The feel good story of the year, just lost its charm. Rick Ankiel and Troy Glaus were each reported for receiving multiple shipments of human growth hormones (HGH) during the 2003 and 2004 seasons. Glaus doesn't come as a surprise to me, after bursting onto the scene in 2000 with 47 homers, he has never had more than 40 since 2001. Ankiel however really saddened me because I was really excited that MLB had a modern day Roy Hobbs. Although now, the story is rather sour. Ankiel says the HGH were prescribed to him in 2004 by a doctor when he was still a pitcher coming off of reconstructive elbow surgery. Any thoughts on this?
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Baseball Discussion 2007
- Thread starter animaldude
- Start date
animaldude
Sage in Training
I didn't really give half a crap about Ankiel but I still don't think he's taken anything recently...
Who I am starting to think is on roids is A-Roid. Lol isn't it strange that he hit basically 1/3 of his home runs in the first month of the season and now he's starting to hit one every day in the last year. I just think that's a bit fishy...
I'm starting to want him to opt out. I'd rather spend the 30 million he's gonna get on Lowell and maybe Hunter.
Who I am starting to think is on roids is A-Roid. Lol isn't it strange that he hit basically 1/3 of his home runs in the first month of the season and now he's starting to hit one every day in the last year. I just think that's a bit fishy...
I'm starting to want him to opt out. I'd rather spend the 30 million he's gonna get on Lowell and maybe Hunter.
It's hard to tell if Ankiel took anything recently, just because he received shipments of HGH during that time period, doesn't mean he used all of them during that time period. But eh who knows.
A-Rod's another dilemma. He was always a power hitter during his skinny days in Seattle, but that still doesn't mean that he's jacked up on steroids now. Honestly, I don't think steroids or HGH really help your performance all that much. Most of the players caught using them, other than Rafael Palmeiro, weren't really power hitters or even good players for that much. I also think that pitchers deserve more suspicion, because they are after all the guys throwin in the high 90's and even 100's.
The whole steroid topic is a poison to the game of baseball. I blame Bud Selig for letting it happen during his watch as commissioner. I also wonder if George Mitchell is the one finding the information on these guys, but who knows.
A-Rod's another dilemma. He was always a power hitter during his skinny days in Seattle, but that still doesn't mean that he's jacked up on steroids now. Honestly, I don't think steroids or HGH really help your performance all that much. Most of the players caught using them, other than Rafael Palmeiro, weren't really power hitters or even good players for that much. I also think that pitchers deserve more suspicion, because they are after all the guys throwin in the high 90's and even 100's.
The whole steroid topic is a poison to the game of baseball. I blame Bud Selig for letting it happen during his watch as commissioner. I also wonder if George Mitchell is the one finding the information on these guys, but who knows.
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
I am watching one of the most horrible failures, turn into a spectacular comeback. Yankees @ Red Sox, going into the top of the eighth.
Sox lead 7 - 2, and their pitching has utterly dominated the Yankees.
Giambi, HOME RUN. 7 - 3. Cano, HOME RUN. 7 - 4. Melky walks, and Damon hits a double to advance them to 2nd and 3rd, with no outs. Boston now brings in their "uber-closer" Papelbon, to finish it. Jeter hits a single, to get in Cabrera. 7 - 5. Abreu hits a triple, scoring the 2. 7 - 7. A-Rod singles in Abreu. 7 - 8.
Right now, there's 2 outs, a guy on second, and Giambi's up again...This is... amazing... to say the least.
Sox lead 7 - 2, and their pitching has utterly dominated the Yankees.
Giambi, HOME RUN. 7 - 3. Cano, HOME RUN. 7 - 4. Melky walks, and Damon hits a double to advance them to 2nd and 3rd, with no outs. Boston now brings in their "uber-closer" Papelbon, to finish it. Jeter hits a single, to get in Cabrera. 7 - 5. Abreu hits a triple, scoring the 2. 7 - 7. A-Rod singles in Abreu. 7 - 8.
Right now, there's 2 outs, a guy on second, and Giambi's up again...This is... amazing... to say the least.
animaldude
Sage in Training
GRRR... I fell asleep during the 6th inning or something. I figured that game was gonna be a while and I was mad that they kept wasting oppurtunities so I dozed off and missed it -_-
Being that the regular season is almost over, I think it's about time to start talking about the awards. Here's who I think deserve to the win the awards.
