Hockey isn't in the ballpark of the NFL but it's not super far from the MLB. Stanley Cup playoff ratings were 5.5-7 and MLB World Series is 7-11.5 as the series goes on. I work with about 200 people who are "Dodgers Fans" and I bet they couldn't name 4 players. What % of people under 40 give two shits about baseball? I bet it's pretty low.
MLB 2014 Season Thread
- Thread starter Duppin_sl
- Start date
Pharazon
Silver Knight of the Realm
- 415
- 46
Not one good starter, one great starter. But they got there for the same reason the Royals did (without a single great starter?): superb bullpens. But the Giants also had a more solid lineup, experience, and arguably the top manager in the game right now. You never know what will happen in postseason baseball, and once the Giants made it, not one bit of this was surprising to me with all that considered. It's more surprising that the Royals nearly won it with not a single bonafide ace and a lineup not even as good as the Giants. When was the last time a team won the WS without an ace?
So much hate here. Thing is, even when the Giants won it the first time in 2010 when they hadn't yet won a single time in SF, I don't think anybody outside SF really wanted to see them win.
Erronius
<WoW Guild Officer>
- 17,329
- 44,989
So much hate? Who is hating here?
I'm pretty happy with the Royals myself. I didn't expect them to even get to the postseason, much less win. IMHO just being able to get to 7 games was fantastic.
As far as "cock-slobbering World Series" coverage goes, it's weird...I almost want to say that the coverage in general was ass. I wish I had a nickel for every time they brought up the Royals stolen bases in the regular season like it matters but never really made mention that the Royals might have a serious offensive output issue (my impression through the regular series was that all those stolen bases might have covered up a lack of power, so to speak). When I was watching the games in Cali I felt like they were really kissing Giants ass but I don't really care either. And it's also weird that on FB last night people (Royals fans) were complaining about how the giants were getting their 'cocks slobbered' on TV (over the entire course of the game) while someone here is talking about the Royals getting the same treatment. Honestly at the end of the day it's probably just differences in peoples perception (though the coverage was ass regardless).
I honestly feel like the Royals were a fluke getting to the postseason. They're good, but I really hope they can improve their hitting. Bumgarner (sp) is fantastic, I won't dispute that, but I don't feel that he's THAT good. I'm not a stats guy, but I'd love to see if there is a stark difference in Bumgarner's stats pitching against other teams with good hitting as opposed to his stats when pitching against the Royals. I have a hunch that his stats against the Royals are going to be better and he ought to be thankful that he was pitching against us, lol! But yeah he's still damn good, and I'm not sure what to think in regards to that 1903/06 or whatever stat. /boggle
Gravy
Bronze Squire
- 4,918
- 458
I was about to reply to his post with this exact same content, but probably more poorly worded.
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
- 8,157
- 140
They did show some stats last night on Bumgarner's pitching. In the regular season he has like a 3.something career ERA(which is obviously good, but not elite) and then in the NLDS it drops to like 2.5-ish, NLCS was like 1.7 or something, and then the World Series was his 0.5 or whatever he ended up with after yesterdays game. He's an above-average pitcher that goes nuts in the post-season. I don't think he's ever even seriously been in a Cy Young award discussion for his regular season work. I guess on the flip side you could have someone like Clayton Kershaw who absolutely dominates the regular season and then falls apart in the post-season. I'm not sure which I'd rather have on my team. One guy helps you get to the post season a lot easier(Kershaw) but then the other guy excels when/if you get there(Bum)
And while I agree with the above person who mentioned that the Royals didn't have an Ace this year, they are basically right in-between 1 former Ace falling off a bit(Shields) and 1 future Ace that is about to break out big-time (Ventura).
Shields will leave the Royals this year, Ventura will be our #1 going forward. And oddly enough, our #2 pitcher going forward Danny Duffy, didn't get to start at all in the post-season. For some reason Yost felt that Duffy couldn't handle the pressure as a rookie, but Ventura could as a rookie. Duffy was our best pitcher most of the season, sporting a 2.05 ERA from June through September over his 17 starts.
Next years Royals starting pitching staff might be better than this years, with those 2 rookies maturing into their second years as our #1 and #2 starters. However, there's almost no chance the big 3 in the bullpen plays as well, just because they're so good that theres nowhere to go but down. Also, we'll probably lose 1 of the 3(most likely Davis) as the Royals can't afford to be paying 3 relievers 10+ million dollars, thats over 10% of our total payroll.
