MLB Discussion

[selfreliable]

I dont get cable so I never see Sports Center, but I think they focus more on Harper because he is a more interesting player. He is known as a grade A Asshole and a great player, while Trout is only known for being a great player. It has been this way about Harper since he was 15. Scouts have always said he had amazing talent and an amazing sized chip on his shoulder. That makes a player more interesting as it has the unpredictablity factor. I honestly see Trout being like Griffey Jr, just a kid who loves to play and is great at it. Also got the same speed/power threat he had when he was young. I would take either player on my team right now, and I am currently enjoying Trout on my fantasty team. He fits into my outfield pretty good with Kemp, Ethier, Kendrick, and Howard.

[travis]

True, Harper has been a big name since he was like 15-16. I think when he was on the cover of SI he was only 16 and he is known to be a douche. He's looked good so far and has even come off as being pretty mature for his age this far into his big league career.

Im really excited to see how Trout develops. He's so far ahead of his age already. He's already showing a good eye and he's been patient in most ABs so far. Plus he's about as fast as Bourjos. He hit a pretty routine base hit to LF the other day and still got a double even after stumbling around first. He's played good defense so far and you can tell he doesnt even really know what he's doing out there yet. He takes odd routes to balls and he still gets there. He's only going to keep improving. Kinda reminds me of Kemp with how Kemp was really good for a couple years before he really learned how to play this game. Once Trout gets a couple years experience under his belt I see him being a similar type of player, maybe not as much power but who knows. Trout isnt exactly a little guy.

[selfreliable]

Everything that I have read from scouts and others regarding Trout is either the power will really come and he will loose the speed or the speed will get better with diminished power when he finally stops growing.

Regarding Harper, I have seen some grumblings of him having to eventually go to first base as he is pretty big for his age and they arent sure how much more he will grow in height and weight, which could really dampen his speed that he currently has. Some are thinking he might keep growing to Adam Dunn's size. Dunn used to be a fast player back in the minors and his first two years up, but is slow as hell now.

[thebiglebowski]

I dont get cable so I never see Sports Center, but I think they focus more on Harper because he is a more interesting player. He is known as a grade A Asshole and a great player, while Trout is only known for being a great player. It has been this way about Harper since he was 15. Scouts have always said he had amazing talent and an amazing sized chip on his shoulder. That makes a player more interesting as it has the unpredictablity factor. I honestly see Trout being like Griffey Jr, just a kid who loves to play and is great at it. Also got the same speed/power threat he had when he was young. I would take either player on my team right now, and I am currently enjoying Trout on my fantasty team. He fits into my outfield pretty good with Kemp, Ethier, Kendrick, and Howard.

What Howard are you talking about? Yahoo only shows one Howard (Ryan) and he sure as hell isn't an outfielder.

[thebiglebowski]

They will both be great players. Id take either guy on my team.

I just think its funny that there's such a east coast bias in the sports media. Trout has outplayed Harper this year so far in the small sample we've seen and they mention him for a second when they cover an Angels game but they do a whole 5 minute story on Harper on Sportscenter just about every night.

Outplayed Harper is debatable. Trout has higher average but Harper has better OBP and much better walk/k ratio. Plus you gotta give the guy credit for stealing home. That's not the easiest thing in the world to do. No clue how Harper has been in the OF.

It's only 40 at bats though. Not really appropriate to look at that level of granularity on a tiny sample size.

[travis]

I was more pointing out that the national sports media has a bias to cover east coast teams more than west coast teams. Both guys have don well so far. Harper has probably played better defense. Trout hasnt made many spectacular plays but I think its cause he's so damn fast he runs under balls that a lot of guys would dive for. Harper has shown off a cannon for an arm a few times. I think Trout has been the better offensive player so far though. He's got more extra basehits than singles haha. I know Harper has a bunch of doubles too though. Harper does have kind of a weird swing though, not sure how that will hold up for him. I think both of these guys are going to be superstars.

[dynamitekid]

I think harper has been built up more because of the whole SI article and the hype. Trout hasn't had all that behind him.

[selfreliable]

I meant Heyward, but typed Howard as Im more used to him in my mind being a Phillies fan.

[selfreliable]

Im surprised Travis didnt make a big deal about Santana pitching decently last night for the first time this year. Granted he stuck only one guy out, but only gave up a run as well opposed to the 4-6 he has been handing out with the homeruns hes been giving up, then again, it was the Twins, so it couldnt be too hard

[travis]

Santana has actually been pitching well his last few starts. He's the first pitcher in history to have his team get shut out in 5 straight starts. He started the year looking horrible but he's rebounded nicely over the last month or so. Not great but he's definitely been improving since that start he had in TB where he gave up 4 bombs.

[rodeojones]

CJ Wilson v Yu Darvish lez goooooo.

[thebiglebowski]

Harper goes deep. Queue up the parade.

[travis]

I cant believe he hit himself in the face with a bat while pouting

[Emo Revival]

Just got back from the Phils game, nice to see them hitting a bit tonight an Polanco getting his 2,000th hit with a 2 run hr!

[travis]

The Angels still suck but Im loving Trout, so glad that brought that kid up.

