NL misery continues

The team from the Al that goes to the world series should send Young a case of champagne and a big thank you card. Incredible that one strike away from ending the AL dominance that the NL could be defeated again.
The game may have been a boring low scoring game for an all star game but i do have to say that for all Bud Selig has done wrong as commissioner that his idea to have the winning league get the homefield in the World Series is by far the brightest thing he has done in his tenure. It has truly restored the all star game to the level it was at for years. In the old days players truly felt it was an honor to be in the all star game and took winning it very seriously. It was before everyone was a zillionaire who played the game and guys played for pride and there was a real grudge there. Then a period existed where all it meant to the guys being paid so much was that they got the bonus built into their contracts for making it to the all star game.
I remember the games of the mid 70's and early 80's and those guys were playing hard and wanted to win. It had become a joke like the Pro Bowl and NBA all star game for awhile and its nice to see guys play hard and managers manage like they want to win now.
The all star game has truly been restored to its prior status as the only great all star game in sports and I really think that adding the incentive of home field in the World Series had a lot to do with it.

[stevepopyak]

Agree with you about the home field advantage, think it adds some incentive to the game. Can't stand Selig though, think he has been horrible.

[Gander]

Disagree about how one game, an exhibition game, should decide the home field advantage in the World Series. I think its a no brainer and the team with the better overall regular season record should have home field advantage. Or the team with a better interleague record should have it. These guys play way too many regular season games for something like the home field advantage to come down to 1 exhibition game where only a fraction of players play.

On the flip side, lately home field advantage in the world series hasnt meant a damn thing. So it hasnt really mattered too much. The last time I think they even played a game 7 was in 2002 when the Angels beat the Giants.
Best team usually wins the World Series, esepcially over the last 10 years. Only year I can say that I think the better team lost was when Florida beat the Yankees in 2003.

Originally Posted by Gander

Disagree about how one game, an exhibition game, should decide the home field advantage in the World Series. I think its a no brainer and the team with the better overall regular season record should have home field advantage. Or the team with a better interleague record should have it. These guys play way too many regular season games for something like the home field advantage to come down to 1 exhibition game where only a fraction of players play.

On the flip side, lately home field advantage in the world series hasnt meant a damn thing. So it hasnt really mattered too much. The last time I think they even played a game 7 was in 2002 when the Angels beat the Giants.
Best team usually wins the World Series, esepcially over the last 10 years. Only year I can say that I think the better team lost was when Florida beat the Yankees in 2003.

Tim you can't do interleague because its not fair, each division only plays one other division, its not a fair sample. The regular season record doesnt cur it for me either. Leagues can be of completely different strength. The only fair way would be to alternate it. But your stats are way off on home team winning the WS.

[Gander]

How are "my stats" way off Mike? All I said was home field really hasnt mattered. The best team has won. The White Sox and the Red Sox won their world series in sweeps, how did home field advantage help them? Please explain?

The year before that the Marlins won 3 games at Yankee stadium, including the deciding one. The Yankees won 2 in Florida.

In 2001 & 2002 the series came down to a game 7, with the home team winning both. But the 3 priior years, Yankees dominated 3 very weak NL teams in the World Series. They had a winning record away in those World Series, in fact they only dropped 1 game on the road in 5 attempts.

[Gander]

So you are saying Interleague is not fair because of the potential of one very strong division getting to prey on on very weak division like this year with the AL East crushing the NL East? Yes, I get your point but its still more fair to let 20 games decide home field over 1 exhibition game where about 2-3% of the total players are represented.

Say the Red Sox make it back to the World Series this year and have home field advantage.

Your telling me that the fact that the AL won the all star game because of a total breakdown of one pitcher (with 2 outs) is a better reason for them to have home field than the fact that they went 16-2 against NL teams?

Huh?

[stevepopyak]

Points are certainly valid, but I still like the idea of giving these guys a little more incentive to win the game. Normally, I would watch the first few innings with the starters in and then turn it off, now I at least check back in to see who is winning or who has won.

That being said, I am a Pirate fan and home field advantage in a World Series is basically a non-issue and won't be anytime in the near future. Maybe I would change my opinion if my team was ever affected by it.

[Buffymommy]

I feel bad for Trevor Hoffman. Ya know he must feel like crap after losing that one.

Originally Posted by Gander

How are "my stats" way off Mike? All I said was home field really hasnt mattered. The best team has won. The White Sox and the Red Sox won their world series in sweeps, how did home field advantage help them? Please explain?

The year before that the Marlins won 3 games at Yankee stadium, including the deciding one. The Yankees won 2 in Florida.

In 2001 & 2002 the series came down to a game 7, with the home team winning both. But the 3 priior years, Yankees dominated 3 very weak NL teams in the World Series. They had a winning record away in those World Series, in fact they only dropped 1 game on the road in 5 attempts.

Tim you don't think starting at home helps?

[Gander]

Yes maybe a bit mentally, but again I dont think it decides the winner. I think in baseball, the best team wins.

[dr. fager]

Originally Posted by Gander

Yes maybe a bit mentally, but again I dont think it decides the winner. I think in baseball, the best team wins.

Yeah except when fans screw teams.....ala Cubs and O's

Funny thing there is one instance of home fans hurting/one of them helping...lol

[SCUDSBROTHER]

I think they need to have a 3 day break for the All Star Break.Then play the last 3 to 7 games of the 1st half of the season.Then have a week off,and start the 2nd half of the season after that.This way,3 days is not really enough time to go on vacation,and the week off (one week after this) would be the better time to be with the family etc. Keep the home field advantage going to the league that wins the All Star Game(not because it's fair at all,but because Human Nature demands incentive.)

