# Favorite baseball team and/or player?



## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

October ball is coming up, and I know I'm excited. Why? BECAUSE MY LA DODGERS ARE GONNA BE THERE!

Actually, my first favorite team was the Seattle Mariners back when Johnson, Griffey Jr., Rodriguez, Cora, and all those guys were still on the team. Jr. was my favorite player out of those guys. Close second was the local team, the Dodgers, awith Hideo Nomo and Mike Piazza. They've been my team for a while now ever since Chan Ho Park pitched for them, and it was heartbreaking to see them go down the toilet last year. Now my favorite player is Maddux because I've got a real soft spot for pretty pitching.

Anyway, out of more than 11,000 members, there has to be more than a couple baseball fans here. So who was your first favorite baseball team and/or player, when did they/he play, and why? What about today? (Hopefully you're not a die-hard Royals fan...)


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

I was only introduced to baseball four years ago, but have been sucked in since then.

My team is the Sox, of the Red variety 

Shame is, this same team would be major contender if not for the injuries.
To every important member of the team....
And the complete lack of a bullpen. 

Bah, the new season of Galactica can't start soon enough if you ask me.


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## IceH2O (Mar 8, 2006)

NY Mets fan since kindergarden...1974

So I've been through some crappy seasons lol..

Jose Reyes is my favorite player..Dude goes all out.

I'd be here all day naming favorite players from years past..


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

Minnesota Twins, hometown team. This is a warning to any Tigers or White Sox fans out there, 'we're coming!!!' Twins will win the wild card at least....

Can't pick favorite players of this team, just a list like: Johan Santana, Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, etc. 

I'd go on forever also if I started listing players from years gone by, one thing for sure, none would be those that have used illegal steriods to attempt to break a record that currently stands at 755 steriod free home runs, hint,hint..


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Yankees all the way!!!!!! It's gonna be a Subway Series again and the Yanks are gonna win. Glavine's shoulder is going to fall off and Pedro's hip is going to crumble. As for Minsc and his Red Sox, they have had injuries but the Yanks have had just as many if not more KEY injuries. That and Francona is stupid for using Papelbon these last couple of weeks in none save situations a lot, which probably led to his strained shoulder. As for my favorite player, it'd be Jeter. He goes all out and he's Mr. Anti-A-Rod, aka Mr. Clutch for the Yanks.


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Yeah, as much as hurts to say it, the Yankees deserve respect for what they have done this year. 

Regarding the playoffs, GO TIGERS! GO METS!


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

Never really had a favorite baseball team.

Sadly, both of my favorite players have retired. Cal Ripken Jr. and Nolan Ryan. At least I was able to see both of them play before their retirement.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Yup, Cal Ripken Jr. was some amazing player. Although I never understood why he broke the Iron Horse's record and sat out for one game, only to continue another 100+ straight games. I never had the chance to see Nolan Ryan pitch.  . For those who are SERIOUSLY interested, maybe we should do a fantasy baseball (no money involved) league next year on Yahoo Sports. Come on guys, there's got to be more baseball fans in this forum.


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

*Dodgers*

Normally I wouldn't post to a thread about baseball but after the weekend happenings and the Dodgers being mentioned earlier in the post, I can't help myself.

The Dodgers got a new pitcher over the weekend and I am proud to announce he is MY 2nd cousin. Keep an eye out for Eric Stultz. (They had moved him up a few months ago but they wanted him to get more play time so they moved him back down.) I was watching TV last night and during the sports section of the news they showed him pitching in his first major league game.

Also, his cousin (Todd Blackford, still my 2nd Cousin, I am a Blackford by birth) is pitching for a farm team (Peoria Chiefs ?) of the Chicago Cubs.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Sweet man, if he came up from the Dodger's farm system, he must be really good! I love how the Dodgers have the best bank of rookies. Makes for nice moments when the minor leaguers (Loney, Kemp, Martin, Ethier, etc) step up and do something big in the majors. Give him my best, I'll keep an eye out for him!

