Class of 2014!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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understatement of the year 😀



meeeeee too.

I don't think anyone outside of the Red Sox Nation minds seeing them lose. Though personally, I wouldn't mind seeing them in the ALCS so we can extract a little revenge after 2004... *shudders*
 
I can understand that. It's definitely not as fast-paced as, say football. For me, though, that's a good thing. It lets me look at each plate appearance, every matchup, every play and be able to analyze it and understand it. That and you can anticipate the way things unfold and see how the players and managers handle them.

See, like right now, Rockies have the bases loaded against JA Happ with no outs. How the heck does he get out of this? That's drama right there, folks.

Exactly. The pitcher is trying to strike out the hitter, who knows it and isn't going to chase anything off the plate.
 

What, a sac fly? That's what we call 'limiting the damage'.

And he got Helton. Bases loaded, no outs, and all they get is one run? With that lineup? The Phillies are very thankful right now...
 
Ok, I just found the most strange anti-drug advertisment ever.
chewbacca+baseball.jpg
 
Ok, I just found the most strange anti-drug advertisment ever.
chewbacca+baseball.jpg

This... almost makes me want to try meth. Whoever came up with this advertisement did not think this through very well.
 
This... almost makes me want to try meth. Whoever came up with this advertisement did not think this through very well.

Lol yea, seeing chewbacca pitching sounds like fun.

i'm not in school... and no one else i know has gotten this sick. but i always manage to get sick at the very beginning of october. this has happened to me for the last 3 years. strange.

Same thing used to happen to me too, but I think it stopped when I started sleeping more.

Pretend like you never saw it.

Thanks for the advice cutie, you'll get into your favorite schools no problem 😉
 
Went suit shopping today. Couldn't buy what I really wanted because apparently no once carries my size (34s) besides in one suit I saw that was plain and black. I wanted grey. Oh well :lame:

I'll try to search online for one in my weird size.
 
this game is over

:shrug: You've got six more outs to work with and the best lineup in the NL. And if they get out of this, you're only down two runs. No sweat. Not in the playoffs.

Haha... they've got Giambi up. I was at a game at Yankee Stadium last year where he came up on a pinch-hit with two outs and one on in the bottom of the ninth with the Yankees trailing the Jays by one. He fouls off the first two pitches, then deposited the third one in the upper deck in right field. The place went nuts.

...or he could strike out like that. Which I'm sure would be your preference.
 
This took me like 20 minutes to write, enjoy it:

Typical baseball strategy:

Hitter comes up to the plate.
Pitcher and catcher: what should we throw this guy?
What are his tendencies? Does he pull or hit to the opposite field? Does he swing at the first pitch often? Is he aggressive, and can I get him to chase? Does he hit fastballs well, or curve balls, or sliders? Does he look for a certain pitch with no strikes?

How is my command with my pitches today? I'm throwing fastballs well, so lets throw a fastball. Wait, that's what he'll expect; lets try to steal a strike with a curveball, but it's gotta be away because he's a pull hitter, and low because he likes them high.

Hitter:
He knows I like them high, so he's gonna throw it low. Also, I've been pulling way too many balls, so it's gonna be thrown to the outer half of the plate. Shoot, the catcher seems like he is setting up high, will it be an elevated fastball?

Pitch is thrown:
Strike 1 swinging, hitter was out in front of it.

Pitcher:
OK, I fooled him. He was in front of it, so he thought it was going to be a fastball. Now maybe I'll throw a fastball because he won't expect it.

Catcher:
Signs for another curve ball, same location.

Pitcher:
No

Catcher: OK, slider, same location (This is still a safe pitch, my pitcher is a lefty and the hitter is right handed, which means the ball will start outside and come in on the outside edge of the strike zone. The hitter has to be more defensive now, since there's one strike. Most likely he'll foul it off and we'll be up 0-2.)

Pitcher: No

Catcher: Fine, fastball.

Hitter:
Wow, they got me with that last pitch. It's either gonna be something similar or maybe a fastball now, since they'll be thinking I'm not expecting it. I can't hit that breaking ball low and away anyway though, so I'm gonna sit on a fastball and drive it as far as I can since nobody is on base and there are 2 outs. Maybe I can hit a homerun, if not I'll hopefully be in scoring position with the clean-up hitter coming up behind me.

Defense: This guy is a right handed hitter and he likes to pull the ball, we're gonna shift to the left. Nobody's on base so the 1B can be off the line, with 2B right at second, SS between 2nd and 3rd, and 3B right on the line. The outfield is gonna back up too, since he's got power.

Pitch is thrown:
Fast ball up, pitcher makes a mistake and it's a little bit in, hitter smashes it to LF for a double.

Next hitter comes up:
Same questions: What does he like, what does he expect, how is he going to hit in this situation (2 outs, 1 on and in scoring position).

Hitter: My guy at second has decent speed, so a single should get him home. We're down by one run and it's early in the game, so that would be good enough at this point. There are two outs, so I can't strike out swinging…keep it under control and just put the ball in play where the defense isn't.

Pitcher: I should have listened to my catcher.

Catcher: He should have listened. I'm gonna go talk to him on the mound for a second….Goes up to the mound: This guy is dangerous, he can hit the ball everywhere and anywhere and has power. Keep the ball low, get a ground ball for an easy out. Don't give him much to hit because it's not the end of the world if you walk him with a bag open and two outs. Let's start him off with a low fastball to try to get him to top it.

Pitch is thrown:
Ball 1, too low.

