thought it would be the Cards, but the Giants have momentum now.

[QUOTE=TheFeedMachi;323424] This WS will have decent ratings regardless of who is playing though. I thought it would be the Cards, but the Giants have momentum now.[/QUOTE] Mmmmmnnnnnn.... You call that momentum? I call that an *** whuppin. I'm sure there's a stat out there which says no team has ever come back from 7 down after the 4th inning in a playoff elimination game. If the Cards end this series with 3 shutout losses they should seriously reevaluate their pitching/catching personnel (not laying all the blame on the guys on the field either).

[QUOTE=TheFeedMachi;323424]The Pirates would have probably been good for ratings also. They are a team with a ton of history and their massive playoff drought would have been a compelling storyline. A team like the Astros wouldn't have been good for ratings though, despite being in a large market. This WS will have decent ratings regardless of who is playing though. I thought it would be the Cards, but the Giants have momentum now.[/QUOTE] As a Pirates fan I think they would have needed to play a huge market for that to get good ratings--JMO

[QUOTE=Aereas;323433]Mmmmmnnnnnn.... You call that momentum? I call that an *** whuppin. I'm sure there's a stat out there which says no team has ever come back from 7 down after the 4th inning in a playoff elimination game. If the Cards end this series with 3 shutout losses they should seriously reevaluate their pitching/catching personnel (not laying all the blame on the guys on the field either).[/QUOTE] What are you talking about pitching and catching are our strongest suits we have Yadi a top 3 catcher and 8 viable starters for next year (Carpenter, Wainwright, Lynn, Shelby Miller, Jake Westbrook, Jaime Garcia, Trevor Rosenthal, and Joe Kelly. If they need to reevaluate anything it's middle infield. Kozma never hit in the minors but hit over .300 in september after Furcal went out. They should evaluate how Furcal is after he gets healthy and decide whether to resign him or go after someone else. The bats may have gone cold this year and our starters absolutely sucked ****, but we'll be back....

[QUOTE=Aereas;323433] If the Cards end this series with 3 shutout losses they should seriously reevaluate their pitching/catching personnel (not laying all the blame on the guys on the field either).[/QUOTE] Aw, they did score one run in game 6. Give them some credit!!

[QUOTE]If the Cards end this series with 3 shutout losses they should seriously reevaluate their pitching/catching personnel (not laying all the blame on the guys on the field either).[/QUOTE] I think defense played a HUGE factor in the post-season. Rolen's error (although it was a tough play because Arias is fast) for the Reds in the 10th of Game 3 and Lynn's bad throw for the Cardinals in Game 5 really changed the momentum IMO. Not saying it's the only reason the Giants won because they kicked all sorts of *** with their backs against the wall, but they were able to take huge advantage of some timely errors. Meanwhile, the Giants excellent, excellent defense kept the Reds and Cardinals from some scoring in some nail-biting moments. If Pagan doesn't make that catch in the bottom of the 8th of Game 5 against the Reds, the Reds could have very well tied it up by then or the 9th, and even won. If Crawford doesn't make that catch last night, 2 runs score for the Cardinals and the momentum swings their way. Zito, Vogelsong, and Cain had that physical and psychological cushion the Cardinals pitchers did not. It makes you that much more loose and confident when you make your throws knowing your team has your back defensively. If this post-season has taught us anything (again!) is that MLB post-season play is unpredictable. No amount of stats-checking and history re-living can predict the outcome. Shame on me for resigning myself to accepting gracious defeat on behalf of the Giants, will never do it again! Last night was glorious even though I was soaking wet and freezing my *** off. And here the media goes again with the Verlander tongue-bathing. (I'm a Verlander fan FYI, even though I'm a Giants girl.) I remember the Lee tongue-bathing in 2010 and how our pitiful team had no chance against his perfection so hopefully we get the same results in 2012.

[QUOTE=Matty;323502]And here the media goes again with the Verlander tongue-bathing. (I'm a Verlander fan FYI, even though I'm a Giants girl.) I remember the Lee tongue-bathing in 2010 and how our pitiful team had no chance against his perfection so hopefully we get the same results in 2012.[/QUOTE] It scares me that they're talking him up so much, because while he is a great pitcher, he's had some terrible games. Even last night the analysts in the studio were talking about how awesome Kyle Lohse is and how he's going to do so well and that didn't work well.

[QUOTE] It scares me that they're talking him up so much, because while he is a great pitcher, he's had some terrible games. Even last night the analysts in the studio were talking about how awesome Kyle Lohse is and how he's going to do so well and that didn't work well. [/QUOTE] I couldn't turn my channel anywhere without hearing about how Lohse and the Cardinal bullpen was going to overpower our offense. So by the time we were 5-0 I was floored and that much more ecstatic. We were all looking at each other like "WTF!!" and "Yes yes yes!!" Games at AT&T Park are the best! I still think the Cardinal defense hurt Lohse just as the Giants defense supported Cain up on that mound. It is going to be a GREAT series. So excited!