Anyway, I was browsing Yahoo! news last night, and came across this. Accurate as of yesterday I believe.



> Here are the chances each particular team will make the postseason, determined by computers that simulated the remainder of the season 1 million times. (Last week's percentages in parentheses.)
> 
> American League
> New York Yankees: 99.91 percent (97.84 percent)
> ...


Dodgers aren't a 100% like the Mets, but awwww yeah, I like how 90% looks!


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

Yep, he came from the Dodgers farm team as well.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

Another vote for the Yankees!


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

The Dodgers do have a pretty good farm system I must say, especially with Ethier. Good luck to your cousins kimbm04r. Erijnal, why do some teams on the list have an asterisk next to them?


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## Cassie (May 27, 2006)

I'm a Yankees fan, ever since my sister decided that she liked the Angels (our local team) and we went to a game for her birthday, I had to root for the other team, and the other team happened to be the Yankees (this was circa 1994)! I have developed hometown pride since then and I like the Angels as long as their winning is not detrimental to the Yanks in any way!


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

What the heck? The Royals didn't make the list?

That computer has a bug...


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Yea...the Royals, who would of even thought they had a chance to make the playoffs two years ago. They do have Ryan Shealy now, althought I don't understand why the Rockies traded him since Helton isn't himself anymore. That and the Royals have Gathright, who's a speed demon. 
Cassie, I'm a Yankee fan and I detest the Angels simply for the reason that they are the only team to have a winning record against the Yanks for the last couple years. It seems like the rally monkey never dies when the Angels face the Yanks. Anyway, a no hitter was pitched today by Anibal Sanchez, who by the way was traded to Florida as a part of the Beckett trade. Poor Boston, lost Sanchez AND Hanley Ramirez in that deal.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Asterisks means that the team is the current wild-card leader I think. 

Impressive about the no-hitter. Didn't someone have a no-hitter going yesterday but it was broken in the 9th? YEAH DODGERS WON TODAY WOOOHOO. Scaring me by losing 3 straight those poos


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

Hehe, being a Yankees fan is like cheering for the matador in a bullfight. Too easy. It doesn't mean much when they win - I mean really, where is the thrill in getting their 899th series win in the last 900 tries.

To be a _real_ baseball fan you need pain, continual hardship, and endless heartbreak. Be a Red Sox fan. Now, when they came back from 0-3 vs the Yanks to make it to the series it was surreal. When they actually won the series old men could finally die in peace, families reunited, marriages were saved, etc. etc. When the Yankees win it's like "ho-hum, what else is on TV?"


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## Cassie (May 27, 2006)

guaiac_boy said:


> When the Yankees win it's like "ho-hum, what else is on TV?"


that's just because you're a red sox fan...

There are ups and downs with being a Yankee fan as well. Rooting for the "top dog" team is a loose-loose situation, if they win, then yeah, of course they'd win, people don't see it as a big deal, but if they loose, then it's a big deal and everyone's on you (especially since i live in Anaheim, which has a bit of a rivalry with NY, although not even close to Boston). It's hard being a fan for a team that is across the country since, lacking cable, I don't get to see them play nearly enough. But, nevertheless, I have been a fan for 12 years and counting, which is more than half of my life!

I guess when you don't win very often you do have to savor each one... I wouldn't know!


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## Minsc (May 7, 2006)

Cassie said:


> Rooting for the "top dog" team is a loose-loose situation, if they win, then yeah, of course they'd win, people don't see it as a big deal, but if they loose, then it's a big deal and everyone's on you


Maybe you should root for another team then...

Sorry, I couldn't help it


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

guaiac_boy said:


> To be a _real_ baseball fan you need pain, continual hardship, and endless heartbreak. Be a Red Sox fan.


I highly doubt that you're continuously in pain, in hardship, or in endless heartbreak considering you just noted that the Red Sox won the WS in 2004. If you want to root for a team that actually is continuously in pain, hardship and endless heartbreak, you should root for either the: 1) Devil Rays, no matter how hard they try or however many good prospects they draft, they always end up being the beating stick of the AL East. 2) Kansas City Royals,they had a shot back a couple years but just can't seem to get anything right especially by signing veterans like Reggie Sanders. 3) Chicago Cubs, the curse of the billy goat, Kerry Wood and his new DL buddy Mark Prior. 4) Rockies, they're emerging from the cellar to see a ray of hope only to get shoved right back down there.