Hitter: I'm not swinging at that garbage.

Second pitch is thrown, same thing:
Ball 2, too low.

Catcher: Get yourself together. Low is good, but too low isn't gonna work either. I want a slider starting outside and ending around the bottom middle.

Pitch is thrown:
Stike 1 looking.

Catcher:
Good, now a fastball down and away, but keep it on the corner.

Hitter: They're gonna go back to that fastball.

Pitch is thrown:
Hitter slaps it right at the pitcher, up the middle, right over second base. Runner scores from second, tie game, man on first with 2 outs.

You get the idea. Every pitch in baseball is huge.
 
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ok midday update:

at case western. hangin out with 3 MS1s. theyre so DAMN chill! lovin it.

out
 
<really long post>

Fair enough. But we can't see any of that, and there's a fairly steep learning curve before we can figure out what all the big players' tendencies are to get an idea of what to think of in any given pitching match-up. If you don't understand what each pitcher's and batter's strong suits are, you just see pitches and swings.

I have no doubt that for the initiated that it's fascinating. And in the playoffs, with so much on the line, I'll watch; I agree, lots of drama. But I don't find it compelling enough to make sure I set aside time to watch it, simply because I'm not at the level at which I can think in those deep terms, and I don't care enough to get to that level. I've gotten close to that level in basketball, and doing that in one sport is enough procrastination 😛

I'd really like to see some sort of salary cap implemented, but that's another discussion.
 
Fair enough. But we can't see any of that, and there's a fairly steep learning curve before we can figure out what all the big players' tendencies are to get an idea of what to think of in any given pitching match-up. If you don't understand what each pitcher's and batter's strong suits are, you just see pitches and swings.

I have no doubt that for the initiated that it's fascinating. And in the playoffs, with so much on the line, I'll watch; I agree, lots of drama. But I don't find it compelling enough to make sure I set aside time to watch it, simply because I'm not at the level at which I can think in those deep terms, and I don't care enough to get to that level. I've gotten close to that level in basketball, and doing that in one sport is enough procrastination 😛

I'd really like to see some sort of salary cap implemented, but that's another discussion.

I agree, there's a learning curve. I'm really only at that level with the Giants, and so yeah, those are the games I find most interesting to watch. Will I watch others? Sure, but I usually don't unless it's an interesting match up or there's a lot at stake.
 
I agree, there's a learning curve. I'm really only at that level with the Giants, and so yeah, those are the games I find most interesting to watch. Will I watch others? Sure, but I usually don't unless it's an interesting match up or there's a lot at stake.

Play fantasy baseball next season. You'll learn right quick 😛
 
Strategy in football is way better, and it involves participation of everyone on the field as well.
 
Play fantasy baseball next season. You'll learn right quick 😛

Nah, I spend too much time on baseball as it is. I really have no desire to follow every team in the entire MLB.

Strategy in football is way better, and it involves participation of everyone on the field as well.

I'm a huge football fan, but it doesn't even compare.
 
Football is ALL about strategy. Baseball doesn't even come close.
 
Football is ALL about strategy. Baseball doesn't even come close.

That's what I thought, until I really started watching baseball. Football strategy is actually really basic though compared to baseball. (Which is why so many people think that football has more strategy; the strategy is easier to understand.)
 
That's what I thought, until I really started watching baseball. Football strategy is actually really basic though compared to baseball. (Which is why so many people think that football has more strategy; the strategy is easier to understand.)

Why do those 1000-page playbooks in the NFL exist then?
 
i think playing baseball takes the most amount of skill (an average person would dislocate his shoulder trying to pitch above 75 mph)

playing football is tough and as far as the professional league, definitely the worst contracts amongst all of sports. the average life expectancy of an NFL player (i think linesmen) is at around 55 y/o

i still love bball (esp the NBA) because of how amazing those players are. Everyone in this country can at least attempt to play ball (maybe not baseball, football, hockey, tennis... they could probly afford to play soccer). I have a friend in the NBA and another one that might get drafted after next year and the difference in skill between them and the lay person is just astounding.
 
there's a gap in communication here

i think what JJ means is that each individual player is responsible for the strategy in baseball

whereas in football its the overall play/playbook by the headcoach

i think the importance of the headcoach > manager in baseball
 
i think playing baseball takes the most amount of skill (an average person would dislocate his shoulder trying to pitch above 75 mph)

playing football is tough and as far as the professional league, definitely the worst contracts amongst all of sports. the average life expectancy of an NFL player (i think linesmen) is at around 55 y/o

i still love bball (esp the NBA) because of how amazing those players are. Everyone in this country can at least attempt to play ball (maybe not baseball, football, hockey, tennis... they could probly afford to play soccer). I have a friend in the NBA and another one that might get drafted after next year and the difference in skill between them and the lay person is just astounding.

Who? Even if it's just a fringe player, I'd probably know (of) them.
 
well I pmed you but its Jason Thompson of the Kings, he was a lottery pick. he got lucky that SAC didn't get the first overall during the lottery and they drafted Tyreke instead of Blake. his bro will probably make the league

crazy thing about him. he was 6'1 freshman year of HS and 6'11 senior year of college. he used to work out at my local gym

rumor is that there is a use of performance enhancements but i dont believe it. im from a gossipy ass town in Jersey and we make up **** all the time.
 
i. hate. flu.


that is all.

i had permanganate (spelling thanks to firefox) aloe juice today. it was really good. and it sounded like it would be good for your health. you should hit that up, theres tons of these drinks in nyc bodegas
 
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