[Gander]

Cool, I respect your guy's opinions and again, I am not a believer that too many teams win the World Series because they had home field advantage. More than any other professional sport, I think the team that wins the world series is usually the best team.

While it may be nice to start the Series at home and I wont be complaining come October if game's 1 & 2 of the World Series is in Fenway, I think its of little significance to the eventual winner or loser.

Originally Posted by Gander

Cool, I respect your guy's opinions and again, I am not a believer that too many teams win the World Series because they had home field advantage. More than any other professional sport, I think the team that wins the world series is usually the best team.

While it may be nice to start the Series at home and I wont be complaining come October if game's 1 & 2 of the World Series is in Fenway, I think its of little significance to the eventual winner or loser.

Tim I wouldn't count to highly on Fenway.
Yankees get back: Cano within two weeks, Matsui August 1st, Sheffield September 1st according to the latest reports. Add that to 23 2nd half of the season games against Baltimore and Tampa and that 3 game lead the Red Sos have sure doesnt look all that safe to me. I wasn't feeling too confident a month ago. BUt with the those guys coming back and the schedule coming up I smell a hard time for the Sox. They really already played their best baseball in that streak and have had the Yankees without 3 key starters. They really should have a much larger lead than 3 games. I think if you asked The Yankees a month ago if they would be happy to only be three down at the all star break they would have told you that they would jump for joy. I know I am.

[Gander]

Mike-
As much as I love my team, we are in desperate need of one more quality starter. Wakefield is too unpredictable. That kid Lester is pitching real well but hes got a lot to learn and he isnt post season tested.

I dont think we are good enough to have more than a 3-4 game lead right now and I am very satisfied to be in the position we are in. I know with the way we knock each other around a 3 game lead is about as good as a tie, but I think we have a great chance to win the division if we can maybe grab one more starter or keep getting quality starts with Lester.

2nd half should be fun and I'll stand by what I said 6 weeks ago, I'll be very surprised if either team has bigger than a 3 game lead from here on out.

Originally Posted by Gander

Mike-
As much as I love my team, we are in desperate need of one more quality starter. Wakefield is too unpredictable. That kid Lester is pitching real well but hes got a lot to learn and he isnt post season tested.

I dont think we are good enough to have more than a 3-4 game lead right now and I am very satisfied to be in the position we are in. I know with the way we knock each other around a 3 game lead is about as good as a tie, but I think we have a great chance to win the division if we can maybe grab one more starter or keep getting quality starts with Lester.

2nd half should be fun and I'll stand by what I said 6 weeks ago, I'll be very surprised if either team has bigger than a 3 game lead from here on out.

If the Yankees trade Cano and Hughes for Dontrelle I will personally find Cashman and assault him. Thats what they told the Yankees they want for Dontrelle. Cano should be an untouchable. No way are you gonna find a 2nd baseman that can field like he does and hit for power and average who is that young. Of course its said that the Yanks want Soriano back which would make that possible. My question is who the hell they can trade for Soriano? trading cano doesnt make sense for Soriano because then you can't do the deal for Dontrelle. My biggest fear is that the Yanks trade away the future again for one pitcher, they have only done that 100 times.

[Gander]

Ya I hear ya about Cano, hes awesome. But Dontrelle in my opinion is one of the top 3 pitchers in all of baseball when he has his stuff going. His last 2 starts were amazing and when its all said and done I think Dontrelle goes down as one of the greatest to have ever pitched. Remember he is still 24!

Seems like hes older because hes been around for a while, already has a ring and this guy is cool as ice.

Why cant the Red Sox go after him? Maybe make a straight up trade your pal Varitek for Dontrelle. The Marlins need a catcher.

Yankees getting Soriano back would kill me! Please dont even say that!

Originally Posted by Gander

Ya I hear ya about Cano, hes awesome. But Dontrelle in my opinion is one of the top 3 pitchers in all of baseball when he has his stuff going. His last 2 starts were amazing and when its all said and done I think Dontrelle goes down as one of the greatest to have ever pitched. Remember he is still 24!

Seems like hes older because hes been around for a while, already has a ring and this guy is cool as ice.

Why cant the Red Sox go after him? Maybe make a straight up trade your pal Varitek for Dontrelle. The Marlins need a catcher.

Yankees getting Soriano back would kill me! Please dont even say that!

Tim I just don't see that happening unless the Nationals will accept somone else for Soriano other than Cano. WHy trade Cano for Soriano? Is Soriano better? Well yeah, but is he that much better to sacrifice another huge contract and a few years in age to the kid? No way. Thing is if they were able to get the nationals to take the hotshot third baseman in Triple A and someone else for Soriano, the Yanks could then do the deal with Cano and Hughes foR Willis. Basically they would be trading Hughes, Cano, the hotshot Duncan and one other guy for Willis and Soriano. Imagine that? I'd love to see how fast the Vegas odds drop on the Yankees if that ever happens.

[somerfrost]

Originally Posted by oracle80

Tim I just don't see that happening unless the Nationals will accept somone else for Soriano other than Cano. WHy trade Cano for Soriano? Is Soriano better? Well yeah, but is he that much better to sacrifice another huge contract and a few years in age to the kid? No way. Thing is if they were able to get the nationals to take the hotshot third baseman in Triple A and someone else for Soriano, the Yanks could then do the deal with Cano and Hughes foR Willis. Basically they would be trading Hughes, Cano, the hotshot Duncan and one other guy for Willis and Soriano. Imagine that? I'd love to see how fast the Vegas odds drop on the Yankees if that ever happens.

Yankees need pitching....they should raid the Twins for one or both of their prized lefties...