MLB 2018 Season

[wadesworld]

I’m pretty sure there is a difference between cheering a guy in his first at bat with a new team and cheering a guy in his first appearance since making a fool of himself.

There’s a reason it won’t be a nation wide story when he gets a cheer his first time at Wrigley.

If Hader got traded to the Dodgers, no one would care if he got a standing O in his first appearance in Dodger Stadium.

Got it.

[#UnleashSean]

Now I'm accused of going out of my way to bring up Arrieta's steroid use in any baseball conversation.

Hilarious.

We literally had a man beating a dead horse gif because you posted about it so much.

[wadesworld]

We literally had a man beating a dead horse gif because you posted about it so much.

Good cut and paste job.

[buckchuckler]

A much less heralded White Sox pitcher got called up today, reliever Ryan Burr.  While he isn't the name of potential impact of Kopech, he is significant.  One thing I love that the Sox have done in their rebuild is to focus on adding and developing guys specifically for relief roles.  Hopefully that starts to pay off soon as a couple of the guys are in AAA and dominating.  That is one part of the Sox that hopefully turns around pretty quickly next year with guys like Burr, Burdi, Hamilton (yes a Burr and Hamilton) and Frare.  At least I sure hope so.  That bullpen this year has been just a compete disaster. 

[dgies9156]

The Cardinals are coming.

Hey Cub fans, remember that little red speck in your rear view mirror. It's now that red devil bird that covers the entire back window -- and it is getting closer and closer and closer and closer.

Cub fans, you want to guess what that white stuff on your trunk is? I suspect the red devil bird left a calling card!

The season still has a way to go, but the surprise of the year is that the Cardinals are even in the post-season conversation and, at 2.5 games back as of this writing, they're a contender to chase down the small bears. I'm actually excited again!

[MUEng92]

The Cardinals are coming.

Hey Cub fans, remember that little red speck in your rear view mirror. It's now that red devil bird that covers the entire back window -- and it is getting closer and closer and closer and closer.

Cub fans, you want to guess what that white stuff on your trunk is? I suspect the red devil bird left a calling card!

The season still has a way to go, but the surprise of the year is that the Cardinals are even in the post-season conversation and, at 2.5 games back as of this writing, they're a contender to chase down the small bears. I'm actually excited again!

Somebody has been weeknight drinking

[MUEng92]

The Cardinals are coming.

Hey Cub fans, remember that little red speck in your rear view mirror. It's now that red devil bird that covers the entire back window -- and it is getting closer and closer and closer and closer.

Cub fans, you want to guess what that white stuff on your trunk is? I suspect the red devil bird left a calling card!

The season still has a way to go, but the surprise of the year is that the Cardinals are even in the post-season conversation and, at 2.5 games back as of this writing, they're a contender to chase down the small bears. I'm actually excited again!

Oh, not to be a stickler but as of your writing, the Cards are 3 back. 

[buckchuckler]

https://www.mlb.com/cut4/white-sox-escape-eventful-rundown-in-win-over-twins/c-291484370

A couple great examples of how not to execute a rundown.  Back to back days.  Yikes Twins. 

[dgies9156]

Oh, not to be a stickler but as of your writing, the Cards are 3 back.

But they were 7 back a week ago and they're 3 back with about 35 to go.

They're looking better than they have all year. They're 17-4 in August and went from a game above .500 to 12 after they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodger Stadium.

Keep in mind that a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles generally is about as rare as a water surplus in the Los Angeles Basin. It happens, but not very often.

Admittedly, there is still a way to go. But the turn-around has been pretty good.

[wadesworld]

The Cardinals are coming.

Hey Cub fans, remember that little red speck in your rear view mirror. It's now that red devil bird that covers the entire back window -- and it is getting closer and closer and closer and closer.

Cub fans, you want to guess what that white stuff on your trunk is? I suspect the red devil bird left a calling card!

The season still has a way to go, but the surprise of the year is that the Cardinals are even in the post-season conversation and, at 2.5 games back as of this writing, they're a contender to chase down the small bears. I'm actually excited again!

How many baseballs have miraculously stuck to Yadier's Jordan (lol) catcher gear?

[MUBurrow]

But they were 7 back a week ago and they're 3 back with about 35 to go.

