October 22, 2012

Talkin' Baseball: Game 7, Closer & Manager Trade

49er16: I know we're suppose to talk playoffs, but the fall of Heath Bell and the Marlins trading him away and then eating a portion of his contract is amazing. This guy was one of the best closers in the game and now there's a team giving him away.

The Colonel: Bell is everything what advance stats followers preach about closers. They're too unpredictable from year-to-year. Bell could very well be awesome next year. As for the character assassination for Bell, well I can't say I'm surprised. Kinda seems like that's how they operate in South Beach.

49er16: Bell seems like a nice guy. I can see him maybe complaining about the pitching coach, but the report of him being a bad clubhouse guy really gets me. I'm sorry but I don't buy him being a bad clubhouse guy.

The Colonel: Well we don't really know these guys like we want to. It wouldn't surprise me if Bell murders puppies or if he gave loose change to bums on the street. We just don't really know who these people are.


49er16: Okay let's move on. Delmon Young is a scumbag. We all recognize this. I'm sorry though I can't get mad at Gene Autry's widow for calling him "classy" during the ALCS MVP trophy celebration. She doesn't know Delmon Young from Neil Young.

The Colonel: Young is definitely a scumbag but yeah I can't get outraged at Gene Autry's widow for calling him "classy". She's an old woman who has no clue that Young is a anti-Semitic asshole who also threw a bat at an umpire.

49er16: On the side, I love how Young won that award. It's bad enough non hardcore baseball fans aren't paying attention to the playoffs, but of course Young had to win that award. It just had to be him. Couldn't have been Fielder or Cabrera. Or even Don Kelly. It had to be Delmon Young. Only baseball.

The Colonel: Well Ray Lewis did win the Super Bowl MVP after being convicted of obstructing justice in a murder case. I see your point though and it definitely feels like it wasn't going any other way. It had to be the biggest scumbag on the Tigers.

49er16: Does either the Giants or Cardinals beat the Tigers in the world series? Verlander will be rested along with the other pitchers and he could go a possible three games if needed. The Tigers offense isn't exactly frightening past Cabrera or Fielder but my God those starting pitchers.

The Colonel: Their bullpen is horrible. If you can knock around their starting pitching or keep it close to get to their bullpen, then you're looking at a completely different team. But yeah that bullpen is horrible.

49er16: My favorite news of the weekend was Boston finally pulling off the trade they've wanted for a year now, John Farrell. They've wanted Farrell for over a year now and they actually traded a productive utility player in Mike Aviles for him. Weird.

The Colonel: Don't forget Boston also gets Adam Lind! I honestly don't get Boston's fascination with Farrell. I get that they want someone who was familiar with Francona's style and he'll be more comfortable with the players than Valentine, but did Boston actually watch Farrell in Toronto? Those Blue Jays teams weren't exactly great, injuries or no injuries.

49er16: They had to have him though! He's such a great manager. Look I'm sure Farrell is a fine manager, I just wouldn't have traded anything for him. There are a lot of better candidates out there.

The Colonel: I'm going to laugh when Boston misses the playoffs again and the Blue Jays finally get healthy and make the playoffs without Farrell. That's my dream for next year. You've been warned Blue Jays, I'm jumping on your bandwagon.

49er16: Can the Giants please play like this before their backs are against the wall and are facing elimination?

The Colonel: That would be nice. Also what would be nice if Cain and Bumgarner pitched better (Cain pitched well in game 3, the offense sucked). We all knew Vogelsong had that kind of performance in him, Zito shocked me though. He barely hit 86MPH on the radar gun and fooled Cardinals hitters.

49er16: I'm going to be a nervous wreck if this game is going to be played on Monday (it's raining in Northern California right now). As everyone has pointed out the Giants have never won a game 7 and the Cards have the best game 7 record in baseball. Even better than the Yankees.

The Colonel: Giants have literally been unbeatable though in elimination games. I hear ya though. Knowing the history of both of these teams I'm also going to be a nervous wreck. Hopefully good Cain shows up again, Scutaro and Pagan get on base, and hopefully Posey or Pence do something in this game.

49er16: That has been something Giants fans have been scared to acknowledge  Posey has kinda sucked in the championship series.

The Colonel: Yeah he has. It would be nice if he would stop chasing pitches and go the opposite field again. Whatever happens alcohol won't control our anxiety tonight.

49er16: Yep. Should be fun nerve wrecking.

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