Things Smackie Thinks You Need to Know...

[Julian, Forum COGNOSCENTI]

Tigers get back to back absolute gems from Verlander and Scherzer and manage to lose both. They are just not winning this series. Oh well.

[James Ford]

No more ridiculous than any other reason we use to support a professional team.

I mean what is the point of supporting a certain team? How many of their players are Boston natives?

My wife would probably pick the team with the nicer hats. That seems like as valid a reason as any for a preference.

I was a Red Sox fan growing up, but goddamn they have to be one of the ugliest teams in the history of baseball.

Go Tigers.

that is a ridiculous way of looking at it... we should dislike or like teams based on how ugly they are ?

[hutch]

No more ridiculous than any other reason we use to support a professional team.

I mean what is the point of supporting a certain team? How many of their players are Boston natives?

My wife would probably pick the team with the nicer hats. That seems like as valid a reason as any for a preference.

I was a Red Sox fan growing up, but goddamn they have to be one of the ugliest teams in the history of baseball.

Go Tigers.

that is a ridiculous way of looking at it... we should dislike or like teams based on how ugly they are ?

I think one supports a team cause he/she identifies with the team on some level...sees something they like...or one's daddy did and took one to the park as a kid....or their favorite player is on the team.. they're fun....they're from one's home...their favorite player moved to that team.. or maybe if one's team is no longer in it one chooses a team that hasn't won in a while... or a team whose fans aren't too annoying...

I think this focus on payrolls is a red herring... the biggest spending teams in baseball don't usually win anyways... I'm always hearing about how the Yankees spend so much money.. well you know what? they don't always win.. how many World Series have they won the past 35 years or so? I think its five...and in the past 50? seven...

now someone like smackie who is seemingly a sports junkie and really invests his time into the hobby (and money ? i get the sense he bets on games and does quite well) is interested in something else.. he's almost like a guy whose dream job would be to be GM of a team.. so he likes a team that is well run because he gets off on that.. so of course he likes a well run team like the Cardinals....  I don't mean that in any negative way.. Smackie knows his shit...but the things that make him root for or against a team are things 99% of people have no clue or interest about..

most people don't root for a team because they have a good front office. and most people don't root for a team because its whats best for baseball...  and most people don't root against a team because of their beards

btw I think my favorite player in baseball is Yadier Molina....he's the man..... is he a future hall of famer?

[James Ford]

Wouldn't most sports franchises love to have seven championships in 35 years? And you're wrong, check out this list.

    New York Yankees $228,995,945
    Los Angeles Dodgers $216,302,909
    Philadelphia $159,578,214
    Boston $158,967,286
    Detroit $149,046,844
    San Francisco $142,180,333
    Los Angeles Angels $142,165,250
    Texas $127,197,575
    Chicago White Sox $124,065,277
    Toronto $118,244,039
    St. Louis $116,702,085
    Washington $112,431,770
    Cincinnati $110,565,728
    Chicago Cubs $104,150,726
    Baltimore $91,793,333
    Milwaukee $91,003,366
    Arizona $90,158,500
    Atlanta $89,288,193
    New York Mets $88,877,033
    Seattle $84,295,952
    Cleveland $82,517,300
    Kansas City $80,491,725
    Minnesota $75,562,500
    Colorado $75,449,071
    San Diego $71,689,900
    Oakland $68,577,000
    Pittsburgh $66,289,524
    Tampa Bay $57,030,272
    Miami $39,621,900
    Houston $24,328,538

I think this focus on payrolls is a red herring... the biggest spending teams in baseball don't usually win anyways... I'm always hearing about how the Yankees spend so much money.. well you know what? they don't always win.. how many World Series have they won the past 35 years or so? I think its five...and in the past 50? seven...

[atomic]

I was a Red Sox fan growing up, but goddamn they have to be one of the ugliest teams in the history of baseball.

Go Tigers.

The Yankees are pretty ugly and so are their fans.  When they come to Camden Yards it is weird like they are like their own race of people..  All their noses look a like.  Long and close their faces.  Really weird.

[hutch]

Wouldn't most sports franchises love to have seven championships in 35 years? And you're wrong, check out this list.

    New York Yankees $228,995,945
    Los Angeles Dodgers $216,302,909
    Philadelphia $159,578,214
    Boston $158,967,286
    Detroit $149,046,844
    San Francisco $142,180,333
    Los Angeles Angels $142,165,250
    Texas $127,197,575
    Chicago White Sox $124,065,277
    Toronto $118,244,039
    St. Louis $116,702,085
    Washington $112,431,770
    Cincinnati $110,565,728
    Chicago Cubs $104,150,726
    Baltimore $91,793,333
    Milwaukee $91,003,366
    Arizona $90,158,500
    Atlanta $89,288,193
    New York Mets $88,877,033
    Seattle $84,295,952
    Cleveland $82,517,300
    Kansas City $80,491,725
    Minnesota $75,562,500
    Colorado $75,449,071
    San Diego $71,689,900
    Oakland $68,577,000
    Pittsburgh $66,289,524
    Tampa Bay $57,030,272
    Miami $39,621,900
    Houston $24,328,538

I think this focus on payrolls is a red herring... the biggest spending teams in baseball don't usually win anyways... I'm always hearing about how the Yankees spend so much money.. well you know what? they don't always win.. how many World Series have they won the past 35 years or so? I think its five...and in the past 50? seven...

