MLB Thread: Offseason

[max]

Nice to see the Rays show up this week. Way to go, guys.

To be honest I was really surprised to see the get beat up like that by the Indians. I thought the Rays would take at least 2 from them.

[Asylum44]

me too! pretty bad 0-7 streak going....we need to get back home and fast!

[TSA]

Tonight's the HR Derby @ 8:00pm and since Big Papi will only be cheerleading for this one, Im rooting for Josh Hamilton. And I wouldnt mind seeing Evan Longoria make his mark either (yes, this from Red Sox fan ).

The Paricipants:

Lance Berkman

Ryan Braun

Josh Hamilton

Grady Sizemore

Evan Longoria

Justin Morneau

Dan Uggla

Chase Utley

Past Winners:

2007 Vladimir Guerrero 17

2006 Ryan Howard 23

2005 Bobby Abreu 41

2004 Miguel Tejada 27

2003 Garret Anderson 22

2002 Jason Giambi 24

[max]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20...8&fext=.jsp

[ericncsu]

I was gonna swear Josh Hamilton went to State, but I looked him up and it says he's from Raleigh but College:NONE... was he drafted first overall out of high school and never played college ball? Either way, I'll be rooting for him since he's a Raleigh native.

[rollinsox007]

The guy that is throwing to Josh Hamilton is a 71 year old named Clay Counsel. He used to work at Cary High School with the baseball team, but now works with the American Legion team which many of the top local players play for. My brother has worked with this guy a lot, and he says that if you hold your bat straight out over the plate then he can hit the bat dead on from the pitchers mound. He's supposed to be a really good hitting 'guru' sort of guy and throws BP a lot. I'm really excited to see this tonight, I'm praying he doesn't get too nervous though.

And yes, Hamilton was drafted straight out of Athens Drive going #1. A lot of people compared him to Mickey Mantle. He was supposed to be a really good kid, and close to his parents, but he got in a car crash soon after he was signed, his mom went back up to Raleigh for treatment. After being separated from his parents by so much distance, the D-Rays kind of let him handle everything on his own, and he got addicted to pain killers. This opened the door way for him to get other sort of drugs. He got clean and now is one of the top stories in baseball.

[quince820]

The Mets are en fuego...

I'm looking for Hamilton to hit one all the to Shea in the HR Derby

[TSA]

The Mets are en fuego...

I'm looking for Hamilton to hit one all the to Shea in the HR Derby

The Mets have quietly worked their way up in the standings. The stretch run will be interesting...

[TSA]

Potential good news (and a good laugh) for Red Sox fans:

NEW YORK -- Manny Ramirez just did an on-field interview with Yankees radio broadcaster John Sterling that was broadcast over the Stadium PA system. Noting that he grew up just 10 minutes or so from here, in Washington Heights, Manny said it was a "dream come true" to be here. He also repeated, with a straight face, that it was his goal to win a Gold Glove. Sterling then brought up Manny's catch-and-high-five in Baltimore, and called that Gold Glove.

Ramirez then took some batting practice hacks in a group that included Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz, who took one round of BP, then another, and hit at least three in the seats. From my perch in right field, I couldn't tell on a couple, but Sox fans should be ecstatic.

Manny doing an interview in Yankee Stadium would be the equivilent of Arod doing an interview over the PA at Fenway Park

[TSA]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

Is anybody else watching this??????????????

Who isnt rooting for this kid to jack one right out into the Bronx?

And what's lost in all this, is his long time 71 year old family friend who threw him 54 pitches for those 28 HR's.

All this, from Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, NC.

[rollinsox007]

This is freaking ridiculous. Some of those balls still haven't landed.

My Dad knows Clay Counsil a little and actually was talking to him no more than a week ago out at Cary High School, it's just freaky thinking about it. I loved Hamilton's interview after it too, about what God has done for him in his life. Sorry Pedro, but I've got a new favorite Non-Red Sox player now.

[TSA]

This is freaking ridiculous. Some of those balls still haven't landed.

My Dad knows Clay Counsil a little and actually was talking to him no more than a week ago out at Cary High School, it's just freaky thinking about it. I loved Hamilton's interview after it too, about what God has done for him in his life. Sorry Pedro, but I've got a new favorite Non-Red Sox player now.

I think he's everyone's favorite non-hometeam player now. What a story, what an inspiration. He really has the chance to turn thousands of kids lives around.

[fallen_apostle]

My boy Morneau in the finals!!!

Last entrant too in this HRD.

Pretty good showing I'd say. Hamilton of course is the real story though.

[TSA]

My boy Morneau in the finals!!!

Last entrant too in this HRD.

Pretty good showing I'd say. Hamilton of course is the real story though.

Hamilton is the big story but the underlying story is the "steroid era is over"....hopefully. These young guys are starting a whole new era, hopefully drug free which is why Hamilton's story is even that much better. This is all good for baseball.