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP: Prince Fielder
AL Cy Young: Fausto Carmona (though I think Beckett will win it)
NL Cy Young: Jake Peavy (Penny might win this one to)
AL ROY: Billy Butler
NL ROY: Ryan Braun
AL MOY: Eric Wedge
NL MOY: Bob Melvin
AL CPY: Carlos Pena
NL CPY: (Would have been Rick Ankiel, but idk now)
AL MVP: Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP: Prince Fielder
AL Cy Young: Fausto Carmona (though I think Beckett will win it)
NL Cy Young: Jake Peavy (Penny might win this one to)
AL ROY: Billy Butler
NL ROY: Ryan Braun
AL MOY: Eric Wedge
NL MOY: Bob Melvin
AL CPY: Carlos Pena
NL CPY: (Would have been Rick Ankiel, but idk now)
animaldude
Sage in Training
Man, I wish the yanks would've won yesterday... It would've mad tonight's game 10 times more interesting.
AL MVP- Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP- Prince Fielder
AL CY- C.C Sabathia (I want Wang to win it and if he gets to 20 wins and everyone else doesn't then he might have a shot)
NL CY- Jake Peavy
AL ROY- Dustin Pedrioa (I hate this guy)
NL ROY- Ryan Braun
AL MOY- Joe Torre did a good job turning the Yankees around even amongst talks of being fired
NL MOY-Bob Melvin
AL CBP- Carlos Pena
NL CBP- Rick Ankiel
AL MVP- Alex Rodriguez
NL MVP- Prince Fielder
AL CY- C.C Sabathia (I want Wang to win it and if he gets to 20 wins and everyone else doesn't then he might have a shot)
NL CY- Jake Peavy
AL ROY- Dustin Pedrioa (I hate this guy)
NL ROY- Ryan Braun
AL MOY- Joe Torre did a good job turning the Yankees around even amongst talks of being fired
NL MOY-Bob Melvin
AL CBP- Carlos Pena
NL CBP- Rick Ankiel
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
10 games left for Boston. 11 games left for the Yanks. The Yankees are 2.5 games back, and this is the closest they've been since the middle of April. GOD I love September baseball! 
animaldude
Sage in Training
Alrighty. With Detroit losing today it's going to be pretty damn hard for them to make up this ground in 5 games. Boy this has been an exciting September.
Now with 10 games left I'm gonna give some updates predictions:
AL East- Red Sox
AL Central- Cleveland
AL West- Angels
AL WildCard- THE Yankees
NL East- Phillies *OHHH PLEASE PLEASE BE THE PHILLIES*
NL Central- Cubs
NL West- Padres
NL Wildcard- Arizona
Now with 10 games left I'm gonna give some updates predictions:
AL East- Red Sox
AL Central- Cleveland
AL West- Angels
AL WildCard- THE Yankees
NL East- Phillies *OHHH PLEASE PLEASE BE THE PHILLIES*
NL Central- Cubs
NL West- Padres
NL Wildcard- Arizona
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
Current analysis:
AL East: Boston/NYY - You can't tell. Boston's magic number may be nine, but with them just getting swept, and the Yanks just sweeping Baltimore, and the gap closing (now at 1.5 games)
AL Central: Cleveland - Just swept their only threat, Detroit, and are just running away with it...
AL West: LAA - Just dominant in their division...utterly...
AL Wild Card: Boston/NYY - (see AL East)
NL East: NYM/Phillies - Mets are very strong, but the Phillies are coming back...let's see how these last few games go, shall we?
NL Central: Brewers/Cubs - Tied. On the dot at the moment. Exciting, no?
NL West: Padres - Copied Animal's
NL Wild Card: Arizona - Copied Animal's
AL East: Boston/NYY - You can't tell. Boston's magic number may be nine, but with them just getting swept, and the Yanks just sweeping Baltimore, and the gap closing (now at 1.5 games)
AL Central: Cleveland - Just swept their only threat, Detroit, and are just running away with it...
AL West: LAA - Just dominant in their division...utterly...
AL Wild Card: Boston/NYY - (see AL East)
NL East: NYM/Phillies - Mets are very strong, but the Phillies are coming back...let's see how these last few games go, shall we?
NL Central: Brewers/Cubs - Tied. On the dot at the moment. Exciting, no?
NL West: Padres - Copied Animal's
NL Wild Card: Arizona - Copied Animal's
animaldude
Sage in Training
OMG... I was sooo soooo sooo tired last night so I was on my couch watching the game in the bottom of the ninth inning when they were losing 4-0. Suddenly my eyes began to close. I tried to fight it but I couldn't I tried to just listen for a bit. I hear Damon hit a double to lead off the inning so I opened my eyes to look at that... but... then... I... fell asleep.Thanks everybody for being...well mostly...nice xD and wishing me a happy birthday.
Then at 11:30 I woke up and saw the game still on so I'm like "wth!?" and the I saw the score say 4-4 and I was like "wtf!?" and then I fell asleep.
I hope everyone learned a lesson from my story.
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
I just got home from today's game, and I must say, it was A-FRIKEN-MAZING!
