Official 2009 MLB Thread

[Erzengel]

Mariano Rivera Spit Ball Did He Cheat?? Yankees vs Angles ALCS 10 19 ..

This is more of a non-story than Ramirez.

 

[FlawlessVictory]

LA Angels: Save the talk about Mariano Rivera spitting on ball in Game 3

BY Roger Rubin
DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
Wednesday, October 21st 2009, 4:00 AM

ANAHEIM - The mere suggestion that the Yankees' Mariano Rivera throws a spitball was met with laughter and rolled eyes from the Angels' locker room Tuesday.

At his news conference before Game 4 of the ALCS Tuesday night, Halos manager Mike Scioscia seemed equal parts surprised and amused to be asked about the possibility and that Major League Baseball had examined an 11-second video circulating on the Internet that may or may not show Rivera spitting on a baseball during Game 3.

"This is the first I'm hearing about this," Scioscia said. "I didn't even know that there was any indication that it's been looked at."

Scioscia said that no one in baseball, from scouts to players, had ever even suggested to him that Rivera uses a spitter.

"There are certainly some guys that might be suspect, never Mariano with anything that I've heard or been part of," he said. "And I'd be shocked if there was anything to that."

Few players even deigned to discuss the matter, and a couple said they had no interest in being quoted in a story about such an allegation.

"Whoever put that video on the Internet has too much time on his hands," Torii Hunter said dismissively.

"That's one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard of," another Angels position player said. "We're talking about one of the best (pitchers) in history."

"The guy throws one pitch and he throws it better than anyone ever has," said one Angels pitcher, referring to Rivera's cut fastball. "It's stupid to even suggest it."
​

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/b...els_say_save_all_the_talk_about_cheating.html
​

 

[Poeman]

Seriously...Mariano is a legend. Even though he became hittable but still very rarely beatable after that 2001 World Series.

CC looked in command, and if this series goes to 7 games...The big guy is going to be on normal rest.

Im worried about game 5 though...Lackey vs. Burnett. AJ could stumble here...He does have putrid games here and there. But if his curveball is somewhat on target then this will come down to the wire again.

Btw, is it me or does Aybar look like a spawn of The Predator?

 

[Raiden]

Totally didn't expect a blowout in Game 4, and now Yanks are in command 3 to 1. Arod has been clutch in this post-season, and CC is pitching like he's worth that hugh contract. The series isn't over, though, and I don't believe the Angels will just roll over without a good fight. This can go to 6 or 7 games.

 

[Poeman]

I just would like to post the Coord Light Freeze Cam moment of the cam from yesterdays game

:P

 

[FlawlessVictory]

Im worried about game 5 though...Lackey vs. Burnett. AJ could stumble here...He does have putrid games here and there. But if his curveball is somewhat on target then this will come down to the wire again.

The series isn't over, though, and I don't believe the Angels will just roll over without a good fight. This can go to 6 or 7 games.

Agreed. I think the Angels will win tomorrow. I can see AJ giving up 4 runs in 6 innings and Lackey will be tough. I think Yanks can close it out in 6 though.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

I just would like to post the Coord Light Freeze Cam moment of the cam from yesterdays game

http://www.theroyal1.com/images/Why ARod.jpg

:P

As I said before, this is why I want the Phillies to beat the Yankees in a WS.

 

[Raiden]

Btw, I think it's time MLB institute a replay system, at least for the post-season; the calls last night were ridiculous, and could've been easily fixed by replays. However, both the umpire and player unions are against it, and MLB (being the tradition dinosaur that they are), may never do it. What a shame.

 

[Poeman]

Btw, I think it's time MLB institute a replay system, at least for the post-season; the calls last night were ridiculous, and could've been easily fixed by replays. However, both the umpire and player unions are against it, and MLB (being the tradition dinosaur that they are), may never do it. What a shame.

Never going to happen...

you'd be planning to extend games to 6 hours in the post season if this happened.

This sport will be no different then Cricket's one day match events. Which take up like 8 hours in a day, however they do institute a 3rd umpire who reviews close calls from replay booth.

