Since we are now well into 2012, it's time for the new baseball thread. To kick it off here's a link to the Rangers' crazy deal ($111 mil including the transfer fee) with Darvish. http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_y...LYF?slug=ys-passan-brown_darvish_rangers_deal Indications are that they *still* have $$ to pursue Prince Fielder. Crazy.
Really looking forward to the Reds this year. The pitching got stronger all around. My only fear is that Latos is Harang v2.0. Latos, Cueto, Arroyo, Bailey, and Leake/LeCure should be fairly solid. Glad to see Cozart is going to be the man at SS (at least in the beginning), and Ludwick isn't a bad addition to the lineup here and there.
Prince Fielder traded to the Tigers. For someone who has gone on record as hating his father, the similarities are eerie.
Yeah, but did you see who the Twins picked up this offseason? Did you? Probably not... because, well, it's been nobody really worth mentioning... Twins owned the AL Central basement last year. Looks like we will be remodeling it this year...
How did you get them so fast?? Win the ticket lottery?? This will be my 31st Opening day (33 if you count two at the Vet) and 30th consecutive (missed 1982). I joke with my boss that I've never been to work on Opening Day. Nor do I intend to be.
Ah, I did that one year and the Reds lost 8 of 10. :-( And it was not a bad year for them, as I recall. I'm working off a group deal. We'll see where our tickets end up being. Last year it was 511 or 510 as I recall, but we were in the park. One of the best was the year I got in 104 or 105 and had the CF toss me a ball (vs Mets) when Santana hit one to the warning track. Oddest was the day the ump died.
The Reds should benefit greatly from the way other teams in the division couldn't sign their stars. The Cards and Brewers aren't quite as scary without Albert and Prince in the line-ups.
...and will be for some time to come, barring a trade. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/dailypitch/post/2012/04/joey-votto-reds-contract-extension/1
That's an interesting deal. Glad they locked him up, but he wasn't out of contract for another 2 years and when this extension ends he will be 40 Hope they can get Bruce and Phillips to stay as well.
Here's hoping they have a really good insurance policy on him too. These kind of extremely long term contracts are always a risk (I was worried about the Ryan Howard contract, which is shorter).
Except it's not opening day. When I lived in Cincinnati, I remember the Reds started the season for all of MLB. It was Cincinnati's own holiday now thrown away by baseball. I guess I hate seeing a good party die out.
Bud Selig would have a heart attack if two major league teams actually had fun during a rain delay. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqh1I9WwHQM"]SOUTHERN MISS OLE MISS RAIN DELAY ANTICS/DANCE-OFF.mpg - YouTube[/ame]
It's been a few years. The Reds still always start at home, but there was a time when they were the only game on Opening Day, then the only NL game, and then just the first. Then MLB decided to do an Opening Night (with the Reds) before Opening Day (I went to both to keep my string going) and then it's gotten to the point that they now have an opening series in Japan like the NHL did with the Jackets in Sweden last season. Today will be my 31st Opener in Cincy (33rd overall) and 30th straight. I have never been to work on Opening Day. I'm a Phils Phan but also a traditionalist--the only true Opening Day is in Cincy.