It ended (after a 1-1/2 hour raindelay before start time) 11 - 12 in the bottom of the tenth, with Melky Cabrera hitting a single to score Posada... I think the Yankees have a decent chance at winning it ll this year...
I watched the bottom of the ninth but didn't stick around to watch anymore. I'm not a real big yankees fan but I have to admit that would have been a special game had they won it.
Anyway here are my updated predictions:
NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cubs
NL East: Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Angels
AL Wild Card: Yankees
Yes I know their not original and this is how the teams stand as if now. So I'll predict the postseason matchups too.
ALDS Red Sox at Indians:
Game 1: Indians
Game 2: Red Sox
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Red Sox
Game 5: Indians
ALDS Yankees at Angels:
Game 1: Angels
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Yankees
Game 4: Yankees
(Sound familiar? This is exactly what happened to the Yankees when the played the Angels in the 2002 Division series, when they had home field advantage. I predict a reverse.)
NLDS Padres at Mets:
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
NLDS Cubs at Diamondbacks:
Game 1: Diamondbacks
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3iamondbacks
Game 4: Cubs
Game 5: Cubs
(Predicting an upset)
ALCS: Yankees at Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Indians
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Indians
Game 6: Indians
NLCS: Cubs at Mets
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
World Series: Mets at Indians
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Indians
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Indians
Game 6: Indians
Game 7: Indians (UPSET!)
Seriously I hope the Tribe goes all the way. Though the playoffs can go anyway. The Cardinals taught us that last year. That's the beauty of October baseball, anything can happen.
Anyway here are my updated predictions:
NL East: Mets
NL Central: Cubs
NL East: Diamondbacks
NL Wild Card: Padres
AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Indians
AL West: Angels
AL Wild Card: Yankees
Yes I know their not original and this is how the teams stand as if now. So I'll predict the postseason matchups too.
ALDS Red Sox at Indians:
Game 1: Indians
Game 2: Red Sox
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Red Sox
Game 5: Indians
ALDS Yankees at Angels:
Game 1: Angels
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Yankees
Game 4: Yankees
(Sound familiar? This is exactly what happened to the Yankees when the played the Angels in the 2002 Division series, when they had home field advantage. I predict a reverse.)
NLDS Padres at Mets:
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
NLDS Cubs at Diamondbacks:
Game 1: Diamondbacks
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3
iamondbacksGame 4: Cubs
Game 5: Cubs
(Predicting an upset)
ALCS: Yankees at Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Indians
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Indians
Game 6: Indians
NLCS: Cubs at Mets
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
World Series: Mets at Indians
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Indians
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Indians
Game 6: Indians
Game 7: Indians (UPSET!)
Seriously I hope the Tribe goes all the way. Though the playoffs can go anyway. The Cardinals taught us that last year. That's the beauty of October baseball, anything can happen.
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
How is it determined what team plays the Wild Card?
The Wild Card is determined by the team's record. Whoever wins the Wild Card matches up aganist the team with the best record in the league, unless their from the same division, then the second best record.
So right now the matchups have just changed because the Angels are no longer than second best team in the AL. Now its the Indians, so the wild card team (Yankees as of now) would play them in the first round.
It's a very complicated format the best way to follow it is to check out the Octoberquest section on MLB.com
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/news/octoberquest_07.jsp
animaldude
Sage in Training
I know anything could happen in October but... Indians beating the Yankees?
Sorry but the Yankees completely slaughtered the Indians during the regular season. Yankees 6 wins Cleveland 0 wins.
ALDS- Yankees vs. Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees (Pettite will pitch great in the playoffs)
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Yankees
ALDS- Angels vs. Red Sox
Game 1: Red Sox (Beckett starting.)
Game 2: Red Sox (Schilling starting. Sucks this year but he's got playoff experience.)
Game 3: Angels (Matsuzaka has been awful these past few months.)
Game 4: Angels
Game 5: Red Sox
NLDS- Cubs vs Arizona
Game 1: Arizona
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Cubs
Game 4: Cubs
NLDS- Mets vs. San Diego
Game 1: Padres
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
I'll finish this in another post...
Sorry but the Yankees completely slaughtered the Indians during the regular season. Yankees 6 wins Cleveland 0 wins.
ALDS- Yankees vs. Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees (Pettite will pitch great in the playoffs)
Game 3: Indians
Game 4: Yankees
ALDS- Angels vs. Red Sox
Game 1: Red Sox (Beckett starting.)
Game 2: Red Sox (Schilling starting. Sucks this year but he's got playoff experience.)
Game 3: Angels (Matsuzaka has been awful these past few months.)
