Going, going, Gone! Baseball Fan Club

[Bestintheworld]

Going, Going, Gone​

BASEBALL FAN CLUB​

"image removed"


Welcome to the baseball fan spot here on the pokemon community! This is place for all spring training talks leading to opening day and the season. Teams are starting to see if players have kept in good shape in the off season and out season is upon us.

Baseball is America's sport. We made it and no one does it better. Baseball has been around since the 1800's and in its day was the most popular sport in the world. Thanks to mlb commissioner Bud Selig baseball has returned to the forefront of of hearts and it's truly a global game with fans spanning the globe. We our now out of the steroid area and entering a more rigorous drug testing program which means baseball is heading seemingly into another boom period and the purity of the game we love has been restored.


Clan topics:
Early favorite for MVP and cy young?
Which free agent or traded player will have biggest impact on new team?
Who will step up as the face of the mlb with Derrick jeter retiring?


Members list:
Candy cane forest elf
Gucci meme

Club rules:
Please follow all PC site rules
Be respectful no trolling
Stay on topic
Have fun!

 

[donavannj]

I haven't been as deeply following MLB since the Twins have been on some down years (and bad baseball from the Twins is hard to watch when I've become so invested in the Twins, and since they've had standards of excellence in the basics established for much of the 2000s), so I don't have early favorites for MVP and Cy Young yet, but early predictions tend to be wrong anyway.

Also in that vein, I haven't really been following free agent signings or trades. Heck, I'm not even sure who the Twins have signed since I'm already resigned to this being another bad season. I'm waiting for Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano to reach the majors. They might be able to help cover for our horrendous pitching at the major league level by actually hitting for better than .250, which is more than can be said of many of the Twins current major leaguers. I suppose I need to give the major league pitching some time to mature, though. Most of them don't have much experience in the majors.

As for the "Face of the MLB" thing, was Jeter ever truly the face of the league? Face of the Yankees, sure, but face of the league? I've got my doubts, since he's generally being a straight-laced player off the field in terms of antics and generally didn't garner the attention the younger, hot new stars of the MLB managed to garner while he was being quietly excellent as a shortstop for the Yankees.

I'll get us some other topics that may help bring people in:

What is/are your favorite team(s)? Why?

What are your hopes and expectations for your favorite team in 2014?

 

[Bestintheworld]

I think as far as a recognizable baseball face over the last twenty years no one comes close to jeter. Of course benign in my is an unfair advantage being the media capital of the world. I can't think of any other guys who really come close alex Rodriguez has the steroid thing as did Barry bonds.

 

[CelticsPhan]

I might recieve some criticism now, but I have been a diehard Red Sox fan since birth. Living very close to Boston, I've seen my fair share of Red Sox games at Fenway Park (best sporting experience out there-no place like it with the exception of Wrigley). I was a huge fan of Nomar Garciaparra until he went and left.

The 2013 Season has to be my second favorite ever, with 2004 being the best. "Cowboy Up", "The Idiots", "Reversers of the Curse", I enjoyed all of those monikers. Watching the 2004 ALCS comeback has to be one of the best moments of my life outside of any Pokemon accomplishments lol. After enduring the failures of the 2011 season (I was there for one of the September games, and I'll never forget the fan reaction-you could just FEEL the disappointment), I felt there was no chance the Sox would surge back into relevancy.

It seemingly all came together in 2013 with Mike Napoli, Gomes, Koji Uehara, and a monster season from the GOAT DH-David Ortiz.

Back to the question, I expect a bit of a hangover from last season. At times, it felt too good to be true. After letting Jacoby Ellsbury and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (spelt that right!) walk in free agency, I'm very unsure how they'll respond.

As of right now, I have them finishing 93-67, second in the AL East to the brand-new New York Yankees. However, if things go as planned, they'll get into the playoffs through the Wild Card.

Final note: If you hear of a guy named Jackie Bradley Jr., make sure you keep an eye on him for a breakout season! Go Sox!

 

[Bestintheworld]

Welcome Gucci I love the red sox I've been a diehard my whole life I went to the series last year and in 08. Bradley's a stud.

Don't like that prediction tho. Even objectively I have too many questions on Yankees they put trust for their rotation in an unknown commodity. Jeter again no arod, tex coming off injury ellsbury is injury prone i like the Red Sox chances better.

 

[donavannj]

You guys are welcome for us practically gifting you David Ortiz and Doug Mientkiewicz to break the curse! :P

I don't think the Yankees will win the East this year. Too many questions on their roster. I think it'll be down to the Red Sox and Rays/Orioles. Yankees will finish 4th ahead of the Blue Jays, who would probably have 85 wins in most other divisions.

I think it'll be Boston pulling in with 94 wins, then Tampa with 92, Baltimore with 88, New York with 83, and Toronto bringing up the rear with 75.

I think as far as a recognizable baseball face over the last twenty years no one comes close to jeter. Of course benign in my is an unfair advantage being the media capital of the world. I can't think of any other guys who really come close alex Rodriguez has the steroid thing as did Barry bonds.

Several Boston players could challenge for that level of recognition, but I suppose many of them haven't/didn't have stays in the limelight as long as Jeter's.

Anyway, moving onto the next division for picks: How do you think things will finish in the AL Central? Will Detroit claim the crown again, or will one of the surprise teams from last season pull it together again and take the crown?

Personally, I see Detroit winning it again easily with 96 wins, then Kansas surprising everyone by upping their win total to 90, with Cleveland faltering to 76 wins, Chicago leaping ahead of Minnesota for 69 wins, and Minnesota bringing up the rear with 68 wins.