ALCS Thoughts, Predictions, etc.

These teams have all had players who I have the highest respect for:

Giants: Say Hey, Barry Bonds

Dodgers: Robinson, Snider, Reese and all the rest of them

Mets: Seaver, Koosman, Keith "Mex" Hernandez, Gooden, HoJo, Piazza

Sox: Williams, Yazstremski, Tiant, Clemens, Pedro

Cards: Ozzie, McGwire

Braves: Hank Aaron, Jordan, Andruw & Chipper Jones

I don't hate any team. If someone pushes you to a higher level, you can either take going to that higher level as a challenge or you can complain. The Yankees aren't invincible and haven't been near this since 98. I'm just happy that they've been able to put together games where the focus has been on stopping the opponents and scoring runs, even if they had to manufacture both.

If someone builds a bigger and better ship, should you complain they won the yacht race or look at what they're doing to see if you can use any of those ideas? Your choice. Race is on.

[mainsr]

Originally posted by Yogi#8Fan
Mainsr, two questions. 1, is Seattle really your team (if not, which one is)? 2, why are you so against them? From the 80s through 95 they didn't win anything.

Are they like Microsoft to you? If so, I presume you're not running Wnidows software at the moment,right?

Hey, Net, I don't mind Yankee fans dumping on us non-Yankee fans. They've got a right to their opinions, too.

To answer your questions, Yogi#8Fan:
1. Well, after having just finished my 17th season of Rotisserie, both in NL and AL leagues, I'd have to say that my team allegiances are all pretty trashed. I like my Rotisserie team, the Charred ReMains. After that, I suppose I like the Twins, having grown up in the days of Killebrew, Allison, Oliva, Carew, and Tovar. I have always been a huge Kirby Puckett fan (hey Net - don't forget the Kirby avatar!). I've always liked the Red Sox, too, which is really unhealthy. In the NL, I was a huge Mets fan when I lived near Shea and had partial season tickets in 1984-88. I've lost some of my enthusiasm due to (1) Rotisserie, (2) my kids not being interested, and (3) unfamiliarity with the team. (Whaddya mean, they don't platoon Backman and Teufel at second?)

2. As I said - If you grew up in an American League city that wasn't NY in the 50s and 60s, you grew up hating the Yankees. And I suppose that just when they became palatable - I remember liking the team in the early 1970s - Steinbrenner bought the team, and then I went to college in the East and had to deal with the insufferable NY press when they starting winning the Series. I will admit that the current team is largely composed of likeable, respectable ballplayers that were either developed or acquired via trade, and Torre's a gem, and that Steinbrenner has kept his yap shut. But they were SO distasteful in the late 1970s - Steinbrenner in the papers all the time, buying pennants with loudmouth jerks, rotating managers - that my hatred crystalized.

I think Microsoft is one of the three unsung heroes of the 1990s (HMOs and Clinton's early economic policies of interest rate stabilization and the 1994 tax increase being the others), but if I get into it, Net will ship me out to the "If You Must" board. As a healthcare analyst, I can also tell you that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has done more to combat AIDS than any entity in the world other than the big pharmaceutial companies. Nah, Microsoft's OK with me. The better analogy to the way I feel about the Yankees is the way lots of people (including me) feel about the Dallas Cowboys, although, of course, they suck now.

[NetShrine]

Charred ReMains?

What happened to the old name, Mainsiacs? What was this, your mirror of a Senators-Twins thing?

[mainsr]

I retired the Mainsiacs when our league folded. I started using the new name when I went online.

Mainsr, pardon my ignorance but I've never played Rotisserie, so Charred ReMains isn't anything I'm knowledgeable of. What is it, and I get the feeling I was supposed to know it. Anyway, how does it relate to baseball?

Anyway, I'm off to a game around 161 & River so I'll see how close we can get to 4 wins. I'll respond more fully once that detail is filled in. Thanks for your response to which I'm replying.

[mainsr]

Sorry, should've explained: Rotisserie League Baseball was a book published in 1984 that laid down the rules for playing what is now generically known as Fantasy Baseball. We old-timers still call it Rotisserie. Team names have no particular significance. What most owners try to do is weave their name into their team name. My last name is Mains, so I have had teams called the Mainsiacs and the Charred ReMains. The best names I've seen in my leagues were a guy whose last name is LaRocca who called his team the LaRocca Gibraltars and a guy whose first name is Lou who called his team Lou's Evil Sluggers.

Net, we ought to start a thread on great fantasy team names once the season's over. (Or have we alreadly had one and I forgot?)

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by Yogi#8Fan
Anyway, I'm off to a game around 161 & River so I'll see how close we can get to 4 wins. I'll respond more fully once that detail is filled in. Thanks for your response to which I'm replying.

I was there too today. Yes, I stayed for the whole game. Actually, I thought it would help with traffic - - since about 30,000 left by the 7th inning. Still, from the Stadium to the GWB took me about an hour - - when it usually takes 15 minutes - - on the back streets.

A long day - - left 1 PM. Got to the Stadium around 2 PM. Game started at 4:30 PM. Got home at 10:15ish. One ballgame is an all day thing these days. Highlight of the day? Watching Ichiro race to the WT during BP and then catching the ball behind his back - - very slick. Also tells you what kind of a day it was to be a Yankee fan.

Rob - start that thread you mentioned - I love thread starters!

[mainsr]

Originally posted by NetShrine

Rob - start that thread you mentioned - I love thread starters!

Let's get the postseason and the awards out of the way first. Then will do.

[NetShrine]

Trying to Ignore the NetShrine Discussion Forum Community Standards

Play nice Robert.

[BuzzBuzzard]

I said it at the time, although this is the first time I've had a chance to log in. If Joe goes to Stanton in that spot, you can't IBB Ichiro. Stanton has to get a LH batter out. Period.

[NetShrine]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
I said it at the time, although this is the first time I've had a chance to log in. If Joe goes to Stanton in that spot, you can't IBB Ichiro. Stanton has to get a LH batter out. Period.

Ichiro hit .350 on the year. He's been hitting .500 in the playoffs. His BA with RISP is between .400 and .460 depending on the situation. NO ONE IS GETTING HIM OUT. He's not just some LH batter. I would walk him every time - in a spot where he could hurt me.

.350, .460, .500 - - the numbers scream at you.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Is McLemore a siwtch hitter? Even if he is, then why waste Stanton in that spot if you intend to walk Ichiro?

Stanton was so bad last night, if I am Torre, I have reservation about going to him tonight.

[Duque]

The past two years, Stanton has been tattooed by lefties, but gets righties out pretty well. The Yankees actually don't have anyone in their pen that is capable of getting lefties out on a regular basis - you look at lefties hitting off Sterling Hitchcock, and it looks like Barry Bonds's season numbers.

I am still very perplexed about the roster moves made by the Yanks - and think it really came back to bite them in yesterday's game.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Which goes to my point, why Stanton in that spot?

[Duque]

Originally posted by BuzzBuzzard
Which goes to my point, why Stanton in that spot?

Perfectly good question, but I'm not Joe Torre.

I still hate the IBB - basically, guys make outs 60-70% of the time (or, in the case of playoff-version Ichiro - 50%). But that's still a 50% chance of getting him out. Instead, you're giving him a free pass. McLemore, however, does hit only .169 batting right-handed.