Im going to the game tomorrow and its Bourjos bobblehead giveaway night, I hope Bourjos isnt in the line up instead of Trout. The last game I went to was right before Trout got called up so I havent seen him play in person yet. Im kinda wondering if they are going to send Bourjos down soon just so he can play every day. Since Trout came up Bourjos has only been in a couple games.

[GradedOnACurve]

Brett Lawrie is going to get a nice unpaid vacation and is going to be out a few bucks too.

[adaytoforget]

Brett Lawrie is going to get a nice unpaid vacation and is going to be out a few bucks too.

it was an absolutely terrible call though.

[travis]

Oh yea definitely a suspension and a fine. Both of those called strikes were really bad calls, especially that last one. Pretty sure that last one was going to be called a strike no matter where it was.

[mkatn]

I wish that the league discipline of officials (all umpires, referees, linesmen) was more transparent. The MLB umpires have one of the strongest unions in North America.

I know Brett Lawrie was in the wrong. If you watch the replay, he did not throw his helmet until he was tossed from the game. He wouldn't have been tossed if he didn't have to deal with two bullshit strike calls at a critical point in the game. Nothing justifies what he did; at least a fan was able to smoke the ump with a beer as he tried to exit the field.

I see Lawrie getting anywhere from 3-7 games. If the suspension is closer to 10 games, I expect him to appeal it. Kid's got fire, but unless the umpire that gave him those calls wasn't liked amongst his peers, he's going to get shitty strike calls for a lot longer than he bargained for.

[travis]

at least a fan was able to smoke the ump with a beer as he tried to exit the field.

That was a pretty dumb thing to do. Too bad the ump couldnt have run up into the stands, Ron Artest-style, and punch that douche in mouth.

I dont agree with the calls the ump made and his bad calls lead to this whole thing but I also dont agree with throwing beer or anything else from the stands at anyone on the field.

[selfreliable]

A little insight on the Lawrie incident. He will probably get 7-10 games. Last year Yadier Molina got 5 games for slightly bumping the ump after a bad strike three in which the ump started jarring at him first and initiated the contact.

The pitch on 3-1 was a worse call than the 3-2 pitch. However, it wasnt the worst call all game. In the top of the 9th, with Molina at bat, there was a pitch that was well outside that Molina was called out on strikes on. No surprise that 3-1 pitch was a strike with Molina behind the plate. He was giving the Rays a strike back on a fairly (at the time) unmeaningful pitch. Happens all the time when an ump blows a strike, no big deal. Lawrie should have totally swung on the next pitch. It was too close to take on a full count even if the ump wasnt pissed at him already. Instead he tried to take it with one of the best framing catchers behind the plate and got pissed when he was called out.

Now call me crazy, but I am all for the players being able to say things to the umpire and getting in their face. Im not saying they should take a swing at them or throw things at them, but they should be able to argue with them from time to time without getting a quick hook. The umps have virtual no accountability for what they do on the field.

[mkatn]

at least a fan was able to smoke the ump with a beer as he tried to exit the field.

That was a pretty dumb thing to do. Too bad the ump couldnt have run up into the stands, Ron Artest-style, and punch that douche in mouth.

I dont agree with the calls the ump made and his bad calls lead to this whole thing but I also dont agree with throwing beer or anything else from the stands at anyone on the field.

Did you see the replay? The fan who tossed the beer was jawing with the the umpire, daring him to come into the stands...and the ump was considering it!

I know it was stupid; it's what happens when too much booze gets mixed into any volatile atmosphere; as a Jays fan, it was instant revenge. There was a passion in Brett Lawrie's outburst that this fanbase hasn't seen in quite some time. Too bad that it was more destructive than constructive.

All that being said, if you watched the game and Lawrie's entire at-bat, you would notice that both pitches that the pitches that were called for strikes 2 and 3, were nearly identical to two pitches earlier in the at-bat that were called balls. The delay on ball two was excessive, but I have seen umpires delay even more.

Still, for the next week, we'll hear all about Brett Lawrie's punishment and whether it was too harsh, or fitting of the deed, yet we won't hear anything about the umpire.

Maybe it's just me, maybe it's the added camera angles and high-definition, but league officials in all sports have seemed to have blown far too many calls as of late.

[travis]

haha Crazy, I didnt see the beer get thrown. Still dumb to do but how you explained it makes it a little funnier.

The ump made 2 bad calls, Lawrie made a bad decision in throwin the helmet even if he didnt mean to hit the ump and the fan made a dumb decision to throw a beer.

I fully agree that umps should be held more accountable for how they call a game though. This whole thing started with his bad calls.

[mkatn]

I agree with you Travis. As an athlete, you are responsible for your equipment, and whatever direction it goes. As a Jays fan, I wish Lawrie would have reacted differently, but as a fan of the game, I understand that his suspension is necessary.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, I do feel that officials should not be touched. This was not some incidental contact that came from an umpire being too close to a play, this is an angry player, out of control, showing disregard for himself and others, recklessly throwing equipment.

I hope that Brett Lawrie becomes more like George Brett, and less like Milton Bradley.

EDIT: 4 games. Not too shabby. Of course I believe that he will appeal and be in the lineup tonight. It's going to be incredibly interesting as Bill Miller is the 3rd base umpire (Lawrie's position for those unaware). No word on a fine yet, but I expect it too; as well, I expect a fine for Farrell.

[travis]

Well I picked the right Angels game to go to last nite