Edit: I just want it known that I posted this before the ESPN guys said this, lol.

[TSA]

Congrats to Justin Morneau. I take nothing away from him winning but even he looked like he wanted Josh to win it all.

I hope the game tomorrow is as good as the HR Derby was.

Go AL!

[fallen_apostle]

Hamilton is the big story but the underlying story is the "steroid era is over"....hopefully. These young guys are starting a whole new era, hopefully drug free which is why Hamilton's story is even that much better. This is all good for baseball.

Edit: I just want it known that I posted this before the ESPN guys said this, lol.

LOL yes you get all the credit. As I watched and heard them (Peter Gammons) say it I immed. thought of you. Nice call TSA!

Also, way-to-go Morneau! So proud of ya!!!

But yeah this was Hamilton's night, he'll be the one remembered in future years. Baseball is making a nice comeback from the Steroids era.

[TarheelMike]

A baseball just landed on my roof here in Alabama. Insane.

[TSA]

A baseball just landed on my roof here in Alabama. Insane.

Did it have the initials JH on it?

[TarheelMike]

You have to feel for Morneau. He wins the Derby, but it's got to mean so little after what Hamilton did. Even after he won it, ESPN goes immediately to Hamilton instead of the winner. And as that happened, you could tell Morneau was just looking for someone to congratulate him.

One quote sums up Morneau's night:

In the words of American hero and boxer extraordinaire Apollo Creed: "MAN, I WON BUT I DIDN'T BEAT HIM!!"

[IceFrog999]

You have to feel for Morneau. He wins the Derby, but it's got to mean so little after what Hamilton did. Even after he won it, ESPN goes immediately to Hamilton instead of the winner. And as that happened, you could tell Morneau was just looking for someone to congratulate him.

[TSA]

You have to feel for Morneau. He wins the Derby, but it's got to mean so little after what Hamilton did. Even after he won it, ESPN goes immediately to Hamilton instead of the winner. And as that happened, you could tell Morneau was just looking for someone to congratulate him.

I didnt see that at all. I saw a guy genuinely taken by what he witnessed and was part of, try to be humble and respectful to the guy he just beat out. All the while, knowing what this guy has gone through just to be there. I see it as one of the better moments in MLB history. Morneau was all class.

But no doubt this derby will only be remembered for who didnt win it.

[rollinsox007]

Yeah, Morneau handled himself with class all the way. He knew that he won, but he knew Hamilton was the real winner in the big picture. He's finally gotten to where everyone thought he was going to be when he was drafted out of Athens Drive. It was great to see these guys out there and not have to see Giambi, Bonds, Tejada (didn't see him a whole ton), etc. Baseball has an AMAZING new wave of stars from all over the country, Morneau, Hamilton, Longoria, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Papelbon, Jenks, Mauer, Upton, etc. etc. etc. The steroid era is coming to a close and all these new personalities are coming into the game.

Also that was actually the first HR Derby I've actually watched the whole way through. That was intense. I was on the edge of my seat whenever Hamilton came up to bat. I'm so unbelievably happy for him. I really still feel bad about all the tattoos though, you know he wishes like hell he could just erase that part of his life, but those things are always gonna remind him.

[fallen_apostle]

Yeah, Morneau handled himself with class all the way. He knew that he won, but he knew Hamilton was the real winner in the big picture. He's finally gotten to where everyone thought he was going to be when he was drafted out of Athens Drive. It was great to see these guys out there and not have to see Giambi, Bonds, Tejada (didn't see him a whole ton), etc. Baseball has an AMAZING new wave of stars from all over the country, Morneau, Hamilton, Longoria, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Papelbon, Jenks, Mauer, Upton, etc. etc. etc. The steroid era is coming to a close and all these new personalities are coming into the game.

Also that was actually the first HR Derby I've actually watched the whole way through. That was intense. I was on the edge of my seat whenever Hamilton came up to bat. I'm so unbelievably happy for him. I really still feel bad about all the tattoos though, you know he wishes like hell he could just erase that part of his life, but those things are always gonna remind him.

Well said. Couldn't agree more.

[fallen_apostle]

And did any of you hear that guy call Justin "Jason"? I swear I heard that, .

[ericncsu]

I really still feel bad about all the tattoos though, you know he wishes like hell he could just erase that part of his life, but those things are always gonna remind him.

My fiancee said the exact same thing.. it sucks he can't get rid of them, but it will always remind him of what he's been through and a time in his life that he NEVER wants to repeat again.

I have to say.. I didnt watch the finals since i assumed it was a done deal, so I was a little surprised to see the result this morning, but he still put on a heck of a show.... Raleigh is proud of ya Josh! Go knock em dead!! I normally don't watch much baseball, but I might be convinced to watch the Rangers every now and again now because of him.