2014 MLB Thread & Pissing Match

[ChicosBailBonds]

And it's too bad that he's part of why the feat has been so diminished (I realize, he was never caught...but he, just like almost every major player of the generation, is dirty as well).

You seem certain of this, yet for this particular player there has been only one such assertion and after being hit with a lawsuit, he (Jack Clark) issued an apology and recanted.  No other player, that I'm aware of has so vigorously defended those types of insinuations.

You could be 100% correct, I'm just curious if you are saying this out of "they all did it" or because there is proof.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

And it's too bad that he's part of why the feat has been so diminished (I realize, he was never caught...but he, just like almost every major player of the generation, is dirty as well).

On February 24, 2011, you wrote:
"I do not believe Braun took anything.   He immediately came out and said it was BS.  Why would the sample collector not take it right to FedEx?  Nowhere does it say "He attempted to take it to FedEx (or wherever he was supposed to send it from), but it was closed," it says "He thought it was too late."  Isn't this matter a bit too important to leave it up to "thinking it is too late?"  To go from 4x the testosterone level ever tested in an MLB player to being clean on his next test shortly after seems weird (I honestly have no idea, maybe it can be flushed out in 4 hours or something, so maybe that has nothing to do with it really, it just seems odd that there is THAT much yet shortly later it is normal).  He had 3 other tests that came back clean this season and he has had over 30 tests done in his career that came back clean."

Then Braun got caught.  Now, every player has taken something, including Pujols.

Sucks to have the bad guy on your team, doesn't it?

[wadesworld]

You seem certain of this, yet for this particular player there has been only one such assertion and after being hit with a lawsuit, he (Jack Clark) issued an apology and recanted.  No other player, that I'm aware of has so vigorously defended those types of insinuations.

You could be 100% correct, I'm just curious if you are saying this out of "they all did it" or because there is proof.

I don't have any proof I just find it hard to believe that a guy who was drafted with the 402nd overall pick in the 1999 draft was then hitting .329 with 37 home runs and 130 RBI in his first MLB season just 2 years later at the age of 21 years old.  I have a hard time seeing (arguably) the best player/hitter of the generation, a generation that went right through the height of the PED era, being clean.  Just my personal opinion.  Maybe I'm wrong and am just a pessimist by heart, but I just have serious, serious doubts that a guy who might be the best ever to play the game when it is all said and done did it cleanly while everybody else (okay, maybe not literally everybody else, but you get the idea) in his generation was taking PEDs.

[wadesworld]

On February 24, 2011, you wrote:
"I do not believe Braun took anything.  He immediately came out and said it was BS.  Why would the sample collector not take it right to FedEx?  Nowhere does it say "He attempted to take it to FedEx (or wherever he was supposed to send it from), but it was closed," it says "He thought it was too late."  Isn't this matter a bit too important to leave it up to "thinking it is too late?"  To go from 4x the testosterone level ever tested in an MLB player to being clean on his next test shortly after seems weird (I honestly have no idea, maybe it can be flushed out in 4 hours or something, so maybe that has nothing to do with it really, it just seems odd that there is THAT much yet shortly later it is normal).  He had 3 other tests that came back clean this season and he has had over 30 tests done in his career that came back clean."

Then Braun got caught.  Now, every player has taken something, including Pujols.

Sucks to have the bad guy on your team, doesn't it?

HAH!  If you keep digging around you'll see that I said over and over, some before that post and some after, that I have been saying for a long, long time that I would have been far more surprised if Braun had not taken some sort of PED at some point in his baseball playing life, and I would've put my money on him having taken PEDs back in college, you know, while playing at "The U" when ARod was coming down there to work out in the offseason.  Funny how those 2 are now linked by the Biogenesis lab.  So sure I made that post, but I wasn't naive enough to think that there was no chance he had ever taken any sort of PED, unlike you apparently are with Pujols or any other player in the MLB, since the Brewers have "the" bad guy on their team.

