OT: The Sox AND the Cubs are atop the standings (as of 8/31/2020)

Dresden · Post #81 » by **Dresden** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:15 am

Well, HOU is one game away now. They won again, in impressive fashion.

nitetrain8603 · Post #82 » by **nitetrain8603** » Sat Oct 17, 2020 3:00 pm

Dresden wrote:The Braves are really a fun team team to watch. Before the playoffs started, the only guy on the Braves I could have named was Freddie Freeman. But they are dismantling the powerful LA Dodgers with all their big names. A 20 year old rookie out pitched Clayton Kershaw last night, as the Braves rebounded from a 15-3 shellacking to win 10-2 and go up 3-1 in the series. They have a lot of young, exciting players, and their pitching for the most part has been able to hold down LA's powerful lineup.

You just don't see stories like this in basketball, where you can just about bet on Lebron being in the finals each year. Although I'll admit, Miami had that sort of feel to them this year. But for the most part, it's dominated by the superstars, and whichever team has managed to gather up the most of them. Or in football, which seems to be determined by who has the best QB more often than not.

But in baseball, it's often a fine mix of clutch hitting, power, defense, great pitching, and good fundamentals. And teams with all the superstars, like the Yankees and the Dodgers, don't often manage to get it right, and a team like Atlanta or Tampa Bay can win it all. I like that element of fairness in baseball- any team has a chance. Tampa has a payroll that is a fraction of the Dodgers or the Yankees.

Atlanta has had studs. Acuna Jr being their best one. With that stated, as I've wanted for awhile, Dave Roberts needs to be fired. And the Dodgers need to stop focusing on hitting and go after legit starting pitchers.

Dresden · Post #83 » by **Dresden** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 12:57 pm

Some great baseball playoffs this year. Two game 7's in the LCS's. The Astros almost pulled off a miracle, but came up one or two hits short. Charlie Morton came back to haunt them and pitched a brilliant game for the Rays last night against the team he helped win a World Series for two years ago. Have to give the Astros credit, they came within one game of going back to the WS, and without their ace, Justin Verlander, or their closer, Osuna. Great win for the Rays.

I hope it's them v. the Braves in the WS- that would be a great matchup. But the Dodgers pitching has really gotten the better of the Brave's hitters the past few games. Anything can happen in a game 7. I hope the Braves have one more win in them. Cory Seager has been on fire- 5 home runs in 6 games so far.

Post #84 » by **DJhitek** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 3:24 pm

Ben Wilson25 wrote:Paul Sullivan speculating in the Tribune that Reinsdorf may force Kenny and Hahn to hire LaRussa to make up for firing him in 1986 (he’s always said it was his biggest baseball regret). I hope it’s not true, that would be a disaster. I like Tony but the last thing this young team needs is a 76 year old who hasn’t managed in 9 years and hit his prime in the 90s.

Completely agree, Tony wants to instill the same tactics that Rick Renteria was fired for. It would be a complete disaster for what? 2 or 3 seasons worth of nostalgic memories for JR? Geez man, I wish he would just step aside completely and let his family run the business.

Post #85 » by **Michael Jackson** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 5:45 pm

DJhitek wrote:
Ben Wilson25 wrote:Paul Sullivan speculating in the Tribune that Reinsdorf may force Kenny and Hahn to hire LaRussa to make up for firing him in 1986 (he’s always said it was his biggest baseball regret). I hope it’s not true, that would be a disaster. I like Tony but the last thing this young team needs is a 76 year old who hasn’t managed in 9 years and hit his prime in the 90s.

Completely agree, Tony wants to instill the same tactics that Rick Renteria was fired for. It would be a complete disaster for what? 2 or 3 seasons worth of nostalgic memories for JR? Geez man, I wish he would just step aside completely and let his family run the business.

His family is not involved in the Sox though. MR is only with the Bulls. The Sox are his baby. Honestly I am surprised Tony still has a functional liver. No one gets the move it’s very strange and it doesn’t exactly feel like a so crazy it just might work move either.