[QUOTE=Matty;323509]I couldn't turn my channel anywhere without hearing about how Lohse and the Cardinal bullpen was going to overpower our offense. So by the time we were 5-0 I was floored and that much more ecstatic. We were all looking at each other like "WTF!!" and "Yes yes yes!!" Games at AT&T Park are the best! I still think the Cardinal defense hurt Lohse just as the Giants defense supported Cain up on that mound. It is going to be a GREAT series. So excited![/QUOTE] Personally, I would have rather faced St Louis. Shorter commute and a team that would have limped into the WS. Instead, we get a team on a tear and a long flight. This could be a good opportunity to argue what's better - playing straight through or having a break. However, I think it will be a good series and am interested in seeing how the Giants are going to match up with our pitchers. Vegas currently has the odds favoring Detroit, for what it's worth.

[QUOTE] Vegas currently has the odds favoring Detroit, for what it's worth.[/QUOTE] At this point I prefer being the underdog! While I think a long break could have hurt SF, I'm afraid it gave Detroit a charge. I'm a little nervous about Game 1 because the Giants are coming off a long and emotional Sun/Mon and need to kick it back into gear tomorrow. So I hate to say it, I do see the tide in Detroit/Verlander's favor tomorrow. I hope I'm wrong!

[QUOTE=molds13;323512] Vegas currently has the odds favoring Detroit, for what it's worth.[/QUOTE] What are the odds for each team?

[QUOTE=TheFeedMachi;323531]What are the odds for each team?[/QUOTE] I only read that they were favorites, not what the odds were. I'd have to Google that to get the answer.

So what happens if the Giants win the World Series despite having a guy on their team busted for steroids? Is it big because they lost what could have been their best player and still won or tainted because they may have won earlier games because of it?

[QUOTE=Nightwolf;323543]So what happens if the Giants win the World Series despite having a guy on their team busted for steroids? Is it big because they lost what could have been their best player and still won or tainted because they may have won earlier games because of it?[/QUOTE] Nothing happens except that we win. Until people start placing an asterisk next to all games/seasons involving a player busted for PEDs, nothing changes. Every team in the MLB has players using PEDs. It's a dirty not-so-secret. Some players get busted, others don't. The only reason Ryan Braun wasn't suspended was because of a technicality. Sosa, McGuire, etc. used in an era where it was open secret, accepted by the owners, and covered up by the MLB. I want an asterisk placed next to all games of every team who has a player suspended for PEDs if the Giants games are considered "tainted" this year as well.

[QUOTE=molds13;323535]I only read that they were favorites, not what the odds were. I'd have to Google that to get the answer.[/QUOTE] Vegas only tries to get equal money on both sides so they win with either result. Right now it looks like the Tigers are the favorites with the public (espn.com poll results), so the line may be slightly inflated. I found a line and it has Detroit at -185 and SF at +155. Detroit is definitely the favorite, but if it was "smart" money only (professional gamblers), then the line wouldn't be as large.

That Barry Zito RBI hit showed why the Tigers are terrible with the NL rules. Miguel Cabrera is already a bad defensive 3rd baseman, and the only decent hitter after the top 4, Delmon Young, is god awful at defense and made one of the worst throws I have ever seen.

I knew it was coming...and it still hurt.

[QUOTE=molds13;323927]I knew it was coming...and it still hurt.[/QUOTE] Painful. Geez shouldn't the Giants be tired or something?

[QUOTE=OtherPplsDrama;323935]Painful. Geez shouldn't the Giants be tired or something?[/QUOTE] Why would they be tired? The playoffs are a lighter schedule than the regular season.

[QUOTE=TheFeedMachi;323936]Why would they be tired? The playoffs are a lighter schedule than the regular season.[/QUOTE] I only meant that they didn't get much of a break, where as the Tigers had almost a week.

[QUOTE] Painful. Geez shouldn't the Giants be tired or something?[/QUOTE] The Giants are a team that feeds off each other, so I think a break would have hurt them. They need to keep steam-rolling along before they risk opening any doors to the Tigers, who are too strong and tenacious a team to let your guard down. There's no way anyone is declaring a Giants victory right now. Far from it. I think the Tigers are going to come back swinging. If not today, in Detroit. That being said, I'm irked, IRKED, that some people are saying the Tigers lost because Verlander was off. No, they BEAT Verlander and the Tigers. Not saying he isn't an incredible pitcher, but the Giants adjusted to him after their first at-bats and then didn't look back. The Giants are not a strike-out team and keep the ball in play, and that doesn't play to Verlander's strength. They also fought him off at the plate time and time again and wore him down. But it's not his fault that the media treats him like a God instead of a human being. The Giants win turned into "Verlander LOST it for the Tigers!" No, he didn't. I have no idea about tonight! Unless Bumgarner fixed whatever problem he had and rocks AT&T park like he is capable of, he's going to serve up some tasty homerun balls to Cabrera and Co.