I'm not discounting the fact that the Red Sox are a good team, just that the Yankees are always a step ahead. Guaiac_boy, you're rooting for some who has the potential to win it all (which they did) because year in and year out they put up a good fight. You're not rooting for someone in continuous pain, rather, you are rooting because they have a chance. Like any baseball fan on Opening Day, they're rooting for their team because they have a chance. Also, according to your definition of being a fan for an underdog team that is continuously in pain, hardship, and endless heartbreak, one should cease to root for their team once the team wins a championship because they would no longer be under your definition.

Don't hate on the Yankees because they have class, spend money to make money (businesses spend millions of dollars on equipment to produce quality merchandise), and actually know how to win (26 World Championships in 100 years.)


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

hehe, You Yankees guys are funny. There's no pain in being a D-Rays or a Royals fan. Why on earth would their fans ever get their expectations up? There's no heartache there - they just stink. The painful part IMO is when a stupid team has a great season, and then blows it at the last minute. The Cubs and Red Sox have great traditions of this.

Just a little light-hearted jab....... nothing more.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

About spending the spending money bit, I think the top three payrolls are commanded by the Yankees, the Red Sox, and the "Los Angeles" Angels, respectively, so to me it looks like the money gap issue is going to be a nonissue in a couple years. Yankees are still ahead by some 70-80 million though

lildark just curious, how do you feel about Alex Rodriguez? Overpaid or what?


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

guaiac_boy said:


> The painful part IMO is when a stupid team has a great season, and then blows it at the last minute. The Cubs and Red Sox have great traditions of this.


Are you saying that the Cubs and Red Sox are stupid teams? Of the 8 teams that make the playoffs, there's only one standing at the end so does that mean the other seven blew it last minute? The D-Rays are constantly enduring pain because there's probably more Yankees fans in Tampa Bay than there are D-Ray fans, which is pretty sad. That, and the fact that they watch most other teams reach .500 year in and year out without ever getting to know that feeling of being just MEDIOCRE. As for the Royals, if the fans didn't ever expect them to win, they wouldn't even go to the ballgames anymore and the stadium would be empty every day and night.

Anywho...I'm responding to your light jab with an uppercut.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Alex Rodriguez is an amazing player, who just can't play in the New York spotlight. He's a guarantee for the Hall of Fame and he puts up great numbers every year. However, he plays too many mind games with himself and I consider him the Anti-David Ortiz a.k.a Anti-Mr. Clutch. Is he worth the $25 million every year? I highly doubt anyone playing professional sports should be worth more than a seven figure salary. Yes, professional athletes (especially baseball players) must spend 3/4 of the year without their families and play most of the season even when tired and worn out. But, highschool athletes as well as college athletes don't play for the money, they play for the love of the game. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that professional athletes don't love the game, they certainly do, but when you hire a mega agent like Scott Boras, everyone knows theres only one thing on your mind.


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

> The D-Rays are constantly enduring pain


Not to jump into this thread, but I guess I am.....the Devil Ray's are like what, eight years old? They're supposed to suck and their early history of spending big money on players about ten years past their prime (i.e. Steriod king Canseco, among others) only reinforced the fact that they would be bottom dwellers. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they play in a tough division with the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays. Well, compare those three teams with the top three teams in the AL Central. You get bottom dwellers when the division has that kind of record, which brings us to Kansas City....

