2009 MLB season discussion*

[fren.]

Purke gone, bah.

[Ensam]

dammit arizona, team before us, took Borchering

[Trichocyst]

I kinda hope the Nationals sign Strasburg. It would be exciting to see him even though he's an opposing pitcher and a phenom.

[Ensam]

omg Shelby Miller still on the board

please take him please take him please take him

With how much money he wants we'll probably get Chad James though

Exactly what I hate about the draft, fucking shelby miller dropping down this far

Unless we do get him then I love it haha

[Ensam]

damn, went James

[Headspace]

So how good is the guy Cincinnati drop? I don't follow prospects.

[Soa]

Citi Field is a joke, its the anti-Yankees stadium. Carlos Beltran just absolutely murdered a ball and it only cleared the wall by about 2 inches.

I don't understand how you can spend so much money on 2 stadiums and not have either one be even remotely functional.

[pohibaba]

So how good is the guy Cincinnati drop? I don't follow prospects.

He's a pretty good prospect. I think it was a good selection on their part. From MLB.com:

Fastball: Leake threw his fastball from 88-94 mph. It sat comfortably around 91 mph.
Fastball movement: There was above-average sink and plenty of side-to-side movement, with some run to it. He changes arm angles for different looks.
Slider: It's a hard, downward slider, thrown 79-82 mph.
Curve: An average offering ... not an out pitch. He can throw it for strikes in the 73-76 mph range.
Changeup: Close to a plus pitch and he'll throw it at any point in the count.
Control: He has plus, plus command, perhaps a 70 on the scouting scale.
Poise: It's a plus, plus attribute. He has the presence to pitch in the big leagues right now. He's more of a lead-by-example guy -- soft-spoken, but confident.
Physical Description: Leake is an undersized righty, but is athletic and strong, kind of like a Tim Hudson type.
Medical Update: Healthy.
Strengths: Four pitches that are all usable and the ability to command all of them extremelly well. He's extremely durable, having thrown as many innings as just about anyone in the class over the past few seasons.
Weaknesses: There's a little hip turn in his delivery, but it doesn't affect him. There will be those who'll be concerned about his size.
Summary: As a six-foot righty, people may want to overlook Leake as a big-time pitching prospect, but they might be missing the boat. He can throw four pitches for strikes and his poise is off the charts. He may not be that big, but he's athletic, strong and durable with an extremely efficient delivery. He's done nothing but perform with the Sun Devils and whoever looks past his size could have themselves a steal.

[Cephius]

Citi Field is a joke, its the anti-Yankees stadium. Carlos Beltran just absolutely murdered a ball and it only cleared the wall by about 2 inches.

I don't understand how you can spend so much money on 2 stadiums and not have either one be even remotely functional.

Is a Philly fan really going to bash how any stadium plays...?

[fren.]

Heathcott, nice.

Scheppers or Brothers next!

[Akiyama]

Is a Philly fan really going to bash how any stadium plays...?

New Yankee Stadium makes the Phillies' stadium look pretty big tbh.

[Cephius]

New Yankee Stadium makes the Phillies' stadium look pretty big tbh.

Not saying it isn't playing small, but a Philly fan bashing it is comical. Ryan Howard has made a career hitting in that park.

[Trichocyst]

We didn't build the stadium, our team just plays there. Besides, it's a very nice place to see a game. And the Phillies home record is lousy. I'm starting to wonder if Utley isn't feeling some discomfort. He's hitting decently for average, but not for power.

Between 2006-2008 Howard has hit 78 home runs at home, and 75 away.

[Cephius]

We didn't build the stadium, our team just plays there. Besides, it's a very nice place to see a game. And the Phillies home record is lousy. I'm starting to wonder if Utley isn't feeling some discomfort. He's hitting decently for average, but not for power.

Not like the Yankees designed the new stadium to play like it has been. No one even knows WHY it's playing like that. To call it a joke or anything else is pretty unfair, it has the exact same dimensions as the old one...

[Akiyama]

Notice you left the part out where he mentioned that Howard has hit 78 at home and 75 away. I suppose it means he didn't make a living in his home stadium? At least between 2006 and 2008.

I know it's unfair to bash New Yankee Stadium, but with the way it plays, it makes it fairly easy. I think it's sort of ironic that they spend tons (not getting on their case for that, I know they can do that) for starting pitching, only for their ballpark to be a hitter's park. Clearly it wasn't planned and no one knows how it's given up 105+ homers in 29 games. Either way.. both ballparks are fun for players to play in that don't pitch.

[pohibaba]

If anyone missed it, the entire first round is in my post on the last page.

[Trichocyst]

I don't really have much sympathy for the new Yankee Stadium. They tore down the most historic sports venue in the country, spent $1.5 billion dollars to build a stadium that's nearly a replica of the old one, and didn't account for whatever this goofy ass wind circulation that's causing it to be such a launching pad. Oops. No going back now. At least Citizens Bank Park is supposed to be a hitter's park and at a fraction of the cost (plus Veterans Stadium was a shithole for baseball).

[Cephius]

Notice you left the part out where he mentioned that Howard has hit 78 at home and 75 away. I suppose it means he didn't make a living in his home stadium? At least between 2006 and 2008.

I didn't leave it out on purpose. He edited after I posted. And that doesn't mean he didn't hit any cheapies there.

I know it's unfair to bash New Yankee Stadium, but with the way it plays, it makes it fairly easy. I think it's sort of ironic that they spend tons (not getting on their case for that, I know they can do that) for starting pitching, only for their ballpark to be a hitter's park. Clearly it wasn't planned and no one knows how it's given up 105+ homers in 29 games. Either way.. both ballparks are fun for players to play in that don't pitch.

A lot of pitchers pitch in hitter's parks. Doesn't seem to bother Josh Beckett too much. Leave a ball up, its going to get hit. Pitch well, you don't give up runs. Out of all the balls hit in Yankee Stadium, maybe 10 should have been outs. It's not as big of an issue for pitchers as you're making it out to be, IMO.

Also how is Citi field not fun for a pitcher? It takes a moonshot to get it out of there.(EDIT: nvm I assume you meant CBP not citi)

[Trichocyst]

Yeah, I looked it up after, I'm lagging on this debate.

[Cephius]

I don't really have much sympathy for the new Yankee Stadium. They tore down the most historic sports venue in the country, spent $1.5 billion dollars to build a stadium that's nearly a replica of the old one, and didn't account for whatever this goofy ass wind circulation that's causing it to be such a launching pad. Oops. No going back now. At least Citizens Bank Park is supposed to be a hitter's park and at a fraction of the cost (plus Veterans Stadium was a shithole for baseball).

Have you been to either stadium? The new stadium is amazing. The old one was great for it's history, not it's condition. It was built in 1923 after all. It's OK for the Phillies to build a new stadium when they think it's time, but not the Yankees. Got it.

How exactly were they supposed to account for the wind, if that's even what's causing it? I'm not making excuses for it, but geez, it seems to bring out the haters in everyone.