2024 MLB Thread

[Sports_Freak]

21 minutes ago, 1776 said:

Billy Bean passed today at the age of 60 years. He was diagnosed with cancer in September. 

I just heard. I didn't know he was ill. Sad news...

 

Edited August 6, 2024 by Sports_Freak

[Mr.TaterSalad]

I'm editing my post because I thought it was the A's GM Billy Beane that passed away and it is apparently a different person than whom I thought it was. In any case, RIP to Billy Bean and it's always sad to see someone pass on from cancer. 

Edited August 7, 2024 by Mr.TaterSalad

[davidsb623]

1988 Tigers, the year they had Billy Bean and Billy Beane both on the roster.

[chasfh]

5 hours ago, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I'm editing my post because I thought it was the A's GM Billy Beane that passed away and it is apparently a different person than whom I thought it was. In any case, RIP to Billy Bean and it's always sad to see someone pass on from cancer. 

Do you do eulogy work? 😉 

[CMRivdogs]

16 hours ago, 1776 said:

Bristol Motor Speedway, one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks, will host a regular season MLB game between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds in 2025, multiple sources briefed on the plans told The Athletic on Tuesday.
 

That's got to be a strange setup for baseball. Pretty much akin to the Dodgers playing in the Rose Bowl stadium

[CMRivdogs]

3 hours ago, CMRivdogs said:

That's got to be a strange setup for baseball. Pretty much akin to the Dodgers playing in the Rose Bowl stadium

Answering my own question. I guess it wouldn't be bad for players. The Athletic has a write up and graphic that shows how Cincinnati's Great American Park would fit in comfortably. 
 

[1776]

The White Sox have a managerial opening. I’d like to see Charlie Montoya get a shot there. He’s on the current staff which will make it unlikely. 

[tiger2022]

I'd prefer to see Zach McKinstry get the job starting before tonight's game.

[monkeytargets39]

So they waited until he actually won a game to fire him?  Oof.

 

im sure the next hire will be someone inspired to return them to their roots like AJ Pierzynski, Tim Anderson or Robin Ventura….

Edited August 8, 2024 by monkeytargets39

[1776]

32 minutes ago, monkeytargets39 said:

So they waited until he actually won a game to fire him?  Oof.

 

im sure the next hire will be someone inspired to return them to their roots like AJ Pierzynski, Tim Anderson or Robin Ventura….

Chick Gandil

[Sports_Freak]

On 8/7/2024 at 1:52 AM, Mr.TaterSalad said:

I'm editing my post because I thought it was the A's GM Billy Beane that passed away and it is apparently a different person than whom I thought it was. In any case, RIP to Billy Bean and it's always sad to see someone pass on from cancer. 

There's 2 Billy Beans? I thought the A's old GM was the one who passes away? Color me confused.

[Mr.TaterSalad]

4 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

There's 2 Billy Beans? I thought the A's old GM was the one who passes away? Color me confused.

The A's GM is Billy Beane and this gentleman who sadly passed away is Billy Bean. This Billy Bean apparently worked in the MLB front offices as an executive.

[1776]

As poster davidsb623 pointed out above, Billy Beane (Oakland A’s fame) and Billy Bean (MLB Front office guy) were both on the 1988 Tigers roster as outfielders. Gotta’ be a trivia question in there somewhere.

[tiger2022]

Billy Bean was the ambassador of inclusion.  He was one of the first players to come out.

Arguably, he was the greatest Billy Bean, regardless of last name spelling, in MLB history.

Bean .226 5 Hr, 108 hits, .574 OPS,  minus 2.0 War

Bean. 219 3 Hr, 66 hits, .542 OPS minus 1.6 War

I seem to remember the Tigers excited that they picked up the one with the E and were all ready to cut the plain old Bean loose after that. 

[oblong]

Someone I worked with wasn't a baseball fan.  When Moneyball came out he came up to me to tell me he saw it and liked it.  He too didn't know there were two Billy Bean(e)s.  But he had heard of Bean from a thing on the news once.  So he assumed Moneyball was about him.  When I told him the truth he looked puzzled... because if you have seen Moneyball and think of it that way it could make sense.  His sense of isolation and being different from the others as a gay man transcended into the front office and the methods to run a team... the story about his ex wife and their daughter and they still had a cordial relationship, like that was the reason they split up and she supported him.

 

[casimir]

52 minutes ago, 1776 said:

As poster davidsb623 pointed out above, Billy Beane (Oakland A’s fame) and Billy Bean (MLB Front office guy) were both on the 1988 Tigers roster as outfielders. Gotta’ be a trivia question in there somewhere.

They didn't appear together in the same games.  Beane played for Detroit in April.  Bean played for Detroit in September.

[RandyMarsh]

Aaron Judge at 220 OPS+, Bonds topped it 4 times but other than him that number hasn't been topped since Mantle and Williams. We're witnessing one of the greatest offensive seasons any of us have ever seen. 

Edited August 9, 2024 by RandyMarsh

[Tenacious D]

1 hour ago, RandyMarsh said:

Aaron Judge at 220 OPS+, Bonds topped it 4 times but other than him that number hasn't been topped since Mantle and Williams. We're witnessing one of the greatest offensive seasons any of us have ever seen. 

the Pride of Fresno State (besides yours truly)

[tiger2022]

On 8/8/2024 at 10:08 PM, RandyMarsh said:

Aaron Judge at 220 OPS+, Bonds topped it 4 times but other than him that number hasn't been topped since Mantle and Williams. We're witnessing one of the greatest offensive seasons any of us have ever seen. 

Bonds 2001-2004 was the most ridiculous stretch ever.  They wouldn't pitch to him and he was still hitting at least 45 HRs a season in that stretch.  He could have legitimately hit 100 HRs in one of those seasons had they not walked him so often.

[Shinzaki]

The s Tigers rookie league team was in Bristol for a long time...I assume it was Bristol TN as they played in the Appalachian league

 

On edit...the team was in Bristol VA...nvr mind

Edited August 10, 2024 by Shinzaki

[CMRivdogs]

26 minutes ago, Shinzaki said:

The s Tigers rookie league team was in Bristol for a long time...I assume it was Bristol TN as they played in the Appalachian league

 

On edit...the team was in Bristol VA...nvr mind

Same city depending on which side of State St you’re located

[RatkoVarda]

[SoCalTiger]

7 hours ago, tiger2022 said:

Bonds 2001-2004 was the most ridiculous stretch ever.  They wouldn't pitch to him and he was still hitting at least 45 HRs a season in that stretch.  He could have legitimately hit 100 HRs in one of those seasons had they not walked him so often.

Roids Rock

[tiger2022]

32 minutes ago, SoCalTiger said:

Roids Rock

Roids don't make you a great ballpayer.  You still have to hit the ball.  Plus, 95% of the players were on them.  It didn't work out as well for all of them.

[Tiger337]

2 minutes ago, tiger2022 said:

Roids don't make you a great ballpayer.  You still have to hit the ball.  Plus, 95% of the players were on them.  It didn't work out as well for all of them.

I don't know if it was 95%, but I think it was at least half.  There is no way highly competitive athletes are going watch the big guys take performancing enhancing drugs without punishment and then innocently stay clean.