And to answer that question...well, no, it doesn't.  I'm pretty happy he's putting up the numbers he is.  The Brewers have the best record in baseball and he has played a part in that.  Will I ever give him a standing ovation like some idiot Brewer fans did while not giving other players who, by all accounts, have gotten where they are through clean, hard work?  Absolutely not.  But I don't hate having Braun on the Brewers, that's for sure.  Guessing you're a Cubs fan, given your "MUChicago" email address.  I'm sure you're happy with where the Cubs are with all their squeaky clean guys.  Thank God they don't have any guys like Sosa on the team anymore tarnishing their image.  Enjoy your 100 loss season.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I don't have any proof I just find it hard to believe that a guy who was drafted with the 402nd overall pick in the 1999 draft was then hitting .329 with 37 home runs and 130 RBI in his first MLB season just 2 years later at the age of 21 years old.  I have a hard time seeing (arguably) the best player/hitter of the generation, a generation that went right through the height of the PED era, being clean.  Just my personal opinion.  Maybe I'm wrong and am just a pessimist by heart, but I just have serious, serious doubts that a guy who might be the best ever to play the game when it is all said and done did it cleanly while everybody else (okay, maybe not literally everybody else, but you get the idea) in his generation was taking PEDs.

I don't get too caught up with baseball draft status because its so different than any other sport.  Almost all players are expected to play multiple years in the minor leagues.  With so many high school kids, foreign kids, etc...all different levels of competition, it is really tough.  The amount of busts in the first 10 rounds for baseball is phenomenal.  Having friends still at the Angels in their scouting department, I joke around with them that the Halos didn't even take Trout with their first pick in 2009.  Though Trout was a 1st rounder, the Angels had two picks that year and took Randal Grichuk with their first pick.  Grichuk finally made it to the big leagues with the 40 man expansion last year and was promptly traded to the Cardinals. 

With him in particular, there was a question about his age and his position when he was in high school, so clubs passed on him thinking they could get him at a later slot.  Remember the baseball draft back then was 50 rounds, he was taken in the 13th.  However, I understand your point of view and may even agree with it, I just haven't seen anything credible on the accusation front toward him.

[wadesworld]

I don't get too caught up with baseball draft status because its so different than any other sport.  Almost all players are expected to play multiple years in the minor leagues.  With so many high school kids, foreign kids, etc...all different levels of competition, it is really tough.  The amount of busts in the first 10 rounds for baseball is phenomenal.  Having friends still at the Angels in their scouting department, I joke around with them that the Halos didn't even take Trout with their first pick in 2009.  Though Trout was a 1st rounder, the Angels had two picks that year and took Randal Grichuk with their first pick.  Grichuk finally made it to the big leagues with the 40 man expansion last year and was promptly traded to the Cardinals. 

With him in particular, there was a question about his age and his position when he was in high school, so clubs passed on him thinking they could get him at a later slot.  Remember the baseball draft back then was 50 rounds, he was taken in the 13th.  However, I understand your point of view and may even agree with it, I just haven't seen anything credible on the accusation front toward him.

Agreed on your point about the draft.  Using his pick probably doesn't make any difference.  I guess just the fact that 2 years after he was drafted he was hitting 37 home runs in the MLB raises a red flag for me.

[brandx]

I don't get too caught up with baseball draft status because its so different than any other sport.  Almost all players are expected to play multiple years in the minor leagues.  With so many high school kids, foreign kids, etc...all different levels of competition, it is really tough.  The amount of busts in the first 10 rounds for baseball is phenomenal.  Having friends still at the Angels in their scouting department, I joke around with them that the Halos didn't even take Trout with their first pick in 2009.  Though Trout was a 1st rounder, the Angels had two picks that year and took Randal Grichuk with their first pick.  Grichuk finally made it to the big leagues with the 40 man expansion last year and was promptly traded to the Cardinals. 