Haven't the Royals won the same amount of World Series in the past 20 years as the Red Sox and the White Sox? Even the small-payroll Twins have won 2 Series in the past 20 years (yes I know, the yankees have won 4, but where were they in the 80s or early 90s?). Obviously I'm biased, love the Twins.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Nailalc, sure the D-Rays are a young team, but that doesn't mean that they should suck. The Marlins were only four years old when they won their first World Series. They spent the big money to bring in Kevin Brown, Sheffield, Bobby Bonilla, Rob Nen, and Moises Alou. 
As for the Twins, they're pretty good right now but they weren't so hot during the early 90s till the millenium. As for their future, you'd better hope they don't over use Liriano like the Cubs did to Wood and Prior.


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## ringram (Jan 10, 2005)

die hard Giants fan here. They've been a little disappointing the last couple years, but hopefully they'll get some younger talent and be back for October ball soon! Actually, they're in the running this year, but with the average age around 37-38 on that team, they probably don't stand too much of a chance. I'm also a little irritated by all the bad publicity that Barry Bonds has been getting. No actual concrete evidence has been shown regarding the steroid issue and he's DEFINATELY not the only one who should be on the hotseat. Back in the day, even though I hated the Dodgers, I'd have to say that Orel Hershiser was one of my idols. I read his book "Out of the Blue" and was a pitcher myself through college. I don't really have one player that I admire these days, although Greg Maddox comes to mind. Nolan Ryan was another that I used to watch when I was a kid. He was in his Houston days then.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Do you think Bonds took steriods knowingly? If he did, do you think there should at least be an asterisk next to his name? He's a great player, but I think his stats are forever tainted. Its already known that he's taken steriods, but its up to the investigators to find out if he took it knowingly. How can someone just put something on/in their body without asking the other individual what it is? When you were a kid, I'm sure that you've gotten sick and your parents probably gave you a pill or some medicine to take. I'm also sure that you asked what it was and your parents probably said something like: its for your <fill in the sickness> and it'll make you better. So if you had to question what your parents were giving you, you'd probably also question what your trainer was giving you, making Bonds' "I didn't know it was steriods" thing baloney. If Bonds actually believed it was flaxseed oil, wouldn't he ask why its never been given to him previously or to other players if they were supposed to help?


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Just a reminder, the original intent of this thread was to see who everyone's favorite baseball team was, and who your favorite player(s) is/are/was/were. I guess baseball talk in general is relevant, but any arguments should be friendly banter, perhaps taking a light-hearted jab at one's favorite player (suppose your favorite player was Ronnie Belliard, who's in a 0-19 slump right now) or team, but nothing serious enough to get angry over

Nevertheless, debating is fun, but care should be taken to avoid any perceived ill-will. ringram, I've got to thank your Giants for taking 2/3 from the Padres =].

Did anyone see the Dodgers spank the Mets yesterday? Aww yeah


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

There's no ill-will, I was just trying to figure out why people are still so enamored by Barry Bonds even though he cheated by using steriods. We're all "friends" in here, but even friends have heated debates.


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

Anyone see the Twins take 3 out of 4 from the Tigers over the weekend? Forget about the wild card, we're taking the division!


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Too bad Liriano's lost for the season. I had a feeling they were going to rush him back but at least they have Garza to replace him.


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

Yeah, not having Liriano for the rest of the year hurts. It'll still be fun watching the last few weeks of the year with only 3 games separating the top three teams. Two will make it and the other will not, we'll see..............


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## kimbm04r (Apr 22, 2005)

erijnal said:


> Did anyone see the Dodgers spank the Mets yesterday? Aww yeah


And that was my cousin that was pitching!!!!!!!!!! Go Eric!!!!


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## tfmcder (Feb 22, 2006)

Mets fan!!! Since 1985. I even went to see them when they SUCKED through most of the 90's. Does anyone remember Anthony Young? He was the player (Mets) that set the record for most consecutive losses for a pitcher...I believe he stopped at 19. He had to be my favorite player...what a jerk-wad for still trying to pitch, especially in New Yawk!!! Favorite player now: David Wright-love the way he runs like a duck-can someone teach the future superstar how to run please?!! A close second would be John Maine, the boys gonna be phenomenal!! Favorite player "then": Wally Backman-down-n-dirty,loved the game, man after my own heart.