[hutch]

the yankees have won 7 World Series in 50 years... considering they usually spend the most that should tell you something ---> spending the most doesn't guarantee shit

but even if teams spend money so what? who gives a shit? what should they do? not try to win like the washington stingy nationals?

fucking where i'm from i want my team to win and spend money to do so.


and this year it just worked out  that way but sometimes it doesn't.. and look at Pittsburgh on that list. yeah.. look way the fuck down at the bottom....right above Tampa Bay.

[James Ford]

The Yankees have won seven of the last 35 World Series, or seven in the 40 years since Steinbrenner bought the club, are the more relevant statements. And that's still a good percentage.

The Nats were the 12th biggest spenders. That hardly qualifies as "stingy".

And which championship series are Pittsburgh and Tampa playing in?

the yankees have won 7 World Series in 50 years... considering they usually spend the most that should tell you something ---> spending the most doesn't guarantee shit

but even if teams spend money so what? who gives a shit? what should they do? not try to win like the washington stingy nationals?

fucking where i'm from i want my team to win and spend money to do so.


and this year it just worked out  that way but sometimes it doesn't.. and look at Pittsburgh on that list. yeah.. look way the fuck down at the bottom....right above Tampa Bay.

[shemptiness]

No more ridiculous than any other reason we use to support a professional team.

I mean what is the point of supporting a certain team? How many of their players are Boston natives?

My wife would probably pick the team with the nicer hats. That seems like as valid a reason as any for a preference.

I was a Red Sox fan growing up, but goddamn they have to be one of the ugliest teams in the history of baseball.

Go Tigers.

that is a ridiculous way of looking at it... we should dislike or like teams based on how ugly they are ?

I was actually trying to make a funny.  Stole the line from a previous post by Hutch about payroll.

[hutch]

The Yankees have won seven of the last 35 World Series, or seven in the 40 years since Steinbrenner bought the club, are the more relevant statements. And that's still a good percentage.

The Nats were the 12th biggest spenders. That hardly qualifies as "stingy".

And which championship series are Pittsburgh and Tampa playing in?

the yankees have won 7 World Series in 50 years... considering they usually spend the most that should tell you something ---> spending the most doesn't guarantee shit

but even if teams spend money so what? who gives a shit? what should they do? not try to win like the washington stingy nationals?

fucking where i'm from i want my team to win and spend money to do so.


and this year it just worked out  that way but sometimes it doesn't.. and look at Pittsburgh on that list. yeah.. look way the fuck down at the bottom....right above Tampa Bay.

sometimes lower spending teams win the World Series and sometimes they don't... but both Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh were very competitive this year and among the best... with a fraction of the payroll of the four teams that are still in it.

[stevewizzle]

And which championship series are Pittsburgh and Tampa playing in?

the yankees have won 7 World Series in 50 years... considering they usually spend the most that should tell you something ---> spending the most doesn't guarantee shit

but even if teams spend money so what? who gives a shit? what should they do? not try to win like the washington stingy nationals?

fucking where i'm from i want my team to win and spend money to do so.


and this year it just worked out  that way but sometimes it doesn't.. and look at Pittsburgh on that list. yeah.. look way the fuck down at the bottom....right above Tampa Bay.

BOOM

[vansmack]

john lackey, pitching the game of his life today.

No.

That was game 7 of the 2002 World Series as a rookie.  Last night was good though.

[vansmack]

Once your team is eliminated in baseball you are supposed to not care about the season anymore. 

I never stop caring about baseball.  I just stopped watching that god for saken squad every night for the sake of temperament.

[hutch]

And which championship series are Pittsburgh and Tampa playing in?

the yankees have won 7 World Series in 50 years... considering they usually spend the most that should tell you something ---> spending the most doesn't guarantee shit

but even if teams spend money so what? who gives a shit? what should they do? not try to win like the washington stingy nationals?

fucking where i'm from i want my team to win and spend money to do so.


and this year it just worked out  that way but sometimes it doesn't.. and look at Pittsburgh on that list. yeah.. look way the fuck down at the bottom....right above Tampa Bay.

BOOM

I do not accept your BOOM.

[vansmack]

(and money ? i get the sense he bets on games and does quite well)

Not anymore, but yes, I used to be quite heavily.

he's almost like a guy whose dream job would be to be GM of a team..

Yes.  I submit an application for the Angels GM job every time it's open and I'm not kidding.  I once talked to Arte Moreno about it over a few great innings at a spring training game in AZ and now I at least get a rejection notice.

so of course he likes a well run team like the Cardinals.... 

Appreciate would be a better word than like.  I feel the need to root for a team in the playoffs and adjust each round.  I was actually rooting for the Pirates against the Cardinals as I was a Pirates fan growing up.  Now in the last four I've adopted the Cards, but I've always appreciated the Cardinals franchise in the last 10 years for what they've done and had some of the most fascinating conversations at Busch stadium when I visited.  Extremely knowledgeable fans.

btw I think my favorite player in baseball is Yadier Molina....he's the man..... is he a future hall of famer?

There's almost no doubt in my mind he will be a HoFer.  When the Halo's had Bengie and Jose Molina, the announcers would always talk about the catching Molina family and how Bengie and Jose insist that Yadier is the best of the group.  Anaheim ignored them and St. Louis nabbed him in the 4th round.   Anaheim has had 6 catchers in the 9 years Yadier has led the Cards.

His mentor in the minors and the bigs, BTW?  Mike Matheny.