They're looking better than they have all year. They're 16-4 in August and went from a game above .500 to 11 or 12 depending on whether they beat the Dodgers tonight.

Admittedly, there is still a way to go. But the turn-around has been pretty good.

Thank god for the rest of the central that Weaver inexplicably fell apart and the Holland contract cost them $14M and 6-8 games, or they'd have a half dozen game lead right now.

[#UnleashSean]

But they were 7 back a week ago and they're 3 back with about 35 to go.

They're looking better than they have all year. They're 17-4 in August and went from a game above .500 to 12 after they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodger Stadium.

Keep in mind that a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles generally is about as rare as a water surplus in the Los Angeles Basin. It happens, but not very often.

Admittedly, there is still a way to go. But the turn-around has been pretty good.

I heard yall had a really rough schedule this month.

[Plaque Lives Matter!]

I heard yall had a really rough schedule this month.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/stats/rpi/_/sort/sos

Both your schedules are easy.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

But they were 7 back a week ago and they're 3 back with about 35 to go.

They're looking better than they have all year. They're 17-4 in August and went from a game above .500 to 12 after they swept the Los Angeles Dodgers in Dodger Stadium.

Keep in mind that a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles generally is about as rare as a water surplus in the Los Angeles Basin. It happens, but not very often.

Admittedly, there is still a way to go. But the turn-around has been pretty good.

Do you think the Cards will continue playing .810 ball?  Do you think the Cubs will continue struggle so much offensively with Murphy added and Bryant on his way back. 

What the Cards have done is astounding and they're clearly a contender so it'll certainly be interesting, especially with the last series of the season in Wrigley if no one has clinched the division yet.

And no, I'm not writing off Milwaukee either. 

[Vander Blue Man Group]

Between every Cubs fan I've ever known claiming Murphy was on steroids and then getting all mad that a Brewers fan would claim Jake Arrieta was on steroids plus Murphy's comments on Billy Beane's homosexuality following Cubs fans outrage at Hader's Tweets as a teenager, seeing how fast Cubs fans can backpedal is going to be awesome to watch if Murphy plays well for them.

1) Arrieta didn't use steroids.  In your scattered brain, do you still think he's using to this very day?
2) As others have stated, let's see some evidence of "every Cub fan you've ever known" claiming Murphy was on 'roids.
3) I'm not a Murphy fan and his comments regarding homosexuality were disappointing and misguided.  If he's truly taken steps to learn more and be more accepting since then good for him. 
4) Comparing what Murphy said years ago and how Cubs fans will react to him tonight vs. what was discovered recently and how Brewers fans reacted is a ridiculous comparison.  Again, age is no excuse for Hader's tweets.  If he's evolved and no longer feels that way good for him as well.  I'll be at the game tonight and will politely applaud for Murphy.  If he gets any kind of standing ovation it'll be embarrassing. 
5) You're bizarre viewpoint of "all Cubs fans" behaving in a certain way is pathological and you should probably talk to someone.  It makes you look like an idiot. 

[TallTitan34]

I'm hoping for a seven way tie for two wild card spots.   I'm also hoping the Cubs win the division and avoid that mess.

You could have 8 teams tied for the best record in the NL.  You'd have to figure out division winners first then the other 5 would battle for two wild card spots.

I'd enjoy that chaos.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

1) Arrieta didn't use steroids.  In your scattered brain, do you still think he's using to this very day?
2) As others have stated, let's see some evidence of "every Cub fan you've ever known" claiming Murphy was on 'roids.
3) I'm not a Murphy fan and his comments regarding homosexuality were disappointing and misguided.  If he's truly taken steps to learn more and be more accepting since then good for him. 
4) Comparing what Murphy said years ago and how Cubs fans will react to him tonight vs. what was discovered recently and how Brewers fans reacted is a ridiculous comparison.  Again, age is no excuse for Hader's tweets.  If he's evolved and no longer feels that way good for him as well.  I'll be at the game tonight and will politely applaud for Murphy.  If he gets any kind of standing ovation it'll be embarrassing. 
5) You're bizarre viewpoint of "all Cubs fans" behaving in a certain way is pathological and you should probably talk to someone. It makes you look like an idiot.