And while I agree with the above person who mentioned that the Royals didn't have an Ace this year, they are basically right in-between 1 former Ace falling off a bit(Shields) and 1 future Ace that is about to break out big-time (Ventura).
Shields will leave the Royals this year, Ventura will be our #1 going forward. And oddly enough, our #2 pitcher going forward Danny Duffy, didn't get to start at all in the post-season. For some reason Yost felt that Duffy couldn't handle the pressure as a rookie, but Ventura could as a rookie. Duffy was our best pitcher most of the season, sporting a 2.05 ERA from June through September over his 17 starts.
Next years Royals starting pitching staff might be better than this years, with those 2 rookies maturing into their second years as our #1 and #2 starters. However, there's almost no chance the big 3 in the bullpen plays as well, just because they're so good that theres nowhere to go but down. Also, we'll probably lose 1 of the 3(most likely Davis) as the Royals can't afford to be paying 3 relievers 10+ million dollars, thats over 10% of our total payroll.
Baseball isn't like other sports where the best (usually) representatives of each league have an ultimate showdown to determine the best team. Postseason baseball is a short stretch of games in which anything can happen and the outcome of a single game is influenced by too many factors to explain.
After seeing the 2006 Cardinals win the WS, you really shouldn't be surprised by anything that happens in the playoffs.
opiate82
Bronze Squire
- 3,078
- 5
You guys are kidding right? Outside of the Bumgarner boner the coverage was all "stolen bases, the big 3, and 1985." Fuck, the broadcast crew even busted out pictures of themselves from 1985, they kept talking about the music and movies that were out that year, George Brett was in every promo, it was basically a KC circle jerk that they were nice enough to invite Bumgarner to because they wanted to see him finish.
opiate82
Bronze Squire
- 3,078
- 5
Oh man, that guy rustled my jimmies hardcore. And do you know what really sucks about him, from now on companies are going to be buying up seats behind home plate to put some guy with a logo'd t-shirt back there.
Also, I do have to hand it to KC for this classy move. Nice way for them to tip their cap.
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
- 8,157
- 140
I was thinking that the entire time. The people sitting right next to him while the games were in KC was local rapper TechN9ne and his music label Strange Music. Him and various people from his record label were there for every game wearing Strange Music t-shirts that were very visible. He posted on his twitter that a couple $8000 seats were WELL worth the money for the commercial exposure. Cheaper and more effective than buying a 30 second TV commercial, that's for sure.
No, the last somewhat tolerable Yankee(Jeter) just retired. I'm praying for a long run of Orioles/Rays/Blue Jays dominance of the AL East.
red sox going to win the 2015 WS. Going 115-47 regular season and sweeping the entire playoffs.
David Ortiz wins the batting title, MVP and MVP of the WS
David Ortiz wins the batting title, MVP and MVP of the WS
- 17,781
- 25,897
Joeboo
Molten Core Raider
- 8,157
- 140
Cardinals just traded for Jason Heyward
Jason Heyward traded from Braves to Cardinals in exchange for Shelby Miller - SBNation.com
Thats a big acquisition
Jason Heyward traded from Braves to Cardinals in exchange for Shelby Miller - SBNation.com
Thats a big acquisition
Muurloen
Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
- 14,030
- 40,073
It is a very curious move by the Cards. Obviously this addressing the void left behind with Oscar Tavaeras' death, but usually they build their team from within and rarely move cheap players for other team's talent.
On the Braves side of things they got a bad-at-game pitcher that over-achieved in 2013 sucked donkey balls in 2014 and a C to D grade prospect.
IIRC, the Braves tried to extend Heyward last off-season, but didn't com to terms. If that is the case, why buy Miller and a 2010 first round pitcher that hasn't made it out of A-Ball, instead of just let giving a qualifying offer to Heyward, and get compensated for it when he rejects it?
On the Braves side of things they got a bad-at-game pitcher that over-achieved in 2013 sucked donkey balls in 2014 and a C to D grade prospect.
IIRC, the Braves tried to extend Heyward last off-season, but didn't com to terms. If that is the case, why buy Miller and a 2010 first round pitcher that hasn't made it out of A-Ball, instead of just let giving a qualifying offer to Heyward, and get compensated for it when he rejects it?