I do like the idea of a a field ump requesting a a review from the officials from upstairs and they signal the green light for right call and red light for incorrect call.

 

[Spidey-Bat]

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/bi...and-makes-the-worst-call-of-al?urn=mlb,197210

In the video, one of the writers says "McClelland, who admitted he blew two calls tonight, kinda blamed it on instant replay as if there wasn't instant replay, no one would knew he blew the calls"

I don't know how he can blame his screw up on instant replay.

That article calls it the worst blown call ever. I still think Denkinger's call from the '85 World Series is the worst ever. When I saw the video of that, I thought "WTF?" If I were a Cardinal fan, I would have flipped out.

 

[Erzengel]

ESPN radio said something funny. One of the hosts said something to the effect of, "I'm 45 years old and I can't see a menu in a restaurant. Then you have a 58 year old Umpire who's suppose to distinguish calls."

 

[Erzengel]

Also for Spidey-Bat, the Mets Organization actually MADE money off of Madoff. LOL

http://www.reuters.com/article/managementIssues/idUSN2147708920091021

$48 million to be precise.

 

[Darthphere]

Sounds like something Colin Cowherd would say.

 

[BlackLantern]

which they might have to return

 

[Erzengel]

Wasn't the organization blaming the Madoff scandal for some of their financial difficulties though?

 

[Poeman]

which they might have to return

The Mets will probably get back the money they put into Madoff but the profits will have to be taken back i think

 

[BlackLantern]

Im not sure, I don't think so....the whole Madoff thing is a mess...apparently he got into a fight in prison recently....some guy about his age was giving him ****, shoved him, madoff shoved him to the ground and had to be led away by guards

 

[Dark Donnie]

Im not sure, I don't think so....the whole Madoff thing is a mess...apparently he got into a fight in prison recently....some guy about his age was giving him ****, shoved him, madoff shoved him to the ground and had to be led away by guards

Wish I could see that.

 

[Raiden]

Never going to happen...

you'd be planning to extend games to 6 hours in the post season if this happened.

This sport will be no different then Cricket's one day match events. Which take up like 8 hours in a day, however they do institute a 3rd umpire who reviews close calls from replay booth.

I do like the idea of a a field ump requesting a a review from the officials from upstairs and they signal the green light for right call and red light for incorrect call.

First of all, the replays will only restricted to some big plays that the people from the booth upstairs saw and make a call for the replay; it's not going to happen to every balls-and-strikes. Secondly, replays did not make football games that much longer, and besides baseball games don't have game clock anyway unlike football. Lastly, people never complain about managers making 5 or 6 pitching changes in the game, which take a long time by themselves; why should they complain about replay which will take maybe a few minutes at best for each call?

The umpires have too much power, and they are abusing it with their terrible officiating. We have the technology to minimize mistakes like what happened last night; why not use it?

 

[Erzengel]

If they can hone the whole thing to something of the equivalent of tennis...

 

[Poeman]

As long as Bud Selig is there, it wont be changed...Hes from the stone age. They need a new commish who is younger, sort of like a Roger Goodell type

 

[Spidey-Bat]

Wasn't the organization blaming the Madoff scandal for some of their financial difficulties though?

No. People speculated they would be cutting payroll because of the Madoff scam. They never said they lost money or that it would affect how the team was run. There's never been a concrete number about how much they lost.

 

[Erzengel]

Well according to the article it's actually opposite and they made out.

 

[Kingfish]

All of these blown calls could be easily resolved with a fifth umpire in the video room. There's nothing complicated about it. All of these ridiculously blown calls could have been resolved in twenty seconds, which is actually less time then the managers took to argue about them.

It makes so much sense that of course Bud Selig will ignore it forever.

 

[cyborg ninja 14]

Also for Spidey-Bat, the Mets Organization actually MADE money off of Madoff. LOL

http://www.reuters.com/article/managementIssues/idUSN2147708920091021

$48 million to be precise.

Getting ready to sign Halladay next offseason I see.