With him in particular, there was a question about his age and his position when he was in high school, so clubs passed on him thinking they could get him at a later slot.  Remember the baseball draft back then was 50 rounds, he was taken in the 13th.  However, I understand your point of view and may even agree with it, I just haven't seen anything credible on the accusation front toward him.

For the Brewers it is, sadly to say, just normal. Worst scouting dept. in baseball.

[wadesworld]

Haha Pineda.  What a cheater.

[buckchuckler]

Haha Pineda.  What a cheater.

What a moron.  He made it impossible not to get caught. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

Agreed on your point about the draft.  Using his pick probably doesn't make any difference.  I guess just the fact that 2 years after he was drafted he was hitting 37 home runs in the MLB raises a red flag for me.

He was actually clobbering a bunch of HRs in the minors as well.

[NYWarrior]

oops

[wadesworld]

Fitting way to celebrate Wrigley Field turning 100 years old (by the way, who sings "Happy Birthday" to a baseball field?)...Cubs give up a 3 run lead in the 9th inning, including a horrible dive attempt to allow the winning runs to cross the plate. Happy birthday Wrigley, you're 100 years old and have never seen a World Series Champion as your home team!

[🏀]

Wait, there's an argument that Pujols is clean?

[wadesworld]

Wait, there's an argument that Pujols is clean?

People are trying.

[🏀]

People are trying.

He did play for LaRussa right?

[🏀]

Nah,  I'm just an idiot Brewers trying to help a friend who will be visiting for the first time later this summer.

If you get a particular one, let me know, there's often cheap rooftop deals on Amazon, Groupon etc. Here are some guidelines for rooftops though:

1.) The majority of left field rooftops suck. These include Wrigley View, Beyond the Ivy 1048, Brixen Ivy and Beyond the Ivy 1010.

Beyond the Ivy 1038 is very good in left field.
http://www.beyondtheivy.com/

2.) Wrigleyville Rooftops as one solid location in left field, stay away from both locations on Sheffield.
http://www.wrigleyvillerooftops.com/page/tickets-reservation

3. In right field, avoid Murphy's Rooftop (Beth Murphy is a twat), Ivy League Club, Lake View Club.

4. 3639 Wrigley Rooftop is a good choice.
http://3639wrigleyrooftop.com/index.html

Skybox on Sheffield is good.
http://www.skyboxonsheffield.com/

Down the Line Rooftop has new owners since I've been there. Looks improved and the view isn't the worst.
http://www.downthelinerooftop.com/aboutus/dtloverview.html

[reinko]

If you get a particular one, let me know, there's often cheap rooftop deals on Amazon, Groupon etc. Here are some guidelines for rooftops though:

1.) The majority of left field rooftops suck. These include Wrigley View, Beyond the Ivy 1048, Brixen Ivy and Beyond the Ivy 1010.

Beyond the Ivy 1038 is very good in left field.
http://www.beyondtheivy.com/

2.) Wrigleyville Rooftops as one solid location in left field, stay away from both locations on Sheffield.
http://www.wrigleyvillerooftops.com/page/tickets-reservation

3. In right field, avoid Murphy's Rooftop (Beth Murphy is a twat), Ivy League Club, Lake View Club.

4. 3639 Wrigley Rooftop is a good choice.
http://3639wrigleyrooftop.com/index.html

Skybox on Sheffield is good.
http://www.skyboxonsheffield.com/

Down the Line Rooftop has new owners since I've been there. Looks improved and the view isn't the worst.
http://www.downthelinerooftop.com/aboutus/dtloverview.html

Awesome, thanks for recs, will let ya know how it plays out.

[Hards Alumni]

For the Brewers it is, sadly to say, just normal. Worst scouting dept. in baseball.

You're joking, right?

[brandx]

You're joking, right?

No, why would you ask? Their minor league prospects are rated near the bottom and have been for several years. You haven't seen many top 100 prospects over the last few years.