Kurt Heimlich · Post #86 » by **Kurt Heimlich** » Sun Oct 18, 2020 8:51 pm

As a Cubs/Bulls fan I'll be conflicted if the Sox sign LaRussa. My Cubs fan side will giggle a bit at such a seemingly out of touch hire. But my Bulls side will empathize a bit as I know how frustrating Reinsdorf is as an overlord of a franchise. And frankly the Sox are such a fun team that I want to see them reach their potential.

Dresden · Post #87 » by **Dresden** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 6:19 pm

What an ending to the game last night. Hard to believe- several errors by the Dodgers, TB base runner falls down running from 3rd to home, but scores the winning run anyway. Wild. TB now has life again.

Jcool0 · Post #88 » by **Jcool0** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:14 pm

Read on Twitter

Ben Wilson25 · Post #89 » by **Ben Wilson25** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:27 pm

Ugh. I was hoping it was just a rumor. Pretty major buzzkill after the season we just had.

I notice it’s Reinsdorf putting out a statement, not Rick or Kenny.

Brothaman33 · Post #90 » by **Brothaman33** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:29 pm

Jcool0 wrote:

Read on Twitter

This is embarrassing.

Jcool0 · Post #91 » by **Jcool0** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:30 pm

great

Read on Twitter

gardenofsound · Post #92 » by **gardenofsound** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:33 pm

I'm pissed. Sounds like Hahn wasn't on board with this and there are rumors he said it's "him or me" with regards to La Russa.

This is really upsetting, if not just for ownership overruling Hahn, who has built a real contender and is one of the best execs in the game now.

Jcool0 · Post #93 » by **Jcool0** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 6:36 pm

Read on Twitter

Leslie Forman · Post #94 » by **Leslie Forman** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 8:46 pm

Turns out Michael Reinsdorf is the saving grace of the Bulls.

If Jerry owned the Bears he'd be bringing Ditka back.

Kurt Heimlich · Post #95 » by **Kurt Heimlich** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 8:56 pm

The Sox are still loaded even with the questionable hire. If things go bad LaRussa (and Reinsdorf) are gonna eat all the blame.

The Cubs have been blaming their coaching for the last 3 years on why they can no longer hit. But that is looking more and more like that core just peaked really young more than anything.

gardenofsound · Post #96 » by **gardenofsound** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 9:18 pm

Kurt Heimlich wrote:The Sox are still loaded even with the questionable hire. If things go bad LaRussa (and Reinsdorf) are gonna eat all the blame.

The Cubs have been blaming their coaching for the last 3 years on why they can no longer hit. But that is looking more and more like that core just peaked really young more than anything.

Yeah, but is TLR going to turn some FA's off of the team? Is TLR going to clash with TA and Giolito? Will TLR think that they are "not sincere" about their views?

This could get really ugly.

dumbell78 · Post #97 » by **dumbell78** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 12:24 am

Jerry still very much there to kill fan hopes and dreams.

nomorezorro · Post #98 » by **nomorezorro** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 12:33 am

all those years of complaining and it turns out we're blessed that jerry doesn't actually like basketball

ImSlower · Post #99 » by **ImSlower** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 1:30 am

I am still shocked by this hiring. I literally have not seen a single article, blogger, twitter-er-er, podcaster, forum-poster, town crier, anyone who thinks this is a good idea except Jerry Reinsdorf, and for some baffling reason, TLR himself.

"At least it's not that lying-to-everyone's-face cheater, Kirsh" is a nice platitude, but it's still absurd they fired Renteria for this.

gardenofsound · Post #100 » by **gardenofsound** » Fri Oct 30, 2020 1:55 am

ImSlower wrote:I am still shocked by this hiring. I literally have not seen a single article, blogger, twitter-er-er, podcaster, forum-poster, town crier, anyone who thinks this is a good idea except Jerry Reinsdorf, and for some baffling reason, TLR himself.

"At least it's not that lying-to-everyone's-face cheater, Kirsh" is a nice platitude, but it's still absurd they fired Renteria for this.

Fwiw Steve Stone seems to be really positive about this move on Twitter. I hope he's right.