I mean, I fell over laughing at this line from ESPN's 2024 MLB Season preview ranking all the teams:

Quote:30. Oakland Athletics

Most likely 2024 award winner: Let's not kid ourselves. -- Doolittle

Go Braves! (at least until Sale gets hurt yet again)

Lifelong Cubs fan (going back 3 generations) and adoptive Rangers fan (since 2009), I have enjoyed the last decade with 2 World Series titles. My wife's family is die-hard Braves (born and raised in/around Braves' country).

I once saw something that said every baseball fan hates 3 teams:
1. Their primary rival
2. The team which has had their number in the playoffs
3. The Yankees

For me, as a Cubs fan:
1. Cardinals
2. Mets
3. Yankees

For the BoSox

1-Yankees
2-Rays
3-Yankees

Growing up a Cubs fan, Dbacks fan since they started

1) Dodgers
2) Cardinals
3) Yankees/BoSox/Cubs fans that live in Arizona

Jon: I suspect Dhack/Rsy/Marlin fans agree about snowbird fans.

Braves did well first two games vs Philberts, although our starting pitching is a little suspect. Speaking of which, Chris Sale gives up a very quick HR to the first batter he faces. Oh, well...fun while it leasted. Braves are gonna need that vaunted offense to produce this year...pitching will be uneven lloks like. And in the playoffs, well, somehow it will matter more...hope we got some good starters left down on the farm, as looks like we'll be needing them...

Royals really killed any excitement I had the first two games and then totally redeemed themselves today. Starting pitching was very strong all series. Bullpen was pretty rough in the first two, but the offense did no one any favors.

5 homers Sunday, Singer was phenomenal, Witt and Salvy with 3 hits a piece. Witt could only hit doubles Thursday and yesterday, and when he needed a double the most, he couldn't get it. Still a fantastic end to the series. Hopefully they can take the momentum with them to Baltimore.

(03-31-2024 06:11 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  Royals really killed any excitement I had the first two games and then totally redeemed themselves today. Starting pitching was very strong all series. Bullpen was pretty rough in the first two, but the offense did no one any favors.

5 homers Sunday, Singer was phenomenal, Witt and Salvy with 3 hits a piece. Witt could only hit doubles Thursday and yesterday, and when he needed a double the most, he couldn't get it. Still a fantastic end to the series. Hopefully they can take the momentum with them to Baltimore.

y'all should be better this year, and in the Centrals there's always a chance!

(04-01-2024 04:38 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  

(03-31-2024 06:11 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  Royals really killed any excitement I had the first two games and then totally redeemed themselves today. Starting pitching was very strong all series. Bullpen was pretty rough in the first two, but the offense did no one any favors.

5 homers Sunday, Singer was phenomenal, Witt and Salvy with 3 hits a piece. Witt could only hit doubles Thursday and yesterday, and when he needed a double the most, he couldn't get it. Still a fantastic end to the series. Hopefully they can take the momentum with them to Baltimore.

y'all should be better this year, and in the Centrals there's always a chance!

So you're telling me there's a chance!

I'm trying not to believe too much but it is as excited as I've been for a Royals season in a long time. Glad to have baseball back!

yeah, um, that don't look too Major League...gonna have to add some improvements:

(04-04-2024 04:21 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  yeah, um, that don't look too Major League...gonna have to add some improvements:

It's normally the things fans don't see everyday which the MLBPA looks for.

It's game day catering, player parking, road hotel for the visitors, clubhouse space, weight room, batting cages in the bowels, video room and bullpen access from the clubhouse.

(04-04-2024 07:58 PM)Renandpat Wrote:  

(04-04-2024 04:21 PM)GoodOwl Wrote:  yeah, um, that don't look too Major League...gonna have to add some improvements:

It's normally the things fans don't see everyday which the MLBPA looks for.

It's game day catering, player parking, road hotel for the visitors, clubhouse space, weight room, batting cages in the bowels, video room and bullpen access from the clubhouse.

I'd add lighting as well to that. I remember 4 years ago when the Blue Jays had to play in Toronto, that's something they had to upgrade to be able to play there.

Thought Sale would be the first Braves pitcher to get hurt, but lloks like Spencer Strider might have an issue. MRI pending. Thanks, Travis for bailing us out last night at the home opener.

Bad News: Braves' starting pitching absolutely sux. Strider hurt. fried Sux. Sale just waiting to be DL'ed.

Good News: Braves' Offense and Bullpen are stellar and don't panic. Jarred Kelenic, he of the mediocre Seattle career, so far finding his mojo in Atlanta's vicious offensive lineup. And marcel Ozuna better consider reupping here if the Braves will have him back, as they've put up with his crap, and allowed him to rebuild himself into a monster offender (player, that is) once again. Good guys win another heart-stopping comeback against a very good D'Backs lineup, so they win their second series. D'Backs will try to salvage one tomorrow against Sale. When will the tire blow, Chris?

Don't look now but the Royals finish their second sweep in a row to complete a perfect 7-0 homestead. Offense is firing on all cylinders, rotation is lights out and feeding off each other well, and the bullpen is settling in. All these things will regress to a more realistic level eventually but certainly enjoying the ride. Too soon to count on a Royals vs Braves World Series?

(04-11-2024 10:28 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  Don't look now but the Royals finish their second sweep in a row to complete a perfect 7-0 homestead. Offense is firing on all cylinders, rotation is lights out and feeding off each other well, and the bullpen is settling in. All these things will regress to a more realistic level eventually but certainly enjoying the ride. Too soon to count on a Royals vs Braves World Series?

love some Royals talk here!

so was looking- we're 15 days in so lets look at league stats so far...
1st 15 days in 2024 .242/.318/.388 .706 OPS
1st 15 days in 2023 .249/.324/.410 .734 OPS
1st 15 days in 2022 .234/.313/.384 .697 OPS

1st 15 in 2024 4.11 ERA 8.66 k/9 3.49 bb/9 1.04 hr/9 .291 babip
1st 15 in 2023 4.47 ERA 8.83 k/9 3.53 bb/9 1.19 hr/9 .298 babip
1st 15 in 2022 3.97 ERA 8.78 k/9 3.51 bb/9 1.06 hr/9 .281 babip

24 22.5 k% 9.1 bb% 1.31 WHIP
23 22.8 k% 9.1 bb% 1.34 WHIP
22 23.0 k% 9.2 bb% 1.27 WHIP

24 260 SB/69 CS
23 266 SB/61 CS
22 77 sb/30 CS

(04-12-2024 08:15 AM)stever20 Wrote:  

(04-11-2024 10:28 PM)jhjhanaway Wrote:  Don't look now but the Royals finish their second sweep in a row to complete a perfect 7-0 homestead. Offense is firing on all cylinders, rotation is lights out and feeding off each other well, and the bullpen is settling in. All these things will regress to a more realistic level eventually but certainly enjoying the ride. Too soon to count on a Royals vs Braves World Series?

love some Royals talk here!

I got you! I'm always down to talk some Royals!

That's a bit more like it, Max. Got out of the first inning finally with no runs, and didn't give up any (well, Johnson did, give up one for you, but still). Man, if Marcel Ozuna continues his tear this year like last year...contract negotiations in the offseason will be rather interesting, given his off-field issues. Still, as a DH he's been doing well since he came back from injury/suspension. Hope he stays off the sauce and keeps hitting 'em out. Acuna, jr. finally had a good game. he's looked off so far this season.

In other news, Astros off to a worse start than the Sacratomato A's...who saw that? But, it's early.