Game 4: Angels
Game 5: Red Sox
NLDS- Cubs vs Arizona
Game 1: Arizona
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Cubs
Game 4: Cubs
NLDS- Mets vs. San Diego
Game 1: Padres
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
I'll finish this in another post...
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
Meh, I don't know rotations, except Wang is first for the Yanks.
ALDS - Red Sox vs. Angels
Game 1: Red Sox
Game 2: Angels
Game 3: Angels
Game 4: Red Sox
Game 5: Red Sox
-------------------------------------------------
Sox pull rabbids out of their hats...
-------------------------------------------------
ALDS - Yankees vs. Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
SWEEP FTW!
-------------------------------------------------
*Copies Animal's since he doesn't care*
NLDS - Cubs vs Arizona
Game 1: Arizona
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Cubs
Game 4: Cubs
-------------------------------------------------
Ted Lilly just owns them all...
-------------------------------------------------
NLDS - Mets vs. San Diego
Game 1: Padres
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
-------------------------------------------------
The Mets are only good because of Willie Randolph...>_>
-------------------------------------------------
========================================================
ALCS - Yankees vs. Red Sox (Contrived? Maybe. Obvious winner? No.)
Game 1: Red Sox
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Red Sox
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Red Sox
Game 6: Yankees
Game 7: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
Wang loses the first, but redeems himself, Pettite is phenomenal, and A-Rod pummels them into oblivion.
-------------------------------------------------
NLCS - Cubs vs. Mets
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
-------------------------------------------------
Mets almost sweep, but the d'backs sneak that one win in there...
-------------------------------------------------
========================================================
World Series - Mets vs. Yankees
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Mets
Game 6: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
Yanks take it in 6...
-------------------------------------------------
ALDS - Red Sox vs. Angels
Game 1: Red Sox
Game 2: Angels
Game 3: Angels
Game 4: Red Sox
Game 5: Red Sox
-------------------------------------------------
Sox pull rabbids out of their hats...
-------------------------------------------------
ALDS - Yankees vs. Indians
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
SWEEP FTW!
-------------------------------------------------
*Copies Animal's since he doesn't care*
NLDS - Cubs vs Arizona
Game 1: Arizona
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Cubs
Game 4: Cubs
-------------------------------------------------
Ted Lilly just owns them all...
-------------------------------------------------
NLDS - Mets vs. San Diego
Game 1: Padres
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Padres
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
-------------------------------------------------
The Mets are only good because of Willie Randolph...>_>
-------------------------------------------------
========================================================
ALCS - Yankees vs. Red Sox (Contrived? Maybe. Obvious winner? No.)
Game 1: Red Sox
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Red Sox
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Red Sox
Game 6: Yankees
Game 7: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
Wang loses the first, but redeems himself, Pettite is phenomenal, and A-Rod pummels them into oblivion.
-------------------------------------------------
NLCS - Cubs vs. Mets
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Cubs
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
Game 5: Mets
-------------------------------------------------
Mets almost sweep, but the d'backs sneak that one win in there...
-------------------------------------------------
========================================================
World Series - Mets vs. Yankees
Game 1: Yankees
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Yankees
Game 5: Mets
Game 6: Yankees
-------------------------------------------------
Yanks take it in 6...
-------------------------------------------------
animaldude
Sage in Training
It wasn't that great... I watched it with my Papa who had absolutely no idea what was going on ^_^
The reason I say it wasn't that great was because how AWFUL the bullpen was.
1. and Jose Reyes and David Wright
2. In the past A-Rod has sucked in the playoffs... this is where he has to prove that he can perform when it really matters.
Alright here's the rest:
ALCS- Red Sox vs Yankees
Game 1: Red Sox
Game 2: Yankees
Game 3: Yankees
Game 4: Red Sox
Game 5: Red Sox
Game 6: Yankees
Game 7: Yankees (If anyone hasn't noticed I'm a Yankee fan so I can't say the Yankees will lose
) NLCS- Cubs vs Mets
Game 1: Mets
Game 2: Mets
Game 3: Mets
Game 4: Mets
UltimaLink007
Hope Never Dies
The energy, and the fact that it was close throughout made it great for me. There was poor pitching, fielding, and batting, but there was some good that helped it out.
1. Those two can't do it by themselves. Willie Randolph whipped all of their sorry butts into shape so that they'd do as well as right now...animaldude said:
2. I have faith, yes I do, I have faith, but apparently not you...
It's possible, the Indians almost won two of the games aganist the Yankees this year. And the Yankees didn't face Sabathia in any of those games. Don't forget that the Tigers swept the Cardinals during Interleague play in 2006, and we know how that World Series turned out. Realistically the Indians will probably lose, but its a bold prediction.
And Just A Callout To Anyone Else Who Might Want To Join In Our Discussion Now That The Playoffs Are Almost Here!