I'm pretty sure everyone in this thread looks like an idiot at this point.

[wadesworld]

1) Arrieta didn't use steroids.  In your scattered brain, do you still think he's using to this very day?
2) As others have stated, let's see some evidence of "every Cub fan you've ever known" claiming Murphy was on 'roids.
3) I'm not a Murphy fan and his comments regarding homosexuality were disappointing and misguided.  If he's truly taken steps to learn more and be more accepting since then good for him. 
4) Comparing what Murphy said years ago and how Cubs fans will react to him tonight vs. what was discovered recently and how Brewers fans reacted is a ridiculous comparison.  Again, age is no excuse for Hader's tweets.  If he's evolved and no longer feels that way good for him as well.  I'll be at the game tonight and will politely applaud for Murphy.  If he gets any kind of standing ovation it'll be embarrassing. 
5) You're bizarre viewpoint of "all Cubs fans" behaving in a certain way is pathological and you should probably talk to someone.  It makes you look like an idiot.

So Murphy's homophobic comments as an adult are less shocking and damaging because they were made years ago as opposed to Josh Hader's as a teenager because they...were made years ago but discovered this year?

Got it.

And my apologies.  I didn't keep my text messages and/or record my personal conversations from October of 2015.  I cannot provide hard evidence.  Therefor you are right, Cubs fans were not claiming Daniel Murphy was on steroids when he was mashing homeruns every single game at Wrigley Field.    Their coaching staff and pitcher simply hint at opponents using PEDs when they have the most obvious PED user in the game on their own team (at the time).  But their fans certainly wouldn't do such an asinine thing as claiming a player who has never failed a drug test, so can't possibly have ever used PEDs in his life, was using PEDs.

[TallTitan34]

So Murphy's homophobic comments as an adult are less shocking and damaging because they were made years ago as opposed to Josh Hader's as a teenager because they...were made years ago but discovered this year?

Hader said he hates gay people and used slurs.  Murphy said he'd have zero problems with a gay teammate, he just disagrees with the lifestyle because he is Catholic. 

Both are disappointing, but you really can't see the difference?

[wadesworld]

Hader said he hates gay people and used racial slurs.  Murphy said he has no problems with gay people, he just disagrees with the lifestyle because he is Catholic. 

Both are disappointing thoughts but you really can't see the difference?

I can see the difference between a 17 year old Tweeting stupid inappropriate things and an adult saying he 100% disagrees with a person's lifestyle because they are gay.  Yes, I see a difference.

I'm also not going to pretend I'm totally outraged by one and then simply say, "There's a difference, one is Catholic!"

[TallTitan34]

I can see the difference between a 17 year old Tweeting stupid inappropriate things and an adult saying he 100% disagrees with a person's lifestyle because they are gay.  Yes, I see a difference.

I'm also not going to pretend I'm totally outraged by one and then simply say, "There's a difference, one is Catholic!"

Both Hader and Murphy are wrong.

[TallTitan34]

I'm also not going to pretend I'm totally outraged by one and then simply say, "There's a difference, one is Catholic!"

So instead you are outraged by Murphy and then for Hader simply say "He was 17".

[Dr. Blackheart]

So back to the race.  Let's not forget the schedule.  The Cubs have one more win than the Cards or Cubs.  However, they have played 3 less games than the Cards and 4 less than the Brewers. 

Advantage? I think it is better to control your own fate.  Fatigue may be an issue but rosters are expanding soon.  The Cubs bats have been heavy, but Murphy and Bryant return gives Maddon more roster flexibility, something he is great at.

The Dodgers sure aren't running away with the race with their big post-All Star game moves.

The Cubs need Monty back and someone to give quality starts at the 5.  Hammels has been a season saver so far.  The Brewers get some healthy depth back.  The Cards have the easiest schedule to go.  Last weekend?

[wadesworld]

So instead you are outraged by Murphy and then for Hader simply say "He was 17".

Not sure where you're getting outraged at Murphy from...

[WI inferiority Complexes]

Keep in mind that a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles generally is about as rare as a water surplus in the Los Angeles Basin. It happens, but not very often.

I'm, not saying the Cardinals aren't hot right now, but, the Dodgers are below .500 at home and we're swept at home -- in a four game series-- by the Reds in May.