O yeah and Yankees time as top team in New York is done, so I ask all Yankee fans to bow out gracefully and step aside so the Mets fans can have the limelight for the next few seasons. We have patiently waited for this time for over a decade now and let you have the top, while we were the "other" New York team, so please return the favor and let the Yankees become the "other" New York team now. Not hating just being realistic. The Yankees, as a franchise, are unbelievable and they still have a good team but not the best anymore. Sorry guys, I know it stings but you'll get used to it.


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

lildark185 said:


> Do you think Bonds took steriods knowingly?


Yes he did. Using steroids is not something someone just won't notice. When you are on steroids, you KNOW it (the real stuff). No grey area about it. Only time being on steroids would be relatively unnoticeable would be those given to an individual by a doctor. Those have close to zero performance effects. Even if he was taking B12 shots, there's a huge difference in pain from the steroid (the ester causes it) and effects. Plus with 99% of steroids they require 2 or more shots a week and they are oil based (grapeseed oil anyone?).

Now real steroids, those used by bodybuilders and professional athletes, will increase performance. Muscle gain, recovery, endurance, etc is effected. A 40 year old man doesn't put on large amounts of muscle naturally in a short amount of time. Unless he is a genetic freak who actually increases testosterone levels as he ages.

If he was only something like HGH then the effects would be less noticeable. That stuff doesn't really start kicking in for a while. That's why when bodybuilders use it, the use is over a period of many months (6+).

Honestly I don't have a problem with players using steroids. It's when they are basically caught that they continue to lie about it. Just give it up and act like a man.

What I've written above is from knowing those involved in steroids and research I've done on the subject. Remember, steroids are a FELONY in the United States. You will do time.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Huge series with the Dodgers and the Padres starting tonight. Hopefully Maddux will start things off well for the Dodgers



> "I like to pitch in Dodger Stadium. I like the defense behind me," Maddux said. "Those guys back there can catch it. They catch a lot of ground balls back there. Sometimes there are four shortstops in the infield, and as a pitcher, that's pretty cool."


If Maddux can hit his spots and change up his speed and movement, then game one goes to the Dodgers.


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

Thats a big IF for Maddux considering his last two outings didn't go so well. As for the opposing pitcher, David Wells, he's pitched a bit better than Maddux recently. I think it'll be a coin toss.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

Maddux was flawless last night, but Billingsley was slapped around today, and there was the bleeding that just wouldn't stop in the third inning.... Man.

Was really surprised at how well Hendrickson pitched though. If only he pitched like that in all of his previous outings! At least there was one positive out of the game.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

WHO SAW THE DODGERS GAME LAST NIGHT!? FOUR CONSECUTIVE HOME RUNS TO TIE IT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

and then... the Dodgers give up another run in the top of the 10th, and with Lofton on first base in the bottom of the inning, Garciaparra hits a no-doubt two run walk-off home run. hahhahahhhaha that was the wildest game I've EVER seen.

WOO 

*after two or three minutes of only the noise of the fans cheering* "By the way.. the Dodgers are in first place." -Vin Scully


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## lildark185 (Jul 7, 2006)

I hope the Dodgers are ready for the Mets. This should be a pretty exciting playoffs. Can the Cards hold off the Padres and will Johan Santana be that much of a factor against the A's. I'm prediciting Mets over Dodgers, Cards over Padres, Twins over A's and Yanks over Tigers. GOOOOOOOOOOOO YANKS!


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

The Twins vs. the Yankees makes a much better League Championship Series match-up than a Divisional Series. It'll be fun to watch.


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## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

You guys have to admit that the Dodgers are going into the playoffs with a lot of momentum. They've won their last seven going into the playoffs, and took 2/4 at Shea Stadium, when they weren't playing very well. Dodgers have been all about clutch lately, and clutch wins ball games.

Dodgers over Mets 
Padres over Cardinals

Yankees over the Tigers in 7
Twins over the Athletics


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## nailalc (Mar 17, 2006)

How about the Twins going 71 - 33 over the last 104 games, forget about the first two months, they were terrible to watch back then.....


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