[wadesworld]

No, why would you ask? Their minor league prospects are rated near the bottom and have been for several years. You haven't seen many top 100 prospects over the last few years.

But what hey do do a good job of is, outside of Mat Gamel and Rickie Weeks, when they do have a highly rated prospect they trade him away early, get quality in return, and the player turns out to be, at the very best, an average MLB player.

[WI inferiority Complexes]

No, why would you ask? Their minor league prospects are rated near the bottom and have been for several years. You haven't seen many top 100 prospects over the last few years.

Since '02, the Brewers first-round picks have included Prince, Rickie Weeks, Braun, Laporta (who eventually became Sabathia for the Brewers), Brett Lawrie (who got them Shaun Marcum), and Jeffres and Odorizzi (who became Grienke and Yuni).  There are many MLB teams who would love to have that kind of success, (and I'm not a Brewers fan).

[RushmoreAcademy]

Fitting way to celebrate Wrigley Field turning 100 years old (by the way, who sings "Happy Birthday" to a baseball field?)...Cubs give up a 3 run lead in the 9th inning, including a horrible dive attempt to allow the winning runs to cross the plate. Happy birthday Wrigley, you're 100 years old and have never seen a World Series Champion as your home team!

As a Cubs fan that pretty much was exactly what the the team embodies. There was no more fitting 100th anniversary than that.  So sad.  If the next 100 years are anything like the first, burn the damn place to the ground.  I'm not sure if the current organization shift is the right one or not, but good God I hope it is because I'm dying a slow death.  Best case scenario for the team is that Jed and Theo actually fill up the farm system with all these losing years, and we become the Rays with a $200mil payroll.  On paper they could be very dangerous in 4 or 5 years with this strategy.... but obviously history is history.
All that said, having a Brewers fan sit and shout negative comments at Cubs fans is really comical.   Honestly.... come on now.  Oh, that charmed Brewers franchise.... what a gem.   Sitting back and taking crap from Cardinals fans is expected and like going with a knife to a gun fight, but come on, settle down wade.  
Also your point about Sosa is a bit off base.  Cubs fans not only do not give Sammy Sosa a standing ovation, but he is completely shunned from the organization.  He was not invited to the 100th anniversary celebration.  Of course beyond the steroids he was just a flat out jerk.

[Benny B]

As a Cubs fan that pretty much was exactly what the the team embodies. There was no more fitting 100th anniversary than that.  So sad.  If the next 100 years are anything like the first, burn the damn place to the ground.  I'm not sure if the current organization shift is the right one or not, but good God I hope it is because I'm dying a slow death.  Best case scenario for the team is that Jed and Theo actually fill up the farm system with all these losing years, and we become the Rays with a $200mil payroll.  On paper they could be very dangerous in 4 or 5 years with this strategy.... but obviously history is history.
All that said, having a Brewers fan sit and shout negative comments at Cubs fans is really comical.   Honestly.... come on now.  Oh, that charmed Brewers franchise.... what a gem.   Sitting back and taking crap from Cardinals fans is expected and like going with a knife to a gun fight, but come on, settle down wade.  
Also your point about Sosa is a bit off base.  Cubs fans not only do not give Sammy Sosa a standing ovation, but he is completely shunned from the organization.  He was not invited to the 100th anniversary celebration.  Of course beyond the steroids he was just a flat out jerk.

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

[brandx]

Since '02, the Brewers first-round picks have included Prince, Rickie Weeks, Braun, Laporta (who eventually became Sabathia for the Brewers), Brett Lawrie (who got them Shaun Marcum), and Jeffres and Odorizzi (who became Grienke and Yuni).  There are many MLB teams who would love to have that kind of success, (and I'm not a Brewers fan).

I don't consider 10 years ago and a different scouting department to be relevant to now.

Just look at the ratings of minor league systems by Baseball America for the last several years.

[RushmoreAcademy]

What you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

Well.........
Cubs have hotter girls at the games.
That's all I got.